Tag: Narendra Modi

Explained: PM Modi’s ‘wealth distribution’ remarks–Part of Congress Manifesto? Or an election manifestation

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent comments alleging that the Congress Party, if voted to power, would conduct surveys to seize the wealth of people, has triggered a controversy in the midst of polling season. The Prime Minister, while speaking at a rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara on Sunday, said in Hindi:

“Pehle jab inki sarkar thi, inhone kaha tha ki desh ki sampatti pe pehla adhikaar Musalmaanon ka hain. Iska matlab, yeh sampatti ekatthi karke kisko baatengey? Jinke zyaada bacchein unko baatengey. Gusphetiyon ko baatengey”

Translated into English, it reads: When they (Congress) ran the government previously, they said that Muslims had the first right to the nation’s assets. This means they would consolidate those assets. Who would they distribute them to? To those who have more children. They would distribute it to infiltrators.

In the same speech, Prime Minister Modi warned: “Yeh Congress ka Manifesto keh raha hain, ki mataao aur behano ka soney ka hisab karengey, uski jabti karengey, aur phir us sampaati ko baat denge”

As per the Prime Minister, “The Congress manifesto says that it would seize jewellery from women and redistribute them.” He reiterated the same charges while speaking at an election rally in UP’s Aligarh on Monday.

Does the Congress Manifesto promise wealth redistribution?

1. Point 1 under the Social Justice sub-header of the manifesto on page 6 reads:

“Congress will conduct a nationwide Socio-Economic and Caste Census to enumerate the castes and sub-castes and their socio-economic conditions. Based on the data, we will strengthen the agenda for affirmative action.”

The Congress manifesto does not mention seizing private wealth. It discusses conducting a caste census to gather data on caste demographics, which may serve as the basis of any affirmative action policy. The Congress party has been promising a caste census if they form the government. Party MP Rahul Gandhi has referred to it as an X-ray of India.

2. Point 6 on page 6 reads:

“We will enhance institutional credit to SC and ST for homebuilding, starting businesses and purchasing assets.”

The word ‘redistribution’ does not appear in the entire manifesto. However, on page 28, it reads, “We will address the growing inequality of wealth and income through suitable changes in policies.”

Does the word Muslim find any mention in the manifesto?

The word Muslim does not appear in the manifesto. The Congress manifesto reads, “We will respect and uphold the fundamental right to practice one’s faith and the rights guaranteed to religious minorities under Articles 15, 16, 25, 26, 28, 29 and 30 of the Constitution.”

However, it does not explicitly mention any particular religious minority group. There is no mention of redistributing any kind of wealth to Muslims or for that matter, any religious minority group.

Affirmative action agenda: What it stands for?

Affirmative action typically refers to policies aimed at increasing workplace and educational opportunities for people who are underrepresented in society. Affirmative action, or what we refer to as reservation, is not new to India. Reservations in government jobs and educational institutions fall under the purview of affirmative action.

Congress’ stance

The Congress highlighted the PM’s speech in its list of complaints to ECI, urging them to take action. ECI sources have told CNBC-TV18 that they have received the complaint and the matter is under consideration.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Lok Sabha election 2024: BJP vote share will increase in South, says PM Modi

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed that investigative agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) must be allowed to carry out their duties without interference.

The PM’s response came during an interview with Malayalam news channel Asianet on Saturday in response to a question that the opposition alleges the’misuse’ of these agencies by the government and for targeting of opposition leaders.

PM Modi dismissed these accusations that the ruling party was leveraging these agencies to stifle dissenting voices within the opposition ranks.

PM Modi also took potshots at the Congress for delaying the announcement of its candidate for the Amerthi seat. He added that the grand-old party may field senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from another seat after polling in Wayanad on April 26 as they are not confident of retaining the constituency in Kerala.

The Congress party is yet to name its official candidates for the Amethi and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seats. Union Minister Smriti Irani defeated Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The PM also took a veiled swipe at former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, saying that senior leaders of the party are no longer keen to contest the Lok Sabha elections and are instead taking the Rajya Sabha route.

On the expectation of the BJP’s performance in the southern states of India, the PM expressed confidence that the party would increase its vote share.

