News Analysis India

Tag: BJP leader

  • Meet Bhartruhari Mahtab, New Pro-Tem Speaker Of Lok Sabha |

    New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday appointed BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as pro tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha. The appointment of Mehtab was done by President Murmu as a pro-tem Speaker under Article 95(1) of the Constitution.

    Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Sudip Bandyopadhyay were appointed to aid the Speaker Protem during the oath-taking of the newly-elected members.

    According to Article 94 of the Constitution, the office of the speaker becomes vacant immediately before the first meeting of the new Lok Sabha. In that case, the President appoints a Member of the House as Speaker pro tem to perform the duties of the Speaker.

    The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha is scheduled to begin on June 24 while the Rajya Sabha session will begin on June 27. 

    Who Is Bhartruhari Mahtab?
    Bhartruhari Mahtab switched from Biju Janata Dal (BJD) to BJP just a few days before the Lok Sabha elections. He secured a seat from the Cuttack Parliamentary constituency and defeated BJD Santrupt Misra. Mahtab represented the same constituency earlier as a BJD leader and now as a BJP candidate.

    In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Mahtab, contested from as BJD leader and won against BJP leader Prakash Misra. In 201, he was honoured with the Parliamentarian Award. He is the son of Dr Harekrushna Mahatab, who served as the Chief Minister of Odisha two times.

  • Rajya Sabha Elections: BJP names Sudhanshu Trivedi, RPN Singh among 14 candidates – The Economic Times Video

    The BJP on Sunday announced its candidates from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections. Sudhanshu Trivedi, RPN Singh from Uttar Pradesh. Former Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala was announced as the party’s candidate from Haryana.

  • Receptionist murder case: 32 detained as protesters clash with police during Tiranga Yatra

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: Hundreds of people on Tueday took out a Tiranga Yatra from Ankita Bhandari’s ancestral home demanding a CBI probe into her murder.

    The nineteen-year-old Ankita Bhandari was killed near Rishikesh allegedly by her employer and her body was recovered from the Cheela canal close to Rishikesh early on Saturday, six days after her parents found her missing from her room.

    After the Yatra was stopped at the Barrage bridge, a heated exchange broke out between the police and protesters. The police detained 32 people after the ruckus. 

    Pauri Garhwal Additional SP Shekhar Suyal said that entry to the resort is prohibited and the resort is currently under police supervision and an SIT probe is underway.

    ALSO READ | Ankita murder case: Demolition of resort may have destroyed crucial evidence, says U’khand ex-DGP

    People’s anger over the murder of Ankita Bhandari continues unabated. The protesters demanded that they did not trust the SIT formed by the government, the real truth would come out only after a CBI probe. With this demand, Tiranga yatra was taken out from Ankita’s village today via Rishikesh to Vantara Resort.

    The protesters and student organisations are adamant about demanding a CBI probe into the Bhandari murder case. On reaching Rishikesh, locals extended their support to the Tiranga rally and headed towards the resort of Pulkit Arya, the main accused in the Ankita murder case, in Ganga Bhogpur.

    Due to security reasons at the Barrage bridge, the police of Laxman Jhula police station stopped the protesters by putting up barricades, on which angry protesters started sloganeering there. Women protesters also sat on the road and started shouting slogans.

    All India Congress Committee member Jayendra Ramola said the name of the VIP was being deliberately concealed as the VIP was none other than a senior RSS functionary. He warned that he would soon sit on fast unto death.

    Ankita Bhandari, 19, a resident of Pauri district, was a receptionist at Vantara Resort in Yamkeshwar block.  The resort belongs to Pulkit Arya, son of a senior BJP leader. It is alleged that Pulkit Arya had pressurised Ankita Bhandari to give “special service” to VIP guests visiting the resort

    On September 18, Ankita and Pulkit had an argument over the same issue.  The same evening, on the pretext of going on a drive, Pulkit also took two managers with him and killed Ankita by pushing her into the Chila river.

    DEHRADUN: Hundreds of people on Tueday took out a Tiranga Yatra from Ankita Bhandari’s ancestral home demanding a CBI probe into her murder.

    The nineteen-year-old Ankita Bhandari was killed near Rishikesh allegedly by her employer and her body was recovered from the Cheela canal close to Rishikesh early on Saturday, six days after her parents found her missing from her room.

    After the Yatra was stopped at the Barrage bridge, a heated exchange broke out between the police and protesters. The police detained 32 people after the ruckus. 

    Pauri Garhwal Additional SP Shekhar Suyal said that entry to the resort is prohibited and the resort is currently under police supervision and an SIT probe is underway.

