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Hindustan Times
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Protest will pressurise Centre for statehood restoration: Khera
Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera on Sunday joined the J&K Congress hunger strike in Srinagar and said that the protest was aimed to build pressure on the central government for restoration of statehood. Congress leader Pawan Khera during a chain hunger strike called by the party's Jammu and Kashmir unit, in Srinagar, on Sunday. (PTI) Khera, who is chairman of Congress's media & publicity department, said that they didn't trust the promises made by central leadership. 'We believe in the power of people. We believe in our party's history and its power. Even the British had come under pressure from our party. And in front of the people's power, kings and dictators come crashing down to the ground. This protest will obviously create pressure and they will have to return this right of the 1.4 crore people of Jammu and Kashmir,' he said. As part of its series of protests which started last month on July 19, J&K Congress started a hunger strike from Saturday till August 20 seeking the restoration of statehood. On the launch of the hunger strike, J&K Congress president Tariq Hamid Karra said that this strike was aimed to push the government to listen to the wishes of 1.4 crore people of J&K. 'August 9 coincides with Quit India Movement, which had started in 1942 in the AICC session of Maharashtra on the call of Gandhi ji and keeping that in mind, we have started a hunger strike which will be observed across J&K in all districts till August 20. It is being done so that the emotions and desires of 1.4 crore people of J&K reach this blind and deaf government,' Karra said. On July 17, Lok Sabha leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had written to PM Modi to introduce a bill in the ongoing monsoon session to restore J&K's statehood. The J&K Congress then started its protest campaign on July 19 followed by a demonstration on the first day of the monsoon session in Delhi. On August 5, the party observed a 'black day' in protest against the revocation of J&K's statehood. Khera said that RSS would even consider the protests for freedom from the British futile when people were fighting the British. He said that when the statehood was revoked 5-6 years ago many promises were made. 'We were promised that terrorism will be eradicated, some 5 years ago. Many promises were made on demonetisation. Don't trust their promises. The rulers sitting in Delhi don't know how to run the government. They only know word play. Everyday there is new drama and new 'mann ki baat'. The Prime Minister doesn't know how to run the government,' he said. On why their alliance partner National Conference didn't join the protest, Khera said: 'It is our party's program. It is in our manifesto and we are fulfilling that. And whoever wants to join, the doors are open.' He said that the elected government of the union territory doesn't have enough powers. 'This is an incomplete government. It doesn't have powers. More powers are with LG. In a UT system, there are many compulsions. Efforts are more, compulsions are more, one's hands and feet are tied and still one has to move forward,' he said.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Centre has failed to curb terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir: Pawan Khera
Congress leader Pawan Khera on Sunday (August 10, 2025) accused the BJP-led Centre of not being able to curb terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and instead indulging in "jugglery of words". Participating in a chain hunger strike called by the Pradesh Congress Committee to demand Jammu and Kashmir's statehood restoration, Mr. Khera was replying to a question on the ongoing anti-terror operation in Kulgam. "In 2016, we were promised that terrorism would end after demonetisation. Do not go by their promises... they do not know how to run the government. They only know the jugglery of words," Mr. Khera told reporters in Srinagar. "There will be a new drama every day to divert our and your attention. The reality is that the PM is neither able to run the government now, nor will he be able to in future," Mr. Khera told reporters in Srinagar. At least two army personnel were killed while nine were injured in an encounter in the Akhal forest area of Kulgam, which entered its 10th day on Sunday (August 10, 2025) as security forces tried to squeeze the cordon around the terrorists. Two terrorists have also been killed in the operation launched on August 1. Mr. Khera said more powers reside with the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir than with the elected government. 'If the UT set up continues, there are too many compulsions. One has to work very hard as the hands are tied,' he said. Asked about the killing of the Pahalgam attackers in an encounter with security forces, Mr. Khera said the government should tell the nation how the attackers came in. "They have been killed is a different thing, but how did they come? Tell us that. And how many more are still around?" he said. When asked about the steep hike in tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Indian goods, Mr. Khera said President Donald Trump thinks that India is a weak country. "He looks at Modi and thinks that Modi is India. India is way bigger than Modi; it is a power. If anyone has shown the true power of India to the U.S., it was Indira Gandhi in 1971. Trump should understand that India's power is a different thing, and Modi is the PM. There have been several PMs before him and there will be more after him," he said. The Congress leader said the foreign policy of the present government was a failure, as no nation publicly supported India after the Pahalgam attack or during Operation Sindoor. "Tell me one nation that stood by India and said 'Pakistan did wrong'... If your neighbours, like Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, are against you, what kind of foreign policy is that? There are two superpowers right now — America and China. Both are working against you, and Pakistan is taking advantage of both," he said.
