Rahul Gandhi should've been allowed to quote Naravane's 'memoir' in LS: Sharad Pawar
Baramati (PTI): NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said that Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi should have been allowed in the Lok Sabha to quote from an unpublished "memoir" of former Army chief MM Naravane.
The controversy on the memoir, 'Four Stars of Destiny', centres on the events of the Indo-China stand-off in 2020.
A row erupted in the Lok Sabha on Monday after Gandhi sought to quote from the unpublished "memoir" of former Army chief Naravane, but Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with other BJP members, strongly opposed it and accused the Congress leader of "misleading" the House.
Pawar said Gandhi "should have been allowed" to speak on the subject in Parliament during the Budget session.
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"If the former Army chief has written something and if the leader of the opposition is saying something, then it is his (Gandhi's) right and he should have been given that opportunity," the Rajya Sabha member said at a press conference in Baramati.
He said that an atmosphere of suspicion should not prevail unnecessarily in the country.
"The former Army chief has written something in the book which shows there was some concerning situation. If a discussion had taken place in Parliament on the issue, people could have got a clear picture," Pawar said.
Though the book is unpublished, Gandhi held a copy of it and the Lok Sabha speaker asked to authenticate the copy, he noted. "Why was there opposition (to Gandhi) when the copy was authenticated?" Pawar asked.
Gandhi on Wednesday cited the unpublished "memoir" to claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not fulfil his responsibility during the India-China conflict in 2020 and passed the buck on to Naravane.
Addressing reporters in the premises of Parliament House complex, Gandhi held up Naravane's unpublished "memoir" and said he would like the youngsters in India to know that this 'book' exists despite the government claiming otherwise.
He said Naravane has written the full account of what happened in Ladakh.
Gandhi has also written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, lodging his strong protest over being disallowed from speaking in the House on a matter of national security and terming it a "blot on our democracy".
He has also said that it was for the first time in history that LoP was not allowed to speak on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.
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More than 1,200 booked for drunk driving during Holi celebrations in Delhi
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Traffic Police booked more than 1,200 motorists for drunk driving during a special enforcement drive carried out across the city on Holi, with the highest number of such violations reported from the western range, an official said on Thursday.
According to data released by the traffic police, a total of 3,725 were penalised for other traffic violations, besides the 1,204 challans issued to motorists for drunken driving during Holi celebrations on Wednesday.
The western range that covers Dwarka, Outer and West districts saw intensive enforcement and recorded the highest number of drunken driving cases at 297.
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The central range reported 257 cases of drunken driving, closely followed by the northern range with 256 violations. The eastern range recorded 208 cases, while the southern range reported 117 drunken driving challans. The New Delhi range registered the lowest number with 69 cases, the data showed.
Police said multiple checkpoints were set up across key roads and intersections where drivers were subjected to breath analyser tests to ensure road safety during the festival.
Apart from drunken driving, traffic police also booked a large number of motorists for other violations during the special Holi enforcement drive.
According to traffic data, 3,725 challans were issued for offences such as driving without seat belts, triple riding, riding without helmets, dangerous driving and other traffic rule violations across the city.
The eastern range recorded the highest number of such violations at 740, followed by the western range with 672 cases and the southern range with 646 cases. The central range reported 627 violations, while the northern range recorded 504 cases.
The New Delhi range registered 536 violations, the data showed, indicating widespread enforcement action across multiple districts during the festive checks.
Officials said the drive was conducted on March 4 as part of a citywide special campaign to check drunken driving, overspeeding and other traffic violations on Holi celebrations.
Traffic police teams were deployed at several strategic points, including arterial roads and areas known for heavy festive gatherings, to monitor motorists and prevent accidents.
"Strict action was taken against motorists found driving under the influence of alcohol. The aim of the special drive was to deter violations and ensure the safety of road users during the festive period," a traffic police official said.
Police said drunken driving significantly increases the risk of accidents and urged motorists to avoid driving after consuming alcohol.
The traffic police also appealed to citizens to celebrate Holi responsibly and follow traffic rules to prevent mishaps on the roads.
