1. Godhra Train Fire Part of Congress ‘Conspiracy’: Gujarat Govt Book
The February 2002 Sabarmati train fire, which killed 59 kar sevaks and triggered large- scale riots, was part of a "conspiracy" hatched by Congress's elected members from Godhra, according to a reference book on political history of Gujarat published by a state board.
The opposition Congress, however, termed it as the BJP government's attempt to saffronise the University Granth Nirman Board (UGNB), which has published the Gujarati book, and said it would seek a legal opinion against the writers for "twisting" the court verdict in the Godhra train burning case.
The book, titled 'Gujarat Ni Rajkiya Gatha'(Political Saga of Gujarat) and published in December 2018, is edited by Bhavnaben Dave, a former BJP MP and current vice-chairperson of the board.
The Godhra train burning incident of 27 February, 2002, had triggered the worst communal riots in the history of Gujarat, in which over 1,000 people, mostly belonging to the minority community, were killed.
(Source: Business Standard)
2. One Killed, Two Injured in Mob Clash in Surendranagar
A youth was killed and two others were injured in a clash between two groups in Dasada town of Gujarat's Surendranagar district on Friday evening (22November), police said.
Raju Devipujak (28) was stabbed to death while two others were injured, one of them severely, in a group clash in which both sides used sharp weapons, a Dasada police station official said.
"Some people belonging to Devipujak community had gathered to resolve a case of eve teasing, which descended into a clash between two groups in which sharp weapons were used. One person was killed and two others injured, one of whom received severe wounds in the head," the official said.
(Source: Business Standard)
3. Gujarat Govt Unveils Integrated Online Revenue Services System
The Gujarat government on Friday, 22 November unveiled the integrated online revenue applications (iORA) 2.0, which brings nineteen services under the revenue department online.
The department has also digitised land records from 1931 till 2004, which includes eight crore pages scanned, indexed, verified, and uploaded, an official said.
"Services like Any ROR (right of records), e-Dhara (land registration), gARVI (Automation of Administration of Registration, Valuation and Indexing), iRCMS (Integrated Revenue Case Management System), and RFMS (Revenue File Monitoring System), will ease revenue services," Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Pankaj Kumar said at a function in Gandhinagar.
(Source: Business Standard)
4. Trying to Trace 2 Sisters 'Detained' by Nithyananda: Guj Cops
The Gujarat police on Friday, 23 November said they have approached the immigration department with passport details of a teen and her 21-year-old sister after their parents alleged the two were "detained" and kept in "illegal confinement" at self-styled godman Nithyananda's ashram, officials said.
Lopamudra Sharma (21) and Nandhitha Janardhana (18), daughters of Janardhana Sharma, a former disciple of Nithyananda, have, however, contacted the police several times through video messaging service claiming they were fine and did not want to meet their parents.
Police officials said they are trying to locate the sisters so that they could be produced before the Gujarat High Court on 26 November as per its order on a 'habeas corpus' plea.
(Source: Business Standard)
5. CZA Directs Gujarat Govt to Probe Animal Deaths at Kevadia Zoo
The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has directed the Gujarat government to conduct an inquiry into the deaths of exotic animals at Sardar Patel Zoological Park in Kevadia.
Responding to a complaint filed on 21 November by Bhopal-based wildlife activist Ajay Dubey, the CZA in its letter to Gujarat chief wildlife warden asked the state government to inquire into the deaths of the exotic animals and send the report to the CZA.
A giraffe and two impala had died of peracute mortality syndrome at the park on Tuesday.
At least four more exotic ungulate specie of animals are said to have died ahead of its scheduled inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 October. The inauguration, however, did not take place that day.
(Source: The Indian Express)
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