JPC Chairman's visit over Waqf row is politically motivated, says Dy CM D K Shivakumar
Hubballi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday termed the visit of the Chairman of the Joint Committee of Parliament on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Jagadambika Pal to the state as a tour of a "drama company" and "politically motivated", with an eye on the upcoming Assembly by-polls in the state and election in neighbouring Maharashtra.
Charging the JPC Chairman with indulging in political propaganda, Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress President, said it is not a joint parliamentary committee that is visiting, as "only BJP members have come and are doing politics."
Pal is visiting Hubballi, Vijayapura and Belagavi, during which he will meet farmers and members of various organisations regarding their lands being claimed by the State Waqf Board. Bengaluru South MP and JPC member Tejasvi Surya is accompanying him.
"It is a drama company. JPC means all the members will have to come, also governments and officials have to be informed.. Only the chairman has come. He has come on party work along with another MP," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said: "Is Bommai (MP and former CM Basavaraj Bommai) a member of JPC or is V Somanna the member? Somanna is the union minister, he cannot be part of the JPC. He (Chairman) has come taking applications and is doing political propaganda."
Both Bommai and Somanna had met Pal earlier in the day.
Claiming that it was during the Bommai-led BJP government that notices were issued and records amended, Shivakumar said, "...there is no question of taking away farmers' land or evicting them . We (Cong govt) will save farmers. Due to some technical reasons, some officials might have done something, our government will set them right and save farmers."
"It is not a joint parliamentary committee that has come, BJP members have come there, they are doing politics, let them do politics.....they are spoiling the atmosphere, they don't want people to be in peace, so they are trying to create a problem at the time of election. People are intelligent, people will give the right answer to them," he said.
"The Karnataka government is committed, we are going to protect the farmers of the state," he asserted.
There were allegations by a section of farmers from Vijayapura district that their lands were marked as Waqf properties, and similar charges have surfaced from a few other places subsequently. Similar allegations have also been made by some organisations and religious institutions like Mutts.
With the row escalating, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directed officials that all notices issued to farmers be immediately revoked, and any unauthorised amendments in land records without due notice must also be nullified.
Home Minister G Parameshwara too said, "it doesn't look like JPC as a committee is visiting, as the Chairman is visiting alone disregarding rules. It seems to be a politically motivated visit."
Members of the committee too have raised objections stating that any visit has to be decided in the panel and "unilaterally one cannot make visits," he said.
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2nd WT20I: Shafali, spin trio do star turns in India''s seven-wicket win
Visakhapatnam (PTI): Shafali Verma hit a blistering unbeaten 69 as India made short work of a paltry target to outclass Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the second Women’s T20 International here on Tuesday.
India now lead the five-match series 2-0 after another one-sided victory, having restricted Sri Lanka to a modest 128 for 9 through a collective display of disciplined bowling from the spin trio of seasoned Sneh Rana, ably complemented by young spinners Vaishnavi Sharma and Shree Charani.
During the chase, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana (14) fell cheaply but Shafali, enjoying new found confidence after a stellar show in the World Cup final, sent the bowlers on a leather-hunt during her 34-ball knock, winning it for her team in just 11.5 overs.
The hosts have now completed back-to-back successful chases within 15 overs which speaks volumes about the unit's sky-high confidence.
Shafali's innings had 11 punchy boundaries apart from a maximum.
The floodgates opened when left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera bowled a few flighted deliveries and Shafali would step out everytime to hit her over extra cover. Her footwork against slow bowlers was immaculate whether stepping out to loft the ball or rocking back to punch or pull.
Seeing her confidence, the newly appointed Delhi Capitals skipper Jemimah Rodrigues (26 off 15 balls) also attacked as the duo added 58 runs in just 4.3 overs.
By the time Rodrigues was out trying to hit one six too many, the match as a contest was over. Shafali completed her half-century off just 27 balls and completed the formalities in a jiffy.
Earlier, off-spinner Rana, who got a look-in after Deepti Sharma was ruled out due to fever, showed her utility keeping the Lankan batters under tight leash with figures of 1 for 11 in 4 overs, including a maiden which certainly is a rarity in T20 cricket.
Charani, who made an impression during India's ODI World Cup triumph, took 2 for 23 in her quota of overs, while Vaishnavi after an impressive debut in the opening encounter, finished with 2 for 32, not letting the Islanders get easy runs in her second spell.
The last six wickets fell for just 24 runs, but what stood out during India’s bowling effort was their superb ground fielding. After a patchy show in the previous game, the improved sharpness in the field resulted in three run-outs.
Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu (31 off 24 balls) looked in good nick as she deposited length deliveries from seamers Kranti Gaud and Arundhati Reddy over the ropes but it was Rana, who kept her quiet by repeatedly pitching on good length.
Unable to manoeuvre the strike and with the big hits suddenly drying up, Athapaththu chanced her arm at another delivery in which Rana had shortened the length slightly.
Not having transferred the weight into the lofted shot, Athapaththu's hoick was pouched cleanly by Amanjot Kaur at long-off.
This was after Athapaththu's opening partner Vishmi Gunaratne (1) had offered a simple return catch to Gaud.
Hasini Perera (22 off 28 balls) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (33 off 32 balls) did stitch a stand of 44 but they could never set the tempo against the Indian spin troika.
Once Hasini offered a tame return catch off a Charani full-toss, Sri Lankans never recovered and lost wickets in a heap towards the end.
