Big furor over 'doctored fake video' on Amit Shah : Assam cops arrest one Congress worker, Delhi police summons Telangana CM, case filed in Maharashtra

A Congress party member has been arrested from Guwahati in connection with a doctored video of Union home minister Amit Shah circulated on social media. 

Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the arrest on X, formerly Twitter. “Assam police have arrested an individual named Sri Reetom Singh in connection with the fake video involving Honorable Home Minister Sri Amit Shah,” Sarma said in a post on X at about 4pm. 

  A police officer later said the suspect, Reetam Singh (31) was a resident of Guwahati’s Khanapara area and a member of the Congress party.

Assam Police chief public relations officer Pranabjyoti Goswami said in a statement that a case was registered at Panbazar police station based on a complaint regarding the circulation of a “distorted and motivated” post on X about Shah.

Assam Congress’s media cell president, Debabrata Borah demanded the immediate release of Reetom Singh. “Each and every citizen of this country has the right to question the activities and decisions of the government. Arresting a Congress party member during the election by using police is against the democratic structure of India. We demand immediate release of Reetam Singh,” he said.  

A police officer said the doctored video manipulated a clip of Amit Shah’s speech in which he spoke against reservation for Muslims in Telangana to give an impression that the home minister was promising to end reservation for the backward classes.

The fake video prompted the police in several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled states to register a first information report.

In Delhi, the Delhi Police’s special cell has also summoned five members of the Telangana Congress, including Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy who posted the video on X. 

Reddy later hit back, declaring at a Congress rally at Sedam in Karnataka, that “no one here is afraid” of such notices and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was now using Delhi Police to win elections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday targeted political rivals for circulating a tampered video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 

Addressing an election rally in Maharashtra's Satara, the Prime Minister said that it's due to the fear of losing the elections (Haar ka Darr) that the opposition is spreading fake news. He cautioned people against falling for fake information generated through such videos. 

These are recent tactics used by those who cannot engage in direct political battles against the BJP and NDA. PM Modi highlighted that through such videos, they are spreading false information in public.

Strongly rebuking the Opposition's misuse of social media platforms, PM Modi reiterated, "I have been a strong supporter of technology. However, recent events are troubling. People who cannot engage in direct political battle with BJP, NDA are now spreading fake videos on social media. 

These people are misusing AI to spread false information by mimicking my voice or that of my colleagues. You need to be very cautious of such news, videos, and messages. If you receive any such video, any image on WhatsApp, or see it on any social media platform, you should immediately inform the police or the party. Strong action will be taken against such people.”

Significantly, the statement by the Prime Minister comes on the heels of recent actions taken by the officials in the wake of the circulation of the tampered video of Amit Shah in which he was purportedly heard promising the scrapping of reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBCs.

A complaint was filed on Monday against the social media handles of Maharashtra Youth Congress and 16 others for sharing a deep fake video of Union home minister and BJP leader Amit Shah in which he was seen announcing the curtailment of reservation rights of SCs, STs and OBCs, a police official said on Monday.

The complainant was filed by Mumbai BJP functionary Pratik Karpe at Bandra Kurla Complex Cyber Police Station, an official said.

The deep fake video of Shah was widely shared by the accused persons with malafide intent to defame him, the complainant told police.

As per the complaint, the deep fake video deceitfully portrays Shah announcing the curtailment the reservation rights granted to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

However, the original video, from where the deep fake video has been created, has completely different wordings and connotations, said Karpe.

In his original speech Amit Shah had said if BJP comes to power, they will finish unconstitutional Muslim reservation and this right will be given to the SCs, STs and OBCs of Telangana, as per the complainant.

"The accused persons made deep fake video of the speech and circulated widely on various social media platforms. The police must take down the deep fake video immediately and register a case against the accused persons, who shared it with the intention of causing disruption, enmity and hatred in different castes," he said.

On Sunday, the Special Cell of Delhi Police had registered an FIR after the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), which is under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA, filed a complaint about the doctored video of Shah where his statements indicating a commitment to abolish quota for Muslims on religious ground in Telangana were changed to make it seem that he was advocating scrapping of all reservations.

The Delhi Police, which is also under the MHA, filed the FIR under sections 153 (causing provocation with intention to cause riot), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc), 465 (forgery), 469 (forgery to harm the reputation of any party), and 171G (publishing false statement with intent to affect the result of an election) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under Information Technology Act.

"If Yuvraj can't automatically get power .... Just because he has to fight elections, "it doesn't make India less democratic"

 "...... India does not become an electoral autocracy if the Yuvraj cannot automatically get power. Just because he has to fight elections and the people of India are not impressed by him doesn't make India less democratic. 

