Cong tribal leaders meet Rahul in Delhi
Ranchi: Cong leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday met with tribal leaders of several states, including Jharkhand, in Delhi to take stock of the issues and concerns of the adivasi population. From Jharkhand, over a dozen tribal workers of the party, including Lohardaga MP Sukhdeo Bhagat, state agriculture minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey, attended the meeting. The party’s spokesperson Satish Paul Munjini said that the meeting was aimed at preparing action plans to work for the welfare of adivasi communities. About Jharkhand, he said that the representatives detailed about the ongoing works of the alliance govt and existing issues. “The biggest demand for tribals is the implementation of Sarna Code ahead of the nationwide caste and population census. It was also discussed how previous BJP govt had conspired to evict the tribals from their lands in the guise of land banks and digitization. We will soon launch a campaign to address these issues,” he said, adding that Rahul Gandhi has assured his full support to take up the concerns at the national level to force union govt to act accordingly. 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.
After Rahul Gandhi’s big experiment in Gujarat, Congress announced city and district presidents, see full list
Gujarat Congress District President List: To defeat BJP in the 2027 Gujarat assembly elections, Congress started the organization creation campaign in March. Under this, Congress had decided to give strength to the district and city presidents. Congress has announced the names of new district and city presidents for the state. Ahmedabad: Congress has announced the new district and city heads of the state after the exercise of organization creation campaign in Gujarat. On the initiative of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the party had changed the process of appointment of district presidents from Gujarat. The party has made Sonal Patel the Ahmedabad city president, while the old heads have been retained in Vadodara city and district. Rahul Gandhi had visited Gujarat. After this, he appointed PCC observers along with the appointment of AICC observers. After this the party has appointed new city / district presidents. The presidents have been repeated in the list announced by the Congress, but according to an estimate, there are about 50 percent such names. Those who have got the responsibility of district / city president for the first time. Congress announced 40 city and district presidents for Gujarat. 2027 assembly election target A statement issued by the Congress said that the party’s national president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the appointment of District and City Congress Committee (DCC) presidents in Gujarat with immediate effect. These appointments have been made after a long exercise done under a rigorous organizational under the Organization Creation Campaign. To give a tough fight to the BJP in the 2027 Gujarat Assembly elections, the Congress has started the process of change in the organization from Gujarat. Its goal has been set to revive the party structure from booth to district level. List of new district and city presidents of Gujarat Congress Sl. No. Name of District/City President 1 Ahmedabad City Sonal Patel 2 Ahmedabad Rural Rajesh Kumar Gohil 3 Amreli Pratap Dudhat 4 Anand Alpesh Padiyar 5 Aravalli Amubhai Patel 6 Banaskantha Gulab Singh Rajput 7 Bharuch Rajendra Singh Rana 8 Bhavnagar Rural Pravinbhai Rathore 9 Bhavnagar City Manohar Singh Lalbha 10 Botad Himmat Kataria 11 Chhota Udepur Shashikant Rathwa 12 Dahod Harshadbhai Ninama 13 Dang Snehil Thackeray 14 Devbhoomi Dwarka Palbhai Ambalia 15 Gandhi Nagar Arvind Singh Solanki 16 Gandhinagar City Shakti Patel 17 Shakti Patel Punjabhai Vansh 18 Jamnagar City Virendrasinh Jadeja alias Diggubhai 19 Jamnagar Rural Manoj Kathiria 20 Junagadh City Manoj Joshi 21 Kheda Kalusingh Dabhi 22 Kutch V.K. Hambal 23 Mahisagar Harshad Shantilal Patel 24 Mahesana Baldevji Thakor 25 Morbi Kishorbhai Chikhlia 26 Narmada Ranjitsinh Tadvi 27 Navsari Shaileshbhai Patel 28 Panchmahal Chetansinh Parmar 29 Patan Ghembarbhai Patel 30 Porbandar Rambhai Maru 31 Rajkot City Dr. Rajdeepsinh Jadeja 32 Rajkot Rural Hitesh M Vohra 33 Sabarkantha Rambhai Solanki 34 Surat Rural Anand Chaudhary 35 Surat City Vipul Babubhai Udhnawala 36 Surendranagar Naushad Solanki 37 Naushad Solanki Naushad Solanki 38 Naushad Solanki Jashpal Singh Padhiyar 39 Vadodara City Ritwik Joshi 40 Valsad Kishanbhai B Patel Observers were announced in April The party had announced Gujarat Assembly polls on April 12, 2025 43 AICC observers and 183 PCC observers were deployed in all the districts of the state. These included state in-charges, MPs, MLAs and former PCC presidents. After this, the AICC observers along with the PCC observers visited all 26 Lok Sabha constituencies, 182 assembly constituencies and almost all 235 block Congress committees. After this, the names of the district and city presidents were decided. Congress is in the worst position in Gujarat till now. Out of 26 Lok Sabha seats, Congress has only Banaskantha seat, while it has only 12 MLAs in the assembly. Congress state chief Shakti Singh Gohil is the only Rajya Sabha member. His term is till April next year. Written by: Achalendra Katiyar Achalendra Katiyar has studied from Jamia Millia Islamia Delhi. After this, he worked in reputed national newspapers of Meerut, Kanpur and Delhi. Since June 2020, he has been active in understanding the politics and culture of Gujarat. Courtesy: Hindi News
Rahul Gandhi says English is ’empowering’
English is “empowering” not “shameful” and it is a tool to break the chains, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said following home minister Amit Shah’s reported remarks on English. On Friday, Rahul on X also said, “English is not a chain – it is a tool to break the chains.” “In today’s world, English is as important as one’s mother tongue because it will provide employment and boost one’s confidence,” Rahul said. “Every language of India has soul, culture, knowledge. We have to cherish them ,” he said. 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.
BJP MLA faces charges of insulting Dalit panchayat president
Danapuram (Andhra Pradesh), June 20 (PTI) BJP MLA from Adoni Constituency in Andhra Pradesh, PV Parthasarathi, is facing charges of insulting a Dalit Panchayat president at Danapuram village in Kurnool district recently. The Panchayat president filed a police complaint. The alleged incident occurred during Parthasarathi’s visit to Dhanapuram on Monday where he was overseeing the Jal Jeevan Mission programme implementation at a temple premises. In a video that has gone viral, Parthasarathi was seen calling the president Chandrashekhar onto the rostrum in the temple premises, however as the president did not turn up, he called for him three-four times and then enquired that if the president was a Christian and hence hesitated to come onto the platform. Then a local woman TDP leader seen and heard in the video whispering to the MLA that the sarpanch belonged to a Schedule Caste (SC), later, the MLA acknowledged the whisper and gestured the sarpanch to stand on the ground in front of the elevated platform. The MLA’s action is being criticised as caste-based discrimination. As the video went viral and triggered a controversy, the BJP MLA responded saying that he asked only about the president’s religion because he “appeared reluctant to step onto the temple platform”. “I called him to join me. As he seemed hesitant, I asked if he was from a different religion. TDP leader responded, as seen in the video,” Parthasarathi told reporters. While denying discrimination, he acknowledged that the TDP leader mentioned his caste and apologised for that, taking full responsibility for what happened in his presence. Meanwhile, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP condemned the MLA’s behaviour, accusing the ruling NDA coalition government of displaying “blatant caste discrimination”. “Why does your alliance have such disdain for SCs, Naidu?” questioned the YSRCP in a post on ‘X’. Similarly, the Human Rights Forum (HRF) condemned BJP MLA for failing to stop the public ‘humiliation’ of Dalit sarpanch during a Jal Jeevan Mission event. “TDP leader blocked the sarpanch, citing his caste,” it claimed, demanding to invoke the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 against both the BJP MLA and the TDP leader and warned of protests if authorities fail to respond. “Despite taking an oath under the Constitution to uphold equality, the BJP MLA’s silence in the face of discrimination is deeply troubling,” said the HRF in a press release. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI) Courtesy : The Week Note: This news is originally published on https:/theweek.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
PM Modi slams RJD for ‘insulting’ Ambedkar says Bihar won’t tolerate disrespect to Dalit icon
Siwan (Bihar), (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday slammed the RJD for allegedly insulting Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar and asserted that the people of Bihar would not tolerate any disrespect to the Dalit icon. At a rally in Siwan district, which marked his fifth visit this year to the state and second in less than a month, Modi hailed the “big role” played by Bihar in India’s emergence as the “third largest economy” of the world. In a nearly 45-minute-long speech that followed the launch of projects worth more than Rs 5,900 crore and the flagging off of a Vande Bharat train, the Prime Minister cautioned the people against “attempts to recapture economic resources of Bihar” by the RJD-led opposition in the assembly polls due later this year. “Ambedkar was against dynasty rule. But they (RJD and its allies) do not like it. So they have his portrait placed at their feet. On my way, I saw posters demanding an apology for this insult to Babasaheb,” said Modi. He added, “But there has been no apology. This is because they hold Dalits in contempt. In contrast, Modi has Babasaheb in his heart and would like to keep his portrait close to his chest”. Modi, who did not mention RJD chief Lalu Prasad by name, referred to the instance of a portrait of Ambedkar being placed close to the feet of the ailing septuagenarian, for which he (Prasad) has been drawing flak from the BJP-led NDA. “The reason is that the RJD-Congress people have little respect for people belonging to the deprived castes, the Dalits, the OBCs and the EBCs. They consider themselves above Babasaheb Ambedkar. But they must remember that the disrespect to Babasaheb Ambedkar will not be forgiven by the people of Bihar,” the PM said. Modi also asserted that the world was greatly impressed with India’s progress and underscored Bihar’s big role in the country’s emergence as the world’s “third largest economy”. “You all know I have returned from abroad only yesterday. During my tour, I met many leaders of the developed world. They all were greatly impressed with the rate of progress in India. They are watching India becoming the third-largest economy in the world. In this, Bihar will definitely play a big role,” said the PM. In the last 11 years, the NDA government at the Centre has devoted itself to removing every hurdle that stands in the way of the poor, he said. “We will continue to make such efforts. The hard work has yielded handsome results,” the PM said. In the past decade, a record number of 25 crore Indians have defeated poverty, and this feat of India is being lauded by renowned institutions like the World Bank, he said. “In this national accomplishment, Bihar and the government headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar have played a significant role,” said Modi. The PM also said a “prosperous” Bihar will help the country prosper. Training his guns at the opposition INDIA bloc, he said, “Beware, those responsible for jungle raj are looking for another opportunity to wreak havoc like they had once done.” They are playing various tricks to ensure that they recapture the state’s economic resources, claimed Modi, in an apparent reference to several populist promises made by the RJD and its ally Congress in the run-up to the assembly polls. “Unlike the NDA, which worked for development of all with support of all (‘sabka saath sabka vikas’), the opposition stood for family rule (‘parivar ka saath, parivar ka vikas’), which was against the spirit of the Constitution, given to us by Babasaheb Ambedkar”, Modi claimed. “This is the reason why the Congress-RJD people have portraits of Babasaheb Ambedkar placed at their feet. In contrast, Modi keeps Babasaheb Ambedkar in his heart,” remarked the Prime Minister. Modi, who reached the venue perched atop an open vehicle, flanked on either side by Nitish Kumar, who heads the JD(U), and Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, both from the BJP. The chief minister, whose speech preceded that of the PM, showered praises on Modi for ordering a caste census, which the JD(U) boss had been demanding for long, and called upon the audience to rise in their seats as a mark of gratitude. In keeping with his penchant for adding local flavour to his speeches, Modi began his address by greeting the people in the local dialect of Bhojpuri and paying tributes to the first President Rajendra Prasad, who hailed from Siwan, and legendary socialist leader Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan, who belonged to the adjoining district of Saran. The function saw the launch of projects worth more than Rs 5,900 crore by the PM, who also flagged off a Vande Bharat train that would run between Pataliputra Junction in the state capital and Gorakhpur in adjoining Uttar Pradesh. These development projects will take Bihar towards a bright future and make the state prosperous, said the PM. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI) Courtesy : The Week Note: This news is originally published on https:/theweek.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
‘Together, firmly’: Rahul Gandhi acknowledges Akhilesh Yadav’s b’day wish, SP chief and Congress MP reaffirm shared PDA agenda
LUCKNOW: Amid ongoing blow-hot-blow-cold ties between SP and the Congress – the two key INDIA bloc constituents — Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav not only exchanged pleasantries on X, but the former also assured the latter that they would raise the voice of PDA together.The PDA (backwards, Dalits and minorities) was the term coined by the SP chief to appeal to the OBCs, SCs and Muslims before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. On the occasion of Rahul’s 55th birthday, Akhilesh took to his X handle to extend greetings. “Heartfelt congratulations to Rahul Gandhi on his birthday and best wishes for his harmonious, inclusive, and comprehensive socio-political activism!” wrote Akhilesh. In response to the post, Rahul wrote back: “Akhilesh ji, thank you very much for your wishes. We will continue to raise the voice of the people of Uttar Pradesh – especially the PDA – even more strongly from the streets to Parliament. Together, firmly.” This was the first time after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls that the two leaders spoke publicly about ‘moving ahead together’. It comes close on the heels of Akhilesh’s press statement announcing that the INDIA bloc would contest 2027 UP elections together amid the UP Congress’s organisational building workshop focusing on fortifying their unit in all the 403 seats of the state. UP state leaders, however, maintained that there was no rift with the SP. “The so-called rift between SP and us was a handiwork of the BJP propaganda peddlers who are scared of the power of the INDIA bloc,” said Ajay Rai, UP Congress president. AICC incharge for UP, Avinash Pande, said: “Organisational building is a primary commitment of party leadership with its followers and workers. We have been working on all the 403 seats of UP to be able to take on the BJP in a much stronger way. Strengthening Congress means fortifying the INDIA bloc as well,” he said. Rahul to Akhilesh: We will raise PDA’s voice together Amid ongoing blow-hot-blow-cold ties between SP and the Cong — the two key INDIA bloc constituents — Cong MP Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav not only exchanged pleasantries on X, but the former also assured the latter that they would raise the voice of PDA together. The PDA (backwards, Dalits and minorities) was the term coined by the SP chief to appeal to the OBCs, SCs and Muslims before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 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.
