'Scared' Congress fielded those who had stopped campaigning: PM's swipe at Sonia Gandhi
Shivamogga (K'taka) (PTI): In a swipe at the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the "scared" party brought in its veteran leader Sonia Gandhi for campaigning in the Karnataka election after its "lies did not work".
Without mentioning the name of the former Congress chief, Modi told an election rally here: "Now, the Congress is so afraid and scared that when their lies did not work, then those who are not taking part in campaigning are being brought here. The Congress has started dumping the responsibility of defeat on each other".
Gandhi, who largely stayed away from campaigning and public rallies since 2019 Lok Sabha polls reportedly due to health reasons, addressed her first election meeting in Karnataka, which votes on May 10, at Hubballi on Saturday.
The Prime Minister also said the Congress' "balloon of lies is no more working as people have burst it".
As Modi was presented a Hanuman idol and a saffron colour 'Shivaji' turban, the crowd roared with 'Jai Sri Ram' (Hail Lord Ram) chants while the Prime Minister raised 'Bajrang Bali Ki Jai' (Hail Hanuman) slogans.
Modi said he was touched by the overwhelming response to his roadshow held in Bengaluru earlier on Sunday.
"It was supposed to be a long roadshow today but due to the NEET exam, I told our party that our exam (election) is on May 10 whereas children's exam is today. Hence, we should take care of their exam. So, we did roadshow in the morning and finished it early," Modi said.
"Despite being a Sunday, the strength Bengaluru displayed, the faith it reposed and the love it demonstrated was touching my heart. I will be indebted to Karnataka," Modi said.
He said he wanted to pay back the love and blessings showered on him by the people.
"I want to give you original guarantee for your love and blessings, I will develop Karnataka and refund your love with interest," Modi promised.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
