News Analysis India

Tag: BJP

  • Political front against BJP not possible without support of Muslims: Imtiaz Jaleel

    By PTI
    AURANGABAD: Any political front against the ruling BJP is not possible without the participation of Muslims, AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel said here on Wednesday and took a swipe at NCP chief Sharad Pawar who hosted a meeting of Opposition leaders in Delhi the previous day.

    Addressing reporters, Jaleel said the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) will contest the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

    “If an alliance is being formed against the Bhartiya Janta Party, it cannot materialise without Muslims. Muslims in the country are standing with the AIMIM. If Sharad Pawar thinks Muslims are with the NCP, he should come to Aurangabad and see how many Muslims are with him,” the Aurangabad MP said.

    He said the alliance of the NCP with the National Conference will not work out.

    Jaleel said the AIMIM will contest the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

    “The BJP and the Samajwadi Party have finished Muslim leaderships in Uttar Pradesh. When Azam Khan was sent to jail, Muslim leaders left him. The decision on allying in Uttar Pradesh and the number of seats to be contested will be taken by AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi,” he said.

    Jaleel alleged that “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal are two sides of the same coin” “Last time we thought that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would speak for us (Muslims) but Delhi riots disclosed that Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejariwal are two sides of the same coin.

    People of Delhi know this,” he added.

    While talking about the local governing body elections in Aurangabad, Jaleel said the AIMIM was planning to contest from non-Muslim areas also.

    “Our rival Shiv Sena is also talking about an alliance while they claim the Aurangabad district as their fortress,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Jaleel alleged “misplaced priorities” on part of Central agencies in allotting infrastructure projects.

    “Central agencies are providing infrastructure projects where common people and public representatives in Aurangabad don’t want them.

    If flyovers are not built at the spots where people want, we will oppose the work,” he said.

    He said a flyover is proposed in the airport area though it is more needed at Akashwani or Amarpreet chowk.

    “Rather, Road Transport Minsiter Nitin Gadkari should grant us a flyover which would directly take vehicles out of the city on Aurangabad-Jalna road. This will help for industrial growth in the region,” the MP said.

  • Congress MP claims Himanta following ‘unscientific’ population control policy of UP

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: Congress Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday alleged that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is following his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanaths proposed population policy which he described as “unscientific and outdated”.

    Sarma had recently said the state government will gradually implement a policy, which will enable families with not more than two children to avail benefits under certain state government schemes.

    The chief minister is not looking within the state, even in rural areas, where a lot of changes have taken place over the years but he is blindly following Yogi Adityanath’s proposed policy in Uttar Pradesh which can in no way be applied to Assam, Gogoi said at a press conference here.

    “Sarma is talking about an unscientific and outdated concept as the mindset of people have changed, education and health facilities have improved and the rate of population increase has declined over the years”, he said.

    The chief minister must adopt a scientific temperament and if he takes measures to ensure education, health facilities for all, and empower women, there will be no need for a separate population policy, the party MP from Kaliabor said.

    “They may have made the right diagnosis for the disease (increase in population) but the prescription they have adopted is wrong.

    They should discuss with us as the nation’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had always advocated a scientific approach in dealing with various issues”, he said.

    It was due to Nehru’s farsightedness that IITS, AIIMS, and other scientific and research organisations were established in the country for which India continues to receive accolades across the world, he added.

    The Assam chief minister had said that the proposed population control policy would not be applicable on all schemes in the state immediately as many of the benefits are offered by the central government.

    On the microfinance loans issue, Gogoi alleged that the chief minister has “committed a fraud with women of the state”.

    “During the assembly election campaign, the BJP leaders did not say anything about the conditions which would be made applicable but now they are talking about the eligibility criteria for loan waiver.

    They have cheated poor women and how will they assess who can repay the loans when most are reeling under the impact of the COVID and loss of livelihoods”, he said.

    Irrigation Minister Ashok Singhal had recently suggested the loan amount willnot be waived if availed after December 31, 2020 or it turned into NPA, family income is more than Rs 1 lakh, any member pays income tax and owns a car.

    Leader of the Opposition Debabrat Saikia had demanded that the state government remove all pre-conditions and waive the loans to give relief to poor women, as part of the BJP’s poll assurance.

    The Congress does not want to do “politics on the issue but as an opposition party we have the responsibility to make the BJP accountable to people and will therefore help the affected women to raise their voice and take appropriate action against the government”, he said.

    Referring to the recent resignation of Rupjyoti Kurmi from the Congress to join the BJP, Gogoi said that the saffron party is only interested in “silencing the opposition so that they can continue with their illegal activities and syndicates.

    “The BJP wants to silence all, whether it be politicians, students or journalists, who question the party for its wrong policies and actions but the Congress will continue to raise the voice and concerns of the people in the state”, he said.

    The BJP wants a “silent or an absent opposition and to end democracy by intimidating their opponents but we will not let this happen”, Gogoi added.

