How will Congress manage to win over Dalits in Bihar, how big a blow is Ashok Ram’s departure for Rahul’s campaign
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is trying to win over Dalit vote bank in Bihar. But in the meantime, Ashok Ram, a big Dalit face in the state, has shocked the party and joined JDU. Rahul will try to recover from this blow. On one hand, Rahul Gandhi is trying to win over Dalit voters for Congress’ victory in Bihar elections, while on the other hand, a prominent Dalit leader of the state has left the party. Rahul Gandhi has been trying to bring Dalit voters with him for a long time. During his nearly half a dozen visits to Bihar this year, his focus has been on Dalit voters, but the way former minister and 6-time MLA Dr Ashok Kumar Ram left the party and joined Janata Dal United is a big blow to Congress and Rahul’s preparations. Before leaving Congress, Ashok Ram alleged that Dalits are being ignored in the party, whereas his association with the party has been for nearly four decades. Ashok Ram, who has served as the working president of Congress, was said to be angry with his neglect in the party. It is also being said that he was not getting along well with Krishna Alavaru, the new in-charge of Congress in Bihar. Relation with a big political family of Bihar Doctor Ram belongs to a big political family. His father Baleshwar Ram was also a veteran Congress leader. He was an MLA and MP 7 times from 1952 to 1977. Not only this, he was made a state minister in Indira Gandhi’s government. Like his father, Dr. Ashok himself was an MLA 6 times and was made a minister in Rabri Devi’s government in the year 2000. He has been winning elections from the reserved Rosda assembly seat located in Samastipur district. His departure from the party just before the elections is being considered a big blow for the Congress because he was the Dalit face of the Congress for decades. He strengthened the concept of social justice for the party in the state. But in order to woo Dalit voters, Congress handed over the command of Bihar state to Rajesh Ram instead of Akhilesh Prasad Singh. He himself wanted to become the Congress President! It is being told that Dr. Ashok Ram was said to be angry with this decision. He himself wanted to come to this post, but his dream could not be fulfilled. Before Dr. Ram, Bihar minister Ashok Chaudhary was also in Congress, but a few years ago he went to JDU. Rahul Gandhi has been busy creating an environment for Congress among Dalit voters in Bihar for the last several months. In February, Congress celebrated the 130th birth anniversary of famous Pasi leader Jaglal Chaudhary with great pomp. Rahul Gandhi himself also participated in this program. He made Dalit leader Rajesh Ram the President of Bihar state and another Dalit leader Sushil Pasi the co-in-charge of the party in Bihar, trying to portray the party as a well-wisher of this community. Rahul engaged in the campaign of Dalit voters Apart from this, during his Bihar tour in June, Rahul Gandhi went to the village of Mountain Man Dashrath Manjhi to meet his family members. There he also paid his tribute at the Dashrath Manjhi memorial, and also met his son Bhagirath. He also drank coconut water with him. Bhagirath then demanded a permanent house for himself from the Congress leader, and Rahul fulfilled this demand by building a 4 room permanent house for his family. Bhagirath was earlier in Janata Dal United, but now he has joined Congress and he has also demanded a ticket from Rahul to contest elections. About 19 percent of the population in Bihar is Dalit and once it used to be the traditional vote bank of Congress. But with the passage of time these voters started drifting away. Congress had to bear the brunt and the party could not capture power on its own for more than 3 decades. Now Rahul Gandhi is engaged in an exercise to remove the resentment of Dalit voters and keep them with him. How important are Dalit voters in Bihar Dalit voters are important in Bihar because out of the 243 seats in the assembly, 38 seats have been reserved for Scheduled Castes and 2 seats for Scheduled Tribes. In 1990, the vote percentage of Congress here used to be 24.78 percent, which fell to single digit. Even after contesting the last two assembly elections together with the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Congress could not touch the double digit figure. In 2015, the vote percentage of Congress was 6.7, while in 2020 it improved marginally and became 9.48 percent. The round of allegations and counter-allegations also continues After former working president of Bihar Congress Dr. Ashok Kumar Ram left the party and joined Janata Dal United, JDU is claiming that ‘there is a stampede in the Congress. Many leaders of the party are still in touch with us. At the same time, Congress is also attacking Ashok Ram’s allegations. Congress termed him as a ‘high opportunist’ for joining JDU. While Dr. Ram claims that many more leaders from Congress are going to leave the party. While Congress is accusing Dr Ram of being an opportunist, he is accusing the party of neglecting Dalits. Such allegations have been made during the election season, but while trying to gain a foothold among Dalits, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will have to ensure that there is not much division in the party. If he fails to stop the division, it will send a wrong message to Dalit voters and he will have to work hard to make his political ground in Bihar. Surendra Kumar Verma Courtesy: Hindi News
Shibu Soren Death: He was a grassroots leader… PM Modi expressed grief over the death of Shibu Soren, other leaders also reacted
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and tribal leader Shibu Soren passed away at Gangaram Hospital in Delhi. Many leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have condoled his death. Shibu Soren fought for decades for the rights of tribal society and their empowerment. PM Modi reacted to the death of Shibu Soren New Delhi: Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and tribal leader Shibu Soren passed away today at Gangaram Hospital in Delhi. After his death, a wave of mourning spread across the country including Jharkhand. His son Hemant Soren, while informing about the death, said that respected Dishom Guruji has left all of us. Today I have become zero… Many other leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi have also condoled the death of Shibu Soren. At the same time, the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha have also been adjourned till 11 am on August 5. PM Modi called him a grassroots leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on his X handle saying that Shibu Soren was a grassroots leader who touched heights in public life with his unwavering dedication to the people. He was particularly dedicated to the empowerment of tribal communities, the poor and the underprivileged. His demise was saddening. My condolences are with his family and fans. Spoke to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren ji and expressed condolences. Om Shanti. Amit Shah expressed grief At the same time, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed grief and wrote on his X handle that the news of the demise of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shri Shibu Soren ji is extremely sad. He struggled for decades for the rights and empowerment of the tribal society in Jharkhand. He connected with the people with his spontaneous personality and simple nature. May God give place to the departed soul in his lotus feet and give strength to the bereaved Soren family and their fans and supporters to bear this sorrow. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Rahul Gandhi expressed condolences Rahul Gandhi expressed condolences and said that he was deeply saddened to hear the news of the demise of former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and senior JMM leader Shibu Soren ji. A strong voice of the tribal society, Soren ji fought for their rights and entitlements throughout his life. His role in the creation of Jharkhand will always be remembered. I express my deepest condolences to Hemant Soren ji and the entire Soren family as well as all the supporters of Guruji. Rajnath Singh expressed condolences Defense Minister Rajnath Singh posted on his X handle and wrote that former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and one of the seniormost leaders of the country, Shibu Soren ji was counted among those stalwart leaders of Jharkhand who fought lifelong for the rights and empowerment of the weaker sections of the society, especially the tribal society. He always remained connected to the land and the people. I too had a long acquaintance with him. I am deeply saddened by his demise. My condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti! UP CM Yogi Adityanath expressed grief Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief and said that the demise of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shri Shibu Soren ji is very sad. Humble tribute to him! He dedicated his life to the upliftment of tribal society. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant salvation to the departed soul and give strength to his bereaved family to bear this immense grief. Babu Lal Marandi expressed grief Former Jharkhand CM Babu Lal Marandi expressed grief and said that the news of the demise of JMM patron Shri Shibu Soren ji is very sad. His departure is an irreparable loss for Jharkhand. I pray to God for peace of his soul and strength to the bereaved family to bear this grief. Om Shanti! Curated by: Sanjeev Kumar About the author Sanjeev Kumar is a Senior Digital Content Producer at Navbharat Times Online. He has more than 6 years of experience working on national, politics, current affairs and Bihar-Jharkhand news. He is currently covering national news, politics and Delhi news in Navbharat Times Online. Sanjeev Ku Courtesy : Hindi News
In the Vice Presidential election, the ruling party and the opposition are preparing to face off. The decision will be taken in the INDIA Block meeting at Rahul’s house.
India Bloc Meet Rahul Gandhi Residence: An important meeting of opposition parties is going to be held at the house of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. It is believed that further strategy can be made on important issues including the Vice Presidential election in this meeting. The biggest question is about the SIR process of the Election Commission, on which the opposition is attacking. What is the agenda of the opposition meeting at Rahul Gandhi’s house? New Delhi: Political turmoil continues in the Parliament. Apart from the discussion on Operation Sindoor, the proceedings of both the houses have not been able to run properly so far in this monsoon session. On the other hand, the dates for the Vice Presidential election have also been announced. In this election, the ruling party and the opposition are preparing to face off. This is the reason why an important meeting of the INDIA Block, an alliance of opposition parties, is going to be held. This important meeting is going to be held on August 7 at the house of Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. Big meeting at Rahul Gandhi’s house on August 7 According to the information, in this meeting the opposition parties will also formulate a strategy for the Vice Presidential election. Rahul Gandhi will present evidence of alleged ‘vote theft’ in this meeting. The opposition parties will also consider joint agitation and legal options in Bihar. Many important issues will be discussed in this meeting to be held in Delhi. Opposition parties are concerned over the removal of a large number of names from the voter list after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar. They are planning to raise this issue in other states as well. These will be the agenda in the INDIA Block meeting Congress and some other opposition parties have raised questions on the functioning of the Election Commission. They allege that ‘vote theft’ has taken place in many elections. The opposition parties will formulate a strategy together on all these issues. Some leaders said that in the meeting to be held at Rahul Gandhi’s house, Congress MPs will give a presentation about the alleged electoral irregularities in Bengaluru. After this, they will present evidence about ‘vote theft and the role of the Election Commission’ in the INDIA Block meeting. Discussion on further strategy on SIR The opposition’s next strategy regarding the ongoing deadlock in Parliament and the Vice Presidential election will also be discussed in the meeting at Rahul Gandhi’s house. In this, the possibility of starting a joint movement in Bihar and across the country regarding the SIR process will also be discussed. Tejashwi Yadav had earlier talked about boycotting the Bihar Assembly elections. However, some opposition leaders believe that the SIR case is still in the Supreme Court. Apart from this, there are also provisions for complaining and getting redressal in SIR. In such a situation, all options should be considered before taking big steps like boycotting the election. Along with this, people whose names have been removed from the voter list should also get a chance to register their complaint. Confusion also over candidature in the Vice Presidential election The last date for filing nominations for the Vice Presidential election is August 21. Opposition parties will also discuss whether to field a candidate in the election or not. This election is considered easy for the BJP-led NDA, as they have a clear majority. Opposition parties are carefully considering every aspect. They want to ensure that the rights of voters are protected and the election process is fair. What will be the opposition plan on SIR next Opposition parties believe that irregularities in the voter list is a serious issue. This can affect the fairness of the election. They will spread awareness among the public about this issue and put pressure on the government to take appropriate action in this matter. The unity of opposition parties is important in this fight. He says that the Election Commission should ensure that there is no error in the voter list and all eligible citizens get the opportunity to vote. Curated by: Ruchir Shukla About the author Ruchir Shukla has been associated with Navbharat Times Online since February 2020. Started his career with a news agency in 2011. During this time, he broke big news through reporting. Specializes in political, social, crime, positive news. Courtesy: Hindi News
Bihar Election 2025: Now Manjhi has made a statement on Rahul Gandhi that will make NDA ‘uncomfortable’, know what he said
Bihar Assembly Election 2025: Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi attended the closing ceremony of ‘Sampoorna Abhiyan’ in Gayaji. On Rahul Gandhi’s Bihar visit, he said that in a democracy, everyone has the freedom to travel, so no one should object. Gayaji: Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Sunday attended the closing ceremony of ‘Sampoorna Abhiyan’ in Gayaji. During this, he reacted to the upcoming Bihar visit of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. NDA may be uncomfortable with this statement of his. No one should object to Rahul Gandhi’s visit – Manjhi Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said that no one has any objection to Rahul Gandhi’s padayatra. Talking to the media, he said, ‘There is democracy in the country. Everyone has the freedom to move, speak and travel. Rahul Gandhi is also moving around, there is nothing big in it. This is a good initiative, he should come and travel. No one should have any objection.’ Manjhi honoured panchayat representatives Employees of various departments and panchayat representatives were honoured in the closing ceremony of ‘Sampoornata Abhiyan’. Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi encouraged the employees, Mukhiya and Sarpanchs who did excellent work by giving them certificates and symbols. He appealed to the people being honoured to maintain continuity in their work. This will help in the future. Manjhi gave information about the ambulance On this occasion, representatives of many panchayats including DPO, DPM Nilesh Kumar of the Education Department were present. Head of Bhataura Panchayat Dilip Kumar Yadav was specially honoured. He told that since 2016, free ambulance service is being run for pregnant women in his panchayat area. He was honoured by the Union Minister for this work. The DPO of the department was also called on the stage and honoured for better work in the field of education. District Magistrate Shashank Shubhankar also participated in the programme and congratulated those who did excellent work. On the closing occasion, all the honoured representatives took a pledge to improve their work further. Edited by : Rishikesh Narayan Singh About the author Rishikesh Narayan Singh is the Bihar-Jharkhand in-charge of Navbharat Times Digital. 20 years of journey in journalism from Janmat TV, IBN7, ETV Bihar-Jharkhand, News18 Bihar-Jharkhand to Times Internet. Courtesy : Hindi News
Congress dalit figures in Karnataka close ranksahead of internal quota report
Bengaluru: With the Justice HN Nagamohandas commission set to submit its report on internal reservation for scheduled castes (SCs), senior dalit functionaries of Congress, including ministers and legislators, have resolved to remain united and avoid infighting over expected discrepancies in the caste-wise data. Home minister G Parameshwara, who chaired a closed-door meeting with SC ministers and legislators at his Sadashivanagar residence in the city Saturday, said the participants agreed to prioritise long-delayed quota reforms over internal differences. “We have been waiting for the internal reservation for many years. If there are conflicts about the report, it may lead to further delays. So, we have decided to stay together by ignoring small differences,” he added. The meeting comes ahead of the submission of the Nagamohandas commission report, which has collected empirical data on 101 scheduled castes to guide sub-quota distribution within the community. The report, which is expected to be submitted to CM Siddaramaiah on Aug 4, is likely to recommend revised shares for various sub-castes based on population and backwardness, raising concerns of potential discontent. “There are no MLAs or ministers from many sub-castes. So, we have decided to bring all socially and educationally backward groups into the mainstream. Everyone should get justice,” Parameshwara added, while urging all SC communities to stand together when the report is released. Ministers KH Muniyappa, HC Mahadevappa, RB Thimmapur, Shivaraj Tangadagi, deputy speaker Rudrappa Lamani, and several MLAs and MLCs participated in the meeting. Among them were KS Basavanthappa, AC Srinivas, Darshan Dhruvanarayan, Nayana Motamma, Roopakala Shashidhar, HV Venkatesh and Dr Thimmaiah. They resolved to meet Siddaramaiah once the report is submitted and press for a Cabinet decision ensuring fair representations for all SC communities. “If we are divided, the implementation will get delayed again. That should not happen,” Parameshwara said. “We have discussed staying together after the commission submits its report. We will meet again to decide the course of action to give justice to all the communities within the SC,” Pulikeshinagarr MLA, AC Srinivasa, said after the meeting. 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.
