National
Congress eyes Greater Hyderabad gains as BRS MLAs defect
Hyderabad, July 14 (IANS) The latest defections by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs have come as a shot in the arm for the ruling Congress party in Telangana as it looks to consolidate in Greater Hyderabad, a region where it drew a blank in Assembly elections held in November last year.
Buoyed by the victory in the by-election to the Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly seat, the Congress party has succeeded in making three BRS MLAs in Greater Hyderabad defect during the last two weeks.
The Congress, which had already lured Khairatabad MLA D. Nagender and Greater Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalaxmi, appears to be making calculated moves to cement its position in the state capital ahead of next year’s elections to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
Political analysts say Greater Hyderabad was one region where the Congress desperately needed a foothold and it achieved this with its ‘Operation Akarash’.
The grand old party, which wrested power from BRS, had put up an impressive performance in rural Telangana but failed to win even a single seat in Greater Hyderabad, a region which sends 24 MLAs.
Despite suffering huge setbacks in its strongholds, the BRS had maintained its grip on Greater Hyderabad, winning 16 seats, while All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) retained all its seven seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held on to its only seat.
There was an apprehension among a section of voters in Greater Hyderabad that a change of guard may impact the development in the region and this was believed to have prompted them to remain loyal to BRS.
Analysts say voters may have thought that the change of government may impact the business environment and the flow of investment as the KCR-led government claimed to have laid special emphasis on the development of the IT sector and urban infrastructure in and around the city.
In the 2018 elections, the Congress had won two seats (Maheshwaram and LB Nagar) in Greater Hyderabad but both the MLAs later defected to BRS.
Sabitha Indra Reddy, who was rewarded with a Cabinet berth, retained Maheshwaram in the recent elections while D. Sudhir Reddy was re-elected from LB Nagar.
They were among over a dozen Congress MLAs who had defected to BRS in 2019.
It’s now the Congress’ turn to pay back. The ruling party has already succeeded in poaching nine BRS MLAs and more are said to be waiting in the wings.
The Congress, which won 64 seats in the 119-member Assembly, has improved its tally to 74. This includes the win in the Secunderabad Cantonment by-election.
The Congress began its ‘Operation Akarsh’ from Greater Hyderabad in March when then Chevella MP Ranjith Reddy and Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender, both of BRS, switched loyalties.
Ranjith Reddy and Nagender, contested unsuccessfully on Congress tickets, from Chevella and Secunderabad Lok Sabha seats in the May 13 elections.
BRS MLC P. Mahender Reddy and his wife Sunitha, chairperson of Vikarabad Zilla Parishad, also joined Congress. Sunitha was fielded as a Congress candidate from Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency but she too tasted defeat.
The Congress got a big boost in March when Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalaxmi of BRS joined the ruling party. She is the daughter of senior leader K. Keshav Rao, who quit BRS to join Congress earlier this month.
The victory in the by-election for the Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly constituency came as a shot in the arm for Congress. The ruling party wrested the seat from BRS.
The by-election was caused by the death of BRS sitting MLA Lasya Nandita in a road accident early this year.
Sriganesh of the Congress party defeated his nearest rival T. N. Vamsha Tilak of BJP by 13,206 votes. BRS candidate Nivedita Sayanna, sister of Nandita, finished third.
The win helped Congress to show its presence in Greater Hyderabad and build on the defections from the main opposition party.
After the Lok Sabha elections, the exodus from BRS continued. Though BJP emerged stronger in Lok Sabha elections in Greater Hyderabad wresting Chevella and Malkajgiri from BRS and Congress respectively, it was the grand old party that attracted more defectors from BRS.
On June 28, Kale Yadaiah, BRS MLA from Chevella constituency in Rangareddy district, joined the Congress.
It was a homecoming for Yadaiah, who had defected to BRS in 2015 a few months after he was elected to Assembly on a Congress ticket. In 2018, he retained the Chevella seat as BRS candidate.
