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Hello Jammu News at 9:46:00 PM 0


Ahmedabad, Mar 25 :  The Gujarat government will provide food items like wheat, rice, pulses and sugar free of cost to around 60 lakh ration card holding families through fair price shops starting April 1, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said on Wednesday.

The scheme is to ensure that the poor, who depend on daily wages for livelihood, are not affected by the 21-day nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak and do not have to purchase food items for the month of April, he said after a meeting in Gandhinagar.

"With the entire country under lockdown, Gujarat has made an important decision, that poor families - around 60 lakh families, or 3.25 crore individuals -- holding ration cards, will get food items, including 3.5 kg wheat and 1.5 kg rice per person, and 1 kg of pulses, sugar and salt per family free of cost from April 1," Rupani said.

The chief minister said his government is concerned aboutthe state's poor families, and will continue to take decisions to ensure they do not face hurdles during the lockdown.

"With works closed for 21 days, poor families earning daily livelihood face great problems. Our sensitive government understands this, and we will take more such decisions in future so such people do not face face much hurdle," he said.

Rupani also requested people to stay indoors for 21 days.

Gujarat has so far reported 38 cases of coronavirus and one death due to COVID-19.

The entire state is under lockdown.
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Hello Jammu News at 6:22:00 PM 0


Ahmedabad, Mar 24 :  The Gujarat police has detained 426 people in the last 24 hours for violating lockdown rules in force in the state to combat the novel coronavirus outbreak, a senior official said on Tuesday.

They include those who came out despite being advised home quarantine, state Director General of Police Shivanand Jha said.

"The lockdown met with around 90 per cent success. We are taking strict measures to implement the lockdown in the remaining 10-15 per cent areas. We have lodged 238 cases related to the violation of police notification and 127 cases related to quarantine rule violation. In all, we have detained 426 persons across the state," Jha told reporters in Gandhinagar.

"For better implementation of the lockdown and to address issues concerning people, we have set up a dedicated 24-hour control room and appointed two additional DGP rank officers to supervise operations. Three teams under them would work to resolve issues across the state," said Jha.

He said police commissioners and districts SPs have been asked to enforce the lockdown in an effective manner.

Essential services like vegetable and milk shops are allowed to remain open, he said, and asked people not to flock in large numbers to such shops.

The state has so far reported 33 COVID-19 cases, and one person has died of the infection.
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Hello Jammu News at 11:28:00 PM 0
Reserve Bank Of India


Ahmedabad, Jan 28 :  The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday issued notice to Reserve Bank of India on a PIL filed by eight trade federations in the state seeking the court's direction to the central bank to not allow unions to go on strike.

Bank unions may go on a two-day nationwide strike on January 31 and February 1, followed by a three-day strike from March 11-13, and indefinite strike from April 1, mainly over their demand for wage revision.

The division bench of Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice AJ Shastri issued notice to the RBI, returnable on January 30.

The federations have prayed to the court to direct the RBI to not allow banks to go on strike and also take strict action against employees for frequently going on strikes for their own financial benefits.

The PIL said such strikes by bank unions are illegal and are meant only for their own financial benefits at the cost of the public who have to suffer harassment and financial loss.

The bank employees associations are going on strike over issues like salary, leaves, and other benefits, which can be achieved as per the provisions of law and not by declaring strikes, the PIL claimed.

The PIL claimed the strike would cause a loss of Rs 12,700 crore per day.

The PIL has been filed by Gujarat Traders Federation, Rajkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Central Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ahmedabad Auto Parts Association among others.

The strike call has been given by United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of the nine unions, including All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW).
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Hello Jammu News at 11:34:00 PM 0
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel


Ahmedabad, Jan 23 :  Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said on Thursday that those agitating against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and seeking "Azadi" should be allowed to leave the country if they wanted freedom.

He was speaking at a programme here on the occasion of birth anniversary of nationalist icon Subhas Chandra Bose.

