Housewarming of 3 lakh units performed on single day in Andhra
Vijayawada, July 5: The Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday claimed to have set a record with the opening of over three lakh houses built for poor across the state on a single day.
'Gruhapravesam' (housewarming) programme of 3,00,346 houses built under housing scheme for poor in all 13 districts of the state was performed simultaneously, an official statement said.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu launched the programme in Vijayawada while ministers and other public representatives participated in the house warming in different parts of the state.
The Chief Minister said the houses were completed during 2017-18 at a cost of Rs 3,746 crore. The beneficiaries were from the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and the backward classes.
He claimed that nowhere such a large number of houses were launched on a single day. He announced that housewarming of another 3 lakh houses would be performed in January next year.
Naidu said 5,80,849 houses were completed from 2014 to June this year under various schemes. House warming of one lakh houses was performed on October 2 last year.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief said his government was working to fulfil the dream of all the poor to have their own house.
Targeting the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, he said it promised to build one crore houses but could not complete even 35 lakh houses across the country.
He said while the state government spent Rs 6,260 crore towards housing so far, the Central government allotted only Rs 1,296 crore.
Naidu slammed the Centre for betraying the state on all fronts. He said the state government would continue its welfare schemes despite not getting cooperation from the NDA government.
The TDP chief said the Centre had done injustice by stating in its affidavit filed in the Supreme Court that special category status can't be given to Andhra Pradesh.
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Campaign Against Hate Speech calls for action against Chandrashekar Swamiji for hate speech
Bengaluru: Campaign Against Hate Speech, a collective of lawyers, activists, and concerned citizens, has urged Karnataka’s Home Minister, Shri Parameshwara G, and Director General of Police, Dr. Alok Mohan, to take legal action against Chandrashekar Swamiji, the seer of Vishwa Vokkaligara Mahasamsthana Mutt. The demand follows an alleged hate speech made by the seer during a protest organized by the Bharatiya Kisan Union at Freedom Park on November 26, 2024.
The organization claimed that the speech was divisive and aimed at spreading communal hatred and enmity between communities. Chandrashekar Swamiji allegedly made inflammatory remarks, including false claims about the authority of the Waqf Board and a controversial suggestion that Muslims in India should be stripped of their voting rights. The speech, delivered to a large audience, has since been uploaded to YouTube by TV9 Kannada, amassing over 6,900 views.
The organization provided excerpts of the speech, which they say falsely accused the Waqf Board of arbitrarily taking over properties, including farmland, and asserted that minorities in Pakistan do not have voting rights. These remarks, they argued, not only mislead the public but also incite hostility against the Muslim community and misrepresent the functioning of the Waqf Board. The statement suggesting that Muslims should be denied voting rights was described as unconstitutional and harmful to the secular and democratic values of the country.
In their letter, the collective highlighted specific sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (formerly the IPC) that they believe the speech violates. These include provisions against promoting enmity between communities, making assertions prejudicial to national integration, and spreading false or alarming information intended to incite hatred. They also pointed out that comments on the video supported the seer’s views, reflecting the potential for real-world consequences stemming from the speech.
While Chandrashekar Swamiji has since issued a written apology, Campaign Against Hate Speech argued that it is insufficient. The apology has not been widely circulated, while the original speech continues to be shared online, further amplifying its divisive message.
The organization has requested legal action against the seer and restrictions on the offensive video. They have also called for a broader public awareness campaign to educate people about the legal and social consequences of hate speech. Additionally, they suggested that the upcoming winter session of the Karnataka Assembly address the growing issue of hate speech comprehensively.
The letter underscored the importance of preserving Karnataka’s identity as a “garden of peace for all communities,” as envisioned by Rashtrakavi Kuvempu. Citing Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s vision of democracy as a mode of “associated living,” they stressed that such remarks not only threaten a specific community but also undermine the foundational values of the nation.
