Madhya Pradesh: Cong MP Booked for 'Inaugurating' Medical College Before CM
Ratlam: Congress MP Kantilal Bhuria has been booked by the police for ‘inaugurating’ a government medical college in Ratlam a day before Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was scheduled to launch it, an official said on Thursday.
Bhuria, a former Union minister, represents the Ratlam-Jhabua Lok Sabha seat.
In a game of one-upmanship ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state, Bhuria reached the Government Medical College at Banjli in Ratlam along with his supporters and a priest and held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday.
“Since Tuesday is an auspicious day, I inaugurated the college as the project had been approved during the UPA government,” he told reporters after the event.
After the district administration was alerted about it, officials were rushed to the spot and police personnel were deployed there.
“A case under section 144 of CrPC (prohibiting assembly of more than four people in an area) and IPC sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) 448 (punishment for house-trespass) was registered against Bhuria and 15 others based on a complaint filed by the college administration in this regard,” Ratlam Superintendent of Police (SP) Gaurav Tiwari said.
On Wednesday, Chouhan formally inaugurated the medical college building that has been constructed at a cost of Rs 350 crore.
“It is a big gift to the Ujjain division and will set an example in the area of medical education,” he said at a the inauguration ceremony.
“After 1964, no new medical college was established in the state. But after I became the chief minister, we decided to set up a medical college in Sagar and five years back in Ratlam. Now the state has a total of 17 medical colleges, including 11 government ones,” he added.
Earlier, Madhya Pradesh used to produce 600 doctors annually, but now 2,600 medicos will be available every year in the state. This will also help us in serving the rural areas, Chouhan said.
According to him, a 750-bed hospital will also be constructed at the college for the people of the region. Assembly elections in the state are scheduled to be held by the end of this year.
courtesy : thewire.in
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
