Madhya Pradesh’s Malwa set for high-profile political visits from September 17
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and BJP national president Nitin Nabin will be in Ujjain on September 17 and 18, while Rahul Gandhi will visit Indore on September 19. BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh’s Malwa region is set to witness a series of high-profile political visits from September 17, with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, BJP national president Nitin Nabin and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi scheduled to visit the region over four days. Bhagwat and Nabin will be in Ujjain on September 17 and 18, while Rahul Gandhi will visit Indore on September 19 for the Chhatron ki Goonj (Echoes of Students) event. Nabin’s visit will be his first to Madhya Pradesh after becoming BJP national president. He is expected to attend the lighting of 25 lakh diyas on the banks of the Kshipra river in Ujjain on September 17, marking the launch of the month-long Seva Sankalp Abhiyan to commemorate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years in public life. Bhagwat will attend a series of RSS meetings and events during his two-day stay in Ujjain, including the Yuva Dharma Sansad at Gita Bhawan, organised by Sevagya Sansthanam. At the Yuva Dharma Sansad, Bhagwat will address students and working professionals from across the country who have registered for the event. Sources said Nabin is also expected to meet Bhagwat during his visit to Ujjain. According to informed sources, Nabin may also travel to Mandsaur district on September 17 for the release of a female African cheetah, possibly South African cheetah Nirwa, at the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. The event will mark Prime Minister Modi’s 76th birthday and four years of the cheetah reintroduction project launched at Kuno National Park. Bhagwat and Nabin are scheduled to leave Madhya Pradesh on September 18. Rahul Gandhi will address the Chhatron ki Goonj event in Indore on September 19, for which the Congress has been mobilising support across the state. In Bhopal, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale will address a gathering of more than 20,000 young RSS workers on September 20 as part of the Sangh’s centenary year celebrations. The gathering will include workers associated with RSS Mohalla Shakhas, along with thousands of swayamsevaks and prominent citizens from Bhopal and adjoining districts, taking the expected attendance to around 50,000. 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
Keralam, Malaysia eye stronger ties after CM Satheesan’s meets Anwar Ibrahim
The meeting also discussed the possibility of broadening cooperation in sectors with considerable potential for mutual benefit, particularly IT, tourism, education and commerce. KOZHIKODE: Kerala and Malaysia have decided to explore stronger cooperation in key sectors including information technology, tourism, education and trade, following a meeting between Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Kozhikode on Monday. The meeting was held at the Tulah Wellness Centre in Chelembra, where Anwar Ibrahim was staying during his visit to Kerala. The discussions focused on expanding the existing ties between Kerala and Malaysia and identifying new areas for development cooperation. According to the sources, the two leaders assessed the long-standing friendship between Kerala and Malaysia and the significant role played by the Malayali diaspora in strengthening relations between the two regions. The active presence of Malayalis in Malaysia was viewed as an important foundation for further expanding bilateral and people-to-people connections. The meeting also discussed the possibility of broadening cooperation in sectors with considerable potential for mutual benefit, particularly IT, tourism, education and commerce. The decision to strengthen collaboration in these areas is expected to create new opportunities for investment, knowledge exchange, tourism promotion and business partnerships. CM arrived at the wellness centre by helicopter at around 2.30 pm to meet the Malaysian Prime Minister. Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal also attended the meeting. During the interaction, CM presented Anwar Ibrahim with a traditional memento featuring the cultural imagery of Kerala’s Kathakali. The Malaysian Prime Minister also exchanged gifts with the Chief Minister. The Malaysian Prime Minister has been in Kerala since Sunday evening after attending the BRICS conference in New Delhi. His visit to Kozhikode was primarily connected with his meeting with prominent Sunni scholar and Indian Grand Mufti Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar. On Sunday night, Kanthapuram presented Anwar Ibrahim with the first “Excellence Award” instituted by the Sheikh Abu Bakar Foundation at a function held at Karanthur Markaz in Kunnamangalam, Kozhikode. The Malaysian Prime Minister subsequently visited the Madavoor C M Valiyyullahi Makham, a prominent pilgrimage centre in Kozhikode, accompanied by Kanthapuram. Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to return to Malaysia via the Maldives after completing his Kerala visit. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Cong picks Bora for Nagaon bypoll, 3-way contest takes shape
