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India Gazette
30-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"What BJP says and does are two different things": Manickam Tagore on probe committee into Kolkata gangrape case
New Delhi [India], June 30 (ANI): Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Monday hit out at the BJP after the party formed a probe committee into the alleged Kolkata gangrape case and said that while crimes against women must be strongly condemned and no government should overlook them, the BJP should also turn its attention to similar incidents reported from states governed by the party. The Congress MP said that 'What the BJP says and does are two different things,' while referring to the proceedings in the Gujarat Bilkis Bano case. 'Whenever something happens in Bengal, the BJP shows a lot of interest. The attacks on women are condemnable, and we should not let any government ignore them. But the BJP should also focus on Odisha. There have been gangrapes there, and similar incidents against women are happening in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. What is their government doing in those places?' Tagore told ANI. Taking a swipe at the BJP, Tagore said the party's response amounted to mere 'lip service' aimed at publicity, and that there is often a stark contrast between what the BJP says and what it actually does. The Congress MP attacked the BJP over the Bilkis Bano Case in which all 11 convicts in the case were granted remission by the Gujarat government and released on August 15, 2022. 'The BJP's lip service may be for PR events, but we must understand that what the BJP says and what it does are two different things because in Gujarat, the BJP was the only party that welcomed a rapist with garlands and flowers,' Tagore further said. Reacting to the same, Congress leader Pawan Khera earlier said that problems are not solved by ignoring a rape in BJP ruled state and considering rape in non BJP ruled state as a bigger thing. Speaking to ANI, Khera said, 'Definitely it is a law and order issue. It's the issue pertaining to the way our society is, the way we raise male children. I mean, these are questions that governments alone can't address. But all of us need to address, put our heads together and discuss some solutions instead of saying rape in Hathras is fine to be ignored but a rape in Kolkata is a bigger thing. A rape in Odisha should be ignored because it's a BJP rule state but in Kathua not only rape should be ignored but a rapist should be celebrated. In Bilkis Bano case you garland those who raped her. This is not the way you solve problems.' The committee, formed on June 28, includes former Union Minister and ex-police officer, Mumbai, Satpal Singh; Meenakshi Lekhi, former Union Minister; Biplab Kumar Deb, Member of Lok Sabha; and Manan Kumar Mishra, Rajya Sabha Member. The panel is tasked with visiting the incident site and submitting its probe report to party had strongly condemned the crime and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. On June 25, a female student was allegedly gang-raped inside the South Calcutta Law College in Kolkata's Kasba area. The police have arrested four persons, including the main accused Manojit Mishra, and formed a five-member Special team to investigate the incident. The police have arrested three persons, including the main accused, and a five-member Special team has been formed to investigate the incident. The main accused, Manojit Mishra, and his accomplices, Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay, have been remanded to police custody till July 1. (ANI)
The Print
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The Print
JNUSU presidential debate sees fierce political divides, shared condemnation of Pahalgam attack
The Election Committee called for a moment of silence to honour those killed in the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. Soon after, speeches resumed with strong ideological messaging from across the political spectrum with candidates clashing over campus politics and national issues. The debate Wednesday night, held at the red-and-white pavilion near Ganga hostel, stretched into the early hours and drew large crowds from across Delhi. The air pulsed with sloganeering and the beat of drums, as student groups waved banners and flags—Palestinian and Israeli alike—transforming the campus stage into a microcosm of broader geopolitical and ideological strife. New Delhi: Candidates from various student outfits unanimously condemned the Pahalgam terror attack at the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) presidential debate, before diving into heated clashes over campus issues, national politics, and global affairs. Shikha Swaraj, the presidential candidate from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), linked the Pahalgam attack to what she described as 'the rotten ideology of the Leftist'. She criticised both emerging Left formations on the campus—the Left-Ambedkarite front, Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association (BAPSA), the All India Students' Federation (AISF), and the Progressive Students' Association (PSA) coalition against All India Students' Association–Democratic Students' Front (DSF) alliance—and called for their defeat. 'JNU has completed 56 years, and this debate is historic because we are exposing these Left groups, who are already divided,' she said. Ahead of this year's JNUSU elections, the Students' Federation of India (SFI)-All India Students' Association (AISA) alliance split last week. AISA has teamed up with DSF, while SFI has formed a new 'Left-Ambedkarite' front with BAPSA, AISF and PSA. In stark contrast, Tayyaba Ahmed, representing the Left-Ambedkarite front, had to push through significant disruptions during her speech. As she took the stage, ABVP supporters intensified their protests, banging on drums that overpowered the usual dhaplis used at student gatherings. She accused the ABVP of glorifying individuals convicted in the Bilkis Bano case and referred to a 2018 sexual harassment case involving a JNU professor. 'These are the people who garland the convicted rapists of Bilkis Bano. They roam around with someone accused of harassment,' she added, calling the ABVP as the 'Akhil Bhartiya Harassment Parishad'. Nitish Kumar, contesting the election on behalf of the AISA-DSF alliance, began his speech with condolences for those affected by the Pahalgam attack. However, he quickly pivoted to critique the BJP-led central government, warning against the politicisation of such tragedies for communal gain. 'If the BJP uses this incident to spread communalism, JNU will resist,' he asserted. He also spoke about the recent suspension of elections following violent clashes allegedly involving ABVP members, likening the situation to the controversial Chandigarh mayoral polls, tainted by allegations of malpractice. Reaffirming JNU's legacy of resistance, he declared, 'JNU will not bow down'. Pradeep Dhaka, the NSUI candidate, chose to broaden the scope of the debate beyond campus and national politics. He expressed solidarity with global struggles for justice, naming oppressed communities in Yemen, Palestine, and China's Uyghur region as examples. Condemning the Pahalgam attack, Dhaka used the moment to question the ideological alignment of the ABVP with the RSS, the ideological parent of the BJP. Holding aloft a copy of the Indian Constitution, he said, 'This country runs on the constitution, not the Politburo of Nagpur,' a reference to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur. JNU students will cast their votes on 25 April, with the results scheduled to be announced on 28 April. (Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri) Also read: Arunachal's Yari Nayam is in JNUSU fray to script history. Her rallying cry: 'We exist, we matter'
The Hindu
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Promises, disruptions and debate: JNUSU presidential candidates face-off
Jhelum lawn in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) turned into a battleground on Wednesday night, as 13 candidates vying for the JNUSU president's post faced off in a debate ahead of the upcoming polls. The debate, a mandatory part of the poll process, began with a tribute to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. Candidates discussed topics such as the Hathras and Bilkis Bano rape cases and promises of minority reservations and better infrastructure. This year, the United Left has been split into two blocs. While the Congress-backed National Students' Union of India (NSUI) vowed to uphold constitutional values, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) candidate Shikha Swaraj took a dig at the fractured Left groups, quipping, 'Tukde-tukde gang abhi tukde mein bate hue hai (The tukde-tukde gang is now in pieces).' Many speakers faced disruptions from the audience. Left-Ambedkarite Unity Panel candidate Tayyaba Ahmed's speech faced the most backlash for attacking the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, parent body of ABVP, prompting Election Committee chairperson Vikash to say the debate would be paused if the audience did not calm down. Polling is on Friday and the results will be declared on April 28.
