Rahul’s pro-OBC pitch leaves upper caste Congress leaders uneasy in Magadh region
Gaya: In the 2020 assembly elections, Congress contested five general seats, including Aurangabad, Tekari, Gaya Town, Wazirganj, Hisua and Warisaliganj, in the Magadh division. On all these five seats, Congress fielded upper caste candidates. The five seats were divided between two dominant upper castes in the 3:2 ratio. The strike rate of the party was much lower than alliance partners RJD and CPI-ML. Of the five general seats it contested, the party won two (Aurangabad and Hisua) and lost three. The Left party registered a 100% strike rate as it won both Ghosi and Arwal seats. Ghosi win was significant as it was regarded as the fiefdom of Jagdish Sharma. Things have changed a lot within the Congress in the last five years. In a major strategic shift, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has taken a distinctly pro-OBC stand with emphasis on caste census and poor representation of OBCs, EBCs in the decision making positions.On account of changed position of the Congress, the upper caste Congress ticket aspirants feel uncomfortable and this was also felt during meets preparatory to the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ where some of them appeared dismayed. The yatra got better traction in areas dominated by the OBCs thereby strengthening the pro-OBC lobby within the Congress, feel observers. According to Ali Hussain, principal of a Gaya-based college, politics is a game of numbers and as such no party can prosper without taking into account the arithmetical realities. Hussain, who has been teaching political science, said in Bihar, politics per se has gone OBC-dalit centric and even BJP has re calibrated its strategy along those lines. Vijai Kumar Mithu, a senior Congress leader of Magadh division and former member of the All India Congress Committee, said Congress all along has accommodated all sections in its fold and comprehensive representation of different section commensurate with their numbers was in the party’s larger interests. In order to be seen walking the talk, Congress has been promoting leaders like Chandrika Yadav, Santosh Kushwaha, Naina Devi, Priye Ranjan, Kailash Pal and Shweta Yadav etc. In 2020, both Congress and BJP-HAM(S) fielded same caste candidates in Aurangabad, Tekari, Wazirganj, Hisua and Warisaliganj. Party insiders believe that the strategy did not yield the desired result and as such things may be different this time. The resignation of Arun Kumar Prasad from the Congress is also being seen in the context of party’s changing social profile where the wings of upper caste leaders are likely to be sufficiently clipped. Prasad told this newspaper that he resigned from the Congress to join the Jan Suraaj as he found it ideologically superior to the Congress. 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.
Odisha cops serve notice to Rajiv Foundation seeking foreign contribution details
BHUBANESWAR: Police on Sunday served a notice to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF), seeking details of its financial records and foreign contributions, in connection with a case registered earlier this year in Jharsuguda against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his alleged “anti-national” remarks. Police said notice has been issued under section 94 of BNSS. The foundation director has been summoned by the police as well. Police have sought a range of documents, including year-wise foreign contributions since the foundation’s inception in 1991, details of bank accounts, authorized signatories, names and contacts of auditors, a copy of the FCRA license, and clarifications on specific donations. Jharsuguda police have specifically asked the foundation if it has brought foreign donations from controversial preacher Zakir Naik and the Chinese government. Additionally, an explanation has been sought regarding the alleged diversion of the PM relief fund during the UPA era. “Failure to comply with the notice could result in penal action under Section 210 of the BNSS,” a police officer said. An FIR had been lodged on February 7 against Gandhi in Jharsuguda after his speech at the inauguration of the new Congress headquarters in Delhi on January 15, where he accused the BJP and RSS of capturing national institutions and stated, “We are now fighting the BJP, the RSS, and the Indian State itself”. The complaint was filed by local BJP units and allied organizations, alleging that Gandhi’s remarks incited subversive activities and undermined India’s sovereignty. Inspector General (Northern Range) Himanshu Lal said, “Police are well within their scope to investigate the case. The case is progressing well”. This case is notable as it is one of the first high-profile cases under the BNSS, which replaced the Indian Penal Code in July 2024, marking a significant shift in legal proceedings related to national security and public order. 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 held Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar to protect voters’ rights: Congress
