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India.com
4 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Lalan Singh's Mutton Feast During Sawan Sparks Political Row In Bihar
JDU veteran leader and Union Minister Lalan Singh has come under opposition fire after organizing a mutton feast during the month of Sawan, drawing sharp reactions from Congress, which has targeted the Centre and Bihar government by invoking Sanatan Dharma. Sharing the video of this mutton party, Congress wrote, "Modi-Nitish's mutton party in the month of Sawan! Dharma ke contractors, drown yourself," as reported by Zee Bihar-Jharkhand. There has been no response from RJD yet, and the BJP and JDU are completely silent on the controversy. #BreakingNews #LalanSingh #Politics #Sawan | @theanupamajha @Chandans_live — Zee News (@ZeeNews) July 17, 2025 The mutton party was organized by Lalan Singh on Wednesday (July 16), after he had held a rally on the occasion of laying the foundation stone for road and bridge construction projects worth Rs 472 crore in Suryagarha, Lakhisarai. Thousands of people participated in the mutton feast. Announcing the feast, Lalan Singh said that the food was ready and described it as a good meal. "There is also an arrangement for Sawan—Sawan food is available, and there is also an arrangement for those who are not observing Sawan," Zee Bihar-Jharkhand reported, quoting Lalan Singh. Politics over mutton is not a new thing in Bihar. Last year, in the month of Sawan, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav cooked mutton and fed it to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, which created a lot of controversy. Apart from this, during the Lok Sabha elections, a video of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav eating fish during Navratri went viral. However, at that time NDA leaders attacked it, calling it an anti-Sanatan act. Sawan, also called Shravan, is a holy month in the Hindu calendar, considered extremely auspicious for the worship of Lord Shiva. During this time, it is customary for many Hindus to abstain from non-vegetarian food.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Free electricity: JDU terms it a "gift" for consumers; RJD claims CM surrenders front of Tejashwi's vision
JDU leader Rajeev Ranjan on Thursday hailed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar 's decision to provide free electricity up to 125 units for domestic consumers and termed it a "gift" to the 1.67 crore families in the state. Rajeev Ranjan, in a self-made video, stated that the move will provide significant relief for families by reducing their monthly expenses. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category MCA CXO Data Science Data Science others Artificial Intelligence Finance Others PGDM Design Thinking Digital Marketing Healthcare Degree healthcare Project Management Operations Management Leadership Technology Data Analytics Public Policy MBA Management Cybersecurity Product Management Skills you'll gain: Programming Proficiency Data Handling & Analysis Cybersecurity Awareness & Skills Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT Master of Computer Applications Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details "Nitish Kumar gave a gift to Bihar today. Consumers no longer need to pay for using up to 125 units of electricity. This is a big shift for the 1 crore 67 lakh families. This will ensure a cut from their monthly expenses," Ranjan said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Dark Truth Nobody Talks About trendingresults Undo However, RJD leader Shakti Yadav stated that the move is a result of continuous pressure from the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar assembly, Tejashwi Yadav . "If Tejashwi Yadav, like a Leader, is in the opposition in Bihar, then Nitish Kumar has to surrender." Jhukti h Sarkar, "Jhukane wala Chaiye". Tejashwi Yadav's announcement of making 200 units of free electricity compelled Nitish kumar to do this. They did not have a vision..... The people of Bihar know that the credit goes to Tejashwi Yadav. This man does what he speaks and also gets it done," the RJD leader said in a self-made video. Live Events Ahead of Bihar elections, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today announced that eligible domestic consumers across the state will receive up to 125 units of electricity free of cost starting August 1, a move set to benefit around 1.67 crore families. Kumar said that the government has also decided to install solar power plants on the rooftops or in nearby public places for domestic consumers within the next three years. Kumar stated that the government has also decided to install solar power plants on the rooftops or in nearby public areas of domestic consumers within the next three years. "We have also decided that in the next three years, with the consent of all these domestic consumers, solar power plants will be installed on their rooftops or at nearby public places to provide benefits," he added. Kumar further stated that the state government will fully cover the cost of installing solar power systems for extremely poor families, while others will receive suitable financial assistance under the Kutir Jyoti scheme. "Under the Kutir Jyoti scheme, for extremely poor families, the state government will bear the entire cost of installing solar power plants, and for the rest, the government will provide appropriate support. This means domestic consumers will no longer have to bear any cost for electricity up to 125 units, and at the same time, it is estimated that within the next three years, up to 10,000 megawatts of solar energy will be available in the state,' Kumar's post reads. This announcement came as a move to woo voters ahead of the state assembly elections due later this year.
India Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Digvijaya Singh's post on Kanwar Yatra stirs row; BJP takes 'Maulana' jibe
Senior Congress leader Digvijay has sparked a controversy by attacking the annual Kanwar Yatra through a Facebook post in which he accused the government of hypocrisy, claiming that the Yatra is allowed to cover roads but not Namaz. His post drew sharp criticism from the BJP and the JDU, who condemned Singh's remarks and sought an apology for speaking against a Hindu former Madhya Pradesh chief minister shared the post in which the picture on the left showed several Kanwars placed on a busy road, while the right one showed a policeman kicking a man offering Namaz. "One country, two laws," Digvijay Singh captioned the post. The photo on the right is from an incident that happened in March last year, wherein a Delhi police cop was seen kicking a Muslim man offering Friday prayers on the road in the Inderlok area. The incident sparked outrage and the policeman was suspended. The BJP took a strong objection to the Congress leader's post and accused him of always attacking the Hindu religion and its traditions."Maulana Digvijay Singh only opposes the Sanatan Dharma. He wants to create a row around a holy festival like the Kanwar Yatra. When he can glorify Zakir Naik, talk of protecting terrorists, raise questions over Army operations, talk in favour of Pakistan and do the politics of appeasement, nothing better can be expected out of him," said Madhya Pradesh minister Vishwas Sarang."Digvijay Singh has always insulted the Hindu religion, its followers, saints and festivals. That is why he is called Maulana Digvijay Singh. He uses terms like saffron terror and defames Sanatan Dharma," Sarang BJP leader also warned that if Singh continues hurting Hindu religious sentiments, it will not be tolerated. "He should apologise for his remarks," Sarang minister's stance was echoed by KC Tyagi of the JDU, an ally of the BJP, who called Digvijay Singh's post "objectionable"."I don't agree with him. His statement is objectionable, emotionally charged, disrupting and also wrong in terms of the comparison between two communities. The Kanwariyas have a fixed route, which is clearly defined and demarcated till Haridwar. They cannot just take their Kanwar on any route arbitrarily," Tyagi said while speaking to India Today also said that Muslims have also been given all the rights to offer Namaz in mosques, but when it is offered on the roads, the administration does its work to manage the Congress leaders against repeating such statements, Tyagi said, "It is because of such comparisons that the Congress is in this situation. If this continues, then their leader, Rahul Gandhi, may have to deal with even more uncomfortable situations".UP TEACHER'S POEM ON KANWAR YATRADigvijay Singh's post came just a day after a case was registered against a teacher in Uttar Pradesh for reciting a poem on Kanwar Yatra during the school assembly, with Hindu outfits claiming that it hurt religious controversy erupted after a video went viral showing Rajneesh Gangwar, a teacher at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Inter College in Bareilly, reciting his self-composed poem titled "Tum Kanwar lene mat jana, gyaan ka deep jalana" (Don't go to fetch the Kanwar, instead light the lamp of knowledge).It further says, "Kanwar le jaakar koi SP ya DM nahi bana hai" (No one has become an SP or District Magistrate by carrying kanwar).Hindu organisations objected to the poem, calling it inflammatory and disrespectful towards Kanwar yatris or kanwariyas.- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Same Story, New Cast
Gen Next netas are leading Bihar assembly contests, but it's still all caste and faith Nitish Kumar rarely looks wobbly. Even when his govt shifts from one alliance to the other. He is rarely a failed engine in image or perception. But ahead of 2025 assembly election, Bihar's CM may find himself as shaky as some of his state's bridges turn out to be. For all the supposed faith in 'sushasan babu', fact is his biggest competition is emerging within his own alliance. NDA ally, who calls himself Modi's 'hanuman', the man who played spoiler for JDU in 2020 state polls, Dalit Union minister Chirag Paswan wants to be NDA's CM-face. And he's making no bones about it. Chirag's confidence in moving from Parliament to Patna, with plans to contest on all 243 assembly seats, is driven by the fact that LJP in 2020 likely hurt NDA in 59 seats, where it relegated JDU and allies to third slot. Chirag's rise from the dust of factionalism after his father Ram Vilas Paswan's death in 2021 is in no small measure due to Modi keeping an eye out for him. It may be very early days yet. But Bihar lives election to election, with intervening five years committed to a cycle of falling bridges, poverty chatter, migration, and MosPI surveys. When it's poll-time, it's back to stirring the caste cauldron. It's the first election after the deaths of BJP face Sushil Modi and LJP's Ram Vilas Paswan. Nitish's health is not what it used to be, and Lalu has handed over the reins to his son – Tejashwi, who leads opposition INDIA camp. Count in also Jitan Ram Manjhi's son. Short shrift was made of Nitish's attempts to induct his son into politics – JDU's future would seem uncertain. NDA made Nitish CM in 2020, but by far BJP is the bigger partner. In 2020 state polls, NDA won 125 seats (BJP 74, JDU 43), then UPA 110 (RJD 75, Cong 19). In Lok Sabha 2024, BJP won 12 of Bihar's 40 seats with vote share 21%, JDU 12 seats with 19%, and Chirag's LJP(RV) all 5 seats it contested with a 7% vote share. Opposition RJD won 4 seats with 22%. The assembly election in a way is a handover to Gen Next who'll be contesting against the backdrop of the 2022 caste survey, an upcoming caste census, and 'illegal immigrants' which is a poll issue for the first time in Bihar. Collapsing bridges, crippled health infra, migration and poverty – all that's for the surveyors, not elections. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
The Print
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
RJD has an EBC dream in Bihar. It'll take more than tickets & tokenism
Based on an analysis of caste-wise candidate nominations by the RJD and JDU, and their respective victories in the 2020 Bihar assembly election, I argue that the RJD needs to move beyond political appointments for the mobilisation of such communities. It also needs to focus on exclusive policies intended to empower EBCs. Otherwise, it will be extremely difficult to break the scepticism of the EBCs. So far, though, EBCs have shown an aversion toward the RJD. Instead, they have gravitated toward the JDU, now in alliance with the BJP, which mobilised its election machinery in Bihar immediately after winning the Delhi assembly election. The question now arises whether the RJD will succeed in its efforts to attract EBCs through the appointment of Mandal. As Bihar gears up for the assembly elections later this year, the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal has appointed Mangani Lal Mandal as its new state president—the first time it has chosen someone who belongs to the Extremely Backward Classes, or EBCs, a voting bloc that comprises 113 castes and makes up 36 per cent of the state's population. Also Read: What's behind Modi govt's U-turn on caste census & how it targets Oppn ahead of crucial Bihar polls EBC aversion to RJD in 2020 polls Bihar is well known for caste-based political mobilisation. The caste background of candidates is an important indicator of how parties build their social coalitions. It also helps us to understand the support of different castes for various political parties. Let's take a look at the caste-wise candidate nominations and wins of the RJD and JDU in the 2020 Bihar assembly election. This analysis examines the caste composition of nominees and elected representatives from the RJD and JDU in the 2020 Bihar Assembly election, based on candidate data from media reports. The graph below shows that the RJD's highest number of candidates came from the Yadav community (58). After them, only three other groups—EBCs (19), Scheduled Castes (19), and Muslims (18)—had candidates in double digits. Seen as a whole, the RJD focused primarily on its traditional MY (Muslim-Yadav) base, followed by an attempt to bring in EBCs. However, its EBC candidates performed badly. Out of 19 nominated, only four won. In contrast, JDU's EBC candidates performed impressively. It nominated 17 EBC candidates, out of which 12 won. The party's overall ticket distribution was also not concentrated on any one social group. Seven social groups—Yadav (18), EBC (17), SC (16), Kurmi (15), Kushwaha (15), Muslim (11), and Bhumihar (10)—had candidates in double digits. It's worth noting, though, that the highest number of JDU candidates also came from the Yadavs. This nomination profile might be symbolic, but it also conveys a message that the party is not against the legitimate representation of any particular social group. Here, the RJD did not appear as above board, as it had nominated only one candidate from the Kurmi caste, which is the support base of the JDU. In short, the above comparative analysis reveals EBCs have largely steered clear of the RJD. Despite nominating a larger number of candidates from the group, only four of its 19 EBC candidates won, compared to 12 of JDU's 17. Also Read: ECI's voter verification drive in Bihar is tailor-made to keep Dalits, Muslims, EBCs out RJD's inadequate strategy It is often stated that Nitish Kumar has created a constituency of women, MBCs, and Mahadalits, and these social groups have gradually become a strong support base of the JDU. To break the social base of any political party, a rival typically deploys two strategies: ticket splitting and policy changes. The former means nominating candidates from those castes and communities, while the latter involves promising policies that benefit them. The RJD relied on the first strategy, nominating a high number of EBC candidates in the 2020 election. One may counter that the RJD also adopted the strategy of policy change by promising 10 lakh government jobs, from which EBCs would also potentially benefit. So why did EBCs not respond to such promises? One answer could be low educational attainment among EBCs and their limited ability to benefit from reservation policies. Across North Indian states, EBCs have demanded a sub-categorisation within OBC reservations, arguing that they are unable to compete with politically dominant OBC groups such as Yadavs and Kurmis. The BJP responded by appointing the Justice Rohini Committee to examine this demand. At the same time, welfare schemes introduced by the Narendra Modi government have also reached these communities. Because of its alliance with the BJP, the JDU has benefited from both strategies—ticket splitting and policy response—while opposition parties like the RJD have remained stuck on the former. This could partly explain the aversion of EBCs toward the RJD. In the upcoming election, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav is promising to extend the limit of reservation, along with the introduction of a domicile policy for government jobs. However, none of these policies are specifically targeted to address the grievances of EBCs. Unless the party does that, it would be a herculean task to break the aversion. To sum up, the RJD's attempt to expand its social coalition by adding EBCs to its MY base did not deliver encouraging results in the last election. Relying on ticket-splitting alone to mobilise these communities hasn't worked. The party now needs to explore mechanisms beyond candidate nomination. Offering specific welfare schemes could be one of them. Otherwise, it may just be staring at a repeat of 2020. Arvind Kumar is a visiting lecturer in Politics & International Relations at the University of Hertfordshire, UK. He tweets @arvind_kumar__. Views are personal. (Edited by Asavari Singh)