In the Assembly elections held in November 2023, Yadaiah won the Chevella seat for a third consecutive term, defeating Congress party’s P. Beem Bharat by a slender margin of 268 votes.
On July 12, BRS MLA from Rajendranagar constituency, T. Prakash Goud joined the Congress. The next day another BRS MLA Arekapudi Gandhi switched loyalties.
They had met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu during his visit to Hyderabad recently. As CM Naidu is planning to revive the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Telangana, this meeting sparked speculation that they will return to TDP, a party they were associated with in the past.
However, both the MLAs denied any such plans and finally joined Congress. Prakash Goud was elected from Rajendranagar constituency on a TDP ticket in 2009. He was re-elected in 2014 but later joined TRS (now BRS). He won the seat as BRS candidate in 2018 and retained it in the recent polls,
On July 13, Arekapudi Gandhi, the MLA from the Serilingampally constituency, joined the Congress in the presence of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
Gandhi was elected Serilingampally on Telugu Desam Party (TDP) ticket in 2014 but later joined TRS (now BRS). He retained the seat in 2018 and 2023.
The latest defections are expected to help Congress consolidate its position in Greater Hyderabad ahead of next year’s municipal polls.
In the previous elections for Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) held in 2020, BRS emerged as the largest party by winning 55 out of 150 wards. The BJP had emerged as the main opposition with 48 seats while AIMIM had secured 44 wards. The Congress party could win only two wards.
While encouraging defections, the ruling party also mended fences with AIMIM. Asaduddin Owaisi-led party, which was a friendly party of BRS in Assembly elections, also softened its stand towards Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and backed Congress in all Lok Sabha constituencies, barring Hyderabad.
AIMIM has historically played the role of kingmaker in GHMC. In the event of a hung verdict, AIMIM’s support will be crucial for Congress to have its own mayor.
–IANS
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National
PM Modi to give certificates to 11 lakh Lakhpati Didis; roll out Rs 2,500 crore fund
New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give certificates to 11 lakh new ‘Lakhpati Didis’ at a special function to be held at Jalgaon in Maharashtra on August 25 (Sunday).
The programme will have nationwide participation through the virtual mode.
The Prime Minister will release a revolving Community Investment Fund of Rs 2,500 crore, which will benefit about 48 lakh members of 4.3 lakh women Self Help Groups (SHGs), Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.
PM Modi will also release a bank loan of Rs 5,000 crore, which will benefit 25.8 lakh members of 2,35,400 Self Help Groups (SHGs).
Shivraj Singh Chouhan also said that people from about 30,000 places across 34 states and union territories including state capitals and district headquarters will join this program through the virtual route.
He said that Lakhpati Didis are women who earn Rs 1 lakh or more per annum. These Lakhpati Didis have not only pulled their families out of poverty but are also becoming role models for the rest of society, the Union Minister said.
“The Rural Development Ministry has already created 1 crore Lakhpati Didis. Now our target is to create 3 crore Lakhpati Didis in the next 3 years. It is heartening to note that one of these community resource persons has created 95 Lakhpati Didis,” Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.
He further explained that the Ministry has adopted a structured process to enable the SHG families to earn an annual income of Rs 1 lakh or more.
This includes capacitating National Resource Persons and developing Master Trainers in each state.
These Master Trainers further train the Community Resource Persons on business planning, financing and convergence process.
The cadre of 3 lakh Community Resource Persons, who have been specially trained in business planning and the skilling of SHG members, are doing a great service in this regard, the minister added.
Some of these community resource persons will also be facilitated.
As of now, the Ministry of Rural Development has formed 15 lakh Lakhpati Didis during the first 100 days which has succeeded the 11 lakh target for the period, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.
–IANS
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National
Tripura flood death toll rises to 12, more NDRF teams deployed (Lead)
Agartala, Aug 22 (IANS) The flood situation in Tripura, which has been lashed by heavy rains for the last four days, remained grim on Thursday and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) retained its ‘Red alert’ for all eight districts, officials said.
They added that more National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed as the rains and floods continue to play havoc.
Till Thursday, 12 deaths, including that of a 12-year-old girl and a woman were reported from South Tripura, Gomati, and Khowai districts and two persons were also said to be missing.
A Disaster Management Department official said that two more fresh casualties due to the floods were reported from south Tripura and Gomati districts, while around 65,500 people are taking shelter in 450 relief camps in all eight districts.
He said that 17 lakh people were affected in the entire state, which witnessed the monsoon flood in such a catastrophic manner for the first time in several decades.
Chief Minister Manik Saha, who is supervising the disaster management work, spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the second day on Thursday and apprised him of the prevailing scenario.
Home Minister Shah said in a post on X, “Spoke with CM Tripura, Dr Manik Saha, and took stock of the flood situation in the state. The Centre is rushing teams of NDRF, apart from boats and helicopters, to the state to assist the local government in relief and rescue operations. Assured of all possible assistance from the Centre as and when required. The Modi government firmly stands with our sisters and brothers in Tripura during this hour of crisis.”
Later, the Chief Minister while expressing gratitude to the Home Minister said that HM Shah informed him that 11 NDRF teams would be sent to Tripura from different locations in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
He said arrangements would also be made for choppers to airlift stranded people in the flood-affected areas.
“More number of boats would also be sent along with the NDRF teams. The entire state government machinery has been working round the clock to tackle the unprecedented natural calamity. I thank public representatives, social workers and the people at large for cooperating with the state government in this hour of crisis,” CM Saha said.
The central government has provided two helicopters for airlifting stranded people in Gomati and South Tripura districts.
Following the directions of the state government, due to the heavy rain and flooding, all educational institutions remained closed.
An India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said that though a ‘heavy’ to ‘very heavy’ rainfall alert has been continued and a ‘Red alert’ has been sounded in all eight districts, the rain is likely to reduce slightly from Thursday evening.
“The low pressure area over north Bangladesh and neighbourhood persisted over the same region on Thursday. The associated cyclonic circulation now extends up to 9.4 km above mean sea level. It is likely to move nearly westwards across West Bengal during the next 48 hours. Additionally, a cyclonic circulation is likely to form over North Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood on August 24,” the official said.
The IMD recorded 233 mm rainfall in Agartala from 8.30 A.M. on August 21 to till 8.30 A.M. on Thursday.
According to Disaster Management Department officials over 1,055 houses were damaged either fully or partially and hundreds of trees were uprooted blocking many important highways.
Landslides occurred in 2,032 places across the state, out of which 1,789 locations were cleared by Thursday evening.
As per preliminary estimates, around 5,000 hectares of vegetable farms and 1.20 lakh hectares of other crop lands are still submerged.
Water Resource Department officials said that most of the prominent rivers in Tripura were either flowing above ‘critical’ or ‘danger’ levels while the state’s main river Gomati has crossed the ‘extreme danger’ level in many places of Gomati and Sepahijala districts, as rainfall has continued.
The Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) has cancelled 10 local trains in Tripura.
An NFR spokesman said that due to heavy rain railway tracks were damaged in Gomati district, forcing the authorities to cancel these trains.
A Defence spokesman said that following the requisition from state administrations, four columns of Assam Rifles were deployed in different districts and they were working in close coordination with the civil administration to rescue civilians stranded due to floods.
First aid and essential items have been distributed by the Assam Rifles to hundreds of stranded people and those in relief camps.
–IANS
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National
Waqf Amendment Bill is unconstitutional, undemocratic & unfair: Maulana Madani
New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) The Muslim organisation on Thursday criticised the Union government over the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, calling it unconstitutional, undemocratic and unfair as it goes against the freedom of religion guaranteed by the Constitution.
