EC vs Rahul Gandhi: Submit declaration on ‘vote chori’ claim, poll body writes to Congress MP; asks for proof
NEW DELHI: The Karnataka Election Commission on Thursday asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to submit a formal declaration supporting his “vote chori”(vote theft) claim, along with the names of electors allegedly wrongfully included in the voter list, in order to initiate necessary proceedings. Karnataka chief electoral officer (CEO) is expecting the signed Declaration and Oath from Rahul Gandhi by today evening, sources told TOI. Asserting that the electoral rolls were prepared in a transparent manner, the Karnataka poll body said: “Election results can be questioned only by way of election petition before the Hon’ble high court”. “You are kindly requested to sign and return the enclosed Declaration/Oath under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, along with the name(s) of such elector(s) so that necessary proceedings can be initiated,” Karnataka chief electoral officer wrote in a letter to Rahul Gandhi. The attached declaration form with the letter says submitting false evidence is punishable under Section 227 of BNS, and also that making a false declaration in connection with the electoral roll is punishable under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act 1950. — ians_india (@ians_india) Reacting to the election commission, Rahul said: “I’m saying it publicly to everybody. Take it as an oath. This is their data, and we are displaying their data. This is not our data”. “Interestingly, they haven’t denied the information,” he further said. “I’m a politician. What I say to the people is my word. I’m saying it publicly to everybody. Take it as an oath. This is their data, and we are displaying their data. This is not our data. This is Election Commission data. Interestingly, they haven’t denied the information. They haven’t told the voter list that Rahul Gandhi is talking about are wrong. Why don’t you say they wrong? Because you know the truth. You know that we know that you have done this across the country,” the Congress leader told news agency ANI. The Karnataka CEO also said that the election of MPs in Karnataka cannot be challenged now as the election petition window is over. Rahul Gandhi on Thursday questioned the fairness of recent elections, alleging large-scale voter fraud and accusing the Election Commission of acting in favour of the BJP. “The Election Commission colluded with the BJP to steal the elections in Maharashtra,” he claimed at a press briefing. Referring to the recent polls in Maharashtra, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi said the results in Maharashtra confirmed the INDIA bloc’s long-standing suspicion of electoral malpractice. 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.
SC remarks on Rahul Gandhi ‘extraordinary, unwarranted’: Opposition
NEW DELHI: The opposition INDIA bloc on Tuesday termed as “unwarranted” Supreme Court’s remarks on Rahul Gandhi, asserting that they encroach on the democratic rights of political parties, which have a responsibility to speak on issues of national interest. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the Supreme Court cannot decide who is a “true Indian”, stressing that Rahul holds the Army in the highest regard. A joint statement issued by the bloc said, “All the leaders of the INDIA parties agreed that the sitting judge has made an extraordinary observation, which is unwarranted given the democratic rights of political parties. It is the responsibility of political parties, especially the leader of opposition, to comment on issues of national interest”. It added, “When a govt fails so spectacularly to defend our borders, it is every citizen’s moral duty to hold it accountable”. INDIA bloc discussed the apex court’s remarks at the morning meeting of floor leaders in Parliament, which was attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. After RSP MP NK Premachandran raised the issue, questioning SC’s remarks, the same was endorsed by John Brittas (CPM), Kanimozhi (DMK), Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar (TMC), Ramgopal Yadav (SP), Arvind Sawant (SS-UBT), Supriya Sule (NCP-SP), Rajkumar Roat (BAP). A decision was then made to issue a joint statement . Later, speaking to reporters, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, “With due respect to the honourable judges of the Supreme Court, they do not decide who is a true Indian. It is the job of the opposition leader; it is his duty to ask questions and to challenge the govt”. She added, “My brother would never say anything against the Army.” 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.
