Andhra under President's rule after 41 years

February 28, 2014

Hyderabad, Feb 28: Andhra Pradesh is coming under President's rule after a long gap of 41 years. The current spell of President's rule, which the Union Cabinet approved today on the recommendation of state Governor E S L Narasimhan, is not due to any constitutional crisis but a political crisis caused by the resignation of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on February 19 protesting the bifurcation of the state.

Kiran also resigned from the Congress party but the Governor asked him and the Council of Ministers to continue in office till alternative arrangements were made.

The Congress high command tried desperately to install a new government consequent to Kiran's resignation but a mass exodus of legislators from the party, particularly in the Seemaandhra region, put paid to its hopes.

The high command engaged senior leaders from both sides of the regional divide in talks to find a successor to Kiran but failed.

At one point, Union Minister of State for Tourism K Chiranjeevi was tipped to become the new Chief Minister of the yet-to-be divided AP but that did not happen as a consensus remained elusive.

Kiran's resignation triggered a crisis in the ruling Congress here with at least three ministers of his Cabinet switching over to the principal opposition Telugu Desam Party and a couple of others deciding to join his to-be-launched new political party.

Close to a dozen MLAs from Seemaandhra have also left the Congress to join the TDP.In the prevailing internal crisis in the party, the Congress would have clearly fallen short of majority in the Assembly.

This left no other option for the party except to go for a spell of President's rule as elections to the state Assembly are just a couple of months away. Andhra Pradesh first came under President's rule way back in January 1973 following the "Jai Andhra" agitation for a separate state.

P V Narasimha Rao, who later went on to become the country's Prime Minister, resigned as the Chief Minister when Central rule was imposed in the state for a period of over ten months.

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Gujarat massacre: SC fixes April 14 for hearing Zakia Jafri’s plea against SIT’s clean chit to Modi

Agencies

February 4,2020

New Delhi, Feb 4: Saying the matter had been adjourned many times and it will have to hear it someday, the Supreme Court on Tuesday fixed April 14 for hearing a plea by Zakia Jafri, wife of slain MP Ehsan Jafri, challenging the SIT's clean chit to then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 riots.

A bench comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari posted the matter for hearing in April after Zakia's counsel sought an adjournment and urged the court to post it after the Holi vacation.

When advocate Aparna Bhat, appearing for Zakia, told the court that the issue in the matter is contentious, the bench said, "It has been adjourned so many times, whatever it is, we will have to hear it someday. Take one date and make sure you all are available." Zakia had filed a petition in the apex court in 2018 challenging the Gujarat High Court's October 5, 2017 order rejecting her plea against the decision of the Special Investigation Team.

Ehsan Jafri was among the 68 people killed at Gulberg Society on February 28, 2002, a day after the S-6 Coach of the Sabarmati Express was burnt at Godhra killing 59 people and triggering riots in Gujarat.

On February 8, 2012, the SIT filed a closure report giving a clean chit to Modi and 63 others, including senior government officials, saying there was "no prosecutable evidence" against them.

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No use.. will Supreme court gives justice???

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Accepting defeat, Alka Lamba says Hindu-Muslim votes were ‘polarised’

Agencies

February 11,2020

New Delhi, Feb 11: Votes between Hindus and Muslims were ''completely polarised'', said Congress party's Alka Lamba, as she trailed at Chandni Chowk assembly seat on Tuesday.

"I accept the result, but don't give up. Hindu-Muslim votes were completely polarised. The #Congress Party will now have to prepare for a new fight with new faces and a long struggle for the people of #Delhi. If you fight today, you will also win tomorrow," Ms. Lamba tweeted in Hindi.

As per the Election Commission (EC) website, Ms. Lamba is in third position with just 1,229 votes so far. AAP's Parlad Singh Sawhney is ahead with 23,281 votes followed by Suman Kumar Gupta of BJP.

Ms. Lamba, who had won from Chandni Chowk on an AAP ticket in the 2015 polls, was expelled from AAP last year after she joined Congress, citing differences with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

As per the EC official trends, AAP is maintaining a strong lead on 58 seats, while the BJP is far behind at 12. Congress has failed to open its account so far.

The counting of votes for 70 seats of the Delhi Assembly began at 8 am today amid tight security.

Delhi went to polls in a single-phase on February 8. AAP, BJP, Congress are the main political parties in the fray.

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Cleric issues Ramzan advisory amid lockdown

Agencies

April 13,2020

With the beginning of Ramzan just about 10 days away, Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali, the chairperson of the Islamic Centre of India and the Imam of Aishbagh Eidgah has issued an advisory to people on how to observe Ramzan during the lockdown.

In his appeal, the Sunni cleric, who is a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), has urged people that the holy month of Ramzan is likely to begin from April 25. The lockdown may also be extended beyond April 14.

"In this case, it is advised that people observe roza (fast) and do iftar (meal to break the fast) in the evenings at their homes. There should be no congregational prayers in the mosque but only at homes. Only those who stay or are staying at a mosque should pray there and that too while maintaining adequate social distance," said Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali in a video message.

The cleric, in the 12-point advisory, has asked people to fast as is mandatory in Islam and to pray for the end of the pandemic, during the month of worship.

The advisory says that those who used to arrange for iftar of poor and needy persons at the mosque, should continue to do so this year as well but the food should be distributed to the needy.

"Those who conducted Iftar parties in Ramzan should give the money kept for it in charity. Not more than five people should be present at any time at a mosque," the cleric added.

Earlier for April 8 and April 9, both Shia and Sunni clerics had appealed to the people to stay indoors and pray on the occasion of Shab-e-Baraat, respectively. To ensure full compliance of the lockdown, the gates of several graveyards in the city were locked up by the caretakers since traditionally Muslims visit graves of their ancestors on Shab-e-Baraat--the night of Allah's forgiveness, to pray for their ancestors.

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