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India Gazette
15 hours ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
BJP's Dilip Ghosh slams Digvijaya Singh over 'Operation Sindoor' remarks, questions Congress' stand on terror attacks
North 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], June 3 (ANI): BJP leader Dilip Ghosh strongly criticised Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday over his remarks on Operation Sindoor, and questioned the Congress-led governments' actions during terror attacks under former Prime Ministers PV Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh. Speaking to reporters, Ghosh said, 'What was the reaction of the Congress government when Pakistan attacked and shelled during the tenure of former Prime Ministers PV Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh?' Ghosh also took a dig at Digvijaya Singh's past conduct, accusing him of sympathising with terrorists. He alleged that Singh had chosen to ignore the sacrifice of police officer Mohan Sharma, who was killed during an anti-terror operation. 'Digvijaya Singh did not meet the family of police officer Mohan Sharma, killed by terrorists. But he met the family of a terrorist and apologised,' Ghosh said. He further questioned the moral authority of the Congress leader to speak on matters related to national security, asking, 'What will those who support terrorists instead of courageous police officers teach us? His remark came after Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Monday criticised External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar over his recent statement about 'Operation Sindoor', suggesting that the government may have informed Pakistan in advance about targeting terrorist camps. Speaking to ANI, Singh said, 'S Jaishankar is a highly experienced diplomat. His father was a renowned figure and a respected defence analyst. But now, his own statement suggests that they informed them (Pakistan) in advance that they would be targeting terrorist camps. If you've already told the enemy that you're coming to attack, naturally, they will vacate the area. When you warn your enemy beforehand, they will obviously be prepared.' Earlier, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also raised questions regarding the operation. He shared a video on the social media platform X, where Jaishankar is seen speaking to reporters following the inauguration of the Honduras Embassy in Delhi. Gandhi accused the government of serious lapses. In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi wrote, 'Informing Pakistan at the start of our attack was a crime. EAM has publicly admitted that GOI did it. 1. Who authorised it? 2. How many aircraft did our air force lose as a result?' (ANI)
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Diggy sticks to vow, skips stage at Jabalpur rally
Jabalpur: Congress leader and former CM Digvijaya Singh chose not to take the stage at the party's 'Jai Hind Sabha' here on Saturday, sticking to his public vow made a month earlier after a podium scuffle in Gwalior. He remained seated with his supporters in an area designated for senior citizens in front of the stage. During this time, several leaders invited him to come on stage, but he declined their requests with folded hands. Alongside him were Vishnu Shankar Pauranik, the former president of Jabalpur rural Congress, and former MP Rameshwar the event, he was repeatedly invited to come on the stage, but he refused each time. On April 28, Singh declared he would never sit on a stage again after a squabble erupted among INC office bearers in Gwalior over seating arrangements on the podium during Congress' 'Samvidhan Bachao' rally. Singh had said, "This is my prayer to the (Cong) national general secretary, state president, LOP, and the honourable people on the dais. I pray and appeal to you to please end this fight over the stage. I will not sit on the Congress' or any other stage. I will sit down and will request that when the time comes for me to speak, then I be called on the stage."
Indian Express
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Why Opposition ‘full support' to forces differs from reactions post 2016 surgical strikes, 2019 Balakot
SENIOR Cabinet ministers will brief political parties, including key Opposition leaders, Thursday on the strikes carried out by the armed forces on terror camps inside Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Not waiting for that, in the hours following Operation Sindoor, the Opposition – cutting across ideological shades – had declared it was in sync with the government. While the Opposition had earlier too declared unconditional support to the government in whatever actions it took against the perpetrators of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and their handlers, the Congress had flagged the issue of 'security and intelligence lapses' in subsequent days. It had sought fixing of accountability in a time-bound manner, and said it was time 'for demonstrating our collective will as a nation to teach Pakistan a lesson and curb terrorism decisively'. On Wednesday, the mood was clearly different, with the Congress and other Opposition parties attaching no riders to their support for the government. They were also fulsome in their praise of the armed forces. Cut to 2019. A day after the Balakot airstrikes in February, in the wake of the Pulwama bombing and amidst the Lok Sabha election campaign, 21 Opposition parties put out a joint statement saying they were 'anguished' over the 'blatant politicisation' of the sacrifices of armed forces (40 security personnel were killed in the terror attack) by the ruling BJP. Some days later, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh drew backlash for himself