Big INDIA bloc parties reject smaller allies’ plea to find a way to let Parliament run
NEW DELHI: As the opposition’s protest seeking a discussion on the special intensive revision (SIR) of Bihar electoral rolls has brought Parliament to a halt, some members in the INDIA bloc ranks Tuesday urged the alliance brass to find a way to run Parliament, but their plea was shot down. Sources said at the meeting of the INDIA bloc on Tuesday morning, CPM’s John Brittas, RSP’s NK Premachandran and IUML’s ET Mohammed Basheer felt that the Parliament session should not be washed out. While Brittas is a Rajya Sabha MP, Basheer and Premachandran are in Lok Sabha. However, their plea was countered strongly by the bigger parties of the bloc like Congress, DMK, TMC, SP, Shiv Sena, RJD, who felt the govt cannot get away by evading a discussion on a politically critical issue like the electoral rolls review. With the opposition programmes targeting the Election Commission lined up in coming days – dinner meeting at Rahul Gandhi’s residence on Thursday, Bangalore protest led by Rahul on Friday, and the joint march to EC on Aug 11 – the opposition is unlikely to relent till then. A wider consensus to raise a protest over the electoral roll revision was evolved last week after a discussion on Pahalgam-Operation Sindoor in the two Houses over three days. As they gathered to chart out the future strategy, SIR came to dominate the discussion. Opposition leaders were told by Rahul that issues being raised in Parliament were important but BJP was winning elections by manipulating the electoral rolls. He told INDIA bloc members that a “deep dive” on voters’ list done by Congress in a sample Bangalore seat has unearthed serious irregularities, and the govt should be forced to discuss the subject in Parliament. Since then, the opposition has mounted vigorous protests in the parliament every morning. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Rahul-Tejashwi ‘yatra’ against SIR postponed
Patna: The much-publicised “Vote Adhikar Yatra,” which was to be jointly launched by leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Bihar assembly opposition leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, has been postponed due to “unavoidable reasons”. The yatra, originally scheduled for Aug, was intended to raise awareness about voting rights and “expose” the functioning of the Election Commission. “Information was issued to the media on Monday regarding the ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’ programme, but now the yatra has been postponed due to unavoidable reasons,” read a letter issued by RJD state principal general secretary Ranvijay Sahu. “This notice should be considered void until the announcement of a new date,” the letter added. However, Tejashwi clarified that the decision to defer the yatra followed the death of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha founder and former Jharkhand CM Shibu Soren. “We had to reschedule the yatra programme due to the death of the former Jharkhand CM,” Tejashwi told reporters on Tuesday, adding that a revised schedule would be announced soon. According to sources, the yatra, planned as a joint initiative by two major INDIA bloc allies, the RJD and Congress, was being positioned as a grassroots movement in defence of voting rights. It also aimed to strongly oppose the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being undertaken in Bihar ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. The campaign was being widely seen as a launchpad for the opposition’s election drive and a means to energise party workers across the state. The sudden postponement, however, has sparked questions about the rationale behind the decision. “We don’t understand the reason behind its postponement. The JMM leader died on Monday and the Jharkhand govt declared three days of state mourning, ending on Aug 6. But the yatra was to begin on Aug 10. So, the postponement move looks strange,” said an analyst. 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.
RLD moots Ambedkar Panchteerth plan to tap Dalit voters
Lucknow: Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) president Jayant Chaudhary has intensified efforts to consolidate the Dalit vote bank in western Uttar Pradesh ahead of next year’s panchayat elections and the 2027 UP elections. His recent push for Ambedkar Teerth Sthal Yatra Yojana has shifted focus to the party’s strategy of strengthening support among Dalit communities. In a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on July 28, Chaudhary emphasised the need to enable Dalit and socially oppressed sections to visit Panchteerth – the five key sites associated with BR Ambedkar. These are Mhow-Janmabhoomi, London-Shiksha Bhoomi, Delhi-Mahaparinirvan Sthal, Nagpur-Diksha Bhoomi, and Mumbai-Chaitya Bhoomi. “Due to govt efforts, these pilgrimage sites have now developed into major tourist destinations as well as sources of inspiration. However, for economically weaker sections, visiting these places remains difficult. Therefore, to support them, a scheme named Ambedkar Teerth Sthal