News Analysis India

Tag: BJP

  • BJP hoists Tricolor across J&K to celebrate two years of Art 370 move; PDP says ‘day of mourning’

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: The BJP Thursday celebrated the second anniversary of the Article 370 revocation by holding Tiranga rallies and hoisting the national flag across Jammu and Kashmir, while the PDP termed it “a day of mourning for J&K” and took out protest marches.

    National Conference (NC) president and Member of Parliament Farooq Abdullah said his party will continue its struggle for the restoration of the “abridged” constitutional and democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

    Romasia Rafiq, the BJP’s Municipal Councillor from Anantnag district’s Khanabal, kicked off the party’s celebrations in the valley by hoisting the Tricolour near the Degree College at Khanabal.

    ALSO READ | I was deeply jaded but politicians can’t mourn for long: Omar Abdullah on Article 370 abrogation

    She was accompanied by around 200 party workers.

    Bandipora BJP district chief Abdul Rehman Tikri was joined by a dozen party workers as he hoisted the national flag at the party office.

    Block Development Council (BDC) member Sushma Nehru along with 20 other people hoisted the national flag at Panzulla Panchayat Ghar in Baramulla district.

    BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh, who is also the party affairs in-charge for the union territories of J&K and Ladakh, said one of the more significant achievements of the 2019 decision was that it dealt a big blow to the divisive and terrorist forces.

    Addressing the party workers in Srinagar, Chugh said that after many decades, the Pakistan-sponsored militancy seems to be on the back foot.

    ALSO READ | Two years of Art 370 abrogation: Parties vow to continue struggle for restoration of J&K’s special status

    Anti-national feelings among people have been replaced by the ideas of inclusive development and progress, he said.

    Chugh came down heavily on the Gupkar alliance parties for “trying to disrupt the positive narrative in J&K”.

    In Srinagar, wearing black bands, scores of PDP leaders and activists, led by party president Mehbooba Mufti, took out a protest march from the party’s head office near the Sher-e-Kashmir Park.

    They shouted slogans against the Centre’s August 5, 2019 decisions and in favour of a “resolution of the Kashmir issue”.

    The protesters were, however, stopped by police near GPO and turned back.

    Speaking to reporters, Mehbooba said, “Today is a day of mourning for J-K. It is unfortunate that the BJP is celebrating across the country, while Kashmir is mourning,” she said.

    “The existence of the people of J-K will remain only when we all will together restore our constitutional position and then resolve the Kashmir issue by forcing the Government of India to talk to the people of J-K to address the internal dimension and talk with Pakistan as well to address the external dimension,” she said.

    “There is no other option. They are already talking to Pakistan resulting in the ceasefire which in turn resulted in decline in infiltration,” she said.

    Mehbooba said her party is of the view that J-K has to become a bridge of peace between India and Pakistan.

    She said the BJP will have to take back the decisions taken on August 5, 2019.

    In Jammu also, pressing for the revocation of the August 5, 2019 decision to withdraw J&K’s special status and divide it into two union territories, the party took out a protest rally from its office in Gandhi Nagar and tried to move deeper into the city, but was stopped by police.

    They observed the day as a ‘black day’ and held anti-government protests.

    They alleged no positive change has come in J&K since August 2019.

    “Militancy is going on. Stone-pelting is on. Violence is on. Killing of civilians and political workers is on. No development has taken place. None of MNC has come,” said a leader.

    Also in the Jammu winter capital city, led by J&K Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) president Arun Dev Singh, hundreds of BJP youth activists marched carrying the Tricolour and raising patriotic slogans of Vande Mataram and Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

    The Shiv Sena unit of Jammu and Kashmir led by its president Manish took out a Triranga rally in the city and raised slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

    Led by its president Ashok Gupta, Dogra Front also took out a Triranga rally in Jammu amid beats of dholaks and dance.

    Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad and some social organisations also celebrated the second anniversary of the abrogation of articles 370 and 35-A.

    The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) batted strongly for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and holding of early assembly elections.

