Rahul to visit T today, to address new DCC chiefs
Hyderabad: Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will address the valedictory session of the District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents’ training programme in Vikarabad on Monday. Chief minister A Revanth Reddy and other key leaders will receive him at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad at 9.40 am. Rahul Gandhi, along with Revanth, will fly by helicopter to Vikarabad, where the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha will address the newly appointed DCC chiefs from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The DCC chiefs underwent a 10-day training programme focused on further strengthening the party at the grassroots level and on effectively taking welfare schemes and the development agenda closer to the people. Meanwhile, a senior party leader did not rule out the possibility of Rahul Gandhi meeting some of the surrendered top Maoist leaders, as well as the family members of a Youth Congress leader from the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district who was arrested in New Delhi for protesting at the AI Summit. Revanth, along with deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka, TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud and AICC leader Meenakshi Natarajan, is also expected to place before Rahul Gandhi a panel of names for the two Rajya Sabha seats from Telangana that will go to polls on March 16. The last date for filing nominations is March 5. The names being discussed in party circles for the seats include Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Justice Sudershan Reddy, AICC secretary Ch Vamshi Chand Reddy, former MP V Hanumanth Rao, party veterans Ananthula Shyam Mohan, M Kodanda Reddy and G Chinna Reddy, ex-MP Madhu Yaskhi Goud, govt advisers Mohd Ali Shabbir and Harkara Venugopal, and CM adviser Vem Narender Reddy. Sources said the CM is likely to place a panel of four names before Rahul Gandhi, which will be finalised for the two seats based on caste, social, political and other equations. Revanth and Bhatti, along with the TPCC chief, reportedly shortlisted four names on Sunday. Rahul Gandhi will leave for New Delhi in the evening, according to the CMO. 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
Jakhar mocks Rahul Gandhi’s Barnala rally call for unity in Punjab Cong
Chandigarh: Following Rahul Gandhi’s call for unity in the faction-ridden Punjab Congress at a rally in Barnala, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Saturday mocked the Congress leadership, claiming the event was aimed at reprimanding the party’s state leaders rather than addressing public issues. The remarks came in response to Gandhi’s address at the Barnala rally, where he stressed the need for unity among Punjab Congress leaders and warned that factionalism within the party would not be tolerated. Referring to Gandhi’s remark, “No matter how big you are, be a team player; otherwise, Kharge ji and I will set you right,” Jakhar said the statement itself summed up the purpose of the rally. In a post on social media, Jakhar alleged that the Congress gathering had neither an agenda for Punjab nor any discussion on issues concerning farmers and labourers. Instead, he said, it appeared to be “a desperate attempt” by Gandhi, on behalf of the Congress high command, to publicly reprimand the party’s divided state leadership and compel them to unite through what he described as a warning. He further claimed that, in doing so, Gandhi exposed the internal divisions within the Punjab Congress before the public and, at the same time, raised questions about his own leadership ability. Jakhar also targeted the Congress leadership at the Centre, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, alleging that the high command failed to provide direction to the party in Punjab. 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
‘Death warrant for farmers’: Rahul Gandhi attacks PM Modi at Punjab rally; questions Indo-US trade deal
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the timing of the Indo-US interim trade deal. Addressing the Mazdoor Kissan Maha Rally in Barnala, Punjab, Rahul said the deal had been stalled for four months due to disagreements over opening the agriculture sector. “So the question arises, the work which PM did not do for four months, why did he do it within 15 minutes?” he asked. “What was the pressure that the prime minister of India signed a death warrant for our country there. He signed a death warrant for our farmers. He gave away our data. He signed a death warrant for our small and medium industries,” he alleged. Rahul further said that the prime minister gave a guarantee to US president Donald Trump that India would buy US products worth Rs 9 lakh crore every year. He said opening the agricultural sector would allow American goods to enter the Indian market and harm farmers in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. “Narendra Modi has opened the door of the agricultural sector. American goods will flow in, and our farmers will be ruined,” he said. “No prime minister of India, whether from the Congress Party, the BJP, or any other party, can open the agricultural sector. No prime minister can.” Rahul further claimed he was not allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha after the president’s address because he wanted to refer to an unpublished book by former army chief general Manoj Naravane (retd). He alleged that the memoir described a lack of response from the political leadership during Chinese troop movements near the border. “Only the prime minister of the country can give the order to fire upon the Chinese army. Neither the army chief nor the defence minister can give it. Naravane ji asked the prime minister whether we can fire and stop them. There was no response for 2 hours. After that, Naravane ji gets the order to do whatever he deems appropriate,” he 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
