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The Print
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
UP minister Pratibha Shukla protests against own govt again, now over ‘targeting' Brahmins
As per Shukla's close aides, the issue began with a road being constructed using MLA funds in the Badlapur area (Akbarpur Nagar Panchayat) of Kanpur district. A local councillor named Shamshad objected to the location of the road and stopped the work. When Pratibha Shukla found out, she visited the spot of the argument between her supporters and the councillor. Later that evening, based on a complaint by the contractor, a case was filed against Councillor Shamshad for allegedly disrupting government work and demanding money. Pratibha Shukla staged a dharna on 24 and 25 July at Akbarpur police station, accusing that her close aides were specifically targeted by the police. She demanded that the local police inspector be removed. Police officers tried to persuade her to end the protest, but she refused to budge. Lucknow: Months after raising concerns about 'irregularities' in Anganwadi recruitment, Uttar Pradesh's Minister of State, Pratibha Shukla, is once again in the spotlight, but this time for protesting against the state police. Her husband, former MP Anil Shukla Warsi, was also present at the dharna, and claimed that Brahmins are being unfairly targeted in the current government. Later, a cross FIR was filed by a Scheduled Caste resident of Badlapur—Baburam—against several people, including local BJP leader Shiva Pandey, who is close to Shukla. This upset Shukla further, and both husband and wife sat on dharna. Anil Shukla, the minister's husband and a former MP, further escalated the controversy by attacking his own party's MP, Bhole Singh. In a viral video, Anil said that if the BJP hadn't made his wife a minister, he would have contested the 2024 elections from Akbarpur and defeated Bhole Singh. He accused Bhole Singh's men of controlling the police station and causing trouble. In another video, Anil Shukla is seen talking to Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak and accusing the government of failing to protect Brahmins. The Deputy CM reportedly cut the call midway. While speaking to the media on Friday, Anil Shukla said that Brahmins are being repeatedly targeted under the current government. He hinted that only one caste is dominating, indirectly referring to MP Bhole Singh, a Thakur, the same caste as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Before Shukla, many other BJP leaders, including MLA Prakash Dwivedi and Dev Mani Dwivedi also, alleged that Brahmins were being targeted in the state. As per a rough estimate, Thakurs make up around 6 percent of Uttar Pradesh's population, while Brahmins constitute around 9 percent. Both communities are seen to have played a key role in bringing the BJP to power in the state for two consecutive terms since 2017. Pratibha Shukla's husband Anil Shukla is a former BSP MP. He joined the BJP in 2015 along with his wife. He has also been part of the Samajwadi Party earlier. In 2017, his wife Pratibha won the Akbarpur-Raniya assembly constituency on a BJP ticket. Later, in 2022, she was appointed Minister of State for Women Welfare, Child Development and Nutrition in the Yogi government. Also read: Whistle-blowers or party snipers? UP ministers' 'letter bombs' leaving Yogi govt red-faced Shukla raised questions earlier too In February, Pratibha Shukla had sparked another controversy when a letter written by her alleging corruption in the Anganwadi recruitment went viral. In it, she accused officials in her department of irregularities in the hiring process. She stated that during her district visits, she received frequent complaints about corruption. She specifically blamed District Programme Officers (DPOs) and their staff for manipulating recruitment procedures. In her letter, she mentioned that during her visits to various districts, she had received numerous complaints about corruption in the hiring process. She noted that everything from accepting applications to shortlisting candidates was being done under the DPO's supervision. Shukla is one of several ministers in Yogi Adityanath's second term who have openly raised concerns about their own government's officials. Before her, leaders like Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, Cabinet Minister Ashish Patel, Nand Kumar Nandi, Sanjay Nishad, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dinesh Pratap Singh, and Minister of State Dinesh Khatik have also questioned bureaucratic functioning on different occasions. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: Why are BJP leaders going after bureaucracy in Yogi's UP
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Thakur-Rajbhar clash: FIR against life threats to SBSP chief
Varanasi: FIR was lodged at Kotwali police station in Ballia district on Tuesday against life threat to UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar, president of Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party, in connection with a violent clash between groups of Thakurs and Rajbhars at Chhitauna village in Varanasi. Another FIR was lodged against an individual in Varanasi for an inflammatory social media post related to the Chhitauna episode. Ballia ASP (Southern), Kripa Shankar, said a case was registered under appropriate sections after a post went viral on social media in which a person had made a reference to the SBSP president in abusive language. Necessary legal action was being taken in this connection, he added. Referring to the viral post, the minister's son, Arun Rajbhar, claimed there was life threat issued to his father and demanded that he was provided Z plus security by Union home minister Amit Shah. He wrote to Shah after a person claiming to be an office-bearer of Karni Sena's Ballia unit allegedly issued a threat on social media that he would shoot the senior Rajbhar. In Varanasi, Chaubeypur police lodged FIR against Dinanath Rajbhar for spreading discord in society by circulating a video on various social media platforms. In the video, Dinanath, and some unidentified associates were seen riding a motorcycle and making derogatory comments against a particular organisation. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esse novo alarme com câmera é quase gratuito em Catalão (consulte o preço) Alarmes Undo by Taboola by Taboola Taking action, police lodged FIR under section 196(1) BNS. Police teams have been formed to identify these anti-social elements and ensure prompt legal proceedings through investigation and inquiry. Yet another FIR was already lodged by Chaubepur against Rajesh Singh Rajput and Shivshankar Rajbhar under section 197 (promoting enmity between groups on caste, religion, and race grounds) and 353(2) (statements conducive to public mischief) on Monday. Varanasi: FIR was lodged at Kotwali police station in Ballia district on Tuesday against life threat to UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar, president of Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party, in connection with a violent clash between groups of Thakurs and Rajbhars at Chhitauna village in Varanasi. Another FIR was lodged against an individual in Varanasi for an inflammatory social media post related to the Chhitauna episode. Ballia ASP (Southern), Kripa Shankar, said a case was registered under appropriate sections after a post went viral on social media in which a person had made a reference to the SBSP president in abusive language. Necessary legal action was being taken in this connection, he added. Referring to the viral post, the minister's son, Arun Rajbhar, claimed there was life threat issued to his father and demanded that he was provided Z plus security by Union home minister Amit Shah. He wrote to Shah after a person claiming to be an office-bearer of Karni Sena's Ballia unit allegedly issued a threat on social media that he would shoot the senior Rajbhar. In Varanasi, Chaubeypur police lodged FIR against Dinanath Rajbhar for spreading discord in society by circulating a video on various social media platforms. In the video, Dinanath, and some unidentified associates were seen riding a motorcycle and making derogatory comments against a particular organisation. Taking action, police lodged FIR under section 196(1) BNS. Police teams have been formed to identify these anti-social elements and ensure prompt legal proceedings through investigation and inquiry. Yet another FIR was already lodged by Chaubepur against Rajesh Singh Rajput and Shivshankar Rajbhar under section 197 (promoting enmity between groups on caste, religion, and race grounds) and 353(2) (statements conducive to public mischief) on Monday.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Thakur vs Rajbhar clashes: FIR againsttwo for hate messages on social media
Varanasi: An FIR was lodged in connection with hate messages being circulated on social media related to the clashes between Thakurs and Rajbhar families in Chhitauni village of the Chaubepur police station area. The incident took place on July 5. The social media messages, police said, were further vitiating the atmosphere. Police commissioner Mohit Agrawal has already set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the clashes. ADCP (Varuna) Neetu on Monday said, "During routine surveillance by the social media cell of the commissionerate on Sunday, it was found that certain posts on some social media platforms aimed to create tension between two specific castes and communities. Chaubepur police registered cases against Rajesh Singh Rajput and Shivshankar Rajbhar under sections 197 (promoting enmity between groups on caste, religion, and race ground) and 353(2) (statements conducting to public mischiefs)." She warned disturbing elements not to share any misleading or inflammatory information against any individual or section of society to avoid strict action against them. A member of one of the victim families of the July 5 violent clashes between Thakurs and Rajbhars of Chhitauni, Jwala Rajbhar, also made an appeal through his video post. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo "I request outsiders not to politicise and make a bid to take mileage out of the dispute that suddenly arose between some families in our village. An SIT has already been formed by officials, and we will resolve this dispute in collaboration with the police and district administration. " However, the bid to take political and personal mileage by political groups and caste-based organisations continued. UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar's son Arun Rajbhar claimed a life threat to his father and demanded home minister Amit Shah to provide him Z-plus security cover. He wrote a letter to Shah after a person claiming to be an office-bearer of Karni Sena's Ballia unit allegedly issued him a threat through social media. Police took serious note of this matter. On July 5, two groups in Chhitauni village clashed over a stray cow that initially entered the green fodder field of Sanjay Singh, which he drove out. The cow then entered the nearby fields of Chhotu Rajbhar, Bhole Rajbhar, Gulam Rajbhar, and Surendra Rajbhar, who also drove it out. The cow returned to Sanjay Singh's field, leading to an argument between the two parties. This was followed by the groups attacking each other with sticks and swords. One person from one group and four from the other were injured. All the injured were admitted to the Trauma Centre of BHU. After this, the village turned into a ground for flexing muscles for organisations like Karni Sena and Rajbhar leaders belonging to ruling as well as opposition parties. Moreover, the war of words, threatening, and inflammatory messages on social media kept fuelling sentiments and giving it a Thakurs vs Rajbhars colour. To douse it, the commissioner of police on July 11 formed an SIT for an impartial investigation of the Chhitauni case after suspending Chaubepur station officer Ravikant Malik.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
SIT to probe Rajbhar-Thakur clash, SHO suspended
Varanasi: Police commissioner Mohit Agrawal suspended Chaubepur police station officer Ravikant Malik on Friday night for alleged negligence in the Chhitauni incident, which led to tension between members of Rajbhar and Thakur communities. He also formed SIT for impartial investigation of the case. Following clash between Rajbhars and Thakurs in Chhitauni, Karni Sena and Rajbhar groups of SBSP and BJP had come face to face. The matter was also brought to notice of the CM, chief secretary and DGP. The SIT is headed by ACP (law and order) Shivhari Meena and includes DCP Varuna, DCP Crime, ADCP Varuna, ACP Cantt, and the newly appointed Chaubepur police station in charge. Suspended Chaubepur police station officer Rakesh Kumar Gautam was replaced by inspector Yogendra Prasad, looking after Dial 112 service, while police stations of those in charge of Shivpur and Rajatalab were also changed. A clear directive was issued against laxity in kidnapping and caste conflict cases. On July 5, two groups in Chhitauni village under Chaubepur police station clashed over a stray cow that entered green field of Sanjay Singh. When he drove it out, the cow entered nearby fields of Chhotu Rajbhar, Bhole Rajbhar, Gulam Rajbhar and Surendra Rajbhar and there was an argument, followed by the groups attacking each other with sticks and swords. On Saturday, SBSP chief UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar's son, Arvind Rajbhar, met chief secretary and DGP for investigation and appealed to people of his fraternity to maintain peace.
The Hindu
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt re-elected Uttarakhand BJP chief
Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt on Tuesday (July 1, 2025) got re-elected as the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Uttarakhand unit. He is the only BJP leader in the State, since its formation, to hold the position twice, and in a row. His victory, however, was a foregone conclusion as he was the only candidate to file the nomination for the post. A native of Chamoli and a two-time MLA from Nandprayag and Badrinath, respectively, Mr. Bhatt said he would continue to work on strengthening the party in the State. He first took over as the BJP's chief in Uttarakhand in 2022, succeeding Madan Kaushik. Political observers see the re-election of Mr. Bhatt as the BJP's Uttarakhand president as a decision to please the party's Brahmin vote bank, which has objected to the party's choice of Chief Ministers since long. The State, since the BJP came to power in 2017, has had three Chief Ministers, all of them Thakurs. This time too, the saffron party has chosen a Chief Minister from the Thakur community, and the president of the State unit from the Brahmin community, to please the two communities that constitute over half the voters in the State. Prior to Mr. Bhatt's appointment as the BJP president for Uttarakhand, and Mr. Dhami as the Chief Minister, the party had Tirath Rawat and Madan Kaushik, and Trivendra Rawat and Bansidhar Bhagat as CM and State president, respectively. The BJP's central observer Harsh Malhotra announced Mr. Bhatt's re-election. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and senior party leaders, including State in-charge Dushyant Gautam, were present on the occasion. Mr. Bhatt thanked the party's central leadership for reposing faith in him.
