Modi casts vote in Gujarat, says "voter ID" more powerful than IED
Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday cast his vote here in Gujarat for the Lok Sabha polls and said the power of a "voter ID" is much more than the "IED" of terrorists.
Modi appealed to people to come out in large numbers to vote in all the remaining phases of the Lok Sabha polls.
He arrived at a polling booth set up at Nishan High School, located in Ranip area of Ahmedabad city, in an open jeep in the morning and exercised his democratic right.
BJP president Amit Shah, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Gandhinagar constituency, which covers Ahmedabad city, welcomed him outside the school and accompanied him to the booth.
While arriving at the polling booth, Modi greeted thousands of people who gathered on both sides of the road. After casting his vote, Modi walked some distance from the polling booth and interacted briefly with mediapersons.
"Indian democracy presents an example before the world. While on one hand, an IED (improvised explosive device) is the weapon of terrorists, on the other hand, the voter ID(identity) is the weapon and power of democracy," he said.
"I am confident that the power of voter ID is much more than the IED and we should understand the importance of the voter ID card and come out to vote in large numbers," he said.
Modi said he feels fortunate to participate in "the great festival of democracy" in his home state Gujarat.
"The third phase of polling is taking place today in the country. I am fortunate that I also got the proud moment to fulfil my duty by voting in my home state Gujarat and to have an active participation in this great festival of democracy," he said.
"By voting, I feel the same sense of purity that one gets after taking bath at the Kumbh mela," he told reporters.
Urging people to vote with full enthusiasm, he said, "The intelligence of Indian voters to understand whom to vote and whom not to vote is a matter of case study."
He also welcomed the active participation of young voters, born in the 21st century, who are exercising their franchise for the first time in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, and conveyed his best wishes to them.
"This entire century belongs to those who are voting for the first time. They have to vote for the bright future of this century. Therefore, I would especially urge the new voters to commit to hundred per cent voting," he said.
"I am grateful to all the lovers of democracy who voted in large numbers in the first and second phases of the Lok Sabha elections," he said.
Earlier in the day, the prime minister went to seek blessings of his mother Hiraba Modi at his younger brother Pankaj Modi's residence at Raisan village, located close to the state capital Gandhinagar.
He spent around 20 minutes with his mother, who gave him a shawl, sweets and a coconut and her blessings for his victory in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.
The prime minister stayed at the Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar overnight and in the morning went with a limited SPG security cover to seek his mother's blessings.
After meeting his mother, he also briefly interacted with the society residents and allowed children to take selfies with him, before leaving for Ranip to cast his vote.
The excited residents of the locality said the prime minister urged them to vote. Modi casts vote in Guj, says "voter ID" more powerful than IED
Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday cast his vote here in Gujarat for the Lok Sabha polls and said the power of a "voter ID" is much more than the "IED" of terrorists.
Modi appealed to people to come out in large numbers to vote in all the remaining phases of the Lok Sabha polls.
He arrived at a polling booth set up at Nishan High School, located in Ranip area of Ahmedabad city, in an open jeep in the morning and exercised his democratic right.
BJP president Amit Shah, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Gandhinagar constituency, which covers Ahmedabad city, welcomed him outside the school and accompanied him to the booth.
While arriving at the polling booth, Modi greeted thousands of people who gathered on both sides of the road. After casting his vote, Modi walked some distance from the polling booth and interacted briefly with mediapersons.
"Indian democracy presents an example before the world. While on one hand, an IED (improvised explosive device) is the weapon of terrorists, on the other hand, the voter ID(identity) is the weapon and power of democracy," he said.
"I am confident that the power of voter ID is much more than the IED and we should understand the importance of the voter ID card and come out to vote in large numbers," he said.
Modi said he feels fortunate to participate in "the great festival of democracy" in his home state Gujarat.
"The third phase of polling is taking place today in the country. I am fortunate that I also got the proud moment to fulfil my duty by voting in my home state Gujarat and to have an active participation in this great festival of democracy," he said.
"By voting, I feel the same sense of purity that one gets after taking bath at the Kumbh mela," he told reporters.