I don't think there are many takers for such charges in foreign capitals," PM Narendra Modi said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly criticised the Congress again on its push for redistribution of wealth through measures such as inheritance tax, calling them "dangerous problems disguised as solutions."

"Would you work day and night if the government takes away your money at the end in the name of redistribution?" PM Modi said in an interview to 'The Times of India'.

He also took a swipe at Congress Rahul Gandhi as "Yuvraj", adding the actions of the Opposition are examples of a scorched Earth policy.

Ideas such as wealth tax would "kill" startups and are actually methods to please "the Opposition's vote bank," the Prime Minister said. Such ideas carry the risk of creating "complete and irreversible communal disharmony," he said.

"I do not think they are solutions by any stretch of imagination," PM Modi said, and pointed out that they are dangerous problems disguised as solutions."

"If we really want to ensure people's growth, we just need to remove barriers and empower them. This unleashes their entrepreneurial potential as we have seen in our country; even in tier 2 or 3 cities, which are given rise to a lot of startups and sports stars," he said. PM Modi said wealth redistribution and wealth tax have never been successful because they never removed poverty, but only distributed it so that everyone was equally poor.

"Congress's Idea To Ensure Poverty Becomes Uniform"

"The poor remain stricken with poverty, wealth creation stops and poverty becomes uniform. These policies sow discord and block every road to equity, they create hatred and destabilise the economic as well as social fabric of a nation," he said.

Congress leader Sam Pitroda today last week stoked the debate over the BJP's allegations that the Congress is planning a redistribution of wealth. Mr Pitroda's example of an inheritance tax in the US added fuel to the fire that the Congress has been trying to douse.

"In America, there is an inheritance tax. If one has $100 million worth of wealth and when he dies he can only transfer probably 45 per cent to his children, 55 per cent is grabbed by the government. That's an interesting law..." Mr Pitroda had said.

The Prime Minister said inheritance tax is a "sinister plan" of the Congress party and should be considered as a "very real" threat that "stands to hurt our nation irreversibly." He called the Congress's proposal for an X-ray or social-economic survey to redistribute wealth "a clear example of Maoist thinking and ideology."

"It is saddening to see the Congress party and its Yuvraj carrying forward such Maoist vision which is a recipe for disaster. You would have seen the Yuvraj saying that we will do an X-ray. This X-ray is nothing but raiding every home. They will raid farmers to see how much land they possess. They will raid the common man to see how much wealth the person has earned through hard work. They will raid the ornaments of our women," he said.

"Our Constitution protects the property of all minorities. This means that when Congress talks of redistribution, it cannot touch the properties of minorities; it cannot consider Waqf properties for redistribution, but it will eye the properties of other communities. This will sow complete and irreversible communal disharmony," PM Modi said.

On "Threat To Democracy"

Responding to a query on criticism by the Opposition alleging threat to democracy and that the country is moving towards being an "electoral autocracy", PM Modi said the Opposition is not able to come to power, so they have started defaming India on the world stage.

"They spread lies about our people, our democracy, and our institutions. 

India does not become an electoral autocracy if the Yuvraj cannot automatically get power. Just because he has to fight elections and the people of India are not impressed by him doesn't make India less democratic. I don't think there are many takers for such charges in foreign capitals," PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister said the past 10 years - he became PM in 2014 - will be remembered for creating the maximum number of opportunities across all three segments - public sector, private sector, and entrepreneurship. He explained how India has been steering itself in a conflict-ridden world. 

He said the world respects India for being able to ensure that fuel and energy prices for its citizens stayed in control despite the global conflicts.

"Whenever I meet world leaders, I see that their interest and attraction for India is increasing. They see the situation in their countries and compare it with how India is a nation brimming with optimism and opportunities. I see genuine respect for India and Indians.

Yes, the world is today filled with conflicts and chaos, but there are islands of calm and growth like India. 

India's role is more important in the world than ever before," PM Modi said.

He refuted the Congress's allegations that the BJP is attempting communal polarisation through election campaign speeches. PM Modi said it was not polarisation to show that the Congress has violated the Constitution and enacted laws providing reservation on religious lines.

He cited the actions of the Congress government in Karnataka that reversed a law passed by the BJP to provide reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The Congress instead gave it to Muslims, classifying all Muslims as OBC, PM Modi said. Now, the Congress government in Telangana wants to replicate it, he added.

