News Analysis India

Tag: Yogi Adityanath

  • ‘Those who criticize India abroad today…’: UP CM Yogi hits out at Rahul

    By ANI

    G: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday made a veiled attack on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in response to his statement made in London.

    CM Yogi said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making the country famous in the world, some people are trying to defame the country.

    Addressing a seminar here, Chief Minister said, “While under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi India’s dominance on global platforms is growing, some people are criticizing India on foreign soil. The people criticising Indian democracy today are the same people who left no stone unturned to strangle democracy itself when they were given a chance.”

    The Chief Minister said that these people criticise the country when they are abroad, but when they are home, they criticise Uttar Pradesh.

    CM Yogi added that such people who wish to weaken the strong democracy of the country and whose family’s legacy has been that of the politics of divide and rule should be recognised and must not be allowed to succeed in their evil designs.

    He added that in the times to come, India will be the country to show the way to the world.

    CM Yogi said that getting the leadership of the G20 shows India’s potential, pointing out that the country’s global dominance is growing.

    “Whether it is Afghanistan or the Russia-Ukraine war, the initiative of PM Modi is awaited everywhere. Prime Ministers of Italy and Australia visited India recently whereas the Japanese PM is going to visit India soon. All these present a new picture of the country,” the Chief Minister said.

    “In the last nine years, India under the leadership of PM Modi, has taken a giant leap in almost every sphere of life. There has been a massive positive change in every field from farming to innovation. Income of people has increased many fold and space travel is also being done through private satellite,” he asserted.

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had said it is the duty of every Indian living around the world to protect democracy”.

    The Congress MP, who was on a visit to the UK, criticised the Centre alleging that an attack has been unleashed on the basic structure of Indian democracy.

    Rahul Gandhi in an interaction at the Chatham House in London termed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) a “fundamentalist” and “fascist” organisation alleging that it has captured pretty much all of India’s institutions.

    He said, “The nature of democratic contest in India has completely changed and the reason is that one organisation called RSS – a fundamentalist, fascist organisation has basically captured pretty much all of India’s institutions.”

    Rahul Gandhi further said Europe and the US are not doing enough to restore democracy in India as they are getting trade and money from the country. “Why Europe and the US – the defenders of democracies — were oblivious of how a huge chunk of democracy in India has come undone?” he questioned.

    The Congress leader also mentioned how the various institutions in the country were under threat. “It shocked me how successful they have been at capturing the different institutions of our country. Press, Judiciary, Parliament, and Election Commission are all under threat and are controlled in one way or the other,” Rahul Gandhi said.

    “You can ask any Opposition leader as to how agencies are used. My phone had Pegasus on it, which was not happening when we were in power,” he added.

    The Congress MP highlighted the condition of the Dalits and minorities in India. He said, “In India, you can see what is being done to Dalits, tribals, and minorities. It is not that Congress is saying it. There are articles in the foreign press all the time that there is a serious problem with Indian democracy.”

    G: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday made a veiled attack on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in response to his statement made in London.

    CM Yogi said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making the country famous in the world, some people are trying to defame the country.

    Addressing a seminar here, Chief Minister said, “While under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi India’s dominance on global platforms is growing, some people are criticizing India on foreign soil. The people criticising Indian democracy today are the same people who left no stone unturned to strangle democracy itself when they were given a chance.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The Chief Minister said that these people criticise the country when they are abroad, but when they are home, they criticise Uttar Pradesh.

    CM Yogi added that such people who wish to weaken the strong democracy of the country and whose family’s legacy has been that of the politics of divide and rule should be recognised and must not be allowed to succeed in their evil designs.

    He added that in the times to come, India will be the country to show the way to the world.

    CM Yogi said that getting the leadership of the G20 shows India’s potential, pointing out that the country’s global dominance is growing.

    “Whether it is Afghanistan or the Russia-Ukraine war, the initiative of PM Modi is awaited everywhere. Prime Ministers of Italy and Australia visited India recently whereas the Japanese PM is going to visit India soon. All these present a new picture of the country,” the Chief Minister said.

    “In the last nine years, India under the leadership of PM Modi, has taken a giant leap in almost every sphere of life. There has been a massive positive change in every field from farming to innovation. Income of people has increased many fold and space travel is also being done through private satellite,” he asserted.

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had said it is the duty of every Indian living around the world to protect democracy”.

    The Congress MP, who was on a visit to the UK, criticised the Centre alleging that an attack has been unleashed on the basic structure of Indian democracy.

    Rahul Gandhi in an interaction at the Chatham House in London termed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) a “fundamentalist” and “fascist” organisation alleging that it has captured pretty much all of India’s institutions.

    He said, “The nature of democratic contest in India has completely changed and the reason is that one organisation called RSS – a fundamentalist, fascist organisation has basically captured pretty much all of India’s institutions.”

    Rahul Gandhi further said Europe and the US are not doing enough to restore democracy in India as they are getting trade and money from the country. “Why Europe and the US – the defenders of democracies — were oblivious of how a huge chunk of democracy in India has come undone?” he questioned.

    The Congress leader also mentioned how the various institutions in the country were under threat. “It shocked me how successful they have been at capturing the different institutions of our country. Press, Judiciary, Parliament, and Election Commission are all under threat and are controlled in one way or the other,” Rahul Gandhi said.

