News Analysis India

Tag: BJP

  • No women in 20-member cabinet as Maharashtra CM Shinde expands 41-day-old ministry

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday expanded his two-member ministry 41 days after taking oath as the Chief Minister by inducting 18 ministers, nine each from his rebel Shiv Sena group and the BJP.

    The list doesn’t include a woman, a move being panned by politicians and women’s rights activists.

    “Maharashtra was the first state in the country to give reservation for women. When 50 per cent of India’s population is of women, they are not represented in the state cabinet,” NCP MP Supriya Sule said. “This shows the BJP’s mindset,” she added.

    Eighteen MLAs, including state BJP president Chandrakant Patil, were sworn in as cabinet ministers at Raj Bhavan in south Mumbai on Tuesday. The strength of Maharashtra ministry has now gone up to 20, less than half the maximum allowed strength of 43.

    Governor B S Koshyari administered the oath of office to the ministers. On June 30, Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister and Devendra Fadnavis took oath as deputy CM.

    The new BJP ministers are Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Chandrakant Patil, Vijaykumar Gavit, Girish Mahajan, Suresh Khade, Ravindra Chavan, Atul Save and Mangalprabhat Lodha.

    From the Shinde group, Gulabrao Patil, Dada Bhuse, Sanjay Rathod, Sandipan Bhumre, Uday Samant, Tanaji Sawant, Abdul Sattar, Deepak Kesarkar and Shambhuraj Desai were sworn in as ministers. No minister of state was sworn in today. There will be another ministry expansion later, an aide of Shinde said.

    While BJP has inducted Lodha, who hails from Mumbai, the Shinde group hasn’t included any legislator from the financial capital, where municipal corporation elections are slated later this year.

    The new ministers include Shinde group MLA Sanjay Rathod, who was the forest minister when Uddhav Thackeray was the Chief Minister, and was forced to resign after BJP leaders blamed him for a woman’s suicide.

    State BJP vice president Chitra Wagh protested Rathod’s induction into the Cabinet.

    “It is very unfortunate that former minister Sanjay Rathod, who caused the woman’s death, has been given the post of minister again. I will continue my fight against Rathod even though he has become a minister again,” she said.

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday expanded his two-member ministry 41 days after taking oath as the Chief Minister by inducting 18 ministers, nine each from his rebel Shiv Sena group and the BJP.

    The list doesn’t include a woman, a move being panned by politicians and women’s rights activists.

    “Maharashtra was the first state in the country to give reservation for women. When 50 per cent of India’s population is of women, they are not represented in the state cabinet,” NCP MP Supriya Sule said. “This shows the BJP’s mindset,” she added.

    Eighteen MLAs, including state BJP president Chandrakant Patil, were sworn in as cabinet ministers at Raj Bhavan in south Mumbai on Tuesday. The strength of Maharashtra ministry has now gone up to 20, less than half the maximum allowed strength of 43.

    Governor B S Koshyari administered the oath of office to the ministers. On June 30, Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister and Devendra Fadnavis took oath as deputy CM.

    The new BJP ministers are Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Chandrakant Patil, Vijaykumar Gavit, Girish Mahajan, Suresh Khade, Ravindra Chavan, Atul Save and Mangalprabhat Lodha.

    From the Shinde group, Gulabrao Patil, Dada Bhuse, Sanjay Rathod, Sandipan Bhumre, Uday Samant, Tanaji Sawant, Abdul Sattar, Deepak Kesarkar and Shambhuraj Desai were sworn in as ministers. No minister of state was sworn in today. There will be another ministry expansion later, an aide of Shinde said.

    While BJP has inducted Lodha, who hails from Mumbai, the Shinde group hasn’t included any legislator from the financial capital, where municipal corporation elections are slated later this year.

    The new ministers include Shinde group MLA Sanjay Rathod, who was the forest minister when Uddhav Thackeray was the Chief Minister, and was forced to resign after BJP leaders blamed him for a woman’s suicide.

    State BJP vice president Chitra Wagh protested Rathod’s induction into the Cabinet.

    “It is very unfortunate that former minister Sanjay Rathod, who caused the woman’s death, has been given the post of minister again. I will continue my fight against Rathod even though he has become a minister again,” she said.

  • Gujarat: Former BJP mayor, Congress leader, social worker join AAP ahead of state polls

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: A former Bharatiya Janata Party mayor of Jamnagar and a Congress candidate in the 2017 Assembly polls in Gujarat have joined the Aam Aadmi Party, the Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit said on Monday.

    Former Jamnagar mayor and senior BJP leader Kanaksinh Jadeja joined the AAP during the two-day visit of Delhi Chief Minister and party national convener Kejriwal to the state on Saturday and Sunday, it said in a statement.

    Bharatsinh Vakhala, who unsuccessfully contested the 2017 Assembly polls from Devgarh Baria, joined AAP on Monday in the presence of state unit chief Gopal Italia.

    Vakhala was defeated by the BJP’s Bachubhai Khabad in the 2017 polls.

    Jadeja, who also served as BJP corporator between 1995 and 2005 and served as the president of Saree Business Association since 2010, joined AAP during Kejriwal’s visit to Jamnagar on Saturday.

    Jadeja said he joined AAP because he was influenced by Kejriwal’s ideology.

    “Vakhala and social worker Swejal Vyas joined AAP in the presence of Kejriwal during his Vadodara visit on Sunday. Kejriwal welcomed both the dignitaries into the AAP by offering them caps,” Italia told reporters.

    Vakhala said he had received 58,000 votes in the 2017 Assembly polls without any help from the Congress.