Guwahati: The Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll is turning into a high-stakes contest where the minority vote is expected to play a decisive role as BJP’s Debasish Sharma, Congress’s Sibamoni Bora and a possible AIUDF candidate, party chief Badruddin Ajmal, gear up for a triangular battle. The AICC on Monday named Bora as its candidate, choosing her from a list of five probables. The entry of Trinamool Congress candidate Abdul Salam has added another dimension to the opposition contest. Over 11.38 lakh voters across five Assembly constituencies are eligible to vote in the bypoll, with about 55-60% minority electorate likely to play a decisive role, a political analyst said. AICC general secretary and the party’s Assam in-charge Bhupesh Baghel met Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Monday before finalisation of the candidature of Bora for Nagaon seat. “Congress president, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, has approved the candidature of Smt. Sibamoni Bora, ex-MLA, as party candidate to contest the ensuing by-election to the Lok Sabha from 9 – Nagaon parliamentary constituency of Assam,” AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said in a media release. Bora, a former Batadraba MLA, had sought the Dhing seat in the last assembly election after delimitation shifted a significant portion of her constituency, including Muslim-majority areas, to Dhing. However, the seat was allotted to Akhil Gogoi’s Raijor Dal under the Congress-Raijor Dal seat-sharing pact, which Congress recently ended. BJP candidate Sharma has been campaigning in both minority-dominated and Hindu-majority areas. “I have been visiting different places — namghars, temples, mosques and gurdwaras — leaving none out. I have visited all these places, and I love and respect all of them…,” said Sharma, a former IAS officer and former Nagaon deputy commissioner. He visited Borbori, a Muslim-majority area affected by erosion, on Monday. The bypoll was necessitated after Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the party and subsequently switched to BJP ahead of the last assembly 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’s event for youth: Cong gets IDA nod for venue
Indore: Indore Development Authority (IDA) has granted permission to Congress party to organise Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme at its ground near Regional Park on Sept 19. Congress has deposited Rs 10,08,175 with IDA to secure the temporary lease of the venue, which party leaders have named “Bharat Jodo Maidan”. Addressing a news conference in Indore on Sunday, Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee president Jitu Patwari said that the link between education and employment has significantly weakened. Patwari emphasised that the party was committed to raising students’ concerns regardless of venue costs, asserting that govt accountability on exam integrity and job creation remains the central issue. Preparations for the Indore event—the fifth edition of the campaign following sessions in Kota, Dehradun, Prayagraj and Pune—were finalised following planning meetings headed by Congress central coordinator KV Baiju, MP in charge Harish Chaudhary and local leadership. 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 eyes 2028 polls with 10,000 Bharat Jodo youth groups
Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday highlighted the initiative’s political significance, recalling the Congress’s performance in the 2023 Assembly elections. BENGALURU: With an eye on the 2028 Assembly elections, the Congress is seeking to turn its Bharat Jodo youth network into a grassroots political and organisational force, with around 7.5 lakh youngsters already enrolled across Karnataka. Under the Youth Empowerment and Sports Department, the government will form 10,000 Bharat Jodo Yuva Sanghas across the state and plans to expand the network by enrolling around 10 lakh youths in the coming months. The initiative covers youngsters aged 16 to 35 and the party views it as a potential platform to connect with young and first-time voters. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday highlighted the initiative’s political significance, recalling the Congress’s performance in the 2023 Assembly elections. He said the party had won seats in several areas through which Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra passed during its Karnataka leg, from Chamarajanagar to Ballari. “The Bharat Jodo Yatra was undertaken to protect the unity and integrity of the country. The Congress won in the places through which the yatra passed. The same wave will continue in 2028, and we are confident that the Congress will return to power,” he said. Each approved Bharat Jodo Yuva Sangha will have 100-250 members and focus on sports, leadership development, cultural activities and community service. The government has announced an annual grant of Rs 10 lakh for each approved Sangha, with a total outlay of Rs 1,000 crore. The Karnataka Cabinet recently approved Rs 781 crore as an allocation under the supplementary budget to fund the Bharat Jodo Yuva Sanghas. The initiative, however, has also attracted the attention of the Opposition. BJP MLAs have reportedly begun encouraging their loyal youth supporters to join the Sanghas, sensing the potential political advantage the Congress could derive from the network. “Though the initiative may give the Congress an edge, we have tactically involved our party’s youth in it,” two BJP MLAs told TNIE. Shivakumar also said the government was seeking to expand grassroots participation by involving people in guarantee committees. Six persons from every panchayat will get an opportunity to serve on the committees, providing around 70,000 people with a role in implementing and monitoring the government’s guarantee schemes. Shivakumar said the Congress had chalked out a plan to ensure every voter in the state was covered under one or the other government scheme, including the guarantees. He said that while the party had garnered 1.36 crore votes in the 2023 Assembly elections, the five guarantee schemes had covered 4.5 crore people, including women and students. Devaraj B Hirehalli Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Trying to cut his voice’: DK Shivakumar backs Rahul Gandhi over FIR in ‘purification’ row
