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Category: Politics

  • Maya missing in action, focus on Dalit votes in UP

    Maya missing in action, focus on Dalit votes in UP

    A day before she tweeted about the PM’s security breach and criticized the Punjab government where her party is contesting elections in alliance with the Akali Dal…reports Asian Lite News.

    Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh polls the political parties have now shifted to the virtual mode but missing in action is Mayawati. The BSP supremo has not started her campaign but all the other political parties are active including the BJP with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing several rallies.

    Mayawati’s inaction has led to some serious contenders throwing their hat into the ring for the Dalit votes, especially the Jatavs who have been with the Bahujan Samaj Party and did not desert during the bad times. But the silence of the BSP on core issues has led to suspicions in the minds of its leaders and almost all the big leaders including the legislative party leader have left the party and joined the Samajwadi Party.

    But the BSP seems unfazed with the exit of its leaders and except for Satish Chandra Mishra no other leader is seen at its forefront. The Congress has termed it as the “B team” of the Bharatiya Janata Party while SP leader Akhilesh Yadav has refrained from attacking the BSP leader but has inducted all the BSP turncoats into his party.

    Iraq announces success in early voting for parliamentary polls

    The four time Chief Minister of UP has been active only on Twitter. She sometimes issues a press note. A day before she tweeted about the PM’s security breach and criticized the Punjab government where her party is contesting elections in alliance with the Akali Dal.

    In her absence most of the BSP leaders are joining the SP and mostly Brahmins are choosing it over the BJP. Former Bahujan Samaj Party MP Rakesh Pandey — father of BSP leader in the Lok Sabha, Ritesh Pandey — joined the Samajwadi Party on Monday along with his supporters. Earlier, Kushal Tiwari, a former BSP MP and son of Harishankar Tiwari, joined the SP with his whole clan.

    Bahujan Samaj Party leaders say that the party has finalized candidates for a majority of the seats and the names of the selected candidates are being announced in meetings organised by the party leaders in various districts.

    The BSP president has been accused of staying away from the political arena and has been limiting her activities to press statements and tweets. Party national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra has refuted this and said, “The BJP, SP and Congress are luring leaders with tickets for the assembly elections.”

    Mishra said that the BSP was working on the social engineering formula of ‘sarvajan hitaye – sarvajan sukhaye’ to win the elections. Members of all communities were being given adequate representation in the distribution of tickets.

    The BSP had managed to win only 19 seats in the 2017 assembly polls and is now left with merely six legislators since the others have either left or have been expelled.

    ALSO READ-BJP sets up 24-member election committee for UP

  • Equations keep changing ahead of Goa polls

    Equations keep changing ahead of Goa polls

    Until last month, the BJP ‘claimed’ it was in the driver’s seat for the upcoming polls, with senior BJP leaders citing the split opposition as a factor for their confidence…..reports Asian Lite News

    As the upcoming state Assembly polls draw closer, faint contours of a broader alliance of ‘anti-BJP’ forces — barring the Congress party — appear to be emerging in Goa.

    Even as the consolidation of opposition votes could spell a challenge for the BJP, which until last week was relishing the prospects of a fractured opposition, the BJP has insisted that the coalition was too disparate and will not cut ice with the Goan voters.

    Since the early 2000s, an Assembly election in Goa meant a two-cornered contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress, with bit players like the once-mighty Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, United Goans Democratic Party playing tag. The Nationalist Congress party too was added to the mix, before Goa Forward, a new regional party also made its presence felt in the 2017 polls.

    However with the resurgence of the Aam Aadmi Party and the emergence of the Trinamool Congress — fresh from its dogged victory against the BJP in the 2021 West Bengal polls — the flavour of Goa’s poll-pot has changed considerably.

    Until last month, the BJP ‘claimed’ it was in the driver’s seat for the upcoming polls, with senior BJP leaders citing the split opposition as a factor for their confidence.

    The first signs of opposition parties egging each other for an alliance came when the TMC tied up with the MGP last month.

    “60 per cent of Goans cannot decide whom to vote for. If they cannot decide with elections just around the corner, it is because of the poor governance, poor administration by the BJP government in Goa,” Dhavalikar said, underlining the need to consolidate the opposition vote to take advantage of anti-incumbency and the poor administrative track record of the BJP-led coalition government in Goa.

    The second alliance in the opposition camp was announced in a matter of days between Congress and the Goa Forward. “Goa Forward was discussing with us for a long time and we have now come to an understanding and we have formed an alliance. It will be a good alliance to take on this communal BJP and corrupt BJP. I think this will be a good beginning,” All India Congress Committee official in-charge of Goa Dinesh Gundu Rao said.

    What has however changed over last week, is parties from both alliances — the Trinamool Congress and Goa Forward — voicing the need for both alliances coming together to form a larger alliance to take on the BJP.

    The outreach was first made by Goa Forward party president Vijai Sardesai on Friday.

    “BEAT THEIR GAME PLAN! @BJP4Goa will use #COVIDThirdWave restrictions to manipulate the electoral process to grab power. We must, along with @INCGoa, @AITC4Goa and #MGP must see this danger, rise above our egos, and thwart this plan to divide and rule. This is what #Goa wants,” Sardesai said, soon after a conversation with TMC’s political strategist Prashant Kishore.

    The tweet predictably solicited response from Trinamool Congress’s in-charge of Goa Mahua Moitra.

    “Rest assured, we the AITC will do everything possible to defeat BJP in Goa- @Goaforwardparty, @INCGoa @AITC4Goa and #MGP. @Mamataofficial has done it in past & will not shy away from walking extra mile in Goa too,” the Trinamool Lok Sabha MP said.

    While All India Congress Committee senior observer in-charge of Goa P. Chidambaram has said that he was not in a position to comment on the broader anti-BJP coalition issue, state Congress president Girish Chodankar has said that the way Trinamool has gone about setting base in Goa, it appeared that the Congress and not the ruling BJP was the party’s main enemy.

    “I do not know who they are referring to when they say opposition. For them perhaps the opposition is the Congress in Goa. The manner in which they purchased all leaders from the Congress, they tried to stop the Congress from taking on the BJP. There is a perception in Goa that the opposition to Trinamool is the Congress and that they are in Goa to defeat the Congress,” Chodankar said.

    The BJP however insists that the opposition alliance was too incongruous to succeed.

    “We will fight it out because this alliance you are talking about (which is) coming together as we speak are on different platforms. They cannot cut ice with the people of Goa. They are thinking of coming together and trying to cobble up some numbers. They will not achieve it,” Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said.

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  • BJP to corner Congress over ‘lapse’ in PM’s security

    BJP to corner Congress over ‘lapse’ in PM’s security

    The BJP MPs will stage the silent dharna at the Parliament House complex at 11 am on Friday….reports Asian Lite News

    Aiming to corner the Congress over the recent “lapse” in the security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Punjab, the BJP is all set to launch a nationwide campaign.

    On Friday, the BJP MPs will stage a silent protest near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament House complex against the incident. Along with this, the party has also made a strategy to go to Raj Bhavans across the country and submit memorandum.

    Similarly, it has decided to hold series of protests to “expose” the Congress nationwide.

    Further the BJP has also devised a strategy to respond to Congress’ “political card” of harassment of a Dalit Chief Minister (Charanjit Singh Channi) by it. For this, the party’s Scheduled Caste Morcha and Dalit leaders will stage protest before Ambedkar statue.

    Meanwhile, it has decided to write a letter to Sonia Gandhi regarding the “lapse by the Punjab government” in the Prime Minister’s security and the “attitude” of the Congress’ high command over it.

    The BJP MPs will stage the silent dharna at the Parliament House complex at 11 am on Friday.

    Furthermore, the party’s veteran national and state level leaders will go to the Raj Bhavan of their respective states and union territories and will submit a memorandum to the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor highlighting the incident.

    On Thursday, many BJP Chief Ministers, veteran leaders, national and state unit office bearers, MPs and MLAs chanted ‘Mahamrityunjaya mantra’ for the wellbeing of the Prime Minister by visiting other Jyotirlingas and other prominent ‘Shivalayas’ across the country including Kashi Vishwanath, Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar.

    The party’s youth cell also protested against the Congress by taking out torch rallies in all the districts of the country on Thursday.

    ALSO READ: Panel to Probe Lapse in Modi’s Security

  • The ‘missing 4’ in UP polls

    The ‘missing 4’ in UP polls

    Though Kalyan Singh did not campaign in the 2017 assembly and the 2019 Lok Sabha elections since he was holding a gubernatorial assignment at that time, his presence was palpable in the polls as candidates and leaders rushed to him for advice….writes Amita Verma

    The absence of four top political leaders will be sorely felt in the upcoming UP assembly elections this year.

    These leaders were not only crowd-pullers for their parties but also represented vote banks that have the capacity of making and marring fortunes.

    The biggest loss in these elections will be for the BJP. The party’s best-known face in state politics – Kalyan Singh – is no more.

    The former chief minister, who passed away in August last year, was the OBC face of the BJP and commanded respect among the people. He was also a torchbearer of the Ayodhya movement and one of the first faces of Hindutva.

    His appeal extended beyond caste lines and his rapport with opposition leaders helped the party in times of crisis.

    Though Kalyan Singh did not campaign in the 2017 assembly and the 2019 Lok Sabha elections since he was holding a gubernatorial assignment at that time, his presence was palpable in the polls as candidates and leaders rushed to him for advice.

    Another stalwart who is already being missed in this election season is Lalji Tandon who passed away after prolonged illness in July 2020.

    Tandon was one of the few leaders in the BJP who rose beyond caste lines and was known for his election management and excellent administrative qualities. He was also the party’s crisis manager who handled the BJP’s turbulent relationship with the BSP.

    “He was one leader in the party to whom one could pour out his or her ‘mann ki baat’ in the true sense of the term, and he would listen patiently. Today, the leaders have no time to hear the workers’ problems,” said a minister who requested anonymity.

    Despite being a close associate of former Prime Minister, late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lalji Tandon was a people’s leader and known to keep an open house where one could walk in without an appointment – a phenomenon no longer seen in state politics.

    Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Chaudhary Ajit Singh, who died in May last year, was the tallest political leader in western UP.

    Though his Rashtriya Lok Dal is poised for a revival after the farmers’ agitation, Ajit Singh’s absence is being deeply felt by his party workers.

    “He knew all party workers by name and heard every point of view before taking a decision. He was one leader with whom we could even voice dissent on issues and he would listen. This is an extremely crucial election for the party and also for Jayant Chaudhary and we are all missing ‘Chaudhary saheb’, as he was affectionately called,” said a party leader.

    The Samajwadi Party, on the other hand, will find it difficult to find an orator as powerful as Mohd Azam Khan, who was also among the party’s star campaigners.

    Azam Khan has been lodged in jail since February 2020 on charges that range from statue theft, buffalo theft, goat theft, books theft, land grabbing, encroachment and forgery.

    With Azam Khan missing in action, the SP does not have a Muslim face in the upcoming elections and the entire burden of campaigning now rests on the shoulders of Akhilesh Yadav.

    Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Samajwadi patriarch, will also remain away from the campaign though he may make one or two appearances.

    The veteran leader is facing health issues and has been advised to keep away from crowds, especially at a time when Covid cases are surging.

    “Netaji (Mulayam Singh) may issue a video appeal for all constituencies and may even address a rally or two if the situation eases during campaigning,” said a source.

    ALSO READ: AIMIM to host conference on status of Muslims in UP

  • How Didi Beats Modi in West Bengal?

    How Didi Beats Modi in West Bengal?

    This is what the book explores as it examines why the BJP lost the plot in West Bengal and what this means for the next General Elections,” says Ghosal…reports Asian Lite News.

    In the West Bengal elections of 2021, the longest state polls in the history of India, Mamata Banerjee won the khela, and the BJP lost the plot. How did this happen?

    Political journalist Jayanta Ghosal, travelled to all the districts of West Bengal and unearthed certain key factors that helped the Trinamool win the state that he records in “Mamata Beyond 2021” (HarperCollins).

    For instance, there was a massive gap in the BJP’s understanding of Bengali identity, which Banerjee was able to exploit. An ‘overdose’ of central intervention, ranging from paramilitary forces to intelligence agencies to target key TMC leaders, added to the BJP’s disconnect with voters. Increasingly, the state felt the divide between New Delhi and Bengal grow.

    The book details how Banerjee was successfully able to portray herself as the ‘daughter of Bengal’ who worked tirelessly for the stat’s poor and disadvantaged. It also asks the question: with the state elections under her belt, what will be Banerjee’s path to the General Elections of 2024? Does she consider herself a candidate for the Prime Minister’s post?

    “Is Mamata now the No 2 political brand in the country? What is her roadmap for 2024? This is what the book explores as it examines why the BJP lost the plot in West Bengal and what this means for the next General Elections,” says Ghosal.

    According to the translator, Arunava Sinha, “This book asks some of the most important questions that will affect all Indians in the next two years leading up to the elections. Most importantly, whether Mamata Banerjee will pay a decisive role”.

    “Mamata Banerjee is one politician that everybody is watching and curious about. From her sensational 2021 Bengal assembly win to her plans for 2024, this book goes beyond the headlines to bring us the true story of what makes Mamata Banerjee a fierce political opponent to the BJP in today’s India,” says Swati Chopra, Executive Editor, HarperCollins India.

    Jayanta Ghosal, born in 1962, has been a political journalist for the past four decades. He has worked for the Bengali newspapers Anandabazar Patrika and Bartaman, TV channels ABP News, India TV, and is now consulting editor, India Today group. Most of his life has been spent in newsrooms. A journalist, writer, teacher and speaker, he is a student of the history, politics, and culture of West Bengal and eastern India. He has authored several books in Bengali about the region and is also a biographer of Mamata Banerjee.

    Arunava Sinha translates classic, modern and contemporary Bengali fiction and non-fiction from Bangladesh and India into English. He also translates fiction from English into Bengali. Over sixty-five of his translations have been published so far in India, the UK and the USA. His recent translations include “The Sickle” by Anita Agnihotri, “Khwabnama” by Akhtaruzzaman Elias, and “Imaan” by Manoranjan Byapari. He was born and grew up in Kolkata, and lives and writes in New Delhi. He teaches at Ashoka University.

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  • WEST BENGAL: Communists in Limbo

    WEST BENGAL: Communists in Limbo

    This gives only a partial picture of the story, because the reasons behind the downfall of the Red empire is not only because of its failure to introspect or owning up the responsibility, but the crisis is much deeper…reports Saibal Gupta

    With only few days to go before the 23rd party Congress at Kannur in Kerala, the West Bengal chapter of CPI(M) might have to go for a careful introspection to make it politically and electorally relevant for the forthcoming elections in the state, including the municipal elections this year and the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

    The year 2021 was a year of embarrassment for the CPM. Since Independence, it was the first time that CPM failed to send a single representative to the state legislative Assembly. In the Assembly elections held last year, the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Front failed to win even a single seat.

    LDF CPI-M workers celebrate party’s performance

    The Left Front lost a deposit in 158 of 177 seats it contested. And it didn’t end here. In only four seats, the CPI(M) secured second position, the worst was seventh in the Darjeeling seat. A party, which uninterruptedly ruled Bengal for 34 years from 1977 to 2011 was reduced to zero in merely 10 years’ time.

    In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the party’s vote share was a mere 6.28 per cent, and even then it failed to win a single seat. Two years later, the party’s vote share declined further to 4.7 per cent. How did this happen?

    Though many leaders of the Left parties and political commentators have publicly said that the biggest issue with the CPI(M) leadership is that they continue to introspect but don’t do much-needed course correction. Even after their consistent electoral failures, not a single party leader took responsibility.

    The party’s top leaders, CPI(M) state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra, Left Front chairman Biman Bose, and other politburo members from Bengal like Md Salim, Hannan Mollah and Nilotpal Basu, observers say, made no efforts to revive the party and strengthen the organisation in Bengal.

    This gives only a partial picture of the story, because the reasons behind the downfall of the Red empire is not only because of its failure to introspect or owning up the responsibility, but the crisis is much deeper.

    The Left Front started to lose its ground from 2008 when Trinamool Congress — riding on its success of Singur and Nandigram — won the all-important Zilla Parishads in East Midnapore and 24-Parganas (South), two districts having a large number of parliamentary and assembly constituencies.

