Two SDF MLAs cross over to ruling SKM, ex-CM Chamling lone legislator of the party now
A day after its 10 MLAs joined BJP, Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), suffered further jolt Wednesday when two other legislators of the party switched over to the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM).
The SDF, which ruled Sikkim for nearly 25 years, is now left with just one MLA- Pawan Kumar Chamling- who has also been the party supremo since its formation 26 years ago.
MLAs- G T Dhungel and Em Prasad Sharma- on Wednesday announced joining Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) at a press conference.
On Tuesday 10 SDF MLAs had deserted the party and joined Bhartiya Janata Party in the national capital.
Priyanka Gandhi’s aide booked for assaulting, threatening journalist
A journalist has filed a police complaint here against an aide of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, alleging he assaulted and threatened him during the Congress general secretary’s visit to Sonbhadra district in Uttar Pradesh.
Nitish Kumar Pandey, a resident of Varanasi, said in his written complaint that Gandhi’s personal secretary, Sandeep Singh, also touched his camera when he was covering her visit to Umbha village on Tuesday for a regional TV channel.
Ghorawal police station in-charge CP Pandey confirmed an FIR has been filed based on the journalist’s complaint.
A video of Gandhi’s aide misbehaving with a journalist during her visit had gone viral on social media. It showed a reporter asking a question to Gandhi on scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution when he was pushed back and an argument started.
The aide is heard accusing the reporter of being pro-BJP and asking questions at the behest of the saffron party in return for money.
Tagging the video, the media advisor to the UP Chief Minister asked the Congress leader to stop doing “theatrics“.
In a tweet, Mirtunjay Kumar said, “Priyanka Gandhiji please stop the theatrics of wiping the tears of the poor“.
He wondered where were those who claimed to side with press freedom when Gandhi’s secretary misbehaved with a journalist and she did not say anything to him.
“The UP government is committed to ensuring security of journalist,” Kumar said.
Gandhi was visiting Umbha to meet the families of 10 tribals shot dead in a land dispute last month.
- PTI
’Fun and frolic’ in Corbett will not solve grave economic crisis: Sitaram Yechury
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that “fun and frolic” in Jim Corbett National Park will not solve the problems faced by the economy, in an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he appeared on Discovery Channel’s Man vs Wild .
The episode, telecast on Monday night, was shot in the national park.
“The fun and frolic in Corbett will not provide the solution to this grave economic crisis, created by the government since 2014. We have not heard any coherent plan from the govt except same rabid, divisive spiel meant to cause social disharmony.
“This is no longer some anecdotal evidence. Hard data every single day is driving home the gravity of the economic crisis which engulfs all sectors. The writing is on the wall and those responsible for managing the economy are missing or distracting from the real issue,” Yechury tweeted.
When can I visit J&K, Rahul Gandhi asks Governor Malik
Rahul Gandhi reiterated that he accepts Governor Satya Pal Malik’s invitation to visit Jammu & Kashmir and meet the people “with no conditions attached”.
Rahul Gandhi. File
Referring to Mr. Malik’s reply as “feeble,” Mr. Gandhi asked the Governor when he can visit.
“Dear Maalik ji, I saw your feeble reply to my tweet,” Mr. Gandhi wrote on Twitter.
“I accept your invitation to visit Jammu & Kashmir and meet the people, with no conditions attached. When can I come?,” he asked.
On Monday, Governor Malik had said that he would send an aircraft for Mr. Gandhi to visit J&K after the Congress leader had questioned the law and order situation.
‘Article 370 as ‘long pending wound’ of J&K’
Union minister Shripad Naik on Wednesday said the Independence Day celebrations this year hold greater significance as the Centre has cured the “long pending wound” in the form Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Residents of the Kashmir Valley will now be able to celebrate the Independence Day in the “real sense” and the region will prosper along with other states of the country, the minister of state for defence said.
Shripad Naik. File
The Centre on August 5 announced that Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 was being revoked and proposed that the state be split into two Union Territories.
Naik said this was one of the key decisions of the present Modi-led government’s tenure.
“The Independence Day this year is more important as we have managed to cure the long pending wound that we had in the form of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. We can say that the people of Kashmir can now celebrate the Independence Day in the real sense,” he told PTI over phone from Delhi.
Congress cautions Modi government on economy
Alleging that India’s economy had stalled, the Congress on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spell out what his government was doing out to revive the economy.
“It is an economy which has stalled, the growth engine has stalled, all the four engines have stopped functioning — investment, industrial production, capacity utilisation and exports,” said senior Congress leader Anand Sharma.
Mr. Sharma, who had been Commerce Minister, referred to the slowdown in the automobile sector and the possibility of job losses on a massive scale.
“It is feared that 3.5 lakh jobs would be lost by the end of August in the sector.”
He said the demand had fallen by as much as 20% in July for passenger cars and it is almost 26% for commercial vehicles.
He said the situation was ‘serious’ if one factored in ancillary industries.
“It is a serious situation. Factories are closing, there is retrenchment taking place — over one lakh workers and labour have been retrenched in the last month in the sector,” he said.
Sushma always took up challenges: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led leaders across party lines and members of his own Council of Ministers on Tuesday in paying homage to former Union Minister Sushma Swaraj who passed away last week.
Terming Swaraj a Minister who transformed the External Affairs Ministry from one bound by protocol to one which heeded the “people’s call,” Mr. Modi was fulsome in his praise for his late colleague. He recalled instances when he and Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu helped persuade her to fight from Bellary in Karnataka against Congress president Sonia Gandhi in 1999. “I remember Venkaiah Naidu ji and me going to Sushma ji, and asking her to go to Karnataka to fight elections. The outcome was certain but she was someone who was always ready to take up challenges,” he said.
(With inputs from agencies, correspondents)