"The country got freedom in 1947, but you see some people gather and shout slogans of `azadi'. From whom you want freedom? Do you want freedom from your parents? You want freedom from your husband? I don't understand," Patel said.

"India is a free country and the biggest democracy of the world," he said.

"If they want freedom from India, we should request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open the borders and they can go wherever they want," the BJP leader added.

He also alleged that the police was attacked in a pre-planned manner in Ahmedabad during the anti-CAA protest.

"In the city, if you want a bag of stones, it is difficult to get, but truckload of stones were stored on the terrace, with which our policemen and policewomen were attacked," the deputy CM claimed.

"But they forgot that this is not Kashmir, you are living in Gujarat," Patel added.

"We have taken all the steps that could be taken against those involved. Some people have not been able to sleep for two months due to the measures we took," Patel said.

"We have the IIM-A here, where just 15 students gather and protest against CAA by standing outside the institute. I don't know from which states they have come here to study. I don't have any problem with them as they are only students, but I have a problem with their parents who have not trained them properly," he said.

The CAA does not take away anybody's citizenship, he said.

"In Delhi's Shahin Bag, members of only one community are on dharna, I need not say anything more. This has exposed who are feeling affected by the law," Patel said.

"(Hyderabad MP Asaduddin) Owaisi is speaking against the act. This community is hoping that as Muslims ruled over India for 800 years, if these so-called secular, leftists continue to rule India then at some point they can come back to power in this country," Patel said.

"The Indian Constitution and democracy will survive as long as good people are in majority. You have to understand what I mean by good people," he added.

"Or else, you are seeing what is happening in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, thousands of people are getting killed, reports of blasts are coming every day," Patel said.
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Hello Jammu News at 11:07:00 PM 0


Ahmedabad, Jul 11 :  Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will appear before a metropolitan magistrate's court here Friday for the hearing of a criminal defamation suit filed against him by Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank and its chairman Ajay Patel.

Gandhi would appear before the court, said Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi.

"Since the summons was also issued to party's national spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, he is also expected to appear tomorrow," said Doshi.

The defamation suit was filed last year after Gandhi and Surjewala claimed that the Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank was involved in a "scam" to swap Rs 745.59 crore in swapped notes with valid currency within five days of demonetisation announcement on November 8, 2016.

Union home minister Amit Shah is one of the directors of the ADC Bank.

The court issued summonses to the two leaders on April 9 after finding prima facie evidence against them.

The complainants said that the Congress leaders leveled "false and defamatory allegations" against the bank.

The court had conducted an inquiry under section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before summoning Gandhi and Surjewala.

The section deals with inquiry to decide whether there is sufficient ground for proceeding against a person.

Gandhi and Surjewala's allegations were based on the reply given by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development to an RTI query of a Mumbai-based activist.

ADCB and Patel have denied that the bank exchanged such a huge amount of swapped currency as alleged.
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Hello Jammu News at 9:53:00 PM 0


Ahmedabad, Jun 25  :   The cross-examination of senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel over a petition filed by BJP leader Balvantsinh Rajput challenging his election to the Rajya Sabha ended before the Gujarat High Court Tuesday.

Patel was cross-examined for four days before Justice Bela Trivedi.

On Tuesday, Rajput's lawyer questioned Patel about a press conference he had held on August 7, 2017, a day before the election.

When asked if he recalled the conference, the Congress leader said he did address it but could not say when it was held.

On Wednesday, the court will deal with two applications filed by Patel.

One of the applications claims that Rajput's signature on the petition was forged and should be examined by a forensic science laboratory.

The other plea seeks removal of BJP leaders Amit Shah and Smriti Irani from respondents' list, in view of their election to the Lok Sabha. In 2017, Shah, Irani and Patel were elected to the Upper House of Parliament from Gujarat.

Patel had told the high court during the cross-examination Monday that it was the state Congress' decision, and not his, to shift 44 of its MLAs to a Bengaluru resort ahead of the election.

Rajput lost to Patel in the election which had become a prestige battle for both the BJP and Congress.

