5 days ago
Delhi Confidential: Flood & Fury
AT A time when the northeastern region is reeling under floods, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha seems to have upset some state BJP leaders with his actions. On Tuesday, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the CMs of NE states about the flood situation, Saha was in Bihar to attend a felicitation programme. Later, he also posted a photo on social media of him meeting singer Kumar Sanu, and wrote: 'An absolute delight to interact with a music icon who has brought joy to millions through his soulful voice.' This prompted some party leaders to question why Saha did not cancel his trip to Patna when the northeastern region was facing a crisis.
Missed At Home
Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been frequently traveling outside the Capital since taking charge as Union Agriculture Minister. Many of his visits have been to his home state, Madhya Pradesh, where he was the CM for four terms between 2005 and 2023. Hence, his absence was notable at a major event in Bhopal on Saturday—the launch of various projects during the Devi Ahilyabai Mahila Sashaktikaran Mahasammelan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the gathering, which was attended by several BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, while Union Ministers Tokhan Sahu, Ram Mohan Naidu and Muralidhar Mohol participated via videoconferencing. Chouhan was in Haryana that day, attending the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan organised by his ministry. His absence at the Bhopal event surprised many given his legacy of launching several women-focused initiatives such as the Ladli Laxmi Yojana, which earned him the moniker 'mama (maternal uncle)'.
Crowd Concern
The Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is organising a grand event for the second pran pratishtha of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been invited as the chief guest for the consecration ceremony on June 5. However, the organisers are wary of too many people converging in the holy city for the event. In the backdrop of the Maha Kumbh stampede that left many dead, VHP leader and Trust chairman Champat Rai on Tuesday urged people not to come to the temple in large numbers on the day. He said even the guest list is not very elaborate due to difficulties in making arrangements.
