Shashi Tharoor’s post praising Trump-Mamdani meeting gives BJP ammo to attack Rahul Gandhi
NEW DELHI: Lauding the cordial meeting between US President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor Saturday said “this is how democracy should work and hoped to see this happen in India”. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla commended Tharoor for his remarks and said he hoped that Rahul Gandhi would get the message. After months of attacks against each other during the high voltage New York City mayoral election, Trump and Mamdani adopted a mutually warm tone during their first meeting at the White House in Washington DC. Reposting on X a video of a media interaction where Trump and Mamdani took questions on their meeting, Tharoor said, “This is how democracy should work. Fight passionately for your point of view in elections, with no rhetorical holds barred. But once it’s over, and the people have spoken, learn to cooperate with each other in the common interests of the nation you are both pledged to serve.” “I would love to see more of this in India, and I’m trying to do my part,” the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram added. Reacting to Tharoor’s remarks, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla in a post on X said, “Once again, Shashi Tharoor reminds Congress to put India first, not Parivar. To behave democratically and not like sore losers. But will Rahul Gandhi get the message? One more Fatwa loading against Shashi?” Poonawala posed in a post on X. On November 18, Tharoor’s praise for PM Narendra Modi’s speech at a media function triggered a social media storm with Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit asking Tharoor to explain how BJP’s policies, which are against Congress’s principles, are helping the country and why he is staying on in Congress if he agrees with BJP. AICC spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also said that she did not find find any reason to praise the PM’s speech. On Nov 9, Congress had “dissociated” itself from Tharoor’s statement praising veteran BJP leader L K Advani and made it clear that “like always he speaks for himself and the fact that he continues to do so as a CWC member reflects the party’s democratic and liberal spirit”. Congress’s remarks had come after Tharoor, reacting to criticism over his birthday greetings for Advani, said reducing the veteran BJP leader’s long years of service to one episode, however significant, is unfair. He also said that when the totality of Jawaharlal Nehru’s career cannot be judged by the China setback and Indira Gandhi’s by the Emergency alone, he believes “we should extend the same courtesy to Advaniji”. 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
Sleeping parties cannot win elections, says Ghulam Nabi Azad taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi
Kolhapur: Former Union minister of parliamentary affairs and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Ghulam Nabi Azad, during his two-day visit to Kolhapur, took a dig at Congress politician Rahul Gandhi, saying, “Sleeping political parties cannot win elections. After winning the elections in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his readiness to win West Bengal. While other party netas, even at the time of the election, don’t go to that state. Elections cannot be won with such a method of working.” Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Azad also reacted to doubts on the electoral process, alleging that those who accuse EVMs have no concrete evidence and only raise doubts after defeat. “When there is a victory, the same EVM seems right, and when there is a defeat, suddenly the machine is found guilty,” he said. Azad criticised opposition parties for engaging with voters only during elections rather than over a full term. He added, “There are two types of political parties: One that works across five years, and the other that wakes up only at the time of elections. Those who claimed ‘vote chori’ throughout the year were defeated.” Commenting on tourism in Jammu and Kashmir after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, Azad said, “Jammu and Kashmir was severely impacted by the Pahalgam terrorist attack. After the attack, tourism suddenly collapsed, thousands of tourists cancelled their tours to Kashmir, and the tourism sector, which is the backbone of the state’s economy, was hit hard. This attack had a major impact on small hotels, tourist vehicle drivers, and tour guides.” He expressed firm belief that the situation has now changed and there is no possibility of such a major terrorist attack. Azad appealed to tourists to come to Jammu and Kashmir, which he described as a paradise in India. 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
Chirag to revive Dalit Sena, embark on Bihar Yatra soon
Patna: Union minister and LJP (RV) chief Chirag Paswan on Friday said the party would embark on a Bihar Yatra to identify the state’s smaller issues. Chirag also said the Dalit Sena would be revived and reorganised under the leadership of Jamui MP Arun Bharti. He added that his party’s foundation day will be celebrated in a grand manner in Patna on Nov 28. Chirag said he wished to expand his party’s footprint beyond Bihar to states such as West Bengal, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, and plans to contest as an NDA partner. “We won 19 out of the 29 seats contested within the NDA because of the people’s blessings and PM Narendra Modi’s support to our party. The LJP (RV) has been given two ministerial berths in Bihar. I am satisfied. How greedy can Chirag be,” he said, laughing. LJP (RV) MLA Sanjay Kumar (Paswan) has been allocated sugar cane industries, while Mahua MLA Sanjay Singh has been given the PHED ministry. Singh defeated RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s elder son and Janshakti Janata Dal chief Tej Pratap Yadav. Chirag also criticised the opposition RJD and Congress for blaming SIR and vote theft instead of undertaking self-introspection on why people have rejected them since 2005. “Even the third generation of Lalu ji will not come to power if they keep making excuses. Their mindset and thinking caused the downfall of RJD and Congress. We also suffered defeat but assessed where we went wrong. After defeat, you need to do some honest introspection,” Chirag said. The LJP (RV) chief said his party set up its organisation in all districts of Bihar and worked hard, which is reflected in the election results. “In these 5 years, the party further increased its vote share from 2020 elections. This time, we contested just 29 seats, but we touched 5% vote share. This reflects a constant growth of LJP (RV),” he said. Replying to a query on the accusation of ‘parivarvad’ in politics, the son of former Union minister late Ram Vilas Paswan said everything depends on competence. “My party was dismantled in 2021, but because of competence, I revived it,” Chirag said. He added that his estranged uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras congratulated him on the party’s success in the assembly elections. “I accept it. My uncle said so many things against me, but still he is my elder and I have his blessings,” 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
187 of 1,700 transgender electors in Bihar voted; one contested
In an election which set record for maximum number of voter turnout in the state since the first assembly polls in 1951, the voting percentage among transgender electors was recorded at 10.99 per cent. New Delhi: The representation of transgender persons in the just-held Bihar elections remained dismal with only 187 (excluding postal votes) of the total 1,701 (including service voters) registered electors turning up at polling stations to cast vote. There was only one trans gender candidate who fought the election and lost deposit, data shared by the Election Commission shows. According to the data, the strength of registered transgender elector was 1701 out of the total electorate of 7.47 crore. In an election which set record for maximum number of voter turnout in the state since the first assembly polls in 1951, the voting percentage among transgender electors was recorded at 10.99 per cent. The overall voter turnout stood at 67.25 per cent in the two-phased election held earlier this month. Only one trans gender contested the poll and lost deposit for not securing the minimum votes, the data shows. There were 2,616 candidates in fray and 243 won, while 2,107 lost deposit. According to election law, a candidate contesting an assembly poll has to make a security deposit of Rs 10,000, which is Rs 5,000 for a candidate belonging to Scheduled Caste or Tribe. If a defeated candidate fails to secure more than one sixth of the valid votes polled in the constituency, they lose the security deposit. Courtesy : DH Note: This news is originally published on https:/deccanherald.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Lord Ram is ‘fictional’… Varanasi court orders Rahul Gandhi to appear in court on December 18th in the statement case.
Varanasi Court on Rahul Gandhi: The Varanasi court has ordered Rahul Gandhi to appear in court on December 18th at all costs. The order came in a case alleging that Lord Ram is fictitious. Varanasi: The Varanasi court in Uttar Pradesh has ordered Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to appear in court on December 18th. The hearing in the case filed against the Congress MP has been postponed once again. Rahul Gandhi and his lawyer did not appear in court on Friday, prompting Special Judge, MP-MLA Court, Yajurved Vikram Singh, to refuse to proceed. The next hearing in the case will now be held on December 18th. The court has clearly stated that Rahul Gandhi or his lawyer must appear in court on the next date, only then will the case progress. What is the whole matter? This controversy is related to Rahul Gandhi’s alleged statement, which he made on April 21st during a session with students at Brown University in New York, USA. Petitioner Advocate Harishankar Pandey alleges that Rahul Gandhi, at that event, described Lord Shri Ram as “mythological” and the stories as “fictional.” This statement hurt the sentiments of Hindus. India will not wage war against us… Pakistan is scared, now said this in the name of Trump. Congress and Rahul Gandhi have been continuously commenting on Sanatan symbols. Based on this, Harishankar Pandey filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi on May 12th. Why is the case dragging on? On May 17th, the Special Chief Judicial Magistrate, MP-MLA Court, dismissed the complaint. Following this, Harishankar Pandey filed a revision petition in the District Judge Court on September 26th. In the revision petition, he challenged the previous decision and demanded action. The court will now first debate the maintainability of the petition. After this, it will be decided whether a case can be filed against Rahul Gandhi. Petitioner’s Serious Allegations Advocate Harishankar Pandey stated that Rahul Gandhi has hurt the nation’s faith by questioning the existence of Lord Ram. He is a “traitor to Ram” and is insulting Hindu society abroad. Therefore, an FIR and a case should be filed against him for his statement. He demanded strict action from the court. What was the original statement? During a session held abroad, Rahul Gandhi was asked what secular politics should be like in the era of Hindu nationalism. In response, Rahul Gandhi stated that India’s great reformers, Buddha, Guru Nanak, Gandhi, and Ambedkar, were compassionate and tolerant without discrimination. The BJP’s viewpoint, however, does not represent Hinduism and is hate-mongering. The petitioner states that in this context, he called Lord Ram mythological and the stories fictional. The court has clarified that without his presence on the next date, the hearing will not be possible. The maintainability of the case will be debated on December 18th. After this, it will be decided whether to proceed against Rahul Gandhi. The case is now being discussed. Curated by: Rahul Parashar About the Author Rahul Parashar is a senior journalist at Navbharat Times Online. He has 20 years of experience in politics, current affairs, development, bureaucracy, education, health, and ground reporting. Early in his career, he covered administration and civic issues. He also learned the ropes of political journalism in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh. Courtesy: Hindi News
Now, BJP uses Indira peace prize as ammo to target Congress
NEW DELHI: BJP on Friday said the ‘Indira Gandhi Peace Prize’ given by Congress to former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet was a vindication of PM Narendra Modi’s assertion that the opposition party’s DNA had now become ‘Muslim-Maoist Congress.’ “People like George Soros and Michelle Bachelet remain involved in anti-India activities at the international level. They attack India’s Constitution and our democratic mandate. Rahul Gandhi was already associated with them, and now Sonia Gandhi is not far behind,” said BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia at a press conference, citing Sonia’s presence when Bachelet was given the award. He called Congress an “army of traitors” days after its parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi presented the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development to Bachelet. Bhatia also slammed Congress for the presence of Jagdish Tytler at the event and asked Sonia if she didn’t feel the pain of the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. BJP’s objection to the awardee stems from her remarks expressing concern over the lockdown in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, among other factors. Bhatia said, “The Congress’ DNA is anti-India. It presented the award to Michelle Bachelet, who attacks India’s sovereignty.” The BJP spokesperson said Bachelet, the former UN Human Rights chief, had disfavoured the abrogation of Article 370, alleging human rights violations in Kashmir, and also raised objections to the implementation of National Register of Citizens in Assam. 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
Chirag Paswan Announces ‘Dhanyavad Yatra’ in Bihar from January, Revival of Dalit Sena
LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan plans ‘Dhanyavad Yatra’ to thank voters for NDA’s sweeping mandate, while launching a renewed Dalit Sena structure. Patna: Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Friday announced that he will embark on a statewide tour early next year, once the Kharmas period ends in mid-January. The “Dhanyavad Yatra”, he said, will be aimed at thanking the public for the National Democratic Alliance’s sweeping win in the Bihar Assembly elections.Patna city guide Speaking at a press conference at the LJP (Ram Vilas) office in Patna, Chirag said the yatra will begin immediately after the traditional dahi-chuda feast on Makar Sankranti. “This journey will be our way of expressing gratitude for the historic mandate given to the NDA,” he said. In a move signalling consolidation within his party, Chirag also announced the formation of a new Dalit Sena—an organisation originally created by his father, the late Ram Vilas Paswan, before he founded the LJP in 2000. Taking a swipe at his estranged uncle and former Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras, Chirag alleged that Paras had “usurped both the party and the original Dalit Sena”.Bihar tourism packages The revived Dalit Sena will be headed by Arun Bharti, LJP (Ram Vilas) MP from Jamui and Chirag’s brother-in-law. Former minister Sanjay Paswan, who long served as state president of the earlier Dalit Sena, will work alongside him. Chirag also announced that the LJP (Ram Vilas) will celebrate its foundation day on November 28 in Patna, marking 24 years since Ram Vilas Paswan launched the party. He said details of the programme would be released soon. The announcements come at a time when the party is seeking to expand its organisational footprint after securing a strong position within the NDA and gaining key portfolios in the newly formed state government. Courtesy : Patna News Note: This news is originally published on https:/patnanews.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
First the BJP, and now this… Congress leader angered by the letter against Rahul Gandhi, asking this question
Criticizing the letter against Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned what was wrong with asking questions. The Congress leader said that democracy is not strengthened by keeping one’s eyes, ears, or mouths shut. Khera said that asking questions does not mean attacking; this mentality has been instilled in this country by the Prime Minister. New Delhi: Congress leader Pawan Khera on Thursday criticized a letter written by former bureaucrats and judges condemning Rahul Gandhi’s repeated allegations against the Election Commission and other state bodies. In a letter, more than 272 respected citizens, including 16 judges, 123 retired bureaucrats, 14 ambassadors, and 133 retired armed forces officers, condemned the repeated attacks on national constitutional authorities by Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Speaking to news agency ANI, Kheda said that first the BJP and then retired officials came to the defense of the current Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar. Criticizing this move, he said that questions strengthen democracy. The Congress leader said, “We saw their signatures. The issue is that if the functioning of the Election Commission is being questioned, and the entire opposition is doing so, first the BJP comes to the defense of a serving Election Commissioner, and then retired officials come to the defense.” Taking aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kheda said that the Prime Minister is promoting a mentality where asking questions is tantamount to attacking someone. Aren’t questions necessary to keep democracy alive? Do these people want to see democracy die in their lifetime? Asking questions doesn’t mean attacking; this mentality has been instilled in this country by the Prime Minister… Questions strengthen democracy. He said, “Closing eyes, closing ears, or keeping quiet doesn’t strengthen democracy.” The letter stated that instead of presenting real policy options, Congress leaders are resorting to baseless allegations. Condemning the alleged repeated attacks on institutions, such as questioning the valor of the armed forces and the impartiality of the judiciary, the letter states that this time the Election Commission is facing systematic and conspiratorial attacks on its integrity and reputation. Curated by: Pankaj Singh About the Author Pankaj Singh is an Assistant Editor at Navbharat Times Digital. He has been associated with journalism for over 18 years. He has extensive experience in current affairs, politics, and ground reporting. During this time, he has covered political news, including the Delhi Assembly elections, the Railways elections, and the Lok Sabha elections. Courtesy: Hindi News
Power tussle intensifies in Karnataka, 10 DK-supporting MLAs camp in Delhi, Siddaramaiah cancels visit
Siddaramaiah vs DK Shivakumar: After the Congress’s humiliating performance in the Bihar elections, its effects are being felt in Karnataka. With the Congress government completing half its term, demands for a leadership change in the state have intensified. The question arises: will Siddaramaiah lose his position? MLAs supporting DK Shivakumar have become vocal in demanding his appointment as CM in Karnataka. Bengaluru: The power struggle among Congress party leaders has intensified in Karnataka. After DK Shivakumar hinted at resigning as state president, 10 party MLAs have demanded his appointment as CM from the central leadership. Congress MLAs loyal to DK Shivakumar will meet party leaders in Delhi today and demand the fulfillment of the promise of power sharing in 2023. Consequently, the Siddaramaiah vs DK battle in Karnataka has reached Delhi. The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka is completing 2.5 years in office. 10 DK Pro-DK MLAs Arrive in Delhi More than 10 MLAs, including a minister from the Shivakumar camp, arrived in Delhi on Thursday. Several more are expected to arrive on Friday. The MLAs are planning to meet Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and General Secretary KC Venugopal to press their demand for the party to implement the internal power-sharing arrangement agreed upon in 2023. The MLAs’ arrival in Delhi coincides with Congress National President Kharge’s arrival from Bengaluru. Siddaramaiah Cancels His Tour Amid the rapidly evolving situation in the state, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah abruptly canceled his two-day tour of Mysore and Chamarajanagar scheduled for Friday and Saturday and is returning to Bengaluru. Among those arriving in Delhi on Thursday are Minister N Chaluvarayaswami and MLAs Kabal Hussain, HC Balakrishna, and SR Srinivas. Earlier on Tuesday, MLAs Ravi Ganiga, Gubbi Vasu, Dinesh Gooligowda, and other MLAs had already reached Delhi to raise the issue with the party leadership. Sources said that MLAs Anekal Shivanna, Nelamangala Srinivas, Kunigal Ranganath, Sivaganga Basavaraju, and Balakrishna are also expected to reach the capital on Friday. This move by Shivakumar loyalists comes a day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah completed two and a half years in office. Curated by: Achalendra Katiyar About the Author Achalendra Kumar Katiyar works for Navbharat Times Online. He began his career with DLA newspaper in 2008. During his 17-year career, he has worked for iNext, Aaj Samaj, and Dainik Hindustan. He keeps an eye on every development in western states, including Gujarat and Maharashtra. He has a strong understanding of politics. Courtesy: Hindi News
Rahul Gandhi’s vote theft charge against EC exposes a threat to democracy: Sapkal
Nagpur: Maharashtra Congress chief Harshawardhan Sapkal on Thursday firmed up the party’s allegations about electoral manipulation, asserting that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi “exposed a major vote theft scandal with evidence” and urged citizens to join what he called a “broader fight to protect democratic institutions”. “People now understand what is happening,” he told the media in Nagpur, insisting the issue “is not just about Congress but about every citizen and the media”. The MPCC chief spent the day campaigning across Vidarbha, addressing rallies in Chandur Railway in Amravati district before travelling to Anjangaon Surji, Akot and Balapur in Akola district to support Congress candidates in the upcoming local body elections. Sapkal criticised the Mahayuti govt in the state, claiming Maharashtra’s autonomy has been compromised. He alleged that the state was being “mortgaged to Gujarat,” adding, “Devendra Fadnavis is the shadow chief minister, and all decisions are taken by Union home minister Amit Shah.” According to Sapkal, the frequent Delhi visits by the state leaders reflect “deep internal rifts within the triple-engine govt.” On recent meetings between Shah and deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Sapkal noted that Pawar’s meeting was followed by a “clean chit” to his son Parth in the Pune land case. On alliance talks, Sapkal said no proposal was received from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and that decisions on poll partnerships were delegated to local units. He emphasised that Congress workers in Mumbai want the party to contest the municipal elections independently. “Any party outside the INDIA bloc must first send a proposal, which will then be decided at the national level,” he said, adding that Shiv Sena “is free to choose its allies.” Responding to MNS stand on Marathi pride, Sapkal asserted that Congress needed no lessons on Maharashtra’s cultural identity. He described Marathi pride as “not merely a linguistic issue but Maharashtra dharma,” recalling that Congress was the first to oppose the proposal to make Hindi compulsory from Class 1. 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