BENGALURU: Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday criticised the FIR registered against Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on the alleged ‘purification’ ritual at Haldwani’s Ramlila Ground, saying the action was an attempt to curb his right to raise his voice for Dalits and other sections of society. Shivakumar told news agency ANI that Rahul Gandhi had every right to speak on issues concerning different sections of society in a democracy and questioned the registration of an FIR over his remarks. “This is a great democratic country. In democracy, there are a lot of issues on caste, religion, how to protect humanity, everything is there. Rahul Gandhi has been pressurising that what has been done wrong has to be rectified through an FIR,” he said. “Since he (Rahul Gandhi) is opening his voice for the Dalits of this country and their self-respect, and the BJP is filing an FIR here. The message you are sending is a letter of the opposition. He has every right to speak, every right to raise his voice, every right to stand by all sections of the society,” CM Shivakumar added. “So you are trying to cut it. With this attitude, I think democracy is not alive in this country. It is very unfortunate,” he said.Earlier, Nainital police said an investigation was underway into the FIR registered against Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on the alleged ‘purification’ ritual conducted at Haldwani’s Ramlila Ground after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s rally on August 8. Speaking to ANI, police said the documents and facts available in the FIR are being examined and verified as part of the investigation. “At present, the documents and facts available in the FIR are being examined and verified as part of the investigation,” police said. The controversy began after a Congress rally at Ramlila Ground in Haldwani, ahead of the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly elections. Members of a right-wing group later conducted a ‘shuddhikaran’ (purification) ritual at the venue, triggering criticism from Congress leaders, who alleged that the act amounted to ‘untouchability’. Kharge raised the matter in the Rajya Sabha, alleging that the ritual was linked to his identity as a Dalit leader and questioned whether such practices were acceptable in a democracy. The FIR was registered on August 30 against Rahul Gandhi over his statements regarding the ‘shuddhikaran yajna’ conducted at the Haldwvenue. The FIR was lodged following a complaint by Amit Kumar, a member of the Valmiki community, who alleged that Rahul Gandhi’s remarks hurt the sentiments of the Scheduled Caste (SC) community. Police invoked provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, including Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(u), along with Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. 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 now BJP’s papa’: Congress hits back at Mohan Yadav’s ‘Jhooth Ki Goonj’ dig
NEW DELHI: The BJP and the Congress, two arch political rivals, sparred over Rahul Gandhi’s student-outreach event, “Chhatron Ki Goonj”, with Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav dubbing it “Jhooth Ki Goonj” (echo of lies). Striking a combative note over the Madhya Pradesh CM’s remark, senior Congress leader PC Sharma said: “They kept calling him ‘Pappu’, but now he has become everyone’s ‘Papa’.” The verbal clash ensued after CM Mohan Yadav attacked the entire Gandhi-Nehru family, saying: “Why is it that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and others in later times never contested elections from Delhi? They do not contest from Delhi because the people there know them too well. That is why they moved to Raebareli and Amethi, and now, having abandoned even those seats, he has gone to Wayanad in Kerala. People joke that the only reason he didn’t go to Arab to contest elections is that the ocean stood in the way.” He further said: “They seek out other places because they only need to face the public once every five years; they have no intention of actually working for the people. That is why, every time, they come up with new lies…” PC Sharma hit back at Mohan Yadav’s remark, saying: “Ever since Rahul Gandhi visited Jantar Mantar to speak up for the youth, the BJP has been anxious across the country”. “The leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party are unaware of the history of the freedom struggle and why elections are contested from Raebareli… They even demanded a deposit of Rs 10 lakh for the Leader of the Opposition’s event, something unprecedented in the history of India… Ever since Rahul Gandhi visited Jantar Mantar to speak up for the youth, the BJP has been anxious across the country… They kept calling him ‘Pappu’, but now he has become everyone’s ‘Papa’. Just as people at home fear ‘Papa’ the most, the entire BJP has now started fearing him,” he told news agency ANI. The ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign, launched by Gandhi in 2026, seeks to provide a platform for student concerns, including examination irregularities, paper leaks, rising education costs, recruitment-related issues and unemployment. The campaign has previously been held in Pune, Kota, Dehradun and Prayagraj and is aimed at bringing student grievances into the national political discourse. 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 renews push to rebuild party ahead of 2027 Assembly elections in Gujarat
