News Analysis India

Tag: Politics

  • Who Is Vikramaditya Singh? Himachal MLA Who Resigned From Sukhu Government |

    In a huge shock for the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Government in Himachal Pradesh, Congress MLA Vikramaditya Singh has resigned from his post of minister today. This occurred merely a day following the party’s defeat in the Rajya Sabha elections in the state, despite holding a decisive majority.

     Notably, Vikramaditya is the son of the former CM of Himachal Pradesh, Virbhadra Singh.  In 2022, Vikramaditya Singh won Shimla Rural Assembly Elections by defeating Ravi Mehta of the Bharatiya Janata Party with a margin of 13860 votes.

    He resigned from the post of State Congress Minister today after expressing his agitation towards the party. He also said that the MLAs are being humiliated several times in the party.

    Vikramaditya Singh Education And Profession

    Former Congress Minister Vikramaditya Singh was born on 17th October 1989. He is a postgraduate in Masters of Arts (History)from St. Stephen College Delhi in the year 2016. He has done his  B.A. (Hons) in 2011 from Hans Raj College Delhi University. By Profession, he is an Agriculturist, a Horticulturist, and a Businessman.

    He became the MLA in Himachal Pradesh twice. Additionally, he served as the chief of the Himachal Pradesh State Youth Congress from 2013 to 2018.

    In a surprising turn of events on Tuesday in Himachal Pradesh politics, Abhishek Manu Singhvi of the ruling Congress suffered defeat in the Rajya Sabha election to the BJP’s Harsh Mahajan, despite the Congress holding a substantial majority in the state assembly.

    Both contenders secured 34 votes each in the 68-member state assembly. Mahajan clinched victory through a draw of lots, serving as the tie-breaker.

  • RSS’ Dussehra invitee bats for Sanskrit as national language

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: If given the right opportunity, Padmashree Santosh Yadav, who is the first woman mountaineer in the world to conquer the Mount Everest twice, may take a plunge into politics. Yadav, who was recently invited to join the dais with RSS chief Mhan Bhagwat at the organisation’s yearly Vijay Dashmi event, told this newspaper that she would like to serve as the daughter of the nation in whichever role that may come her way.

    When reminded of criticism being hurled at her for attending a RSS event, she said that she doesn’t see any reason why she didn’t have to attend such a function. She said that the RSS is working for the betterment of the nation. She also vehemently rejected that the Sangh is anti-woman.

    “How can the RSS be called an anti-woman outfit when Mother India is guiding the Sangh? The Sangh invited me, a woman, to its most important programme as a special guest. Doesn’t it show that the Sangh is not anti-woman at all? Rather, the Sangh stands for all-round empowerment of women in our society,” she said.

    She also supported the Sangh’s concern of rising population in the country. “India now needs a collective concern on population control related policy. A chapter on population growth and its impacts on development should be included in the curricula of both schools and colleges with a wider emphasis on the ‘pre-natal’ cares,” she said. 

    Speaking on the contention issue of the “imposition of Hindi language”, she said: “There should not be any contention or prejudice against any language. Hindi is widely spoken, but I think Sanskrit should be made the India’s soul and national language,” she said.

    NEW DELHI: If given the right opportunity, Padmashree Santosh Yadav, who is the first woman mountaineer in the world to conquer the Mount Everest twice, may take a plunge into politics. Yadav, who was recently invited to join the dais with RSS chief Mhan Bhagwat at the organisation’s yearly Vijay Dashmi event, told this newspaper that she would like to serve as the daughter of the nation in whichever role that may come her way.

    When reminded of criticism being hurled at her for attending a RSS event, she said that she doesn’t see any reason why she didn’t have to attend such a function. She said that the RSS is working for the betterment of the nation. She also vehemently rejected that the Sangh is anti-woman.