    Of the 18 districts of West Bengal, though the Left front has captured 13 Zilla Parishads and the Opposition, including the Congress and Trinamool Congress, have won five, but indications are strong that Left is fast losing its grounds in the rural belt, particularly among the peasants.

    The Left’s vote share had plunged to 52 per cent from the earlier highs of close to 90 per cent in the polls. This defeat was followed by the Trinamool Congress, headed by Mamata Banerjee, winning 19 out of 42 seats in the Lok Sabha elections in 2009 (the most by a single party), before dismantling the Left in the Assembly elections of 2011.



    Despite Left-Front’s campaign — ‘Krishi amader bhitti/Shilpa amader Bhobisyot’ (Agriculture is our base/Industry is our future) — the CPI(M)-led Left has lost its base among the peasantry; its alliance with the Congress was counterproductive; it lost Hindu votes to BJP and Muslim votes to Trinamool; and now, by allying with a Muslim cleric, it has lost its principled stand on religion and politics, reducing it to political minnows in a span of just 10 years.

    Another major problem that CPI(M) is facing is the leadership crisis. After Harkishan Singh Surjeet’s exit from the post of general secretary, the CPI(M) was first led by Prakash Karat and now by Sitaram Yechury. And as it happened, when put to test, the party’s national leadership failed as far as the party’s electoral fortunes are concerned.

    At the state level, after 2011, a political void has marked Bengal’s CPI(M) leadership. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s departure from active politics has not led to the emergence of fresh leaders. Bose, Salim or Mishra hardly has any political capital on the ground. The workers on the ground don’t have much faith in their leaders.

    The party seems to have realised this. In the last Assembly polls, it had fielded young leaders. Students Federation of India (SFI) leader Pritha Tah (29) contested the Assembly polls from Bardhaman Dakshin. Srijan Bhattacharya (27) contested from the high-profile constituency of Singur. Democratic Youth Federation of India’s (DYFI) state president Minakshi Mukherjee (33) contested from another keenly-watched constituency, Nandigram.

    Sitting JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh (26) contested from Jamuria constituency in Paschim Bardhaman. Former JNUSU leader Dipsita Dhar (28) contested from Howrah’s Bally constituency. Apart from these, there are other young candidates like DYFI state secretary Sayandeep Mitra who contested from Kamarhati, SFI state president Pratikur Rehman who was the candidate from Diamond Harbour and Saptarshi Deb from Rajarhat Newtown.

    Although all of them lost the elections, a majority of these young leaders performed better than their seniors and polled more votes. Political commentators believe the need of the hour is to bring in some radical changes in the CPI(M).

    The result was imminent. In the Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections, the Left finished ahead of the BJP by securing 11.87 per cent votes as against the saffron party’s 9.19 per cent. The BJP’s comparative vote share was 6 per cent below 2015, and 20 per cent less than the Assembly polls. The Left received 13 per cent fewer votes compared to the 2015 civic polls but 7 per cent more than what it managed in the Assembly elections.

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  • BJP seeks suggestions from public for 2022 poll manifesto  

    BJP seeks suggestions from public for 2022 poll manifesto  

    According to sources, these suggestions will help BJP to understand the need of the public and help the party to make a manifesto for all sections of the society…..reports Asian Lite News

    Ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party has started taking suggestions from the public for its ‘Sankalp Patra’ (poll manifesto) and for this party leaders are reaching to every house with a postcard and Toll-free number to make UP number 1, party sources informed on Tuesday.

    BJP has started taking suggestions for ‘Sankalp Patra’ where leaders are meeting sections of the society. Also, volunteers will knock on every door with a postcard to take their suggestion, and if anyone wants to give suggestion verbally can use a toll-free number,” UP BJP sources said.

    According to sources, these suggestions will help BJP to understand the need of the public and help the party to make a manifesto for all sections of the society.

    The Post card read that ‘reach us to give your vauable suggestion through this letter or missed call us at 7505403403’.

    In 2017, BJP followed the same strategy and took suggestions from the people for its poll manifesto. The party emerged triumphant winning over 300 seats in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

    Dr Pushkar Mishra, a member of the BJP’s Election Manifesto Committee said, that the party has received lakhs of suggestions from different sections of the people based on their expectations. “We had received huge success in 2017 by creating an innovative manifesto. We hope that we will achieve success in 2022 also as BJP is preparing its ‘Sankalp Patra’ based on public expectations. Till now, we have got lakhs of suggestions from different sections of the public.”

    “To take Uttar Pradesh to the first position on the scale of development, a state-wide campaign was started by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on December 15 on the theme of ‘Uttar Pradesh Number 1, sujhaav aapka, sankalp hamara’, under which suggestion boxes have been kept at 30,000 places in the state to seek suggestions from the public,” he added.

    Mishra further said that the party has kept over 27,000 boxes at BJP Shakti Kendras and the rest 3,000 have been kept at different places.

    In the 2017 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party had bagged 312 seats out of the 403. Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) had bagged 47 seats and 19 seats respectively. Congress had managed to win only seven seats.

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  • BJP’s kicks off 10-year report card campaign

    BJP’s kicks off 10-year report card campaign

    Goa Assembly polls will be held in February- March next year along with Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur. The BJP has been in power in the coastal state since 2012…reports Asian Lite News.

    For winning the third election in a row in the state, the Goa BJP has started presenting a report card of state government to people.

    The party workers are visiting every household with the works of the BJP government in the last ten years.

    A well placed source said that a campaign has been launched to reach every house in the state with the works of the BJP government in 10 years.

    “We have started presenting our report cards to people. Report card contains works of the BJP government in the state since 2012. The campaign started on January 1 and will continue till January 10. In these 10 days, BJP workers will reach out to each and every household in the state and tell the voters what our government has done in the last 10 years,” he said.

    Goa Assembly polls will be held in February- March next year along with Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur. The BJP has been in power in the coastal state since 2012.

    Apart from knocking each door in the state, the BJP workers and leaders are also meeting eminent personalities with the report card and taking their suggestions. “We are meeting eminent personalities and influencers giving details of our government in the last two terms,” a party leader said.

    The saffron party, meanwhile, is organising meetings at different levels to activate its cadres. “Assembly level convention of the party has started and workers’ meetings are also being organised across the state,” he said.

    It has set a target to win over 25 seats in the 40-member Goa Assembly. BJP national general secretary and state in-charge, CT Ravi said that BJP will form the government for third term by winning more than 25 seats.

    “People have seen development in the last ten years under the BJP government and will once again elect a BJP government to further accelerate the pace of development of the state. We are going to win over 25 seats,” Ravi said.

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  • Yogi calls Rahul, Priyanka ‘accidental, electoral Hindus’

    Yogi calls Rahul, Priyanka ‘accidental, electoral Hindus’

    The chief minister also took a jibe at the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying that he does not even know how to sit in a temple and knows nothing about ‘Hinduism or Hindutva’…reports Asian Lite News.

    The BJP in Uttar Pradesh is scaling up its attack on the Congress and is policy of soft-Hindutva. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has termed the Congress leaders as ‘accidental Hindus’ while deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya has termed them as ‘electoral Hindus’.

    “It is during the election that these leaders become a Hindu,” he said while addressing a meeting in Amethi on Monday.

    The chief minister also took a jibe at the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying that he does not even know how to sit in a temple and knows nothing about ‘Hinduism or Hindutva’.

    “During the elections in Gujarat, the former MP of Amethi went to the temple and sat there in namaz position, the priests interrupted him and taught him how to sit in a temple,” the chief minister pointed out.

    He also targeted the Gandhis and said that they remember Amethi in the elections only.

    “When the people of this district gave them a chance to serve, they did nothing and now as elections have come, they are coming here again,” he stated.

    Launching a scathing attack on ‘bhai-behen’, the chief minister stated, “During the Covid-19 period, when we were working to save lives for the common man, the brother and sister gave fake numbers of roadways buses.”

    “They were playing with the lives of people while we took action against them because they were creating disturbances in the work of the government,” he added.

    During his recent Amethi visit, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had tried to distinguish between ‘Hindu’ and ‘Hindutva’, describing himself a ‘Hindu’ and the BJP leaders as followers of ‘Hindutvawadi’.