‘No matter how powerful…’: Rahul cracks whip on Punjab Cong rifts
Barnala: Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday warned senior leaders of the faction-ridden Punjab Congress that even the most powerful among them would be sidelined if they failed to unite and work as a team. Gandhi, who was at the Barnala grain market as part of the Congress’s MGNREGA Bachao Sangram, also urged senior leaders to respect party workers, describing them as the real strength of the organisation. “Whatever is achieved can only be done through teamwork. No single person can ensure victory. We have a complete team, become a team player or you will be put among the reserve players and be benched. No matter how senior a leader is, he cannot be bigger than the party. If you do not mend your ways, Kharge ji and I will set you right. Our workers are our real strength, and decisions should be taken with their consent and by keeping them in the loop,” Gandhi said to loud applause from party workers at the fag end of his address. The Lok Sabha leader of opposition’s remarks come amid rising complaints of factionalism in the Congress. Even expelled Congress functionary Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, had taken a dig at the rifts within the unit late last year, claiming the party had “five to six CM faces”. In Barnala, Gandhi also hailed the people of Punjab. “Punjab is our strength, the protector and foundation of India. We love Punjab. Politics is fine, but I love the people of Punjab. The Congress wants to safeguard the future of Punjab, its farmers and youth, who need to succeed,” he said, appearing to show more concern for the audience than for the leaders sharing the dais. The state unit has struggled to present a united face, which has reflected in the bypolls held since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. While the Congress won seven of the state’s 13 Lok Sabha seats, it has managed to win only one of the six assembly bypolls held thereafter, Barnala in 2024. 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
IndiaActivists push for better counting of transgender Indians in 2026 Census
2011 count noted 488,000 trans people in country India is preparing to conduct a nationwide Census in April, the first since 2011. Interim projections based on the previous Census placed India ahead of China as the world’s most populous country. A Technical Group on Population Projections projection in July 2020, chaired by the Registrar General of India, estimated the country’s population in 2023 was 1.388 billion. Transgender Indians are now raising concerns about the data collectors and their sensitization. Activists have raised concerns about whether data collectors are adequately sensitive to the community ahead of the Census. Government training material emphasizes household engagement, data privacy and sensitivity while asking personal questions, but publicly available flyers do not outline specific guidance or training related to recording trans identity during enumeration. Concerns around the counting of trans people in India are not new. The 2011 Census recorded around 488,000 trans people, a figure activists and researchers have described as a likely undercount due to stigma, misclassification, and a reluctance to self-identify. Subsequent surveys and field reports have pointed to inconsistencies in how gender identity is recorded and the absence of uniform sensitivity among Census data collectors. Rights groups and policy researchers have also warned that gaps in official data affect access to welfare schemes, legal recognition, and targeted public policy, making accurate counting central to future Census exercises. A decade after the 2011 Census formally recorded trans people as a distinct category, multiple studies have continued to document entrenched socio-economic disparities. Research has pointed to lower literacy rates, limited workforce participation and barriers to healthcare access within the community. A National Human Rights Commission-supported study cited in subsequent reporting found a significant proportion of trans respondents reported employment discrimination, underscoring the gap between formal recognition and lived economic inclusion. Educational exclusion has remained a persistent concern within the trans community. Studies have documented higher dropout rates, lower literacy levels and barriers to continuing education, often linked to stigma, discrimination and limited institutional support. Policy researchers note that despite formal recognition in official data after 2011, targeted interventions addressing school retention and access for trans people have remained uneven. Access to housing schemes has reflected similar gaps. The Washington Blade in December reported only a small number of trans people have benefited from India’s flagship low-income housing program, despite its nationwide rollout and eligibility provisions. The findings underscored continuing barriers to inclusion in welfare delivery systems. The Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry and the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner did not respond to the Blade’s multiple requests for comment regarding sensitization measures for Census data collectors and the recording