    “How can the RSS be called an anti-woman outfit when Mother India is guiding the Sangh? The Sangh invited me, a woman, to its most important programme as a special guest. Doesn’t it show that the Sangh is not anti-woman at all? Rather, the Sangh stands for all-round empowerment of women in our society,” she said.

    She also supported the Sangh’s concern of rising population in the country. “India now needs a collective concern on population control related policy. A chapter on population growth and its impacts on development should be included in the curricula of both schools and colleges with a wider emphasis on the ‘pre-natal’ cares,” she said. 

    Speaking on the contention issue of the “imposition of Hindi language”, she said: “There should not be any contention or prejudice against any language. Hindi is widely spoken, but I think Sanskrit should be made the India’s soul and national language,” she said.

  • Politics all about multiplication, division, not all of what is seen is true: Gehlot

    “People have an extraordinary common sense and they understand everything,” he told reporters.

  • Pratham TI-a unique initiative to encourage women in politics and policy-making: Priyanka Chaturvedi

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Politics in India is now changing from when it used to be called as a ‘male bastion’ to opening new vistas for women, who are gradually becoming good political leaders. But despite the increasing voting percentage of women and growing participation of women in politics right from Panchayat to Parliament levels, India has now only 102 women MPs out of a total existing strength of 764 MPs in both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

    Aimed at increasing the participation of women and girls from a common background in politics as well as policy-making arenas, ShivSena MP in Upper House (RS) Priyanka Chaturvedi has embarked on a first of its kind mission to educate and encourage women and girls, who aspire to be into the policy-making and political arena.

    Christened as project ‘Pratham TI’, Chaturvedi moved with this in May this year inspired by the ideology of (late) Baba Saheb Thackeray, who always wanted to have equal participation of women in politics and the country’s policy-making endeavour.

    She started this initiative with an initial group of just 10 girls from various fields of life, who get to intern with a woman MP free of cost to make them acquainted with various parliamentary and policy-making processors and formalities.

    Speaking to this newspaper, Priyanka Chaturvedi said: “ This initiative called ‘Pratham Ti’ is aimed at making Indian politics and policy more accessible to young women from common backgrounds, who despite having immense political wisdom and wits,  lack motivation and support for entering politics”.

    Detailing this initiative, she said that women and girls of ‘Pratham TI’ have been assigned a 3-month internship with a woman MP to get them acquainted with various terms and techniques of parliamentary procedures and policy-making skills.

    “A galaxy of influential intellectuals and speakers like Pawan Khera, Syed Akabaruddin, Samir Saran, ShivShanakr Singh(Author of The Art of Conjuring Alternate Realities) and How to Win an Indian Election), Maansi Verma( founder of Maadhyam-a civic engagement initiative) and others have so far trained the girls through sessions on the functioning of the Parliament and shared great insights encouraging the girls for politics”, she recalled.

    Priyanka Chaturvedi speaking to fellows virtually. (Photo | EPS)

    Mumbai’s mayor Kishori Pednekar was among others who came forward to train the girls under the ‘Pratham-Ti’ initiative, which is aimed to encourage and empower the Pratham-TI fellows moving them into politics and policy-making issues.

    This is actually a 7- month initiative with the support of many faculty and speakers like Dr Carole Spary-associate professor at the University of Nottingham in the UK, Syed Akbaruddin-dean of Kautilya School of Public Policy and former permanent representative of India in UN, Pawn Khera, Samir Saran-president of ORF, Akhil Neelam-Co-founder of Women for politics and others.

    Impressed by the Chaturvedi initiative, the NETRI Foundation-which is India’s first women’s political incubator that helps women up-skill and trains them to join politics, has started training the fellows of Pratham-TI.

    “The Observer Research Foundation has also come in support of this initiative to make Indian women and girls entering into politics competent in policy-making, and to take the country to new heights of women empowerment”, she said.

    Recalling the first day of the Pratham-TI, she said that it moved with a session in ‘Public Narrative Gender & Intersectionality’ by Dr Carole Spary-director of Asia Research Institute and professor of politics at the University of Nottingham in the UK.

