Want to serve Wayanad, just like mother looks after children: Priyanka Gandhi
Wayanad (PTI): Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is making her electoral debut as the UDF candidate in the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll, on Thursday said her sentiments about serving the people of the hill constituency are the same as those of a mother towards her children.
Priyanka, on the last day of her second leg of bypoll campaign, said that if she was given a chance, she would fight for the people of Wayanad not only in the Parliament, but on every other platform.
The Congress leader also referred to the love her brother -- Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi -- has for Wayanad and urged the people of the hill constituency to vote for her so that she can help them for the affection and support they have shown to her family.
Priyanka also reiterated her accusations against the BJP-led Centre, saying that their politics has harmed farmers and small business owners in the country.
Addressing corner meetings at Akampadam and Pothukallu in Eranad and Nilambur assembly constituencies in Malappuram district, she said even the farmers and small businesses in Wayanad were reeling under debts, despite the huge potential of the hill constituency, due to the lack of support from the government.
The Congress leader claimed that the reason for this was the politics of fear, hatred and divisiveness being played by the BJP and said that politics of this kind was not needed in the country.
She has been consistently raising these issues during the last four days of her five-day long bypoll campaigning in the hill constituency.
The Wayanad constituency comprises seven Assembly segments: Mananthavady (ST), Sulthan Bathery (ST), and Kalpetta in Wayanad district; Thiruvambady in Kozhikode district; and Eranad, Nilambur, and Wandoor in Malappuram district.
The by-election for the Wayanad seat became necessary after Rahul Gandhi, who won Lok Sabha seats from both Wayanad and Raebareli decided to vacate Wayanad.
The bypoll for the Wayanad seat is set for November 13.
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SC refuses to transfer Kolkata rape-murder case trial outside West Bengal
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to transfer the rape and murder trial pertaining to a doctor in Kolkata outside West Bengal.
A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said the trial court judge had sufficient powers to order another investigation upon feeling it necessary after examining the evidence.
The top court also examined the sixth status report filed by the CBI in relation to the case of rape and murder at Kolkata's R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, but refrained from making observations saying the probe was underway.
The apex court noted that a Kolkata court had framed charges against prime accused, Sanjay Roy, on November 4 and a day-to-day trial in the case would start November 11 onwards.
During the hearing, the national task force (NTF), formed to create a protocol over the safety of health professionals, submitted its report in the apex court.
The top court directed the NTF's report to be shared with all states and union territories and posted the hearing after four weeks.
The top court on October 15 questioned the West Bengal government over the hiring of civic volunteers in the state and sought data on their recruitment and appointment process.
The apex court on September 30 expressed dissatisfaction over the state's "tardy" progress in installing CCTVs and building toilets apart from separate resting rooms in government medical colleges, and ordered its completion by October 15.
On September 17, the top court expressed anguish over the findings in a CBI status report in the case, refusing to divulge details and observing any disclosure could jeopardise the ongoing investigation.
Earlier on September 9, the top court expressed its concern over the absence of the "challan" -- a key document forwarding the doctor's mortal remains for postmortem -- from the records placed before it and sought a report from the state government.
On August 22, the apex court pulled up the Kolkata police over the delay in registering the case of unnatural death of the deceased, calling it "extremely disturbing" while frowning upon the sequence of events and the timing of its procedural formalities.
The top court had constituted a 10-member NTF to formulate a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other healthcare professionals.
Terming the incident as "horrific", the apex court had censured the state government over the alleged delay in filing of the FIR and allowing a crowd of thousands to vandalise the state-run facility.
The death of the doctor, whose mortal remains indicated injury marks, had sparked nationwide protests and an initial probe had led to the arrest of a civic volunteer by the Kolkata police the next day of the crime.
On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe from the Kolkata police to the CBI, which began its investigation on August 14.
