Delhi Red Fort Blast: Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, and others have expressed their condolences on the Delhi blast.
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, along with other national leaders, have expressed grief over the Red Fort blast in Delhi. Ten people are reported dead and several others injured. New Delhi: A massive explosion occurred in a car parked near the busy Red Fort Metro Station in Delhi on Monday evening. Reports claim that 10 people have died, while several others have been injured and admitted to LNJP Hospital. Police have issued a high alert in Delhi. Other major cities across the country are also on high alert, while the second phase of assembly elections in Bihar is scheduled for Tuesday. Home Minister Amit Shah is in contact with the Delhi Police and the Intelligence Bureau. He is also updating Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation. Meanwhile, leaders across the country have expressed their grief over this heartbreaking incident, including opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed grief, writing, “The news of the death and injury of many people in the Delhi blast is deeply saddening. May the departed souls rest in peace. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I wish the injured a speedy recovery.” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote, “I am deeply shocked to hear about the tragic blast in New Delhi. My condolences are with the families who lost their loved ones, and I pray for strength and a speedy recovery for all the injured.” Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi wrote, “The news of the car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort Metro station is deeply painful and worrying. The news of the death of many innocent people in this tragic accident is deeply saddening. I stand with the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in this hour of grief and offer my deepest condolences. I hope all the injured recover as soon as possible.” Former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal wrote, “The news of the blast near the Red Fort is deeply worrying.” It is being reported that some people have lost their lives in this incident, which is extremely sad. The police and government should immediately investigate how this blast occurred and whether there is a larger conspiracy behind it. Negligence regarding Delhi’s security cannot be tolerated. AAP leader Sanjay Singh wrote, “Only Pakistan could commit such a despicable act. Modi’s ceasefire has emboldened the Pakistani thugs. The terrorists who killed our innocent citizens should also be killed. The attack on the Red Fort is an attack on a symbol of our pride. The country is not safe under Modi. May God grant peace to the souls of the deceased.” Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge wrote on Twitter, “Extremely saddened to hear the news of the car bomb explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort Metro Station. Initial reports indicate that many precious lives have been lost in this incident. Our condolences and prayers are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief, and we wish the injured a speedy recovery.” The government must ensure a prompt and thorough investigation into this explosion, which occurred in a highly secure and often crowded area, so that those responsible for this lapse and incident can be held accountable. Curated by: Nityanand Pathak About the Author Nityanand Pathak is a Senior Journalist (Assistant Editor) at Navbharat Times Digital. He previously served as Sports Editor at NBT (Digital) for the past seven years. Courtesy: Hindi News
‘Why would Gen-Z listen to him?’: Prashant Kishor questions Rahul’s influence; plays down his impact
NEW DELHI: Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor on Sunday dismissed the “notion” that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi holds any meaningful sway over Gen Z voters in Bihar. He further criticised Gandhi’s limited engagement and understanding of the state. In an exclusive interview with news agency ANI, Kishor said, “How much knowledge does Rahul Gandhi have here? Rahul Gandhi comes here, roams around, does a couple of show bites and then he is gone.” He questioned the idea that Bihar’s youth would rally behind Gandhi’s calls on issues like “vote theft” or protecting democracy. “When the people of Bihar are not listening to him (Rahul Gandhi), then why would Gen Z listen to him? Gen Z is not a homogeneous group in Bihar who acts on someone’s call or on the basis of their assessment,” he said. — ANI (@ANI) Referring to recent protests in Nepal that led to the fall of the former PM KP Sharma Oli’s government, Kishor said some people were “getting excited” after the Gen Z movement there but stressed that Bihar’s political landscape is different. “Bihar is a very political place. It is not like Bangalore. People won’t have clothes, food, jobs, but there is a lot of political optimism among the people here. And the result of this is that people are leaving their work and doing politics day and night. But I don’t think there is going to be a revolution by someone’s call here,” he said. Kishor underlined that youth play an important role in Bihar’s politics, primarily because of unemployment