Karnataka govt seeks MEA help to rescue 3 young men allegedly forced to fight Russia-Ukraine war
Bengaluru, Feb 22: The Karnataka government has written to the External Affairs Ministry for the rescue of three young men from the state, amid reports that they were being forced to fight in Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine, Minister Priyank Kharge said on Thursday.
He urged the Central government to take this matter seriously and come to their rescue immediately.
In what is said to be a "job fraud", according to reports, three from Kalaburagi district and one from neighbouring Telangana are stranded on the Russia-Ukraine border, after they were allegedly sent to Russia by their recruiters with a promise that they will be working as army security helpers, but were being forced to fight in Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine against their will.
"After it came to our notice that they have been recruited into the Wagner Group (a private military allegedly funded by the Russian government) for war with Ukraine, our Deputy Commissioner (Kalaburagi) as per protocol has written a letter to the Central government's External Affairs Ministry representative here in Bengaluru," Kharge, who is Kalaburagi district in-charge Minister said.
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Speaking to reporters here, he said that he has also spoken to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge last night and requested him to bring it to the notice of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and he has assured that he will speak to the Minister and will also write a letter to him.
"There is information that it (such job fraud) has happened in several places -- Telangana, Karnataka, also several places in north India. Whatever it is, taking someone to war by cheating or through fraudulent means (is wrong). The Central government has to take this seriously and should come to their rescue immediately," he added.
Mallikarjun Kharge had been an MP from Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) in the past.
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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.
