Lucknow, July 3 (IANS) The noose has started tightening around self-styled godman Bhole Baba, a.k.a Narayan Saakar Hari during whose religious event the stampede took place in Uttar Pradesh’s Fulrai Village in Hathras District on Tuesday.

As many as 121 lives were lost in the tragedy that also left over 25 people injured.

Though Bhole Baba’s name does not figure in the initial FIR filed in connection with the incident in which mostly women were killed, the police have cordoned off his ashram in Mainpuri, following reports that the godman could be hiding in his palatial abode.

“We have found the location of his mobile phone to be near his ashram and we are keeping a close watch,” said a senior police officer.

Meanwhile, UP Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath who visited Hathras on Wednesday has announced a judicial probe into the stampede.

Yogi Adityanath interacted with injured people in hospital and took first hand information about the circumstances leading to the tragedy.

“I talked to several eyewitnesses and they informed me that the incident took place after the ‘satsang’ ended and the preacher was coming down from the stage. Suddenly several women started going towards him to touch his feet and the ‘sevadars’ stopped them, due to which the mishap took place. The administration was not allowed by the ‘sevadars’ to enter the area,” Chief Minister Adityanath said at a press conference.

A video clip has also gone viral on social media which shows the godman leaving the venue in his car and hundreds of devotees running behind his car to gather the dust as a token of blessing.

The report submitted by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate states that the behaviour of the godman’s ‘sevadars’ was responsible for the tragedy. The ‘sevadars’ tried to push back the devotees which led to the stampede.

The report also says that the number of devotees who arrived at the discourse was three times more than the number for which permission had been sought.

In a related development, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Allahabad High Court seeking a CBI enquiry into the Hathras stampede.

The PIL moved by Advocate Gaurav Dwivedi, states that the district authorities were “totally responsible” for the “negligence” due to which the tragedy occurred and that this poor law and order situation in the state would lead to people losing faith in the UP government.

The PIL further states that the district authorities have mechanisms in place to prevent and control any unwarranted situations, and the state government is investing substantial public funds in new techniques, for better administration. Despite this, the incident occurred.

Further, the petitioner has submitted that he is very concerned about the safety of devotees who would be attending the Maha Kumbh, the world’s largest religious gathering, which is scheduled to take place in Prayagraj in 2025.

–IANS

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Patna, July 3 (IANS) While Congress leaders claimed that the Constitution is under threat under the Narendra Modi government, JD (U) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kumar Jha highlighted how the Congress ‘respected’ the Constitution when it was in power at the Centre.

In his maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha during the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address on Wednesday, Jha detailed how the Congress leadership twisted the Constitution in 2005.

He stated, “The President of India discussed the emergency period in her speech, and Bihar was the biggest battleground of it. Under the leadership of Jai Prakash Narayan, the total revolution movement was started. The emergency was imposed in the country in 1975, but I want to point out two things on the floor of the House. In 2005, there was a UPA government at the Centre, and the assembly election was held in Bihar in February. At that time, a hung assembly emerged. After two months, Nitish Kumar managed to achieve a majority in the Bihar assembly and was about to form the government. At that time, Buta Singh was the governor of Bihar. He called for a cabinet meeting. The then President (APJ Abdul Kalam) was in Moscow. The paper was sent to the Bihar governor by fax, and President’s Rule was imposed in Bihar. This is the reality of the Congress’s expression of love towards the Constitution,” Jha said.

He pointed out two incidents of that time. While quoting the Union law minister Hans Raj Bhardwaj, he said: “Bhardwaj, in his statement, pointed out that he was under tremendous pressure from the Manmohan Singh government to get a favorable order from the Supreme Court to impose President’s Rule in Bihar in 2005 to prevent the JD (U) and BJP combined government from coming to power. Bhardwaj said that he met Chief Justice YK Sabbarwal who headed the constitution bench which deals with the case to get a favorable judgment.”

“The five-judge bench held that the imposition of President’s Rule was a misuse of article 356 and was clearly politically motivated based on the report of Governor Buta Singh,” Jha said.

While quoting Hans Raj Bhardwaj again, Jha said: “The former law minister Hans Raj Bhardwaj in his statement said Justice Sabbarwal was his family friend but was a tough judge and he could not muster the courage to ask him any favour on this issue when we met him for a cup of coffee.”

