Page 30 - Gujarat

Gujarat: Shah inaugurates 4 'smart schools', takes swipe at AAP's promises

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday took a veiled swipe at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its leader Arvind Kejriwal by stating there are people who jump into the fray five months ahead of elections with a slew of promises unlike those who work hard for five years for the public before seeking their votes. At a function to inaugurate four 'smart schools' in Ahmedabad city, Shah praised the Gujarat model of primary public education and said if any state has to learn about a model regarding education, it should come to Gujarat. He also blamed the Congress governments of Gujarat of the past for leaving primary education in the state in a poor condition. After becoming chief minister, Narendra Modi took initiatives like 'Kanya Kelavani" and 'Gunotsav' to raise the enrolment ratio to 100 percent and also brought the dropout ratio to almost zero, Shah said. "Elections are near. There are two types of people. There are people who contest elections through a political party by sweating

Delhi CM Kejriwal promises fixed salary for village heads in Gujarat

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday promised fixed salaries for village heads besides direct funds for panchayats if his party came to power in Gujarat. The Delhi chief minister, who arrived in the BJP-ruled state for a two-day campaign tour on Friday, was speaking at a conclave of sarpanchas (village heads) here. Elections are due in Gujarat by year-end. An AAP government will provide a salary of Rs 10,000 per month for the sarpanch and Rs 10 lakh for the village panchayat which would be transferred directly by the state government, Kejriwal said. Village Computer Entrepreneurs (VCEs) who work on commission basis will also get a salary of Rs 20,000, he added. "A sarpanch wins an election in his village and people like and respect him. He is the leader of his village. After winning the election, the sarpanch spends money from his pocket because he has no funds for the work people want him to do," Kejriwal said at the townhall event in Surendranagar city. ..

FIR against Gujarat AAP chief for defaming BJP leaders Paatil and Sanghavi

A case was registered in Surat against Aam Aadmi Party's Gujarat unit chief Gopal Italia for allegedly defaming his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) counterpart CR Paatil and state minister Harsh Sanghavi, police said on Saturday. Italia is also accused of hurting the reputation of the BJP by saying that its "goons" were behind the attack on AAP leader Manoj Sorathiya in Surat city recently. Italia was accused of using defamatory words against state BJP president Paatil and Minister of State for Home Sanghvi, as per the FIR registered at Umara police station on the complaint of BJP worker Pratap Chodwadia. The FIR was registered under sections 500 (defamation), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505 (1)(b) (offending act inducing person to commit an offence against state or public tranquillity), and 469 (forgery for purpose of harming reputation) of the Indian Penal Code. After Sorathiya was attacked on August 31, Italia posted a video message in which

Gujarat riots case: Teesta Setalvad gets interim bail from Supreme Court

She was arrested by the Gujarat Police for allegedly fabricating documents to frame high-ranking officials in the 2002 Gujarat riots cases

SC granted Teesta Setalvad interim bail: What did the apex court say

Setalvad has long fought for Gujarat riot victims and blamed the then CM Narendra Modi and other high-ranking officials

Kejriwal promises farm loan waiver if AAP voted to power in Gujarat

Announcing yet another pre-poll "guarantee" in Gujarat, Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said his party, if voted to power in the state, will waive farm loans and also create a mechanism to buy produce from farmers at Minimum Support Price (MSP). In his address to farmers at Dwarka town of Devbhumi Dwarka district, the Delhi Chief Minister also promised to conduct a fresh survey of land as farmers were unhappy with the survey conducted recently by the BJP government. "Though MSP is announced every year, farm produce is not sold at that price. It is my guarantee that our government will buy at MSP if farmers do not find any other buyer who is willing to buy their produce at MSP. We will start with five farm produce such as wheat and paddy, and then add more," said Kejriwal in his address. Without elaborating, the Delhi CM also promised loan waiver for Gujarat farmers under an AAP government. "I learnt that farmers in Gujarat get electricity at night to irrigate ..

Gujarat riots: Supreme Court grants activist Teesta Setalvad interim bail

CJI UU Lalit said it is a matter of record that the appellant was remanded to police custody for about seven days and was interrogated every day

Kejriwal on 2-day Gujarat visit from Friday, to announce pre-poll guarantee

Continuing his focus on poll-bound Gujarat, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal will be on a two-day visit of the state from Friday to provide a fillip to his outfit's campaigning and also announce another pre-election "guarantee" for voters. During his visit, Kejriwal will declare a "major pre-poll guarantee" for the people of Gujarat, where Assembly elections are due by the year-end, an AAP statement said on Thursday. Till now, Kejriwal has announced a set of "guarantees", including free electricity up to 300 units per month, unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000, ten lakh government jobs, free and quality healthcare to all and free education in state-run schools and Rs 1,000 allowance for women if the AAP comes to power in Gujarat, currently ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The AAP leader will start his two-day trip from Devbhumi Dwarka district by addressing a gathering in Dwarka town, during which he will announce the new pre-poll ...

GMDC to study economic viability of rare earth elements processing unit

State-run GMDC on Thursday said it is contemplating to conduct a study to determine the economic viability of setting up a rare earth elements processing unit in Gujarat. Rare-earth elements (REE) also known as rare-earth metals are crucial to developing green energy technologies like permanent magnets for electric vehicles and wind turbines and LEDs. Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) "is looking at conducting a scoping study to determine the economic viability of the project and outline at least one opportunity to develop the processing plant for the deposit at Ambadongar, Chotaudepur district in Gujarat state in India," the PSU said in a statement. The company also plans to carry out a pre-economic assessment for the Ambadongar deposit involving, among other things, formulating a process flow design and all relevant testing for beneficiation and rare earth elements oxide production. "We at GMDC will ensure the establishment of a complete value chain for REE elements,

AAP vote share in Gujarat up by 4% post CBI raid on Sisodia, says Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said the Aam Aadmi Party's vote share in Gujarat has increased by 4 per cent after CBI raids against his deputy Manish Sisodia. This vote share will increase by 6 per cent if he is arrested, the AAP national convener said during a discussion on the confidence motion in the Delhi Assembly. "The CBI raided Sisodia, went to his village and searched his bank locker. CBI people said they did not find anything against him but are under pressure to arrest him," Kejriwal claimed. The prime minister has given a "certificate of honesty", he said. "The AAP's vote share has increased by 4 per cent in Gujarat after CBI raids against Sisodia. It will increase by 6 per cent if he's arrested," the chief minister said. Attacking the BJP, he said the saffron party leaders tried to buy AAP MLAs but none of his legislators accepted their offer. "Absolutely corrupt party lacks educated people while 'hardcore honest' party has those with good education,

Ensure strict action against AAP leader's attackers: Kejriwal to Gujarat CM

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed to his Gujarat counterpart, Bhupendra Patel, on Tuesday to ensure strict action against those who attacked and injured AAP leader Manoj Sorathiya in the state. Replying to a tweet of an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) worker about the incident, Kejriwal said winning and losing is part of elections but it is against Gujarat's culture to crush the Opposition with violence. "It is not right to attack those from the Opposition like this. Winning and losing is part of elections, but it is against the culture of Gujarat to crush the Opposition with violence and people do not like it," the AAP national convenor said in a tweet in Hindi. "I appeal to the Gujarat chief minister to ensure strict punishment to the culprits and protect everyone," he added. Kejriwal's demand came after AAP worker Vikas Yogi posted pictures of Sorathiya, who appeared to have sustained injuries on his head, on Twitter, alleging that "BJP goons made a murderous attempt" on the .

There were conspiracies to defame Gujarat, stop investment: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged that there were conspiracies to defame Gujarat and stop investments, but his home state ignored them and charted a new path of progress. He also said he can clearly visualise that in spite of many deficiencies now, India will be a developed nation by 2047. Modi was addressing a rally here in Kutch district on the second day of his two-day visit to the BJP-ruled Gujarat, where elections are due later this year. Before the rally, the PM held a three-km long roadshow in Bhuj, where thousands of people gathered on both sides of the road to greet him. The crowd kept shouting his name and waved the tricolour to express their affection for the PM. Modi reciprocated by waving at them while standing in a car. After the roadshow, Modi inugurated 'Smriti Van', a memorial built on the outskirts of Bhuj town in memory of the 2001 earthquake victims. He later went to the Kutch University ground to address a mass gathering and launch other projects .

PM Modi inaugurates 'Smriti Van' memorial for earthquake victims in Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday inaugurate the 'Smriti Van' memorial and launch projects worth Rs 4,400 crore at Bhuj in Gujarat's Kutch district during the second day of his visit to the state where the Assembly elections are due later this year. The PM will also lead a three kilometre long roadshow in Bhuj while on way to the Smriti Van. The Smriti Van memorial has been built in nearly 470 acre area to celebrate the spirit of resilience following the death of 13,000 people during the 2001 earthquake which had its epicentre in Bhuj. The memorial carries names of the people who lost their lives during the earthquake. It also has a state-of-the-art Smriti Van Earthquake Museum, as per a government release. The museum showcases Gujarat's topography, rebuilding initiatives and success stories after the 2001 earthquake, and informs about different kinds of disasters and future readiness for any type of disaster. It also has a block to relive the experience of an earthquake

