Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the BJP of trying to snatch the tribals’ water, forest, and land in Jharkhand. Addressing a public rally in Simdega, the Leader of Opposition said that BJP has always insulted tribal identity and has tried to snatch away their rights, but Congress will protest their water, forest and land at all costs.

The Congress MP further said that PM Modi calls the tribals vanvasi (forest dwellers) as his party believes that land, forest, and water belong to it, the RSS, and capitalists. He continued that BJP believes in grabbing tribal land under its newly-coined word, development, and wants to snatch land, water, forests from them.

Rahul Gandhi, who has been repeatedly claiming that the Constitution was under constant attack from the BJP, echoed his charge, adding that the Congress-led INDIA bloc was making all efforts to protect the Constitution. He also vowed to remove the 50% cap on reservation.

He mentioned that if Congress is voted to power, they will raise the reservation of Scheduled Tribes to 28% from 26%; from 10% to 12% for the Scheduled Castes, and for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) to 27% from 14%.

Reiterating on caste census, Gandhi mentioned the exercise was a must to identify the participation of tribals, Dalits, and OBCs in various institutions and wealth of the country. Alleging that PM Modi became silent when the issue of Caste Census was raised in the Parliament, the Congress MP claimed that he wants 90% of the people to get participation, while BJP wants the country to be run by a few people like Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Ambani-Adani.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a rally in Maharashtra today said that it was due to BJP efforts that an Adivasi woman Droupadi Murmu became the first Adivasi President of the country.

Jharkhand will hold elections on November 13 and 20. The counting of votes is scheduled for November 23.

The Congress on Friday said the outgoing Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud’s legacy will continue to be debated. Today was his last working day as the Chief Justice of India. Justice Chandrachud took over as the CJI on 8 November 2022.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said as the main petitioner in at least two very important matters, including a legislation being arbitrarily declared a money bill, he has been “deeply disappointed” with the CJI.

“Today is the last working day for the retiring Chief Justice of India. His legacy will continue to be debated, as indeed it should be. Personally, as the main petitioner in at least two very important matters, I have been deeply disappointed,” Ramesh said in a post on X.

The senior-most judge after the outgoing CJI, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, has been appointed as the 51st Chief Justice of India. He will take oath on 11 November, a day after incumbent Justice Chandrachud demits office on attaining the age of 65.

“First, the brave judge who in his Sept 2018 dissenting judgment called the Aadhar Bill’s passage as a Money Bill a “fraud on the Constitution”, never constituted a full Bench to examine the issues involved in the matter of legislation being arbitrarily declared by the Modi Govt. as a money bill under Art 110 of the Constitution just to avoid full debate. He had promised to do so after taking over as Chief Justice,” Ramesh said.

The Congress leader slammed the outgoing CJI over Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s “damaging” amendments to the RTI and said his challenge to the amendments is still pending for hearing and verdict for over four years now.

“Second, my challenge of the Modi government’s damaging amendments to the RTI has been awaiting hearing and verdict for over four years now,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday extended greetings to the BJP stalwart leader Lal Krishna Advani on his birthday and prayed for his long and healthy life.

PM Modi said Advani is among India’s most admired statesmen and has devoted himself to furthering India’s development. Modi added that he has always been respected for his intellect and rich insights.

In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, “Best wishes to LK Advani Ji on his birthday. This year is even more special because he was conferred the Bharat Ratna for his outstanding service to our nation. Among India’s most admired statesmen, he has devoted himself to furthering India’s development. He has always been respected for his intellect and rich insights. I am fortunate to have received his guidance for many years. I pray for his long and healthy life.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also extended wishes on the birthday of former Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani and lauded his contribution to making the BJP a symbol of public welfare by displaying his unique public service and organisational skills.

“Heartiest birthday wishes to Bharat Ratna respected Lal Krishna Advani ji. Advani ji played an important role in making BJP a symbol of public welfare by displaying his unique public service and organisational skills. Under his leadership, the organisation of BJP became strong and widespread. His work as the former Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of the country is extremely inspiring. I pray to God for his good health and long life,” Shah posted on X.

L K Advani served as the Deputy Prime Minister in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee from 2002 to 2004. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna by President Droupadi Murmu in March of this year.

Born in Karachi (now in Pakistan) on November 8, 1927, Advani joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a Swayamsevak in 1942. He served as the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from 1986 to 1990, again from 1993 to 1998, and finally from 2004 to 2005. Advani holds the record for being the President of the party for the longest duration since its founding in 1980.

Capping a parliamentary career of nearly three decades, L K Advani first served as the Home Minister and later as the Deputy Prime Minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s cabinet from 1999 to 2004.