Can’t compel Rahul Gandhi to produce book he cited in speech against Savarkar: Court
Pune: A special magisterial court on Thursday rejected the plea filed by the great-grandnephew of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Satyaki, seeking a direction to the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, to supply a copy of the book he cited during his alleged defamatory speech in London in 2023 against the Hindutva ideologue. Satyaki is the complainant in the defamation case he filed against Gandhi under the provisions of IPC section 500. Judicial Magistrate First Class Amol Shinde, in his three-page order, observed that Gandhi couldn’t be compelled to disclose his evidence before the trial commencement. The court noted, “The accused cannot be compelled to produce the document/book sought by the complainant. As per Article 20 (3) of the Constitution of India, no person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself. Therefore, this court is of the opinion that an order cannot be passed directing the accused to file incriminating documents.” Satyaki’s lawyer, Sangram Kolhatkar, filed a plea under the provisions of section 94 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita seeking a copy of the book cited by Gandhi in his speech in London on March 5, 2023. Opposing the plea, Gandhi’s lawyer, Milind Pawar, submitted that the trial in the case has not yet commenced and his client couldn’t be compelled to disclose or divulge or submit any part of the documents relied upon before the trial could commence. Pawar argued Satyaki was required to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt and the burden of proof was entirely on him. “My client is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. If the complainant’s plea is allowed, it would cause serious prejudice to Gandhi’s right to a fair trial,” he said, adding that forcing the defence to prematurely disclose the defence was not permitted under the Criminal Procedure Code and Constitution. The court order read, “No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself and nor can he be compelled to produce incriminating documents material against him. The plea filed by Savarkar is liable to be rejected.” 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.
Farmers sink deeper into debt but govt indifferent, says Rahul Gandhi
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP-led governments at the Centreand in Maharashtra of “watching indifferently” while farmers were sinking deeper into debt. Gandhi targeted the government over the reported suicides of 767 farmers in Maharashtra during the past three months, an issue that was raised by the Congress and other Opposition parties in the assembly on Wednesday and staged a walkout. “Think about it…In just three months, 767 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra. Is this just a statistic? No. These are 767 destroyed homes. 767 families that will never be able to recover. And the government? It is silent. It is watching indifferently. Farmers are sinking deeper into debt every day – seeds are expensive, fertilisers are expensive, diesel is expensive…but there is no guarantee of MSP. When they demand a loan waiver, they are ignored. But those who have crores? The Modi government easily waives their loans,” Gandhi said in a social media post in Hindi. He said though PM Modi had said that he will double the income of farmers, “this system is killing farmers silently, but continuously, and Modi ji is watching the spectacle of his own PR.” Courtewsy : 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.
Is working for Dalits, farmers ‘anti-national’ ?: Medha Patkar slams BJP MPs over meeting walkout
A day after BJP MPs walked out of a parliamentary panel meeting she was invited to, activist Medha Patkar on Wednesday hit back, asking if standing up for Dalits, Adivasis, farmers and labourers now counts as “anti-national”. A meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj to discuss the implementation of the land acquisition act ended abruptly on Tuesday as BJP MPs protested against the panel’s decision to hear Patkar, who had led protests against raising the height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat under the banner of ‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’. The panel, headed by Congress MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, had called Patkar to hear her views on the implementation and effectiveness of the land acquisition law enacted by Parliament when the Congress-led UPA government was in power in 2013. Former Union minister and BJP MP Parshottam Rupala was joined by other lawmakers from his party as they walked out of the meeting, with some dubbing Patkar as “anti-national”. A BJP MP even said he had no idea that leaders from Pakistan could also be called to such a meeting. “What is the charge of being anti-national? We are working with Dalits, Adivasis, farmers, labourers… Is that something anti-national? To protect their rights under the law and the Constitution, and the human rights, which are above the constitutional rights,” Patkar told PTI. “And even if whatever we are saying is wrong, they can oppose it. But that doesn’t mean that they can call us anti-national or ‘urban naxals’. This democratic process includes the parliamentary standing committee proceedings,” she added. Patkar said she has participated in parliamentary panel discussions earlier and has been part of consultations carried out by the government for framing the Land Acquisition Act of 2013. “Even when Sumitra Mahajan was in the Chair, we were given a good hearing,” she said, referring to the former Lok Sabha Speaker and BJP leader. Patkar said they were invited to appear before the panel, made their submissions, and all due process was followed. She said she was informed that a communication was sent by the secretary general of the Lok Sabha to the chairperson — Congress MP Ulaka — to cancel the meeting due to a lack of quorum. The activist said she was told by officials that 17 MPs had come for the meeting, and questioned how there was a lack of quorum. “The written letter that the secretary general gave to the chairman to cancel the meeting gave only one reason that there is no quorum. The fact that I was invited to appear was not mentioned as the reason,” she said. Former prime minister H D Devegowda’s Janata Dal (Secular), which is a part of the BJP-led NDA, also participated in the meeting but not in the walkout, Patkar said. “Mr. Devegowda, he did not walk out. He was just sitting quietly near the chairman,” she said. Talking about the Narmada Bachao Andolan, Patkar said they only demanded what was awarded by the Narmada Tribunal. The Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal (NWDT) was established in 1969 to resolve the water-sharing disputes among Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan concerning the Narmada River. “They are mentioning the position taken by the Narmada Bachao Andolan. Our position has been that the award by the Narmada tribunal should be implemented,” she said. “Even the World Bank stopped funding this project (Sardar Sarovar Dam), saying that it was an ill-planned project. The statistics on which the decision is based the data is flawed. The World Bank took a position that they had not followed the law,” she said. The World Bank had agreed to fund the project to increase the height of the dam in 1985. However, following protests by the NBA led by Patkar, they formed the Morse Commission to look into factors like environmental cost and human displacement. As the World Bank decided to pull out of the project, the government cancelled the loan sanctioned by the World Bank on 31 March 1993. Patkar stressed that the rehabilitation of the families that were to be dislocated was important. “There were thousands of families living in this area. How could they be denied fair and full rehabilitation? That was the question. Now, about 50,000 families have received rehabilitation. Whatever is remaining, a few thousand in Madhya Pradesh, hundreds in Maharashtra, hundreds in Gujarat, the dialogue is still going on,” she said. “We want the government to take immediate action and decision, but they are not doing it on war footing,” she added 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.
Mayawati Picks Nephew Akash Anand To Lead BSP Troops In Bihar Ballot Battle, Win Dalit Votes
The Bihar assignment is also being seen by political observers as Mayawati’s bid to give Akash a base to prove his worth and regain stature within the party Akash Anand, who is the BSP’s chief national coordinator, has been tasked with not only winning over the Dalit voters but also other backward castes through ‘Bhaichara Committees’ (brotherhood committees) and strengthening the party in Bihar. File pic Another Dalit outfit has thrown its hat into the ring for the battle of Bihar votes. Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati, considered a Dalit messiah and a four-time chief minister of neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, has made her intentions clear to contest all 243 seats in the upcoming Bihar assembly polls. She has entrusted her nephew, Akash Anand, with the task, once considered her successor but later fell from grace, only to be brought back into the party fold. Akash Anand, who is the BSP’s chief national coordinator, has been tasked with not only winning over the Dalit voters but also other backward castes through “Bhaichara Committees” (brotherhood committees) and strengthening the party in Bihar. Party veteran and Mayawati’s trusted aide Ramji Gautam, a Rajya Sabha lawmaker, has also been deputed to assist Akash. Both held a party cadre meeting in Patna on June 26, and since then, the formation of Bhaichara Committees has begun. BSP has made it clear that it will not ally with any party in the Bihar polls and will contest all 243 seats. Akash Anand has the onerous task of picking the right candidates for all 243 seats and putting up an impressive fight to regain his stature within the party. The BSP, which formed the government four times in UP with Mayawati as the chief minister, has had a continuous downfall since 2012. The BSP has only one MLA in UP right now. The party peaked by winning five assembly seats in the 2000 Bihar assembly polls, and since then has managed to pick up a few odd seats in subsequent elections, failing to win any in the 2020 edition. Akash Anand, once considered Mayawati’s successor, was suddenly expelled from the party by her aunt earlier this year in March. Just before that, Akash’s father-in-law and senior BSP leader Ashok Sidharth was also expelled. Mayawati had accused Ashok Sidharth of factionalism and anti-party activities. But it was her expulsion of nephew Akash Anand that shocked the political class. Mayawati said that Akash was under the undue influence of his father-in-law and running a parallel structure within the BSP. As shocking as the expulsion was, within weeks, Akash Anand publicly apologised and was swiftly reinstated by Mayawati, who appointed him as the chief national coordinator, albeit with a warning to keep away from party affairs in UP and his father-in-law. Akash had then stated that he would devote his life to the party and that Mayawati was the supreme leader. Since then, he has been keeping a low profile and maintaining a distance from his father-in-law. On June 26, he was sent by Mayawati to the Bihar party workers’ meeting, and this would be his first big assignment since the comeback. The Bihar assignment is also being seen by political observers as Mayawati’s bid to give Akash a base to prove his worth and regain stature within the party. With union minister Chirag Paswan of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Jitan Ram Manjhi of HAM also vying to consolidate Dalits behind them in Bihar, it would be a challenging task for Akash Anand. Reported By : Manmohan Rai Edited By : Pathikrit Sen Gupta Courtesy : News18 Note: This news is originally published on https:/news18.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
‘Bihar first, Bihari first’: Chirag Paswan reveals reason behind his Bihar poll entry; says opposition all ‘jittery’
NEW DELHI: Union minister Chirag Paswan on Sunday said that he wants to contest the upcoming assembly elections “for the sake of Bihar,” and brushed aside attempts by “jittery” rivals to block his path. Addressing a rally titled Bahujan Bhim Sankalp Samagam at Rajgir in Nalanda, the home district of CM Nitish Kumar, Chirag slammed the opposition INDIA bloc, accusing them of misleading voters. He urged people to be careful against the “false narrative” of the bloc which “alleged during the Lok Sabha polls last year that the Constitution will be under threat if Prime Minister Narendra Modi got a third consecutive term.” “They are trying to play the same trick again in the run up to assembly polls. But you must remember that the worst attack on Constitution came during the Emergency when the Congress was in power and countless young men, mostly Dalits, minorities and OBCs, had been forcibly sterilised,” said the Lok Janshakti Party president. The Hajipur MP further criticised the Congress for allegedly using minority concerns as a political tool. “Today the Congress and its allies are busy trying to present themselves as the champions of minorities by attending a rally in Patna where they are opposing the Waqf Act which had been brought for the benefit of poor Muslims. They should be asked about the Turkman Gate massacre,” he said. Chirag also took aim at RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav for aligning with the Congress “just for the sake of power”. He challenged him to “seek an apology from Rahul Gandhi for excesses during the Emergency, the sufferers of which include his own father (RJD president Lalu Prasad)”. He went on to attack Rahul Gandhi for “carrying a red copy of the Constitution”, accusing the Congress of sidelining Babasaheb Ambedkar while in power. “It was the government of VP Singh, supported by the BJP, in which my idol and father late Ram Vilas Paswan a minister, that Bharat Ratna was given to Babasaheb, his picture was installed in Parliament and the report of Mandal Commission, put by the Congress in cold storage, was implemented,” he said. Talking about the issue of reservation, Chirag said that the opposition keeps on raising a “false alarm.” “The opposition keeps raising the false alarm that reservation will be scrapped. Let me give you the guarantee that this is not going to happen, as long as Chirag Paswan is alive,” he assured the people. Reflecting upon his comeback to the Bihar politics, he said that it symbolised people coming back to the state after fleeing from the lawlessness during the RJD rule. “Many people are jittery that I want to come to Bihar. They are trying to know whether I will be contesting elections here. I wish to tell them, I want to contest assembly polls for the sake of Bihar. So that my dream of Bihar First, Bihari First is realised,” he said. Chirag said that even though hurdles are being placed through his way, he won’t be discouraged, adding that previous attempts to weaken him by splitting his party and creating rifts in his family had failed. He urged his party workers to spread out across all 243 assembly constituencies and campaign for the NDA’s victory with the same determination as if he himself were contesting. “You give me NDA’s victory in assembly polls. I will give you a developed Bihar,” he added. 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 visit state on July 11
Bhubaneswar: Leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge are scheduled to visit Odisha on July 11 to attend the party’s ‘Save Constitution’ event in Bhubaneswar, Congress state president Bhakta Charan Das informed on Tuesday. During the visit, the party is likely to highlight the alleged rise in crimes against women in the state. 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.
