Rahul slams Modi’s use of harsh words
Courtesy...PTI & THE HINDU
Amid the bitter war of words between the Congress and BJP, Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused Narendra Modi of being discourteous to his opponents, adopting double standards on corruption and favouring select industrialists.
Rahul said that the BJP prime ministerial candidate seeks to give an impression that development of Gujarat was his “personal” achievement and seems oblivious to the efforts of millions of people, including women who made the Amul brand a success.
“You listen to his speech (Mr. Modi), You listen to mine. You (Punjab) gave us a Prime Minister. You see his (PM) speeches during the last 10 years, Sonia’s (Gandhi) speeches, Congress leaders speeches, all talk with love and respect.
“Even if we talk about them (opponent), we talk with love and respect. We never use harsh words and angry tone. But wherever they (opponents) go, they cannot speak any good, nor they can do any good for others,” he said addressing a rally in favour of Congress candidate Manpreet Singh Badal.
Manpreet, estranged nephew of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, is locked in a battle against his sister-in-law and sitting SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Manpreet, who is heading Peoples’ Party of Punjab, is contesting the elections on the Congress symbol with CPI backing.
Keeping Mr. Modi at the centre of his attack, Rahul the BJP tries to portray as if nothing was happening in Gujarat for the last 60 years.
“Gujaratis built it (the state). Women of Gujarat gave Amul brand....Gujaratis and Punjabis are known for their hardwork...But (according to opponents) you did nothing. For the last 60 years, people of India did nothing,” Rahul said.
“Now Mr. Modi is coming and he says he will do everything, he has built Gujarat and now he says he will build country. He (Modi) boasts before thousands of people that I built Gujarat. He does not feel the need to ask anybody as if he has all the knowledge,” he said.
Hitting out at BJP, Rahul said they gave India shining slogan in 2004 without realising that a large section of people including farmers, labourers and other weaker sections were not benefited.
“Just two-three industrialists were benefited (under NDA regime) which they called India Shining. Big government-owned companies worth thousands of crore were gifted. Balco, a government-owned company was given to a friend of late Union Minister and BJP leader Pramod Mahajan,” Rahul alleged.
Several other government companies were also given away, he alleged.
Accusing Mr. Modi of doling out favours to select corporates, Rahul alleged that he handed over 45,000 ares of land to Adani group at a rate of Rs 1 per meter.
“45,000 acres of land was given to one businessman whereas the farmers whose land was acquired are now working under NREGA scheme. This kind of toffee is being sold to you (farmers),” he alleged.
Tearing apart Mr. Modi’s much-touted Gujarat model, he said financial benefit to the tune of Rs 26,000 crore as power waiver was given to an industrialist. A total benefit of Rs 35,000 crore was handed over to Adani, he alleged.
Referring to the financial benefit given to Mr. Adani, he said, “Take this, and enjoy.”
He also accused Mr. Modi of giving away Rs 10,000 crore of loan to Tata at a rate of 0.1 per cent for 25 years and said in contrast, the total budget allocation for education and health was just Rs 8,000 crore in Gujarat.
“There is one Nano company to whom they gave Rs. 10,000 crore of loan at a rate of 0.1 per cent for 25 years. It is Tata whereas farmers are getting loan at rate between 12 and 14 per cent,” he alleged.
However, he praised Tata for “doing good work.”
“I don’t say that you do not help them or other industrialists. I am saying why you are helping only one company,” he said.
Rahul said the Centre allocated Rs 30,000 crore per annum udner UPA’s flagship NREGA scheme. However, an amount equivalent to this scheme was doled out to Adani, he charged.
“Their only agenda is to see that only a limited number of people in this country should prosper whereas Congress wants inclusive and all round progress in which poor man’s son runs business, farmer’s child flies planes and leads a happy life”, he said.
“We want such a country where everyone dreams big and not only five or ten people including Adani,” he said.
Arun Jaitley lashes out at Priyanka Gandhi, says she lowered political discourse
Courtesy... indianexpress
New Delhi | April 28, 2014
Arun Jaitley on Monday said she has "lowered the political discourse" with her language and the Vadra family needs to be "scared of the law."
Attacking Priyanka Gandhi for her remarks comparing the BJP leaders to “panic-stricken rats”, Arun Jaitley on Monday said she has “lowered the political discourse” with her language and the Vadra family needs to be “scared of the law”.
“She has compared the BJP to ‘panic-stricken rats’…Mrs Vadra has lowered the quality of political discourse by her comments…If any of my family members started referring to my opponents as rats and reptiles I surely will be a worried man,” the BJP leader wrote on his blog.
Priyanka had yesterday said that the BJP was “baffled and running around like rats. I knew that they will repeat their bunch of lies. There is nothing new in it but let them say whatever they want to. I am not afraid of anyone and will continue to speak against their negative, destructive and shameful politics.”
On her remarks that she was not afraid of anyone, Jaitley said, “The Vadras are right that they need not be scared of anyone. They should only be scared of the law. Be the Vadras be ever so high, the law is above them. Law spares none, be it the rich, the famous or the related.”
The war of words between the BJP leaders and Priyanka Gandhi started on Sunday when she referred to the opposition party as “panic-stricken rats” after it released a video showing alleged wrongdoings in land deals involving her husband Robert Vadra.
to help us personalise your reading experience.
Jaitley said the family members of candidates are entitled to help in elections when they are preoccupied with many engagements.
“The family fills up the vacuum either in the election office or in the campaign where the candidate cannot reach.
The family members are always instructed to be extra courteous and never be overbearing on political workers. They are advised not make any undignified references to political rivals,” he said.
Jaitley also flayed National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah’s statement that those voting for Narendra Modi should drown in the sea.
Jaitley also flayed National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah’s statement that those voting for Narendra Modi should drown in the sea.
“This demonstrates Abdullah’s contempt for the majority opinion. Farooq Sahib believes and rightly so that India is secular and will not accept communal politics. Where is it that secularism in India has seen the single greatest failure?…
“The single greatest failure of secularism in India is within Farooq Sahib’s own state of Kashmir. If India has witnessed an ethnic cleansing by having one community of the State, namely, the Kashmiri Pandits ejected out of the State, it has only happened in Kashmir,” he said.
The BJP leader said he was glad that Abdullah says that Kashmir will not accept communal politics. “But will Kashmir offer the red carpet back for the resettlement of the Kashmiri Pandits,” he asked.
Jaitley said nobody needs to jump into continued…
People free to move court directly against false affidavits:EC
Courtesy... DECCAN HERALD
New Delhi, Apr 28, 2014, PTI:
Flooded with complaints of alleged falsification of election affidavits, the Election Commission has said people were free to approach the courts directly against candidates for concealing information in nomination papers. Photo courtesy: Election Commission website, http://eci.nic.in/eci/eci.html
Flooded with complaints of alleged falsification of election affidavits, the Election Commission has said people were free to approach the courts directly against candidates for concealing information in nomination papers.
The EC said while earlier the aggrieved persons could approach the returning officer with a complaint against a candidate for concealing information or making a false declaration in the election affidavit, now it is open to people to move a petition before the appropriate court on the issue directly.
The EC circular issued to chief electoral officers of all the states last week comes in the wake of the poll panel being flooded with complaints against various candidates for making false disclosures in their affidavits.
In most of the complaints, the EC has been requested to either direct the returning officer to move court against the candidate or issue directions to concerned magistrates to take cognisance of false affidavits.
In June 2004, the EC had said that if complaints are filed before the returning officer on false affidavit, the official would approach the court for action against the candidate if prima facie the allegation was found to be true.
The rules relating affidavits were amended in August 2012 allowing any person to move court directly under section 125 A of the Representation of the People Act against a candidate for filing a false affidavit or concealing information.
The poll panel said after 2012 amendments, "there is no stipulation that complaints under that section (125A) have to be made by the public servant (returning officer)."
Earlier this month, Congress had approached the Election Commission over the issue of the marital status of Narendra Modi seeking action by the poll body against the BJP leader for allegedly "hiding" facts in election affidavits filed by him in the past.
Recently, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had moved the Commission alleging that Congress candidate from Chandni Chowk and Law Minister Kapil Sibal had "wilfully" not disclosed details of companies owned by his wife in his election affidavit.
Secularism is in our veins, Narendra Modi in a reply to Farooq Abdullah
Courtesy... THE TIMES OF INDIA
AHMEDABAD/NEW DELHI: Narendra Modi on Monday hit back at Farooq Abdullah for his remark that those voting for the BJP prime ministerial candidate should drown in sea, saying the biggest blow to secularism in India was delivered in Kashmir from where Kashmiri Pandits were forced out due to their religion.
Using a video message released by the CM's office to lash out at Abdullah, Modi said the Union minister has no moral right to preach against communalism as policies of his father Sheikh Abdullah, him and his son and Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah were responsible for communalizing the state politics.
"If somebody has to drown then you should look at your (Abdullah) face in mirror. Put your father's face in front of mirror and ask this question. Those who have chased Kashmiri Pandits out have no face to preach against communalism," he said in a hard-hitting statement.
Invoking India's age-old tradition of secularism and syncretism, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, accused by critics of practicing Hindutva politics, said these high values are the best policies for India and it is his commitment to "take everybody along and develop all".
"I want to tell Farooq Abdullah that the thousands of years-old great tradition of secularism in India suffered its biggest and deepest blow in Kashmir. And this happened due to the politics of your father, due to your politics and due to you son's politics.
"Kashmir is the only place in this country where Pandits were evicted due to their religion. Kashmir was the land of sufi traditions... and it has been tarred with communal colour by you for selfish interests," Modi said.
Apparently referring to controversial statements, many by his aides, during the current campaign, he said Indian secularism is not so poor as to be affected adversely by some comments.
"Country is not going to deviate from its values of jai jagat (victory to world) and vasudaiv kutumbakam (world is a family)," he said.
Abdullah drew BJP's ire with his remarks on Sunday that those who vote for Modi should "drown" in the sea and also threatened that Kashmir will not remain with India if the country becomes communal.
In Delhi, BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman also attacked Abdullah for his comments.
"Very clearly, Dr Abdullah first answer as to why in J&K the constitutional amendment which was made in India during Emergency making India into a secular republic, is not acceptable to him there," Sitharaman said.
She asked him why the National Conference, of which he is president, has not worked to make that amendment into the J&K Constitution till today.
"If that is not done, I think he should refrain from talking about communalism. They have not even taken a step to take back the Kashmiri Pandits, who have been cleansed out of the valley, back into the valley," she said.
No comments:
Post a Comment