Betrayal of Bahujans, Government has no… Rahul Gandhi launches scathing attack on the government over delay in caste census
Rahul Gandhi accused the Modi government in the Lok Sabha of having no concrete plan for the caste census. He said this is a betrayal of the Bahujans. The government stated that the census will be conducted in two phases and the population count will be completed in February 2027. New Delhi: Citing the government’s response to his written question, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that the Modi government has no concrete framework or plan for the caste census. He also said this is a blatant betrayal of the country’s Bahujans. Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi posted on X, “I asked the government a question about the caste census in Parliament. Their response is shocking. No concrete framework, no time-bound plan, no discussion in Parliament, and no dialogue with the public.” He claimed, “There is no desire to learn from the strategies of successful caste censuses conducted by other states. This caste census by the Modi government is a blatant betrayal of the country’s Bahujans.” Rahul Gandhi had asked a written question in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, “What are the details and likely timelines of the key procedural steps for preparing for the decennial census, including preparation of questions and scheduling? Does the government propose to publish draft census questions and seek input from the public or public representatives on these questions? Is the government considering past experiences, including caste surveys conducted in different states, and if so, what are the details?” What does the government say? In response, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanath Rai stated that the census would be conducted in two phases. He stated that the first phase would include house listing and housing enumeration, followed by the second phase of population enumeration. The minister had said, “The population census will be conducted in February 2027, with the reference date being midnight of March 1, 2027, except in the Union Territory of Ladakh, and the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and the snow-covered remote areas of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where the census will be conducted in September 2026, with the reference date being midnight of October 1, 2026.” Rai had said, “The census has a history of over 150 years. Experiences gained from previous censuses are taken into account for the next census. Suggestions are also sought from relevant stakeholders before each census.” Edited by: Ashok Upadhyay About the Author Ashok Upadhyay is a Senior Digital Content Producer at Navbharat Times Online. He has 10 years of experience in journalism. He began his journalism career with Navbharat Times Hindi newspaper in 2014. He specializes in reporting on politics, sports, and the crime beat. He has also worked on the Central Desk at Amar Ujala Dehradun. Courtesy: Hindi News
Defamation case: Pune court directs Rahul Gandhi’s lawyer not to comment on unchallenged summons
Pune: A magisterial court in the city on Tuesday directed Rahul Gandhi’s lawyer not to comment on unchallenged summons in an ongoing hearing of a defamation case filed by Satyaki Savarkar, the grandnephew of Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, against the Congress MP. The case relates to Gandhi’s alleged defamatory remarks against Savarkar during a speech in London. Satyaki filed an application before the court, raising an exception to a couple of paragraphs in a plea filed by Gandhi’s counsel on an earlier occasion. He submitted that the paragraphs were “serious in nature and mudslinging on the conduct of the complainant” and “cast some doubt on the functioning of the impartial judiciary system”. In his order on Tuesday, Judicial magistrate first class Amol Shriram Shinde noted, “The accused has raised some doubts on the functioning of the Court in para Nos. 11 and 13 of Exh. 117. Accused stated in para No. 11 that, complainant managed to secure the order of issuance of summons against the accused… In para No.13 accused further stated that, complainant succeeded in obtaining the summoning order through over reach rather than through lawful proof.” He said, “This court finds that if accused has any grievances against the issuance of summons order then he should challenge it before the appropriate court. But, he cannot make any comment on the order which he did not challenge. Either he has to accept the order or he has to challenge the order before the appropriate court.” In another order, the court also rejected an application filed by Gandhi’s counsel, Milind Pawar, seeking prevention of any further adjournments. The complainant intends to lead further evidence in the matter. “He must be given an opportunity to lead his evidence. A fair trial should be there. Therefore, this court finds that a short adjournment can be granted to the complainant,” the court said while posting the matter for next hearing on Dec 5. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/limesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Eye on polls, Assam Cong leaders meet Kharge, Rahul to discuss strategies
Guwahati: The Assam Congress leadership, headed by PCC president Gaurav Gogoi, met AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge and LoP Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Tuesday, focusing on strategies for the 2026 assembly election and mobilisation. Gogoi said the AICC promised full support to make Assam “BJP Mukt”. “From organisational matters to key issues concerning the Assamese society, Kharge Ji listened to Assam PCC leaders,” he said. With an eight-party opposition alliance already formed for the state election, other opposition parties are now finalising their joint strategy to challenge the BJP and its allies. This meeting was held at a crucial time before the political affairs committee meeting of Assam PCC, expected in mid-December, where the focus will likely be on finalising seat-sharing arrangements with other opposition parties. The eight-party alliance, including Left and regional parties in Assam, is facing challenges with candidates from different parties vying for the same seats. “The deliberation centred on a comprehensive review of the party’s organisational preparedness in Assam and the formulation of a robust electoral strategy for the upcoming polls. The AICC leadership offered detailed guidance and strategic directives to strengthen the party’s outreach, coordination, and election-time mobilisation,” said Bedabrata Bora for Assam PCC. The meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday with the top leadership of the AICC was chaired by Kharge and also attended by AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, and AICC general secretary in-charge of Assam Jitendra Singh. From Assam, the delegation was led by Gaurav Gogoi and included Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia, former APCC President Bhupen Bora, MPs Rakibul Hussain and Pradyut Bordoloi, former MP Ripun Bora, Working Presidents Zakir Hussain Sikdar, Rozelina Tirkey, and Pradip Sarkar. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/limesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Distractions’: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slams Rajnath’s ‘Nehru-Babri’ remark; how Rahul responded
NEW DELHI: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday dismissed defence minister Rajnath Singh’s “Nehru–Babri Masjid” remark as a “distraction” from the issues that matter. “These are all distractions. There are many real issues that need discussion. They create a new distraction every day so that we are unable to talk about the people’s concerns,” she told reporters outside Parliament. Her brother, and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, declined to comment, saying reporters were “wasting their time” by asking him for a reaction. The siblings are great-grandchildren of Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s first prime minister. Addressing the ‘Sardar Sabha’ in Vadodara, Gujarat, on Tuesday, Rajnath Singh alleged that Jawaharlal Nehru wanted to use government funds to build the Babri Masjid. He added that it was then-home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who opposed the plan, and described Patel as “truly secular.” “Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was truly secular. He never believed in appeasement. When Jawaharlal Nehru spoke about spending government funds on the Babri Masjid issue, it was Patel, a son of Gujarat, who opposed it. He did not allow the Babri Masjid to be built with government money,” the senior BJP leader remarked. He added, “Nehru raised the question of reconstructing the Somnath Temple. Patel clarified that the Somnath case was different: the public had donated Rs 30 lakh, a trust had been formed, and not a single rupee of government money was used,” referring to the temple’s reconstruction in Veraval, Gujarat. Singh’s remarks came ahead of December 6, marking the 33rd anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. In November 2019, a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court delivered a unanimous verdict paving the way for the construction of Lord’s Ram temple in the city. The temple was inaugurated on January 22, 2024. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/limesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Fresh FIR against Rahul, Sonia in National Herald case
NEW DELHI: The economic offences wing of the Delhi police has registered a fresh FIR against senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, along with six other associates and business entities in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy to “fraudulently” acquire Associated Journals Ltd, then a Congress held entity having properties worth Rs 2,000 crore. The acquisition was made through Young Indian in which the Gandhis held 76% shareholding. The Delhi police FIR, dated Oct 3, is based on a complaint filed by the Headquarters Investigative Unit (HIU) of the ED, which has shared detailed findings of its investigation into National Herald money laundering case from 2008-2024. Sharing of information under Sec 66(2) of the PMLA allows ED to ask another enforcement agency to register and probe a scheduled offence, which can then become a predicate offence necessary for the ED to carry out its own investigation under the PMLA. The ongoing money laundering probe by ED is based on a private complaint from former BJP MP Subramanian Swamy and its cognisance by metropolitan magistrate’s court in Patiala House in June 2014. In this case, the central agency filed a prosecution complaint (chargesheet) under PMLA against Gandhis and other accused on April 9 before a special MPs/MLAs court here at Rouse Avenue. The court has not taken cognisance yet of the matter. Congress has consistently disputed the charges and has accused ED of carrying out a political witchunt at govt’s instance. When TOI contacted the party again on Delhi police registering an FIR, it said they are not aware of it. Besides Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, the FIR registered by the Delhi Police has named three others, including chief of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda. It also names three entities, AJL, Young Indian and the Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd, allegedly a Kolkata-based shell company that provided Rs 1 crore to Young India from which Gandhis paid Congress Rs 50 lakh to allegedly acquire AJL with assets allegedly worth Rs 2,000 crore. Sources said the police is likely to summon shareholders of AJL for questioning to ascertain whether the Congress consulted them and took their approval before transferring the company to Young Indian, beneficially owned by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. 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
Was match-fixing already taking place in 11 Bihar seats? Statistics suggest otherwise.
Bihar Politics: RJD and Congress held separate meetings to review the Bihar election defeat. But what will be the gist of these meetings when both the losers and the losers were part of the Grand Alliance? In reality, they were defeated not by the NDA, but by their own stubbornness and arrogance. Patna: Both were blind, the fire was blazing ahead, yet they jumped into it. Now they are reviewing how they got burned? This is exactly what RJD and Congress did in the Bihar Assembly elections. Both insisted on jumping into the fire while they were still awake. They kept fighting for tickets, but the issue wasn’t resolved until the elections. They destroyed themselves in the battle of ‘Hum Mir Hum Hum Mir Hum Mir’. Defeat in 11 seats was certain even before the elections. Reviewing the defeat of those who deliberately lost is a mere time pass. The barn does not fill with lies. Instead of blaming each other in the name of review, we should look within ourselves to see what our mistakes were. Towards a Parting of the Ways A meeting has already been held in Delhi to review the Congress’s humiliating defeat in the Bihar Assembly elections. Now, a meeting of district presidents was held in Patna to gather feedback on the party’s poor performance. Other district organization leaders also attended this meeting. Reports were taken from each district on the reasons for the party’s defeat. After the meeting, Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee President Rajesh Ram said, “Our alliance with the RJD is only an electoral alliance; it has no organizational basis. The Congress party is expanding its organization to strengthen itself. There has been no discussion between the Congress and the RJD after the elections. Whether they will form a joint strategy as an opposition party is also unclear.” What did we gain from this reluctant alliance? There is a Bhojpuri saying: “Beman ke biyah kanpatiye senur” (unwillingly applied vermilion to the temple in the marriage). The alliance between RJD, Congress, and the Left parties was similar. Seat sharing is always clear in any electoral alliance. If a friendly fight ensues, it indicates a lack of trust among the constituent parties. Deception is inherent in the intentions. How did such powerful leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav agree to a friendly fight on 11 seats? If they had strictly adhered to alliance principles, would this have happened? Would any Congress candidate have had the courage to ignore Rahul Gandhi’s request? Is there any RJD leader who would disobey Tejashwi Yadav’s orders? But neither party made a sincere effort to avoid a friendly fight. Congress defeated RJD in Vaishali How could a heart break when a stone collides with glass? Glass collided with a stone, and it was bound to break, and it did. In 11 seats, the Grand Alliance hurled stones at each other’s glass houses. In the Vaishali seat, RJD’s Ajay Kumar and Congress’s Sanjeev Singh fought each other. JDU’s Siddharth Patel won. JDU defeated RJD by a huge margin of around 32,000 votes. Sanjeev Singh came in third. Clearly, if Congress had not contested this seat, RJD could have had the upper hand. Meaning, Congress defeated RJD. CPI defeated Congress in Rajapakad Congress’s Pratima Kumari and CPI’s Mohit Paswan contested the Rajapakad seat. However, JDU’s Mahendra Ram won. Mahendra Ram defeated Congress’s Pratima Kumari by a huge margin of 41,000 votes. CPI’s Mohit Paswan came in third. CPI defeated Congress in this seat. In the Beldaur seat, Congress’s Mithilesh Nishad and IIP’s Tanisha Bharti were contesting against each other. JDU’s Panna Singh Patel emerged victorious. Panna Singh Patel defeated Congress’s Mithilesh Nishad by around 35,000 votes. IIP defeated Congress in this seat. Congress defeats RJD in Kahalgaon In the Kahalgaon seat, Congress’s Praveen Singh Kushwaha and RJD’s Rajneesh Bharti were contesting against each other. Both lost the election, and JDU’s Shubhanand Mukesh emerged victorious. Shubhanand defeated RJD’s Rajneesh Bharti by over 50,000 votes. Congress defeated RJD in this seat, finishing fourth. Clearly, Congress should not have contested this seat. Congress suffered a humiliating defeat in the Sultanganj seat. Congress candidate Lalan Kumar received only 2,754 votes. Despite being weak, Congress insisted on contesting this seat. As a result, RJD’s Chandan Sinha’s position deteriorated. Seeing the two allies fighting each other, the public turned to JDU’s Lalit Narayan Mandal. Lalit Mandal defeated RJD’s Chandan Sinha by over 31,000 votes. VIP defeats RJD in Chainpur Mukesh Sahni’s stubbornness led to RJD’s defeat in the Chainpur seat. Brijkishore Bind of RJD and Balgovind Bind of VIP were fighting amongst themselves on this seat. Balgovind Bind is the state president of VIP. Mukesh Sahni forcibly fielded his own candidate on this seat. But the public gave a befitting reply to Mukesh Sahni. Balgovind Bind of VIP slipped to seventh place. This shows how big a leader Mukesh Sahni is of the Nishad community. Mahendra Gupta of CPI sank the boat of Santosh Mishra of Congress on Karhagar seat. Santosh Mishra was a sitting MLA. Both were defeated badly. BSP came second. Vashisht Singh of JDU won the election here. CPI defeated RJD in Bihar Sharif. Similarly, in the Bihar Sharif seat, CPI’s Shivkumar Yadav defeated Congress’s Umaid Khan. In the Bachhwara seat, CPI’s Awadhesh Rai defeated Congress’s Garib Das. BJP’s Surendra Mehta won this seat. In the Narkatiaganj seat, RJD’s Shashwat Kedar defeated RJD’s Deepak Yadav. BJP won this seat. In the Sikandra seat, Congress’s Vinod Chaudhary defeated RJD’s Uday Narayan Chaudhary. HAM’s Praful Manjhi won this seat. Congress finished fifth in Sikandra. When Congress, RJD, CPI, VIP, and IIP spent their energy trying to defeat each other, why is a meeting being held to find the reason for the defeat? It seems that perhaps a scapegoat may be found to save the honor of some senior leaders; this is the gist of the meeting. Authored by: Ashok Kumar Sharma•Edited by: Rishikesh Narayan Singh About the Author Ashok Kumar Sharma is a senior journalist
In tussle for CM post, Cong brass cannot afford to ignore Dalit group
Bengaluru: Chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar may have called a temporary truce to their tussle for the top post, but while Congress’ high command decides on the simmering issue of whether a change of CM is necessary, it cannot ignore demands of Dalit legislators. Dalit legislators are mounting pressure, demanding recognition for their role in Congress’ sweeping victory in the 2023 assembly elections. While some suggest Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, himself a prominent Dalit leader, is a potential contender for the chief ministerial post, other names in circulation include home minister G Parameshwara and his public works colleague Satish Jarkiholi. Both Parameshwara (SC) and Jarkiholi (ST) have positioned themselves as counterweights to Shivakumar, with Jarkiholi even seeking to replace him as Congress state president. He also represents a faction calling for three or four deputy CMs to ensure fair representation for major communities, including OBCs, Lingayats, and minorities. “The question of who should be CM remains complicated,” said a senior functionary. “The party high command has stepped in to resolve the issue, and the breakfast meeting of the CM and DCM was the first step. However, it is no longer between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. There are other stakeholders, and the high command must figure out a way to keep them all in good humour.” Tensions escalated last week after Shivakumar’s camp reiterated claims of a CM seat-sharing pact in which Siddaramaiah was expected to hand over the post by mid-Nov. The dispute spilled into caste politics, with the Vokkaligara Sangha and community pontiffs backing Shivakumar, while Ahinda leaders aligned with Siddaramaiah. Concerned by the public display of discord, central party brass directed both to meet and talk. After Saturday’s breakfast meeting, both said they would abide by whatever decision the high command takes. Siddaramaiah is expected to visit Shivakumar’s residence for lunch this week, and both may be summoned to New Delhi for discussions. “There is no difference of opinion between the CM and me,” Shivakumar said on Sunday. “We will work together. Our aim is the 2028 elections. We both will go to Delhi if a call comes from the high command.” Supporters of Siddaramaiah argue that he rightfully earned the chief ministership by leading the party’s 2023 campaign and consolidating votes from minorities and OBCs. Shivakumar’s supporters counter that Congress surged to victory under his stewardship as KPCC president. Meanwhile, Dalit functionaries have emerged as a third and increasingly influential force, pointing out that their organisational work played a decisive role in consolidating SC and ST votes under Kharge’s guidance. Kharge reportedly tasked Parameshwara with overseeing 36 SC-reserved constituencies, of which Congress won 32. Jarkiholi handled campaigning in 15 ST-reserved seats, with the party securing 14. They also claim they consolidated Dalit votes, who constitute 24% of the population, even in general seats. “Only a couple of functionaries are taking the credit, but many others are directly and indirectly responsible for the win. Credit should be given where it is due,” said Jarkiholi. SC and ST functionaries formed a pressure group soon after the govt was sworn, often grabbing headlines with strategy meetings and public outreach. Their presence in New Delhi last week, at the peak of the stand-off, signalled their determination. With several members indicating Mallikarjun Kharge as their preferred choice, Rahul Gandhi met Kharge and his son, minister Priyank Kharge, in the national capital. Sources say these developments have added a fresh twist to the imbroglio. 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
HILTP a massive land scam, KTR says in letter to Rahul
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Industrial Land Transformation Policy (HILTP) recently introduced by the Telangana govt is one of the biggest land scams in independent India, BRS working president KT Rama Rao alleged in an open letter addressed to leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Sunday. In the letter, KTR expressed concerns that “this highly corrupt policy raised serious suspicions” across Telangana and questioned whether the Congress leadership was aware of the irregularities occurring in the state or if they were deliberately choosing to remain silent. He warned that this corrupt policy allows private companies to acquire highly valuable govt land at nominal prices, potentially costing the people of Telangana Rs 5 lakh crore. In his letter, KTR pointed out that previous govts allocated around 9,300 acres of industrial land in key clusters such as Balanagar, Jeedimetla, Sanathnagar, Uppal, Mallapur, Ramachandrapuram, and Hayathnagar in Hyderabad city. These land parcels were initially provided at subsidised rates to promote industrial growth, employment, and long-term economic development However, under the new HILTP, KTR alleged that those holding industrial lands could now convert them into commercial or residential zones by paying only 30% of the sub-registrar office (SRO) value. He accused the policy of enabling the transfer of valuable public assets to private individuals at minimal cost, thereby regularising land worth lakhs of crores at nominal prices. KTR also expressed doubts about the govt’s decision to grant fast-track approvals for the transfer of assets worth thousands of crores within just 45 days. He criticised the lack of transparency in such a hurried process, accusing the govt of handing over these lands to private individuals without proper scrutiny, solely for monetary gain. He stated that the Congress govt’s haste and the hidden political corruption within this entire policy raise numerous questions. Furthermore, KTR accused the Congress govt of having a “well-laid plan to plunder Telangana’s wealth,” valued in lakhs of crores, under the guise of relocating polluting industries outside the Outer Ring Road (ORR). He questioned why the relocation was not mandatory for all industries, alleging that the process was instead voluntary, with the govt making case-by-case decisions on land transfers. KTR highlighted the policy’s failure to set a deadline for the relocation of existing industries or to clarify whether these industries would actually move. “The policy was introduced purely for monetary gain, without identifying alternative locations for relocating industries or considering the implications of these land transfers,” he said. The BRS leader warned that instead of fostering new industrial development in the city, there could be an increase in skyscrapers and commercial complexes replacing old industrial units. 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 government is trying to intimidate… Jairam Ramesh is furious over the FIR against Sonia and Rahul. What is the matter?
An FIR has been filed against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. The Economic Offenses Wing of the Delhi Police took this action. The Congress has called it political vendetta. New Delhi: The Congress has strongly opposed the FIR filed against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. The party says that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are jointly targeting top Congress leaders. The Congress alleges that the government is engaging in a political effort to intimidate and suppress the opposition. The Congress says that this is a politically motivated action aimed at weakening the opposition. Party General Secretary Jairam Ramesh wrote on his social media handle “X,” “The Modi-Shah duo is continuously engaging in a political effort to intimidate and suppress the top leadership of the Congress. Those who are insecure and fearful themselves try to intimidate others. The National Herald case is completely false and baseless. Ultimately, justice will prevail. Satyamev Jayate!” In fact, the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police has filed a new FIR against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. Serious charges of criminal conspiracy, fraud, and breach of trust have been leveled in this case. The FIR names a total of nine accused, including six individuals and three companies. This action was taken based on a complaint filed by the ED on October 3, 2025. The allegation is that a conspiracy was hatched to illegally seize assets worth approximately ₹2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL). AJL, the company that ran the National Herald newspaper, closed in 2008 due to financial difficulties. At that time, AJL had an interest-free loan of over ₹90 crore. What is the matter? Young India Private Limited, a company formed in 2010, purchased AJL’s assets worth over ₹2,000 crore for a mere ₹50 lakh. Sonia and Rahul Gandhi hold 76 percent of the shares in this company, making them its principal owners. It is also alleged that Young India Private Limited was created to divert public funds for private gain. Furthermore, the transfer of ₹1 crore to Young India by Dotex, an alleged Kolkata-based shell company, is also being considered part of the conspiracy. About the Author Ashok Upadhyay is a senior digital content producer at Navbharat Times Online. He has 10 years of experience in journalism. He began his journalism career in 2014 with Navbharat Times Hindi newspaper. He specializes in reporting on politics, sports, and the crime beat. Edited by: Ashok Upadhyay Courtesy: Hindi News
Not invited to ‘dhwaj arohan’ because I am a Dalit, says Faizabad (Ayodhya) MP Awadhesh Prasad
PM Modi said the ceremony marks the completion of a centuries-long resolve, describing the ‘dharma-dhwaj’ (saffron flag) at the ‘shikhar’ of the Ram Temple as “resurgence of Indian civilisation.” Samajwadi Party Member of Parliament from Faizabad (Ayodhya), Awadhesh Prasad, on Tuesday claimed that he was not invited to the ‘dhwaj arohan’ ceremony—the hoisting of a saffron flag atop the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple—in Ayodhya because he was a Dalit. “The reason I was not invited to the ‘dharm dwaj’ ceremony is that I belong to the Dalit community. This is not in accordance with Ram’s values; it reflects someone else’s narrow mindset. Ram belongs to everyone. My fight is not for any position or invitation, but for dignity, equality, and the honour of the Constitution,” Prasad posted in Hindi on X after Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the flag, marking the formal completion of the temple at Ayodhya—BJP’s electoral promise for decades. PM Modi said the ceremony marks the completion of a centuries-long resolve, describing the ‘dharma-dhwaj’ (saffron flag) at the ‘shikhar’ of the Ram Temple as “resurgence of Indian civilisation.” Faizabad (Ayodhya) constituency is one of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh and includes the adjoining Ayodhya and Faizabad cities. Though the district was officially renamed from Faizabad to Ayodhya in November 2018, the name of the Lok Sabha constituency remains Faizabad. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Prasad defeated sitting BJP MP Lallu Singh by more than 50,000 votes, marking it as one of the biggest upsets for the saffron party. His post after the victory reads “Ayodhya is not anyone’s ancestral property it is the land of Lord Shri Ram We are the true devotees of Lord Ram, there can be no bigger Rambhakt than us. The god-like people of Ayodhya have defeated the arrogant people.” Prasad’s victory was important because of Ayodhya and the Ram Temple—the consecration of which had happened just a couple of months back. The Ram Mandir consecration or ‘Pran Pratishtha’ for the main Ram Lalla idol was held on January 22, 2024, in a grand ceremony in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other dignitaries. However, in the elections that followed, the BJP failed to win the seat. Analysts credited Prasad’s win to the failure of the BJP’s ‘Abki Baar 400 Paar’ slogan and the Samajwadi Party’s strategy of leveraging social politics by aligning OBCs, Dalits, and Muslims. Other reasons attributed to the BJP’s shocking setback in the temple town also included resentment among locals for not getting compensation for their land taken over for the development of Ayodhya, though a section also linked the loss to tension between the party’s Delhi and Lucknow leaderships. Courtesy : The Statesman Note: This news is originally published on https:/thestatesman.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights