Giriraj Singh surrenders in court in MCC violation case, gets bail
Begusarai (Bihar): Union minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday surrendered before a local court in a model code of conduct violation case for making controversial remarks against the Muslim community at an election rally in the state.
The firebrand BJP leader surrendered before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Thakur Aman Kumar here.
The CJM granted bail to Singh in the case lodged under relevant sections of the Representation of People's Act and the Indian Penal Code.
"Those who cannot say 'Vande Mataram' or cannot respect the motherland, the nation will never forgive them. My ancestors died at the Simaria Ghat and did not need a grave but you need three handspans of space," he had said in Hindi for making the remarks at a poll meeting in Begusarai on April 24.
Besides BJP president Amit Shah, the election meeting was attended by a number of other party leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi.
The court also asked Singh to furnish two bail bonds of Rs 5,000 each. The Election Commission had also issued a show-cause notice to the minister for his remarks.
The EC said, prima facie, Singh has violated provisions of the model code and directions of the Supreme Court, which had observed that religion cannot be used while making statements during campaigning.
The veteran BJP leader is locked in a three-cornered contest with CPI candidate Kanhaiya Kumar and RJD's Tanveer Hasan in the Begusarai Lok Sabha constituency, where voting took place on April 29 in the fourth phase.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
