Latest news with #Chirag
Deccan Herald
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Chirag casts his net wide across Bihar's Dalit votebank
Chirag seems to be voicing support for important issues of the larger Dalit community and also such matters that will either unite the SC subgroups or bring other Dalit groups into his fold.
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
On Nitish turf, Chirag set to sharpen ‘new leadership' pitch, step up ‘Bahujan outreach'
Barely three weeks after Union minister Chirag Paswan stirred Bihar politics by announcing that he would contest in the upcoming state Assembly polls, the LJP (Ram Vilas) president is going to step up pressure on ally JD (U) by holding a rally in Rajgir – in Nalanda district, the home turf of Chief Minister and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar – on Sunday. The LJP (RV) has dubbed its Rajgir meeting 'Bahujan sankalp samagam', where Chirag would focus on 'Bahujan' and 'nav netritva' (new leadership) in a bid to expand his party's base beyond Paswans – the Scheduled Caste (SC) group to which he belongs – to other Bahujan communities. While both Nitish and Chirag are key allies of the BJP-led NDA, their relations have been strained, with the LJP(RV) chief now positioning himself for a larger role in Bihar politics. For the last couple of months, the LJP (RV) has engaged in posturings in what has been seen as its bid to get a sizeable number of seats to contest in the Assembly polls due in October-November this year. While senior partners, BJP and JD(U), are likely to contest from about 100 seats each in the elections to the 243-member House, the LJP (RV) and other junior NDA allies – including Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha – have also been attempting to claim larger shares in seat-sharing. In the Lok Sabha polls, the LJP(RV) had won five seats out of five it was allotted by the NDA out of the state's 40 seats. For the Assembly polls, the NDA leadership has yet to kickstart the seat-sharing negotiations among its allies. Chirag, 42, now clearly seems to be looking to take centrestage in Bihar politics with his party calling for a 'new leadership' in the state. At the LJP(RV)'s June 8 rally in Arah, Chirag had announced that he would contest the 'Assembly polls from any seat people would want him to contest from'. At the Rajgir meeting, he is expected to push for 'Bihar's leadership for Bahujans', especially for the SCs which account for 19.65% of the state's population. Paswans make up about 5.33% of the state's population. The LJP (RV)'s Jamui MP Arun Bharti, who is also Chirag's brother-in-law, said, in a social media post, on the eve of the Rajgir event: 'Though Bahujan samaj has a huge population, it has been kept out from leadership role. The social group which is the biggest was shown/ treated as the smallest one. But, not any longer. From land of Rajgir, we are going to make an important announcement – Bahujan will no longer be a crowd but a voice. They will not just vote but lead. Bahujam Sankalp Samagam is not a cultural event but a political clarion call. We are gathering at Rajgir to fight on our terms, choose our leadership. Our leader will be Chirag Paswan.' Of late, Chirag has entrusted Bharti to play a major role in his party for working out its poll strategies. After the LJP(RV) chief's decision to take the plunge in the Assembly polls, RJD leader and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Tejashwi Yadav asked him to clear the air if he 'wanted to become Bihar CM'. 'Let him (Chirag) say it clearly, it will give clarity to NDA and INDIA bloc,' Tejashwi said. An LJP (RV) leader told The Indian Express: 'As of now, we are engaging in intense posturings to get a good number of seats for the upcoming polls. We also want winnable seats. With five MPs, we are the BJP's third most important NDA ally at the Centre. If a party like HAM (S) with one MP can ask for 40 seats, how many should we ask for with that calculation'. In the 2020 Assembly polls in which the then undivided LJP had contested alone, the party had got 5.66% votes while winning just one seat. On the LJP(RV)'s 'Bahujan outreach and new leadership call', another party leader said: 'Bihar politics has been undergoing a churn and a new political order will emerge sooner or later. Chirag will play a key role in that process, more so with Nitish Kumar seen to be walking into the sunset of his long political innings.' Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. ... Read More
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Man Leaves Behind 'Yes List' for Girlfriend After He Dies. 3 Years Later, She's Checking Off the Boxes
Elena Ricci, 29, is checking off the boxes on a list of 101-item "yes list" she received in the mail days after her boyfriend Chirag died Among the items on the list are dying her hair blonde, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and bungee jumping "I'm grateful that he sent me that," the content creator saidThree years ago, a British man left behind a 101-item 'yes list' for his girlfriend. Now, she's starting to check off all the boxes. Elena Ricci, 29, said her boyfriend of six years Chirag, 26, died by suicide in July 2022, according to SWNS. Just a few days later, the content creator from Birmingham said she received a letter in the mail from Chirag. The letter contained a list of 50 things they wanted to do as a couple, and another 51 things Elena had mentioned wanting to do herself. The goal, she said, was to ensure she continued to live her life, even after he was gone. "When I first read it I thought 'what the hell is this?' she recalled, noting that she was initially left 'angry' and in 'disbelief." Three years later, in January 2025, Elena reread the list from Chirag, according to SWNS. She then decided to start the list, and her goal is to check off every single item. "Now going through it again, I still feel some anger but I'm grateful that he sent me that,' she explained, adding, "I'm re-learning how to live.' Elena has already accomplished a number of items on the list, including "enjoying her birthday' on May 11. "I enjoyed it for the first time in two years,' she explained. Now, Elena wants to visit Stourhead, where Pride and Prejudice was filmed, and dye her hair blonde. Chirag suggested Elena do some fun and adventurous things, such as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, going to Bali and bungee jumping. He also encouraged her to 'have an Italian summer romance before you're 30' and 'ask your mum to arrange a date for you,' as well as 'play guitar again and actually become good at it' and 'do something you hate.' Also on the list is buying a house, which Elena hopes to work toward while accomplishing some of the other items. Chirag also recommended that Elena go to therapy, which she has already started. Some of the items surprised Elena, who said she had only mentioned a few of them in passing over the years. "I wanted to do something really big for my 30th like going to Thailand. I mentioned it when we first started dating. I don't know how he remembered that,' she explained. "There was also bungee jumping - I mentioned it as a joke. I'm terrified of heights. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Elena hopes that by opening up about her grief, it can help others heal from theirs. "Life looks completely different,' she said, 'it doesn't mean you can't enjoy the life I have now.' If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 24/7. Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
My boyfriend took his own life - the letter he sent me from beyond the grave filled me with rage
A woman has revealed how she was left with conflicting feelings after her boyfriend left her a letter after taking his own life. Elena Ricci, 29, from Birmingham was devastated when she lost her partner of six years, Chirag, 26, in July 2022. Days after his death she received a letter in the post from Chirag - that he had sent before he passed away - with 101 things for her to do to help her live again. 50 of these were things they'd wanted to do today, while an extra 51 were ones he'd remembered Elena speaking about - including climbing Kilimanjaro, dyeing her hair blonde, going on a date and falling in love again. Initially Elena was 'angry' at the letter and spent the next few years 'sleep walking through life' to get through her grief. But now, nearly three years on, she has re-read the letter and has now decided to start trying to complete the things set out for her - calling it her 'yes list'. Elena, a content creator, said: 'When I first read it I thought "what the hell is this?". 'At the beginning it was all anger and disbelief and the audacity to send me this. Now going through it again I still feel some anger but I'm grateful that he sent me that. 'He probably knew I wouldn't want to live anymore. I'm re-learning how to live. I've called it my yes list.' Elena said that the letter from Chirag read: 'I'm really sorry about what I have done but we already had 50 things we wanted to do together - I hope you'll still do them. I added 50 more things I think you should do.' Elena struggled initially to process her grief after losing Chirag suddenly. She said: 'I did feel completely numb. Every day felt like a dream for a while. 'After the funeral I completely broke down. It hit me he was dead and never coming back. I was walking through life sleep walking, I didn't want to face my grief.' It was only this January that Elena decided to re-read Chirag's letter - and saw he had told her to get grief therapy. After having a few sessions she has started to face her loss and has now decided to try and slowly complete the things on the list. So far she has ticked off 'enjoying her birthday' and aims to now dye her hair blonde and visit Stourhead, Wiltshire - where Pride and Prejudice was shot. SOME OF THE ITEMS ON CHIRAG'S 'YES' LIST FOR ELENA Some of Chirag's suggestions included: - Just start - Do something you hate - Enjoy your birthday again - Do grief therapy - Do DBT therapy - Dye your hair blonde - Go to Stourhead - Have an Italian summer romance before you're 30 - Ask your mum to arrange a date for you - Go bungee jumping - Play guitar again and actually become good at it - Climb Kilimanjaro Elena started by ticking off the task to enjoy her birthday on May 11, 2025 - going to the Ivy and the Yorkshire Dales with her friends, where they went hiking and to the sauna. She said: 'I enjoyed it for the first time in two years. Doing my birthday was something I did for other people because they know how much I used to enjoy it. This year I did it for myself.' Some of the things on the list may take years to complete - such as buying a house - but Elena hopes to start making her way through some of the more manageable ones. Chirag also listed going to Bali, climbing Kilimanjaro and taking a sabbatical. Elena said some of the things on the list were things she had mentioned once years ago and she was surprised Chirag had remembered them. She said: 'I wanted to do something really big for my 30th like going to Thailand. I mentioned it when we first started dating. I don't know how he remembered that. 