Yatra Yojana should be launched, so that people can easily visit and experience five major places associated with Dr Ambedkar’s life,” the RLD chief said. He said the scheme would make people understand Ambedkar’s principles and ideas for building an egalitarian society. “It would not only promote social harmony but also serve as a concrete step towards realising Ambedkar’s dreams,” Jayant, also a Union minister, said. Experts said that by invoking Ambedkar and focusing on Panchteerth, Jayant Chaudhary is attempting to build an emotional and ideological alignment with Dalit voters, a group that has largely been loyal to BSP, and in recent years courted by BJP and SP. They added that this also marks Jayant’s another bid to channelise the Dalit vote bank amid the rise of Azad Samaj Party chief Chandrashekhar Azad, who won the Nagina parliamentary seat in 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Analysts said Jayant’s letter to Yogi puts the state govt on record. It also avoids confrontation and indicates that RLD is playing within the constitutional and cultural framework, respecting its alliance with BJP while retaining its independent identity. RLD sources said the party wants to consolidate the Dalits, primarily the Jatav community, which has traditionally been the supporter of Bahujan Samaj Party. With BSP’s political graph has been on a decline in recent years, the RLD sees an opportunity to fill in the vacuum. RLD national secretary Anupam Mishra said the party has stepped up its outreach to Dalits in recent times and added that “we need to work more aggressively to sustain our momentum and get more closely associated with Dalits and other oppressed classes.” Sources said RLD has been sending feelers amongst Dalits since 2024 when it snapped ties with Samajwadi Party and joined the BJP-led NDA. In fact, it was Anil Kumar, a Dalit MLA from Purkazi (Muzaffarnagar), who got a ministerial seat during UP cabinet expansion in 2024. 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.
‘OBCs, EBCs, Dalits To Get Tickets In Proportion To Their Population’: Bihar Congress Chief
Rajesh Kumar (Ram) said that Congress would ensure that OBCs, EBCs, Dalits get tickets for the upcoming assembly election and also get representation in the party organisation in proportion to their population. Patna: Rajesh Kumar (Ram)`s appointment as Bihar Congress president in an election year only demonstrates how the party`s top brass has immense faith in his leadership at a time when the grand old party has started asserting itself without ruffling its old ally, RJD. A Dalit leader and two time MLA from Kutumba, Ram said that Congress would ensure that OBCs, EBCs, Dalits get tickets for the upcoming assembly election and also get representation in the party organisation in proportion to their population. All castes and communities will get justice in ticket distribution as well as also in the organisation in proportion to their population –Jiski Jitni Hissedari, Uski utni bhagidari. At least four people from EBCs would be given tickets in the assembly election, he added. In an interview with FPJ, he, however, admitted that as of now, representation of OBCs and EBCs in the organisation was not in the right proportion, but this anomaly would be rectified as the state party committee was presently being reconstituted. Q- How much Congress is confident this time? A- Congress flags have started fluttering even in the non-traditional pockets as people say they have never left the party but instead the party had left them. Our leader Rahul Gandhi`s emphasis on social justice, caste census, increasing reservation quota and appointing a Dalit as Bihar Congress president has started attracting people towards Congress in Bihar. I am confident of my party putting up a better show in the assembly election, and also hopeful of INDIA bloc forming the next government in the state. Our alliance is tested, trusted, firm and also faithful to the people. We have made an assessment of our party`s prospects at 70 seats for the polls. Q – How caste politics in Bihar will impact the polls? A -Caste factors continued to play a major role in elections in states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh as even BJP by somewhat deviating from its Hindutva plank has also started talking about caste equations in elections. Prominent party leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi do not hesitate in revealing their castes at public places. Q- Reservation quota on Telangana model A- Credit for Narendra Modi government`s announcement for conducting caste census should definitely go to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who had been demanding for it since long. Caste census should be conducted on Telangana model under which people get reservation in government jobs as well as in schemes. It is deplorable that the Nitish government failed to frame policies for various sections of the society on the basis of caste and economic survey conducted in Bihar. Q- Focus points in election manifesto A- The party manifesto will include Mai Bahin Samman Yojana, free