Shashi Tharoor sustains injuries while performing 'thulabharam' at temple
Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 15: Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor Monday suffered head injuries while performing 'thulabharam' ritual at a temple here.
According to party sources, Tharoor who is aiming for a hat-trick from Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency, sustained injuries on his head, which required six stitches.
He also suffered a minor leg injury after the hook of the weighing scale came off and hit his head, they added.
'Thulabharam' is a Hindu ritual in which a person is weighed against a commodity such as flowers, grains, fruits and similar articles in temples and the equal value or quantity is offered as donations.
Monday being the Malayalam new year day ('Vishu'), Tharoor performed the ritual at a Devi temple here in the morning before embarking on his poll campaign.
He was accompanied by his family members and party leaders and workers including MLA, V S Sivakumar.
While he was sitting on one of the pans of the weighing scale, the hook came off and fell on his head, the party sources added.
He was taken to Trivandrum Medical College hospital for detailed examination, the sources said.
Television channels showed the former union minister getting into a car with a bandaged head and waving to onlookers wearing a blood-stained kurta.
#Visuals from Kerala: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has been injured while offering prayers at a temple in Thiruvananthapuram and has been shifted to General Hospital there. He has suffered injuries on his head and has received 6 stitches. Doctors says he is out of danger. pic.twitter.com/oWPYIDFo1D
— ANI (@ANI) April 15, 2019
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Upset over insufficient replies by govt, Speaker adjourns the Assembly, walks out
Bengaluru (PTI): Upset over the insufficient number of written replies from government departments to MLAs' questions, Karnataka Assembly Speaker U T Khader on Monday adjourned the House and walked out, stating that he would not run the House until concerned ministers and secretaries provide an explanation.
The Speaker's move, considered "unprecedented" by many legislators, came after Home Minister G Parameshwara tabled 84 written replies against 230 'unstarred' questions submitted by MLAs.
Khader, on Friday, had admonished the government, stating that his "gentleness" should not be mistaken for "weakness," as he took strong exception to the government replying to only a few of the questions from MLAs.
Last week, Khader had repeatedly, though mildly, asked the government to ensure replies to the questions asked by legislators.
As soon as Parameshwara tabled the written replies, opposition BJP members, including Leader of Opposition R Ashoka, pointed out to the Chair that the situation had not improved despite repeated warnings, even as the Home Minister claimed that there was a "bit of improvement."
"Not even 50 per cent questions were replied to. You (Speaker) have warned them (government) four times already, do it for the fifth time. Let it become a record. This government is dead.....Despite warnings, they have not improved. Officials come like Gods, they go home like Gods," Ashoka said, demanding that the Speaker take action.
Khader expressed displeasure, stating that he had issued "clear orders" from his chair four times.
"This House is not for ministers. The session is held for legislators, and it is for them to meet once in three months to discuss issues in their constituencies. Legislators from all parties ask questions. Out of them, only 15 questions become 'starred' (questions to be answered on the floor of the House) daily. If the remaining (unstarred) questions go unanswered, why should they (MLAs) come to this House?" he asked.
Pointing out the lack of proper replies to questions asked, the Speaker said, "How can we continue like this? Despite clear orders from the Chair four times, there are no signs of improvement. How do we run this House?"
"So, until the concerned ministers and secretaries give a proper explanation, I won't run this House," he said, before adjourning the House and walking out.
Later, when the House resumed, the Speaker said there was a meeting involving the Chief Minister, Leader of Opposition, senior minister, chief secretary and other senior officials took place, during which it was decided that answers should be provided to questions put by MLAs and appropriate action had been taken.
The government will give its reply on this issue later in the day, he said, as he adjourned the House for lunch.
