Tag: Gujarat

Gujarat Assembly passes resolution against BBC for documentary on 2002 riots

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Gandhinagar: The Gujarat Assembly on Friday passed a resolution requesting the Centre to take strict action against BBC for tarnishing the image and popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with its documentary on the 2002 riots in the state.
The controversial two-part series by the British Broadcasting Corporation titled ‘India: The Modi Question’ misrepresents the events of 2002 in a malicious and low-level attempt to tarnish India’s image globally, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Vipul Patel said in the House while moving the resolution.
The documentary claims to have probed certain aspects of the riots, which took place after the Godhra train burning incident, when Modi was Gujarat chief minister.
The documentary was banned in India soon after its release.
Patel’s resolution was supported by BJP MLAs Manisha Vakil, Amit Thaker, Dhavalsinh Zala and minister Harsh Sanghavi.
It was passed by voice vote in the absence of Congress MLAs who were expelled from the House earlier in the day.
After passing the resolution unanimously, Speaker Shanker Chaudhary said the attempt by BBC is “reprehensible” and is “condemned vehemently,” adding the House passed the resolution to send its message to the Centre.
“India is a democratic country and freedom of expression is at the core of its Constitution, but that does not mean a news media can act by abusing such freedom,” said Patel while moving the private-member resolution in the second sitting of the House.

“If someone behaves or acts like this (BBC), then it cannot be taken lightly. BBC is losing its credibility and seems to be working with some hidden agenda against India and the Indian government. Hence, this House requests the Central government to take strict action against the mind-boggling findings shown in the BBC documentary,” Patel said in the Assembly.
Through the documentary, there is a deliberate attempt to “tarnish the image and popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi” with an agenda to affect the country’s intention to find top place globally, Patel said.
He claimed opposition parties in other countries support the government during such times, but this is not the case in India, which allowed international organisations like the BBC to get the strength to carry out activities against the country.
The Nanavati-Shah Commission concluded after thorough investigation the burning of coaches S6 and 7 of Sabarmati Express at Godhra on February 27, 2002 was a premeditated conspiracy, and that the state-wide riots that followed were spontaneous, Patel said.
The Nanavati-Shah Commission found no evidence the state government, religious organization, or political party played any role in the riots, and attempts to make the then chief minister (Modi) and officials responsible have also failed in the courts, Patel asserted.
Supporting the resolution, BJP MLA Vakil said the intention of the documentary was to tarnish India’s global image, adding Modi’s life has been a journey of courage and compassion.
As the chief minister and prime minister, he has become the most popular world leader, she said.
On the 2002 riots, she said certain NGOs and activists conspired to defame the Gujarat government and wanted to damage Modi’s reputation, adding there was a larger political conspiracy of destabilising the state government by hook or crook.
Vakil referred to the Supreme Court verdict on the Zakia Jafri case giving clean chit to Modi and claimed the BBC documentary was “mere international propaganda which is totally biased and showcases the colonial mindset”.
Supporting the resolution, Thaker said Modi is not a question but a solution for various issues plaguing the world today, such as climate change and COVID-19 pandemic, etc.
The BBC is in the habit of making controversial documentaries on subjects in India, Thaker alleged.
He also questioned the timing of the documentary by connecting it with the conclusion of Congress ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ led by Rahul Gandhi.
Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said the documentary was not just against Modi but against 135 crore citizens of the country.
“The resolution brought by Vipul Patel for strict action is historic. ..Is it Modi’s fault to realise the dream of making Gujarat a riot-free state? Many forces worked to ensure Gujarat does not get a stable government,” Sangahvi said in his speech in the House.
He said “so-called intellectuals” started hurling one allegation after another on Modi after he took over as the prime minister.
“As 2024 (Lok Sabha polls) approaches, they (opponents) have no other issue against Modi. They used BBC to make a documentary,” Sanghavi said.
He also criticised social activist Teesta Setalvad and said “truths regarding her have not been shown in any documentary”.
Sanghavi also quoted “important people” who have commented and criticised the BBC documentary such as the Indian foreign ministry spokesperson, British parliamentarian Bob Blackman, and former BBC head Mark Tully.
The Gujarat minister compared the BBC documentary to the “toolkit” conspiring against India, adding certain sections of the media suffered from “Modi phobia”.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 10, 2023
Gujarat BJP MLA to move resolution in Assembly seeking action against BBC documentary

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Ahmedabad: Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Vipul Patel will on Friday move a resolution in the Assembly seeking “strong action” against the “concocted” findings shown in a BBC documentary, which he alleged “once again attempts to blame the then state government” for the 2002 post-Godhra riots.
The proposed resolution will likely say the BBC documentary was a “low-level attempt” to tarnish India’s global image.
“India is a democratic country and freedom of expression is at the core of its Constitution, but that does not mean that a news media can abuse such freedom,” according to the summary of the proposed resolution shared by the Assembly secretariat on Tuesday.
The two-part BBC documentary, titled “India: The Modi Question”, claimed it investigated certain aspects relating to the 2002 Gujarat riots when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister of the state.
“If someone behaves or acts like this (BBC), then he cannot be taken lightly. BBC is losing its credibility and seems to be working with some hidden agenda against India and the Indian government. Hence, this House requests the Central Government to take strict action against the mind-boggling findings shown in the BBC documentary,” said a note on the resolution to be moved by Patel.
“The controversial documentary again “attempts to blame the then-state government for the 2002 Godhra riots and subsequent communal riots in Gujarat,” said the note.
The BBC documentary misrepresents the events of 2002 and is a malicious and low-level attempt to tarnish India’s global image, it said.
Through the documentary, deliberate attempts have been made to tarnish the image and popularity of Prime Minister Modi with an agenda to affect India’s goal to be in a top place in the world, said the note.

This, despite the fact that the Nanavati-Shah inquiry commission concluded after a thorough investigation that the burning of the Sabarmati Express near Godhra railway station on February 27, 2002, was a premeditated conspiracy, and the riots that followed were spontaneous, it said.
The commission found no evidence that the state government or any religious organization or political party played any role in the riots, stated the note.
The Assembly, which is having its Budget session, will meet on Friday after a two-day break.
The BJP has 156 MLAs in the 182-member House.
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#Gujarat #BJP #MLA #move #resolution #Assembly #seeking #action #BBC #documentary
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 8, 2023
In ‘developed’ Gujarat, Tribal areas see spike in ‘underweight’ kids

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The number of malnourished children is becoming bigger in Gujarat, which is regarded as a ‘developed state’.
Gujarat has seen a dramatic increase in the number of malnourished children during the course of COVID-19. In contrast to metropolitan regions, the increase has been more evident in tribal and rural communities.
Women and Child Welfare minister Vibhavariben Dave informed the state House that the tribal area of Dahod had 18,326 malnourished children as opposed to 2236 in the Ahmedabad district in answer to a question posed in the Assembly by Congress Legislator Jignesh Mevani. There are eight times as many malnourished children in Dahod as there are in Ahmedabad, the New Indian Express reported.
In Dahod, there are 18,326 malnourished kids between the ages of 0 and 6 years old. In Dahod, there are 5,101 underweight children, compared to 497 in Ahmedabad.
In the last two years, Dang district has recorded 575 malnourished children, whereas Narmada as a whole had 2,443 malnourished children. The bulk of people in the Dashod, Narmada, and Dang districts are tribal.
Also, 497 children in Ahmedabad are classified as ‘severely underweight,’ while 1,739 youngsters are classified as ‘underweight’ according to statistics made accessible by the government. 13,225 children in Dahod are classified as ‘underweight,’ and 5,101 as ‘severely underweight.’
However, the government blamed COVID-19 for the rise in malnourished children, claiming that “it is currently impossible to ascertain whether the number of malnourished children has increased or decreased” because “most ‘Anganwadis’ (a type of rural child care centre started by the Indian government) were closed on March 2020 and were re-opened only on February 2022 due to the pandemic.”
The response of social workers, according to the report, who have spent years working in Dahod and tribal areas disagree with the government.