    “You can ask any Opposition leader as to how agencies are used. My phone had Pegasus on it, which was not happening when we were in power,” he added.

    The Congress MP highlighted the condition of the Dalits and minorities in India. He said, “In India, you can see what is being done to Dalits, tribals, and minorities. It is not that Congress is saying it. There are articles in the foreign press all the time that there is a serious problem with Indian democracy.”

  • Yogi Adityanath,  Akhilesh Yadav spar in UP Assemby over 2005 Prayagraj shootout

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: With budget session getting into its sixth day on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh Assembly witnessed a rare face-off between UP CM Yogi Adityanath and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav over Friday’s shoot out in Prayagraj during which Umesh Pal, the prime eyewitness of 2005 murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal, was killed along with the shooter.

    During the debate, the UP CM launched a broadside on Samajwadi Party accusing it of cultivating and patronizing mafia and criminals and taking the vow to eliminate all criminals completely from UP.

    “Iss House mein keh raha hoon. Iss mafia ko mitti me mila denge (I am saying it in this House, we will destroy this criminal),” the CM said in reference to Atiq Ahmed who has been named in Prayagraj shootout..

    “Jitney mafias hain unko mitti me milane ka kaam karenge (I will destroy all the mafias),” he added. As soon as the house assembled on Saturday morning, the opposition, including Akhilesh Yadav, attacked the BJP-led government over the sensational shootout in Prayagraj on Friday evening calling it a complete failure of law and order in the state.

    The CM started with expressing grief over the incident and assured the house that no mafia would be allowed to flourish in the state. Calling Prayagraj incident unfortunate, CM Yogi said that the government had taken cognizance of it and that action had begun.

    Notably, in connection with Prayagraj shootout, gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad, his wife Shaista Parveen, his brother Ashraf and both the sons along with other close relatives have been booked on the basis of the complaint given by deceased Umesh Pal’s family.

    Shaista had recently taken BSP membership. With repeated interruptions from the Opposition during his speech, seemingly agitated UP CM rebuffed the Samajwadi Party by accusing it of protecting mafia Atiq Ahmed.

    “Now they are raising fingers at the state government. The Prayagraj incident is very disturbing, but the guilty will not be spared and the action will soon be there for everyone to see,” said Yogi in the assembly. Leader of Opposition Akhilesh Yadav reacted to CM Yogi’s remark asking which party did criminal Atiq Ahmad belonged.

    “Since you have a friendship with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), you are not taking the name of BSP.” CM Yogi asked if those named in Friday incident were not nurtured and protected by the SP.

    “The Samajwadi Party had made Atiq Ahmed an MP. It is the BJP government that has broken his back. He became an MLA from Allahabad West in 1996 and an MP in 2004 and 2009 with the support of Samajwadi Party,” maintained Yogi.

    “You will first give shelter to criminals and garland them and then create drama and make allegations on others,” added the CM. He continued his tirade by saying: “You needed an excuse for your misdeeds. They (SP) have been patronizing mafia and criminals continuously. Crime runs in their veins. They haven’t learnt anything except crime. The whole state knows this and today, they have come to give clarification.” Continuing his attack, the CM referred to the statement once made by SP patriarch late Mulayam Sigh Yadav.

    LUCKNOW: With budget session getting into its sixth day on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh Assembly witnessed a rare face-off between UP CM Yogi Adityanath and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav over Friday’s shoot out in Prayagraj during which Umesh Pal, the prime eyewitness of 2005 murder case of BSP MLA Raju Pal, was killed along with the shooter.

    During the debate, the UP CM launched a broadside on Samajwadi Party accusing it of cultivating and patronizing mafia and criminals and taking the vow to eliminate all criminals completely from UP.

    “Iss House mein keh raha hoon. Iss mafia ko mitti me mila denge (I am saying it in this House, we will destroy this criminal),” the CM said in reference to Atiq Ahmed who has been named in Prayagraj shootout..

    “Jitney mafias hain unko mitti me milane ka kaam karenge (I will destroy all the mafias),” he added. As soon as the house assembled on Saturday morning, the opposition, including Akhilesh Yadav, attacked the BJP-led government over the sensational shootout in Prayagraj on Friday evening calling it a complete failure of law and order in the state.

    The CM started with expressing grief over the incident and assured the house that no mafia would be allowed to flourish in the state. Calling Prayagraj incident unfortunate, CM Yogi said that the government had taken cognizance of it and that action had begun.

    Notably, in connection with Prayagraj shootout, gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad, his wife Shaista Parveen, his brother Ashraf and both the sons along with other close relatives have been booked on the basis of the complaint given by deceased Umesh Pal’s family.

    Shaista had recently taken BSP membership. With repeated interruptions from the Opposition during his speech, seemingly agitated UP CM rebuffed the Samajwadi Party by accusing it of protecting mafia Atiq Ahmed.

    “Now they are raising fingers at the state government. The Prayagraj incident is very disturbing, but the guilty will not be spared and the action will soon be there for everyone to see,” said Yogi in the assembly. Leader of Opposition Akhilesh Yadav reacted to CM Yogi’s remark asking which party did criminal Atiq Ahmad belonged.

