News Analysis India

Tag: BJP

  • BJP lost moral ground to stand before people of Kargil: Omar Abdullah

    By PTI

    KARGIL: The BJP has lost its moral ground to stand before the people of Kargil post-bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah said on Saturday.

    Addressing a rally here and Drass ahead of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil election on October 4, he slammed the BJP for not giving representation to the Muslim community and making its MP Ramesh Bidhuri in charge of Tonk district in poll-bound Rajasthan instead of taking action against him for his “anti-Muslim speech” in Lok Sabha.

    Abdullah said that for the first time since Independence, there is not a single Muslim minister in the Central government even though the community constitutes 14 per cent of the country’s population.

    “They are showing their hatred towards Muslims openly. They need to answer questions before coming here asking for votes,” Abdullah said.

    “They have lost the moral ground to stand before the public. Women are not allowed to wear hijab at will and we all know that. I want to ask those who are contesting elections in the name of BJP in Kargil, do they also have the same thought?”  he posed.

    Expressing confidence about a landslide victory in the election, he said, Groundswell of support for the National Conference is making the ruling party nervous and jittery.

    The NC leader attacked the Ladakh administration, saying that “these people tried hard to stop” the party candidates from using the plough, its poll symbol, but in vain.

    “A vicious attempt was made to wipe off the National Conference from Ladakh and even claims were made by BJP MP (Jamyang Tsering Namgyal) that they have uprooted the party’s (NC’s) symbol (plough).”

    “It is not so easy and cannot be done in haste as the people of Kargil have centuries-old family and blood relations with the people in Kashmir,” he said.

    The NC and the Congress are fighting the election together.

    “We (the NC and the Congress) are fighting together to send a strong message to the people in the country that what happened on August 5, 2019, was undemocratic and based on injustice. With people’s support, we are going to win the polls and they (BJP) are panicking which is evident by the way they are using every means to keep our candidates away from the public. Even my security was taken away on reaching Zero point,” the NC vice president said.

    Referring to the court battle over the restoration of his party’s symbol in the Kargil polls, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said that with time, people may forget MPs but the NC symbol will remain because it is in the hearts of the people.

    “First, they faced defeat in the high court and again at the division bench of the High Court. But these people did not stop there, they reached the Supreme Court, but there also they faced the same music,” Abdullah said.

    On September 6, the Supreme Court set aside the August 5 notification of the election department of the Union Territory of Ladakh for the hill council polls and ordered the issuance of a fresh election schedule.

    It held that the National Conference is entitled to the ‘plough’ symbol and dismissed a plea by the Ladakh administration opposing the allotment of the symbol to the party and imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on it.

    The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court had earlier dismissed the Ladakh administration’s plea against a single bench order allowing NC candidates to contest the upcoming polls for LAHDC, Kargil, on the party symbol.

    Abdullah, who was accompanied by his two sons and other senior party colleagues, alleged that he had to leave his security at the Zero Point en route to Kargil on the directions of the authorities to address the public meeting.

    He said this was his third visit to Kargil after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories Ladakh and J-K.

    “This is the first time that I had to leave my security at Zero Point. I do not have any grudge as I know they (BJP) are panicking. I know the people are with us and we have full faith in the Almighty.

    ” The National Conference claimed that Abdullah’s security was stopped at Zero Point near Mini Marg — the entry point to Ladakh on the Srinagar-Leh Highway.

    “Ladakh UT administration’s cowardice was seen today when J-K NC Vice President Omar Abdullah’s convoy was stopped at Zero Point Mini Marg and his security was not allowed to proceed,” the party said in a statement.

    It also alleged that the party vice president was “forced” to move ahead without security for his two-day visit to Kargil.

    At the rallies, Abdullah said the people of Ladakh have lost much after getting the Union Territory status as they cannot have their own MLAs, MLCs, ministers and Rajya Sabha members while “people from outside” are ruling them.

    He said the National Conference pleaded before the Supreme Court against abrogation of Article 370 and “now we are waiting for its decision and praying daily that all which was taken away from us gets restored”.

    When asked by reporters about the INDIA alliance, Abdullah said, “Last time also we fought the polls together. Now, we are a part of the INDIA alliance and when the seat sharing will be talked about, we will surely discuss this with the Congress party.”

    To a question about the installation of smart metres in Jammu and Kashmir, he said the government was only trying new tactics to harass people.

    “I do not understand where from have the smart meters come. First, they talked about digital meters and said they were the best. They forced everyone to install them. When the people installed digital meters, then smart meters came and no one has yet understood how they work,” Abdullah added.

    KARGIL: The BJP has lost its moral ground to stand before the people of Kargil post-bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah said on Saturday.

    Addressing a rally here and Drass ahead of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil election on October 4, he slammed the BJP for not giving representation to the Muslim community and making its MP Ramesh Bidhuri in charge of Tonk district in poll-bound Rajasthan instead of taking action against him for his “anti-Muslim speech” in Lok Sabha.

    Abdullah said that for the first time since Independence, there is not a single Muslim minister in the Central government even though the community constitutes 14 per cent of the country’s population.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “They are showing their hatred towards Muslims openly. They need to answer questions before coming here asking for votes,” Abdullah said.

    “They have lost the moral ground to stand before the public. Women are not allowed to wear hijab at will and we all know that. I want to ask those who are contesting elections in the name of BJP in Kargil, do they also have the same thought?”  he posed.

    Expressing confidence about a landslide victory in the election, he said, Groundswell of support for the National Conference is making the ruling party nervous and jittery.

    The NC leader attacked the Ladakh administration, saying that “these people tried hard to stop” the party candidates from using the plough, its poll symbol, but in vain.

    “A vicious attempt was made to wipe off the National Conference from Ladakh and even claims were made by BJP MP (Jamyang Tsering Namgyal) that they have uprooted the party’s (NC’s) symbol (plough).”

    “It is not so easy and cannot be done in haste as the people of Kargil have centuries-old family and blood relations with the people in Kashmir,” he said.

    The NC and the Congress are fighting the election together.

    “We (the NC and the Congress) are fighting together to send a strong message to the people in the country that what happened on August 5, 2019, was undemocratic and based on injustice. With people’s support, we are going to win the polls and they (BJP) are panicking which is evident by the way they are using every means to keep our candidates away from the public. Even my security was taken away on reaching Zero point,” the NC vice president said.

    Referring to the court battle over the restoration of his party’s symbol in the Kargil polls, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said that with time, people may forget MPs but the NC symbol will remain because it is in the hearts of the people.

    “First, they faced defeat in the high court and again at the division bench of the High Court. But these people did not stop there, they reached the Supreme Court, but there also they faced the same music,” Abdullah said.

    On September 6, the Supreme Court set aside the August 5 notification of the election department of the Union Territory of Ladakh for the hill council polls and ordered the issuance of a fresh election schedule.

    It held that the National Conference is entitled to the ‘plough’ symbol and dismissed a plea by the Ladakh administration opposing the allotment of the symbol to the party and imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on it.

    The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court had earlier dismissed the Ladakh administration’s plea against a single bench order allowing NC candidates to contest the upcoming polls for LAHDC, Kargil, on the party symbol.

    Abdullah, who was accompanied by his two sons and other senior party colleagues, alleged that he had to leave his security at the Zero Point en route to Kargil on the directions of the authorities to address the public meeting.

    He said this was his third visit to Kargil after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories Ladakh and J-K.

    “This is the first time that I had to leave my security at Zero Point. I do not have any grudge as I know they (BJP) are panicking. I know the people are with us and we have full faith in the Almighty.

