Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Independence Day. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)Delhi News, Delhi-NCR News Highlights: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that India has completed 75 years of Independence but our country is still running behind several countries, including those that got freedom after India. Speaking at Har Hath Tiranga programme, Kejriwal said, “Singapore got Independence 15 years after India. Japan and Germany, which were completely destroyed during World War -II, are among the list of top developed countries. Why is India not? On the ocassion of 75 years of independence, we all have to take a pledge to make India Number 1. All Indians fought together to kick the British out of India and got independence. Similarly, we can take India to top if we all work together.”
In view of the celebrations to mark 75th year of independence, a multi-layered security cover along with Facial Recognition System cameras have been installed at each entry/exit point at Red Fort where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on August 15, police said on Sunday.
In other news, as soon as the Red Fort reopens after Independence Day on August 16, it will have a new addition — a restaurant. With Cafe Delhi Heights’ new outlet inside the complex throwing its doors open to patrons from August 16, the Red Fort becomes the country’s first national monument to host a full-fledged restaurant.
A cage being readied for the monkeys. One was later caught
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday asserted that free education and healthcare are not freebies and access to these two can eliminate the country's poverty in one generation.
At the Delhi government's Independence Day event at Chhatrasal Stadium here, he also emphasised that school education and healthcare in the whole country can be revamped in five years, as this has happened in the national capital. There has been political acrimony over the issue of freebies with the BJP accusing Kejriwal of using it as a "bait" to trap people for power.
"India has a population of 130 crore and around 27 crore children are going to school...Of the total students, 10 crore study in private schools and 17 crore in government schools. Students are going to government schools but the conditions of government schools across the country is very poor....
The situation was same in Delhi also...In 2015, when I visited a government school found that there was not even a desk for students, students use to sit on floor...That time, a student told me only students in private schools can become doctors and engineers.... But now every government student can become a doctor, lawyer and engineer because the conditions of schools have improved under the revolutionary education model...
The entire country's education system can change in just 5 years...We just need five years..we can change the entire system in just five years... We can construct hospitals, mohalla clinics and free health care across the country in just 5 years...We have done it here in Delhi.
People are calling free education and health care system freebies... This is not a freebie scheme...If we want to take India to the top level, we have to make education accessible to every child..."
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday alleged that a “self-obsessed” government is hell-bent on “trivialising” the sacrifices of freedom fighters and the party will strongly oppose such attempts made for political gains.
Gandhi’s attack came a day after the BJP released a video narrating its version of events that led to India’s partition in 1947 in which it tangentially accused the top Congress leadership at the time and showed pictures of Jawaharlal Nehru and Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The Congress had also taken a strong exception to the exclusion of India’s first prime minister Nehru in the Karnataka government’s newspaper advertisement on freedom fighters and termed the BJP action “pathetic”. (Read More)
The Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort and other parts of Delhi have affected vehicular movement on several arterial roads as well as the borders of the national Capital on Monday, the police said, adding that many roads are also blocked because of the heavy rain during the weekend.
According to the police advisory, all Delhi borders have been closed due to security reasons, which has led to heavy traffic on the Delhi-Noida Direct (DND) flyover, Barapullah, Tikri border, Jharoda and Apsara Road. Roads around Red Fort have also been closed for the official event, causing jams in the Civil Lines area, Old Delhi railway station, Mori Gate, Kashmere Gate and ISBT, among other areas.
An officer said, “There will be traffic jams on NH-8 and NH-44 as roads will open up past 10.30-11 am. Commuters from neighbouring cities and buses will be plying on NH-24, Pushta Road and ISBT bridge. This will affect vehicular movement.” (Read More)
Delhi Government students parade at the 75th Independence Day celebration at Chattarsal stadium
Arvind Kejriwal on Independence Day: "I want to wish everyone a very happy 75 years of Independence day...This is the day when we should remember the great freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for India's freedom. I pay homage to all those martyrs and freedom fighters Dr.Br Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh, Mahatma Gandhi, Asfaqulla Khan and many others. I also want to pay homage to those leaders who worked hard for the growth of India in the last 75 years."
Parking facilities at Metro stations will restart from 2 pm today. They were shut starting 6 am on Sunday in view of security measures ahead of Independence Day celebrations. While the ITO and Red Fort stations of the Metro are shut, train services are running as per normal.
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No rain expected in the Red Fort area till 10 am on Independence Day, with celebrations underway. The city is expected to see strong surface winds during the afternoon. Maximum temperature to be around 33 degrees Celsius.
Delhi metro stations at ITO and Lal Quila Metro Stations have been shut for security reasons, DMRC says. The move came on the advice of the Delhi police.
