Antony blasts BJP’s stand on J&K
PTI, Thiruvananthapuram
Holding that BJP’s manifesto revealed its “communal agenda”, Congress leader and defence minister A K Antony on Tuesday said the saffron party’s stand on special status to Jammu and Kashmir was a matter of serious concern.
“The BJP is manifesto is nothing but its communal agenda wrapped in colourful paper. It is a threat to the unity and integrity of the country,” he told reporters here before setting out for campaign. He said the BJP’s move to re-open debate on Article 370 was “fraught with dangerous consequences” which would only help extremists and divisive elements.
“It is particularly a cause for worry when India is keenly watching the outcome of elections in Afghanistan. If anti-India forces come to power there, it could create problems along the borders. At this juncture, triggering a debate on the special status to Jammu and Kashmir would only help extremists,” the Congress leader said.
Nagaland Lok Sabha polls today
PTI, Kohima
Nagaland goes to the polls on Wednesday for the lone Parliamentary seat which will see only three candidates, chief inister Neiphiu Rio (NPF), Congress’s KV Pusa and Akheu Achumi of Socialist Party (India) in the race.
An electorate of 11,79,881 will be eligible to cast their votes.
There are 2059 polling stations spread across 60 assembly constituencies in 12 districts, including Pughoboto sub-division, which is counted as an electoral district.
The Election Commission has categorized 1475 polling stations as normal, 407 as vulnerable and 177 as critical.
A total of 33 companies of central armed police force have been deployed for peaceful conduct of the elections.
The forces include seven companies of Mizoram Armed Police, 10 companies of Tripura State Rifles, eight companies of CRPF and eight companies of BSF.
Kejriwal slapped again
PTI, New Delhi
In the second attack on him in the last four days, Arvind Kejriwal was on Tuesday slapped by an unidentified man during a roadshow in Sultanpuri area of northwest Delhi. The AAP leader immediately blamed BJP for the attack.
The man slapped Kejriwal when he was shaking hands with his supporters. Kejriwal’s supporters immediately caught hold of him and thrashed the attacker, an autorickshaw driver wearing an AAP cap. He was later detained by police.
The AAP leader directed his anger at BJP after the attack.
“I do not understand why do some people resort to violence for becoming the Prime Minister. If you think by attacking us, we will keep quite then you are wrong. We will fight this battle till the last breath,” he said.
The AAP leader headed for Rajghat after the incident.”I am going to Rajghat,” he said.
This was second such attack on Kejriwal in the last four days. He was attacked by a 19-year-old youth during his campaigning in Dakshinpuri area of south Delhi on Friday.
The former chief minister has been attacked a number of times in the past.
On March 28, he was attacked by a man, who claimed to be a supporter of Anna Hazare, during his election rally in Haryana.
In Varanasi last week, protesters threw ink on Kejriwal and a number of other party leaders during a roadshow.