    “There is corruption of Rs 16 crore in a check dam but the Congress did not help me in my fight. My fight in court continues even today. I was defeated due to the collusion of Congress and BJP. So I have joined AAP,” he claimed.

    Vyas, a social worker from Vadodara, claimed he had joined AAP without greed for any post.

    AHMEDABAD: A former Bharatiya Janata Party mayor of Jamnagar and a Congress candidate in the 2017 Assembly polls in Gujarat have joined the Aam Aadmi Party, the Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit said on Monday.

    Former Jamnagar mayor and senior BJP leader Kanaksinh Jadeja joined the AAP during the two-day visit of Delhi Chief Minister and party national convener Kejriwal to the state on Saturday and Sunday, it said in a statement.

    Bharatsinh Vakhala, who unsuccessfully contested the 2017 Assembly polls from Devgarh Baria, joined AAP on Monday in the presence of state unit chief Gopal Italia.

    Vakhala was defeated by the BJP’s Bachubhai Khabad in the 2017 polls.

    Jadeja, who also served as BJP corporator between 1995 and 2005 and served as the president of Saree Business Association since 2010, joined AAP during Kejriwal’s visit to Jamnagar on Saturday.

    Jadeja said he joined AAP because he was influenced by Kejriwal’s ideology.

    “Vakhala and social worker Swejal Vyas joined AAP in the presence of Kejriwal during his Vadodara visit on Sunday. Kejriwal welcomed both the dignitaries into the AAP by offering them caps,” Italia told reporters.

    Vakhala said he had received 58,000 votes in the 2017 Assembly polls without any help from the Congress.

    “There is corruption of Rs 16 crore in a check dam but the Congress did not help me in my fight. My fight in court continues even today. I was defeated due to the collusion of Congress and BJP. So I have joined AAP,” he claimed.

    Vyas, a social worker from Vadodara, claimed he had joined AAP without greed for any post.

  • Ready to embrace JD(U) if Nitish breaks ranks with BJP, says RJD

    By PTI

    PATNA: Amid a brewing political storm in Bihar, the opposition RJD on Monday said it was ready to “embrace” Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his JD(U) if he broke ranks with the BJP.

    RJD national vice-president Shivanand Tiwary said that convening meetings of legislators by both parties on Tuesday were a clear indication that the situation was extraordinary.

    “Personally, I am not aware of the goings on. But we cannot ignore the fact that both parties, which together had sufficient numbers to muster a majority, have convened such meetings when an assembly session is not round the corner,” Tiwary told reporters here.

    “If Nitish chooses to dump NDA, what choice do we have except to embrace him (‘gale lagaenge’). RJD is committed to fighting the BJP. If the chief minister decides to join this fight, we will have to take him along,” said Tiwary.

    He was also asked whether the RJD would be willing to forget bitter episodes of the past, like Kumar’s return to the NDA in 2017, citing allegations of corruption against Lalu Prasad and his family members, including a younger son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav, who was then his deputy.

    “In politics, we cannot remain prisoners of the past. We socialists had started off opposing the Congress which was then in power. But, even the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi was imposed by invoking the Constitution. The BJP, which has now become a behemoth, seems out to destroy the Constitution. We have to respond to the challenges of the times,” Tiwary said.

    Speculations of yet another political volte-face by Kumar have been fuelled by his skipping the farewell of former President Ram Nath Kovind and the swearing-in of Droupadi Murmu and, more recently, the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.

    JD(U) has sought to make light of Kumar’s absence at the functions, citing its support to NDA in elections for President and Vice-President and also pointing toward the fact that the chief minister had then tested positive for COVID-19.

    Post-COVID debility is also said to have been cited by Kumar while expressing his inability to attend the NITI Aayog meeting.

    However, on the very same day, he was seen at more than one event, even sharing the dais at one of these with cabinet colleagues belonging to the BJP.

    On Monday, he held his weekly public interaction programme again, having recuperated from the dreaded virus.

    Among those present at the ‘Janta Ke Durbaar Mein Mukhyamantri’ programme was deputy CM Tarkishor Prasad, who is also the BJP’s leader in the house.

    Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, whose Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) is an NDA ally, however, claimed there was no crisis in the ruling coalition.

    “In JD(U), it is Nitish Kumar who calls the shots. He has not said anything so far. I do not know what he is exactly thinking, but had he planned any major move, he would have given me a hint. I will, however, try to talk to him,” Manjhi, whose son is a minister, and who had once agreed to merge his party with JD(U), said.

    Meanwhile, AICC national secretary and MLA Shakil Ahmed Khan said whatever was happening in Bihar was “shubh sanket” (a good sign) as “the BJP, which has a history of creating trouble for its allies, is getting a taste of its own medicine”.

    He, however, declined to comment on reports in a section of the media that Kumar spoke to senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi over the phone Sunday night.

    Meanwhile, state BJP leaders were maintaining a studied silence, apparently upon the advice of the top leadership to rein in their loquacity, which could rock the boat.

    Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda, along with other national office bearers, had visited the city a fortnight ago.

    The top brass appeared to have sensed the straws in the wind at that time as evident from a press statement then reaffirming faith in the leadership of Nitish Kumar, which has, however, failed to impress the JD(U).

    PATNA: Amid a brewing political storm in Bihar, the opposition RJD on Monday said it was ready to “embrace” Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his JD(U) if he broke ranks with the BJP.

    RJD national vice-president Shivanand Tiwary said that convening meetings of legislators by both parties on Tuesday were a clear indication that the situation was extraordinary.

