Himachal BJP MLAs donate one month's salary towards state disaster relief fund
Shimla (PTI): BJP MLAs in Himachal Pradesh Tuesday donated their one month's salary towards the Aapada Rahat Kosh and presented a cheque of Rs 13.8 lakh to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, leader of opposition Jai Ram Thakur said.
Speaking to media persons outside the Vidhan Sabha, Thakur said, "We had made a commitment to donate one month's salary towards the disaster relief fund," adding that 25 BJP MLAs have donated their one month's salary on Tuesday.
This step by BJP MLAs comes a day after the chief minister had pointed out that the BJP MLAs are yet to donate towards the Aapada Rahat Kosh.
During the Assembly session on Monday, Sukhu said that the Congress MLAs have donated one month's salary towards the Aapada Rahat Kosh, while the state's employees have donated one day's salary, and several state governments and individuals have donated funds and even students have come forward for help but the BJP MLAs are yet to donate their salary.
At present, there are 40 Congress, 25 BJP and three independent MLAs in the 68 seat assembly in the state.
"We had earlier stated that we are with the state government in times of disaster and will do all possible help," Thakur said.
The BJP MLAs have made efforts to help the affected people in their respective constituencies, he added.
The state faced the fury of monsoon from July 7 to 11, August 11 to 14 and August 22 to 26 and the direct loss to the state was about Rs 9,000 and if indirect losses are added the figure goes up to more than Rs 12,000 crores, Sukhu had said in the Vidhan Sabha.
A total of 455 persons -- 282 in rain-related incidents and 173 in road accidents -- have died since the onset of monsoon on June 24 till September 19 while 39 are still missing as per the state emergency operation centre.
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Mamata visits Bhabanipur EVM strong room, warns against counting irregularities
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee early Friday warned against any attempt to tamper with the counting process, hours after she visited an EVM strong room in Bhabanipur, alleging possible malpractice.
Banerjee, who emerged around 12:07 am after spending nearly four hours at the counting centre for her Bhabanipur constituency housed in Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata, said only one person would be allowed inside the designated counting area.
"Either the candidate or one agent can stay upstairs. I have also suggested installation of a CCTV camera for the media," she told reporters.
Stressing the need for transparency, she said, "It is essential to maintain transparency. People’s votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints. The central forces initially did not allow me to enter."
Sounding a stern note ahead of the May 4 counting, she added, "If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated."
On Thursday evening, Banerjee had reached the Bhabanipur Assembly segment counting centre, which houses the strong room for EVMs used in the April 29 polling, citing suspicion of tampering with the machines.
She entered the premises along with her election agent and remained inside for hours, even as Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate from the Kolkata Port segment Firhad Hakim reached the spot but could not meet her.
"I reached here upon learning that the chief minister has arrived. But I couldn’t meet her since she was already inside the premises, exercising her right as a candidate to visit strong rooms. I wasn’t allowed there. I will not be able to confirm what exactly is transpiring inside," Hakim said.
The development coincided with protests by TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in north Kolkata, where they staged a sit-in alleging irregularities and possible tampering of EVMs stored in strong rooms, leading to face-offs between TMC and BJP supporters.
Earlier in a video message, Banerjee had urged party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil on EVM strong rooms, alleging that the BJP could attempt to tamper with the machines before counting begins.
Her remarks come amid heightened political tension in the state following a fiercely contested Assembly election, with parties closely monitoring arrangements and raising concerns over transparency.
