“True unity is found when we break bread with those whose stories differ from our own, for it is in these moments that we realize our shared humanity transcends all boundaries.”

On Monday (August 14), Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had a meeting with vegetable vendor Rameshwar and also shared a meal with him at his home.

The Congress party shared a picture of the meeting on its former Twitter account.

Prior to this, Rameshwar had expressed his desire to meet Rahul Gandhi through a video, which had gone viral on social media. Rameshwar expressed his happiness after meeting Rahul Gandhi.

After the meeting, Rahul Gandhi mentioned that Rameshwar is a kind-hearted person who smiles even in adverse circumstances. His video had deeply moved the entire nation. Due to inflation, Rameshwar was unable to afford buying tomatoes, and tears welled up in his eyes.

Addressing the rich-poor gap
After watching this video, Rahul Gandhi remarked that the country is being divided into two categories.

On one hand, there are powerful people protected by authority, shaping the nation’s policies according to their whims.

On the other hand, there is the common Indian citizen, whose access even to basic necessities like vegetables is dwindling.

We need to bridge this gap between the rich and the poor, and wipe away these tears.

Expressing the desire to meet Rahul Gandhi
Subsequently, in another video, Rameshwar expressed his wish to meet Rahul Gandhi.

He said, “Can I have a conversation with Rahul Sir (Rahul Gandhi)? I want to express my gratitude to him.

Not only that, Rahul invited the vegetable vendor to his house and shared a meal with him.

It would be an honor for me if Rahul Ji meets someone like me, a common man.” When this video reached Rahul Gandhi, he personally visited Aazadpur Mandi to meet Rameshwar.

It is noteworthy that Rameshwar hails from Kasganj, Uttar Pradesh. He has been residing in Delhi for the past 10-12 years and sells vegetables here

Kharge Alleges Financial Malpractice in ‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’, Dwarka Expressway Fraud Highlighted

In a direct accusation, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday pointed fingers at the Modi government, alleging corruption in various infrastructure projects and asserting that it is leading the nation down a perilous path.

Referring to a report from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India on the ‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’ highway projects, Kharge called for introspection from Prime Minister Narendra Modi before highlighting corruption allegations against his political rivals. “BJP’s trail of corruption and financial malpractice is steering the nation towards a highway to hell,” Kharge expressed on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, citing the CAG’s findings.

In a stinging critique against the Modi government, he emphasized that the CAG’s report revealed alarming shortcomings in the ‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’, including “numerous inadequacies, disregard for outcome parameters, blatant deviation from tender bidding norms, and severe financial mismanagement.” Kharge singled out the Dwarka Expressway as a glaring example of the “fraud” within the scheme.

According to Kharge, the CAG’s findings unveiled that the “initial estimated cost of the project was Rs 528.8 crore, but it spiraled astonishingly to Rs 7,287.2 crore — an astounding increase of 1,278 percent.”

He further noted, “The approval for the Dwarka Expressway was granted without a comprehensive project report.

The envisaged toll rates are projected to obstruct capital cost recovery and burden commuters unfairly.” Drawing from the report, the Congress leader revealed that the lane configurations of the Dwarka Expressway were decided without thorough assessment of neighboring competing infrastructure developments.

Moreover, the construction was carried out with suboptimal specifications.

Addressing Prime Minister Modi directly, Kharge asserted, “Before you raise allegations of corruption against your adversaries, you ought to introspect because the evidence suggests you oversee it yourself. Come 2024, India will hold your government accountable.”

BJP’s Corruption & Loot Taking India Towards a “Highway to Hell”: Kharge’s Scathing Critique Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on the Modi government through a series of tweets, accusing it of corruption and fiscal mismanagement in the ‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’ highway projects.

In his online tirade, Kharge highlighted various aspects of the alleged corruption and emphasized the case of the Dwarka Expressway as a stark example of the malpractice. Kharge’s tweets pointedly stated, “BJP’s Corruption & Loot is taking the nation on a Highway to Hell!”

