Congress taking help from RSS : Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Congress of taking help from RSS to win elections and urged the people to defeat the “deadly” combine of the Congress, BJP and the Left.
The Trinamool Congress supremo recalled former president Pranab Mukherjee’s participation in an event of the RSS in its headquarters in Nagpur in 2018 and alleged that the organisation is campaigning for his son, Congress candidate Abhijit Mukherjee.
“Don’t force me to open the Pandora’s box. The entire gameplan of the Congress will be exposed,” she told an election rally at Beldanga in Muslim-dominated Murshidabad district.
National security, terrorism most important issues facing India: Jaitley
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday rejected the opposition’s argument that elections should not be fought on national security issues, saying security and terrorism are the most important issues in long run while all other challenges are capable of early resolution.
He also said that the biggest challenge before India is the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and terror as it concerns nation’s sovereignty.
“India’s opposition argues that elections have to be fought on the ‘real issues’ and not on the issues of national security. It is my endeavour to argue that national security and terrorism are the most important issues which concern India in the long run. All other challenges are capable of early resolution,” Mr. Jaitley said in a facebook post titled ‘Why Jammu and Kashmir, and new approach to terrorism will remain a key political issue’
The opposition parties had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of politicising death of over 40 CRPF personnel in Pulwama and Indian Air Force’s retaliatory attack at Balakot in Pakistan for electoral gains.
Several former service chiefs and military veterans have written to President Ram Nath Kovind, expressing concern over political leaders taking credit for military operations to pursue political agenda.
Giving reasons for making national security and terrorism subject matters of electoral debate, Jaitley said, “it relates to country’s sovereignty, integrity and security“.
“Terror supported from across the border can’t be fought either with velvet gloves or a policy of appeasement,” he said, adding the two regional parties (PDP and NC) have played a disappointing role, and the current leadership of the opposition parties have hardly a roadmap except to tread on the path to disaster.
This challenge, Mr. Jaitley added, can be resolved with a fresh approach, which is uncompromising on terror, and determination to enforce the rule of law with commitment to total integration.
He further said that during the course of election campaign, whenever issues relating to the terror attack at Pulwama and the air strikes at Balakot are raised, India’s opposition is on the back-foot.
“A strong Government and a leader with clarity alone is capable of resolving the Kashmir issue. This will necessarily require reversal of the historical blunders of the past,” the minister said
Rahul Dravid cannot vote in April 18 Lok Sabha elections
Former cricketer Rahul Dravid, who was part of the Election Commission’s campaign to boost voting, will miss out on voting in the current Lok Sabha polls as he did not take steps to get his name included in the voters’ list after a change of residence.
Dravid and his family had moved from their ancestral house in Indiranagar to Ashwathnagar and subsequently names of him and his wife were removed from the Electral Rolls.
This was based on Form 7 for deletions submitted by his brother, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar said in Bengaluru on Monday.
Country heading towards coalition government, says Siddaramaiah
The country was heading towards a coalition government as neither the Congress nor the BJP are unlikely to get an absolute majority despite claims by political leadership, former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday.
He said the mood of the country is clearly in favour of bringing in a UPA government to reject communal and divisive forces.
The senior Congress leader observed that neither of the two national parties were in a position to cross the 150 mark out of 543, despite claims to the contrary by BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In Karnataka, he said the Congress along with its ally JD(S) is expected to win around 20 seats out of 28 parliamentary constituencies.
The first phase of polling is scheduled on April 18 in the State.
ECI restrains Yogi Adityanath and Mayawati from campaigning
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has put a 72-hour prohibition on campaigning by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and 48-hour ban on BSP chief Mayawati for violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
The restriction on the two leaders starts from 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
The Commission had earlier served a show cause notice on Mr. Adityanath for his “Ali-Bajrang Bali” remark at a political rally, in response to Ms. Mayawati's appeal to Muslims for vote.
Mr. Adityanath, at a rally on April 9, said that if the Congress, SP and the BSP had faith in “Ali”, “then we also have faith in Bajrang Bali”.
The Commission also took note of Ms. Mayawati’s speech at Deoband on April 7. After going through a video-clip of her speech, the poll panel said it was, prima facie, a violation of the MCC.
Repolling likely in two booths of Outer Manipur LS seat
Repolling is likely in two booths of Outer Manipur constituency, where unidentified miscreants allegedly destroyed EVMs and VVPATs, an official said.
The miscreants had entered the polling stations posing as voters, he said.
“Around 1.30 pm on April 11, unidentified men ransacked two booths at Poi and Chingkhai villages, along the India-Myanmar border, breaking some of the machines. They fled the scene even before the security guards could react,” Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) PK Singh said.
