Latest news with #भाजपा
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Maha Kumbh stampede death toll: Akhilesh Yadav says Uttar Pradesh Government lied; cites media report
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday (June 10, 2025) accused the Uttar Pradesh Government of lying about the death toll in the January 29 Maha Kumbh stampede and said that those who provide "false statistics" are not worthy of public trust. Mr. Yadav made the remarks in a post on X, citing a BBC report which claimed that 82 people died in the stampede. The toll is significantly higher than the official figure of 37. तथ्य बनाम सत्य : 37 बनाम 82 सब देखें, सुनें, जानें-समझें और साझा करें। सत्य की केवल पड़ताल नहीं, उसका प्रसार भी उतना ही ज़रूरी होता है। भाजपा आत्म-मंथन करे और भाजपाई भी और साथ ही उनके समर्थक भी कि जो लोग किसी की मृत्यु के लिए झूठ बोल सकते हैं, वो झूठ के किस पाताल-पर्वत पर चढ़कर… — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) June 10, 2025 "'Facts vs truth: 37 vs 82.' Everyone must watch, listen, understand and share. Investigating the truth is important but spreading it is equally essential," Mr. Yadav said. He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of misleading the public and asked the party, its leaders and supporters to introspect. If someone can "lie about death", one must ask how far they will go to crown themselves rulers of a "false empire." 'Those who provide 'false statistics' are not worthy of public trust. The issue goes beyond number fudging, it also includes making false statements on the floor of the House,' Mr. Yadav said, alluding to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The SP chief also raised a series of questions over the process of compensating the stampede victims and their families. "Why was compensation paid in cash? What was the source of the cash? Where did the undistributed cash go? Under which rule was cash distribution approved? Who authorised the cash payments? Is there any written order backing the disbursement?" the former Chief Minister asked. He further asked, "Were there irregularities in cash handling? And who instructed the officials to alter the causes of death?" "This report is not the conclusion. It marks the beginning of an inquiry into the deeper truths behind the deaths and monetary dealings at the Maha Kumbh. When the truth is revealed, layers of lies are exposed — no matter how well-managed the misinformation," Mr. Yadav said. Dozens were injured in the pre-dawn stampede that occurred on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar, as millions of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip in the Sangam area.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Former Delhi CM Atishi claims security deployed at Kalkaji JJ cluster under demolition threat
Former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Tuesday (June 10, 2025) claimed that a large number of security personnel had been deployed in Bhoomiheen Camp in Kalkaji ahead of a demolition drive. Eviction notices by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) have been pasted at houses in the Jhuggi-Jhopri Camp, warning "encroachers" to leave the spot within three days or face action. The Camp, where most residents are migrant workers, has seen demolition drives thrice in the last few years — in May and June this year and July 2023. 'Tomorrow, the BJP is going to run bulldozers over the Bhoomiheen Camp. Today, the slum residents there were planning to protest, so the BJP government deployed thousands of police and CRPF personnel,' she said. 'Rekha Gupta ji: You had said that no slums would be demolished, right? Then why is such a massive police and CRPF force deployed?' the Aam Aadmi Party leader in a post on X in Hindi. कल भाजपा वाले भूमिहीन कैम्प पर बुलडोज़र चलाने वाले हैं। आज वहाँ के झुग्गी वाले प्रोटेस्ट करने वाले थे तो भाजपा सरकार ने हज़ारों की संख्या में पुलिस और CRPF को भेज दिया है। रेखा गुप्ता जी: आपने तो कहा था कि कोई झुग्गी नहीं तोड़ेंगे? तो इतनी पुलिस और CRPF क्यों तैनात है? — Atishi (@AtishiAAP) June 10, 2025 Ms. Gupta had on Sunday (June 8, 2025) said the authorities cannot go against demolition orders issued by the courts and stressed that the displaced residents have been provided accommodation. The remarks came amid criticism from the Opposition AAP over the razing of the Madrasi Camp slum cluster near Barapullah in south Delhi, and similar demolition drives in other parts of the city.
