"Ye chutti ka nahi duty ka din hai": Delhi LG VK Saxena urges people to cast their vote

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], May 7 (ANI): Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena while casting his vote at a polling station in Prakash Higher Secondary School in Gujarat' Ahmedabad appealed to the people to come out in large numbers to vote while asserting that "this is a day of duty and not a holiday."
Speaking with ANI after casting his vote, Saxena emphasised on the right to vote and said, "We should keep in mind that voting is our right. When we do not vote, people who can weaken the country can come to power. And therefore, people should come out in large numbers to vote."
He indeed further, " I would also like to say that people consider the day of voting as a holiday. I would say 'Ye chutti ka din nahi duty ka din hai' (This is not a holiday but a day of duty)."
Appealing to the voters, the Delhi LG said, "We need to give a strong government to the country and I have seen a lot of enthusiasm in the people here. People of Gujarat are already aware and I have seen in different parts of the nation as well that the awareness has increased."
He added, "I feel very happy to come here (Ahmedabad) from Delhi to vote. And I would like to say that in several parts of the country, there is an environment of festival."
Meanwhile, a day ago, VK Saxena recommended National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly receiving political funding from banned terrorist organization "Sikhs for Justice."
LG had received a complaint that Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP had received huge funds - USD 16 million - from the extremist Khalistani groups for facilitating the release of Devendra Pal Bhullar and espousing Pro-Khalistani sentiments.
In a letter to the Union Home Secretary, Saxena referred to a video (which he said was enclosed with the missive) in which Pannun declares Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party "received a staggering amount of USD 16 million in funding from Khalistani groups."
"I am directed to forward a complaint dated 01.04.2024 (in original) received from Ashoo Mongia National General Secretary (World Hindu Federation India), alongwith printout of posts on platform 'X' (erstwhile Twitter), made by Dr. Munish Kumar Raizada, a former worker of Aam Aadmi Party, referred in the enclosed letter and a pen drive as received," the letter stated.
The polling started for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election on Tuesday.
The states and union territories where the elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10) and West Bengal (4). The BJP has bagged the Surat seat unopposed.
In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray.
A total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their franchise in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations. Seventy-five delegates from 23 countries will see the poll process, the poll panel said.
Voting will not take place for Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has postponed the polling to the sixth phase to be held on May 25. Originally, voting was scheduled to be held on 94 Lok Sabha seats in the third phase.
Prominent leaders to contest in today's poll battle include Union Home Minister Amit Shah, former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Digvijaya Singh, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav, and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, among others.
In the 2019 general election, the BJP won 72 of the 93 seats that go to the polls today.
The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting is scheduled for June 4.
The Narendra Modi-led BJP is seeking a third term in power, while the opposition INDIA bloc is aiming to wrest power by stopping the juggernaut. (ANI)