CM warns Rahul, Kharge of legal action
Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday warned of potential legal action against Congress’s national leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi if investigation substantiates that their speeches instigated attacks on security forces during an eviction drive in Paikan Reserve Forest in Goalpara district on Thursday. Kharge and Gandhi visited Assam on Wednesday and addressed a party workers’ gathering at Chaygaon, about 40 km from Guwahati. Referring to Kharge’s statement on Wednesday that Congress will rehabilitate the evicted people in the state, Sarma said, “Because of these kinds of speeches, people get encouraged and those evicted people started throwing stones and beating police with sticks and various other weapons (at Paikan).” He said police have registered a case, and “will go through the speeches made by Gandhi and Kharge. If we see that there are elements which invite penal action, they will not hesitate to take action against them”. On Thursday morning, violence erupted in Paikan Reserve Forest and one civilian died and at least 20 people, including police officers, were injured in clashes between encroachers and security personnel. The clash at Paikan is the latest in a series of high-profile eviction operations in Assam targeting encroachment on forest and govt land, a policy vigorously pursued by Sarma’s administration, often accompanied by political controversy. The issue is escalating as a major political flashpoint in the state, with broader implications for law enforcement, communal relations, and the next state elections. Both ruling and opposition parties are increasingly framing the evictions and related violence as key battlegrounds ahead of the 2026 state elections, with legal, communal, and political overtones dominating public discourse. Sarma also said Congress is preparing for 2026 state elections with a “single-point agenda” of attempting to put him behind bars and dismissed Rahul’s remarks about jailing the chief minister, arguing that only the law and judiciary could decide such matters. “He is just an MP today. How can he arrest a chief minister?” Sarma said, adding that even Congress members do not give importance to what Gandhi says. “The big question is whether Rahul Gandhi will be in jail and when. ED has seized many property of Robert Vadra today (Thursday). There are many jails in India waiting for the Gandhis,” Sarma said “There are two cases against Gandhi in Assam, I can bring him in. But my election cannot be Gandhi-centric, it will be on our work for the state. I am not allowing my mind to be diverted, else I would have retorted in ample measure to the threats given to me,” he said. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Rahul Gandhi defends Robert Vadra against ED charges, Congress follows suit
NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi led Congress’ defence of Robert Vadra in the wake of the ED chargesheet against him, calling it BJP govt’s witch-hunt against “my brother-in-law” and exuding confidence that the truth will prevail. “My brother-in-law has been hounded by this govt for the last 10 years. This latest chargesheet is a continuation of that witch-hunt. I stand with Robert, Priyanka and their children as they face yet another onslaught of malicious, politically motivated slander and harassment. I know that they are all brave enough to withstand any kind of persecution and they will continue to do so with dignity. The truth will eventually prevail,” Rahul said on X. The first-ever remarks from Rahul in favour of Vadra in the context of allegations of corruption against him also marked the Congress launching a full-fledged defence of the Gandhi family member it had refused to comment upon till now, and dubbed a “private citizen” when ED started the probe and questioning some years ago. While Congress general secretaries KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala and others posted the party’s solidarity with Vadra on social media and slammed the “Modi-Shah duo”, Surjewala said there is “no illegality or whisper of a crime” in Shikohpur, Gurgaon, since not an inch of land in question was govt allotted, no licence was given to Vadra for “change of land use” and there was also no evasion of stamp duty. He said DLF has owned the land since 2012. The public backing for Vadra marks a total contrast from the past when Congress maintained a silence as he was called for questioning by ED. Congress managers then had said the BJP ploy to mire the party in defending Vadra was to distract from allegations of corruption that the Modi govt was facing on several fronts, and the party preferred the distancing from a “private citizen”. Court takes up Vadra land deal chargesheet A Delhi court took up Friday an ED money laundering chargesheet against Robert Vadra, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, and others in an alleged 2008 fraudulent land deal, listing it for verification of documents and slotting the matter for consideration onJuly 24. Special judge Sushant Changotra asked the record keeper to check the chargesheet along with documents and give a report. ED had filed the chargesheet Thursday naming 11 individuals and entities as accused, including Vadra, his company Sky Light Hospitality Pvt Ltd, Onkareshwar Properties Pvt Ltd, Satyanand Yajee, and one Kewal Singh Virk. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Youth must follow Chandy’s path, says Rahul Gandhi
