'Modi regime fascist, must be dethroned at any cost'
Kolkata, July 18: Terming the Narendra Modi regime at the centre as a "fascist power" that is destroying the country's economy and creating hatred among people by fueling communal unrest, a section of Bengal's civil society on Wednesday appealed to the people to make removal of the BJP and RSS from power as their topmost priority.
Famous Bengali singer, song-writer and social activist Kabir Suman attacked the BJP and RSS, saying they are "honest about hating and loathing" and urged people to defeat them in the next election "at any cost".
"It is not that communalism and differences were non-existent before the BJP came to power. But the BJP and RSS do not have an iota of compassion and honesty to work for the people. But I can say they are honest about hating people. At least they do not try to hide it," Suman said here at an event entitled 'Save Country'.
"We must defeat them at any cost. India will not bow down to theocracy. We have to keep all our misunderstandings aside to fight against these fascist forces," he said.
Criticising the Central government's economic policies, economist Dipankar Dey accused the central agencies of providing distorted data to give false indications about the government's achievements.
"We were doubtful that the data provided by the Reserve Bank of India and NITI Aayog are not providing correct picture regarding the country's economy. It has been found that several data provided by the RBI in the last few years are not matching," Dey said.
"The decision to hike the maximum support price (MSP) of Kharif crops, was also nothing but an eyewash to portray themselves as pro-farmer, because in reality it would only benefit 5-7 percent of the well to do farmers who can sell the crops directly to the government," he added.
Famous singer Pratul Mukherjee took a dig at the Prime Minister's "Acche Din" slogan, claiming that the nation has entered a horrid time people's wishes and rights are getting demolished in the name of religion.
He also said the BJP government's attempt to introduce the Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance (FRDI) Bill, 2017 and its its current pursuance of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam are serious attempts to violate the human rights.
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Gehlot changes profile pic to 'Save Aravalli', asks Centre to reconsider definition
Jaipur (PTI): Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday urged the Centre to reconsider its definition of the Aravallis, warning that any damage to the mountain range posed a serious threat to the ecological future of north India.
Gehlot, a former Rajasthan chief minister, changed his social media profile picture in support of the nationwide 'SaveAravalli' campaign amid growing debate over mining and environmental safeguards in the Aravalli Range.
It was his symbolic protest against the new interpretation under which hills lower than 100 metres are no longer being recognised as part of the Aravalli system, he said.
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"The Aravalli cannot be judged by tape measures or height alone. It must be assessed by its ecological importance," Gehlot said, adding that the revised definition raised "a big question" over the future of north India.
Appealing to the Centre and the Supreme Court, Gehlot said the issue must be reconsidered in the interest of future generations and environmental security. He also urged citizens to participate in the campaign by changing their display pictures online to draw attention to the issue.
He said the Aravalli range functioned as a natural green wall against the expansion of the Thar desert and extreme heatwaves, protecting Delhi, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Opening up smaller hills and so-called gap areas for mining would allow desertification to advance rapidly, he warned.
Gehlot also flagged concerns over air pollution, saying the hills and forests of the Aravallis acted as the "lungs" of the National Capital Region by checking dust storms and absorbing pollutants.
"When pollution levels are so alarming even with the Aravalli standing, one can imagine how disastrous the situation will be without it," he said.
Highlighting the water crisis, the former chief minister said the rocky terrain of the Aravallis played a crucial role in groundwater recharge by channelising rainwater underground.
"If the hills are destroyed, drinking water shortages will intensify, wildlife will disappear and the entire ecology will be pushed into danger," he said.
Gehlot argued that, from a scientific perspective, the Aravallis was a continuous chain and that even smaller hillocks were as vital as higher peaks.