Urging people to vote with full enthusiasm, he said, "The intelligence of Indian voters to understand whom to vote and whom not to vote is a matter of case study."
He also welcomed the active participation of young voters, born in the 21st century, who are exercising their franchise for the first time in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, and conveyed his best wishes to them.
"This entire century belongs to those who are voting for the first time. They have to vote for the bright future of this century. Therefore, I would especially urge the new voters to commit to hundred per cent voting," he said.
"I am grateful to all the lovers of democracy who voted in large numbers in the first and second phases of the Lok Sabha elections," he said.
Earlier in the day, the prime minister went to seek blessings of his mother Hiraba Modi at his younger brother Pankaj Modi's residence at Raisan village, located close to the state capital Gandhinagar.
He spent around 20 minutes with his mother, who gave him a shawl, sweets and a coconut and her blessings for his victory in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.
The prime minister stayed at the Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar overnight and in the morning went with a limited SPG security cover to seek his mother's blessings.
After meeting his mother, he also briefly interacted with the society residents and allowed children to take selfies with him, before leaving for Ranip to cast his vote.
The excited residents of the locality said the prime minister urged them to vote.
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Malayalam film director Ranjith remanded in sexual assault case; FEFKA takes action
Kochi (PTI): A court here on Wednesday sent noted Malayalam film director Ranjith to judicial custody after he was arrested late last night in connection with an attempted sexual assault case.
Following his remand, the director claimed that the accusations against him were "false" and that he would be able to prove it.
He made the claim before reporters while being taken inside the sub-jail here.
Even as the director claimed innocence, state Culture Minister Saji Cherian indicated that the government and the police were with the victim, and the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) recommended suspension of Ranjith's membership from the directors and writers unions.
The police said that the victim was "traumatised" by the incident and had to undergo counselling and psychiatric treatment before she could come forward with the complaint.
Kochi City Police Commissioner S Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar said that a Special Investigation Team was formed after recording the victim's statement, and then the allegations were discreetly verified before moving forward with the arrest.
"It should not happen to any woman, especially at the workplace," he told reporters here.
The officer also said that the director had attempted to remove himself from the area.
Kumar also said that the biggest challenge before the police was to maintain the confidentiality of the case and protect the identity of the victim.
He also said that there were several witnesses to the alleged sexual assault, as the incident happened on a shooting set.
The officer said that the evidence collection was progressing, and the director's custody will be sought when required.
FEFKA general secretary B Unnikrishnan told reporters here that there was no complaint made to the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in connection with the incident.
FEFKA is an association of several craft unions in the Malayalam film industry.
Ranjith was taken into custody from the Idukki district on Tuesday evening, and subsequently, his arrest was recorded.
He was produced at the residence of a magistrate here in the morning and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.
The case against Ranjith was registered by Kochi City Police a few days ago based on the victim's complaint.
Earlier in the day, Cherian told reporters that "such acts will not be accepted by the government or the society" and that the government and the police were with the victim.
Ranjith was appointed as chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy in 2022 and resigned from the post in 2024.
The minister said that the director was appointed to the post because he was qualified for it, and at that time, there were no such allegations against him.
"He carried forward the academy in a good way. When such allegations came up earlier, he had left the position. We are viewing the repetition of the same allegations against him seriously. Neither the police nor the government is protecting him," he said.
He said that the quick action taken against the director is an outcome of the recent changes in the movie sector, including holding of the cinema conclave and the state film policy.
"Let the investigation take its course," he added.
The minister also said that anyone in the film sector having similar bad experiences can come forward with a complaint and stand firm on it, as the government will be with them.
According to the police, the woman actor alleged that the director had invited her to a caravan during the shooting of a film and attempted to sexually assault her.
Ranjith had earlier faced allegations of sexual harassment following revelations in the Justice K Hema Committee report on harassment and abuse in the Malayalam film industry.
In 2024, a case was registered against Ranjith after a Bengali actress filed a complaint with the Kochi City Police Commissioner.
The complaint, sent via email, alleged that Ranjith had touched her inappropriately with sexual intent after inviting her to act in the film Paleri Manikyam in 2009.
