Ahmedabad, 24 May, 2012

Presented above are two videos. The first video presents protest events organized in Ahmedabad today against petrol price hike.The second video contains voices of common man, and BJP MP against petrol price hike of Rs 7.50.

Udaipur, 24 May 2012

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today expressed grave concern at the country’s present rulers’ ignoring the nation’s glorious history and heritage full of valour of great men at its own peril.

Speaking as the chief guest at Maharana Pratap’s 472nd birth anniversary function at Udaipur, he said that those who ignore their history cannot make history.

He said that Maharana Pratap lives in our heart even after so many years because he had showed us the way to protect the motherland. Even though he belonged to the princely family he didn’t ever take any rest and rather devoted every moment of his life in the service of the motherland. He offered floral tributes at Maharan’s statue at Moti Magri.

However, Mr. Modi regretted there might be still some so-called secular elements which would not cringe to malign Rana Pratap had he been alive today because he was the saviour of cow progeny, womanhood, temples and culture. As if there is only one family in the country today which has seen sacrifice and idolized.

He described it as India’s misfortune that people tend to forget its glorious past and revolutionaries like Shaymaji Krishna Verma, Veer Bhagat Singh and Rajguru and Veer Savarkar.

Talking about long historical and cultural relation between Gujarat and Rajasthan, he recalled that the mother of Mewad’s founder was the queen of Valabhi-Gujarat. Maharana Pratap’s obedient horse ‘Chetak’ belonged to Kathiawar breed of Gujarat. They were the Bhils of Guajart living in the Vijaynagar forests of Sabarkantha in the ravines of Aravalli who had lent support to the Maharana during his exile. Gujarat is trying to repay by providing the Narmada waters to the remote areas of Rajasthan.

While the Gujarat Government has enacted effective laws to save the cow progeny, Mr. Modi said, the Central Government’s offered subsidy on beef under its ‘pink revolution’.

Bangalore, 24 May 2012

Former Chief Minister of Karnataka and one of the most prominent BJP leaders in southern India, Shri B S Yeddyurappa today said the ongoing party national executive at Mumbai should deliberate on promoting him as Prime Ministerial candidate, among other issues.

“The national executive should deliberate on the issues rocking Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan and promote Modi as Prime Ministerial candidate,” he told reporters here.

“According to a survey, Modi is the most popular leader of the country and the party must think on these lines and take decisions,” said Yeddyurapa, who had recently pushed the first BJP government in the South into a crisis of survival.

“Modi is popular because he has done great work in Gujarat and made the state number one in the country,” he said.

The Lingayat strongman, however, said Modi could not be compared to former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and veteran BJP leader L K Advani.

He declined to comment on the resignation of Sanjay Joshi from the BJP National Executive.

Ahmedabad, 24 May 2012

In a dramatic development just before the beginning of BJP’s national executive meeting in Mumbai, party man Sanjay Joshi has resigned from the national executive, said PTI quoting sources. Joshi has reportedly submitted his resignation to party president Nitin Gadkari.

Sanjay Joshi, once an organizational in-charge of BJP in Gujarat was later promoted to Delhi and later expelled from the party after a sex CD featuring him came to limelight.

However in recent past he was inducted back to the party by party president Nitin Gadkari ahead of Uttar Pradesh assembly election.

Reportedly unhappy with Joshi’s induction, Narendra Modi skipped BJP’s national executive meeting in New Delhi last year. Then Modi also didn’t campaign for party in state assembly polls in north India and Goa. On the other hand, Sanjay Joshi who was made election in-charge in Uttar Pradesh, couldn’t bring expected result. Amid reports that Modi would possibly avoid BJP’s national executive meeting in Mumbai over Sanjay Joshi issue, Joshi has resigned from the national executive ahead of the meeting.

It seems the party finally weighed Modi against Sanjay Joshi and found Sanjay Joshi too light weight against heavyweight Modi who is all set to become party’s Prime ministerial candidate for Lok Sabha poll 2014. Shri Joshi will continue to become a party man. It seems he will have to work in a corner till the time Modi’s sun is high in the Indian political sky.

Modi in Mumbai

Chief Minister Narendra Modi today reached Mumbai and participated in BJP national executive. The national executive meeting of BJP started at 11.00 am in Mumbai, but as Chief Minister Modi had allotted morning time to Udaipur based organization for celebration of Rana Pratap’s birth anniversary two months back, he was in Udaipur in the morning. Modi reached Mumbai by air from Udaipur and participated in party’s national executive meet after 4.00 pm.

Ahmedabad, 23 May 2012

Presented above are the photographs of few petrol pumps in Ahmedabad on Wednesday evening. As soon as the price hike of Rs 7.50 per liter was announced in media, and people came to know that the new price will be effective from midnight, they rushed to petrol pumps to fill the tank at old lower rate. All along the Wednesday evening there were long queues seen on various petrol pumps. Some private petrol pumps declared that stock was over, some petrol pump decided to give only limited quantity of fuel to each vehicle. At some placed there was traffic jam outside the petrol pump due to long queues ending at the main road.

Long queues at petrol pumps were seen on Wednesday evening

Ahmedabad, 23 May 2012

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today hit hard on his twitter at the Congress-ruled Centre’s utter failure to control inflation, as demonstrated by its inflicting an unprecedented hike in the price of an essential commodity like petrol.

Mr. Modi described the failure as all the more unpardonable as the hike was announced within 24 hours of the adjournment of the Parliamentary session. It is a great insult to Parliamentary system of democracy. People would not forgive the Congress-ruled government at the Centre, he said.

Ahmedabad, 23 May 2012

Following are the pictures of a function of Red cross in Ahmedabad where Gujarat Governor Dr Kamla Beniwal and Chief Minister Narendra Modi shared stage. Dr. Kamla Beniwal who is presently facing allegations of land grab in Rajasthan found an opportunity to say something to the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister too reacted to her.

Press release

Ahmedabad, Wednesday: Gujarat Governor Dr Shrimati Kamlaji inaugurated Vatsalya
Varishth Nagrik Grih built by Gujarat branch of Indian Red Cross Society for 90 senior
citizens here today.

Speaking on the occasion, she said that selfless service is rated very high in Indian
culture and Gujarat preserved the high traditions as there are a number of voluntary
organizations busy in the service of the poor, needy and deserted senior citizens. She
expressed great happiness at the Red Cross Society contributing its mite as a matter
of pride for all. She lauded the notable contribution by Tanti Foundation for Rs.7-crore
donation.

The Governor and Chief Minister took round of the complex. It has facilities for health
checkup, entertainment, library, ATM, prayer room, naturopathy dispensary and
physiotherapy centre.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi described senior citizens’ home like Vatsalya Dham as
the need of the hour in modern family life. He profusely congratulated Mr. Tulsi Tanti,
besides this senior citizens’ home, for his another unique contribution to the society on a
different front in the form of renewable energy.

He said that Gujarat ranks high in the field of service ingrained as it is in the blood of its
people. It is reflected in blood donation and eye donation, too. However, he regretted,
adversaries continue to malign Gujarat without any pretext.

The Chief Minister lauded the initiative of Red Cross Society in research and treatment
of sickle cell anemia as well as thalassemia. He said that Gujarat Government is also
keen to provide relief to patients suffering from such deadly diseases.

Mr. Tulsi Tanti spoke on the need for joint family system. Organisation’s Chairman
Gautam Shah welcomed the guests. Indian Red Cross Society Gujarat Branch
Chairman Madhuben Nayak gave details about the society. Secretary General S. P.
Agrawal and International Red Cross Society’s Rose spoke also spoke. Organisation’s
Bhaveshbhai Acharya proposed a vote of thanks.

Long queues were seen on Wednesday evening after petrol price hike was declared. The price hike was to come to effect from midnight. People rushed to fill the tanks before that time.

Ahmedabad, 23 May 2012

As elections in states including Uttar Pradesh are over, and parliament session has ended, the Congress led UPA government has hiked the prices of petrol by Rs 7.50 a liter with effect from midnight tonight.

Petroleum Minister S Jaipal Reddy had said yesterday that there was an immediate need to raise fuel prices.

“It (price increase) is very essential but (before hiking rates) we have to talk to political parties,” he had told reporters.

Petrol prices were last increased on November 4 last year while price of diesel, kerosene and cooking gas were raised in June last year.

Meanwhile Rupee dipped (to an all-time low of) Rs 56 (to a US dollar) on Wednesday. Last year it was Rs 46.