'There was also bungee jumping - I mentioned it as a joke. I'm terrified of heights. He's also put on "go on a date" and "fall in love again" - but that's for years time.' Elena feels her therapy and the list has started to give her more 'ups than downs'. Elena even managed to enjoy her birthday this year (pictured) and visited the Yorkshire Dales with her friends She said: 'Life looks completely different - it doesn't mean you can't enjoy the life I have now. I don't have to feel guilty about it. 'Feeling guilty doesn't bring people back from the dead.' She also hopes that opening up about her grief journey will help others who have gone through similar circumstances. She said: 'We see death as a taboo. Everyone goes through it. It's so important to talk about it even if it's makes people uncomfortable. 'The secrecy of it makes people unprepared to deal with it.' Speaking about Chirag, she said: 'He was the funniest person I have ever met. He was so kind. He was always ready to help others.' You can contact Samaritans for free on 116 123, email them at jo@ or visit to find your nearest branch.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bombay High Court gives 4 weeks to Maharashtra to fix school safety rules
In a sharp follow-up to its earlier directives after the Badlapur sexual assault case, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday (June 24, 2025) criticised the Maharashtra government for lapses in implementing the school safety measures outlined in the May 13, 2025, Government Resolution (GR). The Court gave the State four weeks to address compliance issues and submit a detailed report. The GR was issued by the Department of School Education and Sports following the High Court's suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) in August 2024, after two minor girls were sexually assaulted at a school in Badlapur. The Court had directed the formation of an expert committee to overhaul child safety norms in educational institutions. One of the Court's key concerns was the limited public accessibility of the GR. The Division Bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale observed that the document was difficult to find online unless one knew the exact keywords. 'The GR needs to reach parents the way report cards are sent. Every parent should be aware of it. Upload it on the education department's website also. We ourselves had to rack our brains to find this GR. If one doesn't know the proper words, it is very difficult to locate,' the Bench said. Accordingly, the GR mandates that the document be prominently uploaded on the department's website and circulated through Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and physical copies to ensure all parents are aware of the safety protocols in place. Spanning 23 pages, the GR outlines a range of safety protocols aimed at preventing sexual abuse and strengthening institutional accountability. These include enhanced CCTV surveillance at key school locations — such as classroom entrances, corridors, playgrounds, and areas outside washrooms — counselling support for students, prompt response to abuse cases, and improved coordination between schools, parents, and law enforcement. The GR stipulates that schools must inform the local police or the Special Juvenile Police Unit within one month of becoming aware of any sexual offence involving a child. Non-compliance could attract legal action under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. To raise awareness, the resolution directs schools to educate students on the use of the POCSO e-box—developed by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights—and the Chirag mobile app launched by the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) in collaboration with the International Justice Mission. These tools must be promoted on noticeboards and security walls within schools. Students should also be informed about the child helpline number 1098. During the hearing, the Bench asked, 'Who will monitor the POCSO e-box and Chirag mobile app? Set a format for a reporting mechanism. Check whether all schools have CCTV cameras, whether they are in working condition, whether all schools have buses. You must have data of all the schools you visited and other compliances. Give us data of whatever you have collected so far. We want the data to include all cities and talukas across Maharashtra.' In response, the State said it would gather data on how many schools have complied with the guidelines. To ensure robust implementation, the High Court had earlier appointed a panel comprising retired Justices Sadhana Jadhav and Shalini Phansalkar Joshi, along with former IPS officer Meeran Borwankar and a retired school principal. The committee was tasked with recommending strategies for effective enforcement of the POCSO Act in educational settings. A key element of the GR is the creation of a statewide compliance database. District authorities are directed to track which schools have adopted the safety guidelines and which have been physically inspected. The data will help shape future audits and guide policy decisions. The Court has now given the Maharashtra government four weeks to address all outstanding concerns and file a compliance report detailing the extent of adherence to the guidelines, the monitoring systems in place, and the progress of data collection.
