News Analysis India

Tag: BJP

  • BJP to use Rahul’s ‘Modi surname’ jibe as key strategy for OBC outreach during poll campaigns

    Express News Service

    In what appears to be a well-crafted plan, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) is tossing up ex-Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s remark on ‘Modi surname’ as an ‘issue of insult’ to OBCs across the country in view of upcoming the 2024 general elections in particular and assembly elections in some states in general.

    Appearing as working with this ‘objectively’ crafted electoral strategy in the wake of the disqualification of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi after he was convicted in a criminal defamation case, the BJP leaders, especially those who belong to OBCs, have started protesting against Gandhi’s remarks on Modi surname in a planned way across the country describing it as an insult to OBCs. 

    In what appears also as a part of this strategy, adopted amid the Opposition’s persisting protests against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from LS membership, the BJP MPs of OBCs also demonstrated near the Gandhi statue on the premises of Parliament demanding an apology from Rahul Gandhi for hisremark on Modi’s surname.

    “Hindustan will not tolerate insult to Modi ji. Rahul Gandhi should have a shame, seek apology”, the BJP MPs demanded.  

    Some senior sources in BJP here said that Rahul Gandhi’s remark on ‘The Modi surname’ will certainly snowball into a big political issue to counter the Congress-led Opposition protest against disqualification and the accusation against the BJP over disqualification.

    “The Congress-led Opposition are accusing the BJP for what happened to Rahul Gandhi after his conviction. But in reality, the BJP has nothing to do with it. Rahul has insulted us (OBCs) and the BJP should use his remarks to project it as an insult to OBCs”, remarked an OBC leader belonging to the BJP.

    ALSO READ| ‘Modi surname’ case: Rahul Gandhi sentenced to two years in jail, has 30 days to appeal

    On Monday, BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi also said that the conviction of Rahul Gandhi over his remark on Modi’s surname has been done by the court. “It is not the decision of PM Modi or the BJP. Gandhi has insulted OBCs and will have to pay a penalty for it”, he remarked.

    But when the Congress Party along with other like-minded people started creating uproar over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi after his conviction, the BJP shrewdly linked the Congress-led Opposition protest against Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in a defamation case and subsequent disqualification from LS with the sentiment of OBC people ahead of polls.  

    Many senior leaders including union ministers like Piyush Goyal, Anurag Thakur, Hardeep Singh Puri and others, have also demanded for an apology from Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on the Modi surname and his remarks about the state of democracy in India while issuing a speech in London.

    “In India, 56 % of the country’s total voting population constitutes of OBCs.  Gandhi’s remark on Modi surname, which belongs to an OBC, has badly hurt the sentiment of OBCs in the country. The BJP will take this insult before the OBC people. PM Modi has given a new social reorganisation to OBCs and now 27 ministers in Modi’s cabinet belong to OBCs.

    ALSO READ| Gehlot says judiciary under pressure, ‘Modi surname’ remark by Rahul was just ‘political’ comment​

    The PM Modi is the single OBC –caring leader”, remarked a senior BJP leader. Upon being contacted, the National President of BJP OBC Morcha Dr K Laxman also said that the BJP MPs, belonging to OBCs, will meet together on Wednesday with the national president of the party JP Nadda, to chalk out further course of agitation against Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on Modi surname.

    “Gandhi’s’ remark on Modi’s surname is not a small issue. We are taking it seriously as a big issue that has insulted the collective psyche of OBC people in the country. We will take this across the country in the next one year”, Dr Laxman, who is MP in RS, also remarked.

    He said that the OBC Morcha of BJP is launching a nationwide campaign taking the works done for the OBC people by the Modi government across 1 lakh villages to cover 1 crore houses of OBC people from April 6 to 14. 

    “The Congress has been insulting OBC people for a long time. Rahul Gandhi’s remark on Modi’s surname was a part of the anti-OBC mindset on which the court pronounced judgement against Gandhi. We will take this issue of insult of OBC people across the country”, he said. He added that all OBC MPs of the BJP will sit together with JP Nadda on Wednesday and discuss this.

    In what appears to be a well-crafted plan, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) is tossing up ex-Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s remark on ‘Modi surname’ as an ‘issue of insult’ to OBCs across the country in view of upcoming the 2024 general elections in particular and assembly elections in some states in general.

    Appearing as working with this ‘objectively’ crafted electoral strategy in the wake of the disqualification of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi after he was convicted in a criminal defamation case, the BJP leaders, especially those who belong to OBCs, have started protesting against Gandhi’s remarks on Modi surname in a planned way across the country describing it as an insult to OBCs. 

    In what appears also as a part of this strategy, adopted amid the Opposition’s persisting protests against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from LS membership, the BJP MPs of OBCs also demonstrated near the Gandhi statue on the premises of Parliament demanding an apology from Rahul Gandhi for his
    remark on Modi’s surname.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “Hindustan will not tolerate insult to Modi ji. Rahul Gandhi should have a shame, seek apology”, the BJP MPs demanded.  

    Some senior sources in BJP here said that Rahul Gandhi’s remark on ‘The Modi surname’ will certainly snowball into a big political issue to counter the Congress-led Opposition protest against disqualification and the accusation against the BJP over disqualification.

    “The Congress-led Opposition are accusing the BJP for what happened to Rahul Gandhi after his conviction. But in reality, the BJP has nothing to do with it. Rahul has insulted us (OBCs) and the BJP should use his remarks to project it as an insult to OBCs”, remarked an OBC leader belonging to the BJP.

    ALSO READ| ‘Modi surname’ case: Rahul Gandhi sentenced to two years in jail, has 30 days to appeal

    On Monday, BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi also said that the conviction of Rahul Gandhi over his remark on Modi’s surname has been done by the court. “It is not the decision of PM Modi or the BJP. Gandhi has insulted OBCs and will have to pay a penalty for it”, he remarked.

    But when the Congress Party along with other like-minded people started creating uproar over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi after his conviction, the BJP shrewdly linked the Congress-led Opposition protest against Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in a defamation case and subsequent disqualification from LS with the sentiment of OBC people ahead of polls.  

    Many senior leaders including union ministers like Piyush Goyal, Anurag Thakur, Hardeep Singh Puri and others, have also demanded for an apology from Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on the Modi surname and his remarks about the state of democracy in India while issuing a speech in London.

    “In India, 56 % of the country’s total voting population constitutes of OBCs.  Gandhi’s remark on Modi surname, which belongs to an OBC, has badly hurt the sentiment of OBCs in the country. The BJP will take this insult before the OBC people. PM Modi has given a new social reorganisation to OBCs and now 27 ministers in Modi’s cabinet belong to OBCs.

    ALSO READ| Gehlot says judiciary under pressure, ‘Modi surname’ remark by Rahul was just ‘political’ comment​

    The PM Modi is the single OBC –caring leader”, remarked a senior BJP leader. Upon being contacted, the National President of BJP OBC Morcha Dr K Laxman also said that the BJP MPs, belonging to OBCs, will meet together on Wednesday with the national president of the party JP Nadda, to chalk out further course of agitation against Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on Modi surname.

    “Gandhi’s’ remark on Modi’s surname is not a small issue. We are taking it seriously as a big issue that has insulted the collective psyche of OBC people in the country. We will take this across the country in the next one year”, Dr Laxman, who is MP in RS, also remarked.

    He said that the OBC Morcha of BJP is launching a nationwide campaign taking the works done for the OBC people by the Modi government across 1 lakh villages to cover 1 crore houses of OBC people from April 6 to 14. 

    “The Congress has been insulting OBC people for a long time. Rahul Gandhi’s remark on Modi’s surname was a part of the anti-OBC mindset on which the court pronounced judgement against Gandhi. We will take this issue of insult of OBC people across the country”, he said. He added that all OBC MPs of the BJP will sit together with JP Nadda on Wednesday and discuss this.

  • Big consolidation as TMC joins call to Congress to unite Opposition

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Signalling a realignment of the Opposition bloc, 18 Opposition parties, including the Trinamool Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), came together and asked the Congress to take the initiative to coordinate with various Opposition parties outside Parliament to challenge the government on critical issues, according to sources.

    At a dinner meeting called by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday, the parties unanimously decided to work together to fight the BJP government ahead of the 2024 general elections. The meeting had representation from the DMK, NCP, JD(U), BRS, CPM, CPI and the AAP, among others. Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi participated.

    The meeting was called to protest Rahul’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha after his conviction in a defamation case. Earlier in the day, all 18 Opposition parties joined the Congress-led ‘save democracy’ protest in Parliament and later marched from Parliament to Vijay Chowk, reiterating their demand for a JPC to probe the Adani issue.

    Speaking to this newspaper, Rajya Sabha MP and CPI (M) leader Elamaram Kareem said all Opposition parties at the dinner meeting, including the Trinamool, asked the Congress to take the lead in coordinating the fight to save democracy.

    “The Congress being the largest party among the Opposition, all the parties agreed that it should take the lead in talking to other parties and fine-tuning strategies to challenge the government on issues, such as corruption (Adani issue) and Rahul’s disqualification. There was a consensus that the Congress should initiate a meeting with top leaders of all parties and take the discussion forward,” he said. 

    According to sources, Rahul told Opposition leaders that “it’s a collective fight to save democracy”. Kareem said that the parties decided to hold more meetings in the coming days to plan strategies.

    Now, Rahul gets notice to vacate govt bungalow

    Disqualified Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was on Monday directed by the Lok Sabha Secretariat to vacate his government-allotted bungalow at 12, Tughlaq Lane by April 22. “You are allowed to retain Bungalow No 12, Tughlak Lane along with its units, for a maximum period of one month up to 22.04.2023. The allotment…shall deem to have been cancelled w.e.f. 23.04.2023,” the notice said

    NEW DELHI: Signalling a realignment of the Opposition bloc, 18 Opposition parties, including the Trinamool Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), came together and asked the Congress to take the initiative to coordinate with various Opposition parties outside Parliament to challenge the government on critical issues, according to sources.

    At a dinner meeting called by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday, the parties unanimously decided to work together to fight the BJP government ahead of the 2024 general elections. The meeting had representation from the DMK, NCP, JD(U), BRS, CPM, CPI and the AAP, among others. Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi participated.

    The meeting was called to protest Rahul’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha after his conviction in a defamation case. Earlier in the day, all 18 Opposition parties joined the Congress-led ‘save democracy’ protest in Parliament and later marched from Parliament to Vijay Chowk, reiterating their demand for a JPC to probe the Adani issue.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Speaking to this newspaper, Rajya Sabha MP and CPI (M) leader Elamaram Kareem said all Opposition parties at the dinner meeting, including the Trinamool, asked the Congress to take the lead in coordinating the fight to save democracy.

    “The Congress being the largest party among the Opposition, all the parties agreed that it should take the lead in talking to other parties and fine-tuning strategies to challenge the government on issues, such as corruption (Adani issue) and Rahul’s disqualification. There was a consensus that the Congress should initiate a meeting with top leaders of all parties and take the discussion forward,” he said. 

    According to sources, Rahul told Opposition leaders that “it’s a collective fight to save democracy”. 
    Kareem said that the parties decided to hold more meetings in the coming days to plan strategies.

    Now, Rahul gets notice to vacate govt bungalow

    Disqualified Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was on Monday directed by the Lok Sabha Secretariat to vacate his government-allotted bungalow at 12, Tughlaq Lane by April 22. “You are allowed to retain Bungalow No 12, Tughlak Lane along with its units, for a maximum period of one month up to 22.04.2023. The allotment…shall deem to have been cancelled w.e.f. 23.04.2023,” the notice said

  • JP Nadda sets 200-plus seats, over 51% vote target for BJP in 2023 MP Assembly polls

    By Express News Service

    BHOPAL: Setting an ambitious target of 200-plus assembly seats out of the total 230 seats and over 51% vote to win the year-end assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, the ruling BJP’s national president JP Nadda gave a call to the party’s polling booth heads to connect with people across the state for detailing about party’s achievements and exposing the real political character of the opposition Congress.

    “People are waiting for you across the state, go and meet every person and put before them with facts and arguments the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policy of Reform-Transform and Perform. Go and tell them about how MP has made rapid strides during the present regime at the centre and state, spanning from recent 33 railway projects and 5,872 km of rail line projects at an investment of over Rs 84,000 crore to the opening of 14 medical colleges in the state during the last nine years. Go and tell them about Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s government’s ambitious plan of providing 1.24 lakh government jobs,” Nadda said while addressing a gathering of polling booth heads from 35 assembly segments of central MP.

    He also appreciated the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government’s recently launched Laadli Bahna Scheme.

    “Go and tell the people that Congress means corruption, commission, divisive politics, politics of dynasty and nepotism. Tell them about BJP’s Report Card Culture which entails that what we promise we do, what we say will be done,” Nadda said while appealing to the party workers to work for winning each and every booth and village in the state.

    Importantly, the BJP’s target of 200-plus seats for 2023-end assembly polls isn’t new, as five years back also, target of 200 seats was set by the saffron party, but the party ultimately finished with just 109 seats and 41.02% votes against Congress’s 114 seats with slightly lesser 40.89% votes.   

    Without naming Rahul Gandhi, he took a sustained jibe at the former Congress president, saying, the Congress of today is high on egoism and low on wisdom.

    “You (Gandhi) first make casteist slur against most backward castes, when the court asks you to apologize, you don’t apologize. This proves you neither have respect for the country’s law, Constitution nor democracy. It’s time we go and expose the Congress and its leader on it, among masses in MP.”

    Making light of the Congress’s ‘Satyagraha’ over Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha, Nadda said “Mahatma Gandhi first started the Satyagraha in 1906 in South Africa and then in 1919 in India for India’s honour and self-rule, but the Congress’s call for Satyagraha is now based to further its high on ego and low on wisdom politics.”

    “Go and tell the people, how the Congress’s leader has made casteist slur on most backward castes and isn’t regretting it till date, even after losing his Lok Sabha membership,” Nadda said.

    Prior to addressing the BJP’s booth-level heads from 35 assembly segments, Nadda laid the foundation of state BJP’s new state-of-the-art headquarter in Bhopal. “When the PM was elected as leader of the BJP parliamentary party in 2014, he had highlighted the need for the BJP having a proper office in every district of the country. BJP now has well-equipped offices in 290 districts, while similar offices in 115 other districts are being built, land has been arranged for such offices in 123 more districts.”

    Two Congress leaders join BJP, while OBC leader sacked by BJP in August 2022 returns to the party fold

    Bhopal: Just four days after the Congress made a dent into one of the oldest Yadav families of BJP in Gwalior-Chambal region, by getting in its ranks son of former three-times BJP MLA Rao Deshraj Singh Yadav in Ashok Nagar district, the saffron party responded with three new joining – two of them being from the Congress.

    Two women leaders of Congress, including Mona Sustani (considered close to ex-CM Digvijaya Singh’s family), former BSP MLA and presently Congress leader Usha Chowdhary joined the BJP in Bhopal on Sunday.

    While Sustani had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Rajgarh seat, losing by over 4.31 lakh votes to BJP candidate, Usha Chowdhary had won in 2013 assembly polls from Raigaon (SC) seat of Satna district, but finished third on the same party’s ticket in 2018, before joining the Congress.

    The third new joining, however, was perhaps the most notable, as Uma Bharti-loyalist OBC leader Pritam Singh Lodhi, who was sacked by the BJP in August 2022 over objectionable remarks for Brahmins, returned to the saffron party fold. Lodhi was recently in news for trying to build a third front in the state with tribal and Dalit outfits.

    BHOPAL: Setting an ambitious target of 200-plus assembly seats out of the total 230 seats and over 51% vote to win the year-end assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, the ruling BJP’s national president JP Nadda gave a call to the party’s polling booth heads to connect with people across the state for detailing about party’s achievements and exposing the real political character of the opposition Congress.

    “People are waiting for you across the state, go and meet every person and put before them with facts and arguments the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policy of Reform-Transform and Perform. Go and tell them about how MP has made rapid strides during the present regime at the centre and state, spanning from recent 33 railway projects and 5,872 km of rail line projects at an investment of over Rs 84,000 crore to the opening of 14 medical colleges in the state during the last nine years. Go and tell them about Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s government’s ambitious plan of providing 1.24 lakh government jobs,” Nadda said while addressing a gathering of polling booth heads from 35 assembly segments of central MP.

    He also appreciated the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government’s recently launched Laadli Bahna Scheme.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “Go and tell the people that Congress means corruption, commission, divisive politics, politics of dynasty and nepotism. Tell them about BJP’s Report Card Culture which entails that what we promise we do, what we say will be done,” Nadda said while appealing to the party workers to work for winning each and every booth and village in the state.

    Importantly, the BJP’s target of 200-plus seats for 2023-end assembly polls isn’t new, as five years back also, target of 200 seats was set by the saffron party, but the party ultimately finished with just 109 seats and 41.02% votes against Congress’s 114 seats with slightly lesser 40.89% votes.   

    Without naming Rahul Gandhi, he took a sustained jibe at the former Congress president, saying, the Congress of today is high on egoism and low on wisdom.

    “You (Gandhi) first make casteist slur against most backward castes, when the court asks you to apologize, you don’t apologize. This proves you neither have respect for the country’s law, Constitution nor democracy. It’s time we go and expose the Congress and its leader on it, among masses in MP.”

    Making light of the Congress’s ‘Satyagraha’ over Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha, Nadda said “Mahatma Gandhi first started the Satyagraha in 1906 in South Africa and then in 1919 in India for India’s honour and self-rule, but the Congress’s call for Satyagraha is now based to further its high on ego and low on wisdom politics.”

    “Go and tell the people, how the Congress’s leader has made casteist slur on most backward castes and isn’t regretting it till date, even after losing his Lok Sabha membership,” Nadda said.

    Prior to addressing the BJP’s booth-level heads from 35 assembly segments, Nadda laid the foundation of state BJP’s new state-of-the-art headquarter in Bhopal. “When the PM was elected as leader of the BJP parliamentary party in 2014, he had highlighted the need for the BJP having a proper office in every district of the country. BJP now has well-equipped offices in 290 districts, while similar offices in 115 other districts are being built, land has been arranged for such offices in 123 more districts.”

    Two Congress leaders join BJP, while OBC leader sacked by BJP in August 2022 returns to the party fold

    Bhopal: Just four days after the Congress made a dent into one of the oldest Yadav families of BJP in Gwalior-Chambal region, by getting in its ranks son of former three-times BJP MLA Rao Deshraj Singh Yadav in Ashok Nagar district, the saffron party responded with three new joining – two of them being from the Congress.

    Two women leaders of Congress, including Mona Sustani (considered close to ex-CM Digvijaya Singh’s family), former BSP MLA and presently Congress leader Usha Chowdhary joined the BJP in Bhopal on Sunday.

    While Sustani had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Rajgarh seat, losing by over 4.31 lakh votes to BJP candidate, Usha Chowdhary had won in 2013 assembly polls from Raigaon (SC) seat of Satna district, but finished third on the same party’s ticket in 2018, before joining the Congress.

    The third new joining, however, was perhaps the most notable, as Uma Bharti-loyalist OBC leader Pritam Singh Lodhi, who was sacked by the BJP in August 2022 over objectionable remarks for Brahmins, returned to the saffron party fold. Lodhi was recently in news for trying to build a third front in the state with tribal and Dalit outfits.

  • I’ve been disqualified because PM was scared of my next speech on Adani: Rahul Gandhi

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: A day after being disqualified from Parliament, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party and said that he will continue to raise questions on the relationship between the Modi government and business tycoon Adani. Addressing the media at AICC headquarters for the first time after being stripped of MP status, Gandhi said that his conviction and subsequent disqualification is a distraction strategy by the government from critical issues.

    “I have been disqualified as the Prime Minister is scared of my next speech. I have seen fear in his eyes. He is terrified of the next speech and they don’t want that to come in Parliament. That’s why.. this distraction ..the disqualification,” said the Congress leader.

    Gandhi said that the trouble started after he raised specific questions on the relationship between PM Modi and the Adani group, which was accused of stock manipulation by New York-based Hindenburg.

    “Rs 20,000 crore came into the shell companies owned by Adani. Adani could not have generated this money. He is in the infrastructure business.  Where did this money come from and whose money is it? There is a Chinese national involved in this. Why is not anyone questioning that?” he said.

    The Gandhi scion asserted that no threats or prison sentence can dissuade him from pursuing his ‘tapasya’. “This is the drama orchestrated to defend the PM from the question of whose Rs 20,000 crores went to Adani’s shell company. I am here defending the democratic voice of the Indian people and will continue to do that. I am not scared of threats, disqualifications or prison sentences. These people don’t understand me yet,” he said.

    ALSO READ| Rahul disqualification: Congress will fight tooth and nail, says TPCC leader Sudharshan

    Despite providing evidence on PM Modi’s relationship with Adani, no actions were taken, he alleged.

    “What is the PM’s relationship with Adani? I showed pictures of PM and Adani relaxing in aircraft in Parliament. I put the proof on the table in the defence industry, and airport with press clippings and legal documents. My speech was expunged.” he said.

    The Congress leader said that he was denied the right to speak in Parliament despite writing two letters to Lok Sabha Speaker and meeting him in his chamber.  “A Union Minister said in the House that I have asked foreign forces to help India. It was the most ridiculous statement, which I didn’t make. .I wrote two letters to the Speaker,” he said.

    “I went to his chamber and said ..We are living in a democracy.. You are the defender of democracy and why aren’t you letting me make a statement, Speaker smiled and said I cannot do that,” he added.

    However the former Congress President evaded questions on whether he will legally challenge the conviction and sentence by the Surat court.” These are legal matters. I don’t want to speak on it. It makes no difference to me if I am disqualified for life or they put me in jail,” he said,

    ALSO READ| Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification goes against basic tenets of Constitution, says Sharad Pawar

    Regarding his future course of action, he said, “I have only one step.. To fight for the truth in the country and to defend the democratic nature of the country..” …

    A Surat court on Thursday sentenced the Wayanad MP to two years in prison over a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his ‘Modi surname’ remarks during an election speech in Kolar in Karnataka. The trial court has, however, suspended Gandhi’s sentence for 30 days.

    When cited Lakshadweep MP PP Mohammed Faisal case where he is yet to get his membership back, even though Kerala HC stayed the conviction and 10-year sentence on January 25, Gandhi said, “Even if they disqualify me permanently or reinstate me, I will do my work. It doesn’t matter if I am inside or outside the Parliament. I have to do my tapasya,” he said.

    Gandhi also said that there is no question of his apologizing for his remarks. “My name is not Savarkar. My name is Gandhi. I won’t apologise,”.

    When asked if he is worried about the political consequences of his conviction and subsequent disqualification, “Do I look worried to you?,” he quipped. “I am excited. I am happy that these people gave me the best gift they could give me.

    When it was pointed out that the 2013 ordinance which he “tore’ could have spared him from conviction, Gandhi said,  “When somebody is guilty of something, they want to distract everybody’s attention. That’s what BJP is doing.. We have caught Rs 20, 000 crores entering Adani s companies. All these, OBC, disqualification, anti-national comments are to distract from the panic the PM is feeling,” he said referring to BJP’s allegation that Rahul Gandhi has insulted the OBC community with his remarks.

    The Congress leader also thanked Opposition leaders for extending support to him and said that all parties will work together. “Opposition will benefit from this panic reaction by the government . This is a blessing for us. The public now wants to know why India’s PM is protecting a corrupt person,” he said..

    NEW DELHI: A day after being disqualified from Parliament, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party and said that he will continue to raise questions on the relationship between the Modi government and business tycoon Adani. Addressing the media at AICC headquarters for the first time after being stripped of MP status, Gandhi said that his conviction and subsequent disqualification is a distraction strategy by the government from critical issues.

    “I have been disqualified as the Prime Minister is scared of my next speech. I have seen fear in his eyes. He is terrified of the next speech and they don’t want that to come in Parliament. That’s why.. this distraction ..the disqualification,” said the Congress leader.

    Gandhi said that the trouble started after he raised specific questions on the relationship between PM Modi and the Adani group, which was accused of stock manipulation by New York-based Hindenburg.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “Rs 20,000 crore came into the shell companies owned by Adani. Adani could not have generated this money. He is in the infrastructure business.  Where did this money come from and whose money is it? There is a Chinese national involved in this. Why is not anyone questioning that?” he said.

    The Gandhi scion asserted that no threats or prison sentence can dissuade him from pursuing his ‘tapasya’. “This is the drama orchestrated to defend the PM from the question of whose Rs 20,000 crores went to Adani’s shell company. I am here defending the democratic voice of the Indian people and will continue to do that. I am not scared of threats, disqualifications or prison sentences. These people don’t understand me yet,” he said.

    ALSO READ| Rahul disqualification: Congress will fight tooth and nail, says TPCC leader Sudharshan

    Despite providing evidence on PM Modi’s relationship with Adani, no actions were taken, he alleged.

    “What is the PM’s relationship with Adani? I showed pictures of PM and Adani relaxing in aircraft in Parliament. I put the proof on the table in the defence industry, and airport with press clippings and legal documents. My speech was expunged.” he said.

