Such is the history of Congress’s ‘strong spine’
Rahul Gandhi, the ringleader of the “intellectual Naxal” brigade, has once again taken to the arena, brandishing a cardboard sword over the issue of levying a nominal charge on merchants, rather than ordinary consumers, for UPI transactions. He has indulged in rhetorical theatrics, demanding the withdrawal of the tax and urging the government not to bow before America but to stand tall. In politics, opposition to the ruling party by the opposition party is expected; indeed, it is the very soul of parliamentary democracy. However, Rahul Gandhi serves as a prime example of how a leader lacking prudence and political acumen can become shrill and end up making a laughingstock of himself while playing the role of the opposition. He consistently attempts to hog the limelight by opposing every decision made by the Modi government. Reacting to the decision to impose MDR charges on UPI transactions, Rahul Gandhi, true to form, criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rahul Gandhi has stated that Prime Minister Modi should stand firm, not bow down to the US, and have these tariffs revoked. Rahul Gandhi, in his attempt to project himself as an aggressive opposition leader, has developed a habit of making baseless statements. Such rhetoric has previously forced him to apologize before the Supreme Court, yet he has not shed the habit of making reckless remarks. While alleging irregularities in the purchase of Rafale fighter jets, Rahul Gandhi had used highly derogatory language regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was compelled to offer an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court for making allegations against the Prime Minister without any evidence. Taking the UPI charges as an excuse, Rahul Gandhi has, as usual, begun spreading false and fabricated information and attempting to create confusion in the minds of the public. While engaging in idle chatter about the government needing to show a “strong spine,” Rahul Gandhi will have to be confronted with historical evidence showing how often, or rather, how they failed to display such resolve between 2004 and 2014, and how his father and grandmother, while claiming to have a spine and stand tall, actually capitulated to America and Pakistan. There is no doubt that Rahul Gandhi will, as is his habit, ignore this evidence and resume his “song of lies.” During the tenure of Dr. Manmohan Singh’s government from 2004 to 2014, the “remote control” of the government lay with Rahul Gandhi and his mother, Smt. Sonia Gandhi. During those ten years, Pakistani terrorists wreaked havoc across the country, carrying out bomb blasts in India at will. The Manmohan government did nothing beyond merely condemning the terrorists. Consequently, Pakistan launched an attack on Mumbai on November 26, 2008, by sending in terrorists; a handful of extremists held the entire nation hostage at the time. Despite such a brazen act of aggression by Pakistan, the Congress-led Manmohan government did nothing other than dispatching formal letters of protest. At that time, Rahul Gandhi lacked the courage to tell his mother or Manmohan Singh to stand firm and teach Pakistan a lesson. Similarly, in September 2013, when Pakistan’s then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made derogatory remarks about Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh during the United Nations General Assembly session, Rahul Gandhi failed to show the courage to condemn Sharif. During this General Assembly, after meeting the then President of the United States, Barack Obama, Manmohan Singh had raised the issue of Pakistan providing assistance to terrorists. Nawaz Sharif had said at the time that Manmohan Singh’s behavior was like that of an unsophisticated village woman. At that time, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi had remained conspicuously silent. Narendra Modi, who was then the Chief Minister of Gujarat, had strongly criticized Sharif’s statement. The Bhopal gas tragedy occurred in December 1984, during the tenure of Rahul Gandhi’s father, Rajiv Gandhi, as Prime Minister. Thousands of ordinary citizens lost their lives in this tragedy. Thousands were permanently disabled, and many lost their eyesight. Local citizens had filed a formal police complaint against Union Carbide, the American company responsible for the gas leak. Acting on this complaint, when police officers went to arrest Anderson, the CEO of Union Carbide, they received orders from Delhi. Instead of being arrested, Anderson was flown to Delhi on a special aircraft. Anderson returned to his home country from Delhi. The head of the company responsible for the loss of thousands of innocent lives walked away scot-free. This is the Congress party’s idea of a ‘strong spine.’ After the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, the US had pressured India to release the 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, representing the Jan Sangh, had demanded that India first secure the return of its own prisoners and reclaim Pakistan-occupied Kashmir before releasing the Pakistani prisoners. However, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi released the 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war. Rahul Gandhi should not forget this history. 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
Owaisi opens alliance door in UP; Congress warns AIMIM could end up helping BJP
