KCR urges people to root out BJP govt at Centre

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KCR urges people to root out BJP govt at Centre

Registering his strong protest against the Central government as decision to increase the price of fertilisers, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday called up on people across the country to root out BJP government saying it was weakening the rural economy and playing havoc with the farm sector.

He said the increase in the prices of fertilisers will put the agriculture sector into a crisis and break the backbone of farming in the country.

KCR, as the chief minister is popularly known, said he will write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi registering his protest against the increase of fertiliser prices.

He alleged that the BJP government is weakening the rural economy, hereditary trades and playing havoc with the farm sector only to hand over the sector to the corporates.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief expressed anguish that the BJP government at the Centre removed subsidies on fertilisers, which were in vogue for several decades, and the situation came to such a pass that the farmers had no option but to take up their ploughs and revolt against the Central government.

The CM expressed his anger that the Central government which made tall promises that it would double ‘the farmers’ income by 2022, has now increased the prices of fertilisers at an all time high to break the farming community’s back.

“It is highly reprehensible that the Central government which promised to double the income of farmers took a U-turn and increased the agriculture expenses. This shows that the BJP government is totally against the farmers and it is proved right beyond any doubt,” he said.

KCR said there was a deep rooted conspiracy behind the Central government’s policies and actions to make the lives of farmers miserable. Decisions like installing metres to motors to collect the power charges, not linking NREGP with the farm sector, increasing the fertilisers prices to all time high, not purchasing the paddy cultivated by the farmers, all these draconian decisions of the BJP government at the Centre have made farmers’ life miserable. He said everyone should oppose the actions that would make a farmer a labourer in his own land.

The CM urged the people to confront the BJP on the matter at every opportunity. He made it clear that if the central government fails to withdraw the increased prices of fertilisers, there will be statewide and countrywide agitations against the Central government. He also urged the farming community in the state to expose the BJP’s conspiracy and join the struggle to make the Centre withdraw the fertiliser price hike.

AIADMK leveling false charges over Pongal gift hampers: TN Minister

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AIADMK leveling false charges over Pongal gift hampers: TN Minister

Tamil Nadu Minister for Food and Civil Supplies R. Sakkarpani has hit out at AIDMK leaders, O. Panneerselvam and K. Palaniswami stating that the opposition was leveling false charges against the Pongal gift hampers being distributed to rice ration card holders of the state.

Reacting to the statement of O. Panneerselvam that most of the items in the gift hampers were procured from outside the state, the minister said that an open tender was floated and awarded to the companies that offered the lowest rates.

He said that legally any company can participate in the open tender and hence companies from outside the state participated in the bid and got the tender.

The minister told IANS, “The present government had properly procured the items required for the Pongal gift hampers unlike the previous AIADMK government when there were many allegations of corruption in the scheme.”

“The Pongal gift hampers that were distributed to the people during the DMK government were stopped when the AIADMK came to power in 2011. In 2013 and 2014, one kg of rice, one kg of sugar, and Rs 100 were given to family card holders. The present DMK government has included 21 essential items in the Pongal gift hamper and the AIADMK leaders should have minimum answered to their conscience before leveling unnecessary allegations against the present government. People of the state are really happy and the DMK is a political party that acts for the benefit of the people of Tamil Nadu.”

Yogi asks officials to sell assets of sugar mills to pay farmers

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Yogi asks officials to sell assets of sugar mills to pay farmers

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to recover the dues of cane growers by immediately liquidating “other assets of these mills that have failed to clear the arrears”.

As many as 20 sugar mills, all in the private sector, still owe over Rs 1,600 crore in dues from the previous crushing season to farmers across 50 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.

The move is aimed at ensuring that non-payment of dues does not adversely affect the BJP in the Assembly elections.

Most of these mills are based in west UP, the sugar bowl of the state, spanning Lakhimpur Kheri, Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Pilibhit, Saharanpur, Baghpat, Meerut, Hapur and Bulandshahr, among other districts.

Sugar, in this region, remains the focal point of politics.

According to an official of the cane department, there are 119 sugar mills in the state to which around 45 lakh sugarcane growers supply their produce.

On an average, at least 40,000 farmers are associated with each mill.

The defaulter mills are owned by four groups. They not only owe a total of Rs 1,600 crore from last year’s crushing season to cane growers in their respective areas but have not paid a penny for the current season either, he added.

As expected, opposition parties are ready to cash in on the mood among these cane growers, many of whom participated in the agitation against farm laws.

