Category: Politics

On Friday, a local court summoned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to appear on January 10, 2025. He is being accused of spreading hatred through his comments about the freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The court’s decision came after a complaint was filed by a local lawyer named Nripendra Pandey. Initially, the court dismissed the complaint in June 2023, but a higher court reversed that decision in October 2024, sending the case back for more review.

The investigation revealed that Gandhi made the controversial statement during a press conference in Akola, Maharashtra on November 17, 2022, while on his Bharat Jodo Yatra. The complaint claims that he labeled Savarkar a “servant of the British” who accepted money from them, which angered many and disrupted unity among communities. The court found that Gandhi’s statements, which were widely shared on TV and social media, were likely aimed at spreading division among people.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra recently spoke sharply against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in her first speech in the Lok Sabha. She emphasized that the Constitution of India belongs to all people (‘Bharat ka Samvidhan’) and not just to the RSS (‘Sangh ka Vidhan’). Priyanka warned that if it weren’t for the recent election results, the ruling party might have tried to change the Constitution.

During her speech, she described the Constitution as a protective shield for justice, unity, and freedom of expression. She accused the BJP government of trying to undermine this shield over the past ten years. Throughout her 32-minute speech, Priyanka was assertive but calm. She highlighted several critical issues, including the BJP’s attempts to change the Constitution, rising inequalities led by the Adani Group, and the ongoing violence against women in places like Sambhal and Manipur.

Priyanka challenged Union Minister Rajnath Singh to focus on what the current government is doing instead of merely criticizing past leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru. She reminded everyone that Nehru played a vital role in India’s independence and established many important institutions.

She also called for accountability from the BJP regarding past mistakes, like the Emergency in 1975, and encouraged them to apologize. Furthermore, she raised concerns about the privatization of public services and the weakening of reservation policies.

Priyanka warned that the government’s focus on one individual, referring to billionaire Adani, was leading to more inequality, leaving the poor poorer and the rich richer. She said that people in power are spreading fear, silencing voices, and attacking those who speak out.

In conclusion, she emphasized the importance of the Constitution to everyone, saying, “The country will rise, fight, and demand justice.”

Priyanka Gandhi, a new MP from Waynad, gave her first speech in Parliament on Friday. She spoke during a discussion about India’s Constitution, which is 75 years old. In her speech, she mentioned Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who helped write the Constitution, showing how important his work was.

Priyanka Gandhi wanted to criticize the current government led by the BJP because she feels they are trying to weaken the Constitution. She said the Constitution is like a protective shield for the people, and the ruling party is trying to break it.

During her speech, she also talked about an important issue involving the Adani group to show her dissatisfaction with the government. Here are some key points from Priyanka’s speech:

1. The Constitution empowers people to stand up for justice and speak out against the government.
2. India’s fight for independence was special because it was based on truth and non-violence.
3. Priyanka shared a touching story about two boys named Adnan and Uzair, who lost their father, a tailor, to police violence. Adnan, 17, told Priyanka he wants to be a doctor to fulfill his father’s dream and that the Constitution gives him hope.
4. She criticized the government for trying to weaken reservation policies through privatization and other methods.

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Prayagraj to start exciting new projects worth ₹5,500 crores. These projects aim to improve the city’s facilities for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela in 2025. Modi began his day with a special puja, or prayer, at a sacred place called Sangam, where the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers meet. Before the puja, he enjoyed a river cruise.

Uttar Pradesh’s Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath joined him at the ceremony. The Maha Kumbh Mela is a big event held every 12 years. The next one will take place from January 13 to February 26, 2025. Many pilgrims visit during this festival to take part in holy bathing rituals at the Triveni Sangam.

According to Ashutosh Varshney, a local leader, millions of people believe that bathing in the sacred rivers washes away their sins and helps them and their ancestors break free from the cycle of rebirth. They also worship along the riverbanks and listen to talks by wise spiritual leaders.

On Thursday, the Election Commission of India had a meeting to discuss the preparations for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections and the Special Summary Revision 2025. Officials, including the chief electoral officer of Delhi and police supervisors, were present.

During the meeting, strict rules were set that no voters’ names should be removed without checking first and letting them explain their case. Officials must also include representatives from political parties in the process of updating the voters list. This should be done openly and fairly, and any complaints from political parties should be addressed quickly and accurately.

This meeting came after Delhi’s Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, complained to the chief election commissioner about alleged removals of voters’ names. He claimed this was being done by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to influence the upcoming elections in 2025. The BJP called these claims a “desperate” move by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to gain votes, insisting they are just working to remove fake voters.

Officials from the Delhi poll panel rejected these claims, saying there are no plans for mass removal of voter names and no requests for it have been received. The current term of the Delhi assembly ends on February 23 next year.