CM Yogi, Rahul, Priyanga & others wish Akhilesh on 52nd b’day
Lucknow: As Samajwadi Party national president and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav celebrated his 52nd birthday on Tuesday, wishes poured in for him from all quarters. UP CM Yogi Adityanath took to social media platform ‘X’ to say: “Heartiest congratulations to UP’s former CM Akhilesh Yadav on his birthday.” The leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, hailed Yadav for being a strong voice of PDA (backward, Dalits, minorities). “Best wishes to Akhilesh Yadav bhai on his birthday. May you remain healthy and happy. We will fight for justice and equality with you, shoulder to shoulder,” he said in his message. Priyanka Gandhi, too, had a similar message for Yadav, where she hailed him as a bold voice for PDA. She wished for him a long and healthy life, assuring him of her support in his fight for social justice. Yadav’s uncle Shivpal described him as a symbol of new thinking, public service and struggle. “Your visionary leadership and commitment to socialist values will give a new direction to the future of the state. May God always keep you healthy and give you continued success on the path of public welfare,” he said. Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal also congratulated Yadav. In a message on ‘X’, he wrote: “Best wishes to the SP National President and former UP CM on his birthday. May God give you a healthy and long life.” Sanjay Singh, AAP MP and the party’s UP in-charge, described Yadav as a person who was fighting for the rights of PDA and for democracy and the Constitution, while wishing him on his birthday. In his message for Yadav on social media, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin said: “May you carry forward the torch of social justice in the land of VP Singh, lighting the way for progressive politics and stand ever stronger against regressive ideologies, in the proud legacy of your father Mulayam Singh Yadav.” Others who wished Yadav included UP Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana, deputy UP CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, UP panchayati raj minister OP Rajbhar, Union minister Anupriya Patel, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, NCP MP Supriya Sule, and Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren. 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.
Gandhis conspired to usurp Rs 2k crore co: ED in Herald case
NEW DELHI: ED on Wednesday told a special court that former Congress presidents Sonia and Rahul Gandhi wanted to take over a Rs 2,000 crore company – Associated Journals Limited (AJL) – that once published party organ National Herald. The agency, through additional solicitor general (ASG) SV Raju, submitted before the court of Special Judge Vishal Gogne that a conspiracy was hatched to create Young Indian Pvt Ltd, a not-for-profit company, in which Sonia and Rahul held 76% shares (38% each), to siphon off assets of AJL in lieu of repaying a Rs 90 crore loan (taken by AJL) to Congress. This debt was converted into equity in favour of Young Indian (YI), ED argued. The agency argued that the whole scheme was conceived for the benefit of the Gandhis, who controlled YI as well as AJL, the latter, while being in loss, had enough assets to repay the loan. “Losses were to the tune of Rs 70 lakh. They (YI) didn’t even have the wherewithal to pay Rs 50 lakh. During this time, Rahul and Sonia were directors of the company along with Sam Pitroda and others,” said Raju, adding that AJL was not making profit but it had assets worth Rs 2,000 crore. “How come they (AJL and its functionaries) didn’t have Rs 90 crore to repay the loan (given by Congress)? Any prudent person would’ve sold their assets to repay loans. This is absurd and can never be explained,” the ASG argued. The hearing saw Raju refuting the suggestion that since AJL was started by the first PM, Jawahar Lal Nehru, it was alright for Congress to acquire it. Referring to Sonia and Rahul, ED said till 2015, only these two individuals were the actual beneficiaries with full control over AJL’s assets and functioning. The court will continue to hear arguments on Thursday too. “AJL was not making a profit but it had large assets of Rs 2,000 crore. They were finding it difficult to manage their daily affairs. Thus, a Rs 90 crore loan was taken from Congress,” ASG submitted. He said several senior Congress functionaries engaged in fake transactions that existed only on paper to divert funds to AJL, adding that fabricated rent receipts and fraudulent advance rent payments were made over several years. 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.
