Centre showing political discrimination towards Kerala: AICC gen secy K C Venugopal
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): AICC general secretary K C Venugopal on Thursday accused the Centre of political discrimination towards Kerala for not granting the amount sought for rehabilitation of disaster-hit Wayanad.
Venugopal, also the MP from Alappuzha, said that the two Union Ministers of State -- Suresh Gopi and George Kurian -- should clarify whether they are satisfied with this approach of the central government towards Kerala.
In a statement, the Congress leader also took a dig at Gopi, asking whether he has the courage to hold a public meeting in the landslides-hit areas of Wayanad.
Gopi has been holding public meetings in various parts of the state, most recently in Alappuzha district.
He said that the two union ministers should clarify whether they have any sympathy, concern or interest towards the disaster-affected people of Wayanad who are being "ignored and excluded".
He asked "will both of them be ready to correct the central stand."
Venugopal said that the Centre's discrimination was evident from the fact that the state, which asked for Rs 2,219 crore for Wayanad rehabilitation, was allocated only Rs 260.56 crore, while states like Maharashtra and Assam got Rs 1,492 crore and 1,270 crore, respectively, for reconstruction of flood-hit areas.
The AICC general secretary contended that the Centre should be ready to correct this political discrimination being shown to the people of Kerala.
He alleged that the Modi government's policy was to politically and economically destroy the people of Kerala as they do not show any inclination towards the BJP.
"The central government is economically oppressing the states that are in their opposition," he further claimed and added that the Centre was trying to subvert the federal structure of the country.
Venugopal said that the people of Wayanad have the right to get the financial assistance they deserve and the Centre should adopt a humane approach in the matter.
Meanwhile, the BJP state unit thanked the PM for the Rs 260.56 crore allocated for Wayanad rehabilitation and claimed that it was a great relief to the affected families there.
BJP state chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar, in a press release, said that this amount was in addition to the Rs 682.5 crore provided by the Centre earlier.
He said that this indicates the commitment of the Modi government towards the people of Wayanad.
Chandrasekhar further said that not just Wayanad, but the flood problems in Thiruvananthapuram due to heavy rains was also considered by the Centre and it was decided to include the state capital in the Rs 2,444 crore National Urban Flood Risk Management Plan.
"The central government has always taken steps to combine development and provision. We will definitely provide help and support to the places where it is needed. The BJP and the central government are always with the people of Kerala," he added.
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Nashik court sends ‘godman’ Kharat to 3-day police custody in 7th sexual exploitation case
Nashik (PTI): A court in Maharashtra's Nashik has remanded self-styled astrologer-cum-godman Ashok Kharat to police custody till April 29 in the seventh case of sexual exploitation registered against him.
Kharat, a former Merchant Navy officer arrested on March 18, is accused of sexually exploiting several women and indulging in large-scale financial fraud by claiming to have divine powers and knowledge of black magic.
In the seventh case, Kharat sexually exploited a married woman who had approached him in search of solutions to her family problems.
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The accused allegedly gave the woman something to drink, sexually assaulted her while her husband sat outside his office and threatened to kill her if she told anyone about it.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing into 12 cases of sexual exploitation and financial fraud registered against Kharat in Nashik and Ahilyanagar districts, on Sunday filed a request application in the court demanding his custody in the seventh case.
Kharat was produced in court for a virtual hearing in the seventh case on Monday.
The prosecution demanded six-day police custody for Kharat, citing the discovery of a locker in Kharat's house during the investigation, from which the police recovered two blank cheques and other documents, all of which have to be probed.
The court agreed to the prosecution's demand and remanded Kharat to three-day police custody till April 29 in the case.
Kharat has been at the centre of a political firestorm, as he was well-connected, and photographs of him with political leaders and other important members of society have been surfacing in mainstream and social media since his arrest.
