"Was Never Kind To Me": Himanta Sarma On Jairam Ramesh's "2 Sins" Charge

Assam Chief Minister and BJP's pointsperson in the northeast, Himanta Biswa Sarma, today snubbed the Congress - his former party - and hit back at its senior leader Jairam Ramesh who called him a result of "only two real sins" committed by the grand old party in the northeast.

"When I was in Congress, Jairam Ramesh was never kind to me. I was also never kind to him," he said in an exclusive conversation with NDTV's Editor-in-Chief Sanjay Pugalia as part of a special series to mark the 76th Independence Day.

"I always told Congress - you didn't give me anything. I gave the party a lot," he asserted.

On Tuesday, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said there are "only two real sins" committed by the Congress in the northeast: "One committed by Hiteswar Saikia, to give respectability to a young man who formed part of the Surrendered ULFA. The other was by Tarun Gogoi, who gave this rank opportunist positions of power and authority."

The 54-year-old, once considered the blue-eyed boy of former Assam Chief Ministers Hiteswar Saikia and Tarun Gogoi, quit the Congress in 2015 after he fell out with Mr Gogoi.

"It's not like the Congress gave me a chance in politics. I proved it to even Gogoi sir that I was in Assam because I belong here and not due to him. Hiteswar Saikia didn't bring me into Congress. I got the entire Assam student community to join the party at his request. Because of that, I became a target for ULFA," said Mr Sarma in response to Mr Ramesh's charge.

Mr Sarma, an ardent critic of the Gandhis, added: "I don't believe Gandhis gave us anything. It's our sweat and blood that made the Gandhis. People say Rahul (Gandhi) or Rajiv (Gandhi) propped someone up. But it is the street soldier who gives his blood."

He also called Jairam Ramesh the courtier of Gandhis, who "ruled in Delhi": "The Gandhis ruled in Delhi and people like Jairam Ramesh are courtiers and courtiers don't know the reality of politics."

Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had deftly managed the 2006 and 2011 election campaigns for the party in Assam, joined the BJP in August 2015 following differences with the then Congress leadership.

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Businessman Linked To Mumbai Covid Centre Scam Seeks To Withdraw Statement

Businessman Sujit Patkar, who is in judicial custody for alleged involvement in irregularities in obtaining contract to run jumbo COVID-19 treatment centres in Mumbai, on Thursday moved an application before a special court seeking to retract his statements claiming these were recorded by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under "force, coercion and undue influence".

Patkar, reportedly a close aide of Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, is currently in judicial custody after being arrested in the case on July 19.

The application, moved through his lawyer Subash Jha, said during the probe the ED recorded his statement under duress, force, coercion and undue influence on July 21, 23, 24, 25 and 26.

"The statements which seek to implicate Patkar and other accused and have been recorded under duress, coercion, undue influence and force are retracted herewith and the same be not acted upon and/or read in evidence in any proceeding," the application said.

The plea said there were four partners in Lifeline Hospital Management Services, which got the contract to run the jumbo treatment centres, but only Patkar has been singled out and arrested as he is perceived to be close to certain politicians.

His arrest is "actuated by malafide and is politically motivated", the plea added.

As per the ED, Lifeline Hospital Management Services, which is a partnership firm of Patkar and three others established in June 2020, received Rs 31.84 crore from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for supply of medical personnel to COVID centres.

The ED said the firm did not have any experience of providing medical personnel or services.

The probe agency has alleged Patkar received a substantial amount of the proceeds of crime from Lifeline Management Services in his personal bank account. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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विपक्ष की गेंद, PM के शॉट : अविश्वास प्रस्ताव पर मोदी सरकार की ध्वनिमत से जीत

1. पीएम मोदी ने कहा, "मजा इस डिबेट का देखिए...फील्डिंग विपक्ष ने ऑर्गनाइज की, लेकिन चौके-छक्के यहीं से लगे. विपक्ष नो-कॉन्फिडेंस पर नो बॉल कर रहा है और इधर से सेंचुरी हो रही है. आप तैयारी करके क्यों नहीं आते जी."
2. उन्होंने कहा, "अविश्वास और घमंड इनकी रगों में रच-बस गया है. वे जनता के विश्वास को कभी देख नहीं पाते. ये जो शुतुरमुर्ग एप्रोच है, इसके लिए देश क्या कर सकता है." 
3. पीएम ने कहा कि कांग्रेस की मुसीबत ऐसी है कि उन्हें खुद को जिंदा रखने के लिए इनको NDA का ही सहारा लेना पड़ा. लेकिन आदत के मुताबिक घमंड का जो आई (I) है, वह इनको छोड़ता नहीं है, इन्होंने NDA के साथ दो आई (I) जोड़ लिए हैं. पहला - 26 दलों का घमंड है, दूसरा- एक परिवार का घमंड है. पीएम ने कहा कि कांग्रेस ने NDA भी चुरा लिया, खुद बचने के लिए और इंडिया के भी टुकड़े (I.N.D.I.A.) कर दिए. 
4. पीएम ने ये कहा- 'यूपीए को लगता है कि देश के नाम का इस्तेमाल कर विश्वसनीयता बढ़ाई जा सकती है. ये इंडिया गठबंधन नहीं है. ये घमंडिया गठबंधन है. इसकी बारात में हर कोई दूल्हा बनना चाहता है. सबको प्रधानमंत्री बनना है.
5. विपक्ष के साथियों के प्रति अपनी संवेदना व्यक्त करता चाहता हूं, कुछ दिन पहले ही बेंगलुरु में आपने मिल-जुलकर करीब डेढ़-दो दशक पुराने UPA का क्रिया-कर्म किया है. उसका अंतिम संस्कार किया है. 
6. पीएम मोदी ने कहा कि हमारे विपक्ष के साथियों का सबसे प्यारा नारा है- मोदी तेरी कब्र खुदेगी, लेकिन मेरे लिए इनकी ये गालियां, ये अपशब्द टॉनिक का काम करते हैं. विपक्ष के लोगों को एक रहस्यमयी वरदान मिला हुआ है कि जिसका भी ये लोग बुरा चाहेंगे उसका भला ही होगा.
7. इससे पहले ज्योतिरादित्य सिंधिया ने विपक्षी गठबंधन पर निशाना साधा. उन्होंने कहा, "विचित्र स्थिति है कि जिनके दिल नहीं मिलते, वो दल मिल चुके हैं. जिनके इतिहास में वैचारिक या व्यावहारिक या सैद्धांतिक संबंध ना हो, वो लोकसभा चुनाव के लिए एक साथ आए हैं और लोकतंत्र बचाओ की बात कर रहे हैं."
8.  ज्योतिरादित्य सिंधिया ने बुधवार को राहुल गांधी के मणिपुर पर दिए गए भाषण पर आपत्ति जाहिर की. उन्होंने कहा, "कल राहुल गांधी ने कहा कि प्रधानमंत्री के लिए मणिपुर भारत का हिस्सा नहीं है. प्रधानमंत्री ने पूर्वोत्तर को दुनिया से जोड़ा है, उनका पूर्वोत्तर से गहरा रिश्ता है. भारत को बांटकर देखने की विचारधारा आपकी है, हमारी नहीं." 
9. वहीं, लोकसभा में वित्त मंत्री निर्मला सीतारमण ने कहा- 'बनेगा, मिलेगा' जैसे शब्द अब प्रचलन में नहीं हैं. आजकल लोग बन गए, मिल गए का उपयोग करते हैं. बिजली आएगी... अब बिजली आ गई, गैस कनेक्शन मिलेगा.. अब गैस कनेक्शन मिल गया, एयरपोर्ट बनेगा... अब एयरपोर्ट बन गया. 
10. अविश्वास प्रस्ताव पर चर्चा के दौरान लोकसभा में निर्मला सीतारमण ने कहा, 'हमने बैंकिंग सेक्टर को बेहतर करने के लिए कई कदम उठाए हैं. बैंक अब राजनीतिक हस्तक्षेप के बिना काम कर रहे हैं. बैंकों में फैलाया UPA का रायता हम साफ कर रहे हैं.'

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2 Women Sexually Assaulted At Cop Training School Near Mumbai, 2 Arrested

The police have arrested two poeple, including a woman, for allegedly sexually assaulting two women who attended classes at a police training academy in Nalasopara near Mumbai, an official said.

The arrests were made by the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar police on Wednesday based on a complaint filed by the women, he said.

"The accused, Samadhan Gawade, runs a police training academy at Nalasopara. The two women were undergoing training at the institute," the official from the Nalasopara police station said.

It came to light that Gawade allegedly sexually assaulted them inside the classroom and the woman helped him by providing information about the women, he said.

"Fed up with the harassment, the two women stopped going to the academy. They informed their family about it, following which a complaint was lodged," the official said.

A case was registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 345 (wrongful confinement), 354D (stalking) and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) ACT as well as the Information Technology Act was registered against the two, he said.

Further investigation is on, the police said.

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Himachal Chief Minister's Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing In Shimla

Himachal Pradesh's Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's chopper made an emergency landing about 500-700 metres away from the landing point in Bithal area of Rampur subdivision in Shimla on Thursday.

The chief minister, who was accompanied by Public Works Department (PWD) minister Vikramaditya Singh and Former State Congress Chief and MLA from Theog Kuldeep Rathore, has taken the flight from Shimla and was scheduled to land at a helipad in the campus of JSW Power Company in Bithal.

"There was some issue with the air pressure which compelled the pilot to land the chopper in farmlands about 500 metres away from the landing point," officials in the Chief Minister office told the PTI on Thursday.

The Chief Minister and others are safe, he added.

Later, Chief Minister Sukhu visited the rain-affected Kharahan area in Rampur and announced to provide compensation of Rs one lakh each to all those whose houses were partially damaged and stated that the government was considering enhancing the relief amount to those whose houses have been completely destroyed.

"I am pained that the opposition was doing politics during the hours of the disaster and seeking it as an opportunity to remain in news," Mr Sukhu said.

"The government believes in serving the people without any motive or political gains and we are working for the welfare of the people," he said in a statement issued in Shimla.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"UPA's Character Is To Indulge In Corruption To Save...": Amit Shah

Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday questioned the character of the opposition alliance, saying its true face was seen when it indulged in corruption to save its governments.

Intervening in the debate on the no-confidence motion against the government, Mr Shah in Lok Sabha said when the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee faced a no-trust vote in 1999, he chose to step down instead of indulging in corruption to save his government.

"The character of political parties and alliances is revealed in such times of crises. UPA's character is to indulge in corruption to save the government by hook or by crook, while the BJP-led NDA's character is to stand up to the principles," Shah said.

He said the then prime minister P V Narasimha Rao had faced a no-confidence motion in 1993 and the Congress then chose to remain in power by hook or by crook.

"Narasimha Rao won the trust vote, but Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) members had to go to jail. Later, Narasimha Rao also went to jail... today, the Congress and the JMM are sitting in the opposition in the Lok Sabha," he said.

"In 2008, Manmohan (Singh) ji brought the confidence motion, this House saw its most disgraceful moments when MPs were bribed in crores of rupees and the government was saved. This is the character of the UPA," the BJP leader said.

Mr Shah said opposition parties do not have confidence in the government, but the people of the nation think otherwise.

"Post independence, if the nation has confidence in any leader, it is Narendra Modi who was elected twice with complete majority. After 30 years, people elected a full majority government," the minister said.

Mr Shah said he had heard the speeches of opposition leaders and has reached the conclusion that this no-confidence motion was brought in the House only to create confusion.

On the Quit India movement's anniversary, the prime minister has given the slogan -- 'Corruption Quit India, Dynasty Quit India and Appeasement Quit India', he said.

"Modi has ushered in a new era of politics since 2014, that of development which will lead to the creation of India of the dreams of our freedom fighters much before 2047," the home minister said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Lok Sabha Adopts Resolution Appealing For Peace In Manipur

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday adopted a resolution appealing for peace in Manipur, with NDA members enthusiastically supporting it in the presence of the opposition.

As Home Minister Amit Shah concluded his intervention on the no-confidence motion in the House, he suggested that Speaker Om Birla read out a resolution appealing for peace in Manipur.

The suggestion made by Mr. Shah, who spoke extensively on the Manipur situation in Lok Sabha, was supported by Deputy Leader of the House and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said first a draft of the resolution should be shared and it should be adopted in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.

Mr. Birla then read out the resolution which was adopted by the House. 

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