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#developed #Gujarat #Tribal #areas #spike #underweight #kids
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 3, 2023
India to get 1st foreign university in Gujarat

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Ahmedabad: The International Financial Services Centre Authorities (IFSCA) on Friday said it has given approval to Deakin University of Australia to set up its campus in Gujarat’s GIFT City.
With this approval, Deakin has become the first foreign university that will set up its campus in India.
Deakin University becomes the first foreign university to set up its International Branch Campus in India at the GIFT City
Read more: https://t.co/C1v2Uj5kP1
— PIB India (@PIB_India) March 3, 2023
“We have given approval to Deakin University to set up its campus in GIFT City,” chairperson of IFSCA Injeti Srinivas told PTI.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will make an official announcement about it during a function to be held in Gandhinagar on March 8.
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#India #1st #foreign #university #Gujarat
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 3, 2023
Gujarat Woman to marry ChatGPT

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A woman from Gujarat’s Ahmedabad caught the eyes of the entire world as she had announced that she would be getting married to ChatGPT on 8th March, World Women’s Day.

Kiran, a 24-year-old has reportedly decided to marry the ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI at a temple in the area, reported The Fauxy. Furthermore, she has also arranged an AI as a priest to solemnise the marriage.

Kiran fell for ChatGPT after she asked it pickup lines, and ChatGPT gave some of the most original pickup lines, since then Kiran has been talking to ChatGPT for hours everyday. “ChatGPT has been the best husband one can get, he never gets angry even if I say the same things hundred times, he listens to me patiently and is the best when it comes to financial planning, he surprises me everytime” said Kiran.

Reportedly, Kiran’s Mehendi will also be done by an AI design tool and same will be auto posted on her Instagram. Kiran has invited 50 of her close friends and family members, whereas from the ChatGPT side, 14 websites that work on ChatGPT input will be attending the ceremony.

“It was a dream come true. This marriage will have everything, even a groom and a priest. As per the rituals, I will even take seven vows, which has been generated by my life partner, ChatGPT itself.” Kiran told The Fauxy reporter

Talking about her Honeymoon, Kiran said “We haven’t decided yet, but certainly ChatGPT will suggest me the best places to visit for honeymoon along with the detailed iteniary“.
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#Gujarat #Woman #marry #ChatGPT
[ Disclaimer: With inputs from The Fauxy, an entertainment portal. The content is purely for entertainment purpose and readers are advised not to confuse the articles as genuine and true, these Articles are Fictitious meant only for entertainment purposes. ]

February 28, 2023
Gujarat: Woman attempts suicide after poisoning two daughters

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Surat: A woman allegedly attempted suicide after poisoning her two daughters in Surat, an official said on Monday.
The woman identified as Asmita, on Sunday afternoon, first poisoned her two daughters — Ritanshu and Divya, and later herself consumed poison.
The woman and her two daughters have been admitted to a Surat hospital.
The Pandesara police have booked the woman in an attempt to murder case.
The woman’s husband Dinesh Patel, an embroidery worker and a resident of Satyanarayan Nagar area falling under the Pandesara police station jurisdiction, said that his uncle learned about the incident and rushed all the three to the hospital.
He said: “Both of my daughters are in critical condition.”
Patel added that on Saturday, he and his wife quarrelled over a domestic issue. This had disturbed Asmita, and that might have led her to take this step.

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#Gujarat #Woman #attempts #suicide #poisoning #daughters
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 27, 2023
Gujarat Assembly yet to get Rs 9,136 cr as GST compensation, says minister

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Gandhinagar: Gujarat is yet to get Rs 9,136.26 crore as Goods and Services Tax compensation from the Union government, the state Assembly was informed on Monday.
During discussion on the issue in the House, senior Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia said Gujarat was losing an average Rs 15,000 crore every year after the GST Act came into force and sought information of pending GST compensation.
Responding to the question, state Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai informed the House Rs 9,136.26 crore was pending by way of GST compensation.
“For the year 2021-22 and 2022-23, Gujarat has claimed Rs 30,400 crore as GST compensation. The Centre has so far paid Rs 21,264 crore while payment of Rs 9,136 crore is still pending. Of those Rs 21,264 crore, the Centre has paid Rs 4,200 crore in cash and Rs 17,045 crore as loan. The Centre will pay the interest on that loan through cess fund,” Desai told the Assembly.
This cess is collected from various products, such as tobacco, coal and soft drinks, for the purpose of paying compensation to states, said Desai.
He said the Centre paid Rs 17,045 crore as loan to Gujarat because the Centre’s cess collection was lower during 2020-21 and 2021-22 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Due to a slump in business activity because of the pandemic, the income from cess was not enough. Thus, the Centre took a loan from RBI and gave us a loan. The Centre will pay interest on it through the Cess fund,” he said.
When asked by the opposition about when Gujarat expects to receive the remaining Rs 9,136 crore, Desai said the GST Council, in its recent meeting, has approved payment of Rs 864 crore.

