Oppn uproar in RS over missing Coal Ministry files

August 19, 2013

Coal_MinistryNew Delhi, Aug 19: Opposition today vociferously raised in the Rajya Sabha the issue of crucial files of Coal Ministry going missing, alleging that it was a conspiracy to save the Prime Minister in the multi-crore coal block allocation scam being probed by the CBI.

The opposition sought to corner the government by demanding a statement from Prime Minister or Coal Minister on the issue.

Responding to the demand, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla assured the House that Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal will make a statement on the issue but gave no time frame.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Dharmendra Pradhan (BJP) said such an incident has never happened earlier and the government needs to reply.

"This is a very serious issue...Nothing can be more condemnable. This is a conspiracy...It is an attempt to save the Prime Minister," said Pradhan, wondering if the coal department had a hand in missing of files to brush under the carpet irregularities by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who earlier held the Coal portfolio.

Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said, "There are three powerful targets of investigation and suddenly the files are missing...the government must respond to this...Otherwise you eliminate the evidence and then say no crime is committed."

Jaitley said, "There are three important targets of investigation - the beneficiaries who benefited from coal block allocations, the screening committee which allotted the mines and the Minister, the Minister's office and the Prime Minister's Office."

As BJP created uproar over the issue, Shukla said, "We will apprise the Minister and he will make a statement in the House."

While BJP insisted that the Coal Minister or the Prime Minister should come to the House and reply, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien observed that the matter is a Zero Hour issue and the government is not obliged to answer.

Pradhan said, "CBI is carrying out a probe into the matter, Government of India is trying to obstruct it. It is an attempt to save the Prime Minister."

He sought to know from the government as to who were responsible for the missing files.

He alleged that a loss of Rs 1.86 lakh crore was caused to the state exchequer and the Law Minister had to resign while trying to tinker with the CBI affidavit.

Rajiv Pratap Rudy (BJP) said this is a serious issue, alleging, "It is an attempt to hide a big scam."

"It acquires all the seriousness. The Minister or the Prime Minister should have come to the House to make a statement," said Venkaiah Naidu, asking the Chair to give a direction to the government to make a statement.

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Agencies
January 5,2020

New Delhi, Jan 5: A masked mob on Sunday entered the Sabarmati Hostel on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus and assaulted several students and professors with sticks and rods.

"I have been brutally attacked by goons wearing masks. I am bleeding. I was brutally beaten up," JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) president Aishe Ghosh told reporters.

She has been admitted to the AIIMS here for treatment.

Several other students were also injured in the incident.

In a video of the incident, a group of goons with their faces covered can be seen assaulting students with wooden sticks and rods.

A tweet from the official handle of the JNUSU said, "Sabarmati Hostel: right now. They are beating the students who are inside. Knocking on doors with rods. People are jumping from balconies. #SOSJNU #EmergencyinJNU."

"Professors who were trying to protect us have been beaten up. These are unknown ABVP goons, not all are students, they have covered their faces, and they are moving towards the hotels near the West Gate. Stay alert. Make human chains. Protect each other. #SOSJNU #EmergencyinJNU," another tweet added.

Meanwhile, the ABVP's JNU unit claimed in a tweet: "Emergency in JNU. Leftist goons of JNU accompained with their cadre from other universities have crossed every limit. They have proceeded with unimaginable violence on ABVP activists of JNU."

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Agencies
January 12,2020

Mumbai, Jan 12: Thousands of citizens on Sunday congregated in Mumbai's suburban Jogeshwari to oppose the new citizenship law, the proposed NRC and NPR.

They also condemned last Sunday's violence on the JNU campus in Delhi, where masked men ran riot and attacked students. Leftist organisations had claimed RSS-affiliated ABVP's role in the attack, a charge denied by the students' body.

Former Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) general secretary Fahad Ahmed told PTI that they assembled under the aegis of 'Hum Bharat Ke Log' in Millat Nagar area.

"Prime minister Narendra Modi should call 56 students from across the country to debate on the CAA, NRC and NPR," Ahmed said in an apparent jibe at Modi's "56 inch chest" remark, which the latter had made ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

"Why the PM is not talking to us? Why is he not communicating? Even the Britishers used to talk to Indians whom they ruled, but our PM is not talking to poor people," he alleged.

Bollywood actor Sushasht Singh also spoke on the occasion.

"We are people of this country and such acts (CAA) are tarnishing the image of our country," he said.

At the gathering, people waved banners with slogans like "I Am From Gujarat, My Documents Burned in 2002", "No CAA, Boycott NRC, Stop Dividing India, Don't Divide us", "Save Constitution", written on them.

A large number of police personnel were present at the venue.

The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which was notified on January 10, grants Indian citizenship to non-Muslim minorities migrated to India from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh till December 31, 2014, following persecution over their faith.

Massive protests were witnessed against the CAA, mainly by the student community, since its passage by Parliament in December last year.

Opposition parties have been dubbing the CAA an "anti-Muslim" legislation, a charge being debunked by the government.

The Congress and other parties like the TMC have also opposed the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR).

Union home minister Amit Shah has said that the government won't rest until persecuted refugees are granted Indian citizenship.

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News Network
June 5,2020

New Delhi, Jun 5: Around 20 staff members of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) have tested positive for COVID-19, all of them are asymptomatic and are doing well, said DMRC officials.

In a statement, the DMRC said, "Along with the rest of the country, DMRC is also fighting the battle against COVID-19. Delhi Metro's employees have shown exemplary resilience in reporting back to their duties to keep the Metro system in all readiness for the eventual resumption of services."

"Some employees, scattered across the NCR have unfortunately been infected by the virus as well. They are all safe and recovering gradually. However, in this hour of crisis as well, the spirit of Delhi Metro continues to be high," the DMRC stated.

DMRC Managing Director, Dr Mangu Singh, in a message today asked all employees to adhere to social distancing norms and wished those afflicted with the virus a speedy recovery.

"This indomitable spirit will surely help the Delhi Metro, whenever we resume our services in the days ahead," said DMRC.

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