Let CM, Dy CMs, RSS chief get spades and shovels to fulfil their people’s wishes: Sanjay Raut

New Delhi, Jan 6 (IANS) With tears in her eyes, an emotionally disturbed Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Monday hit out at BJP candidate from Kalkaji seat Ramesh Bidhuri for his “dirty politics” and stooping so low to attack his 80-year-old educationist father.

“He is seeking votes by abusing my father and not on his performance in the constituency,” Atishi alleged claiming that attacks on her father are very disturbing.

Earlier, during a rally in Delhi, Ramesh Bidhuri stated, “Atishi has changed her father. She used to be Marlena, but now she is Singh. Her parents had filed a petition seeking clemency for Afzal Guru, the man responsible for killing young people.”

Slamming Bidhuri, CM Atishi said he should not indulge in dirty politics for seeking votes. “You are abusing an old man who can’t even walk without support. My father is a teacher who has educated underprivileged students all his life and you are abusing him and indulging in dirty politics.”

Challenging Bidhuri to a fair electoral fight in the Kalkaji constituency, CM Atishi said, “If you want to win votes you should tell people what you have done for them when you were an MP from the area. You should tell me how many roads you have built, and I will tell you what I have done for the voters.”

Atishi’s counter-offensive against Bidhuri came during a press conference to allege a “voter scam” in the garb of deletion and addition of voters’ names in the New Delhi Assembly constituency of Arvind Kejriwal.

CM Atishi said she wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner on Sunday and sought time for a meeting to share the details of the alleged manipulation of the voters list being executed to vitiate the democratic process.

“Between October 29 and January 2, applications have been filed for deletion of 6,167 voter names,” she said, claiming 11 objectors, out of the total 84, have denied even filing any application for deletion of names of voters.

“The role of the Election Commission’s administration is also doubtful,” she said, claiming that about 10,000 new voters or 10 per cent of voters have been added to the constituency’s electoral rolls and 6,167 named or 5.7 per cent of names have been deleted.

She said a probe should be conducted on who filed these forms when 11 objectors are themselves denying having done so.

“We want the exercise of addition and deletion of voters’ names should be stopped till it is clear who filed Form 7 for removal and from which cyber cafe,” she said.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh said the name of his wife Anita was also illegally deleted and alleged that the BJP, which has conceded defeat even before elections, is resorting to “manipulation” and sheltering “bogus or ghost objectors”.

“I demand action against election officials who are allowing such wrongdoings,” he said, claiming a woman named Madhu, who was cited by election officials as the objector in the case of deletion of his wife’s name from voters’ list, has denied filing even a single Form 7.

AAP MP Raghav Chadha said the party wants a house-to-house verification of objectors. “When we offered to conduct the verification, we were not given the addresses of the objectors,” he said.

“We urged the election officials to call the objectors to their office but even this request was also denied, claiming this would endanger the objectors or intrude on their privacy,” said Chadha.

At least, those objectors who have denied filing forms for deletion of names of others should be contacted, he said.

Kejriwal had won the 2020 election from New Delhi by defeating Sunil Yadav of BJP by a margin of 21,697.

Sanjay Singh claimed that the AAP’s campaign against “voter scam” in the New Delhi constituency should not be seen as an indication of the possible loss of Kejriwal in the upcoming election.

“We are objecting to a malpractice and demanding inquiry by the ECI where evidence is available,” he said.

–IANS

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Shimla, Jan 2 (IANS) Upper Shimla in Himachal Pradesh is currently witnessing a rare and age-old religious tradition as the revered deity Devta Bakralu hosts the “Bhunda Mahayajna.” This grand ceremony believed to take place once in four decades, brings together deities from the Spail Valley, showcasing the region’s vibrant cultural heritage.

The event, marked by processions of deities carried in intricately adorned palanquins to the sound of trumpets and drums, is a plea for peace, prosperity, and protection from natural calamities. Devta Bakralu resides in a temple at Dalgaon village in Rohru tehsil, 135 km from Shimla, built in traditional hill architecture using wood and slate.

The highlight of the ceremony is the rope-sliding ritual, inaugurated last year by cutting “munji,” a grass grown in inaccessible mountain terrains. A “jedi” (a man of the Beda caste) creates a sacred rope of “munji,” adhering to strict rituals of celibacy and silence.

During the yajna, the divine oil-soaked rope spans 1 km between two hills, crossing a ditch. The jedi, seated on a wooden raft, slides down the rope in a spectacular display.

Surat Ram, a veteran performer, will undertake this ritual for the ninth time on January 4. Nearly five lakh people, including Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu, are expected to witness the event. In the last “Bhunda Mahayajna” in 1985, Surat Ram faced difficulty while crossing the “valley of death” on a raft while sliding the rope vertically.

Surat Ram told IANS that it took two and a half months to prepare the sacred rope this time. Four people assisted him in this task. While preparing the rope, one has to follow celibacy. After eating at four in the morning, he would eat again the next day. During this time, maximum silence is observed.

Panchayat head Visheshwar Banshtu noted that this ceremony was last performed in Dalgaon in 1985. Steps have been taken this year to prevent fatalities during the ritual, ensuring safety for all participants.

The Bhunda Mahayajna is a testament to Himachal Pradesh’s rich spiritual traditions, often referred to as “Devbhoomi” or the land of gods. Devta Bakralu, the chief deity of Rohru and Rampur, has invited other deities, including Maheshwar, Bondra, and Moharrish, along with three Parshurams from Gumma, Andareyothi, and Khashkandi, believed to be incarnations of Lord Parshuram.

These deities, carried in processions, travel only on foot, avoiding modern routes like tunnels. The devotees meticulously follow strict rituals and schedules set by the deities themselves, highlighting a deep connection between the mortals and the divine.

“In earlier times, the Bhunda Yajna was performed every 15-20 years, but its frequency has reduced to once in 40-50 years,” octogenarian R.P. Manta told IANS. Preparations for this event, estimated to cost Rs 100 crore, have been underway for months.

Government officials, led by Subdivisional Magistrate Vijay Vardhan, have deployed adequate police personnel to manage traffic and ensure smooth proceedings. This unique blend of devotion, tradition, and community spirit underscores the enduring faith of the people in their deities.

“The Bhunda Mahayajna is being organized for the prosperity. People have great faith in the deity Bakralu Maharaj. These days there is a divine atmosphere in every house in the Spail Valley. CM Sukhwinder Sukhu will also participate in this event,” he told IANS.

The conduit between the mortals and the deities are the ‘gur’ — the traditional shamans, who form the core of the communities’ spiritual sustenance.

The ‘devtas’ accept invites of their followers and move to various locations at their wish. Sometimes they decide to undertake a pilgrimage. Some do so after one-two year, others do so after 30 to 40 years and some embark on special pilgrimages after hundreds of years.

As per old records, human sacrifice was historically associated with this ritual. Thankfully, such practices have been abolished, reflecting a shift in societal norms while preserving the essence of this remarkable tradition.

According to “A reference book on Kullu Devtas” compiled by the Kullu administration, there are 534 “live” gods and goddesses in the picturesque Kullu Valley. The book says the affairs of the Kullu gods are managed by the ‘devta’ committees that comprise a ‘kardar’ or manager of the temple, the ‘gur’ or oracle, musicians and a priest. The ‘devta’ summons the ‘gur’ and speaks through him.

The oracle goes into a trance and connects with the deity. The deity’s wish spreads and its followers are ready to obey the sacred command. One member of each family has to join the deity’s procession.

The book says the long and tough journeys are to be performed on foot. It takes days, even months. Strict rules and rituals have to be followed. The deity sets the time and pace of the journey. No one can lift the palanquin of the deity if he/she is not willing.

Himachal Pradesh’s rich cultural tapestry, with over 500 active deities in the Kullu Valley alone, continues to thrive through events like the Bhunda Mahayajna. These traditions not only connect communities with their heritage but also reaffirm their collective faith and resilience.

(Vishal Gulati can be reached at vishal.g@ians.in)

–IANS

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Hyderabad, March 3 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has bagged the Telangana Legislative Council seat from Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar teachers’ constituency while Panchayat Raj Teachers’ Union (PRTU) candidate P. Sripal Reddy has emerged winner from Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda teachers’ constituency.

BJP candidate Malka Komaraiah won Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar teachers’ segment in the first priority votes. He defeated his nearest rival Vanga Mahender Reddy by over 5,000 votes.

Komariah polled 12,959 votes while Mahender Reddy secured 7,182 votes.

In Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda teachers’ constituency, Sripal Reddy was declared winner on the basis of second priority votes over sitting MLC Narsi Reddy. BJP’s Puli Sarottham Reddy finished a distant third.

Counting of votes for the Telangana Legislative Council elections to two teachers’ constituencies and one graduates’ constituency was taken up on Monday.

The counting of votes for the graduate constituency of Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar was still underway.

Congress and BJP are locked in a direct fight in this constituency, which is currently represented by senior Congress leader and former minister T. Jeevan Reddy.

The Congress has fielded V. Narender Reddy, who is pitted against BJP’s C. Anji Reddy.

The BJP, which won all four Lok Sabha seats in this segment last year, is confident of wresting the seat from Congress.

The candidates polling more than 50 percent of first preference votes will be declared elected. If there are no winners in the first preference votes, the counting of second preference votes will be taken up.

The Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar graduates’ constituency had recorded 70.4 percent polling. The voter turnout in Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar teachers’ constituency was 91.9 percent while Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda teachers’ constituency recorded a 93.55 percent polling.

A total of 56 candidates are in the fray in the Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar graduates’ constituency. As Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) stayed away, the main contest was between the ruling Congress party and the BJP. As many as 3,55,159 graduates were eligible to cast their vote. About 2.5 lakh voters exercised their franchise.

Though elections to teachers’ segments are held on a non-party basis, the BJP fielded candidates in both segments.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay hailed BJP’s victory from one of the teachers’ segments. He said the results show that teachers wholeheartedly supported the party.

Sanjay, who is the MP from Karimnagar, dedicated the victory to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He claimed that the BJP enjoyed the support of the people of Telangana and predicted that the party would come to power in the state.

–IANS

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