Prashant Kishor resigns as Punjab CM's Principal Advisor
Darpan News Desk IANS, 05 Aug, 2021 11:16 AM
Chandigarh, Aug 5 (IANS) Poll strategist Prashant Kishor on Thursday resigned as Principal Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, saying "he's resigning in view of his decision to take a temporary break from public life".
"As you are aware, in view of my decision to take a temporary break from active role in public life, I have not been able to take over the responsibilities as your Principal Advisor. Since I am yet to decide on my future course of action, I write to request you to kindly relieve me from this responsibility," Kishor said in a letter to the Chief Minister.
The political strategist was appointed as Principal Advisor to Punjab CM on March 1 with a token honorarium of Re 1 per month.
However, he was entitled to a fully-furnished government residence and camp office, executive class travel, official vehicle, medical facilities and secretarial staff as admissible to a cabinet minister.
His appointment was announced by Amarinder Singh himself on social media. He had said, "Happy to share that @PrashantKishor has joined me as my principal advisor. Look forward to working together for the betterment of people of Punjab!"
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal on Thursday demanded a high court monitored probe into the manner in which the Congress government in Punjab was playing with the people's lives by creating an artificial shortage of vaccines by selling vaccine doses at a hefty profit to private hospitals.
The electronic conversation took place as US President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that India will receive Covid vaccines directly from the US stockpile, the White House said.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General M.M. Naravane, reached Kashmir on Wednesday on a two-day visit to review the prevailing security situation in the Union Territory (UT), the army said in a statement.
"There have been several unfounded media reports that have peddled misinformation among the masses regarding this exercise of national importance," a ministry statement said, adding that the total number of Covid vaccine doses administered in the country so far stand at 21,85,46,667.
The Congress said that it was "appropriate for our initial statement to note that the intrusion by Israeli forces into the Holy Al Aqsa mosque during Ramzan prayers had ruptured the delicate peace in the region".
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday suggested the young patients should be prioritised in the distribution of Liposomal Amphotericin B drug, used for treating black fungus, "as they hold promise of future over the older ones who have lived their lives".