“Amendment bill being brought to Waqf is unconstitutional, undemocratic and unfair. The proposed amendments to the Waqf Act are also against the freedom of religion provided by the Constitution and also violates articles 14-15 and 25 of the Constitution,” said Jamiat-i-Ulama Hind, President, Maulana Arshad Madani while addressing a joint press conference of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and Muslim Personal Law Board at the Constitution Club in New Delhi.
He added that the amendment bill is also the government’s interference in religious matters which Muslims will not accept.
“Under the guise of the amending bill, an attempt is being made to deprive the Muslims of this great country and of its heritage which our forefathers have left in the form of Waqf for the betterment of the poor, destitute and needy people of the country,” said Maulana Arshad Madani.
He said that amendments have been made in the bill without consulting the Muslim religious figures and taking the Muslims into confidence while Waqf is a purely religious and Shariah matter because once the Waqf is applied.
“The donor does not remain the owner of the property rather that property is transferred to the ownership of Allah,” he explained.
Maulana Madani said that while presenting the Amendment Bill in the parliament, it was claimed that it would bring transparency to the work and would benefit the weak and needy people of the Muslim society.
“This bill is proof of the malicious intent of the government and its dangerous plans. If this bill is passed not only the protection of Waqf properties across the country may be in danger but also a door of new conflicts will be opened and the status of those mosques, tombs, buildings, imam badas and lands which are Waqf properties or which are located on Waqf land will be made doubtful,” Maulana Madani said.
He added that instead of the Waqf Tribunal and Waqf Commissioners, all powers under this bill will be transferred to District Collectors.
“By increasing the number of members of the Central Waqf Council and Waqf Boards, their status is also being changed and the door is being opened to appoint non-Muslims in it as well. This bill will also remove the requirement of being Muslim for officers and members,” he said.
Maulana Madani said that this is not a Hindu-Muslim issue but a constitutional problem and this bill is also against Muslim religious freedom.
He said that the Shrine Board, which was formed for the maintenance and protection of Hindu religious places, had a clear explanation that Jains, Sikhs or Buddhists would not be its members.
He questioned that if Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists cannot be members of the Shrine Board, how can the nomination and appointment of non-Muslims be justified in the Waqf Board?
“While Jainism and Buddhism are not considered separate from Hinduism, they are considered a separate sect. If they cannot participate in the shrine board even if they are Hindus on the basis of being a sect, then why is the nomination and appointment of non-Muslims in the Waqf boards made mandatory?” Maulana Madani asked.
He said that there are laws in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh etc. that those who manage the affairs of the Hindu religion’s property must be Hindus.
“Just as no other religious group can interfere in the religious affairs of Hindus, Sikhs and Christians in the same way, the management of Waqf properties should also be done only by Muslims. We do not accept any such proposal in the endowment system,” he added.
He said that it is clear that the intention of the government is not pure and through this bill, its purpose is not to bring transparency in the work and to benefit the Muslim community but to deprive Muslims of their Waqf properties and to weaken the claim of Muslims from the Waqf properties.
Maulana Madani said that an endless series of new conflicts can start in this way and taking advantage of the weak legal status of Muslims in the amendment bill may make it easier to occupy Waqf properties.
He added that we are not talking about one or two amendments but most of the amendments in the bill are unconstitutional and dangerous and destructive for the Waqf.
“This bill is also an attack on the constitutional powers given to Muslims. If the Constitution has given religious freedom and equal rights to every citizen then some special powers have also been given to the minorities living in the country. And the amendment bill negates all these powers completely,” he said.
Maulana Madani added that under the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, it has been suggested that Section 40 of the current Act should be removed while the 2006 Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf and Justice Sachar Committee reported that a large number of Waqf properties are illegally occupied while the incumbent government is also referring to the same Sachar Committee report.
“Despite this, it has been suggested in the 2024 bill that the State Waqf Board shall not be empowered to identify properties which are illegally occupied and to try to recover them. This proposal of the government is very harmful to the existence of endowments,” he said.
He added that during the last ten years, the minorities of the country, especially the Muslims, were put on the margins, and to make them believe that now, as citizens, they have no rights and powers, many laws have been forcibly brought and implemented.
“This Waqf Amendment Bill is also one of them by passing it in any way there is a conspiracy to forcefully apply it on Muslims, which we cannot accept,” he said.
–IANS
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National
Calcutta HC questions Bengal govt's 'late realisation' to probe financial irregularities at RG Kar
Kolkata, Aug 22 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court on Thursday questioned the decision of the West Bengal government to set up a special investigation team to probe the alleged financial irregularities at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata when the controversial former principal Sandip Ghosh was in charge of the institution, even as the state health department was informed about the irregularities last year.
A single-judge bench of Justice Rajarshi Bhardwaj made this observation while hearing a petition by the whistle-blower in the matter — former deputy medical superintendent of RG Kar — Akhtar Ali, who had sought the High Court’s intervention to seek protection in anticipation of security threat for being vocal against Sandip Ghosh.
On Wednesday, Ali also filed a public interest litigation seeking a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into the alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar.
During the hearing, Justice Bhardwaj observed that “from the inclusion of senior police officers in the special investigation team, it is evident that the matter is serious, and wondered why the team was constituted a year after the matter was brought to the notice of the state government”.
The state government counsel argued that the petition has been deliberately filed at this moment amid the recent incident of the rape and murder of a woman doctor in the R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital.
The state government counsel also questioned why the petitioner remained silent for one year after the complaint was not acted upon as claimed by him.
The Calcutta High Court also directed the state government counsel to present a detailed argument on the formation of SIT on Friday.
The West Bengal government earlier this week announced the formation of a special investigation team comprising four senior IPS officers and headed by an officer of the rank of Inspector General of Police to prove the allegation of financial irregularities at RG Kar since 2021, when Sandip Ghosh was the principal there.
Opposition parties have already claimed that the formation of SIT by the state government was nothing but an eyewash, and it had been created not with the intention of revealing the truth behind the financial irregularities, but rather with the motive of destroying evidence in the matter.
–IANS
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National
Odisha: RDC-level probe to be launched soon into spurious liquor deaths
Bhubaneswar, Aug 22 (IANS) Amid the furore over two deaths caused by the consumption of spurious liquor in Ganjam district, Odisha Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan announced on Thursday that a probe by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner into the hooch tragedy will be initiated soon.
At least 23 persons from Moundpur, Jenapur, and Karabalua in Chikiti block had consumed country liquor from an unlicensed shop on Monday evening. They later fell ill and were admitted to a nearby hospital, where two of them died during treatment on Wednesday, prompting Harichandan to direct the officials to take all necessary steps to stop the illegal trade of liquor in the state.
Speaking to mediapersons, Harichandan said, “An RDC-level probe will be launched in this matter within the next couple of days. Action will be taken based on its report which will be submitted within two months. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will soon take the decision in this regard.”
He also vowed that the network of illegal liquor trade in the state will be completely destroyed within a year.
“As many as 217 illegal liquor manufacturing units have been identified in the state which will be demolished soon. Instructions have already been issued in this regard. Around 117 persons have so far been arrested following raids in different districts,” Harichandan.
He also assured the people that no illegal liquor unit will remain in existence in the state.
The Minister said the Excise Superintendent in Berhampur, Pradip Panigrahi, has been transferred for negligence in duty on Wednesday, while the government has also suspended Excise Inspector Ramesh Chandara Mohanty and Sub-inspector Prasanna Kumar Jali for similar lapses.
The deceased have been identified as Jura Behera and Lokanath Behera from Jenapur village, who died at the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur.
The opposition BJD has also the issue in the state Assembly on Thursday, demanding resignation of the Excise Minister.
–IANS
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