Dressed in blue, Congress MLAs protest at MP Assembly premises holding Constitution’s copy

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Bhopal, Dec 20 (IANS) Amid high-voltage drama over the Ambedkar row across the country, Congress MLAs in Madhya Pradesh staged a protest on the Assembly premises on Friday holding a copy of the Constitution.

A group of Congress MLAs, led by the Leader kr Opposition (LoP) Umang Singhar, dressed in blue and holding the copy of the Indian Constitution arrived at the Assembly premises and staged a protest near Mahatma Gandhi’s statue.

It was an attempt to extend support to the party’s central leadership which staged a similar protest at the Parliament premises on Thursday.

During protest, Congress MLAs raised slogans – “Ambedkar Ka Apman, Nahi Sahega Hindustan (India will not tolerate Ambedkar’s insult).”

Congress members alleged that Delhi Police have booked their leader Rahul Gandhi on fake charges at the “behest” of the BJP leaders.

“First, the BJP’s top leaders insulted Dr B. R. Ambedkar in the Parliament House, and when Congress leaders protested to oppose the derogatory remarks (on Ambedkar), fake charges were imposed against our leader Rahul Gandhi. This is unacceptable,” Umang Singhar said.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi staged a protest at the Parliament on Thursday.

During the protest, a confrontation between the ruling and opposition MPs took an ugly turn as two lawmakers were injured.

Later, both sides filed complaints against each other. The scuffle occurred when the MPs (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) from the Opposition bloc protested at Parliament premises. Meanwhile, a group of BJP MPs gathered to protest against Congress’ alleged insult of Dr. Ambedkar.

During the scuffle, a 70-year-old BJP MP from Balasore in Odisha allegedly fell on the ground and suffered an injury on his head. He was admitted to the hospital.

While Congress alleged that party president Mallikarjun Kharge collapsed during the confrontation.

Later, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the BJP MPs were protesting outside the Parliament gate where Rahul Gandhi with a few of his MPs “physically assaulted” them.

–IANS

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Kalyan attack on Marathi family: Deputy CM Ajit Pawar assures action

Nagpur, Dec 20 (IANS) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Friday that the attack on the Marathi family from Kalyan will be looked into and assured action against the accused irrespective of his position.

Shiv Sena-UBT legislator Sunil Prabhu has raised the issue in the Assembly demanding action against the accused.

Intervening Prabhu, Ajit Pawar said: “No matter how senior the officer (accused) is, action will be taken. The honour of the Marathi people will be maintained in the state. The administration will take prompt action against the accused.”

Prabhu claimed that a Marathi man was severely beaten up by a person named Akhilesh Shukla in a society in the Yogidham area of Kalyan.

“Who is behind the serious assault on a Marathi family in Kalyan? Will Maharashtra now have to see this every day?” asked Prabhu.

Shukla also claimed that he has contacts with who’s who and was not bothered about police action, Prabhu said.

Prabhu said that Shukla projected himself as a government officer, claiming he was not worried about any action against him.

Prabhu was supported by other opposition members demanding stern action, saying that the efforts to divide Marathi and non-Marathi should be foiled and Kalyan-like clashes be avoided.

The Kalyan attack issue was raised by Opposition outside the state legislature.

NCP-SP legislator Rohit Pawar condemned the incident and asked whether the state would have to see such attacks every day now.

Shiv Sena-UBT legislator Aaditya Thackeray demanded that the offence be registered under the Sedition Law against those attacking the Marathi people.

“Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should make an announcement today in this regard. Besides, the occupation certificate of housing societies where such attacks take place against the Marathi people should be scrapped,” he said.

“If the Chief Minister is a lover of Maharashtra, if he is from this soil, he will respect our demand and announce action under the sedition law against those attacking the Marathi people. Builders are also changing the names of various areas and naming them Upper Cuffe Parade, Upper Worli,” he added.

Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut Such incidents have happened not only in Kalyan but also in Mumbai. “I have been saying this repeatedly, in Kalyan, migrants attacked Marathi people, saying that they are dirty. They abused them. In Mumbai too, Marathi people are being deprived of jobs by saying that they should not speak Marathi,” said Raut.

“In Maharashtra, Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray fought for the rights of the Marathi people. BJP weakened the Marathi people by breaking the organisation of the Marathi people. This was done to give the Marathi people secondary treatment. After the election results, attacks on Marathi people have started increasing. Efforts are underway to oust Marathi people from Mumbai,” alleged Raut.

–IANS

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6-7 pc growth rate in India good given global average, infra work on solid ground: Mark Mobius

Mumbai, Dec 12 (IANS) India’s ability to manage inflation without compromising growth will be pivotal in attracting sustained foreign investments, global ace investor Mark Mobius said on Thursday, adding that on a macro front, 6-7 per cent growth rate in India is a good rate given the global average.

Addressing an investor webinar organised by PL Capital-Prabhudas Lilladher, the veteran investor said the Indian economy grew a good 5.4 per cent in Q2 FY25, despite having a size as big as $4 trillion.

“On a macro front, 6-7 per cent growth rate in India is a good rate given the global average. ‘Make in India’ and the impetus the government provides to manufacture locally is a big positive and the biggest advantage of local manufacturing in India is that they have a big market for local/self-consumption,” said Mobius, Chairman of Mobius Emerging Opportunities Fund.

He further stated that the Indian government has done phenomenal work by creating solid infrastructure to support growth.

“Despite political challenges, PM Modi’s administration remains focused on reducing inefficiencies, modernising infrastructure, and enhancing governance. The central challenge lies in balancing populist measures with long-term structural reforms,” Mobius stated.

He highlighted key areas where India stands to gain both domestically and globally, identifying sectoral shifts and emerging opportunities, like defence manufacturing, semiconductors, infrastructure and urbanisation, tourism and travel growth, energy and commodities and digital public infrastructure.

On US President-elect Donald Trump’s trade tariffs, he said that Trump could use tariffs as a bargaining chip to negotiate open trade deals.

“Emerging Markets like India stand to benefit as there is a limit to which investors would want to put their money in the US market. Plus, the opportunities in emerging markets are also thriving,” he added.

Mobius articulated a cautiously optimistic outlook for global and Indian economic trends, driven by both cyclical and structural factors. Tapering off Russia-Ukraine conflict and reduced Middle East turmoil, are expected to bolster global growth, he noted.

–IANS

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Maha: 12 ministers from Shinde-led Cabinet dropped, 25 new faces get ministerial berths

Nagpur, Dec 15 (IANS) At least 12 Cabinet ministers from the Eknath Shinde-led council of ministers in Maharashtra have not found ministerial berths in Cabinet expansion by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Those who did not find place in the cabinet include Sudhir Mungantiwar, Ravindra Chavan, Vijaykumar Gavit and Suresh Khadse (BJP), Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Dharmaraobaba Atram, Anil Patil and Sanjay Bansode (NCP) and Tanaji Sawant, Abdul Sattar and Deepak Kesarkar (Shiv Sena).

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the audit of each minister would be done, adding that those who have been denied the ministerial berths from the BJP was because they would be assigned different responsibilities.

“Some ministers have been dropped due to their performance in the Eknath Shinde-led Cabinet. As far as the induction of aspirants from Shiv Sena and NCP is concerned, it was not possible due to various reasons. They may get an opportunity in the future. Still, one ministerial post is kept vacant,” he added.

However, 25 new faces have found a place in Cabinet expansion including Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Ganesh Naik, Jaykumar Rawal, Pankaja Munde, Ashok Uike, Ashish Shelar, Dattatreya Bharne, Shivendraraje Bhosale, Manikrao Kokate, Jaykumar Gore, Narhari Jirwal, Sanjay Savkare, Sanjay Shirsat, Pratap Sarnaik, Bharat Gogavale, Makarand Patil, Nitesh Rane, Akash Fundkar, Babasaheb Patil, Prakash Abitkar, Madhuri Misal, Ashish Jaiswal, Pankaj Bhoyar, Meghna Bordikar, Indranil Naik.

Of the 39 ministers who took the oath, four women legislators have been inducted including Pankaja Munde, who had worked as the minister of woman and child welfare in the Devendra Fadnavis-led Cabinet between 2014 and 2019, Madhuri Misal and Meghana Bordikar (BJP) and Aditi Tatkare (NCP), who as the minister of woman and child welfare was involved in the implementation of the flagship Ladki Bahin Yojana ahead of the state assembly election.

However, none of the women legislators from the Shiv Sena has been inducted in today’s expansion.

Meanwhile, BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP have devised a two-and-a-half-year formula for ministers who were inducted in the council of ministers today.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that the MahaYuti partners have agreed to this formula so that they can induct new faces after two and half years in the Cabinet.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)

–IANS

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