Before the West Bengal Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public meeting in Cooch Behar. (Photo: IANS)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Extending warm wishes to party workers on the foundation day of Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday, appreciated their dedication and reaffirmed the party’s commitment to development and public welfare.In a post on Twitter, PM Modi said the party has consistently upheld the principle of “India First” and remains at the forefront in serving the society. He praised BJP workers for their selfless service, grassroots reach and commitment to good governance, while also remembering those whose sacrifice and perseverance contributed to the party’s growth.“Heartiest greetings to all BJP workers across the country on the foundation day of the party. Our party has always been at the forefront in serving the society, guided by the principle of India First. Our workers are known for their selfless service, unwavering dedication and deep passion for good governance. He has worked tirelessly at the grassroots level, ensuring that maximum people connect with our ideology and work. PM Modi said, we also remember the countless workers whose dedication, sacrifice and perseverance have shaped the growth of the party over decades. He said, “BJP is a party that puts the well-being of the people at the center of its vision. This is reflected in our work at the Center and in various states. The BJP is committed to building a developed India. Our collective resolve to continue to carry forward this vision and take India to new heights of progress and prosperity.”“BJP keeps the welfare of the people at the center of its vision,” he said. He said the party is committed to building a “developed India” and carrying forward India’s progress.Senior leaders also highlighted on the occasion the ideological roots of the party and its evolution into the world’s largest political organisation.Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the formation of BJP was not just a political development, but a resolve for national reconstruction inspired by Syama Prasad Mukherjee and Deendayal Upadhyay. He said that under the leadership of PM Modi, the party has taken forward the vision of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas” and strengthened democratic governance.BJP President J.P. Nadda paid tribute to the founding fathers and workers of the party, saying their efforts have put the organization at the forefront of national politics. He stressed the party’s focus on “Antyodaya” and inclusive growth and reiterated its goal of building a developed, self-reliant India by 2047.Union ministers Kiren Rijiju and Nitin Gadkari also extended their wishes, crediting the dedication of party workers for developing the BJP as a major political force.Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath described the BJP as more than a political party and called it a “vibrant ideological tradition” rooted in democratic values ​​and cultural ethos. He said the party’s yatra reflects its commitment towards service, values ​​and nation building.Founded in 1980 after a split from the Janata Party, the BJP traces its origins to the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, founded by Syama Prasad Mukherjee in 1951. Over the decades, it has emerged as one of India’s leading national parties focused on nationalism and development.

New Delhi: Congress leader Pawan Kheda asked many questions to the Chief Minister of Assam. Himanta Biswa Sarma and his wife Riniki Bhuiyan Sharma sought clarity on the disclosures made in the official affidavits.Kheda also said that he would present more evidence in the coming days as the controversy has intensified ahead of the state assembly elections.Speaking to reporters, he further questioned why the Assam CM hid details of foreign assets allegedly linked to his wife in official disclosures.“Are they denying that they have no assets in Dubai? Are they denying that they have no companies in the US? Are they denying that they have no shell companies anywhere in the world? We will provide more evidence every day. There’s a lot coming. Why has he hidden Dubai properties owned by his wife in his election affidavit?” He said.The remarks come amid a political controversy that has turned into a war of words, with Himanta announcing legal action against the Congress leader.

Sarma rejects allegations, announces defamation case

Reacting to the allegations, Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday dismissed all the allegations as ‘malicious’ and ‘politically motivated’ and said both he and his wife would initiate legal proceedings.In a post on Twitter, he wrote: “I categorically reject every allegation made by him. These are malicious, fabricated and politically motivated lies aimed at misleading the people of Assam.”He further said, “I and my wife will be filing both criminal and civil defamation cases against Mr. Pawan Kheda within the next 48 hours. He will be held fully accountable for his reckless and defamatory statements.”Expressing confidence in the legal process, Sarma said, “I have full faith in the judiciary. Once the truth is established in the court, Mr. Pawan Kheda will have to face the consequences of his actions, and the law will take its due course.

