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Uttarakhand Minister Ousted Over ‘Paharis’ Comments: A History of Controversies

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Four-time BJP MLA Premchand Agarwal recently resigned from his position as Uttarakhand’s finance minister following allegations of making anti-Pahari remarks, a decision that adds to his history of controversies.
Agarwal’s political journey became tumultuous after he served as the speaker of the state assembly in 2017 and later as a cabinet minister in 2022 under Pushkar Singh Dhami’s government.

Upon assuming the role of state finance minister, Agarwal made an off-the-record admission concerning claims of illegal appointments made during his tenure as speaker. In 2022, a video of him asserting that no one could harm him gained traction on social media, yet no action was taken by party leadership in response.
Shortly after, his successor, current assembly speaker Ritu Khanduri, initiated an investigation, appointing a committee led by retired IAS officer D.K. Kotia to delve into the allegations. Following the committee’s findings, Khanduri annulled 228 appointments in the Uttarakhand assembly secretariat made between 2016 and 2021 and reported the matter to the central government, unfortunately without result.
In 2018, Agarwal faced another scandal when his son was appointed as an assistant engineer in the Jal Sansthan department through the Uttarakhand Purva Sainik Kalyan Nigam Limited (UPNL). Although his son was eventually dismissed due to the uproar, the BJP leadership did not respond to the incident. UPNL, a state-run agency, primarily offers re-employment opportunities to ex-servicemen in various government roles.
In 2019, Agarwal was involved in a verbal dispute with then-Union Minister of State Bhagatram Kothari during a meeting on the Namami Gange Project, which drew disapproval from party officials in Delhi, yet again without consequence.
More recently, in 2023, a video surfaced showing Agarwal physically assaulting a local youth and BJP worker in Dehradun after a brief argument. His anger was allegedly sparked when the BJP worker didn’t clear a path for his vehicle amid heavy traffic. The young man was reportedly stopped by Agarwal’s driver and associates and subsequently attacked.
The tipping point for Agarwal’s resignation from the Dhami cabinet arose from his derogatory remarks about hill residents during an assembly debate with opposition member Madan Singh Bisht on February 21. Agarwal insulted the hill-natives, claiming that Uttarakhand was not established solely for them.
On Sunday afternoon, Agarwal visited Rampur Crossing in Uttar Pradesh to pay tribute to statehood advocates before formally announcing his resignation later that evening in Dehradun. He later met with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to present his resignation letter.
“My statement as a statehood advocate was twisted and misrepresented. A person who has endured hardships for the statehood movement is being unfairly targeted,” Agarwal said tears in his eyes and straining voice before submitting his resignation.
The mounting backlash from across the hill regions in response to his disparaging remarks against the local populace ultimately compelled Agarwal to step down. He began his political career by winning the assembly elections in Rishikesh in 2007 and has since remained undefeated in that constituency.

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MBBS Student Alleges She Was Drugged, Raped by Friend in Delhi Hotel

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New Delhi: An 18-year-old MBBS student has accused a 20-year-old male friend of drugging and sexually assaulting her at a hotel in Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar area. The alleged incident took place on September 9, police officials said.

According to the complaint, the accused, who is also a medical student, invited the woman to “Hotel Apple” on the pretext of spending time together. Once there, he allegedly gave her a drink laced with drugs and then raped her.

The survivor told police that the accused recorded obscene videos and took pictures during the assault. He later threatened to make the content viral if she reported the incident.

The woman, a native of Jind in Haryana, is currently staying at the hostel of Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College in Rohini, Delhi.

Based on her complaint, police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. A search is underway to locate and arrest the accused, officials added.

In a separate case earlier this month, a school manager in Uttar Pradesh was arrested for allegedly raping a Class 8 student. In February, a tuition teacher in Delhi’s CR Park area was accused of repeatedly raping a 15-year-old student over three years and threatening her with blackmail.

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8 Patients Dead In Jaipur Hospital Fire

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Jaipur: Eight patients died after a fire broke out at the trauma centre of the state-run Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur late Sunday night.

Officials said the blaze started in the storage area of the Neuro ICU, possibly due to a short circuit. There were 11 patients in the ICU at the time. Smoke quickly spread, causing panic among patients and staff.

Hospital workers and attendants tried to rescue patients, even moving them out on their beds. Firefighters controlled the blaze in about two hours.

Families of the victims alleged that hospital staff ignored early warnings about smoke and fled during the fire.

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and other ministers visited the hospital to review the situation and assured a detailed probe into the incident.

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75-Year-Old Man Marries 35-Year-Old, Dies Before Honeymoon

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Uttar Pradesh: A 75-year-old man who remarried in search of companionship died barely hours after his wedding, sparking shock and speculation in his village.

The deceased, identified as Sangruram, a resident of Kuchhmuchh village in Jaunpur district, had been living alone after losing his first wife a year ago. With no children, he supported himself through farming. Despite advice from relatives against remarriage, Sangruram wed 35-year-old Manbhavati, a resident of Jalalpur area, on Monday, September 29.

The marriage was first registered in court, followed by traditional rituals at a local temple. According to Manbhavati, the couple spent most of the wedding night conversing, as Sangruram assured her that she would take responsibility for the household while he would “take care of the children.”

However, by the next morning, his health deteriorated suddenly. He was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

The unexpected death has triggered varied reactions in the village. While some residents believe it to be a natural occurrence given his age, others have expressed suspicion about the circumstances.

Relatives, including nephews residing in Delhi, have halted funeral rites until their arrival. They have also raised questions about whether a police inquiry or post-mortem examination will be conducted before the cremation.

Authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding further investigation.

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