Gujarat assembly complex gets bomb threat amid budget session; turns out hoax after search
Gandhinagar, Mar 18 (PTI): The Gujarat assembly complex received a bomb threat via email on Wednesday morning during the ongoing budget session, but it turned out to be a hoax after a thorough check of the premises, police said.
The threat was received on the official email ID of the assembly just minutes before the House proceedings were scheduled to begin during the ongoing budget session, officials said.
The email claimed a bomb had been planted in the assembly complex, following which all staff and MLAs were asked to vacate the premises, Deputy Superintendent of Police Piyush Vanda said.
While the House was supposed to start at 9 am as part of the ongoing budget session, the officials got to know about the threat at 8.45 am, he said.
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"Upon learning about the bomb threat, which was received via an email, local police reached the premises and started the search for explosives," Vanda said.
All the MLAs left the premises as a precautionary measure.
After an hour, Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police (SP) Ravi Teja Vasamsetty declared that nothing suspicious was found.
"The assembly received a bomb threat email in the morning. Our Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad checked the premises thoroughly, but nothing suspicious was found. Thus, the assembly resumed its work. A case will be filed against the person who sent the email," the SP said.
The House proceedings began after an hour's delay.
After the Question Hour, Speaker Shankar Chaudhary informed the House members that nothing suspicious was found during checking.
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"An official of the assembly received the threat email in the morning, following which the premises were thoroughly checked by police upon my request. Nothing suspicious was found during the exercise," Chaudhary said in the assembly.
Legislators urged the government to take strict action against those involved in sending such emails.
"It appears that some elements want to dilute the peaceful atmosphere of Gujarat. They sent such threat emails to schools, courts in the past and now to the assembly. The state government has taken this threat seriously," BJP MLA Mahesh Kaswala told reporters.
Congress MLA Imran Khedawala also demanded strict action against those sending such frequent emails.
"In the recent past, schools and courts in Ahmedabad received such threats, and now, the assembly too was targeted. Such incidents are happening at regular intervals. Government should take strict actions against perpetrators," Khedawala said.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
