Regional

Patna, May 2 (IANS) Union minister Giriraj Singh has started lobbying for Bihar BJP chief Samrat Chaudhary to project him as the chief ministerial candidate of the BJP.

Chaudhary was in Begusarai, the home district of Giriraj Singh, on Tuesday, where the party's supporters organised an event to honour him as he visited Begusarai for the first time after being named as Bihar BJP chief.

At the event, Giriraj Singh asked the supporters from the dais to raise "Bihar Ka CM Kaisa Ho, Samrat Chaudhary Jaisa Ho" slogan.

During his speech, Giriraj Singh said that a "super man is sitting on the chair of the Prime Minister who advocated that Bihar needs a CM like Yogi Adityanth".

"When Samrat Chaudhary became the state President of BJP, the supporters raised slogans of 'Bihar Ka CM Kaisa Ho, Samrat Chaudhary Jaisa Ho'. I want to ask the people of Begusarai to say the same for him," Singh said.

"We need a CM like Yogi Adityanath who believes that if the loud speakers are removed from the temples, they are removed from the mosques as well. We want to make Narendra Modi the PM again in 2024 and we have to remove Nitish Kumar in 2025 and make Samrat Chaudhary the next CM of Bihar," Singh said.

--IANS
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Hyderabad, May 2 (IANS) The Telangana government will procure every grain of the damaged paddy due to untimely rains, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday gave this assurance to farmers.

KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, appealed to the farmers to not worry about the paddy which got wet due to rain.

The Chief Minister made it clear that the state government will pay the same price for the damaged paddy which it is paying for normal paddy during the procurement.

He reiterated that the Telangana government's aim is to protect agriculture and rescue the farmers from hardships.

In the wake of incessant untimely rains in recent times, KCR directed the Agriculture Department to study what policies should be adopted so that Yasangi paddy harvesting can be completed before March, and take appropriate measures to sensitise the farmers in this direction.

Rao also suggested the farmers to postpone harvesting for another three to four days.

The Chief Minister held a high-level review meeting on the procurement of Yasangi paddy and wet paddy, measures to ensure early harvesting of Yasangi paddy in future, activities of the agriculture department etc., at B.R. Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat.

KCR said: "It is unfortunate that the state is receiving unabated untimely hailstorms and rain. There is no control on natural calamities. However, the state government did not keep silent. It is already supporting the farmers who have lost crops due to hail storms by providing Rs 10,000 per acre despite heavy burden on the state exchequer."

Officials told KCR that some difficulties are being faced in the procurement of paddy due to untimely rains.

As the state is likely to witness rains for another three to four days, the CM advised the farmers to stop harvesting the paddy so that the grain does not get wet.

The CM requested the farmers to take up paddy plantation in advance and ensure the Yasangi paddy harvesting is completed by March-end, every year.

The Chief Minister said that it is good to complete the harvesting before March as there are chances of untimely rains.

KCR also directed the Agriculture Department to conduct more scientific studies in this direction and sensitise the farmers.

Farmers should also be made aware of the use of fertilisers, the Chief Minister said.

--IANS
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Kochi, May 2 (IANS) The Kerala High Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking a halt of the newly-launched Vande Bharat train at Tirur railway station in Malappuram district.

Dismissing the plea, the division bench said that halting points of a train are determined by the Railways and no one has a vested right to demand which station a particular train should stop at.

"Moreover, like the petitioner, if every individual or public-spirited person in every district starts clamoring or demanding a stop to be provided at a railway station of his/her choice, the purpose of setting up high-speed trains would itself be lost. Railway stops are not to be provided on demands based on personal or vested interests, especially for high-speed express trains like Vande Bharat.

"We find no reason to entertain this writ petition and the same is dismissed," said the court, adding that the courts cannot interfere in the matter of providing stops for trains, as that is a matter purely within the discretion and jurisdiction of the Railways.

The petitioner pointed out that the failure to allot a stop at Tirur is an injustice to the people of Malappuram, causing great prejudice by ignoring their requests and demands.

However, the court dismissed the plea stating that it cannot interfere in the matter of providing stops for trains.

Incidentally, when the Kasargod-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat train was passing through Tirur, it was pelted with sones. The matter is being probed by the railway police.

--IANS
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Bengaluru, May 2 (IANS) Criticising the manifesto released by the Congress in Karnataka for the May 10 Assembly elections in the state, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said the party's manifesto has been prepared under pressure from the banned organisation, Popular Front of India (PFI).

Interacting with the mediapersons at the BJP headquarters here, Sarma questioned "why the Congress, which is promising to ban Bajrang Dal, did not impose a ban on PFI?"

"The Congress manifesto is similar to the manifesto of organisations like the PFI and other fundamental groups. The party had withdrawn cases of PFI which was involved in terrorist activities and released 1,700 PFI workers," Sarma said.

The Assam Chief Minister said that the declaration of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to bring the Uniform Civil Code is a historical decision.

"This will put pressure on bringing the legislation throughout the country. The NRC is also an emergency need in contemporary times," Sarma said, adding that "Aadhaar is not the proof of citizenship".

"Even after 75 years of Independence, NRC has not been implemented. The Congress which ruled for the longest period has not bothered to discuss the matter," he said.

He further said that the Congress "which is harping on 40 per cent commission charges against the BJP should know how huge the Bofors scam was".

Talking about guarantee schemes by the Congress, the Assam CM questioned "who is Rahul Gandhi to announce these schemes in Karnataka?"

"Rahul Gandhi is not a member of parliament. He does not have any guarantees for himself. If his guarantee was to be true, Amethi should have been developed. There must have been peace in Jammu and Kashmir. The Babri Masjid dispute should have been settled," Sarma said.

--IANS
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Bhopal, May 2 (IANS) At least four people died after a crane lost control on a busy road in Indore and ran over two bikes on Tuesday evening. An injured person has been rushed to the hospital where his condition is stated to be critical, officials said.

The tragic incident occurred in Badhganga area when a crane lost control and crushed the commuters travelling on two motorcycles.

Indore SDM Ajay Dev said, "Four people were dead and one person was injured in the incident. Preliminary inquiry suggests that the driver lost control of the crane, which resulted in the accident. However, the police are trying to ascertain the exact cause of the mishap."

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said that he has directed the police and the district administration for quick action in the matter.

"A sad news has been received about the loss of precious lives in Indore. I have inquired about the incident from the local administration and have given instructions to provide all possible help to the affected families. I pay my humble tribute to the people who lost their lives and pray to God for the speedy recovery of the injured person," Mishra tweeted.

--IANS
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Hyderabad, May 2 (IANS) Y.S.R. Telangana Party (YSRTP) leader Y. S. Sharmila on Tuesday sent a truck loaded with damaged crops to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to draw his attention towards the losses suffered by farmers in several districts of Telangana due to untimely rains.

She said the recent rains left the farmers with unprecedented losses, and inflicted a major blow to their hopes of a good harvest.

Exhibiting the truck to the media, the YSR Telangana Party chief said that her party is sending this load of damaged crop to KCR so that, at least during the election year, he will wake up from "deep slumber" and extend appropriate compensation to farmers.

Sharmila said that the crop loss due to unseasonal rains has been put at around 10 lakh acres, but not a single official or MLA has visited the farmers and inspected the loss. "While they are all busy clicking photographs in the newly built Secretariat that cost Rs 1600 crore, it is a shame that the farmers had to raise loans at high interests, sell their spouses' jewellery for crops. This truck bears farmers' tears," she said.

YSRTP leader said that in the past nine years, the cumulative crop loss has been estimated to be more than Rs 14,000 crores, but this "reckless" government has no concept of crop insurance. "When there is no crop insurance, at least the government should extend compensation. KCR promised Rs 10,000 per acre, which is insignificant as the input costs rose unprecedentedly," she said.

Sharmila demanded that KCR pay at least Rs 30,000 per acre as compensation. "The paddy procurement should begin immediately. The assurance to set up 7500 IKP centres also failed and less than 2500 were set up. We demand that the centres be established on an emergency basis."

She slammed KCR and his 'Raithu bharosa and ab ki baar kisan sarkar' catchwords. "Is this the bharosa and is this the kisan sarkar? A sarkar that doesn't give crop insurance, doesn't extend input subsidies, and fails on every front when it comes to the rescue of farmers?," she asked.

