Modi, Shah to fast on April 12
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah will observe a daylong fast on April 12 to protest the impasse “caused” by the Opposition in Parliament, which saw a washout of the second half of the Budget Session. While PM Modi will observe fast in the national capital, Shah will hold a sit-in at Hubli in poll-bound Karnataka on the same day.
The BJP has blamed the Congress and Sonia Gandhi for the disruptions that meant that the budget session of parliament was a lost cause.
“The PM will work in his office but will not eat,” said a BJP leader.
The BJP had announced last week that all its lawmakers would observe a day’s fast against parliament disruptions, but the Prime Minister’s participation was confirmed on Tuesday.
The ruling party has accused the Congress of not allowing any debate or discussion in parliament. The opposition, however, blames the BJP for getting its allies to raise protests in the house so that two no-confidence motions moved by Andhra Pradesh parties would never come up.
On Monday, Rahul Gandhi led a Congress fast at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial Rajghat for communal harmony and what the party called the government’s failure to control violence during Dalit protests.
The BJP mocked the Congress fast, accusing its leaders of gorging on chhole bhature at a popular Delhi restaurant before joining the fast. BJP leaders also tweeted images of Congress leaders like Ajay Maken and Arvinder Singh Lovely at the restaurant.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday tore into the opposition in Bihar’s Motihari allegedly for trying to break up society and “putting hurdles, from the Parliament to the streets” in the governments’ efforts to uplift the poor.
Without mentioning the Rjdcongress combine in Bihar, Modi commended Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his “fight against the corrupt and anti-social forces in the state” and said the Centre stood firmly behind his efforts.
“From the streets to Parliament, roadblocks are being created in the government’s work. While the government is working towards uniting people and their hearts, some opponents are working towards breaking up society,” said Prime Minister Modi.
The Prime Minister made the remarks while addressing over 20,000 Swachhagrahis (cleanliness volunteers) at the concluding ceremony of the centenary celebrations of the ‘Champaran Satyagraha’ on Tuesday.
Lauding the Nitish Kumar government of Bihar, Modi said, “This government has put an end to the culture of keeping files pending.
Giving a clarion call to make Bihar a clean state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the efforts of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy in Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi for leading the Swachh Bharat mission in India.
Lauding Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar government, the PM said it has put an end to the culture of keeping files on hold.
“I am proud of the fact that Bihar has shown its leadership abilities in this journey from Satyagraha to Swachhgraha,” PM Modi said while addressing around 20,000 ‘swachhagrahis' or cleanliness ambassadors at the concluding ceremony of the Champaran Satyagraha centenary celebrations.
The PM also held a meeting with district magistrates and other officials of 13 aspirational districts of Bihar at Motihari. According to sources, the Prime Minister discussed various aspects of development, including improvement of health, nutrition and education conditions besides the progress of open defecation free mission (ODF).
The Bihar government had in April 2017 launched yearlong celebrations to mark the centenary of Champaran Satyagraha movement of Mahatma Gandhi. Interestingly, when the celebrations were launched in 2017, Janata Dal-united led by Nitish Kumar was an ally of BJP, so there were different programmes were launched by both the parties.
The PM also utilised the occasion to turn the tables on Opposition by accusing Opposition of trying to break up society and putting hurdles, “from the Parliament to the streets,” in the governments' efforts to uplift the poor. While the Centre is working towards uniting people, opponents are working towards breaking the society, the PM said.
The government is completing every mission, every resolve with the help of the people. The Prime Minister launched a number of schemes related to railways, roads, petroleum and sanitation to mark the occasion of Champaran Satyagrah'. He also said that Bihar has succeeded in constructing more than 8 lakh toilets in just past one week.
The PM also recalled that the state had “showed the way to the entire nation” on three occasions - the Champaran Satyagraha movement of Mahatma Gandhi, the Bhoodan movement of Acharya Vinoba Bhave and the valiant and successful fight against the Emergency, led by Jayaprakash Narayan.
On this occasion, the Prime Minister launched several important development projects as well. In the water supply and sanitation sector, the PM unveiled a plaque to mark the foundation stone of Motijheel project, the Bettiah Nagar Parishad water supply scheme, and four Ganga projects, namely the Saidpur Sewage Network, Patna; the Pahari Sewage Network, Zone 4, Patna; the Pahari Sewagw Network, Zone 5, Patna; and the Pahari STP project.
In the Railways sector, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the doubling of railway lines between Muzaffarpur and Sagauli and Sagauli and Valmikinagar. The PM dedicated the first phase of the Madhepura electric locomotive factory to the nation through video-conferencing and flagged off the first 12,000 HP freight electric locomotive and Champaran Humsafar Express.
Modi also laid the foundation stone for a road lane of NH-2 in Auranagabad BiharJharkhand border section; a petroleum oil lube and LPG terminal of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd at Motihari and an LPG plant of HPCL at Sagauli.