News Analysis India

Tag: BJP

  • hemant soren arrest: “Blow to Federalism”: Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi, Tejashwi assails Centre over Hemant Soren’s resignastion

    Reacting sharply to the resignation of Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Hemant Soren, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that forcing Hemant Soren to resign is a blow to Federalism. In a post on ‘X’, Mallikarjun Kharge said, “One who will not go with PM Modi will go to jail. Imposing ED against Jharkhand Chief Minister, Hemant Soren and forcing him to resign is a blow to Federalism. Intimidating opposition leaders by making the provisions of PMLA draconian is part of the BJP’s tool kit.”He further said that the BJP’s work of destabilising the opposition governments one by one as part of a conspiracy was continuing. “Whoever went into the BJP’s washing machine is clean as white; who didn’t go was tainted. If democracy has to be saved from dictatorship, then the BJP will have to be defeated. We will not be afraid, Will continue to fight from Parliament to the streets,” he added.

    Meanwhile, reacting to the same, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that the aim of the BJP government was an opposition-free parliament, a democracy-free India, a question-free media, and a harmony-free public.

    “Opposition-free parliament, democracy-free India, question-free media and harmony-free public, this is the aim of the BJP government. Governments are being toppled one by one in all the states,” she said in a post on X, adding, “Opposition leaders are being harassed. Whoever does not join BJP will go to jail. Harassing Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren ji by imposing ED and forcing him to resign is a part of this malicious campaign.”She further said that the BJP has this illusion that it can crush the voice of 140 crore people. The public will answer for every atrocities, she added.Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav also sharply reacted to the ED’s move: “Bihar, Chandigarh and now Jharkhand! BJP has ruined democracy and federalism in a single week. It is not hidden from anyone what the central government is doing by destroying the impartiality of the investigating agencies due to the fear of electoral defeat and by making the agencies cells of the BJP,” he said.

    He further went on to say that the public will break the arrogance of the BJP. RJD is standing with Hemant Soren, he asserted.

    Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren resigned on Wednesday evening after over six hours of questioning by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the alleged land scam case.

    Champai Soren, the state transport minister and a loyalist of Hemant Soren, will step into his role as the Chief Minister.

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  • Will give reward of Rs 11,000 to the person who brings back CM Soren: BJP’s Babulal Marandi – The Economic Times Video

    Ranchi (Jharkhand): Amid the ‘Absconding’ rumors going around about the Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, BJP state President Babulal Marandi on January 30 slammed the CM and said that they will give a reward of Rs 11,000 to the person who can “find and bring the CM.”Babulal Marandi said, “If anyone finds and bring back the Chief Minister (Hemant Soren) we will reward them. We have announced a reward of Rs. 11000. It’s surprising that he is continuously hiding everywhere from (ED).” The ED had issued a fresh summons to Soren, asking him to be available for questioning on January 29 or 31, or else the agency itself will go to him for questioning. This is the tenth summons issued to the Jharkhand Chief Minister, by the ED. Meanwhile, Soren in a letter to the Enforcement Directorate, said he will record his statement before the agency officials at 1 pm on January 31 at his residence in Ranchi.

  • Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Chairs Meeting With MLAs; BJP Alleges Plan To Make Kalpna Soren CM |

    Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren sprung a surprise by making a sudden appearance after going missing for a day when the Enforcement Directorate was at his residence on Monday. While the CM chaired a meeting of his MLAs in Ranchi, the BJP again reiterated the claim that Soren is planning to make his wife Kalpana Soren CM of the state in case he was arrested by the ED. Meanwhile, Soren’s party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) slammed the BJP for demeaning the CM office. The party said that CM Soren was not missing and was in Delhi for some personal work.

    BJP leader Nishikant Dubey again claimed that CM Soren had called a meeting of JMM, Congress and other supporting MLAs in Ranchi to make Kalpana Soren CM of the state. “According to the current information, MLA Sita Soren and MLA Basant Soren have refused to accept Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana Soren or other MLAs as the Chief Minister. Both the MLAs are absent from the legislature party meeting being held in Ranchi,” claimed Dubey.

    वर्तमान सूचना के अनुसार विधायक सीता सोरेन जी व विधायक बसंत सोरेन जी ने मुख्यमंत्री हेमंत सोरेन जी की पत्नी कल्पना सोरेन जी या अन्य विधायक को मुख्यमंत्री मानने से इंकार कर दिया है ।दोनों विधायक राँची में हो रही विधायक दल की बैठक से अनुपस्थित हैं https://t.co/2geaOQxmHA
    — Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) January 30, 2024

    On the other hand, Chief Minister Hemant Soren chaired a meeting with ministers of his ruling coalition today amid allegations by the BJP that the JMM chief was “absconding” to avoid the Enforcement Directorate’s probe into an alleged land scam case. The chief of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) was seen coming out of his residence in Ranchi today ahead of the meeting. The Chief Minister’s Office in Jharkhand released pictures of Soren’s meeting with alliance party leaders today.

