News Analysis India

Tag: BJP

  • BJP huddles before Monsoon session as Opposition set to corner Modi government in Parliament

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Top BJP leaders and Union ministers, including party president J P Nadda, Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, held a meeting to discuss matters related to the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament and frame the party’s strategy to counter the opposition, sources said.

    The meeting was held at Union Minister Rajnath Singh’s residence, they said.

    The Monsoon session of Parliament, which is scheduled to start from July 19, will be the first session after the second wave of COVID-19, which was far more worse than the first.

    The opposition is expected to rake up this issue and launch a scathing attack on the government.

    Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Bhupender Yadav and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and ministers of state Arjun Ram Meghwal and V Muraleedharan, among others, were present in the meeting.

    Besides them, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi also attended the meet.

    The BJP leaders held wide ranging discussions on the party’s floor strategy for the upcoming session and also to ensure the passage of important bills and financial business including Supplementary Demands for Grants, the sources said.

    With the opposition being exuberant after the BJP’s defeat in the assembly election in West Bengal and planning to raise issues related to the second wave of COVID-19, the BJP wants to further fine tune its strategy so that it can effectively counter the opposition while at the same convincingly put forward its case, they said.

    The meeting lasted for more than an hour at Singh’s residence who also chairs the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs and is deputy leader of the BJP in Lok Sabha.

    Around 17 bills are listed for introduction in Lok Sabha, including and five bills for consideration and passage, and a similar number of bills are expected to be introduced in Rajya Sabha as well.

  • Bengal BJP leader creates ruckus outside party office, claims top brass being misled by some

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The infighting in Bengal’s BJP unit came to the fore once again on Tuesday when a dissident district leader created a ruckus after not being allowed to enter the party headquarters in Purba Bardhaman, where the state’s saffron camp president, Dilip Ghosh, was holding a press meet.

    District BJP leader Indranil Goswami, as he was stopped from setting foot in the office, claimed that only some of his colleagues are calling the shots in the party, and misguiding the top leadership.

    He, however, clarified that he holds the state BJP chief in high regard.

    A peeved Ghosh later allowed Goswami to enter the party office.

    He also confronted the district leader asking him why he “created a scene”, but walked away as Goswami tried explaining the reason to him.

    “I have full respect for Dilipda and state leaders. My grudge is against some district leaders who are calling the shots in the party and misleading the top brass. These people don’t understand the sentiment of ordinary BJP members,” Goswami told reporters.

    Somyraj Bandyopadhyay, another district unit leader, said not everyone was allowed inside the party headquarters in Purba Bardhaman, as Ghosh was conducting a press meet.

    Taking a jibe at the saffron camp, TMC Birbhum district chief Anubrata Mondal said, “The BJP doesn’t know how to show respect to its loyal workers.”

  • BJP MLA seeks population control law in MP, minister says no proposal as of now

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: Amid demand by a ruling BJP legislator to enact a population control law in Madhya Pradesh, a senior minister on Tuesday said no such proposal is under consideration of the state government “as of now”.

    BJP MLA from Bhopal Huzur Rameshwar Sharma on Tuesday wrote a letter to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan seeking enactment of a law to control the rising population in the state.

    Sharma’s demand has come in the backdrop of BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh announcing a new population policy.

    Asked about the letter seeking a population control law, Home Minister Narottam Mishra, who is also state government’s spokesman, said, “No such proposal is under consideration of the government as of now.”

    In the letter, Sharma, a former protem speaker, said, “It is estimated that the population of Madhya Pradesh has now grown to 8.75 crore, adding around 1.5 crore people in the last one decade. This population is more than several European countries, which have much more resources than Madhya Pradesh.”

    Sharma said a population control law will ensure all-round development, good governance and security of the state.

    On the other hand, Congress MLA from Bhopal Central Arif Masood alleged this demand is being made to further the RSS agenda.

    Though mooted in the name of a minority community, Dalits and tribals living in villages are the actual target of such a policy as they have more children, he said.

