News Analysis India

Tag: BJP

  • Mallikarjun Kharge to formally take over as Congress president on October 26

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Hectic preparations were underway at the Congress headquarters for Wednesday’s ceremony where party president Sonia Gandhi will hand over the baton to her successor, Mallikarjun Kharge, the first non-Gandhi to head the outfit in 24 years.

    Kharge defeated Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor in a direct contest for the top post in the grand old party after the Gandhis opted out of the race. Security personnel and workers made last-minute arrangements on the AICC headquarters lawns where a tent was being put up and in the Congress president’s office room.

    Chairman of the central election authority of the Congress Madhusudan Mistry will formally hand over the election certificate to Kharge at the function, which will also see the presence of outgoing chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

    Kharge, 80, takes charge of the party at a time when it faces a tough challenge from a formidable BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which has ousted the Congress from many states.

    For Kharge, who has served as a leader of the opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, leader of Congress in Lok Sabha and later leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha, the current assignment comes at a time when the party is at a historic low, electorally.

    With the Congress now remaining in power in only two states – Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh – on its own and in partnership as a junior partner in Jharkhand, Kharge’s first challenge is to bring the party to power in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, which go to polls in the next few weeks.

    Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh are on November 12 but the dates for Gujarat are yet to be announced.

    Later in 2023, Kharge will face the onerous task of leading the Congress in nine assembly elections that are due including in his home state of Karnataka where he was an MLA for nine terms.

    Kharge’s election also comes at a time the party is reeling under internal rumblings and high-profile exits after a series of electoral debacles and has been reduced to a shadow of its former formidable self.

    Beginning his career as chief of the Gulbarga city council, Kharge has also served as a state minister and a Lok Sabha MP from Gulbarga (2009 and 2014).

    The old warhorse is well known for not losing an election barring the 2019 Lok Sabha poll from Gulbarga.

    It was after that loss that Sonia Gandhi brought Kharge to the Rajya Sabha and in February 2021 made him the leader of the opposition.

    Kharge also faces the challenge of restoring the Congress’ primacy in the opposition space, implementing radical reforms the party pledged at the mid-May Chintan Shivir in Udaipur and maintaining his independence in the face of insinuations that he is a candidate of the Gandhi and would seek their approval in all decisions.

    The last non-Gandhi Congress president was Sitaram Kesri, who was unceremoniously removed in 1998 just after two years into his five-year term.

    A leader with more than 50 years of experience in politics, Kharge is also the second All India Congress Committee (AICC) president from Karnataka after S Nijalingappa and also the second Dalit leader after Jagjivan Ram to hold the post.

    NEW DELHI: Hectic preparations were underway at the Congress headquarters for Wednesday’s ceremony where party president Sonia Gandhi will hand over the baton to her successor, Mallikarjun Kharge, the first non-Gandhi to head the outfit in 24 years.

    Kharge defeated Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor in a direct contest for the top post in the grand old party after the Gandhis opted out of the race. Security personnel and workers made last-minute arrangements on the AICC headquarters lawns where a tent was being put up and in the Congress president’s office room.

    Chairman of the central election authority of the Congress Madhusudan Mistry will formally hand over the election certificate to Kharge at the function, which will also see the presence of outgoing chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

    Kharge, 80, takes charge of the party at a time when it faces a tough challenge from a formidable BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which has ousted the Congress from many states.

    For Kharge, who has served as a leader of the opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, leader of Congress in Lok Sabha and later leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha, the current assignment comes at a time when the party is at a historic low, electorally.

    With the Congress now remaining in power in only two states – Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh – on its own and in partnership as a junior partner in Jharkhand, Kharge’s first challenge is to bring the party to power in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, which go to polls in the next few weeks.

    Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh are on November 12 but the dates for Gujarat are yet to be announced.

    Later in 2023, Kharge will face the onerous task of leading the Congress in nine assembly elections that are due including in his home state of Karnataka where he was an MLA for nine terms.

    Kharge’s election also comes at a time the party is reeling under internal rumblings and high-profile exits after a series of electoral debacles and has been reduced to a shadow of its former formidable self.

    Beginning his career as chief of the Gulbarga city council, Kharge has also served as a state minister and a Lok Sabha MP from Gulbarga (2009 and 2014).

    The old warhorse is well known for not losing an election barring the 2019 Lok Sabha poll from Gulbarga.

    It was after that loss that Sonia Gandhi brought Kharge to the Rajya Sabha and in February 2021 made him the leader of the opposition.

    Kharge also faces the challenge of restoring the Congress’ primacy in the opposition space, implementing radical reforms the party pledged at the mid-May Chintan Shivir in Udaipur and maintaining his independence in the face of insinuations that he is a candidate of the Gandhi and would seek their approval in all decisions.

    The last non-Gandhi Congress president was Sitaram Kesri, who was unceremoniously removed in 1998 just after two years into his five-year term.

    A leader with more than 50 years of experience in politics, Kharge is also the second All India Congress Committee (AICC) president from Karnataka after S Nijalingappa and also the second Dalit leader after Jagjivan Ram to hold the post.

  • BJP attacks Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel govt on ‘liquor ban’

    Express News Service

    RAIPUR: One of the key poll promises by the ruling Congress ahead of the Assembly polls 2018 was on liquor ban, which is now rumbling politically in Chhattisgarh with the opposition BJP gearing-up to sharpen its attack on the Bhupesh Baghel government. The elections in the state are due next year. 

    While the opposition has been consistently demanding total prohibition in the state, the Congress is not expressing any disinclination, but countered that the process on liquor ban will not be done like the demonetisation. It will be done on the basis of the observations compiled by the three committees constituted by the government. The Congress maintained that it will review the possibilities of closing down liquor sales.

    The state health minister T S Singhdeo recently expressed reservations over Chhattisgarh likely becoming a complete ‘dry state’. “Liquor can be banned in around 61 development blocks but imposing prohibition in the tribal areas may not be possible,” he said.Political observers believed that liquor ban promise by Congress party apparently won the appreciation from the women who constitute nearly 50 per cent of the voters in the state.

    Three committees comprised experts, social workers and legislators were formed to study the prospect of prohibition in the state. “Based on observations of the committees the government will initiate action. We have corresponded with four states that imposed liquor ban regarding study tours, but have not received any response so far. The process will begin after we receive the reply,” said Satyanarayan Sharma, who heads a political committee on liquor prohibition. 

    During the last three years and a half, only three meetings of the committee were held.The BJP Mahila Morcha has launched a major campaign against the state government on liquor ban and crime against women.

    “There will be a month-long programme right from the village level to district across the state. On November 3, the Morcha will organise a mega rally that will see the participation of one lakh women,” said Saroj Pandey, BJP MP.

    RAIPUR: One of the key poll promises by the ruling Congress ahead of the Assembly polls 2018 was on liquor ban, which is now rumbling politically in Chhattisgarh with the opposition BJP gearing-up to sharpen its attack on the Bhupesh Baghel government. The elections in the state are due next year. 

    While the opposition has been consistently demanding total prohibition in the state, the Congress is not expressing any disinclination, but countered that the process on liquor ban will not be done like the demonetisation. It will be done on the basis of the observations compiled by the three committees constituted by the government. The Congress maintained that it will review the possibilities of closing down liquor sales.

    The state health minister T S Singhdeo recently expressed reservations over Chhattisgarh likely becoming a complete ‘dry state’. “Liquor can be banned in around 61 development blocks but imposing prohibition in the tribal areas may not be possible,” he said.Political observers believed that liquor ban promise by Congress party apparently won the appreciation from the women who constitute nearly 50 per cent of the voters in the state.

    Three committees comprised experts, social workers and legislators were formed to study the prospect of prohibition in the state. “Based on observations of the committees the government will initiate action. We have corresponded with four states that imposed liquor ban regarding study tours, but have not received any response so far. The process will begin after we receive the reply,” said Satyanarayan Sharma, who heads a political committee on liquor prohibition. 

    During the last three years and a half, only three meetings of the committee were held.The BJP Mahila Morcha has launched a major campaign against the state government on liquor ban and crime against women.

    “There will be a month-long programme right from the village level to district across the state. On November 3, the Morcha will organise a mega rally that will see the participation of one lakh women,” said Saroj Pandey, BJP MP.

  • First time after poll drubbing, BJP Bengal in-charges to meet foot soldiers

    Express News Service

    RANCHI: One-and-a-half-years after the 2021 Assembly polls, BJP leaders in-charge of West Bengal are going to hold meetings with the saffron camp’s foot soldiers in districts shortly. Leaders like Sunil Bansal and Mangal Pandey will set out on districts visit from November and hold meetings with the party’s Mandal presidents and district in-charges.

    Sources in the BJP said the decision of meeting with the lower-rung functionaries was taken after the saffron camp’s high command found ‘exaggerated’ reports on party’s strength in ground reality to hide the real picture of the organisational strength.

    “Since the party’s unimpressive performance in the last year’s Assembly polls, the national leadership left the state without attending a single meeting with the grassroot level functionaries of the party fearing to face discontent. Many BJP leaders across the state expressed their discontent in public over the issue of fielding new comers as candidates in the Assembly polls before and after the electoral exercise. A large section of them turned inactive after the leadership of the party did not pay heed to their discontent,’’ said a BJP leader in Kolkata.

    The high-command of the party recently sought a feed-back about the organisational strength of the BJP ahead of the panchayat elections slated to be held next year. ‘’Based on the inputs from districts, the state committee submitted a report which was opposite to the actual picture in ground reality. For an example, the report claimed to have strong organisational set-up in booth level. But actually, we have no presence in many booths,’’ admitted the leader.

    Sources in the BJP said, Bansal and Pande started communicating with Mandal presidents and came to know about the poor strength of the party in lower level and the exaggerated report.Bansal will start holding meeting with district functionaries from November 6 and Pandey will meet Mandal in-charges from November 22. They will hear the discontent of the functionaries in districts and give them a roadmap to strengthen the organisation,’’ said another BJP leader.

    ‘Local leaders will get chance to express displeasure’

    A Mandal president said leaders like him will now get a chance to express their displeasure in front of the higher leadership. ‘’Since the last year’s Assembly elections, the party’s district activities used to be directed from the glass-house in Kolkata. This is the first time, leaders like Bansal and Pandey will be meeting us. We will highlight the real picture of the party’s strength in the grassroots,’’ he added.

    RANCHI: One-and-a-half-years after the 2021 Assembly polls, BJP leaders in-charge of West Bengal are going to hold meetings with the saffron camp’s foot soldiers in districts shortly. Leaders like Sunil Bansal and Mangal Pandey will set out on districts visit from November and hold meetings with the party’s Mandal presidents and district in-charges.

