Tag Archives: demands

Rahul Gandhi says Modi, Shah, Bhagwat and CEC Gyanesh Kumar will face action

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of undermining democracy through alleged “vote chori”, warning that none of those responsible would escape accountability.

Gandhi made the remarks during a confrontation with police after an INDIA bloc protest march from Parliament towards the Election Commission headquarters in New Delhi. More than 300 Opposition MPs participated in the protest, according to Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi alleges ‘vote chori’

“I am not interested in what the BJP says. I am standing here to protect democracy in the country. Along with me, 300 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs had come and they are also trying to protect democracy,” Gandhi told reporters from inside the Akashvani Bhawan premises.

He alleged that Modi, Shah and Bhagwat had “hijacked” the country through “vote chori”, with the Election Commission under Gyanesh Kumar allegedly helping them.

“None of them will be spared, be it PM Modi, Home Minister Shah, RSS chief Bhagwat or CEC Gyanesh Kumar. What has been done to our country is treason. Nobody is going to escape,” Gandhi said.

Gandhi also claimed that the alleged assault on democratic institutions was widely recognised across the country, including among young people and even police personnel who were deployed to stop the protest.

The allegations are part of the Congress-led Opposition’s broader campaign against the Election Commission over alleged irregularities in the electoral process. The ruling BJP and the Election Commission have rejected such allegations.

Opposition march stopped by police

Earlier, Gandhi said on X that more than 300 Opposition MPs had marched from Parliament to meet the Election Commissioners.

“We represent crores of Indians. Why aren’t the Election Commissioners meeting us? Why is the police stopping and threatening us?” he said.

The march was stopped by police near Parliament Street, with Gandhi, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several other MPs entering the Akashvani Bhawan premises while attempting to proceed towards the Election Commission office.

Several Opposition leaders were detained after police halted the march, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress MPs Abhishek Banerjee and Derek O’Brien.

The Opposition protesters were demanding accountability from the Election Commission and calling for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. The confrontation comes amid escalating political tensions over allegations of electoral irregularities and the conduct of the poll panel.

Biodiversity loss demands urgent global action, says UN chief

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In a message marking Thursday’s International Day for Biological Diversity, the UN chief raised alarm over the “lightning pace” of degradation of the natural world.

“Biodiversity is the bedrock of life and a cornerstone of sustainable development,” Mr. Guterres said.

“Yet humanity is destroying biodiversity at lightening pace, the result of pollution, climate crisis, ecosystem destruction and – ultimately – short-term interests fuelling the unsustainable use of our natural world.”

He stressed that no country, “however rich or powerful,” can address the crisis in isolation, nor thrive without the ecological richness that defines life on Earth.

Alarm bells ringing

The International Day comes amid stark concern for the future: one million species are at risk of extinction, 75 per cent of land ecosystems and two-thirds of marine environments have been significantly altered by human activity.

Furthermore, if current trends continue, progress towards eight of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) could be jeopardized.

Mr. Guterres called for urgent implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the landmark agreement adopted to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030.

This includes delivering on national biodiversity action plans, scaling finance for conservation, shifting harmful subsidies, and supporting local communities, Indigenous Peoples, women and youth.

Live in harmony with nature

Biological diversity underpins food security, livelihoods, health and climate resilience.

Roughly three billion people eat fish for 20 a per cent of their animal protein intake, and 80 per cent of rural populations in developing countries rely on plant-based medicine.

Yet the destruction of natural habitats is also increasing the risk of zoonotic disease transmission, making biodiversity preservation a key factor in global health.

“Living in harmony with nature and sustainable development is humanity’s path to a better world for all,” Mr. Guterres said, echoing this year’s theme.

“Together, let us take it.”

The International Day

The UN officially designated 22 May as the International Day for Biological Diversity in 2000 to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.

The date marks the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992.

UN humanitarian chief demands resumption of aid in Gaza

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No aid has entered the enclave since Israel implemented a ban on 2 March and the entire population, more than two million people, is at risk of famine.

“As we demonstrated during the ceasefire this year – and every time we’ve been granted access – the United Nations and our humanitarian partners have the expertise, resolve and moral clarity to deliver aid at the scale necessary to save lives across Gaza,” said Mr. Fletcher.

Ready to move

Those proposing an alternative modality for aid distribution should not waste time, he added, as a plan already exists.

The document is “rooted in the non-negotiable principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.” Furthermore, it is backed by a coalition of donors, as well as most of the international community, and ready to be activated if humanitarians are allowed to do their jobs.

“We have the people. We have the distribution networks. We have the trust of the communities on the ground. And we have the aid itself – 160,000 pallets of it – ready to move. Now,” he said.

‘Let us work’

Mr. Fletcher reiterated that the humanitarian community has done this before and can do it again.

“We know how to get our aid supplies registered, scanned, inspected, loaded, offloaded, inspected again, loaded again, transported, stored, protected from looting, tracked, trucked, monitored and delivered – without diversion, without delay, and with dignity. We know how to reach civilians in desperate need and stave off famine.”

He concluded the statement by saying “Enough. We demand rapid, safe, and unimpeded aid delivery for civilians in need. Let us work.”