    “Personally, I am not aware of the goings on. But we cannot ignore the fact that both parties, which together had sufficient numbers to muster a majority, have convened such meetings when an assembly session is not round the corner,” Tiwary told reporters here.

    “If Nitish chooses to dump NDA, what choice do we have except to embrace him (‘gale lagaenge’). RJD is committed to fighting the BJP. If the chief minister decides to join this fight, we will have to take him along,” said Tiwary.

    He was also asked whether the RJD would be willing to forget bitter episodes of the past, like Kumar’s return to the NDA in 2017, citing allegations of corruption against Lalu Prasad and his family members, including a younger son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav, who was then his deputy.

    “In politics, we cannot remain prisoners of the past. We socialists had started off opposing the Congress which was then in power. But, even the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi was imposed by invoking the Constitution. The BJP, which has now become a behemoth, seems out to destroy the Constitution. We have to respond to the challenges of the times,” Tiwary said.

    Speculations of yet another political volte-face by Kumar have been fuelled by his skipping the farewell of former President Ram Nath Kovind and the swearing-in of Droupadi Murmu and, more recently, the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.

    JD(U) has sought to make light of Kumar’s absence at the functions, citing its support to NDA in elections for President and Vice-President and also pointing toward the fact that the chief minister had then tested positive for COVID-19.

    Post-COVID debility is also said to have been cited by Kumar while expressing his inability to attend the NITI Aayog meeting.

    However, on the very same day, he was seen at more than one event, even sharing the dais at one of these with cabinet colleagues belonging to the BJP.

    On Monday, he held his weekly public interaction programme again, having recuperated from the dreaded virus.

    Among those present at the ‘Janta Ke Durbaar Mein Mukhyamantri’ programme was deputy CM Tarkishor Prasad, who is also the BJP’s leader in the house.

    Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, whose Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) is an NDA ally, however, claimed there was no crisis in the ruling coalition.

    “In JD(U), it is Nitish Kumar who calls the shots. He has not said anything so far. I do not know what he is exactly thinking, but had he planned any major move, he would have given me a hint. I will, however, try to talk to him,” Manjhi, whose son is a minister, and who had once agreed to merge his party with JD(U), said.

    Meanwhile, AICC national secretary and MLA Shakil Ahmed Khan said whatever was happening in Bihar was “shubh sanket” (a good sign) as “the BJP, which has a history of creating trouble for its allies, is getting a taste of its own medicine”.

    He, however, declined to comment on reports in a section of the media that Kumar spoke to senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi over the phone Sunday night.

    Meanwhile, state BJP leaders were maintaining a studied silence, apparently upon the advice of the top leadership to rein in their loquacity, which could rock the boat.

    Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda, along with other national office bearers, had visited the city a fortnight ago.

    The top brass appeared to have sensed the straws in the wind at that time as evident from a press statement then reaffirming faith in the leadership of Nitish Kumar, which has, however, failed to impress the JD(U).

  • Illegal land trade: Ayodhya Development Authority names mayor, BJP MLA among 40 people

    By PTI

    AYODHYA: City mayor, a local BJP MLA and a former party legislator are among the 40 people who have been accused by the Ayodhya Development Authority of illegally trading plots and building infrastructure there.

    Taking a dig at the BJP on the issue, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav said the saffron party’s “bhrashtachari” (corrupts) should at least spare Ayodhya.

    Mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay and MLA Ved Prakash Gupta have, however, claimed innocence and alleged foul play in the list of alleged offenders released by the authority.

    When contacted, they told PTI that they will give legal notice to Ayodhya Development Authority over the “false charges”.

    “The list of 40 people who illegally bought and sold land and got construction work done in the authority area was released on Saturday night,” the authority’s vice chairman Vishal Singh told PTI on Sunday.

    He said action will be taken against all 40 people.

    Speaking to PTI, Upadhyay and Gupta alleged a conspiracy, saying they have been falsely implicated in the case.

    The name of Gorakhnath Baba, a former BJP MLA from Milkipur, also features in the list.

    Prior to the assembly elections held earlier this year, rival parties in the state had raised the issue of illegal purchase and sale of land in Ayodhya.

    Local MP Lallu Singh had written to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath demanding a probe by a Special Investigation Team into the matter.

    SP chief Yadav in a tweet in Hindi said, “We have said it before and are repeating it again. The BJP’s corrupt, at least spare Ayodhya.” 

    He also tagged a media report to back his allegation.

    His party demanded an investigation into the matter and action against the culprits.

    “Sin by BJP workers in Ayodhya! BJP’s Mayor, local MLA and former MLA are establishing illegal colonies in association with land mafia. In collusion with responsible departments, 30 illegal colonies have been set up, causing loss of state revenue to the tune of hundreds of crores. The matter should be investigated. Action should be taken against the culprits,” the SP said on its official twitter handle.

    Meanwhile, Ayodhya’s BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Singh, said, “Our Chief Minister will take strict action on every sin done in Ayodhya”.

    Mahant Raju Das, a priest at Ayodhya’s Hanumangarhi temple, has demanded CBI enquiry against the land mafia.

    Alleging that people from bureaucracy are also land mafias, Das said their names are not included in the list.

    AYODHYA: City mayor, a local BJP MLA and a former party legislator are among the 40 people who have been accused by the Ayodhya Development Authority of illegally trading plots and building infrastructure there.

    Taking a dig at the BJP on the issue, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav said the saffron party’s “bhrashtachari” (corrupts) should at least spare Ayodhya.

    Mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay and MLA Ved Prakash Gupta have, however, claimed innocence and alleged foul play in the list of alleged offenders released by the authority.

    When contacted, they told PTI that they will give legal notice to Ayodhya Development Authority over the “false charges”.

