News Analysis India

Tag: BJP

  • 50 Shiv Sainiks booked for COVID-19 rules violations after protesting at BJP leader’s office

    By PTI
    THANE: A mob of 50 Shiv Sainiks have been booked for entering the office of a Thane BJP leader and protesting there without keeping in mind COVID-19 protocols, police said on Tuesday.

    The incident happened on March 12 in the office of Manohar Dhumbre, BJP group leader in the Thane Municipal Corporation, a Naupada police station official said.

    “The Shiv Sainiks and Dhumbre had arguments over some issues in the latter’s ward. Those in the mob did not wear masks nor did they maintain social distancing. So we booked them under section 188 of IPC and Maharashtra Police Act. No arrest has been made so far,” he added.

  • BJP activists clash with cops as protests over candidate selection continue in Bengal ahead of polls

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: BJP workers across Bengal continued their protest over the party’s candidate selection on Tuesday, with many of them staging demonstrations outside the saffron camp’s election office here, and others hurling stones at some of the nominees, prompting police action.

    Several saffron party workers clashed with the police, when they were stopped from gheraoing candidates who were about to enter the party office to meet their seniors.

    The police had to resort to mild lathi-charge to disperse the protesters — many of them active members from Canning West, Magrahat, Kultali and Joynagar in South 24 Parganas — outside the party’s Hastings office in the city.

    At least six activists were detained, and one policeman injured in the melee.

    “We want immediate withdrawal of Arnab Roy’s candidature from Canning West seat. He switched over to the BJP from the TMC only five days ago,” a party activist from the constituency said. The protesters claimed that TMC leaders involved in corruption have been given nomination by the BJP.

    Some of them also said that the turncoats had once unleashed violence on BJP members.

    “We will sit idle and not work for the party’s election campaign if the candidate list is not revised,” Ronny Manna, a long-time BJP worker from Magrahat, said.

    Demonstrations outside the BJP’s election office here and other parts of the state have been underway since Sunday evening, after the announcement of the party’s second list of 63 candidates for the third and fourth phase of elections in Bengal.

    Activists vandalised party offices, harassed central leaders and blocked roads by burning tyres in several places.

    Sayantan Basu, the BJP’s state general secretary, said the leadership was looking into the matter.

    “The party is growing in size, as more and more people continue to join us. The number of aspirants has swelled. There are bound to be some problems, but that will be addressed soon,” he claimed.

    Reacting to the incident of the police lathi-charge, BJP state spokesperson Shamik Bhattacharya said the “that was totally uncalled for”.

    “The lathi-charge was unprovoked and unwarranted. We don’t believe our activists hurled stones at anyone,” he said.

    Denying the charge, a senior police officer said action had to be taken to control the agitators, “who were getting violent”.

  • SP chief Akhilesh Yadav claims ‘voices of dissent are surfacing’ within Uttar Pradesh BJP

    By PTI
    LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav claimed on Tuesday that voices of dissent have started surfacing within the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    He also claimed that various senior officials in the administration and police are not attending phone calls from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), despite directives.

    “When BJP leaders were making claims of their victory in the next state Assembly polls from the dais during the party’s working committee meeting, several office-bearers and leaders were raising their voice against the misgovernance under the party’s rule,” Yadav said in a statement released by the SP here.

    ALSO READ | FIR filed against Akhilesh Yadav, 20 others over assault on journalists in Moradabad

    “The BJP might make all-out efforts to hide the reality and spread lies, but it is not going to succeed since voices of dissent and dissatisfaction have started surfacing within the party,” he claimed.

    The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister was referring to the daylong meeting of the state BJP’s working committee held in the state capital on Monday, which was inaugurated by Defence Minister and former party president Rajnath Singh, while Chief minister Yogi Adityanath addressed the closing function.

    Senior BJP leaders, who took part in the meeting, claimed that the saffron party will script a historic victory in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.

    The SP president pointed out that his party has been saying since the very beginning that anarchy, disorder and corruption are rampant in the 

    BJP regime in the state and there appears to be no control of the government or administration over it.

    Ministers have also complained that officials do not listen to them, he said.

    Different district magistrates (DMs), senior superintendents of police (SSPs), SPs and commissioners are not attending phone calls from the CMO despite directives, he said, claiming that there are reports given by government sources to this effect.

