Mangaluru to get RGUHS regional centre; tender to be floated soon

New Delhi, Sept 21: Stepping up its crackdown on Khalistani terrorists, the NIA on Wednesday announced cash rewards for information leading to the arrest of five Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) operatives, including Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias 'Rinda' and Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias 'Landa'.

The federal agency announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh each for Rinda and Landa and Rs 5 lakh each for Parminder Singh Kaira alias “Pattu”, Satnam Singh alias “Satbir Singh” alias “Satta” and Yadvinder Singh alias “Yadda”.

A spokesperson of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said these five terrorists are wanted in a case registered early this year related to the BKI's terrorist activities aimed at disturbing India's peace and communal harmony and spreading terror in the state of Punjab.

'The wanted terrorists are accused of commission of terror acts and activities, besides raising funds for the BKI, a banned terror outfit, through smuggling of terrorist hardware and narcotics into Punjab and also through extensive extortion from businessmen and other prominent individuals.

'They are also wanted in cases relating to commissioning of targeted killings as well as targeting of law enforcement agencies in order to create an environment of terror in the state of Punjab,' the spokesperson said.

The official said investigations have shown that the five terrorists have been engaged in recruiting new members of the BKI by promising them monetary benefits.

'They have also established a network of operatives in various countries to further their terror activities in different parts of India,” the official said.

Rinda, originally a resident of Maharashtra, is a Pakistan-based 'listed individual terrorist' and member of the BKI, while Landa, Khaira, Satnam and Yadvinder are residents of Punjab.

'Any specific information leading to the arrest of the five wanted terrorists can be shared with the NIA headquarters in New Delhi or the NIA Branch Office in Chandigarh,' the spokesperson said, sharing the telephone and WhatsApp numbers.

Meanwhile, the NIA released two lists of 54 individuals with their photographs who are wanted in the investigation of two cases, registered last year, to dismantle terror-gangster networks in the country.

The lists, one naming 11 persons and the other 43 persons, were shared by the NIA on its official account on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The list included several wanted gangsters, including Goldy Brar, Lawrence Bishnoi, Anmol Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh Gill.

'If you have any information about properties/assets/business owned by them in their name or in name of their associates, friends and relatives, please WhatsApp,” the agency said, sharing the mobile number. 

Bengaluru, Sept 13: Former Karnataka Chief Ministers B S Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai of the BJP and H D Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) -- will not be attending the 'special emergency meeting' called by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday to discuss the issue of releasing Cauvery river water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu. 

The meeting was convened at short notice following the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) on Tuesday recommending that Karnataka release 5,000 cusecs of water every day for the next 15 days to Tamil Nadu.

Bommai and Kumaraswamy said they are preoccupied with prior commitments but made their stand clear on the issue.

The Chief Minister's office said late on Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, ministers of the Cauvery basin region, former chief ministers of all parties, senior ministers of the state cabinet, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members were invited to participate in the emergency meeting.

While Yediyurappa is travelling to attend the BJP central election committee meeting in the national capital, Bommai too said, he will not be able to participate in the meeting as he is visiting his home constituency of Shiggavi in Haveri district to take part in an event.

'The state government invited late last night for a meeting to discuss the Cauvery dispute. However, I am not able to attend the meeting called by the government, as I have to participate in the pre-scheduled event in my constituency,' Bommai said on 'X'.

'Our stand on the Cauvery issue is clear. The state government should not release water to Tamil Nadu for any reason. The state government should make the Supreme Court and the CWMA (Cauvery Water Management Authority) understand the ground situation in the state,' he added.

Kumaraswamy too said he will not be able to attend the meeting as he has to attend a pre-scheduled event in Hassan.

Questioning the recommendation or direction to Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu, he urged the state government to reject it.

Terming CWRC's recommendation as 'unjust', he said because of water scarcity in the Cauvery basin area, Karnataka government asked farmers not to cultivate crops; there will also be shortage of drinking water in the days to come.

Further, hitting out at the state government for releasing water to TN all these days, despite Karnataka facing scarcity, Kumaraswamy said, "It doesn't have the basic understanding or guts or courage to protect the interest of the state...they don't have commitment towards the people. What will they do for drinking water in the days to come, from where will they provide it to the people of Bengaluru?" Also, pointing out that there is no distress formula on water sharing till now, he expressed his displeasure about Cauvery bodies, and alleged that people of Karnataka are repeatedly being subject to oppression.

Following the CWRC's recommendation, Siddaramaiah on Tuesday held an emergency meeting regarding the next steps to be taken. Shivakumar, several senior ministers and officials including Chief Secretary Vandita Sharma, and Chief Minister's Legal Advisor A S Ponnanna participated in the meeting.

Shivakumar made it clear that Karnataka is in no position to release Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu, as it doesn't have enough water storage, due to lack of adequate rainfall in the river basin region.

He had said that the matter is next going to come before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), in a couple of days, and Karnataka will vehemently put forward its stand before it. 

New Delhi, Sept 22: BSP MP Danish Ali has approached Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for action against BJP member Ramesh Bidhuri over remarks made by the latter regarding him, during the debate in the Lok Sabha on the Chandrayaan 3 mission last night. The Speaker has expunged the remarks, but did not take any strict action.

BJP leaders said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had apologised immediately after Bidhuri made the remarks in the Lok Sabha. “He apologised to the House as the Deputy Leader and ensured the smooth functioning of the proceedings,” a source in the BJP said.

In a new low in the Indian parliamentary traditions, BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri on Thursday (September 21) abused a fellow MP from the BSP in the Lok Sabha, sparking massive outrage in political circles.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha during a discussion on the success of Chandrayaan-3, Bidhuri called BSP MP Danish Ali “Muslim ugrawadi” (Muslim terrorist), “Bharwa” (pimp), and “katwa” (circumcised). Ali is a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP from Uttar Pradesh's Amroha Lok Sabha seat. 

As Bidhuri was making derogatory remarks against him, former Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Harsh Vardhan may be seen having a laugh.

Congress MP K Suresh, who was in the Chair at the time the remarks were made, said he has ordered the remarks to be expunged from the records, reported PTI. The clip of Bhiduri’s remarks has surfaced on social media and has drawn flak from several quarters, including Opposition leaders who have called for strict action against him.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday took “serious note” of certain objectionable remarks made by BJP member Bidhuri in the House and warned him of “strict action” if such behaviour is repeated in the future, officials said.

Rajnath Singh also expressed regret over the “objectionable” remarks. Singh said he had not heard Bhiduri's remarks and urged the Chair to expunge them from the proceedings if they have hurt the opposition members, according to PTI. “I express regret if the Opposition is hurt by the remarks made by the member,” said Singh, the Deputy Leader of the House.

‘Apology an eyewash’

On the other hand, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh called Singh’s apology an “eyewash”. “[It is a] complete shame what Bhiduri said,” Ramesh told reporters. “Rajnath Singh’s apology is not acceptable… it was a half-hearted apology, an afterthought…it is an eyewash. Bhiduri has spoken in a language that is an insult not just to Parliament but to every Indian,” Ramesh continued, wondering why the MP had not yet been suspended.

Ramesh said the BJP MP’s utterances make a mockery of what Prime Minister Narendra Modi keeps reiterating --- “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas”. He said strictest possible action should be taken against him while wondering if this isn’t the case fit for suspension. He said AAP MPs Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha stand suspended for exercising their democratic right of protest inside the Parliament, while Bidhuri has spoken in a language that is not only an insult to Danish Ali but to every MP and also every Indian.

TMC MP Mahua Moitra urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to take action against Bidhuri. She said the Speaker could “feel free” to initiate a privilege motion against her for “calling you out”. “But I am asking you here and now -- what action are you taking against Ramesh Bidhuri?” she tweeted.

“I have seen Ramesh Bidhuri as MLA in the Delhi Assembly. He was better during those days. I guess, in Parliament, his upbringing has been ably done by Modi-Shah. New Parliament. New India,” tweeted Congress leader Pawan Khera. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also slammed Bidhuri for using “filthy language” in Parliament and termed it “sickening”. She asked whether the Speaker would take action against him.