Archives for April 2019

Predicting the doom of the opposition ‘mahagathbandhan (grand alliance)’ in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said its “expiry date” is May 23 when leaders of the grouping will be at each others’ throats.

The Samajwadi Party (SP), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) are in an alliance in the state. “Leaders of the SP, BSP, RLD will tear each others’ clothes once results of the Lok Sabha polls are out on May 23,” Modi said at an election meeting near here.

The prime minister, who has been slamming the alliance as “opportunistic”, said, “The expiry date of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance is May 23…evening.” 

Modi, attacking the Congress, said that a “party which is not sure whether it will be in a position to get the post of leader of the opposition in Parliament…its leaders are getting garments stitched to take oath as prime minister.”

Agencies

A police officer inspects the site of a gun battle between troops and suspected Islamist militants, on the east coast of Sri Lanka, in Kalmunai.

The Sri Lankan police on Tuesday announced that three suspects were arrested along with a van connected to the devastating Easter Sunday bombings from the country’s North Central Province.

The suspicious van was wanted over the terror attacks and was taken into custody at Sungavila in Polonnaruwa town, Ruwan Gunasekara, police spokesperson, said.

They said the van which bears the licence plate ‘EP PX 2399’ was taken into custody along with the three suspects.

The van was parked in the garden of a home in the area and further investigations are being carried out.

Last week, Sri Lanka placed all police stations in Colombo on high alert as police were hunting for an unidentified container truck and a van, believed to be carrying explosives.

A warning was issued by the Director of Security at the Colombo Harbour said intelligence had found information that an unidentified container truck and a van carrying a potential explosive device was heading towards Colombo.

A total of 106 suspects, including a Tamil medium teacher and a school principal, have been arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday blasts.

Powerful blasts ripped through three churches and as many luxury hotels on Easter Sunday, killing 253 people and injuring more than 500 others.

The Islamic State claimed the attacks, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group National Thowheeth Jamaath (NTJ) for the attacks. 

Agencies

The journalist, SA Hemant Kumar, was arrested on charges of circulating a “fake letter” on dividing the Lingayat community in the state.

Shobha Karandlaje asked Union Minister Rajnath Singh to ensure that the journalist is probed fairly.

BJP lawmaker Shobha Karandlaje today asked Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to ensure that a journalist arrested for allegedly circulating a “forged” letter on dividing Karnataka’s Lingayat community benefits from a fair police investigation. She also alleged that the state government has launched a “witchhunt” against those supporting the BJP in the state.

The letter, which the police claims is forged, purportedly has Karnataka minister MB Patil telling UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi that bringing about a divide in the Lingayat community will benefit the state Congress. The journalist, SA Hemant Kumar, was arrested on charges of circulating the “fake letter”.

“There is no connection between Hemant Kumar and this letter. The JD(S)-Congress government is filing false cases against BJP workers and party sympathisers for fear of losing the elections,” Shobha Karandlaje claimed.

Ahead of the assembly polls in Karnataka last year, the then Congress government led by Siddaramaiah had suggested to the centre that Lingayats be given separate religious status. Many saw this as an attempt to divide the community, which predominantly votes for the BJP.

The letter had first surfaced before the assembly elections in May 2018, then appeared again just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in a Kannada newspaper. The BJP also tweeted that the letter was genuine, saying: “Congress exposed. The entire Lingayat & Veerashaiva community division was planted under direct instructions of Sonia Gandhi. The letter written to Sonia Gandhi by Congress leader MB Patil exposes shocking details of how she wanted to divide Hindu communities in Karnataka.

The probe was handed over to the crime investigation department after MB Patil lodged a complaint. According to a press release from the police, a case was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of Peoples Act on April 16.

Agencies

Hubballi, Apr 30 : In an attempt to douse off the possible rebellion in the party, Congress Legislative Party leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a meeting of with party leaders who have filed their nominations for the Kundagol Assembly seat for which byelection is scheduled for May 19.
He had one-on-one meeting with Shivananda Benthur, Suresh Savanur and H L Nadaf
who had filed their nomination papers on Monday, after upset with denying tickets to them, and tried to pursue them to withdraw their nominations and work for the official party candidate Kusumavathi Shivalli.
The byelections is being held to Kundagol assembly seat following the death of Minister C S Shivalli and his wife was given ticket to encash sympathy votes.
During his meeting, Siddaramaiah promised them to offer better positions after the election and appealed them to ensure the victory of the party candidate Kushmavathi Shivalli selected by the party High Command.
Meanwhile, senior party leaders including KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao also met and chalked out the party’s strategy to retain the seat. It was also decided to depute one minister, to each of the Zilla Panchayath jurisdiction in Kudagol taluk and oversee the campaigning of the party in favor of the official candidate Kusumavathi Shivalli.