Kottayam: A remembrance meet was held on Friday commemorating the second death anniversary of former chief minister Oommen Chandy at St George Orthodox Syrian Church in Puthuppally. Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi fondly remembered Chandy saying that the former chief minister was a guru to him in many ways and was a guru for many people in Kerala. The Congress leader also said that a guru shows directions through his actions, and Chandy showed us the direction not by talking or thinking, but through his actions. Gandhi also urged the youth in the state to follow Chandy’s footsteps. Gandhi said that in the 21 years of his political life, Chandy was a great influence as he was the master of understanding people’s feelings. “I literally saw him kill himself for the people of Kerala,” said Gandhi, referring to Chandy’s participation in the Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022 during which the former chief minister walked alongside Gandhi despite doctors’ request against doing so. Gandhi recollected that when he told Chandy about what the doctors said, he refused to obey. Gandhi said he finally managed to persuade Chandy to stop walking after a certain distance. “We had to literally forcibly take him back to the car,” said Gandhi, adding that only a leader who feels for the people can do that. “For me, Chandy is not just an individual but an expression of Kerala politics. My aspiration is to develop more and more people like Chandy,” Gandhi added. Gandhi also said that he learned a lot from Chandy. “He got the most brutal and unfair political attack on him, which I would say was a criminal attack. Non-stop lies were spread about him. I used to talk to him over the phone regularly those days. I never heard him speak angrily about anyone. He was always balanced and humble,” he said. Gandhi said Chandy implemented cochlear implantation for children with hearing loss. This is a very rare disease, and he did not undertake this aiming for a vote bank. He only wanted every single child to hear the voice of others. “This is the politics of realising the feelings of others,” he said, adding that this is where he fights with the ideologies of RSS and CPM. “My biggest complaint is that they do not have a feeling for people,” he said. “You are not a leader if you do not feel with the people or if you are not ready to connect with the people,” he said. Gandhi also said that the biggest tragedy of Indian politics is that there are only a few people who actually feel what others are feeling. Gandhi concluded by stating that it was a great honour for him to take part in the remembrance meet. During the function, Gandhi inaugurated the Smrithi Tharangam programme implemented by KPCC. KPCC president Sunny Joseph presided over the event. Gandhi also handed over the keys of 11 houses constructed by Oommen Chandy Foundation. Various religious leaders, Congress leaders and people’s representatives spoke on the occasion. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
We are with you in the fight to save water, forest and land… Rahul Gandhi said after meeting the tribals, what else did he promise?
Rahul Gandhi News: Rahul Gandhi met the representatives of the tribal society and discussed their challenges. He alleged that the BJP government is selling water, forest and land to billionaires, affecting the lives of the tribals. New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday met representatives of the tribal society and discussed the serious challenges facing them. This meeting was organized by the All India Tribal Congress. In the meeting, Rahul Gandhi spoke openly about the problems of the tribals, their rights and the injustice being done to them. During this, Rahul Gandhi said that the biggest issue of the tribal society is water, forest and land, which the BJP government is continuously selling to a few selected billionaires. He alleged that the forests of the tribals, which are the basis of their identity and life, are being destroyed and they are being forcibly made homeless. He also said that crops like tendu leaves, mahua, which are considered the backbone of the economy of the tribals, are being eliminated, which has directly affected their employment. At the same time, Rahul also alleged that the Modi government is weakening the PESA law made by the Congress-led UPA government. He argued that the budget allocated for the panchayats is either not spent or is transferred wrongly. Also, Rahul expressed concern about the education of tribal children and said that thousands of schools are being closed in states like Chhattisgarh. Targeting the BJP government, he said that the BJP government wants the tribal society, the original inhabitants of India, to remain weak, but the Congress stands strongly with its tribal brothers and sisters. We have made laws for their rights and now we will stand as a shield to protect them. This statement of Rahul Gandhi is considered to give new strength to the voice of tribal rights. Reported by: Manjari Chaturvedi•Edited by: Ashok Upadhyay Courtesy: Hindi News