RLD’s senior leader Praveen Deshwal said, “These farmers will give a fitting reply in the upcoming polls.”

However, Uttar Pradesh minister and senior BJP leader Bhupendra Singh said, “It is only the BJP government which ensured cane payments in time and launched several schemes to double farmers’ income.”

Naidu seeks action against those involved in attacks on TDP leaders

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Naidu seeks action against those involved in attacks on TDP leaders

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday urged the Director General of Police Gautam Sawang to take stringent action against those involved in the brutal attack on his party leaders in Kuppam Assembly segment in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district.

In a letter to the DGP, former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Naidu stressed the need for maintaining law and order to restore the people’s faith in democracy. He alleged that the henchmen of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) are targeting the opposition TDP leaders but there has been no action from the police there.

“It has been brought to my notice about the brutal and uncivilised attack by YSRCP henchmen on TDP leaders in Kuppam, on January 10, 2022. Two TDP leaders, Lokesh and Saravan were attacked in broad daylight by the YSRCP goons in Kuppam town. Not only were they attacked but also one of them, Lokesh, was prevented from going to the hospital to get treatment,” wrote Naidu, who represents Kuppam constituency.

The leader of opposition told the DGP: “Such cruel attacks were carried out by the YSRCP henchmen only to deter the TDP leaders from raising illegal mining issues. These attacks have not only eclipsed fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution but are also a blot on our democracy.”

Meanwhile, the TDP staged protests across the state on Tuesday, demanding that the YSRCP government bring down the prices of essential commodities.

The party leaders and workers took out rallies, demanding that the government reduce the prices of essential commodities, petrol, diesel and gas ahead of the Sankranti festival celebrations.

TDP general secretary Panchumarthy Anuradha said that the poor people in the state were unable to celebrate Sankranti considering the skyrocketing prices. The YSRCP leaders were enjoying feasts and entertainment with tainted money but not bothering about the hunger pangs of the common people, she said.

She said Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was still unable to give a convincing reply on why Anna Canteens were closed. These canteens were providing food at just Rs 5 during the TDP regime.

Battle for UP: Mayawati not to contest Assembly polls

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Battle for UP: Mayawati not to contest Assembly polls

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati and party MP Satish Chandra Mishra will not contest the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Satish Chandra Mishra told reporters here that the BSP chief will ensure the party’s victory in the five poll-bound states while he will also focus on the party’s campaign and strategy for elections.

Mishra, however, exuded confidence that the party will form the next government in Uttar Pradesh.

“Former Chief Minister Mayawati and I will not contest the Assembly elections. If Samajwadi Party does not have 400 candidates, how will they win 400 seats? Neither SP nor BJP will come to power, BSP is going to form the govt in Uttar Pradesh,” he said.

Remembering Swami Vivekananda, PM to inaugurate National Youth Festival

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Remembering Swami Vivekananda, PM to inaugurate National Youth Festival

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 25th National Youth Festival on January 12 via video conferencing. The day, being the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, is observed as the National Youth Day.

During the event, the Prime Minister will unveil selected essays on “Mere Sapno ka Bharat” and “Unsung Heroes of Indian Freedom Movement”. These essays have been selected from submissions by over one lakh youth on the two themes.

The festival aims to shape the minds of India’s youth and transform them into a united force for nation building. It is one of the biggest exercises in social cohesion and intellectual and cultural integration. It aims to bring diverse cultures of India and integrate them into a united thread of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.

This year, in view of the emerging Covid situation, the Festival has been scheduled to be held virtually from January 12-13. The inauguration will be followed by the National Youth Summit wherein there will be panel discussions on four identified themes. In line with the youth-led development and motivating youngsters to solve the emerging issues and challenges, the themes will include environment, climate and SDG led growth; tech, entrepreneurship and innovation; indigeneous and ancient wisdom; and national character, nation building and home grown.

Recorded video capsules of Puducherry, Auroville, Immersive City Experience, indigenous sport games and folk dances, etc., will be shown to the participants during the festival. There will also be open discussions with Olympians and Paralympians followed by live performances in the evening. A virtual Yoga session will be organised in the morning.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate a Technology Centre of the MSME Ministry, established at Puducherry with an investment of about Rs 122 crore. With focus on the Electronic System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) Sector, this Technology Centre will be equipped with the latest technology. It will contribute towards skilling youth and will be able to train around 6,400 trainees per year, along with Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Manimandapam – an auditorium with open air theater, constructed by the Government of Puducherry at a cost of about Rs 23 crore. It would primarily be used for educational purposes, and can accommodate more than 1,000 people at a time.

