"Nitish Kumar's government is a failure, public should remove it in polls": UP Congress chief Ajay Rai
'There is 'Jungle Raaj' in Bihar just like Uttar Pradesh. His son was murdered a few years ago. This government under Nitish Kumar is a failure and Bihar's public should remove it in polls,' Ajay Rai told ANI.
Amid a political row sparked over the murder of a businessman, Gopal Khemka, in Patna's Gandhi Maidan area, BJP leader Tarun Chugh said that the NDA government in Bihar, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is committed to maintaining law and order.
His remarks follow the incident where businessman Gopal Khemka was shot dead near the main gate of his residence in Patna's Gandhi Maidan area.
Chugh added that the culprits of the case will not be spared.'The NDA government, led by Nitish Kumar, is committed to maintaining law and order there. No guilty person will be spared...' the BJP leader told ANI.
Chugh targeted the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), saying, '... Even today, some people are running the jungle raj that was operated by Lalu Prasad Yadav. This will not be tolerated. Whenever Bihar is mentioned, the people of Bihar tremble, remembering the corruption and jungle raj run by Lalu Yadav.'
The murder of the businessman has evoked sharp political reactions from the opposition parties and put the spotlight back on the law and order situation in the State, which is going to the polls in the next few months. (ANI)
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Hindustan Times
18 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Mahayuti leaders welcome Malegaon blast verdict, slam Congress for coining term ‘saffron terror'
Mumbai: Leaders of the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra welcomed a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court's decision on Thursday to acquit all seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis slamming the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for allegedly coining the term 'saffron terrorism'. As soon as the verdict was out, Fadnavis posted his reaction on social media: 'Terrorism was never saffron, is not, and never will be!' (PTI) The Congress, meanwhile, alleged that the investigation was botched due to political pressure. Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal also asked the Mahayuti government if it would approach a higher court to challenge the Malegaon verdict, just like it did recently when the Bombay High Court acquitted all 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case. Thursday's verdict was delivered nearly 17 years after a bomb strapped to a motorcycle exploded near a mosque in the communally sensitive town of Malegaon in Nashik district in September 2008, killing six people and injuring over 100. Seven people were charged in the case, including Thakur and Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, a serving Army officer at the time. However, the court acquitted them after flagging several loopholes in the prosecution's case, saying there was no 'reliable and cogent' evidence to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. As soon as the verdict was out, Fadnavis posted his reaction on social media: 'Terrorism was never saffron, is not, and never will be!' Later, speaking to reporters, Fadnavis said the Congress-led UPA government at the time was responsible for the entire case, alleging it was a conspiracy to create the narrative of 'Hindu terrorism' as a counter to Islamic terrorism, which had been globally recognised after the 9/11 terror attacks. 'More than the police, the then UPA government was responsible for the case. They had conspired to appease a certain community and extremist ideology. The court verdict has exposed the conspiracy, and the entire country is now condemning it. Congress leaders must now publicly apologise to Hindus for defaming them by associating them with so-called saffron terrorism and the conspiracy to coin a new term—Hindu or saffron terrorism,' he said. Fadnavis added that his government will look into the details of the verdict, checking what exactly the court has brought on record. A decision over the next course of action would be taken after this, he added. Senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar also blamed the previous Congress-led government for the bungled investigation, saying, 'The ruling parties at the time tried to indict innocent people in the case to appease certain communities. There was a political motive behind it, as was said after the case was registered. The verdict has ratified the doubt raised.' Shiv Sena president and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde alleged that using the term 'saffron terrorism' was part of the Congress's conspiracy to defame the Hindu community. 'Hindus can never engage in anti-national activities, because patriotism is a sacred duty for those who follow Hinduism. The absurd term 'Hindu terrorism' was coined by conspiratorial Congress leaders. What answer do they have now for such blatant falsehoods?' he said. Adding that the court's verdict has ended a dark chapter, he said, 'The stigma on the Hindu community has been wiped off. The slogan 'Garv se kaho hum Hindu hain' (Say with pride we are Hindus) will now resonate across the country with a hundredfold louder voice. Truth may be troubled, but can never be defeated.' The Congress hit back at the Mahayuti, with state party chief Sapkal saying that terrorism has no religion or colour, and the state government should ensure justice is delivered in the case. 