Cong gives privilege notice against Amit Shah for ‘casting aspersions’ on Sonia Gandhi

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) Congress party on Wednesday moved a privilege motion against Union Home Minister Amit Shah for ‘casting aspersions’ on its Rajya Sabha MP and former party president Sonia Gandhi.

Jairam Ramesh, Congress communications-in-charge, in a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, claimed that there was a ‘premeditated move’ to malign Sonia Gandhi, in connection with the functioning of National Prime Minister’s Relief Fund (PMNRF).

He accused Amit Shah of making blatantly false and defamatory statements against party MP Sonia Gandhi and demanded that privilege proceedings be initiated against the Home Minister.

Jairam’s demand for privilege motion followed Amit Shah’s statement during debate on Disaster Management Bill 2024 in the House on March 25.

“A family controlled the fund when Congress was in power. The Congress president was a member of this committee. Congress president was part of a government fund. What answer will we give to people? They think nobody reads, nobody notices it,” Jairam quoted Shah as saying in his letter.

Jairam, also the Congress chief whip claimed that though Home Minister didn’t take the name of Sonia Gandhi, it was imperative that he referred to her and “imputed motives” to her on the functioning of NPMRF.

“It is well established that it is a breach of privilege and contempt of the House to cast reflections or make derogatory references to any MP. In the instant case, the Home Minister has made unfounded allegations against Sonia Gandhi with a premeditated motive to malign her reputation,” he said.

“The Home Minister’s statement is blatantly false and is defamatory. This tantamounts to breach of privilege of Sonia Gandhi,” he further stated.

Jairam’s move for privilege motion against Amit Shah comes close on the heels of similar notices against Leader of the House (Rajya Sabha) JP Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju over their ‘misleading’ remarks on Karnataka Deputy CM.

Both ministers had stated that Karnataka Dy CM DK Shivakumar spoke about changing the Constitution to facilitate 4% reservation for Muslims.

–IANS

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Delhi L-G honours DDA officials for efforts during G20 Summit

New Delhi, Dec 17 (IANS) Acknowledging the contribution of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in the holistic development of the city, Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena on Tuesday honoured officials of the agency for their role in the successful conduct of the G20 Summit last year.

In his maiden visit to the DDA Head Office since taking charge as Chairman of DDA, L-G Saxena highlighted the remarkable contributions of the Authority in the recent past which has transformed its image.

These include preparing Delhi to host global dignitaries during the G20 Summit, rejuvenating the Yamuna, creating recreational green spaces like Baansera and Asita for public use, and restoring significant historical landmarks such as Vasudev Ghat, Mehrauli Archaeological Park, and St. James Church.

Baansera, located at Sarai Kale Khan on the western bank of the Yamuna, is a green zone developed as the Capital’s first bamboo-themed public space. Spread over an area of 12-15 hectares, Baansera falls within the 163 hectares of the Kalindi Aviral project and aims to restore and rejuvenate the floodplains of the Yamuna.

The L-G also remotely inaugurated DDA’s Housing kiosk at Rajiv Chowk Metro Station to provide help to home buyers.

He also distributed appreciation certificates to the DDA officers who played a critical role in the successful execution of the G20 Summit, recognising their dedication and hard work.

On the occasion, the L-G also paid floral tribute to M. Visvesvaraya on the premises of the DDA office, Vikas Sadan.

He encouraged Team DDA to think more in the direction of benefiting the public by creating spaces that prioritise convenience, enhance amenities, and make Delhi’s infrastructure more urbanised, including the development of villages under Dilli Gramodaya Abhiyan.

Emphasizing the importance of sustainability, he urged the development of more green spaces and contributing to a greener and more verdant cityscape.

He said that DDA employees are doing commendable work by organising PM Uday camps on weekends.

“This has generated a positive atmosphere and thousands are coming to these camps for getting ownership rights of their properties in unauthorised colonies of Delhi,” he said.

–IANS

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MP bans liquor at 17 religious sites; CM says other resources to compensate revenue loss (Ld)

Bhopal, Jan 24 (IANS) Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Madhya Pradesh on Friday announced a ban on the sale and consumption of liquor at 17 prominent religious sites.

The religious sites where liquor would be banned are located in different districts, including Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain, Orchha (temple of Raja Ram, Amarkantak (on the bank of Narmada River), Chitrakoot in Satna district and others.

The decision in this regard was taken during a special cabinet meeting held in Maheshwar in the Khargone district to mark the 300th birth anniversary year of Ahilyabai Holkar, the 18th-century ruler ofthe Holkar dynasty. Maheshwar was the kingdom of the Holkar dynasty.

“In a special cabinet meeting held in Maheshwar today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, a decision was taken to ban liquor at various religious places in the state,” the Madhya Pradesh government said in a statement on Friday.

The new liquor policy will be implemented from April 1. With this partial ban, Madhya Pradesh joined the dry states — Gujarat, Bihar, Nagaland, and Mizoram along with Union Territory (UT) Lakshadweep. With this, around 50 liquor shops operating in these religious sites would be shut permanently, due to which the government will lose excise revenue of up to Rs 450 crore.

Excise revenue for the financial year 2024-25 is projected at Rs 15,000 crore. On the loss of excise revenue from the liquor ban, Chief Minister Yadav said the government has various other resources for revenue and the loss would be compensated from there.

“When the matter is related to public interest and religious faith, such decisions become more important. The government has various other revenue resources and I am confident that loss will be compensated,” Yadav told IANS.

Notably, prohibition on liquor has been a political weapon within the Madhya Pradesh BJP. Saffron leaders, including former CM Uma Bharti, have often questioned the government of her own party for showing reluctance to put ban on the sale of liquor. Last year, Bharti had even pelted stones at liquor shops in Bhopal and protested against liquor shops operating near schools and religious places.

Interestingly, former Bhopal MP Pragya Thakur also raised her voice against the sale of liquor in the state.

–IANS

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‘Objection to Waqf Bill is opposing Muslim development,’ says BJP’s Danish Ansari

New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) BJP leader Danish Azad Ansari on Wednesday defended the controversial Waqf Amendment Bill, stating that those opposing it are actually working against the development of the Muslim community.

Speaking to IANS, Ansari emphasised that the Bill aims to improve the welfare of the Muslim community by enabling the establishment of schools, hospitals, and other institutions on Waqf land, and providing free education and healthcare to the underprivileged Muslims.

“Opposition to the Waqf Amendment Bill is opposition to development of the Muslim community. The Narendra Modi government wants to build hospitals and schools on Waqf land, providing free education and healthcare to poor Muslims. What is wrong with that?”

“Whenever we have spoken about the development of Muslims, some Opposition leaders and specific individuals have opposed it because they don’t want poor Muslims to prosper. But under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, we are working towards the prosperity of the common Muslim in an honest manner,” he added.

The Waqf Amendment Bill, which has stirred national controversy, has been met with strong opposition from several Muslim organisations, including Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind. They argue that the amendments could lead to the mismanagement of Waqf properties and diminish the autonomy of the Muslim community in managing their own charitable assets.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has also expressed strong dissent, announcing plans to hold large-scale protests against the Bill in different parts of the country.

Ansari further spoke about the upcoming Eid festival and the government’s efforts to support the Muslim community.

He said, “Eid is a joyous festival, and like a son, PM Modi ji has considered every Muslim as part of his family. To ensure that every Muslim, especially the underprivileged, celebrates Eid with happiness, the government is distributing ‘Modi Kits,’ which will include sevaiyan (vermicelli), dry fruits, dates, and gifts for our poor brothers and sisters.”

He highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to ensure the progress and welfare of the Muslim community, stating, “This is the agenda of our Modi government, and we are working honestly to fulfill it.”

–IANS

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