Monday, July 03, 2023

Impromptu house arrest and Vande Bharat.

"India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has received a significant boost in the country's wealthiest state, as prominent opposition leader Ajit Pawar and several lawmakers from his party joined the provincial government." ET. Pawar has been appointed deputy chief minister in Maharashtra. "In recent year, BJP faced defeats in West Bengal by a big margin to Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress that is seen as a fierce rival to BJP and lost in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka in May that gave a big momentum to opposition Congress Party. BJP is in power in 10 out of 28 states." Why resort to sweeteners when, "Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan...equated the meeting of opposition parties in Patna with 'animals' perching on a tree to save themselves from 'flood' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity." ET. "You (the opposition) will sit on the same tree...there are frogs, snakes and monkeys too because there is flood water below," said Chauhan. How civilised! If the PM's popularity is a flood, pray why, "With Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to visit Delhi University (DU) as chief guest at the valedictory ceremony of its centenary celebrations..., the constituent colleges of the varsity have sent out circulars to ensure that the event is well attended. Among the instructions - attendance is compulsory, and don't wear black clothes." HT. Students have been promised "five attendances" for their presence. Delhi University is assisting students to miss classes. Can they grovel any lower? In an impromptu house arrest, "Two constables from the Model Town Police Station entered the house of All India Students Association (AISA) Delhi President Abhigyan and AISA DU Secretary Anjali without warrants or any other relevant documents, Anjali alleged." The Wire. "The Wire contacted the Model Town Police Station to enquire about the constable's presence at the student's house however the SHO (Station House Officer) disconnected the call as soon as the 'Delhi University' was mentioned." These activists are lucky. Delhi Police has a record of picking up a young woman activist from her home in another state and throwing her into prison without proving any wrong. Ask Disha Ravi. DH. On returning from Egypt, Mr Modi "was received at the airport by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi and BJP chief Nadda." HT. "He asked Naddaji how it is going here, and Naddaji told him that party leaders were reaching out to people with the report card of the nine years of his government, and the country is happy," BJP MP Manoj Tiwari told reporters. "Happy" people in Manipur are killing each other. "For more than two months now, nobody's writ has run in the border state except that of the rival mobs, or armed bands, currently at war with each other," wrote Shekhar Gupta. Meanwhile, PM Modi flagged off 5 new Vande Bharat trains at Rani Kamalapati railway station in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, ET, whose chief minister thinks opposition politicians are "animals". From the sinister to the ridiculous. Better be happy. Or else!         

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