Time of India
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
CAG report hints at major financial scam: Cong
Patna: Congress leader Pawan Khera, citing CAG report, on Wednesday alleged a major financial scam in Bihar. Addressing a press conference here, Khera, chairman of media and publicity department, alleged nearly one-third of Bihar's total budget, around Rs 70,000 crore, "disappeared" which could have been used for various developmental projects in the state. He alleged dilapidated bridges and govt buildings in Bihar point towards this scam. "This is probably the first time that any ruling regime failed to submit utilisation certificates of Rs 70,000 crore," Khera said, adding, "The CAG found that the Bihar govt has no record of where these funds were spent." Furthermore, the NDA govt in Bihar did not even utilise Rs 3,59,667 crore from the allocated budget over the past five years, he said. "Nearly 40% of this unspent amount was for centrally sponsored schemes aimed at social welfare," he said.
Time of India
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Congress alleges major financial scam in state
Patna: Congress leader Pawan Khera, citing CAG report, on Wednesday alleged a major financial scam in Bihar. Addressing a press conference here, Khera, chairman of media and publicity department, alleged nearly one-third of Bihar's total budget, around Rs 70,000 crore, "disappeared" which could have been used for various developmental projects in the state. He alleged dilapidated bridges and govt buildings in Bihar point towards this scam. "This is probably the first time that any ruling regime failed to submit utilisation certificates of Rs 70,000 crore," Khera said, adding, "The CAG found that the Bihar govt has no record of where these funds were spent." Furthermore, the NDA govt in Bihar did not even utilise Rs 3,59,667 crore from the allocated budget over the past five years, he said. "Nearly 40% of this unspent amount was for centrally sponsored schemes aimed at social welfare," he said.
India Gazette
13-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Institutional apathy, criminal complicity": Pawan Khera slams "Double Engine Sarkar" on Balasore self-immolation case
New Delhi [India], July 13 (ANI): Congress leader Pawan Khera on Sunday slammed the 'Double Engine Sarkar' highlighting the institutional apathy and criminal complicity after a young woman in Odisha was driven to self-immolation facing relentless sexual harassment by her college Head of Department (HoD). He said that despite her repeated pleas for help, including to the Principal, Internal Complaints Committee, and even the Chief Minister and Education Minister on social media, her complaints fell on deaf ears. A student of the Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Odisha's Balasore was admitted to the AIIMS Bhubaneswar hospital on July 12 after she allegedly self-immolated. Khera stressed that the victim's complaints were ignored, and even a BJP MP's demand for the HoD's suspension was brushed aside by the college Principal. 'A BJP MP had demanded the HoD's suspension but even he was brushed aside - by the college Principal. As such, it is safe to call the Double Engine Sarkar a cruel joke. Because it does not even empower a local MP from the ruling party enough to prevail over a college Principal in a matter so crucial and sensitive', Pawan Khera's 'X' post read. BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi on Saturday informed that he was told about the matter by the woman and her friends, following which he spoke to the college principal and the Superintendent of Police of Balasore. Sarangi said that the woman had attempted suicide before as well, and when he heard the news, the BJP MP said he called the college principal, but there was no response. 'It is a national tragedy that a young woman in Odisha was forced to set herself on fire after facing relentless sexual harassment by her college HoD. She pleaded for help - informally to the Principal, formally to the Internal Complaints Committee, and publicly to the CM and Education Minister on social media. Yet, her complaints went unheard', Pawan Khera wrote on 'X'. Pawan Khera termed the incident a 'criminal complicity' and demanded strict action against the accused, HoD, and others involved in the Balasore self-immolation case. 'This is institutional apathy but even more, it is criminal complicity. The culprit, HoD must face the law for driving a woman to self-immolation, but the Principal and the ICC must also be held accountable - not merely for negligence, but for abutment', Khera wrote on 'X'. Pawan Khera claimed that the victim was an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad office bearer in a BJP ruled state and mentioned that if this is the 'fate' of their 'own woman' what can ordinary women do with no access to networks of power. 'Notably, the victim was an ABVP office bearer in a BJP-ruled state. If this is the fate of their own, what can ordinary women - with no access to networks of power - in Odisha, and beyond, possibly expect?', Khera added. Earlier today AIIMS Bhubaneswar, Director Dr Ashutosh Biswas assured that the medical team is providing the best possible care to the patient of the Balasore self-immolation case. The student was admitted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar with severe burns, covering almost 90-95% of her body. She is currently on a ventilator in the ICU, and her condition is critical. 'Yesterday, we received the patient in critical condition. The patient is on a ventilator in the ICU. She has almost 90-95 per cent burns. The patient is critical, we are trying our best. We are providing the best possible care to the patient. A committee has been formed to look after various aspects, multi-disciplinary critical care...,' Dr Biswas told ANI. Balasore Police on Saturday arrested the accused in the FM (Auto) College female student self-immolation attempt case and produced her before the court. Meanwhile, the Odisha government have formed a committee to conduct a thorough inquiry into the alleged harassment case against Samira Kumar Sahu, Assistant Professor at FM Auto College, who has been arrested following the suicide attempt by a female student of the college on July 12. (ANI)
