Simultaneous polls will turn India into managed democracy: AAP
New Delhi, July 8: Rejecting the idea of simultaneous polls floated by the Narendra Modi government, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday said that such a system would turn India into a "managed democracy".
AAP leader Ashish Khetan, who appeared before the Law Commission to present his party's views, said after the meet: "We are against the idea of the so-called one-nation-one-poll because it will turn India's federal democracy into a managed democracy."
He added that for simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and state assemblies to happen, the Constitution of India will have to be "mutilated and rewritten completely".
"What will be left will be a pretense of democracy. The current dispensation will curtail the democratic rights of the people of this country. It will snatch away people's right to vote or vote out a government. There will be a domination of muscle and money power," Khetan said.
Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its absence from the Law Commission's meeting, he said it was "bizarre" that the party which floated the idea is itself missing from the discussion.
The AAP leader also emphasized how simultaneous elections would turn a "thriving, open and transparent democracy" of India into a "Stalinist democracy" where people will get the right to vote once in five years and not get the chance of self-correction if the chosen government fails to impress.
"You are taking away the people's right to self-correction because often we have seen in this country that people vote differently in Parliament elections and six months down the line, people vote differently in a state election," Khetan argued.
"It is basically a reeking of a dictatorial mindset," he said.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