Among other things, his petition has accused Patel of bribing the MLAs to get their votes.

He has also sought that votes cast by Congress MLAs Shailesh Parmar and Mitesh Garasiya (in Patel's favour) be held invalid for a procedural breach, and the votes cast by Congress rebels Bholabhai Gohil and Raghavji Patel (which went to Rajput) be held as valid.      [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 5:56:00 PM 0


Ahmedabad, Apr 23 :  Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday said the voter ID (identity card) is more powerful than the IED (improvised explosive device) of terrorists.

He was speaking after casting his vote during the single-phase polling for Lok Sabha in his home state Gujarat.

After casting his vote, Modi walked some distance from the polling booth and interacted briefly with mediapersons.

"Indian democracy presents an example before the world. While on one hand, an IED (improvised explosive device) is the weapon of terrorists, on the other hand, the voter ID (identity) is the weapon and power of democracy," he said.

"I am confident that the power of voter ID is much more than the IED and we should understand the importance of the voter ID card and come out to vote in large numbers," he said.

Modi said he feels fortunate to participate in "the great festival of democracy" in his home state Gujarat.

"The third phase of polling is taking place today in the country. I am fortunate that I also got the proud moment to fulfil my duty by voting in my home state Gujarat and to have an active participation in this great festival of democracy," he said.

"By voting, I feel the same sense of purity that one gets after taking bath at the Kumbh mela," he told reporters.

Urging people to vote with full enthusiasm, he said, "The intelligence of Indian voters to understand whom to vote and whom not to vote is a matter of case study." 

He also welcomed the active participation of young voters, born in the 21st century, who are exercising their franchise for the first time in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, and conveyed his best wishes to them.

"This entire century belongs to those who are voting for the first time. They have to vote for the bright future of this century. Therefore, I would especially urge the new voters to commit to hundred per cent voting," he said.

"I am grateful to all the lovers of democracy who voted in large numbers in the first and second phases of the Lok Sabha elections," he said.

Modi reached the polling station at Nishan High School in Ranip area in an open jeep in the morning and cast his vote.

On way to the polling booth, he also greeted people who had gathered on both sides of the road to welcome him.

BJP president Amit Shah, contesting from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, welcomed Modi and accompanied him to the polling booth.

Modi's mother also cast her vote at a booth in Raysan village of Gandhinagar district. The 95-year-old came to the polling booth at gram panchayat office of Raysan village and exercised her franchise.

After spending the night at the Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar, Modi met his nonagenarian mother Hiraba near the state capital early Tuesday.

Polling in all the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat is being held in a single phase Tuesday.     [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 6:12:00 PM 0


Ahmedabad, Mar 29 :  Patidar leader Hardik Patel's hopes of fighting next month's Lok Sabha polls hit a major roadblock with the Gujarat High Court Friday dismissing his plea to stay his conviction in a 2015 rioting case.

April 4 being the last date of filing of nominations in Gujarat, Hardik has a few days to challenge the judgement in the Supreme Court.

Hardik, who joined the Congress on March 12, had expressed his willingness to contest the election from Jamnagar Lok Sabha seat.

During the earlier hearings, the Gujarat government had strongly opposed his plea saying that Hardik has criminal antecedents with 17 FIRs registered against him, including two cases of sedition.

After the high court's judgement, Hardik's lawyers said they would first study the order and then decide about approaching the Supreme Court.

Justice A G Uraizee took into account the submissions made by the Gujarat Government while rejecting Hardik's petition seeking a stay on the conviction awarded to him by a sessions court, which was coming into his way to contest the April 23 Lok Sabha polls.

In his order, Justice Uraizee noted that conviction can be stayed only in exceptional cases and Hardik's case does not fall into that category.

Citing the state government's submission, the court said as many as 17 FIRs were registered against Hardik in Gujarat.

The court also noted that looking at the criminal background of Hardik, no relief can be granted.

