Kharge, Rahul Gandhi pay tribute to Manmohan Singh on his birth anniversary
New Delhi (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday paid homage to former prime minister Manmohan Singh on his birth anniversary.
They remembered him as a man of humility and wisdom, and for his historic contribution to building a strong economy.
In a post on X, Kharge said they remember the contribution of Singh in nation-building. He was a gentle architect of India's economic transformation.
"A man of humility and wisdom, he carried himself with quiet dignity, letting his actions speak louder than his words. His vision of economic reforms opened new doors of opportunity, creating a thriving middle class and lifting countless families out of poverty," the Congress chief said.
He said Singh believed deeply in fairness and inclusivity, ensuring that growth went hand in hand with compassion through welfare measures that touched the lives of millions.
His leadership showed us that integrity in public life is not just possible, but powerful, Kharge noted in his post.
"For generations of Indians, he will remain an enduring symbol of honesty, intellect, and selfless service to the nation. His legacy will live on in the aspirations of a stronger, more inclusive India. Our humble homage on his birth anniversary," Kharge said.
Rahul Gandhi, in a separate post on X, said on the birth anniversary of former prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, he pays his humble respects to him.
"His unwavering commitment to nation-building, his bold decisions for the poor and marginalised, and his historic contribution to building a strong economy will continue to guide us," Gandhi said in his post.
"His simplicity, humility, and honesty are a source of inspiration for all of us," Gandhi added.
Singh was the country's prime minister from 2004 to 2014, when he headed the Congress-led UPA government and was considered the architect of economic reforms in the country.
Singh was the finance minister in the P V Narasimha Rao government between 1991 and 1996, during whose tenure large-scale economic reforms were initiated and the state's control on the economy was loosened.
Born in 1932 in Gah of Punjab, now in Pakistan, Singh rose from a humble background to become a distinguished economist and entered public life later. He died in December last year.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