He highlighted the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report’s findings on the ‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’, underscoring the following alarming aspects: Innumerable deficiencies
Non-compliance with outcome parameters
Clear violation of tender bidding process
Massive funding mismanagement
Kharge cited the shocking case of the Dwarka Expressway within this scheme, disclosing:
The project’s initial cost estimation was ₹528.8 crore, which surged to ₹7287.2 crore – a staggering 1278% increase.
The project was appraised and approved without a detailed project report.
The planned toll rates could lead to difficulties in recovering the project’s capital cost, placing an undue financial burden on commuters.
The project’s lane configurations were determined without analyzing competing infrastructure developments nearby.
Suboptimal specifications were used during construction.
Directly addressing Prime Minister Modi, Kharge asserted, “You need to look within, before you harp about Corruption against your opponents, because you are overseeing it yourself!! In 2024, INDIA will make your Govt accountable.”

Amidst the significance of August 15, a major scandal within the Modi government has been unveiled. The contractor managed to accrue a staggering ₹250 crore for constructing just 1 kilometer of the Dwarka road, an immense escalation from the initial estimation of ₹18 crore per kilometer.

As the BJP-led central government contends with nationwide turbulence, the oversight of agencies such as the ED, CBI, and IB under its influence raises questions about conveniently obscured matters.

The Controller and Auditor General (CAG) of the nation has now laid bare a substantial scheme. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) emerges as the orchestrator behind this intrigue, operating under Phase-1 of the ‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’ (BPP-1). Recently, the CAG presented its comprehensive audit report on this project in the Parliament.

The report highlights that for the Dwarka Expressway Project, the initial allocation for construction cost was pegged at ₹18.20 crore per kilometer. Astonishingly, the NHAI’s Board of Directors then approved a construction cost of ₹250.77 crore per kilometer.

The result: a colossal total cost of ₹7,287.29 crore for this project.

Former MLA Arun Thakur took to his Facebook wall to express his thoughts on the matter.

Unveiling Unprecedented Scandal: CAG Report on Dwarka Expressway Exposes Record Corruption in Modi Government

In a scathing critique, Arvind Kejriwal has accused the Modi government of shattering records for corruption within the span of 75 years. The recent audit report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) serves as a basis for Kejriwal’s claim.

According to him, the administration’s financial mismanagement is best illustrated by the Dwarka Expressway project, where the proposed budget of Rs 18 crore per kilometer has escalated to a shocking Rs 250 crore.

The CAG’s audit report starkly exposes the Cabinet’s budgetary intentions, as it was suggested that a mere Rs 18.20 crore per kilometer be allocated for the construction of this roadway.

However, the actual passed budget ended up being an astronomical Rs 251 crore per kilometer. This glaring disparity between proposed and actual expenditure has raised serious concerns about fiscal accountability. Kejriwal’s condemnation comes as a forceful assertion of the need for transparency and responsible allocation of public funds.

The Dwarka Expressway case, emblematic of such discrepancies, underscores the importance of accurate financial planning and efficient utilization of resources in infrastructure projects.

The Dwarka Expressway project, conceived under the Bharatmala Pariyojana phase-1 to alleviate congestion on NH-48 between Delhi and Gurugram, has been completed at an exorbitant per kilometer cost of ₹250.77 crore, a staggering 14 times higher than the approved cost of ₹18.20 crore per kilometer sanctioned by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in 2017, as revealed by a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report.

The Expressway was envisioned as a 14-lane national highway running parallel to NH-48, aimed at reducing congestion between Delhi and Gurugram.

The CAG report pointed out that the high cost could be attributed to the decision to develop the Dwarka Expressway as an eight-lane elevated corridor with minimal entry and exit arrangements to facilitate the smooth flow of inter-state traffic.

However, the CAG found no justifiable reason to opt for eight elevated lanes for an average daily traffic of 55,432 passenger vehicles when only six at-grade lanes were planned for an average annual daily traffic of 2,32,959 passenger vehicles.

The CAG report unveiled broader discrepancies within the Bharatmala Pariyojana, stating that across India, the sanctioned cost for 26,316 km of project length was 58% higher than the approved cost. Of the approved 34,800 km length, only 13,499 km of national highways have been completed, amounting to 38.79% of the approved length by March 31, 2023, inclusive of construction during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report highlighted that the change in project scope, increased project specifications, and deviations from approved appraisal and approval mechanisms contributed to cost escalation.