“Then BJP leader Arun Jaitley objected to President’s Rule in Bihar,” Jha said.

Sanjay Jha also referred to some content from a book called “The Turning Point” written by the then President APJ Abdul Kalam.

“As soon as the verdict was known (on President’s Rule in Bihar), I wrote a letter of resignation and was about to send it to the then Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who was a seasoned politician and a lawyer. He was away from the country at that time. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wanted to see me for some other discussion. We met in my office in the afternoon. After finishing the discussion, I said that I had decided to resign from the post of the President and showed him the letter. The Prime Minister was disturbed as soon as he saw the letter. The scene was touching and I do not want to describe it. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pleaded that I should not do it in this difficult time. He said that the result of it may create such a circumstance that even the government might fall. Hence, I did not give the resignation,” Jha said while quoting from the book of the then President APJ Abdul Kalam.

“Now, they are roaming with the Constitution book while the law minister of the UPA government went to the President’s House and took the signature for President’s Rule in Bihar at night. Everyone knew who was running the government at that time. Who was the superpower and imposed President’s Rule in Bihar,” Jha said.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who remains under 14-day judicial custody (till July 12) in the corruption case linked to the alleged liquor policy scam, has petitioned the Delhi High Court for bail.

On Wednesday, his bail plea was mentioned before a bench presided over by Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) Manmohan for urgent listing.

CM Kejriwal’s lawyer urged the court that the bail plea be taken up for hearing on Thursday.

At this, the ACJ assured that CM Kejriwal’s bail petition will be heard on Friday, July 5.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice on a plea filed by CM Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the CBI. A bench of Justice Neena Bansal Krishna asked the central agency to file its response by July 17 in the matter.

On June 26, CM Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI and was produced before the Rouse Avenue Court. Subsequently, he was sent to three-day CBI custody for interrogation.

Permission was granted to the CBI to produce CM Kejriwal in the special court after questioning him in Tihar Jail last week.

Recently, the Delhi High Court stayed a trial court order granting bail to CM Kejriwal in a money laundering case, saying that the documents and arguments were not appreciated by the lower court.

The Supreme Court, in May, had reserved its verdict on the petition filed by CM Kejriwal challenging his arrest and subsequent remand by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the excise policy case. He was ordered to be released on 21-day interim bail by the apex court in view of the general elections.

–IANS

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Kolkata, July 3 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday permitted Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, to stage a demonstration in front of Raj Bhavan over post-poll violence.

The single-judge Bench of Justice Amrita Sinha, while giving the permission, said that the dharna should be held for just four hours on July 14, which is a Sunday.

As per the order, the demonstration can be held by a maximum of 300 people without any weapons.

The agitation will be held from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. and no provocative statements can be made from the venue.

The programme should be conducted while strictly following pollution norms, the court said.

On Wednesday, the state government’s counsel also informed the court that the administration did not have any objection to the schedule of the demonstration.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) The Ministry of Panchayati Raj clarified on Wednesday that the Centre has released Rs 5,337 crore, as on June 28, as 15th Finance Commission grants to the gram panchayats in Kerala for 2020–21 to 2026–27.

For the 15th Finance Commission period, the funds were released to Kerala in the form of Untied (Basic) and Tied grants to rural local bodies for the years 2020-21 to 2023-24.

However, as per the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission, it is mandatory for the states to constitute State Finance Commissions Act upon their recommendations and lay the explanatory memorandum as to the actions taken thereof before the State Legislature on or before March 2024.

After March 2024, no grants will be released to the state that has not complied with the Constitutional provisions in respect of the state finance commission and these conditions.

The Ministry has in its letter dated June 11 and June 24 requested the states to provide the details of State Finance Commission.

The state government has submitted its Grant Transfer Certificate (GTC) of second installment of Untied Grants for FY 2023-24 vide letter dated June 7.

The GTC is being examined by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and being recommended for the release of the next installment (1st Installment for FY 2024–25) to the Ministry of Finance.

However, as of June 28, the Ministry is yet to receive a reply from Kerala furnishing details of the State Finance Commission, which is a mandatory condition for release of grants after March 2024.

The Ministry said the clarification has been issued in response to reports in some sections of Kerala media which alleged negligence on the part of the Central government in releasing the 15th Finance Commission Grants to the gram panchayats in Kerala.

–IANS

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