Arrest, prosecute 'Gau Rakshaks', fake news peddlers: Priyank Kharge orders top police officials
Bengaluru: In an effort to curb the spread of misinformation and prevent communal violence incited through social media platforms, Priyank Kharge, the district in-charge Minister of Kalaburagi, directed top officials of the district to track down and take stringent action against those responsible.
During a meeting with revenue and police officials at the Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner's office auditorium, Kharge expressed concern over false allegations being circulated on social media. He specifically mentioned a claim circulating that he was involved in the recent murder of a police constable from Jewargi. To address the issue, Kharge instructed senior police officers to form a dedicated team responsible for monitoring social media posts and promptly taking legal action against individuals spreading fake news. He emphasized the importance of preventing communal tension and recommended that individuals claiming to be "Gau-Rakshakas" (cow protectors) and attempting to incite violence be arrested and prosecuted.
Additionally, Minister Kharge sternly ordered the police to refrain from accepting funds from illegal sand smuggling networks. He further instructed officials to seize vehicles carrying overloaded sand and file appropriate cases against the perpetrators. Notably, Medical Education Minister Dr. Sharanaprakash Patil echoed these sentiments, advocating for the seizure of such vehicles and registration of cases against those involved in illicit sand activities.
Furthermore, Minister Patil identified the presence of 22 clubs in the city engaged in unlawful activities. He urged officials to provide information on the police station limits where these activities occur and instructed them to conduct raids on such clubs while suspending police officers within the respective jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, DCP Srinivasalu received explicit instructions from Dr. Patil to ensure that no clubs involved in illegal activities are permitted within the city limits.
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Ex-PM Devegowda warns opposition of electoral losses if they continue to allege 'vote chori'
New Delhi (PTI): Former Prime Minister H D Devegowda on Monday said the Opposition parties would "suffer" if they continue to raise allegations of "vote chori" and create suspicion in the minds of voters by blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
Participating in a discussion on election reforms in the Rajya Sabha, he criticised the Opposition for making a mockery about the Prime Minister "in the streets and on the public platform".
"This (India) is a very big country. A large country. Congress may be in three states. Remember my friends please, by using the words 'vote chori' you are going to suffer in the coming days. You are not going to win the battle," Devegowda said, referring to the Opposition members.
He asked what the Opposition is going to earn by "blaming Narendra Modi's leadership and creating a suspicion in the mind of the voters" through the claims of "vote chori".
"What has happened to their minds? Let them rectify," Devegowda said.
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The former prime minister said that during his over seven decades of public life, he has never raised such issues of vote theft despite facing defeat in elections.
He also cited a letter written by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru regarding inclusion of "18,000 votes" (voters) in Kerala.
"Why I am telling this (because) during the Nehru period also, there were certain lapses in the electoral system," said Devegowda, who was the prime minister between June 1, 1996 and April 21, 1997.
He said that the Congress party faced defeat in the recent Bihar elections despite raising the issues of mistakes in the electoral rolls.
"What happened after that even after so much review (of voters list). Think (for) yourself! You got six MLAs," the senior Janata Dal (Secular) leader said.
Devegowda questioned the Opposition as to why they want to make allegations against the prime minister on the issue of the voters list?
"Election Commission is there. Supreme Court is there. The Election Commission has given direction to all the state units to rectify all these things," he said.
Devegowda said people of the country have full confidence in Narendra Modi's government and it will come back to power after the next Lok Sabha elections as well.
K R Suresh Reddy, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party's Rajya Sabha member from Telangana, said that electoral reforms are the backbone for a healthy democracy.
He said a large and diverse nation like Indi needs clean electoral rolls.
Asserting that strict re-verification should not become a mechanism for exclusion, Reddy said no eligible voter should lose their right to vote simply because accessing paperwork is difficult.
He said while the concern definitely is on the voters' exclusion, "we should also be equally concerned about the percentage of voting."
"What is happening in voting today? Once the election ends, the drama begins. The biggest challenge that the Indian democracy has been facing in spite of two major Constitutional amendments has been the anti-defection. Anti-defection is the name of the game today, especially in smaller states, especially where the legislatures are small in number," Reddy said.
The senior BRS leader suggested creation of a parliamentary committee "which would constantly look into the defection" and "ways and means to cutting that".
AIADMK's M Thambidurai raised the issues related to election campaigning.
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"Election campaigns are one of the important election processes. In that, political parties must be given the proper chance to campaign," he said and cited problems faced by his party in Tamil Nadu in this regard.
Thambidurai said political parties were facing hardships in Tamil Nadu to conduct public meetings and to express their views to the public.
YSRCP's Yerram Venkata Subba Reddy stressed on bringing electoral reforms at both the state and national levels.
He also suggested replacing Electronic Voting Machines with paper ballots in all future elections.
"EVM may be efficient but can't be trusted. Paper ballot may not be efficient but can be trusted. You need trust in democracy," Reddy added.
