News Analysis India

Category: Politics

  • Calcutta HC order slap in face of those indulged in vote bank politics: Chhattisgarh CM

    Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Thursday hailed the Calcutta High Court’s decision to scrap the OBC status of several classes in West Bengal, calling it a slap in the face of those indulged in appeasement politics through “religion-based” quota. The HC on Wednesday struck down the OBC (Other Backward Class) status of several classes in Bengal, finding such reservations under a 2012 Act to vacancies in services and posts in the state illegal. It observed that the inclusion of 77 classes of Muslims in the list of backward categories was to “treat them as vote bank”.

    West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has asserted that she will not accept the order and hinted that her government could challenge it in the Supreme Court.

    Asked about Banerjee’s statement, Sai told reporters here, “We welcome the decision of Calcutta High Court over religion-based reservation. It is a slap in the face of those who practise vote bank and appeasement politics by giving religion-based reservation.” Later, Sai claimed in a statement that Congress and the opposition INDIA bloc have been conspiring to “murder the Constitution”. AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther States”We all know that religion-based reservation has no place in the Constitution. On Wednesday, the Honourable Calcutta High Court scrapped all the religion-based OBC certificates issued in West Bengal after 2010. This is a big decision for the OBC, tribals and all backward communities in the country,” he said. The judgment shows how Mamata Banerjee’s government was taking ahead the “policy of appeasement in an unconstitutional manner”, he said. “INDI alliance has been continuously robbing the rights of tribals and backward classes and wants to snatch their rights and hand them over to Muslims, just because of its vote bank politics. It is highly condemnable,” Sai said. Neither BJP nor backward, tribals and Dalits will tolerate the politics of appeasement of Congress and its alliance, he said. “What is even more serious is that the West Bengal CM has said that she will not accept this decision and will not implement it. It is very unfortunate”, he added.

  • Hemant Soren drops plea against arrest after SC questions ‘conduct’

    The Supreme Court on Wednesday criticised Hemant Soren for his “blameworthy conduct” of not disclosing complete facts in a plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) even as the former Jharkhand chief minister’s counsel withdrew the plea.

    A vacation bench headed by Justice Dipankar Datta verbally observed that Soren had availed “parallel remedies” by filing two separate pleas, one challenging his arrest and another seeking bail, but did not disclose it to the top court.

    Soren also did not disclose that his regular bail already stands dismissed by the trial court, the bench observed.It disapproved of the “crafty drafting” of Soren’s petition and told senior advocate Kapil Sibal that the court expected “some candour from your client”.AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesSibal said it was his own mistake and not of Soren. “It is my personal fault and not of my client,” he told the bench. “The client is in jail and we are lawyers acting for him. Our intention was never to mislead the court and we have never done it.”Speaking for the bench, Justice Datta verbally observed that it appears that “the person in custody is not acting with bona fide”.To this, Sibal responded that Soren “is not in touch with us. It is not his (Soren) fault at all”.Sibal withdrew the plea after the bench said it would dismiss the same.

    Pointing out factual dissimilarities between the case of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Soren, both challenging their arrest by Enforcement Directorate (ED), the apex court on Tuesday had sought to know whether Soren’s plea would be maintainable especially after his regular bail has been rejected and the fact that a special court has taken cognisance of a prosecution complaint (equivalent of a charge sheet) filed by ED against Soren and other accused.

  • “We are also saying we should get back PoK but…”: Asaduddin Owaisi attacks BJP

    Amid a debate on Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi asked the BJP on Wednesday what they have done in the last 10 years to get back PoK?

    Owaisi also mentioned that he also wants that PoJK should be included in India but this issue only comes forward during the elections.

