New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lauded the vision of first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and subsequent leaders, including Lal Bahadur Shastri, P V Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, but also reminded the Lok Sabha of the 'cash-for-vote' scam during the Manmohan Singh government.
Initiating the discussion in the Lok Sabha on "Parliamentary Journey of 75 years starting from Samvidhan Sabha -- Achievements, Experiences, Memories and Learnings", Modi also said there were celebrations everywhere when three new states of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh were created during Vajpayee's time but lamented that Telangana being carved out of Andhra Pradesh led to only bitterness and bloodshed in both the states.
It is this Parliament where Pandit Nehru spoke at the 'stroke of midnight hour' and his words continue to inspire everyone, he said.
The biggest achievement of these 75 years is that the common person's trust in Parliament continues to grow, Modi said, as he wished that when Parliament shifts to its new building on Tuesday that should be a dawn of new hope and confidence.
Modi said it is also an occasion to hail everyone who have led this House and shared their vision for India, ranging from Pandit Nehru to Vajpayee.
He also remembered Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Chandrashekhar and Lal Krishna Advani for enriching the House.
The prime minister also lauded the contribution of B R Ambedkar, saying his vision for industrialisation, which was aimed at bringing social justice in the country during the first government of independent India, continues to remain at the heart of every industrial policy even today.
At the same time, there have been sad and emotive moments when Parliament witnessed loss of three serving prime ministers -- Nehru, Shastri and Indira Gandhi -- and they were paid rich tributes, he noted.
"This House also supported the liberation of Bangladesh under the leadership of Indira Gandhi," he said.
At the same time, this House also witnessed an attack on democracy during the Emergency and through this House, the people also asserted their power as we saw the return of democracy, Modi added.
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Agra/Lucknow, Mar 26 (PTI): An aircraft carrying Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath made an emergency landing at the Agra airport shortly after take off due to a technical snag, officials said.
The chief minister resumed his journey to Lucknow after over two hours, they said.
Adityanath was in Agra for a public event to mark the eighth anniversary of the BJP government in the state.
"After the programme, the chief minister was scheduled to leave from the Kheria Airport in Agra around 3.30 pm. The aircraft took off but returned shortly apparently due to a snag, which was then inspected by officials," a police official told PTI.
"The chief minister finally resumed his onward journey around 5.30 pm from Kheria," the official added.
Senior Agra district administration and police officials remained at the airport while the chief minister waited there. BJP supporters and local politicians were also present outside the airport.
Earlier in the day, Adityanath inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 128 projects worth Rs 635.22 crore at 'Vikas Utsav' held in Agra to mark the completion of eight years of his government.
"Residents of Agra now have access to metro rail services, officially making Agra a metro city. The construction of the civil terminal at the airport is in its final stages," he said, adding that previous governments failed to provide these facilities.