Farmers' protest politically motivated, claims MoS for Farmers' Welfare Shobha Karandlaje
Udupi, Feb 15: Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shobha Karandlaje on Thursday characterised the ongoing farmers’ protest in Delhi as politically motivated.
Addressing reporters in Udupi, she said the M S Swaminathan committee had given 207 recommendations in its report, which was kept in "deep cold storage" by the UPA government. She claimed that all the recommendations were addressed by the Narendra Modi government alone, and minimum support price (MSP) was one among them.
"The government is now providing MSP for 22 crops. The ongoing agitation when elections are drawing near is a political protest in the name of farmers," she alleged.
This is part of a conspiracy by a few organisations and international movements," she further claimed, adding that the government is prepared to hold talks with the farmers.
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On her candidature in the coming Lok Sabha elections, Karandlaje said she will be contesting again from the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency, unless the party decides otherwise. She said her name is being proposed for at least five to six constituencies. "But UdupiChikkamagaluru remains my constituency," she said.
The minister said the people of LS segment had made her victorious though she was new to them, and therefore there is no question of shifting to other constituencies." However if the party wants to shift me somewhere i will abide by the decision," she said.
She said several developmental works had been carried out in the constituency during the last five years and her campaign would be based on development.
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NIA registers case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal
New Delhi (PTI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday registered a case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal, officials said.
The move came following a directive by the Union Home Ministry in this regard, they said.
In pursuance to the home ministry's order, the anti-terror agency on Sunday registered a case, which was originally filed at Uttar Kashi police station, Bhangar division, Kolkata on Saturday, and took up the investigation, an NIA spokesperson said in a late night statement.
"The case pertains to recovery of 79 crude bombs and other incriminating materials by Kolkata police, which were being stored at a spot, thereby endangering human life and property," the spokesperson said.
Earlier in the day, the Election Commission had directed the West Bengal Police to launch a special drive to arrest those involved in illegal manufacturing of crude bombs in the poll-bound state, an official said.
It asserted that all cases related to the making of any such explosive would be probed by the National Investigation Agency, the official said.
The directive came after the police recovered a large number of crude bombs from the house of a person, allegedly a TMC worker, at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district, days ahead of the second and final phase of the assembly polls in the state.
The explosives were recovered during a search at the residence of Rafikul Islam following specific inputs, the official said.
The poll panel also issued a warning to senior police officers across the state over any lapse in maintaining law and order before the April 29 polling.
The first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal was held on April 23, while the second phase will take place on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
A record 93.19 per cent turnout has been recorded in the first round of polling. Bhangar will vote in the second phase.
