Politics
Akhilesh Claims BJP, Govt Behind Sambhal Violence; Alleges ‘electronic Booth Capturing’ in Bypolls
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Yadav made the allegations a day after the UP bypoll results in which his party managed to win only two seats while BJP and its ally RLD bagged the other seven
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday alleged the violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district over the survey of a mosque was orchestrated by the BJP, the government and the administration “to divert attention from electoral malpractice”.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also alleged “electronic booth capturing” during the just-concluded bypolls to nine assembly seats in the state and said there would be clarity if the Election Commission can get a forensic examination of the EVMs done.
Yadav made the allegations a day after the UP bypoll results in which his party managed to win only two seats while BJP and its ally RLD bagged the other seven, including the Muslim-dominated Kundarki.
Police used tear gas and “minor force” in the face of stone pelting by locals in Sambhal on Sunday as tension escalated during a second survey of the Mughal-era mosque, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple.
Ten people have been detained and a probe was launched into the violence, an official said.
Tension has been brewing in Sambhal over the past few days after the Jama Masjid was surveyed last Tuesday on the orders of a local court following a petition that claimed that a Harihar temple stood at the site.
“A serious incident occurred in Sambhal. A survey team was deliberately sent in the morning to disrupt discussions about the elections. The intention was to create chaos so that no debate on election issues could happen,” Yadav claimed.
He claimed that several people were injured in the violence in Sambhal and one was killed in the violence. He also sought to know why a new survey was conducted again, and “that too in the morning and without preparation”, when a survey was already done.
Notably, the district administration or police have not yet said anything about the death in Sambhal as claimed by Yadav.
“I don’t want to go into the legal or procedural aspects, but the other side was not even heard. This was intentionally done to provoke emotions and avoid discussions on election rigging,” Yadav said.
“What happened in Sambhal was orchestrated by the BJP, the government and the administration to divert attention from electoral malpractices,” he alleged.
Asserting that in democracy, true victory comes from the people, not the system, he said, “The new democracy created by the BJP ensures that people cannot vote while the system dominates.” He added that whenever an impartial investigation takes place, and the truth comes out through booth recordings and CCTV footage, it will be evident that “voters did not cast their votes and someone else became the voter inside the booth”.
Yadav claimed that on the polling day, the police and the administration removed the Samajwadi Party’s almost all booth agents and many supporters who wanted to vote.
“If voters were prevented from voting, then who cast the votes? If Samajwadi Party votes didn’t reach those booths and our candidate didn’t get support, then who voted there? This is a serious issue,” he said.
“Additionally, there were two types of slips — one with a red mark and another regular slip. We raised this issue on the voting day itself, stating that the administration had created such arrangements, leading to discrimination,” Yadav alleged.
The Samajwadi Party’s candidate for the Kundarki assembly bypoll Haji Rizwan too has alleged that his supporters were prevented from voting. The BJP’s Ramveer Singh won the bypoll in the Kundarki seat by a margin of over 1.45 lakh votes.
Yadav noted that the victory achieved through “deceit” is merely an “illusion” and weighs most heavily on those “orchestrating” the drama of triumph.
“This entire charade has been staged by the BJP. Such a victory morally weakens the victors, killing their conscience.” He said the BJP’s fear of losing became evident the day they removed “PDA (Pichda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) employees and officials from election duty to replace them with their own people, ensuring there would be no witnesses to their malpractice”.
“Knowing their intentions, we opposed the BJP’s actions. But when the government and administration themselves become oppressors, who can stop the desecration of democracy?” the SP chief posed.
“This dishonesty is not new. Rigging elections has been their standard practice and we all witnessed the results on camera. Even an MLA had to face humiliation,” Yadav alleged.
He demanded that the poll panel verify its records to see if the registered voters made it to the booths.
“Forensic examination of EVMs could reveal voting patterns, including instances where the same button was pressed multiple times with the same fingerprint. Reports also suggest that people who were out of the area were pre-identified and their votes were cast on their behalf. This is the new-age electronic booth capturing,” Yadav claimed.