'As soon as the verdict of the 2006 [Mumbai train] bomb blasts was announced, the state government challenged it in the Supreme Court. Will the state government show the same will in this case, as both were acts of terrorism and the perpetrators of the cases should face justice,' he said, adding that the state government should not be double-faced. The 12 acquitted accused in the train blasts case were all Muslims. Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, 'These people even view terrorism through a political lens. Those associated with the BJP and RSS had, for their political gain, labelled martyr Hemant Karkare a traitor. Wasn't it the same political mindset that led to [special public prosecutor] Rohini Salian being asked to take a lenient stand against the accused and slow down the investigation? Witnesses were enticed with offers. A witness like Randhir Singh was even given a ministerial position in Jharkhand.' Karkare, the former chief of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), led the team that initially investigated the blast and arrested 11 suspects, including Thakur and Purohit. He was killed in action during the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Sawant also said that the central government should express sorrow that individuals responsible for such a major terrorist incident are now roaming free. 'Honestly, this verdict did not come as a surprise because the NIA had already given them a clean chit. The government should consider renaming this investigative agency the NaMo Investigation Agency,' he said. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant said the fact that the investigation agencies had failed to gather evidence properly and the real culprits were still not known was a serious matter. 'The remarks by the court, which said there is no evidence, was a serious matter. If there was no evidence against Sadhvi Pragya and others, why did they suffer all these years? It was an injustice to them. But the incident took place, so someone must be involved in it. Who are they? Why can't investigation agencies catch them?' he said. Former MP Imtiyaz Jalil from the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, meanwhile, maintained that the blast was aimed at 'creating communal division' in the country. 'An Army officer and a religious figure were accused in the case, which was being investigated by one of the finest officers, Hemant Karkare. The BJP has tried to derive political advantage from the case,' he said.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Mamata Banerjee hikes Durga Puja grant to Rs 1.10 lakh, slams BJP over criticism
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced an increase in the state government's financial grant to Durga Puja committees, raising it from Rs 85,000 to Rs 1.10 lakh. The announcement came during her address at a coordination meeting with Puja organisers in Kolkata, ahead of the festive 45,000 Durga Puja committees are registered across the state and will benefit from the increased grant, pushing the total estimated expenditure to over Rs 400 crore this year — a significant rise from last year's Rs 340 addressing the gathering, Banerjee defended the government's support for Durga Puja, taking a pointed dig at the opposition, particularly the BJP. 'Few people say Mamata didi doesn't allow Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja. They don't know these are regular affairs in households across Bengal,' she said. 'Some go to court and ask why we help those doing Puja. It's because so many people's bread and butter is involved with this.'The BJP, which has consistently opposed the grant, reiterated its criticism following the announcement. Senior BJP leader Rahul Sinha called the grant a misuse of public funds. 'This is a burden on taxpayers as the money is coming from the government exchequer. Why doesn't Mamata Banerjee give the grant from the Trinamool fund or from her own pocket?' he said, accusing the Chief Minister of attempting to woo Hindu voters ahead of elections by funding Durga Puja and planning the construction of a Jagannath temple in addition to the grant hike, Banerjee instructed the state administration to enhance infrastructure and public services during the Puja period. 'Public announcement systems should be placed inside and outside pandals. The Transport Department must increase the frequency of buses and I will ask Metro authorities to run services continuously. We will also speak with the Railways to ensure more local trains are available,' she Puja immersions are scheduled for October 2, 3, and 4. The Chief Minister assured that police and administrative authorities will manage law and order throughout the celebrations.- EndsMust Watch
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
No evidence: All 7 acquitted in '08 Malegaon blast case
