[Nasheman news] Amaravati Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday accused the Centre and the Telangana governments of behaving like “economic terrorists”.

He said both governments were targeting the opponents, including those from the corporate sector, by threatening them or by fabricating false cases against them.

Addressing a news conference here, he said both the Narendra Modi-led government and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government were creating an atmosphere of fear by targeting the opponents through raids or by causing mental agony to them.

Naidu also came down heavily on the Centre for threatening to file cases against “The Hindu” and N. Ram, Chairman of the publishing group, under the Official Secrets Act. He termed this as a serious threat to freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the Constitution.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief referred to the raid conducted by the Telangana Police on an information technology firm providing services to the party. He alleged that the TRS government took away the data of his party and gave it to the YSR Congress to help it in the coming elections.

Naidu said 160 people who were working with the company ran away from Hyderabad as the TRS government created fear through the raid.

“They also filed a false case against us that government data was stolen. In what way are you concerned with this? Do you have so much love for Andhra Pradesh,” he asked.

The Chief Minister said Andhra Pradesh would take all steps, including legal recourse, to protect its sovereign rights.

He alleged that the TRS, BJP and YSR Congress had colluded to create chaos in Andhra Pradesh which was on the path of development and prosperity thanks to the efforts of his government during the last five years. He also claimed that they were trying to get the names of eligible voters deleted from the electoral rolls.

Stating that the Central and the Telangana governments forced many opponents, including some industrialists, to surrender before them, he said there was no question of compromising with them.

“They are threatening me of using the CBI, the ED and other agencies, but they can’t do anything. I have done nothing wrong in my 40-year-long political career and I will continue to fight,” Naidu said.

[Nasheman news] Jammu A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team on Thursday reached Jammu’s main bus stand where a grenade attack left one man dead and left 30 others injured.

Sources in the agency said the team rushed to the spot soon after getting information about the blast that occurred around 11.30 a.m. when a grenade rolled by an unidentified militant under a packed, parked bus exploded. The bus was headed to Uttarakhand.

The explosion also injured passengers in a nearby bus which was set to leave for Amritsar.

One of the badly-wounded civilians, identified as a 20-year-old man from Uttarakhand, succumbed to his injuries in a hospital. 

According to police, four others were critically injured. 

Soon after the explosion, the area was cordoned off but the militant merged into the crowd and escaped.

Some witnesses said they initially thought the sound had been caused by a tyre-burst.

The incident was the third attack at the bus stand, commonly known as Jammu General Bus Stand, by militants in the last nine months.

[Nasheman news] Patna, In the absence of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi is slated to distribute the party symbol to candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, a party official said on Thursday.

“Rabri Devi will hand over the party symbol to the RJD candidates contesting the polls”, the official said. Lalu Prasad is unlikely to get bail ahead of the elections, the Rashtriya Janata Dal official said.

Lalu Prasad was convicted in three fodder scam cases in December 2017 and January 2018 and was awarded 14 years imprisonment. He has applied for bail in the Supreme Court.

“If he fails to get bail within the next two weeks, candidates will be given the party symbol by Rabri Devi in his absence,” another party leader said.

Lalu Prasad, as President of the RJD, is entitled to distribute the party symbol.

He is currently undergoing treatment at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi.

Earlier, a PIL was filed in the Patna High Court questioning the legitimacy of distribution of the party symbol by Lalu Prasad who, it stated, could not hold the post after being convicted in corruption cases. 

[Nasheman news] New Delhi Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday addressed a letter to the people of the national capital describing the issues the city has faced in the last four years due to the lack of a full statehood.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will launch a full statehood movement on Sunday, with 1,000 teams campaigning across the city.

“The full statehood demand will be the party’s prime focus for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Our teams will go to every area in the city to tell the people about the injustice being done to the city,” AAP leader Gopal Rai told the media while unveiling Kejriwal’s letter.

“Our people will take this letter and the pamphlet and will approach the citizens.”

In the letter, Kejriwal said: “The BJP and Congress had made promises of a statehood for Delhi. But both the parties cheated the city and its people. AAP is your own party. If our MPs are elected, they will get full statehood for Delhi.”

Along with the letter, he also attached the pamphlet which said: “Every Delhi citizen will have a house, youth will get jobs, admission will be easily done in colleges, the city will be clean, sealing will be stopped, metro fare will not be hiked without the consent of people, all unauthorised colonies will be authorised, issues of rural Delhi will be solved, officials will be held responsible to the people and the work will be done with speed.”

On Wednesday, the party had launched a song for the movement.