New Delhi, As usual, the Lok Sabha proceedings were again disrupted on Thursday as vociferous protests and sloganeering over various issues forced Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to adjourn the House till noon.

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day without transacting any business after ruckus in the House over issues ranging from construction of a dam on the Cauvery River to violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district.In the LS, despite repeated warnings from Mahajan, Congress, AIADMK and TDP members continued to stand in the Well of the House and sought to raise various issues, including Rafale deal. Soon after the Question Hour began, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge wanted to raise the issue of Rafale deal but Mahajan said the matter can be raised during the Zero Hour.Besides Congress members who were demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the deal,

Those from AIADMK protested against the construction of a dam across Cauvery River. TDP members sought to raise issues related to Andhra Pradesh.

PTI

 

[Nasheman news] Jaipur,  Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh on early Thursday allocated portfolios to the Council of Ministers, three days after 23 ministers took oath, officials said.

The allocation of portfolios took place at 2 a.m., a statement said. 

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has kept key departments including Home, Finance and Personnel with him, while Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot gets PWD and Rural Development, the statement said.

General Administration, Information Technology and Telecommunications are also with Gehlot while Science and Technology, and Statistics have been allotted to Pilot.

Nasheman News : Union Minister for Water Resources Nitin Gadkari will convene a meeting of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Chief Ministers on the implementation of the controversial Cauvery river project at Mekedatu for drinking water supply, said an official on Wednesday.

“Gadkari conveyed the decision on the proposed meeting to Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy when they met in New Delhi,” said an official of the Chief Minister’s Office in Bengaluru in a statement.

Karnataka has sought the Central government’s approval to build a dam at Mekedatu on the river near Kanakapura in Ramanagaram district, about 100km southwest of Bengaluru, for storing and supplying its water to the parched districts of Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts.

Objecting to the project fearing denial of its share of the river water, Tamil Nadu has also petitioned the Central government and the Supreme Court not to allow Karnataka to build the balancing reservoir at the goat’s leap gorge.

“Kumaraswamy has sought Gadkari’s intervention to resolve the issue between the two riparian states and convince Tamil Nadu that the project would be beneficial to both the neighbouring states,” said the statement.

As sharing the river water for agriculture and drinking in the state’s old Mysuru region became contentious, leading to the apex court modifying the inter-state dispute tribunal award, storing it (water) at Mekedatu for drinking only has turned into a protracted legal and political battle.

“Tamil Nadu is objecting central permission in mid-November to Karnataka to even prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for building the dam on the grounds that storing water would deny its share for its farmers in the delta region,” an official of the state Water Resources Department told IANS here.

The project is estimated to cost the state a whopping Rs 5,192 crore.

Tamil Nadu has also disputed Karnataka’s claim on the project’s purpose, as storing the river water will allow it generate hydel power and thus restrict its flow into its delta region.

Kumaraswamy also sought Gadkari’s intervention to make Goa allow Karnataka utilise the Mahadayi river water for drinking purpose in the four drought-prone districts in the state’s northwest region.

“Though the inter-state river tribunal has permitted Karnataka to utilise the water for drinking purpose, the Goa government has approached the top court against the tribunal award, which is in the state’s favour,” said the official.

In a related development, Gadkari, who is also the Surface Transport Minister, has agreed to build an elevated highway between Hubballi and Dharwad, about 400km from Bengaluru to ease the gridlock between the twin cities in the state’s northwest region.

“Gadkari has directed the state government to complete the land acquisition to allow the state-run National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to begin the elevated road projected work,” added the statement.

State PWD Minister and Kumaraswamy’s elder brother H.D. Revanna, state Chief Secretary T.M. Vijayabhaskar and Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister E.V. Ramana Reddy were present on the occasion.

 Nasheman News : A day after abusing a journalist, and threatening him of “smashing his head”, Lok Sabha MP Moulana Badaruddin Ajmal expressed his apologies on Thursday, saying he respects media persons.

Ajmal, a Lok Sabha MP from Assam’s Dhubri constituency, landed himself in a controversy on Wednesday over the episode.

Ajmal, who leads the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), faced condemnation from from different sections over the incident. Several media organisations have threatened to file FIRs against him.

Apologising over the episode, Ajmal, who is also a perfume trader, wrote on Twitter: “Media is the fourth pillar of democracy and I have always respected media persons and everyone knows that. I have sincere regards for them. The Mankachar incident was an unintentional aberration and I sincerely apologize for that to all concerned.”

Guwahati-based Digital Media Journalist Association of Assam (DiMJAA) has said it will file an FIR against Ajmal on Thursday.

Members of the media fraternity also staged a protest on Thursday at Dispur Press Club, wearing black badge.

The AIUDF chief got agitated on Wednesday when a journalist asked him if he will side with the party that comes to power in New Delhi.

He was addressing a press conference at Mankachar to honour the AIUDF leaders who won in the recently held rural polls in Assam.

Ajmal not only verbally abused the journalist but also asked him to get out of the venue. 

“I’ll smash your head,” he said, while snatching the boom of the journalist.

Nasheman News : Three siblings from Telangana were killed in a devastating house fire in Collierville town in Tennessee in the United States, according to the family.

The missionary students were identified as Sathwika Naik (16), Jaya Naik (13) and their brother Suhan Naik (14). The three siblings hailed from Nalgonda district. 

Kari Coudriet (46), in whose house the teenagers were celebrating Christmas, was also killed in the fire that broke out around 11 p.m. Sunday (local time). Her husband Danny Coudriet and son Cole survived the blaze.

The four victims were said to be asleep when the fire broke out, apparently due to a short-circuit.

The teenagers, who were studying at French Camp Academy in Mississippi, had come to Coudriets’ house for the holidays at their invitation.

Their parents, Srinivas Naik and Sujatha Naik, had recently shifted back to India.

“The Naik family are missionaries in India that our church supports,” said a statement by Coudriet’s Collierville Bible Church.

The Coudriet family was celebrating Christmas with the three teenagers.

“At this time, we are asking for privacy and discretion regarding the missionary children. The family is in route from India and many of the details of the events are still being communicated to the family. Please respect this family and give them the time and ability to process information before posting any details on all media and social media outlets,” said a Facebook post by the Church.

A pall of gloom descended on the ancestral house of the Naik family in Gurraputhanda in Neredugommu Mandal (block) in Nalgonda district. 

Grieving relatives appealed to the Telangana government for help in bringing the bodies back home.

Nasheman News : Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has said it was “very difficult” to predict the country’s next Prime Minister in view of the current political situation.

Noting that he was “not focussed” on politics, the 53-year-old yoga guru said he would not support or oppose anyone in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Talking to reporters at the airport here Tuesday, Ramdev said, “We can’t say who will become the next prime minister (after the 2019 general elections).”

“We do not have a political or religious agenda… We want to make a spiritual India and world… Not Hindu India or communal India,” he added.

His comments come days after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) suffered a big blow as it lost power in its earlier ruled Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The Congress won convincingly in Chhattisgarh, less so in Rajasthan and edged out the saffron party in a cliffhanger in Madhya Pradesh.

Referring to the Ayodhya dispute, Ramdev claimed that the BJP would lose trust if the ‘Ram Mandir’ was not built in Ayodhya now.

The yoga guru was in the state to attend a national executive meeting of Bharat Swabhiman in Rameswaram.

On Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah’s remarks on mob violence in Uttar Pradesh, Ramdev said, “accusing India of religious intolerance amounts to degrading the country’s pride”.

The charge that country was religiously intolerant was tantamount to “ungratefulness, disrespect and treason,” he added.

Apparently referring to the recent violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr, Shah had said that at many places in the country the “death of a cow is being given more importance than the killing of a policeman”.

The veteran actor had also expressed anxiety over the well-being of his children, who he said, have not been brought up as followers of any particular religion.

The violence, which occurred earlier this month over an incident of alleged cow slaughter, had claimed two lives, including that of a police inspector. 

B Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda on Tuesday, December 25 expressed his disappointment at not being invited for the inauguration of the country’s longest railroad bridge in Assam though he had laid the foundation stone of it.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, December 25 inaugurated the 4.9 km long bridge at Bogibeel across Brahmaputra river, built at a cost of Rs 5,900 crore. The foundation stone for the project was laid by Gowda when he was the prime minister in 1997.

“Railway line to Kashmir, Delhi Metro and Bogibeel railroad bridge were among the projects I had sanctioned (as prime minister). I had sanctioned the budget of Rs 100 crore for each of these projects and laid their foundation stones. People have forgotten me today,” Gowda said.

Replying to a question from reporters on the sidelines of a function here as to how he felt about the inauguration of the project started by him, the former prime minister said he had given the nod for many projects.

To a question whether he received an invitation, Gowda quipped, “Aiyo Rama! Who will remember me? Some newspapers might have mentioned about it.”

On the enormous delay in completing the project, he said, “That is where I differ. I completed the Hassan-Mysuru project in 13 months. I completed two bridges on time.

“Some people from Bombay Karnataka region say that Deve Gowda did not do anything (for the north Karnataka region), go and see it,” he added.

PTI

After the intervention of  Congress legislature party(CLP) leader, Siddaramaiah, powerful leaders who were left out of the cabinet like former minister, R. Ramalinga Reddy seem to have decided to bury the hatchet till the Lok Sabha elections.

These disgruntled leaders with the exception of  Belagavi strongman, Ramesh Jarkiholi who remains stubborn following his exit from the cabinet, seem to have decided to adopt a wait and watch policy till the elections.

This became evident when Mr Reddy spoke to the media after his  meetings with Mr Siddarmaiah and subsequently with KPCC president, Dinesh Gundurao at Cauvery, where Mr Siddaramaiah resides. 

Mr Reddy who is cut up with Deputy Chief Minister, Dr G. Parameshwar for trying to reduce his sphere of influence in Bengaluru politics, said the Congress will be facing Lok Sabha elections under four leaders – Former PM H.D. Deve Gowda, CM H.D. Kumaraswamy, CLP leader, Siddaramaiah and KPCC president, Dinesh Gundurao – hence, all these leaders will make efforts to win more  seats in the elections. “I being a hardcore Congressman, I want my party leader to be the country’s next PM. For  this, I will work with these leaders hand-in-hand,” he declared.

He added that he was “upset” not because he was denied a post but because the party was facing “some” shortcomings which needed to be tackled properly. “I cannot reveal what these shortcomings are at this juncture. There is still a long way to go. As a party leader, I must throw light on these shortcomings at an appropriate forum, which I have done,” he said cryptically without  elaborating on it.

He further added that he was 100 per cent satisfied with the outcome of the meeting with Mr Siddarmaiah. “It is a known fact that the Congress has entered into a coalition arrangement, as a result of this, we gain some and lose some. In this game, I may have been left out, but it is also equally true that I was not after any post,” he said.

In response to a question on the resignation threat by corporators from his Assembly segment and BJP leaders contacting him, Mr Reddy said, “I have asked my corporators not to resign as it will send the wrong signal. With regard to a BJP leader getting in touch with me, it was not to persuade me to join the BJP.  Yelahanka MLA S.R. Vishwanath met me to invite me for his son’s marriage. He is my relative.”

Agencies

Facing widespread criticism from Opposition parties for directing police officials to shoot the killers of a Janata Dal (Secular) leader in Maddur, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has clarified that he did not actually mean to say that the perpetrators of the brutal crime should be killed but wanted them to be flushed out from their  hideout as soon as possible.

Making it clear that his statement was merely an emotional outburst, the Chief Minister said in Vijayapura on Tuesday that what he had said on Monday should be construed as ‘smoke out’ and not ‘shoot the killers’ as was ‘interpreted’ earlier. 

Maintaining that his earlier statement was a slip of the tongue, Mr Kumaraswamy said he will visit Maddur and also directed police officials to conduct a thorough investigation to bring the culprits to book.

On Monday, after the murder took place, the CM in a telephonic conversation with a senior official that was caught on camera, had made the controversial ‘shoot’ remark with the audio going viral on Tuesday triggering outrage among several Opposition leaders who condemned the statement. The Chief Minister said he acted in a fit of rage as he knew the victim, 50-year old H. Prakash, a former zilla panchayat member.

In the video, Mr Kumaraswamy was heard saying: “I don’t know how you will handle it (the case).. because it was your responsibility. I am actually disappointed because it (the murder) brought a bad name. He (Prakash) was a good person. There is no problem if you shoot such people mercilessly,” he said alluding to the alleged killers.

“I am least bothered (about the consequences),” the chief minister had said.

Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy found himself in a raging controversy on Tuesday after he asked a police official to “shoot mercilessly” those who had killed a worker of his JDS in Mandya district, a stronghold of the party.

Slamming Kumarasw-amy, state BJP chief B.S. Yeddyurappa, “I never expected this from the chief minister. If he speaks like this, what will happen to the law and order situation? An irresponsible and nonsense statement by Kumaraswamy,” told reporters Tuesday.

Senior BJP leader and former minister Shobha Karandjale said it was a clear case of “anarchy and lawlessness”.

Prakash was hacked to death allegedly by four men in Maddur town of Mandya district Monday evening, police said.

The assailants had stopped Prakash’s car when he was going home and hacked him to death with machetes.  

Agencies