Elderly man dies waiting in queue for old age pension in Kashmir
Srinagar, Dec 20: A 62-year-old man died on Tuesday while waiting for verification of his credentials to get an old age pension at the social welfare office in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said here.
Sonaullah Bhat, a resident of Malangam in Bandipora, died at the Tehsil Social Welfare office Tuesday morning as he was waiting for his turn to submit his documents for verification, the officials said.
The cause of Bhat's death was not immediately known.
Thousands of old age pensioners in Kashmir are being made to run from pillar to post for the past several months now for regularising of their pension as the payment process has been moved to online mode.
Political parties have urged the administration to adopt a "humane approach" to the issue.
Expressing concern over Bhat's death, CPI(M) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami reiterated the demand for simplifying the whole process.
He expressed his dismay over the hardships being faced by the old people, people with disability, widows, divorcees, transgenders, and other needy and destitute with the introduction of online registration.
"The beneficiaries who are old-aged ,including the disabled are being made to sit in long queues for hours in sub-zero temperatures outside offices which led to the unfortunate death of this poor elderly person," he said.
The CPI(M) leader also demanded immediate relief for the Bhat's family.
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Power struggle in ruling Cong has 'created massive confusion' in Karnataka: BJP leader Ashoka
Bengaluru (PTI): BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday claimed that the ongoing power struggle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar has created massive confusion in Karnataka.
He remarked that the proverb “when two people fight, the third one benefits” has come true, as AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge is also now making efforts to become Chief Minister.
Speaking to reporters here, Ashoka said the entire government has turned into a house of confusion due to the alleged power tussle.
Kharge’s new statement has only added to the chaos, he said.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had on Friday said that no date has been fixed yet to discuss possible leadership change in Karnataka.
This came a day after Kharge said there was no change of CM in Karnataka "for now" and that the leadership issue in the state would be resolved soon.
The BJP leader said that Kharge too has aspirations and that he was cheated earlier.
"Perhaps he has received a green signal from the Congress high command to become CM. Everyone is already saying Kharge should become CM. Kharge himself has declared, “I am ready to become CM.” Despite many attempts in the past, he never became CM. Now he is trying to seize the opportunity," the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly said.
According to him, the situation in Congress has perfectly become a case of “two people fighting, third one benefits.”
