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Telangana: BRS, BJP try to corner Congress over 'failed' guarantees

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Telangana: BRS, BJP try to corner Congress over 'failed' guarantees

Hyderabad, April 12 (IANS) With a month to go for polling in Telangana for Lok Sabha elections, opposition BRS and BJP are trying to corner the Congress over its alleged failure to deliver on the six guarantees given in Assembly elections even as the ruling party claims to have implemented four guarantees and assuring voters of its commitment to fulfill the remaining promises.

Targeting the Congress government over not fulfilling the guarantees within 100 days as committed by it, leaders of both BRS and BJP say that the ruling party has no moral right to seek votes in the Lok Sabha polls.

The opposition parties claim that Congress has failed to fully implement even one guarantee.

The government, which completed four months in office on April 7, claims to have implemented six promises as part of these guarantees.

The Congress party made a total of 13 promises as part of six guarantees during the Assembly elections held in November, 2023.

On December 9, two days after assuming office, the Revanth Reddy-led government launched the Mahalakshmi scheme to provide free travel facilities for women in TSRTC buses and enhanced coverage under Rajiv Arogyasri (health insurance scheme for the poor) from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

The rollout of other guarantees was delayed as the government embarked on a massive exercise to receive applications from eligible beneficiaries.

Over 1.28 crore applications were received for the six guarantees during the ‘Praja Palana’ programme conducted across the state in December-January.

On February 27, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy launched the implementation of two more guarantees – 200 units of free electricity to each household and a cooking gas cylinder for Rs 500.

On March 11, Chief Minister Reddy launched Indiramma Indlu, a housing scheme for the poor.

Under the scheme, the government will distribute house sites in the name of women and extend financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for the construction of houses. It has sanctioned 4.50 lakh Indiramma houses at the cost of Rs 22,500 crore.

Households consuming up to 200 units of electricity per month and having white ration cards (BPL families) started receiving ‘zero bills’ from March. Power distribution companies said over 10 lakh consumers were issued ‘zero bills’.

However, many applicants complained that despite being eligible they were denied the benefits under the scheme.

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Adding to the confusion, some consumers who had received zero bills in March, were issued bills for two months in April. “When I enquired with the officials concerned, they said this was done keeping in view the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections,” said Mohammed Ghouse, a private employee and resident of Rajendranagar in Rangareddy district.

Similarly, white ration card holders are getting cooking gas cylinders for Rs 500. The government said a total of 40 lakh families will be benefited from this scheme.

According to a Government Order, only those white ration card holders who have applied for the scheme during the Praja Palana programme will be eligible for subsidy. They should have an active domestic LPG connection in their name. The LPG cylinders which can be availed by consumers will be limited to the average of their last three years of consumption of cylinders.

The state government will transfer the required amount, in advance, to the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), every month. OMCs will transfer the subsidy amount by Direct Beneficiary Transfer (DBT) to the beneficiaries.

Many families, however, complained that they were left out despite being eligible for the gas subsidy scheme.

The leaders of the ruling party are citing the model code of conduct for the delay in fully implementing the schemes. They are assuring the people that all the eligible families will get the benefits. They also maintain that despite the false propaganda by the opposition, the government remained committed to implementing the guarantees.

“There is no question of this government backtracking on any of the promises made by Sonia Gandhi ji,” said Chief Minister Reddy at a public meeting recently.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi announced six guarantees on September 17, 2023, at a public meeting at Tukkuguda near Hyderabad during the Assembly elections. At the same venue, the Congress released the Telugu version of its national guarantees for forthcoming Lok Sabha elections on April 6 in the presence of Rahul Gandhi.

Under six guarantees ‘Mahalakshmi’, ‘Rythu Bharosa’, ‘Gruha Jyothi’, ‘Indiramma Indlu’, ‘Yuva Vikasam’ and ‘Cheyutha’, different promises were made for women, farmers, youth, homeless and elderly.

The government is yet to implement promises like monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,500 for every woman, monthly pension of Rs 4,000 each for elderly, Rs.15,000 per acre annual investment support for farmers including tenant farmers, annual support of Rs 12,000 each for agriculture labourers, Rs 500 bonus per quintal for paddy crop above the Minimum Support Price (MSP), Vidya Bharosa Card worth Rs 5 lakh each for students and Telangana international schools in all mandals.

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BRS leader and former minister T. Harish Rao alleged that Congress is once again trying to cheat people by promising new guarantees in Lok Sabha elections.