and migration. “The youth between 20 and 30 years, who are facing a bit of unemployment. Not a bit, I mean he is facing a lot of difficulties due to unemployment. They are forced to go out, enduring the tough life there. That is definitely a big factor in Bihar. You can call him Gen Z, you can call him a youth, you can call him a millennial. This is the terminology,” he said. Commenting on the Congress party’s role in the upcoming elections, Jan Suraaj founder said it remains marginal. “I had also said at that time that Congress is a follower of RJD in Bihar. They are a big party of the country. They are the leaders of the opposition in the country. They belong to the Gandhi family. So it is natural that the media will cover them,” he said. “But from the point of view of Bihar, there is no presence of Congress. Congress is not a factor. There is no discussion of Congress. What is Congress doing? Congress has little effect. Politically, you can see it in Seemanchal. In Seemanchal, I think that even today, the Muslims are more tilted towards Congress than RJD,” he added. Hours before the first phase of polling, Gandhi had appealed to young voters, particularly Gen Z to come forward and “save democracy through truth and non-violence.” In a video message posted on X, Congress leader addressed “Gen Z brothers and sisters” from Bihar, urging them to turn out in large numbers and vote responsibly. “My young friends from Bihar, my Gen-Z brothers and sisters — tomorrow is not just a day for voting, but a day to decide the direction of Bihar’s future,” he said. — RahulGandhi (@RahulGandhi) Referring to his repeated “vote theft” allegations, Gandhi added, “You’ve seen how in Haryana, a nefarious game of vote theft was played. In Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh — everywhere, these people have tried to suppress the people’s voice. Now their eyes are on Bihar, on your votes, on your future.” He urged voters to “stay vigilant against every conspiracy” and to “walk the path of truth and non-violence” while supporting Mahagathbandhan candidates in their constituencies. The first phase of the Bihar assembly elections concluded peacefully on Thursday with a record voter turnout, while the remaining 122 constituencies will vote in the second phase on November 11. Counting will take place on November 14. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Modi, Shah will be caught for being ‘involved’ in ‘vote chori’: Rahul
Patna: Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Sunday alleged that the people in the country were being taken for a ride since the govt was not being formed in a fair manner, but through ‘vote chori’. He said PM Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah would eventually be caught for being “involved” in the “vote chori”. He said if voters managed to prevent vote theft at the polling booths, the opposition alliance would form the next govt in Bihar. Addressing election rallies in Kishanganj and Purnia on the last day of the poll campaign for the second and last phase of polling, Rahul alleged Modi and Shah never won elections in a fair manner, rather by “fraudulent means”, adding they would eventually be caught. “Modi and Shah chunao nahin jitate hain, vote chori karke chunao jitate hain (Modi and Shah don’t win elections, they emerge victorious by stealing votes),” Rahul said, accusing the chief election commissioner (CEC) of being a part of the conspiracy. “I have proof of vote theft and they will be caught in the end,” he said. He alleged the BJP won elections by fraudulent means in several states such as Maharashtra and Haryana, and it is now planning to “steal votes” in Bihar too. Asking the voters to remain alert at the polling booths, he said the formation of the INDIA bloc govt in Bihar is certain if they prevent vote theft. “I can say with certainty that the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (INDIA bloc) is going to form the next govt. There is a cent per cent chance. But, you must prevent the BJP from vote theft. Be on the guard at the polling stations on the day when votes will be cast (Nov 11),” Rahul said, adding it is now the duty of every youngster, worker, and farmer to thwart vote theft. He said barely a few days back, he exposed “vote chori” in Haryana but both the BJP leaders and the EC have not replied so far. “Haryana has 2 crore voters, but 25 lakh fake electorate cast their votes in the elections… several BJP leaders from UP also voted in Haryana,” Rahul alleged, describing “vote chori” as the biggest theft in the country. He said the BJP fears people’s voices and hence they are either involved in vote theft or trying to cause bitterness in the society or talking about free data so that the youths remain engrossed on social media. “Social media is the biggest addiction in the 21st century and the NDA people want the young generation to be engaged in it,” he alleged, adding youths need employment. Rahul said the BJP and RSS have been pursuing a “divisive agenda”, with the objective of “deflecting attention from vote theft”, adding “Modi and Shah are scared of the people’s voice. They have betrayed the soul of India. They are bound to be caught.” Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
SIR an attempt to institutionalise ‘vote chori’: Rahul
