
BJP to stage protest on Aug 5 to counter Rahul Gandhi-led ‘vote theft' protest

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Business Standard
20 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Reconciliation only solution to India-Pak tensions: Mehbooba Mufti
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday called for the revival of ties between India and Pakistan, stating that "reconciliation" is the only way forward to ease tensions. Responding to questions about the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the recent encounter in Kulgam, Mufti said, "Encounter used to happen and will always happen, but such a huge war took place before that. The ceasefire had to be declared later. Unless reconciliation, dialogue, debate and discussions are done, such encounters will go on, and we will always stay on the verge of war. Reconciliation is the only way forward." Terrorists killed 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22 in a brutal and heinous attack. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in response. Meanwhile, security forces continue their operation in the Akhal Devsar area of south Kashmir's Kulgam district. One terrorist has been neutralised so far in the joint operation by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir police, CRPF, and the Special Operations Group (SOG). The encounter began on Saturday and continued overnight. A day earlier, ahead of the sixth anniversary of the revocation of Article 370, Mufti launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Central government, saying the policy to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status has "completely failed." "Six full years have passed since August 5, 2019. At that time, Jammu and Kashmir's special status was taken away, and Article 370 was revoked with the claim that everything would be fine in Jammu and Kashmir. But we have seen that the policy has completely failed," she told reporters. Mufti alleged that the internal situation in the region has deteriorated rather than improved, pointing to ongoing security crackdowns. "Internally, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is bad. For the past six years, arrests have been made daily. The situation in Jammu and Kashmir has become worse than before, although people are silent today. This is why our country has come into confrontation with Pakistan. What is Pakistan's stature? Their economy is not even a tenth of our economy, but today the whole world is comparing us with them," she said. The former Chief Minister also criticised what she termed the BJP's "aggressive policy" and its broader impact on regional diplomacy. "Unfortunately, the BJP has created such an atmosphere in the country that today all groups are saying, why did you agree to a ceasefire? This is the BJP's aggressive policy.


India Today
20 minutes ago
- India Today
Kolkata man dies by suicide, family claims NRC fear; no such mention in note
A 59-year-old man died by suicide in Kolkata over an alleged fear of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), sparking a war of words between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the proposed Kumar Saha, a non-teaching staff member at a private school, was found hanging in his room on Sunday by family members who had to force open the door. According to his family, Saha had grown increasingly anxious and depressed in recent days, terrified by the fear of being served an NRC notice and possibly deported to Bangladesh, from where he had migrated in victim had been living in Kolkata with his wife, son, and daughter-in-law for over 30 years. His family claimed that although he never received any official NRC notice, he had stopped eating and often voiced panic over being 'pushed back'. They believe this fear drove him to take the extreme police investigating the case said no mention of NRC was found in the suicide note recovered from the victim. 'He stated he held no one responsible for his death,' an officer said, adding that a case of unnatural death had been incident has escalated into a political flashpoint. Trinamool Congress minister Bratya Basu alleged that Saha's death was the result of the 'humiliation and depression' inflicted by the BJP's 'selective targeting' of Bengali Hindus through NRC-related the allegations, BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul accused the Trinamool Congress of politicising the tragedy.'Since the suicide note does not mention NRC, this is another attempt by the TMC to create fear among Hindus and Muslims alike. Even genuine Indian Muslim citizens will not be affected by NRC,' she said.- EndsMust Watch


News18
44 minutes ago
- News18
Amid 'Bangladeshi' Row, Bengal SIR Buzz Amit Shah To Meet State BJP MPs Tomorrow
Last Updated: The meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP's Bengal MPs is scheduled for the same day the TMC is holding a virtual huddle Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to hold a crucial meeting with BJP MPs from West Bengal in the national capital on Monday. This comes as political tension escalates over the 'Bangladeshi" row in New Delhi. The controversy has attracted a barrage of criticism from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress, who have accused the Centre of targeting Bengalis and their language via police verification drive in BJP-ruled states against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Although there has been no official statement from the BJP, party insiders indicate that the meeting will focus on addressing these allegations. During a rally at Durgapur in July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made it clear that the BJP will not be defensive on this issue. 'This is why infiltration is being encouraged, their fake documents are being created. An entire ecosystem has been developed here. This is a threat to West Bengal, the country, and Bengali culture," he had said. He added: 'They (TMC) want to challenge the Constitution and constitutional institutions. The TMC is now speaking openly in their favour. Let me make it clear, those who are not citizens of India, those who have infiltrated illegally, will face action under the Constitution. The BJP will not allow any conspiracy against Bengal's pride to be successful. This is Modi's guarantee." The TMC has since labelled this stance as BJP's 'audacity" and intensified efforts to portray the saffron party as 'Bangla birodhi" (opposed to Bengali speakers), a label the BJP MPs are eager to dismiss. In another development, sources have suggested that a special intensive revision (SIR) for West Bengal is also likely to be part of the meeting's agenda. This voter list revision, akin to the one in poll-bound Bihar, reportedly includes sensitive assessment on demographic shifts and cross-border dynamics, which could impact both electoral strategy and security planning in the region. The SIR in Bihar has sparked protests from opposition parties. Earlier on Sunday, TMC leader Derek O'Brien termed the exercise as 'silent invisible rigging". The anticipated meeting between Shah and the Bengal MPs is scheduled for the same day the TMC is holding a virtual huddle. Mamata Banerjee is expected to address all her party MPs, many of whom are in Delhi for the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament. This meeting comes at a time when the BJP is reassessing its approach in West Bengal following a mixed performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Several MPs from the state have expressed concerns about internal coordination, grassroots support, and ideological messaging. While there is no official confirmation yet of the meeting's agenda, political observers believe it could shape the BJP's future strategy in Bengal ahead of the 2026 assembly polls. 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.