Telangana CM's comments 'Cong means Muslims' kicks up row, BJP calls it 'highly objectionable'
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Hyderabad (PTI): Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao on Thursday hit out at Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for his comments that "Congress means Muslims and Muslims means Congress", saying the grand old party is indulging in vote bank politics.
Rao further alleged that CM Reddy is "frustrated" and that the Congress is speaking the language of Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM.
"Maximum communal riots took place under Congress rule. So how can he say that Congress means Muslims? However, this is a communal thing, highly objectionable. I think the chief minister is frustrated because he is going to lose the election (Jubilee Hills bypoll). Therefore, he only wants Muslim votes, he is not thinking of the Hindu votes," the BJP leader told PTI.
Addressing a campaign rally here on Thursday, the CM criticised Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy for opposing the recent induction of former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin into the Council of Ministers.
What is Kishan Reddy's problem if a leader belonging to minorities was made a minister, he had asked.
"The Congress government provided many opportunities to minorities. It was only Congress that gave big posts to the minorities. Congress means Muslims and Muslims means Congress," Reddy had said.
Earlier, speaking to PTI Videos, Rao alleged that Reddy was indulging in Muslim appeasement to gain the votes of the community in the November 11 bypoll to Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency here.
Reddy, who was also wearing a cap, had become "Revanth Uddin" during his campaign, for the sake of votes of 20 per cent of Muslims, he claimed.
"It is clear that his (Reddy) comments are vote bank politics. He says Muslims get respect because of Congress. Congress did not ensure respect for Muslims. In fact, Congress hurts the respect of Muslims by treating them as vote bank. It is important whether Congress is ensuring education, medical facilities, livelihood opportunities and housing to Muslims or not," Rao said.
The BRS is also following the same policies and both parties are ignoring 80 per cent Hindus for the sake of 20 per cent votes of Muslims, he alleged.
The bypoll is necessitated due to the death of BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath in June this year, following a heart attack.
While the BJP has fielded Deepak Reddy, Gopinath’s widow Sunita is the BRS candidate. The ruling Congress’ candidate is also supported by the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM.
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Was almost declared corrupt, won't get justice: Kejriwal tells HC judge seeking her recusal
New Delhi (PTI): Former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday told Delhi High Court judge Swarana Kanta Sharma that her earlier decisions in the liquor policy cases "almost declared" him guilty and corrupt, and that he apprehends he would not get justice if she continues to hear CBI's plea against his discharge.
Appearing before Justice Sharma to argue his application seeking her to withdraw from the case, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor contended that under the law on recusal, the question is not of a judge's integrity or uprightness, but of "reasonable bias" in the mind of the litigant.
Kejriwal claimed that except for the CBI's petition and one other case involving a political opponent of the BJP, no other case before Justice Sharma was being heard at the same "speed" and there was a "trend" of the court "endorsing" the investigating agencies' arguments.
He submitted that on the first day of the hearing on March 9, the court "neutralised" the discharge order, which was passed by the trial judge after day-to-day arguments of over three months, by passing a "sweeping, ex parte order" in haste in violation of principles of natural justice.
On February 27, the trial court discharged Kejriwal, Sisodia and 21 others and pulled up the CBI, saying its case was wholly unable to survive judicial scrutiny and stood discredited in its entirety.
On March 9, Justice Sharma issued notice to all 23 accused on CBI's plea against their discharge, saying certain observations and findings of the trial court at the stage of framing of charges prima facie appeared erroneous and needed consideration.
She also stayed the trial court's recommendation on the initiation of departmental action against the CBI's investigating officer in the liquor policy case.
"I was shocked and I had some apprehension about whether the court is biased and will I get justice. What was the urgency for this? What was the need for this?" Kejriwal said during the hearing.
He objected to the stay on departmental action against the CBI official as well as the deferment of proceedings on the ED case.
"This was a CBI petition. The ED has nothing to do with it. The ED is not even a party. There was no written prayer. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta only made an oral demand," he said.
Kejriwal said that Justice Sharma had earlier denied relief to him on his petition challenging his arrest, as well as bail pleas by other accused, including Manish Sisodia and K Kavitha, and also made "strong and conclusive" findings.
"I was almost declared guilty. I was almost declared corrupt. Kewal saza sunani baaki reh gayi thi (Only sentence was left to be pronounced)," he said.
"The court almost said (in Manish Sisodia's bail order that) all these guys are corrupt. They are 'maha corrupt'. Only three hearings and a conclusion was drawn that Manish was a very corrupt man," Kejriwal stated.
He emphasised that in the discharge order, the trial court has given findings that are in "stark contrast" to what the high court has earlier ruled on several critical issues, including admissibility of approver statements, and questioned if Justice Sharma would be able to change her view.
He also objected to Justice Sharma attending four functions organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad. He contended that being an ideological opponent of the BJP and RSS, he apprehended that the judge "sympathised" with their ideology and that he would not receive justice.
As Justice Sharma asked Kejriwal if she had made any ideological or political statements in the events, the AAP chief said her attendance was enough.
Kejriwal also highlighted that Home Minister Amit Shah has said in programme that the AAP chief would have to approach the Supreme Court against the high court's decision.
"What control do I have over what he says?" the judge said.
Kejriwal also alleged that Justice Sharma has a conflict of interest in the case.
He concluded arguments on his recusal application.
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