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President appoints AAP leaders Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj as Delhi ministers
The ministers are appointed on the advice of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, said MHA.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj have been appointed as ministers in the Delhi cabinet by President Droupadi Murmu. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed that the ministers will be appointed with effect from the date they are sworn in.
The ministers are appointed on the advice of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, said MHA.
The MHA in a notification said the President is pleased to accept, on the advice of the Chief Minister of Delhi, the resignation of Manish Sisodia, a Minister in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, with immediate effect.
Bhardwaj previously held the position of vice chairman of the Delhi Jal Board and serves as the AAP’s national spokesperson. Bharadwaj, a Greater Kailash legislator, served as a minister during the first term of the AAP administration.
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Atishi, an MLA from the Kalkaji district, has played a significant role in Sisodia’s education department. She ran for the 2019 Lok Parliament elections from the East Delhi constituency but lost to Gautam Gambhir of the BJP.
Till Atishi and Bhardwaj are sworn in as ministers, Raaj Kumar Anand and Kailash Gahlot are taking care of the portfolios that have fallen vacant following Sisodia’s resignation.
Eight of the 18 departments under Sisodia’s leadership, including Finance and PWD, have been assigned to Kailash Gahlot, while Raaj Kumar Anand is in charge of the other 10, including Education and Health.
The development comes after Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain resigned from their ministerial positions after being arrested in corruption cases. While Sisodia is in judicial custody in the Delhi excise policy case, Jain is in Tihar Jail on allegations of money laundering in a case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate.
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India News
Enforcement Directorate says Arvind Kejriwal is deliberately eating mangoes, sweets, taking sugar with tea to increase his blood sugar level and create ground for bail
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) made the claim before special judge for ED and CBI cases, Kaveri Baweja, who gave directions to the Tihar jail authorities to file a report in the matter which should also include Kejriwal’s diet chart.
The Enforcement Directorate told the court on Thursday that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, arrested in liquor policy case, is taking high sugar intake like mangoes and sweets every day deliberately in spite of suffering from type 2 diabetes so that he can create grounds for medical bail. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) made the claim before special judge for ED and CBI cases, Kaveri Baweja, who gave directions to the Tihar jail authorities to file a report in the matter which should also include Kejriwal’s diet chart.
Kejriwal had moved court and also sought permission to consult his regular doctor via video conference because his sugar levels were fluctuating. The judge directed the authorities concerned to file the report by tomorrow, when the court will take up the matter again.
Advocate Vivek Jain, counsel for Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal responded to the ED’s argument and said this is an issue made by Enforcement Directorate so that home-cooked food should also be stopped. He said this would have a major impact on his health. Advocate Jain added that whatever Kejriwal is eating is as per his doctors prescribed dietary chart. He said the matter is sub judice and they do not have anything to say.
Advocate Vivek Jain objected to the Enforcement Directorate’s submission and said that the agency is making these allegations only for the media. He said that some toffee and other things are given to diabetic patients so that they can maintain their sugar levels. Jain added that Kejriwal is withdrawing his application and will file a better one later.
AAP minister Atishi Marlena said that Arvind Kejriwal had fallen ill and lost about 4.5 kg since his arrest on March 21. She addressed a press conference where the AAP leader said, Arvind Kejriwal is a severe diabetes patient but he never lets his health issue come as the way of his in the service to the nation.
India News
Clashes erupt during Ram Navami procession in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari wrote a letter to the West Bengal Governor and sought a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into clashes and violence during a Ram Navami procession in Murshidabad’s Rejinagar area.
Clashes and violence erupted during the Ram Navami procession in the Shaktipur area of Rejinagar, Murshidabad district, West Bengal on Wednesday. According to reports, the stone-pelting started taking place when the Ram Navami parade was underway as people threw stones from their rooftops. The situation reached a point where the police had to resort to a lathi charge. Some individuals sustained injuries during the clashes and violence. The BJP alleged that Hindu devotees were targeted in Rejinagar.
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari wrote a letter to the West Bengal Governor and sought a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into clashes and violence during a Ram Navami procession in Murshidabad’s Rejinagar area. Around 20 people were injured after stones were thrown at the Ram Navami parade from rooftops. The police has imposed Section 144 in the area.
Another incident took place during the Ram Navami parade, as an explosion went off in Shaktipur, Murshidabad, which resulted in injuring a woman. The woman was taken to the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, and the police have started investigating the matter. But, it is still not clear whether the explosion was caused by a bomb or some other reason.
The BJP also alleged that another Ram Navami parade was attacked and pelted with stones in Medinipur’s Egra. BJP leader Amit Malviya said party workers would gherao the Egra police station to protest the brutal attack. Amit Malviya tweeted that Hindu devotees were singled out during the Ram Navami celebrations in Rejinagar, Murshidabad. He further added Mamata Banerjee is a blot on West Bengal.
Many videos are circulating on social media, which show people throwing stones at the procession from their rooftops. The police had to conduct a lathi charge and also fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. The police have said that the situation has been brought under control, and additional security forces have been stationed in the area.
2024 Lok Sabha Elections
Election Commission advises Bengal Governor to not visit Cooch Behar on voting day
The Election Commission advised the Bengal Governor to call off his proposed visit to Cooch Behar on April 19.
West Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose has been warned by the Election Commission of India (ECI) not to visit Cooch Behar on April 18 and 19, since the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls will begin with a silence period on Wednesday evening.
According to those familiar with the situation in the EC, the poll body informed the governor’s office that no local program could be planned for the governor on April 19 due to the Model Code of Conduct and the election day.
The poll body added that if they had to provide local security cover for this unexpected proposed visit without a imminently known requirement, the tour would be a diversion because the district administration and police force will be completely occupied with election management on April 18 and 19.
As a result, under Section 126 of the Representation of People Act, campaigning is prohibited in Cooch Behar starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
In order to ensure a free and fair election process, the poll board has asked all district election officers and district police chiefs to make sure that all prominent individuals, campaigners, and political workers who are not local voters leave the polling area once the silence period begins.
The seven phases of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will take place between April to June. Polls will be conducted in seven phases: the first on April 19 and the seventh on June 1. On June 4, the results will be announced.
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