By Kamran Khan
Maharashtra: polls heat up campaign
NCP chief Sharad Pawar said on Wednesday, November 13, that the BJP’s call for 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections of 2024 (abki baar, 400 paar) was evidence enough that they were interested in changing the Constitution of India.
Addressing a rally in Bhosari ahead of the assembly polls in Maharashtra, he said, “During the Lok Sabha elections, Modi aimed for 400 seats for the BJP, which was surprising because securing 300 to 350 seats is usually considered a strong majority. After looking into it further, we realized that Modi wanted 400 MPs because he had his sights set on the Constitution of India, as crafted by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.”
This is a clear indication that Pawar is yet again targeting the BJP with the Dalit voters in mind. During the parliamentary elections, Rahul Gandhi addressed rallies across the country holding the Constitution of India and said that the BJP is out to change it, that it is under threat, and that is why they are claiming that they would cross 400 seats. His speeches found a huge resonance with Dalits, OBCs and minorities in the country, who genuinely believed that the BJP slogan implied precisely that.
Combined with the the promise of a caste survey, these two issues dominated the election campaign. Finally, BJP could not even muster up a majority in Parliament, and is currently ruling on crutches, backed by the TDP and JD-U.
Protests against pharma village
A ‘pharma village’ around Vikarabad, a 10-village project, has created a lot of controversy in Telengana, even while land acquisition has begun, reports South First. There have been protests, police raids, and even the possibility of violence.
A public hearing called by the government in Akkimpet was rejected by the villagers. There was reports of some villages boycotting the hearing.
Instead, a dharna was organised in Langicherla. The Collector went to negotiate with the villagers. He was chased away by the villagers, and there was fear of violence erupting in the area.
Pakistan and pollution: Stubble burning in India
Stubble burning in India is creating a headache for Pakistan, according to reports. High level of pollution in the country is being blamed on continuous fires and smoke coming from the border areas, basically from Indian villages.
The issue is heating up in the context of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), currently
being held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Media reports point out that geo-spatial images show that multiple fires on the Indian side in villages is creating environment problems in Pakistan. Earlier, India was not blamed for the rising pollution in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Lahore’s air quality index (AQI) has reportedly reached 400. This month it rose to 1,900, a sign of serious pollution.
Smog is back in Delhi
Meanwhile, the deadly smog in Delhi has created a terrible situation. The air quality has been marked as severe on Thursday morning, November 14, one day after the worst AQI was recorded in the entire country. A blanket of dense smog covered the capital on Wednesday morning, which many thought to be fog, as it had become chilly.
This is bad news for all citizens of Delhi, especially for those suffering from lung diseases and breathing problems. After a long phase of different kinds of viral fevers and terrible throat infections stalking the people here, this smog is going to spell big trouble for common folk.
Priyanka set to win
Wayanad voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday (November 13) with almost 63 per cent polling. Priyanka Gandhi is slated to win with a huge margin, after Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat. Bypolls in Karnataka and Kerala have been peaceful, with Channapatna recording the highest voter turnout at over 84 per cent.
On Wednesday, November 13, bypolls were held across 31 assembly seats in 10 states, along with the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala.
Picture of Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi courtesy X handle of Priyanka Gandhi.