Vote ‘chori’ row: BJP steps up attack on Congress; claims Pawan Khera has 2 voter ID cards
NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday accused Congress leader Pawan Khera of holding two voter ID cards as Rahul Gandhi sharpened his attack against the Centre with his “vote chori” claim during the recently concluded “voter Adhikar Yatra” in poll-bound Bihar. In a social media post, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya urged the Election Commission to investigate whether Khera voted multiple times. “It has now emerged that Pawan Khera, Congress spokesperson—who never misses a chance to flaunt his proximity to the Gandhis—holds two active EPIC numbers (in Jangpura and New Delhi Assembly constituencies, falling under East Delhi and New Delhi Lok Sabha seats respectively),” Malviya said. — amitmalviya (@amitmalviya) “It is now for the Election Commission to investigate how Pawan Khera holds two active EPIC numbers, and whether he voted multiple times—a clear violation of electoral laws,” he added. Malviya also accused Khera of holding a “malicious” press conference in Bihar to mislead voters during the INDIA bloc’s recently concluded “Voter Adhikar Yatra.” “As if the criminality of holding multiple votes isn’t enough, Pawan Khera is holding malicious press conferences in Bihar to mislead voters, create dissonance, and undermine India’s robust electoral process,” he said. Earlier, the BJP had dug up the 1980 poll roll and said that Sonia Gandhi’s name appeared on the voter list three years before she became an Indian citizen. “Sonia Gandhi’s tryst with India’s voters’ list is riddled with glaring violations of electoral law. This perhaps explains Rahul Gandhi’s fondness for regularising ineligible and illegal voters, and his opposition to the SIR,” Malviya had said. This comes a day after Rahul Gandhi concluded INDIA bloc’s 1,300-km “Voter Adhikar Yatra” in Bihar. Speaking at the concluding event in Patna on Monday, the Congress leader targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he would not be able to “show his face to people after we bring the hydrogen bomb of vote chori.” “I want to tell the BJP people. Have you heard of anything bigger than an atom bomb? It is a hydrogen bomb. BJP people, be ready, a hydrogen bomb is coming. People are soon going to find out the reality of vote chori,” he said. “In the coming time, I am guaranteeing you that after the hydrogen bomb (comes), Narendra Modi ji will not be able to show his face to the country,” he added. Earlier, Rahul said the Congress had analysed the Mahadevapura electoral rolls over six months and found that out of 1,00,250 alleged bogus voters, 40,009 had “fake and invalid addresses” and 10,452 were “bulk voters” registered at common addresses. Examples included entries with “0” in the address field, non-existent locations, and addresses that could not be verified. The opposition has also been protesting against the special intensive revision of the electoral roll, alleging that the EC’s exercise is aimed at “disenfranchising voters” in Bihar ahead of the assembly elections due later this year. 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.
Kerala Assembly polls will decide India’s future, says Revanth
Hyderabad: Chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday urged the youth to fight for their rights and resolve to make Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister of India in 2029. Speaking at the MP Merit Awards – 2025 in Alappuzha, Kerala, he said the BJP was snatching away the rights of the youth, and the Congress is fighting to safeguard the Constitutional rights. “Youth are our brand ambassadors. I strongly believe in their power, and their fight for the future will definitely bring a change in the country”. Stating that the 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala will decide India’s future in 2029, the chief minister said that Congress does not have money, power and media support. “The 2029 Lok Sabha elections will be a battle between two political forces, and the youth should play a crucial role in safeguarding the country’s democratic spirit,” he said. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the chief minister recalled that he had urged Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to contest from Telangana. “They chose to fight elections from Kerala and considered the state as their ‘Karmabhumi’. We are organising a big movement against vote theft in the country. Everyone should join the fight to protect the voting rights of every Indian and to protect the Constitution,” he said. The CM emphasised that the age limit to contest in Assembly elections should be reduced to 21 years. “When 21-year-old IAS officers are running the districts efficiently, why shouldn’t the 21-year-old youth contest as MLAs. We need to amend the Constitution in this direction,” the CM said. He highlighted the Telangana govt’s initiatives to strengthen the state economy under TelanganaRising- 2047. The govt has targeted to achieve a $3 trillion economy by 2047 and $1 trillion economy by 2035.Congratulating AICC general secretary KC Venugopal for taking up such a good programme of distributing merit scholarships to the talented students, Revanth said the Telangana govt has filled 11,055 teaching posts in just 55 days to strengthen the education sector and build Young India Residential Schools in 100 Assembly constituencies. The MP Merit Awards instituted by Venugopal are special for the country. Kerala always stood at the top in providing education, and its commitment to achieve 100% literacy is a testament. The chief minister said the adult education programme implemented in Kerala is a role model for all states. 