News Analysis India

Tag: BJP

  • Goa’s Curlies restaurant linked to Sonali Phogat’s death to be demolished soon over green rules violation

    By ANI

    PANAJI: The ‘Curlies’ restaurant in Goa where actor and BJP leader Sonali Phogat was allegedly drugged will be demolished soon for violating coastal zone norms.

    The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday upheld the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority’s previous order to demolish the shack.

    Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority has ordered the closure of all commercial activity in the form of nightclubs, bars and restaurants being run by Edwin Nunes and Linet Nunes, both Curlies Restaurant and Night Club and guest house, St Michael Wado, Dando, Anjuna, Bardez-Goa.

    Earlier on Thursday, a local court granted conditional bail to owner of Curlies restaurant Edwin Nunes against a personal bail bond of Rs 30,000 and two sureties of Rs 15,000 each.

    Advocate Kamalakant Poulekar, lawyer of Edwin Nunes said Nunes cannot visit Curlies and needs to take permission before leaving Goa.

    Meeanwhile, the Goa Police on Sunday visited various locations in the alleged murder case of BJP politician Sonali Phogat in Haryana’s Hisar district.

    “Teams went to various places, as per allegations levelled by the late actor’s brother Rinku including property and other issues. Our team is going to all those places, speaking with local witnesses and trying to get information which may help us reach a conclusion,” informed Goa Director General of Police Jaspal Singh.

    Sonali Phogat was declared dead at the St Anthony Hospital at Anjuna in North Goa on August 23. A post-mortem report revealed blunt force injury on her body, following which the Goa Police registered a murder case.

    On Friday, Goa Police visited Phogat’s Sant Nagar residence in Haryana’s Hisar district and seized three diaries. Sonali’s bedroom, wardrobe, and password-protected locker were inspected by the police search team. The police also sealed the locker at Sonali Phogat’s residence. Phogat’s PA and his associate were arrested after police accessed the CCTV footage in which the trio were seen partying at a club.

    Expressing dissatisfaction over the probe by the Goa Police into the death case of Sonali Phogat, her family will approach the Goa High Court demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the matter.

    Sonali Phogat’s family had met Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in connection with the case and had demanded a CBI probe. The Chief Minister had assured of the CBI investigation. However, being dissatisfied with the ongoing investigation, the family has decided to go to Goa High Court with their demand.

    Speaking to ANI, Vikas Singh, Sonali Phogat’s nephew, who is also an advocate in his family said that they have written to Chief Justice of India UU Lalit for a CBI inquiry, and will approach the Goa High Court with a writ petition by Friday if they are not satisfied with the answer of the top court.

    Earlier, Goa Police had said that Sonali Phogat was forcibly drugged by her two associates who were arrested after being named as accused in the case.

    Haryana Police detained a man after the family accused him of taking a laptop and mobile from the farmhouse of the deceased BJP leader. Haryana Police has recovered the items following which the questioning is underway.

    Sonali Phogat who rose to fame with her TikTok videos, contested the 2019 Haryana election as a BJP candidate but lost to then Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi (he has since joined the BJP). She also appeared in the reality show Bigg Boss in 2020. 

    PANAJI: The ‘Curlies’ restaurant in Goa where actor and BJP leader Sonali Phogat was allegedly drugged will be demolished soon for violating coastal zone norms.

    The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday upheld the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority’s previous order to demolish the shack.

    Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority has ordered the closure of all commercial activity in the form of nightclubs, bars and restaurants being run by Edwin Nunes and Linet Nunes, both Curlies Restaurant and Night Club and guest house, St Michael Wado, Dando, Anjuna, Bardez-Goa.

    Earlier on Thursday, a local court granted conditional bail to owner of Curlies restaurant Edwin Nunes against a personal bail bond of Rs 30,000 and two sureties of Rs 15,000 each.

    Advocate Kamalakant Poulekar, lawyer of Edwin Nunes said Nunes cannot visit Curlies and needs to take permission before leaving Goa.

    Meeanwhile, the Goa Police on Sunday visited various locations in the alleged murder case of BJP politician Sonali Phogat in Haryana’s Hisar district.

    “Teams went to various places, as per allegations levelled by the late actor’s brother Rinku including property and other issues. Our team is going to all those places, speaking with local witnesses and trying to get information which may help us reach a conclusion,” informed Goa Director General of Police Jaspal Singh.

    Sonali Phogat was declared dead at the St Anthony Hospital at Anjuna in North Goa on August 23. A post-mortem report revealed blunt force injury on her body, following which the Goa Police registered a murder case.

    On Friday, Goa Police visited Phogat’s Sant Nagar residence in Haryana’s Hisar district and seized three diaries. Sonali’s bedroom, wardrobe, and password-protected locker were inspected by the police search team. The police also sealed the locker at Sonali Phogat’s residence. Phogat’s PA and his associate were arrested after police accessed the CCTV footage in which the trio were seen partying at a club.

