Judiciary has exposed BJP govt misusing central investigation agencies, says Stalin
Chennai: Stating that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi stand vindicated in the National HErald Case after the Enforcement Directorate’s chargesheet against them was rejected, Chief Minister M K Stalin said the case has exposed the misuse of central agencies by BJP. Stalin said on X that the BJP misused the agencies as tools of political vendetta. “In the National Herald case, the judiciary once again exposed the Union BJP govt’s misuse of central agencies to target opposition leaders. Without any legal basis, such cases are pushed only to harass and malign political rivals.” Stalin stated that the BJP was targeting Sonia Gandhi and her family through the investigative agencies. “With truth on their side and no fear, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi stand vindicated, even as the BJP remains hell-bent on hounding the Gandhi family for standing firm on secularism and constitutional values which it cannot tolerate,” Stalin said. The chief minister said that due to such cases, the credibility of the investigative agencies is questioned. “Time and again, this vendetta-driven approach is tarnishing the credibility of premier investigative institutions and reducing them to just being instruments of political intimidation,” Stalin 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
National Herald case: Congress targets BJP after court relief for Rahul, Sonia Gandhi; calls for PM’s resignation
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday stepped up its attack on the BJP-led central government after a Delhi court declined to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate’s prosecution complaint in the National Herald money-laundering case. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi government of misusing central agencies to harass opposition leaders, particularly the Gandhi family. “They are doing this for political vendetta. This case is only to trouble the Gandhi family. There is no FIR in this case…Our slogan is ‘Satyamev Jayate’, and we welcome the judgment in the case…,” Kharge said. He added that the party would take the issue to the streets, alleging seven years of continuous harassment by the ED. Kharge went further, saying, “PM Modi and Shah should resign after this judgment; they shouldn’t trouble people like this.” Congress general scretary K C Venugopal said the ruling had agitated party workers nationwide, adding that the Congress would demonstrate across India to expose what it called the “systematic misuse” of the ED to target opposition leaders. Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi described the case as a textbook example of abuse of power. “The National Herald Case is proof of the misuse of central agencies. The allegations were made, but on baseless grounds… The accusations were floating in the air, but the law remained firmly on the ground,” he said. Singhvi noted that between 2021 and 2025, the ED conducted multiple questioning sessions of senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Kharge, which were widely publicised. Singhvi had earlier termed the matter a “National Harassment case”, rejecting allegations of money laundering against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others. He also accused the ED of being “colour blind”, saying, “If justice is blind, then ED is colour blind. It only sees one colour, the opposition colour.” The relief came after Special Judge Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Courts ruled that proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act were not maintainable in the absence of an FIR for a scheduled offence. The judge held that the ED’s complaint, based on a private complaint by Subramanian Swamy rather than an FIR, was “impermissible in law”. 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 ji himself says daro matt…’: Ex-MLA Mohammed Moquim’s first reaction after Congress expulsion; what he said
NEW DELHI: Former Congress MLA Mohammed Moquim reacted to his expulsion from the party on Monday, defending his move to write to Sonia Gandhi expressing dissatisfaction with the party leadership, citing recent electoral losses. He cited Rahul Gandhi’s suggestion of “daro matt (don’t be scared)” and said that he had “told the truth to the party’s high command” but had to be expelled. “I came to know that I have been expelled from the party. I had taken the right step after due deliberation. We are such a big party but we are unable to connect to people in every state. We are unable to win. Congress is minimising. So, as a true Congress worker, I thought that if the high command is not meeting us and we are unable to communicate with them,” he said. “So, I expressed my thoughts to Sonia ji through a letter. The truth and the need to reform the party – I just gave her a suggestion. Later, it came in the media and when they asked me I told them the truth. Rahul ji himself says ‘daro matt’…I told the truth to the party’s high command but had to be expelled,” Moquim added. — ANI (@ANI) Congress party cited “anti-party” activities as the reason behind his expulsion. “This is for the information of all concerned that AICC has approved the proposal for the expulsion of Sri Md. Moquim from the primary membership of the party, due to anti-party activities,” the notice issued by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) said. In the letter, Moquim had urged Sonia to bring forward “young leaders”, as the party was going through a “difficult phase”. “The recent outcomes in Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Kashmir, where our defeats were by staggering margins, are not just electoral setbacks; they reflect a deeper organisational disconnect,” the letter said. “A series of wrong decisions, misguided leadership choices, and the continued concentration of responsibility in the wrong hands have weakened the Party from within. Rather than correcting these errors, we appear to be repeating them and the consequences are now visible to the entire nation,” the letter 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
