Minister Khader challenges BJP leaders to write Union Ministry
Dispute on using Smart City funds for slaughterhouse
Mangaluru, October 08: “To support the sanitation driver in the city, I have given suggestions to develop slaughter houses under the Smart City Project. But the proposal is yet to get the approval from the Union Ministry of Urban Development. If they have real concerns, let the BJP elected representatives who have made it a dispute, write to the Union Ministry and stop it”, Housing and Urban Development Minister UT Khader challenged BJP leaders.
Clarifying on an allegation that Khader has given Rs 15 crore under Smart City Project for the development of the slaughter house, in a press conference here on Monday, the Minister said that when BJP was in power in the City Corporation in 2011, pro-BJP organization had taken the Kudroli slaughter house on contract for one year and said that there was no basic facility. In order to make India clean, first the cities should be cleaned, he added.
“The main objective of the Smart City Project was to maintain the cleanliness and beautification of the city. I have given my suggestion to develop the Kudroli slaughter house with an intention of ensuring healthy environment at the slaughterhouse. Being the District Minister, I have given that suggestion. The Advisory Board has City Corporation Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, District Incharge Secretary, Mayor, Opposition party leaders and Corporators. But there is no objection from them, because they are aware of the situation in the slaughterhouse. However, the BJP MP and MLAs have been creating issues. Let them write to the Centre. If the centre rejects our proposal, we don’t have any objections”, Khader clarified.
Smart City Project would be implemented through Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under the guidance of the Central government. In order to ensure cleanliness and beautification of the city, he had given suggestions to develop Wenlock Hospital, Mangala Stadium, Pumpwell Bus Stand, Football Stadium, 2nd and 3rd stage fishing area in the Port. There was a demand to develop the Kudroli slaughterhouse as the disposal of slaughterhouse waste had become a problem. It was planned to give a permanent solution for the problem, he said.
“I believe that some elected representatives have little experience. But I am surprised that they do not know anything. It is not fair on part of politicians to blow emotional issues out of proportions for political gains. They say funds were not given for the development of Gau Shala. But in the Smart City Project, there is no plan for developing Gau Shalas. I have developed a road leading to Pajeer Gau Shala. Let the BJP leaders write to the centre that the Gau Shala is dropped in the Smart City Project. Just speeches will not help the Smart City Project. Instead, they should work constructively”, Khader said.
No one has supported the illegal cow transportation. He was of the opinion that selling or buying of cows should not happen during nights. Police department should take action against any kind of illegal transportation. He would not interfere in this issue, he clarified.
Mayor Bhaskar K, Deputy Mayor Muhammad K, Chief Whip Shashidhar Hegde, Standing Committee presidents Naveen D’Souza and Radhakrishna, Corporators Mamatha Gatti, Sadashiva Ullal, Padmanabha Rai and others were present.
‘I’ve instructed not to remove Dasara flex, banners’
When the reporters asked that the district minister has asked the authorities not to remove flex and banners being put up in the name of Dasara festival despite a ban on plastic, Khader said that “I have informed the authorities. Dasara is the festival of the land. I have directed them not to remove the flex and banners put up for Dasara festival. They can remove the posters of politicians”, he said.
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Congress to have massive organisational reshuffle: KC Venugopal
Ahmedabad, Apr 8 (PTI): The Congress is going to have a "massive organisational reshuffle", AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said on Tuesday as the party's top leaders met here and vowed to embark on the "path of social justice" espoused by Sardar Patel.
Briefing reporters after the extended Congress Working Committee meeting at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial here, Venugopal noted that the Congress has dedicated this year to a complete restructuring of the party organisation and the issue was discussed at length at the meeting.
"We are going to have a massive organisational reshuffle, and there will be guidelines for the same. Our general secretaries and in-charges are on it," he said.
Venugopal also stressed that measures to empower the party's district unit chiefs will be rolled out soon.
"We have already decided on that issue, empowering the DCC presidents and duties and powers of the DCCs has been discussed in various forums, already general secretaries and in-charges have approved the proposals and we are going to roll out that proposal in the near future," he said while replying to queries.
Venugopal said the Extended CWC passed a resolution that "our party will walk on the path showed to us by Sardar Patel ji".
"He stood up against the oppression of the British, fighting for the rights of workers and farmers. He rejected communal forces after Bapu’s assassination. He fought for an India where everyone had fundamental rights and freedoms.
"Today, as we embark on the path of social justice, our Nyay Path follows the same principles laid down by Sardar Patel," he said.
In his opening address at the meeting, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also asserted the party's claim to Sardar Patel's legacy and accused the BJP and RSS of trying to usurp it under a "well-planned conspiracy" against national heroes.
Kharge stressed that the Congress is taking forward the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Patel.
"Sardar Patel Saheb lives in our hearts, lives in our thoughts. We are taking his legacy forward. We have organised this CWC meeting in Ahmedabad at Sardar Patel Museum with this thought in mind. We pay our heartfelt tributes to him," he said.
Earlier in the day, AICC general secretary Sachin Pilot told reporters that the Congress intends to create more empowered district units with their presidents having enhanced accountability, responsibility and political strength.
He said that the Congress would fight the upcoming elections with strength and expressed confidence that the Congress and its supporting ideologies would come together to give the BJP and the NDA a tough challenge.
Briefing reporters outside the venue, Pilot said, "The intention of the Congress president and the Leader of Opposition is to create a more empowered district unit."
"The accountability, the responsibility and the political strength that we have thus given to the district presidents is set to be enhanced," he stressed.
The final outcome will be decided after the convention on Wednesday but the intention of the Congress is to make the District Pradesh Congress (DCC) presidents more empowered than before, the former Union minister said, adding the move is aimed at expanding the party's reach in villages, divisions and booths.
"The year 2025 is the year of the organisation to strengthen our workers, expand our party ideology and to make sure that the Congress reaches out in a mass contact programme through padyatras and door-to-door programmes," he said.
The party wants to send a clear message not just to its opponents but to its supporters and workers that the Congress will not step back and fight aggressively both within Parliament and outside, and make sure it wins the next political challenge, Pilot said.
"Elections are fought to be won, the next few elections we will fight with strength and I am supremely confident that the Congress and its supporting ideologies will come together to give the BJP and the NDA a tough challenge," Pilot said.
He said the resolution passed at the end of the session on April 9 will be named 'Nyay Path'.
"Tomorrow' session will write a new chapter in history," he said
The grand old party has announced that the Ahmedabad Session will be themed "Nyaypath: Sankalp, Samarpan aur Sangharsh", with more than 1,700 elected and co-opted AICC members attending the main conclave on April 9 on the banks of the Sabarmati river between the Sabarmati Ashram and Kochrab Ashram.
