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Hindustan Times
14 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Sule criticises Maharashtra govt over rise in crime, alleges ₹4,900 cr scam in Ladki Bahin scheme
NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Saturday slammed the BJP-led Mahayuti government for failing to address the rising crime rate in Maharashtra, accusing it of being a mute spectator as miscreants had no fear of the law. Supriya Sule said parts of the state, including Pune and Beed districts, have witnessed a steady surge in crimes.(ANI Twitter) Speaking to reporters here, the Baramati MP claimed that a ₹4,900 crore scam had taken place in the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yogana, the government's flagship scheme that provides a monthly assistance of ₹1,500 to women. She said parts of the state, including Pune and Beed districts, have witnessed a steady surge in crimes, while the government remains a mute spectator. "People have lost faith in the system. There is no fear of the law. Who is backing these criminals? Instead of looking into these questions, the government chooses to stay silent," she said. Sule criticised the delay in the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the 2022 murder of Parli-based businessman Mahadev Munde. "Only after Munde's wife, Dnyaneshwari, attempted self-immolation and met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, did the government act. We demand a fair and transparent probe by the SIT," she said. Sule also raised concerns about the recent communal unrest at Yavat in Daund tehsil, where groups of persons, angered by a social media post, vandalised and set ablaze properties. "This is a sensitive region. Political leaders and outsiders coming in and inciting unrest are unacceptable. I urge the chief minister and deputy chief ministers to control their people," she said. Sule urged Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, also the guardian minister of Pune, to ensure peace and communal harmony in Daund. "We have deep roots in Daund. Let's not allow outsiders to disturb its social fabric," she said. Maharashtra has become an example of how power and money can derail governance, she claimed. "There is a ₹4,900-crore scam in the Ladki Bahin scheme. Farmers are committing suicide, and yet the government is focused on self-promotion," she alleged. Maharashtra Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare recently admitted that nearly 26.34 lakh ineligible persons, including men, were availing benefits of the Ladki Bahin scheme. On Fadnavis's recent remarks about rising hooliganism in Pune, Sule said, "If you acknowledge there's a law and order issue, what action have you taken? Who is protecting these contractors and gangsters?" She also flagged irregularities in the Election Commission's handling of voter rolls in Bihar, demanding a detailed discussion in the Parliament on electoral transparency and accountability.
The Hindu
16 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Election Commission has become PM Modi's 'puppet': Mallikarjun Kharge
Amid a row over the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday (August 2, 2025) alleged that the Election Commission has become a "puppet" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha also accused PM Modi of seeking to divide society and said he chose to be on a "maun vrat" (vow of silence) on important issues during the auspicious month of Shravan. Addressing the inaugural event of the day-long conference on 'Constitutional Challenges - Perspectives and Pathways', he claimed the Constitution was in danger under PM Modi and the BJP rule, and asserted that it is the duty of every Congress leader and worker to protect it. "We all know that the Constitution of India is not just a legal document, but the soul of our democracy. It grants every Indian the right to justice, freedom, equality and fraternity. "But today, the Constitution is in danger. Leaders in power are talking about changing the Constitution. If the BJP had won 400 seats in the 2024 elections, they would have changed the Constitution. But this is the strength of the country's people, they gave a tight slap on the face of those who were saying '400 paar'," Kharge said. He said it is the achievement of the Congress, credit for which goes to Rahul Gandhi, who "did not abandon the Constitution and launched a campaign to save it". Claiming that 65 lakh voters were being disenfranchised in Bihar under the SIR, he said the EC "wants to take away" the voting rights of all the poor and marginalised and minorities, who would otherwise vote for the Congress as they were "fed up" with the BJP rule. Alleging that voters were "changed" in the Maharashtra Assembly elections and Lok Sabha elections, he said the Congress now has "proof" as Rahul Gandhi also explained how voters were changed in an assembly constituency in Karnataka. He said, "How can there be nine voters in a small room and nine thousand voters in a single hostel in Maharashtra? "Then you should understand this: Is this Election Commission or Modi ji's puppet?" The Congress has also been questioning the turnout figures in the Maharashtra Assembly election last year which was won by the BJP-led alliance. The Election Commission has dismissed allegations