TMC flags 'poor' condition of freedom fighter Rash Behari Bose's grave in Tokyo
Bose, a key figure in India's Independence movement, was one of the main organisers of the Ghadar Mutiny and also founded the Indian Independence League in Japan.
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News18
3 days ago
- News18
Trump Vs Musk May Be The Worst Yet, But These Political Fallouts Were Just As Brutal
Last Updated: The Donald Trump-Elon Musk feud joins a long list of major political fallouts that reshaped power, from India and China to America's most bitter rivalries What began as mutual admiration has now turned into one of the most spectacular political breakups in recent memory. Once aligned on business-friendly policies, deregulation and a shared dislike for certain parts of the media, US President Donald Trump and his former adviser, Elon Musk, are now openly attacking each other. What Triggered Trump-Musk Fallout? In May 2025, Musk openly criticised Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act', calling it fiscally reckless. The bill proposed a $2.4 trillion increase in government spending while eliminating EV tax credits — a direct hit to Tesla. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk called the bill a 'disgusting abomination that will destroy American competitiveness." Trump responded on Truth Social, accusing Musk of acting out of personal greed: 'Elon was 'wearing thin,' I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted… and he just went CRAZY!" Musk then dramatically escalated the feud, bringing up Trump's alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein: 'Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the REAL reason they haven't been made public." Markets shook, personal attacks escalated, and political calculations shifted — making this one of the ugliest public political fallouts in recent memory. Jawaharlal Nehru Vs Subhas Chandra Bose (India, 1939) In the pre-Independence years, the Indian National Congress saw one of its earliest and most dramatic fallouts when Subhas Chandra Bose clashed with Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi. Bose, elected Congress president in 1938, envisioned a much more aggressive confrontation with British rule, including seeking international alliances with Germany and Japan. Nehru and Gandhi, meanwhile, insisted on non-violent civil disobedience. In early 1939, Bose won re-election against Gandhi's nominee, Pattabhi Sitaramayya — a victory that exposed the deepening divisions within the Congress leadership. However, despite his mandate, key Working Committee members closely aligned with Gandhi refused to cooperate with his leadership, limiting his ability to function effectively as president. Unable to bridge the growing rift, Bose resigned, writing: 'When the Congress President finds himself in a minority on fundamental matters of policy, the only honourable course open to him is to resign." Bose then formed the Forward Bloc and later led the Indian National Army (INA) alongside Axis powers during World War II — directly challenging British authority from outside the Congress framework. His alliance with the Axis complicated India's position during the global conflict, and while the British labelled him a traitor, large sections of Indian society viewed him as a patriot taking an alternate path to independence. Mao Zedong Vs Liu Shaoqi (China, 1966–1969) One of the most brutal political fallouts of the 20th century unfolded at the highest levels of China's Communist Party. Liu Shaoqi, once considered Mao Zedong's trusted deputy and the official head of state, had risen to prominence as one of the architects of China's early communist rule. But after Mao's Great Leap Forward (1958–1962) — an economic campaign that resulted in catastrophic famine and tens of millions of deaths — Liu began quietly challenging Mao's leadership, advocating for more pragmatic economic reforms to stabilise the country. For Mao, any dissent — even from within the party — was seen as a personal threat. By 1966, Mao launched the Cultural Revolution, ostensibly to root out 'bourgeois elements" within the party, but in reality, to reassert his dominance. He mobilised radical youth militias called the Red Guards to attack senior officials seen as enemies of Mao's revolution. Liu was singled out as the biggest internal enemy and branded a 'capitalist roader" — a grave political insult in communist China. Propaganda posters called for his downfall, declaring: 'Down with Liu Shaoqi! Down with China's Khrushchev!" Liu was purged from all positions of power, placed under house arrest, brutally interrogated, denied medical care, and eventually died in custody in 1969. His name was erased from official histories for years. The Mao-Liu fallout didn't just destroy Liu — it destabilised the entire Chinese state. The Cultural Revolution spiralled into a nationwide political purge that led to the persecution, imprisonment, or deaths of millions of Chinese citizens, leaving deep scars on the country that lasted decades. Indira Gandhi Vs Morarji Desai (India, 1969–1979) India's first major political split post-Independence played out between then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and senior Congress leader Morarji Desai. Desai had long viewed himself as the rightful successor to Nehru's vision of economic conservatism. Gandhi, however, pushed for socialism and centralisation. The final straw came in 1969 when she nationalised India's banking sector — against Desai's and the party old guard's wishes. Following escalating policy clashes, Desai resigned as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister. The Congress split into two factions: Congress (Organisation), led by Desai and the Syndicate, and Congress (Requisitionists), led by Indira Gandhi. She emerged dominant electorally, but her Emergency rule (1975–77) proved deeply controversial. When Gandhi finally called elections in 1977, Morarji Desai led the Janata Party — a coalition of anti-Indira forces — to a historic win. For the first time, Congress was defeated nationally. In a later interview, Desai said bluntly: 'What she called discipline was tyranny." Their enmity defined Indian politics for over a decade, until Gandhi returned to power in 1980 after Desai's unstable coalition collapsed. Donald Trump Vs Mike Pence (USA, 2021) Donald Trump's relationship with his loyal Vice President Mike Pence shattered over Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. When Trump lost to Joe Biden, he pressured Pence to block certification of electoral votes on January 6, 2021. Pence refused, citing his constitutional duty: 'My oath to support and defend the Constitution constrains me from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not." Trump publicly attacked Pence during the Capitol riot, even tweeting mid-attack: 'Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done." As rioters stormed the Capitol, chanting 'Hang Mike Pence!", Trump's failure to intervene immediately was viewed by many, including Pence's own family, as dangerously irresponsible. In a speech months later, Pence stated, 'President Trump's words that day were reckless. They endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol." The breach was permanent. Pence launched a campaign for the 2024 Republican nomination but struggled to gain traction against Trump's loyal base. He was one of the first major candidates to drop out in late 2023, citing a lack of donor and voter support. During his brief campaign, Pence did criticise Trump's actions on January 6, stating: 'Anyone who puts themselves over the Constitution should never be President of the United States." Conclusion top videos View all Political alliances collapse all the time. However, the Trump-Musk fallout stands out for its sheer speed, personal attacks, real economic damage, and continued escalation across political, legal, and business fronts. Compared to decades of famous political ruptures, this may well be one of the most consequential — and possibly still unfolding. About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @ More Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : donald trump elon musk Indian politics Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 06, 2025, 09:09 IST News india Trump Vs Musk May Be The Worst Yet, But These Political Fallouts Were Just As Brutal
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Indian Express
Congress has a Shashi Tharoor problem it can no longer ignore
It was 1939. The Indian National Congress was about to elect its national president. The contenders? Subhas Chandra Bose and Pattabhi Sitaramayya. Despite Mahatma Gandhi's backing, Sitaramayya couldn't gather the numbers — he fell short by 203 votes — and Bose, for the second time, became the Congress President. Gandhi declared that it was his 'defeat'. Bose couldn't form the working committee. Sensing the differences with the topmost leadership (the word 'high command' was yet to enter the vocabulary of the grand old party), he stepped down and left the party forever. Cut to 2025. A lot has changed, both in political ethics as well as in temporal compulsions. In the last seven decades, Congress endured many splits; witnessed leadership crises, ideological tensions, dynastic supremacy, electoral decimation and partial revival. But one thing remained constant — the consequences of falling out with the high command were resignation or expulsion. If not anyone else, Shashi Tharoor, who is well-versed in history — not the WhatsApp-ed version — knows this well. Tharoor's post-Pahalgam departure from the party line – both domestically and abroad — and Congress's increasing tolerance of such indiscipline, as evident also in the party's silence over Salman Khurshid's comments on abrogation of Article 370, signal a deeper malaise within the party. As a part of the international delegation to the US, formed by the Indian government to convey the country's position on terrorism and Pakistan across the globe, Tharoor said that 'India breached the LoC (Line of Control)' for the first time during the 2016 surgical strike. He also lauded the government for the post-Pulwama strike in 2019. Notably, on both occasions, Congress had questioned the veracity of the attacks and sought sufficient evidence. Moreover, Tharoor's comments, the Congress leadership alleges, have negated the 'golden history' of Congress rule. 