    Sources in the BJP said the decision of meeting with the lower-rung functionaries was taken after the saffron camp’s high command found ‘exaggerated’ reports on party’s strength in ground reality to hide the real picture of the organisational strength.

    “Since the party’s unimpressive performance in the last year’s Assembly polls, the national leadership left the state without attending a single meeting with the grassroot level functionaries of the party fearing to face discontent. Many BJP leaders across the state expressed their discontent in public over the issue of fielding new comers as candidates in the Assembly polls before and after the electoral exercise. A large section of them turned inactive after the leadership of the party did not pay heed to their discontent,’’ said a BJP leader in Kolkata.

    The high-command of the party recently sought a feed-back about the organisational strength of the BJP ahead of the panchayat elections slated to be held next year. ‘’Based on the inputs from districts, the state committee submitted a report which was opposite to the actual picture in ground reality. For an example, the report claimed to have strong organisational set-up in booth level. But actually, we have no presence in many booths,’’ admitted the leader.

    Sources in the BJP said, Bansal and Pande started communicating with Mandal presidents and came to know about the poor strength of the party in lower level and the exaggerated report.Bansal will start holding meeting with district functionaries from November 6 and Pandey will meet Mandal in-charges from November 22. They will hear the discontent of the functionaries in districts and give them a roadmap to strengthen the organisation,’’ said another BJP leader.

    ‘Local leaders will get chance to express displeasure’

    A Mandal president said leaders like him will now get a chance to express their displeasure in front of the higher leadership. ‘’Since the last year’s Assembly elections, the party’s district activities used to be directed from the glass-house in Kolkata. This is the first time, leaders like Bansal and Pandey will be meeting us. We will highlight the real picture of the party’s strength in the grassroots,’’ he added.

  • Uttar Pradesh: With eye on Lok Sabha polls, BJP reaches out to Pasmanda Muslims 

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Aiming to win all 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP is sharpening its outreach among numerically strong Pasmanda Muslims, which have benefitted from government schemes like free ration and housing.

    The BJP, which following a state-level Pasmanda Muslim meet is planning to hold similar functions in all civic body areas, claims after social and economic empowerment of this section, it’s working for their political uplift.

    In Pasmanda Muslim meets, the BJP leaders are highlighting that the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress always used Muslims as a “vote bank” and did not give them their due.

    The BJP’s game plan to attract Pasmanda Muslims is visible since the start of the party’s second consecutive term in UP as it inducted Danish Azad Ansari, hailing from the community, as the sole Muslim minister in the state cabinet.

    Ansari told PTI, “Central and state governments have done economic and social empowerment of Muslims so far. The BJP now wants political empowerment of Muslims by ensuring their participation.”

    The common Muslims are getting benefits of government schemes like free ration and housing without discrimination and it is their moral responsibility to stand with them, he said.

    The president of the Uttar Pradesh BJP’s minority wing, Kunwar Basit Ali, said, “This time strong and trusted Muslim BJP workers will be given tickets in the urban local bodies from places where we have never won elections and where the BJP has never contested.”

    “We have planned that people from different fraternities of Pasmanda Muslim will hold conferences in their societies and BJP leaders will participate in these to convey to them party’s ideology and government’s plans,” Ali said.

    “The BJP government has done as much as it could for the Pasmanda Muslims. Now, it has to take it from them,” he said.

    “The government has given benefits of its schemes to 4. 5 crore Muslims in UP, they have been made a minister, head of minority commission, president of Urdu Academy, 80 per cent share to Pasmanda Muslims in various commissions and morchas of the government,” he said.

    Asked about the change of attitude towards Muslims, Ali said, “Most benefits of the government’s schemes have also been given to Muslims.”

    In Uttar Pradesh, 85 per cent of the Muslim population belongs to the Pasmanda community. The Pasmanda community has 41 castes, including Ansari, Qureshi, Mansoori, Salmani and Siddiqui.

    This class is considered to be the most backward in social, economic and political terms. Muslim voters hold influence in 72 assembly and 14 Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttar Pradesh.

    Given the number of Pasmanda Muslims, if a party gets the support of this section, it can make a difference in the results.

    According to the CSDS-Lokniti survey, eight per cent Muslim voters had voted for the BJP in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections held earlier this year, which was one per cent more than the 2017 figure.

    The BJP snatched SP bastions of Azamgarh and Rampur, having strong presence of Muslim voters, in the byelections recently, giving it a new confidence to make inroads among the minority community members.

    Meanwhile, the BJP’s attempt to bring the Pasmanda Muslims into its fold has been termed as futile by the opposition.

    SP MP from Sambhal, Shafiqur Rahman Barq, questioned why the BJP, which is spreading communal hatred in the country, has suddenly started liking the Muslims. The whole matter is about the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he said.

    “No matter how hard BJP tries, no true Muslim will vote for it,” he said.

    Uttar Pradesh Congress leader Shahnawaz Alam took a jibe at the BJP’s efforts, saying “After BJP governments’ stand on hijab and other traditions associated with Muslims, they are not going to get their votes.”

    He said the BJP is claiming that it has provided benefits of government schemes to the Pasmanda Muslims but the ground reality is different.

    The BJP government snatched the livelihood of the Qureshi community coming from the Pasmanda section. Apart from this, the plight of weavers is not hidden from anyone, the Congress leader said.

    However, the state president of the All-India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaj, Wasim Raini, accused the SP, BSP and the Congress of always betraying the Pasmanda Muslims.