BC quota: Telangana Congress MPs to raise issue in Parl session
HYDERABAD: Congress MPs from Telangana have decided to raise the issue of including the enhanced 42% BC reservations in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution during the monsoon session of Parliament. They will also seek the support of INDIA bloc MPs to put pressure on the Centre to act on the matter. In this context, chief minister A Revanth Reddy is scheduled to visit Delhi next week for two to three days, likely starting July 21. During his trip, he will meet Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and make a powerpoint presentation to INDIA bloc MPs on the recent caste survey conducted in Telangana. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Bihar SIR: Rahul Gandhi repeats voter theft charge; asks if EC is now BJP’s ‘election chori’ branch
NEW DELHI: Congress MP and leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday accused the Election Commission of acting as the BJP’s “election chori wing,” claiming it is helping the saffron party commit voter fraud ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly polls. He reposted a video on X, which claims that government officials were filling out voter forms and signing them without the knowledge of the voters. Rahul Gandhi's post on X Rahul Gandhi questioned whether the Election Commission is still neutral or has become BJP’s “Election Theft” wing.In a post on X, he wrote, “In Bihar, the Election Commission was caught red-handed stealing votes in the name of ‘SIR’. Their job is just theft, named ‘SIR’ – an FIR will be filed against those who expose them! Is the EC still the ‘Election Commission’ or has it completely become BJP’s ‘Election Theft’ wing?” This is not the first time former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has questioned the poll body. He has done so on multiple occasions. Referring to Maharashtra election results, he even wrote a detailed article in a daily newspaper, sparking widespread debate over the credibility and impartiality of the EC. On July 10, the Supreme Court allowed the poll body to continue with its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The top court advised the EC to consider accepting Aadhaar, ration card, and voter ID as valid proof of identity. The court said in its order, “We are of the prima facie opinion that in the interest of justice, the Election Commission will also include documents like Aadhaar, Ration Card, Voter ID card, etc. It is for the ECI to decide whether it wants to accept the documents or not, and if it does not, then provide reasons for its decision, which shall be sufficient to satisfy the petitioners. Meanwhile, petitioners are not pressing for an interim stay.” According to the EC, by Saturday evening, 80.11 percent of voters in Bihar had submitted their forms. The commission is aiming to complete the process before the deadline of July 25. The Bihar assembly elections are expected to take place in October or November this year, but the EC has not yet announced an official date. In the upcoming elections, the NDA alliance, made up of BJP, JD(U), and LJP, will try to retain power. The INDIA bloc, consisting of RJD, Congress, and Left parties — will try to defeat CM Nitish Kumar. At present, the Bihar Assembly has 243 seats. The NDA holds 131 of these, BJP has 80 MLAs, JD(U) has 45, HAM(S) has 4, and there are 2 independent MLAs. The INDIA bloc has 111 members — RJD with 77, Congress with 19, CPI(ML) with 11, CPI(M) with 2, and CPI with 2. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Traffic restrictions in Thiruvananthapuram city due to Rahul Gandhi’s visit
Thiruvananthapuram: There will be traffic restrictions in some parts of the city from 11am to 4pm on Friday. The restrictions, police said, were in connection with the visit of Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi. The traffic restrictions are planned along Vetturoad, Kazhakkoottam, Infosys, Thampuran Mukku, Kuzhivila, LuLu Mall, Loards, Chackai, Petta, Pattur, General Hospital Junction, Ashan Square, Panavila, Vazhuthacaud, Cotton Hill School Road, Eswara Vilasam Road, Carmel School Road, All Saints College Road, Enchakkal and Domestic Airport Road. Those who go to the airport should plan their travel in advance, considering the restrictions. Parking of vehicles on either side of the above-mentioned stretches should be avoided, a statement from the police assistant commissioner, Traffic (North), said. Vehicles travelling towards Vellayambalam, Vazhuthacaud, Women’s College and Bakery Junction may go through Kowdiar, Kuravankonam and PMJ Junction. Vehicles that go to Ashan Square, General Hospital, Petta and Chackai should take the route via Palayam, PMG, Patom, Kumarapuram and Venpalavattom. Vehicles that move to Chackai, All Saints, and Shanghumugham area may take Vettukad, Kochuveli and Venpalavattom Road. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Rahul to lead Chandy’s memorial event