    ” The National Conference claimed that Abdullah’s security was stopped at Zero Point near Mini Marg — the entry point to Ladakh on the Srinagar-Leh Highway.

    “Ladakh UT administration’s cowardice was seen today when J-K NC Vice President Omar Abdullah’s convoy was stopped at Zero Point Mini Marg and his security was not allowed to proceed,” the party said in a statement.

    It also alleged that the party vice president was “forced” to move ahead without security for his two-day visit to Kargil.

    At the rallies, Abdullah said the people of Ladakh have lost much after getting the Union Territory status as they cannot have their own MLAs, MLCs, ministers and Rajya Sabha members while “people from outside” are ruling them.

    He said the National Conference pleaded before the Supreme Court against abrogation of Article 370 and “now we are waiting for its decision and praying daily that all which was taken away from us gets restored”.

    When asked by reporters about the INDIA alliance, Abdullah said, “Last time also we fought the polls together. Now, we are a part of the INDIA alliance and when the seat sharing will be talked about, we will surely discuss this with the Congress party.”

    To a question about the installation of smart metres in Jammu and Kashmir, he said the government was only trying new tactics to harass people.

    “I do not understand where from have the smart meters come. First, they talked about digital meters and said they were the best. They forced everyone to install them. When the people installed digital meters, then smart meters came and no one has yet understood how they work,” Abdullah added.

  • Bihar: CPI’s D Raja urges students to take up the cudgels against Modi government

    By PTI

    BEGUSARAI:  CPI national general secretary D Raja urged students to take up the cudgels against the BJP government at the Centre which, he alleged, was only interested in “serving the interests of big businesses”.

    Addressing the national conference of All India Students’ Federation (AISF), the CPI’s student wing here on Thursday, Raja also charged the BJP with furthering the RSS’ “fascist” ideology, which was “aimed at perpetuating caste hierarchy and patriarchy”.

    “(PM) Narendra Modi had come to power promising two crore jobs a year, way back in 2014. Where are the 18 crore jobs he should have created by now? And what happened to the black money, which he claimed was so huge that every citizen could get Rs 15 lakh in his or her account?” the CPI leader said.

    Raja alleged that Modi’s rule was “characterised by lies, in sharp contrast to the motto of ‘Satyamev Jayate’ (truth shall prevail)”, and termed as “sinister” the current regime’s moves like the ‘Vishwakarma’ scheme and the National Education Policy (NEP).

    “The Vishwakarma scheme aims at ensuring that children of barbers and carpenters are made to continue with their father’s occupation. This is the RSS thought that seeks to legitimise caste inequality and patriarchy,” he claimed.

    He also said the NEP, which he had opposed when it was introduced in Parliament, “aims at privatisation and commercialisation of education” and urged teachers to join hands with students in demanding a rollback.

    “Rollback of NEP can be brought about only by a rollback of this government,” asserted the CPI leader, who said all Left parties have joined hands and agreed to become a part of ‘INDIA’ coalition, which comprises many regional parties, besides the Congress.

    He alleged that the Modi government was “interested only in promoting the interests of big businesses, particularly friendly tycoons like Adani and Ambani”.

    Recalling with pride his own association with AISF, Raja said, “Students cannot help taking part in politics. This responsibility is on their shoulders by virtue of the Universal Adult Franchise guaranteed in the Constitution”.

    The CPI leader, who spoke for nearly half an hour, began by pointing out that it was the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh and asked the younger generation to draw inspiration from the revolutionary by visiting his memorial in Punjab.

    “His epitaph has only two words  ‘Inquilaab Zindabad’. He uttered these words while being hanged, without the customary black cloth wrapped around his face, as per his own last wish,” said Raja.

    He added that Bhagat Singh was impressed with the ideology of communism, and was said to have been reading a work by Lenin when British officials entered his prison cell to inform him that his execution was being preponed “since there were fears that the news of his death could lead to massive unrest”.

    BEGUSARAI:  CPI national general secretary D Raja urged students to take up the cudgels against the BJP government at the Centre which, he alleged, was only interested in “serving the interests of big businesses”.

    Addressing the national conference of All India Students’ Federation (AISF), the CPI’s student wing here on Thursday, Raja also charged the BJP with furthering the RSS’ “fascist” ideology, which was “aimed at perpetuating caste hierarchy and patriarchy”.

    “(PM) Narendra Modi had come to power promising two crore jobs a year, way back in 2014. Where are the 18 crore jobs he should have created by now? And what happened to the black money, which he claimed was so huge that every citizen could get Rs 15 lakh in his or her account?” the CPI leader said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Raja alleged that Modi’s rule was “characterised by lies, in sharp contrast to the motto of ‘Satyamev Jayate’ (truth shall prevail)”, and termed as “sinister” the current regime’s moves like the ‘Vishwakarma’ scheme and the National Education Policy (NEP).

    “The Vishwakarma scheme aims at ensuring that children of barbers and carpenters are made to continue with their father’s occupation. This is the RSS thought that seeks to legitimise caste inequality and patriarchy,” he claimed.

    He also said the NEP, which he had opposed when it was introduced in Parliament, “aims at privatisation and commercialisation of education” and urged teachers to join hands with students in demanding a rollback.

    “Rollback of NEP can be brought about only by a rollback of this government,” asserted the CPI leader, who said all Left parties have joined hands and agreed to become a part of ‘INDIA’ coalition, which comprises many regional parties, besides the Congress.

    He alleged that the Modi government was “interested only in promoting the interests of big businesses, particularly friendly tycoons like Adani and Ambani”.

    Recalling with pride his own association with AISF, Raja said, “Students cannot help taking part in politics. This responsibility is on their shoulders by virtue of the Universal Adult Franchise guaranteed in the Constitution”.

    The CPI leader, who spoke for nearly half an hour, began by pointing out that it was the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh and asked the younger generation to draw inspiration from the revolutionary by visiting his memorial in Punjab.

    “His epitaph has only two words  ‘Inquilaab Zindabad’. He uttered these words while being hanged, without the customary black cloth wrapped around his face, as per his own last wish,” said Raja.

    He added that Bhagat Singh was impressed with the ideology of communism, and was said to have been reading a work by Lenin when British officials entered his prison cell to inform him that his execution was being preponed “since there were fears that the news of his death could lead to massive unrest”.

  • BJP names 39 candidates in its second list for Madhya Pradesh, including 3 ministers and seven MPs

    By Express News Service

    BHOPAL: Springing a strategic surprise for the second time in 39 days, the ruling BJP came out with its 39-strong second list of candidates for the coming assembly polls. The candidates include seven sitting Lok Sabha MPs, including three union ministers and the party’s national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya.

    With this, the ruling party has so far named 78 candidates against the total 230 seats in the state ruled by it for 19 years. Earlier on August 17, the BJP had named 39 candidates in its first list for the state, where polls are likely in November. The list was released just a few hours after PM Narendra Modi left Bhopal after addressing the BJP’s Karyakarta Mahakumbh.

    Political watchers in the state feel that by fielding seven Lok Sabha members and Vijayvargiya (four of them have been MLAs in the past), the party may be trying to open up the race for CM post among various probable candidates on the poll battleground. Importantly, the party hasn’t till now named its longest serving CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, or any other leader as its CM face in MP and is contesting the polls with PM Modi’s face in the center.  

    The ruling party also seems to be eyeing to strike a balance between its various senior regional leaders on the election battlefield, to gain maximum out of their experience and influence in specific regions and castes.

    The three union ministers include Kshatriya caste leader and union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar (fielded from Dimani in Morena district, part of his Lok Sabha constituency), Prahlad Patel (fielded from his ex-minister and sitting MLA brother Jalam Singh Patel’s Narsinghpur seat) and Faggan Singh Kulaste (who will fight from his old Vidhan Sabha seat Niwas in Mandla). Patel’s sitting MLA brother Jalam Singh Patel, reportedly doesn’t want to contest the polls, just a few months after his son Monu Patel’s death.

