Kejriwal opposes simultaneous polls, demands 'one nation, one education' system
Rewa (MP) (PTI): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday opposed the concept of 'one nation, one election' and said the country needs frequent polls as this allows political parties to go before electors regularly with promises which will not be the case if voting takes places just once in five years.
The Delhi Chief Minister said what the country needs is 'one nation, one education (equal education for all) and 'one nation, one treatment' (rich or poor, equal treatment for all).
"Never allow them (BJP) to implement 'one nation, one election' system in the country as it is only during polls that political parties take care of people and promise them to give everything, even the moon if they ask for it. They talk to you very sweetly (during elections)," Kejriwal said, addressing a public meeting at Rewa, the main town of Madhya Pradesh's Vindhya region.
The AAP leader said if all elections are held simultaneously, political leaders will go before voters just 6 months before polls.
"If this concept of one nation, one elections is implemented, then political party leaders will roam around London, Paris and other places abroad for four-and-a-half years and will come to you just before elections," he said.
"The AAP believes elections should be held every month and instead of one nation, one election, one nation, one education and one nation, one treatment system should be implemented in the country, Kejriwal said.
The Centre has set up an eight-member high-level committee to examine and make recommendations on the issue of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, municipalities and panchayats.
Children of rich as well as the poor should get the same quality of education and people should get the same type of "ilaaz" (medical treatment) irrespective of their social status, said the Delhi CM.
He criticized the BJP for efforts to change the name of India to Bharat after opposition parties formed the INDIA alliance to take on the saffron party in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
"Tomorrow if we keep our name as Bharat, will they change it also?" he asked.
The AAP is part of the INDIA alliance, a bloc of more than two dozen parties.
The rally was also addressed by Punjab Chief Minister and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann.
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MP cruise boat tragedy: Death toll rises to nine; search ops continue at Bargi Dam
Jabalpur (PTI): The death toll in the Bargi Dam tragedy rose to nine on Friday, as rescuers recovered the bodies of five more persons who were on the cruise boat that overturned in the reservoir in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur.
Talking to PTI Videos, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Minister Dharmendra Bhav Singh Lodhi said, "Four bodies were recovered on Thursday, while five were found in the early hours during the rescue operation, taking the toll to nine."
As many as 22 people have been rescued so far, he said.
The minister said that a thorough probe will be conducted, and the issue of life jackets, raised by one of the survivors, will also be investigated.
The rescue operation is underway in full swing to trace the missing persons, Lodhi said.
A cruise boat with 29 passengers and two crew members onboard overturned in the Bargi Dam after encountering a sudden storm on Thursday evening, officials said.
The Bargi Dam is constructed on the Narmada River in Jabalpur district.
A search and rescue operation for the missing passengers continued overnight with teams from the Army, NDRF and SDRF joining in, State PWD Minister Rakesh Singh said.
Hydraulic cranes are being used to pull out the cruise boat from the water body, he said.
According to eyewitnesses, strong winds made the water choppy, prompting many on board to raise an alarm and ask the crew to steer the boat back to the banks.
However, the crew was unable to hear these shouts, and the boat drifted and then overturned, they said, adding that some locals rescued a few passengers wearing life jackets with the help of a rope.