    Expressing dissatisfaction over the probe by the Goa Police into the death case of Sonali Phogat, her family will approach the Goa High Court demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the matter.

    Sonali Phogat’s family had met Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in connection with the case and had demanded a CBI probe. The Chief Minister had assured of the CBI investigation. However, being dissatisfied with the ongoing investigation, the family has decided to go to Goa High Court with their demand.

    Speaking to ANI, Vikas Singh, Sonali Phogat’s nephew, who is also an advocate in his family said that they have written to Chief Justice of India UU Lalit for a CBI inquiry, and will approach the Goa High Court with a writ petition by Friday if they are not satisfied with the answer of the top court.

    Earlier, Goa Police had said that Sonali Phogat was forcibly drugged by her two associates who were arrested after being named as accused in the case.

    Haryana Police detained a man after the family accused him of taking a laptop and mobile from the farmhouse of the deceased BJP leader. Haryana Police has recovered the items following which the questioning is underway.

    Sonali Phogat who rose to fame with her TikTok videos, contested the 2019 Haryana election as a BJP candidate but lost to then Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi (he has since joined the BJP). She also appeared in the reality show Bigg Boss in 2020. 

  • Opposition will unite to oust BJP from power in 2024, says Mamata

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she and her counterparts in neighbouring Bihar and Jharkhand will join hands with several other opposition leaders to oust the BJP from power in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

    Addressing a party programme here, Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, claimed that the BJP would face a rout as people were displeased with the saffron party-led Centre’s policies.

    “There is Nitish Kumar in Bihar, Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh, Hemant Soren in Jharkhand. We will all unite and defeat the BJP in 2024. Opposition parties will join hands to defeat the BJP. All of us will be on one side and the BJP on the other. The BJP’s arrogance, its hope of bagging 300 seats will be its nemesis. ‘Khela Hobe’ in 2024,” she said.

    ‘Khela Hobe’ (game to be played) had been the battle cry of the TMC during the Assembly polls last year, in which the party defeated the BJP to storm back to power for the third consecutive term.

    “The ground for ‘Khela Hobe’ in 2024 will be prepared in Bengal itself. The BJP will lose 100 seats in these five states I named. They should remember that during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure, Congress had over 400 seats, yet they lost the next elections. BJP leaders’ assertion that it would bag 300 seats will also bite the dust,” she said.

    Banerjee insisted that the “arrest of Jharkhand MLAs with hordes of cash by the Bengal police recently” had stopped horse-trading in the neighbouring state and prevented the fall of the Hemant Soren government.

    Three Congress MLAs of Jharkhand were arrested on July 30 after nearly Rs 49 lakh in cash was found in the car that was intercepted at Panchla in West Bengal’s Howrah district.

    The Congress, a part of the JMM-led government in Jharkhand, claimed that the BJP was trying to topple the Soren government by offering Rs 10 crore each and ministerial berths to the MLAs.

    “The BJP thinks they can threaten us with CBI and ED. The more they pursue such tricks, the more they will get closer to defeat in next year’s panchayat election and 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” she said.

    The CM slammed the opposition, especially the BJP, and a section of the media for allegedly unleashing a malicious campaign against her and her party leaders following the arrest of senior leaders Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal by central agencies in different cases.

    Meanwhile, rebuffing Banerjee’s claims, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said the TMC supremo should stop “daydreaming”.

    “We have seen TMC’s national overdrive in 2014 and 2019. It’s high time that the party learns its lessons,” he said.

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she and her counterparts in neighbouring Bihar and Jharkhand will join hands with several other opposition leaders to oust the BJP from power in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

    Addressing a party programme here, Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, claimed that the BJP would face a rout as people were displeased with the saffron party-led Centre’s policies.

    “There is Nitish Kumar in Bihar, Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh, Hemant Soren in Jharkhand. We will all unite and defeat the BJP in 2024. Opposition parties will join hands to defeat the BJP. All of us will be on one side and the BJP on the other. The BJP’s arrogance, its hope of bagging 300 seats will be its nemesis. ‘Khela Hobe’ in 2024,” she said.

    ‘Khela Hobe’ (game to be played) had been the battle cry of the TMC during the Assembly polls last year, in which the party defeated the BJP to storm back to power for the third consecutive term.

    “The ground for ‘Khela Hobe’ in 2024 will be prepared in Bengal itself. The BJP will lose 100 seats in these five states I named. They should remember that during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure, Congress had over 400 seats, yet they lost the next elections. BJP leaders’ assertion that it would bag 300 seats will also bite the dust,” she said.

