The Congress on Saturday slammed BJP-ruled states for their blatant disregard of the Constitution, using bulldozing as a tactic to instill fear among citizens. The grand old party said repeated targeting of minorities is deeply troubling.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that demolishing someone’s home and rendering their family homeless is both inhumane and unjust. The party president further said that such actions have no place in a society governed by the Rule of Law.

In a strong objection, the Congress chief accused BJP of instilling fear among citizens and said, “Anarchy cannot replace natural justice—offences must be adjudicated in courts, not through state-sponsored coercion.”

The Opposition party’s reaction comes after the house of a man who allegedly indulged in violence in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur district during a protest was demolished.

“The house of Shahzad Ali under Kotwali police station limits was demolished. We had registered a case against 150 people for the violence on Wednesday. We had named 46 people”, an official had said.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi also condemned the bulldozer action by the BJP-ruled states and asserted that bulldozer justice is totally unacceptable, it must stop.

The Congress leader called such actions a height of barbarism and injustice. There should be a difference between the lawmakers, the lawkeepers, and the lawbreakers, she said. Governments cannot behave like criminals, Gandhi added in a post on X.

Gandhi said: “If someone is accused of a crime, then only the court can decide his crime and his punishment. But punishing the accused’s family as soon as the accusation is made, taking away the roof from over their heads, not following the law, disobeying the court, demolishing the house of the accused as soon as the accusation is made – this is not justice.”

Obeying the law, constitution, democracy, and humanity is the minimum condition of governance in a civilized society, she said. One who cannot fulfill his duty can neither do good for the society nor for the country, the Congress General Secretary flayed BJP.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said it is a pity that instead of taking action against culprits involved in crimes against women, the Maharashtra government was standing with them.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Thackeray and party MP Sanjay Raut today staged a protest in Mumbai against the Badlapur sexual assault case.

Addressing party workers during a demonstration over crimes against women, and the alleged sexual assault on two kindergarten girls at Badlapur, Thackeray said it is imperative to dislodge the Mahayuti government to ensure the safety of women in the state.

“It is a pity that instead of taking action against the culprits it is standing with them,” Thackeray alleged.

On Friday, the Bombay High Court restrained political parties or individuals from proceeding with a Maharashtra bandh today or any future date, forcing the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to withdraw its proposed state-wide shutdown to protest over Badlapur sexual assault case.

Thackeray asked his party workers to run a signature campaign with the slogan ‘Bahin Surakshit tar Ghar Surakshit’ (home is safe if sisters are secure) which will be then presented to the Bombay High Court.

“The court stopped our bandh, but cannot suppress our voice,” Thackeray said.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra LoP and Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said he respects the Court’s decision, adding they have withdrawn the Bandh.

The Congress leader said crime against women is increasing day by day, law and order are completely destroyed and in such a situation when the government is not paying attention, it is the Opposition’s job to attract attention to this.

During a protest, another leader from Congress, Varsha Gaikwad, said: “We will take to the streets and fight for the respect of our sisters and the safety of our daughters. We don’t need ‘Ladli Bhen’; we need ‘Surakshit Bhen’.”

A male attendant has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two 4-year-old kindergarten girls at a school in Badlapur town of Thane district recently. The crime had sparked a massive protest in Badlapur on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Palam airport in Delhi on Saturday after concluding his two-nation visit to Poland and Ukraine.

PM Modi’s visit to Poland was the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 45 years. It was also the first Prime Ministerial visit from India to Ukraine.

In a post on X, PM Modi on August 23 night shared a video clip that highlights his visit to Ukraine. “Highlights from a very special visit to Ukraine, a valued friend of India’s”, he wrote.

During his trip to Ukraine, Prime Minister Modi and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed their willingness to further collaborate in upholding international law principles, including the UN Charter.

They agreed on the importance of enhancing bilateral dialogue in this regard. India renewed its principled stance on seeking peaceful resolutions through dialogue and diplomacy, exemplified by its participation in the Peace Summit in Ukraine held in Burgenstock, Switzerland, in June 2024.

Ukraine welcomed India’s involvement in the summit and stressed the significance of India’s high-level participation in the next Peace Summit. The two countries signed four agreements during the visit.

Additionally, during his visit to Poland, PM Modi engaged in bilateral discussions with his counterpart Donald Tusk, leading to the decision to elevate their relationship to a strategic partnership.

Both leaders expressed deep concern about the ongoing war in Ukraine and its grave humanitarian consequences. They reiterated the necessity for a comprehensive, just, and enduring peace in accordance with international law and the principles of the UN Charter.

They also acknowledged the war’s adverse effects on global food and energy security, particularly for the Global South, and mutually condemned the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.

India and Poland underscored their unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and emphasized the importance of not providing safe havens to those involved in terrorist activities. Both sides stressed the need for the resolute implementation of relevant UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, as well as the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. They also reaffirmed their commitment to the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).

Furthermore, the two sides reinforced their dedication to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific in compliance with international law, particularly UNCLOS, while respecting sovereignty, territorial integrity, and freedom of navigation to enhance maritime security and international peace and stability.