1. Take the Fight to BJP, Don’t Fear Its Balakot Pitch: Rahul to Party
Telling leaders of his party not to feel despondent by the strident nationalism pitch of the BJP post the Balakot air strike, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday, 12 March urged them to take the fight to the rival camp while targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking at a meeting of the Congress Working Committee in Ahmedabad — perhaps its last before the Lok Sabha elections, and on Modi’s home turf — Gandhi told the party top brass that the BJP was trying to divert attention from issues like the Rafale deal by citing national security.
(Source: Indian Express)
2. Awareness Is Patriotism, Vote Your Weapon: Priyanka at Debut
Priyanka Gandhi, Congress general secretary for Uttar Pradesh-East, on Tuesday, 12 March attempted to steer the current political discourse on patriotism to issues surrounding youth, women and farmers.
“There is no bigger patriotism than your awareness,” she said, addressing her first rally in Gujarat. “Your awareness is a weapon. Your vote is a weapon… It is such a weapon that will make you strong.”
Telling people to focus on issues that matter, Priyanka said, “The issues should be something that is important for you. How will youths get jobs; how will women feel safer; what will be done for farmers; these are issues related to elections and your awareness will help bring these issues forward.”
(Source: Indian Express)
3. Sonia, Rahul Say Museum at Sabarmati Ashram "Very Inspiring"
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday 12 March, visited the museum at the Sabarmati Ashram here and termed the place as "very inspiring".
After attending a prayer meet at the ashram to pay their respects to Mahatma Gandhi, both the leaders visited the museum in the premises and wrote their remarks in the visitors' book.
"It is most inspiring for me to visit this museum... We are inspired by him (Mahatma Gandhi), his life, his sacrifice," Sonia Gandhi wrote in the book. Rahul Gandhi lauded the museum authorities for keeping the essence of the Father of the Nation alive at the place.
(Source: Business Standard)
4. Congress MLA Bhaga Barad Disqualified: Gujarat HC Asks State Government to File Reply
The Gujarat High Court has sought answers from the state government over the disqualification of Congress MLA Bhaga Barad.
The now disqualified MLA had in a petition challenging his disqualification said that the Speaker had taken a decision that was outside his purview of power. It had also questioned the election commission's undue haste in announcing by-election for the Talala seat which was represented by Barad.
The counsel for Barad on Tuesday, 12 March argued that even after an MLA is disqualified by the Speaker, the authorities are to wait for eight weeks in case the disqualification is challenged.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
5. Despite Supreme Court Order, Information Commissioner Posts Remain Vacant in Gujarat
A Supreme Court order directing all the state government as well as the Centre to fill in the vacant posts of information commissioner is about to end in two days. Yet, Gujarat continues to operate with just two information commissioners even as eight other posts of information commissioners continue to remain vacant.
Anjali Bharadwaj, convener of Satark Nagrik Sangathan, who was part of the group that filed a petition in the SC seeking that vacant posts be filled and opacity surrounding the appointments come to an end said that despite the order not much has happened in most states.
She said as far as Gujarat was concerned the government had sanctioned five posts when it has been specifically stated by the apex court that the government has to look at the total vacancies and not bother about sanctioned strengths.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
6. Ahmedabad: Most H1N1 Fatalities Are in the 41 to 55 Age Group
A data analysis of positive swine flu cases has revealed that people between the age group of 41 to 55 years are most vulnerable to the H1N1 virus, and fatality among the afflicted is 38%. The number of swine flu cases has risen to 1,178 in the city since January and there have been 23 deaths so far.
According to the collected data, the number of afflicted people aged 56 and above is 425; between the age of 41 and 55 years 293. The lowest number of patients is in the age group of 6 to 15 years — 39 cases.
At least 56% of deaths was reported in the age group of 41 to 55 years. No death has been reported in the age group of 0 to 15 years.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
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