The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday accused the BJP of kidnapping its councillor Ram Chander, with the saffron party denying the charges even as the abducted member returned to his residence.

Upon his return, Chander alleged that he was threatened with being implicated in ED-CBI cases by the Opposing party in Delhi.

Ram Chander, who is a councillor from Ward No 28, was one of the five members who joined the BJP last Sunday. However, a few days later, he had a change of heart after he saw Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in his dream and returned to AAP, Chander said.

In a video message, he mentioned being escorted to the BJP headquarters by certain individuals, where they allegedly threatened him with legal consequences.

In response to the allegations, the Delhi BJP spokesperson criticised the AAP leaders for what he termed as falsehoods and sensationalism, claiming that Chander was safely at home despite the allegations.

Chander boldly declared his lack of fear towards the ED and CBI, asserting his loyalty to Arvind Kejriwal in a video posted by AAP.

Furthermore, a video shared by AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh featured Chander’s son, Akash, expressing concerns about his father’s alleged abduction.

Akash recounted the incident where his father was reportedly taken away by individuals issuing threats related to ED-CBI involvement. The AAP leadership, including Manish Sisodia, echoed Akash’s statements in response to Singh’s post.

 Additionally, AAP MLA and MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak accused the BJP of disregarding law and order in Delhi, insinuating a forcible taking of Ram Chander by individuals connected to the BJP.

Pathak further warned of escalating actions if Chander was not returned within a specified time frame.  As the zonal ward committee elections approached, both AAP and BJP laid claim to potential defections and switches of party allegiance among councillors.

A 28-year-old man was arrested here for allegedly posting a video with objectionable remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media, police said on Sunday.

Vishal from Khaikheri village in Purkazi area was arrested on Saturday (August 31, 2024), Circle Officer (CO) Rajkumar said.

An FIR has been registered against him under sections 352 (intentional insult with an intention to provoke a breach of peace and 353 (statement conducing to public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), he said.

Circle Officer Rajkumar told news agency PTI that further investigation into the matter is underway.

In a separate incident in January this year, a man was arrested for posting a video containing morphed photos of the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, UP Chief Minister, and some women political leaders on social media, an officer said.

A police team from the Bhawan Police Station of Shamli district made the arrest, acting on a complaint about a video containing morphed photos of the Prime Minister doing rounds on social media.

Superintendent of Police Abhishek said that police arrested one Haji Rao Jamshed in the matter and registered a case against him under relevant sections of IPC and IT Act.

In 2020, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested a man after he allegedly threatened to behead Prime Minister Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at a mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar.

The arrested accused had reacted against the UP Police’s assault on Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Jayant Choudhary in Hathras district recently.

The video that went viral on social media platforms showcased that the man was addressing a gathering. He is also heard threatening that he would behead PM Modi and CM Yogi Adityanath. “Let us unite. Want to throw PM Modi and Yogi Adityanath’s head at your feet,” the youth said in a video on X.

With the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections barely a few weeks away, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday hit out at BJP saying deception is the only policy of the BJP for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), the unemployment rate among youth in Jammu and Kashmir as of March 2024 is a staggering 28.2 per cent, Congress chief Kharge said on his X handle.

Many exam paper leaks, bribes, and rampant corruption have delayed hiring across departments for 4 years now, he accused BJP government. An astounding 65 per cent of government department posts in Jammu & Kashmir remain vacant since 2019, Kharge added.

In Jammu and Kashmir, over 60,000 government daily wagers have been toiling for more than 15 years, earning a meager Rs 300 per day, Kharge said. Despite their long-standing service, they remain on a contract basis, even in essential departments such as Power, Public Health, and Engineering, highlighting the precarious nature of the job crisis, the Congress chief added.

Hitting out at BJP, Kharge said, “Even though BJP promised industry in Jammu and Kashmir, it has no major manufacturing units.” The private sector is confined to providing services in farming, hospitality, and health, he added.

The Congress leader slammed BJP government and said despite the introduction of the New Industrial Policy in 2021, a mere 3per cent of investments have materialised on the ground. The 40 per cent of projects under the PM’s Development Package, 2015, remain pending, Kharge noted.

“On October 1, the youth of Jammu and Kashmir will show the exit door to Prime Minister Narendra Modi & Company”, the Congress chief said.

The Union Territory will vote in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1. The result will be announced on October 8.

On August 31, the Election Commission of India postponed the polling day for Haryana from October 1 to October 5, 2024, and accordingly counting day for Jammu and Kashmir, and Haryana Assembly elections from October 4 to October 8, 2024. There are no changes to the voting dates of Jammu and Kashmir except the result date.

According to ECI, there are a total of 90 Assembly constituencies in the Union Territory, of which 74 are general, Scheduled Castes are 7, and Scheduled Tribes are 9.