News Analysis India

Tag: BJP

  • UP CM Adityanath, his deputies meet President, PM Modi in Delhi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his two deputies called on President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Monday.

    This is the chief minister’s and his two deputies’ — Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak – first meeting with the prime minister and the president after the BJP emerged victorious in the recent Uttar Pradesh polls.

    Modi said they discussed several subjects related to the state’s development.

    Referring to the three leaders, Modi said their resolve towards the people and national interest will give a new dimension to the state’s development.

    The state government described the separate meetings as courtesy calls.

    It also shared pictures of the meetings in which the state leaders were seen handing over souveniers to the president and the prime minister.

    Later, they also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

  • INS Vikrant case: Mumbai court rejects pre-arrest bail plea of BJP leader Somaiya

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: A court here on Monday rejected the anticipatory bail application of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya in a case pertaining to alleged misappropriation of over Rs 57 crore funds collected to save aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

    Kirit Somaiya, a former MP from Mumbai, and his son Neil have been booked in the case. Fearing arrest in the case, the duo had sought anticipatory bail from additional sessions judge R N Rokade.

    The judge, while refusing pre-arrest bail to Kirit Somaiya, said there were pictures to show he collected money in the name of saving the decommissioned aircraft carrier from getting dismantled, but the same was not deposited with the state governor’s office.

    The court will give its ruling on Neil Somaiya’s anticipatory bail application on Tuesday. The case against the father-son duo has been filed based on a complaint lodged by a 53-year-old former Army man at the Trombay police station in suburban Mankhurd.

    Commissioned in 1961, INS Vikrant, a Majestic-class aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy, had played a key role in enforcing the naval blockade of East Pakistan during the Indo-Pak War of 1971.

    It was decommissioned in 1997. In January 2014, the ship was sold through an online auction and scrapped in November that year.

    The complainant said that Kirit Somaiya had started a campaign to raise funds for INS Vikrant.

    He had said he had given donations to the former Lok Sabha MP for saving the warship and the BJP leader had collected more than Rs 57 crore for the purpose.

    However, instead of depositing the amount to the Maharashtra governor’s secretary’s office, he misappropriated the funds, the complainant alleged. Kirit Somaiya has rejected the allegation.

  • BJP doesn’t hold Hindutva patent: Uddhav, says Bal Thackeray led saffron agenda

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the BJP doesn’t hold “patent” on Hindutva and claimed that the late Sena supremo Bal Thackeray had showed BJP that the combination of “saffron and Hindutva” will help in achieving power in Centre.

    Thackeray also said Sena has always been committed to the “bhagva” (saffron) and Hindutva “unlike BJP which had different names like Bharatiya Jan Sangh and Jan Sangh which propagated different ideologies”.

    Joining virtually the campaign for Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) candidate Jayashree Jadhav, who belongs to Congress, for the April 12 bypoll from the Kolhapur North seat, Thackeray also blamed BJP for the defeat of the Shiv Sena nominee from the constituency in the 2019 polls despite the alliance between the two parties at that time.

    He wondered if BJP had had a hidden alliance with Congress in this constituency in the 2019 polls.

    “The BJP doesn’t have the patent for Hindutva. I wonder had Lord Ram not been born what issue the BJP would have raised in politics. Since BJP is bereft of issues it is talking about religion and (spreading) hatred,” Thackeray said.

    Thackeray said it was his father Bal Thackeray who had shown them (BJP) that saffron and Hindutva will lead them on the road to Delhi.

    Speaking on the Kolhapur North bypoll, Thackeray said that votes of Congress increased in the 2019 polls ((in Kolhapur North) compared to the 2014 elections which resulted in the defeat of Shiv Sena’s nominee despite the alliance with the BJP.

    “Where did the BJP’s votes go in 2019? Did you (BJP) have a hidden alliance with Congress at that time?” Thackeray asked.

    Thackeray also said that if the BJP claims to respect Bal Thackeray then why is that party opposing the proposal to name the upcoming Navi Mumbai international airport after the late Sena founder.

    “Why has the BJP gone back on its word and commitment given by (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah in Balasaheb’s room which I consider a temple,” Thackeray asked, in an apparent reference to his claim that BJP had promised the CM’s post to Sena in the 2019 polls.

    The issue of sharing the chief minister’s post after the state elections in 2019 led to the break up between the Sena and the BJP. The BJP and Shah had rejected Thackeray’s claims regarding the purported promise on the CM’s post.

    Thackeray, whose party heads the Maha Vikas Aghadi government which includes NCP and Congress, also said that the MVA alliance experiment is successful. “This is the reason that Sena didn’t stake the claim for the Kolhapur North seat,” he said.

    Thackeray said MVA partners discussed in a recent meeting if they are falling short. “We realised that it is not the governance and administration we are lacking but we are falling short in spreading lies,” he said in a dig at BJP.

