Ahmedabad: The Gujarat Congress on Friday announced to launch a state-wide 'Jal Adhikar Yatra' against the recently passed Gujarat Irrigation and Drainage Bill which it termed as an "anti-farmer" bill. "From April 10 we will launch a 12-day 'Jal Adhikar Yatra' from Dwarka to Ambaji against the Gujarat Irrigation and Drainage Bill which is not only anti-farmer but also gives arbitrary and draconian powers to government officials," Congress President Arjun Modhwadia told reporters in Ahmedabad.
Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal gave her assent to the bill in March. The bill which was passed by the Gujarat Assembly in February 2013, proposes stringent measures, including penal action against violating farmers. The bill prescribes appointments of canal officers having the rank of additional assistant engineer or above, with wide powers, including powers to detain farmers for violating provisions of the bill. There is a provision in the bill which makes it mandatory for a farmer to apply for a licence from a canal officer of his area if he wants to construct a tubewell or borewell or an artesian well, exceeding depths prescribed by the government.
Giving details of the 'Jal Adhikar Yatra' agitation, former state Congress president Siddharth Patel said that the Yatra will pass through nine districts of Gujarat, which were the worst affected by water scarcity and culminate at Ambaji in Banaskantha district on April 21. "We will go to the people of seven districts in Saurashtra and two districts in North Gujarat to explain provisions of this
07:10 AM, Apr 06, 2013
The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed Gujarat government's petition seeking review of its judgement upholding the appointment of Justice (retd) RA Mehta as the state Lokayukta by Governor Kamla Beniwal. ...
04:26 AM, Mar 15, 2013
CM Narendra Modi had appealed against this appointment claiming that the appointment was unconstitutional. ...
10:13 PM, Jan 02, 2013
After the Supreme Court upheld the appointment of Lokayukta in Gujarat, Justice (retd) RA Mehta on Wednesday said the Modi government's attitude will not come in the way of his work. "I don't think Modi government's attitude will be a challenge for Lokayukta," Mehta said in reply to a query by mediapersons. ...
01:41 PM, Jan 02, 2013
Justice RA Mehta refused to comment on the Supreme Court ruling upholding his appointment as the Gujarat Lokayukta, saying it was never an issue for him. ...
12:36 PM, Jan 02, 2013
The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the appointment of Justice RA Mehta as the Gujarat Lokayukta, in a blow to the Narendra Modi government. ...
12:33 PM, Jan 02, 2013
In a major setback to the Narendra Modi government, the Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the appointment of Justice RA Mehta as the Gujarat Lokayukta. Governor Kamla Beniwal had appointed Justice Mehta as the state Lokayukta in August 2011, after the post had remained vacant for eight years. ...
11:04 AM, Jan 02, 2013
Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Governor Kamla Beniwal, accusing her of conspiring with Congress against his government. At a public meeting in Junagadh, Modi alleged that Governor's residence had become 'Congress House'. "It is very unfortunate that people whose only aim is to defame Modi are seriously damaging the public life in the state, and when Raj Bhavan becomes a hub of...
11:06 PM, Aug 14, 2012
Ahmedabad: In a snub to the state government, the Gujarat High Court on Friday directed that Governor Kamla Beniwal will take the "final decision" on granting sanction to prosecute minister Purshottam Solanki for his alleged role in a Rs 400 crore fishing contracts scam. The court, however, rejected the contempt plea against Chief Minister Narendra Modi over the state government's refusal to give sanction without the approval of the Governor....
05:01 PM, Jul 06, 2012
New Delhi: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation led by party president Nitin Gadkari met President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Wednesday and demanded the removal of Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal for her alleged involvement in a graft case. The delegation had spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman, MPs Balbir Punj, Bhupendra Yadav and Arjun Meghwal and party secretary Kirit Somaiya, along with some other party leaders from Gujarat. However, senior party leaders like...
