Congress stages protest against Rafael Deal in Udupi: Lathis displayed during protest rally
Udupi: Demanding a thorough probe into the Narendra Modi-led central BJP government’s 41,000 crore Rafael Aircraft scandal, the Udupi District Congress led a protest in front of DC office on Tuesday.
In the protest march from the Manipal Tiger Circle to the Deputy Commissioner's office, more than 200 activists raised slogans against PM Narendra Modi and displayed lathis to express their outrage. Thousands of leaders and activists witnessed the protest.
Addressing the protesters in front of the Deputy Commissioner's Office, former minister Vinay Kumar Sorake said that the nation had faced a loss of Rs. 41,000 crore due to Rafael Aircraft scandal. This is the most significant corruption of this century. While the Prime Minister Narendra Modi is involved in this scam, the Joint Parliamentary Committee comprising all parties must probe this, he urged.
Peaking at the occasion, former MLA Gopal Bhandari said, "It is impossible to find unity in the nation with misunderstandings and lack of trust. We all have to move together with secularism, brotherhood, and harmony. But the BJP has risen to power by dividing people in the name of religions, creating misunderstandings and destroying people’s sentiments. That is why the country's condition has reached this level today, he said.
District Congress President Janardhana Thonse, MLC K Pratapchandra Shetty, former MLA Gopal Poojary, State INTUC President Rakesh Malli, KPCC General Secretary GA. Bava, MA Gafoor, leaders Mamata Gatti, Deviprasad Shetty, Veronica Cornelio, Raju Poojary, Amrut Shenoy, Haryana, Neere Krishna Shetty, Navinchandra Shetty, and others were present.
They later submitted a memorandum regarding this to the Deputy Commissioner via Additional Deputy Commissioner Vidya Kumari.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Forces in and outside India trying to destabilise country; need to unmask urban Naxals: PM Modi
Ekta Nagar (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said some forces in and outside India are trying to destabilise the country and portray a negative image of the nation in the world, underscoring the need to “identify urban Naxals and unmask them”.
He was addressing a gathering near the iconic Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat’s Narmada district after paying floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the birth anniversary of India’s first home minister.
Since 2014, Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary has been celebrated on October 31 as ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’, or National Unity Day.
“Due to India’s increasing strengths and capabilities, some forces in and outside are trying to destabilise the country and spread anarchy. They want to hurt India’s economic interests. They want to send a wrong message to foreign investors by portraying a negative image of the nation in the world,” the PM said.
Without taking names, Modi said “these people” are also targeting India’s armed forces through a “disinformation campaign” and trying to ignite sentiments of separatism in the Army.
“These people are trying to divide the country on caste lines. Their only goal is to weaken the Indian society as well as people’s unity,” he said.
They don’t want to see India as a developed country because what suits them is the politics of a weaker and poor India, he said, adding that such “dirty politics” went on for nearly five decades.
Modi alleged that though these forces always talk about democracy and the Constitution, they are actually working to divide the country.
The opposition led by the Congress has repeatedly targeted PM Modi claiming that India’s democracy and Constitution are “under attack” by the ruling BJP.
The PM urged the people to identify this nexus of “urban Naxals”, which he said is trying to break the country.
As Naxalism is ending in jungles, a new model of urban Naxals is raising its head, he said.
“We need to identify such people who are dreaming of breaking the country. We have to fight these forces. Today urban Naxals target even those who say that you will remain safe if you remain united. We have to identify urban Naxals and unmask them,” he said.
He said due to the government’s efforts in the past 10 years, Naxalism is counting its last breath in India.
Recalling Sardar Patel’s contribution, Modi said though there were people who were skeptical of India’s unification after the independence, Sardar Patel made it possible. He added that the country will celebrate Patel’s 150th birth anniversary for the next two years.
According to Modi, every scheme floated by his government reflects the “spirit of unity”.
He said benefits were given to every citizen without discrimination, be it Har Ghar Jal, Ayushman Bharat or PM Awas Yojna.
Modi said that after the success of the ‘one nation, one tax’ initiative in the form of GST (Goods and Services Tax), ‘one nation, one ration card’, and ‘one nation, one health insurance’ in the form of Ayushman Bharat scheme, his government is now working on ‘one nation, one election’.
This approach will strengthen democracy and give optimum outcomes on available resources, he said.
“We are also moving towards the implementation of ‘one nation, one secular civil code’. Sardar Patel’s message of unity in society is at the core of this decision. This will eliminate discrimination and strengthen unity among people,” said the PM.
Referring to the abrogation of Article 370, PM Modi said it stood as a barrier in implementing the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir, where assembly elections were held recently.
“For the first time in 75 years, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir has taken oath on the Constitution. I see it as a very important milestone for India's unity. I salute the people of Jammu and Kashmir who gave respect to the Constitution,” he said.
About the ongoing wars in different parts of the world, Modi said India has emerged as ‘Vishwa Bandhu’ (friend of the world).
“India has emerged as Vishwa Bandhu when relations between different countries are getting strained. When differences between nations are growing today, countries are coming closer to India. A new history is being written. The world is watching how India is bringing solutions to its decades-old challenges,” said the PM.