    “The list of 40 people who illegally bought and sold land and got construction work done in the authority area was released on Saturday night,” the authority’s vice chairman Vishal Singh told PTI on Sunday.

    He said action will be taken against all 40 people.

    Speaking to PTI, Upadhyay and Gupta alleged a conspiracy, saying they have been falsely implicated in the case.

    The name of Gorakhnath Baba, a former BJP MLA from Milkipur, also features in the list.

    Prior to the assembly elections held earlier this year, rival parties in the state had raised the issue of illegal purchase and sale of land in Ayodhya.

    Local MP Lallu Singh had written to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath demanding a probe by a Special Investigation Team into the matter.

    SP chief Yadav in a tweet in Hindi said, “We have said it before and are repeating it again. The BJP’s corrupt, at least spare Ayodhya.” 

    He also tagged a media report to back his allegation.

    His party demanded an investigation into the matter and action against the culprits.

    “Sin by BJP workers in Ayodhya! BJP’s Mayor, local MLA and former MLA are establishing illegal colonies in association with land mafia. In collusion with responsible departments, 30 illegal colonies have been set up, causing loss of state revenue to the tune of hundreds of crores. The matter should be investigated. Action should be taken against the culprits,” the SP said on its official twitter handle.

    Meanwhile, Ayodhya’s BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Singh, said, “Our Chief Minister will take strict action on every sin done in Ayodhya”.

    Mahant Raju Das, a priest at Ayodhya’s Hanumangarhi temple, has demanded CBI enquiry against the land mafia.

    Alleging that people from bureaucracy are also land mafias, Das said their names are not included in the list.

  • ‘I practise politics of positivity’: Chirag hits back at JDU after being blamed for its decline

    By PTI

    PATNA: Former Lok Janshakti Party chief Chirag Paswan on Sunday hit back at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), which has accused him for its own debacle in the 2020 assembly polls.

    Paswan came out with a flurry of tweets in response to allegation of “Chirag model at work” by JD(U) president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan at a press conference here.

    “I practise politics of positivity and do not represent any model. Those who had engineered infights are now themselves faced with internal strife. They would do well not look for causes out on the streets,” Paswan tweeted.

    The allusion was to the rebellion by his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, which led to a split in the LJP founded by his late father Ram Vilas Paswan, and turmoil in the JD(U) following former national president RCP Singh’s resignation.

    He also took a veiled dig at Kumar over speculations of yet another political volte-face, drawing an analogy from the Mahabharata.

    “Like Kansa, he is trying to kill every child of Devaki. First, it was my turn. Now it is of RCP. But he is not aware of the incarnation of Krishna, his political slayer. Even jumping ship will be of no help this time,” Paswan added in a cryptic tweet.

    PATNA: Former Lok Janshakti Party chief Chirag Paswan on Sunday hit back at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), which has accused him for its own debacle in the 2020 assembly polls.

    Paswan came out with a flurry of tweets in response to allegation of “Chirag model at work” by JD(U) president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan at a press conference here.

    “I practise politics of positivity and do not represent any model. Those who had engineered infights are now themselves faced with internal strife. They would do well not look for causes out on the streets,” Paswan tweeted.

    The allusion was to the rebellion by his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, which led to a split in the LJP founded by his late father Ram Vilas Paswan, and turmoil in the JD(U) following former national president RCP Singh’s resignation.

    He also took a veiled dig at Kumar over speculations of yet another political volte-face, drawing an analogy from the Mahabharata.

    “Like Kansa, he is trying to kill every child of Devaki. First, it was my turn. Now it is of RCP. But he is not aware of the incarnation of Krishna, his political slayer. Even jumping ship will be of no help this time,” Paswan added in a cryptic tweet.

  • BJP slams Gehlot over his rape law remarks, brings up Rajasthan’s poor record on women safety

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: The BJP on Sunday slammed Ashok Gehlot for his rape law remarks and said that the Rajasthan chief minister is trying to hide his government’s failures to curb rising incidents of atrocities against innocent girls in the state.

    Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that the chief minister’s statement is “unfortunate”.

    “In the last three years, Rajasthan has become the centre for atrocities against young innocent girls. Nothing can be more unfortunate that the issue is being twisted by making controversial statements to hide their failures,” said Shekhawat.

    Deputy Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Rajendra Rathore said Gehlot’s statement is “unfortunate and shameful”.

    The CM, who also heads the home department, cannot escape the failure of his government in curbing increasing rape cases in the state by making absurd statements, Rathore said.

    Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Friday, chief minister Gehlot said that the cases of murder after rape have increased in the country following the law providing death sentence for rape convicts came into force.

    “Ever since the death penalty (for rape convicts) is brought after Nirbhaya incident, the murders after rape have increased. The rapist sees that the girl will become a witness tomorrow, so he not only rapes but also kills her. This is happening across the country. This is a very dangerous trend,” Gehlot had said.

    The CM was referring to December 16, 2012 Delhi gangrape incident, which was later called as the ‘Nirbhaya’ incident.

    According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2020, Rajasthan has earned the dubious distinction of registering the highest number of rape cases in the country followed by Uttar Pradesh.

    Though the state continues to top in rape cases in 2020, the number of such cases (5997) has declined by 11.

    45% in comparison to 2019, the NCRB data shows.

    Reacting to the CM’s statement, BJP leader Rathore said the statistics of NCRB and police report show that the state ranks first in the country in rape cases.

    He also claimed that from January 2020 to January 2022, 4,091 cases have been registered under the POCSO Act.

