Emergency was a dark chapter in India's democracy, says BJP Andhra Pradesh spokesperson
In a statement on Wednesday, Ms. Yamini Sharma said that June 25, 1975, was a day when democratic principles were thrown to the wind by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who imposed Emergency in a desperate bid to cling to power after the Allahabad High Court invalidated her election as an MP. Overnight, civil liberties were suspended, thousands of political leaders and activists were jailed, and the press was gagged under brutal censorship. More than 250 journalists were imprisoned, and over 100,000 Satyagrahis were arrested during that period.
Calling for June 25 to be observed as 'Sacrifice Day', she said, 'This is not just about remembering the past, but about staying alert to ensure that such dictatorial tendencies never return. The sacrifices of youth, journalists, and opposition leaders gave India back its democracy.'
She also criticised the Nehru-Gandhi family, accusing them of continuously undermining India's democratic fabric.
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Hindustan Times
10 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Telangana BJP faces internal rift ahead of local body polls
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Telangana facing internal wrangling ahead of the elections to the local bodies in the state in September and to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) scheduled in December, party functionaries familiar with the development said. At least three prominent OBC leaders – Malkajgiri MP Eatala Rajender, Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind and Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh – were in the race for becoming the state BJP president, but the party high command chose Ramachander Rao, a relatively soft-spoken leader, for the post. (X/@Arvindharmapuri) At a time when 42% reservations for the other backward classes (OBCs) has become a big political issue in the local body elections, the appointment of an upper caste leader N Ramachander Rao as the Telangana state BJP president on July 1 has triggered discontent within the party. At least three prominent OBC leaders – Malkajgiri MP Eatala Rajender, Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind and Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh – were in the race for becoming the state BJP president, but the party high command chose Ramachander Rao, a relatively soft-spoken leader, for the post. Raja Singh, who alleged that he was denied the opportunity to file his nomination on June 30, resigned from the party and the high command accepted his resignation within no time. 'Raja Singh is the lone BJP MLA from Hyderabad and his leadership is crucial for the party to win the GHMC elections. So, the way the BJP leadership treated him was humiliating and it has terribly upset the BJP cadre in Hyderabad. It will definitely have an impact on the party prospects in the GHMC polls,' a senior BJP leader, who refused to be quoted, said. In fact, Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind, too, expressed his dissatisfaction over the way Raja Singh issue was handled. 'All said and done, Raja Singh was an ideological icon for the BJP. But he was upset with the party on certain issues and quit the party. I am sure the party will take him back. It is a question of just one telephonic call,' Arvind told reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday. On the other hand, Eatala Rajender, who was the front runner for the state BJP president post, was upset not only for being denied the opportunity, but also for being sidelined in the party, particularly in erstwhile combined Karimnagar district, which he had dominated when he was in the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in the past. According to the party leader quoted above, Rajender has been facing troubles from Union minister of state for home Bandi Sanjay, who represents Karimnagar parliamentary constituency. 'Obviously, Sanjay doesn't want Rajender to wield influence on the party in Karimnagar, as the latter is a relatively new comer to the BJP – he had joined the BJP in June, 2021,' he said. At a programme held in Huzurabad assembly constituency last week, Sanjay made an indirect attack on Rajender, who had earlier represented the constituency in the past. He said the party would not encourage leaders who worked for their individual domination, but only those who were loyal to the party. 'Why has groupism developed in Huzurabad when such divisions are not seen elsewhere in the state?' he said, adding that such indiscipline will not be tolerated in the party. Within hours of Sanjay's comments, BJP Huzurabad constituency convener Mada Goutham Reddy, a close follower of Rajender, resigned from the party's primary membership. 'None of Rajender's followers was invited for Sanjay's programme in Huzurabad,' he alleged. The next day, Rajender's followers came to his residence in Hyderabad and brought pressure on him to decide his future course of action. He tried to convince them saying he would fight it out and get justice for them. Speaking to his followers, Rajender alleged that during the previous Huzurabad assembly election, several people conspired to defeat him. He said that insults and humiliation are part of politics, and he endured them. 'I only believe in a straight fight, not a street fight. I cannot engage in double standards or backstabbing politics. I fight my enemies head-on. I have a history of fighting for a separate Telangana state,' he said. Without taking the name of Bandi Sanjay, Eatala said some leaders in politics are living on foundations of lies. 'I only know how to work sincerely for the party. Time will prove everything. A brave person never backs down and knows the limits of patience,' he said. He clarified that whichever party he was in, I would work with dedication. 'I don't need anyone's mercy. Not just in politics — covert players exist everywhere. We should ignore them,' he added. On the ongoing cold war between Rajender and Sanjay, Dharmapuri Arvind said the party should resolve the dispute at the earliest in the best interest of the party. 'The BJP leadership should constitute a neutral committee to look into the disputes between the two MPs. Newly-appointed state BJP president Ramachander Rao should take the initiative in this regard. If necessary, he should seek the intervention of party national leadership,' Arvind said.