The statement underlines the political significance the Congress attaches to Gujarat, where the party has struggled to regain its footing against the BJP’s long-standing dominance. AHMEDABAD: Newly appointed Gujarat Congress in-charge and Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Singh Surjewala arrived in Gujarat on Saturday for his first visit since taking charge, signalling the Congress high command’s renewed push to rebuild the party ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. His arrival follows the removal of Mukul Wasnik from the Gujarat in-charge post, amid growing concerns over the party’s organisational performance. Welcomed at Ahmedabad Airport with a traditional turban ceremony and a tribal dance performance, Surjewala immediately stepped into a packed schedule of political meetings at Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan. The visit is expected to set the tone for a major organisational exercise in the Gujarat Congress. Organisation Revamp Tops Surjewala’s Agenda Throughout the day, Surjewala is scheduled to meet state office bearers, city and district Congress presidents, heads of various cells and departments, and party MLAs. The discussions will centre on strengthening the organisation, energising grassroots workers and restoring the Congress’s political momentum across Gujarat. The timing is significant because the party has yet to finalise its new organisational team, despite repeated visits by Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda to Delhi. With the organisational restructuring still pending, Surjewala’s appointment has triggered expectations of major changes in the state unit. His immediate challenge is to rebuild a party organisation capable of taking on the BJP in the 2027 Assembly elections. However, the Congress will also have to address internal weaknesses, revive worker morale and strengthen its presence at the district and booth levels. Surjewala Invokes Bapu, Sardar Patel and Congress Ideology Speaking after his arrival, Surjewala positioned Gujarat as the ideological heartland of the Congress and linked his new assignment to the party’s historical roots. “Gujarat is the land of Bapu and Sardar Patel, and the ideology of the Congress originated here. For the Gujarat Congress and the Indian National Congress, Gujarat is not merely a state but a source of inspiration. We will further strengthen the path of Gujarat’s creation, progress, development and communal harmony,” Surjewala said. The statement underlines the political significance the Congress attaches to Gujarat, where the party has struggled to regain its footing against the BJP’s long-standing dominance. Wasnik’s Exit Exposes Leadership Discontent According to Congress sources, the high command had expressed dissatisfaction with Mukul Wasnik’s working style. Sources alleged that Wasnik’s brief visits to Gujarat failed to provide the sustained leadership required to strengthen the party’s grassroots organisation. The criticism centres on an alleged routine in which Wasnik would arrive in Ahmedabad on a 2 pm flight and return to Delhi on the 7 PM flight, limiting his time for extensive organisational engagement. Congress insiders claim that this approach contributed to the weakening of the party’s ground-level network. The discontent reportedly intensified after the favourable political atmosphere generated during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra failed to translate into electoral gains. According to party sources, local leadership’s inaction weakened the momentum, culminating in a major Congress setback in the local body elections. ‘Racehorses’ Versus ‘Wedding Horses’: Congress Plans Internal Sorting With Surjewala now at the helm, the Gujarat Congress is reportedly preparing a sharper assessment of its leaders and workers. According to Congress sources, the new in-charge has been tasked with identifying “racehorse” leaders who are committed, active and capable of delivering results while separating them from “wedding horses”, a phrase used to describe leaders who create a show but deliver little on the ground. The exercise is expected to focus on performance, grassroots commitment and electoral effectiveness. At the same time, sources claim that the high command is examining allegations of senior leaders maintaining covert political links with the BJP. However, these allegations remain unverified, and no specific leader has been officially named or accused by the party in connection with such ties. Co-In-Charges Under Scanner The organisational shake-up could extend beyond the state leadership, with Congress sources speculating that co-in-charges Suhasini Yadav and Ramkishan Ojha may also face removal. The speculation comes amid expectations that Surjewala will push for a comprehensive restructuring of the Gujarat unit. While no official announcement has confirmed their removal, the possibility reflects the wider internal churn triggered by Wasnik’s exit. For Surjewala, the task ahead is clear: transform the Gujarat Congress from an organisation battling internal drift into a politically aggressive force capable of challenging the BJP in 2027. Whether the proposed restructuring delivers that revival will depend on how decisively the party acts and how effectively its leadership reconnects with workers on the ground. Dilip Singh Kshatriya Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