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 moves HC against Varanasi court’sorder on his US remark on Sikh community
Prayagraj: Congress MP and leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has approached the Allahabad high court against the decision of the Varanasi MP-MLA court that had directed the additional chief judicial magistrate (ACJM) court to hear afresh an application seeking registration of an FIR against him for his statement on Sikhs made during a 2024 US visit. The matter is listed before a single judge bench of Justice Sameer Jain, who will hear his criminal revision petition on September 1. One Nageshwar Mishra of Varanasi had filed an application before the court of ACJM, Varanasi, which after hearing the matter on November 28, 2024 rejected the application seeking the registration of FIR against Rahul, while observing that the speech was given in America, so this matter was outside its jurisdiction. However, the rejection order was challenged by Mishra before the Varanasi’s MP-MLA court, which had allowed his revision while directing the ACJM to hear the matter afresh. During a programme in America in Sept 2024, Gandhi had allegedly said that the environment in India was not good for Sikhs. There was protest against his statement, calling it provocative and divisive in the society. Varanasi resident Mishra had tried to register an FIR against this statement with Sarnath police station of Varanasi but when he did not succeed, he filed an application for registration of FIR against Rahul Gandhi before the district court. The ACJM dismissed his application on November 28, 2024, saying that the matter was related to the speech given in the USA and it is outside his jurisdiction. After this, Nageshwar Mishra filed a revision petition in the court of special judge (MP/MLA), which, on July 21 2025, accepted it and asked the ACJM court to hear the plea afresh Now, Rahul’s counsel has argued that the order of the Varanasi court was wrong, illegal and without jurisdiction. It has also been prayed by him that during the pendency of the case before the high court, as an interim measure, the order of the Varanasi court should remain stayed. 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.
Congress uses yatra to reclaim ground, leaving allies wary
PATNA: The ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ of the opposition INDIA bloc, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, will conclude with a padyatra in Patna on Monday. How far the bloc has succeeded in taking its ‘vote theft’ narrative to the people will only be reflected in this year’s Bihar assembly election results, but Congress has undeniably made a striking comeback on the ground. For the first time in nearly three decades, its flags have fluttered prominently across Bihar’s rural belt through an aggressive campaign. Rahul covered more than 110 assembly constituencies in Shahabad, Magadh, Ang, Seemanchal, Kosi, Mithila, Tirhut, Champaran and Saran. Is Congress preparing the ground to be in the driver’s seat in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and the 2030 state polls? Many observers believe so, pointing to the party’s unusually assertive strategy to step out of the shadow of allies such as Lalu Prasad’s RJD. Though the padyatra was, for all practical purposes, a united opposition show — the kind not seen since the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1974 — it carried several symbolic signals of Congress’s revival plan. That may not sit comfortably with the RJD. Tejashwi Prasad Yadav made his point with symbolism. On the first day in Sasaram, he posted a photograph showing himself at the wheel of a jeep with Rahul and others standing behind. Alluding to Lord Krishna, he captioned it, “Yatra agar yudhbhumi ki ho to yaad rakhna, sarthi hamesha koi ahir hoga…since Dwapar (if the journey is for a battlefield, remember that a Yadav will be the charioteer… since Dwapar).” Political analysts said apart from Congress, top leaders of other parties — Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and others — joined the yatra at Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi’s invitation. Priyanka herself spent two days in Bihar. The optics