BJP slams Yashwant Sinha, says his appeal to Murmu depicts 'nasty mindset'
Bengaluru, Jul 4: Hitting back at joint opposition candidate for Presidential polls Yashwant Sinha for his "rubber stamp Rashtrapati" comments, BJP national General Secretary C T Ravi on Monday said a feeling that an Adivasi woman is not capable for the position, itself depicts one's "nasty mindset".
He was reacting to a question regarding Sinha urging BJP-led NDA's nominee for the elections, Droupadi Murmu, who belongs to a tribal community in Odisha, to make an affirmation that she will not be a "rubber stamp Rashtrapati".
"Certainly the country doesn't need a rubber stamp Rashtrapati, but also, in the same way, the mindset of indulging in a false propaganda against a self-made Adivasi woman, who has proved her capability, is dangerous. The state of mind that feels oneself alone to be worthy is dangerous," Ravi said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "Murmu, an Adivasi woman has already proved her capabilities, as the Governor of Jharkhand, as a minister and MLA in Odisha and as a lecturer in a college. A feeling that the Adivasi woman is not capable for the position itself depicts one's nasty mindset."
Murmu will be visiting Karnataka on July 10 to seek votes, Ravi said, as he also stated that based on the current numbers, her victory is certain in the July 18 presidential polls.
Sinha, who was in Bengaluru on Sunday as part of his poll campaign, attended the Congress Legislature Party meeting here, and accused the BJP-led central government of misusing agencies like ED, CBI, Income Tax to "fix" political opponents.
Reacting to this, Ravi, MLA from Chikmagalur, said, "ED or Income Tax departments can't do anything to those who are honest, but those corrupt can't escape from them. If one is corrupt, he or she has to worry; those honest need not and will not."
He also welcomed the JD(S) plans to support Murmu in the presidential polls.
Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda-led regional party has already indicated support for Murmu.
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.
Indian-origin man among 4 killed in temple collapse in South Africa
Johannesburg (PTI): A 52-year-old Indian-origin man is among four people killed after a four-storey Hindu temple under construction collapsed in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, officials have said.
The New Ahobilam Temple of Protection, situated on a steep hill in Redcliffe in north of eThekwini (formerly Durban), was being expanded when a section of the building gave way on Friday while workers were on site.
The exact number of workers and temple officials believed to be trapped beneath tonnes of rubble is unknown.
While two people, a construction worker and a devotee, were confirmed dead on Friday, the death toll rose to four on Saturday after rescue teams recovered more bodies.
Of the four deceased, one has been identified as Vickey Jairaj Panday, an executive member of the temple trust and manager of the construction project, local media reported, quoting officials.
Panday had been deeply involved in the development of the temple since its inception nearly two years ago, the reports said.
Sanvir Maharaj, director of Food for Love, a charity affiliated to the temple, also confirmed that Panday was among those who had died.
Rescue workers, who spent two days trying to recover a fifth body that had been located, had to suspend operations on Saturday afternoon due to inclement weather, Reaction Unit South Africa spokesperson Prem Balram told local media.
“At this stage, it cannot be confirmed whether additional individuals remain trapped beneath the rubble,” he said.
The temple was designed to resemble a cave, using rocks brought from India and excavated on site, and the family building the structure had claimed that it would house one of the world's largest deities of Lord Nrsimhadeva.
The eThekwini municipality, in a statement, said no building plans had been approved for the project, suggesting the construction was illegal.
Initial rescue efforts had been guided by cellphone calls from one of the trapped persons, but communications ceased late Friday evening, officials said.
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Thulasizwe Buthelezi visited the site on Saturday and pledged that rescue operations would continue for as long as necessary, even as experts noted that there was little hope of finding more survivors.
Buthelezi expressed gratitude to the combined government and private teams involved in the search and rescue operation, including a special dog unit from the Western Cape.
