News Analysis India

Tag: Manoj Jha

  • ‘Arrested without proper investigation’: RJD MP Manoj Jha on interim bail to Kejriwal

    Hailing the Supreme Court verdict granting interim bail to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, RJD MP Manoj Jha on Saturday said he was ‘happy’ with the reprieve for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as he was arrested without a ‘proper investigation’.

    Speaking to on Saturday, the RJD leader said, “He (Kejriwal) was arrested without a proper investigation just as (former Jharkhand CM) Hemant Soren-ji and several others. We are happy that he was granted (interim) bail and allowed to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. If he (Hemant Soren) gets bail, they (BJP) will be wiped out of Jharkhand as well.”

    Earlier, on Saturday, the Delhi CM was granted interim bail after 50 days of incarceration at the Tihar jail following his arrest by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the excise policy case. The AAP supremo was arrested on March 21, after several hours of questioning.The Delhi CM was granted a 22-day reprieve, till June 1, on the condition that he shall not visit the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) or the Secretariat. AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesAs per the court order, Kejriwal was asked to furnish bail bonds of Rs 50,000 with one surety of the same amount. He was asked to surrender on June 2, which coincides with the final day of polling for the 18th Lok Sabha.While granting Kejriwal interim bail, the apex court said he would not interact with any of the witnesses or have access to official files connected with the case.He also can’t “make any comment with regard to his role” in the present case, the bench ordered.The bench also made it clear that the grant of interim bail will not be treated as an expression of its opinion on the merits of the case or the criminal appeal which is pending for its consideration.

    Earlier, in April, AAP MP Sanjay Singh was released on bail from Tihar jail in the liquor policy case following an order by the apex court. Singh was released after spending over six months in jail in connection with the case.

  • RJD’s Manoj Jha rejects chances of JDU forming alliance with BJP: 'Just a rumour…'

    RJD’s Manoj Jha rejects chances of JDU forming alliance with BJP: 'Just a rumour…'

  • Centre’s ordidance to extend CBI, ED directors tenure is attempt to destroy democratic institutions: Manoj Jha

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Following the Centre’s ordinance extending the tenure of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) director and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director to five years, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha on Sunday alleged that the move is an attempt to destroy democratic institutions.

    “Parliament session is going to start after two weeks and before that, the decision to extend the tenure of the heads of CBI and ED through an ordinance raises doubts about the intention of the government. The ordinance has been brought by the government on November 14, which is the birthday of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s first Prime Minister and the strongest pillar of democracy. This is the government’s intention to undermine democracy and destroy democratic institutions,” Jha told ANI.

    The Centre on Sunday moved an ordinance that extends the tenure of ED director and CBI director to five years.

    At present, the Director of CBI and ED have been appointed for two-year tenure in office by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) Act, 2003.

    President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent to the ordinance.

    The central government is expected to table a law in Parliament to replace the same.

  • Rajya Sabha MP writes to railways over non-renewal of contracts of hospitality supervisors employed with IRCTC

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: A Rajya Sabha member on Friday wrote to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal questioning the non-renewal of contracts of hospitality supervisors employed with the IRCTC, and said they offered their services to the national transporter at the “peak” of the COVID-19 crisis.

    RJD MP Manoj Jha said he is writing on behalf of these workers who had been hired by the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on April 23, 2019, for supervision of catering services, quality inspection in trains as well as catering units on Indian Railway premises.

    “These contractual employees gave their best to the Indian Railways even during the peak of COVID-19 as they were actively engaged in the management and supervision of food delivery services in ‘Shramik Special’ trains run by the Indian Railways,” he said.

    ‘Shramik Special’ trains were run by the railways last year following the COVID-19 outbreak to ferry migrants, who were stuck in different parts of country due to restrictions, back to their home states.

    “To our utter shock, I am informed by these employees from various locations that they have been categorically told by IRCTC authorities to search for new jobs, adding further that after 20 days they would not be part of the service anymore,” Jha said in his letter.

    “The feeble argument from the IRCTC is that they were hired on a two-year contract which is ending now,” he said.

    Jha said that these supervisors are trained hoteliers and many have professional degrees in hospitality.

    “We all know that the hotel industry was among the worst-affected during the COVID crisis and therefore, it is unimaginable that they would be employed by the hotel industry amidst an unprecedented crisis,” the RJD Rajya Sabha member said.

    “I remember during the course of an intervention by me in the Budget Session of Parliament, you had emphatically assured that nobody shall be terminated from their jobs,” Jha said in his letter to Goyal.

    The MP said the non-renewal of services of these men and women was against the assurance given by the minister in Parliament.

    “This goes against the assurance given by @RailMinIndia on the floor of the house…shall do whatever we can,” Jha also tweeted.

    He urged Goyal to look into the matter with utmost urgency and save the jobs of hundreds of hospitality supervisors engaged with the IRCTC.

    Earlier in a letter, dated June 25, to all railway zones, the IRCTC informed that there was no requirement for these contractual workers under the present circumstances and they be given one month notice and their contracts be terminated.

    “The requirement of supervisor (hospitality) engaged on contract basis has been reviewed in the revised catering model and it has been decided that under the present circumstances, services of supervisor (hospitality), engaged on contract basis are no more required,” the letter stated.

    This virtually meant job losses for around 560 such workers.

    However, after the workers took to social media and raised the issue, the IRCTC board rolled back the decision, but maintained that their two-year contracts are unlikely to be renewed.

    Many such workers took to social media to air their grievances.

    “@PMOIndia @RailMinIndia we are Hospitality supervisors working under IRCTC (Indian Railways). They fire us. So please save our job & family,” tweeted Naveen Kumar.

    “Sir, In this pandemic situation we don’t have any other option for survival. So request you to please do something to save our job,” tweeted Rahul Mona tagging the Railway Minister. IRCTC spokesperson Anand Kumar Jha said that currently, catering services in special trains are limited to sale of ready to eat food, packaged drinking water, tea and coffee, among others.

    Base kitchens are non-operational and the scope of work for hospitality supervisors is very limited, the official said.

    Regarding the period of contract of hospitality supervisors, he said that action is being taken as per terms and conditions of their contracts.