News Analysis India

Tag: BJP

  • Rajasthan bypolls: BJP leader draws Rajput ire for comments on warrior king Maharana Pratap

    Express News Service
    JAIPUR:  In the final phase of campaigning for three by-elections due in Rajasthan on April 17, the BJP has earned the ire of Rajput outfits over a controversial remark made by senior party leader Gulab Chand Kataria on warrior king Maharana Pratap.

    Though the opposition leader apologised saying his “selection of words” for the Mewar king was not right, Karni Sena activists directed their ire at BJP posters blackening Kataria’s pictures at the party office in Jaipur and threatened to blacken his face as well.

    They also demanded his sacking as leader of the Opposition. T rouble for Kataria began after he addressed a public gathering in Rajsamand on Sunday.

    “Our ancestors fought for years. The recent example is Maharana Pratap. Was he bitten by a mad dog that he left his kingdom and fort to wander in jungles? For whom did he do it?”

    Kataria asked in Hindi in his speech at an election meeting organised for party candidate Deepti Maheshwari from Rajsamand.

    His remark triggered anger among the Rajputs and video clipsnof his speech went viral. Udaipur’s royal family scion Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar charged that undignified language was used for Maharana Pratap whose “name is synonymous with valour and struggle”.

    In a message on his Facebook page, Lakshyaraj, also a descendant of Maharana Pratap, said words should be chosen carefully. Rajput youths defaced Kataria’s posters in Jaipur and shouted slogans against him.

    Narayan Singh Divrala, the district president of Shree Rajput Karni Sena said: “Kataria has insulted Maharana Pratap by using such a language. The next time we see him, we will blacken his face.” Kataria soon came out with an apology.

    “I respect Maharana Pratap. If anyone is hurt by my statement, I apologise,” he said.

    Kataria held the home portfolio in the former Vasundhra Raje-led BJP government in Rajasthan. Due to the storm over his controversial remarks, Kataria, is now being provided special security.

    Given the growing resentment, political experts say this could impact BJP prospects as Rajputs are a major vote bank for the party.

  • ‘PM, Home Minister creating differences among people’: Trinamool complains to EC against Modi and Shah

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: A TMC delegation met the Election Commission on Wednesday. The leaders alleged that PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are creating differences among people of different castes and creed.

    TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee claimed BJP leaders are making provocative statements.

    The delegation comprised MPs Derek O’Brien, Kalyan Banerjee, Pratima Mondal and Santanu Sen.

    “We’re also condemning PM Modi’s way of delivering speeches. It is below the standard of a Prime Minister. It is very unfortunate that the Election Commission has not taken any cognizance of it till now,” they said.

    This comes after EC had barred West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from campaigning for the Assembly elections for a period of 24 hours t till 8 pm on April 13, following her accusations against the Central Armed Police Forces that they are acting at the behest of BJP.

    TMC on Wednesday also wrote a letter to the Election Commission alleging that the poll panel is “malfunctioning” and its state of affairs is “deplorable”.

    In a two-page letter, they accused the Election Commission of having a partisan approach while acting on complaints filed by TMC.

    “During this Assembly election, it is apparent that the Election Commission is acting in a partisan manner, absolutely in favour of the BJP,” the party alleged.

  • Bengal polls: NRC highlight of Didi’s campaign in remaining four phases

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday made it clear that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be an issue that she will use against BJP in the remaining four phases of Assembly elections in the state.

    It comes in response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s claim in Kalimpong on Tuesday that there was no plan to implement NRC as of now.

    The hills of Bengal go to polls in the fifth phase and the huge Gorkha population of the region is apprehensive that NRC can go against them. Calling Shah’s assurance a lie, Mamata the cited the example of Assam, where people have been sent to detention camps over the issue of citizenship.

    “The moment election ended in Assam (earlier this month), the BJP government started issuing notices asking people, who were left out of the list of citizens, why they should not be evicted by implementing the NRC.

    Mamata Banerjee (picture left) meets relatives of those killed in CISF firingin West Bengal’s Sitalkuchi

    “They are issuing detention camp notices. Do not trust them. BJP should be ousted through NRC, NPR and only then, people will be able to stay in the country,’’ she said at a rally in Jalpaiguri.

    Mamata’s comments are aimed at refugee voters who migrated from Bangladesh in large numbers. S he also lashed out at BJP for “bringing outsiders” in the name of elections and spreading Covid-19 in West Bengal.

    A day earlier, Shah had said there was no plan to implement NRC in the region at the moment and even if it is, it would have no impact on Gorkhas.