Patna: After completing the fortnight-long Voter Adhikar Yatra across 25 districts of Bihar, the Congress on Sunday released a newsletter highlighting leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s nationwide campaign to “expose vote chori and defend democracy”. The initiative takes on added significance ahead of the Bihar assembly elections, for which both the NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc have mobilised all resources. In an X post, the Congress drew attention to Rahul’s ongoing campaign against “vote theft”, saying that his Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar was aimed at safeguarding voters’ rights. “Our campaign against vote theft has exposed how the BJP, in connivance with the Election Commission, is stealing the votes and rigging the elections,” the Congress said, urging people to read the newsletter for further details. Detailing the campaign against electoral manipulation, the newsletter stated that Rahul had, for months, exposed “voter fraud and the ECI’s role in aiding the BJP”. It added that the turning point came when he uncovered over 1 lakh fake votes in Bangalore Central, after which he launched the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar to take the message directly to the people. “What began as the fight of one leader has now grown into a people’s movement to protect our right to vote,” the newsletter claimed, adding that the yatra, highlighting “the disenfranchisement of lakhs of voters through the special intensive revision (SIR)” of electoral rolls, covered 1,300 km across Bihar and included 18 rallies attended by INDIA bloc leaders, such as RJD’s Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, CPI-ML’s Dipankar Bhattacharya and VIP’s Mukesh Sahani. The newsletter also mentioned Rahul hosting a tea party with Bihar residents declared “dead” on the EC’s SIR draft rolls, participating in makhana harvesting with farmers in Purnia, and taking a bullet ride on pillion with his sister Priyanka Gandhi alongside Tejashwi. It further alleged that BJP operatives have been “stealing votes” using five methods – fake and invalid addresses, misuse of Form 6, duplicate voters, bulk voters at a single address and invalid photos. 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.
‘Will eat 1 roti less’: Manish Tewari says India’s stand on US tariffs is about self-respect; slams Donald Trump, his aide Peter Navarro
NEW DELHI: Reacting to Donald Trump’s remark that the United States has “lost India to China” in the context of the US-India tariff dispute, Congress MP Manish Tewari on Saturday asserted that India is a nation that values dignity and self-respect above all. “What @realDonaldTrump and the likes of @RealPNavarro (Trump aide Peter Navarro) don’t quite get it is not about tariffs; it is about self-respect, dignity, and honour,” Tewari wrote on X. Drawing a parallel with the country’s historical struggle against the British Empire, he added, “We fought the Imperial British & vanquished them. India will eat one Roti less but never succumb to strong-arming.” Trump’s comments came a few days after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping met. On his social media platform, Truth Social, the US president posted: “Looks like we’ve lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!” However, he later clarified he does not believe the US has “lost” India. Speaking to the media at the White House, he also expressed disappointment over India’s purchase of Russian oil despite Moscow’s war with Ukraine. “I don’t think we have (lost India to China). I’ve been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia. I let them know that. We put a very big tariff on India- 50 per cent, very high tariff. I get along very well with (PM) Modi as you know. He was here couple of months ago (February), in fact we went to the Rose Garden and had a press conference,” he said. The Trump administration – including aides like Navarro – has alleged that India’s Russian oil imports “fund” the war in Ukraine. The second half of the 50 per cent tariffs took effect on August 27, targeting India in response to these purchases. 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.
NDA slams Congress over Shrinate’s remarks
Patna: The state BJP on Saturday launched a sharp attack on Congress national spokeswoman Supriya Shrinate for her comments on the people of Bihar, accusing her of insulting ordinary citizens. Shrinate, speaking on a private channel, had praised Rahul Gandhi for mingling with the crowd during his recent Voter Adhikar Yatra, saying he hugged people who were “sweating” and “did not even wear clean clothes.” BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya circulated a video clip on X in which Shrinate is heard saying, “People were sweating and their clothes didn’t look very clean. Still he (Rahul Gandhi) was hugging them and kissing their heads. Such a person can never show off or pretend. One can fear getting an infection, but he did not even wash his hands after shaking hands with people.” Malviya said the people of Bihar “deserve respect, not pity.” Bihar BJP minister Janak Ram said the remarks reflected Congress’s “feudal mindset”. Addressing a press conference in Patna, he alleged, “The people of Bihar have made their identity on the basis of their hard work. But these (opposition) people insult by calling the Dalit and poor people as dengue. The people of Bihar do not need the princes (read Rahul and RJD’s Tejashwi Prasad Yadav) of the two royal families. It is they who go among the people of Bihar for votes.” Labour resources minister Santosh Kumar Singh added, “The people of Bihar do not shake hands with the corrupt politicians. Congress leaders need not shake hands with Bihar people.” JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said, “From Telangana’s CM Revanth Reddy to Punjab’s Charanjit Singh Channi and, later, Kerala Congress comparing Bihar to a bidi. The latest example is Supriya Shrinate’s comments. They are upset because of their impending defeat in Bihar elections.” Janak also invoked the Lalu-Rabri Devi era, alleging Bihar had endured “goonda raj, jungle raj and lathi raj”, and said CM Nitish Kumar had rescued the state from fear. However, Congress state president Rajesh Ram countered, saying it was BJP-JD(U) leaders who demean women. He cited the “misbehaviour with a woman teacher during the NDA’s Bihar bandh on Sept 3”, when she was humiliated while trying to reach her school in Jehanabad. 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.