    “If Pasmandas are getting some relief from somewhere, then shouldn’t they go there,” Raini asked.

    LUCKNOW: Aiming to win all 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP is sharpening its outreach among numerically strong Pasmanda Muslims, which have benefitted from government schemes like free ration and housing.

    The BJP, which following a state-level Pasmanda Muslim meet is planning to hold similar functions in all civic body areas, claims after social and economic empowerment of this section, it’s working for their political uplift.

    In Pasmanda Muslim meets, the BJP leaders are highlighting that the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress always used Muslims as a “vote bank” and did not give them their due.

    The BJP’s game plan to attract Pasmanda Muslims is visible since the start of the party’s second consecutive term in UP as it inducted Danish Azad Ansari, hailing from the community, as the sole Muslim minister in the state cabinet.

    Ansari told PTI, “Central and state governments have done economic and social empowerment of Muslims so far. The BJP now wants political empowerment of Muslims by ensuring their participation.”

    The common Muslims are getting benefits of government schemes like free ration and housing without discrimination and it is their moral responsibility to stand with them, he said.

    The president of the Uttar Pradesh BJP’s minority wing, Kunwar Basit Ali, said, “This time strong and trusted Muslim BJP workers will be given tickets in the urban local bodies from places where we have never won elections and where the BJP has never contested.”

    “We have planned that people from different fraternities of Pasmanda Muslim will hold conferences in their societies and BJP leaders will participate in these to convey to them party’s ideology and government’s plans,” Ali said.

    “The BJP government has done as much as it could for the Pasmanda Muslims. Now, it has to take it from them,” he said.

    “The government has given benefits of its schemes to 4. 5 crore Muslims in UP, they have been made a minister, head of minority commission, president of Urdu Academy, 80 per cent share to Pasmanda Muslims in various commissions and morchas of the government,” he said.

    Asked about the change of attitude towards Muslims, Ali said, “Most benefits of the government’s schemes have also been given to Muslims.”

    In Uttar Pradesh, 85 per cent of the Muslim population belongs to the Pasmanda community. The Pasmanda community has 41 castes, including Ansari, Qureshi, Mansoori, Salmani and Siddiqui.

    This class is considered to be the most backward in social, economic and political terms. Muslim voters hold influence in 72 assembly and 14 Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttar Pradesh.

    Given the number of Pasmanda Muslims, if a party gets the support of this section, it can make a difference in the results.

    According to the CSDS-Lokniti survey, eight per cent Muslim voters had voted for the BJP in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections held earlier this year, which was one per cent more than the 2017 figure.

    The BJP snatched SP bastions of Azamgarh and Rampur, having strong presence of Muslim voters, in the byelections recently, giving it a new confidence to make inroads among the minority community members.

    Meanwhile, the BJP’s attempt to bring the Pasmanda Muslims into its fold has been termed as futile by the opposition.

    SP MP from Sambhal, Shafiqur Rahman Barq, questioned why the BJP, which is spreading communal hatred in the country, has suddenly started liking the Muslims. The whole matter is about the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he said.

    “No matter how hard BJP tries, no true Muslim will vote for it,” he said.

    Uttar Pradesh Congress leader Shahnawaz Alam took a jibe at the BJP’s efforts, saying “After BJP governments’ stand on hijab and other traditions associated with Muslims, they are not going to get their votes.”

    He said the BJP is claiming that it has provided benefits of government schemes to the Pasmanda Muslims but the ground reality is different.

    The BJP government snatched the livelihood of the Qureshi community coming from the Pasmanda section. Apart from this, the plight of weavers is not hidden from anyone, the Congress leader said.

    However, the state president of the All-India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaj, Wasim Raini, accused the SP, BSP and the Congress of always betraying the Pasmanda Muslims.

    “If Pasmandas are getting some relief from somewhere, then shouldn’t they go there,” Raini asked.

  • Supreme Court rejects PIL seeking to open Taj’s 22 rooms

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday junked a plea filed by a BJP leader seeking to open 22 rooms on the Taj Mahal premises to check the presence of Hindu idols, terming it ‘publicity interest litigation’. 

    A bench of justices M R Shah and M M Sundresh refused to interfere with the Allahabad High Court’s May 12 order dismissing the plea filed by Rajnish Singh, the media in-charge of the BJP’s Ayodhya unit. Singh argued there is no scientific evidence to support the theory that Taj Mahal was built by Emperor Shahjahan. The petitioner also prayed that a fact-finding committee be set up to study and publish the monument’s ‘real history. 

    Singh had sought a directive from the court to the Archaeological Survey of India to open the locks of the upper and lower part of the monument and to remove the walls that were blocking the rooms. However, the high court said the issues were not judicially determinable.

    It also pulled up the petitioner’s lawyer for filing the Public Interest Litigation in a “casual” manner and said it could not pass an order under Article 226 in the matter. Singh then moved the Supreme Court, which has now rejected the petition. 

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday junked a plea filed by a BJP leader seeking to open 22 rooms on the Taj Mahal premises to check the presence of Hindu idols, terming it ‘publicity interest litigation’. 

    A bench of justices M R Shah and M M Sundresh refused to interfere with the Allahabad High Court’s May 12 order dismissing the plea filed by Rajnish Singh, the media in-charge of the BJP’s Ayodhya unit. Singh argued there is no scientific evidence to support the theory that Taj Mahal was built by Emperor Shahjahan. The petitioner also prayed that a fact-finding committee be set up to study and publish the monument’s ‘real history. 