    Four other MPs, including Ganesh Singh (fourth-time MP from Satna), will be contesting from the Satna assembly seat, four-times Jabalpur MP and ex-state party chief Rakesh Singh will be contesting from Jabalpur-West seat of his LS constituency, while second-time Brahmin woman MP Riti Pathak will be in the fray from Sidhi seat.

    BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, the six-time former MLA from different seats of the native Indore district and an ex-MP minister has been fielded from Indore-1 seat (currently with Congress’s Sanjay Shukla). He makes his return to contesting Vidhan Sabha polls, ten years after he last won from Mhow-seat of Indore district. The party has not only named him a candidate for Indore-1 seat to wrest the urban seat of Indore, but also to use his poll management experience and political influence on other seats of Indore district as well as the entire Malwa-Nimar region that houses a maximum of 66 seats. Vijayvargiya has been lying in the cold, despite being national general secretary, particularly in the wake of the 2021 Bengal assembly election debacle.

    On the other hand, multiple times Lok Sabha member and union minister Narendra Singh Tomar (last contested and won Vidhan Sabha polls 20 years back from home district Gwalior) has been fielded from Dimani seat of Morena district, to not only influence seats of his Morena parliamentary constituency but also to send a positive message to upper caste Thakurs and Brahmins in the 34-seats strong Gwalior-Chambal region.

    By fielding powerful Lodhi OBC caste leader and union minister Prahlad Patel from the native Narsinghpur seat, the party is eyeing the OBC Lodhi vote which is significant on 40-50 seats.

    Not only has the party fielded MPs, including union ministers to strengthen the party in the battlefield of different regions, but has also given them the additional challenge of proving their mettle back in the assembly poll battleground.

    Another sitting MP who has been given an assembly poll ticket is  Jat community leader and third-time MP from Hoshangabad constituency Uday Pratap Singh, who will contest from Gadarwara seat of his parliamentary constituency. He last won the assembly polls in 2008 as a Congress candidate from Tendukheda seat.

    By fielding Satna MP Ganesh Singh from Satna assembly seat of his LS seat Satna and the second time MP (from Sidhi constituency) in Sidhi assembly seat, the party is eyeing to consolidate its base among the OBC Kurmi and Brahmin upper caste voters – the two powerful blocks of population in the Vindhya region, which was swept by the BJP in 2018.    

    Also, the party is trying to eye the crucial tribal votes in tribes dominated Mahakoshal region by fielding union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste. The party had fared badly in 2018 in this region, which also houses state Congress chief Kamal Nath’s pocket borough Chhindwara’s assembly segments.    

    The party has denied a ticket to third-time MLA from Sidhi seat Kedarnath Shukla, seemingly due to the controversy generated by his alleged supporter Pravesh Shukla’s 2019 video clip of urinating on a tribal man. Shukla’s close relatives say that being denied a BJP ticket, he might contest polls from Sidhi only, either as an independent or on any other party’s ticket.  

    Two other sitting MLAs not considered for tickets, include sitting MLA and Prahlad Patel’s brother Jalam Singh Patel, who lost his son just a few months back, and the Maihar MLA Narayan Tripathi, who has now formed his own party for the cause of a separate Vindhya state.

    The list includes names of just three Jyotiraditya Scindia loyalist MLAs, including former MLAs Raghuraj Singh Kansana (Morena) and Imarti Devi (Dabra-SC) and Hirendra Singh ‘Bunty Bana’ from ex-CM Digvijaya Singh’s pocket-borough Raghogarh, which since two-times is being represented by Singh’s ex-minister son Jaivardhan Singh.

    Out of the 39 candidates named in the list, six, including two-times MP Riti Pathak, former minister and ex-MLA Imarti Devi, Jyoti Dehria (Parasia-SC), Ganga Bai Uike (Ghodadongri-ST), Nanda Brahmane (Bhikangaon-ST) and ex-MLA Sangeeta Charel (Sailana-ST) are women candidates.

    BHOPAL: Springing a strategic surprise for the second time in 39 days, the ruling BJP came out with its 39-strong second list of candidates for the coming assembly polls. The candidates include seven sitting Lok Sabha MPs, including three union ministers and the party’s national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya.

    With this, the ruling party has so far named 78 candidates against the total 230 seats in the state ruled by it for 19 years. Earlier on August 17, the BJP had named 39 candidates in its first list for the state, where polls are likely in November. The list was released just a few hours after PM Narendra Modi left Bhopal after addressing the BJP’s Karyakarta Mahakumbh.

    Political watchers in the state feel that by fielding seven Lok Sabha members and Vijayvargiya (four of them have been MLAs in the past), the party may be trying to open up the race for CM post among various probable candidates on the poll battleground. Importantly, the party hasn’t till now named its longest serving CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, or any other leader as its CM face in MP and is contesting the polls with PM Modi’s face in the center.  googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The ruling party also seems to be eyeing to strike a balance between its various senior regional leaders on the election battlefield, to gain maximum out of their experience and influence in specific regions and castes.

    The three union ministers include Kshatriya caste leader and union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar (fielded from Dimani in Morena district, part of his Lok Sabha constituency), Prahlad Patel (fielded from his ex-minister and sitting MLA brother Jalam Singh Patel’s Narsinghpur seat) and Faggan Singh Kulaste (who will fight from his old Vidhan Sabha seat Niwas in Mandla). Patel’s sitting MLA brother Jalam Singh Patel, reportedly doesn’t want to contest the polls, just a few months after his son Monu Patel’s death.

    Four other MPs, including Ganesh Singh (fourth-time MP from Satna), will be contesting from the Satna assembly seat, four-times Jabalpur MP and ex-state party chief Rakesh Singh will be contesting from Jabalpur-West seat of his LS constituency, while second-time Brahmin woman MP Riti Pathak will be in the fray from Sidhi seat.

    BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, the six-time former MLA from different seats of the native Indore district and an ex-MP minister has been fielded from Indore-1 seat (currently with Congress’s Sanjay Shukla). He makes his return to contesting Vidhan Sabha polls, ten years after he last won from Mhow-seat of Indore district. The party has not only named him a candidate for Indore-1 seat to wrest the urban seat of Indore, but also to use his poll management experience and political influence on other seats of Indore district as well as the entire Malwa-Nimar region that houses a maximum of 66 seats. Vijayvargiya has been lying in the cold, despite being national general secretary, particularly in the wake of the 2021 Bengal assembly election debacle.

    On the other hand, multiple times Lok Sabha member and union minister Narendra Singh Tomar (last contested and won Vidhan Sabha polls 20 years back from home district Gwalior) has been fielded from Dimani seat of Morena district, to not only influence seats of his Morena parliamentary constituency but also to send a positive message to upper caste Thakurs and Brahmins in the 34-seats strong Gwalior-Chambal region.

    By fielding powerful Lodhi OBC caste leader and union minister Prahlad Patel from the native Narsinghpur seat, the party is eyeing the OBC Lodhi vote which is significant on 40-50 seats.

    Not only has the party fielded MPs, including union ministers to strengthen the party in the battlefield of different regions, but has also given them the additional challenge of proving their mettle back in the assembly poll battleground.

    Another sitting MP who has been given an assembly poll ticket is  Jat community leader and third-time MP from Hoshangabad constituency Uday Pratap Singh, who will contest from Gadarwara seat of his parliamentary constituency. He last won the assembly polls in 2008 as a Congress candidate from Tendukheda seat.

