FIR against Rahul Gandhi diversion tactic of BJP: Telangana CM

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Hyderabad, Dec 20 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday termed the First Information Report (FIR) registered against Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi as a “diversion tactic “of the BJP.

The Chief Minister alleged that BJP registered an FIR against the Congress leader for defending the legacy of Babasaheb B. R. Ambedkar.

“This FIR is a diversion tactic in response to Rahul ji protesting against the Union Home Minister, for his highly objectionable words about our beloved and revered icon, Dr Ambedkar,” the Chief Minister said in a post on ‘X’.

“With 26 FIRs already against him, Rahul ji will fight against the divisive agenda of BJP tirelessly. Sadly, the Delhi Police has not acted against BJP leaders who physically attacked our women MPs,” he added.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Y. S. Sharmila has also alleged that BJP is trying hard to divert public attention from Amit Shah’s remarks on Ambedkar.

“The incidents that took place in Parliament on Thursday are proof of this. The BJP and the RSS have always been against Ambedkar. That is why they want to erase the memories of Ambedkar,” the Congress leader said.

Sharmila said that they were demanding the resignation of Amit Shah from the Union Cabinet and an apology from him for his remarks but BJP started a new drama.

In a post on ‘X’, she alleged that BJP MPs blocked and pushed Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi when they were going into the Parliament. She said that Kharge fell down in this scuffle.

“It is indeed atrocious that BJP MPs, like rowdies, are holding sticks and preventing Congress MPs from entering the House. They are the ones who are blaming Rahul Gandhi. Their behaviour is a blot on democracy,” Sharmila said.

The APCC President said that the Centre’s notices to ‘X’ to delete the video of Amit Shah’s comments on Ambedkar make it clear that they have made a mistake.

Alleging that the BJP’s real thoughts on Ambedkar have come out in the form of Amit Shah’s comments, Sharmila said that BJP is constantly insulting Ambedkar, a great man who drafted the Constitution of the country and changed the lives of crores of Dalits and oppressed people. The Congress party will continue to fight against the saffron mob to protect the Constitution written by Ambedkar, she added.

–IANS

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Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot’s former OSD becomes approver in phone tapping case

Jaipur, Dec 16 (IANS) Lokesh Sharma, the former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to ex-Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, turned approver in the phone tapping case on Monday.

Talking to IANS, Sharma confirmed that the Patiala House Court had approved his application earlier in the day. He hinted that the development could have far-reaching implications for Rajasthan’s bureaucracy and political landscape.

Sharma was arrested by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police on November 25 at Prashant Vihar police station in Delhi. However, he secured anticipatory bail immediately after his arrest. Speculation had been rife since then that he might turn approver in the high-profile case.

The phone tapping controversy erupted in Rajasthan during the political crisis of 2020 when a faction led by Sachin Pilot went to Manesar as part of political camping.

The case gained traction after Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat filed an FIR with the Delhi Crime Branch, naming Lokesh Sharma. Following this, Sharma had moved Delhi High Court seeking protection from arrest but later withdrew his petition.

The controversy stemmed from leaked audio recordings that went viral during the political turmoil. These recordings allegedly revealed attempts of horsetrading.

Lokesh Sharma, then serving as Ashok Gehlot’s OSD, released the audio clips, accusing Shekhawat of being involved in the alleged horse-trading of legislators.

Shekhawat, in turn, filed a complaint alleging illegal phone tapping, naming Sharma in the case.

An official said that the court’s decision to grant Sharma’s application to turn approver is expected to bring new details to light.

–IANS

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Punjab building collapse: NDRF, Army continue rescue operation

Chandigarh, Dec 22 (IANS) Rescuers involving the National Disaster Management Force (NDRF) and the Indian Army on Sunday began the operation on the second day as three people were believed to be trapped in the debris of a four-storey collapsed building in Punjab’s Mohali town. A 20-year-old woman from Himachal Pradesh has died in the incident.

According to NDRF officials, five people were buried under the debris when the structure of a gym collapsed owing to digging in an adjacent building’s basement in Sector 77, officials said.

Drishti Verma, 20, a resident of Theog in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla district, was pulled out by rescuers and later succumbed to her injuries at a hospital, said Viraj S. Tidke, officiating Deputy Commissioner.

The police have booked the building owners — Parwinder Singh and Gagandeep Singh — under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Senior Superintendent of Police Deepak Pareek told the media.

One column of the Indian Army with specialist engineering equipment has been deployed since 7.30 p.m. on Saturday. The Western Command said the Indian Army reacted swiftly to the rescue. In a remarkable display of coordinated efforts, the Army columns along with the NDRF and the state rescue teams have been relentlessly working to address the crisis. The Engineer Task Force with debris clearance machine and JCBs are operational at the site. Top debris was removed and efforts are being made to reach the basement.

The officiating Deputy Commissioner said as soon as the disaster was reported in the evening, district officials rushed to the spot and started the rescue operation with the help of locals and other departments. He said Senior Superintendent of Police Pareek was also among the first officers who arrived at the site and took the initiative to ensure the start of rescue efforts.

Tidke said the district administration sent a message to the National Disaster Response Force based at Pinjore and in addition intimation to the Western Command of the Indian Army to augment the rescue operation with the NDRF. He said the district administration has been putting all efforts to rescue every single person who has been trapped in the debris. The round-the-clock operation will continue till the rescue of all people.

He said all requisite equipment and machinery have also been made available.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has spoken with the district administration about the ongoing rescue works and has directed us to make all possible efforts to rescue the victims. Also, Member of Parliament Malvinder Singh Kang and local MLA Kulwant Singh were present at the site on Saturday to oversee the rescue work.

Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav also took stock of the rescue work and directed the local police to ensure the safety of the victims at all costs.

Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain said the rescue work would continue till the safe return of all victims and duty magistrates Tehsildar Arjun Singh Grewal and Navpreet Singh Shergill have been deputed to assist the rescue teams and the police.

–IANS

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Maha will play key role in achieving India’s $5 trillion economy goal: Minister Tatkare

Nagpur, Dec 21 (IANS) Representing Maharashtra in the pre-Union Budget meeting held in Jaisalmer, Minister Aditi Tatkare on Saturday assured that Maharashtra would play a pivotal role in India’s journey towards becoming a $5 trillion economy.

She emphasised the need for special financial assistance to the state in the upcoming Union Budget.

Minister Tatkare presented Maharashtra’s vision, highlighting its strategic role in realising the Prime Minister’s goal of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.

Minister Tatkare outlined several critical issues and proposals for inclusion in the Union Budget. She urged the finance minister for central assistance for state Capital Investment by enhancing the allocation under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment.

She emphasised the need for streamlining fund disbursement timelines to provide qualifying states with a minimum one-year utilisation window.

In the wake of rapid urbanisation, Minister Tatkare called for central support to tackle the challenges faced by the state.

“Maharashtra, with urbanisation expected to surpass 50 per cent in the upcoming census, faces challenges in resource mobilisation for urban local bodies (ULBs). The state government urges support for ULBs to access long-term loans for planned urban development and infrastructure enhancement,” she said.

Under the MukhyaMantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana 2.0, aimed at solarising agricultural feeders, Minister Tatkare sought increased targets and funding allocations for Maharashtra.

She requested expansion of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity from 500 MWh to 9,000 MWh to meet the state’s energy storage goals.

In order to further boost the modernisation of the home department, Minister Tatkare sought funds on a 60:40 basis, for projects such as digital forensic labs, mobile forensic vans, AMBIS systems, and the Cyber Security Project (Rs 837.86 crore).

She highlighted the need for funding major initiatives like Dial 112 emergency services integration and Maharashtra Police Station CCTV projects.

She urged financial support for faster case disposal through enhanced infrastructure for the judiciary.

She requested funding for constructing the Bombay High Court Complex in Bandra (East), estimated at Rs 3,750 crore.

Further, to push the implementation of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) economic master plan, Minister Tatkare proposed a special package.

The master plan is aligning with NITI Aayog’s vision to transform MMR into a national growth hub by 2030.

According to NITI Aayog, the MMR has a potential to increase its GDP to $300 billion by 2030 from the present level of $140 billion.

The Centre’s public policy think tank has asked the Maharashtra government to concentrate on seven growth drivers and attract investment of $125-135 billion from the private sector to achieve the target.

In a bid to push the state government’s ambitious plan to make Maharashtra drought-free, the state government has sought central government support to include state-funded river-linking projects like Wainganga-Nalganga and Damanganga-Godavari under the National Interlinking of Rivers Scheme.

Further, the state government appealed to the Centre to ease revenue expenditure pressures to create fiscal space for capital projects and establish a ‘Kisan Vishesh Sahayata Nidhi’ to compensate farmers affected by trade policy interventions.

The state government also appealed for the enhancement of funding for ongoing schemes like the Jal Jeevan Mission and financial assistance for disaster-affected areas.

Minister Tatkare said the comprehensive representation highlighted Maharashtra’s ambitions and challenges, ensuring the state’s priorities were well-articulated for the Union Budget deliberations.

She reiterated Maharashtra’s commitment to becoming a cornerstone of India’s economic growth and development trajectory.

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

–IANS

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