RSS intruding educational institutions to add volunteers: Cong
Mumbai: Maharashtra minister and state Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat on Friday alleged that the RSS is trying to induct people as its volunteers by "intruding" into schools, colleges and university campuses.
Seeking an inquiry into it, Thorat said the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress will not tolerate the "RSS-BJP agenda" on campuses.
Thorat was referring to 'Knowing RSS', a special lecture to be given by All India Sampark Pramukh of RSS, Aniruddha Deshpande, in Pune on Saturday for the students of journalism in Pune.
The event has been organised by the Vishwa Samvad Kendra (VSK), the media wing of the RSS.
Thorat tweeted a photo of the notice issued by the Department of Communication and Journalism of the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) to its students, in which it said that the organisers have requested it to send its students for the lecture.
"Since it is within the framework of our fourth semester syllabus, the same has been included in our weekly schedule," the department notice read.
In his tweet, Thorat said, "The swayamsevaks from RSS have been made a part of educational institutes in the state with blessings of the previous BJP led government. They are now campaigning inside varsity campuses."
"Rather than focusing on giving quality education, they are trying to induct more people as their swayamsevaks by intruding schools, colleges and varsity campuses. This is serious and an inquiry has to be conducted," he added.
The senior Congress leader said he has spoken to state Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant and requested a probe and action against the offenders.
"The Maha Vikas Aghadi government will not tolerate RSS BJP agenda in campuses," he said in another tweet.
Recently, the Mumbai University (MU) had called off midway its two-day training workshop meant for its senior officials being held at RSS-affiliated Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini at Uttan near Mumbai, apparently after a Congress leader objected to it saying the institute did not have expertise.
Congress leader and former Lok Sabha member from Maharashtra, Rajeev Satav, had objected to the training session and raised the issue with the Higher and Technical Education Minister.
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BJP stages walkout in Karnataka assembly over 'non-disbursal' of Gruha Lakshmi payout
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The opposition BJP on Wednesday staged a walkout from the Karnataka assembly protesting the alleged "non-disbursal" of two months' installments to 1.26 crore beneficiaries under a woman's assistance scheme of the state government.
The protest followed a heated debate in which the opposition accused the state government of providing "misleading" information regarding the payment status of the flagship Gruha Lakshmi scheme.
The saffron party members trooped into the well of the House and raised slogans, leading to the adjournment of the proceedings of the House for over an hour.
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The Gruha Lakshmi guarantee scheme is one of the five pre-poll promises of the ruling Congress. It provides Rs 2,000 monthly to women heads of the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.
The BJP legislators accused Woman and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar of having "misled" the House by giving false information to BJP MLA Mahesh Tenginkai that all the instalments till August have been paid under the scheme.
The opposition charged that the installments for the months of February and March this year were not paid.
The BJP MLAs' grouse was that they had been demanding an explanation from the Minister for the past three days, but she never turned up to provide information.
As soon as the session started, the opposition members trooped into the well of the House demanding the Minister's presence, which led to the adjournment.
When the members assembled again, the Minister replied that this is a unique flagship programme of the Congress government, which is a model for all the states.
Hebbalkar said she always strived to ensure that this scheme is implemented religiously.
"However, when I checked, I noticed that two months' installments were not paid to the beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). If my reply has hurt anyone, then I express my regret," she said.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who came to the defence of Hebbalkar, said the BJP should apologise for the lie in the Union Budget.
"Despite the Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announcing Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Irrigation Project in the budget, the money was not given to Karnataka. You should question that as well," Shivakumar underlined.
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To this, Leader of Opposition in the assembly R Ashoka said the matter was raised because not only were the BJP members hurt but also the 1.26 crore beneficiaries who were eagerly waiting for the money.
Demanding that the lie be expunged from the House records, he insisted on a date for when the backlog will be paid to the beneficiaries.
The Minister said she was apologising for giving a wrong reply, but she was peeved at the way a woman was targeted in the House.
Objecting to this statement, BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar asked her to refrain from playing victim card and bring up the issue of gender, caste and religious discrimination as it was a matter related to 1.26 crore people.
Ashoka and the BJP MLAs then staged a walkout, saying the Minister's reply was not satisfactory.