    Thackeray said that votes of Congress increased in the 2019 polls (in Kolhapur North) compared to the 2014 elections which resulted in the defeat of Shiv Sena’s nominee despite the alliance with the BJP at that time.

    “The BJP had severed ties with Sena in the 2014 elections. In that election, the Sena candidate won 69,736 votes in the Kolhapur North assembly segment while the BJP secured 40,104 votes. Congress polled 47,315 votes.” For 2019 polls, Shiv Sena and BJP joined hands once again but the Sena nominee bagged 75,854 votes, a meagre rise of 5,000-6,000 votes.

    The Congress candidate secured 91,000 votes. “I want to ask where did BJP’s 40,000 votes go? Who will clarify if these votes were transferred to Congress? Shiv Sena plays its politics openly and is not a backstabber,” the Sena chief said.

    In the 2019 assembly elections, Congress candidate Chandrakant Jadhav defeated then Shiv Sena MLA Rajesh Kshirsagar to win the Kolhapur North segment.

    Jadhav’s death necessitated the April 12 byelection. MVA candidate Jayashree Jadhav, wife of the late Jadhav, will face BJP’s Satyajit Kadam in the upcoming bypoll.

    The contest is seen as the first direct face-off between Congress and BJP after the Sena decided to not stake a claim for the Kolhapur North constituency.

  • Uddhav blames BJP for Sena candidate’s defeat in Kolhapur North in 2019 assembly polls

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday blamed the BJP for the defeat of the Shiv Sena nominee from the Kolhapur North seat in the 2019 assembly polls despite the alliance between the two parties at that time.

    Joining virtually the campaign for Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) candidate Jayashree Jadhav, who belongs to Congress, for the April 12 bypoll from the Kolhapur North seat, Thackeray wondered if BJP had a hidden alliance with Congress in this constituency in 2019 polls.

    Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena heads the MVA government which includes NCP and Congress.

    “Votes of Congress increased in 2019 polls ((in Kolhapur North) compared to 2014 elections which resulted in the defeat of Shiv Sena’s nominee despite the alliance with the BJP.

    Where did the BJP’s votes go in 2019? Did you have a hidden alliance with Congress at that time?” Thackeray asked.

    Thackeray said Shiv Sena will support Congress in the upcoming bypoll because his party honours the commitment and is not a “back-stabber”.

    Taking a swipe at BJP, Thackeray wondered if the Sena voting for a Congress candidate has been dubbed a sin then what to say about BJP’s alliance with PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti in Jammu and Kashmir.

    “Does she say ‘Bharat mata ki jai’?” Thackeray asked.

    He said if the BJP claims to respect Bal Thackeray then why is that party opposing the proposal to name the upcoming Navi Mumbai international airport after the late Sena founder.

    “Why has the BJP gone back on its word and commitment given by (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah in Balasaheb’s room which I consider a temple,” Thackeray asked, in an apparent reference to his claim that BJP had promised the CM’s post to Sena in the 2019 polls.

    The issue of sharing the chief minister’s post after the state elections in 2019 led to the break up between the Sena and the BJP.

    The Sena went on to join hands with the NCP and the Congress to form the MVA government. The BJP and Shah had rejected Thackeray’s claims regarding the purported promise on the CM’s post.

    Slamming BJP, Thackeray said his party has always been committed to the “bhagva” (saffron) and Hindutva “unlike BJP which had different names like Bharatiya Jan Sangh and Jan Sangh”.

    “It was Balasaheb Thackeray who showed them (BJP) that saffron and Hindutva will lead them on the road to Delhi,” he said. Thackeray also said that the MVA alliance experiment is successful.

    “This is the reason that Sena didn’t stake the claim for the Kolhapur North seat”, he said. In the 2019 assembly elections, Congress candidate Chandrakant Jadhav defeated then Sena MLA Rajesh Kshirsagar to win the Kolhapur North segment. Jadhav’s death necessitated the April 12 byelection.

    MVA candidate Jayashree Jadhav, wife of the late Jadhav, will face BJP’s Satyajit Kadam in the bypoll.

  • Kushwaha mocks BJP’s attempt to woo OBCs by holding Asoka Jayanti

    By PTI

    PATNA: Upendra Kushwaha, a key political aide of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, on Saturday mocked the attempts of ally BJP to win over a section of OBCs by celebrating the birth anniversary of Emperor Asoka, and also for claiming credit over its declaration as public holiday in the state.

    “I was amazed to hear yesterday that a political party was claiming that its initiative had led our leader Nitish Kumar to declare Asoka Jayanti a public holiday. It should be remembered that the declaration was made in 2015 when the JD(U) was not aligned with the BJP,” he said at a programme organised by his party to celebrate the birth anniversary of the 3rd century BC ruler who has become a cultural icon for the OBCs, especially his own caste, the Koeris.