‘Always been more than one tendency in party’: Shashi Tharoor shares post comparing his ideas with Rahul Gandhi; calls it a ‘thoughtful analysis’
NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday reposted a thread which contrasted his ideological tendencies with that of Rahul Gandhi’s. The thread called the leader of opposition’s rural policies “devastating”, while that of Tharoor’s more aligned with the “background, political language, and audience.” Tharoor called the analysis “fair, and reflective of a certain perception of the current reality.” The post also called the Congress party “Rahul Gandhi represents a different strategic turn: Congress’s post-2010 attempt to reposition itself as a rural, grievance-driven mass party to counter BJP dominance. This was a reactive, yet devastating shift that can be shown through the electoral results themselves,” the thread posted by X account Civitas Sameer read. — ShashiTharoor (@ShashiTharoor) “The most ironic part of it all is that the individual leading this rural turn is among the most elite and insulated figures in Indian politics. Born into a dynastic family, symbolic rural politics without lived or organisational depth lacks any credibility,” it continued. The post then went on to contrast Rahul with Tharoor saying: “Tharoor, by contrast, shows alignment between background, political language, and audience. His increasing focus on SM platforms (particularly Instagram) and digital media reflects awareness of political fit, not ideological drift.” “Tharoor has not engaged in a ‘rightward shift’ as many on the Congress party side make it out to be. He was a proud Hindu from day one for his own reasons (whatever it may be) and even wrote a whole book about it called ‘Why I am a Hindu’,” it further said. Though the post noted that Tharoor was being sidelined within the party, it clarified that it wasn’t “an endorsement of Tharoor’s worldview.” “Many on the Right are merely noticing it now because of the reactive ostracisation efforts of the mainstream INC. Like the urban technocratic leaders of the past, he is being sidelined by this new INC. However, this is not an endorsement of Tharoor’s worldview. It is an observation that he understands limits, while INC as a party does not. INC today is neither a credible urban reformist party nor a serious rural mass party. It has abandoned one without successfully transforming,” it said. “Thank you this thoughtful analysis. There has always been more than one tendency in the party; your framing is fair, and reflective of a certain perception of the current reality,” he said. The post also called the Grand Old Party “neither a credible urban reformist party nor a serious rural mass party.” “However, this is not an endorsement of Tharoor’s worldview. It is an observation that he understands limits, while INC as a party does not. INC today is neither a credible urban reformist party nor a serious rural mass party. It has abandoned one without successfully transforming,” the post 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
‘Vote chori is Congress issue’: Abdullah’s distances INDIA bloc from Rahul’s choir against EC
NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday distanced himself from the “vote chori” issue raised by the Congress, asserting that the “INDIA bloc has got nothing to do with it”. His remarks came a day after senior Congress leaders attacked the BJP and election commissioners at a ‘Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod’ rally in the national capital, alleging that “vote chori” was in the ruling party’s DNA and accusing its leaders of being “gaddar” conspiring to take away people’s voting rights. Abdullah’s National Conference is a constituent of the opposition INDIA bloc, in which the Congress is the largest party by the number of opposition MPs in the Lok Sabha. Responding to questions on the Congress campaign and allegations of electoral irregularities, Abdullah said, “The INDIA bloc has got nothing to do with it. Every political party is at liberty to set its own agenda. The Congress has made ‘vote chori’ and SIR as its main issues. Who are we to tell them otherwise?” The Congress has claimed it has collected around six crore signatures against alleged “vote theft” and plans to submit them to the President of India. Earlier, when the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) was ongoing during the Bihar elections, Abdullah had claimed that the people of Bihar are “dissatisfied” with the Election Commission over allegations of ‘vote theft.’ Abdullah said the Election Commission must stay true to its ideals of independence and fairness. Speaking to the news agency ANI, Omar Abdullah said, “There are concerns regarding the special dispensation that was created for Bihar, and how useful it will be for the ruling alliance will be shown when the results come out… It has left the people of Bihar very dissatisfied with the conduct of the Election Commission… We have always taken pride in the independence and impartiality of the Election Commission. I think the Election Commission must hold true to those ideals…” Later, when the Bihar poll results were declared, in which the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan was routed, Abdullah said the Bihar assembly poll outcome was more surprising for him than his party’s loss in the Budgam bypoll. Nitish Kumar, he said, turned anti-incumbency into pro-incumbency. “It is good for other states to see what Nitish Kumar ji did for voters. He set caste politics aside and focused on women, introducing schemes that helped him politically also… while Congress, emboldened by its ‘vote chori’ campaign, made seat-sharing among INDIA bloc partners more difficult,” said the National Conference chairman. Abdullah also stressed that political interference in institutions should not be tolerated. Political interference in institutions should not be tolerated and needs to be dealt with seriously, he told reporters at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in response to reports about the interference in the working and staff engagement in a power project allegedly by a BJP MLA. “Political meddling in the functioning of corporations and departments is unfortunate and worrisome. Political interference should not happen. Such matters must be viewed with seriousness. Earlier, these institutions were accountable to an elected government, but now decisions are being taken without that system in place,” Omar Abdullah alleged. 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
‘Everything fine’: Shashi Tharoor on absence from Congress’ Delhi rally; was abroad for ‘prior commitment’
NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday said he was absent from the party’s “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod” rally as he was abroad due to a “prior commitment.” The former diplomat, who has recently made headlines for skipping Congress meetings and for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, added that there are “no issues” from his side. “I was abroad yesterday. It was a commitment I had made six months ago. From my side, everything is fine,” he told news agency ANI. Earlier, Tharoor had also skipped a meeting of Congress Lok Sabha MPs chaired by Lok Sabha leader of opposition and former party chief Rahul Gandhi. According to party sources, the Thiruvananthapuram MP had informed in advance about his unavailability. Another senior leader, Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari, was also absent from the meeting. As per posts on Tharoor’s X timeline, he was at an event in Kolkata on Sunday night. On Sunday, the Congress held its “Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod” rally at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, heightening its campaign against alleged electoral irregularities. The grand old party intensified its campaign over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. Tharoor, who joined the Congress in 2009, has in recent months taken positions that differ from the party’s official line on several issues.For instance, he was recently chosen by the Centre to lead one of the all-party delegations that visited several countries following Operation Sindoor in May, despite not being nominated by the Congress. 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 MLAs worried tussle could hurt prospects in next election
Belagavi: The ongoing tussle between Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar over the chief minister’s post has caused unease among a large section of ruling Congress MLAs, who say that besides hindering governance, it could have an adverse impact on their electoral prospects in the next assembly elections. Competing claims by Shivakumar’s and Siddaramaiah’s supporters have led to the emergence of at least three factions, with a group of Dalit ministers also coming together to demand the top post for one from their community. The widening rift was evident on the sidelines of the ‘Vote Chori’ rally in New Delhi Sunday, where Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar held separate breakfast meetings with their respective supporters. The chief minister was notably absent from the luncheon hosted by Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and did not speak at the rally either. Against this backdrop, legislators who have maintained a neutral stand have cautioned the party’s high command against further delay in resolving the issue. The matter was raised during the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting in Belagavi last week, where MLAs urged brass to settle the issue quickly. Several legislators warned that an over-reliance on the govt’s guarantee schemes, without clarity on the tussle, could prove detrimental to the party. “As the governing party, we will face anti-incumbency,” said KY Nanje Gowda, Malur MLA, who raised concerns over the guarantees and political challenges during the CLP meeting. “The worry is that it would get stronger if the prevailing political situation in the party continues.” Gowda said MLAs were finding it increasingly difficult to face voters and respond to questions about stalled development works. While Siddaramaiah is said to have assured legislators of releasing pending development funds, several MLAs privately admitted that assurances and the release of limited funds would not be sufficient unless uncertainty over the CM post is addressed. While the anti-incumbency factor is normally assessed towards the end of a five-year term, Congress appears to be confronting this challenge much earlier. Sources say some MLAs are even exploring alternative political strategies, including distancing themselves from the party. This comes at a time when principal opposition BJP is seeking to strengthen NDA along with its ally JD(S), and is reportedly looking to poach Congress MLAs with strong electoral prospects. “It is not that the opposition is pointing fingers at the govt’s