The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has recently approved a plan called “One Nation, One Election.” This idea suggests that elections for both the Lok Sabha (the national parliament) and the state assemblies should happen at the same time all across India. Prime Minister Modi has been supporting this idea for a long time.

Right now, elections for state assemblies and the Lok Sabha are held separately, either after five years or if the current government is dissolved for some reason.

Why “One Nation, One Election”?
Supporters believe that having elections at the same time can save a lot of money, improve government efficiency, and might even encourage more people to vote. For example, around ₹60,000 crore was spent during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, which includes both the costs for political parties and the Election Commission of India. Additionally, there are high expenses linked to moving security personnel for each election, which distracts from their regular duties.

A Brief History:
The idea of simultaneous elections isn’t new; it dates back to India’s first general elections in 1951-52 when they were held together with all state elections. However, from 1967 onwards, this practice was disrupted due to issues like hung assemblies, leading to elections being held at different times.

Pros and Cons:
Proponents argue that simultaneous elections reduce the burden on state resources, prevent political parties from being in constant campaign mode, and may help reduce corruption. On the other hand, critics worry that it could allow the central government to overpower regional parties and influence state politics.

Challenges Ahead:
While the idea sounds beneficial, it faces many hurdles. Critics raise concerns about losing the local focus during elections and the need for changes to the Constitution. Implementing this plan requires doing several things:

1. Making constitutional amendments that need support from two-thirds of the Parliament.
2. Getting approval from at least half of the states.
3. Changing important laws like the Representation of People Act, 1951.
4. Handling logistics such as ensuring enough electronic voting machines (EVMs) and security staff are available.

Overall, “One Nation, One Election” is a big idea that could change how we vote in India, but there are many things to consider before it can happen.

The president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), JP Nadda, spoke to the media on Thursday about some serious accusations made by the Congress party against the Chairman and Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar. Nadda strongly condemned these claims and pointed out that Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, being a senior politician, should know that the Chairman’s decisions are final and cannot be questioned.

Nadda criticized Kharge for saying that opposition leaders aren’t allowed to speak in Parliament. He argued that Kharge had enough chances to share his views and was invited to discuss with the Chairman, but he chose not to go. Nadda accused Congress of not wanting to work together and trying to create chaos instead.

He also pointed out that Kharge skipped important meetings that help plan what to discuss in Parliament. Nadda found it silly for Kharge to talk about parliamentary rules when he himself hasn’t participated in these meetings. He reminded everyone that Rahul Gandhi once made fun of the Chairman in Parliament, which Nadda compared to silly behavior often seen in schools.

Further criticizing opposition leaders, Nadda mentioned that they wanted to remove Dhankhar from his position. He argued that their goal is to distract people from questions about Sonia Gandhi’s connections to a foundation linked to George Soros, who is accused of wanting to disrupt the Indian government.

The Karnataka BJP is upset with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for offering to help families displaced by landslides in Kerala’s Wayanad. They think he is doing this to impress Congress leaders. BJP leaders BY Vijayendra and R Ashoka criticized the CM for ignoring the local people’s needs in Karnataka.

Siddaramaiah wrote a letter to Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan offering to buy land and build 100 homes for those affected by the landslides. He said he wanted to speed up the help for these families. Meanwhile, Kerala’s Congress leader VD Satheesan attacked his local government for not caring about the victims.

In Bengaluru, Vijayendra accused Siddaramaiah of trying to win favor with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is from Wayanad. He pointed out that while Karnataka faces many problems, like poor roads and rising unemployment, the CM is focused on Kerala.

Vijayendra said, “Karnataka needs leaders who care about the people, not leaders trying to please the Gandhi family.” R Ashoka agreed and said Siddaramaiah should be using state money to help local taxpayers instead of helping Kerala.

After the deadly landslides on July 30, around 250 people died, and many homes were destroyed. Areas like Meppadi, Mundakkai, and Chooralmala were hit the hardest.

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee spoke to reporters outside Parliament on Wednesday, criticizing the ruling BJP and the main opposition party, Congress. He said that both parties frequently cause debates in Parliament to stop, preventing other parties from sharing their concerns. “The Congress and BJP control the House. They need to decide if they want to let it function or not,” Banerjee stated. He explained that since the BJP is the ruling party and Congress is the main opposition, they have more chances to speak while others, like his party, do not get any time. When the BJP or Congress decides to stop discussions, it affects everyone. “If a BJP member or someone from Congress wants to raise a topic, they can stop the entire House. What about other parties? Our voices are not being heard!” he added. On Wednesday, the Lok Sabha meetings were stopped, and the House was adjourned until 2 PM due to disagreements between the government and the opposition over claims linking Congress leaders to US billionaire George Soros’ organizations.