electricity up to 200 units, filling up of 4 lakh vacant posts in various government departments. These are not mere announcements as experts in Delhi have also worked on the financial viability of these programmes. Recently, Congress also organised a mega ‘Rozgar Mela’ in Patna as a large number of youths also got jobs there. Q- Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s performance A- Nitish had failed on all three commitments he had made- crime, corruption and communalism- as everybody could see how crime graph had risen, how rampant corruption is all pervasive in government offices, and also how he has allied with BJP off and on. I pray for a long and healthy life for Nitish but his falling health is a matter of concern. Truly speaking, BJP people are exposing him as they do not want him to continue in the office for a long period. It is the reason he is losing control over the government machinery. “Sakar Ka iqbal khatm ho gaya hai”, (Government has lost its command). Q- On Prashant Kishor A- Everybody knows what is the role of Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor in the assembly elections? Who has planted him in the election to derive political mileage? Jan Suraaj Party is actually a party of Pandeys (upper castes). Q- How do you assess SIR? A- Election Commission at the behest of BJP is conducting such an exercise. Its main objective is to divert people’s attention from real issues. Dheeraj Kumar Courtesy : TFPJ Note: This news is originally published on https://thefreepressjournal.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
⚖️Supreme Rebuke: Top Court Slams Rahul Over China Remark
Supreme Court Questions Claim Criticised Rahul Gandhi for alleging Chinese occupation of 2,000 sq km, calling it unpatriotic. Stayed the defamation case but urged him to speak in Parliament instead of social media. Questioned the basis of his claims on India-China border issues. Political Fallout And BJP’s Response BJP leaders seized on SC’s remarks, branding Gandhi’s statements as irresponsible. Amit Malviya labelled him “China Guru” and accused him of harming national security. Linked his “dead economy” remark to a broader diplomatic misstep involving Russia and Pakistan. 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.
‘They don’t decide who a true Indian is’: Priyanka defends Rahul after SC rebuke; insists he never disrespected Army
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday objected to the observation made by the Supreme Court questioning Rahul Gandhi for his “China occupied Indian territory” remarks. “With due respect to the honourable judges of the Supreme Court, they do not decide who a true Indian is. It is the duty of the opposition leader to question the government. My brother (Rahul Gandhi) would never speak against the Army, he holds them in the highest respect. This is a misinterpretation,” the Congress MP said while talking to reporters. — PTI_News (@PTI_News) Meanwhile, Congress MP KC Venugopal also responded to the SC pulling up Rahul Gandhi, saying, “What Rahul Gandhi is discussing is the thinking of every nationalist Indian. Whenever we are asking questions inside the Parliament, there is no answer. Whenever we are asking something related to national interest outside the Parliament, we are termed as anti-national. Who will give the definition of ‘true Indian’? We are the true Indians who are raising questions for India.” — ANI (@ANI) The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the proceedings against Rahul Gandhi before a Lucknow court over his remarks about the Army during his December 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra. The court, however, censured the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, saying if he is a “true Indian”, he would not say such a thing. “You are leader of opposition. Say things in Parliament, why do you have say it on social media? “How do you get to know that 2000 sq km land was occupied by Chinese, if you are true indian, you wouldn’t say such a thing,” the bench observed. A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and A G Masih lambasted Rahul for his 2022 statement, saying that Chinese are “thrashing our soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh”, while criticising the government for its handling of the Galwan Valley clash at the LAC. Rahul moved the Supreme Court after the Allahabad high court on May 29 rejected his plea for quashing of the summoning order passed in February by a court in Lucknow. “People will ask about Bharat Jodo Yatra, here and there, Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot and what-not. But they will not ask a single question about China capturing 2,000 sqkm of Indian territory, killing 20 Indian soldiers and thrashing our soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh. But the Indian Press doesn’t ask a question to them about this. Isn’t it true? The nation is watching all this. Don’t pretend that people don’t know,” Rahul had said at a press conference during the Bharat Jodo yatra. 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.
