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NYT fact-checks random meme of PM Modi circulating on social media, Congress supporters call it BJP’s defeat

OpIndia Staff
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NYT fact-checks random meme of PM Modi circulating on social media, Congress supporters call it BJP’s defeat

A random morphed meme featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the front page of an American daily has been doing the rounds on social media since his return from the White House. 

The satirical image with glaring errors depicted PM Modi on the front page of the New York Times with the headline “Last, Best Hope of Earth” and “World’s most loved and most powerful leader is here to bless us,” as the sub-headline. 

The New York Times has now fact-checked the image and distanced themselves from even a meme praising the Indian Prime Minister. “This is a completely fabricated image, one of many in circulation featuring Prime Minister Modi,” they said in a Tweet.

“Resharing or circulating photoshopped images online only adds to misinformation and uncertainty, at a time when truthful, trusted journalism is needed the most,” read their clarification further. 

The publication also shared a link where one can access articles done by them on PM Modi. As usual, most of them were articles painting a grim, morbid picture of India. A quick glance at the linked page and one can understand why the publication was quick to fact-check a random meme calling PM Modi ‘Best Hope of Earth.’ 

Ironically, the meme was not even seen by many on social media till some so-called ‘fact-checkers’ started fact-checking’ it.

New York Times factual reporting on PM Modi

Congress picks up random meme to accuse BJP supporters

On the other hand, the social media warriors of Congress had accused the Bhartiya Janta Party supporters of circulating the ‘fake image’ to flatter the leader. However, it is imperative to note that the image was widely circulated by Congress supporters themselves. 

They are now rejoicing at the clarification issued by the New York Times calling it BJP IT Cell’s defeat. “This must hurt! BJP IT cell spread fake news. NYT not only denies it, it provides a link to all of their recent news items on Modi, most of which aren’t flattering! The saying in Hindi – Aa Bail Mujhe Maar!” Tweeted a social media user.

Low IQ Congress supporters do not seem to fathom why the BJP IT cell would create a meme that was mocking PM Modi.

Before the American daily, the meme was ‘fact-checked’ by the likes of Scroll, Quint and Boom Live in India.

It is notable here a look at the meme is enough to tell it has been morphed and is a satirical take on the PM. Among the barrage of morphed images and memes that flood social media every day, why the so-called ‘fact checkers’ tried to dismiss a meme that was so obviously morphed is for anyone to guess.

Kanhaiya Kumar says supporting his movement led to divorces and fights at dinner tables

OpIndia Staff
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Kanhaiya Kumar says supporting his movement led to divorces and fights at dinner tables

Kanhaiya Kumar while addressing the media after joining the Congress Party said that his movement caused divorces and fights at dinner tables.

Kanhaiya Kumar said, ‘I am grateful to the place where I was born and the party (CPI) that raised me up, which taught me and gave me the courage to fight, and along with the party, I want to thank the crores of people who fought with their friends in school WhatsApp groups when unfounded allegations were made against us. In support of our movement, they fought at dinner tables and fell out with friends. It even led to divorces. Only Congress party can provide the leadership in this ideological struggle that is going on in the country.’

Regarding his reasons to join the Congress party, Kumar said, “I am joining the Congress because some people who are ruling the country are trying to change this country’s thoughts, culture. I have chosen to be in the country’s most democratic party.” “Youth are beginning to realise that if the Congress is finished, then this country will also not be safe,” he added.

Kumar also said that there is no alternative to the Congress party. “If a big ship like the Congress is not saved, then small boats will not survive,” he stated.

Earlier today, Rahul Gandhi celebrated with former JNU ‘student leader’ Kanhaiya Kumar and independent MLA Jignesh Mevani at Shaheed-E-Azam Bhagat Singh Park, ITO, Delhi Gujarat. Hardik Patel was also present to celebrate the formal induction of the two leaders into the party fold.

Gandhi siblings try to settle dispute between two Congress leaders, end up causing both of them to resign: How the Punjab crisis unfolded

Jinit Jain
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Gandhi siblings try to settle dispute between two Congress leaders, end up causing both of them to resign: How the Punjab crisis unfolded

Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday resigned from the post of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), 10 days after former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh had tendered his resignation. Sidhu took to Twitter to make the announcement.

In a letter addressed to Sonia Gandhi, Sidhu said, “The collapse of a man’s character stems from the compromise corner, I can never compromise on Punjab’s future and the agenda for the welfare of Punjab. Therefore, I hereby resign as the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress.”

The decision to quit as PCC chief came days after former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh resigned from the post of CM. The Gandhi siblings, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, had tried to iron out the differences between Navjot Singh Sidhu and Captain Amarinder Singh, but their efforts proved to be catastrophically counterproductive, with both the leaders deciding to relinquish their respective posts.

The Gandhi siblings perhaps thought that their intervention would end the party’s internecine conflict and strengthen it for the assembly election polls slated to happen next year. But far from forging unity, the mediation by the Gandhis had the opposite effect—it exacerbated the tussle between the two Congress leaders—leaving the party more vulnerable than it already was.

Captain Amarinder Singh resigns after enduring humiliation at the hands of the Congress leadership

Months ahead of the assembly state elections, the Congress government in Punjab saw themselves engulfed in an unnavigable political crisis. The two towering leaders of Punjab Congress were at loggerheads with each other. On one hand, it was Pradesh Congress Committee chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and on the other, it was Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh.

The crisis was triggered in sorts by the Congress party’s decision to bring Sidhu out of the woodwork and award him with the plum position of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief. It was reported that Priyanka Gandhi, who had fashioned herself as the party’s ‘crisis manager’ after Ahmed Patel’s demise, had convinced the party high command for an expanded role for Navjot Singh Sidhu in Punjab Congress.

Captain Amarinder Singh and his camp had already expressed their reservations over Sidhu’s elevation in the party. The relationship between the two leaders had sharply deteriorated after Navjot Singh Sidhu’s brazen disregard of Captain’s suggestion against visiting Pakistan. Sidhu defied Captain’s advice and visited Pakistan, thereby causing a rift in their relationship that only widened as time passed by.

Since Singh wielded enormous influence on the party in Punjab, Sidhu was treated as a pariah and consigned to the fringes of active politics. Both leaders made no bones about their dislike for each other and neither did the two see eye to eye on any of the issues.

Yet, the party took the gamble of appointing Navjot Singh Sidhu as the PCC chief in July 2021. The party was focused on winning the upcoming assembly elections in Punjab and in their grand scheme of things, Sidhu had a key role to play, regardless of the reservations raised by Captain Amarinder Singh.

With Sonia Gandhi not keeping good health, the Gandhi siblings reportedly took the mantle of settling the widening friction between the two leaders in Punjab. Instead of resolving the conflict, their actions only added proverbial fuel to the fire. However, a Congress insider quoted by the Times of India said Sidhu was just a pawn in the battle of egos fought between Amarinder on one side and Rahul and Priyanka on the other.

But that decision of elevating Sidhu in their bid to clip the wings of Captain turned out to be disastrous. The discord within the Congress party came to a head when Captain Amarinder Singh decided to end his humiliation by resigning from the post of Punjab Chief Minister on 18 September 2021. Talking to reporters after submitting his resignation, Amarinder Singh said he resigned after he was humiliated by the party leadership. Referring to the frequent meetings of Congress MLAs, Singh said they suggested that the party had doubts about his leadership skills.

Gandhis take control of Punjab Congress to keep Sidhu ‘under check’

Gandhis thought changing chief minister in the state would end the turmoil before the assembly elections early next year. But that decision was beset with a fresh set of problems. With the fallout with Captain Amarinder Singh fresh in mind, Gandhis were reluctant to give free rein to new CM Charanjit Singh Channi and Navjot Singh Sidhu, lest other leaders in the state mimic Singh and start submitting their resignations. Within 4 days after being elected as the new Punjab Chief minister, Channi was summoned to Delhi two times to hash out a “consensus” cabinet, demonstrating party leadership’s resolve to keep the authority of the state government in its own hands and not allow local leadership to take control, a report published in News 18 said.

From administrative shuffle to the appointment of bureaucrats to the selection of ministers in the new Punjab Cabinet, Gandhis were reportedly having a say in all decisions concerning the state. The decision to take absolute control in Punjab state stemmed from the bad optics the party attracted in the wake of the unceremonious removal of Captain Amarinder Singh from the post of the chief minister.

As per sources, the Gandhis were even keen on keeping the Pradesh Congress Committee Navjot Singh Sidhu ‘under check’. The Gandhis also approached former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jhakhar to consult him on the cabinet formation, indicating that they would also include those who are not firmly embedded in the Sidhu camp.

Gandhis were inclined towards appointing someone “neutral” as an election campaign party in charge to make sure that competing factions within the party do not indulge in recriminations over the appointment of the said person. Jhakhar was among the frontrunner in the contention. The Gandhis reportedly wanted to give an impression that voices within the party other than those belonging to the Sidhu camp will also be heard.

However, the heavy-handedness of the Gandhis did not sit well with Navjot Singh Sidhu, who chose to resign instead of continuing as a figurehead leader. As per sources, Sidhu was upset with the cabinet changes made by the new CM Charanjit Singh Channi, who was in all likelihood following the instructions he had received from 10 Janpath. It is also speculated that key posts granted to officials linked to the “sacrilege” case and the party’s disregard for Sidhu’s recommendations for the recent cabinet appointments also led him to resign from the post of PCC chief.

The Gandhis possibly thought their mediation in Punjab would not only end the enduring dispute between the two leaders but also establish their credentials as leaders worthy of taking over the party leadership. A peaceful transition of CM would have reinforced the notion that Gandhis were capable of shepherding Congress in the right direction. But instead of steering the storm-tossed ship of Punjab Congress out of danger, their intervention ended up taking it right at the eye of the maelstrom, with neither Captain nor Sidhu available to helm the ship back to safety. It would not be surprising if the Congress party in Punjab now finds itself circling the drain and eventually collapsing under the weight of the Gandhis.

Islamist apologists claim Delhi riots accused Umar Khalid didn’t get to join Congress because he is Muslim, unlike Kanhaiya Kumar, Jignesh Mevani

OpIndia Staff
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Islamist apologists claim Delhi riots accused Umar Khalid didn’t get to join Congress because he is Muslim, unlike Kanhaiya Kumar, Jignesh Mevani

Islamists and Islamist apologists have decided to fawn over Umar Khalid on a day when Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani have been inducted into the Congress party. They believe the reason why Umar Khalid is rotting in jail while Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani have landed in the Congress party is that Khalid is a Muslim.

Journalist with The Wire, Arfa Khanum Sherwani, asked about Umar Khalid, “Is he being punished for being a Muslim?”

Source: Twitter

‘Journalist’ Zeba Warsi said, “Kanhaiya Kumar, Jignesh Mevani and Umar Khalid are all similar in the sense of being a new breed of young activists. Yet, Khalid’s present situation is starkly different.”

Source: Twitter

One Saif Patel pointed out that Kanhaiya Kumar and Umar Khalid had broken into the national limelight at around the same time. However, while the former was now a full time politician, the latter was rotting in jail.

Source: Twitter

One Afzal said that Umar Khalid was being punished because he is a Muslim.

Source: Twitter

Faisal Nadeem, a ‘Muslim student activist’ from the Aligarh Muslim University, commented that Khalid’s fate is the “harsh reality” of an Indian Muslim activist.

Source: Twitter

One Mohammed Rizwan said that there is a lesson to learn from the whole affair.

Source: Twitter

Khalid was arrested by the Delhi Police on September 14 last year for his alleged involvement in the Northeast Delhi riots. He was summoned by the police for investigation and was later arrested. Khalid is accused of hatching a conspiracy to unleash violence along with his friends during the visit of US President Trump to India. He is accused to have met the former AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain and another accused Khalid Saifi for logistical support during the riots.

Despite the serious allegations against the ‘activist’, Islamists and their apologists claim that Khalid is being ‘persecuted’ because he is Muslim. Quite clearly, it is another effort to whitewash an accused in the riots case. A similar effort was launched to whitewash Tahir Hussain and Shahrukh Pathan as well, despite evidence to the contrary.

Congress top brass refuses to accept resignation of Navjot Singh Sidhu, asks state leaders to resolve the matter at their own level first

OpIndia Staff
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Congress top brass refuses to accept resignation of Navjot Singh Sidhu, asks state leaders to resolve the matter at their own level first

The Punjab Congress circus is getting more entertaining by the minute. Now, according to the latest information, the Congress Party’s top brass has refused to accept the resignation of state party president Navjot Singh Sidhu. News agency ANI has quoted Congress sources as revealing that the top leadership has asked state leaders to resolve the matter at their own level first.

Earlier in the day, Sidhu had resigned from the post of PPCC chief. In a letter addressed to party chief Sonia Gandhi, Sidhu had stated that he is stepping down as the state president.

“The collapse of a man’s character stems from the compromise corner, I can never compromise on Punjab’s future and the agenda for the welfare of Punjab. Therefore, I hereby resign as the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress”, wrote Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Reacting to Sidhu’s unanticipated move. former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh had said: “I told you so…he is not a stable man and not fit for the border state of Punjab.”

Shortly after the news of Navjot Singh Sidhu quitting as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President surfaced in the media, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were seen at Chandigarh Airport heading back to New Delhi.

Reportedly, the Gandhis who were vacationing in Shimla after the resignation of former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh seemed to have cut short their trip after Sidhu put down his papers.

After Sidhu’s resignation, many of his loyalists too put in their papers.

Yoginder Dhingra and Gautam Seth resigned as General Secretary and General Secretary (in-charge training) of Punjab Congress. Similarly, Razia Sultana, another close aide of Sidhu, too, resigned from the newly formed Cabinet in Punjab. She was included in the Cabinet just two days back.

Only in the month of July did the Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi had overthrown Sunil Jakhar to make Navjot Singh Sidhu the new Punjab Congress Chief. The decision had then garnered a wide range of responses with some snubbing Captain Amarinder Singh while others attacking Sidhu for his vendetta politics.

Tajinder Bagga dares ‘James Bond ke Chacha’ Subramanian Swamy to prove allegations levelled against him: Here is what happened

OpIndia Staff
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Tajinder Bagga dares ‘James Bond ke Chacha’ Subramanian Swamy to prove allegations levelled against him: Here is what happened

BJP Delhi spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga today took to Twitter to dare BJP MP Subramanian Swamy to prove the allegations levelled against him.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy stoked a controversy by claiming that Bagga had been jailed many times for committing petty crimes by New Delhi’s Mandir Marg Police.

Swamy said in the tweet, “Delhi journalists inform me that before joining BJP, Tajinder Bagga had been jailed many times for petty crimes by the New Delhi Mandir Marg Police Station. True? If so Nadda should know.”

Tajinder Bagga hit back at the allegations comparing Swamy to James Bond’s Uncle and said that instead of tweeting Swamy should call Mandir Marg Police Station, take his details and then expose him.

Bagga said, “Dr @swamy39 heard you are James Bond ke Chacha. Instead of tweeting Call Mandir Marg SHO, take details and Expose me. Giving you 48 Hours, uske baad meri turn. your time starts now”

Rajya Sabha MP Swamy is known for making controversial comments against BJP leaders. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai referred to Subramanian Swamy as a “freelance politician” for his nature of speaking against his own party and its leadership. The Karnataka CM made the remark after opposition leader Siddaramaiah cited a Subramanian Swamy’s tweet from February, in which Swamy had shared fake data about petrol prices in India.

Earlier this year, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met several Union Ministers including Party President JP Nadda, Rajnath Singh and others, it triggered rumours of a cabinet shuffle. Then, several politicians who were out of favours they expected from the government started to yearn for a position. First among them was BJP politician Subramanian Swamy.

Subramanian Swamy is also accused to be a two faced and a dodgy politician who uses Facebook and Twitter as a personal diary to vent his angst and talk about why he should be made a minister.

Source: Facebook Post by Subramanian Swamy

In fact, he has often tried to insult the Prime Minister as well as other ministers in the cabinet by describing them as ‘dressed like a waiter’.

It is quite elitist of Swamy to use ‘dress like a waiter’ as an insult because a waiter does an honest day’s job to earn the money and using dressed like them as an insult reeks of privilege and elitist mentality considering the humble beginnings the Prime Minister comes from.

2000-year-old Mauryan structure discovered in Meerut, historians hopeful of finding lost Ashoka pillar site

OpIndia Staff
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2000-year-old Mauryan structure discovered in Meerut, historians hopeful of finding lost Ashoka pillar site

The Meerut circle of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has discovered a structure in Meerut which they have identified as a 2000-year-old Mauryan-era brick platform.

“A large part of the structure is in the form of a 30m by 35m platform at Vikas Puri. The ancient site is undoubtedly one from the Mauryan period because the bricks are typical of the era,” Brajsundar Gadnayak, superintending archaeologist of the Meerut circle of ASI, was quoted by TOI as saying.

Despite the fact that a portion of the remains was destroyed due to the construction of a power plant, the Meerut circle of the Archaeological Survey of India has closely inspected it and its discovery has raised hopes of gaining fresh insights into the significant period of ancient Indian history that dates back to the Mauryan empire, the largest South Asian empire in history and its Emperor Ashoka.

Importantly, this platform may provide crucial information on the “lost” Ashoka Pillar site from the third century BCE.

Adding more specifics, Brajsundar Gadnayak said that the bricks used to construct the platform are unique to the Mauryan period and have a specific dimension. Their measurements are 42cm x 26cm x 8cm. He added that the department has also discovered pottery and ceramics from those times. An ancient canal path has also been uncovered, which most likely connects to the Kali river, said Gadnayak.

Throwing light on this discovery, historian Dr KK Sharma said: “The Gazetteer (of 1904) mentions the reinstallation of Meerut’s pillar at the Delhi Ridge but we have not been able to find the original site here.”

The Meerut Gazetteer mentioned by him states: “The earliest historical connection which can be made with the (Meerut) district is the erection of an Asoka pillar near Meerut … On the ridge at Dehli (Delhi) now stands a pillar which, according to Shams-i-Siraj, was removed from near the town of Meerut and set up in the Kushak Shikar or hunting palace. The site occupied by the pillar has not been identified.”

Ashoka pillar or the Delhi-Meerut pillar was carried to Delhi from Meerut by Firoz Shah and placed outside his hunting palace, between the Chauburji-Masjid and Hindu Rao Hospital, on the northern crest of Delhi. During the reign of Farrukshiar (1713–19), it was destroyed in an explosion, and five broken sections were eventually sent to the Asiatic Society of Bengal in Calcutta (now Kolkata). Brought back in 1866 it was re-erected in 1887.

Man threatens Ranvir Shorey over tweet on Nehru, claims he was instructed to do so by Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap

OpIndia Staff
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Man threatens Ranvir Shorey over tweet on Nehru, claims he was instructed to do so by Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap

Actor Ranvir Shorey on Tuesday shared screenshots of threatening messages he had received from a man who identified as Suraj Thakur and claimed to have been working at the behest of Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap.

The man, who claimed himself to be Suraj Thakur, said he was instructed by Bhai Jagtap to have a discussion with the actor over a tweet posted by him in which he had supposedly made defamatory remarks against Gandhi/Nehru family. Thakur had said in the message that the tweet had hurt the sentiments of crores of citizens and Congress workers and threatened Shorey with legal consequences for using sharp remarks for a former PM.

The alleged henchman of Bhai Jagtap also asked Ranvir Shorey to immediately issue an apology and delete the content from all social media platforms or risk facing the “wrath of the consequences”.

Shorey was referring to the picture he had posted in response to a social media troll’s tweet on his Modi meme saying that the BJP was a political party born out of a torn condom. Shorey had then shared a picture of former PM Jawaharlal Nehru standing along with another man, saying that he should have used a condom.

Shorey further said in his message that he retains the right to freedom of speech bestowed by the constitution of India and will not be intimidated by threats.

“However, please be informed that I’m not a supporter of the Congress party, and I retain my right to freedom of speech as granted to me under the constitution of India. I will not be intimidated,” Shorey had said.

Ranvir Shorey shares hilarious meme, Modi-haters suffer a meltdown

Actor Ranvir Shorey has been dishing out ‘befitting replies’ to flustered trolls who were abusing him over a meme on PM Modi.

PM Modi had recently paid a surprise visit to the construction site of the new Parliament. This had not gone done well with the opposition parties and the leaders, who had been opposing the construction of the new Parliament tooth and nail. Shorey had then posted a meme of PM Modi walking at the construction site of the new Parliament with a picture depicting a bunch of opposition leaders beneath his feet.

Predictably, the sharp messaging in the meme and the not-so-parliamentary language in the tweet raised the hackles of the opposition supporters and their online supporters, who descended on Shorey’s Twitter timeline to deride him with personal attacks and choicest of abuses.

Exposing hatred against the BJP, another Twitter user said a party that came into existence because of a torn condom should not be criticising the Congress party. To this, Shorey shared a picture of Jawaharlal Nehru and said “condom should have been used by him”.

Rahul Gandhi celebrates with Jignesh and Kanhaiya while Punjab crisis turns into a circus, Kunal Kamra spotted at AICC headquarters

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi celebrates with Jignesh and Kanhaiya while Punjab crisis turns into a circus, Kunal Kamra spotted at AICC headquarters

The Congress party has shared a video on Twitter where senior leader Rahul Gandhi is seen celebrating with former JNU ‘student leader’ Kanhaiya Kumar and independent MLA Jignesh Mevani at Shaheed-E-Azam Bhagat Singh Park, ITO, Delhi.

In the snippet shared on the microblogging site, the trio along with Hardik Patel are seen holding each other’s hands and lifting them in the air as they sought to celebrate the formal induction of Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani in the party fold.

Jignesh Mevani confirms he is not joining party ‘officially’

There were speculations over the past few days that Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani are joining the Congress. However, now, Jignesh Mevani has officially confirmed that he is not joining the Congress formally.

Jignesh Mevani said, “I could not join the Congress formally due to technical reasons. I am an independent MLA, if I join a party, I may not continue as an MLA… I am part of the Congress ideologically, will fight the upcoming Gujarat polls from Congress symbol”.

Sharing a still from the venue, Congress tweeted: “Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamare dil mein hai (The desire for revolution is in our hearts).’

The trio along with Congress leader Hardik Patel had reached the Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Park to reportedly pay homage to Shaheed Bhagat Singh on his birth anniversary.

“During this, Shri Rahul Gandhi ji took a pledge to save the nation from divisive forces”, Tweeted Congress party.

Meanwhile, ‘comedian’ Kunal Kamra, known for his affinity towards the Congress party, was spotted at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday. While Kanhaiya Kumar has come into the party folds, Jignesh Mevani has supposedly backed out at the last moment.

‘Comedian’ Kumal Karma spotted in Congress headquarter where Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani are set to join the party

Speaking on the induction of the two new leaders into the party fold, Hardik Patel said, “We, youngsters, want to work in Congress, under a leader who talks about development and prosperity. We’ve raised voice for people of country in past, want to strengthen them &be their voice.”

Earlier in the day, posters welcoming Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Kanhaiya Kumar into the Congress had come up outside the Congress party’s office ahead of his proposed joining on Tuesday. 

Rahul Gandhi celebrates while Punjab Congress is in a state of disarray 

While Rahul Gandhi celebrates the induction of the two new leaders, the Punjab Congress is in the midst of one of its most tumultuous periods. Earlier, Navjot Singh Sidhu announced his resignation from the post of Punjab Congress chief. Sidhu addressed his letter to the party chief Sonia Gandhi, where he wrote that he is stepping down as the state president.

Prior to this, Captain Amarinder Singh was seen leaving for Delhi, amidst speculations that the disgruntled former Punjab CM will be holding a ‘series of meetings’ with BJP President JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Citing sources, Zee News had speculated that Captain Amarinder Singh might defect to the BJP and be appointed as Union Agriculture Minister. With Assembly Elections around the corner, it is also speculated that he might form a new party with the help of the BJP. 

With Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani in Congress, it has inched closer to being a Leftist party: What it means for its future

K Bhattacharjee
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With Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani in Congress, it has inched closer to being a Leftist party: What it means for its future

The induction of Jignesh Mevani and Kanhaiya Kumar into the Congress party has cemented the party’s transformation into a Left party from the Center-Left facade it has maintained since Narendra Modi was elected Prime Minister in 2014.

Kanhaiya Kumar contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Begusarai in Bihar on a CPI ticket and Jignesh Mevani was elected representative in the Gujarat Assembly as an independent candidate in the 2017 elections. Mevani has said that he has not formally joined the party as he would then have to resign as MLA but assured that he would contest the next elections on a Congress ticket.

Nevertheless, the inclusion of the two in the party clearly indicates where the Congress is headed. The indications were there even in 2019 when the Congress party released its manifesto before the General Elections.

The far-left Congress party manifesto in 2019

In its manifesto, the Congress party promised to “Pass regulations to stop the spread of fake news and hate speech and punish those who misuse digital and social media.” This was well before social media censorship by Big Tech platforms reached its zenith prior to the US presidential elections in 2020.

The manifesto also promised to “Omit Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (that defines the offence of ‘sedition’) that has been misused and, in any event, has become redundant because of subsequent laws.” This is straight out of the ‘JNU school of thought’, a branch of political philosophy personified by Kanhaiya Kumar, who has been the president of the JNU Students Union in the past.

Thus, quite clearly, according to the Congress party, ‘Bharat tere tukde honge’ is protected by freedom of expression but free speech on social media ought to be curbed. For obvious reasons, the Congress party is the natural home for Jignesh Mevani, Kanhaiya Kumar and their ideological compatriots.

Will Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani help revive the Congress party?

As far as electoral success is concerned, Kanhaiya and Mevani are unlikely to add to the party’s strength and if Rahul Gandhi believes that they will help revive the fortunes of the Congress party, then he is sorely mistaken.

Kumar lost spectacularly to BJP’s Giriraj Singh in Begusarai during the Lok Sabha Elections and Mevani won election to the Gujarat Assembly only from a constituency that has been known to be a Congress stronghold. Outside of Twitter, their political mettle remains to be tested.

And with the political transformation that the country has undergone since 2014, there are not sufficient takers for the JNU brand of politics as is evident from the fate of the Congress in recent times.

Nevertheless, Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani are sure to help the Congress party receive more retweets and ‘likes’ on Twitter, a metric that has become essential for the party. Indeed, the party appeared convinced they will win 2019 based on their Twitter interactions.

And as former president of the party, and possibly the next one, Rahul Gandhi appears far more concerned about his Twitter metrics than the fate of the party in states and constituencies. On that note, the party will surely receive a boost.

The brand of politics Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani will bring into the party

Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani are both extremely controversial characters, and for good reason. Mevani is known to employ crass language against his political opponents, especially the Prime Minister. He had once said that Narendra Modi should ‘go and die’. He has also been accused of inciting people to commit violence.

Kanhaiya Kumar, himself, is an accused in the JNU sedition case involving anti-national slogans at the University. He was also accused of urinating in public and flashing his private part at a woman. It is extremely unlikely that the brand of politics of the newly minted Congress leaders will change all of a sudden. It is far more likely that they will introduce their own political brand into the party.

And thus, the politics of the Congress party is likely to get much dirtier, nastier and more desperate.

The inclusion of the two comes at a time when there is a major crisis unfolding within the Congress party. In Punjab, Navjot Singh Sidhu has resigned as Punjab Congress Chief days after Amarinder Singh quit as the Chief Minister of the state. If reports are to be believed, Singh is meeting with senior BJP leaders.

Meanwhile, the party is suffering a series of defections. Its leaders in West Bengal and Goa are leaving the party to join the Trinamool Congress and its fortunes appear so hopeless that even Saket Gokhale, eminent Rahul Gandhi fanboy, has left them to join TMC.

Needless to say, Mevani and Kumar are not a solution to the problems that the Congress party faces. And at the end of the day, while the party might rejoice for a day or two, its senior leaders will be well aware that its political future remains in tatters.

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