TDP seeks Kejriwal's support against Modi government
New Delhi, July 19 : A delegation of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders on Thursday sought support from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to the no-confidence motion against the Modi government tabled by them in the Lok Sabha.
Led by TDP Parliamentary Party leader Y.S. Chowdary, state Ministers T.G. Venkatesh, K. Narayana and Narsimha Rao met Kejriwal to seek the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) support in both houses of Parliament against the Modi government.
The team handed over a letter from Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to Kejriwal along with a booklet which centres around the denial of special category status to Andhra Pradesh by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Chowdary told the media that Kejriwal agreed with the TDP's views and termed their problems as genuine.
"Today (Thursday) we met Kejriwal and discussed the problems faced by Andhra Pradesh caused by the Centre due to its delay in implementation of its promises made in Parliament.
"The Chief Minister agreed ... and described our problems as genuine," he said.
The TDP has snapped its alliance with the BJP over the Centre's refusal to give special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
"Despite being in power in the state, our pleas to Central government have not yielded any result. India is a cooperative federal system, so the Centre has to work with the states to resolve issues. As the Central government has failed to follow this principle, we are going to pass a no-confidence motion against the Modi government," Chowdary said.
The voting on the no-confidence motion will take place on Friday. The AAP has members both in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
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Gehlot changes profile pic to 'Save Aravalli', asks Centre to reconsider definition
Jaipur (PTI): Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday urged the Centre to reconsider its definition of the Aravallis, warning that any damage to the mountain range posed a serious threat to the ecological future of north India.
Gehlot, a former Rajasthan chief minister, changed his social media profile picture in support of the nationwide 'SaveAravalli' campaign amid growing debate over mining and environmental safeguards in the Aravalli Range.
It was his symbolic protest against the new interpretation under which hills lower than 100 metres are no longer being recognised as part of the Aravalli system, he said.
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"The Aravalli cannot be judged by tape measures or height alone. It must be assessed by its ecological importance," Gehlot said, adding that the revised definition raised "a big question" over the future of north India.
Appealing to the Centre and the Supreme Court, Gehlot said the issue must be reconsidered in the interest of future generations and environmental security. He also urged citizens to participate in the campaign by changing their display pictures online to draw attention to the issue.
He said the Aravalli range functioned as a natural green wall against the expansion of the Thar desert and extreme heatwaves, protecting Delhi, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Opening up smaller hills and so-called gap areas for mining would allow desertification to advance rapidly, he warned.
Gehlot also flagged concerns over air pollution, saying the hills and forests of the Aravallis acted as the "lungs" of the National Capital Region by checking dust storms and absorbing pollutants.
"When pollution levels are so alarming even with the Aravalli standing, one can imagine how disastrous the situation will be without it," he said.
Highlighting the water crisis, the former chief minister said the rocky terrain of the Aravallis played a crucial role in groundwater recharge by channelising rainwater underground.
"If the hills are destroyed, drinking water shortages will intensify, wildlife will disappear and the entire ecology will be pushed into danger," he said.
Gehlot argued that, from a scientific perspective, the Aravallis was a continuous chain and that even smaller hillocks were as vital as higher peaks.
