Manmohan seeks opposition unity to defeat BJP
New Delhi, Sep 10: Urging the opposition to unite in their shared desire to defeat the BJP in the next Lok Sabha elections, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday hit out at the Modi government for the crises-like all-round situation in the country due to rising fuel prices and farm distress.
Manmohan Singh said the BJP-led central government had "miserably" failed in controlling fuel prices and fulfilling the promises made to the people before the 2014 elections.
"Circumstances show that the situation has gone beyond control now. Farmers, businessmen, youth are facing crises in their respective fields. The government has failed miserably in fulfilling the promises made to common people.
"The time has come to change the party in the Centre and this will happen very soon," he said, addressing a protest rally at the Ramlila ground here.
"The parties opposing the present government should forget their differences and come together for maintaining the unity and secular identity of the country. We need to draw the collective benefit of the unity shown (here)," he said.
The former Prime Minister along with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi joined the protest march that started from Rajghat and culminated at Ramlila ground.
The march as part of a nationwide protest, or "Bharat Bandh", was led by Congress President Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders.
The former Prime Minister appreciated the presence of around 20 political opposition parties joining the Congress in the protest against the government.
He said it was a significant moment ahead of the general elections next year and "we should take advantage of this (unity) and bring about a movement" in the country.
The protest was called by the Congress and Left parties against the spiralling cost of petrol and diesel which have reached record levels.
The protest was supported by several opposition parties including the Janata Dal-Secular, Trinamool Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Nationalist Congress Party, Loktantrik Janata Dal, Rashtriya Lok Dal, All India United Democratic Front, Revolutionary Socialist Party and Aam Aadmi Party among others.
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Punjab Police cops withdrawn from Kejriwal's security
Chandigarh, Jan 23 (PTI): Punjab Police personnel deployed in the security of Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal have been withdrawn, the state police chief said on Thursday.
"Time to time, we get reports of threats to chief minister Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal and we share them with the concerned agencies.
"Following the directions of the Delhi police and the Election Commission today, we withdrew the component of the Punjab police in the security of Kejriwal ji," Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav told reporters in Patiala.
"We showed our concerns to them. We will remain in touch with them. We will share our inputs with the Delhi police," he said.
The development comes ahead of the elections for the 70-member Delhi Assembly on February 5. The poll results are set to be declared on February 8.
