Malegaon verdict shuts ‘Hindu terror' narrative: Dayashankar Tiwari
Congress party
's alleged attempt to malign the Hindu community through what he termed a "fake narrative of Hindu terrorism."
"The court has delivered a clear message: Hindus can never be terrorists," Tiwari said. "The conspiracy to frame seven Hindu nationalists in the Malegaon case was a calculated move to appease minorities and vilify the Hindu society. The judgment exposed that design," he added.
Among those initially charged were Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Lt Col Prasad Purohit, Ramesh Upadhyay, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Sameer Kulkarni, and Sudhakar Dwivedi.
Tiwari claimed the accused were subjected to "inhuman torture" under Congress-led govts to extract confessions and push the "Hindu terror" theory.
Referring to recent comments by Congress MP Praniti Shinde describing Operation Sindoor as a "farce", Tiwari accused the party of insulting the memory of innocent Indians killed by Pakistani terrorists. "While our soldiers laid down their lives, Congress was trying to give Pakistan a clean chit," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
6 minutes ago
- The Hindu
O. Panneerselvam: Friendless in Dravidian politics
Three-time Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and former coordinator of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), O. Panneerselvam, could scarcely have imagined, even at the time of his expulsion from the party in July 2022, that he would one day visit the residence of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and interact with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president twice in 12 hours. On July 31, both met at the historic and salubrious Theosophical Society in Adyar during their morning walk. In the evening, accompanied by his son and former Theni MP P. Ravindhranath Kumar, Mr. Panneerselvam held discussions with the Chief Minister and his son and Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin for about 45 minutes at Mr. Stalin's residence in south Chennai's upmarket Alwarpet. The actions of the tea seller-turned-politician raised many eyebrows because he had all along fashioned himself as a quintessential loyalist of Jayalalithaa, who wore anti-DMKism on her sleeve on the lines of the AIADMK's founder and former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran. For the 74-year-old, who hails from the caste and communally sensitive southern region of the State, time seems to be running out for stitching the right alliance to face the Assembly election, due for April-May next year. Mr. Panneerselvam, widely known as OPS, is still considered a persona non grata, as far as the AIADMK general secretary, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, is concerned. As for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a party which Mr. Panneerselvam and his son had assiduously cultivated after Jayalalithaa's death in December 2016, the 'spell of love' towards the septuagenarian does not appear to exist any more. It has been sometime since Mr. Panneerselvam met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah. When Mr. Modi visited Tamil Nadu to take part in the Aadi Thiruvathirai festival in Gangaikondacholapuram on July 26-27, Mr. Panneerselvam's request for a meeting was not granted. But Mr. Palaniswami, once a colleague-turned-foe of Mr. Panneerselvam, met PM Modi at the Tiruchi airport, along with his senior colleagues. At the time of announcing the revival of ties between his party and the AIADMK in April, Mr. Shah made it clear that the BJP would not like to 'interfere in the internal affairs' of the Dravidian party. In the 2024 Lok Sabha poll, Mr. Panneerselvam contested unsuccessfully from the Ramanathapuram constituency as part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. Before holding the July 31 evening meeting with Mr. Stalin came the announcement that the 'OPS' camp had decided to exit the Alliance, a move that was attributed to the Union government's refusal to provide funds to Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. Modi's man All the recent developments must have been odd for the Mr. Panneerselvam, who was not long ago seen as Mr. Modi's loyal supporter. He was present when Mr. Modi filed his nomination papers in Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency in 2019. He surprised many in November 2020 when he used a government function, where Amit Shah and Mr. Palaniswami were present, to announce that the AIADMK, for which he was the coordinator then, and the BJP would continue their alliance for the 2021 Assembly polls. At the function, the veteran political leader, who joined the AIADMK in 1977, had hailed the Union Minister as a 'modern day Chanakya'. The gist Panneerselvam was the AIADMK's 'natural choice' for the CM post in September 2001 after the Supreme Court unseated Jayalalithaa; in September 2014, when Jayalalithaa was convicted in a disproportionate assets case; and in December 2016, after her death After his resignation, he patched up with Palaniswami and became the Deputy Chief Minister. He was seen as a close supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Late last month, the 'OPS' camp decided to exit the NDA, a move that was attributed to the Union government's refusal to provide funds to Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha scheme The perception generated by Mr. Panneerselvam's meetings with Mr. Stalin may be hard to digest for the traditional supporters of the AIADMK, who have been schooled in viewing the DMK as an 'evil force'. But he seems to be having limited options. Even though he still has the option of going along with the fledgling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) led by actor Vijay, the seasoned leader knows fully well that given the grip of the bipolar system in the State, it is next to impossible for a third force to capture even a handful of seats. Not everyone views Mr. Panneerselvam sympathetically and there are critics who say he has 'proved yet again' that he is 'unreliable'. Originally, he drew his strength from his proximity to former interim general secretary of the AIADMK V.K. Sasikala, who had served as an aide of Jayalalithaa for about 30 years, and her nephew T.T.V. Dhinakaran, who is now heading the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK). All of them belong to the same caste group — Mukkulathor — though they are from different sub-groups: Mr. Panneerselvam from Maravar and Ms. Sasikala and Mr. Dhinakaran from Kallar. Once called 'Mr. Faithful', Mr. Panneerselvam, who was with the Janaki Ramachandran group of the party at the time of the party split in 1988, came to be noted for qualities such as humility and fierce loyalty. No wonder, he became the party's nominee for the chairmanship of the Periyakulam Municipality in 1996. His stock in the party began growing, particularly after he served as a key member of the campaign team when Mr. Dhinakaran contested from the Periyakulam Lok Sabha constituency in 1999 and won. Next year, Mr. Panneerselvam became the Theni district secretary of the AIADMK. His qualities and the reputation of an archetypal feudal supplicant had stood him in good stead. He was the party's 'natural choice' for the CM post in September 2001 after the Supreme Court unseated Jayalalithaa; in September 2014, when she was convicted in a disproportionate assets case; and in December 2016 after her death. In Jayalalithaa's Cabinet, he was, at one time, Minister in charge of 13 portfolios. 'Righteous war' The high point in his political career came in February 2017 when he went out all guns blazing against Ms. Sasikala. After quitting the CM post and a 40-minute long 'meditation' at the Jayalalithaa mausoleum on the Marina, he made a dramatic announcement, claiming that he was 'compelled to quit the post'. This marked the launch of his 'dharmayudham' (righteous war) against the 'domination' of Ms. Sasikala's family in the party affairs. In no time, he patched up with Mr. Palaniswami, and became the Deputy Chief Minister six months later. Feeling that he had only a limited space to operate in the party and the government under Mr. Palaniswami, he swiftly re-established ties with Mr. Dhinakaran. At the time of the 2021 Assembly polls, he tried hard for the AMMK's accommodation under the AIADMK fold, but to no avail. As he seems to have exhausted the 'goodwill of his benefactors', including Mr. Modi, Mr. Panneerselvam, a survivor of many trials, is now at the mercy of Mr. Stalin to keep himself and his loyalists afloat. The traditional supporters of the AIADMK may not like it, but for Mr. Panneerselvam, it is a matter of life and death in electoral politics.
Time of India
19 minutes ago
- Time of India
Rahul claims Jaitley 'threat' over farm laws, late minister's son hits back
Rahul Gandhi (File photo) NEW DELHI: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that Modi govt had sent Arun Jaitley to threaten him for opposing farm laws, drawing sharp reactions from BJP and the former Union minister's son, who said the Lok Sabha leader of opposition was "lying" as the three laws had been introduced in 2020 while Jaitley died in 2019. While education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Gandhi's "immaturity and childish disgusting mentality has done the insensitive work of spreading lies in the name of the late Jaitley", FM Nirmala Sitharaman said, "If irresponsibility has a face, it is Rahul Gandhi." Addressing Congress's annual legal conclave, Rahul said, "I remember when I was fighting the farm laws, he's not here any more so I really shouldn't say it, but I will - Arun Jaitley ji was sent to me. .. to threaten me." "He said, 'if you carry on down this path, opposing the govt and fighting us on the farm laws, we'll have to take act against you'," he alleged. "I replied, 'I think you don't know or have an idea who you're talking to. We're Congress people, and we're not cowards. We are not going to bend; the superpower British couldn't bend us'," Rahul said. Rebutting Rahul's claims about his father, Rohan Jaitley said,"Let the departed rest in peace ....let by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Reverse Osmosis Treatment Leaf Home Water Solutions Learn More Undo me remind him, my father passed away in 2019. The farm laws were introduced in 2020." "More importantly, it was not in my father's nature to threaten anyone over an opposing view. He was a staunch democrat and always believed in building consensus," he added. "If at all such a situation was to occur, as it often does in politics, he would invite free and open discussions to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution to all," Rohan added.
Time of India
20 minutes ago
- Time of India
Cardinal Baselios expresses trust in court after nuns get bail in Chhattisgarh
Raipur: Hours after the NIA court in Chhattisgarh granted conditional bail to two nuns arrested on charges of human trafficking and religious conversion, the president of Kerala Catholic Bishops Council, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, told TOI over a phone call, "With the bail granted, the first chapter of the circumstance has come to a conclusion, but we don't think the issue is closed. The judicial process now begins and we wish the nuns to be declared innocent after the legal process." Speaking as the spokesman of the Church, Baselios said, "We all believe is that they are innocent and were trying to help the young girls. The girls are mature and not minors, they can a decision for themselves. Let the court take its act of justice and we have all confidence in the court." "We believe that the accusations against nuns have to be proved, while my apprehension is that once a crowd dictates what is right and not, things in democracy and judiciary will be in trouble. Let the court alone make the sincere investigation and find the truth," he added. "The nuns are from Kerala and we are with them on different levels as we have emotional attachment with them. They are not two simple sisters, the issue is of serious concern for us. It shouldn't happen again anywhere in the country. Else, anyone could accuse anyone and put them in jail, who will prove them innocent," Cardinal Baselios said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Taylor Swift Goes Natural, Here's How She Really Looks The Noodle Box Undo Cardinal Baselios Cleemis is a former President of Catholic Bishops Conference of India twice, and is present consultant to Pope Leo XIV in the dicastery of inter-religious dialogue. Additionally, he is serving as head of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church in Kerala. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
