Ashish Khetan quits AAP
New Delhi, Aug 22: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Ashish Khetan on Wednesday announced his resignation from the party, a step that comes a week after another leader, Ashutosh, took a similar decision.
"Early this year I made my decision to quit active politics after much deliberation and in consultation with family and close friends. However, since both the party and the government were beset with a series of crises, I waited for an opportune time to formalize my decision. I had also informed the party leadership about my decision, on more than one occasion," he said in a Facebook post.
He said that his "personal decision" to move away from the party and electoral politics should not be viewed as a reflection on the AAP.
"I have only received love and respect from the party and its members and volunteers. And I will be forever grateful for that," he said.
His Facebook came after a lot of speculation over his move and reports that he had quit the party. Initially, he gave vague replies on Twitter without confirming his decision.
There was no official comment from the AAP on Khetan's decision. In the case of Ashutosh, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal did not accept his resignation.
In April, Khetan had resigned as the Vice Chairman of the Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission (DDC) to join the Bar and practice commercial law.
"I've also taken up legal causes in the larger public interest and will continue to do so. Besides practising law, I'm also keen to return to writing," he said.
He sought to quell rumours that his decision was in any way linked to his desire for getting a ticket in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He was a candidate in the 2014 election.
"The party had graciously asked me to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, but I had politely turned it down. Contesting one more election would have further entrenched me in the world of politics, something I don't want at this point in time.
"I continue to hold all my ex-party colleagues in high regard and wish them good luck in their future endeavours," he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Emotional tributes paid to cops killed in blast at gunpowder dump of Maoists in Chhattisgarh
Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh) (PTI): Emotional scenes were witnessed on Sunday as wreaths were laid on the mortal remains of three of the four police personnel killed in an explosion in a gunpowder dump of Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district.
The grieving family members were inconsolable, while security personnel tried to comfort them.
Amid chants of "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and "Vande Mataram," public representatives, along with senior police and administrative officials, paid tributes to the deceased personnel.
The wreath-laying ceremony to pay homage to Inspector Sukhram Vatti (40), constables Krishna Komra (35) and Sanjay Gadhpale (29), killed in the explosion on Saturday, was held at the Police Lines in Narayanpur district, neighbouring Kanker.
The mortal remains of constable Parmanand Komra (29), who succumbed to injuries during treatment in Raipur, will be shifted to Kanker, where a separate wreath-laying ceremony will be held, police said.
Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj Pattilingam, after paying homage, told reporters that the four police personnel made the supreme sacrifice while protecting the region.
"I pay my homage to them," he added.
The four personnel were killed while they were attempting to dispose of a gunpowder dump hidden earlier by Maoists in a forest near Aadnar village under Chhotebethiya police station limits in Kanker district, according to police.
It was the first explosion linked to Naxalites in the state since it was declared free from armed Maoists on March 31, and also the first instance this year in which security personnel engaged in anti-Naxal operations lost their lives.
District Reserve Guard (DRG) official Vatti, who was leading the team, hailed from Bijapur district. Constable Krishna Komra of the district force and constables Gadhpale and Parmanand Komra of the Bastar Fighters were residents of different villages in Kanker.