These alterations led to an increase of ₹10 crore per kilometer in construction costs.

The diversion of funds and lapses in adhering to environmental clearances and safety consultants further compounded the issues.

However, the report did note an improvement in the pace of construction under Bharatmala Pariyojana, with project length constructed per day increasing from 1.04 km in 2018-19 to 12.37 km in 2022-23. Simultaneously, another CAG report on the same day highlighted toll rule violations in South India, resulting in an unjust burden of ₹154 crores on road users.

The non-implementation of NH Fee Amendment Rules 2013 led to continued user fee collection during the delayed construction period at specific toll plazas, despite the amended rule stating no user fee during such periods.

“Every flutter of the National Flag is a testament to our unity, diversity, and shared aspirations. ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ inspires us to cherish our heritage and celebrate the spirit of India in every home.”

As part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Government of India has once again launched the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign this year. Citizens are encouraged to bring the National Flag of India home, hoist it with pride, and share a selfie on the dedicated website – https://harghartiranga.com/ Commencing on Sunday, this three-day campaign will culminate in the celebration of the 77th Independence Day.

Participants uploading selfies featuring the flag on the website are being integrated into a Digital Tiranga Art display. Impressively, the website has amassed a staggering count of over 5,99,75,884 uploaded selfies to date.

Highlighting the essence of this endeavor, the official website emphasizes that the Indian National Flag symbolizes a source of national pride for the entire country.

The ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign aspires to inspire Indians across the nation to proudly hoist the national flag at their residences. At its core, this initiative seeks to ignite a sense of patriotism within people’s hearts and raise awareness about the significance of the national flag.

The Indore Police announced on Saturday that it has lodged an FIR against the individuals managing the ‘X’ accounts of senior Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi , MP Congress chief Kamal Nath, and former Union Minister Arun Yadav.

The action was taken in response to a post that accused the Madhya Pradesh BJP government of engaging in corrupt practices. According to a statement released on the rebranded social media platform known as ‘X’, the Indore Police Commissioner stated that on August 12, Nimesh Pathak, the legal cell convenor of the local BJP, lodged a complaint regarding a fake letter attributed to a person named Gyanendra Awasthi that was circulated on social media.

The fabricated letter alleged that contractors in the state were being coerced into paying a 50 percent commission.

A case has been registered not only against Awasthi but also against the “handlers” of the ‘X’ accounts associated with Vadra, Nath, and Arun Yadav at the Sanyogitaganj police station in the city. The complaint filed by Pathak is currently under investigation.

Earlier in the day, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Ramsanehi Mishra informed that FIRs were lodged against the Twitter “handles” of Vadra, Nath, and Arun Yadav at the Sanyogitaganj police station, based on Pathak’s complaint.

The case has been registered under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating) and 469 (forgery with intent to harm reputation). Pathak alleged that the Congress leaders conspired to tarnish the reputation of the state government and his party by disseminating “misleading” social media posts and accusing the BJP administration in the state of engaging in corruption.

The police are currently in the process of verifying the authenticity of the respective Twitter handles. On a previous occasion, Vadra asserted on ‘X’ that a coalition of contractors from Madhya Pradesh had written a letter to the Chief Justice of the High Court, claiming that their payments were released only upon paying a 50 percent commission.

Vadra stated, “The corrupt BJP government in Karnataka used to collect 40% commission. In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has surpassed its own record of corruption. The people of Karnataka ousted the 40% commission government, and now the people of Madhya Pradesh will remove the 50% commission government from power.” Similar posts were also shared by Nath and Yadav.

Addressing Priyanka Gandhi’s allegations as false, MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra previously requested evidence from the Congress leader to substantiate her claims. He cautioned that if proof wasn’t provided, the state government and the BJP could explore legal action. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan remarked that the opposition party was propagating falsehoods.

On Friday evening, the Gwalior police registered a case against a few individuals in connection with Priyanka Gandhi’s post.