‘One nation, one election’ will serve as milestone for India’s development & progress: Rajasthan MP

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Jaipur, Dec 14 (IANS) Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh MP C.P. Joshi said on Saturday that ‘One Nation, One Election’ would serve as a milestone for India’s development and progress.’

“The elections in 1952, 1957, 1962, and 1967 were conducted under the framework of ‘One Nation, One Election’, but this arrangement was later changed. The people are again demanding the same pattern of elections in the country. Just like one nation, one tax and one nation, one ration, there should also be ‘One Nation, One Election’,” the MP told media persons.

He added that frequent imposition of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) disrupts development work, imposes an economic burden on the country, and creates numerous challenges.

On December 16, the Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will introduce ‘The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill 2024’ in the Lok Sabha. The bill seeks to amend the Constitution to facilitate simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

The bill also aims to synchronise Lok Sabha, state assembly, urban body, and panchayat elections across the country within 100 days which aligns with recommendations by a high-level panel chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind.

The ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal has drawn sharp criticism from opposition INDIA Bloc. However, Joshi criticised the Congress on constitutional issues, saying that the public is well aware of who is responsible for endangering the Constitution.

He also accused the Congress of carrying the Constitution in their pockets for show, while asserting that the Modi government has upheld the Constitution by prioritising the all-round development of every section of society.

“Congress has always prioritised power over the Constitution,” Joshi claimed, adding that the party avoids meaningful discussions on the matter.

He alleged that Congress leaders, from Jawaharlal Nehru to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, had repeatedly undermined the Constitution.

He also referenced an incident during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s tenure when Rahul Gandhi tore up a bill, calling it another example of the Congress’s disregard for constitutional values.

He accused Congress of disrespecting B.R. Ambedkar while highlighting that the Modi government has developed and honoured locations associated with Ambedkar, including his birthplace, places of education, initiation, and nirvana.

–IANS

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Students faint at Jaipur coaching centre, Municipal Corporation Committee to probe

Jaipur, Dec 16 (IANS) The Municipal Corporation Committee will investigate the incident of students fainting at Utkarsh Coaching in Jaipur, said officials on Monday, adding that the team will soon visit the spot.

A few students fainted on Sunday evening during classes on the second floor of Utkarsh Coaching in Mahesh Nagar, Jaipur due to a foul odour emanating from the sewerage line. The coaching institute management immediately called a 108 ambulance. Unconscious students were carried out by their peers and taken to a nearby private hospital for treatment.

ACP Sodalala Yogesh Chaudhary stated that five female students, whose health deteriorated during the incident, were admitted to SMS Hospital and later discharged the same night. However, two other students remain hospitalised at CK Birla Hospital.

Late Sunday night, Nirmal Chaudhary, along with his supporters, arrived at the coaching institute. Tensions escalated, leading to a clash between student leaders and the police. Several students were detained. Following the clash, Chaudhary, along with 20 other students and supporters, staged a dharna in front of the coaching centre, which lasted throughout the night.

On Monday morning at the protest site in Mahesh Nagar, student leaders demanded the immediate sealing of Utkarsh Coaching and an investigation into whether coaching institutes across the state comply with regulations.

Student leader Vikas Vidhuri stated, “We have been sitting on a dharna since last night. Coaching institutes are not operating in accordance with JDA-Municipal Corporation rules. Utkarsh Coaching should be sealed, and all institutes must be inspected to ensure compliance with standards. Action must be taken against those found guilty.”

Rajasthan University’s outgoing student union president Nirmal Chaudhary added, “When I received the information about the students’ deteriorating condition, I arrived within ten minutes. I witnessed the police acting as a shield for the coaching mafia. Students were sent to different hospitals, and we were not informed about their locations. Therefore, we protested throughout the night, demanding strict action against the coaching center. It must be sealed immediately,” he added.

Earlier, a doctor from a private hospital confirmed that seven students were brought in with symptoms of suffocation and respiratory distress. “The affected students reported coughing and breathlessness but are now in stable condition,” the doctor said. Authorities have ruled out food poisoning as the cause, but the exact source of the gas leak is yet to be determined.

–IANS

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