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 In a post on X, PM Modi wrote: “In Washim, met respected Saints from the Banjara community. Appreciated their efforts to serve society.” PM Modi on Saturday launched development projects in Maharashtra.

The PM also performed Darshan at Jagdamba Mata Temple, Poharadevi. He paid tribute to the Samadhis of Sant Sevalal Maharaj and Sant Ramrao Maharaj in Washim.

The PM inaugurated the five-floor Banjara Virasat Museum, celebrating the rich heritage of the Banjara community. Poharadevi is one of the important and well-known pilgrimages of Maharashtra.

In a rally in Washim, PM Modi launched a blistering attack on the Congress terming it as anti-farmer, and accused the party of heaping insults on the Banjara community when it was in power after independence. PM Modi also inaugurated several projects.

He also distributed the next instalment of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi in Washim district of Maharashtra. He appreciated the contribution of the Banjara community to the country. He recalled how the British treated these community members as criminals. He alleged that Congress also ignored this community.

Speaking during another public meeting, PM Modi exhorted the people of Maharashtra to firmly stand behind the pro-development BJP and MahaYuti and oppose the anti-development Congress and Maha Vikas Aghadi.

“Keep those opposing Maharashtra’s development out of power. Keep them hundreds of miles away,” he appealed to the people in his address at the public rally after launching and inaugurating various projects worth Rs 32,880 crore including the first phase of Mumbai Metro Line 3 and Thane circular metro rail project.

--IANS

Explaining the modus operandi of the parallel protest, a WBJDF representative said that six junior doctors will start the fast-unto-death agitation to begin with from Saturday night itself, while the other will be dedicated to medical services at the different medical colleges and hospitals in the state. 

"For the sake of transparency of our hunger strike, CCTV machines will be installed at the hunger strike venue, so that the common people can come and see how serious we are about continuing with our agitation. As committed earlier we are giving our services to the patients. But we will not be consuming food," the representative said. 

On Friday evening, the WBJDF, while announcing the withdrawal of their cease-work protest, had set a deadline of 24 hours for the state government to fulfil nine out of their 10-point demands failing which they would go for fast-unto-death agitation. 

"That deadline is over and there has not been any communication from the state government about our demands. So as per our commitment, we will be continuing with our medical services for the patients besides entering into fast-unto-death agitation," the WBJDF representative said. 

Already, the WBJDF has made it clear the first of their 10 demands relates to the protracted judicial process to ensure justice for the rape and murder of the victim, whose fulfilment depends on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Supreme Court. However, the fate of the remaining nine demands depends on how serious the state government is about fulfilling them, they said. The demands include the immediate removal of the state Health Secretary, the introduction of a centralised referral system and digital bed vacancy monitor, task forces based on each college, with elected representation of junior doctors, increased police protection in hospitals, filling up of vacant posts of doctors, nursing staff and health workers and setting up of inquiry committees in every medical college to investigate those involved in threat syndicates and punish them. 

An inquiry committee being formed at the state level, immediate elections being held for student councils in every medical college, and immediate enquiry being ordered into the rampant corruption and lawlessness in the West Bengal Medical Council and West Bengal Health Recruitment Board are the other demands.

--IANS