An FIR has been registered in connection with the incidents and police are looking into it, the CEO said.
“The Election Commission is likely to announce a date for repolling after it receives necessary reports on the two incidents, he said.
Polling for the Inner Manipur constituency is slated to be held on April 18.
Stones hurled at Mehbooba’s motorcade in Anantnag district
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti’s motorcade came under stone-pelting in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday while she was returning from a shrine there, officials said.
Ms. Mehbooba had gone to a shrine at Khirram in Anantnag district to pay obeisance and was returning to Bijbehara when the incident took place, they added.
One of the spare vehicles in the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister's motorcade was damaged in the stone-pelting and the driver was hurt, the officials said.
Others in the entourage, including the PDP president, escaped unhurt.
Ms. Mehbooba is contesting the ongoing Lok Sabha election from the Anantnag seat, which she had won in 2014. The south Kashmir constituency, spread over the four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian, is going to the polls in three phases from April 29 to May 6.
Pak, China cannot afford misadventures in BJP rule: Adityanath
Accusing the Congress of adopting a “soft approach” towards terrorists and naxals, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Monday that China and Pakistan no longer indulge in adventurism as India now has a strong government led by the BJP.
Addressing a rally in Rourkela, the firebrand BJP leader also said that “infiltration by the Chinese army, a regular affair during the Congress-led UPA government, ended after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister".
“Similarly, Pakistan was chopping off the heads of our soldiers on the border during the UPA rule. Now, with Mr. Modi as the Prime Minister, China and Pakistan cannot afford to indulge in misadventures,” he said.
Referring to India’s response to the Pulwama terror strike, the senior BJP leader said, “Pakistan was given a fitting reply after the killing of 40 CRPF jawans“.
“India’s action was not just confined to destruction of terror camps. It was a strong step towards breaking the backbone of Pakistan,” he said, adding that the BJP has “zero tolerance” towards terrorism".
Coming down heavily on the Congress, Mr. Adityanath alleged that the country has failed to take giants strides on road to development due to the soft approach of the grand old party towards terrorists and naxalites.
“A strong Modi wave was sweeping across the country,” he said, urging the people of Odisha to vote for a double-engine government of the BJP at the Centre and the state. --PTI
Chandrababu Naidu to campaign in Pandavapura
After Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Mandya Lok Sabha constituency, where JD(S) candidate Nikhil is contesting against BJP -backed Independent Sumalatha, it will be the turn of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to pay a visit.
On Monday evening, Mr. Naidu will address a rally at Pandavapura stadium. JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda will also be present at the rally.
Incidentally, Mr. Gowda had also campaigned for Mr. Naidu in Andhra Pradesh, which went to polls in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 11.
NCW issues notice to Azam Khan over his remarks against Jaya Prada
The National Commission for Women on Monday strongly condemned the extremely derogatory remarks made by SP leader Azam Khan against actor-turned politician Jaya Prada and issued a show cause notice to him.
Citing news reports, the NCW said the alleged remarks made by him were “offensive, unethical and show disrespect towards dignity of women. The Commission strongly condemns such irresponsible and disparaging comment on the matter. You are required to provide a satisfactory explanation to the Commission on the matter, NCW Under Secretary Barnali Shome said in the notice.
National Commission for Women Chairperson Rekha Sharma on Sunday termed Khan’s below-the-belt remarks against the actor as “extremely disgraceful." Reacting to Mr. Khan’s alleged remarks, she tweeted that the NCW would also be requesting the Election Commission to bar him from contesting elections. Ms. Sharma took cognisance of another tweet by an user, who had uploaded a video of the SP leader’s purported jibe.
The video of Mr. Khan making the “abusive” remarks was doing rounds on various social media platforms. Mr. Khan allegedly made the remarks while addressing a poll campaign rally at Rampur, which goes to polls on April 23 along with a total of 115 constituencies across 15 states in the third phase of the elections. -PTI
Azam Khan stokes controversy with “underwear” jibe
Veteran Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan made an “underwear jibe”, which the BJP said was made against actor Jaya Prada, fighting the Lok Sabha polls from Rampur against him.
Without naming the actor, who is fighting as a BJP candidate from Rampur, Khan told the gathering in Lucknow on Sunday, “People of Rampur, people of Uttar Pradesh and people of India, it took you 17 years to understand her reality. But, I could recognize it in 17 days that she wears a khaki underwear."
Condemning the remarks, National Commission for Women Chairperson Rekha Sharma said the panel would serve him a show cause notice.