UP govt seems determined to use Goonda Act as tool of harassment: Allahabad HC
A Lucknow bench of Justice Subhash Vidyarthi said the Goonda Act is a “very powerful” legislation and must be invoked with great caution, only in clear cases and for maintaining public order. LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court has come down heavily on the Uttar Pradesh government over alleged misuse of the Goonda Act in the state, observing that cases coming before it indicate that the state government appears determined to use the stringent law as a tool of harassment. A Lucknow bench of Justice Subhash Vidyarthi said the Goonda Act is a “very powerful” legislation and must be invoked with great caution, only in clear cases and for maintaining public order. The court made the observations while quashing the order of the Gonda district magistrate declaring a person named Zahid Ali a “goonda” and externing him from the district for six months. The court also set aside the appellate order passed by the divisional commissioner upholding the DM’s decision. The Gonda District Magistrate had, on May 11, passed the order under Section 3(1) of the Goonda Act, relying on two criminal cases and a beat information report. One of the criminal cases dated back to 2010 and the other to 2020. The high court found that Ali had already been acquitted in the 2010 case by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Gonda, on August 26, 2017. It observed that a case in which a person had already been acquitted could not subsequently be used as a ground to declare him a goonda. The court further noted that there was a gap of nearly six years between the 2020 criminal case and the 2026 order declaring Ali a goonda. It said no rational nexus could be established between the two. The high court also took exception to the police report mentioning the case in which Ali had already been acquitted, observing that it indicated that an incorrect picture of the petitioner had been placed before the DM. The court said that mere involvement in a single criminal case of 2020 could not establish that Ali was a habitual offender or habitually committed or abetted offences. The bench also refused to accept the beat information report as a valid basis for invoking the Goonda Act. No criminal case had been registered on the basis of the information, nor had Ali been given an opportunity of hearing in relation to it. Relying on such material, the court said, would violate the principles of natural justice. The court also found that the commissioner had treated the acquitted case as a pending case against Ali, reflecting a failure to properly exercise discretion. Holding that the orders passed by both the DM and the commissioner were legally unsustainable, the high court quashed them and allowed Ali’s petition. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Congress spars with RJD on MLC seat allocations in Bihar, to field eight candidates
A day after Lalu Prasad’s RJD announced candidates for six out of the eight seats, the Congress on Saturday said that the grand old party will field its candidates on all eight seats. PATNA: Differences have emerged within Opposition Mahagathbandhan ahead of elections for eight seats in the Bihar Legislative Council (MLC). The Election Commission is set to announce the election schedule for four graduate and as many teacher constituencies soon. A day after Lalu Prasad’s RJD announced candidates for six out of the eight seats, the Congress on Saturday said that the grand old party will field its candidates on all eight seats. “Congress was not taken into confidence before releasing candidates’ list by RJD,” party leader Asit Nath Tiwary said. He accused the RJD of not following coalition dharma and said that the decision to release the names of candidates for the election was taken by the top brass of RJD. But Congress, which is an ally of Mahagathandhan, was not taken into confidence while finalising the seats it wanted to contest, Tiwary added. RJD has fielded Sanjeev Kumar Singh from the Patna teacher constituency, Dilip Kumar from the Patna graduate constituency, Nitesh Kumar from the Kosi graduate, Anil Kumar Jha from the Darbhanga graduate, and Prof. Jay Ram Yadav from Saran teacher constituency and Dr Rashmi Vinayak Gautam from Tirhut graduate constituency. While releasing the list, RJD leaders said that the two remaining seats were under consideration of the top leaders of the party. The seats are Darbhanga and Kosi teacher constituencies. Currently the seats are held by Congress leaders, including former state president Madan Mohan Jha. Jha was elected from Darbhanga teacher constituency. Congress leaders held a meeting in Patna on Saturday to finalise the list of nominees. BJP, JD(U) finalise names In the NDA camp, both the BJP and JD(U) have finalised the names of their candidates. Controversy erupted within JD(U) over the Patna graduate seat after party MLA from Mokama Anant Singh backed the candidature of Anuj Kumar against sitting MLA Neeraj Kumar. Ramashankar Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights