Second 'One Nation, One Election' Committee Meeting Scheduled
The second meeting of the 'one nation, one election' committee, led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, is scheduled for October 25, as per sources cited by news agency IANS. The committee convened its first official meeting on September 23, where the members resolved to engage stakeholders and political parties for discussions and suggestions.
The initial meeting occurred at the Jodhpur Hostel in the national capital and was attended by notable figures such as Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, committee member and former Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, among others. The initiative for the committee was taken by the Narendra Modi-led BJP government, with the former President Ram Nath Kovind at its helm.
In addition to Kovind, Azad, and Shah, the government appointed Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former chairman of the 15th Finance Commission N.K. Singh, former Secretary General of Lok Sabha Subhash Kashyap, Senior advocate Harish Salve, and former Chief vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari as members of the eight-member panel. However, Chowdhury rejected the invitation to join the committee.
Maratha Quota: Activist To Begin Fast Unto Death Protest
Activist Manoj Jarange declared on Sunday that he would commence a fast unto death protest starting on October 25 if the Maharashtra government does not grant reservations to the Maratha community by Tuesday, news agency PTI reported. Speaking at a press conference in Antarwali Sarati village, Jalna district, Jarange stated that the Maratha community would prevent political leaders, including MPs and MLAs, from entering villages across the state until their reservation demand is met.
Drawing an analogy to the India-China conflict, he likened the upcoming protest for quota to a peaceful war. Jarange criticized the government over an advertisement published in prominent newspapers that listed the steps taken for the welfare of the Maratha community.
Previously, Jarange had undertaken a hunger strike in the same village in September, demanding that Marathas receive reservation in government jobs and education under the OBC category. He withdrew the protest, issuing an ultimatum of 40 days until October 24 for the government to grant the quota.
Jarange said, "If the Maharashtra government fails to decide on awarding reservation to the Maratha community by October 24, I will initiate a fast-unto-death protest. Locals and people from other villages will also launch a similar protest." He also appealed to Marathas to conduct a candle march in support of the quota demand.
Jarange announced that he would abstain from water and medical assistance during his fast. He indicated that a chain hunger strike will be initiated on October 25, which will transform into a full-fledged hunger strike starting October 28. Additionally, Maratha communities in every tehsil and village across the state will conduct candle marches to emphasize their commitment to non-violent demonstrations, with an estimated 5 crore Marathas participating in the protest.
Delhi Metro to Run 40 Additional Trains to Tackle Air Pollution
In response to worsening air quality and in compliance with GRAP-II measures, Delhi Metro announced that it would operate an additional 40 train trips on weekdays (Monday to Friday) across its network, starting from Wednesday, PTI reported.
As part of the various steps taken by the Delhi government to combat pollution under GRAP-II, the DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) will implement these extra train trips on weekdays. The move aims to promote the use of public transport among passengers in Delhi-NCR. Normally, Delhi Metro trains conduct over 4,300 trips daily.
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