Home Blog Page 6502

Akshay Kumar puts an end to speculations, denies rumours of contesting elections

Putting an end to speculations of Akshay Kumar joining active politics, the actor took to Twitter to clarify that his cryptic tweet of getting into an ‘unknown and uncharted territory’ is not a hint on contesting elections.

Earlier today, the versatile actor had tweeted that he is going to do something he has never done before.

This tweet had fuelled speculations that he may soon take the plunge and join active politics like his former co-star Urmila Matondkar who recently joined Congress.

Mysore Pak enthusiast who doubles up as a JNU citizen in his free time also decided to have some fun.

However, putting all the speculations to rest, Akshay Kumar later clarified that whatever the ‘unknown and uncharted’ territory might be, it is definitely not politics.

Well, at least not contesting the current Lok Sabha elections.

Dear ‘Koul-Dattatreya Brahmin’ Rahul Gandhi ji, why do you hate the Kashmiri Pandit community?

Hello Rahul Gandhi,

Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Saksshi and I am a Kashmiri Pandit born into the Vishwamitra-Vasishta gotra. However, after my marriage to a fellow Kashmiri, I now belong to the Pat Svamina Kaushika gotra. As a fellow community member, I am taking the liberty to assume your knowledge about the gotra system followed within our community for granted. You staked your claim as a Dattatreya (Koul) Brahmin in November 2018 at Pushkar during one of your temple runs. Such a sudden revelation created ripples in the political circles and earned you a considerable ire.

As far as my memory and records in the public domain suggest, your grandfather Mr Feroze Gandhi was a Parsi. However, there is uncertainty clouding over the faith of your father and late Prime Minister Mr Rajiv Gandhi. Let me tell you something, gotra is a legacy passed on from one generation to the other. You inherit it from your father just as the way you inherit his surname. Honestly, you don’t choose the gotra, the gotra chooses you! For your information Mr Gandhi, gotra is not a commodity, which you can borrow and discard at the leisure of your will and political needs. I am sure you would agree with me when I say I am entitled to my legitimate doubts about your flimsy claims.

Paradoxically, I see your political compulsions. For years, you have been trying hard to find a footing in the political scenario in India. Success has been more or less elusive to you. You haven’t been able to capitalize on the advantage of being born in the political Nehru-Gandhi family either. Ironically, most of us common Indians including my 8-year-old son believes that you are a perfect mismatch for Indian politics. He thinks you should quit active politics and take up comedy as your primary career. You don’t cease to amaze him with your comic and incomprehensible speeches. He says you and politics are an oxymoron!

Personally, I don’t identify with your kind of politics and ideology. You are deeply biased but your prejudices are camouflaged under the garb of secularism. Needless to say that a particular section of Indians has an appetite for your kind of secularism, which clearly translates into anti-Hindu sentiments.

Mr Gandhi, it is an open secret that your political misadventures are conveniently buried and brushed by the left-leaning Lutyens ecosystem. Time and again, the Main Stream Media (MSM) has showered its benevolence on you through their unconditional support to whitewash your image in public life. Despite their sophisticated efforts, social media has been consistently playing spoilsport, busting your lies and exposing your dubious intentions.

Going by your words, let me ask you, Mr Gandhi, my fellow community member a few questions. Why do you harbour such hate towards the community that you call your own? I say this because as the president of the Indian National Congress (INC) how could you, a Kashmiri Dattatreya (Koul) brahmin ignore the welfare of your own community? How and why does the INC manifesto for the ongoing 2019 Lok Sabha elections not mention a word on the Kashmiri Pandit community that you claim to belong?

Now Mr Gandhi, please do not say that you were not informed or are unaware of the content of your party’s manifesto. That would be too demeaning for your position as the head of the political party. In fact, these days you have been invoking your voters through the same manifesto during your election rallies across the length and breadth of the country. Despite such a conspicuous omission, why am I not surprised? I gauged your intentions a long time ago, so was I even supposed to be, I ask you?

Your conscious ignorance of our err your community and your chronic hatred for Hindus is evident from your erratic behaviour. Your manifesto does not include a single word on us Kashmiri Hindus in the SWABHIMAAN section for Jammu and Kashmir. As a matter of fact, you don’t care two hoots about us, our plight or our rehabilitation. Actually, all that worries you is your manufactured pro-Hindu image. You have no choice but to maintain this image as a counter mechanism to the accusations of your political opponents.

Despite your evident bigotry, you want us to trust you and accept you as our leader! Well, I can not cheat my conscience, to say the least.

