New Delhi, Dec 20: The INDIA bloc staged a protest march from Vijay Chowk to Parliament on Friday, demanding an apology from and resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks on Dr B.R. Ambedkar, which they labelled as “derogatory” and “unacceptable.”

The Opposition alliance’s protest also condemned the FIR filed against Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, stating it was a “diversionary tactic” by the BJP to shift focus from HM Shah’s comments.

Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal stated, “The main issue is Amit Shah’s apology for his unacceptable remarks on Dr Ambedkar. The BJP is trying to divert attention by filing an FIR against Rahul Gandhi.”

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari accused the BJP of misuse of power.

“We also filed an FIR, but it wasn’t registered. This is a sheer misuse of power. Even if they resort to lathi charges, we will not stop protesting. Insults to Dr Ambedkar will not be tolerated.”

Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav defended Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, and told media, “He is the Leader of Opposition and would never engage in such actions.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi slammed HM Shah’s refusal to apologise, calling it evidence of the BJP’s “true stance” on Dr Ambedkar.

“It shows the fragile ego of Amit Shah that he is not apologising. The country has now seen his stance on Ambedkar. A 12-second video encapsulates Shah’s 90-minute speech, showing their (BJP’s) disdain for Dr Ambedkar despite their claims of respect,” she said.

Congress MP Vivek Tankha termed the Union Home Minister’s remarks “shocking” and called for an apology.

Commenting on the FIR against Rahul Gandhi, he said, “The claim that Rahul Gandhi hurt someone is laughable. When this matter reaches court, it will be evident how baseless it is.”

Congress MP Imran Masood alleged the FIR against Gandhi was a distraction.

“This is their (BJP) diversionary tactic to shift focus from the disrespect shown to Baba Saheb. Rahul Gandhi is not someone who can be intimidated.”

JMM MP Mahua Maji called for public release of Parliament CCTV footage to clarify the situation. “Rahul Gandhi is a senior and mature leader. This is a conspiracy aimed at diverting attention,” she said.

Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan stressed the peaceful nature of their protest.

“Today, we will march and return to the House peacefully. The Home Minister’s remarks against Dr Ambedkar are condemnable. If HM Shah respected Dr Ambedkar, he would have apologised to prevent this situation from escalating,” she stated.

New Delhi, Dec 20: More than four lakh backlog vacancies in government jobs reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Other Backward Class (OBC) candidates have been filled since 2016, the Parliament was informed.

“Occurrence and filling of vacancies, including the backlog reserved vacancies, is a continuous process,” Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

Instructions have been issued to all ministries and departments of the central government to constitute an in-house committee for identification of backlog reserved vacancies, to study the root cause of such vacancies, to initiate measures to remove the factors causing such vacancies and to fill them up including through special recruitment drives, the minister said.

The minister said each ministry/department of the central government is required to designate an officer of the rank of Deputy Secretary and above, as Liaison Officer, to ensure due compliance of the orders and instructions pertaining to reservation.

Each ministry/department is also required to set up a special reservation cell to assist the Liaison Officer.

In answer to another question, the minister also said that the Government has undertaken the ‘Initiative for Increasing Efficiency in Decision Making in Government’ in alignment with the policy of ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’.

The initiative for increasing efficiency in decision making, incorporated into the Central Secretariat Manual of Office Procedure, adopted a four pronged approach with focus on delayering, delegation, digitization and desk officer system was implemented in all Ministries/Departments. In November 2024, the Government has issued directions to review the levels of disposal and channels of submission in Ministries/Departments and ensure that the levels do not exceed four.

Mission Karmayogi is an initiative of the central government to enhance the attitudes, skills and knowledge of the Government employees. The mission targets to build capacity on domain, functional as well as behavioral competencies.

A key feature of the Mission is the digital learning platform – IGOT Karmayogi, which provides more than 1500 courses to help civil servants upgrade their skills in governance, policy implementation, and technology. It promotes ensuring more efficient public service delivery and helps foster efficiency, accountability and transparency in the public service, Singh explained.

New Delhi, Dec 20: The BJP demolished the Congress and other Opposition parties in the Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections.

The party romped to victory in both states and formed the governments there recently.

The Matrize Survey has come up with some insights into what led to the BJP’s significant triumph in these states, despite the party’s relatively lower performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The survey has highlighted several factors, including the influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress-led Opposition’s failure to pose any challenge to the BJP effectively.

The agency has also spotlighted shifts in voter sentiment between the two elections.

The Congress’ bid to capitalise on the narrative of ‘constitutional changes’, also failed to make any impact in the Assembly elections.

The survey was carried out between November 25, 2024 and December 14, 2024 with a sample size of 76,830 in Maharashtra and 53,647 in Haryana.

Key findings from the Matrize Survey

1. Enduring popularity of PM Modi

Despite the BJP winning only 240 seats in the Lok Sabha elections this year, PM Modi continued to enjoy massive popularity among voters in both Maharashtra and Haryana, says the survey. His image as a strong and influential leader remained intact. This is a very important finding, as the survey reveals that voters in both states maintained an unwavering trust in PM Modi, which played a pivotal role in the Assembly election outcomes. Around 55 per cent of voters surveyed in Maharashtra found a jump in PM Modi’s popularity. Similarly, 53 per cent of Haryana voters surveyed saw growth in PM Modi’s charisma.

2. Jolt to Congress’ narrative on the Constitution

One of the most significant factors identified in the Matrize Survey was the setback to the Congress’ narrative which its leader Rahul Gandhi spun during the Lok Sabha elections. The Congress had built a narrative that the Modi government intended to change the Constitution. This claim seemed to have garnered some traction initially during the parliamentary elections. However, it failed to create any impact during the Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana. In both states, the Congress’ attempts to push issues such as constitutional changes, farm laws and wrestlers’ ‘problems’ were largely ineffective. Voters did not view these issues as significant during the Assembly elections, contributing to a shift in support towards the BJP.

3. Voter perception of Congress leadership

Another important finding of the survey is major lack of trust in Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who was seen as the face of the Opposition, in Maharashtra and Haryana. His failure to present a credible alternative to PM Modi also led to the poor show by the Opposition. Voters expressed doubts about the Congress’ leadership, with Rahul Gandhi being perceived as disconnected from ground realities, especially in comparison to PM Modi’s strong, decisive image. This factor played a significant role in BJP’s commanding victory in these states.

4. Shift in voter sentiment between Lok Sabha and Assembly elections

This is also suggested that many voters in Maharashtra and Haryana, who made the mistake of not voting for the BJP during the Lok Sabha elections, corrected their decision in the Assembly polls. A key reason behind this shift was the growing confidence in PM Modi’s leadership and the central government’s actions, which voters felt contributed positively to their lives. The Opposition’s inability to offer a coherent and convincing alternative led to a clear preference for the BJP in the state elections.

5. BJP’s strategic messaging and leadership

The Matrize Survey also highlighted the powerful impact of BJP’s messaging during the Assembly elections. The slogan “Ek Hain to Safe Hain (When united, we are safe)” found approval of voters, especially in Maharashtra and Haryana. This narrative emphasised stability, national security, and economic growth under PM Modi’s leadership, positioning BJP as the safer choice. On the other hand, the Congress’ divisive rhetoric and internal leadership struggles only served to alienate voters. The failure to challenge BJP’s narrative effectively was evident, especially given the public’s disenchantment with the Congress’ internal factionalism.

6. Local leadership and organisational factors

In Haryana, the leadership change from Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to a new set of faces also contributed to the BJP’s success. The survey found that the switch in leadership helped BJP regain trust, with 44 per cent of respondents acknowledging that the leadership change had a significant positive impact. Moreover, the presence of strong local BJP leaders and a well-organised campaign helped the party build a solid base, further ensuring its victory.

7. The role of government schemes and local support,

The BJP’s focus on local issues and welfare schemes also played a crucial role in obtaining voter support. In both states, the BJP government’s initiatives, particularly in the fields of agriculture, infrastructure, and rural development, had a positive effect. These schemes impressed the voters, who felt they had benefited from government policies.

With all these details in view, the Matrize Survey has given a clear picture of why BJP won the Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana.

Several interlinked factors contributed to this triumph: The enduring popularity of PM Modi and the continued trust in his leadership, a significant setback to the Opposition’s narrative, particularly the Congress’ attempt to capitalise on constitutional changes, which failed to make any impact in the Assembly elections, voter correction of their previous Lok Sabha mistake, especially in light of the BJP’s successful governance and message of stability, and the BJP’s effective use of leadership changes, messaging, and welfare schemes to consolidate support.