Massive protest by AAP in Delhi, CPI-M extends support
New Delhi, June 17: Delhi's ruling AAP on Sunday took out a massive protest amid its standoff with the Lt Governor and IAS officers, even as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal completed a week of his sit-in at LG office.
Waving national and party flags and shouting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "autocratic behaviour", Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members, along with Communist Party of India-Marxist activists, marched from Mandi House metro station at 4 p.m. towards the Prime Minister's residence, but were stopped by police at the Parliament Street police station.
The protest was held over several issues including the on-going standoff with Lt Governor Anil Baijal, no-cooperation of the bureaucracy and demand of full statehood for Delhi. According to the Delhi government, IAS officers had not been working since several months, due to which it could not function properly.
CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury joined the protest to express solidarity with AAP and Kejriwal.
Senior AAP leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha, Atishi Marlena, Delhi Ministers Kailash Gahlot and Rajendra Pal Gautam, Dilip Pandey, several party MLAs and a large number of party volunteers participated in the march that lasted for over two hours.
Claiming that over 4,500 people joined the protest, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said that people turned up in large number despite police's attempts to ensured that the protesters could not reach Mandi House.
"In spite of similar efforts by Delhi Police,closing Metro stations,seizing buses, heavy barricading, 538 buses could reach the spot. A crowd of over 4,500 people reminds me of 2011-12 movement in Delhi," je said.
Earlier the police said that no permission was sought for the protest and warned to detain the agitators. A large number of police personnel were deployed near Prime Minister's house as a precautionary measure.
"Protesters have been told not to move ahead. They are listening to us," said DCP, New Delhi, Madhur Verma.
Around 6 p.m. the AAP workers and Left groups peacefully stopped their protest after reaching the Parliament Street police station.
Demonstrators said they will start a signature petition aiming to reach out to at least 10 lakh people, get their petition signed and send it to Modi.
As the protesters rallied in mass at the metro stations and streets, it also caused traffic snarls in central Delhi.
Later Kejriwal, in a tweet said that people of Delhi were feeling "hurt and humiliated" and asked Modi to allow Delhi government to work.
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UCC only targets Muslims while other personal laws remain unaffected: Tushar Gandhi
Mangalore: Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and a prominent social activist, expressed strong concerns over the current political environment in India, stating that it deviates from the vision of the nation's founders. Speaking at a seminar in Mangalore on Monday, Gandhi emphasized that the unity that earned India its liberty has been overshadowed by divisive politics focused on caste and religion.
He was addressing a gathering at a one-day seminar and book release event organized by the Karnataka Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, Bangalore, in collaboration with Mangalore University, Mangala Gangotri, National Service Scheme (NSS), and the Kumbra Jathappa Rai Prasthistana, Puttur. The seminar was aimed at discussing the relevance of Gandhi’s ideology for today’s youth.
In his special address on the topic “Relevance of Gandhi’s Ideology to Today’s Youth,” Gandhi lamented how today’s political leaders have realized that dividing and ruling the electorate is the way forward. He expressed frustration that the electorate is often left to choose between poor political options, with no ideal candidates in sight. "We are in a zone where we have to elect from all the bad options. No ideal options are left when it comes to politics. We elect people who should be nowhere in public life," he said, underscoring the decline in political integrity.
Gandhi also criticized the ongoing discussions surrounding the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). He argued that the code disproportionately targets Muslims, while other personal laws remain unaffected. He pointed out that the current political regime’s push for UCC reflects an attempt to alter the Constitution through indirect means, calling it “changing the Constitution through the backdoor.”
In a pointed remark about the current atmosphere for minorities, Gandhi questioned whether a person from a minority community would feel comfortable or confident seeing an individual in an RSS uniform working at a government office. He asserted that this discomfort is exactly what the present regime seeks to instill in minorities, furthering their marginalization.
Gandhi’s remarks resonated with the audience, drawing attention to the stark contrast between the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and the prevailing political discourse. He warned that the political and social divisions seen today were far from what the nation's founders had envisioned, calling for a return to the principles of unity and secularism.
The seminar also featured notable speakers and dignitaries. Nadoja Dr. Wooday P. Krishna, President of the Karnataka Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, delivered the keynote address. Dr. Shantaram Shetty, Pro Vice Chancellor of Nitte University, Mangalore, was the guest of honor, releasing two books authored by Pramod Kumar Rai, founder of Kumbra Jathappa Rai Pratistana, Puttur. The books titled "On the Trail of Gandhi’s Footsteps" and "Before I Return to the Soil" reflect on Gandhi’s ideology and its impact on society.
Presiding over the event was Prof. P.L. Dharma, Vice Chancellor of Mangalore University, who praised the significance of such discussions in today’s context. Dr. Sheshappa K, NSS Coordinator of Mangalore University, and Prof. Ganapati Gowda, Principal of University College, Mangalore, were also present during the seminar.