The Hindu
11 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Questions on Siddaramaiah's tenure as CM persist; leaves for Delhi along with DKS
Will he or won't he? This is the million-dollar question hotly debated in Karnataka's political circles over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah completing his term, even as a unique record beckons the veteran, who along with his deputy and another claimant for the CM's chair, D.K. Shivakumar, once again air dashes to Delhi. Siddaramaiah, in his second term as chief minister, is on the cusp of becoming the longest serving elected head of the state, closing in on veteran Devaraj Urs' record as CM for over 2,700 days. Despite his assertions, questions over whether he will complete a full five year tenure in office, or if he will make way for DKS as per a rumoured rotational formula, persists. Shivakumar is addressed as DKS. The two are in New Delhi in their third trip since June, even as an uneasy calm prevails in the state Congress unit where voices from either camps have fallen silent over the CM issue following a high command gag order. During their visit to the national capital, the two leaders are likely to meet the Congress' top brass. Unlike in the past, there have been no open remarks by MLAs on the CM change issue this time, following the diktat from leadership. However, silent strategies and maneuvering are certainly on, as the government is nearing two-and-half years in office, said a senior Congress leader, summing up the atmosphere within the ruling party. Though the Delhi visit is to attend the "Bhagidari Nyay Sammelan" organised by AICC Backward Class unit on Friday, Congress insiders indicate about the CM possibly meeting party leader Rahul Gandhi. A similar meeting could not happen last time, in the second week of July. However there is no official confirmation in this regard so far. High command keeps both sides waiting There has been speculation within State's political circles, especially within the ruling Congress, for some time now about the CM change later this year, citing the power-sharing agreement involving incumbent Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar. However, the Congress leadership seems to have adopted a strategy of keeping both sides waiting, until the Bihar polls are over. Mr. Siddaramaiah is the only OBC chief minister the Congress has in the country at present, and many party leaders are of the opinion that any move to replace him will have a bearing on the party's performance in the poll-bound Bihar, where the OBC votes are crucial. It will also be seen as a move contrary to the OBC cause, which Rahul Gandhi has been championing for, by raising issues such as caste census and enhancing reservation quota, a Congress leader said. The party is fully aware of the consequences it will have to face, if it makes any move against Mr. Siddaramaiah, who has a huge support base among AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes, and Dalits) communities and also enjoys the confidence of majority of the legislators. In fact, Congress wants to utilise Mr. Siddaramaiah's stature as a mass OBC leader and has made him a member of the AICC OBC advisory council, whose first meeting was held under his leadership here recently. Mr. Siddaramaiah's assertion on continuing as CM for a full five-year tenure, while in Delhi earlier this month, was a direct message to the high command, which has, in a way, maintained a strategic silence regarding leadership change and power-sharing issue, a senior Congress functionary said. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had not firmly ruled out anything when he recently stated that it is up to the party high command to decide on such matters and that one should not create any unnecessary problem. The CM, in fact, made the assertion about completing the term, preempting the leadership indulging in any talks on change, even as his government completes two-and-a-half years in office in November, a party leader said. Mr. Siddaramaiah in fact was hoping to meet Rahul Gandhi then, but that did not happen. There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister's post after Congress emerged victorious in the 2023 state elections. The party then managed to convince DKS and made him the deputy CM. There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a "rotational chief minister formula," according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party. "In case there was an understanding on the rotational CM formula and Mr. Siddaramaiah had accepted it, he may negotiate for an extension to match or break D Devaraj Urs' record as the longest-serving executive head of the State — till January 2026," said a senior Congress worker. Urs, a two time chief minister, was in office for 2,792 days, which is about 7.6 years, and Mr. Siddaramaiah, who is also in his second term, would match the former's record on January 6, 2026. Mr. Siddaramaiah had earlier led the Congress government of 2013-18. Many party insiders say that Shivakumar wants to be seen as someone who is toeing the party line, without making any move or giving any statement that may precipitate the matter and cause embarrassment to the Congress. The Vokkaliga leader, who is credited for consolidating the community's support towards the party in the old Mysuru region is counting on his loyalty to the party and the Gandhi family to work in his favour. "Shivakumar is a strategist, he plays his cards very closely, he is also a very religious man and has been making visits to temples and maths," pointed out a leader, while indicating that the state Congress chief was not silently taking a backseat.