    “When nobody takes the chief minister seriously, what can be expected about the fate of people’s problems?” Yadav asked.

  • More Sena defends Sachin Vaze, more suspicion there will be: BJP

    Waze is also facing allegations with regard to the mysterious death of businessman Mansukh Hiran, who had claimed that the vehicle found outside Ambani #39;s house had been stolen from his possession.

  • May support TMC to form govt if situation arises post polls: Congress MP Abu Hasem

    By PTI
    ENGLISH BAZAAR: In a potentially embarrassing development for the Left-led coalition in West Bengal, veteran Congress MP Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury Tuesday pitched for an alliance with the TMC after the West Bengal assembly elections, if the situation so demands.

    Speaking to reporters, the Lok Sabha MP from Maldaha Dakshin said Congress’ alliance partner CPI(M) forged a tie-up with ISF of Furfura Sharif cleric Abbas Siddiqui as it feared it will not be able to win a single seat.

    “We did not join hands with Abbas Siddiqui, CPI(M) allied with his party. I think they felt that they may not get a single seat in the elections, so they forged an alliance with him,” Choudhury said.

    “We forged an alliance with the Left at first, then they went and allied with Siddiqui. We told them that we did not like it but they were scared that they may perform badly in the elections. So, they joined hands with Abbas, if he can get them eight-ten seats in the name of religion,” he added.

    Choudhury said that Congress does not like those who play the communal card.

    “We don’t like TMC because of the behaviour they meted out to the Congress. But TMC is not communal,” he said.

    “If a situation arises post the elections, we will support the TMC to form the government in West Bengal, this is my personal opinion. This is because of philosophical reasons,” said Choudhury, a four-time member of Parliament.

    The Left Front, Congress and ISF have forged an alliance to fight the elections in West Bengal, taking on the ruling Trinamool Congress and BJP.

    Choudhury’s comments stirred a row even as the three sides give final touches to the seat-sharing arrangement.

    “The Samjukta Morcha of the Left-Congress-ISF has been formed at the state-level after green-signal from Delhi. There is no doubt that we will fight this election together. He is a senior leader, I don’t know what he has said and will not comment on it,” CPI(M)’s Malda district secretary Ambar Mitra said.

    The BJP said that it was an “unholy” alliance, which will help the TMC to form government in case of a hung assembly.

    “We have been saying from the beginning that an unholy alliance has been forged in West Bengal and it will help the TMC in the future. Choudhury’s comments make this thing clear that they will support TMC in case of a hung assembly,” BJP’s district vice-president Ajoy Ganguly said.

    The TMC claimed that the party will return to power with over 200 seats and it would not require anyone’s support.

    “The kind of wave that is visible in West Bengal, I don’t think we need some other party’s support. We will come to power again with over 200 seats,” TMC’s district general secretary Hemanta Sharma said.

  • Bengal polls 2021: BJP supporters continue protests over party’s candidate selection

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: BJP workers from various parts of West Bengal continued their protests on Tuesday outside the party’s state election office in Kolkata over the selection of candidates for the assembly polls, laying bare the rift between old-timers and new entrants.

    BJP supporters from Canning West, Magrahat, Kultali, Joynagar and Bishnupur were protesting outside the Hastings office of the party since the morning, often getting involved in scuffles among themselves, forcing the police to intervene.

    “We want immediate withdrawal Arnab Roy’s candidature from the Canning West seat. He joined BJP from Trinamool Congress only five days back and has been given the nomination,” a BJP activist from the constituency said.

    The protesters claimed that TMC leaders involved in corruption have been given nominations by the BJP.

    Some of those leaders are also accused of atrocities against BJP members, they said.

    “We will sit idle and not work for the party’s election campaign if the candidates are not withdrawn immediately,” said Ronny Manna, a long-time BJP worker from Magrahat.

    A section of the protesters tried to remove the barricades outside the main gate and enter the office compound, following which the police had to step in.

    The protests outside the BJP’s election office and different parts of the state have been underway since Sunday evening after the announcement of the party’s second list of 63 candidates for the third and fourth phase of elections in West Bengal.