    By fielding Satna MP Ganesh Singh from Satna assembly seat of his LS seat Satna and the second time MP (from Sidhi constituency) in Sidhi assembly seat, the party is eyeing to consolidate its base among the OBC Kurmi and Brahmin upper caste voters – the two powerful blocks of population in the Vindhya region, which was swept by the BJP in 2018.    

    Also, the party is trying to eye the crucial tribal votes in tribes dominated Mahakoshal region by fielding union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste. The party had fared badly in 2018 in this region, which also houses state Congress chief Kamal Nath’s pocket borough Chhindwara’s assembly segments.    

    The party has denied a ticket to third-time MLA from Sidhi seat Kedarnath Shukla, seemingly due to the controversy generated by his alleged supporter Pravesh Shukla’s 2019 video clip of urinating on a tribal man. Shukla’s close relatives say that being denied a BJP ticket, he might contest polls from Sidhi only, either as an independent or on any other party’s ticket.  

    Two other sitting MLAs not considered for tickets, include sitting MLA and Prahlad Patel’s brother Jalam Singh Patel, who lost his son just a few months back, and the Maihar MLA Narayan Tripathi, who has now formed his own party for the cause of a separate Vindhya state.

    The list includes names of just three Jyotiraditya Scindia loyalist MLAs, including former MLAs Raghuraj Singh Kansana (Morena) and Imarti Devi (Dabra-SC) and Hirendra Singh ‘Bunty Bana’ from ex-CM Digvijaya Singh’s pocket-borough Raghogarh, which since two-times is being represented by Singh’s ex-minister son Jaivardhan Singh.

    Out of the 39 candidates named in the list, six, including two-times MP Riti Pathak, former minister and ex-MLA Imarti Devi, Jyoti Dehria (Parasia-SC), Ganga Bai Uike (Ghodadongri-ST), Nanda Brahmane (Bhikangaon-ST) and ex-MLA Sangeeta Charel (Sailana-ST) are women candidates.

  • BJP announces two Rajasthan poll panels, Vasundhara Raje missing from both

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: In a surprising move, the BJP high command has dealt a significant blow to former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia. She has been kept out of two crucial committees for the Rajasthan elections. On Thursday, Rajasthan BJP State President CP Joshi announced the manifesto committee and the election management committee for the upcoming Rajasthan assembly polls but conspicuously absent from the list were the names of former CM Vasundhara Raje and any of her prominent supporters. This omission has ignited renewed speculations that the BJP high command has firmly decided to enter the upcoming assembly elections without Raje’s involvement.

    For Vasundhara Raje and her loyalists who had held several shows of strength for the last two years and have been demanding that Raje be declared as CM face for the upcoming elections, this is a major setback. While union minister Arjun Meghwal. has been appointed as the Chairman of the Manifesto Committee, Narayan Pancharia will head the Election Management Committee. Elections in Rajasthan are now four months away and all eyes are now focused on whether BJP will rehabilitate Raje in some other position but for the moment it’s a big jolt for Raje and her loyalists.

    In the manifesto committee, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal has been appointed as the Convenor of the Sankalp Patra Committee. Joining him are MPs Ghanshyam Tiwari, Kirorilal Meena, National Ministers Alka Gurjar, Prabhulal Saini, and Rakhi Rathod, who have been designated as co-convenors. Meanwhile, Narayan Panchariya has been assigned the role of chairman of the Election Management Committee. Co-convenors for this committee include Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, CM Meena, Kanhaiyalal Bairwa, Rajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Anand Sharma.

    In response to inquiries about Vasundhara Raje’s role in the election, the state president affirmed that there are numerous senior leaders within the party who will actively campaign.

    State party in-charge Arun Singh avoided the question asked about Raje’s role, saying that ‘ she is a senior party leader and all senior leaders will campaign for the party’. Party’s state president CP Joshi and state in-charge Arun Singh announced that these committees have been announced as per the instructions of national president J P Nadda and hoped that the state will get the benefit of the experience of both the committees in the upcoming elections.

    It’s noteworthy that the BJP high command recently entrusted Vasundhara Raje with the responsibility of National Vice President. Coming in an election year, it was seen as a signal that the high command intended to keep Raje away from Rajasthan. In a subsequent development, Raje undertook a two-day visit to Delhi, where she engaged in discussions with several key leaders.

    The strained relationship between Raje and the party’s high command dates back to 2014. During the tenure of Home Minister Amit Shah as the national president of the BJP and Raje as the chief minister, the two leaders often found themselves at odds. Following the BJP’s defeat in Rajasthan in 2018, Raje has been noticeably absent from crucial party events. The high command’s intentions became clear when Rajendra Rathore was appointed the Leader of the Opposition when Gulab Chand Kataria assumed the governorship of Assam, despite Raje.

    Remarkably, this marks the first time in decades that the BJP has refrained from announcing its chief ministerial candidate in Rajasthan. Vasundhara Raje has long been synonymous with the BJP in the state, and more than half of the MLAs and MPs are believed to be in her direct support. Many have publicly expressed their allegiance to Raje. This situation has raised concerns that should the party’s high command proceed with the election without Raje, it might face backlash from both Raje and her supporters. This leads to a significant question: Can Prime Minister Modi alone elevate the BJP’s power in Rajasthan, especially in the face of Chief Minister Gehlot’s efforts to solidify his position through populist initiatives aimed at altering the historical patterns of power transition?

    Meanwhile, some Raje loyalists also point out that while it is surprising that she is being dropped from both these committees but other senior leaders like Gajendra Singh Shekhawat,  leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore, both the former BJP chief and the current party President C P Joshi have all been kept out of these committees. On the condition of anonymity, one of Raje’s supporters said, “Nobody can ignore Vasundhara Raje she is after all the most popular mass leader of the BJP in Rajasthan so wait and watch.”

    Nonetheless, the campaign committee announcement is still pending, marking the third major committee after the resolution declaration and the election management committee. Notably, before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi served as the coordinator of the campaign committee. Traditionally, the coordinator or chairman of the campaign committee becomes the official face of the party for the election. Experts caution that any conjecture is premature without the announcement of this committee.  

    JAIPUR: In a surprising move, the BJP high command has dealt a significant blow to former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia. She has been kept out of two crucial committees for the Rajasthan elections. On Thursday, Rajasthan BJP State President CP Joshi announced the manifesto committee and the election management committee for the upcoming Rajasthan assembly polls but conspicuously absent from the list were the names of former CM Vasundhara Raje and any of her prominent supporters. This omission has ignited renewed speculations that the BJP high command has firmly decided to enter the upcoming assembly elections without Raje’s involvement.

    For Vasundhara Raje and her loyalists who had held several shows of strength for the last two years and have been demanding that Raje be declared as CM face for the upcoming elections, this is a major setback. While union minister Arjun Meghwal. has been appointed as the Chairman of the Manifesto Committee, Narayan Pancharia will head the Election Management Committee. Elections in Rajasthan are now four months away and all eyes are now focused on whether BJP will rehabilitate Raje in some other position but for the moment it’s a big jolt for Raje and her loyalists.

    In the manifesto committee, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal has been appointed as the Convenor of the Sankalp Patra Committee. Joining him are MPs Ghanshyam Tiwari, Kirorilal Meena, National Ministers Alka Gurjar, Prabhulal Saini, and Rakhi Rathod, who have been designated as co-convenors. Meanwhile, Narayan Panchariya has been assigned the role of chairman of the Election Management Committee. Co-convenors for this committee include Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, CM Meena, Kanhaiyalal Bairwa, Rajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Anand Sharma.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    In response to inquiries about Vasundhara Raje’s role in the election, the state president affirmed that there are numerous senior leaders within the party who will actively campaign.

    State party in-charge Arun Singh avoided the question asked about Raje’s role, saying that ‘ she is a senior party leader and all senior leaders will campaign for the party’. Party’s state president CP Joshi and state in-charge Arun Singh announced that these committees have been announced as per the instructions of national president J P Nadda and hoped that the state will get the benefit of the experience of both the committees in the upcoming elections.

    It’s noteworthy that the BJP high command recently entrusted Vasundhara Raje with the responsibility of National Vice President. Coming in an election year, it was seen as a signal that the high command intended to keep Raje away from Rajasthan. In a subsequent development, Raje undertook a two-day visit to Delhi, where she engaged in discussions with several key leaders.

    The strained relationship between Raje and the party’s high command dates back to 2014. During the tenure of Home Minister Amit Shah as the national president of the BJP and Raje as the chief minister, the two leaders often found themselves at odds. Following the BJP’s defeat in Rajasthan in 2018, Raje has been noticeably absent from crucial party events. The high command’s intentions became clear when Rajendra Rathore was appointed the Leader of the Opposition when Gulab Chand Kataria assumed the governorship of Assam, despite Raje.

    Remarkably, this marks the first time in decades that the BJP has refrained from announcing its chief ministerial candidate in Rajasthan. Vasundhara Raje has long been synonymous with the BJP in the state, and more than half of the MLAs and MPs are believed to be in her direct support. Many have publicly expressed their allegiance to Raje. This situation has raised concerns that should the party’s high command proceed with the election without Raje, it might face backlash from both Raje and her supporters. This leads to a significant question: Can Prime Minister Modi alone elevate the BJP’s power in Rajasthan, especially in the face of Chief Minister Gehlot’s efforts to solidify his position through populist initiatives aimed at altering the historical patterns of power transition?

    Meanwhile, some Raje loyalists also point out that while it is surprising that she is being dropped from both these committees but other senior leaders like Gajendra Singh Shekhawat,  leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore, both the former BJP chief and the current party President C P Joshi have all been kept out of these committees. On the condition of anonymity, one of Raje’s supporters said, “Nobody can ignore Vasundhara Raje she is after all the most popular mass leader of the BJP in Rajasthan so wait and watch.”

    Nonetheless, the campaign committee announcement is still pending, marking the third major committee after the resolution declaration and the election management committee. Notably, before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi served as the coordinator of the campaign committee. Traditionally, the coordinator or chairman of the campaign committee becomes the official face of the party for the election. Experts caution that any conjecture is premature without the announcement of this committee. 
     

  • Pawar ‘balm’ for opposition: NCP leader asserts he won’t quit Maha Vikas Aghadi, slams BJP

    By IANS

    MUMBAI: Under a cloud for the past few days, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar on Wednesday reiterated his loyalty to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), and also launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    “There’s no question of joining the BJP… I am very much with the MVA and we are preparing for the upcoming national opposition alliance meeting in Mumbai,” Pawar told media persons in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, scotching all political speculation.

    He also rubbished reports that the MVA allies Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT) have allegedly kept ‘Plan B’ or ‘Plan C’ ready to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha, Assembly, or civic elections minus the NCP (SP).

    Congress’ Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar and ex-Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan have contended that the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid a precondition for Ajit Pawar that he could be the CM only if he succeeds in bringing along his uncle to the saffron fold, and he would be rewarded with a Central Cabinet berth or the chairmanship of NITI Aayog.

    “There is no such thing… This rumour is only in the media, the reality is different. When I met Ajit Pawar last week, he did not bring up any such proposal for me,” said Pawar, referring to Wadettiwar and Pawar’s charges on Pawar uncle-nephew’s ‘secret’ meeting recently.

    Training guns on the BJP and Modi, Sharad Pawar said that the saffron party is indulging in spreading hatred among the people and its decisions result in dispute or bitterness among various castes/religions in the society.

    “On the day of the no-confidence motion, the PM spoke on Manipur for 2 minutes and on other issues for 2 hours… He did not think it was important or that he should go to Manipur and boost the peoples’ confidence there,” Pawar said.

    A former Union Defence Minister, Pawar cautioned that Manipur is near the China border and hence more attention is required, but everything happening there for the past over three months is dangerous for the country.

    Taking a dig, Pawar referred also to Modi’s I-Day speech where he declared that he would return to power in 2024.

    “The current mood in the country is not conducive for the BJP’s return… No matter how much he claims to ‘come back’, he will end up like Devendra Fadnavis,” said Pawar, in a swipe at Fadnavis’ often-repeated slogan of ‘Mee Punha Yaeen’ (I will return) during the 2019 election campaign.

    The NCP supremo also said that efforts are underway to undermine elected Opposition parties’ state governments as was seen in Goa, Madhya Pradesh or Maharashtra and elsewhere.

    He said the people will not tolerate all this anymore and they will teach the BJP a lesson.

    MUMBAI: Under a cloud for the past few days, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar on Wednesday reiterated his loyalty to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), and also launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    “There’s no question of joining the BJP… I am very much with the MVA and we are preparing for the upcoming national opposition alliance meeting in Mumbai,” Pawar told media persons in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, scotching all political speculation.

    He also rubbished reports that the MVA allies Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT) have allegedly kept ‘Plan B’ or ‘Plan C’ ready to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha, Assembly, or civic elections minus the NCP (SP).googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Congress’ Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar and ex-Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan have contended that the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid a precondition for Ajit Pawar that he could be the CM only if he succeeds in bringing along his uncle to the saffron fold, and he would be rewarded with a Central Cabinet berth or the chairmanship of NITI Aayog.

    “There is no such thing… This rumour is only in the media, the reality is different. When I met Ajit Pawar last week, he did not bring up any such proposal for me,” said Pawar, referring to Wadettiwar and Pawar’s charges on Pawar uncle-nephew’s ‘secret’ meeting recently.

    Training guns on the BJP and Modi, Sharad Pawar said that the saffron party is indulging in spreading hatred among the people and its decisions result in dispute or bitterness among various castes/religions in the society.

    “On the day of the no-confidence motion, the PM spoke on Manipur for 2 minutes and on other issues for 2 hours… He did not think it was important or that he should go to Manipur and boost the peoples’ confidence there,” Pawar said.

    A former Union Defence Minister, Pawar cautioned that Manipur is near the China border and hence more attention is required, but everything happening there for the past over three months is dangerous for the country.

    Taking a dig, Pawar referred also to Modi’s I-Day speech where he declared that he would return to power in 2024.

    “The current mood in the country is not conducive for the BJP’s return… No matter how much he claims to ‘come back’, he will end up like Devendra Fadnavis,” said Pawar, in a swipe at Fadnavis’ often-repeated slogan of ‘Mee Punha Yaeen’ (I will return) during the 2019 election campaign.

    The NCP supremo also said that efforts are underway to undermine elected Opposition parties’ state governments as was seen in Goa, Madhya Pradesh or Maharashtra and elsewhere.

    He said the people will not tolerate all this anymore and they will teach the BJP a lesson.

  • Will address nation from Red Fort next year to list progress on promises made, claims PM Modi

    By Agencies

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday exuded confidence that he will address the nation from the Red Fort next year to list out the progress on the promises he had made to the people.

    “The promise for change brought me here, my performance brought me here once again. The coming five years are of unprecedented development and a golden moment to realise the dream of India as a developed nation by 2047,” the Prime Minister said in his speech from the ramparts of Red Fort.

    “Next year, on August 15 from this same Red Fort I will list out the progress achieved by the nation and sing paeans to your strength, your resolve and your success with greater confidence,” Modi said in his last Independence Day address before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

    The general elections are scheduled for April-May next year.