of irregularities as "unfounded". The BJP has alleged that the Congress is attacking constitutional bodies as it is unable to accept its successive defeats. At the conference, Mr. Kharge also alleged that discrimination against minorities and Dalits has become a common practice in BJP-ruled states. The Congress chief also accused Prime Minister Modi of trying to polarise society with his statements during the elections. "He always talks about chicken, Mughals, Mangal-sutra in elections and he always talks about dividing the society. The people of the country chose him and elected him to protect the Constitution, but he is working to crush it. "If anyone is crushing the Constitution, it is the Prime Minister and the BJP," he alleged. Taking on the PM, Mr. Kharge said Prime Minister Modi sits in his office after coming to Parliament and does not attend the House. "He watches the proceedings of Parliament on TV there. If you just want to watch the proceedings, come to the House and see it face-to-face. I don't understand what he is afraid of," Mr. Kharge said. Noting that a battle of ideologies is going on in the country, he said while the Congress is protecting the Constitution, the BJP is attacking it. "The soul of India is enshrined in the Constitution. It is the strength of every citizen, their right to move forward and live with dignity. We will protect the Constitution at all costs," he stressed. Claiming that the Opposition's voice was being stifled in Parliament, Mr. Kharge said former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar was used by the government to do that in the Rajya Sabha. He claimed that Mr. Dhankhar would suspend opposition MPs and not allow them to speak, but when he started asserting that he was independent, he was "threatened and pressured". He claimed that when Mr. Dhankhar allowed a notice for the Opposition's motion to remove Justice Yashwant Varma, he was "threatened and pressured" by the government. The Congress president also claimed that people from the BJP said the words 'Socialist and Secular' should be removed from the Preamble of the Constitution, but the BJP has kept the words 'Socialist' and 'Secular' in the party constitution. "People from BJP-RSS cannot remove the words Socialist and Secular, because they do not have the power that the people of this country have," he said. Mr. Kharge said the responsibility of protecting democracy lies with the judiciary, the election commission and the media. But a judge used derogatory words for people of a particular religion and no action was taken against him and the government removed the Chief Justice of India from the process of appointing the Chief Election Commissioner, he said. "In such a situation, this is not democracy, but dictatorship," Mr. Kharge alleged.
Mint
16 minutes ago
- Mint
Israel to intensify Gaza bombing ‘without rest' until hostages are freed, warns their Army chief
Israel's top general has issued a stern warning that military operations in Gaza will intensify 'without rest' if ongoing negotiations fail to quickly secure the release of hostages held in the Palestinian territory. This comes against the backdrop of growing pressure, both internationally and domestically, including from many of the hostages' families to resume efforts to secure a ceasefire in the nearly 22-month conflict, AFP reported. Army chief of staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir conveyed that a critical juncture is approaching regarding the fate of the hostages. "I estimate that in the coming days we will know whether we can reach an agreement for the release of our hostages," said Zamir, according to a military statement, adding, "If not, the combat will continue without rest.' His remarks come as negotiations, mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar to secure a ceasefire, stalled last month, leading to calls within Israel for tougher military action. Footage released by the Israeli military showed Zamir meeting soldiers and officers in a command centre, the news agency reported. Of the 251 individuals abducted during Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, 49 are still believed to be in Gaza, while 27 of them are dead, according to the military. This crisis was amplified this week with the release of two videos by Palestinian armed groups which showed hostages looking emaciated and weak. Aid agencies have meanwhile warned that Gaza's population is facing a catastrophic famine, triggered by Israeli restrictions on aid. However, Zamir rejected these allegations of intentional starvation, the news report said. "The current campaign of false accusations of intentional starvation is a deliberate, timed, and deceitful attempt to accuse the IDF (military), a moral army, of war crimes," he stated, adding, "The ones responsible for the killing and suffering of the residents in the Gaza Strip is Hamas." The conflict has resulted in a significant loss of life on both sides. Hamas's 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to data compiled byAFP. Since the group troops were sent to Gaza, a total of 898 Israeli soldiers have also been killed, according to the military. Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed at least 60,332 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, deemed reliable by the UN.
