Mamata slams Modi government over NRC, warns of civil war
New Delhi, July 31 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday attacked the Narendra Modi government over the NRC in Assam, saying people are being victimised to win elections and it would lead to a bloodbath and civil war.
Addressing a conclave by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India here, Banerjee took several digs at the Modi-led Central government and accused it of interfering with the judiciary.
She alleged that names of people having valid documents were not included in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the exercise was being carried out with a political motive which will be opposed.
Banerjee also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to divide people. "The situation cannot be tolerated. There will be a civil war, bloodbath in the country," Banerjee said.
Over 40 lakh people were excluded in the final draft list of the NRC released on Monday (July 30).
"What is going on and what can be, it is more alarming. Only to win the election, only to win the battle, people cannot be victimised. Now they say these people cannot vote also. If they don't vote, if their list doesn't exist, don't you think they will lose their identity," Banerjee said.
"Where they will get food, how they will go to school. How they will go for employment, nobody will allow them. Nobody will allow them to go to office. Where will they go, where their children will go. We will not let them die. We want they should survive," she added.
The Trinamool Congress leader said whoever came from Bangladesh up to March 1971 "is very much an Indian citizen".
She said there were also people from Bihar, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu whose names are not in the NRC. The Trinamool Congress leader said the name of a family member of former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was not in the final draft of the NRC.
She accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being a megalomaniac. "We know India is a secular country. But only I came in power for a few years and I will destroy everything, it cannot be. It is like being megalomaniac," she said.
"I am saying with heavy heart, this situation cannot continue. The judiciary, you know how they interfere. In every institution, you cannot work impartially."
She also referred to St. Stephens College cancelling an address by her and took a dig at the BJP.
"I don't know whether you got threatening or not... that's why Mamata Banerjee is coming. I do not know. Wherever I am going, they are cancelling the programme. I don't mind. Because they think that convention hall is enough for me. For me, the road is better. I can go to the road and meet people," she said.
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Andhra milk contamination: Death toll rises to 13, seven undergoing treatment
Rajamahendravaram (Andhra Pradesh)(PTI): The death toll in the suspected milk adulteration incident in East Godavari district has risen to 13, while seven persons continue to receive treatment at hospitals in Rajamahendravaram, an official said on Thursday.
Health department officials said the cluster of cases was first noticed on February 22 after several elderly residents were admitted to hospitals with symptoms such as anuria, vomiting, abdominal pain and acute renal dysfunction requiring dialysis.
Residents from Chowdeswaranagar and Swaroopanagar areas of Lalacheruvu reportedly fell ill after consuming milk suspected to be adulterated and supplied in the locality.
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"The death toll in the suspected milk adulteration case in East Godavari district has reached 13, while seven persons are undergoing treatment at hospitals in Rajamahendravaram," the official said.
Authorities noted that strong epidemiological indicators point towards milk adulteration as the probable cause and multiple departments have initiated coordinated action.
Medical examinations revealed elevated levels of blood urea and serum creatinine among the affected persons, suggesting possible toxic exposure, they said.
Preliminary investigations indicated milk consumption as the main source of exposure. The milk was reportedly supplied to nearly 106 families by Varalakshmi Milk Dairy in Narasapuram village of Korukonda mandal, following which the supply was immediately halted.
Emergency medical camps have been set up in the affected localities with doctors and ambulance services deployed round the clock, officials said.
Rapid Response Teams comprising the district surveillance officer, physicians, microbiologists, paediatricians, forensic experts, epidemiologists and nephrologists were constituted to handle the situation.
Meanwhile, the Food Safety Department inspected the dairy unit linked to the supply and collected samples of milk, paneer, ghee, drinking water and vinegar for surveillance and enforcement.
The samples have been sent to laboratories, including JNTU Kakinada and VIMTA Labs in Hyderabad for microbial, physio-chemical and toxic adulterant analysis.
Blood and urine samples of affected persons have also been forwarded for detailed toxicological examination, officials added.
The suspected milk vendor, Addala Ganeswararao (33), a resident of Narasapuram village, has been taken into custody and the dairy unit associated with the supply has been sealed.
CLUES (Crime scene Linking Understanding Evidence and Science) and forensic teams inspected the premises, while post-mortem samples were sent to the Regional Forensic Laboratory in Vijayawada. Police said an investigation is underway to trace the distribution network and identify affected consumers.
The Animal Husbandry Department also formed a team of four veterinary doctors, collected 41 milk samples along with cattle feed and water samples, and sent them to the Veterinary Biological Research Institute in Vijayawada for analysis.
Meanwhile, the police registered a case under Section 194 of the BNSS and Section 174 of the CrPC.