05:17 PM, May 30, 2012
Ahmedabad: Reiterating its demand for removal of Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal from her post over an alleged land scam, the BJP on Tuesday threatened to launch an agitation, if she did not tender her resignation in next three days. BJP general secretary Kirit Somaiya, who is also the coordinator of party's Anti Corruption Cell, had on Monday alleged that Beniwal had tried to acquire a huge piece of land in...
09:52 PM, May 22, 2012
New Delhi: Rajya Sabha was on Friday adjourned twice during the pre-noon sitting as Opposition BJP stalled the proceedings over the alleged involvement of Gujarat Governor Kamla Devi Beniwal in a land grab case. BJP members led by Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi demanded suspension of the Question Hour to discuss the issue, which was not accepted by Chairman Hamid Ansari. Slogan shouting BJP members first forced adjournment of the House for...
12:20 PM, May 18, 2012
New Delhi: The Supreme Court will start hearing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's plea challenging the Gujarat High Court's order upholding the appoint mruled on Friday it will start the hearing in Gujarat Lokayukta appointment case from February 20 onwards. The Modi government had filed an appeal challenging the Gujarat High Court's order upholding the appointment of Justice RA Mehta as the Gujarat Lokayukta. Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal had appointed...
01:13 PM, Feb 03, 2012
New Delhi: The Supreme Court will on Friday hear the petition filed by Gujarat government challenging the state High Court order upholding the appointment of Justice RA Mehta as the Lokayukta by the Governor on the ground that it was unconstitutional and done without the consent of the state government. The Gujarat High Court had on January 18 upheld the appointment of Justice (Retd) Mehta as the Lokayukta while sharply...
02:06 AM, Feb 03, 2012
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday said the Gujarat High Court's decision to uphold the appointment of state Lokayukta by the governor was a "setback to federalism". "The divided judgment of the Gujarat High Court is a setback to federalism," Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley told reporters on the sidelines of a function here. "The governor is a nominee of the central government....
12:17 AM, Jan 19, 2012
New Delhi: The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday will decide on the appointment of the state Lokayukta. The state government had earlier challenged Governor Kamla Beniwal's appointment of Justice (retired) RA Mehta, deeming the move unconstitutional. The matter is now before a third judge after the division bench had earlier announced a split verdict. Upholding Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal's appointment order, Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court Akil Qureshi...
06:52 AM, Jan 18, 2012
New Delhi: Two petitions filed against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi are likely to come up for hearing in the High Court on Tuesday. The petitions were filed against Modi for criminal contempt of court as he allegedly disclosed contents of his correspondence with the Gujarat governor on the appointment of the state Lokayukta to the Prime Minister, even when the matter was already pending before the High Court. Modi...
07:19 AM, Jan 17, 2012
Ahmedabad/ New Delhi: The Gujarat High Court on Monday delivered a split verdict on upholding the appointment of the state Lokayukta by Governor Kamla Beniwal. The two-judge bench hearing the case filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of Narendra Modi against the Governor's order appointing Justice RA Mehta as the Lokayukta of the state was a split one. While Justice Akil Qureshi upheld the appointment of the Lokayukta...
06:46 PM, Oct 10, 2011
Ahmedabad: Questioning the maintainability, Gujarat High Court on Wednesday reserved the order on the public interest litigation (PIL) which seeks recall of Governor Kamla Beniwal. The division bench of Chief Justice AL Dave and JB Pardiwala also asked the petitioner to explain why the petition was indeed in public interest, and how the appointment of the Governor was unconstitutional. The petitioner is a Lucknow-based lawyer, Asok Pande. PIL contends that...
09:59 PM, Oct 05, 2011
Ahmedabad: A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Gujarat High Court, demanding the recall of Governor Kamla Beniwal, saying that due process of law had not been followed in her appointment. The PIL has been filed by a Lucknow-based lawyer, Asok Pande, who claims to be president of 'Hindu Personal Law Board'. Pande has sought quashing of appointment, or a direction to the President and the Prime...
10:22 PM, Oct 03, 2011
