No question of embracing Congress: Prakash Rai
Bengaluru: Noted actor and scholar Prakash Rai clarified that “There is no question of contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections on Congress ticket”.
Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, Rai said that “I believe in secular ideology. So, there is no need to identify with any political parties. But if the Congress leaders are following the secular principles, let them support me in the election”, he said.
“Both BJP and Congress are the two faces of the same coin. BJP is following bitter Hindutva ideology, while the Congress is following soft Hindutva. So, it is not possible to raise voice against the exploited classes being in Congress. I will not backtrack from the electoral politics”, he said.
Raj said he will not bring people to do politics. It was not his politics and he would seek opinions of people and proceed with them.
“Instead of thinking who is opponent, let us speak about with whom we are working. It is not a cricket match to speak about victory and defeat. People are not like any political parties. After electing the elected representatives after five years, they have their own works. People will entrust the responsibility to us to do works”, Rai said.
Reservation in Muslim dominated areas
“Political reservation was introduced where Muslim population was more and it was mentioned in the Justice Rajendra Sachar Commission report. If the report is implemented honestly and with concerns, the Muslim community could be empowered”.
- Prakash Raj, actor
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
