Umar and Sharjeel denied bail, BJP calls it a slap in the face of Rahul Gandhi and the Congress.
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the bail pleas of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the Delhi riots case. The BJP has targeted the Congress on this. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the bail pleas of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the Delhi riots case. The BJP has targeted the Congress on this. The BJP said that the Supreme Court’s decision is a blow to Rahul Gandhi and the entire Congress ecosystem. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said, “This is a slap in the face of Rahul Gandhi and the Congress ecosystem, which protected ‘tukde-tukde poster boys’ Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam as innocent victims… Rahul Gandhi’s urban Naxals have lost in the court of the people and the law. Will the Congress apologize to the country for portraying India’s enemies, the tukde-tukde forces, as victims?” The Supreme Court refused to grant bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, accused in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. The court said that a prima facie case was made out against them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. A bench of Justices Arvind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa ur Rehman, Mohammad Salim Khan, and Shadab Ahmed, among other accused in the case. The bench said, “The court is satisfied that the material presented by the prosecution prima facie establishes the charges against the petitioners Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. The statutory test applies in respect of these petitioners.” It is not appropriate to release them on bail at this stage of the proceedings. On December 10 last year, the Supreme Court reserved its decision on the bail pleas of the accused after hearing arguments from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, appearing for the Delhi Police, and senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Singhvi, Siddharth Dave, Salman Khurshid, and Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the accused. Umar, Sharjeel, and other accused are accused of being the “main conspirators” of the February 2020 riots in Northeast Delhi. A case was registered against them under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Curated by: Varun Shailesh About the Author Varun Shailesh Varun Shailesh is an Assistant News Editor at Navbharat Times Online. He has over 15 years of experience in current affairs, politics, social issues, and features. Started her career with news agency IANS in 2009. She worked at the central desk of Hindustan (Hindustan Times Group) for over five years. After this, she handled the editorial page of Dainik Jagran’s national edition. After working in print media for over seven years, she joined Aaj Tak (website) in 2018, where she covered the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections 2018 and the Lok Sabha elections 2019. She led the International and Lifestyle team. In 2021, she joined the Dainik Bhaskar digital team, where she led the women’s team. During this time, she wrote on food, culture, and relationships. Now she is a part of the NBT digital team. She has studied journalism from the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. Courtesy: Hindi News
BMC polls in Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray announces support for Independent Dinesh Jadhav against Kirti Somaiya’s son in Mulund ward
Mumbai: Two days after BJP politician Kirit Somaiya expressed confidence that his son Neil would win the BMC polls a second time as there was no candidate from the main opposition parties against him from Mulund’s Ward No. 107, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday declared independent nominee Dinesh Jadhav as the party’s official candidate. Calling Jadhav a hard-core Sainik, Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said he had filed his nomination as independent as a back-up. “During seat-sharing talks, our ally NCP (SP) had demanded Ward No. 107, saying they have good candidates. Reluctantly, we gave the seat to them…We all decided to stand behind the NCP (SP) candidate, but the ‘unopposed elected scam’ happened in Ward No. 107 too.” The nomination form of NCP (SP) candidate Bharat Vanani was rejected and he was disqualified. “Kirit Somaiya started dancing ‘unopposed, unopposed’ and saying ‘no one is contesting against my son’. But that’s not the case. Our hard-core Shiv Sainik, Dinesh Jadhav, had filled his nomination Ward No. 107. His nomination is valid. Uddhav Thackeray has issued a letter stating that Jadhav is the official Shiv Sena (UBT)-supported candidate from Ward No. 107,” Raut said. “Neil cannot be elected unopposed, he will have to fight with us. “Jadhav was not able to get the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s ‘flaming torch’ symbol. His symbol is a television set,” Raut added. Earlier in the day, Kirit said in a post on X: “It’s official. Election Commission final list of candidates for BMC ward 107 Mulund. Neil Kirit Somaiya – BJP. No candidates of Uddhav Thackeray UBT, Raj Thackeray MNS, Rahul Gandhi Congress, Sharad Pawar NCP.” In 2017, Neil had contested the BMC election from the adjacent Ward No. 108 and won. 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
‘Matter of deep concern’: MEA reacts to US strikes on Venezuela; urges restraint, calls for dialogue
NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs on Sunday reiterated India’s support for the safety and well-being of people in Venezuela as the situation in the country remains tense amid US strikes.”Recent developments in Venezuela are a matter of deep concern. We are closely monitoring the evolving situation,” the MEA said in a statement. “We call upon all concerned to address issues peacefully through dialogue, ensuring peace and stability of the region. The Embassy of India in Caracas is in contact with members of the Indian community and will continue to provide all possible assistance,” it added. This comes after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in Caracas and flown out of the country in a joint operation involving intelligence agencies and US law enforcement, triggering heightened tensions and uncertainty. The ministry of external affairs had earlier advised Indian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to Venezuela amid the unfolding developments. Donald Trump said that Maduro and Flores, captured during what he described as a US military operation, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York on charges of alleged “drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies” and will face trial. Meanwhile, Venezuela’s Supreme Court has directed Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to assume charge as interim president. Rodriguez, 56, is a senior figure in Venezuela’s socialist leadership and a close ally of Maduro. She has previously served as vice president, finance minister and oil minister, and has played a central role in economic decision-making as the country grappled with US sanctions and surging inflation. 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
‘Misleading narrative’: Siddaramaiah defends Rahul Gandhi on ‘Vote Chori’ claims; slams misuse of EC-linked survey
NEW DELHI: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Friday came out strongly in defence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing sections of the media and the BJP of misrepresenting an Election Commission-linked survey to undermine allegations of voter list manipulation. In a detailed post on X, the chief minister said an administrative survey conducted earlier this year was being selectively cited to suggest that concerns raised by Rahul Gandhi over electoral malpractice had been “disproved”, a claim he described as an attempt to ‘manufacture a misleading narrative’. Siddaramaiah said the survey in question was not a political or opinion poll but an end-line evaluation carried out under the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme. — siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) Conducted in May 2025, the exercise was meant to assess voter awareness efforts, not to validate the integrity of elections or respond to allegations that surfaced months later. “An awareness survey cannot be twisted into a certificate of electoral integrity,” he wrote. He also pointed to the timing of the exercise, noting that Rahul Gandhi raised allegations of organised voter list manipulation, which the Congress has described as “Vote Chori”, only in August 2025. Using data collected before those allegations emerged to counter later claims was not fact-checking, he said, but a distortion of facts. The chief minister questioned the statistical weight being given to the findings, highlighting that the survey covered 5,100 respondents in a state with over 5.3 crore adult voters. That, he said, amounted to less than 0.01% of the electorate. “In constituencies like Bengaluru Central, where allegations of voter list manipulation are most acute, the respondent count runs into mere double digits. Projecting this as the definitive “people’s verdict” is statistically indefensible,” he wrote. Siddaramaiah further alleged a conflict of interest, stating that the survey was conducted by an NGO called GRAAM, founded by Dr R Balasubramaniam, who currently holds a Union government-appointed position and authored a book praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2024. He said this aspect had been ignored in much of the reporting. The chief minister also rejected claims that Rahul Gandhi was questioning democracy or the electoral process itself. He said the Congress leader had sought transparency on issues such as access to voter rolls, safeguards against surveillance, scrutiny of EVMs and the independence of the Election Commissioner appointment process, questions which he said remain unanswered. Referring to criminal investigations in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah cited the Aland case, where a police Special Investigation Team filed a 22,000-page chargesheet naming seven accused, including a former BJP MLA, for allegedly attempting to illegally delete nearly 6,000 genuine voters using OTP bypass technology. He said the probe was pursued by the Congress government despite winning the seat and led to systemic changes by the Election Commission. The controversy erupted after the BJP cited findings from a survey conducted across Karnataka to claim that a majority of respondents trust EVMs and believe elections in India are conducted freely and fairly. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said Rahul Gandhi gets a “reality check” every time he raises questions after electoral defeats. Congress leaders have since questioned the credibility of the survey. As quoted by news agency ANI, Priyank Kharge and Supriya Shrinate flagged concerns over the timing, sample size and neutrality of the agency that conducted the exercise, arguing that it cannot be used to dismiss allegations backed by criminal investigations. Siddaramaiah concluded that a limited, pre-event administrative survey cannot override evidence, chargesheets or unresolved questions, calling it unfortunate that these facts were ignored in favour of what he termed a distorted narrative. 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
Who is inviting Rahul abroad so often, even Cong govts don’t: BJP
NEW DELHI: BJP Saturday jeeringly depicted Rahul Gandhi as the most “foreign travelled” LoP in India’s history and asked Congress to throw light on those inviting him abroad so frequently when even its state govts hardly seek his presence in their events. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said Rahul is now travelling to Vietnam, as he linked his visits abroad to connect with “anti-India” forces and shape his criticism of the govt. “Rahul is notorious for spewing venom against India during his foreign trips. According to media reports, he is now visiting Vietnam after his recent trips to Malaysia, Colombia, and Germany,” he said. Trivedi claimed that Rahul will surely be hosted by some “anti-India” figures as he has been in his past visits abroad. Taking a swipe, he said that even Congress CMs or colleges and universities do not really invite the LS LoP to their programmes, and then asked who are those people frequently requesting him to visit different countries and criticise India. Congress should clarify, he added. BJP netas have also shared past pictures of Rahul’s meeting with US politicians. 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 at 140: Is the grand old party ready to make a comeback in 2026?
Mahatma Gandhi once envisioned a future where the Congress would quietly dissolve itself into a Lok Sevak Sangh after Independence, having fulfilled its role and returned power to the people. History, as it often does, chose drama instead. The party stayed on, grew older, heavier with legacy — and now, at 140, finds itself older than independent India and still very much in the business of electoral survival. Founded in 1885, the Indian National Congress didn’t just witness the making of modern India; it scripted large parts of it. But fast-forward to the present, and the party that once defined the political centre is struggling to locate it. The slogans are loud, the marches long, the symbolism familiar—but dominance has been replaced by damage control, and nostalgia no longer guarantees votes. Now, stepping into its 141st year, the Congress has little time to blow out birthday candles and even less room to get things wrong. A series of assembly elections across five states is lining up as its next reality check, testing whether fresh campaign calls, revived alliances, and lessons from a bruising 2025 can finally add up. From rebranding protest politics to fighting key battles in the south and the northeast, the grand old party is once again at the crossroads — older, wiser, and under pressure to prove it still knows the way forward. Does Congress need to change its campaign calls? Save the Constitution, vote chori, caste survey — these are some of the battle cries Congress tried to campaign on. Rahul Gandhi walked miles for it. While the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha may have charmed those he walked with, the votes did not enter its account. 2026, however, would see a break from these campaign calls as the Grand Old Party announced nationwide protests against the BJP-led central government for replacing the rural employment scheme – MGNREGA – with VB G-RAM-G law. “We also pledge to democratically oppose every conspiracy to remove Gandhiji’s name from MNREGA,” Mallikarjun Kharge said at the CWC meet as he announced the campaign from January 5. But the question is, would the people who need the scheme relate to “conspiracy to remove Gandhiji’s name from MNREGA”? While the CWC release does highlight what it describes as the systematic dilution of MNREGA, including unilateral changes to the scheme’s structure without consultation or parliamentary debate, the beneficiaries in whose name the Congress is mobilising are unlikely to engage with or prioritise such detailed party statements. Battle in the South and the Northeast Kerala ; Out of the five states that are set to see ballot contests this year, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry remain the crucial ones for Congress. The party will directly face the BJP or the Left in these assembly elections. The party is riding on high confidence with a sweeping comeback in the Kerala local body polls. However, the BJP-led NDA’s Trivandrum win cannot be ignored. The local body election results offer the Congress-led UDF a clear strategic edge heading into the upcoming assembly polls. A pronounced anti-incumbency wave has cut through the LDF’s welfare and governance narrative, pushing the Left to its weakest grassroots position in years and denting its push for a third consecutive term. While the BJP’s expanding footprint has complicated Kerala’s traditional bipolar contest, the erosion of LDF dominance gives the UDF momentum, credibility, and a renewed claim as the principal alternative as the assembly battle approaches. Assam ; After its 2016 defeat in Assam—driven by deep anti-incumbency, alliance consolidation by the BJP, and voter frustration over corruption, jobs, and governance—the Congress is recalibrating its approach. This time, the party is foregrounding a grassroots-first strategy through its “Raijor Podulit Raijor Congress” campaign, aimed at rebuilding credibility from the bottom up. By crowdsourcing inputs for its manifesto via thousands of “aspirational boxes” and sustained community outreach across regions, the Congress is seeking to address precisely the issues that cost it power earlier: employment, fair wages for tea workers, flood management, public health, and governance delivery. At the organisational level, the Congress is also positioning itself as the anchor of a broad opposition alliance to take on the BJP, while trying to avoid the fragmentation that helped its rivals in the past. However, the decision to contest 100 of 126 seats has exposed fault lines within the alliance, making seat-sharing and coordination a key test of leadership. Balancing assertiveness with accommodation, translating consultation into votes, and countering the BJP’s entrenched narrative on identity and development remain the party’s central challenges as it looks to convert renewed mobilisation into an electoral comeback in Assam. Tamil Nadu ; Congress finds itself walking a tightrope within the DMK-led alliance. While it wants to improve its bargaining position by pressing for a higher number of seats, the party has to contend with its relatively weak independent base in the state and the DMK’s clear upper hand. The party’s challenge lies in projecting relevance and cohesion without appearing disruptive, ensuring smooth coordination at the grassroots for vote transfer, and managing internal ambitions—all while avoiding strain in a long-standing alliance that remains crucial for its electoral survival in Tamil Nadu. Conflicting actions by individual leaders, including high-profile meetings outside the alliance framework, have added to doubts about unity and discipline, even if these are intended mainly to strengthen Congress’s hand in talks. West Bengal ; Congress heads into the West Bengal polls facing an existential challenge shaped by years of steady decline and shrinking political space. From being a significant player with strongholds in Malda and Murshidabad a decade ago, the party has slipped into near irrelevance, drawing a blank in the 2021 assembly election and losing even its traditional bases. This collapse has coincided with the BJP’s rapid rise as the principal opposition to the Trinamool Congress, leaving Congress squeezed out of the bipolar contest. Compounding the problem is Mamata Banerjee’s clear insistence on going it alone, shutting the door on any meaningful alliance and reducing Congress’s bargaining power to
PM silent when poor die while BJP leaders show arrogance: LoP
New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi targeted the governing BJP over deaths from contaminated water, calling the tragedy evidence of BJP’s “empty” claims and corruption, and lamenting that PM Modi always prefers silence when the poor die. Rahul said Madhya Pradesh has become the “epicentre of misgovernance” where unhygienic water deaths have been preceded by deaths from cough syrups and rats killing infants in govt hospitals. “Not water, but poison was distributed in Indore, and the administration remained in deep slumber,” he said. Alleging corruption in all the central govt schemes including Jal Jeevan Mission that Modi “never gets tired of trumpeting” about, Kharge pointed out that Indore has won the “cleanest city” award for eight consecutive years under the Centre’s “swacch sarvekshan survey”. The Congress brass, without naming the viral spat between a senior MP minister Kailash Vijayvargiya and a journalist, said the govt showed brazen arrogance when the families of the victims needed solace. “When ministers are questioned, they resort to abuse and intimidation. Drunk on the arrogance of power, they turn the tables on the journalists. The entire machinery swings into action to cover up the misgovernance of BJP govts,” Kharge said. Asking when would action be initiated against officials and leaders, Rahul said clean water is not a favour, but its “right to life” that has been destroyed by the “insensitive” govt. Kharge said the govt has fed India with empty promises for last 11 years, but has “failed to provide either clean water or clean air”. 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