were intended to project Congress as ready to lead the opposition against PM Narendra Modi and the BJP. Rahul largely targeted PM Modi, leaving Tejashwi to take on CM Nitish Kumar. State Congress leaders admit Tejashwi, as Lalu’s son and INDIA bloc coordination committee chairman, is the natural choice for CM if the opposition forms govt in 2025. But the Congress top brass, including Rahul, have been careful not to endorse any name. At Ara, Tejashwi had to “declare” himself as the CM face. Asked directly at a press conference whether Tejashwi would be projected as CM face, Rahul sidestepped by saying that he was enjoying the way the coalition was working “like a well-oiled machine”. A senior Congress leader said the high command has realised the need to revive its old base at the grassroots by breaking free from RJD’s shadow. “The first step was to send Krishna Allavaru as Bihar in-charge, followed by replacing Akhilesh Prasad Singh with a Dalit face as state president. One must note that neither Krishna nor any central leader of Congress has named anyone as CM face. This yatra was largely planned and managed by Congress itself,” he said. Another party leader pointed to looming seat-sharing tensions. RJD wants to accommodate VIP leader Mukesh Sahani by carving out 20 seats from Congress’s last quota of 70 and five from its own. Congress wants RJD to spare 10 from its quota instead while also pressing for three deputy CM posts — one each for a Muslim or Dalit candidate, Congress and RJD. It is worth recalling the sharp words of Lalu’s daughter Rohini Acharya, who, while joining the yatra on Saturday, dismissed the CM face debate. “Abhi shadi ka thikana nahin aur suhag raat ki baat karte hain (when marriage is yet to be solemnised, what to talk about first night),” 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.
Tejashwi declares himself INDIA bloc’s Bihar CM face
PATNA: RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav unilaterally declared himself as the CM face of the opposition INDIA bloc at Ara on Saturday as the fortnight-long ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, nears its end. The yatra will conclude on Sept 1 with a march on the streets of Patna to be attended by all INDIA bloc leaders. Addressing the rally in Ara town, the last stopover of the yatra, Tejashwi questioned the Nitish Kumar govt in Bihar for “frequently copying his ideas” and described it as a “copycat govt”. Ridiculing the govt for copying his ideas, he said that at present he was moving ahead while the govt was behind him. Curiously, Rahul at the yatra in Araria on Aug 25 had parried the question of who would be the INDIA bloc’s CM face for Bihar. “Tejashwi aage-aage, Sarkar pichhe-pichhe. Original CM chahiye ki duplicate?” (Tejashwi is moving ahead while the govt is following him from behind. Do you want a duplicate CM or the original CM?), Tejashwi asked the crowd as Rahul and other INDIA bloc leaders looked at him. When the crowd said “original CM”, Tejashwi asked them to repeat it. He further said that the “copycat govt” could imitate his ideas, but it lacked vision. Exhorting the masses to remove the 20-year-old govt to get employment and other facilities, the former Dy CM said that what he had promised about jobs, domicile, and an increase in social security pension was later copied by the state govt. Accusing the Narendra Modi govt of doing nothing for Bihar, Tejashwi likened the PM’s promises to a “paper plane” that flies in the sky with the support of air, and asked people not to believe him. “The govt can be changed in Bihar only when you protect your votes from being stolen,” he said. Tejashwi’s emphatic declaration got a twist when RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s daughter, Rohini Acharya, who had joined the yatra in Saran — the constituency she unsuccessfully contested in the last Lok Sabha elections — was confronted with questions on why the Congress had not officially projected her brother as the alliance’s CM face, while the former deputy CM had declared that Rahul would be the PM after the next parliamentary elections. “Wedding has not taken place and you people are talking about ‘suhag raat’ (wedding night),” Rohini told reporters on Saturday, adding that right now their main concern was to ensure voting rights to the people. Rahul, while addressing the people, said their campaign now appeared to be turning into a “nationwide movement”. “Every important revolution has begun from Bihar, and now the issue taken up during the Voter Adhikar Yatra is fast spreading like a country-wide movement,” he said. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, who joined the yatra in Saran, expressed hope of stopping the BJP in the assembly elections in Bihar. “This is the same Bihar which once stopped the chariot of the BJP; now the people of the state will halt the BJP rath again,” he said. Exhorting people to defeat the ruling regime in the upcoming elections, Akhilesh said, “We defeated the BJP in Awadh (UP), and now you have to wipe them out in Magadh (Bihar),” while lambasting the Election Commission for the special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar. The former Uttar Pradesh CM also charged the Narendra Modi govt at the Centre with “intimidating the opposition” but “getting scared of US President Donald Trump” in the wake of the steep hike in tariffs imposed by the US administration. “It seems the tariffs have been slapped on the face of the BJP,” he said, while promising to double the income of farmers. 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 workers burn effigies of Rahul, Tejashwi at Bagaha
