Will not mislead people on Article 370 restoration: Ghulam Nabi Azad at Kashmir rally
Baramulla (J-K), Sep 11: As he prepares to launch his party, former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday said he will not mislead the people over the issue of Article 370 as only a government with a two-thirds majority in Parliament can ensure the restoration of the provision.
"Azad knows what can and cannot be done. I or the Congress party or three regional parties cannot give you back Article 370, neither can (TMC chief) Mamata Banerjee, or DMK or (NCP chief) Sharad Pawar," Azad said in his maiden rally in Kashmir Valley after quitting the Congress last month.
The former Union minister said he will not raise issues over which he has no control.
"Some people have been saying that I don't talk about Article 370. I want to tell them that Azad does not befool people for electoral gains," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said at the public meeting at Dak Bungalow Baramulla in north Kashmir.
"I swear before God that I will not mislead you. I will not raise such slogans or issues over which I have no control," he said.
Azad said only a party with a two-thirds majority in Parliament can restore the special status of the erstwhile state which was revoked by the Centre in August 2019.
"Congress party hasn't been able to achieve more than 85 Lok Sabha seats in the last ten years. Its strength is decreasing in the Rajya Sabha with every state loss...
"I don't think the Congress can get over 350 seats in the Lok Sabha elections," he said.
"Where from can I get it? Why mislead people," he added.
The former J-K chief minister said he would not promise the moon and stars to the people but only those things that can be achieved.
"I or the Congress party or three regional parties cannot give you back Article 370...," he added.
Azad, who ended his five-decade-long association with the Congress last month, said he will announce the formation of his new political party within 10 days and asserted that its ideology will be "independent".
The former Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said his party will focus on restoration of statehood to J-K, giving exclusive rights over jobs and land to its people and bringing development.
Referring to Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari's allegation that Azad had voted in favour of the abrogation of Article 370, he said Bukhari should first understand how Parliament works.
"I voted against the Bill brought by the Home Ministry for the revocation of Article 370," Azad said.
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KSDL invites innovative technology to check sandalwood theft
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has invited farmers, scientists and organisations to come up with innovative technologies to prevent sandalwood theft in the state.
The state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), which manufactures Mysuru Sandal Soap has also planned sandalwood cultivation, state Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil said on Thursday.
"In a bid to promote sandalwood cultivation, the KSDL has planned a major initiative. As part of it, farmers, scientists, and organisations possessing information on advanced equipment or innovative technologies to prevent sandalwood theft have been invited to approach KSDL and share the details," Patil said in a statement.
Those interested in this initiative will be given an opportunity to demonstrate such technologies before the organisation, the minister said, adding if the proposed solutions are found suitable and effective, steps will be taken for consideration and implementation.
Patil stated that the cost involved in deploying technologies aimed at preventing sandalwood theft would be borne by KSDL.
Further, with a view to encouraging sandalwood cultivation, four farmers who have supplied the highest quantity of sandalwood to KSDL will be honoured with awards on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar on June 4, he said.
On the same occasion, police personnel and forest officials who have made notable progress in apprehending sandalwood thieves and registering cases, along with members of the public who have provided credible information leading to such action, will also be recognised and rewarded, the minister added.
Patil observed that farmers cultivating sandalwood trees on their lands have been facing increasing threats due to theft in recent years. Illegal felling and theft of sandalwood trees have continued for decades.
Although stringent laws are in place to curb such activities, the number of cases resulting in convictions remains very low, he noted.
"In this context, it becomes the responsibility of the organisation to extend both legal and technical support to farmers and encourage them to take up sandalwood cultivation on a larger scale," he said.
According to him, over the past three years, KSDL has procured 174.5 metric tonne of sandalwood directly from farmers across the state and transferred Rs 6.08 crore to their respective accounts.