Criticising the BJP government on the issue, Modhwadia said “Due to this GST Act, Gujarat is losing Rs 15,000 crore every year. Gujarat is at the receiving end because we are a manufacturing state. This is the reason why even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had vehemently opposed GST when he was Gujarat chief minister.”
Desai countered the Congress leader saying all the sources of income in the country should be equally distributed for the development of the country.
He defended the GST Act saying the Centre has paid compensation to Gujarat in the past and there is no due left for 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20.
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#Gujarat #Assembly #GST #compensation #minister
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 27, 2023
Gujarat: PHCs under probe for fake Covid vaccine certificates

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Junagadh: Junagadh District Collector Rachit Raj has ordered an inquiry into issuance of fake Covid vaccine certifices in the names of actors and crickters to meet targets.
A five-member committee headed by the Deputy Development Officer will submit its report within a fortnight and recommend action.
The Collector told the media that he learned that paramedics “vaccinated some celebrities” in order to meet their vaccination targets. An inquiry will be conducted, and those responsible will have to face action.
Four certificates are in circulation on social media, one is issued in the name of Jaya Bachchan, her age is shown as 23; and the vaccination certificate is issued by Mendapara Primary Health Center.
From the same centre, another certificate has been issued in the name of cricketer Mohammad Kaif, his age is shown as just 22 years old.
Juhi Chavla is 44 years old, according to the Motipara Primary Health Centre, where she received a COVID dose during a vaccination drive. Mahima Chaudhary, on the other hand, is older than Jaya Bachchan, being 57-year-old, according to Prempara sub-health centre.
The District Collector has excluded Junagadh District Chief Medical Officer from the committee, as scam is committed by the team reporting to him.

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#Gujarat #PHCs #probe #fake #Covid #vaccine #certificates
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 23, 2023
Gujarat: Police defend public flogging of Muslims; report finds six cops at fault

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Ahmedabad: Police have defended in the Gujarat High Court the public flogging of some people from a minority community following stone pelting in the state’s Kheda district last year saying the persons were “cornered” to maintain peace and it was not done with any criminal intent.
This defence comes even as an interim police report talks of action against six cops in connection with the incident.
Kheda Superintendent of Police R H Gadhiya and Police Inspector of Local Crime Branch, A V Parmar, filed separate affidavits before the bench of Justices N V Anjaria and Niral Mehta on Tuesday in a contempt case regarding the alleged flogging of some Muslims accused of stone-pelting during an event last year.
During Navratri in October 2022, some villagers as well as policemen were injured after a mob comprising members of the Muslim community allegedly hurled stones at a garba dance event at Undhela village in Kheda district.
Videos purportedly showing police personnel publicly flogging three of the 13 arrested accused went viral on social media.
Later, some of the accused approached the HC claiming that the police personnel involved in the act had committed contempt of court by flouting Supreme Court directions on people in custody as laid down in the D K Basu vs State of West Bengal case.
In his affidavit, Gadhiya said when the accused persons were taken to Undhela village for investigation, they “tried to misbehave and abuse the police officers”.
“When 8 accused were brought at the village as part of investigation on October 4, the male accused, after getting down from police vehicle, started abusing verbally the police officials and one accused Shejadmiya Shukatmiya spitted on police inspector of LCB, Ashok Parmar,” the SP said in his affidavit.
The SP further said other accused persons “collected stones in their hands and started instigating members of Hindu community who had gathered there. The accused did not pay heed to requests made for sitting in a police vehicle and started a scuffle with police”.

