Delhi farmer, who bought flight tickets for workers during 2020 lockdown, found dead
New Delhi, Aug 24: A 55-year-old mushroom farmer, who had sent 10 of his workers to their home state Bihar by aircraft during the coronavirus-induced lockdown in 2020, died allegedly by suicide inside a temple in Outer Delhi's Alipur, police said on Wednesday.
Pappan Singh Gahlot was found hanging in the Shiva temple located opposite his house in Tigipur village at around 5 pm on Tuesday, police said, adding he cited health reasons in his suicide note for taking the extreme step.
According to police, Gahlot used to visit the temple every day. However, on Tuesday evening, the priest saw him hanging from a ceiling fan and informed the police.
"A suicide note was found according to which, he killed himself because of his health issues such as blood pressure and sugar.
"There is no suspicion of any foul play until now. His body has been preserved for post-mortem at BJRM hospital," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North) Brijendra Yadav said.
Police said Gahlot's family members have not expressed any suspicion either, adding further inquest proceedings will be carried out according to the procedure.
Naveen Ram, who was among the 10 migrant workers whose air travel was funded by Gahlot, expressed shock and said he had met his boss on Monday.
"I am shocked. He (Singh) was like my father. He had come to meet us in the agriculture field on Monday. He was taking care of our needs. He was a very good person," Ram told PTI over phone on Wednesday.
Ram said Singh is survived by his wife and daughter. He was cremated on Wednesday.
Pappan shot to limelight in May 2020 after he bought plane tickets worth Rs 68,000 for his workers.
"These 10 workers would have left for their homes in Bihar in the first week of April on train but they could not go due to the lockdown," Pappan had told PTI back then.
He had said he made several attempts to send them by a Shramik Special train but could not manage to do so and had hence decided to send them by air. In August 2020, Pappan had also booked their return air tickets.
"I could not take a risk by allowing my workers to walk thousands of miles because we are getting to know these days that migrant labourers meet with road accidents while walking home," Pappan had told PTI during the beginning of the lockdown.
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TVK chief should be given opportunity to prove majority in TN Assembly: Omar
Srinagar (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said there was no justification for the Tamil Nadu governor to stop TVK leader Vijay from forming the government, and he should be provided an opportunity to prove majority in the assembly.
Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Thursday rejected TVK chief Vijay's claim to form the government, stating that his party lacks the requisite numbers.
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has fallen short of meeting a simple majority to form the government in Tamil Nadu. Though the Congress with five MLAs has offered support to TVK, Vijay's party falls short of a simple majority of 118 in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Abdullah said there was no justification for President's rule in Tamil Nadu in view of numerous Supreme Court judgements emphasising on inviting the single largest party to form the government and then prove its majority on the floor of the house.
"If we see the Supreme Court judgement, then there should be no President's rule. There are so many cases in which the SC has clearly stated that after the elections, the single largest party should be invited (for government formation) and they should be allowed to prove their majority in the assembly," Abdullah told reporters here when asked about the political situation in Tamil Nadu.
"It happened when (former prime minister) (A B) Vajpayee formed the government for 13 days, the President of India did not wait for him to show his numbers. The President of India invited him, the government was there for 13 days, but when Vajpayee did not have the numbers, he resigned," he said.
So, if we take the SC judgement, the J-K CM added, then the Tamil Nadu Lok Bhavan "has no justification to stop this process".
"Vijay should be allowed to form the government, and then he should be provided an opportunity to prove his majority and if he proves, he will remain, but if not, then he will have to resign," Abdullah said.
To a question on whether there would be impact of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Jammu and Kashmir, the CM said its impact remains to be seen in the rest of the country first as the assembly elections in the Union territory were not due till 2029.
"As of now it (SIR) has happened in Bengal only. Why are you worried about J-K? The elections are not to take place here till 2029. Let us first see its impact in the rest of the country. What we had to suffer (in J-K), we have. We suffered their delimitation, which was done to benefit the BJP and its friends. Let's see what happens in the future," he said.
On the reported remarks of Leader of Opposition in the J-K assembly, Sunil Sharma, that if the chief minister goes for cabinet expansion, then his party, the National Conference (NC), would suffer like the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and someone like Eknath Shinde would emerge here as well, Abdullah said all his MLAs stand firmly with the party.
"This tells about the intentions of the BJP. 'Aaya Ram Gaya Ram' (turncoats). Eknath Shinde left because the BJP helped him to leave. It is obvious that the LoP is impatient to hold the chair of the chief minister of J-K. I will only tell him that there is no Eknath Shinde in the National Conference. NC's MLAs stand firmly with the party," he said.
Abdullah said the cabinet expansion is on hold because statehood has not been restored to J-K.
"Cabinet expansion is not on hold because of any fear and that is why I regularly say that the LoP proves through statements like this that till the BJP does not get power, they will not allow us to work smoothly and will not make J-K a state again," he said.
Hitting out at the LoP and the BJP, the J-K CM said the people of J-K, especially those who voted for the BJP in the last elections, should remember that the LoP and his party "indulge in the politics of blackmail and the people here are intimidated in the name of statehood".
