Bihar Monsoon Session: Oppn Protests In Black, Deputy CM Hits Back On Voter List Row
During the protest, slogans were raised like, 'Stop trying to usurp elections and SIR is an excuse; the purpose is to ban voting.'
MLCs of the Grand Alliance arrived at the Council wearing black clothes, holding posters and placards while raising slogans in the portico before the session began.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary countered the opposition's allegations, stating, 'The Election Commission has made it clear that no citizen—poor, backward, Dalit, or general—is being removed unfairly from the voter list. So far, 98 per cent participation has been recorded in the re-verification process of 19 lakh deceased voters, 20 lakh migrated citizens and 8 lakh duplicate voters have been identified.'
He further said, 'The SIR process will conclude on July 26, after which the draft voter list will be published, allowing all parties to file objections transparently.'
Samrat Chaudhary targeted the opposition's black-clothes protest, remarking, 'Shani has overshadowed them; that's why they are roaming around in black.'
He accused the opposition of misleading the people and referenced past political statements on illegal voters to justify the verification drive, citing that 'over 120 per cent Aadhaar registration in districts like Kishanganj makes investigation necessary.'
When questioned about speculations of CM Nitish Kumar being considered for Vice President, Samrat Chaudhary remarked, 'It is up to the BJP and NDA leadership, and they will decide.'
The monsoon session is politically crucial, with the government aiming to pass key bills before the upcoming elections.
The opposition is aggressively targeting the government on law and order, voter list revision, and unemployment during this five-day session.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
After logjam in first week, Parliament to discuss Pahalgam, Sindoor from Monday
AFTER a week of disruptions and adjournments, Parliament is all set to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor next week as the Opposition has agreed to the agenda for special discussions. The breakthrough came in a meeting of Speaker Om Birla with senior leaders of various parties, where it was decided that the LS would discuss the April 22 terror attack and Operation Sindoor, beginning Monday for 16 hours, and the RS would discuss the same beginning Tuesday, again for 16 hours, said Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. Criticising the Opposition for 'disrupting' Parliament proceedings through the week, Rijiju told reporters, 'All issues cannot be discussed together… The Opposition has raised several issues, like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar and others. We have told them that Operation Sindoor will be discussed first. We will decide which issues will be discussed after that… Operation Sindoor will be debated for 16 hours in Lok Sabha on Monday (July 28) and for 16 hours in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday (July 29)…' Asked if PM Narendra Modi will speak in Parliament during the discussion, another key demand of the Opposition, Rijiju said the government cannot decide the speakers of Opposition parties, and vice versa. He expressed hope that the 'Opposition will allow Parliament to function from next week' and lamented the waste of resources and efforts gone into preparing answers for questions to be asked by MPs during Question Hours, which did not take place in first week amid Opposition protests. The Congress, meanwhile, accused the government of hiding behind technical reasons and not clarifying whether there will be a discussion on the SIR or not. 'We didn't raise the Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor issue in the House as we had demanded that PM Narendra Modi should be in the House during that, but he is abroad and it's not possible,' Congress's deputy leader in the LS Gaurav Gogoi said after the meeting with the Speaker. 'We were demanding that the Bihar SIR be discussed in the House, but the government is not clarifying whether this issue will be discussed in the House or not. They are hiding behind technical reasons,' he said. Though the Opposition has been demanding that PM Modi be present in the House during the discussion, there is no final word on whether he would reply to the debate. A BJP leader said the list of BJP speakers for the special discussion in both Houses was being prepared, adding that top ministers were expected to participate. Friday again saw no significant legislative business in both Houses, much like the four days preceding it. BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was in the chair when the LS met post-lunch at 2 pm, rebuked the protesting Opposition MPs. 'Nobody is benefiting from this ruckus. People have sent you to raise their issues and you are disrupting the House,' he said. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the 'Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024' is a very important proposal concerning STs and should be taken up for discussion. 'It is a very important Bill. Are they (Opposition) against the STs?' Meghwal said. As the Opposition MPs continued their protest, Pal adjourned the House till Monday. In the first half, Speaker Om Birla began the House proceedings with a mention of the 26th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26 (Saturday). 'In the Kargil war (1999), our Army faced geographical and climatic challenges and showed its valour… Today, we pay homage to the soldiers who sacrificed everything for the nation,' Birla said, following which the House observed brief silence. When the Opposition began its protest again, the Speaker told them: 'Come to meet me if you want a discussion. In consultation with the government, I will find a way out to discuss issues. This is not the proper way in the largest democracy of the world… Planned obstruction is not good for democracy. In Question Hour, we should uphold the healthy tradition of the House.' As the din continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till 2 pm. The Rajya Sabha too saw Opposition uproar over SIR in Bihar, forcing the Chair to adjourn the House for the day. The Upper House witnessed the first adjournment till noon soon after it convened at 11 am. When the House met at noon for the Question Hour, BJP MP K Laxman sought to know the details of Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan from Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. When Chouhan rose to speak, the Opposition MPs raised slogans that the SIR exercise be stopped. Chouhan said he wanted to answer the question, but the Opposition protests continued. BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari, who was in the Chair, requested the protesting MPs to return to their seats. With the Opposition members unrelenting, the House was adjourned for the day. Vikas Pathak is deputy associate editor with The Indian Express and writes on national politics. He has over 17 years of experience, and has worked earlier with The Hindustan Times and The Hindu, among other publications. He has covered the national BJP, some key central ministries and Parliament for years, and has covered the 2009 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls and many state assembly polls. He has interviewed many Union ministers and Chief Ministers. Vikas has taught as a full-time faculty member at Asian College of Journalism, Chennai; Symbiosis International University, Pune; Jio Institute, Navi Mumbai; and as a guest professor at Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. Vikas has authored a book, Contesting Nationalisms: Hinduism, Secularism and Untouchability in Colonial Punjab (Primus, 2018), which has been widely reviewed by top academic journals and leading newspapers. He did his PhD, M Phil and MA from JNU, New Delhi, was Student of the Year (2005-06) at ACJ and gold medalist from University Rajasthan College in Jaipur in graduation. He has been invited to top academic institutions like JNU, St Stephen's College, Delhi, and IIT Delhi as a guest speaker/panellist. ... Read More
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Public Outrage in Gadwal: Protesters Demand Immediate Arrest of Constable Raghunath Goud for Allegedly Cheating Dalit Woman
Gadwal: A wave of protests broke out in Jogulamba Gadwal district headquarters on Thursday, as several civil rights organizations, Dalit associations, and political leaders gathered in front of the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar statue demanding the immediate arrest of Constable Raghunath Goud. He is accused of cheating a Dalit woman named Priyanka from Palwancha town in Khammam district under the pretext of love and marriage. According to protestors, Raghunath Goud, who recently secured a job in the police department, had made false promises to Priyanka, convincing her of his intention to marry her. However, after obtaining his job, he reportedly rejected her citing her caste, referring to her as a 'low-caste SC (Madiga) woman,' and refused to fulfill his promise of marriage. The protesters, visibly outraged, accused the constable of manipulating the woman emotionally and socially, and demanded that a case be immediately registered under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. They called upon the authorities to arrest Raghunath Goud without delay and ensure justice for the victim. Representatives of Dalit organizations stated that such caste-based discrimination and exploitation should not be tolerated, especially by someone serving in a law enforcement role. They urged the district administration and police department to take strict and swift action against the accused to uphold justice and prevent further erosion of trust in the system. The protest at Ambedkar Chowk drew participation from social activists, leaders of Dalit and caste-based associations, political party representatives, and local citizens, all united in their demand for accountability and justice for Priyanka. The district police have not yet issued an official statement on the matter. However, public pressure continues to mount, and further demonstrations have been warned if the authorities fail to act promptly.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
EC begins special training for BLOs in Bengal
1 2 Kolkata: A special training for booth level officers (BLOs) has kicked off in Bengal, the Election Commission said on Friday. Nearly 900 BLOs would attend the training at the city's Mahajati Sadan on Saturday, an official said, highlighting how such sessions have never been held in Bengal. Trinamool questioned the timing of these special training sessions, asking whether they were linked to any special intensive revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bengal. Bengal chief electoral officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal said: "SIR is not our domain. It will be decided by ECI. But booth level officers are critical to holding elections and election-related tasks. They are involved in all pre-poll processes. Such training sessions were never held before." You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata These trainings were first held in Delhi and nearly 1,000 BLOs from the state attended them, Agarwal said. "It began in Bengal on Thursday with Malda and, on Friday, it was done in East Burdwan. Four districts are being covered. Three BLOs from every constituency are taking part in this. After Kolkata, we have such programmes in Midnapore and Jalpaiguri," he added. TMC has threatened to launch statewide protests, including at Nirvachan Sadan in Delhi, if Bengal voters are struck off rolls on grounds of (absence of) additional documents. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Remember Tiger's Ex-Wife? Try Not To Smile When You See Her Now Paperela Undo BJP has demanded a Bihar-like SIR rollout in Bengal. The unease started with the commission asking Bengal govt to provide more "administrative and financial autonomy" to the state's chief electoral officer, requesting it to carve out a separate "election department" and give it a "separate budget". The EC also asked the state to quickly fill up vacant senior officers' posts in the CEO's office ahead of the 2026 assembly polls. A source said Bengal govt has recommended nine names against three vacant posts for the EC to choose from. For the post of additional CEO, the state has proposed the names of Sudip Mitra, special secretary in the personnel and administrative reforms department, Sujay Sarkar, special secretary, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, and panchayat department additional secretary Sudip Sarkar. For the post of joint CEO, the names of Samyajit Debnath, secretary of Staff Selection Commission, Bahnisikha De, additional secretary in the health department, and Arundhuti Bhowmick, additional secretary in the MSME department, have been proposed. For deputy CEO, the state has proposed the names of Ranjan Chakraborty, deputy secretary in the power department, Priyaranjan Das, deputy secretary of PWD, and Rajib Mondal, land manager, Bidhannagar, urban development department.