Indian Express
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Bhojpuri singer Neha Singh Rathore booked for sedition over Pahalgam posts: ‘If you have the guts…'
Folk singer Neha Singh Rathore, known for her politically charged Bhojpuri ballads, was booked on Sunday for allegedly posting provocative messages on social media that authorities felt could potentially incite 'communal tensions' in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. The complaint, filed by a local resident, Abhay Pratap Singh, accused Rathore of sharing posts that 'attempted to promote sectarian animosity' and 'endangered the nation's sovereignty, unity, and integrity.' A case was registered against Rathore under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) – including Section 152, a provision that was introduced after the repeal of the colonial-era sedition law (Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code) – as well as the Information Technology Act, the Uttar Pradesh Police told PTI. Her remarks came in wake of the attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, where terrorists allegedly targeted and killed 26 people, mostly tourists, after verifying their religious identities. 'In this situation, singer and poetess Neha Singh Rathore, using her Twitter (now X) handle @nehafolksinger, made objectionable posts that can adversely affect national integrity,' the complaint said. Rathore responded defiantly in a video posted to X, accusing the government of attempting to divert attention from its failures in responding to the tragedy. 'If you have the guts, bring back the heads of the terrorists,' she said in response to the FIR. पहलगाम हमले के जवाब में अब तक सरकार ने क्या किया है? मेरे ऊपर FIR ? अरे दम है तो जाइये…आतंकवादियों के सिर लेकर आइये! सरकार मेरे ऊपर FIR करवाकर असली मुद्दों से ध्यान भटकाना चाहती है…क्या ये बात समझना इतना मुश्किल है? — Neha Singh Rathore (@nehafolksinger) April 28, 2025 In another post, she wrote: '… today BJP 's IT cell is calling me a traitor because I ask questions without fear. Is it treason to ask questions to the Prime Minister?' पूरी भाजपा के नेताओं के जितने बच्चे फ़ौज में होंगे…उससे ज़्यादा तो मेरे अपने परिवार के लोग सेना में अपनी जान दाँव पर लगा चुके हैं… …लेकिन आज भाजपा का आईटी सेल मुझे देशद्रोही कह रहा है क्योंकि मैं बिना डरे सवाल पूछती हूँ. प्रधानमंत्री से सवाल पूछना देशद्रोह है क्या?… — Neha Singh Rathore (@nehafolksinger) April 27, 2025 What is Section 152 of the BNS? The First Information Report (FIR) was filed at Hazratganj police station under Section 152 of the BNS, a provision that criminalises acts that endanger India's unity and integrity. The provision, introduced after the repeal of the colonial-era sedition law (Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code), penalises actions or attempts that incite secession, armed rebellion, or subversive activities, or encourage separatist sentiments destabilising the nation. However, courts have cautioned against misuse of the law. In December 2024, the Rajasthan High Court, in Tejender Pal Singh vs State of Rajasthan, warned that Section 152 must not be wielded as a weapon against legitimate political dissent. Justice Arun Monga, noting the provision's roots in the old sedition law, said it 'revives the essence of sedition under a new guise' and emphasised that it applies only to deliberate acts undertaken with malicious intent. The Court also pointed out a safeguard within the law's explanation that lawful criticism of government policies does not fall within its ambit — balancing national security with freedom of expression. The Court's warning echoes broader judicial concerns. In 2022, the Supreme Court had suspended all pending trials under Section 124A and advised the government to reconsider the sedition law, a move that led to the verbal announcement of its repeal. Yet, critics argue that Section 152, now in force under the BNS, replicates many of the same flaws. Section 152 criminalises 'acts endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India,' but crucially, it does not define what constitutes such endangerment. This vagueness leaves the provision open to broad interpretation by law enforcement — meaning that a critical speech, a controversial social media post, or even an expression of sympathy toward a contentious figure could become grounds for arrest. Previous brushes with authorities This is not Rathore's first brush with authorities. Last year, the singer was served a police notice over her viral song UP mein ka ba ('What's happening in UP?') that criticised the Uttar Pradesh government over an anti-encroachment drive. Rathore and her husband, Himanshu, recounted how police attempts to serve the notice created unease in their New Delhi neighbourhood, with some residents reportedly asking the couple to move out. Despite mounting pressures, Rathore, in 2024, had insisted she would not be silenced. 'Criticism is the soap that keeps democracy clean,' she had said in an interview with The Indian Express. 'Enough artists are singing praises of the government for awards. I sing for the common man.' Back then, the fallout from her activism had deeply affected her family. Her mother, living in rural Bihar, was hospitalised from stress, while Rathore recounted harassment and threats in public spaces. Yet Rathore, who composes, writes, and performs her songs independently, had said: 'If they try to muzzle my voice, they are only making me bigger — and themselves smaller,' she had said.
