Uproar marks final day of Bihar Budget Session; SDRF expansion takes centre stage

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Patna, Feb 27 (IANS) The final day of the Budget Session of the Bihar Legislative Assembly witnessed significant uproar in both Houses on Friday. While several important issues were taken up for discussion, leaders from the ruling alliance were also seen cornering their own government over various concerns and the issue of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) expansion also took centre stage.

Amid the heated exchanges, a crucial issue related to disaster management dominated proceedings, with Legislators demanding the deployment of the SDRF at the subdivision level.

Raising the matter in the Assembly, Begusarai MLA Kundan Kumar stated that 2,547 people lost their lives due to drowning during 2024–25.

He questioned whether SDRF teams could be deployed at the subdivision level instead of being limited to district headquarters and whether the force would be strengthened with upgraded resources.

Several other MLAs, including representatives from Sitamarhi and Chhatapur, supported the demand.

They argued that due to the absence of SDRF teams at the grassroots level and inadequate resources, timely relief operations often fail to reach victims, resulting in greater loss of life.

Responding to the concerns, Water Resource and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary informed the House that the SDRF was established under the vision of the present government and that its expansion program is currently underway.

He said the SDRF headquarters has been set up in Patna’s Bihta and that personnel are receiving national as well as international-level training.

The government, he added, plans to gradually expand the SDRF’s presence to the subdivision level to ensure faster response during emergencies.

The minister assured members that the objective of the government is to provide prompt and effective disaster response, minimising the loss of life and property.

The issue is expected to remain a key point of discussion as the government moves forward with plans to strengthen disaster management infrastructure across the state.

–IANS

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Dog whistle aimed at Muslim vote bank: Amit Malviya flags Congress social media post

New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) The BJP on Tuesday severely criticised the Congress party for its social media post, which it claims represents the “Sar Tan Se Juda (beheading)” mindset.

Amit Malviya, in-charge of the BJP’s National Information &Technology Department, said Congress leaves little doubt with its use of “Sar Tan Se Juda” imagery.

The Congress party on Monday put up a post on its official X handle @INCIndia, which is an image with a caption ‘At the time of ‘responsibility’ – Invisible (in Hindi loosely translated).

The image shows a man in a kurta-churidar with no neck or head.

Reacting to this post, Malviya said, “The Congress leaves little doubt with its use of “Sar Tan Se Juda” imagery. This is not merely a political statement; it is a dog whistle aimed at its Muslim vote bank and a veiled incitement against the Prime Minister. It is not the first time the Congress has resorted to such tactics.”

Malviya accused Rahul Gandhi of instigating violence towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Rahul Gandhi on multiple occasions, has both instigated and justified violence toward the Prime Minister. Yet the Congress will never succeed, for the Prime Minister enjoys the love and blessings of millions of Indians.”

“On the contrary, proverbially speaking, if anyone’s neck has been slashed, it is the Congress —now reduced to a headless hydra, flailing without direction,” the BJP leader said in conclusion.

The Congress post has created a flutter on social media, with many questioning the party over it.

The post comes days after the horrific terror attack on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 people, including 25 tourists and one local.

Congress, in an all-party meeting on April 25, had assured the government of full support in the fight against terrorism. However, several of its leaders have been making controversial statements which are being highlighted by the Paksiatni media.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that there should be no war with Pakistan. “There is no need for war. We are not in favour of it. Stringent security measures must be taken. That’s all,” he said on April 26.

A day after CM Siddaramiah sparked a row, his minister, R.B. Timmapur, triggered another controversy by saying that the terrorists would not have asked their targets’ religion before killing them in cold blood.

Timmapur, Karnataka’s Excise Minister, told the media, “A man who is shooting, will he ask caste or religion? He will just shoot and go. Think practically. He will not stand there, ask and then shoot,” he said.

The minister alleged that a “conspiracy” was being plotted to paint this as a religious issue. “I feel they didn’t ask about religion when they were carrying out the terror attack. In case they did, there shouldn’t be this madness of using such a statement to politicise the issue based on religion.”

Another senior Congress leader from Maharashtra, Vijay Wadettiwar, echoing Timmapur’s remarks, said, “The government should take responsibility for the Pahalgam Terrorist Attack. They (the government) are saying that terrorists killed people after asking them (about their religion)… Do terrorists have time for all this?… Some people say that this did not happen… Terrorists have no caste or religion.”

Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra also raised questions about going to war with Pakistan.

Another senior party leader from Kashmir leader Saifuddin Soz, said one should accept if Pakistan claims it is not involved until the investigation is complete.

–IANS

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Rajasthan: ED arrests Congress leader in Jal Jeevan Mission scam

Jaipur, April 24 (IANS) Congress leader Mahesh Joshi was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday in connection with the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scam.

Joshi was questioned throughout the day at the ED headquarters before being taken into custody.

Despite multiple summons, Joshi had previously avoided appearing before the agency, citing personal reasons. However, on Thursday, he arrived at the ED office around 1 PM accompanied by a personal assistant. During the interrogation, officials presented several documents related to the scam and sought his response.

The JJM scam pertains to fraudulent tendering under the Central government’s Jal Jeevan Mission Yojana, aimed at providing tap water to every household.

In 2021, contractors Padmachand Jain and Mahesh Mittal of Shri Shyam Tubewell Company, along with M/s Shri Ganapati Tubewell Company, secured tenders worth crores from the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) using forged experience certificates.

Shri Ganapati Tubewell Company reportedly participated in 68 tenders using fake documents and won 31 contracts worth Rs 859.2 crore.

Similarly, Shri Shyam Tubewell Company took part in 169 tenders, securing Rs 120.25 crore by winning 73 of them.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) first uncovered the scam, leading to the arrest of several government officials.

The ED later launched its own probe, raiding premises linked to Mahesh Joshi, his associate Sanjay Badaya, and others.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a case on May 3, 2024. Subsequently, on May 4, the ED handed over key evidence and documents to the ACB for further action.

ED raided the premises of Congress leader Mahesh Joshi and other locations as part of probe into ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ as part of the Jal Jeevan Mission.

The agency started its investigation on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Anti Corruption Bureau, Rajasthan.

–IANS

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ICG detains Bangladeshi trawler with 15 fishermen for intruding into Indian waters

Kolkata, Dec 1 (IANS) The Indian Coast Guard on Monday detained a Bangladeshi trawler with 15 fishermen after it violated Indian waters in Bay of Bengal. After detaining the trawler, the fishermen were handed over to the police.

It is learnt that while patrolling in Bay of Bengal on Monday morning, the Indian Coast Guard spotted a suspicious trawler. A Indian Coast Guard speed boat chased the suspicious trawler.

Finally, the trawler was apprehended. After questioning the fishermen in the trawler, the Indian Coast Guard came to know that this trawler belonged to Bangladesh. The Indian Coast Guard immediately apprehended 15 fishermen including the trawler.

According to sources, the trawler was then brought to Fraserganj in South 24 Parganas district.

Then the trawler and the fishermen were handed over to the Fraserganj Coastal Police Station. Later, the Fraserganj Coastal Police arrested 15 Bangladeshi fishermen on charges of infiltration. According to police sources, the name of the arrested Bangladeshi trawler is FB Alla Malik.

Secretary of the Sundarban Fishermen’s Union, Satinath Patra said: “A special type of fish is found in Indian waters during the winter season. There is a good demand for that fish in Bangladesh. Due to this, Bangladeshi trawlers are repeatedly violating Indian waters. In the past, Bangladeshi trawlers have violated Indian waters several times. The Indian Coast Guard has now become active and is keeping a special watch on the waters. Due to this, one after another Bangladeshi trawlers along with fishermen are being arrested.”

It may be recalled that several Bangladeshi trawlers were caught violating Indian waters in November. Many fishermen from Bangladesh were arrested.

Following this, surveillance has been increased in Bay of Bengal to prevent infiltration into Indian waters.

In addition, earlier this year, 62 fishermen from Kakdwip in West Bengal crossed the international waters and entered Bangladesh while searching for Hilsa in the deep sea.

One of them died while being detained in a Bangladeshi correctional facility. Since then, the family members of the remaining 61 fishermen from Kakdwip who were detained in Bangladesh are living in fear.

–IANS

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