Victims of atrocities suffer crushing defeat in UP as Cong hits rock bottom

News Network
March 10, 2022

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An intense campaign, huge crowds, attractive slogans and charismatic leadership. Yet the Congress has hit rock bottom in Uttar Pradesh, putting a question mark on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's leadership abilities.

The party is likely to end up with just two seats, compared to the seven it won in 2017.

The party has faced drubbing in its one-time bastions -- Rae Bareli and Amethi -- where the party has not won even a single seat.

When Priyanka announced 40 per cent reservation for women in tickets, many political pundits thought it would be a game-changer for the Congress.

However, the party turned this into a non-serious issue when it gave away tickets to victims of atrocities. The move earned accolades for the party, albeit temporarily, but none of the 'victims' could enlist public support and votes.

The battle for votes is strikingly different from a battle for emotions and this election has proved it.

Priyanka, when she opted for victims as candidates, was probably trying to replicate the success story of Phoolan Devi in the nineties.

Phoolan, who was a victim of gang-rape, was also charged with the massacre of 21 Thakurs in Behmai.

The then Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav's decision to field Phoolan for the Lok Sabha elections created more controversy than commendation but Phoolan did go on to become MP.

Priyanka fielded Asha Singh, mother of the 2017 Unnao rape survivor. Former BJP MLA, Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who was convicted in the case in 2019, enjoys considerable influence in Unnao and even has sympathy since many believe he was wrongly convicted.

A four-term MLA, Sengar's family had strongly opposed the ticket to Asha Singh who now lives in Delhi with her daughter.

"We have none in the family. I am fighting this election to get justice for my brother-in-law, and for all the victims of rape," she had told reporters when she got the ticket.

Asha Singh turned her campaign into a personal battle rather than a political one and she has lost the polls.

Another player of the Congress victim card is Sadaf Jafar, who became the face of the anti-Citizen (Amendment) agitation in the state after she was kicked in her stomach. She contested the Lucknow central seat and lost.

The Congress fielded Ritu Singh from the Mohammadi seat in Lakhimpur. Ritu Singh hit the headlines when her sari was pulled off by the police personnel during the panchayat polls last year.

The leader of ASHA workers in state Poonam Pandey -- who was allegedly assaulted by men in khaki when she tried to meet Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Shahjahanpur to voice the problems faced by the ASHAs in state -- was fielded from Shahjahanpur.

Both Ritu Singh and Poonam Pandey lost without even putting up a decent fight.

Another victim candidate is Umbha's tribal activist, Ram Raj Gond, who fought for the victims of the massacre in Obra in east Uttar Pradesh.

According to a senior party leader, "The experiment failed because these victims had not been trained to fight political battles. NGOs can help you fight for justice and get headlines but they cannot make you win elections. If Priyanka wanted to give 40 per cent tickets to women, she should have started preparing these women candidates, at least, a year ago."

Another party functionary admitted that when tickets were being announced, the focus was to ensure 40 per cent representation to women and not on the quality of candidates.

The dismal performance of the Congress under Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's leadership is now bound to impact her future as a leader in the Congress.

The party, in her tenure, has already expelled several leaders while an even larger number has left the Congress, blaming the leadership -- rather lack of it.

Its vote share has been on a steady decline. It was at about 6.25 per cent in the 2017 Assembly polls and has slipped to 2.4 per cent in this election.

The state of affairs in the party can be assessed for the fact that state party president Ajay Kumar Lallu has faced a humiliating defeat from the Tamkuhiraj seat where he trailed behind the BJP and SP candidates. 

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P A Hameed Padubidri
November 26,2025

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Constitution Day, also known as Samvidhan Divas, is observed every year on November 26 to honor the adoption of the Constitution of India and to recognize the visionary effort that shaped the world’s largest democracy.

Historical Background

It’s on November 26, 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India formally adopted the Constitution.This date is commemorated to acknowledge the completion of nearly three years of drafting, debate, and refinement.

On January 26, 1950, the Constitution came into force, marking India’s transition from a dominion to a sovereign republic.

The date 26 January was chosen to honor the “Purna Swaraj” declaration made in 1930 that marked the relentless efforts & sacrifices of the many. 

Why Constitution Day is Celebrated

* To honor & remember the framers of the Constitution, especially Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, the Chairman of the Drafting Committee, & many others. 

* To remind the citizens of the values, responsibilities, and rights enshrined in the Constitution.

* To promote constitutional values & literacy among students, institutions, and the general public.

* To reaffirm the nation’s commitment to justice, equality, liberty, fraternity and secular values. 

