New Delhi, April 30: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday attacked the RSS and BJP over the labelling of the aspirants for the post of police constables with their respective caste on their chest during a medical examination in Madhya Pradesh saying the ruling party had stabbed the country with its casteist approach.

In a tweet, Gandhi blamed the incident on the thinking of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) adding that the Congress will defeat such thinking. Gandhi also attached a picture of the candidates having marks on their chests.

"The casteist mentality of the BJP government has stabbed the country on its chest. By writing SC/ST on the chest of the youth of Madhya Pradesh, it has attacked the Constitution," he said in a tweet.

"This is the thinking of BJP/RSS. This thinking earlier led to tying "handi" (small earthen pot) to their neck, led to tying broom to the body, did not allow them to enter temples. We will defeat this mentality," he said.

The aspirants under the reserved category were marked with their caste -- SC (Scheduled Caste) or ST (Scheduled Tribe) -- on their chest for identification during a medical examination in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.

The state government ordered a probe into the incident on Sunday.

Dhar Superintendent of Police Virendra Singh told IANS on Sunday that there might not be any malicious intent behind it.

"Last time some mistakes happened during the recruitment. The hospital may have used this method to avoid any mistake this time. However, a probe has been ordered," he said.

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Bengaluru: The Karnataka Cabinet has approved a formation of separate Dharwad city corporation. Alongside, a 15% hike in fares across the four state transport corporations was also approved. The revised fares will come into effect on January 5.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil, addressing the media at the Committee Hall of Vidhana Soudha, provided details about the decision. He explained that the last fare revision for BMTC was a decade ago when diesel cost Rs 60.98 per litre. Since then, operational costs have risen significantly.

Diesel expenditure for the four corporations has increased from Rs 9.16 crore to Rs 13.21 crore, and personnel costs have grown from Rs 12.85 crore to Rs 18.36 crore. The daily operational burden now stands at Rs 9.56 crore. The fare hike is expected to generate an additional Rs 74.85 crore in monthly revenue without burdening the state exchequer, as Rs 5,015 crore has already been allocated for the Shakti Yojana this fiscal year.

Minister Patil announced that the Cabinet has decided to bifurcate the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation into two independent municipal bodies.

The Cabinet approved the construction of a fishing port in Hejamady village, Udupi, with a revised estimate of Rs 209.13 crore. Additionally, Rs 84.57 crore has been sanctioned for the modernization and dredging of fishing ports.

In a move to strengthen cow shelters, Rs 10.50 crore has been allocated for projects in 14 districts. The Cabinet also approved constructing a building for Visvesvaraya Technical University in Chikkaballapur district at Rs 149.75 crore.

The Cabinet sanctioned a state-of-the-art bus stand in Bannimantap, Mysuru, at a cost of Rs 120 crore. Spread over 14 acres, the facility will include a divisional office, bus units, and commercial shops.

Approval was also granted to utilize Rs 137.85 crore, provided by the Union Finance Ministry under the Special Capital Assistance Scheme, for capital expenditure.

The Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board will use Rs 56.92 crore from its SCP/TSP scheme to supply bed sheets, mosquito nets, and clothing to government residential schools and hostels.

The Cabinet approved Rs 100 crore to construct new buildings for 200 veterinary institutions currently housed in rented or dilapidated structures, using NABARD assistance.

In Davangere, a site was allotted to the Karnataka Working Journalists' Association for constructing a civic facility. A plot in Avaragere village was also leased for 30 years at a concessional rate to Nayaka Vidyarthi Nilaya.

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