ED summons BJP man who alleges in court Rahul is a UK citizen
NEW DELHI: Enforcement Directorate has started gathering information related to a petition pending before Allahabad high court on the alleged UK citizenship of Congress functionary Rahul Gandhi. The agency has summoned petitioner Vignesh Shishir, a BJP member, who had approached the court demanding cancellation of Gandhi’s Indian citizenship on the alleged ground that the Lok Sabha LoP had acquired citizenship of the UK where he ran businesses. Sources said Shishir has been summoned by the agency to seek from him the details he claims to have, going by his petition before the high court, about Rahul Gandhi’s UK citizenship and the companies associated with him, as well as his foreign accounts, if any. On Saturday, petitioner Vignesh Shishir said he had received a summons from ED “with regards to Rahul Gandhi, MP, related to his British citizenship case”. He said he will appear before the agency to submit all information on Sept 9. ED is curious to know if “information” with Shishir represents any violation of the foreign exchange management act (FEMA), or if there were banking transactions and income abroad which were not declared. During the last hearing of case in May, Shishir had informed HC that UK govt has shared details with Centre on the UK citizenship of Rahul Gandhi and he, being the petitioner, was also notified by home ministry. In addition, during another review petition in July, Shishir claimed to have shared videos and documents related to Rahul Gandhi obtained from London, Vietnam and Uzbekistan. As reported earlier, the Lucknow bench of Allahabad HC had asked Centre to gather information from UK govt on the claims made by Vignesh and also provide security to the petitioner. Shishir’s PIL claims the petitioner has documents and e-mails of British govt establishing that Rahul had taken up UK citizenship. The petitioner argued that since dual citizenship is not allowed in India, the LS LoP must be barred from being a voter and disqualified from contesting any election. 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 flags forest rights concerns in ₹72,000-crore Great Nicobar project involving port, airport, township
Nearly 13,075 hectares of forest land is proposed to be diverted for the project Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has written to Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, drawing attention to concerns raised by the Tribal Council of Little and Great Nicobar about alleged violations of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) in the clearances granted for the ₹72,000-crore Great Nicobar Island infrastructure project, according to a report by The Hindu. The project involves the development of a transhipment port, an airport, a power plant and a township. Nearly 13,075 hectares of forest land are proposed to be diverted. Local tribespeople have raised concerns about the impact on their communities, including the Shompen and Nicobarese. Dispute over consent In August 2022, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration certified to the Centre that FRA procedures had been completed and that forest land diversion had been approved. The Tribal Council disputes this, saying no FRA processes were ever initiated. The Council also says the Gram Sabha meeting that recorded tribal consent for the project did not include Nicobarese or Shompen representatives, and that they were instead substituted by a social welfare organisation under the administration. The Council Ongoing complaints The Council wrote to the Tribal Affairs Minister last year but has yet to receive a formal response. Earlier this year, Oram had stated that the issues were being examined. Council members have said they became aware only this year of the 2022 certificate signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Nicobar, which claimed FRA compliance. They argue that monthly reports to the Ministry itself show that FRA has not been implemented on the islands, as the administration has maintained that forests are already protected under the Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Act of 1956. The 1956 law allows the Islands’ administrator to de-reserve forest land, while the FRA requires the consent of local communities for diversion. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes has also raised concerns about the clearances, and the Calcutta High Court is hearing a petition challenging the approvals. Courtesy : ET Infra Note: This news is originally published on https:/etinfra.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
‘Bidi-Bihar’ row: Deleted Cong post on GST sparks backlash; RJD distances itself, BJP hits back
