New Delhi : The Congress party condemned the outrageous and blasphemous remarks by the Bharatiya Janata party National Spokesperson and party’s candidate from Puri parliamentary constituency, Sambit Patra, about Lord Jagannath that he was a ‘Modi-bhakt’.
The party demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must tender an apology to people for the hurt caused to their religious sentiments.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here today, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate rejected the apology tendered by Patra, saying it was just an eyewash done only after the Congress raised the matter.
She observed that this was a part of the propaganda plan of the BJP. She pointed out, even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been describing himself as God’s Messenger with divine powers in various television interviews.
The Congress spokesperson said, it was not for the first time that the BJP leaders had made such outrageously blasphemous remarks. She quoted many past examples where the BJP leaders had described Modi as Vishnu’s Avtar’
She showed the pictures posted on BJP’s official media handle where Prime Minister Modi was shown to be holding the finger and leading of Lord Rama, who was made to look like a kid, and taking him to the temple. She said, Modi’s cutouts during the Pran Pratishta ceremony were made bigger than Lord Ram’s.
Ms Shrinate observed that this was the characteristic style of autocrats and dictators to describe themselves as Gods or God’s messengers. She said that Hitler also used to claim himself as God and so does North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The senior Congress leader observed that the sentiments of millions of Hindus who worship their Gods have been hurt by Sambit Patra’s remarks and the Prime Minister Modi must tender an apology.
Shrawasti (UP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that the INDIA bloc is afflicted with diseases like communalism, casteism and nepotism that are “worse than cancer” and can destroy the nation.
“The INDI Alliance has diseases worse than cancer. They can destroy the whole of India if they spread. These three diseases — of being extremely communal, extremely racist and extremely nepotistic — can be more destructive for the country than cancer, ” said PM Modi while addressing an election rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Shravasti.
Seeing the massive gathering, the Prime Minister said that the love and enthusiasm of people “clearly shows” that the INDI Alliance of SP-Congress has “completely collapsed” and the entire country is chanting ‘phir ek baar, Modi sarkar’.
“The BJP does not want the old Uttar Pradesh to be back and this is my guarantee that I will not allow it, ” he said.
Continuing further, he said that the Congress party wanted to give reservation rights to Muslims by taking away the benefits from SC/ST and OBCs but he would never allow it.
“My guarantee is that I will remain a ‘chowkidar’ for the weaker sections and their rights. I will not allow any tampering with the reservation issue, ” he added.
The Prime Minister said that a top Congress leader who ‘worked like a commando for the Shehzada’ used to call him an ‘incumbent Prime Minister’ but after the fifth phase, he too has stopped ridiculing him.
“I just saw some videos in which people can be seen climbing onto the dais. When I asked, I was told that these people had been brought for the INDIA rally on payment but the money had not been given to them. How can you trust such people and can they do any good for you?” he asked.
The Prime Minister further said that the 2024 elections would decide the future of the country.
“Those who did nothing for the country in past decades, have now joined hands to stop me. ‘Do ladkon ki jodi’ is back with the same old dialogues and have nothing new to say. How can they take the country forward when they do not have a vision for development. All they say is that they will reverse the work done by me — so they will take back your pucca houses, your power and water connections. Will you allow Congress-SP to do this?” he asked.
He said that INDIA members wanted to withdraw CAA, reimpose Article 370 but their agenda was unacceptable. “Their leaders have wads of currency so will they save such corrupt people In the SP regime? There was a rate card for posting, giving jobs and laying roads on paper. They attack me because
New Delhi : Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will campaign and hold a roadshow in favour of Ajay Rai, the party’s state president and candidate in Varanasi, on May 25.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third consecutive term from Varanasi.
Ajay Rai said on Wednesday, “Yes, Priyanka Gandhi will campaign and hold a roadshow in Varanasi on May 25.”
Rai has been camping here for the past few weeks.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is one of the Congress’s star campaigners. She along with her brother Rahul Gandhi and other senior party leaders, has been campaigning in different states.
Priyanka camped in Rae Bareli to campaign for party candidates — Rahul Gandhi in Rae Bareli and her family loyalist K.L. Sharma in Amethi — from May 6 till the end of campaigning there on May 18.
Polling in Varanasi will take place in the seventh and final phase of elections on June 1.
Rohtak :Taking a jibe at two-time Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, BJP President J.P. Nadda said on Tuesday that the Congress leader is only focused on making his son an MP, but Rohtak desires ‘Teesri Baar, Modi Sarkar’ (Modi government for a third term).
The Congress has fielded Bhupinder Hooda’s son Deepender Singh Hooda as its candidate from the Rohtak Lok Sabha seat.
Conducting roadshows in Rohtak and Jind in support of BJP Lok Sabha candidates Arvind Sharma and Mohan Lal Badoli, respectively, amid slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Modi-Modi’, Nadda said, “Congress and the INDI Alliance are living examples of corruption, dynastic politics, and appeasement.
“The massive public support for the roadshows clearly indicates that the BJP is receiving overwhelming public endorsement, and Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister for the third consecutive time with more than 400 seats.”
He also said that along with Rohtak and Sonipat, the lotus will bloom with more than 50 per cent of vote share on the remaining eight Lok Sabha seats in the state as well.
“The entire INDI Alliance, including the Congress, is attempting to divide people and the nation. While the previous Congress-led governments kept issues like ‘One rank, One Pension’ hanging for 40 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi resolved them in his first term.
“Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says they speak for the welfare of farmers, but the Congress insulted Jat farmer leader Jagdeep Dhankhar who sits in a constitutional position. Also, the Congress-led UPA government sent only Rs 41, 000 crore to Haryana in 10 years, but the Modi government provided Haryana with Rs 2.70 lakh crore in the past 10 years, ” the BJP President said.
He also said that despite the assault on an AAP MP at the residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the entire INDI Alliance has chosen to remain silent on the issue.
“Their silence has made it clear that while Congress raises slogans like ‘Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon’, when it comes to standing up for women, they choose to remain silent. This also indicates that for Congress, the leaders of the coalition are more valuable than the safety of the country’s women.
“Kejriwal, who talks about respecting women, allowed the assault on a female MP of his party inside his home. The true character of the Aam Aadmi Party and Arvind Kejriwal have been exposed before the public, ” the BJP chief said.
As per the INDIA bloc’s seat-sharing pact, the Congress is contesting nine seats in Haryana, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is in the fray from Kurukshetra.
Both the BJP and its former coalition partner JJP are contesting 10 seats, while the INLD is in the fray on seven seats.
Polling in all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana will take place in the sixth phase on May 25. The results will be out on June 4.
New Delhi : As temperatures continue to soar in the national capital, doctors on Tuesday advised caution against prolonged exposure to heat.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a heatwave and hot and humid weather warning for the next seven days in New Delhi.
The maximum temperature will range between 44 and 47 degrees Celsius.
On Monday, the national capital’s maximum temperature reached 47.4 degrees Celsius — the highest in the country.
The IMD has also issued a severe heatwave red alert for Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, predicting that the heatwave to severe heatwave conditions will persist over the coming days.
“Exposure to high temperature for a prolonged time can lead to heat stroke, ” Dr Satish Koul, Senior Director, Internal Medicine, Fortis Gurgaon.
“Exposure to excessively high temperatures during summer months is leading to various illnesses, including heat stroke, dehydration, drowsiness, food and water-borne illnesses and electrolyte imbalance, ” said Dr Atul Gogia Senior Consultant and Head Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
Dr Satish noted that the high temperatures can also “turn fatal when a person develops neurological symptoms like altered mental status or altered behaviour”.
Dr Atul toldto media that severe dehydration leading to renal shutdown can also be life-threatening. Health experts noted that rising temperatures can affect everyone but, people of extreme ages, such as the elderly or children, are more prone to heat illness.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government has ordered an immediate closure of schools given the rising heatwaves.
