Latest news with #Muslims'
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Revanth Reddy should make way for Ponnam Prabhakar or Mahesh Kumar Goud as CM: BJP president
Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao suggested that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy should quit and hand over the post to his Cabinet colleague Ponnam Prabhakar or PCC President Mahesh Kumar Goud, both of them belonging to the Backward Classes (BCs) if he was really sincere about the BC welfare. In an informal interaction with the media at the State party office on Friday, Mr. Rao 'thanked' Mr. Reddy for making the suggestion of making former Governor Bandaru Dattatreya as the next Vice President and said the party will take a call on that and offered his own piece of advice to the CM. The BJP leader has accused Mr. Reddy of insulting the entire BC community with his comments that Prime Minister Modi belonged to a 'converted BC caste' and wanted to know what religion or caste his (CM) leader Rahul Gandhi belonged to. The Chief Minister should be given a 'Goebbels Prize' for all kinds of propaganda he was indulging in, he said and demanded the Congress first fulfil the promise of 42% quota for the BC in the local body polls by amending Section 285 of the Panchayat Raj Act to make it 'legally strong'. Mr. Rao said the Telangana government caste census cannot be a role model for the country when it had reduced the BCs numbers. It was unfair and outrageous to add 'all the Muslims' in the 10% quota out of the 42% BC quota when only a few castes like 'dudekulas', 'hajis' and 'pakirs' were included in the BC-B category earlier. The Congress government has made only two persons from among BC as Cabinet Ministers whereas the majority of Ministers in the Modi Cabinet belonged to BCs, he said. The BJP chief also dismissed about the internal fights in the party as a 'family' issue and said the Central leadership is seized of the issue. He would soon constitute a new State committee with 20 persons and 33% posts would be given to women. There is no pressure on him about the new party posts and wanted the aspirants to go to the people and fight on public issues.
Hindustan Times
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Hurts Islamic sentiments': BJP slams Akhilesh Yadav's mosque visit. SP chief responds
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday slammed the meeting held by Akhilesh Yadav inside a mosque on the Parliament Street in the national capital. BJP also lodged an objection to Akhilesh's wife Dimple Yadav's attire during the visit.(@MPDharmendraYdv ) BJP Minority Morcha National President Jamal Siddiqui, while condemning the meeting, alleged that there was a 'political meeting' inside the mosque. 'I condemn the way Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav has conducted a meeting in the pious mosque in front of the Parliament,' Siddique told ANI. He further 'condemned' the imam of the mosque, Mohibbullah Nadvi, for letting the visit happened in this way, adding that he was a 'religious teacher and Muslims' representative.' Nadvi is also a member of Samajwadi Party. Siddique also lodged an objection to Akhilesh's wife Dimple Yadav's attire during the visit, saying it hurts religious sentiments of the Muslim community. 'The way Dimple Yadav is sitting with bare back and head against the code of conduct of Mosque, hurts Islamic sentiments worldwide,' the BJP leader said. Demanding action against the SP chief and his wife, Siddique said that they would file an FIR against them. 'This shows Akhilesh Yadav thinks all Islamic religious places are in his pocket...' Siddique said, adding that the BJP and its minority morcha would protest the visit. Siddique also targeted AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. 'Why are so-called representatives of Muslims like Asaduddin Owaisi, hidden now?' he questioned. 'BJP wants people to stay divided': Akhilesh Yadav Responding to the BJP's remarks, Yadav said that 'faith connects' people. 'We stand with any religion or faith that connects people,' Yadav said. 'However, the BJP wants people to stay divided, not united,' he said. He further said that he had 'faith in all faiths', adding that the BJP's 'tool' is religion. Akhilesh's wife Dimple Yadav also refuted allegations of a 'political meeting' inside the mosque, while accusing the BJP of 'misleading' people, according to ANI. 'There was no meeting going on there. BJP's intention has always been to mislead…' Dimple said.
News18
23-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
'He Thinks All Islamic Religious Places Are...': BJP Targets Akhilesh Over Mosque Visit
Last Updated: Akhilesh Yadav's visit to a mosque near Parliament has sparked controversy, with BJP accusing him of holding a meeting inside the mosque. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav's recent visit to a mosque near Parliament has triggered a political storm with the BJP alleging he conducted a meeting inside the religious structure. Akhilesh Yadav was accompanied by his MP wife Dimple Yadav and other party leaders during his visit to the mosque. The row erupted after a picture of their alleged meeting surfaced. Hitting out at Yadav, national president of BJP Minority Morcha Jamal Siddiqui said, 'I condemn the way Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav has conducted a meeting in the pious mosque in front of the Parliament. I also condemn the Imam of the mosque, who is also an SP member, Mohibbullah Nadvi, for the way he let this happen, being a religious teacher and Muslims' representative… " Further, the BJP also accused Dimple Yadav of 'hurting Islamic sentiments worldwide", citing her dress code. The BJP leader sought actions against the SP members and said he would file an FIR in regard to the matter. He also slammed Asaduddin Owaisi for not condemning the SP leaders' actions. 'Why are so-called representatives of Muslims like Asaduddin Owaisi, hidden now?… If this is the way, we will also hold a meeting after prayer on July 25th, starting with the National Song and ending with the National Anthem. This shows Akhilesh Yadav thinks all Islamic religious places are in his pocket… BJP and Minority Morcha will struggle against them," he added. view comments First Published: July 23, 2025, 15:05 IST 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.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
20-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Sequoia partner's social media post on Mamdani sets off chain reaction
Roelof Botha, managing partner at Sequoia Capital, attended the Allen & Company conference in Sun Valley last week amid a storm back home. Attendees repeatedly questioned him about colleague Shaun Maguire's July 4 post on X accusing Zohran Mamdani, a progressive Democrat and NYC mayoral candidate, of pushing an 'Islamist agenda' and being part of a 'culture that lies about everything.' Maguire's remarks were quickly condemned as Islamophobic. Over 1,000 technologists signed an open letter urging Sequoia to take action, while others defended his right to free speech. Botha remained neutral at Sun Valley, but the controversy has thrust Sequoia into a political firestorm it long tried to avoid. For years, Sequoia maintained institutional neutrality while rivals like Andreessen Horowitz and Founders Fund leaned into politics. But as Maguire's inflammatory views — including saying diversity, equity and inclusion 'kills people' — gained attention, that position has become harder to hold. Sequoia, which backed giants like Apple, Google, and Nvidia, has historically let its founders shine while partners stayed low-profile. But with Silicon Valley's evolution, political commentary by investors has become more common. Though Maguire's outspokenness is unusual at Sequoia, it reflects a broader trend seen in figures like Marc Andreessen and Peter Thiel. Sequoia has remained silent on the issue. Internally, senior partner Doug Leone appeared to defend Maguire, distinguishing between 'Islamists' and 'Muslims' in emails. 'Sequoia is backed into a corner and only has bad options,' said Paul Biggar, founder of Tech for Palestine. In a recent video, Maguire reiterated his comments, calling Mamdani 'an Islamist' and 'a wolf in sheep's clothing,' while offering a limited apology to Muslims not aligned with Islamism. Mamdani's campaign didn't comment. Founded in 1972, Sequoia built its reputation on early bets in firms like Cisco, YouTube, and Zoom. But as new investors flooded Silicon Valley, standing out meant being more vocal — including on politics. In recent years, Sequoia partners have broken from tradition: Michael Moritz criticised Trump in 2016, while Leone donated to and later denounced him. Maguire helped secure Sequoia's investment in SpaceX and other Elon Musk ventures. He has over 275,000 followers on X. After Hamas' October 7 attack, Maguire, a self-described 'Jew and a Zionist,' defended Israel and warned of rising antisemitism. Maguire's post on Mamdani came after The New York Times reported that the mayoral hopeful had described himself as 'Asian and African American' on a college application. The backlash included an open letter accusing Maguire of promoting anti-Muslim stereotypes. A counterletter supporting him, signed by Bill Ackman and others, called him a 'principled thinker.' Sequoia partners have tread cautiously. On July 10, partner Pat Grady posted on X, expressing support for both the Muslim community and Maguire, calling Sequoia's culture of 'healthy conflict of ideas.' Now, activists are pressuring Sequoia's financial backers — including major universities — to hold the firm accountable. 'If we're serious about building an inclusive future, it starts with holding power accountable,' the letter said.
Hindustan Times
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
ASP chief Azad seeks Muslims' support for 2027 assembly polls
Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) chief Chandrashekhar Azad on Saturday called upon the Muslim community to support his party in the 2027 UP assembly polls. 'Other opposition parties are playing with the sentiments of Muslims and have cheated them whereas the ASP is fighting for their rights,' he claimed. Chandrashekhar Azad said his Azad Samaj Party was fighting for Muslims' rights. (HT file) Speaking at a Muslim dialogue conference organised at the KGMU convention centre here, Azad said, 'The state government has a problem with Muslims and not with the trouble faced by the common people during the Kanwar Yatra.' 'The devotees move on roads across the state during the month-long Kanwar Yatra. For the administration, it is no problem but when Muslims move on the road to offer namaz during Eid, a police force is deployed to stop them. The BJP government has adopted discriminatory policy toward the Muslims,' Azad alleged. 'The shops belonging to Muslim community are being closed on the Kanwar Yatra route. Muslims are not selling non-vegetarian food, yet they are forced to close their establishments. Even the barber and tea shops belonging to Muslims have been closed. It's against the Constitution,' he further alleged. 'The Muslims are being deprived of their education rights. Their institutions are being demolished and government schools are being merged. The other opposition parties are mere spectators to the atrocities on the Muslims whereas the ASP cadre has hit the streets to fight for their rights,' the Nagina MP claimed. 'The BJP-led NDA government has brought the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 to harass Muslims. Religious freedom is being denied to the Muslim community. The ASP will fight for their rights. The issues of Muslim empowerment and rights will be in the ASP's poll manifesto,' he claimed. 'The Muslim dialogue conference has been started by the ASP across the state to launch the fight for their rights. In the 2027 assembly election, the ASP will distribute tickets on the population formula- 'jiski jitni sankhya bhari uski utni hissedari'. In the upcoming panchayat election, the ASP will distribute tickets on the same formula,' Azad said. 'The ASP will organise Dalit and OBC dialogue conferences in various districts to mobilise their support for the 2027 assembly election. The party has decided to go solo in the assembly election and work on the Dlait-OBC-Muslim formula to unseat the BJP,' he said. 'The BJP is promoting negative politics in Uttar Pradesh as well as in the country. The Muslim community should mobilise its resources to ensure the victory of ASP in the assembly election. The Etawah incident clearly shows that OBCs are being suppressed in the state. Along with Yadav, atrocities are being committed against Lodhi, Kurmi and Sahu communities,' he alleged.
