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Sharad Yadav’s show of strength with opposition parties on Thursday

Published

9 years ago

August 16, 2017

In an another move towards an impending split in JD(U), its senior leader Sharad Yadav announced that he would organise a ‘Sajha Virasat Bachao Sammelan’ on Thursday, August 17, aimed at saving India’s “composite culture”, at the Constitution Club here.

Top leaders of the Congress, the Left, Samajwadi Party, BSP, TMC, other parties opposed to the BJP, intellectuals, farmers, Dalits and tribals from across the country have been invited to the programme which is being seen as Yadav’s show of strength against his party chief Nitish Kumar’s decision to ally with the BJP.

This will be the next big gathering of the opposition after it decided to launch a joint campaign against the ruling party. The conference comes days after Yadav held road shows in Bihar. Several leaders close to him are being targeted by the leadership with 21, including Dalit leader and former minister Ramai Ram, being suspended from the party on Monday for their participation in Yadav’s road shows. The political dais to centrestage “secular values” would follow what is turning into a complete divorce between Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav.

The JD(U), which has asked Yadav not to hold the event, removed him as its parliamentary party leader in the Rajya Sabha last week when he continued with his campaign against the alliance with the BJP. Yadav was accompanied by Ali Anwar Ansari, a Rajya Sabha member suspended from the parliamentary party by the JD(U), and Arun Shrivastava, recently sacked from the post of general secretary.

Asserting that “composite culture” was the soul of the Constitution, which Yadav alleged was being “tinkered with”, he announced that the Opposition will hold ‘Sajha Virasat Bachao’ (Save Composite Culture) conferences across the country — to be coordinated by him — starting from Delhi on Thursday.

While refusing to answer questions on his disapproval of Bihar Chief Minister Kumar’s alliance with the BJP, the former JD(U) chief said the decision to hold tomorrow’s event was taken weeks ago, when his party was with the loose opposition group.

“The ‘sajha virasat bachao sammelan’ (save composite culture programme) is not against anybody but in the interest of the country. This is in the interest of 125 crore people of the country,” he said.

Sharad Yadav added that he hoped to hold such a conference in various cities with an aim that “all citizens irrespective of any region or religion should come together to save our Constitution and composite culture as enshrined in the Constitution of India.”

Talking about the Constitution of India, Yadav said, “The Constitution of India is a holy book which was given to the nation by the members who framed it in such a manner that our people should live together without any difference or the basis of caste and creed.”

He said although the preamble of the Constitution speaks of securing justice, liberty, equality and fraternity for all citizens but “what is happening in the present India is totally reverse” and that people are “living in fear”.

“At present Dalits, Tribals, farmers and unemployed youth are not only suffering, but are also not seeing any light after the tunnel now,” Sharad Yadav said.

He cited incidents such as the suicide of Rohith Vemula and the disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, besides suicides of farmers across the country, to suggest that the situation was tough for underprivileged people. While supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comments against violence in the name of faith, Yadav said it was not reflected on the ground and Modi needed to tell his party’s governments to follow his dictum.

Asked whether Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would come for the conference, he said that everybody is invited to join this conference.

There has been speculation about Yadav forming another party with some JD(U) lawmakers on his side. Yadav is reportedly set to present his faction as the “real” party, claiming that many of its state units are with him while the support for party president Nitish Kumar is confined to Bihar.

The Yadav-led faction includes two Rajya Sabha MPs Ali Anwar Ansari and Veerendra Kumar, and some national office-bearers, and has armed itself with support from 14 state unit presidents, Yadav’s close aide Arun Shrivastava said on Sunday.

Kumar had previously asserted that the JD(U) was recognised only in Bihar. Reacting to it, Shrivastava had claimed the party always had a national footprint.

During his visit to New Delhi last week, Kumar had virtually ruled out any reconciliation with Yadav. “As far as the party is concerned, it has already taken its decision. The decision was not mine alone and it was taken with the consent of the party. If he keeps a different opinion, then he is free to do so,” Nitish had told reporters.

Refuting Yadav’s claim of enjoying support of 14 state units, JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi had claimed “98 percent of office bearers, 100 percent of MLAs and 75 percent of state committees” are with Kumar, who is also the party president.

JD(U) MLAs will meet in Patna later this week to formally take the party back into the NDA’s folds after a gap of more than four years.

Nitish Kumar will formally join NDA on 19 August, with a likelihood of JD(U) getting two ministerial positions at the Centre. JD(U) has said that the step is only a formality after Nitish parted ways with the Mahagathbandhan and formed a new government in Bihar with the help of BJP.

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Ajit Pawar’s son seeks detailed probe into Baramati plane crash

Jay Pawar has demanded a comprehensive probe and action against the aviation firm after the Baramati plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar and four others.

Published

5 days ago

February 19, 2026

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Jay Pawar, the younger son of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has called for a comprehensive and impartial investigation into the plane crash near Baramati that claimed his father’s life along with four others on January 28.

In a social media post on Wednesday, Jay Pawar raised concerns over what he described as “possible serious lapses” that may have led to the fatal accident. He asserted that the aircraft’s black box is not easily destroyed and stressed that people of Maharashtra deserve to know the complete truth behind the crash.

Demand for action against aviation company

The ill-fated Learjet 45XR aircraft was operated by VSR Ventures Private Limited. Jay Pawar urged authorities to conduct a detailed probe into the firm’s operations and sought a ban on the aviation company pending investigation.

“A detailed investigation of possible serious lapses and irregularities of the aircraft firm should be done in a detailed and impartial manner,” he said.

The crash occurred near the Baramati airstrip, resulting in the deaths of Ajit Pawar and four others.

Call for CBI probe and sabotage allegations

Jay Pawar’s statement came a day after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar and leaders from the Nationalist Congress Party met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to demand a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the accident.

Separately, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar alleged there was reason to suspect sabotage in the crash and called for a multi-agency investigation involving experts.

During a press conference last week, Rohit Pawar also questioned the past record of Captain Sumit Kapoor, who was piloting the aircraft on the day of the crash. He referred to the pilot’s previous three-year suspension for alcohol consumption.

AAIB seeking support to retrieve CVR data

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is conducting a detailed probe into the crash. According to the agency, special technical assistance has been sought to retrieve data from the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of the Learjet 45 aircraft involved in the accident.

The investigation is ongoing.

India News

PM Modi sends congratulatory letter to Tarique Rahman after swearing-in

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla handed over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s congratulatory letter to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman following his swearing-in and extended an invitation to visit India.

Published

7 days ago

February 17, 2026

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Om Birla on Tuesday met Tarique Rahman and delivered a letter from Narendra Modi, congratulating him on assuming office and inviting him to visit India.

The meeting took place shortly after Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister following his party’s victory in the recently concluded parliamentary elections.

According to details shared, Birla also spoke to Rahman over the phone to personally convey PM Modi’s congratulations.

In his letter, PM Modi extended his greetings to Rahman on the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s win in the parliamentary elections and on his appointment as the next Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

“I extend my warmest congratulations to you on the victory of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party at the just-concluded parliamentary elections in Bangladesh and on your appointment as the next Prime Minister of Bangladesh,” the letter read.

The communication also included an invitation for the newly sworn-in leader to visit India.

India News

Navjot Kaur Sidhu says Rahul Gandhi disconnected from ground realities

Navjot Kaur Sidhu criticises Rahul Gandhi after exiting Congress, alleging corruption in the Punjab unit and predicting defeat in upcoming state elections.

Published

1 week ago

February 17, 2026

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Former Congress leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu has launched a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi soon after her exit from the party, accusing him of being detached from ground realities and failing to address concerns within the Punjab unit.

Speaking to reporters in Coimbatore, Sidhu said that Gandhi, who serves as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has not worked at the grassroots level and is unaware of what is happening within the party in Punjab. She stressed that understanding “ground zero” realities is crucial for leadership and said living in a “dream world” would not help the party.

Drawing a comparison with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sidhu said that while Gandhi speaks well and “talks sense”, his actions do not align with his words. She claimed there is nothing personally against the Prime Minister and challenged critics to find evidence of wrongdoing against him.

Sidhu also alleged widespread corruption within the Punjab Congress leadership. She claimed she sought an appointment with Gandhi for eight months to inform him about what she described as “injustice” and internal damage to the party. According to her, party tickets had already been sold, and she warned that Congress is likely to lose the state polls next year if corrective measures are not taken.

In a direct message to Gandhi, she said that if he is unaware of developments within his own party, then he does not deserve the leadership position. She further alleged that corrupt individuals surround him while honest leaders are ignored.

Sidhu claimed that she and her family were promised key roles, including a deputy chief minister post with seven departments and a Member of Parliament position for her, but were ultimately given nothing.

Last week, Congress general secretary in charge of Punjab, Bhupesh Baghel, announced that Sidhu had been expelled from the party. The announcement followed her own declaration that she had quit.

The 62-year-old leader was earlier associated with the BJP and served as an MLA from 2012 to 2016 before joining Congress. Recently, she levelled serious allegations against Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, claiming that ₹500 crore was being demanded in exchange for the Chief Minister’s post if the party wins the upcoming elections. She was suspended after making those remarks.

With Punjab heading towards elections next year, her allegations add to the turbulence within the state unit of the Congress.