Telangana in forefront in Covid vaccination: Health Minister

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Telangana in forefront in Covid vaccination: Health Minister

Telangana is in the forefront in Covid vaccination with over 100 per cent coverage of first dose, state Health Minister T. Harish Rao said on Monday.

He claimed that among the major states in the country, Telangana is the first to achieve 100 per cent vaccination of the first dose.

“We have achieved 100 per cent vaccination of the first dose and 78 per cent of the second dose,” he said while launching the precautionary dose vaccination for healthcare/frontline workers and senior citizens with comorbidities.

The minister said that within a week, the state has vaccinated 38 per cent of the youth in the age group of 15-17 years.

He appealed to all those eligible for booster dose to come forward and take the same to protect themselves from the virus.

The minister said besides healthcare workers, 6.60 lakh frontline workers, including police personnel and sanitation workers, in the state are eligible for the booster dose.

He pointed out that people in countries like the US and Britain are taking the booster dose as it offers more protection.

Harish Rao said people should shed vaccine hesitancy and have no doubts in their minds. He urged public representatives to actively participate in the vaccination programme to make it successful.

The minister launched the special drive at the Charminar Unani Hospital in the presence of AIMIM floor leader in Telangana Assembly, Akbaruddin Owaisi, local MLA Mumtaz Ahmed Khan and other legislators.

Mumtaz Ahmed Khan and Yakutpura MLA Ahmed Pasha Quadri received the booster dose on the occasion.

Officials said the precautionary dose will be of the same vaccine given as the first and second dose.

It would be administered after the completion of nine months or 39 weeks post the second dose administration.

According to officials, nearly two lakh people in the state will be eligible for the booster dose this month.

KTR extends Rs 15L assistance to specially-abled Punjab chess player

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KTR extends Rs 15L assistance to specially-abled Punjab chess player

Telangana’s Minister for industry and information technology K. T. Rama Rao on Monday extended financial support of Rs 15 lakh in his personal capacity to Malika Handa, specially-abled Chess player from Punjab.

A week after announcing support to the player, who has won a gold and two silver medals at the World Deaf Chess Championships, Rama Rao presented her a cheque when she called on him here.

KTR, as Rama Rao is popularly known, also gifted her a laptop. He said this will help her in preparation for future championships.

KTR, who is son of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, requested Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to provide her a government job.

The Telangana minister had promised financial assistance to the player in his personal capacity on January 3 while reacting to tweets about the Punjab government allegedly denying her cash awards due to lack of a policy for deaf sportspersons.

According to the chess player, she was informed that the state government can’t give her a job and cash reward as the government does not have any such policy for deaf sports.

She claimed that Punjab sports minister Pargat Singh told her that the promise was made by the minister in the previous government and the current government cannot do anything about it. She said she was hurt as her five years got wasted.

Battle for UP: First phase in UP is challenge for BJP, hope for SP

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Battle for UP: First phase in UP is challenge for BJP, hope for SP

There is a battle for the BJP in western Uttar Pradesh, hope for the Samajwadi Party and revival for the Rashtriya Lok Dal in the region that goes to polls in the first phase on February 10.

The region, considered one of the most politically sensitive, surcharged and highly polarised areas, especially after the farmers’ agitation, will set the tone for elections in the remaining six phases in Uttar Pradesh.

Elections will be held in the 94 Assembly segments in 11 districts of west Uttar Pradesh namely, Shamli, Meerut, Hapur, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Agra, Gautam Buddha Nagar and Mathura, on February 10.

In the 2017 Assembly elections, BJP had received a decisive mandate in the region and carried that momentum further to other parts of the state.

The BJP, in 2017, had won 66 of the 76 seats in this region. The Samajwadi Party (SP) won four, the Bahujan Samaj Party won three, the Congress won two and the Rashtriya Lok Dal could win only one.

The scenario has changed almost completely in the past five years.

The wounds of Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013 have healed to a large extent and the Jat-Muslim hostility has diluted. The communal lines have blurred and farmer unity is now a bigger factor in the region. Religious polarization is unlikely in the region in the present scenario.

The BJP has been trying to placate the farmers by repealing farm laws but its own leaders are queering the pitch by announcing that farm laws will be brought back after the elections.