    The Congress leader said that he was denied the right to speak in Parliament despite writing two letters to Lok Sabha Speaker and meeting him in his chamber.  “A Union Minister said in the House that I have asked foreign forces to help India. It was the most ridiculous statement, which I didn’t make. .I wrote two letters to the Speaker,” he said.

    “I went to his chamber and said ..We are living in a democracy.. You are the defender of democracy and why aren’t you letting me make a statement, Speaker smiled and said I cannot do that,” he added.

    However the former Congress President evaded questions on whether he will legally challenge the conviction and sentence by the Surat court.” These are legal matters. I don’t want to speak on it. It makes no difference to me if I am disqualified for life or they put me in jail,” he said,

    ALSO READ| Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification goes against basic tenets of Constitution, says Sharad Pawar

    Regarding his future course of action, he said, “I have only one step.. To fight for the truth in the country and to defend the democratic nature of the country..” …

    A Surat court on Thursday sentenced the Wayanad MP to two years in prison over a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his ‘Modi surname’ remarks during an election speech in Kolar in Karnataka. The trial court has, however, suspended Gandhi’s sentence for 30 days.

    When cited Lakshadweep MP PP Mohammed Faisal case where he is yet to get his membership back, even though Kerala HC stayed the conviction and 10-year sentence on January 25, Gandhi said, “Even if they disqualify me permanently or reinstate me, I will do my work. It doesn’t matter if I am inside or outside the Parliament. I have to do my tapasya,” he said.

    Gandhi also said that there is no question of his apologizing for his remarks. “My name is not Savarkar. My name is Gandhi. I won’t apologise,”.

    When asked if he is worried about the political consequences of his conviction and subsequent disqualification, “Do I look worried to you?,” he quipped. “I am excited. I am happy that these people gave me the best gift they could give me.

    When it was pointed out that the 2013 ordinance which he “tore’ could have spared him from conviction, Gandhi said,  “When somebody is guilty of something, they want to distract everybody’s attention. That’s what BJP is doing.. We have caught Rs 20, 000 crores entering Adani s companies. All these, OBC, disqualification, anti-national comments are to distract from the panic the PM is feeling,” he said referring to BJP’s allegation that Rahul Gandhi has insulted the OBC community with his remarks.

    The Congress leader also thanked Opposition leaders for extending support to him and said that all parties will work together. “Opposition will benefit from this panic reaction by the government . This is a blessing for us. The public now wants to know why India’s PM is protecting a corrupt person,” he said..

  • BJP playing in caste politics, defending Nirav, Lalit Modi: Cong slams Nadda for criticising Rahul

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday refuted BJP chief J P Nadda’s allegation that Rahul Gandhi compared OBC communities to thieves and accused the ruling party of defending the likes of fugitives Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi, and indulging in “caste politics”.

    Amid a political fight between the BJP and Congress following Gandhi’s conviction in a defamation case over the “Modi surname” remarks, Nadda alleged that “lies, personal slander and negative politics is integral” to his politics.

    “By comparing OBC communities to thieves, Rahul Gandhi has shown a pathetic and casteist mindset. However, his latest tirade is not surprising. For the last many years, he has always reduced levels of political discourse,” Nadda said.

    Hitting back, Kharge, in a tweet in Hindi, said, “Modi government cannot escape from JPC! Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, and Mehul Choksi fled with the money of PNB and the public. OBCs did not do so, then how were they insulted?” “SBI/LIC suffered losses due to your ‘best friend’!” he said slamming the government.

    “‘Ek toh chori mein sahyog phir jatigat rajneeti ka prayog’ (First providing help in stealing then applying caste politics),” Kharge said and termed it “shameful”.

    Later, interacting with reporters, the Congress president said his party is seeking answers as to who ran away with people’s money, while the BJP is trying to distract from the main issue.

    “They are talking of insult to backward classes. The Congress has always stood with and fought for the backward classes, scheduled castes and minorities. These people who believe in Manu, talk of backward classes,” Kharge said.

    Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also lashed out at Nadda, saying he was distorting facts and indulging in “politics of defamation”.

    “By doing he is defending Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi. This truth had to come out and now it has come out. Thank you Nadda ji for your honesty. Now please show some honesty on Adani too,” Ramesh said in a tweet in Hindi.

    He also hit out at Union Minister Bhupender Yadav who attacked the Congress for raising questions on the Gujarat court convicting Rahul Gandhi in the criminal defamation case.

    “Bhupendra Yadav should spend more time implementing environment and forest laws without fear or favour. Instead, he is busy defending Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi. These two have stolen thousands of crores of public money and are fugitives running from justice in India,” Ramesh said in a tweet in Hindi.

    Gandhi was on Thursday sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his “why all thieves have Modi surname” remarks.

    The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate H H Varma, which held 52-year-old Gandhi guilty under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 and 500, also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.

    Gandhi can escape immediate disqualification as a member of parliament if the appellate court suspends the conviction as well as the two-year jail term.

    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday refuted BJP chief J P Nadda’s allegation that Rahul Gandhi compared OBC communities to thieves and accused the ruling party of defending the likes of fugitives Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi, and indulging in “caste politics”.

    Amid a political fight between the BJP and Congress following Gandhi’s conviction in a defamation case over the “Modi surname” remarks, Nadda alleged that “lies, personal slander and negative politics is integral” to his politics.

    “By comparing OBC communities to thieves, Rahul Gandhi has shown a pathetic and casteist mindset. However, his latest tirade is not surprising. For the last many years, he has always reduced levels of political discourse,” Nadda said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Hitting back, Kharge, in a tweet in Hindi, said, “Modi government cannot escape from JPC! Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, and Mehul Choksi fled with the money of PNB and the public. OBCs did not do so, then how were they insulted?” “SBI/LIC suffered losses due to your ‘best friend’!” he said slamming the government.

    “‘Ek toh chori mein sahyog phir jatigat rajneeti ka prayog’ (First providing help in stealing then applying caste politics),” Kharge said and termed it “shameful”.

    Later, interacting with reporters, the Congress president said his party is seeking answers as to who ran away with people’s money, while the BJP is trying to distract from the main issue.

    “They are talking of insult to backward classes. The Congress has always stood with and fought for the backward classes, scheduled castes and minorities. These people who believe in Manu, talk of backward classes,” Kharge said.

    Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also lashed out at Nadda, saying he was distorting facts and indulging in “politics of defamation”.

