Connect with us
Tuesday,04-November-2025
Breaking News

National News

BJP wanted to change Constitution, LoP Rahul is trying to save it: Pawan Bansal

Published

on

Chandigarh, Dec 12: As the BJP accuses Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, of disrespecting the Indian Constitution, former Union Minister and senior Congress leader, Pawan Bansal on Thursday countered the claims, pointing out that during their second term, the BJP had expressed intentions to amend the Constitution if they won more than 400 seats.

The BJP has frequently alleged that the Congress does not respect the Indian Constitution, despite the fact that the LoP is often seen with a copy of it.

Pawan Bansal said, “When the Constitution was framed, the Constituent Assembly held lengthy discussions on every aspect, considering the sentiments of the Indian people, our heritage, and our future.

“A draft was prepared that included a statement of aims and objectives presented by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, which later became the Preamble. It enshrined ideals like secularism, inclusivity, individual rights, and freedom.”

Bansal continued, “Now when they claim that Rahul Gandhi does not respect the Constitution even though he roams around with a copy of the Constitution, they forget that during their previous term, some BJP members openly talked about changing the Constitution.

“The BJP wanted to reinterpret it in a way that would support Hindutva. Hindutva is not Hinduism. I’m a proud Hindu, but Hindutva is a political tool, not a religion. A political system using religion for its agenda and attempting to alter the Constitution to reflect that, is a serious issue.

“India cannot progress under a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ ideology. The country can only progress if it remains secular, giving equal respect and status to people of all religions.”

He also referenced late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s constitutional amendments, which inserted terms like ‘secular’ and ‘democratic,’ values that were integral to the spirit of the Constitution’s creation.

“Indira Gandhi’s amendments reflected the vision discussed in the Constituent Assembly. Amending the Constitution is one thing, but scrapping its core and creating an entirely new one is another. The difference between the two needs to be understood,” he stressed.

Bansal went on to express concerns about the current state of India’s democratic institutions.

“Today, there is a direct or indirect attack on the Constitution. Our democratic institutions are being undermined. For the first time, we see a High Court judge attending a Vishva Hindu Parishad conference and speaking there.

“The Vice President of the country, too, has been silent on these issues. When such figures remain silent or act in ways that serve party interests, our Constitution is in danger. The big institutions are at risk, and this is a sign of concern. Rahul Gandhi repeatedly emphasises the need to protect the Constitution,” Bansal stressed.

On the Supreme Court’s verdict regarding the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, Bansal said, “While I respect the Supreme Court’s decision, I want to express my views. This law was passed to address various public debates on the status of religious sites — whether temples were converted into mosques or vice versa. The law was meant to ensure that, except for the Ram Janmabhoomi case, all places of worship should maintain the status they had on August 15, 1947. This law is about moving forward, not looking back, and it seeks to preserve religious sites as they were.”

He further commented, “The law encourages respect for the status of religious places, without tampering with or destroying them. It’s crucial for maintaining national unity. Instead of stoking religious divisions for political gain, as some RSS leaders have done by suggesting we search for Shiva temples in mosques, we should focus on building grand temples and respecting all religious sites equally. We should avoid using religion for vote politics and instead strive for a united, strong country.”

Bansal further emphasised, “Such divisive politics weakens the country, and we must focus on strengthening our nation by respecting all religions and maintaining the values of our Constitution.”

National News

Maharashtra Govt Asks Ladki Bahin Beneficiaries To Complete E-KYC By November 18

Published

on

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has asked beneficiaries of the ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin’ scheme to complete the mandatory e-KYC by November 18.

State Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare said that the honorarium for October will be disbursed from Wednesday, and the amount will be credited directly into the Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of all eligible women beneficiaries.

The state government’s flagship scheme, launched in July last year, provides monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 to women in the 21-65 age group, whose annual family income is less than Rs 2.5 lakh.

The government made e-KYC mandatory for the scheme in September, giving beneficiaries two months to complete the process and issued a government resolution regarding this.

Tatkare, in a post on X, said that the scheme, launched as a social and economic empowerment initiative for women across Maharashtra, continues to gain widespread support and trust from women in the state.

She said that to ensure smooth continuation of the scheme, an e-KYC facility was available on the official portal, ladakibahin.maharashtra.gov.in, since last month, and all beneficiaries have been asked to complete the e-KYC process by November 18.

Talking to PTI, the minister said, “The government has stopped monthly disbursal of Rs 1,500 to 12,000 bank accounts held by men, while the amount disbursed to ineligible women beneficiaries, who were government employees and those covered by other government schemes, over the last year has been recovered.” At present, more than 2.3 crore beneficiaries are registered under the scheme, and the monthly instalment for October will be disbursed from Wednesday, she said.

Continue Reading

Crime

Punjab bypoll: Drugs, liquor, freebies valued at Rs 57.47 crore seized

Published

on

Chandigarh, Nov 4: After the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct for the by-election to the Tarn Taran Assembly constituency, Punjab Police, following the directions of the Election Commission, has made seizures of drugs, liquor, cash and freebies valued at over Rs 57.47 crore.

According to details, from October 7, the day the Model Code of Conduct came into effect, till November 3, the police in the Tarn Taran constituency seized 51,429.50 litres of liquor valued at Rs 32,89,160, narcotic substances of Rs 56,67,10,500 (21,811.10 grams), cash amounting to Rs 9,73,480, and other items valued at Rs 37,85,700.

Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C said the police have been directed to maintain round-the-clock surveillance through CCTV cameras at all checkpoints in the constituency to curb illegal smuggling activities.

He added that strict action is being ensured against those attempting to influence voters by distributing cash or any other kind of freebies during the elections.

The Chief Electoral Officer said there are a total of 192,838 voters in the constituency, which includes 100,933 men, 91,897 women and eight third-gender voters. There are 1,357 service voters, 1,657 voters aged above 85 years, 306 NRI voters, and 1,488 voters with disabilities. The number of young voters aged between 18 and 19 years stands at 3,333.

He said there are 222 polling stations set up at 114 polling station locations, of which 60 are urban and 162 are rural.

The Tarn Taran bypoll on November 11 was necessitated by the death of AAP MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal, who had won the seat with 52,935 votes, defeating Shiromani Akali Dal’s Harmeet Singh Sandhu.

Fifteen candidates are in the fray. They include Sukhwinder Kaur of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Harjit Singh Sandhu of the BJP, Harmeet Singh Sandhu of the Aam Aadmi Party, and Karanbir Singh of the Congress.

Continue Reading

National News

Mumbai Police Rescue 60-Year-Old Man Attempting Suicide From 22nd Floor In Malad

Published

on

Mumbai, November 4: In a timely and coordinated operation, the Kurar Police in Mumbai prevented a major tragedy by rescuing a 60-year-old man who was attempting to jump from the 22nd floor of a residential building.

The quick-thinking officers acted immediately upon receiving information about the distress call, showcasing the Mumbai Police’s commitment to protecting lives beyond law enforcement duties.

As per a post shared by Mumbai Police on their official handle on X, officials from the Kurar Police Station rushed to the scene soon after receiving the alert.

Recognising the urgency, the police sought assistance from the Fire Brigade, who quickly arrived with rescue equipment. Together, they managed to reach the man and safely bring him down before any harm could occur.

After being rescued, the 60-year-old man was taken to the Kurar Police Station, where he was provided immediate counselling and emotional support. Authorities ensured he was safe and received the necessary care following the traumatic incident.

The Mumbai Police continue to emphasise the importance of mental health awareness and urge citizens to seek help during emotional distress, reminding everyone that timely intervention can save lives.

Continue Reading

Trending