Piyush Goyal writes to CM Yogi, praises UP govt for extensive purchases from GeM platforms

Jaipur, March 6 (IANS) Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday questioned the inauguration of Constitution Club, saying that the Club was inaugurated during the tenure of his government.

Gehlot criticised the decision, stating, “There is still time; Om Birla himself should reconsider attending such programmes. The intent behind these decisions is unfortunate.”

He said that the Speaker of the Lok Sabha holds a highly dignified position, and it is unclear whether he was informed that the Constitution Club had already been inaugurated.

“At the time, then-Speaker C.P. Joshi, then-Leader of the Opposition Rajendra Rathore, and UDH Minister Shanti Dhariwal were all present at the event, with photographs published in newspapers confirming the inauguration. Why is there now an attempt to establish a new tradition of re-inaugurating the same project?” he said.

He added that five or six years ago, Vasundhara Raje invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the foundation-laying ceremony of the refinery project, “even though I had already laid the foundation stone for the Rs 37,000 crore project. At that time, Veerappa Moily and Sonia Gandhi were also present.”

He said that the project, which was meant to be completed within a set timeframe, was stalled for five years simply to prevent Congress from receiving credit.

“The same tactic is being applied to the Constitution Club. It was deliberately kept non-functional so that Congress would not get recognition for it. Even Gandhi Vatika was kept closed for a year for the same reason,” said Gehlot.

Senior BJP leader Rajendra Rathore countered Gehlot’s remarks, emphasising that the club’s construction was funded by taxpayers and is a state asset.

He pointed out that while the previous Congress-led government did not establish an executive body to manage the club, the current Assembly Speaker has done so, making the inauguration fully legal.

“Inviting Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and other Assembly members to the event is justified. Just as family members are invited to a new home, it is natural to invite dignitaries for the club’s inauguration,” Rathore stated.

He accused the Congress leadership, particularly Ashok Gehlot and State President Govind Singh Dotasra, of attempting to tarnish the legacy of the Rajasthan Assembly for political gains.

Rathore further alleged that Congress leaders have repeatedly disrespected the Assembly Speaker, weakening parliamentary traditions.

He referenced recent controversies, including the use of derogatory language by the Congress State President and the seven-day Assembly deadlock following suspensions.

“The Congress party, already divided between the Gehlot and Pilot factions, now seems to be battling internal strife between the Leader of the Opposition and the Congress State President,” Rathore added.

Defending the project, Rathore highlighted that Rajasthan’s Constitution Club is among the most modern in the country.

He noted that it would serve as a platform for discussions, debates, and knowledge-sharing between new and former MLAs, ultimately strengthening parliamentary traditions.

“Instead of creating unnecessary controversies, the opposition should engage in constructive politics,” he said.

–IANS

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New Delhi, June 12 (IANS) A Supreme Court judge on Thursday recused himself from hearing a plea filed by Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti seeking transfer of a criminal case outside the state.

After Justice Manmohan withdrew himself from hearing, the bench headed by Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra referred the transfer petition to the Chief Justice of India (CJI), who is the master of roster, for listing the matter before a different bench.

In the meantime, the bench ordered extension of the interim order passed in the petition seeking transfer of the alleged cheating case outside Madhya Pradesh.

In February this year, the apex court stayed the proceedings pending before the Additional Sessions Judge in Gwalior, observing that there was enough material placed on record before the trial court containing an allegation that the defence witnesses were sought to be intimidated.

“The trial court should have also taken appropriate action on the basis of the material. (W)hen we made repeated queries to the learned AAG (Additional Advocate General) and the learned counsel appearing for the respondent-State (of Madhya Pradesh), they have no answer to the question of what inquiry or investigation the state has made on the basis of the allegations made by the petitioner (Rajendra Bharti),” it said.

In its order, the Supreme Court had stressed the duty of the state machinery to ensure that a fair trial is conducted.

“We must record that it is the duty of the State to ensure that a fair trial is conducted. Fair trial means that full opportunity is granted in accordance with law to the accused to defend himself,” it had said.

After the top court’s observations, a committee of three police officials was constituted to inquire into the allegations of intimidation of defence witnesses. However, the Supreme Court, in an order passed in April this year, said that “proper investigation has not been made” into the allegations of putting pressure on the defence witnesses.

“We expected the officers appointed by the State to look into each and every allegation made by the petitioner as well as by the witnesses and record findings. It is the duty of the State to ensure that there is a fair trial, which is an essential part of the rights guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.”

Listing the matter for further hearing on May 16, the apex court told the state officials to carry out a “better investigation” and called for a report within one month.

In the 2023 Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, Rajendra Bharti won the Datia seat of Gwalior-Chambal region, defeating senior BJP leader Narottam Mishra, who held the portfolio of Home Minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government.

–IANS

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Chandigarh, April 3 (IANS) The Haryana government on Thursday announced to extend its collaboration with IIT-Madras by signing a two-year pact for data-driven road safety interventions.

The agreement was unveiled in the presence of Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi and Prof Venkatesh Balasubramanian, Head of the Centre of Excellence for Road Safety (CoERS) at IIT-Madras.

The partnership leverages tools like the ‘Sanjaya’ platform, previously launched in the state, to visualise accident data and plan targeted interventions.

Additional Chief Secretary (Transport) Ashok Khemka, Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Sudhir Rajpal, Transport Commissioner Dusmanta Kumar Behera and senior officers of various departments were present on the occasion.

During a meeting on road safety measures, Rastogi called for the formation of a working group to implement actionable strategies, emphasising the need to save lives lost in road accidents.

He directed the Transport and Health Departments to develop a detailed roadmap for upgrading trauma centers, particularly near highways, to improve emergency response.

The meeting was informed that due to safety measures implemented by the government, there was a declining trend in the number of road accident fatalities in the state since 2022 and the major cause for these deaths was found to be overspeeding.

To address this, the government is enhancing monitoring and e-challaning through CCTV cameras on major highways.

Rastogi stressed the importance of swift hospital transfers for accident victims and better coordination among police, medical, and transport departments.

The discussion highlighted the ‘5 Es’ of road safety – education, engineering, enforcement, emergency care, and empathy – as critical pillars for reducing fatalities.

The key strategies include fostering behavioural change, leveraging technology, and enhancing training for police.

The government has started a policy of cashless treatment of up to Rs 1.5 lakh for seven days for road accident victims, if the police are informed within 24 hours of the accident.

–IANS

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