Congress issues show cause notice to 3 Gehlot loyalists after party observers seek action
New Delhi, Sep 27: The Congress on Tuesday night issued show cause notices to three Ashok Gehlot loyalists - Rajasthan ministers Shanti Dhariwal and Mahesh Joshi, and Dharmender Rathore - for their "grave indiscipline" and asked them to explain within 10 days why action should not be initiated against them.
The action came two days after 82 MLAs participated in a parallel meeting at Dhariwal's residence in Jaipur laying down conditions to the party and did not attend the official legislature party meeting convened for passing a resolution authorising the Congress chief to appoint a successor to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who was to contest the Congress presidential election.
The party's disciplinary committee sent the notices after Congress observers Mallkarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken submitted their written report to party chief Sonia Gandhi charging the three state leaders with "gross indiscipline".
The panel's member secretary Tariq Anwar in the notice to Dhariwal, Joshi and Rathore, referred to Maken's report.
"Prima facie, the above charges are an act of grave indiscipline. Therefore, this show cause notice is being issued seeking your reply within 10 days as to why disciplinary action not be taken against you as per the provisions of the constitution of the Indian National Congress," the notice to all three leaders said.
Anwar in his notice to Dhariwal said that the observers' report has submitted that as parliamentary affairs minister he sits on the dais and is a prominent speaker at all CLP meetings in Rajasthan.
Apart from issuing statements, he has committed grave indiscipline by hosting a parallel MLAs' meeting at his residence "pressuring them not to attend the official meeting", the notice said said
"As parliamentary affairs minister, hosting the unofficial meeting confused the Congress MLAs as to which one was convened officially.
"This happened even when Shri Kharge and Shri Maken repeatedly clarified that they have come here to speak to each MLA individually and impartially report to Congress President. No decision would be made in haste. After knowing the views of MLAs, Congress President will discuss them with everyone and take a well-considered decision," the notice said.
Rajasthan PHED minister Mahesh Joshi was told that he, being the Chief Whip, officially informed every Congress MLA for the meeting slated to be held at 7 PM on September 25, 2022 at the Chief Minister's Residence.
"You as Chief Whip have conducted grave indiscipline on two counts. Boycotting the official CLP meeting, even after you had informed (given notice) every Congress MLA to attend it, and by participating and convening a parallel meeting of the MLAs at the time when officially appointed observers were waiting for the official meeting to start.
"As Chief Whip your presence at the unofficial and illegal meeting confused the MLAs as to which one was convened officially, the notice to Joshi said.
In his notice to Rathore, who is the chairman of Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation, Anwar said he as Chairmen ofDC and a member of the PCC "made all logistical arrangements and were behind the entire planning of the unofficial meeting of the MLAs, held parallel to the official Rajasthan CLP meeting" which is an act of "grave indiscipline".
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Rupee falls 9 paise to all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade
Mumbai (PTI): Rupee depreciated 9 paise to an all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade on Monday, weighed down by uncertainty over an India-US trade deal and persistent foreign fund outflows.
Forex traders said rupee is trading with a negative bias as investors are in wait and watch mode and awaiting cues from the India-US trade deal front.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.53 against the US dollar, then fell further to an all-time intraday low of 90.58 against the greenback, registering a fall of 9 paise over its previous close.
On Friday, the rupee had slipped 17 paise to close at an all-time low of 90.49 against the American currency.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.05 per cent lower at 98.35.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 0.52 per cent at USD 61.44 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share benchmark index Sensex was trading 298.86 points lower at 84,968.80, while the Nifty was down 121.40 points at 25,925.55.
Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth Rs 1,114.22 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue to be in selling mode in equity and debt while RBI has been selling dollars to fund their long positions," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