PM raises examples of freedom fighters including Bhagat Singh, Ashfaqullah Khan, Rajguru on the occasion of Independence Day
The rules of the game are simple, explains Naveen Kumar (21). There are two teams of two people each. In Delhi, they assemble on a ground, often the DND park near Okhla, and unfurl their manjhas (strings) before floating their kites — six to a team — high into the sky. One game typically lasts three to four hours because, as Kumar puts it, “it does take that long to cut six kites of your opponent.” Whoever reaches that target first, wins.
Such competitions go on for more than a month during kite-flying season, which in Delhi is during Independence Day and Rakhi celebrations, and Kumar has been avidly participating in them since he was eight years old. Kumar has been to many all-India tournaments with his team over the past seven years, most recently in Jaipur, Aligarh, Mathura and Lucknow. And he isn’t alone. (Read More)
In order to counter threats from aerial platforms and unnamed aerial vehicles, a counter drone system developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been installed near the Red Fort area to tackle any imminent security threats or drones/kites, said officials Sunday.
According to DRDO officials, the system can detect and deactivate drones of any size within a 4-km radius. Read more
"If we see, in the entire world, Indians are the most intelligent, hard working people. We have best engineers, scientist, sportsperson and best people. Hum fir piche kyu reh gaye? God has given us everything. When God created Earth, he made India the most beautiful. People across the globe ask me, can India beat the world? I say yes, why can't we?" Kejriwal said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, while speaking at Har Hath Tiranga programme, said that India has completed 75 years of Independence but our country is still running behind several countries, including those that got freedom after India. "Singapore got Independence 15 years after India. Japan, Germany, which were completely destroyed during World War -II are among the list of top developed countries. Why India is not? On the occassion of 75 years of independence, we all have to take a pledge to make India Number 1. All Indians fought together to kick the British out of India and got independence. Similarly, we can take India to top if we all work together," he added.
A 19-year-old student allegedly committed suicide by jumping from Delhi’s Signature Bridge into the Yamuna river, police said Sunday. The student’s body was recovered by divers and cops. The deceased has been identified as Rajat, a resident of Karawal Nagar.
The incident took place in North Delhi’s Timarpur area on Saturday night. According to the police, Rajat was a college student and also did a part-time job in Karol Bagh. He is survived by his parents and two sisters.
On Saturday, Rajat left his house in the morning for work and while returning, he allegedly jumped from the bridge, police said. The police also found a bag that belonged to Rajat from the spot. Read more
Considering the rising water level in the Yamuna in North Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday appealed to those living in its vicinity to stay away from the banks of the river. On Saturday, the water level remained above the ‘danger’ mark of 205.33 metres all day.
“The water level of Yamuna has increased in Delhi. I appeal to all the people to stay away and avoid going towards the banks of the river. We have made adequate arrangements for people living near the Yamuna. Cooperate with the government and the administration. We are monitoring the situation and are ready to deal with any eventuality,” the chief minister said in a tweet posted on Sunday.
The revenue department started evacuation procedures in the area on Saturday and shifted 7,600 people who were living in makeshift houses near the river to higher ground in East Delhi, officials said. Read more here
Amid the ongoing clash between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and BJP over the ‘freebie’ politics, the AAP Sunday started a social media campaign asking people to support ‘Bharatvaad’ (favouring the nation) instead of ‘dostvaad’. The AAP for the past one week has been accusing the saffron party of running a “dostvaadi” (favouring friends) model by waiving off loan dues of their super-rich friends worth crores of rupees.
AAP party leader and MLA from Rajendra Nagar Durgesh Pathak Sunday shared a post, reading, “I am a taxpayer. My tax is for India’s development. Not for loan write-offs of billionaires. Share if you support Bharatvaad not dostvaad.”
Several other party members also shared this post and asked people to support and share if they support ‘Bharatvaad’. Read more here
Three BTech graduates were arrested by the Crime Branch from various locations in Delhi for their alleged involvement in a fake government job recruitment scheme, officers said Sunday.
The police identified the accused as Pappu Yadav, 29, his childhood friend Gautam Mittal, 28, who is a site engineer, and Ajay Kumar, 28, who worked in a flight catering company. Five fake joining letters for different departments, a fake income tax department employee card, a laptop used to prepare the fake joining letters, four bank passbooks and cheque books of different banks belonging to Kumar were also recovered, they said.
Officers said Yadav met Kumar on social media, and the latter discussed a plan with him regarding fake joining letters. Mittal allegedly joined the scheme through Yadav as he needed money. Read more here