    Shivangi Sharma-student of BA in Jesus and Mary College Delhi, Adithya- student of Hindu College, Divya Dixit- studying economics at NMIMS in Mumbai, Sreelakshmi-pursuing graduation from Miranda House hailing from the land of elephants and festival-Thrissur in Kerala Shristi Srivastava from UP many others are among the first cohort of Pratham-TI young fellows, being acquainted and trained for their rise in politics.

    “The Pratham TI would be across the country to make Indian politics more accessible to them through wider gender empowerment”, Priyanka Chaturvedi said. Apart from this, 20 women ShivSena leaders are also motivating the women in Maharashtra’s many districts as part of Pratham-TI.

    NEW DELHI: Politics in India is now changing from when it used to be called as a ‘male bastion’ to opening new vistas for women, who are gradually becoming good political leaders. But despite the increasing voting percentage of women and growing participation of women in politics right from Panchayat to Parliament levels, India has now only 102 women MPs out of a total existing strength of 764 MPs in both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

    Aimed at increasing the participation of women and girls from a common background in politics as well as policy-making arenas, ShivSena MP in Upper House (RS) Priyanka Chaturvedi has embarked on a first of its kind mission to educate and encourage women and girls, who aspire to be into the policy-making and political arena.

    Christened as project ‘Pratham TI’, Chaturvedi moved with this in May this year inspired by the ideology of (late) Baba Saheb Thackeray, who always wanted to have equal participation of women in politics and the country’s policy-making endeavour.

    She started this initiative with an initial group of just 10 girls from various fields of life, who get to intern with a woman MP free of cost to make them acquainted with various parliamentary and policy-making processors and formalities.

    Speaking to this newspaper, Priyanka Chaturvedi said: “ This initiative called ‘Pratham Ti’ is aimed at making Indian politics and policy more accessible to young women from common backgrounds, who despite having immense political wisdom and wits,  lack motivation and support for entering politics”.

    Detailing this initiative, she said that women and girls of ‘Pratham TI’ have been assigned a 3-month internship with a woman MP to get them acquainted with various terms and techniques of parliamentary procedures and policy-making skills.

    “A galaxy of influential intellectuals and speakers like Pawan Khera, Syed Akabaruddin, Samir Saran, ShivShanakr Singh(Author of The Art of Conjuring Alternate Realities) and How to Win an Indian Election), Maansi Verma( founder of Maadhyam-a civic engagement initiative) and others have so far trained the girls through sessions on the functioning of the Parliament and shared great insights encouraging the girls for politics”, she recalled.

    Priyanka Chaturvedi speaking to fellows virtually. (Photo | EPS)

    Mumbai’s mayor Kishori Pednekar was among others who came forward to train the girls under the ‘Pratham-Ti’ initiative, which is aimed to encourage and empower the Pratham-TI fellows moving them into politics and policy-making issues.

    This is actually a 7- month initiative with the support of many faculty and speakers like Dr Carole Spary-associate professor at the University of Nottingham in the UK, Syed Akbaruddin-dean of Kautilya School of Public Policy and former permanent representative of India in UN, Pawn Khera, Samir Saran-president of ORF, Akhil Neelam-Co-founder of Women for politics and others.

    Impressed by the Chaturvedi initiative, the NETRI Foundation-which is India’s first women’s political incubator that helps women up-skill and trains them to join politics, has started training the fellows of Pratham-TI.

    “The Observer Research Foundation has also come in support of this initiative to make Indian women and girls entering into politics competent in policy-making, and to take the country to new heights of women empowerment”, she said.

    Recalling the first day of the Pratham-TI, she said that it moved with a session in ‘Public Narrative Gender & Intersectionality’ by Dr Carole Spary-director of Asia Research Institute and professor of politics at the University of Nottingham in the UK.