It has been a tough going so far for the BJP whose leaders have been facing hostile voters in the rural interiors of the region. The failure of the government to announce MSP guarantee, payment of cane dues, shortage of fertilizer and the menace of stray cattle are factors that remain major irritants for the ruling BJP. The government’s apathy towards families of farmers who died during agitation, is another major factor.

The biggest political beneficiary of the farmers’ agitation that lasted for one year, however, is the Rashtriya Lok Dal.

The RLD president Jayant Chaudhary has managed to regain lost ground among the Jat community to a large extent by extending active support to farmers during their agitation. Jayant has been visiting villages, attending Khap meetings and interacting closely with Jat leaders.

The demise of Chaudhary Ajit Singh in May last year, has also brought ample sympathy for Jayant and his party is poised to make a political comeback in west UP.

The Samajwadi Party, this time, is contesting the elections in alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal. It had allied with the Congress in 2017 but could not make much headway as Jats, then, had opted for BJP because the wounds of Muzaffarnagar riots were still fresh.

The SP, this time, is confident of riding piggyback on RLD’s growing popularity graph.

The partnership could give a tough fight to the BJP in many parts of western Uttar Pradesh.

Besides, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle Shivpal Yadav will be contesting in alliance with the Samajwadi Party and this will help avoid a split in his key vote bank.

One factor that could upset Samajwadi Party calculations in the first phase is the entry of Asaddudin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM).

The party could play an important role in many constituencies as the Muslim population in this region amounts to around 26 per cent.

If the AIMIM succeeds in weaning away Muslim votes — or even a section of votes — the SP-RLD alliance may not perform as well as expected.

The first phase in western UP is also crucial for the Bahujan Samaj Party since the region was once considered as a party stronghold.

This time, the emergence of Bhim Army which will be contesting as Azad Samaj Party is bound to damage the BSP which, in any case, is being questioned for Mayawati’s absence in its campaign.

Mayawati, has, so far, restricted herself to tweets and press releases but has not stepped out of her home to campaign.

The Congress, on the other hand, is losing leaders with an alarming frequency. Congress national secretary and one of its more popular leaders in the areas, Imran Masood, is all set to join the Samajwadi Party.

Masood, a former MLA, has been repeatedly urging the party leadership to join hands with the SP to defeat BJP.

Harendra Malik and Pankaj Malik of Congress have already quit the party to join the SP.

The women card of the Congress is unlikely to work in western UP where the patriarchal system still dominates the society and women claimants in elections are few and far in between.

One thing that is clear is that any party that takes a head start in the first phase where 94 seats — almost one-fourth of the total 403 seats — will be going to polls, will enjoy a definite advantage in the remaining six phases of elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Mamata is on path of constant, needless confrontation: BJP

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Mamata is on path of constant, needless confrontation: BJP

Hitting back at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the BJP said on Friday that she is on a path of constant and needless confrontation.

During the virtual inauguration of the second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI) in Kolkata on Friday, Banerjee claimed that the state government had already inaugurated the campus of the hospital which the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was launching.

BJP in-charge for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, said, “Mamata Banerjee is incorrigible. Notwithstanding the fact that she is on a path of constant, needless confrontation, she must realise that inaugurating a building as Covid facility is not the same as inaugurating a cancer facility in a hospital. Imagine what Bengal has to suffer.”

“Banerjee has no regard for details, and comes unprepared for meetings with the Prime Minister. She refers to mortality as comorbidity and thinks she is making an intelligent point. Similarly, Bengal has all the vaccines it needs to inoculate the people, but it has failed spectacularly to do so,” Malviya added.

In a series of tweets, the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, said, “Guilefully articulating the emergency usage of an under-construction facility as safe home during the second wave of Covid, to discredit the formal inauguration of the most advanced fully-equipped cancer facility of Eastern India is a deliberate attempt to mislead the people of West Bengal.”

“Not only you disparaged intentionally, trying to conceal the fact that the Central government has provided 75 per cent of the funds, i.e., Rs 400 crore, but also belittled the Federal Polity of India and stained the sanctity of a solemn occasion. How unfortunate,” the BJP leader tweeted.

The second campus of CNCI has been built at a cost of over Rs 540 crore, out of which around Rs 400 crore has been provided by the Union government and the rest by the West Bengal government, in a ratio of 75:25.

The campus is a 460-bed comprehensive cancer centre with cutting edge infrastructure for diagnosis, staging, treatment and care.

