Online application for voter roll change will need Aadhaar
NEW DELHI: Election Commission now requires an applicant seeking fresh enrolment or inclusion/exclusion of a voter from the electoral roll via online mode to mandatorily verify his identity through OTP-based Aadhaar authentication. While online applications related to the electoral roll – through Form 6 (fresh enrolment), Form 7 (objection to inclusion/exclusion of voter in roll) and Form 8 (corrections) – would henceforth require’e-sign’ based on Aadhaar authentication, those who do not have Aadhaar number can always fill out the physical forms and personally submit them to the electoral registration officer (ERO) or the booth level officer (BLO). The ‘e-sign’ requirement for online applications related to the voters’ list, EC sources told TOI, was conceptualised in Aug and rolled out quietly in the second week of Sept. The reform, it was underlined, preceded Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s Sept 18 press conference during which he had alleged unauthorised attempts at deletion of over 6,000 voters in Aland assembly constituency of Karnataka in Dec 2022.The ‘e-sign’ initiative is meant to ensure that the applicant’s name in the electoral photo identity card (EPIC) and phone number – as declared in the online Forms 6, 7 or 8 – matches with his/her details recorded in the Aadhaar system. Form 7 allows an elector to object against the proposed inclusion or exclusion of a voter in the electoral roll of a constituency in which he himself is also registered. Such an applicant must mention his name, EPIC number and mobile number of self ‘or’ relative (father/mother/husband/legal guardian) in the form. The e-sign option prompts the applicant to complete his OTP-based Aadhaar authentication before submitting the form. EC had, soon after Rahul’s presser, clarified only 24 of the 6,018 applications for deletions in Aland were found genuine, while the remaining 5,994 were found incorrect, and rejected. An FIR was filed on Sept 6, 2023 by the Aland ERO in the case and all available details handed over to the investigation agency. 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
PM Modi govt’s response on Palestine issue abdication of humanity, morality: Sonia Gandhi
NEW DELHI: Asserting that India needs to demonstrate leadership on the issue of Palestine, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday slammed the Modi government’s stance, saying its response has been characterised by a “profound silence” and an abdication of both humanity and morality. She said the government’s actions appear to be driven primarily by the personal friendship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and rather than India’s constitutional values or its strategic interests. “This style of personalised diplomacy is never tenable and cannot be the guiding compass of India’s foreign policy. Attempts to do the same in other parts of the world, most notably in the United States , have come undone in the most painful and humiliating ways in recent months,” Gandhi said in her article published in The Hindu. This is the third article by Gandhi on the Israel-Palestine conflict, published in a national daily in the recent past, in which she has vehemently criticised the Modi government’s stance on the issue. India’s standing on the world stage cannot be wrapped up into the personal glory-seeking ways of one individual, nor can it rest on its historical laurels. It demands persistent courage and a sense of historical continuity, she said in her article titled ‘India’s muted voice, its detachment with Palestine’. Gandhi pointed out that France has joined the United Kingdom, Canada, Portugal and Australia in recognising Palestinian statehood — “the first step in the fulfilment of the legitimate aspirations of the long-suffering Palestinian people”. More than 150 of the 193 countries that are members of the United Nations have now done so, she said. Gandhi underlined that India had been a leader in this regard having formally recognised Palestinian statehood way back on November 18, 1988, after years of support to the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). She cited the examples of how India raised the issue of Apartheid South Africa even before Independence and during the Algerian struggle for independence (1954-62), India was one of the strongest voices for an independent Algeria. In 1971, India intervened firmly to prevent genocide in what was then East Pakistan, midwifing the birth of modern-day Bangladesh, she pointed out. On the critical and sensitive issue of Israel-Palestine as well, India has long maintained a delicate but principled position, emphasising its commitment to peace and the protection of human rights, the former Congress chief said. India needs to demonstrate leadership on the issue of Palestine, which is now a battle for justice, identity, dignity and human rights, Gandhi asserted. In the last two years, since the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Palestine in October 2023, India has all but relinquished its role, she opined. “The brutal and inhumane Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023, were followed by an Israeli response that has been nothing less than genocidal. As I have previously raised, more than 55,000 Palestinian civilians have been killed, including 17,000 children,” she said. The residential, schooling and health infrastructure of the Gaza Strip has been obliterated, as have agriculture and industry, Gandhi said. “Gazans have been forced into a famine-like situation, with the Israeli military cruelly obstructing the delivery of much-needed food, medicine, and other aid — a ‘drip-feeding’ of aid amidst an ocean of desperation,” she said. In one of the most revolting acts of inhumanity, hundreds of civilians have been shot down while trying to access food, she pointed out. Gandhi opined that the world has been slow to respond, implicitly legitimising the Israeli actions. The recent moves by several countries to recognise Palestine as a sovereign state are a welcome and long-due departure from the policy of inaction, she said. “This is a historical moment and an assertion of the principles of justice, self-determination and human rights. These steps are not merely diplomatic gestures; they are affirmations of the moral responsibility that nations bear in the face of prolonged injustice. It is a reminder that in the modern world, silence is not neutrality, it is complicity,” she said. And here, India’s voice, once so unwavering in the cause of freedom and human dignity, has remained “conspicuously muted”, Gandhi said, hitting out at the Modi government. Meanwhile, it is appalling that just two weeks ago, India not only signed a bilateral investment agreement with Israel, in New Delhi, but also hosted its highly controversial far-right finance minister who has invited global condemnation for his repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank, she said. Gandhi argued that India must not approach the issue of Palestine as merely a matter of foreign policy but as a test of India’s ethical and civilisational heritage. The people of Palestine have endured decades of displacement, prolonged occupation, settlement expansion, restrictions on movement and repeated assaults on their civil, political and human rights, she said. Their plight echoes the struggles that India faced during the colonial era — a people deprived of their sovereignty, denied a nationhood, exploited for their resources, and stripped of all rights and security. “We owe Palestine a sense of historical empathy in its quest for dignity, and we also owe Palestine the courage to translate that empathy into principled action,” she 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
Ponnam hits out at BJP over GST rate cut
Hyderabad: Transport and BC welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Tuesday alleged that the BJP looted the poor and sucked their blood for the past eight years with the ‘Gabbar Singh Tax’ (GST), and was now trying to project the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rollback as if it was doing a great service. Speaking at a media conference in Gandhi Bhavan, Prabhakar said, “The BJP govt at the Centre is trying to mislead the people by stating that it has reduced GST rates to 5% or 18%. But the reality is that it had already doubled the prices of essential commodities. The price of salt increased from 10 per kg to 20 per kg, edible oil from 70 per litre to 160 per litre, and dal from 60 to 160 per kg, to name a few. It taxed a poor man’s meal more than the luxury food served in star hotels. The GST had only burdened the poor and small traders, while the rich benefited. Basic necessities such as funeral expenses had been taxed under GST too.” Referring to Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s recent statement that the Centre earned 22 lakh crore in six months through GST, Prabhakar said this was proof enough how the Central govt squeezed the common man. He further said, “Telangana will suffer a loss of 7,000 crore every year because of the GST rate rationalisation. When GST was introduced, the BJP govt had promised to bear the losses of states for 10 years, but the promise has not been fulfilled. The Centre is pushing Telangana into financial distress. Union ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay should give clarity to the people of Telangana on how the state’s losses would be addressed. They must take up the issue with the Prime Minister and Union finance minister in New Delhi, and cannot remain silent or defend the GST rate rationalisation.” AICC leader Rahul Gandhi has been saying from day one that this is not GST but ‘Gabbar Singh Tax’. The Centre’s approach is like giving with one hand and taking with the other. The GST council must function democratically, and not as a tool of the Central government, he added. 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
BJP seizes on Manish Tewari’s remarks on falling regimes, calls it indirect attack on Rahul
