Government misusing institutions for political vendetta: Kanhaiya Kumar
Thane, Oct 3: Former JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Thursday alleged that the BJP-led government was misusing institutions like the ED, CBI and EC for political vendetta and to destroy its opponents.
Kumar was here to campaign for NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad, who has been renominated by the party from the Mumbra-Kalwa Assembly seat.
"The government institutions in the country, like the ED, CBI and EC should not be misused for settling political scores and destroying the political opponents, which were being done presently," he told reporters.
"The misuse of these institutions happening for political vendetta is not a question of election, but of the nation, democracy and the Constitution...It will have long- term repercussions," he added.
The institutions should remain independent as they have to function even as the governments come and go, Kumar said, adding, "If if a new government comes to power, it will adopt the same tactics with their opponents. This kind of political culture is not proper."
"If one joins the BJP after getting ED's notice, then he becomes a 'sadachari' (righteous) from 'bhrashtachari' (corrupt) person. How does this happen?" he asked.
It means there is a political pressure, making use of which the opposition in the country is being suppressed, and the people should come out of their houses and fight this, Kumar, who unsuccessfully contested the last Lok Sabha election as CPI's Begursarai candidate, said.
When asked to speak about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said the generations to come will comment on him.
"I am not Rahul Gandhi, so that they can file a defamation suit against me. I will fight and prove that I am aware of history even if they try to bury it."
"Godse had assassinated Gandhi, which is a sin on their head. History will repeatedly ask them this question...let them fake it as much as they want in the name of 'Swachh Bharat', but Gandhi's bloodstains are splashed on their kurtas," he alleged.
"Those who are searching god in masjid are not actually searching for god, but they want to set up Nathuram's government in the name of Ram," he alleged.
"Just as the British adopted divide-and-rule policy, these people are adopting divert-and-rule tactics...If people are facing problems, the leaders should get down from the helicopter and solve their problems.
On a question why people were repeatedly electing the BJP, he said, "On the occasion of Gandhi jayanti yesterday, a picture of Gandhiji was projected on the Burj Khalifa. France issued a postal stamp on him. The Time magazine carried his photo on the cover page. But on Twitter, the maximum number of tweets were 'Godse amar rahe. Is it not shameful?"
"History will question us for this later. Whatever we do today, we have to face its consequences later on. This is because we fight elections on emotional issues. We can win elections, but perception is always perception, it never becomes a reality," he said.
Kumar said the people of Maharashtra, instead of asking whose son or grandson is contesting the election, should ask why their children were not getting jobs despite being educated.
"This place was once an industrial hub, but industries shut down. In Mumbai, mills disappeared and apartments took their place. The working-class culture is gradually disappearing. Farmers are suffering due to drought in Marathwada, while inSatara, Sangli and other floods wreaked havoc," he said.
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‘Self-styled Vishwaguru stands exposed’: Cong's dig at PM over Pak role in US-Iran ceasefire
New Delhi (PTI): Taking a swipe at the government, the Congress on Wednesday said the role played by Pakistan in bringing about the ceasefire between the US and Iran is a “severe setback” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's “highly personalised diplomacy” and “the self-styled Vishwaguru stands thoroughly exposed”.
The opposition party also said Prime Minister Modi's “cowardice is demonstrated by his silence not only on Israel’s belligerence, but on the completely unacceptable and disgraceful language being used by his good friend in the White House”.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the entire world will cautiously welcome the two-week ceasefire in the West Asia conflict between the US and Israel on the one side and Iran on the other.
“The conflict had begun on February 28th with the targeted assassinations of the topmost echelons of the regime in Iran. These had started just two days after Prime Minister Modi had completed his much-trumpeted visit to Israel, a visit that diminished India’s global stature and standing,” Ramesh claimed.
PM Modi had said nothing about Israel’s "genocide" in Gaza and its aggressively expansionist policies in the occupied West Bank, Ramesh said.
“The role played by Pakistan in bringing about the ceasefire is a severe setback to both the substance and style of Mr Modi’s highly personalised diplomacy,” he said.
The policy to isolate Pakistan for its continuing support to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and to convince the world that it is a failed state has clearly not succeeded – unlike what Manmohan Singh had accomplished after the Mumbai terror attacks, Ramesh claimed.
That a bankrupt economy dependent entirely on the largesse of external donors and a broken country in so many ways was able to play such a role calls into question Modi’s strategy of engagement and narrative management, he said.
“He (Modi) or his team has also never explained why Op Sindoor was suddenly and abruptly halted on May 10th 2025 - the first announcement of which came from the US Secretary of State and for which the US President has claimed credit almost a hundred times since then,” the Congress leader said.
“There is a palpable sigh of relief everywhere. The External Affairs Minister (S Jaishankar) dismissed Pakistan as a dalal. But now the self-styled Vishwaguru stands thoroughly exposed, his self-declared 56-inch chest shrunk and shrivelled,” Ramesh said.
“His cowardice is demonstrated by his silence not only on Israel’s belligerence, but on the completely unacceptable and disgraceful language being used by his good friend in the White House,” the Congress leader added.
US President Donald Trump pulled back on his threats to launch devastating strikes on Iran late Tuesday, as the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump swerved to de-escalate the war less than two hours before the deadline he set for Tehran to capitulate to a deal or face attacks on its bridges and power plants meant to destroy the Iranian civilisation.
Trump made the dramatic announcement on Truth Social on Tuesday evening (US time) even as Democrats called for his removal over unhinged threats to wipe out the Iranian civilisation.
"Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz," the US President said in a social media post.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council said it has accepted the ceasefire and that it would negotiate with the United States in Pakistan beginning Friday. Neither Iran nor the United States said when the ceasefire would begin, and attacks took place in Israel, Iran and across the Gulf region early Wednesday.
Israel backed the US ceasefire with Iran but the deal doesn't cover fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Wednesday.