"This proves that the Congress wants to reduce the reservation provided to SCs, STs and OBCs across the country and give it to minorities. What else can one expect from a party whose Prime Minister said that minorities have the first right on resources of this country?" PM Modi said, referring to a 2006 speech by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

PM Modi said the Uniform Civil Code is one of the core agendas of the BJP. "We will do everything in our capacity to make the Uniform Civil Code a reality," he said.

On whether the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal would become a precedent, PM Modi said, "I am optimistic that this will not become a precedent. I feel other politicians won't be so lacking in morals and will not go to this extent."

He also rubbished the Opposition's allegations that the government has been misusing central agencies, particularly the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate to target Opposition leaders. PM Modi said only a small fraction of the agencies' cases is related to political figures.

"Of the corruption cases probed by the ED, only 3 per cent involve politicians. The remaining 97 per cent are linked to officials and criminals. Action is being taken against them too. Over the last 11 years, out of 10,622 preliminary inquiries and regular cases being investigated by the CBI, only about 1-1.5 per cent of the total cases involved politicians," PM Modi said.

US media report names RAW officer who 'hired hit team' to kill Gurpatwant Pannun

US media report names RAW officer who 'hired hit team' to kill Gurpatwant Pannun

A report in the Washington Post claims that a man referred to as 'CC-1' in the indictment filed on the alleged murder plot to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was a RAW officer, Vikram Yadav.

A Washington Post report names former RAW officer for plotting attack on Gurpatwant Singh Pannun

Vikram Yadav forwarded Pannun hired hit team to kill Pannun, claims report

India has denied allegations of alleged murder conspiracy of Pannun

Vikram Yadav, a former officer in the Research and Analysis Wing, had hired a hit team and plotted an attack on Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil, a report by the Washington Post has claimed.

According to the report, Vikram Yadav forwarded details about Pannun, including his New York address.

The Washington Post claimed that the Ministry of External Affairs declined to respond to 

In November 2022, a report in the Financial Times stated that the US had foiled a plot to kill Pannun. The report also claimed that the US issued "warning" to the Indian government over concerns that New Delhi was "involved in the plot" to eliminate Pannun.

India had staunchly denied the US allegations, stating that the so-called conspiracy to murder Pannun was "contrary to government policy".

Following this, an indictment was filed in a Manhattan court claiming a man named Nikhil Gupta colluded with the Indian government official in the plan to murder Pannun, who holds dual citizenship of the US and Canada.

The indictment referred to an unnamed person, 'CC-1', who allegedly directed the plot to kill Pannun from India. He recruited Nikhil Gupta in May 2023 to orchestrate Pannun's killing, the charges ststate.

ends 

Revanth Reddy summoned by Delhi Police in Amit Shah's edited video case ::::: 'Surat model' played up in Indore .... Congress candidate Akshay Kanti Bamb withdraws nomination and "joined BJP"

Delhi Police has also asked X and Facebook to share the details of the accounts that uploaded the allegedly morphed video.

Revanth Reddy summoned by Delhi Police in Amit Shah's edited video case: Sources

Delhi Police has asked Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to join the probe on May 1 in connection with Home Minister Amit Shah's doctored video which is being circulated on social media.

Delhi Police on Monday summoned Telangana Chief Minister and Congress leader Revanth Reddy in connection with the doctored videos of Union Home Minister Amit Shah being circulated on social media platforms, sources told India Today TV.

Delhi Police has summoned Revanth Reddy on May 1 for questioning, along with all electronic gadgets used by him, they said.

Sources said that five more people, including some Congress leaders, who shared the doctored videos will also be summoned by Delhi Police. Additionally, Assam Police has arrested one person in connection with the case.

The development comes a day after Delhi Police registered a case following complaints by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the BJP. The Special Cell has registered an FIR under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant provisions of the IT Act.

The complaint alleged that some doctored videos are being circulated on social media with "the intent of creating disharmony among communities which is likely to affect public tranquility and public order".

The BJP has alleged that an old video of Amit Shah discussing the removal of the 4 per cent 'unconstitutional' reservation for Muslims in Telangana was edited to falsely depict him calling for ending reservation during a recent Lok Sabha election rally.  The complaint also alleged that the 'doctored' video was allegedly shared by the official Telangana Congress X handle and subsequently, several party leaders reposted it.

Soon after the video went viral on social media, several Congress leaders shared it claiming that "if BJP comes to power in the Lok Sabha elections, it will abolish reservation quotas for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs)".

'Surat model' played up in Indore ....  Congress candidate Akshay Kanti Bamb withdraws nomination and "joined BJP" 

Congress's Indore candidate, Akshay Kanti Bamb, on Monday withdrew his nomination, ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The development was confirmed after Madhya Pradesh Minister and BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya posted a picture of Bamb, and wrote 'welcome to the party'.

"Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Indore Akshay Kanti Bam is welcome in the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party national president JP Nadda, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and state president VD Sharma," a rough translation from Vijayvargiya's post in Hindi suggested.

The Congress had fielded Bamb against sitting BJP MP Shankar Lalwani from the Indore Lok Sabha seat, where polling will be held on May 13.

Commenting on Bamb withdrawing his nomination, Congress leader Subhashini Sharad Yadav said, "This has happened out of fear. For a healthy democracy, it is important that all the parties and people from different communities participate," reported 'India Today'. 

"It happened in Surat, as well as Indore, but the party is not weak. It is evident how democracy is being murdered," she said.

On Friday, BJD's Soro MLA Parshuram Dhada returned to the BJP, ahead of the Lok Sabha and assembly polls in Odisha. He had resigned from the party weeks before.

Earlier, on April 27, a large number of Sikhs, including members of the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee, joined the BJP.

Citing a host of measures taken by the government to help the minority community, BJP chief JP Nadda on the occasion said if anybody has really worked for the community, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The party said in a statement that more than 1,000 Sikhs joined the BJP.

'Silent Modi Wave' :::: Has Modi created a trap for Congress ..... Today they can't disown their stance for Muslim Reservation; nor can say "we are for it"

Political tranquilizers are at work ..... 

.....  A Silent Wave !!

“I will vote for BJP. Muslims will get a lot of benefits if Congress comes to power and I don’t want taxpayers’ money to go for the benefit of any one community,” said Shree Hari SS, 23, who voted in the tech hub of Bengaluru. (reported 'The Guardian', London -- certainly not a BJP-friendly media !! ) 

Less turnout of voters in some segments could be 'lesser number of Congress supporters' coming out and not necessarily the BJP supporters as the Sickular brigade has given a spin. 

The fact of the matter is first two phases of polling  -- and especially the second phase -- April 26th -- has gone in BJP's favour quite strongly. 

This was well reflected in the resignation of Delhi pradesh Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely. 

This shows despite Twitter brigade and Sickular brigade and the eco system making noise in social media and in select media including English media both in the country and outside --- things are not very smooth and 'happy' in the Congress camp.

Arvinder Singh Lovely has a sharp political mind and he would not do something -- like resigning and then writing a lengthy letter - just a few weeks before voting takes place in Delhi. 

Politicians with ear on ground like Arvinder Singh Lovely are able to sense a silent 'wave' in favour of Moditva. And that's crucial.

This also means -- the BJP is slowly but certainly inching towards 350 mark. 

 

While the congress denied any plan to introduce inheritance tax, the question it faced was where would the Indian government find the money for such generous welfare measures. "The ideology of the Bharatiya Janata Party is clear. We go before the country with our manifesto and works. Please don’t impose their great thoughts on us," says PM Narendra Modi.

"The way they are flouting the Constitution, the way they are insulting Ambedkar … There is a threat to reservation for SCs and STs. Should I not inform the people of the country about this?" - Modi said in his latest TV interview. 

The Prime Minister, who has launched a no-holds barred attack on Congress's manifesto campaigning, was asked about his charge that the grand old party wants to take away the "gold and silver" of people and distribute it among Muslims and "infiltrators".

PM Modi suggested that he hasn't just been talking about the Congress manifesto and said that he spoke about several developmental issues and the work done by his government for the welfare of the people. He extensively highlighted the schemes rolled out by his government during the last 10 years to uplift the poor, pointing out that the country used to be categorised under "Fragile 5" during the UPA era but has now transformed into a vibrant economy.

Speaking about the manifesto, PM Modi said that it clearly has the "imprint of the Muslim League".

Referring to Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, Modi said that he is asking for votes for his brother DK Suresh to become CM of the state himself. 

"The deputy CM is asking for votes for his brother so that he can become CM, so everyone is playing games. There are games being played to remove someone from the seat. As far as the BJP is concerned, we are working in team spirit even if my team was defeated," Modi said.

"They have made big promises, if this happens, you will get this, if that happens, you will get this. This means you are cheating the public. When we said we will give Ayushman Bharat cards to these people, we will fulfil that, there will be no dishonesty," he added.

The Prime Minister also blamed the party for cancelling the scheme for farmers.

"Look at Bengaluru, which has big role in increasing the country's education. Now, it has been turned into a tanker hub in no time. And there is a mafia involved there too. People are yearning for water," he claimed.