    “By doing he is defending Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi. This truth had to come out and now it has come out. Thank you Nadda ji for your honesty. Now please show some honesty on Adani too,” Ramesh said in a tweet in Hindi.

    He also hit out at Union Minister Bhupender Yadav who attacked the Congress for raising questions on the Gujarat court convicting Rahul Gandhi in the criminal defamation case.

    “Bhupendra Yadav should spend more time implementing environment and forest laws without fear or favour. Instead, he is busy defending Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi. These two have stolen thousands of crores of public money and are fugitives running from justice in India,” Ramesh said in a tweet in Hindi.

    Gandhi was on Thursday sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his “why all thieves have Modi surname” remarks.

    The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate H H Varma, which held 52-year-old Gandhi guilty under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 and 500, also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.

    Gandhi can escape immediate disqualification as a member of parliament if the appellate court suspends the conviction as well as the two-year jail term.

  • ‘Will chop off hands of those who dishonour Hindu daughters,’ says Union Minister 

    By IANS

    PATNA: BJP’s Lok Sabha MP and Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey has said that he will chop the hands of those who dishonour “the daughters belonging to Sanatan Dharma”.

    “The daughters of Sanatan Dharma are the daughters of our country. Whoever plays with their honour and dignity, I will chop their hands. Still, if the leaders of the RJD believe that they will give their daughters (for marriage) to people of other communities, they are free to do so. India is a Hindu country and it will remain so,” Choubey said on Saturday.

    The Minister’s remarks came a day after Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) legislator Bhai Virendra said “daughters of BJP leaders L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi were married to Muslim men”.

    Bhai Virendra also said that “BJP leaders should save their daughter from Muslims”.

    Reacting to that, Santosh Singh, another BJP leader and an MLC, said: “The RJD leaders have become mentally bankrupt. If any Muslim youth even points any finger towards the daughters of the Hindu community, I will chop their finger.” 

    PATNA: BJP’s Lok Sabha MP and Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey has said that he will chop the hands of those who dishonour “the daughters belonging to Sanatan Dharma”.

    “The daughters of Sanatan Dharma are the daughters of our country. Whoever plays with their honour and dignity, I will chop their hands. Still, if the leaders of the RJD believe that they will give their daughters (for marriage) to people of other communities, they are free to do so. India is a Hindu country and it will remain so,” Choubey said on Saturday.

    The Minister’s remarks came a day after Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) legislator Bhai Virendra said “daughters of BJP leaders L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi were married to Muslim men”.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Bhai Virendra also said that “BJP leaders should save their daughter from Muslims”.

    Reacting to that, Santosh Singh, another BJP leader and an MLC, said: “The RJD leaders have become mentally bankrupt. If any Muslim youth even points any finger towards the daughters of the Hindu community, I will chop their finger.”
     

  • Opposition forms G-8, calls Congress for LS poll talks

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Seven non-Congress opposition chief ministers and a deputy CM have together formed a group and had three video conferences over the last few weeks to discuss a united fight against the BJP in 2024.

    The eight leaders of this group include seven chief ministers – Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal), MK Stalin (Tamil Nadu), Nitish Kumar (Bihar), K Chandrashekar Rao (Telangana), Hemant Soren (Jharkhand), Bhagwant Mann (Punjab), Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi) – and Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav. The Congress is part of the ruling alliance in TN, Jharkhand and Bihar.

    Sources said the group, called G-8, has invited the Congress to start seat-sharing talks on the condition that the leadership of the united opposition group is left open until after the Lok Sabha elections.  Congress is yet to respond to the proposal. But sources said Rahul Gandhi is keen to engage with G-8 leaders. They said a united challenge to the BJP with all opposition parties coming on one platform was the plan Rahul  Gandhi had referred to in London recently. 

    Some of the group’s leaders like KCR, Kejriwal and Mamata oppose breaking bread with the Congress. It is on their insistence that the condition to freeze the leadership issue until after the elections were conveyed to Congress. Two other chief ministers – Naveen Patnaik (Odisha) and Jagan Mohan Reddy (Andhra Pradesh) – have refused to have any pre-poll understanding with the Congress.

    Sources said if the Congress does not agree to their condition on leadership, they would go ahead and expand the group by including the remaining opposition CMs and other opposition parties. According to sources, Mamata Banerjee’s meeting with Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday was an attempt by the non-Congress opposition leaders to send a message to the grand old party not to insist on a leadership position in the opposition. 

    The opposition leaders had not taken kindly to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s remark at an election rally that his party would lead the opposition and form the next government by ousting the BJP.An opposition leader who is privy to the discussions among the G-8 said that the Congress had failed to take on the BJP in the last two Lok Sabha elections. “It was routed in states where it was in a direct fight with the BJP.” It is time the Congress allowed the regional parties that have successfully halted the BJP’s march in their respective states to take the leadership position, he said. 

    NEW DELHI: Seven non-Congress opposition chief ministers and a deputy CM have together formed a group and had three video conferences over the last few weeks to discuss a united fight against the BJP in 2024.

    The eight leaders of this group include seven chief ministers – Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal), MK Stalin (Tamil Nadu), Nitish Kumar (Bihar), K Chandrashekar Rao (Telangana), Hemant Soren (Jharkhand), Bhagwant Mann (Punjab), Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi) – and Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav. The Congress is part of the ruling alliance in TN, Jharkhand and Bihar.

    Sources said the group, called G-8, has invited the Congress to start seat-sharing talks on the condition that the leadership of the united opposition group is left open until after the Lok Sabha elections.  Congress is yet to respond to the proposal. But sources said Rahul Gandhi is keen to engage with G-8 leaders. They said a united challenge to the BJP with all opposition parties coming on one platform was the plan Rahul  Gandhi had referred to in London recently. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Some of the group’s leaders like KCR, Kejriwal and Mamata oppose breaking bread with the Congress. It is on their insistence that the condition to freeze the leadership issue until after the elections were conveyed to Congress. Two other chief ministers – Naveen Patnaik (Odisha) and Jagan Mohan Reddy (Andhra Pradesh) – have refused to have any pre-poll understanding with the Congress.

    Sources said if the Congress does not agree to their condition on leadership, they would go ahead and expand the group by including the remaining opposition CMs and other opposition parties. According to sources, Mamata Banerjee’s meeting with Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday was an attempt by the non-Congress opposition leaders to send a message to the grand old party not to insist on a leadership position in the opposition. 

