Ex-bureaucrats condemn Pragya's remarks on Karkare; demand withdrawal of candidature
New Delhi: A group of 71 retired civil servants have taken strong objection to BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate Pragya Singh Thakur's statement that her "curse" killed decorated IPS officer Hemant Karkare, and demanded withdrawal of her candidature.
In an open letter, the former officers said that Thakur, who is an accused in the Malegaon blast case and is out on bail on medical grounds, has used the political platform not just to propound her "brand of bigotry", but also to "insult" the memory of Karkare, who died fighting terrorists during the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai.
Last week, Thakur said she cursed Karkare, the former Anti-Terrorist Squad chief of Maharashtra, for treating her "very badly" while she was in custody in connection with the 2008 blast case, that killed six and injured over a 100.
Her statement evoked condemnation from several quarters and the BJP too distanced itself from the comments.
"...this dishonouring of a former colleague, an officer known for his professionalism, has come as the ultimate shock and saddened us beyond words. The country needs to honour the sacrifice of Karkare and not allow deviant individuals to denigrate him and his memory.
"Every officer who has worked with or supervised the work of Karkare has testified that he was a person of impeccable integrity and an inspiration to all who came in touch with him," said the letter.
The letter has been signed by ex-civil servants including former Punjab Director General of Police Julio Riberio, ex-Pune Police Commissioner Meeran Borwankar and former Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar.
The officers also said, "This decision could have been dismissed as yet another example of political expediency but for the enthusiastic endorsement by no less a person than the Prime Minister of India (Narendra Modi), who has termed her candidature as a symbol of our civilisational heritage," the letter said.
They listed demands like, "condemning unequivocally, the statement of Pragya Thakur, demanding that the BJP withdraw her candidature and reminding the Prime Minister...to take the lead in putting an end to the climate of fear and intimidation and communal viciousness that seems to be percolating into the entire electoral process".
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Gold, silver soar as US-Iran deal hopes lift bullion demand
New Delhi (PTI): Gold prices rebounded by Rs 2,900 to Rs 1.55 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Wednesday, while silver climbed to Rs 2.54 lakh per kilogram as easing geopolitical tensions triggered a pullback in oil rates, boosting demand for precious metals.
According to the All India Sarafa Association, the yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity jumped by Rs 2,900, or nearly 2 per cent, to Rs 1,55,400 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Tuesday's closing level of Rs 1,52,500 per 10 grams.
Traders attributed the surge in bullion prices to reports that Washington and Tehran are close to finalising a framework agreement to end months of conflict, raising the prospects of smoother flows through the Strait of Hormuz and easing inflation concerns tied to energy markets.
"Gold rallied strongly on Wednesday as easing geopolitical tensions triggered a sharp reversal in key macro drivers that had recently pressured precious metals," Saumil Gandhi, Senior Analyst - Commodities at HDFC Securities, said.
Silver prices also advanced for the third straight session by rising Rs 3,500, or 1.4 per cent, to Rs 2,54,500 per kg (inclusive of all taxes). The metal had settled at Rs 2,51,000 per kg in the previous session, as per the Association.
"The prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough triggered a steep decline in oil prices and the US dollar, easing concerns about inflation while boosting demand for precious metals," Gandhi said.
Globally, spot gold increased by USD 106.15, or 2.33 per cent, to USD 4,663.70 per ounce while silver gained USD 3.40, or 4.68 per cent, to USD 76.24 per ounce.
"Gold witnessed a sharp rally as markets reacted positively to reports that the US and Iran are moving closer to a one-page agreement framework aimed at ending the conflict," Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst - Commodity and Currency, LKP Securities, said.
Despite strong international gains, rupee strength limited the upside in domestic gold prices. The market is now highly focused on final confirmation and execution of the proposed deal, he added.
Any negative surprise or breakdown in negotiations could trigger a sharp sell-off in gold, while a successful agreement and sustained ceasefire could push the bullion prices higher in the near-term, Trivedi said.
