BJP attempting to capture power in Karnataka, be cautious and stay united: Kharge to state Cong
Kalaburagi (Karnataka), Apr 16 (PTI): Accusing the BJP of trying to capture power in Karnataka by overthrowing the Congress government, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday asked his partymen and leaders here to be cautious and to stay united, overcoming internal differences.
Hitting out at the Centre for ED's chargesheet against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, he said, neither the party or its leadership will fear or bow down because of such things, and will continue to raise voice for the welfare of the country and its people.
"...what have you (BJP) done for the country? Only use ED, Income Tax and CBI and try to create fear. Wherever the Congress is in power they want to capture power there by overthrowing the governments," Kharge said.
Similar attempts are on in Karnataka, he claimed, and said, "Our people (Congress) here should be cautious. Whatever the internal difference may be among you, you should remain united. If not, Modi and Shah together will swallow the poor people. To protect people you have been given power. Protecting them is in your hands. They (BJP) are sitting there, looting and creating rifts."
"BJP tries to fear Congress leaders, but we won't fear or budge. We will always fight with your blessings and support. We will keep the country united, build the country and kick out the BJP government," he added.
Kharge was addressing a job fair event here organised by the state government that was attended by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy D K Shivakumar and a host of ministers from the state, among others.
Alleging that the central government's focus is more towards targeting important leaders from other political parties who speak out, by using ED, CBI and CVC, Kharge said National Herald paper was started in 1937 by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to mobilise the people of the country towards the freedom struggle, along with papers in two other languages.
"On such an organisation that worked for the country, ED was asked to probe and a chargesheet has been filed against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.This is shameful...you can't fear us by making ED to file a chargesheet on Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. We and our leaders will never bow down because of such things, and will always work for the good of the country," he added.
Hitting out at the BJP for repeatedly accusing the Congress of insulting Ambedkar, the Congress chief asked, "Did RSS and BJP love and respect him? No...."
"It is Congress which made Ambedkar the chairman of the drafting committee of the Constitution and the Constitution given by him is alive even today. It is you people (BJP), who are today trying to finish off that Constitution," he said, as he accused the BJP of trying to divide the country and society, and creating rift between religions.
Noting that people may take objection to him criticising PM Narendra Modi and BJP at a government programme, Kharge later while addressing another event said, recently the PM criticised Congress party and its governments, while speaking at a government event in Haryana.
"When Modi can speak such a thing at a government function, why can't I as the Leader of Opposition and former MP and MLA from here. If I don't tell the truth to the people here, it will be a mistake on my part," he said.
The central government repeatedly tries to blame or criticise the Congress, the AICC chief said, "Be it any issue, they criticise Congress, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi for everything. You (BJP/central govt) do your job....Rahul Gandhi's father (Rajiv Gandhi) and grandmother (Indira Gandhi) died for the country and on members of such a people, you are filing the ED case."
Noting that there is no AIIMS hospital in Gulbarga (Kalaburagi) division or Kalyana Karnataka region and that he has written several letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Health Minister in this regard, Kharge said, despite repeated requests they are not showing their grace towards Kalaburagi.
"I don't know what the reason is. Is it because I'm the Opposition Leader (in Rajya Sabha) and I'm from here? ....I don't know why the neglect is? When I ask about AIIMS for Kalaburagi, they say Siddaramaiah and the Karnataka government is not ready to give the land. I have said that I'm ready to get the amount of land they want....." he said, accusing the central government of neglecting the region.
If AIIMS is given to Kalaburagi, it will benefit the surrounding districts and he will write another letter to the Centre and also ensure that a letter goes from the chief minister too. He further said, "I have no issue if it comes up in neighbouring Raichur district. If it (AIIMS) is given to any part of our region either Raichur or Koppal, I'm fine with it, it will benefit the region. I want it in this region of Kalyana Karnataka as it is a backward region."
Kharge said he had told the chief minister and other ministers to focus on bringing industries to Kalaburagi and Kalyana Karnataka region.
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High courts upheld only 8 per cent of death sentences; SC confirms none in recent years: Report
New Delhi (PTI): Highlighting that a high acquittal rate of death row convicts by the Supreme Court and high courts demonstrates a pattern of "erroneous or unjustified convictions", a study of 10 years of death penalty data has revealed that the top court did not confirm any death sentences in recent years.
The study by Square Circle Clinic, a criminal laws advocacy group with the NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad, found that an overwhelming majority of death sentences imposed by trial courts did not withstand scrutiny at higher judicial levels. Acquittals far outnumbered confirmations at both the high courts and Supreme Court levels.
According to the report, the trial courts across India awarded 1,310 death sentences in 822 cases between 2016 and 2025. High courts considered 842 of these sentences in confirmation proceedings but upheld only 70 or 8.31 per cent.
In contrast, 258 death sentences (30.64 per cent) resulted in acquittals. The study noted that the acquittal rate at the high court level was nearly four times the confirmation rate.
Data showed that of the 70 death sentences confirmed by high courts, the Supreme Court decided 38 and did not uphold a single one. The apex court has confirmed no death sentences between 2023 and 2025.
"Wrongful or erroneous or unjustified convictions, then, are not random or freak accidents in the Indian criminal justice system. The data indicates they are a persistent and serious systemic concern," the report said.
Over the last decade, high courts adjudicated 1,085 death sentences in 647 cases, confirming only 106 (9.77 per cent). During this period, 326 persons in 191 cases, were acquitted.
The report attributed low confirmation rates to the appellate judiciary’s concerns regarding failures in due process. "This coincides with increased Supreme Court scrutiny of safeguards at the sentencing stage," the report said.
Of the 153 death sentences decided by the apex court over the last decade, the accused were acquitted in 38 cases. In 2025 alone, high courts overturned death sentences into acquittals in 22 out of 85 cases (over 25 per cent). The same year, Supreme Court acquitted accused persons in more than half of the death penalty cases it decided (10 out of 19), the report said.
The study highlighted that 364 persons who were ultimately acquitted "should not even have been convicted and unjustifiably suffered the trauma of death row". It added that such failures extend beyond adjudication and reflect serious lapses in investigation and prosecution.
The question of remedies for wrongful convictions remains pending before the Supreme Court. In September 2025, three persons acquitted by the apex court filed writ petitions seeking compensation from the state and argued that their wrongful convictions violated their fundamental right to life and liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.
"In 2022, the Supreme Court crystallised a sentencing process in Manoj v. State of Madhya Pradesh , and mandated all courts to follow those guidelines before imposing or confirming a death sentence," the report read.
In 2025, the apex court held in Vasanta Sampat Dupare v. Union of India that death penalty sentencing hearings form part of the right to a fair trial and stressed that capital punishment can be imposed only after a constitutionally compliant sentencing process.
"However, even at the high courts whether the process mandated under Manoj is being complied with is in doubt,” the report said.
