Bengaluru (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in poll bound Karnataka's northern districts of Yadgiri and Kalaburagi on Thursday to lay foundation stone and inaugurate projects worth more than Rs 10,800 crores.
This will be the second such visit by the Prime Minister to Karnataka this month. He was in Hubballi on January 12 to inaugurate the National Youth Festival, during which he had held a massive road show.
According to an official release, at around 12 noon, in Kodekal, Yadgiri district, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate various developmental projects related to irrigation, drinking water besides a National Highway development project.
Later, at around 2:15 PM, Modi will reach Malkhed, Kalaburagi District, where he will distribute title deeds (hakku patra) to the eligible beneficiaries of newly declared revenue villages and also lay the foundation stone for a National Highway project.
The visit also gains significance, as the ruling BJP prepares for assembly polls in Karnataka and has set a target of winning a minimum of 150 out of total 224 seats which will go for polls by May.
Aimed at providing safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections to all households, Modi will lay the foundation stone for Yadgir multi-village drinking water supply scheme under Jal Jeevan Mission at Kodekal in Yadgiri District, also a Water Treatment Plant of 117 MLD will be built under the scheme.
The project, which costs more than Rs 2,050 crore, will provide potable water to about 2.3 lakh households of more than 700 rural habitations and three towns of Yadgiri district.
During the programme, the PM will also inaugurate Narayanpur Left Bank Canal Extension Renovation and Modernisation Project (NLBC ERM).
The project, with a canal carrying capacity of 10,000 cusecs, can irrigate 4.5 lakh hectares of command area. It will benefit more than three lakh farmers in 560 villages of Kalaburgi, Yadagir and Vijaypur districts. The total cost of the project is about Rs 4,700 crores.
Later, he will also lay the foundation stone of the 65.5 km section of NH-150C. This 6-lane Greenfield road project is part of Surat Chennai Expressway. It is being built at a cost of about Rs 2,000 crore.
Further pointing out that about 1,475 unrecorded habitations have been declared as New Revenue villages in five districts of Kalaburagi, Yadgiri, Raichur, Bidar and Vijayapura, the release said, at Malkhed village of Sedam Taluka of Kalaburagi district, the Prime Minister will distribute title deeds (hakku patra) to the eligible beneficiaries of these newly declared revenue villages.
The issuance of title deeds to more than 50,000 beneficiaries, who are largely from the marginalised and vulnerable communities from the SC, ST and OBC, is a step to provide a formal recognition from the government for their land, and will make them eligible for receiving government services like drinking water, electricity, roads etc.
During the programme, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of the 71 km section of NH-150C. This 6 lane Greenfield road project is also part of Surat Chennai Expressway. It is being built at a cost of more than Rs 2,100 crore.
Surat Chennai Expressway will pass through six states- Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. It will reduce the existing route from 1,600 Kms to 1,270 Kms.
The PM after finishing with his engagements in Karnataka will leave for Mumbai.
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New Delhi: Two sitting judges of the Allahabad High Court were reportedly part of a closed-door event hosted by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Prayagraj on December 8, with one delivering a lecture on the contentious topic of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, a serving judge known for his polarizing observations, argued that the UCC is a constitutional necessity aimed at promoting equality and social harmony, as reported by TheWire.in.
The gathering, held in the High Court library, was organised by the VHP’s legal cell of the “Kashi Prant” (Varanasi province) and featured discussions on topics such as the Waqf Act and religious conversions.
Government advocate A.K. Sand and Anil Tiwari, president of the High Court Bar Association, also addressed the audience, comprising members of the VHP's legal cell from various districts in Uttar Pradesh.
Justice Yadav, speaking on the UCC, emphasized the principles of gender equality and secularism, asserting that a unified legal framework would eliminate disparities across and within communities. His speech drew attention due to his past remarks endorsing Hindu religious and cultural elements.
Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav | PC: theWire
In 2021, Justice Yadav suggested that the cow be declared a national animal and that Hindu scriptures, including the Ramayana and the Gita, be honored as national treasures and taught in schools. He has also called for stringent anti-cow slaughter laws and even proposed deferring elections during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect public health.
The event sparked criticism, with senior lawyer Indira Jaising denouncing Justice Yadav’s participation as inappropriate for a sitting judge. “What a shame for a judge to engage in a politically charged event organized by a Hindu group,” she remarked.
The VHP’s national co-convenor, Abhishek Atrey, and other speakers addressed issues such as amendments to the Waqf Act and concerns over the protection of Hindu identity. Atrey alleged parallels between Bangladesh's political unrest and the treatment of minorities, urging unity to preserve cultural identity.
Justice Dinesh Pathak was reportedly scheduled to inaugurate the event, but his attendance remained unconfirmed. The involvement of high-ranking judicial figures in an event associated with a religious-political organization continues to raise questions about judicial impartiality and ethics.
PC: theWire