Judges being intimidated, as happens in Pakistan: Rahul
Raipur, May 17: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit out at the Narendra Modi government, saying the Supreme Court judges had to go to people with their complaints -- a phenomenon that happened only in Pakistan and some African countries -- and now for the first time in India.
Gandhi, who was addressing "Jan Swaraj Sammelan" as part of the Congress preparations for assembly polls in Chhattisgarh later this year, accused the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP)-led central government of trying to create an atmosphere of fear across the country.
Gandhi targeted Modi government on a range of issues concerning farmers, women and the Dalits.
He cited the issues raised by four senior judges of the Supreme Court in January this year to target the Modi government and compared it to dictatorships.
"Usually, people go to the Supreme Court for justice. But for the first time in 70 years, we saw Supreme Court judges coming to the people complaining that they were being intimidated and they not being allowed to do their job," Gandhi said.
"Something like this happened for the first time in a democratic country. It happens in dictatorships. It happened in Pakistan and Africa. But this happened for the first time in 70 years in India," he said.
The Congress President said both the Narendra Modi government and the BJP government states had failed to create job opportunities.
"They don't want Dalits, backward classes and women to fulfil their dreams," he said.
"The BJP claims that women are not in a position to stand as equals alongside men. The only job of women is to cook at home. Only job of the Dalits is to clean and sweep and not dream of a better future," Gandhi alleged.
He said the Modi government did not waive off loans of farmers and alleged that it sought to snatch their land as also that of tribals.
"Modiji considers the farmers a burden on the nation. We consider the farmers to be the backbone of our country. Our duty is to enhance the Panchayati Raj system to protect and restore their rights that the BJP is trying to deprive them of," he said.
"Water, forests and land rights belong to Adivasis and these should be handed over to them. They should be given the power to be self-sufficient. Every citizen of the country must be part of the progress of the country, be it a Dalit or an Adivsi," he noted.
Gandhi alleged that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological patron of BJP, was trying to capture institutions.
"The ideals of Mahatma Gandhi are threatened everyday but the spirit of people of India will stand strong," he said.
If Congress won the 2019 Lok Sabha election, it would focus on education, healthcare, and employment. "We will work on education in government schools and make it more accessible."
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Centre to support waste recycling start-ups: Union minister Yadav
Mumbai (PTI): Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday said the Centre will provide financial support to the waste recycling start-ups, and also focus on saving energy and water along with banning single-use plastic.
The minister was speaking after taking part in a Beach Cleanup Campaign at the Juhu beach here as part of the International Coastal Clean-up Day.
"The central government will support start-ups for recycling. My ministry has given guidelines for one-time financial support to such start-ups," he said.
"We know how to use nature's products, but forget to recycle them and litter on beaches and roads. Our focus will be on saving energy, water, banning single-use plastic and stopping wastage of food, promoting healthy lifestyle and e-waste disposal," Yadav said.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the state was blessed with a 720 km-long coastline, and keeping it clean will boost tourism.
The economy of several countries is tourism-based, he noted.
The cleanliness drive launched on September 17 at Girgaum Chowpatty in south Mumbai will continue till October 2, he said.
Calling cleanliness as a service, Shinde expressed satisfaction that citizens from all over the state were taking part in the drive in large numbers.
The CM said the deep cleaning drive started by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will restart after monsoons where roads are cleaned with recycled water.
"Due to this drive, pollution has also come down," he said.
Talking to reporters later, CM Shinde said awareness regarding cleanliness has grown ever since the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