Harish Rao even called upon the people to chase away the Congress leaders, who were coming to villages to seek votes in Lok Sabha elections since they had failed to keep any poll promises they made during the assembly elections.

He asked what happened to the promises made to farmers. Under Rythu Bharosa, farmers were promised annual financial assistance of Rs 15,000 per acre against Rs10,000 under the Rythu Bandhu scheme of the previous government.

He recalled that Congress had also promised waiver of crop loans up to Rs 2 lakh and 24-hour power supply. He claimed that the power supply had come down to 14 hours.

The opposition also slammed Congress for making excuses by presenting a white paper on state finances. BRS working president K. T. Rama Rao alleged that the Congress fooled people by making impractical promises.

“Do you calculate and then make promises or you make promises and then do the math,” he asked the government on collecting data relating to finances to implement six guarantees.

Calling the white paper a “pack of lies”, the BRS alleged that Congress is trying to escape from six guarantees.

In the vote-on-account Budget for 2024-25, the government allocated Rs.53,196 crore to implement guarantees.

“The six guarantees comprise 13 major promises, and to implement them, at least Rs 1.25 lakh crore is needed but the government allocated only Rs 53,000 crore, which shows the government is not sincere,” said Rama Rao.

He mentioned that the scheme of giving Rs 2,500 per month to all women under the Mahalakshmi guarantee alone would require Rs 50,000 crore.

He asked what happened to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s promise to waive Rs 2 lakh loans within two days of coming to power. He also asked what happened to the guarantee that in the first Cabinet meeting, the six guarantees will be given Constitutional validity.

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Telangana BJP president and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy said that the Congress has no ethical right to seek votes from people as it has failed to implement the promised guarantees to various sections of people during the Assembly elections.

He alleged that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is coming out with new excuses to delay the implementation. “Revanth Reddy is now talking about implementing the guarantees only if the party wins all 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state and Rahul Gandhi becomes the Prime Minister. He knows that this is not going to happen,” the Telangana BJP president said.

There is a mixed opinion among people over the implementation of six guarantees. While some are hoping the government will keep its word, others believe it has failed to deliver. Since the Congress government immediately launched the free bus travel scheme and despite the initial challenges, successfully implementing the same, this has to some extent helped create a positive environment for the party.

As the only condition for availing the scheme is that women should show their Aadhaar cards, families are happy over saving on travel expenses.

“We are not only availing free travel facility in TSRTC buses, our application for free electricity has also been accepted. We believe that there are genuine difficulties in issuing zero bills due to the model code of conduct and hope that the government will keep its word after the Lok Sabha polls,” said P. Vasantha, an Anganwadi teacher.

“We are hopeful that the government will ensure implementation of other promises after the Parliament elections. Since this government has not even completed six months, let us give it some more time to keep its word,” said T. Maniamma, a housewife in Chevella constituency.

Another woman Chandrakala, however, believes that the Congress government has failed to deliver on its promises. “The government should not further delay implementing the new schemes while ensuring continued implementation of existing schemes,” she said.

–IANS

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PM Modi to give certificates to 11 lakh Lakhpati Didis; roll out Rs 2,500 crore fund

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PM Modi to give certificates to 11 lakh Lakhpati Didis; roll out Rs 2,500 crore fund

PM Modi to give certificates to 11 lakh Lakhpati Didis; roll out Rs 2,500 crore fund

New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give certificates to 11 lakh new ‘Lakhpati Didis’ at a special function to be held at Jalgaon in Maharashtra on August 25 (Sunday).

The programme will have nationwide participation through the virtual mode.

The Prime Minister will release a revolving Community Investment Fund of Rs 2,500 crore, which will benefit about 48 lakh members of 4.3 lakh women Self Help Groups (SHGs), Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.

PM Modi will also release a bank loan of Rs 5,000 crore, which will benefit 25.8 lakh members of 2,35,400 Self Help Groups (SHGs).

Shivraj Singh Chouhan also said that people from about 30,000 places across 34 states and union territories including state capitals and district headquarters will join this program through the virtual route.

He said that Lakhpati Didis are women who earn Rs 1 lakh or more per annum. These Lakhpati Didis have not only pulled their families out of poverty but are also becoming role models for the rest of society, the Union Minister said.

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“The Rural Development Ministry has already created 1 crore Lakhpati Didis. Now our target is to create 3 crore Lakhpati Didis in the next 3 years. It is heartening to note that one of these community resource persons has created 95 Lakhpati Didis,” Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.

