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Vadodara, Oct 31 (IANS) Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Saturday urged people to carry forward Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s vision of national unity and work collectively towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of a developed India by 2047, as he flagged off a 'Run for Unity' in Dabhoi to mark Patel’s 151st birth anniversary. The event, held at the Dabhoi College Ground as part of National Unity Day celebrations, saw the participation of a large number of students, residents, elected representatives and government officials. MLA Shailesh Mehta, District Development Officer Anand Patil and Vadodara Rural Superintendent of Police (SP) Sushil Agrawal were among those present. Addressing the gathering, Sanghavi said the programme was not a government, political or community event but one intended to convey the message that all people were united. Custom Ad: Multiplex "Today's programme conveys the message that we are all one," he said. Recalling Patel's role in the integration of 562 princely states after Independence, the Deputy CM called upon people to take a pledge to remain united and ensure that future generations continued to contribute to the country's development. "On the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Saheb, let us take a resolve that all coming generations will remain united and always participate in India's journey of development," he said. Sanghavi also referred to the Statue of Unity, built in honour of Patel, saying that people from across the world, including those from countries that had once ruled India, visited the monument to pay their respects to the leader. "Lakhs of visitors come every year to learn about Patel and see the statue. It is a matter of pride for the country," he said. He urged people not to restrict the spirit of the Run for Unity to October 31 but to keep Patel's ideals alive throughout the year and work together as Indians towards national development. The Deputy CM also appealed to citizens to align themselves with Patel's vision of unity and the Prime Minister's vision for "Viksit Bharat @2047". Before the run, Sanghavi and other officials paid floral tributes to Patel's statue. Participants also took the Unity Pledge. The run began at the Dabhoi College Ground and passed through the Arts and Science College, the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), Sardar Patel's statue and Radhe Complex before concluding at the Arts and Science College. --IANS mys/uk

New Delhi, Oct 31 (IANS) Joint Parliamentary Committee on 'One Nation, One Election' Chairman P.P. Chaudhary on Saturday said that simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies benefit the regional parties rather than being the other way round, adding that a strong Centre can "override" regional parties when elections are held separately. Chaudhary said that the observation was made by journalist and economist Swaminathan Gurumurthy during a meeting of the JPC on Friday. The 'One Nation, One Election' Bill aims to synchronise elections for the Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies. The Bill has been referred to a 41-member Joint Parliamentary Committee, which is currently deliberating and studying the mechanisms required to successfully conduct simultaneous national and state elections. In an exclusive interaction with IANS, Chaudhary said: "Under 'One Nation, One Election,' four general elections from 1952 to 1967 were held together. And after that, eight or nine Legislative Assemblies were dissolved prematurely so that elections could be conducted simultaneously." Custom Ad: Multiplex "This clearly indicates that back then, members of the Constituent Assembly -- some of whom were present at that time -- believed that if we examine the spirit, intent, or object of the Constitution, it points towards 'One Nation, One Election'. So, keeping this in mind, some Legislative Assemblies were dissolved prematurely at that time to hold elections alongside the Lok Sabha," he said. Regarding the meeting of the JPC on Friday, Chaudhary said: "Eminent political scientists and economists -- such as Swaminathan Gurumurthy, Professor S Mahendra Dev, Professor Pami Dua, and Dr Shamika Ravi, attended yesterday's meeting and shared their insights on both the political and economic aspects of the Bill." Prof. Mahendra Dev is the Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM). Noting that there has been a persistent concern that 'One Nation, One Election' might marginalise regional parties or undermine the federal and basic structure of the Constitution, Chaudhary said: "Their (economists') perspective was that it is rather the other way round; simultaneous elections would actually strengthen and promote regional parties, the federal structure, and the basic constitutional framework." "They backed this view using the country's electoral history from 1967 onwards. They looked at elections from 1967, 1971, 1977, 1980, 1984, up to 1989—and the 'Coalition Era' from 1989 to 2014, as well as the 2014, 2019, and 2024 elections. They were of the view that when Lok Sabha and Assembly elections were held separately at different time periods, a strong ruling party at the Centre often swept state elections, leading to the marginalisation of regional parties," he added. Citing India's electoral history, the JPC Chairman further said that whenever elections were held simultaneously, regional parties fared better. "When elections to the state and Centre are held separately, in case of conflict between strong Centre and regional issues, the nation's electoral history shows that a strong Centre will have an overriding effect," he underlined. "Therefore, simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies advantage regional parties, strengthen democracy, and are in national interest. This was said by Swaminathan Gurumurthy yesterday and was an eye opener for everybody," Chaudhary added. --IANS cg/vd

