PM Modi to inaugurate over 20 India-funded projects in Mauritius
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Port Louis (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate over 20 India-funded projects, ranging from capacity building to community-linked infrastructure, during his two-day State Visit to Mauritius, officials said.
Modi will also announce new major infrastructure projects aimed at strengthening democracy in the Southeast African island nation.
Prime Minister Modi, along with his Mauritian counterpart Navin Ramgoolam, will jointly inaugurate the Civil Services College building.
The construction of the building was completed at an approximate cost of USD 4.75 million. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the project was signed in 2017.
Modi will also e-inaugurate the Area Health Centre and 20 community projects, which have been constructed at a cost of around INR 7 crores. These community projects also include sports-related infrastructure.
"We have something called community development projects, and these are small projects at the grassroots level, which are implemented very fast within a short span of time. Some of these projects are also in the area of sports. We have developed football fields and other such sports facilities, which can be found all over Mauritius," Anurag Srivastava, India's High Commissioner to Mauritius, told PTI Videos.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway at various sites in Port Louis for the prime minister's visit.
Speaking to PTI Videos, Bedouin Site Manager Rambojun Siddharth said, "Today, we are working to complete preparations for the inauguration of the Civil Services College. The leaders will gather at the Cubical Sphere Auditorium, next to the College. The Indian Prime Minister and our Prime Minister will hold a meeting there. We are aiming to finish everything before the 12th of March."
He expressed gratitude to India for funding the project.
"The college is fully equipped with all the necessary facilities. Many opportunities will arise," Rambojun said.
Adjacent to the college, the India-funded National Archives and Library building is under construction. The Project Director of Varindera Construction Limited, Baljeet Sharma, who is working on-site, said India has completed most of the projects in Mauritius on time.
"Most of the India-funded projects in Mauritius have been constructed by our company, including 956 housing projects, two area health centres, and medical clinics. We are also constructing a Renal Transplant Centre at the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital. India has been delivering projects on time," Sharma told PTI Videos.
Ahead of his trip to Mauritius, Prime Minister Modi on Monday said the visit will open a "new and bright" chapter in the ties between the two nations.
Mauritian Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful, speaking to PTI Videos, said a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a line of credit will be signed on March 12.
"There will be the signing of a MoU on a line of credit, which is being granted by India, regarding the replacement of our water pipes," Ramful said.
The strong ties between India and Mauritius are evident in the numerous India-supported development initiatives across the island.
In January 2022, both countries signed a MoU to implement 96 community development projects across Mauritius. Of these, 51 have already been inaugurated.
In 2016, India granted Mauritius USD 353 million as part of a Special Economic Package for five key projects, including the Metro Express Project, the Supreme Court Building, the New ENT Hospital, the Social Housing project, and digital tablets for schoolchildren.
In 2017, India also provided a USD 500 million Line of Credit to finance 10 additional projects, including Phase I and II of the Metro Project, the Social Housing Project, the supply of gas-based incinerators and firefighting vehicles, an 8 MW Solar Power Plant, a new Forensic Science Laboratory, the National Archives & Library, and the Mauritius Police Academy.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