NEW DELHI: The Kerala unit of Congress has triggered a major political controversy with a now-deleted social media post linking the Centre’s new GST reforms to Bihar. The post on X, which said “Bidis and Bihar start with B. Cannot be considered a sin anymore,” referred to the GST Council’s recent decision to slash the tax on bidis from 28 per cent to 18 per cent. While Bharatiya Janata Party slammed the grand old party for the post, INDIA bloc member Rashtriya Janata Dal chose to distance itself. The cryptic remark was accompanied by a chart showing the revised GST structure, where taxes on cigars, cigarettes, and tobacco products were raised to 40 per cent while bidis saw a steep reduction. The post was swiftly deleted but not before drawing sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally, Janata Dal (United). ‘We don’t support it’ RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who recently accompanied Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his 16-day long Voter Adhikaar Yatra in Bihar, distanced himself from the post, calling it a “wrong” post. “It was a wrong tweet. We don’t support it,” he said. — ANI (@ANI) BJP calls out Congress’ ‘flip-flop’ act; shares Rahul’s old video BJP leader Amit Malviya shared a “promotional video with bidi workers in Tamil Nadu, blaming GST for their woes.” “Now, with India rolling out #NextGenGST reforms that give real relief to ordinary people—including in Bihar—Congress has shifted gears to target Biharis instead,” he said. “Does Rahul Gandhi, or the Congress for that matter, even know where they stand on issues? Or is Rahul’s self-styled propaganda of projecting himself as a “messiah” so hollow that even his own party doesn’t buy it?” he questioned. “This flip-flop, this inconsistency, is the real bane of Congress,” he added. — amitmalviya (@amitmalviya) Bihar deputy chief minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary accused the Congress of insulting the people of Bihar. “First, the insult to the revered mother of our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and now the insult to the entire Bihar—this is the true character of the Congress, which is repeatedly being exposed before the country,” he wrote on X. — samrat4bjp (@samrat4bjp) JD(U) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kumar Jha also lashed out at Congress, calling the post “another extremely shameful act.” Responding in Hindi, Jha said: “Let me tell you that B doesn’t just mean bidi, it also means buddhi (intellect), which you lack. B also means budget, which makes you jealous when Bihar receives special assistance.” Jha went on to link the row with Bihar’s cultural and political history. “By making a mockery of Bihar, the Congress has not only insulted the people of Bihar once again, but has also mocked the glorious history of the country and democracy,” he said. He reminded Congress of the state’s contribution to India’s history, noting that “It was on this sacred land that Adishakti Janaki appeared, Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, and the first draft of the Constitution was written. Bihar gave India its first President and the call for Total Revolution that uprooted Congress’s dictatorial rule.” — SanjayJhaBihar (@SanjayJhaBihar) The JD(U) leader further warned that voters would respond strongly in the assembly elections due later this year. “Believe me, the great people of Bihar will give a befitting reply to the repeated insults by the Congress in the upcoming assembly elections, not with the smoke of a beedi, but with the blow of votes,” Jha added. BJP’s national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also joined the attack, accusing Congress of harbouring an “anti-Bihar mentality.” In a video message, he said: “If they’re saying B for Bidis and B for Bihar, then they should also know C for Congress and C for corruption.” There has been no official response from Congress leaders so far. The Kerala unit’s deleted post remains at the centre of the political slugfest, with both the BJP and JD(U) framing it as a direct insult to the people of Bihar. The controversy comes against the backdrop of major tax changes approved by the GST Council on Wednesday. The panel decided to simplify the structure from four slabs—5, 12, 18, and 28 per cent—to just two, 5 and 18 per cent. A special 40 per cent slab has been introduced for certain goods including tobacco, cigarettes, and cigars, while bidi taxes have been reduced to 18 per cent. The GST on bidi wrapper leaves, known as tendu, was also cut from 18 per cent to 5 per cent. Analysts say the row has added a political edge to what was expected to be a largely economic reform measure. With Bihar’s assembly polls approaching in November-December, the issue is likely to be used by the BJP-JD(U) alliance to target Congress over alleged “insults” to the state’s identity and legacy. 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.