    Singh had sought a directive from the court to the Archaeological Survey of India to open the locks of the upper and lower part of the monument and to remove the walls that were blocking the rooms. 
    However, the high court said the issues were not judicially determinable.

    It also pulled up the petitioner’s lawyer for filing the Public Interest Litigation in a “casual” manner and said it could not pass an order under Article 226 in the matter. Singh then moved the Supreme Court, which has now rejected the petition. 

  • CM Nitish Kumar gives clean chit to Bihar DGP in fake phone call case

    Express News Service

    PATNA:  Amid the BJP demand for a CBI probe, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday gave a clean chit to state Director General of Police SK Singhal for absolving an IPS officer in a liquor prohibition case. 

    “He (the DGP) will retire in two months. He is doing good work but a lapse on his part has taken place. Some imposter had called him and the matter was revealed during an investigation,” said Nitish. 

    The DGP is in the eye of a storm ever since it was revealed that he absolved an IPS officer of charges of dereliction of duty in a prohibition case. The former was put under pressure following an incident where a man impersonating as the chief justice of the Patna High Court wanted the DGP to clear the IPS officer of charges against him in a liquor prohibition case. 

    Coming in full defence of the DGP, the CM said, “When a person admits his mistake, the matter should not be dragged. I have ordered an inquiry, and the probe is underway.” In a dig at Nitish, former deputy CM and BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi said the CM was defending DGP and that he is in the wrong to have defended the top cop in such a manner. 

    PATNA:  Amid the BJP demand for a CBI probe, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday gave a clean chit to state Director General of Police SK Singhal for absolving an IPS officer in a liquor prohibition case. 

    “He (the DGP) will retire in two months. He is doing good work but a lapse on his part has taken place. Some imposter had called him and the matter was revealed during an investigation,” said Nitish. 

    The DGP is in the eye of a storm ever since it was revealed that he absolved an IPS officer of charges of dereliction of duty in a prohibition case. The former was put under pressure following an incident where a man impersonating as the chief justice of the Patna High Court wanted the DGP to clear the IPS officer of charges against him in a liquor prohibition case. 

    Coming in full defence of the DGP, the CM said, “When a person admits his mistake, the matter should not be dragged. I have ordered an inquiry, and the probe is underway.” In a dig at Nitish, former deputy CM and BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi said the CM was defending DGP and that he is in the wrong to have defended the top cop in such a manner.
     

  • Shivraj Patil’s jihad remarks attempt to ‘insult’ Hindutva: BJP; Cong calls the comments ‘unacceptable’

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The BJP on Friday stepped up its attack against the Congress over its leader Shivraj Patil’s claim that Bhagavad Gita also spoke of jihad, saying that this is one more attempt to smear Hindutva by the opposition party, which disassociated itself from the remarks, terming them as “unacceptable”.

    The Congress also said the former governor and former Union home minister has clarified his comments and asserted that Bhagavad Gita is a key foundational pillar of Indian civilization.

    Attacking the Congress, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi demanded that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge or its leader Sonia Gandhi should respond to Patil’s comments.

    He noted that Mahatma Gandhi in his commentary on the Hindu epic had described it as a source of ‘Anasakti Yoga’ (selfless action) while Bal Gangadhar Tilak expounded his philosophy of ‘Karma Yoga’ through his study of Gita and added that Congress leaders now see jihad in it.

    BJP national spokesperson Prem Shukla alleged that Congress has long been involved in the conspiracy to “insult Hindu, Hindutva and Hindustan” and Patil’s remarks are yet another chapter towards this.

    Congress leaders in the past have drawn a parallel between Hindutva with terror organisations like Boko Haram and Taliban, he alleged.

    Former Union ministers Sushilkumar Shinde and P Chidambaram had spoken about “saffron terror”, he said.

    Gita is the philosophy of humanity, Shukla asserted.

    The BJP also accused the Congress party of playing vote bank politics.

    With the BJP seizing on Patil’s remarks to corner it, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh took to Twitter to give the party’s view.

    “My senior colleague Shivraj Patil reportedly made some comments on Bhagavad Gita that’s unacceptable. Subsequently, he clarified. The Congress’s stand is clear. Bhagavad Gita is a key foundational pillar of Indian civilisation,” he said.

    He also shared on Twitter excerpts from Jawaharlal Nehru’s book ‘The Discovery of India’, wherein the former prime minister wrote: “The message of the Gita is not sectarian or addressed to any particular school of thought. It is universal in its approach for everyone, Brahmin or outcaste. ‘All paths lead to me,’ it says. It is because of this universality that it has found favour with all classes and schools.”

    Patil on Thursday claimed that the concept of jihad was not just in Islam but also in Bhagavad Gita and Christianity.

    Speaking at the launch of Congress veteran and former Union minister Mohsina Kidwai’s biography, Patil, also a former Lok Sabha Speaker, said it is said there is a lot of discussion of jihad in the religion of Islam. The concept comes to the fore when despite having the right intentions and doing the right thing, nobody understands or reciprocates, then it is said one can use force, he said.

    “It is not just in Quran, but in Mahabharata also, the part in Gita, Shri Krishna also talks of jihad to Arjun and this thing is not just in Quran or Gita but also in Christianity,” he claimed in his remarks in Hindi.

