Assam flood toll now nine, over 4 lakh affected
Guwahati, June 17: The flood situation continued to be grim across Assam on Sunday, affecting over four lakh people in six districts as five more persons were killed in last 24 hours, taking the toll to nine.
Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) officials said that a total of 4,48,495 persons in 673 villages of Hojai, Cachar, Golaghat, Hailakandi, Karimganj, and West Karbi Anglong were severely affected, while surging river waters have also affected crop areas in Nagaon and Morigaon districts.
"Five persons (one each from Karimganj and Hailakandi and three from Cachar) have lost their lives on Sunday in the flood taking the total death toll to nine in the first wave of flood this year," said an ASDMA official, adding that embankment breaches have also been reported in six places in Hojai.
"In Karimganj, natural embankment breach has occurred at three points in Longai river and also two more such incidents has been reported by Executive Engineer, Water Resource Division, Karimganj, where public has cut out the embankment themselves," the official said.
While the Brahmaputra river is flowing above danger level at Neamatighat (Jorhat), Dhansiri river is flowing above danger level at Numaligarh in Golaghat.
Similarly, Jia Bharali is flowing above danger level at Sonitpur followed by Kopili at Nagaon, Barak river (Cachar) and Badarpurghat (Karimganj), and Kushiyara river is flowing above danger level at Karimganj.
The National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force teams have been engaged into service in the flood-affected areas for search and rescue operation. "Today 6,153 persons were rescued in from Karimganj district, Hailakandi, and Cachar by SDRF and NDRF personnel," an official said.
A total of 235 camps are operational in Karimganj, Hailakandi, Karbi Anglong (west), Hojai and Cachar with 1,73,245 taking shelter in them as of Sunday. As many as 246 Relief Distribution Centres are also operational in Hojai, Cachar and Karimganj.
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UCC only targets Muslims while other personal laws remain unaffected: Tushar Gandhi
Mangalore: Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and a prominent social activist, expressed strong concerns over the current political environment in India, stating that it deviates from the vision of the nation's founders. Speaking at a seminar in Mangalore on Monday, Gandhi emphasized that the unity that earned India its liberty has been overshadowed by divisive politics focused on caste and religion.
He was addressing a gathering at a one-day seminar and book release event organized by the Karnataka Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, Bangalore, in collaboration with Mangalore University, Mangala Gangotri, National Service Scheme (NSS), and the Kumbra Jathappa Rai Prasthistana, Puttur. The seminar was aimed at discussing the relevance of Gandhi’s ideology for today’s youth.
In his special address on the topic “Relevance of Gandhi’s Ideology to Today’s Youth,” Gandhi lamented how today’s political leaders have realized that dividing and ruling the electorate is the way forward. He expressed frustration that the electorate is often left to choose between poor political options, with no ideal candidates in sight. "We are in a zone where we have to elect from all the bad options. No ideal options are left when it comes to politics. We elect people who should be nowhere in public life," he said, underscoring the decline in political integrity.
Gandhi also criticized the ongoing discussions surrounding the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). He argued that the code disproportionately targets Muslims, while other personal laws remain unaffected. He pointed out that the current political regime’s push for UCC reflects an attempt to alter the Constitution through indirect means, calling it “changing the Constitution through the backdoor.”
In a pointed remark about the current atmosphere for minorities, Gandhi questioned whether a person from a minority community would feel comfortable or confident seeing an individual in an RSS uniform working at a government office. He asserted that this discomfort is exactly what the present regime seeks to instill in minorities, furthering their marginalization.
Gandhi’s remarks resonated with the audience, drawing attention to the stark contrast between the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and the prevailing political discourse. He warned that the political and social divisions seen today were far from what the nation's founders had envisioned, calling for a return to the principles of unity and secularism.
The seminar also featured notable speakers and dignitaries. Nadoja Dr. Wooday P. Krishna, President of the Karnataka Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, delivered the keynote address. Dr. Shantaram Shetty, Pro Vice Chancellor of Nitte University, Mangalore, was the guest of honor, releasing two books authored by Pramod Kumar Rai, founder of Kumbra Jathappa Rai Pratistana, Puttur. The books titled "On the Trail of Gandhi’s Footsteps" and "Before I Return to the Soil" reflect on Gandhi’s ideology and its impact on society.
Presiding over the event was Prof. P.L. Dharma, Vice Chancellor of Mangalore University, who praised the significance of such discussions in today’s context. Dr. Sheshappa K, NSS Coordinator of Mangalore University, and Prof. Ganapati Gowda, Principal of University College, Mangalore, were also present during the seminar.