    Shivangi Sharma-student of BA in Jesus and Mary College Delhi, Adithya- student of Hindu College, Divya Dixit- studying economics at NMIMS in Mumbai, Sreelakshmi-pursuing graduation from Miranda House hailing from the land of elephants and festival-Thrissur in Kerala Shristi Srivastava from UP many others are among the first cohort of Pratham-TI young fellows, being acquainted and trained for their rise in politics.

    “The Pratham TI would be across the country to make Indian politics more accessible to them through wider gender empowerment”, Priyanka Chaturvedi said. Apart from this, 20 women ShivSena leaders are also motivating the women in Maharashtra’s many districts as part of Pratham-TI.

  • Opposition driven by ‘vote bank’ politics not country’s interest: PM Modi 

    By PTI

    AMETHI/ PRAYAGRAJ: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attacked opposition parties, saying guided by “vote bank and dynastic politics”, they have always sacrificed the interest of the country and the poor.

    Modi also questioned the “silence” of rivals over the court’s recent verdict on Ahmedabad blasts, saying, “Being hostage to vote bank politics, they would even not hesitate to insult the army or the police”.

    Modi was addressing a rally for nine constituencies of Amethi and neighbouring Sultanpur.

    The prime minister’s remarks came days after a special court in Ahmedabad sentenced to death 38 members of the terror outfit Indian Mujahideen in the 2008 serial blasts case.

    The court also sentenced 11 other convicts to life imprisonment.

    Modi started the day with the election rally in Amethi and later went to Prayagraj for his second public meeting.

    At the Prayagraj rally, PM Modi said two crore people visited Mecca and around one crore visited Vatican City in Rome in 2019.

    These countries had given facilities for the visiting devotees, he said.

    “But, if we do the same in India, these people see this through the lens of communalism,” he said attacking the rivals.

    Modi appealed to the youths to remain beware of dynasts who are “hostage” to vote bank politics.

    He also sought to puncture the euphoria of opponents over voting in the first four phases of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, saying “people have showered blessings on the BJP in abundance, proving that the rivals’ math on division of votes has gone wrong”.

    Assembly constituencies of Sultanpur were included in the first rally while BJP candidates of Pratapgarh were also present in the second meeting.

    The prime minister fondly remembered February 24, saying on this day, he had launched PM Kisan Yojna three years back and also became an MLA for the first time 20 years ago from Rajkot in Gujarat.

    Before independence, there was inner party democracy in the Congress and different people headed it but after the independence, the leadership of the party rested with only one family, the prime minister said at the rally in Amethi.

    “Other parties, including the SP, have copied this and the sequence of power transfer from father to son continues.

    The dynasts care only for their family interest and giving the interest of the poor and the country a go-by,” Modi said.

    “Whereas in the BJP, since the days of the Jana Sangh, has never been a ‘father-son Ltd company’ and different people hailing from varied regions have held the chair of party president,” he said.

    Modi said he took the Covid vaccine only after the jabs were given to health workers and others and so was his elderly mother.

    “Neither me nor my 100-year-old mother jumped the line and took the jab.

    When the government started giving booster doses, my mother who has no co-morbidity did not take it,” he said giving some examples.

    He further said during rules of the dynasts in Uttar Pradesh, ministers had not much relevance as the man at the helm in office used to “distribute districts and departments among family members”.

    “The officials knew very well that the ministers had not much importance and would follow the instruction of ‘super ministers’ (family members) to improve their CR so that they can get plum posting,” he said.

    In an apparent dig at Rahul Gandhi, he said the person whom the people had blessed here (Amethi) for long but “chased away” in 2019 to Kerala, did not miss an opportunity to question the wisdom of people here.

    Amethi Lok Sabha MP Smriti Irani and Sultanpur MP Maneka Gandhi were present on the dais.

    While Irani addressed the rally, Maneka Gandhi did not address the gathering.

    At the Prayagraj rally, Modi mocked the poll promises of the rivals on employment and said while only two lakh jobs were provided in 10 years before 2017 in Uttar Pradesh on the basis of “favouritism and bundle of notes”, the Yogi Adityanath government generated five lakh government jobs in as many years with complete transparency.

    BSP ruled UP from 2007-12 while Akhilesh Yadav was in power in the state from 2012-17.

  • Have offers from political parties, will think wisely: Harbhajan Singh

    By ANI

    JALANDHAR: A day after retiring from all forms of cricket, spinner Harbhajan Singh on Saturday revealed that he has offers from multiple political parties to join them, but he will get into politics only after making up his mind.

    Harbhajan had announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Friday. The 41-year-old spinner has played 103 Tests, 236 ODIs and 28 T20Is for Men in Blue. He scalped 294 wickets in limited-overs cricket.

    ALSO READ | The Turbanator bids farewell: Harbhajan retires from all forms of cricket

    “Future plan is something I have not decided, I will stay connected with cricket, it is because of cricket, that people know me. As far as my political career is concerned, I will reveal it myself. Whenever it happens, I will let everyone know,” Harbhajan said during a press conference on Saturday.

    “To be honest, I have not thought about it. I have offers from different parties to join them but I will have to sit and think very wisely. It won’t be a small decision because it is a demanding job. I do not want to do it half-heartedly. The day I think I am prepared to do it, I will go for it,” he added.

    Harbhajan had played his last red-ball match against Sri Lanka in 2015 while his last ODI was against South Africa in the same year. His last game for India was a T20I against UAE in the 2016 Asia Cup. Since then, he was not picked for the Indian side. Harbhajan retires after scalping 417 wickets in 103 Tests at an average of 32.46.

    I know politicians from every party. I’ll make an announcement beforehand if I’ll join any party. Will serve Punjab, maybe via politics or something else, no decision has been taken yet:India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Friday pic.twitter.com/TTOd5lSRNW
    — ANI (@ANI) December 25, 2021
    “If I did not have cricket, I would not have reached this level. God has been really kind to me. My journey has been amazing, I will try to play the Legends League, I have not thought about playing in overseas leagues. The point of retirement is to spend more time with your family and this is something that I will look to do. If I had to play competitive cricket, I could have played IPL. I feel this is the right time to retire,” said Harbhajan.

    Earlier, Punjab Congress leader and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu had set off speculations after he tweeted a photo of himself with fellow cricketer Harbhajan Singh months ahead of the Assembly polls in the state.

    “Picture loaded with possibilities ….With Bhajji the shining star,” Sidhu captioned the photo of himself draped in a shawl with Harbhajan Singh dressed in a jacket.

    Talking about this post, Harbhajan said, “It was a casual meeting, the polls are near so I understood why people started speculating, but there is nothing to speculate. If I enter politics, I will let everyone know.” 

  • Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh soon to face Punjab-like political turmoil: Dushyant Chautala

    By ANI

    CHANDIGARH:  Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Saturday took a jibe at the Congress over its affairs in Punjab and Chhattisgarh and said the party is bound to see a similar fate in Rajasthan.

    Chautala lashed out at the oldest political party in the nation and stated that the party, which does not trust its leadership, cannot take steps for the country’s development.

    While addressing the media persons here, Chautala said, “One can see turmoil in Chhattisgarh shortly. Looking at Punjab’s situation, it may also be seen in Rajasthan. It will be the last few steps towards Congress’ end.”

    “The party who does not trust its leadership, cannot take steps for the country’s development,” he added.

    The Haryana Deputy CM’s comments came days after Captain Amarinder Singh stepped down from the chief minister’s post and Charanjit Singh Channi took over the reins of the state.

    The speculation is rife that there is some commotion in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan governments as well and could see a change in leadership in the near future.

  • Serving last man in queue is real aim of politics: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari

    By PTI

    JAIPUR:  The real objective of politics is to bring about a change in the life of the common man standing last in the queue but unfortunately, it is considered nowadays a means to grab power, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday.

    Gadkari made the remark reflecting Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy on making decisions and how they would benefit the last man in the queue while addressing a seminar in Rajasthan Assembly on Parliamentary System and People’s Expectations.

    “Politics is an instrument to bring about a social and economic change. The real purpose of democracy is to make the people standing at the last rung of the society prosperous and improve their lives through this. This should be the purpose of politics as well. But, unfortunately nowadays the meaning of politics is understood only to get into power,” Gadkari said.

    Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari said that it is the behaviour and character of a person that decides the future of democracy. “The better we are, the stronger and better our democracy will be. That is why we remain loyal to our ideology. Only on this basis, a strong nation can be built by effecting social and economic changes,” he said.

    Gadkari said problems are plenty but it is the responsibility of the legislature to bring about a qualitative change leading to the social and economic upliftment of the society. “Problems are there everywhere — within the party, outside the party, in the constituency — but overcoming the problem and bringing about a qualitative change is the quality of a successful leader,” he said.

    Observing that many states, including Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Jharkhand face the problem of scarcity of drinking water, Gadkari suggested improving the country’s irrigation infrastructure as a way out of the problem.

    Advocating for improving the irrigation facility, Gadkari said the country cannot be completely self-sufficient unless farmers become prosperous. He also urged legislators to improve the road infrastructure and water conservation, which, he said, would increase the country’s GDP and boost its holistic growth.

    The seminar was organised by the Rajasthan chapter of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).

    Assembly Speaker and CPA’s Rajasthan chapter president CP Joshi, Leader of Opposition and CPA vice president Gulab Chand Kataria and independent MLA and CPA secretary Sanyam Lodha also addressed the session.

  • Former Union Minister Babul Supriyo to leave politics; to quit as BJP MP

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Former Union Minister and BJP leader Babul Supriyo said on Saturday that he has decided to quit politics and will be resigning as an MP. He hinted the decision was partly due to losing the ministerial berth and also differences with the state BJP leadership.

    Supriyo, who had held several portfolios as MOS in the Narendra Modi government since 2014, was removed earlier this month during a major cabinet reshuffle.

    “Leaving, Alvida. Spoke to my parents, wife, friends, and after listening to the advice I am saying that I am leaving. Am not going to any other party – TMC, Congress, CPM, nowhere. I am confirming that nobody has called me,” he said.

    “I am going nowhere. I am a one-team player! Have always supported one team #MohunBagan – Have been with only one party – BJP West Bengal. That’s it!! Leaving,” Supriyo said in a Facebook post.

    “I have stayed for too long – I have helped somebody, have disappointed somebody, It is for the people to decide. To be involved in social work, you can do that without being involved in any politics,” his post read.

    The two-time MP from Asansol was among the several ministers who were dropped from the union cabinet on July 7 as part of a major rejig. His unsuccessfully contested assembly polls against Trinamool Congress’s Aroop Biswas in the last assembly elections.

    Both Supriyo and Debasree Chaudhuri were dropped as ministers. Four other MPs from West Bengal – Nishit Pramanik, Santanu Thakur, Subhas Sarkar and John Barla were inducted as MOS in the ministry.

    “If someone ask that whether leaving the politics is somehow connected to losing ministry. Yes then it is true to some extent….Also had differences with the state leadership since the assembly poll campaign,” he wrote.

    State BJP president Dilip Ghosh declined to comment on it.

  • AAP to fight Uttar Pradesh elections in 2022: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

    Aam Aadmi Party will fight Uttar Pradesh elections in 2022, said AAP leader and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

    While addressing the media, Kejriwal said that political parties in UP has stabbed people in the back; politics in state lacks honesty of intent.

    He further said that the development of Uttar Pradesh was held back by dirty politics and corrupt leaders there.