Category: Politics

On Saturday, BJP leaders announced that the Railways’ notice to demolish a temple outside Mumbai’s Dadar station has been stopped. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the temple will be allowed to stay as long as it follows the rules.

This news comes after Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of the Shiv Sena party, criticized the BJP about the demolition notice. BJP MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha assured everyone that the Dadar Hanuman temple would be protected. During his visit to the temple near Dadar’s Central Railway station, Lodha spoke with the temple trustees and joined in the prayer ceremony called ‘aarti’.

Lodha mentioned that he spoke with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who confirmed that the demolition order has been halted. Uddhav Thackeray had previously called the demolition notice a ‘fatwa’ against the 80-year-old Hanuman temple, saying even places of worship weren’t safe during the BJP’s leadership.

After visiting the temple, Lodha told reporters that the BJP government is listening to the concerns of the Hindu community. He assured everyone that the temple is safe and that they would continue to protect it against any threats.

The Railways had sent a notice saying the temple was built without permission and was blocking commuters and vehicle traffic at the station. They had given a seven-day deadline to remove it.

Fadnavis, who was attending the ‘Pune Book Festival 2024’, said that they are working on classifying and preserving ancient temples. He promised to discuss the situation with railway officials and find a solution for the Dadar Hanuman temple.

Additionally, former MP Kirit Somaiya visited the temple and reassured the trustees that the demolition wouldn’t happen. He criticized Thackeray, reminding him of his past actions against those who worshipped at the temple.

Former Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale also wrote to Vaishnaw, urging him to find a lasting solution. Shewale mentioned that a similar demolition notice had been stopped in the past thanks to his efforts.

During a heated discussion in the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Congress political party, saying they often change the Constitution for their own benefits. He used examples from India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, to show how Congress may have disrespected the Constitution.

Modi mentioned that in 1951, Nehru told the Chief Ministers that if the Constitution was a problem, they should change it. “Nehru said this!” Modi emphasized. He pointed out that even then, President Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Speaker tried to stop Nehru, but he didn’t listen.

Modi accused one family in Congress of damaging the Constitution and impacting Indian democracy. He argued that Congress’s rule for 55 years should be examined closely to find out what really happened.

He expressed that Congress got used to changing the Constitution, having made 75 amendments over 60 years. He said that Nehru started this trend, which continued with Indira Gandhi, who changed laws to give more power to Parliament and limit the judiciary’s authority. Modi also mentioned that Rajiv Gandhi harmed the Constitution by reversing a Supreme Court decision.

Katra (J&K): Manish Sisodia, a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), is confident that their former Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, will win again in Delhi. He believes that people trust Kejriwal and don’t need anyone else.

In an interview with PTI, after visiting the famous Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, Sisodia criticized the BJP for the bad law and order situation in Delhi. He pointed out that AAP has always fought elections on its own—without teaming up with Congress—in 2013, 2015, and 2019, and they will do it again in the upcoming assembly elections.

Sisodia emphasized that Kejriwal has done a lot for Delhi, especially in areas like electricity, water, education, and health. He mentioned that the government is giving women Rs 2,100 instead of the promised Rs 1,000. People want a government that cares about children’s education, provides good hospitals, jobs, and ensures safety.

He said that while Kejriwal focused on better education and health for the people, the BJP has failed to keep the city safe. He described the law and order situation in Delhi as troubling, comparing it to gang wars in Mumbai. Business owners are getting threatened by gangsters who aren’t scared at all, and people aren’t feeling safe even when they go for morning walks.

When asked about the “one nation, one election” bill introduced by the Union cabinet, Sisodia called it a trick from the BJP. He believes that instead, India should focus on “one election, one education” to ensure every child receives a good education. He hopes for a better education system in Delhi so every child can be happy and successful.

Omar Abdullah, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, has pointed out problems with the current system where he shares power with the lieutenant governor. He believes this setup is not good for the region and has urged the central government to quickly bring back statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

In his first major interview since becoming chief minister, Abdullah expressed some hope that the central government would honor its promises about restoring statehood. He referred to promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah during their election campaigns.

Abdullah related this issue to how businesses operate, saying that having two leaders is never a good idea. For a team or a government to function well, there should only be one leader. He compared it to sports, where each team has one captain.

He argued that having two power centers, like in Delhi, where the government shares power with the lieutenant governor, has led to many issues. He emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir needs a united government, especially since it’s a large region near China and Pakistan.

Abdullah pointed out that since becoming a Union Territory in August 2019, Jammu and Kashmir has not seen any benefits. He stated, “I have yet to see a single example of how we have gained from being a Union Territory.”

He mentioned that Jammu and Kashmir was made a Union Territory after Article 370 was removed, which had given it special status. Recently, the Supreme Court instructed that assembly elections should happen by September and that statehood should be restored soon.