In July last year, the sessions court at Visnagar in Mehsana district sentenced Patel to two years of imprisonment for rioting and arson in Visnagar town in 2015 during the Patidar quota stir.

In August last year, the high court suspended the lower court's order sentencing him to two years' jail term in the 2015 rioting case, but did not stay his conviction.             [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 4:16:00 PM 0





Ahmedabad, Mar 24 :   Surendranagar MP Devji Fatehpara, who was denied a ticket by the BJP for the April-May Lok Sabha polls, blamed two party colleagues for his ouster.

The BJP, which Saturday released a list of 15 candidates, dropped Fatehpara from Surendranagar and replaced him with Mahendra Munjpara.
 
Talking to reporters, Fatehpara said he had been denied a ticket at the behest of former minister Jayanti Kavadiya and MLA Dhanji Patel, a charge both of them denied.

"I have been denied a ticket at the behest of Jayanti Kavadiya and Dhanji Patel. Kavadiya has been against me for a long time. Now, he has got the company of Dhanji Patel. Both of them brought in Munjpara because they wanted someone who is obedient, someone who follows their orders," Fatehpara told reporters in Rajkot.

While Kavadiya, a former MLA from Dhragandhra seat of Surendranagar, was a minister in the state government prior to 2017, Dhanji Patel won the 2017 Assembly polls from Wadhwan.

"The BJP has done injustice by denying me a ticket, despite the fact that I have done so much for the constituency and for its people," Fatehpara claimed.

He also threatened to resign from the BJP and work for the Congress candidate in the Lok Sabha polls.

"In the coming days, I have called a meeting of Koli community leaders. If my community asks me to resign from the party, I will follow the order," said Fatehpara.

He added he would put in his "best efforts" to ensure the victory of the Congress candidate (from Surendranagar) if his community asked him to do so.

Both Fatehpara and Munjpara are from the Koli community.

Patel and Kavadiya denied Fatehpara's allegations, claiming the decision to drop the sitting Surendranagar MP was taken by the party's top leadership.

"I am just an MLA. I don't have any say in who would get a ticket and who won't. It is the parliamentary board which takes such decisions," said Patel.

In his defence, Kavadiya said, "These allegations are baseless. The party takes decisions on allotting or denying tickets. I do not have any such powers."

The state goes to polls in a single phase on April 23.                                   [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 4:16:00 PM 0


Ahmedabad, Mar 11 :  The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting will be held at Gandhinagar in Gujarat on Tuesday to discuss the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The meeting would be followed by a mega rally at Adalaj town in Gandhinagar where Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is likely to address her first public rally after entering politics.

CWC, the highest decision-making body of the Congress, will be meeting in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for the first time since 1961, after a gap of 58 years.

Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel will also join the Congress on Tuesday in the presence of party president Rahul Gandhi.

After the meeting at the Sardar Patel memorial building, senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, UPC chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh, as well as current and former party chief ministers will attend the 'Jan Sankalp' rally', state party unit chief Amit Chavda said.

Before the CWC meet, senior party leaders will visit the Gandhi Ashram to attend a prayer meet.

The leaders will pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi as March 12 marks the launch of the historic Dandi March by him from the Sabarmati Ashram here in 1930. Besides, 2019 is also being celebrated as the 150th birth anniversary year of the Father of the Nation.

The Congress is expecting a crowd of over three lakh people in the home turf of Modi and BJP president Shah ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, a party leader said.

This will be Rahul Gandhi's second visit to Gujarat within a month in the run-up to the polls. He earlier addressed a rally in Valsad district February 14.

In 1961, the CWC meet was held at Bhavnagar in Gujarat.            [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 4:18:00 PM 0



 Ahmedabad, Mar 5 :  Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday used the air strike analogy to underscore his will to take on terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

Speaking after launching a pension scheme for the unorganised sector, Modi said the opposition wants to dislodge him.

"They (opposition) want to strike Modi, but I want to strike on terror," Modi said. "They want to remove this `chowkidar but I want to fight poverty," he added.