    Modi said he had made a promise to the nation to usher in change in 2014.

    “You reposed your trust in me. I tried to fulfil the trust you reposed in me. The promises I made earned me confidence over the past five years. I had promised you to change through reform, perform and transform. I have worked hard for the nation and I have worked with pride,” the Prime Minister said.

    ALSO READ | I-DAY address: PM claims situation in Manipur improving

    The prime minister called on the people to get rid of corruption, nepotism and appeasement. He said that corruption and appeasement politics have damaged the country and noted that political parties who believe in dynastic politics have one mantra – “party of the family, by the family and for the family.”

    “‘Parivarvaad’ and appeasement have caused immense damage to the country. How can a political party have only one family in charge? For them, their life mantra is ‘Party of the family, by the family and for the family,’” PM Modi said in a veiled dig at some opponents of the BJP.

    “I firmly believe that when the country will celebrate 100 years of freedom in 2047, the country would be a developed India. I say this on the basis of the capability of my country and available resources. But the need of the hour is to fight three evils – corruption, dynasty and appeasement,” he added.

    Balloons in the colours of the Tiranga were released at the Red Fort in the national capital after the conclusion of the PM’s speech. After his address, PM Modi interacted with cadets of the NCC.

    This year’s Independence Day will culminate the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations, which were launched by the Prime Minister from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on March 12, 2021, and will usher the country into the ‘Amrit Kaal.’

    PM Modi had previously outlined the Centre’s commitment to make India a developed country by 2047, which will be the centenary year of the country’s independence.

    (With inputs from PTI and ANI)

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday exuded confidence that he will address the nation from the Red Fort next year to list out the progress on the promises he had made to the people.

    “The promise for change brought me here, my performance brought me here once again. The coming five years are of unprecedented development and a golden moment to realise the dream of India as a developed nation by 2047,” the Prime Minister said in his speech from the ramparts of Red Fort.

    “Next year, on August 15 from this same Red Fort I will list out the progress achieved by the nation and sing paeans to your strength, your resolve and your success with greater confidence,” Modi said in his last Independence Day address before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The general elections are scheduled for April-May next year.

    Modi said he had made a promise to the nation to usher in change in 2014.

    “You reposed your trust in me. I tried to fulfil the trust you reposed in me. The promises I made earned me confidence over the past five years. I had promised you to change through reform, perform and transform. I have worked hard for the nation and I have worked with pride,” the Prime Minister said.

    ALSO READ | I-DAY address: PM claims situation in Manipur improving

    The prime minister called on the people to get rid of corruption, nepotism and appeasement. He said that corruption and appeasement politics have damaged the country and noted that political parties who believe in dynastic politics have one mantra – “party of the family, by the family and for the family.”

    “‘Parivarvaad’ and appeasement have caused immense damage to the country. How can a political party have only one family in charge? For them, their life mantra is ‘Party of the family, by the family and for the family,’” PM Modi said in a veiled dig at some opponents of the BJP.

    “I firmly believe that when the country will celebrate 100 years of freedom in 2047, the country would be a developed India. I say this on the basis of the capability of my country and available resources. But the need of the hour is to fight three evils – corruption, dynasty and appeasement,” he added.

    Balloons in the colours of the Tiranga were released at the Red Fort in the national capital after the conclusion of the PM’s speech. After his address, PM Modi interacted with cadets of the NCC.

    This year’s Independence Day will culminate the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations, which were launched by the Prime Minister from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on March 12, 2021, and will usher the country into the ‘Amrit Kaal.’

    PM Modi had previously outlined the Centre’s commitment to make India a developed country by 2047, which will be the centenary year of the country’s independence.

    (With inputs from PTI and ANI)

  • Does Rahul Gandhi expect armed forces to fire on Indians in Manipur: BJP 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The BJP on Saturday asked Rahul Gandhi if he expected the armed forces to resort to shooting at Indians in violence-hit Manipur and claimed the Congress leader does not have any trace of democratic thought in his mind.

    Noting that Gandhi had claimed that armed forces can restore peace in the state within two days if allowed, BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad wondered if he wanted what his grandmother and then prime minister Indira Gandhi had done by ordering the Air Force to drop bombs in Aizawl in 1966.

    The Congress has said the Air Force was then used to target armed militant groups.

    Prasad asked, “Does Rahul Gandhi expect armed forces to fire upon Indians in Manipur where there is tension? Or should harmony be spread there and efforts be made to bring people together?”

    He noted that there is a lot of tension in the state between two groups (Meitis and Kukis) and accused Gandhi of delivering an inciting speech in Parliament.

    Though some of his controversial references were expunged in Lok Sabha, Gandhi reiterated his allegation at a press conference against the government that its politics had led to the ‘murder’of ‘Bharat Mata’ in Manipur.

    He neither understands the country nor its politics, Prasad said, asking Rahul Gandhi not to use such shameful and irresponsible language.

    The BJP leader referred to the killings of Sikhs in the 1984 communal violence and the Nellie massacre in 1983 to ask how Gandhi will describe them. It is the Congress which divided the country, he alleged.

    Taking a swipe at Gandhi, Prasad said the former Congress chief owes his position to his family name and not to his abilities. He should not exhibit his incapabilities to the country every day, the BJP leader said.

    He also accused the opposition of behaving in an ‘utterly irresponsible’ manner during the Monsoon session of Parliament by disrupting it frequently.

    The BJP leader back at the Congress and its Leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for their criticism of his suspension from the House.

    Chowdhury constantly disrupted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reply during the debate on the no-confidence motion, Prasad said and noted his reference to a fugitive to target the prime minister.

    Modi spoke on Manipur and the northeast region for nearly 30 minutes, he said, rejecting the criticism that the prime minister did not speak much on the matter.

    Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke for over an hour on the Manipur issue, he added.

    The Opposition first demanded that Modi should speak, when he spoke they disrupted him and then walked out.

    They are now alleging that they are not allowed to speak, Prasad said, accusing them of hypocrisy.

    If the Opposition conducts itself in such a manner, the government will surely press ahead with the passage of bills and will not stop work because of its disruptions, he said.

    To a question about Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin’s accusation of Hindi imposition by the Centre after Shah introduced three bills to replace the IPC, CrPC and the Indian Evidence Act, Prasad mentioned Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum and Bharatiya Rail to say that many such Indian entities are functioning in the southern state.

    Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday introduced the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, 2023; Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, 2023; and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023, that will replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Criminal Procedure Act, 1898, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 respectively.

    NEW DELHI: The BJP on Saturday asked Rahul Gandhi if he expected the armed forces to resort to shooting at Indians in violence-hit Manipur and claimed the Congress leader does not have any trace of democratic thought in his mind.

    Noting that Gandhi had claimed that armed forces can restore peace in the state within two days if allowed, BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad wondered if he wanted what his grandmother and then prime minister Indira Gandhi had done by ordering the Air Force to drop bombs in Aizawl in 1966.

    The Congress has said the Air Force was then used to target armed militant groups.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Prasad asked, “Does Rahul Gandhi expect armed forces to fire upon Indians in Manipur where there is tension? Or should harmony be spread there and efforts be made to bring people together?”

    He noted that there is a lot of tension in the state between two groups (Meitis and Kukis) and accused Gandhi of delivering an inciting speech in Parliament.

    Though some of his controversial references were expunged in Lok Sabha, Gandhi reiterated his allegation at a press conference against the government that its politics had led to the ‘murder’of ‘Bharat Mata’ in Manipur.

    He neither understands the country nor its politics, Prasad said, asking Rahul Gandhi not to use such shameful and irresponsible language.