    “Now they (BJP) are not saying ‘400 paar’. The real issue is that the prices of petrol have crossed Rs 100 and the incidents of paper leaks are taking place in Varanasi, from where PM Modi is a candidate. They talk about Pok, but what have they done in the last 10 years to get it? We are also saying that PoK is a part of India and we should get it back but the issue of PoK only comes forward during elections,” he said.”All the promises that they made in the last 10 years turned out to be false,” Owaisi added.AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesNotably, the Bharatiya Janata Party have racked up the PoK issue in their campaign across the country. Several BJP leaders are highlighting that the territory belongs to India only.The Home Minister Amit Shah in a rally on May 20 in Delhi emphasized that Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir will remain India’s forever.”The leader of the INDI Alliance says do not talk about POK; respect Pakistan because it has atom bomb. Rahul Baba, we are the people of the BJP; we are not afraid of atom bombs. PoK belongs to India, will remain so and we will take it,” Shah said.Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday said that the vision of securing over 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections needs to be realised to integrate Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) into India.

    “The vision of ‘Abki Baar, 400 Paar’ needs to be realised to make PoK a part of India,” UP CM said.

  • Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan: Left govt in Kerala enters fourth year, CM says extreme poverty will be eradicated by 2025

    As the Left government in Kerala marks its fourth year in office, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday the government plans to develop a knowledge economy and eradicate extreme poverty in the state by November 1, 2025. Listing out achievements of the Kerala government, Vijayan said in a statement that the consecutive Left governments have focused on developing basic infrastructure in the state.

    “This government is striving to transform Kerala into a knowledge economy, emphasising achievements in infrastructure development and the welfare sector. As part of it, we are addressing deficiencies and eliminating gaps in various areas. Kerala already has the lowest poverty rate in India, and we are now taking steps towards eradicating extreme poverty. By November 1, 2025, Kerala aims to become a state free of extreme poverty,” Vijayan said.

    Vijayan said that while the Union government fails to fill the numerous vacancies in various Central government establishments, including the Indian Railways and other Central public sector undertakings, the Kerala Public Service Commission stands as a model for the entire country. “The Left government has given 2.5 lakh jobs through the PSC since 2016. The government has also created 30,000 more posts, and a special recruitment board was formed for the recruitment in the state public sector undertakings,” Vijayan said. AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesVijayan said the Left government has received various global accolades and recognition, but the Union government is choking the state through financial strangulation. He claimed that when the UDF government was in power in 2016, Kerala’s own revenue constituted only 26 per cent of the state’s total revenue, while under the LDF government, it has significantly increased to 73 per cent. “There has been a Rs 30,000 crore increase in tax revenue. In recent years, Kerala has managed to fund most of its expenditures through its own revenue sources. We had achieved this despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Vijayan added.

    Vijayan said the general education system in the state, which was in shambles during the UDF rule, was upgraded to international standards by the Left government.

  • Tripura CM Manik Saha in West Bengal: 'Public done with TMC’s poor policies, corruption…'

    Tripura CM Manik Saha in West Bengal: 'Public done with TMC’s poor policies, corruption…'

  • Karnataka: Govt writes to MEA, seeks cancellation of diplomatic passport of Revanna jr

    The State Government has written to the ministry of external affairs (MEA) seeking cancellation of the diplomatic passport issued to Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna for dodging summons from the special investigation team (SIT) probing complaints of sexual abuse of women, against him.

    The letter follows a special court issuing an arrest warrant against him, Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Tuesday.

    The first-time MP is seeking reelection from Hassan as an NDA candidate, and fled the country a day after the April 26 polls.Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the home minister added, had already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling for speedy cancellation of his passport.AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesThe government asking for cancellation of the passport in accordance with the law was one thing. But a court has issued an arrest warrant now, and the government has followed up on its earlier letter with a fresh one, the minister said.If the MEA were to cancel Revanna Jr’s diplomatic passport, it would become impossible for the MP to stay on in a foreign country and would be forced to return, Parameshwara said. He also added that the MEA would have to respond to the state’s communication now.The SIT is probing complaints of sexual harassment alleged by the Hassan MP and widespread leaks of explicit videos days ahead of the polls.On May 18, the special court trying cases involving elected representatives ordered an arrest warrant against Revanna Jr after the SIT made an application seeking the same.