On one hand, you claim to be a messiah for women while on the other, you cleverly shy away from taking a stand on the draconian Article 35A. That’s surprising because every Kashmiri Pandit man is worried sick about it. You give me another benefit of the doubt to believe that you fabricated the Dattatreya (Koul) theory for your political gains. If not, then you should be well versed with the evil of 35A that every Kashmiri Pandit woman despises. 35A is a nightmare for every single daughter of Jammu and Kashmir who wishes to marry outside her own caste/state. It puts her fundamental rights at stake and that Mr Gandhi is not fair. While women from my state are vocal about the systematical perils of this article, you seem little aware, leave alone being concerned. And this is precisely what annoys me.

Khushboo, a Kashmiri Pandit woman living in Bangalore is married to a non-Kashmiri. She is indignant about Article 35A as it betrays her of her rights. She says despite being a Kashmiri Pandit, the aboriginals of the land of Rishi Kashyap, the law is highly discriminatory towards her and every girl who marries outside her community. She further adds this article snatches away her fundamental right as a citizen of Jammu and Kashmir. It is disappointing that most politicians like you, Rahul Gandhi, are oblivious to the fact that 35A robs them of their identity, voice, language and culture. She wants such laws to be repealed but thinks no one seems to care as her community is not viewed as vote bank. There are many like Khushboo who have to live with this bitter truth. Sadly, article 35A, which is in clear violation of our rights is not a worthy topic to be discussed by INC or any Congressman.

On the contrary, Omar Abdullah, born to an English mother in Rochford, England doesn’t face a similar heat. He went on to become the 8th Chief Minister of the state between 5 January 2009 and 8 January 2015. His coalition government was supported by your party.  So, Mr Gandhi, if the men are not bound by this article, why should the women be? I am sure, you will prefer your silence over a logical answer to this question as well.

Your lackadaisical attitude is worrisome and thought-provoking. You are a fake Hindu and this is obvious from your appearances in UP’s Amethi, a Hindu stronghold and Kerala’s Muslim dominated Wayanad. Your behaviour is indeed laughable because you don’t even have the courage to wear your faith on your sleeves during public appearances. Or is that you are suffering from an identity crisis?

Coming back to the point, I truly fail to understand how you, a ‘janeudhari Hindu’, is tolerant to rampant abuse of his own community/religion? I have never heard you voice your concern for us. Neither are you vocal about bringing the perpetrators responsible for our genocide and 7th exodus to books? On the contrary, I always find you siding with the anti-Hindu forces. Tragically, you support them and their demands with a ferocious approach but go absolutely mum where you are expected to voice your opinions on behalf of the Kashmiri Pandit community.


It is indeed sad that a man who claims to be a Kashmiri Hindu is absolutely clueless about the word “Bhakt.” For your information, Bhakt is not a word Mr Gandhi, it is a sentiment dear to every practising Hindu. Alas! a fake Hindu like you will never be able to decipher its subtle meaning.

So, Mr Gandhi now is time for you to stop satiating the political ambitions of people living around you. I urge you to introspect your political journey thus far and give it a serious thought. For once, shed this unseen cloak and be true to your inner self. Do something that you really like doing. It would be in the best of our interests (yours too) for you to retire from politics and lead a tranquil and dignified life. Perhaps you are not meant for politics, just think about it!

Wish you the best for your future endeavours. May good sense prevail on you.

Rahul Gandhi talks while PM Modi delivers the Make In India promise: Apple to shift mass production of iPhones from China to India

Technology giant Apple Inc. has shifted its mass production facility from China to India even as China taunts India that India could ‘work harder’ to catch up with China in manufacturing. As per reports, Apple’s iPhone will be mass produced in India by Foxconn Technology from this year onward.

The Taiwanese company’s group chairman, Terry Gou said that the decision followed Prime Minister Modi’s invite to the company to Make in India. Apple already manufactures older models of the phones in Bengaluru but by this move, Apple will start manufacturing more recent models in India. As per reports, Foxconn is ready to start trial production before it starts full-fledged production in Chennai. Gou had said that in future Foxconn will play an important role in India’s smartphone industry.

This should come as a good news for Congress President Rahul Gandhi who has been obsessed with mobile phone manufacturing units. A few weeks back, there was not a single rally Rahul Gandhi held where he did not talk about setting up a local mobile phone manufacturing unit. All this because the Prime Minister hopeful of the Congress party believes that all mobile phones are manufactured in China only.

Till 2014, there were only 2 mobile phone manufacturing units in India which in 2018 had grown up to 120 factories and has created jobs for over 4 lakh people. As per a report by the Indian Cellular Association (ICA), India is now the second largest manufacturer of smartphones in the world. According to data provided by ICA, 11 million units of phones were made in India in the year 2017.

India is also the world’s second-largest smartphone market, which no phone maker can ignore. As India is an extremely price conscious market, companies are preferring to make their phones for the Indian market in India only, as they can save on import duty and international shipping costs, which help in keeping prices low.

Although so many phones are made in India now, most of them are actually assembled here using parts imported from abroad. But that would change, as India establishes itself as a major manufacturing hub for phones, companies will also start moving component making to India. In fact, that process has already started, Samsung and Xiaomi have around 60 per cent share in the smartphone market, and both companies have started PCB manufacturing in the country. With Apple entering India’s manufacturing scene with more investment, this figure is only bound to increase.

And while India manufactures lots of mobile phones now, contrary to what Rahul Gandhi believes, we still can’t answer some of his other questions about phones. Like, why the Indian government does not buy mobile phones from Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), or when Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will start making phones.

India missed a golden opportunity to resolve the Kashmir issue after winning the 1971 war: PM Modi

In an election rally in Barmer in Rajasthan, PM Narendra Modi said that India had missed a golden opportunity to settle the Kashmir dispute. In the 1971 war, the Indian army had captured hundreds of Pakistani troops and occupied a significant amount of Pakistani land. He blamed the Congress government for missing out on this opportunity.

The Prime Minister said, “the government crumbled under global pressure and signed the Shimla agreement and the matter was closed. PoWs and the captured land were released. That was a golden opportunity to resolve the Kashmir dispute in lieu of the PoW”.

Bending under global pressure, the Congress government had released 90,000 PoWs and the captured lands, a mistake which costs us even to this day. The Prime Minister said that this was the reason Congress was against the idea of nationalism.

Read: India’s missing 54: The 54 ‘Abhinandans’ who never came home from Pakistan

Nevertheless, he reiterated that his government would not let the country be bullied by Pakistan’s policies and that the Balakot air strike was fitting reply.

Reaffirming the country’s capability of nuclear deterrence, he said “India has stopped the policy of getting scared of Pakistan’s threats. Every other day they used to say ‘we have nuclear button, we have nuclear button’. What do we have then? Have we kept it for Diwali?”

In response to criticism he faced on raising national security issues during election rallies he said “If I do not talk about the military valour, what for am I here? To sing with a Bhajan Mandali”. He further criticised the Congress for demanding evidence of the success of Balakot strikes.

Long-standing demands like the One Rank One Pension and the National War Memorial, ignored by the Congress government, has been fulfilled by the Modi administration, he said. “There was a long pending demand for war memorial but Congress built memorials for their family. They built ‘Samadhi’ for their family but did not build war memorial in the memory of jawans who sacrificed life for the country”, the PM added.

Referring to the numerous defence procurement scams he said that the Congress wasn’t interested in talking about national security.

“The Chowkidaar has also made efforts to get citizenship amendment law passed for those having faith in the country (Maa Bharati). The people of this country who chose to live in Pakistan at the time of partition …. started facing atrocities because their faith and the way of revering god was different,” he said, reiterating his support for the oppressed minorities in Pakistan.

Like Father Like Son: After Azam Khan’s sexist comment against Jaya Prada, son Abdullah calls her ‘Anarkali’

Just days after Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan resorted to cheap sexist slur against BJP Rampur candidate Jaya Prada, it is the turn of his son Abdullah, who has now made slanderous attack calling her “Anarkali”.

According to reports, Abdullah Azam while addressing an election rally, made an apparent reference to Jaya Prada by calling her “Anarkali”. Abdullah Azam Khan said, “Ali bhi humare, Bajrang Bali bhi chahiye lekin anarkali nahi chahiye (We want Ali and also Bajrang Bali but not Anarkali).”


Reportedly, Abdullah Azam was speaking in reference to Yogi Adityanath’s response to BSP chief Mayawati, who had appealed to Muslim voters to not vote for the Congress. Following their remarks, both Mayawati and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister were barred from election campaign for 48-hours and 72-hours respectively.

However, actor-turned-politician has hit back against Abdullah Azam Khan and said, “Can’t decide whether to laugh or cry, like father like son. Hadn’t expected this from Abdullah. He’s an educated man. Your father says ‘I’m Amrapali’ & you say ‘I’m Anarkali,’ Is that how you see women of society?”

