BJP stages protests outside Karnataka Assembly over 'failure' of Cong govt to fulfill poll promises
Bengaluru(PTI): The opposition BJP in Karnataka on Tuesday staged protests inside and outside the state Assembly against the Congress government over its alleged failure to fulfill the five poll guarantees in toto.
The move led to the adjournment of the lower House twice in the pre-lunch session.
Former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel, BJP MP D V Sadananda Gowda joined hundreds of BJP workers at the Freedom Park here to protest against the government.
Yediyurappa charged the Congress with 'misleading' people through their five guarantees.
"Our agitation is against the failure of fulfilling the five guarantees. We are also opposing the government's stand to withdraw the anti-conversion and anti-cow slaughter laws, which our government had introduced in the past," he said.
Later talking to reporters, Yediyurappa, a central BJP Parliamentary Board member, backed JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's allegation of "transfer business", referring to alleged corruption, going on in the state.
"Whatever Kumaraswamy has said is absolutely true and I support his statement. We will fight together in future," the BJP stalwart said.
Kumaraswamy had alleged that a new tax system "YST Tax" has been introduced by the state government.
Earlier in the day, BJP legislators stormed the well of the House and raised slogans against the Congress over alleged delay in implementing the five guarantees made by it ahead of the elections, leading to a brief adjournment by Speaker U T Khader.
The proceedings began with the Speaker allowing the "star questions" to be raised.
Accordingly, Congress MLA Shivalinge Gowda rose to raise the question.
However, former CM Basavaraj Bommai demanded acceptance of adjournment motion and discussion on the issue in place of the question hour.
Joining him, BJP MLA R Ashoka accused the government of "cheating" people in the name of five guarantees.
Soon, other BJP legislators too raised the issue demanding that their submission be allowed first.
The speaker repeatedly appealed to the opposition BJP to allow the Question Hour to take place, but to no avail.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar took a swipe at the BJP saying they were unable to "tolerate the success" of five guarantees. "Let the Question Hour happen. Then we will hear their (BJP's) 'Pearls of Wisdom'," he said.
However, the BJP MLAs were firm to make a submission about the 'failure' in implementation of the five promises.
Shivakumar sought to know whether the BJP ever fulfilled its promise of "depositing Rs 15 lakh in everyone's bank account and bringing back black money parked overseas".
"We are committed to our promises and we will fulfill them," he asserted.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too appealed to the BJP to give up its 'adamant posture'.
Soon the BJP legislators trooped into the Well of the House raising slogans against the government.
Following the din, Speaker Khader adjourned the proceedings for a brief period for the second time.
As the house assembled again, the BJP MLAs were on the Well of the house raising slogans.
Amidst chaos, the Speaker Khader went ahead with the question hour and later allowed the documents of various departments to be tabled in the house.
Later, the House was adjourned for lunch break.
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After fake ID crackdown, IRCTC daily new accounts down to 5000 from one lakh: Railways
New Delhi (PTI): With a new, stringent system to establish user identity, the number of new user IDs being added daily on the IRCTC website has declined to about 5,000 from nearly one lakh, officials said on Saturday.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw noted that the crackdown by Indian Railways on train ticket booking through fake identities is yielding positive results, according to a press note.
Before the latest reforms, this number had touched nearly one lakh new user IDs per day, it said.
"Following the introduction of a stringent system to establish user identity and detect fake IDs, about 5,000 new user IDs are now being added daily on the IRCTC website," the note said.
The officials stated that these steps have already helped Indian Railways deactivate 3.03 crore fake accounts.
"Another 2.7 crore user IDs have either been temporarily suspended or identified for suspension based on the suspicious activities they are indulging in," they said.
The Union minister directed officials to ensure that the ticketing system is reformed to a level where all travellers are able to book tickets easily through a real and genuine user ID, the press note added.
Additionally, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials to provide local cuisine of the region in Vande Bharat trains.
Introducing local cuisine that reflects the culture and tastes of the regions being traversed will significantly enhance the passenger experience, officials said.
This facility will be expanded to all the trains progressively in future, they added.
