Summary:
New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) The 76th Independence Day was celebrated across the country on Monday, with several chief ministers making a slew of announcements while some others also used the occasion to counter Prime Minister Narendra Modi"s "revdi culture" remark.
While Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao said it was "insulting" to dub welfare schemes as freebies, his Rajasthan counterpart Ashok Gehlot said it is the responsibility of the government to implement public welfare schemes.
"People"s welfare is the primary responsibility of the governments.
It is blame-worthy that the Centre, without properly fulfilling that responsibility, is insulting by calling welfare schemes as freebies," Rao said.
KCR, as Rao is known, also launched a broadside against the NDA government at the Centre, alleging it was hurting federal values, weakening states financially and also centralising powers.
Wading into the row over freebies, Rajasthan Chief Minister Gehlot said it is the responsibility of the government to implement public welfare schemes, citing weekly payments made to the poor and the elderly in developed countries.
"There has been a talk about ‘revdi’ (freebie) culture but I do not consider it as such.
These are public welfare schemes.
In Rajasthan, one crore people are being given pensions," Gehlot said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asserted that free education and healthcare are not freebies and access to these two can eliminate the country"s poverty in one generation.
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.
Last month, Prime Minister Modi, at an event in Uttar Pradesh, cautioned people against what he called the "revdi culture" of offering freebies for garnering votes and said it is "very dangerous" for the development of the country.
In Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the Union territory had put behind strikes and stone pelting and entered a new era of development and peace.
"We have launched the final and decisive assault on terrorism.
The 1.30 crore people of Jammu and Kashmir should lend their voice in support of these efforts," Sinha said addressing the 76th Independence Day celebrations at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium.
"There is no shutting down of markets or schools remaining closed for long periods," he added.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she wants to build a nation where no one goes hungry, where no woman feels unsafe and where no oppressive forces divide the people.
"It is my promise to the people of this great nation that I shall strive everyday for our dream India," she tweeted.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said every Indian should be proud of the country and its parliamentary democracy.
Adityanath said, "The country"s 135 crore people, in one voice and with the concept of "Ek Bharat, Sarvashreshth Bharat" (One India, Best India), have hoisted the tricolour, which is the pride of India." "Today, as we are associated with the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, we should be proud of our country and its parliamentary democracy," he said.
In Patna, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who snapped ties with the BJP last week, asserted that his new government was not only committed to fulfilling the promise of 10 lakh jobs, made by his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, but would like to exceed the employment generation target twice over.
Delivering an extempore speech, Kumar turned towards Yadav and said, "We are together and we have this concept of 10 lakh jobs.
We will do it.