Uttam Kumar Reddy briefs on meeting with CR Patil on Godavari -Bankacharla project
"We have requested the swift issuance of the Krishna Tribunal's verdict," Reddy said, highlighting the urgency of the matter. He further proposed the potential of the Ichchampalli-Nagarjunasagar link to transport water from the Penna Basin, indicating Telangana's willingness to engage in discussions over this connection.
He said that Union Minister Patil has promised to facilitate a meeting between the Chief Ministers of the two Telugu states to address ongoing issues. Reddy noted that many projects in Telangana have not yet received central approval and urged for funding to support the Musi revival project and appealed for water allocations for various state initiatives, including the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy, Sammakka Sarakka, and Thummadihatti projects.
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Hans India
2 minutes ago
- Hans India
Kishan Reddy accuses Congress of betraying BCs with its reservation policies
Hyderabad: In a sharp critique of the Congress Party's reservation framework, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy accused Congress of deliberately misleading Backward Classes (BCs) with its proposed 42 per cent reservation scheme for local bodies, which includes a 10 per cent quota for Muslims. Addressing the media in the national capital, Delhi, on Friday, the Minister referred to a precedent set by former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, who introduced a 4 per cent reservation for Muslims under the BC-E category during his tenure. This action was struck down twice by the High Court. Although Congress later obtained a stay from the Supreme Court to continue implementing the reservation, Reddy contends that this move was 'unconstitutional' and detrimental to the core BC groups. Kishan Reddy alleged that Congress inflated BC population figures by including 10 per cent Muslims in the claimed 56 per cent BC demographic, reducing actual BC numbers to 46 per cent. He said that the party's attempt to hike the Muslim reservation quota from 4 per cent to 10 per cent within the BC framework is labeled as unjust. Referring to the GHMC elections, where 34 per cent BC reservations allegedly benefited AIMIM candidates, not genuine BCs, he added. Reddy emphasized that reservations historically apply to castes engaged in traditional hereditary occupations and accused Congress of diverting these benefits for political appeasement. He warned that, under the guise of uplifting BCs, Congress was actually diminishing the 34 per cent BC quota to 32% after merging the 10 per cent Muslim component. The Minister highlighted the BJP's achievements in promoting BC leadership, including the appointment of BC members to the Union Cabinet and the granting of constitutional status to the BC Commission. He contrasted this with Congress's alleged failure to elevate BCs to Chief Minister or Prime Minister positions since independence. Kishan Reddy criticized the Congress leaders' remarks questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's community. He clarified that Modi was included in the BC list in 1994 under the Congress-led government of Gujarat, which occurred before his political ascent. He also questioned the logic behind labeling several communities as 'converted' BCs, citing the inclusion of Vishwakarmas and the Lambada community in SC/ST lists over decades. Calling out Congress's decline in electoral relevance, Reddy asserted that the party had been rejected in key states and faced significant losses, including zero seats in Delhi. He attributed the recent personal attacks on Modi to frustration among Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Revanth Reddy. He said that the BJP is demanding that local body elections be conducted in line with Telangana High Court orders and that the proposed 42 per cent BC reservations exclude Muslim beneficiaries. Kishan Reddy urged Congress to clarify who stands to gain from this model and challenged Revanth Reddy to resign as Chief Minister in favor of a BC candidate.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
LS, not RS, will take up HC judge impeachment
The Union government on Friday said that the motion to impeach justice Yashwant Varma will be brought in the Lok Sabha, ending the ambiguity about the high-profile process created after two separate notices were moved in both Houses of Parliament earlier this week. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla chairs a meeting of the leaders of all parties to discuss the functioning of the House, in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI) People aware of the matter said that the notice in the Rajya Sabha, signed by 63 members and mentioned by former vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar, was only submitted and not admitted. They also said that there were procedural lapses in the notice submitted in the Upper House and that the report of the inquiry committee set up by the apex court was shared only with the Lok Sabha, not the Rajya Sabha. HT has reported that the former vice-president's move to kickstart the impeachment process of justice Varma in the Rajya Sabha took the government, which wanted the process to go through the Lok Sabha, by surprise, and it was the trigger that prompted the abrupt resignation on Monday night. '...There shouldn't be any doubt that the discussion and motion proceedings to remove justice Yashwant Varma will begin in the Lok Sabha,' said Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju. He said the parties have agreed that the motion will be moved in the Lok Sabha and concurred in the Rajya Sabha, as per the rules. Rijiju also said that a special discussion on Operation Sindoor will begin in the Lok Sabha on Monday, for which 16 hours was allocated, and that the Rajya Sabha will take up the discussion a day later for the same duration. A notice for the impeachment of justice Varma, who is facing charges of corruption, signed by 152 lawmakers was submitted to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla on Monday. But the same day, then chairman of the Rajya Sabha Dhankhar told the Upper House that another notice for the impeachment of the judge with the signatures of 63 Opposition members was submitted. Dhankhar went on to add that if the motion is presented in both Houses on the same day, the provisions for appointing the probe committee vary and the committee shall be constituted jointly by the speaker and the chairman. That evening, Dhankhar suddenly resigned from his position, citing health reasons. The formation of the committee was then put on hold. As per the Judges (Inquiry) Act of 1968, once a motion to remove a judge is admitted in any of the Houses, the speaker of the Lok Sabha or the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, as the case may be, will constitute a three-member committee to investigate the grounds on which the removal has been sought. The committee will comprise the chief justice of India (CJI) or a Supreme Court judge, the chief justice of one of the high courts, and a distinguished jurist. As per the procedure, the Speaker has to write to the CJI seeking suggestions for the names of the judges to be included in the panel. A senior government functionary said the decks have now been cleared for the formation of the committee by the Lok Sabha Speaker. 