Haldwani: The Uttarakhand Police on Saturday arrested the February 8 Haldwani violence alleged mastermind Abdul Malik from Delhi and brought him here, officials said.

Nainital Senior Superintendent of Police Prahlad Narayan Meena said six teams were formed to search for Malik and his son Abdul Moid in different states including Gujarat, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

One of the teams arrested Malik, who is in his 50s, from Delhi but his son is still on the run, Meena told reporters.

“We have brought Malik to Haldwani. He is in our custody. He will be produced before a court at the earliest,” he said.

Apart from Malik, two more rioters were arrested on Saturday which takes the total number of people arrested so far in the case to 81.

Malik allegedly built an “illegal” madrasa in the Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani. Its demolition led to the violence in Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani in Nanital district on February 8.

Malik had vehemently opposed the administration’s action and his wife Safia had gone to the court challenging the Municipal Corporation notice for its demolition.

However, the court did not grant them immediate relief and the madrasa was demolished, triggering incidents of stone-pelting and arson in the Muslim dominated Banbhoolpura area.

A lookout notice was issued against Malik and his son on February 16 and his properties were attached.

Six people were killed and more than a hundred including police personnel and journalists injured in the Banbhoolpura violence.

Apart from the three FIRs lodged initially, a fresh case was registered by the police against six persons including Malik and his wife Safia charging them with criminal conspiracy and fraudulently using a dead man’s name for illegal plotting, construction and transfer of land.

In the fresh case, the accused have been charged with hatching a criminal conspiracy to mislead the government departments and the court on the basis of false affidavits, the SSP said.

They were booked under sections 120B(criminal conspiracy), 417 (cheating) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the IPC, he told reporters. The accused have been charged with hatching a criminal conspiracy to mislead the government departments and the court on the basis of false affidavits, he said.

The SOG police team headed by sub-inspector Anees Ahmad and consisting of Gaurav Joshi and others has been given a cash reward of Rs 50,000 by Uttarakhand DGP Abhinav Kumar.

Former Supreme Court judge Kurian Joseph

New Delhi: Former Supreme Court judge Kurian Joseph came down hard on media on Saturday, saying it has failed to defend democracy, the Constitution and truth.

Justice (retd) Joseph said one does not find any fearless and truthful version of the facts coming out and the greatest blow to democracy is that the fourth pillar has failed the country.

“Before the conference, we discussed quite a few things but all those things which we discussed, do we read in any media, do we see in any electronic media, except a couple of private media in the digital side,” he said, while speaking at a seminar organised by the Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR) here.

He also made a spirited call for protecting whistle-blowers, whom he termed as the “fifth pillar”.

“We don’t find any fearless, truthful version of the facts coming out. The greatest blow to democracy is that the fourth pillar has failed the country. Forget about the first three pillars. The fourth pillar is the media and they have failed to defend democracy. They have failed to defend the Constitution. They have failed to defend the truth,” Justice Joseph said.

He said whistle-blowers are the only hope.

“Somehow they are also not able to blow, maybe post COVID lungs have been affected. The way the lungs are crushed in the country today so that nobody will blow the whistle is a very dangerous trend for the country,” he said.

“So, we need to support, we need to stand up, we need to speak out, we need to stay alert and we need to stay with at least those few of the whistle-blowers who are left in the country and who are the only hope as I see it,” Justice Joseph said.

LUCKNOW: Over a month after the commencement of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joined her brother on Saturday in the brass city of Moradabad, which happens to be the native place of Priyanka’s in-laws, after a two-day halt for march’s final leg.

People raised slogans such as ‘Rahul Gandhi zindabaad’, ‘Priyanka Gandhi zindabaad’ and ‘Congress party zindabaad’ as the yatra passed through different areas of Moradabad. The Congress leaders were seen waving to people from an open jeep.

According to party sources, the AICC general secretary would accompany the Yatra from Moradabad, to Fatehpur Sikri via Amroha, Sambhal, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Hathras, and Agra from where it will enter Rajasthan.

Speaking at the Yatra in Moradabad, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lashed out at the state govt for an alleged paper leak during the police recruitment examination which was held on February 17-18.

“Twenty-eight lakh students took the exam for UP Police but the paper was leaked… As BJP’s government is formed in the centre and state, unemployment rates have increased… Until you are not employed, you don’t get facilities, paper leaks are not stopped, and there will be no development. Change will happen only when you cast your vote according to your experiences,” she said while addressing the gathering around the yatra.  

She also alleged that bulldozers are used to demolish the homes of “innocent people” while the “guilty” escape unscathed.

The Congress leader also expressed regret for being unable to join the Yatra on February 16 due to her illness.

“The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra of Rahul Gandhi resumed from Moradabad. Party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also present along with Rahul Gandhi. As the yatra moved through Moradabad, people from different walks of life greeted them. Both were seated in an open jeep,” Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI.

While Priyanka’s presence rejuvenated the Congress workers walking along the Yatra, SP workers were also seen taking part in it following the seat-sharing pact between the two parties in UP for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.  

Moreover, the Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai extended an invitation to SP leaders for the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Agra on February 25. Rai mentioned that key leaders from the Samajwadi Party would be joining the yatra, emphasizing the unity of the INDIA bloc.

“The yatra will be held in Agra on the 25th (February). We gave the invitation letter to the SP office here so that they can join the yatra and send a message of the strong unity of the INDIA alliance,” Ajay Rai said.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is set to join the Congress’ yatra in Agra on Sunday
before it enters Rajasthan.  

The Congress had said February 26 to March 1 would be break days for the yatra to allow Rahul Gandhi to fulfil his long-standing commitment to deliver two special lectures at his alma mater Cambridge University in the UK on February 27 and February 28. He will be also attending important meetings in New Delhi during this period, it had said.

The yatra will resume from Dholpur at 2 pm on March 2.

It will then move into Madhya Pradesh and cover Morena, Gwalior, Shivpuri, Guna, Shajapur and Ujjain among other districts of the state.

On March 5, Rahul Gandhi will pay obeisance at the Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain. He had offered prayers at the temple on November 29, 2022, during his Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Mumbai: The Election Commission of India on Thursday allotted “man blowing turha (a traditional trumpet)” as the symbol of the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar, the outfit’s spokesperson Clyde Crasto said.

“Our candidates will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on this symbol,” he told PTI.

The Sharad Pawar-founded NCP split in July last year after Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde government.

Chandigarh: A no-confidence motion brought by the Congress against the BJP-JJP government in Haryana was defeated through voice vote on Thursday after the opposition party’s MLAs walked out of the Assembly.

At the end of a four-hour-long discussion on the motion, Congress members left the House expressing dissatisfaction with the chief minister’s reply.

Speaker Gian Chand Gupta announced that the motion had been defeated through voice vote.

On Congress’ walkout, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala suggested a resolution be brought against the Congress members, alleging they waste precious time of the House.

Lone Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA Abhay Singh Chautala was also not present as he had left the House much before the Congress staged a walkout.

It was the second no-confidence motion brought by the Congress in the second term of the Manohar Lal Khattar government. The first such motion, which was brought by the Congress three years ago amid a stir against now-repealed farm laws, was defeated as well.

At present, the BJP has 41 MLAs in the 90-member House while its alliance partner, the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), has 10, and the ruling combine also enjoys support of six of seven independents.

The main opposition Congress has 30 MLAs and the INLD has one while one seat is of Haryana Lokhit Party.

Later, speaking to reporters, Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the government seemed to be avoiding questions raised by the opposition during the no-confidence motion, instead of answering them.

“It is extremely shameful that instead of speaking on the manifesto promises, scams, unemployment, crime, drugs, inflation and farmers’ issues, the government resorted to personal comments. Therefore Congress walked out of the House,” Hooda said.

Earlier, speaking in the House after the motion was taken up for discussion, Congress members targeted the Khattar government on various issues, including ongoing farmers’ agitation on Punjab-Haryana borders.

Chief Minister Khattar, who is also Leader of the House, said, “When they had brought no-confidence in 2021, I had said they should bring the motion every six months. I had said this with a reason that at least they will have to listen to us.”

“Mehfil mein chal rahi thi mere katl ki tayari, kehte kehte bole lambi umar tumhari…,” said Khattar in a poetic tone while taking a dig at the Congress.

The Congress MLAs knew fate of their motion and had already said it was a number game, the CM said, adding in Congress’ culture there is no tradition of trust.

“Whenever any reform was talked about in the national interest, the Congress never believed it,” he said.

Khattar also said everyone knows about alleged scams during the Congress-led UPA regime. Land scams also took place during the previous Hooda government in the state, he said.