Bhopal: Loading his ‘vote chori’ (vote theft) jibe as fresh ammunition to gun for the BJP-led NDA, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said the ruling party at the Centre was working in collusion with the Election Commission (EC) to destroy the country’s democratic framework while also inflicting wounds on the soul of the ‘Constitution.’ Amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) the Congress leader alleged that the enumeration exercise was a cover for ‘institutionalising vote chori’. “This is an attack on our democracy and the Constitution as conceived by Dr Ambedkar. PM Modi, Amit Shah and CEC Gyanesh Kumar are working in collusion to damage Bharat Mata,” Rahul alleged. In his parting address at Pachmarhi where he had arrived on Saturday to attend a training camp organised for District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents there, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha said, “The main issue facing the country today is vote chori. As you must have seen during my presentation on Haryana (assembly polls), there were 25 lakh fake voters, which means that one in every eight voters was fake. After going through the data on Haryana (polls), I am sure ‘vote chori’ happened in MP, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh as well.” Asked if he had evidence of vote theft in MP as well, Rahul responded, “Yes, we have a lot of information from different places. We shall present all information and evidence before the country in due course of time. This is just the beginning.” he said. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Mahagathbandhan fighting Mahatma’s battle’: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra targets PM Modi; calls for ‘change’ in Bihar
NEW DELHI: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday said the opposition Mahagathbandhan alliance, of which her party is a part, is fighting the same battle in Bihar today that Mahatma Gandhi fought during India’s freedom struggle. Addressing an election rally in Kadwa, Katihar district, ahead of the second and final phase of polling on November 11, she likened the Congress and Mahagathbandhan’s campaign to a fight for citizens’ rights and democracy. “The battle that the Congress Party and the Mahagathbandhan are fighting today is the same battle that Mahatma Gandhi fought back then. Even today, we are fighting for your rights, for the truth, against an empire — and that is the empire of Narendra Modi. Today, he is running this country in the same way, by suppressing people,” the Wayanad MP remarked. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also accused the BJP of attempting to “weaken” the Constitution and “undermine” the democratic process. “The rights Mahatma Gandhi fought for are at risk. One of the most essential rights is the right to vote. The BJP has tried its best to weaken the Constitution — they have even started stealing votes,” she alleged. Her comments come amid ongoing opposition claims of electoral manipulation. Her brother and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has addressed three press conferences since August — including one on Wednesday, the eve of the first phase of voting — alleging that the Election Commission and the ruling BJP “colluded” to “steal” votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and state polls before and after. Both the BJP and the Election Commission have dismissed the accusations. The first phase of polling in Bihar covered 121 assembly constituencies, while the second phase will be held across the remaining 122 seats on November 11. Counting of votes for all 243 constituencies will take place on November 14. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Rahul calls for district-level action, to target all households before 2028
Bhopal: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is on a two-day visit to Pachmarhi where he held an in-depth session with state party seniors and then held a marathon meeting with newly appointed district presidents. Rahul Gandhi arrived by a special plane from Delhi on Saturday afternoon and then headed for Pachmarhi in a chopper. Just before boarding the special flight to Bhopal, Rahul Gandhi took to X and posted a video of children eating their mid-day meal on fragments on newspapers and not plates. “I am going to Madhya Pradesh today,”@RahulGandhi wrote. “And ever since I saw this news that children are being served mid-day meals on newspapers, my heart has broken.” Reacting to this tweet, the state BJP said that it is an old video, and action was taken after the news surfaced. “The self-help group responsible for this was blacklisted,” the state BJP tweeted. Upon reaching Pachmarhi, Rahul Gandhi addressed senior state party leaders on decentralisation of the state unit – how to make the district offices strong and take district-based decisions there. Sources said that Rahul Gandhi instructed that strengthening of district units will enable the party to reach the villages. The target is to reach every household before the 2028 assembly elections. In a state where the party has been out of power since Dec 2003, except for the 15-month Kamal Nath govt, the Congress wants to return to power through the districts. The party so far has been unable to match the organisational