NEW DELHI: Congress MP Manish Tewari’s remark terming the recent regime changes in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal and unrest in Philippines a rejection of the politics of entitlement sparked a controversy, with BJP framing it as sign of Congress’s unease over LoP Rahul Gandhi’s politics. BJP’s Amit Malviya latched on to Tewari’s use of words like ‘#nepokids’ in his post on X to say, “Senior Congress neta Manish Tewari, member of G-23 rebel group, takes aim at Rahul Gandhi – the ultimate ‘nepo kid’ of Indian politics (sic).” In his post, Tewari wrote, “The toppling of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka in July 2023, Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh in July 2024, K P Sharma Oli in Nepal in Sept 2025 and now protests against Ferdinand Marcos Jr in Philippines have one word written over them – ENTITLEMENT IS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE TO GEN X, Y, Z.” He also said, “Watch for my piece on ‘The Social Media Trends that toppled or are challenging ‘DYNASTS’. Study #nepokids or #TrillionPesoMarch in the meantime.” BJP turned Tiwary’s remarks into anti-Congress fodder. “Forget Gen Z, even Congress’s own veterans are fed up with his regressive politics. The revolt is now from within,” Malviya said on X. Party spokesperson Sambit Patra said India rejected “nepokid” in 2014, leading Tewari to say that he was being misinterpreted. “Gosh. I just wish that some people would grow up in life. Everything doesn’t have to be dum-bed down to Cong-BJP, he said-she said or targeting X or Y. What’s happening in South Asia and East Asia has serious nat’l security implications.” 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
Unemployment & graft up as they are tied to ‘vote chori’, says Rahul Gandhi
NEW DELHI: Claiming that the young generation will no longer accept “vote theft” and “job theft” which are interlinked, Congress’ Rahul Gandhi said unemployment and corruption will continue to mount as long as “elections are stolen”. He accused PM Modi of destroying the future of India’s youth. “The biggest problem for youth in India is unemployment – and it is directly linked to vote theft. When any govt comes to power by winning trust of people, its first duty is to provide employment and opportunities to youth. But BJP does not win polls honestly – they stay in power by stealing votes and holding institutions captive,” he said, adding, “That’s why unemployment has reached its highest level in 45 years. That’s why jobs are declining, recruitment processes have collapsed, and youth’s future is pushed into darkness. That’s why exam paper leak and every recruitment is tied to stories of corruption.” Rahul posted on X videos of Modi doing his morning exercise, planting saplings and feeding peacock, and of job-seekers being lathicharged in Patna. “The youth of the country works hard, dreams, and struggles for their future. But Modi is only busy with his PR, getting celebrities to sing his praises, and billionaires make profits. Breaking the hopes of the youth and making them desperate has become hallmark of this govt.” 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
₹1,600 crore relief package is an injustice to Punjab; a comprehensive package should be released: Rahul Gandhi
Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that the ₹1,600 crore relief package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for flood-affected Punjab is an injustice to the people of the state. He said, “I once again urge the Prime Minister to immediately release a comprehensive relief package.” Rahul Gandhi urged the Prime Minister to immediately release a comprehensive relief package for flood-affected Punjab. New Delhi: Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that the initial ₹1,600 crore relief package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for flood-affected Punjab is an injustice to the people of the state. He reiterated his demand for an immediate comprehensive relief package for Punjab. This is an injustice to the people of Punjab. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha wrote a letter to Prime Minister Modi on September 17, urging the release of a comprehensive relief package for Punjab. Rahul Gandhi posted on X on Monday that the floods have caused losses of approximately ₹20,000 crore. In such a situation, the initial relief package of ₹1,600 crore announced by the Prime Minister is an injustice to the people of Punjab. Rahul Gandhi appeals to Prime Minister Narendra Modi He said that millions of homes were destroyed. More than 400,000 acres of crops were ruined. A large number of animals were also swept away. The Congress leader said that despite this, the people of Punjab have shown remarkable courage and spirit. He is confident that they will rebuild Punjab once again. They just need support and strength. He said that he once again urges Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately release a comprehensive relief package. Edited by: NBT Desk About the Author NBT Desk: Whether it’s national, international, sports news, or the inside story of politics, NBT News Desk brings you every news. Courtesy: Hindi News
Mahagathbandhan in Bihar: Will arithmetic of seat-sharing overshadow chemistry of vote yatra?
NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi’s “Voter Adhikar Yatra” in Bihar was a picture-perfect show of unity – with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav joining hands to unleash a coordinated offensive against the Election Commission and the BJP, accusing them of stealing elections. It was a campaign that brought together all the Mahagathbandhan leaders. The chemistry between the allies was obvious and was aptly summed up by Rahul Gandhi when he asserted during the course of the yatra: “A very strong partnership had been forged. All the parties (in the bloc) are working in sync. There’s no tension, and there’s mutual respect for each other as we are ideologically and politically aligned. The result will be good.” Ironically though, Rahul made this statement to evade a direct reply to a pointed question – “Why Congress was not backing RJD’s Tejashwi as CM candidate?” Clearly, the bonhomie on display notwithstanding, the Congress leader was not willing to endorse the leadership role of the senior partner in the Bihar alliance. This despite the fact that Tejashwi had already openly proclaimed during the yatra that if the opposition is voted to power in the next Lok Sabha elections, Rahul will become the Prime Minister. Little wonder then, with the yatra over, realpolitik has taken over. The yatra bonhomie between the allies seems to have given way to pressure games as they finalise the seat-sharing deal. While claims and counterclaims by allies do point to fissures in the alliance, most of this could be posturing to extract the best deal. Why seat-sharing deal may be a tough nut to crack? In the 2020 assembly elections, RJD had contested 144 seats and won 75. The Congress had the worst strike rate as it contested 70 seats but won only 19. The Left parties had performed very well five years back with the CPI-ML winning 12 out of 19 it got under seat-sharing, while CPM won 2 out of 4 and CPI 2 out of 6. This time around, there are at least three more parties joining the opposition alliance: Vikasheel Insaan Party of Mukesh Sahani, JMM and the breakaway faction of LJP – headed by Chirag’s uncle. Interestingly, five years back, VIP was part of Mahagathbandhan till the seat-sharing deal was announced. While the announcement was being made, VIP’s Sahni walked out of the opposition alliance and crossed over to the NDA. This time around he has sought 60 seats and the post of deputy chief minister if the alliance wins. Sample some of the statements made by the allies for a better bargain this time around, and one understands why finalising a deal may not be easy. CPI’s D Raja “We will try to get more seats. If other parties are demanding, our party has a great history in Bihar and it has a widespread presence and organisational strength and our party can decide the political course in different district. So we should get reasonable number of seats.” VIP’s Mukesh Sahani “The Vikasheel Insaan Party will contest 60 seats in 2025, with candidates from our allied parties contesting all remaining seats.” “We have always believed that if new parties come into the alliance, then every party will have to contribute from their kitty. In every state there are good seats and bad seats (in terms of winnability) and we believe that one party should not get all the good seats and the other gets the bad ones. In the sharing of seats, there should be a balance between good and bad seats.” Congress’s Krishna Allavaru “Hopefully, Congress would adopt a “more realistic” approach in the ongoing seat-sharing talks for the upcoming assembly elections, drawing lessons from its performance in the 2020 polls when it had “bitten off more than it could possibly chew. Maybe contesting fewer seats than last time but winning more and performing better… would be in the interest of the Congress, and definitely that of the entire INDIA bloc.” RJD, Congress under pressure? The pressure is mostly on the RJD, which is the biggest party in the alliance and has maximum stakes. Little wonder, Tejashwi has already embarked on a solo yatra to perhaps assert his dominance in the coalition. For the Congress also, its 2020 performance is a hurdle notwithstanding the claimed gains from Rahul’s ‘Voter Adhikar’ yatra. It remains to be seen how much the two parties are willing to compromise to accommodate the other parties. Clearly, for the Mahagathbandhan, after a smooth yatra, the road ahead appears to be bumpy. 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 can’t win polls by spreading false narrative of vote theft: Min
