BJP-JD(S) 'Mysuru Chalo' march demanding CM’s resignation in Mandya on day 4
Mandya (PTI): The combined opposition, BJP and JD(S), on Tuesday continued their protest march, demanding the resignation of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment 'scam.'
The week-long Bengaluru -Mysuru padayatre (foot march) has sought to highlight the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by MUDA, including to Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi.
The fourth day of the 'Mysuru Chalo' protest began at Nidaghatta near here and is scheduled to cover a distance of 20 km to reach the district headquarters city of Mandya.
BJP State President and MLA B Y Vijayendra, former Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, Deputy Leader of Opposition in Assembly Arvind Bellad, several legislators, leaders and workers from both parties took part as the march resumed.
A large number of workers and leaders from both parties were seen marching shouting slogans against Siddaramaiah and the Congress government, holding BJP and JD(S) party flags and placards, amidst sounds of drum beat.
The stretch through which the march passed was decked up with flags of both parties, buntings and portraits of prominent leaders at several places.
Kick started on Saturday at Kengeri near Bengaluru, the march on its first day had covered a distance of 16 km to reach Bidadi, 22 km on day two to reach Kengal, and 20 km on day three to reach Nidaghatta.
In the MUDA 'scam', it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA.
The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where MUDA developed a residential layout.
Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts.
BJP leaders have claimed that the MUDA "scam" is of the magnitude of Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 5,000 crore.
The Congress government on July 14 constituted a single member inquiry commission under former High Court Judge Justice P N Desai to probe the MUDA 'scam'.
Based on a petition filed by advocate-activist T J Abraham, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot had issued a "show-cause notice" on July 26 directing the Chief Minister to submit his reply to the allegations against him within seven days as to why permission for prosecution should not be granted against him.
Subsequently, the Karnataka government had "strongly advised" the Governor to withdraw his "show-cause notice" to the CM, and alleged "gross misuse of the Constitutional Office '' of the Governor. The council of Ministers after their meeting had said a concerted effort is being made to destabilise a lawfully elected majority government in Karnataka for political considerations.
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Anbumani asks PM Modi to ban sale of cigarettes for those born after 2009
Chennai (PTI): PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take legislative measures to prohibit smoking and the sale of cigarettes to individuals born on or after January 1, 2009, thereby creating a smoke-free generation.
Anbumani, former Union minister for health and family welfare, said, "Once implemented, it (ban on cigarettes) will ensure that future generations are legally prevented from ever accessing tobacco products", he said in a letter to Modi.
"I write to you with a deep sense of urgency and responsibility, drawing your kind attention to a critical public health issue that continues to endanger the lives of millions of Indians, particularly among the younger generation who are affected by cigarette smoking", he claimed.
Stating that India unfortunately bears a disproportionately high burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality, he said, adding that, according to global health estimates, nearly 267 million Indians, approximately one in five citizens, use tobacco.
"Each year, tobacco consumption directly accounts for over 1.35 million deaths, while exposure to second-hand smoke contributes to a total of approximately 2.3 million deaths annually", he said, adding, "these figures are alarming and reflect a public health crisis of immense magnitude".
He pointed out that Scientific evidence unequivocally establishes tobacco use as a leading cause of cancer and numerous non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular ailments, chronic respiratory diseases such as COPD, and multiple forms of malignancies. "In India alone, tobacco is responsible for nearly 40–50 per cent of all cancer cases, with over 4.7 lakh deaths annually attributed to tobacco-induced cancers", he added.
"In this context, I strongly urge the Union government to consider enacting a transformative law similar to that of the United Kingdom, that permanently prohibits the sale and consumption of tobacco products for individuals born on or after a specified year (such as 2009). Such a generational ban would mark a decisive step towards eliminating tobacco use in India over time", he said.
