Bar Mallikarjun Kharge from campaign, register FIR: BJP to EC on 'poisonous snake' barb
New Delhi, Apr 28: The BJP on Friday urged the Election Commission to file a criminal case against Mallikarjun Kharge and bar him from campaigning in the Karnataka assembly polls, stepping up its attack on the Congress president for his "poisonous snake" barb at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Union minister Bhupender Yadav, who led a BJP delegation to the Election Commission, told reporters that Kharge's comment was not merely a slip of the tongue but part of the Congress' "hate politics" as he accused the party of working to spread disharmony and provoke people ahead of the high-stakes polls in the southern state.
BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh said Kharge is a "habitual offender" and noted that Congress leaders have made a number of "hateful" personal attacks on Modi.
The BJP has demanded registration of an FIR under IPC Sections 499 and 500, which deal with defamation, and Section 504, which deals with the offence of deliberate insults and provocation.
The delegation also included BJP chief spokesperson Anil Baluni and party leader Om Pathak.
Addressing a campaign rally for the May 10 Karnataka assembly polls, Kharge likened Modi to a "poisonous snake". As a row erupted, he later sought to clarify that his remarks were not aimed at the prime minister but at the ruling BJP.
The BJP's memorandum to the poll watchdog said, "Election Commission is empowered under Article 324 of the Constitution of India to ensure that no one indulges in making false, unverified, baseless allegations to violate electoral laws and indulge in behaviour which tear apart the sanctity of the MCC."
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"Kharge should be barred from campaigning in Karnataka elections so as to contain the spread of such acrimonious campaign and set an example that the Commission will not brook any violation of MCC or other laws of the land," it added.
Comparing anyone to a poisonous snake in Indian society projects such an individual as an "enemy, untrustworthy, unfaithful, treacherous, and deceitful," it said, adding that Kharge and his party are repeat offenders.
"Use of such vulgar and abusive language to tarnish the image of a respected prime minister clearly shows the level to which the Congress has plummeted.... Such perverse pronouncements, if not checked effectively, will not only vitiate the electoral atmosphere, but will also further encourage the Congress rank and file in lowering the levels of propriety of the quality of political discourse," it said.
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SC slams Uttarakhand for "lackadaisical" approach in controlling forest fires, calls chief secretary
New Delhi, May 15: Slamming the Uttarakhand government for its "lackadaisical" approach in controlling forest fires, the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the state's chief secretary to personally present himself before it on May 17 to give explanation, including on utilisation of funds and vacancies in forest department.
Terming it a "very sorry state of affairs", the apex court said the state was just trying to find some excuse or the other.
A bench headed by Justice B R Gavai directed that the staff and vehicles of the forest departments of states shall not be requisitioned for election purposes or any other purposes like the 'Char Dham Yatra'.
"We are at pains to say that the approach of state of Uttarakhand in controlling the fires is, to say the least, lackadaisical. Though action plans have been prepared and finalised, no steps are being taken for implementation of the same," said the bench, also comprising Justices SVN Bhatti and Sandeep Mehta.
The top court was hearing a plea on raging forest fires in Uttarakhand.
The bench said when funds from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) were available and also sanctioned by the central authority, it saw no reason as to why only Rs 3.41 crore out of the Rs 9.12 crore was utilised for forest related activity in Uttarakhand in 2023-24.
The bench observed it also saw no reason as to why the balance amount was not utilised for forestry.
"Another issue that needs to be addressed is with regard to huge vacancies in the forest department of the State of Uttarakhand," it said.
The bench noted that one of the grievances raised by the state was regarding failure of timely disbursement of the national disaster management fund or state disaster management fund.
"We fail to understand as to how state could have grievance with regard to the disbursal of state disaster management fund in as much as it is within the domain of the state to disburse the said funds," it said.
"It is further pertinent to note that at one hand, the state contends that the resources, that is, manpower and vehicles are not available, and on the other hand, keeps large number of vacancies...," the bench observed.
It said taking into consideration the importance of controlling forest fires in Uttarakhand, the apex court had requested Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati to take instructions with regard to disbursement of funds for financial year 2023-2024.
The bench said in so far as CAMPA funds are concerned, it has been submitted that these funds are lying with the state and it was for the state to release them for works undertaken by the forest department.
It noted that as far as exemption of field officials of the forest department from election duty, Char Dham yatra and other related activities was concerned, the Election Commission by various orders has already exempted its staff and vehicles from elections and allied purposes.
"Be that as it may, we direct that in all the states, the forest staffs as well as the forest vehicles shall not be requisitioned for election purposes or any other purposes like 'Char Dham Yatra'," the bench said.
It also directed the Centre to explain its position with regard to timely disbursement of the national disaster management fund and funds under centrally sponsored schemes.
"We direct the chief secretary of state of Uttarakhand to personally remain present in this court on May 17…," it said.
The bench said the chief secretary shall explain as to why CAMPA fund of only Rs 3.4 crore was released for financial year 2023-24 when the Centre had sanctioned Rs 9.12 crore.
"It shall also be explained as to whether the said fund is being utilised for some other purposes which are not related to forest activities," it said.
The bench said he shall also explain what steps were being taken for releasing state disaster management fund and how many vacancies were yet to be filled.
It said the chief secretary will explain within how much time the vacancies in the forest department would be filled and also the measures that the state proposes to take for preventing fires on account of highly flammable pine needles.
The bench said he would explain whether forest personnel were deployed for election duty in spite of the specific exemption granted by the poll panel.
It also noted that senior advocate Rajiv Dutta, who has filed an application on forest fires in Uttarakhand, has submitted that the Army was using pine needles in Ranikhet for power generation. Advocate Neha Singh is assisting Dutta in the matter.
"We find that the state needs to take some concrete decisions in that regard," the bench said.
During the hearing, the state's counsel apprised the court about forest fires and action taken to control them.
"On the last date (of hearing), the rosy picture you depicted was not correct," the bench observed.
The state's counsel said the apex court can constitute a committee comprising representatives of the Central Empowered Committee, the Centre, state and others which can suggest a holistic approach to deal with the issue.
