Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra. This came days after the seat-sharing deal between SP and Congress was finalised for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who played the crucial role in finalising the seat-sharing deal between SP and Congress, was also present at the Yatra.

During the Yatra, the former Uttar Pradesh CM Yadav thanked the people of UP and said the biggest challenges, in the coming days, are to save the democracy and the Constitution to fulfil the dream of the BR Ambedkar, which has been ruined by the BJP-led central government. He gave a slogan, “BJP Haatao, Desh Bachao.”  

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday that he should get a Nobel prize for running a government in Delhi following the interference of the central government in the development of the national capital.

Taking a jibe at the Narendra Modi-led central government, the AAP convenor Kejriwal said that the Centre had tried to stop the construction of schools and hospitals in the national capital. BJP does not want the poor to get the same level of education as their children, Kejriwal attacked. Further, Kejriwal said that he only knows how difficult it is to run the government in Delhi.

Speaking on the Delhi Jal Board scheme, the AAP chief said that the Board has passed the scheme. Now this scheme has to be passed in the cabinet. BJP asked Delhi LG to stop this scheme, he alleged. Officers have been threatened, they are crying, he said.

Kejriwal further said that when AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj and Delhi Minister  Atishi called the officers to ask why they were not bringing the bill, the officers said that they had been threatened that if this scheme came to the cabinet, they would be suspended. Just like Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain are in jail, you will also put officers in jail by filing false cases of ED, CBI, Kejriwal further alleged.

Earlier today, AAP leaders held a protest over water bills at the party office.

During a press conference, Kejriwal spoke about the alleged attempt of the BJP-led central government to prevent the implementation of the one-time settlement scheme for unpaid water bills in the city.

He also stated that if the BJP was in power, they would have disconnected everyone’s water supply. However, he assured the citizens that he would not let this happen. He added that if anyone believes that their water bill is accurate, they should pay it, but if they have any doubts, they need not pay until it is cleared. The CM also said that the AAP party would not allow the BJP to indulge in any kind of violence.

A government school teacher, posted in Rajasthan’s Baran district was suspended for disrespecting Goddess Saraswati and hurting religious sentiments on Friday. Government officials said the primary school teacher Hemlata Bairwa was suspended on Friday after an order by Rajasthan’s Education Minister Madan Dilawar.

In his order the Education Minister said some people give weightage to themselves so much, that their chaal is not yet gone and they ask what is the contribution of Goddess Saraswati in school? He said whoever has said this he gave a direct order for his/her suspension. Dilawar made the announcement addressing a public gathering during his tour in Kishanganj area in Baran district on Thursday.

A day after the minister’s announcement in public, the district education (elementary) officer of Baran on Friday issued order for suspension of Prabhodhak level 1 teacher, Hemlata Bairwa, posted at government primary school at Lakdai village in Kishanganj area in Baran district in view of under-consideration of disciplinary action against her.

Piyush Kumar Sharma, Baran district education department (elementary officer) claimed  the suspension order was issued after an initial inquiry into hurting and provoking religious sentiments against Bairwa was over. In an initial enquiry into controversy over the placement of Goddess Saraswat’s picture on stage at the Republic day function in the government primary school at Lakadia in the Kishanganj area, the teacher was found responsible for hurting and provoking religious sentiments of local people and on basis of the same, order for her suspension was issued on Friday.

Sharma said the teacher was also ordered to register her attendance at the directorate, elementary education, Bikaner during this period. The government official said the teacher could have easily averted the controversy and allowed the Republic Day function to go on smoothly simply by agreeing with the locals and placing Goddess Saraswati’s picture, but instead, she hurt the sentiments and provoked the locals.