Kamal Haasan bats for implementation of Right to Service Act

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Kamal Haasan bats for implementation of Right to Service Act

Noted actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan has urged the Tamil Nadu government to implement the Right to Service Act with immediate effect.

In a statement issued on Friday, Haasan said that this would lead to delivery of several services in a time-bound manner, which would eventually curb corruption.

The MNM chief said that the Act will help in delivering birth certificates, death certificates, legal heir certificates, and obtaining ration card in a time-bound manner.

The actor-politician urged the state government to pass the Act on Friday itself, as it is the last day of the ongoing Assembly session.

Haasan said that the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court had in 2019 urged the state government to mull over enacting the Right to Service Act, adding that the ruling DMK had also promised the enactment of the Act in its election manifesto, while the Governor also mentioned it in his address in the previous Assembly session.

He said that 20 states in the country have passed the Right to Services Act, including Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka and New Delhi, among others.

In Madhya Pradesh and Goa, there are separate departments to monitor the delivery of services, he said.

PM’s security breach: Centre issues show cause notice to Bathinda SSP

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PM’s security breach: Centre issues show cause notice to Bathinda SSP

Two days after the security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Punjab, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday issued a show cause notice to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Bathinda, saying that the police at the protest site was found to be inactive.

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister’s rally in Ferozepur had to be cancelled due to a security lapse after some protesters blocked a route and forced Modi’s convoy to spend about 15-20 minutes on a flyover. The Prime Minister was enroute the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala when the incident happened.

In the notice issued by the MHA, Archana Varma, Deputy Secretary to the Centre, said, “Since there was grave security lapse during PM Modi’s visit, the Bathinda SSP has been directed to ‘show-cause’ as to why action should not be initiated against him under the law, including disciplinary action under All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, the acts of omission and commission.”

The letter added, “As provided in Section 14 of the Special Protection Group (SPG), 1988, the state government and every civil authority is legally obligated to provide all assistance to the SPG and, therefore, you as SSP Bathinda were obligated to make adequate security arrangements, but the available information so far indicates that police at the protest site was found to be inactive, senior police officers present at the site were also found to be ineffective in making efforts to facilitate the movement of the carcade of the VVIP. Throughout the route, only skeletal police deployment was observed.”

Meanwhile, an MHA team investigating the breach of security reached the spot on Friday to find out the reasons that led to the Prime Minister’s cavalcade remaining stranded on the flyover for 15-20 minutes.

As per the MHA statement, around 30 km away from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala near Ferozepur, when the PM’s convoy reached a flyover, it was found that the road was blocked by some protesters. The Prime Minister was stuck on the flyover for 15-20 minutes. This was a major lapse in the security of the Prime Minister.

Punjab Chief Secretary Anirudh Tewari, in a report submitted to the Centre, said that an FIR has been lodged in the incident and the state government has formed a two-member panel to probe the lapses.

Tewari is learnt to have shared the details pertaining to the sequence of events that unfolded on Wednesday, official sources said.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Friday directed the Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure and preserve all the records in connection with the Prime Minister’s visit to Punjab, and also asked the state and Central committees to refrain from conducting inquiries till Monday, when it will take up the matter again.

After losing Kitex to Telangana, Pinarayi Vijayan to showcase Kerala

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After losing Kitex to Telangana, Pinarayi Vijayan to showcase Kerala

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will interact with prominent industry leaders of Telangana, members of CII, CREDAI, representatives of IT, pharma and other industries to discuss investment opportunities in Kerala at the state’s Investment roadshow in Hyderabad on Friday evening.

A statement from the CM’s office said a high-level delegation led by Vijayan, including Chief Secretary V.P.Joy among others, will showcase the investment opportunities of the state in thrust sectors and emerging sectors such as bio-technology, information technology, pharma, and other sunrise sectors, before the entrepreneurs.

The legislative reforms, digital transformation, simplification of procedures and industrial infrastructure facilitation taken up by the state will also be showcased.

This fresh development has come at a time when in September last year Kerala-based textiles major Kitex Group announced that it will invest Rs 2,400 crore in Telangana to set up two integrated fibre to apparel manufacturing clusters.

Kitex headquartered at Ernakulam district after having disagreements with the state government took the gauntlet thrown by Telangana Industry Minister K.T. Rama Rao, who sent a chartered jet to bring Kitex Group Chairman and Managing Director Sabu M Jacob and held discussions with him and offered numerous soaps, to which Jacob agreed and inked the MoU signed with the government of Telangana.

