‘INDIA bloc is intact’: Akhilesh Yadav’s remark amid calls for leadership change in oppn camp
NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday asserted that the “INDIA bloc is intact” amid ongoing calls for a leadership change within the alliance. While talking to reporters in Chandigarh, the SP chief slammed critics and said that those who talk about “divide-and-rule politics” must be dealt with very cautiously. “The INDIA alliance is intact and will remain intact. Our priority is how to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party in West Bengal and how to defeat it in Uttar Pradesh,” Akhilesh said. “The election in Uttar Pradesh will not just be the 2027 election; it will also set the direction for 2029. Those who talk about divide-and-rule politics must be dealt with very cautiously. They may create such situations that divide society, so we need to remain very careful about that,” he added. This comes after veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is central to the survival of the opposition INDIA bloc. While talking to news agency IANS, Aiyar suggested that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should allow leaders of smaller parties to steer the INDIA bloc. “Without Mamata di, the ‘I’, ‘N’, ‘D’, ‘I’, ‘A’ of the INDIA alliance will all be gone. Because Mamata Banerjee is the leader of this alliance,” Aiyar said. Earlier, Sanjaya Baru, who served as media adviser to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said that “new ideas should” lead or manage the INDIA bloc. Additionally, Shiv Sena (UBT) also called for dialogue within the alliance and said that the opposition must not wait until polls are announced to coordinate its strategy. In an editorial, the party’s mouthpiece Saamana said, stressing that multiple inner voices are emerging within the grand old party. The statements comes e ahead of assembly elections in four states and one Union Territory — West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to announce the official schedule soon. 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
‘Peaceful protest our right’: Rahul Gandhi backs Youth Congress after chief’s arrest, says ‘proud of Babbar Sher comrades’
NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hailed “Babbar Sher comrades” of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers detained for protesting during the AI Summit at Bharat Mandapam. He praised the youth wing for fearlessly raising their voices, saying “peaceful protest is our right.” Sharing a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, “Peaceful protest is our historic heritage. It is in our blood and is the democratic right of every Indian. I am proud of my Babbar Sher comrades in the Youth Congress, who have fearlessly raised their voices in the nation’s interest against the ‘COMPROMISED PM’.” He alleged that the India-US trade agreement was detrimental to national interests. “The Trade Deal with America has compromised the country’s interests. This agreement will harm our farmers and textile industry and hand over our data to America,” he said. Reaffirming his party’s support for the protesters, he added, “The Congress Party and I stand firmly with our Babbar Sher comrades. Holding a mirror to power with the truth is not a crime, it is patriotism. Do not fear – truth and the Constitution are with us.” Rahul’s remarks came after around 10 IYC workers were detained on Friday for briefly raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi inside Exhibition Hall No. 5 at Bharat Mandapam during the AI Summit. According to police, the incident occurred around 12.30 pm. Additional Commissioner of Police Devesh Mahla said the protesters had registered online to attend the summit. The group entered the venue wearing or carrying white T-shirts printed with images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. The T-shirts also bore slogans such as “India-US Trade Deal,” “Epstein Files,” and “PM is compromised.” The protest reportedly led to heated exchanges with some attendees before security personnel intervened. Officials said those detained are being identified and that appropriate legal action is being initiated. Earlier in the day, Delhi Police sought seven days of police custody for Indian Youth Congress chief Uday Bhanu Chib, who was arrested in connection with the protest. Chib was produced before a judicial magistrate at Patiala House Court following his arrest after questioning. Police alleged that there was a “common intention” behind the demonstration and claimed Chib was the mastermind. According to investigators, he “hatched the conspiracy” and arranged logistics and funding for the protest. Responding to the arrest, Rahul Gandhi described it as politically motivated. “The arrest of Youth Congress President Uday Bhanu Chib and other IYC comrades for bringing this truth before the nation is proof of dictatorial tendencies and cowardice,” he said in his post on X. The protest, including reports of a “shirtless” demonstration by some youth wing members, triggered sharp political reactions. BJP leaders criticised the Congress, accusing it of orchestrating a disruption and attempting to “bring shame to the country on the global platform.” 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
‘Peaceful protest our right’: Rahul Gandhi backs Youth Congress after chief’s arrest, says ‘proud of Babbar Sher comrades’
Dalit man tied to wooden cot, beaten to death in Jharkhand; mob violence suspected over love affair
DALTONGANJ: A 25-year-old Dalit man was lynched allegedly by a mob on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday at Telyahi village in Palamu district, police said. According to the law enforcers, the lynching could be related to a love angle, but the accused charged him with theft. “We are probing the crime from all angles,” Palamu SP Reeshma Ramesan said. The victim, Pawan Kumar, was tied to a leg of a wooden cot and beaten up. One person has been detained in connection with the crime. Parwa police station officer-in-charge Anchit Kumar said they received a call around midnight alleging that a youth was being beaten up on suspicion of attempting to steal a tractor battery. A patrol team reached the village and found Kumar tied up and surrounded by an aggressive mob. Police rescued him and rushed him to the Medinirai Medical College and Hospital in Daltonganj around 4.06 am, where the doctors declared him dead on arrival. SP Ramesan said no battery was recovered from the victim and described the theft allegation as “unfounded” and a “deception” meant to mislead the police. The investigators are probing a possible “love angle,” as Kumar was allegedly called to the spot by a girl. Police sources suspected the killing may have been linked to a personal relationship and could involve members of the girl’s family and their associates. Kumar, a resident of nearby Kokarsa village, was allegedly lured to Telyahi. An FIR was lodged by the victim’s father, Manoj Ram, with Parwa police station in connection with the incident. The case has been registered under Section 103(2) of the BNS, which pertains to mob lynching. Police have withheld the names of the accused, saying they could abscond. Under the direction of the District Legal Services Authority chairman, Ram Sharma, who is also the principal district and sessions judge, para-legal volunteer Pankaj Pathak will visit the family to initiate and provide interim victim compensation. DLSA secretary Rakesh Ranjan said the family would receive legal assistance.The post-mortem was video-graphed. The victim, Pawan Kumar, was tied to a leg of a wooden cot and beaten up. One person has been detained 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
‘Opposition Raising Dalit CM Slogan To Cover Shortcomings,’ Says Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara; Cabinet To Decide On Student Union Elections
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara accused opposition parties of using the Dalit Chief Minister issue to cover their shortcomings, stating Congress decides on such appointments. He said student elections will be decided by the Cabinet and declined to comment on the dispute between Siddaramaiah and H.D. Kumaraswamy over caste politics. Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday accused the opposition parties of raising the slogan of a Dalit Chief Minister to cover up their own shortcoming, asserting that it is the Congress party that makes Dalits Chief Minister and only the High Command decides on the timing of such an appointment. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Parameshwara also addressed the ongoing discussion regarding conducting student elections in colleges and regarding the war of words between former CM Siddaramaiah and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy over caste politics. On the discussion around the Dalit Chef Minister, Parameshwara dismissed it as an opposition move to cover up their own shortcomings. “This is all the handiwork of the opposition parties. To cover up their own shortcomings, the opposition has raised the slogan of a Dalit Chief Minister. Isn’t our Chief Minister governing? Isn’t the administration functioning? It is the opposition that is unnecessarily bringing in the Dalit CM factor,” Parameshwara said. He further emphasized that it is congress party that provides opportunities to Dalits to become chief ministers. “It is the Congress party that makes Dalits the Chief Minister — who else does it? The High Command will decide when a Dalit Chief Minister should be appointed,” Parameshwara said. On the question regarding conducting student elections in colleges, Parameshwara said the decision will be taken in the Cabinet. “Earlier, when K.H. Ranganath was the Higher Education Minister, clashes took place in some colleges and universities. At that time, elections to student unions were stopped. When I was the Higher Education Minister, we had banned syndicate elections. Now, there is again a discussion about conducting student union elections. We have to see what decision will be taken in the Cabinet,” Parameshwara said. Regarding the war of words between CM Siddaramaiah and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy over caste politics, Parameshwara declines to respond, citing their past association. “I cannot respond to this. Siddaramaiah was earlier in the JD(S) and was its president. Later, he was expelled from the party. We do not know what all issues exist between them. I cannot comment on the exchange of words between the two,” Parameshwara said. (Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ’s editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.) Courtesy : TFPJ Note: This news is originally published on https:/thefreepressjournal.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit newlyweds denied temple entry in Karnataka’s Tumakuru:Accused tells couple to worship at home
A Dalit couple was stopped from entering a temple in Tumakuru district, Karnataka. The young couple had recently married. When they arrived at the temple, a man named Narayanappa prevented them from entering. He told them that Dalit people should worship at home and not come to the temple. The incident occurred on 21 February at the Arasamma temple in Tumakuru village. The couple filed a police complaint against five people. They said that Narayanappa had publicly threatened them, and others present at the temple had supported him. Following the complaint, police arrested the main accused, Narayanappa. The other accused are still absconding, and police say the search for them is ongoing. A dispute broke out between people of Hindu and Muslim communities during Shivaji Jayanti in Bagalkot. A dispute broke out between people of Hindu and Muslim communities during Shivaji Jayanti in Bagalkot. February 20: Hindu-Muslim dispute erupted on Shivaji Jayanti A Shivaji Jayanti procession was held in Bagalkot on Thursday night around 10 PM. When it passed the Panka Mosque area, stones and slippers were thrown at the procession. Bagalkot SP Siddharth Goyal said a policeman was injured in the stone-pelting. The SP said police are reviewing CCTV footage. Action will be taken against the culprits once the footage is examined. Section 163 of BNS will remain in force in the area until midnight on 24 February. The situation is under control. Eyewitness Umesh said the incident occurred near the mosque during the procession. Around 8–10 people threw stones and slippers. No arrests have been made yet. Meanwhile, police confirmed that on 20 February, during the Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti procession in Bagalkot district, shoes, slippers, and stones were thrown at the procession near a mosque. Courtesy : Bhaskar English Note: This news is originally published on https:/bhaskarenglish.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Without Mamata di …’: Mani Shankar Aiyar’s advise to Rahul Gandhi on INDIA bloc leadership
NEW DELHI: Days after publicly hoping for Pinarayi Vijayan’s victory in the upcoming Kerala elections, veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar claimed West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is central to the survival of the opposition INDIA bloc. While talking to news agency IANS, Aiyar suggested that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should allow leaders of smaller parties to steer the INDIA bloc. “Without Mamata di, the ‘I’, ‘N’, ‘D’, ‘I’, ‘A’ of the INDIA alliance will all be gone. Because Mamata Banerjee is the leader of this alliance,” Aiyar said. “I hope that instead of trying to remain in this position, which belongs to smaller parties — be it MK Stalin, Mamata Didi, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, or someone else — Rahul Gandhi should let them handle it,” he added. Recalling his early political association with Mamata Banerjee, Aiyar said he briefly joined the Trinamool Congress in 1997 and served as its first National Secretary but left within weeks, concluding that the party was rooted in Bengali identity. Responding to whether he is still in Congress, Aiyar said he still considers himself in the party but suggested possible disciplinary action against him. “I consider myself to be in Congress, but it seems they may have decided to expel me. However, I have not received any formal letter,” Aiyar said. He added that although reports suggested he had been expelled, he had received no official communication. “If you want the Congress’ view, ask a Congressman,” Aiyar remarked, while also saying that he believed many within the Congress support Mamata Banerjee. Earlier, Aiyar praised the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala, led by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Things escalated rapidly when Aiyar, speaking to ANI, dismissed the authority