A high body temperature may lead to nausea and vomiting, poor concentration and drowsiness, cramps, throbbing headache, confusion, dizziness, palpitation, fast strong pulse, and loss of consciousness, Dr G. J. Singh from Yashoda Super Specialty Hospital, Kaushambi, told to media
The experts advised staying indoors during extreme heat waves, wearing light clothes, keeping proper hydration, eating good and balanced food at home, and avoiding meals from outside.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended his praise to the people of Baramulla for their substantial turnout during the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections.
“Compliments to my sisters and brothers of Baramulla for their unbreakable commitment to democratic values. Such active participation is a great trend,” said PM Modi in response to a post by Lieutenant Governor, Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, who also lauded the high voter turnout.
“High voter turnout, over 58% in Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency, is very encouraging and shows the people’s determination and unwavering faith in democracy. I congratulate and thank the people of Baramulla for joining the Maha Kumbh of our democracy in large numbers,” wrote the LG.
“Anticipate a fractional adjustment in the percentage figure, as voting persisted beyond 6 pm at certain polling stations, with several polling teams yet to reach the reception center. This noteworthy engagement signals a fresh chapter of peace and civic involvement in these districts,” said a communiqué released last evening by the office of J&K Chief Electoral Officer, Pandurang K Pole.
Angry farmers in Punjab and Haryana are confronting BJP candidates, leading to disruptions in the party’s campaign at many places. While the Haryana BJP plays down the issue, its Punjab counterpart has taken it up with the state’s chief electoral officer (CEO), writes Rajesh Moudgil
Going is getting rough for the BJP during this general elections in Punjab and Haryana with there being farmers’ protest every now and then, during its candidates’ campaigning; last week only, while well-known sufi singer Hans Raj Hans saw yet another protest in his Faridkot constituency, police thwarted an attempt by a group of protesters – claiming to be farmers – to disrupt Preneet Kaur’s campaign in Punjab’s Patiala seat. These two seats were among several in Punjab to witness such protests.
In Haryana, a group of farmers allegedly manhandled supporters of Naina Chautala, a candidate of BJP’s former ally Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), during her campaign in Hisar Lok Sabha constituency, a few days ago. The JJP got a police case registered against unknown persons and the party top leaders as well as BJP’s senior leaders have condemned the incident.
It was not the first time that BJP or JJP leaders saw such protests in Haryana. There have been some earlier instances also when some groups of farmers or villagers staged protests against them, especially in Rohtak, Sonepat, Jind, Hisar, Sirsa and Fatehabad. At some places, the BJP candidates saw banners put up asking them not to come to them this election time.
Even though, former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar opted to downplay some of such protests as acts of “some crazy people’’ who just wanted to have their say to express their authority, on other occasions other senior party leaders held that these were the acts of some people misguided by the rival political parties.
Their reactions seemed to have an adverse impact. The BJP’s candidate from Sirsa, Ashok Tanwar faced farmers’ protest the next day though the police thwarted the showdown.
Earlier in the month of April, JJP’s top leaders including former deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala, his mother Naina Chautala and even JJP supremo and Dushyant’s father Ajay Chautala too had faced embarrassing situations.
The BJP’s candidate from Rohtak, Arvind Sharma, and Hisar candidate Ranjit Chautala had also faced farmers ire who held that it was the state government which had approved of the state authorities action against farmers for their “Delhi Chalo march’’ since February this year. The farmers also asked Centre’s response to their demand for minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.
The JJP leaders held that some “outsiders’’ were involved in these protests.
Even though several of the BJP candidates faced protests by the farmers in Punjab, its Faridkot candidate Hans Raj Hans and Gurdaspur candidate Dinesh Babbu were among the ones who faced such protests repeatedly. Farmers’ plight was the same: why were teargas shells rained on the protesting farmers at Shambhu border and why “force’’ was used against farmers who wanted to march towards Delhi since February this year.
However, in the recent incident, the farmers also tried to stage a protest right around the Moti Bagh Palace – the official residence of former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh in Patiala, where his wife Preneet Kaur, is BJP candidate, though the police thwarted the same. What was surprising was that Capt Amarinder Singh has been conspicuously silent so far on the issue.
Punjab BJP raises red flag
The BJP leadership in Punjab, however, decided to raise a red flag against such protests and submitted a complaint with the chief electoral officer (CEO) apprehending a well-calibrated “sponsored’’ denial of the right of BJP candidates to campaign in the state.
Led by BJP state president Sunil Jakhar, a party delegation met the CEO Sibin C, alleging in its complaint that the party apprehended a well-calibrated “sponsored’’ denial of the right of BJP candidates to campaign in Punjab in the backdrop of deteriorating law and order situation under the incumbent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government led by Bhagwant Mann.
The BJP delegation held that it was the responsibility of the Punjab electoral office, government and police to ensure that the BJP candidates had unhindered access to every part of the state to exert their democratic right to campaign and connect with the people. The BJP leaders held that, however, dozens of incidents in the recent past and the latest incident in Patiala, where a farmer died falling on his own on the road during the campaign of BJP candidate Preneet Kaur, presented a picture in contrast of conspiracy that needs immediate attention.
Stating that the BJP had always stood for the rights of farmers, the party leaders said that such unchecked protests against BJP candidates, who were being forced to withdraw from campaigns in parts of Punjab, could lead to unforeseeable consequences and untoward incidents of violence and clashes.
The possibility of anti-social elements sneaking in under the garb of farmer protests and creating havoc could not be ruled out, the party leaders held.
They also held that apprehension of collusion of opposition political parties including the AAP, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Congress in scripting such disruptions for BJP candidates loomed large. The party delegations held that the state machinery could not act as a conduit to facilitate such obstructions and threat to BJP candidates and its supporters.
The recent FIR registered against a BJP leader following the death of a farmer in Patiala during the obstruction caused to Preneet Kaur while she was campaigning is malafide and politically motivated and it needs to be cancelled with immediate effect, the party held.
While stating that the protests undertaken by farmers are a legitimate tool, the BJP leaders held that there was a need for this right to be exercised with restraint and caution given that candidates too have their right to campaign and have access to villages. The BJP candidates could not be held to ransom at the patronage and behest of the ruling dispensation, the delegation said.
CEO seeks report from DGP
Taking a note of the BJP representation, the CEO Sibin C has sought a fact-finding and an action taken report from the Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) in this context.
However, the Punjab farmers’ fora too have raised their issues with the CEO and sought to ensure their (citizens’) right to question the candidates during the election campaigns. A delegation of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) has also submitted a memorandum to the CEO demanding that political leaders, candidates and the security forces should not be high-handed towards citizens who question them during poll time.
Back home, even though the saffron party seems to have reacted to what it has termed as “sponsored protests’’, nothing can be said with certainty what the coming days have in store for its candidates. While Haryana goes to poll on May 25, in Punjab voting will be held on June 1.
Curiously, the variations of the separatist slogans are now yelled in mainstream political rallies including, lo and behold, those of the BJP. The reason for this is that these slogans are known to everyone in the valley, helping the parties to connect easily with the masses. A report by Riyaz Wani
The ongoing election rallies in Srinagar have seen the revival of old slogans alongside new ones, reflecting the evolving political narrative in the region and at the same time harking back to the past.
Traditional political leaders, including Dr Farooq Abdullah and his son, Omar Abdullah, of the National Conference, are being hailed as lions by their supporters. At rallies, enthusiastic crowds chant, “Aaya aaya, sher aaya” (The lion has come, the lion has come). Similarly, supporters of People’s Democratic Party’s Srinagar candidate, Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, and Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone, chant, “Nakli shera yeti wat dera, asli shera aa gaya” (Time for fake lions to leave, the real lion has arrived).
The political atmosphere intensified further during a recent BJP rally in Pulwama, where party workers chanted, “Jis Kashmir jo khoon se seencha, woh Kashmir hamara hai” (The Kashmir we drenched in blood, is our Kashmir), alongside the slogan “Ragdo ragdo, NC ragdo PDP ragdo” (Wipe out NC, Wipe out PDP).
