Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday hit out at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government for what he alleged, meting out step-motherly treatment to the farmers by not even giving them an opportunity to air their demands.

In a statement, the chief minister alleged that Prime Minister Modi appeared to be more worried about intervening in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine but was indifferent towards the farmers.

Mann further alleged that despite the immense contribution of farmers, the Union government appears to have adopted a hostile attitude towards them and held that it is strange that the Union government is not ready to talk to farmers sitting 200 km away from the national capital.

Urging the Union government to shun its haughty attitude and open way for dialogue with the agitating farmers, Mann said that the centre should not wait for any special moment to talk to the farmers, rather it should hold talks with the farmers and redress their grievances immediately.

Earlier in the day, Mann also posted on X: “ The central government should abandon its old stubbornness and open the way for talks with the farmers’ organizations… A cat does not run away when a pigeon winks.. I don’t know what penance the central government is doing now?? If Modi ji can stop the war between Russia and Ukraine, then can’t he talk to the breadwinners sitting 200 kilometers away? What time are you waiting for..’’

It may be recalled that a large number of farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders of Punjab and Haryana under the aegis of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha since February 13 last and had repeatedly attempted to take out their “Delhi chalo’’ foot-march towards Delhi but were stopped by the Haryana police by lobbing teargas shells and using water cannons which left several farmers injured.

Also, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, 70, a cancer patient, has also been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border since November 26 last to press for farmers’ various demands including MSP for crops and debt waiver. The doctors attending on him have also expressed their concerns about his worsening health.

Jaipur, Dec 24: The death toll in the LPG tanker blast in Jaipur has risen to 15, with two more persons succumbing to their injuries at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital on Tuesday.

Dr Rakesh Jain, a plastic surgeon at SMS Hospital, said the death toll now stands at 15. The two deceased were identified as Naresh Babu from Etah (Uttar Pradesh) and Yusuf from Nuh (Haryana).

Four patients, who are critically injured, are on ventilators, while 20 individuals are still under treatment. Additionally, five patients have been discharged from the hospital, with three discharged on Monday and two on Tuesday, Dr Jain said.

The tragic accident occurred on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway at around 5.45 a.m. on December 20 near Bhankrota, close to Delhi Public School on Ajmer Road, in Jaipur.

Among the 15 deceased is a former IAS officer Karni Singh, who was reportedly coming from his farmhouse when he was trapped in the fire and burnt to death. His DNA samples were tested with his daughter which confirmed his death, said officials.

The driver of the LPG tanker, Jaiveer Singh from Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), has provided the police with details of the incident.

According to him, the collision with another truck caused the gas nozzle to break, leading to a loud noise and the leakage of gas.

He reported that as soon as the gas leaked, fireballs were seen erupting and spreading across. “I grabbed my mobile and ran towards Ajmer, about 200 meters ahead, when the tanker exploded, causing fireballs to scatter across the road,” he said.

Singh was alone in the vehicle during the accident. After the incident, he stopped near the ring road, called the tanker’s owner, Anil Kumar, to inform him, and then switched off his mobile. The police have also called Anil Kumar, a resident of Delhi, to the station for further questioning.

New Delhi: The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting on ‘One Nation, One Election’ will be held on January 8, next year.

Congress leader Salman Khurshid said on Tuesday that it is not an easy task to conduct a ‘One Nation One Election’ and that the Joint Parliamentary Committee will discuss all issues.

“It is not an easy task. When the parliamentary committee sits, all the issues will be placed before it and will be discussed.”

‘One Nation, One Election’ Sees Strong Opposition From Left Parties

Left parties have strongly opposed the ‘One Nation, One Election’ move of the government, for which two bills have been introduced in Lok Sabha, and said it is a direct assault on the federal structure and the rights of state legislatures.

Leaders of the Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, Revolutionary Socialist Party and All India Forward Bloc met in the national capital on Sunday and discussed the current political situation.

“The proposed amendments to the Constitution are a direct assault on the federal structure and the rights of State legislatures and the people who elect them. It is a recipe for centralization and truncating the will of the people by arbitrary reduction of the five-year term of legislatures” the Left parties said in a joint statement.

About The ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill

The bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha, proposes simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies across India. It has been sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee to have a deep discussion on the bill.

The 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee to examine the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill comprises 21 members from Lok Sabha including Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Manish Tewari, NCP’s Supriya Sule, TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee and BJP’s PP Chaudhary, Bansuri Swaraj and Anurag Singh Thakur.

Ten members from Rajya Sabha are also included in the panel.

Opposition members have opposed the amendments, and have argued that the proposed change could disproportionately benefit the ruling party, giving it undue influence over the electoral process in states, and undermining the autonomy of regional parties.