Surathkal toll gate stir to be intensified after Nov 7: Protest panel
Surathkal, Nov 5: Even as the indefinite agitation against the Surathkal toll gate entered the ninth day on Saturday, the action committee has warned of intensifying their stir after November 7, by which Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has promised to stop the toll collection.
Kateel, who is also BJP state president had on October 16 asked the action committee to wait for 20 days to remove the toll gate which ends on November 7.
The protest will be intensified if Kateel fails to fulfil the promise, committee convenor Muneer Katipalla said.
He said the agitation will continue till the toll collection at the plaza is completely stopped. If the local MP fails to keep his assurance, he should quit his post, he said.
Denying Kateel's charge that the protest is being politicised, he said all sections are welcome to join the stir as it is an issue involving the people.
Katipalla said the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) authorities have made it clear that they are waiting for the Centre's nod to close the toll gate.
However, BJP leaders who are hand in glove with the contractors are putting pressure on the government to continue with the 'illegal' toll collection, he alleged.
People have been on the warpath for the last several months against the toll gate at Surathkal near here, which they term as 'illegal' as the nearest toll gate at Hejamady is just 10 km away. National Highway rules stipulate that no two toll plazas should exist between a 60-km stretch.
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Integrity of electoral process severely compromised, Cong to soon launch movement: CWC
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress Working Committee met here on Friday and adopted a resolution alleging the integrity of the entire electoral process was being severely compromised against which the party would soon launch a movement.
In the resolution of the top body of the Congress, the party said free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that was being called into "serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission".
The CWC, which met amid the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, said the session has been a washout so far because of the Narendra Modi government's "stubborn refusal" to have an immediate discussion on three pressing national issues -- "the recent revelations regarding corruption by a business group, and the violence in Manipur and Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal".
Asked why the Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution does not name the business group, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "The answer is the Adani group".
"The CWC believes the integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised. Free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that is being called into serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission.
"Increasing sections of society are becoming frustrated and deeply apprehensive. The Congress will take these up these public concerns as a national movement," the resolution stated.
Addressing a joint press conference along with Ramesh and Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, party general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said the party discussed the political situation in the country for four-and-half hours and adopted the resolution.
He said the CWC has decided to constitute internal committees to look into electoral performance and organisational matters.
About the Assembly polls results in Maharashtra, Venugopal said the electoral outcome in the state was "beyond normal understanding and it appears to be a clear case of targeted manipulation".
