Modi reiterates call for simultaneous polls, seeks debate
New Delhi, June 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reiterated his call for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and Assemblies and called for a widespread debate and consultations over the issue.
"The Prime Minister called for widespread debate and consultations on simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas, keeping in view various aspects such as the resulting financial savings and consequent better utilisation of resources," Modi said in his concluding remarks at the fourth meeting of Governing Council of NITI Aayog.
The Prime Minister has been pitching for simultaneous polls for some time.
In 2017, while addressing the third meeting of Governing Council of NITI Aayog, Modi had asked all the Chief Ministers to consider conducting simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha elections across the country.
On earlier occasions, he has said that policy, planning process and implementation becomes easier for the government as the nation's resources do not witness an unwanted burden if simultaneous polls were held.
According to him, a cost of Rs 1,100 crore was incurred during the 2009 general polls while Rs 4,000 crore was incurred in 2014.
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Diljit Dosanjh challenges liquor policy, calls for a dry nation movement
Ahmedabad: Renowned Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh has sparked a debate on liquor policies across India, calling for a nationwide prohibition on alcohol. Performing at a concert in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on November 17, Dosanjh declared that he would stop singing songs about alcohol if liquor sales were banned nationwide.
The singer, who is currently on his Dil-Luminati India Tour, criticised the double standards of authorities who have often targeted him for promoting alcohol through his songs. He cited Bollywood’s widespread use of alcohol themes in movies and songs, questioning why similar scrutiny is not applied to the film industry. He also took a jibe at Bollywood celebrities, pointing out that unlike them, he doesn't endorse or advertise alcohol.
Dosanjh’s remarks came after the Telangana government issued a notice ahead of his Hyderabad concert, asking him to avoid performing songs that promote alcohol, drugs, or violence. Responding to this, he altered his popular tracks Lemonade and 5 Taara during the concert but expressed frustration over what he called selective enforcement.
At the Ahmedabad concert, he highlighted Gujarat's dry state status and said, “If all states close liquor shops, I will stop singing songs about alcohol. During the pandemic, everything was shut down except liquor stores. You can’t fool the youth.”
Dosanjh also offered to refrain from singing about alcohol in concerts held in dry states or on dry days declared by the government. He called upon his audience to support a movement advocating a dry nation.
The singer emphasised his versatility as an artist, noting that he has released numerous devotional songs but continues to face criticism primarily for his tracks that mention alcohol, such as Patiala Peg. “Tweaking songs is easy for me, but the focus should be on broader societal changes,” he said.
Dosanjh also pointed out the disparity in how Indian and international artists are treated. “If an international artist performs, there are no restrictions. But when an Indian artist sings, it becomes an issue,” he remarked.
