News Analysis India

Tag: Rally

  • 10 injured as bus meets with accident in Thane district

    By PTI

    THANE: About ten persons were injured when a private bus taking people back from Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Dussehra rally in Mumbai met with an accident in Thane district, the police said on Wednesday.

    The incident occurred around 12:30 am on the Kolambe bridge on the Mumbai-Nashik highway near Shahapur. A truck rammed into the bus from the rear side pushing it onto the divider. In the meanwhile, another bus hit the truck from behind and overturned due to the impact. About ten people were injured, including two seriously, said an official.

    The police used cranes to move to buses and clear the road, he said.

    The first bus was carrying about 20 people, who were returning after attending CM Shinde’s rally in Mumbai, said an official from Thane rural police control room. It was going towards Sillod in Nashik district, he said.

    The injured were taken to a local government hospital for treatment, said the official from Thane police’s rural control room.

    Shinde on Tuesday addressed thousands of people at the Shiv Sena’s Dussehra rally at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. His rival and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray held his party’s annual rally at Shivaji Park. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

    THANE: About ten persons were injured when a private bus taking people back from Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Dussehra rally in Mumbai met with an accident in Thane district, the police said on Wednesday.

    The incident occurred around 12:30 am on the Kolambe bridge on the Mumbai-Nashik highway near Shahapur. A truck rammed into the bus from the rear side pushing it onto the divider. In the meanwhile, another bus hit the truck from behind and overturned due to the impact. About ten people were injured, including two seriously, said an official.

    The police used cranes to move to buses and clear the road, he said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The first bus was carrying about 20 people, who were returning after attending CM Shinde’s rally in Mumbai, said an official from Thane rural police control room. It was going towards Sillod in Nashik district, he said.

    The injured were taken to a local government hospital for treatment, said the official from Thane police’s rural control room.

    Shinde on Tuesday addressed thousands of people at the Shiv Sena’s Dussehra rally at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. His rival and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray held his party’s annual rally at Shivaji Park. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

  • J&K’s Apni Party slammed for ‘forcibly gathering’ people for stadium rally

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: Apni Party was slammed by the local political parties on Saturday for “forcibly gathering” people for its rally in a stadium here after videos on social media showed the crowd leaving the venue while the event was still on.

    Reacting to the videos, Democratic Azad Party leader Salman Nizami alleged that the people were “forcibly gathered in the stadium as if they were prisoners.”

    Massive support of people of #Kashmir Valley for Apni Party.Our agenda for restoration of statehood, better job opportunities for the youth, justice for daily wagers, legal recourse for restoration of Article 35-A and 370 gets endorsed by the people. pic.twitter.com/kU5SPGlJn9
    — J&K Apni Party (@Apnipartyonline) November 12, 2022
    “By managing gatherings of people with money, they cannot win the hearts of people and will spoil the future of youngsters,” he said.

    Nizami said if people were “forced” to attend a rally, then how could the party claim it was a political rally.

    “It clearly shows the rally was sponsored by BJP,” said Nizami, who in September this year defected from Congress to join DAP, launched by Ghulam Nabi Azad.

    “These money-power leaders only need chairs for their luxurious life but not for benefit of the people of Kashmir. Now, democracy by the people, for the people, has now changed into Democracy by the money, for the money, and of the money,” he said.

    National Conference alleged that people were lured with food to the rally, which ended in chaos.

    “What the hell is going on? Why would you cage people when they want to leave? They are saying they were invited for food and tea. Anyway, seems like the event ended in absolute chaos for Apni Party,” the party’s social media cell chief Sarah Hayat Shah said on Twitter.

    Central influence into J&K politics time & again proved disastrous & ultimately undermined public confidence into democratic institutions & values.Aed dæd yetshi te Aed dæd retshi = Half r burnt with their choice & half r burnt by being driven into it#SayNoToExpatriatePolitics https://t.co/55MXYbJmYR
    — Peerzada Faroz Ahmad (@PeerzadaFaroz) November 12, 2022
    The Apni Party rally which initially saw a good turnout, failed to hold people’s interest, as many began to leave the venue even while party president Altaf Bukhari was addressing it.

    Many party leaders were reportedly seen trying to convince the crowd to stay back as they left in droves.

    SRINAGAR: Apni Party was slammed by the local political parties on Saturday for “forcibly gathering” people for its rally in a stadium here after videos on social media showed the crowd leaving the venue while the event was still on.