Blogger 

Youngish Chopdar a 35-year-old Muslim who runs a restaurant in Jaipur, Rajasthan, said he feared what a third term for the BJP could mean for minorities.

“I will be voting for Congress because that is the only solution to counter the BJP’s politics of dividing India,” he said. “As a Muslim, I do not see a safe future if the BJP comes to power again. We need a strong opposition. In this situation, voting against the BJP is a revolutionary act.”  (The Guadian) 

"We have our manifesto and works; please don’t impose 'great thoughts' on us," says Modi in reference to Inheritance Tax

While the congress denied any plan to introduce inheritance tax, the question it faced was where would the Indian government find the money for such generous welfare measures. "The ideology of the Bharatiya Janata Party is clear. We go before the country with our manifesto and works. Please don’t impose their great thoughts on us," says PM Narendra Modi.

In an exclusive interview with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, Modi said it is his responsibility to tell the people what the Opposition intends to do.

Q: Rahul Gandhi has spoken about an X-ray or socio-economic survey, along with a caste census. 

The institutional survey will look at which sections are behind and they will redistribute the wealth accordingly…

PM Modi: 

People who consider themselves political experts should ask such people that if the conditions you describe are real, then you have been in power for 50-60 years. You gave birth to this. 

"Why did you let it come to this? Secondly, X-ray means raiding every household, if any woman has hidden gold in utensils, even finding that and then redistributing it. This Maoist ideology has never helped the world. This is an entirely ‘Urban Naxal’ thought. This is why the Jamaat, which usually keeps writing, kept quiet about the manifesto even after 10 days because it will help them. They kept quiet to protect them."

"It then becomes my responsibility to awaken the country to the fact that they are planning to loot you. The next part is Dr Manmohan Singh has said clearly who has the first right to the country’s resources. They have clearly stated their intentions."

Link

Modi alleged the people of Karnataka are regretting voting for the Congress party during the Assembly elections held in the state last year.

"The people of Karnataka are regretting that they have committed such a big mistake by electing them (Congress)," said PM Modi. The PM was speaking in an exclusive interview to News18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, News18 Kannada Editor, Hariprasad, and News18 Lokmat Anchor Vilas Bade.

The Congress bagged 135 seats in the 224-member Assembly, and ousted the BJP from power, with the erstwhile ruling party winning in just 66 constituencies, while the Janata Dal (Secular) managed to get only 19 seats.

PM Modi, during the conversation, said that the public support for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not gone down in the state, rather it has only increased.

Network18 Exclusive: 'My responsibility to tell the truth', says PM Modi on Congress manifesto  

"The way they are flouting the Constitution, the way they are insulting Ambedkar … There is a threat to reservation for SCs and STs. Should I not inform the people of the country about this? 

I believe that it is the responsibility of all the learned people, who are rich in knowledge, who are unbiased, to educate this country, to tell it the right things," PM Modi said during the interview.  He also pointed out Congress's decision in the 1990s to classify Muslims as OBCs in Karnataka for "electoral gain".

He added that despite facing legal hurdles and public outcry, Congress persisted in its attempts, including proposing OBC quota for Muslims in Andhra Pradesh.

He emphasised that the Constitution, drafted by leaders like Nehru and Ambedkar, prohibited religious-based reservations, contrasting it with Congress's actions.

PM Modi also took a dig at chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda for his recent remarks on inheritance tax wherein he called it an "interesting idea".

"You see, when one of their greats gave an interview in America where he brought up the issue of inheritance tax, about 55 per cent tax on your property. Now I am talking about development and inheritance and they are talking of plundering that inheritance," he said.

He said that it is his responsibility to tell the people about the direction Congress intends to take the country towards.

"Now you decide whether you want to go or not. But it is my responsibility that on the basis of facts and importance, I should tell you [the truth]," he said.

 

Kanhaiya Kumar faces ‘outsider’ protest as Delhi Congress chief quits

Delhi Congress workers stood outside Kanhaiya Kumar's newly inaugurated office, holding black posters with "need local candidate not outsider" written on them.
The Delhi Congress workers protested against Kanhaiya Kumar, the party's candidate from the North East Delhi seat, after state Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely resigned on Sunday.

The party workers stood outside Kanhaiya Kumar's newly inaugurated office, holding black posters with "need local candidate not outsider" written on them.
In his resignation letter, Arvinder Singh Lovely accused Kanhaiya Kumar of praising the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its chief Arvind Kejriwal.   

"The candidate from North East Delhi has also been giving media bytes falsely praising the Delhi CM, in direct contravention of the party line and local party workers' beliefs," Lovely said. 