Kottayam: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will lead the commemoration of former chief minister Oommen Chandy’s second death anniversary in Puthuppally on Friday. The remembrance meeting is scheduled for 10am at Puthuppally Church premises. He will hand over keys to 12 houses built by the Oommen Chandy Foundation and launch KPCC charity programmes. Gandhi will visit Chandy’s tomb on Friday morning to offer floral tributes. He will also visit Puthuppally Church before the main ceremony, which will be presided over by KPCC chief Sunny Joseph. TNN Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
“State Has Been Downgraded…” Rahul, Kharge Write to PM Modi Demanding Statehood for J&K
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have written a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. They called the demand a “legitimate” and “constitutional” aspiration of the people. The letter highlights that J&K’s downgrade from a state to a Union Territory is unprecedented in independent India’s history. The Congress leaders also reminded the Prime Minister of his past promises and statements assuring statehood for the region. The letter comes just ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, intensifying pressure on the Centre to act Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Rahul Gandhi: Assam CM considers himself a ‘king’, Congress’s Babbar Sher will send him to jail, neither Modi nor Shah will be able to save him! Rahul Gandhi’s big attack
Rahul Gandhi targeted the CM of Assam. He said that the CM considers himself a king. But his time is about to end now. He claimed that the CM will soon be in jail. Rahul Gandhi said this at the Congress meeting in Chaygaon. He addressed the party workers. Guwahati: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi visited Assam on Wednesday. They held meetings with party leaders. Strengthening the organization and future plans were discussed in these meetings. Rahul Gandhi accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of corruption in a meeting in Chaygaon. He said that the Chief Minister will soon be in jail. He also attacked the ideology of RSS. Himanta Biswa Sarma will be in jail Rahul Gandhi said many important things in the party meeting in Chaygaon. He targeted Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He said that the Chief Minister of Assam considers himself a ‘king’, but he will soon be in jail. He said that the Chief Minister of Assam is the most corrupt Chief Minister of India and in a short time the Babbar lions of Congress will send him to jail. The fear of this is clearly visible in his eyes. Because now neither Narendra Modi nor Amit Shah will be able to save him! He also said that the Chief Minister of Assam and his family will be held accountable for corruption. Election Commission and BJP working together The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said that fear prevails in your Chief Minister, he knows that fearless Congress workers will put him in jail. He alleged that the Election Commission and the BJP are working together. He claimed that the BJP won the Maharashtra Assembly elections by rigging through voter list amendment. The media is no longer our friend Gandhi said that they are adopting the same tactics in Bihar and will do the same in Assam. We have to be careful. The former Congress President said that the media is no longer our friend. They are not showing the truth. They are only showing Adani, Ambani, Chief Minister, Modi and Shah. However, Gandhi claimed that this will not help as Congress will win a landslide victory in the assembly elections to be held in Assam next year. Taken a dig at RSS The Congress leader said that there is a battle of ideologies going on in the country. RSS’s hatred and violence versus Congress’s truth and non-violence. Rahul Gandhi claimed that now there are two Hindustans – one of those few billionaires who hold lavish weddings, the other of those common people who are burdened with taxes. (Input agency) Curated by: Sujit Upadhyay About the author Sujit Upadhyay completed his MA in Mass Communication from HNB Garhwal University Srinagar, Uttarakhand. After this, he worked as a reporter in Hindustan and Dainik Jagran. Started digital with Zee Media. After working for two years at India.com Hindi, he joined Navbharat Times Online. Courtesy: Hindi News