    Banerjee insisted that the “arrest of Jharkhand MLAs with hordes of cash by the Bengal police recently” had stopped horse-trading in the neighbouring state and prevented the fall of the Hemant Soren government.

    Three Congress MLAs of Jharkhand were arrested on July 30 after nearly Rs 49 lakh in cash was found in the car that was intercepted at Panchla in West Bengal’s Howrah district.

    The Congress, a part of the JMM-led government in Jharkhand, claimed that the BJP was trying to topple the Soren government by offering Rs 10 crore each and ministerial berths to the MLAs.

    “The BJP thinks they can threaten us with CBI and ED. The more they pursue such tricks, the more they will get closer to defeat in next year’s panchayat election and 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” she said.

    The CM slammed the opposition, especially the BJP, and a section of the media for allegedly unleashing a malicious campaign against her and her party leaders following the arrest of senior leaders Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal by central agencies in different cases.

    Meanwhile, rebuffing Banerjee’s claims, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said the TMC supremo should stop “daydreaming”.

    “We have seen TMC’s national overdrive in 2014 and 2019. It’s high time that the party learns its lessons,” he said.

  • PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Kartavya Path

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday inaugurated the newly-christened Kartavya Path, the stretch of road from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate earlier known as Rajpath.

    According to the Union housing and urban affairs ministry, the new stretch will be more pedestrian-friendly because of the new red granite walkways spreading 15.5 km that have been created, replacing bajri sand that lined the ground earlier.

    Four new pedestrian underpasses have been built at busy junctions to segregate vehicular traffic from pedestrian movement, making the street safe to cross.

    According to an official, 74 historic light poles and all chain links have been restored, upgraded and reinstalled on the site and more than 900 new light poles have been added where necessary to ensure that the space is always safe for visitors.

    The revamped stretch is part of the Modi government’s ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project, which also envisages a new triangular Parliament building, a common central secretariat, a new prime minister’s residence and office, and a new vice-president’s enclave.

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday inaugurated the newly-christened Kartavya Path, the stretch of road from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate earlier known as Rajpath.

    According to the Union housing and urban affairs ministry, the new stretch will be more pedestrian-friendly because of the new red granite walkways spreading 15.5 km that have been created, replacing bajri sand that lined the ground earlier.

    Four new pedestrian underpasses have been built at busy junctions to segregate vehicular traffic from pedestrian movement, making the street safe to cross.

    According to an official, 74 historic light poles and all chain links have been restored, upgraded and reinstalled on the site and more than 900 new light poles have been added where necessary to ensure that the space is always safe for visitors.

    The revamped stretch is part of the Modi government’s ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project, which also envisages a new triangular Parliament building, a common central secretariat, a new prime minister’s residence and office, and a new vice-president’s enclave.

  • ‘As if I am their servant’: Mamata hits at Centre for not getting proper invitation to Netaji statue event

    By Express News Service

    Kolkata: Slamming the centre for “lack of decency” in sending an invite to her, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday that she did not attend the unveiling ceremony of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s statue in New Delhi. She also made it a point that an undersecretary is not supposed to write to a CM inviting him or her.

    “I got a letter yesterday from an undersecretary saying the PM will inaugurate the Netaji statue at 7 pm and you must be there at 6 pm. As if I am their servant. How can an undersecretary write to a Chief Minister? This reflects a lack of decency. The Union Cultural Minister, too, seemed to have found no time to write to me. So, I didn’t go. I garlanded Netaji’s statue in Kolkata this afternoon,’’ said Mamata while addressing a gathering of elected representatives in Panchayat in Netaji Indoor Stadium.

    At a time when Bengal’s ruling party is facing the heat of alleged corruption and scam, being probed by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED), Mamata issued an instruction asking not to recommend for any job in letterheads.

    “Do not recommend a job for anyone on your letterheads. Do not discuss issues over the phone. If you have anything important to communicate, do it by meeting face-to-face. The personnel of Intelligence Bureau (IB) in districts are basically BJP’s eyes and ears,’’ she said.

    ALSO READ | PM Modi unveils 28-ft-tall Netaji statue at India Gate 

    Mamata’s comment appeared to be significant as the ED while conducting a search at the residence of arrested former TMC minister Partha Chatterjee in connection with an alleged scam in recruitment in schools, recovered letterheads in which district-level functionaries of the ruling party recommended jobs in schools.

    Mamata, once again, stood by the side of Birbhum’s TMC strongman Anubrata Mondal, who was arrested by the CBI in a cattle smuggling case. “They (BJP) think they will win two Lok Sabha seats in the district by throwing Kesto (Mondal) behind the bars. But their dream will be shattered,’’ said Mamata.

    The TMC supremo, however, preferred to maintain distance with her former minister Chatterjee by removing him from his posts in the cabinet and suspending him from the party.

