Mishra, a former AAP MLA who was disqualified as member of the Delhi’s Legislative Assembly, hit back saying he had only posted pictures of children but ‘they are seeing them as Muslims’.

NEW DELHI: Former AAP MLA Kapil Mishra, who recently joined the BJP, on Monday drew flak on social media over a controversial tweet which the RJD alleged was stoking communal hatred, but he maintained that he was trying to raise awareness on the need for population control.

The tweet was later taken down by Twitter for violating its guidelines.

“If you want pollution to come down, then you should reduce these firecrackers and not the ones burst on Diwali,” Mishra tweeted tagging a photograph of an elderly man with a skull cap and several children along with women in burqa, waiting in a queue.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) hit out at Mishra, accusing him of comparing “Muslim children to pollution” for his “petty politics” and stoking acrimony in society.

Mishra, a former AAP MLA who was disqualified as member of the Delhi’s Legislative Assembly, hit back saying he had only posted pictures of children but “they are seeing them as Muslims”.

“If the picture would have been of a Hindu family, would they have reacted in the same manner,” he tweeted.

One of the social media users, who lashed out at Mishra, said: “one should not stoop down to such a level just for a ticket that it is event difficult to get up”.

There was also a hashtag in support of Mishra which was trending for some time.

Mishra, however, said he is only advocating population control but is being abused and threatened on phone and social media for his tweet.

“There is so much fear after one tweet. What will these people do when the population control law comes in place, ” he tweeted referring to criticism on social media.

Incidentally, the shed above the erected old borewell where Sujith was stuck is completely covered without even a peephole.

In heartbreaking news coming in wee hours of Tuesday morning, 2-year-old Sujith, who was trapped inside a borewell, has been declared dead after 80 hours of non-stop rescue efforts. Tamil Nadu Revenue Principal Secretary J Radhakrishnan confirmed the news at 2.15 am.

At around 1 am on Tuesday morning, a heavy police force was deployed at the rescue spot. While the drilling work was still going on, ministers and the higher officials held a serious discussion near the borewell site

Speaking to the press, Radhakrishnan said, “We observed a stench emanating from the borewell at around 9.30 pm. It was confirmed that Sujith is no more. We found his body to be highly decomposed and dismembered.”

Incidentally, the shed above the erected old borewell where Sujith was stuck is completely covered without even a peephole. Doctors were brought into the shed at around 2 am. In the meantime, digging work was stopped all of a sudden.

Radhakrishnan said that the complete report on the exact situation will be released soon.

The toddler had fallen into a 600-feet borewell in front of his house on Friday night while playing with cousins. While Sujith was initially spotted at a depth of 27-feet, he later sunk as low as 100-feet.

Gehlot said that an environment of fear, distrust and violence has developed in the country due to which mob lynching incidents are on the rise.

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said the entire country is worried about the rise in cases of mob lynching on the suspicion of cattle theft and asserted that such incidents should not happen.

Responding to a question on mob lynching at an event at Hingonia cow shelter here, Gehlot said, “Cow is like mother. Every Hindu considers it as mother. It is our duty to respect the feelings but a religion will neither accept nor teach taking someone’s life on the basis of suspicion.”

He said, “An environment of fear, distrust and violence has developed in the country due to which mob lynching incidents are on the rise. The entire country is worried about it.” Gehlot said that such incidents should stop and that the state government would make all efforts to curb them.

He said that BJP leaders have a duty to give such a message just like Prime Minister Narendra Modi had once said that people engaging in such activities are anti-social elements. “I believe mob lynching incidents will stop if the message is clear from the leaders of BJP, RSS and VHP,” he said.

Shivakumar, who landed in Bengaluru on Saturday, received a warm welcome from his supporters.

BENGALURU: Congress leader DK Shivakumar on Sunday said that party president Sonia Gandhi standing by him when he was arrested is a message for the whole country that the party stands by its workers.

“Sonia Gandhi is my leader and she has given me strength. She has stood with a party worker. It is not only DK Shivakumar. This is a message to the entire country

Shivakumar said that the party will stand by all its workers in the hour of need.

“I never expected or asked for people to come out in support for me. However, people across the country supported me and showed their faith and love. I pray to God to give me strength so I can show them my gratitude and live up to their expectations,” he added.

The Congress leader had, on Saturday, said that he will fight for justice.

Shivakumar, who landed in Bengaluru on Saturday, received a warm welcome from his supporters. He was released from Tihar Jail on October 23 after Delhi High Court granted him bail in a money laundering case.

Shivakumar was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on September 3 and was sent to judicial custody till October 25.

The alleged money laundering case was registered against him by the ED in September last year, based on a complaint filed by the Income Tax department in which it had alleged tax evasion and hawala transactions amounting to crores.

The saffron party formed the government in alliance with the newly formed Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) led by Dushyant Chautala, who took oath as Khattar’s deputy.

CHANDIGARH: Manohar Lal Khattar took oath as Haryana chief minister for the second time on Sunday and will lead the BJP-JJP coalition government in the state.

JJP leader Dushyant Chautala took oath as the deputy chief minister.

Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya administered oath at a ceremony held at the Raj Bhawan here on Diwali day.

BJP working president J P Nadda, Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore, former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, Union ministers Krishan Pal Gurjar, R L Kataria, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal were present on the occasion.

The BJP had on Friday sealed a deal with the JJP to form the next government in Haryana after the saffron party fell short of six seats from the majority mark.

In the 90-member assembly, a minimum strength of 46 MLAs is required to form the government.

On Saturday, Khattar along with Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Haryana BJP President Subhash Barala and Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) leader Chautala met Haryana Governor Narain Arya and staked claim to form the government and gave both partys’ letters to him.

After staking claim, Khattar said, “We met the governor. I handed my resignation which he accepted and he told me to continue as interim chief minister. He invited us to form the new government and on Sunday CM and Deputy CM will be sworn-in in the afternoon. I will be the Chief Minister and Dushyant will be the deputy CM. We have the support of 57 MLAs (40 BJP, 10 JJP and 7 independents).”

Earlier His name was proposed by five-time MLA from Ambala cantonment and state health minister Anil Vij and MLA Kanwar Pal and was seconded by the rest of the MLAs. 

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and BJP general secretary Arun Singh were present in the meeting.

“We will form a stable and honest government with the support of JJP and independent candidates,” said Prasad.

The saffron party will not take the support of controversial Haryana Lokhit Party legislator Gopal Kanda. “We are not be taking any support from him (Kanda),’’ said Prasad.

Meanwhile, sources said that in the new Haryana cabinet, there will be six ministers of the saffron party, one Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant and two ministers (one cabinet rank and one minister of state) from JJP and Ranjit Singh Chautala, an Independent who left the Congress after he was denied a ticket and won. He is the son of the former chief minister and INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala.

Following Kamlesh Tiwari’s death, Kiran was unanimously appointed the National President of the Hindu Samaj Party floated by her late husband.

LUCKNOW: Kiran Tiwari, the wife of slain Hindu Samaj Party chief Kamlesh Tiwari, has said that she was not satisfied with the investigations into her husband’s murder and demanded an NIA inquiry.

“I am not satisfied with the investigations and I demand an inquiry by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). I will keep Rs 15 lakh ex-gratia given by the government till a BJP leader is killed in similar fashion and will then pool in an equal amount and give Rs 30 lakh to the bereaved family,” she told IANS on Sunday.

“I am highly dissatisfied with the probe. Why is the case not handed over to the NIA? The Uttar Pradesh Police and ATS will not be able to work it out. My husband had spoken to Naka Hindola SHO about the threat to his life a day before he was murdered but he paid no heed.”

Following Kamlesh Tiwari’s death, Kiran was unanimously appointed the National President of the Hindu Samaj Party floated by her late husband.

Comparing the compensation given to her with that given to the victim of the Dadri lynching case, Kiran said: “The Dadri victim as given Rs 50 lakhs and we were given Rs 15 lakhs. Is this a difference in the cost of lives?”

She accused the Uttar Pradesh government of trying to “silence” her with money. “But I will not keep quiet and continue to raise my voice. I will fulfil the dreams of my husband,” Kiran said, adding that the Hindu Samaj Party would now work towards making a Hindu Rashtra and also contest elections.

She said that the state government had also ignored the family’s demand for naming Khurshid Bagh and Kamlesh Bagh and installing a statue of her slain husband.

Kiran said that she would not rest until the “real killers” of her husband were hanged.

“Give me my husband’s killers and I will hang them if the government cannot ensure a death sentence for them,” she said.

She also demanded a Z-plus security cover for the family and raised concerns about the security of lone eyewitness Saurashtrajeet Singh.

“His security is of utmost importance because he is the one who can recognize the killers,” she said.

Kamlesh Tiwari was shot dead inside his office on October 18 and the alleged accused, identified as Ashfaq Hussain, 34, and Moinuddin Khurshid Pathan, 27, were arrested by Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on October 22.

Five more persons have been arrested so far in connection with the case for either conspiracy in the murder or helping the accused.

Meanwhile, General Secretary of the Hindu Samaj Party, Rajesh Mani Tripathi, has also questioned the investigations.

“Things are not clear yet. The two main suspects actually surrendered and were not arrested as is being claimed,” he alleged.

Srinagar: Normal life remained affected in Kashmir for the 83rd consecutive day on Saturday as the main markets were shut and public transport was off the roads, officials said.

Some shops opened for a few hours early in the morning in some areas, including in the commercial hub of Lal Chowk in the city here, but downed their shutters around 11 am, they added.

These shops witnessed a huge rush of customers and the increased number of private vehicles led to traffic snarls at several places in the city centre and the adjoining areas, the officials said.

However, the main markets and other business establishments remained shut across the valley, they added. Autorickshaws and a few inter-district cabs were plying in a few areas of the valley, but other modes of public transport were off the roads, the officials said.

Internet services — across all platforms — continued to be snapped across the valley since the night of 4 August — hours before the Centre announced its decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave a special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcate the state into two Union territories.

The internet services were snapped, along with mobile and landline telephone services. While landline services were restored gradually first, postpaid mobile services were restored only last week. Pre-paid services continue to remain barred.

Most of the top-level and second-rung separatist politicians have been taken into preventive custody, while mainstream leaders, including two former chief ministers — Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti — have either been detained or placed under house arrest.

Another former chief minister and the Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, Farooq Abdullah, has been arrested under the controversial Public Safety Act, a law enacted by his father and National Conference (NC) founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1978 when he was the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

Bhubaneswar: A general manager of the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Guwahati branch allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself at a hotel in Odisha’s Jajpur, the police said on Friday.

The incident occurred at Chandikhola on Friday morning. The dead man has been identified as Asish Ranjan Samal, a resident of Naraharipur village in Jajpur district.

The man had come to his native village on Thursday to meet his mother. Thereafter, he went to Bhubaneswar to meet his wife, a doctor at the Kalinga Institute of Medical Science (KIIMS), and son, a 12th standard student.

The police said that Mr Samal had checked into the hotel on Thursday afternoon. On Friday morning, when the hotel staff knocked at the door of the room, he did not answer following which the hotel staff called the police. The police found him hanging from the ceiling fan of the room.

The identity of the dead man was ascertained by the documents provided by Mr Samal at the time of check-in, said the Inspector-In-Charge of Badachana police station, Deepak Kumar Jena.

Jaipur: BJP ally Hanuman Beniwal alleged on Friday that former chief minister Vasundhara Raje has helped the Congress candidate in Khisnwar bypoll, a day after his brother won the assembly seat by a slender margin.

Beniwal, convenor of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party and the MP from Nagaur, also accused former state minister Yunus Khan of aiding the Congress in the bypoll, in a tweet tagging BJP chief Amit Shah, working president JP Nadda and state chief Satish Poonia.

He also tagged Raje in the tweet, demanding strong action against the two BJP leaders. His brother Narayan Beniwal was the BJP-RLP alliance candidate and defeated Congress’s Harendra Mirdha.

Beniwal further alleged that Raje and Khan had also helped the Congress candidate in the Nagaur seat during the Lok Sabha polls when the RLP and the BJP fought the election in alliance.

New Delhi, Oct 25: BJP vice president Uma Bharti on Friday asked the party not to forget its “moral mission” and suggested that it should not seek support from controversial Independent MLA Gopal Kanda, who is accused of abetting suicides of a woman and her mother, to form government in Haryana.

In her tweets, Bharti, also a former union minister, said she will request the BJP not to forget its moral mission and ensure that it gets support from people who are as “clean” as its own workers are.

Whether Kanda is a criminal or innocent will be decided by court but he cannot be absolved of his crime because he has won an election, Bharti, once a firebrand Hindutva leader, said.

“We must form government in Haryana but we should ensure that we have support from people (MLAs) who are as clean as BJP workers are,” she said.

In 2012, a former air hostess, who was employed with Kanda’s company, had committed suicide, accusing him of harassment.

Police, during its investigation, accused him of raping her and also charged him with abetment to her suicide. Her mother also later ended her life. Kanda was booked for abetting her suicide too.

The matter is in court now.

Wary of adverse publicity, senior BJP leaders have made it a point to not be seen with Kanda, who has announced his support to the party as it works to cobble together the support of a majority of MLAs to form the government in Haryana.

Asked about the simmering row over the issue, BJP general secretary Anil Jain said the party is aware of the matter and will take a call on this.