Siddaramaiah calls himself champion of Dalits, BCs
We have also commenced a survey of various Scheduled Castes to provide internal reservation proportional to their population. BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is going from strength to strength, and seems to be cementing his position to continue as CM for the full five years of the Congress government’s term. In a reflection of his rising stature, on Saturday, he shared the dais with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi at the AICC Legal Department’s ‘Constitutional Challenges: Perspectives and Pathways’ conclave held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. In his speech, he called himself a leader of both Dalits and backward classes, claiming to have protected their interests by ensuring social justice. He said the Scheduled Caste survey his government conducted by appointing the Justice HN Nagamohan Das commission is to provide internal reservation. He also claimed to have implemented 32% reservation to backward classes, going beyond the Mandal commission report. “My government has ordered a survey to identify communities that are still socially and educationally backward and provide them with reservation to achieve real equality. We have also commenced a survey of various Scheduled Castes to provide internal reservation proportional to their population. Through these affirmative actions as envisaged in our Constitution, I am sure we are on the right path to achieving social justice, real equality and fraternity,” he said. “Karnataka is the pioneer in apportioning funds exclusively to the SC/STs, proportionate to their population through the SCP/TSP Act,” he stressed. On the legacy of Dr BR Ambedkar’s Constitution, he said, “Finest prime minister of this nation Jawaharlal Nehru put India on the path of social justice. Leaders like Indira Gandhi used affirmative action to uplift the backward classes and marginalised sections through reforms, such as the 20-point programme and nationalisation, while Rajiv Gandhi ensured reservation for backward classes at the panchayat level through the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments,” he recalled. “To those who believe in our Constitution, its objective will be achieved when we have real equality and fraternity as a matter of course, which is nothing but social justice. Equality requires proactive intervention by the state and not just passive nondiscrimination. The guarantee of social justice is a positive duty on all of us to ensure real equality. The commitment of my government and my party is to fulfil the objective of the Constitution and ensure social justice and we remain on that path,” he elaborated. With Rahul backing Siddaramaiah, the other leaders were found readily greeting him and they included AICC legal department head Abhishek Manu Singhvi, AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rajya Sabha member P Chidambaram among others. Devaraj B Hirehalli 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.
Jagdeep Dhankhar forced out by government as he decided to go by book: Mallikarjun Kharge
NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday claimed that former vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar was forced out by the Modi govt because after years of “harassing” the opposition, he suddenly decided to move by the book. The decision to admit the notice to remove Justice Shekhar Yadav, along with the one against Justice Yashwant Varma, riled the govt, and PM Narendra Modi gave Dhankhar the option of either withdrawing his order or face action, Kharge alleged. He said Dhankhar opted to resign. Speaking at Congress’s annual legal conclave, Kharge recounted the “harassment” of the opposition at the hands of Dhankhar. He mentioned that Dhankhar had suspended a record number of MPs from Rajya Sabha, while Congress MP Rajni Patil was suspended for seven months, lamenting “this is their democracy”. But then, he said, Dhankhar one day woke up to his constitutional role because he realised that his tenure would be remembered in history if he worked as per rules, rubbing the PM and BJP the wrong way. The Congress brass, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, attended the conclave themed “Constitutional Challenges: Perspectives & Pathways”. A message from Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi was read out by senior leader Salman Khurshid. “Today, the Constitution is under siege. BJP-RSS, which never fought for freedom or upheld equality, now uses its power to dismantle the very framework it long opposed,” Sonia Gandhi said. “Now, they seek to erase socialism and secularism, pillars of Ambedkar’s vision of equal citizenship. This is not reform but an ideological coup replacing our democratic republic with a theocratic corporate state serving the powerful few,” she added. “We will oppose every attempt to undermine the Constitution, in Parliament, in courts, and on the streets. Our mission is clear – to reclaim the republic and protect the rights of each and every person,” Sonia Gandhi said. Kharge alleged that when Dhankhar started asserting that he was independent and allowed a notice for the opposition’s motion to remove Varma, he was “threatened and pressured” by the govt. This is the first time that the Congress brass linked Dhankhar’s resignation, which it called sacking, to govt pressure on constitutional offices. Earlier, whenever Kharge was asked about the reason for Dhankhar’s resignation he would respond saying he had no information and it was for Dhankhar to tell what happened since it was a matter between him and Prime Minister Modi. 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.
‘He has his reasons’: Shashi Tharoor sidesteps Rahul Gandhi’s ‘dead economy’ remark; raises trade concerns
NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday refused to comment on Rahul Gandhi’s endorsement of US President Donald Trump’s remark calling the Indian economy “dead.” Tharoor said the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha may have had his “own reasons” for saying so, but stressed that maintaining economic ties with the US is vital for India. When asked about Rahul Gandhi’s statement, Tharoor said, “I don’t want to comment on what my party leader has said. He has his reasons for saying so. My concern is that our relationship with the US, as a strategic partnership and economic relationship, is important for us. We are exporting around 90 billion worth of goods to America. We can’t be in a position to lose that or have it diminish significantly.” He added, “We must wish our negotiators strength to get a fair deal for India. We should also be talking to other regions for exporting our goods. Then we could make up for some of what we might lose in the US. We have to support our negotiators.” — ANI (@ANI) Tharoor’s response came after Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday, agreed with Trump’s description of the Indian economy. Gandhi had said, “Yes, he is right. Everybody knows this except the prime minister and the finance minister. Everybody knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy. I am glad that President Trump has stated a fact. The entire world knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy. BJP has finished the economy to help Adani.” Trump had made the comment on Wednesday through his social media platform, Truth Social. In that post, he announced a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods and warned of additional penalties in response to India importing oil from Russia. 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.
‘Let departed rest in peace’: BJP slams Rahul Gandhi over Arun Jaitley ‘threatened’ him claim; Rijiju asks ‘how much can one lie?’
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has triggered a fresh row after claiming that former finance minister Arun Jaitley had “threatened” him for opposing the Modi government’s now-repealed farm laws. While speaking at the Congress-organised Annual Legal Conclave 2025, Rahul said, “I remember when I was fighting against the farm laws, Arun Jaitley was sent to threaten me. He said, ‘If you continue down this path, opposing the government and fighting us on the farm laws, we’ll have to take action against you.’ I replied, ‘I think you don’t know who you’re talking to. We’re Congress people, we’re not cowards. We never bend. The British couldn’t bend us.’” The BJP immediately dismissed the claim, pointing out that Jaitley passed away in August 2019—over a year before the farm laws were brought to Parliament. The party accused Rahul of “throwing baseless allegations” even at those who are no longer alive. ‘He was a staunch democrat’ Arun Jaitley’s son, Rohan Jaitley, led the attack against Rahul and said that it was not in his father’s nature to threaten anyone over an opposing view. Taking to X, Rohan said, “Rahul Gandhi now claims my late father, Arun Jaitley, threatened him over the farm laws. Let me remind him, my father passed away in 2019. The farm laws were introduced in 2020. More importantly, it was not in my father’s nature to threaten anyone over an opposing view. He was a staunch democrat and always believed in building consensus. If at all such a situation was to occur, as it often does in politics, he would invite free and open discussions to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution to all. That was simply who he was and that remains his legacy today.” “I would appreciate Rahul Gandhi being mindful while speaking of those not with us. He attempted something similar with Manohar Parrikar ji, politicising his final days, which was in equally poor taste. Let the departed rest in peace,” he added. ‘How much one can lie?’ Reacting to the Congress leader’s claim, Union minister Kiren Rijiju wondered, “How much one can lie?” He pointed out that Jaitley died over a year before the three farm laws were introduced in Parliament. “Whole day I was thinking… how much one can lie? Late Arun Jaitley ji died on 24 August 2019! Three agriculture-related bills were introduced in Lok Sabha on 14th Sept 2020. How can late Arun Jaitley ji meet Shri Rahul Gandhi for farm laws when he is no more alive!!!!” Rijiju wrote on X. ‘Remarks against Jaitley despicable’ Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who succeeded Arun Jaitley in the Union Cabinet after his demise, also attacked Rahul and said that throwing baseless allegations at people is becoming a personality trait in the Congress leader. “If irresponsibility has a face, it is Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in LS. To throw baseless allegations at people in public life, even those who are no longer with us, is becoming a personality trait in him. His remarks on late Shri Arun Jaitley are despicable. India needs a strong opposition party. An irresponsible leadership hurts his party, Congress, and the country. But does he care?” Sitharaman said. “This is a blatant lie—what he (Rahul Gandhi) has said about such a respected leader who was finance minister and is no longer among us,” she added. ‘Rahul only hurts his own credibility’ Meanwhile, SAD MP Naresh Gujral, whose party broke the alliance with BJP over the farm bills, said that Rahul Gandhi is damaging his own reputation with such remarks and advised him to be more careful in future. “I am truly shocked and very pained to hear about what Mr Gandhi has to say about my late dear and close friend Arun Jaitley ji. The whole world knows that he was a true democrat. Everybody knows he was a gentleman who would never use this kind of threat or this kind of dialogue. When Mr Gandhi says things like that, he only hurts his own credibility,” Gujral said. “I have worked with Mr Jaitley for almost 20 years. You would recall that the Akali Dal was part of the NDA, and we left the government on the issue of the farm laws. No BJP leader ever threatened us, forget about Arun Jaitley, who was a thorough gentleman. So when the Leader of the Opposition speaks like this, he only damages his own credibility. I would urge him to be more careful in the future,” he added. ‘Shredded all standards of decorum in public life’ Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan also accused Rahul of “shredding all standards of decorum in public life” “Rahul Gandhi has utterly shredded all standards of decorum in public life. The former Union Minister and senior leader, the late Arun Jaitley ji, is no longer among us. Yet, Rahul Gandhi’s immature and childish, hateful mindset has insensitively spread falsehoods in the name of the late Arun Jaitley ji to further his own agenda, disregarding the facts related to the agricultural laws. The agricultural laws were introduced in Parliament in 2020, while Jaitley ji’s tragic passing occurred in August 2019,” Pradhan said. “Rahul Gandhi’s opportunistic, hateful, and baseless rhetoric has once again proven that Congress members have no connection with sentiments like empathy; their so-called ‘shop of love’ is filled only with ‘hateful words’. Rahul Gandhi’s language is miles away from that of a dignified person; he seems to have forgotten how to speak or conduct himself on a public platform! For this shameful and deplorable language, Rahul Gandhi should immediately apologise to Jaitley ji, his family, and his supporters,” he added. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Minister Parameshwara to meet Dalit MLAs to chalk out strategy to handle fallout of SC Survey
The meeting is likely to discuss probable repercussions of the report as it would trigger controversies over the population of the communities and per centage of quota allotted to them in the report. BENGALURU: Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara has called a meeting of the Dalit legislators at his residence here on August 2 over high tea to discuss various issues, including the Scheduled Caste communities’ survey which was carried out by the Justice HN Nagmohandas Commission to provide the internal reservation. The Commission is likely to submit its report to the government on August 4, according to sources, which may escalate tension among various SC communities. The report is likely to consist of recommendation of the classification of the quota among the 101 castes under SC category proportional to their population. “The survey is complete and I have sought the time of the chief minister to submit my report to the government,” Nagmohan Das told TNIE. RDPR minister Priyank Kharge confirmed that Parameshwara has called a meeting to discuss the survey. The meeting is likely to discuss probable repercussions of the report as it would trigger controversies over the population of the communities and per centage of quota allotted to them in the report. 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.