'The motion was not admitted in the Rajya Sabha. The chairman's statement itself makes it clear…he had directed the secretary-general to take steps in the direction. The secretariat has found that the notice submitted in Rajya Sabha is not in order,' said the functionary, speaking on condition of anonymity. The functionary also added that the President had forwarded the SC report to the Lok Sabha and not the Rajya Sabha. A senior government functionary said the decks have now been cleared for the formation of the committee in the Lok Sabha. 'The motion was not admitted in the Rajya Sabha. The chairman's statement itself makes it clear…he had directed the secretary-general to take up the issue. The secretariat has found that the notice submitted in Rajya Sabha is not in order,' said the functionary, speaking on condition of anonymity. The functionary also added that the President's report was sent to the Lok Sabha and not the Rajya Sabha. Based on a three-member committee's report, then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna in May recommended to the President and the Prime Minister to initiate proceedings to remove justice Varma from office. Rijiju declined to comment on Dhankhar's statement but said the government was making efforts to build a consensus between political parties to support the motion for impeachment as the issue of corruption in the judiciary should be taken up not just by the government but the entire political class. To a question on whether there will be consultation between the Lok Sabha speaker and the deputy chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh, on the formation of the committee, Rijiju said, 'All parties have agreed that the removal has to be a joint call… once we have agreed (to the impeachment) in the Lok Sabha, it will be concurred in the Rajya announcement about the formation of the committee should come from the chair.' He did not rule out the possibility of a discussion between the speaker and the deputy chairman and said, '..That will be our internal issue.' The people cited above said the notice submitted in the Rajya Sabha was not admitted as it was found to have 'procedural lapses'. 'While he (Dhankhar) mentioned the Supreme Court's report on justice Varma and the recommendation made by the President, there were no relevant documents attached in the annexure because correspondence related to these was not shared with the Rajya Sabha Secretariat or the vice-president's office,' said the functionary quoted above. The entire process of impeachment must be completed in the monsoon session that ends on August 21. Justice Varma will get up to three opportunities to defend himself before Parliament. Parliament proceedings have been disrupted this week with the Opposition demanding a discussion on the special intensive revision in Bihar and a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Operation Sindoor. Rijiju said a consensus was reached between the ruling coalition and the Opposition on taking up a special discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha on Monday and in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The discussion will not be under any rule, which means there is no need for voting at the end. The controversy began after wads of charred cash were allegedly found at the residence of justice Varma, then a Delhi high court judge, on March 14 following a fire. On March 22, the top court formed an inquiry committee, comprising then high court chief justices Sheel Nagu (Punjab & Haryana), GS Sandhawalia (Himachal Pradesh), and justice Anu Sivaraman (Karnataka high court). The 64-page inquiry report cited 'strong inferential evidence' to conclude that justice Varma had 'covert or active control' over the charred cash. While admitting that no direct evidence linked him to the currency, the panel held that his conduct 'belied the trust' reposed in a constitutional judge and warranted impeachment proceedings. The committee concluded that even if the money had been stored without his explicit knowledge, its presence in his official residence 'eroded public trust' and constituted judicial misconduct of a grave nature. The findings of the report were submitted to then CJI Khanna on May 3. Five days later, he wrote to the PM and President.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Ex-deputy Chief Minister among six names shortlisted for UP BJP chief's post
The Uttar Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sent a shortlist of six names – two Brahmins, two from the backward community and two from the Dalit community, all men – to the national leadership that is set to pick the next chief of the state unit, a senior party leader said on Friday. The BJP, which has already picked state chiefs in over 25 of 37 organisational units, is also gearing up to name its next national president.(File Photo / Representational Image) India's most populous state is set to go to the polls in early 2027 and the choice of the state unit chief is considered among the key decisions in front of the BJP, which will look to reverse its Lok Sabha setback in the state and secure a third consecutive term in Lucknow. The BJP, which has already picked state chiefs in over 25 of 37 organisational units, is also gearing up to name its next national president. The new state chief will replace Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, a Jat leader from western Uttar Pradesh, said the BJP leader. The names suggested include former deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma and former Basti MP Harish Dwivedi (both Brahmins), sitting UP minister Dharampal Singh and sitting Union minister of state BL Verma (both OBCs), and former Union minister Ram Shankar Katheria and sitting MLC Vidya Sagar Sonkar (both Dalits). 'On our part, we have suggested to the central leadership suitable names that can be considered for the post of UP BJP chief and the leadership is actively evaluating them. A decision is likely within the next two weeks, possibly earlier,' said the leader. Sharma, a Brahmin leader known for his clean image and academic credentials, enjoys the confidence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the top leadership. Dwivedi, also a Brahmin, brings youth and parliamentary experience, having served as an MP from Basti and a national secretary in the party. Both Dharmpal Singh and BL Verma are from the influential Lodh community. Singh, a senior minister in the UP cabinet, has decades of legislative and ministerial experience. Verma, currently Union minister of state, is seen as a disciplined and low-profile organiser with deep RSS links. He enjoys trust within the organisation. Katheria, a former Union minister and ex-chairman of the National Scheduled Caste Commission, is known for his aggressive articulation of Hindutva and Dalit identity. Sonkar, an MLC, is a low-key but loyal party worker with influence in eastern UP. UP BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary said, 'We have apprised the high command of our views. Now, it is for the central leadership to declare the name of the new president for the state and this, we hope will happen very soon.'
