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75th Anniversary of Quit India Movement: Modi talks of ‘sankalp se siddhi’, Sonia says secular, democratic values in danger today

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9 years ago

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PM Modi in Lok sabha

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]To mark the 75th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s Quit India Movement, both houses of Parliament debate the country’s past and present. Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls for ‘sankalp se siddhi’ but Opposition reminds government of the threat to freedom of expression, India’s secular ethos

As both houses of Parliament participated in a discussion to mark the 75th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘Quit India’ call to the British, Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed corruption, poverty and illiteracy as “the greatest challenges” facing India today and sought special initiatives to end these over the next five years.

While Modi took the opportunity to move his ‘sankalp se siddhi’ (accomplishment through resolve) campaign, the Opposition took advantage of the Prime Minister’s presence in the House to attack him and his government for the growing threat to India’s secular and democratic fabric and the Constitution in the wake of rising incidents of caste and communal violence and the perception of a tacit approval by the State to muzzle any form of dissent.

The Prime Minister re-phrased Gandhi’s oft-quoted mantra during India’s freedom struggle – Karo ya maro (Do or Die) – into Karenge Aur Kar Ke Rahenge(We will do and surely do) and said that it is this spirit that would help end the ills of corruption, poverty, illiteracy and malnutrition

“In 1942, the clarion call was Do or Die; today it is ‘Karenge Aur Kar Ke Rahenge.’ The next five years should also be about ‘Sankalp Se Siddhi’, a resolve which will lead us to accomplishment,” Modi said during his 30-minute address.

Asserting that by 2022 – the 75th anniversary of India’s independence from the Raj – the country must try to bring positive changes so that it can become an inspiration for other nations, Modi said: “In 1942 (when the Quit India call was given), conditions internationally became favourable for India to gain independence. Today again, global conditions are favourable for India”.

Modi said the recollection of movements such as the Quit India was a source of inspiration and the current generation has a responsibility of passing on the legacy of such movements to the future generations.

However, soon after Modi finished addressing the House, Congress president Sonia Gandhi rose to take not-so-subtle jibes at the BJP, asserting that “some organisations opposed the Quit India movement”.

Sonia’s comment was a pointed reference to VD Savarkar, an icon for the BJP and its parent organization – the RSS, who opposed Mahatma Gandhi’s movement.

Sonia Gandhi in Lok Sabha“We must not forget that some organizations opposed the Quit India Movement, such organisations had no role in the freedom struggle,” the Congress president said, as Modi listened in.

Given that the Treasury benches, predictably, refused to highlight the contribution of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and the Congress party in the freedom struggle, Sonia made it a point to assert that “During the freedom struggle, Pandit Nehru spent several years in jail, many Congress workers died in jail…A lot of atrocities were committed on the (Congress) protesters, but no one stepped back”.

Sonia wondered if the “forces of darkness” were trying to destroy the roots of democracy in India today while saying that there was a feeling that the “clouds of the politics of division and hate are hovering over the plural and egalitarian values enshrined in the Constitution”.

“It seems secular, democratic and liberals values are being endangered. The public space for debate and difference of opinion is shrinking… Have the forces of darkness emerged? Is there a fear about the existence of a sense of freedom? Are attempts being made to destroy roots of democracy which is based on equality, social justice, law-based system and freedom of expression,” Sonia said.

Sonia said that people today have to fight for the India that was envisioned by its founding fathers and that “We cannot and will not allow the idea of India to be a prisoner to narrow mindedness, divisive and communal ideology. If we have to preserve freedom, we will have to defeat the forces endangering it. We can’t and we won’t allow sectarian forces to succeed”.

What other MPs said:

In the Rajya Sabha, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said: “If there is anything that must quit India today, it is the neo-liberal reforms and communalism that must.”

In the Lok Sabha, BJD MP Tathagata Satpathy made an impassionate speech, insisting that “We’ve changed Gandhiji’s “karo ya maro” to “kare ya maare”, adding that “We cannot afford to give an ‘us vs. them’ country to our people…We cannot give our teenagers a distorted image of this country. It is sad to see that we, in our petty desires, have forgotten the interests of this country”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Asish Banerjee found dead in Rampurhat, Mamata Banerjee aide’s death shocks TMC

Former West Bengal deputy speaker and five-time Rampurhat MLA Asish Banerjee was found dead at a Trinamool Congress office in Birbhum.

Published

5 hours ago

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August 16, 2026

By

Mamata Banerjee

Former West Bengal Assembly deputy speaker and Trinamool Congress leader Asish Banerjee was found dead at a party office next to his residence in Rampurhat, Birbhum district, on Sunday morning.

Police said his body was found hanging and was sent for postmortem. A large crowd gathered outside the Trinamool Congress office after news of his death spread.

Who was Asish Banerjee?

Asish Banerjee had served as the deputy speaker of the West Bengal Assembly when Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was the state’s chief minister. He was also a five-time MLA from Rampurhat.

He had served as Bengal’s education and agriculture minister after Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress first came to power in the state.

Banerjee contested the West Bengal Assembly election earlier this year but lost the Rampurhat seat to BJP’s Dhruba Saha.

Asish Banerjee’s recent party role

Banerjee stepped down as chairman of the Trinamool Congress’s Birbhum district core committee in June. At the time, he said he would continue as a general member of the party.

He lived in the Hattalapara neighbourhood of Rampurhat, with the party office where his body was found located next to his house.

BJP gains in Birbhum

The BJP won six of the 11 Assembly constituencies in Birbhum in the latest state election. This marked a significant change from 2021, when the Trinamool Congress had won 10 seats in the district while the BJP had secured one.

Police have sent Asish Banerjee’s body for postmortem as the circumstances surrounding his death are being investigated.

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IPS Officer Nupur Prasad gets Medal for Meritorious Service after Sushant Singh Rajput probe

IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service this year.

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1 day ago

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August 15, 2026

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IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been recognised with the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) this year.

A 2007-batch AGMUT cadre officer, Ms Prasad recently returned to the Delhi Police after completing her tenure with the CBI. She is currently serving as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), where she oversees investigations involving financial and economic crimes.

The award is part of this year’s recognition for police personnel for distinguished and meritorious service. Such honours recognise contributions in areas including investigation, crime prevention, public service, law and order and administration.

Nupur Prasad’s role in Sushant Singh Rajput case

Ms Prasad came into national focus during the CBI investigation into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020.

The case was transferred to the CBI in August 2020 following a complaint by the actor’s family and a legal dispute over jurisdiction.

During her tenure with the agency, Ms Prasad supervised key aspects of the investigation, including the examination of witness statements, forensic evidence and medical records.

In 2025, the CBI filed closure reports, saying its investigation found no evidence of foul play, abetment to suicide or criminal conspiracy in the actor’s death.

Career across Delhi Police, CBI

Ms Prasad has served in several positions during her career, including assignments in the Delhi Police, CBI, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal.

Before joining the CBI, she held senior positions in the Delhi Police and became the first Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Shahdara. During her tenure, she worked on establishing the district’s policing framework following its creation.

She also led operations targeting drug networks and illegal gambling activities while focusing on crime-prevention measures.

Later, as DCP of North Delhi, she oversaw security arrangements for major events, including Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort and Delhi University elections.

Community-focused policing initiatives

Beyond investigations, Ms Prasad has been associated with community-focused programmes involving women’s self-defence, youth development, cyber safety and drug de-addiction.

During her CBI tenure, she was also associated with several prominent investigations. Media reports have linked her to cases concerning businessman Vijay Mallya and the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.

Current role in Delhi Police

After completing her assignment with the CBI, Ms Prasad returned to the Delhi Police and took charge as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing.

The latest recognition adds to her career spanning investigations, policing and public service across several challenging assignments.

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Kharge, Rahul Gandhi skip Independence Day event for 2nd straight year

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Published

1 day ago

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August 15, 2026

By

Rahul Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Delhi’s Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Independence Day celebrations at the historic venue on Saturday.

The absence of the two senior Congress leaders comes amid strained relations between the ruling party and the Opposition, which further deteriorated during the Monsoon Session of Parliament that concluded on Thursday.

2024 seating controversy

Rahul Gandhi had attended the Independence Day celebrations in 2024 but his seating arrangement triggered a controversy. The Congress leader, who holds the status of a Cabinet minister as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was seated in the second-last row during the ceremony at the Red Fort.

The Opposition had criticised the seating arrangement, calling it an insult to the people. The Defence Ministry, which organised the event, said the arrangement had been modified to accommodate Olympians at the venue.

According to protocol, the Leader of the Opposition is seated in the front row during ceremonial events.

Opposition-ruling party tensions

Relations between the government and the Opposition remained tense during the Monsoon Session, which ended on Thursday.

The session saw repeated clashes between the two sides, with both the Opposition and the ruling party blaming each other for the low productivity of Parliament.

The session began on July 20, with students marching towards Parliament on the first day. Twelve bills were passed during the session, while detailed discussion took place on only one legislation, concerning paper leaks.

The Congress, along with the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, also boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the House was adjourned sine die.

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