“During Congress’ time, badli (transfers), bharti (recruitment) and CLU (change of land use) industry flourished,” alleged the CM.

He said under the present dispensation systemic changes have been brought and transparency has been ensured in every sphere of administration.

To assert claims of giving government jobs on merit, Khattar cited an example of recruitment of daughter of senior Congress member Geeta Bhukkal as an assistant professor.

However, Bhukkal said the government had not done any favour on her daughter who had secured job on her merit.

Why are you taking it personal, Khattar told her.

Earlier, Congress member Shamsher Singh Gogi raised the protesting farmers’ issue.

Gogi said a farmer who died on Wednesday at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border was among the protesting farmers who are seeking a legal guarantee to minimum support price for crops.

“The border has been made like India-Pakistan border…the government should resolve the issue,” said Gogi.

Hooda said the situation is serious and government should resolve the issue through talks.

The BJP MLAs said the government has undertaken all-round development and Haryana was marching on path of progress.

Congress MLA B B Batra said the BJP talks about establishing “Ram Rajya”, but it is a government which has been hit by scams while corruption is rampant in various spheres.

During the discussion, Congress members also brought up the issue of charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) slapped against party MLA Mamman Khan in Haryana in connection with a Nuh violence case.

Hooda said when the MLA had secured bail in a FIR, why UAPA charge had been added six months later. “Don’t treat MLAs like this. UAPA is slapped against terrorists,” he said.

However, Khattar said the government does not interfere in a issue in which investigation is going on.

Congress member Gogi said, “Is UAPA being slapped against Mamman Khan because he belongs to a particular community”.

INLD’s Abhay Chautala also said, “Why are you targeting Muslims. Why has UAPA not being slapped in the Gurugram case where an Imam had died in aftermath of (Nuh) violence.”

During the discussion, there was a brief verbal exchange between ruling JJP’s Ram Kumar Gautam and Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala after Gautam made some remarks against him which were expunged by the Chair.

Gautam also indulged in a verbal duel with Minister of Development and Panchayats Devender Babli, also from JJP, after the former made some remarks on e-tendering system in panchayats.

Shubhkaran Singh

Chandigarh : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore and a government job for the sister of farmer Shubhkaran Singh who died at the Khanauri border point.

Singh (21), a native of Bathinda, was killed and 12 police personnel injured in clashes at Khanauri border point on the Punjab-Haryana border on Wednesday. The incident took place when some protesting farmers were trying to head towards barricades.

“The family of Shubhkaran Singh, who got martyred during the farmer’s movement on the Khanauri border, will be given financial assistance of Rs 1 crore by the Punjab government and a government job to his younger sister. Due legal action will be taken against culprits,” Mann said in a post in Punjabi.

Farmer leaders were demanding financial compensation for the kin of Singh and a government job for a member of his family, besides registration of a case against those who were responsible for his death.

They had also demanded “martyr” status for Singh, who hailed from Ballo village in Bathinda.

The post-mortem of Singh, whose body was kept in a mortuary of Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, was delayed as the farmers pressed for acceptance of their demands.

The chief minister on Wednesday said he was saddened by the death of the young farmer and asserted that stringent action would be taken against those responsible for it.

“After the post-mortem, a case will be registered. Those officials responsible for his death will have to face stringent action,” Mann had said.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) are spearheading the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to press the government to accept their demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP for crops and a farm loan waiver.

Farmer leaders on Wednesday put the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on hold for two days after a protester was killed and about 12 police personnel injured in clashes at Khanauri and had also said that they would decide their next course of action on Friday evening.

Thousands of farmers remain camped at Khanauri and Shambhu with their tractor-trolleys and trucks agitating for their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops and farm debt waiver.

The Punjab farmers are also demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.

Hyderabad : Opposition BRS MLA in Telangana G Lasya Nanditha died in a road accident at Patancheru near here on Friday.

The incident occurred at around 5.30 AM today when the car she was travelling in hit a metal crash barrier on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) resulting in her death, police said.

The car’s driver suffered injuries in the incident, they said.

The 36-year-old first-time legislator from Secunderabad Cantonment (SC) was shifted to a hospital where the doctors declared her dead on arrival.

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, state BJP president G Kishan Reddy and several Telangana ministers and leaders condoled the death of the young legislator.

