Morning wrap: Copycat manifesto; ex-cop in poll fray; Goa gets new CM
Regional parties bond over poll wish list
They are at loggerheads in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the tough fight has had both parties making similar poll promises. The election manifestos of both parties have the release of seven convicts in Rajiv Gandhi case to finding a permanent solution for repeated attack on TN fishermen by Sri Lankan navy. Other similar promises are the exemption of TN from NEET by AIADMK, while the DMK will seek the abolition of the common medical entrance test.
VV Lakshminarayana, a 1990-batch IPS officer, who became a household name, after he probed high profile cases involving YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in Andhra has added a fresh twist to the poll scene. The supercop has sprung a surprise after he joined actor Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party. Given his fan following, it looks like he could take a way a chunk of anti TDP youth votes that could have landed on Jagan’s plate.
A preliminary study on female foeticide in Tamil Nadu by an NGO Samakalvi Iyakkam and CRY has revealed that TN is far from ending the practice. The study was conducted in 10 districts like Chennai, Ariyalur, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram, Salem, Tirunelveli, Tiruvannamalai, Thiruvallur and Thoothukudi. Studying the data for registered pregnancy and the number of births in the period between 2014 and 2017, it has been revealed that around 700 children or girls were missing, implying that these children are aborted. Chennai recorded the highest number of the missing children with 175.
On the morning of March 19, Goans woke up to a new chief minister Pramod Sawant, who was sworn in in the wee hours. 45-year-old Sawant was sworn in at around 2 am, hours after the cremation of his predecessor Manohar Parrikar, who succumbed to pancreatic cancer on March 17. The new government was sworn in with the support of 20 MLAs—11 from the BJP, three each from the GFP, MGP and Independents. The floor test will be held on Wednesday in the Goa Legislative Assembly.
Rahul woos Arunachal with special status
Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that his party will restore special status to Arunachal Pradesh and other North Eastern parties, if voted to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Pointing out that the states in the region need special status, owing to their unique problems and difficulties, he observed that the region enjoyed special status during the Congress rule. Arunachal will face elections 60 assembly seats and two Lok Sabha seats on April 11.
Indira canteen food in ‘bad taste’
The Congress in Karnataka has found itself in another burning issue, with reports of substandard food being served in Indira canteens of the state. Food samples sent to a laboratory for testing by BJP Corporator Umesh Shetty have been found to contain bacteria.
Kashmiri teen gets Shaurya Chakra
In a rare occasion, President Ram Nath Kovind presented a 16-year-old from Kashmir with Shaurya Chakra. The award presented to armed forces and paramilitary forces for exhibiting gallantry was given to Irfan Ramzan Sheikh for fighting off militants, who entered his house in Shopian in October 2017. The teen had single handedly fought the gun wielding men who began firing indiscriminately.
Prashant Kishor takes on Naidu over Bihari barb
Poll strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor on March 19 lambasted Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for reportedly calling him a ‘Bihari dacoit’. He charged the TDP chief with having displayed ‘prejudice and malice’ against the eastern state fearing an ‘imminent defeat’ at the hustings.
Madras HC seeks TN government response in Pollachi case
The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the Tamil Nadu government and the CBI to file their replies on a petition seeking a court-monitored probe into the Pollachi sexual harassment case. A bench comprising Chief Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani and Justice M Duraiswamy gave the direction when the petition by an advocate came up for hearing. It then posted the petition to April 10 for further hearing.
