CM Siddaramaiah defends son's controversial statement against Amit Shah
Mysuru, Apr 1: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday defended his son Yathindra's statement targeting Amit Shah, which the BJP has termed as reprehensible and a personal attack on the Union Home Minister and lodged a complaint with the Election Commission.
Siddaramaiah said his son never intended to insult Shah and his statement was based on CBI's submission in the court.
Addressing a party meeting in Hanur town of Chamarajanagar district last Thursday, Yathindra, a former MLA, allegedly said: "Home Minister Amit Shah is a goonda, rowdy, there was a murder charge against him in Gujarat and he was exiled, and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi did politics keeping such people next to him....".
A day later, the Karnataka unit of the BJP filed a complaint with the poll body describing the statement as a personal attack on the party leader and alleged that Yathindra had used "abusive and inflammatory language" against Shah. It said the statement violated provisions of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
ALSO READ: BJP complains to poll officials on political activities in offices of K'taka Ministers, MLAs
Speaking to reporters here, Siddaramaiah said: “Yathindra has given a statement based on the CBI report in the court. Is the CBI report to the court right or wrong? Based on the CBI’s submission to the court he has said it. He has no intention to insult Amit Shah."
The BJP also alleged Yathindra’s statement reflected his upbringing. Responding to this, Siddaramaiah said it is the BJP which does not know "Samskara" (culture).
On BJP’s claim of winning 400 seats across the country in the coming Lok Sabha elections, the Chief Minister said: “You know why (BJP is saying this), because they will get less than 200 seats. They have done a survey. Their tally is less than 200, so they are strategically saying ‘400’ (seats).”
Asked how many seats that the Congress will win nationally, Siddaramaiah said he has no information about his party’s target, but he is confident that the outfit would bag up to 20 seats out of the total 28 in the State.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
