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Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
SFJ threatens CM Mann; Khalistani graffiti found on Punjab MLA's house
Bhagwant Mann (File photo) BATHINDA: Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a US-based Khalistani outfit, has emailed several media persons threatening "political death" for Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann from Aug 31 - the day then Punjab CM Beant Singh was assassinated. Earlier, Sikhs for Justice chief and designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun had openly threatened to kill Mann and the Punjab DGP on Republic Day. In a related incident, pro-Khalistani graffiti was found painted on Mehal Kalan MLA Kulwant Pandori's house in Pandori village in Barnala Friday morning. The same threatening slogan was also found near the village bus stand. Officials later spray-painted the graffiti black to obscure it. "CCTV footage shows two men arriving on a motorbike around 3am on Aug 15. They painted the slogans quickly. A police complaint has already been filed," the MLA said. TNN
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Police book immigration firm owners for cheating, illegal ops
1 2 Chandigarh: The UT police booked the owners and employees of two separate immigration firms for running their offices illegally and duping a person on the pretext of sending him abroad. Police registered two separate FIRs and started a probe. In his complaint to Sector 34 police station, Chetan, a resident of Nada village, Mohali, alleged that Beant Singh of Can Visa Consultancy, Sector 34, cheated him of Rs 50,000 on the pretext of providing a tourist visa to Canada. However, after taking the money, the alleged person neither provided a visa nor returned the money to the complainant. On his complaint, Sector 34 police registered a case against Beant Singh and started a probe. In a separate case, Sector 17 police arrested Pardeep Kumar, a resident of Ropar, Punjab, for allegedly running an immigration office in Sector 17, Chandigarh, without a valid licence. Sector 17 police registered a case against Pardeep Kumar and arrested him. Later, the accused was released on bail. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Indian Express
07-08-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Calls for boycotting Bihar polls: You can't win if you don't play
In the festival of democracy that elections represent, participation is both a right and a responsibility. Yet, from time to time, political actors withdraw from this arena, hoping that their absence will make a louder statement than their presence. The tactic of boycotting elections — either by political parties or segments of the electorate — has become a recurring feature across democracies, old and new. But history offers a sobering lesson: Election boycotts rarely succeed. Instead, they often backfire, weakening opposition forces and strengthening incumbents. Calls for boycotting the upcoming elections in Bihar have gained ground in recent weeks, driven by serious apprehensions about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) ordered by the Election Commission (EC). Critics allege that the SIR is being used as a tool for mass deletion of voter names, disproportionately affecting the poor, minorities and migrants. Reports of a lack of transparency in verification processes have fuelled public distrust. While concerns about electoral integrity must be addressed seriously — and urgently — by the EC, the call for a boycott as a political response deserves deeper scrutiny. History offers a cautionary tale from our own region: Bangladesh, 2014. That year, the country's largest opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), boycotted the general elections, demanding that the ruling Awami League hand over power to a neutral caretaker government for the conduct of polls. Their fears were not unfounded — there were legitimate concerns about state capture and political persecution. But in choosing to boycott, the BNP ended up vacating the entire field. As a result, 153 of the 300 parliamentary seats were won uncontested, mostly by the ruling party and its allies. I was in Dhaka soon after. Ironically, many observers told me that had the BNP not boycotted, they were actually winning. Their boycott gifted the ruling party a walkover and left them politically marginalised for years. India, too, has witnessed its share of election boycotts — Punjab's 1992 assembly elections, for example. With the Shiromani Akali Dal boycotting, turnout plunged to as low as 13 per cent in some districts, and Beant Singh won on the votes of a tiny fraction of the electorate. The boycott handed Congress an easy victory and left democracy poorer for the lack of real competition. There have been many other boycotts, though often from non-mainstream or separatist quarters. In Jammu and Kashmir, separatist groups have historically called for poll boycotts, arguing that participation would lend legitimacy to Indian governance. Yet, elections were conducted regardless of turnout, and governments formed. In some instances, low turnout allowed particular parties to win with wafer-thin mandates, undermining broader representation. In central India, Left-wing extremist groups have regularly used violence and intimidation to enforce poll boycotts. But the EC, committed to protecting the democratic right to vote, has pushed back — with security deployments, special polling booths, and remarkable logistical efforts. The message has been consistent: Democracy will not be held hostage to boycott threats. Globally, too, boycotts have fared poorly. Venezuela offers a textbook warning: In 2005, the opposition boycotted and the ruling alliance took every National Assembly seat; in 2018, a partial boycott helped Nicolas Maduro secure reelection amid ~46 per cent turnout; and in 2020, another opposition boycott saw ~31 per cent turnout and delivered the government a supermajority. In Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai's withdrawal from the 2008 runoff allowed Robert Mugabe to claim victory unopposed. International criticism followed, but in vain. Serbia in 2000 proved the opposite. By contesting and then mobilising against fraud, the opposition toppled Slobodan Miloševic. Had they boycotted, he would have claimed victory uncontested, as in Venezuela 2005. But such outcomes are exceptions, not the rule. More often, a boycott becomes a symbolic gesture — loud in rhetoric but empty in consequence. In India, the Constitution does not provide for invalidation of elections due to boycotts or low voter turnout. The EC is duty-bound to conduct polls as per schedule and to declare winners based on the votes polled. A boycott, therefore, does not halt the process — it simply ensures a walkover. This is why the call to boycott elections in Bihar, in response to the SIR controversy, must be reconsidered. Yes, the SIR process must be subjected to robust scrutiny. The EC must remove all doubts of every party and civil society to ensure transparency in deletions and provide effective grievance redress mechanisms. Civil society, media, and courts must remain vigilant. But the electoral arena