Mann meets Arvind Kejriwal in jail, says he is 'being treated like terrorist'
New Delhi (PTI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met Arvind Kejriwal in Tihar jail Monday and alleged he was being treated like a terrorist, even as AAP said its government in Delhi will start functioning from jail under a "proper format" with chief minister Kejriwal planning to meet two ministers from next week.
Mann, who was accompanied by Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, said they met Kejriwal for half-an-hour but they were separated by a glass wall and had to interact over a phone call. Mann said Kejriwal asked him to campaign for INDIA bloc candidates in different parts of the country.
Pathak said chief minister Kejriwal will start meeting two ministers in the jail every week from next week and review their works. "We will undertake whatever legal processes are needed (to make this happen)," he said. "From next week, when the ministers meet, the government will start functioning from jail in a proper format."
The BJP has been demanding Kejriwal's resignation since his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in an excise policy-related money laundering case. The AAP and its ministers have, however, maintained that Kejriwal will continue to run the government from jail.
The Punjab chief minister told reporters after the meeting that he got emotional when he saw his party's chief.
"It is very sad to see that Arvind Kejriwal is not even getting the facilities that a hardcore criminal gets. What is his crime? That he built schools, hospitals, mohalla clinics and gave free electricity to the public? You are treating him as if you have arrested a big terrorist of the country.
"When (Congress leader) P Chidambaram was in jail, Sonia Gandhi used to meet him in-person but today we were separated by a glass wall which was very dirty. What does Modiji want? This will cost them. Kejriwal, who is a 'kattar imandar' and who started a politics of transparency, is being treated like this," he said.
Former finance minister Chidambaram was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 21, 2019 for alleged irregularities in the grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media to receive overseas funds.
Mann said AAP will emerge a strong political force on June 4 when Lok Sabha election results are announced. "Kejriwal was worried about the country. If the Constitution survives, the party will also survive."
"We don't know why there is so much hostility towards us that we are being treated like terrorists," he asked.
Mann also dismissed suggestions that AAP has been hit by defections since Kejriwal's arrest, saying it's a disciplined party and is completely together and united. "We all stand with Arvind Kejriwal like a rock. Arvind Kejriwal will come out of jail soon," he added.
Pathak said Kejriwal was concerned about the people of Delhi and was constantly enquiring whether they were getting their subsidies.
"Even while being in the jail, he is worried about the people of Delhi. He said that from next week, he will call two ministers to discuss issues. He has also asked party MLAs to go out among people and address their grievances," Pathak said.
Later, addressing a press conference, Pathak said Mann was crying after seeing Kejriwal and was choked for a few minutes.
"When we asked Kejriwal about his health, he said, 'I am ready for the struggle. Do not worry about me. First tell me what is the public saying? Is the electricity subsidy continuing and are there any power cuts? Are free medicines available in government hospitals?' He asked us everything and was only satisfied after we told him everything about the people of Delhi," the MP added.
Pathak said that during his meetings with two ministers from next week, Kejriwal
will review the work being done by their departments.
"He will issue them guidelines and directions. He has also asked party MLAs to meet people in their constituencies over their issues and stay 24 hours among the public. He asked MLAs to put in twice the effort that they were putting in earlier," Pathak said.
He said the chief minister also enquired about the Delhi government's Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana for 2024-25 under which eligible women will get Rs 1,000 every month.
"He said that nobody should be worried and assured that the scheme will be implemented as soon as he comes out of jail. There was no sign of worry on his face. He assured that wherever he stays he will continue to struggle," he added.
The meeting between the three AAP leaders took place in the 'mulakat jangla,' a room divided with a glass wall, a Tihar jail official said.
Security was heightened with local police being deployed outside Tihar jail, given that Mann is Z+ protectee.
The Delhi chief minister and AAP national convenor was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21.
The ED has accused Kejriwal of being involved in the "entire conspiracy of Delhi liquor scam, in drafting and implementation of the policy, for favouring and benefiting the quid pro receiving kickbacks and eventually using part of proceeds of crime generated out of the scheduled offence in the election campaign for Goa Assembly elections".
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Lakshadweep-Mangaluru passenger vessel service resumes
Lakshadweep nearer by five hours, mainland connectivity gets better
Mangaluru (Karnataka), May 2: Travel by searoute from the mainland to Lakshadweep is now nearer by five hours. The highspeed vessel ‘Parali’ on Thursday ferried 160 passengers from Lakshadweep Islands to the Mangaluru old port in just seven hours compared to the earlier 13 hours on an experimental basis.
Speaking to PTI, the first batch of tourists on the ‘HSC Parali' said that it was a different experience. The new vessel has not only high-speed connectivity but is also smoother by far than the earlier vessels which are modified to ferry passengers from cargo carriers.
The Lakshadeweep Islands Tourism Development Authority formed under the Central Tourism Ministry will start the Mangalore-Lakshadweep tourist liner service after few trial runs starting from today. But we do not know how rough will be the sea once the monsoon starts. The LITDA has already ramped up the facilities at the receiving point in Kadmatt, which is the nearest port of arrival from the mainland, the officials said.
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After Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Lakshadweep Island earlier this year, the island administration (union territory) moved in many ways to improve the connectivity between the mainland at Kochi and at Mangaluru.
According to the officials, this is the first step and things will be easier for people of Lakshadweep to arrive in Mangaluru for several types of tourism including the western ghats eco tourism, educational, health and recreation tourism in the mainland.
Karnataka, part of the mainland, and Lakshadweep share a common history since 1783 as it was Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan who protected the entry of mainland marauders into Lakshadweep Islands and prevented them from pillaging the island paradise.
But after 1799, when Tippu Sultan died in Srirangapatnam near Mysore, the people of Lakshadweep lost their freedom again as the British conquered the islands.
The beautiful cluster of small islands, Lakshadweep is one of the world’s most spectacular tropical island systems. Thirty two sq km of land spread over 36 islands surrounded by 4,200 sq km of lagoon is rich in marine wealth. The heritage of ecology and culture is supported by an extremely fragile ecosystem.
Committed to the cause of eco tourism, Union Territory of Lakshadweep has consciously followed a middle path between tourism promotion and environmental conservation. The administration is carefully monitoring the environmental impact of coastal tourism and has taken steps to promote tourism in a way that is consistent with ecological concerns.
The first passenger Vessel ‘M.V.Aminidevi’ had set sail for Kadmatt island in Lakshadweep Islands on 6 November with 150 tourists in 2010. "This had opened a new horizons in tourism for Karnataka. Earlier this circuit was very circuitous for the people in the interior parts of Karnataka, but the new initiative will help high value tourists from Bangalore, Mysore, Panaji, Mumbai to use Mangalore as a port of departure to Lakshadweep.
"We are now getting inquiries from Karnataka especially Bengaluru," according to Lakshadweep Island Tourism Development Authority co-ordinators in Karnataka.
The authorities had already prepared the ultra modern tourism facilities in three islands out of the nine which are closer to Mangalore in terms of navigation. The two islands of Minicoy and Kalpeni are closer to Kochi.
At Kadmatt water sports like snorkeling, kayaking, diving, cruising and a combination of tourist activities including the local and world culinary attraction has been arranged.
The authority are hoping that the tourists from Bengaluru will take advantage of this facility. Earlier they had to go to Kochi.
The IT and Business tourists can travel to Lakshadweep at a cost of Rs 5,000 per head on this ship. The travel time is less than 14 hours and if they can squeeze in three days, we have devised a weekend package which is very rejuvenating, said an official from the Union Territory Authority of Lakshadweep Islands.
Earlier, only a cargo ship ‘Tipu Sultan’ was plying between the Islands and the mainland. This route is stated to be one of the oldest in the Indian maritime history.
Accommodations in Minicoy, Kalpeni, Kadmatt, Aminidevi are limited and the ship will take tourists only when there is accommodation available on the islands. However, the rush has already begun as tourists from Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Baroda, and other places are booking their seats. They will treat Mangaluru as a port of departure, according to officials.