    मुख्यमंत्री आवास में मुख्यमंत्री श्री @HemantSorenJMM की अध्यक्षता में सत्ता पक्ष के मंत्री और विधायक गणों की बैठक शुरू। pic.twitter.com/Un8UPs3x6k
    — Office of Chief Minister, Jharkhand (@JharkhandCMO) January 30, 2024

    On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate officials visited Soren’s residence in Delhi for an inquiry. During the visit, the central agency confiscated two cars and Rs 36 lakh, but JMM leader Soren was not found.

    Sources reveal that the ED has issued a new summons to Soren, requesting his presence for questioning on either January 29 or 31. Alternatively, the agency has indicated that it will conduct the questioning at his location if he fails to appear. Notably, this marks the tenth summons issued to the Jharkhand Chief Minister by the ED.

    In response, Soren has communicated to the Enforcement Directorate, expressing his intention to provide his statement at 1 pm on Wednesday, January 31, at his residence in Ranchi. The Jharkhand Chief Minister contends that the timing of the inquiry appears to be politically motivated, aimed at disrupting the functioning of his government.

  • ‘CAA will begin before 2024 elections…’: BJP State President Sukanta Majumdar – The Economic Times Video

    North 24 Parganas (WB): West Bengal BJP State President Sukanta Majumdar on January 30 said that CAA will begin before the 2024 elections. Sukanta Majumdar said, “The CAA will begin before the 2024 elections. We have complete faith in our Union Home Minister… If Amit Shah has said he will implement the CAA, then he will definitely do it. It is not under Mamata Banerjee’s jurisdiction.” The CAA, introduced by the Narendra Modi government, aims to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians, who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014. Following the passage of the CAA by Parliament in December 2019 and its subsequent presidential assent, significant protests erupted in various parts of the country.

  • ‘If Narendra Modi Retains Power…’: Mallikarjun Kharge Warns Of Dictatorship In India |

    NEW DELHI: In a fiery address to Congress workers in Bhubaneswar on Monday, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge issued a stark warning about the future of democracy in India should Narendra Modi secure another term in office. Kharge ominously proclaimed that if Modi retains power after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it could mark the end of electoral democracy in the country, paving the way for a dictatorship.

     “Under Modi’s rule, there will be no democracy, no elections; only dictatorship,” Kharge asserted, painting a dire picture of the consequences of another Modi victory. His words echoed with a sense of urgency as he urged the people to recognize the gravity of the situation, framing the upcoming elections as perhaps the last opportunity for citizens to exercise their voting rights.

     “They are giving (ED) notices to everyone. They are intimidating people… Because of fear, some are leaving friendships, some are leaving the party, and some are leaving the alliance… This is your last chance to vote. After this, there will be no voting,” he said, according to ANI.

     Kharge didn’t mince words in his critique of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), branding them as agents of poison poisoning the fabric of Indian society. He juxtaposed their divisive rhetoric with the Congress party’s vision of unity and inclusivity, championed by Rahul Gandhi’s call to foster love and harmony. 

    “Rahul Gandhi wants to unite the country, he said he has opened ‘Mohabbat ki Dukaan’. But the BJP and RSS have opened ‘Nafrat ki Dukaan’. It is because of this that you need to remain alert. BJP and RSS are poison, they are depriving us of our rights,” Kharge said.

    The veteran politician also took potshots at regional leaders who have aligned themselves with PM Modi, particularly targeting Odisha Chief Minister Navin Patnaik for his perceived closeness to the Prime Minister. Kharge questioned the benefits of such alliances, suggesting that the promised “double engine” of development often fails to deliver on its lofty promises.

     

    #WATCH | Bhubaneshwar, Odisha: Addressing the Workers’ Convention, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge says, “What did Navin Patnaik gain from his friendship with Narendra Modi? The double engine fails at times. And when the double engine doesn’t work properly, the first engine… pic.twitter.com/40QiuXdwy9


    — ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2024

     

    Referring to recent political developments, Kharge dismissed the significance of individual defections from opposition alliances, asserting that the collective strength of the opposition will prevail against the BJP. He remained steadfast in his belief that the Congress-led coalition would emerge victorious, despite setbacks such as Nitish Kumar’s departure from the Opposition bloc.

  • Mandya: Karnataka: BJP protests against Congress amid Mandya flag hoisting incident; security tightened – The Economic Times Video

    BJP workers in Bengaluru held a protest against the Congress-led Karnataka government on January 29 over Mandya’s saffron flag incident. The protest was motivated by the removal of a saffron flag hoisted on a 108-foot flagpole in the Keragode village in Mandya. Meanwhile, security was heightened and Section 144 was imposed in the village as tensions prevailed in Keragodu.

