Zail Singh's grandson Inderjeet joins BJP, raises 'road mishap' row

New Delhi: In a boost to BJP in Punjab in the run up to the ensuing assembly polls, Inderjeet Singh, grandson of former President Gyani Zail Singh, on Monday joined the saffron party.

Inderjeet Singh also referred to the road accident that killed Zail Singh in 1994 and said: "Don't know whether it was an accident or the accident was orchestrated".  Congress veteran and a former Union Minister Gyani Zail Singh served as the President from 1982 to 1987. 

Singh's term was marked by mega events in Indian politics such as Operation Blue Star, the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.

On November 29, 1994, Zail Singh suffered multiple injuries following a road mishap near Kiratpur Sahib in Ropar district when a truck "driving down the wrong side" of the road hit the car he was travelling in. 

.The former President breathed his last at PGI, Chandigarh on December 25, 1994.  

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, BJP leaders Dushyant Gautam, R P Singh and BJP central media in charge Anil Baluni were present on the occasion.

Welcoming Inderjeet Singh into the party fold, Union Minister Hardeep Puri said he personally had a long association with the former President and thus he was more than glad to know about Inderjeet Singh's decision to join the Lotus party.

 "You are joining BJP at a time when the situation is challenging either in Punjab or elsewhere. Your long social service will give strength to the party. At the time, we can also carry forward the social services you have launched for many years now," Mr Puri said.

 The Union Minister also lamented that the Congress-run Punjab government has not implemented goof welfare schemes such as Awas Yozana and the Ayush health scheme.

 "At the same time, the differences in the ruling party (Congress) in Punjab is coming out," he said adding Inderjeet Singh's suggestions would be very helpful for the BJP.

  Speaking on the occasion, Inderjeet Singh said, "My joining BJP fulfills longtime desire of my grand father, Late Gyani Zail Singh. The manner Congress treated him despite such loyalty is well known".

 "I had gone to film world....My grandfather Gyani Zail Singh had advised me to take the blessings from BJP stalwarts Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani ji. It is true I had not joined BJP, but Gyani ji always felt if I join a political party, it should be the BJP," Inderjeet Singh said.

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India sticks to "friendship" with Afghans, insists "non-discriminatory distribution" of relief

New Delhi: India's approach to Afghanistan has always been guided by its "historical friendship with its people" and this will continue to be the case, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said on Monday, Sept 13.

In his address at the United Nations High-Level Meeting on the Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan, Dr Jaishankar maintained: "I wish to underline that in the face of a grave emerging situation India is willing to stand by the Afghan people, just as in the past". 

"To ensure that this happens speedily and effectively, we believe that the international community must come together to create the best possible enabling environment". 

He asserted that it is essential that humanitarian assistance providers are accorded "unimpeded, unrestricted and direct access" to Afghanistan. 

"Once relief materials reach that country, the world will naturally expect a non-discriminatory distribution of humanitarian assistance across all sections of the Afghan society," he said. 

Dr Jaishankar said - "We believe that the UN Security Council resolution 2593 should guide the international community's approach in the coming days. Afghanistan is passing through a critical and challenging phase. There has been a sea change in its political, economic, social and security situation".

"As an immediate neighbour, India is monitoring developments with understandable concern," he remarked.

The Minister said, it is important that the issue of travel and safe passage that can emerge as an obstacle to humanitarian assistance be immediately sorted out. 

"Those who wish to travel into and out of Afghanistan should be granted such facilities without obstruction. The normalisation of regular commercial operations of Kabul airport would not only assist in that regard," he remarked.

Dr Jaishankar said, only the United Nations has the capacity to monitor such endeavours and reassure donors. 

"As the picture becomes clear in respect of the legitimate concerns I am confident that the world will step forward and assist the Afghan people in their hour of need," he said.

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