Rahul turned down resolution on caste census at INDIA bloc meetings on Mamata's pressure: Lalan
Patna (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had turned down JD(U)'s demand for a resolution on caste census at INDIA bloc meetings under pressure from West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lalan claimed on Sunday.
Singh was JD(U) president when the party was part of the INDIA bloc and used to accompany Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to the coalition's meetings.
"Rahul Gandhi is simply shedding crocodile tears over the caste census issue... He is trying to confuse people. When the Bihar government conducted a caste-based survey in the state, we were part of the INDIA bloc, and we kept asking him to pass a resolution on this in the coalition's meeting. Two meetings were held, but Rahul Gandhi had turned down our request under pressure from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee," he claimed.
Singh made the claim in response to journalists asking him about Gandhi's recent statement on the issue.
"When Nitish Kumar got the caste survey done in Bihar, Rahul Gandhi never praised him for this," he added.
Addressing the "Samvidhan Samman Sammelan" in Prayagraj on Saturday, Gandhi had said, "90 per cent of people are sitting out of the system. They have skills, and knowledge but no connections (with the system). That is why we have raised the demand for a caste census."
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Heavy rain, hailstorms lash parts of Uttarakhand; all districts put on high alert
Dehradun (PTI): Heavy rain and hailstorms accompanied by strong winds lashed several districts of Uttarakhand on Sunday morning, prompting the state administration to put all district authorities on high alert.
The sudden change in weather caused uprooted trees to block roads and disrupted power supply at various locations.
Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman chaired a review meeting with district officials to assess the situation.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rain and thunderstorms at most places across all districts for Monday and Tuesday. Snowfall is expected in regions situated at altitudes of 4,000 metres and above.
An 'orange alert' remains in place for Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar. These districts are likely to witness isolated heavy rain, hailstorms, and intense to very intense spells of rain accompanied by gusty winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph, the IMD said.
The weather office predicted that maximum temperatures across the state are likely to fall by 3-5 degrees Celsius over the next three to four days. During the past 24 hours, maximum temperatures remained "markedly below normal" in the plains and ranged from "markedly" to "appreciably" below normal in the hilly regions.
Dehradun experienced dark, overcast skies early Sunday, creating night-like conditions during morning hours. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 34.7 degrees Celsius, 5.3 degrees Celsius below the seasonal average.
For the state capital, the forecast predicts a partly to generally cloudy sky with a high of 31 degrees Celsius and a low of 19 degrees Celsius.
Significant rainfall was recorded across the state after 8.30 am on Sunday, with Jollygrant receiving 21.6 mm and Mohakampur recording 19.8 mm. Other areas, including Mukteshwar (15.0 mm), Mussoorie (13.4 mm), and Pithoragarh (8.5 mm), also saw measurable precipitation.
Secretary Suman directed officials to clear blocked roads on priority to ensure public convenience. Specific instructions were issued regarding the Char Dham Yatra, ordering that helicopter services must operate strictly according to weather conditions to ensure pilgrims' safety.
Isolated places in the remaining hilly districts are also expected to experience thunderstorms with lightning and intense rain spells.