    The opposition leaders had not taken kindly to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s remark at an election rally that his party would lead the opposition and form the next government by ousting the BJP.
    An opposition leader who is privy to the discussions among the G-8 said that the Congress had failed to take on the BJP in the last two Lok Sabha elections. “It was routed in states where it was in a direct fight with the BJP.” It is time the Congress allowed the regional parties that have successfully halted the BJP’s march in their respective states to take the leadership position, he said. 

  • After Gujarat, MP House resolution against BBC documentary

    Express News Service

    BHOPAL:  Three days after PM Narendra Modi’s home state Gujarat passed a resolution against the BBC documentary on the 2002 Godhra riots, another BJP-ruled state of Madhya Pradesh on Monday cleared a censure motion on the same issue.

    The MP Vidhan Sabha, which resumed its Budget session on Monday, after a 10-day festive break, passed the censure motion against the BBC documentary for allegedly tarnishing PM Modi’s image. The motion, which was passed by voice vote, was moved as a private member resolution by three-time BJP legislator Shailendra Jain and seconded by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narottam Mishra.

    Moving the resolution, the BJP legislator accused the BBC of telecasting an objectionable documentary by misinterpreting the 2002 riots and ultimately presenting the then Gujarat CM and present PM in a bad light. He also alleged that the BBC documentary had even cast aspersions on the judiciary, which amounted to contempt of court. Jain demanded strict action against BBC.

    Subsequently, the resolution was put to test by the Assembly Speaker, followed by its passage with a voice vote in the 230-strong House, where the BJP enjoys a majority with 120-plus members.

    CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “The Vidhan Sabha accepted and passed with a voice vote the BJP MLA Shailendra Jain’s private member resolution, demanding strict action against the broadcaster, which while wearing the mask of investigative journalism, has actually attacked India’s sovereignty through the documentary. The broadcaster has tried to weaken India’s constitution…” 

    “It’s to condemn BBC’s act and demand action against the broadcasters that the censure motion has been passed by MP Vidhan Sabha today.”

    BHOPAL:  Three days after PM Narendra Modi’s home state Gujarat passed a resolution against the BBC documentary on the 2002 Godhra riots, another BJP-ruled state of Madhya Pradesh on Monday cleared a censure motion on the same issue.

    The MP Vidhan Sabha, which resumed its Budget session on Monday, after a 10-day festive break, passed the censure motion against the BBC documentary for allegedly tarnishing PM Modi’s image. The motion, which was passed by voice vote, was moved as a private member resolution by three-time BJP legislator Shailendra Jain and seconded by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narottam Mishra.

    Moving the resolution, the BJP legislator accused the BBC of telecasting an objectionable documentary by misinterpreting the 2002 riots and ultimately presenting the then Gujarat CM and present PM in a bad light. He also alleged that the BBC documentary had even cast aspersions on the judiciary, which amounted to contempt of court. Jain demanded strict action against BBC.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Subsequently, the resolution was put to test by the Assembly Speaker, followed by its passage with a voice vote in the 230-strong House, where the BJP enjoys a majority with 120-plus members.

    CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “The Vidhan Sabha accepted and passed with a voice vote the BJP MLA Shailendra Jain’s private member resolution, demanding strict action against the broadcaster, which while wearing the mask of investigative journalism, has actually attacked India’s sovereignty through the documentary. The broadcaster has tried to weaken India’s constitution…” 

    “It’s to condemn BBC’s act and demand action against the broadcasters that the censure motion has been passed by MP Vidhan Sabha today.”

  • PDP will not remain silent about BJP’s onslaught on opposition parties: Mehbooba Mufti 

    By PTI

    POONCH/JAMMU: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said his party would not remain silent about the alleged onslaught of the BJP on the opposition parties in pursuit of its goal of “making India a BJP Rashtra”. 

    The former chief minister said the gloomy faces of the people speak about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, where thousands of youths have been jailed and an atmosphere of fear has been created.

    “I want to ask all political parties in the country to wake up as what happened to J&K (after 2019) is finally reaching their necks. You preferred to remain silent or speak in a half-hearted manner but we will not remain silent and will fight not only for ourselves but for you as well,” Mehbooba said addressing a public meeting in the border district of Poonch.

    The PDP leader, who is currently on a three-day tour of Pir Panjal region, said she was warning that BJP has turned J&K into a laboratory to experiment with its policies before their implementation in other parts of the country.

    “The opposition parties in the country did not understand what was happening to us. Today when the BJP is trampling democracy by jailing opposition leaders with the help of the Enforcement Directorate and CBI, they have started feeling the heat,” she later told reporters.

    She said the abrogation of Article 370 was unconstitutional but the majority of the leaders stayed silent.

    “I am of the firm belief that we will get back Article 370 with interest. They will come and ask what else you want.”

    Referring to the slapping of the Public Safety Act (PSA) on political leaders including her and two other former chief ministers, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba said J&K was turned into a jail and an atmosphere of fear was created to silence the people.

    Mehbooba said they are not in favour of making India a “Hindu Rashtra” but their policies are aimed at making it a “BJP Rashtra” where everyone who aligns with them will be welcomed.

    She also opposed the property tax and hiring of a previously blacklisted company by the J-K administration to fill vacancies in different government departments and said the youth are the worst sufferers of the policies of the administration.

    The PDP chief said from Lt Governor to bureaucrats, everyone has been brought from outside and they (BJP) are claiming to install a chief minister from Jammu.

    “Had they been serious, they would have installed a Lt Governor from Jammu or at least one of his advisors but they only believe in hoodwinking the public to get votes,” she said.

    POONCH/JAMMU: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said his party would not remain silent about the alleged onslaught of the BJP on the opposition parties in pursuit of its goal of “making India a BJP Rashtra”. 

    The former chief minister said the gloomy faces of the people speak about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, where thousands of youths have been jailed and an atmosphere of fear has been created.

    “I want to ask all political parties in the country to wake up as what happened to J&K (after 2019) is finally reaching their necks. You preferred to remain silent or speak in a half-hearted manner but we will not remain silent and will fight not only for ourselves but for you as well,” Mehbooba said addressing a public meeting in the border district of Poonch.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The PDP leader, who is currently on a three-day tour of Pir Panjal region, said she was warning that BJP has turned J&K into a laboratory to experiment with its policies before their implementation in other parts of the country.

    “The opposition parties in the country did not understand what was happening to us. Today when the BJP is trampling democracy by jailing opposition leaders with the help of the Enforcement Directorate and CBI, they have started feeling the heat,” she later told reporters.

