Kharge claims not allowed into reserved airport lounge, questions if toilet can be reserved for PM
Ranchi (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing them of delaying helicopters of his and Rahul Gandhi in Jharkhand, and alleged that despite holding cabinet minister rank, the opposition leaders were not given access to reserved airport lounge.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's helicopter, which was supposed to take him from Mahagama in Jharkhand's Godda district after he addressed an election rally there, was grounded for about two hours on Friday, prompting allegations from the Congress that the delay was politically motivated.
Prime Minister Modi was stranded at Deoghar airport for nearly two hours on Friday and a 'no-fly zone' was declared in the region's airspace as the PM waited for the issue to be resolved, officials said.
"Yesterday, our leader Rahul Gandhi's helicopter was deliberately delayed by two hours as the PM was sitting in his plane. Today, my chopper was delayed by 20 minutes as Union Home Minister Amit Shah was landing. His path was separate and mine was separate.
"Rahul Gandhi ji, who is the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, holds a cabinet minister's rank, and so do I. But in airport's reserved lounge, they (officials) say it is for Prime Minister Modi, I want to ask can even a toilet be reserved for the PM," Kharge alleged, without mentioning the name of the airport.
Attacking the BJP over the infiltration issue raked by the party, he alleged that Modi and Shah are frightening people despite having the power to check it.
"Are PM Modi and Amit Shah sleeping? Why can't they check infiltration despite being in power? When they can stop a helicopter, why can't they stop infiltrators?" he questioned.
Kharge also accused the Centre of using ED, CBI, I-T against those who help the Congress and its allies.
He alleged that the BJP wanted to form the government in Jharkhand to loot its natural resources.
Further attacking the BJP, he said, "They say 'bant gaye toh kat gaye' (if divided, we will be wiped out), I say 'dar gaye toh mar gaye' (if you are afraid, you die)."
He also hailed Sarna religious code as a symbol of tribal pride and stressed the need to protect it.
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Protesters storm residences of 2 Manipur ministers, 3 MLAs over killing of 3 persons, curfew clamped
Imphal, Nov 16: Protesters stormed the residences of two ministers and three MLAs in Manipur's Imphal on Saturday, demanding justice for the murder of three persons in Jiribam district, police said.
The mob attacks on legislators' houses prompted the Imphal West administration to impose prohibitory orders in the district for an indefinite period.
According to an order issued by Imphal West District Magistrate Th Kirankumar, the curfew was imposed from 4.30 pm on Saturday.
A mob stormed the residence of Health and Family Welfare Minister Sapam Ranjan in Lamphel Sanakeithel area, a senior officer said.
Lamphel Sanakeithel Development Authority's representative David told reporters, "Sapam assured us that the issues related to the killing of three persons will be discussed at a cabinet meeting and that the minister will tender his resignation if the government fails to honour the sentiment of the public."
Protesters also stormed the house of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Minister L Susindro Singh, another senior officer said.
Agitators in Sagolband area of Imphal West district gathered in front of the residence of BJP legislator RK Imo, who is also the son-in-law of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, and raised slogans demanding an "appropriate response from the government" over the killing of three persons and urging the authorities to "arrest the culprits within 24 hours".
Protesters, who had come to meet Keishamthong constituency's independent legislator Sapam Nishikanta Singh at his residence at Tiddim Road, targeted the office building of a local newspaper owned by him after they were told that the legislator was not present in the state, a senior officer said.
The mob destroyed some temporary structures in front of the office building, he claimed.
Three bodies, suspected to be of six missing people from Jiribam district, were found near the confluence of the Jiri and Barak rivers along the Manipur-Assam border on Friday night.
The bodies of a woman and two children were found about 16 km from Borobekra in Jiribam district, close to the location where the six people went missing on Monday.
Mob attacks the residence of BJP MLA Sapam Kunjakesore, also known as Keba, in Tera Sapam Leikai. They set fire to vehicles and vandalized the residence. Other MLAs, including Sapam Nishikanta of Keisamthong and Sagolband MLA RK Imo, also stormed the residence.
— Yaqut Ali (@aliyaqut) November 16, 2024
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