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Economic Times
26 minutes ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Not only Bengalis, every citizen has right to go anywhere in India, says economist Amartya Sen
Wading into the political slugfest over the alleged harassment of Bengali migrant workers in other parts of the country, noted economist Amartya Sen said every citizen of India has the freedom to go wherever they want, and any effort to curb that must be objected to. Speaking to reporters at his ancestral home in Santiniketan, Sen said it doesn't matter whether a person is a Bengali, Punjabi or a Marwari, the freedom to go wherever he wants and speak whichever language he wants is his constitutional right. "An Indian citizen has the right of movement in the entire country. There is no mention of territorial rights anywhere in our Constitution," he said."Every citizen of India has the right to be happy. We have to respect everyone...," he said on Thursday, responding to a question from reporters on the issue that has rocked the state. Sen said if Bengalis are being tortured and neglected, it must be objected to. "It is not a question of Bengal alone, but the whole country," he added."The language that was integrated with 'Charyapad' (Bangla), its value must be acknowledged. Various poems have been written in that language. The messages of Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam have been laid out very clearly in their works. These values must be acknowledged," he TMC has been raising its voice over the last one month, alleging that Bengali-speaking people, especially poor Muslim migrant workers, are being harassed in BJP-ruled states and being branded illegal Bangladeshi Minister Mamata Banerjee has led a mega rally in Kolkata over the issue last month, and also started 'Bhasa Andolan', sharpening her attack on the BJP. The BJP, on the other hand, has dismissed the allegations, claiming that the TMC did not think about the welfare of migrant workers over the last 14 years, and was now raising the issue with an eye on next year's assembly elections in the state.
NDTV
29 minutes ago
- Politics
- NDTV
What Mahesh Jethmalani, Pragya Thakur's Ex Lawyer, Said On Malegaon Verdict
New Delhi: After all the seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case -- including BJP leader Pragya Thakur -- were acquitted by a special court on Thursday, senior lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani, who represented Ms Thakur during her early bail proceedings, criticised the foundations of the case. Speaking to NDTV, Mr Jethmalani said that the charges were politically driven, and because of this, a faulty investigation was inevitable. "If you're running a narrative as opposed to embarking upon an investigation for the truth of the matter, you are bound to be conducting a faulty investigation. And therefore, if your motive is political and not to search for the truth, that is what is going to happen, and you had a faulty investigation, and the judge said no evidence at all against these persons. I said that in 2009 itself, when I first took up Sadhvi Pragya's case for bail, I said it was a case completely based on oral evidence. There was nothing at all." Mr Jethmalani told NDTV. The court, presided by Special Judge AK Lahoti, held that the prosecution failed to establish any direct links between the accused and the 2008 Malegaon blast. It found that mere suspicion could not substitute for legal proof in a criminal trial. The court also ruled that the provisions of the stringent UAPA were not applicable in the case. On the question of whether officials responsible for prosecuting the case should now face consequences, Mr Jethmalani pointed the finger at the political establishment. The veteran lawyer laid the blame partly on the UPA-era leadership, accusing it of using investigating agencies to manufacture a narrative of 'Hindu terror'. "If you have a political motive as opposed to a search for truth, if you want to create this 'Hindu', 'saffron' terror theme in a dastardly attack where several innocent people were killed, then that's what's going to happen. You're going to have a false investigation, which a court won't accept," Mr Jethmalani said. "Who are the officials who pushed this case forward?" he asked. "The narrative was set politically, right? And unfortunately, if you're investigating officers in such heinous crimes, then you should really be going for the top people. You'll make a scapegoat out of a few officers who followed a faulty line of investigation. Maybe you should, maybe you will get the truth as to why they did it." Six people were killed in the blast that occurred on the night of September 29 2008, near Bhikku Chowk in the communally tense town, located about 200 km from Mumbai, during the holy month of Ramzan. The acquittals have left the victims' families without closure, and the lack of convictions raises difficult questions. "There is a travesty. It just shows that we have reached a new low in our country, where people are politicising terror. As a result of such politicisation, the real perpetrators behind these dastardly crimes are getting away. Maybe this matter needs to be reinvestigated, but don't forget that these cases were initially handled by the Anti-Terrorist Squad in Maharashtra and then by the NIA. You don't get more prestigious institutions than those. Those are the standards," Mr Jethmalani said. "I've been lamenting the standards in every institution. Did you think you'd see a judiciary where cash was found in such large amounts and in sacks? The whole thing is mind-boggling. Let's face it. People won't say this but our criminal justice system leaves much to be desired. It's in shambles at the moment," he added. In a 500-page judgment, Special Judge Lahoti held that the prosecution failed to prove key claims. While it was established that a bomb blast occurred, the court found no evidence conclusively tying the explosive to the motorbike allegedly owned by Ms Thakur. Nor did the prosecution sufficiently demonstrate the participation of the accused in any conspiracy. The court also awarded compensation to the victims with Rs 2 lakh for the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 for each of the 101 injured.