Vadodara, 23 May 2012

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia was in Vadodara today to pay homage to late Maharaja Ranjitsinhji Gaikwad.

In a brief talk with media persons, Vasundhara Raje praised Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and his works.

She said, “the people of Gujarat progressive in thinking, the state developing fast socially and in the areas of business. it’s pleasure to meet the people of this state.”

“The way this state has progressed, I wish that other states located next to it, and my state too develop in this way. Such endeavor will to see an emergence of a new nation. I think all chief ministers works in this direction but the way Narendra Modi and BJP have transformed the state, if feels nice to see,” she added.

Ahmedabad, 23 May 2012

While Gujarat Congress says Gujarat Governor Dr. Kamla Beniwal is honorable Gandhian, it seems, purely on the basis of facts, the Rajasthan government doesn’t believe so, and this has been reportedly conveyed to UPA chair person Sonia Gandhi.

A report published in Delhi based daily Pioneer says the Rajasthan Government has sent a report to Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Gujarat Governor’s land grab scam and the report has confirmed charges of gross irregularity in the functioning of the Kissan Samuhik Krishi Sahkari Samiti Limited (KSKSSL) in which Kamla Devi is an executive committee member. The report sent by Gehlot to Sonia contains inputs provided by the Secretary of the department of Urban Development and Additional Registrar (cooperative societies), Jaipur.

Following uproar in the Rajya Sabha and demand by the BJP for recall of the Governor, the Congress leadership had sought a factual report on the controversy from Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Quoting the sources, Pioneer in its news report says that till late on May 19 evening officials of Chief Minister’s secretariat held detailed deliberations with Department of Urban development and Registrar, Cooperative, on the issue.

Pioneer report further says:

-The Additional Registrar provided a four-page report that tracked the history of the Samiti, its functioning and charges of irregularities against it.

-The Additional Registrar has pointed out that on receipt of charges of grave irregularities against the Samiti in 2000, a probe was initiated under Section 1965 of the Cooperative Act. The probe could not make any progress for several years because the Samiti office bearers did not provide required documents and files to the inquiry official. The probe was completed in 2009, when the then Registrar Cooperative societies, Mukesh Sharma, submitted his findings and directive on July 2, 2009. The probe confirmed a series of irregularities against the Samiti, and recommended its dissolution. But then Minister of cooperative Prasadi Lal Meena stayed the action against the Samiti. In addition, the Additional Registrar also referred to the way the Samiti surrendered its entire land to the JDA and its members asked for developed residential and commercial land as compensation. This was against the by-law of the committee, which was formed for joint farming alone.

-Based on this report, the Secretary of the Urban Development department, forwarded a one-page note to the Chief Minister’s Office on May 19. This report also confirmed that the Samiti sought developed and commercial land for the agriculture land surrendered by it. The report also pointed out Kamla Devi was incorporated as its executive committee member on May 22, 2011 against the provisions of the Cooperative societies Act.The secretary, Urban Development department also touched upon the bizarre claim by the Samiti that its members contributed 41,000-man days physical labour in 58 years.

-The final one-page letter sent by Gehlot to Sonia Gandhi incorporate the findings of these two reports.

Ahmedabad, 22 May 2012

Reiterating its demand for removal of Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal from her post over an alleged land scam, BJP today threatened to launch an agitation, if she did not tender her resignation in next three days.

BJP general secretary Kirit Somaiya, who is also the coordinator of party’s Anti Corruption Cell, had yesterday alleged that Beniwal had tried to acquire a huge piece of land in Rajasthan by submitting false information about herself. Somaiya, who had yesterday held a press conference in Rajkot on the same issue, today briefed reporters here.

He reiterated the charges against Governor, saying she had submitted ‘false’ information about herself being a farmer in order to acquire a piece of land in Rajasthan.

“Beniwal has given information to acquire the land by saying that she is a farmer and spends sixteen hours daily in farming. The information is totally incorrect and false as how can a person like a Governor spend 16 hours daily in the farm,” Somaiya told reporters here.

“Either Beniwal should resign from Governor’s post or an inquiry should be ordered against her to find out her role in the case”, he said.

If she does not respond in the next three days, then we will discuss the issue in our national executive meeting to be held in Mumbai and plan out agitational programmes against her, he added.