    ALSO READ | Ankita murder case: Demolition of resort may have destroyed crucial evidence, says U’khand ex-DGP

    People’s anger over the murder of Ankita Bhandari continues unabated. The protesters demanded that they did not trust the SIT formed by the government, the real truth would come out only after a CBI probe. With this demand, Tiranga yatra was taken out from Ankita’s village today via Rishikesh to Vantara Resort.

    The protesters and student organisations are adamant about demanding a CBI probe into the Bhandari murder case. On reaching Rishikesh, locals extended their support to the Tiranga rally and headed towards the resort of Pulkit Arya, the main accused in the Ankita murder case, in Ganga Bhogpur.

    Due to security reasons at the Barrage bridge, the police of Laxman Jhula police station stopped the protesters by putting up barricades, on which angry protesters started sloganeering there. Women protesters also sat on the road and started shouting slogans.

    All India Congress Committee member Jayendra Ramola said the name of the VIP was being deliberately concealed as the VIP was none other than a senior RSS functionary. He warned that he would soon sit on fast unto death.

    Ankita Bhandari, 19, a resident of Pauri district, was a receptionist at Vantara Resort in Yamkeshwar block.  The resort belongs to Pulkit Arya, son of a senior BJP leader. It is alleged that Pulkit Arya had pressurised Ankita Bhandari to give “special service” to VIP guests visiting the resort

    On September 18, Ankita and Pulkit had an argument over the same issue.  The same evening, on the pretext of going on a drive, Pulkit also took two managers with him and killed Ankita by pushing her into the Chila river.

  • Uttarakhand murder: BJP leader’s son arrested; receptionist at resort ‘pays the price for her honour’

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: The receptionist of Vantra Resort near Rishikesh, who was missing for the last five days, was murdered by the resort owner and operators. Police have arrested three persons, including the son of a former BJP state minister.

    Ankita could not make any dying declaration before her death, but the disclosure of a WhatsApp chat conversation with a friend in Jammu very clearly describes the brutality of the resort operators.

    Ankita Bhandari of Shrikot village in the Nandlsyun belt of Pauri Garhwal, who worked as a receptionist at Vantra Resort at Ganga Bhogpur in Rishikesh, was missing for the last five days.

    The family initially informed the revenue police about Ankita’s disappearance. Treating the case as suspicious, Director General of Police Ashok Kumar handed it over to Laxman Jhula police station.

    Acting on the prompt interrogation of the resort staff and evidence from CCTV footage, police arrested three persons, including Pulkit Arya, son of former state minister Vinod Arya, this morning. 

    When the three arrested accused were strictly interrogated, all the accused confessed to their crime. The arrested accused include resort managers Ankit alias Pulkit Gupta, Saurabh Bhaskar and pulkit Arya, son of resort owner and former minister Vinod Arya.

    The accused said that on the evening of September 18, Pulkit and Ankita were at the resort when they got into an argument over something. Pulkit then took Ankita with him to change the mood. On which the three went to Rishikesh in different vehicles. All of them reached AIIMS via barrage.

    As narrated to the police, the accused said that Ankita and Pulkit again got into an argument. Ankita used to defame us among her colleagues and tell our things to her colleagues. We got angry during the fight and Ankita also started manhandling us. We pushed her in anger and she fell into the canal. She then screamed a couple of times and then drowned in the canal. A search is on for the body, police officials said.

    As the news of Ankita’s murder spread, locals started creating a ruckus. People surrounded the jeep carrying the accused. Some people also broke the glass of the jeep. The resort was also vandalised. At the same time, the unruly mob also assaulted one of the accused. On the other hand, SDM Kotdwar, who came to seal the resort, was also surrounded by people and people tried to enter the resort by breaking the door.

    Locals stuck to their demand to demolish the resort. Police and administration brought the situation under control after a lot of effort. 

    The reason for the murder was Ankita not accepting the unreasonable demands of the resort operators, say reports.

    Speaking to The New Indian Express, Leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya said, “Ankita’s murder in the pilgrimage town has not only brought out the law and order situation in the state but also brought out the reality of the BJP government’s ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ slogan”. “Even in the quiet mountains, daughters are no longer safe under the BJP rule and their leaders and their close ones are responsible for the deteriorating law and order situation,” added Arya.

    DEHRADUN: The receptionist of Vantra Resort near Rishikesh, who was missing for the last five days, was murdered by the resort owner and operators. Police have arrested three persons, including the son of a former BJP state minister.

    Ankita could not make any dying declaration before her death, but the disclosure of a WhatsApp chat conversation with a friend in Jammu very clearly describes the brutality of the resort operators.