"The honesty of your 'chowkidar' is troubling those in opposition. That is the reason they are saying Modi hatao, (remove Modi) while I am saying that I want to fight poverty and dishonesty. I am standing firm due to your support, Modi said.

Taking potshots at the attempts to cobble up a mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) against the BJP, Modi said the opposition parties are forming a 'mahamilavat' (highly adulterated) combine to remove him.

"But I am working to safeguard interest of workers and farmers. I am also working to provide security, he said.

Modi, who launched the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan Yojana pension scheme, targeted Congress president Rahul Gandhi over poverty, saying only those oblivious to sleeping hungry at night can think that it is a "state of mind".

For some, poverty is just an opportunity to click photos, Modi said, sharpening his attack on the Congress chief.

"This scheme is aimed at uplift of the section of society which has been ignored and left at the mercy of God.

They (Congress) gave slogans of garibi hatao (end poverty).

Some projected themselves as messiah of workers. But during their tenure they did not launch such a scheme, he said.

"They ruled the country for 55 years and collected votes in the name of poor," he said.

"They thought that poverty is a mental state. See how is this neta who says that there is nothing like poverty but a mental state," Modi said, targeting the Congress president.

"For them poverty is just an opportunity to click pictures. Only those oblivious to sleeping hungry even for one night can think that it is a state of mind, Modi said, in an obvious reference to Gandhi's 2013 statement that poverty is a state of mind.

"What they could not do in 55 years, this 'chaiwala' did in 55 months by bringing such a scheme," Modi said.

The communists got opportunity to form government in many states but could not bring such a pension scheme for the unorganised workers, Modi said.

Such a scheme has been launched for the first time for unorganised sector workers in India, he said.

"This scheme has been launched by our government as a tribute to the unorganised sector workers, who can earn some money till their body is fit but are worried about what will happen to them when they get old, Modi said.

Under this scheme, unorganised workers will get a pension of Rs 3000. I am told that over 14 lakh workers have been enrolled under the scheme, Modi said.           [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 6:36:00 PM 0


Ahmedabad, Jan 17 :  Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday said the Constitutional amendment to provide 10 per cent reservation to economically poor in the general category was achieved due to the political will of his government and would be implemented from this academic year.

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the 1500 bed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of Medical Science and Research, Modi said the economic reservation has been given without impacting the existing social reservations.

"The new reservation will be implemented in 40,000 colleges across 900 universities in the country from this academic year. The number of seats will be increased by 10 per cent," he said.

Modi said his government was committed to provide equal opportunities to all sections of the society.

The Institute will be linked to the Ayushman Bharat scheme so that poor people can avail medical facilities free of cost, he said.

In 100 days, seven lakh poor people have received treatment under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushmaan Bharat scheme, he said.

This will be the first government hospital to have a helipad, he said, adding the new medical facility will help boost health sector in the state.

"Cleanliness and health-care has always been the prime agenda of Ahmedabad municipal corporation since the time Sardar Patel was the mayor. The hospital project started in 2012 and I am mesmerised by the way it has turned out to be," he said.                                                    PTI
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Hello Jammu News at 2:16:00 PM 0

Ahmedabad, Sep 15: Starting October, the BJP-ruled Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) will start levying 'user charge' ranging from 50 paise to Rs 2 from households and commercial establishments for the door-to-door collection of garbage.

The proposal to levy this user charge, which is in addition to the municipal tax, was approved Friday during a meeting of the standing committee of the AMC, said Amul Bhatt, chairman of the committee.

While the opposition Congress had earlier alleged that such a charge would defeat the purpose of 'Swachh Bharat Mission', Bhatt claimed it would actually complement it.

As per the finalised rate chart, owner of a 30 sq metre house or less have to shell out 50 paise, while other households need to pay Rs 1 per day to get their garbage collected from their doorstep.

All the commercial establishments need to pay Rs 2 per day towards the 'user charges', Bhatt said adding that its implementation will start from October 1.

