Chandigarh, Jul 14: Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was sulking after being stripped off key portfolios in the Punjab cabinet reshuffle in June, has resigned from the Amarinder Singh cabinet.

Sidhu took to Twitter on Sunday, making public his resignation letter dated June 10 addressed to Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

"I hereby resign as Minister from Punjab Cabinet," Sidhu said in the letter to the Congress chief, which he posted on his Twitter handle.

In another tweet, Sidhu said he would be sending his resignation letter to the chief minister.

On June 6, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had divested Sidhu of the Local Government and Tourism and Cultural Affairs Departments and allotted him the power and new and renewable energy portfolio. 

In an apparent snub, Sidhu was also left out of the consultative groups formed by the chief minister on June 8, two days after the cabinet reshuffle, to accelerate the implementation of the government's flagship programmes.

Over a month after he was stripped of key portfolios, Sidhu had not taken charge of his new assignment, as a stalemate with the chief minister had continued. 

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Chikkamagaluru: Around 150 families from the Shillekytha fishing community (Scheduled Caste) in Menasuru Ravuru Camp, located near the backwaters of the Bhadra River in NR Pura Taluk, have reportedly been living without a burial ground for nearly two decades.

As a result, they are forced to bury their dead in an islet located a few kilometers away, often using traditional coracles to transport the bodies for the last rites, as reported by The New Indian Express on Friday.

One community member shared the struggles they face, particularly during the monsoon season. “We find water as we start digging a pit. We cover the pit with leaves to prevent water from seeping in before burying the body there,” TNIE quoted him as saying.

During summer months, when the Bhadra backwaters recede, the community members resort to burying bodies along the shore. However, even these temporary solutions come with their own challenges. In some cases, families have had to reuse burial spots where previous bodies were laid to rest.

Repeated appeals to local authorities, including the gram panchayat, taluk administration, local MLA, and other elected representatives, for a burial ground, housing, electricity, and other basic amenities have reportedly gone unanswered.

Meanwhile, a local leader stated that the members of the Shillekytha fishing community are nomads, frequently moving from place to place. He added that this nomadic lifestyle is the reason why the community has been deprived of basic amenities, including access to a burial ground and essential services.