Ironically, both of these slogans have separatist origins. The first slogan traces back to the struggle for the right to self-determination through the fifties and sixties, spearheaded by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, the founder of the National Conference. And the latter one was coined during the six-month long unrest in the Valley in 2008 during which over 100 people were killed. However, the BJP has adapted the slogan to the current election in the Valley.
The PDP has made a clever use of the slogans coined by the separatists, some of them during the several unrests over the past one and a half decade. For instance one of them goes like: “Na jhukne waali PDP, na bikne waali PDP” (The party which won’t surrender or sell out is the PDP). The slogan was earlier used to describe the politics of the deceased top separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. The slogan then went as: “Na jhukne waala Geelani, na bikne waala Geelani”.
This is not the first time that the PDP has adapted separatist symbols to garner public support. In the past, the party has even appropriated parts of the separatist agenda, an exercise that once earned it the label of a soft-separatist party. However, this political agenda helped the party tap into the Valley’s separatist constituency.
These slogans, deeply rooted in Kashmir’s political history, serve as potent symbols of pride, strength, and unity for the Kashmiri people. The slogan “Sher-e-Kashmir Zindabad” (Long live Sher-e-Kashmir), originally used to honour Sheikh Abdullah’s leadership, has now become a rallying cry for various political parties.
In the parliamentary elections in Kashmir, these slogans have gained renewed significance, reflecting the changing political landscape of the region. With traditional political parties reclaiming centre stage, the fleeting fame of self-proclaimed “sher” personas on social media seems to be diminishing.
However, the resurgence of the traditional slogans is not without controversy. The BJP’s use of slogans traditionally associated with separatist sentiments has raised eyebrows. The chanting of “Jis Kashmir jo khoon se seencha gaya hai, woh Kashmir hamara hai” attracted widespread attention, given its historical association with anti-India protests.
What is significant is that the variations of the separatist slogans are now yelled in mainstream political rallies including those of the BJP. The reason for this is that these slogans are known to everyone in the Valley, helping the parties to connect easily with the masses.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday attached seven immovable properties linked to a prominent member of the banned Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) organization Sartaj Ahmed Mantoo.
The properties, including land spanning 19 Marlas & 84 Sq ft in Kisarigam, Pulwama district, were seized under Section 33 (1) of the UA (P) Act, 1967, following orders from the NIA Special Court, Jammu.
Mantoo was apprehended on January 31, 2020, with a significant cache of arms, ammunition, and explosives. Charged on July 27, 2020, he currently faces trial under various sections of the Arms Act, IPC, Explosive Substances Act, UA (P) Act, and Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933.
Investigations have revealed his involvement, along with five co-accused JeM members, in transporting newly infiltrated terrorists into the Kashmir valley.
JeM, established in 2000 by Maulana Masood Azhar, has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks in India, particularly in J&K. The group was designated as a “Designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation” by UNSC Resolution 1267.
Moreover, in 2019, the UNSC designated JeM’s leader, Maulana Masood Azhar, as a “Global Terrorist.”
The move by the NIA comes on the heels of its attachment of six immovable properties associated with another senior JeM militant in Kashmir, further intensifying its crackdown on terrorist operatives in the region.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced during his ongoing visit to Srinagar that the BJP intends to compete for all 90 seats in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. Shah’s two-day visit to Srinagar included meetings with state BJP representatives at the Lalit Palace hotel on May 16, where he emphasized the party’s preparedness for the forthcoming elections later this year.
During the discussions, Shah expressed remorse over the BJP’s absence from the Lok Sabha elections in three crucial Kashmir constituencies – Srinagar, Baramulla, and Anantnag-Rajouri. He urged party members to work towards eliminating the political dominance of regional parties like the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC), J&K Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Congress in the Union Territory.
Shah’s visit coincided with a notable turnout of 38.49 percent in the recent Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency elections, the highest since 1996.
However, Shah’s visit drew criticism from regional political parties, questioning its timing amidst ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the valley, where the BJP is not contesting. Omar Abdullah, the National Conference chief and candidate for Baramulla, raised concerns about the Home Minister’s departure from election campaigning to visit a region where his party isn’t participating in the polls.
