The Hindu – RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat says ‘Akhand Bharat’ spread from west-Kabul to east Tibet and Sri Lanka

All those who consider India as their motherland and respect its culture and diversity and make efforts in this direction, irrespective of whatever religion, culture, language and food habit and ideology they follow, are Hindus, Mr. Bhagwat said in Chhattisgarh

Ambikapur – Chhattisgarh – India, 16 November 2022. “From west of Kabul to east of Chindwin river, from the slope of Tibet’s east, that is, China, and from west of Sri Lanka, the entire stretch has the same DNA in humans since 40,000 years,” Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said at an event organised by the organisation in Surguja in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.

Mr. Bhagwat, in the tribal majority state of Chhattisgarh, also said that “all those living in India are Hindus” and “everyone must respect each others’ way of worship”.

“Today’s science talks about DNA mapping. Today, we may feel that we are different, we are like this or like that, But even science says that our ancestors are same since 40,000 years and those ancestors have taught us that we all have our own style of worship, language, food habits, and we must stick to our original fabric,” Mr. Bhagwat said.

He added that, “no one should try to change the way of pooja (worship) of others”; and the “way of worship must be respected”.

“Even the Supreme Court says nothing should happen with force. There is no need for it,” he added, while addressing a crowd consisting of members of tribal communities from the nearby region.

Mr. Bhagwat also said the Supreme Court in one of its judgments has said “Hinduism is not a religion or sect but way of life of Indians”.

“We have been telling since 1925 that everyone living in India is a Hindu. All those who consider India as their motherland and respect its culture and diversity and make efforts in this direction, irrespective of whatever religion, culture, language and food habit and ideology they follow, are Hindus,” Mr. Bhagwat said.

On the RSS’s critics, Mr. Bhagwat said that no one had to accept what RSS volunteers said about the organisation, and requested “everyone to come to [the RSS] shakha [branch] and witness the truth”.

“We play kabaddi but we are not a sports organisation. We sing songs but we are not a music organisation. We do exercise and Yoga but we are not an organisation for physical activity. We do use sticks and learn fighting but we are not a military organisation, as termed by many. I would request, you come to a shakha to know what is RSS,” Mr. Bhagwat said.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rss-chief-mohan-bhagwat-says-akhand-bharat-spread-from-west-kabul-to-east-tibet-and-sri-lanka/article66141619.ece?cx_testId=12&cx_testVariant=cx_1&cx_artPos=2&cx_experienceId=EX1EB10HOM58#cxrecs_s

The Hindu – Editors Guild urges police for ‘impartial’ probe into complaints against The Wire

The Hindu Bureau

New Delhi – India, 02 November 2022. “The haste with which the police searches were carried out at multiple locations, is excessive and disproportionate, and in the manner of a fishing and roving enquiry,” the Guild said in a statement

The Editors Guild of India (EGI) on Wednesday urged the Delhi Police to be objective and impartial in investigating all the complaints filed against The Wire news portal, asking them not use “intimidatory tactics in disregard of democratic principles”.

In a statement, the Guild said it was disturbed by the manner in which Delhi Police Crime Branch carried out search and seizures at the homes of founding editors and senior editors of The Wire, as well as their office and the newsroom in Delhi on 31 October.

“The searches were carried out in a follow up to a First Information Report (FIR), registered in response to a complaint filed on 29 October, by the BJP national spokesperson and head of the party IT cell, Mr. Amit Malviya, against the news organisation.

The haste with which the police searches were carried out at multiple locations, is excessive and disproportionate, and in the manner of a fishing and roving enquiry,” it said.

The EGI said as per a statement published by The Wire, the police personnel seized phones, computers, and iPads from homes of the journalists, as well as from the office, and no hash value of the digital devices was given in spite of requests made by them.

“This is a serious violation of procedures and rules of investigation. Moreover, digital devices of editors and journalists would have sensitive information pertaining to journalistic sources and stories under work, the confidentiality of which can be seriously compromised in such seizures,” said the Guild.

Noting that The Wire had already admitted to serious lapses in its reporting on the stories pertaining to Meta with references to Mr. Malviya, the EGI said: “These lapses are condemnable and the reports based on wrong information have since been withdrawn by The Wire.

However, these police search and seizures in violation of established rules and in intimidatory manner is also alarming,” it said.

