Prashant Kishor 'thanks' Congress for resolution against CAA, NRC; BJP fumes
Patna, Jan 12: JD(U)'s Prashant Kishor on Sunday thanked Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for "formal and unequivocal" rejection of the NRC and reassured the people of Bihar, ruled by his party, that CAA and NRC will not be implemented in the state.
The BJP, an ally of the JD(U) headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, got rankled by the commendation of the opposition party by the former election strategist.
The saffron party came out with a statement criticising "over intelligent and super knowledgeable people" for their propaganda on NRC and asserted that the CAA was passed in Parliament with JD(U)'s support and "it will be implemented in all concerned states, including Bihar".
"I join my voice with all to thank #Congress leadership for their formal and unequivocal rejection of #CAA-NRC. Both @rahulgandhi & @priyankagandhi deserve special thanks for their efforts on this count," Kishor tweeted reacting to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution.
The CWC has demanded that the CAA be withdrawn and the process of NPR stopped forthwith, accusing the BJP-led government at the Centre of using its brute majority to impose a "divisive and discriminatory" agenda.
Forty two-year-old Kishor, whose first claim to fame was the management of Narendra Modi's election campaign in 2014, said, "Also would like to reassure to all -- Bihar mein CAA-NRC laagu nahin hoga (CAA-NRC will not be implemented in Bihar)".
Kishor had joined the JD(U) in September 2018 as a full-time member and has been elevated to the post of national vice president of the party.
His relationship with the BJP has remained uneasy since the 2014 Lok Sabha polls after which he has offered his professional services to parties like the Congress (in UP and Punjab), Trinamool Congress (West Bengal) and the Aam Aadmi Party (Delhi) -- all bitterly opposed to the saffron party.
Kishor's recent tirades against his party for supporting the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and his vociferous opposition to NPR and NRC had raised the hackles of the BJP.
The saffron party's Bihar unit spokesperson Nikhil Anand came out with a statement in response, dripping with sarcasm but without mentioning Kishor by name.
"Some over intelligent and super knowledgeable people are creating propaganda on NRC. But the fact is that there is no initiative by the central government on the issue. We thank the PM, the HM for bringing such much-needed legislation of CAA.
"We appreciate the support of our NDA allies including CM Nitish Kumar Ji in passing the Bill in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The CAA will be implemented in all the concerned states including Bihar and there is no question on this matter. Bihar government has already notified start of the NPR in May 2020," Anand said.
The BJP spokesperson said that those opposing CAA must know that India is not like the United States of America which has dual citizenship.
"The right to enact legislation related to Census and Citizenship comes within the ambit of Union Govt only and every state has to follow the law created by parliament on these issues.
"Do these people want the state governments to take independent decisions on issues related to citizenship and Census which is the sole jurisdiction of the union government and Parliament as per the Constitution of India?" he said.
Anand said such thought is a disrespect to the federal structure and Constitution of India.
I join my voice with all to thank #Congress leadership for their formal and unequivocal rejection of #CAA_NRC. Both @rahulgandhi & @priyankagandhi deserves special thanks for their efforts on this count.
— Prashant Kishor (@PrashantKishor) January 12, 2020
Also would like to reassure to all - बिहार में CAA-NRC लागू नहीं होगा।
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
