Rs 100 crore highway project in Bihar turns hazardous with trees in middle
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Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
Storm in Assembly over BJP MLA Lonikar's farmer remark; MVA demands apology
Nagpur: The Maharashtra legislative assembly witnessed heated debate on Wednesday over alleged derogatory remarks made by BJP MLA Babanrao Lonikar about farmers. The comments sparked strong reactions from the opposition, with Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) MLAs demanding an unconditional apology from the former minister, accusing him of insulting those who "feed the nation. " Congress legislature party leader Vijay Wadettiwar led the charge, stating, "How can an elected representative make such demeaning comments about farmers? This is an insult to the entire farming community. He must apologise on the floor of the House." Shiv Sena MLA Aaditya Thackeray and other opposition leaders echoed the demand, calling Lonikar's remarks unacceptable and insensitive. In his defence, Lonikar denied the allegations. "What is being circulated is not what I said. I am being misquoted. There is politics behind this outrage," he said. However, his clarification failed to pacify the opposition. As protests intensified, the House echoed with slogans such as "Mafi mango, shetkaryanchi mafi mango (Tender apology to farmers)," disrupting the proceedings. Speaker Rahul Narwekar attempted to restore order but was eventually forced to adjourn the session for ten minutes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Opposition leaders maintained that this was not an isolated incident, pointing to previous controversial statements made by BJP leaders regarding farmers. "The government has failed to provide MSP or loan waivers, and now their leaders insult farmers. This is unacceptable," they said. The episode further deepened the ongoing rift between the opposition and the treasury benches over agrarian distress in the state.
News18
43 minutes ago
- News18
'Un-SIR-tain' Oppn Meets ECI Over Bihar Voter List Review, Terms It 'Votebandi'
Last Updated: The Election Commission said after the meeting that the special intensive revision (SIR) is being done following proper provisions, and all concerns of the parties were addressed A delegation comprising representatives from 11 opposition parties collectively met the Election Commission on Wednesday to lodge a strong objection against the ongoing intensive revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar. This significant meeting took place just months ahead of the state's upcoming assembly elections. The delegation, in a pointed critique, dubbed the entire review exercise as 'Votebandi," a term evoking parallels with demonetisation ('Notebandi") and implying a deliberate disenfranchisement of voters. They firmly asserted that this revision process, as currently conducted, poses a direct threat to democracy in Bihar. Led by prominent figures from various political spectrums, the delegation presented a detailed memorandum to the Election Commission. They argued that the timing and methodology of the intensive revision were suspicious, contending that such an exhaustive process should not be undertaken so close to a major election. The delegation, which included leaders from the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Samajwadi Party, reached the office of the Election Commission in New Delhi only to be told that just two members from each party would be allowed in. 'Such restrictions mean that necessary dialogue between political parties and the EC can't happen… Today, only two people per party were allowed, which left leaders like Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera and Akhilesh Singh standing outside," Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said. 'After meeting the Election Commission, our concerns have increased further because the Commission did not give a satisfactory reply to any of our questions," CPI(ML) Liberation General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, who went on to call the process 'votebandi", said. The opposition leaders underscored that a fair election hinges on accurate and inclusive electoral rolls, and any perceived irregularities in the revision process would inevitably cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the upcoming assembly polls. They urged the Election Commission to immediately halt the intensive revision and instead opt for a standard, more transparent, and less disruptive update process that does not compromise the democratic integrity of the state. The Election Commission said in a statement after the meeting that the special intensive revision (SIR) is being done following the proper provisions, and all concerns brought up by the leaders of the parties were addressed. 'The SIR is being conducted in accordance with the provisions of Article 326, Representation of the People Act 1950 and instructions issued on 24.06.2025. The party representatives raised various concerns related to SIR. Each concern which was raised by any member of the political party was fully addressed by the Commission," said the ECI. (With agency inputs) First Published: July 03, 2025, 00:34 IST
Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
‘Rs 10L fine, no voting rights': Cong MLA Bawa Henry seeks 2-child policy in Punjab
Jalandhar: The Congress MLA from Jalandhar North, Bawa Henry, on Wednesday submitted a private member's bill to Punjab assembly speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan's office to seek a law for population control in the state. Titled 'The Population Control Bill 2025', the legislation proposes disincentivising and penalising couples producing more than two children, including revocation of voting rights and imposition of a fine of Rs 10 lakh. Several states in India have a two-child policy, but most of these laws are restricted to barring a parent of more than two children from contesting local body elections. In some cases, such parents are barred from seeking govt jobs and incentives. However, this is the first time that there is a demand for revocation of voting rights, imposition of a Rs 10-lakh fine, amore. "Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhawan was not available in his office, so I sent it to him on WhatsApp and then also handed it over to officials in his office. I shall urge the speaker to table it in the next session," Henry told TOI. The bill states that if a married couple, having more than two living children, conceives an additional child after a year of the commencement of the law, both spouses will be rendered ineligible for: contesting elections to the state legislature, panchayats, and municipal bodies; exercising voting rights; appointment to any post in the govt and govt-funded institutions; availing benefits under any govt scheme; availing any scholarships or educational scholarships funded by the state; securing any contract, service, or consultancy with the govt; and a monetary penalty not less than Rs 10 lakh per additional child so born. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The bill proposes forming a state population control and public welfare committee to formulate and implement a comprehensive policy based on a two-child norm. Fertility rate below replacement level, concerns over demographic changes Punjab's total fertility rate (TFR) is already below the replacement level of 2.1. The Union ministry of health and family welfare, replying to a question in the Lok Sabha on Dec 12 last year, noted that as per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2019-21, TFR in Punjab was 1.6. This low rate is despite a large number of working-age migrant families from other states settling in Punjab and adding to the birth rate. TFR among Punjabis could be lower. Concerns over the changing demography of Punjab has already started becoming a political issue, and it is being blamed on two contrasting trends: scores of young Punjabis moving abroad and producing children there, and migration from other states to Punjab with many settling here. Amid apprehensions of demographic changes, Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira and leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, in Jan 2023, had called on the Punjab assembly speaker to seek the introduction of a private member's bill to restrict or ban the purchase of agricultural land by non-Punjabis "in order to protect our identity and demographic balance" on the lines of the Himachal Pradesh Act of 1972.
