‘Cong will never come to power, let them daydream…': Nitesh Rane's fiery response to Priyank Kharge's ‘ban RSS' remark
'Congress is never going to come into power, let them daydream,' Rane said.
Congress leader Priyank Kharge on Tuesday slammed the RSS over their General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale's statement demanding reconsideration of the terms 'socialist' and 'secular' in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.
Alleging that the RSS wants to "alter" the Indian Constitution, Kharge said that these are the same people who "staged a protest when the constituent assembly debates were going on and burned the Constitution".
On being asked if Congress is thinking of banning the RSS, Kharge said, 'We will see. It's not the first time they have been banned, right? Didn't Sardar Patel ban them? Then they went and fell at his feet. They pleaded no, no, we will follow the law of the land. After that, Indira Gandhiji banned it again. They went and said No, we will cooperate. We will abide by the laws of the land. There cannot be one law of the land for the rest of the country and for one organisation like this...'
According to an ANI report, earlier on Thursday, addressing a program on the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale remarked that during the Emergency, terms like "Socialism" and "Secularism" were forcibly inserted into the Constitution, a move that needs to be reconsidered today.
Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Mahesh Tenginkai hit back at Kharge as well, stating that the Congress does not even deserve to sit in the "opposition" and that Kharge should think before making such a statement.
The BJP MLA stated that his party will remain in power for the next 20 years and that no attention will be given to Priyank Kharge's statement.
"Priyank Kharge should think once. BJP is PM Narendra Modi's party, which will stay in power for 20 more years. Your party (Congress) will not be in power. It doesn't even deserve to be in opposition...There is no need to give more attention to his statement", the BJP MLA told ANI.
The Karnataka unit of the BJP slammed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge through a message posted on X. Stating that Kalaburagi, which has been "ruled" by Kharge for more than 50 years, remains one of the most "underdeveloped" parts of Karnataka.
"Priyank Kharge, a minister only because of his father's influence, is now threatening bans like it's 1975 all over again. The Congress's alleged "President/High Command" Mallikarjun Kharge ruled the Kalaburagi region for half a century. Yet it remains one of the most underdeveloped parts of Karnataka", the post said.
(With inputs from agencies)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
28 minutes ago
- Hans India
KTR has no right to question Revanth: Jagga Reddy
Hyderabad: Telangana PCC working president T Jagga Reddy asserted here on Saturday that BRS working president K T Rama Rao has no right to question Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. At a press conference in Gandhi Bhavan, he maintained that since 'You (KTR) and your brother-in-law Harish are second-bench leaders If you want to question Revanth, first make your father resign from the post of the Opposition Leader, take the post of Opposition Leader yourself, then speak; only then will your words be taken seriously'. Reddy expressed the view that 'KTR, you keep saying that Revanth's mentor is Chandrababu, but wasn't your father's mentor also Chandrababu?; Chandrababu gave your father the Transport Minister's post for helping oust NTR from the CM's post while acting as Viceroy Hotel in-charge, didn't he?; You started this whole water-sharing controversy; you were the one feeding Jagan chicken curry and KCR fish curry, weren't you?; you too enjoyed the curries; then why blame the Congress government?' The TPCC leader said even if BRS MLC K Kavitha doesn't do a 'Rail Roko,' let her do a 'Flight Roko' - no issue; both Chandrababu and KCR are disciples of our Hanumanthanna (senior Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao). Jagga Reddy claimed that a strange situation is unfolding in Telangana. 'The Opposition usually demands that the ruling party convene the Assembly to discuss issues, but here, the situation is reversed. CM Revanth is saying he'll convene the Assembly and is inviting the Opposition Leader to attend; Revanth Reddy even told KCR - 'If you attend the session, I'll call for the Assembly. Come, let's talk,' but instead of the Opposition Leader, second-bench leaders like KTR and Harish are speaking,' Jagga Reddy remarked. According to Reddy, 'Congress is a national party; BRS is a regional party; Revanth is a CM from a national party; KCR, the former CM, from a regional one; then why are second-bench leaders jumping into the middle?; when asked to come to the Assembly, KTR is inviting people to Boat Club or Press Club instead; if debates are to happen outside, what's the point of the Assembly?' The Congress leader said that KTR still lacked political maturity. 'Let's ask an ordinary citizen - where should MLAs debate?; if you act immaturely, Revanth will criticise your actions; and when he criticises, you just say, 'he scolded us'; even when nothing was said in the Assembly, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Sampath were disqualified as members. That's how undemocratically you acted; is ruling with the police as your shield called governance?'Jagga Reddy questioned.
Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
'To suit needs of society': CJI Gavai calls for 'pragmatic' interpretation of Constitution; urges judges not to think about a case once it is decided
NEW DELHI: (CJI) Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai has called for the Constitution to be interpreted in a "practical" manner and in a way which "suits the needs of society." CJI Gavai made the remark at a felicitation organised for him by the Bombay high court in Mumbai on Saturday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Speaking at the event, he cited a past Supreme Court judgment, and stressed on the need to interpret laws or the Constitution in the context of "problems faced by the present generation. " "The interpretation has to be pragmatic. It has to be one that suits the needs of society," news agency quoted him as saying. Judges, he said, are expected to work as per their conscience, the oath of office and law, but "should never be perturbed once a matter is decided." "A judge should cut off his mind from the matter and forget what happens to it thereafter," the country's 52nd chief justice added. Talking about the appointment of judges, the CJI asserted that the judiciary's independence "shall not be compromised at any cost". Further, the chief justice stated that While making appointments to the Supreme Court and high courts, the Supreme Court collegium ensures merit is maintained while there is diversity and inclusiveness. A former practicing lawyer at the Bombay high court, he also talked about how, lately, he has been receiving complaints about the "rude behaviour" of judges. "This is not a 10 to 5 job, it's an opportunity to serve the society. It is an opportunity to serve the nation. Please do not do anything which brings disrepute to this august institution, whose reputation has been so laboriously built by the devotion and dedication of generations of lawyers and generations of judges," he urged the legal community. CJI Gavai assumed charge as the chief justice in May. His tenure will end in November.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Punjab considering law with death penalty for sacrilege, to convene special Assembly session
The Punjab government is attempting to bring in a legislation providing for stricter punishment against crimes of sacrilege, and is exploring legal options for a provision of death penalty for those found guilty. 'We will be convening a special session of Vidhan Sabha on July 10 and 11 to bring a historic legislation for stricter punishment against those found guilty of sacrilege. The Centre should have done it. However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is bringing it in Punjab as it understands the emotions of the people of the state,' AAP spokesperson Neel Garg said on Saturday. Sacrilege and the need for tougher legislation has been an emotive issue in the state. In October 2015, during the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP government's term, an incident of sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib in Bargari had changed the political narrative in the state, delivering a blow to the Akali Dal from which it has been struggling to recover. Almost every government since then has attempted to bring in legislation providing for stricter punishment for sacrilege. Sources said such a legislation will require a state-specific amendment to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had earlier highlighted that while the BNS has clear provisions regarding religious places, it remains silent on Sikh holy granths. However, he said, since the subject falls under the concurrent list, the state has the authority to enact such a legislation, and that legal opinion would be sought accordingly. Mann had said that this process would be completed shortly and that a Cabinet meeting would be convened soon. A source in the ruling AAP government told The Indian Express, 'We are bringing in a legislation. We are seeking a legal opinion on whether the death penalty is legally tenable. The Chief Minister, in his public addresses, has advocated death penalty for these crimes several times. The government is now taking a legal opinion on whether this can be done. Otherwise, we will go ahead with life sentence as punishment.' AAP will be the third successive government to bring a legislation against sacrilege. The move comes seven years after former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's Congress government passed two Bills providing for stricter punishment against crimes of sacrilege but could not get the President's assent. During the Congress regime, the Punjab Assembly had in 2018 passed The Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018 and The Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2018, which stipulated punishment up to life imprisonment for injury, damage or sacrilege to Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagwat Gita, Holy Quran and Holy Bible with the intention to hurt the religious feelings of the people. The Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018, sought to amend the IPC by inserting Section 295AA. Under the existing Section 295 A, a convict is subjected to punishment for a maximum of three years imprisonment with or without fine. It also sought to enhance the punishment under Section 295 IPC (Injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) from two to ten years of imprisonment. Sources said the Centre recently returned the sacrilege Bills passed by the Amarinder government in 2018, asking it to legislate afresh keeping in view the provisions of the BNS. The two Bills were about insertions in the provisions in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and The Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Earlier, in March 2016, the then SAD-BJP government had brought in The Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016, and The Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016, recommending life sentence for desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib. The Centre had returned the Bill saying all religions needed to be treated equally as per the secular nature of the Constitution. It asked the Punjab government to either withdraw the Bill or include all religions in the proposed amendment. Later, in August 2018, the Amarinder government passed the two Bills by including the holy scriptures of all faiths. In 2022, CM Mann had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking Presidential assent to the two Bills passed seven years ago. The government's decision to bring a new legislation with provisions for death penalty stems from political and public demands for harsher punishments for sacrilege. Among the protesters is Gurjeet Singh Khalsa who has been protesting atop a BSNL tower in Samana, Patiala, since October 2024. He has been demanding the death penalty for those found guilty of sacrilege. It is learnt that the Chief Secretary KAP Sinha had briefed CM Mann about the protester, stating that if something happened to him, it could create a law and order situation since sacrilege was an emotive issue. Last week, CM Mann had met representatives of the Sarb Dharam Beadbi Rokko Kanoon Morcha, one of the outfits seeking stricter punishment for sacrilege, and promised them that the state government would introduce legislation against such acts. after the meeting, the Chief Minister had stated that the government would consult legal experts to ensure that a robust state legislation is enacted, and explore the possibility of capital punishment for such crimes. While the CM has been calling for capital punishment for sacrilege, a few leaders in the party are of the view that death penalty would be too harsh and may be not be legally tenable.
