Rahul Gandhi likely to appear before Chaibasa MP-MLA court on Wednesday over defamation case
Ranchi (PTI): Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to appear before the MP-MLA Court in Jharkhand's Chaibasa on Wednesday in connection with a case related to alleged defamatory remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a rally in 2018.
Security has been beefed up in Chaibasa, the district headquarters of West Singhbhum, ahead of the scheduled arrival of Gandhi.
The West Singhbhum district administration has made adequate security arrangements to maintain law and order in view of Gandhi's visit, said Sub-Divisional Officer (Sadar) Sandeep Anurag Topno.
Topno said a helipad has been set up at Tata College Ground, where Gandhi's helicopter will land around 10 am on Wednesday
"He is likely to appear before the court around 10.40 am and will return to Ranchi after the court proceedings," the SDO said.
Gandhi had on June 2 moved the Jharkhand High Court, challenging the order of the special court here, which had directed him to appear before it on June 26.
The Congress MP's counsel had informed the high court on June 10 that his client would not be able to appear on the specified day, and instead requested it to grant a date on August 6.
The high court had accepted his request.
A case of defamation was filed against Gandhi by a person named Pratap Kumar for allegedly making defamatory statements against Union Home Minister Shah at a rally in Chaibasa in 2018.
Kumar, in his petition filed before the court of the magistrate in Chaibasa, had alleged that Gandhi's statements were defamatory and made purposely to malign the stature of Shah.
Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, arrived in Jharkhand on Tuesday to attend the funeral of veteran tribal leader and former chief minister Shibu Soren at his ancestral village Nemra in adjoining Ramgarh district.
Former Congress state president Rajesh Thakur said Gandhi would spend the night in Ranchi.
Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday could not attend the funeral of Shibu Soren as their helicopter could not take off due to inclement weather conditions in Ranchi, where they landed around 3.30 pm from Delhi.
However, they left for Nemra by road and reached around 6.45 pm to meet Hemant Soren and consoled him.
"Last Johar, Dishom Guru Shibu Soren ji. You were a staunch protector of tribal identity and water, forest and land, and a guide on the path of justice... Your consciousness like that of Hul and your resolve like that of Dharti Aaba will always remain alive in our songs, our soil and our thoughts," Gandhi had said in a post on X late on Tuesday.
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Right to vote under threat, must be made fundamental right: Cong's Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged on Thursday that the right to vote is under threat and the time has come when it should be made a fundamental right for citizens.
Speaking with reporters, Ramesh lashed out at Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, saying the Election Commission (EC) has never been as compromised as it has been under him.
"The rot started under his predecessor. This man is a player and not a neutral observer," the Congress leader said, slamming Kumar.
Kumar is completely compromised and has become a player in elections, he alleged.
"Home Minister Amit Shah had talked about three Ds -- detect, delete and deport. So we want to know how many non-Indian citizens have been detected, how many have been deleted and how many have been deported," Ramesh said, adding that the right to vote is now under threat.
On opposition parties submitting a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha, seeking to move a motion for the CEC's removal, the Congress leader said they will continue to make efforts for Kumar's removal as he is "compromised".
Ramesh also batted for the right to vote to be recognised as a fundamental right.
"I believe that the time has come that the right to vote should be made a fundamental right. It is a statutory right, it is not a fundamental right. Fundamental rights are justiciable," he said.
The former Union minister said this was discussed in the Constituent Assembly, but it was eventually decided that it should be made part of the Constitution.
B R Ambedkar and Jagjivan Ram had warned that in the future, governments might try to disenfranchise voters, he added.
"Once and for all, include the right to vote as a fundamental right for Indian citizens," Ramesh asserted.