He further explained that the Ministry has adopted a structured process to enable the SHG families to earn an annual income of Rs 1 lakh or more.

This includes capacitating National Resource Persons and developing Master Trainers in each state.

These Master Trainers further train the Community Resource Persons on business planning, financing and convergence process.

The cadre of 3 lakh Community Resource Persons, who have been specially trained in business planning and the skilling of SHG members, are doing a great service in this regard, the minister added.

Some of these community resource persons will also be facilitated.

As of now, the Ministry of Rural Development has formed 15 lakh Lakhpati Didis during the first 100 days which has succeeded the 11 lakh target for the period, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.

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–IANS

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Tripura flood death toll rises to 12, more NDRF teams deployed (Lead)

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Tripura flood death toll rises to 12, more NDRF teams deployed (Lead)

Tripura flood death toll rises to 12, more NDRF teams deployed (Lead)

Agartala, Aug 22 (IANS) The flood situation in Tripura, which has been lashed by heavy rains for the last four days, remained grim on Thursday and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) retained its ‘Red alert’ for all eight districts, officials said.

They added that more National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed as the rains and floods continue to play havoc.

Till Thursday, 12 deaths, including that of a 12-year-old girl and a woman were reported from South Tripura, Gomati, and Khowai districts and two persons were also said to be missing.

A Disaster Management Department official said that two more fresh casualties due to the floods were reported from south Tripura and Gomati districts, while around 65,500 people are taking shelter in 450 relief camps in all eight districts.

He said that 17 lakh people were affected in the entire state, which witnessed the monsoon flood in such a catastrophic manner for the first time in several decades.

Chief Minister Manik Saha, who is supervising the disaster management work, spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the second day on Thursday and apprised him of the prevailing scenario.

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Home Minister Shah said in a post on X, “Spoke with CM Tripura, Dr Manik Saha, and took stock of the flood situation in the state. The Centre is rushing teams of NDRF, apart from boats and helicopters, to the state to assist the local government in relief and rescue operations. Assured of all possible assistance from the Centre as and when required. The Modi government firmly stands with our sisters and brothers in Tripura during this hour of crisis.”

Later, the Chief Minister while expressing gratitude to the Home Minister said that HM Shah informed him that 11 NDRF teams would be sent to Tripura from different locations in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

He said arrangements would also be made for choppers to airlift stranded people in the flood-affected areas.

“More number of boats would also be sent along with the NDRF teams. The entire state government machinery has been working round the clock to tackle the unprecedented natural calamity. I thank public representatives, social workers and the people at large for cooperating with the state government in this hour of crisis,” CM Saha said.

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The central government has provided two helicopters for airlifting stranded people in Gomati and South Tripura districts.

Following the directions of the state government, due to the heavy rain and flooding, all educational institutions remained closed.

An India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said that though a ‘heavy’ to ‘very heavy’ rainfall alert has been continued and a ‘Red alert’ has been sounded in all eight districts, the rain is likely to reduce slightly from Thursday evening.

“The low pressure area over north Bangladesh and neighbourhood persisted over the same region on Thursday. The associated cyclonic circulation now extends up to 9.4 km above mean sea level. It is likely to move nearly westwards across West Bengal during the next 48 hours. Additionally, a cyclonic circulation is likely to form over North Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood on August 24,” the official said.

The IMD recorded 233 mm rainfall in Agartala from 8.30 A.M. on August 21 to till 8.30 A.M. on Thursday.

According to Disaster Management Department officials over 1,055 houses were damaged either fully or partially and hundreds of trees were uprooted blocking many important highways.

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Landslides occurred in 2,032 places across the state, out of which 1,789 locations were cleared by Thursday evening.

As per preliminary estimates, around 5,000 hectares of vegetable farms and 1.20 lakh hectares of other crop lands are still submerged.

Water Resource Department officials said that most of the prominent rivers in Tripura were either flowing above ‘critical’ or ‘danger’ levels while the state’s main river Gomati has crossed the ‘extreme danger’ level in many places of Gomati and Sepahijala districts, as rainfall has continued.

The Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) has cancelled 10 local trains in Tripura.

An NFR spokesman said that due to heavy rain railway tracks were damaged in Gomati district, forcing the authorities to cancel these trains.

A Defence spokesman said that following the requisition from state administrations, four columns of Assam Rifles were deployed in different districts and they were working in close coordination with the civil administration to rescue civilians stranded due to floods.

