Rajasthan CM Gehlot takes 'intellectual bankruptcy' dig at Sachin Pilot over paper leak row
Jaipur (PTI): In a veiled attack on his former deputy Sachin Pilot, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said his demand for compensation to candidates affected by an exam paper leak reflects "intellectual bankruptcy".
Gehlot also said the opposition has started talking about the paper leak as it does not have any issue to target the Congress government in Rajasthan.
"Since the opposition does not have any issue, it has started talking about the paper leak and is saying give compensation to them (the candidates). Give compensation to the 26 lakh people who took the exam? The papers got leaked, so they should get compensation?" the chief minister asked during in his address after inaugurating a newly-constructed state-of-the-art bus terminal at the Jaipur Central Bus Stand, Sindhi Camp in the evening.
"Such a demand is made that the papers got leaked, so they (candidates) should get compensation. What would you call this? Would this not be called intellectual bankruptcy?" he asked the gathering.
Gehlot's comments were in reference to Pilot's demand for compensation to the affected candidates, which were later endorsed by some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.
The other demands of Pilot are reconstituting the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) by disbanding it and forming a high-level committee to investigate corruption during the previous BJP rule in the desert state.
Gehlot said, "In the history of the world, has anyone ever demanded that since papers got leaked, the children who could not take the exam should be given compensation? Can the government give it?"
He said in the paper leak case, his government has enacted a law and put the accused in jail, which no other state has done.
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633 Indian students died abroad in last 5 yrs due to various reasons including natural causes: Govt
New Delhi (PTI): Six-hundred and thirty-three incidents of death of Indian students abroad were reported in the last five years due to various reasons including natural causes with Canada topping the list with 172 cases, the government said in Lok Sabha on Friday.
Separately, a total 19 Indian students died abroad due to attacks in the period with the highest of nine deaths reported from Canada followed by six in the US, according to details provided by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh.
Out of the 633 incidents of deaths, 108 were reported in the US, 58 in the UK, 57 in Australia and 37 were in Russia, the data showed.
Eighteen incidents were reported in Ukraine, 24 in Germany, 12 each in Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Cyprus and eight such cases were reported in China.
"As per the information available with the Ministry, 633 incidents of death of Indian students abroad have been reported in the last five years due to various reasons including natural causes, accidents and medical conditions," Singh said in a written reply to a question.
"Providing safety and security to Indian students abroad is one of the top most priorities of the government of India. Indian missions/posts abroad maintain regular contacts with Indian students enrolled in universities abroad," he said.
To a separate question, Singh said a total of 48 Indian students have been deported from the US over the last three years.
"Reasons for deportation are not officially shared by the US authorities," he said.
"Unauthorised employment, unauthorised withdrawal from classes, expulsion and suspension, and failure to report optional practical training employment are some of the possible reasons which could lead to termination of a student's visa resulting in unlawful presence" and eventual deportation," he added.