    “Since you have a friendship with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), you are not taking the name of BSP.” CM Yogi asked if those named in Friday incident were not nurtured and protected by the SP.

    “The Samajwadi Party had made Atiq Ahmed an MP. It is the BJP government that has broken his back. He became an MLA from Allahabad West in 1996 and an MP in 2004 and 2009 with the support of Samajwadi Party,” maintained Yogi.

    “You will first give shelter to criminals and garland them and then create drama and make allegations on others,” added the CM. He continued his tirade by saying: “You needed an excuse for your misdeeds. They (SP) have been patronizing mafia and criminals continuously. Crime runs in their veins. They haven’t learnt anything except crime. The whole state knows this and today, they have come to give clarification.” Continuing his attack, the CM referred to the statement once made by SP patriarch late Mulayam Sigh Yadav.

  • What is PM’s, UP CM’s response on caste survey, asks Akhilesh Yadav

    By PTI

    NOIDA: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday sought to know what is the stand of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on caste survey in the state.

    The former UP chief minister spoke about the issue during a visit to Noida, a day after Samajwadi Party MLAs disrupted the proceedings of the state assembly following their demand of conducting a caste survey in the state on the lines of Bihar being rejected by the government.

    Responding to the Opposition demand, the Yogi Adityanath-led government replied in negative, asserting that carrying out the census was the Centre’s jurisdiction.

    “The BJP is a very smart party. The BJP is putting forward its leaders to whom it has given nothing. What is the response of the prime minister and the chief minister (of UP) on caste survey, that is the major question. It’s not a question which can be responded to by small leaders, it’s about policy,” Yadav told reporters on sidelines of a party event here.

    He recalled that when the UPA was in power at the Centre, leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sharad Yadav, Laloo Prasad Yadav and several from south India had approached the Congress for caste survey.

    “It’s a different matter that the Congress had first denied the demand. It had agreed to the demand later but not made the statistics public,” Yadav said.

    The Samajwadi Party chief alleged that those running away from caste survey are the same people who are in favour of “outsourcing and privatisation”.

    Pitching further, Yadav said a lot of aware people from different walks of society have come forward in support of caste survey, noting that making policies, rolling out schemes, initiatives and facilities to public is not possible without it.

    “If the BJP truly believes in its Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas slogan, then it will have to assure all communities that they will be connected with all schemes,” he said.

    Census is about to be conducted and it is the responsibility of the BJP to make sure that caste survey is also done, the former CM said, adding his party has said whenever it will get a chance, it will ensure it’s done.

    NOIDA: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday sought to know what is the stand of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on caste survey in the state.

    The former UP chief minister spoke about the issue during a visit to Noida, a day after Samajwadi Party MLAs disrupted the proceedings of the state assembly following their demand of conducting a caste survey in the state on the lines of Bihar being rejected by the government.

    Responding to the Opposition demand, the Yogi Adityanath-led government replied in negative, asserting that carrying out the census was the Centre’s jurisdiction.

    “The BJP is a very smart party. The BJP is putting forward its leaders to whom it has given nothing. What is the response of the prime minister and the chief minister (of UP) on caste survey, that is the major question. It’s not a question which can be responded to by small leaders, it’s about policy,” Yadav told reporters on sidelines of a party event here.

    He recalled that when the UPA was in power at the Centre, leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sharad Yadav, Laloo Prasad Yadav and several from south India had approached the Congress for caste survey.

    “It’s a different matter that the Congress had first denied the demand. It had agreed to the demand later but not made the statistics public,” Yadav said.

    The Samajwadi Party chief alleged that those running away from caste survey are the same people who are in favour of “outsourcing and privatisation”.

    Pitching further, Yadav said a lot of aware people from different walks of society have come forward in support of caste survey, noting that making policies, rolling out schemes, initiatives and facilities to public is not possible without it.

    “If the BJP truly believes in its Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas slogan, then it will have to assure all communities that they will be connected with all schemes,” he said.

    Census is about to be conducted and it is the responsibility of the BJP to make sure that caste survey is also done, the former CM said, adding his party has said whenever it will get a chance, it will ensure it’s done.

  • UP govt issues GO asking schools to comply with Allahabad HC order over fee adjustment

    By Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Yogi Adityanath government released a government order (GO) directing all the private schools to adjust 15 per cent excess fees which they charged during the Covid period (2020-21) in the current academic session in compliance with the order of Allahabad High Court.

    The GO said that the amount should be returned to those students, who had left the schools. Releasing the GO, Special Secretary, Rupesh Kumar said that if any student/guardian/parent-teacher association was aggrieved by non-compliance of the above instructions, they should approach the District Fee Regulatory Committee with a complaint under Section 8 of the Uttar Pradesh Self-Financed Independent Schools (Fee Regulation) Act, 2018. “The committee will take appropriate decision on their complaint,” said the officer.

    The special secretary said the government had issued an order, dated April 27, 2020, asking all school boards operating in the state not to increase fees. “But if the schools charged 15 per cent of the calculated amount of the excess fee in the academic session 2020-21, it should now be adjusted,” said the order.

    Significantly, the Allahabad High Court, on January 6, 2023, had directed all schools in Uttar Pradesh to provide a 15 per cent rebate to the students on the total fees charged during the Covid period in 2020-21.