    This has nothing to do with development, he added.

    On July 11, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath unveiled the Uttar Pradesh Population Policy 2021-2030 aiming at bringing down the gross fertility rate among women by 2030.

    A draft bill on UP population control policy says people having more than two children in Uttar Pradesh will be debarred from contesting local bodies polls, applying for government jobs or receiving any kind of subsidy.

    It also seeks to prohibit promotions in government jobs for such people, while offering incentives to those limiting their children to two.

  • Rohtak: Security beefed up at BJP leader’s residence after farmers threaten to gherao it

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: The road leading to senior BJP leader Manish Grover’s residence in Haryana’s Rohtak was heavily barricaded by police on Tuesday after farmers threatened to gherao it over an alleged incident of misbehaviour with women protesters.

    Grover denied the allegations.

    The farmers, who have reached Rohtak from Hisar, are protesting near the former minister’s residence.

    On Saturday, BJP’s Hansi MLA Vinod Bhayana and Grover took part in a party event at Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology in Hisar.

    The farmers, including women, agitating against the Centre’s farm laws, were holding a protest outside the university gates against the BJP leaders.

    The farmer leaders alleged that a person seated in the SUV in which Bhayana and Grover were travelling made obscene gestures towards the women protesters outside the university gate.

    Rohtak Superintendent of Police Rahul Sharma said the farmers, mainly from Hisar, have reached the district saying they want to gherao Grover’s residence.

    “The area SDM and our DSP are in talks with them. They have also been told that Mr Grover has clarified his position with regard to the alleged incident. We are hopeful that they will soon disperse from the site,” he said.

    Police personnel have also been deployed near Grover’s residence as part of tight security arrangements, the police said.

    Grover said neither he nor anyone else in his car made obscene gestures at women protesters.

    “I am a worker of the party that holds women in very high regard. I have sisters, daughters and a mother at home. I cannot even think of (doing) such a thing as is being alleged,” he said, adding that he cannot understand why such allegations are being levelled.

    Giving details of the events, Grover said after Saturday’s meeting ended, he came out with Bhayana in a car.

    “I, MLA Vinod Bhayana, a personal security officer and the driver were in the car. In Bhayana’s car, mine and his staff were travelling. When we came out, on the right side there was a group of protesters that was raising slogans,” he said.

    “Later in the evening, Bhayana and I went to Anaj Mandi and also to another party worker’s home. Meanwhile, we saw something circulating on WhatsApp claiming that someone had made an obscene gesture (towards women farmers),” he said.

    On Sunday, the farmers held a protest outside Bhayana’s Hansi residence over the incident.

    However, Bhayana, while addressing the gathering of protesters outside his residence in the presence of police, said, “Neither did I make any obscene gestures nor I saw who made those gestures.”

    At the same time, he expressed regret over the incident.

  • Not using any ‘pressure tactics’; will always try to avoid ‘dharmayuddha’, says Pankaja Munde

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Amid reports that she was sulking over her MP sister Pritam Munde not finding a place in the newly-reshuffled Union cabinet and many BJP office-bearers from Beed in Maharashtra resigning in protest, party national secretary Pankaja Munde on Tuesday denied she was using any “pressure tactics” and said she will always try to avoid a “dharmayuddha”.

    Addressing BJP workers who came to Mumbai from Munde’s home turf Beed and other parts of the state, Pankaja hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda as her leaders.

    Invoking the epic Mahabharata, Pankaja said the righteous demands made by the Pandavas were rejected by the Kauravas.

    “I will like to continue to work at a place as long as there is ‘Ram’ in it. If there is no Ram, I will see what to do,” she said in Marathi.

    The word “Ram” is loosely used in public communication denoting whether it is worth doing some work.

    “(In Mahabharat), the Pandavs always tried hard to avoid the ‘dharmayuddha’ with the Kauravs. The good person, always tries to avoid such war and I will do the same as long as it is possible,” Pankaja said without naming anyone.