overall failure,” said BJP state president BY Vijayendra. “It is evident that many Congress MLAs are unhappy with the present dispensation and people are eager to vote out the Siddramaiah-led govt.” Several senior Congress members have echoed the concerns raised by the neutral camp. “It is quite natural that MLAs are concerned about their future,” said RV Deshpande, former minister and Haliyal MLA. “It is not advisable to allow the situation to grow worse, and the high command should step in at the earliest.” However, a resolution to the crisis appears distant, with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge emerging as a potential contender amid the SC-ST camp’s push for a Dalit chief minister. Alarmed by these developments, legislators from the neutral camp are planning to travel to New Delhi after the ongoing Belagavi session to meet the party high command and press for an early resolution. 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
Reasons for Messi mess in Kolkata: Neta clans’ selfie rush, VIP culture, outsider entry; damage worth Rs 2.5 crore
KOLKATA: Almost everything that could have possibly gone wrong at Salt Lake stadium on Saturday went wrong, as revealed by a post-mortem by TOI 24 hours after the massive Messi mess. Those who had a ringside view of how the mayhem unfolded were near-unanimous about the origin of the trouble. Someone from the crowd of hangers-on of the politicians and the organisers, who were near Argentine soccer icon Lionel Messi, was pestering him for an autograph on a T-shirt when the pen scratched his body. That immediately alerted Messi’s security phalanx, who “suggested” that security was not up to the mark and things could get dangerous for him. It was after this incident that Messi told event organiser Satadru Dutta, now in police custody, that he wanted to leave the stadium. The 60,000-odd spectators, who were in the dark about what was going on, vented their ire on the stadium and its furniture after waiting in vain for their idol to come out again. ‘Paid Rs 15k for a ticket, for nothing’ Officials dealing with the aftermath of the vandalism and violence, which left several cops injured, were again near-unanimous that liberal distribution of ‘VIP passes’ to netas and organisers and their extended clans triggered a chain of events leading to the disaster. A ‘VIP pass’ holder was seen clutching at Messi’s hand for a selfie when the football star wanted to wave at his fans. Things then worsened superfast, with people who did not have tickets rushing into the stadium after the trouble started. Chaos, however, had begun much earlier. When the white Audi carrying Messi and his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul entered the stadium at 11.30 am, it was immediately surrounded by VIPs, politicians, police officers and those accompanying them. Messi, Suarez and De Paul struggled to step out of the car as the cordon collapsed under the weight of people desperate for a picture, a selfie or an autograph. For a short while, Messi appeared cheerful, walking alongside his teammates to the centre circle, where former India internationals lined up to greet him. Former striker Dipendu Biswas said he touched Messi’s left foot and got a jersey signed by him. Mehtab Hossain, too, got a shirt signed by Messi for his son. Trouble began when politicians and some cops tried to push closer for selfies with Messi. “Some selfie-seekers began pushing and shoving him in a shocking manner,” one witness said. Messi appeared uncomfortable but tried to remain composed. “He is used to extreme adulation, but this was different. The nudging simply would not stop,” a witness said. Dutta, the organiser of the event, repeatedly appealed for order, but his requests were ignored. Cops around the footballers, instead of shielding them from the disorderly crowd, were busy taking selfies with Messi. Many were seen pushing Suarez and De Paul aside to get closer to Messi. When Messi was moving towards the ‘VIP gallery’, a woman rushed in for a photograph, triggering a crush. “I heard his manager say ‘vida’ (Spanish word for life) to Messi,” a witness said. “That’s when I realised Messi’s team sensed a serious threat to his safety and wanted to leave.” Moments later, chaos erupted: seats were ripped off, iron fencing collapsed, and thousands surged onto the pitch. A canopy and sofas for VIPs were set on fire. The administration has so far assessed damage worth Rs 2.5 crore. Officials said the figure would rise as assessment was still on. Bidhannagar commissioner Mukesh said summons have been issued to several people involved in organising the 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
Many within TMC uneasy over ‘giving BJP a talking point’ ahead of elections
Kolkata: A large section within Trinamool Congress is livid at the Salt Lake stadium fiasco which, they think, has given the opposition a stick to beat the govt with. Many of these netas, cutting across the generation gap and personal loyalties, are upset that a “pro-TMC narrative” — accruing out of both “positive work by the state administration and the Centre’s political mistakes” — was “disturbed” before the assembly polls due early next year. A cross-section of Trinamool seniors called the stadium pandemonium “completely uncalled for”. “Both CM Mamata Banerjee in Bengal and our party MPs in Parliament were fighting out on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which caused genuine apprehension and anxiety in people’s minds. Ahead of Bengal polls, this is a critical issue that will have a direct impact on the poll outcome. This diversion, which could have been easily avoided, has now given BJP a talking point,” a senior TMC MP