Task of cleaning Yamuna to be completed before next LS polls: Home Minister Shah
New Delhi (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the Centre’s resolve to rejuvenate the Yamuna river is not a political move but an effort to honour the sacred place the river holds in the hearts of the people.
Shah was speaking after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for development projects worth around Rs 1,816 crore of the Delhi government in the national capital. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and several other dignitaries were present at the event.
Extending advance greetings to the people of Delhi for Diwali and Chhath Puja, Shah said that about 80 per cent of the projects inaugurated on Thursday are linked to efforts to clean the Yamuna.
“When the people of Delhi chose change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that purifying Mother Yamuna would be the top priority of his government. He promised to complete this task by 2029,” Shah said. “By merely reducing corruption and cutting down on advertisement expenses, the dream of a clean Yamuna can be realised,” he added.
He said that under PM Modi’s leadership, a plan has been prepared to clean the Yamuna up to Prayagraj within the next seven months. “The AAP-da government had promised to clean the Yamuna and take a dip in it, but they didn’t take the dip — instead, the people of Delhi made them sink,” Shah quipped, while hitting out at the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government.
In 2020, Kejriwal had promised that before the next elections, they would ensure that the Yamuna became so clean that people would be able to take a dip in it. He had said he would join people in taking a dip.
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Shivakumar opposes ‘One Nation One Election’, calls it ‘unworkable’
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday strongly opposed the central government’s proposed ‘One Nation One Election’ initiative.
Shivakumar expressed his views at a dialogue on ‘One Nation One Election’ organised by the Joint Parliamentary Study Committee.
He said the plan is a politically motivated, power-centralising scheme that would seriously damage India’s federal structure by weakening states and poses a threat to the democratic system, according to a statement from his office.
As KPCC president and deputy CM of Karnataka, he categorically rejected the proposal, stating that it is being crafted to suit the convenience of those in power at the Centre.
Shivakumar said that the Karnataka Legislative Assembly had already passed a resolution opposing ‘One Nation One Election’ and read out the resolution at the meeting.
He firmly stated that it is “not a workable plan” and added that it is “practically impossible.”
“If a government falls midterm due to political instability, a no-confidence motion, or loss of majority, what is the solution?” he asked.
“Elections are held at different times in different states for different terms. Karnataka had its election in 2023, while Tamil Nadu and Kerala had theirs in 2021, and Punjab and Telangana in 2022 and 2023, respectively. How can these elections with varying schedules be synchronised?” he asked.
He added that the proposal is a ploy to suppress the voices of regional and Opposition parties.
He also said the Karnataka government does not agree with the proposal and remains committed to the position of the Congress party’s national leadership.
