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Indian Express
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘You are a comedy piece': Courtroom drama between Madras High Court judge, advocate who accused him of casteism
In a dramatic culmination of courtroom tension, the Madras High Court on Monday referred to the Chief Justice a contentious matter involving contempt allegations against Advocate S Vanchinathan, who had earlier accused Justice G R Swaminathan of caste and communal bias in his judicial conduct. The Division Bench of Justices Swaminathan and K Rajasekar, which had summoned the lawyer for an in-person explanation, declared that it would no longer proceed with the matter and, instead, directed the Registry to place the entire record before the Chief Justice. 'This matter may now be placed before the Hon'ble Chief Justice,' Justice Swaminathan said toward the end of the hearing, acknowledging repeated concerns over conflict of interest, including appeals from eight retired judges of the Madras High Court who had earlier urged the Bench to step back. Vanchinathan, a practising advocate and human rights activist based in Madurai, appeared in court on Monday in response to a summons issued on July 24. The court had sought a direct answer from him on whether he stood by his remarks in various media interviews and social media posts, where he allegedly accused Justice Swaminathan of favouring advocates from Brahmin backgrounds and targeting lawyers from Scheduled Caste communities. The Bench had asked, 'Do you continue to maintain your allegation that one of us is casteist in the discharge of judicial functions?' Vanchinathan declined to answer orally and requested that the court put its question in writing. In response, the Bench issued a formal questionnaire and posted the matter for July 28 — the day's hearing that eventually ended with the matter being transferred. On Monday, Justice Swaminathan asked Vanchinathan in open court regarding the allegations and also over what he described as a sustained smear campaign. 'For four years, you have been slandering me. We are also conscious of the rules of procedure. We are not fools,' the judge said. 'We will not be intimidated or cowed down. Judicial independence is supreme.' At one point during the hearing, he said, 'You are a comedy piece. I don't know who called you all revolutionaries. You are all comedy pieces.' While the court maintained that it had not officially initiated contempt proceedings, it observed that the line between criticism of judgments and personal attacks had been crossed. '(It is) most unfortunate that some retired judges are rendering opinions while the matter is pending before us,' Justice Swaminathan said. The Bench claimed that the proceedings against Vanchinathan 'have nothing to do' with the complaint he filed with the Chief Justice of India. The court said that its action was only a response to Vanchinathan's recent media interviews and online posts, which it said cast aspersions on the judge's integrity. The Bench also described Vanchinathan's recent public meeting and comments as 'tentatively amounting to contempt', though it stopped short of initiating any formal action, noting again that the matter was now being left to the discretion of the Chief Justice. Several advocates staged a demonstration in support of Vanchinathan, demanding that the contempt matter be dropped.
News18
2 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Caste At The Core? BJP Weighs Brahmin, OBC Faces For Party's UP Chief Post
The Uttar Pradesh BJP unit has formally submitted a shortlist of six contenders to the central leadership — two Brahmins, two OBCs, and two Dalits. Who will steer the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India's most decisive political battlefield? As the BJP prepares to appoint a new Uttar Pradesh chief from a shortlist of six names, Brahmins and OBCs have emerged frontrunners in the decision that could define the party's strategy for the 2027 assembly polls. The Uttar Pradesh BJP unit has formally submitted a shortlist of six contenders to the central leadership — two Brahmins, two OBCs, and two Dalits. Sources say the high command is actively evaluating the names, with a decision likely in the next two weeks, possibly earlier. The new state chief will replace Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, a Jat leader from western UP, who has been in office since 2022. Chaudhary's tenure, while focused on consolidating Jat and non-Yadav OBC support, saw the BJP suffer unexpected losses in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, prompting an urgent rethink at the organisational level. Why Caste Math Matters Caste arithmetic is at the heart of the BJP's deliberations. While explaining the importance of caste equations in UP, Shashikant Pandey, head department of political science, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, and a political expert said Uttar Pradesh has always been a political chessboard where social equations can make or break electoral fortunes. 'The BJP's setback in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, where the Samajwadi Party surged to the forefront, has heightened the need for a new strategy. Discontent among Brahmins, combined with a shifting OBC vote bank, is forcing the BJP to carefully weigh its next move," points out Pandey. The leaders close to the decision-making process admit that the new president must bridge both gaps while ensuring cohesion with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's leadership. A Decade-Long Trend Since 2014, the BJP has alternated between Brahmin and OBC leaders to maintain balance among its support bases. In 2014, Laxmikant Bajpai, a Brahmin, headed the state unit as the BJP swept the Lok Sabha elections. Keshav Prasad Maurya, a Maurya OBC, was appointed in 2016 and led the party into its massive 2017 assembly win. Mahendra Nath Pandey, a Brahmin, guided the 2019 general election campaign, while Swatantra Dev Singh, a Kurmi OBC, took the reins for the 2022 assembly elections. Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, a Jat, followed, but his tenure coincided with the party's disappointing 2024 Lok Sabha performance. The Brahmin Option Harish Dwivedi, a two-term MP from Basti, is emerging as the strongest Brahmin contender. Though he lost his seat in 2024, Dwivedi remains well-regarded for his organisational skills and close ties with the BJP's central leadership. Having earlier led the state's youth wing and held responsibilities as in-charge of Assam, Dwivedi is also considered close to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. His elevation would aim to address murmurs of discontent among Brahmins while injecting youth and energy into the state leadership. The OBC Contenders Among OBC aspirants, Union Minister of State BL Verma is being seen as a safe and steady choice. A long-time associate of the late Kalyan Singh, Verma is praised for his low-profile style and RSS roots. His appointment would strengthen the BJP's hold on non-Yadav OBCs, a crucial bloc to counter the SP's growing influence. Also in contention is Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, a prominent Maurya OBC leader who earlier served as UP BJP president during the 2017 landslide. Maurya is known for his connect with party workers and for asserting that the 'organisation is bigger than the government." While speculation persists about his dissatisfaction with his current role, his caste base and proven record make him a formidable candidate. Other Names in Circulation The shortlist also includes Dinesh Sharma, a Brahmin leader and former Deputy Chief Minister with strong RSS backing; Ram Shankar Katheria, a Dalit leader and former Union minister known for his Hindutva credentials; and Vidya Sagar Sonkar, a Dalit MLC recognised for his loyalty and quiet organisational work. However, party insiders suggest the real contest lies between the Brahmin and OBC candidates, with Dalit contenders unlikely to be favoured this time. A Crucial Call for the BJP The senior BJP political analysts in UP said that for the BJP, the choice of its new UP chief is about more than balancing caste equations. The leader will need to energise the cadre, reconnect with communities drifting away, and complement Yogi Adityanath's leadership without overshadowing him. 'We are looking for someone who is acceptable to both the organisation and the communities that form our backbone," a senior BJP leader said. 'This decision will set the stage for 2027." First Published: 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.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Key factors for next UP BJP chief: Caste, cadre, chemistry with CM
Lucknow: The much-anticipated appointment of the new UP BJP chief will be done after factoring in a slew of key parameters, including caste of the candidate, and whether he/she belongs to original cadre (the one having a robust backing of the RSS and associated with the party for at least 10-15 years). Besides, deft organisational skills and having a seamless coordination with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are the other important factors. This is learnt to have been the high point of the recent discussions between the state leadership and the party's high command even as the BJP gears up for future electoral battles, including the 2026 panchayat polls and subsequently the 2027 UP assembly elections. The caste of the new UP BJP president, sources said, was indeed one the crucial factors which the party sought to examine in a bid to blunt opposition's aggressive charge – especially Samajwadi Party's Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak (PDA) poll narrative which is said to have dented the saffron outfit in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, sinking its tally from 62 to 33 in UP. As a matter of fact, the names of at least seven leaders – including three from the OBC community, two Dalit and two Brahmins – have been doing the rounds for the past many days. Among the OBC leaders which have emerged are Union minister BL Verma and two UP ministers: Swatantra Dev Singh and Dharampal Singh. Likewise, among Dalits, the party was considering the names of MLC Vidhya Sagar Sonkar and former MP Ram Shankar Katheria. BJP sources do not rule out the possibility of picking up a Brahmin for the top job. Not surprisingly, the names of former deputy CM Dinesh Sharma and former MP from Basti, Harish Dwivedi were doing the rounds. Sources said that the party planned hoisting an original cadre -- having a strong affiliation with the RSS -- as the new state chief to boost the morale of `mool karyakarta'. Sources said that the party wanted to give weightage to a leader who has been associated with the BJP well prior to its meteoric rise under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi since 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The insistence on a candidate with "original cadre" credentials, experts said, signalled BJP's desire for ideological purity and grassroots commitment. It also underscores the party's dependence on RSS's organizational machinery. Similarly, the 15-year affiliation with the party could potentially act as a litmus test for loyalty and an insider's understanding of the party's ideological ethos. The BJP, sources said, is zeroing in on a leader who could manage multiple fronts simultaneously: internal factionalism, alliance dynamics and voter outreach, essentially in the rural and semi-urban precincts. Sources said that the party preferred a leader who had a strong ground-level connection to energize booth-level workers and mobilize them for future campaigns. Coordination with the Yogi Adityanath-led government was another crucial factor which the party aimed to prioritize before finalising the name of the new state president. This, analysts said, would also help in ensuring policy synergy between the government and the party. Analysts said that Yogi was not just the administrative face of the state but also a powerful political force in his own right. BJP sources said that the party was in no mood to create any misaligned power centre to avoid a clash of authority in the state. "The party looked for someone who could complement rather than compete with Adityanath," a senior BJP leader said.