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Business Standard
11 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Revanth Reddy unveils Telangana caste survey, urges national OBC quota push
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy unveiled the 'Telangana Socio-Economic Survey - Model and Methodology' at Indira Bhawan in New Delhi, and urged Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge to raise the issue of OBC reservations in Parliament. Presenting the state's comprehensive caste-based socio-economic survey, Reddy stated that the exercise was "not just a caste survey, but a social, economic, educational, employment, and political survey." As per the data, Other Backward Classes (OBCs), including practising Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, and Buddhists, constitute 56.4 per cent of Telangana's population. Scheduled Castes (SCs) account for 17.4 per cent, Scheduled Tribes (STs) 10.8 per cent, and forward castes 10.9 per cent. Notably, 3.9 per cent of the population has been categorised under "no caste." The survey identified previously unlisted castes and analysed their socio-economic conditions by name and location. "Education levels showed who was privileged despite landlessness. Even those with assets, if uneducated, remained backwards, while landless but educated families became upwardly mobile," Reddy noted. The survey, which compiled 88 crore pages of self-declared, "foolproof" data, was conducted with meticulous oversight. Reddy outlined the process, "We began with household enumeration, placed stickers on houses, and created 94,113 blocks, each with an enumerator and supervisor. Mandal-level committees, collectors, the planning department, the Chief Secretary, a Cabinet Sub-Committee, the Deputy CM, and I monitored it. For those who didn't participate, we provided an additional 15 days, opened toll-free helplines, and established help counters in every office. Those who still refused were excluded. If you don't want to be part of the system, you won't be counted." Following the survey, the Telangana government passed two reservation bills, one for education and employment and another for political representation, allocating 42 per cent reservation for OBCs. These bills, pending before the President of India for three months, prompted Reddy to appeal to Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, and Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, to advocate for their passage. "We ask Rahul Gandhi ji and Kharge ji to raise this in Parliament, put forward motions, and take the lead. We will protest in the streets if needed," he declared. Additionally, Telangana increased SC reservations from 15 per cent to 17.5 per cent and ST reservations from 6 per cent to 10 per cent, aligning with their population shares. He said, "According to the report, OBCs (including practising Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, and Buddhists) make up 56.4 per cent of the population. SCs are 17.4 per cent, STs 10.8 per cent, and forward castes 10.9 per cent--but in that, only 3.9 per cent are no castes. We identified previously unknown castes outside the list. Our expert committee studied them, by name, by location. Education levels showed who was privileged despite landlessness. Even those with assets, if uneducated, remained backward. Meanwhile, even those who are landless and asset-less have developed because of their education and educated families, becoming upwardly mobile. This is not just a caste survey, but also social, economic, education, employment, and political." Reddy took a sharp jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, accusing them of resisting a national caste census. "For many years, Congress has raised the issue of a caste census, ever since the RSS was formed in 1925. It is now 2025, yet their ideology avoids counting OBCs," he said, referencing a 2020 Supreme Court affidavit where the BJP-led government declined to undertake a caste census. He also questioned Modi's OBC credentials, alleging, "He is a legally converted OBC, adopting the status only after becoming Chief Minister for political advantage." Highlighting Congress's advocacy, Reddy recalled a protest at Jantar Mantar, supported by 16 political parties and 55 MPs, which pressured the Centre to include a caste census in the 2026 national census. "This is a success of Rahul Gandhi ji's movement," he said, drawing parallels to the repeal of the controversial farm laws after Gandhi's sustained campaign. He added, "When Rahul bhaiya told Modi ji to repeal them, they were repealed. Modi ji even apologised. Why? Because Rahul Gandhi speaks for the people. (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.)
