News Analysis India

Tag: Rajasthan

  • Cousins found hanging from tree in Rajasthan’s Pali district

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: A man and his cousin were found hanging from a tree in Pali district of Rajasthan on Saturday, police said.

    The man and woman, aged 22 and 20 years respectively, were cousins and were in a relationship, they said.

    “They went missing from their houses on Friday evening and were found hanging from a tree separately today (Saturday),” said Sanderao Station House Officer (SHO) Sarjil Malik.

    “Primary investigation reveals that they were in a relationship and they took the extreme step because their marriage was not possible,” he said.

    They were the residents of Sindru village with their houses located close to each other.

    Malik said that a shepherd spotted the bodies on Saturday nearly 5 km away from their houses and informed the up-Sarpanch of the village, who intimated the police.

    After postmortem examination, the bodies were handed over to their family members, police said, adding further investigation in the case is on.

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  • BJP MLA alleges migration of Hindus from Rajasthan town, calls it ‘land jihad’

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: A BJP MLA on Friday alleged in the Rajasthan Assembly that Hindus were forced to migrate from areas in Tonk’s Malpura town after Muslims bought properties there, calling it a case of “land jihad”.

    Malpura MLA Kanhaiya Lal claimed that after buying property at premium rates, Muslims threaten Hindus.

    There is a sense of fear and insecurity among Hindu families due to which 600 to 800 of them have migrated, he claimed.

    ALSO READ | Rajasthan passes bill to register child marriages, minister says move does not mean wedlocks valid

    Seeking attention of the House through adjournment motion, the MLA said there is a need to bring a strict law so that Hindus and people from the Jain community are not forced to migrate due to insecurity.

    Kanhaiya Lal said Malpura is a sensitive town where over 100 lives have been lost in communal riots since 1950.

    The Muslim community has started a new mission, he said.

    They purchase land at premium price and and threaten Hindu families, the MLA alleged.

    ALSO READ | Gas agency owner arrested in Rajasthan for spying for Pakistan

    Earlier too, the BJP had alleged that hundreds of Hindu families in Rajasthan’s Tonk district were forced to migrate to other areas due to insecurity caused by communal issues.

    Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia had said people of Malpura had pasted posters outside their homes to highlight it recently.

  • Rajasthan passes bill to register child marriages, minister says move does not mean wedlocks valid

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: The registration of child marriages will now be allowed in Rajasthan, according to a bill passed by the state assembly on Friday. After a stormy debate, the House passed the Compulsory Registration of Marriages Amendment bill of Rajasthan.

    Under this new bill, information on child marriage must be furnished within 30 days of the wedding. In the debate, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal argued that registration of child marriages does not imply that they will be considered valid. 

    According to the new law, the marriage registration officer will do the registration up to the block level. The bill provides that if the girl’s age at the time of marriage is less than 18 years and the boy’s age is less than 21, then her parents will have to inform the registration officer within 30 days. 

    In case of child marriages, the parents of boys and girls will inform the registration officer by giving a memorandum in the prescribed format. Based on this, the registration officer will register that child marriage. This provision has been made in Section 8 of the Compulsory Registration of Marriages Act. Earlier, there were marriage registration officers at the district level but now provision has been made in the bill up to the block level.

    BJP MLAs staged a walkout from the House while questioning the need for registration and the purpose of the bill when child marriage would remain illegal. But the government claims that the bill has been brought on the basis of a Supreme Court order. The opposition raised questions on the need for the registration of child marriages and demanded the withdrawal of the bill.

    ALSO READ | Gas agency owner arrested in Rajasthan for spying for Pakistan

    Replying to the debate on the bill, Parliamentary Affairs Dhariwal said that the registration of child marriage does not mean giving validity and argued that registration of child marriages does not mean giving them legitimacy. Action will be taken against those who organise child marriages even after registering it. 

    Dhariwal asserted that the Supreme Court, in a 2006 judgment in Seema vs Ashwini Kumar case, had directed that registration of all types of marriages should be mandatory. He argued that Registration of child marriages is not meant to legitimize them and said that if a minor is married, then s/he will have the right to annul it as soon as s/he attains majority. 

    The opposition BJP however staged a walkout. The provision of registration of child marriage was opposed not only by BJP MLAs but also by pro-Congress Independent MLA Sanyam Lodha. Many BJP MLAs including Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria, Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathod said that registering child marriages is like validating them and is a clear violation of the Sharda Act, the law to prevent child marriage.

    Angry BJP MLAs then walked out of the House. Before the bill was passed, BJP demanded voting on it, but the chairman ignored it. The bill was passed by voice vote. 

    Social activists have opposed this controversial bill. Dr. Kriti Bharti, the managing director of Saarthi Trust in Jodhpur, who has got dozens of child marriages annulled in recent years, says the bill reflects ‘the double standards of state government. When all the countries are trying to eradicate child marriages, the Rajasthan government is virtually making an effort to promote them. This is just to please the Jati Panches which are the vote banks for the part.”

  • Gas agency owner arrested in Rajasthan for spying for Pakistan

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: An owner of an LPG cylinder distribution agency from Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district was arrested on Thursday for allegedly passing on information about the Indian Army’s movement to Pakistani handlers, police said.

    Sandeep Kumar (30), a resident of Narhar village in Jhunjhunu district, was arrested on charges of espionage in a joint operation of the intelligence wing of Rajasthan police and military intelligence.

    He is said to have leaked strategic information and photographs related to the Indian Army while delivering LPG cylinders in Army premises, the police said.

    The accused was lured for money by Pakistani handlers to leak sensitive information and photographs of Narhar army base.

    The accused was detained on September 12 for interrogation, DGP (Intelligence) Umesh Mishra said in a statement.

    He said the accused man’s Pakistani handlers had asked for sensitive information in July.

    A case was registered against the accused, who was then arrested on Thursday.

  • Rajasthan cops’ sex scandal: Major penalty recommended against DSP, woman constable

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Police department has recommended a major penalty on the DSP and the woman constable, who were suspended after video clips purportedly showing them engaging in sexual activities in presence of her minor son had went viral.

    A senior home department official wishing anonymity has confirmed the development that the police department submitted its recommendation on Wednesday.

    “Police department has recommended major penalty against the two police personnel. After approval from the CM office, the recommendation has been forwarded to the department of personnel for further action,” he said.

    The police department had recommended action under Rajasthan Civil Service rules 16/18, which works for imposing major penalties.

    Under major penalty, the duo can be terminated, demoted or all benefits can be stopped.

    After the video went viral, the police department had suspended both the personnel on September 8.

    The Special Operations Group (SOG) was handed over the inquiry which lodged a case against DSP Heera Lal Saini and arrested him on September 9.

    The woman constable was arrested on September 12.

    They both are currently under SOG remand.

    According to the police, the videos clips were shot by the mobile phone of the constable in a resort of Pushkar town in Ajmer district on July 10.

    RPS officer Saini was posted as the Circle Officer of Beawar in Ajmer, while the constable was posted in Jaipur.

    The police had taken suo motu cognizance of the video being circulated on social media and arrested Saini.

    A case was registered at the cybercrime station of SOG.

    The police have lodged a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

    The video clip purportedly showed Saini in a compromising position with the constable in a swimming pool along with policewoman’s six-year-old son who was also in the pool with them.

    Saini has reportedly claimed that the video is doctored.

    Apart from Saini and the constable, who were suspended on Wednesday on moral misconduct after the clips surfaced, two other RPS officers and SHOs of two police stations of Jaipur and Nagaur were suspended for dereliction of duty.

    The husband of the constable had forwarded a complaint to SP office Nagaur seeking registration of the FIR against both of them under the POCSO Act and the complaint was forwarded to the SHO of Chitawa police station on August 10 but he did not register the case.

  • Congress government in Rajasthan is anti-Dalit: BJP SC Morcha chief Lal Singh Arya

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: BJP SC Morcha national president Lal Singh Arya on Monday attacked the Congress government in Rajasthan over law and order, and alleged the Ashok Gehlot dispensation is “anti-Dalit”. “The government protects the criminals who commit atrocities on Dalits. It remains silent on every gang-rape and the administration remains inactive,” he alleged.

    He said thatCongress leaders work to hide the government’s “sins”. “The Congress government in Rajasthan is anti-Dalit,” he said. He claimed whenever in power, the BJP works effectively to stop atrocities on Dalits. “Unfortunately, Rahul Gandhi does not get time to review the situation in Rajasthan which is ruled by his party,” Arya told a press conference at the BJP office.

    Singh also accused the Congress and left parties of keeping silent on the law and order situation in Rajasthan. He said that farmers and youths were deceived in Rajasthan and the Congress party came to power by lying to farmers.

    SC Morcha’s national general secretary and Bulandshahr MP Bhola Singh were also present with him.

  • PM Modi came to power by making false promises: Dotasra

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, saying he came to power by making false promises.

    Speaking at an event held to mark 50 years of the victory of the Indian Army during Bangladesh’s war for independence, Dotasra stressed the need to tell people about the history and achievements of the Congress.

    “Prime Minister Narendra Modi only works to mislead and came into power by making false promises to the youth, farmers and women,” Dotasra said according to a statement.

    “If we do not raise our voice against actions of the Modi government, do not take the history and achievements of the Congress among people, then these thugs who cheated people will remain in power,” he said.

    The Congress leader said Modi won the elections by promising to reduce inflation, provide employment to the youth, eliminate black money and end terrorism but the truth is that the Union government failed to fulfil any of these promises.

    He said while the prime minister asked for the account of 70 years, he is not giving the account of his own government to the public.

    He alleged that while leaders of the Congress were fighting against the British, people of the RSS worked as British informers.

    Even today, leaders of the RSS and the BJP are engaged in grabbing power by misleading the public, he said.

  • Indian Air Force’s first Emergency Landing Field on National Highway inaugurated in Rajasthan

    Express News Service

    BARMER: Adding to the military infrastructure for air operations, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday inaugurated the first stretch of a National Highway to be developed as an Emergency Landing Field (ELF) for the Indian Air Force.

    The ELF is on NH-925 at the Gandhav Bhakasar section, south of Barmer in Rajasthan, and will be used for aircraft operations during emergencies on the Western borders with Pakistan.

    A Hercules C-130J plane of the IAF, carrying the two ministers and Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, conducted a mock emergency landing on the field.

    Multiple landing and touchdown sorties were conducted starting with a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter.

    AN-32 military transport aircraft and Mi-17v5 helicopter of the IAF also landed at the ELF, showing its complete operational readiness to act as an auxiliary military airbase.

    In his speech, the Defence Minister said that a total of 20 emergency landing strips are being developed across the country right now.

    “Many helipads are also being created with the help of the Union Roads Ministry. This is an important step to strengthen our security infrastructure,” Rajnath added.

    The ELF is a 3 km section of the Satta-Gandhav stretch of NH-925A and is part of the newly developed Bakhasar and Gandhav section. It has a total length of 196.97 km and has been constructed at the cost of Rs 765.52 crore under Bharatmala Pariyojana.

    “This project will improve connectivity between villages of Barmer and Jalore districts located on the international border. The stretch being located in the western border area will facilitate the vigilance of the Indian Army as well,” said the minister.

    This emergency landing strip will be helpful not only during a war but also during times of natural calamities, Rajnath Singh said, adding that a natural calamity is no less than any war.

    Apart from this ELF, three helipads (100 x 30 metres each) have been constructed in Kundanpura, Singhania and Bakhasar villages as part of this project according to the requirements of the Air Force/Army, which will be the basis for strengthening the military and security network on the Western borders.

    In normal circumstances, the ELF will be used like any other national highway and during operations of the ELF for the IAF, the service road will be used for smooth flow of traffic.

    Also, there are plans for constructing 20 such ELFs across the country, mostly along the borders.

    This ELF was constructed in a time span of 19 months. The work was commenced in July 2019 and completed in January 2021.

    The road work was carried out by GHV India Pvt Ltd under the supervision of the IAF and NHAI. It will be able to facilitate landing of all types of aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

    Similar mock drills by fighter jets and transport planes were done thrice earlier in 2015, 2016 and 2017 on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway to show that such highways can be used for air operations.

    The Lucknow-Agra Expressway is not a national highway as it comes under the Uttar Pradesh government.

  • BJP rift sharpens in Rajasthan as Raje loyalist Meghwal to bring censure motion against Kataria

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: In a move that has sharpened the rift in the Rajasthan BJP, former Speaker and senior BJP MLA Kailash Meghwal will bring a censure motion against the party’s current Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria. Meghwal has written a letter to the state BJP chief Satish Poonia informing him about the decision and has asked Poonia to preside over the BJP legislature meeting where the censure motion will be introduced.  

    In a letter also sent to national BJP President JP Nadda, Meghwal has claimed that Kataria’s irresponsible statements damaged the party in the recent byelections. He has also alleged that Kataria had taken huge sums of money for distributing tickets in the past.

    The move by Meghwal, just ahead of the monsoon session of the Rajasthan Assembly, is set to intensify the infighting in the BJP as he is considered a strong supporter of Vasundhara Raje. In the letter to state party president Poonia, Meghwal accused the Leader of Opposition Gulabchand Kataria of harming the party’s interests in the recently held bypolls through his statements.

    In his letter, Meghwal has claimed that he will bring a censure proposal condemning Kataria during the meeting of party legislators. The resolution will be to condemn Kataria for his statements on Maharana Pratap and Lord Rama, which ‘caused loss to the party’ during the recent by-elections, according to Meghwal’s letter to Poonia written on September 4. In the campaign for the bypolls in Rajsamand in April, Kataria had sparked a controversy by making ‘derogatory’ remarks on Rajput ruler Maharana Pratap which triggered widespread criticism. Later, he also said that without the BJP, ‘Shri Ram’ would have been in the sea.

    Meghwal, in his letter, also alleged that though Kataria tries to claim a clean image for himself, under him, posts and party tickets have been sold for lakhs and crores in the past. Meghwal even stated that but for RSS backing for Kataria, numerous people will speak out against him.

    Meghwal even reveals in his letter that in 2008 some senior BJP leaders of the state, namely Gulab Chand Kataria, Ghanshyam Tiwari and Arun Chaturvedi had vowed on Ganga-Jal that they would never support Vasundhara Raje. But for his own selfish interests, Kataria was the first one to break this vow and switched over to the Raje camp for some years. Besides BJP national president JP Nadda, Meghwal has sent copies of his letter to several senior leaders including RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Dattatreya Hosabole, Union minister Amit Shah, Rajasthan in charge Arun Singh, Om Mathur and Vasundhara Raje.

    Meghwal’s letter emerged on the day that Rajasthan in-charge Arun Singh came to Jaipur on Wednesday for a two-day trip — and it has quickly gone viral on social media. In a guarded response, Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria has stated that he will “happily accept whatever decision the party seniors take on this matter.”  

    Meanwhile, the BJP has started a damage control exercise on Meghwal’s letter controversy. Talking to reporters at the airport on Wednesday, BJP state in-charge Arun Singh gave a stern warning to Meghwal and advised him to refrain from making such allegations. “I will talk to him to find out why he has written this letter. Such statements cause damage to the party and hurt the sentiments of lakhs of workers,” he said.

    Political observers, however, do not see this as just a personal issue between Meghwal and Kataria. They believe this matter reflects the long-standing bitterness between Raje loyalists and the RSS lobby in the state unit. With this row exploding just a day ahead of the Assembly session, the focus of the Rajasthan BJP will now be less on putting the Congress in the dock and more on tackling the dispute between party veterans Meghwal and Kataria and preventing the divide within the state unit from becoming a huge embarrassment.

  • When time comes farmers won’t lag in teaching BJP lesson, says Rajasthan CM

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday hit out at the BJP government at the Centre over the contentious farm laws, saying when the time comes the farmers of the country won’t lag in teaching the saffron party a lesson.

    The crowd that gathered at the ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar, are fed up with the BJP, he claimed.

    Thousands of farmers gathered on Sunday at a mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar, where BKU leader Rakesh Tikait called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders “rioters” and said the party should be given a drubbing in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.

    The event was organised by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) to protest the Centre’s controversial farm laws.

    Referring to the panchayat poll results in six districts of Rajasthan, Gehlot claimed it has made clear that there is a lot of resentment against the BJP.

    The panchayat poll results have made it clear that there is a lot of resentment against the BJP among the farmers and they are in the mood to teach the party a lesson, the chief minister said in a tweet.

    The ruling Congress was ahead of the BJP in the panchayat polls in six districts of Rajasthan, securing a majority in four out of six Zila Parishad and bagging 670 of the 1,564 panchayat Samiti seats on Saturday.

    Gehlot said the farmers have fully understood the BJP’s “false promise” of doubling their income by 2022 and attempts to hand over agriculture to big businessmen by imposing anti-farmer agriculture laws without taking the farmers into confidence.

    “The attitude of the NDA government towards the farmers is well known. When the time comes, the farmers of the country will not lag in teaching the BJP a lesson,” he added.