Chavan boycotts PM's event, Soren too jeered

August 21, 2014

New Delhi, Aug 21: The politics of heckling in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued today with Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren becoming the third victim, while Maharashtra CM Prithiviraj Chavan refused to share the dais with Modi.Prithviraj Chavan

The war of words between Congress and BJP escalated over the issue as Jharkhand CM, an ally of Congress, alleged that heckling of opponents by BJP supporters at government functions in the presence of the Prime Minister amounted to "rape" of the delicate centre-state relations.

At a function in Ranchi, where Modi inaugurated a slew of development projects, Soren was hooted by the audience that included BJP activists. They chanted 'Modi, Modi' as soon as the JMM leader took the mike and his attempts to pacify the crowd by saying that he would try to be brief failed.

Soren, however, continued with his speech as Modi waved at the people for restraint. The shouts carried on all through Soren's speech.

"The PM must look into it...the federal system he talks about. I feel it is like raping the system, the tradition of the federal system. There is a plan to break it. And it is an attempt to play politics but it will not work for long," he said.

Soren said he was attending the function as a Chief Minister and not as a representative of any political party.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, who had to stop speaking midway after he was heckled by BJP supporters last Saturday at an event in Solapur, today skipped the 'bhumi-pujan' of a Metro project in Nagpur where Modi was also present.

Yesterday, announcing the boycott of Modi's function, Chavan had said the federal structure of the country has been undermined at the programmes in Congress-ruled states where the PM was present recently.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was recently booed by a crowd at a public event in the Prime Minister's presence in Kaithal, after which he said he would never share the stage with him again.

Backing its chief ministers' stand, Congress today claimed there was an "orchestrated" and "well-planned conspiracy" behind such incidents and asserted that no one has the right to "humiliate" duly elected CMs.

AICC general secretary Ambika Soni said that Modi should immediately ask his partymen to desist from such acts and refused to accept BJP's argument that Congress needs to introspect on why the common man was unhappy with the state leadership.

Soni said there is a "pattern" as all these states, where such incidents have happened, are facing elections.

Hitting back, BJP reminded Congress Chief Ministers not to breach constitutional propriety and termed the decision of Chavan and other CMs to skip the functions of the Prime Minister as "unfortunate".

The ruling party also told Congress Chief Ministers not to fall prey to the "complex arising due to the popularity" of Modi among the masses.

BJP Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "This type of negative politics will not help the Congress anyways. Congress can ignore Modi's dais but they cannot ignore his mantra of good governance and development."

He said the Congress, even after its humiliating defeat at the hustings, is not ready to see the ground reality.

"Instead of cleaning their face of the dust that has stuck to them in these polls, the Congressmen are cleaning the mirror," he said.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
June 17,2020

Jaipur, Jun 17: Police have registered an FIR against a television news anchor for allegedly making an objectionable comment on Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

The FIR was lodged after a complaint against News 18 India anchor Amish Devgan by a "khadim" at the saint's dargah in Ajmer on Tuesday night.

"He is running a communal agenda against the Muslim community. The dargah of Sufi saint is visited not only by Muslims but by people of all religions and his comments have hurt the sentiments of all," Syed Sarwar Chishti said.

The anchor later apologised on Twitter. "In 1 of my debates, I inadvertently referred to 'Khilji' as Chishti. I sincerely apologise for this grave error and the anguish it may hv caused to followers of the Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti, whom I revere. I have in the past sought blessings at his dargah. I regret this error," Devgan tweeted.

Dargah SHO Hem Raj said a case was registered under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the IT Act for outraging religious feelings.

Another complaint was lodged by activist Muzaffar Bharti at the office of Ajmer's Superintendent of Police.

He accused Devgan and his team of trying to incite riots through "misleading and objectionable debates on communal issues".

He said Devgan made highly objectionable remarks on the revered saint, which shall not be tolerated.

"The dargah of Moinuddin Chishti is the symbol of brotherhood and harmony and crores of people of different religions all over the world have deep love and faith in the saint," he said.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 28,2020

New Delhi, Jan 28: Kolkata Metro Rail Corp expects to complete its East-West project, which runs partly under the city’s iconic Hooghly river, by March 2022 after a delay of several years doubled costs.

The authority is awaiting a final installment of Rs 20 crore ($2.8 million) over the next two years from the Indian Railway Board, said Manas Sarkar, managing director at KMRC. A soft loan of Rs 4,160 crore from Japan International Cooperation Agency helps fund 48.5% of the project.

India’s oldest metro, which started in 1984 with a North-South service, was due to expand by 2014 but faced problems including squatters on the planned route. These issues have contributed to the total project cost rising to about Rs 8,600 crore for some 17 kilometers from Rs 4,900 crore for 14 km.

“About 40% of total transport demand will be tackled by these two metro services,” Sarkar said in an interview at his office in Kolkata. “It will be a relief for environmental pollution and the city should be much more decongested.”

The new line is expected to carry about 900,000 people daily, -- roughly 20% of the city’s population -- and will take less than a minute to cross a 520-meter underwater tunnel. Depending on the time of day, it takes some 20 minutes to use the ferry and anywhere upward of an hour to cross the Howrah bridge.

KMRC will repay the JICA loan over 30 years after an initial six-year moratorium. The interest rate is between 1.2% to 1.6%. The East-West metro project is 74% owned by the railway ministry and 26% by the ministry of housing and urban affairs.

“We don’t anticipate any further cost escalation now,” Sarkar said.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
April 1,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 1: A day after the Kerala Government issued orders to provide special alcohol passes on doctor's prescription to tipplers, who exhibit withdrawal symptoms, the Excise Department received 40 applications from across the state.

Speaking to ANI, a Senior Excise Official said, "Around 40 people approached us with doctor's prescriptions to get liquor passes across the State. We will forward it to Beverages Corporation and they will conduct home delivery of liquor."

Ernakulam topped the list with eight applications, while Kottayam Excise Office received four and Thiruvananthapuram office received three applications.

"As per the notification we received, a maximum of three litre of alcohol can be provided in a week for a person. For availing liquor again they will have to submit fresh application for the liquor pass," the official added.

An order in this regard was issued by the government on Monday night which outlines the necessary steps to be taken by a person with withdrawal symptoms to purchase alcohol.

As per the order, any individual with a prescription from a government doctor or a doctor from a Taluk hospital or government hospital, where the doctor mentions the patient's "Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms" can submit the prescription for alcohol to the nearest Excise Range office.

A form also has been provided which should be duly filled to get the liquor pass. The Excise Department after the scrutiny may allow the person to buy Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) from the beverages corporation.

However, the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) came out against the order, saying that doctors affiliated with the organisation will not give a prescription for liquor. Further, in a statement issued they said they are observing a 'black day' on Wednesday in protest against the government move.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) also had termed the direction by the Kerala government 'unscientific' and said doctors had no legal obligation to prescribe alcohol.

After the liquor ban was enforced in view of the lockdown, Kerala has witnessed a number of suicide cases allegedly connected with withdrawal symptoms.

Announcing the decision Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also mentioned that the government was issuing such a direction following reports of people developing suicidal tendencies due to the unavailability of alcohol.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.