Uddhav's advice to Hardik: Don't risk life on insensitive governments
Ahmedabad, Sep 5 : NDA ally Shiv Sena on Wednesday extended support to fasting Patidar leader Hardik Patel, with party chief Uddhav Thackeray advising him "not to risk your life on insensitive governments".
Patel has been on an indefinite fast since August 25 to demand loan waiver for farmers and reservation for Patels in government jobs and educational institutions. He is also demanding the release of close associate Alpesh Kathiriya jailed on sedition charge.
Thackerey, in his message, extended support to Patel and advised him to give up his fast, at least for now. There was no point in "risking your precious life fighting against insensitive governments at the Centre and the state", the Sena leader said.
Thackeray also advised Hardik to prepare for a long-drawn battle for the farmers' cause.
Hardik's supporters have announced to intensify their agitation as the state government had not begun direct talks with the fasting leader, who was visited by disgruntled BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha and former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha on Tuesday.
"Hardik will again stop consuming water if the state government does approach him by tomorrow (Thursday) over our demands," Manoj Panara, Convenor of the Patidar Ananmat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), told reporters.
"From Thursday, the state's farmers will call up all 182 legislators, 26 Lok Sabha members and Rajya Sabha members from Gujarat and seek their views on farm debt waiver," Panara said.
He added that the phone calls would be followed by visits to the residences and offices of these elected representatives on Friday to seek their views in writing.
"The ball is in the government's court. The state government will be responsible if anything goes wrong. However, we appeal to farmers and Patel youths to maintain peace and not go for confrontation with police," Panara added.
Meanwhile, Visnagar town in north Gujarat, from where the Patel agitation started in 2015, observed a bandh in support of the fasting leader. Some of his supporters got their head tonsured in protest against the state government's alleged apathy.
Women too came out in the streets in several rural areas of the state and beat vessels with rolling pins to protest.
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Affront to non-Hindi speaking people: Chidambaram slams use of Hindi words in bills' names
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader P Chidambaram has slammed the "increasing practice" of the government using Hindi words in the titles of the bills and said the change is an "affront" to the non-Hindi-speaking people.
Chidambaram said the non-Hindi-speaking people cannot identify a Bill/Act with titles that are in Hindi words written in English letters, and they cannot pronounce them.
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"I am opposed to the increasing practice of the government using Hindi words written in English letters in the title of the Bills to be introduced in Parliament," the former Union minister said late Monday night.
Hitherto, the practice was to write the title of the Bill in English words in the English version and in Hindi words in the Hindi version of the Bill, Chidambaram said.
"When no one pointed out any difficulty in the 75 year practice, why should government make a change?" he said.
"This change is an affront to non-Hindi speaking people and to States that have an official language other than Hindi," the Congress leader said.
Successive governments have reiterated the promise that English will remain an Associate Official Language, Chidambaram said.
"I fear that promise is in danger of being broken," the Congress MP said.