    Rathore said that in the previous BJP government, a law was made for the provision of capital punishment to those accused of raping a minor.

    Unfortunately, the CM, who has failed to curb the incidents of rape of innocent girls, is now opposing the provision of capital punishment.

    “If you have the courage to bring a resolution against this law in the assembly, then we will give a befitting reply to them,” he said.

    Rathore claimed that 16 incidents of rape are taking place in Rajasthan every day and Gehlot has stated that 48% of rape cases are false.

    By making such statements again and again, the CM is doing an act of encouraging the morale of the brutal rapists instead of breaking them, the BJP leader said.

    Shashikant Sharma, OSD to CM Gehlot, said, “He (Gehlot) had given a statement on rising unemployment, inflation, and increasing crimes, which has been presented in a distorted manner by BJP’s IT cell.”

    Sharing a video of Gehlot, his another OSD Lokesh Sharma said, “Listen and understand. CM Gehlot expressed concern over the increasing trend of murder of rape victims across the country. The form in which he spoke is being made a matter of controversy without any reason. He called it a dangerous trend which is a matter of concern for all.”

    JAIPUR: The BJP on Sunday slammed Ashok Gehlot for his rape law remarks and said that the Rajasthan chief minister is trying to hide his government’s failures to curb rising incidents of atrocities against innocent girls in the state.

    Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that the chief minister’s statement is “unfortunate”.

    “In the last three years, Rajasthan has become the centre for atrocities against young innocent girls. Nothing can be more unfortunate that the issue is being twisted by making controversial statements to hide their failures,” said Shekhawat.

    Deputy Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Rajendra Rathore said Gehlot’s statement is “unfortunate and shameful”.

    The CM, who also heads the home department, cannot escape the failure of his government in curbing increasing rape cases in the state by making absurd statements, Rathore said.

    Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Friday, chief minister Gehlot said that the cases of murder after rape have increased in the country following the law providing death sentence for rape convicts came into force.

    “Ever since the death penalty (for rape convicts) is brought after Nirbhaya incident, the murders after rape have increased. The rapist sees that the girl will become a witness tomorrow, so he not only rapes but also kills her. This is happening across the country. This is a very dangerous trend,” Gehlot had said.

    The CM was referring to December 16, 2012 Delhi gangrape incident, which was later called as the ‘Nirbhaya’ incident.

    According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2020, Rajasthan has earned the dubious distinction of registering the highest number of rape cases in the country followed by Uttar Pradesh.

    Though the state continues to top in rape cases in 2020, the number of such cases (5997) has declined by 11.

    45% in comparison to 2019, the NCRB data shows.

    Reacting to the CM’s statement, BJP leader Rathore said the statistics of NCRB and police report show that the state ranks first in the country in rape cases.

    He also claimed that from January 2020 to January 2022, 4,091 cases have been registered under the POCSO Act.

    Rathore said that in the previous BJP government, a law was made for the provision of capital punishment to those accused of raping a minor.

    Unfortunately, the CM, who has failed to curb the incidents of rape of innocent girls, is now opposing the provision of capital punishment.

    “If you have the courage to bring a resolution against this law in the assembly, then we will give a befitting reply to them,” he said.

    Rathore claimed that 16 incidents of rape are taking place in Rajasthan every day and Gehlot has stated that 48% of rape cases are false.

    By making such statements again and again, the CM is doing an act of encouraging the morale of the brutal rapists instead of breaking them, the BJP leader said.

    Shashikant Sharma, OSD to CM Gehlot, said, “He (Gehlot) had given a statement on rising unemployment, inflation, and increasing crimes, which has been presented in a distorted manner by BJP’s IT cell.”

    Sharing a video of Gehlot, his another OSD Lokesh Sharma said, “Listen and understand. CM Gehlot expressed concern over the increasing trend of murder of rape victims across the country. The form in which he spoke is being made a matter of controversy without any reason. He called it a dangerous trend which is a matter of concern for all.”

  • Conspiracy hatched against Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to weaken him: JD-U national chief

    By Express News Service

    PATNA: Battle lines seem to have been drawn between BJP and JD-U with the latter alleging that a conspiracy was hatched against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to weaken him.

    “Iske liye dusra Chirag Paswan taiyyar kiya ja raha tha (second Chirag Paswan was being created for the purpose),” alleged JD-U national chief Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh.

    Talking to media persons on Sunday, JD-U national president said that who were behind the conspiracy against Nitish Kumar and where it was planned would be exposed at an appropriate time. “It’s an open secret that things didn’t happen in a day. It was going on for long,” he said in a veiled attack on JD-U’s major ally in Bihar, BJP.

    Chirag factor had, indeed, played a decisive role in JD-U’s performance in 2020 assembly election in the state. JD-U lost with a slender margin of nearly 20 seats as Chirag Paswan had fielded his candidates against JD-U on those seats. As a result, the JD-U tally was reduced to 43 and thus become third after RJD and BJP as a number of seats in the state assembly is concerned.

    Referring to the resignation submitted by former JD-U chief RCP Singh from the party’s primary membership, Lalan said that it was well decided that he would quit the party. “Unka tan yahan tha aur mun kahin aur (His body was here (with JD-U) but his mind somewhere else),” he said, adding that now he was free to do whatever he aspired for.

    Responding to a query, Lalan said that JD-U would stick to its 2019 stand so far as joining the union cabinet is concerned. In 2019, Nitish Kumar announced after consultations with senior leaders of the party that JD-U would not be part of the union cabinet. “We stick to our earlier stand today,” he asserted.

    He, however, clarified that the decision to join the union cabinet in July 2021 was taken by the then national president of the party. RCP Singh was inducted in the union cabinet and allotted Steel Ministry by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. RCP had to resign from the post after his term in Rajya Sabha came to an end on July 7, 2022.

    Lalan alleged that then national president RCP Singh had not consulted other senior leaders of the party before jumping to the conclusion that JD-U would join the union cabinet. “Nitish Kumar could not react to his decision for obvious reasons,” Munger MP said.

    When asked about the future of the ruling alliance, JD-U chief said that JD-U is with NDA. “JD-U MPs voted for NDA’s candidate for vice president,” he added.

    PATNA: Battle lines seem to have been drawn between BJP and JD-U with the latter alleging that a conspiracy was hatched against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to weaken him.

    “Iske liye dusra Chirag Paswan taiyyar kiya ja raha tha (second Chirag Paswan was being created for the purpose),” alleged JD-U national chief Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh.

    Talking to media persons on Sunday, JD-U national president said that who were behind the conspiracy against Nitish Kumar and where it was planned would be exposed at an appropriate time. “It’s an open secret that things didn’t happen in a day. It was going on for long,” he said in a veiled attack on JD-U’s major ally in Bihar, BJP.

    Chirag factor had, indeed, played a decisive role in JD-U’s performance in 2020 assembly election in the state. JD-U lost with a slender margin of nearly 20 seats as Chirag Paswan had fielded his candidates against JD-U on those seats. As a result, the JD-U tally was reduced to 43 and thus become third after RJD and BJP as a number of seats in the state assembly is concerned.

    Referring to the resignation submitted by former JD-U chief RCP Singh from the party’s primary membership, Lalan said that it was well decided that he would quit the party. “Unka tan yahan tha aur mun kahin aur (His body was here (with JD-U) but his mind somewhere else),” he said, adding that now he was free to do whatever he aspired for.

    Responding to a query, Lalan said that JD-U would stick to its 2019 stand so far as joining the union cabinet is concerned. In 2019, Nitish Kumar announced after consultations with senior leaders of the party that JD-U would not be part of the union cabinet. “We stick to our earlier stand today,” he asserted.

    He, however, clarified that the decision to join the union cabinet in July 2021 was taken by the then national president of the party. RCP Singh was inducted in the union cabinet and allotted Steel Ministry by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. RCP had to resign from the post after his term in Rajya Sabha came to an end on July 7, 2022.

    Lalan alleged that then national president RCP Singh had not consulted other senior leaders of the party before jumping to the conclusion that JD-U would join the union cabinet. “Nitish Kumar could not react to his decision for obvious reasons,” Munger MP said.

    When asked about the future of the ruling alliance, JD-U chief said that JD-U is with NDA. “JD-U MPs voted for NDA’s candidate for vice president,” he added.

  • Politician booked for assaulting Noida woman, BJP says not party member

    By PTI

    NOIDA: A politician in Uttar Pradesh was booked by the Noida Police on Friday for allegedly assaulting a woman after a spat with her inside a housing society.

    While the politician stressed that he is a member of the BJP’s Kisan Morcha and his pictures with senior leaders surfaced on social media, the party’s local unit said he is not associated with them.

    The spat took place during the day at the Grand Omaxe society in Sector-93B here when the woman objected to the plantation of some trees by Shrikant Tyagi, citing a violation of rules even as he claimed he was within his rights to do so.

    Multiple videos of the episode surfaced on social media, with one purportedly showing Tyagi hurling expletives and assaulting the woman.

    He also used abusive words for her husband and made derogatory remarks about her.

    “Shrikant Tyagi has been booked under Indian Penal Code Section 354 (assault or use of criminal force on any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty),” Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Women Safety) Ankita Sharma told PTI.

    “The charges maybe added after due investigation into the case,” the IPS officer said.

    Tyagi identifies himself on social media as a national executive member of the BJP’s Kisan Morcha and national co-cordinator of the Yuva Kisan Samiti of the ruling party.

    According to officials, a local police team was sent to the housing society in the evening but Tyagi did not open the doors of his house.

    “He was threatening to unleash his pet dogs on the police officials, which was preventing his arrest. The police team was waiting outside his house,” another official told PTI.

    Additional DCP Sharma on Friday night said Tyagi is absconding and police teams are searching for him.

    Meanwhile, BJP’s Noida unit chief Manoj Gupta said Tyagi is not associated with the party.

    “He had come to the party some four-five years ago with Swamy Prasad Maurya, who has now left the BJP.

    Tyagi was his disciple and not a member of the BJP,” Gupta told PTI.

    He said that the BJP stands in support of the society residents in the particular case and the common people in general, adding they also want action against Tyagi.

    When contacted, Tyagi told PTI over phone that he is associated with the BJP and claimed that the woman had first instigated that spat by misbehaving with him.

    “She was drunk and started misbehaving with me and my family. After which I said a few things in rage. Her allegations that I have encroached society’s common area is incorrect. I had paid extra money for the garden area when I bought the ground floor apartment,” Tyagi said.

    As the controversy spiralled and the BJP sought to distance itself from Tyagi, his pictures with senior party leaders like JP Nadda and Swatantra Dev Singh surfaced on social media.

    His unverified Twitter account, which is locked for public, also described him as BJP worker.

    Further legal proceedings in the case are on, the police said.

    the Samajwadi Party slammed the ruling party over the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh while the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party demanded strict action against him.

    “Yogiraj-BJP Govt 2.0.A woman was publicly abused and given death threats, abuses hurled at her by BJP leader Shrikant Tyagi. This is just an example of the atrocities being perpetrated on the public by the intoxicated BJP workers in Yogiraj. BJP leaders are even committing murders in Yogiraj!,” the Samajwadi Party tweeted in Hindi.

    Congress’s former Noida MLA nominee Pankhuri Pathak said it was not the first time that such behaviour of BJP politicians against common people has come to light in the city.

    “If such hooliganism and misbehavior can take place with a woman inside a residential society, then it is clear that the people are not safe in Noida today,” Pathak said, urging strictest action against Tyagi by the police and authorities.

    Aam Aadmi Party’s local leader Bhupendra Jadaun also demanded strict action against Tyagi over the incident.

    Meanwhile, BJP’s Noida unit chief Manoj Gupta said Tyagi is not associated with the party.

    “He had come to the party some four-five years ago with Swamy Prasad Maurya, who has now left the BJP.

    Tyagi was his disciple and not a member of the BJP,” Gupta told PTI.

    He said the BJP stands in support of the society residents in the particular case and the common people in general, adding they also want action against Tyagi.

    NOIDA: A politician in Uttar Pradesh was booked by the Noida Police on Friday for allegedly assaulting a woman after a spat with her inside a housing society.

    While the politician stressed that he is a member of the BJP’s Kisan Morcha and his pictures with senior leaders surfaced on social media, the party’s local unit said he is not associated with them.

    The spat took place during the day at the Grand Omaxe society in Sector-93B here when the woman objected to the plantation of some trees by Shrikant Tyagi, citing a violation of rules even as he claimed he was within his rights to do so.

    Multiple videos of the episode surfaced on social media, with one purportedly showing Tyagi hurling expletives and assaulting the woman.

    He also used abusive words for her husband and made derogatory remarks about her.

    “Shrikant Tyagi has been booked under Indian Penal Code Section 354 (assault or use of criminal force on any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty),” Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Women Safety) Ankita Sharma told PTI.

    “The charges maybe added after due investigation into the case,” the IPS officer said.

    Tyagi identifies himself on social media as a national executive member of the BJP’s Kisan Morcha and national co-cordinator of the Yuva Kisan Samiti of the ruling party.

    According to officials, a local police team was sent to the housing society in the evening but Tyagi did not open the doors of his house.

    “He was threatening to unleash his pet dogs on the police officials, which was preventing his arrest. The police team was waiting outside his house,” another official told PTI.

    Additional DCP Sharma on Friday night said Tyagi is absconding and police teams are searching for him.

    Meanwhile, BJP’s Noida unit chief Manoj Gupta said Tyagi is not associated with the party.

    “He had come to the party some four-five years ago with Swamy Prasad Maurya, who has now left the BJP.

    Tyagi was his disciple and not a member of the BJP,” Gupta told PTI.

    He said that the BJP stands in support of the society residents in the particular case and the common people in general, adding they also want action against Tyagi.

    When contacted, Tyagi told PTI over phone that he is associated with the BJP and claimed that the woman had first instigated that spat by misbehaving with him.

    “She was drunk and started misbehaving with me and my family. After which I said a few things in rage. Her allegations that I have encroached society’s common area is incorrect. I had paid extra money for the garden area when I bought the ground floor apartment,” Tyagi said.

    As the controversy spiralled and the BJP sought to distance itself from Tyagi, his pictures with senior party leaders like JP Nadda and Swatantra Dev Singh surfaced on social media.

    His unverified Twitter account, which is locked for public, also described him as BJP worker.

    Further legal proceedings in the case are on, the police said.

    the Samajwadi Party slammed the ruling party over the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh while the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party demanded strict action against him.

    “Yogiraj-BJP Govt 2.0.A woman was publicly abused and given death threats, abuses hurled at her by BJP leader Shrikant Tyagi. This is just an example of the atrocities being perpetrated on the public by the intoxicated BJP workers in Yogiraj. BJP leaders are even committing murders in Yogiraj!,” the Samajwadi Party tweeted in Hindi.

    Congress’s former Noida MLA nominee Pankhuri Pathak said it was not the first time that such behaviour of BJP politicians against common people has come to light in the city.

    “If such hooliganism and misbehavior can take place with a woman inside a residential society, then it is clear that the people are not safe in Noida today,” Pathak said, urging strictest action against Tyagi by the police and authorities.

    Aam Aadmi Party’s local leader Bhupendra Jadaun also demanded strict action against Tyagi over the incident.

    Meanwhile, BJP’s Noida unit chief Manoj Gupta said Tyagi is not associated with the party.

    “He had come to the party some four-five years ago with Swamy Prasad Maurya, who has now left the BJP.

    Tyagi was his disciple and not a member of the BJP,” Gupta told PTI.

    He said the BJP stands in support of the society residents in the particular case and the common people in general, adding they also want action against Tyagi.

  • ‘Stop blaming Indian democracy for people’s repeated rejection of you’: BJP hits back at Rahul Gandhi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi, the BJP on Friday accused him of “blaming” Indian democracy and its institutions for the Congress’ repeated defeat in polls under him and the ongoing ED probe against him in the National Herald case.

    Shortly after Gandhi’s press conference here, former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Congress leader made “shameful and irresponsible” comments and noted that it was his grandmother and then prime minister Indira Gandhi who had suspended people’s democratic rights by imposing Emergency.

    The former Congress president had earlier alleged that India is witnessing the “death of democracy” and anybody who stands against the government’s dictatorship is “viciously attacked”.

    Slamming him, Prasad said, “Stop demeaning the institutions of India to safeguard your corruption and misdeeds. If people don’t listen to you why are you blaming us.”

    If people saw dictatorship, it was during the Emergency when people, including opposition leaders and editors, were jailed, judges superseded and censorship imposed.

    Indira Gandhi had then spoken about having “committed judiciary,” he said.

    ALSO READ | ‘Onset of dictatorship’: Rahul Gandhi hits out at BJP amid Congress’ countrywide protests

    “Why do you blame democracy when people of India reject you with repeated regularity,” he added and asked Gandhi if there is democracy within his party which has some “good leaders” but it is all about the Gandhi family.

    Rahul Gandhi had made all kind of allegations against Modi during the 2019 polls as well but people elected him with a bigger mandate, he said.

    Raking up the Enforcement Directorate’s case against him and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Prasad said he must answer as to how Young Indian, a firm in which the two Gandhis have 76 per cent stake, allegedly acquired National Herald’s assets worth over Rs 5,000 crore with the investment of only Rs 5 lakh.

    The judiciary refused to quash charges against him and others in the case, and he is now blaming institutions, the BJP leader said.

    Rahul Gandhi will have to face consequences for what he has done, Prasad said.

    “You will have to face trial and answer the ED’s questions,” he said.

    The government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been taking strong measures against corruption, and the Congress and the system around it are rattled because democracy has become synonymous with financial irregularities when the opposition party was in power, he alleged.

    He noted the assets allegedly acquired by several opposition leaders and their associates through graft have been seized by the ED in different places ranging from Delhi to Mumbai and Kolkata.

    NEW DELHI: Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi, the BJP on Friday accused him of “blaming” Indian democracy and its institutions for the Congress’ repeated defeat in polls under him and the ongoing ED probe against him in the National Herald case.

    Shortly after Gandhi’s press conference here, former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Congress leader made “shameful and irresponsible” comments and noted that it was his grandmother and then prime minister Indira Gandhi who had suspended people’s democratic rights by imposing Emergency.

    The former Congress president had earlier alleged that India is witnessing the “death of democracy” and anybody who stands against the government’s dictatorship is “viciously attacked”.

    Slamming him, Prasad said, “Stop demeaning the institutions of India to safeguard your corruption and misdeeds. If people don’t listen to you why are you blaming us.”

    If people saw dictatorship, it was during the Emergency when people, including opposition leaders and editors, were jailed, judges superseded and censorship imposed.

    Indira Gandhi had then spoken about having “committed judiciary,” he said.

    ALSO READ | ‘Onset of dictatorship’: Rahul Gandhi hits out at BJP amid Congress’ countrywide protests

    “Why do you blame democracy when people of India reject you with repeated regularity,” he added and asked Gandhi if there is democracy within his party which has some “good leaders” but it is all about the Gandhi family.

    Rahul Gandhi had made all kind of allegations against Modi during the 2019 polls as well but people elected him with a bigger mandate, he said.

    Raking up the Enforcement Directorate’s case against him and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Prasad said he must answer as to how Young Indian, a firm in which the two Gandhis have 76 per cent stake, allegedly acquired National Herald’s assets worth over Rs 5,000 crore with the investment of only Rs 5 lakh.

    The judiciary refused to quash charges against him and others in the case, and he is now blaming institutions, the BJP leader said.

    Rahul Gandhi will have to face consequences for what he has done, Prasad said.

    “You will have to face trial and answer the ED’s questions,” he said.

    The government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been taking strong measures against corruption, and the Congress and the system around it are rattled because democracy has become synonymous with financial irregularities when the opposition party was in power, he alleged.

    He noted the assets allegedly acquired by several opposition leaders and their associates through graft have been seized by the ED in different places ranging from Delhi to Mumbai and Kolkata.

  • After cross-voting in Rajya Saha polls, ex-Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi joins BJP

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Former Haryana Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi joined the BJP on Thursday along with his wife Renuka Bishnoi here in the presence of senior party leaders, including state Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

    Bishnoi, son of former chief minister Bhajan Lal, has been an MLA for four terms and MP for two terms while his wife is also an ex-MLA.

    Khattar welcomed him into the party at a ceremony at the BJP headquarters and said his induction will help the organisation.

    He noted that Bishnoi has been supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and backed the BJP during the recent Rajya Sabha polls despite being a Congress MLA.

    Lauding Modi as a “great prime minister”, Bishnoi said it would not be wrong to describe him as “India’s best prime minister” who always thinks about the country and the poor’s welfare.

    Bishnoi, who was a BJP ally earlier before joining the Congress, also lauded Khattar, saying his reputation remains spotless despite being chief minister for over eight years.

    Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also attended the joining ceremony.

    Bishnoi (53), who was expelled by the Congress for cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha polls, had resigned from the Haryana Assembly on Wednesday.

    NEW DELHI: Former Haryana Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi joined the BJP on Thursday along with his wife Renuka Bishnoi here in the presence of senior party leaders, including state Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

    Bishnoi, son of former chief minister Bhajan Lal, has been an MLA for four terms and MP for two terms while his wife is also an ex-MLA.

    Khattar welcomed him into the party at a ceremony at the BJP headquarters and said his induction will help the organisation.

    He noted that Bishnoi has been supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and backed the BJP during the recent Rajya Sabha polls despite being a Congress MLA.

    Lauding Modi as a “great prime minister”, Bishnoi said it would not be wrong to describe him as “India’s best prime minister” who always thinks about the country and the poor’s welfare.

    Bishnoi, who was a BJP ally earlier before joining the Congress, also lauded Khattar, saying his reputation remains spotless despite being chief minister for over eight years.

    Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also attended the joining ceremony.

    Bishnoi (53), who was expelled by the Congress for cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha polls, had resigned from the Haryana Assembly on Wednesday.