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News18
3 days ago
- Politics
- News18
BJP's Event To Mark 50 Years Of Emergency: Amit Shah, Heroes Who Fought Against Indira To Attend
Last Updated: This by-invitation exhibition will have a series of stands chronicling the Emergency era and the formation of first non-Congress government of Morarji Desai, News18 has learnt The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is making big plans for June 25, the day which will mark 50 years of the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi. The Centre, meanwhile, has scheduled events which will last a year. With the Congress-led Opposition often accusing the Modi government of causing 'death of democracy" and imposing 'undeclared emergency", the BJP plans to use the occasion to strike back. On the eve of the 50th anniversary of the imposition of Emergency in India, BJP's think tank Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation (SPMRF) has organised a mega event at Delhi's Prime Minister Museum and Library. This strictly by-invitation event will have a huge exhibition, with a series of stands chronicling the Emergency era and the fight against it and the formation of the first non-Congress government of Morarji Desai, News18 has learnt. 'Every prominent opposition leader of the time from all political spectrums who fought against the Emergency will be prominently displayed in the exhibition. After all, everyone fought it together," said a source privy to the developments. From Gujarat Navnirman agitation to Jayaprakash Narayan's movement — the exhibition is likely to feature all key moments that shaped India spanning from 1975 to 1977, which was marked by suspension of civil liberties, censorship of the press, and widespread persecution of political opponents. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be the chief guest who will deliver the keynote address of the evening. Shah will speak for around 45 minutes, where he is expected to lash out at the Congress in his signature style. Invites are now being sent out. 'This eve of reflection will revisit the suppression of civil liberties, censorship of the press, and imprisonment of political voices during the Emergency and will reaffirm our enduring commitment to democratic values and constitutional freedoms," reads the invite that News18 has seen. Binay Kumar Singh, Director of SPMRF, wants to set the tone a night before the D-Day when the BJP's youth and the whole government apparatus goes into making it a big success. The Centre has already instructed all states and Union Territories to undertake a year-long commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Emergency's imposition as 'Constitution Murder Day' with a Mashal yatra launched from Delhi on June 25, which will end at Kartavya Path on March 21, 2026, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in attendance.
The Print
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
On eve of Nilambur bypoll, ruling CPI(M) and Congress-led UDF lock horns over past ties with RSS
On the sidelines of the campaigning, CPI(M) general secretary M.V. Govindan was asked in a TV interview how the party could attack the UDF's engagement with Jamaat when it too has worked with such forces. He replied that while the Left had never politically aligned with Jamaat-e-Islami, there had been instances of support. He went further, referencing past ties with the RSS during the post-Emergency period. The row erupted after CPI(M) general secretary M.V. Govindan, during a TV interview, referred to a post-Emergency alliance involving the RSS, drawing sharp criticism from the Opposition, which accused the Left of hypocrisy even as it targets the UDF for accepting Jamaat-e-Islami's support in the Nilambur assembly bypoll. Thiruvananthapuram: Hours before the crucial Nilambur bypoll, the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) are locked in a war of words over past ties with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). 'RSS was formed in 1925. But we never supported their stand. After the Emergency in 1967, didn't we join hands with the RSS? That was the situation then. The RSS is a communal force, but during the Emergency, when the country was heading towards fascism, everyone opposing it stood together, in Kerala and across India,' Govindan said in the interview to Mathrubhumi Wednesday. The Janata Party, formed in 1977 to oppose Indira Gandhi's regime, had brought together the Jan Sangh, Bharatiya Lok Dal, and Socialist Party—an alliance that saw cooperation from the CPI(M) as well. The coalition's landslide win saw Morarji Desai become the first non-Congress Prime Minister. But the statement triggered a political firestorm in Kerala, a state where BJP, which considers RSS as its ideological parent, is aggressively trying to find footing, but still struggling. Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the timing of the statement was not a coincidence. 'It may seem untimely, but this was a calculated move. Why is the CPI(M) remembering this past now? It's a coded call for help—a signal to the RSS–BJP that they can be partners again,' he alleged Thursday. Satheesan said BJP's initial reluctance to field a candidate in Nilambur hinted at tacit coordination with the Left. He also accused the CPI(M) of running a communal, Islamophobic campaign to win RSS support. Incidentally, the CPI(M) has been attacking the Congress-led UDF for accepting the support of Jamaat-e-Islami in the aftermath of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, terming the organisation 'communal'. The party renewed its attack recently after the organisation openly supported the Congress in the Nilambur bypoll. Being conducted months before the state's Assembly election, the bypoll is considered a preview of the larger electoral battle ahead. Voting is to be held Thursday. Satheesan alleged that the CPI(M) had colluded with BJP to defeat the Congress's Rajiv Gandhi again in 1989. He produced a photograph of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L.K. Advani, Jyoti Basu, and E.M.S. Namboodiripad together to support his claim. The 1989 general election saw significant changes in the Indian political and coalition history. With the Bofors scandal marring its image, the Congress's seats came down to 197 from the 404 it got in 1984, followed by V.P. Singh's Janata Dal (142) and the National Front. The Opposition led by the Janata Dal, formed the coalition government with the support of BJP and the left parties. 'One of the primary explanations for the success of the Dal was its ability to work out a significant number (89) of effective electoral seat adjustments with the other major opposition parties—the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in northern and western India and the Left Front (the two Indian Communist parties and two small Marxist parties, the Forward Bloc and the Revolutionary Socialist Party) in eastern India. On 2 December 1989, V.P. Singh, the JD leader, was sworn in as Indian Prime Minister, and on 21 December 1989, the Janata Dal/National Front Government won a vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha by a voice vote,' writes Lewis P. Fickett in the Asian Survey's 1993 journal The Rise and Fall of Janata Dal. 'We have always maintained a single stand against the RSS. The allegations are just to create a controversy ahead of polls,' CPI(M) MLA from Malappuram's Ponnani, P. Nandakumar, told ThePrint. However, Nandakumar refused to respond to the Congress's allegation about the left alliance with the RSS and the BJP after the Emergency. Govindan holds press conference As the controversy gained traction, Govindan Wednesday held a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, saying his words were being distorted to make him appear sympathetic to communal forces. 'The Emergency was a period of semi-fascism. The Janata Party, which we supported, was not just the Jana Sangh. It was a broad front of socialists, democrats, and Emergency opponents. Yes, Jana Sangh was part of it—but RSS was not a prominent force in that alliance,' he clarified. 'CPI(M) has never formed and will never form a partnership with the RSS—past, present, or future,' Govindan said. Earlier in the day, Nilambur candidate M. Swaraj also reiterated that the alliance in 1977 was necessitated by circumstances, but once the RSS's influence in Janata Party grew, the CPI(M) backed off. He said in the consecutive bypolls in Kasargode, Thalassery, Thiruvalla, and Parassala, Namboodiripad famously said the party doesn't need RSS votes, reinforcing the Left's commitment to secularism. 'We won all four seats. That statement boosted secular forces in Kerala,' Swaraj said. The CPI(M) also pushed back by accusing the Congress of its own ties with the RSS during the 1958–59 Liberation Struggle. The Liberation Struggle was an anti-communist movement against the first Kerala government, backed by the Syro-Malabar Church, Nair Service Society, the Muslim League, and the Congress. Congress candidate for the Nilambur bypoll Aryadan Shoukath too jumped into the debate, saying, 'In 1977, the Congress lost power for the first time because the Left openly aligned with the Jan Sangh. We all know these alliances can return. Remember, L.K. Advani inaugurated V. Sivadasa Menon's election convention in Palakkad.' The Congress had earlier accused the CPI(M) of diluting its stand against BJP after the party's draft resolution ahead of the 24th Party Congress used the word 'neo-fascist' for the BJP. However, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member clarified that the resolution referred to 'neo-fascism' and 'neo-fascist tendencies' as they represented an ideological trend distinct from the 'classical fascism' that emerged globally in the early 20th century. In the party's state conference in Kollam earlier this year, Prakash Karat said Modi government's 11-year rule is showing 'neo-fascistic characteristics' in its aggressive push for Hindutva and neo-liberal agendas, warning that it will develop into 'full-fledged fascism, if not resisted'. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: Nilambur bypoll: How Anvar, once Kerala's richest MLA, is adding twist to crucial LDF-UDF contest
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
When clash erupted between T.N. government and Governor on appointing a Vice-Chancellor 40 years ago
Around a dozen State universities in Tamil Nadu currently do not have Vice-Chancellors, as Tamil Nadu remains embroiled in a legal tussle over shifting the authority to appoint them, from the Governor (in his capacity as Chancellor) to the State government. Interestingly, it is not the first time Tamil Nadu has witnessed a disagreement between the government and the Governor on this issue. A conflict took place four decades ago over the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University. In 1985, during M.G. Ramachandran's tenure as Chief Minister, tensions simmered over Governor S.L. Khurana's use of his authority to appoint Vice-Chancellors. That March, Education Minister C. Aranganayagam remarked that difficulties in appointing Vice-Chancellors 'seemed peculiar to States where non-Congress (I) governments were in office.' His comment came just months after the AIADMK-Congress (I) alliance swept to power in Tamil Nadu in the aftermath of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination. Referring to similar controversies in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, Aranganayagam observed, according to The Hindu, that Governors in Congress (I)-ruled states appeared to have no issue accepting recommendations from the State government. 'This problem arose only in non-Congress (I) governed States,' he said. In the Assembly, Aranganayagam argued it would be better to vest the power to oversee universities in State governments rather than with the Governor or the Central government. Against this backdrop, in October 1985, Governor Khurana appointed S. Krishnaswamy, a well-regarded biologist, as Vice-Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University. The appointment caught the State government by surprise. Aranganayagam said the government had recommended C.A. Perumal, Head of the Political Science Department at University of Madras, for the post. He stated: 'The practice so far has been that the Governor consults the Chief Minister before making the appointment; in this case, the Chief Minister was not consulted. Therefore, with the Chief Minister's consent, the advice to the Governor is being forwarded. We have nothing against Dr. Krishnaswamy personally.' When asked whether the government had officially conveyed its preference to the Governor, Aranganayagam admitted that he had only informally suggested Perumal's name, but insisted the Governor ought to have consulted the Chief Minister before finalising the appointment. Later that evening, the Raj Bhavan issued a statement expressing surprise at the Minister's remarks. It emphasised that this was not the first time the Governor had appointed a Vice-Chancellor without direct consultation, noting that he had made similar decisions at least six times in the previous three years. The Governor's office stated that the process had been consistent and that in some instances — such as appointments to Madras and Bharathidasan Universities — he had disagreed with the Education Minister's recommendations and independently made the final call. The Governor's position, it said, was to choose the best candidate from the panel submitted. The Raj Bhavan also cited Section 11 of the Madurai Kamaraj University Act to support the legality of Krishnaswamy's appointment. Aranganayagam countered this by invoking Article 163(1) of the Constitution, which mandates that the Governor act on the advice of the Council of Ministers. He argued that since the Governor holds the post of Chancellor by virtue of being Governor, he cannot wield more power in the Chancellor's role than he does as Governor. He also denied that the appointment followed past practice. 'In all previous cases, the Governor appointed Vice-Chancellors only after consulting the Chief Minister and obtaining his concurrence; in this case, he has not done so,' he said. Aranganayagam added that the issue was not about the individual selected, but about the principle of who holds the appointing authority. Aranganayam felt persons belonging to the state were better equipped than 'others coming from outside' to select the appropriate person for a post. However, just a few hours later, the State government issued an official release, stating: 'It is most unfortunate that an unnecessary controversy has arisen over the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University. The Government, after careful consideration, holds that the appointment of Dr. S. Krishnaswamy by the Governor-Chancellor is valid and on merit. The Governor's decision is being implemented by the Government.' The Hindu reported: 'What happened between the Education Minister's assertion in the morning and the issue of the press release in the evening (putting an end to the controversy) is not quite clear. It is, however, learnt that, on behalf of the Chief Minister, an emissary (one of his Cabinet colleagues) called on the Governor at the Raj Bhavan in the afternoon and sorted out the matter.' Krishnaswamy later assumed charge as Vice-Chancellor. He told journalists he was pleased that the Education Minister had clarified, 'We have nothing against Prof. Krishnaswamy personally.' Incidentally, then Finance Minister V.R. Nedunchezhiyan welcomed the appointment, saying, 'I am happy that an internationally-known scientist has been chosen for the position.'
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Yaduveer, Srivatsa praise Modi for 11 yrs of leadership
Mysuru: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's third term (Modi 3.0) completes one year, Mysuru MP Yaduveer Wadiyar and BJP Krishnaraja MLA TS Srivatsa praised his leadership and governance achievements spanning 11 years. Speaking to reporters, Yaduveer noted Modi's position as the third-longest-serving Prime Minister after Nehru and Indira Gandhi, highlighting the public's trust through three electoral victories. "In these 11 years, Modi drove comprehensive development, steering India toward a Viksit Bharat with numerous schemes and bold reforms," he said. Yaduveer discussed the govt's tax reforms, agricultural programmes, and infrastructure development, acknowledging Modi's effective handling of recent challenges. He contested Congress' statements about unfulfilled employment promises, citing 90,000 km of road construction and railway projects as employment generators. "Comprehensive development naturally creates jobs. Compare this to what Congress couldn't achieve in 50-60 years," he stated, while criticising Congress' unrealised promises, including free electricity. Meanwhile, praising Modi's exceptional leadership qualities, Srivatsa said, "No other non-Congress Prime Minister has governed as long as Modi, and he's done so without a single blemish." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo He commended Modi's initiatives for women's advancement. Srivatsa recognised Modi's strategic decision-making abilities and expressed honour in serving as an MLA during his tenure. "Modi's imagination and foresight deserve a grand salute. May he lead India not just for the next four years but for another decade," he said, seeking Goddess Chamundeshwari's blessings.
India Gazette
09-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Deeply transformational years in almost every area": BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar hails 11 years of Modi Govt
New Delhi [India], June 9 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party leader and party's Kerala state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Monday reflected on the 11 years of transformative journey of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. Speaking in Delhi, Chandrasekhar highlighted that the last 11 years have been the most significant in India's 78-year history, marking a shift from a politics of 'fake promises' to one of tangible delivery. 'In the last 78 years of our independence, the previous 11 years of India have been the most deeply transformational in almost every area,' Chandrasekhar told ANI. According to Chandrasekhar, the Modi government has established a new benchmark in governance, prioritizing transparency and performance. Key initiatives such as Digital India and Direct Benefit Transfer have enabled direct support to the people, while significant strides have been made in curbing corruption. 'The politics of our country have changed from years and decades of fake promises to a leader and a government that makes promises and delivers promises. It has established a new normal of politics of performance,' the BJP leader added. '...He (PM Modi) has brought 800 million out of poverty, made India's economy from the fragile five to top 4,' the BJP leader said. Earlier today, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav extended greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on completing 11 years of leading the Central government and hailed the work done under his tenure. Speaking to ANI, CM Yadav said Prime Minister Modi has made a record since 2014 and called returning to power for the third time the biggest achievement for the country's democracy and non-Congress parties. Prime Minister Modi has made a record since 2014. Returning to power for the third time is the biggest achievement for the country's democracy and non-Congress parties... Prime Minister Modi has set many records to build India's image at the international level...,' the CM said. PM Modi first took office as the Prime Minister of India on May 26, 2014, and is currently serving his third consecutive term. Last year, he took office on June 9 after winning the third-term elections. Marking the occasion, the Union government also released a comprehensive e-book detailing achievements across various sectors over the past 11 years. The year 2025 marks 11 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. (ANI)
