SIR can't snatch Bihar's future, youth will stop it: INDIA Bloc
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
Leaders of the INDIA bloc staged a spirited protest across Bihar on Wednesday against the Election Commission's proposed Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the poll-bound state. At a 'chakka jam' in Patna, senior Opposition leaders, including Congress's Rahul Gandhi and RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, called the SIR a ploy "to steal" votes, accused the Modi government of manipulating the electoral system, and vowed to resist it.Addressing the gathering, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the SIR was yet another attempt to tamper with the electoral process, citing previous Opposition claims of manipulation during the Maharashtra and Bihar assembly polls."The SIR is not just an attempt to steal your vote, but also your future. But the people-especially Bihar's youth-will not let it happen. The entire Opposition stands with you in this fight," he said.Gandhi also questioned the Election Commission's impartiality, claiming it was under the influence of the ruling party. "Election Commissioners once stood above politics. Today, they are being nominated by the BJP and RSS," he added.Tejashwi Yadav expressed concern over the "loss of credibility" of the Election Commission, alleging it was now functioning under the influence of two top political figures. He warned that the SIR would have consequences beyond voting."The Election Commission has lost its credibility. Efforts are underway to strike off large numbers of voters from the rolls. First their names will go, then their pension and ration will be taken away. Will two people from Gujarat decide which Bihari can vote?" he asked. Leaders and supporters of the Congress, RJD, Left, and VIP participated in the protest.The protest in Patna saw a brief flash of drama when Congress-backed independent MP Pappu Yadav and AICC functionary Kanhaiya Kumar were stopped by security personnel as they attempted to climb onto the truck from which Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, and other Opposition leaders were addressing supporters.Their forceful eviction sparked political buzz, especially given the duo's widely perceived uneasy ties with the RJD leadership.Coming out in support of the SIR, the BJP on Wednesday lashed out at the opposition parties for holding a bandh against the exercise and asked if they want illegal infiltrators, including Rohingyas, to vote in elections. Addressing a press conference here, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned the motive behind the strike, asking the opposition parties if they are trying to pressure the judiciary by such tactics.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
‘There is pressure...': Will Sena (UBT) tie up with MNS for BMC polls? Sanjay Raut responds
NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday clarified that there is no formal alliance between Uddhav Thackeray 's Shiv Sena (UBT) and Raj Thackeray 's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) yet, but acknowledged growing public sentiment urging both parties to come together for the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra, including the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. "I have not said that Shiv Sena and MNS are contesting (local body) elections together. I said that there is pressure and demand from the public on Shiv Sena and MNS to contest local body elections together. People think that if the rights of 'Marathi Maanus' are to be protected, then Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray must come together.... Raj Thackeray has a different style of working," Raut said. Raut also signalled that the Shiv Sena (UBT) does not plan to contest the upcoming civic elections as part of the INDIA bloc, but instead is open to aligning with the MNS, particularly after their recent show of unity against the imposition of Hindi in Maharashtra schools. He cautioned Raj Thackeray against aligning with the BJP or Eknath Shinde, citing MNS's political setbacks in earlier such tie-ups. The discussion around a possible alliance gained traction after a dramatic political moment earlier this week when Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray shared the stage and a hug at the 'Awaz Marathicha' rally at Mumbai's Worli Dome. The event, organised to protest against the Maharashtra government's move to introduce Hindi as a third language, marked the first public show of unity between the two cousins in nearly 20 years. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giá vàng đang tăng mạnh trong năm 2025 — Các nhà giao dịch thông minh đã tham gia IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo At the rally, Uddhav Thackeray declared, "We have come together to stay together," and hinted at a broader political realignment by stating, "Together we will capture power in Mumbai civic body and Maharashtra." He also slammed the BJP-led Centre for allegedly shifting major institutions and businesses from Mumbai to Gujarat, saying, "You have made all attempts to break the backbone of Maharashtra and continue to do that, and you are asking questions to us. " Raj Thackeray echoed the sentiment, saying the state government's rollback of its language policy was due to the unity shown by the Marathi community. In a veiled dig at the BJP, he remarked, "What Balasaheb could not do, Devendra Fadnavis did it... The work of bringing both of us together." Addressing concerns over imposition of Hindi, Raj Thackeray added, "How did they suddenly bring in the imposition of Hindi without any discussion? For what purpose, and for whom? This is an injustice to young children... You may rule the assembly - but we rule the streets." The rally also saw the brothers jointly garlanding a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a symbolic act marking reconciliation after Raj Thackeray split from the Shiv Sena in 2005 to form the MNS following a succession dispute.
The Hindu
28 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu calls Hindi a binding language amid diversity
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has said Hindi is the binding language in his State, where each tribe speaks its own dialect and language. Hindi has been in the school curriculum ever since education came to Arunachal Pradesh and there is no problem in learning it, Khandu told PTI Videos in an interview. There is so much diversity in Arunachal Pradesh that 26 major tribes and over 100 sub-tribes speak their own languages and dialects, the chief minister said. "If I speak in my own dialect, my own language, people from another tribe will not understand. That's why everyone speaks Hindi. There will certainly be grammatical mistakes, but even if you go to a village, all the villagers will understand and speak Hindi. We speak Hindi in election campaigns and even in the Assembly. Also Read: Language of unity: On Maharashtra and the issue of Hindi "So definitely, Hindi is a binding language. There's no problem in learning it. It should be learnt," the BJP leader said in comments that come amidst the ongoing row over Hindi in Maharashtra and some southern states. He said Arunachal Pradesh is a strategic location where security force personnel come from different states and most speak in Hindi. "There is also the Border Roads Organisation. So there are various other mediums through which we picked up Hindi quickly," he said. Asked about the opposition to Hindi in some states, the Chief Minister said everyone has their own mother tongue, every state has its own language, and every tribe has its own too. "That should be given importance. Even I, in my own state, believe the different languages of the tribes should be preserved," he said, referring to his government starting an Indigenous Affairs Department for the promotion and preservation of indigenous languages and culture. CM Khandu said he tells youngsters who go outside the state for their education to speak their own language when they come back home. "Because that is their identity. Because in our country, there are so many communities, different religious groups, different communities, backgrounds. So, preserving one's own language in one's own place is very important," he said.
The Hindu
28 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice President, says he will retire 'at the right time'.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday (July 10, 2025) said he will retire "at the right time", subject to divine intervention. He made the remarks while addressing an event at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi. "I will retire at the right time, August 2027, subject to divine intervention," he said in a lighter vein. Mr. Dhankhar's five-year term as the 14th Vice President ends on August 10, 2027. A senior lawyer, he was serving as the governor of West Bengal when he was elected as the Vice President after being fielded by the BJP-led NDA.
