Rahul Gandhi Doubles Down On 'Vote Chori' Allegations, Oppn MPs Protest In Parliament Over Bihar SIR
Read More
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scroll.in
10 minutes ago
- Scroll.in
Tejashwi Yadav claims Muzaffarpur mayor, NDA MP possess two EPIC numbers
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday alleged that Muzaffarpur Mayor Nirmala Devi and ruling National Democratic Alliance MP Veena Devi possess two Electoral Photo Identity Card numbers each in Bihar. Yadav alleged that Nirmala Devi, a Bharatiya Janata Party leader, had two EPIC numbers in the Muzaffarpur Assembly constituency. 'Her two different EPIC cards list two different ages,' he claimed on social media. The leader of the Opposition in the Assembly also claimed that the mayor had filled two enumeration forms during the special intensive revision of Bihar's electoral roll. 'She must have signed two different forms with two different signatures,' the Rashtriya Janata Dal leader alleged, claiming that the Election Commission had verified that the mayor herself signed two different forms. The Opposition leader also alleged that Nirmala Devi's two brother-in-laws, Manoj Kumar and Dilip Kumar, held two EPIC cards each. 'This means they too must have filled out two different forms in the SIR and provided two different signatures,' he said. This implied that the Election Commission was facilitating the creation of several fake votes for BJP supporters within a single household, Yadav alleged. 'She [the mayor] is a potential BJP candidate from Muzaffarpur, so is the Election Commission helping her by creating fake votes in her favour?' he added. Later on Wednesday, Yadav claimed that Veena Devi, a Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP from the Vaishali Lok Sabha constituency, also had two EPIC cards. 'She [Veena Devi] is a registered voter in the Assembly seat that falls under her own Lok Sabha seat, and she is also a voter in the Muzaffarpur Assembly segment falling under the parliamentary constituency of the same name,' The Indian Express quoted Yadav as saying. 'Her two different EPIC cards show two different ages,' Rashtriya Janata Dal leader said on social media. 'In SIR she filled out two different enumeration forms. During the voter list revision, she must have signed two different forms with two different signatures.' Veena Devi's husband also has two EPIC cards in two Assembly constituencies, the Opposition leader claimed. Yadav said: 'Is this not a case of fraud, manipulation and collusion by the Election Commission to ensure a victory for BJP-NDA? Will the 'Troll Commission' of the BJP, now turned into a worm-like commission, conduct a fact check and issue two different notices to her from two different places?' After the allegations against Nirmala Devi came to light, the Election Commission issued notices to the mayor and her brother-in-laws, seeking their reply by Saturday, The Hindu reported. The poll panel also served notices to Veena Devi and her husband seeking a response, PTI quoted unidentified officials as saying on Thursday. The Rashtriya Janata Dal leader's allegations came three days after he claimed that Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha also had two EPIC numbers in two Assembly constituencies. Hours later, the Election Commission had on Sunday issued a notice to Sinha. The BJP leader was asked to reply to the notice by Thursday. Yadav had claimed that one of the numbers linked to Sinha was in the Lakhi Sarai Assembly seat and the other in the Bankipur constituency. Responding to Yadav's claims, Sinha said that he had applied earlier for his name to be removed from Bankipur, but it had not been deleted. He presented documents showing that he had applied for his name to be deleted from the voter roll in Bankipur. The revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar was announced by the Election Commission on June 24. As part of the exercise, persons whose names were not on the 2003 voter list needed to submit proof of eligibility to vote. The draft roll was published on August 1 as part of the special revision ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls expected to take place in October or November. It showed that more than 65 lakh names had been deleted from the list. The list will be revised by September after the Election Commission assesses objections and claims about the exclusion and inclusion of voters in the draft roll. BJP leader from Gujarat voting in Bihar, claims Yadav On Wednesday, Yadav also claimed that Bhikhubhai Dalsania, the Bihar BJP's organisation general secretary who had been a voter in Gujarat till the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, was now a voter in Bihar, The Hindu reported. Dalsania had deleted his name from Gujarat and was now a voter in the Digha Assembly constituency in Patna district, the Rashtriya Janata Dal leader claimed. 'Just see what is going on in the BJP,' the newspaper quoted him as telling reporters. 'Natives of other states are becoming the voters of Bihar. After the Bihar election, he will become a voter of some other states and will keep casting votes for the BJP candidates.' Yadav also alleged that the Hindutva party was earlier using the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax Department as tools to trouble Opposition parties. Now, the BJP was using the Election Commission, he added.
Hans India
10 minutes ago
- Hans India
Supreme Court Reserves Decision On Delhi Stray Dog Removal Order Amid Widespread Opposition
The Supreme Court has reserved its decision on petitions challenging the controversial August 11 order that mandated the complete removal of stray dogs from Delhi and the National Capital Region. A three-judge bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N V Anjaria heard arguments on Thursday following widespread public outcry against the directive. The original order, issued by Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, instructed authorities to capture all stray dogs and relocate them to shelters, beginning with 5,000 dogs within six to eight weeks. The court explicitly stated that no captured animals should be returned to the streets under any circumstances, despite provisions for sterilization, deworming, and immunization as per Animal Birth Control Rules 2023. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal strongly opposed the implementation, arguing that forcing all dogs into shelters would result in inhumane conditions, potential culling, and public health hazards. He emphasized that the situation was extremely serious and called for an immediate stay on the August 11 directive. Advocate Abhishek Singhvi supported this position, contending that the order exceeded legal boundaries and violated established Animal Birth Control regulations. However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta defended the order by presenting alarming statistics, revealing that India reports over 3.7 million dog bite incidents annually. He stressed public safety concerns, particularly highlighting that children cannot safely play outdoors due to the stray dog menace. Mehta clarified that the government harbors no animosity toward animals but must prioritize public welfare. The controversy has sparked significant political and social debate. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the order as cruel and shortsighted, advocating for humane alternatives like sterilization, vaccination, and community-based care. His sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with BJP leaders Varun Gandhi and Maneka Gandhi, also expressed concerns about the directive. Animal rights organizations, including PETA India, condemned the order as impractical and illegal. The organization, along with numerous activists, organized protests near India Gate, resulting in several detentions. A candlelight march was held in Rohini to demonstrate against the removal order. Following the directive, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has already begun implementation by capturing over 100 stray dogs and converting 20 Animal Birth Control centers into temporary shelters. The MCD has identified an 85-acre site in Ghoga Dairy for large-scale shelter facilities and is actively searching for additional land. Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh announced that the relocation process would prioritize aggressive and rabies-infected dogs before expanding to others. Critics argue that blanket removal strategies have historically proven ineffective, as evidenced by senior advocate statements that removing 300,000 animals from Delhi would only result in an equal number returning within a week. They advocate for scientifically-backed approaches focusing on sterilization, vaccination, and community involvement as more sustainable solutions. The case has highlighted the complex balance between public safety and animal welfare, with the Supreme Court now deliberating on whether to maintain its original directive or consider alternative approaches that address both human and animal concerns in the capital region.
The Hindu
10 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Savarkar defamation case: Lawyer withdraws plea claiming 'threat' to Rahul Gandhi
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's lawyer on Thursday (August 14, 2025) withdrew from a Pune court the plea claiming apprehension of threat to the Parliamentarian from followers of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The lawyer Milind Pawar said the court has accepted withdrawal of the plea. Earlier on Wednesday (August 13, 2025), hours after filing the plea, the lawyer said it was filed without Mr. Gandhi's consent and would be withdrawn. Mr. Pawar is representing Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case filed by Satyaki Savarkar, grand-nephew of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, over certain statements made by the Congress leader against the late freedom fighter and Hindutva ideologue. Rahul Gandhi granted bail in Savarkar defamation case He drafted the application without consulting Mr. Gandhi and the latter has taken a "strong exception to the filing of this Pursis and expressed his disagreement with its contents," the lawyer said in a press release late Wednesday evening (August 13, 2025). The application filed by Mr. Pawar earlier on Wednesday (August 13, 2025) said complainant Satyaki Savarkar had admitted that he is also a direct descendant, through maternal lineage, of Nathuram Godse and Gopal Godse, principal accused in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. 'Rahul Gandhi is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and recently held a press conference in Delhi, placing before the nation evidence of electoral fraud by the Election Commission,' the application said. Remarks on Savarkar: Supreme Court stays summons to Rahul Gandhi in defamation case "Furthermore, during the Parliamentary debate on the subject of Hindutva, there was a heated exchange between the Prime Minister and Shri Rahul Gandhi, a matter well known to the public. Against this backdrop, there is little doubt that the complainant, his great-grandfathers (the Godses), those connected with the ideology of Vinayak Savarkar, and some followers of Savarkar who are presently in power, may harbour hostility or resentment towards Gandhi," the application said. "In light of the documented history of violent and anti-constitutional tendencies linked to the complainant's lineage, and considering the prevailing political climate, there exists a clear, reasonable, and substantial apprehension that Rahul Gandhi may face harm, wrongful implication, or other forms of targeting by persons subscribing to the ideology of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar," the application stated. The Pune court has already granted bail to Rahul Gandhi in the defamation case. The trial is yet to begin. Satyaki Savarkar had filed a defamation complaint against Rahul Gandhi, alleging that in a speech made in London in March 2023, the Congress leader claimed V.D. Savarkar had written in a book that he and five to six of his friends once beat up a Muslim man and he (Savarkar) felt happy. 'No such incident ever took place and V.D. Savarkar never wrote any such thing anywhere,' the complaint claimed.
