Belagavi (Karnataka), Jan 20 (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday said that he has no differences with anyone in the party and appealed to the media not to drag him into any controversy.
Shivakumar, who is also Congress state president, said his sole responsibility is to "save" the party and government.
"My only responsibility is to save the party and keep the government stable. I don't have any responsibilities other than this. I don't have differences with anyone. Please don't drag my name unnecessarily into everything," he said, while speaking to reporters here.
The statement comes in the midst of a demand by a section of ministers and MLAs who wanted a full-time Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president.
Karnataka Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi recently raised this demand, saying that ministers cannot do justice to the important post of building the party.
Shivakumar said he has been diligently doing his duty of protecting the interests of the party and the party workers.
"It is between the party, the high command and me. Don't whip up fake controversies within the party by reporting that there is dissidence in the party," Shivakumar told reporters here.
Asked if there was no internal rift in the Congress party, he said, "There is no rift in the party. I don't have differences with anyone in the party personally. I am the president of the Congress Karnataka unit and I treat everyone in the party equally. It is my duty to take everyone along."
To a question about some ministers writing to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi demanding the replacement of AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Shivakumar termed it as speculation and refused to react to it.
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Pilibhit (PTI): A 19-day-old elephant calf, brought from Bijnor, was placed under care at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Sunday, an official said and added that the calf got separated from its mother in the forest area of Bijnor.
The calf was born on December 2 in the Bijnor forest area and got separated from its mother shortly after birth, the official said.
The forest department made several attempts to reunite it with its mother, but without any success. To ensure the calf's safety and better care, it was decided to transfer it to the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve on the instructions of senior officials.
On Saturday, Deputy Director Manish Singh received the calf. Special arrangements have been made in the reserve for its care. It has been kept in a safe and clean environment to provide it with a natural setting and protect it from external noise and disturbances.
Singh told reporters that raising an 19-day-old calf is challenging.
It requires a special diet as a substitute for mother's milk and constant monitoring.
He said a special team has been formed to provide 24-hour care. Since the calf is very young, it is being cared for like a newborn baby.
According to Singh, the primary responsibility for monitoring the calf's health has been entrusted to PTR's veterinarian, Dr Daksh Gangwar. Under his supervision, a complete record of the calf's health checkups, diet, and body temperature is being maintained. The team is ensuring that the calf does not contract any infection.
