Patna, Dec 30: BPSC Chairman Ravi Manu Bhai Parmar met Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Monday to discuss the ongoing controversy surrounding the BPSC examination.

Parmar briefed the Governor on the issue but declined to speak to journalists after leaving Raj Bhavan.

The BPSC has already clarified that the examination will neither be canceled nor will be conducted again.

Earlier in the day, Member of Parliament Rajesh Ranjan, also known as Pappu Yadav, submitted a memorandum to the Governor regarding the concerns of the BPSC candidates. Following this, Chairman Parmar met with the Governor for about half an hour to provide details about the situation.

In connection with the lathi-charge incident on protesting students, Raj Bhavan has also summoned the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and the District Magistrate (DM) for an explanation.

After submitting a memorandum to the Governor, MP Pappu Yadav revealed that the Governor assured him that he would discuss the issue with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

In a sharp and aggressive tone, Pappu Yadav indirectly referred to Prashant Kishor, convener of Jan Suraaj, as a “fraud Kishor.”

Without naming him directly, Yadav alleged, “This person is not from Jan Suraaj but represents the Daulat Swaraj Party.”

He further accused Kishor of creating unrest during Sunday’s protests. “If anyone is responsible for the chaos that unfolded, it is that leader. The chaos was his doing. He has misled the students and conspired to undermine the movement. The students will never forgive him, and he must be driven out of Bihar,” Yadav said.

Responding to these accusations, Prashant Kishor dismissed Yadav’s remarks, stating that he would not comment on the statements of leaders like Pappu Yadav. “He is a prominent leader, but he visits my doorstep seeking help. Now he’s meeting the Governor — why doesn’t he resolve the ongoing BPSC protest issue himself? He merely visited the hospital for a photo op. Why isn’t he taking responsibility for the students’ treatment and medical expenses?” Kishor countered.

Hyderabad, Dec 30: The Telangana Assembly on Monday unanimously resolved to recommend Bharat Ratna for former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh who passed away recently.

A resolution moved by Chief Minister A. Revant Reddy was unanimously adopted by the Assembly to confer India’s highest civilian honour on Dr. Manmohan Singh.

The special session of the Assembly paid tributes to the former Prime Minister, expressing condolences over his demise and acknowledging his invaluable contributions to the nation’s progress and the formation of the state of Telangana.

The Assembly approved a proposal to install a statue of Dr. Manmohan Singh in Hyderabad to commemorate him as a great leader who fulfilled the 60-year aspirations of the Telangana people.

The Assembly expressed deep condolences to Dr. Manmohan Singh’s family, recognizing him as an internationally acclaimed economist who served the country in various capacities, including Chief Economic Advisor, RBI Governor, Deputy Chairperson of the Planning Commission, Finance Minister, and Prime Minister. It noted that his tenure as Finance Minister (1991–1996) marked a turning point in India’s economic history, with key reforms in liberalisation, privatisation, and globalisation.

As Prime Minister (2004–2014), he initiated transformative social programs such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the Right to Information Act, the National Rural Health Mission, and the Aadhaar program. He introduced significant amendments to the Land Acquisition Act in 2013 to protect displaced individuals and revised the Forest Rights Act in 2006 to support tribal communities.

The Assembly also took note of the fact that Dr. Manmohan Singh was instrumental in the creation of Telangana state. During his tenure as Prime Minister, the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014 was passed in Parliament, fulfilling a decades-long aspiration of the people.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said that Telangana owes a debt of gratitude to Dr. Manmohan Singh for his pivotal role in the state’s formation.

He highlighted the late former Prime Minister’s vision and leadership in elevating India’s global stature, emphasising the importance of honoring him as a guiding figure for future generations.

Members cutting across party lines paid rich tributes to Manmohan Singh and recalled his close association with Telangana.

Main opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) fully supported the demand for conferring Bharat Ratna on Manmohan Singh. BRS leader K.T. Rama Rao said they believe that the late leader deserves the highest honour.

The Chief Minister also suggested that a statue of the late Prime Minister be installed in the Financial District in Hyderabad to honour his memory and in recognition of the close association he had with Telangana.

The Chief Minister said installing the statue at a prominent place will enable people to pay tributes to the late leader on his birth and death anniversaries and take inspiration from him.

Terming Manmohan Singh’s demise a great loss for the country, Revanth Reddy said his services to the country can never be forgotten.

Revanth Reddy recalled that it was at Mahabubnagar that, as the Prime Minister, he had launched Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for 100 days of assured employment in a year.

KTR recalled that when the son of Telangana P.V. Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister, he brought Manmohan Singh into the government through lateral entry. Manmohan Singh, who had served in the Reserve Bank of India, was made the finance minister.

Terming the late leader a great economist, the BRS leader said in his very first Budget speech in 1991, Manmohan Singh had stated that the entire world would hear about India.

The BRS leader said Manmohan Singh was another name for simple living-high thinking.

Stating that loyalty and commitment are rare in today’s politics, KTR said Manmohan Singh was a great leader who remained loyal to Congress, which had given him an opportunity.

Ministers, members of Congress and members of BRS, BJP, AIMIM and CPI also paid tributes to Manmohan Singh.

Sambhal, Dec 30: An eleven-member delegation from the Samajwadi Party (SP) visited Sambhal on Monday to meet with the families of those killed in the recent violence. The delegation expressed their condolences and provided financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the grieving families in the form of cheques.

While addressing the media, Mata Prasad Pandey, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, launched a scathing attack on the Uttar Pradesh government, accusing it of insensitivity toward the Muslim community. “This government has no sympathy for Muslims. Their agenda is to divide people along communal lines, fostering enmity between Hindus and Muslims for political gain,” he alleged.

Pandey also raised objections to the construction of a police post near the Sambhal Shahi Jama Masjid. He questioned the legality of the administration occupying private land without proper investigation or due compensation. “The police cannot arbitrarily create a post on someone else’s property. If they need land, they must either compensate the owner or use government land for construction,” he said.

He also questioned the legality of building a post considering the mosque’s heritage status under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Pandey said, “The mosque is protected by the ASI. If no one is allowed to construct a house near it, how can the police justify building a post there?”

ccusing the Uttar Pradesh government of electoral malpractice, Pandey claimed he had evidence of voter intimidation during the bye-elections held on November 20. “Police officers were used to threaten voters and discourage them from casting their votes. I have records of the polling day to prove it,” he stated.

He also criticised the deteriorating law and order situation in the Chief Minister’s hometown of Gorakhpur. “Despite Yogi Adityanath hailing from Gorakhpur, the city witnesses daily incidents of firing. Unemployment and inflation are rising unchecked. Instead of addressing these pressing issues, the government is busy diverting public attention with false propaganda,” Pandey said.

Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal, Ziaur Rahman Barq, expressed similar views accusing the police of acting on baseless assumptions. “Did the police find any evidence of firearms with the people? If our intent was to incite violence, why did no riots occur on the first day of the survey?” he asked. Barq expressed confidence in the country’s judicial system, stating, “Justice will prevail.”

Barq also alleged that he was being personally targeted, citing a false case of electricity theft filed against him to suppress his voice.

Lal Bihari Yadav, another SP leader in the delegation, questioned the police’s handling of the violence. “The police harassed people as they pleased, but why haven’t they registered a case for the murder of the five victims of this violence?” he asked.

Yadav also defended the actions of the local Muslim community, asserting, “The bricks and stones thrown by the people were acts of self-defence.”

The SP delegation’s visit comes amid rising tensions in Sambhal, with allegations of administrative bias and communal tensions taking centre stage.

The violence in Sambhal erupted on November 24 when a team of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) reached to examine a Mughal-era mosque. Five people were killed and several others were injured in the violence and the police action. The police have said that a total of 50 people have been arrested in connection with the violence.