Kitex has started work to set up integrated fibre to apparel manufacturing clusters at the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park in Warangal and at Sitarampur in Rangareddy district.

The investment will provide direct employment to 22,000 people and indirect employment to 18,000 people and is scheduled to open in November this year.

Kerala CM to fly to US for medical treatment

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Kerala CM to fly to US for medical treatment

Time and again especially when the Left rules Kerala, there is always a talk on the excellent health system that the state has, but when it comes to taking treatment, their leaders make a beeline to the West and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is all set to leave for the US for expert medical treatment on January 15.

Vijayan is being accompanied by his wife and his personal assistant and would return on January 29.

Vijayan’s predecessors V.S. Achuthanandan and E.K. Nayanar also used to frequent to the western countries for medical care facilities, whenever they needed medical attention.

The state government like in the past is meeting the expenses as always.

Prior to the Covid pandemic began, Vijayan was in the US for receiving medical attention.

BJP leaders, CMs hold prayers at temples across country for well being of PM

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BJP leaders, CMs hold prayers at temples across country for well being of PM

Senior BJP leaders including the chief ministers of party ruled states are holding prayers at temples across the country for the well being and long life of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. Chief Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Biplab Kumar Deb are participating in prayers in their respective states. Several party office bearers are also taking part in prayers organised in different temples in the national capital.

The prayers are being held a day after Prime Minister Modi’s security was breached in Punjab. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Chouhan chanted the “Mahamrityunjaya” mantra for the Prime Minister’s welfare in Bhopal’s Gufa temple at 1 p.m. Tripura chief minister Deb prayed at Meher Kalibari in Agartala. Mahamrityunjaya chants were also raised in all the Shiv temples in Madhya Pradesh including Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar Jyotirlingas.

Bharatiya Janata Party national vice president Baijayant Panda visited the Jhandewalan Temple in Delhi and national general secretary and Punjab in-charge Dushyant Gautam participated in a prayer meeting at Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place here. Rajya Sabha member and national general secretary Arun Singh will visit a temple in Preet Vihar in the national capital in the evening.

The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of the party, will hold marches across the country in the evening. BJYM national president Tejasvi Surya tweeted, “Congress deliberately put the life of the PM at risk yesterday. This was an attack not only on the office of PM but on democracy itself. BJYM strongly condemns this criminal act. BJYM will hold large Mashaal Marches at 6 PM today evening at all districts across country.” “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been working tirelessly for our safety and security in spite of indomitable challenges from all corners. Today, I join the nation in praying for his health and long life through Mahamrityunjay Jaap that is being held across the nation,” Surya further tweeted.

Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta along with other state leaders also chanted the Mahamrityunjaya Jaap.

The Prime Minister cancelled his scheduled visit to Punjab’s Ferozpur due to the security breach. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi was visiting Ferozpur to lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 42,750 crore.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, taking cognisance of the security breach, has sought a detailed report from the state government. It also asked the Punjab government to fix responsibility for this lapse and take strict action.

After Cong, BJP & SP cancel programmes in UP

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After Cong, BJP & SP cancel programmes in UP

After the Congress cancelled its Pink Marathons and rallies in view of the surge in the cases of Covid, the BJP and the Samajwadi Party (SP) have also cancelled their election programmes.

According to official sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed rally in Lucknow on January 9 is likely to be cancelled in view of the Covid situation and also inclement weather conditions.

“We have been informed of the cancellation through an official communication in this regard is awaited,” said a party functionary.

The Samajwadi Party has also cancelled its Vijay Rath Yatra on January 7, 8 and 9 which was to be led by party chief Akhilesh.

As per the schedule, Akhilesh was to address public meetings in Gonda, Basti and Ayodhya on January 7, 8 and 9, respectively.

The SP leaders said that the decision on meetings scheduled after January 9 will be taken after assessing the spread of Covid-19 in the next couple of days.

Akhilesh’s Ayodhya visit had generated a lot of curiosity in the political circles as it was his first visit to the temple town this election season.

Recently, during his visit to Ayodhya on December 26, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had claimed that Akhilesh was planning to stop the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya if voted to power in the 2022 Assembly polls.

The Samajwadi Party had, however, dismissed Shah’s allegations as baseless. “Ram temple in Ayodhya is being constructed in Ayodhya on the orders of the Supreme Court. No individual, party or authority in India has the guts to stop the construction. The BJP knows it will be voted out and are desperately targeting SP every day,” Akhilesh had said in response to the charge.

TN announces complete lockdown on Sunday, night curfew from Jan 6

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TN announces complete lockdown on Sunday, night curfew from Jan 6

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday announced night curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. from Thursday and a complete lockdown on Sunday in the wake of surging Covid-19 cases.

No physical classes will be allowed for students of Classes 1 to 9. Creches, kindergarten classes, and play schools will not be allowed to function, the Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement.

However, physical classes for students of classes 10th, 11th, and 12th will be allowed.

During the complete lockdown on Sunday, essential services like medical shops, distribution of milk, newspapers, fuel pumps, ATM, freight transport will be allowed.

e-commerce services will not be allowed during lockdown while restaurants will be allowed to provide food delivery services and takeaways from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

For reaching the airport, railway and bus stations, people will have to show valid tickets for the journey during night curfew from Thursday and during complete lockdown on Sunday.

PM’s security is most important, says Congress

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PM’s security is most important, says Congress

After a major security breach on Prime Minister’s convoy, the Congress reacting to the series of events, said the security of the Prime Minister is foremost and Punjab Government has setup an inquiry on the whole issue.

Congress spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh reacting to reports said, “we have lost two leaders and we know that security is most important issue of the Prime Minister.”

The Congress sources said that the last minute change in program or late information by the MHA to the state government may have led to the lapse and it will be ascertained by the report. The security breach of the Prime Minister is unpardonable and Punjab government has sought a report from officials.

Vallabh said the Prime Minister was scheduled to fly on chopper but the program was changed last minute so the report will ascertain if it was a lapse on the part of the MHA or state officials.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday cancelled his visit to Ferozepur town in Punjab, where he was scheduled to lay the foundation stones of Rs 42,750 crore projects, at the last minute due to security breach.

Earlier, the Prime Minister landed at Bhaisiana Air Force station in Bathinda town from where he was supposed to travel to Ferozepur by road.

As per the Ministry of Home Affairs’ statement on the PM Modi’s Punjab visit, “Today morning PM landed at Bathinda from where he was to go to National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala by helicopter. Due to rain and poor visibility, PM waited for about 20 minutes for the weather to clear out.

Around 30 km away from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala, when the PM’s convoy reached a flyover, it was found that the road was blocked by some protesters. The PM was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes. This was a major lapse in the security of PM.

“The PM’s schedule and travel plan was communicated well in advance to Punjab Government. As per procedure, they have to make necessary arrangements for logistics, security as well as keep a contingency plan ready. Also in view of the contingency plan, the Punjab Government has to deploy additional security to secure any movement by road, which was clearly not deployed.

“After this security lapse, it was decided to head back to Bathinda airport.”

Roadmap to build new Bengaluru with all amenities: K’taka CM Bommai

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Roadmap to build new Bengaluru with all amenities: K’taka CM Bommai

A blueprint to build new Bengaluru with all amenities is being prepared and the government would provide special grants for its implementation, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said here on Wednesday.

The minister was speaking at the foundation laying ceremony of an IT park project from GM and Advitiya Group.

Bengaluru which is witnessing rapid growth needs a roadmap to develop it in a planned and integrated manner. “We are drafting new projects to deliver civic amenities to all sections of the society. We have taken up 4-5 programmes which are part of the ‘Bengaluru Vision 2022’ which was presented during the tenure of former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. Several measures have been taken for their speedy execution,” Bommai said.

The GM group belonging to BJP MP GM Siddeshwar’s second and third generation has made immense contributions for education and commerce. The Group which has carved a niche for itself in northern Karnataka has built a hospital in Bengaluru offering quality medical services. They have made a mark in all the sectors by their hard work, he said.

Now the Group has built an IT hub with a potential to provide employment for 10,000 people. Bengaluru has emerged as a global hub in IT and it is spreading in all four directions of the city. Successive governments including our government have offered immense encouragement for the growth of the IT sector. “The IT sector has emerged as the biggest employer for our educated youth,” Bommai said.

A country can develop and its economy can grow only when its people are employed. In this regard IT services are playing a major role. IT sector is notching the highest exports in the country. Bengaluru contributes the highest, 40% of India’s exports in the IT sector. So Bengaluru is an important engine of the country’s economy, the CM said.

Setting up of this IT hub at a time when the economy is recovering after the Covid setback is like another feather in Bengaluru’s cap, Bommai said.

Former CM BS Yediyurappa, ministers Murugesh Nirani, BA Basavaraj, R Ashok, MP GM Siddeshwar and others were present.

Sounding poll bugle, PM Modi to lay foundation stone of Rs 42,750 Cr worth projects in Punjab

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Sounding poll bugle, PM Modi to lay foundation stone of Rs 42,750 Cr worth projects in Punjab

Sounding the bugle in Punjab’s poll season, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday will lay the foundation stone of development projects of Rs 42,750 crore comprising two mega road corridors to enhance accessibility to prominent religious centres and three health institutions in this town bordering Pakistan.

One of the road corridors will halve the travel time from 12 hours from the national capital to religious sites in Punjab, comprising Amritsar and Sultanpur Lodhi, and to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Katra.

Just hours ahead of his visit, Modi tweeted, “I look forward to being among my sisters and brothers of Punjab today. At a programme in Ferozepur, the foundation stone of development works worth Rs 42,750 crore would be laid, which will improve the quality of life for the people.”

After paying obeisance to freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev at the memorial in Hussainiwala, about 260 km from the state capital Chandigarh, the Prime Minister will lay the stones and address a public meeting.

Modi last visited Hussainiwala in March 2015, where the last rites of the three freedom fighters were held after they were hanged in Lahore on March 23, 1931.

The Prime Minister will be accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues — Nitin Gadkari and Hardeep Singh Puri, besides Punjab Governor Banwari Lal Purohit, Chief Ministers of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, Charanjit Channi, Manohar Lal and Jairam Thakur, respectively, and Lieutenant Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha.

As per the official programme, Prime Minister Modi around 1 p.m. will lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects that include the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway; four laning of Amritsar-Una road section; Mukerian-Talwara new broad gauge railway line; PGI Satellite Centre in Ferozepur and two medical colleges in Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur.

The consistent endeavour of the Prime Minister to improve connectivity all across the country has led to multiple national highway development initiatives being taken up in Punjab, said an official statement.

It has resulted in more than doubling the total length of national highways in the state from about 1,700 km in 2014 to more than 4,100 km in 2021.

In continuation of such efforts the foundation stone of two major road corridors will be laid in Punjab. This will also be a step towards fulfilling the Prime Minister’s vision to enhance accessibility to major religious centres.

The 669 km-long Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway will be developed at a total cost of about Rs 39,500 crore. It will halve travel time from Delhi to Amritsar and Delhi to Katra.

The Greenfield Expressway will connect key Sikh religious sites at Sultanpur Lodhi, Goindwal Sahib, Khadoor Sahib, Tarn Taran and the holy Hindu shrine of Vaishno Devi in Katra.

The expressway will also connect key economic centres like Ambala Chandigarh, Mohali, Sangrur, Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Kathua and Samba in the states and UTs of Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

The four-laning of Amritsar-Una section will be done at the cost of around Rs 1,700 crore. The 77-km long section is part of the larger Amritsar to Bhota corridor spanning across the longitudinal expanse of northern Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, connecting four major national highways, namely Amritsar-Bhatinda-Jamnagar Economic Corridor, Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, North-South Corridor and Kangra-Hamirpur-Bilaspur-Shimla Corridor.

It will help in improving the connectivity of religious sites at Ghoman, Shri Hargobindpur and Pulpukta Town (home to the famous Gurdwara Pulpukta Sahib).

The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of a new broad gauge railway line between Mukerian and Talwara of around 27 Km in length, to be built at a cost of over Rs 410 crore.

The railway line will be an extension of Nangal Dam-Daulatpur Chowk railway section. It will provide an all-weathered means of transportation in the area.

This project also holds strategic importance as it will serve as an alternative route to Jammu and Kashmir, joining the existing Jalandhar-Jammu Railway line at Mukerian.

The project will prove especially beneficial for the people of Hoshiarpur in Punjab and Una in Himachal Pradesh. It will give a boost to tourism in the region, and provide ease of connectivity to hill stations as well as to places of religious importance.

Modi will also lay the foundation stone of new medical infrastructure in three towns of Punjab. The 100 bedded PGI Satellite Centre in Ferozepur, will be built at a cost of more than Rs 490 crore.

Two medical colleges at Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur will be developed at a cost of around Rs 325 crore each and with a capacity of about 100 seats.

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