Congress leader, ex-union minister Buta Singh passes away at 86, tributes pour in

Agencies
January 2, 2021

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New Delhi, Jan 1: Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Buta Singh died at Delhi's AIIMS early on Saturday morning. He was 86 years old. He was in a coma since October last year after he suffered a brain haemorrhage.

His demise was announced by his son Arvinder Singh Lovely Sidhu on Facebook. "My father, Buta Singh, passed away today morning. May Waheguru bless his soul," read the post in Hindi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the country in condoling the death of Mr Singh, who was a member of the Shiromani Akali Dal before joining the Congress in the 1960s.

Shri Buta Singh Ji was an experienced administrator and effective voice for the welfare of the poor as well as downtrodden. Saddened by his passing away. My condolences to his family and supporters.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 2, 2021
Tributes also poured in from President Ram Nath Kovind, Congress' Rahul Gandhi, Ashok Gehlot, Amarinder Singh and Kuldeep Bishnoi, besides many others including, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

"The country has lost a true public servant and a loyal leader with the death of Sardar Buta Singh Ji. He devoted his entire life to service of the country and people's well-being. For this, he will always be remembered. My condolences to his family members during this difficult time," Mr Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.

"Sad to learn about the demise of former Union minister, senior Congress leader and former MP from Rajasthan, Shri Buta Singh ji. My heartfelt condolences to his family members in this difficult time, may God give them strength to bear this loss. May his soul rest in peace," Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot wrote about the former four-time MP from state's Jalore.

In the passing of Shri Buta Singh, the country has lost one of the longest serving parliamentarians with rich administrative experience. He championed the cause of the oppressed and marginalized. Condolences to his family and supporters.

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 2, 2021

Sharing Buta Singh's throwback pictures with former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao and former chief minister of Haryana, Bhajan Lal - his father - Mr Bishoni remembered their close friendship.

Deeply saddened to hear the demise of former Union Minster Sardar Buta Singh ji, a senior leader and a very close friend of my late father. My thoughts and prayers are with the family. RIP???? pic.twitter.com/BrN2GKZhvx

— Kuldeep Bishnoi (@bishnoikuldeep) January 2, 2021
Born in 1934 in Punjab's Jalandhar, Buta Singh joined the Congress under Jawaharlal Nehru's leadership and was close to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, both.

Mr Singh was first elected to the Parliament in 1962. Over the years, he served as the Home Minister in the Rajiv Gandhi government from 1986 to 1989, National President of Scheduled Caste Commission, governor for West Bengal and Bihar, and Union minister for Agriculture, Railways, Commerce and Sports, among other departments.

Saddened to learn of former Home Minister of India Buta Singh Ji's demise. He also served as Governor of Bihar & West Bengal. I pray for strength to his family & friends in this difficult time. May his soul rest in peace.

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) January 2, 2021
Saddened at the passing away of Buta Singh ji, eight-time Lok Sabha MP and former Union Cabinet Minister. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and supporters

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 2, 2021
Deeply disheartened by the sad demise of Sardar Buta Singh ji. A stalwart Congressman and Parliamentarian par distinction, he immensely contributed to nation-building as a Minister of 18 Departments.

I offer my condolences to his family, friends & followers. pic.twitter.com/nTSgqosuOy

— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) January 2, 2021
Shri Buta Singh ji dedicated his life serving poor and downtrodden. He served the nation in several capacities. Pained by his demise. Condolences to his family and supporters. Om Shanti.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) January 2, 2021
Saddened to learn about the demise of former Union Minister & former Governor Shri Buta Singh Ji. All through his life he worked for the empowerment of downtrodden. My condolences to the family. Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/t39LVWeklT

— Shripad Y. Naik (@shripadynaik) January 2, 2021
Mr Singh's last political assignment was a two-year term as the Governor of Bihar in 2004, after which he only held organisational posts within the Congress.

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News Network
October 21,2024

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Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on Monday warned passengers not to fly on Air India flights from November 1 to 19. He asserted that an attack could take place on an Air India flight during the specified dates, which coincide with the "40th anniversary of the Sikh genocide".

The founder of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), who holds dual citizenship in Canada and the US, had issued a similar threat around the same time last year.

Pannun's fresh threat comes amid several airlines in India receiving multiple threat calls about potential bombings, all of which turned out to be hoaxes. It also occurred at a time when India and Canada are engaged in a murky diplomatic row following Canada's allegations of India targeting Khalistani elements in the country, including the murder of another terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

In November 2023, Pannun released a video claiming that Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport would be renamed and would remain closed on November 19, warning people against flying on Air India that day. The National Investigation Agency charged him with criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, and various offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

In December last year, Pannun threatened to attack the Parliament on or before December 13, following reports of an alleged foiled plot to kill him. December 13 marks the anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Parliament in 2001.

He also threatened to kill Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Director General of State Police Gaurav Yadav on Republic Day this year. He also urged gangsters to unite and launch an attack on Mann on January 26.

Pannun has been designated a terrorist by the Ministry of Home Affairs since July 2020 on charges of sedition and secessionism, as he leads SFJ, a group advocating for a separate sovereign Sikh state. A year prior to this, India banned SFJ as an "unlawful association" for engaging in "anti-national and subversive" activities.

In another development, on October 17, the United States charged a former officer of India's spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for allegedly directing a foiled plot to murder Pannun, a charge New Delhi has rejected as baseless allegations.

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News Network
October 22,2024

Several Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) schools across India were hit with hoax bomb threats on Tuesday, just days after an explosion occurred near a CRPF school in Delhi. The threats, sent via email late Monday night, targeted schools in Delhi and Hyderabad, according to sources.

Earlier this week, a bomb exploded outside a CRPF school in Delhi’s Rohini area, causing significant damage to nearby vehicles and property. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported.

In response to the blast, Delhi Police confiscated CCTV footage from nearby markets as part of their investigation. Sources indicate that surveillance footage captured a suspect at the scene, wearing a white T-shirt, displaying suspicious behavior the night before the explosion.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the explosive device had been hidden in a polythene bag, buried in a shallow pit, and covered with garbage. The blast caused a hole in the school's boundary wall and shattered the window panes and signboards of nearby shops.

Following the incident, the Delhi Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Section 3 of the Indian Explosives Act, and other relevant sections.

The FIR states, "A case of an explosion caused by an unknown explosive substance has been registered, and the investigation continues." It also details the damage, noting that the blast left a hole in the boundary wall and affected nearby structures.

The targeted schools serve children from CRPF and other paramilitary families, and the recent threats have heightened concerns. In response, Delhi authorities have placed the city on high alert, ramping up security measures, especially in markets, ahead of the Diwali festival. 

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