PM Narendra Modi (L) interacts with Russia President Vladimir Putin

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the Ukraine conflict and appealed for immediate cessation of violence as well as concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations.

During their telephonic conversation, President Putin briefed Prime Minister Modi about the recent developments regarding Ukraine, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

The prime minister reiterated his long-standing conviction that the differences between Russia and the NATO group can only be resolved through honest and sincere dialogue, the PMO said.

Prime Minister Modi appealed for an immediate cessation of violence, and called for concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue, it said.

Modi also sensitised the Russian President about India’s concerns regarding the safety of the Indian citizens in Ukraine, especially students, and conveyed that India attaches the highest priority to their safe exit and return.

The leaders agreed that their officials and diplomatic teams would continue to maintain regular contacts on issues of topical interest, the PMO said.

Jaipur: A day after the opposition BJP decided that its MLAs will return iPhones gifted to them by the Rajasthan government, the Congress on Thursday said the saffron party legislators should also return all such items received by them till now.

All the 200 MLAs of the Rajasthan assembly were given iPhone 13 by the government on Wednesday after the presentation of the state budget. BJP MLAs too received the mobile phones but later decided to return them, saying it was a burden on the state exchequer.

It (giving mobiles as a gift) is not a serious issue but if they (BJP MLAs) have decided to return the phones, they should also then return the flats and iPads which they received in the past, deputy chief whip Mahendra Chaudhary told reporters.

Congress MLA Krishna Poonia questioned why the BJP legislators now view the gift a financial burden when they accepted such things in the past.

They (BJP MLAs) happily accepted phones yesterday, but decided to return later. They should not have accepted the gift (on Wednesday itself). Only because they couldn’t criticise the budget, they are creating an issue, she said.

BJP state president Satish Poonia said the decision to return the phones was taken after discussion with leader of opposition Gulab Chand Kataria and deputy leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore.

The phones will be returned, he asserted.

We (MLAs) will return the gift as per the decision of the party, BJP state spokesperson and MLA Ram Lal Sharma said.

The BJP has 71 MLAs in the house of 200.

After the chief minister presented the budget and the house was adjourned for the day, all the MLAs were given a briefcase containing iPhone 13. One phone costs over Rs 70,000.

Ayush Bhardwaj, Youth Congress state general secretary, accused the BJP of adopting double standards and said it was creating an issue because it could not say anything against the budget presented by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in the assembly on Wednesday.

Gorakhpur (UP): Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday slammed the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over the stray cattle menace and asked farmers to leave them at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence.

The Chattisgarh chief minister visited the Gorakhnath temple here before canvassing for Congress candidate of Gorakhpur (rural) seat Devendra Nishad.

Addressing a poll meeting at Senduli Benduli, he said, “The prices of clothes, shoes, petrol, diesel, LPG and other things of daily use are sky high and people are in trouble because the Congress has been out of power in Uttar Pradesh for the last 32 years.”

“Farmers, women and youth are not able to share their problems with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath,” Baghel said.

He said stray cattle were destroying crops and farmers have to brave rain, heat and cold to keep a watch on their fields.

“Leave the stray cattle at the residence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath,” the Congress told the people.

The Chhattisgarh chief minister also sought to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the stray cattle issue.

“Apart from religion and caste, the prime minister has also started speaking on the issue and has now promised that after March 10 a policy on stray animals will be made. We made a policy for stray animals in Chhattisgarh long ago,” he said.

“Our government purchased dung from cattle for Rs 36 crore and also made most of the payment,” Bhaghel said.

He also spoke on minimum support price for crops and promised that a Chattisgarh-like policy on MSP and status of agriculture to fisheries will be provided in Uttar Pradesh if the Congress forms government in Uttar Pradesh.

West Bengal Guv Jagdeep Dhankhar

Kolkata: In what may be a first of sorts in legislative history, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday summoned West Bengal’s legislature for a session past mid-night at 2 AM on March 7.

Dhankar said he was merely acting on the recommendation of the Mamata Banerjee-led cabinet which he described as unusual, though both state government officials as well as the state’s speaker Biman Banerjee said the request for calling the assembly session at 2 AM was a case of a simple typographical error where PM became AM.

If the session is indeed called at 2 AM at night, it will mean legislators will have to literally burn the midnight oil as well as Governor Dhankar who would have to give his opening speech at that odd hour.

In a tweet, Dhankar said that finding the timing of the session “after midnight somewhat odd,” he had called the state Chief Secretary for urgent consultation before noon Thursday. However, “there was usual compliance failure,” he complained.

Thereafter, he took the decision to call the house at the late hour “accepting the cabinet decision,” the Governor said.

“Invoking article 174 (1) of Constitution, accepting Cabinet Decision, Assembly has been summoned to meet on March 7, 2022 at 2.00 A.M,” he tweeted.

“Assembly meeting after midnight at 2.00 A.M. is unusual and history of sorts in making, but that is Cabinet Decision,” Dhankar added.

The Governor in his tweet pointed out the proposal in the cabinet memo which he received from the state cabinet said, Now it is proposed that West Bengal Legislative Assembly may be summoned by Hon’ble Governor on 7.03.2022 at 2am.

The governor had earlier sent back a recommendation by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for summoning the Assembly for the Budget Session, saying that as per constitutional provision, it must come from the state Cabinet.