1. Thirty Eight Held, 200 Booked for Saturday’s Clash in Shahpur Area
Police have arrested 38 persons and booked nearly 200 others for Saturday night’s (16 February) communal clash in Nagoriwad area of Shahpur in Ahmedabad. The clash broke out during a candle light march in the memory of 40 CRPF men killed in Pulwama terror attack.
“Apart from the 38 arrested, we are trying to identify and arrest another 150 to 200 people who have been booked, from our CCTV footage. However, most men are absconding at the moment, fearing arrest,” Inspector RK Amin of Shahpur police station said, adding that those arrested belong to both the communities.
According to the FIR filed on Sunday, 17 February, three to four men were shouting slogans in solidarity with the Pulwama attack victims around 8.15 pm on Saturday when they were attacked with stones, leading to communal clashes in the area.
(Source: The Indian Express)
2. Hardik Objects to PM Modi Being Invited to Patidar Religious Event
Patidar quota leader Hardik Patel has objected to the invitation extended to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for laying the foundation stone for Umiya Dham complex here on 4 March, calling it “shameful to allow a religious ceremony be converted into an election meeting of the BJP.”
The complex is being developed by the Vishwa Umiya Foundation (VUF) of Kadva Patidar community with a budget of Rs 1,000 crore.
In an open letter to the Foundation, Hardik, who also belongs to Kadva Patidar community, has warned the organisers of the event, saying that they “would be responsible if any untoward incident takes place at the event.”
Hardik, who is currently on a three-day tour of Uttar Pradesh, wrote: “Some Patidar community leaders having political ambitions have bargained Kuldevi, Umiya Mata, by inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is very shameful.”
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. Gujarat High Court Comes to Draupadi Purohit's Rescue
The Gujarat High Court on Monday, 18 February, came to the rescue of a 30-year-old woman, who was forced to stay on the streets after her in-laws allegedly ousted her from their home post her husband's death.
The woman, Draupadi Purohit, had initially approached the police with her complaint, but as it usually happens with the poor, the complaint was not registered. It was then that somebody told her to approach the high court for justice.
Draupadi, who is left with no house, money, and two small kids to take care of, eventually knocked the doors of the high court on Monday and gathered some courage to speak up. After the court of Acting Chief Justice AS Dave and Justice Biren Vaishnav resumed its business post lunch, the noise by one of her child drew the court's attention towards her.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
4. Gujarat Budget Session: Governor Cuts Short His Speech Amid Oppn Slogans
Governor OP Kohli was forced to cut short his customary address to the Assembly on Monday, 18 February, amid slogan shouting by Congress legislators over the Pulwama terror attack and farm loan waiver issue.
As soon as the governor began addressing the House, the Congress members started shouting slogans “Atankvad na khatamo karo, hum tamare sathe chhiye (End terrorism, we are with you)”.
Some Congress members, led by Vikram Madam, came near the well and raised slogans, demanding stern action against perpetrators of the attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district where 40 CRPF personnel were killed on 14 February .
The Congress members also demanded loan waiver for farmers in Gujarat.
(Source: The Indian Express)
5. Gujarat: Evading Arrest in Sedition Case, Alpesh Katheriya Held in Surat
Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) Convener Alpesh Katheriya, who was on the run after a local court rescinded his bail in a sedition case 33 days ago, was arrested from a wedding function at Velanja village in Surat district on Monday, 18 February.
“We received specific information about his arrival at a wedding function at Velanja village, and finally he was arrested. We have produced him before a court, which sent him to judicial custody for 14 days. He has been lodged at Surat Central Jail,” Sub-Inspector M S Trivedi of Surat City Crime Branch said.
Katheriya is facing sedition charges along with PAAS leader Hardik Patel and two others in connection with a case that was lodged by Surat police during the 2015 Patidar quota stir that had turned violent.
(Source: The Indian Express)
6. Tiger in Gujarat Nicknamed Bava for Refusal to 'Settle'
The tiger from Ujjain that made its way into Mahisagar, thus making Gujarat the only state to host the three big cats, was nicknamed Mangala Bava for its propensity to travel and its refusal to settle down. It should be noted that the tiger that was spotted first by a local school teacher and later caught on camera traps set by the forest department.
The animal is believed to be around 5 to 7 years old and belonged to Ratapani sanctuary near Bhopal. Since 2017, the forest officials have been tracking his journey and is at present in Santrampur area in Mahisagar district of Gujarat.
A source in the know said a team from MP had also visited the state after the tiger was reported in Mahisagar.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
7. Pay Hike Demand: Gujarat Transport Staff to Go on Strike From Wednesday
Over 45,000 employees of Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) will go on an indefinite strike from Wednesday, 20 February, over various demands, including implementation of the 7th Pay Commission, shutting down of private bus services, among others.
As a prelude to the strike, over hundreds of GSRTC employees held a dharna outside the GSRTC office here on Monday, 18 February.
The dharna was held under the banner of State Transport Sanchalan Samithi, which is a committee comprising leaders of all three unions like Gujarat ST Karmachari union, Gujarat ST Workers federation and Gujarat ST Mazdoor Sangh. The union leaders chanted slogans for implementation of the 7th Pay Commission for the employees of GSRTC.
(Source: The Indian Express)
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