    However, the Unaided Private Schools Association of UP had claimed that most of the member schools had given huge concessions to students during the pandemic times. “If there are complaints by parents against any school violating it, that school should be questioned,” said Anil Agarwal, president of the Association.

    Parents welcomed the High Court and state government orders of the 15 per cent fee adjustment, saying it would give some relief to parents who were hard-pressed as their income was hit due to job loss or salary cuts during the pandemic.

    LUCKNOW: Yogi Adityanath government released a government order (GO) directing all the private schools to adjust 15 per cent excess fees which they charged during the Covid period (2020-21) in the current academic session in compliance with the order of Allahabad High Court.

    The GO said that the amount should be returned to those students, who had left the schools. Releasing the GO, Special Secretary, Rupesh Kumar said that if any student/guardian/parent-teacher association was aggrieved by non-compliance of the above instructions, they should approach the District Fee Regulatory Committee with a complaint under Section 8 of the Uttar Pradesh Self-Financed Independent Schools (Fee Regulation) Act, 2018. “The committee will take appropriate decision on their complaint,” said the officer.

    The special secretary said the government had issued an order, dated April 27, 2020, asking all school boards operating in the state not to increase fees. “But if the schools charged 15 per cent of the calculated amount of the excess fee in the academic session 2020-21, it should now be adjusted,” said the order.

    Significantly, the Allahabad High Court, on January 6, 2023, had directed all schools in Uttar Pradesh to provide a 15 per cent rebate to the students on the total fees charged during the Covid period in 2020-21.

    However, the Unaided Private Schools Association of UP had claimed that most of the member schools had given huge concessions to students during the pandemic times. “If there are complaints by parents against any school violating it, that school should be questioned,” said Anil Agarwal, president of the Association.

    Parents welcomed the High Court and state government orders of the 15 per cent fee adjustment, saying it would give some relief to parents who were hard-pressed as their income was hit due to job loss or salary cuts during the pandemic.

  • Elephant tramples to death three persons at temple festival in Uttar Pradesh

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: An elephant went berserk and trampled to death two women and a child during a religious event in Gorakhpur on Thursday.

    According to the local sources, the jumbo ran amok during a yagya ceremony held at Mohammadpur Mafi village of Jagatbela under Chitwa Tal police station limits of Gorakhpur.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the victims.

    The sources claimed that in Mohammadpur Mafi village, the yagya of Shri Lakshmi Narayan was planned from February 16 to 24. On the first day of the event, a Kalash Yatra had to be taken out and two elephants were called in to take part in the yatra. Suddenly, one of the elephants, which was brought at the yagya site, got annoyed and started running amok. The jumbo got aggressive by the noise and people taking selfies.

    The pachyderm while going out of the control of his owner, lifted two women in its trunk, tossed and flumped them on the ground, and trampled them to death.

    Those killed by the jumbo were identified as Kanti Devi, 55, Kaushalya Devi, 50, and her four-year-old grandson named Krishna.  While creating havoc at the yagya site, the jumbo left scores of devotees, who had thronged the place in hundreds, injured.

    On getting the information, the local police station in-charge Jayant Kumar Singh, and CO Kampiereganj, Shaymdeo Bind rushed to the spot along with a team of forest officials to tame the jumbo.

    However, by the time the teams reached the incident site, the jumbo had traversed to the fields. Later, the forest team succeeded in taming it by giving a shot of tranquilizer, said the sources.

    Villagers say preparations were on before taking the Yagya Kalash Yatra out. The elephant was also brought to join the procession. Around 1,000 people were present at the site of the incident.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the victims.

    LUCKNOW: An elephant went berserk and trampled to death two women and a child during a religious event in Gorakhpur on Thursday.

    According to the local sources, the jumbo ran amok during a yagya ceremony held at Mohammadpur Mafi village of Jagatbela under Chitwa Tal police station limits of Gorakhpur.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the victims.

    The sources claimed that in Mohammadpur Mafi village, the yagya of Shri Lakshmi Narayan was planned from February 16 to 24. On the first day of the event, a Kalash Yatra had to be taken out and two elephants were called in to take part in the yatra. Suddenly, one of the elephants, which was brought at the yagya site, got annoyed and started running amok. The jumbo got aggressive by the noise and people taking selfies.

    The pachyderm while going out of the control of his owner, lifted two women in its trunk, tossed and flumped them on the ground, and trampled them to death.

    Those killed by the jumbo were identified as Kanti Devi, 55, Kaushalya Devi, 50, and her four-year-old grandson named Krishna.  While creating havoc at the yagya site, the jumbo left scores of devotees, who had thronged the place in hundreds, injured.

    On getting the information, the local police station in-charge Jayant Kumar Singh, and CO Kampiereganj, Shaymdeo Bind rushed to the spot along with a team of forest officials to tame the jumbo.

    However, by the time the teams reached the incident site, the jumbo had traversed to the fields. Later, the forest team succeeded in taming it by giving a shot of tranquilizer, said the sources.

    Villagers say preparations were on before taking the Yagya Kalash Yatra out. The elephant was also brought to join the procession. Around 1,000 people were present at the site of the incident.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the victims.

  • PM Modi to flag off world’s longest river cruise in Varanasi on January 13

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the world’s longest river cruise ‘Ganga Vilas’ through a video conference in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi on January 13.

    Ganga Vilas, the Varanasi-Dibrugarh river ship, will travel 3200 km in 50 days.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath along with Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal will be present at the flag-off ceremony at Ravidas Ghat. Thereafter, they will inaugurate a high-end tent city along the banks of the river Ganga.

    After the flag-off, Ganga Vilas will leave for Dibrugarh with 33 tourists including 32 from Switzerland and one from Germany. The vessel measuring 62.5 m (length), 12.8 m (width) and 1.35 m (draft) will cover a distance of 3200 km by crossing over 27 river systems in India and Bangladesh.

    The voyage would halt at over 50 architecturally important places, including world heritage sites. The vessel will also pass through national parks and sanctuaries including the Sundarbans Delta and Kaziranga National Park.

    The cruise, which departed from Kolkata on December 22 with 32 Swiss visitors onboard, is likely to arrive in Varanasi on January 9.

    According to the Director of Ganga Vilas Cruises, Raj Singh, Swiss visitors will travel to Varanasi and explore the city’s spiritual and religious sites. 

    To welcome the Swiss tourists, the Prayagraj unit of the Department of Cultural Affairs will organise a concert of popular Bollywood singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan in the courtyard of Kashi Vishwanath Corridor on January 12.

    Inauguration of Tent City

    According to Varanasi Development Authority vice chairman Abhishek Goyal, booking of accommodation has been opened on the official website, other travel sites and offline. 

    Accommodation in the tent city will become available from January 15.

    LUCKNOW: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the world’s longest river cruise ‘Ganga Vilas’ through a video conference in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi on January 13.

    Ganga Vilas, the Varanasi-Dibrugarh river ship, will travel 3200 km in 50 days.

    Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath along with Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal will be present at the flag-off ceremony at Ravidas Ghat. Thereafter, they will inaugurate a high-end tent city along the banks of the river Ganga.

    After the flag-off, Ganga Vilas will leave for Dibrugarh with 33 tourists including 32 from Switzerland and one from Germany. The vessel measuring 62.5 m (length), 12.8 m (width) and 1.35 m (draft) will cover a distance of 3200 km by crossing over 27 river systems in India and Bangladesh.

    The voyage would halt at over 50 architecturally important places, including world heritage sites. The vessel will also pass through national parks and sanctuaries including the Sundarbans Delta and Kaziranga National Park.

    The cruise, which departed from Kolkata on December 22 with 32 Swiss visitors onboard, is likely to arrive in Varanasi on January 9.

    According to the Director of Ganga Vilas Cruises, Raj Singh, Swiss visitors will travel to Varanasi and explore the city’s spiritual and religious sites. 

    To welcome the Swiss tourists, the Prayagraj unit of the Department of Cultural Affairs will organise a concert of popular Bollywood singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan in the courtyard of Kashi Vishwanath Corridor on January 12.

    Inauguration of Tent City

    According to Varanasi Development Authority vice chairman Abhishek Goyal, booking of accommodation has been opened on the official website, other travel sites and offline. 

    Accommodation in the tent city will become available from January 15.

  • Yogi Adityanath welcomes Supreme Court’s order on UP civic body polls

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed the Supreme Court order on Urban Local Body polls in the state saying his government will hold the elections within the time limit given by the apex court.

    Adityanath also reiterated the state government’s commitment to implementing the OBC reservationin Urban Local Bodies on the basis of the report of the OBC commission set up by it till March 31.

    The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister tweeted, “We welcome the Supreme Court’s order regarding civic polls in UP. We will cooperate in the conductance of Urban Local Body polls in the state while implementing the OBC quota within the time limit given by the apex court.”

    The UP government had challenged the Allahabad High Court order blocking the OBC quota in civic polls and asking the state Election Commission to hold the polls before January 31.

    After the HC order, the opposition, including SP and BSP, had targeted the state government accusing it of being anti-OBC. Following the apex court’s order on Wednesday, Samajwadi Party said the order had vindicated its stand over the issue.

    The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had ordered that the state government notified the polls “immediately” as the term of several municipalities would end by January 31.

    LUCKNOW: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed the Supreme Court order on Urban Local Body polls in the state saying his government will hold the elections within the time limit given by the apex court.

    Adityanath also reiterated the state government’s commitment to implementing the OBC reservation
    in Urban Local Bodies on the basis of the report of the OBC commission set up by it till March 31.

    The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister tweeted, “We welcome the Supreme Court’s order regarding civic polls in UP. We will cooperate in the conductance of Urban Local Body polls in the state while implementing the OBC quota within the time limit given by the apex court.”

    The UP government had challenged the Allahabad High Court order blocking the OBC quota in civic polls and asking the state Election Commission to hold the polls before January 31.

    After the HC order, the opposition, including SP and BSP, had targeted the state government accusing it of being anti-OBC. Following the apex court’s order on Wednesday, Samajwadi Party said the order had vindicated its stand over the issue.

    The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had ordered that the state government notified the polls “immediately” as the term of several municipalities would end by January 31.

  • UP government moves SC against HCs order to conduct local body polls without OBC quota 

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Yogi Adityanath led Uttar Pradesh government has approached Supreme Court against Allahabad High Court’s order of directing state to conduct Urban Local Body Polls (ULB) without OBC reservation. 

    Allahabad HC’s December 27 order had come in batch of pleas that had challenged state government’s December 5 draft notification for providing proposed reservation for OBCs in civic elections. The pleas had also challenged state’s December 12 notification which provides for operation of bank accounts of Municipalities under joint signatures of Executive Officers and the Senior Most Officer in Uttar Pradesh Palika Centralized Service (Accounts Cadre). 

    A bench of Justices Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Saurabh Lavania while quashing December 5 and 12 notification ruled that the government could not notify OBC reservations for civic elections till fulfilment of three conditions laid down by the Supreme Court’s constitution bench in 2010. The HC had also ordered the state to “immediately” notify elections to the urban local bodies without OBC quotas. Additionally the bench directed the government to set up commission for to conducting an empirical study on the nature and backwardness to be able to have OBC quotas in the next election to urban local bodies. 

    ALSO READ | UP: Urban local body polls only after reservation to OBCs, says CM Yogi

    “We have issued the direction to immediately notify the elections being guided by the provisions of Article 243-U of the Constitution of India which mandates that election to constitute a municipality shall be completed before expiry of its duration. We understand that collection and collation of materials by the dedicated Commission is a humongous and time taking task, however, formation of elected municipal bodies by (an) election cannot be delayed for the reason of constitutional mandate contained in Article 243-U of the Constitution of India. Thus to fortify the democratic character of governance of society, it is essential that the elections are held at the earliest which cannot wait,” the bench said.

    UP government in plea before SC had argued that the HC erred in quashing draft notification since OBCs are constitutionally protected. 

    NEW DELHI: Yogi Adityanath led Uttar Pradesh government has approached Supreme Court against Allahabad High Court’s order of directing state to conduct Urban Local Body Polls (ULB) without OBC reservation. 

    Allahabad HC’s December 27 order had come in batch of pleas that had challenged state government’s December 5 draft notification for providing proposed reservation for OBCs in civic elections. The pleas had also challenged state’s December 12 notification which provides for operation of bank accounts of Municipalities under joint signatures of Executive Officers and the Senior Most Officer in Uttar Pradesh Palika Centralized Service (Accounts Cadre). 

    A bench of Justices Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Saurabh Lavania while quashing December 5 and 12 notification ruled that the government could not notify OBC reservations for civic elections till fulfilment of three conditions laid down by the Supreme Court’s constitution bench in 2010. The HC had also ordered the state to “immediately” notify elections to the urban local bodies without OBC quotas. Additionally the bench directed the government to set up commission for to conducting an empirical study on the nature and backwardness to be able to have OBC quotas in the next election to urban local bodies. 

    ALSO READ | UP: Urban local body polls only after reservation to OBCs, says CM Yogi

    “We have issued the direction to immediately notify the elections being guided by the provisions of Article 243-U of the Constitution of India which mandates that election to constitute a municipality shall be completed before expiry of its duration. We understand that collection and collation of materials by the dedicated Commission is a humongous and time taking task, however, formation of elected municipal bodies by (an) election cannot be delayed for the reason of constitutional mandate contained in Article 243-U of the Constitution of India. Thus to fortify the democratic character of governance of society, it is essential that the elections are held at the earliest which cannot wait,” the bench said.

    UP government in plea before SC had argued that the HC erred in quashing draft notification since OBCs are constitutionally protected. 

  • UP: Urban local body polls only after reservation to OBCs, says CM Yogi

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: The Urban Local Body polls seem to be heading for a delay in the state as, contrary to Allahabad High Court’s Tuesday order, the Yogi Aditynath government is contemplating going for the elections only after fixing quota for OBCs through a triple test process in the civic bodies.

    Reacting to the order passed by the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court allowing Urban Local Body elections in the state without OBC reservation in civic bodies, the Uttar Pradesh government said that it would not go for the polls without fixing quota for OBCs.

    In a press statement issued on Tuesday, UP CM Yogi Adityanath said that the state would form a commission to ensure reservation to OBCs on the basis of a “triple test” process and that the Local Body elections would be conducted only after providing reservations to OBCs.

    CM Yogi said the authorities were going through the High Court order in detail and the state government would consider all the legal aspects associated with it. The state government would move the Supreme Court, if necessary, said the UP CM.

    Earlier in the day, in an order, a Division Bench of Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Saurabh Lavania said until the “triple test/conditions” mandated by the Supreme Court was completed in all respects by the state government, no reservation for the Backward Class of citizens should be provided.

    UP Deputy CM Keshav Maurya said that the decision over Urban Local Body polls would be taken only after consulting the legal experts in connection with the High Court order. “However, there would be no compromise over the rights of OBCs,” said Maurya.

    State Urban Development Minister AK Sharma also made similar claims and reiterated the state government’s stand of moving to the Supreme Court if needed.

    Minister Ashish Patel, the executive president of BJP ally Apna Dal (S), claimed that it would not be proper to hold civic polls without an OBC quota. “We (Apna Dal -S) are also studying the HC order and will not shy away from moving apex court if necessary to protect the rights of OBCs,” said Patel.

    ALSO READ | Electoral politics vs affirmative action: Quota test for BJP ahead of 2024 polls

    In UP, BJP has been banking upon the support of non-Yadav OBCs to a large extent in the previous elections. In the 2022 assembly polls, around 64 per cent non-Yadav OBCs voted for the ruling party.

    Following the High Court order, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav called the state government “anti-OBC reservation” and accused it of shedding ‘crocodile tears’ on the issue.

    Taking to Twitter, the SP chief said, “Today the BJP has snatched the right of reservation from OBCs, tomorrow it will also strip the SC/ ST of their right ensured to them by Baba Saheb Ambedkar.”

    SP national general secretary and party’s Rajya Sabha member Prof Ram Gopal Yadav took to Twitter to raise questions over the Yogi government’s intent to hold civic polls in the state.

    Ram Gopal Yadav accused the state government of not contesting the case properly in court. He called the court order allowing the civic polls without OBC reservation as ‘unfortunate’.

    Alleging it a plot of the Yogi government, the SP leader accused it of not presenting the facts in the court deliberately. “This is how the UP government has stripped 60 per cent population of the state of reservation,” said the SP leader in his Twitter post.

    LUCKNOW: The Urban Local Body polls seem to be heading for a delay in the state as, contrary to Allahabad High Court’s Tuesday order, the Yogi Aditynath government is contemplating going for the elections only after fixing quota for OBCs through a triple test process in the civic bodies.

    Reacting to the order passed by the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court allowing Urban Local Body elections in the state without OBC reservation in civic bodies, the Uttar Pradesh government said that it would not go for the polls without fixing quota for OBCs.

    In a press statement issued on Tuesday, UP CM Yogi Adityanath said that the state would form a commission to ensure reservation to OBCs on the basis of a “triple test” process and that the Local Body elections would be conducted only after providing reservations to OBCs.

    CM Yogi said the authorities were going through the High Court order in detail and the state government would consider all the legal aspects associated with it. The state government would move the Supreme Court, if necessary, said the UP CM.

    Earlier in the day, in an order, a Division Bench of Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Saurabh Lavania said until the “triple test/conditions” mandated by the Supreme Court was completed in all respects by the state government, no reservation for the Backward Class of citizens should be provided.

    UP Deputy CM Keshav Maurya said that the decision over Urban Local Body polls would be taken only after consulting the legal experts in connection with the High Court order. “However, there would be no compromise over the rights of OBCs,” said Maurya.

    State Urban Development Minister AK Sharma also made similar claims and reiterated the state government’s stand of moving to the Supreme Court if needed.

    Minister Ashish Patel, the executive president of BJP ally Apna Dal (S), claimed that it would not be proper to hold civic polls without an OBC quota. “We (Apna Dal -S) are also studying the HC order and will not shy away from moving apex court if necessary to protect the rights of OBCs,” said Patel.

    ALSO READ | Electoral politics vs affirmative action: Quota test for BJP ahead of 2024 polls

    In UP, BJP has been banking upon the support of non-Yadav OBCs to a large extent in the previous elections. In the 2022 assembly polls, around 64 per cent non-Yadav OBCs voted for the ruling party.

    Following the High Court order, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav called the state government “anti-OBC reservation” and accused it of shedding ‘crocodile tears’ on the issue.

    Taking to Twitter, the SP chief said, “Today the BJP has snatched the right of reservation from OBCs, tomorrow it will also strip the SC/ ST of their right ensured to them by Baba Saheb Ambedkar.”

    SP national general secretary and party’s Rajya Sabha member Prof Ram Gopal Yadav took to Twitter to raise questions over the Yogi government’s intent to hold civic polls in the state.

    Ram Gopal Yadav accused the state government of not contesting the case properly in court. He called the court order allowing the civic polls without OBC reservation as ‘unfortunate’.

    Alleging it a plot of the Yogi government, the SP leader accused it of not presenting the facts in the court deliberately. “This is how the UP government has stripped 60 per cent population of the state of reservation,” said the SP leader in his Twitter post.

  • UP backed out from water exchange plan with Delhi despite LG’s request to CM Yogi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh backed out from a plan to provide 140 million gallons per day (MGD) of raw water to Delhi in lieu of an equivalent quantity of treated effluent for irrigation despite the Lieutenant Governor making a request to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, according to an RTI reply.

    The plan involved the supply of 270 cusecs (1 cusec is equal to 1 cubic feet per second) of fresh water from the Murad Nagar Regulator to the Sonia Vihar water treatment plant in Delhi and the release of an equivalent quantity of treated effluent from the Okhla sewage treatment plant in the Agra Canal.

    Documents accessed under the Right to Information Act showed that the two states held multiple meetings on the water exchange plan starting May 3, 2018, and the then LG Anil Baijal and the then chief secretary Vijay Kumar Dev had also requested the UP government to finalise the agreement.

    A feasibility report the UP Jal Nigam sent to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on July 1, 2020, said the project was workable.

    The DJB had paid Rs 70 lakh for the preparation of the feasibility report and the Delhi government had also agreed to bear the cost of laying pipelines and construction and repair work needed for the supply of raw water from UP and the release of treated effluent into the Agra Canal.

    Baijal discussed the issue with the UP chief minister on the phone on June 14 last year and wrote to him on June 23, requesting him to issue directions to the department concerned to provide 270 cusecs (140 million gallons a day) of raw water to Delhi from Murad Nagar, the documents showed.

    “Delhi does not have enough water resources of its own and depends on neighbouring states to meet its drinking water needs. Amid the increasing population, Delhi needs 265 MGD of additional raw water to fulfil the requirement. The feasibility report dated July 1, 2020, says it is possible for UP to provide 270 cusecs of raw water to Delhi. Therefore, I request you to please issue necessary directions to the department concerned in this regard,” the LG’s letter read.

    On February 2 last year, Vijay Kumar Dev wrote to the UP chief secretary, requesting him to finalise the pact.

    “I would like to thank you for the positive steps taken towards processing the request of Delhi…The offices of both states have held various meetings, joint inspections and deliberations to take the matter forward. May I propose that the general understanding and consensus achieved by both the states till date may be formalised by way of a memorandum for understanding,” Dev wrote to UP Chief Secretary R K Tiwari.

    However, the executive engineer of the UP government in a letter dated July 9, 2021, informed the DJB that the “competent authority” did not approve the feasibility report and “it may be treated null and void.”

    The UP government also returned Rs 70 lakh that the DJB gave for the preparation of the report without citing any reason for backing out from the plan, the RTI reply showed.

    The documents showed the DJB later asked the Delhi government that “intervention and persuasion at the highest political level be done for seeking consent of the UP government” but the request did not elicit a response.

    Delhi requires around 1,200 MGD of water, while the DJB supplies around 950 MGD.

    Haryana supplies a total of 610 MGD of water to Delhi through two canals — CLC (368 MGD) and DSB (177) — and the Yamuna (65 MGD).

    CLC and the DSB are supplied water from Hathni Kund via the Munak canal and the Bhakra Beas Management Board.

    Besides, Delhi receives 253 MGD from Uttar Pradesh through the Upper Ganga Canal, and 90 MGD is drawn from Ranney wells and tube wells installed across the city.

    NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh backed out from a plan to provide 140 million gallons per day (MGD) of raw water to Delhi in lieu of an equivalent quantity of treated effluent for irrigation despite the Lieutenant Governor making a request to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, according to an RTI reply.

    The plan involved the supply of 270 cusecs (1 cusec is equal to 1 cubic feet per second) of fresh water from the Murad Nagar Regulator to the Sonia Vihar water treatment plant in Delhi and the release of an equivalent quantity of treated effluent from the Okhla sewage treatment plant in the Agra Canal.

    Documents accessed under the Right to Information Act showed that the two states held multiple meetings on the water exchange plan starting May 3, 2018, and the then LG Anil Baijal and the then chief secretary Vijay Kumar Dev had also requested the UP government to finalise the agreement.

    A feasibility report the UP Jal Nigam sent to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on July 1, 2020, said the project was workable.

    The DJB had paid Rs 70 lakh for the preparation of the feasibility report and the Delhi government had also agreed to bear the cost of laying pipelines and construction and repair work needed for the supply of raw water from UP and the release of treated effluent into the Agra Canal.

    Baijal discussed the issue with the UP chief minister on the phone on June 14 last year and wrote to him on June 23, requesting him to issue directions to the department concerned to provide 270 cusecs (140 million gallons a day) of raw water to Delhi from Murad Nagar, the documents showed.

    “Delhi does not have enough water resources of its own and depends on neighbouring states to meet its drinking water needs. Amid the increasing population, Delhi needs 265 MGD of additional raw water to fulfil the requirement. The feasibility report dated July 1, 2020, says it is possible for UP to provide 270 cusecs of raw water to Delhi. Therefore, I request you to please issue necessary directions to the department concerned in this regard,” the LG’s letter read.

    On February 2 last year, Vijay Kumar Dev wrote to the UP chief secretary, requesting him to finalise the pact.

    “I would like to thank you for the positive steps taken towards processing the request of Delhi…The offices of both states have held various meetings, joint inspections and deliberations to take the matter forward. May I propose that the general understanding and consensus achieved by both the states till date may be formalised by way of a memorandum for understanding,” Dev wrote to UP Chief Secretary R K Tiwari.

    However, the executive engineer of the UP government in a letter dated July 9, 2021, informed the DJB that the “competent authority” did not approve the feasibility report and “it may be treated null and void.”

    The UP government also returned Rs 70 lakh that the DJB gave for the preparation of the report without citing any reason for backing out from the plan, the RTI reply showed.

    The documents showed the DJB later asked the Delhi government that “intervention and persuasion at the highest political level be done for seeking consent of the UP government” but the request did not elicit a response.

    Delhi requires around 1,200 MGD of water, while the DJB supplies around 950 MGD.

    Haryana supplies a total of 610 MGD of water to Delhi through two canals — CLC (368 MGD) and DSB (177) — and the Yamuna (65 MGD).

    CLC and the DSB are supplied water from Hathni Kund via the Munak canal and the Bhakra Beas Management Board.

    Besides, Delhi receives 253 MGD from Uttar Pradesh through the Upper Ganga Canal, and 90 MGD is drawn from Ranney wells and tube wells installed across the city.