After the elections, Abdullah’s party, the National Conference, won a significant number of seats. He argued that the only reason elections were held was due to the Supreme Court’s involvement concerning statehood.

Abdullah admitted he has a backup plan in case statehood isn’t restored. He believes that promises made by the central government should be kept. He pointed out that voters showed up because they want statehood back, and the government has to act on it.

He added that the final say on restoring statehood lies with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. Abdullah described the government setup as a learning process and acknowledged the difficulties faced during this transition. He noted that while the lieutenant governor manages law and order, the elected government handles other duties, and they are working to clarify roles within the administration.

On Saturday, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in India’s Lok Sabha, used the words of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar to criticize the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He quoted Savarkar, saying, “The Constitution of India is un-Indian.” He emphasized that Savarkar preferred the Manusmriti over the Constitution, claiming it represents the old traditions of India.

Gandhi challenged BJP members, asking if they supported Savarkar’s views. He argued that when they claim to protect the Constitution, they are disrespecting Savarkar.

Gandhi also referenced the story of Eklavya from Hindu scriptures. He explained that the government’s actions, like the Agniveer recruitment scheme and various paper leaks, harmed the youth, just as Eklavya sacrificed his thumb for his teacher.

He criticized the government for not addressing farmers’ needs while benefiting wealthy businessmen like Adani and Ambani. He called for support for farmers and argued that the government was hurting the very people it was supposed to help.

The Lok Sabha started a two-day discussion on the Constitution to honor its 75th anniversary.

In New Delhi, former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who leads the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah asking for a meeting. He wants to talk about the growing worries about safety in Delhi. Kejriwal points out that even though the central government controls Delhi’s law and order, the city is becoming known as the crime capital of India and even in other countries.

Kejriwal shared some worrying facts, like how Delhi has the highest number of crimes against women and murders compared to 19 major cities in India. He also mentioned the growing number of extortion gangs and bomb threats at schools and airports. Plus, drug-related crimes have shot up by a shocking 350%, making residents feel unsafe.

In his letter, Kejriwal emphasized that Delhi’s crime situation is getting out of control. He said the people of Delhi feel they are living in fear, with criminals acting without any fear of the law. He criticized Amit Shah and the BJP, saying they have not been able to keep the city safe.

The AAP leaders have been calling for discussions in Parliament about the rising crime and threats to safety. Recently, some schools in Delhi received bomb threats, prompting urgent questions about what the government is doing to protect the public.

On November 19, the Delhi High Court instructed local authorities to come up with a solid action plan to address the bomb threats within eight weeks.

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot criticized Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for his comments during a meeting about the 75th anniversary of India’s Constitution. Gehlot believes that under the NDA government, important institutions created by the Constitution are becoming weaker, which he says poses a threat to democracy. He expressed his worries, asking, “Why do we say today that democracy is in danger?”

Gehlot pointed out that many laws are being passed without proper discussion, which makes people feel distrustful. He noted that while governments have changed and amendments have happened in the past, the current situation feels especially risky for the Constitution. He questioned why this situation arose, especially when people are celebrating Save Constitution Day.

Rajnath Singh, speaking in the Lok Sabha, responded to Gehlot by saying that the Constitution is a collective achievement of all Indians. He accused Congress of trying to claim sole credit for creating it. Singh emphasized that the Constitution represents the values and dreams of a diverse country and stated that the BJP government follows the principles of unity and development for everyone. He assured commitment to uphold what the Constitution stands for.

Veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani, who is 96 years old, has been taken to Apollo Hospital, according to sources on Saturday. He is currently under observation, but his condition is stable. He was admitted to the hospital about two days ago and is being treated by Dr. Vinit Suri, a senior doctor specializing in neurology. This is not the first time Advani has been hospitalized this year. The reason for this latest hospital visit is not clear at the moment.

Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is set to introduce a new bill called “The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024” in the Lok Sabha on December 16 (Monday). This bill aims to change how elections are held in India.

The main idea is to have Lok Sabha (national) elections and State Assembly elections happen at the same time. The bill also includes plans to align elections in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry.

Some leaders from opposition parties are not happy with this idea. Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh raised concerns about what would happen if a state government loses power. He asked, “If a state government falls within six months, will that state remain without a government for the next 4.5 years?” He believes that it is unfair to expect people to wait so long for new elections.

Another Congress MP, Jairam Ramesh, said that the “One Nation, One Election” bill should be discussed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee. He believes the bill goes against the principles of democracy. This concern was echoed by Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge last year in a letter opposing the bill.

Earlier this week, the “One Nation, One Election” bill was approved by the Union Cabinet. The hope is that these changes could save time and make elections across the country easier. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the decision, calling it a significant step for India’s democracy.