    Ankita Bhandari of Shrikot village in the Nandlsyun belt of Pauri Garhwal, who worked as a receptionist at Vantra Resort at Ganga Bhogpur in Rishikesh, was missing for the last five days.

    The family initially informed the revenue police about Ankita’s disappearance. Treating the case as suspicious, Director General of Police Ashok Kumar handed it over to Laxman Jhula police station.

    Acting on the prompt interrogation of the resort staff and evidence from CCTV footage, police arrested three persons, including Pulkit Arya, son of former state minister Vinod Arya, this morning. 

    When the three arrested accused were strictly interrogated, all the accused confessed to their crime. The arrested accused include resort managers Ankit alias Pulkit Gupta, Saurabh Bhaskar and pulkit Arya, son of resort owner and former minister Vinod Arya.

    The accused said that on the evening of September 18, Pulkit and Ankita were at the resort when they got into an argument over something. Pulkit then took Ankita with him to change the mood. On which the three went to Rishikesh in different vehicles. All of them reached AIIMS via barrage.

    As narrated to the police, the accused said that Ankita and Pulkit again got into an argument. Ankita used to defame us among her colleagues and tell our things to her colleagues. We got angry during the fight and Ankita also started manhandling us. We pushed her in anger and she fell into the canal. She then screamed a couple of times and then drowned in the canal. A search is on for the body, police officials said.

    As the news of Ankita’s murder spread, locals started creating a ruckus. People surrounded the jeep carrying the accused. Some people also broke the glass of the jeep. The resort was also vandalised. At the same time, the unruly mob also assaulted one of the accused. On the other hand, SDM Kotdwar, who came to seal the resort, was also surrounded by people and people tried to enter the resort by breaking the door.

    Locals stuck to their demand to demolish the resort. Police and administration brought the situation under control after a lot of effort. 

    The reason for the murder was Ankita not accepting the unreasonable demands of the resort operators, say reports.

    Speaking to The New Indian Express, Leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya said, “Ankita’s murder in the pilgrimage town has not only brought out the law and order situation in the state but also brought out the reality of the BJP government’s ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ slogan”. “Even in the quiet mountains, daughters are no longer safe under the BJP rule and their leaders and their close ones are responsible for the deteriorating law and order situation,” added Arya.

  • BJP leader’s son arrested for killing receptionist at his resort in Uttarakhand 

    By PTI

    PAURI (Uttarakhand): A BJP leader’s son who owns a resort in Yamkeshwar block of Pauri district and his two employees were arrested on Friday allegedly for killing a 19-year-old girl who had been missing for the last few days, police said.

    The girl worked as a receptionist at the resort.

    Pulkit Arya is the son of Vinod Arya, a BJP leader from Haridwar, and a former chairman of Uttarakhand Mati Kala Board.

    Vinod Arya has been granted a state minister’s rank but holds no post in the government.

    Pulkit Arya, the resort owner, manager Saurabh Bhaskar, and assistant manager Ankit Gupta were arrested after they confessed to having killed the missing girl and thrown her body into the Cheela Canal, Pauri Additional Superintendent of Police Shekhar Chandra Suyal told PTI.

    Initially, they tried to mislead the police, but when interrogated sternly they confessed to the crime, the ASP said.

    A team has been sent to search for the girl’s body in the canal, he said, adding the case was cracked within 24 hours of being transferred from the revenue police to regular police.

    The three accused were sent to 14-day judicial custody by a Kotdwar court, police said.

    A missing complaint had been lodged at a revenue police outpost after the girl was not found in her room by her parents on Monday morning.

    PAURI (Uttarakhand): A BJP leader’s son who owns a resort in Yamkeshwar block of Pauri district and his two employees were arrested on Friday allegedly for killing a 19-year-old girl who had been missing for the last few days, police said.

    The girl worked as a receptionist at the resort.

    Pulkit Arya is the son of Vinod Arya, a BJP leader from Haridwar, and a former chairman of Uttarakhand Mati Kala Board.

    Vinod Arya has been granted a state minister’s rank but holds no post in the government.

    Pulkit Arya, the resort owner, manager Saurabh Bhaskar, and assistant manager Ankit Gupta were arrested after they confessed to having killed the missing girl and thrown her body into the Cheela Canal, Pauri Additional Superintendent of Police Shekhar Chandra Suyal told PTI.

    Initially, they tried to mislead the police, but when interrogated sternly they confessed to the crime, the ASP said.

    A team has been sent to search for the girl’s body in the canal, he said, adding the case was cracked within 24 hours of being transferred from the revenue police to regular police.

    The three accused were sent to 14-day judicial custody by a Kotdwar court, police said.

    A missing complaint had been lodged at a revenue police outpost after the girl was not found in her room by her parents on Monday morning.

  • FIR against BJP leader over hate speech

    By Express News Service

    SRINAGAR:  The police in Jammu and Kashmir has registered an FIR against a senior J&K BJP leader and former MLC Vikram Randhawa for hate speech while the saffron party has acted against him and relieved him of all party posts and served show cause notice asking him to tender public apology or face strict disciplinary action.

    Sources said an FIR No 357 of 2021 under sections 295-A and 505(2) has been registered against Randhawa at Bahu Nagar Police Station in Jammu for hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity between religious groups.

    The FIR was registered after a video of Randhawa in which made derogatory remarks about the Kashmiri Muslims had gone viral. In the undated video, Randhawa was purportedly telling his supporters, “I think the agencies are doing a good job.

    They are not taking celebrations in Kashmir over Pakistan’s victory over India in World T20 match casually. Since the beginning, we have been demanding that not just their (academic) degrees be cancelled, their citizenship must also be revoked. They should be beaten up and skinned alive”.

    The hate speech by the BJP leader evoked strong resentment and condemnations from all sections of society. J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina said it was unacceptable that a person occupying high position in the party makes a statement, which hurts religious sentiments. 

    Targeted union minister earlierEarlier, this year, Randhawa had levelled allegations against senior J&K BJP leader and Union MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh. However, he apologised to Singh soon after

  • Kailash Vijayvargiya accuses TMC of politicising ‘attack’ on Mamata Banerjee

    By ANI
    INDORE: BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya on Thursday accused the Trinamool Congress of politicising alleged attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

    “They (TMC) are politicizing the issue. However, we believe such incidents should not be politicized. I hope Election Commission will send enough central forces to West Bengal to control the political violence,” Vijayvargiya told ANI.

    Several other leaders, including BJP West Bengal Vice President Arjun Singh and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary, have also hit out at Banerjee for ‘doing nautanki’ (theatrics) to gain sympathy.

    ALSO READ: Police register case; protests break out across Bengal

    Meanwhile, TMC MLA Paresh Pal on Thursday informed that the Chief Minister’s leg is in serious condition.

    A delegation of the TMC on Thursday filed a complaint at the Election Commission office in Kolkata over the attack and have called the incident a “deep-rooted conspiracy to take her life”.

    The Chief Minister, who was on a two-day visit to Nandigram from where she filed her nomination earlier on Wednesday, alleged that she was pushed by a few unidentified people during her election campaigning.She was brought to Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital by road from Nandigram.

    Banerjee sustained “severe bony injuries” on her left foot and ankle as well as bruises and injuries on her shoulder, forearm and neck, according to the report of her initial medical examination.

    West Bengal is likely to witness a triangular contest this time with TMC, Congress-Left alliance and the BJP in the fray.

    Elections to 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

  • BJP leader’s vehicle attacked in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur

    By PTI
    HOSHIARPUR: A BJP leader’s vehicle was allegedly attacked here on Sunday by some unidentified people when a group of farmers was protesting against the Centre’s farm laws.

    According to police, the incident took place at Garhdiwala town, about 30 km from Hoshiarpur.

    The vehicle of district BJP president (rural) Sanjiv Minhas was attacked when around 100 farmers were protesting against the Centre’s farm laws outside a shop of another party leader, Jogesh Chopra, police said.

    At that time, Minhas was present in the shop, said officials. As the leader was being taken to a safer place, some unidentified people scuffled with police personnel.

    They also smashed windowpanes of Minhas’s vehicle.

    Minhas was taken to a community health centre for a check-up, from where he was discharged after providing first aid.

    Minhas accused Congress workers of attacking his vehicle.

    Superintendent of Police (Headquarter) Raminder Singh said they are verifying facts and action will be taken accordingly.

  • Amit Shah to visit four states, including poll-bound Bengal, Assam, this month

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah will visit four states, including poll-bound West Bengal and Assam, in the next fortnight during which he will address public rallies and take part in roadshows, sources said on Tuesday.

    Shah will undertake a visit to West Bengal on January 30 and 31 and meet BJP leaders and workers.

    He will also take part in public meetings there, sources said.

    Shah will visit Assam on January 24 during which he will address a party rally.

    The home minister will visit Karnataka on January 16 and 17 where he will take part in a few government functions and interact with party leaders and workers.

    Shah will also visit Gujarat on January 14, the sources said.

    Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam, along with Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry, are due between April and May.