NEW DELHI: With Uttar Pradesh gearing up for the 2027 assembly elections, Congress MP Imran Masood on Monday took a swipe at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s alliance pitch, warning that the party’s presence in the polls “would end up benefitting BJP.” His remarks came a day after Owaisi said AIMIM was open to an alliance with “like-minded” parties seeking to prevent the BJP from returning to power in Uttar Pradesh for a third consecutive term. Speaking to ANI, Masood said, “If an alliance is to be formed, it should be finalised; otherwise, we must proceed with our own preparations. The political climate, not just here, but across the entire country, is such that one cannot move forward without the Congress; the Congress is essential. A fight against the BJP can only be waged with the Congress; only the Congress can take them on.” “Rahul Gandhi’s leadership is capable of overcoming them. Finalise it (alliance) immediately. I am not aware of who is in touch; I have no information regarding that so far. If it isn’t finalised, the damage happens on the ground,” he added. Responding to Owaisi’s proposal, Masood said defeating the BJP was the primary objective but argued that strategic voting would be important. “Defeating the BJP is the primary objective, and Muslims alone cannot defeat the BJP. If the BJP wins and forms the government, it is the Muslims who suffer the consequences. The political atmosphere in Hyderabad is different from that in Uttar Pradesh. Owaisi Ji might win 4-5 seats, but he ends up facilitating a BJP government. What will you do with those five MLAs? If a BJP government is formed, who suffers the loss? Since the BJP would form the government, people need to act sensibly. People must make decisions wisely and astutely,” he said. Owaisi’s alliance pitch Owaisi had earlier on Sunday said that AIMIM was ready to work with parties that share its objective of keeping the BJP out of power in Uttar Pradesh. “We do not want the BJP government to be formed for a third time in Uttar Pradesh. If anyone does not want the BJP to form the government, they can talk to us. We are ready to work with you to stop the BJP from coming to power. But it is important to understand that you cannot stop the BJP alone,” Owaisi said. Owaisi also cited AIMIM’s experience in Bihar, saying the party had sought an alliance with opposition parties and asked for six seats, but the proposal was not accepted. He said AIMIM would continue building its organisation in Uttar Pradesh irrespective of alliance talks. Earlier in the day, Owaisi, meanwhile, said AIMIM was already preparing for the Uttar Pradesh elections and was hopeful of sending its candidates to the state Assembly. “We are visiting specifically in connection with election preparations. Our party is fully prepared and actively gearing up; we are hopeful that this time our candidates will be elected as MLAs and enter the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly,” he said. On the possibility of an alliance, Owaisi said, “Wait until October 2nd; we will let you know by then.” Akhilesh sets 27,000-vote target The Congress’s push for an early alliance decision also comes as the Samajwadi Party steps up its preparations for the 2027 polls. At the party’s state executive meeting on Sunday, Akhilesh Yadav said the SP would work to increase its vote share by 27,000 votes in every assembly constituency. “Today was our state executive meeting. In this, we have decided that in the 2027 assembly elections, we will work to increase 27,000 votes in every assembly seat. That means we will reduce 27,000 votes of the BJP,” Yadav said. Masood also criticised the Election Commission over Special Intensive Revision (SIR) notices, questioning the difficulties they could create for ordinary citizens. “What could be more farcical in this country than a situation where Members of Parliament, former Chief Ministers, and even the External Affairs Minister receive such notices? If they are getting notices, the Election Commission’s situation couldn’t be more absurd. Imagine the plight of the common man or those who are unemployed and struggling just to find a single meal a day. Are they expected to run around with documents? Look at the state the country has been reduced to, constantly standing in queues. The system has failed. The system has completely collapsed,” 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
Akhilesh Yadav focus on price rise, Dalits ahead of 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls
Samajwadi Party chief alleges attacks on Ambedkar statues, paper leaks and stalled investments while promising to restore Dalit dignity after returning to power Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said on Sunday that the BJP was “not only anti-Constitution but also anti-Ambedkar”, setting the tone for his cadres for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election campaign. At a meeting of the SP state executive committee, former chief minister Akhilesh said: “The BJP is not only an enemy of the Constitution, but also of the poor. They don’t respect his (Ambedkar’s) people (Dalits). That is the reason that right from diesel and petrol, the prices of all essential items are going up. They do it to increase their own income and at the same time block the supply of essential commodities in the market to create the perception of a crisis.” “On an average, 15 statues of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar have been damaged under BJP rule every year. We have documented it and found that 151 statues (of Ambedkar) were desecrated. The most cases are reported from Ballia, Azamgarh, Mathura and Gorakhpur,” Akhilesh added. “Many such attacks in Gorakhpur couldn’t be listed,” he said, referring to chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s constituency. “The Samajwadi Party will restore the honour of Babasaheb after forming the government in 2027.” “Uttar Pradesh reported the most number of paper leaks. They (the BJP) had shown us the dream of investments, but it didn’t happen. They took land from farmers without giving them adequate compensation, but industries didn’t come up here,” Akhilesh said. The Samajwadi Party is focusing on PDA (Peechchra-OBC, Dalit and Alpsankhyak-Muslim) votes as Uttar Pradesh gears up for Assembly elections next year. Courtesy : Telangana Today Note: This news is originally published on https:/telanganatoday.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Bihar Cong demands Bharat Ratna for state’s ‘first Dalit CM’ Bhola Paswan Shastri
Patna, The Congress in Bihar on Sunday demanded Bharat Ratna for Bhola Paswan Shastri, the state’s “first Dalit chief minister”, whose final tenure was marked by the setting up of the Mungeri Lal Commission, which recommended quotas for the numerically powerful backward classes. The demand was raised at a press conference by Ravindra Paswan, chairman of the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee’s Scheduled Castes cell. Paswan said the birth anniversary celebrations at Sadaqat Ashram, the BPCC headquarters, on Monday would be attended by AICC Scheduled Castes cell chairman Rajendra Pal Gautam and around 5,000 dele gates from across the state. Seeking the highest civilian honour for Shastri, Paswan highlighted that he served as CM three times and also held the posts of Union minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. He also pointed out that the Mungeri Lal Commission was set up during Shastri’s final tenure as chief minister in 1971-72. The commission submitted its report in 1977, during the chief ministership of socialist leader Karpoori Thakur, who was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2024. Implementation of the commission’s recommendations by Thakur, which faced opposition from sections of the upper castes, was seen as a turning point in Bihar’s politics, with Other Backward Classes (OBCs) gaining greater political prominence following the Mandal movement of the 1990s. This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. Courtesy : The Print Note: This news is originally published on https:/theprint.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Mamata’s backing of Congress in Nandigram bypoll signals possible reset in Bengal opposition politics
Banerjee backed Milan Pradhan hours after her nominee Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew from the October 6 contest following a meeting with Adhikari. KOLKATA: Former West Bengal chief minister’s support to the Congress candidate in the Nandigram assembly bypoll is a striking reversal of decades of political rivalry, observers feel, signalling a possible recalibration of opposition politics in the state at a time when the TMC is battling its deepest organisational crisis. Banerjee’s decision to back Milan Pradhan came hours after her faction’s nominee, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, withdrew from the October 6 contest following a meeting with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari in Kolkata. The Election Commission had, meanwhile, frozen the Trinamool Congress’ traditional name and ‘Jora Ghash Phul’ symbol amid an internal party dispute, allotting Banerjee’s faction and her dissidents separate names and symbols for the upcoming bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar. Announcing support for Pradhan on September 18, Banerjee had described Congress as a “sister party” and a “natural ally”, saying the decision was taken in the larger interest of the country and to strengthen the INDIA bloc. Banerjee had also said that she wanted to send a message about the future of the opposition alliance beginning from Bengal. Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee TMC split, candidate arrests and last-minute U-turns reshape Nandigram, Rejinagar bypolls The timing of this extension of olive branch, however, gives the move a distinctly tactical dimension. Banerjee’s camp had initially fielded a candidate in Nandigram and only withdrew from the contest after the nominee pulled out. Her support for the Congress therefore represents both an attempt to prevent division of the anti-BJP vote and a political response to an unusually difficult moment for her faction, say observers. The development has acquired further resonance after Pradhan was arrested in connection with a case linked to the 2007 Nandigram land agitation, shortly after Banerjee’s announcement, and jailed. The irony, however, is difficult to miss. Banerjee herself emerged from the Congress, breaking away in the late 1990s to establish the TMC as a vehicle to challenge the Left Front, and what she regarded as the Congress’ inadequate opposition to the CPI(M). Yet, the two parties have periodically returned to each other when confronted by a larger political adversary. They fought the 2001 Bengal assembly election together after Banerjee severed ties with the NDA, and later joined hands again during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. The alliance reached its high point in 2011, when Congress and TMC jointly ended the Left Front’s 34-year rule in Bengal. But, the partnership subsequently collapsed as differences over policy, seat-sharing and the functioning of the state government intensified. The relationship became particularly acrimonious during Banerjee’s 15-year rule. Congress leaders have repeatedly accused the TMC of politically marginalising their organisation, while the Trinamool Congress portrayed Congress as an ineffective force whose decline benefited the BJP and the Left. The latest gesture, observers say, amounts to more than routine bypoll arithmetic; it marks an unusual moment in which Banerjee has publicly placed Congress at the centre of an anti-BJP electoral strategy in Bengal. Congress veteran Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, however, sought to downplay any suggestion of an immediate political rapprochement. Reacting to Banerjee’s move, he said she should support the Congress “not as a fallen leaf but by holding the hand of the banyan tree”, asserting that the party’s revival under Rahul Gandhi should be recognised. “One should note the timing of the support. It happened after her candidate withdrew from the race. She how has the ‘football player’ symbol, but she has no player left to play her game,” Chowdhury said, referring to the EC’s temporarily allotted electoral symbol in the wake of the bitter intra-party factional rivalry for name, symbol and assets. “That’s why she has come to us, knowing we are the only third force that has the ability to take on the BJP,” he said. Bengal Pradesh Congress president Subhankar Sarkar, though, hummed a different tune. “The Congress welcomes any support coming from the anti-BJP and secular political repository of the state, which will recognise our party’s fight against the saffron conglomerate with Rahul Gandhi leading it from the front,” he said. “One never knows this development in Bengal may open up a new political path facilitating a separate cementing factor for the opposition,” Sarkar said. Congress leaders have slammed Pradhan’s arrest, with Gandhi describing it as political vendetta, and vowing that the party would “fight and win”. BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya, however, dismissed the proposed opposition understanding, saying: “Adding zero to zero will only result in zero.” He argued that both the Congress and TMC were seeking political survival, and that an alliance would not revive either party. For Banerjee and her faction, the Nandigram decision could be an attempt to preserve a broader anti-BJP constituency, while its own organisational identity is under unprecedented pressure. Supporting the Congress also allows Banerjee to project herself as a national opposition leader rather than merely the head of a faction fighting over the Trinamool’s name and symbol, say observers. “There is no love lost between the two sides, but Banerjee seems to be clutching at straws,” senior journalist Biswajit Bhattacharya said. “But since both sides are struggling for political foothold, this arrangement could benefit both for the time being, with the Congress hoping to gain from some of Banerjee’s remaining popularity,” he added. The larger question concerns the INDIA bloc. Banerjee’s language, particularly her reference to Congress as a “natural ally” and her call for the opposition to fight together, could be an effort to revive coordination at a time when differences among the bloc constituents have repeatedly weakened the anti-BJP campaign. But Nandigram is unlikely, by itself, to erase years of rivalry and the existing lack of trust between the two sides. The Congress remains determined to rebuild independently in Bengal, while Banerjee has historically resisted arrangements that could dilute TMC’s primacy in the state. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used
BJP-RSS hollowed out education system, Rahul standing with students, says Congress
The party’s remarks came a day after Gandhi alleged that a “rotten system” had taken control of the country, particularly the education sector, and did not want students to question it. The Congress on Sunday alleged that the BJP-RSS had “hollowed out and corrupted” the education system, asserting that Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was standing with students demanding accountability. The party’s remarks came a day after Gandhi, speaking at the fifth edition of his youth outreach programme ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ in Indore, alleged that a “rotten system” had taken control of the country, particularly the education sector, and did not want students to question it. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh, sharing Gandhi’s post on X, said, “Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi ji revealed the secret of this system that has been suppressing students. Who is this system? The people of BJP-RSS who have seized control over the entire country. On education, on the economy, on politics, on every institution.” “They have hollowed out and corrupted the education system. Because this system fears students. They ask questions, demand accountability,” Ramesh said in a post in Hindi. “Now Rahul ji stands with them, the fear among students has ended. Their voice is echoing across the entire country,” he added. At the Indore event, Gandhi spoke on the theme ‘system versus students’ and interacted with Gen Z participants on education, recruitment and employment. “The system is afraid of students because students ask questions. The system does not want students; it wants ‘andhbhakts’,” Gandhi said. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi along with party general secretary-in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh. Rahul Gandhi says system wants ‘andhbhakts’ who don’t question, calls them antithesis of students He said students were curious, questioned authority and sought answers on the functioning of institutions, recruitment, examinations and opportunities, while alleging that “andhbhakts” instead spread hatred. Gandhi also alleged that the “system” had multiple layers and named Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and industrialists Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani, alleging that they exercised influence over different aspects of the country’s political, institutional and economic life. His visit to Indore came a day after Bhagwat interacted with around 1,700 Gen Z participants at the ‘Yuva Dharma Sansad’ in Ujjain. Two days earlier, BJP president Nitin Nabin had visited Indore and launched a government scheme. Gandhi said students posed a challenge to the “system” because they remained curious and questioned what was happening around them. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Satya Niketan building collapse: ‘Why no new hostels, why force students into PGs?’ Rahul Gandhi asks govt
NEW DELHI: A day after he addressed the fifth edition of his youth outreach programme ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ in Indore, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi Sunday asked govt why there weren’t adequate hostel facilities for students and sought the status of the investigation into the Satya Niketan building collapse. In a post in Hindi on X, the leader of the opposition said that the family which lost its son, Arpit Jaj, in the Satya Niketan tragedy is demanding accountability, as is the entire country, so no parent ever has to endure what they are facing. “I have a direct question for the system: Why aren’t new, safe hostels being built? Why are students being forced to live in unsafe PGs? How far has the investigation into the Satya Niketan incident progressed?” Gandhi asked. In another post, he said, “‘Govt has money to light diyas – why not for our hostels?’ This question was asked of me yesterday by a female student in Indore.” Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Mamata-Rahul alliance would send big message: Saayoni
Kolkata: A formal alliance between Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and Congress under Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi would send a “big message” and demonstrate that the two parties’ understanding was genuine, said Saayoni Ghosh, who was among 20 rebel TMC MPs who distanced themselves from Mamata Banerjee’s faction and later merged with little-known Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) in June. Speaking to reporters outside Kolkata airport, Ghosh said she hoped Congress would unite with TMC under Gandhi’s stewardship. She said such an alliance should go beyond a formal arrangement and reflect genuine political coordination between the two parties. “I hope that under Rahul ji, Congress unites with TMC. If this happens, it will send a big message that this alliance is an alliance in the true sense, not just for the sake of saying it,” Ghosh said. Ghosh’s remarks come amid heightened political activity in Bengal before Nandigram byelection, scheduled for Oct 6. The byelection has triggered a political dispute after Congress candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested in an old murder case. Asked about Pradhan’s arrest, Ghosh said she was aware cases were pending against the Congress candidate. She described the issue as a matter between the two parties and said political developments often acquire significance before elections. “Regarding the Congress politician who became a candidate — as far as I knew until yesterday, there were some pending cases against him. This is politics, and in politics, one has to consider what decisions might be taken or actions initiated prior to an election,” she said. Ghosh also said political parties had the option of approaching Election Commission or seeking legal remedies. “In a democracy — whether it is Congress, Trinamool Congress or BJP — everyone is free to exercise their democratic rights,” she 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
J&K Congress stages protest against picture linking Rahul, Akhilesh with terrorism
JAMMU: J&K Congress Saturday staged an anti-BJP protest in Jammu for allegedly linking Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav with terrorism. The protest was led by state Congress president Tariq Hamid Karra. A picture has been circulating on social media for past few days depicting Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav on top with a caption “Yeh Jati Poochtey Hai“, in the middle Thackrey brothers (Udhav and Raj) with caption “Yeh Bhasha Poonchtey Hai“ and last and third frame showing some terrorists with caption “Yeh Dharam Poochtey Hai”. Referring to the social media post, Karra said, “It was aimed at creating an impression that Gandhi, Yadav and the Congress were linked with terrorism. “Congress and Gandhi family do not need certificates of patriotism from BJP, whose mentors have the legacy of being the sycophants of the British and supporters of two-nation theory which led to the Partition of the country,” he said. Karra also referred to alleged links between BJP figures and individuals whom he described as associated with terrorism, like Ilyas Khan and Talib Hussain, who were arrested by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. 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
System threatened by students as they ask questions: Rahul
INDORE: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the “system” created by top BJP politicians and certain businessmen controlling every aspect of governance in the country is threatened by students. Addressing youth at a ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ in Indore, he said, “The system is threatened by students as they ask questions. That is why the system does not want students. The system wants ‘andh bhakts’.” He described students as embodiments of curiosity, love, humility, courage, tolerance and honesty, while characterising blind followers as “delusional, hateful, arrogant, cowardly, patriarchal and dishonest”. Rahul also targeted NSA Ajit Doval, accusing him of enabling “surveillance of citizens’ communication data to help govt exert control over the population”. 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