#BJP Parliamentary Board:

[news-trust-india]

BJP Parliamentary Board: भाजपा संसदीय बोर्ड का एलान, देखिये लिस्ट

BJP Parliamentary Board: भाजपा संसदीय बोर्ड का एलान, देखिये लिस्ट

नई दिल्ली। BJP Parliamentary Board:  भाजपा ने अपने संसदीय बोर्ड के सदस्यों के नाम का एलान किया है। संसदीय बोर्ड में कुछ नए चेहरों को जगह दी गई है जबकि कुछ नेताओं का नाम इसमें शामिल नहीं किया गया है। संसदीय बोर्ड के सदस्यों की सूची से मध्य प्रदेश के मुख्यमंत्री शिवराज सिंह चौहान और केंद्रीय मंत्री नितिन गडकरी का नाम हटाया गया है। Karnataka Veer Savarkar Poster: शिवमोगा के बाद उडुपी में…

[thenationaltv243]

Delhi Police Seize 9 Posters Addressed to the Prime Minister, Who are being sent out of the Vaccine

[darshanpolicetime1]

'Will ensure thumping victory for BJP', says former CM B S Yediyurappa

‘Will ensure thumping victory for BJP’, says former CM B S Yediyurappa

Former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who has been brought to the forefront by the BJP high command ahead of assembly elections in Karnataka, on Saturday claimed that he will ensure thumping victory for the saffron party. Yediyurappa, who has been nominated to the party’s highest decision-making bodies, the Parliamentary Board and the Election Committee at the national level, was seen sharing…

[maqsoodyamani]

نتین گڈکری، شیوراج بھاجپا کے نئے پارلیمانی بورڈ سے باہر

نتین گڈکری، شیوراج بھاجپا کے نئے پارلیمانی بورڈ سے باہر

نتین گڈکری، شیوراج بھاجپا کے نئے پارلیمانی بورڈ سے باہر نئی دہلی، 17اگست ( آئی این ایس انڈیا ) (بی جے پی نے پارلیمانی بورڈ اور مرکزی انتخابی کمیٹی سے پارٹی کے طاقتور لیڈر شمار ہونے والے مرکزی وزیر نتن گڈکری اور مدھیہ پردیش کے وزیر اعلیٰ شیوراج سنگھ چوہان کو باہر کا راستہ دکھا دیا ہے۔ بی جے پی کے صدر جگت پرکاش نڈا نے آج ایک نئے 11 رکنی پارلیمانی بورڈ اور پارٹی کی نئی 15 رکنی سنٹرل الیکشن کمیٹی…

[krazyshoppy]

राष्ट्रपति चुनाव में कौन होगा उम्मीदवार? बीजेपी की बड़ी बैठक जारी, PM मोदी भी मौजूद

राष्ट्रपति चुनाव में कौन होगा उम्मीदवार? बीजेपी की बड़ी बैठक जारी, PM मोदी भी मौजूद

Presidential Election 2022: राष्ट्रपति चुनाव को लेकर सियासी हलचल तेज हो चुकी है. इसी सिलसिले में आज बीजेपी पार्लियामेंट्री बोर्ड (BJP Parliamentary Board Meeting) की बैठक हो रही है. इस बैठक में पीएम मोदी (PM Modi, बीजेपी के राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष जेपी नड्डा (JP Nadda), रक्षा मंत्री राजनाथ सिंह (Rajnath Singh), नितिन गडकरी और शिवराज सिंह चौहान समेत पार्टी के कई वरिष्ठ नेता शामिल हैं. बीजेपी (BJP) की इस…

[hritipuri9]

Anurag Thakur: A Multifaceted Leader in Indian Politics and Cricket

Anurag Singh Thakur, a dynamic personality, has established himself as a significant figure in Indian politics and cricket. Representing Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, in the 17th Lok Sabha, Thakur's career is marked by a diverse array of roles ranging from an industrialist, farmer, cricket player, to a prominent political leader. His journey is a testament to his versatility and commitment to serving his country in multiple capacities.

Early Life and Education

Anurag Thakur was born on October 24, 1974, in Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh. He is the son of Prem Kumar Dhumal, a notable political figure, and Sheela Devi. Thakur's early education took place in Jalandhar, Punjab, where he attended Doaba College. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, laying the academic foundation for his future endeavors in various fields.

Cricketing Career

Initial Foray into Cricket

Anurag Thakur's passion for cricket saw him participate in the Ranji Trophy in November 2000, representing Himachal Pradesh against Jammu and Kashmir. His involvement in cricket extended beyond playing; he also served as the president of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) during the 2000-01 season. His leadership and participation in cricket were pivotal in meeting the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) prerequisites for state selectors, requiring participation in at least one first-class match.

Administrative Roles and Challenges

Thakur's administrative journey in cricket reached its zenith when he became the BCCI president in May 2016. His tenure, however, was cut short in January 2017 by a Supreme Court order due to issues related to compliance with court directives and providing false testimony. Despite the setback, Thakur's contributions to cricket administration were significant, particularly in navigating the legal challenges surrounding the ownership of the International Cricket Stadium in Dharamshala.

Political Career

Entry into Politics

Anurag Thakur's political career commenced in 2008 when he won a byelection to the 14th Lok Sabha, defeating Congress Party candidate O.P. Rattan with a substantial margin of 174,666 votes. This victory marked the beginning of a long and successful political journey.

Parliamentary Contributions

Thakur was re-elected to the 15th Lok Sabha in 2009, defeating Narinder Thakur of the Congress Party by 72,732 votes. During his tenure, he served on the Standing Committee on Transportation, Culture, and Tourism and was a member of the Prime Minister's consultation committee.

In the 2014 elections, Thakur secured his third term in the 16th Lok Sabha by defeating Rajinder Singh Rana of the Congress Party with a margin of 98,403 votes. His active participation in the General Purposes Committee and the Joint Committee on the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition underscored his legislative acumen.

Continued Success

The 2019 elections saw Thakur re-elected to the 17th Lok Sabha, defeating INC rival Ram Lal Thakur with an overwhelming majority of over 300,000 votes. His appointment as a Minister of State in the Finance and Corporate Affairs division further solidified his role in shaping India's economic policies.

Military Service

Anurag Thakur made history by becoming the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member to be promoted to the rank of a regular commissioned officer in the Territorial Army in July 2016. This achievement highlighted his dedication to national service and added another dimension to his multifaceted career.

Personal Life

Anurag Thakur married Shefali Thakur on November 27, 2002. Shefali is the daughter of Gulab Singh Thakur, a former minister in the Himachal Pradesh government. Thakur's family background and personal life have been supportive pillars in his illustrious career.

Awards and Recognitions

Thakur's contributions have been recognized with several awards. In 2011, he was honored with the Best Young Parliamentarian Award, acknowledging his dynamic role as one of India's youngest parliamentarians. In 2019, he received the Sansad Ratna Award for his exceptional work during the 16th Lok Sabha term.

Controversies and Statements

Anurag Thakur's political career has not been without controversies. In January 2020, he faced criticism for echoing a provocative statement at a BJP gathering. Additionally, his interaction with the media has sometimes been contentious, notably on March 1, 2020, when he accused the media of misinformation regarding certain issues.

Conclusion

Anurag Thakur's journey from a cricketer to a prominent political leader and military officer showcases a remarkable blend of talent, dedication, and resilience. His diverse career, marked by significant achievements and challenges, reflects his commitment to serving India in various capacities. As he continues to shape the future of Indian politics and cricket, Thakur's multifaceted legacy will inspire many for years to come.

[speedyposts]

Hindu prayers begin inside India’s Mughal-era mosque after court order

Hindu worshippers have begun praying inside a 17th-century mosque in the Indian city of Varanasi, hours after a court order gave them the go-ahead at the disputed site.

The Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi is one of several Muslim places of worship that right-wing Hindu groups, backed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have sought for decades to reclaim.

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Dabiri-Erewa warns Nigerians against irregular migration, Especially to Canada

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has urged Nigerians travelling abroad to go legitimately and with proper documentation

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Varanasi is Modi’s parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, also governed by the BJP.

On Wednesday, a local court ruled that Hindu worshippers could pray in the building’s basement and ordered the authorities to “make proper arrangements” for worshippers within a week.

Indian media reports said the family members of Hindu priests started praying in the mosque’s basement in the early hours of Thursday.

#WATCH | A priest offers prayers at 'Vyas Ji ka Tehkhana' inside Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, after District court order.

Visuals confirmed by Vishnu Shankar Jain, the lawyer for the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi case pic.twitter.com/mUB6TMGpET

— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2024

Akhlaq Ahmad, the lawyer representing Muslim petitioners, said the court order would be appealed.

The Gyanvapi Mosque was built during the Mughal Empire in a city where Hindus from across the country cremate relatives by the Ganges river. Hindu worshippers claim the mosque replaced a temple to the Hindu deity Shiva.

Last month, the Archaeological Survey of India said a survey of the site appeared to corroborate the belief that it was originally home to a temple.

Emboldened right-wing Hindu groups have laid claim to several Muslim sites of worship they say were built atop ancient temples during Mughal rule.

Meanwhile, bulldozers have knocked down a centuries-old mosque in India’s capital, a member of the building’s managing committee said.

The Masjid Akhonji in New Delhi, which its caretakers say is about 600 years old, was home to 22 students enrolled in an Islamic boarding school.

It was torn down on Tuesday in a forest of Mehrauli, an affluent neighbourhood dotted with centuries-old ruins from settlements predating modern Delhi.

In Mehrauli, Delhi, the Delhi Development Authority carried out an arbitrary demolition of a 600-year-old mosque on Tuesday.

Imam Zakir Hussain stated that Masjid Akhonji, which housed Madrasa Bahrul Uloom and the graves of revered figures, was completely razed. pic.twitter.com/tjEWowUfQN

— Maktoob (@MaktoobMedia) January 31, 2024

Mohammad Zaffar, a member of the mosque’s managing committee, told the Agence France-Presse news agency it did not receive any prior notice before a demolition was carried out “in the dark of the night”.

He said many graves in the mosque compound were also desecrated and no one was allowed to take out copies of the Quran or other materials from inside the mosque before it was razed.

“Many of our revered figures and my own ancestors were buried there. There is no trace of the graves now,” Zaffar told AFP. “The rubble from the mosque and the graves has been removed and dumped somewhere else.”

The officials said the demolition was part of a drive to remove “illegal” structures from a forest reserve.

Calls for India to enshrine Hindu supremacy have grown rapidly louder since Modi took office in 2014, making its roughly 200-million-strong Muslim minority – the world’s third-largest Muslim population – increasingly anxious about its future.

Last week, Modi presided over a grand inauguration ceremony in the nearby city of Ayodhya for a Hindu temple built on the former grounds of another Mughal-era mosque.

Hindu zealots had torn down the Babri Mosque in 1992 in a campaign spearheaded by members of Modi’s party, sparking sectarian riots that killed 2,000 people nationwide, most of them Muslims.

A decades-long court battle that ensued over the future of the Babri site ended in 2019 when India’s top court permitted the construction of a temple to the deity Ram, who, according to Hindu scripture, was born in the city.

The consecration of the Ram temple by Modi fulfilled a 35-year-old pledge of the BJP and has been portrayed by the party and its affiliates as a Hindu reawakening. It also came months ahead of national elections due by May and is expected to boost Modi’s chances of winning a third term.

Critics accuse Modi of pushing a pro-Hindu agenda and promoting discrimination against Muslims, but he says his government does not do so.

Last week, a senior leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the BJP’s far-right ideological mentor, questioned whether Gyanvapi Mosque and three others, including the razed one in Ayodhya, were mosques at all.

“Whether we should consider them mosques or not, the people of the country and the world should think about it. They should stand with the truth, or they should stand with the wrong?” Indresh Kumar told Reuters news agency in an interview.

“Accept the truth. Hold dialogues and let the judiciary decide.”

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Dabiri-Erewa warns Nigerians against irregular migration, Especially to Canada

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has urged Nigerians travelling abroad to go legitimately and with proper documentation

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[tandavmedia]

Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Shivraj Singh Chouhan better known as Mamaji (born 5 March 1959), is an Indian politician and member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He served as 18th Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh from 2020 to 2023 and previously from 2005 to 2018 and a Member of Legislative Assembly in Madhya Pradesh from Budhni since 2006 and previously from 1990 to 1991.[4] He is the longest serving Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.[5][6]

He was also the former National Vice President of Bharatiya Janata Party from 2019 to 2020, a member of the Parliamentary Board and a member of the Central Election Committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He was the National President of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha from 2000 to 2002. He was also Member of Lok Sabha representing Vidisha from 1991 to 2005. As a leader of the BJP, Chouhan served as General Secretary and President of Madhya Pradesh state unit. He joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 1972, as a 13-year-old.

He is known for launching various welfare schemes such as the rice at Rs 1 per kg for the poverty-stricken, Sambal scheme that provided women labourers with maternity assistance, free education for poverty-stricken girls, electricity at a fixed rate, Ladli Laxmi Yojana and Beti Bachao Abhiyan.[7] These welfare schemes introduction by Chauhan is attributed for the BJP's electoral victory in 2008, 2013 and 2023 assembly elections.

[shuksrp]

Lok Sabha Ethics Panel Received Affidavit from Hiranandani on Allegations Against Moitra

The Lok Sabha morals board on Friday said it has gotten money manager Darshan Hiranandani's oath, which asserts that TMC MP Mahua Moitra accepted kickbacks from him for posing inquiries against business mogul Gautam Adani in Parliament. Board boss Vinod Sonkar said the matter will be entirely tested as utilizing a MP's parliamentary login is a wrongdoing.

"I got a grumbling connected with Mahua Moitra. In such manner, a gathering of the morals board has been approached October 26. A notification has been shipped off BJP MP Nishikant Dubey to show up before the board of trustees on October 26 regarding his charges of pay off. A nitty gritty assessment will be finished by the council in this and an end will then, at that point, be reached… " Sonkar said.

As per news office PTI, Hiranandani confessed to utilizing Moitra's parliamentary login to pose inquiries focusing on Adani after state-possessed behemoth Indian Oil Enterprise (IOC) booked limit at the Gujarat-based aggregate's Dhamra LNG import office in Odisha and not at his company's arranged office.

In the event that somebody has utilized MP's login, it is an intense offense. We will go through every one of the confirmations on October 26 when the complainants have been approached to be available with verification," Sonkar told News18, adding that activity will rely upon proof given by the two sides.

"This has occurred without precedent for Parliament's set of experiences. This is an exceptionally special and serious case," he added.

A seat headed by Equity Sachin Datta, in the interim, heard the slander suit documented by Moitra and posted the matter for hearing on October 31.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's legal counselor let the court know that a finance manager has circled a testimony on Thursday (October 19), expressing that he had given costly gifts to the solicitor. Moitra's legal counselor answered saying the TMC MP is a person of note "with remaining in the general public". "Sadly, she was companions with Jai Anant Dehadrai," the guidance added.

After the meeting, sources told News18 that Moitra's legal counselor, Gopal Sankaranarayanan, has removed as he had intervened among Moitra and Dehadrai.

In the midst of the activity, Moitra wished individuals "Shubho Shasti" and said she is "getting a charge out of Durga Puja" in Nadia. She further responded to Sonkar's assertions and said, "I invite addressing inquiries to CBI and Morals Panel (which has outright greater part of BJP individuals) if and when they call me. I have neither time nor interest to channel a bazaar preliminary or answer BJP savages," the TMC MP posted on X, previously Twitter.

The TMC MP had moved toward the Delhi High Court on Tuesday, looking to control Dubey, a backer and a few web-based entertainment stages and media houses from posting, flowing or distributing any supposed phony and slanderous substance against her.

Dubey has blamed Moitra for taking "pay-offs" from a finance manager to pose inquiries in Parliament and encouraged Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla to frame an "request board" to investigate the charges against her. Refering to a letter he got from Dehadrai, Moitra's alienated accomplice and legal counselor, Dubey said he has shared "obvious" proof of pay-offs traded between the TMC pioneer and a money manager.

[takataktop]

Rajasthan Election 2023: BJP Gears Up for the Battle in Jaipur, Shah and Nadda Outline Election Strategy; Congress Takes Aim...

In Rajasthan, all political parties are gearing up for this year's upcoming legislative assembly elections. Recently, Union Minister Amit Shah and BJP's National President JP Nadda held a meeting in Jaipur with the party's leadership. Following this meeting, various leaders have made different statements. Meanwhile, the Congress party has also set its sights on BJP's preparations.

This year, Rajasthan is witnessing heated political activity with the impending legislative assembly elections. While the Congress government aims for a repeat victory, the BJP is putting all its might behind the electoral battle. Read more : Mallikarjun Kharge Expresses Anger Over Sukhpal Khaira's Arrest, Says We Won't Tolerate Injustice As part of this endeavor, marathon meetings were held in Jaipur on Wednesday evening. Central Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP's National President JP Nadda discussed election strategies with the core committee members of the state. It is speculated that BJP may soon release the first list of its candidates for the Rajasthan elections. What's Brewing in BJP's Strategy Meeting? Regarding the legislative assembly elections, Nadda and Shah engaged in one-on-one conversations with all prominent leaders of the state. Following the meeting, Deputy Leader of Opposition Satish Poonia said, "A clear message has been conveyed to (us) to contest the elections vigorously and win them. We will make every effort to secure a majority for BJP." As for when BJP will release the first list of candidates, Rajasthan BJP's Co-incharge, Vijaya Rahatkar, stated, "The party's parliamentary board will decide on this." A Message of Unity - Shekhawat After the meeting, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat mentioned that it was a clear signal from Prime Minister Modi that everyone should come together to fight the elections. Discussions also took place on all aspects of politics, elections, and the government's performance in the state. The meeting also addressed the issues faced by the public in Rajasthan. The central home minister and BJP's national chief held extensive discussions on how to conduct the elections and provided guidance accordingly. We will now work in that direction. Meghwal's Critique of Gehlot On the topic of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar's visit to Rajasthan, Central Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal questioned Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's statement, "Why is he coming now?" Meghwal asked whether the Vice President would seek permission to enter. He made these remarks during a government event in Bikaner, stating that engaging in politics on this matter is not appropriate. Congress's Take on BJP's Preparations Meanwhile, Rajasthan Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas took aim at BJP's preparations, saying, "... BJP is under pressure... The atmosphere that Congress has created, BJP's national leaders (are coming here). No matter how many discussions BJP holds, it won't change the fact that discussions on Rajasthan's model of development and progress are taking place across the country. BJP has raised issues like law and order and paper leaks. Our law and order situation is better than BJP-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. BJP has internal factions. They sidelined Vasundhara Ji, and now, they are having meetings, but it's too late... Congress will win and form the government in Rajasthan with a majority. Read the full article

[blogynews]

"Unprecedented Move: Yediyurappa's Bold Son Ascends as Karnataka BJP Chief - Clashing with Opposition!"

Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa is reportedly advocating for his son B.Y. Vijayendra to become the BJP chief in Karnataka, as the party forms a pre-poll alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular). Yediyurappa, who recently attended a Parliamentary board meeting in New Delhi, is actively pushing for his son’s elevation to the role. In a previous instance, Yediyurappa had recommended former…

[blogynewz]

"Unprecedented Move: Yediyurappa's Bold Son Ascends as Karnataka BJP Chief - Clashing with Opposition!"

Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa is reportedly advocating for his son B.Y. Vijayendra to become the BJP chief in Karnataka, as the party forms a pre-poll alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular). Yediyurappa, who recently attended a Parliamentary board meeting in New Delhi, is actively pushing for his son’s elevation to the role. In a previous instance, Yediyurappa had recommended former…

[mariacallous]

One hallmark of a parliamentary democracy is a loyal opposition: Non-governing parties are not deemed traitorous adversaries but rather those with reasonable political and ideological differences from the ruling party. The opposition is “loyal” to the source of the government’s power, such as the constitution. India has upheld this principle for seven decades—regardless of which party was in office. But today, that vital symbol of democracy may be in question in New Delhi. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seems intent on undermining key members of the opposition through any legal means at its disposal.

