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Eyes on Gujarat polls, Modi tries to appropriate Ambedkar

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Prime Minister inaugurates Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi, claims efforts were afoot to wipe out Ambedkar’s contributions towards nation-building

After Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now aggressively trying to appropriate father of the Indian Constitution and Dalit icon Dr BR Ambedkar at a time when his party, the BJP, is facing an uphill task of wooing agitated voters from the oppressed community in poll-bound Gujarat.

On Thursday, as the Prime Minister inaugurated the Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi, he sought to use the event – cleverly timed to coincide with the last day of campaigning for the first phase of the Gujarat assembly polls – to indirectly hit out at the Congress party and the Nehru-Gandhi family for trying to wipe out the Dalit icon’s legacy.

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Although the Prime Minister did not name any specific party or leader while claiming that there had been efforts in the past to gloss over the contributions that Baba Saheb – as Dr Ambedkar is fondly referred to – made towards building India after independence, his broadside was clearly aimed at the Congress party and Nehru-Gandhi dynasty.

It thus came as no surprise that soon after the event, former Union minister and veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar called the Prime Minister a “neech aadmi” (low-level human) and asserted that if there was one leader who helped Dr Ambedkar fulfill his ambitions, it was Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s first Prime Minister.

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However, the Prime Minister, who was in his home state’s Surat district later on Thursday to campaign for his party in the upcoming elections, latched on to Aiyar’s comments and sought to use them to project himself as the ‘victim’ of unfair barbs by the Congress party.

In a clear damage control move, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi distanced himself and his party from Aiyar’s remarks, stating “I do not appreciate the tone and language” used by the senior party leader to address the Prime Minister and asserted that both he and the Congress party “expect him (Aiyar) to apologise for what he said”. However, Rahul also emphasises that the “BJP and PM repeatedly use filthy language to attack the Congress party”.

Modi’s clearly political tirade against the Congress at an event to dedicate an institution named after Dr Ambedkar to the nation comes in the wake of his party facing a huge challenge in wooing Dalit voters in Gujarat. The home state of the Prime Minister has been witness to massive protests by Dalits against the BJP since last year when two Dalit men were mercilessly flogged in Gujarat’s Una by cow vigilantes on the suspicion that they had slaughtered cows. It had later turned out that the Dalit men were merely taking a hide off dead cattle – a routine business chore that the Dalit community often has to engage in to make ends meet – and the outrage over the violence against them turned into a campaign against the BJP.

It is pertinent to note that the BJP is facing a huge electoral challenge mounted by young Dalit leader Jignesh Mewani who has asked his massive following of Dalits in the state to uproot the BJP from Gujarat. Mewani is contesting the Gujarat Assembly polls as an independent candidate from the Vadgam constituency in Banaskantha district and has received support from the Congress and Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party which have not fielded any candidate from the seat, thereby making the election in Vadgam a direct clash between the BJP and Mewani.

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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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India News

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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