    The protests over the selection of candidates took violent turns in certain places with BJP supporters vandalising party offices and locking up central leaders, besides blocking roads by burning tyres.

    The BJP said that they were looking into the issues, maintaining that the protests were a result of the party growing in size.

    “The party is growing in size as more and more people join. Hence, the number of aspirants has swelled. There are bound to be some problems, but that will be addressed soon,” BJP’s state general secretary Sayantan Basu said.

  • BJP meet: Rajnath urges dialogue between farmers, government over agri laws

    By PTI
    LUCKNOW: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday urged dialogue between the protesting farmers and the Centre while addressing a meeting of BJP office-bearers, during which he also invoked the border clashes with China and the construction of the Ram temple.

    Making an appeal to farmers upset over the new agri-marketing laws, the senior BJP leader said any problem can be resolved through talks.

    “The BJP resolve is to double the farmers’ income, and in no case the MSP will end,” he said, referring to the apprehension among farmers camping at Delhi’s borders for months now.

    “We are all from farmers’ families and we are ready for amendments and solutions, whatever is needed in the interest of agriculture,” Singh said at the inaugural meeting of the Uttar Pradesh BJP executive committee.

    He highlighted the role of grassroots workers in the Bharatiya Janata Party and said this was the only party which has not seen a split so far.

    “This is not a crowd of workers aiming to gain power but a lively party which has a political vision,” he said.

    He referred to the recently begun construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, after the historic verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute.

    “People used to say that whenever elections come, BJP leaders speak about construction of the Ram temple,” he said, referring to the foundation laying ceremony last year.

    “It is a coincidence that when the structure fell in Ayodhya, there was a BJP government in UP, and Kalyan Singh was the chief minister,” Singh said, alluding to the demolition of the Babri mosque.

    And when the foundation stone for the construction of the Ram temple was laid, there was a BJP government in UP, and Yogiji was the chief minister,” he added.

    On the face-off with China in Ladakh last year, the minister said, “Our Army jawans displayed courage and valour with patience. We don’t wish to attack anyone but will not tolerate the grabbing of our land.”

    He said no power on earth can stop India from becoming a global superpower.

    Singh claimed that in the 2022 UP Assembly elections the BJP will get more seats than its 2017 tally.

    Addressing party workers, he said they cannot complain of any injustice to them by the party, though there can be “delays”.

    Giving his own example, Singh said he did not make any demands from the party and just kept working.

    “We are lucky that we got an opportunity to become BJP worker,” he added.

    “Credibility is the biggest capital in politics,” he said, pointing at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    “Be it the abrogation of Article 370, triple talaq or bhoomi pujan for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, there has been no doubt over our credibility. We do not indulge in politics of caste or religion, but that of humanity,” he said.

    Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma and UP BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh attended the meeting.

    He called for a feeling of pride towards the country.

    “Sixty per cent of the COVID vaccines in the world have been prepared in India, and scientists who developed the vaccines should be congratulated,” Singh, who is also a Lok Sabha MP from Lucknow, said.

    Referring to the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Singh said, “When the prime minister took a broom in his hand some people in the party asked whether this will fetch votes.”

    “But the World Health Organisation said the cleanliness movement has changed India’s health scenario,” he added.

    Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath criticised the Opposition for raising questions over encounters of criminals and alleged that they always patronised the organised crime.

    “It is quite natural for them to feel upset because the criminals nurtured by them are on the run in the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh,” Adityanath said.

    “It is the zero tolerance policy of my government that the goons who used to get political protection are going to other states and begging for their lives,” he added.

    The UP chief minister said the Centre has formulated policies to provide housing to the poor, cooking gas connections and spared no effort to double the income of farmers.

    Calling them as the real strength of the government, he exhorted party workers to publicise the schemes of the Centre and the state government.

    Adityanath said the Congress has only been misleading farmers.

  • Shah slams Congress’ talks of secularism with AIDUF barb in Assam

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: Hitting out at the Congress over its poll alliance with the AIUDF in Assam, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the party is “shamelessly” talking of secularism and culture preservation even as it has Badruddin Ajmal’s outfit “seated on its lap”.