India nominates Gujarat's Garba for inclusion in UNESCO heritage list

After West Bengal's Durga Puja was inscribed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity by UNESCO, the famed 'Garba' dance of Gujarat has been nominated for the year 2023

PM Modi holds meeting with Gujarat CM Patel, others on arrival in Ahmedabad

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held a meeting with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, state BJP chief CR Paatil and senior government officials at a facility near Ahmedabad airport soon after landing here on a two-day Gujarat visit. Others present at the meeting included ministers Harsh Sanghavi and Jagdish Vishwakarma as well as K Kailashnathan, chief principal secretary to the CM, sources said. After the PM landed here, he was welcomed by Governor Acharya Devvrat, CM Patel, state BJP president CR Paatil, ministers Harsh Sanghavi and Jagdish Vishwakarma and others at Ahmedabad airport. State Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar, Kailasanathan, Director General of Police Ashish Bhatia and senior officers were also present. The prime minister later joined the 'Khadi Utsav' event organised at Sabarmati Riverfront. He also inaugurated 'Atal Bridge' in Ahmedabad and the new office building of the Gujarat Rajya Khadi Gramodyog Board.

Rectify the wrong decision of Bilkis case remission: Ex-bureaucrats to CJI

More than 130 former civil servants on Saturday wrote an open letter to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) against the premature release of 11 men who were jailed in the gangrape case of Bilkis Bano and requested him to rectify this "horrendously wrong decision". They asked the CJI to rescind the order of remission passed by the Gujarat government and send the 11 persons convicted of gangrape and murder back to jail to serve out their life sentence. "Like the overwhelming majority of people in our country, we are aghast at what happened in Gujarat a few days ago, on the 75th anniversary of India's Independence, it said. Former Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung, former Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar, former foreign secretaries Shivshankar Menon and Sujatha Singh and former Home Secretary G K Pillai were among the 134 signatories to the letter, written under the aegis of the Constitutional Conduct Group. Justice Uday Umesh Lalit was sworn in as the 49th Chief Justice of Ind

FIR against owner of newspaper for article speculating Gujarat CM's removal

A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against the editor and owner of a newspaper here for publishing a write-up which hinted at the possible removal of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel due to the BJP leadership's 'unhappiness'. The FIR was registered two days ago under Indian Penal Code sections 505(1)(b) (offending act likely to induce a person to commit offence against State or public tranquillity) and 505 (2) (circulating or publishing report containing rumour or alarming news with intent to create feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will), police said. The article with the headline 'Goodbye Bhupendraji, Welcome Rupala' was published in the August 22 edition of the 'Saurashtra Headline', a Rajkot-based eveninger. The FIR was registered against editor Aniruddh Nakum who wrote the piece and his wife who is the owner of the newspaper, said inspector C G Joshi of Rajkot City A-division police station. A notice has been issued to the accused for joining the probe

Communal tension eases at Kutch village after cops nab murder accused

Police have nabbed a man wanted in connection with a murder that led to a communal clash in Madhapur village in Gujarat's Kutch district even as heavy police deployment remained in the area to avoid any untoward incident, officials said on Saturday. A group of members from a community attacked and vandalised shops and a place of worship of another social group on Friday evening in Madhapar, located just four km away from the 'Smriti Van' memorial for earthquake victims, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. Police had said people from the Rabari community from Madhapar on the outskirts of Bhuj were angry at the murder of a youth identified as Paresh Rabari who was allegedly stabbed to death by one Suleman Sana on Friday morning amid a quarrel. "We rounded up Suleman Sana on Friday evening and will arrest him in the due course after questioning. The situation has eased after the accused was taken into police custody," said Madhapar police station ...

Gujarat: Communal flare-up close to memorial set to be inaugurated by PM

A sizeable contingent of police has been deployed in Madhapur village near Bhuj town of Gujarat's Kutch district following communal tension in the area on Friday evening, a police official said. Notably, Madhapar is just four kilometres away from the 'Smriti Van' memorial for earthquake victims, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. Police sources said a group of members from one community attacked and vandalised shops and a place of worship of another social group. They said people from the Rabari community from Madhapar on the outskirts of Bhuj were angry at the murder of a youth identified as Paresh Rabari. Rabari was allegedly stabbed to death by one Suleman Sana on Friday morning amid a quarrel, they said. While returning from the final rites of the youth, an angry mob vandalised shops and a place of worship though the situation was brought under control quickly, the sources added. "The situation is under control. We cannot share anything more

PM Modi to inaugurate iconic Riverfront foot-over bridge in Ahmedabad today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the iconic foot-over bridge between Ellis Bridge and Sardar Bridge built near Sabarmati Riverfront on Saturday