said, adding that the party brass was “unhappy” with the incident. Another Trinamool neta said since Lionel Messi is an international name, “any incident around him will be followed the world over”. “This called for extra caution, not the casual approach with which this was treated both by the department concerned and police,” he added. The TMC functionary also pointed out how the CM was striving to bring Bengal to the global stage after UNESCO’s intangible heritage recognition to Durga Puja. In Nov, the India Tourism Data Compendium 2025, compiled by the Union tourism ministry, showed that the highest number of foreign tourists in 2024 was recorded in Maharashtra, followed by Bengal, he added. The unease appeared apparent when TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh took to X and later told reporters that “selfie-crazed people”, whom he referred to as “greedy”, should also be made to pay for the Salt Lake damages. “Why should the state exchequer only foot the bills for Salt Lake repairs? Let these people be identified and asked to pay along with the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chanting vandals. Salt Lake stadium is an emotion for many of us who love football. Messi played an international match against Venezuela here in 2011. Salt Lake stadium successfully hosted the FIFA Under-17 World Cup,” Ghosh said, quickly adding that he was speaking as a Mohun Bagan office-bearer. Some Trinamool netas also directly pointed fingers at state sports minister Aroop Biswas. “He should have kept the state administration in the know. The Bengal govt has handled much more sensitive international football and cricket events seamlessly. This could have been handled in a better way, especially when the invitees included the chief minister herself,” a senior north Kolkata functionary said. But Ghosh dismissed this. “This was a private event. Biswas was there only as a sports minister, an invitee. In fact, the day before (on Friday), he was waiting at Salt Lake stadium for event organizer Satadru Dutta from 12.45 pm to 3.45 pm. He called Dutta multiple times to know the final plans and whether he could help. The calls were unanswered. Later, two officials (from Dutta’s firm) told him that everything was in order,” Ghosh claimed. Biswas said on Saturday that pending investigations, he would not speak on the issue. Another TMC senior also questioned how party netas and their kin had what they called “close-proximity passes”, giving them access to Messi on the ground. He said some of these passes had either the state sports dept stamped on them or were countersigned by police. Ghosh did not respond to this, only saying: “The enquiry will bring out all facts.” 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
Mann compares Rahul Gandhi to Navjot Sidhu: ‘They both want PM, CM post before performing’
Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday drew a parallel between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, asserting that both share a common trait of seeking the top post — Prime Minister and chief minister, respectively — before delivering. Mann said the two leaders were alike because “Both Rahul Gandhi and Navjot Sidhu shared the same problem. Both want to be installed as the PM and CM before doing something for public welfare. But people of the country want both the leaders to perform first.” Former MLA and Sidhu’s wife, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, recently levelled allegations against the Congress that Rs 500 crore was required for anyone to become a Congress chief minister, and that Sidhu would return to politics only if he was declared the CM candidate. Taking a jibe at Sidhu, Mann said, “I too was a television artiste and used to earn well. Have I done a favour on the people of Punjab by quitting my vocation? But once I joined politics, I never turned back.” He added, “Sidhu had the portfolio for urban development, he could have done a lot to improve the condition of the city – better roads, street lights, sewerage, and parks. Then he was also offered the power portfolio, but he didn’t accept it. He could have mooted the proposal for 600 units of free power for people. If the then CM Capt Amarinder Singh objected, Sidhu could have made it public. He would have been hailed as a hero. It would have been a win-win situation for him. Capt Amarinder said that Sidhu wouldn’t sign on files of his department for six months. I have signed 12,500 files as CM during my 3.5-year tenure so far. I start looking at files at 7.30 am every day.” Replying to a question about Sidhu and his former MLA wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu claiming to be free of any corruption charge, Mann said while he was not the one to issue any certificates of honesty, he currently had no documentary proof of any corruption against the Sidhu couple. To another question, Mann said the Punjab police wanted to bring Anmol Bishnoi to Punjab, but the Union home ministry doesn’t allow that. He said the same goes for Lawrence Bishnoi, adding that if need be, the state agencies will try to interrogate them in Tihar jail. To another question, Mann rejected Navjot Kaur Sidhu’s charge that a probe against Congress state president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring had been put in “cold storage” by the AAP govt. Asked about Navjot Kaur Sidhu expressing a threat to her life, Mann said in that case she should have thought before she spoke. “You cannot make allegations and then rush to me. She should have raised the issues at party platforms first by seeking an appointment with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi,” 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