The Wire
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Telangana BJP's Internal Rivalry Subsides but Larger Issue of One-Upmanship Remains
Politics Talking to The Wire, new Telangana BJP president Ramchander Rao dismissed the conflict between Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Eatala Rajender as minor. Hyderabad: After a meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on July 24, the newly elected BJP president of Telangana N. Ramchander Rao announced here on July 25 that the controversy surrounding a tussle between two of the party MPs from the state – Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Eatala Rajender – had ended. The former is also the Union minister of state for home. The issue had threatened to snowball into another major embarrassment for the party on the heels of Ramchander Rao's election as the state president a fortnight ago. Rao stole a march in the election ahead of all other aspirants at a juncture when the backward classes card is ruling the roost in state politics, especially with the decision of the Congress government to extend 42% reservation for the backward classes in the upcoming local body elections. Rao's election was marred by one more controversy. MLA T. Raja Singh quit primary membership of the party after he failed to get approval to enter the contest for presidentship. His resignation was readily accepted by the central committee of the party. He too belonged to a community which is listed among OBCs in parts of the country. Talking to The Wire, Rao dismissed the conflict between Sanjay and Rajender as minor and something which could be erased. But, he admitted that this was the first time a rupture in party has been visible to the public. He was evasive to a question on whether the party would seek the disqualification of Raja Singh as a member of the assembly upon his resignation from party. A rivalry unlike any seen in BJP before Bandi Sanjay and Rajender were among a handful of backward class leaders of the party who nursed ambitions for the party president's post but the national leadership gunned for Ramchander Rao, a Brahmin. Sanjay had already served one term as BJP state president a few years ago. Telangana BJP leaders Bandi Sanjay Kumar (L) and Etela Raja (R). Photo: X/@bandisanjay_bjp; Facebook/EatalaRajenderOfficial Sanjay and Rajender had common roots in Huzurabad assembly constituency which was part of Karimnagar Lok Sabha seat represented by the former. Rajender was MLA of the assembly segment for 20 years until his defeat in the last elections. He, however, won the parliament elections within six months last year from far off Malkajgiri, abutting the state capital. On a routine visit to Huzurabad for a bicycle distribution programme, Sanjay made light of the resignation of one of Rajender's supporters as the party in-charge of the assembly constituency. Hinting at Rajender, he said that no one was above the party and that every BJP leader has won their seat thanks to the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rajender shot back at Sanjay, asking him to identify who backed him for him to be able to speak this way. Between the two is the race for domination in Huzurabad. While Sanjay was a two-time MP of Karimnagar parliamentary constituency, including Huzurabad, Rajender considers himself invincible in the segment, with a large following, although he no longer enjoys political ground there. The sense seems to be that Sanjay has scuttled Rajender's reach in the segment. Rajender was already simmering with discontent at being sidelined in the party after a hype was created that he could be the backward class chief ministerial candidate. When he joined the BJP after quitting the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) in 2021, his followers claimed that he was even being considered for a junior Union minister's post. But he was not even considered as minister after his election to the Lok Sabha. The elevation of Ramchander Rao as state president must have been heartburn for Rajender in these circumstances. At the same time, Sanjay has been projecting himself as a frontrunner for the post when Rao's term expires in 2028, months before the next assembly elections. Sanjay was relieved as the state BJP president ahead of the last assembly elections and hopes to make a comeback now. Several believe that the BJP is likely to go with a backward class leader closer to election time. Eatala Rajender. Photo: X (Twitter)/@Eatala_Rajender Rajender's party presidentship ambitions have baffled leaders in the party as its constitution does not permit anyone to assume office without a minimum of 10 years as ordinary members. They should hold active membership at least three times, translating to six years of service in that capacity. Active membership is given to those who enrol a minimum of 50 ordinary members. Rajender does not fulfil either conditions as he joined the party only four years ago. The BJP leadership in Telangana has had a tough time in convincing its MPs, MLAs and MLCs on various issues since a majority of them joined from other parties. Barring Sanjay and Union coal minister G. Kishan Reddy, the remaining six MPs are newcomers. All of them have a sound track record in electoral politics. In fact, Rajender and another MP, D.K. Aruna, have also served as ministers. Similarly, all but one of the eight MLAs and all three MLCs are also from other parties. Ramchander Rao who was MLC five years ago, is someone who fits the BJP's criteria. Rao had a four-decade association with BJP, rising from the ranks of the RSS student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. There were other home grown leaders like former MLAs M. Dharma Rao and Chintala Ramachandra Reddy, but they were sidestepped. The aspiration for the BJP's state president had soared among backward class leaders with the government's reservation move. The state unit of the BJP has also supported the quota but stopped short of taking up the 42% demand with the national leadership. Two Bills – one on education and employment and the other on local bodies – passed by the assembly seeking relaxation of the 50% ceiling on reservations are pending with the Union government. If the demand is met, the reservations for backward classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will go up to 63%. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Lalu Prasad forms new RJD team ahead of Bihar polls, focuses on caste balance
PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad on Saturday formed a new team, keeping caste and community equations in mind ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly elections scheduled for October-November this year. Lalu appointed four vice-presidents, including his wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi, and former state party president Jagadanand Singh. The team also includes 12 general secretaries and 10 secretaries, with clear attention paid to the traditional support bases of the party. Of the 27-member team, seven are from the Yadav community, including Lalu and Rabri. Significant representation has also been given to castes and communities that have supported Lalu and the RJD since the Janata Dal era. However, there are only three leaders from the general castes—two from the Rajput caste and one from the Bhumihar caste. Notably, no Brahmin leader has been included. Among Dalits, the Ravidas or Chamar communities have been given greater prominence.