    The BJP leader referred to the killings of Sikhs in the 1984 communal violence and the Nellie massacre in 1983 to ask how Gandhi will describe them. It is the Congress which divided the country, he alleged.

    Taking a swipe at Gandhi, Prasad said the former Congress chief owes his position to his family name and not to his abilities. He should not exhibit his incapabilities to the country every day, the BJP leader said.

    He also accused the opposition of behaving in an ‘utterly irresponsible’ manner during the Monsoon session of Parliament by disrupting it frequently.

    The BJP leader back at the Congress and its Leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for their criticism of his suspension from the House.

    Chowdhury constantly disrupted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reply during the debate on the no-confidence motion, Prasad said and noted his reference to a fugitive to target the prime minister.

    Modi spoke on Manipur and the northeast region for nearly 30 minutes, he said, rejecting the criticism that the prime minister did not speak much on the matter.

    Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke for over an hour on the Manipur issue, he added.

    The Opposition first demanded that Modi should speak, when he spoke they disrupted him and then walked out.

    They are now alleging that they are not allowed to speak, Prasad said, accusing them of hypocrisy.

    If the Opposition conducts itself in such a manner, the government will surely press ahead with the passage of bills and will not stop work because of its disruptions, he said.

    To a question about Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin’s accusation of Hindi imposition by the Centre after Shah introduced three bills to replace the IPC, CrPC and the Indian Evidence Act, Prasad mentioned Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum and Bharatiya Rail to say that many such Indian entities are functioning in the southern state.

    Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday introduced the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, 2023; Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, 2023; and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023, that will replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Criminal Procedure Act, 1898, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 respectively.

  • On Quit India day, we pledge to make BJP quit Delhi: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

    By PTI

    JHARGRAM: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said tribals in ethnic strife-hit Manipur are facing a crisis and there is none to listen to their plight.

    Paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on the anniversary of the Quit India movement, the chief minister said, “We pledge to make BJP quit Delhi.”

    Banerjee, who is on a three-day administrative tour of Jhargram, blamed the BJP-led central government for failing to address the situation in the northeastern state and urged people across the globe to pray for them.

    “The tribals in Manipur are facing a crisis. There is none to listen to their plight. Dalits are tortured in India and the Centre is unmoved, unfazed. They have no right to be in power as they have tortured Dalits. People are being killed in encounters. They are planning to break the country into pieces through planned communal riots,” Banerjee said.

    She was speaking at an administrative programme in Jhargram, mostly inhabited by tribals, to celebrate the ‘International Day of World’s Indigenous Peoples’.

    “We had told the British to quit India. Today, we want the BJP-led government at the Centre to quit Delhi. On Quit India Day, let us pledge today to teach BJP a lesson after their betrayal as the Central government. Removing the BJP from the Centre is my only goal for the welfare of the people,” she said.

    In an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s using Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘Quit India’ slogan and attacking the opposition bloc INDIA, Banerjee said, “We don’t need to quit.We belong to this country.”

    The Trinamool Congress supremo criticised the PM, claiming he failed to fulfil the promises he had made to the people of the country before the elections.

    Denouncing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Banerjee said, “There are various castes and practices among different communities and religions. Suddenly, they (the BJP) have started talking about the need to introduce UCC. Why should someone follow their set of rules while getting married? We won’t accept the UCC,” she said.

    People should have the freedom to observe their customs and religious practices according to their wishes, Banerjee stressed.

    The TMC chief accused the CPI(M), Congress and the BJP of having an ‘understanding’ in West Bengal.

    “It is extremely unfortunate that on the national front, CPI(M)-Congress are with INDIA but it seems they are with the BJP here. If they continue this, our fight in Bengal will be against CPI(M) and Congress, along with our fight against BJP,” she said.

    JHARGRAM: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said tribals in ethnic strife-hit Manipur are facing a crisis and there is none to listen to their plight.

    Paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on the anniversary of the Quit India movement, the chief minister said, “We pledge to make BJP quit Delhi.”

    Banerjee, who is on a three-day administrative tour of Jhargram, blamed the BJP-led central government for failing to address the situation in the northeastern state and urged people across the globe to pray for them.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “The tribals in Manipur are facing a crisis. There is none to listen to their plight. Dalits are tortured in India and the Centre is unmoved, unfazed. They have no right to be in power as they have tortured Dalits. People are being killed in encounters. They are planning to break the country into pieces through planned communal riots,” Banerjee said.

    She was speaking at an administrative programme in Jhargram, mostly inhabited by tribals, to celebrate the ‘International Day of World’s Indigenous Peoples’.

    “We had told the British to quit India. Today, we want the BJP-led government at the Centre to quit Delhi. On Quit India Day, let us pledge today to teach BJP a lesson after their betrayal as the Central government. Removing the BJP from the Centre is my only goal for the welfare of the people,” she said.

    In an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s using Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘Quit India’ slogan and attacking the opposition bloc INDIA, Banerjee said, “We don’t need to quit.We belong to this country.”

    The Trinamool Congress supremo criticised the PM, claiming he failed to fulfil the promises he had made to the people of the country before the elections.

    Denouncing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Banerjee said, “There are various castes and practices among different communities and religions. Suddenly, they (the BJP) have started talking about the need to introduce UCC. Why should someone follow their set of rules while getting married? We won’t accept the UCC,” she said.

    People should have the freedom to observe their customs and religious practices according to their wishes, Banerjee stressed.

    The TMC chief accused the CPI(M), Congress and the BJP of having an ‘understanding’ in West Bengal.

    “It is extremely unfortunate that on the national front, CPI(M)-Congress are with INDIA but it seems they are with the BJP here. If they continue this, our fight in Bengal will be against CPI(M) and Congress, along with our fight against BJP,” she said.

  • BJP ‘murdered Bharat Mata’ in Manipur: Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: In a blistering attack against the BJP over violence in Manipur, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that its politics had “murdered Bharat Mata” in the northeastern state and termed members of the ruling party “traitors”.

    Participating in the no-confidence motion debate, Gandhi also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting Manipur and alleged that he does not consider the state to be part of India.

    “I went to Manipur a few days ago. Our prime minister has not gone there, he has not gone there till now. He does not consider Manipur part of India. I used the word Manipur, but the reality is there is no Manipur left. You have divided Manipur into two parts, you have broken up Manipur,” Gandhi said.

    Gandhi said he visited Manipur and met women and children at the relief camps, but the prime minister had not done.

    The prime minister was not in the House when Gandhi spoke.

    “I asked a woman, ‘What happened with you?’ She said, ‘My small son, only child, was shot before my eyes. I spent the whole night with the body of my child and then I felt afraid. I left my house’. I asked her if she had brought along something with her and she said only the clothes she wearing and a photo,” Gandhi said, narrating his experiences.

    In another camp, he said he asked a woman the same question — “What happened with you?” As he did so, she started trembling and fainted.

    “These are the two examples. In Manipur, they (BJP) have murdered Hindustan. Their politics has not killed Manipur but killed Hindustan in Manipur. Hindustan has been murdered in Manipur. By killing the people of Manipur you have murdered Bharat Mata, you are not desh bhakts (patriots) but deshdrohis (traitors),” the former Congress chief said.

    ALSO READ | Rahul Gandhi participates in no confidence motion debate, putting all speculation to rest

    As the treasury benches protested and slammed Gandhi, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said the Congress leader should apologise for his remarks as it is the Congress that is responsible for insurgency and other problems in the northeast.

    Continuing his no-holds-barred attack against the government in his over 30-minute speech, Gandhi went on to say that it is the Army that can bring peace to Manipur but the government is not deploying it.

    “You have murdered the voice of India, which means you have murdered Bharat Mata in Manipur. My mother is sitting here. The other mother, Bharat Mata, you killed in Manipur,” he said, pointing to Sonia Gandhi who was present in the House.

    “You have sprinkled kerosene everywhere. You have set fire to Manipur. You are now trying the same thing in Haryana,” he added, referring to recent communal clashes in Gurugram and Nuh.

    Gandhi alleged that the prime minister listens to only two people, Amit Shah and Gautam Adani, just as Ravan paid heed to only two.

    He did not elaborate on the point.

    The former Congress president also said the Bharat Jodo Yatra is not over and he undertook the cross-country march to understand what was it he loved and for what had he faced abuse for 10 years.

    The Congress leader also thanked Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for reinstating his membership of the House.

    “The last time I spoke, I also caused you (Birla) pain. I focussed on Adani ji with such intensity, your senior leaders felt pain. That pain also affected you, for that I apologise to you,” Gandhi told Birla.

    “I only spoke the truth. My BJP friends you need not be afraid because my speech today will not be focussed on us. Rumi said, ‘Jo shabd dil se aate hain woh dil mein jaate hain’. Will not attack you much.”

    “I walked from one end of the country to another, from the coast to the snowy mountains of Kashmir. The yatra is still not over. Many people asked me after it started, ‘Rahul why did you walk, what is your aim’. I did not know why I wanted to walk but I soon understood the thing that I love and the thing for which I am willing to die and go to Modi ji’s jail, the thing for which I bore abuse for 10 years, I wanted to understand,” he said.

    The no-confidence motion has been brought by the Congress on behalf of the opposition grouping INDIA.

    The debate was initiated on Tuesday by Congress’ Gaurav Gogoi. It will conclude with the prime minister’s reply on Thursday. Many Rajya Sabha members were in the gallery when he spoke.

    NEW DELHI: In a blistering attack against the BJP over violence in Manipur, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that its politics had “murdered Bharat Mata” in the northeastern state and termed members of the ruling party “traitors”.

    Participating in the no-confidence motion debate, Gandhi also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting Manipur and alleged that he does not consider the state to be part of India.

    “I went to Manipur a few days ago. Our prime minister has not gone there, he has not gone there till now. He does not consider Manipur part of India. I used the word Manipur, but the reality is there is no Manipur left. You have divided Manipur into two parts, you have broken up Manipur,” Gandhi said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Gandhi said he visited Manipur and met women and children at the relief camps, but the prime minister had not done.

    The prime minister was not in the House when Gandhi spoke.

    “I asked a woman, ‘What happened with you?’ She said, ‘My small son, only child, was shot before my eyes. I spent the whole night with the body of my child and then I felt afraid. I left my house’. I asked her if she had brought along something with her and she said only the clothes she wearing and a photo,” Gandhi said, narrating his experiences.

    In another camp, he said he asked a woman the same question — “What happened with you?” As he did so, she started trembling and fainted.

    “These are the two examples. In Manipur, they (BJP) have murdered Hindustan. Their politics has not killed Manipur but killed Hindustan in Manipur. Hindustan has been murdered in Manipur. By killing the people of Manipur you have murdered Bharat Mata, you are not desh bhakts (patriots) but deshdrohis (traitors),” the former Congress chief said.

    ALSO READ | Rahul Gandhi participates in no confidence motion debate, putting all speculation to rest

    As the treasury benches protested and slammed Gandhi, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said the Congress leader should apologise for his remarks as it is the Congress that is responsible for insurgency and other problems in the northeast.

    Continuing his no-holds-barred attack against the government in his over 30-minute speech, Gandhi went on to say that it is the Army that can bring peace to Manipur but the government is not deploying it.

    “You have murdered the voice of India, which means you have murdered Bharat Mata in Manipur. My mother is sitting here. The other mother, Bharat Mata, you killed in Manipur,” he said, pointing to Sonia Gandhi who was present in the House.

    “You have sprinkled kerosene everywhere. You have set fire to Manipur. You are now trying the same thing in Haryana,” he added, referring to recent communal clashes in Gurugram and Nuh.

    Gandhi alleged that the prime minister listens to only two people, Amit Shah and Gautam Adani, just as Ravan paid heed to only two.

    He did not elaborate on the point.

    The former Congress president also said the Bharat Jodo Yatra is not over and he undertook the cross-country march to understand what was it he loved and for what had he faced abuse for 10 years.

    The Congress leader also thanked Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for reinstating his membership of the House.

    “The last time I spoke, I also caused you (Birla) pain. I focussed on Adani ji with such intensity, your senior leaders felt pain. That pain also affected you, for that I apologise to you,” Gandhi told Birla.

    “I only spoke the truth. My BJP friends you need not be afraid because my speech today will not be focussed on us. Rumi said, ‘Jo shabd dil se aate hain woh dil mein jaate hain’. Will not attack you much.”

    “I walked from one end of the country to another, from the coast to the snowy mountains of Kashmir. The yatra is still not over. Many people asked me after it started, ‘Rahul why did you walk, what is your aim’. I did not know why I wanted to walk but I soon understood the thing that I love and the thing for which I am willing to die and go to Modi ji’s jail, the thing for which I bore abuse for 10 years, I wanted to understand,” he said.

    The no-confidence motion has been brought by the Congress on behalf of the opposition grouping INDIA.

    The debate was initiated on Tuesday by Congress’ Gaurav Gogoi. It will conclude with the prime minister’s reply on Thursday. Many Rajya Sabha members were in the gallery when he spoke.

  • Maharashtra: Tribal man verbally abused, beaten up by local BJP leader, three others in Palghar

    By PTI

    PALGHAR: A 57-year-old tribal man was allegedly beaten up and verbally abused by a local leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and three others in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, police said on Tuesday.

    The police on Monday registered an FIR against Bharat Rajput, the newly appointed president of the BJP’s Palghar district unit, and three others under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506(2) (criminal intimidation) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, an official said.

    Rajput’s brother Jagdish, one Vishal Nandalskar and Rajesh Thakur are the other accused named in the FIR, he said.

    According to the police, the complainant is a resident of Navapada village and belonged to the Adivasi-Warli community.

    On August 4, a local organisation called on the complainant, who is a farmer and social worker, inviting him to put forth issues relating to roads and water in the village, and he accompanied them, the official said.

    The man later received a phone call from Rajput asking him to meet him at his office, and when he arrived at the premises, the BJP leader was allegedly furious at him for accompanying people from the other organisation, he said.

    Rajput and the other accused allegedly verbally abused the complainant used casteist slurs against him and beat him up. They also warned him of dire consequences, the official said.

    PALGHAR: A 57-year-old tribal man was allegedly beaten up and verbally abused by a local leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and three others in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, police said on Tuesday.

    The police on Monday registered an FIR against Bharat Rajput, the newly appointed president of the BJP’s Palghar district unit, and three others under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506(2) (criminal intimidation) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, an official said.

    Rajput’s brother Jagdish, one Vishal Nandalskar and Rajesh Thakur are the other accused named in the FIR, he said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    According to the police, the complainant is a resident of Navapada village and belonged to the Adivasi-Warli community.

    On August 4, a local organisation called on the complainant, who is a farmer and social worker, inviting him to put forth issues relating to roads and water in the village, and he accompanied them, the official said.

    The man later received a phone call from Rajput asking him to meet him at his office, and when he arrived at the premises, the BJP leader was allegedly furious at him for accompanying people from the other organisation, he said.

    Rajput and the other accused allegedly verbally abused the complainant used casteist slurs against him and beat him up. They also warned him of dire consequences, the official said.