--IANS
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Kolar, May 2 (IANS) A chopper, in which Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar was flying, made an emergency landing after it was hit by a vulture in the sky on Tuesday in Kolar district of Karnataka.

Sources said that a major tragedy was averted and the pilot managed to land the chopper safely.

The incident happened when Shivakumar was travelling to Mulubagal from HAL airport in Bengaluru. While Shivakumar's chopper was in the air, it was hit by the vulture.

Due to the impact, the front glass of the helicopter was damaged and broken. After the incident, Shivakumar returned to Bengaluru.

On April 6, the landing of the chopper carrying former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa was aborted as littered plastic bags came flying near the helipad on the outskirts of Jewargi town of Kalaburagi district.

Yediyurappa had arrived in the town to participate in Vijay Sankalp yatra. The temporary helipad was constructed in the town to facilitate the movement of leaders. But, as the authorities had not ensured its maintenance and not followed protocols, plastic bags in the region came flying at the time of landing of the chopper. The pilot aborted landing and kept hovering in the air until the authorities got the helipad area filled with plastic sheets and waste cleaned.

--IANS
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Bengaluru, April 16 (IANS) Though opposition parties are celebrating and criticising the BJP-led Karnataka government following a reprimand by the Supreme Court over the withdrawal of four per cent reservation quota for Muslims, the ruling BJP is upbeat about the turn of events.

The Supreme Court has recently observed that the ruling BJP government's decision to withdraw four per cent reservation under the OBC category for Muslims appears to be "based on fallacious assumptions" and "was on a shaky foundation".

The reservation quota has been increased for the influential Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities by two per cent each.

The Muslim community has been brought under the 10 per cent reservation provided for the economically weaker sections (EWS).

The ruling BJP government has announced new reservation along with internal reservation for SC/ST groups just before the end of its term. The opposition parties criticised the BJP for the hasty decision on revision of reservation structure.

State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar has openly challenged that it is a matter of days and when his party comes to power after elections, the revision of reservation would be withdrawn.

The opposition made it a major issue and slammed the BJP that the saffron party has insulted the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities by providing the reservation of Muslims to them.

Shivakumar had questioned that had the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities asked to withdraw the reservation of Muslims to increase their quota?

He alleged that it is being done as part of its policy of creating hatred between communities.

Sources in the state BJP unit said that the message has been passed on to the Hindus with the decision being made on withdrawal of reservation for Muslims.

The attacks on the BJP will only polarise the Hindu votes for the party, they added.

Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had earlier said that by shifting the four per cent reservation, there was no harm done to the Muslim community.

"Muslims have been brought under the EWS quota. There should not be any misunderstanding," he added.

Yediyurappa also said that as it was not possible to provide reservation on the basis of religion, they (Muslims) are brought under the EWS quota.

The Central government is implementing "pro-poor" and "pro-farmer" schemes. If there are any differences they (Muslims) will be convinced, he added.

The Karnataka government has announced new reservation quota after the last cabinet meeting. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had announced a reservation of seven per cent to Lingayats, six per cent to Vokkaligas, six per cent for SC (Left), 5.5 per cent for SC (Right), one per cent for Bhovi, Banjaras and others.

Bommai had defended his government's decision that "the religious minorities do not have reservation quota in seven states". The decision has been taken to allot reservation for Muslims under the EWS quota.

He also added that the demand for a hike in the reservation had been pending for the last 30 years but the Congress did not do anything but made false promises. They had thought it would not be possible for the BJP to do it.

"We showed our commitment by getting a report, got the study done, constituted a cabinet sub-committee, and took a bold decision as per law."

--IANS
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Patna, April 15 (IANS) Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi on Saturday criticised the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government for the hooch tragedy in Bihar's East Champaran district, saying the government is not revealing the actual number of deaths.

At least six persons were killed and nine hospitalised after they consumed spurious liquor in East Champaran district, police said on April 15.

However, the villagers claimed that 22 people died due to the hooch tragedy.

Sushil Kumar Modi demanded an immediate meeting of all the parties to review the liquor policy, and also provide compensation to the victims' families.

"The deaths happened in East Champaran in a liquor tragedy belonging to poor families. The victims belong to Dalit and poor families. The state government is hiding the actual number of deaths. The police officers are going to every house of the victims and applying pressure to not seek the post-mortem (exam). They are asking victims' families to cremate the bodies without post-mortem," Modi said.

"The people who fell ill after liquor consumption are not undergoing proper treatment. There are no facilities of treatment for them in the hospitals. Hence, they are dying in the absence of treatment. The lives of the victims could have been saved if they were provided proper treatment," he added.

Slamming Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the senior BJP leader said: "After the Saran hooch tragedy, the CM announced that his government will soon call for all parties to meet to give compensation to the victim's families. So far, it has not called any meeting in this regard. I urge the chief minister to call for the meeting as soon as possible and give Rs 4 lakh each to the family members of the victims."

"The Patna High Court has also asked the state government for the proper treatment to the hooch tragedy victims. The National Human Rights Commission has also recommended compensation of Rs 4 lakh compensation to the family members of the victims," Modi said.

--IANS
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Raigad, April 15 (IANS) In a shocking pre-dawn tragedy, at least 12 youths, including five minors, were killed and another 29 were left injured after a private bus jumped off the old Mumbai-Pune Highway and crashed into a gorge, officials said here on Saturday.

The driver, identified as Mahesh Ramchandra Poojari (35) from Goregaon, also perished in the ghastly accident.

President Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and others mourned the tragedy and expressed condolences to the victims' families.

The PM announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of each deceased person, and Rs 50,000 for the injured, while Shinde declared an ex-gratia of Rs 500,000 for the families of the dead and full treatment expenses for the injured which will be borne by the government.

Khopoli Police inspector Shirish K. Pawar informed from the scene of the tragedy that the accident occurred at around 4 a.m. on Saturday on the Pune-Mumbai arm of the old highway when the bus reportedly fell into the ravine at least 60-metre below, near the treacherous Bhorghat section.

Initially, when the rescuers rushed there, they could only hear the wails and screams of the victims and it was only around daybreak that the rescue operations gained momentum.

"From preliminary investigations, it appears that the driver may have dozed off or lost control while negotiating one of the steep turns on the highway. Further investigations are underway," said Pawar.

At that early hour, there was limited traffic on the highway but some people managed to rush to the accident spot, called the Raigad Police, fire brigade, some workers from a nearby construction site and Yeshwanti Hikers, a local trekkers' group, for help.

A massive rescue operation got underway with climbers going down to help the victims below, numbering around 42, including the bus driver, in the inaccessible areas.

After nearly nine hours, all the survivors were rescued and the bodies of those killed were recovered.

According to Pawar and the district authorities, 12 youngsters plus the vehicle driver perished in the bus fall, with the possibility of fatalities going up.

Of the 29 injured, some are said to be critical, and are undergoing treatment in the Khopoli Civil Hospital, the Jakhotia Hospital, and the private MGM Hospital in Navi Mumbai.

A Raigad police official said that a majority of the passengers were members of the Baji Prabhu Music Group, Goregaon, and comprised five minors, three girls and other youngsters in their teens or twenties, who were returning home after performing at a programme in Pune on Friday.

Among the victims are: Jui D. Sawant, 18, Kritik Lohit, 16, Veer K. Mandavkar, 6-years kid (Goregaon residents) Rahul P. Gothal, 17 of Dindoshi, Abhay V. Sable, 20 and Vaibhavi Sabale, 15, of Malad, Harshada B. Pardeshi, 19 of Mahim, Satish S. Dhumal, 25, Swapnil S. Dhumal, 15, Yash S. Yadav, 20, Manish Rathod, 29 (Chembur), and Aniket S. Jagtap, 25, said the Raigad police late on Saturday night.

Scores of grieving parents or relatives of the deceased victims, who rushed to Raigad, were handed over the bodies of their near-and-dear ones to be taken to their respective destinations for the last rites.

Shinde, along with top police and civil officials, visited the accident site and later met the victims in the hospitals and assured them of full help, and consoled the kin of the deceased.

--IANS
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