Kheda’s allegations and demand for investigation

During his press conference, Khera made several allegations, including claims related to foreign properties, shell companies and passport holdings linked to the CM’s family.He asked, “Why does Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife need to have 3 passports? Are you some kind of criminal? Does Himanta himself have more such passports? Is this a preparation to run away after losing the elections?”He also alleged financial ties with shell companies abroad, saying: “Himanta Biswa Sarma has kept his money in shell companies established in Wyoming. Why Wyoming? “Because there is no tax here…it is a famous place where people’s assets are kept hidden.”Demanding a probe, Kheda asked: “When will Amit Shah form an SIT to probe? When will CEC Gyanesh Kumar take cognizance of hiding information in the affidavit?”He further claimed, “Himanta’s wife Rinke Bhuyan Sarma has a company in Wyoming, USA. The member list of this company includes Rinke Bhuyan Sarma, Himanta Biswa Sarma and their sons.”The controversy began when Kheda alleged that Riniki Bhuiyan Sharma held multiple foreign passports and had business and property links abroad, including Dubai and the United States.However, Sarma rejected the claims and pointed to ‘serious inconsistencies’ in the documents cited by Kheda, which suggest possible fabrication or manipulation. He said the allegations are part of a politically motivated campaign ahead of the Assam Assembly elections.

New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday stepped up its attack on the Modi government over the delimitation proposal to implement the women’s reservation law, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi is rejecting a proposal that will work more to the benefit of larger and more populous states as their already large numbers will further increase.In a post on Twitter, Jairam Ramesh, Congress’ general secretary in-charge of communications, said, “The Prime Minister is up to his usual tricks of making misleading statements meant to deceive.”Quoting the PM’s comment, the Congress leader said, ‘He (PM) says that if the strength of the Lok Sabha increases by 50% and the number of seats of each state in the Lok Sabha also increases by 50% then the South Indian states will not be harmed in any way. This is throwing dust in the eyes of the people of a country in which the Prime Minister has unparalleled expertise.”“For example, the difference between the seats of UP and Kerala in the Lok Sabha is now 60. With Mr. Modi’s proposal, it will increase to 90. Similarly, the difference between UP and Tamil Nadu will increase from 41 to at least 61. Such instances can be manifold.”He alleged that “Modi is pushing for a proposal that will work more to the benefit of larger and more populous states as their already large numbers will swell further”.Ramesh further said that it is not just South India but states like Punjab and Haryana and states in the North East will also see a decline in their relative influence.“The country is facing a serious economic and foreign policy crisis. The Prime Minister is concerned that he is pushing to increase the powers of the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies without meaningful consultation and wider public debate,” he concluded his post. “It is nothing but a weapon of mass distraction (WMD).”Sharing his post with a quote, Congress leader Manish Tewari said, “The framing done by PM Modi is absolutely wrong. The framing should be how much Southern, Western, North-Eastern and North-Western India will lose in terms of political importance compared to the Hindi speaking states of India in terms of difference in the number of parliamentary seats,” Tiwari said.He claimed that the North-West—Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and even Delhi—will lose out as they are already marginalized in the larger federal scheme. Tiwari said, “Today they have only 40 seats in Parliament. UP alone has 80 seats and this gap will increase further.”Noting that even what the PMO and BJP are proposing is still vague, Tiwari said that “it will further upset the federal balance to the detriment of non-Hindi speaking states”.Senior leader P. Chidambaram also told X that the proposal to convene Parliament on April 16-18 is mischievous and should be opposed.“Voting is scheduled for April 23 in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal (and April 29 in West Bengal). 39 MPs from Tamil Nadu and 28 MPs from West Bengal are on the opposition benches in the Lok Sabha. They will be fully engaged in their constituencies during April 16-18. If important Constitution amendment bills are brought up for discussion and voting on those dates, how will these 67 MPs in the Lok Sabha participate and vote? I suspect the design is to exclude these MPs. Is,” Chidambaram alleged.The former Union minister, who held the charge of finance and home affairs during the UPA regime, said, “Since the draft of the bills to be introduced by the government in Parliament on April 16-18 have not been revealed, I cannot comment on the substance of the bills. But the Prime Minister’s speech yesterday gives an indication of what the bills are likely to contain.”He said the proposal to increase the Lok Sabha member strength from 548 (present member number 543) to 816 is regressive and will widen the gap between the more populous states and the southern states which have stabilized their population.Chidambaram suggested that reservation of one-third seats for women in the Lok Sabha could be achieved by reserving one-third of the current number of seats. He asked, “The Lok Sabha with 816 members will become a large and unwieldy assembly, with each member having fewer opportunities to speak and less time. What can an MP say when he gets an opportunity to speak once in three months and not more than a few minutes?”