Chhagan Bhujbal speaks on OBC reservation and his political comeback Pulse Maharashtra
Bhujbal shares his reaction to the Supreme Court's interim order restoring OBC reservation in local body elections, criticises the Bhatia Commission report, and explains why the inclusion of Marathas in the OBC category is unacceptable to him. He revisits the historical fight for OBC rights, makes a strong case for a nationwide caste census, and warns of the growing tensions between communities due to what he calls political mismanagement.
Bhujbal also speaks candidly about his return to the cabinet, past grievances with his party leadership, and whether the fractured NCP can ever be reunited. A sharp, emotional, and deeply political interview, this episode captures the pulse of Maharashtra's reservation politics.
Presentation: Vinaya Deshpande
Video: Emmanual Karbhari and Gautam Nirmal Doshi
Production: Vishnoo Jotshi
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News18
an hour ago
- News18
What to know about trial of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro
Rio de Janeiro, Jul 20 (AP) Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro will wear an electronic ankle monitor on orders from the Supreme Court, where he is on trial for allegedly masterminding a coup plot to remain in office despite his defeat in the 2022 election. The case received renewed attention after President Donald Trump directly tied a 50% tariff on Brazilian imported goods to Bolsonaro's judicial situation, which Trump called a ' witch hunt." The Supreme Court's order for Bolsonaro to wear an ankle monitor, among other restrictions, came after Federal Police and prosecutors said Bolsonaro is a flight risk. Authorities, listing multiple social media posts, also accused Bolsonaro of working with his son Eduardo to incite the United States to interfere in the trial and impose sanctions against Brazilian officials. On Friday, the US State Department announced visa restrictions on Brazilian judicial officials, prompting President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to condemn what he called the unacceptable interference of one country in another's justice system. Here's what you need to know about Bolsonaro's trial: The charges against Bolsonaro The prosecution accuses Bolsonaro of leading an armed criminal organization, attempting to stage a coup and attempting the violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, aggravated damage, and deterioration of listed heritage sites. A federal police investigation placed Bolsonaro at the top of a criminal organization that had been active since at least 2021. Police say that after Bolsonaro's loss to Lula, the organization conspired to overturn the election result. Part of that plot included a plan to kill Lula and a Supreme Court justice, the prosecution alleges. It also says that the Jan 8 riot when Bolsonaro supporters ransacked top government buildings a week after Lula took office was an attempt to force military intervention and oust the new president. Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet says Bolsonaro's actions 'were not limited to a passive stance of resistance to defeat, but were a conscious effort to create an environment conducive to violence and a coup." In the court order unsealed Friday, Justice Alexandre de Moraes said Bolsonaro and his son may also have committed the crimes of coercion during a legal proceeding, obstruction of an investigation involving a criminal organization and attack on Brazil's sovereignty. What Bolsonaro says Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied the allegations and asserted that he's the target of political persecution. He has echoed Trump and called the trial a 'witch hunt." The far-right former leader has now been barred from using social media, but on Thursday, he said on X that 'those who challenge the system are being punished, silenced, and isolated." Regarding the restrictive measures carried out on Friday, Bolsonaro called them a 'supreme humiliation." 'I never thought about leaving Brazil, I never thought about going to an embassy, but the precautionary measures are because of that," he told journalists in Brasilia. Next steps After the prosecution called for a guilty verdict in its final allegations issued Tuesday, the defence will soon present its case, likely in the coming weeks. The panel of Supreme Court justices that opened the trial against Bolsonaro will vote on whether to convict or acquit him. Experts say a decision is expected before the end of the year. A guilty verdict on the coup plot charge carries a sentence of up to 12 years, which could, along with guilty verdicts on other charges, bring decades behind bars. But Antonio Jose Teixeira Martins, a law professor at Rio de Janeiro State University, said Bolsonaro could be detained even before there's a verdict. 'Whether this happens or not depends on how events unfold from now on, that is if these new measures prove sufficient to guarantee public order, the application of criminal law and prevent the risk of escape," Teixeira Martins said. Brazil's top electoral court has already banned Bolsonaro from running in elections until 2030 over abuse of power while in office and casting unfounded doubts on the country's electronic voting system. (AP) NSA NSA view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
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First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
Rubio strips US visas from 8 of 11 Brazilian Supreme Court judges in a show of support to Bolsonaro
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that he has ordered the revocation of American visas of eight Brazilian Supreme Court judges in a show of support to the country's former President Jair Bolsonaro read more US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly stripped American visas of Brazil's eight Supreme Court judges in a show of support for the country's former President Jair Bolsonaro. The far-right Brazilian leader with strong ties with US President Donald Trump is on trial for allegedly masterminding a murderous plot to cling to power after losing the 2022 election to Brazil's current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro is expected to be convicted by the Brazilian Supreme Court in the coming weeks and might face a jail sentence of up to 43 years. As the day of sentencing nears, Trump has been increasing pressure on Brazil to help out his 'friend'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In light of this, Trump announced on July 9 that he would impose 50% tariffs on all Brazilian imports as of August 1. The threat triggered nationalist sentiments in Brazil, with Lula threatening reciprocal tariffs. The Brazilian president went on to describe Trump's move as 'unacceptable blackmail'. Who got their visa stripped? On Friday, Brazil's federal police raided Bolsonaro's house and ordered him to wear an ankle tag in a bid to stop him from absconding. Soon after that, Rubio announced further moves in support of the former Brazilian president, who claimed that the case against him is a 'political witch hunt'. Rubio announced the move in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. He said that he had ordered visa revocations for the judge leading the investigation into Bolsonaro, Alexandre de Moraes, as well as 'his allies on the court' and their family members. .