Issues of jobs, women safety, inflation would haunt BJP in LS polls: P. Chidambaram
Mumbai, Oct 27: Former Union minister P Chidambaram said Saturday lack of jobs, safety of women and children and price rise are among the major issues that will haunt the ruling BJP in the coming elections.
The former finance minister, who heads manifesto committee of the Congress, was speaking at 'an open house' program here organised by the city unit of the party.
The committee members were on a visit to the city to hold discussions with representatives of various sections of society ahead of preparation of the party's manifesto for 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Chidambaram said the committee received 67 suggestions during a two-hour interaction Saturday.
He said the lack of jobs, safety of women and children, and price rise were the most important concerns of people.
"These issues will haunt the BJP in Lok Sabha polls," he added.
The former minister said these concerns would be incorporated in the Congress manifesto.
"If you (people) say prices of petrol and diesel should be reduced and the government doesn't listen, then it is an arrogant government and not a democratic one," he said.
"I can sit in a room and promise to put Rs 25 lakh in your bank account or promise you four crore jobs...one job in the morning and another in the evening. This does not work. We want to listen to you and know what you expect," he said, taking a dig at the BJP's promises before the 2014 elections.
The Congress was ushering a new way of drafting a poll manifesto, he said.
The suggestions the party received during the meeting Saturday also related to representation of backward class Muslim, urban infrastructure and securing interest on bank fixed deposits, among other things, he said.
The open house session was the first one and similar meetings will be held in other cities as well, Chidambaram said.
He was accompanied by party MPs Rajeev Gowda and Kumar Ketkar.
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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.