Anarkali was a famous courtesan in Mughal emperor Akbar’s court. She is known to have had an affair with Akbar’s son Jehangir, for which she was punished by Akbar.

Earlier last week, in a shocking sexist remark, Samajwadi leader Azam Khan had said, “Uski asliayat samajhne me apko 17 baras lagey. Main 17 din me pehchan gaya ke inke niche ka jo underwear hai woh khaki rang ka hai (It took 17 years for you to recognise her reality. But it took me only 17 days to recognise that the colour of her underwear is Khaki)”, commented Khan trying to suggest that Prada had links with the RSS and the allegations against him were an RSS conspiracy.

Following his utterly shameless statements, Azam Khan was barred from election campaigning for over 72-hours. However, he did not seem to mend his ways despite being subjected to a 72-hour ban as he said to voters that ‘voting for Congress is like eating shit covered with silver foil’.

In a video, Azam Khan was also caught threatening bureaucrats when he said to his supporters that, “Do not be afraid of collectors. They are salaried employees. Nobody should bother about a salaried government employee. Have you seen how such big officers used to clean Mayawati’s shoes with their handkerchief? We have an alliance with Mayawati. If god wishes so, we will also make these collectors clean our shoes.”

Rahul Gandhi’s nomination from Amethi found valid, objections on foreign citizenship rejected by Returning Officer

In a major relief for Rahul Gandhi, his nomination papers for contesting the Lok Sabha election from Amethi in UP has been found valid. The returning officer of Amethi found no problem with the documents submitted by the Congress president.

Scrutiny of Rahul Gandhi’s nomination was originally scheduled on 20th April, but after receiving objections, the same was postponed till today. Four persons, including an independent candidate from Amethi Dhruv Lal, had objected to the nomination, citing dependencies in his educational details and alleging that Rahul Gandhi is a foreign national and he holds passport of a foreign country.

Rahul Gandhi’s lawyers had sought time from the Returning Officer to submit their responses to the objections, and they were asked to submit the same by today. Lawyer KC Kaushik said that Rahul Gandhi was born in India and he holds an Indian passport, he never took citizenship of any other country. He asserted that Rahul Gandhi has an Indian passport and voter ID, and he pays income tax only in India. He denied allegations that Gandhi had paid income taxes in the UK.

Advocates KC Kaushik and Shilpi Satyapriya Satyam represented Rahul Gandhi in front of the Returning Officer, and submitted responses to the objections raised. The returning officer in his order noted that all columns in the Form were properly filled, including the educational details. Regarding foreign citizenship, it was noted that Rahul Gandhi a voter from 40 New Delhi legislative constituency and necessary documents have been submitted as evidence of the same. It was also noted that the petition did not submit any evidence to prove that Rahul Gandhi holds foreign citizenship.

Therefore, the objections raised against Rahul Gandhi’s nomination have been rejected and the nomination has been accepted by the Election Commission. The NDA candidate from Wayanad has also filed objections against Rahul Gandhi’s nomination from Wayanad on the same grounds. But with Amethi Returning Officer rejecting the objections, it is likely that Wayanad objection will also be rejected.

Journalists and politicians spread lies about Sadhvi Pragya’s age, do not retract their tweets even after being fact-checked

Sadhvi Pragya, BJP’s MP candidate from Bhopal, had recently claimed that she was involved in the demolition of the disputed structure at the Ram Janmabhoomi site otherwise known as Babri Masjid.


Soon after Sadhvi Pragya’s claims, many left-leaning journalists and politicians had had a collective meltdown, first over the Sadhvi’s bold claim and unapologetic stand over her role in the event that is termed as an evil act by India’s self-proclaimed ‘liberals’. When that did not work, they had tried to dismiss the claim as fake, peddling a narrative that the Sadhvi would have been a child in 1992 and hence, making false claims.

Via Twitter
Via Twitter

Former Jammu and Kashmir CM and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, who has been openly threatening of secession recently, had also mocked Sadhvi Pragya claiming that she would have been a toddler in 1992 when the so called Mosque was demolished.

Via Twitter

And when there is fake news, can The Wire be far behind?


However, it was soon proven that the aspersions regarding Sadhvi Pragya’s age were incorrect. Aa fact-check done by India Today’s ‘Anti Fake News War Room’ stated that Sadhvi Pragya’s 2016 bail application in the Bombay High Court cites her age as 44. Which means that she would at least have been born in 1972.