In Kerala, the PM said that Christians in the state are fed up with the lies of both the Congress-led United Democratic Front and the CPM-led Left Democratic Front. Kerala currently has an LDF government, and the Congress is the chief opposition party. The two alliances are also part of the INDIA bloc in the 2024 general elections.

The BJP has been trying to woo the Christian community in Kerala, which has a substantive number of voters in many constituencies of the state.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

PM Modi in Bengaluru today: Here is a complete list of routes to avoid

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bengaluru on Saturday afternoon, the city police have issued a traffic advisory to avoid congestion, enhance security during the VVIP movement and ensure a smooth flow of traffic for commuters.

The traffic restrictions in Karnataka‘s capital city will remain in place between 1 pm and 7 pm.

“Because of VVIP visiting Bengaluru City on 20.04.2024, from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm parking of all types of vehicles on the following roads, is prohibited. During the said period commuters are advised to avoid following roads and use alternative routes,” read the police advisory.

Here’s a complete list of roads to avoid during the day:

Palace Road.
M V Jayaram Road.
Vasanthanagar Road.
Jayamahal Road.
C Raman Road.
Bellary Road.
Ramanamaharshi Road.
Nandidurga Road.
Tharalabalu Road.
Mount Carmel College Road.
From Mekhri Circle towards Yeshwanthpura.

The city police also imposed restrictions on heavy goods vehicles between 12 pm to 9 pm. “Traffic movement heavy goods vehicles are strictly prohibited from 12 pm to 9 pm to enter the city,” the advisory stated.

These are the traffic diversion points for heavy goods vehicles — CMTI Junction, Mysuru Bank Junction, Hebbal Junction, New BEL Junction, BHEL Under Pass, Basaveshwara Circle, Old Udaya TV Junction and Haj Camp, and Nandidurga Road.

Prime Minister Modi is visiting Bengaluru city and neighbouring Chikkaballapura district today to campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The North, South and Central constituencies of Bengaluru have been a stronghold of the BJP, and the Bengaluru Rural seat is represented by Congress’ DK Suresh, brother of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.

Fourteen  Lok Sabha segments in the southern part of the state will be voting for in the second phase of the elections on April 26. Voting for the remaining 14 seats in the northern districts will be held on May 7. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

EXCLUSIVE | Tesla CEO Elon Musk postpones India visit

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that he has postponed his visit to India due to heavy obligations at Tesla and looks forward to visiting later this year. Musk was supposed to visit India for two days, April 21 and 22, to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and announce plans to enter the Indian market.

CNBC-TV18 was the first to report on Saturday morning that Musk is likely to postpone his visit to India.

Unfortunately, very heavy Tesla obligations require that the visit to India be delayed, but I do very much look forward to visiting later this year.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 20, 2024

Musk had tweeted on April 10 that he was looking forward to meeting PM Narendra Modi. The timing of the visit is interesting, since just a few weeks ago, the Indian government had notified a new electric vehicle manufacturing policy which allows the government to give duty concessions to electric car companies committing to make in India.

PM Narendra Modi has said Musk is a supporter of India and is welcome to invest, but added that he must create employment opportunities for India’s youth.

Also read: Elon Musk’s 2-Day India Trip: Engaging with space startups, addressing business leaders, and exploring Agra

The earlier plannned visit coincided with Musk’s having to attend a crucial conference call on April 23 in the United States to answer questions about Tesla’s first quarter performance.

Wedbush Securities has described this call as a ‘moment of truth’ for Tesla, and added that Musk must outline a roadmap for growth and pricing strategies amid slowing growth in China. Investors are also looking for answers about the launch of the low cost Model 2, which they believe is critical for the company’s future growth.

Musk has been battling a stock that has taken a beating recently, and a global slowdown in auto sales. This makes the entry of the world’s largest EV maker into what is globally the third-largest auto market a significant step.

Falling global sales of EVs and a tough pricing environment have also forced Tesla to lay-off around 10% of its global workforce.

As per the earlier proposed plan Musk was supposed to be in India for 48 hours, during which he would meet the PM, space startups and business leaders.

New dates for Musk’s visit have not been announced so far.

Also read: Tesla’s India move long overdue, but it will face stiff competition: Amitabh Kant

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

‘Party apparatchik’, Congress slams India’s envoy to Ireland for critical remarks

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The Congress on Tuesday, April 16, took strong objection to the criticism directed at it by the Indian envoy to Ireland while responding to an Irish daily’s editorial, saying that attacking opposition parties openly in a manner like a “party apparatchik” was “disgraceful behaviour” and the ambassador should be sacked.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh hit out at Indian Ambassador Akhilesh Mishra over his remarks in his “rejoinder” to The Irish Times over what the embassy said was a “highly biased and prejudiced editorial, casting aspersion on Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, Indian democracy, law enforcement institutions and ‘Hindu-majority’ people of India”.

In the rejoinder, Mishra said, “Further to ‘The Irish Times’ view on the Indian election: Modi tightens his grip” (April 11th), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi enjoys unprecedented popularity and profile not only in India but globally because of his impeccable personal character and integrity and thought-leadership on innovative, inclusive governance and sustainable development.” “…The fight against the deeply entrenched ecosystem of corruption (created by the 55-year rule, including the first 30 years, by a single dynastic party in India) is a major factor behind Mr Modi’s ever-growing popularity,” the ambassador wrote.

Hitting out at the envoy’s remarks, Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Ramesh said, “Defending the Government of India is one thing and is to be expected. But to attack Opposition parties openly in this manner like a party apparatchik is not expected from an Ambassador even if he is a political appointment.”

He later said in another post, “I stand corrected. This Ambassador is actually a career diplomat which makes his comments even more shameful, disgraceful and completely unacceptable. He has actually breached service rules and should be sacked right away”.

“This is unprofessional and disgraceful behaviour on his part but is par for the Modi course I guess,” the Congress leader said.

Sharing the envoy’s rejoinder, the embassy said on X, “Ambassador Akhilesh’s rejoinder to Irish Times is highly biased and prejudiced editorial (Modi tightens his grip’ April 11, 2024), casting aspersion on Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, Indian democracy, law enforcement institutions and ‘Hindu-majority’ people of India.”

.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

PM Modi defends ‘400 Paar’ amid allegations of constitution amendments threatening diversity

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken out in defense of the controversial ‘400 Paar’ slogan, amidst allegations from opposition parties suggesting it could lead to changes in the Constitution and threaten diversity. In an exclusive interview with ANI on Monday, April 15, Modi addressed concerns raised by opposition leaders, stating firmly, “We worship diversity. We celebrate it.”

The Prime Minister attributed the controversy to the opposition, accusing them of attempting to homogenise the nation. “The problem lies with them (opposition) – they want to cast the country in the same mould,” Modi emphasised, countering accusations that the slogan signals intentions to amend the Constitution and abolish reservation.

“The problem lies with the opposition. They want to cast the country in the same mould. We worship diversity. We celebrate it,” says Prime Minister Modi in an interview while discussing the allegation by the opposition that ‘400 paar’ would lead to changes in the Constitution,… pic.twitter.com/sMKiMXAmQE

— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) April 15, 2024

The ‘400 Paar’ slogan, coined by the BJP, has been interpreted by opposition figures as a veiled attempt to overhaul constitutional provisions, including reservation policies. Akhilesh Yadav, addressing a rally in Muzaffarnagar, warned that achieving 400 Lok Sabha seats would embolden the BJP to alter the Constitution and curtail fundamental rights.

Also read: PM Modi: ‘I have big plans for India’

Responding to these allegations, Modi challenged the opposition’s narrative, pointing to his administration’s efforts to promote linguistic diversity. “When I speak about the mother tongue, it means I am celebrating it, I am enhancing its greatness,” he remarked, highlighting initiatives to encourage education in local languages.

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot had previously criticised the BJP, alleging that the ‘400 Paar’ slogan was a precursor to constitutional amendments. Gehlot accused BJP leaders of manipulating facts to sway public opinion in their favor.

Also read: Lawyer seeks 6-year poll ban on PM Modi — here’s why

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Lawyer seeks 6-year poll ban on PM Modi — here’s why

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

A lawyer has filed a plea against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Delhi High Court for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), and sought his disqualification from contesting elections.

Referring to Modi’s poll speech in Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh on April 9, the plea by Anand S. Jondhale alleged that the PM was seeking votes in the name of “god and place of worship” and “Hindu deities and Hindu place of worships as well as Sikh deities and Sikh place of worship” while campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, according to a report by Bar and Bench.

The plea has sought the disqualification of PM Modi from contesting any elections for a period of six years, the report added.

Jondhale argued that Modi violated the Model Code of Conduct mentioned in Compendium of Instructions Volume-III under Rules General Conduct-I(1) and (3).

The provision states that no party or candidate shall include in any activity that may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes or communities, religious or linguistic.

Meanwhile, concluding his Lok Sabha poll campaign at a rally in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, Modi made a Tamil-centric pitch as he proposed to set up Thiruvalluvar centres globally, and labelled the Congress and DMK “sinners” over “ceding” Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka.

Modi dubbed the DMK and Congress “anti-national” and said the entire country has now understood the “truth,” that they had given Katchatheevu to another country after “cutting it off” from Tamil Nadu.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

PM Modi: ‘I have big plans for India’

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has “big plans” for India if he returns to office after the Lok Sabha elections 2024, intending to shape the country into a developed nation. Modi said so during an interview with news agency ANI on Monday, April 15, where he also responded to questions on electoral bonds, Elon Musk-led Tesla’s entry into India, the misuse of central investigative agencies, and more.

“I have big plans… My decisions are not made to scare anyone or to diminish anyone. They are made for the overall development of the country,” the PM told ANI’s Smita Prakash.

PM Modi has been focusing on the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision in his recent addresses, targeting to make India a developed country in the 100th year of its Independence from British rule. The near-term goal is to make India the third-largest economy in the next five years, as stated in the BJP’s election manifesto, which was released on Sunday, April 14.

When asked about the Opposition’s charge of the lack of a ‘level playing field’ and government’s alleged influence over agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Election Commission (EC), the PM said, “Out of these, not a single law (ED, CBI filing cases) was brought by my government; on the contrary, Election Commission reforms were brought by my government… Those close to the ‘family’ were made election commissioners who later got Rajya Sabha seats and ministries… We (BJP) can’t play at that level.”

On the persisting controversy over the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for elections, PM Modi said, “In reality, they are trying to come up with a reason for their defeat. So that blame for defeat is not attributed to them directly.”

On electoral bonds, PM Narendra Modi said, “Due to electoral bonds you are getting the trail of the money. Which company gave it? How did they give it? Where did they give it? And that is why I say, when they (the Opposition) will think honestly, everyone will regret it (on the Supreme Court decision to scrap electoral bonds).”

On being asked if we can see Tesla cars, and Starlink in India, PM Modi sais, “Elon Musk is a supporter of Modi is one thing, but basically he is a supporter of India.”

Elon Musk is expected to be in India on April 21 and 22. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO will hold a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

BJP manifesto, the Sankalp Patra — here’s all you need to know

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

India, China should urgently address ‘prolonged situation’ on borders, PM Modi says

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

India and China should urgently address the “prolonged situation” on their border, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in remarks published on Wednesday, in an apparent softening of tone on bilateral issues between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

“It is my belief that we need to urgently address the prolonged situation on our borders so that the abnormality in our bilateral interactions can be put behind us,” Modi said in an interview with US publication Newsweek.

Ties between India and China, who share a long mountainous border, have been strained since troops of both countries clashed on their disputed Himalayan frontier, killing 24 soldiers, in 2020.

In May last year, Modi said peace on the border was essential for normal relations with China, adding that India was committed to protecting its sovereignty and dignity.

Internal security and strong foreign policy are two planks Modi has used as he campaigns for a record third term, in a general election that gets under way next week and will span nearly two months.

“For India, the relationship with China is important and significant,” Modi said, adding that peaceful relations between the two neighbours were important for the entire region and world.

India and China share a 3,800 km (2,400 mile) border – much of it poorly demarcated – over which they also fought a bloody war in 1962.

Also Read: South Korea’s prime minister and top presidential officials offer to resign after election defeat

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow