logo
If govt can agree to truce with Pak, why not with Naxals: TPCC chief

If govt can agree to truce with Pak, why not with Naxals: TPCC chief

Time of India01-06-2025
Hyderabad:
Telangana Congress
president B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Sunday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah launched 'Operation Kagar' (Operation Black Forest) to hand over the mineral wealth of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand to the corporates, under the pretext of eliminating Naxalites.
He also criticised the Modi govt for not accepting the offer of talks made by the Maoists.
"It is unfortunate that the central govt, under pressure from US President Donald Trump, agreed to a ceasefire and hold talks with Pakistan, which is sponsoring terrorism, but not agreeing to talks with our own citizens (Maoists). Congress' ideology is non-violence, and it will not support any kind of violence, including that done by the Maoists," he said, speaking at a round table meeting convened by Left parties, human rights, and civil society organisations at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram.
All the secular and democratic forces, including Congress, should condemn the killing of Naxalites by the govt in 'Operation Kagar', even after the Maoists expressed willingness to hold talks, he said. Just because they (BJP) have power, "the govt violence" on the pretext of 'Operation Kagar' cannot be supported. Since coming to power, the BJP govt has been dismantling constitutional institutions, he added.
"When someone is ready for talks, they should be held.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
People Aged 50-85 With No Life Insurance Could Get This
Reassured
Get Quote
Undo
The BJP plays politics in the name of religion and gods. There are instances when talks were held during the time of even Lord Rama and Lord Krishna. Not accepting talks reveals their fascist ideology. They have been toppling democratically elected govts in various states. Only a few people are able to oppose them, and one of them is the Gandhi family," Mahesh Goud said.
The TPCC chief narrated an ancecdote when Rahul Gandhi, Meenakshi Natarajan, chief minister A Revanth Reddy, and deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka and he were going in a car to attend Bharat Summit in Hyderabad on April 26.
"Meenakshi said security forces surrounded Karregutta as part of 'Operation Kagar', but expressed concern that there were civilians there too. Then Rahul Gandhi said that you can eliminate individuals and even a group of people but not their cause. Subsequently, CM Revanth said he would speak to representatives of all parties in this regard. The Gandhi family even pardoned the killers of Rajiv Gandhi, as the Congress firmly believes in non-violence," he said.
Telangana Congress leadership would discuss and take a decision soon on the support sought by the Left parties and organisations against 'Operation Kagar'.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The SIR controversy
The SIR controversy

Time of India

time28 minutes ago

  • Time of India

The SIR controversy

The controversy of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls carried out in Bihar seems to be a never-ending political battle. It would be beneficial for all to remember that India thrives on perceptions and controversies. False or half-truth narratives built by vested interests are a potent tool for our politicians to sway voters. Sometimes these false narratives are also created at the behest of anti-national elements, both within and outside the country. Therefore, at some point, such controversies must be dealt with decisively before they can harm the nation. The EC prepares and maintains the electoral rolls as mandated by the Constitution of India. These lists are updated continually due to various reasons, including deaths, new voter additions, migration, among others. Therefore, any apprehensions that the EC does so under pressure from the government are misplaced. Normally, the onus should be on citizens themselves to inform the local authorities if a name has to be deleted or added. Unfortunately, as a society, we lack such civic responsibilities. Therefore, the responsibility to do so rests with the EC. In the country's over-packed election calendar, such exercises will have to be conducted intensively during the short free periods available. Much has been written and said about Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar over the last six weeks. Charges, counter-charges, allegations, and explanations are being traded between the EC, opposition parties, and the government. Unfortunately, the controversy rages on. The opposition is accusing the EC of manipulating the voter lists in Bihar before the next elections to favour the NDA. In his press conference on 07 August 2025, the LOP claimed that the NDA and EC had played similar dirty tricks in the last elections in Karnataka and Maharashtra. He backed these claims with some data from his party's internal investigation. The question that arises here is, if the LOP has convincing data of such a fraud, why has he not submitted it to the EC formally? Is it not incumbent on him to do so as he holds a constitutional post equivalent to a cabinet minister? Given his position in the parliament, the EC will always be ready to give him a patient hearing. But the problem is with the Gandhi scion himself. He refuses to sit formally with the EC and instead makes declarations of all kinds on the streets or in front of the media. His aim is clear. He wishes to incite the public and build a public opinion against the government. He has no genuine interest in resolving any issue through the correct channels in the public interest. Mr Sharad Pawar, the NC (P) founder and a member of the Rajya Sabha, made a statement in Nagpur on Saturday, 09 August 2025, where he said, 'Last year, before the Maharashtra assembly polls were declared, two people came to meet me in Delhi. They told me that of 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra, they can guarantee victory for us in 160.' He further stated, 'I did not have any reason to suspect EC. I also thought during polls, we run into such people, and so I ignored them.' He confirmed that the same people also met Rahul Gandhi. Taking the high pedestal, Mr Pawar concluded by saying that he and Rahul Gandhi decided not to pursue the matter further and allow fate to decide their fortunes. Yet, he maintains that the claims of LOP must be investigated. Maharashtra was a state that Mr. Pawar and Rahul Gandhi wanted to win at any cost. While they may be lauded for their righteous approach, it is hard to believe that they passed the opportunity. But if they did because they neither suspected the EC nor believed in the possibility of manipulation by the people who approached them, then why are they making such a hue and cry about possible frauds in electoral rolls? Mr. Gandhi, in his press conference, admitted that there were serious issues of duplicate, fake, invalid, and multiple entries of voters at the same address. If he is so convinced, then he should welcome the SIR in Bihar before the next elections, rather than seeing it as a fraud against the opposition. Mr. Gandhi's reluctance to discuss the issue with the EC in a formal manner and Mr. Pawar's belated claims give the impression that they are neither serious nor convinced. The EC does not carry out such revisions in isolation. In Bihar, there were nearly 150,000 Booth-level Agents (BLA) of different parties who were part of the SIR exercise with Block Level Officers (BLO). Surprisingly, no representations have been filed against any wrong deletions by the EC by any of the BLAs. The irony is that Mr Tejasvi Yadav, leader of RJD, was himself exposed for having two entries in the electoral rolls with separate unique numbers. The one he flashed to reporters, claiming his voter card's unique number had been deleted, turned out to be bogus. A simple check revealed that he had contested the 2020 elections using another voter card with a different unique number. He used the same card in the 2024 elections. If a senior leader like Mr. Yadav has two voter identities, imagine the state of affairs in the entire state. In this regard, this is what Congress's senior minister K N Rajanna had to say to the media about Rahul Gandhi's charges in Karnataka, 'One should remember that voter lists were revised when our government was at the helm. Why did our party turn a blind eye then? It is true that there are irregularities, but it is insulting for us that it happened right under our noses.' Perhaps in Karnataka, the discrepancies favoured Congress at that time. Within a couple of hours of this statement, Mr. Rajanna was stripped of his cabinet rank and suspended from the party. This is the internal democracy in Congress where no internal dissent is permitted. In the current environment, there is a strong possibility that this false narrative may raise questions about the credibility of the government, EC, and, in turn, the nation's democratic credentials. Notably, it also harms the image of the world's largest democracy. The onus to prevent all this lies squarely on the government. Therefore, it is time to act and take the bull by the horns. The starting point will be the claims by Mr Gandhi in his press conference and Mr. Pawar's statement. It is immaterial if either of them has not approached the government formally. It is time for the government to take the initiative, either through the EC or the Supreme Court, by filing a suitable case. These leaders cannot be allowed to present their cases only on the streets or in the media without accepting any responsibility. National interests demand that they be asked to substantiate their claims formally, and the matter be investigated to settle it one way or the other. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.

PM Modi pushes for 'swadeshi', 'atmanirbharta' in Independence Day speech
PM Modi pushes for 'swadeshi', 'atmanirbharta' in Independence Day speech

