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Chhattisgarh: One tribal minor girl gang-raped and another pressured to convert, 14 ABVP workers arrested during protest demanding justice

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Chhattisgarh: One tribal minor girl gang-raped and another pressured to convert, 14 ABVP workers arrested during protest demanding justice

Several members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) gheraoed the collectorate in Chhattisgarh on Saturday as police arrested fourteen and detained several others members of the RSS affiliated outfit. The arrest was made following a protest launched by the ABVP workers to seek justice for the two tribals minor girls, one of whom was brutally gang-raped and the other was forcefully sent to a church in Andhra Pradesh for religious conversion in Kawardha district of Chhattisgarh earlier this month.

Almost 500 ABVP workers surrounded the collectorate and raised slogans against the Congress-led state government and the police administration. Speaking to Opindia, ABVP state secretary Shubham Jaiswal said that they would continue to protest until justice is not delivered to the two tribal girls and their families and their fellow workers are not released by the Chhattisgarh police.

ABVP workers

While the ABVP accused Chhattisgarh police of inaction in the two cases, police, in turn, said that the arrests were made as the protesting ABVP workers breached police barricades to forcefully enter the collectorate.

14-year-old Chhattisgarh tribal girl gang-raped

Speaking about one of the incidents, Shubham Jaiswal told us that a 14-year-old tribal girl was raped by four unidentified persons in Chhattisgarh’s Kabirdham district on November 22, 2020. The incident took place on Sunday night under the City Kotwali police station area of Kawardha town, the district headquarters. The minor victim had reached the police station in an extremely terrible condition with her body soaked in blood, but instead of registering her complaint, Shubham said that the police concluded that the victim had gone to hang out with her boyfriend.

The ABVP state secretary furthered that after the victim was released from the hospital, she was shocked to see her perpetrators roaming around freely on the streets. She once again went to the police station to lodge a complaint. But by then, the SP of City Kotwali police station had reportedly proclaimed that it was a conspiracy weaved by the victim. Shubham asserted that along with the accused, strict action should also be taken against the investigating officer and the police officer who accused the 14-year-old victim of hatching a conspiracy.

13-year-old tribal girl in Chhattisgarh forcefully converted to Christianity

Divulging details of the second case, Shubham told Opindia that ABVP workers are also seeking justice for the 13-year-old tribal girl who was recently lured and taken to Andhra Pradesh where she was presurrised to adopt Christianity. He said that the minor and her family was lured on the pretext of providing her with free education in city’s famous Holy Cross School. She was then sent to a church in Andhra Pradesh where she was forced to take up Christianity.

ABVP seeks justice for women

The ABVP state secretary furthered that their intention was to only seek justice for the two tribal girls. However, owing to the police apathy and laxity in handling the cases, they were compelled to gherao the collector’s office. Shubham divulged that many local leaders along with Congress leader Mohammad Akbar reached the police station lately and exerted pressure on the police administration who in turn arrested the ABVP workers under non bailable sections of the IPC and threw them in jail. He informed that despite several attempts, his colleagues have not yet been released by the police.

ABVP activists protesting in front of the Collector’s office in Chhattisgarh

Though Opindia is not in possession of the FIR lodged in the above two cases, according to the information provided to us by Shubham Jaiswal, besides once accused named Rizwan Khan, all the others, accused of raping the 14-year-old minor girl, were also minors. Shubham alleged that Chhattisgarh police have not yet handed over the medical report of the victim and the copy of the FIR copy to the victim’s family.

Rajnandgaon BJP MP Santosh Pandey critised the Chhattisgarh police for their apathy and said that the way they have been after the ABVP workers had they pursued the rape case of the minor victim, the accused would have been arrested by now. According to the information received, IPC sections as grave as 186, 188, 353, 147, 427 and 3 other sections related to demage of public property, has been slapped on the arrested ABVP workers.

Chhattisgarh Police’s version

When Opindia approached the authorities to know the police’s take on the entire fiasco, they confirmed arresting 14 ABVP workers and sending them to jail. The police said that the protesting worker breached barricades and forcefully made their way into the collector’s office. They confirmed that 4 accused in the gang-rape case have been nabbed and they are trying to arrest the accused in the second case also.

