Mumbai, Jul 14

Terming the recent claims by former union Home Secretary R V S Mani regarding the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks as "deeply disturbing," Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday demanded a high-level, impartial investigation into the alleged ISI-Congress conspiracy.

Addressing a press conference following a marathon Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister pivoted from this grave national security concern to announce a massive development roadmap for the state. Among the key decisions, the government has cleared a landmark expansion of the 'Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karjmukti Yojana-2026,' which is set to benefit approximately 56 lakh farmers by removing previous eligibility barriers and offering new incentives for regular repayment.

Fadnavis also sought to settle the brewing controversy surrounding the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), categorically dismissing opposition allegations of land privatization. He clarified that MSRTC would retain full ownership of its assets, with surplus land slated for development under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to ensure the long-term financial viability of the state’s transport network.

The Cabinet further approved a new "Monetization Policy" to boost the revenue of local self-governing bodies and sanctioned the implementation of the central "Urban Challenge Fund" to accelerate infrastructure projects in cities. Notable regional initiatives included a Rs 24.95 crore modernization package for the Beed District Sports Complex and the establishment of an international-grade agricultural market in Dahanu (Palghar), spanning 558.43 hectares.
Refuting political attacks from the opposition, the Chief Minister dismissed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the state’s handling of paper leaks as "ill-informed" and labeled Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray’s recent political posturing as "hollow."

Other administrative decisions included doubling the rehabilitation grant for acquitted prisoners from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 and approving critical amendments to the Maharashtra Minor Mineral Extraction Rules, 2013, to improve regulatory transparency.

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New Delhi, Jun 30 (UNI)

Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party, alleging that the rule of law in West Bengal has been eroded by politically motivated actions targeting opposition leaders, workers and ordinary citizens.

In a post on social media platform X, the All India Trinamool Congress general secretary claimed that "the rule of law in West Bengal has been reduced to a casualty of BJP's politics" and accused central agencies and BJP workers of orchestrating a sustained campaign against the ruling party's supporters.

"State agencies are picking up citizens without notice. BJP cadres are attacking AITC workers, parading them with ropes tied around their waists, hurling stones and causing fatal injuries. BJP hooligans have taken the law into their own hands and are unleashing violence across different parts of West Bengal every day," Banerjee alleged.

He further claimed that "Supreme Court guidelines and basic human rights are being violated in broad daylight," accusing the BJP of misusing investigative agencies and legal processes to suppress political opponents.
Alleging attempts to destabilise the opposition, Banerjee said political parties were being weakened through coercive means. "Political parties are being broken. Bank accounts are being frozen. MLAs are being pressured, threatened and booked in false cases for refusing to defect. Sitting MLAs who refuse to bow down are being implicated overnight and continue to be in jail," he alleged.

Questioning the BJP's political approach, Banerjee asked, "If the BJP truly won Bengal on the strength of the people's mandate, why is it so afraid? Why this crackdown? Why this desperate attempt to silence every voice of dissent?"

The Trinamool Congress leader also targeted the BJP over corruption allegations, claiming that "this is the only state where the present Chief Minister was caught on camera allegedly taking bribe." He, however, did not identify the state or the chief minister in his post.

Referring to recent allegations relating to donations made to the Ram Temple, Banerjee accused the BJP of betraying the faith it professes to protect.

"A party that rose to power by fanning religious hatred and exploiting faith for political gain now stands accused of misappropriating donations meant for the Ram Mandir. Can there be a greater betrayal of the very faith it claims to protect?" he said.

Appealing to the public, Banerjee alleged that the BJP was seeking to establish "an opposition-free state and an opposition-free country."

"The honest and unflinching are sent to jail, while the corrupt compromise and join the BJP. The BJP does not want your vote. It wants an opposition-free state and an opposition-free country, where citizens lose the right to protest, dissent, question and criticise," he said.

Banerjee further alleged that "Bengal has been turned into a police state," while asserting that "in a democracy, people are supreme, not any political party," and adding that "India is watching and everything will be remembered."
The BJP has repeatedly rejected similar allegations levelled by the Trinamool Congress, maintaining that investigative agencies function independently and that legal action against political leaders is based on evidence rather than political considerations. Banerjee's remarks come amid continuing political friction between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress in the aftermath of the West Bengal Assembly elections.

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Bijnore, Agency

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi launched a sharp attack on the Samajwadi Party, alleging it practises “Yadavism” rather than socialism, while also signalling openness to pre-poll alliances ahead of upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Addressing a public meeting at the “Paigam-e-Ittehad” event in Najibabad, Owaisi said political parties have long denied Muslims leadership opportunities and urged the community to move beyond being treated only as voters.
“We are ready to form an alliance with any party. AIMIM is ready for dialogue. Now the discussion will be about sharing power, not just the carpet,” he said, adding that his party is preparing for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

He accused both the Samajwadi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party of failing to address issues affecting Muslims, including youth unemployment and alleged irregularities in recruitment exams, citing paper leak controversies in Uttar Pradesh police recruitment.

Raising the issue of paper leaks in the UP Police recruitment exam, Owaisi said that the future of the youth has been compromised and the Yogi government in UP has failed to respond.

Referring to the controversy surrounding the Ram Temple Trust and donations, he said that if a Muslim had been made a member of the trust, any dispute would have been resolved by taking action against him.

Owaisi also criticised the handling of religious and institutional disputes, including matters related to the Ram Temple Trust, and alleged that Muslims were being politically marginalised.

Owaisi accused the BJP of playing communal politics. He said, "The Sambhal mosque has been 'martyrized.' Now, notices are being issued to other mosques as well. If Muslims remain only voters, their children's future will not improve. AIMIM is fighting to make people leaders."

He claimed that political parties have denied Muslims leadership for 70 years. He said that the BJP refuses to give Muslims tickets, while the Samajwadi Party has exploited them. He added that Muslims should not be reduced to mere voters.

Taking aim at the Election Commission, he said political parties must always remain prepared for elections, whether held on schedule or earlier than expected.

He said, "The Election Commission has the authority to conduct elections. If the Commission wishes, it can even hold elections ahead of schedule. The decision rests with the Election Commission, but political parties should be prepared for elections at all times.'

Owaisi said, “We don’t know when the elections will be held, but it is important to be fully prepared. This event has been organized in anticipation of the upcoming Assembly elections. We made it clear at the Matera meeting that our party is ready to form an alliance with anyone to prevent the BJP from coming to power.”

He said that his party has been working to strengthen its organization in Uttar Pradesh for many years. “We are preparing for the 2027 Assembly elections,” he added.

The AIMIM leader claimed his party has been strengthening its organisation in Uttar Pradesh for several years and is ready to play a larger role in shaping the state’s political landscape.

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In a surprising outcome of the Uttarakhand three-tier Panchayat elections, independent candidates have outperformed both the BJP and Congress in the district council (Zila Panchayat) results. Of the total 358 seats, independents secured a leading 145 seats, leaving BJP with 121 seats and Congress with 92 seats.

Final Result – District Panchayat Seats:

• Total Seats: 358

• Independent Candidates: 145 won

• BJP-backed Candidates: 121 won

• Congress-backed Candidates: 92 won

Independents Take the Lead Across 12 Districts

Results from all 12 districts of Uttarakhand have been declared, and the performance of independent candidates has emerged as the defining feature of this election. This shift indicates a growing preference among rural voters for non-party affiliated candidates.

CM Dhami’s Statement: Collective Effort for Development

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami thanked the people of Uttarakhand for peaceful elections, especially during the monsoon season, with approximately 70% voter turnout. He congratulated BJP-backed winners as well as candidates of other ideologies and emphasized unity for development.

"Everyone must contribute to PM Modi’s vision of a developed India. Developed village councils will lead to a developed India. Soon, training sessions will be organized for elected representatives. Together, we will ensure cleanliness, self-reliance, and the effective delivery of Central and State government schemes to the grassroots level," said Dhami.

Congress Reaction: "Public Has Rejected BJP Policies"

Karan Mahara, Uttarakhand Congress President, hailed the results as a rejection of BJP’s anti-people policies in rural areas.

“The Panchayat results are in Congress’s favor. If BJP refrains from deceitful tactics and inducements, many district council chairpersons will be Congress-backed,” he said, further predicting that the outcome signals Congress’s return to power in 2027.

This election result reflects a significant grassroots shift, with independents emerging as a dominant force, highlighting local leadership over party lines in rural Uttarakhand.

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Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met some employees of a private bank. After the meeting, he accused the BJP of putting the banking sector in crisis. He said that the BJP government's nepotism and regulatory mismanagement have put India's banking sector in crisis, due to which junior employees are facing stress and stressful working conditions.

Rahul Gandhi made serious allegations against BJP
Along with this, Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of waiving off loans of 16 lakh crore rupees for its billionaire friends. He said that thousands of honest working professionals are paying the price of this financial mismanagement. He also shared a video of his meeting with a delegation of ex-employees of ICICI Bank, in which the employees were saying that they had suffered losses due to mismanagement at the bank.

Rahul called to fight for the employees
Rahul Gandhi further said that the Congress Party will fight for the rights of these working professionals and will try to end the extra tension at their workplace. Along with this, Rahul Gandhi also urged those who have faced such injustice. Rahul Gandhi said that people sent me messages.

Meeting with delegation of employees
Along with this, he also informed that a delegation of 782 ex-employees of ICICI Bank met him in Parliament. He revealed employees' stories of workplace harassment, forced transfers, retaliation after disclosing unethical lending to NPA violators and dismissal without due process. Rahul Gandhi also told that in two such cases he even committed suicide due to these incidents.

Also, Rahul Gandhi said that the employees reported that such unfair practices are not limited to ICICI Bank, but have become a widespread trend in private sector banks as well, which are motivated by the pressure to earn more and more profit. However, in this case, there is no response from the private bank on this issue.

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The West Bengal Legislative Assembly today passed a resolution against BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. Let it be known that a day ago the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly had made a controversial comment about the Muslim MLAs of the ruling Trinamool Congress.

The West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution brought by the ruling Trinamool Congress against Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari for his controversial remarks on the party's Muslim legislators. Let it be known that this proposal was passed by voice vote. TMC Chief Whip Nirmal Ghosh moved the motion after BJP members staged a walkout from the House following Speaker Biman Banerjee's refusal to allow discussion on the attention motion brought by the BJP.

'An attack on the religious and social structure of the country'
Nirmal Ghosh claimed that Suvendu Adhikari has attacked the religious and social structure of the country. Let it be known that, Suvendu Adhikari had commented on Tuesday that if the BJP comes to power, the Muslim MLAs of the Trinamool Congress will be thrown out of the assembly. After his statement, politics in the state intensified. With this, accusations and counter-arguments have also increased in the party-opposition.

CM Mamata Banerjee attack on BJP
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hit out at the opposition leader over her controversial remarks on Muslim legislators and accused the BJP of bringing fake Hinduism to the state. CM Mamata Banerjee said in the Vidhan Sabha that your imported Hindu religion is not supported by Vedas or our sages. How can you deny the rights of Muslims? This is nothing but fraud.

Mention the demographic diversity of the state
Meanwhile, CM Mamata also mentioned the demographic diversity of West Bengal and said that 23 percent of Bengal's population is Scheduled Castes and Tribes, while 33 percent are Muslims.

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New Delhi, Representative

You have been threatened to join the Bharatiya Janata Party through one of your close associates. In a press conference, AAP minister Atishi Marlena made a serious allegation that we have been told that the Enforcement Directorate will harass you if you do not leave the Aam Aadmi Party and join the BJP in one month.

BJP has realized that it will not cause a split in AAP by ousting Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal and senior minister Manish Sisodia. Therefore, in the future, I myself and the ministers Saurabh Bhardwaj, Raghav Chadha, Durgesh Pathak will also be arrested through enforcement operations, said Atishi.

Even if Chief Minister Kejriwal is arrested by ED, he will not resign as Chief Minister. If that is done, there is a possibility of defeat of BJP. Henceforth arresting the Chief Minister and imposing President's rule after he resigns due to constitutional embarrassment, is the only step that BJP can take. Moreover, according to the Representation of the People Act, there is no requirement to resign just by being accused. Atishi pointed out that it is necessary to prove the charges and to be punished for a specific period.

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During the hearing in the Supreme Court on disclosure of all details related to electoral bonds, Chief Justice Chandrachud said that SBI should not be selective in disclosing the details. We want that all the information related to electoral bonds, which is with SBI, should be made public. During the hearing, the Supreme Court said that we had asked SBI to disclose all the details and this also included the electoral bond numbers. SBI should give complete information related to electoral bonds. The Supreme Court said in a strict tone that whatever information is available should be disclosed. SBI should follow our order.

'We will give every information, will not keep any hidden'
Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for SBI, told the Supreme Court that we will give all the information including the number of the electoral bond. The Bank will not keep any information in its possession hidden. During the hearing, the Supreme Court said that SBI will also file an affidavit stating that it has not hidden any information. The court said that SBI should provide all the information by 5 pm on March 21.

Request to consider some instructions on the matter- Tushar Mehta
Meanwhile, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told the Supreme Court that the ultimate objective was to curb black money and the apex court should know how this judgment is being played outside the court. During this, Tushar Mehta has asked the Supreme Court to consider issuing some instructions in this regard. A series of social media posts have started in this matter.

We work according to the Constitution- Chandrachud
Supreme Court Chief Justice Chandrachud said that we work according to the rule of law and the Constitution. We are also discussed as judges. We are only implementing our instructions of the judgement.

Supreme Court had given instructions
In fact, State Bank of India has issued electoral bonds worth Rs 16,518 crore in 30 installments since the launch of the scheme in 2018. Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed SBI to hand over the information about electoral bonds purchased from April 12, 2019 to the Election Commission. SBI is the authorized financial institution to issue electoral bonds.

SBI had handed over the data
SBI on Tuesday evening submitted to the Election Commission the details of the entities that had purchased electoral bonds and the political parties that had encashed them. According to the apex court order, the Election Commission had to publish the information shared by the bank on its official website by 5 pm on March 15.

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