should not be abandoned. To vacate the field is to forfeit the fight. Let us not forget that in a democracy, absence is not protest — it is abdication. Equally self-defeating is the Opposition's habit of boycotting Parliament. While walkouts and prolonged disruptions are sometimes intended as symbolic protest, their practical effect is to gift the ruling party a free hand to pass crucial legislation without scrutiny or debate. In India, several landmark laws — from the farm bills in 2020 to key constitutional amendments in earlier years — were pushed through in near-empty Houses as Opposition MPs staged walkouts. In Bangladesh, the opposition's long parliamentary boycotts in the 1990s and 2000s allowed the government to legislate virtually unopposed. Pakistan offers similar lessons: Opposition boycotts of the National Assembly, most recently in 2022 after the change in government, enabled the Treasury benches to pass finance bills and controversial amendments with minimal challenge. Such tactics may momentarily grab headlines, but they deprive citizens of robust debate, weaken legislative oversight, and ultimately erode the very democracy the opposition claims to defend. Democracy thrives on participation, vigilance, and constructive engagement. Whether in elections or in Parliament, the opposition's role is to challenge, question, and hold the government to account. Boycotts may offer an outlet for anger and frustration, but they also abandon the very platforms where battles for accountability are meant to be fought. History shows that the most effective Opposition leaders have been those who stayed in the arena, however hostile, and used the tools of democracy to expose wrongs, build public opinion, and win people's trust. By walking away, the Opposition concedes both the space and the narrative to its adversaries — a political blunder from which recovery can take years, if not decades. Remember, an empty Opposition bench is the ruling party's dream and democracy's nightmare. The writer is former Chief Election Commissioner of India and author of An Undocumented Wonder: The Making of the Great Indian Election
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Cong united in Punjab, set to return in 2027: Warring
Ludhiana: Punjab Congress president and Ludhiana MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring Sunday asserted and reaffirmed that Congress was united in Punjab and was set to return to power in 2027. Addressing 'Save the Constitution' rallies in Gill and Payal assembly segments, the PCC chief also called for radical police reforms to fix responsibility and accountability over the registration of fake FIRs. Expressing grave concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, Warring said that gangsters have created an atmosphere of fear like the one that prevailed during the height of terrorism in Punjab. He said ransom calls became routine, and helpless people were forced to pay ransom money and did not even dare to complain. Praising the former chief minister Beant Singh, who belonged to Payal, Warring said, "The happy and prosperous Punjab that we all see today was restored by Beant Singh by his blood. Punjab can never forget his great sacrifice." He pointed out how Congress led by Beant Singh came forward to fight the elections in 1992, while the Akalis ran away. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo "While some ran away to America and Canada, others hid behind the bars," he said, adding how so many Congress leaders and workers paid with their lives. On the drug menace in Punjab, he said there is no magic wand to deal with it instantly. He underlined the need to provide jobs to youth, which can act as a great antidote against drugs. He said there is a huge number of vacancies which the AAP govt is not filling as it doesn't have money to pay salaries. Warring suggested exploring the option of providing legalised and regulated traditional stuff like opium and poppy husk, which are less harmful than synthetic drugs. He quoted the example of Canada where cannabis was legalised in 2017. Congress general secretary and former deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa lashed out at the BJP for spreading disinformation. He challenged the party to list one achievement during or after the freedom struggle of the country. He said the Congress does not need any certificate from BJP, Akali Dal, or the Aam Aadmi Party. Randhawa warned the govt against its attempts to acquire about one lakh acres of land, saying it will destroy Punjab's economy. He said this amounts to stopping the income of farmers worth Rs 50,000 crore. Among those present on the occasion were AICC Secretary Ravinder Dalvi, Dr Amar Singh, Tej Prakash, Capt Sandeep Sandhu, Gurkirat Singh Kotli, Kuldeep Singh Vaid, Lakhbir Singh Lakha, and others.
Hindustan Times
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Mohali court acquits BKI chief Hawara in arms case
A Mohali court on Monday acquitted Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) chief Jagtar Singh Hawara of charges related to arms and explosives. Currently serving a life sentence in the then chief minister Beant Singh assassination case, Hawara, who is lodged in Mandoli Jail of Delhi, was presented before the court via videoconferencing. The case was registered under the Arms and Explosives Act by the Kharar police in 2020. In August 2023, the court had framed charges against him under Section 120-B of the IPC, Section 25 of the Arms Act, read with 120-B, and Sections 4 and 5 of the Explosives Act, also read with 120-B. His counsel, advocate Jaspal Singh Manjhpur, said, 'The case was baseless. The police failed to substantiate their claims. Out of the 32 cases registered against him, this was the final one to go to trial. With this acquittal, Hawara is now legally entitled to apply for parole.' Earlier, Hawara's physical production in the court was deferred after a response from the additional superintendent of Mandoli Jail, Delhi, stated that Hawara was classified as a 'high-risk prisoner' and could not be physically produced before the court. On Monday, Hawara was again produced via videoconferencing. The court subsequently informed jail authorities of his acquittal, said advocate Manjhpur. The case registered in Kharar had mentioned that weapons and explosives recovered were planted by Hawara. In January 2024, a local court discharged him in another case registered at the Sohana police station in Mohali, citing insufficient evidence to support charges under the Explosives Act and criminal conspiracy. Hawara has also expressed his desire to be transferred to a jail in Punjab. He has filed a petition in the Supreme Court, asserting that he is a convicted prisoner, and that no criminal case is currently registered against him in Delhi. Since he is serving a life sentence in a case originating from Punjab, he has requested that he be lodged in a jail there. A native of Fatehgarh Sahib district in Punjab, Hawara was arrested on September 21, 1995, and was later convicted for the assassination of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. Since his arrest, he has remained continuously in custody and has now been in jail for over 29 years.