The website also contacted Sadhvi’s sister Upma Singh, who has further claimed that Sadhvi was born in 1970, making her above 20 years of age in 1992.

it is, however, interesting to note that none of the above-mentioned people have retracted their tweets and have posted clarifications about sharing misleading ideas.

Ever since Sadhvi Pragya has been declared as a candidate from BJP, she has been at the receiving end of brutal attacks against her ideology and beliefs. Even though there was no charge sheet against her after years of illegal imprisonment and she has got a clean chit from NIA after her bail in 2017, the so-called liberal media ecosystem, which wastes no time looking for excuses to whitewash dreaded Islamic terrorists as victims, has been hounding her non-stop.

‘Chowkidar chor hai’ bubble bursts, Rahul Gandhi tells SC that he attributed statement to Rafale judgement in ‘heat of campaigning’

Rahul Gandhi who has developed a penchant for lying and getting caught in the process has this time been caught in the Supreme Court for his lies, no less. Earlier, the Supreme Court, pursuant to a petition filed by BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi had sent Rahul Gandhi a criminal contempt notice for twisting the Supreme Court’s words and attributing ‘chowkidaar chor hai’ words to the Supreme Court’s decision in the Rafale case. In his response, Rahul Gandhi had said that he made the statement in the heat of election campaigning.


Rahul Gandhi has thus essentially retracted his statement where he said that the Supreme Court has admitted that “Chowkidaar ne chori ki hai” and, in an attempt to shield himself from criminal contempt, said that the statement was made in the heat of political campaigning.

Rahul Gandhi, while addressing the media, had said that Supreme Court has accepted that ‘Chokidar Chor Hai’.

Hearing the petition, CJI Ranjan Gogoi had said, “The views attributed to this court in the address made by Rahul Gandhi to the media and public has been incorrectly attributed to the court. Supreme Court at no occasion recorded any such views or made any such observations. What was decided by the court was legal admissibility of certain documents. We feel it proper to seek an explanation from Rahul Gandhi.”

Rahul Gandhi had distorted the SC order while talking to the media, and said that Supreme Court has accepted that there is some form of corruption in Rafale deal and that “chowkidaar ne chori karwayi hai”. The Supreme Court observed that it had on “no occasion” made any comments as attributed by Gandhi and that the judgment was solely on the legal question of admissibility of documents produced by review petitioners. The top court has asked Rahul Gandhi to reply by April 22.

According to a Republic TV translation, Rahul Gandhi has said:

“Now, let’s talk about Rafale row. A couple of days ago, an interview of Prime Minister was played on TV where he told the journalist that Court has given him a clean chit. Today, the Supreme Court had made it clearer that the Chowkidar has is involved in the theft (Chowkidaar ne chori ki hai). Supreme Court has accepted that there is corruption involved in the entire Rafale issue. And like I have been saying for ages now, if an investigation is undertaken on this matter, two names will surface: Narendra Modi and Anil Ambani. I have been saying for the past few months that the Prime Minister of India stole Air Force’s money and gave it to Anil Ambani, amount of 30,000 crores. The Supreme Court has taken cognisance of this and has called for an investigation. I have been challenging Mr Modi for a debate. Narendra Modi Ji the Supreme Court has said that you are indulged in corruption and you have supplied money to Anil Ambani. Come, let’s discuss corruption. The nation wants to know about Rafale matter, corruption and demonetisation. They already know about Amit Shah’s son. I am saying that the there was corruption involved in the Rafale deal and Modi Ji gave an amount of 30,000 crores to Anil Ambani. Chowkidar don’t want to debate with me. Supreme Court will do justice. Supreme Court said that Chowkidar is involved in a theft (Chowkidar ne chori ki hai)”. 

Earlier, responding to sexual harassment allegations that had been levelled against the Chief Justice of India, CJI Ranjan Gogoi had said that he was being pressurised to not preside over important cases that he was about to hear this week. The contempt petition against Rahul Gandhi was one of the cases.

Locals of Begusarai reveal how goons of Kanhaiya Kumar beat them up on his instructions after they waved black fags during his roadshow

Shocking videos have surfaced in which locals of Begusarai, Bihar are seen complaining that they were mercilessly beaten up by CPI candidate from Bihar’s Begasarai constituency, Kanhaiya Kumar’s supporters on his instructions.


The incident occurred after some locals of the village waved black flags at him and raised slogans against Kanhaiya Kumar during a roadshow on Sunday. This led to subsequent clashes between his supporters and the locals.

Irked by the handful of locals, Kanhaiya allegedly instructed his supporters to hit everyone who was seen waving the black flags at him. His supporters began to unleash their anger at innocent locals as well. They entered houses of locals and started to pull them out of their respective houses before assaulting them. Kanhaiya Kumar is seen monitoring the entire incident while standing in his car.


A local who tried to raise his voice against the brutality is seen being pushed and assaulted by Kumar’s supporters.


A team of police arrived at the spot and the situation was brought under control. No FIR has been lodged in this connection so far, the officer said.

However, this is not the first time the wannabe politician who after being ditched by the ‘mahagathbandhan‘ is contesting 2019 Lok Sabha elections on a CPI (Communist Party of India) ticket from Begusarai, has faced such resentment. Earlier too during a campaign procession, Kanhaiya Kumar was gheraoed by Begusarai locals and questioned about the ‘Bharat tere tukde honge’ slogans that were raised by him and his opposition to reservation for the economically backward sections of the society.

Locals of Begusarai, who were outraged by Kanhaiya Kumar’s stand on various issued stopped his cavalcade and asked him what kind of ‘Azaadi’ he wanted, referring to the ‘Hum cheen ke lenge Azaadi, Bharat tere tukde honge Inshallah’ slogans that were raised in JNU by Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and other students in 2016.

The local who confronted Kanhaiya said that the poor people of this country don’t want any ‘Azaadi’. He also said that while it is good that Kanhaiya wants to become a politician, but he needs to give answers to the people of this country.

Following the conversation, both sides resorted to sloganeering. The locals, in unison, said “Deshdrohi Murdabad”. According to reports, it was only after persuasion that Kanhaiya’s cavalcade was allowed to pass.

Incidentally, in October 2018, an FIR was filed in Patna against Kanhaiya Kumar and his supporters after they misbehaved with AIIMS doctors. From his close aide accusing him of being a ‘liar’ and a ‘casteist’, to when Kanhaiya was accused of flashing his d***k to a woman, Kanhaiya Kumar has been a paragon of disruption and a symbol of everything that is wrong with Indian politics. We had earlier also reported how Kanhaiya Kumar had used a disreputable journal, which is blacklisted internationally, to get his article published for PhD thesis submission.

Allahabad Court sends notice to Congress and Election Commission: Is NYAY scheme a bribe to voters?

Congress’ slogan for the 2019 elections is ‘Ab NYAY Hoga’ (Now, justice will be served). The slogan is based on a scheme called NYAY that has been mentioned by Congress in its 2019 election manifesto. The scheme promises to transfer Rs. 72,000 as minimum income to poor families who earn less than that. Now, the scheme itself has run into trouble as Allahabad Court has issued a notice to Congress and the Election Commission of India (ECI) asking whether the scheme itself can be considered an electoral bribe to the voters.

The Allahabad High Court has issued a notice to ECI and the Congress party, pursuant to a petition filed, asking whether Congress’ NYAY scheme is a violation of the Representation of People Act, 1951 and Model Code of Conduct.

The Petition says that according to Section 100 of the People’s Representation Act, the election is liable to be held void if the result has been materially affected by corrupt practices.

The petition, according to Bar and Bench says:

“What constitutes “Corrupt Practice”, has been enumerated in Section 123 of the RP Act. It includes “bribery”, that is to say, any gift, offer or promise of a candidate or his agent or by any other person with the consent of candidate, his Election Agent or any gratification to any person whomsoever with the object, directly or indirectly, inducing an Elector to vote or as a reward to elector having voted”.

The Petition appeals to the Court to order the removal of the NYAY scheme from Congress’ list of poll promises. The petition also asks the Court to direct Congress candidates to not take advantage of the scheme in their election campaigning.

The Allahabad Court, after issuing the notice, has given the Election Commission 10 days to respond. The next date of hearing is set to be May 13th.

Interestingly, the Court also observed that the petitioner had taken up the issue with the Election Commission by submitting a representation but the Election Commission did not take cognizance of it.

There have been several allegations of bias against the Election Commission in the ongoing 2019 elections. Recently, former civil servants had written a letter to the President of India raising concern over the selectivity of Election Commission and had alleged that a motivated group of people were influencing the EC to take anti-Modi decisions. Recently, the EC had barred the release of PM Modi’s biopic starring Vivek Oberoi and had also ordered that even the episodes already aired of EROS series based on PM Modi should be taken off the air.