He asserted that had “PDA (Pichda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) employees and officials not been replaced, the “BJP would have struggled to win even a single seat”.
Yadav also claimed that the bypoll to Milkipur assembly seat in Ayodhya was postponed because “the government couldn’t ensure manipulations there”.
He stressed that a nation moves towards a democratic revolution when it loses all hope for justice. “People, enraged by inflation, unemployment, exploitation, and electoral fraud can only endure so much.” “The BJP has snatched jobs, dignity, harmony, and brotherhood from the people,” Yadav said and accused the ruling party of destroying the Constitution and reservations. “Their hunger for power has already made them sick, and now they will lose sleep as well.” Yadav said he takes pity on BJP’s members, but people told him that these people do not deserve it.
“If the BJP thinks these results will dishearten the PDA, they are mistaken. Injustice and oppression don’t break people, they unite them,” the SP chief said.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
- Location :
Uttar Pradesh, India
Politics
‘PM Modi Won’t Take More Than Two Days To Defeat Bangladesh’: Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane
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Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane said Hindu community just has one country – India. Nepal is also a Hindu majority country, but number of community members is very less in Himalayan nation.
Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane on Tuesday claimed India will save Hindus in Bangladesh, where they are facing attacks, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi can defeat the neighbouring nation in “48 hours”.
Speaking at a rally organised in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra to protest against atrocities on minority Hindus in Bangladesh, Rane said India is being surrounded by all sides everyday.
He said the Hindu community just has one country – India. Nepal is also a Hindu majority country, but the number of community members is very less in the Himalayan nation.
“Muslims have many countries. If you (Muslims) do not like our country then leave,” the ruling coalition MLA maintained.
Hindu women are being kidnapped and stones are being pelted on Ganpati, Ram Navmi and Hanuman Jayanti rallies/processions in Maharashtra, alleged the MLA whose party is aligned with the BJP.
“We will save Hindus in Bangladesh. There is (PM) Narendra Modi for that. But it is our responsibility to save our country. Do not let your guard down. Modi ji will not take more than two days to defeat Bangladesh. We will defeat Bangladesh in 48 hours,” the Shiv Sena legislator told the gathering in his home district.
Nilesh Rane is son of former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane and elder brother of BJP MLA Nitesh Rane, who has been accused of make provocative speeches.
Nilesh Rane, a former BJP member, joined the Shiv Sena led by deputy CM Eknath Shinde ahead of the last month’s assembly polls and won from Kudal in Sindhudurg district.
Meanwhile, in Thane district, the Sakal Hindu Samaj, on the occasion of World Human Rights Day, organized an event to highlight atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh and express solidarity with them.
A delegation representing the organization met with Thane district collector Ashok Shingare and Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dhumbre, and submitted a memorandum outlining their concerns and demands.
The memorandum brought attention to the “inhumane treatment and violence faced by Hindus in Bangladesh,” and urged the Indian government to take “swift and decisive action” to address the crisis.
To amplify their message, the Sakal Hindu Samaj organized a “silent march” in Thane on Sunday, as part of the “Bangladesh Hindu Nyaya Yatra” (Bangladesh Hindu Justice March).
The campaign also extended to Vasai in Palghar district, where hundreds of citizens took part in the yatra. The march was led by BJP leader Mahendra Patil.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
- Location :
Sindhudurg, India
Politics
INDIA Bloc To Move Supreme Court Over EVM Concerns
Last Updated:
The decision to approach the Supreme Court against the Election Commission was announced by Prashant Jagtap, leader of the NCP-Sharad Pawar who lost the assembly elections from the Hadapsar seat in Pune
The opposition INDIA bloc in Maharashtra is set to move the Supreme Court over alleged manipulation of EVMs in the recent assembly elections.
The decision to approach the Supreme Court against the Election Commission was announced by Prashant Jagtap, leader of the NCP-Sharad Pawar who lost the assembly elections from the Hadapsar seat in Pune.
The decision was announced after a meeting between NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal and noted lawyer and Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi here.