    Back in Srinagar, NC chief Farooq Abdullah told a meeting of party functionaries at its headquarters, “The party’s position on the unilateral, unconstitutional and undemocratic decisions taken on August 5, 2019 will never change and the party will keep up with its struggle for the restoration of J-K people’s abridged constitutional and democratic rights.”

  • BJP attacks Rahul Gandhi for not speaking on rape cases in Congress-ruled states

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The BJP on Wednesday accused Rahul Gandhi of using the case of alleged rape and murder of a Dalit girl in southwest Delhi for “furthering” his political agenda, and asserted that the law and order machinery has moved swiftly to deliver justice to the victim’s family.

    BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told a press conference that his party had no issue with Gandhi, who visited the girl’s family earlier, calling for justice but what was condemnable was the Gandhi family’s “selectivism” as they never tweeted or spoke a word in the cases of atrocities against Dalit girls in the Congress-ruled states like Rajasthan, Punjab and Chhattisgarh.

    ALSO READ| Delhi minor rape & murder: Kejriwal announces magisterial probe, Rs 10 lakh compensation

    He also accused Gandhi of violating the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and another law dealing with juveniles by tweeting a picture of the girl’s parents as disclosing any aspect of a rape victim’s identity is an offence.

    Patra urged the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to take cognisance of the matter and issue notice to the Congress leader. “This is using Dalits and the poor for furthering your own political agenda,” he said, attacking him.

    Gandhi had earlier met the family of the nine-year-old Dalit girl who died here following an alleged sexual assault and asserted that he is with them on the path to justice and “will not back down even an inch”. After meeting the victim’s family, the former Congress chief said the family is demanding nothing but justice and is saying that they are not getting it and need all the assistance in this.

    Patra cited a number of heinous cases of rapes and other atrocities on Dalit girls and women in Rajasthan, Punjab and Chhattisgarh to hit out at the Congress leader over his “silence”. “You close your eyes and open only when you think you will have some political benefit out of it. This is appalling,” he said, adding that the Delhi Police has arrested four accused in the case.

    A Dalit’s daughter is certainly India’s daughter, the BJP spokesperson said quoting a tweet of Gandhi and shot back to ask if Dalit daughters in these Congress-ruled states are not India’s daughters. Rajasthan has topped the country in the cases of rapes, Patra said, citing official figures.

    The Rajasthan government had blamed registration of false FIRs allegedly by Dalits for the high numbers, he claimed.

  • BJP left red-faced as another ally Jitan Ram Manjhi demands probe into Pegasus snooping issue

    Express News Service

    PATNA: Jitan Ram Manjhi, another ally of the NDA in Bihar followed Nitish Kumar’s suit and demanded a probe into the Pegasus snooping row. 

    Speaking to the media on Tuesday, the founder chief of Hindustani Awami Morcha (HAM) said that if the Opposition is demanding a probe and Parliament sessions are being affected, then this matter must be investigated. “The Pegasus snooping should be investigated to establish the facts of the case and who has been spying,” Manjhi said.

    Despite being part of the NDA government in Bihar, Manjhi had expressed his objection over using Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s picture on the vaccine certificates. He had argued that the same image must be used on the death certificates of all those who succumbed to this deadly virus. 

    Experts in the state believe that statements made by Nitish Kumar and Manjhi on caste census and the Pegasus scandal have put the BJP in a spot.

  • Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi slams Uttar Pradesh govt over doctor’s killing

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday attacked the Yogi Adityanath dispensation over the killing of an Ayurvedic doctor in Sitapur, saying the security system for the common people is in a poor state and the Uttar Pradesh government is not doing anything except indulging in false propaganda.

    “In Sitapur, UP, a doctor was hacked to death by criminals who stormed his clinic,” she said.

    “‘Such incidents are creating fear in the minds of the people of the state. The security system for the common people is in such a poor state and the government is not doing anything except indulging in false propaganda,” the Congress general secretary said in a tweet in Hindi.

    Munendra Pratap Verma, an Ayurvedic doctor who ran his own private clinic from his home in Mudrasan village, was attacked by accused Achchey Lal Verma with a sharp-edged weapon multiple times on Tuesday, police said.