First aid and essential items have been distributed by the Assam Rifles to hundreds of stranded people and those in relief camps.

–IANS

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Waqf Amendment Bill is unconstitutional, undemocratic & unfair: Maulana Madani

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Waqf Amendment Bill is unconstitutional, undemocratic & unfair: Maulana Madani

Waqf Amendment Bill is unconstitutional, undemocratic & unfair: Maulana Madani

New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) The Muslim organisation on Thursday criticised the Union government over the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, calling it unconstitutional, undemocratic and unfair as it goes against the freedom of religion guaranteed by the Constitution.

“Amendment bill being brought to Waqf is unconstitutional, undemocratic and unfair. The proposed amendments to the Waqf Act are also against the freedom of religion provided by the Constitution and also violates articles 14-15 and 25 of the Constitution,” said Jamiat-i-Ulama Hind, President, Maulana Arshad Madani while addressing a joint press conference of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and Muslim Personal Law Board at the Constitution Club in New Delhi.

He added that the amendment bill is also the government’s interference in religious matters which Muslims will not accept.

“Under the guise of the amending bill, an attempt is being made to deprive the Muslims of this great country and of its heritage which our forefathers have left in the form of Waqf for the betterment of the poor, destitute and needy people of the country,” said Maulana Arshad Madani.

He said that amendments have been made in the bill without consulting the Muslim religious figures and taking the Muslims into confidence while Waqf is a purely religious and Shariah matter because once the Waqf is applied.

“The donor does not remain the owner of the property rather that property is transferred to the ownership of Allah,” he explained.

Maulana Madani said that while presenting the Amendment Bill in the parliament, it was claimed that it would bring transparency to the work and would benefit the weak and needy people of the Muslim society.

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“This bill is proof of the malicious intent of the government and its dangerous plans. If this bill is passed not only the protection of Waqf properties across the country may be in danger but also a door of new conflicts will be opened and the status of those mosques, tombs, buildings, imam badas and lands which are Waqf properties or which are located on Waqf land will be made doubtful,” Maulana Madani said.

He added that instead of the Waqf Tribunal and Waqf Commissioners, all powers under this bill will be transferred to District Collectors.

“By increasing the number of members of the Central Waqf Council and Waqf Boards, their status is also being changed and the door is being opened to appoint non-Muslims in it as well. This bill will also remove the requirement of being Muslim for officers and members,” he said.

Maulana Madani said that this is not a Hindu-Muslim issue but a constitutional problem and this bill is also against Muslim religious freedom.

He said that the Shrine Board, which was formed for the maintenance and protection of Hindu religious places, had a clear explanation that Jains, Sikhs or Buddhists would not be its members.

He questioned that if Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists cannot be members of the Shrine Board, how can the nomination and appointment of non-Muslims be justified in the Waqf Board?

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“While Jainism and Buddhism are not considered separate from Hinduism, they are considered a separate sect. If they cannot participate in the shrine board even if they are Hindus on the basis of being a sect, then why is the nomination and appointment of non-Muslims in the Waqf boards made mandatory?” Maulana Madani asked.

He said that there are laws in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh etc. that those who manage the affairs of the Hindu religion’s property must be Hindus.

“Just as no other religious group can interfere in the religious affairs of Hindus, Sikhs and Christians in the same way, the management of Waqf properties should also be done only by Muslims. We do not accept any such proposal in the endowment system,” he added.

He said that it is clear that the intention of the government is not pure and through this bill, its purpose is not to bring transparency in the work and to benefit the Muslim community but to deprive Muslims of their Waqf properties and to weaken the claim of Muslims from the Waqf properties.

Maulana Madani said that an endless series of new conflicts can start in this way and taking advantage of the weak legal status of Muslims in the amendment bill may make it easier to occupy Waqf properties.

He added that we are not talking about one or two amendments but most of the amendments in the bill are unconstitutional and dangerous and destructive for the Waqf.

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“This bill is also an attack on the constitutional powers given to Muslims. If the Constitution has given religious freedom and equal rights to every citizen then some special powers have also been given to the minorities living in the country. And the amendment bill negates all these powers completely,” he said.

Maulana Madani added that under the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, it has been suggested that Section 40 of the current Act should be removed while the 2006 Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf and Justice Sachar Committee reported that a large number of Waqf properties are illegally occupied while the incumbent government is also referring to the same Sachar Committee report.