Prayagraj: State cooperative minister JPS Rathore on Sunday said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is making allegations of vote theft, should first talk about the theft of currency notes by his own party leaders. “Rahul had earlier spread propaganda in the name of Rafale and the Constitution, to which the people of the country have given a befitting reply by making the lotus bloom and will do so in the future as well,” he said. Rathore was in the city to attend “Namo Yuva Run”. He said Rahul cannot win the Bihar elections by spreading the false narrative of vote theft because the people of Bihar are intelligent and will give him a befitting reply. As part of the Seva Pakhwada (service fortnight) that was launched on Sept 17 ( Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday), “Namo Yuva Run” was organised on Sunday under the aegis of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) Prayagraj, the Sports Directorate of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, and the Regional Sports Office, Prayagraj, carrying the message of a drug-free India. A large number of young people, wearing Namo Yuva Run T-shirts, ran for a drug-free India and social awareness. Chief guest JPS Rathore, and cabinet minister Sanjay Nishad flagged off the race at Chandrashekhar Azad Park gate. The race concluded at the Madan Mohan Malaviya Stadium, after passing through Hindu Hostel, Civil Line Hanuman Temple, Medical College, Balsan and Indian Press crossing. After the race, winners in both male and female categories were awarded prizes. On the occasion, Rathore said: “India has the largest number of young people in the world. They must strive to achieve the goal of making India a developed nation by 2047, and to achieve this, they must harness the power of their youth. Only by staying free from drugs and addiction can youth build a developed India.” He said youths should take inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s life and work for the nation and society. He added that “The PM interacts with youth and seeks their advice in the country’s development. This demonstrates his vision and the importance of youth in achieving a developed India. Nishad, meanwhile, said the talent of India’s youth is being recognized worldwide. If youth utilize their energy wisely, nothing is impossible. 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
Prashant Kishor on abuse row: BJP, Congress in ‘fixed match’; questions silence on Biharis insulted outside
NEW DELHI: Politics in Bihar has once again turned stormy after allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late mother Heeraben was abused at an RJD rally. But Jan Suraaj leader Prashant Kishor on Sunday called the row nothing more than a “fixed match”, accusing both sides of distracting people from issues that matter. The row erupted after a video from Tejashwi Yadav’s ‘Bihar Adhikar Yatra’ went viral on social media. BJP leaders, including Bihar deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary, claimed that RJD workers shouted abuses targeting Modi’s late mother. Sharing the clip on X, Choudhary said, “Tejashwi Yadav has once again insulted Modi ji’s late mother. He has once again torn apart the culture of Bihar. In the rally, the RJD workers were hurling as many abuses as they could, and Tejashwi was encouraging them. The mothers and sisters of Bihar will surely hold him accountable for this thuggish mentality and abusive behaviour.” This row comes just weeks after a similar incident in Darbhanga, where abuses were allegedly hurled during Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’. While the BJP has sharpened its attack on the opposition, Prashant Kishor took a swipe at both parties. “This is a fixed match. Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav will abuse PM Modi, and PM Modi, along with the BJP, will abuse them, so that people remain distracted from the real issues,” Kishor said. He further questioned the selective outrage of national and state leaders, pointing out that both the ruling and opposition leaders do not bat an eye when Bihari people are abused in other states. According to him, the ongoing war of words is only meant to keep common people busy with political theatre. PTI reported that the authenticity of the viral video could not be independently verified. 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
After 7 years, ABVP sweeps Hyderabad Central University elections
NEW DELHI: Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad sweeping the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) Students’ Union elections, after a gap of seven years, underlines the growing traction of the RSS-affiliated student organisation, which has steadily consolidated its position across campuses this year – from Delhi University and Guwahati University to Patna University and Punjab University. Amid Rahul Gandhi’s repeated claims that India’s ‘Gen Z’ generation was leaning towards Congress, the steady rise of ABVP is seen as part of a larger right-wing assertion, rooted in students’ aspirations for stability, opportunity and cultural pride. ABVP won all six posts – president, vice-president, general secretary, joint secretary, cultural secretary and sports secretary – in the university elections held on Sept 19. The HCU results are being seen as proof of ABVP’s growing clout in student politics, following its recent wins in several central and state universities, including Delhi University and Punjab University. Reacting to the victory, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya said, “ABVP clean sweeps… Someone please send a box of tissues to Rahul Gandhi who keeps hallucinating about a ‘Gen Z revolution’ even as NSUI is getting wiped out across central universities… Sorry Rahul, flaunting a six-pack and hopping around on stage doesn’t impress Gen Z. Vision, clarity, and leadership do.” 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