Rumours of RLD joining NDA: BJP knows how to break parties, alleges Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow (PTI): Amid speculation about RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary joining hands with the BJP, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said the BJP knows how to break parties and when and whom to "buy". He also accused the ruling party of misusing central agencies like ED, CBI and Income-tax.
"BJP knows when to take whom. It also knows how to cheat. In Chandigarh you saw how dishonesty took place. BJP also knows when to buy whom. It has become the largest party not just like that," Akhilesh Yadav told reporters in Varanasi.
"BJP knows when and what to do. It knows when and where ED and CBI are to be sent and to conduct Income-tax raids and also when to silence which journalist," he said.
"BJP knows how to break parties," Akhilesh Yadav added.
Asked about the alleged growing proximity between RLD and BJP, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak told reporters in Lucknow, "There are always possibilities in politics and BJP is a party working with dedication towards Bharat Mata. It is with the people supporting the all-round development of Uttar Pradesh. We heartily welcome everyone."
Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Mishra said, "See, this discussion is going on in the media. As far as INDIA block is concerned, everything is fine here. There is no cause for concern."
Akhilesh Yadav had on Wednesday said he hoped that Jayant Chaudhary will not weaken the struggle going on for the "khush-haali' (prosperity) of Uttar Pradesh.
"The BJP is doing the work of creating confusion. He (Jayant) is not going anywhere. He will remain with the INDIA bloc with full strength and will do the work of defeating the BJP," SP leader Shivpal Yadav had told reporters.
The RLD and the SP announced their alliance for the Lok Sabha polls on January 19 with the former stating that the latter will leave seven seats in western Uttar Pradesh for its nominees.
The SP president and the RLD chief announced the tie-up on social media for the general elections later this year.
The RLD's core vote bank is the Jat population. The Lok Sabha constituencies where there is a sizeable Jat population are Muzaffarnagar, Kairana, Bijnor, Mathura, Baghpat, Amroha and Meerut. These could be the seats on which the RLD is likely to contest.
Both the parties had contested the 2022 assembly elections in an alliance as well in which the SP had won 111 seats while the RLD bagged eight seats.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls also, the RLD was part of the SP-BSP alliance. The RLD had got Mathura, Baghpat and Muzaffarnagar seats but it lost on all the three seats while the SP and the BSP had won five seats and 10 seats respectively.
Though the RLD did not have enough strength to send Chaudhary to the Rajya Sabha, the SP supported him in his election. An RLD spokesperson, when asked on the issue of possibilities of joining the BJP, preferred not to comment.
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Canadian report finds 'no definitive link' between Nijjar killing and India
Ottawa, Jan 29 (PTI): A Canada commission report has said that "no definitive link" with a "foreign state" in the killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was "proven", smashing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations that accused the involvement of Indian agents in the killing.
In September 2023, Trudeau said Canada had credible evidence that agents of the Indian government were involved in the murder of Nijjar in British Columbia in June 2023.
The report titled "Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions' was released on Tuesday.
In the report commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue said "Disinformation is used as a retaliatory tactic to punish decisions that run contrary to a state's interests."
The report has suggested India spread disinformation on the killing of Nijjar.
"This may have been the case with a disinformation campaign that followed the Prime Minister's announcement regarding suspected Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar (though again no definitive link to a foreign state could be proven)," the report said.
Nijjar was gunned down in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023.
The 123-page report also talked of expelling six Indian diplomats.
"In October 2024, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats and consular officials in reaction to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India," it said.
However, India expelled six Canadian diplomats and announced the withdrawal of its high commissioner.
The relations between India and Canada came under severe strain following Prime Minister Trudeau's allegations in September last year of the "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Nijjar.
New Delhi had rejected Trudeau's charges as "absurd".
India has repeatedly criticised Trudeau's government for being soft on supporters of the Khalistan movement who live in Canada. The Khalistan movement is banned in India but has support among the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada.
On Tuesday, India strongly rejected "insinuations" made against it in the report by a Canadian commission that investigated allegations that certain foreign governments were meddling in Canada's elections.
In a strong reaction, the MEA in New Delhi said it rejects the report's "insinuations" on India.
It is in fact Canada which has been "consistently interfering" in India's internal affairs, it said.