Bettiah: A large number of BJP workers, led by party’s district president Achintya Lalla and BJP MLA Ram Singh, on Saturday held a protest at Bagaha against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and leader of opposition in state assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav for alleged derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother in Darbhanga. They raised slogans against them and burnt their effigies. BJP MLA from Bagaha, Ram Singh, said the leaders of Grand Alliance who are promising to bring ‘Mai Bahin Maan Yojana’ for women of Bihar are abusing the PM’s mother. Will they respect women? Crores of women of the country have been insulted by their remarks,” he said. BJP district president, Achintya Lalla, said Rahul feels that he will only rule the country. “He is unable to see a poor man’s son as the Prime Minister.” 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.
TMC’s Yusuf, Lalitesh to attend Rahul’s ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MP and cricketer Yusuf Pathan will participate in the INDIA bloc rally in Patna as part of Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav-led ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’. Lalitesh Tripathi, a national working committee member of Trinamool, will also be at the rally. TOI had reported earlier that Trinamool’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee would not be attending the rally owing to prior commitments in Bengal. At the time, Trinamool had indicated that it would be sending other senior members to the rally. Trinamool has been vocal against the special intensive revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar. Gandhi and Yadav’s ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’ in protest against the deletion of names from Bihar’s electoral rolls has seen participation from Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. The 16-day yatra, which started on Aug 17 in Bihar’s Sasaram will culminate in Patna on Sept 1, after traversing 1,300 kilometres acrss 23 districts in the poll-bound state. Elaborating on their decision to send Pathan and Tripathi to the Yatra, Trinamool seniors said unlike DMK, JMM and SP, Trinamool isn’t an electoral ally of Congress. In choosing Pathan and Tripathi, party seniors said they had tried to project members who had a connection with people in Bihar. Pathan, as a cricketer, is well-known across the country. Tripathi, son of former UP CM Kamalnath Tripathi, is a known face 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.
Using abusive language against PM Modi from the platform of Mahagathbandhan can prove costly, when did such statements turn the tables before elections?
During the ‘Voter Rights Yatra’ in Darbhanga, abusive language was used against PM Modi, which has created a ruckus in Bihar politics. Police have arrested the accused Mohammad Rizvi. BJP has also filed an FIR against Congress leader Mohammad Naushad. But do you know how a statement before elections can prove costly for a party or alliance? Let us understand with some examples from history… Patna: During the ‘Voter Rights Yatra’ in Darbhanga, abusive language was used against PM Modi in a rally. ‘Abusive words’ were used for PM Narendra Modi from the platform of Mahagathbandhan. However, no big leader of Mahagathbandhan was present on the stage during the rally. Meanwhile, there is a ruckus in Bihar politics regarding this incident. There was a fight between Congress and BJP workers in Patna, in which many people were injured. The police had to use mild force to control the situation. The police has arrested the accused in the case of ‘abusing’ PM Modi in Darbhanga. The accused’s name is Mohammad Rizvi alias Raja. He is a resident of Darbhanga. BJP has also lodged an FIR against Congress leader Mohammad Naushad because the stage from which PM Modi’s mother was abused belonged to Congress youth leader Mohammad Naushad. However, Naushad has apologized for this incident. He said that he was not present on the stage at the time of the incident. He had gone to Muzaffarpur with Rahul Gandhi. After this incident, BJP has become aggressive. BJP is trying to cash in on this issue from social media to the streets. Through ‘Voter Rights Yatra’, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi is trying to strengthen the party again in Bihar. This journey of Rahul Gandhi is also getting support from all the parties of the Mahagathbandhan, RJD, Left parties, VIP. However, a controversial statement given for PM Modi from the Congress platform can completely change the political atmosphere of Bihar, this is because controversial statements given before the elections have turned the tables earlier as well. Let us know when such statements before the elections have turned the tables… 2007 Gujarat elections and the ‘merchant of death’ statement First of all, let us tell you about the statement which harmed the Congress. It is about the 2007 Gujarat assembly elections. During an election rally in Gujarat, Sonia Gandhi called the then CM Narendra Modi a ‘merchant of death’. Her statement was on the 2002 Gujarat riots. Sonia Gandhi had said – ‘Those who run the government of Gujarat are liars, dishonest, merchants of fear and death.’ BJP linked this statement of Sonia Gandhi to the insult of Gujarati identity. This controversy affected the elections. When the election results came out, BJP won 117 seats, while Congress had to be satisfied with 59 seats. This statement of Sonia Gandhi changed the direction of the election. 2015 Bihar election and ‘DNA’ statement There were assembly elections in Bihar in the year 2015. A year before the Bihar elections, in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, BJP under the leadership of Narendra Modi registered a bumper victory and formed the government with full majority at the center. Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister. In such a situation, BJP was expecting an easy victory in the Bihar elections. During the campaign for the Bihar elections, PM Modi held a rally in Muzaffarpur. In this rally, he targeted CM Nitish Kumar for leaving the NDA and said that there is something wrong with his ‘DNA’. The parties of the Grand Alliance (mainly RJD-JDU) linked this statement of PM Modi to Bihari identity. The Grand Alliance capitalized on this statement in the elections. When the results came out, the Grand Alliance got 178 seats, while the NDA had to be satisfied with 58 seats. This statement of PM Modi proved to be damaging for BJP. 2022 Gujarat elections and Kharge’s ‘Ravan’ statement Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge compared PM Modi to Ravan in the Gujarat Assembly elections 2022. Mallikarjun Kharge targeted PM Modi in a rally during the Gujarat elections and said, ‘How many times should I see your face? See your face in councilor elections. See your face in MLA elections too. See your face in MP elections too. Everywhere. How many are there brother. Do you have 100 faces like Ravan?’ This statement of Kharge was surrounded by controversies. BJP called it an insult to Gujarat. When the election results came, Congress had to face a crushing defeat. Congress could win only 17 seats. At the same time, BJP created history by winning 156 seats. This was the biggest victory of BJP in Gujarat. Even Narendra Modi himself could never get so many seats. This victory proved that the public did not like Kharge’s statement. These examples show how much impact the controversial statements of leaders have on elections. Many times such statements become costly for political parties. Therefore, leaders should be careful while speaking. They should not make such statements that hurt anyone’s feelings or spread hatred in the society. Curated by: Sudhendra Pratap Singh About the author Sudhendra Pratap Singh, Principal Content Producer at Navbharat Times Online. Started journalism from Agra. Started journey with local newspaper Agrabharat. From here the caravan grew and reached NBT.com via Kalpataru Express, Hindustan News Paper and News18. Currently keeping an eye on politics, crime, current affairs and off beat news of Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan. Working in media for about 14 years. Courtesy : Hindi News
HM condemns Cong over remarks on PM’s late mother
Guwahati: Even as police apprehended a 20-year-old man in Darbhanga of Bihar for allegedly using offensive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday condemned Congress party for what he called a disgraceful abuse of Modi’s late mother during the Ghuspethiya Bachao Yatra. Shah asserted that such hate-filled politics would only degrade public life and urged Rahul Gandhi to apologise to the Prime Minister, his late mother, and the people of India. The man, identified as Mohammad Rizvi, alias Raza, was apprehended during Rahul Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra, following a complaint by BJP district president Aditya Narayan Choudhary. Shah said, “If Rahul Gandhi has even a shred of shame left, he should apologise to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, to his late mother, and to the people of the entire country.” Addressing thousands of NDA panchayat representatives in Guwahati, Shah took a strong stand against Congress’s