@POTUS made clear that his administration will hold accountable foreign nationals who are responsible for censorship of protected expression in the United States. Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes's political witch hunt against Jair Bolsonaro created a… — Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) July 18, 2025 While the secretary of state did not mention the names of other judges, Brazilian newspaper Globo identified them as Luís Roberto Barroso, José Antonio Dias Toffoli, Cristiano Zanin, Flávio Dino, Cármen Lúcia Antunes Rocha, Luiz Edson Fachin and Gilmar Ferreira Mendes. Interestingly, two other judges who were nominated to the court during Bolsonaro's 2019-23 presidency, André Mendonça and Kassio Nunes Marques, reportedly avoided the sanction along with a third judge, Luiz Fux. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lula hits back Meanwhile, the Brazilian president denounced what he described as 'another arbitrary and completely groundless measure from the US government'. 'Interference in another country's justice system is unacceptable and offends the basic principles of national sovereignty and respect between nations,' the president said on Saturday, adding: 'I'm certain that no kind of intimidation or threat – from whoever it may be – will compromise the most important mission of our nation's powers and institutions, which is to act permanently to defend and safeguard the democratic rule of law.' Meanwhile, Trump's Alex Bruesewitz welcomed Rubio's announcement, describing Bolsonaro's treatment in the country as 'sick and wrong'. Bolsonaro's son, Eduardo, went on to thank Rubio for his decision. 'Thank you very much for this fight in favour of free speech, we do believe in the same values,' tweeted Eduardo, who has been living in the US since February and has reportedly been lobbying officials there over his father's plight," Eduardo said in the post.
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Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
What to know about trial of Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro
Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro will wear an electronic ankle monitor on orders from the Supreme Court, where he is on trial for allegedly masterminding a coup plot to remain in office despite his defeat in the 2022 election. The case received renewed attention after President Donald Trump directly tied a 50 per cent tariff on Brazilian imported goods to Bolsonaro's judicial situation, which Trump called a witch hunt. The Supreme Court's order for Bolsonaro to wear an ankle monitor, among other restrictions, came after Federal Police and prosecutors said Bolsonaro is a flight risk. Authorities, listing multiple social media posts, also accused Bolsonaro of working with his son Eduardo to incite the United States to interfere in the trial and impose sanctions against Brazilian officials. On Friday, the US State Department announced visa restrictions on Brazilian judicial officials, prompting President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to condemn what he called the unacceptable interference of one country in another's justice system. Here's what you need to know about Bolsonaro's trial: The charges against Bolsonaro The prosecution accuses Bolsonaro of leading an armed criminal organization, attempting to stage a coup and attempting the violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, aggravated damage, and deterioration of listed heritage sites. A federal police investigation placed Bolsonaro at the top of a criminal organization that had been active since at least 2021. Police say that after Bolsonaro's loss to Lula, the organization conspired to overturn the election result. Part of that plot included a plan to kill Lula and a Supreme Court justice, the prosecution alleges. It also says that the Jan 8 riot when Bolsonaro supporters ransacked top government buildings a week after Lula took office was an attempt to force military intervention and oust the new president. Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet says Bolsonaro's actions were not limited to a passive stance of resistance to defeat, but were a conscious effort to create an environment conducive to violence and a coup. In the court order unsealed Friday, Justice Alexandre de Moraes said Bolsonaro and his son may also have committed the crimes of coercion during a legal proceeding, obstruction of an investigation involving a criminal organization and attack on Brazil's sovereignty. What Bolsonaro says Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied the allegations and asserted that he's the target of political persecution. He has echoed Trump and called the trial a witch hunt. The far-right former leader has now been barred from using social media, but on Thursday, he said on X that those who challenge the system are being punished, silenced, and isolated. Regarding the restrictive measures carried out on Friday, Bolsonaro called them a supreme humiliation. I never thought about leaving Brazil, I never thought about going to an embassy, but the precautionary measures are because of that, he told journalists in Brasilia. Next steps After the prosecution called for a guilty verdict in its final allegations issued Tuesday, the defence will soon present its case, likely in the coming weeks. The panel of Supreme Court justices that opened the trial against Bolsonaro will vote on whether to convict or acquit him. Experts say a decision is expected before the end of the year. A guilty verdict on the coup plot charge carries a sentence of up to 12 years, which could, along with guilty verdicts on other charges, bring decades behind bars. But Antonio Jose Teixeira Martins, a law professor at Rio de Janeiro State University, said Bolsonaro could be detained even before there's a verdict. Whether this happens or not depends on how events unfold from now on, that is if these new measures prove sufficient to guarantee public order, the application of criminal law and prevent the risk of escape, Teixeira Martins said. Brazil's top electoral court has already banned Bolsonaro from running in elections until 2030 over abuse of power while in office and casting unfounded doubts on the country's electronic voting system. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