The Guild urged the law enforcement agencies to strictly adhere to rules of investigation in this matter, and to ensure that integrity of sensitive journalistic information was not violated and other on-going work of the news organisation was not obstructed.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/police-searches-at-the-wire-excessive-and-disproportionate-editors-guild/article66085591.ece

The Hindu – Sidhu Moosewala murder: Accused Deepak Tinu who escaped from custody in Punjab nabbed by Delhi Police

Tinu is among 24 accused who have been charge-sheeted in the Moosewala murder case. Tinu is a close aide of gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria

New Delhi – India, 20 October 2022. The Delhi Police’s Special Cell has nabbed gangster Deepak Tinu, who is an accused in singer Sidhu Moosewala’s murder and escaped from Punjab police custody on 01 October, from Rajasthan’s Alwar, officials said.

Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) HGS Dhaliwal said Tinu kept changing his hideout after fleeing from Mansa in Punjab. The Delhi Police carried out extensive operations in different places in the country and finally succeeded in arresting him on Wednesday.

“Five grenades and two automatic pistols have been recovered from his possession. Tinu is being brought to the national capital and his police custody remand will be sought,” Mr. Dhaliwal said.

Tinu escaped from the custody of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) unit of the Mansa Police when he was brought on a production warrant from Goindwal Sahib jail in Tarn Taran district in another case, in a major embarrassment for Punjab Police which sacked the officer in-charge and arrested him.

During initial questioning, it was revealed that Tinu was helped by gangsters Rohit Godara, who is based in Azerbaijan, and Sampat Nehra and a person named Jack, who is based in Europe and an old accomplice of Anmol Bishnoi in arranging hideouts, the police claimed.

In 2017, Tinu, who faces several cases including murder and extortion in various states, had escaped with the help of another gangster and his aide from Haryana after throwing pepper spray in the eyes of a police official.

In December that year Tinu was arrested by the Bhiwani police from Bengaluru.

Earlier this month, Tinu’s woman companion was held by a team of Punjab Police from Mumbai airport when she was trying to head to the Maldives.

She was with Tinu when he escaped from police custody.

Tinu is among 24 accused who have been charge-sheeted in the Moosewala murder case. Tinu is a close aide of gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and had remained lodged with them in different jails.

Tinu was allegedly involved in the planning of Moosewala’s murder.

Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, was shot dead in Punjab’s Mansa district on 29 May when he was on his way to Jawahar Ke village in Mansa in a jeep with his friend and cousin. His vehicle was waylaid and bullets were sprayed on him by six shooters.

After the killing, Goldy Brar, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, claimed responsibility for the murder.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/sidhu-moosewala-murder-accused-deepak-tinu-who-escaped-from-custody-in-punjab-nabbed-by-delhi-police/article66034184.ece?homepage=true

The Hindu – BJP spokesperson seeks release of Sikhs imprisoned beyond jail term in militancy cases

New Delhi – India, 15 October 2022 2022. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson R P Singh on Saturday demanded the release of Sikhs who, he claimed continue to languish in jails even after serving their prison terms in militancy cases.

“Many Sikhs booked during militancy continue to remain in jails, although they have completed their prison terms. They are aged and pose no threat to society rather they need family support to look after their needs. I appeal to all State governments to sympathetically consider such cases,” Mr. Singh, himself a Sikh, said in a tweet.

He noted that many lifers are often considered for release after serving 14 years in jail and added that many Sikh prisoners remain imprisoned even after 32 years behind bars.

The demand has also been raised by several Sikh outfits and political parties such as the Shiromani Akali Dal

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/bjp-spokesperson-seeks-release-of-sikhs-imprisoned-beyond-jail-term-in-militancy-cases/article66014260.ece

The Hindu – Congress targets Modi government. over continuation of Ajay Mishra as Union Minister, says ‘nothing can be more insulting…

Rahul Gandhi tweets farmers’ agitation was an inspiration for Bharat Jodo Yatra

New Delhi – India, 03 October 2022. On the first anniversary of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, the Congress on Monday targeted the Narendra Modi government over the continuation of Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’ as a Union Minister as his son Ashish Mishra is allegedly involved in mowing down of farmers, who were protesting against the three farm laws.

Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary for communication, while launching an app of Bharat Jodo Yatra, also claimed that the BJP is nervous by the wave of support for thee 3570-km-long padayatra.

“Nothing can be more insulting that the farmers agitating against the black laws were deliberately killed while the culprit remains a member of the Union Council of Ministers,” Mr. Ramesh told reporters at a press conference, adding that “there was clear evidence that the Minister’s son was involved in the killing”.

Mr. Ashish was arrested in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case after his SUV car ploughed into the protesting farmers in the district in which four farmers and four others, including two BJP workers, were killed.

Former party chief Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra both took to Twitter to target the Modi government over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.

“One year has passed but the farmer martyrs of Lakhimpur Kheri didn’t get justice. Reason is the same: everytime the BJP protects the culprits. When we started the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the farmers’ agitation was a big inspiration. Our struggle wont end without ensuring justice for annadatas,”tweeted Mr Mandhi.

Mr. Ramesh said farmers’ issues were being taken up at the Bharat Jodo Yatra on Monday and extended support to the farmers’ organisation, Samyukta Kisan Morcha, in pursuing their demands.

Responding to a question from a BJP Rajya Sabha member, Lahar Singh Siroya, on whether Naxals/Maoists are part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Mr Ramesh said such claims are completely ‘bogus’.

“The BJP is nervous with the lehar (wave) of support that the Bharat Jodo Yatra is receiving. Every effort will be made to derail the yatra but the Congress will continue with its efforts,”the Congress communication chief said.

Mr. Ramesh claimed that popular support to the yatra has rattled the BJP and slammed the Enforcement Directorate’s summons to Karnataka Congress president D. K. Shivakumar in the National Herald case as continuation of the government’s “vendetta politics”.

Lauding Mr. Gandhi’s speech in Mysuru, Mr. Ramesh said that of Mr. Gandhi addressing a gathering on Sunday evening amid a heavy downpour was a ‘defining moment’ during the padyatra.

The Congress leader also informed the mediapersons that party chief Sonia Gandhi will be joining the yatra on October 6 for a brief while as the yatra is on a two-day break on Tuesday and Wednesday for Dasara.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/congress-targets-modi-govt-over-continuation-of-ajay-mishra-as-union-minister-says-nothing-can-be-more-insulting/article65967059.ece

The Hindu – Supreme Court upholds validity of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Act

A bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Vikram Nath dismissed the plea filed by a member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee

New Delhi – India, 20 September 2022. The Supreme Court on 20 September 2022 upheld the constitutional validity of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act, 2014 under which a separate committee was formed to manage the affairs of gurdwaras in the state.

A bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Vikram Nath dismissed the plea filed by a member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee seeking quashing of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Act.

The top court’s judgement came on a 2014 plea filed by Harbhajan Singh, a resident of Haryana, who contended that Section 72 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 says the power to make law in respect of the SGPC as an inter-state body corporate has been reserved with the Central Government only and there is no provision in law for any bifurcation by enacting a State legislation.

The petition had said the hasty enactment is not only against the constitutional provisions and the statutory provisions of Punjab Reorganisation Act but is also divisive in its intention to create dissension amongst followers of Sikh religion.

“Under the law, Haryana cannot legislate in respect of a subject where the field is already occupied by central legislation as the subject of religious institutions correlates to Entry 28 List III.

The strict provisions with regard to interstate body corporate under the law have not been complied with.

“It is important to note that mandate with regard to several actions including reservation of constituencies, constitution of Sikh Gurdwara Elections Tribunal and notification of gurdwaras for bringing them within the provisions of Section 85 of the 1925 Act have been done by the Central Government,” the petition had said.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-upholds-validity-of-haryana-sikh-gurdwara-management-act/article65913318.ece

The Hindu – Will continue to fight for addressing external, internal dimensions of Kashmir issue: Mehbooba

Peerzada Ashiq

Srinagar – Jammu & Kashmir – India, 06 September 2022. We implore the Government of India to restart dialogue both with people of J&K and Pakistan to put an end to the bloodshed, says PDP.

Former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, who chaired a meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, said her party will continue to struggle for the resolution of the external and internal dimensions of the J&K issue and would extend unconditional support to political parties ready to fight for the restoration of J&K peoples’ rights and dignity.

The party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC), which met under the chairmanship of Ms. Mufti, passed a joint resolution, which stated that the party’s commitment to struggle for the resolution of the external and internal dimensions of the J&K issue will continue.”

“The PDP calls for a united fight to restore the dignity and constitutional rights of J&K, which are enshrined in the Constitution of India.

The party will extend unqualified support to other political parties in this joint fight and will look forward and welcome support of others. This is a call of history that we all can ignore only to our peril and annihilation of our distinct identity, culture and civilisational uniqueness,” the resolution reads.

“We implore the Government of India to restart dialogue both with people of J&K and Pakistan to put an end to the bloodshed here. For this, the party will, under the leadership of Ms. Mufti, strive through all constitutional, democratic and non-violent means,” it said.

The PDP termed 05 August 2019 move of the Centre “unconstitutional scrapping of the state and its status.”

“The constitution needs to be reversed. All unconstitutional actions taken on 05 August 2019 and since, rolling out of measures to disenfranchise, disempower and humiliate the people of the State are unacceptable to the party,” it said.

It also expressed “deep concern and anguish at the targeted attacks on unarmed civilians, especially our Pandit community”.

“The PDP has always cautioned against the evil designs of the BJP to force a demographic change in the State. This sinister plan hits at the very foundation of our forefathers’ dreams and decision to align with a secular, inclusive India,” it added.

The party resolution said the clampdown on media, peaceful protests and civil liberties “has encouraged the authorities to treat the citizens as enemies in their own country”. Voices of even a symbolic dissent are crushed ruthlessly, it added.

It asked the Centre to reassess its policy in J&K, which is making an already complex issue more complicated and into a humanitarian crisis.

“On a dispassionate introspection, the Goi may rediscover the merit of a policy introduced two decades back by Prime Minister Vajpayee in close coordination with our founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and carried forward by his astute successor Dr Manmohan Singh,” it said.

The PDP said the expanding tentacles of militancy in the Jammu region “should serve as an alarm for our nation about the mismanagement of its most sensitive region by the BJP government”.

The unfortunate decision to suspend trade and travel across Line of Control has served neither the national interest nor helped local communities who had started looking beyond the scars of Partition and rebuilding lives.

The route to permanent peace and prosperity for the region we reiterate passes through J&K, it added.

The party accused the government of failure to create new jobs, “resulting in all times high rate of unemployment in J&K”.

“Government jobs are on sale. No recruitment has happened transparently on merit in the last four years. The proof being the hasty scrapping of recruitment lists of sub-inspectors, finance account assistant and now junior engineers of the Jal Shakti due to large scale corruption charges,” the PDP alleged.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/will-continue-to-fight-for-addressing-external-internal-dimensions-of-kashmir-issue-mehbooba/article65853262.ece

The Hindu – Family matters: On the Congress and the Gandhis

The Congress is looking at a new leadership – but the Gandhis must be neither aloof nor meddling

Ishita Mishra

Op/Ed, 25 August 2022. The Congress is all set to be led by someone who is not from the Nehru-Gandhi family, with Rahul Gandhi making it clear that he is in no mood to return as party president. The party will finalise the schedule for organisational elections at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee on Sunday.

The family itself is leading the search for the replacement. Mr. Gandhi had resigned as president following the drubbing of the Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

He had led the campaign, and he took responsibility for the failure; but also felt let down by party seniors who he thought did not fight the election with their mind and soul in it.

By turning down the pleas of his ardent followers to return to the helm, he has challenged Congress leaders to adopt a new culture, moving away from the familiar habit of relying on the family as the lifeblood and a façade simultaneously.

For the Congress party, this challenge is no less than the external challenge of extinction that it faces from the Bharatiya Janata Party. His discomfort with formal power might make him seem a reluctant politician, but he has expressed a desire to be in public life as a matter of his democratic duty.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has emerged as the front runner for the post, for various reasons. Mr. Gehlot is an astute politician, a manager of conflicting interests, and deeply embedded in the Congress structure from the grassroots to the pinnacle.

His charm, accessibility, clean image, and expertise in heartland politics make him a good fit. He wears his loyalty to the Gandhi family on his sleeve but remains acceptable to multiple groups within Congress. If at all there is a contest for the post of party president, that will only enhance the legitimacy of the winner.

However, with the Gandhi siblings in active politics, the authority that Mr. Gehlot or anyone else can exercise within the party as president will remain a complicated question.

If Mr. Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra continue to remain active decision-makers, as they have been in the recent past, the situation could turn out to be chaotic.

Mr. Gandhi has done the honourable thing by refusing to buckle under pressure and return as president. But he, his sister, and their mother Mrs. Gandhi should all have very clearly defined contours of involvement in the functioning of the party.

A non-Gandhi at the helm can be a good attempt at rebooting the Congress, but that by itself is no guarantee of its revival.

The new president should have the authority, legitimacy, and vision to infuse new energy into the party. Ironically, the burden of ensuring that is upon none other than the Gandhi family, who will have to be supportive without being seen as interfering.

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/family-matters-the-hindu-editorial-on-the-congress-and-the-gandhis/article65806129.ece

The Hindu – Rohingya a threat to security, says BJP

New Delhi – India, 17 August 2022. Union Home Ministry issues clarification denying any move to shift Rohingyas in Delhi to EWS flats

The BJP on Wednesday asserted that illegal migrants are a threat to national security and that the Modi government would never compromise on the issue, after the party faced flak over plans to resettle Rohingya refugees in flats designated for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).

Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday had put out a tweet saying that India had always welcomed those who have sought refuge in the country and announced that all Rohingya refugees would be shifted to EWS flats in the east Delhi’s Bakkarwala area.

Following this tweet, the Union Home Ministry issued a clarification denying any move to shift Rohingya Muslims in Delhi to EWS flats and directed the Delhi government to ensure the “illegal foreigners” remain in detention centres pending their extradition.

BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia, addressing a presser at the party’s national headquarters in New Delhi described Rohingyas as a “threat to national security” adding that “(Delhi Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal is doing the politics of appeasement keeping national security at bay”.

He further asked why, in the meeting held on July 29 chaired by the Chief Secretary of Delhi, “a hasty decision was taken that all these infiltrators would be shifted to the houses being built for EWS”.

Mr. Bhatia said there were news reports in which the “facts were meant to mislead the public. The Ministry of Home Affairs has clarified that.”

He further said the law of the country stated that Rohingyas will be deported and “this jurisdiction lies with the Ministry of Home Affairs”.

“The Modi government has a clear policy that there will be no compromise on national security,” he said.

The BJP’s reaction came after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday hit out at the Centre over Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri’s tweet that Rohingya refugees will be shifted to apartments in the city.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/mha-in-the-right-on-rohingya-resettlement-plan-says-bjp-after-kerfuffle/article65779640.ece

The Hindu – Margaret Alva flays parties that backed BJP

The Hindu Bureau

New Delhi – India, 06 August 2022. Ms Alva congratulates her rival Jagdeep Dhankar, thanks all parties that supported her

Opposition parties that directly or indirectly supported the BJP to derail the idea of a united Opposition have damaged their own credibility, former Rajasthan Governor and Opposition’s joint candidate in the Vice-Presidential (V-P) election, Margaret Alva, said on Saturday.

In a series of tweets after the elections were declared, Ms Alva congratulated her rival and VP-elect, Jagdeep Dhankar and thanked all the parties that supported her.

“This election was an opportunity for the opposition to work together, to leave the past behind & build trust amongst each other.

Unfortunately, some opposition parties chose to directly or indirectly support the BJP, in an attempt to derail the idea of a united opposition.

It is my belief that by doing so, these parties and their leaders have damaged their own credibility,” Ms. Alva said.

Though Ms. Alva didn’t name any Opposition party or its leader, it was clear that the reference was about West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who sprang a surprise by announcing that the Trinamool Congress would be abstaining from voting.

Given Trinamool’s history of confrontation with Mr. Dhankar as the former Governor of West Bengal, Trinamool’s move to abstain wasn’t just a setback but also took away 36 votes (23 Lok Sabha and 13 Rajya Sabha members).

“@alva_margaret ran a spirited campaign and it was too bad the TMC didn’t support her.

India will have to wait for its first woman Vice President,” Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh tweeted, adding, “Incidentally, it was my ministerial duty to accompany Aung San Suu Kyi to meet with her friend Margaret Alva in Bengaluru in November 2012”.

Undeterred by the results, Ms. Alva said, “This election is over. The battle for protecting our Constitution, strengthening our democracy & restoring the dignity of Parliament, will continue. Jai Hind”.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/opposition-parties-that-indirectly-helped-bjp-in-the-v-p-polls-have-damaged-own-credibility-says-opposition-candidate-margaret-alva/article65738341.ece