New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency is gearing up for polling in the last phase on June 1, however the election fervour has already gripped the city residents.

The city looked immersed in the political hue of saffron, as hundreds of people were sporting and flaunting T-shirts, with ‘Har Dil Mein Modi’ inscribed on it.

Residents of Kandwa market in the city also organised a voter awareness programme wearing these T-shirts and appealed the fellow residents to exercise their franchise in the ongoing polls.

Many residents of Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, spoke about the progressive policies of the Modi government and enumerated reasons as to why they should give him a third term.

Holding placards and wearing saffron caps, many locals said that Varanasi has witnessed immense development over the past decade. They said that development looked like a ‘distant dream’ under the previous regimes but the same was getting realised under the Modi government.

“Success of schemes like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana, and Ayushman Yojana and Clean India campaign is firm evidence of the transformation under BJP rule, the locals emphasised and said that they are benefiting people to a great deal.

Holding the placards with ‘Har Dil Mein Modi’ slogans, a local said, “Before 2014, there were narrow streets, but after PM Modi came to power, he transformed this place. We are very happy and satisfied by his initiatives.”

Another local said, “From roads and electricity to water facilities, everything is being developed. The city has undergone huge transformation and we hope to see this change in the future also.”

“We have been getting free ration for past five years. Which leader does that for the public?” asked another local, sporting ‘Har Dil Mein Modi’ T-shirts.

“Spirituality has come alive in the city with initiatives like Baba Vishwanath corridor and cleaning of River Ganga,” asserted another set of locals.

They also mentioned that the cleanliness of the ghats is attracting more tourists and generating employment opportunities for the locals.

–IANS

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Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh), May 13 (IANS) Saying that the trust and blessings of the people have always been with the BJP, the party’s outgoing MP Anurag Thakur, who has returned to the Lok Sabha from the Hamirpur seat in Himachal Pradesh four-consecutive times since 2008, on Monday filed his nomination from this seat.

“The trust and blessings of the people of Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency have always been with the BJP. I am thankful to respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said Thakur, who got a warm welcome from a crowd of party functionaries and locals who greeted him with garlands.

He thanked the BJP’s national President, JP Nadda and senior leader, Home Minister Amit Shah and the party for giving him the opportunity to serve the people again.

Accompanying his father and two-time Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, Thakur said, “Every time the people of Hamirpur have increased the margin of victory. I have full faith that the mandate to make Modi ji the Prime Minister again and to make the lotus bloom here again will be historic.”

Former CM Dhumal, who always plays a crucial role in his son’s campaigns, was thrice elected as an MP from Hamirpur.

For Thakur, the key issue is development. “We will go to the public with the Modi government’s achievements, and the area’s development and seek their blessings once again,” he said.

Besides senior BJP leaders, Thakur was accompanied by his brother Arun Dhumal, Indian Premier League Chairman.

Before filing his nomination, Thakur paid obeisance at the temple of Maa Awahdevi.

The Congress, which has won this seat only once in the last nine Lok Sabha elections, has pitted former Legislator Satpal Singh Raizada against the former Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association chief, who has served as MP in the 14th, 15th, 16th and the 17th Lok Sabha, wherein he won by a record margin.

–IANS

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Kolkata, May 13 (IANS) Narayan Chakraborty (55), a polling officer at Booth 93 of the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha Constituency in West Bengal, got a fresh lease of life on Monday, thanks to the prompt action by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel of the 115 Battalion, who were on duty at the premises.

“Around 9.05 a.m., while supervising the polling process, Chakraborty suffered a severe cardiac arrest. The BSF’s Quick Response Team (QRT) and Tactical Headquarters QRT, accompanied by a staff officer, converged at the location within minutes. The BSF troops administered Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to the polling officer till he regained consciousness. The BSF personnel also made use of the medicines available with them. Chakraborty was given Atorva 80 mg, Aspirin 75 mg and Clopidogrel 75 mg tablets and his condition stabilised,” said A K Arya, DIG and spokesperson, BSF, South Bengal Frontier.

Following this, the polling officer was evacuated to the CR Hospital in Bhatar, East Bardhaman, by BSF personnel with the help of a civilian. He received expert medical care there and his condition stabilised further.

“The swift and decisive intervention by BSF troops not only saved a precious life but also garnered appreciation from fellow polling staff. Their acknowledgement underscores the indispensable role played by BSF in ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals involved in this democratic process. Despite the incident, polling went on at the booth peacefully,” Arya added.

–IANS

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New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) A group of eminent citizens of Varanasi conducted a ‘Town hall’ during the weekend to discuss the transformational legal reforms under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A general view prevailed in the Town hall that a slew of legal reforms were brought under the Modi-led NDA, which paved the way for speedy and easy justice for the common people.

Aman Sinha, a senior advocate in the Supreme Court, lauded the transformational legal reforms and informed that over 2000 old colonial laws have been repealed and 40,000 compliances have been removed, leading to enhancement in ease of justice and ease of living for the Bhartiyas.

“Justice has become easier. No other country in the world would have abolished as many obsolete laws as India has done in the last 10 years. This has unburdened people,” said Aman Sinha.

“On one hand, PM Modi is removing unnecessary laws and taxes such as sales tax, excise etc unburdening people while on the other hand Opposition is planning new taxes like inheritance tax. There is no denial of that,” he added.

For the unversed, the recently legislated laws like Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 & Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 will be effective from July 2024.

Aman Sinha further emphasised that India has emerged as the world’s fifth largest economy and the fastest growing global economy despite the Covid pandemic, collapsing global economies and international war turmoil caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Even in such adverse circumstances, India has performed better than other major economies and has served its citizens with commitment.

The SC advocate further said, “In 2014, India was counted among the five weakest economies of the world and today we are in the top five. This has not happened by chance, it is the result of structural, institutional, and transformational reforms and the decisive and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi has solved the fundamental problems of the Indian economy and Indian society which have been posing a challenge for a long time and today every citizen has electricity, clean water, healthcare, gas, housing, food and a bank account. This has led to organic and structural growth of the Indian economy and Indian society and now we are seeing the multiplier effect of all these visionary measures taken by PM Modi as India is firmly on its way to becoming the third largest economy in the world.”

He also mentioned about other landmark legal reforms such as GST, Insolvency bankruptcy Code, Labour Code etc. which were brought in during the tenure of the Modi Govt.

Murlidhar Singh, President Central Bar Association Varanasi, lauded the new criminal law enactments. Other prominent citizens like Abhai Singh and NP Singh also noted the transformational changes in the city in the past 10 years.

Notably, during the NDA tenure, India jumped from the world’s 11th largest economy in 2014 to the world’s fifth largest economy, pipping Britain.

India is now set to overtake Japan and Germany and emerge as the world’s third-largest economy by turning into $5 trillion economy, in the next couple of years.

–IANS

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Kolkata, May 13 (IANS) Polling has picked up pace in the eight Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal where polling is being held on Monday, amid reports of tension and violence coming in for different pockets of the state.

Till 1 p.m., 51.87 per cent polling was recorded in Bengal, which was comparatively higher than the national average of 40.30 per cent, said sources in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).

The highest turnout was seen in Bardhaman Purba at 55.87 per cent, followed by Bolpur (54.81 per cent), Ranaghat (52.70 per cent), Baharampur (52.27 per cent), Bardhaman-Durgapur (50.30 per cent), Krishnanagar (49.72 per cent), Birbhum (49.63 per cent), and Asansol (49.55 per cent).

At Manteswar in East Burdwan district, the convoy of BJP nominee from Bardhaman-Durgapur constituency, Dilip Ghosh, was allegedly attacked by a group of Trinamool Congress workers, in which a window of Ghosh’s car was smashed.

Ghosh’s supporters also retaliated, leading to a clash between both sides in which a ruling party supporter was reportedly injured.

“Trinamool Congress is trying to control the polling process here by unleashing anti-social elements. The state police are standing as mute spectators,” Ghosh alleged after the incident.

The Election Commission has sought a detailed report on the matter.

Earlier, there was tension in front of a booth at Nanur in Birbhum district with the BJP alleging forceful eviction of its polling agent from the booth by Trinamool workers.

The BJP also alleged that armed ruling party workers were threatening the voters since Monday morning.

At Suri, a temporary camp office of the BJP was allegedly demolished by Trinamool supporters.

At Barwan under the Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency, clashes were reported between Trinamool Congress and Congress workers.

State Congress President and five-time sitting MP from Baharampur, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said that although the ruling party workers tried to create tension in the area, timely intervention by the CEO’s office led to prompt action by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel.

In Baharampur, Chowdhury is seeking re-election against former India all-rounder and Trinamool nominee Yusuf Pathan, and BJP’s Nirmal Kumar Saha.

There was also tension in the Kulti under the Asansol Lok Sabha constituency after the CAPF personnel tried to remove Trinamool flags hoisted within 200-metre radius of a polling booth.

–IANS

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