Vision and Significance of the Constitution

It establishes the fundamental political and legal framework for the nation.

Defines the structure, powers and functions of:
    •    The Executive
    •    The Legislature
    •    The Judiciary
    •    Guarantees a comprehensive set of Fundamental Rights, including:

-Equality before law
-Freedom of speech & expression
-Protection of life and personal liberty
-Freedom of religion
-Embeds Directive Principles of State Policy, guiding governance toward social justice and welfare.
-Introduces Fundamental Duties to ensure civic responsibility among citizens.

Key Features Celebrated on Constitution Day

-The Indian constitution is considered one of the longest written constitutions of the world. It’s systematically drafted considering almost all aspects that properly fits to the country. 

-Blend of multiple global constitutional principles while staying rooted in Indian values and realities.

-Framework that balances Federalism, Secularism, Democracy and Rule of Law. This makes everyone-from President to common man-below the law & are equal in the sight of law. 

-Another feature is that it’s based on built-in mechanisms for amendments, ensuring the Constitution grows with changing needs.

Message of the Day

The core ethos of this  Constitution Day is not merely about looking back at history-it’s a reminder of the continuous duty to protect democratic values, respect diversity and uphold the principles that define India as a sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic republic.

Happy Constitution Day to all my compatriots

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News Network
November 22,2025

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The Israeli regime’s forces have killed two Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip every day since the ceasefire began in early October, UNICEF has warned.

The UN children’s agency said on Friday that Israeli forces continue to attack Palestinians in Gaza even though the agreement was meant to stop the killing.

“Since 11 October, while the ceasefire has been in effect, at least 67 children have been killed in conflict-related incidents in the Gaza Strip. Dozens more have been injured. That is an average of almost two children killed every day since the ceasefire took effect,” UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires said in Geneva, reminding that each number in the statistics represents a child whose life had ended violently.

“These are not statistics,” he said. “Each child had a story, a family, and a future that was stolen from them.”

Data from Palestinian factions, human rights groups, and government bodies recorded since the US-brokered ceasefire deal went into effect on October 10 show that Israeli forces have carried out numerous attacks, each constituting a separate ceasefire violation.

UNICEF teams say they repeatedly continue to witness heart-wrenching scenes of fearful Palestinian children sleeping outdoors with amputated limbs, while others live as orphans in flooded, makeshift shelters.

“I saw this myself in August. There is no safe place for them. The world cannot normalize their suffering,” Pires said, lamenting that the UN could “do a lot more if the aid that is really needed was entering faster.”

The UNICEF spokesperson warned that with the advent of winter, the risks for hundreds of thousands of displaced children will increase.

He warned, “The stakes are incredibly high” for children as winter acts as a threat multiplier, where children have no heating, no insulation, and few blankets. He said respiratory infections rise.

“Too many children have already paid the highest price,” Pires said. “Too many are still paying it, even under a ceasefire. The world promised them it would stop and that we would protect them.”

“Now we must act like it,” the UNICEF spokesperson added.

Since the Israeli regime launched its genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza in October 2023, it has killed nearly 70,000 people in the territory, most of them women and children, and injured over 170,000 more, while reducing most of the structures in the enclave to rubble.

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News Network
November 21,2025

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Udupi: The Malpe Police have arrested two men from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly sharing classified information related to Indian Navy vessels with individuals in Pakistan, posing a serious threat to national security.

According to a complaint filed by the CEO of Udupi Cochin Shipyard, Malpe—an institution under the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways—the prime accused, Rohit (29), was working as an insulator through subcontractor M/S Shushma Marine Pvt Ltd. He had earlier served at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi, Kerala, where naval ships are under construction.

Udupi SP Hariram Shankar said the accused had unlawfully shared, via WhatsApp, confidential identification numbers of Navy-related ships and other classified details while working in Kerala, allegedly for illegal gains.

After joining the Malpe shipyard unit, Rohit reportedly continued collecting sensitive information through a friend in Kochi and circulated it to unauthorised individuals, violating national security protocols and potentially endangering India’s sovereignty, unity, and integrity.

Based on the complaint, Malpe Police registered a case under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

A police team led by Karkala Subdivision Assistant Superintendent of Police Harsha Priyamvada—along with PSI Anil Kumar D, ASI Harish, and PC Ravi Jadhav—conducted the investigation and arrested the two accused, identified as Rohit (29) and Santri (37), both residents of Sultanpur district, Uttar Pradesh.

The duo was produced before the court, which remanded them in judicial custody till December 3. Further investigation is in progress.

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