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Tejashwi Yadav or Rahul Gandhi? Chirag Paswan says his biggest rival is...

Tejashwi Yadav or Rahul Gandhi? Chirag Paswan says his biggest rival is...

India Todaya day ago
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan launched a sharp attack on the opposition amid the ongoing uproar in Parliament over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.In an exclusive interview with India Today, Paswan questioned the opposition's intent, accusing them of stalling proceedings over an issue that fell outside the ambit of the government.advertisementON BIHAR ROLL REVISION"The House has been held hostage over an issue where the government has no authority to respond. How can Parliament hold a discussion on a matter involving the Election Commission, which is a constitutionally independent body? Who is expected to answer from the government? Ask Rahul ji, who will respond? Will the Election Commission come to the House and reply? Under which minister does the Election Commission fall that the government should be answerable?" Paswan asked.
Calling out the opposition's double standards, Paswan said their position on the matter lacked consistency."The opposition only wants to create a ruckus. It was the opposition that raised the SIR issue in the first place. They claimed there was malpractice in Maharashtra. Now, when the Election Commission is removing duplicate voters based on their concerns, they still have a problem. Names of dead voters are still on the rolls. Infiltrators who are not citizens are also listed as voters. That's why the list is being updated. It's a good move. If infiltrators enter the country, that's wrong," he said.ON OPERATION SINDOOR DISCUSSIONOn the demand for a discussion on Operation Sindoor and US President Donald Trump's claims that he helped broker the ceasefire with Pakistan, Paswan dismissed it as "political noise"."They only want to create a ruckus. They are only concerned about what the President of another country is saying about Operation Sindoor," he remarked.Paswan also responded to the controversy surrounding Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar. "Some issues should be kept away from politicisation. Today, the opposition is suddenly showing love for him. These are the same people who had brought a no-confidence motion against him, and now they are pretending to be the most sympathetic. Their double standards are clearly visible," he said.CHIRAG PASWAN ON HIS BIGGEST RIVALWhen asked about his biggest political rival - Tejashwi Yadav, Prashant Kishor, or Rahul Gandhi - Paswan struck a composed tone."My history has been marked by internal family disputes. I have love and respect for Pasupati Paras. My fight is over policies, not personal issues. I have never made personal comments on anyone, and I never will. The dignity of my words doesn't allow me to," he said.Paswan ended with a direct challenge to the opposition leadership. "I want to ask my younger brother (Tejashwi), what is your vision? I have a vision, the NDA government has an agenda, and we work together on it. What is your vision? What is the vision of Congress? What is the vision of the RJD?"- EndsMust Watch
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Just 50 air-launched weapons pulverised Pak, says IAF vice-chief
Just 50 air-launched weapons pulverised Pak, says IAF vice-chief

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Just 50 air-launched weapons pulverised Pak, says IAF vice-chief

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Poll panel appoints secretary general of RS as returning officer for election of VP
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Ceasefire With Pakistan Was Bilateral Decision, MEA Tells Parliament, Rejects Trump's Claims
Ceasefire With Pakistan Was Bilateral Decision, MEA Tells Parliament, Rejects Trump's Claims

News18

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Ceasefire With Pakistan Was Bilateral Decision, MEA Tells Parliament, Rejects Trump's Claims

Last Updated: Minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh categorically denied any US role in facilitating the ceasefire Amid claims by US President Donald Trump that he was solely responsible for brokering peace between India and Pakistan, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) has clarified in Parliament that the ceasefire agreement of May 10 was entirely a bilateral decision reached after direct military-level talks initiated by Pakistan. Responding to a series of pointed questions from Congress MP Mohammed Javed, TMC MP Mala Roy, and others, the MEA laid out a detailed timeline of events. It stated that by May 8, India had successfully achieved its primary military objectives, including dismantling terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. From April 22 to May 10, Indian diplomats engaged in consultations with several global partners, including the United States. However, India consistently communicated that its actions were strategic, deliberate, and aimed at avoiding unnecessary escalation. Crucially, on May 9, Indian officials informed US Vice President JD Vance that any large-scale retaliation from Pakistan would be met with a firm and decisive Indian response. In Parliament, minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh categorically denied any US role in facilitating the ceasefire. He dismissed Trump's repeated assertions as baseless, including the claim that India's restraint was influenced by prospective trade deals with the US. Singh underlined that India's position on Kashmir remains unchanged—that it is a bilateral issue not open to third-party mediation, a message also conveyed to the United States President. The clarification comes after Trump, in numerous public appearances and campaign events in the US, claimed credit for 'bringing peace" to South Asia. He suggested his intervention helped prevent war and hinted that trade negotiations may have influenced India's decision to de-escalate. These claims ignited a political debate within India. Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, questioned whether India's strategic autonomy had been compromised. In response, external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar firmly rejected the allegations and reiterated that India's military and diplomatic decisions were entirely self-driven. The ceasefire came after Operation Sindoor, India's swift military response targeting terror infrastructure across the LoC and deep inside PoJK, following the Pahalgam terror attack. The government has emphasised that the ceasefire was declared only after its objectives were met, and not due to any external pressures. view comments First Published: July 26, 2025, 04:04 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

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