Latest news with #anti-Hindutva
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Shiv Sena (UBT)'s condition in Mumbai is dangerous and dilapidated, says BJP MLA Ashish Shelar; welcomes former corporators who join party ahead of BMC polls
Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT)'s condition in the city has become dangerous and dilapidated, said BJP Mumbai president Ashish Shelar as he welcomed two more former corporators, Ishwar Tayade and Akanksha Shete, into the party on Sunday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now BJP has been inducting former elected representatives from opposition parties as it prepares for the local body elections across the state. The BMC elections are also expected in the next four months. Addressing a press conference at the BJP state headquarters, Shelar said in 2017, Shiv Sena (then undivided) had 84 corporators in the BMC and BJP 82. "When former corporators from Andheri East and Malabar Hill joined BJP, we equalled their numbers, and now we have surpassed the Sena (UBT) numbers. Really speaking, we have crossed 100 as several other ex-corporators of previous tenures have also joined BJP," he added. "The Sena (UBT)'s condition has become dangerous because of its anti-Hindu festivals, anti-Hindutva, anti-Mumbaikar, anti-Balasaheb ideology. The party took a stand against all of these issues. It has become dilapidated because no one wants to stay on this ship. Everyone is moving away of their own accord," Shelar said, adding that to stop his party's deterioration, Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is raising the bogey of attempts being made to destroy him and his party. Shelar, who is Bandra (W) MLA, and Mumbai Suburban guardian minister, said BJP did not come into politics to destroy anyone. "Our aim is Mumbai, Mumbaikar, and its development, and there is no compromise on this. Just the other day, Union home minister Amit Shah said for Mumbai and its development, we started projects worth Rs 7 lakh crore. We challenge the Maha Vikas Aghadi to tell what they have done or come for a discussion," he said, adding Act I of the play is done with Tayade and Shetye joining the BJP. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Act II will be enacted soon, and Act III will be the finale, he added. Asked about competition within Mahayuti to serve Mumbaikars, Shelar said, "Competition to serve is good for the city; we are together." He criticised the visit of forest officials to actor Shah Rukh Khan's residence, Mannat, which is undergoing renovations. "Why must forest officials visit the place? If there is a violation, then action must be taken, but no citizen must be unnecessarily harassed," he said.
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- The Hindu
Siraj was under the radar of the intelligence agencies for the last one year
Siraj-Ur-Rehaman who was arrested on Sunday by Vizianagaram police on the charges of making improvised explosive devices and possessing explosive material, was under the scanner of various intelligence agencies including the counter intelligence department of the Andhra Pradesh Police, for the last one year. The 29-year-old B-Tech graduate (Mechanical) was apparently in touch with his handler who operates from a country in the Middle East, for the past one year, through various social media accounts. As per the initial investigation he was under the process of making a low-intensity IED with the use of potassium nitrate, ammonia and sulphur. It was his handler who was teaching him in the making of the IEDs, which could be remotely operated. As per sources in the police, he was being instructed and coached in making the IED through videos through social media by his handler and the device that was allegedly in his possession was a 'Test model'. What his plans were and where he planned to use them, is yet to be known and the case is now being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Another critical aspect to be found out is whether he was affiliated to some larger known terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba or Jaish-e-Mohammad or was acting as a 'lone wolf' under instructions and training from some smaller splinter terrorist group. After finishing his B. Tech, he tried his hand in a number of jobs, including joining the A.P. Police. His father and brother are serving employees in the A.P. State government and they have good track record and were unaware of his activities. It is learnt that after his failed attempts in securing a decent job, he had come in contact with his handler, about a year back, and was apparently 'radicalised'. His handler showed videos of various organisations such as Hamas and anti-Hindutva and anti-Israel propaganda videos to motivate him to turn to terror activities. He was also reportedly using various social media accounts to propagate Islamic terror ideology to others. A few months ago he had come in contact with Syed Sameer of Hyderabad and they both formed a group. Sameer was also arrested by Vizianagaram police from Hyderabad on Sunday. Sameer, had studied only up to class seven in a Madarasa in Hyderabad and was motivated by Siraj to join him, said DIG of Visakhapatnam Range Gopinath Jatti. Apart from finding the chemical ingredients the police team also found PVC pipes, wires and other material from the abandoned house, which was allegedly used by Siraj to make the IED. Post the Pahalgam terror attack, the intelligence agencies and the counter intelligence departments have increased the surveillance across the country and as per sources in the police and in the counter intelligence department, there could be sleeper cells in the districts of Guntur and Krishna, Nellore and Kurnool, and surveillance has been enhanced.
The Hindu
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Yatnal challenges Minister, MLA to resign from Karnataka Assembly, face him in by-polls
Basanagouda Patil Yatnal had challenged Minister Shivanand Patil and Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar to resign from the Karnataka Assembly and face him in by-polls. He vowed to contest against them and defeat them. 'If they do not resign by next Friday (May 9), I would doubt their parentage,' he said in Vijayapura on April 30. 'They need not come to Vijayapura city to fight me. Let us all contest as independents. I will defeat them in their home turf,' he told reporters after Basava Jayanti celebrations in Vijayapura. Minister for Textiles, Sugar, Sugarcane Development and Agricultural Marketing Shivanand S. Patil, the MLA from Basavana Bagewadi, submitted his resignation to the Speak U.T. Khader on May 2. Mr. Kashappanavar, the MLA from Hungund, is yet to respond to the challenge. Mr. Yatnal claimed that, unlike him, Mr. Patil and Mr. Kashappanavar are not mass leaders. He claimed to have won elections based on his charisma, and not party affiliation. 'The same cannot be said about the two Congress leaders who would be easily defeated if they sought re-election,' he said. Mr Yatnal called them anti-Hindutva and being engaged in Muslim appeasement. He alleged that Shivanand Patil's original name was Shivanand Hachadad, and that the Minister had changed his surname to gain respectability. He said Mr. Shivanand Patil would be defeated by Hindu voters who are upset with him for joining a rally by Muslims in Vijayapura recently. Mr. Yatnal claimed that Mr. Kashappanavar is neither a leader of the Panchamasali Lingayats, nor Hindus. 'Both these leaders will not get a single Hindu vote in the next election,' Mr Yatnal said. Shivanand Patil told reporters in Bengaluru that he had accepted the challenge. 'Now that I have resigned my seat in the Assembly, let Mr Yatnal vacate his,' he said. He has requested the Speaker to accept his resignation only after Mr. Yatnal's resignation is accepted. 'I will fight against him, in whichever Assembly segment he chooses. This is an individual decision, and not of the party or government. I have been hurt by Mr. Yatnal's allegation,' Mr. Patil said. This is not the first time Mr. Yatnal has been raising questions on Mr. Patil's parentage. He had raised these issues in campaign rallies in the 2023 Assembly elections in Karnataka.
Express Tribune
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Leaked doc: RAW behind April 22 killings
The role of Indian Intelligence Agency "Research and Analysis Wing" in the Pahalgam false flag operation has been exposed through a document that has been leaked through the social media application "Telegram", sources said on Thursday. The sources said that the document was also clear evidence of the involvement of the Indian government in the Pahalgam attack. The contradiction between the instructions given in the document and the implementation of the plan led to the false flag, sources opined. The document had instructed that the anti-Pakistan narrative should be made to the media 36 hours after the attack. According to the document, this accusation should be made on the ISI after 36 hours but the media immediately blamed Pakistan for the false flag operation and ruined the plan of the Indian intelligence agencies. It is clear from the document and these contradictions that Indian intelligence agency "RAW" was also given instructions from some quarters. The sources informed that the document coming out on social media in this way also seemed to be a manifestation of anti-Hindutva thinking within RAW. According to the sources the Indian government was investigating how the document was leaked on social media. The document leaked on social media has made shocking revelations. The document titled "Psy Ops" and Narrative Control clearly stated: "The narrative of the incident should be structured in such a way that it emerges as an attack on the state and non-Muslims". The RAW Document said this time will be very important to raise this incident. The RAW document also gave the directives that media assets will be mobilized at the scene of the incident 36 to 48 hours before the attack. The RAW document also said that an operation will be carried out in Anantnag district. The document said that on the pretext of monitoring the movement of tourists, our field operators will be deployed at specific places. Within two to four hours of the attack, statements of witnesses will be taken under the artificial intelligence system, the RAW document said. Pictures of the incident will be recreated with the help of blurred videos and a misinformation campaign will be run through more than 200 social media accounts instead of a central hashtag, the leaked document said. Trends will be spread without control to blame the ISI and an attempt will be made to divert the discussion from Kashmir to global Islamic conspiracies. As per RAW document, the Northern Command will link correspondence found near the attack site to ISI and the Northern Command will forensically leak alleged ISI documents. The operation has been planned keeping in mind presence of US Vice President JD Vance in India and international community will also be appealed for solidarity on counter-terrorism.
Indian Express
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
BJP expels former Rajasthan MLA Gyandev Ahuja who ‘purified' temple after Dalit Opposition leader's visit
The BJP on Sunday expelled former party MLA Gyandev Ahuja, saying it found him guilty of 'indiscipline' after he 'purified' an Alwar temple with Gangajal following a visit by Tika Ram Jully, a Dalit man and the Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly. The party said in a statement, ' BJP state president Madan Rathore has given an order to terminate the primary membership of former MLA Gyandev Ahuja after indiscipline was proved against him.' 'BJP's state disciplinary committee had conducted a detailed investigation and submitted its report on Ahuja to Rathore,' it said. On April 7, Ahuja, the former MLA from Ramgarh, had 'purified' a Ram temple in Alwar following a visit by Jully, who Ahuja said was 'anti-Hindutva' and 'anti-Sanatan'. The former MLA sprinkled Gangajal inside the temple while chanting 'Jai Siya Ram'. Later, he said, 'This is a Lord Shri Ram temple at whose feet I have sprinkled Gangajal. Why Gangajal? Because some impure people came.' Ahuja's actions had led to an outcry, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi, too, severely criticising it. Ahuja, however, had defended himself, saying that he had done nothing wrong and that his actions were against the Congress party itself. 'If there is even an iota of evidence that I have done something wrong, then… I am ready to shave my moustache,' he had said.