    Reacting to Patil’s comments, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Thursday tweeted,”after AAP’s Gopal Italia & Rajendra Pal, not to be outdone in Hindu hatred & vote bank politics, Congress’ Shivraj Patil says Shri Krishna taught ‘Jihad’ to Arjun! “Congress coined Hindu/Saffron terror, opposed Ram Mandir, Questioned Ram JI’s existence, said Hindutva=ISIS,” Poonawalla tweeted.

    NEW DELHI: The BJP on Friday stepped up its attack against the Congress over its leader Shivraj Patil’s claim that Bhagavad Gita also spoke of jihad, saying that this is one more attempt to smear Hindutva by the opposition party, which disassociated itself from the remarks, terming them as “unacceptable”.

    The Congress also said the former governor and former Union home minister has clarified his comments and asserted that Bhagavad Gita is a key foundational pillar of Indian civilization.

    Attacking the Congress, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi demanded that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge or its leader Sonia Gandhi should respond to Patil’s comments.

    He noted that Mahatma Gandhi in his commentary on the Hindu epic had described it as a source of ‘Anasakti Yoga’ (selfless action) while Bal Gangadhar Tilak expounded his philosophy of ‘Karma Yoga’ through his study of Gita and added that Congress leaders now see jihad in it.

    BJP national spokesperson Prem Shukla alleged that Congress has long been involved in the conspiracy to “insult Hindu, Hindutva and Hindustan” and Patil’s remarks are yet another chapter towards this.

    Congress leaders in the past have drawn a parallel between Hindutva with terror organisations like Boko Haram and Taliban, he alleged.

    Former Union ministers Sushilkumar Shinde and P Chidambaram had spoken about “saffron terror”, he said.

    Gita is the philosophy of humanity, Shukla asserted.

    The BJP also accused the Congress party of playing vote bank politics.

    With the BJP seizing on Patil’s remarks to corner it, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh took to Twitter to give the party’s view.

    “My senior colleague Shivraj Patil reportedly made some comments on Bhagavad Gita that’s unacceptable. Subsequently, he clarified. The Congress’s stand is clear. Bhagavad Gita is a key foundational pillar of Indian civilisation,” he said.

    He also shared on Twitter excerpts from Jawaharlal Nehru’s book ‘The Discovery of India’, wherein the former prime minister wrote: “The message of the Gita is not sectarian or addressed to any particular school of thought. It is universal in its approach for everyone, Brahmin or outcaste. ‘All paths lead to me,’ it says. It is because of this universality that it has found favour with all classes and schools.”

    Patil on Thursday claimed that the concept of jihad was not just in Islam but also in Bhagavad Gita and Christianity.

    Speaking at the launch of Congress veteran and former Union minister Mohsina Kidwai’s biography, Patil, also a former Lok Sabha Speaker, said it is said there is a lot of discussion of jihad in the religion of Islam. The concept comes to the fore when despite having the right intentions and doing the right thing, nobody understands or reciprocates, then it is said one can use force, he said.

    “It is not just in Quran, but in Mahabharata also, the part in Gita, Shri Krishna also talks of jihad to Arjun and this thing is not just in Quran or Gita but also in Christianity,” he claimed in his remarks in Hindi.

    Reacting to Patil’s comments, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Thursday tweeted,”after AAP’s Gopal Italia & Rajendra Pal, not to be outdone in Hindu hatred & vote bank politics, Congress’ Shivraj Patil says Shri Krishna taught ‘Jihad’ to Arjun! “Congress coined Hindu/Saffron terror, opposed Ram Mandir, Questioned Ram JI’s existence, said Hindutva=ISIS,” Poonawalla tweeted.

  • “Muslims don’t worship Goddess Lakshmi, are they not…” Bihar BJP MLA sparks controversy

    By ANI

    PATNA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Bihar Lalan Paswan courted controversy by making bizarre statements about Hindu deities.

    Paswan’s statement sparked an outrage. People held a protest at Shermari Bazar in Bhagalpur and burnt the effigy of the BJP MLA.

    Paswan, who is an MLA from Pirpainti Assembly constituency in Bhagalpur district raised questions on Hindu beliefs and argued with evidence to prove his stance.

    He further raised questions on Lakshmi Puja on Diwali.

    Paswan said, “If we get wealth only by worshipping Goddess Lakshmi, then there would have been no billionaires and trillionaires among Muslims. Muslims do not worship Goddess Lakshmi, are they not rich? Muslims do not worship Goddess Saraswati. Are there no scholars among Muslims? Do not they become IAS or IPS?”

    The BJP leader said everything is people’s belief. He said the affair of “Atma and Paramatma” is just people’s belief.

    He said, “If you believe then it is a goddess and if not then it is just a stone idol. It is up to us whether we believe in Gods and Goddesses or not. We have to think on a scientific basis to reach a logical conclusion. If you stop believing, then your intellectual capacity will increase.”

    “It is believed that Bajrangbali is a deity with power and bestows strength. Muslims or Christians do not worship Bajrangbali. Are they not powerful? The day you stop believing, all these things will end,” added Paswan.

    Earlier, Paswan came to light when he allegedly leaked a personal conversation with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Yadav (ANI)

    PATNA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Bihar Lalan Paswan courted controversy by making bizarre statements about Hindu deities.

    Paswan’s statement sparked an outrage. People held a protest at Shermari Bazar in Bhagalpur and burnt the effigy of the BJP MLA.

    Paswan, who is an MLA from Pirpainti Assembly constituency in Bhagalpur district raised questions on Hindu beliefs and argued with evidence to prove his stance.

    He further raised questions on Lakshmi Puja on Diwali.

    Paswan said, “If we get wealth only by worshipping Goddess Lakshmi, then there would have been no billionaires and trillionaires among Muslims. Muslims do not worship Goddess Lakshmi, are they not rich? Muslims do not worship Goddess Saraswati. Are there no scholars among Muslims? Do not they become IAS or IPS?”

    The BJP leader said everything is people’s belief. He said the affair of “Atma and Paramatma” is just people’s belief.

    He said, “If you believe then it is a goddess and if not then it is just a stone idol. It is up to us whether we believe in Gods and Goddesses or not. We have to think on a scientific basis to reach a logical conclusion. If you stop believing, then your intellectual capacity will increase.”

    “It is believed that Bajrangbali is a deity with power and bestows strength. Muslims or Christians do not worship Bajrangbali. Are they not powerful? The day you stop believing, all these things will end,” added Paswan.

    Earlier, Paswan came to light when he allegedly leaked a personal conversation with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Yadav (ANI)

  • Uttarakhand furious over BJP national general secy Dushyant’s “teasing girls in temple” remark

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: Bhartiya Janta Party’s national general secretary and Uttarakhand in-charge Dushyant Kumar Gautam has made a controversial statement about Congressmen. He said, “Congressmen go to temples to tease girls,” Congress opposes Sanatan Dharma and its workers go to temples and tease girls.

    Gautam believes that the Congress even says that Lord Ram was not there. Now they are trying to find a party president on the same lines, who says that if Sanatan Dharma comes, there will be an outcry within the country. “Hindutva will flourish”.

    On the statement of BJP’s state in-charge Gautam, the Congress has strongly condemned it and has announced to burn the effigy of Dushyant across the state along with registering an FIR.

    Reacting to BJP leader Dushyant’s statement, Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Bhuvan Kapri told The New Indian Express, “Dushyant has insulted not only Congressmen but every mother and daughter of the state, the BJP high command should take cognizance of this statement at the earliest and take away the charge of thestate from him”.

    “The BJP should also make Dushyant Gautam publicly apologise to the people of the state”, he added.

    Speaking to the TNIE, state Congress chief spokesperson Garima Mehra Dasauni termed the statement of Dushyant as “ill-tempered and perverted mentality of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has been exposed in his statement”. “His allegation that Congressmen go to the temple to molest girls, exposes the mentalbankruptcy of saffron brigade”

    Spokesperson Garima further told, “On the instructions of State President Karan Mehra, the effigy of Dushyant Gautam will be burnt in every district headquarters along with filling an FIR against him”.

    Dushyant Gautam also sarcastically, ‘After failing on the son, now the formality is being completed in the name of party president election’ although earlier an experiment was done in the form of Sitaram Kesri ji””Everyone knows what happened to them later. After Kesri’s death, his body was not even allowed inside the Congress national office,” said Gautam.

    Uttarakhand Kranti Dal spokesperson and central general secretary Meenakshi Ghildiyal said, “BJP leaders should also read the language of their MLA Banshidhar Bhagat once before making such remarks.  Also, once the black deeds of the BJP leader’s son and Vantara Resort should also be looked into.

    Meenakshi further told, “Such indecent remarks against any political party by Bharatiya Janata Party leaders who gave the slogan of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao are really shameful”.

    DEHRADUN: Bhartiya Janta Party’s national general secretary and Uttarakhand in-charge Dushyant Kumar Gautam has made a controversial statement about Congressmen. He said, “Congressmen go to temples to tease girls,” Congress opposes Sanatan Dharma and its workers go to temples and tease girls.

    Gautam believes that the Congress even says that Lord Ram was not there. Now they are trying to find a party president on the same lines, who says that if Sanatan Dharma comes, there will be an outcry within the country. “Hindutva will flourish”.

    On the statement of BJP’s state in-charge Gautam, the Congress has strongly condemned it and has announced to burn the effigy of Dushyant across the state along with registering an FIR.

    Reacting to BJP leader Dushyant’s statement, Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Bhuvan Kapri told The New Indian Express, “Dushyant has insulted not only Congressmen but every mother and daughter of the state, the BJP high command should take cognizance of this statement at the earliest and take away the charge of the
    state from him”.

    “The BJP should also make Dushyant Gautam publicly apologise to the people of the state”, he added.

    Speaking to the TNIE, state Congress chief spokesperson Garima Mehra Dasauni termed the statement of Dushyant as “ill-tempered and perverted mentality of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has been exposed in his statement”. “His allegation that Congressmen go to the temple to molest girls, exposes the mental
    bankruptcy of saffron brigade”

    Spokesperson Garima further told, “On the instructions of State President Karan Mehra, the effigy of Dushyant Gautam will be burnt in every district headquarters along with filling an FIR against him”.

    Dushyant Gautam also sarcastically, ‘After failing on the son, now the formality is being completed in the name of party president election’ although earlier an experiment was done in the form of Sitaram Kesri ji”
    “Everyone knows what happened to them later. After Kesri’s death, his body was not even allowed inside the Congress national office,” said Gautam.

    Uttarakhand Kranti Dal spokesperson and central general secretary Meenakshi Ghildiyal said, “BJP leaders should also read the language of their MLA Banshidhar Bhagat once before making such remarks.  Also, once the black deeds of the BJP leader’s son and Vantara Resort should also be looked into.

