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After Youth Congress, BJP’s Shatrughan Sinha takes ‘chaiwala’ jibe at PM Modi

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After Youth Congress, BJP’s Shatrughan Sinha takes ‘chaiwala’ jibe at PM Modi

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]At an event in New Delhi, the BJP MP took several swipes at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet colleagues Arun Jaitley and Smriti Irani

Days after the Congress party and its youth wing courted controversy and beat a hasty retreat after posting a meme on Twitter that mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘chaiwala’ past, senior BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha has now used the same label to take a dig at the Premier.

Addressing a book launch event in the national capital on Thursday, Shatrughan Sinha – a senior BJP MP – said: “If ‘vakeel babu’ can speak on finance, if a TV actress can become the country’s HRD (human resource development) minister and if a ‘chaiwala’ can become… I won’t even complete that sentence… why can’t I speak about the economy.”

While Sinha didn’t take any names while making his tongue-in-cheek comment, it was easy for anyone to guess that his broadside was directed at the Prime Minister and his close cabinet colleagues – finance minister Arun Jaitley and HRD minister Smriti Irani.

Curiously, Sinha’s comments come at a time when his party’s leaders and senior ministers in the Narendra Modi-led government have been dubbing the Congress party as “arrogant, anti-poor and classist” for the controversial meme that was tweeted earlier this week from the Twitter handle of Yuva Desh, a magazine published by the Indian Youth Congress, the youth wing of the Grand Old Party.

The meme had showed Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May in conversation. The quote bubbles in the meme showed Modi telling the two world leaders: “Aap logon ne dekha vipaksh mere kaise kaise maimai banvata hai?” While Trump is shown correcting Modi, saying the word is pronounced as ‘meem’ — “usse maimai nahin, meem kehte hain”, a serious-looking British Prime Minister is seen telling Modi to go and sell — “Tu chai bech”.

As several BJP leaders, including union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and JP Nadda, lashed out at the Congress over the meme, the tweet was deleted and Youth Congress national president Amarinder Singh Raja had issued an apology for the obvious gaffe.

However, the controversy over the meme obviously didn’t stop Sinha, one of the earliest Bollywood actors to join the BJP and also serve as a Union minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government – from using the ‘chaiwala’ reference for Modi.

And, it wasn’t just Modi’s profession from his pre-politics days that Sinha commented on. The actor-turned-politician, who has often taken a contrarian position on issues dear to the BJP and Modi, also attacked the Centre on a slew of other issues, including demonetisation and the GST rollout.

The senior BJP MP from Patna smartly twisted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popular anti-graft slogan ‘na khaoonga, na khane doonga’, to hit out at the current political dispensation at the Centre.

“I did not join politics saying ‘na jeeoonga na jeene doonga’ (neither will I live, nor allow others to live),” Sinha said, adding: “The atmosphere nowadays is such that either you support a person or be ready to be called anti-national”.

Shatrughan Sinha also spoke about the what he felt was the norm in the Modi government today; calling the Union council of ministers “a bunch of sycophants”.

“Ninety per cent of ministers are those who you (people) don’t know. They are here not to do something creative or constructive…. they are just busy saving their jobs,” the BJP leader said.

Hitting out at the BJP government’s economic policies, Sinha claimed, “Demonetisation has rendered millions jobless, factories have been shut, small traders, hawkers are out of work and GST is like ‘neem chadha karela’. If I do not speak for the youth, for the poor and downtrodden, for the oppressed, then what am I doing in politics (sic).”

The former union minister also targeted the Modi government over the perception of “rising intolerance” in the country.

“What is happening in this country? Cow vigilantes are killing people, intellectuals, writers, journalists… and now even judges are being killed. ‘Aaj dhan shakti jan shakti par bhari hai’… if people like me come forward (to speak against these issues), we are attributed motives, we are questioned (sic),” he said.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

India hits back at Shehbaz Sharif at UN, says terror will have consequences

India hit back at Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s UN speech, with New Delhi warning that terrorism will have consequences.

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India has responded to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s remarks at the United Nations, delivering a strong message on terrorism and warning that such actions will have consequences.

The response came after Mr Sharif addressed the UN and raised issues concerning India and Pakistan. New Delhi rejected the narrative presented by the Pakistani prime minister and highlighted the issue of terrorism.

India’s message was delivered by Petal Gehlot, who represented New Delhi in the response to Pakistan.

India warns Pakistan over terrorism

India’s response focused on Pakistan’s record and its approach towards terrorism. New Delhi made clear that terrorism cannot be separated from its consequences and that those responsible cannot expect such actions to go unanswered.

The Indian side also pushed back against the claims and allegations made by Mr Sharif during his UN speech.

The exchange comes amid continuing tensions between India and Pakistan, with terrorism remaining a major point of disagreement between the two countries.

Shehbaz Sharif’s UN remarks

In his address, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke about India-Pakistan relations and raised several issues concerning New Delhi.

India subsequently exercised its right of reply to respond to Pakistan’s statements at the United Nations.

New Delhi’s response underlined its position that terrorism remains a serious issue in the relationship and that there would be consequences for terrorist actions.

The latest exchange at the UN adds to the continuing diplomatic confrontation between the two neighbouring countries.

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Veeramani POCSO case: Vijay questions Stalin over earlier probe

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has questioned MK Stalin over the handling of the Veeramani POCSO case, while Stalin has rejected allegations that the previous DMK government protected anyone.

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Actor Vijay

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C Joseph Vijay has questioned DMK president MK Stalin over the handling of the POCSO case involving Gem Granites founder R Veeramani. The political exchange follows renewed investigation into allegations involving minor girls.

Vijay’s remarks came as the ruling TVK stepped up its questions about how the case was handled during the previous DMK government. The party’s IT wing has alleged that the earlier investigation was weakened and questioned why a final report was filed.

The allegations have been rejected by the DMK. Stalin has said that no order was issued by the DMK government to protect anyone in the case and has called the allegations false and defamatory.

What did Vijay say about the Veeramani case?

Vijay questioned Stalin over the handling of the case and demanded an explanation from the former chief minister.

The TVK has specifically questioned why action was not taken against Veeramani during the previous administration and why the earlier investigation resulted in a closure report.

The party has also raised questions about the role of officials involved in the earlier investigation. These are political allegations made by the TVK and have not been established as facts.

What is the Veeramani POCSO case?

The case concerns allegations of sexual abuse of minors involving R Veeramani, the founder of Gem Granites.

The case came under renewed scrutiny after a special POCSO court rejected an earlier closure report and ordered further investigation. The expanded probe has subsequently identified additional alleged survivors who were minors at the time of the alleged offences, according to current reporting.

The investigation is also examining the circumstances surrounding the earlier probe and whether there were any lapses in how the case was handled.

What has MK Stalin said?

Stalin has rejected allegations that the previous DMK government protected Veeramani.

He has said that no order was issued by the DMK government to shield anyone in the case. Stalin has also said that everyone responsible for the alleged offences, including anyone who aided or attempted to protect the accused, should face the law.

The DMK president has further said that the focus should remain on securing justice for the affected girls rather than making political allegations.

Why has the case become a political issue?

The Veeramani case has become the subject of a political dispute between the ruling TVK and the DMK over the handling of the earlier investigation.

The TVK is questioning the previous government’s handling of the case, while the DMK has denied that it intervened to protect the accused.

At this stage, claims about political interference or deliberate weakening of the earlier investigation should be treated as allegations unless established by the ongoing investigation or judicial proceedings.

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India News

Women wrestlers challenge Brij Bhushan’s acquittal in sexual harassment case

Four women wrestlers have challenged the acquittal of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and co-accused Vinod Tomar in a sexual harassment case.

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Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

Four women wrestlers have approached a Delhi court challenging the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case.

The wrestlers have also challenged the acquittal of co-accused Vinod Tomar. The matter is scheduled to be heard by a Special Judge at the Rouse Avenue Courts.

The appeal challenges the order passed by an Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate on August 3, 2026, when Brij Bhushan and Tomar were acquitted in the case.

Wrestlers challenge court’s reasoning

In their appeal, the wrestlers have argued that the acquittal order is legally unsustainable and that the evidence was not assessed appropriately.

They have also alleged that the order relied on assumptions about how victims of sexual assault and harassment were expected to behave instead of assessing the evidence and circumstances of the complainants.

The challenge seeks judicial scrutiny of the findings that resulted in the acquittal of Brij Bhushan and Tomar.

Brij Bhushan was acquitted in August

The Rouse Avenue court acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on August 3 in the sexual harassment case involving women wrestlers. The court’s decision followed consideration of the evidence and statements presented during the proceedings.

The case had emerged after several women wrestlers accused the former WFI chief of sexual harassment. The allegations had led to a major protest by wrestlers in 2023.

The latest appeal means the acquittal is now being challenged before a higher court.

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