    Kushwaha, the parliamentary board chief of the JD(U), was alluding to the speech made by former deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi on Friday, at a function organised by the BJP to celebrate Asoka Jayanti.

    The senior BJP leader had underscored that Asoka Jayanti became a public holiday following the BJP’s initiative (Bhaajpa ki pahal se).

    Notably, Kumar had snapped ties with the BJP in 2013 when it became apparent that the party will elevate Narendra Modi, his then Gujarat counterpart, as the prime ministerial candidate.

    The Bihar chief minister returned to the NDA four years later.

    Kushwaha, who has been in news for using alleged denigration of Asoka as a stick to beat his ally with, cautioned people against forgetting the “insults” made to the legacy of the ancient historical figure and “becoming flag bearers” of the BJP.

    The JD(U) leader had in the past criticised a playwright for comparing the Maurya dynasty ruler to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and also the Delhi Police, controlled by the Union Home Ministry, for giving up the ‘Ashok Stambh’ as its emblem.

    Kushwaha, who merged his RLSP with the JD(U) last year, also recounted the BJP’s change in stance over the issue of caste census which the OBCs hold dear and on which his party and the opposition seem to be on the same page.

    “In 2018, when I was myself in the Union council of ministers, a senior member of the cabinet had said that the government was committed to holding a caste census. I do not want to name the leader but his party has gone back on its promise,” said Kushwaha.

    He alleged that the BJP’s show of reverence for Asoka on the previous day was “necessitated by our steadfast fight against attempts to belittle the legacy of our icon”.

    He also reiterated the need for introducing reservations in the higher judiciary, alleging “it is rare to see a Dalit or an OBC become a judge of a high court or the Supreme Court”.

    “Things have come to such a pass that now even a poor Brahmin or Rajput cannot dream of becoming a judge in the higher courts. They have such a closed system of recruitment,” alleged Kushwaha.

    Meanwhile, state BJP spokesman Ram Sagar Singh hit back asserting that his party’s reverence for Asoka was “asli” (original) while others were being “nakli” (copycats).

  • BJP using electoral victory as license to loot nation: Former Union Minister Salman Khurshid

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: Former Union Minister Salman Khurshid on Saturday came down heavily on the Narendra Modi-led central government over the price rise of essential commodities, claiming that the party was using its “electoral victory as a license to loot the nation and its people”.

    Addressing a press meet here as part of his party’s nationwide campaign against price rise, the senior Congress leader alleged that the Centre was not taking any step to check the spiralling rates.

    The government gives “price rise in petrol and diesel as gift” to people every morning, he quipped.

    Prices of petrol and diesel have gone up by Rs 10 per litre across India in 16 days.

    The veteran leader also stated that “There has been a 531 per cent excise duty hike on diesel and 203 per cent on petrol since the BJP-led NDA assumed power in 2014.”

    “The Modi government has accrued Rs 26 lakh crore in eight years by increasing excise duty on petrol and diesel alone,” he claimed.

    The increase in the price of cooking gas and hike in toll tax on national highways were burning a hole in people’s pockets, he maintained.

    “The Modi government has not spared patients too. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has announced a hike of 10.76 per cent in prices of around 800 essential drugs from April 1,” he pointed out.

    Khurshid also noted that housing prices and construction costs have gone up, while additional tax deduction on home loan for first-time buyers has been abolished.

    “There is no sphere where prices have not increased. The Modi government remains responsible for this theft. The party has used its electoral victory as a license to loot the nation and its people,” the senior Congress leader added.

  • All polling booths in Asansol should be manned by CRPF: Ravi Shankar Prasad

    By PTI

    ASANSOL: Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday demanded that all polling booths in Asansol Lok Sabha constituency, where bypolls will be held on April 12, be manned by CRPF personnel to ensure free and fair elections.

    The Lok Sabha MP alleged that an atmosphere of fear has engulfed Trinamool Congress-ruled West Bengal.

    “I will appeal to the Election Commission to deploy Central Reserve Police Personnel (CRPF) in large numbers in Asansol,” he told reporters here.

    Referring to Shatrughan Sinha, whom TMC has fielded in Asansol, Prasad said, “The by-poll is being held in a unique situation wherein the man whom I had defeated in Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency, has come to contest here.”

    Noting that Sinha has changed three political parties, Prasad questioned whether there is any guarantee that he will remain with the TMC till 2024, when the next Lok Sabha elections will be held.

    Referring to the Birbhum killings, Prasad alleged that West Bengal has turned into a “police state” and people approached the Calcutta High Court for relief as they were skeptical of police probing the incident impartially.