  • tejashwi yadav: JDU will soon be non-existent: Tejashwi Yadav

    After Nitish Kumar parted ways with the grand alliance, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav conveyed his best wishes to Kumar and BJP while warning that the game has just begun.

    “I would always respect Nitish Kumar as he is like a guardian, and I have no grudges against him. I wish good luck to BJP which has taken him back into their fold,” Yadav told media persons in Patna. “But I want to say that the game has just begun. It’s not over yet. In last 17 months, we worked on every aspect of developing Bihar and handed record appointment letters for government jobs. The people of Bihar are with us.”

    Yadav told the media that JDU would become non-existent in 2024. Yadav and his party RJD had a fair idea of what was in the offing over the last few days. On Sunday morning, a full-page advertisement was published by the party giving credit to Yadav for several initiatives like caste survey, quota hike, government jobs and others. Yadav told the media that his party would take credit because all the ministers under whom the work was executed were from RJD.He said this would not impact INDIA bloc much and he would reach out to the people of Bihar.

    In the 2020 assembly elections, Yadav had set the narrative of unemployment which resonated well among the voters. As a result, though NDA formed the government with 125 seats and 35% vote share, the alliance of RJD, Congress and CPI(ML) secured around 36% votes and won 110 seats. RJD emerged as the largest party winning 75 seats.

    RJD leaders told ET that they will launch a special drive to reach out to the youth and all sections of society before the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections.

  • Nitish Kumar Breaks Away From Mahagathbandhan, INDIA Bloc; Check How Congress Reacted |

    Nitish Kumar today resigned as the Chief Minister of the Mahagathbandhan alliance and got the Bihar government dissolved via Governor Rajendra Arlekar. Talking to the media after tendering his resignation, Kumar said that he quit the INDIA bloc as all was not well within the alliance. In his first reaction to the political turmoil, Kumar said the state of affairs in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (grand alliance) formed one and a half years ago was ‘not good’.

    “I resigned as chief minister and requested the Governor to dissolve the government. The situation came to this pass as the state of affairs within the ruling alliance in Bihar wasn’t good. I sought the advice and opinions of everyone before coming to this decision. I took all opinions and suggestions to heart. The government is being dissolved today,” Nitish told reporters on Sunday.

    He said that the alliance that was formed one and a half years ago, was sailing through choppy waters. “Though we came together on the basis of a common minimum programme and promises to the people, we failed to live up to expectations and discharge our salient duties. Eventually, we fell out and even stopped being on speaking terms. I was left with no option but to sever all ties with the alliance,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Congress compared Kumar with a chameleon for his frequent switchovers. “Nitish Kumar, who frequently changes political partners, is giving tough competition to the chameleons in changing colours. The people of Bihar will not forgive the experts of this betrayal and those who made them dance to their tune. It is quite clear that the Prime Minister and the BJP are scared of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and this political drama has been created to divert attention from it,” said Jairam Ramesh.

    बार-बार राजनीतिक साझेदार बदलने वाले नीतीश कुमार रंग बदलने में गिरगिटों को कड़ी टक्कर दे रहे हैं।

    इस विश्वासघात के विशेषज्ञ और उन्हें इशारों पर नचाने वालों को बिहार की जनता माफ़ नहीं करेगी।

    बिलकुल साफ़ है की भारत जोड़ो न्याय यात्रा से प्रधानमंत्री और भाजपा घबराए हुए हैं और उससे… https://t.co/v47tQ8ykaw
    — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) January 28, 2024

    Earlier today, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that he talked with Lalu Yadav on the issue. “Earlier he and us were fighting together. When I talked to Lalu Ji and Tejashwi, they also said that Nitish is going. If he wanted to stay, he would have stayed but he wants to go. That’s why we already knew this, but to keep the India Alliance intact, if we say something wrong, the wrong message will be sent. This information was already given to us by Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav. Today that came true. There are many people in the country like ‘Aaya Ram-Gaya Ram’,” Kharge said.

  • Bihar Politics Updates: CM Nitish Kumar likely to resign by Sunday morning, says a source close to CM – The Economic Times Video

    Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who heads the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government, is likely to tender his resignation by Sunday morning, a source close to the CM said on Saturday. Talking to PTI, the source, who requested anonymity, said though the possibility of resignation by late Saturday evening could not be ruled out, “it would definitely take place by Sunday morning”.

  • RJD’s Manoj Jha rejects chances of JDU forming alliance with BJP: 'Just a rumour…'

    RJD’s Manoj Jha rejects chances of JDU forming alliance with BJP: 'Just a rumour…'