    Asked about a change in the party leadership, he said that after the assembly elections, a high-level committee was set up to examine all issues, and discussions were held with the state leadership on the strengths and weaknesses and how to move forward by preparing a road-map for the future.

    “The report has been submitted to the AICC leadership and we have been asked to concentrate on helping the people who have been severely affected by the COVID and the consequent lockdown,” Gogoi said.

  • Digvijaya faces BJP fire over remarks on alleged meeting between Indian officials, Taliban

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: Congress Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh faced the BJP fire on Wednesday over his tweet about an alleged meeting between Indian officials and Taliban leaders with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan saying he has “Talibani mentality”.

    Slamming the Congress veteran, BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, speaking separately, claimed that “contacts” of the former CM are under the scanner.

    Sharing news reports, quoting a Qatar official, about a meeting between India government officials and Taliban leaders, Singh, in a tweet on Wednesday, said, “This is a very serious issue. The Government of India should make an immediate statement on this subject. Will BJP IT Cell take cognisance of this and put this into the category of sedition?” 

    Asked about the tweet, Vijayvargiya told reporters at the State BJP office here, “Right now, an investigation against Digvijaya Singh is underway to find out with whom he has been in contact.”

    However, Vijayvargiya did not elaborate on the nature of investigation against Singh and the agency which is conducting it.

    Reacting to the Congress leader’s tweet, Chouhan told reporters, “His (Digvijaya Singh’s) mentality is Talibani.”

    Earlier this month, the Madhya Pradesh BJP had demanded a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Singh after the Congress leader, in a clubhouse chat, was purportedly heard saying that his party “would certainly have a re-look at the decision to revoke Article 370” (which provided special status to in Jammu and Kashmir).

    Asked about the meeting of opposition leaders at the house of NCP president Sharad Pawar in Delhi, Vijayvargiya said there is “panic” among them because of the “towering” personality of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    “There is no one in the opposition who can even reach the knee height of Narendra Modi,” the BJP leader said, seeking to downplay the meeting.

  • John Barla again rakes up demand for separate North Bengal, despite BJP warning

    By PTI
    JALPAIGURI/KOLKATA: BJP MP John Barla Wednesday again raked up a controversial demand seeking a separate union territory comprising North Bengal districts, despite his party cautioning against such statements.

    The Alipurduar MP alleged that people who voted for the BJP were being denied ration and 100-days work under the job guarantee scheme.

    “In order to escape from such atrocities, I raised the demand for North Bengal to be declared union territory,” he said.

    “I will take this matter up with Delhi (leadership),” he told reporters at his Lakshmipara tea garden residence in Jalpaiguri, surrounded by people who claimed they were sheltering there from attacks by Trinamool Congress supporters.

    In a jolt to the BJP, the party’s Alipurduar district president, Ganga Prasad Sharma along with seven other local BJP leaders, joined the TMC on Monday.

    Barla however claimed that nine members of Kumargram panchayat and a zilla parishad member from Alipurduar district have taken shelter at his residence along with their family members after being pressured to leave the BJP and join TMC.

    Denying the allegation, the TMC district leadership said having won the recent assembly elections with a huge majority, it does not require people from BJP to join the ruling party.

    Reacting to Barla’s repeated outbursts demanding that North Bengal be declared a separate union territory, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said “everyone has to go by the party line,” while at the same time stating there is space for personal opinions in the party.

    “Democracy cannot flourish by gagging people,” he said.

    Accusing the BJP of adopting a duplicitous policy, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh alleged the saffron party is trying to create unrest in the state.

    “It is not clear whether the BJP wants these leaders to stop making such statements or continue with their diatribe on dividing West Bengal,” he said.

    Days after Barla first made known his demand for a separate North Bengal union territory, BJP’s Bishnupur MP Saumitra Khan stoked a fresh controversy by demanding a separate state by carving out districts of Junglemahal and other areas in South Bengal.

    This happened despite the BJP West Bengal unit on Tuesday cautioning party members against violating the party line “Some of our leaders may have made those comments in their own capacity. It has nothing to do with our party line or opinion, which is against any form of division of Bengal, everybody has to toe the party line as a loyal soldier of the party. Violation of party line won’t be tolerated,” the BJP state president has said.

  • Veterinarians protest against Maneka Gandhi over ‘abusive remarks’ to doctor

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: Veterinarians across the country observed a “black day” and sported black badges on Wednesday to protest against BJP MP and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi over her alleged use of unparliamentary language while scolding a veterinary doctor, their association said.

    The nationwide protest call was given by the Indian Veterinary Association (IVA).

    Veterinarians across the country strongly condemned the kind of language the former Union minister has allegedly used against them and sported black badges in protest, said Umesh Sharma, president of IVA and also of the Veterinary Council of India, in a statement here.

    Sharma said Maneka Gandhi allegedly abused a veterinary doctor on Tuesday over the phone.

    She used unparliamentary language during the conversation, he said.