BJP-RSS don’t want poor children to learn English… Rahul Gandhi’s strong attack
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi posted on X that English is a bridge, not a dam. He alleged that BJP-RSS don’t want poor children of India to learn English and move forward. He stressed that every language of India has a soul, culture, knowledge. New Delhi: Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) don’t want poor children of India to learn English because they don’t want people to ask questions, move forward and be equal. He also said that we should teach English to every child because in today’s era, as much as Hindi is important as mother tongue, so is English. English is not shame, but power The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha made this comment a day after an alleged statement by Home Minister Amit Shah. Rahul Gandhi posted on ‘X’ that English is not a dam, but a bridge. English is not shame, but power. English is not a chain – it is a tool to break chains. He alleged that BJP-RSS do not want poor children of India to learn English because they do not want people to ask questions and be equal. What else did Rahul Gandhi say? Rahul Gandhi also said that in today’s world, English is as important as your mother tongue because it will provide employment and boost self-confidence. He stressed that every language of India has soul, culture and knowledge. We have to cherish them and at the same time teach English to every child. This is the way to an India that competes with the world. Give equal opportunity to every child. Authored by: NBT Desk Courtesy : Hindi News
Andhra BJP MLA denies stage access to Dalit sarpanch, video sparks outrage
A viral video from Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district shows BJP MLA PV Parthasarathi allegedly denying a Dalit sarpanch access to the stage after learning his caste. The video sparked public outrage over caste-based discrimination, especially at a public event. A video from Adoni in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district has gone viral on social media, showing BJP MLA PV Parthasarathi allegedly humiliating a Dalit sarpanch during a public event by denying him access to the stage upon learning of his caste. The video, dated June 16, captures Parthasarathi addressing a public gathering in his constituency. During the event, the MLA is seen calling out to a sarpanch in the crowd, saying, “Hey Sarpanch, you come here, why are you standing there?” As the sarpanch hesitates to step forward, the MLA is then heard asking, “Is he a Christian?” A Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader standing next to him responds, “He is a Scheduled Caste (SC), sir.” Following this, both the BJP MLA and the TDP leader appear to gesture toward the ground in front of the stage, instructing the sarpanch to remain there instead of joining them on stage. “Okay, come and stand here then,” the MLA says, and the sarpanch complies. The TDP leader can be seen repeatedly covering her face from the cameras during this exchange. The video has triggered sharp criticism online, with many calling the incident casteist and humiliating. Several users have pointed to the body language and gestures of the leaders as deeply disrespectful, particularly in a public setting. “Who’s more to blame the casteist leader who insulted the Dalit sarpanch, or the sarpanch himself who stayed silent, valuing power over dignity? Isn’t this silence what emboldens daily humiliation of Dalits, Muslims, and the marginalised?” wrote an X user. “A BJP MLA publicly degrades a Dalit Sarpanch with ‘Oh, SC ha?’ This is not a slip-up. It’s caste supremacy showing its real face.” wrote another. Courtesy : India Today Note: This news is originally published on https:/indiatoday.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
NPCC holds blood donation camp on Rahul’s b’day
Dimapur: The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) on Thursday organised a special blood donation camp at the Congress Bhavan in Kohima to commemorate the birthday of party leader Rahul Gandhi. “The event served as a meaningful platform for the people to come together in the spirit of service and donate blood — a precious gift of life,” the Pradesh Congress said in a release. Nagaland’s lone Lok Sabha MP and NPCC president S Supongmeren Jamir expressed his gratitude to all those who generously came forward to donate blood. He also extended heartfelt appreciation to the medical staff from Naga Hospital Kohima for their professional and dedicated service throughout the camp. Later in the day, as part of the celebrations, the MP, accompanied by other party workers, visited the Kohima Orphanage and donated essential supplies to the children. 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.
Cong celebrates Rahul’s birthday with charitable works
Lucknow: The UP Congress workers and leaders celebrated the 55th birthday of Rahul Gandhi with charitable works and exchanging sweets at the party units. In Lucknow, AICC in charge for UP Avinash Pandey and state president Ajay Rai along with national secretary Rajesh Tiwari distributed fruits and food items to inmates of Adarsh Leprosy Ashram in Ashiana. In Amethi, party workers went to local hospitals to distribute fruits. Thereafter, the state-level leadership organised a cake-cutting ceremony, where they celebrated and prayed for Rahul’s wellbeing by exchanging sweets. Akhilesh wishes Rahul on his birthday Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday extended birthday greetings to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. “Heartfelt birthday greetings to Rahul Gandhi ji and best wishes for a harmonious, inclusive, and accommodating socio-political activism,” he said. 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.