Vision 2031: Cong leader Mani Shankar Aiyar confident Pinarayi Vijayan will continue as Kerala CM
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Sunday expressed confidence that Pinarayi Vijayan will continue as the chief minister of Kerala.
His remarks come as the Congress seeks to return to power in the state, with Assembly elections scheduled in the coming months.
Speaking at the international seminar titled ‘Vision 2031: Development and Democracy’, inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Aiyar said necessary amendments should be introduced to legally secure Kerala’s top position in the Panchayati Raj system and offered suggestions for it.
Aiyar, who had served as Union Cabinet Minister for Panchayat Raj during the Congress-led UPA government, recalled Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of India. He said the father of the nation envisaged a country where even the poorest would feel ownership and believe they had an effective voice in nation-building.
He added that it may appear ironic that the state which has made the most commendable progress toward that goal is Kerala, ruled by the "Marxist-Leninist party of India."
"I don’t know whether this is a compliment or an insult, but I deeply regret the absence of my party colleagues on this occasion, which is a state occasion and therefore a national occasion," he said.
Aiyar said Kerala is, without doubt, India’s leader in Panchayati Raj and has fulfilled the expectations of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi more than any other state.
"But while Kerala is the first state in Panchayati Raj in practice, it ranks only second in law," he noted.
He said Karnataka has exemplary contemporary legislation based on the Ramesh Kumar Committee, to which he had suggested 38 amendments—all of which were accepted.
“So, in the presence of the CM, who I am confident will continue in office, I renew my plea: to reinforce Kerala as the best Panchayati Raj state in the country, state law should be amended based on practical experience, Thomas Isaac’s insights, the five-volume report I chaired, and the note on district planning by V K Ramachandran circulated by the Planning Commission when it truly supported Panchayati Raj," he said.
Aiyar added that there is no champion for Panchayati Raj left in the country.
"Therefore, I must fall at your feet, Chief Minister Vijayan, and request you to pick up the baton that the Congress has dropped. Thank you, and may Kerala prosper," he concluded.
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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
