'Protect All Daughters Or No One? Supreme Court's Tough Manipur Questions
NEW DELHI, July 31: The government today faced tough questions on Manipur, as the Supreme Court took up the petition of two women paraded naked and sexually assaulted by a mob. What happened in Manipur could not be justified "by saying that this and this happened elsewhere", Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said, when a lawyer brought up the recent poll violence in Bengal.
The Chief Justice raised six pointed questions and sought a response within 24 hours by the Centre and Manipur.
"There is no gainsaying the fact that crimes against women are taking place in all parts. The only answer is this. You cannot excuse what is taking place in one part of the country, like Manipur, on the ground that similar crimes are happening in other parts too. The question is, how do we deal with Manipur? Mention that...Are you saying protect all daughters of India or don't protect anyone?" the Chief Justice asked, responding to lawyer Bansuri Swaraj, who spoke about crimes against women in Bengal, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.
"We are dealing with something which is of unprecedented nature -- violence in a situation of communal and sectarian strife."
On a request from the lawyer for the two victims, who argued that the women should have confidence in the investigation, the government said it had no objection if the Supreme Court monitored the investigation in the case.
"The government doesn't have the data now to tell you how many such cases have been registered. That shows the state of affairs," senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the two women, said while requesting a Supreme Court-monitored probe.
The court asked the Centre how many of around 6,000 FIRs filed since the violence broke out in Manipur were for crimes against women. The Centre said it did not have a break-up of such cases. The Supreme Court then directed the Centre and the Manipur government to return tomorrow with information on six points:
1. Break-up of cases
2. How many zero FIRs
3. How many transferred to the police station that has jurisdiction
4. How many arrested so far
5. Status of legal aid to the arrested accused
6. How many Section 164 statements (or statements before the nearest magistrate) recorded so far
The Supreme Court termed the offences against women "horrendous", and said it did not want the case to be handled by Manipur police. "Time running out for us, there is great need to have healing touch in the state," it said.
"This is not just one case like Nirbhaya. That is one isolated incident. Here it's a systemic violence perpetrated," the Supreme Court added.
Police were collaborating with the culprits who perpetrated the violence, Sibal alleged earlier during arguments, adding that the women sought protection from the police, but they took them to the crowd instead.
"Incident on May 4. Zero FIR was registered on May 18. Transferred to the concerned police station in June. The video went viral on July 19 and only after this court took cognisance, things progressed in the case. The survivors should have the confidence in the investigation," he said. The Supreme Court also pulled up the Centre, asking what they were doing for 14 days.
The top court was hearing the centre's request to transfer the case of the two women in the horrific Manipur video to a different state, like neighbouring Assam.
The women objected to the transfer of the case to the CBI.
"The survivors are traumatised and terrorised. We are not sure whether the survivors will tell the truth to a CBI team. They should have the confidence to tell the truth," Senior Advocate Indira Jaising said, asking for a high-powered committee of women members from civil society, so these survivors could come forward and share the truth.
"Merely entrusting to CBI or SIT would not be enough. We will have to picture a situation where a 19-year-old woman who has lost her family is in a relief camp. We cannot have her going to magistrate. We have to ensure that the process of justice goes to her doorstep. We will constitute a committee of women judges and members of civil society, who will in turn get the assistance of members of civil societies," the court said.
Attorney-General R Venkataramani then said there were "too many complications", both political and non-political, and proposed a CBI probe.
Chief Justice Chandrachud observed that the video was not the only incident. "What happened to these three women is not an isolated incident," he said, and called for a broader mechanism to take care of violence against women in the northeastern state.
"This is apparent from the Home Secretary's affidavit. As much as we want to give justice to the two women, we want to put in a mechanism where justice is available to all other women. We have to put in a mechanism to ensure complaints are filed, FIRs are lodged," he said.
He then asked the Centre's lawyer how many FIRs had been registered on violence against women.
The two women have filed petitions against the centre and the Manipur government, requesting the Supreme Court's intervention and a fair and impartial inquiry.
The victims have also requested that their identities be protected. The two women have been referred to as "X" and "Y" in the court documents. They have sought a probe led by an independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by an Inspector General-rank police officer, and the transfer of the trial outside the state.
Stating that they have no faith in the state police, the women have also sought security and orders to enable the recording of their statement by the nearest area magistrate. This comes at a time when the centre has already transferred the case to the CBI.
The Supreme Court stepped in on July 20 amid nationwide outrage over the video. The court said it was "deeply disturbed", and that using women as instruments for perpetrating violence is "simply unacceptable in a constitutional democracy".
A bench headed by the Chief Justice directed the Centre and the Manipur government to take immediate remedial, rehabilitative, and preventive steps and apprise it of the action taken.
On July 27, the Centre informed the top court that it has transferred the case to the CBI, saying the government has "zero tolerance towards any crimes against women".
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in an affidavit filed through its Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, also urged the top court to transfer the trial outside Manipur in the case for the conclusion of the trial in a time-bound manner. Seven people have been arrested in the case so far.
2 Killed, 7 Cops Injured In Violence During Haryana Religious Procession
GURGAON, July 31: Two Home Guards were shot dead and seven policemen injured as a mob tried to stop a religious procession, throwing stones and setting cars on fire in Haryana. The police used teargas and fired shots in the air to disperse the crowd.
Internet services have been suspended in the area and prohibitory orders banning large gatherings have been issued. Later in the evening, a meeting was held between members of two communities to help resolve the situation.
The police have rescued nearly 2,500 men, women and children who had taken shelter at a temple near Nuh, adjoining Gurugram, due to the violence outside. The crowd, stranded at the Nulhar Mahadev temple, had come to take part in the religious procession, during which the violence started.
"Today's incident is unfortunate, I appeal to all the people to maintain peace in the state. The guilty will not be spared at any cost, strictest action will be taken against them," Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar tweeted.
"There was a meeting between the two communities in Nuh, in which many political and social people were present along with the local administration. A meeting of both the communities will be held again tomorrow at 11:00 am. Meanwhile, Bhiwani SP Shri Narendra Bijarnia has been given additional responsibility of the district. The situation is normal in the district now," read a rough translation of a tweet by the Haryana Police.
The clash started as the Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra, organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, was stopped by a group of young men on the Gurugram-Alwar National Highway and stones were thrown at the procession.
As the violence escalated, government and private vehicles were targeted by the mob. Towards evening, violence spread to the Gurugram-Sohna highway, where several cars were torched and stones were thrown at the police, sources said. Later, the injured policemen were shifted to the Medanta hospital, where they are receiving treatment.
Reports say the clash was triggered by an objectionable video posted on social media by a Bajrang Dal activist.
Sources said Bajrang Dal member Monu Manesar and his associates – suspects in several criminal cases -- had circulated the video a few days ago. He had openly challenged that he would stay in Mewat during the yatra.
Many are claiming to have seen them during the yatra. The locals allegedly retaliated to it.
Schools, colleges and educational institutions in Gurugram and Faridabad districts will remain closed on Tuesday in view of the tension in the area, the Haryana Police have said. The Haryana Board of School Education, Bhiwani, has cancelled the board exams for Classes 10 and 12 due on Tuesday and Wednesday.
In view of the events at Nuh, the Delhi Police have been asked to step up vigilance.
Railway Guard Kills 4 On Moving Train
MUMBAI, July 31: A Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel on Monday morning shot dead four people, including an Assistant Sub-Inspector, on-board a running train near the Palghar railway station in Maharashtra, an official said. He was later arrested after attempting to run away.
"Four casualties, including the ASI, have been reported in the firing incident inside the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express (12956). The accused has been arrested. DCP North GRP has been informed," the Railway Protection Force has said.
The accused, RPF Constable Chetan Singh, opened fired from his official automatic weapon around five in the morning, killing another RPF colleague, his escort duty in charge ASI Tikaram Meena, and three passengers on the train, which was on the way to Mumbai from Jaipur, officials said. He fired 12 rounds.
Tikaram Meena was a resident of Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur, and Chetan Singh is from Hathras in Uttar Pradesh. Two other RPF jawans were accompanying them, and the police is recording their statements, they said.
Addressing the media, Inspector General of RPF (Western Railway) Praveen Sinha said, "He had a short fuse, he was quite hot-headed. There was no altercation. He just lost his temper and shot his senior, then fired at whoever he saw."
"Constable Chetan Singh fired on Party Incharge ASI Tikaram Meena from his ARM Rifle and one unknown Passenger at Coach No B 5, and then fired on two other unknown Passenger in Coach No S 6 and Pantry car attached to the train. At about 6:18, the train reached Borivali and four dead bodies were retrieved by GRP and RPF officers and staff. The passengers are yet to be identified. Constable Chetan has been detained, and his ARM recovered," the RPF said in an official statement.
The Western Railways has said they are conducting a high level enquiry. The accused was posted in Lower Parel, they said.
He was caught by police at Mira Road with the help of Government Railway Police and RPF officials.
After killing his senior, the constable went to another bogie and shot dead three passengers.
The RPF constable opened fire inside the moving train after it crossed Palghar Station, pulled the chain and got out of the train near Dahisar Station, the Chief Public Relations Officer of the railways said. He was caught by police at Mira Road with the help of Government Railway Police and RPF officials.
According to railway officials, four RPF personnel, including the accused, were escorting the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express from Surat station in Gujarat on Monday.
The four-member team earlier escorted Dadar-Porbandar Saurashtra Express up to Surat station the previous day. On the return journey, the escorting party was guarding the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express, a senior railway official said.
The escort parties generally have four to five personnel of the GRP and RPF in a long distance train. They provide security to trains in their respective railway divisions and thereafter, counterparts from other divisions take over the responsibility of guarding the trains.
The Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express departed from Jaipur station in Rajasthan at 2.01 pm on Sunday and reached Surat station, where the escort party boarded the train, at 2.47 am on Monday.
Constable Chetan Singh opened fired from his automatic weapon at around five in the morning.
Western Railways said compensations have been announced for the family of ASI Tikaram Meena -- ₹ 15 lakhs will be given from Railway Surksha Kalyan Nidhi, ₹ 20,000 for funeral expenses, ₹ 15 lakhs as Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity, and ₹ 65,000 as General Insurance Scheme.
Tikaram Meena is survived by a wife and two children -- a 25-year-old daughter named Pooja, and a 35-year-old son. Both of them are married. He also has an 80-year-old mother. Meena was due to retire in 2025.
'Are All Others Incompetent? Court Extends ED Chief's Term
NEW DELHI, July 27: Enforcement Directorate chief SK Mishra has got some reprieve from the Supreme Court, which said he can stay on till September 15, instead of the earlier deadline of July 31.
The order came on Centre's appeal for an extension of the deadline till October 15. The court -- which earlier held a second and a third extension as "illegal" -- relented marginally today after the Centre argued about "unusual circumstances" and underscored a need for continuity.
The Centre also argued that some neighbouring countries want India to fall into FATF's 'grey list' and so continuity is necessary in the post of the Enforcement Directorate chief.
Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the circumstances of Mr Mishra are unusual in view of the coming review by the global terror financing watchdog FATF (Financial Action Task Force). The onsite review of India's regulations and supervision by the inter-governmental organisation, which also combats combat money laundering, is due in November. The team is likely to reach on November 3.
"Are you saying all other officers are incompetent? Only one officer can do?" shot back the bench of Justices BR Gavai, Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sanjay Karol.
"No officer is indispensable. There is a leadership is every organization but there has to be a continuity," the Centre responded.
The court pointed out that even after holding his extensions since 2021 illegal, the Centre has been given time till July 31. When the Centre persisted with its arguments, Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who represented the petitioners, said the FATF review is a process involving 40 parameters.
"Money laundering is one such parameter. Also, the FATF review is an ongoing process till 2024. So, will they then seek extension till 2024?" he said.
"Out of 140 crore people, are we depending on only one officer? The conduct of Centre seeking extension is deplorable," he added.
The Centre has cited the peer review every time it extended Mr Mishra's term. The officer was given charge of the Enforcement Directorate in November 2018 and was to retire in two years when turned 60. But in November 2020, he got one extension, and it was followed by two more.
In May, the Centre had told the Supreme Court that he would retire in November and that the petition challenging his extension was meant to appease "political masters".
Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, who has filed one of the petitions, has claimed that the government is misusing central agencies to target the opposition leaders and destabilise elected governments in non-BJP-ruled states.
Violence again erupts in Manipur; Shootout, Arson In Moreh Town Bordering Myanmar
IMPHAL, July 26: A fresh spate of violence rocked Manipur on Wednesday as a rabid mob reportedly attacked a transit camp of security forces near Moreh—a town bordering Myanmar, resulting in a gunfight between the forces’ personnel and the unidentified gunmen.
According to reports, a violent mob set ablaze at least 30 houses and shops in the border town of Moreh in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district on Wednesday and exchanged gunfire with security forces.
The abandoned houses were in the Moreh Bazar area close to the Myanmar border, a news agency reported. Following the arson, a gun battle also broke out between the attackers and security forces, officials said adding that it is not yet clear whether there was any casualty.
The fresh incident of violence came a day after two buses used by security forces to transport personnel were set on fire by a mob in Kangpokpi district, the officials said.
The incident occurred at Sapormeina when the buses were coming from Dimapur on Tuesday evening. No casualty was reported.
According to officials, locals halted the buses bearing Manipur registration numbers at Sapormeina and insisted that they would check if any member of another community were on board.
Some of them set the buses on fire, they said.
Ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state nearly three months ago, killing over 160 people since then, and injuring hundreds.
The violence erupted on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
After a brief lull, the violence flared up again in the north-eastern state on July 19 after a horrifying video showing two women, reportedly belonging to the Kuki-Zo tribe, being paraded naked on the road by a group of men, emerged on social media. The purported video was reportedly shot on May 4 and one of the women was allegedly gang-raped in a nearby paddy field.
A few days later, a similar incident came to the fore wherein two tribal women were allegedly abducted, gang-raped and murdered on the same day when the aforementioned horrifying video of two women being paraded naked by a mob of men, was reportedly filmed.
According to reports, in the second incident, the two women who worked at a carwash in Imphal were raped and murdered on May 4, same day when two other women were stripped naked and paraded on roads on the other side of the north-eastern state.
The two victims, aged 21 and 24, were residents of Kangpokpi district of Manipur and used to work at a carwash facility in state capital Imphal, India Today reported. On the fateful day of May 4, they were allegedly abducted from their workplace by a mob, gangraped and then killed, the report said.
According to the report, the mother of one of the victims lodged a complaint on May 5 at the Saikul Police Station, but the cops registered the FIR after nearly two weeks on May 16.
Modi inaugurates new ITPO complex 'Bharat Mandapam' in Delhi
NEW DELHI, July 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated the new International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) complex 'Bharat Mandapam' in Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) complex to the nation which has been developed at a cost of about ₹2,700 crore.
The Delhi Police had deployed hundreds of its personnel at and around Pragati Maidan ahead of the inauguration.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a Havan and Puja ceremony prior to the inauguration of the International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) complex on Wednesday morning at the ITPO complex in the national capital.
The Prime Minister also felicitated the Shramjeevis at the ITPO complex in New Delhi.
An official statement said that the project, which revamped the old and outdated facilities at Pragati Maidan, was developed as a National project at a cost of about ₹2700 crore. With a campus area of approximately 123 acres, the IECC complex has been developed as India’s largest MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) destination.
The newly developed IECC complex at Pragati Maidan comprises multiple state-of-the-art facilities including Convention Centre, Exhibition halls, amphitheatres etc.
The release said, "The Convention Centre is developed as the centrepiece of the Pragati Maidan complex. It is a grand architectural marvel, designed to host large-scale international exhibitions, trade fairs, conventions, conferences, and other prestigious events. It is equipped with multiple meeting rooms, lounges, auditoriums, an amphitheatre and a business centre, making it capable of hosting a wide range of events."
"Its majestic multi-purpose hall and plenary hall have a combined capacity of seven thousand people, which is larger than the seating capacity of the famous Sydney Opera House in Australia. Its magnificent Amphitheatre is equipped with a seating capacity of 3,000 individuals," it added.
The architectural design of the Convention Centre building is inspired by Indian traditions and showcases India’s confidence and conviction in its past while also embracing modern facilities and way of life.
The release also said that the shape of the building is derived from the Shankha (conch shell), and different walls and facades of the Convention Centre depict several elements of India's traditional art and culture.
Other facilities available in the Convention Centre include a 5G-enabled fully Wi-Fi-covered campus, 10G Intranet connectivity, an interpreter room equipped with cutting-edge technology to support 16 different languages, advanced AV systems with huge-sized video walls, building management system ensuring optimal functionality and energy efficiency, light management system with dimming and occupancy sensors, state-of-the-art DCN (Data Communication Network) system, integrated surveillance system and energy-efficient centralized air conditioning system, it added.
In the evening inaugurating Delhi's revamped Pragati Maidan, the Prime Minister promised an unprecedented growth of the country during his third term in power, which, he said, will catapult it to one of the top three slots.
"From east to west, north to south, India's infrastructure is changing... The world's highest rail bridge in India, the longest tunnel at the highest altitude is in India, the highest motorable road, the largest stadium, the largest statue -- all of it is in India," he said.
The economic growth, he added, will keep pace with the country' aspirations.
"In our first term, India was in the 10th spot in terms of economy. In my second term, it is the world's fifth largest economy. On the basis of track record, I will make the country believe, in the third term, economy will be among world's top three," he added. "In my third term, India will stand among the top three economies. And this is Modi's guarantee".
The International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre, now renamed "Bharat Mandapam", also became the site of a political pitch ahead of next year's general election as Modi compared the growth of the last nine years with the cumulative growth of six decades since Independence.
"In the last 60 years, India managed to electrify only 20,000 km of rail lines compared to the 40,000 km achieved by his government in the last nine years... Now every month, we are completing 6 km metro line, less than 4 lakh km of village roads... In 2014, Delhi airport's capacity was around 5 crore a year. Now it is 7.5 crore... The number of airports has reached 150," he said.
There was a dig at the opposition too. Clubbing together his political rivals, PM Modi said while centres like the Bharat Mandapam enhances a country's profile, there have been "negative minded" people who attempted to stop it.
"These people tried to stop this Bharat Mandapam. It is some people's compulsion to stop every work. In breaking news, what all was showed? So many cases were filed... I am confident that after a while, those people will come here for some lectures or event," he said.
On Modi's GDP ‘guarantee’, Chidambaram says low per capita makes us humble
NEW DELHI, July 26: Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday said that India's position in world economies in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) “makes us proud” but its ranking in terms of per capita “must make us humble and determined to grow at a faster rate”.
“India's Rank today in terms of GDP is 5. That makes us proud,” the former finance minister said in a tweet. “India's Rank in terms of per capita income is 128. That must make us humble and determined to grow at a faster rate.”
Chidambaram's tweet came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for a third term for his government highlighting India's standing in world economies and promising to make it the world's third-largest economy with a faster-than-now pace of growth and development.
In an obvious response to the prime minister's 'guarantee', Chidambaram wrote, “One day, India will become the 3rd largest economy in the world. But our goal must be to increase the per capita income and rank among the top 10 countries of the world.”
“Let's talk about per capita income. That is the true measure of prosperity.”
Taking a swipe at the prime minister, Rajya Sabha member and Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it was "typical" of him to "give his personal guarantee on an arithmetical inevitability".
“India's emergence as the world's 3rd largest economy in this decade has been predicted for quite some time now, and it is guaranteed — whichever dispensation forms the next government,” he said in a tweet.
“The key difference is the kind of growth INDIA parties guarantee— growth that is much more socially inclusive, growth that creates jobs not destroys it, growth that raises incomes across the board, and growth that is ecologically sustainable.”
'My Support With You': Sonia Gandhi's Message To AAP's Sanjay Singh
NEW DELHI, July 26: Congress's Sonia Gandhi today commended Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh on the Opposition's handling of the Manipur issue in Parliament -- a move seen as a fresh sign of the new bonhomie between the two parties that were not the best of friends.
Members of the INDIA alliance have been camping out outside parliament, demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi give a statement on the issue in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Last night they held a candle-light protest near the Gandhi statue.
Singh tweeted a video of the interaction. "Former Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi met and said on the movement being run by Team INDIA against Manipur violence, "My support is with you," read a rough translation of his Hindi caption.
Singh - suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the rest of the session during Opposition protests on Manipur -- has been spearheading the sit-in protest.
Conducting this amid a heavy downpour today, he tweeted: "Second day of the protest. Heavy rain! Perhaps God is also crying over the condition of Manipur. The question is only on one Manipur, when will Modi ji speak in the Parliament?" he tweeted earlier.
He was joined by MPs from AAP and other opposition parties, many of whom were seen holding "INDIA for Manipur" placards. Singh's restoration to the upper house is also one of the demands of the protesters.
The government is not ready to meet the opposition demand of the Prime Minister addressing the House on the situation in Manipur.
Rahul Tells Modi Opposition Front, India, 'Will Help Heal Manipur'
NEW DELHI, July 25: Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi cited terror outfit Indian Mujahideen and the banned Popular Front of India to launch a scathing attack on Opposition front India, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit back with a sharp retort.
Taking to Twitter, Gandhi said the Opposition front will "help heal Manipur" and "rebuild the idea of India" in the northeastern state.
"Call us whatever you want, Modi. We are INDIA. We will help heal Manipur and wipe the tears of every woman and child. We will bring back love and peace for all her people. We will rebuild the idea of India in Manipur," he tweeted.
Earlier, Prime Minister Modi said at the BJP's parliamentary party meeting that he had never seen such a "directionless opposition". "They keep praising themselves for the name INDIA. Indian National Congress. East India company. Indian Mujahideen. Popular Front of India - these are also INDIA. Just using the name INDIA does not mean anything," BJP veteran Ravi Shankar Prasad quoted the Prime Minister as saying.
The Prime Minister's remark and Gandhi's counter came amid an impasse in Parliament over the unrest in Manipur, which has returned to spotlight after a horrifying video of two tribal women paraded naked shocked the country's imagination.
The Monsoon Session of Parliament began Thursday and the Opposition started pressing for a detailed discussion on Manipur. The centre said it is ready for a discussion but the logjam continued as the Opposition insisted in Rajya Sabha that all business be suspended for the Manipur discussion. The Opposition also demanded that the Prime Minister address Parliament over the issue.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he is ready to put forward the government's position, but the Opposition did not budge from its demand of a statement by the Prime Minister.
This time, the government faces in Parliament a united Opposition front that is coordinating floor plans. The Opposition front India, which aims to take on the ruling BJP in the 2024 general election, has also questioned why the Prime Minister spoke on the Manipur issue to the media but is not addressing the House.
Gandhi is not attending the Monsoon Session as he stands disqualified as an MP following his conviction in a criminal defamation case.
Following the conviction in a Gujarat court, he had approached the High Court, but did not receive any relief. He has now approached the Supreme Court in this matter.
Mamata Banerjee's Comeback To PM's Remark On Opposition Front's New Name
KOLKATA, July 25: Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his comment about the opposition coalition, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that she thinks likes the name 'INDIA'.
Speaking to reporters after a brief meeting with Governor CV Ananda Bose at the Raj Bhavan, Ms Banerjee said the more the BJP talks ill about the opposition coalition, the more they will prove their liking for it.
"Thanks to our prime minister. I think he likes the 'INDIA' name. Like common people, he has also accepted it. The more they talk bad about the name, the more they will prove their liking for it," she said.
Modi slammed the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) as the most directionless the country has ever seen and cited reviled names, such as East India Company and Indian Mujahideen, to assert that people cannot be misled merely by the use of the country's name.
Setting the tone for their 2024 Lok Sabha campaign, 26 opposition parties formed the INDIA grouping to unitedly take on the ruling BJP-led NDA.
Opposition MPs Sit On Night Protest Outside Parliament Amid Manipur Tangle
NEW DELHI, July 24: A group of opposition MPs are sitting in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue at Parliament House in protest against disruption of the monsoon session for a third day. The newly formed opposition grouping 'INDIA' has been demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give a comprehensive statement on the over two-month-long ethnic violence in Manipur.
Holding 'INDIA for Manipur' placards, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress MPs were seen holding a silent protest at 11 pm. They will spend the night there.
Earlier today, the Congress said parliament did not function for a third day because of the "continued refusal" of the government to accept INDIA's demand for a "comprehensive statement" by Modi in both the houses on the Manipur crisis.
Several opposition MPs had given notices for an adjournment motion to discuss the situation in Manipur.
The opposition wants a debate allowing all parties to speak without any time restrictions and has been holding protests on the issue since the monsoon session started on Thursday.
The government has accused the opposition of running away from a debate on the all-important issue and has questioned their seriousness towards it. The opposition has also accused the government of the same - i.e. running away from a debate.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge alleged the government is being insensitive. "Our demand is that the PM should come to the house and make a statement. We are ready to discuss that statement. You are speaking outside but not inside, this is an insult to parliament. It is a serious matter," he said.
Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel said the opposition should not make excuses.
'BJP would have put him in jail if it had its way': AAP After Its Rajya Sabha MP Is Suspended
NEW DELHI, July 24: AAP MP Sanjay Singh has been suspended from the Rajya Sabha for the remainder of the monsoon session amid a face-off in Parliament between the government and the opposition over the violence in Manipur. Singh was suspended for allegedly jumping into the well of the House and raising slogans, and refusing to go back despite being warned by the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
The suspension, which comes at a time when the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party have locked horns over the Centre's ordinance on control of bureaucrats in Delhi, invited a sharp reaction from the AAP. The party said Singh is a strong voice of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha and the BJP would have put him in jail if it had its way.
"Singh raises slogans and the entire opposition unites. It is obvious that he is a thorn in the government's side and they will try their best to silence his voice. But no matter what they do, be it such gimmicks or the misuse of probe agencies like the CBI and ED, the return of the BJP government is difficult. The legal wing will see what can be done," said AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj.
Floor leaders of opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha also walked out of a meeting called by Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar at 1 pm to discuss Singh's suspension. They walked out after the Chairman objected to Raghav Chadha of the AAP and Santanu Sen of the Trinamool Congress attending the meeting as they are not the floor leaders of their respective parties.
Earlier, when Rajya Sabha proceedings resumed at noon after being adjourned for an hour, the Chairman allowed the question hour to start. Many opposition MPs pointed out that they had submitted notices under Rule 267, seeking a long discussion on the violence in Manipur. They also demanded that the Prime Minister come to the House to make a statement and initiate the discussion.
Dhankhar allowed the question hour to continue. When Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Shekhawat was answering questions related to his ministry, AAP MP Sanjay Singh allegedly jumped into the well of the House and began raising slogans.
Singh was protesting against the question hour being allowed to go on when the opposition MPs were demanding a discussion under Rule 267. He was warned by the Chairman to go back, but he did not heed the warning and kept raising slogans.
The Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, Piyush Goyal, got up to say that this is a violation of the discipline and code of conduct of the Rajya Sabha, and urged the Chairman to take strong action against Singh. He moved a motion to suspend him, which was adopted by the House by voice vote. The Chairman then announced Singh's suspension.
The Rajya Sabha was then adjourned till 3 pm.
Both houses of the Parliament have been disrupted since the monsoon session began on July 20. The opposition parties have been demanding a detailed discussion on the violence in Manipur and a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue inside Parliament.
While the Opposition has demanded that all other business be suspended for the day to take up the Manipur issue, the government has agreed only to a "short-duration discussion".
Mob Surrounds Meghalaya Chief Minister's Office, 5 Injured In Attack
TURA, July 24: A mob attack at the office of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma left five security personnel injured. Sangma is unharmed. He is, however, still inside his office in Tura as hundreds have surrounded the compound. Garo Hills-based civil society groups have been on a hunger strike demanding for a winter capital in Tura.
Trouble started this evening when hundreds of people gathered outside the Chief Minister's office and started throwing stones. Five security personnel were injured in the attack. They were brought inside Sangma's office.
Visuals show the injured security personnel lying on the floor, while Mr Sangma tends to them. While Mr Sangma is safe, he is unable to get out of the office as the protesters have blocked the access road.
The situation is under control but tense, the Chief Minister's Office said.
Sangma was talking to the protesters when some people in the crowd started throwing stones.
"Discussions were going on, we had already agreed to meet in Shillong to further discuss the matter with all stakeholders, and the NGOs seemed more or less satisfied. A majority of the society and NGOs were not part of this fasting protest, only two-three of them were there. 90 per cent of the organisations weren't part of this," Sangma said in a video statement.
"Even then, I believe that dialogue is important. Hence, I made a point to meet them. After the discussion was almost over, we heard sloganeering from outside. I asked them not to create any scene out here. Their leaders (of the NGOs in talks) went outside to speak to the people. They came back and said they did not know who these people were, never seen them before during the fasting protest," Sangma said, adding the leaders themselves have taken shelter inside as they were unable to leave.
The civil society groups that have been demanding a winter capital in Tura include ACHIK and GHSMC.
Sangma has asked the protesters to meet for a discussion on the winter capital demand and job reservation. Cabinet ministers and other stakeholders will attend. He asked the organisations to end their protest before they can begin talks in the state capital Shillong next month.
Manipur BJP MLA Claims There was 'State Complicity' In Ethnic Violence
NEW DELHI, July 23: Manipur BJP MLA Paolienlal Haokip, one of the 10 tribal legislators of the northeastern state who in May wrote to Chief Minister N Biren Singh demanding a separate administration for the Kuki-dominated districts in the state, has alleged "complicity of the state" in the ethnic violence as one of the reasons why it took time to be contained.
"Proof of state complicity can clearly be discerned from the fact that what started out as a purely ethnic-communal violence was later on attempted to be portrayed by the Chief Minister as the state's war on 'narco terrorists'," Haokip wrote in an opinion article for India Today.
The 10 MLAs who wrote the letter in May, seven of them from the BJP, had also alleged that the violence was perpetrated by the valley-majority Meitei community and was "tacitly supported" by the BJP-run state government. The Chief Minister had rejected the demand for a separate administration, saying "the territorial integrity of Manipur will be protected".
The 'narco terrorists' narrative seemed to be aimed at justifying the use of state forces to aid the radicalised Meitei militia in attacking and burning down Kuki-Zo settlements in the foothills surrounding the Imphal valley, beyond which it doesn't seem to hold much water, Paolienlal Haokip wrote, adding that conflict over rights under the Constitution which had been simmering since the pre-statehood days was another reason for the prolonged violence.
Reiterating claims by several Kuki leaders of a bias in resource allocation, stifling of the powers of Hill Areas Committee, and vested parties 'managing' reservations in state jobs to curtail due representation of Scheduled Tribes, Haokip said the ethnic violence in a way "is perceived as war of liberation from such gross injustices by the tribal Kuki Zo people, while the Meitei militia see it as a war to claim tribal land".
The BJP MLA didn't spare the Chief Minister too, saying he "is known to be hand in glove" with radical groups like Meitei Leepun and Arambai Tenggol, who he alleged were "the main executors of the ethnic cleansing of Kuki Zo community".
Notably, a former Manipur 'super cop', Thounaojam Brinda, had in 2020 alleged in a court document that she was under 'pressure' from Biren Singh to release a 'drug lord' from custody. She had returned the state's Police Medal for Gallantry awarded to her by the Biren Singh government, and went on to contest last year's assembly polls in the state against a BJP candidate, who Home Minister Amit Shah campaigned for.
"A biased government anywhere is detrimental to peace, and although such bias was always present in some degree in Manipur, it accentuated under the current Chief Minister," Haokip wrote.
In another interview with Newslaundry, the BJP MLA from Saikot in Manipur's Churachandpur district said he believes that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "misplaced priorities", adding that he and several other MLAs from Manipur have been still trying to meet with PM Modi. However, he added that he is still optimistic that only the central government can bring peace to the state.
The hill-majority Kukis have alleged the BJP government in Manipur led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh has been targeting them systematically - using the war on drugs campaign as the cover - to remove them from the forests and their homes in the hills. The scale of poppy cultivation in Manipur, however, has spread across 15,400 acres of land in the hills between 2017 and 2023, according to data from the state's special anti-drugs unit Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB).
The Meiteis - who cannot buy land in the hills while the tribals, who live in the hills, are allowed to own land in the valley - are worried their place in the valley will shrink over time. To this, the Kukis say the Meiteis if given ST status will expand out to the hills and take their land.
Ex-Army man over Manipur video: 'Fought in Kargil war, but couldn't protect my wife'
IMPHAL, July 22: The husband of one of two women paraded naked and molested by a mob in Manipur's Kangpokpi claimed that he had fought for the nation in the Kargil war and was also in Sri Lanka as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force. But sadly, he could not save his wife from being humiliated on May 4.
"I fought for the nation in the Kargil war and was also in Sri Lanka as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force. I protected the nation but am dejected that after my retirement, I could not protect my home, my wife and fellow villagers... I am sad, depressed,” the retired soldier, who has served the Indian Army as a subedar of the Assam Regiment, told a Hindi news channel in an interview.
The incident which triggered a nationwide condemnation came to light when a video shot on May 4 surfaced on Wednesday night.
He also told the news channel that on the fateful May 4 morning, a mob burnt down several houses in the locality, disrobed the two women and made them walk on the village paths in front of people.
"Police were present but took no action. I want that all those people who burnt the houses and humiliated the women get exemplary punishment," he said.
Meanwhile, one of the victims seen in the video told a news portal that she was asked by the men to "lie down" in a field.
"Three men surrounded me...One of them told the other, 'let's rape her', but...they didn't," she said. She added that she was “lucky” they didn't rape her, and added, “But they grabbed my breasts.”
Five persons have been arrested in connection with the case so far.
"The state police is making all-out efforts to arrest the other culprits at the earliest. Raids are continuing," the Manipur Police said in a Twitter post.
More than 160 people have lost their lives, and several injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.
'Mob Came At Them Like Animals': Husband Of Woman Paraded Naked In Manipur
NEW DELHI, July 21: The women paraded naked by a mob in Manipur were "left to the mob by the police", one of the victims has alleged in an interview to the Indian Express.
The women were stripped and forced to walk naked, surrounded by a mob that dragged them to a field and allegedly gang-raped one of them. More than two months after the incident, the video emerged on Wednesday.
Some of the men can be seen in the video dragging the two women and groping them.
The incident took place on May 4, a day after violence erupted in Manipur between the valley-majority Meitei and the hill-majority Kuki tribe over the Meiteis' demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status.
The FIR was filed 15 days later, but the first arrests were made only yesterday, after the video of the horrific incident went viral on social media, triggering massive nationwide outrage.
In a police complaint on May 18, the victims alleged that the younger of the two women was "brutally gang-raped in the broad daylight", the newspaper said.
According to the complaint, the women were in a group that was escaping from the mob when their village was attacked. The group was rescued by the police, said the complaint, and was being taken to the police station when the mob stopped them and seized them from police custody.
Three women - another woman in her 50s was allegedly also stripped - and the father and brother of the youngest woman were taken by the mob. According to the complaint, her brother was killed. The younger man, 19, was trying to save his sister from the mob.
The younger woman spoke to the Indian Express newspaper on Thursday, describing a most harrowing ordeal in which the police offered little protection.
"The police were there with the mob which was attacking our village. The police picked us up from near home, and took us a little away from the village and left us on the road with the mob. We were given to them by police," the woman told The Indian Express on the phone from her husband's home.
"After the mob did what they did, we were just left there and we escaped," she said.
The woman said she was not aware of any video of the incident until it emerged on Wednesday.
"There is no internet here in Manipur, we wouldn't know," she said.
The woman's husband, who has been in the army and reportedly fought in the Kargil war, spoke to India TV about what he called the most painful hour of his life.
The mob came at them "like animals", he said, with weapons and an intent to kill.
"They (mob) took the women separately with them, forced them to strip," he said, fearing more such attacks.
Four people have been arrested so far, after the viral video forced the state machinery to launch action.
In Manipur Horror, 2 Women Paraded Naked On Camera, Allegedly Gang-Raped
IMPHAL, July 19: A horrific video of two women being paraded naked on a road by a group of men in Manipur has been shared widely on social media, drawing massive condemnation and calls for action. The two women were gang-raped in a field, a tribal organisation has alleged.
The incident happened on May 4 in Kangpokpi district, some 35 km from state capital Imphal, according a statement by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF). The police, however, said the incident happened in another district, though the first information report (FIR) was filed in Kangpokpi.
Sources said Chief Minister N Biren Singh has ordered the police to investigate this case in priority.
Singh said that Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani spoke to him and the Chief Secretary on the horrific incident. She has been assured of speedy action against the perpetrators of the crime, Singh said.
A day before this on-camera horror, clashes broke out between the valley-majority Meitei and the hill-majority Kuki tribe in Manipur over the Meiteis' demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status.
The ITLF in the statement said, "...The despicable scene, which happened on May 4 in Kangpokpi district, shows the men constantly molesting the helpless women, who cry and plead with their captors."
"The horrifying ordeal suffered by these innocent women is amplified by the perpetrators' decision to share the video, which shows the identity of the victims, on social media," the ITLF said, and appealed to the National Commission for Women and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes to take action.
The Manipur Police in a tweet today said they have filed a case of gang-rape and murder.
"As regard to the viral videos of two women paraded naked by unknown armed miscreants on May 4, a case of abduction, gang-rape and murder was filed at Nongpok Sekmai police station (Thoubal district)... Investigation has started. The state police is making all-out efforts to arrest the culprits at the earliest," the Manipur Police tweeted.
"We have identified the men and will arrest them soon," said a senior police officer.
The officer said the survivors came to the police some 15 days after the horrific ordeal they went through on May 4. "They went to Kangpokpi, though the crime did not take place there. But we have got leads. We will catch the men in a day or two," the officer added.
Political leaders and others have expressed shock over the Manipur incident on social media and asked the centre and the state government to take action against the men involved in the horrific act.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted in Hindi that pictures of sexual violence against women coming from Manipur are heart-wrenching. "The amount of condemnation of this horrific incident of violence against women is less. Women and children have to bear the maximum brunt of violence in the society," she tweeted.
"Disturbing videos emerging from Manipur about a woman belonging to a particular community being paraded naked by a mob. There is total breakdown in the relationships of the two communities there. Hate has won in Manipur," Tripura's Tipra Motha Party chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma tweeted.
"Attention India. The modesty of two tribal women from Manipur were outraged on 4th May. They were paraded naked, fondled and beaten in full public glare. A disturbing video taken by a perpetrator leaked and got viral today. This breaks all level of humanity," Manipur resident and journalist Hoihnu Hauzel tweeted.
Internet has been snapped in BJP-ruled Manipur since May 4. The state is still seeing sporadic violence.
The Kuki tribe has demanded the resignation of the Chief Minister. Over 120 have died in the ethnic violence and thousands have been internally displaced and are now living in relief camps.
Wrestling Body Chief Gets Court Relief In Sexual Harassment Case
NEW DELHI, July 20: Outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been granted regular bail by a Delhi court in a case of alleged sexual harassment filed against him by women wrestlers.
Delhi's Rouse Avenue court earlier today reserved its judgment till 4 pm after the national capital's police, which comes under the Home Ministry, did not oppose Singh's request for bail.
Opposing Singh's request for regular bail, the lawyer appearing on behalf of the wrestlers told the court that he is an influential person and could attempt to influence witnesses in the case. The lawyer said Singh should be told that he can't approach complainants or witnesses.
To this, Rajiv Mohan, the lawyer for the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), replied there will be no threat from Singh.
The women wrestlers had earlier questioned the intent of the government-formed oversight panel, which has been investigating the sexual harassment allegations and alleged that it was biased towards Singh, who is a BJP MP.
Two first information reports (FIRs) were filed against Singh based on the wrestlers' complaints. One was filed under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The police later filed a "cancellation report" in Delhi's Patiala House court linked to a minor wrestler. The second FIR was filed on the complaint of several wrestlers.
The Delhi Police sought to cancel the POCSO case after the minor changed her statement and gave no evidence, even collaborative.
'Sad No One Cares': Supreme Court On Key Appointment In Delhi
NEW DELHI, July 20: Hearing the interlinked issues of the Delhi ordinance on bureaucrats and the appointment of the chief of the city's power regulator - which have been at the centre of the face-off between the Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor - the Supreme Court referred the ordinance question to a Constitution Bench and decided to make the appointment itself.
When the Supreme Court was informed today that the AAP-ruled Delhi government and the LG had failed to arrive at a consensus on one name for the head of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC), the bench said "it is sad no one cares about the institution" and decided that it will make the appointment.
Senior Advocate Harish Salve, appearing for the LG, suggested that the President has appointed a DERC chairperson and the court should either grant an injunction against the chairman or let him continue.
Appearing for the Delhi government, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi pointed out that the appointment was made based on the ordinance, which has been challenged.
The bench, headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra, then said, "The validity of the ordinance will go to the Constitution Bench and it will take one or two months. How can the DERC not function till then?"
The court also heard arguments on an ad-hoc appointment and the list that the regulator's chief should be picked from. The Chief Justice asked the lawyers, including Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the Centre, to wait for some time. "We will take our own call. We will not see any list," said CJI Chandrachud, adding that the matter will be heard next on August 4.
During a hearing on July 17, the Supreme Court had said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena have to rise above political bickering.
It had also suggested a way of breaking the impasse on the Centre's controversial ordinance, which had upturned a judgment of the Supreme Court granting greater control to the Delhi government over its bureaucrats.
"We have a suggestion to break the impasse. Can the LG and CM sit down and give an agreeable candidate so that the person can be appointed for DERC? The ideal situation is both agreeing to a name for the DERC Chairperson. We don't want to step into this. We want both of you to sit together and resolve this" the court had said.
After Manipur Sexual Assault Video, Opposition Wants PM In Parliament
NEW DELHI, July 19: The video of two Kuki-Zo women paraded naked and allegedly gangraped by a group of men in Manipur, has drawn sharp reactions from the Opposition, which has been questioning the Prime Minister's silence on the violence-hit state. The Centre today said it was ready for a discussion on the violence in the monsoon session of Parliament, which begins tomorrow.
Hours later, as the video started being widely circulated online, social media erupted in outrage. The Opposition, too, was vehement in their condemnation of the atrocities in the state and the government's inaction.
Congress's Rahul Gandhi squarely blamed the Prime Minister for the situation in Manipur, which has been witnessing ethnic violence since May 3.
Calling the visuals "heart-wrenching", Congress's Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted, "Why is the Central Government, Prime Minister sitting blindly on the violent incidents in Manipur? Do such pictures and violent incidents not disturb them?"
"Tomorrow Parliament's monsoon session will start and it will end on Aug 11th. Will the Modi Govt allow for a discussion on the continuing horrific tragedy which is destroying the delicate social fabric of Manipur? Will the PM break his silence and take the nation into confidence on the way forward towards reconciliation?" tweeted Congress's communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh.
Calling parliament the "forum for PM's Manipur ki Baat," he said it was a "non-negotiable demand of INDIA," the newly launched Opposition alliance.
Trinamool Congress and Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party were also vocal.
Demanding that PM Modi make a statement in both houses on parliament, Trinamool's Derek O'Brien, in a video message, said if the Prime Minister does not speak, he would be responsible for the disruption that would follow.
"Enough of Mann ki Baat, time for Manipur ki Baat," he said.
A statement from Aam Aadmi Party read, "The inaction of the State and Central governments is painful for all the citizens of the country. We again request the intervention of the Prime Minister in Manipur. Turning a blind eye to the problem will not make it go away".
At a meeting of the business advisory committee ahead of the monsoon session, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the government was ready to discuss all matters in parliament, including the 2-month-long violence in Manipur, in which more than 80 people have died.
The shocking atrocity took place on May 4 in Kangpokpi district, some 35 km from state capital Imphal, according a statement by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF). "The despicable scene, which happened on May 4 in Kangpokpi district, shows the men constantly molesting the helpless women, who cry and plead with their captors... The horrifying ordeal suffered by these innocent women is amplified by the perpetrators' decision to share the video, which shows the identity of the victims, on social media," the statement read.
The Manipur police said a case has been registered and investigations are in progress. "As regard to the viral videos of two women paraded naked by unknown armed miscreants on May 4, a case of abduction, gang-rape and murder was filed at Nongpok Sekmai police station (Thoubal district)... Investigation has started. The state police is making all-out efforts to arrest the culprits at the earliest," the Manipur Police said in a statement today.
Many on social media questioned why the police called the perpetrators "unknown" since their faces were clearly visible in the video. Others remarked on the two-month gap between the incident and police statement after the videos surfacing in the social media. Many questioned what headway has been made in the case in this period.
'Case Is Suspect': Supreme Court Relief For Activist Teesta Setalvad
NEW DELHI, July 19: Activist Teesta Setalvad, asked to "surrender immediately" earlier this month by the Gujarat High Court in a case linked to the 2002 Gujarat riots, scored a major reprieve from the Supreme Court on Wednesday, which granted her bail.
Justices BR Gavai, AS Bopanna and Dipankar Datta set aside the order of the Gujarat High Court rejecting her plea for regular bail amid an investigation for allegedly fabricating evidence in cases related to the riots.
The court, in its observations, noted that the charge sheet had been filed against Ms Setalvad, eliminating the necessity for custodial interrogation. However, the Supreme Court directed Ms Setalvad not to influence witnesses in the ongoing case.
During the hearing, Justice BR Gavai questioned the motives and timing of Ms Setalvad's arrest: "What were you doing till 2022? What investigation have you done from June 24 and June 25 that you decided she has done something so heinous as to warrant her arrest?"
In especially sharp comments, Justice Gavai pointed out that if the authorities' contentions were to be accepted, the Definition of Evidence Act would be rendered moot.
"Definition of Evidence Act would have to be thrown in the dustbin if your contention has to be accepted. We're only putting you on guard that if you delve more into it, we will have to make observations..." the court told the prosecutor.
Echoing the sentiment, Justice Dipankar Datta criticised the notion of holding someone in custody until a verdict is pronounced.
"Initially, we were feeling that there was a case under [Section] 194. Now we think the case under Section 194 is suspect. And you want someone to be undertrial and in custody, till verdict is pronounced," he said.
Ms Setalvad's legal battles began in earnest last year. She was arrested in June 2022 along with former Gujarat police chief RB Sreekumar and former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt for allegedly using her close associates and riot victims to file "false and fabricated affidavits before the Supreme Court with a view to unseat the establishment and to tarnish the image of the establishment and the then chief minister."
The Supreme Court extended Ms Setalvad's interim bail on July 5, pending the next hearing on Wednesday. This decision came in light of Ms Setalvad's petition against the Gujarat High Court order that instructed her to surrender. The high court previously denied her request for regular bail.
The Supreme Court has protected Ms Setalvad from arrest since July 1, putting the high court order on hold. The court granted the stay without commenting on the merits of the case but underscored that the single judge was not correct in refusing any form of protection for Ms Setalvad.
Ms Setalvad was arrested just two days after the court dismissed a plea by her and Zakia Jafri, whose husband Ehsan Jafri, a former MP, was killed in the riots. They had challenged a probe that cleared Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister at the time of the riots, of any wrongdoing.
Ms Setalvad, a vocal critic of the then Gujarat administration, was released from jail in September last year after she received interim bail from the Supreme Court.
'Fight Between Modi And INDIA': Opposition Coalition Has A New Name
BENGALURU, July 18: The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) is the name of the united opposition front of 26 parties that participated at the crucial meet in Bengaluru. The meeting set what Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called a "Modi versus INDIA" battle for the 2024 general elections.
"We are defending the Constitution, voice of Indians and the idea of India. You know what happens to anyone who wants to fight the idea of India... The fight is between NDA and INDIA, Narendra Modi and INDIA, his ideology and INDIA. India always wins all fights," said Gandhi.
"The fight is about two different ideas of India... The voice of the country is being stifled. The fight is for the voice of the country. So this name was chosen -- INDIA," he added.
The name for the united opposition was arrived at after much deliberation on Day 2 of the mega meeting.
Sources said the Left parties wanted the word 'Alliance' to be changed to 'Front' while some parties were not too keen on 'NDA' in the name. Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray pushed for a name that would not have any mention of opposition.
It was Gandhi who finally came up with the acronym, tweeted Jitendra Ahwad of the Nationalist Congress Party. "His creativity was greatly appreciated," his tweet read.
"Chak de India," read a gleeful tweet from Trinamool Congress's Derek O'Brien soon after the name was decided on. "NDA can you challenge INDIA? BJP can you challenge INDIA?" questioned his boss, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Sources said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was not too keen on INDIA, since it has the letters NDA. He had to be convinced.
Addressing the media after the meet, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said, "The BJP wants to destroy democracy, Constitution, using autonomous bodies like CBI, ED, Vigilance (department) all such institutions against opposition party leaders and workers. This is a grave situation. We have come together to save this situation. How to save the country and the people of the country -- this is the issue before us".
Asked who will lead the alliance, Kharge said, "We are making a coordination committee of 11. At that meeting in Mumbai, we will decide on who the 11 will be, who the Convenor will be, etc. These are small things".
In her remarks at the press conference, Mamata Banerjee, while acknowledging all leaders present, referred to Rahul Gandhi as "our favourite". Today's meeting, she said, was "very good, constructive, fruitful". The next meeting in Mumbai will also focus on a Common Minimum Programme, she added.
The opposition meeting coincided with the NDA meeting in Delhi, where the BJP, in a grand show of strength, has gathered together 38 allies.
Refering to the Delhi meet, Kharge claimed the BJP is running scared. "Earlier, they (the BJP) never cared. They never spoke... Tukde tukde ho gaya tha (the NDA was in pieces)... Now PM is trying to put them together. It shows he is afraid of the Opposition," Kharge said.
About the parties attending the NDA meet, he added, "Don't know who they are. If they are registered parties, I have not heard that there are so many parties in India".
Modi Talks Of 'Negative Alliances', Contrasts INDIA With Bharat
NEW DELHI, July 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a sharp attack on the new Opposition this evening, declaring that alliances "built on negativity has never won".
Without naming the fresh minted INDIA, Modi, addressing allies at the mega meet of NDA, said, "When an alliance is dynastic and corrupt, the country will lose". Against INDIA -- which opposition said will represent the voice of the nation – the Prime Minister spoke of Bharat, the poor and the backward classes whom the NDA represents.
The letters of NDA, PM Modi said, represent New India, Developed Nation and the Aspiration of People and Region. It is not a coalition of compulsion but of contribution, he added.
"Today people are seeing who all are a part of NDA. They work for the shoshit and vanchit, adivasis and peechhdas (exploited and deprived, tribals and backward communities)... It is dedicated to the people of the country. Its motto is Nation First, Progress First, Empowerment of the People First... NDA is doing social justice as envisioned by Gandhi and Ambedkar," he said.
As examples he cited the government's welfare programmes and other initiatives.
"When we assure the poor of free healthcare, we secure the future generations... The NDA schemes have broken the vicious cycle of poverty... I went to a tribal village in MP and met tribal women. They told me they have become lakhpatis with the help of Self-Help Groups," he said.
Then came the all-out attack on the Opposition.
"In Kerala, Left and Congress are at loggerheads. But in Bengaluru, they are hugging each other... Their reality is for the people to see. They can come close but can't walk together," he said.
The first NDA meet ahead of the next year's general elections coincides with the mega opposition meet in Bengaluru. The sudden decision to hold the meet and its date have drawn Opposition barbs.
The BJP has also hit back, insisting that changing the name of the opposition alliance will not change its character.
Ally Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal founder and former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha said in a tweet, "It will now be Bharat Mata versus INDIA".
"Our civilisational conflict is pivoted around India and Bharat. The British named our country as India. We must strive to free ourselves from colonial legacies. "Our forefathers fought for Bharat, and we will continue to work for Bharat," tweeted BJP leader and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
It drew a barb from NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto, who questioned when the BJP will change its Twitter handle's name, which is BJP4India.
"Himanta Biswa Sarma says 'British named our country India; we must free ourselves from colonial legacy'. So, when is @BJP4India changing its Twitter handle?" his tweet read.
Sonia, Rahul Gandhi Flight Makes Emergency Landing In Bhopal
BHOPAL, July 18: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia's Bengaluru-Delhi flight made an emergency landing at the Bhopal airport due to rough weather this evening. The Gandhis were returning from the two-day brainstorming session in Bengaluru attended by 26 parties.
The incident happened around 7.45 PM and the aircraft is likely to take off for onward journey at around 9.30 PM. Senior Madhya Pradesh Congress leaders, including former minister PC Sharma and MLA Kunal Chaudhary, have reached the airport.
‘Modi surname’ case: Supreme Court to hear Rahul Gandhi plea against Gujarat HC order on July 21
NEW DELHI, July 18: The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear on July 21 an appeal filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, challenging the Gujarat high court order that refused to put on hold his conviction and a two-year jail term in a criminal defamation case.
Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud assigned the date of hearing to Gandhi’s appeal after senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi mentioned the matter, seeking an early hearing.
The appeal was filed on July 15, exactly a week after the high court dealt a blow to Gandhi’s endeavour to revive his Lok Sabha membership, ruling that the Congress leader “breached modesty” and that his offence involved “moral turpitude”.
In his appeal, Gandhi has urged the top court to immediately stay his conviction to enable him to regain his MP status, arguing the conviction order would lead to throttling of free speech, free expression, free thought, and free statement.
“It would contribute to the systematic, repetitive emasculation of democratic institutions and the consequent strangulation of democracy which would be gravely detrimental to the political climate and future of India,” he said.
Gandhi’s petition further complained that a political speech in the course of democratic political activity, critical of economic offenders, and also of Narendra Modi, has been held to be an act of moral turpitude inviting the harshest punishment.
“Such a finding is gravely detrimental to democratic free speech in the midst of a political campaign. It is respectfully submitted that the same will set a disastrous precedent wiping out any form of political dialogue or debate which is remotely critical in any manner,” it said.
The complainant in the case, BJP leader Purnesh Modi, has already filed his caveat in the top court to ensure no orders are passed in Gandhi’s appeal without hearing his side.
On March 23, a Gujarat magisterial court convicted Gandhi for his remarks on ‘Modi’ surname after Purnesh Modi filed a criminal complaint. The Congress leader was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, which disqualified him as an MP under the Representation of People Act. Gandhi was declared disqualified as MP from Kerala’s Wayanad on March 24, following a notification of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
Gandhi approached the sessions court, which rejected his plea for a stay on his conviction on April 20, compelling him to approach the high court. The April 20 order cited Gandhi’s stature as an MP and former chief of the country’s second-largest political party and said he should have been more careful in his comments.
On July 7, the high court affirmed this order, rejecting Gandhi’s criminal revision application seeking a stay on his conviction.
“The present conviction is a serious matter affecting a large segment of society and needs to be viewed by this court with the gravity and significance it commands... It is now the need of the hour to have purity in politics. Representatives of people should be men of clear antecedent,” said justice Hemant P Prachchhak in his judgment.
The high court judgment meant that Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha will continue. While Gandhi cannot be arrested since his jail term remains suspended for now. Only a stay on his conviction by the Supreme Court or a favourable judgment in his appeal by a sessions court can enable him to contest next year’s Lok Sabha elections.
Under the law, the conviction and two-year jail term renders Gandhi unfit to enter either House of Parliament for a period of eight years. But this can be reversed if he can get the conviction overturned or suspended by a higher court.
Gandhi’s legal team has to now get at least a stay on the conviction in the next 10 months to allow the former Congress chief to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
In his appeal to the top court, Gandhi has contended that the entire approach of the judgements by the high court and the courts below has been to mischaracterise his one-line statement as hugely serious.
“This has resulted in the inexorable exclusion of the petitioner from all political elective office for a long period of 8 years. That too in the world’s largest democracy where the Petitioner has been a former President of the oldest political movement in the country and is also continuously in the vanguard of opposition political activity,” the appeal added.
If political satire were to be held to be a base motive, Gandhi said, any political speech which is colourfully critical of the government, or any other political party or involves a turn of phrase in the course of a vigorous political speech, would become an act of moral turpitude. This would completely corrode the foundations of democracy.
“To equate a political speech criticising the government or a section of society, even if defamatory, to the aforesaid, sets a completely incongruous standard unknown to jurisprudence which deals with moral turpitude,” the plea said.
4 Terrorists Killed By Security Forces In Major Anti-Terror Op In J&K's Poonch
SRINAGAR, July 18: Four terrorists were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Tuesday. The gunfight broke out at Sindarah in Surankote area of Poonch last evening after a joint operation of the army and police in the area.
This is the first major successful operation against terrorists in the area after multiple attacks in Rajouri and Poonch since January this year.
"Operation Trinetra II. In a major cordon and search operation, acting on specific intelligence, four terrorists were eliminated in a joint operation by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police near Sindarah and Maidana villages in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district." Four AK-47 rifles, two pistols and other materials were also recovered, it said, adding, "Elimination of these terrorists has avoided major terrorist initiated incidents in Rajouri and Poonch area." the White Knight Corps said in a tweet.
Earlier on Monday, security forces killed two terrorists and foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control in the district. Major "war like stores" including one AK-74 rifle with magazine, 11 rounds and other items for sustenance were recovered, officials said.
'United We Stand': Opposition's Message Against 'Hate Politics' At Key Meet
BENGALURU, July 17: Top leaders of 26 Opposition parties have gathered in Bengaluru to decide on the contours of the front that will take on the BJP next year. The formal talks will take place tomorrow from 11 am to 4 pm.
The leaders, who gathered in Bengaluru through the day, had a dinner meeting in the evening to formalise the agenda for tomorrow's talks.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, chief ministers M K Stalin, Nitish Kumar, Arvind Kejriwal, Hemant Soren and RJD chief Lalu Prasad are among those taking part in the two-day meet. Sharad Pawar, whose party underwent a split last month with the rebellion of nephew Ajit Pawar, will join the meeting tomorrow.
"Like-minded opposition parties shall closely work together to foster an agenda of social justice, inclusive development and national welfare. We want to free the people of India from the autocratic and anti-people politics of hate, division, economic inequality and loot... United We Stand, for this INDIA," tweeted Mallikarjun Kharge.
The dinner meeting at the Taj West End Hotel this evening saw Mamata Banerjee and Sonia Gandhi seated next to each other. While the two leaders are known to share a good rapport, relations between the Congress and Ms Banerjee's Trinamool Congress had soured lately.
But both parties have gone past that, agreeing that defeating the BJP next year is priority to save democracy and federalism.
The meet is being hosted by the Congress at a carefully chosen spot. The Congress victory in the recent Karnataka assembly election has not only galvanised the opposition, but also placed the party in a commanding position.
Under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress has, however, kept a low profile, reiterating that it wants to hear the ideas from other leaders.
Asked whether its former ally HD Kumaraswamy's Janata Dal Secular will attend, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera said, "All parties having the will and guts to fight the BJP are welcome".
"From 16 in Patna to 26 in Bengaluru, this opposition will grow... We will have many more meetings. Issues would be discussed now and we will look at leaders later," he added.
The opposition meet will coincide with a show of strength in Delhi, where all the NDA constituents will also meet tomorrow. Mr Khera said the BJP has "jitters" and this is why they are holding the meet tomorrow.
Delhi: Yamuna water level up after drop over 2 days, no need to panic, say officials
NEW DELHI, July 17: The water level in the Yamuna increased from 205.45 metres at 6am to 205.50 metres at 8am and 205.76 metres at 11:00am even as it continued to be above the danger level after a steady drop over the last two days amid forecast for light rains on Monday.
Minister Atishi said heavy rainfall in parts of Haryana has led to the increase even as an official attributed it to the release of water from drains in Delhi. “The Central Water Commission has estimated that the water level can reach up to 206.1 metres tonight. Delhi does not face any danger due to it but the people in relief camps are requested not to go back. They should return when the water level falls below the danger mark [205.33 metres],” she said.
The official cited above said the discharge from the Hathni Kund Barrage in Haryana has not increased significantly. “...around 45-50,000 cusecs water was being released at an hourly rate which is not alarming,” said the official, who did not want to be named.
The official cited dewatering operations and added the accumulated water from drains in Delhi was being dumped into the river. “[This] is leading to minor fluctuation [in water level]. People should not be alarmed.”
A yellow alert, the second of the warnings asking people to watch and be updated, has been issued for Tuesday as India Meteorological Department said moderate rainfall was expected.
The river reached an all-time high level of 208.66 metres at 6pm on July 23, breaking previous records and flooding low-lying parts of the city.
Flooded arterial roads were reopened as the water levels receded over the last two days. Dewatering operations continued near Rajghat, Red Fort, and Vikas Marg.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said as the water level has gone down, people evacuated from flooded areas will start returning to their homes. “We will help to restore normalcy to life. I appeal to everyone to help these people,” he said. The government has said every flood-hit household will get ₹10,000.
The flooding on Thursday led to the closure of three water treatment plants, impacting a third of the city’s water supply. The Okhla and Chandrawal plants have been restarted while the biggest plant at Wazirabad is only partially operational.
Kejriwal said that the capacity of the Wazirabad plant is 134 MGD. “It has started producing 54 MGD. The equipment got most damaged in this plant. Hopefully, it should start working at full capacity soon. Engineers are working 24x7,” he tweeted.
Trinamool Writes To Chief Justice Over Himanta Sarma's 'Miya' Remark
Guwahati: The Trinamool Congress has written to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud seeking judicial action against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Sarma, alleging that the BJP leader has made a "hate speech" against the 'Miya' community.
An Independent Rajya Sabha MP, Ajit Bhuyan, on Monday also filed a police complaint against the Chief Minister for the same remark.
Sarma, while responding to reporters' questions last week on the high price of vegetables in Guwahati, had said, "Vegetables are not priced so high in villages. Here the Miya vendors charge us more. Had it been Assamese vendors selling vegetables, they wouldn't have fleeced their own people."
"I will clear all the footpaths of Guwahati and I urge our Assamese people to come forward and start their businesses," he added.
'Miya' is a pejorative term used for Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam.
Assam Trinamool chief Ripun Bora, in the letter to the Chief Justice of India, urged for initiation of suo motu contempt proceeding against the Assam government. He maintained that Sarma's statement could "not only provoke a section of people but also incite communal hatred".
Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Bhuyan claimed that such remarks are intended to create a division among different communities in the state and are prejudicial to national integration.
Spotlighting a recent Supreme Court direction for cases against hate speeches, Bhuyan sought registration of a case against Sarma under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and "investigate the matter and to take action".
UP YouTuber Earns ₹ 1 Crore Through Videos, Income Tax Raid At Home
NEW DELHI, July 17: The income tax department found ₹ 24 lakh cash during a raid at a YouTuber's house in Uttar Pradesh. Officials said that Taslim, who is being probed, had been running a YouTube channel for years and had earned nearly ₹ 1 crore.
The YouTuber is accused of earning money through illegal means, a claim that the family denies.
Taslim, who stays in UP's Bareilly, makes videos related to share market and even pays income tax on his income, claims his brother. Feroze said that his brother manages the YouTube account 'Trading Hub 3.0'.
He claimed that they have already paid ₹ 4 lakh in taxes over their total YouTube income of ₹ 1.2 crore.
"We do not do any wrong work. We run our YouTube channel, from which we earn a good income, this is the truth. This raid is a well-planned conspiracy," Feroze said.
Taslim's mother also claims that her son is being wrongly framed.
Sisters Sexually Abused, One Attempts Suicide, BJP Leader's Son An Accused
BHOPAL, July 16: A Madhya Pradesh BJP leader's son is among four accused of gang-raping a woman and sexually assaulting her minor sister in the Datia district of the state. Relatives of the survivors, and locals, surrounded the police station demanding action, after which two of the accused have been arrested.
The area is the home turf of Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra, who represents the Datia Assembly constituency.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's Datia district unit head on Sunday said appropriate action will be taken if the gang-rape survivor in her police statement names the son of a local party functionary of being involved in the crime.
One of the victims tried to kill herself by hanging, police said. She was rushed to a hospital where she is under treatment.
All the accused are residents of Unnao police station area.
The survivors and the accused are students, and the police is investigating the matter, Datia Superintendent of Police Pradeep Sharma said.
A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, and also the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, has been registered against the accused, Mr Sharma said.
"The complainant said she and her elder sister were abducted by four persons. The accused took them to a house, where they raped her elder sister," Pradeep Sharma said.
A complaint was lodged by the woman's younger sister.
Following the incident, the victim and her younger sister returned home, where the victim tried to commit suicide, he said.
The woman was later admitted to a hospital in Jhansi in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, Sharma said. As per the First Information Report (FIR), the accused also sexually abused the complainant, he said.
A reward of ₹ 10,000 has been announced on the accused who are on the run, he said.
BJP's district president Surendra Budholia said the incident was unfortunate, and the police were yet to record the victim's statement.
If the victim takes the name of the BJP office-bearer's son in her statement to the police, then the party will serve a notice to him (local functionary). The party will then take further action, Budholia said.
As Yamuna recedes, Delhi begins clean-up, counts its losses
NEW DELHI, July 16: With the water level of the Yamuna receding, Delhi government agencies have begun cleaning operations in parts of the Capital that were inundated with floodwaters, as those affected count their losses and return to their shops and homes.
While the Public Works Department (PWD) started pumping out water and clearing the sludge on roads, shopkeepers have also begun shelling out money and roping in private workers to clean their shops.
In north Delhi, water receded from houses at Civil Lines and Monastery Market, leaving behind heaps of sludge. PWD workers were seen pumping out water in these areas.
Shopkeepers in these areas said they have suffered heavy losses, adding that the scale of destruction was unprecedented. “We are paying private contractors and getting the market cleaned. Until the mud is cleared, we cannot open our shops. The water supply continues to remain disconnected. The electricity connection also needs to be resumed. Every shopkeeper here has incurred losses amounting to lakhs, and now we have to pay to get back on our feet and resume work,” said Salahuddin, a shopkeeper at Monastery Market.
While a temple and some patches of Bela Road at Civil Lines remain waterlogged, the water has receded from the Sushruta Trauma Centre. At Kashmere Gate, PWD workers were seen pumping out water from the ISBT. While the Yamuna’s water levels have fallen, the ISBT premises continue to be waterlogged. “I was under the impression that the bus terminal would have started functioning by now. However, no buses are plying. Autos are charging excessively but we have no other option,” said Raju Kumar, who regularly travels between Delhi and Karnal.
Heavy Rain In Delhi Again Amid Race To Open Jammed Flood Gates
NEW DELHI, July 15: Heavy rain returned to Delhi once again on Saturday evening as it grapples with severe flooding after record showers, and a record-breaking rise in water levels in the Yamuna River that flows through the city.
Authorities raced to open roads choked by the flood, exacerbated by the release of water from Hathni Kund Barrage in Haryana, which has drastically elevated the water levels of the Yamuna River, displacing thousands settled on the banks.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has assured that efforts are being made to open all five gates of the Yamuna Barrage, some of which are jammed with silt, to aid the drainage of floodwater. "The water level in the Yamuna is receding. The situation will be normal soon if it doesn't rain. If it rains, then it may take a bit longer," Kejriwal said earlier in the day.
While the "severe" flood alert was taken down a notch after four days, the city remains on high alert. The Yamuna, after breaking a 45-year record by reaching a peak of 208.66 meters earlier this week, has receded to 206.97 meters.
Rescue operations are ongoing as authorities evacuate both residents and animals from areas where water has risen to chest level. Roadways have transformed into miniature rivers, making transportation and accessibility a significant challenge.
The scarcity of food in low-lying areas has sparked complaints among residents, adding to the urgency of the situation. Two task forces are being relocated from Meerut to Delhi to assist in handling the crisis.
With the Delhi government under attack over the severe waterlogging, minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Saturday alleged that the crisis was caused by the BJP-led centre and Haryana government wilfully releasing water towards the national capital. Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij countered the charge saying, "In our state also water came from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, but we are not blaming anyone. We are trying to make arrangements."
The Indian Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were summoned yesterday as floodwaters overtook key areas of central Delhi, including ITO and Rajghat. The water levels have risen so significantly that they've reached the Supreme Court and some crematoriums in Delhi, including Nigam Bodh Ghat.
Three boys drowned on Friday while attempting to swim in the floodwaters in northwest Delhi's Mukundpur Chowk area. These are the first deaths reported in the city since the Yamuna River crossed the danger mark.
The local government has deployed over 4,500 traffic personnel in the affected areas to manage congestion and aid commuters. The entry of heavy goods vehicles, except those carrying essential items, has been banned from the city's four borders.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority has ordered non-essential government offices, schools, and colleges to remain closed until Sunday to ensure public safety.
Rahul Gandhi Goes To Supreme Court For Relief In 'Modi Surname' Case
NEW DELHI, July 15: Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi today filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Gujarat High Court's refusal to stay his conviction in the criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark, which led to his disqualification as a Lok Sabha MP earlier this year.
Gandhi was disqualified as a Member of Parliament on March 24, 2023 after a Gujarat court convicted him and sentenced him to two-years in jail on charges of criminal defamation for his "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?" remark made during an election rally at Kolar in Karnataka on April 13, 2019.
A stay on Gandhi's conviction could pave the way for his reinstatement as a Lok Sabha MP. However, he has not received any relief from either the sessions court or the Gujarat High Court.
The complainant, BJP MLA Purnesh Modi, had earlier filed a caveat in the Supreme Court seeking that he be heard if the Congress leader moves a plea challenging the high court verdict.
The high court had dismissed Gandhi's appeal, saying "it is now the need of the hour to have purity in politics". It also noted that the representatives of the people should be "men of clear antecedent" and that a stay on conviction is not a rule, but an exception resorted to only in rare cases and there was no reasonable ground to stay his conviction.
"Rahul Gandhi is seeking a stay on conviction on absolutely non-existent grounds," the court added, observing that refusal to stay the conviction would not in any way result in injustice to the applicant.
53-year-old Rahul Gandhi, elected to the Lok Sabha from Wayanad in Kerala in 2019, was disqualified as a Member of Parliament under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act after a metropolitan magistrate's court in Surat sentenced him to two years in jail after convicting him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 and 500 (criminal defamation).
There are 10 cases pending against Rahul Gandhi. A complaint has also been filed against him by the grandson of Veer Savarkar in Pune Court after Gandhi used terms against Veer Savarkar at Cambridge.
'Evacuate, Don't Wait,' Arvind Kejriwal Warns People In Delhi's Low-Lying Areas
NEW DELHI, July 12: As the Yamuna River in Delhi swelled to a record-breaking level on Wednesday, surpassing a 45-year-old record, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has urged residents in low-lying areas near the Yamuna River to evacuate.
"We have to protect lives, properties. People in low-lying areas near the Yamuna River need to be evacuated," Kejriwal warned in a press conference on Wednesday. The Delhi government has alerted the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) of the escalating situation, he said.
Kejriwal also instructed district magistrates to convert schools into relief camps if necessary due to the increasing water levels in the Yamuna.
The Yamuna in Delhi swelled to 207.71 meters on Wednesday, surpassing its previous record of 207.49 meters set in 1978. The surge in water level prompted an emergency meeting chaired by Kejriwal.
In the wake of the crisis, Delhi Police banned gatherings in vulnerable parts of the city.
Thousands of people have already been relocated to safer areas as water invaded homes and markets near the river. Projections from the Central Water Commission suggest that water levels are likely to rise further.
The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall to continue in Uttarakhand in the next two days, exacerbating the flooding risk.
In a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Kejriwal requested for a limited release of water from the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana, to help manage water levels in the Yamuna.
"The news of flood in the capital of the country will not send a good message to the world. Together we will have to save the people of Delhi from this situation," Mr Kejriwal said, pointing out that Delhi is preparing to host the G-20 Summit meeting in the coming weeks.
Frustration is mounting among the displaced residents in Delhi. Some have expressed disappointment with the government's perceived lack of adequate response to the crisis.
Revenue Minister Atishi affirmed that the Delhi government is taking measures to reinforce river embankments and evacuate people from the floodplains. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority has issued advisories for residents to relocate to safer areas and avoid low-lying regions.
Flooding is not new to Delhi, with major floods recorded in 1924, 1977, 1978, 1995, 2010, and 2013. Analysis shows an increasing trend for floods in September, while a decreasing trend is observed in July.
Experts have attributed the record water levels to riverbed elevation caused by significant silt accumulation. Insufficient dredging and a plethora of bridges and barrages obstructing the river flow have led to the build-up of silt in the riverbed.
Continued rainfall in the upper catchment areas and saturated soil due to heavy precipitation in Delhi and nearby regions over the weekend have contributed to the sharp rise in water levels.
'Enough Evidence To Try And Punish' Wrestling Body Chief: Delhi Police
NEW DELHI, July 11: Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the benched chief of the country's Wrestling Federation accused of sexual harassment, has refused to step down despite the chargesheet filed against him by the Delhi Police. Asked the question by a reporter, the six-time MP not only refused, but also misbehaved with the reporter and slammed a car door on the mic.
Sources said the Delhi Police has filed a 1000-page chargesheet against the Federation chief after detailed investigation that included questioning over 100 people. Sources said 15 of those questioned testified in favour of the seven wrestlers who accused him of sexual harassment. Among them were the wrestlers' friends and families.
He has been charged with sexual harassment, criminal intimidation, stalking, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation. A second FIR (First Information Report) has been filed against him on the basis of allegations by a minor wrestler, which was registered under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act. He faces three and seven years in jail under the two cases.
The Delhi police, though, have requested a cancellation of the POCSO case, citing lack of evidence.
Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court has summoned the Wrestling Federation chief on July 18. "The evidence is enough to try and punish the accused," police sources have said.
Today, asked about the charges against him, which allege repeated and continuous sexual harassment, the Wrestling Federation chief said he would "speak in court" and refused to give any "masala" to the media.
Earlier, Singh had denied all allegations and said he would step down only if Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants him to.
The wrestlers -- many of them national and international medal winners -- had held a protest demanding action against him earlier this year. In April, they hit the streets, holding a sit-in at Jantar Mantar till they were evicted after several run-ins with the Delhi Police.
Visuals of Olympians being pinned to the road and dragged off by the police had triggered shock and outrage across the nation. Shortly after, the government stepped in, asking the wrestlers to wait till the police finished their investigation.
Trinamool Celebrates After Huge Lead In Bengal Rural Polls
KOLKATA, July 11: Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress has established a mammoth lead over its nearest rival, the BJP, in the local bodies' elections – seen as a litmus test for next year's general elections. Though the end of the counting is a long way off, celebrations have started at the Trinamool offices across the state, with green gulal and boxes of sweets.
Counting of votes started this morning for the 74,000 seats in the three-tier panchayat polls. Besides the 63,229 gram panchayat seats, it also includes 9,730 panchayat samiti seats and 928 zilla parishad seats.
Data from the state Election Commission shows the Trinamool is leading in 23,198 of the gram panchayat seats, the BJP is ahead in 5,756 seats. The CPI(M) is leading in 2,048 seats and the Congress in 1,439 seats.
Other parties which included the newly formed ISF are leading in 1,721 seats, while independents which included Trinamool rebels won 718 seats and led in 216 seats.
Monday's polling was marked by violence in multiple booths, in which 15 people died. The repolling on 696 booths yesterday was held amid allegations of ballot box tampering.
This morning, crude bombs went off near a counting centre in Murshidabad and the police resorted to lathicharge in Howrah to control crowds.
The counting though, is taking place amid strict security. armed state police personnel and central forces have been stationed at the counting centres, and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC being imposed outside the venue to avoid any untoward incidents.
The BJP has alleged that the Trinamool is making "desperate attempts to loot votes" by barring opposition agents from counting centres.
"TMC goons are making desperate attempt to steal the elections by obstructing the counting agents and candidates of the BJP and other opposition political parties from entering counting centres. They are being restricted from going towards the venue, and bombs are being hurled to intimidate counting agents," leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, was quoted as saying by a news agency.
Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, "Sensing defeat, they are making baseless allegations." "Rejected by people and sensing humiliating defeat, this is BJP's last attempt to come up with lame excuses to make up for its own organisational failures," he said.
The Trinamool has claimed that 60 per cent of the people killed in he violence were their supporters.
The violence had started since the Panchayat polls were announced. Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has submitted a report on the violence to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
In a first, the Raj Bhavan also attempted to address the issue of poll violence this time, with the Governor opening a "Peace Home" at his official residence to address people's complaints.
Third Extension To ED Chief Illegal: Supreme Court
NEW DELHI, July 11: The third extension of Enforcement Directorate chief Sanjay Kumar Mishra's term by the central government was illegal, the Supreme Court said today, allowing the officer to continue till July 31. The Centre had to appoint a new chief for the probe agency, the court said. SK Mishra's extended term violates a 2021 judgment, the Supreme Court said, hearing petitions challenging the Centre's decision to extend Mishra's tenure for the third time on November 17 last year.
The Supreme Court let him continue till July 31 after the Centre expressed concern about continuity in the middle of a peer review by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global terror financing watchdog.
The Centre had cited the peer review every time it extended Mishra's term. In May, the government had told the Supreme Court that he would retire in November and that the petition was motivated by an "oblique personal interest rather than any public interest", for the cause of appeasing "political masters".
"This officer is not some DGP (Director General of Police) of a state but an officer representing the country in a United Nation-like body and hence parliament has taken a conscious call," said Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, the Centre's lawyer, defending the multiple extensions give to the officer.
In the previous hearing in May, Mehta had similarly argued: "He has been overseeing some important investigations related to money laundering and his continuity was required in the interest of the nation. He is not indispensable. Peer review was earlier scheduled to be held in 2019 but was postponed due to Covid and it is happening in 2023."
In a peer review, countries are assessed on steps taken to check terror financing and money laundering, say officials.
Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala, who had filed one of the petitions in the case in the Supreme Court, claimed that it has now become clear how the government is "misusing" agencies to target the opposition leaders and destabilise elected governments in non-BJP-ruled states.
"This is a victory of justice and vindication of our stand on brazen misuse and compromise of ED for political vendetta as also the blatant pursuit of Modi Government's desperate and obvious agenda," he said on Twitter.
"This is a serious and historic indictment of the Modi Government, which was so desperate to have its choice of ED Chief (for reasons apparent to all) that it completely disregarded all norms of justice, equity and fairness to install its 'yes man'," he alleged.
Mishra was given charge of the Enforcement Directorate in November 2018. He was to retire two years later after turning 60. But in November 2020, the government gave him an extension. His term was extended twice after that.
"We find that the legislature is competent, no fundamental rights have been violated, and there is no manifest arbitrariness...extension can be granted to high-level officials such as this in the public interest and with reasons in writing," the Supreme Court said.
The court backed the amendments made to the Central Vigilance Commission Act and the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, which allow the Centre to extend the terms of probe agency chiefs by up to five years.
KV Vishwanathan, assisting the Supreme Court with the case, urged the judges to strike down the amendments in the "larger interest of democracy", expressing fear that it would be misused by future governments.
Mishra's repeated extensions had provoked strong objections from the opposition, which accuses the government of weaponising the Enforcement Directorate and the CBI to target political rivals.
Another Cheetah, Tejas, Dies At Kuno, 7th Death In 4 Months
BHOPAL, July 11: A male cheetah died at the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh today, making it the seventh big cat casualty there in nearly four months.
The monitoring team observed injuries on the cheetah's neck around 11 AM today and alerted doctors, who inspected the animal and sedated him to treat the injuries.
"The male cheetah Tejas was found dead at around 2 PM. His injuries are being probed. The cause of death can be ascertained after an autopsy," the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, JS Chouhan, said.
On March 27, a female Cheetah named Sasha died due to kidney ailment, on April 23, Uday died of cardio-pulmonary failure and on May 9, Daksha, a female cheetah, died after a violent interaction with a male during a mating attempt. Two cheetah cubs died of "extreme weather condition and dehydration" on May 25.
Earlier, the Centre denied any lapses behind the deaths of the six cheetahs - including three cubs - within two months at KNP. "There is no lapse behind any of the cheetah deaths. Even in the case of the deaths of the three cheetah cubs, global wildlife literature clearly mentions 90% per cent infant mortality among cheetahs," said an official.
In May, following the six deaths, South African wildlife expert Vincent van der Merwe had predicted more deaths and said that the reintroduction project is going to see an even higher mortality over the next few months when the cheetahs would try to establish territories and come face to face with leopards and tigers at the park.
Foxconn-Vedanta Deal Ends. Both Found New Partners, Say Sources
NEW DELHI, July 10: Taiwan's Foxconn leaving a key $19.5 billion joint venture with Vedanta will not affect India's semiconductor programme, said Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Foxconn in a statement said the decision to end the joint venture was mutual.
Both Foxconn and Vedanta have no prior chip-making experience or technology. They were expected to source it from a technology partner.
"Both Foxconn and Vedanta are committed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Make In India policy and India's semiconductor programme. Foxconn withdrawing from the joint venture with Vedanta will have no impact on India's semiconductor programme," said Vaishnaw, the Union Information Technology Minister.
Vedanta and Foxconn had signed agreements in September 2022 to invest $19.5 billion to set up semiconductor and display production plants in Gujarat, the home state of PM Modi.
In May this year, the joint venture was reported to be "struggling" to tie up with a technology partner.
Both companies have now found their technology partners, people with direct knowledge of the matter said.
Vedanta and Foxconn had got on board STMicro for licensing technology, but the government had made clear it wanted the European chipmaker to have "more skin in the game", such as a stake in the partnership, news agency Reuters reported in May.
The capital markets regulator SEBI also last month fined Vedanta for breaching disclosure rules by publishing a press statement that made it appear it partnered with Foxconn to make semiconductors in India, as the deal was with Vedanta's holding company.
As the joint venture comes to an end, Vedanta said it is committed to its semiconductor project and has lined up other partners to set up India's first foundry.
"It was well known that both companies had no prior semiconductor experience or technology and were expected to source technology from a partner," Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar tweeted.
Vedanta today said it has redoubled efforts to fulfil PM Modi's vision for semiconductors and affirmed that India remains pivotal in repositioning global semiconductor supply chains.
Supreme Court Refuses To Pause Centre's Ordinance On Control Of Services
NEW DELHI, July 10: There will be no freeze on the Centre's executive order controlling the bureaucrats posted in Delhi, the Supreme Court said today in response to a petition by Delhi's Aam Aadmi Party government, which had challenged the constitutional validity of the Centre's order. But the court has issued a notice to the Centre following the Delhi government's petition.
"We will issue notice to amend the petition to implead the Lieutenant Governor," said Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud. The next hearing is on Monday, when the court will also hear the Delhi government's petition on the Lieutenant Governor sacking 400 specialists like fellows, research officers.
The Lieutenant Governor is "acting like a super CM," Delhi had told the court in its petition, filed shortly after the Centre passed the executive order last month. The Ordinance over-rides the Supreme Court order given barely a week ago that said only the Delhi government was the boss.
Except for issues linked to land, police and public order, the Lieutenant Governor has "no independent decision-making powers" under the Constitution, said the five-judge Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice Chandrachud, which had looked into whether the Central government has administrative control over transfers and postings of civil servants in the national capital.
The case has its roots in 2018, when the Arvind Kejriwal government had gone to court, arguing that its decisions were constantly being over-ridden by the Lieutenant Governor, who acts as the Centre's representative in Delhi.
Transfers and appointments of officials was one of the first flashpoints between Mr Kejriwal's government and the Lieutenant Governor.
Kejriwal frequently complained that he could not appoint even a "peon" or transfer an officer. Bureaucrats didn't obey his government's orders as their cadre controlling authority was the Home Ministry, he also said.
SC endorses RBI decision not to insist on identity for ₹2,000 note deposit
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday endorsed the decision of the Delhi high court to not interfere with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) May 19 decision to permit the exchange of ₹2,000 denomination currency notes without insisting on any identity proof.
Dismissing an appeal filed against the May 29 high court order by the petitioner, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud said the current exercise is not demonetisation but a policy decision where RBI is allowing persons to tender high-value currency and get the equivalent currency notes.
The court compared the situation to a marketplace where a vegetable vendor who accepts a ₹2,000 currency note or even ₹500 will not insist on identity. “The purpose of demonetisation has been served. Both RBI and Centre maintain faith in the currency. They can always learn from the past to allow such exchange. This is why courts do not interfere with these decisions,” the bench observed.
Upadhyay questioned the decision, saying it was arbitrary and an attempt to convert illegal black money. The bench, also comprising justice PS Narasimha, disagreed. “This way you will accept that a large amount of unaccounted money comes through land transactions. So do you ban land transactions?”
The court also countered the petitioner’s argument that banks could insist on mobile number or Aadhaar number of the people who seek to exchange currency notes.
The bench responded: “You cannot equate desirability with legality. You have argued that RBI should conduct an exercise to reduce black money by insisting on identity of depositors. But tracking black money is a matter that falls within executive governance.”
Upadhyay requested the court to allow him to withdraw his appeal but the bench said that in the light of the high court order, there was a need for some finality on this issue and dismissed his petition.
The top court last month refused to grant an urgent hearing on Upadhyay’s petition that sought to allow a directive that people should only be allowed to deposit the high-value currency notes into their bank account and not exchange them.
RBI has said in a recent statement that banks have received ₹2000 currency notes worth ₹2.72 lakh crore till last week. The total value of these notes in circulation on May 19 was ₹3.62 lakh crore.
11 Dead In Violence As Bengal Votes For Panchayat Polls
KOLKATA, July 8: At least 11 people have been killed as rural West Bengal votes for the crucial three-tier panchayat polls today, which serves as a litmus test for the 2024 parliamentary elections and could reshape the state's political landscape.
Among those killed were six Trinamool members, and one worker each of the BJP, Left, Congress and ISF, and another person whose political identity could not be known, said officials.
The ruling Trinamool Congress alleged a "colossal failure" on the part of central forces tasked with security. Besides violent clashes that injured several people, ballot boxes were destroyed in several parts of the state.
Voting began at 7 am in 73,887 seats in the rural areas of the state with 5.67 crore people picking between 2.06 lakh candidates for nearly 928 seats across 22 zilla parishads, 9,730 panchayat samitis, and 63,229 gram panchayats seats.
Governor CV Ananda Bose visited different areas in North 24 Parganas district, and met people injured in the violence and interacted with voters.
Since the day the polls were announced on June 8, widespread violence have been reported from across Bengal. Fifteen people including a teenager have died.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is from the Trinamool Congress, and the party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee led the Trinamool campaign. They had stressed on the need to shun strong-arm tactics by its cadres and allow more democratic space to political opponents to avoid the rerun of the 2018 rural polls when it had won around 34 per cent seats uncontested.
BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar, national vice-president Dilip Ghosh, and leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari led the BJP's campaign; state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and CPI(M) state secretary Mohammed Salim led their parties' strategies.
The Indian Secular Front (ISF), with its limited presence in parts of North and South 24 Parganas, too grabbed headlines as its leader and only MLA Nawsad Siddique led the party's campaign, which often resulted in clashes with the ruling Trinamool in Bhangor in South 24 Parganas.
For the first time, the Raj Bhavan played an active role in addressing the issue of poll violence, with Governor Bose opening a "Peace Home" at his official residence to address complaints of people.
The polls to elect representatives for village councils will be held under the watchful eyes of the central forces for a second time since the inception of the panchayati raj system in Bengal in the late 70s. Some 65,000 central police personnel and 70,000 state police personnel will be deployed across Bengal today.
"The BJP seems to forget that people vote and not the central forces. If the BJP doesn't have the support of people, no matter how many central forces you seek, the mandate will not change," Abhishek Banerjee said. In the 2013 panchayat polls, the Trinamool won over 85 per cent of the seats.
Sachin Pilot's 'Forgive And Forget' Status Update On Ashok Gehlot
NEW DELHI, July 8: Congress leader Sachin Pilot made it clear on Saturday that he has buried the hatchet with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on the advice of party president Mallikarjun Kharge, saying collective leadership was the "only way" forward going into the assembly polls.
In an interview just days after the crucial Rajasthan polls strategy meeting of the party, Pilot said Kharge advised him to "forgive and forget" and move forward. "It was as much an advice as a directive."
"Ashok Gehlot ji is older than me, he has more experience. He has heavy responsibilities on his shoulders. When I was the Rajasthan Congress president, I tried to take everyone along. I think that today he is the Chief Minister (Gehlot), so he is trying to take everyone along."
"If there is a little back and forth, then it is not a big issue because the party and the public are more important than any individual. I also understand this and he also understands it," the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister said.
Asked about Gehlot calling him names in the past and his criticism of the Gehlot government over inaction on issues such as corruption in the previous Vasundhara Raje government, Pilot said that in a meeting with him, Congress chief Kharge said that time that has gone by will not come back and one has to look at the future.
"He (Kharge) said forgive and forget and look forward and that is applicable to everybody. I believe in that, we now have to move forward and meet new challenges. This country needs the Congress to do well. We need to seek blessings of the people of Rajasthan and in order to do that we have to work unitedly and move forward in a way that is acceptable to the people and to the party workers," Pilot said.
"So who said what, at which time, there is no point talking about it as it does not mean anything. I have always refrained from using any word or language that I feel is unpleasant or is something that I would not want to hear about myself. In public life and politics, it is always good to maintain certain dignity of discourse," Pilot said.
"Next challenge for us is to win elections, neither individuals nor statements matter, those are bygones," he said.
His remarks come after Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, AICC in-charge for Rajasthan Sukhjinder Randhawa, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Govind Dotasra, he and several MLAs and ministers from the state attended a polls strategy meeting at the AICC headquarters here. Gehlot, who is recovering from injuries to his toes, attended the meeting via video conferencing.
Following the meeting, the Congress on Thursday asserted it can win the Rajasthan assembly elections provided there is unity and warned of strict action against those not maintaining discipline and speaking outside the party forum. The party also indicated that it may not declare a chief ministerial face for the polls due later this year.
Asked about Congress general secretary in-charge organisation KC Venugopal's remarks that the party never announces the chief ministerial candidate, Pilot said, "I think what Venugopal ji said is not incorrect. Every time we go to polls, it is not an individual that fights elections. So in 2018, I was the state party president and when we fought the elections unitedly we never said X, Y, Z will be the CM face. That is a decision that happens post elections."
Pilot asserted that the Congress government in Rajasthan is not about A B C, but is about the party, and the leadership of the party, national and state leadership, is a collective unit.
"Our performance and policies are not individualistic. They are based on the ideology of the Congress party, the cabinet is there, the CM is there, all of us are there...Victory and loss is not about an individual, it is about a team," he asserted.
"I don't want to add anything to what Venugopal said but he is absolutely correct that the Congress party has traditionally never announced any names of individuals who would head the government because ultimately it is a parliamentary democracy where elected MLAs, leadership sit and make a decision as to who will lead the government," he said.
Pilot stressed that right now the challenge is to buck the anti-incumbency trend that has existed for about 25 years. "It is a cause of concern as to why we form the government and then we lose rather badly in the next polls," he said.
Pressed further on whether collective leadership was the way to go in Rajasthan, Pilot said, "It is the only way to go." "I have said earlier, no one individual can actually say or claim that he or she can do the magic of winning elections. It is always a team effort. More than leaders, it is the workers, we have to enthuse the workers, they need to feel committed and involved, and as Rahul Gandhi has said that the party workers must feel involved in decision-making," he said.
Asked about his concern over anti-incumbency, Pilot said there is anti-incumbency in Rajasthan as there is in other places with every government having a certain amount of unaccomplished work.
"I believe the people understand the intention of our party and government. Every scheme the government has launched has been well received by the people. It is up to us to take those schemes to the grassroots," he said.
Pilot also batted for winnability being the sole criterion for choosing candidates for the polls and not which faction he or she belongs to.
He also called for younger leaders being encouraged and given a chance to prove their mettle at the hustings.
On what role he would play going forward, Pilot said he has always discharged his duties with utmost dedication in the past and any decision on it taken by the party high command would be acceptable to him.
He, however, added that his heart is in Rajasthan and he has never shied away from saying that.
Pilot also took a jibe at the BJP and alleged that it was grappling with infighting and confusion within its ranks.
"We are on our way to making history. It is quite possible that we will get more seats than we got last time," he said.
Asked how he looks at AAP making forays into Rajasthan, Pilot said, "I think people understand that their votes are important and every vote counts. So while I don't want to disregard to brush aside any political challenge that we may face in Rajasthan, but I can say with some confidence that the main contest will be between the Congress and the BJP." He also stressed that the Congress has to win many more states and then it will have in 2024, a platform of Congress-ruled states which will obviously pay dividends in the Lok Sabha elections.
"In 2018, despite winning the three states (Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan), in Parliament polls, we did not do well at all but those were exceptional circumstances. I don't want to go into exactly what happened in those elections but that I think is an individual case in point and now people have seen nine years of the NDA government and in most cases the double engine has failed," Pilot said.
Gehlot and Pilot have been engaged in a power tussle since the Congress formed government in the state in 2018. In 2020, Pilot led a revolt against the Gehlot government after which he was removed from the posts of the party's state unit president and deputy chief minister.
Last year, an attempt by the high command to effect a leadership change in Rajasthan had failed after Gehlot loyalists dug their heels in and did not allow a legislature party meeting to take place.
Pilot had last month defied a warning from the party and went ahead with a day-long fast targeting Gehlot over his "inaction" on alleged corruption during the previous Raje government.
Delhi Records Its Highest One-Day Rainfall In 20 Years On Saturday
NEW DELHI, July 8: Delhi on Saturday witnessed the season's first very heavy rain and the highest in a day in 20 years causing waterlogging, uprooting trees, damaging vehicles and leading to traffic congestion in several parts, the India Meteorological Department said.
The Safdarjung Observatory, the city's primary weather station, recorded 126.1 mm of rainfall between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, the highest since the 24-hour rainfall of 133.4 mm on July 10, 2003, a senior IMD official said. The city logged an all-time high of 266.2 mm on July 21, 1958.
Saturday's was the season's first heavy spell of rain. A 'yellow alert' is in place for Sunday, the IMD said.
The IMD uses four colour codes for weather warnings - green (no action needed), yellow (watch and stay updated), orange (be prepared) and red (take action).
The maximum temperature settled at 28.7 degrees Celsius, eight notches below the season's average. The minimum temperature settled at 25 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season's average, it said.
The relative humidity oscillated between 96 per cent and 100 per cent. The Met office predicted a generally cloudy sky with moderate to heavy rain for Sunday.
The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to settle around 30 and 24 degrees Celsius, respectively.
"Light to moderate intensity rain would continue over many places of Delhi and NCR, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Assandh, Safidon, Panipat, Gohana, Gannaur, Meham, Sonipat, Rohtak, Kharkhoda, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Mattanhail, Jhajjar, Kosali, Sohana, Rewari (Haryana)," the Met office said in a tweet.
Police said a 58-year-old woman died coming under the debris of a ceiling of a Tibbia College Society flat that collapsed Saturday morning apparently due to heavy rain.
Several cars were damaged in Delhi's Kalkaji area after a portion of wall of Deshbandhu college collapsed amid heavy rains. The rain coupled with strong wind uprooted several trees, one of them falling on a car in Delhi's East of Kailash area.
The rain inconvenienced many commuters who faced hardship in reaching their destinations.
Pedestrians and shopkeepers faced trouble due to waterlogging at Connaught Place -- one of the most important business and commercial centres of Delhi.
"Just a few hours of rain has resulted in such a horrible situation," said a commuter as incessant rainfall caused waterlogging at outer circle of Connaught Place.
Many commuters were forced to get off their two-wheelers and wade through waterlogged roads. Vehicles crawled and several of them even broke down as the rain-triggered waterlogging led to traffic chaos at several places in the national capital.
The PWD said it received 15 complaints of waterlogging since morning.
"Apart from these, we also received complaints about waterlogging on other stretches that are under the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) or other agencies. We forwarded those complaints. The situation is under control so far. The road around Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College in Delhi University's north campus witnessed waterlogging, causing inconvenience to commuters," said a PWD official.
Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded in the 'satisfactory' category with a reading of 72 at 7 pm, Central Pollution Control Board data showed.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
'Don't Even Think About It': Azad On BJP's Push For Civil Code
SRINAGAR, July 8: Former Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday cautioned the Centre over implementing a uniform civil code, saying it will affect all religions.
Talking to reporters here, he also said that implementing UCC will not be "easy as it was to revoke Article 370".
"There is no question (of implementing it). It is not easy as it was to revoke Article 370. All religions are involved in it. Not only Muslims, but Christians and Sikhs also, tribals, Jains, Parsis, annoying all these people at once, will not be good for any government," the chairman of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) said.
"So, I suggest this government to not even think about taking this step," he said.
UCC refers to a common set of laws that are applicable to all citizens of India that is not based on religion and dealing with marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption among other matters.
The DPAP chairman welcomed the announcement of the land-for-landless policy by the Jammu and Kashmir administration, but demanded that land be given only to the poor residents of the Union Territory and not outsiders.
"Land should be given, but there is a condition. We welcome the announcement, but it should (be given) only to the poor residents of Jammu and Kashmir. That is important," he said.
The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, who formed the DPAP in September last year after ending his more than five-decade-long association with the Congress, also batted for early assembly elections in the Union Territory.
"We have been waiting for the last many years, when the assembly was dissolved in 2018. Since then, we have been waiting for the conduct of the elections. The people of J-K have been waiting for the restoration of the democratic setup in the state. When people will elect their representatives, they will become MLAs and form the government ," Azad said.
"Only elected representatives can work for the people in a democracy. Officers cannot run it for more than six months here or anywhere else in the country. It is important to have elected representatives. We have been continuously demanding this that elections be conducted as soon as possible," he added.
On the developments in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra, Azad said , "I have a high regard for (Sharad) Pawar, I wanted his party be strong. But, because of the internal situation, whatever has happened, we are not happy with that. However, it is their internal matter." Earlier, AAP leader Nazir Itoo and his supporters joined the DPAP and was welcomed in the party by Azad. Itoo was also associated with the PDP earlier.
High Court Setback For Rahul Gandhi In Modi Surname Case
AHMEDABAD, July 7: Rahul Gandhi will remain disqualified as a Lok Sabha MP after a Gujarat High Court today rejected his request to put on hold his conviction in a defamation case over his 2019 Modi surname remark. The conviction is "just, proper and legal", the High Court said.
The Congress leader will now approach the Supreme Court. Since his disqualification stands, he is not likely to make it back into parliament in the monsoon session beginning July 20. If the Supreme Court also rejects his request, Rahul Gandhi cannot contest next year's election.
He will not go to jail as his two-year sentence had been put on hold by a court previously.
The Gujarat High Court cited another defamation case filed against Rahul Gandhi by the grandson of Vinayak "Veer" Savarkar.
"It is needed to have purity in politics... A complaint has been filed against (Rahul Gandhi) by the grandson of Veer Savarkar in Pune Court after Gandhi used terms against Veer Savarkar at Cambridge," it said.
"Refusal to stay conviction would not in any way result in injustice to the applicant. There are no reasonable grounds to stay conviction. The conviction is just, proper and legal."
The High Court said there were "as many as 10 cases pending" against Rahul Gandhi and he was "seeking a stay on absolutely non-existent grounds". A "stay on conviction is not a rule", said the judge.
Rahul Gandhi, 53, was handed a rare two-year sentence in a defamation case in Gujarat on March 23 for his speech during the 2019 Lok Sabha campaign. BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi filed the case over Rahul Gandhi saying: "How come all thieves have the common surname Modi?"
The Congress leader, who was the Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad in Kerala, was disqualified soon after.
Rahul Gandhi challenged the order in a sessions court in Surat and requested that his conviction be suspended. While granting him bail, the court on April 20 refused to stay the conviction, after which he approached the High Court.
Today's decision is a huge blow to the Congress as it plans strategy for a series of upcoming polls, including the 2024 national election.
In May, the Gujarat High Court had denied any reprieve to Rahul Gandhi, saying it would announce its final decision after the court's summer vacation, which ended three weeks back.
In a hearing on April 29, Rahul Gandhi's lawyer had argued that two years in jail for a "bailable, non-cognisable offence" meant his client could lose his Lok Sabha seat "permanently and irreversibly", which was a "very serious additional irreversible consequence to the person and the constituency he represents".
Under the law, an MP stands disqualified if sentenced to two years or more in prison.
3 Railways Men Arrested Over Odisha Train Tragedy
NEW DELHI, July 7: The Central Bureau of Investigation today arrested three employees of the Indian Railways in connection with the horrific train accident in Odisha's Balasore last month that killed more than 293 people, and left over 1,000 injured.
The central probe agency was probing the possibility of a criminal conspiracy into the accident.
The arrested men -- Senior Section Engineer (signal) Arun Kumar Mahanta, Section Engineer Mohammed Amir Khan and Technician Pappu Kumar -- have been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and destruction of evidence.
Sources say the investigation has revealed that the actions of these three lead to the accident, and they have been charged for culpable homicide not amounting to murder as "they had knowledge" that their actions would result in this tragedy but not the 'intent'.
If they had the intent, then they would have been charged for murder.
The Commissioner of Railways Safety (CRS) probing the accident had last week flagged human error of workers in the signalling department as responsible for it, dismissing the likelihood of a sabotage or a technical glitch or a machine fault.
The CRS had reportedly highlighted negligence on the part of a few ground officials who did not follow adequate safety procedures of inspection, particularly after changes were made in the design due to safety concerns three years ago.
The independent inquiry report submitted by the CRS to the Railway Board had said notwithstanding the lapses in signalling work, remedial actions could have been taken by the S&T staff if "repeated unusual behaviour" of switches connecting two parallel tracks were reported to them by the station manager of Bahanaga Bazar, the spot of the accident.
The report also said that there was a similar incident on May 16, 2022, at Bankranayabaz station in Kharagpur Division of South Eastern Railway, on account of wrong wiring and cable fault.
"Had corrective measures been taken, after this incident, to address the issue of wrong wiring, the accident at BNBR would not have taken place," the report said.
Referring to the CRS report, the Congress alleged on Tuesday that the Narendra Modi government has "thoroughly compromised" on basic issues of railway safety. It also said the "human error" exposed the failure of the management and the political leadership.
The General Manager of South Eastern Railway, Archana Joshi, was recently removed from her post almost a month after the three-train accident, and Anil Kumar Mishra took over the role.
Three trains - Kolkata-Chennai Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and a goods train - were involved in one of the worst railway tragedies in the country in the last two decades.
Shots fired at Tis Hazari, expose poor security in Delhi courts
NEW DELHI, July 5: A confrontation between two groups of lawyers at Tis Hazari led to at least five shots being fired in the air at the court complex, Delhi Police officials aware of the matter said on Wednesday, adding that no one was injured in the incident.
The shots were fired at around 1.35pm on Wednesday outside the court building, but within the Tis Hazari complex at the western wing of the lawyers’ chamber block, police said. It was not immediately known whether both sides were involved in firing the shots.
The incident showed that despite a spate of shootouts, security arrangements inside courts — where safety should be of paramount importance, given the presence of high-profile criminals, vulnerable witnesses and victims, in addition to hordes of police personnel — were still shoddy. The police and administration will need to work on war footing to ensure security to courts.
Gangster Jitender Maan alias Gogi was gunned down by members of his rival group inside a courtroom in Rohini district court in September 2021, a suspended lawyers wearing an advocate’s attire shot multiple bullets at a woman in Saket district court this April.
After a low-intensity explosion went off in Rohini court in December 2021, the Delhi high court ordered several steps to be taken to ramp up security at city courts. These measures included round-the-clock monitoring of the courts premises and thorough checking at entry gates. However, despite installation of baggage scanners at entry gates, people have been able to sneak in firearms, exposing laxity in implementation of security measures.
Speaking about Wednesday’s incident, Sagar Singh Kalsi, deputy commissioner of police (north), said a police team reached the spot and learnt that shots were fired after a confrontation between two groups of lawyers.
“While one group was led by Manish Sharma – the senior vice president of the Delhi Bar Association (DBA) Tis Hazari, the other group was headed by Atul Sharma, the secretary of the DBA. Soon after getting information about the incident, a police team reached the spot and took control of the situation,” Kalsi said.
The cause of the clash was not immediately known.
“We have identified at least 10 people involved in the incident on the basis of over eight CCTV footage provided to the police. As per local intelligence inputs, the incident took place over some legal dispute. It is yet to be verified whether the arms, used in the commission of crime. were licensed or not,” the officer said, adding that over a dozen people are being interrogated.
A purported video of the incident was circulated on social media, showing d a man dressed as a lawyer firing what appeared to be a pistol. The police could not immediately verify the authenticity of the clip, though they are in possession of CCTV footage of the incident.
Soon after the incident, the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD), taking suo motu cognisance of the firing, suspended the licence of Manish Sharma.
“You being an advocate resorting to violence that too inside the court premises is highly deplorable and is gross misconduct. The chairman of Bar Council of Delhi under the power vested with him in section Rule 42, Chapter-IV of Bar Council of Delhi rules, has suspended your licence to practice as an advocate, with immediate effect,” the notification signed by Col (retd) Arun Sharma, the BCD secretary, said.
Senior advocate KK Mannan, BCD president, told HT, “It is shameful act that has been done and the heinous crime that they have committed has tainted the entire fraternity...”
BCD has further called Manish Sharma to appear before it on July 7 and submit an explanation as to why he was involved in the incident and had opened air fire in the court complex, failing which ex parte action would be initiated against him in accordance with law.
Manish Sharma, however, claimed that the gun seen in purported video footage of the incident is a toy gun. He claimed that he was attacked after he had met advocate Nitin Ahlawat, the Delhi Bar Association president, to end the rift. “I received a call from the DBA president to end the fight and he called me to his chamber to talk. As soon as I came out of the president’s chamber, they (Atul Sharma and his supporters) initiated a fight,” he claimed.
He also said that he fired a toy gun, used to scare off monkeys.
He declined to comment on his suspension from BCD.
Meanwhile, Kalsi said a forensic science laboratory team examined the scene of the crime. “As per the investigation so far, at least five rounds of bullets were fired in the incident...,” he said.
The DCP said that a case under Indian Penal Code sections of firing and rioting has been lodged against unknown persons at the Sabzi Mandi police station.
Separately, the Delhi Bar Association, in a resolution, said that stern action would be taken against lawyers and their friends involved in the incident.
“Sometimes it may so happen, as it has happened in the past, that a lawyer may bring a firearm by keeping it in his coat or in his car as lawyers are not frisked, but the district judge is also very concerned about security, and we have a meeting scheduled on Saturday on this issue to enhance the security and curb such anti-social incidents from occurring,” Ahlawat told the media.
Video Of Drunk Man Peeing On Tribal In Madhya Pradesh Sparks Outrage
BHOPAL, July 4: In a horrific incident, a drunk man has been caught on camera while urinating on a mentally challenged tribal man in Madhya Pradesh. A video of the act, which has gone viral, has also triggered a political row in the state because the man is allegedly linked to the BJP.
Even as Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan condemned the act and ordered that the man be charged under the stringent National Security Act, the opposition Congress has said the incident is proof of the atrocities being committed against tribals in Madhya Pradesh under the current dispensation.
In the video, Pravesh Shukla, who is allegedly the representative of Sidhi BJP MLA Kedarnath Shukla, can be seen smoking a cigarette while urinating on the sitting man's face, hair and neck. The incident took place in the district's Kubri village nine days ago and the video has now gone viral.
While a few photos have surfaced showing Pravesh with Kedarnath Shukla and Rewa BJP MLA and former minister Rajendra Shukla, the party has denied any association with him. "I know him because he is from my constituency, but he is not my representative or a BJP worker," said Kedarnath Shukla. A poster in which Pravesh claims to be Kedarnath Shukla's representative has also gone viral.
Police said Pravesh, who has been charged under the NSA and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, is on the run and teams have been formed to locate him.
"A viral video from Sidhi district has come to my notice... I have instructed the administration to arrest the culprit and take the strictest possible action and also invoke the National Security Act," Chief Minister Chouhan tweeted in Hindi
Hitting out at the state government, Madhya Pradesh Congress chief and former chief minister Kamal Nath said the incident has shamed the entire state.
"Such obscene and heinous acts against a member of the tribal community have no place in a civilised society. The man who committed the crime is said to be from the BJP," Nath said.
"Madhya Pradesh is number one in atrocities against tribals and this incident has shamed the entire state. I demand that the chief minister ensures that the accused gets the strictest possible punishment and also that the atrocities against tribals come to an end," he added.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (Rewa range) Mithilesh Shukla said, "The video is said to be from Kubri village. A case has been registered in Behari police station and teams have been formed to nab Pravesh Shukla."
"He has been charged under sections of the National Security Act, the SC/ST Act and Sections 294 (obscene act in a public place) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code," he added.
Possibly anticipating that the video will invite stern action against Pravesh, his uncle lodged a complaint with the local police in Sidhi on July 1, stating that Pravesh had been missing since June 29. In the complaint, the uncle says he apprehends that Pravesh might commit suicide as a fake video has been made by some people to get him implicated in a false case under the SC/ST Act.
The victim has also prepared an affidavit yesterday stating that the video is fake and had been filmed to get Pravesh implicated in a false case. Sources said the affidavit, which was allegedly prepared under pressure, has not been submitted anywhere yet.
BJP Appoints New Chiefs Across States Ahead Of 2024
NEW DELHI, July 4: Gearing up for the big 2024 elections, and crucial state polls this year, the Bharatiya Janata Party today announced new chiefs in many states.
G Kishan Reddy, MP and union minister, will now lead the party in poll-bound Telangana, replacing Bandi Sanjay Kumar. BJP MLA Etela Rajender, who served as the first finance minister of Telangana, has been appointed chairman of the BJP's state election management committee for the upcoming Telangana assembly polls. He started his political career with K Chandrashekar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi and stayed with it till 2021, after which he joined the BJP.
Daggubati Purandeswari, daughter of Telugu Desam Party founder and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister NT Rama Rao, has been appointed Andhra Pradesh BJP president.