Why was the date of Rahul Gandhi’s Vote Adhikar Yatra in Bihar changed? Congress’s path with RJD is not easy
Bihar Vidhan Sabha Election: Assembly elections will be held in Bihar in October-November. Before this, Congress is trying to regain its lost political ground in Bihar, but its path will not be easy in the alliance. Patna: Congress is leading the Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA Bloc). In alliance politics, parties have to make many compromises. Every party has its own agenda, its own principles and it is not easy to maintain coherence between them. The influence of one party can benefit the entire alliance, while the defamation of one party can also harm all the allies. Even though Congress is leading a big alliance, it is forced to keep its principles and beliefs limited to itself. It cannot show its eyes to the allies like BJP. In Bihar, the indications so far are that the main allies of the All India Alliance, Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), will contest the elections together. However, Congress is facing a huge dilemma because of RJD. The process of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list of the Election Commission is going on in Bihar. Both Congress and RJD opened a front against the central government and the Election Commission against this process. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav lodged an objection against the Election Commission for removing the names of 65 lakh voters from the list of the state. He even claimed that his name is not in the voter list. When the Election Commission replied to him that his name is in the list of two different constituencies, he did not have any precise answer. After this, a case has also been registered against him on the charge of getting two voter cards made. He has also received a notice from the Election Department. RJD has not only suffered due to this incident, Congress is also facing the brunt of it. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was going to take out a ‘Vote Rights Yatra’ with Tejashwi Yadav on August 10 in Bihar, but Congress’s own ally RJD was accused of misusing the right to vote. Now the question is how can Rahul Gandhi talk about the right to vote in front of the common people? He has been forced to postpone this journey. Will Tejashwi talk about the right to vote with Rahul now? Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s journey in Bihar will now start from Sasaram on August 17. Sasaram is in Rohtas district. However, it is not clear whether the name of this journey will remain ‘Vote Rights Yatra’ as before or not. At present, its purpose seems to be to create an atmosphere for the Bihar assembly elections. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will join this journey on the first day itself. Leaders of the India Alliance will also participate in this journey which will be held in several phases. If Rahul Gandhi will take up this journey on the issue of voters’ rights, will Tejashwi Yadav also join him? This is a question, the answer to which the Congress will have to find. Authored by: Suryakant Pathak About the author Suryakant Pathak is a consultant at Navbharat Times Online. He has been doing journalism for the last 31 years. He writes news, analysis and blogs on India’s international relations, political-social developments in the country and the world. He started as a reporter in Dainik Bhaskar in 1995 and then worked for Naiduniya, Amar Ujala, ET Courtesy : Hindi News
Great leader of Dalits, adivasis: Lalu Yadav pays tribute to Shibu Soren
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav expressed deep sorrow and paid tribute to former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) founder Shibu Soren, who passed away on Monday morning in a Delhi hospital after a prolonged illness. New Delhi: RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav expressed deep sorrow and paid tribute to former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) founder Shibu Soren, who passed away on Monday morning in a Delhi hospital after a prolonged illness. “Today, Shibu Soren passed away. He was a great leader of Dalits and Adivasis. It is a matter of deep sorrow, and we pay our heartfelt tribute to him,” said Lalu Yadav. Shibu Soren, the towering tribal leader and father of current Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, breathed his last at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi at 8.56 a.m., according to a statement issued by the hospital. “He died after a prolonged illness. He was suffering from a kidney ailment and had also suffered a stroke a month and a half ago. He had been on life support for the past month,” the hospital said. Soren was under the care of Dr. A.K. Bhalla, Chairman of Nephrology, and a team from the neurology and ICU departments. Born on January 11, 1944, in Nemra village, then in Bihar (now in Jharkhand), Shibu Soren belonged to the Santhal tribal community. A lifelong advocate for tribal rights, he began his activism at the age of 18 by founding the Santhal Navyuvak Sangh, which focused on land and tribal issues. In 1972, he co-founded the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) along with A.K. Roy and Binod Bihari Mahato, leading the charge for a separate Jharkhand state and the empowerment of tribal communities. He served as the General Secretary of the JMM and played a pivotal role in the movement that eventually led to the formation of Jharkhand in 2000. Soren served as Chief Minister of Jharkhand three times. Though his tenures were short due to coalition complexities, his impact on state politics and tribal advocacy was long-lasting. Known affectionately as “Dishom Guru”, Shibu Soren was revered in tribal regions for his commitment to justice and upliftment of marginalised communities. His passing marks the end of an era in Jharkhand’s politics. Courtesy : Munsif News 24×7 Note: This news is originally published on https:/munsifnews24x7.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.