Now Tejashwi plans yatra in Bihar districts left out during Congress leader Rahul’s march: RJD sources
Patna: In the wake of just concluded Voter Adhikar Yatra of leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, RJD’s Tejashwi Prasad Yadav is now planning another march to cover the remaining districts that were left out during the fortnight-long Congress campaign, said a party official on Friday. The RJD is enthusiastic about the response the yatra received, and wants to maintain the momentum built, the party sources said. Although the Congress yatra covered 1,300 kilometres, passing through over 110 assembly constituencies in 25 of the state’s total 38 districts, the remaining 13 were left out of the route plan. Many districts not covered during the yatra are strongholds of the RJD, and the party wants to go there. An RJD official said the party’s chief strategist, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, is planning to go on a yatra soon to Arwal, Jehanabad, Buxur, Kaimur, Kishanganj, Khagaria, Madhepura, Saharsa, Samastipur, Sheohar, Vaishali, Banka and Begusarai. Among these districts, Jehanabad, Buxur, Kishanganj, Begusarai and Khagaria happen to be strongholds of the RJD, given the party’s performance in the last assembly elections. The RJD won all six assembly seats under the Jehanabad Lok Sabha constituency in the 2020 assembly polls, while it baggedfive out of six seats each in Kishanganj and Buxur. Similarly, the RJD won four out of six assembly seats each in Begusarai and Khagaria LS constituencies. What attracted everyone’s attention, analysts said, was the rare unity displayed among the INDIA bloc partners during the Voter Adhikar Yatra, as they all travelled in one jeep, stayed at one place and addressed the public together. The INDIA bloc comprises the RJD, Congress, Left Front and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP). All leading opposition figures, Yadav, Left Front’s Dipankar Bhattacharya and VIP president Mukesh Sahani, accompanied Rahul throughout the yatra, which continued for a fortnight with three days’ break in between. 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.
‘Development, jobs to be NDA’s poll plank in state’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mother will not be a poll issue, BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal tells TOI’s Jainarain Pandey in an exclusive interview. He says development and jobs under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and CM Nitish Kumar will be the main election plank in Bihar. Excerpts: Will BJP make the abusive language used for PM Modi’s mother an election issue in Bihar? No. The Darbhanga incident from the Congress-RJD stage during the Voter Adhikar Yatra in on Aug 27 has shamed the state. BJP and the NDA will go to the people with the development works and welfare schemes launched under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and CM Nitish Kumar. Then why was a Bihar bandh called? It was a spontaneous decision taken by the women’s wings of the NDA partners after the PM shared his agony with the Jeevika didis in Bihar. RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav says the PM was laughing abroad but started crying in India over the Darbhanga incident Tejashwi can never say anything on his own. It’s all scripted and shameful. The controversy would have ended that very day if Rahul Gandhi or Tejashwi had condemned the incident. Which areas of the state, in your view, need more attention before the assembly polls? NDA partners are working together like never before. Even during the Bihar bandh, flags of all NDA partners were seen on the streets. Our assembly-wise workers’ meetings have been a great success. We will connect with every household in the state to highlight what has been done during the NDA regime for women’s empowerment, youth, jobs and employment. The steps taken by the NDA govt have been historic for Bihar. What success mantra did the Union home minister give Bihar BJP core committee members in the Delhi meeting? Every NDA worker should spend at least five days in each village to convey the works of the govt. How will GST rate cuts impact the Bihar polls? It is a slap on the face of opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, who called the Indian economy ‘dead’. It is also a strong reply to the US 50% tariff, and PM Modi has shown how Bharat turns every challenge into an opportunity. That’s the beauty of quality leadership in a country like India. The PM is coming again on Sept 15. How are the preparations? He is coming to Bihar for the 10th time in the last one year — after Darbhanga, Jamui, Bhagalpur, Jhanjharpur, Bikramganj, Siwan, Motihari, Gayaji and now Purnia on Sept 15. Each time, he has gifted Bihar schemes and projects worth several crores for the benefit of the people. Over 3 lakh people are expected in Purnia, where 1.5 lakh chairs will be arranged for the audience. 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.