Idukki: As campaigning for the assembly polls reached feverish pitch in Kerala, former MP Joyce George courted a controversy by making alleged derogatory remarks against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with the latter’s interaction with students of a women’s college in Kochi last week.

George, who had won as the CPI(M) supported independent during 2014 Parliament election from Idukki, made highly objectionable comments against the Nehru scion while addressing an election rally at Irattayar here on Monday.

Distancing himself from the comments, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the LDF’s stand is not to personally attack Gandhi.

“We will oppose him politically not personally”, Vijayan told reporters in Kasaragod on Tuesday.

Attacking the opposition Congress-led UDF and Rahul Gandhi in particular, George said Gandhi would visit only women’s colleges and the girls should be “cautious” while dealing with the former Congress President.

“Girls never bend down in front of him.. he is an unmarried trouble maker,” he alleged.

The former Left independent MP’s remarks came days after Gandhi had given Aikido lessons at the famed St Teresa’s college in Kochi based on the request of a student.

The Congress leader had visited the women’s college for an interaction with students after he arrived at the state for election campaigning.

Joyce George’s statement drew intense criticism from the Congress fold.

Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday termed the sexually coloured remarks against Gandhi as ‘unfortunate and unacceptable.’

A case should be registered against the former MP and he should be arrested, he said.

Member of Parliament and Youth Congress leader Dean Kuriakose lashed out at the ex-MP and said George might have spoken about his own character.

“The vulgarity within him has come out now. What is his merit to criticise Rahul Gandhi? He is trying to follow the footsteps of power minister M M Mani, known for making such derogatory comments,” he said.

Kuriakose said through the comments, the former MP had not only insulted Gandhi but also the girl students. He also said he would soon lodge a complaint with the Election Commission against George in this regard.

Criticising George, Kerala Congress leader P J Joseph said the remarks were “immature” and wanted to know whether it was the opinion of the entire LDF.

However, minister M M Mani justified George and said he had not made any anti-women remarks and only criticised Rahul Gandhi.

New Delhi: Petrol and diesel prices on Tuesday were cut for the third time within a week on the back of softening international oil prices.

Petrol price was cut by 22 paise per litre and diesel by 23 paise per litre, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers.

Petrol now costs Rs 90.56 per litre in Delhi and a litre of diesel comes for Rs 80.87. Rates have been reduced across the country and vary from state to state depending on the local incidence of taxation (VAT).

In Mumbai, the petrol price was cut to Rs 96.98 a litre on Tuesday from Rs 97.19, while diesel rates were reduced to Rs 87.96 from Rs 88.20, the price notification showed.

Fuel prices were reduced for the first time in six months on March 24, and thereafter on March 25 as well after international oil prices fell on prospect of speedy recovery in consumption getting clouded by the second wave of COVID-19 cases.

They had remained on freeze thereafter as global rates edged up after one of the world’s most vital waterways clogged. The reopening of the Suez Canal cooled rates again.

In three reductions, petrol price has come down by 61 paise per litre and diesel by 60 paise.

Despite bouts of rate freeze, prices had gone up by a record Rs 21.58 per litre on petrol since the government raised excise duty in March last year. Diesel prices had increased by Rs 19.18 a litre.

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray’s wife Rashmi was on Tuesday admitted in a hospital here for COVID-19 treatment.

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s wife Rashmi Thackeray was on Tuesday admitted in a hospital here for COVID-19 treatment, sources close to the CM’s family said.

Earlier, the CM’s son and minister Aaditya Thackeray had also tested positive for coronavirus.

The CM and Rashmi Thackeray had taken the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the government-run J J Hospital here on March 11.

Rashmi Thackeray is editor of ‘Saamana’, the mouthpiece of the Shiv Sena.

BENGALURU: As Covid cases are shooting up across the State, especially in Bengaluru, many IT and ITES companies are extending the work from home (WFH) option for their employees by three more months. The firms had earlier said WFH would be till March 31 and asked employees to return to work from Wednesday. But now they are sending out emails, asking staff not to visit offices, unless absolutely necessary. State Government employees too are asking for work from home option as they pointed out that they are at a higher risk, since there is no restriction on the number of people visiting government offices.

A leading IT service management firm in east Bengaluru had earlier given the WFH option till March 31, but on Monday, employees received an email saying it has been extended by three more months. A multinational investment bank and financial services company in Bengaluru which had asked its employees to return to office from Wednesday, has told them to continue to work from home. An IT major too has extended WFH till May 31 and sent the mail to its employees a couple of weeks ago. K S Viswanathan, Vice-President (Industry Initiatives), Nasscom,that most of the companies had extended work from home till June and a few till September.

WFH improved efficiency, says Nasscom vice-prez

“Though  it has been one year and one month since IT/ ITES companies started work from home, the quality of work has not suffered. IT companies continue to get new projects, recruitments are happening, and the efficiency too has gone up,” K S Viswanathan, Vice- President (Industry Initiatives), Nasscom, said. The State Government employees, too, are appealing to Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar to allow them to work from home or allow 50 per cent of the staff to work from office as there is a spike in Covid numbers.

Over 3,000 employees work at Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha and MS Building, and every day, thousands of people visit these offices. “We have kept a basic hand sanitiser and temperature checking machine. These are not enough to find out if a person is infected with Covid. A couple of staffers have already tested positive, and one of them is from the Irrigation Department,” said Guruswamy, president, Karnataka State Secretariat Employees’ Association.

“Unlike the private sector, we cannot restrict the movement of people here,” he added. The private sector urged the government not to announce a lockdown again. “Industries are still suffering from the first lockdown and another one will be a disaster. They are sanitising the premises, asking their employees to wear masks all the time, and kept sanitisers. The government should open Covid vaccination for all, without any age limit. Industrial workers should be given priority, as they don’t have the option of working from home,” said Perikal M Sundar, president, FKCCI.

Chandrashekar Hebbar, president, Karnataka Pradesh Hotels and Restaurants Association, said that over 20 lakh people across the state, and 10 lak in Bengaluru, work in hotels, darshinis, bars, lodges and other places and free vaccination should be given to them on priority. Labour Minister Shivaram Hebbar said he will discuss it with the Chief Minister. “Work from home is not possible for the labour class and lockdown is not on the cards at present. We will discuss the best way forward next week,’’ he added.

AGARTALA: Two girls were allegedly gangraped in Tripura’s Khowai district and eight people, including a boy, were arrested in this connection, police said on Tuesday.

The two girls reached their homes at midnight and informed their family members that they were raped.

The police swung into action after the family members of the two lodged complaints, and arrested the accused, the officer said.

The girls were sent to Khowai District Hospital for medical examinations and an investigation in the case is underway, he added.

Nine fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the blaze was brought under control.

NEW DELHI: A fire broke out on Wednesday morning in the ICU of the Safdarjung Hospital here following which 50 patients were evacuated, fire officials said.

Nine fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the blaze was brought under control.

Around 50 patients were immediately shifted to others wards with the help of hospital staff, the officials said.

Mumbai: Police have arrested 14 people in connection with an attack on policemen by a mob of sword- wielding Sikhs in Nanded after they were denied permission to hold a public procession due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an official said on Tuesday.

The Wazirabad police in Maharashtra’s Nanded district have registered three FIRs against 64 people (who have been named in the FIRs) and other unidentified persons in connection with Monday’s incident at the Sri Hazur Sahib gurdwara, he said.

A viral video showed the sword-wielding mob barging out of the gurdwara, breaking the barricades put up by police and attacking the policemen.

Four constables were injured and six vehicles were also damaged in the violence. The condition of one of the injured policemen was serious, the official said.

The police were also trying to ascertain if anyone from the gurdwara committee had any role in the incident, he said.

“We have arrested 14 people till now on charges of attempt to murder, rioting, and under provisions of the Arms Act and other sections. Around 64 people have been named in the FIR, while search is on for others,” Deputy Inspector General of Police, Nanded Range, Nisar Tamboli told PTI.

The official on Monday said permission for the Hola Mohalla public procession was not granted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The gurdwara committee was informed and they had assured us that they would abide by our directives and hold the event inside the gurdwara premises,” he had said.

However, when the Nishan Sahib was brought at the gate around 4 pm on Monday, several participants started arguing and over 300 youth stormed out of the gate, broke the barricades and began attacking the policeman, he had said.

Nishan Sahib is a triangular saffron-colour flag furling outside a gurdwara on a steel pole covered with a saffron cloth. The flag also has an insignia called Khanda in the middle, which includes two swords and a chakra.

Hola Mohalla (Hola) is a Sikh festival that comes a day after Holi.

Unlike Holi, when people sprinkle coloured powder on each other, Hola Mohalla is an occasion for Sikhs to demonstrate their martial skills.

Nanded is an important Sikh pilgrimage centre as it is home to the sacred shrine – the Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchal Nagar Sahib.

It was here that the 10th and last Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708), anointed the holy book Guru Granth Sahib as the eternal Guru of Sikhism and spent the last 14 months of his life.