Karnataka govt removes EVM trust survey from its website after BJP bias charge
Bengaluru: Congress govt in Karnataka went on the defensive Friday after a survey assessing voter trust in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), commissioned by the Karnataka chief electoral officer (CEO), triggered political controversy, prompting the state to remove the report from the Karnataka Monitoring and Evaluation Authority (KMEA) website hours after it went viral. The survey, conducted by KMEA under the department of planning, programme monitoring and statistics at the behest of the CEO (Election Commission), concluded that a majority of voters believed elections in India were free and fair and that trust in EVMs had increased. Reacting sharply, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said the survey was being selectively used to create a misleading narrative that concerns raised by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over electoral malpractice had been disproved. In a post on X, Siddaramaiah said the exercise was an end-line administrative evaluation of voter awareness under the SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) programme, conducted in May 2025, and not a political opinion poll certifying electoral integrity. He noted that Rahul Gandhi had raised allegations of organised voter list manipulation, termed “Vote Chori”, only in Aug 2025, based on material that emerged later. The CM also questioned the survey’s limited sample size and flagged a possible conflict of interest involving the NGO that conducted it. Referring to Aland in Kalaburagi district, Siddaramaiah said a Karnataka police SIT had filed a 22,000-page chargesheet in a voter deletion case, arguing that administrative surveys could not override criminal evidence or pending questions before the election commission. Minister Priyank Kharge alleged the survey was biased, claiming CEO through KMEA had sought assistance from an NGO run by an individual closely linked to the Prime Minister’s Office. “The survey was conducted by a Modi’s man who works in the PMO and has authored a lavish tribute to the PM. The BJP is falsely peddling the survey as a state govt survey,” he alleged, adding that the data covered only 5,000 respondents across more than 100 constituencies. He said the BJP was answerable for alleged voter fraud reported from Aland. Congress MLC and former AICC general secretary BK Hariprasad charged that the survey was conducted “only to sing paeans” about the election commission. The survey, titled Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Evaluation of endline survey of KAP (Knowledge, Attitude and Practice) of Citizens, which was removed from website, covered 5,100 respondents across 102 assembly segments in the Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi and Mysuru divisions. It was undertaken by the Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement, Bengaluru, founded by Balasubramaniam, and monitored by KMEA. The findings showed high confidence in the electoral process even in Kalaburagi. “While recognition of the importance of each vote (above 81.3%) and trust in the electoral process and EVMs (above 83.6%) was high, concerns over inducements and the influence of money and muscle power remained, especially in regions like Kalaburagi,” the report said. It added rural voters generally perceived elections as fair due to effective booth-level officer engagement, while urban youth expressed concerns about elite dominance, lack of transparency and apathy. The evaluation adopted a mixed-methods KAP framework, using structured questionnaires, 23 in-depth interviews, 57 focus group discussions and 16 booth-level case studies across urban, semi-urban and rural areas. It reported EPIC possession at 99.02% and voter list inclusion at 98.1%, though awareness gaps persisted in urban areas. According to officials, KMEA is a statutory body tasked with independent evaluation of public programmes to support evidence-based policymaking. The state govt has not issued an official explanation for the removal of the survey from the KMEA website. 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
Tamil Nadu assembly elections 2026: Congress asks DMK for 38 seats, three cabinet berths
