158 of 199 Rajasthan MLAs are crorepatis: ADR report
Jaipur, Dec 15: Out of the 199 newly elected MLAs for the 15th Rajasthan Assembly, 158 are crorepatis compared to 145 MLAs in the 2013 assembly elections, says a report.
A total of 82 out of 99 MLAs from the Congress, 58 of 73 MLAs from the BJP, 11 of 13 Independent MLAs and five of six BSP MLAs have declared their assets worth over Rs 1 crore, as per the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) report.
Among the richest MLAs who have declared their total assets in IT returns are Congress leaders Parasram Mordia (172 crore) and Udai Lal Anjana (107 crore), and Ramkesh Meena (39 crore), an Independent.
The candidates elected having fewer assets include youngest MLA Rajkumar Roat, Mukesh Kumar Bhakar and Ramniwas Gawriya.
As per the report, 59 MLAs have declared their educational qualification to be between 5th pass and 12th pass while 129 MLAs have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above. There are seven MLAs who have declared themselves to be just literate.
Out of 199 MLAs, 23 are women as against 28 from the same gender in the 2013 state polls.
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Press Club of India condemns 'manhandling' of UNI journalists during sealing of premises
New Delhi (PTI): The Press Club of India (PCI) on Saturday expressed deep shock and condemnation regarding the alleged "manhandling" of journalists during the sealing of the United News of India (UNI) premises by authorities following a high court order.
In a statement, the PCI said that several journalists at the news agency claimed they were physically removed by the Delhi Police and CRPF personnel from their workplace "by use of force", and were not even allowed to collect their personal belongings.
"The PCI expresses deep shock at the manhandling of journalists while at work at the United News of India premises at 9, Rafi Marg, New Delhi, by police last evening following a court order regarding a land dispute," the PCI said.
The PCI also condemned in the "strongest possible" terms the "highhandedness unleashed on the journalists, including women workers."
The PCI emphasised that the right to work is a constitutional right and stands in solidarity with the affected journalists. They maintained that the authorities should have exercised restraint, especially since the journalists had informed them that the management had not yet communicated the need to vacate the premises after the court order.
"PCI urges the authorities to take prompt action against whoever was responsible for such misconduct, as it would help instil confidence within the journalist fraternity that the right to work of the press is an important part of a democracy," the statement said.
The UNI premises were sealed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs' Land and Development Office (L&DO) on Friday following a high court order -- a move the media organisation termed as an "unprecedented atrocity" and "attack on freedom of media".