and the party for demanding that the Modi government give 'evidence' of the damage it claimed to have caused to Pakistan with its air strikes in Balakot. The BJP had flagged such 'anti-national' remarks during its Lok Sabha poll campaign, which is believed to have hurt the Congress. The BJP's aggressive response then showed it had sharpened its knives since 2016, when the Opposition had raised questions regarding the Modi government's 'surgical strikes' on terrorist launchpads across the Line of Control for 'lack of details'. The strikes then were in response to a terror attack at a Uri military camp on September 18, leaving 19 dead. A day after it carried out the surgical strikes on the night of September 28-29, 2016, in response to Uri, the Modi government had briefed an all-party meeting. Then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had personally driven down to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who had been staying away from public events after hospitalisation. While the government gave few operational details, besides saying the Army operations took place at two points across Kupwara and Poonch, Sonia said in a statement after the meeting that the party 'stands with the government', and called the strikes a 'strong message that conveys our country's resolve to prevent further infiltration and attacks on our security forces and our people'. Rahul tweeted: 'All of us stand firmly united against terrorism and those who support and sponsor it. The Congress Party and I salute the Indian Army and our jawans.' However, days later, Rahul accused PM Modi of 'playing politics over the blood of jawans'. After he came under attack, he tweeted: 'I fully support surgical strikes and I have said so unequivocally. But I will not support using the Indian Army in political posters and propaganda all across the country.' Rahul's stand drew fire from not just the BJP, but also the Aam Aadmi Party. Arvind Kejriwal said Rahul should not have used words like 'dalali', and the times called for everyone to stand united. 'I strongly condemn what Rahul Gandhi said about our jawans,' the AAP convenor said. At a press conference, then BJP president Amit Shah said: 'Some parties tried to question the surgical strikes, some even raised doubts. I condemn all those who have insulted our Indian Armed Forces.' Cut to Wednesday. Soon after the government came out with details of Operation Sindoor, the Congress wasted no time in convening a meeting of its available CWC members, to ensure that there was no confusion over the party line. 'We discussed… full support to our forces, best wishes to them, much love to them, complete support from the Congress party,' Rahul said, making a delicate distinction between the government and the armed forces in his praise – as did other parties in the course of the day. The Congress also announced it was pausing all its political programmes, including its Samvidhan Bachao rallies, for the time being, on a suggestion by AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. A post on the 'X' handle of the Karnataka Congress, earlier in the day, was deleted, replaced with a post lauding the armed forces. The earlier post said: 'The most powerful weapon of mankind is peace – Mahatma Gandhi'. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said he had spoken to Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and assured them his party's full support. Most of the leaders did not even wait for the official briefing to congratulate the forces. 'We are extremely proud of our Indian armed forces who have stuck terror camps in Pakistan and PoK… Since the day of the Pahalgam Terror Attack, the Congress has categorically stood with the armed forces and the Government to take any decisive action against cross border terror… Our leaders have shown… in the past that national interest is supreme for us,' Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said in an early morning social media post. 'Proud of our armed forces. Jai Hind,' said Rahul soon after. ' Tamil Nadu stands with the Indian Army against terrorism. With our Army, for our nation,' Chief Minister and DMK chief M K Stalin, who has had a series of run-ins with the Modi government, posted. Former UPA defence minister A K Antony, who has often been attacked by the Modi government, called Operation Sindoor 'just the beginning'. He said he was certain that the Indian military would move decisively to target terror camps located behind positions held by the Pakistan Army along the border. 'The courage of the Indian Army is the faith of every citizen. We are all together – united against terrorism. Hail India,' AAP leader Kejriwal said. 'The Indian Army has every time protected the wombs of mothers, the wrists of sisters, and the vermillion on their foreheads… If people who foster terrorism attack our unity, integrity and sovereignty then we know how to unite… In this fight… 140 crore Indians are with the Indian Army and the Government,' the RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, facing a tough battle against the BJP in the coming Bihar polls, said. Similar laudatory statements came from the Samajwadi Party 's Akhilesh Yadav, one of the foremost anti-BJP voices, and other Opposition leaders. 'The CPI believes that India had little choice but to respond firmly,' general secretary D Raja said. In unusual praise of the Modi government from a CPI leader, he added: 'The targeted nature of the strikes – avoiding Pakistani military assets and focusing solely on terrorist infrastructure – demonstrates a calibrated and non-escalatory approach, prioritizing accountability without inviting full-scale conflict.' At the same time, he advocated 'pursuing diplomatic avenues to prevent further escalation and preserve peace'.
