We are not anti-Muslims: Former PM Deve Gowda
Bengaluru, December 24: Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda said that as there was no difference in Congress party, the coalition government in the state would function safely.
Speaking to reporters at the party office here on Monday, the JDS supremo said that no Congress MLA would resign from their membership. So, the coalition government would not have any problem, he said.
Preparations were being made for the next Lok Sabha elections. They have come together to keep BJP away from power. Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has been touring the state to prepare for the election. Discussion was going on regarding panchayat elections in Chikmagalur, he said.
“Party leaders and Congress leaders would expand the Cabinet. JDS was a small regional party. We will also expand the Cabinet, but not now. Our regional party had given various programmes in 1998. Then we had won 16 Lok Sabha seats. But unfortunately, we have only two seats now”, he said.
Leaders have been working to strengthen the party. Every day, Kumaraswamy would discuss the issue with him and party meetings were being conducted after getting his approval, he said.
‘We aren’t anti-Muslims’
“We are not anti-Muslims. It is Janata Dal which brought reservation to women in this country. We have been running the government keeping in mind the political reservation, women reservation and Muslim community. But some people have been branding our party as caste-based party which is not true”.
- HD Deve Gowda, former prime minister
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