Sunil Kumar Jakhar, the former MP who jumped ship from Congress in May last year claiming he wanted to support "nationalism, unity and brotherhood in Punjab", will lead the party in Punjab.
Babulal Marandi, the first Chief Minister of Jharkhand and current Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly, is BJP Jharkhand president.
Kiran Kumar Reddy, the last Chief Minister of the United Andhra Pradesh before the formation of the Telangana state, has been appointed as member of the party's national executive committee.
The BJP has called a meeting of all the state presidents, state general secretaries, and state in charges on July 7. BJP president JP Nadda and National General Secretary BL Santosh will preside over this meeting.
Ajit Pawar New Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, 8 Other NCP MLAs Defect
MUMBAI, July 2: Nationalist Congress Party's Ajit Pawar, along with eight party leaders, joined the Maharashtra government today. Pawar will share the Deputy Chief Minister post with BJP's Devendra Fadnavis.
Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Aditi Tatkare, Dhananjay Munde, Hasan Mushrif, Dharmaraj Babarao Atram, Sanjay Bansode and Anil Bhaidas Patil took oath today, the fourth swearing-in ceremony Maharashtra has seen in as many years.
Welcoming Ajit Pawar into the fold, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said, "Now we have 1 Chief Minister and 2 Deputy Chief Ministers. The double-engine government has now become triple engine. For the development of Maharashtra, I welcome Ajit Pawar and his leaders. Ajit Pawar's experience will help."
According to sources, Ajit Pawar has the support of 43 out of the 53 NCP MLAs.
The move comes just days after Pawar publicly expressed his desire to step down as Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly.
Earlier today, a group of NCP legislators met at Ajit Pawar's Mumbai residence, where the party's working president Supriya Sule and senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal were also in attendance. State party president Jayant Patil was not present in the meeting.
Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar told reporters in Pune that he was unaware of the meeting in Mumbai.
"I do not know exactly why this meeting has been called but being the leader of the Opposition, he (Ajit Pawar) has the right to call a meeting of MLAs. He does that regularly. I don't have much detail about this meeting," Pawar said.
The churn in the NCP comes a month after Sharad Pawar had resigned as party chief and then decided to take it back three days later as he "couldn't disrespect the feelings of the masses".
Ajit Pawar, who made a failed bid to align with the BJP in 2019 and was sworn-in as deputy chief minister in an early morning ceremony, had been vying the post of state president to resurrect his dwindling stature in the party.
While he has no party post, Ms Sule and party leader Praful Patel were elevated to working presidents on June 10.
Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge Extend Support To Sharad Pawar
NEW DELHI, July 2: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi spoke with NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday and extended support to him, after the Maharashtra strongman faced a revolt by his nephew Ajit Pawar who along with eight other leaders joined the Eknath Shinde-led government.
The Congress said that the BJP's "washing machine" has resumed its operations as a number of these leaders had been facing serious corruption charges and have now got a "clean chit".
In a surprising move, Ajit Pawar took oath as the deputy chief minister, while eight legislators of his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) took oath as ministers in the government led by the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) earlier in the day.
Congress president Kharge and Gandhi spoke with NCP president Sharad Pawar and extended support to him, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said on Twitter.
"The BJP's dirty tricks department is working on overdrive in Maharashtra. This is not a legitimately elected government, but an ED-facilitated power grab. The Maharashtra government is a product of corruption and sin," Venugopal alleged.
"The people have very well identified the traitors, corrupt and compromised leaders of Maharashtra and each of them will be taught the lessons of their lifetime in the next elections," he said.
On June 29, PM Modi had spoken about corruption and it appears he switched on the "washing machine" and these leaders are now squeaky clean after this oath-taking ceremony, Venugopal said.
Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Clearly the BJP's Washing Machine has resumed its operations. A number of new entrants into the BJP-led alliance in Maharashtra today had been facing serious corruption charges with ED, CBI and Income Tax authorities after them. Now they have all got a clean chit."
The Congress will intensify its efforts to free Maharashtra from the clutches of the BJP, Mr Ramesh asserted.
The Congress is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance consisting of itself, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) and the NCP.
Unfazed By Mutiny, Sharad Pawar's Quip Cracks Up Journalists
MUMBAI, July 2: On a day his party suffered a stunning blow with the departure of a slew of leaders led by his nephew Ajit Pawar, veteran politician Sharad Pawar barely betrayed any disquiet, even cracking up a roomful of journalists and supporters with a witty wisecrack.
During an evening news conference following Sunday's developments, a journalist asked who would now be the face of the party - an allusion to the vacancy for the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, a role that Ajit Pawar held.
"Sharad Pawar," replied the 82-year-old chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) without skipping a beat, cracking into a smile and playfully raising his hand in the air as if to mark attendance.
The moment, captured by cameras, was celebrated by his followers, including his daughter and MP Supriya Sule.
At the same news conference, Pawar announced that disciplinary actions will be taken against party members who have defected to the Eknath Shinde-led BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra.
In a seismic setback to the NCP, Ajit Pawar spearheaded a major split in the party on Sunday, ascending to the position of Deputy Chief Minister. The move also saw eight senior NCP members sworn in as ministers, plunging the NCP, founded by Sharad Pawar 24 years ago, into crisis.
Sharad Pawar addressed a press conference on Sunday evening after Ajit Pawar's rebellion.
Unfazed by his nephew's step, Sharad Pawar stated that the recent developments may be unexpected to others, but not to him. From Monday, he plans to reach out to constituents to begin "rebuilding the party".
"We will go to people and seek their support. I am confident they will support us," Pawar said. He also clarified that this is not a family matter, but a political issue that will be dealt with accordingly. "This is not about the question of a house. Such things happen in politics, and it has to be dealt with politically," he added.
Regarding disciplinary action against those who have strayed from the party line, Pawar said, "The party's top office-bearers, including its state unit president and the national committee, will deliberate and take action against the colleagues who violated the party line. The action will be taken as per that process, and it will be initiated."
Downplaying the upheaval, Pawar said, "I'm not bothered that people have left, but I am worried about their future," he said.
Congress Won't Join Any Opposition Bloc Having KCR's Party: Rahul Gandhi
KHAMMAM, July 2: Launching a scathing attack on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said his remote control was with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and described the state's ruling party as "BJP's B-Team" and its new nomenclature, BRS, as 'BJP Rishtedar Samithi'.
Gandhi alleged that the corruption charges against KCR and his party's leaders have made them subservient to BJP, and asserted that he told all other opposition leaders that the Congress would not join any bloc where the BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi) was involved.
Addressing a public meeting in Khammam, Gandhi said, "BRS is like BJP Rishtedar Samiti. KCR thinks he is a king and Telangana is his kingdom."
Gandhi said the Congress has always stood against the BJP in Parliament, but KCR's party has been "BJP's B-team".
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi carries the remote control of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao," the former Congress chief said.
He said the Congress recently fought the assembly election in Karnataka against "a corrupt and anti-poor government and we defeated them with the support of the poor, OBCs, minorities and oppressed in the state."
"Something similar is going to happen in Telangana. On one side there would be rich and powerful of the state and on the other side, there would be poor, tribals, minorities, farmers and small shopkeepers with us. What has happened in Karnataka, would be repeated in Telangana," Gandhi said.
The Congress leader said earlier it was said that there was a three-way fight between the TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samithi which is now BRS), the Congress and the BJP in Telangana.
"But the BJP does not exist at all in Telangana. Their all four tyres have got punctured. Now it is a fight between Congress and B-Team of BJP," he said.
Referring to the recent attempts to unite the opposition against the BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Gandhi said, "We told other opposition leaders if TRS attends the meeting, Congress will not attend it, Congress can't share stage with TRS."
Over a dozen opposition parties recently met in Patna, Bihar, to put up a united front against the BJP and will be meeting again in Bengaluru soon. The BRS and a few other non-BJP parties are not part of this grouping.
Gandhi also described Congress workers as 'babbar sher' (lions) and "backbone" of the party. "With your support, we can defeat the BRS like we did in Karnataka," he told party workers.
"We got a huge support from here (Telangana) during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and I want to thank you all for that," he said.
"During the yatra, we talked about uniting the country. On one hand, we follow an ideology to unite the country and there is another side that is trying to break the country," the Congress leader said.
"The entire country supported the yatra and said they wouldn't allow hatred in this country. Khammam has always supported the Congress as it believes in our ideology. I welcome the leaders who have decided to join the Congress today. But most importantly, I want to thank the workers of the party, who are like our lions (babbar sher)," he said.
The BRS "attacked you all but none of you were scared", he told the party workers.
Railways' Report On Odisha Train Tragedy Points To 'Human Error'
NEW DELHI, July 2: A month after the Balasore triple train tragedy that led to 293 deaths, and over 1,000 injured, the Commissioner of Railways Safety (CRS) probing the accident has flagged human error of workers in signalling department as responsible for it, dismissing the likelihood of a sabotage or a technical glitch or a machine fault.
The Central Bureau of Investigation is already probing the possibility of a criminal conspiracy into the accident.
According to those in know of the matter, negligence on part of a few ground officials who did not follow adequate safety procedures of inspection, particularly after changes were made in the design due to safety concerns three years ago, has been highlighted.
Officials said the neglect of safety processes of not just those in the signalling department, but also others who did not flag the changes to the design, has been flagged, and the ministry is likely to take action against them.
"The central diagram had failed to reflect changes made to the circuit, and yearly inspections made later did not flag that too. So it was not the error of one person, but at least up to five that have come to the fore," an official said.
Three trains - Kolkata-Chennai Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express and a goods train - were involved in one of the worst railway tragedies in the country in the last two decades.
While the CRS report doesn't indicate sabotage, officials said Railways will not go public with the CRS report to ensure there is no influence or interference on the CBI probe that will also problem the sabotage angle.
The findings of the CRS report and the subsequent CBI report will help Indian Railways rehaul its safety systems, officials said, adding that railways are looking at best technologies used in the steel industry, and railways safety systems used across the world.
"To prevent error by the driver who decides the speed of the train depending on the signal, we are pushing use of anti-collision devices. And for the last two years, ultrasound testing of tracks to detect micro fractures has been a top focus too. Track management is crucial in rail safety. But we are looking at the extensive use of electronic relay systems across the railway network to prevent freak accidents such as what happened in Balasore. These are the most robust, tried and tested systems for rail safety," an official said.
The official added that it could take up to three years for such a system to be in place across the country, and that the railways and centre were persistent in ensuring there was no compromise on safety.
Only a few days ago, the Railway board had initiated a double-locking arrangement for all its relay rooms with train controlling mechanisms.
Amid BJP-Congress Madhya Pradesh 'Freebie' Contest, A Warning By Modi
BHOPAL, July 1: The launch of a new healthcare programme in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday played host to a fresh attack by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the opposition over promises of so-called "freebies" like water and electricity that have sponsored a string of state election defeats for his party BJP, most recently in Karnataka.
The combative address came in a state where the ruling BJP has announced a slew of schemes dubbed "freebies" by the opposition, such as Hindu pilgrimages for the elderly, a ₹ 1,000 monthly allowance for women and ₹ 2,000 biannually for farmers ahead of the election due later year. The opposition Congress too has promised a series of similar schemes.
Launching the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Eradication Mission 2047 in Shahdol district, with just about four months to go for a state poll, Modi said the Congress and other "family-centric" parties are giving "false" guarantees to people to score wins.
Blaming "dynastic parties" for "working only for the welfare of their families", he also said old squabbles among them indicate there is no guarantee of opposition unity and noted that "people facing graft charges and out on bail" are partnering those "who have been convicted of scams".
"Beware of false (poll) guarantees being given by family-centric parties, including Congress. Such people have brought schemes of guarantees, though they don't have their own (political) guarantee," the Prime Minister said.
"False guarantees" from the opposition mean there is "something wrong somewhere", he said, adding that their promises of free power, travel, pensions, cheaper petrol, and jobs all have hidden costs or negative consequences.
"When they guarantee free electricity, it means they are readying to make electricity more expensive. Guaranteeing free travel means the future destruction of transport services in that state. Guarantee of raising pension means government employees in that state won't even get salaries on time. Guaranteeing cheap petrol means they are readying to take money out of your pockets by hiking taxes and guarantee of increased employment means they'll come with policies which will ruin industries and businesses in the future," Modi said.
Modi praised his government's efforts, claiming that they had provided free ration to more than 80 crore people under the PM Gareeb Kalyan Yojana, free treatment under Ayushman Yojana to 50 crore poor beneficiaries, smoke-free cooking to 10 crore women under the Ujjawala scheme, and self-employment loans under Mudra Yojana to 8 crore beneficiaries.
Modi's criticism extended to Congress and parties, which he accused of hobnobbing together, an apparent reference to the recent meeting of anti-BJP parties held in Patna.
"They do not have the guarantee of taking the normal family of the country forward. Those who are facing corruption charges are out on bail. They are together with those who are sentenced for scams," Modi said.
Supreme Court Relief For Activist Teesta Setalvad After 'Surrender' Order
NEW DELHI, July 1: Activist Teesta Setalvad asked to "surrender immediately" by the Gujarat High Court in a case linked to the Gujarat riots, scored a one-week reprieve from the Supreme Court in a decision announced at 10 pm on Saturday.
Justices BR Gavai, AS Bopanna and Dipankar Datta delivered the ruling after their colleagues, Justices Abhay S Oka and Prashant Kumar Mishra, who first heard the matter in a special hearing, differed on a decision and urged the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud to assign the case to a larger bench.
"We find that the learned single judge of the Gujarat High Court ought to have granted some time to the petitioner to challenge the order. In that view, we grant stay for one week," the three-judge bench said in the late-night hearing, a rare occurrence on holidays and during vacations.
The activist has been on interim bail since September, but faced immediate arrest had the Supreme Court upheld the fresh high court order.
Ms Setalvad's arrest had been ordered over charges of framing innocent individuals by creating false evidence linked to the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The Supreme Court judges highlighted that even an ordinary criminal is entitled to interim relief. They also noted that Ms Setalvad, being a woman, is entitled to special protection under the law. This special consideration, along with the fact that she had been granted interim bail previously, led them to pause the high court's order.
CU Singh, Ms Setalvad's lawyer, argued that the activist had not violated any conditions of her interim bail granted last year. Despite this, the Gujarat High Court refused to stay its order for 30 days, demanding immediate surrender without providing reasons for its decision.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Gujarat government, contended that Ms Setalvad should receive treatment equal to that of any ordinary citizen. He accused Ms Setalvad of maligning the nation with false allegations and exploiting the riots for personal gain.
Justice Dutta responded to Mehta's allegations by noting that the primary question was whether Ms Setalvad is entitled to interim bail, not the moral evaluation of her conduct.
Ms Setalvad, facing potential arrest, had quickly approached the Supreme Court for protection after the High Court order earlier in the day. The matter was swiftly referred to Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, who assembled the three-judge bench to hear Ms Setalvad's petition.
Earlier that day, Justice Nirzar Desai of the Gujarat High Court had directed Ms Setalvad to surrender immediately. He accused Setalvad of efforts to destabilize a democratically elected government and tarnish the image of the then-chief minister and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ms Setalvad was first arrested in June last year alongside former Gujarat Director General of Police R B Sreekumar and ex-IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt. The high court's judgment suggested that Ms Setalvad had used close associates and riot victims to file false affidavits with the aim of destabilising the government and tarnishing PM Modi's image.
The high court also suggested that granting Ms Setalvad bail could send a false signal about the leniency of a democratic country and could encourage similar actions in the future. Ms Setalvad, a Padma Shri awardee and former member of the Planning Commission, is accused of exploiting the riot victims for personal and political gain.
The Supreme Court has instructed its registry to obtain orders from the Chief Justice for listing Ms Setalvad's bail plea before an appropriate bench. The court is currently closed for summer vacation.
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