Empty Ujwala Cylinders
The President of India inaugurated the world’s largest cricket stadium just a few days ago. The stadium which was earlier named after Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel has been renamed after Narendra Modi and this led to heated discussions on social media. In the midst of this, the price of gas cylinder that has been increased by Rs 25 at one go did not become news and the people’s anger against this did not go viral at all. About 75 per cent of the people of the country have nothing to do with the stadium as no food can be grown on it nor can the runs scored in cricket matches be used as fuel for cooking food or as manure for growing it.
Cricket is no longer a game these days. It is a huge industry. Those who play and those who make them play are making crores of rupees. In a country where about 80 per cent of people are suffering due to malnutrition, nothing can be achieved through this cricket stadium. Moreover, developed countries such as America and China have not given any importance to cricket. Such countries nurture other sports, win gold medals in Olympics, and attract the world’s attention. It is a crude joke that India that is completely destroyed by lockdown is inaugurating the world’s biggest cricket stadium. In a way, it is appropriate that the stadium has been renamed after Modi. It is actually conveying a message to the world about what is happening in a country like India that is grappling with hunger and where a Prime Minister renames a stadium after his name and celebrates this as a huge feat.
Around the same time, the price of cooking gas (gas cylinder) increased by Rs 25. In the month of February itself, the price of cooking gas increased by over Rs 100. The government that repeatedly talks about how it is providing cylinders to the poor under the ‘Ujwala’ programme has forgotten that gas stoves can’t be lit with empty cylinders as this hike in the price of gas cylinders also applies to the beneficiaries under the ‘Ujwala’ programme. It has already been exposed by the media that the Ujwala programme is bogus. In addition, by taking away the subsidy of the beneficiaries and increasing the price of cylinders, the government has made sure that gas stoves are not lit in the houses of the poor. The country might have to view the renaming of the stadium as a celebration of this by the Prime Minister.
Modi is behaving as though he has nothing to do with the frequent increase in the price of petrol and diesel, the manifold increase of the price of cylinder, and the daily increase in the prices of vegetables and groceries. He is trying to build a separate country for the 10 per cent of people. The world’s tallest statue, the world’s biggest cricket stadium, the bullet train, a park in the name of Shivaji, Ram Mandir in the name of religion are all for this small group of people. Experts are warning that the malnutrition level has touched 80 per cent. The protein intake has reduced substantially. The hands of farmers who were engaged in dairy farming have been tied with laws such as the Sale of Cattle Act. Indians have been stopped from eating beef but beef is being exported. While farmers find themselves on the streets due to the collapse of dairy farming, extensive efforts are being made to deprive the people of meat. In the midst of this, the rising fuel price has made people’s lives hell.
The government is deaf to the people’s anguish. If a demand for the reduction in the prices of petrol is made, the Prime Minister points blames the previous UPA Government for the price rise. The government is not willing to reduce the excise tax on crude oil even though it is well aware that this levy is responsible for the increase in fuel prices despite a fall in crude oil price at the international level. So far, all political parties were reluctant to take on the middle classes. But for the first time, a government is taking policy decisions that work against the poor and middle class and is trying to hoodwink them.
But now the entire country has turned against Modi’s economic policies. As an alternative to the world’s tallest statute and world’s biggest cricket stadium, the world’s largest farmers protest has been taking place in the country. The Prime Minister should understand that the world is evaluating India not through its stadium but through these protests. In this backdrop, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has called for a Bharat Bandh on Friday (February 26) against the fuel price hike and the injustice due to GST. About 40,000 trader organizations have extended their support to the bandh. Perhaps, support on such a scale was not extended in the past to a bandh call. The Modi government should consider this also as its achievement.
The country’s economy is already in doldrums due to the lockdown and this bandh would further leave an impact on the country’s economy. Now, lorry owners have threatened to stop transportation for an indefinite period. If that were to happen, shops would have to be temporarily shut in the absence of the supply of groceries and vegetables. People cannot be cheated for long by giving false assurances. By naming a cricket stadium after him, Modi will not earn an eternity in history. That will happen only by responding to the problems of the poor and the working class. If Modi’s close confidantes don’t educate him about this, there is a danger that his name would be permanently etched in history for destroying the country.
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London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