Expressing grief over the tragic death of Lasya Nanditha, Revanth Reddy recalled his close association with her late father G Sayanna.

It is tragic that Sayanna died in February last year and Lasya Nanditha also passed away suddenly during the same month (in a span of one year), he said.

Nanditha’s father Sayanna was a BRS MLA. He passed away due to ill-health in February last year.

She won the recent Assembly election in Telangana on a BRS ticket.

BRS president Chandrasekhar Rao expressed anguish over her sudden demise and said Lasya Nanditha won people’s appreciation as MLA.

The BRS would stand by her family members in the difficult times, Chandrasekhar Rao said.

BJP leader Kishan Reddy said it was painful that Lasya Nanditha and her father died within a year.

Lasya Nanditha, who had served as a Corporator in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) earlier, had a bright future ahead, he said.

Meanwhile, police said they are trying to ascertain how the accident occurred.

On February 13 this year, Lasya Nanditha was involved in an accident while returning to Hyderabad after attending a public meeting organised by BRS at Nalgonda.

While she escaped with minor injuries a Home Guard died.

Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi

Mumbai: Former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi passed away at a Mumbai hospital on Friday, where he was admitted after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Joshi (86) was admitted to Hinduja Hospital in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on February 21 and passed away early Friday, the private medical facility said.

Joshi Sir, as he was popularly known, was the first chief minister of the undivided Shiv Sena and held the post during 1995-1999.

He was admitted to the hospital in May last year after suffering a brain haemorrhage.

He was also elected as a member of Parliament and was the Lok Sabha Speaker from 2002 to 2004 when the Vajpayee government was in power.

Born on December 2, 1937 in coastal Konkan region of Maharashtra, Joshi obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the prestigious Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) in Mumbai.

His political career began with his involvement in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and he later became a member of the Shiv Sena. In the 1980s, Joshi emerged as a key leader within the Shiv Sena, and was known for his organisational skills.

He was the Lok Sabha Speaker from 2002 to 2004 when the Vajpayee government was in power.

The former Union minister was married to Anagha Joshi, who died in 2020 at the age of 75. He is survived by a son and two daughters.

Joshi began his career as a teacher and entered politics in 1967. He was associated with the Shiv Sena for more than four decades.

He was a municipal councilor in Mumbai during 1968-70 and Chairman, Standing Committee of the Mumbai municipal corporation in 1970. He was the Mayor of Mumbai during 1976-1977.

He was then elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council in 1972. After serving three terms in the Legislative Council, Joshi was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 1990 and was the Leader of the Opposition in the assembly during 1990-91.

In the 1999 general elections, Joshi won from the Mumbai North-Central Lok Sabha Constituency as a Shiv Sena candidate, and was later Union minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.

Condoling Joshi’s demise, Union minister Nitin Gadkari, who was a member of the Maharashtra ministry when the former was the CM, said the state had lost a “cultured face” of politics.

Joshi’s family said his last rites will be performed at Shivaji Park crematorium in Dadar area.

Mumbai: MLA Zeeshan Siddique who was sacked as president of the Mumbai Youth Congress two days ago alleged on Thursday that Muslims have no place in the party.

Speaking at a press conference here, Siddique, MLA from Vandre East, also claimed that the Congress had the worst communalism among all parties and he faced harassment because of his religion.

“I won’t say I will remain in the Congress, but I will discuss my political options with my supporters (first),” said Siddique whose father and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique recently quit the party and joined the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

He did not receive any official communication about being removed as the Mumbai Youth Congress chief, he claimed.

“I have been repeatedly saying that even though my father Baba Siddique joined the NCP, I will remain with the Congress, but still action was taken against me,” Zeeshan said.

He bagged 90 percent votes in the election for the Mumbai Youth Congress president’s post, and still the party took nine months to appoint him to the post, he said, adding, “I was harassed a lot because I am a Muslim.”

“Muslims have no place in the Congress. In Mumbai and Karnataka, two Muslim candidates won Youth wing elections but it took nearly a year for them to get the post in both cases,” he said.

Zeeshan also said he felt bad about the Congress being in alliance with the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray (as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi), when Thackeray, at a solidarity rally of the alliance in Mumbai, praised the demolition of Babri mosque.

Rahul Gandhi was doing good work but his team was “extremely corrupt,” he alleged.