Cong writes to K'taka DG-IGP against BJP candidate's audio clip plotting Kharge's assasination
Bengaluru: An audio clip containing a criminal conspiracy to eliminate Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge and his family members by BJP candidate Manikanta Rathore has gone viral on social media. The clip is reportedly a mobile phone conversation between Rathore and one of his associates and runs for 51 seconds. The voice has been identified as that of Rathore, who is the official BJP candidate for the Chittapur (AC-40) reserved constituency in the Gulbarga district.
The audio clip has raised concerns about the safety of Kharge and his family members and has prompted the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Vice Chairman of Media Wing Ramesh Babu to write a letter to the Director General and Inspector General of Police, seeking action against Rathore. In the letter, Babu alleges that the BJP candidate is a habitual offender with over 40 criminal cases against him, and has a history of serious offences such as attempts to murder, assault, threats to life, illegally storing diesel, disturbing public peace, and cheating.
Babu also claims that Rathore has not furnished complete details of criminal cases registered against him in his nomination papers, which is a clear violation of the election code of conduct and the Supreme Court guidelines judgment rendered in WP.No. 536/2011. According to Babu, the concerned returning officer should have rejected Rathore's nomination papers on this basis.
The letter also alleges that the BJP leaders might be actively involved in the conspiracy, citing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's recent campaign speech in Chittapur, in which he allegedly stated that illegal means were used in the 2019 parliament elections to defeat Kharge and that the same tactics would be adopted to defeat his son, Priyanka Kharge, in the upcoming assembly elections. Babu claims that Adityanath's statement coincides with the contents of the viral audio clip attributed to Rathore.
The letter concludes by calling for immediate action against Rathore and for the protection of Kharge and his family members. Babu also calls for the local police to take suo motu action against Rathore by registering an FIR against him. He further urges the Election Commission to disqualify Rathore for his involvement in criminal activities and for creating a threat to the life and limbs of another candidate, as well as for attempting to create fear in the minds of voters using undue influence. The letter includes photocopies of newspaper clippings and the viral audio CD as evidence.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
