 "Tharoor launches cleanliness drive, says 'won't cede Gandhi to any other party'")
Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday launched a cleanliness drive, asking “why cede Gandhiji’s sanitation drive to any party” even after losing the post of party spokesman for tagging along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Clean Indian Campaign.
The Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha member launched the drive at the Kovalam beach.
“Before my actions today are distorted: a clean India requires no label. Why cede Gandhiji’s sanitation drive to any party? A national cause,” he tweeted later.
Before my actions today are distorted: a clean India requires no label. Why cede Gandhiji's sanitation drive to any party? A national cause.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 25, 2014
Tharoor and a few other Congress workers and representatives of local bodies held brooms and took to the job of cleaning streets.
I was joined by local residents of Vizhinjam, the Congress councillor&people's representatives, the President&Secretary of the local Jama'th
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 25, 2014
“I am a Congressman and my ideology is there should be clean surroundings. I first arrived in this city when I was 10 years and at that time even after heavy rains, the city used to be clean due to the excellent drainage facility. But today, urban planning has failed and the place here has become like a sewage dump,” said Tharoor.
Tharoor said it was Mahatma Gandhi who said sanitation is more important than independence.
“Cleanliness is a national programme… not the programme of any particular party,” he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had nominated Tharoor to spread the message of a clean India. Tharoor also asked PM Modi to help him in cleaning up the Parvathy Puthenaar canal which would require hundreds of crores.
If @PMOIndia is sincere about #SwachhBharat, I have a project to clean up the Parvathy Puthenaar canal in Tvm which will need 100s of crores
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 25, 2014
(With inputs from IANS)
 "Ladakh standoff: India, China in 'constructive communication' to resolve border issues, says Chinese military")
 "‘Deeply shocked’: India expresses concern at civilian deaths in Gaza during aid delivery")
 "Sri Lanka awards energy deal to India after scrapping tender won by China")
 "'Har chot ka jawab vote se dena hai': PM Modi attacks Mamata govt over Sandeshkhali issue")
 "Ladakh standoff: India, China in 'constructive communication' to resolve border issues, says Chinese military")
 "‘Deeply shocked’: India expresses concern at civilian deaths in Gaza during aid delivery")
 "Sri Lanka awards energy deal to India after scrapping tender won by China")
 "'Har chot ka jawab vote se dena hai': PM Modi attacks Mamata govt over Sandeshkhali issue")