4 days ago
Gujarat Confidential: From Pillar To Post
With only a couple of weeks left for the upcoming the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi festivities, commencing August 27, BJP corporator from Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), Jagruti Kaka, was on Tuesday seen urging the civic body departments to complete the 'resurfacing' of a 900-metre stretch of road in her ward to facilitate the transport of a tall Ganesh idol, by a popular local pandal, instead of having to travel a longer roundabout to get to its venue. Kaka, said that she had been asking the local ward and the Road Department officers to repair the said stretch for three days, as bringing the trolley with the tall idol through the uneven road would risk damage to it. Kaka was seen running from one officer to another on Tuesday with a 6pm deadline to have the road repaired. Meanwhile, the VMC officials said that it was impossible to complete carpeting the road in such a short time. Moreover, it would incur an expenditure of about Rs 10 lakh, which would ultimately need to be broken down post-monsoon for smooth levelling.
Terming the trend of 'one child' and 'no child' among Patidars as 'fatal', Ahmedabad based Patidar socio-economic organisation, Vishv Umiyadham, requested the community to have three to four children. Addressing the community gathering in Kutch's Nakhatrana recently, Vishv Umiyadham President RP Patel said that since the numerical strength of the community is gradually declining, Patidars should have three to four children. 'If (our) numerical strength decreases, then (our) social and political strength will also decrease. If the political strength decreases, then the strength of Sanatan Dharma will decrease. With declined numerical strength, you will have to fight for your existence,' he said. Referring to the high cases of foeticide among the Patidar community, Patel said that it is no longer the case, but now boards will be put up advertising 'uncles' available on rent.
