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Mevani Targets PM Modi At Rally Held Without Delhi Police Permission

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9 years ago

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Mevani Targets PM Modi At Rally Held Without Delhi Police Permission

Photo: Jignesh Mevani with Kanhaiya Kumar

Directly targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dalit youth leader and newly elected MLA from Vadgam in Gujarat, Jignesh Mevani, said that his government poses a threat to democracy and the Constitution of the country.

Speaking at a youth rally, ‘Yuva Hunkar’ rally at Parliament Street in Delhi, held despite a curious denial of permission by the Delhi Police, Mevani asked PM Modi to speak up on Bhima Koregaon violence. “It is you who has to answer the reason behind violence on Dalits, violence in Saharanpur, in Bhima Koregaon. You have to answer why Rohit Vemula was killed. You have to answer why people are not getting the money that is in the foreign accounts of Indians. You have to answer why millions of people are not getting jobs despite promises,” he said.

“The way corruption, poverty, unemployment and the real issues are being swept under the carpet and ghar wapasi, love jihad and cows are being given space, we stand against that. We do not believe in love jihad. We are the believers of love. We will celebrate April 14 (Ambedkar Jayanti) and February 14 (Valentine’s Day).”

Reacting to Minister of State MoS, Anantkumar Hegde’s remarks on the Constitution, Mevani said, “We believe in the constitution and will protect it. You attack me as much as you want, I will stick to the Constitution.  PM Modi has to choose between the two, Manusmriti and the constitution. These aren’t books, but belief systems” Addressing a rally in Karnataka recently, Hegde had that the BJP had come to power to “change the Constitution” and would do so in the “near future”.

Mevani termed the Delhi Police’s denial of permission for the rally as ‘Gujarat model’ of politics. “The 125 crore people of this country are watching that someone is not being allowed to speak for merely demanding the release of Chandrashekhar Azad, effective implementation of the Constitution and two crore jobs to the youth,” he said.

“If an elected representative does not have the right to do so, then this is Gujarat model,” Mevani said to the crowd comprising student activists from Delhi, Lucknow and Allahabad and other places.

The rally was oragnised to raise the demand for the release of Dalit outfit Bhim Army’s founder Chandrashekhar Azad who was arrested in June last year from Himachal Pradesh in connection with the Thakur-Dalit clashes in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district. His supporters turned up at the rally with posters bearing his image.

The rally also sought to highlight issues like educational rights, employment, livelihood and gender justice.

Mevani said he will stand guard against the politics of hatred and stick to constitutional values and the “politics of love”, along the lines of statements made by Congress president Rahul Gandhi after the Gujarat polls, said media reports.

“I believe in politics of unity. I believe in politics of love, not love jihad. Alpesh Thakore, Hardik Patel and I are being targeted because we demolished their (BJP) pride and arrogance and crushed BJP’s target of 150 seats in Gujarat…There’s a looming threat to our democracy and Constitution today,” he said.

Former and current Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leaders, including Kanhaiya Kumar, Shehla Rashid and Umar Khalid, present on stage, also spoke at the rally.

Former JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar launched a scathing attack against the BJP. “BJP isn’t a party, it’s like a brand new washing machine, where something goes in but comes out sparkling clean. Of the 282 MPs, 109 MPs have serious crimes allegations against them. Not asking about Lalu, but what about Sukhram’s son or Mukul Roy?” he said. “We are not against any religion or any community, we are here for the constitution. We don’t have crowds, I agree. We don’t have crowds, but we have real, living breathing people.”

“They are afraid of Chandrashekhar, not because he’s a threat to the country: but to those who want to convert this to a Hindu Rashtra. There’s no space for Dalits in the Hindu Rashtra that they envision,” JNU student Umar Khalid said at the rally.

RTI activist Akhil Gogoi said a national programme was needed to get rid of the BJP-RSS government. “Twelve States in India had special status after the BJP government came into being, the autonomy of these States was compromised. Our voices are silenced because we speak against BJP and RSS. We fight the fight on the streets,” he said.

Assam farmers leader Akhil Gogoi and senior Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan were also present, apart from students from JNU, Delhi University, Lucknow University and Allahabad University among others.

Around 2,000 security personnel, including paramilitary forces, with water cannon vehicles were deployed in connection with the rally. Additional forces from other states had also been called in.

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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

13 hours ago

on

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.

Published

2 days 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

2 days ago

on

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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