of trans identity in the upcoming Census. Karnataka state in southern India last September conducted its first statewide baseline survey of gender minorities. The Department of Women and Child Development, in collaboration with the Karnataka State Women’s Development Corporation, launched the initiative to document the lives of trans people across 31 administrative districts. When the results were released, the survey identified 10,365 trans people. The country’s 2011 Census, by comparison, recorded 20,266 trans people in Karnataka, nearly double the 2025 figure. The discrepancy raised questions about how the state’s recorded trans population appeared to decline over 14 years. The discrepancy in Karnataka’s survey has intensified scrutiny over how gender minorities are counted. Reports questioned the methodology used in the 2025 exercise, which was conducted over 45 days beginning in mid-September. Instead of door-to-door enumeration, trans people were required to report to designated registration sites — primarily district-level public hospitals and sub-district government health facilities. The approach presented barriers for potential participants, particularly those in rural areas, those without reliable transportation, those wary of institutional settings due to prior discrimination, or those who did not know about the count, raising the possibility of exclusion. Bihar state in eastern India in January 2023 conducted a caste-based survey that included trans respondents. The final report identified 825 trans people in the state, compared with 40,827 recorded in the 2011 Census. Activists disputed the figure, calling it inaccurate and pointing to community estimates that suggested higher numbers, including in Patna, the state capital, raising concerns about significant undercounting. The 2011 Census marked the first attempt to enumerate trans people at the national level, but researchers and activists have described the exercise as limited in scope. It recorded 487,803 people under the “other” category, a classification used for respondents who did not identify as male or female. Analysts have argued that the figure likely underestimated the community’s size. The Census questionnaire provided three sex categories — “male,” “female,” and “other” — a framework that critics said did not fully capture the diversity of gender identity and may have affected how some respondents chose to identify. During the 2011 Census, enumeration practices varied across regions. In states such as Tamil Nadu, local reporting indicated estimates were at times derived from existing administrative records, including state-issued trans identity cards, rather than solely through door-to-door identification. Such approaches risked excluding individuals who did not possess identity documentation or were not registered with welfare boards, raising concerns about gaps in coverage. Official data from the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry shows only a few hundred trans people as of early 2025 have been issued identity cards through the national portal, despite nearly 2,000 applications being submitted. Many are still pending or have been rejected. Critics of the 2011 Census said many Census data collectors were not adequately trained or sensitized to engage with gender identity beyond traditional binary classifications. Similar, detailed guidelines specific to trans sensitization have not been publicly made available for the 2026 Census, according to an examination of training materials and official circulars. Akkai Padmashali, a trans rights activist, told the Blade that Census data collectors in earlier exercises were often not sensitized and lacked awareness of intersex people and gender-diverse communities. She said trans people and other gender and sexual minorities continue to face social exclusion and require careful handling during door-to-door data collection. Padmashali
‘Did Robert Vadra, Rahul Gandhi go to jail?’ Kejriwal hits back as Congress questions relief in liquor policy case
NEW DELHI: The political tremors from the Delhi excise policy verdict rippled beyond the courtroom on Friday as the Congress lashed out at the ruling BJP, alleging that Arvind Kejriwal’s discharge was timed against the backdrop of the Gujarat and Punjab elections. Kejriwal, who had briefly allied with the Congress ahead of the 2024 general elections, hit back at his former ally, accusing it of having “no shame” and drawing a contrast between AAP leaders going to jail and the Congress high command remaining out of legal clutch. Soon after a Delhi court granted relief to Kejriwal in the alleged liquor scam case, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera attacked the BJP, likening it to an “Icchadhari Naag” (shape-shifting serpent). In a post on X, he alleged that the BJP was deploying central agencies as “campaign tools” with key state elections approaching, calling it “vendetta as governance.” Khera argued that the BJP’s ideological positions were secondary to its “obsessive goal”: the realisation of a “Congress-Mukt Bharat.” He cited what he described as the party’s “fluctuating relationship” with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) as evidence of political opportunism. “The BJP is not a political party. It is a shape-shifter, a wishful serpent – Icchadhari Naag. It will stoop to any level for one obsessive goal: defeat Congress – Congress Mukt Bharat. For 12 years they spewed venom at the TMC. And now? Narendra Modi himself is showering it with praise – not out of respect, but to land a cheap blow at Congress,” Khera’s post read. Khera also predicted that cases against Congress leaders would intensify as elections draw closer, citing senior leader P Chidambaram as an example. “Elections are coming. So the script is predictable. Cases against Congress leaders will suddenly accelerate – @PChidambaram_IN has already been dragged back into the spotlight because Tamil Nadu is going for polls,” he wrote in the post. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently granted prosecution sanction against Chidambaram in the Aircel Maxis Deal and INX Media cases. “Meanwhile, proceedings against their “convenient allies” in the AAP and others will quietly vanish in light of the Gujarat and Punjab elections,” he wrote on X. Describing the developments as part of the “BJP playbook,” Khera alleged that the ruling party uses central agencies as “campaign tools”. “This is the BJP playbook: vendetta as governance and agencies as campaign tools,” he said. Kejriwal hits back with ‘Congress has no shame’ remark Responding to the Congress’ remarks, Kejriwal targeted Pawan Khera, who suggested that the narrative was being pushed to politically corner the Congress ahead of the Punjab and Gujarat elections. Questioning how many Congress leaders had gone to jail, the AAP supremo said the party had “no shame.” “I want to ask the Congress – Kejriwal went to jail. Did Robert Vadra go to jail? Sanjay Singh went to jail. Did Rahul Gandhi go to jail? Sanjay Singh went to jail. Did Sonia Gandhi ji went to jail? What is Congress saying? Does it have no shame?” Kejriwal asked. The political exchange followed a detailed order from a Special Court in Delhi, which held that the prosecution had failed to disclose “even the threshold of a prima facie suspicion, far less the grave suspicion” required for framing of charges in the CBI case linked to the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. In a strongly worded ruling, Special Judge (PC Act) Jitender Singh of the Rouse Avenue Court said the prosecution’s case was “legally infirm, unsustainable, and unfit to proceed any further in law”. The court further observed that when the material collected by the agency was tested on admissibility, relevance and probative value, “the appearance of a coherent conspiracy dissolves,” exposing the allegations as being founded on inadmissible material and post-facto reconstruction. Among those discharged are Arvind Kejriwal, and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and 21 others. The court was also critical of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) reliance on approver statements, cautioning that granting pardon to an accused and then using his testimony to fill gaps in the prosecution’s case or implicate additional accused would undermine constitutional safeguards. The FIR in the case was registered in August 2022 following a complaint by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, alleging that the now-scrapped excise policy was designed to favour select liquor licensees by reducing licence fees and fixing profit margins, leading to kickbacks and losses to the exchequer. 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
‘This is not North Korea, it is India’: Rahul Gandhi targets PM Modi amid row over ‘shirtless’ protest
NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid the row over the arrest of Youth Congress members following the controversial ‘shirtless’ protest at the India AI Impact Summit, accusing the Centre of suppressing peaceful dissent. “The world’s largest democracy is being slowly pushed in a direction where dissent is branded as treason and asking questions is called a conspiracy. Think about it – no matter the issue, if you raise your voice against those in power through constitutional means, then batons, lawsuits, and jail are almost a certainty,” Rahul said in a post. “”Peaceful protest is not a crime – it is the soul of democracy. Asking questions is not democracy’s weakness, it is its strength,” he added. Referring to the arrest of Youth Congress workers, Gandhi said those protesting against the government were being branded anti-national and jailed. “When the Youth Congress peacefully protested against a US Trade deal harmful to the country, they were branded ‘anti-national’ and arrested,” he said. The remarks came after Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president Uday Bhanu Chib and several party workers were arrested in connection with the “shirtless” protest held at Bharat Mandapam during the AI summit in New Delhi. During the protest, a group of Youth Congress workers entered the venue wearing T-shirts concealed under winter clothing and later removed their shirts while raising slogans against the Prime Minister. Police described Chib as the alleged “mastermind” behind the demonstration and took him into custody, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to eight. Backing the arrested workers earlier, Gandhi had described them as “Babbar Sher comrades” and expressed solidarity with the youth wing. “I am proud of my Babbar Sher colleagues in the Youth Congress, who have fearlessly raised their voices in the interest of the country against the ‘COMPROMISED PM’,” he had said. He added that peaceful protest was a democratic right and that raising questions against the government should not be treated as a crime. The arrests triggered a political controversy, with the Congress calling the police action politically motivated while the BJP accused the party of attempting to embarrass the country during an international event. 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
DMK MP Kanimozhi may meet Rahul Gandhi again to iron out differences over seat-sharing
