Sports Minister Anurag Thakur says that the youth will play a pivotal role in making India a developed nation by 2047
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set sight on India becoming a developed nation by 2047 ”For the country to progress in Amritkal, the role of young volunteers will play a pivotal role in attaining honour Prime Minister’s vision of India at 2047,” the Sports Minister said on the occasion of International Volunteer Day on Monday.
”The Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs along with its partners and stakeholders remain dedicated to promoting youth action and youth volunteerism in India.
”To optimally engage the constructive and creative energies of the youth, the department of youth affairs will purse the twin objectives of personality building and nation building,” he added.
Maharashtra ministers Chandrakant Patil and Shambhuraj Desai postponed their scheduled visit to Belagavi on Tuesday.
On Monday Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai raised concerns over the visit of the two ministers to Belagavi.
Maharashtra has appointed Patil and Desai as the coordinating ministers for the state’s border row with Karnataka.
The two states have been entangled in a row for decades over the demarcation of boundary between them. The matter is scheduled to come up for hearing in the Supreme Court on November 30.
Speaking to media, Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi (MES) leader Sarita Patil said, “The Maharashtra Ministers who were to come in Belgavi, now their programme is cancelled due to Mahaparinirvan Diwas as we got to know from Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s statement.”
“Their visit is cancelled now but we hope that they will visit on some other day. I also request them to visit by this year. On December 19, there is adhiveshan (session) in Belgavi and I request them on behalf of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi to visit here,” she added.
Patil and Desai, were initially scheduled to visit Belagavi on December 3 but had postponed their visit to December 6. Yesterday Karnataka CM Bommai appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to fight the border dispute issue legally as it is in court now.
“We have already communicated to them that it will create law and order problem, therefore, it’s not the right time to come. I appeal to Maharashtra CM that the matter is in court and fight it legally,” said Karnataka CM on the scheduled visit of the Maharashtra ministers.
Meanwhile, in Belagavi’s Chikkodi as a precautionary measure, police presence has been tightened along the border.
According to police, six Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) contingents are deployed in Nippani Taluk. 450 policemen assigned to Kuganolli Check Post. Senior officials such as the Superintendent of Police (SP) Additional SP, DSPs, Police Inspectors, Sub-inspectors and 450 police personnel have been deployed.
All inner roads of Nippani and Chikkodi taluk are blocked. Police are checking every vehicle entering the border. Belgaum or Belagavi is currently part of Karnataka but is claimed by Maharashtra.
After the implementation of the State Reorganization Act, of 1956, the Maharashtra government demanded the readjustment of its border with Karnataka. Following this, a four-member committee was formed by both states.
Maharashtra government had expressed willingness to transfer Kannada-speaking 260 villages predominantly, but it was turned down by Karnataka.
Now, both Karnataka and Maharashtra governments have approached the Supreme Court to expedite the matter, and the matter is still pending.
An average 4.75 per cent voter turnout was recorded on Monday in the initial one hour of polling in the second phase of Gujarat Assembly elections for 93 seats, the Election Commission said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel were among the early voters. Voting began at 8 am in 14,975 polling stations for the second phase of elections in 93 constituencies, out of the total 182 in Gujarat, spread across 14 districts of north and central regions.
The fate of 833 candidates, including CM Patel, will be decided in the second phase. District-wise, Gandhinagar recorded the highest turnout so far at 7.05 per cent, while Mahisagar district recorded the lowest turnout of 3.76 per cent, the Election Commission said in its update.
As per constituency-wise data, Gandhinagar North recorded the highest turnout of 12.97 per cent between 8 am and 9 am.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are contesting in all the 93 seats.
The Congress is contesting in 90 seats and its alliance partner Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has fielfed two candidates.
Among other parties, the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) has fielded 12 candidates and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) 44.
There are also 285 independent candidates in the fray.
In the 2017 Assembly polls, the BJP won 51 of these 93 seats, Congress 39, while three seats went to independent candidates.
In central Gujarat, the BJP had bagged 37 seats, outnumbering the Congress which got 22. But in north Gujarat, the Congress had won 17 seats while the saffron party got 14.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast his vote at a polling station in Ahmedabad on Monday during the second phase of the Gujarat Assembly polls.
Polling is underway since 8 am for the second and final phase of the state elections in 93 constituencies across 14 districts in the central and north regions and will go on till 5 pm.
Modi arrived at a polling station at Nishan High School in Ranip area of Ahmedabad city at around 9.30 am to exercise his franchise. He stood in a queue for a while to cast his vote.
After emerging from the polling station, the PM showed his inked finger to the crowd gathered to welcome him.
He then walked to his elder brother Soma Modi’s house located near the polling station. In the morning, Modi in a tweet appealed to people, particularly the young and women voters, to come in large numbers to exercise their franchise. He also urged those voting in the bypolls being held in different parts of the country ”to turnout in large numbers and vote.”
