Gujarat BJP rulers using state assembly for political ends: Former BJP chief minister

By Our Representative
Former BJP chief minister Suresh Mehta has accused the Gujarat government of "misusing" the state assembly for political ends. Referring to the decision to call one-day state assembly session on January 10, he told media in Ahmedabad that it has been called "without any agenda", adding, "MLAs have been kept in the dark about why the session has been summoned, yet the governor has issued notification for it."
Pointing out that the actual reason behind calling the state assembly session apparently is to pass a resolution in favour of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), though officially nobody in the government is uttering a word on it, Mehta said, "Any resolution by the state government supporting CAA runs counters to the stated position of the Government of India -- that CAA is a Central Act, and states have no say in the matter."
Mehta, who was also state parliamentary affairs and law minister under a previous BJP dispensations in Gujarat, said, "No assembly session can be called without declaring official and unofficial agenda to be taken up in the House. It is a violation of the MLAs' rights. It is very unfortunate that the assembly speaker is not uttering a word on this and accepting the government's ways."
Resigned from BJP in late 2000s after differences with Narendra Modi, who was Gujarat chief minister, Mehta, now his mid-80s, has not joined any political party, though has been part of non-political campaigns against the BJP rule. Those who addressed media along with him were a former Cabinet minister, Pravinsinh Jadeja, and representatives of Aam Aadmi Party and Nationalist Congress Party under the banner of Rashtriya Manch.
Mehta said, the purpose of coming up with CAA resolution was to divide Gujarat on communal lines for political ends. "There was no need to come up with CAA. Who stopped BJP rulers to give citizenship to anyone they liked from a foreign land? The 1955 Act is empowers the Central government", he asserted, quoting from the original 1955 Act as well as CAA.

Yashwant Sinha

"The state assembly needs to discuss several major issues, including tabling of a Public Accounts Committee report on political corruption in Gujarat. The report has been unanimously passed by BJP and Congress MLAs. However, the state government appears to be in no mood to make it public", Mehta said.
Interestingly, Modi, on becoming chief minister in October 2001 had compared Mehta with Lord Krishna, stating, "During Kurukshetra war, Arjun had one charioteer (sarathi), I have two." He was referring to two ex-BJP chief ministers -- Suresh Mehta Keshubhai Patel. Modi replaced Patel after rebellion broke out against the latter in 2001.
Jadeja announced veteran rebel BJP leader Yashwant Sinha's anti-CAA yatra's Gujarat programme, saying, it would start in Mumbai on January 9, crossing Gujarat on January 11. It would pass through major Gujarat cities, including Surat, Vadodara, Porbandar, Rajkot, Surendranagar, reaching Ahmedabad on January 18, before proceeding to Udaipur. The yatra would reach Delhi on January 30, the day Gandhiji was martyred.
Jadeja said, leaders from different political parties from across the country would greet or participate in the yatra. When asked whether well-known tribal leader Chhotubhai Vasava and Dalit rights leader Jignesh Mevani, independent MLA, had been approached, he said, "Vasava would greet the yatra in South Gujarat. As for Mevani, he is being contacted".

Comments

Stagnating wages since 2014-15: Economists explain Modi legacy for informal workers

By Our Representative Real wages have barely risen in India since 2014-15, despite rapid GDP growth. The country’s social security system has also stagnated in this period. The lives of informal workers remain extremely precarious, especially in states like Jharkhand where casual employment is the main source of livelihood for millions. These are some of the findings presented by economists Jean Drèze and Reetika Khera at a press conference convened by the Loktantra Bachao 2024 campaign.

Modi win may force Pak to put Kashmir on backburner, resume trade ties with India

By Salman Rafi Sheikh* When Narendra Modi returned to power for a second term in India with a landslide victory in 2019, his government acted swiftly. Just months after the election, the Modi government abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution of India. In doing so, it stripped the special constitutional status conferred on Jammu and Kashmir, India’s only Muslim-majority state, and downgraded its status from a state with its own elected assembly to a union territory administered by the central government in Delhi.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah* The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

'Assault on civic, academic freedom, right to dissent': TISS PhD student's suspension

By Our Representative The Mumbai-based civil rights group All India Secular Forum (AISF) has said that the suspension of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) PhD student Ramadas Prini Sivanandan (30) for two years for allegedly indulging in activities which were "not in the interest of the nation" is meant to send out the message that students and educational institutes will be targeted if they don’t align with the agenda and ideology of the ruling regime. TISS in a notice served to Ramadas has cited that his role in screening the documentary 'Ram Ke Naam' on January 26 as a "mark of dishonour and protest" against the Ram Mandir idol consecration in Ayodhya. Another incident cited in the notice was Ramadas’ participation in the protest against unfair government policies in Delhi under the banner of the Progressive Students' Forum (PSF)-TISS. TISS alleges the institute's name was "misused", which wrongfully created an impression that

Magnetic, stunning, Protima Bedi 'exposed' malice of sexual repression in society

By Harsh Thakor* Protima Bedi was born to a baniya businessman and a Bengali mother as Protima Gupta in Delhi in 1949. Her father was a small-time trader, who was thrown out of his family for marrying a dark Bengali women. The theme of her early life was to rebel against traditional bondage. It was extraordinary how Protima underwent a metamorphosis from a conventional convent-educated girl into a freak. On October 12th was her 75th birthday; earlier this year, on August 18th it was her 25th death anniversary.

Bill Gates as funder, author, editor, adviser? Data imperialism: manipulating the metrics

By Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD* When Mahatma Gandhi on invitation from Buckingham Palace was invited to have tea with King George V, he was asked, “Mr Gandhi, do you think you are properly dressed to meet the King?” Gandhi retorted, “Do not worry about my clothes. The King has enough clothes on for both of us.”

Why it's only Modi ki guarantee, not BJP's, and how Varanasi has seen it up-close

"Development" along Ganga By Rosamma Thomas* I was in Varanasi in this April, days before polling began for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. There are huge billboards advertising the Member of Parliament from Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The only image on all these large hoardings is of the PM, against a saffron background. It is as if the very person of Modi is what his party wishes to showcase.

Following the 3000-year old Pharaoh legacy? Poll-eve Surya tilak on Ram Lalla statue

By Sukla Sen Located at a site called Abu Simbel in Nubia, Upper Egypt, the eponymous rock temples were created in 1244 BCE, under the orders of Pharaoh Ramesses II (1303-1213 BC)... Ramesses II was fond of showcasing his achievements. It was this desire to brag about his victory that led to the planning and eventual construction of the temples (interestingly, historians say that the Battle of Qadesh actually ended in a draw based on the depicted story -- not quite the definitive victory Ramesses II was making it out to be).

Joblessness, saffronisation, corporatisation of education: BJP 'squarely responsible'

Counterview Desk In an open appeal to youth and students across India, several student and youth organizations from across India have said that the ruling party is squarely accountable for the issues concerning the students and the youth, including expensive education and extensive joblessness.

Poll promises: Political parties 'playing down' need to retrieve and restore adivasi land

By Palla Trinadha Rao* The Scheduled Tribes population of 10.43 crore constitutes 8.6% of the population in the country inhabiting 26 States and 6 Union Territories. Parliament elections along with Assembly elections in some states have been notified this year.

Counterview

Search This Blog