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Rajasthan BJP MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari quits, says will fight corruption, undeclared Emergency

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8 years ago

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Senior BJP MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari quits, says will fight corruption, undeclared Emergency

Six-term MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari of Rajasthan BJP has quit the party alleging rampant corruption under chief minister Vasundhara Raje and an undeclared Emergency in the country and in Rajasthan.

The allegations for the move hurt BJP where it hurts most, coming at a time when the BJP top brass chose to pull out the issue of Emergency without any apparent reason or occasion – this is the 43rd year, not 10, 25, or even 40 years – to observe it as a ‘Black Day’ and attack the Congress.

A former minister, Tiwari said that he has submitted his resignation to party chief Amit Shah and accused him of not reining in corruption by CM Raje.

Tiwari’s move was anticipated. A rebel MLA sidelined for four years, he had announced two days earlier that he will field candidates on all 200 Assembly seats of the state under the banner of Bharat Vahini Party, whose founder president is his son Akhilesh Tiwari, said media reports. BVP was registered by the Election Commission of India on June 13.

Addressing a press conference later on Monday, Tiwari said the country was going through a phase of “undeclared emergency” for the last four years and he was ready to fight against it. “Undeclared emergency is more dangerous than actual emergency,” he told reporters, according to PTI. “I have witnessed both the phases and I am tendering my resignation from the party [BJP] to fight against it.”

Tiwari talked about Emergency days, recalling that he “went to jail, was beaten up, and operated while underground.” But, he said “the undeclared Emergency at present in the nation and state is more dangerous than declared Emergency.” He said he was immensely hurt at having to leave the party after being associated with the Sangh for decades.  Tiwari has been with the party since its Jansangh days.

In his four-page resignation letter, he alleged that both the state and central leadership have kneeled down before Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

“I fought in 1975 against the declared emergency. Now, I will fight against undeclared emergency. There is an undeclared emergency in the country and the state. I am ready to fight for the protection of public and safeguarding their independence,” wrote Tiwari in his resignation letter.

While addressing Shah, the senior leader pointed out that his repeated complaints over the last four years on corruption and misrule in Rajasthan did not find an audience.

“I even attempted to tell that an individual has taken control of BJP in the state. But you did nothing. Instead, you tried to harass and defame the loyal workers of the party. It is now clear that first you agreed to side with corruption in Rajasthan and now, you have kneeled before it,” Tiwari wrote to Shah.

In his letter to BJP President Amit Shah, Tiwari wrote, “The present state government, in connivance with some leaders in Centre, has been looting the state. Under the leadership of the chief of the state government, a coterie of some ministers and officers has only one aim: to pick the pockets of the citizens and rob the state’s resources.”

Without naming Raje, he wrote, “New methods of corruption are being invented on a daily basis under the chief of BJP government. Be it appointing her confederates on creamy postings, or extortion through political appointments.or possession of Rs 2,000 crore government residence in Civil Lines – for life – through a Bill.”

Further, he wrote, “…the power and dignity of all the major constitutional offices – Vidhan Sabha, Vidhan Sabha committees, Raj Bhawan, Rajasthan Public Services Commission, council of ministers etc. – have been put at stake for fulfilling personal aspirations. False cases are filed on dissenters and their families harassed. Situation is such that newspapers are openly suppressed economically and politically.”

Tiwari is the MLA from Jaipur’s Sanganer Assembly seat — his sixth term in the State Assembly. In 2013 Assembly elections, he had won with the highest margin in the state, defeating Congress rival by over 65,000 votes.

Tiwari is a known adversary of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in the state’s political circles. He had been at loggerheads with her on several occasions during her current stint as the state Chief Minister and in 2017, the BJP’s national disciplinary committee issued show-cause notices to Tiwari after he alleged that the state party unit had become a place for mafias and sycophants, PTI reported.

Tiwari said he will contest from the same constituency – Sanganer – in the upcoming Assembly elections in Rajasthan from his son’s newly-floated party Bharat Vahini Party. The polls are scheduled for later this year.

While Tiwari’s party is unlikely to win on his own but he can harm the BJPs prospects in the assembly election. He could influence some Brahmin votes, a caste that constitutes 12.5 per cent of the population.

The Vasundhara Raje government is already facing anti-incumbency and the BJP has faced series of defeats in recent bypolls. In the bypolls to five assembly and two Lok Sabha seats so far, the BJP lost three and two respectively to the Congress.

In bypolls for two Lok Sabha seats held earlier this year, the BJP lost in all the 17 assembly constituencies.

The party’s state unit is plagued with infighting and dissensions and the central leadership has failed to appoint a state president, a post which has been lying vacant for a considerable period of time.

Officially, the BJP put up a brave face. Party’s Rajasthan in-charge, Avinash Rai Khanna, was quoted by media reports as saying that “no person has been able to establish himself politically after parting ways with the BJP. His case was pending before the disciplinary committee and he took this step on his own.”

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3 dead, several trapped after six-storey building collapses in Delhi, rescue operations continue

Three people died and two were critically injured after a six-storey PG building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan. Several others are feared trapped.

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5 hours ago

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September 6, 2026

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Three people have died and two others are critically injured after a six-storey building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan on Sunday afternoon. Several more people are feared trapped under the debris as rescue operations continue at the site.

Nine people have been rescued so far, while authorities are searching for others who may still be trapped. The building, which was being used as a 75-bed paying guest accommodation, collapsed at around 1:30 pm, according to officials.

Building was being used as a PG accommodation

According to police, the building was around 40 to 50 years old and consisted of a basement and five upper floors. It was being used as a paying guest accommodation, with repair work reportedly underway in the basement when the collapse occurred.

The building was located in Satya Niketan, near Delhi University’s South Campus, an area with a large student population.

An eyewitness said at least 50 students were believed to have been inside the building when it collapsed. A student at the scene also reported hearing cries for help from beneath the rubble.

Rescue operation underway

Teams from the Delhi Police, National Disaster Response Force, Delhi Fire Service and Delhi Disaster Management Authority have been deployed for the rescue operation.

At least 12 fire tenders have been sent to the spot. An excavator has also been deployed, while additional machinery is being brought in to remove concrete slabs and girders from the debris.

Locals were also seen helping with the initial search before rescue teams and machinery reached the site.

The adjacent building has been vacated as a precautionary measure, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said. She added that rescue work was being carried out on a war footing and that authorities were coordinating efforts to assist those affected.

Government agencies coordinate rescue efforts

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu said concerned agencies, including the Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service and DDMA, had been directed to work together to ensure swift rescue operations.

Local BJP MLA Anil Sharma, who was at the site, said some students were still believed to be trapped and that some were reportedly making calls from inside the collapsed structure.

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj blamed alleged corruption for the incident and raised questions about building safety and inspections. His comments were political allegations and no official cause for the collapse has been established in the report.

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PM Modi takes aim at critics with Dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC centenary address

PM Modi revived his dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC’s centenary celebrations and spoke about India’s development journey.

Published

14 hours ago

on

September 6, 2026

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PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi revived his ‘dimagi Naxal’ remark while addressing the centenary celebrations of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) in Delhi on Saturday, using the term to criticise his opponents.

Speaking to students at the Delhi college, PM Modi described the phrase as a “homeopathic pill” and said it had prompted those he described as “dimagi Naxals” to come forward and reveal their views.

The prime minister also used his address to speak to Gen-Z about India’s development journey and asked students to consider the challenges the country had faced in the past.

PM Modi recalls past crises

During his speech, PM Modi referred to the 2013 Kedarnath disaster and the 2008 global financial crisis while criticising the handling of national emergencies by previous governments.

He said the government at the time of the Kedarnath disaster was shaken and questioned its ability to respond to the crisis.

Referring to the 2008 banking crisis, PM Modi alleged that the government of the time failed to effectively deal with the situation and claimed that India’s banking system was pushed close to collapse.

Prime minister lists challenges faced by his government

PM Modi also highlighted several major global crises that occurred during his government’s tenure.

He mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, disruptions to global trade and supply chains, and the crisis in West Asia.

The prime minister said there had been concerns that India would struggle during these crises but argued that the country had continued to move forward.

PM Modi’s earlier SRCC visit

PM Modi had earlier visited SRCC in 2013, when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. His speech at the college received significant attention, particularly on social media, ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

His latest visit came during the college’s centenary celebrations, where his address focused on young people, India’s development ambitions and the challenges faced by the country.

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India Metro Rail Network May Overtake US in 2 Years

India’s metro rail network has reached 1,170 km across 26 cities. Union minister Manohar Lal said the country could overtake the US in network length within two years.

Published

1 day ago

on

September 5, 2026

By

Manohar Lal Khattar

India is on track to become the country with the second-largest metro rail network in the world after China, with Union Minister Manohar Lal saying the country could overtake the United States within the next two years.

India’s metro rail network has now expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities. The network is only 216 km shorter than the US metro rail network, which stands at 1,386 km, according to figures cited by the minister.

India’s metro network expands rapidly

Speaking after the inauguration of an extended metro service in Indore, Manohar Lal highlighted the pace at which metro connectivity has grown in India.

He said metro services were operational across just 245 km in five cities when Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014. The network has since expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities.

The minister said India could overtake the US in terms of metro rail network length in the next two years and become the world’s second-largest country in this segment after China.

China currently has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines, according to the figures cited by the minister.

Indore metro extension inaugurated

The minister made the remarks after inaugurating an extended section of the Indore metro. The project was built at a cost of around Rs 2,850 crore.

The Indore metro was earlier operating commercially on a six-km stretch between Gandhi Nagar and Super Corridor-3 stations. Following the extension, the service will operate on a 17-km route between Gandhi Nagar and Malviya Nagar Chauraha.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the metro service would mark a new phase in Indore’s development. He also said the network would eventually be extended to Ujjain and other nearby areas.

India’s metro rail network: Key figures

  • India currently has 1,170 km of operational metro rail network.
  • Metro services are operational across 26 cities.
  • The US has around 1,386 km of metro rail network.
  • India is currently 216 km behind the US.
  • China has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines.
  • India’s operational network stood at 245 km across five cities in 2014.

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