"AMC had started the door-to-door garbage collection for citizens in 2009 without charging anything extra. Then, in 2016, the Centre introduced rules for solid waste management in the proposed Smart Cities. The rules mandate the collection of such user charge, which can be a token amount also," he added.

Even since the introduction of door to door garbage collection in 2009 through specially designed vans by private operators, AMC had not imposed any additional charge till now.

"This is not an additional tax. It is a user charge as mandated under the Swachh Bharat Mission, as points are added for such charge during the survey. This charge will make people more aware about cleanliness, as they will now be paying a token amount," the BJP councillor added.

Defending the move, Bhatt said the corporation was finding it tough to cope with the ever-expanding city limits.

"We spend Rs 105 crore each year on garbage collection. Now, as the city is expanding, we have to devise a mechanism to cover the costs.

"While the collection from this user charge will be around Rs 70 crore, the AMC still needs to add another Rs 40 to 45 crore to run the garbage collection smoothly," he added. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 4:00:00 PM 0

Ahmedabad, Sep 5: Former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt was detained Wednesday by the Gujarat CID in connection with a 22-year-old case of arrest of a man for alleged possession of drugs, a senior police official said.

Bhatt and seven others, including some former policemen attached with the Banaskatha Police, were detained for questioning in the case, Director General of Police, Crime Investigation Department (CID), Ashish Bhatia said.

Bhatt was the Banaskantha district superintendent of police in 1996.

As per case details, the Banaskatha Police under Bhatt had arrested Sumersingh Rajpurohit, an advocate, in 1996 on charges of possessing around one kg of drugs.

At that time, the Banaskanta Police had claimed that drugs were found in a hotel room occupied by Rajpurohit in the district's Palanpur town.

However, a probe by the Rajasthan Police had revealed that Rajpurohit was allegedly falsely implicated by the Banaskatha Police.

It had also found that Rajpurohit was allegedly abducted by the Banaskatha Police from his residence at Pali in Rajasthan.

In June this year, the Gujarat High Court had handed over the probe in the case to the CID while hearing Rajpurohit's plea.

The high court had asked the CID to complete the probe in three months.

The CID found substance in charges against Bhatt, which led to his detention, Bhatia said, adding that Bhatt and some others could be arrested after questioning.

Bhatt was sacked by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in August 2015 for "unauthorised absence" from service. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 3:36:00 PM 0

Ahmedabad, Aug 30: The Gujarat High Court has issued a notice to the state government on a petition of a group of fishermen seeking that an order suspending their fishing contract licence be revoked.

The fishermen claimed that their contract for fishing in a lake in Gujarat's Sabarkantha district was suspended earlier this year after some upper caste locals complained that the activity hurt their religious sentiments.

A division bench of Justices Anant Dave and Biren Vaishnav issued notices yesterday to the government and the commissioner of fisheries on the petition of 'Asha Matsya Vikas Khedut Mangalam Mandal', a fishermen's group.

The petition, filed by the group's lawyer advocate S H Iyer, challenged suspension of their fishing contract in the Pratapsagar Lake near Idar town in Sabarkantha.

A person, Hirala Joshi, had earlier filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the tender floated for awarding the contract.

The fishermen said in their plea that they belong to a "backward class", and that the contract was granted to them in October 2017, "subject to the outcome of that PIL".

The contract was suspended on February 21 by the fisheries commissioner till the final outcome of the PIL.

However, the PIL was withdrawn later.

"Since the PIL was revoked, the order suspending the contract was required to be revoked, which was not done," the petition said.

"The contract was suspended on the ground that the district collector had received a complaint from certain local people belonging to the upper caste alleging that their religious sentiments were hurt on account of the fishing activity in the lake," it said.

The petition urged the high court to direct authorities to allow them to operate in the lake. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 4:45:00 PM 0

Ahmedabad, Aug 27: Two accused were awarded life imprisonment by a special SIT court here today in the 2002 Godhra train carnage case in which 59 'karsevaks' were burnt alive in two coaches of the Sabarmati Express.

