Is this true face of Indian democracy?

February 20, 2014
Lucknow, Feb 20: The Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday witnessed a “topless” protest from opposition members during the governor’s address to the joint session of the House, even as senior minister Azam Khan said that he was expecting “full exposure”.

up-assembly-topless-mlas

As soon as Governor B L Joshi began his address, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) members carrying placards, posters and banners, denouncing the Akhilesh Yadav government, stormed into the well of the House. Two Rashtriya Lok Dal members took off their shirts in protest against the government’s failure to clear farmers’ sugarcane dues. Sudesh Sharma and Veer Pal Rathi astonished members of the treasury benches with their bare chests, as the governor left the House without completing his address.

Amid chaos and din, the House was adjourned for the day.

Ruling party members decried the behaviour of the opposition members with Azam Khan terming them “besharm” (shameless). “They should be ashamed of what they did in the House,” Khan said later. In a vein of sarcasm, Khan said, “I was expecting full exposure.”

Rathi and Sharma, however, defended their behaviour. “We had no alternative. This government has become so insensitive to the problems of sugarcane farmers, that their plight does not move it. Despite making a promise, the government did not ensure the payment of the arrears of farmers,” they said.

The BJP had earlier announced that its members would boycott the address of the governor.

Later, BSP and Congress leaders accused the government of failing completely on the law and order front. “Jungle raj prevails in UP. The government has failed. SP leaders have created terror in the state,” alleged BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya.

PDP MLA slaps marshal

Peoples’ Democratic Party MLA on Wednesday slapped a marshal in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly as proceedings were marred by unruly scenes.

During discussion of the grants of Agriculture Ministry, PDP MLA Syed Bashir trooped into well of the House to highlight shortage of ration for migrants. But, Speaker Mubarak Gul ordered his removal from the House and as the marshals were leading him out, other PDP MLAs rushed into the well. Amid unruly scenes, the Speaker ordered their eviction from the House too.

RS official heckled

An official of the Upper House was heckled by a section of agitating members on Wednesday. When Secretary General Shumsher K Sheriff stood up at noon to read out a message from the Lok Sabha on passage of the Telangana Bill, TDP member C M Ramesh, who was agitating in the well since morning, tried to snatch the paper from him. As the MP was trying to take the papers from Sheriff, Parliament staff moved in to protect him and the document. “It is very unfortunate. The staff should not be attacked,” Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha P J Kurien said.

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Agencies
January 11,2020

New Delhi, Jan 11: Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday met JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) President Aishe Ghosh here at Kerala House on Saturday.

This meeting comes at the backdrop masked mob violence by miscreants who entered the university campus recently and attacked the students and professors with sticks and rods.

"I thank the Kerela government for standing by us and extending solidarity. Its fight Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) shows how standing is standing for its secular ethos. Students Union takes the inspiration from this struggle," said Students' Union President in a statement after meeting Kerala CM.

She also thanked "the youth and comrades of Kerela" and quoted Pinarayi as saying, "go on we will take this fight ahead."

More than 30 students, including Ghosh, were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre.

The Delhi Police Crime Branch investigating the case of violence in JNU had identified and released photographs of nine suspects, including that of Aishe Ghosh.

Earlier on Monday, Kerala CM had said that the "Nazi-style attack" on the students and faculty is an appalling display of intolerance running amok.

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Agencies
August 1,2020

New Delhi, Aug 1: Rajya Sabha MP and former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh has died in Singapore where he was undergoing treatment.

Amar Singh, 64, had undergone kidney transplant in 2011 and was not keeping well for a long time.

“Saddened to know about the death of senior leader and parliamentarian Amar Singh,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted.

Earlier in the day, the former Samajwadi leader had posted messages on Twitter, paying tributes to Bal Gangadhar Tilak on his 100th death anniversary and also wishing people on Eid.

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News Network
May 29,2020

New Delhi, May 29: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and informed him about the views of all chief ministers on the extension of the ongoing nationwide lockdown beyond May 31, officials said.

During the meeting, Shah briefed Modi about the suggestions and the feedback he received from the chief ministers during his telephonic conversations on Thursday, a government official said.

The nationwide curbs were first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 for 21 days in a bid to contain the spread of novel coronavirus. It was first extended till May 3 and then again till May 17. The lockdown was further extended till May 31.

The home minister's telephonic conversations with the chief ministers came just three days before the end of the fourth phase of the lockdown.

During his talks with the chief ministers, Shah sought to know the areas of concern of the states and the sectors they want to open up further from June 1, the official said.

Interestingly, till now, it was Modi who had interacted with all chief ministers through video conference before the extension of each phase of the coronavirus-induced lockdown and sought their views.

This was for the first time that the home minister spoke to the chief ministers individually before the end of another phase of the lockdown.

Shah was present in all the conferences of chief ministers along with the prime minister. It is understood that the majority of the chief ministers wanted the lockdown to continue in some form but also favoured opening up of the economic activities and gradual return of the normal life, another official said.

The central government is expected to announce its decision on the lockdown within the next two days.

The number of COVID-19 cases in India has climbed to 1,65,799 on Friday, making it the world's ninth worst-hit country by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Health Ministry said the death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 4,706 in the country. While extending the fourth phase of the lockdown till May 31, the central government had announced the continuation of the prohibition on the opening of schools, colleges and malls but allowed the opening of shops and markets.

It said hotels, restaurants, cinema halls, malls, swimming pools, gyms will remain shut even as all social, political, religious functions, and places of worship will remain closed till May 31.

The government, however, allowed limited operations of the train and domestic flights. The Indian Railways is also running special trains since May 1 for transportation of migrant workers from different parts of the country to their native states.

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