Day after MGP split, Ajgaonkar made Goa deputy CM
Panaji: A day after Goa Tourism minister Manohar Ajgaonkar broke away from the MGP and joined the BJP, he was Thursday designated as the Deputy Chief Minister of the state.
Ajgaonkar is now the second deputy chief minister along with Goa Forward Party (GFP) leader and state minister Vijai Sardesai.
State Joint Secretary (General Administration) Varsha Naik issued an order designating Ajgaonkar as the Deputy Chief Minister.
"The government is pleased to designate Vijai Sardesai, minister and Manohar Ajgaonkar, minister as the Deputy Chief Minister with immediate effect," it said.
Early on Wednesday, Ajgaonkar and another Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLA Dipak Pawaskar had merged their party's legislative wing with the BJP.
They had given a letter to merge the MGP legislature party with the BJP to officiating Goa Assembly Speaker Michael Lobo at 1.45 am on Wednesday. However, Sudin Dhavalikar, the third MGP MLA, did not sign the letter.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Wednesday dropped Dhavalikar, who was earlier appointed as the deputy chief minister, from the state cabinet and inducted another BJP MLA Dipak Pawaskar in a late-night ceremony.
Sawant had claimed that he had to drop Dhavalikar from the cabinet as he "failed" to adhere to the common minimum programme of the coalition government.
Ajgaonkar currently holds sports and tourism portfolios.
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Allahabad HC orders police protection to married couple apprehending 'honour killing'
Prayagraj (PTI): The Allahabad High Court has granted protection to a married couple who expressed fear that they may be killed by the woman's family.
The order was passed by a division bench comprising Justice JJ Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena on March 25.
"No individual can make an 'honour issue' out of a consenting adult marrying a person of their own choice. It is the state's duty to protect the life, limb, and property of such persons even against their own family members," the bench said.
The court was hearing a petition filed by Prachi Agrawal and her partner, who sought relief in connection with an FIR filed under Section 87 of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for kidnapping, and abducting or inducing a woman to compel her marriage.
The couple submitted that they married at an Arya Samaj temple and possessed a marriage registration certificate issued under the Uttar Pradesh Marriage Registration Rules, 2017.
The petitioners alleged that the woman's family members were averse to their marriage and lodged a bogus FIR against them.
The couple further submitted a joint affidavit expressing apprehension of an honour killing by the woman's family.
The court said that a prima facie case was made out and issued notice to the private respondent and granted two weeks to file a counter-affidavit.
Meanwhile, as an interim measure, the court granted the petitioners protection from arrest.
The court also explicitly ordered the woman's family members and relatives not to harm the petitioners, enter their matrimonial home, or establish contact with them directly or through any electronic means.
The bench directed the Aligarh senior superintendent of police to ensure that no harm comes to the couple and posted the matter for hearing on April 8.