    This community constitutes a considerable chunk of the electorate in the hills.

    Visiting kin of victims

    Mamata went to Sitalkuchi, after the Election Commission’s 72-hour ban barring political leaders from visiting Cooch Behar district ended. She met family members of the four persons killed in firing by CISF personnel on April 10.

    She also met relatives of a first-time voter, who was shot dead in a separate incident. BJP has claimed he was their supporter and killed by TMC workers.

    Without naming the Election Commission, which barred her from campaigning for 24 hours, Mamata said: “They did not allow me to visit Sitalkuchi for three days. I was not allowed to address rallies for 24 hours. The people of Bengal have witnessed this injustice to me and they will give a befitting reply to it in this election.’’

    The Trinamool Congress chief reiterated that after coming to power in West Bengal, her government will conduct a probe into the killing of the four persons and also the fifth person, who the BJP claims to be their supporter.

  • ‘PM Modi never talks about Trinamool-mukt Bharat’: Rahul attacks Didi and BJP

    By Express News Service
    KOLKATA:  Debuting his campaign in Bengal on Wednesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tore into TMC and BJP. Taking potshots at TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, he claimed the Congress has never compromised on its ideology to gain power but the state’s ruling party has a history of joining hands with the saffron camp. 

    “Has the Congress party ever compromised with the BJP? Has it ever allied with the BJP? No. But Mamataji has done so,” Rahul said, adding that for his party, the fight with the BJP is ideological, not just political. 

    “Their (BJP’s) ideology murdered our biggest leader Gandhiji. We will die but not back down against this ideology. But for Mamataji, it is just a political battle,” said Gandhi, while addressing a rally at Goalpokhar in North Dinajpur.

    He urged the electorates to vote for the Congress-Left Front-Indian Secular Front alliance as neither the BJP nor the TMC can be trusted.

    Referring to the TMC’s previous alliance with the BJP, the former Congress president said Prime Minister Narendra Modi often talked about a Congress-mukt Bharat but he never said TMC-mukt Bharat.

    “The TMC is fine for them (BJP),” he noted. 

    “Their (BJP’s) battle is with the Congress’s ideology. They know Rahul Gandhi will never back down. I am not scared of them. In fact, they are scared of Rahul Gandhi. This is a fight for the future of Bengal. To save Bengal, you have to stop BJP’s advent.”

    Hitting out at Mamata’s governance, Rahul alleged that it is the only state where the poor people have to pay ‘cut money’ to get jobs.

    Taking a jibe at the Khela Hobe (Game On) slogan coined by Mamata, he said: “You are talking about a game on the street. I am talking about a game (students’ politics) in university and college campuses which you will not allow,’’ said Rahul.

    Accusing the BJP of trying to divide Bengal, he said the saffron party wants to implement the same practice that they followed in Assam and Tamil Nadu.

    “I have come here not to give a political speech. I have come here to save Bengal’s future,’’ he said. 

  • Need to pay ‘cut-money’ to get job in Bengal; TMC aligned with BJP in past, we didn’t: Rahul Gandhi

    By Online Desk
    Days before the fifth phase of polling in Bengal on April 17, Congress’ Rahul Gandhi launched tirades against the TMC and BJP at an election rally in Uttar Dinajpur.

    Campaigning for Congress in the poll-bound state, Gandhi said that while the saffron party “has nothing to offer except hatred and violence”, he also slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led government and accused it of enabling cut-money culture in the state.

    “Bengal is the only state where you have to pay cut money to get jobs,” Gandhi said adding that while Congress had never aligned with the BJP in the past, TMC on the other hand, had.

    Shri @RahulGandhi receives a tremendous reception as he arrives for his public meeting at Goalpokhar, West Bengal.#WBWelcomesRahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/w73g4IVT6q
    — Congress (@INCIndia) April 14, 2021

    He also alleged that BJP’s promises of “asol pariborton” and “sonar bangla” were hollow and lacked foundation for they (BJP) intend to divide and destroy the state, and harbour similar intentions for Assam and Tamil Nadu.

    ALSO READ | BJP brought outsiders in Bengal for poll campaign, contributed to COVID surge: Mamata Banerjee

    Assam went to the polls in a three-phased election that wrapped up on April 6. Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, witnessed a single-phase polling on the same day.

    Meanwhile, Bengal has four more phases remaining on April 17, 22, 26, and 29.

    Election results for Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and Bengal will be announced on May 2.