Business Standard

time28 minutes ago

  • Business Standard

PM Modi pushes for 'swadeshi', 'atmanirbharta' in Independence Day speech

At least until the 1991 economic reforms, the tenets of 'Swadeshi', or made in India, and 'Atmanirbharta', or self-reliance, which took inspiration from the country's freedom struggle and got reinforced during India's difficult initial years as an independent nation, were integral part of the country's political lexicon, including that of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The RSS, which marks its centenary this year, has also for some decades flagged the dangers of demographic changes taking place in the country's border districts. On Friday, in his Independence Day (I-Day) speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at length on these issues. He urged the people to embrace 'swadeshi', and detailed his government's commitment to achieve self-reliance across sectors. He announced the government's intent to set up a high-powered demography mission to study and tackle the crisis of demographic changes taking place in the country's border districts. The government had earlier announced its intent to set up such a committee in the interim Budget of 2024-25 in February. The PM asked shopkeepers and traders, a traditional support base of the RSS, to put up boards outside their shops declaring that they sell only Indian products. While the PM's push for 'Swadeshi' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' is partly an appeal to prepare the country for the impact of the US tariffs, the saffron party and the RSS are currently involved in intense negotiations over the candidature of the next BJP national president. Relations between the two were strained in the run up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. During his speech, Modi, who was once an RSS pracharak, showered fulsome praise on the Sangh, hailing its 100 years as a 'very proud and glorious' journey of the 'world's biggest NGO (non-governmental organisation)'. Modi said that the country is not built by governments alone, and neither is it built only by those who hold the reins of state power or those who administer governance. This nation is built by the toil of millions of people from all walks of life. 'Today, with great pride, I wish to mention one such institution,' the PM said. He said the RSS was founded 100 years ago. These years of service to the nation constitute a proud and golden chapter. In a sense, the RSS is the world's largest NGO, with a century-long history of devotion, he said. 'Today, from the ramparts of the Red Fort, I salute all the swayamsevaks who have contributed to this century-long journey of national service, and the nation takes pride in this grand and dedicated journey of the RSS, which will continue to inspire us,' he added. The Congress alleged that the praise for the RSS by PM Modi at the I-Day function was a desperate attempt to appease the Sangh in the run-up to his 75th birthday. 'The PM was tired today. Soon he will retire," Congress' Jairam Ramesh said, slamming Modi's speech as "stale, hypocritical, insipid'. The PM also sought to blunt the Opposition's criticism of the BJP for imposing Hindi. Modi said his government has granted classical language status to Marathi, Assamese, Bengali, Pali and Prakrit. Having faced Opposition's criticism over the Sangh Parivar trying to change the Constitution, or that it was against the interests of the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), the PM sought to respond to these attacks. The PM said the Constitution has been guiding 'us like a lighthouse' for 75 years now. He said the country is celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, 'the first great personality of the nation to sacrifice his life for the Constitution'. In a reference to the Indira Gandhi-led Congress government imposing the Emergency in 1975, Modi said the Constitution was strangled, stabbed in the back, and the country was turned into a prison 50 years ago. The PM also alluded to Indira Gandhi's slogan of 'Garibi Hatao' (eradicate poverty). He said people have heard the slogan many times, even from the Red Fort, and the nation grew tired of hearing it over and over again, but only his government's schemes lifted 250 million people out of poverty. Modi said his government will mark the 200th birth anniversary of 19th Century social reformer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, and his mantra of 'priority to the backward' continues to inspire his dispensation's policies. The PM also spoke of the government's support for STs, women, the youth, and farmers. On infiltration, Modi said it was a well-thought-out conspiracy. He said 'ghuspaithiyas' (intruders) are snatching the livelihood of the youth of the country, targeting the sisters and daughters of my country, and grabbing the lands of innocent tribals. He said the high-powered government mission will complete its work in a set timeframe. Modi had warned about infiltration during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, and had used the term 'ghuspaithiya' in his election campaign. The BJP has been raising the issue of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh marrying tribal girls in West Bengal and Jharkhand. The party has also raised the issue of illegal immigrants in Assam too. On Friday, in their respective I-Day speeches, chief ministers (CMs) of Tripura, Uttarakhand, and Assam also flagged the issue of infiltration. The Opposition has alleged that the BJP is using the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, which will later be implemented in Bengal and Assam, to target such illegal immigrants, especially those from the minority community. Bihar election is scheduled to take place by November while Assam and Bengal will go to polls by May 2026.

Rahul Gandhi takes dig at PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana: ' ₹1 crore ka jumla'
Rahul Gandhi takes dig at PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana: ' ₹1 crore ka jumla'

Hindustan Times

time28 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Rahul Gandhi takes dig at PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana: ' ₹1 crore ka jumla'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing the launch of PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, calling it " ₹1 lakh crore jumla - Season 2". In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, " ₹ 1 lakh crore jumla - Season 2! Even after 11 years, Modi ji's same old jumlas, same memorized figures."(ANI/AICC) Modi on Friday announced the launch of the scheme which is expected to create 3.5 crore jobs in the next two years. "Today is August 15 and we are launching ₹1 lakh crore scheme for the youth of this country. It is good news for you that PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana is being rolled out from Today," Modi said in his Independence Day speech. In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, " ₹1 lakh crore jumla - Season 2! Even after 11 years, Modi ji's same old jumlas, same memorized figures." "Last year, ₹1 lakh crore to 1 crore internships promise,“ this year again ₹1 lakh crore job scheme! What is the truth? On my question in the Parliament, the government admitted - less than 10,000 internships. The stipend is so low that 90% of the youth refused," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said. "Modi ji has no new idea left now. The youth will not get employment from this government, they will only get jumlas," Gandhi said. The former Congress president also shared the screenshot of his question in the Lok Sabha last month and the answer by the Minister of State in the Corporate Affairs Ministry Harsh Malhotra. On July 1, 2025, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Modi had approved the scheme aimed at incentivising job creation in the country. In his address, Modi said that under this scheme the youth getting first job in the private sector will get ₹15,000 and the companies (employing them) will get incentive amounts. With an outlay of ₹99,446 crore, the PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana aims to incentivise the creation of more than 3.5 crore jobs over two years. Of these, 1.92 crore beneficiaries will be first timers, entering the workforce. The benefits of the scheme would be applicable to jobs created between August 1, 2025, and July 31, 2027.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store