GUJARAT FORENSIC SCIENCE UNIVERSITY

ANANDIBEN UNVEILS WORLD’S FIRST FORENSIC SCIENCE VARSITY

Thursday, 30 April 2015 | Nayan Dave | GANDHINAGAR

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Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel unveiled the sprawling campus of the world’s first forensic science university in the State’s capital Gandhinagar on Wednesday evening. 

While dedicating the campus, Patel said that designing and developing the forensic technology as per the local requirement of our country should be the priority of this institute.  She said that such institute will have to play crucial role to curb crime and terrorist activities. The Chief Minister also attended the convocation ceremony after inaugurating the new campus.

Foundation stone of the campus having state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities was laid by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October 2011 when he was Gujarat Chief Minister.

The Gujarat Forensic Science University (GFSU) was initiated with just five courses at forensic science laboratory building in Gandhinagar, said JM Vyas Director General of GFSU, adding that today it has evolved into a swanky campus on 50,000 sq mt land with 27 different courses ranging from diploma, bachelor, post graduate and doctorate level related to forensic science.  

“Education through Interrogation” is the base of this university and it aims to be an international learning resource centre providing excellent theoretical knowledge and advanced technical research and training, together with an environment of high level ethical practices, in terms of real time investigation, said Vyas.

At present tree institutes are functioning under GFSU including Institute of Behavioral Science, Institute of Forensic Science and Institute of Research & Development. The university was established by the Government of Gujarat through an Act passed by the Gujarat Legislative Assembly on September 30th 2008 with an objective of fulfilling the acute shortage of forensic experts not only in India but across the globe. GFSU became functional from July 2009 and in May 2011, it was recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) as a State University.  

http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/anandiben-unveils-worlds-first-forensic-science-varsity.html

Political platters

Wooing voters through their palate Nayan Dave | TNN  Rajkot: If for women the way to men’s hearts is through his stomach, then the same applies for politicians, who are trying to reach out to the voters’ heart.     And what better way to do it than organise ‘Tava parties’. Only in this region, which goes to polls on December 11, the menu has to have the Kathiawadi flavour to suit the taste buds of Saurashtrians.     Mostly it is supporters of candidates in fray, who are organising the parties in the night to gather people at one place for canvassing.     The city, in particular, has become a hot spot for hosting such ‘Tava parties’, where practically all and sundry are free to walk in and enjoy a meal and Congress and BJP candidates’ supporters are competing with each other to host maximum number of parties in different areas.     If politicians do not mind hosting the parties as the goodies put out for ‘guests’ are cheap, people do not mind thronging there as the menu includes tasty dishes including bati (cooked dough), spicy mix vegetable curry, papad and chaas (buttermilk).     While the people start gathering at around 8 pm for the party, which begins with speeches followed by dinner.     “The Tava parties has become popular when chief minister Narendra Modi contested the by-election from Rajkot-2 constituency in 2001. This effective mode of canvassing caught on subsequently and is popular during all sorts of elections may it be for civic body or co-operative institutions”, said a senior BJP leader requesting anonymity.     Without giving the number of parties BJP has organized, Vijay Rupani, in charge of BJP Saurashtra-Kutch region said that it the most effective medium for candidates to reach out to people. However, congress candidate Kashmira Nathvani said that already 70 odd such parties has been organized by her party in the last one week.     Dissident BJP MP Dr Vallabh Kathiria, who was in one of parties hosted by Nathvani said that, he would like to use the platform against Modi and not to oppose the saffron party. He confirms that Sardar Patel Utkarsh Samiti was also utilising Tava parties to create anti-Modi sentiment.     State finance minister Vajubhai Vala, a candidate, however, was diplomatic when he said that he never staged such party, but never refused an invitation to one. His staunch supporter Gunvant Delavala said that he along with other Vala supporters have organized several such parties.     Jitu Maheta, BJP dissident and supporter of Uma Bharati said that he has already organized four anti-Modi Tava parties.     And for people like Rasik Makvana, a city resident, for the last 10 days dinner has been at the Tava parties every night. People in large numbers having traditional Tava food at a political meeting in Rajkot

More than 1800 candidates for Gujarat polls 2017

1,828 CANDIDATES IN FRAY FOR 182 SEATS

Sunday, 03 December 2017 | Nayan Dave | GANDHINAGAR | in Sunday Pioneer

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As many as 1,828 candidates are in fray for 182 Assembly seats in Gujarat that include 977 candidates from Saurashtra-Kutch and South Gujarat regions’ 89 constituencies as well as 851 aspirants from North and Central Gujarat regions’ 93 seats which would go for polling in two phases on 9th and 14th December respectively.

Interestingly ruling BJP is the only political party which has put candidates in all 182 assembly constituencies. Main Opposition party has given tickets 178 candidates as the Congress party has resorted to seat sharing agreement with powerful tribal leader Chhotu Vasava and decided to support Vasava by not fielding candidates from three tribal dominated constituencies in South Gujarat. There are as many as 788 independent candidates in the fray.

The oldest political outfit has also declared its support to Jignesh Mevani young Dalit leader emerged post Una Dalit flogging incident who has filed nomination from Vadgam assembly constituency in North Gujarat as independent candidate. The constituency is reserved for Scheduled Caste candidate.

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayavati headed Bahujan Samaj Party has fielded its candidates in 139 assembly seats. As many as 95 candidates from Former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela’s political outfit All India Hindustan Party are also set to contest 2017 Gujarat polls. Strong Maratha leader Sharad Pawar’s political outfit Nationalist Congress Party’s 58 candidates too are in fray. National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally Shiv Sena is contesting from 42 assembly constituencies. Delhi Chief Minister led Aam Aadami Party’s will give fight to candidates of other political parties in 30 seats.

It is worth mentioning that since the first assembly elections after formation of Gujarat, the state is witnessing third highest candidates in the assembly elections. In 1995 and 1990 assembly polls 2545 and 1889 candidates contested. In the previous assembly elections in 2012, there were 1666 aspirants.

Most number of candidates (34) contesting from Mehsana assembly seats in North Gujarat from where Gujarat’s deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel has filed his candidature.  Other constituencies where high numbers of candidates are in fray include Jamnagar rural 27, Botad 25, Jamnagar North 24 and Viramgam 22. Least numbers of candidates (three) are contesting from Bhiloda, Anand, Morva Hadaf, Jhagadia and Gandevi.

198 crorepati candidates, three over 100 crore

As per the Election Commission of India’s data, 198 crorepati candidates that include 76 from BJP and 60 from Congress in ensuing Gujarat assembly polls. There are three candidates who have declared their wealth more than Rs. 100 crore. Congress candidate Indranil Rajguru who is contesting against Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has declared Rs 141 crore wealth. BJP candidates from Botad and Wadhvan Saurabha Patel and Dhanaji Patel have declared their wealth in tune with Rs 123 crore and Rs 113 crore respectively. Two independent candidates – Prakash Unadakat and Rafiq Chauhan from Porbandar and Gir Somnath constituencies have given affidavit that they do not have any wealth on their names.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/sunday-edition/sunday-pioneer/landmark/1828-candidates-in-fray-for-182-seats.html

PM MODI ON SOMNATH TEMPLE NEHRU

NEHRU OPPOSED TO REBUILDING SOMNATH: PM

Thursday, 30 November 2017 | NAYAN DAVE | GANDHINAGAR

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday came down heavily on the Congress leadership and termed it as party of “dacoits.”

Modi slammed Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Somnath Temple and said his great grandfather and first PM of India Jawaharlal Nehru was opposed to the rebuilding of the temple when the idea was mooted by Sardar Patel.

Speaking at a mammoth rally in Morbi town of Saurashtra region, globally known for its ceramic industry, Modi responded to Rahul’s “Gabbar Singh Tax” jibe at Goods and Services Tax (GST) and said those who looted the country for decades can only think of “robbers.” Modi made mockery of the Congress vice-president by calling him a newly emerged “economist” who is promoting a “Grand Stupid Thought” and suggesting GST to be capped at 18 per cent. 

“Congress leaders want single tax slab for all items. Can it be logical to levy same tax on salt and luxury cars or liquor?

Isn’t it anti poor and middleclass thought? You want tax on cloths, footwear and essential food items at par with luxurious car worth Rs 5 crore,” he said.

Modi said his Government would change the tax if necessary citing that GST on ceramic industry reduced from 28 to 18 per cent.

Apart from Morbi, Modi also responded to Gabbar Singh jibe in other three rallies at  Prachi, around 20 km from famous Somnath temple, Palitana in Bhavnagar district,  and also at South Gujarat town Navsari on Wednesday.

Reminding flood fury of late eighties in Morbi town in which thousands of people died, he said the RSS and Jan Sangh workers, including him reached to serve the people.  During that period Indira Gandhi too visited the flood affected Morbi region but she was not even able to stand at a place where rotten human dead bodies and animal carcasses were lying, he claimed.

Giving credit to Patel making reconstruction of the temple possible, Modi said at Prachi rally that Nehru had even shown displeasure when first President of India Dr Rajendra Prasad agreed to inaugurate the Somnath temple after its construction work completed.

“The family (Nehru-Gandhi) was responsible for the delay in Narmada Dam Project dreamt by Patel. As Chief Minister of Gujarat I had to sit on hunger strike to speed up Narmada dam construction,’’ he said. Modi also criticised former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s remark that Modi never raised Narmada dam issue before him as Gujarat CM.

“Due to aging Singh might have forgotten that I met him repeatedly over the issue. However, after taking oath as Prime Minister, I gave permission to close the gates on Narmada dam,” said Modi, adding that in arid Saurashtra region people generally remember those who offer drinking water, we have brought Narmada water not only for drinking but irrigation purpose too. “Don’t you think such Government should be voted for another 100 years?” he said. 

http://www.dailypioneer.com/todays-newspaper/nehru-was-opposed-to-rebuilding-somnath-pm.html

 

2O17 GUJARAT POLLS - MODI TEA JIBE

I SOLD TEA, BUT NOT NATION: PM MODI

Tuesday, 28 November 2017 | Nayan Dave | Gandhinagar

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched BJP’s Gujarat blitzkrieg, calling  himself son of the soil and unleashing a vicious attack on the Congress for allegedly denigrating him. In a jibe at the Congress, he said he sold tea but did not sell the nation. Modi held altogether four rallies in the State on Monday.

Addressing a rally at Bhuj, Modi said people of the State will not forgive those who are “insulting the son of Gujarat” who has never had a single blot on his political career.

“You (Opposition) dare to come to Gujarat and say things against the son of Gujarat? Will any Gujarati forgive people who make charges against the son of Gujarat? No Gujarati will endure this insult. This is my mother and I am its son.

“You (people) have helped me grow as its son. You have helped shape me. You gave strength and nurtured the good in me, the people of Gujarat and Gujarat my motherland,” he said.

Comparing his party’s clear roadmap for the development of India, Modi said the Opposition did not have any definite policy and programme on development. As he arrived at Lalan College ground in Bhuj in the morning, the Prime Minister apparently became nostalgic. Ahead of the last Lok Sabha polls, he had set the tone for his party’s poll campaign by addressing a similar rally as Gujarat Chief Minister from the same venue four years ago.

The rally was held to mark the Independence Day of 2013 and Modi was already appointed as campaign committee head of the BJP for 2014 Lok Sabha polls. He made it a point to address the rally an hour after then Prime Minister Manmohan Sigh’s speech from the Red Fort and challenged the Congress party to compare development work done in Gujarat by his Government and development done by the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre in rest of the nation.

In the backdrop of that historic rally at Lalan College ground, Modi once again donned famous red Kutchi turban and launched a blistering attack on the Congress on the issue of national security. “I couldn’t understand why Congress leaders are clapping after a Pakistani court decided to release a terrorist (Hafiz Saeed). When Indian soldiers were standing strong against Chinese Army in

Doklam region, Congress leadership was busy in ‘Hugplomacy’ by hugging Chinese ambassador. What was that valour?” he said.

They (Congress) had demanded videos of surgical strike carried out by our soldiers post Uri attack, said Modi, adding that Indian soldier went inside the enemy territory to take revenge and not to shoot a feature film. “You even don’t respect Indian army,” he criticised the opposition.

Referring to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, he said the difference between leaderships was visible now when you see how Congress-led UPA Government reacted to the terror attack in Mumbai and how surgical strike was carried out in retaliation of the Uri attack. 

Modi said while the Congress is also raising issue of GST during Gujarat poll campaign, its representatives were present during all GST meetings. Citicising double standard of the opposition party, he said in all those meetings the Congress backed all decisions on GST.

“I would like to tell you with politeness that we are listening to suggestions on GST and in the interest of the nation the central government would do everything,” he added. 

Taking a dig at Congress party for promoting dynastic politics, he said the oldest political outfit is reduced to a single family and it was not concerned about the country. He claimed that the present Government at Delhi was working for 125 crore people of India with a definite goat to achieve a new height of development.

Ahead of the rally at Bhuj, Modi made it a point to pay visit to the Ashapura Mataji temple and offered prayer there. He instantly struck a chord with a large number of people present at the Lalan College ground as he initiated his speech in Kutchi language.

Promising to start Roll on - Roll off (RoRo) ferry service in the Gulf of Kutch in lines with Ghogha-Dahej RoRo inaugurated by him last month, Modi said when he was studying in school he read a news that RoRo service from Ghogha to Dahej will start but under Congress rule the project never took off.

Addressing a rally at the Koli community dominated Jasdan in Rajkot distric, Modi said four Patidar Chief Ministers - Chimanbhai Patel, Babubhai Patel, Keshubhai Patel and Anandiben Patel - became victims of Congress’s dirty politics.

In early seventies Chimanbhai and Babubhai became victims of Indira Gandhi inspired conspiracy, later Keshubhai became victims of Khajuraho episode in which Shankersinh Vaghela was supported by Congress party. Latest Anandiben became victim of pro-quota Patidar agitation that too is being supported by the opposition party, he said.

In his other rallies at Patidar dominated Dhari in Amreli district and later on at Kadodara near Surat in South Gujarat he made similar points.

“They are feeling uneasy because a chaiwala became the PM. We used to read in books how the downtrodden get harassed by those in higher strata. But I never imagined they would stoop so low,” Modi said in his speech in Gujarati at Jasdan ahead of the first round of polling on December 9.

The second phase of elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held on December 14. The votes will be counted on December 18.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/todays-newspaper/i-sold-tea-but-not-nation-pm-modi.html

2017 GUJARAT POLLS CENTURION VOTERS

MORE THAN 7.6K CENTURION VOTERS EXPECTED THIS YEAR

Wednesday, 29 November 2017 | Nayan Dave | Gandhinagar

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Of the total 4.33 crore voters eligible to exercise their franchise in the upcoming Assembly polls in Gujarat slated in the next month, there are more than 7,600 centurion voters.

Revealing the details, Gujarat’s Chief Election Officer (CEO) BB Swain said that during the preparedness for the assembly elections, the election staff identified 7,670 voters above the age of 99 years.

As per the data, maximum numbers of centurion voters are residing in Ahmedabad district where 663 such voters appeared in electoral lists across genders. Surat district in South Gujarat regions stands second with 631 centurion voters. Saurashtra regions coastal district Bhavnagar stands third 434 followed by neighbouring Amreli district with 414.

Of the 33 districts in the poll bound States, high numbers of centurion voters registered in Rajkot 372, Kutch 341, Vadodara 306, Banaskantha 281, Junagadh 279, Surendranagar 275, Mehsana 258, Panchmahal 253, Dahod 246 and Gir Somnath 226.

Least number of centurion voters found in tribal dominated Daangs district where only three names of such voters appear in electoral rolls. Another two south Gujarat district Tapi and Narmada, there are only 33 and 56 eligible voters above 99 years for the 14th Gujarat Legislative Assembly election to be held on December 9 and 14, 2017.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/more-than-76k-centurion-voters-expected-this-year.html

ANANDIBEN NEW CM 2014

ANANDIBEN TAKES OATH AS CM WITH 20 MINISTERS

Friday, 23 May 2014 | Nayan Dave | GANDHINAGAR

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With the 4,609 days of longest serving Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s era coming to an end, the longest serving Minister Anandiben Mafatlal Patel stepped into his shoes on Thursday. Anandiben, the first woman CM of Gujarat and her compact team of 20 Ministers took oath at 12.39 pm (Vijay Muhurt) at Mahatma Mandir in presence of top BJP leaders and large number of party workers on Thursday.

The former strict school principal, known for her disciplinarian attitude dropped three Ministers of State (MoS) — Parshotam Solanki, Vasan Ahir and Parbat Patel— from Modi Cabinet and included four new faces — Tarachand Chheda, Kanti Gamit, Bachu Khabad and Shanker Chaudhry as MoS. However, the 15th Chief Minister of Gujarat didn’t make any changes in the core team of the Modi Cabinet.

Compared to Modi’s 23-member Cabinet, the 72-year-old leader kept her Ministry even smaller with just 21 members including her. Just like the Modi Government, the new Government is also dominated by powerful Patel community.

Against nine Patel Ministers in the previous Government, Anandiben’s Government has eight members in the Council of Ministers. She made it a point to balance between the sub-castes by giving equal representations to Levua and Kadava Patels. The new Government has maintained three Kshtriya Ministers, one Brahmin, one Dalit, but representation of OBC trimmed down from six to four with Modi and former MoS Liladhar Vaghela, both belonging to OBC, shifted their base to Delhi.

It seems Anandiben has continued to follow Modi strategically and focused on tribal belt to improve party’s position. Against the only tribal Minister in Ganapat Vasava in the Modi  Cabinet, Patel has improved the tally of tribal to three by inducting Bachubhai Khabad and Kantibhai Gamit. She has given a berth to Bania community after long time in Gujarat Government with the induction of Tarachand Chheda.

“The only cause of concern for the saffron party is ignorance of Koli community despite having nearly 20 per cent population in the State. Parshotam Solanki was the only Koli face in the Modi Government. However, he has been dropped due to health problem. We would consider this point in near future and induct Koli leaders in the Ministry,” said a senior BJP leader.

The swearing-in ceremony was held in presence of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi. Top BJP leaders including party patriarch LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Rajnath Singh, Venkaiah Naidu, Subramanian Swamy, Arjun Munda, Gopinath Munde, Sushma Swaraj, Amit Shah as well as BJP ruled State’s Chief Ministers —  Raman Singh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Vasundhara Raje, Manohar Parrikar and NDA ally Akali Dal leader and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal attended the function. Besides, Aditya, son of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and film actor Vivek Oberoi also remained present.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/anandiben-takes-oath-as-cm-with-20-ministers.html