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Eye on Gujarat’s Rajputs votes, BJP and Congress unite against Bhansali’s Padmavati

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9 years ago

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Eye on Gujarat’s Rajputs votes, BJP and Congress unite against Bhansali’s Padmavati

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Congress, BJP want the Deepika Padukone-starrer to be banned in Gujarat or its release deferred till elections are over, say distortion of history shouldn’t be allowed

Even as the Congress and BJP engage in a high-pitched diatribe against each other in poll-bound Gujarat, here’s an issue that seems to have united the two political parties – Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s opulent multi-starrer Padmavati.

With doubts being raised on whether the film stays true to the “historical facts” of the siege of Chittor by Alauddin Khilji, the BJP and Congress both fear that any “distortion of history” by the makers of Padmavati might rile the Rajput community of Gujarat and cause a law and order situation. The Deepika Padukone-starrer film is slated for a December 1 release while Gujarat is scheduled to go for a two phase election on December 9 and 14.

The BJP has demanded that the Election Commission must intervene in the issue and either defer the release of Padmavati to a date after the Gujarat polls or ban the release of the film in the state. The Congress on the other hand has said that the film should be banned if it “distorts history”.

The demands by the BJP and the Congress – both parties are eyeing to capture the state’s substantial Kshatriya/Rajput vote which holds the key to winning around two dozen of the state’s 182 assembly seats – comes days after former chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela (a Kshatriya leader) threatened “violent protests” across the state if the film was released in Gujarat without being pre-screened for Hindu, and specifically Kshatriya, community leaders and being approved by them. Vaghela, who had quit the BJP over two decades ago to join the Congress but quit the grand-old party earlier this year, has announced a ‘third front’ to take challenge the Congress and the BJP in the largely bi-polar state.

Gujarat is a prestige battle for the BJP which has ruled the state for the past 22 years. It is also the home state of www.apnlive.com/topic/narendra-modiand the party’s national president Amit Shah. With Modi no longer the chief minister of Gujarat and the incumbent Vijay Rupani government facing an uphill electoral battle due to anti-incumbency and agitated Patel, Dalit, Adivasi and Minority communities, the Congress is hoping to finally end its exile from power in the state. In such a situation, every seat and every endorsement by members of different castes who comprise the Gujarat electorate counts.

While on the face of it, the BJP and Congress’ opposition to Padmavati may seem trivial, but in its backdrop lies a greater political battle for the two political parties.

Expectedly then, the state BJP’s spokesperson IK Jadeja said that his party “would prefer that Padmavati is either banned or its release.” A Kshatriya leader himself, Jadeja said: “We have received representations from Khastriya, Rajput communities opposing any purported distortion of history and character of Rani Padmavati in the movie.”

Senior Congress leader and also a chief ministerial hopeful, Shaktisinh Gohil echoed views that were strikingly similar to his political rival though he did seek to put the BJP in a spot too. “With elections round the corner, a minister from the BJP has written to the Election Commission seeking a ban on ‘Padmavati’ till the elections are over. It is your (BJP) government, write to the PM (sic),” Gohil said. The Congress leader added: “Postponing the release of the movie will not assuage the feelings of a community. We demand that if there has been distortion of history as some people have claimed, the movie should not be released at all.”

What is hilarious, though also disturbing, about the controversy over Padmavati is the fact that the “historical accuracy” that opponents of the film have been talking about is itself highly suspect. Several noted historians have rubbished the claims put forth by a section of self-anointed Rajput and Hindu scholars with regard to the siege of Chittor and the characters of Rani Padmavati (depicted in the film by Deepika Padukone) and Raja Rattan Singh (portrayed by Shahid Kapoor).

The character of Rani Padmavati was a creation of the 16th Century Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi who is known for his epic poem Padmavat. Written around 1540 AD, Padmavat introduced the character of Rani Padmavati to history. The legend that Alauddin Khilji got smitten by the beauty of the brave and immensely beautiful queen Padmavati and laid siege on Chittor to capture her was Jayasi’s creation – it was written over 200 years after Khilji’s actual conquest of Chittor in Rajasthan. In the years after 1540, the legend was strengthened by Hindu and Kshatriya scholars to establish Rani Padmavati as a ‘real historical character’ though her existence doesn’t really find any mention in the texts of the time when Chittor was actually conquered by Khilji.

Yet, the theatrical revival of the legend of Padmavati has caused a flutter in India today, leaving radical Hindu and Kshatriya groups riled. While Bhansali himself was attacked by goons of the Hindu right-wing outfit Karni Sena in January this year during the making of the film, in October members of the same fringe outfit destroyed a Surat-based local artist’s painstaking 48-hour-long effort at creating a ‘rangoli’ depicting Deepika Padukone as Padmavati.[/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.

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11 hours ago

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August 16, 2026

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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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