No apology, Delhi HC asks TMC MP why he should not be detained
Photo/Agencies
NEW DELHI:
Delhi high court
issued a notice to TMC MP Saket Gokhale, asking him to explain why he should not be put into civil detention for "wilful non-compliance" with its order to publish an apology for defaming former diplomat Lakshmi Puri.
Taking a strong view of Gokhale's failure to publish the apology even after the timeline fixed by the court had elapsed, a single bench of Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora observed that he was mocking the court and its process, and issued a notice under Code of Civil Procedure. "According to me, he has to go to jail," the judge observed. HC granted one week to the Rajya Sabha member to respond to the notice. The matter will be heard on Sept 3.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
38 minutes ago
- The Hindu
BJP trashes reports of distributing vermilion, slams Mamata's choice of words against PM Modi
No politician should use such language, the BJP said on Friday (May 30, 2025) as it chastised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her choice of words targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It rejected as fake news a media report that claimed the ruling BJP planned to distribute vermilion among women to mark the government's anniversary. Also Read | TMC hits back at PM Modi's claims, counter questions on Manipur, paper leaks and unemployment BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said, "Mamata Banerjee has said what should never be spoken. No politician or elected representative should use a language... (she said) 'Is PM Modi the husband of every woman?' What kind of language is this?" But yes, Modi is a "sewak" (servant) to everyone; he is like a father to some and a brother to others, he told reporters. Attacking the Trinamool Congress supremo, Mr. Patra said, "There is no doubt, however, that if someone has worked to shelter Bangladeshi infiltrators and Rohingyas, it is Mamata Banerjee. They are fond of her." The BJP MP from Mr. Puri rejected media reports as "fake news" that the ruling BJP planned to distribute vermilion (sindoor) among women to mark the Narendra Modi government's anniversary. He accused Opposition parties, which had cited the report to slam the BJP for politicising Operation Sindoor, of spreading this propaganda to belittle India's military action against Pakistan and terror sites there. Ms. Banerjee had hit back at Mr. Modi on Thursday after the prime minister launched a sharp political attack on her government. Referring to the report, she said, "Please remember, every woman has respect, they accept sindoor only from her husband... The way you are talking... you are not the husband of everybody; why are you not giving sindoor to your Mrs first?" she said. Ms. Banerjee had said she did not want to get into such details but claimed that she was compelled to do so. "The Centre named it Operation Sindoor for political gains ahead of upcoming elections (in various states)," she alleged. "First, he (Modi) used to call himself a tea-seller, then a chowkidar, and now he has come to sell sindoor. He cannot sell sindoor like this," Ms. Banerjee said, drawing condemnation from the BJP for her choice of words. BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya also dubbed the news report as "fake" and slammed the West Bengal Chief Minister for acting like a troll to use a baseless story for politics. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, however, claimed the BJP was forced to withdraw its campaign due to the backlash. "Now they are calling the cheap plan fake news," she said on X, reacting to Mr. Malviya's comments.
United News of India
2 hours ago
- United News of India
Abhisek Banerjee urges Indonesians to fight the menace of terrorism
Jakarta, May 30 (UNI) Trinamool Congress Leader Abhisek Banerjee, a member of India's all-party Parliamentary delegation, has called upon the people of Indonesia to combat terrorism in all forms, as the menace is not restricted to a particular region but has spread globally. He said the Indian Parliamentary party delegation was in Indonesia to share the message of how to combat terrorism and highlighted Pakistan's role in the ghastly attack in Pahalgam on April 22. "Pakistan has been nurturing, training, sheltering, and harbouring terrorists. Terrorism has become a global menace, and killing people in the name of religion is completely unacceptable," the TMC general secretary said. "We were attacked on 22nd April. We waited patiently for 14 days for Pakistan to bring the perpetrators to justice. When they failed, India carried out precise, non-escalatory airstrikes, targeting only terrorist infrastructure. No civilian life was endangered, " Banerjee pointed out in the context of Operation Sindoor against the terror dens. He said terrorist Ajmal Kasab, who was caught red-handed by Indian law enforcement agencies during the 26/11 attack, had admitted to being trained and nurtured in Pakistan. But this time India successfully neutralised the very place where such terrorists are trained. Banerjee said and called upon the assembled people to unite and fight the menace of terrorism. "We visited Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, meeting various key stakeholders and everyone shared the opinion that they must combat terrorism jointly as this is not just India's issue — it has become a global imperative," Banerjee said. In Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, gunmen shot dead 25 tourists and a local pony owner after they picked them up based on faith, and killed all males in front of their wives and relatives. "Despite attempts by external forces to divide us, our country stands united, and this is the first time in a very, very long time that our country has decided to send multiple delegations to different parts of the world to spread the message to fight terrorism unitedly," Banerjee said. He said India's stance was clear, and despite attempts by the external forces to cause division, Indians remain united. " I belong to the second-largest opposition party in India, which has 42 Membersm taking into account both the houses of Parliament. We are very clear in our approach. While we may have our differences with the ruling government, when it comes to protecting national interests and the sovereignty of the nation, we will always act in the best interest of the country," Banerjee reiterated. He said India is the land of Mahatma Gandhi, Gautam Buddha, Rabindranath Tagore, and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and it is a peace-loving nation. "We are always the last to talk about war or violence," Banerjee said while interacting with the Indonesian leaders and Indian diaspora. He said Indonesia too, has been a victim of terrorism in the past. UNI PC BD SSP
News18
4 hours ago
- News18
Mamata Downplays Op Sindoor In Bengal, Abhishek Praises It Abroad: TMC's ‘Divide & Rule' Strategy
Last Updated: Abhishek's travel abroad to burnish India's image using Operation Sindoor and Mamata Banerjee's criticism of the action back home are part of a strategy, say political experts Even as India is revelling in the success of Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee downplayed it in a press briefing in Kolkata held after PM Narendra Modi's address in north Bengal on Thursday. 'It was not a war, but a small skirmish", she said, to the surprise of many. At a time when her party Trinamool Congress's general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is travelling abroad as part of India's official delegation to spread the word on Operation Sindoor on a global platform, the TMC, like some other opposition parties, was expected to align with the national sentiment. However, Banerjee dismissed the military operation, questioning its name, launching personal attacks on the PM, and accusing him of indulging in 'war marketing". Banerjee picked Abhishek to be part of the delegation. Political analysts say this apparent contradiction is not about creating confusion, but a calculated move – it is a mix of electoral-political needs and national posturing. It is also about Banerjee's old-school identity politics versus Abhishek's emerging ambition for a national, centrist image, they said. Here is a breakdown of the seemingly 'confusing' statements. WHY DILUTING OPERATION SINDOOR IS KEY TO UNDERMINING MODI With assembly elections approaching in 2026, Banerjee is back in full election mode – not just as a regional leader, but as a hyperlocal tactician. The process was accelerated after PM Modi's visit and address in north Bengal, invoking nationalism through Operation Sindoor. Banerjee still remembers the aftermath of the Balakot strike in 2019. Her party lost 18 Lok Sabha seats, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) became a formidable opposition. However, since then, things have changed on political and organisational level. The TMC has regained lost ground in some regions. But a seasoned politician like Banerjee does not want to take chances. Her calculated dismissal of Operation Sindoor is not anti-national, it is pro-survival. The TMC has been losing political capital since 2019, and with the BJP making aggressive inroads in border districts and SC/ST belts, she needs to keep her core Muslim base consolidated. Her rhetoric is crafted for local consumption, not for national applause. I am glad to see all-party delegation visiting various countries as part of India's global outreach against terrorism. As I have consistently maintained, the AITC stands firmly behind any step the Union takes in the national interest and in defence of our sovereignty. I urge the… — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 23, 2025 ' Mamata Banerjee knows Bengal politics better than anyone else. She understands that she needs to dilute the impact of Operation Sindoor. She cannot allow Modi to dominate the narrative on nationalism and influence voters in her stronghold," said senior political analyst and author Professor Biswanath Chakraborty. 'In India, foreign policy and domestic electoral politics have always operated on different planes. In Bengal, even if Modi highlights Operation Sindoor and backs the BJP with funds and visibility, the party unit here still lacks the organisational depth and logistical capacity to take on the Trinamool, which remains deeply rooted across the state. So Mamata Banerjee has to concentrate on their weakness," he added. Banerjee's 2026 assembly poll campaign will rely heavily on consolidated Muslim support, as it always has. In 2021, this demographic helped her achieve an epic comeback. But politics is a rapidly changing world. With the rise of AIMIM-style parties and the BJP's targeted Hindu vote bank strategy, Banerjee knows that even a 5% dent in the Muslim vote and a minuscule swing in Hindu votes could be disastrous for her party. Hence, her statements are carefully crafted – criticising the 'Sindoor" nomenclature (a Hindu symbol) was not accidental. It was seemingly a subtle signal to reassure her minority base that she is not endorsing a 'Hindu Rashtra' narrative. 'I might differ with the ruling dispensation or the political party, I will fight with them tooth and nail. But when it comes to the national security of my country, I will stand firmly and serve towards what is in the best interest of my nation. I will not let my political… — All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) May 28, 2025 While Abhishek travels abroad to burnish India's image using Operation Sindoor, at home, Banerjee deconstructs it. It is not a contradiction, it is a choreographed strategy, say experts. 'I don't think there is any serious internal conflict within Trinamool Congress. Mamata and Abhishek are working in sync, managing both national and regional compulsions. The party is focused on strengthening its organisation. By July, they are planning a full-scale outreach across the state. Compared to 2019, they are better organised now. They have brought in professionals to manage social media, development messaging, and grassroots coordination – without relying solely on the Chief Minister's office. In contrast, the BJP still struggles with ground-level presence and real public engagement in Bengal. That gap is widening," said Maidul Islam, professor of political science at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta (CSSSC). 'When someone is part of the official delegation to talk about the country's army operation, they naturally have to praise the operation despite being members of the opposition. However, on the home front, questions are being raised about the alleged US intervention. Meanwhile, Pakistan has also made certain moves in response. So, there is also pressure for parliamentary discussion and deliberation on the matter. Within a year or less, these issues will require official clarification – both in terms of policy and public communication. Mamata Banerjee is paving that path," he added. About the Author Madhuparna Das Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has covered More Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : abhishek banerjee Mamata Banerjee news18 specials Trinamool Congress (TMC) Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: May 30, 2025, 14:31 IST News politics Mamata Downplays Op Sindoor In Bengal, Abhishek Praises It Abroad: TMC's 'Divide & Rule' Strategy