The Hindu
29 minutes ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
BJP, Sangh Parivar promoting hate and divisive politics for electoral gains: K.C. Venugopal
All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K.C. Venugopal has alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sangh Parivar are 'promoting hate and divisive politics for electoral gains', accusing the Centre of orchestrating a 'political drama' over the arrest and delayed release of two Keralite nuns in Chhattisgarh. Speaking to the media after visiting the family of Sister Vandana Francis at Udayagiri in Kannur, Kerala, on Friday (August 1, 2025), Mr. Venugopal questioned the BJP's 'logic in celebrating the nuns' release after eight days of custody.' 'If BJP leaders in Kerala truly cared, they would have acted on the day of the arrest itself, just as they react when cakes are distributed in Christian homes,' he said. Slams Chhattisgarh government Mr. Venugopal criticised the BJP-led Chhattisgarh government for slapping 'serious charges' such as human trafficking and religious conversion on the nuns, which he claimed were baseless. 'These nuns were entitled to bail on the first day itself. Instead, the BJP government denied them justice and prolonged their custody by pushing for the cases to be transferred to an NIA court,' he said. Alleging that the Sangh Parivar's ideology is 'inherently anti-minority', Mr. Venugopal said this pattern was visible across all BJP-ruled States. 'Even BJP MPs from Chhattisgarh are using provocative language. The Chief Minister is speaking in tone of the Bajrang Dal and all of this is happening with the knowledge of the Central BJP leadership,' he added. He accused BJP leaders in Kerala of engaging in theatrics to woo the Christian community, 'which has always stood for secularism.' 'They will see through the BJP's double standards,' he said, citing previous incidents in Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Chhattisgarh and Odisha as 'examples of targeted action against Christians.' Mr. Venugopal said he had immediately appealed to the Union Home Minister and the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister following the arrests of the nuns and that the Congress had launched strong protests inside and outside Parliament. 'A delegation of MPs was sent to Chhattisgarh. On the direction of the AICC, former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel visited the nuns in jail. Despite all this, the BJP government refused to act,' he said.
India Today
38 minutes ago
- Politics
- India Today
Malegaon blast probe officer ordered RSS chief's arrest: Retired cop's bombshell
A former Maharashtra Police officer who was part of the state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) that probed the 2008 Malegaon blast case has claimed that he was asked to arrest RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in connection with the an exclusive conversation with India Today TV, the retired officer, Mehboob Mujawar, alleged that the directive by the Investigating Officer Paramveer Singh aimed to create the narrative of 'saffron terror' in was directed by Paramveer Singh, and those above him asked me to arrest these individuals --Ram Kalsangra, Sandip Dange, Dilip Patidar, and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. It was beyond my capacity to arrest someone like Mohan Bhagwat, who holds significant influence in Maharashtra," the officer said. Mujawar was speaking after the trial court's verdict on Thursday acquitting all seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, in the blast that killed six and injured over 100. The court underlined the lack of credible evidence, procedural lapses, and unreliable witness testimonies that weakened the prosecution's retired officer alleged that the verdict exposed the "fabricated investigation" conducted by a "fake officer", further claiming that he was falsely implicated by the Investigating Officer for refusing to comply with his unlawful orders."They asked me to file a charge sheet showing dead people as alive. When I refused, the then IPS officer, Paramveer Singh, implicated me in a false case... I protested because I did not want to engage in false work, and as a result, fabricated cases were registered against me. I have been acquitted in all of them," he continued. Nearly 17 years after the blast in Malegaon town in northern Maharashtra, a special court in Mumbai on Thursday acquitted all the seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, noting there was "no reliable and cogent evidence" against ATS, which initially probed the incident, had alleged that the blast was carried out by individuals linked to a right-wing extremist group called 'Abhinav Bharat' and had claimed that the motorcycle used in the blast belonged to Pragya Singh Thakur and that other accused, including Colonel Purohit. It had alleged a larger conspiracy to create communal the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which took over the probe, found major flaws in the ATS investigation and dropped charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), giving a clean chit to some of the trial, which began in 2018, saw over 300 prosecution witnesses, with a significant number turning hostile. The NIA special court acquitted all seven accused, citing a lack of "cogent and reliable evidence" to prove the judge noted that the prosecution had failed to establish that the bomb was fitted on the motorcycle, that the bike belonged to Thakur, or that Purohit had stored or assembled the explosives. The court also observed that "terrorism has no religion" and that a conviction cannot be based on "mere suspicion" or "moral perception."The court has also directed an enquiry into serious allegations against an ATS officer and the submission of allegedly fake medical certificates during the course of the investigation.- EndsTune InMust Watch
Hans India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Saini pays tribute to great revolutionary Udham Singh
Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that the austerity, sacrifice, and courage of the great revo-lutionary Shaheed Udham Singh will always inspire us. He recalled that Udham Singh avenged the Jalli-anwala Bagh massacre by killing General Dyer on foreign soil. This act of bravery remains an everlasting inspiration for the entire nation and a beacon of patriotism. The Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday addressed a public gathering at Sunam, the birthplace of Shaheed Udham Singh, in Punjab. Earlier, the Chief Minister paid floral tributes at Shaheed Udham Singh Memorial. He also planted a sap-ling at the memorial and visited the Udham Singh Museum, where he saw the photographs, letters, and memories associated with the martyr. He recorded his thoughts in the visitor's book. Chief Minister met the family members of Shaheed Udham Singh, accompanied by Sardar Hardayal Singh, who presented him with a memorandum of their demands. Later, the Chief Minister attended a public meeting organized by BJP leader Daaman Bajwa on Sangrur Road, where Punjab BJP leaders gave him a warm welcome. The Chief Minister said that it was an honor to visit the birthplace of Shaheed Udham Singh. He recalled that during the Baisakhi gathering at Jallianwala Bagh, General Dyer ordered the firing on unarmed civil-ians after blocking all exits, leading to the killing of thousands. It was then that Udham Singh vowed not to rest until he avenged the massacre. After 21 years of perseverance, on April 13, 1940, Udham Singh shot General Dyer on British soil, aveng-ing the massacre of April 13, 1919, and ultimately sacrificed his life for the nation. Revolutionary Udham Singh's courage, sacrifice, and determination remain unparalleled. It is because of countless sacrifices by heroes like Udham Singh and Bhagat Singh that we live in a free India today, the Chief Minister said. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to building the India of the martyrs' dreams. We all must work together to realize the vision of the freedom fighters for an independent and prosper-ous nation, he added. Answering a question, he criticized the Punjab government for failing to fulfill the promises made to the people. The government has shown people mere illusions. Just as they misled the people of Delhi, who have now understood their reality, the people of Punjab are also realizing the same, he stated. Meanwhile, Haryana's Minister of State for Sports, Gaurav Gautam, stated that due to the state's excel-lent sports policy and consistent medal wins at national and international events, Haryana has emerged as a leader in Indian sports. Despite representing only 2% of the country's population, Haryana's ath-letes contribute to 60% of India's medal wins at international competitions. Continuing this legacy, the Sports Mahakumbh 2025 will begin in two phases starting August 2, with 15,410 athletes participating in 26 different sports.
