News Analysis India

Tag: BJP

  • West Bengal BJP leaders, activists detained for protesting on ‘Khela Hobe Divas’

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh, Leader of Opposition in the assembly Suvendu Adhikari and state BJP Yuva Morcha president Soumitra Khan along with a number of party activists were detained by the police in the city on Monday for holding protests on TMC’s ‘Khela Hobe Divas’.

    The BJP leaders and workers were protesting against the alleged attacks on saffron camp members by the TMC since the assembly poll as part of the saffron party’s ‘Poschim Bongo Bachao Divas’ programme to counter the ‘Khela Hobe Divas’.

    After Khan and BJP leaders Kalyan Choubey and Mina Devi Purohit were detained for assembling at Rani Rasmoni Avenue in the heart of he city, Ghosh and Adhikari sat on a dharna at the foot of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on nearby Mayo Road.

    Soon they were taken into preventive detention by the police citing the Disaster Management Act which is in place due to the prevailing coronavirus situation.

    “TMC is deliberately creating trouble in Tripura and talking about attack on democracy in that state. What is it doing here? Not allowing us to carry on our peaceful protests,” Ghosh said before he was arrested.

    Senior BJP leader Debasree Choudhury was also detained for refusing to leave the venue, where a deputy commissioner ranked officer of Kolkata Police and hundreds of police personnel were present.

    The BJP leaders were all taken to the Lalbazar Kolkata Police headquarters and allowed to go on P R bond.

    While the BJP claimed that it leaders and activists were arrested, a senior Kolkata Police officer said over 50 BJP activists, including few leaders of the party, were taken to preventive custody for assembling at Rani Rasmoni Avenue and Mayo Road in violation of the Disaster Management Act.

    BJP state spokesman Shamik Bhattacharya claimed that a state unit president of the party, the leader of opposition and a former union minister (Debasree Choudhury) were arrested for their peaceful democratic protest.

    “This shows how intolerant the Mamata Banerjee government is about a non violent protest. It is scared,” he added.

    BJP state vice-president Jaiprakash Majumdar told reporters, “On the one hand TMC is recommending by-polls and on the other stopping us from demonstrating peacefully citing the pandemic”.

    He alleged that hundreds of workers of the party are assembling in different parts of West Bengal for its ‘Khela Hobe Divas’ programme but no provision of the Disaster Management Act is applied against them.

    TMC MP Sougata Roy said he will not comment on the police action but anyone found flouting the Disaster Management Act can be arrested by the force if it deemed so.

    “I heard the requests by the police was not listened to but I won’t say anything more on a purely administrative decision,” he added.

    The TMC held its ‘Khela Hobe Divas’ programme during the day to promote sporting activities in the state, to counter which BJP called for ‘Paschimbongo Banchao Divas’.

    Incidentally TMC had made ‘Khela Hobe’ a rallying cry during the bitterly fought state assembly poll earlier this year.

    It maintained that the day has been chosen to hold its ‘Khela Hobe Divas’ in memory of 16 football lovers who died in a stadium stampede on August 16, 1980.

    BJP referred to the Great Calcutta Killings on the same date in 1946 in which over one lakh people, including women, were brutally killed during the regime of erstwhile Muslim League as reason for its programme.

  • If renaming Aurangabad solves people’s problems, then Congress will support it, says Nana Patole

    By PTI

    AURANGABAD: If renaming Aurangabad would solve the problems of its people, then the Congress would support such a move, Maharashtra state unit chief Nana Patole said on Monday.

    Addressing a press conference here, Patole also attacked the Central government on its stand on OBC reservations, saying the latter gave back the right to prepare the list of such communities to the states under public pressure.

    He said prices of petrol and diesel had skyrocketed, leading to immense hardships to people.

    On the renaming of the city, a demand that has been forwarded by several outfits for almost three decades now, Patole said, “The proposal to rename Aurangabad Airport is pending with the Centre. Why doesn’t the BJP go ahead and make the change? If renaming solves people’s problems, then the Congress shall support it.”

    Queried on a letter written by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray accusing some Shiv Sainiks of stalling important road works, Patole said Gadkari should audit the projects being carried out here and publish a white paper.

    On being asked about opposition from some groups over the setting up of a sports university in Pune instead of Aurangabad, he said his party felt that such universities should be set up in every district of the state.

  • BJP to fight 2022 Gujarat polls under CM Rupani’s leadership: Party’s state chief

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: Amid speculation over change of leadership in the Gujarat government, state unit president of the ruling BJP, C R Paatil, on Sunday said the party will contest the next year’s Assembly elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and his deputy Nitin Patel.

    Speaking to reporters, Paatil gave a thumbs up to the leadership of Rupani-Patel duo.

    “Both Nitinbhai and Vijaybhai are working with full force for the development of Gujarat, and the upcoming election will also be contested under their leadership,” he said in response to a question about the speculation over change in leadership in the government.

    The state BJP chief was speaking after the flag hoisting programme held at the party headquarters Kamalam in Gandhinagar on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day.

    He made the statement a few days after Rupani celebrated his five years in office as the chief minister.

  • Mamata will be key architect of change in government at Centre in 2024: Trinamool

    The party also said on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day that the opposition across the country is trying to come together on one platform and float an alternative front.

  • PM has been talking of investment in infrastructure since 2019: Congress’ jab at Modi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sunday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his announcement of Rs 100 lakh crore for the infrastructure sector, saying he has been talking of it since 2019.

    The Congress also shared his Independence Day speeches of 2019, 2020 and 2021, where he is heard talking about the Rs 100 lakh crore investment in infrastructure.

    “It has been two years since August 15, 2019. At least, the 100 lakh crore figure could have been changed,” Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in a tweet in Hindi while posting the news of the prime minister’s I-Day speech in 2019.

    Congress’s social media department head Rohan Gupta also shared Modi’s speech of previous years and tweeted, “Change the name of the scheme. Keep repeating the same amount of fund. Neither will the scheme be heard of again nor will be the fund. India can see through the lies of Modi government and have garlanded the PM with ‘Gold Medal in Jumla’.”

    Modi in his speech on Sunday outlined the roadmap for a new and assertive India and announced a slew of development programmes, including a landmark Rs 100 lakh crore “Gatishakti” initiative to boost infrastructure and employment opportunities.

    The Rs 100 lakh crore programme will lay the foundation of the overall infrastructure in the country including in transport, reducing travel time and productivity, he said.

    The initiative will lead to the development of future economic zones.

  • Centre has grown stubborn, refuses to heed Opposition: Gehlot hits out at Modi government

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday accused the Centre of being too stubborn to heed anyone else, including the Opposition.

    Counselling the Centre to shun the alleged arrogance “which does not last in politics”, Gehlot asserted that people understand everything and will teach it a lesson at an appropriate time.

    “There is a place for dissent in a democracy. It must be there. When they were in the Opposition, they criticised us, leading to the resignations of the then railway minister, law minister and various chief ministers,” Gehlot told reporters after hoisting the Tricolour on Independence Day here.

    “They are such people who are determined to rule the country stubbornly without bothering to hear anyone,” he added.

    The chief minister’s remark prompted Rajasthan’s BJP president Satish Poonia to take a dig at Gehlot and other Congress leaders.

    “Gehlot is the first chief minister who proudly says he did not venture out of his home during the Covid pandemic,” said Poonia.

    In the year 2023, the people of Rajasthan will end this and “quarantine” Congress out of power, he asserted.

    He said the emergency was the biggest struggle in this country after independence and everyone knows who imposed it, he added.

    “They talk about democracy. Either they do not know the history or are deliberately ignoring it,” Poonia said.

    Earlier during the day, Independence Day was celebrated with much fervour in Rajasthan with Chief Minister Gehlot hoisting the flag at Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh Stadium and taking the guard of honour.

    While talking to reporters, Gehlot also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being the “sole PM in the last 75 years who hesitates in taking the name of former PM Jawaharlal Nehru”.

    “I regret that PM Modi feels shy of speaking even two words about the first PM. With these people having such an attitude, one can understand where will they take the country to,” Gehlot said.

    The chief minister also accused the Centre of keeping various democratic institutions and investigative agencies, including the judiciary, Income Tax Department, CBI and ED under its pressure and misusing them for political purposes.

    “They start raids in states immediately before elections,” said Gehlot, adding raids by investigative agencies and electioneering by political parties have never happened together.

    Earlier in a video message on the 75th Independence Day of the country, Gehlot said people should follow the spirit of the Constitution to keep the country united.

    He said the spirit of unity in diversity should be imbibed by the new generation.

    While greeting people, he recalled the sacrifices of leaders like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.

    “Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sacrificed her life to ensure that Khalistan is not formed. Similarly, former PM Rajiv Gandhi got martyred to ensure peace prevails in the subcontinent,” he added.

    Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra also targeted the Centre, saying the BJP ruling the Centre and other states does not have any faith in democracy.

    He said the autonomy of constitutional institutions is being infringed by the BJP governments in the Centre and various states.

    He said those who express dissent are termed as anti-national.

    “Farmers have been fighting for the last 10 months demanding the withdrawal of three agricultural laws but instead of finding a solution, the Central is adopting various tactics to suppress their movement,” he added.

    He asserted that the Congress workers will “uproot these fascist forces” working against the values of the democracy.

    Governor Kalraj Mishra also hoisted the Tricolour at Raj Bhavan here and took the guard of honour.

  • Himanta most communal, divisive CM in history of Assam: Akhil Gogoi

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: Hitting out at Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over the cow protection bill, MLA Akhil Gogoi said he will be remembered as the “most communal and divisive CM” in the history of Assam.

    Addressing a press conference here, Gogoi apologised to the people of Assam for not being able to stop the passage of the bill as he was the lone MLA from his Raijor Dal.

    “When the bill was passed on August 13, I could not sleep that night. This is a devastating act, which will destroy the communal harmony among people and ruin the rural economy.”

    “Assam will remember Himanta Biswa Sarma as the most communal and divisive CM. He is the most dangerous CM and the people of Assam are not safe under his rule,” Gogoi alleged.

    He equated the passing of the bill with the demolition of Babri Masjid and said both are equally dangerous incidents for destroying the Hindu-Muslim unity of the country.

    On August 13, the Assembly passed The Assam Cattle Preservation Bill, 2021, seeking to ban cattle slaughter and sale of beef in the areas where Hindus, Jains and Sikhs are in a majority or within a five-kilometre radius of a temple or satra (Vaishnavite monasteries) or any other institution as may be prescribed by the authorities.

    Gogoi also alleged that Sarma misquoted Mahatma Gandhi during his speech while passing the bill.

    “He (Sarma) lied in the House in reference to Mahatma Gandhi’s statements. Has he not killed Mahatma Gandhi again? Why should we not call him the second Nathuram Godse?” Gogoi said.

    Stating that banning beef will hurt the freedom of choice of food, the MLA apologised to the people, especially Muslims and Christians, for not being able to stop the passage of the legislation.

    “This bill is going to destroy the rural economy and will lead to severe inflation. We have already seen price rise in other meats, eggs and fish after the bill was introduced. All dairy farmers will be impacted by this as they will not be able to sell their non-milking cows for slaughter.”

    “The market involved with purchase and sale of cows will be severely impacted. The size of this market is Rs 20,000-30,000 crore, most of which is in rural areas. Now, this will be impacted,” he claimed.

    Though the BJP-led government has brought in the Act to hit the Muslim community, in the end, it will hit hard the indigenous Hindu people of the state who are dependent on the cattle economy, Gogoi asserted.

    Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Atul Bora on August 4 had informed the Assembly that Assam produced 33.68 lakh kg of cattle meat and 1.59 lakh kg of buffalo meat during 2019-20 out of a total meat production of 5.3 crore kg.

    Bora had said as per the 20th Livestock Census in 2019, Assam has a cattle population of 1.09 crore and buffalo population of 4.22 lakh.

  • Former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh’s son Jagat rejoins BJP

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh’s son Jagat Singh on Saturday rejoined the BJP after two-and-half years.

    After his induction in the presence of other BJP leaders at the party headquarters here, Singh said that he had made a mistake by quitting the party.

    He said that the BJP has given him another chance after more than two years, which he would use to propagate the Centre’s schemes in villages and hamlets.

    Singh, whose father Natwar Singh is a Congress veteran, was denied a ticket in the 2018 assembly election after which he left the party.

    Later in 2019, the two-time MLA contested on a BSP ticket from the Ramgarh seat of Alwar.

    The election to this seat was put off after BSP candidate Laxman Singh (62) died of a heart attack.

    BJP state president Satish Poonia said that with Jagat Singh joining the party again, it will gain strength in eastern Rajasthan.

  • Former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh’s son Jagat rejoins BJP

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh’s son Jagat Singh on Saturday rejoined the BJP after two-and-half years.

    After his induction in the presence of other BJP leaders at the party headquarters here, Singh said that he had made a mistake by quitting the party.

    He said that the BJP has given him another chance after more than two years, which he would use to propagate the Centre’s schemes in villages and hamlets.

    Singh, whose father Natwar Singh is a Congress veteran, was denied a ticket in the 2018 assembly election after which he left the party.

    Later in 2019, the two-time MLA contested on a BSP ticket from the Ramgarh seat of Alwar.

    The election to this seat was put off after BSP candidate Laxman Singh (62) died of a heart attack.

    BJP state president Satish Poonia said that with Jagat Singh joining the party again, it will gain strength in eastern Rajasthan.

  • People protesting farm laws attack BJP MLA Umesh Malik in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar

    By PTI

    MUZAFFARNAGAR: People protesting the Centre’s farm laws allegedly attacked BJP’s Budhana MLA Umesh Malik, pelting his car with stones and smearing it with black ink at Sisauli village here on Saturday.

    A video of the incident has surfaced on social media.

    In another purported video, the MLA is seen telling that the attackers had affiliation to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU).

    Incidentally, Sisauli is the village of BKU leader Rakesh Tikait and the headquarter of the farmers’ body.

    Police said the incident took place when the MLA reached the village for a programme.

    Police rescued the MLA, they said.

    After the incident, BJP supporters gathered at the local police station, demanding action against the culprits.

    Union minister Sanjeev Balyan also reached the police station after the incident.

    Farmers have been protesting against the Centre’s farm laws for the past over eight months.

    A large number of them are protesting at Delhi borders, demanding the repeal of the laws, which have been dubbed as pro-farmer by the Union government.