    The SIT has moved a step further in efforts to get the MP back in Bengaluru at the earliest after its look out notices and blue corner notice have not led to his return.

  • AAP accused of FCRA violations: ED does everything during the polls so it creates doubt, says Sandeep Dikshit – The Economic Times Video

    The ED has written to Union Home Ministry alleging AAP has received more than Rs 7 crore foreign funds in contravention of FCRA. The Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit has responded to it said, “there was also some news that maybe a few years ago this matter had also gone to court. I don’t have proper knowledge about this matter. If genuinely people have given money and AAP put forward the facts then there is no problem but if it is the case that someone is depositing money in someone else’s name, then an investigation should be done. The problem is that ED does everything during the elections so it creates doubt whether it is genuinely looking at something or doing it in view elections.”

  • Jammu & Kashmir: After high voter turnout in Lok Sabha polls, CEC now ‘encouraged’ to ‘go for assembly polls at the earliest’

    The Election Commission of India is “encouraged” by high voter turnout in Jammu and Kashmir and will move towards holding assembly polls in the Union Territory “at the earliest”, chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar has said.In a first such statement, the CEC told ET that ECI was “heartened” and “more confident” of holding polls in the Union Territory and would start work on it right after the Lok Sabha elections.”The commission is encouraged to go for assembly polls in the Union Territory at the earliest possible. For the same, the process will be initiated soon after parliamentary elections,” Kumar told ET.”While I would like to thank the electors of J&K for coming out to vote, they have also sent out a clear message. The people of J&K are eager to exercise their franchise and feel invested in the democratic ethos and system of governance. The poll panel is deeply encouraged by the voter turnout in Lok Sabha polls and will work towards holding assembly polls at the earliest,” he said.AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesThe CEC’s reaction came hours after Baramulla parliamentary constituency reported a record turnout on Monday. Phase 4 turnout in Srinagar constituency at 38.49% was highest in many decades.In his March 16 press conference when schedules for Lok Sabha elections were announced, CEC had asserted that ECI was committed to holding assembly polls in J&K soon after the parliamentary polls and before the September 30 deadline set by the Supreme Court.

  • ED opposes JMM leader Hemant Soren’s interim bail plea in SC

    New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate opposed in the Supreme Court on Monday former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren’s plea seeking interim bail in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged land scam to campaign in the Lok Sabha polls. In its affidavit filed in the top court on Soren’s plea against his arrest and for interim bail, the probe agency said the materials on record establish that the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader was involved in the acquisition and possession of properties in an illegal manner which are proceeds of crime. A vacation bench headed by Justice Dipankar Datta is scheduled to hear Soren’s plea against his arrest and interim bail on Tuesday. “Various Statements recorded under section 50 of PMLA, 2002, which establish that property admeasuring 8.86 acres, situated at Shanti Nagar, Near Lalu Khatal, Bariyatu is under illegal acquisition, possession and use of Hemant Soren and the same has been done in a camouflaged and concealed manner,” the agency said. Opposing the interim bail of Soren for campaigning during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the ED said, “It is relevant to note that the right to campaign for an election is neither a fundamental right nor a constitutional right and not even a legal right.” AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesThe probe agency said that there is an active attempt on Soren’s part to subvert the investigation by misusing state machinery and project the proceeds of crime as “untainted through his stooges”. Soren was arrested on January 31 in the money-laundering case linked to the alleged land scam after he resigned as the Jharkhand chief minister. He has challenged a May 3 order of the Jharkhand High Court that dismissed his petition against his arrest by the ED. He has also sought interim bail for campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls till the court delivers its verdict on his plea against his arrest.

    On May 13, referring to the top court’s recent order in a money-laundering case involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Soren sought interim bail for campaigning in the election.

  • PM Modi in Odisha, receives thunderous welcome in Puri during mega roadshow

    PM Modi in Odisha, receives thunderous welcome in Puri during mega roadshow