New Delhi: The ongoing assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Telangana stayed on the front pages and found a place in the editorials of Urdu newspapers this week. In the poll-bound states, the dailies mostly covered rallies of prominent leaders — from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chhattisgarh to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Madhya Pradesh.
Sahara Group founder-chairman ‘Saharashri’ Subrata Roy’s death in Mumbai this Tuesday following a prolonged illness was also taken prominently on the front pages and editorials were dedicated to him. Roznama Rashtriya Sahara dedicated its front page to its founder-chairman and carried an editorial highlighting Roy’s role in journalism, calling him someone who dared to dream.
It also wrote an editorial criticising Delhi BJP vice-president Kapil Mishra’s statement wherein he praised residents of the capital city for disobeying the Supreme Court’s ban on firecrackers in Delhi during Diwali.
Here’s a roundup of all that made front-page news and headlines in the Urdu press this week.
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Assembly elections & role of leaders
On 11 November, Siasat said in its editorial that both Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are always seen in a kind of celebratory mood during the election season and they leave no stone unturned to corner opposition parties and rivals. However, that’s not the case this time, it said. The newspaper specifically mentioned Modi’s speeches during these campaigns, and asserted that the BJP’s popularity was declining.
“There is a perception in some circles that in view of a possible defeat, the top leadership of the BJP has adopted an indifferent attitude towards the election campaign and especially in view of the upcoming parliamentary elections, is adopting a very cautious attitude,” wrote newspaper.
It said party leaders are holding rallies and meetings but the attitude and the impact that have always been the hallmark of the BJP are not evident.
On 13 November, Siasat wrote in an editorial that these days, senior politicians and people holding public positions are also making personal attacks. It said they should back their allegations with facts and if they are in power, they should seek votes on the basis of their performance. However, now there are hardly any candidates or parties seeking votes on the basis of their performance or work done so far, it said.
On 14 November, Siasat carried an editorial on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s role in these election campaigns. The newspaper said that after its success in Karnataka, the public support the Congress is getting in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh has given sleepless nights to the BJP. The way she is targeting the BJP by presenting public issues in party meetings and rallies has grabbed the attention of people in the two states, it said.
The same day, Inquilab and Roznama Sahara gave space on their first page to Modi’s statement in Chhattisgarh that the Congress would be ousted from the state government. They also prominently featured former Congress president Rahul Gandhi targeting the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh by calling the it a rajdhani of corruption during a public rally in Bhopal.
On 15 November, an editorial in Siasat said that the public mood in Madhya Pradesh seemed to be in favour of change and people were angry with the functioning of the government.
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Delhi & Diwali pollution
Roznama in an editorial criticised Delhi BJP vice-president Kapil Mishra’s statement lauding residents of the capital city for defying the Supreme Court ban on firecrackers on Diwali.
Proud of You Delhi
These are voices of resistance , voices of freedom and democracy
People are bravely defying unscientific, illogical , dictatorial ban
Happy Diwali 🪔
— Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) November 12, 2023
The Roznama editorial said that the spark of firecrackers on Diwali night had polluted the environment, but the spark of Mishra’s statement violated the law.
It further said: “…This flagrant violation of the law by an important leader of the ruling party deserves not only condemnation but also a mandatory punishment, but not a single voice of protest and criticism was heard from anywhere. The conscious civil society also remained silent in this matter.”
Subrata Roy’s death
On 16 November, both Inquilab and Roznama carried the news of Subrata Roy’s death in Mumbai on their front pages. Roznama published condolences offered politicians and actors on the front page.
It wrote, “This day of your departure is beyond our imagination, but who could have stalled it? Our hearts are full, our minds are restless, but the dreams that you once kindled in our hearts as our role model for the newspaper, are still shining in our eyes. When we came together at your invitation from various media organisations to join in your vision, we could sense something new was unfolding in front of our eyes…”
On 17 November, Inquilab wrote in its editorial that Roy’s name would be taken among those who dared to dream. It added that in 1978, Roy had started his business with just Rs 2,000. Then the world witnessed how Sahara became a name in itself and Roy’s net worth reached thousands of crores of rupees.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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