NDA preparing to 'steal' Bihar polls just like Haryana: Priyanka
Motihari/Sitamarhi/Madhubani (PTI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday alleged that the NDA was "preparing to steal" the assembly polls in Bihar, "just like they did in Haryana".
Addressing back-to-back public rallies in Sitamarhi, East Champaran and Madhubani districts, the Congress general secretary alleged that the Election Commission (EC) was "colluding with the government to weaken our Constitution and democratic rights".
"Just like they stole the entire election in Haryana, they are preparing to do the same in Bihar by deleting 65 lakh votes from the rolls," she said.
The Haryana assembly polls last year were "stolen", Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged on Wednesday, citing electoral list data to claim that 25 lakh entries were fake and the Election Commission colluded with the BJP to ensure the party's victory.
The elaborate plan included a Brazilian model whose photograph was used 22 times in 10 booths in the Rai assembly constituency during the 2024 assembly elections, the former Congress president said at a press conference during which he put up a presentation to back his claim.
Vadra challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah to conduct free and fair elections. "Then we will see who wins," she said.
"Rahul Gandhi's fight is for you and truth; he is fighting the same battle that Mahatma Gandhi once fought," she asserted.
Vadra claimed that those who are "betraying" this country will "not be forgotten" by the people.
The Congress leader charged CEC Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and S S Sandhu with "mocking the Constitution and democracy of India".
"If you think you will lead a convenient life after retirement, that is not going to happen," she said.
She alleged that the NDA government has no respect for the people of Bihar, who have contributed immensely to the development of the nation.
"Even your CM Nitish Kumar is controlled from New Delhi. There is a single-engine government in Bihar, which is turned 'on' and 'off' by Modi ji at the Centre. The PM does not even share the stage with Nitish ji during election rallies, which is a disrespect to Bihar and Biharis," she asserted.
Vadra alleged that the NDA government has shut the avenues of employment in agriculture, industry, government jobs and factories, forcing people to migrate out of the state and leave their wives alone "to bear the burden of struggle".
She claimed that while common people in Bihar spend their lifetime repaying the interests of the loans they take in emergency situations, "the loans of corporates and business houses are waived off".
"BJP leaders urge people to vote for the NDA in the name of religion, and not for development. If this election is free and fair, the people of Bihar will uproot this government and vote for one that will work for the poor, women and the youth," she said.
Slamming the NDA government for "poor infrastructure" in the state, the Congress leader also claimed that "27 bridges have collapsed in the last three years" in Bihar.
Taking a dig at Narendra Modi, Vadra said, "He is the prime minister of India. Does he not have any other work than measuring the size of opposition leaders' images on posters?"
She was ostensibly alluding to the remarks of the PM wherein he pointed out the "omission of Lalu Yadav's image from RJD's posters and banners".
The Congress leader alleged that the BJP assented to a caste-based census out of fear of defeat following the 2024 general elections, adding that now "they have put its implementation in cold storage".
If the INDIA bloc government comes to power, it will introduce 30 per cent reservation for EBCs and 20 per cent for SCs in panchayats and civic bodies, she claimed.
"The INDIA bloc government will give people of Bihar free health coverage of Rs 25 lakh, reduce the cost of cooking gas cylinder to Rs 500, provide Rs 2,500 per month to women, and give three-five decimals of land or a house in the name of female members of each poor household," she claimed.
The Congress leader also said that pensions for the elderly and widows will be increased to Rs 1,500, promising that an increment of Rs 200 will be made each year, while pensions for persons with disabilities will be Rs 3,000.
She also promised a guarantee of MSP to farmers alongside the introduction of the Mandi system.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