A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Thursday acquitted all the seven people charged in connection with a bomb blast in Maharashtra's Malegaon town in 2008, saying the evidence against them did not inspire confidence and that it would be unsafe to base convictions on these grounds. Former BJP MP Pragya Thakur, one of the seven acquitted in the case (PTI) The high-profile order – which came nearly 17 years after six people were killed and 95 injured in the blast during the last namaz of the day at a public compound on September 29, 2008 – cleared former Bharatiya Janata Party lawmaker Pragya Singh Thakur, 55, and Lt. Col Prasad Purohit, 53, who was an officer with the Indian army. 'Terror has no religion, as no religion promotes violence,' said special NIA judge AK Lahoti while pronouncing the acquittal. The five others who were exonerated, beside Thakur and Purohit, were retired army officer Ramesh Shivaji Upadhyay, 73, Pune-based businessman Samir Sharad Kulkarni, 53, Purohit's purported close associates Ajay Eknath Rahirkar, 56, and Sudhakar Omkarnath Chaturvedi, 53, and Sudharkar Dhar Dwivedi, also known as Swami Amritananda Devtirth, 56, a self-proclaimed Shankaracharya. 'Mere suspicion cannot take the place of real proof,' the court said, adding that in the absence of any evidence, the accused persons deserve the benefit of doubt. In its order, the trial court said there was no evidence to show that Purohit had brought the RDX from Kashmir as claimed in the charge sheet. The court also found no evidence to prove that the bomb strapped to a motorcycle and seized from the spot belonged to Thakur. 'The sadhvi had become a sanyasi (ascetic) two years before the incident, and had distanced herself from all material possessions,' the court said while explaining why the two-wheeler's ownership could not be attributed to the former MP from Bhopal. The accused thanked Lahoti and their lawyers, and Thakur said that she was able to survive the ordeal only because she was a 'sanyasi' (ascetic). 'This is not my victory. This is no individual's victory. This is the victory of bhagwa (saffron), bhagwan (god) and Hindutva,' she said after the court explained the verdict in Hindi. Advocate Shahid Nadeem, who represented the blast victims, accused NIA of not prioritising their concerns, and said they would file an appeal in the high court after reviewing the judgment. The politically sensitive case was part of a larger bouquet of terror incidents in the late 2000s dubbed by investigating agencies at the time as 'saffron terror' cases. Almost every one of those cases – including the 2007 Samjhauta Express blasts, the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast and the 2007 Ajmer Sharif bombing – have since collapsed in court. The verdict also sparked a political controversy with the BJP demanding an apology from the Congress, which was in power at the Centre and in the state when the blasts and the prosecution began. Two RDX bombs strapped to the seat of an LML Freedom motorcycle went off during the 'eesha namaz' at 9.35pm on September 29, 2008 in the Muslim-dominated town, roughly 200km from Mumbai. Six died and 95 were injured. This was the second terror attack in Malegaon. On September 8, 2006, on the day of Shab-e-Baraat, four bombs had gone off at the crowded Hamidia mosque complex killing 31 and injuring 312 others. The blast was investigated by two different agencies – first by the Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) and then by the NIA from 2011. According to the ATS, the blast was the handiwork of an extreme Right-wing group led by Purohit, Upadhyay and Dwivedi. In its charge sheet, the agency claimed that Purohit, who at the time served in the Indian Army's Military Intelligence unit, had in February 2007 formed Abhinav Bharat, an organisation with an intention to convert India into a Hindu rashtra named Aryavart. It also arrested Thakur, a native of Lahar in the Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh, and two others in October 2008, alleging that the motorcycle belonged to her. On January 20, 2009, the ATS arrested 11 people and filed a charge sheet, invoking the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). In April 2011, the case was transferred to NIA, a specialised federal agency established after the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Throughout this time, the accused alleged that the ATS case was fabricated and their statements were coerced after torture. In May 2016, NIA filed a supplementary charge sheet, exonerating Thakur and five other accused, and recommending their discharge from the case. NIA also dropped MCOCA charges against all the accused, citing its questionable application by the ATS. The court order on Thursday junked the ATS's argument, holding that the charge of the conspiracy being hatched at meetings of Abhinav Bharat could not be proved as the witnesses had turned hostile. Forty prosecution witnesses turned hostile during the trial. 'Key witnesses pertaining to the conspiracy have not supported the prosecution,' said the special judge. The court said the material from the blast spot was collected in the absence of experts. The court also disregarded the charge that Abhinav Bharat had collected funds from the public and used it to further its illegal activities. 'It is true that Purohit was the trustee and (Ajay) Rahirkar was its treasurer. But the evidence on record shows that Purohit had used the funds for his personal work like construction of a house, payment of insurance premium etc. There is no evidence to show that the funds were used for terror activities and therefore UAPA was not applicable,' the court said, and further stated that invalid and defective sections of the UAPA had been applied in the case. After the verdict was read out, celebrations broke out at the neighbourhoods of Thakur and Purohit. The BJP hailed the decision. 'The court verdict has exposed the conspiracy with supporting evidence. Congress leaders must now publicly apologise to Hindus for defaming them by associating them with so-called saffron terrorism,' said chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The Congress criticised the BJP. 'They (the BJP) polarise everything, there was no good prosecution, good evidence was not collected, how should this matter be let go?' asked Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
