Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Friday evening walked out of Tihar Jail, hours after the Supreme Court granted him interim bail till June 1. Arvind Kejriwal after walking out of the Tihar Jail said, "It's because of Lord Hanuman that I've come out; will visit Hanuman temple on Saturday." 50 दिनों के बाद तिहाड़ जेल से बाहर आए CM @ArvindKejriwal | LIVE #SatyamevJayte #ModiCantStopKejriwal https://t.co/uhSbsQIeph — AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 10, 2024 AAP workers and leaders had gathered outside the Tihar Jail in large numbers to welcome him. Arvind Kejriwal left from Tihar in his convoy. He was accompanied by his wife Sunita Kejriwal, his daughter Harshita and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak. In a major relief to the AAP national convenor, the Supreme Court on Friday granted him interim bail till June 1 to campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024. Arrested in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, Kejriwal will have to surrender and go back to prison on June 2. June 1 is the last day of the seven-phase Lok Sabha election. Votes will be counted on June 4. Meanwhile, clad in yellow T-shirts, AAP supporters danced to dhol beats and fed each other sweets at the party office in Delhi on Friday as they celebrated the Supreme Court's decision to grant Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal interim bail in a money laundering case. Slogans like "Jail ke taale toot gaye, Kejriwal ji choot gaye", "Modi ji ja rahe hain, Kejriwal ji aa rahe hain," and "Dekho dekho kon aaya, sher aaya sher aaya" rent the air at the AAP office, reported the PTI. Many supporters carried posters with slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi written on them. In a major relief to Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP, the Supreme Court earlier on Friday granted him interim bail till June 1 to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections 2024. A bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta said Kejriwal, arrested in the money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, will have to surrender and go back to jail on June 2. Describing the interim bail as a blessing of Lord Hanuman to his devotee Kejriwal, AAP leaders said his release from the judicial custody will pave the way for "big changes" in the country. At a joint press conference at the party office, senior AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said, "Kejriwal being granted interim bail after 40 days is no less than a miracle. There is also a divine hint that the prevailing conditions are going to change in the country. His release will pave the way for big changes in the country." In posts on X, several other AAP leaders including Gopal Rai, Sanjay Singh, Atishi as well as Sunita Kejriwal, the chief minister's wife, welcomed the development. (with PTI inputs)
10 May,2024 07:11 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentA Delhi court on Friday ordered framing of charges against ex-WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh in sexual harassment case by female wrestlers. The court framed charges against BJP leader Brij Bhushan Singh in the case of sexual harassment of five female wrestlers, the ANI reported on Friday. Brij Bhushan Singh has also reportedly been charged with the offence of outraging the modesty of woman. The court has found sufficient material to frame charges against Brij Bhushan, as per the ANI. According to the news agency, the court said, "Charges were framed against Brij Bhushan under sections 354 and 354A in respect of each victim." The court acquitted Brij Bhushan of the charges leveled by the sixth wrestler, the court said. Delhi court frames charges against BJP leader Brij Bhushan Singh in the case of sexual harassment of five female wrestlers. He has also been charged with the offence of outraging the modesty of woman. The court has found sufficient material to frame charges against Brij Bhushan.… pic.twitter.com/5hHtUlCDyj — ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2024 Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Priyanka Rajpoot also discharged Singh in a complaint filed by one of the six women wrestlers, the PTI reported. The court ordered framing of charge for criminal intimidation against Singh. It will formally frame the charges on May 21. It also ordered framing of charges against co-accused and former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar in the case. The Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet in the case against Singh, a six-time MP, on June 15 under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. Recently the court had dismissed an application moved by BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, seeking further investigation and placing of a Call Detail Record of a coach. Brij Bhushan had sought a direction to place on record the CDR of coach Vijender concerning an alleged incident at the WFI office in New Delhi. Singh claimed that he was not in Delhi on the said date. He was in Serbia on September 7, 2022. (with ANI and PTI inputs)
10 May,2024 05:48 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe Supreme Court told the Centre on Thursday that any arrest under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Act should not be on mere suspicion but has to be based on cogent material and adherence to proper procedure. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, M M Sundresh and Bela M Trivedi said the material upon which an arrest is made should be verifiable by a magistrate. "An arrest under the Act cannot be on mere suspicion but after proper inquiry and adherence to the procedure laid down under the law. It should be based on material that should be verifiable by the magistrate and certified by the commissioner," the bench told Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S V Raju, who appeared in the court on behalf of the Centre. The ASG replied, "Yes, any arrest made is based on proper material. We do not arrest anybody in the air." The court is hearing a batch of 281 petitions that have challenged various provisions of the Customs Act, the GST Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act amid allegations of misuse of penal provisions. Dealing with the Customs Act, Raju said the right to arrest is not taken away from a customs official and a special legislation overrides any other law in force. "For investigating and arrest, the only condition required is approval of the commissioner," he submitted. The bench said it will pronounce its verdict on the legal principle and deal with individual cases separately. "There are too many petitions and it will be impossible to include all the facts in a judgment. Therefore, we will deal with individual cases separately after pronouncing the verdict on the legal principles in question," the bench said. The hearing remained inconclusive and would continue on May 14, when Raju will make submissions on GST provisions. On Tuesday, the top court directed the Centre not to use "threat and coercion" during search-and-seizure operations against traders for the recovery of the GST and said they should be persuaded to clear the dues voluntarily. Examining various sections of the GST Act, the bench said there is no provision under the law that empowers authorities to exert force for the payment of outstanding dues. On May 2, the top court had asked the Centre to furnish details about the issuance of notices and arrests effected under the provisions of the GST Act, saying it may interpret the law and lay down appropriate guidelines to avoid harassment of citizens by depriving them of their liberty. It voiced concern over the ambiguity in section 69 of the GST Act that deals with the powers of arrest. The top court had said it would interpret the law to "strengthen" the concept of liberty, if need be, but not allow citizens to be harassed. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 May,2024 04:45 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIA three-year-old leopardess in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit district was killed by village locals with sticks and sharp-edged agriculture tools after it attacked them while they were working in their agricultural fields, a forest official said. Three people suffered injuries in the attack by the feline, forest officials said. The incident took place in Rampur village. An autopsy conducted by veterinary officers, Deepak Verma and Suresh Chandar, said the cause of death was due to severe brain haemorrhage and excessive blood loss due to deep cuts on the feline's head and elbow. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 May,2024 04:45 PM IST | Pilibhit, | IANSSenior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ghanshyam Tiwari on Thursday attacked the Congress over Sam Pitroda's recent remarks and said the party wants to break the country on the basis of race. Pitroda stoked a major controversy with his remarks during a podcast where he cited ethnic and racial identities like Chinese, Africans, Arabs and Whites to describe the physical appearance of Indians from different parts of the country. The veteran Congress leader was an advisor to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and has been closely associated with Rahul Gandhi. Speaking to mediapersons here, Tiwari said, "Congress first broke India on the basis of caste, then on the basis of religion and now on the basis of race. He said that the basic difference between BJP and Congress is that BJP considers India as one nation whereas Congress considers India as a group of different nations. Tiwari also said that Congress is against Hindu culture. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 May,2024 04:44 PM IST | Jaipur | PTIThe ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal has chosen to wield the star power of Shatrughan Sinha against Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Surinderjeet Singh Ahluwalia from Asansol which will go to polls on Monday. The Bihari Babu of the Indian film industry, Shatrughan Sinha joined TMC in 2022 after a brief stint in the Congress. Sinha quit the BJP in 2019 claiming that the party has become a "one-man show". "The magic of Mamta's personality is speaking everywhere. The work Mamta Banerjee has done for her people and the state, no CM has done that ever for their people. And even the Prime Minister of the country hasn't done anything like this," Sinha had said while filing his nomination last month. Sinha had earlier won from Bihar's Patna Sahib constituency on BJP ticket in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Babul Supriyo, a popular singer, who was then with the BJP won the Asansol Lok Sabha seat. However, the seat fell vacant when Supriyo joined the TMC. Sinha who was fielded by the TMC in the by-polls won the election winning 56.62 per cent of polls. Supriyo won by a margin of 1,97,637 votes against Trinamool's Moon Moon Sen, another filmstar fielded by the ruling party in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In 2014, Supriyo wrested the constituency from the hold of the Trinamool, winning by a margin of 70,480 votes against Dola Sen. Incidentally, Asansol was one of the only two constituencies won by the BJP in West Bengal in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The other constituency, Darjeeling, was won by Ahluwalia who is now up in arms against Sinha in Asansol. Asansol is the headquarters of the Paschim Bardhaman district, which borders Jharkhand. It is the second-largest city in West Bengal after the state capital and has a large population of voters coming from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh who do not speak Bengali. Hence fielding a candidate having Bihari ties is seen by parties as a lucrative option. Ahluwalia, the sitting MP from Bardhaman Durgapur Lok Sabha constituency, was not BJP's first choice as the candidate from Asansol. The BJP had earlier chosen Bhojpuri singer Pawan Singh against the glitz of Shatrughan Sinha. However, Singh chose not to contest from Asansol after facing backlash from the TMC over the obscene portrayal of women in his music videos and films. Following the announcement of Singh as the BJP candidate from Asansol, TMC minister Babul Supriyo who represented Asansol twice while he was with the BJP said, "I have nothing against him or his place or following as an artiste. However, in his music videos and films, Bengali women are portrayed in a certain manner that might offend the sensibilities of voters. How can the BJP field such a person from Asansol? It is clear he was asked to post about his withdrawal from the race. However, it is hard to believe that the BJP fielded him from Asansol without running a necessary background check and gathering details about him. It also seems implausible that they put on the ticket without seeking his consent." However, Pawan Singh chose to contest as an Independent candidate from Bihar's Karakat days after pulling out of the Lok Sabha race. Speaking about the problems in Asansol, Ahluwalia said that the paramount concern in his constituency is the availability of clean drinking water as people in villages are forced to drink filtered sewage water. "The biggest issue here is potable water. PM Modi gave a call for 'har ghar nal se jal' and the people of UP benefited from this scheme but it was not implemented here in West Bengal. People in villages are forced to drink filtered sewage water. The state government did not do anything to provide clean water to the people," Ahluwalia said speaking to ANI on Tuesday. The BJP leader said that the money allotted for the PM Awas Yojana was taken by one family from the Trinamool Congress and those who are poor did not receive it. "Money allotted for the PM Awas Yojana was taken by members of one family in Trinamool and they built a large palace. PM Modi had promised to give concrete houses to every poor. But no one received it. After enquiry, it was found out that those who have scooters, motorcycles and proper houses have received its benefit," Ahluwalia said. Ahluwalia served as Minister of State for Urban Affairs and Employment (Department of Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation) and Parliamentary Affairs in the P V Narasimha Rao cabinet from September 15, 1995, to May 16, 1996. He was also deputy opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha from June 2010 to May 2012.From 1986 to 2012, he was a Rajya Sabha MP representing Bihar and Jharkhand. In 1999, he joined the BJP, and in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, he won from the Darjeeling constituency with the active support of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) which is fighting the polls in the state in partnership with the Congress, as part of the opposition INDIA bloc, has fielded Jahanara Khan from Asansol. West Bengal, which sends 42 MPs to Parliament, is voting in all seven phases. Polling for six Lok Sabha seats in Bengal was held across the first three phases on April 19, April 26, and May 7. Polling for the remaining parliamentary seats will be held on May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. The counting of votes has been scheduled for June 4. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC won 34 seats in the state, while the BJP had to settle for 2 seats. The CPI (M) won 2 seats, while the Congress bagged 4. However, the BJP came up with a much-improved showing in the 2019 polls, winning 18 seats against the TMC's 22. The Congress's tally dropped to just 2 seats, while the Left scored a blank. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are being held in seven phases, running from April 19 to June 1. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 May,2024 04:44 PM IST | Asansol (West Bengal) | ANIUnion Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday hosted dinner for the Padma awardees at his residence after the conclusion of the Civil Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan earlier today. Earlier in the day, President Droupadi Murmu presented 2 Padma Vibhushan, 9 Padma Bhushan, and 56 Padma Shri awards for 2024 at a grand civil investiture ceremony. "The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, presented 2 Padma Vibhushan, 9 Padma Bhushan and 56 Padma Shri Awards for the year 2024 at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-II held with grandeur in Darbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhawan today," as per a Ministry of Home Affairs press release. Megastar Chiranjeevi, who was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan award, also attended the special dinner hosted by Amit Shah. Chiranjeevi's wife Surekha Konidela, son Ram Charan and daughter-in-law Upasana Kamineni Konidela also marked their presence. They were all smiles as they dined together with Amit Shah. After receiving Padma Vibhushan from President Droupadi Murmu, legendary actress Vyjayanthimala also graced the dinner with her ethereal presence. Decked up in a yellow silk saree, Vyjayanthimala happily bonded over dinner with Shah and other fellow winners. The 'Devdas' actress also briefly spoke with ANI and expressed her gratitude for the special Padma honour she received. "I have to thank my god for his compassion, kindness, and mercy... It's our Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji and the Government of India who have recognised my art- dance as well as films. I received the Padma Shri in 1969, and now the Padma Vibhushan is a very big thing. I am happy and humbled to receive this award," she said. Padma Awards, one of the highest civilian awards in the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The awards are given in various disciplines and fields of activities like art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. 'Padma Vibhushan' is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service, 'Padma Bhushan' for distinguished service of high order; and 'Padma Shri' for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year. Last month, the President presented three Padma Vibhushan, eight Padma Bhushan and 55 Padma Shri Awards on April 22. "The Padma Awardees will pay homage at the National War Memorial tomorrow morning. They will also visit Rashtrapati Bhawan and Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya," as per a Ministry of Home Affairs press release. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
10 May,2024 04:43 PM IST | New Delhi | ANIA dean and 10 doctors of Nagpur's Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) were booked over the death of a 59-year old woman patient in 2019, an official said on Thursday. The official said that a case of alleged negligence has been registered against the dean and 10 doctors of the hospital. An FIR was registered at Ajni police station against dean Dr. Raj Gajbhiye and others following the sessions court's order, reported news agency PTI. As per complainant Kewalram Pandurang Patole, a retired district court superintendent, his wife Pushpa underwent surgery at the government hospital on July 5, 2019. However, her condition worsened and she died three days later. Dr. Gajbhiye was then the head of the surgery department. The cause of death, initially stated to be cardiac arrest, was later revealed to be the medical negligence of the hospital upon the findings of an inquiry committee's Patole then filed an application before the court, seeking an order to the police to investigate the matter. Following the court's recent order, the FIR was registered under IPC section 304 (a) (causing death by negligence), the police official said. No arrest has been made yet. BMC committee to probe mother-son deaths at Bhandup maternity hospital The BMC committee will be probing the mother-son deaths at a Bhandup maternity hospital, the officials had said last week. A 26-year-old woman, Saheedun Ansari, and her new born son due to inadequate facilities at a maternity hospital in Bhandup, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), along with health department authorities, established a committee to investigate the lapses. This decision came in response to demands for accountability and decisive action from the victim's family and a former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator from Bhandup. The tragic incident happened at Sushma Swaraj Maternity Hospital in Hanuman Nagar, Bhandup West division late Monday night resulting in the loss of a woman and her baby. The delivery was being conducted in an emergency using a flashlight, which was risky. The woman experienced heavy bleeding, which was a major factor in her unfortunate demise. The family of the woman, along with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member and former corporator Jagruti Patil, have raised concerns over the lack of light at the maternity hospital, alleging it led to the deaths.
10 May,2024 04:38 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentThe Nationalist Congress Party (NCP SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said that he will not ally with those who do not believe in parliamentary democracy, reported the PTI. Sharad Pawar alleged that the parliamentary democracy was under threat because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to the PTI. Sharad Pawar's statement has come after the prime minister advised the NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) to join hands with Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde after the Lok Sabha elections 2024 results instead of 'dying by merging' with the Congress, according to the PTI. Speaking to reporters in Maharashtra's Pune, Sharad Pawar said that it is his clear opinion that parliamentary democracy is under threat because of PM Modi. "Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren were arrested and put behind bars. This (the arrests) would not have been possible without the role of the Central government and Central leadership. This shows how much faith they have in the democratic system," Sharad Pawar said, the news agency reported. Sharad Pawar further said that he cannot ally with any person, party or ideology that does not believe in parliamentary democracy. During a rally in Nandurbar in north Maharashtra earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi, without naming Pawar, said that the "duplicate NCP and Shiv Sena' have made up their minds to merge with the Congress after the poll results on June 4, but should instead join Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde. Join Ajit Pawar, Eknath Shinde: PM Modi tells Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday advised the Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) to join hands with Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde after Lok Sabha elections 2024 results instead of 'dying by merging' with the Congress, reported the PTI. "A big leader here who is active for 40-50 years is worried after polling in Baramati (Lok Sabha seat). He says that after June 4, smaller parties, in order to survive, will merge with the Congress," PM Modi said, without naming Sharad Pawar, as per the PTI. "This means the nakli NCP and nakli Shiv Sena have made up their minds to merge with the Congress," PM Modi said, addressing an election rally in Maharashtra's Nandurbar district. (with PTI inputs)
10 May,2024 03:37 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentGold stands as a generational asset, symbolising prosperity and serving as a reliable investment passed down through time. It's a contingency fund and an excellent means of portfolio diversification. However, is physical gold the exclusive route to profit? Celebrating Akshaya Tritiya, Midday featured insights from Kalpesh Ashar, a SEBI registered financial expert, shedding light on digital gold. This modern investment avenue offers distinct advantages over physical gold. What is digital gold? Digital gold currency represents electronic money backed by mass units of gold, typically 24 karats with 99.99 per cent purity. Transactions involving this financial instrument are entirely digital. According to Ashar, ideally, 5 per cent to 10 per cent of your investment portfolio should be allocated to gold, with the remainder dedicated to equity investments. Physical gold Vs. digital gold Contrary to popular belief, physical gold may not always be the most advantageous investment choice. Ashar emphasised several common issues associated with physical gold, including challenges in storage, concerns about theft, additional expenses such as making charges and locker fees, as well as authenticity issues. Moreover, the emotional attachment to gold jewellery often deters investors from selling it when needed, thereby preventing them from fully capitalising on their investment. This is where digital gold, or E-gold, shines, as it eliminates such barriers. Unlike physical gold, where making charges are deducted upon sale, investors retain the full value of their asset with digital gold. Before delving into gold purchases, it's essential to define your purpose—whether for decoration or investment. If your goal leans towards investment, digital gold emerges as the ideal pathway forward. What are the ways of investing in online gold? Digital gold can be invested in through three modes. 1. Gold-based mutual funds offer a convenient avenue to invest in a pool of securities, including gold. Similar to other mutual fund investments, they provide great liquidity, allowing investors to redeem their holdings within 24 to 48 hours. 2. Gold-based Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) function much like stocks, as they are listed and traded on stock exchanges such as NSE and BSE. Investors can purchase them through a demat account and trade them continuously at market prices. Gold ETFs offer the advantage of buying and selling at real-time market prices, providing flexibility and transparency to investors. 3. Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs) are government-issued bonds with an eight-year lock-in period. A significant feature of SGBs is the annual 2.5 per cent interest rate, coupled with the appreciation value of gold, as determined by the RBI. This makes SGBs one of the most lucrative investment instruments. However, the only drawback is the lock-in period. Gold-based mutual funds and Gold ETFs are recommended for investors seeking short-term investments due to their liquidity and flexibility. On the other hand, Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs) are more suitable for investors with a longer time horizon, given their lock-in period. What is the right time to buy digital gold? "Buy gold when there is gloom and doom in the world," advised Kalpesh. He emphasised, "When equities are underperforming or uncertainty prevails, that's the opportune moment to invest in gold." To encapsulate, there's no better time than now to allocate your capital to digital gold. Patience and purpose are crucial for a successful gold investment, particularly for young and risk-taking investors. For more insights watch the full interview here:
10 May,2024 03:26 PM IST | Mumbai | Jasmeen Ara ShaikhPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday advised the Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) to join hands with Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde after Lok Sabha elections 2024 results instead of 'dying by merging' with the Congress, reported the PTI. "A big leader here who is active for 40-50 years is worried after polling in Baramati (Lok Sabha seat). He says that after June 4, smaller parties, in order to survive, will merge with the Congress," PM Modi said, without naming Sharad Pawar, as per the PTI. "This means the nakli NCP and nakli Shiv Sena have made up their minds to merge with the Congress," PM Modi said, addressing an election rally in Maharashtra's Nandurbar district. "But instead of dying by merging with the Congress, come to Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde," PM Narendra Modi said, according to the PTI. In Maharashtra's Nandurbar Lok Sabha seat, the BJP has renominated incumbent MP Heena Gavi, who is pitted against Gowaal Padavi of Congress. The constituency will go to polls in the fourth phase of the general elections on May 13. "In the next couple of years, several regional parties will associate more closely with the Congress. Or they may look at the option of merging with the Congress if they believe that is the best for their party," NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar had earlier told The Indian Express. Speaking at the rally, PM Modi also accused the Congress of conspiring to end "Hindu aastha" (faith). The guru of Congress' 'shehzada' has told the US that Ram temple and Ram Navmi festivities are against the idea of India, he said, targeting Sam Pitroda, former chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, the news agency reported on Friday. Sam Pitroda on Wednesday resigned after stoking controversy with his remarks that cited ethnic and racial identities like Chinese, Africans, Arabs and Whites to describe the physical appearance of Indians. "Congress calls people with Lord Krishna's colour as Africans. So they didn't want Droupadi Murmu to be the President of India. Isn't it an insult of adivasis," he asked. The PM said that the Congress' agenda is so dangerous that if it terms Ram temple construction and Ram Navami celebrations against the idea of India. "They may say my going to temple is anti-India. See the Congress mindset, that in the land of Ram, a temple is anti-India." These people organise "sarkari Iftar" and beautify graves of terrorists, he said, as per the PTI. In an apparent reference to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut's alleged comment about "burying him in Maharashtra just like Mughal emperor Aurangzeb", PM Modi said, those from the duplicate Shiv Sena are speaking of burying him alive, according to the PTI. They have also got a bomb blast accused for election campaigning, he said, referring to the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. "These people have lost public support and their political space has eroded. People of India are my security cover. These people can't bury me alive or dead," he said. Providing quota benefits on the basis of religion is against the very values and principles enshrined in our Constitution, he said. As long as he is alive, Modi said, he won't let an "inch" of reservation of Dalits, adivasis and OBCs be taken away on the basis of religion. Extending Akshaya Tritiya greetings to the people, he said, "Your blessings to me on this occasion shows that a third term for me is guaranteed." PM Modi said service to adivasis and deprived sections is like serving family members for him. "I am not like Congress' 'shahi parivar' but was raised in a poor family. Adivasis and the poor had suffered a lot in terms of lack of access to housing, electricity and water even after 60 years of independence. But my government has worked hard to improve their lives," said the BJP's star campaigner. He said the Congress has no concern for adivasis and did nothing to eradicate sickle cell anemia, prevalent among tribals. PM Modi said his government has initiated steps in that direction to secure the future generations of tribals. He said the Congress knows it cannot match Modi over development. "So it has opened a factory of lies on reservation and Constitution." Their ecosystem is filled with rumours, he said. "On the Constitution change rumour, it is nothing but a 'chor machaya shor' (thieves creating noise) situation for Congress. It wants to introduce reservations based on religion which is against the Constitution. Making such an attempt is like stabbing the maker of the Constitution in the back," he said, the PTI reported. Alleging that the Congress wants to replicate its "Karnataka model" across the country by snatching quotas from SC, ST and OBC and giving those to their minority vote banks, PM Modi cautioned people to be alert. In Karnataka, the Congress turned Muslims into OBCs overnight and now it wants to snatch quotes from tribals and Dalits, he said. "The Maha Vikas Aghadi is running a 'maha abhiyan' (mega drive) to finish off quota while I am doing 'maha rakshan ka maha yagna' (grand ritual for protection) to save it," he said, as per the PTI. "I have been challenging the Congress to give in writing that it will not end the SC and ST quota and give it to Muslims. But the Congress is not replying. They have a hidden agenda to loot your rights. But they are spreading rumours by being hand in glove with anti-national elements," he said. "Modi is the 'chowkidar' (watchman) to protect the rights of the deprived sections of society," he said. (with PTI inputs)
10 May,2024 03:04 PM IST | Nandurbar | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