    The high court has handed over the investigation into the incident, in which nine people died of burn injuries after assailants threw petrol bombs at several houses in Bogtui village near Rampurhat town on March 21 following the murder of local TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

    The BJP leader called upon the people of Asansol to vote for BJP candidate Agnimitra Paul as the central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked for unity and development of the country.

    Reacting to Prasad’s comments, TMC state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, “BJP is doing politics over dead bodies. Ravi Shankar Prasad should apologise for casting aspersions on the law and order in West Bengal. Threatening to impose President’s rule in West Bengal won’t help.”

    The by-poll to Asansol constituency was necessitated since Supriyo resigned from his seat after joining the TMC.

    He will contest from Ballygunge assembly seat which fell vacant after state minister Subrata Mukherjee died last year.

  • BJP to play ‘social justice’ card for Gujarat elections 

    Express News Service

    AHMEDABAD: Buoyed by the success in Assembly elections in four states earlier this year, BJP is gearing up to retain Gujarat, which goes to polls towards the end of this year. The plan is to highlight schemes and achievements of the government.

    Gujarat is likely to see a triangular battler this time. Other than BJP and Congress, AAP is also in the fray. Traditionally, elections in the state have been fought in the name of religion and caste. This time, BJP has changed its plan and decided to highlight the developmental work done by the government. As part of the plan, the party will observe “Samajik Nyay Pakhdeva” (Social Justice Fortnight) from April 7-20.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Gujarat for two days later this month and address public rallies in Saurashtra and north Gujarat. He is also likely to visit the tribal-dominated district of Dahod. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also visit Gujarat on April 10 and 11. Then, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will lay the foundation stone of the Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Kutch on April 13.

    BJP spokesperson Rutvij Patel said, “On April 7, promotion of Ayushyaman Bharat Yojana started. Promotion of PM Awas Yojana started today (April 8). Similar programmes on Nal Se Jal Yojana will start on April 9.  After that, the free Covid vaccination scheme promotion will be launched on April 12.”

    All these programmes will be attended by party MLAs, MPs and Cengtral ministers. By talking about the benefits of these schemes, BJP wants to protray a people-friendly image, which it thinks, worked in its favour in Uttar Pradesh. It has to be seen to what extent this ploy works in Gujarat. 

  • Uttarakhand: Muslim family gets beaten up for supporting BJP

    By Express News Service

    Dehradun: After a Muslim family in Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand was allegedly beaten up, called ‘Kaafir’ by their neighbours earlier this month for supporting the Bhartiya Janta Party, the police registered a case in the matter on Thursday. 

    The family alleged that all four members including two children were beaten up on April 5 by six people for joining and supporting the BJP. A male member of the family is a local party functionary.

    Satish Kapri, incharge of the local police chowki said, “The case has been registered against five people by name while one is still unidentified in the matter. Further action is being taken and search operation to catch the accused is going on.”

    The attack against the family which resides in Rudrapur city of the US Nagar district left four injured, including a teenage girl. 

    Anees Mian Guddu, a resident of ward no.20 Bhoorbangla is the member of the BJP and worked for the party in the recently concluded state assembly elections of Uttarakhand. 

    Mian and his family alleged that the accused had threatened them to not work for the saffron party.  Mian and his wife Parveen Jahan were attacked by locals while they were in their general store shop in the locality.

    After the couple went out for medical treatment leaving their two children- a son and a daughter at home, the accused barged into their house and beat the children up too, alleged Jahan. 

    Last month, a Muslim man was allegedly beaten to death by his neighbours in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar district for participating in the BJP’s election campaign and celebrating its victory.

    Babar Ali (25) was allegedly beaten up on March 20 in Kathargarhi and died during treatment in Lucknow on March 25.

    Ali was allegedly targeted by his neighbours for apparently participating in the BJP’s campaigning and celebrating its victory in the assembly polls.

  • Former Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Radha Mohan Das Agarwal returns as doctor

    By PTI

    GORAKHPUR: Former BJP MLA from Gorakhpur Radha Mohan Das Agarwal has returned to his earlier profession of a doctor.

    Agarwal, who had represented Gorakhpur Urban since 2002, had to vacate his constituency for Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the recently concluded Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

    A trained pediatrician, Agarwal took to social media to announce that he will return to his profession and will see patients from 9 am to 2 pm daily in the Daudpur area.

    He said he was not performing his role as a doctor for quite some time due to his engagements and responsibilities as an MLA.

    “I am now an ex-MLA and I am not required to inspect drainage systems and roads daily. I’ll now give time to my practice as a doctor,” Agarwal told PTI.

    “I was not able to devote time to patients but now I’ll give my time to them and dedicate the remaining time to social work.”

    Agarwal has been winning the Gorakhpur urban seat since 2002.

    He joined the BJP in 2007.

    In 2022, the BJP fielded Adityanath from the seat which he won.

    Agarwal had welcomed the party’s decision and showed full support in the election campaign of Adityanath.