of the current Congress leadership and declared: “I am a Gandhian, I am a Nehruvian, I am a Rajivian, but I am not a Rahulian.” Invoking BR Ambedkar’s description of dissent as being “a part but apart,” Aiyar positioned himself as an ideological insider with the right to rebel. The tone, however, soon turned confrontational. Targeting Congress spokesperson **Pawan Khera**, Aiyar said: “I have absolutely no respect and complete contempt for Pawan Khera… He is not a spokesperson, he is a parrot.” Within hours, Congress distanced itself from the remarks and publicly severed any association with Aiyar. Khera issued a statement on X distancing the party from Aiyar’s comments: “Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar has had no connection whatsoever with the Congress for the past few years. He speaks and writes purely in his personal capacity.” 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
Aiyar, Rahul and the dynasty politics of leadership
Keshav Upadhye, a young, dynamic and prominent face, has been working with the Bharatiya Janata Party for over two decades. In 2014, the then state president Devendra Fadnavis … MORE Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar has recently exposed the internal unrest within the party. “I am not a ‘Rahulian’”, said Mani Shankar Aiyar. Only he can tell why he chose this particular time to make this statement. Aiyar is known to be a part of late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s inner circle. He also served as a Union Minister for some time. Even before Aiyar, several senior Congress leaders had written a letter to Sonia Gandhi a few years ago, urging her not to make Rahul Gandhi party president and not to hand over the reins of the party to him. Through a letter, they demanded that the Congress must have a full-time president. Over the past 25–30 years, several limitations of Rahul Gandhi as a leader have been repeatedly exposed. After realizing that he cannot be a strong alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi has begun spreading false narratives about the Modi government at both national and international levels. Be it demonetization, the surgical and air strikes on Pakistan, Operation Sindoor, the purchase of Rafale aircraft or the Agniveer scheme of the Defence Ministry, Rahul Gandhi has attempted to spread blatant lies on several such issues over the past 12 years. He tried to accuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi by alleging irregularities in the purchase of Rafale aircraft. After reviewing all documents related to the Rafale aircraft purchase, the Supreme Court clearly stated in its judgment that there was no irregularity in the deal. While delivering its judgment, the Supreme Court not only cleared all doubts concerning the deal but also exposed Rahul Gandhi’s falsehood. But even after that, the Congress prince kept on lying about this deal. As a result, he had to tender an apology before the Supreme Court. Despite this big blow from the Supreme Court, Rahul Gandhi continued his campaign of spreading false narratives against the Modi government. Rahul Gandhi does not miss a single opportunity to malign the country and the Modi government on the international stage, based on lies. He has every right to criticize the government’s policies and decisions not only as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, but also as an ordinary citizen. Prime Minister Narendra Modi never expresses his opinion on the allegations made by Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi persistently tried to poison the minds of the country’s youth regarding the Defence Ministry’s Agniveer scheme. Many former officials of the armed forces have analysed in detail how beneficial this scheme is for the country’s internal security. Despite that, Rahul Gandhi, with the aim of creating doubts in the minds of youngsters, stated that the martyred Agniveers were not receiving compensation from the government. The families of the martyred Agniveers had dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s claim. For Rahul Gandhi, being aggressive against the government means giving priority to creating unrest by spreading baseless allegations. Rahul Gandhi has started the same game of spreading utterly false narrative about the India-US trade deal. Experienced leaders within the Congress do not agree with his tactics. Yet, he is dragging the party along in the name of aggression. Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are always extremely vigilant about not letting anyone outside the Gandhi family assume the reins of the Congress party. In 1997-98, senior leader Sitaram Kesri refused to step down as Congress president even though it was a wish of the Gandhi family. Back then, Mrs. Gandhi wanted to take the reins of the party by becoming its president. Several senior party leaders know how Kesri was confined to a room at that time. Sonia Gandhi had considered the age and several political limitations of Mallikarjun Kharge while appointing him as the party president. Former External Affairs Minister Shashi Tharoor contested the election for the post of party president against Kharge. Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi systematically pulled all the strings behind the scenes to make sure that Kharge gets elected. Rahul Gandhi was afraid that Shashi Tharoor would become more popular than him. For the same reason, young and dynamic leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sachin Pilot were denied the post of Chief Minister in their states. Unaware that leadership can be proven through constructive and constitutional ways, Rahul Gandhi has chosen a path of disruptive aggression. Although the Modi government had assured, by releasing the details of the India-US trade deal, that the agreement would not harm the country’s dairy producers or farmers, Rahul Gandhi still blatantly lied in Parliament. Rahul Gandhi does not care that his opposition tarnishes the country’s image on the international stage. It should not be a surprise if Congress leaders who do not agree with such extreme politics unite in the near future. Keshav Upadhye 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
Infant dies in Nagar Kurnool after caste-based temple assault
The family claims they were barred from entering the temple, beaten by organizers, and denied police help Hyderabad: A two-month-old infant succumbed to injuries from an alleged castedriven attack at the Kummera Mallanna Jathara in Nagar Kurnool mandal on February 21. The family claims they were barred from entering the temple, beaten by organizers, and denied police help. Chakali Chandrakala, her son Ganesh, daughter-in-law, and daughter arrived for Mallanna darshan during the jathara. Organizers—including village sarpanch Tukaram Reddy, Undyala Srinivas Reddy, Srikant Reddy, Satish Reddy Kannireddy, and Kufender Reddy—allegedly stopped them at the gate. When Chandrakala protested, the group reportedly hurled caste-based abuses and assaulted the family, ignoring pleas to halt due to the infant’s presence. The family alleges one assailant kicked the two-month-old child, who fell critically ill and was rushed to a hospital. Despite treatment, the infant died. They attribute the denial of temple entry to their backward caste status. Approaching Nagarkurnool Police Station for justice, the family says officers threatened them and refused to file a report. Victims claim the organizers, from an upper caste and linked to the Congress party, used their clout to evade accountability. The family now seeks protection, a thorough probe, and severe punishment for those responsible. Courtesy : Madhyamam Note: This news is originally published on https:/madhyamam.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
UP govt teacher assaults 10yo Dalit girl for refusing toclean toilet, threatens to strike her name off school
Agra: A govt primary school teacher at a village in Aligarh allegedly threatened to strike a 10-year-old Dalit girl’s name off the rolls if she did not clean the toilet. When the Class 5 student still refused, citing ill health and her father’s objection to do such work, she was allegedly thrashed by the 40-year-old woman teacher. The incident took place at Aligarh’s Karsua village in Lodha area on Thursday, and came to light after a local villager recorded a video of the girl’s experience at school and uploaded it online, triggering public outrage and a police inquiry. In the short video, the girl could be heard saying the teacher asked her to clean the toilet and fill buckets with water. When she refused, the teacher became angry and started beating her, she alleged. She also claimed that other children at the school were routinely made to clean furniture and perform chores. “The teacher sometimes even asks the students to massage her feet,” the student says in the video clip. Later when the 10-year-old’s father, Joginder Singh, a daily wager, confronted the teacher in school, the latter called her brother, who then allegedly assaulted him on its premises. “The teacher thrashed my daughter and the teacher’s brother thrashed me; so I decided to approach the cops. When some elderly villagers requested me to withdraw my complaint, I agreed to do so, only in my case. But, I won’t compromise in my daughter’s case,” the father said on Saturday. He added: “A sub-inspector visited my house on Saturday and asked me to file a fresh police complaint.” DSP (Gabhana) Dhananjay Singh said that they had taken note of the video, and local cops had initiated an inquiry and were in touch with the family. “We’re exploring the necessary legal steps in this matter. We’re also corresponding with the education department,” Singh added. SHO (Lodha), Hemant Mavi, said that a case will be registered under relevant sections once they receive a written complaint. 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