    In a veiled swipe, Pankaja also said that some companions of the ‘Kauravas’ wanted to be with the Pandavas from their heart.

    Pankaja, daughter of BJP stalwart from Vanjari community late Gopinath Munde, also said she would always protect her fortress and keep it strong.

    Pankaja had served as Rural Development Minister during the BJP-led government from 2014 to 2019.

    She lost the 2019 Assembly polls from Parli seat to her estranged cousin and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde.

    “The Pandavs had placed a very small demand before the Kauravs demanding (administrative rights of) five villages but it was rejected which resulted in a ‘dharmayuddha’,” she said.

    “If the roof comes down, (I) will decide what to do next,” she said cryptically.

    Asserting that she cannot be written off, Pankaja said, “I had lost an election but I am not finished. If I had finished already, there would not have been efforts to finish me. I am standing here before you because of my supporters,” Pankaja said.

    More than 20 office-bearers of the BJP from Beed district had resigned last week including a member of the Zilla Parishad and a member of the Panchayat Samiti besides BJP district general secretary, student wing president, district vice president, tehsil president, and district vice president of the BJP youth wing, a local leader said on Sunday.

    Pankaja on Sunday attended a meeting of BJP national secretaries in Delhi convened by Nadda and also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi with other office-bearers.

    Speaking about her Delhi visit, Pankaja said, “I had gone to Delhi to attend a meeting of the national secretaries of the party. It triggered some speculation in Maharashtra that I was scolded by national leaders. Look at my face now, and tell me whether I look like a person who got scolded”.

    She said Nadda had asked her to convince my supporters.

    “Incidentally, the news of I was scolded by PM Modi followed,” she said.

    Pankaja claimed she had refused to accept a Union ministry offered to her after the death of her father Gopinath Munde in a car accident in 2014.

    “Why would I demand a ministerial berth now,” she questioned.

    Pankaja also stressed that she was not greedy for any post.

    “I did not join the politics for any post. My politics do not revolve around the ending careers of others. If I have to mount pressure on someone, this is not the place. I need a bigger place for that kind of work,” she added.

    After her address, when reporters asked her why she did not mention the name of former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis as her leader, Pankaja said, “I work at the national level and hence my leaders are Modi, Shah and Nadda.”

    She did not take names of either Fadnavis, current Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, or state BJP president Chandrakant Patil.

    However, she said that there was a “strong perception” among the party workers that she was constantly getting sidelined.

    “I have asked the party workers not to submit their resignations. I do not need them to resign from their local posts to mount pressure on senior BJP leaders. I have had proper communication with my leaders in New Delhi,” she told reporters.

    Pankaja said many people are feeling strongly that she was being sidelined purposefully.

    “My name was slated for the post of an MLC but Ramesh Karad was chosen that time and I was made to withdraw my form. A similar thing happened with Bhagwat Karad (MoS in Union cabinet from Aurangabad) also. When my name was discussed. I had even attended his nomination to Rajya Sabha. Instead of me, he was given the ticket to Rajya Sabha,” she said.

    Pankaja said she was intimated about Karad, groomed by late Gopinath Munde, getting inducted into the Union cabinet at the last moment.

    “Because of these incidents, supporters of late Munde feel that we are being denied an opportunity at every front,” the former minister said.

  • Suvendu Adhikari, other BJP MLAs meet Bengal Governor over Mukul Roy’s appointment as PAC chief

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday met Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar seeking his intervention in MLA Mukul Roy’s appointment as the chairman of Public Accounts Committee (PAC), maintaining that norms were not followed.

    Adhikari stated that Roy, who switched over to the ruling TMC after winning the assembly polls on a BJP ticket, should no longer be considered a member of the saffron camp, and his elevation as PAC chairman defies the well-established norm of appointing an opposition leader to the post.

    Claiming that the TMC wants to be its own judge, Adhikari alleged that the ruling party has ensured that its member gets chosen as the chief of PAC a panel that keeps a tab on government expenses to hide “questionable” pursuits.