    The doctor’s father who was present at the time also suffered injuries while trying to save his son.

    The doctor died on the spot, they said.

  • Man arrested for ‘objectionable’ comments about RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on WhatsApp message

    By PTI

    SAMBHAL: A young man has been arrested for making alleged objectionable comments about RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on a WhatsApp message in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh, a police officer said on Wednesday.

    A case was registered against the man under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and he was arrested based on a complaint filed by the district coordinator of the RSS-backed student organisation Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the officer said.

    “Vishal Maurya of Ganesh Colony here made some objectionable comments about Bhagwat. A complaint was filed by ABVP district coordinator Akash Kumar stating that his comments hurt their feeling and that the youth also misbehaved with him,” Superintendent of Police Chakresh Mishra said.

    The man’s mobile phone has been seized and a detailed probe into the matter is underway, the officer said.

  • Semi-nude protests by government employees to invite action, warns Madhya Pradesh minister

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday strongly disapproved of semi-nude protests by a section of state employees and warned of ‘disciplinary action’ against them.

    Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has expressed displeasure over such agitations, a senior minister said.

    On the other hand, the opposition Congress said the BJP government should look into the demands of its agitating employees instead of their mode of protest.

    A section of government employees had recently staged semi-nude protests across the state in support of their various demands.

    “During the cabinet meeting today, the Chief Minister expressed displeasure over semi-nude protests by the government employees. They hold such protests despite being government servants,” Home Minister Narottam Mishra told reporters after the cabinet meeting.

    He said such an agitation falls under the purview of “indiscipline” and will not be tolerated.

    “Disciplinary action will be taken against the employees involved in such acts (semi-nude protests),” Mishra warned.

    State Congress spokesman Narendra Saluja said the state government should consider the demands raised by the employees.

    “The employees are protesting for their justified demands. They staged semi-nude protests to draw attention of the state government towards their demands. But the CM only saw their clothes and not the justified demands,” Saluja said.

    Last week, the employees of Panchayat and Rural Development Department had staged semi-nude protests across the state to press for their 15-point demands, including appointment on compassionate ground and filling up of vacant posts, among others.

  • SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar meets UP BJP chief in Lucknow, terms it as only ‘courtesy call’

    By PTI
    LUCKNOW: Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, who has recently formed the Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha, on Tuesday met BJP state president Swatantra Dev Singh here with the former terming it as a “courtesy meeting”.

    “Swatantra Dev is a leader of backward classes and also BJP state president. It was a courtesy meeting with him. We have personal relations. I had some work due to which I went there. There is no political meaning in this meeting,” Rajbhar told reporters.

    Ruling out possibility of an alliance with BJP again, Rajbhar said, “I can say with guarantee that there would be no agreement of our party with the BJP. I will root out BJP from the state.”

    BJP state vice-president Dayashankar Singh, who was present in the meeting, said the talks between the leaders (Rajbhar and Swatantra Dev) were “positive” and claimed that both parties will contest Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections together in 2022.

    The AIMIM had recently announced that it would contest 100 seats in the polls next year in alliance with Om Prakash Rajbhar-led SBSP and its Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha, a front of smaller parties.

    SBSP had contested the 2017 Assembly polls in alliance with the BJP but parted ways before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

  • Opposition leaders meet over breakfast hosted by Rahul Gandhi to chalk out joint strategy on Pegasus issue

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: In a bid to present a united face on the Pegasus spyware issue, leaders of several opposition parties attended a breakfast meeting hosted by former Congress President Rahul Gandhi at the Constitution Club here on Tuesday.

    Apart from around 100 MPs of the Congress, leaders of several opposition parties including Trinamool Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena, CPI-M, CPI, RJD and Samajwadi Party attended the meeting.

    Leaders of JMM, JKNC besides IUML, RSP, KCM and RSP were also present at the meeting.

    Opposition MPs at the breakfast meeting hosted by @RahulGandhi at the Constitution Club to discuss Parliament strategy #Pegasus @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/jSRNfcKzWG
    — richa sharma (@richa_TNIE) August 3, 2021

    Trinamool Congress, which had skipped the last meeting of Opposition leaders by Gandhi, was also present at today’s breakfast meet.

    Besides Gandhi, senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, KC Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh were present at the meeting.

    The meeting comes amid continued standoff between the opposition and the government over the Pegasus snooping issue with the opposition demanding a discussion in Parliament and a Supreme Court-monitored probe in the matter.

    Delhi: Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena, RJD, SP, CPI(M), CPI, IUML, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Kerala Congress (M), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, National Conference, TMC and Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) are participating in the breakfast meeting of Opposition Floor leaders.
    — ANI (@ANI) August 3, 2021

    The government is, however, saying that this is a non-issue and does not want it to be discussed in Parliament.

  • BJP pulls up Bengal unit leaders over online posts 

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: BJP’s national leadership on Monday slammed the party’s West Bengal unit over a section of state functionaries publicly expressing their discontent with the party on social media platforms.The national leadership questioned why the functionaries don’t express their concerns to state-level leaders instead of venting them on social media.

    “The leaders in Delhi wanted to know why the disgruntled functionaries are not reaching out to the leaders of the party’s Bengal chapter instead of going out in public. The social media posts by a section of leaders are damaging the party’s image in the state. The high-command wanted to know why they need to intervene on such issues,’’ said a senior BJP leader.The central leadership’s criticism comes two days after former Union minister and BJP MP Babul Supriyo, who was axed from Narendra Modi’s cabinet, made cryptic post of Facebook hinting at his exit from politics. 

    A few days earlier, the party’s youth wing president Saumitra Khan, in a Facebook post, accused Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari of misleading the party’s national leadership. Former Tripura MP and BJP leader Tathagata Roy, too, criticised the national leaders on his Twitter handle.“It is a fact that workers from the lower rung of the party are unable to access the leaders. This inaccessibility is creating a communication gap,’’ said a BJP MP.

    Sources said the use of social media itself has added to the rift within the party. “Tussle between Supriyo and Dilip Ghosh became visible on several occasions. Reacting to Supriyo’s recent Facebook post hinting at him quiting from politics, Ghosh said he doesn’t follow anyone’s social media post. Being the chief of the state party unit, such a reaction was not expected. Supriyo said some people’s standards gets reflected through their comments,’’ said a BJP leader.

  • Polls: BJP preps rank and file for shielding Brand Modi

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: The BJP is busy preparing its leadership and cadre to argue the party’s stand by arming them with arguments and data on seven broad themes with an objective to blunt the Opposition’s attack on ‘Brand Modi’ in the run-up to the state polls.It has concluded brainstorming sessions on seven themes, which were attended by the national executive of the party along with office bearers. The state units were tasked to replicate them with the state executives, which had to be further repeated at  district levels where the party workers from Mandals also participated. 

    The first session was presided over by BJP chief J P Nadda on two years of achievements of the NDA government. Subsequently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided over the thematic discussion on national security, said a senior BJP functionary, who added that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held the session on India’s foreign policy and the contributions of the PM in the past seven years.

    “Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar held an intense session on the achievements of the government in agriculture. This session had specially been crafted in the backdrop of the party assessment that despite a slew of initiatives in the farm sector, the Centre continues to struggle in its image among the farmers,” added the BJP functionary.       

    Other themes on which the BJP held intensive sessions with the party leaders include the life and achievements of the ideologue Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, which also covered the vision and the contributions of the Centre with respect to Jammu and Kashmir; Atmanirbhar Bharat, which is the self-reliance pitch of the NDA dispensation in the backdrop of the outbreak of the Covid pandemic. The BJP also held a session on the government’s achievements in matters of tribal affairs.

    “The seven sessions and their replications in state capitals and all the districts were designed to directly arm at least 2.50 lakh party workers with potent arguments backed with official data to counter the narratives being pushed by the Opposition through various means,” said another BJP functionary, who was involved in designing the sessions. “The BJP aims that the word of mouth spread of the party’s stand should be strong enough that people should voluntarily contest the Opposition claims.”