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Guj polls: Hindutva out, core issues focus of parties

September 3, 2012
Gujarat_poll_time

Ahmedabad, September 3: Shunning the Hindutva card, the campaign of the major parties in Gujarat for the forthcoming Assembly elections this time is centred around issues like water, housing and inflation.

The 2002 and 2007 Gujarat elections were held in a charged environment by whipping up communal sentiments in the backdrop of the 2002 riots and numerous encounter cases, including the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case which resulted in easy polarisation of votes, Congress office bearers said.

"But with the passage of 10 years post riots and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's 'Sadbhavna' mission softening his stance towards Muslims have contributed to the fact that Hindutva is not a major issue this time in state elections," they added.

The Congress and Keshubhai Patel's newly formed Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) are of the view that they have a level playing field this time against Modi-led BJP, as the issue of Hindutva is on the backburner.

"Modi has tried to change his colours from what he had projected himself in 2002. He is now trying to woo Muslims. People have come to know his reality and the emotive issues will not sway them this time," Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said.

After 10 years of good rains, Gujarat is facing acute water scarcity this year owing to a deficient monsoon in Saurashtra, Kutch and North Gujarat, which has been compounded by slow paced work of laying canal network for Sardar Sarovar Narmada Dam project. It has emerged as a major issue prior to the elections.

The Congress's ambitious promise of providing homes to poor and middle class housewives at nominal rates, if it comes to power, has garnered a huge response (already 50 lakh forms have been distributed) and has brought to fore the issue of people's aspirations of owning a house when real estate prices have skyrocketed in the state.

"Water, housing, providing medical facility to people, reducing VAT on petrol, diesel and kerosene and thereby reducing prices, giving full benefits of sixth-pay commission to state government employees, providing good education are highlighted by Congress as key election issues. We have also raised our voice against corruption of this government," Doshi said.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party is trying to cash-in on the burning issues of inflation and corruption of the central government.

"Inflation due to mismanagement of the Union government, corruption at the Centre and large scale discrimination towards Gujarat are the main issues that the BJP has taken up in campaign during the forthcoming elections," spokesperson Jagdish Bhavsar said.

"We will be fighting this election also on the issue of leadership quality (of Modi), path breaking development carried out by the state government in the last 10 years and our goal of making Gujarat a developed place so it can be in league with developed nations of the world,” Bhavsar said.

Regarding the Hindutva issue, another BJP leader said, "Party's policy is well defined by the chief minister who has announced - development for all, appeasement for none."


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coastaldigest.com news network
July 27,2020

Ayodhya, Jul 27: With days to go for the August 5 "bhoomi pujan" ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the mosques adjacent to the demolished Babri Masjid premises are spreading the message of a peaceful coexistence of Hindus and Muslims.

There are eight mosques and two mausoleums located close to the 70-acre Babri Masjid premises mandated by the Supreme Court for a temple of Sri Ram.

Azaan and namaaz are offered in the mosques and the annual "Urs" is held at the mausoleums without any objection from the local Hindus.

The eight mosques located near the upcoming Ram temple premises are Masjid Dorahikuan, Masjid Mali Mandir ke Bagal, Masjid Kaziyana Achchan ke Bagal, Masjid Imambara, Masjid Riyaz ke Bagal, Masjid Badar Paanjitola, Masjid Madaar Shah and Masjid Tehribazar Jogiyon ki.

The two mausoleums are Khanqaahe Muzaffariya and Imambara.

"It is the greatness of Ayodhya that the mosques surrounding the Ram temple are giving a strong message of communal harmony to the rest of the world," Haji Asad Ahmad, the corporator of the Ram Kot ward, said. The Ram temple area is situated in Ahmad's ward.

"Muslims take out the 'juloos' of Barawafaat that goes through the periphery of Ram Janmabhoomi. All religious functions and rituals of Muslims are respected by their fellow citizens," the corporator said.

Asked for a comment on the presence of mosques near the upcoming Ram temple premises, the chief priest of the temple, Acharya Satyendra Das, said, "We had a dispute only with the structure that was connected to the name of (Mughal emperor) Babur. We have never had any issue with the other mosques and mausoleums in Ayodhya. This is a town where Hindus and Muslims live in peace."

"Muslims offer namaaz, we perform our puja. The mosques around us will strengthen Ayodhya's communal harmony and peace will prevail," he added.

Both Hindus and Muslims have accepted the Supreme Court verdict over Ram Janmabhoomi, Das said, adding, "We have no dispute with each other."

Sayyad Akhlaq Ahmad Latifi, the "sajjada nasheen" and "pir" of the 500-year-old Khanqaahe Muzaffariya mausoleum, said Muslims in Ayodhya are performing all religious practices freely.

"We offer prayers five times a day in the mosque at Khanqaah and hold the yearly 'Urs'," he added.

"What a scene would it be -- a grand Ram temple surrounded by small mosques and mausoleums and everyone offering prayers according to their beliefs. That will be representative of the true culture of India," Mahant Yugal Kishore Sharan Shastri, the chief priest of the Sarayu Kunj temple adjacent to the Ram Janmabhoomi premises, said.

Reacting to the presence of mosques and mausoleums near the Ram Janmabhoomi premises, Triloki Nath Pandey, the decree holder of the land as the "first friend of Ram Lalla" as mandated by the Supreme Court, said, "We do not have any objection to either those mosques or any other mosques. We will not trigger a dispute regarding any structure, Ayodhya must live in peace and communal harmony."

Mahant Raju Das, the priest of the Hanumangarhi temple, said, "The presence of the mosques tells the story of Ayodhya's communal harmony. A Ram mandir will be built and there will be no objection to the mosques or religious practices of Muslims."

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Agencies
March 14,2020

New Delhi, Mar 14: The central government on Saturday declared COVID-19 as a national 'disaster' and announced to provide ex-gratia relief of Rs 4 lakh to the families who died of the virus.

The Ministry of Home Affairs in a letter to states and union territories stated: "Keeping in view that spread of COVID-19 virus in India the declaration of it as pandemic by World Health Organisation, the Central government has decided to treat it as a notified disaster and announced to provide assistance under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)."

The Centre said that cost of hospitalization for managing COVID-19 patient would be at the rates fixed by the state governments. The state government can use SDRF found for providing temporary accommodation, food, clothing and medical care for people affected and sheltered in quarantine camps, other than home quarantine, or for cluster containment operations.

The state executive committee will decide the number of quarantine camps, their duration and the number of persons in such camps. "Period can be extended by the committee beyond the prescribed limit subject to condition that expenditure on this account should not exceed 25 percent of SDRF allocation for the year," the Ministry of Home Affairs notification stated.

The cost of consumables for sample collection would be taken from the funds which can be sued to support for checking, screening and contact tracing.

Further, funds can also be withdrawn for setting up additional testing laboratories within the government set up. The state has also to bear the cost of personal protection equipment for healthcare, municipal, police and fire authorities. Further SDRF money can also be used for procuring thermal scanners and ventilation and other necessary equipment.

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News Network
March 30,2020

Kochi, Mar 30: Kerala High Court on Monday granted interim bail to the under-trial prisoners and remanded accused in the state till April 30 in view of the lockdown imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The court said that the accused should report to the local police station immediately after getting bail. Those released on bail must strictly follow the lockdown instructions, the High Court said.

"Those who have been convicted of imprisonment for less than seven years will get bail. Prison Superintendents will release the prisoners who are eligible. But regular offenders are not entitled to get bail," the court said.

After the bail period, the accused should appear in the respective trial courts, where a decision will be taken on their bail by the respective trial courts.

The Supreme Court had last week asked all state governments to release undertrial prisoners, who are facing charges attracting less than seven years imprisonment, to reduce overcrowding of jails amid the ongoing coronavirus scare.

So far, 194 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported in the state.

The country is under a 21-day lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has claimed the lives of 29 people and infected a total of 1071 people as on Monday morning.

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