Latest news with #Vaishya
NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Chhattisgarh Cabinet Expansion Likely Tomorrow, These Leaders May Be Included
Raipur: Political activity has intensified in Chhattisgarh with Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expected to expand his cabinet by Monday. On Saturday evening, Mr Sai met Governor Ramen Deka, a move being seen as a precursor to the swearing-in ceremony. According to sources, the BJP's top leadership has given a green signal for a 14-member cabinet. Two organizational leaders and one RSS-backed nominee are likely to be accommodated. At the same time, the existing ministers will retain their departments, quashing earlier speculation about reshuffling. The urgency stems from Mr Sai's scheduled visit to Japan and South Korea on Thursday. The oath ceremony of the new ministers is likely to be completed before his departure. Commenting on the development, Mr Sai said briefly, "Keep waiting, it can happen." Insiders suggest that the cabinet expansion may follow the Haryana model. Like Haryana, Chhattisgarh too has 90 assembly members. While only 13 ministers have traditionally been appointed since the state's formation, constitutional provisions allow up to 15 percent of the assembly strength to be in the council of ministers. This makes room for 14 ministers, including the Chief Minister. Currently, only 11 ministers are serving in the Sai cabinet after senior leader Brijmohan Agrawal's election as MP from Raipur. With three new appointments, the strength will reach the permissible limit of 14. The expansion is expected to balance caste equations, power centers, and regional representation. Prominent names being discussed include Amar Agrawal (Bilaspur), former three-time minister; Ajay Chandrakar (Raipur), former minister; Guru Khushwant Saheb (Arang MLA); Gajendra Yadav (Durg), associated with RSS; and Rajesh Agrawal (Ambikapur), who defeated former Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo and represents the Vaishya community.
India Today
31-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Power shock: Why UP's energy minister is taking on his own department
Uttar Pradesh energy minister A.K. Sharma, in a striking shift from his earlier praise of the state's power sector, has turned sharply critical of the very workforce he once the past week, Sharma's public remarks and social media posts have signalled an open confrontation with power department employees, particularly union leaders. At the heart of the clash is the ongoing discontent over the state's privatisation plans, an issue that has triggered protests and strikes across the most recent flashpoint has been the minister's official handle on X posting a sharply-worded message, accusing 'anarchists disguised as electricity employees' of maligning his name and orchestrating a campaign against him. 'Among those who have taken the 'supari' of Energy Minister AK Sharma, there are some anarchists disguised as electricity employees. Some electricity employee leaders have been in distress for a long time because the energy minister does not bow down before them. These are the same people who are giving bad name to the electricity department. These people are ruining the hard work of most of the electricity officers and employees,' read the post, also shared by post also attempted to distance Sharma from the controversial privatisation process, pointing out that such decisions were made by a taskforce chaired by the chief secretary, not unilaterally by the minister. 'When the energy minister does not transfer even a JE (junior engineer), when the general working style of UPPCL (Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited) management is independent, then how can the energy minister take such a big decision alone?... You people know very well that the formal government order of privatisation has been issued only with the high-level permission of the state government,' read the X post. The unusually personal tone of the minister's communication has raised questions within the government. Until recently, Sharma had positioned himself as a supporter of the department's staff, often praising their dedication during challenging situations. Just weeks ago, he was publicly applauding their round-the-clock efforts. That cordiality seems to have change was most visible last week when Sharma summoned a meeting at Shakti Bhavan in Lucknow. As soon as the meeting began, the minister allegedly openly scolded both senior and junior staff, including UPPCL chairman Ashish Goyal. Video clips from the meeting added fuel to the backlash over alleged casteist remarks, Sharma issued a clarification on social media, stating that his words had been misinterpreted. He explained that his reference to a 'baniya ka dukan' was meant to distinguish public service and commercial transactions, and not to malign the Vaishya or Baniya community. He urged people to listen to the full video before drawing any conclusions and said his comment was about ensuring fairness in electricity supply, especially in cases where dues from a few lead to power cuts for entire also made public an audio clip of a week-old phone call between a retired additional commissioner from Basti and the area's superintending engineer, to illustrate the 'bureaucratic apathy' that the minister has been accusing the department of. In the clip, the engineer is purportedly heard responding rudely to the former officer, who had called to complain about an ongoing power outage in his the clip, Sharma said the audio had been forwarded to him by a senior politician and multiple-time MP from the area. He used the episode to repeat that public-facing systems, such as the 1912 toll-free helpline, cannot replace basic human responsiveness. He said officers had misled him about not issuing any directive to avoid phone calls and insisted on complaints through 1912 alone.'Everyone lied to me in the meeting,' Sharma wrote, urging officers to fix their attitude and warning of 'dire consequences' if the disconnect with the public release of the audio clip is being seen as the latest episode in what has become a steady escalation. Insiders say Sharma's aggressive stance may be rooted not just in governance concerns but also in his uneasy place within the state's power structure. A former Gujarat cadre IAS officer, Sharma has struggled to assert control in a government where chief minister Yogi Adityanath keeps a firm grip on key departments. Sharma does not have the authority to transfer or post senior officers, which has limited his recent troubles have also played out in the public eye, often dramatically. In Moradabad, just as he was about to inaugurate a 5D theatre, a power cut plunged the venue into darkness. Sharma responded by suspending five senior officials on the spot. In another incident, during a field visit, he was filmed raising folded hands and chanting 'Jai Shri Ram, Jai Bajrang Bali' when residents pleaded for relief from daily power cuts. The video went viral, drawing to India Today Magazine- Ends
Time of India
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'Talibani punishment': With shoe on his head, bizman's son forced to apologise in Madhya Pradesh; Congress fumes
A young man was forced to publicly apologize with a shoe on his head following a dispute involving the son of an exiled criminal BHOPAL: A youth was forced to apologise by placing a shoe on his head outside Bairad police station in Shivpuri district. The incident occurred on Saturday during a meeting to resolve a dispute between two local youths. The victim, son of a local businessman, was allegedly humiliated on the instructions of a panchayat allegedly attended by several BJP leaders. Congress has termed the act a "Talibani punishment" and accused BJP leaders of protecting criminals. According to police, the dispute began when the victim and his friends threw pebbles near the house of Kuldeep Rawat, son of an exiled criminal. A fight broke out, leading to tensions. On Saturday, a panchayat decided he must apologize by placing shoes belonging to Kuldeep and his aide Chhotu on his head. Congress demanded strict action. The Vaishya community also staged a protest and submitted a memorandum, warning of nationwide demonstrations if action is not taken. Meanwhile, BJP leaders have denied involvement, claiming the video was edited. The victim has also refused to comment to local media, saying only that he is relieved the dispute has ended.
New Indian Express
07-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Delhi belongs to all, not just one community or caste
Whom does Delhi belong to? It's a very difficult question to answer given the cultural, caste and community mosaic of the city ever since it was founded by the Tomar King Anang Pal almost 1500 years ago. He built the first city of Lal Kot, which was captured by the Chauhans in the mid-12th century and renamed it Qila Rai Pithora. However the oldest archaeological relic found in the national Capital is of Mauryan period that is 1200 years further back in history. After the defeat of Prithviraj Chauhan at Battle of Tarain in 1192, came the Sultanate, then the Mughals, the British and finally independence. All through this period, irrespective of which community did the ruler belong to, Delhi's cultural life continued to be a mosaic described earlier. Thus it is very surprising that Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta could recommend renaming of Delhi Junction, popularly known as Old Delhi Railway station, after a Vaishya caste icon Maharaja Agrasen. According to newspaper reports she has written to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw saying, 'I am writing to respectfully request your kind consideration for renaming the Old Delhi Railway Station in honour of Maharaja Agrasen, a revered historical figure whose legacy has had a profound impact on the socio-economic development of India, particularly in Delhi.' In the chronology of kings and dynasties which ruled Delhi, Maharaja Agrasen doesn't figure. He is part of the legend and believed to belong to the lineage of Lord Ram of Ayodhya, his 34th generation descendent. He is said to have adopted the Vanika dharma (trading duties) and the Vaishya community draws its lineage from him.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Hemant Khandelwal is new MP BJP chief; state presidents named in 9 units
Madhya Pradesh BJP on Wednesday appointed Baitul MLA Hemant Khandelwal as its new state president, ending a vacancy of over five years. Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who oversaw the state unit's organisational elections, announced Khandelwal's appointment after he emerged as the sole nominee on Tuesday. Khandelwal, who belongs to the Vaishya community, is seen as a consensus choice amid internal discussions over caste representation. With the state already having an OBC chief minister, a Brahmin and a Dalit as deputy CMs, the selection of Khandelwal helps the BJP further balance its caste equations. The son of four-time MP Vijay Khandelwal, Hemant was elected MP from Baitul in a 2008 bypoll after his father's death. Following the constituency's reservation in 2009, he transitioned to organisational roles, serving as state party treasurer for four years and leading BJP's office-building efforts across districts. He reportedly impressed the central leadership during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls with his coordination skills. BJP national vice-president Saudan Singh is said to have first proposed Khandelwal's name, which later gained wider support. Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan credited him with suggesting the CM RISE school initiative during the announcement. Khandelwal's appointment is part of a broader organisational reshuffle under the BJP's second phase of Sangathan Parv (Organisational Drive). New state chiefs have been appointed in a total of nine states and union territories: Live Events Madhya Pradesh - Hemant Khandelwal Maharashtra - Ravindra Chavan Telangana - N. Ramchander Rao Andhra Pradesh - PVN Madhav Uttarakhand - Mahendra Bhatt Himachal Pradesh - Rajeev Bindal Puducherry - VP Ramalingam Mizoram - Beichhua Andaman & Nicobar Islands - Anil Tiwari With these additions, the BJP has now completed internal elections in 28 states and UTs, well above the 19 required to initiate the national presidential poll. Party insiders say appointments for West Bengal and Odisha are expected soon, while elections in key states like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Delhi, and Haryana will determine the timeline for the national president's election.
