A day after Mulayam Singh Yadav referred to him as an old friend
engaged in his publicity, Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma on
Saturday resumed his attack on the Samajwadi Party president, alleging
that he was hand in glove with the BJP for fomenting communal tension in
the state to reap political benefits during the upcoming Lok Sabha
elections.
Beni also cited several examples of BJP supporting Mulayam in the
past to underline their relationship. He also challenged Mulayam for an
open debate over his role in Babri Masjid's demolition.
"There are ample incidents to prove that Mulayam is colluding
with BJP for flaring up communal passion in the state. In the past
Mulayam has taken help of BJP on various occasions. He formed government
in 2003 with just 135 MLAs. Speaker Kesari Nath Tripathi allowed all
defections. At that time, BJP was in power at the Centre," Beni claimed.
He also alleged that Mulayam's move for not supporting Sonia
Gandhi in 1999, nominating Sakshi Maharaj to Rajya Sabha, contesting
assembly election in Gujarat after the Godhra episode and his open
praise for BJP leader L K Advani establishes that Mulayam has a secret
relationship with BJP.
"Now Mulayam is busy in fomenting communal tension across the
state so that votes can be polarised on religious lines benefitting BJP
and SP," Beni said.
He said Mulayam had played the communal card in the past also.
"When he was the CM in 1990, he ordered moving central forces from
Ayodhya. It is also questionable that how VHP leader Ashok Singhal and
BJP leader S C Dixit reached Babri Masjid in 1990. Mulayam had ordered
not to fire. Later, firing was done at Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya
which killed several Hindus. Mulayam did not request for CBI inquiry
into the incident. It was part of his strategy and I am only clarifying
the things so that both communities do not get carried away by emotions
in the Lok Sabha elections," Beni said.
Sunday, 7 July 2013
UPA woos Nitish as Modi attacks him for breaking alliance with BJP
In its bid to reach out at Bihar Chief
Minister Nitish Kumar, the Union Rural Development Ministry has approved
Rs 4,000 crore for the construction of 5,700 km of rural roads, highest
allotment for the state in the past 12 years.
"I'm happy that today I'll inform Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar that Rs 4000 crore have been anctioned for the state. This is the biggest package sanctioned for Bihar till date," said union Minister Jairam Ramesh.
The BJP's poll panel chief came down heavily on Nitish Kumar on Saturday after the JD(U) and BJP terminated their 17-year-old alliance. With a tele-conference address to 1,500 BJP leaders and workers, Modi made a virtual entry into Nitish's turf, while sitting miles away in Gandhinagar.
"Narendra Modi has to prepare for the upcoming elections and teach a lesson to Nitish Kumar," BJP MLA Nitin Naveen said.
At the BJP office in Patna, state leaders and workers geared up for their direct interaction with campaign chief Modi, who is expected to steer them to victory next year. With the strained ties between Nitish and Modi being common knowledge, the choice of Bihar was a well-planned move by the BJP.
JD(U) hit out at BJP and said that the party is remote controlled. "BJP runs from remote. Earlier, the remote was controlled by Nagpur, now it's controlled by Gujarat," JD(U) MLC and spokesperson Niraj Singh said.
Modi's message to the party's Bihar unit was loud and clear and left no doubt that both the Congress and JD(U) had to be treated as equal adversaries.
An hour-long phone conversation of Narendra Modi has set the political temperature soaring in Bihar and in days to come, the BJP will play up the Modi card to take on Nitish.
"I'm happy that today I'll inform Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar that Rs 4000 crore have been anctioned for the state. This is the biggest package sanctioned for Bihar till date," said union Minister Jairam Ramesh.
The BJP's poll panel chief came down heavily on Nitish Kumar on Saturday after the JD(U) and BJP terminated their 17-year-old alliance. With a tele-conference address to 1,500 BJP leaders and workers, Modi made a virtual entry into Nitish's turf, while sitting miles away in Gandhinagar.
"Narendra Modi has to prepare for the upcoming elections and teach a lesson to Nitish Kumar," BJP MLA Nitin Naveen said.
At the BJP office in Patna, state leaders and workers geared up for their direct interaction with campaign chief Modi, who is expected to steer them to victory next year. With the strained ties between Nitish and Modi being common knowledge, the choice of Bihar was a well-planned move by the BJP.
JD(U) hit out at BJP and said that the party is remote controlled. "BJP runs from remote. Earlier, the remote was controlled by Nagpur, now it's controlled by Gujarat," JD(U) MLC and spokesperson Niraj Singh said.
Modi's message to the party's Bihar unit was loud and clear and left no doubt that both the Congress and JD(U) had to be treated as equal adversaries.
An hour-long phone conversation of Narendra Modi has set the political temperature soaring in Bihar and in days to come, the BJP will play up the Modi card to take on Nitish.
Saturday, 6 July 2013
Only law or compromise can resolve Ram temple row: Sharad Yadav
Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav on Saturday avoided commenting on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah's claims of building a Ram temple in Ayodhya, and said that either legal route or a compromise could resolve this issue.
"Either legal route or compromise could resolve the Ram Temple issue. There is no third option," said Yadav, while spelling his party's stand clear on the matter.
"What do we have to do with his comment? People keep on making comments," he added.
Shah, who visited the Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, said that he had come to offer his prayers to Lord Ram.
"It is a centre of faith for crores of Hindus. I have asked that there should be good governance in the country and making it free of the Congress. I have also prayed that we should all together build a grand temple for Lord Ram here as soon as possible," he told the media here.
The construction of Ram temple at the dispute site in Ayodhya has always been in BJP 's top agenda, but it was put on the back burner after formation of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
MP sodomy case: Protect victim, give him a govt job, says Congress
A political war is brewing in Madhya
Pradesh over sodomy allegations on the states former finance minister
Raghavji. The Opposition leader has hit out at Raghavji who resigned on
Friday after his domestic help accused him of sodomy.
Congress leader and Vidhan Sabha leader Ajay Singh has demanded security and government job as compensation for the alleged sodomy victim.
Raghavji resigned on Friday as the Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister following allegations that he sodomised his domestic help. Raghavji's resignation followed a complaint by a member of his domestic staff that he was allegedly sodomised by the former minister, who promised to get him a permanent government job.
Raghavji denied the sodomy charges against him and has alleged political conspiracy. "I am not aware of the allegations. The allegations against me are wrong," Raghavji said. "The CM will talk about the reason of my resignation. There could be political conspiracy behind the allegations," he added.
He also said he was not aware of any CD. "The boy left a month back. If he has put any such allegations of sodomy against me, they are all baseless," Raghavji said.
The victim has alleged that two of the minister's men also sodomised him. As evidence, he has submitted a CD shot by another one of the former minister's domestic workers.
The domestic help of Raghavji went to the police on Friday morning with an affidavit and a CD and the moment the matter reached Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, he asked Raghavji to resign pending inquiry. Jayant Mallya took charge as the new Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister.
Congress party workers in Bhopal also held demonstrations outside a police station against Raghavji on Friday.
Congress leader and Vidhan Sabha leader Ajay Singh has demanded security and government job as compensation for the alleged sodomy victim.
Raghavji resigned on Friday as the Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister following allegations that he sodomised his domestic help. Raghavji's resignation followed a complaint by a member of his domestic staff that he was allegedly sodomised by the former minister, who promised to get him a permanent government job.
Raghavji denied the sodomy charges against him and has alleged political conspiracy. "I am not aware of the allegations. The allegations against me are wrong," Raghavji said. "The CM will talk about the reason of my resignation. There could be political conspiracy behind the allegations," he added.
He also said he was not aware of any CD. "The boy left a month back. If he has put any such allegations of sodomy against me, they are all baseless," Raghavji said.
The victim has alleged that two of the minister's men also sodomised him. As evidence, he has submitted a CD shot by another one of the former minister's domestic workers.
The domestic help of Raghavji went to the police on Friday morning with an affidavit and a CD and the moment the matter reached Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, he asked Raghavji to resign pending inquiry. Jayant Mallya took charge as the new Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister.
Congress party workers in Bhopal also held demonstrations outside a police station against Raghavji on Friday.
Amit Shah sparks a storm by reviving BJP's Ram temple promise
Bharatiya Janata Party leader and the
party's Uttar Pradesh in-charge Amit Shah has sparked a controversy by
raising the Ram temple issue during his visit to Ayodhya on Saturday.
Shah said that the BJP will build a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya very
soon.
The BJP leader is now facing criticism from other political parties. Samajwadi Party leader Kamal Farooqi said, "They should stop fooling people, the matter is before the SC. The BJP remembers Ram temple only at the time of elections."
The Congress accused Shah of raising tensions. "The BJP is creating tensions over the issue. However the people of India won't fall for this ploy," External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said."
BJP's friend-turned foe Janata Dal United has also hit out at Amit Shah for raising the Ram temple issue. "Ram Mandir should be built either in accordance with the court order or after mutual talks between the two communities. Who cares about what Amit Shah is saying," JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav said.
Shah, who went to Ayodhya to attend a party meeting, said, "Before the meet, I came to seek Lord Ram's blessings. I've prayed for the country to be free of Congress. We will build the Ram temple and restore Lord Ram to his rightful place."
This comment assumes importance as Shah is not only raising the Ayodhya temple issue, but also clearly reiterating the party's promise to build a temple at the disputed and demolished Babri Masjid site. Though BJP has described Faizabad meeting as a 'routine thing', sources said that the idea is to invoke the Hindutva ideology within the party ranks ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
The move to raise the Ayodhya issue also holds importance as there are speculations that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will contest 2014 elections from Uttar Pradesh. This is seen as a move to revive BJP's fortunes in Uttar Pradesh, which has 80 Lok Sabha seats.
The BJP leader is now facing criticism from other political parties. Samajwadi Party leader Kamal Farooqi said, "They should stop fooling people, the matter is before the SC. The BJP remembers Ram temple only at the time of elections."
The Congress accused Shah of raising tensions. "The BJP is creating tensions over the issue. However the people of India won't fall for this ploy," External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said."
BJP's friend-turned foe Janata Dal United has also hit out at Amit Shah for raising the Ram temple issue. "Ram Mandir should be built either in accordance with the court order or after mutual talks between the two communities. Who cares about what Amit Shah is saying," JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav said.
Shah, who went to Ayodhya to attend a party meeting, said, "Before the meet, I came to seek Lord Ram's blessings. I've prayed for the country to be free of Congress. We will build the Ram temple and restore Lord Ram to his rightful place."
This comment assumes importance as Shah is not only raising the Ayodhya temple issue, but also clearly reiterating the party's promise to build a temple at the disputed and demolished Babri Masjid site. Though BJP has described Faizabad meeting as a 'routine thing', sources said that the idea is to invoke the Hindutva ideology within the party ranks ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
The move to raise the Ayodhya issue also holds importance as there are speculations that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will contest 2014 elections from Uttar Pradesh. This is seen as a move to revive BJP's fortunes in Uttar Pradesh, which has 80 Lok Sabha seats.
Beni steps up attack on Mulayam, alleges collusion with BJP
Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma today intensified his
attack on his friend-turned foe Mulayam Singh Yadav accusing him of
conniving with BJP to flare up communal passions and dared the SP leader
to a public debate on Babri issue.
He alleged that BJP was trying to vitiate the atmosphere in the state by creating tension on the Ram temple issue which would benefit the saffron brigade and the SP.
He also questioned why the Samjwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh had not recommended an NIA probe into the custodial death of terror suspect Khalid Mujahid, an accused in serial blasts that had rocked Lucknow and Faizabad courts in November 2007, and suggested that right wing Hindu outfits could have been behind the attack.
"Mulayam should come on a platform face to face against me on Babri mosque issue. I will reply to him and he should reply to my questions," Verma told reporters here.
The Minister said that Mulayam had stated that a CBI inquiry should be conducted into allegations against him on Babri issue but if the SP is serious, its government in Uttar Pradesh should make a recommendation on the issue to the Centre.
"CBI or NIA conducts an inquiry only when either the court orders or the state government recommends. The state government should recommend the inquiry and I will make all efforts to get it done," he said.
He asked why a CBI inquiry was not ordered into killing of Hindus in Ayodhya.
"SP and BJP are colluding. After Godhra incident, SP contested elections in Gujarat. During debate in Parliament, Sushma Swaraj sided with Mulayam," he alleged.
He alleged that BJP was confident that the issue would flare communal passion in the state which would benefit the saffron brigade and SP. "It is part of their strategy," he alleged.
He said that he was "clarifying things" so that tension should not spread among Hindu and Muslims and urged people to vote on merit in Lok Sabha elections.
He claimed that going by the happening since 1990, it was clear that SP and BJP "were acting in connivance".
Verma wondered how SP could form a government with only 135 MLAs at one time. "How come the then Vidhan Sabha speaker Kesari Nath Tripathi allowed defection. How come the party was allowed to take oath. At that time BJP was at the centre and SP in the state."
"Why central forces were removed and how come Ashok Singhal reached Ayodhya. There were orders of not to open fire."
Beni also demanded an NIA inquiry into death of Khalid Mujahid.
"When Khalid and Tariq Kasmi were arrested in 2007 in connection with serial blasts, senior SP leader Mohd Azam Khan himself said that it seemed to be fake. I also demanded a judicial inquiry," he said.
The minister said that Nimesh commission report came in August 2012.
"SP in its election manifesto had said that all innocent youths arrested in the name of terror activities would be released, then why they were not released after the report came," he said.
Verma said that NIA probes into incidents of terror activities. "Why are they not recommending NIA probe. It should become clear as to who carried out the blasts. The state government has not done a proper probe.
"There is suspicion that the blasts were carried out by organizations which were behind Malegaon and Shamjahuta train blasts to spread hatred among Hindus and Muslims," he alleged.
"Only NIA probe can make things clear and if they do not recommend it, it will mean that there is something fishy," he added.
Taking pot-shots at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the minister said that on one hand he gives call of making Congress-free country, on the other he has made an announcement of installing statues of Sardar Patel.
"Sardar Patel was a Congressman all his life. He was the one, who, after Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, banned RSS," he said.
On BJP national general secretary and UP in charge Amit Shah's visit to Ayodhya, Verma quipped that he went to pray for his acquittal in criminal cases.
Verma's fresh tirade against Mulayam came just days after he claimed to have been "humiliated" by the party's reprimanded and threatened to quit the Congress as well as the government if he was stopped from "fighting" against the SP chief.
The rebuke from the party came after the Minister had said that the SP chief was not even fit to sweep the Prime Minister's residence.
Asked whether he has been restrained by the party from speaking, Verma said that he was a free man in a free country.
"Congress is the only party which follows the constitution in letter and spirit and it has complete transparency. The party has given immense respect to me. I have faith in Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and they have faith in me," he said.
Verma was once a close confidant of the Samajwadi Party supremo but was gradually sidelined after Amar Singh came into the picture. The Kurmi leader quit the party in 2007 and joined the Congress before 2009 Lok Sabha elections.
He alleged that BJP was trying to vitiate the atmosphere in the state by creating tension on the Ram temple issue which would benefit the saffron brigade and the SP.
He also questioned why the Samjwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh had not recommended an NIA probe into the custodial death of terror suspect Khalid Mujahid, an accused in serial blasts that had rocked Lucknow and Faizabad courts in November 2007, and suggested that right wing Hindu outfits could have been behind the attack.
"Mulayam should come on a platform face to face against me on Babri mosque issue. I will reply to him and he should reply to my questions," Verma told reporters here.
The Minister said that Mulayam had stated that a CBI inquiry should be conducted into allegations against him on Babri issue but if the SP is serious, its government in Uttar Pradesh should make a recommendation on the issue to the Centre.
"CBI or NIA conducts an inquiry only when either the court orders or the state government recommends. The state government should recommend the inquiry and I will make all efforts to get it done," he said.
He asked why a CBI inquiry was not ordered into killing of Hindus in Ayodhya.
"SP and BJP are colluding. After Godhra incident, SP contested elections in Gujarat. During debate in Parliament, Sushma Swaraj sided with Mulayam," he alleged.
He alleged that BJP was confident that the issue would flare communal passion in the state which would benefit the saffron brigade and SP. "It is part of their strategy," he alleged.
He said that he was "clarifying things" so that tension should not spread among Hindu and Muslims and urged people to vote on merit in Lok Sabha elections.
He claimed that going by the happening since 1990, it was clear that SP and BJP "were acting in connivance".
Verma wondered how SP could form a government with only 135 MLAs at one time. "How come the then Vidhan Sabha speaker Kesari Nath Tripathi allowed defection. How come the party was allowed to take oath. At that time BJP was at the centre and SP in the state."
"Why central forces were removed and how come Ashok Singhal reached Ayodhya. There were orders of not to open fire."
Beni also demanded an NIA inquiry into death of Khalid Mujahid.
"When Khalid and Tariq Kasmi were arrested in 2007 in connection with serial blasts, senior SP leader Mohd Azam Khan himself said that it seemed to be fake. I also demanded a judicial inquiry," he said.
The minister said that Nimesh commission report came in August 2012.
"SP in its election manifesto had said that all innocent youths arrested in the name of terror activities would be released, then why they were not released after the report came," he said.
Verma said that NIA probes into incidents of terror activities. "Why are they not recommending NIA probe. It should become clear as to who carried out the blasts. The state government has not done a proper probe.
"There is suspicion that the blasts were carried out by organizations which were behind Malegaon and Shamjahuta train blasts to spread hatred among Hindus and Muslims," he alleged.
"Only NIA probe can make things clear and if they do not recommend it, it will mean that there is something fishy," he added.
Taking pot-shots at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the minister said that on one hand he gives call of making Congress-free country, on the other he has made an announcement of installing statues of Sardar Patel.
"Sardar Patel was a Congressman all his life. He was the one, who, after Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, banned RSS," he said.
On BJP national general secretary and UP in charge Amit Shah's visit to Ayodhya, Verma quipped that he went to pray for his acquittal in criminal cases.
Verma's fresh tirade against Mulayam came just days after he claimed to have been "humiliated" by the party's reprimanded and threatened to quit the Congress as well as the government if he was stopped from "fighting" against the SP chief.
The rebuke from the party came after the Minister had said that the SP chief was not even fit to sweep the Prime Minister's residence.
Asked whether he has been restrained by the party from speaking, Verma said that he was a free man in a free country.
"Congress is the only party which follows the constitution in letter and spirit and it has complete transparency. The party has given immense respect to me. I have faith in Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and they have faith in me," he said.
Verma was once a close confidant of the Samajwadi Party supremo but was gradually sidelined after Amar Singh came into the picture. The Kurmi leader quit the party in 2007 and joined the Congress before 2009 Lok Sabha elections.
Friday, 5 July 2013
Samajwadi Party mantri Ram Babu Yadav, 71, demands ‘chicks’ chooza
Ram Babu Yadav is a Samajwadi Party leader from
Aurraiya in Uttar Pradesh. He is about 71 years old and enjoys a
ministerial position in the Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh.
He has been caught on tape asking a female party worker to get him ‘chooza’ (literally meaning chicks) in the age group of 18-20. The politician obviously refers to young girls as ‘chooza’.
In a conversation being aired on a local TV channel, Yadav can be heard asking a female party worker Madhu Pandey (now expelled) to make ‘vyavashtha’ — arrangement — for him.
Pandey says that every time she visits him, she brings along a woman to which Yadav says, “Mahila nahin, chooza lao. Chooza janti ho —yahi 18 se 20 saal ki.”
Pandey played the recorded conversation before journalists in Aurraiya and claimed that she was being victimised by Yadav who had even slapped her at a meeting of the party.
“When I raised certain issues against him, he got me expelled from the party. He has been exploiting me and others for several years now.,” she said.
Ram Babu Yadav said that this was a conspiracy by his rivals to malign his image. “I am 71 years old, how can I say such things? I do not know what chooza is. She has been expelled and that is why she is talking nonsense,” he said.
He has been caught on tape asking a female party worker to get him ‘chooza’ (literally meaning chicks) in the age group of 18-20. The politician obviously refers to young girls as ‘chooza’.
In a conversation being aired on a local TV channel, Yadav can be heard asking a female party worker Madhu Pandey (now expelled) to make ‘vyavashtha’ — arrangement — for him.
Pandey says that every time she visits him, she brings along a woman to which Yadav says, “Mahila nahin, chooza lao. Chooza janti ho —yahi 18 se 20 saal ki.”
Pandey played the recorded conversation before journalists in Aurraiya and claimed that she was being victimised by Yadav who had even slapped her at a meeting of the party.
“When I raised certain issues against him, he got me expelled from the party. He has been exploiting me and others for several years now.,” she said.
Ram Babu Yadav said that this was a conspiracy by his rivals to malign his image. “I am 71 years old, how can I say such things? I do not know what chooza is. She has been expelled and that is why she is talking nonsense,” he said.
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