    (With inputs from PTI)

  • BJP brought outsiders in Bengal for poll campaign, contributed to COVID surge: Mamata Banerjee

    By PTI
    JALPAIGURI: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday alleged that the BJP has contributed to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in the state by bringing “outsiders in large numbers” for campaigning during the ongoing assembly elections.

    Addressing a poll rally here, Banerjee also accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of not responding to the state’s plea to vaccinate a majority of people, which could have helped contain the spread of the disease.

    “They (BJP leaders) have brought outsiders for campaigning and contributed to the rise in COVID cases. We had managed to get hold of the COVID situation, they made it complicated,” she said at the public meeting.

    Speaking on the Election Commission’s decision to prohibit her from campaigning for 24 hours, she said, “Is it a fault to ask Hindus, Muslims and others to vote together? What about Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is mocking me at every election meeting? Why is he not banned from campaigning?” she asked.

    The Election Commission had barred Banerjee from campaigning for 24 hours from Monday 8 pm for her remarks against the central forces and a statement that had alleged religious overtones.

    Accusing the prime minister and Amit Shah of peddling lies at poll rallies, the TMC supremo said, “The Centre has kept the NRC and the NPR bills alive, but the home minister had claimed at a meeting at Lebong in the hills that he had no plans to enforce the National Register of Citizens.”

    “Don’t trust them. If they come to power, you may face the same experience like the 14 lakh Bengalis in Assam (referring to the final NRC in the northeastern state). BJP is a dangerous party which is trying to divide Bengal,” she claimed.

  • NRC will not affect Gorkhas, Trinamool misleading them: Amit Shah

    By Express News Service
    KOLKATA:  There is no plan to implement the NRC for now and it will have no impact on Gorkhas even if it is brought in the future, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday. Shah also assured that all cases registered against the Gorkhas during their movement demanding statehood would be withdrawn once the BJP comes to power in West Bengal.   

    At a rally in Kalimpong, Shah hit out at the Trinamool Congress for “creating fear’’ among the people of Darjeeling on the issue of the NRC by misleading them. “The TMC is misleading the people citing the NRC which has not been implemented yet. It is lying about the possible fallout of the NRC on the Gorkhas to create fear among them. There is no plan to implement the NRC now. Whenever it is done, not a single Gorkha will be asked to leave,’’ he assured the poll rally.

    The Congress-Communists-TMC combination did injustice to Gorkhas across the country for years, he asserted. “Gorkhas have a very rich history. Whenever the names of patriotic communities are taken, the names of Gorkhas are taken proudly.”

    The Communists had set the Darjeeling hills on fire in 1986 in which more than 1,200 Gorkhas were killed, he said. “Didi (Mamata) did nothing less. During her tenure, many people were killed and FIR lodged against thousands. Didi has withdrawn FIRs selectively. After the BJP-led government is formed in Bengal, all such FIRs will be withdrawn within a week,’’ he told the rally.

    Shah also promised to ensure the status of scheduled tribe to 11 Gorkha ethnic groups if the BJP is elected to power.  Apart from being the deciding factor in the three hill seats of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong, the Gorkha community has a considerable presence in some of the seats in north Bengal’s Dooars. 

  • Not afraid of Congress’ threats: Gujarat BJP chief on free Remdesivir distribution

    By PTI
    SURAT: Gujarat BJP president C R Paatil lashed out at the Congress on Tuesday and said the opposition party leaders should stop threatening him over the free distribution of 5,000 doses of Remdesivir drug in Surat.

    Paati stirred a controversy last week after he announced free distribution of 5,000 doses of the key COVID-19 drug in his hometown Surat, amid a shortage of the medicine.

    The state Congress on Monday demanded Paatil’s arrest for alleged illegal procurement and storage of the medicine.

    Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Paatil asserted that the entire lot of 5,000 Remdesivir injections was procured through legal channels.

    “We procured the injections as they are needed to save the people. If they can’t appreciate our efforts, the Congress should stop threatening us. The BJP workers are on the ground to help the needy people. We are not afraid of Congress’s threats,” Paatil said.

    He said the opposition party should appreciate the BJP’s work of providing free injections to the needy people.

    “In 1992, when the Congress was in power, plague broke out in Surat. At that time also, the BJP spent Rs 10 lakh to procure Tetracycline (an antibiotic drug) and distributed it to the affected people in small packets,” he said.

    “Why the Congress did not raise any questions back then?” Paatil asked.

    On Monday, Congress leaders called on Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and demanded Paatil’s arrest for alleged illegal procurement and storage of the medicine, which is in high demand.

    The free distribution of the drug started from the BJP’s Surat office on April 10.

    Till Monday, as many as 3,000 vials of the medicine were distributed, including around 1,000 injections given free to relatives of needy patients, an office-bearer of the Surat BJP earlier said.

    Surat BJP MLA Harsh Sanghavi on Monday said all the injections were procured from other states where they are in excess.

  • Bengal elections: EC imposed campaign ban on Mamata at BJP’s behest, says Sanjay Raut

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday alleged that the Election Commission’s decision to bar West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from campaigning for 24 hours was taken at the behest of the BJP.

    This was a “direct attack on democracy” and sovereignty of independent institutions of the country, Raut claimed, and asked why only Banerjee was punished when other parties also violated some or the other rules during the ongoing West Bengal election.

    Terming Banerjee as the “Bengal Tigress”, the Sena’s chief spokesperson expressed solidarity with her and claimed she will win the election in her state.

    The Shiv Sena, which is not contesting the West Bengal polls, has extended its support to Banerjee, who heads the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

    The Election Commission (EC) on Monday barred Banerjee from campaigning for 24 hours over her remarks against central forces and a statement which had alleged religious overtones.

    Reacting to it, Raut in a tweet said, “ECI has imposed a ban on Mamta didi for 24 hours.

    This is clearly done at the behest of BJP, ruling party in India.”

    “It is a direct attack on democracy and sovereignty of independent institutions of India. solidarity with Bengal Tigress, @MamataOfficial @derekobrienmp,” the Rajya Sabha member added.

    Banerjee sat on a dharna in Kolkata on Tuesday to protest against the poll panel’s “unconstitutional decision”.

    “Why Mamata didi is being punished alone by the EC when every political party is violating some or the other rules of the model code of conduct?” Raut later asked while talking to reporters.

    Leaders of a party from other states are going to West Bengal and making controversial statements, but there is no action against them, he said, without naming anyone.

    The ongoing West Bengal election is like a “new Mahabharat”, the Shiv Sena leader said.

    “Like the previous one (Mahabharat), nobody is following the code of warfare in this new Mahabharat as well. I believe Banerjee will win this election,” Raut said.

  • TMC, Congress, Left depend on ‘outsiders’; BJP chief minister in Bengal will be ‘son of soil’: Amit Shah 

    By PTI
    NAGRAKATA:  Taking on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her oft-repeated ‘outsider’ barb against him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accusing her of lack of knowledge, Union Home Minister Amit Shah Tuesday said that it is the Trinamool Congress, Left and Congress who have to depend on outsiders.

    He said that Banerjee, also Trinamool Congress supremo, terms him and Modi as outsiders but her party depends on votes from illegal immigrants.

    “Am I an outsider? Am I not a citizen of the country? Didi terms the country’s prime minister as an outsider,” Shah told a poll rally at this tea garden town in Dooars area of Jalpaiguri district. Banerjee’s knowledge is “very little”, he said.

    “Let me tell you Didi who are outsiders. The communists have imported their ideology from China and Russia. The leadership of Congress too is from outside – it has come from Italy.

    ALSO READ | Gorkha problem to be fixed after BJP comes to power in Bengal: Amit Shah

    “And the Trinamool Congress’ vote bank is from outside – the illegal immigrants,” the top BJP leader said.

    Shah said he was born in this country and will turn to ashes in this land.

    “So how can I be an outsider?” Banerjee has been almost daily accusing the BJP leadership of being outsiders in West Bengal and bringing in goons from other states for the ongoing assembly elections in the state.

    Shah said the TMC supremo “cannot deceive the people of the state for long” since BJP’s chief minister for West Bengal will be a son of the soil.

    He maintained that Mamata Banerjee, who has been demanding his resignation, will have to go on May 2, the day when the state election result will be declared.

    “This election is not about my resignation, but it is of yours (Banerjee’s).”

    Banerjee had last demanded Shah’s resignation for the firing by central forces at Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar in which four people were killed in the fourth phase of polling on April 10.

    Shah claimed that the chief minister has not raised the wages of tea garden workers, while she has been regularly abusing Modi “the son of a tea-seller”.

    The union minister said that all refugees will be given citizenship by the BJP and alleged that Banerjee is unwilling to give them the right because she fears that her vote bank will not be happy with that.

    If voted to power BJP will ensure that an AIIMS hospital comes up in north Bengal as the people of the area have to travel to Kolkata for treatment of serious ailments.

    “Modiji has come with 115 schemes for Bengal and Didi has given 115 scams,” Shah said hitting out at teh ruling TMC.