    Reacting to the videos, Democratic Azad Party leader Salman Nizami alleged that the people were “forcibly gathered in the stadium as if they were prisoners.”

    Massive support of people of #Kashmir Valley for Apni Party.
    Our agenda for restoration of statehood, better job opportunities for the youth, justice for daily wagers, legal recourse for restoration of Article 35-A and 370 gets endorsed by the people. pic.twitter.com/kU5SPGlJn9
    — J&K Apni Party (@Apnipartyonline) November 12, 2022
    “By managing gatherings of people with money, they cannot win the hearts of people and will spoil the future of youngsters,” he said.

    Nizami said if people were “forced” to attend a rally, then how could the party claim it was a political rally.

    “It clearly shows the rally was sponsored by BJP,” said Nizami, who in September this year defected from Congress to join DAP, launched by Ghulam Nabi Azad.

    “These money-power leaders only need chairs for their luxurious life but not for benefit of the people of Kashmir. Now, democracy by the people, for the people, has now changed into Democracy by the money, for the money, and of the money,” he said.

    National Conference alleged that people were lured with food to the rally, which ended in chaos.

    “What the hell is going on? Why would you cage people when they want to leave? They are saying they were invited for food and tea. Anyway, seems like the event ended in absolute chaos for Apni Party,” the party’s social media cell chief Sarah Hayat Shah said on Twitter.

    Central influence into J&K politics time & again proved disastrous & ultimately undermined public confidence into democratic institutions & values.
    Aed dæd yetshi te Aed dæd retshi = Half r burnt with their choice & half r burnt by being driven into it#SayNoToExpatriatePolitics https://t.co/55MXYbJmYR
    — Peerzada Faroz Ahmad (@PeerzadaFaroz) November 12, 2022
    The Apni Party rally which initially saw a good turnout, failed to hold people’s interest, as many began to leave the venue even while party president Altaf Bukhari was addressing it.

    Many party leaders were reportedly seen trying to convince the crowd to stay back as they left in droves.

  • ‘Modi government has 2 brothers — unemployment and inflation’, says Congress 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sunday took a dig at the Centre on the issue of price rise, saying unemployment and inflation were “two brothers” of the Modi government.

    Ahead of Sunday’s ‘Mehngai par halla bol’ rally of the party at the Ramlila Maidan here, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the rally was not being held to canvas for the 2024 polls, but to highlight the two “biggest challenges” of inflation and unemployment to the people.

    “We had protested against this even on August 5. About 70 MPs were detained, including Rahul Gandhi. People from 12-13 states are coming and we want to send an effective message to the insensitive Modi government that people are suffering from this back-breaking inflation and unemployment and solutions should be found for them,” Ramesh said.

    Asked about Ghulam Nabi Azad’s rally in Jammu on Sunday, Ramesh said he would speak about the Congress rally, not that of the BJP.

    On BJP’s allegation that the Congress was trying to divert people’s attention from the issue of corruption, Ramesh said the party has been protesting against rising prices for over a year.

    ALSO READ | At ‘Mehngai par halla bol’ protest rally, Congress workers demand Rahul Gandhi as chief

    “A rally was held in Jaipur. About 70 MPs were detained from Vijay Chowk. We have raised these issues inside and outside Parliament. We have held protests in various states. This rally is part of that series of protests.”

    “On September 7, we will begin the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ which too will have the economic disparity as the biggest issue,” Ramesh said.

    “Modi government has two brothers- unemployment and inflation. Modi government has two brothers- ED and CBI,” the Congress leader went on to say.

    Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and a host of party leaders are slated to address the rally.

    Party workers from Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, and other parts of the country, are converging for the event.

    The rally comes ahead of the opposition party’s 3,500-km ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ which will traverse the length of the country from Kanyakumari to Kashmir starting on September 7.

    Congress has said the rally’s aim is to highlight the issues of price hikes and unemployment and to promote communal harmony in the country.

    The party said its workers will continue to raise these issues as a responsible opposition and will take to the streets to fight for the cause of the common people.

    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sunday took a dig at the Centre on the issue of price rise, saying unemployment and inflation were “two brothers” of the Modi government.

    Ahead of Sunday’s ‘Mehngai par halla bol’ rally of the party at the Ramlila Maidan here, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the rally was not being held to canvas for the 2024 polls, but to highlight the two “biggest challenges” of inflation and unemployment to the people.

    “We had protested against this even on August 5. About 70 MPs were detained, including Rahul Gandhi. People from 12-13 states are coming and we want to send an effective message to the insensitive Modi government that people are suffering from this back-breaking inflation and unemployment and solutions should be found for them,” Ramesh said.

    Asked about Ghulam Nabi Azad’s rally in Jammu on Sunday, Ramesh said he would speak about the Congress rally, not that of the BJP.

    On BJP’s allegation that the Congress was trying to divert people’s attention from the issue of corruption, Ramesh said the party has been protesting against rising prices for over a year.

    ALSO READ | At ‘Mehngai par halla bol’ protest rally, Congress workers demand Rahul Gandhi as chief

    “A rally was held in Jaipur. About 70 MPs were detained from Vijay Chowk. We have raised these issues inside and outside Parliament. We have held protests in various states. This rally is part of that series of protests.”

    “On September 7, we will begin the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ which too will have the economic disparity as the biggest issue,” Ramesh said.

    “Modi government has two brothers- unemployment and inflation. Modi government has two brothers- ED and CBI,” the Congress leader went on to say.

    Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and a host of party leaders are slated to address the rally.

    Party workers from Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, and other parts of the country, are converging for the event.

    The rally comes ahead of the opposition party’s 3,500-km ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ which will traverse the length of the country from Kanyakumari to Kashmir starting on September 7.

    Congress has said the rally’s aim is to highlight the issues of price hikes and unemployment and to promote communal harmony in the country.

    The party said its workers will continue to raise these issues as a responsible opposition and will take to the streets to fight for the cause of the common people.

  • ‘Why PM Modi was stopped if there was less crowd at Punjab rally?’ MP Home minister Narottam Mishra

    By PTI

    BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Thursday said, “why was Prime Minister Narendra Modi “stopped” if there was less crowd at a ground in Punjab where he was to address a rally, and sought a response from Congress president Sonia Gandhi over the matter”.

    In a major security lapse, the prime minister’s convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters at Ferozepur in Punjab on Wednesday. He returned from the poll-bound state without attending any event, including a rally.

    Talking to reporters here, Mishra questioned the silence of Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu over the matter.

    On Wednesday, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said “there were 70,000 chairs which had been put up at the Ferozepur public rally venue of the BJP, but “only 700 turned up (for the BJP event), what can I do in this? Asked about Channi’s comments, Mishra said, “If there was less crowd, then they should have allowed the prime minister to go. Why did they stop him?”

  • Bengal polls: EC bans roadshows, big rallies after Covid safety norms flouted

    By Express News Service
    KOLKATA: The Election Commission on Thursday banned all roadshows, processions, and bike rallies in Bengal after it found severe violation of Covid-19 protocols in the events organised by the political parties. 

    In its order on Thursday evening, the poll panel also said no public meetings beyond the limit of 500 persons shall be permissible.

    Elaborating on its move, the poll panel said, “The Commission has noted several instances of election meetings and campaigns wherein norms of social distancing, wearing of masks, etc. have been flouted in blatant disregard of the Commission’s aforesaid guidelines. The Commission has also taken a serious view against repeated violations by star campaigners/political leaders/candidates who are supposed to be torchbearers for the campaign against Covid-19.”

    The Commission’s order said, “No roadshow/pad-yatra shall be permissible. No cycle/bike/vehicle rally shall be permissible. No public meeting beyond the limit of 500 persons at a place subject to availability of adequate space with social distancing, adhering to Covid safety norms, shall be permissible.”      

    ALSO READ | Calcutta HC expresses dissatisfaction with EC on implementation of Covid norms

    The EC order came hours after Kolkata High Court expressed dissatisfaction with the poll panel over enforcement of Covid safety norms during the ongoing elections.  

    Hearing three PILs seeking enforcement of Covid protocol on Thursday, a division bench presided by Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan said: “The Election Commission is empowered to act but what is it doing about polls in this Covid times? The EC just passing circulars and leaving it to the people. But the EC has implementing authority.”

    Commenting that the Commission “is not doing one-tenth of what TN Seshan had done”, the judge warned that if the poll panel did not take action, it will.

    Earlier, the panel banned campaigns from 7 pm to 10 am across the state and extended the silence period to 72 hours from 48 hours prior to the scheduled polling day.