Attempts in the past to run down contribution of Patel: Modi

Agencies
October 31, 2017

New Delhi, Oct 31: In a veiled attack on the Congress ahead of Gujarat polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said some parties and governments in the past have tried to run down and erase the contributions of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in unifying the country immediately after Independence.

Flagging off a run to commemorate the 142nd birth anniversary of Patel, Modi said due to the statesmanship and political acumen of the country's first home minister, India is united today despite the colonial rulers' wish that it was disintegrated into smaller states after Independence.

"There have been attempts to run down Patel, to ensure that the contribution of Patel is forgotten. But Sardar is Sardar, whether any government or any party recognizes his contribution or not but the nation and the youth will not forget him," he said without naming any government or party.

"The youth of India respects him and his contribution towards the building of our nation," he noted.

Modi's comment bears significance as it came ahead of the assembly elections in Gujarat, the state Patel belonged to.

Paying rich tribute to Patel, the prime minister said he had not only saved the country from the difficulties being faced immediately after Independence but succeeded in uniting the whole nation.

"The British government wished that India was disintegrated into smaller states. But Patel used all means (Sam, dam, dand, bhed, rajneeti, kutneeti) and succeeded in uniting all princely states into a single nation within a very small span of time," he said.

Modi said generation after generation of Indians will continue to remember Patel, particularly the youth, who will carry forward his legacy.

The 'Run for Unity', which began at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, saw the participation of a large number of people, including sports personalities like Sardar Singh, Deepa Karmakar, Suresh Raina and Karnam Malleswari.

The 1.5 km run here came to an end near the India Gate C-Hexagon-Shah Jahan Road radial.

Earlier, President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, the Prime Minister, and Home Minister Rajnath Singh paid floral tributes to Patel on Parliament street where his statues is installed.

The prime minister said everyone in the country is proud of Patel's contribution to India before it attained freedom and during the early years after the nation became independent.

"We salute Sardar Patel on his Jayanti. His momentous service and monumental contribution to India can never be forgotten," he said.

Stressing that the diversity is India's strength, Modi said there are many languages, religion, culture, customs, lifestyles and food habits.

"But these are our strength and these are our bright future.India is proud of our diversity," he said.

The prime minister said first President of India Rajendra Prasad had said that India has become a united nation only due to administrative acumen and strong leadership of Patel but the country was not giving him due respect.

"Rajendra Babu must be happy now, wherever is his soul, that we are remembering the contribution of Patel even though some people tried to run down and erase his contribution.The nation will continue to remember Patel," he said.

Modi said in some countries, people of the same faith are even not ready to tolerate each other and want to harm and kill each other.

But in India, there is diversity yet all are united.

"Our country must remain united.It is the responsibility of the 125 crore people to ensure that India remains united," he said.

At the beginning of his speech, Modi also paid tribute to former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary.

Paying tribute to Patel, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said apart from uniting the nation, Patel also succeeded in facing the challenge of communal violence which broke out soon after the Independence.

"Sardar Patel was the main force behind upholding India's unity and integrity at the time of Independence," he said.

The central government observes October 31 as 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.

Several union ministers, including Ananth Kumar, Vijay Goel, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Hardeep Puri, senior officials and others also participated in the event.

Hockey player Sardar Singh said 'Run for Unity' is a commendable initiative to showcase the country's unity and integrity.

Gymnast Deepa Karmakar said she was proud to be part of the run, which is being organized to remember the contributions of Patel in unifying the country.

Patel was born on October 31, 1875, and passed away on December 15, 1950.

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News Network
May 27,2020

Muzaffarpur, May 27: A toddler's vain attempt to wake up his dead mother from eternal sleep on a railway platform in Bihar's Muzaffarpur on Wednesday presented the most poignant picture of the massive migrant tragedy unfolding across several states.

A video tweeted by Sanjay Yadav, an aide to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, shows the child walking unsteadily up to his mother's body, tugging at the blanket placed over her, and when failing to wake her up, covering his own head with it.

As the mother still lay still, he wobbles away from her, announcements continuing in the background about the arrival and departure of trains that would bring in tens of thousands of people in a rush to get away from hunger and hardship they face in large cities that could sustain them no more.

"This small child doesn't know that the bedsheet with which he is playing is the shroud of his mother who has gone into eternal sleep. This mother died of hunger and thirst after being on a train for four days. Who is responsible for these deaths on trains? Shouldn't the opposition ask uncomfortable questions?" tweeted Yadav.

However, police had a different story to tell.

Ramakant Upadhyay, the Dy SP of the Government Railway Police in Muzaffarpur, said the incident occurred on May 25 when the migrant woman was on way to Muzaffarpur from Ahmedabad by a Shramik Special train.

He told reporters the woman, who was accompanied by her sister and brother-in-law, had died on the Madhubani bound train.

"My sister-in-law died suddenly on the train. We did not face any problem getting food or water," the officer said, quoting the deceased's brother-in-law who he did not name.

He said on getting information, poice brought down the body and sent it for postmortem.

Citing the brother-in-law of the deceased, Upadhyay said she was aged 35 years and was undergoing treatment for "some disease" for the last one year in Ahmedabad. "She was also mentally unstable," he said.

When persistently queried about the cause of death, he said,"Only doctors can tell".

A massive exodus of migrant workers is on in several parts of the country, unprecedented in magnitude since Partition.

The humanitarian crisis still unfolding on highways and railway platforms has shone light on disturbing tales of entire families walking hundreds of kilometres with little children on foot in a seemingly endless march to escape hunger.

People have been found travelling on trucks and in the hollow of concrete mixing plants, and in many cases, dying from hunger and exhaustion before reaching their destinations.

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Agencies
July 15,2020

Mumbai, Jul 15: In a mega investment announcement, Reliance Industries (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Wednesday said that Google will invest ₹ 33,737 crore in Jio Platforms for an equity stake of 7.73%.

Google is investing at an equity valuation of ₹ 4.36 lakh crore, said an RIL regulatory filing.

"Jio Platforms Limited, a subsidiary of the Company, today signed binding agreements with Google International LLC pursuant to which Google would invest ₹ 33,737 crore for a 7.73 % equity stake in Jio Platforms Limited on a fully-diluted basis. Google is investing at an equity valuation of ₹ 4.36 lakh crore," it said.

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals.

Speaking at the Annual General Meeting of RIL, Ambani said that he looks forward to working with investors in Jio Platforms in a collaborative way.

Making another major announcement, the RIL Chairman said that Jio has designed a complete 5G solution and it will be available for trials as soon as spectrum is available.

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Agencies
January 16,2020

New Delhi, Jan 16: United Forum of Bank Unions has decided to observe a two-day strike on January 31 and February 1, demanding early wage revision settlement which has been due since November 1, 2017, said the All India Bank Employees Association.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her second Union Budget on February 1.

Banks will also hold a strike on March 11, 12 and 13. Also, an indefinite strike will be held from April 1.

General Secretary, All India Bank Officers' Confederation West Bengal Sanjay Das has stated that the nationwide strike has been called over several demands.

"The demands include--wage revision settlement at 20 per cent hike on payslip components with adequate loading thereof and scrapping off New Pension Scheme (NPS)," said Das.

There are several demands to hold the strike including the merger of special allowance with basic pay, updation of pension, improvement in the family pension system, five-day banking, allocation of staff welfare fund based on operating profits and exemption from income tax on retiral benefits without a ceiling.

"Other demands include-- a uniform definition of business hours, lunch hour etc in the branches, introduction of leave bank, defined working hours for the officers and equal wage for equal work for the contract employee," said Das.

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