    “We met the governor and sought his intervention as he is the custodian of the Constitution,” Adhikari, who led a delegation of BJP MLAs to Raj Bhavan, told reporters.

    Earlier in the day, eight BJP MLAs resigned as heads of Assembly panels in protest against Roy’s appointment.

    The leader of opposition further said that his party wishes to meet President Ram Nath Kovind and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and submit memoranda “describing how democracy is being throttled by the TMC in West Bengal with post-poll violence and unfair practices in the assembly”.

    He pointed out that Roy’s name did not figure in the list of six MLAs given by the BJP for the PAC chairman’s post.

    The BJP had been seeking disqualification of Roy as a legislator under the anti-defection law, arguing that he changes sides after his election to the assembly.

    Adhikari said that the hearing of the BJP’s application for Roy’s disqualification is scheduled to be held before the Speaker on July 16.

    Claiming that the by-polls should not be conducted in the state until the process of vaccination is over, the BJP leader said the TMC, however, is “worried” as Banerjee needs to get elected to the assembly to retain the CM’s chair.

    Adhikari defeated Banerjee in Nandigram by 1,956 votes, according to the Election Commission.

    Banerjee has moved a petition before the Calcutta High Court challenging Adhikari’s win.

  • Eight BJP MLAs quit as House panel heads to protest Mukul Roy’s appointment as PAC chief

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Eight BJP legislators on Tuesday resigned as heads of various Assembly panels in protest against MLA Mukul Roy’s appointment as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

    Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari objected to Roy’s elevation, arguing that the MLA, who had crossed over to the ruling TMC last month after winning the polls on a BJP ticket, cannot be considered a legislator of the saffron camp.

    As per norms, a legislator of the main opposition party is made the PAC chairperson, and Roy hasn’t quit as a BJP MLA in the House, despite switching camps.

    Manoj Tigga, one of the saffron camp legislators, said after resigning from a standing committee that “Roy’s appointment is undemocratic and a naked display of partisan politics. In protest, we have decided to step down.”

    Led by Adhikari, the eight MLAs, including Mihir Goswami, Bhisma Prasad Sharma and Tigga, later visited Raj Bhavan to apprise Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar of the “blatant violation of democratic norms by the ruling party”.

    TMC deputy chief whip in the House, Tapas Roy, in response, said it was a decision of the saffron camp, and he wouldn’t want to comment on that.

    “Appointments for any assembly panel should be left to the discretion of the speaker, who did go by the rule in this case. It has to be kept in mind that the BJP had been plotting to topple democratically elected governments all over the country to capture power. They don’t have any right to speak on democratic values,” the Baranagar TMC MLA said.

    BJP MLAs had staged a walkout in the Assembly on July 9 after Roy was made the chief of PAC, which keeps a tab on government spending.

    “This government does not let the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) conduct audits. It just wants its own people to know where it is spending,” Adhikari had said at a press meet after the walkout.

    He further said that BJP had pitched economist and party MLA Ashok Lahiri as PAC chairperson, but the speaker went by TMC’s recommendation and appointed Roy.

  • Rajendra Arlekar takes oath as new Himachal Pradesh Governor

    By ANI
    SHIMLA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Rajendra Arlekar on Tuesday took oath as the new Governor of Himachal Pradesh at Raj Bhawan in Shimla. Arlekar who was appointed as the new Governor of the state on July 6, had expressed his happiness while stating that he is the first Goan to become the Governor of a state.

    Speaking to ANI, Arlekar said, “Nobody from Goa has become a Governor so far. I am happy that I am the first one. Destiny gave me this responsibility. What more can I say?”

    Stating that his appointment as the Governor shows that leaders and leadership are important in the BJP, Arlekar said that it’s a party that believes in its leaders, adding that the President, Prime Minister, Home Minister, and the party had faith in him.

    Arlekar, who started his career as a party worker has been a two-time member of the Goa Legislative Assembly before appointed as the speaker of the state legislative assembly. He has also been the President of BJP’s Goa unit.

    “I started as a party worker, became MLA and Goa Minister and state BJP chief. Now I’ll be Governor. It shows the importance of leaders and leadership of BJP. Party leaders trusted me. President, PM, HM, BJP chief trusted me. It’s a party that trusts,” Arlekar had said.

    Arlekar, who replace Badaru Dattatreya, is the 21st Governor of Himachal Pradesh. He had also stated that he received a call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed by calls from President Ram Nath Kovind and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.

    “Yesterday morning, the Prime Minister spoke to me and said that they are thinking of appointing me as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh, to which, I replied that whatever he (PM) does is right for the people. I am happy and proud to say that even the President of India today spoke to me and said that we are going to give you the responsibility of Himachal Pradesh. He had called at around 10 to 10: 30 am today morning,” he had said.

    “Usually, this does not happen. Due to the trust and love of the President and the Prime Minister, all this is happening (appointment as Himachal Pradesh Governor.),” added Arlekar.

    Recalling his familiarity with Himachal Pradesh, Arlekar had said, “It has been a long time since I last visited Himachal Pradesh. It was very long back, when I used to be the Goa BJP president, that I went there for some party-related work. That time we took a team from here for the preparation of elections there. We had stayed there for 10-15 days. I am happy to tell you that a BJP candidate had won in the Vidhan sabha constituency where I worked. And on another visit, I had gone there for a party meeting. But I did not tour the place as a tourist.”

  • Electricity will be given free if BJP retains Uttarakhand: Harak Singh Rawat

    By Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat on Monday announced that electricity will be free for the people of the state if the BJP retains power next year.“In the present situation, no government will be able to provide 300 units of free electricity to the people of Uttarakhand. But we promise that in next three-four years, we can provide free electricity to farmers as well as other people of Uttarakhand,” said the power minister. 

    The announcement is seen as a step to counter AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal’s announcement to provide 300 units of free electricity if the Aam Aadmi Party forms the government in the state. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the government is already providing 24×7 power at “a very low cost.”

    Earlier, on Sunday Kejriwal in his press conference in Dehradun had promised to provide free electricity to the farmers of Uttarakhand. “Today our farmers are the poorest. If we help our farmers, they  will have spare money for children and family. We have seen corruption in power bills. Pending dues, bills of electricity will be waived,”he had said. The promise of free electricity will cost around Rs 1,200 crore which can be easily done from the Rs 50,000-crore state budget, he had said.

    The AAP has already announced to contest all 70 seats in Uttarakhand.The state election will be a keenly watched affair as Tirath Singh Rawat recently resigned as the chief minister less than four months after taking over in the state. Pushkar Singh Dhami then stepped in to fill the chair.

  • New ministry will be used to control cooperatives: Mallikarjun Kharge

    By Express News Service
    MUMBAI: Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday alleged that the BJP’s objective behind creating the cooperation ministry was to control the rich cooperative sector of the country. He said earlier the finance-related issues were handled by the finance minister, but Amit Shah, who is the home minister, has kept the Enforcement Directorate with him.

    “This means Amit Shah controls the ED to target his political opponents and silence their voices. The same thing will happen with the cooperation department. Earlier, it was part of the Agriculture Ministry, but the Centre has made it a separate ministry. Shah has been made in charge of this department too. Does it not clearly show the BJP intention? The BJP has never been able to control the cooperative sector, so they are doing it in a circuitous manner,” Kharge alleged.

    “We’ll protest the decision. The government needs to protect the rural economy’s flourishing sector,” said the Congress leader.The Modi government recently created a new Ministry of Co-operation with senior leader Amit Shah heading it.Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the Centre had no right to control the cooperative sector. “The Centre can control the multi-states cooperative sector, not the states’ cooperative sector. If they try to do it, then it will be an attack on federalism.” Maharashtra alone has over 200 cooperative sugar factories whose annual turnover is around Rs 35,000 crore while the cooperative milk federation and allied businesses’ turnovers are collectively over Rs 40,000 crore.