Sonia, Rahul Gandhi skip Uddhav's swearing-in, wish him the very best
New Delhi, Nov 28: Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have decided to skip the swearing-in ceremony of Uddhav Thackeray as Maharashtra chief minister and have conveyed this to him.
Noting that the Shiv Sena, NCP and the Congress have come together under extraordinary circumstances, Sonia Gandhi, in a letter to Thackeray, wished Uddhav the very best in life and hoped that the new government will fulfil the hopes and expectations of the people of Maharashtra.
"Aditya met me yesterday and extended your kind invitation to attend the swearing-in ceremony this evening in Mumbai. I regret that I am unable to be present at the function," she said in her letter.
"I wish you personally all the very best as you embark on a new innings in your life," Sonia Gandhi said.
She said the Shiv Sena, NCP and the Congress have come together under "quite extraordinary circumstances at a time when the country faces unprecedented threats from the BJP".
"The political atmosphere has become poisonous and the economy has collapsed, farmers are facing great distress. The Shiv Sena, NCP and the Congress have agreed to a common minimum programme and I am confident that all three parties will strive their utmost to implement that programme in letter and spirit," the Congress president said.
"The people of Maharashtra expect the alliance to provide cohesive, purposeful, responsible, responsive and transparent administration and our collective effort will undoubtedly be to ensure that these expectations are fulfilled," she said.
Rahul Gandhi also expressed his regret for not being able to attend the swearing-in ceremony, but gave his best wishes to the Shiv Sena chief.
"Thank you for your kind invitation to the swearing-in ceremony today. I offer my best wishes and congratulations on taking oath as chief minister of Maharashtra. I regret that I am unable to be present at the function," he said in a letter to Thackeray, adding, "I wish you the very best as you embark on this new journey."
He also noted that the events leading up to the government formation in Maharashtra have set a "dangerous precedent for our democracy".
"I am glad that the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi has come together to defeat the BJP's attempt to undermine our democracy. The people of Maharashtra have high expectations from the coalition and I am confident it will provide them a stable, secular and pro-poor government," Rahul Gandhi said.
Uddhav Thackeray takes over as chief minister of Maharashtra at a function in the Shivaji maidan in Mumbai after the Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP decided to come together and form a government in Maharashtra under a common minimum programme.
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.
Four arrested for abduction of 19-yr-old college student; Rs 50,000 ransom bid foiled in Bengaluru
_vb_52.jpeg)
Bengaluru (PTI): Four people, former and senior students of the same college, were arrested for allegedly abducting a 19-year-old from his hostel in the city and later demanding a ransom of Rs 50,000 for his release, police said on Monday.
The victim, a first-year BBM student, was abducted by the accused on April 11 at around 7.50 pm near his hostel in BTM Layout, they said.
However, the Madiwala police foiled the plan within four hours and rescued the kidnapped student, a native of Odisha, police said.
Of those arrested, two were former students of the same college, while the remaining two were current senior students there.
The matter came to light on the night of April 11 when information was received from a student stating that another student had been kidnapped near the college hostel in BTM Layout.
According to police, the victim was forcibly taken away in a car and held in an old house in Jayanagar on Saturday night. The accused allegedly threatened him with a knife and a fake pistol and demanded that he transfer Rs 50,000 via UPI, failing which he would be killed.
They also contacted his friends and family seeking money.
Acting swiftly, Namma 112 personnel immediately relayed the information to Madiwala police officials. Based on this information, a case was registered, and an investigation was initiated.
“Within five hours of the incident, the police, using technical surveillance, successfully rescued the kidnapped student and apprehended the accused. Further investigation is in progress,” a senior police officer said.
All the accused are aged between 19 and 23 years. One of them used his father’s car to carry out the abduction, while another former student, who had passed out from the same college, joined the group in taking the victim to the house in Jayanagar, which belonged to another accused.
Police said some money was transferred to the suspects to ensure they did not harm the victim.
Police suspect the accused are habitual offenders and are investigating their possible involvement in similar cases in the past. One of the accused was also previously involved in an extortion case, they added.
The accused were remanded to judicial custody, police said, adding that further investigation is underway.
_vb_62.jpeg)
_vb_78.jpeg)
_vb_49.jpeg)