    Shah, who launched the BJP’s social media campaign ‘Selfie with development’ here, said the party will bank on five pillars to fight the state polls — ‘Suraksha aur Samman’ (protection and respect), ‘Samriddhi aur Judao’ (prosperity and connection), ‘Sanskriti aur Sabhyata’ (culture and civilisation), ‘Shanti aur Samvad’ (peace and dialogue) and ‘Swanirbharta aur Atmanirbharta’ (Self-reliance).

    “Assam elections will not just ensure that the BJP stays in power, but will also guarantee preservation of the state’s culture, traditions and civilisation,” he stated.

    Addressing the saffron party’s social media volunteers at the Town Hall conclave in the state capital, he urged them to act as ‘marg-darshaks’ (guide) as it is “your responsibility to generate awareness on our mission to build golden Assam”.

    As part of the new campaign, volunteers will be taking a selfie against the backdrop of a development work undertaken by the BJP government in the state over the last five years and upload it on networking websites.

    The top BJP leader further said that his party will make all efforts to make sure that Assam remains free of militancy, agitation, infiltration, violence, corruption, flood and pollution.

    The Congress cannot save Assam’s glory with Ajmal by its side, and this message should be taken to every household in the state by the cyber warriors, he stated.

    “Former CM Tarun Gogoi had once dismissively enquired ‘Who is Ajmal’ but now his son (Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi) does not mind sharing a platform with the AIUDF chief.”

    “Can the Congress, with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) as ally, stop infiltration? Can they realise the dreams of Assam icons such as Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva, Ahom warrior Lachit and multi-faceted personality Dr Bhupen Hazarika?” he contended.

    Shah insisted that Assam must have a “nationalist” government, and all states in the northeast should be linked with the rest of the country as that would facilitate development in the region.

    “After the BJP came to power in Assam five years ago, all states in the region subsequently came under the purview of the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and are since being guided by the prime minister,” he said.

    Highlighting the various measures taken in the last five years by the Sarbananda Sonowal-led BJP government, he said, “Most of the goals have been achieved; and the little that is left, we promise to take care of those in the next five years.

    “We also want the state’s pre-Independence-era glory of being one of the highest GDP contributors to be restored.”

    The Union minister further pointed out that no major militant attack has been recorded in the state under the BJP rule.

    “In a bid to bring back peace to the Bodoland Territorial Region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured that an agreement was signed by the four factions of the NDFB, militants surrendered with arms, and a development package of Rs 1500 crore is agreed upon (by the stakeholders),” he noted.

    The BJP government must remain in power to check the demographic changes taking place in Assam, as that could destroy the basic social fabric of the state, he added.

    “We have laid the foundation for setting up infrastructure in the state, and now a palace of progress and development will be built here.”

    “This election is not a fight between two parties, it is for Assam’s development. It is to save its pride, glorious heritage, traditions, culture, language and literature,” Shah added.

  • 79 Bengal BJP leaders get VIP security amid ongoing protests from saffron party cadres

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: As many as 79 BJP leaders from West Bengal, including the turncoats and the new joinees, have been accorded VIP security by the Centre ahead of the Assembly elections in the state.

    While BJP leaders Jitender Tewari, Hirenmay Chattopadhyay, Yash Dasgupta and Sravanti Chatterjee have been assigned Y-category security of the CISF, actor-turned-politician Payal Sarkar got X-category security, officials said on Monday.

    Recently, the Centre accorded ‘Y+’ VIP security cover to veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty, who recently joined the BJP.

    Officials said the security cover will be provided by the CISF that has a dedicated wing for this task, called the special security group (SSG).

    ALSO READ | ‘My one leg is enough to boot BJP out from Bengal’, says wheelchair-bound Mamata

    “Chakraborty has been given a ‘Y+’ cover and armed CISF commandos will accompany him during poll campaign in West Bengal,” a senior officer said. Earlier, those provided with the VIP security cover include new entrants to BJP-former cricketer Ashok Dinda, former TMC leaders and legislators Bansari Maity, Dipali Biswas, Baishali Dalmiya, Saikat Panja, Biswajit Kundu, Shilabhadra Dutta.

    BJP Lok Sabha MPs Kunar Hembram, Subhas Sarkar and Jagannath Sarkar and state committee member Krishnendu Mukherjee have also been provided with the central security cover.

