Kishor claims Nitish in touch with BJP, says don't be surprised if he joins hands with it again
New Delhi, Oct 19: Political strategist Prashant Kishor claimed on Wednesday that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is in touch with the BJP and that he may go for a tie-up with the party again if situation demands so, a suggestion dismissed by the JD(U) as misleading and aimed at spreading confusion.
Kishor, who is on a padyatra in Bihar in what is widely seen as a precursor to his fresh entry into active politics, told PTI that Kumar has kept a line of communication open with the BJP through JD(U) MP and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Harivansh.
Harivansh declined to comment but his party rejected the claim and asserted that Kumar will never join hands with the BJP again.
Kishor said, "People who are thinking that Nitish Kumar is actively building a national alliance against the BJP will be surprised to know that he has kept a line open with the BJP. He is in touch with the BJP through his party MP and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Harivansh ji."
He suggested that Harivansh has not been asked to resign his Rajya Sabha post for this reason even though the JD(U) has severed ties with the BJP.
"People must keep this in mind that whenever such circumstances arise, he can go back to the BJP and work with it," he said.
The Janata Dal (United) slammed Kishor, with its spokesperson KC Tyagi noting that the Bihar chief minister has publicly announced that he will never again in his life join hands with the BJP.
"We strongly refute his claims. Kumar is in active politics for over 50 years and Kishor for six months. Kishor has made such a misleading comment to spread confusion," Tyagi said.
Kishor started his 'padyatra' on October 2 from the Gandhi ashram in Betiharwa in West Champaran. He has set out to complete a 3,500-km journey in the next 12-15 months through Bihar, seeking people's support to 'change' the system.
He was in the JD(U) for less than 18 months before being expelled from the party in 2020 for his strident criticism of Kumar for his support to the BJP over contentious measures like the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Kumar was then a BJP ally.
The JD(U) leader recently snapped his party's ties with the BJP and joined hands with the RJD-Congress-Left alliance in Bihar and has vowed to work to build an alliance against the saffron party at the national level. A united opposition will topple the BJP from power at the Centre, he has asserted.
After coming to power in Bihar in 2005 as the face of the BJP-led NDA, Kumar first broke ties with the party in 2013 and joined hands with the RJD-led opposition in the state in 2014.
However, he switched sides in 2017 only to dump the BJP again in August this year.
The BJP has accused him of changing alliances due to his "greed" for power.
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BCI urges CJI to take action against Andhra HC judge for sending young lawyer to 24-hour custody
New Delhi (PTI): The Bar Council of India on Wednesday sought the urgent intervention of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant following a "deeply disturbing" incident where a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court reportedly sent a young advocate to
24-hour judicial custody over a procedural lapse.
The Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairperson and senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, in a formal representation, termed the conduct of Justice Tarlada Rajasekhar Rao "grossly inappropriate" and "damaging to the confidence of the Bar".
“I most respectfully request your Lordship to kindly take immediate institutional cognizance of the matter and call for the video recording of the proceedings, the order passed, and the surrounding circumstances.
“I further request that appropriate administrative action may kindly be considered, including withdrawal of judicial work from the learned Judge pending review, his immediate transfer to some far off High Court, and his nomination for appropriate judicial training/orientation on court management, judicial temperament, Bar-Bench relations, and proportional exercise of contempt/judicial authority,” Mishra wrote.
This representation is made to preserve the “dignity, moral authority and public confidence of the judiciary”, he said, adding, “Judges command the highest respect not by fear, but by fairness, patience, restraint and constitutional humility”.
The communication urged the CJI to intervene at the earliest to ensure that the faith of Bar, particularly young advocates, in the protective and corrective role of the judiciary is restored.
The controversy stems from proceedings on May 5.
According to the BCI, a video circulating online shows Justice Rao rebuking a young advocate who was unable to produce a specific order copy during a hearing.
The letter said that despite the advocate "repeatedly seeking pardon and mercy" and claiming he was in physical pain, the judge remained "unmoved".
The judge allegedly told the lawyer, "now you will learn," and mocked his experience before directing the Registrar and police personnel to take him into custody for 24 hours.
The BCI chairperson said that the judge’s actions lacked proportionality and fairness.
"The dignity of the court is not enhanced when a lawyer is made to beg for grace in open court and is still sent to custody for a procedural lapse," the letter said.
"A young lawyer... is an officer of the Court, still learning, still growing, and entitled to correction without humiliation," it added.
The bar body said that such actions create a "chilling effect" on the legal fraternity, particularly among junior members, and undermine the mutual respect required between the Bench and the Bar.