CHENNAI: Congress has asked DMK, its principal ally in Tamil Nadu, for 38 seats in the upcoming assembly election, and three cabinet berths if the alliance wins, multiple sources told TOI. The demand comes in the wake of a section within Congress whispering about a probable tie-up with Vijay’s TVK. “Our leadership has communicated this to DMK top leadership; negotiations will soon begin,” said a senior Congress leader who did not want to be named. He said the demand stemmed from his party’s “unconditional support to the DMK govt, which completed its full term in 2011 despite not having absolute majority in assembly” and “our willingness to give DMK ministerial berths in the UPA govts.” When contacted, two DMK leaders said they were not aware of the Congress demand. “There will be clarity only when formal seat-sharing talks between the parties begin.” Congress sources said attempts are being made to persuade the DMK leadership to provide “at least an oral assurance” on power sharing. “A meeting between AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge and former Union minister P Chidambaram is expected soon, after which the picture may become clearer,” said a source. Congress constituted a negotiation committee on Nov 22 last year, after an emissary of DMK president M K Stalin met Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi. On Dec 3, the Congress panel led by AICC general secretary Girish Chodankar met Stalin. Two days later, AICC member Praveen Chakravarty met Vijay, sparking another round of speculation and confusion. While a few second-rung leaders fanned rumours of a Congress-TVK alliance in the making, TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai expressed concern over the party speaking in different voices. Recently, a few Congress functionaries shared stage with TVK leaders at a Christmas event in Arumanai in Kanyakumari. Those in Congress opposing any friendship with TVK ask how Rahul Gandhi could share a stage with Vijay who has been calling DMK an evil force. “Our MLAs haven’t spoken ill of DMK for years. How can we turn against the party overnight? Besides explaining such things, questions about leading and funding the campaign pose challenges to the idea of such an alliance,” said a senior Congress leader. 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
‘Mamata Banerjee threatened India’s Home Minister Amit Shah’: BJP’s big accusation
The BJP has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The BJP said that if Mamata thinks she can stop the country’s Home Minister, then she is trying to stop India itself. New Delhi: The BJP has leveled very serious allegations against West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee. The party claims that Mamata Banerjee openly used threatening language against Union Home Minister Amit Shah and said that if she wanted, Shah would not be able to step out of his hotel in Kolkata. The BJP alleges that this is not the first time this has happened. The TMC has displayed this kind of dictatorial behavior before. The party claims that democracy is under attack in Bengal and Mamata Banerjee has ruined it. ‘Mamata Banerjee threatened the Home Minister’ BJP MP from Puri, Odisha, and party’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra on Wednesday strongly criticized the West Bengal Chief Minister for allegedly using threatening language against Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Patra alleged that “the way Mamata Banerjee addressed Amit Shah with threatening words… Mamata Banerjee used such words of threat against the Home Minister of India, which are unthinkable.” ‘Said – If we wanted, we wouldn’t let him leave the hotel’ According to the BJP spokesperson, ‘Mamata Banerjee said that you are hiding in the hotel, if we don’t want you to, you cannot take a single step outside the hotel; and you are lucky that we allowed you to leave the hotel… If we wanted, we wouldn’t have let you leave the hotel.’ These are the words of Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, a large state in the country, directed at her own country’s Home Minister, Amit Shah. In fact, on Tuesday, Amit Shah had targeted the TMC government over the issue of infiltrators during a press conference in Kolkata, after which Mamata retaliated against him at a public meeting. ‘TMC killed 300 BJP workers’ The BJP alleges that this is not the first time. Before the last elections, the convoy of BJP National President JP Nadda was also attacked by infiltrators. They have also alleged that TMC goons in West Bengal have killed around 300 BJP workers. Some were hanged, while others were brutally murdered. Meanwhile, 3,000 people who fled their homes are still unable to return. ‘Mamata Banerjee, you are threatening India’ The BJP says that this is the same Bengal about which it was once said, “What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow.” But Mamata Banerjee and the TMC have brought the state to this condition because of the infiltrators. They said, “Mamata Banerjee’s politics of appeasement has ruined Bengal. And the threat you are giving to the Home Minister, Mamata ji, is not just a threat to the Home Minister, it is a threat to every Indian. If you think that in Bengal you can challenge the country’s Home Minister, you can stop the Home Minister of India, you can prevent him from even stepping out on the road, then you are threatening India.” Written by: Anjan Kumar About the Author Anjan Kumar is an Assistant Editor at Navbharat Times Online. He has over 23 years of experience in electronic and digital media. He is interested in writing on topics related to politics, current affairs, judiciary, defense, foreign affairs, and business. Courtesy: Hindi News