Referring to the alleged flogging incident, the SP said that “as a result of this incident, there was a hue and cry, and it is only with a view to maintain the peace and harmony, that the suspects were cornered so that no untoward incident further takes place”.
Through the affidavit, the SP also informed the court that as soon as he received instructions from the Range IG to inquire into the alleged flogging, he deputed Deputy SP of Kapadvanj Division to probe into the issue.
In his interim report of December 1, the DySP stated when the accused persons had started misbehaving, the on-duty police officials were required to control them using other means instead of “physically abusing the accused with lathi”.
“As per the interim report submitted by the DySP Kapadvanj, Range IG immediately acted against erring police officers and chargesheets have been issued to six policemen, including LCB PI A V Parmar, while the departmental proceedings are pending,” Gadhiya said.
He submitted that transcripts of call recordings revealed that the entire incident of stone-pelting was “preset and pre-meditated with a view to create fear amongst the members of Hindu community and to disturb the law and order”.
More than 150 persons from the minority community had cordoned off the Mataji Chowk and started pelting stones. The “pre-meditated” offence left 8 residents and three policemen injured, said the SP.
In his affidavit, Police Inspector A V Parmar, claimed that the police officials in question had acted within their powers
“Respondents (policemen) acted within the scope and ambit of their powers and there has not been any act committed by them which is beyond the powers conferred on the respondents. The acts of respondents are the acts in discharge of their duties and these acts were not done with any criminal intent,” said Parmar in his affidavit.
He drew the court’s attention that “more or less, every year when Hindu festivals like Navratri is celebrated, some altercations happen between Hindus and Muslims of the village”. He added that one of the petitioners is already facing two cases of rioting and he was the main conspirator in this case too.
“The petitioners themselves have engaged in disturbing the social fabric of a village by creating rifts between two communities and by assaulting people of that village. Petitioners are guilty of not stating true facts before this court and they themselves had created an atmosphere of fear and terror amongst law abiding citizens,” he said.
Parmar said the present proceedings initiated by the petitioners for contempt of court are not maintainable as per the law.
“The Parliament has already amended the CrPC (Code of Civil Procedure), 1908, and made appropriate safeguards by inserting provisions for the arrested persons and therefore guidelines issued earlier by the SC in the D K Basu case would give way in favour of those provisions of the amended CrPC,” he said.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 22, 2023
Godhra train burning case: Gujarat govt seeks death penalty for 11 in SC

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New Delhi: The Gujarat government on Monday told the Supreme Court that it will press for the death penalty to 11 convicts in the 2002 Godhra train burning case, as it was a ‘rarest of the rare and grave offence.” The death penalty of these 11 convicts was commuted to life imprisonment by the Gujarat High Court.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Gujarat government, submitted before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud that state is seriously pressing for death penalty for the convicts, which the Gujarat High Court commuted to life imprisonment.
Mehta said, “This is the rarest of rare cases where 59 people, including women and children, were burnt alive,” and added that it is consistent everywhere that the bogey was locked from outside and 59 died.
In February 2002, 59 people were killed when a coach of the train was burnt at Gujarat’s Godhra, triggering riots in the state.
The bench, comprising justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala, queried Mehta, “will they be entitled to premature release (as per the Gujarat government policy).”
Mehta said not in this case, as TADA was invoked and stressed it is “rarest of rare case, grave offence”. Mehta was assisted by advocate Swati Ghildiyal, standing counsel for Gujarat.
The top court asked counsel for both sides to submit a consolidated chart giving details such as actual sentences awarded to the convicts and the period spent in jail till now.
After hearing arguments, the bench fixed the bail pleas of several accused in the case for hearing after three weeks.

During the hearing, Mehta informed the bench that 11 convicts were sentenced to death by the trial court and 20 others granted life term in the case. He further added that the high court upheld total 31 convictions in the case and commuted the death penalties of the 11 convicts to life term.
The Gujarat government had moved the apex court challenging the commutation of death penalty into life imprisonment for 11 convicts.
The apex court was informed that several accused in the matter have challenged the high court order upholding their convictions in the case.
On December 15 last year, the Supreme Court granted bail to one of the accused in the 2002 Godhra train burning, which was followed by communal riots in Gujarat.
Last month, the Supreme Court had issued notice to the state government on the bail pleas of Abdul Raheman Dhantia alias Kankatto, Abdul Sattar Ibrahim Gaddi Asla and others.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 20, 2023