Karnataka Guv Thaawarchand Gehlot lauds Cong govt's five guarantee schemes
Bengaluru, Aug 15: Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Thursday heaped praise on the state government's five guarantee schemes and said they are designed to empower women, support the poor and assist unemployed youth.
Cautioning against the serious challenge of environmental imbalance, he stressed on the shared responsibility to protect and enhance the environment.
"Karnataka is a progressive state, playing a crucial role in the overall development of our country. Through various development initiatives, our state has been at the forefront of implementing innovative and inclusive programs, ensuring access to basic services with the aim of achieving comprehensive and sustainable development," Gehlot said in his Independence Day message.
"The state government is successfully implementing the five guarantee schemes, which are designed to empower women, support poor and middle-class families, and assist unemployed youth," he was quoted as saying by Raj Bhavan in a statement.
ALSO READ: Siddaramaiah says guarantee schemes will continue, highlights challenges in Centre-State relations
Amid pressure from within the ruling Congress to do a "rethink" on the ambitious five guarantees schemes, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday asserted that they will continue.
Gehlot today hoisted the national flag at the Raj Bhavan on the occasion of 78th Independence Day celebrations, his office said.
Noting that since independence, both Karnataka and the nation have witnessed remarkable progress, with India now standing as the fifth largest economy in the world, the Governor said, "As we look towards the 100th anniversary of our independence, it is the collective aspiration of our people that India becomes fully educated, economically robust, and a leading force among developed nations.
To achieve this, we must all commit ourselves to serving our country with devotion and dedication."
Currently, the nation and the world faced the serious challenge of environmental imbalance, he pointed out. "It is our shared responsibility to protect and enhance our environment."
"Through initiatives like the 'A Tree in the Name of Mother' campaign, we must take meaningful steps towards environmental conservation by planting saplings," he added.
The Governor also extended his wishes to all Indian athletes who won medals and excelled in the recently concluded Olympic Games in Paris.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