Chennai: Seat-sharing talks between DMK and Congress have hit a roadblock, with Congress refusing to settle for the numbers offered by the principal ally. DMK MP Kanimozhi is likely to meet Congress leaders in Delhi on Friday as leaders of the two parties kept talking in different voices over the allocation of a Rajya Sabha seat, too. “Kanimozhi has sought an appointment with Rahul Gandhi after her parliamentary committee meeting on Friday morning. She will explain the reasons for DMK’s inability to fulfil the demands of Congress,” said a source. DMK has been citing the inclusion of more partners in the alliance as a reason for its inability to give more seats to allies. During her talks with AICC member Girish Chodankar on Feb 23, Kanimozhi had requested Congress to settle for 27 seats. Chodankar conveyed the message to the Congress leadership, and the Congress high command was not happy with the numbers, sources said. “We started with the offer of 25 seats and raised it by two, but they don’t seem to be happy with it,” said a DMK source. The stalemate triggered rumours that Congress has reopened channels of communication with TVK. Seeking to end speculations, TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai said the Congress-DMK alliance remains strong. “A Congress candidate will file a nomination for a Rajya Sabha seat in a couple of days under the DMK alliance,” he said. However, DMK sources said Kanimozhi had communicated to Chodankar that Congress can be given a Rajya Sabha seat only in 2028. 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
Wayanad: Cong launches 100 homes for survivors
Kozhikode: Opposition leader in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi laid the foundation stone for homes Congress will build for the survivors of Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide. The project at Kunnambetta in Meppadi panchayat will see construction of 100 houses, each measuring 1,100 sq ft on eight cents. Addressing the gathering, Rahul said the people of Wayanad showed unmatched courage in the face of disaster. “You lost and lost, but you never lost your spirit. You never lost your courage and more importantly, you never lost the compassion for others,” he said. He added that launching the housing project sends a message to survivors that the party will stand with them throughout recovery and healing. “For us, it is not a one-day event that happened. Because you are our family, we are going to stand with you whenever you need us,” he said. Speaking at the event, Priyanka said she will stay with the disaster-affected people until they rebuild their lives fully. She said the tragedy’s scenes can never be forgotten. “What I saw that day will never leave me. You lost everything – your homes, your families, sops, businesses, everything. But what struck me most was your courage, your pride, the way every single person here did whatever they could to help you. And the way you stood together, helping each other irrespective of religion and different sections you belonged to. You gave each other courage and love when you needed it most,” she said. On the delay in starting project work, Priyanka said she was pained the process took so long. She added that the delay was due to required clearances and land issues. The party purchased 3.25 acres and is now in the process of buying another 2.18 acres. Negotiations are ongoing to acquire an additional five acres, she said. Priyanka handed over Rs 5 lakh to 40 traders, who had lost their shops in the disaster. KPCC chief Sunny Joseph presided over the event. AICC general secretaries KC Venugopal and Deepa Dasmushi, IUML general secretary P K Kunhalikutty, and several other party leaders also spoke at the function. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
PM ‘sacrificing farmers’ in trade pact: Rahul
Kozhikode: Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of sacrificing India’s farmers through the proposed India–US trade deal, terming it a ‘criminal act’ to open the domestic agricultural market to American producers. Speaking at an interaction with farmers in Peravoor in Kannur, Rahul alleged that the Prime Minister was under pressure to agree to the deal due to two issues—the unreleased Epstein files and a case involving the Adani Group in the United States. “I can tell you with confidence that no Indian PM would do this. Allowing American farmers to sell soyabean, corn and fruits in India is going to destroy the foundation we have built so carefully. The whole Green Revolution and White Revolution happened because we believed that we needed a foundation built in agriculture,” Rahul said. He further alleged that US President Donald Trump was exerting pressure on the Prime Minister. Rahul also claimed that ruling party members in the Lok Sabha prevented him from speaking in Parliament as he intended to raise these matters. “The first concerns the 3.5 million Epstein files that have not been released. Please understand they are held secret by the US govt. These files have information about the PM of India,” Rahul alleged, adding that the second threat was the case involving the Adani Group in the US. “The threat to the PM is very clear- If you do not do what we want, we will release to everybody the entire financial architecture of you and BJP,” Rahul said, adding that those were the two reasons that made Modi agree to the Indo-US trade deal, which he said, amounts to destroying the agricultural foundation of India using a JCB. “Indian farmers are being sacrificed so that the PM can protect himself and can protect the financial foundation of BJP,” Rahul added. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights