Ensure PDP, NC, NCP won't be part of NDA: Shiv Sena to PM Modi
Mumbai: Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi for strongly rebutting those talking about the separation of Jammu and Kashmir from the country, the Shiv Sena Tuesday said he must commit that the PDP, NC and the NCP won't be part of the NDA after elections even if it is short on numbers.
The Sena, in an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, said while it is good that the prime minister has spoken against those attempting to divide the country, he needs to give people two assurances.
"Tomorrow, whatever may be the case on the numbers required to form the government, there will be no relationship with those who talk of dividing the nation. And those who have ruined three generations of Kashmiris will not get a place in Modi's cabinet or the NDA," the Sena said.
The Sena further said Modi's stand against Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, for "supporting" those who want to "divide" the nation, should remain the same even after polls.
"Those dividing the country and those supporting them should not get a place in politics in future. If those supporting anti-nationals today sit with nationalists for political reasons, it will be an insult to our jawans," the Sena said.
The Sena said while National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah has spoken about Jammu and Kashmir having a separate PM, it will not be a reality even after 100 generations have passed.
The Sena claimed Article 370 gives special privileges to the restive northern state, and the law of the country does not apply there, and therefore, there have been demands from many years to abolish the Constitutional privilege.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party sought to remind the BJP that Abdullah was a minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government and the NC was a part of the NDA, adding that his party's policy towards Article 370 and 35 (A), both of which give special status to J-K, was age old.
"Yet we keep kissing their furry caps to achieve the numbers in Parliament. This is nationalism of convenience," it alleged.
The Sena added that People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti has a similar stand on the Constitutional provisions for Jammu and Kashmir and she has warned that the state will not remain with India if its special status is revoked.
"Until yesterday, the same person was chief minister with support of the BJP. Even her anti-national mindset is old. Yet, the BJP got friendly with them while we kept opposing their alliance," it said.
It said both these leaders are today speaking against abolishing of Article 370 and 35 (A) while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hitting back in his rallies.
"Modi has spoken with grit - the way an Indian prime minister should have spoken. He has spoken about how three generations have been destroyed under Abdullah and Mufti's regimes," the party said.
"Modi has also spoken about displacement of Kashmiri Pandits. However their ghar wapsi (return to roots) couldn't happen in the last 5 years," it said.
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ADM responds in Hindi: U'khand HC asks if person who can't speak English control executive position
Nainital, Jul 26 (PTI): The Uttarakhand High Court has asked two top officials of the state to find out whether an officer who has no knowledge of English can effectively control an executive position after an additional district magistrate responded in Hindi during the hearing of a PIL.
When the division bench of Chief Justice Guhanathan Narendar and Justice Alok Mahra asked why he chose Hindi instead of English, the official said while he could understand the language he was unable to speak it fluently.
At this, the bench asked the State Election Commissioner and the Chief Secretary to find out whether an officer of ADM (Additional District Magistrate) level, who has no knowledge of English, can effectively control an executive position.
The ADM concerned is also the electoral registration officer of Nainital.
The high court asked the state election commissioner and the Chief Secretary to appear before it via video conferencing at the next hearing of the PIL on July 28 to respond to the query.
The situation arose during the hearing of the PIL questioning the inclusion of names of outsiders in the voter list for panchayat elections in Budhlakot gram sabha of Nainital district.
Taking a strict stance on the issue, the high court questioned the State Election Commission on the criteria used for the inclusion of such individuals in the voter list.
The court asked on what basis these individuals were identified as residents of the area.
The election officer, who appeared personally before the court, informed that the names were identified based on the family register.
However, the court observed that under the Panchayati Raj Act, birth and death certificates are considered more important documents than the family register.
So far, more than 25 petitions challenging various issues related to the panchayat elections have been filed. Notably, Akash Bora, a resident of Budhlakot, filed the PIL stating that 82 names in the village's voter list belonged to people from outside the area, most of whom are from the state of Odisha and other places.
When he complained to the SDM, a fact-finding committee was constituted, which found that 18 individuals listed were indeed outsiders.
However, even after the final voter list was released, the names of these 18 individuals were not removed.
After filing the PIL, the petitioner also submitted a list of 30 more such individuals to the court.
However, despite repeated complaints, no action has been taken, the PIL said.
The list includes names of outsiders from places such as Haldwani, Nainital, Odisha, Delhi and Haridwar.
