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Political discourse still fails women leaders

The Hindu – National

2h ago

Political discourse still fails women leaders

Summary

Subscribed with another email? File | Photo Credit: X/@CMOMaharashtra via ANI M aharashtra politics came to a boil after the ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) protested against the Opposition, mainly the Congress, for calling its national president Sunetra Pawar “Goongi Gudiya” or a “dumb doll”. While the Congress faced immediate backlash for its comments, the incident due to which this comment was made, showed Ms. It was this video that the Congress tagged, asking Ms. Pawar’s uncle-in-law Sharad Pawar, who heads the NCP-SP and sits in alliance with the Congress, to extract an apology from the party, or leave the INDIA bloc in protest. Senior Congress leaders said the comment was ‘silly’ and should have been avoided. “Congress has a history and should have taken the responsibility of setting the discourse at a higher pedestal. While there is hardly any awareness about gender issues in our political narrative, it is Congress party’s responsibility to maintain dignity in dialogue,” senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said. Officially, the Congress has, as of yet, refused to issue an apology or withdraw its comment. A 2020 study by Amnesty International India, ‘Troll Patrol India,’ had shown how female politicians face more abusive language. The study said that Indian female leaders faced substantially higher levels of online harassment than their counterparts in the U.K. or the U.S.

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In Maharashtra, Congress is facing backlash for its remarks against the Deputy CM

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Attack on Christians: US lawmaker says India's FCRA bill could hit bilateral ties

A proposed amendment to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) has come under criticism from US Congressman Riley Moore, who described it as "a clear attack against Christians" and warned it could become a bilateral issue between India and the United States. Calling the proposed amendments to the FCRA "a clear attack against Christians", he alleged that the legislation could allow the government to take control of churches and religious charities. His remarks come as the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 continues to trigger sharp debate during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament. In a post on X, the US Congressman referred to the long history of Christianity in India before raising concerns over the proposed amendments. "Christians have been in India since St. Thomas the Apostle travelled to the Malabar Coast just decades after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ," he said. He then criticised the Bill, saying: "But despite this long Christian history, India's Parliament is considering amending Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment (FCRA) rules to permit government takeovers of churches and religious charities." "This is a clear attack against Christians. If this bill proceeds in this way, it would be a point of major concern in our bilateral relationship with India," he added. The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 , which governs how non-governmental organisations, charitable trusts, educational institutions, religious bodies and associations receive and use foreign donations. According to the background note accompanying the Bill, India had 14,449 active FCRA registrations as of July 15, 2026.

General U.S. News1h ago

Channi’s options shrink as Congress refuses to budge in Punjab

Subscribed with another email? Unlock these with Subscription Published - August 05, 2026 01:01 am IST - CHANDIGARH Charanjit Singh Channi, Congress’s most prominent Dalit face in the State, may have to accept a diminished role in the party. | Photo Credit: File Photo Less than a year before the Punjab Assembly election, Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi finds himself in a difficult position after locking horns with the party leadership over the recent organisation overhaul. The discord was triggered by the All India Congress Committee’s organisational overhaul on July 1. On July 3, the Lok Sabha member from Jalandhar and Congress’s most prominent Dalit face in the State convened a meeting of supporters at his Morinda residence, followed by another gathering in Mohali, in a clear show of strength aimed at persuading the high command to revisit its decision. He was conspicuous by his absence from an event last week, where Congress general secretary for Punjab Bhupesh Baghel kicked off a nine-day mass mobilisation programme. Warring as the Punjab Congress president, the faction led by the former CM has shown little sign of backing down. Channi, leaders such as Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Rana Gurjit are also believed to be upset with the revamp of the party unit, even as veteran leader Partap Singh Bajwa, the Leader of the Opposition in the State, is pushing for party unity to wrest power from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). “It appears that Congress factions are weighing their options and trying to outwit each other to gain a political edge. Channi, who was also the party’s chief ministerial face in the previous poll in which the Congress suffered a crushing defeat, called for “greater Dalit representation” in the party, adding that the community is “not getting due representation”. His remark, which brought the internal discord within the Congress into public, assumed significance given that Dalits constitute nearly 32% of Punjab’s population — the highest proportion among Indian States — making them a decisive electoral constituency. For the Congress, which had been emerging as a serious contender for the 2027 election, the continuing drama could result in loss of momentum.

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Political discourse still fails women leaders

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