INDIA bloc if voted to power after LS polls will provide statehood to Puducherry: DMK chief Stalin
Puducherry (PTI): DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday said that the INDIA bloc, if voted to power after Lok Sabha polls, will provide statehood to Puducherry.
Addressing an election rally here seeking support for Congress candidate and present MP V Vaithilingam, he said the DMK and Congress are firm that Puducherry should be made a full-fledged state.
Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy is a "puppet in the hands of the Centre," Stalin said and added, "We are keen that the rights of not only bigger states like Tamil Nadu, but also the rights of union territories like Puducherry should be protected."
Stating that Puducherry had not gained during the ten-year rule by the BJP at the Centre, the Tamil Nadu chief minister said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was campaigning only in the name of religion and caste.
"Modi has not highlighted any measure to ameliorate the lot of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and weaker sections, but has been campaigning in the name of religion and caste," he said.
"Fishermen of Karaikal faced hardship and arrests by the Sri Lanka navy and what measures had the prime minister taken to prevent the sufferings of fishermen," he asked.
The prime minister had not done anything to realise the promise he had held out in the past to make the union territory "best Puducherry", he said.
Expressing concern over the deterioration of law and order in Puducherry, Stalin said the recent incident of sexual harassment and murder of a nine-year-old girl in the union territory shocked the entire nation. This incident is proof of the law and order being in shambles in Puducherry, he said.
He also said that women had no protection in the country during the BJP's rule.
Stalin said that all the defunct undertakings in Puducherry would be revived if the INDIA bloc was voted to power.
Elections to the lone Puducherry seat will take place along with neighbouring Tamil Nadu on April 19.
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UP CM Adityanath's plane makes emergency landing in Agra due to technical snag
Agra/Lucknow, Mar 26 (PTI): An aircraft carrying Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath made an emergency landing at the Agra airport shortly after take off due to a technical snag, officials said.
The chief minister resumed his journey to Lucknow after over two hours, they said.
Adityanath was in Agra for a public event to mark the eighth anniversary of the BJP government in the state.
"After the programme, the chief minister was scheduled to leave from the Kheria Airport in Agra around 3.30 pm. The aircraft took off but returned shortly apparently due to a snag, which was then inspected by officials," a police official told PTI.
"The chief minister finally resumed his onward journey around 5.30 pm from Kheria," the official added.
Senior Agra district administration and police officials remained at the airport while the chief minister waited there. BJP supporters and local politicians were also present outside the airport.
Earlier in the day, Adityanath inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 128 projects worth Rs 635.22 crore at 'Vikas Utsav' held in Agra to mark the completion of eight years of his government.
"Residents of Agra now have access to metro rail services, officially making Agra a metro city. The construction of the civil terminal at the airport is in its final stages," he said, adding that previous governments failed to provide these facilities.
