Bidar MP Bhagwanth Khuba gets Union berth
Bengaluru, Jul 7: Bhagwanth Khuba, a two time Lok Sabha member, hails from the politically dominant Lingayat community which the BJP considers as its key vote base in north Karnataka.
His induction into the Union ministry on Wednesday is being seen as a move to fill up Lingayat representation in the cabinet that had fallen vacant following the death of Suresh Angadi, due to COVID-19 in September last year, who was serving as Minister of State for Railways.
An engineering graduate, Khuba (54), was involved in a family business and had never fought an election before he entered the Lok Sabha in 2014, by defeating political giant from the region, Congress veteran and former Chief Minister late N Dharam Singh in Bidar segment.
He again won the seat in 2019, by defeating another Congress heavyweight in the region Eshwar B Khandre. The fight against the two Lingayat leaders in the community's bastion was keenly watched.
Born on June 1, 1967 at Aurad in Bidar, he obtained B.E. (Mech.) from Sree Siddaganga Institute of Technology, Tumakuru.
He is currently a member of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, and Consultative Committee, Ministry of Railways.
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MEA reports more than 200 Indians enlisted in Russian military since 2022; 26 deaths confirmed
More than 200 Indian nationals have joined the Russian armed forces since 2022, with 26 are confirmed dead, MEA—The Ministry of External Affairs have informed the Upper house of the Parliament: Rajya Sabha.
In a written response, the Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, has stated that at least 202 Indians are reported to have joined the Russian army. Among these recruited personnels, 26 have lost their lives; while, seven individuals have been reported missing by Russian authorities. He added that the remains of two deceased Indian nationals were cremated in Russia.
Singh noted that the sustained diplomatic efforts by the Indian government have led to the early discharge of 119 individuals. He further added that the discussions are going smoothly with the Russians to secure the release of the remaining personnel, with efforts underway to facilitate the early discharge of 50 more Indian nationals.
According to the minister, the Union government is in contact with Russian authorities to ensure the safety, welfare, and prompt return of Indian citizens serving in the Russian army. The issue, he said, is being addressed at multiple levels, including interactions between senior leaders, ministers, and officials of both countries.
The said disclosure was made in response to queries raised by Saket Gokhale, the MP of Trinamool Congress, and Randeep Singh Surjewala, the MP of INC, regarding the number of Indians allegedly recruited into the military service in Russia; Along with the details of deaths and missing persons reported since 2022.
