BJP leader Ashoka slams Siddaramaiah for asking people to support son in Varuna segment
Bengaluru (PTI): Taking a dig at Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for calling on the people of his Varuna assembly segment to support and nurture his son Yathindra, just as they did to him, senior BJP leader R Ashoka on Saturday asked whether this was a monarchy to announce a successor.
The Leader of the Opposition also termed it a "bad" development in state politics.
"Siddaramaiah gives speeches claiming that he is a socialist and not a casteist or a nepotist. Yesterday, he asked people to nurture his son politically. All these years, they nurtured him, now his son, and next he will come in six months with a similar request for his grandson. Is this monarchy to announce a successor," Ashoka asked.
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Speaking to reporters here, he said Siddaramaiah seems to have abandoned Ambedkar's principles.
"One has to win through ballots in politics....such appeals in politics will be an offence to the principles with which Ambedkar drafted our Constitution. It is surprising that Siddaramaiah has made such a statement. This is not good for state politics," he added.
Addressing a gathering at his Varuna constituency in Mysuru on Friday, Siddaramaiah said he will remain in politics till his "last breath" and will continue to serve the people as much as he can. He also called on the people of the segment to support and nurture his son and Congress MLC Yathindra politically, just as they supported him.
The opposition leader also took a dig at "dinner parties" within the Congress amid the ongoing power struggle between Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar's camps and speculation about a leadership change, stating that "this is a dinner party government."
"They are not worried about the difficulties faced by the state's people. They are only concerned with who will hold the chief minister post and maintain power. This is betrayal to the people of the state," he added.
Reacting to Ramanagara Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain criticising the state budget presented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah last week, Ashoka claimed that a number of other ruling party legislators are also unhappy with the Budget, as it did not meet their expectations.
"Hussain has only expressed the opinion of other Congress MLAs. He has spoken the truth. I compliment him," he added.
Responding to a question, Ashoka urged the state government to take action against those indulging in hoarding and black marketing of LPG cylinders amid supply constraints caused by the West Asia conflict.
Pointing out that the supply issues have arisen due to conflict, he said, "Those trying to blame the Centre for the gas crisis should understand this. They should suggest alternatives to address the supply issue caused by the war."
Appealing to the people of the state to cooperate in the current situation, Ashoka hit out at CM Siddaramaiah for doing politics on the issue that has arisen due to the war in the Middle East.
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Chhattisgarh Vedanta power plant blast: Death toll rises to 20; sixteen workers undergoing treatment
Sakti (Chhattisgarh) (PTI): The death toll in a blast at the Vedanta power plant in Chhattisgarh's Sakti district has mounted to 20 with seven more workers succumbing to injuries, while 16 others are undergoing treatment at different hospitals, officials said on Wednesday.
The deceased include six labourers from West Bengal, five from Chhattisgarh, three each from Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, two from Bihar, and one from Madhya Pradesh.
The opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
The explosion occurred on Tuesday afternoon in a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine at the Vedanta Ltd power plant located in Singhitarai village, leaving several workers with severe burn injuries.
According to officials, four workers died on the spot, while nine others succumbed to injuries soon after the incident.
Seven more workers have died in hospitals, raising the toll to 20, Sakti Collector Amrit Vikas Topno told PTI on Wednesday.
He said that a total of 36 workers were affected in the blast, and 20 of them died.
"Of the 16 injured workers, five are undergoing treatment in hospitals in Raipur, while 11 others are in hospitals of Raigarh, the neighbouring district of Sakti," he added.
Topno added that every possible effort was being made to provide the best medical treatment to the injured.
The deceased were identified, and their family members are being contacted. Arrangements have been made to transport the mortal remains to their native villages via ambulance following the postmortem examination and to provide immediate financial assistance, he said.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of each deceased worker and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
Vedanta Power has also announced a Rs 35 lakh compensation for the family of each deceased worker, along with employment support.
The company will also provide Rs 15 lakh to each injured person, ensure salary continuation until recovery, and offer counselling support, a statement from the plant management said.
The chief minister has ordered an inquiry by the Commissioner of the Bilaspur division, assuring strict action against the guilty.
He directed officials to ensure free and proper medical treatment for all injured and emphasised that no negligence in their care would be tolerated.
The district administration has also ordered a separate magisterial probe, while the company has initiated its own internal investigation.
Collector Topno has appointed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Dabhra to conduct the magisterial inquiry.
The SDM has been asked to submit a report within 30 days covering key aspects, including the cause of the accident, whether it was due to technical or human error, and details of safety inspections carried out at the plant.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
State Congress communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla on Wednesday alleged negligence on the plant management's part and accused the government of attempting to shield those responsible.
He also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of the deceased and Rs 50 lakh for the injured.
The construction of a 1,200 MW coal-based thermal power project (two units of 600 MW each) in Singhitarai, originally owned by Athena Chhattisgarh Power Ltd, started in 2009, but remained stalled between 2016 and 2022.
Vedanta acquired the plant in 2022, after which a 600 MW unit was completed and commissioned in August last year, while the second unit is still under construction.
The deceased have been identified as Amrit Lal Patel, Thanda Ram Lahre, Udhab Singh Yadav, Rameshwar Mahilange, and Nadeem Ansari (all from Chhattisgarh); Susanta Jana, Sheikh Saifuddin, Manas Giri, Kailash Mahto, Shibnath Murmu, and Dipankar Singh (West Bengal), Tarun Kumar Ojha, Abdul Karim and Ashok Parhiya (Jharkhand), Raju Ram, Pappu Kumar and Brijesh Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Aakib Khan and Ritesh Kumar (Bihar), and Chitranjan Dhulai of Madhya Pradesh, officials said.
