Opposition complains of ‘blackout’ during telecast; Karnataka govt suspends senior officer
Bengaluru: As directed by Karnataka Assembly Speaker UT Khader, the state government on Tuesday ordered the suspension of a senior official in charge of telecasting the Assembly proceedings after the Opposition complained that the cameras focused only on the ruling party during the telecast.
Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka raised the issue in the Assembly, pointing out that the television screens set up inside and outside the Assembly were expected to show the proceedings in an unbiased manner, as they were not the property of any particular party.
As BJP and JD(S) members alleged that personnel from the Department of Information and Publicity were acting under the Speaker’s directions, they staged a protest against what they termed as censorship of content on Assembly TV. In response, Khader refuted the allegations of instructing camerapersons to ‘blackout’ the Opposition. Following the protest, the Speaker adjourned the House briefly and discussed the matter with the technical crew from the Information and Publicity Department.
Despite efforts by the Speaker and the state government, the cameras continued to focus on Congress members and the Speaker when the session resumed post-lunch. Allegedly upset by this, Khader directed the government to suspend the official responsible.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil later confirmed to the Opposition that the government had issued the suspension order. Following this assurance, the TV cameras began focusing on Opposition members during the proceedings.
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Rajasthan: ACB court sends former IAS Subodh Agarwal to 2-day police remand in JJM scam
Jaipur (PTI): Retired IAS officer Subodh Agarwal, arrested in connection with the alleged Rs 960-crore Jal Jeevan Mission scam, was produced before an ACB court on Monday, which sent him to two days' police remand.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau had sought a three-day remand for further questioning in the matter, but the court granted two days' custody.
The order was passed by the ACB Court-1.
A team from the ACB arrested Agarwal on Thursday in connection with the multi-crore Jal Jeevan Mission corruption case.
He was sent to a three-day police remand on Friday. On completion of the remand period, the ACB produced him in court.
Agarwal was serving as the additional chief secretary of the public health engineering department when the alleged scam took place.
Some firms had allegedly secured tenders by submitting forged completion certificates in connivance with officers. Last month, the ACB arrested nine persons, including senior engineers and retired officials, in connection with the scam. Earlier, the ACB had arrested contractors.
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