BJP, Modi trying to end Gandhi-Nehru ideology: Congress leader Chennithala
Mumbai (PTI): The Congress' Maharashtra in charge Ramesh Chennithala has said the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were trying to the end the Gandhi-Nehru ideology.
He was speaking on Saturday after a two-day state level training camp concluded in Lonavala in Pune, which was attended by all top leaders, including state unit chief Nana Patole, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and former minister Balasaheb Thorat.
"Narendra Modi and the BJP are working to end democracy. If Modi comes back to power, many people will have to go to jail. Because he doesn't believe in democracy or the Constitution. In this election, we face a do-or-die situation," Chennithala said.
"Modi constantly criticises Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as he wants to end the Gandhi-Nehru ideology," the Kerala MLA added.
Speaking about the state level camp, he said there was very little time for the Lok Sabha polls, which will have to be fought in a scientific manner with proper booth management.
The INDIA alliance must work unitedly to ensure its wins 48 seats in Maharashtra, he said, adding that there must be discipline within the Congress.
It will not work if anyone starts speaking out of line, Chennithala added.
The NSUI, Youth Congress, frontal cells should also have regional level meetings, he added.
Patole said comprehensive discussions took place at the camp.
"We must work with the pride that we are Congress workers. The Congress should be united in the entire state. All cells, frontal organizations should be together. We don't have time to waste and must work on war footing," he said.
"The atmosphere is in favour of the Congress and MVA. The BJP is lying and cheating people. Remember, Maharashtra can stop Modi from retaining power," Patole claimed.
Thorat, the Congress Legislature Party leader, said his party had not regressed but people's principles were regressing.
At present politics doesn't have any ideology and those who have left the Congress will come back when the party regains power, he said.
"Don't let commercial politics continue. We should not allow such people within the Congress party. People should teach such commercial politicians a lesson," he said.
The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra was generating positive energy among masses and with requisite efforts the Maha Vikas Aghadi can win more than 38 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, Thorat said.
"The Congress party has a tradition, philosophy and work to show. The Congress has sacrificed for the country. We should be proud that we belong to the Congress. Elections are going to be fought as an alliance. No matter who the candidate is, the goal is that BJP and Narendra Modi should not stay in power. It is not in the interest of the country," Thorat said.
Speaking on the occasion, former CM Prithviraj Chavan said PM Modi constantly talks about India becoming the fifth largest economy in his leadership and that the country would be a developed one by 2047.
"But the pace of the country's economy is much slower under Modi than what it was under the UPA government of Dr Manmohan Singh. If the pace was similar now, we would have been the third largest economy by now," Chavan claimed.
During the UPA period (2004-14), the economy expanded by 183 per cent, while during the Modi era, it is 103 per cent, he pointed out.
"Demonetisation, implementation of GST, sudden lockdown, war waged against farmers and corruption have slowed down the pace of the economy. A dream is being shown that India will become a developed nation by 2047 but for that the per capita income should increase," he said.
"A country with high per capita income is a prosperous country. For that the per capita income should be USD 13,845. Currently, India's per capita income is USD 2800 dollars. The economy needs to grow at 10 per cent but under Modi it is only growing at 6-6.25 per cent. He is misleading people," Chavan claimed.
Meanwhile, Patole said the law for Maratha quota should be passed in the special session of the Maharashtra Legislature in such a way that it stands legal scrutiny.
The law enacted by the Devendra Fadnavis government (2014-19) was struck down by court, he said.
The Maharashtra government has cheated the Maratha community and quota activist Manoj Jarange, he asserted.
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Bird flu: Karnataka completes 10-day H5N1 surveillance, containment operation
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has successfully completed a 10-day intensive surveillance and containment operation following the detection of the H5N1 Avian Influenza outbreak here, officials said on Saturday.
The outbreak was reported in the State Poultry Rearing Training Centre in Mathkuru village, Hesaraghatta, on April 14, they said.
The surveillance was conducted by the Department of Health and Family Welfare of the state government in coordination with the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Department, officials said.
According to an official statement, once the outbreak was confirmed, following laboratory reports from the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD-Bhopal), State and District Rapid Response Teams along with Hesaraghatta and Sonnenahalli PHC (Primary Health Centres) teams were immediately deployed.
An infected zone of 0-3 km and a surveillance zone of 3-10 km radius was established. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, culled all the birds and safely disposed of eggs and of contaminated feed, adhering to national and international biosecurity protocols, it said.
The health department said the surveillance zone from the infective focus in the 10 km radius, a total population of 28,172 across 22 villages was surveyed from day 1 to day 10. Multiple rounds of surveillance were conducted and sanitation activities were completed as per protocol.
During the surveillance period, nasopharyngeal samples collected from all quarantined staff on Day 5, sent to NIV-Bengaluru, were found to be negative for H5N1, it said.
On day 10, nasopharyngeal samples were collected and the results are awaited. No human case of H5N1 infection has been detected in the infected or surveillance zones, the health officials said.
"All healthcare facilities in Bengaluru have been instructed to continue ILI/SARI (Influenza-Like Illness/Severe Acute Respiratory Infection) case surveillance, and ensure adequate stocks of PPE, triple-layer medical masks, oseltamivir, viral transport medium, and throat swab kits," it said.
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services issued a Sanitization Certificate on April 21, officials said.
"No poultry activity will be undertaken for a period of 90 days as a precautionary measure. During the three months of surveillance, the entire area of the farm will be repeatedly disinfected by fumigation (indoors) or sprays (open place) every 15 days," it further stated.
The public has been advised to avoid handling or consuming meat or eggs from sick or dead poultry and report sightings of sick or dead birds promptly to local veterinary or health authorities.
Ensure poultry meat and eggs are thoroughly cooked before consumption, as proper cooking effectively inactivates the virus, they said.
"The public is advised to follow official health advisories and avoid spreading unverified information," the department added.
