Uttarakhand: Opposition calls for CBI inquiry
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Saturday ordered an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds by officials during relief operations for the 2013 flash floods in the state, which left approximately 5,000 people dead. Rawat said that the inquiry would be conducted by the state’s chief secretary. Documents submitted by an activist to Uttarakhand’s information department showed that officials allegedly used a variety of strategies to misappropriate funds, including distributing funds twice to the same persons. Ajay Bhatt, the leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, called for the Central Bureau of Investigation to inquire into the matter.
Haryana: Muslim-Jat talks fail
Peace talks on Saturday between the Jat and Muslim communities in the aftermath of riots in Ballabhgarh sub-district of Haryana failed as Muslims refused to return to their village of Atali. A leader of the Muslim community said that they would not go back unless the men who attacked them on Monday evening were arrested. However, members of the Jat community alleged that the matter was being escalated by certain “elements” in the Muslim community. State police said that they were trying to trace the accused men in the case, who fled Atali after the riot. The violence took place after a row over the construction of a mosque on a disputed piece of land in the village.
Karnataka: Government to take call on Jaya appeal
The Karnataka government on Saturday said that it would soon take a call on whether to file an appeal against the acquittal of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa by the state High Court in a disproportionate assets case. State Law Minister TB Jayachandra said that the decision would be taken after he had studied the clarifications made by the state’s Advocate-General on the matter. He said that the Advocate-General had recommended the filing of the appeal in the Supreme Court. Jayalalithaa was acquitted in the 19-year-old case earlier this month.
Odisha: Ex-CM Gamang quits Congress
Former Odisha Chief Minister and nine-time Lok Sabha member Giridhar Gamang resigned from the Congress on Saturday, saying that the party had not defended him for his vote against the confidence motion that led to the fall of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led Central government in 1999. In a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Gamang said that his views had been ignored by the Congress in major decision-making processes in recent years, adding that his loyalty for the party had become a liability for it. However, Gamang’s son Sisir, who also resigned from along with his father, indicated that the two were likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. Gamang was criticised for his vote against the motion, which was defeated by 269 to 270 votes.
Bihar: Nitish skips joint rally with Lalu
Janata Dal (United) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday skipped a joint rally with Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. Nitish said that he had skipped the rally due to medical reasons, adding that he had already informed its organisers of his decision. The move led to speculation of a rift between the two Janata Parivar constituents ahead of the state assembly elections. However, both Lalu and JD(U) President Sharad Yadav asserted that the allies were united in their aim to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party in the elections.
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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Saturday ordered an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds by officials during relief operations for the 2013 flash floods in the state, which left approximately 5,000 people dead. Rawat said that the inquiry would be conducted by the state’s chief secretary. Documents submitted by an activist to Uttarakhand’s information department showed that officials allegedly used a variety of strategies to misappropriate funds, including distributing funds twice to the same persons. Ajay Bhatt, the leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, called for the Central Bureau of Investigation to inquire into the matter.
Haryana: Muslim-Jat talks fail
Peace talks on Saturday between the Jat and Muslim communities in the aftermath of riots in Ballabhgarh sub-district of Haryana failed as Muslims refused to return to their village of Atali. A leader of the Muslim community said that they would not go back unless the men who attacked them on Monday evening were arrested. However, members of the Jat community alleged that the matter was being escalated by certain “elements” in the Muslim community. State police said that they were trying to trace the accused men in the case, who fled Atali after the riot. The violence took place after a row over the construction of a mosque on a disputed piece of land in the village.
Karnataka: Government to take call on Jaya appeal
The Karnataka government on Saturday said that it would soon take a call on whether to file an appeal against the acquittal of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa by the state High Court in a disproportionate assets case. State Law Minister TB Jayachandra said that the decision would be taken after he had studied the clarifications made by the state’s Advocate-General on the matter. He said that the Advocate-General had recommended the filing of the appeal in the Supreme Court. Jayalalithaa was acquitted in the 19-year-old case earlier this month.
Odisha: Ex-CM Gamang quits Congress
Former Odisha Chief Minister and nine-time Lok Sabha member Giridhar Gamang resigned from the Congress on Saturday, saying that the party had not defended him for his vote against the confidence motion that led to the fall of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led Central government in 1999. In a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Gamang said that his views had been ignored by the Congress in major decision-making processes in recent years, adding that his loyalty for the party had become a liability for it. However, Gamang’s son Sisir, who also resigned from along with his father, indicated that the two were likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. Gamang was criticised for his vote against the motion, which was defeated by 269 to 270 votes.
Bihar: Nitish skips joint rally with Lalu
Janata Dal (United) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday skipped a joint rally with Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. Nitish said that he had skipped the rally due to medical reasons, adding that he had already informed its organisers of his decision. The move led to speculation of a rift between the two Janata Parivar constituents ahead of the state assembly elections. However, both Lalu and JD(U) President Sharad Yadav asserted that the allies were united in their aim to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party in the elections.
