Rajya Sabha adjourned again amid uproar; Oppn seeks Home Minister’s presence

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

New Delhi, July 29 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the second time on Wednesday, till 2 p.m., after sustained disruption during Question Hour when opposition members demanded the presence of the Home Minister.

The House had earlier been adjourned till noon following noisy protests over the alleged entry of Delhi Police personnel into the CPI(M) party office to arrest student leader Aishe Ghosh, a former JNU Students’ Union president.

When the House reassembled at noon, Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan began Question Hour and called upon Renuka Chowdhury of Congress. She sought to raise what she described as a nationally important issue of malnutrition.

Treasury benches interjected with remarks, prompting an angry response from Chowdhury. “Do the members not want to listen to me? Keep quiet,” she said.

She then repeatedly demanded the presence of the Home Minister in the House. “You do not want to listen to my questions, then call the Home Minister. Where is the Home Minister? You open fire at the children (students),” she charged, linking the demand to the controversy over July 20 Delhi Police action against students.

Opposition members joined in with loud slogans of “Home Minister ko bulao (call the Home Minister)”.

The chaos intensified as both sides raised their voices, making it impossible to conduct proceedings. Finding no improvement in order, the Chairman adjourned the House till 2 pm.

In the morning session, after papers were laid by ministers, including Jayant Chaudhary, Nityanand Rai, Prof S.P. Singh Baghel, B.L. Verma and Savitri Thakur, and a Standing Committee report on coal infrastructure was tabled, John Brittas raised the police action issue.

Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge termed it “shameful” and demanded punishment for the officers involved.

Leader of the House J.P. Nadda described the police move as routine law-and-order activity, triggering further sloganeering that forced the first adjournment.

The repeated disruptions highlighted continuing tensions in the Upper House over law-and-order issues involving students and political party offices. The opposition insisted on accountability from the Home Ministry, and the ruling side maintained that police actions fall within normal administrative functioning.

–IANS

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Bengal govt announces Rs 10 lakh compensation for families of Anandapur fire victims

Kolkata, Jan 27 (IANS) The West Bengal government has announced financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of those killed or missing in the devastating warehouse fire in Anandapur.

The announcement was made by State Urban Development Minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim during his visit to the fire site on Tuesday afternoon.

Hakim stated that the compensation cheques will be handed over once the bodies or body parts are identified. He added that the police will seek permission from the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday to conduct DNA testing, as mandated by legal procedures.

“Samples can only be tested after court approval,” Hakim said.

The fire broke out around 3 am on Monday at two adjacent warehouses in Anandapur – one belonging to a decorator and the other to a ‘momo company’. Police sources confirmed that eight people have died so far, with several others still missing.

The search for the missing continues, as families scour hospitals, police stations, and the fire site for information.

According to police, the decorator’s warehouse was owned by Gangadhar Das. On Sunday night, several workers from various districts were present at the site, engaged in flower and decoration work. Many were asleep when the fire erupted.

The exact cause of the blaze remains unknown, and questions persist regarding the presence of fire safety measures.

Police have registered two cases in connection with the incident and have begun an investigation. Gangadhar Das has been brought in for questioning, though authorities have not confirmed whether he has been detained or arrested.

Despite 36 hours having passed since the fire broke out, pockets of flames continued to burn at the site. Concerns have been raised about the legality of the warehouse structures, with allegations that they were built on filled wetlands.

Responding to these claims, Hakim said, “It is not right to take away someone’s livelihood. I don’t know whether it was a wetland or not.”

He added that no wetlands are currently being filled, attributing any such activity to the previous Left Front government, which ended in 2011.

Hakim assured that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had sent him to stand by the affected families. “The fire was very severe. The police are investigating the incident,” he said.

–IANS

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Delhi Speaker seeks Tourism Ministry’s help for transforming Assembly complex into cultural hub

New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta has written a letter to the Union Minister of Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, seeking collaboration and support for transforming the historic complex into a heritage and cultural hub, an official said on Tuesday.

In his letter, Gupta proposed converting the Assembly campus — constructed in 1912 and steeped in India’s legislative and political history — into a dynamic space celebrating the capital’s rich democratic legacy.

To take this vision forward, Gupta also sought a meeting with senior officials of the Ministry to discuss the feasibility, scope, and cultural implications of the project.

The initiative seeks to conserve the building’s architectural integrity while enhancing its accessibility and relevance as a public heritage space, he said.

The Delhi Assembly Building, originally established as the seat of the Imperial Legislative Council, stands as a symbol of India’s political evolution.

Having witnessed numerous milestones in the country’s democratic journey, the building is not only an architectural landmark but also a repository of the nation’s institutional memory, said Gupta.

The key components outlined in the Speaker’s proposal include heritage conservation through the restoration and preservation of the Assembly’s original architectural features; the establishment of a legislative museum and interactive exhibitions to chronicle the legislative history of Delhi and the broader democratic framework of India.

The Speaker has also proposed the development of tourism infrastructure such as visitor facilities, guided tours, informative signage, and audio-visual aids to enhance the overall visitor experience; and community engagement by involving local artisans, performers, and cultural practitioners to enliven the space through curated programmes and cultural events.

The proposed collaboration between the Delhi Assembly and the Tourism Ministry aims to ensure that the initiative is implemented efficiently, with expert guidance and alignment with national heritage and tourism objectives. “This initiative is a step towards preserving and celebrating the democratic heritage of Delhi. The transformation of the Assembly campus into a heritage hub will not only honour the past but also serve as a source of inspiration and education for future generations,” Gupta said in the letter.

–IANS

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Turbulence hits IndiGo flight, lands safely in Srinagar

Srinagar, May 21 (IANS) Severe turbulence hit an IndiGo airlines flight bound to Srinagar from Delhi, causing panic, cries and prayers among passengers on Wednesday, but fortunately the flight landed in Srinagar safely, though with a broken nose.

Official sources said that a Srinagar-bound IndiGo flight from Delhi with more than 220 people on board hit turbulence mid-air due to inclement weather, prompting the pilot to report the “emergency” to air traffic control at Srinagar.

The flight later landed safely here. “IndiGo flight 6E2142 en route Delhi to Srinagar experienced bad weather (hailstorm), emergency reported by Pilot to ATC SXR (Srinagar)”, an official of the Airport Authority of India said in Srinagar.

He said the flight landed safely at Srinagar at 6.30 p.m.

“All Aircrew and 227 passengers are safe and the flight is declared AOG by the Airline,” he added.

Aircraft on ground (AOG) refers to a plane that is grounded and unable to fly due to technical issues.

A video showing a terrifying mid-air incident has gone viral on social media in which passengers are seen crying, weeping, screaming and praying as the aircraft shook violently.

The cabin appeared chaotic with overhead bins rattling and passengers clutching to their seats in fear.

The flight, however, landed safely with no injury reported officially. The turbulence was triggered by a hailstorm.

Srinagar International Airport is one of the airports in the country that was brought under NOTAM, and all commercial flights were suspended due to hostilities between India and Pakistan.

–IANS

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