Diya conducts a constituency check
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Kumari highlighted the poor condition of the Ambabari drain, which was clogged with water hyacinth and garbage. She instructed civic teams to remove the vegetation and waste immediately and to develop the stretch into an alternative route to ease traffic congestion in the area.
She directed that boundary walls be constructed around govt land to prevent further encroachments. She instructed JDA's zone deputy commissioner to remove encroachments from the Justice Daulatmal Bhandari Scheme and areas along the Dravyavati River corridor.
Kumari called for a concrete action plan to ensure the timely development of parks and civic amenities in Ambabari. She also engaged with local residents, listened to their suggestions, and assured them that their concerns would be addressed.
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Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Serbia's student protest movement maintains fragile unity
AI- Representative Image "Only truth and justice" — these were the demands the student protesters presented to the Serbian authorities eight months ago in the wake of the collapse of the canopy at the entrance to Novi Sad railway station on November 1 that killed 16 people. United under the slogan "You've got blood on your hands," they rejected leaders, ideologies and parties alike, demanding only accountability for the deaths of those killed in the tragedy. "We had a minimal ideological consensus around which we united," said Tatjana Rasic, a student from Novi Sad who joined the protests at a very early stage. "We were not asked to express views on other issues, and we followed general democratic principles — unity, tolerance, justice," she told DW. Change within the movement Right from the word go, the flags of Serbia and the universities were the only ones welcome at the students' protests. It was an attempt to return state symbols to the citizens rather than let them become tools of politics. But as the protest movement grew, so, too did the ideological diversity within it. Flags bearing slogans like "We won't give up Kosovo," traditional Serbian caps and nationalist symbols began popping up at protests with increasing frequency. At the same time, veterans of the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s often came to demonstrations and acted as "security guards" for the students. A platform for Serbian nationalism? There was growing criticism that the protests had turned into a platform for Greater Serbian nationalism. This criticism peaked on June 28 — Vidovdan, a national and religious holiday that is deeply rooted in Serbian national mythology. The major anti-government protest on that day was dominated by nationalist and conservative speeches, including one by Milo Lompar, a university professor known for glorifying war criminal Radovan Karadzic. Cultural analyst Aleksandra Djuric Bosnic told DW that such criticism comes not only from resistance to the destructive legacy of the 1990s, which were marked by the bloody Yugoslav wars and the misuse of pseudo-patriotic narratives in Serbia, but also from a fear that Serbia might slide back into ideological patterns of the past. "For those of us who belong to the generations that were traumatized by the 1990s, the memory of Slobodan Milosevic's Vidovdan speech at Gazimestan [in 1989] is itself traumatic," said Djuric Bosnic. "When added to that, on June 28, part of the speech contained formulations reminiscent of the manipulation of national sentiment in the 1990s, as well as the narratives of a unified Serbia and the Serbian world — a construct of the current regime — the culmination of these criticisms is understandable," she said. Student movement plenaries expose ideological rifts Responding to accusations that the student movement had veered to the right, the students pointed out that before every protest, they urged participants to come without party or ideological symbols, but stressed it was often impossible to control the crowd. "Moreover, people started seeing us literally as a political movement and expected us to take a stance on the ideological spectrum. But within our organization, that is very difficult — because we have to discuss it at the plenary assembly, listen to every individual, and in the end, we were not even sure why that was demanded of us," said Tatjana Rasic. That is why plenary assemblies often lasted for hours, exposing deep ideological rifts among students — especially on questions of "national significance" such as the independence of Kosovo or the 1995 Srebrenica massacre. "No matter how difficult it is for me personally to believe that someone can have a different view to me but still be part of the same struggle, we had to accept it. It became clear that there are indeed many people with different opinions," said Rasic. Protests changing youth attitudes But despite all this, the student movement has apparently had a significant impact on young people's attitudes. The National youth council of Serbia (KOMS) conducts research into young people's attitudes. For years, it noted high levels of political apathy among young people, their inclination toward tradition and their preference for a "strong hand" in governance. However, preliminary 2025 data from KOMS has shown changes in young people's views on the EU and important national questions such as Kosovo. "The biggest changes brought by the student movement relate to the way democracy is valued and understood. Today, 60 per cent of young people believe democracy is the best form of governance, compared to 40 per cent last year," Milica Borjanic of KOMS told DW. "Previously, around 60 per cent of young people said Serbia needs a strong leader, but now, for the first time, over 50 per cent say it does not," said Borjanic. Inclusiveness is the movement's strength Political scientist Boban Stojanovic, who has been involved in KOMS research for years, believes those people who want the students to make ideological declarations are actually acting in bad faith. "The only real social divide at the moment is between the government — characterized by a lack of freedom, corruption, national betrayal and absolute inequality — and a new student or political movement whose values are freedom, justice, tolerance, the fight against corruption and the protection of national interests," said Stojanovic. He believes the movement's greatest strength lies precisely in its inclusiveness. However, he also believes that without unity, the current regime cannot be defeated. "The government knows this and is trying to sow division in the student movement over issues like their stance on the EU, Kosovo and, of course, they tried to exploit [the 30th anniversary of] Srebrenica to the fullest," Stojanovic added. Redefining values Aleksandra Djuric Bosnic said it's impossible to fundamentally change value orientations while populist autocracies hold power. "The right time for redefining the value system will come only when Serbia becomes a democratic and lawful state again," she said. "Some red lines — if we truly want Serbia to become a country of free and dignified citizens — must never be crossed in that new and liberated state," she said. "There must be no revision of history, no minimization of the crimes committed by Milosevic's regime during the 1990s wars in the name of Serbian citizens, no absolution of war criminals, nor interference in neighboring countries' political processes. These are fundamental ethical principles. " What do students want? The students themselves would be happiest if the focus returned to the issue that initially brought them together: justice for those who died at Novi Sad railway station last November. Tatjana Rasic is clear about what the students want to achieve: "We want a state that functions properly, with laws and the separation of powers principle," she said. Rasic is also convinced that despite differences of opinion, the students are united. "I think even if I were to imagine an ideal parliament, it wouldn't be a problem at all for it to have different viewpoints and I think our protest has been going on for that long because, despite our differences, we always return to the fundamentals from which we started," she said.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Raj FM urged to oppose plan to hike GST on garments
Jaipur: After a group of ministers in the 55th meeting of the GST Council proposed to increase GST from 12% to 18% on readymade garments costing more than Rs 1,000, the state industry appealed to the state finance minister, Diya Kumari, to raise the issue and oppose the move. The Garment Exporters Association of Rajasthan (GEAR) said clothing is a necessity item and should not attract such steep taxes. GEAR president Rakshit Poddar said, "If GST goes up to 18%, it will have a bigger impact on the middle-class consumers, who usually buy garment pieces in the range of Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,500." He said inflation made raw material costlier, raising the cost of commonly used items. Echoing similar sentiment, the general secretary of the garment body, Amit Maheshwari, said many women are engaged in making ethnic clothes whose costs are relatively higher. "If the taxes go up, the women engaged in the ethnic wear segment will face difficulties. It will impact 5 lakh artisans in the state," said Maheshwari. GEAR suggested that 5% GST can be levied on garments costing up to Rs 25,000 and 18% on garments that are priced more than Rs 25,000.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
‘Raj township policy aims at affordable hsg, green devpt'
Jaipur: Chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma Monday stated that the newly announced Rajasthan Township Policy 2024 is not only aimed at building townships but also at creating ecosystems that are green, inclusive, and growth-oriented. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "This policy is a blueprint for Rajasthan's urban future," said Sharma in an official statement. The policy mandates inclusion of parks, green zones, and public utility spaces in all residential townships. Each project must earmark 7% of its land for parks and playgrounds and 8% for community services and utilities. Additionally, rainwater harvesting and wastewater recycling systems will be compulsory for all new developments. A major highlight is the policy's Antyodaya vision, which prioritises affordable housing for the economically weaker sections (EWS) and lower-income groups (LIG). To further ease the lives of workers, industrial projects will now be required to reserve 5% of their land for labour housing, reducing commute times and enhancing productivity. To protect consumer interests, the policy introduces developer accountability mechanisms. Developers must retain 2.5% of project land as collateral to ensure infrastructure maintenance for at least five years or until the handover to a Residents' Welfare Association (RWA). Acknowledging the limitations of land in urban centres, the policy promotes vertical development and encourages high-rise residential projects, alongside mixed land-use plans. Group housing, plotted schemes, flat systems, commercial hubs, sub-city centres, and community spaces will be part of this integrated approach. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now For better urban mobility, the policy paves the way for the construction of large sector roads, following the Jaipur Development Authority's model. Land acquisition for these projects will be based on mutual consent to minimise disputes. In a significant push for renewable energy, the policy removes earlier restrictions on setting up solar and wind energy plants, even on land without formal road access in revenue records.