New Delhi, Apr 30 : Chickening out of the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) challenge for debate on issues faced by the East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, BJP East Delhi candidate Gautam Gambhir on Tuesday said he doesn’t believe in ‘dharnas and debates’.

In an interview to a news channel, Gambhir said,”I don’t believe in ‘dharnas and debates’.”

Reacting to Gambhir’s statement, Atishi took to micro-blogging site Twitter and said,”If you don’t believe in debates, then why have you entered politics? The Delhi government is going to start a cricket academy, why don’t you run that? There you will not need to debate on issues”.

AAP’s spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj tweeted,”@GautamGambhir Foremost duty of MP is to raise & debate local issues of ur constituency in Parliament.”

”Why is @GautamGambhir not ready to debate? He does great commentary because he is expert of cricket & speaks well. But, he knows NOTHING about Delhi’s issues, knows ZERO about East Delhi. He would not be aware of the names of the East Delhi Assembly constituency,” he said in another tweet.

Atishi on Monday challenged her rival BJP nominee and cricketer turned politician Gautam Gambhir for an open debate, on what its party lawmaker had done for the people of Delhi in last five years.

The BJP alleged that these officials had allowed 30 supporters of PWD Minister and Holenarasipura MLA HD Revanna, to engage in proxy voting.

Three polling officials accused of dereliction of duty on polling day during the Lok Sabha polls, have been suspended. This comes following a preliminary inquiry by Hassan District Election Officer and Deputy Commissioner, Priyanka Mary Francis. 

The probe was ordered after the BJP alleged that these officers had allowed 30 supporters of PWD Minister and Holenarasipura MLA HD Revanna, to engage in proxy voting. 

Their suspension was reportedly ordered after the EC officials reviewed the CCTV footage.

The suspended officials are Yogesh, a polytechnic college lecturer along with Ramachandra Rao and DS Dinesh, who are both government high school teachers. The three were posted at a polling booth in Paduvalahippe village in Holenarasipura taluk.

Revanna’s son Prajwal is the JD(S) candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha seat which is a JD(S) stronghold. The outgoing MP and former PM, HD Deve Gowda had won from the seat five times.

The suspension of the three officers comes after Rs 1.2 lakh in cash was recovered from a police vehicle in Hassan by a flying squad of the Karnataka State Election Commission on April 16. 

A case was registered at the Holenarsipura Town Police Station under section 171-C (Undue influence at elections) of the Indian Penal Code in this connection.

IAS officer Munish Moudgil who was appointed as the Special Officer (Enforcement) by the Election Commission had asked for a high-level inquiry into the incident. 

The letter mentioned that the vehicle from which cash was recovered was a Toyota Innova with registration number KA01MH4477 and that it was registered under the name of Deputy Commissioner of Police, City Armed Reserve. 

Informed sources also said that the police vehicle was part of PWD Minister HD Revanna’s convoy.

“The said vehicle belongs to Bengaluru City Police and registered in the name of Deputy Commissioner of Police, CAR HQ, Bengaluru (copy of report from Transport Commissioner attached herewith),” Munish’s letter to the CEO read.

“The above incident is extremely serious as it, prima facie, reveals the use of police vehicle for carrying money for misuse in elections. Due to extreme seriousness, the case requires a proper investigation and everyone, including the police officers, who might be involved, are required to be brought out and law is taken to its logical conclusion against them,” it added.

Agencies

Amethi, Apr 30 (UNI) Congress General Secretary (Uttar Pradesh east) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday gave reason for not contesting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi seat, even after showing interest in the contest, several times.
“I took advice of all senior leaders of our party and colleagues in UP. They firmly felt that I have responsibility here of looking after 41 seats, for which I am the In-charge. I felt that they (candidates) would be disappointed, if I focused on only one place,” she said, while interacting with the media during her street corner meetings in her brother Rahul Gandhi’s Amethi constituency.
Earlier, Congress leaders had categorically said that it was Priyanka’s own decision, however, Ms Vadra had a different take on this.
On several occasions, the Gandhi scion had said that she was ready to take on the Prime Minister in Varanasi, if the party high command gives permission.

Later, Congress fielded its own war horse Ajay Rai from Varanasi, who had contested against Mr Modi in 2014 too.