"Even Watchman's Dog Is A Thief": Navjot Singh Sidhu Amid Rafale Row

Agencies

December 2, 2018

Jaipur, Dec 2:Going beyond the slur used against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Punjab minister Navjot Sidhu Saturday said even the "watchman's dog" was into stealing.

Addressing an election rally at Khairthal in Alwar district, Sidhu alleged corruption in the Modi government's deal with France to purchase 36 Rafale military aircraft, a charge repeatedly denied by the Centre.

He claimed the plane worth Rs. 500 crore was being bought for Rs. 1,600 crore.

The crowd chanted, "chowkidar chor hai (the watchman is a thief).

The slogan was given by Gandhi who had earlier mocked Modi's claim that he will act like "watchman" against graft in the country.

"Even the watchman's dog is involved," Sidhu then said. He claimed the BJP government's 'Make in India' slogan had not yielded results, saying the government had a deal on Rafale with France and on the bullet train with Japan.

He claimed the Sardar Patel statue recently installed in Gujarat was "bought from China".

"Will the people of the country fry pakodas?" he said. Sidhu said he will quit politics if his allegations are proved false.

"You have broken the back of farmers. You do not belong to the poor farmers but to Ambani and Adani. You have become puppet of the industrialists," Sidhu charged, targeting Modi.

He also lashed out at Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. "The maharani is sitting in the fort and ruling the state," he said.

He said women are not safe in the state which records a high number of rapes.

Assembly polls will be held in Rajastghan on December 7.

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Mangaluru’s ₹1,200 crore fix: Massive sewage overhaul to end city’s drainage woes

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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