Three others were acquitted in the case.

Special judge H C Vora convicted Farooq Bhana and Imran Sheru and awarded them life sentence after the prosecution established their role as conspirators in the burning of two coaches of the Sabarmati Express in 2002.

The court acquitted three others, identified as Hussain Suleman Mohan, Kasam Bhamedi and Faruk Dhantiya.

These five men were apprehended in 2015-2016 and the trial was held at a special court set up at the Sabarmati Central Jail here.

Mohan was arrested from Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh, Bhamedi from Dahod railway station in Gujarat, Dhantiya and Bhana were nabbed from their houses at Godhra in Gujarat, while Bhatuk was caught at Malegaon in Maharashtra.

Eight accused in the case are still absconding.

Earlier, the special SIT court had convicted 31 people in the case on March 1, 2011.

The court had later awarded death sentence to 11 of them and life imprisonment to 20 others.

However, the Gujarat High Court had in October 2017 commuted the death sentence of 11 convicts to life imprisonment while upholding the punishment awarded by the special SIT court to 20 others.

Fifty-nine 'karsevaks' were killed in the Godhra train burning incident of February 27, 2002, triggering the worst communal riots in the history of Gujarat in which over 1,000 people, mostly belonging to the minority community, were killed. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 2:05:00 PM 0

Ahmedabad, Aug 27: A body was recovered from the debris of the two building blocks that collapsed in a government colony in Gujarat's Ahemedabad city following rains, an official said today.

While four people were rescued after the four-storey building blocks located in Odhav locality collapsed last night, some were feared trapped under the debris.

"After 12 hours of rescue operation, we recovered a body crushed under the debris. The four rescued people had received injuries and were taken to a hospital," additional chief fire officer Rajesh Bhatt said.

A number of families resided in the nearly 20-year-old building blocks, but majority of them had vacated the premises on Saturday after the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) officials asked them to do so, looking at the poor condition of the structures.

"We have contacted all the families and nobody is missing. So, there is no likelihood of anyone else being trapped under the debris, which is being cleared," Bhatt said.

The two building blocks, constructed under a government housing scheme about two decades back, collapsed around 8 pm yesterday after rains in the city, trapping five people who were residing there despite the AMC's warning.

AMC commissioner Vijay Nehra said officials had visited the building earlier and asked its residents to vacate the premises, owing to its dilapidated condition.

"Nearly 300 people were residing in the two building blocks. After our warning, most of them had vacated their houses, but some people returned there last evening," he said.

After the structure collapsed, personnel of the city fire brigade and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) conducted the rescue operation.

Gujarat Minister of State for Home Pradipsinh Jadeja, city Mayor Bijal Patel and other senior officials visited the site last night. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 6:47:00 PM 0

Ahmedabad, Aug 25: Patidar leader Hardik Patel began an indefinite fast at his sprawling farmhouse here today to press for quota for the community after the Gujarat government refused permission for various protest venues he had sought.

The Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader began the fast at 3 pm in the presence of his supporters and several Congress MLAs after a pooja at his farmhouse, which has been turned into a veritable fortress with the deployment of a huge posse of police personnel, who are frisking everyone entering the premises.

Congress MLAs Lalit Vasoya from Dhoraji constituency, Asha Patel from Unjha, Brijesh Merja from Morbi, Lalit Kagathra from Tankara and Kirit Patel from Patan were present at Hardik Patel's farmhouse.

Vasoya, a Patidar, said he, along with other Congress MLAs, would sit on a symbolic fast from tomorrow.

While Hardik Patel alleged that the BJP government in the state had denied permission as it was trying to thwart his agitation, the police said it was done keeping in mind the law-and-order situation since such protests had led to violence and arson in the past.

"Today is the third anniversary of the Patidar agitation. Two months ago, we had sought permission to stage protest in the form of an indefinite fast. But we were not granted permission and therefore, we decided to hold it at my residence," Hardik Patel told reporters here.

