Former BSF soldier Tej Bahadur Yadav quits JJP, says 'Dushyant betrayed voters'

Vartha Bharati | 26-10-2019 | 21:12:00 IST

Chandigarh, Oct 26: Former BSF soldier Tej Bahadur Yadav quit the Jannayak Janta Party on Saturday, accusing it of betraying the Haryana voters by extending support to the BJP in forming the government.

Yadav, who was dismissed from the Border Security Force in 2017 after he posted a video complaining about the quality of food served to the troops, had joined the JJP for contesting the assembly election against Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar from the Karnal seat. He came third with 3,175 votes.

"Before the election, I had announced that if they tie up with the BJP, I will quit the JJP," Yadav told PTI.

The former BSF soldier slammed the Dushyant Chautala-led party for extending support to the Bharatiya Janata Party in forming the government, saying it was clear now that the JJP was the "B-team" of the saffron party.

"They betrayed the voters by supporting the BJP," he said.

Yadav claimed that the JJP announced to support the BJP by itself despite the latter having not sought it. "They should make it public whether they got money or anything else in return for supporting the saffron party," he said.

"The public, which gave votes to the JJP, has been opposing the JJP's move. A large number of supporters have been burning their flags and effigies ever since they announced to support the BJP," he added.

The BJP staked claim to form the government in Haryana after the JJP offered support to the saffron party, which fell short of a majority in the assembly election.

Dushyant Chautala, who met his father shortly before meeting his 10 legislators on Friday to take a decision on supporting the BJP, will take oath as the deputy chief minister of the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government on Sunday. 

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First-ever life-size Vivekananda statue in US unveiled in Seattle

12-04-2026 ¦ 12-04-2026 IST

Photo: PTI

New York (PTI): The first-ever life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda in the US was unveiled in Seattle, honouring the renowned Indian philosopher and spiritual leader.

The life-size bronze statue, installed at the busy Westlake Square in downtown Seattle, is the first such installation hosted by a city government anywhere in the US, officials said.

Sculpted by Indian artist Naresh Kumar Kumawat, it was jointly unveiled on Saturday by Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and Consul General of India in Seattle Prakash Gupta.

"From Chicago 1893 to Seattle 2026! Seattle's skyline has a new Indian icon: Swami Vivekananda! City of Seattle becomes the first city government to host the Swami Vivekananda Monument in the heart of downtown Seattle," the Consulate General of India in Seattle said in a social media post.

Addressing the event, Wilson said the monument reflects Seattle's inclusive spirit and strengthens cultural ties between India and the diverse metropolitan tech hub in the US Pacific Northwest.

The statue has been gifted by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) to the City of Seattle in recognition of its "in recognition of the city’s rich multicultural character and spirit of inclusivity", the Indian mission in Seattle said in a statement.

The unveiling of the statue was held on the occasion of the celebration of ICCR Day and is part of India's broader cultural diplomacy initiatives aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties between India and the US Pacific Northwest, the Consulate said.

Located at the bustling Westlake Square, which sees over 400,000 visitors daily, the monument stands near prominent landmarks including the Amazon headquarters ‘Spheres’, the Seattle Convention Centre and the Seattle Centre Monorail.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by several local leaders, including mayors from cities in the Greater Seattle area, community representatives and members of the Indian-American diaspora.

Swami Vivekananda had delivered his historic address at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, introducing Hindu philosophy to a global audience.