New Delhi Apr 20 PTI The BJP on Wednesday accused Rahul Gandhi of maligning the countrys image and sowing the seeds of hatred after the Congress leader attacked the ruling party over the use of bulldozers in riot-hit areas of Delhi and states like Madhya PradeshReplying to a question on Gandhis comments Union minister Anurag Thakur said in an apparent reference to the opposition party This is all you can expect from someone whose history is linked to corruption and riots He is doing no good to the country by sowing the seeds of hatred He is maligning the countrys image Thakur told a press conference where he highlighted the governments work during Azadi ka amrit mahotsav an exercise aimed at celebrating Indias 75th anniversary of IndependenceGandhi had attacked the government over the use of bulldozers in violence-hit areas of Delhi and Madhya Pradesh and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to switch off bulldozers of hate and switch on power plantsThe BJP leader also hit back at the Aam Aadmi Party for accusing the ruling party of instigating riots and saying that its headquarters should be bulldozedIt is a party which goes to the extent of compromising with terrorists for power Thakur allegedPolitics is meant to change society with ideology and policies but some people are determined to lower its standards he addedSpeaking about the ongoing Azadi ka amrit mahotsav he said since the launch of the programme by the prime minister in Sabarmati on March 12 2021 which had coincided with Mahatma Gandhis iconic Dandi march over 25000 events have been held across the country and also abroad by April 18 this year Over 50 programmes have been held on an average daily While central government departments have organised 8616 programmes states and union territories have held 9516 events he saidWhile earlier governments focussed on highlighting the contribution of a select group of people he said in a swipe at earlier Congress dispensations and added that now the focus has also been on a large number of unsung heroes who also played valuable roles in the freedom movement Thakur said the Modi government has worked to connect people with the nations cultural and historical heritage through the exercise The prime minister himself unveiled the hologram statue of Subhas Chandra Bose while a 225 ft long national flag made of khadi was unfurled in Ladakh he added He also mentioned the recent inauguration of the prime ministers museum in the national capital by Modi in the regard The mahotsav he said is an exercise of national awakening and is a festival of realising the dreams of good governance global peace and development Thakur said PTI KR KR DV DV

New Delhi Apr 18 PTI Noting that the government has built toilets in over 115 crore households under its Swachh Bharat mission the BJP said on Monday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked to fulfil Mahatma Gandhis dreams about cleanliness and effected change in the lives of a large number of Indians Referring to the Open Defecation Free ODF campaign and the scheme to supply piped drinking water to households BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia told reporters that these measures will be written in golden letters in history He was addressing a press conference as part of the BJPs social justice campaign to highlight the governments initiatives specific to certain sectors or groups Over 58000 villages and 3300 towns have benefitted from the ODF Plus campaign he said claiming that the opposition had mocked Modis cleanliness campaign launched in 2014 but it went on to become a mass movement He noted that Rs 7192 crore has been allocated in the 2022-23 budget for the Swachh Bharat Mission Rural while Rs 141678 crore will be spent during 2021-2026 for the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban Earlier Modi said in a tweet that new stories are being written in the field of cleanliness and the campaign shows how public participation can fill new energy in the development of a country Taking to Twitter the prime minister shared a graphic detailing the achievements under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan such as construction of toilets in over 115 crore households and more than 58000 villages as well as over 3300 cities becoming open defecation free PTI KR SMN

Kolkata Jan 30 PTI West Bengal Forest Minister Jyotipriyo Mallick on Sunday abruptly left the podium during a function to mark the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in Barrackpore area refusing to share the stage with BJP MP Arjun SinghMallick who was seated beside Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar suddenly got down from the stage when the Barrackpore MP arrivedAsked why chose to step aside the minister was heard telling the governor A professional killer is sitting beside you In protest I am leaving the platform I am sitting with the audience Mallicks comments came in the backdrop of the murder of Trinamool Congress leader Gopal Majumder in Barrackpore by unidentified assailants late on SaturdayWhile the ruling party alleged the killing was masterminded by Singh the BJP MP attributed the incident to infighting within the TMCBJP leader Bijoy Mukhopadhay was arrested on Sunday morning in connection with the murder of Majumder who was shot at and stabbed multiple times while returning home a police officer saidWe believe in democracy and non-violence preached by Mahatma Gandhi It is the TMC that is unleashing violence on us and killing its own party members in factional feud Singh saidHe however refused to comment on Mallicks actionThe minister later told reporters I was representing the state government as per protocol But I could not be seated on the podium with a mastermind of murders against whom we have filed charges and investigation is pending I did not leave the function midway I remained seated with the audience he added BJP leader Debajit Sarkar shot back asserting that the TMC is making wild allegations and it has no right to indulge in character assassination of a representative of people at a state functionAccording to police more than 20 criminal cases including rioting and armed attacks have been lodged against Singh since 2019The BJP MP has maintained that all those were false cases and none has been proven in courtThe TMC framed the charges as I left the party and challenged the organisation in North 24 Parganas Singh had earlier said PTI SUS RBT RBT