attempt to protect their vote bank under the guise of an infiltration protest yatra, calling it a desperate bid to cover up their wipeout in Assam’s recent panchayat polls. Alongside inaugurating and laying the foundation of multiple development projects, Shah lauded the global respect Modi has garnered, noting, “As many as 27 countries have conferred their highest civilian awards on Modi ji, which is a matter of great pride for India.” He contrasted this with the “disgraceful display” of Rahul Gandhi’s politics of slander, highlighting how Congress leaders have repeatedly hurled venomous insults at Modi and his family, saying, “Do Congress leaders believe that by using such language they will win the people’s mandate? The more abuses you hurl at Modi ji, the bigger and brighter the lotus will bloom, reaching up to the skies.” Shah emphasised that the BJP’s achievements go beyond Assam. “This is not just about Assam. In the last eleven years, Modi ji has brought peace, development, cultural revival, and a climate of trust across the northeast. He has also ensured peace and strengthened security. Earlier, terrorists would attack and flee, but Modi ji has given a fitting reply. Under Operation Sindoor, our forces eliminated the masterminds of terrorism. Under Operation Mahadev, the very terrorists who had fired bullets were themselves shot down by our brave soldiers.” Highlighting India’s progress, Shah added, “India is moving ahead economically. We are now the world’s fourth-largest economy. Our infrastructure is growing, our states are progressing, and internal security and external defence are assured. That is why, time and again, the people have given their mandate to the NDA and the BJP.” Shah underscored Congress’s political irrelevance in Assam, saying, “When the elections were announced, political pundits in Delhi speculated about what might happen in Assam’s panchayat polls. Even Congress leaders waited with great expectations. But when the results came, the Congress was completely wiped out.” He condemned Congress’s “Ghuspethiya Bachao Yatra” as an act of “insulting a mother who toiled hard to nurture her children with values,” vowing that “the people will never forgive Congress for this”. Highlighting BJP’s commitment to restoring Assam, Shah recalled how during Congress rule even sacred sites like Shankardev and Madhavdev’s Satras were encroached upon by infiltrators — encroachments that the BJP govt has since freed. His message was clear: the politics of hate and abuse by Congress will not succeed, and the BJP remains steadfast in its mission to protect Assam’s dignity and lead it towards development and harmony. 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.
HC provides security to BJP worker pursuing cases against Rahul, Priyanka
Lucknow: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has provided round-the-clock security to a BJP worker who has been pursuing cases against Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi seeking cancellation of his Indian citizenship and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. A bench of Justices Sangeeta Chandra and BR Singh passed the order on a petition filed by Karnataka BJP worker S Vignesh Shishir. Last year, Shishir had filed a PIL in the HC bench pleading that he has all the documents and some emails of the British government which prove that Rahul Gandhi is a British citizen, and due to this, he is ineligible to contest elections in India and hold the post of a Lok Sabha member. The petitioner also said that he sent complaints twice to the competent authority regarding Rahul’s alleged dual citizenship, but no action was taken by them. In a fresh petition, Shishir has claimed that he’s been receiving threats and facing coercion since he began pursuing cases against Rahul Gandhi and his sister. Shishir submitted that on his complaint moved in June 2024 , CBI was conducting a probe and he appeared before the CBI in New Delhi on multiple occasions furnishing much evidence against Rahul Gandhi relating to his alleged British citizenship. Shishir said that he sought security from the central government and also wrote to the office of Prime Minister, but no heed has been paid and hence he had to move the court. In its interim order, the bench observed, “We are, prima facie, satisfied that the matter requires consideration as the petitioner has been pursuing his cases against a very powerful individual and is facing constant threats.” Appearing for central government, deputy solicitor general SB Pandey said that there is a witness protection scheme and since the petitioner has received threats, which are palpable in nature, the court may pass an appropriate order for providing him security for at least pursuing his cases without fear. The bench directed the Centre to provide him interim security and also file a counter-affidavit in the matter, fixing the next date of hearing on October 9. 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.