Supreme Court to hear petition seeking removal of protesting farmers from Delhi border areas

OpIndia Staff
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Supreme Court to hear petition seeking removal of protesting farmers from Delhi border areas

Supreme Court will hear on December 16 (Wednesday) a plea seeking a direction to authorities to immediately remove the farmers who are protesting in the outskirts of Delhi against three new farm laws.

According to reports, a bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde, Justice A S Bopanna and Justice V Ramasubramanian will be hearing the petition filed by law student Rishabh Sharma who contended that the protest, which entered day 20 today, has been causing hardships to commuters due to the road blockades. He also said that the gatherings might lead to an increase in the number of coronavirus cases.

The law student has urged that necessary directions are given to authorities to open the roads at Delhi border areas and shift the protesters to allotted places. He also requested that protestors are asked to maintain social distancing and use masks to check the spread of the pathogen.

‘Distressed’ farmers protesting at Delhi borders enjoy spas and pizzas

Recently, videos emerged which showed how these ‘distressed’ farmers protesting at the border areas of Delhi have converted the areas into picnic spots. They were seen enjoying their free time at these protest sites. After getting extremely comfortable with massage parlours and a gym at these protest sites, these ‘farmers’ have now turned these public roads into a picnic spot by baking and distributing Pizzas to the so-called protestors.

Videos of the ‘pizza party’ at the protest site along the Haryana-Delhi went viral, leaving many social media users appalled. Some took to Twitter to express their ire about the façade of these so-called farmers protests.

‘Insulting Hindutva is not religious insult’: Abhinav Chandrachud, son of SC Justice Chandrachud, argues before Karnataka HC

OpIndia Staff
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‘Insulting Hindutva is not religious insult’: Abhinav Chandrachud, son of SC Justice Chandrachud, argues before Karnataka HC

Advocate Dr. Abhinav Chandrachud today contended before the Karnataka High Court that insulting Hindutva did not amount to insulting Hinduism. While appearing before the High Court in a case seeking the quashing of FIR against an law student, Advocate Chandrachud said, “Hindutva is not religion and insult to it cannot be regarded as a religious insult”. As per LiveLaw, Abhinav Chandrachud here is the son of Supreme Court justice DY Chandrachud.

The matter had come for hearing before a single-judge bench of Justice Suraj Govidaraj. The petitioner law student was charged under sections 295-A (Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings…) and 153-A (Promoting enmity between two different groups…) of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly holding an objectionable placard during an anti-CAA protest at Government Arts College, Bengaluru.

Hindutva a predominant ideology of a political party: Advocate Chandrachud

Arguing before the Court, Advocate Chandrachud said that Hindutva could be considered a philosophy, a way of life, or even a predominant ideology of a political party. Therefore according to him using insulting language against Hindutva was not insult to religion but an insult to a political philosophy. Therefore, section 295-A could not be invoked. He contended that section 153-A also was not attracted as it required two communities to be involved. “No offence under sections 153-A and 295-A is made out even if the contents of the FIR are accepted in it entirety”, he contended.

Petitioner was allegedly holding a “F*ck Hindutva” placard

The Principal of Government Arts College, Bengaluru had filed the complaint alleging that some students had assembled unlawfully in the college premises in December 2019 to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act. The complaint alleged that some individuals were displaying a placard with “F*ck Hindutva” written on it and it amounted to offences under sections 153-A and 295-A. The petitioner was granted anticipatory bail the Sessions Court on January 31, 2020. She approached the High Court seeking the quashing of FIR. The petitioner said that she was not named in the FIR.

The court posted the matter for hearing on December 21 after Advocate sought a short adjournment to place on record the citations referred to by him.

Delhi Police detains Umar Khalid’s mother and sister during protests to mark one year of Islamist violence at Jamia University

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi Police detains Umar Khalid’s mother and sister during protests to mark one year of Islamist violence at Jamia University

The mother and sister of Umar Khalid have been detained by Delhi Police along with other students of Jamia Milia Islamia University, users on social media claimed on Tuesday. Sources have confirmed the same to OpIndia. They were detained from Batla House.

Mother and sister of Umar Khalid have been detained by Delhi Police
Mother and sister of Umar Khalid have been detained by Delhi Police

Apart from Islamist Ladeeda Farzana, ‘journalist’ Saahil Murli Menghani reported the same. The protesters had reportedly gathered to commemorate the one year anniversary of the Delhi Police crackdown against Jamia Milia University after a spate of Islamist violence. One year ago, policemen were forced to enter the University to flush out violent islamist rioters who had taken refuge inside the campus. The NHRC said that the actions of the Delhi Police were justified and they were justified in entering the campus.

Sources told OpIndia that around 15 individuals were detained by the Police. They had gathered to protest but the Police had dispersed the protesters. There was very security at Jamia, therefore, the protesters decided to mark the anniversary at Batla House. However, they were dispersed from the location.

Umar Khalid is an accused in the anti-Hindu Delhi Riots case where he is alleged to have conspired to unleash riots in the national capital. Numerous lives were lost in the Islamist violence unleashed in Delhi. He is currently in prison and has been charge sheeted. His prosecution is expected to begin soon.

Fact Check: Did Wikileaks really ‘dump all their files online’ as being claimed on social media? Here are the facts

OpIndia Staff
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Fact Check: Did Wikileaks really ‘dump all their files online’ as being claimed on social media? Here are the facts

There is a claim on social media platform Twitter which says that Wikileaks has “leaked all their files” and dumped thousands of files on its website. The leaked files are claimed to contain explosive revelations about Steve Jobs, ‘PedoPodesta’ (likely refers to close Clinton aide John Podesta), Afghanistan, Syria and other fiery issues. However, the files contained in the leak are nothing new and there has been no such leak as of now.

Wikileaks has dumped all their files online, the tweet claims

There is no announcement on the official Twitter handle of Wikileaks confirming any of these claims. Usually, after any new data dump, the website makes an announcement on social media. There has been none so far. Its recent social media activity has concerned the health and well-being of its currently imprisoned founder, Julian Assange, who is being punished for embarrassing western governments.

Most recent tweet by Wikileaks

Furthermore, a quick search on Twitter revealed that the same claims with the exact same language has surfaced again and again on social media during the course of this year in various months.

The same text in April
The same text in June
The same text in November

Thus, we have tweets with the same text being circulated in April, June, November and now December. Additionally, there has been no confirmation from Wikileaks recently that they have dumped any files online.

Furthermore, the link has been available all this time as well and users could browse through the files earlier as well. Thus, it appears to be a false alarm. Nonetheless, there are thousands of files available for browsing and there are sure to be some pretty interesting information available in them.

As Republic TV CEO is sent to 14-day custody, Mumbai Police embarks to hunt Arnab Goswami down, again: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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As Republic TV CEO is sent to 14-day custody, Mumbai Police embarks to hunt Arnab Goswami down, again: Read details

The witch hunt against Republic Media Network and the Editor-in-chief of Republic TV continues unabated as the members of the crime branch of Mumbai Police reportedly travelled to Delhi to arrest Arnab Goswami in the alleged TRP scam case.

The revelation was made by the Republic TV’s advocate Abad Ponda during the hearing in the Bombay High Court regarding the plea filed by ARG Outlier challenging the FIR filed in the TRP scam case that implicates the channel.

“I am making a solemn statement that the Maharashtra Police has reached Delhi to arrest Arnab Goswami. I have received a message at 2:30 PM. It is there on my phone,” Ponda said.

The revelation was made by lawyer Abad Ponda during the arguments in the plea filed by ARG Outlier parent company of Republic TV challenging the FIR filed in the TRP scam case implicating the channel.

When the Bench took up the matter, Sr. Adv Aabad Ponda appearing for ARG argued that he seeks to make submissions for urgent reliefs. Saying that the Mumbai Police was in Delhi to arrest Arnab Goswami yet again, Mr Ponda asked for relief till tomorrow. However, the Chief Public Prosecutor had stated that no coercive steps will be taken against persons referred to in the chargesheet filed by Mumbai Police in the TRP case till tomorrow.

Republic CEO Vikas Khanchandani arrested in fake TRP case sent to 14-days custody

Even as Delhi Police reportedly reached the national capital to arrest Arnab Goswami, a magistrate court in Mumbai on Tuesday sent Republic TV Chief Executive Officer Vikas Khanchandani to judicial custody for 14 days in connection with the probe into the alleged TRP manipulation scam, reported Bar and Bench.

Earlier on Sunday, Republic CEO Vikas Khanchandani was arrested by the Mumbai Police after the police officials barged into his residence in an early morning raid, just a day ahead of the anticipatory bail hearing. The police defended his arrest, alleging that Khanchandani’s alleged role in the scam came to light during the interrogation of the channel’s distribution head, Ghanshyam Singh. Singh was arrested by the Mumbai Police last month.

The arrest of Khanchandani came just a month after the Mumbai Police had arrested and assaulted Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami in another 2018 suicide case. He was produced before Alibaug court on the same day and sent to judicial custody. The Republic TV Editor-in-chief was in jail for 8 days and was released from the Taloja Jail after the Supreme Court granted him bail on November 11.

Slamming the Maharashtra Police, the Supreme Court stated that they had failed to establish charges against Republic TV chief in the suicide case. The apex court said that there was prima facie no nexus between the FIR filed failed against Arnab Goswami and Section 306 (Abetment to Suicide) under IPC.

The so-called TRP scam allegations against Republic TV

On 8th October, Param Bir Singh, Mumbai Police Commissioner, said in a press conference that several channels have indulged in malicious practices to increase their TRP ratings. He alleged that Republic TV is one of the main accused. The complaint was filed by the Hansa group that regulated the devices to record TRP for BARC.

However, the initial FIR did not name Republic TV but named India Today network as one of the main suspects. During the investigation, several evidence and witnesses came forward that alleged Mumbai Police have been intimidating them to speak against Republic TV, including Hansa officials. Hansa has also complained that they are being harassed by the Mumbai Police to give statements against Republic TV. Despite glaring inconsistencies and contradictions, the Mumbai Police have doggedly pursued Republic TV in connection with the fake TRP case.

Republic TV has been facing the ire of the Maharashtra government after they started questioning the political powers in the state for their inaction in Palghar lynching case and Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide case. The Maharashtra Assembly even tried to bring a privilege motion against the channel and Goswami. Supreme Court had to intervene to put a stop to it.

Christian groups in Kerala call for boycott of Halal meat ahead of Christmas, IUML claims Muslims being targeted

OpIndia Staff
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Christian groups in Kerala call for boycott of Halal meat ahead of Christmas, IUML claims Muslims being targeted

Christians in Kerala have reportedly decided to boycott Halal meat ahead of Christmas. According to Times Now, Kochi based Christian group Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA) has urged Christians not to buy Halal food anymore. Hindu groups also extended their support for the call to boycott stating that they are forced to sell Halal meat in the state.

The Indian Union Muslim League has termed the campaign against Halal meat as a controversy to target the Muslims. The CASA has announced that Christians will be holding protests few days before Christmas. For the protest, they are planning to pool in money for buying and cutting the animals in non-halal manner to opposed halal meat.

The Christians are reportedly saying that they cannot consume meat that is prepared in a manner that goes against their religious sentiments. Christians groups in the state said that they are being forced to sell as well as buy halal meat in the state and therefore they have decided to raise voice against it.

According to Times Now, a Muslim League leader based in Malappuram said that the anti-halal campaign was an attempt to create division among people. The leader said that everyone had a right to choose what kind of meat they want to buy and from where they want to buy it.

What is Halal meat?

Halal can only be performed by a Muslim man. Thus, non-Muslims are automatically denied employment at a Halal firm. There are certain other conditions that must be fulfilled that makes it quite clear that it is intrinsically an Islamic practice.

Guidelines are available at the official website of a certification authority of Halal in India which makes it clear that non-Muslim employees cannot be employed in any part of the slaughtering process. The guidelines of the certification authority of Halal in India expressly mention that people employed to carry out the process of Halal must be Muslims. The guidelines clearly mention that animals slaughtered by a non-Muslim will not be Halal.

 

Kerala Electricity Board suspends its employee and Islamist organisation PFI chief Muhammed Abdul Salam Ovungal

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala Electricity Board suspends its employee and Islamist organisation PFI chief Muhammed Abdul Salam Ovungal

The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has suspended its employee and Popular Front of India (PFI) chairman Muhammed Abdul Salam Ovungal citing ‘grave misconduct’, a report published by Times Now said. Ovungal served as a Senior Assistant in Manjeri Electrical Circle of the KSEB.

The KSEB, in a letter notifying suspension of Ovungal, also known as OMA Salam, stated that the during the inquiry, it came to light that Muhammed Abdul Salam Ovungal was also holding the office of the chairman of a banned outfit under the scanner of various investigative agencies for its alleged activities and suspicious fund transactions.

The letter also said, “It has also been substantiated that the accused has made several foreign trips without the prior sanction.”

Enforcement Directorate raids locations belonging to PFI in a money-laundering case

Earlier this month, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided as many as 26 locations across the country belonging to the Popular Front of India(PFI) in connection with a money laundering case. Salam’s residence was one of the locations where ED sleuths had conducted the raid.

Following the raid at his residence, Salam had alleged that the central government was using the ED to divert people’s attention away from the ongoing farmers’ protests.

“ED carries out raids at PFI leaders’ house. Heinous attempt to divert the Farmers Issue and hide the failure of the BJP Govt. Another example of using constitutional institutions as an instrument to pressurise the opponents. Such actions can’t stop us from raising voice for justice or weaken democratic fights for rights,” Salam wrote on Twitter.

The other places where ED carried out raids included the residence of Popular Front of India (PFI) National Executive Council member Karamana Ashraf Moulavi at Poonthura in Thiruvananthapuram. The ED had registered a case against PFI leaders under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in 2018

The PFI and its associate organisation SDPI have been constantly under probe for allegations of terrorist recruitment, crime, forced conversions and anti-India activities. Reports stated that ED is conducting raids at 26 locations in the country in 9 states.

ED probing PFI’s links to the anti-CAA protests in the country

Besides money laundering case, the central investigation agency is also looking into the PFI’s links on alleged charges of funding and supporting anti-CAA protests in the country and other instances. In January, ED had submitted a note to the Union Home Ministry and stated a direct link between the dates of deposits/withdrawals of money from the bank accounts of PFI and those of demonstrations against the CAA.

The note further said, “It has been noticed that Rs1.04 crores were deposited in 15 bank accounts of PFI (10) and Rehab India Foundation (5) during the period starting from 04.12.2019 till 06.01.2020. The deposits were in form of cash and IMPS using mobile and deposit amounts vary from Rs 5,000 to Rs 49,000. The amounts have been kept below Rs 50,000 in order to [not] disclose the identity of the depositor.”

‘Kejriwal ne kela bheja hai’: AAP worker kicked out by protestors for handing out 1 banana per person, BJP, Congress tweet viral video

OpIndia Staff
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‘Kejriwal ne kela bheja hai’: AAP worker kicked out by protestors for handing out 1 banana per person, BJP, Congress tweet viral video

In a viral video, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) worker was kicked out by anti-farm law protestors for offering only one banana per person. The video was shared on Twitter by BJP leader Priti Gandhi and Congress worker Gaurav Pandhi.

In the viral video, a miffed protestor asked, “You have handed me one banana and said that this is from the Kejriwal government. Will, the government give one banana?” The AAP worker was taken aback, on being surrounded by protestors and questioned for promoting his party chief. “No, the government won’t give one banana. There are several people here,” he said in a feeble voice.

This further agitated the anti-farm law protestor. “Are you trying to get votes by handing us bananas? How dare you come here?”, he asked in an angry tone. The AAP worker, in an attempt to calm down the situation, tried to explain that he was not seeking for votes. Holding two bananas in hand, the protestor said, “You hold this banana and shove this banana up Kejriwal’s…Get out from here”. Other protestors, standing nearby, then proceeded to physically push him and shoo him away.

Political reactions on the viral video

While sharing this video, BJP leader Priti Gandhi tweeted, “See for yourself how the Aam Aadmi Party volunteer literally got kicked out of the Farmers Protest for treating the protesting farmers like beggars. Getting just the treatment they truly deserve!!”

Gaurav Pandhi of the Congress party wrote, “Dear Arvind Kejriwal, farmers have a message for you and your sickening politics. AAP workers are being ridiculed at the protest sites, but again, media won’t show this to you because Kejriwal feeds them with Ad revenue.”

Even though AAP supremo and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has recently extended his support for the anti-farm law protestors and even sat on a dharna in ‘solidarity’ with the farmers of Punjab, his fellow party worker had to face the ire of the demonstrators at a protest site.

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal expresses ‘solidarity’ with farmers

Earlier, Arvind Kejriwal had decided to go on a one-day fast. He had asked AAP workers and supporters to also fast for a day and also urged public at large to fast for a day in ‘support of farmers’. The fast was observed on yesterday. While Arvind Kejriwal and his party leaders are busy extending support to protesting ‘farmers’ from Punjab, his government in Delhi had notified one of the farm laws.

The Delhi government on November 23 notified the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance 2020. It is one of the three laws passed by the Central government against which Punjab farmers are protesting. Kejriwal and his party leaders including Delhi government ministers have extended support to the agitating farmers who have surrounded Delhi from various exit points.

AAP decides to take on Yogi Adityanath, after being embarrassed in Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, MP

OpIndia Staff
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AAP decides to take on Yogi Adityanath, after being embarrassed in Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, MP

Following an embarrassing defeat in last year’s Maharashtra assembly elections and an abrupt withdrawal from the recently concluded Bihar elections, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday announced that Aam Aadmi Party will fight the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections that are scheduled to take place in 2022.

In a press conference, the AAP supremo cited issues such as lack of good schools, healthcare facilities and chronic power supply to make a pitch for the Aam Aadmi Party’s entering the fray for the Uttar Pradesh state elections. Kejriwal said UP has been held back from progress and development because of “dirty politics” and “corrupt” politicians in the state.

The AAP chief drew on the party’s 8 years of experience in politics to justify its decision to contest the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha elections. “In its 8 years of experience, AAP formed government thrice in Delhi and has come out as main opposition in Punjab. We will fight Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2022,” Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal stated that UP elections would be fought on the plank of Delhi model of governance.

“In 2022 polls, AAP will contest Uttar Pradesh elections… a lot of people from Uttar Pradesh who live in Delhi have told us over the last few years that UP too deserve the welfare and benefits like Delhi,” Kejriwal added.

While Kejriwal made a bold announcement that his party will be gearing up for the UP Vidhan Sabha assembly elections in 2022, it is important to revisit the umpteen number of incidents when Kejriwal’s bluster has gotten the better of him and resulted into humiliating poll drubbings for the Aam Aadmi Party.

AAP wins 1 seat in Goa Zilla Parishad polls

On Monday, the ruling party BJP won 33 out of the 42 seats contested in two Zila Panchayat bodies in Goa. The Congress Party managed to win only one out of the 38 seats on which it contested. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the people have shown trust in BJP. He applauded the enthusiasm of the people of Goa to vote amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Notably, independent candidates won seven seats in the Zila Panchayat polls. Regional party MGP won four seats and AAP managed only one seat in the elections. According to the state election commission, out of 7,91,814 eligible voters, 4.50 lakh voters cast votes. Paper ballots were used in the election instead of EVM machines. This was the first time all major parties except Goa Forward Party were contesting in Zila Panchayat elections.

AAP chickened out of Bihar elections after entering the fray on Delhi model of development

In August this year, Aam Aadmi Party announced that it would be fighting the Bihar Assembly elections that were slated to happen between October 28 to November 7. Kejriwal’s governance and Delhi model of development was touted as a plank on which the AAP was going to challenge the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state.

Senior vice-president of the Bihar unit of AAP Angesh Singh said that Delhi’s model of development led by Arvind Kejriwal would challenge the Nitish Kumar’s government in Bihar, a state, which he claimed, is plagued with corruption, crimes, migration of labourers, flood and plethora of other chronic problems. The party was planning to contest on 100 seats out of the total 243 Bihar Assembly seats and was also said to be planning to tie up with some smaller parties.

However, come October, just about 45 days after announcing that it would fight the state elections, AAP abruptly pulled out of the fray, citing COVID-19 and flood as reasons for not contesting the elections.

AAP lost deposits on all 24 seats it contested in Maharashtra Assembly elections

Bihar was the first full-fledged Assembly elections after the coronavirus pandemic caused grave disruptions and caused India to go into lockdown. However, even before the pandemic took root in India and the rest of the world, AAP’s electoral forays outside Delhi were hardly impressive.

In October 2019, Maharashtra went to the polls where AAP had decided to fight on the 24 of the total 288 Vidhan Sabha seats. During the poll campaign, Kejriwal-led party had promised to “re-engineer” Maharashtra, which, according to it, was “reduced to a failed state”.

However, the Maharashtra resident did not buy into AAP’s poll rhetoric as the party not only failed in opening its account in the assembly elections, but it also lost deposits on all the 24 seats it contested. Most of the candidates barely managed to secure 1,000 votes.

In fact, so devastating was AAP’s defeat in Maharashtra that NOTA(none of the above) had fetched more votes than the AAP candidates in Maharashtra. In Maharashtra polls, the party got 0.11 per cent votes, while NOTA’s vote share was 1.37 per cent.

AAP draws a big zero in the Haryana Assembly elections

Similar was the fate of AAP in Haryana state polls. AAP had fielded 46 candidates of the 90 seats in neighbouring Haryana. But despite being home to Delhi chief minister Kejriwal, voters in the state did not poll for the Aam Aadmi Party. According to the information released by the Election Commission of India, AAP got fewer votes than those cast in favour of NOTA in Haryana. AAP’s vote share stood at 0.48 per cent in Haryana while for NOTA, it was 0.53 per cent.

The AAP had formed an alliance with the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) in Haryana for the Lok Sabha polls held in April-May, but after a humiliating defeat, it had called off the alliance. AAP had contested 3 seats in the May 2019 General elections, but it lost deposits on all the three seats. It, therefore, severed its ties with JJP in the state. However, JJP went on to win 10 assembly seats in Haryana in the state elections.

AAP loses deposits in all 29 seats it contested in Karnataka

In May 2018, AAP contested the Karnataka state elections, hoping to build a third front in the state against the rivals Congress and the BJP. The Party had contested in 29 seats, 18 of which were from Bengaluru and 11 from other parts of the state. However, it lost deposits on all the seats it fought on. Reflecting on this rout faced by AAP in Karnataka elections Reddy reflected, “We were washed out but I cannot understand why. We got a lot of support but that could not be converted into votes”.

NOTA outperforms AAP in 2018 assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh

NOTA or None Of The Above was preferred choice over the Aam Aadmi Party in the assembly elections that took place in different states.

The NOTA vote share oscillated between 2.0% in Chhattisgarh but AAP could manage to get only 0.9% of the total votes.

In Madhya Pradesh too, AAP lost all candidates and failed to outnumber NOTA votes.AAP had contested on 208 seats out of total 230, and most of the candidates even failed to save their deposits. Their chief ministerial candidate Alok Agrawal, only got 823 votes in his constituency. AAP got 0.7% of total votes while NOTA received 1.4%. SP fared better than AAP, but still not more than NOTA, as it registered 1.3% votes.

Even in Rajasthan AAP got 0.4%, while both SP and NCP got 0.2% each. NOTA votes stood at 1.3%. In Telangana, CPI and CPM both got 0.4% each, while NCP managed 0.4%. NOTA has again outnumbered them all. NOTA registered 1.1% of total votes

AAP loses deposits on all seats in Gujarat and even got lower votes than NOTA on a few in 2017 state elections

If losing election deposits were an Olympics sport, AAP would have surely bagged gold in that. The Aam Aadmi Party lost deposits on all the seats it fought in Gujarat state elections in 2017. The party fought on 33 assembly seats but lost deposit on every single one of them. The embarrassment for the party didn’t stop there and reports emerged later stating that it polled lower votes than even NOTA on a few of the seats.

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