 The Congress and AAP are jointly contesting the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi as part of the INDIA bloc.

Arvinder Singh Lovely said the announcement of the candidature of Kanhaiya Kumar and Udit Raj, who is contesting from the North West Delhi seat, was not taken well by Congress leaders and workers, who consider them as "outsiders".

Kanhaiya Kumar, a former president of the JNU Students' Union who joined the Congress in 2021, contested from Bihar's Begusarai in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on a Communist Party of India (CPI) ticket.

The BJP also quipped at the Congress over Lovely's resignation. Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, "When workers of the Congress party were out on the streets of Delhi protesting against why tickets were given to people who had nothing to do with Delhi, like Kanhaiya Kumar, who has abused the armed forces and called the Naxalites as martyrs."  

"The AAP had completely obliterated the existence of Congress in Delhi, saying they would put Sheila Dixit and Sonia Gandhi in jail. The Congress had complained about how the AAP is involved in the liquor scam. But merely for political reasons, they have come together, that does not mean the voters will come together, BJP spokesman Shehzad Poonawala said. 

"... Today the Congress is unable to retain its leaders because its leaders are showing the mirror to Congress for its hypocrisy". 

In his resignation letter, Arvinder Singh Lovely also accused Deepak Babaria, the Congress's general secretary in-charge for Delhi, of "interference".

Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge instructed party General Secretary KC Venugopal to talk to Arvinder Singh Lovely and find a way to resolve the Delhi Congress crisis, sources told India Today TV.

Arvinder Singh Lovely resigns as Delhi Congress chief, cites alliance with AAP

 

Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely resigned from his post on Sunday and cited the alliance with Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party for the Lok Sabha election 2024.  

"The Delhi Congress Unit was against an alliance with a party which was formed on the sole basis of leveling false, fabricated and malafide corruption charges against the Congress Party. Despite that, the party made a decision to ally with the AAP in Delhi...," Arvinder Singh Lovely wrote in his resignation letter.

Arvinder Singh Lovely's resignation comes days after former Delhi minister and All India Congress Committee member Rajkumar Chauhan resigned from the party following the meeting of the Delhi Congress’ disciplinary committee.

A party leader said that Chauhan, who was involved in an alteration with AICC Delhi in-charge Deepak Babria on Sunday, submitted his resignation on Wednesday morning.

The Delhi Congress’ disciplinary committee held a meeting on Tuesday and left it to the AICC to decide whether to take any action on complaints against Chauhan.

"Babaria called for a meeting and we had gone to his house. When I started speaking in the meeting, Babria asked me to 'get out' and he repeated it four to five times. I was trying to tell him that the candidate, who has been given the ticket (Udit Raj), has been abusing every caste," Chauhan said.

"I am a four-time MLA and a three-time minister (in Delhi government). We have done so many development works for Delhi. An outsider was telling me to get out. That's why I was angry and sent my resignation to DPCC chief Arvinder Singh Lovely," Chauhan said, adding that he did not get a ticket last time also.

The Delhi Congress disciplinary committee, under the chairmanship of Narendra Nath, had unanimously decided that the AICC should decide on the complaint against Chauhan.

In a remarkable twist in political drama, the Congress party has undergone a sifgnificant transformation in its stance towards Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's alleged involvement in the excise policy case and his subsequent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

In fact, the party shifted stance from making accusations agains AAP chief to his defence. 

This shift in the party's position has unfolded against the backdrop of the ED's action in the excise policy case and the sealing of a seat-sharing deal between Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the Lok Sabha elections.

Congress leaves Amethi, Rae Bareli decision to Kharge :::::::::: "Congress wants Muslim votes but will not field Muslim candidates?" -- says Naseem Khan

Maharashtra Congress leader Muhammed Arif 'Naseem' Khan has stepped down from the party's campaign committee, expressing displeasure over the party not nominating any Muslim leader in the state. 

Khan raised the bogey of the grand old party not nominating a single Muslim candidate in the western state.

In his letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Naseem Khan said, "Congress ko Muslim vote chahiye, candidate kyu nahi (Congress wants Muslim votes but why not field Muslim candidates)?"

Sources in the Congress said that Naseem Khan was not happy with Varsha Gaikwad being given ticket from Mumbai North Central seat. Naseem Khan wanted to contest from this seat.  

The Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) left the decision to select the candidates of Amethi and Rae Bareli to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. 

At the CEC meeting in the national capital on Saturday, the members demanded that Rahul Gandhi must contest from Amethi against Union Minister Smriti Irani and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra be fielded to contest from her mother Sonia Gandhi’s erstwhile seat, Rae Bareli.