“Despite this, it has been suggested in the 2024 bill that the State Waqf Board shall not be empowered to identify properties which are illegally occupied and to try to recover them. This proposal of the government is very harmful to the existence of endowments,” he said.

He added that during the last ten years, the minorities of the country, especially the Muslims, were put on the margins, and to make them believe that now, as citizens, they have no rights and powers, many laws have been forcibly brought and implemented.

“This Waqf Amendment Bill is also one of them by passing it in any way there is a conspiracy to forcefully apply it on Muslims, which we cannot accept,” he said.

–IANS

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Calcutta HC questions Bengal govt's 'late realisation' to probe financial irregularities at RG Kar

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Calcutta HC questions Bengal govt's 'late realisation' to probe financial irregularities at RG Kar

Calcutta HC questions Bengal govt's 'late realisation' to probe financial irregularities at RG Kar

Kolkata, Aug 22 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court on Thursday questioned the decision of the West Bengal government to set up a special investigation team to probe the alleged financial irregularities at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata when the controversial former principal Sandip Ghosh was in charge of the institution, even as the state health department was informed about the irregularities last year.

A single-judge bench of Justice Rajarshi Bhardwaj made this observation while hearing a petition by the whistle-blower in the matter — former deputy medical superintendent of RG Kar — Akhtar Ali, who had sought the High Court’s intervention to seek protection in anticipation of security threat for being vocal against Sandip Ghosh.

On Wednesday, Ali also filed a public interest litigation seeking a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into the alleged financial irregularities at RG Kar.

During the hearing, Justice Bhardwaj observed that “from the inclusion of senior police officers in the special investigation team, it is evident that the matter is serious, and wondered why the team was constituted a year after the matter was brought to the notice of the state government”.

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The state government counsel argued that the petition has been deliberately filed at this moment amid the recent incident of the rape and murder of a woman doctor in the R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital.

The state government counsel also questioned why the petitioner remained silent for one year after the complaint was not acted upon as claimed by him.

The Calcutta High Court also directed the state government counsel to present a detailed argument on the formation of SIT on Friday.

The West Bengal government earlier this week announced the formation of a special investigation team comprising four senior IPS officers and headed by an officer of the rank of Inspector General of Police to prove the allegation of financial irregularities at RG Kar since 2021, when Sandip Ghosh was the principal there.

Opposition parties have already claimed that the formation of SIT by the state government was nothing but an eyewash, and it had been created not with the intention of revealing the truth behind the financial irregularities, but rather with the motive of destroying evidence in the matter.

ALSO READ:  MVA reaches 'consensus' on 39 of 48 Maharashtra Lok Sabha seats

–IANS

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Odisha: RDC-level probe to be launched soon into spurious liquor deaths

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Odisha: RDC-level probe to be launched soon into spurious liquor deaths

Odisha: RDC-level probe to be launched soon into spurious liquor deaths

Bhubaneswar, Aug 22 (IANS) Amid the furore over two deaths caused by the consumption of spurious liquor in Ganjam district, Odisha Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan announced on Thursday that a probe by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner into the hooch tragedy will be initiated soon.

At least 23 persons from Moundpur, Jenapur, and Karabalua in Chikiti block had consumed country liquor from an unlicensed shop on Monday evening. They later fell ill and were admitted to a nearby hospital, where two of them died during treatment on Wednesday, prompting Harichandan to direct the officials to take all necessary steps to stop the illegal trade of liquor in the state.

Speaking to mediapersons, Harichandan said, “An RDC-level probe will be launched in this matter within the next couple of days. Action will be taken based on its report which will be submitted within two months. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will soon take the decision in this regard.”

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He also vowed that the network of illegal liquor trade in the state will be completely destroyed within a year.

“As many as 217 illegal liquor manufacturing units have been identified in the state which will be demolished soon. Instructions have already been issued in this regard. Around 117 persons have so far been arrested following raids in different districts,” Harichandan.

He also assured the people that no illegal liquor unit will remain in existence in the state.

The Minister said the Excise Superintendent in Berhampur, Pradip Panigrahi, has been transferred for negligence in duty on Wednesday, while the government has also suspended Excise Inspector Ramesh Chandara Mohanty and Sub-inspector Prasanna Kumar Jali for similar lapses.

The deceased have been identified as Jura Behera and Lokanath Behera from Jenapur village, who died at the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur.

The opposition BJD has also the issue in the state Assembly on Thursday, demanding resignation of the Excise Minister.

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–IANS

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