    ALSO READ | Netaji daughter to miss unveiling of father’s statue, wants Govt to consider bringing Bose’s remains back 

    Criticising Mamata for her support for Mondal, BJP’s national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said, “She realised that if Mondal starts speaking out before the central agency, it will invite trouble for her. This is why she is supporting Mondal.’’

    Kolkata: Slamming the centre for “lack of decency” in sending an invite to her, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday that she did not attend the unveiling ceremony of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s statue in New Delhi. She also made it a point that an undersecretary is not supposed to write to a CM inviting him or her.

    “I got a letter yesterday from an undersecretary saying the PM will inaugurate the Netaji statue at 7 pm and you must be there at 6 pm. As if I am their servant. How can an undersecretary write to a Chief Minister? This reflects a lack of decency. The Union Cultural Minister, too, seemed to have found no time to write to me. So, I didn’t go. I garlanded Netaji’s statue in Kolkata this afternoon,’’ said Mamata while addressing a gathering of elected representatives in Panchayat in Netaji Indoor Stadium.

    At a time when Bengal’s ruling party is facing the heat of alleged corruption and scam, being probed by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED), Mamata issued an instruction asking not to recommend for any job in letterheads.

    “Do not recommend a job for anyone on your letterheads. Do not discuss issues over the phone. If you have anything important to communicate, do it by meeting face-to-face. The personnel of Intelligence Bureau (IB) in districts are basically BJP’s eyes and ears,’’ she said.

    ALSO READ | PM Modi unveils 28-ft-tall Netaji statue at India Gate 

    Mamata’s comment appeared to be significant as the ED while conducting a search at the residence of arrested former TMC minister Partha Chatterjee in connection with an alleged scam in recruitment in schools, recovered letterheads in which district-level functionaries of the ruling party recommended jobs in schools.

    Mamata, once again, stood by the side of Birbhum’s TMC strongman Anubrata Mondal, who was arrested by the CBI in a cattle smuggling case. “They (BJP) think they will win two Lok Sabha seats in the district by throwing Kesto (Mondal) behind the bars. But their dream will be shattered,’’ said Mamata.

    The TMC supremo, however, preferred to maintain distance with her former minister Chatterjee by removing him from his posts in the cabinet and suspending him from the party.

    ALSO READ | Netaji daughter to miss unveiling of father’s statue, wants Govt to consider bringing Bose’s remains back 

    Criticising Mamata for her support for Mondal, BJP’s national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said, “She realised that if Mondal starts speaking out before the central agency, it will invite trouble for her. This is why she is supporting Mondal.’’

  • Sonali Phogat death: Goa minister says everything happening in state shouldn’t be linked to tourism

    By PTI

    PANAJI: Against the backdrop of BJP leader Sonali Phogat’s death in Goa, state Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Thursday said everything happening in the coastal state should not be linked to tourism.

    Talking to reporters in Panaji, Khaunte also expressed concern over the drug menace and said they want tourists to act responsibly in the beach state.

    Phogat (43), a former Tik Tok star and contestant on the reality TV show “Big Boss”, died in Goa last month. The state police have arrested five people and booked two of them on charges of murder.

    Khaunte said, “The incident like the death of Sonali Phogat should not be linked to the tourism industry and its prospects.”The police department is investigating Phogat’s death. Let the investigation reveal the truth behind her death,” he said. Every time something happens in Goa, it is being linked to the tourism industry, he said.

    “Drugs is a serious concern and the state government is strictly working to check the menace,” he said adding that “we cannot connect everything to tourism.”

    Tourism is the backbone of Goa, he said. “We want tourists to come and enjoy in the state but act responsibly,” the minister said.

    The Goa government is working to ensure tourism in the state moves in the right direction.

    PANAJI: Against the backdrop of BJP leader Sonali Phogat’s death in Goa, state Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Thursday said everything happening in the coastal state should not be linked to tourism.

    Talking to reporters in Panaji, Khaunte also expressed concern over the drug menace and said they want tourists to act responsibly in the beach state.

    Phogat (43), a former Tik Tok star and contestant on the reality TV show “Big Boss”, died in Goa last month. The state police have arrested five people and booked two of them on charges of murder.

    Khaunte said, “The incident like the death of Sonali Phogat should not be linked to the tourism industry and its prospects.”The police department is investigating Phogat’s death. Let the investigation reveal the truth behind her death,” he said. Every time something happens in Goa, it is being linked to the tourism industry, he said.

    “Drugs is a serious concern and the state government is strictly working to check the menace,” he said adding that “we cannot connect everything to tourism.”

    Tourism is the backbone of Goa, he said. “We want tourists to come and enjoy in the state but act responsibly,” the minister said.

    The Goa government is working to ensure tourism in the state moves in the right direction.

  • ‘India faces its worst-ever economic crisis, heading towards disaster’: Rahul attacks BJP

    By PTI

    KANYAKUMARI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said India is facing its “worst-ever economic crisis” and is heading towards a “disaster”, while also alleging that a handful of large businesses are controlling the country with the help of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    Speaking at the launch of the Congress’ ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ at a rally here, Gandhi said during the British period, there was one East India Company that controlled the country, now there are three-four companies doing so.

    “Today, India faces its worst-ever economic crisis. The highest level of unemployment that we have ever seen and the country is heading into a disaster,” he said.

    “Unfortunately, our friends in the media are fully controlled,” the former Congress chief alleged in his speech that was being simultaneously translated into Tamil by an interpreter.

    Gandhi said everybody understands the economic situation in the country.

    However, one would never see unemployment or price rise on television and only the image of the prime minister.

    “The BJP government has systematically attacked farmers, labourers, and small and medium businesses of this country,” he said.

    A handful of large businesses control the entire country today, Gandhi alleged.

    Ports, airports, coal, power, telecom, every single industry is controlled by a handful of businesses, he claimed.

    “The prime minister will not last one day without their support. They control the media and they ensure that the PM is on TV 24 hours a day. In exchange, the PM carries out policies that are in their interest,” Gandhi alleged.

    He said demonetisation, a flawed Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, and the three farm laws were all designed to help the same few businessmen.

    “The idea is very similar to what the British used to do, divide India, make Indians fight with each other and then steal from the Indian people. In those days, it used to be called the East India Company, it was one big company that controlled the whole of India,” Gandhi said.

    Today, there are three-four big companies that control the entire India, he alleged.

    Policies like demonetisation, GST, and farm laws are designed to take away from the future of India and from the poor people of India, he said.

    Asserting that jobs are created by small and medium businesses and farmers, Gandhi said today small and medium businesses have been crippled by the BJP’s policies and farmers are barely surviving.

    “So the result is, it is impossible for India to create jobs for its youngsters. While our youngsters cannot earn, the prices keep going up. So, we are heading into bad times,” he said.

    Gandhi stressed that it is very important to bring the people of India together and make sure that “we are united so that India is strong”.

    That is the aim of the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, he added.

    “The ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ is designed to listen to the people of India. We do not want to crush the voice of the people of India,” Gandhi asserted.

    “We want to listen to the people of India,” he added.

    Earlier in the day, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi paid floral tributes to his father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi at the latter’s memorial in Sriperumbudur and said he lost his father to “hate and division” and does not want to lose his country to it.

    The Congress leader also attended an event in Kanyakumari where Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, Rajasthan’s Ashok Gehlot and Chhattisgarh’s Bhupesh Baghel were present.

    In a symbolic gesture on the commencement of the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, Stalin handed over the national flag to Gandhi and the two leaders saluted the tricolour, signifying the broad theme of unity.

    Earlier, Stalin welcomed him here and joined the Congress leader at the prayer meet at the Gandhi Memorial.

    After the event at the Mahatma Gandhi Mandapam, Gandhi and other Congress leaders walked to the seaside venue of the rally and the yatra was formally launched.

    KANYAKUMARI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said India is facing its “worst-ever economic crisis” and is heading towards a “disaster”, while also alleging that a handful of large businesses are controlling the country with the help of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    Speaking at the launch of the Congress’ ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ at a rally here, Gandhi said during the British period, there was one East India Company that controlled the country, now there are three-four companies doing so.

    “Today, India faces its worst-ever economic crisis. The highest level of unemployment that we have ever seen and the country is heading into a disaster,” he said.

    “Unfortunately, our friends in the media are fully controlled,” the former Congress chief alleged in his speech that was being simultaneously translated into Tamil by an interpreter.

    Gandhi said everybody understands the economic situation in the country.

    However, one would never see unemployment or price rise on television and only the image of the prime minister.

    “The BJP government has systematically attacked farmers, labourers, and small and medium businesses of this country,” he said.

    A handful of large businesses control the entire country today, Gandhi alleged.

    Ports, airports, coal, power, telecom, every single industry is controlled by a handful of businesses, he claimed.

    “The prime minister will not last one day without their support. They control the media and they ensure that the PM is on TV 24 hours a day. In exchange, the PM carries out policies that are in their interest,” Gandhi alleged.

    He said demonetisation, a flawed Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, and the three farm laws were all designed to help the same few businessmen.

    “The idea is very similar to what the British used to do, divide India, make Indians fight with each other and then steal from the Indian people. In those days, it used to be called the East India Company, it was one big company that controlled the whole of India,” Gandhi said.

    Today, there are three-four big companies that control the entire India, he alleged.

    Policies like demonetisation, GST, and farm laws are designed to take away from the future of India and from the poor people of India, he said.

    Asserting that jobs are created by small and medium businesses and farmers, Gandhi said today small and medium businesses have been crippled by the BJP’s policies and farmers are barely surviving.

    “So the result is, it is impossible for India to create jobs for its youngsters. While our youngsters cannot earn, the prices keep going up. So, we are heading into bad times,” he said.

    Gandhi stressed that it is very important to bring the people of India together and make sure that “we are united so that India is strong”.

    That is the aim of the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, he added.

    “The ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ is designed to listen to the people of India. We do not want to crush the voice of the people of India,” Gandhi asserted.

    “We want to listen to the people of India,” he added.

    Earlier in the day, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi paid floral tributes to his father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi at the latter’s memorial in Sriperumbudur and said he lost his father to “hate and division” and does not want to lose his country to it.

    The Congress leader also attended an event in Kanyakumari where Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, Rajasthan’s Ashok Gehlot and Chhattisgarh’s Bhupesh Baghel were present.

    In a symbolic gesture on the commencement of the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, Stalin handed over the national flag to Gandhi and the two leaders saluted the tricolour, signifying the broad theme of unity.

    Earlier, Stalin welcomed him here and joined the Congress leader at the prayer meet at the Gandhi Memorial.

    After the event at the Mahatma Gandhi Mandapam, Gandhi and other Congress leaders walked to the seaside venue of the rally and the yatra was formally launched.

  • Uttar Pradesh BJP snubs Akhilesh for offering CMship to Keshav Maurya 

    By Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Reacting to the purported offer extended by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya to part ways with the BJP and become the CM, newly elected UP BJP chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhury advised the SP chief to worry about his MLAs and allies who were allegedly in contact with the ruling party.

    Responding to Yadav’s statement given during a programme organised by a news channel, Chaudhury took to Twitter saying that Maurya was a certified and dedicated worker of the party who is devoted to the BJP’s ideology. “Keshav ji is a certified worker of the organisation, of the party and dedicated to the ideology of BJP. He will always be with us, he is not a leader who falls in selfishness,” Chaudhary tweeted.

    In another tweet, Chaudhary said, “Akhilesh Yadav should worry about his alliance, his family, his party, and his MLAs because his MLAs are in touch with us.”

    Yadav had reportedly suggested Maurya for a grand alliance against the BJP on the lines of Bihar where Nitish Kumar tied up with RJD and Congress to make government. 

    However, in the recent legislative Assembly polls, Maurya had lost to Apna Dal-Kamerawadi leader Pallavi Patel who had contested on the SP ticket from Sirathu, Maurya’s traditional seat. 

    The SP won 111 seats and its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) eight. Two other alliance partners Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (six MLAs) and Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (one MLA) have since then parted ways with the SP. The BJP has 255 seats and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) 272 in the 403-member state Assembly.

    Significantly, Akhilesh and Maurya had a face-off on the floor of the Assembly which had hit the headlines and the SP chief had drawn widespread criticism over the use of unparliamentary language against Maurya.

    LUCKNOW: Reacting to the purported offer extended by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya to part ways with the BJP and become the CM, newly elected UP BJP chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhury advised the SP chief to worry about his MLAs and allies who were allegedly in contact with the ruling party.

    Responding to Yadav’s statement given during a programme organised by a news channel, Chaudhury took to Twitter saying that Maurya was a certified and dedicated worker of the party who is devoted to the BJP’s ideology. “Keshav ji is a certified worker of the organisation, of the party and dedicated to the ideology of BJP. He will always be with us, he is not a leader who falls in selfishness,” Chaudhary tweeted.

    In another tweet, Chaudhary said, “Akhilesh Yadav should worry about his alliance, his family, his party, and his MLAs because his MLAs are in touch with us.”

    Yadav had reportedly suggested Maurya for a grand alliance against the BJP on the lines of Bihar where Nitish Kumar tied up with RJD and Congress to make government. 

    However, in the recent legislative Assembly polls, Maurya had lost to Apna Dal-Kamerawadi leader Pallavi Patel who had contested on the SP ticket from Sirathu, Maurya’s traditional seat. 

    The SP won 111 seats and its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) eight. Two other alliance partners Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (six MLAs) and Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (one MLA) have since then parted ways with the SP. The BJP has 255 seats and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) 272 in the 403-member state Assembly.

    Significantly, Akhilesh and Maurya had a face-off on the floor of the Assembly which had hit the headlines and the SP chief had drawn widespread criticism over the use of unparliamentary language against Maurya.

  • Prominent BSP leader from Haridwar joins BJP with supporters

    By PTI

    DEHRADUN: Prominent BSP leader from Haridwar Chaudhary Ravindra Singh Paniala joined the BJP here on Wednesday along with scores of his supporters ahead of the upcoming panchayat polls in the district.

    Paniala, considered a strong Gurjar leader, joined the BJP at the party office here in the presence of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, state BJP president Mahendra Bhatt and former chief minister and Haridwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.

    Soon after joining the BJP, Paniala said he will work to ensure the victory of party candidates in the panchayat polls. Among other important Bahujan Samaj Party leaders who joined the BJP was Lokendra Churiala.

    Besides, scores of BSP workers from the Dalit community and other backward sections joined the BJP. The three-tier panchayat polls in Haridwar are scheduled to be held on September 26. The counting of votes will take place on September 28.

    The BJP has announced its candidates for 44 wards, the Congress for 31 and the BSP for 27.

    DEHRADUN: Prominent BSP leader from Haridwar Chaudhary Ravindra Singh Paniala joined the BJP here on Wednesday along with scores of his supporters ahead of the upcoming panchayat polls in the district.

    Paniala, considered a strong Gurjar leader, joined the BJP at the party office here in the presence of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, state BJP president Mahendra Bhatt and former chief minister and Haridwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.

    Soon after joining the BJP, Paniala said he will work to ensure the victory of party candidates in the panchayat polls. Among other important Bahujan Samaj Party leaders who joined the BJP was Lokendra Churiala.

    Besides, scores of BSP workers from the Dalit community and other backward sections joined the BJP. The three-tier panchayat polls in Haridwar are scheduled to be held on September 26. The counting of votes will take place on September 28.

    The BJP has announced its candidates for 44 wards, the Congress for 31 and the BSP for 27.

  • BJP government misusing NIA to target Muslim leaders, says Karnataka PFI

    By Express News Service

    MANGALURU: A day after NIA implicated the Popular Front of India (PFI) for the murder of BJP worker Praveen Nettaru, the PFI Karnataka State Committee on Wednesday accused the BJP government of misusing the NIA in order to target the leaders of the organisation on the pretext of investigating the Praveen Nettaru murder case.

    “There have been several murder incidents in the state recently, including the serial killings in Dakshina Kannada district. The BJP government has not given any significance to the investigation of the murders of Arbaaz from Belagavi, Sameer Shahapur, Masood of Sullia, Fazil of Suratkal. Just the murder of rowdy sheeter Harsha from Shivamoga and Praveen Nettaru is glorified,” PFI state secretary AK Ashraf told reporters at a press meet here.

    He said the preliminary investigation conducted by the local police into Harsh’s murder revealed that it was a fallout of a gang war while Praveen’s murder was due to local communal enmity. However, he alleged that Sangh Parivar activists were involved directly in the murder cases of Muslim youths in the state and accused the BJP government of following a biased approach.

    Ashraf further alleged that there was a larger conspiracy behind handing over only the murder cases of BJP workers to NIA. “It is clear that they have misused NIA. A Muslim youth accused in the recent stabbing incident in Shivamoga also has been booked under UAPA, which is an example of how the BJP is misusing investigative agencies like the NIA,” he said.

    Ashraf termed the NIA raids on the houses and offices of the leaders of Muslim organisations as misuse of constitutional institutions and harmful to democracy.

    “The BJP government has been executing massive campaigns against its staunch ideological opponent – PDI – to cover up its administrative failures. But so far it has not been able to provide legal evidence against the constitutionally functioning PFI. We cannot be intimated by such threats. The BJP government should immediately stop targetting Muslim leaders using NIA failing which the organisation will launch legal and democratic struggles across the state,” he threatened.

    MANGALURU: A day after NIA implicated the Popular Front of India (PFI) for the murder of BJP worker Praveen Nettaru, the PFI Karnataka State Committee on Wednesday accused the BJP government of misusing the NIA in order to target the leaders of the organisation on the pretext of investigating the Praveen Nettaru murder case.

    “There have been several murder incidents in the state recently, including the serial killings in Dakshina Kannada district. The BJP government has not given any significance to the investigation of the murders of Arbaaz from Belagavi, Sameer Shahapur, Masood of Sullia, Fazil of Suratkal. Just the murder of rowdy sheeter Harsha from Shivamoga and Praveen Nettaru is glorified,” PFI state secretary AK Ashraf told reporters at a press meet here.

    He said the preliminary investigation conducted by the local police into Harsh’s murder revealed that it was a fallout of a gang war while Praveen’s murder was due to local communal enmity. However, he alleged that Sangh Parivar activists were involved directly in the murder cases of Muslim youths in the state and accused the BJP government of following a biased approach.

    Ashraf further alleged that there was a larger conspiracy behind handing over only the murder cases of BJP workers to NIA. “It is clear that they have misused NIA. A Muslim youth accused in the recent stabbing incident in Shivamoga also has been booked under UAPA, which is an example of how the BJP is misusing investigative agencies like the NIA,” he said.

