
CM takes a dig at Amit Shah for language comment
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has appeared to take an oblique dig at Union Home Minister Amit Shah's purported comment that those who speak English in India would soon feel ashamed.
Speaking at a book release function at the Legislative Assembly Complex here on Tuesday, Mr. Vijayan said persons holding high public office were attempting to reject diversity and embrace a monolithic nationalist culture without understanding India's diversity.
He said that Parliamentary democracy was a Western concept embraced by diverse nations worldwide. The Constitution upheld diversity and did not reject any language, religion, or culture.
Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan and Speaker A N Shamsheer were present.

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Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Time of India
Emergency black day in history of independent India: CM
Patna: CM Nitish Kumar on Wednesday said the Emergency of 1975 symbolised the dictatorship of the then Union govt led by Indira Gandhi and its imposition marked a "black day in the history of independent India. " " We all remember the day of June 25, 1975, when a state of emergency was declared in the country. It is referred to as a 'black day' in the history of independent India. The emergency of 1975 symbolised the dictatorship of the then govt. During the emergency, the freedom of expression of the people was restricted," Nitish said in a post on social media on completion of 50 years of the imposition of the state of emergency. "Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan initiated a movement against the emergency. I, along with many of my colleagues, participated in this movement and actively opposed the emergency. All of us who raised our voices against the dictatorship were imprisoned. However, the citizens of the country demonstrated unity and courage. Together, we fought the battle," Nitish wrote in his post. Nitish was first arrested during the emergency from Dubauli village in Bhojpur district where he had gone to participate in a meeting under the leadership of veteran social leader Ram Ekbal Singh Warsi. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like You might be interested in the content above Undo He was then a student leader. "You all know that the essence of democracy lies in the voice of the people. It is our responsibility to protect it under all circumstances. Bihar has always paved its path of development with the spirit of the Constitution, justice, freedom, and social justice. Let us remain committed to being vigilant and ready to defend the ideals of the Constitution," the CM said in his post. Talking to reporters in Patna on Wednesday, senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad, however, defended the Emergency imposed by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, asserting that she did it following constitutional norms to suppress anti-national forces. "It was imposed to suppress the anti-national forces in the country. After the Emergency, the people of the country elected the Congress in the elections held in 1980 and even after that," Hariprasad told reporters here. The Article 352 of the Constitution "clearly states that Emergency can be imposed when there is an external attack or internal disturbance in the country. She (Indira Gandhi) did it legally. Whereas, India is now experiencing an undeclared Emergency under PM Narendra Modi," Prasad said.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Indian Constitution is as Sacred as Bhagavad Gita, Guru Granth Sahib and Bible: Union minister SP Baghel
- KURUKSHETRA: Union minister of state (MoS) for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj, SP Singh Baghel on Wednesday described the Indian Constitution as a sacred text on par with the sacred Bhagavad Gita, Guru Granth Sahib, and theBible, emphasising that it must be respected and honoured as the foundation of India's democracy. Notably, the minister did not make any mention of the sacred Quran in his address. He was speaking at a program organised on the occasion of ' Samvidhan Hatya Diwas 2025' (Constitution Murder Day 2025) at the Panchayat Bhawan auditorium in Kurukshetra. Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, minister Baghel said that amendments in the Constitution are acceptable if made in the national interest, but any changes made for personal or political gain amount to the murder of the Constitution. He asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is committed to protecting the Constitution and upholding democratic values. Prior to his address, the minister visited a special exhibition organised to depict the events surrounding the Emergency imposed in 1975, a period he said widely viewed as a dark chapter in Indian democracy. During the event, individuals who were jailed during the Emergency and their families were honoured with shawls in recognition of their sacrifices. Baghel highlighted the symbolic importance of Kurukshetra , calling it the land where the eternal struggle between dharma and adharma , and justice and injustice , was first understood. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo He said this message, rooted in Indian civilisation, has resonated globally. 'In every age, injustice has ultimately failed. This lesson must not be forgotten, especially by those who attempt to undermine the Constitution,' he remarked. He also underscored India's democratic heritage, stating, 'Our democracy dates back to the Dwapar and Treta Yugas. In contrast, the United States only has the Statue of Liberty to symbolise its democratic ideals, yet it claims the oldest democracy. Today, India's citizens challenge that claim with pride, as India remains the world's oldest and largest democracy. ' The Minister took the opportunity to highlight India's progress on gender inclusion in leadership, stating, 'India has had two women Presidents , while the US is yet to elect a woman President.' Criticising the 1975 Emergency, Baghel called it the only dark blot on Indian democracy. 'It was a time when civil liberties were crushed. Citizens had to go into hiding, businesses were shuttered, farmers could not tend to their fields, and anyone seen outside risked being jailed. Around 1.1 lakh people, including journalists, were imprisoned. Electricity supply was cut off, and mass sterilisations were conducted. None of the conditions required to declare an emergency—external threat, internal disturbance, or financial crisis—existed at the time,' he said. He noted that after the BJP came to power, efforts were made to honour and recognise those who had endured suffering during the Emergency, restoring their dignity in the nation's democratic narrative. The event was attended by several BJP leaders from Kurukshetra.


News18
an hour ago
- News18
SIR-tified Voters: ECI Likely To Launch Pan-India Electoral Roll Revision This Year
Last Updated: The election Commission has already announced a similar revision for Bihar starting July 1, with the final electoral roll to be published by September 30 The Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to soon announce a pan-India Special Intensive Revision (SIR) to remove fake voters from the electoral rolls. This initiative aims to eliminate ineligible voters, including illegal immigrants, in response to concerns about electoral integrity amid rapid urbanisation, migration, and demographic changes. Top ECI sources informed CNN-News18 that the announcement could be made by December 2025. 'Voters whose names were added to the electoral rolls post-2003 will need to provide documents proving their date and place of birth, which will be uploaded on ECInet, accessible only to authorised officials," a senior EC official stated. This exercise aligns with the mandate under Article 326 of the Constitution. The year 2003 has been chosen as the cut-off since the last SIR was conducted then. Once implemented, this will create a database of Indian citizens similar to what the NRC envisioned. Bihar is the first state to undertake such an exercise. The EC has already announced a similar revision for Bihar starting July 1, with the final electoral roll to be published by September 30. 'In accordance with Section 23 of the Representation of People Act 1950, eligibility conditions to enrol as an elector were being verified by the ERO. Now, to ensure complete transparency, documents used for such verification will be uploaded on ECINET, accessible only to authorised election officials, considering privacy issues," an EC spokesperson said. The opposition led by Rahul Gandhi has questioned whether the Maharashtra electoral rolls were tampered with. The EC reiterated on Wednesday that any doubts raised about a voter post-SIR could be addressed through the supporting documents uploaded on the EC portal. 'In case of claims or objections by any political party or elector, the AERO will investigate before the ERO makes a decision. Under Section 24 of the Act, an appeal against the ERO's order can be made to the District Magistrate and Chief Electoral Officer," the EC spokesperson added. First Published: