News Analysis India

Tag: T S Singhdeo

  • Chhattisgarh Health Minister’s complaint against Kapil Mishra for Rahul remark

    Express News Service

    RAIPUR:  Chhattisgarh Health Minister T S Singhdeo on Thursday filed a police complaint seeking an FIR and strict action against controversial BJP leader Kapil Mishra for “deliberately spreading misinformation against Rahul Gandhi”. Two more others, BJP’s Harish Khurana and Major Surendra Poonia are also named in the plaint filed at Jagdalpur police station in Bastar in the state.

    In his complaint the minister cited the false and malicious imputation made by various twitter handles against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. “I have recently come across various posts on social media platform ‘Twitter’, which have been grossly objectionable and offensive in nature and made by twitter handles @MajorPoonia @Kaoil Mishra_IND @HarishKhuranna.

    The twitter handles uttered false and malicious posts on Rahul Gandhi attending a party in a pub in Nepal and there he had a secret meeting with the Ambassador  to Nepal. ” The minister asking the police to take cognisance and initiate strict action against in the matter .

    Kapil Mishra in response to an FIR tweeted, ‘Why an FIR against me? Is the video of the place where Rahul had gone tarnished his image? What if the court asks to make the passport details on Rahul’s visit public?”.

    Similarly, Delhi-based BJP leader Harish Khurana, son of former Delhi CM Madal Lal Khurana, responded to Singhdeo by tweeting: “I am not afraid of any FIR. The fear of FIR cannot suppress my voice”.

    False, malicious charges: SinghdeoIn his complaint Chhattisgarh Health Minister T S Singhdeo cited the false and malicious imputation made by various twitter handles against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Kapil Mishra and Harish Khurana, meanwhile, have responded to the tweet. 

  • Group of Chhattisgarh Congress MLAs camps in Delhi, one of them says no question of leadership change

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI/RAIPUR: Amid speculation over the possibility of a leadership change in Chhattisgarh, a group of Congress MLAs known to be close to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel are camping in Delhi but the CM and cabinet minister T S Singhdeo both downplayed the development on Thursday.

    However, one of the MLAs camping in Delhi, Brihaspat Singh, asserted that there was no question of a change at the top in the state and Baghel would complete his full term.

    Around 15 party MLAs are in Delhi and they want to meet AICC in-charge of Chhattisgarh P L Punia to convey that Rahul Gandhi should extend the duration of his proposed tour to the state so that all MLAs can get benefit of it, said Singh, the party MLA from the Ramanujganj seat of the state.

    When contacted, Punia said he was in Lucknow and had no information about the MLAs being in Delhi as none of them had contacted him.

    The AICC in-charge of the state said he had no plans to return to Delhi at least for a week.

    Singh, however, insisted that they are waiting for Punia and will speak with him when he returns.

    Asked about the MLAs’ visit, Baghel told reporters in Raipur, “Tell me one thing – can’t legislators go anywhere. Every step should not be seen as politics. Anybody can go anywhere. Even you (mediapersons) tour with your friends and it doesn’t mean every time the purpose is getting news.”

    Similarly, if anyone has gone to Delhi it should not be seen through political prism, said the CM.

    Downplaying the development, Singhdeo said in Raipur, “All 70 MLAs can go. What is the issue if MLAs go to Delhi. All this went on in Uttar Pradesh also, what is new that is happening in Chhattisgarh.”

    He said it is the view of all MLAs that everyone would abide by the decision of the high command.

    The demand for a change of guard reared its head in Chhattisgarh after Baghel completed two-and-a-half years as chief minister in June 2021.

    The Singhdeo camp claimed that the high command in 2018 had agreed to hand over the post to him after the government completed half its term.

    Punia has time and again denied that any such deal was struck in 2018 when the party came to power by dislodging the BJP.

    The Congress high command summoned both Baghel and Singhdeo to Delhi in August to resolve the feud.

    Asked whether the visit of the MLAs was aimed at expressing support to Baghel amid buzz of leadership change, Singh said their visit was aimed at conveying to the high command that Gandhi should extend the duration of his proposed tour, but added that there was no possibility of a leadership change.

    “The situation in Chhattisgarh is not like that of Punjab. Our party has 70 MLAs (in the 90-member state assembly), of whom 60 legislators had last time told everything to Punia ji and the high command,” Singh told PTI.

    “The high command gave a chief minister from the OBC community to the state with 54 per cent OBCs. The high command gives the example of Chhattisgarh government’s policies during elections in other states, so there is no such question (of leadership change),” Singh said.

    As far as the BJP people are concerned, if they think they can make the government fall by misleading “Maharaja of Sarguja” (a reference to T S Singhdeo) as they did in Madhya Pradesh by misleading “Gwalior Maharaja” (a reference to Jyotiraditya Scindia), they will not be successful, Singh said.

    “Our Maharaja of Sarguja is very intelligent, very knowledgeable and has himself stated that he will never leave the party. So there is no possibility and under the leadership of Bhupesh Baghel, together with T S Singhdeo, the government will continue to work for the development of the state,” the MLA said.

    Baghel is doing a great job and “we will work under his leadership for five years and will fight elections under his leadership in the future with the blessings of Rahul Gandhi”, he added.

    The buzz in political circles in Chhattisgarh over legislators having gone to express their support to Baghel comes in the wake of the Punjab political crisis for the party.

    Plunging the Congress into a fresh crisis months ahead of the Punjab Assembly polls, Navjot Singh Sidhu quit as the party’s state unit chief on Tuesday, shortly after the allocation of portfolios among the members of the new state cabinet led by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi.

    It appeared that Baghel had managed to avert for the time being a leadership change when he told reporters in Raipur recently that party leader Rahul Gandhi had agreed to visit the state “on his invitation”, and those talking about rotating the CM’s post were promoting political instability.

    However, there has been constant speculation over the matter.

    Meanwhile, speaking at the PHD Chamber Annual Session, Baghel listed the achievements of his government and asserted that because of the emphasis on strengthening the rural economy of the state, Chhattisgarh had made economic progress despite the problems posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

    The Chhattisgarh CM also said agriculture was the most crucial sector in India and if the country’s economy was recovering from the Covid jitters it was because of this sector.

  • CM faux pas in vaccine certificates; Chhattisgarh Congress infighting to blame?

    Express News Service
    RAIPUR:  Even as the Congress is struggling to put its house in order in poll-bound states, differences between Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Health Minister T S Singhdeo in Chhattisgarh are growing and this is creating piquant situations.

    The Covid-19 vaccine beneficiaries in Janjgir-Champa district were recently handed over vaccination certificates that not only carried the photos of Baghel and Singhdeo but referred to both as CM. As the vaccination card went viral on social media, health department officials blamed it on the negligence of the block medical officer (BMO).

    District collector Jitender Kumar Shukla said the officer had been shunted out. However, Anil Choudhary, BMO of Sakti block in the district, said, “It is an error by the printing press. We have been instructed to discontinue distributing these erroneous vaccination cards and replace them.”

    While the incident could just be a faux pas and may have no links with the tension between the CM and his cabinet colleague, Baghel’s recent decision of promoting the role of private health sector in rural area has not gone down well with Singhdeo, who did not hide his displeasure.

    On June 26, Baghel decided to offer grants to specialist health professionals who will set up private nursing homes in villages. A miffed Singhdeo said, “Neither was such plan discussed with me nor am I in favour of the decision. At a time when the state has inadequate financial resources, giving funds to the private sector that will further charge the people for treatment is something beyond my comprehension.”Baghel’s recent reshuffle of district in-charge ministers was seen as a move to clip the wings of Singhdeo. He was in-charge of 12 Assembly constituencies but now has only five segments.

  • Finally, Covishield vaccine arrives in Chhattisgarh

    IT has come as a big relief, as the first batch of Covishield vaccine arrived in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday afternoon. Total of 3.23 lakh doses have arrived, out of which 2.67 lakh doses will be administered to front line workers in first phase. Health Minister T S Singhdeo tweeted, “With immense satisfaction, I would like to inform you that today Chhattisgarh received the first batch of Covid Vaccine. This is a big step in our pursuit to eradicate Covid from State. We have received 32,300 vials of 10 doses to cover 3,23,000 health workers in first phase. All preparations have been made to build a robust process ensuring safe and timely vaccination. Our healthcare workers are putting in a lot of effort for safety of Chhattisgarh for which we are ever grateful.” As per the information, Health Department has arranged insulated vaccine van to transport the vaccine from Airport to the Vaccine Storage Centres. These vaccines will be stored between +2 and +8 degree Celsius. Through insulated vans, these vaccines will be transported to different districts. One State-level, three regional and 27 district-level Cold Chain Points have been developed for storage of Covid vaccines. Officials informed that for safe storage of vaccine 630, active Cold Chain Points and over 85,000 litres storage capacity cold chain space is made available. 81 additional Cold Chain Points are also established. For transportation 1,311 cold boxes are available, 360 dry storages are also available for storage of syringe, needles and other equipment. Dr Amar Singh Thakur, State Immunisation Officer informed that 1,349 booths have been identified for first phase of vaccination. Total of 2,67,399 health workers, State and Central Government employees, Armed Force Personnel will be vaccinated. All information are being posted in Covin portal.