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Diggy vows to shun podiums after row at Cong Gwalior rally
Bhopal: Former CM Digvijaya Singh on Monday declared he would never sit on a stage again after a squabble erupted among Congress office-bearers in Gwalior over seating arrangements on the podium. The incident occurred during the Congress' Samvidhan Bachao (Save Constitution) rally. Besides Digvijaya, the rally was attended by AICC state in-charge Harish Chaudhary, party state president Jitu Patwari, LOP Umang Singar and AICC social media chief Supriya Shrinate. Also on the dais were AICC co-in-charge Sanjay Dutt, CWC members Kamleshwar Patel and Omkar Markam, former Union minister Arun Yadav and others. However, a squabble ensued between local office-bearers over who would sit with the leaders on the podium. Following this, an irate Digvijaya said he would never sit on any podium again, and would sit with the crowds instead. When he must give a speech, then he may be called on the stage. While addressing the rally, Digvijaya said, "This is my prayer to the national general secretary, state Congress president, LOP and the honorable people on the dais. I pray and appeal to you to please end this fight over the stage. I will not sit on the Congress' or any other stage, I will sit down and will request that when the time comes for me to speak, then I be called. But end this fight over the podium. Those who bring us here get left behind while others occupy the dais. Keep this in mind." The Congress is holding "Samvidhan Bachao" rallies across the country. In Madhya Pradesh , the series of the party's "Save Constitution" rallies kicked off at Gwalior on Monday. The party will hold "Samvidhan Bachao" public meetings to spread awareness among people in the cities, districts and the assembly segments. Speaking at the rally in Gwalior, PCC chief Patwari said, "From the historic land of Gwalior, we are starting a new battle—it is not against the power, but against the thinking that wants to weaken the Constitution. Congress is not fighting just a political battle, but is standing to protect the Constitution, which gives rights to the poor, Dalits, tribals, minorities and women." AICC state party in-charge Chaudhary said, "The Constitution gives us the right to speak, live and contest elections. Today, every right of our citizens is under attack. This rally is not just a political one, but the beginning of social awareness." Shrinate highlighted the failures of BJP's governance and alleged that more than 30,000 govt posts are vacant so that SC, ST and OBC youth do not have to be given reservation. "Appointments are being made through contract and outsourcing. In Madhya Pradesh, BJP leaders torture tribals and Dalit youths are shot at," she alleged. LOP Singhar termed the rally a "citizen's movement". He said, "The Constitution gives you the right to equality, jobs and reservation. But BJP govts are violating your constitutional rights to benefit a few industrialists. More than 70 youth startups have shut down, lakhs of govt posts are vacant because reservations will have to be applied."
New Indian Express
26-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Digvijaya Singh slams tech companies for controlling narratives; spreading disinformation at Bharat Summit 2025
HYDERABAD: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh alleged that the tech companies control global narratives and encroach upon citizens' rights. He noted that the erosion of democratic values due to unchecked disinformation. He said: 'The timing of Bharat Summit is crucial. Today, tech companies control global narratives and encroach upon citizens' rights. I've been a personal victim of deepfakes and fake news. Words I never said were attributed to me. Hatred is being amplified at the click of a button'. The panel discussion on 'Facts vs Fiction: Countering Disinformation' as a part of Bharat Summit 2025, the speakers confronted the growing crisis of misinformation and disinformation in the digital age. CEO and co-founder, Punch Up and WeVis, Thailand Thanisara Ruangdej highlighted the information overload in the digital age and the deliberate weaponisation of fake content by political and geopolitical actors. She emphasised the importance of data analysis and fact-checking to combat such content. Former Member of the European Union Parliament, Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, stressed that 'what is illegal offline must be illegal online', outlining the EU's policies on digital literacy, media regulation and public education. She urged young citizens to critically assess where and how their information is sourced. Matthew William Faulding of Labour Party, UK, shared the UK's experience with AI-generated videos and viral misinformation, noting the real-world impact and emotional harm it can cause. 'Lies travel faster, and fake news can ruin lives,' he warned. Member of the House of Representatives, Malaysia, Ramkarpal Singh announced his country's plans to introduce tighter licensing laws and establish a media council. 'We support strong legal frameworks that do not curb free speech but make stakeholders accountable,' he said. Congress MP Mallu Ravi said that urgent need for digital literacy in schools. He said : 'Just as cigarettes carry a health warning, unverified content should come with disclaimers. Disinformation spreads hate and divides society-we must act before it is too late'.