For the second phase of the Gujarat polls, a total of 833 candidates from 61 political parties, including Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), are in the fray in the 93 Assembly segments spread across Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Gandhinagar and other districts.
The first phase of voting for 89 seats in Saurashtra, Kutch and south Gujarat regions was held on December 1, when an average voter turnout of 63.31 per cent was recorded. The counting of votes for the total 182 Assembly seats will be taken up on December 8.
The cabinet minister of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Atul Save on Sunday assured the believers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Maratha community members that action will be taken on the persons who have abused the ‘great man.’
“I assure the followers of Shivaji Maharaj that their demand for action against the ones making remarks on Shivaji, will be conveyed to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis,” Atul Save said.
Save made the said promise after Shivaji’s followers in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad protested outside his residence today by raising the slogan “Rajyapal hatao, Maharashtra bachao” (remove the governor and save Maharashtra) amid beating of drums.
In the view of aggressive protestors, the security arrangements were tightened at the Maharashtra minister’s place in Aurangabad.
A member of the Maratha Kranti Morcha (which staged a protest at the minister’s place) Vinod Patil said, “We had organized this Dhol Bajao movement has been organised in regard to the manner in which great leaders are being insulted in the state. We talked with Atul Save and he has assured us of action against the ones involved in it.”
Patil further said that if their demand is not met, the agitation will get down to the roads.
The protest has been staged in wake of the controversy stoked by Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari on November 19 while addressing a function at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University in Aurangabad. Governor Koshyari said, “If someone asks who your idol is, you don’t have to go out looking for one. You will find them right here in Maharashtra. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has become an old idol now, you can find new ones — from Babasaheb Ambedkar to (Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways) Nitin Gadkari.”
This statement sparked a massive furore and drew censure from Maratha organisations and opposition leaders alike.
On Saturday, Bharatiya Janata Party MP and Shivaji Maharaj’s descendent Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhonsle at the Raigad Fort in Maharashtra expressed his protest against Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari and BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi over their alleged remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Udayanraje Bhonsle also wrote to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the governor’s remarks demanding him to be sacked from the post.
“The statements made by the governor and the spokesperson of BJP are very contradictory to the beliefs of the nation it would only be appropriate if you could take measures to remove the Governor of Maharashtra. Your actions and deliberations in resolving this current standoff would go miles in restoring the confidence of the people of Maharashtra and the nation, that you stand in solidarity with the people’s belief and faith in Chh. Shivaji Maharaj. Thanking you,” read the letter.
BJP MLA Nitesh Rane opposes construction of Urdu Bhavan in Agripada 7
BJP MLA Nitesh Rane has extended his support to Agripada Sangarsh Samiti for protesting against the construction of the Urdu Bhavan in the Agripada area.
Nitesh Rane claimed that earlier the land was reserved for constructing Industrial Training Institute (ITI) but the Maha Vikas Aghadi government allotted the same plot for the construction of Urdu Bhavan, completing the promise of the 2017 BMC manifesto.
Nitesh Rane said that he won’t let the government make Urdu Bhavan in the Agripada area.
Rane said, “The majority population is of Hindus and hence Urdu Bhavan shouldn’t be made here. There is a government of Hindu ideology and we will not let injustice happen.”
Hitting out at former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, the BJP MLA said, “If Uddhav Thackeray wants to make Urdu learning center then he should make it at his new Matoshree residence.”
“Here the majority is Hindu so construct Urdu Bhavan somewhere else not here… If you want to build Urdu Bhavan then build near Kala Nagar Matoshree,” he added.
Ahead of the arrival of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan, a poster war broke out between the supporters of Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot after the Chief Minister’s followers tried to replace Pilot’s posters in the Jhalawar district.
The incident took place on Saturday, days after the party’s general secretary KC Venugopal held a meeting with the two leaders of the state and held hands with Gehlot and Pilot during a press conference in an attempt to show unity in Jaipur on November 29.
Venugopal had claimed that the party is united in the state. On December 3, Pilot had released a video asking people to join the yatra when it enters the state.
In the latest row that erupted not too long after a display of unity, the supporters of both factions have indulged in the poster war. Pilot’s supporters were seen protesting against the posters used by the PCC supporters above the already installed posters carrying Pilot’s picture of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
The supporters of both factions had started putting up posters days ahead of the arrival of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan.
The Pilot supporters had paid for hoardings at prime places in the district from where the Yatra is scheduled to cross.
A new twist in the matter came when the contractor’s team reached Jhalawar on Saturday to install banners and hoardings of Rahul’s visit on behalf of the PCC supporters.
They started putting up banners of Rahul Yatra issued by PCC supporters at prime locations booked by Pilot workers without prior permission. Supporters of the Pilot group reached the spot and protested saying that the site was booked by paying an expensive rate.
The police also reached the spot, and pacified the matter after mutual understanding and had to withdraw the holdings and banners sent by PCC supporters in view of the protest by the supporters of the Pilot group.
This whole incident took place in the presence of the police in view of the possibility of the workers clashing with each other. Jhalawar city Kotwali in-charge Chandra Jyoti Sharma was also present on occasion.
The incident is being seen as an internal conflict between the supporters of the two factions.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra being led by Rahul Gandhi will enter Rajasthan on Sunday evening.
The Yatra, which entered Madhya Pradesh on November 23, will cover seven districts in the state in 12 days.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra has so far covered parts of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra, and is scheduled to enter Rajasthan on December 5.
According to Congress sources, the Yatra will conclude on January 26, 2023 in Kashmir covering a distance of about 3500 km.
“Congress was going to end this Yatra by hoisting the tricolour in Srinagar on February 20, but now under the new strategy, Rahul Gandhi will conclude his Yatra by hoisting the tricolour in Srinagar on Republic Day,” said sources.
According to the party sources, after January 26, a plenary session of the Congress is being planned before February 7, in which the name of Congress Party President Mallikarjun Kharge will be approved, after which the new Congress Working Committee will be formed.
Soon after the committee formation, major changes that were pending and postponed for a long time will also be made in the party organisation.
Notably, Bharat Jodo Yatra, which began on September 7 from Kanyakumari, will cover a further distance of 2,355 km in its 3,570-km march.
It will end in Kashmir next year. It is the longest march on foot by any Indian politician in the history of India, the Congress claimed earlier in a statement.
The Congress suffered a debacle in the assembly polls held earlier this year and the Yatra is seen as an attempt to rally the party rank and file for the upcoming electoral battles.
As India assumed the G20 Presidency on December 1, French President Emmanuel Macron exuded confidence in India’s leadership.
Taking to his official Twitter handle, Macron stressed that he trusts his friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi to unite everyone to establish peace and a sustainable world. Emmanuel Macron tweeted, “One Earth. One Family. One Future. India has taken over the presidency of #G20India! I trust my friend @NarendraModi to bring us together in order to build peace and a more sustainable world.”
Earlier on Friday, December 2, Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi after India assumed the G20 Presidency. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih tweeted, “Congratulations to PM Narendra Modi, the government, and the people of India on India assuming the Presidency of G20. I have every confidence in India’s leadership to promote diplomacy and dialogue to build consensus and find enduring solutions to pressing issues in global affairs.”
Earlier on December 1, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wished success to India on assuming the G20 presidency. Albanese tweeted, “Wishing every success to @narendramodi on India assuming the G20 presidency.”
Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also congratulated PM Narendra Modi as India assumed the G20 Presidency. He looked forward to working with PM Modi in addressing various challenges faced by the international community. “Congratulations, PM Modi @narendramodi, on assuming the G20 Presidency. Japan India As the G7 Presidency next year, I also look forward to working closely with you in addressing various challenges that the intentional community faces,” Fumio Kishida wrote on Twitter.
Notably, India formally assumed G20 Presidency from Indonesia on December 1. The G20 or Group of Twenty is an intergovernmental forum of the world’s 20 major developed and developing economies. The theme of India’s G20 Presidency is “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – One Earth One Family One Future,” according to the press release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.
During its presidency, India will host more than 200 meetings in over 50 cities across 32 different workstreams. In addition, India will have the opportunity to offer G20 delegates and guests a glimpse of India’s rich cultural heritage and provide them with a unique Indian experience.
In November, PM Narendra Modi launched the G20 website and India took over the social media handles, including the Twitter handle from the previous Presidency.
Manish Sisodia, Delhi Dy Chief Minister | Image: Twitter/@msisodia
As voting is underway for Delhi MCD elections on Sunday, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia accused BJP of not doing anything for Delhi for the last 15 years and said that it has failed miserably to work for the people of the city.
Sisodia appealed to the people of the national capital to vote in record numbers and to make the city clean.
“1.5 crore people are going to vote in Municipal Corporation polls today. I appeal to people to keep in my mind that MCD’s priority is to keep Delhi clean, sanitation issues, landfill, corruption, parking mess, stray animals and to build schools and hospitals among others. everyone to think before voting and vote for keeping Delhi clean. Vote for a garbage-free Delhi,” he said.
He further said that the BJP has done the delimitation but the people of Delhi have decided to bring Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the civic body too.
Targeting the BJP, the Deputy Chief Minister said, “BJP has not done anything for Delhi since 15 years, it has failed miserably to work for the people. BJP had nothing to answer, that is why they started negative campaigning.” Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed to people to vote for a party that is honest and would do good work, and not for one that does not work. “Vote for honest party, vote for decent and good people… Do not vote for those who abuse corruption, hooliganism… Do not vote for those who litter Delhi… Vote for those who will make Delhi shine and clean… Vote for those who work, don’t vote for those who stop working,” he said in a tweet.
“Today there is voting to make Delhi clean and beautiful, there is voting to make a corruption-free government in the Municipal Corporation. My appeal to all the Delhiites – do go to cast your vote today to form an honest and working government in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi,” Kejriwal added.
The voting for 250 wards began at 8 am and will conclude at 5:30 pm. Over 1.45 crore people are eligible to vote in civic polls in which 1,349 candidates are in the fray, setting the stage for the high-stakes civic polls largely seen as a three-way contest between the BJP, the AAP and the Congress.
Delhi witnessed high-decibel campaigning by AAP and BJP which made top leaders, including The counting of votes will be done on December 7.
According to data shared by the State Election Commission officials, the total number of voters in Delhi is 1,45,05,358 — 78,93,418 males, 66,10,879 females and 1,061 transgender persons.
There are 250 wards in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Delhi State Election Commission has set up 13,638 polling stations for the elections.
The State Election Commission said a large workforce of election functionaries and security agencies have put humungous efforts to make necessary preparations for conducting elections at 13,638 polling stations spread across Delhi.
Further, 68 Model Polling Stations and 68 Pink Polling Stations have been established for the quality experience of the voters.
Adequate arrangements for the deployment of forces have been made. 68 Model Polling Stations have been set up with facilities including a waiting area/lounge, distribution of candies/toffees to voters, a selfie booth and Civil Defence Volunteers to help PwD/senior citizens 68 Pink booths have been set up with facilities including all-female staff at the polling station, a feeding room for lactating mothers, a creche facility for small kids accompanying voters, swings for kids, selfie booth.
The Commission said it has made elaborate arrangements for “safe, secure and pleasant” voting experience.
These measures are required to keep the electoral field free and to ensure that a level playing field is afforded to all political parties and candidates.
Both the AAP and the BJP have exuded confidence that they will emerge victorious in the polls while the Congress is trying to regain lost turf.
The BJP, which has governed the civic body in Delhi since 2007, is looking to maintain its winning streak while the Aam Aadmi Party, which has a majority in the Assembly, is looking to make inroads in the first municipal election in the capital after the delimitation of wards. This is the first civic election after the fresh delimitation exercise.
There were 272 wards in Delhi and three corporations- NDMC, SDMC, and EDMC in Delhi from 2012-2022 that later reunified into an MCD that had formally come into existence on May 22.
AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday urged people in the city to exercise their franchise for setting up an honest and performing establishment in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
Polling started at 8 am and will continue till 5:30 pm. The votes will be counted on December 7.
”Today is voting for making a neat and clean and beautiful Delhi, voting for forming a corruption free government (establishment) at the municipal corporation.I appeal all the Delhi citizen to do go for voting to form an honest and performing government at the MCD,” Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
साफ़-स्वच्छ और सुंदर दिल्ली बनाने के लिए आज मतदान है, नगर निगम में एक भ्रष्टाचार मुक्त सरकार बनाने के लिए मतदान है।
सभी दिल्लीवासियों से मेरी अपील- दिल्ली नगर निगम में एक ईमानदार और काम करने वाली सरकार बनाने के लिए आज अपना वोट डालने ज़रूर जाएँ।
In another tweet, he asked people to vote for an honest party and decent people ”Do not vote for those who indulge in corruption, hooliganism and abuse. Do not vote for those who turned Delhi into garbage. Vote for those who will make Delhi, neat, clean and shining,” he said. The chief minister urged people to vote for those who work and not for those who obstruct work.
ईमानदार पार्टी को वोट दें,शरीफ़ और अच्छे लोगों को वोट दें
भ्रष्टाचार, गुंडागर्दी, लफ़ंगई, गाली गलौज करने वालों को वोट ना दें
दिल्ली को कूड़ा करने वालों को वोट ना दें। उन्हें वोट दें जो दिल्ली को चमकाएँगे, साफ़ सुथरा करेंगे
काम करने वालों को वोट दें,काम रोकने वालों को वोट न दें
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also asked people to vote for work, not for people who are responsible for making Delhi a dumping yard ”I appeal to 2.5 crore people of Delhi to step out of their houses and vote today so that we can work for you. People have made up their minds to elect the Aam Aadmi Party in the municipal corporation,” Sisodia told reporters at his residence. Over 1.45 crore electors are eligible to exercise their franchise in the elections to the 250 wards of the MCD, in which 1,349 candidates are in the fray. According to data shared by the State Election Commission officials, the total number of voters in Delhi is 1,45,05,358 — 78,93,418 males, 66,10,879 females and 1,061 transgender persons.