    Ashraf termed the NIA raids on the houses and offices of the leaders of Muslim organisations as misuse of constitutional institutions and harmful to democracy.

    “The BJP government has been executing massive campaigns against its staunch ideological opponent – PDI – to cover up its administrative failures. But so far it has not been able to provide legal evidence against the constitutionally functioning PFI. We cannot be intimated by such threats. The BJP government should immediately stop targetting Muslim leaders using NIA failing which the organisation will launch legal and democratic struggles across the state,” he threatened.

  • Caste-wise census to start in Bihar by Oct end as BJP flags its concern over Rohingyas, Bangladeshis

    Express News Service

    PPATNA: Amid BJP’s concerns over Rohingyas and Bangladeshis being counted, Bihar government will launch the process for caste-wise census by the end of October, late nearly by a month.

    The delay in conducting caste-based census as well as economic enumeration has been caused in view of the possibility of civic body elections in the state due for September-October. 

    On the other hand, administrative preparations are in full swing to conduct the caste-based census in the state. The Bihar government has given the task of conducting caste-based census to the General Administration Department. 

    ​The District Magistrate of the concerned district has been appointed as the nodal officer for conducting the caste-based census at the district level. All castes and sub-castes of all religions will be counted during the cumberson exercise.

    The Bihar government has allocated Rs 500 crore for conducting the caste-based census and has fixed the target of completing the work by February next year. 

    The provision of this money will be made from the Bihar Contingency Fund. Leaders of various parties in the Vidhan Sabha will be apprised of the progress of the census from time to time. After completion of the exercise, schemes will be formulated on the socio-economic condition of various castes.

    Bihar government has decided to conduct caste-based census in both offline as well as online modes. For conducting the caste-based census in the online mode, the general administration department is also developing a mobile app and it is expected that the app would be ready by the end of this month.

    The caste-based census was conducted last time in 1931. Later, caste-based data was also collected during the census in 1941 but the data was not made public. Socio-economic-caste census (SECC) was conducted in 2011 too but the caste data was not released.

    Bihar cabinet had passed the proposal in June to conduct the caste-based census in the state but then Nitish`s party, JD (U), was part of BJP. After political realignment in the state, it will be interesting to see how BJP responds when the process for caste-based census begins. BJP had agreed to the caste basedcensus in the state after showing much reluctance for it. BJP central leadership and even Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai had clearly ruled out holding the enumeration of OBCs in 2021 census.

    Even as BJP agreed for caste-based census in Bihar, state party president Sanjay Jaiswal said the caste count should ensure Rohingyas and people did not participate in the exercise as a ‘cover for fake citizenship.

    PPATNA: Amid BJP’s concerns over Rohingyas and Bangladeshis being counted, Bihar government will launch the process for caste-wise census by the end of October, late nearly by a month.

    The delay in conducting caste-based census as well as economic enumeration has been caused in view of the possibility of civic body elections in the state due for September-October. 

    On the other hand, administrative preparations are in full swing to conduct the caste-based census in the state. The Bihar government has given the task of conducting caste-based census to the General Administration Department. 

    ​The District Magistrate of the concerned district has been appointed as the nodal officer for conducting the caste-based census at the district level. All castes and sub-castes of all religions will be counted during the cumberson exercise.

    The Bihar government has allocated Rs 500 crore for conducting the caste-based census and has fixed the target of completing the work by February next year. 

    The provision of this money will be made from the Bihar Contingency Fund. Leaders of various parties in the Vidhan Sabha will be apprised of the progress of the census from time to time. After completion of the exercise, schemes will be formulated on the socio-economic condition of various castes.

    Bihar government has decided to conduct caste-based census in both offline as well as online modes. For conducting the caste-based census in the online mode, the general administration department is also developing a mobile app and it is expected that the app would be ready by the end of this month.

    The caste-based census was conducted last time in 1931. Later, caste-based data was also collected during the census in 1941 but the data was not made public. Socio-economic-caste census (SECC) was conducted in 2011 too but the caste data was not released.

    Bihar cabinet had passed the proposal in June to conduct the caste-based census in the state but then Nitish`s party, JD (U), was part of BJP. After political realignment in the state, it will be interesting to see how BJP responds when the process for caste-based census begins. BJP had agreed to the caste based
    census in the state after showing much reluctance for it. BJP central leadership and even Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai had clearly ruled out holding the enumeration of OBCs in 2021 census.

    Even as BJP agreed for caste-based census in Bihar, state party president Sanjay Jaiswal said the caste count should ensure Rohingyas and people did not participate in the exercise as a ‘cover for fake citizenship.