strength of the ruling BJP. On June 3, Rahul Gandhi launched the Sangathan Srajan Abhiyan in the state with the goal of strengthening the organisation at the districts to panchayat levels. These newly elected district presidents were appointed under that campaign – some of whom are popular faces like Jaivardhan Singh, son of former chief minister Digvijaya Singh, former ministers Omkar Singh Markam, Priyavrat Singh and former NSUI state chief Vipin Wankhede. Those present in the hour-long senior leaders’ meeting included former chief minister Digvijaya Singh, former LoPs Ajay Singh and Dr Govind Singh, PCC chief Jitu Patwari, LoP Umang Singhar, Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha, former Union ministers Kantilal Bhuria, Arun Yadav and others. However, former chief minister Kamal Nath could not come to Pachmarhi because of medical reasons. After the meeting, leaders who spoke to reporters emphasised that Rahul Gandhi wants action and hard work in the field. Former LoP Ajay Singh refused to divulge the instructions given to the party top-brass, but said, “If anybody does not work, whether at the district or state level, the person will now be held accountable. Inactivity means that the person will be changed.” This was confirmed by former minister and party veteran Govind Singh, “Work review will be done. And inactivity means that you can be removed.” Later, he addressed the 72 organisational district presidents who were seated on the floor of a metal roofed hall with Rahul Gandhi walking in the centre and speaking to them. Family members including children of the district presidents were invited to Pachmarhi to have dinner with Rahul Gandhi. Rahul halted the night in Pachmarhi. He is scheduled to hold a small meeting with Congress leaders on Sunday morning before leaving around 10:30 am for the campaign in Bihar. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Bihar polls: AP minister Lokesh steps onto national stage, urges voters to support NDA
Vijayawada: By participating in the Bihar election campaign, the TDP national general secretary and minister for ITEC&HRD, Nara Lokesh, not only made his presence felt at the national level but also hinted at the leadership transition in the party. In the recent past, Lokesh made several whirlwind tours to the national capital, Mumbai, and also abroad, a trademark working style of his father and chief minister, N Chandrababu Naidu. Lokesh took on the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who has been levelling allegations of vote chori. “On one hand, he alleges vote chori, and on the other hand, he fights against SIR, which is meant to correct the mistakes in voter lists. He should stick to one thing as both cannot be possible at once,” Lokesh said, adding that the voter list is one thing which every political party monitors very closely. “I am quite surprised Rahul Gandhi realised the importance of the voter list now,” he said. Lokesh stressed the continuation of the govt and appealed to the people of Bihar to continue the NDA govt for the continuation of development. He said that in Andhra Pradesh, people voted for change once but paid a heavy price. Now, they have voted for NDA again with a 94% strike rate. He said that a double engine sarkar will help the state to grow at a faster rate. The TDP national general secretary further said that while NDA is talking about empowering people by promoting one entrepreneur in every house, the opposition is promoting dependence by promising one govt job in every house, which is an impossible task. He appealed to the people of Bihar to choose wisely between the political parties. Before leaving for Patna, Lokesh participated in a meeting in Kalyandurg marking the 538th birth anniversary of Bhakta Kanakadasa and unveiled a statue of the saint. Lokesh said the TDP has been a party for the Backward Classes since its formation and that BCs have stood by the party throughout. He said the govt is committed to the empowerment of BC communities and announced that Kanakadasa Jayanthi would be celebrated as a state festival. He said Kanakadasa’s life and teachings continue to guide society. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Bawankule Slams Rahul Gandhi Over ‘Duplicate Voter List’ Remark
Nagpur: Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday launched a sharp counterattack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of duplicate names in the state’s voter list, calling them ‘absurd’ and politically motivated. “Rahul Gandhi should first study the state’s voter lists before making such foolish claims. Duplicate names aren’t new; they exist everywhere. In Kamptee, Congress-MVA candidate Suresh Bhoyar — who contested against me in the 2024 assembly polls — himself has a duplicate entry. Why doesn’t Rahul see that?” Bawankule asked. The guardian minister dismissed Gandhi’s charge as “a desperate attempt to create confusion” ahead of the upcoming civic elections. “Even if a name appears twice, only one person can vote since indelible ink is applied. The same voter list elected 31 MPs of the MVA, but now after losing the assembly polls, they are calling it faulty. This is a pathetic effort to spread a fake narrative,” he remarked. Bawankule accused Gandhi and the opposition of lacking any positive agenda. “In the last nine months, they haven’t presented a single constructive idea. Rahul Gandhi keeps attacking the Election Commission and the Supreme Court, playing the same old, worn-out cassette. He’s restless because he knows that the NDA under Modi will rule till 2047,” he said. Turning his fire on Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Bawankule termed him a “penless chief minister”. “In my 22 years of politics, I’ve seen many CMs, but Uddhav Thackeray was the only one who never carried a pen. He wouldn’t sign MLAs’ letters for months; that’s why his legislators deserted him. He barely visited Mantralaya during his two-and-a-half-year tenure,” he alleged. He dismissed Thackeray’s ongoing Marathwada tour as a purely political exercise. “It’s an off-season tour driven by electoral motives. As chief minister, he never visited farmers’ fields or cared about flood relief. He doesn’t even know what assistance victims receive. He’s touring only to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis,” Bawankule said, in a statement released to the media. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Rahul Gandhi to visit Pachmarhi today for Cong training camp
Bhopal: Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, is set to reach Pachmarhi on Saturday as part of a two-day visit and will halt for the night at a local hotel. He will arrive in Bhopal on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 pm and leave by helicopter to Pachmarhi, where he is scheduled to spend three hours interacting with the Congress’ newly elected district presidents at the party’s training camp. According to the state PCC office, after reaching Pachmarhi he is expected to address the district presidents on “Global Politics of India” and may discuss his recent vote-theft allegations against the ruling BJP. The Congress MP from Rae Bareilly last visited the state on June 3 this year to inaugurate the Sangathan Srajan organisation restructuring Abhiyan in Bhopal, during which 72 new district presidents were appointed. Sources said Rahul Gandhi will hold one-on-one meetings with senior party leaders including Digvijaya Singh, Kamal Nath, PCC chief Jitu Patwari, LOP Umang Singhar and former Union minister Arun Yadav. Following his overnight stay, he will meet party workers again on Sunday morning before departing for New Delhi at around 1 pm. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
GA to secure majority and form govt in state: Rahul
Bhagalpur: In a scathing attack on the BJP and an oblique reference to the Election Commission of India (ECI), Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged large-scale electoral fraud in recent polls, describing it as “vote chori”. Rahul claimed that the Congress has gathered evidence of “vote chori” in the Haryana and other state assembly polls and accused the ECI of ignoring the issue. Expressing confidence that the people of Bihar would resist any such irregularities, he said, “Bihar badla ja sakta hai… hum badlenge Bihar” (it is possible to bring changes in Bihar… we will ensure positive changes in Bihar). Alleging that cases of “vote chori” were also emerging from Bihar, Rahul said those responsible for safeguarding the electoral rights of citizens had “turned a blind eye towards the theft of your votes and future.” The Congress leader made these remarks during election rallies held at Amarpur in Banka district, Bhagalpur and Kahalgaon. He said Bihar would rise and prosper under the Mahagathbandhan (GA) once it came to power, adding that the alliance would secure a majority in the assembly elections and form the govt. Describing Bihar as “a land of knowledge” with ancient seats of learning like Nalanda and Vikramshila Mahavihara, Rahul accused successive NDA govts of neglecting the state’s development. “Progress has taken a backseat in Bihar,” he said, adding that the GA would “ensure the development of Bihar and connect its ancient institutions with a tourist circuit to make the state a global tourist hub.” Referring to local products such as makhana and other farm produce, Rahul said, “We will establish food processing industries to promote agricultural products, boost the tussar industry and strengthen educational institutions and health services in Bihar.” He said the Mahagathbandhan’s goal was to promote ‘Made in Bihar’ products across India and globally, replacing ‘Made in China’ goods. “Industrial establishments will generate employment for the youth, making them and the state self-reliant,” he added. Rahul also criticised PM Narendra Modi and the NDA govt for “favouring large industrial houses while neglecting the poor”. Without naming anyone, he alluded to prominent business figures, saying the NDA govt had “done nothing for the poor and downtrodden, including not waiving loans of farmers and small borrowers.” He accused PM Narendra Modi, CM Nitish Kumar and Union home minister Amit Shah of “turning Bihar into a labourers’ colony of India,” referring to the large number of Bihari workers employed across the country. “Why is it that the home minister’s son, Jay Shah, who does not even know how to hold a cricket bat, has become an authority in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and other associations?” he asked. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights