Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised The Sabarmati Report film, stating that it exposes the truth behind the fateful episode to broad daylight. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised the film.

Speaking about the film, Amit Shah said that the ecosystem cannot keep the truth at bay forever no matter how hard it tries. He added that no matter how hard a powerful ecosystem tries, it cannot keep the truth hidden in darkness forever. The Union Home Minister continued that the film The Sabarmati Report defies the ecosystem with unparalleled courage and exposes the truth behind the fateful episode to broad daylight.

The film portrays the horrific incident of the February 27, 2002 incident when 59 people, including 10 children, were burnt to death in a train by a mob at Godhra in Gujarat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is also currently on a three-nation visit, endorsed the film on Sunday stating that fake narrative regarding things can last for a short time and the facts have come out through this film.

PM Modi further tweeted that the film is well said, adding it is good that this truth is coming out, and that too in a way common people can see it. He also said that a fake narrative can persist only for a limited period of time, and eventually, the facts will always come out.

Notably, Narendra Modi was sworn in as the chief minister of Gujarat in 2001 and it was not even a year since when on February 27, 2002, four compartments with the S6 bogey of a train carrying Karsevaks who were returning from a religious event in Ayodhya were set on fire.

Reportedly, the train was running from Bihar’s Muzaffarpur to Gujarat’s Ahmedabad. Several eyewitness accounts revealed that as the train departed Godhra, emergency brakes were pulled and mobs attacked the train from outside and set the bogey on fire, claiming the lives of 59 people.

At present, the incident is widely termed as the trigger for the 2002 Godhra riots. Though there have been several films made on the riots, The Sabarmati Report seems to be the first such film that attempts to portray the painful episode in which 59 human lives were burnt to smoke.

Delhi former Transport Minister and one of the ruling AAP’s senior most leaders, Kailash Gahlot joined the rivals BJP in the presence of Union Minister ML Khattar and Harsh Malhotra. Union Minister ML Khattar described Kailash Gahlot’s induction as a turning point, especially before the February election.

After joining BJP, Kailash Gahlot said that this was not an easy step for him as he was a part of the AAP since the time of Anna Hazare, the anti-corruption activist whose popular movement birthed the AAP, and that he has worked for Delhi throughout as MLA and minister.

He clarified  that he did not take any decision under pressure, adding that some may think that this is an overnight decision or due to pressure. He also rejected speculations that the move was the result of pressure from federal investigative agencies.

Slamming AAP,  he stated that there is a narrative that he switched due to Central Bureau of Investigation or Enforcement Directorate pressure, adding that since 2015, as an AAP member, as MLA, and as Minister he has never done anything due to pressure. He noted that the fact is AAP compromised its values, adding that the party’s political ambitions had overtaken its commitment to the people. Gahlot attributed his resignation decision to the dwindling credibility of AAP on several issues.

This switch by Gahlot, who was incharge of portfolios of Home, Administrative Reforms, IT and Women and Child Development, comes at a time when the party is gearing up for the Delhi Assembly election slated to be held in February next year.

Notably, he is the third member of the Kejriwal cabinet to have quit the party and the ministerial portfolio. Earlier in April, Raaj Kumar Anand, the minister in charge of social welfare and labour and employment, quit the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal has maintained silence on the resignation so far. At an event Sunday he declined to answer questions on Kailash Gahlot, passing the microphone to senior leader Durgesh Pathak instead.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi blamed the BJP led central government for not taking steps to check stubble burning, one of the factors that contribute to air pollution in the national capital.

Notably, the air quality in Delhi has been going down since October end and has been worsening since then, with the same attributed to multiple factors such as firecrackers and stubble burning – most common in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

Addressing a press conference, the Chief Minister asked whether the Centre can tell a single step it has taken to prevent stubble burning from happening. She also pointed out that stubble burning has been increasing over the last 6-7 years.

She further asked that if the Punjab government, led by her party AAP, can reduce stubble burning by 80 per cent, then why are the cases increasing in other states. She continued why has the entire North India been pushed into a state of medical emergency? 

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Delhi government about steps taken to curb rising pollution level in the national capital. The apex court also questioned the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government over the delay in implementation of Stage 4 of GRAP in the city despite the alarming rise in pollution.

The air quality in the national capital plunged to severe plus for the first time this season, forcing the government to implement Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) – an anti-pollution plan. As per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) data, Delhi’s air quality Index (AQI) was 481 this morning. Among the 35 monitoring stations in the national capital, most recorded over 400 AQI, with Dwarka reporting the highest at 499.

The top court also told the Delhi government to not relax the GRAP-4 anti-pollution curbs without the court’s order. Under the aegis GRAP-4, a ban has been imposed on Delhi-registered BS-IV or older diesel medium and heavy goods vehicles. Furthermore, all trucks and light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi will not be allowed to enter the national capital, except for those carrying essential commodities or providing essential services

All private and government schools have been shifted online, except for Classes 10 and 12. Public and private offices have also been asked to work at 50 per cent capacity and the rest have been recommended to work from home.

In addition, the state government may also consider additional emergency measures such as the closure of non-emergency commercial activities, and permitting the running of vehicles on an odd-even basis of registration numbers.