Country's watchman is indulging in theft: Rahul
Satna (Madhya Pradesh), Sep 27: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday once again targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal, saying the country's "chowkidar" (watchman) has committed "chori" (theft).
Addressing a public meeting in Chitrakoot in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi said: "Irregularities have taken place in the purchase of Rafale fighter jets from France. Modi took away Dassault contract for its India partner from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to favour his friend Anil Ambani's company to make it the offset partner."
"While the cost of each fighter jet was fixed at Rs 526 crore in the deal between India and France during the Congress regime, now the same aircraft is being acquired for a whopping Rs 1,600 crore," said the Congress President.
On a two-day visit to Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi on Thursday arrived in Chitrakoot where he offered prayers at the famous Kamta Nath temple in this religious town associated with Lord Ram. He was accompanied by state Congress chief Kamal Nath and head of the campaign committee Jyotiraditya Scindia, among others.
The Congress leader said: "The 'chowkidar' of the country is committing theft, that's why he is not able to have an eye-to-eye contact with the youth of the nation. While the government is not ready to disclose the price of Rafale jets citing a confidentiality clause in the deal, France says there's no harm in disclosing the price."
Gandhi also raised questions over the issue of rising unemployment in the country.
"At a time when the government is harping on 'Make in India' programme, the unemployment scenario is going from bad to worse. Today the situation is such that even the statue of Sardar Patel is coming from China. Chinese are making the statues of Patel while the youth of India is unemployed."
He went on to add that if his party is voted to power in Madhya Pradesh, waiver of farmers' loans will be the first priority.
"We will try to create employment opportunities for the youth and will replace 'Made in China' with 'Made in India' and 'Made in Chitrakoot'," he added.
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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.