The recent conviction of lawmaker and former Indian National Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi underscores this trend and puts India’s democracy at risk. At a campaign rally in 2019, Gandhi said, “Why do all these thieves have Modi as their surname? Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi.” Nirav Modi was a high-flying diamond merchant charged with bank fraud. Lalit Modi was the head of the lucrative Indian Premier League cricket franchise who received a lifetime ban from the country’s cricket board for “misconduct and indiscipline.” Narendra Modi, of course, is the prime minister of India, who was reelected to a second term the same year Gandhi made his comments.

Last month, Gandhi was disqualified from Parliament and sentenced to two years in prison for defamation over the remarks. The verdict came from a regional court in Modi’s home state of Gujarat, where a local BJP politician, Purnesh Modi, had lodged the case four years ago on the grounds that Gandhi had defamed anyone with the last name Modi. Gandhi was granted bail and has appealed the verdict, with an initial hearing set for April 13. The outcome will have significant consequences: If Gandhi’s conviction is upheld, India’s principal opposition party will be left rudderless heading into national elections next year.

Why did a BJP politician sue Gandhi on the grounds of defamation in the first place, and why did the judge rule in favor of the plaintiff? Purnesh Modi was not personally defamed. (The name Modi is common in Gujarat, and it technically signifies membership in a lower caste.) However, Gandhi had recently raised his political stature with a nationwide trek he called the Unite India march. Whether the march will translate into electoral success remains an open question, but some commentators suggested it could revive the ailing Congress party’s fortunes. The timing of Gandhi’s conviction—four years after the case was filed—raises questions about potential political bias within parts of India’s judiciary.

Given the renewed focus on Gandhi, BJP officials may have sought to diminish his newfound luster. India’s colonial-era defamation laws are sweeping, making them an easy pathway to trap a political opponent in a legal knot. And it seems the judgment was subject to possible political considerations. Although there is no evidence the BJP leaned on the judge to issue the verdict, it is worth noting that Gandhi received the maximum penalty under the law—and his conviction happens to meet the minimum grounds for disqualification from Parliament.

The Gandhi family has long dominated the Congress party, making Gandhi a target ahead of national elections even though he has not been the party’s formal leader since 2019. His mother, Sonia Gandhi, has held a near stranglehold on the party for a few decades and expended considerable effort in boosting her son as her heir apparent. In turn, the party has failed to coalesce around an alternative de facto leader despite Gandhi’s failure to bring Congress electoral success. Politician and former U.N. official Shashi Tharoor didn’t gain much traction last year when he ran for the party presidency. Party stalwarts instead rallied around now-octogenarian lawmaker Mallikarjun Kharge, seen as close to Sonia Gandhi. Shortly after Kharge assumed leadership, a senior Congress politician said Gandhi remained the party’s preferred candidate for prime minister.

This is hardly the first time the BJP government has sought to harass a prominent opposition politician. Among other cases, it has recently instituted judicial proceedings against Manish Sisodia, a former deputy chief minister of New Delhi, on questionable charges related to the implementation of a now-scrapped excise policy. But Gandhi’s disqualification from Parliament represents a dramatic escalation in the ruling party’s efforts to cow the opposition ahead of elections in 2024. Barring unforeseen circumstances, Modi and the BJP are expected to sweep the polls next year, and the ruling party appears intent on ensuring that Gandhi doesn’t have the slightest opportunity to capitalize on his newfound popularity. Unfortunately, the Congress party’s near-complete dependence on Gandhi has placed the party in an untenable position.

It’s far from clear who can step up to the plate to lead the party in Gandhi’s absence. It’s possible his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, may try to take charge on his behalf; she is not a member of Parliament but has campaigned for Congress in the past. Gandhi can still hold political rallies as long as he remains free on bail. But Congress has a larger problem: Since the party’s defeat in the 2019 elections, it has failed to put forward a viable set of alternative policies—contenting itself with taking pot shots at Modi instead. If Gandhi loses his appeal, the party would likely focus its energy on holding public protests and appealing the Indian Supreme Court to stay the judgment. Meanwhile, elections loom.

