PATNA: Members of both houses of Parliament and state legislature, belonging to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar‘s JD(U), converged here on Tuesday to attend a meeting at his official residence, amid speculations of a major political move by the veteran leader, senior party functionaries said.

The meeting is scheduled to commence at 11 AM.

While the outcome will be known once the meeting is over, more than one of the prospective attendees denied the party’s ties with the BJP having worsened to an extent to call for a realignment.

““Our party had held many such meetings of MPs and MLAs in the past. We have been told that the current meeting has been called to discuss organisational matters. Never heard about any major crisis in the NDA,” said Ram Nath Thakur, a Rajya Sabha member, low key but known to enjoy proximity to the chief minister by virtue of being the son of late Karpoori Thakur, the latter’s political mentor.

Another confidant of Kumar, Leshi Singh, who is an MLA and a minister in his cabinet, said, ““I was away for the last four or five days but I have an idea of how things have been. There does not seem to be any major crisis facing the NDA government. It goes without saying, though, that the party will abide by any decision taken by the chief minister”.”

Meanwhile, MLAs of the opposition RJD, the largest party in the state assembly, have also been commanded by their leader Tejashwi Yadav to remain present at a meeting which will be held at his mother Rabri Devi’s Circular Road bungalow, a stone’s throw from the CM’s Anney Marg residence.

Chetan Anand, a young RJD MLA who is serving his first term, said, “Rumours of political realignment have been afloat for a couple of years. Let us not make any rash assumptions. Once the party leadership takes any decision, it will be definitely made known to all.”

NEW DELHI: On the lines of Singapore’s world-famous open-air food courts that have Unesco status, India is planning 790 Indigenous Food Streets (IFS) an authorised vending zone which will not only serve mouth-watering, safe and hygienic local delicacies, but would further promote the country’s vibrant and unique street food culture.

The proposal by Union health ministry is being studied by the Prime Minister’s Office, sources said. A presentation was made to MPs during last Parliament session and it had received an enthusiastic response, they added.

The ministry, which will pilot the project, will be the funding agency for creating 158 such streets per year for five years.

The budget earmarked for the project is Rs 395 crore Rs 50 lakh per street in 5 years. An additional amount of Rs 19.75 crore has also been allocated for carrying out social audits by the health ministry.

A vending zone meeting specified benchmarks for street food safety and hygiene will be declared as an Indigenous Food Street, officials said.

According to the proposal, every parliamentary constituency will have at least one cluster of vendors, lanes, and streets recognised as Indigenous Food Street.

While the health ministry will allocate 60% funds, 40% will be drawn from the funds of the urban local body, MPLADS or the state government. The proposals will be monitored by an Empowered Committee chaired by the Union health secretary.

According to the proposal, it will be mandatory for each street vendor to have a valid allotment and registration with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the health ministry.

While the Directorate General of Health Services will be the central implementing agency, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will identify designated clusters. They will allot space to the food vendors, identified by the local civic bodies and duly approved by the concerned MP.

The ministry will also make necessary provisions for basic infrastructure.

Standard facilities for the vendors
Like in Singapore, food vendors will be located in a common area like specific roads, alleys, lanes, markets, or even prominent tourist places. They will be provided with standard facilities like food carts, water, light, gas connection, waste disposal, garbage collection, washrooms, hand washing stations and parking

MUMBAI: With the arrest of 10 more persons in connection with the attack on a man in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district for allegedly supporting Bharatiya Janata Party’s Nupur Sharma on social media, the police have held all 14 accused in the case, an official said on Sunday. 

The incident of attack had occurred on August 4 in Karjat town of Ahmednagar district.

The 23-year-old victim, Pratik alias Sunny Rajendra Pawar, was attacked with sharp weapons by at least 14 people from the Muslim community with a sword, sickle, sticks, and hockey sticks, police said.

Pawar was later admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a hospital for injuries to his head and other parts of the body, they said.

The police had earlier arrested four accused in the case.

“After the first information report (FIR), the Ahmednagar police had launched a search operation to nab the accused. On Saturday, four accused in the case were arrested,” the official said.

Continuing the searches in Karjat area, officials of the probe team nabbed 10 more accused later, he said adding, “All 14 accused in the case have been held now.”

The incident of attack had occurred when Pawar and Amit Mane, the complainant in the case, were going to attend an event on his two-wheeler and waiting for a friend near the medical shop at Akkabai Chowk in Karjat.

While they were waiting for a friend, some men belonging to the Muslim community approached them on two-wheelers.

They were carrying a sword, sickle, and hockey sticks, the FIR said.

One of them shouted at Pawar saying he had written a post on social media in support of Nupur Sharma and also put the status on Instagram after Kanhaiya Lal, and attacked him, Mane stated in his complaint filed on Friday.

According to the complaint, the attackers targeted Pawar for his alleged social media post for supporting Nupur Sharma and status of Kanhaiya Lal on Instagram, the police official said.

Kanhaiya Lal was allegedly murdered by two Muslim men in June in Udaipur for allegedly sharing a social media post in support of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, whose comments on Prophet Mohammad had caused a huge row.

Pawar sustained serious injuries in the attack in his head and other body parts and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital.

The attackers threatened Pawar that he will meet the same fate as that Umesh Kolhe.

One of the attackers hit Pawar in his eyes, the official said quoting the FIR.

Kolhe, a chemist, was killed over his alleged support for Nupur Sharma on social media in Maharashtra’s Amravati district.

After Pawar was left injured, Mane called up his two friends and they rushed Pawar to a state-run hospital, police said.

The FIR was registered against 14 people under sections 307 (attempt to murder),143 (being a member of an unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and others of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, police said.

“Police are examining Pawar’s social media accounts and also recovered his mobile phone for further investigation in the case,” the official said.

The mobile phone will be sent to the forensic science lab to verify whether he had uploaded any post from the gadget, he added.

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has so far made seven visits to New Delhi in the last one month, but could not get an approval to expand his cabinet. Reason: The BJP has apparently dragged its feet on two promises made to Shinde.-ADVERTISEMENT-Ads by 

“When Shinde tied-up with the BJP to topple the Uddhav Thackeray government, the saffron party top leadership had made two promises to him that he would made the chief minister and his camp would get two-thirds ministerial portfolios in the new government. Hence, most Sena MLAs were promised to make either cabinet minister or junior minister in the new government. The BJP fulfilled its first promise by making Shinde as the chief minister, but dragged its feet on giving the 2/3 ministries to his loyalists. That’s why the delay in the cabinet expansion,” said sources.

Shinde, however, said that there would be a cabinet expansion soon. In the first swearing-in, 15 MLAs from both the BJP and the Shinde camp will take the oath as the minister while Devendra Fadnavis is likely to get the home department.

The initial plan of the BJP was to give Shinde outside support, the sources said. “But the top leadership of the BJP changed the plan at the last minute and asked Devendra Fadnavis to take oath as the deputy chief minister. They felt that outside support will create instability in the Shinde government and the BJP may face flak if anything goes wrong. Now, the BJP demands a majority share in the cabinet, while Shinde is reluctant,” the sources added.

“Shinde is not happy with the BJP leadership for changing plan at the eleventh hour. But he has little options and cannot speak openly about it as well. The BJP used him to topple the Uddhav Thackeray government and is now demanding 2/3 ministerial berths. Shinde has decided not to expand the cabinet till the issue is sorted,” said sources.

Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar said that Shinde had promised a ministerial berth to every MLA who joined him. “Now Shinde is not able to fulfil his promise, hence there is delay in cabinet expansion. The chief minister should spell out the reasons behind the delay,” Pawar said.

Shinde follows KCR in expansion delay
Maharashtra has the second highest delay in expanding the cabinet after forming the government. It has been 37 days but no cabinet expansion of the Shinde-Fadnavis government has happened in Maharashtra. KCR had delayed cabinet expansion for 61 days after forming the government in Telangana. 

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has so far made seven visits to New Delhi in the last one month, but could not get an approval to expand his cabinet. Reason: The BJP has apparently dragged its feet on two promises made to Shinde.

“When Shinde tied-up with the BJP to topple the Uddhav Thackeray government, the saffron party top leadership had made two promises to him that he would made the chief minister and his camp would get two-thirds ministerial portfolios in the new government. Hence, most Sena MLAs were promised to make either cabinet minister or junior minister in the new government. The BJP fulfilled its first promise by making Shinde as the chief minister, but dragged its feet on giving the 2/3 ministries to his loyalists. That’s why the delay in the cabinet expansion,” said sources.

Shinde, however, said that there would be a cabinet expansion soon. In the first swearing-in, 15 MLAs from both the BJP and the Shinde camp will take the oath as the minister while Devendra Fadnavis is likely to get the home department.

The initial plan of the BJP was to give Shinde outside support, the sources said. “But the top leadership of the BJP changed the plan at the last minute and asked Devendra Fadnavis to take oath as the deputy chief minister. They felt that outside support will create instability in the Shinde government and the BJP may face flak if anything goes wrong. Now, the BJP demands a majority share in the cabinet, while Shinde is reluctant,” the sources added.

“Shinde is not happy with the BJP leadership for changing plan at the eleventh hour. But he has little options and cannot speak openly about it as well. The BJP used him to topple the Uddhav Thackeray government and is now demanding 2/3 ministerial berths. Shinde has decided not to expand the cabinet till the issue is sorted,” said sources.

Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar said that Shinde had promised a ministerial berth to every MLA who joined him. “Now Shinde is not able to fulfil his promise, hence there is delay in cabinet expansion. The chief minister should spell out the reasons behind the delay,” Pawar said.

Shinde follows KCR in expansion delay
Maharashtra has the second highest delay in expanding the cabinet after forming the government. It has been 37 days but no cabinet expansion of the Shinde-Fadnavis government has happened in Maharashtra. KCR had delayed cabinet expansion for 61 days after forming the government in Telangana.