Modi plays OBC trump card .... stumps RJD mascot Tejashwi ..... Akhilesh also faces heat in Mainpuri-Firozabad belt

This is called the Master Card for at least 100 seats in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at Munger in Bihar:  

“Today the fight in Bihar is between the ‘Santushtikaran model’ of the NDA versus the 'Tushtikaran model' of the INDI alliance". (while BJP fights for satisfactory for all, INDI alliance is back with appeasement card).

Modi urged the media to raise awareness about this issue and criticized the INDI alliance government (earlier UPA) for its divisive policies. 

“Today, another old video of Manmohan Singh has surfaced where he is again saying that Muslims have the first right to the country's resources. I urge the media to make people aware of this video and discuss it. 

The country should also know what mentality the Indian coalition government has been running the country for 10 years.” 

By pointing out the manner Muslim sub quota was created out of the OBC quota, the Prime Minister has able to do the 'impossible'. He has divided RJD mascot's MY card.

M and Y now stand divided. 

This has predictably upset Tejashwi and therefore, the RJD leadership has gone silent. 

Bihar has done away with nine seats in first two phases and it is presumed, Modi's OBC card with the explanation that 'Muslims' would be favoured by the I.N.D.I alliance if voted to power will certainly scare away the Yadav and other OBC voters.

In Uttar Pradesh, the third phase of polling on May 7 will be in key hubs dominated by Yadav voters for long and hence Modi has multiple birds by his Munger speech. The Akhilesh Yadav camp is also taken aback. In UP, which sends 80 MPs to Lok Sabha, already the Ram temple issue had given the BJP a head-start and now this new 'OBC card' by the Prime Minister linking it to Muslims will make further dent.

The upper caste Hindus voted generally voted against those who swear to help Muslims. The Dalits and Yadavs might be thinking otherwise; and did not mind parties such as RJD and the Samajwadi; but now -- the divisions in 'MY' forte would leave both the RJD and Samajwadi Party devastated.

As it is RJD drew a blank in 2019 Lok Sabha polls when the BJP-JD(U) combo made for 39 seats and only one seat Kishanganj had gone to the Congress. Interestingly in the first phase of polls in Bihar, it was given to understand that the RJD and its associates might do well.

Tejashwai also attracted huge crowds but PM's OBC card will now make things much more tougher for the leadership in both the Samajwadi and the RJD. 

Polls in 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh ... to decide many things ... 'march to Delhi is always possible via UP and the erstwhile Yadav land'

In Uttar Pradesh, 10 constituencies will go to polls for phase 3. 

Agra, Aonla, Badaun, Bareilly, Etah, Fatehpur Sikri, 

Firozabad, Hathras, Mainpuri, Sambhal  

In Hathras, a gangrape made news in 2020. But in 2024, even the Samajwadi Party which is campaigning on women’s safety, among other issues against Yogi Adityanath and the BJP  is not talking about the rape and death for fear of 'antagonising' the substantial upper caste vote in this reserved SC seat.

Change of heart.....change of candidates ...belated wisdom ??

 The Samajwadi Party (SP) that is contesting 62 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh has changed candidates in 10 of the constituencies to date, including twice in as many days.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav himself replaced his nephew Tej Pratap Yadav as the candidate from the party stronghold of Kannauj on Thursday, three days after Tej Pratap’s candidature was announced. On Friday, during scrutiny of nomination papers, the party’s Shahjahanpur candidate Rajesh Kashyap, who filed his documents on April 22 said he came to know that the SP had cancelled his name and instead fielded a candidate whose maternal uncle is an MLC.

Akhilesh Yadav had 'picked' a few leaders to contest the elections based on caste equations etc, but, they were not necessarily backed by the SP leadership in the district units. 

For instance, there are at least 15 people who have come from BSP in the last couple of years. They have also been given tickets by the SP. Now, when these outsiders are declared candidates, the party’s local leadership opposes them and the president is forced to change the nominees. 

In Kannauj, the local leadership started opposing Tej Pratap’s candidature.”

Mainpuri - welcome to the Yadav heartland.Mulayam Singh Yadav won from the constituency in 1996 to become India'sDefence Minister under H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujral. Since then, this is afamily bastion. In 2022 by-poll after Mulayam's death the seat was won by his daughter-in-law Ms Dimple. 

The lawmaker wife of Samajwadi Party chiefis not a Yadav by birth; but that's not the issue and hence she has been fieldedagain. This is one seat -- the BJP may not struggle to wrest amid a hyped Ram Mandircampaign. 

No candidate in Hathras is openly speaking about the gory incident. While the BJP has fielded state Revenue Minister Anoop Pradhan Valmiki, the other candidates include the Samajwadi Party’s (SP’s) Jasveer Valmiki and the Bahujan Samaj Party’s (BSP’s) Hembaboo Dhangar.

 

The Dalits and Thakurs number an even 3 lakh each in the Hathras Lok Sabha seat, followed by 2 lakh Brahmins, 2 lakh Vaishyas and 80,000 Muslims. The upper caste votes, apart from the support for it by non-Jatav Dalits, mean the seat has long been a BJP bastion.   

The party has won Hathras consecutively since 1991 – in 2009, the RLD won here as a BJP ally. The BSP finished runner-up in each poll between 1996 and 2014. In 2019, when the SP and BSP were allies, the SP’s candidate here was placed second. (Indian Express) 

A few Dalit families in the village are all relatives of the victim. The rest of the village comprises upper-caste Thakurs and Brahmins, and Other Backward Class (OBC) Prajapatis.

Thakurs, who are the dominant community in the village, continue to stand by the accused. Guddu Singh, the father of the main accused Sandeep, says he is a BJP voter and that the allegations against his son are “fake”. “Upper castes here were upset with (then) BJP MP Rajveer Diler because he met the victim’s family. He was a gentleman but got the names of three others included in the case under pressure from his own (Dalit) community. I believe that this is the reason the BJP denied him a ticket,” Guddu says.

Voting in 190 seats over :::: If BJP gains a few in Tamil Nadu and Kerala and Congress wins a few in Rajasthan, game is exciting :::: Hindutva matters ....... Moditva is about the direction India is moving .... Hindus should not be discriminated !!

Narendra Modi is a dynamic leader who is giving Bharat, that is India, a new image and earning respect around the world for every Indian. 

International recognition of India as a great emerging world power and being courted by world leaders is crucial. 

The voting turnout is being debated and pundits are rather in hurry to say that the less turnout does not mean good for the BJP. Such theories may not work at all. 

In the second phase of voting on April 26, the Congress sweat it out to retain 19 seats it won last time and mostly from Kerala. In contrast, the BJP had 55 in its kitty in 2019.  In Kerala, the Congress is bound to lose a few and the seats may go to the CPI-M and possibly a few for the BJP. 

There were 88 seats for the grabs on April 26 and the BJP is set to retain the hold and if lucky may pick up a couple of seats in Kerala. Of course, there are talks of Congress gaining a few in Rajasthan. For the time being, such a scenario should not be dismissed. 

Why BJP wins and why Narendra Modi matters? It's essentially because polls are also being held on three critical premises -- Hindus should not be discriminated and so Hindutva matters even if it need be crude and typically revolving around Muslim-bashin .......  and thirdly Moditva is about the direction India is moving in the comity of nations.

Now making scrutiny and analysis of finer points one can say Ram temple is an important issue. Is it a match winner alone -- it maybe and it may not be as well. With Ram temple, the BJP needs other items in the package - the development and also the national prestige. 

This is an area, the Modi government's detractors will also give in. 

The hyped discussion that the Congress is still a fighting outfit is actually a gambit more pushed by the eco system. It is a battle fought and won mostly in social media and on TV channels. On ground, the Congress workers have done  vanishing act long back. 

The BJP government under the leadership of Modi is important because they have bigger goals for the country. Tt is about the 'direction' in which the country is going.  It means enhanced national prestige as most blocs and countries today cannot do their business (strategic and market) without India. 

"Hindus have been discriminated against ...  and so the only hope is Modi," said  a voter in Meerut. 

Blogger 

Of course, the BJP’s campaign has also pushed a narrative of economic growth.

"No prime minister before Narendra Modi made economics not only about good governance but equally about establishing a connect with India’s deep-rooted spiritual and cultural legacy. After waiting for centuries, Ram Lalla has now been enshrined in his grand temple...," says BJP spokesperson Sanju Verma.  She further says:

"India emerged as the fastest-growing major economy, consistently maintaining a growth rate of over 7 per cent for 3 years in a row and in fact, growing at 9.1 per cent in FY22. India became the first country to hoist its flag on the southern pole of the Moon and successfully launched the Aditya Mission". 

Of course Modi’s own personal popularity as a strongman populist leader has also played a central role. 

("The BJP’s central campaign message is “Modi ki guarantee” [Modi’s guarantee] – a nod to the cult of personality that has built up around him over the past decade,"-  The Guardian)