    A purported audio clip of their telephonic conversation has gone viral on social media.

    The association has also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and BJP president JP Nadda on the issue and urged them to take cognisance of the remarks, which it said, damages the reputation of the saffron party.

    The association demanded that the BJP MP withdraw her comments and also issue a public apology.

    Sharma said during the COVID-19 crisis, more than 150 veterinarians and over 1,000 para-medics have lost their lives while serving the nation.

  • Congress’ culture to ‘attack’ Indians whenever country accomplishes record: JP Nadda

    #39;After the record Monday, India has crossed 50 Lakh vaccinations on Tuesday and Wednesday, much to the dislike of the Congress Party, #39; BJP President JP Nadda tweeted.

  • BJP received Rs 276.45 crore from electoral trusts in 2019-20, Congress Rs 58 crore: ADR

    The BJP was followed by the Congress which received Rs 58 crore or 15.98 per cent of total donations received by all parties from all seven electoral trusts, it said.

  • BJP remembers Syama Prasad Mookerjee, said- fought a long battle for the freedom of Kashmir

    On the death anniversary of Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, BJP garlanded his statue at Sharda Chowk, Raipur. Even in the raining water, BJP leaders remembered Mukherjee.

    MP Sunil Soni said about Shyama Prasad Mukherjee that he has been the founder of our Jana Sangh. He fought for the liberation of Kashmir. The dream of Pandit Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was also fulfilled by the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2019. Article 370 and 35A abolished. Now Kashmir is a part of India.

    District President Srichand Sundrani said that he was a warrior of India. Who fought a long battle to liberate Kashmir.

    Former minister and MLA Brijmohan Agarwal said that Article 370 was abolished in Kashmir and if someone initiated it, it was done by Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. If Bengal is in India, it is because of Mukherjee. He sacrificed his life for this country. He sowed the seeds of nationalism, today we are remembering him on his death anniversary.

  • Bid to form opposition front without Congress will help BJP, says leader Nana Patole

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Wednesday said any attempt to form an ‘anti-BJP front’ without his party will indirectly help the BJP.

    Talking to reporters at Faizpur in Jalgaon district, he also said elections were three years away and COVID-19 management was the priority of his party.

    Amid speculations about formation of an ‘anti-BJP front’, Patole said such a front was not possible without the Congress.

    “Any attempt to do so will indirectly help the BJP,” he said.

    In 2019, the Congress tied-up with the Shiv Sena and NCP to form government in Maharashtra under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray.

    Last week, Patole caused a flutter in the ruling alliance in Maharashtra by saying the Congress will contest future elections on its own.

    All India Congress Committee’s Maharashtra in-charge H K Patil recently asked the state party unit to focus on strengthening the organisation and leave the decision on alliances or going solo in future polls to the party high command.

    On Wednesday, Patole said the welfare of farmers and youth, who are facing the “crisis of unemployment”, was the Congress’s priority.

    “I have already spoken about elections and the message has reached the party workers. Elections are three years away and I will not speak on it. We will highlight misdeeds of the Narendra Modi government in handling the COVID-19 pandemic and the neglect of farmers,” he said.

    In a veiled jibe at the Congress, Chief Minister and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said people would “beat with footwear” those who only talk about contesting elections alone without offering solutions to people’s problems.

    An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ recently said there is no harm in contesting polls independently, but everyone should check the ground beneath.

    Patole said, “Today we symbolically buried three (controversial) farm laws of the Centre. A Congress meeting in Faizpur led by (former prime minister) Jawaharlal Nehru and other senior leaders of the freedom movement had deliberated on how farmers’ policies should be framed, and the need of the hour is the revisit that.”

  • Bengal BJP cracks whip, cautions leaders against commenting on division of state

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Amid rising criticism against the BJP over proposals by two of its MP for creating a union territory and a state by carving out parts of West Bengal, the party’s leadership on Tuesday cautioned leaders against violating the party line, which is against any division of the state.

    The development comes days after BJP MP from Alipurduar John Barla and Bishnupur MP Saumitra Khan stoked a controversy by demanding a Union Territory for north Bengal districts and a separate state comprising the Junglemahal region and other areas of south Bengal respectively.

    “Some of our leaders have made certain comments in their personal capacity. It has nothing to do with our party line or opinion, which is against any form of division of Bengal. Everybody has to toe the party line as a loyal soldier. The violation of party line won’t be tolerated,” BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said.

    Within hours of Ghosh’s statement, Khan said that he has made those comments in his personal capacity.

    “I sought a separate state for the Junglemahal area as it is the demand of the locals. There has been no development in the region. My comments are not the view of the party,” Khan said.

    Barla is yet to react to Ghosh’s statement.

    Ruling Trinamool Congress spokesperson Sougata Ray sought to know why the BJP is not expelling Barla and Khan for violating the party line.

    “If the BJP does not endorse the statements of its MPs, why is it not expelling them? The party is planning to create unrest in the state,” the senior TMC MP said.