With Gandhi’s conviction and disqualification from Parliament, it seems that the BJP has delivered the Congress party a coup de grâce. Short of some miraculous strategy, the once-powerful opposition party’s fate in next year’s elections is all but sealed. The BJP’s assault on the opposition raises profound questions about the future of India’s democracy. If a prominent leader of the opposition can be removed from Parliament on such flimsy legal pretext, the entire democratic state may rest on shaky foundations.

Journalists and experts have increasingly raised questions about the independence of India’s judiciary in recent years. It’s far from certain that Gandhi’s appeal to a higher court will result in a dismissal of the charges against him. If it doesn’t, it’s hard to imagine that a mass protest movement would mobilize in response. The Congress party is organizationally weak, and its ability to galvanize a large segment of the population toward a mass movement is lacking. More to the point, despite the crowds that Gandhi attracted during his Unite India march, there has been no mass groundswell of anger following his conviction in Gujarat. The Congress party scion and India’s democracy may be entering the twilight together.

[petnews2day]

Top news developments in Karnataka on April 7, 2023

New Post has been published on https://petn.ws/eJjB1

Top news developments in Karnataka on April 7, 2023

1. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is leaving for Delhi this evening ahead of BJP’s Parliamentary Board meeting, scheduled to be held on April 8, to select candidates for Karnataka Assembly elections. 2. R V Educational Institutions is organizing milestone celebrations of R V Teachers College – 70 years, R.V. Teachers Training Institute – 70 years, […]

See full article at https://petn.ws/eJjB1 #OtherNews

[madarinj]

BJP Parliamentary Board Meet : PM Modi Strategy to Fight With Opposition...

[baitdragon]

If nothing to hide, why is govt running away from JPC probe into Adani issue: Jairam Ramesh

Reacting to Shah's reported remarks, Ramesh said, "If they do not have anything to hide, why are they running away from a Joint Parliamentary Committee (probe)."

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday alleged that the Centre was "running away" from a JPC probe into the Adani-Hindenburg issue and said such an investigation be allowed if the government has nothing to hide in the matter.

The Congress' attack on the government came after Union Home Minister Amit Shah's reported remarks that there is nothing for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to hide or be afraid of in the matter.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said he has written to RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das and SEBI chief Madhabi Puri Buch for an impartial probe into the Adani issue.

Reacting to Shah's reported remarks, Ramesh said, "If they do not have anything to hide, why are they running away from a Joint Parliamentary Committee (probe)."

"They do not even allow us to raise the demand of the JPC in Parliament. When our leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge ji, raised the demand for JPC, their remarks were expunged," Ramesh said.

If there is nothing to hide, the government should allow a JPC, he stressed.

His remarks came a day after the Centre agreed to the Supreme Court's proposal to set up a panel of experts to look into strengthening the regulatory mechanisms for the stock market in the wake of the recent Adani group shares crash triggered by Hindenburg Research's fraud allegations.

Saying it has no objection to constituting the panel, the Centre, at the same time, stressed that market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and other statutory bodies are "fully equipped", not only regime wise, but otherwise also to deal with the situation.

Ramesh said it is important to look at the petition that had been filed in the court which he claimed was basically against Hindenburg research. Investigation should be against Adani and its ties with the government, Ramesh said.

Ramesh said he would, however, also make it clear that the Congress is in favour of private investments and they need to be encouraged.

"We have always said we are in favour of entrepreneurship and that is the way forward for economic development. We are against blind privatisation and selling of PSUs," he said.

The Congress is in favour of liberalisation, but this should be on the basis of rules and institutions which should function independently so that the rules can be applied in an impartial and transparent manner.

Our fight is against crony capitalism, he asserted.

"We will not be cowed down, we will keep raising our voice," he said. He also claimed that all Opposition parties are on the same page in demanding a JPC probe into the Adani issue.