‘I think RSS has moved on’: Did Shashi Tharoor defend the Sangh? Here’s what Congress MP said on Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Manusmriti’ charge
‘I think RSS has moved on’: Did Shashi Tharoor defend the Sangh? Here’s what Congress MP said on Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Manusmriti’ charge’I think RSS has moved on’: Did Shashi Tharoor defend the Sangh? Here’s what Congress MP said on Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Manusmriti’ charge NEW DELHI: Amidst the growing rift with the Congress Party, Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday appears to have sided with the RSS-BJP over the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi’s accusation that the RSS wanted ‘Manusmriti’, not the Constitution. While answering to a question over Rahul Gandhi’s tweet that the RSS-BJP want Manusmriti instead of the Constitution, Congress MP said that historically the Raebareli MP is right as then RSS chief MS Golwalkar had said that one of the greatest flaws of the Constitution is that there is nothing of the Manusmriti in it. “But I think the RSS itself has moved on from those days,” Tharoor said. “Historically, he’s (Rahul Gandhi) referring to the fact that that was a criticism expressed at the time of the adoption of the Constitution. Mr Golwalkar, amongst others, said that one of the greatest flaws of the Constitution is that there is nothing of the Manusmriti in it, but I think the RSS itself has moved on from those days. So, as a historical statement, it’s accurate, whether it’s a reflection of how they feel today. The RSS should be in the best position to answer that…” Tharoor said while talking to reporters. Shashi Tharoor’s widening rift with the Congress Party has come under renewed spotlight after a string of pointed remarks and cryptic social media posts seemingly challenging the party’s leadership. One such post read, “Don’t ask permission to fly. The wings are yours. And the sky belongs to no one.” This, followed by a series of similar messages, signaled growing tensions between Tharoor and the party. The tensions between Tharoor and Congress leadership rose after he praised PM Modi’s diplomacy during Operation Sindoor in a Hindu article, describing his “energy” and “dynamism” as assets for India’s global standing. The PMO shared the piece, fuelling speculation about Tharoor’s loyalty. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge indirectly rebuked him, suggesting his praise for PM Modi was inappropriate. “We say nation first, but some consider Modi first, country later. What can we do about that?” he asked. Tharoor, however, clarified that his remarks reflected national interest, not support for the BJP. 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.
Preamble Row Flares Up- After Tharoor’s ‘RSS Moved On’ Bombshell, RJD Slams VP Dhankhar’s Comments
The ongoing Preamble debate has intensified, with sharp political exchanges following remarks by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who said the Constitution’s Preamble was altered during the Emergency to add “socialist” and “secular,” calling preamble the “seed” of the Constitution. RJD MP Manoj Jha hit back, asking if the issue is with the words or their inclusion. Earlier, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had responded to Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Manusmriti’ tweet, noting historical RSS criticism of the Constitution but claimed the RSS has “moved on.” The row was first triggered by RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale, who questioned the additions during an Emergency anniversary event. 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.