    Meanwhile, deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya said those who fired bullets at ‘kar sevaks’ and used sticks on ‘kanwarias’ had suddenly started remembering Lord Ram. He asked people to be wary of such “electoral Hindus”.

    On Samajwadi Party’s love for Brahmins, Maurya said, “Jo Ram ka na hua woh Parashuram ka kya hoga. (one who couldn’t be faithful to Ram, how would he be loyal to Parshuram)?”

    He also accused the Congress as well as the Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders of remembering Hindus and temples only during elections.

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  • Congress Adopts Catch Them Young Strategy

    Congress Adopts Catch Them Young Strategy

    The JBM has given good talents in Kerala where it was started and Congress MP from the state Ramya Haridas is one of the them from the organisation who has won Lok Sabha polls…reports Asian Lite News.

    The Congress is into war mode with the RSS on ideological front and has started a series of programmes to counter the RSS-BJP ideology and attract youth and children in the age group of 7 to 18 into its fold. The party believes that young talent can be potential party workers and leaders as the present-day party is lacking talent.

    Recently Congress inducted Kanhaiya Kumar, a left student leader and a good orator from JNU in the party. It has Hardik Patel and Jignesh Mewani is also set to join officially ahead of Gujarat polls.

    Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal has written to all state party units to establish Jawahar Bal Manch (JBM) in their respective state. “Jawahar Bal Manch is one of its kind of corollary organisation affiliated to the AICC with the sole objective of providing and ensuring holistic learning and developmental environment to those who belong to the age group of 7-18,” he said.

    Congress President Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal and A.K. Antony during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting (IANS)

    “JBM owes its mission vision spirit and fervour to the ideals of Jawaharlal Nehru who always stood for catching them young and grooming them as future architects of India,” it said further.

    “In addition to providing holistic learning and developmental opportunities, JBM envisions and aspires to inculcate in children the essence as well as idea of India, in addition to streamlining and moulding their community along with nurturing their cultural and artistic aspirations,” Venugopal asked the state unit to support the JBM.

    The Jawahar Bal Manch will work towards building future leaders in the country. Children are the future of the country. They are and should always remain at the forefront of nation building and they will give a new direction to our country. The JBM aims to create a strong network of organisation across the country.

    The Manch was active in Kerala and now the party wants to take it pan India. It seeks to inculcate in children the qualities of social values, creativity and innovation, personal effectiveness, proactive participation in social and national causes, adherence to democratic, secular and socialist ideals and to take pride in the nation. The need to ingrain in young minds the concepts fraternity, equality and compassion is one of the key purposes of the gatherings of this group.

    The Congress started this campaign in December under the chairmanship of G.V. Hari. The JBM has given good talents in Kerala where it was started and Congress MP from the state Ramya Haridas is one of the them from the organisation who has won Lok Sabha polls.

    Jothimani, MP from Tamil Nadu, said: “Ramya Haridas, the young MP in Lok Sabha, is the gift of Jawahar Bal Manch and in the times to come, the Manch would work to produce more such leaders who would provide a direction to the country”.

    This organisation aims to work towards sensitising the children about the importance of diversity, inclusiveness, equality, justice and secularism, in the idea of India, so that the basic spirit of the Constitution is protected in future, she added.

    “These days the life of likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi are being misrepresented through lies, misinformation and photoshopping. There is a conspiracy at play. By deliberate distortion these haloed leaders’ lives are being presented in poor light so that the Congress Party is targeted. There is a deliberate design to remove these leaders from the pages of history and Jawahar Bal Manch will work as a bulwark against such distortion efforts,” said Hari.

    The JBM was constituted 2 months back under the guidance of Rahul Gandhi. “We will create an active organisation in the whole of India. He said that the Manch is dedicated to work and engage with children between age group of 7 to 18 years,” said G.V. Hari.

    “The main motto of this organisation is to help build the future of nation through children who need to be brought up with laughter and love, with the melody and beat of songs; without discrimination of any kind, whether physical, mental, or emotional, among the myriad colours of life available to them, so that they grow up to be a worthy citizen,” Hari added.

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