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UNEASY CALM IN CONG: AZAD, SIBBAL FIRE ANOTHER SALVO

Senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kapil Sibbal have once again asked for revamp of Congress party. They said with proper restructuring of party it would not be possible to take on Modi and the BJP in the elections.

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Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kapil Sibbal

Senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kapil Sibbal have once again asked for revamp of Congress party. They said with proper restructuring of party it would not be possible to take on Modi and the BJP in the elections.  “If my party wants to be in opposition for the next 50 years, then there is no need for elections within the party,” Azad said. A party veteran from Sanjay Gandhi days, Azad is the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha and his term ends in February 2021.

He also led the party successfully in the 2002 Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir. Azad said that those opposing CWC elections are afraid of losing their positions as they got their posts via ‘appointment cards’. “”An election has the benefit that when you fight elections, at least your party is 51 per cent behind you. Right now, the person who becomes president might not even have one per cent support. If CWC members are elected then they cannot be removed. So what is the problem,” Ghulam Nabi Azad added.

While Sibal, in an interview to a newspaper said, “If people have access to the letter, they will know it is not an attempt to belittle anyone, including the Gandhi family. In fact, we have appreciated the services rendered by the leadership thus far.”

“The Congress party is at a historic low and the election results of 2014 and 2019 reflect that,” Sibal added.

The letter written to Sonia Gandhi by 23 Congress, leaders including MPs and former ministers, called for sweeping reforms, fair internal elections, collective decision-making and a full-time party chief.

The letter writers were however belittled at the CWC meeting. Though Sonia Gandhi had said she had no ill-will against those who wrote the letter, she has now taken the first steps to keep the so-called dissidents in check. Jairam Ramesh, a senior leader who was not in the dissenting group, has been appointed chief whip of the Congress.

Sonia  also formed a committee in the Rajya Sabha with Congress party’s treasurer and her political advisor Ahmed Patel and another loyalist KC Venugopal to deal with issues that may come up in the Rajya Sabha.

This new committee will effectively side-line and keep under check the Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad and Deputy Leader Anand Sharma, sources said. Both the leaders had played a critical role in writing the letter and were instrumental in ensuring not many Rajya Sabha leaders come out in support of Sonia Gandhi.

To show this is not being done exclusively to side-line the dissenters, Sonia Gandhi has appointed a similar committee in the Lok Sabha, with Gaurav Gogoi as the Deputy Leader and Ravneet Singh Bittu as a whip. Both leaders are believed to be close supporters of the Gandhi family.

Sonia Gandhi has also ensured other letter-writers like Manish Tewari and Shashi Tharoor in the Lok Sabha are ignored, sources said. Both Tiwari and Tharoor are excellent orators and have lost out because of being signatories, sources point out.

Read Also: SECOND GENERATION LEADERS DESERTING CONGRESS

With this decision, the days of leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma appear to be numbered as the leaders of the Congress party in the Rajya Sabha but top aides say Sonia Gandhi will wait for the monsoon season to end before ordering a change.

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Rana Sanga traitor remark row: Samajwadi Party MP Ramji Lal Suman says he will not apologise

The Karni Sena staged a demonstration outside Suman’s residence in reaction to his remarks about the historical Rajput ruler Rana Sanga.

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On Thursday, Ramji Lal Suman, a Rajya Sabha MP from the Samajwadi Party, stated that he would not apologize for his comments regarding Rana Sanga, asserting that history cannot be disputed.

In an interview with PTI, Suman revealed that his home was attacked with the intent to harm his family and that he has reported the incident to the Rajya Sabha Chairman.

The Karni Sena staged a demonstration outside Suman’s residence in reaction to his remarks about the historical Rajput ruler Rana Sanga.

Following the attack, which allegedly involved members of the Karni Sena, Agra police filed an FIR against an “unknown mob” on March 27. The FIR was filed under charges of rioting, attempted murder, house trespassing, and robbery, based on a complaint by Suman’s son, Ranjeet Suman, at the Hariparwat Police Station.

Ramgopal Yadav, a leader from the Samajwadi Party who visited Suman’s home, claimed the attack was premeditated, suggesting that authorities were aware of the impending violence but failed to act beforehand.

Suman was recently recorded saying that Rana Sanga was a “traitor” for bringing Babur to defeat Ibrahim Lodi. Notably, Rana Sanga, also known as Sangram Singh I, ruled Mewar from 1508 to 1528.

“I will not apologize in this life; I do not know about the next life,” Suman reiterated on March 27, the day after the alleged attack by Karni Sena members. He emphasized the need for acceptance of historical truths, elaborating that Babur was invited by Rana Sanga to defeat Ibrahim Lodi, and described the subsequent events of their conflict, insisting, “This is history, who can deny it?”

In response to Suman’s remarks, Suraj Pal Singh Amu, chief of the Karni Sena, stated that these comments disrespected a hero who fought against the Mughals and demanded apologies from both Suman and SP leader Akhilesh Yadav.

On Wednesday, a large group of Karni Sena activists vandalized Suman’s home near Hari Parvat Chauraha in Agra, damaging cars, breaking furniture, and shattering windows. Videos captured the chaotic scene as a few police officers confronted the rioting crowd, with one officer sustaining injuries in the process.

Suman expressed concerns for his family’s safety, saying, “I met with the Rajya Sabha Chairman and informed him about the threats I had received since March 22 on social media, and they came to my house with a bulldozer yesterday.”

He described the occurrence as a life-threatening attack, stating, “They broke all the glass, destroyed cars in the colony… their intention was to ruin my family.” This incident coincided with a public event in the city attended by Chief Minister Adityanath.

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Kunal Kamra mocked Shinde, Nirmala Sitharaman, Maharashtra minister warns comedian over traitor jibe, cites anger of Shiv Sainiks

Maharashtra minister Shambhuraj Desai has threatened comedian Kunal Kamra with ‘Shiv Sena’s prasad’ over parody videos targeting Eknath Shinde, Nirmala Sitharaman and PM Modi.

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Kunal Kamra, Shambhuraj Desai, Eknath Shinde, , Nirmala Sitharaman, Kunal Kamra parody song controversy,

Comedian Kunal Kamra is facing escalating backlash from Maharashtra’s political leadership, with state minister Shambhuraj Desai on Thursday issuing a stern warning, saying Kamra will soon receive the “prasad of Shiv Sena” for his repeated satire targeting prominent leaders including Eknath Shinde, Nirmala Sitharaman, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Desai’s comments came in response to Kamra reposting parody videos from his show in Mumbai, where he mockingly referred to Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as a “traitor” — a jab at Shinde’s 2022 rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray, which split the Shiv Sena.

“Patience is running out,” warns Desai

In a sharp statement, Desai accused Kamra of “crossing all limits” and claimed the comic was deliberately insulting senior political figures. He said, “Wherever he’s hiding, we will drag him out. Now it’s time to give him ‘prasad’.” Desai also pointed to the earlier attack on Kamra’s studio in Mumbai’s Khar area by Shiv Sena workers, saying their anger was already evident.

“We are ministers and MLAs, but first we are Shiv Sainiks. Our patience is running out,” Desai added, calling Kamra’s parodies provocative and intentional.

References to police action and third-degree treatment

Desai went a step further by invoking police action, suggesting Kamra may face more than just legal consequences. “Police give ‘prasad’ to accused using tyres. It’s time to give the same to Kamra,” he said, referencing a controversial method often associated with custodial abuse, sparking concerns over the tone of the warning.

The minister also said that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has assured action against Kamra under the law and challenged the comic to face the Shiv Sena openly.

Kamra’s videos at the center of controversy

Kamra recently reposted clips from his show at The Habitat in Mumbai. One of the parody songs, based on Hum Honge Kamyaab, featured visuals of the post-show studio vandalism, allegedly carried out by Shinde supporters. In another clip uploaded Wednesday, Kamra spoofed Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman using Hawa Hawai from Mr. India.

The controversy, which began with political satire, has now turned into a high-tension standoff between the comedian and Maharashtra’s ruling leaders.

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CJI Sanjiv Khanna says will consider Bar leaders’ demand for withdrawal of Collegium recommendation to transfer Justice Varma

The day began with Bar representatives from High Courts across Allahabad, Gujarat, Kerala, Jabalpur, Karnataka, and Lucknow submitting a memorandum to the CJI’s office and requesting a meeting with Justice Khanna.

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Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna has said that he will consider the Bar leaders’ demand from various Bar associations to withdraw the collegium’s recommendation to transfer Justice Yashwant Varma from the Delhi High Court, informed president of the Allahabad High Court Bar Association Anil Tiwari on Thursday.

An assembly of representatives from six different High Court Bar associations convened with the CJI and other Collegium members, including Justices B R Gavai, Surya Kant, Abhay S Oka, and Vikram Nath, in the afternoon.

Following discussions on the Bar associations’ memorandum, Tiwari indicated that they would reconsider their decision on the ongoing indefinite strike, which commenced on March 25 in protest of Justice Varma’s proposed return to his original posting at the Allahabad High Court.

The day began with Bar representatives from High Courts across Allahabad, Gujarat, Kerala, Jabalpur, Karnataka, and Lucknow submitting a memorandum to the CJI’s office and requesting a meeting with Justice Khanna.

The situation surrounding Justice Varma includes allegations of cash found at his residence following a fire on March 14, which led to concerns about tampering with evidence. The members of the Bar associations have expressed their dissatisfaction over the lack of an FIR regarding this incident.

In their memorandum, the Bar associations commended the CJI for taking steps towards transparency, including making the report from the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court available on the apex court’s website. They called for the withdrawal of Justice Varma’s transfer and the reinstatement of all administrative tasks that had been removed.

The memorandum urged the CJI to initiate criminal proceedings, citing concerns that articles were removed from Justice Varma’s residence a day after the fire. They emphasized that failure to register an FIR could hinder the prosecution of any potential accomplices.

This cash discovery incident transpired during a fire at Justice Varma’s Lutyens Delhi residence, which prompted a swift response from fire services. As a result of the controversy, the Supreme Court collegium recommended Justice Varma’s transfer back to the Allahabad High Court, withdrawing his duties following a directive from the CJI.

On March 22, the CJI established a three-member committee to conduct an internal inquiry into the allegations, with plans to publish the findings from Chief Justice D K Upadhyay of the Delhi High Court. Justice Varma firmly denies the allegations, asserting that neither he nor his family members placed any cash in the storeroom.

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