    She said the abrogation of Article 370 was unconstitutional but the majority of the leaders stayed silent.

    “I am of the firm belief that we will get back Article 370 with interest. They will come and ask what else you want.”

    Referring to the slapping of the Public Safety Act (PSA) on political leaders including her and two other former chief ministers, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba said J&K was turned into a jail and an atmosphere of fear was created to silence the people.

    Mehbooba said they are not in favour of making India a “Hindu Rashtra” but their policies are aimed at making it a “BJP Rashtra” where everyone who aligns with them will be welcomed.

    She also opposed the property tax and hiring of a previously blacklisted company by the J-K administration to fill vacancies in different government departments and said the youth are the worst sufferers of the policies of the administration.

    The PDP chief said from Lt Governor to bureaucrats, everyone has been brought from outside and they (BJP) are claiming to install a chief minister from Jammu.

    “Had they been serious, they would have installed a Lt Governor from Jammu or at least one of his advisors but they only believe in hoodwinking the public to get votes,” she said.

  • Power games: BJP’s Tripura govt hangs by a delicate thread

    Express News Service

    Operation NortheastBJP’s Tripura govt hangs by a delicate thread

    The BJP-IPFT alliance has formed a government in Tripura after getting a wafer-thin majority in the just-concluded election in the state. In the 60-member Tripura assembly, the BJP-led alliance won 33 seats – of which, the BJP bagged 32 seats and its partner, Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura, got one. Sources said that in order to avoid power struggle in the state, the central leadership has asked Union minister Pratima Bhowmik to resign from the state legislative assembly. Bhowmik was considered as one of the candidates for the post of chief minister when the party announced her candidature in the assembly elections. But the party decided to retain sitting chief minister Manik Saha.

    According to sources, Pratima is reluctant to return to Delhi but will ultimately put in her papers as an MLA. This will bring down the ruling alliance’s number in the assembly. To give the new government stability, top party leaders, including home minister Amit Shah, party president J P Nadda, BJP’s pointsman for northeast Himanta Biswa Sarma and the state chief minister met Pradyot Debbarma, whose Tipra Motha party won 13 seats in the new assembly. They asked him to join the government and offered him three cabinet berths, including the post of deputy chief minister.

    Debbarma has turned down the offer and instead asked the BJP to first consider his party’s demand for greater autonomy for the tribal areas of the state. The Union government has promised to appoint an interlocutor to engage with Debbarma and other stakeholders and give a report on the feasibility of granting more autonomy within three months. Northeast watchers say the next three months will be crucial for the new government as some of the ministers have already started complaining about the portfolios given to them. According to sources, Himanta is well aware of the disgruntlement in the new government and is busy firefighting.

    Bike TaxiDelhi govt’s policy delay puts operators in a fix

    The growth of online shopping in India has seen a phenomenal increase in the use of motorbikes for deliveries. Companies such as Rapido, Ola, Uber, In-drive, Amazon, Zomato, Swiggy, Dunzo, Brozo, besides a number of courier and other operators, use bikes for commercial purposes. Some of these companies are operating bike taxis to carry passengers in a large number of cities. While the central government has an omnibus law governing the operation of taxis in general, states have lately started framing their own laws to specifically deal with the mushrooming of bike taxi services.

    According to industry estimates, about 80% bikes used for commercial purposes are used for food and grocery deliveries. The remaining 20% are used as passenger taxis. Passenger taxis in Delhi are doing between seven to ten million trips per week. While some states have framed laws that prohibit use of bikes with white number plates for commercial services, the Delhi government has not come up with such a law. It has, however, started challaning white plate bikes used for commercial service. The operators have protested against the state government’s action. They say the government should come up with a law to regulate the use of bikes, and they will follow it. Sources said the operators may seek legal recourse to stop the government action in the absence of law.

    Operation Northeast
    BJP’s Tripura govt hangs by a delicate thread

    The BJP-IPFT alliance has formed a government in Tripura after getting a wafer-thin majority in the just-concluded election in the state. In the 60-member Tripura assembly, the BJP-led alliance won 33 seats – of which, the BJP bagged 32 seats and its partner, Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura, got one. Sources said that in order to avoid power struggle in the state, the central leadership has asked Union minister Pratima Bhowmik to resign from the state legislative assembly. Bhowmik was considered as one of the candidates for the post of chief minister when the party announced her candidature in the assembly elections. But the party decided to retain sitting chief minister Manik Saha.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    According to sources, Pratima is reluctant to return to Delhi but will ultimately put in her papers as an MLA. This will bring down the ruling alliance’s number in the assembly. To give the new government stability, top party leaders, including home minister Amit Shah, party president J P Nadda, BJP’s pointsman for northeast Himanta Biswa Sarma and the state chief minister met Pradyot Debbarma, whose Tipra Motha party won 13 seats in the new assembly. They asked him to join the government and offered him three cabinet berths, including the post of deputy chief minister.

    Debbarma has turned down the offer and instead asked the BJP to first consider his party’s demand for greater autonomy for the tribal areas of the state. The Union government has promised to appoint an interlocutor to engage with Debbarma and other stakeholders and give a report on the feasibility of granting more autonomy within three months. Northeast watchers say the next three months will be crucial for the new government as some of the ministers have already started complaining about the portfolios given to them. According to sources, Himanta is well aware of the disgruntlement in the new government and is busy firefighting.

    Bike Taxi
    Delhi govt’s policy delay puts operators in a fix

    The growth of online shopping in India has seen a phenomenal increase in the use of motorbikes for deliveries. Companies such as Rapido, Ola, Uber, In-drive, Amazon, Zomato, Swiggy, Dunzo, Brozo, besides a number of courier and other operators, use bikes for commercial purposes. Some of these companies are operating bike taxis to carry passengers in a large number of cities. While the central government has an omnibus law governing the operation of taxis in general, states have lately started framing their own laws to specifically deal with the mushrooming of bike taxi services.

    According to industry estimates, about 80% bikes used for commercial purposes are used for food and grocery deliveries. The remaining 20% are used as passenger taxis. Passenger taxis in Delhi are doing between seven to ten million trips per week. While some states have framed laws that prohibit use of bikes with white number plates for commercial services, the Delhi government has not come up with such a law. It has, however, started challaning white plate bikes used for commercial service. The operators have protested against the state government’s action. They say the government should come up with a law to regulate the use of bikes, and they will follow it. Sources said the operators may seek legal recourse to stop the government action in the absence of law.