'In 1965, the Indian Army entered Pakistan at multiple points, which completely surprised the Pakistanis in the Lahore sector. In 1971, India tore Pakistan into two pieces, and during the UPA government, several surgical strikes were unleashed, but drumbeating was not done…', posted Congress spokesperson Udit Raj on X. This was later reposted by the Congress top brass, including Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera. This is not the first time Tharoor has invoked the leadership's wrath. From his expression of interest in being a 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' brand ambassador to Kerala Congress's allegations that he has been writing 'love letters' to PM Modi, Tharoor has carved himself a special space as a dissenter. He was also one of the 'G-23' leaders who had questioned the high command in 2022. However, till Pahalgam, he walked a tightrope without crossing the party line. Any decision by Congress about his fate would depend on many factors, including the 2026 Kerala assembly elections. But for now, the party's indecisiveness over Tharoor has put it in a spot. It can neither swallow the bitter pills, nor can it afford to throw it up. Congress must remember that it has seen worse, and on every occasion, after a hiatus of a few years — sometimes less than a year — it has got back on track. In an old party like Congress, ideological objectives are not static; they are temporal and strategic, and hence, intra-party dissent is a natural outcome. But crossing the 'party line' on certain issues — where there is no room for confusion — has historically not been accepted in Congress, or for that matter, in any political party since the formation of the political party system. In 1950, senior Congress leader Purushottam Das Tandon became the Congress President in the Nashik session, defeating one of the tallest political figures of that time: J B Kripalani. However, due to his differences with Prime Minister Nehru, he had to step down. The party knew that without Nehru's popularity, they would not be able to win the 1952 general elections. The 1980s witnessed tension between the then-PM Rajiv Gandhi and his finance minister — later defence minister — V P Singh. Gandhi was not happy with Singh ordering raids on the premises of businessmen who were reportedly close to him. The tension reached its peak when Singh's name came up in an alleged defence scam, and he was asked to resign from the cabinet; following this, he left the party, only to become the Prime Minister within two years. Similarly, the 1990s were the decade of Sharad Pawar's disgruntlement. From him sulking over not being made the PM in 1991 to his endorsement of the BJP's 'foreigner' jibe against Sonia Gandhi, Pawar had crossed all the 'lines'. Although Saheb (as Pawar is referred to) thought that he was representing the sentiment of the country through his support for the BJP's narratives — quite similar to today's Tharoor or Khurshid — he was expelled. This parting of ways cost Congress a lot, especially in Pawar's home ground, Maharashtra, but the party didn't compromise on its 'line'. Tharoor is no Singh or Pawar. But his all-weather ebullience, sophistication, lustrous hair, and sometimes incomprehensible English have made him a darling of the elite upper-middle-class Indians. One needs to acknowledge that Tharoor represents everything that the BJP stands against. The BJP's crusade against elitist English-speaking, mostly foreign-educated, critical intellectuals, labelled as 'Khan market gang', would not give him enough space to fit in. There is a way to put forward the views of the party without echoing the ruling party's narratives. Learning from DMK MP Kanimozhi's response in Spain – when she was asked what India's national language is, she said, 'unity in diversity' – could be a good starting point. Unity is not always about unanimity. Diverse views, put together in a united manner, don't weaken democracy; rather, they uphold its inherent strength. Tharoor and Khurshid represent what is fundamentally wrong with Congress. Sometimes, tough decisions need to be taken to safeguard the sanctity of the 'line', without tampering with intra-party democracy.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Back at work after Delhi ‘call', says Bengal guv
Kolkata: Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose on Monday said he was a "little bothered" over speculations about him being replaced at Raj Bhavan, but "responsible quarters in Delhi" advised him to ignore them. In an interview with PTI, Bose said: "Since you asked the question (about getting replaced), I can tell you that I got a call from responsible quarters in Delhi. They asked me to totally ignore such rumours and go ahead with my work. I was asked to go full throttle in the mission that I started here." Referring to his hospital admission, Bose, 74, said: "Doctors asked me to go slow, but that's only for a few days. That much pace should not be there because I used to work for 20 hours every day. Even earlier, when I didn't have such an important assignment, I worked for about 16 hours. It's not something very new to my nature." When pointed out that Bengal govt was planning to introduce a constitutional amendment pertaining to the "governor sitting over bills passed by the state legislature", Bose asserted that not a single bill was pending with Raj Bhavan other than those referred to the President. "I don't want to comment on what the state govt intends to do. I can tell you that there is not a single bill that is pending at this Raj Bhavan, barring the ones referred to the President under the Constitution," he said.