    The Home Ministry decides the level of protection an individual needs based on inputs from intelligence agencies which include the IB and R&AW. 

    Meanwhile, protests were held on Monday outside the BJP’s office here and elsewhere across Bengal over the second list of poll candidates released by the party a day ago, laying bare the rift between old-timers and new entrants.

    Irate activists broke guard rails and demonstrated in front of the BJP’s Hastings office to stop party national vice president Mukul Roy and senior party leader Arjun Singh from entering its premises.

    A section of demonstrators even banged on the bonnet of Roy’s car and threatened to storm the office, as the police faced a difficult time controlling them.

    “We demand immediate withdrawal of TMC turncoat Mohitlal Ghati’s candidature in Panchla. We cannot accept him as a nominee,” one of the agitators said as she lay flat on the road outside the party office.

    In Hooghly district’s Singur assembly constituency, BJP activists locked up party functionaries in their office over the nomination of another TMC turncoat and sitting MLA Rabindranath Bhattacharya.

    The octogenarian leader switched camp after being denied a ticket by the ruling party.

    Around hundred BJP supporters in Raidighi assembly segment of South 24 Parganas held demonstrations all day in protest against the nomination of TMC defector Santanu Bapuli.

    “He was involved in attacks mounted on us, he had tried to crush the BJP,” a party supporter said.

    ALSO READ | ‘What about the agony of families of BJP workers killed in TMC rule’: Amit Shah to Mamata on her injury

    Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, party general secretary Arun Singh along with Union ministers from West Bengal, Babul Supriyo and Debasree Chaudhuri, released the names of 63 candidates for the third and fourth phase of polls, to be held on April 6 and 10.

    Massive protests erupted in various parts of the state following the announcement, with several leaders openly expressing dissatisfaction over the candidature of newcomers.

    In north Bengal, agitators took to the streets to oppose the nominations of former chief economic adviser to the government, Ashok Lahiri, from Alipurduar and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha turncoat Bishal Lama from Kalchini.

    “We don’t know who is this Ashok Lahiri and why was he nominated. Old-timers from Alipurduar are being ignored. Bishal Lama joined the party just two days ago and he was nominated. Local BJP workers will never accept this,” a saffron party leader, who did not wish to be named, said.

    Referring to the demonstrations, BJP spokesman Shamik Bhattacharya claimed “these are stray incidents.”

    “The BJP is growing in size, as more and more people join the party. The number of aspirants has also increased. There are bound to be some problems, but that will be addressed soon,” he added.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • ‘Trinamool bhagao, BJP lao, Bangla bachao’: Smriti Irani coins slogan for Bengal polls

    By ANI
    WEST MEDINIPUR: Taking a jibe at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Union Minister Smriti Irani on Sunday said that the people of the state wanted ‘TMC (Trinamool Congress) bhagao, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) lao, Bangla bachao’.

    Addressing a public rally at Salboni to support Medinipur BJP candidate Samit Das, Irani claimed that Mamata had taken undue credit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s welfare schemes for the poor in the state.

    “PM Modi sent Rs 4 lakh crore from Delhi for the poor people and the development of the state, but Didi, when you were supporting the previous Congress governments at the Centre, how much money did you spent?… Didi has supported those who have looted India’s treasury and have raised their voices against the nation,” she said.

    “The people of Bengal have decided that it is time for Didi’s game to be over. The people want ‘TMC bhagao, BJP lao, Bangla bachao’,” she quipped.

    Irani also said that since coming to power, the Mamata-led state government, for the first time, disallowed immersion of Maa Durga idol and Saraswati Puja celebrations in West Bengal.

    “She is saying ‘Khela hobe’ (Game on), but the people are saying ‘Khela shesh’ (Game over)… The way elections are taking place, the whole country has become aware that the people of Bengal have decided that TMC will be departing this time. ”Pishi’ (Aunt) and ‘Bhaipo’ (Nephew) are going, and the BJP government is coming to Bengal,” she further mentioned, while also accusing her and TMC of playing with the dignity and life of Bengal’s women and the poor.

    She also urged the people to press the lotus button on March 27 and give their blessings to Das.

    West Bengal is likely to witness a triangular contest this time with TMC, Congress-Left alliance and the BJP in the fray.

    Elections to 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.