Pune Jan 30 PTI Noted balladeer Hemantraje Mavale who was given a state award in recognition of his work for de-addiction on Sunday said he will return the honour in protest against the Maharashtra governments decision to allow the sale of liquor at supermarkets and walk-in stores Mavale was awarded the Rashtrapita Mahatma Gandhi Vyasanmukti Seva Purskar in 2017-18 I have been working on de-addiction for many years and was awarded by the state government for my work We are creating awareness through folk art But the state governments decision to allow the sale of wine in supermarkets and shops is not welcomed Mavale told reporters He said the state governments decision on the sale of wine in the garb of helping farmers will turn people into booze addicts This decision will give easy access to wine to children and women who otherwise would have never visited wine shops Mavale added He said the government is neglecting farmers from Vidarbha who are committing suicide This decision of the state government is a contradiction So today I put my award in front of Mahatma Gandhis statue in Pune and tomorrow I will return it after visiting the collectors office PTI COR NSK NSK

Kolkata Jan 30 PTI West Bengal Forest Minister Jyotipriyo Mallick on Sunday abruptly left the podium during a function to mark the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in Barrackpore area refusing to share the stage with BJP MP Arjun SinghMallick who was seated beside Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar suddenly got down from the stage when the Barrackpore MP arrivedAsked why chose to step aside the minister was heard telling the governor A professional killer is sitting beside you In protest I am leaving the platform I am sitting with the audience Mallicks comments came in the backdrop of the murder of Trinamool Congress leader Gopal Majumder in Barrackpore by unidentified assailants late on SaturdayWhile the ruling party alleged the killing was masterminded by Singh the BJP MP attributed the incident to infighting within the TMCBJP leader Bijoy Mukhopadhay was arrested on Sunday morning in connection with the murder of Majumder who was shot at and stabbed multiple times while returning home a police officer saidWe believe in democracy and non-violence preached by Mahatma Gandhi It is the TMC that is unleashing violence on us and killing its own party members in factional feud Singh saidHe however refused to comment on Mallicks actionThe minister later told reporters I was representing the state government as per protocol But I could not be seated on the podium with a mastermind of murders against whom we have filed charges and investigation is pending I did not leave the function midway I remained seated with the audience he addedBJP leader Debajit Sarkar shot back asserting that the TMC is making wild allegations and it has no right to indulge in character assassination of a representative of people at a state function PTI SUS RBT RBT

Mumbai Jan 23 PTI Top stories from western region at 5 pm BOM3 GJ-VIRUS-HOSPITAL-STAFF Guj Doctors nurses among 50 personnel of Rajkot civil hospital who test COVID-19 positive Rajkot Around 50 staffers of the civil hospital in Gujarats Rajkot city including doctors and nurses have tested coronavirus positive an official said SundaySince none of them are in a serious condition they are undergoing treatment in home isolation Superintendent of Civil Hospital R S Trivedi said BOM5 GA-HYMN-CHIDAMBARAM Centres move of dropping Abide with me hymn sad sensitive people hurt by decision Chidambaram Panaji Objecting to the Centres decision of dropping one of Mahatma Gandhis favourite hymns Abide with me from this years Beating Retreat ceremony senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday said the governments move has hurt the thinking and sensitive people BOM6 POLL-GA-TMC-CHIDAMBARAM TMCs proposal for alliance in Goa not considered as it poached Cong leaders Chidambaram Panaji Congress veteran P Chidambaram on Sunday said the Trinamool Congresss TMC proposal of a pre-poll alliance for the next months Goa Assembly elections was not considered by his party as the Mamata Banerjee-led party poached Congress leaders in the state BOM2 POLL-GA-CONG-PLEDGE Goa polls Hit hard by defections Cong makes its candidates take pledge of party loyalty before God Panaji Ahead of the next months Goa Assembly elections the Congress which was hit hardest by defections in the BJP-ruled state in the last five years made its candidates swear before God that they will not switch the party if they get elected BES3 MH-GANGRAPE-ARREST Minor among two more held in Govandi gang-rape case count reaches four Mumbai Police have arrested two more persons including a minor in connection with the alleged gang-rape of a woman in Govandi an eastern suburb of Mumbai an official said on Sunday PTI NSK NSK

New Delhi Dec 17 PTI Leaders of Delhi BJP on Friday held a protest at Rajghat here against the new excise policy of the Arvind Kejriwal-led government and demanded a CBI probe into it Under its new excise policy the Delhi government has moved out of retail liquor business paving the way for opening of 849 vends across the city The BJP has been opposing these liquor vends alleging that they violate rules No reaction was immediately available from the Delhi government or the ruling AAP over charges of BJP leaders It is the resolve of BJP to not allow opening of any new liquor shops and in coming days 15 lakh signatures will be collected from youth women religious heads and others against this policy and handed over to President Ram Nath Kovind Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta said The protesters prayed at Rajghat which is Mahatma Gandhis memorial for wisdom to prevail over the Kejriwal government to withdraw its excise policy Kejriwal has now become a liquor baron He is pushing entire Delhi towards alcoholism He talked of surplus budget in assembly several times but what happened to that and why he wants Delhiites to be drinking liquor he said Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri demanded a CBI probe into this saying it involved a scam Most of these shops have been opened in clear violation of master plan and also it is in violation of Supreme Courts order he claimed The head of a khap panchayat Surender Solanki said if Kejriwal government did not withdraw the policy the whole panchayat of 360 villages and its people will sit on dharna at the Chief Ministers residence as per a Delhi BJP statement PTI VIT HDA HDA

Ahmedabad Nov 17 PTI The Congress in Gujarat on Wednesday approached the police and demanded that people who installed Mahatma Gandhis assassin Nathuram Godses bust in Jamnagar be treated as anti-nationals and booked under the sedition law in the interest of the countrys integrity A delegation of senior Congress leaders MLAs and party workers met state Director General of Police DGP Ashish Bhatia and submitted a memorandum which stated that installing the bust of the man who murdered Gandhi was an attempt to attack the countrys integrity and was like an act of terrorism In the interest of the countrys integrity request you to take action against people behind this under sedition law the memorandum read A group of people from a right-wing outfit Hindu Sena had on Monday installed the bust which some Congress members demolished on Tuesday Police arrested seven persons from both sides on charges of promoting enmity It is a matter of shame that such a thing is happening in the Gujarat of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel Gandhi is celebrated the world over for this non-violence and dedicated his entire life to fight for the countrys freedom Congress leader Bharatsinh Solanki told reporters after meeting the DGP People who are behind this despicable act of installing the bust of the murderer of Mahatma Gandhi should be booked under sedition law because this is an anti-national act This is what we have demanded from the DGP he said Godses bust was installed by members of the Hindu Sena a right-wing outfit led by Jamnagar-based lawyer Pratik Bhatt in an open ground of a small temple-cum-ashram on Jamnagar city outskirts said inspector of Jamnagar A division police station Mahavir Jalu Upon learning about the bust installation president of Jamnagar city Congress Digubha Jadeja reached the spot along with party colleague Dhaval Nanda and demolished it Based on the complaints submitted by Bhatt and Jadeja police have lodged cross-complaints under section 153A of the IPC for promoting enmity between different groups PTI KA NP NP

Ahmedabad Oct 27 PTI Mahatma Gandhis great-grandson Tushar Gandhi has filed a public interest litigation PIL in the Gujarat High Court challenging the state governments Sabarmati Ashram redevelopment projectThe PIL filed recently is likely to come up for hearing post-Diwali vacationThe government proposes to redevelop the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad a place closely associated with Mahatma Gandhi and Indias freedom struggle as a world-class tourist attraction spread over 54 acres of land by bringing together 48 existing heritage properties located nearbyOn Wednesday Tushar Gandhi the son of Arun Gandhi whose father Mani Lal was the Mahatmas third son said in the PIL he has challenged the governments Rs 1200-crore Gandhi Ashram Memorial and Precinct Development Project because it goes against the wishes and philosophy of the Father of the NationHe said the Gujarat government has been made a respondent in the PIL along with all the six trusts that take care of various activities of the Sabarmati Ashram as well as the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi -- a charitable trust formed to further activities associated with Mahatma Gandhi -- and also the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation AMC and others associated with the projectWe have raised questions before these trusts as to why they are not fulfilling their responsibility said Tushar Gandhi a writer and social workerThe state should not be allowed to interfere as the constitution of Gandhi Smarak Nidhi says Bapus Ashram and memorials should be kept away from government and political influences he saidWhen the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi was formed not a single penny was taken from the government during its initial years Later amendments were made to allow for funds from the government to take care of Gandhi monuments but the role of the state was limited to be that of a funding agency with no right to carry out anything on its own Tushar Gandhi saidThis is the first time that the government has asked the trusts to step back and let it do all the work The government has even formed its own trust for the same We believe the trust formed by the government will become whole and sole for Sabarmati and other trusts will be made redundant he saidHe said the petition also raises the issue of spending an amount of Rs 1200 crore as not being justified in the present circumstancesThe project envisages developing the Ashram the way it existed during the time of Mahatma Gandhi when it was spread over 35 to 40 acres with 63 heritage properties 48 of which are still standingThe sprawling premises also called the Gandhi Ashram served as Mahatma Gandhis residence for several years from where he carried out major political and social activities during the independence movement PTI KA PD RSY RSY