Nishikant Dubey challenges Rahul Gandhi on caste census implementation in Karnataka
New Delhi: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has sharply criticized Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over his stance on the caste census, questioning why the Congress has not implemented it in Karnataka, where the party is in power. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Dubey pointed out that despite Congress' claims of advocating for OBC rights, it has historically opposed OBC reservations and has never appointed an OBC Chief Minister in key states like Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh.
Dubey further challenged Gandhi, asking why the Congress did not conduct a caste census during its tenure in 2011 and why it has not acted on a caste-based census report in Karnataka. He also accused the Congress of attempting to extend OBC reservations to 86 Christian and 56 Muslim castes "through the back door," despite these religions not traditionally recognizing caste systems.
The BJP MP emphasized that the current Prime Minister, a member of a backward community, has done more for OBCs than the Congress, which he claimed only began talking about OBC issues after the Prime Minister set the agenda.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Health Minister JP Nadda also criticized Gandhi earlier this month, questioning the OBC representation in Congress-linked organizations like the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. Sitharaman challenged Gandhi to reflect on his party's practices before criticizing the BJP's approach to OBC reservations.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
