Right-wing activists beat up garba organisers for employing non-Hindus at Surat pandal
Surat(PTI): Activists of a right-wing group beat up organisers and security guards of a garba pandal in Gujarat's Surat city and vandalised the place claiming non-Hindu people were employed at the venue, police said on Tuesday.
A police officer said the organisers of the Thakor Ji Ni Wadi garba pandal refused to lodge a complaint, saying the matter was settled between the two parties.
"A group identifying themselves as Bajrang Dal activists went to Thakor Ji Ni Wadi garba pandal in Surat's Vesu area on Monday night and beat up organisers and security guards. They also damaged part of the place," DCP, Zone III, Sagar Bagmar said.
He said the intruders claimed that some people employed at the pandal belonged to a different religion and wanted them out.
"Police reached the spot and controlled the situation. We called the organisers for lodging of a complaint but they refused, saying they have settled the matter among themselves," Bagmar said.
The right-wing group had said it will guard garba events in Gujarat during the Navratri festival, which began on September 26, to prevent non-believers from entering the venues.
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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.
