Latest news with #BalwantraiMehta
News18
02-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
When A Pakistani Fighter Jet Killed The Gujarat CM And His Wife, Blamed It On A 'Mistake'
Last Updated: Following the tragedy, India mourned not just the loss of a leader, but the broader risks posed to civilian life during periods of military escalation. Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated sharply following the brutal terrorist attack in the Baisaran Valley of J&K's Pahalgam on April 22 that left 27 people dead. As India vows accountability for the perpetrators of the attack, Pakistan has heightened security along the border and the Line of Control, amid concerns of potential cross-border fallout. While both nations have experienced periods of strain over the decades, the current climate has evoked memories of a particularly somber chapter in their shared history – an incident during the 1965 Indo-Pak war that claimed the life of Gujarat's Chief Minister, Balwantrai Mehta. On September 19, 1965, at the height of that conflict, Mehta boarded a Beechcraft aircraft from Ahmedabad, headed to Mithapur for a routine visit. Accompanying him were his wife Sarojben, aides, a journalist, and two crew members. The aircraft was flying near the Rann of Kutch, close to the international border, when it was mistakenly identified by Pakistani radar as a potential threat. Two Pakistani Air Force pilots, flying F-86 Sabre jets, were dispatched to investigate. Despite the civil nature of the aircraft, it was targetted and shot down, killing all eight on board. The loss of Mehta, a respected statesman and proponent of grassroots democracy through India's Panchayati Raj system, sent shockwaves through the nation. At the time, Pakistan described the incident as a wartime 'mistake". While one of the pilots later expressed personal remorse in a letter written decades afterward, no formal apology or acknowledgment came from the Pakistani state. In the days that followed, India mourned not just the loss of a leader, but the broader risks posed to civilian life during periods of military escalation. Mehta's death, though tied to an era of conventional warfare, remains a reminder of how quickly miscalculation and mistrust can result in tragedy. Today, with tempers running high again in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, the 1965 incident offers more than just a historical echo – it stands as a cautionary tale. As both countries navigate another period of volatility, the focus, many hope, will remain on de-escalation and justice, rather than confrontation. First Published: May 02, 2025, 13:20 IST
Indian Express
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
National Panchayati Raj Day 2025: Date, origin, significance — all you need to know
National Panchayati Raj Day 2025: India celebrates National Panchayati Raj Day on April 24 every year to mark the foundation of the Panchayati Raj System — a landmark law which granted constitutional status to its institutions. This law enabled local governments or Gram Panchayats to govern themselves and make decisions on the development of their districts. It is being commemorated today, on Thursday, April 24, 2025, marking the thirty-second anniversary of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992.' The 73rd Amendment Act of 1992, which officially took effect on April 24, 1993, granted constitutional status to Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), marking an important milestone in the history of political authority decentralisation at the grassroots level. READ | Ending proxy leadership in panchayati raj is a necessary disruption towards true grassroots democracy It was in reaction to the need for democracy, which was led by a committee headed by Balwantrai Mehta to accomplish this goal. Furthermore, the system of governance of India's villages is also reflected in one of Mahatma Gandhi's major beliefs, with him frequently advocating for the establishment of a Panchayati Raj system. On it, Gandhi stated, with the quote referred to from a 1946 issue of the Harijan magazine. Independence must mean that of the people of India, not of those who are today ruling over them… Independence must begin at the bottom. Thus, every village will be a republic or panchayat having full powers. It follows, therefore, that every village has to be self-sustained and capable of managing its affairs even to the extent of defending itself against the whole world This year, National Panchayati Raj Day 2025 will be held in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lohna Uttar Gramme Panchayat, Jhanjharpur Block, Madhubani District, Bihar. National Panchayati Raj Day programme in Madhubani, Bihar. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2025 It is being marked as a major national programme with a ' whole-of-government ' approach, with the participation of six Union ministries. The Prime Minister will address Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Gramme Sabhas across the country, in addition to presenting the Special Category National Panchayat Awards 2025.
