Lucknow Diary: Tonsuring case a boost for Yadav's ‘PDA' plank
Tonsuring case a boost for Yadav's 'PDA' plank
Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has strongly condemned the alleged tonsuring of two religious preachers, including one from the Yadav caste, by 'upper caste men' in Etawah's Dandarpur. He has painted the attack on two 'katha vachaks' (narrators of holy texts) as an assault on the 'PDA', an abbreviation often used by Yadav that stands for pichda (backwards), Dalit (scheduled castes) and alpsankhyak (minorities). Yadav has used the episode to hammer home the message that 'PDA' folks are not safe under BJP rule.
State capital region to see light of day in a year
The UP government is on pace to develop the state capital region — planned along the lines of Delhi-NCR — within a year. The project being established at an outlay of a whopping `71 crore will sprawl over a total area of 26,700 sq km, covering the six districts of Lucknow, Barabanki, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao and Rae Bareli. The initiative is aimed at promoting integrated development across the region. Drawing from global best practices, the World Bank will extend technical support to this plan, which will be focused on strengthening high-speed inter-district connectivity, upgrading infrastructure and promoting balanced growth.
State's green tribute to legendary leaders
As part of a special plantation drive, the UP government is set to raise forests named after luminaries like former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, India's first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and tribal icon Birsa Munda. The 'Atal Van' will be raised to mark the birth centenary celebrations of Vajpayee, and an event will be organised in his honour at his ancestral village, Bateshwar. Likewise, the 'Ekta Van' will be set up to remember Patel on his 150th birth anniversary. And the 'Eklavya Van' will be developed in memory of Munda, who was also born a century and a half ago. After all, what better way to enrich the legacy of a pioneer than to raise a forest in their honour?
Namita bajpai
Our correspondent in Uttar Pradesh
namita.bajpai@newindianexpress.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
BJP-RSS deadlock over new party chief drags on, state leadership in limbo
The deadlock between the BJP's top leadership and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) over the selection of a new national president continues to linger, months after the current chief JP Naddas extended term technically term as BJP chief ended in January 2023, but the party extended his tenure until June 2024 to steer it through the Lok Sabha elections. Party insiders told India Today TV that the leadership could have sent a clear signal by appointing a working president in June, just as it had done in 2019 when Amit Shah was still party chief and JP Nadda was named working president ahead of his formal elevation in January insiders claimed that they have already communicated their views on the matter to the party's top brass. The Sangh has laid down its criteria for the next president, insisting that the leader should be organisationally strong, without prioritising political messaging through the appointment. The RSS also wants the organisational changes to be accompanied by an overhaul within the government. A key RSS meeting, its Akhil Bharatiya Prant Pracharak Baithak, will be held in Delhi from July 4 to 6, in the presence of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, and all six joint general secretaries. Sources indicated that the leadership of the BJP may hold discussions with RSS functionaries during this meet, potentially finalising the next party BJP leaders said the new president will likely carry out a significant reshuffle within the party. Nearly half of the current national general secretaries could be replaced, making room for younger faces in key organisational BJP's parliamentary board, the party's apex decision-making body, may also see the inclusion of heavyweight leaders to boost the organisation's strength ahead of key state there is still no consensus between the BJP leadership and the RSS on the choice of president, insiders said. The party's constitution requires that elections be conducted in at least 19 states before the national president can be formally elected. So far, only 14 state units have completed the this week, the BJP announced election officers for pending state unit polls — Kiren Rijiju for Maharashtra, Harsh Malhotra for Uttarakhand, and Ravi Shankar Prasad for West party wants state-level appointments wrapped up first, especially in key states like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and West Bengal, to convey a sense of internal consensus before the national leadership is Uttar Pradesh, the selection process has been complicated by caste equations. Party sources said that discussions have taken place between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on potential names. Suggestions have been sought for Dalit and OBC faces, but the final decision will rest with Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra doing the rounds for OBC representation include Animal Husbandry Minister Dharmpal Singh and Union Minister BL Verma, both from the Lodhi community. Former Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and Rajya Sabha MP Baburam Nishad are also reportedly being considered. For Dalit representation, former Union Minister Ram Shankar Katheria and MPs Vidyasagar Sonkar and Vinod Sonkar are among the names under Karnataka, former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa wants his son BY Vijayendra to retain the post, banking on the crucial Lingayat vote bank. But a section within the party believes Vijayendra lacks his father's wide appeal among the Lingayats and that infighting under him has hurt the party. Alternatives being considered include Sunil Kumar (an OBC) and C T Ravi (a Vokkaliga and former national general secretary).In Maharashtra, current working president Ravindra Chavan, a Maratha, is tipped to be formally elevated. His proximity to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis strengthens his Bengal remains tricky. Incumbent Sukanta Majumdar is also a Union Minister, so the leadership must decide if he can step down from his ministerial role to focus solely on the party. Other contenders include Rajya Sabha MP Shamik Bhattacharya, who has gained importance within the party's Delhi circles. State leader Suvendu Adhikari is keen on the job, but the RSS reportedly remains sceptical due to his TMC roots. Names of women leaders like Locket Chatterjee and Agnimitra Paul are also being discussed, as the party considers a woman face to take on Mamata Banerjee's TMC in next year's Madhya Pradesh, balancing the state's complex caste matrix is proving equally challenging. With OBCs, SCs and STs constituting over 70 per cent of the population, the leadership is cautious in picking a candidate who can consolidate support and counter the leaders like Gajendra Patel, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Sumer Singh Solanki, as well as Dalit leaders like Lal Singh Arya and Pradeep Lariya, are under consideration. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav is an OBC, making it less likely that an OBC will be picked for the state president's post, but the name of Kavita Patidar has emerged in Gujarat, the next state president is expected to be either a Patidar from Saurashtra or an OBC, keeping the region's caste arithmetic and 2027 assembly elections in mind. Names like Jagdish Vishwakarma, Mayank Nayak and Devusinh Chauhan (OBCs), and Dilip Sanghani and Janak Patel (Patidars) are doing the rounds.- EndsMust Watch
India Gazette
4 hours ago
- India Gazette
MP CM Mohan Yadav orders action over faulty Aishbagh railway overbridge design, 8 engineers held responsible
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], June 29 (ANI): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav ordered strict action after taking cognisance of serious negligence in the construction of the Aishbagh Railway Overbridge (ROB) in Bhopal. Following his directions, eight engineers of the Public Works Department (PWD) were held accountable based on the findings of an investigation. In a post on X, CM Yadav said, 'I took cognisance of the serious negligence in the construction of the Aishbagh ROB and ordered an investigation. Based on the investigation report, action has been taken against 8 engineers of the PWD.' The action included the immediate suspension of seven engineers, including two Chief Engineers (CEs). Additionally, a departmental inquiry was initiated against a retired Superintending Engineer (SE). The government also blacklisted the construction agency and the design consultant involved in the project. They were found responsible for submitting a faulty design of the ROB, which led to safety concerns. To address the structural issues, the Chief Minister announced the formation of a special committee to implement necessary improvements in the ROB. He clarified that the bridge would not be opened to the public until all rectifications were completed. 'The ROB will be inaugurated only after the improvements are made,' CM Yadav added in the post. Earlier on Thursday, Yadav said that he had instructed officials and the state minister to rectify the objection raised against a Railway Over Bridge (ROB) with a design featuring around 90-degree sharp turns in Bhopal and take action against those responsible for the mistake. 'Recently, it was brought to my notice about the issue of a bridge (ROB) being built with an almost 90-degree sharp turn. I said that it was being constructed from 2022 and is yet to be inaugurated. The bridge is under construction. In such a situation, I have asked officials and the minister to consider the objection raised, rectify the curve to avoid any accidents and also take action against those who make the mistake,' CM Yadav told reporters. He further said, 'We hope to be more vigilant in the matter of construction and pay more attention to such constructions and arrangements in the state.' The Aishbagh Railway Overbridge, nearly a decade in the making, drew public attention and criticism due to its design, which features a sharp 90-degree turn. The 648-metre-long and 8-metre-wide bridge was constructed at a cost of Rs 18 crore. Earlier, State PWD (Public Works Department) Minister Rakesh Singh had stated that the project was five years old and that its design had already been prepared. He added that the bridge was inspected by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and further action would be taken based on the inspection report. (ANI)
New Indian Express
4 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Congress will pay price for neglecting SES-2015, claims Union Minister Bhupender Yadav
BENGALURU: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Saturday predicted that the Congress in Karnataka will meet the same fate as its national counterpart as it has ignored the Socio-Economic Educational Survey-2015 (caste census report). Delivering the keynote address at the seminar 'Caste Census: Retrospective-Prospective' organised by the Social Justice Awareness Forum at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Yadav said that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his government and LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi were anti-backward classes. The Karnataka government had recently shelved the caste census of 2015 and opted for a fresh survey. Yadav said that the Congress lost power at the Centre because it ignored the Kaka Kalelkar Commission report recommending the upliftment of backward classes socially and educationally. He expressed confidence that when the backward classes become aware that the Congress is averse to their upliftment in Karnataka, it will not be able to return to power. 'Why did those who (Rahul Gandhi) keep the Constitution in their pockets not implement the Kaka Kalelkar Commission report? After the country became independent from the Emergency and from family rule, the Janata Party came to power at the Centre. It also formed the Mandal Commission. The Congress was out of power when the issue of justice for OBCs came to the fore. But when it came to power a few years later, it had ignored the Mandal Commission report as it did it with the Kaka Kalelkar report,' Yadav said, adding that the BJP-backed VP Singh government implemented the Mandal Commission report and got reservation for OBCs.