    Meenakshi further told, “Such indecent remarks against any political party by Bharatiya Janata Party leaders who gave the slogan of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao are really shameful”.

  • Many times UP cops arrest ‘innocent’, claims top Uttarakhand officer

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: Uttarakhand Additional Chief Secretary Radha Raturi got into a war of words with the Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday with the latter accusing her of making “irresponsible” statements, days after an unsuccessful raid in the hill state to nab an alleged sand mining mafia led to the death of a local BJP leader’s wife.

    At a press conference, Uttarakhand’s Additional Chief Secretary Radha Raturi said crimes should be investigated properly and the guilty should be punished, not the innocent.

    “Many times, the Uttar Pradesh Police catch innocent persons and claim they are guilty. It should not be like that. Catching one innocent person may lead to the rise of 99 more wrongdoers,” she said.

    Taking strong exception to the statement, the Uttar Pradesh Police termed it “irresponsible” and suggested that a civil servant should refrain from such comments.

    In Lucknow, Additional Director General, (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said, “The Uttar Pradesh Police has seen and heard the statement of the additional chief secretary, home, Uttarakhand.

    The ACS has issued an irresponsible statement without knowing the facts.

    Any civil servant should avoid such statements especially when it is related to the matter of the country’s biggest and most sensitive state.

     “This statement is regrettable and not based on facts. Does Mukthar Ansari and Vijay Mishra convicted by the courts appear innocent to the ACS?” “Does Zafar, a mining mafia, who is wanted or senior blockhead of Udham Singh Nagar appears innocent for her? The statement is unfortunate as the UP police has taken strict action against criminals in the state and also against PFI,” he said.” 

    Later, Raturi clarified that she wanted to say that “crimes should be investigated properly and only the guilty should be punished, not the innocent. Police of all states is performing well.”

    Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand police often work together to solve crimes. The Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand police are locked in a standoff over an unsuccessful raid a few days ago.

    The police had attempted to arrest sand mining mafia Zafar and his associates from Bharatpur village of Udham Singh Nagar district in Uttarakhand on October 12 night, but a clash broke out between the police team and villagers.

    In the clash, the wife of a local BJP leader was killed and five others, including four Uttar Pradesh Police personnel, were injured.

    Police personnel were also held captive by villagers in Bharatpur and were freed following the intervention of senior police officials.

    Udham Singh Nagar Senior Superintendent of Police had claimed that the Uttar Pradesh Police team did not inform their Uttarakhand counterparts about the action in advance.

    Zafar was arrested on Sunday from Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad. At the press conference on Monday, when asked about the deadline of three days given to police officials for solving three criminal cases in the state, Raturi said there is no ultimatum.

    They have been asked to investigate the cases properly and punish the guilty, she said.

    She also blamed the media for the “high morale” of criminals in the state, saying if it was reported that action was being taken, their morale would not have been so high.

    LUCKNOW: Uttarakhand Additional Chief Secretary Radha Raturi got into a war of words with the Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday with the latter accusing her of making “irresponsible” statements, days after an unsuccessful raid in the hill state to nab an alleged sand mining mafia led to the death of a local BJP leader’s wife.

    At a press conference, Uttarakhand’s Additional Chief Secretary Radha Raturi said crimes should be investigated properly and the guilty should be punished, not the innocent.

    “Many times, the Uttar Pradesh Police catch innocent persons and claim they are guilty. It should not be like that. Catching one innocent person may lead to the rise of 99 more wrongdoers,” she said.

    Taking strong exception to the statement, the Uttar Pradesh Police termed it “irresponsible” and suggested that a civil servant should refrain from such comments.

    In Lucknow, Additional Director General, (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said, “The Uttar Pradesh Police has seen and heard the statement of the additional chief secretary, home, Uttarakhand.

    The ACS has issued an irresponsible statement without knowing the facts.

    Any civil servant should avoid such statements especially when it is related to the matter of the country’s biggest and most sensitive state.

     “This statement is regrettable and not based on facts. Does Mukthar Ansari and Vijay Mishra convicted by the courts appear innocent to the ACS?” “Does Zafar, a mining mafia, who is wanted or senior blockhead of Udham Singh Nagar appears innocent for her? The statement is unfortunate as the UP police has taken strict action against criminals in the state and also against PFI,” he said.” 

    Later, Raturi clarified that she wanted to say that “crimes should be investigated properly and only the guilty should be punished, not the innocent. Police of all states is performing well.”

    Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand police often work together to solve crimes. The Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand police are locked in a standoff over an unsuccessful raid a few days ago.

    The police had attempted to arrest sand mining mafia Zafar and his associates from Bharatpur village of Udham Singh Nagar district in Uttarakhand on October 12 night, but a clash broke out between the police team and villagers.

    In the clash, the wife of a local BJP leader was killed and five others, including four Uttar Pradesh Police personnel, were injured.

    Police personnel were also held captive by villagers in Bharatpur and were freed following the intervention of senior police officials.

    Udham Singh Nagar Senior Superintendent of Police had claimed that the Uttar Pradesh Police team did not inform their Uttarakhand counterparts about the action in advance.

    Zafar was arrested on Sunday from Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad. At the press conference on Monday, when asked about the deadline of three days given to police officials for solving three criminal cases in the state, Raturi said there is no ultimatum.

    They have been asked to investigate the cases properly and punish the guilty, she said.

    She also blamed the media for the “high morale” of criminals in the state, saying if it was reported that action was being taken, their morale would not have been so high.