He alleged that the police had detained 16,000 of his supporters and set up barricades and blockades on the highways leading to Ahmedabad to stall others from joining his fast.

However, Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) R B Bhrambhatt put the number of people detained at 158.

"As you all know, widespread violence by anti-social elements was reported on August 25, 2015 after the PAAS was given permission to take out a rally. Similarly, after a symbolic dharna last week, BRTS buses were burnt and damaged in Surat," he said.

"We have denied permission after due diligence," the IG added.

"The message going around on the social media, propagated by some PAAS leaders, that we have detained 16,000 people is baseless. We have detained only 158 people as a precautionary measure," he said.

The state government, meanwhile, alleged that Patel's protest was sponsored by the Congress.

"The protest is being held at the behest of the Congress as the 2019 (Lok Sabha) elections are coming. But we are sure that the six crore people of the state will not be swayed by any such agitation staged by the members of any caste or community," Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, the PAAS leader had claimed that several national-level leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, might come to Gujarat to support him.

"This hunger strike is not a one-day affair. Thousands across the state would sit on fast and it will continue for days. I have also invited people to come to my house to join me in the fast," Hardik Patel had said.

Earlier this month, he had announced that he would sit on an indefinite hunger strike from August 25 at a ground in the Nikol area here, demanding reservation in education and government jobs for Patidars and loan waiver for farmers.

After being denied permission for the Nikol venue since it was a parking lot now, Hardik Patel had approached the Gandhinagar collector, seeking Satyagrah Chhavni as an alternate spot for the fast. This too was rejected by the authorities.

Clashes had broken out during the quota agitation led by Hardik Patel on August 25, 2015, leading to the death of 14 people and large-scale destruction of public property. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 6:42:00 PM 0

Ahmedabad, Aug 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a day's visit tomorrow to Gujarat where he will attend four functions, including convocation of the Gujarat Forensic Science University, officials said.

At a public meeting in Jujwa village near Valsad town, he will witness the collective e-griha-pravesh (online house warming) of beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (gramin), a flagship scheme of the Centre which envisions housing for all, an official release said.

More than one lakh houses have been completed in Gujarat under the scheme, it said.

From the same venue, he would perform the ground- breaking ceremony of a water supply project meant for the tribal population in Dharampur and Kaprada talukas.

After the event in Valsad, the PM would go to Junagadh town in Saurashtra to inaugurate various projects, including a newly-built hospital of the Gujarat Medical and Education Research Society and two fisheries colleges at Veraval town in the Gir Somnath district, another official said.

The PM would also address a public meeting at the Police Training College ground near Junagadh.

Later, Modi will preside over the convocation ceremony of the Gujarat Forensic Science University in Gandhinagar.

Before leaving for Delhi, he will also attend a meeting of the Somnath temple trust, of which he is one of the trustees.

BJP president Amit Shah, who is also a trustee of the temple, is expected to be present in the meeting.

Former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel is the president of the temple's trust.

The prime minister was earlier supposed to be in his home state on July 20, but his visit was postponed due to heavy rains in several parts of the state, especially in south Gujarat. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 12:53:00 PM 0

Ahmednagar (Maha), Aug 20: A 36-year-old jeweller was shot dead allegedly by a gang of eight robbers at his shop here in Maharashtra, police said today.

The robbers barged into the jewellery shop, located at Kolpewadi village in the district, around 8.45 pm yesterday, Additional Superintendent of Police Rohidas Pawar told.

When the shop owner, Sham Subhash Ghadage, resisted their move, the robbers shot at him in the head, killing him on the spot, he said.

His brother Ganesh Ghadage (50) tried to save him, but the miscreants fired at him also and fled after robbing jewellery from the shop, Pawar said.

The jeweller's brother received bullet injuries in his stomach and was admitted to a government hospital, the official said, adding that a search was on for the assailants. (PTI)
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