News in brief from across Gujarat on 30 January, 2012(updated)

Justice Jyotsnaben Yagnik visiting Naroda Patiya before giving her judgement in 2002 riot case involving this area

Ahmedabad, 30 January 2012

-Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is in Jetpur(Rajkot rural) today for one-day Sadbhavana fast. Powerful Congress MP and Rajkot rural leader Viththalbhai Radadia is sitting on counter-fast.

-Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan is in north Gujarat’s Siddhpur town today. Shri Bachchan tweeted that Siddhpur is the only place where ‘shraadh’ for the mother is done, and he would pray for ‘atma shanti’ for his mother. Narrating the meaning of ‘Shraadh’ Bachchan tweeted that it is special prayer ceremony for the peace and well being of departed soul.

-2002 Naroda Patiya case Judge Jyotsnaben Yagnik today visited the sight of thee 2002 riot incident with advocates of both sides.

-The Gujarat high court rejected the PIL by advocate Shamshad Pathan challenging the state government’s decision to make it compulsory for students of studying in languages like Urdu, Marathi, Tamil etc. to take their Board exams in any of three languages – Gujarati, Hindi and English. As per today’s verdict, usage of Gujarati, English and Hindi for question papers will continue. However as the board has made clear, students will be allowed to give answers in the languages which are the media for their education.

Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board’s had claimed that it did not want question papers to be printed in other vernacular languages, for there are issues about the “reliability” of paper setters and translators in these languages. The board has in clear terms stated that it does not trust teachers imparting education in other local languages. This could jeopardize the confidentiality of papers and the interest of meritorious students.

-Gujarat High Court today rejected Kutch based Congress leader Adam Chaki’s plea against state government’s decision to hand over Bhuj’s GK general hospital to Adani group.

-Gujarat High Court today approved Gujarat government’s decision that makes minimum 8th standard pass qualification compulsory for rickshaw driving license.

-Lok Sabha Speaker Mira Kumar is in Vadodara today to address a school function.

-Green Surendranagar marathon run was organized today. The event was organized by Congress party leader Himanshu Vyas.

-Chief Minister announces Rs 2200 crore for development works in Rajkot district during his Sadbhavana fast speech at Jetpur(rural Rajkot) today.

-Minister Nitin Patel today opened Lalbaug flyover in Vadodara.

-Suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt gets some relief from the Gujarat High Court which today in its order stayed the proceeding in the case filed against Bhatt in Ahmedabad’s Ghatlodia police station.

-Modi’s upvaas are not upvaas but Bakwaas:Shaktisinh Gohil in Jetpur. Gohil said, upvaas(fast) is done in detached manner, one who performs Upvaas talks with humbleness, but Modi orders to collect people at his upvaas place and speaks like a tapori after watching the people.

-Congress on Monday sought to downplay the embarrassment over an advertisement of the party hailing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, saying there was nothing wrong in it if seen from proper perspective. “It depends upon one’s understanding. They (the critics) have treated sarcasm as praise. It needs to be looked at holistically,” Mohan Prakash, in-charge of Congress party affairs in Gujarat, told reporters here.