Pakistan's truce violation during Ramadan is intolerable: Mehbooba
Jammu, May 25: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Friday that Pakistan has violated the ceasefire with impunity during the holy month of Ramadan resulting in loss of precious lives during the month of prayer and penance.
The Chief Minister visited families in R.S. Pura sector of Jammu district to condole the deaths of their kith and kin in recent shelling by Pakistan Rangers.
"What Pakistan has been doing during the holy month of Ramadan is becoming increasingly intolerable. It has been violating the ceasefire when the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared a ceasefire in respect to the holy month.
"It appears that despite being a Muslim country, Pakistan has scant respect for the holy month which Muslims spend in prayer and penance".
She said the ceasefire agreement signed in November 2003 between India and Pakistan had brought in a modicum of normalcy in the lives of thousands of residents of border areas on both sides of the border.
"But, that atmosphere of peace and tranquillity has been shattered because of frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan", the Chief Minister said.
State Public Health Engineering Minister Sham Choudhary and Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Javed Mustafa Mir accompanied the Chief Minister during her border visit.
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Cong prepared for upcoming Bagalkote, Davangere South Assembly bypolls: Siddaramaiah
Bagalkote (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday asserted that the Congress is ready for the upcoming by-election to the Bagalkote and Davangere South Assembly constituencies.
Bypolls for the Bagalkote and Davanagere South assembly constituencies are necessitated following the deaths of sitting Congress MLAs H Y Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa, respectively.
"The preparations for the bypolls are completed. We are ready for the byelection," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question about the bypolls.
Stating that the Congress high command will decide the candidates for the bypolls, the CM said, "In Bagalkote, late H Y Meti's family members are also strong aspirants. It is not wrong to have aspirations; we (state leaders) will consider all aspects and recommend a candidate. The high command will make the final decision."
The bypoll date may be announced within a week, he added.
The state Congress had recently constituted steering committees for both segments to select candidates and formulate necessary electoral strategies for the victory of party candidates.
In Bagalkote, Congress's Meti defeated BJP's Veeranna Charantimath by a margin of 5,878 votes in the 2023 Assembly polls. In Davangere South, Congress's Shivashankarappa defeated BJP's B G Ajay Kumar by a margin of 27,888 votes.
On the LPG supply constraints, especially commercial cylinders, caused by the West Asia conflict, the chief minister said it is the central government's responsibility to ensure supplies.
"Who should supply gas cylinders? It is the central government. If they supply, the state will ensure distribution. Our Food and Civil Supplies Minister (K H Muniyapopa) has held two meetings (with oil companies). I wrote a letter to the concerned central minister to ensure there is no shortage. It is the responsibility of the Government of India," he added.
To a question regarding the implementation of internal reservation in recruitment to government jobs, Siddaramaiah said he has called a special cabinet meeting to discuss it on March 27 and a final decision will be made there.
There are reports about alleged rifts between SC (Right) and SC (Left) factions within the ruling Congress regarding internal reservation during the recruitment announced for 56,432 vacant jobs.
The state government had recently decided to conduct recruitment based on the reservation order in force before December 28, 2022 (15 per cent for SCs and 3 per cent for STs), due to the stay on the enhanced quota and internal reservation, while continuing to pursue its case in court.