Pawar has been meeting leaders of his party who lost the assembly elections.
The INDIA bloc has claimed that it lost the elections in Maharashtra due to alleged manipulation of EVMs in favour of the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition.
In the elections held last month, the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition won 235 seats in the 288-member House while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance bagged 46.
During the meeting, Kejriwal flagged concerns related to voter lists in Delhi where assembly elections are due early next year.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
Politics
Jagdeep Dhankhar Vs Opposition: What Next For Vice-President After Motion For Removal?
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Opposition’s motion of removal against Jagdeep Dhankhar: The notice, as per article 67(B) of the Constitution, will have to be put to vote first in the Rajya Sabha and, if needed, later in the Lok Sabha
A total of 60 MPs from opposition parties have submitted a notice to the Rajya Sabha Secretary General, demanding a motion for removal of Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar
The MPs from the Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), Samajwadi Party (SP), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and other INDIA bloc allies have alleged that Dhankhar’s conduct is biased and therefore unbecoming of his position as the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
Article 67(b) of the Constitution of India states that the Vice-President can be removed from office by a resolution of the council of states. The resolution must be passed by a majority of the council of states and agreed to by the House of the People. Before a resolution can be moved, at least 14 days’ notice must be given of the intention to move the resolution.
For the first time in the 72-year history of the Rajya Sabha, Opposition Parties have formally submitted a no-confidence motion against the Chairman.There have been three occasions, however, when a no-confidence motion has been moved against the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. pic.twitter.com/DHjo5vqL2K
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) December 10, 2024
WHAT NEXT?
The notice, as per article 67(B) of the Constitution, will have to be put to vote first in the Rajya Sabha and, if needed, later in the Lok Sabha.
Constitutional expert P D T Achari told News18 that the Rajya Sabha rule book makes no mention of any provision for removal of the chairperson. However, article 67 of the Constitution provides for the procedure for impeachment of the Vice-President of India. “The motion moved by the opposition will have to be put to vote in the Rajya Sabha. If a majority votes in favour, then it will be sent to the Lok Sabha. The Vice-President can be removed only if a majority of members in both the houses vote to impeach him,” Achary said.
#WATCH | On Opposition’s no-confidence motion against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh says, ” In the last 72 years, it is the first time that Opposition parties have submitted a motion over Rajya Sabha Chairman. This shows how the situation has… pic.twitter.com/ySiO4r8D7u— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2024
GOVERNMENT’S STAND
Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju condemned the move by the INDIA bloc, but said the government did not have a problem in accepting the notice and getting it voted upon. Rijiju, however, pointed out that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) enjoys a majority in Parliament and all NDA MPs have full faith in the chairperson. “This notice is a diversionary tactic because the Congress is scared and disturbed over the Soros revelation. Dhankhar is a Jat, son of a farmer. We condemn this move to target him,” Rijiju said.
14 DAYS REQUIREMENT
As per article 67, a 14-day notice must be given before any resolution to remove the Vice-President is voted upon. Achari clarified that although this is an unprecedented situation, a bare reading of the Constitution suggests that the resolution moved by the opposition can be taken up in the next session of Parliament as less than 10 working days remain in the winter session. “A special session of the two houses can be called or the notice can be voted upon in the next session,” he told News18.
UNPRECEDENTED MOVE
Dhankhar has become the first Vice-President in the history of Independent India to face such a motion for removal. The numbers in both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha favour the ruling side, but the opposition insists on “putting on record the bias of the Chair”.
“As Chairperson, the manner in which Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar conducts parliamentary affairs of the Rajya Sabha is extremely partisan. It is a matter of record that Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar has repeatedly interrupted members of the Opposition while they are speaking, unfairly used privilege motions to silence leaders of the opposition, and openly delegitimized dissent with respect to the actions of the Government in the utmost disparaging manner,” the notice alleges.
It adds that his open praise for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and calling himself an “Ekalavya of the RSS” is proof of his bias. Rijiju dismissed the charge and said there was nothing wrong with praising an organisation like the RSS.
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