Will govt seek forgiveness for past bulldozer actions: Akhilesh cites SC observation to target UP CM
Lucknow (PTI) Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday sought to corner Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath by citing a Supreme Court observation, and asked whether the state government would now seek forgiveness for razing houses using bulldozers.
Currently engaged in an exchange of barbs with the chief minister over the use of bulldozers, the Lok Sabha MP said the Supreme Court has observed that the 'bulldozer action' is not constitutional.
"As far as the bulldozer is concerned, think what kind of bulldozer has been run by the court that now the bulldozer cannot run. Those who used to scare people with bulldozers, used to demolish people's houses at various places... This means that you deliberately ran the bulldozer to humiliate those you wanted to take revenge against and because of arrogance of power. Now, the result is that from the high court to the Supreme Court, it can be said that the bulldozer is not constitutional but unconstitutional," Yadav told reporters here.
"The Supreme Court only yesterday said that now the bulldozer cannot run, so will the government apologize for the bulldozer that was running till now?" the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.
On Adityanath's retort that it takes "heart and mind" and "bulldozer-like capacity" to run a bulldozer, Yadav said a bulldozer does not have a brain, "but has a steering".
"Who knows when the people of Uttar Pradesh will change someone's steering or when the people of Delhi will change someone's steering," he said, in a lighter note.
Yadav had on Tuesday said that the direction of the bulldozers would be turned towards Gorakhpur - Adityanath's home district - after 2027, if the SP forms its government in the state.
Further speaking to reporters at SP's Vikramaditya Marg office here, Yadav said since the results of the Lok Sabha elections, neither the chief minister has been able to sleep in peace nor has he allowed his officers to.
On the Adityanath's apparent remark about 'chacha-bhatija' (Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav) reign of "terror" in Uttar Pradesh prior to 2017, the SP chief said, "Do not get confused, do not believe it at all because I know that newspapers and media are also a bit biased'¦ As far as the mafia is concerned, take out the old records and see, was anyone else also called mafia?"
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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.
