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
The Modi government is directly attacking Dalit rights and the Constitution: Mallikarjun Kharge
Congress President targets the BJP, saying, “Dalits’ rights in education and employment are being taken away, and there’s a conspiracy to weaken the Constitution.” New Delhi: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday launched his sharpest attack yet on the Modi government at the center. He accused the government of weakening the Constitution and trampling on the fundamental principles of social justice, especially the rights of Scheduled Castes (SCs). Addressing the first meeting of the party’s newly formed “Scheduled Caste Advisory Committee,” Kharge said that the BJP’s policies have eroded all the achievements in the fields of education and employment, achieved through years of hard work by previous Congress governments. He expressed concern that the current regime is diluting the reservation system and attempting to justify discrimination. “We will not allow the Constitution to be weakened.” Kharge declared, “We will not allow Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s Constitution to be weakened at any cost.” He stressed that Congress will continue its fight to protect constitutional values. Turning the pages of history, he recalled that Congress began its fight against discrimination even before independence. This struggle resulted in the 1955 Civil Rights Protection Act, which criminalized untouchability. Subsequently, during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure, the 1989 SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act was enacted, which recognized atrocities against Dalits as an attack on social justice. Kharge explained that subsequent Congress governments further strengthened this law. They added stringent provisions such as a ban on anticipatory bail, speedy investigations, increased compensation for victims, and the establishment of special courts. Education: The Greatest Weapon of Empowerment Emphasizing the role of education in Dalit empowerment, Kharge detailed Congress initiatives. He credited the Congress with providing pre- and post-matric scholarships, hostels for Scheduled Caste students, the “Top Class Education Scheme,” and reservations in IITs, IIMs, and medical colleges. He also cited the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, and the Right to Education (RTE) Act, saying these initiatives increased school enrollment and provided the country with millions of Dalit doctors, engineers, officers, and entrepreneurs. Serious Allegations Against the Current Government Kharge accused the Modi government of suppressing the voices of Dalits. He cited the suicide of Rohith Vemula, the Bhima Koregaon incidents, and alleged discrimination against Dalit students in universities. He said that the promotion of privatization, reductions in government jobs, weakening of reservations, and the decline in the recruitment of SC/ST faculty in higher educational institutions are a direct attack on social justice. He accused the government of promoting a “Manuvadi mindset,” which justifies inequality rather than ensuring equality. Recalling Ambedkar’s words, Kharge said that a society’s progress is measured by how safe its weakest members are, but the current government has completely reversed this principle. Roared at the “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod” rally Later, addressing the “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod” rally held at Ramlila Maidan, Kharge further sharpened his tone. He called those involved in alleged vote theft “traitors” and accused them of betraying the country. He called on the public to oust such forces from power to protect voting rights and the Constitution. Kharge warned that the RSS ideology would destroy the country. He appealed to the people to unite under the Congress flag, claiming that only the Congress party is capable of protecting democracy and constitutional values. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
‘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
For Punjab Assembly election, BJP turns to Dalit-dera strategy
Having already made inroads into the urban Sikh electorate of Punjab, the BJP seems to have begun an exercise to woo the Dalit votebank ahead of the next Assembly elections in the state. In a carefully choreographed move, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh, along with Dalit leaders including former Union Minister of State Vijay Sampla and former Chief Parliamentary Secretary Avinash Chander, facilitated a meeting between Dera Sachkhand Ballan chief Sant Niranjan Dass and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi last week. The timing was deliberate: Ahead of the 649th Guru Ravidas Jayanti. Dera Ballan holds deep religious and emotional significance for the Ravidassia community in Punjab. Recognising the power of digital outreach, BJP leaders promptly released photographs of the meeting across social media platforms, sending a clear political signal to 32 per cent Dalit voters across the state. “We had gone to invite the PM for the start of the year-long celebrations to mark the 650th jayanti of the Guru from his birthplace Banaras (Varanasi) in the coming February. Since the PM is Varanasi MP, the dera chief wanted to seek his approval for the allotment of additional 15-20 acres for setting up a satsang bhawan. The talks went on very smoothly,” said Avinash Chander. The BJP has reportedly identified nearly 250 small and large deras across Punjab that hold varying degrees of influence over local constituencies — a sign of a more structured, long-term approach. “Our party has not been able to garner support from the Jatt community in the state, who are majorly landowners and have agriculture as their major source of income. The party is looking to be cordial with all other communities, including Ravidassias, Valmikis and OBCs, in line with its strategy in Haryana,” said a senior BJP leader from the state. The BJP move has clearly unsettled the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). In 2023, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had visited Dera Sachkhand Ballan and handed over a cheque of Rs 25 crore for establishing a Sri Guru Ravidas Research Centre. However, land for the project is yet to be allotted. Last month, Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Castes Chairman Jasvir Garhi summoned the Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner to seek clarity on the status of the project. The administration is now reportedly looking for suitable land in the vicinity. Interestingly, the research centre was originally announced by former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Punjab’s first Dalit CM and now Congress MP from Jalandhar. Channi had announced and sanctioned the same amount ahead of the 2022 Assembly poll. He is known for his close association with the dera, including frequent visits, partaking in langar, and even sleeping on the floor of the premises during his tenure. Like the BJP, SAD and the Congress, AAP has also been trying to appease various deras. AAP gave MP’s seat to Balbir Singh Seechewal, running a dera in Sultanpur Lodhi. AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal held a meeting with functionaries of Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan, Nurmahal, in Delhi this week. Last month, the state government had got handed over the custody of Akal Bunga gurdwara in Sultanpur Lodhi to a Nihang faction led by Baba Balbir Singh. Both AAP and BJP had last month organised parallel events to mark the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur. Article_Author Deepkamal Kaur Courtesy: The Tribune Note: This news is originally published on https:/thetribune.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
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
Modi Govt Weakening Constitution, Policies Have Reversed Past Gains In Social Justice: Kharge
Kharge also accused the Modi dispensation of promoting “Manuvadi” mentality. New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday accused the Modi government of weakening the Constitution whose foundation is social justice and said its policies have reversed previous Congress governments’ initiatives on education and jobs for Dalits. Addressing the Congress party’s first meeting of its Scheduled Castes (SC) Advisory Committee, he said the BJP government has weakened reservations, does not promote equality, instead justifies discrimination. “We will not allow Baba Saheb (Ambedkar)’s Constitution to be weakened at any cost,” Kharge said. He said the Congress, even before Independence, pledged to mitigate the discrimination prevalent in society and recognised that the state’s role in eradicating it. It was with this thinking that two major laws were enacted: the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, which made untouchability and all its forms punishable offences, and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, Kharge said. The government of Rajiv Gandhi enacted the SC/ST Act which stated for the first time that atrocities against Dalits are not just crimes, but an assault on social justice, the Congress chief said. Later, Congress governments strengthened it further by imposing restrictions on anticipatory bail for the accused, expediting investigations for victims, higher compensation, and arrangements for Special Courts, he said. Noting that education is the greatest weapon for Dalit empowerment, Kharge said the Congress recognised that education is the path to social equality. “Therefore, we initiated Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme, Pre-Matric Scholarship, Hostels for SC boys and girls, Top Class Education Scheme, SC reservations in IITs, IIMs and medical colleges, programmes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Mid-Day Meal, and RTE (Right To Education), which rapidly increased the school attendance of Dalit children. “Today, there are lakhs of SC doctors, engineers, teachers, officers, and entrepreneurs in the country — their journeys began with these very policies,” he said. Claiming attacks on those who raise the voice of Dalits, the Congress chief said whether it is the Rohith Vemula issue, the actions following Bhima-Koregaon, or the discrimination faced by Dalit students in universities, the government has tried to suppress the Dalit voice everywhere. “The rights given by the Constitution are being snatched away. Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar had said: ‘The measure of a society’s progress is how secure its weakest member is. “Today, the situation has been reversed. Policies that weaken reservations, reduce jobs for Dalits through privatisation, decline in SC/ST faculty recruitment in universities — these prove that the Modi government is weakening that Constitution whose foundation is social justice,” he said. Kharge also accused the Modi dispensation of promoting “Manuvadi” mentality. “This is the same government that sometimes promotes such thinking in its documents, speeches, and policies. This is the government which does not promote equality, but justifies discrimination. We will not allow this to happen,” the Congress leader added. Courtesy : ETV Bharat Note: This news is originally published on https:/etvbharat.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights