Rahul to join oppn protest in city today
Patna: Over 25 crore employees of banking, postal, mining, construction and transport sectors have called for a nationwide ‘chakka jam’ (Bharat bandh) on Wednesday. The strike, backed by trade unions and several social organisations, is being held over 44 demands, including opposition to the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the assembly elections scheduled for Oct-Nov. The opposition INDIA bloc has thrown its weight behind the strike. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi is set to join the protest in Patna. Congress state president Rajesh Ram said Rahul would participate in the ‘chakka jam’ foot march starting at 9.30am from the income-tax roundabout to the State Election Commission office via Shaheed Smarak. All senior leaders of the INDIA bloc, including RJD leader and alliance coordination committee chair Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, are expected to take part in the march, Ram added. A joint platform of 10 central trade unions, supported by workers’ and farmers’ groups, has called for the strike in protest against what they describe as the “anti-worker, anti-farmer and pro-corporate policies of the central govt.” Several political parties and civil organisations have challenged the ongoing electoral roll revision in Bihar, filing petitions before the Supreme Court. The apex court is set to hear the matter on July 10. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Young Indian-AJL transaction a sham: ASG in Herald case
NEW DELHI: Additional solicitor general SV Raju claimed before a Delhi court Tuesday that transaction between Associated Journals Ltd and Young Indian Pvt Ltd was a sham transaction in an alleged money laundering case in the National Herald matter. “All India Congress Committee was given funds, which were to be used properly, but the way they used Rs 90 crore shows they committed criminal breach of trust,” the ASG argued. The ASG’s arguments will continue Saturday before the court of special judge Vishal Gogne, which is hearing arguments on the point of cognisance of chargesheet filed against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, & others. Court posted the matter to July 12 for further proceedings. After rebuttal arguments by all seven accused in the case were completed Tuesday, the ASG submitted his rebuttals before the court. According to ED, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, along with others and Young Indian, conspired to launder money by fraudulent takeover of properties valued over at Rs 2,000 crore belonging to AJL. As per ED, the Gandhis held a majority 76% shares in Young Indian, which fraudulently usurped assets of AJL in exchange for a Rs 90 crore loan. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah to meet Rahul Gandhi today amid fresh push to change CM
Bengaluru/New Delhi: Chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, are set to meet Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi Wednesday night, amid fresh demands from Shivakumar’s supporters for a leadership transition in Karnataka. The meeting comes at a time when tensions within the Congress state unit have resurfaced, with several MLAs publicly backing Shivakumar to take over the chief minister’s post later this year. Shivakumar told reporters in New Delhi Tuesday, “The CM, AICC general secretaries, and I will hold a meeting to discuss party-related matters.” Asked if the meeting would deliberate on making Siddaramaiah the chairman of the party’s OBC committee — seen by some as a possible soft exit strategy — he said: “Siddaramaiah is a prominent leader of the backward classes, and the party is making use of his leadership skills. The national-level OBC committee meeting scheduled for July 15 will be held under his leadership in Bengaluru.” He said that although Siddaramaiah may not formally head the committee, the meeting would be conducted under his leadership due to his stature and contribution to the OBC movement. “Congress is making use of his leadership and capabilities,” Shivakumar said. Asked about growing calls within the party for his elevation, Shivakumar said, “The CM post is not vacant. So, this is not the right time to talk about it.” The latest push for a change at the helm comes despite repeated denials from Congress’ high command and Siddaramaiah himself, who has asserted he will complete a full five-year term. Shivakumar, too, has previously said he has no choice but to support the CM. But several legislators, especially from Bengaluru south district, have reignited the debate. “All our district MLAs want Shivakumar to become CM. There’s no discrepancy about it. High command should decide,” Channapatna MLA CP Yogeeshwara said Tuesday. “We, the MLAs, are demanding it… I want Shivakumar to become CM.” HA Iqbal Hussain, Ramanagara MLA and a staunch Shivakumar supporter, even suggested a change could happen within months. “Yes, I’m saying it. Some functionaries are hinting at revolutionary political developments after Sept. A decision will be made within 2-3 months,” he said. He went on to say: “You all know what our strength was before this govt was formed… His (Shivakumar’s) strategy and programmes are history now. The high command is aware of the situation, and we are confident it will take an appropriate decision at the right time.” Senior Congress MLA and former minister Tanveer Sait, who is from Siddaramaiah’s home district Mysuru said the party must be open to transition. “I feel leadership can’t be stagnant. New leaders must come and grow. Whenever the opportunity is given, it’ll happen,” he said. Calls for a new CM come amid multiple meetings between Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, with Congress MLAs to quell dissent. “The KPCC chief and I have spoken about this… Everyone can have ambitions and desires. I don’t want to say anything more,” Surjewala said. Siddaramaiah will join Shivakumar in Delhi on Wednesday. Shivakumar is scheduled to meet defence minister Rajnath Singh ahead of the meeting with Rahul. It is unclear whether they will meet Singh jointly or separately. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Rahul Gandhi to lead Bihar Mahagathbandhan protest: Tyres burnt, roads blocked; what the electoral roll row is about
NEW DELHI: The Mahagathbandhan alliance on Wednesday kicked off a “Bihar Bandh” protesting against the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls by the Election Commission. Opposition leaders, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, will lead a protest rally in Patna and plan to encircle the Chief Electoral Office in the state capital. Earlier, the former deputy chief minister said that the opposition had called for the Bihar Bandh to vent their ire against the ongoing voter list revision ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. “We will enforce a ‘chakka jam’ on July 9. Both the Election Commission and the government will be targeted by the Opposition. It is quite surprising that the EC is changing its orders every hour. As a result, BLOs and other officials engaged in the verification exercise are confused,” Tejashwi said. Why is the opposition protesting ? The Opposition has alleged that the Election Commission, through its special intensive revision of electoral rolls, is snatching voting rights from migrants, Dalits, Mahadalits, and poor voters, calling the campaign a “conspiracy to block votes” ahead of the Bihar Assembly Elections, which are due in three months. Train halted, tyres Burnt Workers from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and CPM burnt tyres and blocked roads in support of the Bihar Bandh on NH-30 in Patna’s Maner. Party workers were seen raising banners and shouting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Election Commission. Meanwhile, RJD’s student wing blocked train tracks and NH-82 in Jehanabad. RJD workers also stopped the Namo Bharat train in Darbhanga. “We have called this Bandh against the Election Commission, which is working as per someone’s agenda… The public is tired of the government. RJD and the entire INDIA alliance have called for the Bandh,” an RJD worker said. Supporters of Independent MP Pappu Yadav also stopped an express train in Narpatganj, Araria. Also read | Bharat Bandh today: Public services likely to be hit; 10 things to know about nationwide strike ‘SIR a normal exercise’ The poll body has claimed that the exercise is a standard procedure to update the voter list before every election as mandated by law. It has also undertaken a drive to weed out foreign illegal migrants from the electoral rolls in six states, starting with Bihar. The poll panel reminded the constitutional provision that says only Indian citizens can vote. “The Constitution of India is supreme. All citizens, political parties, and the Election Commission of India follow the Constitution,” EC said in a statement. The poll panel already has nearly 78,000 booth-level officers (BLOs) and is appointing over 20,000 more for new polling stations, it said. More than one lakh volunteers will be assisting genuine electors, particularly the old, sick, persons with disabilities, poor, and other vulnerable groups during the special intensive revision. Out of the existing 7,89,69,844 electors, 4.96 crore electors, whose names are already in the last intensive revision of the Electoral Roll on January 1, 2003, have to “simply verify so, fill the Enumeration Form and submit it.” The enumeration form should be filled between 25 June and 26 July, after which the draft voter list will be published on 1 August 2025; the period for filing claims and objections will be from 1 August to 1 September, and the final voter list will be published on 30 September. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
VCK set to promote two non-Dalit MLAs as treasurer and general secretary
VCK is set to elevate two non-Dalit MLAs, Aloor J Mohamed Shanavas and S S Balaji, as the party’s one of the general secretaries and treasurer respectively. CHENNAI: In a move that underlines its stated intent of not getting pigeonholed as a ‘Dalit’ party, the VCK is set to elevate two non-Dalit MLAs, Aloor J Mohamed Shanavas and S S Balaji, as the party’s one of the general secretaries and treasurer respectively. According to party sources, Shanavas, currently a deputy general secretary and MLA representing Nagapattinam constituency, will fill a long-vacant slot of general secretary reserved for a non-Dalit in accordance with the party’s by-law. The post has remained unfilled since Kalaikottu Udhayam left the party to join NTK. Thiruporur MLA Balaji is expected to take over as treasurer, a position that has been vacant since the demise of former treasurer Yusuf. Party insiders said these appointments, expected to be made before the formal internal elections, are intended to signal the leadership’s commitment towards inclusivity and outreach. The elevation of a Muslim MLA as general secretary and a non-Dalit MLA as treasurer is seen as a strategic step to broaden the party’s support among religious minorities, OBCs, and other non-Dalits. The promotions are part of the party’s larger restructuring initiative by the VCK, which has expanded its district units from 144 to 234 to align with the number of Tamil Nadu’s assembly constituencies. The party – which has four MLAs – has appointed 83 senior functionaries to oversee the formation of new district teams, each comprising a district secretary, four deputy secretaries (including one woman and one non-Dalit), two executive members, and four additional office-bearers. The party has also committed to reserving 10% of district secretary posts for non-Dalits and women, and 25% for youth aged below 35. Courtesy : S Kumaresan, TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Indian Youth Congress file complaints in multiple states for targeting Rahul Gandhi in sanitary pad case
Under the supervision, leadership and instructions of Indian Youth Congress National In-Charge Shri Krishna Allavaru, National President Uday Bhanu Chib, and National Legal Cell Chairman Roopesh Singh Bhadauria, the IYC Legal Cell has launched an all-fronts legal counteroffensive against the coordinated and malicious digital campaign aimed at defaming Rahul Gandhi and mocking women’s dignity, a press release from the Indian Youth Congress said. On July 5, 2025, a doctored image and vulgar video targeting Rahul Gandhi Ji connected to a social welfare campaign to distribute sanitary pads in Bihar was circulated by Ratan Ranjan and further amplified by @MrSinha_, Arun Kosli, Sanjay Nirupam, Adv Sunil Sharma, and Rishi Bagree and multiple other habitual Offenders. The content, deeply offensive, exploited a women-centric issue to spread political misogyny and orchestrated defamation. This is not political expression. This is criminal intent–cloaked in digital propaganda. Legal Action Across Multiple States: In Karnataka, an FIR was registered at High Grounds Police Station, Bengaluru, under Sections 192, 336(4), 354, 294, 196, and 197 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with Section 67 of the IT Act, 2000 In Delhi, a complaint has been filed at Mandir Marg Police Station, and a parallel complaint has been submitted via the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal byDelhi Pradesh Youth Congress Legal Cell Chairman Shri Vivek Punia. In Telangana, under the leadership of State Legal Cell President Adv. Jakkidi Shiva Charan Reddy and Coordinator Adv. Gudur Nikhil Reddy, an FIR has also been registered against the culprits. “BJP has crossed all limits of decency. They’re trying to divert attention from their impending defeat in Bihar by morphing images and insulting women. It’s not just about our leader — it’s about the dignity of every Indian woman. This is unacceptable and legally punishable. This is beyond defamation. This is an outright insult to the dignity of Indian women. The BJP IT cell is spreading filth to mock a welfare initiative. We’ve taken legal action. Let there be no doubt — we will pursue this to its logical end”, IYC Legal Cell Incharge Krishna Allavaru said in his statement. “BJP is a master in manufacturing fake narratives, but this is a new low. Twisting a noble act of public service into obscene propaganda is reprehensible, both politically and morally. The Indian Youth Congress stands firm. We will not allow such degradation to go unpunished”. He even said that Weaponising menstruation to score political points is a misogynistic disgrace. Disinformation against public leaders is not free speech — it’s criminal speech”, IYC National President Shri Uday Bhanu Chib’s statement said. The Indian Youth Congress will pursue every legal remedy under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology laws to hold these offenders accountable. There will be consequences – swift, severe, and permanent. And this time, there will be no mercy. “This orchestrated smear campaign is not just about digital hate, it is a criminal conspiracy to degrade women, dehumanise public discourse, and politically vilifya Leader of Opposition. We are responding firmly and lawfully. This is only the beginning. There will be no leniency. Disgusting that The IT cell’s propaganda mocks menstruation and uses it to insult Rahul Gandhi Ji. This isn’t just defamation — this is a crime against every woman. FIRs are being registered. Let the guilty face consequences – legal, harsh, and irreversible”, National Chairman Legal Cell Shri Roopesh Singh Bhadauria said in his statement. Courtesy : TET Note: This news is originally published on https:/theeconomictimes.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Rahul Gandhi to visit Patna on July 9, will join protests over electoral rolls revision, labour code
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be in Patna on Wednesday for a “chakka jam” against the new labour code and special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, leaders of the INDIA bloc said. The announcement was made on Monday at a press conference, which was attended by Leader of the Opposition in the assembly Tejashwi Yadav, state Congress president Rajesh Kumar, AICC in charge for Bihar Krishna Allavaru, and leaders of Left parties. Kumar said Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, will join the protesters in the state capital, where a march has been proposed to the office of the Election Commission. Yadav said, “We will be with Gandhi in Patna, but the stir will be held across Bihar. We are extending support to the chakka jam against the labour code which is as much an assault on democracy as the revision of electoral rolls.” He also alleged that the special intensive revision, which will be complete in less than a month from now, has so far been mired in “confusion” and accused the EC of trying to help the ruling BJP-led NDA through the exercise. Courtesy : TET Note: This news is originally published on https:/theeconomictimes.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
FIR filed in Bengaluru for defamatory content on Rahul Gandhi
Bengaluru: High Grounds police have registered an FIR against Ratan Ranjan and others for allegedly publishing obscene and defamatory content targeting leader of the Opposition of Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and outraging the modesty of women. According to the complaint, filed by Priyanka Devi, a Congress worker, Ranjan, a resident of Vaishali district in Bihar, posted a digitally altered image of Rahul Gandhi on social media platform X, placing his photo inside a sanitary pad, accompanied by a mocking caption. The post was in reference to a recent women’s health initiative led by the All India Mahila Congress, which involved distribution of sanitary pads to underprivileged women in rural Bihar to raise awareness about menstrual hygiene. The Karnataka unit of the Indian Youth Congress’ legal cell in a statement alleged that the post, far from being satirical, was “lewd, derogatory, and intentionally crafted to outrage the modesty of women,” while also trivialising a health campaign aimed at dismantling menstrual taboos. Police said they will issue notices to the people named in the FIR. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Rahul, Tejashwi attack NDA over law and order
Patna: A day after a prominent businessman, Gopal Khemka, was killed in cold blood just outside his residence in Patna, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, launched an attack on the NDA. Taking to social media, Rahul said Bihar lives in the shadow of loot, gunfire, and murder as crime has become the “new normal” here while the govt is ineffective. “The brazen murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna has once again proven the BJP and Nitish Kumar together have turned Bihar into ‘India’s crime capital’,” Rahul posted on X on Sunday. The Congress MP said now is the time for a “new Bihar” where there is no fear, only progress. “This time, the vote is not just to change the govt, but to save Bihar,” he said. Leader of opposition in state assembly, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, also joined the Congress in castigating the NDA regime, alleging the law and order situation has totally collapsed in the state. “If the poor law and order and corruption in Bihar aren’t making anyone angry in the state, then we must say that the person’s sense of justice and compassion has died,” Tejashwi told the media on Sunday. He, after meeting the grieving family members of Khemka, alleged that the CM is neither talking to the media nor fixing accountability. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
New Dawn for Dalit Politics: Porkodi Armstrong Forges Ahead
Porkodi Armstrong, wife of murdered BSP leader K Armstrong, launched the Tamil Maanila Bahujan Samaj party on her husband’s death anniversary. Amidst heavy police presence and emotional tributes, the event marked a fresh chapter in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape. Porkodi’s new party emerged from discord within BSP ranks. Porkodi Armstrong, the widow of slain Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Tamil Nadu chief K Armstrong, inaugurated the Tamil Maanila Bahujan Samaj party on the anniversary of her husband’s death. The event took place in the Pothur area of Thiruvallur district, attracting over 1,000 supporters amid tight police security. The newly formed party launched its official flag—a blue banner featuring an elephant holding a pen—symbolizing its Ambedkarite beliefs and commitment to education, empowerment, and social justice. K Armstrong, a prominent Dalit leader, was murdered on July 5, 2024, in Chennai, sparking statewide protests. After Armstrong’s death, BSP appointed advocate P Anandan as state president, sidelining Porkodi. In April 2025, amid internal tensions, she was removed from party posts, prompting her to establish a new political entity, rallying supporters dissatisfied with BSP’s central leadership decisions. (With inputs from agencies.) Courtesy : Devdiscourse Note: This news is originally published on https:/devdiscourse.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.