Kathmandu/New Delhi, Oct 31 (IANS) Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah's expected visit to India in the coming weeks could offer an opportunity for the two countries to establish a new bilateral framework, a report said. It noted that rather than treating it as another high-level interaction or a symbolic celebration of friendship, both sides should consider a phased five-year agenda built around six key priorities. These included Himalayan disaster resilience; secure and humane border governance; youth skills, employment and educational exchanges; digital and financial connectivity; trade and transit facilitation; and faster implementation of existing agreements. “The next chapter in India-Nepal relations should be built around a more practical question: can the two countries create institutions capable of protecting their citizens from insecurity, disasters, economic shocks and the pressures of a rapidly changing region? That question is particularly relevant as Nepal’s Prime Minister is expected to visit India in the coming weeks,” a report in India Narrative detailed. “The visit would follow recent engagements involving Nepal’s Home Minister and Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal’s emphasis on making bilateral economic relations more ambitious and implementation-oriented. The timing offers both countries an opportunity for a relationship facing new challenges,” it added. Custom Ad: Multiplex India and Nepal are often regarded as close neighbours due to their shared geography, cultural traditions, religious ties and strong people-to-people connections. However, the defining aspect of their relationship today extends beyond these historical and cultural bonds to the everyday interdependence between the two countries, the report mentioned. “People cross the border for employment, education, healthcare, trade and family obligations. Nepal depends significantly on access to Indian transport networks, markets and ports. India, in turn, benefits from economic links with Nepal, hydropower potential, regional connectivity and a stable Himalayan neighbourhood,” it stated. The report noted that Sudhakar Dalela’s appointment as India’s next Ambassador to Nepal is particularly significant, as he brings with him valuable diplomatic experience, having previously served as India’s envoy to Bhutan. “His Bhutan experience could be particularly useful in Nepal, although the two relationships are distinct and should not be treated as identical. Bhutan and Nepal have different political systems, economic structures, historical experiences and foreign-policy priorities. Yet Dalela’s work in Bhutan would have exposed him to several issues that are also relevant to India-Nepal relations: Himalayan geography, hydropower, environmental vulnerability, connectivity, development partnerships and the sensitivities of relations between a large neighbouring state and a smaller Himalayan country,” it mentioned. According to the report, the traditional vocabulary used to describe India-Nepal relations — friendship, special ties, misunderstandings and interference — is no longer sufficient. The relationship, it said, needs a new framework centred on resilience, co-production, transparency and shared public goods. “India and Nepal do not need to rediscover their historical closeness. They need to modernise the institutions that govern their interdependence. The success of the next phase will be determined by- whether a trader crosses the border more efficiently, whether a flood warning reaches a vulnerable village in time, whether electricity projects are delivered, and whether young people find more opportunities on both sides,” India Narrative mentioned. --IANS scor/as

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Naik’s Controversial Remarks Spark Outrage Indian Islamic preacher Zakir Naik has faced significant criticism from journalists, activists, and citizens in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan after he publicly defended the Taliban’s restrictions on girls’ education. In a widely circulated video, Naik asserted that media narratives about the situation in Afghanistan are often misleading, stating, “Everything that […] The post Zakir Naik Defends Taliban’s Position on Girls’ Education, Faces Backlash from Three Countries appeared first on The CSR Journal.