Team Anna, govt begin to land low blows

June 11, 2012

Anna_walk

New Delhi, Jun 11: The ongoing war of words between Team Anna and the government reached a new low on Sunday with one of the team members comparing the prime minister to the blind king in Mahabharata and a Union minister questioning the integrity of Anna Hazare’s followers.

Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a key member of Team Anna, Kiran Bedi, on Sunday sought to compare him to Dhritrashtra in the context of the alleged irregularities in the allocation of coal blocks. Singh had rejected Hazare’s demand for setting up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe into the charges levelled against the Prime Minister and 14 of his cabinet ministers.

“The PMO clears Prime Minister. Did Dhritarashtra in Mahabharata not support Kauravas even after they attempted to disrobe Draupadi? Indian genes/culture? or?” Bedi tweeted.

She described Singh and his 14 cabinet colleagues as a “tainted team”, asserting that they would “never” give people an expeditious and strong criminal justice system.

“Do or die fast from July 25 for SIT probe on PM and 14 cabinet ministers. Tainted team may never give us an expeditious and strong criminal justice system,” she said.

Sharply reacting to Bedi’s comment, Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid accused Team Anna of converting their anti-corruption movement into a “personal campaign”.

“They (Team Anna) have many, many questions they must first answer before asking questions to others,” Khurshid told reporters at Chennai airport, taking several questions from the media, shortly after arriving here.

“We are at least subject to public scrutiny. Every five years, we go through an election. People reject or accept our record and everything is available. We’re ready for any public scrutiny,” Khurshid maintained.

Khurshid said: “I don't think they have the right to ask questions and I don't think they are being very helpful and very good to democracy in our country." Khurshid, who is also in charge of the Law Ministry, said that “the people will give them a suitable answer when the time comes”.

“We all felt they started off with a good note. Idea of containing corruption and questioning corruption was a good idea. But today, they are doing greatest disservice to this idea by converting it into a personal campaign and personal ambition,” the minister said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also demanded a probe into the allegations made against the Cabinet ministers in the alleged coal scam.

“Nobody suspects Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. But the way in which his government is drowned in corruption and scams, it is natural that the taint reaches him also. This war of words between the civil society and government should end. The government should order an investigation,” BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.

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Agencies
May 30,2020

New Delhi, May 30: The Congress on Friday described the first year of the Modi government as a "year of disappointment, disastrous management and diabolical pain".

Congress leader K C Venugopal said the six years of the Modi dispensation have seen fraying of bonds of empathy, fraternity and brotherhood with increase in acts of communal and sectarian violence.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that at the end of six years, it appears the Modi government is at war with its people and is inflicting wounds on them, instead of healing them.

"It is inflicting wounds on Mother India," he said.

"This government is trying to fill coffers of the select rich and is inflicting pain on the poor," Surjewala said.

On the BJP's charge of the Congress playing politics over the COVID-19 crisis, Venugopal said the opposition party did not indulge in any politics and gave suggestions instead.

"Being a responsible opposition, it is our duty to raise the problems faced by the common people. As opposition, we highlighted the failures of the government," he said.

Venugopal said the government "is totally insensitive" to the plight of migrant labourers and farmers.

Surjewala also demanded that a virtual session of Parliament be convened immediately to discuss pressing issues and the due process be set in motion for holding of meetings of various parliamentary committees.

Modi and his cabinet had taken oath on this day last year for a second term in office.

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Agencies
March 1,2020

Allahabad, Mar 1: Shabista Khan, wife of suspended pediatrician Dr Kafeel Khan, fears that her husband's life is in danger.

In a letter written to the chief justice of the Allahabad High Court and senior government authorities, Shabista has sought security for her husband who is lodged in Mathura jail for allegedly delivering provocative speech during anti-CAA protest at Aligarh Muslim University.

"My husband is being mentally tortured in jail and is being subjected to inhuman behaviour," Shabista wrote in her letter to the chief justice of Allahabad High Court, additional chief secretary (home) and director general (jail), among others.

She said that she apprehended that an attempt could be made on her husband's life in jail and demanded adequate security for him.

She also demanded that her husband should be kept away from active criminals and lodged with common prisoners.

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News Network
February 12,2020

New Delhi, Feb 12: Unidentified people opened fire at the convoy of the newly elected Aam Aadmi Party legislator Naresh Yadav in Southwest Delhi when he and his supporters were returning home after visiting a temple after his victory, killing a party volunteer, police and a senior AAP leader said.

The firing incident happened in Kishangarh village late Tuesday night.

Police said they have detained a person for questioning and the incident appears to be a case of personal enmity. Sources said seven rounds were fired at the MLA's convoy.

Another person injured in the incident has been admitted to a hospital.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh identified the dead party volunteer as Ashok Mann.

“Convoy of MLA Naresh Yadav attacked in Mehrauli, Ashok Mann killed. Naresh Yadav was returning home after visiting a temple,” Singh said in a tweet in Hindi.

“At least one volunteer has passed away due to bullet wounds. Another is injured,” AAP tweeted.

Ankit Lal, AAP's social media in-charge, added that miscreants in another car opened fire on the MLA's convoy near Fortis Hospital.

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