Amritsar, July 1 (IANS) A rebel group of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday submitted a letter to the Akal Takht Jathedar in the Golden Temple complex here, seeking an apology for incidents during the party’s 10-year stint in Punjab from 2007.

The incidents comprise hurting religious sentiments of the Sikh community by self-styled godman and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by allegedly performing an imitation of Guru Gobind Singh at the sect’s dera in 2007, sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in 2015 and appointment of Director General of Police (DGP) Sumedh Saini.

The rebels, comprising former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, and former minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, appealed to Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh that they “are ready to face any punishment that the Akal Takht may deem appropriate.”

In a letter to the Akal Takht Jathedar, they “admitted guilt” over “mistakes committed” by the party leadership that have “hurt” the Sikh Panth.

The letter claimed that Sukhbir Badal, now Akali Dal Chief, allegedly used his influence to pardon the Dera Sacha Sauda chief in the blasphemy case.

“You can call the then jathedar of Sri Akal Takht and seek his clarification,” reads the letter.

“But the leadership of the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Shiromani committee had to withdraw this decision keeping in mind the anger and resentment of the Sikh panth,” it added.

The Akal Takht had pardoned the Dera Sacha Sauda Chief in the blasphemy case in a written apology in 2015.

The President of the Akali Dal and ex-Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal on December 15, 2023, expressed his regret while speaking at the 103rd foundation day of the party for the failure to apprehend the individuals responsible for the sacrilege incidents.

Meanwhile, the Istri Akali Dal on Monday expressed faith in the leadership of Akali Dal Chief Sukhbir Badal and said he was best suited to lead the party at this juncture.

The entire rank and file of the Istri Akali Dal said party president Sukhbir Badal had provided inspiring leadership to lead an effective campaign in the form of the Punjab Bachao Yatra.

The members said the Istri Akali Dal had reached out to the women and a concerted effort in Bathinda by its president Hargobind Kaur had paid dividends with party candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal winning the seat with a handsome margin.

Speaking on the occasion, the SAD President said the party had chalked out a plan to expand the Istri Akali Dal and ensure it reached every village and booth in the State.

“We have decided to ensure the election of booth, village, circle and constituency level committees headed by their respective presidents. We will also ensure election of district-level committees of the Istri Akali Dal”.

Sukhbir Badal said the party would also create an effective women leadership in the party so that strong candidates could be fielded for block samiti and zila parishad polls for seats reserved for women candidates.

–IANS

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Kolkata, July 1 (IANS) The West Bengal police on Monday issued a show-cause notice to the inspector-in-charge of Chopra police station in North Dinajpur district in connection with the assault on a woman publicly at a kangaroo court there by a local Trinamool Congress leader Tejemul a.k.a. JCB.

In a statement issued by the police, it has been claimed that besides slapping the show-cause notice on the police officer, the victim has also been provided with police security.

However, in the same statement the police has criticized an alleged attempt to create a political controversy over the entire issue.

“Malicious efforts are being made from certain quarters to spread misinformation and lend political colour to a recent incident in Chopra PS under Islampur PD, where one lady was publicly assaulted. The fact is, on knowing about the incident police have promptly identified the culprit and arrested him. A suo moto case has been started in the matter and an investigation is on. The victim has been provided police security. IC Chopra has been show-caused over the incident,” the statement read, a copy of which is available with IANS.

Meanwhile, information has surfaced that JCB was a habitual offender in summoning such kangaroo courts and punishing people by assaulting them publicly. According to a local BJP leader from Chopra, Bhabesh Kar, such actions by JCB have been quite common. “He has established a reign of terror in the region for the last few years, ” Kar said.

Kar’s allegations have been echoed by the local Congress and CPI(M) leaders who have claimed that mercilessly beating up people in public for not obeying his unjustified commands was JCB’s habit.

–IANS

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Agartala, July 1 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said that dignity of women is completely lost under the ‘Taliban regime’ of Trinamool in West Bengal.

The Tripura Chief Minister, while reacting after a video clip on the brutal assault on a couple allegedly engaged in an ‘extra-marital relationship’ went viral, sparking widespread outrage, said that every village in West Bengal has become Sandeshkhali.

The incidents of atrocities in Sandeshkhali was a major poll plank of the opposition parties during the recent Lok Sabha elections after alleged atrocities by the Trinamool Congress leaders on the villagers.

The man who was seen in the video torturing the couple publicly with a bamboo stick was allegedly a local ruling Trinamool Congress leader of Chopra in North Dinajpur district where the incident occurred following the decision of a ‘kangaroo court’.

The police later arrested the Trinamool Congress leader Tajemul a.k.a. JCB.

The Tripura Chief Minister, taking to X, said: “Today, the dignity of women is completely lost under the Taliban regime of Trinamool in West Bengal.”

“Today, every village in Bengal has become Sandeshkhali! Such diabolical torture of women by the notorious Trinamool-sponsored miscreant Tajemul in broad daylight under the rule of a woman Chief Minister is absolutely unacceptable. I strongly condemn this incident and demand strict punishment for the culprits,” Saha said.

The ruling BJP in the state also strongly condemned the Chopra incident.

BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharjee said that heinous atrocities on the people specially on the women which are taking place almost everyday in Trinamool Congress-ruled Bengal, does not take place in the world.

“If the people could cast their votes in the recent Lok Sabha elections in Bengal, the results have been otherwise,” Bhattacharjee, who was in Bengal during the Parliamentary polls, told the media on Monday.

He alleged that the Trinamool Congress goons are openly torturing women in almost all districts of Bengal and the police remain a spectator.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, July 1 (IANS) In an important development, the Karnataka High Court on Monday granted bail to BJP leader G. Devaraje Gowda, a whistle-blower of the sex video scandal involving former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda’s grandson, former JD (S) MP Prajwal Revanna.

Devaraje Gowda had alleged that he was being contacted and lured by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to make allegations against the Deve Gowda family, especially against the Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy.

The bench headed by Justice M.G. Uma passed the order granting bail to Gowda. Senior counsel Arun Shyam had made a submission in favour of Devaraje Gowda who was arrested on charges of rape.

Counsel Arun Shyam stated that the complaint against Gowda was lodged on April 1, 2024, mentioning that the rape case took place on Dec 29, 2023. The husband of the victim had lodged a police complaint earlier in March in which no mention was made of the offence of rape committed by Gowda.

He further submitted that in this case, the police have submitted a closure report for want of evidence. The rape complaint is lodged after about 90 days after the incident.

Gowda was remanded to judicial custody and is presently kept at the Hassan District Prison.

Gowda alleged in May that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar offered him Rs 100 crore to malign the names of former Chief Minister and JD-S state President H.D. Kumaraswamy, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking to media persons from the police vehicle after being sent to judicial custody, Devaraje Gowda had claimed that Shivakumar even sent him Rs 5 crore as advance.

“After I refused the offer, police cases were lodged against me and I was arrested. I am ready to expose him (Shivakumar) once I am released. The Congress government is going to collapse in Karnataka,” he claimed.

Devaraje Gowda had stated, “It was Shivakumar who obtained the pen drive from Karthik Gowda, who worked as a driver for Prajwal Revanna, and planned the entire episode.”

–IANS

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Panaji, July 1 (IANS) Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said that GST has increased the pace of formalisation of the economy and has incorporated ease of doing business beneficial for all companies and enterprises.

Sawant was speaking during a program organised by the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industries-GCCI.

“GST has brought the country under One Indirect Tax regime, making the entire country a unified market. GST has increased the pace of formalisation of the economy and has incorporated ease of doing business beneficial for all companies and enterprises,” Sawant said.

He stated that the government of Goa is extending all the necessary support to businesses to thrive and hence has not increased any taxes in the last budget.

Sawant informed that this pro-business decision has ensured that Goa continues to witness a consistent rise in Tax revenues.

He reaffirmed that the Goa government shall continue to strive toward creating a more efficient and business-friendly tax environment that benefits all the sectors in Goa equally.

“I thank all the stakeholders for their contribution to the smooth operation of the GST and the development of our state,” he said.

–IANS

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