Scindia takes over as AICC general secretary
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday took charge as the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge for Uttar Pradesh West with a “resolve to strengthen the party in the state”. Scindia’s appointment was made along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was made the general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh East, on January 23. Eastern Uttar Pradesh is home to the constituencies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Soon after assuming the new charge at the Congress headquarters here, Scindia performed a ‘Ganesh pooja’. He later met some party workers, including those from western Uttar Pradesh. Scindia shared a video of the prayer ceremony on Twitter and said, “Took over as Congress general secretary after doing ‘Ganesh pooja’ at the AICC office, with the resolve of strengthening the party in the state.” He said the Congress has a good opportunity to come back in the reckoning in Uttar Pradesh by winning a number of Lok Sabha seats to form the government at the Centre and then in the state in 2022. The scion of the erstwhile royal family of Gwalior, Scindia has been entrusted with the onerous task of strengthening the Congress in western Uttar Pradesh, where the party did not win any seat in the last Lok Sabha elections. (PTI)
Politics of Congress and BJP driven by Hindutva: Mehbooba
Srinagar: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said it was difficult to differentiate between the Congress and the BJP as both parties were driven by the politics of Hindutva. She was commenting on the decision of the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh to invoke the National Security Act against three persons accused in a cow slaughter case and the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh recommending the withdrawal of 38 criminal cases against 100 accused in the Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013. “The Yogi government (Uttar Pradesh) withdrew cases against accused in Muzaffarnagar riots. The Madhya Pradesh government slapped PSA (NSA) against three accused of cow slaughter,” Mehbooba said on Twitter. “From UP to MP, political lines are getting blurred and it is difficult to differentiate between the Congress and the BJP. Hindutva drives the real politics in modern India,” she added. (PTI)
Ex-Army chief JJ Singh joins SAD (Taksali)
AMRITSAR: Former Indian Army chief and former Governor Gen J.J. Singh joined the SAD (Taksali), a party of expelled leaders of the Akali Dal, here on Wednesday. He resigned from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) last month citing personal reasons. Singh, a former Arunachal Pradesh Governor, had joined the Akali Dal ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections in 2017. He unsuccessfully contested against Congress leader and now Chief Minister Amarinder Singh from Patiala. A day earlier, former Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly, Bir Devinder Singh, joined the SAD (Taksali). Expelled leaders of the SAD, led by Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, the sitting Member of Parliament from Khadoor Sahib, in December launched the SAD (Taksali). The SAD is headed by Sukhbir Singh Badal, son of five-time Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. (IANS)
Work permit mandatory for Indian workers in Nepal
Kathmandu: Nepal government has made it mandatory for Indian citizens who come to work in Nepal’s industries and other institutions to possess necessary work permits. Nepal’s department of labour and occupational safety on Wednesday has ordered all its labour offices throughout the country to finalise the actual number of Indian workers working in different sectors in the country. “While inspecting the institutions the number of Indian workers would be updated and if they don’t have a work permit then inform the institution to take the work permit is directed hereby,” the letter signed by Prashant Shah, department’s Industry Inspector states. Untill now, as part of special ties between India and Nepal, no permit is required for Indian nationals working in Nepal and vice versa. The government’s move could be considered as a part of its efforts to secure the open border that Nepal shares with India. (ANI)
‘Shooting stones’ injure 12 on Jammu-Srinagar highway
Jammu: Twelve people have been injured when their vehicle was hit by “shooting stones” on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, officials said on Wednesday. The police said the incident happened on late Tuesday evening. “The vehicle was carrying passengers from Kashmir valley to Jammu city when it was hit by shooting stones in Ramsoo area of the highway in Ramban district,” a police officer said. The injured include a woman from Bihar who sustained head injury. She has been shifted to the government medical college hospital in Jammu city for specialised treatment. Others were discharged after first aid at local hospital in Ramban district. “The injured include nine from Bihar, and one each from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh,” informed sources said. “Shooting stones” is the name given to pieces of rock that roll down the mountain slope hitting the Jammu-Srinagar highway with shooting speed. The highway was closed on Wednesday for traffic due to snowfall in Bannihal sector, and landslides in Ramsoo-Ramban sector. (IANS)
Ensure safety of nuns who protested against bishop
New Delhi: The National Commission For Women has written to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, urging prompt action in ensuring safety of two nuns who are witnesses in a rape case against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, and were issued transfer orders by their congregation. The complainants alleged that the transfer orders were aimed to split them and “to sabotage the case” against Bishop Franco Mulakkal, the NCW said in the letter. The letter said that the two nuns, who approached the women’s panel, alleged the transfer orders issued last year were to pressurise and threaten them as they were prominent witnesses in the case. “The complainants also apprehend danger to their lives, if transferred to distant regions,” the letter said. The Commission requested the chief minister “to take prompt action to ensure prevention of sabotage of material evidence and witnesses in pending case against rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal, so that justice may prevail”. (PTI)