Archives for February 2018

Cambridge: Movie actor- turned-politician Kamal Haasan has made it clear that any political alliance with superstar Rajinikanth is unlikely if his colour is “saffron”, in an apparent reference to the BJP. Haasan, who had recently announced his foray into the electoral politics, said that his “true purpose today is to challenge the status quo and mediocrity in politics, that is plaguing the state of Tamil Nadu.”

Responding to a question on Rajinikanth joining politics, Haasan did not rule out an electoral alliance with him if there is some commonality of thoughts and ideas between them and similarities in their manifestos. But, he quickly referred to the sharp differences between them on religion and on ‘saffron’, which was interpreted as the BJP.

“I hope Rajini’s colour is not saffron. Alliance with Rajini is unlikely if his colour is saffron,” Haasan said at the annual Indian conference of the prestigious Harvard University. “I cannot see a clear understanding now,” Haasan said when pressed by moderator Barkha Dutt on the sharp ideological differences he has with Rajinikanth.

But he kept the doors open. “If necessary (I will hold hands with others),” Haasan said, noting that this is unlikely to be the case. He also ruled out a post-poll alliance. “If there is no majority, its the people’s verdict. Then I would not have to sit but stand and wait for the next time,” he said, indicating that he would prefer to be in the Opposition if his party does not get a majority.

“The reason that I have started a new political party itself shows that I want to walk with the people and not politicians,” he said. “All is not well with Tamil Nadu,” he said, slamming the current lot of political class in his state.

The entry of the two top Tamil film stars comes against the backdrop of a perceived vacuum in Tamil Nadu politics after former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016 and the ill-health of DMK chief M Karunanidhi for over a year following which he was inactive in politics.

Responding to a question on the so-called love jihad, the actor said, “I think that a new revolution is on its way. I do not know about jihad, but love would triumph hate.” Haasan said Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party head Arvind Kejriwal had met him in Chennai and offered an alliance with his party.

“I intend to take it (the experience) not only from Mr Kejriwal but from others as well,” he said. In his keynote address, Haasan rued that there is status quo and mediocrity in Tamil Nadu. Confident of raising funds for the elections, Haasan called upon the Tamil community across the world to come up with ideas. He will a major announcement on February 21.

He also announced to adopt a village each in every district of the state as part of his objective to reimagining and rebuilding Tamil Nadu. “I am announcing a plan of adopting a village in every district of Tail Nadu… With the vision of making them the best villages in the world,” he said. Hasan said that he will begin with one village and then scale up it to every district of Tamil Nadu. The film star quoted Mahatma Gandhi’s idea of a self- reliant and self-sustainable village.

(PTI)

Hyderabad: MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday alleged that Moulana Salman Hussaini Nadvi is acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to create rift in All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).

He also called for social boycott of those calling for giving up Babri Masjid.

“Some people are dancing at the tune of Modi,” said the Hyderabad MP without naming Nadvi, who was removed from the board on Sunday for mooting a proposal to handover the land of demolished Babri Masjid in Ayodhya for construction of Ram temple.

Addressing a public meeting organised by the board at the end of its three-day plenary, Owaisi launched a bitter attack on Nadvi for going against the board’s stand that there can be no compromise on Babri Masjid.

On the eve of the 26th plenary which began on Friday, Nadvi met Sri Sri Ravishankar in Bengaluru and mooted the formula that the land on which Babri Masjid stood till December 6, 1992 should be handed to Ram temple in exchange for an alternate land to build a mosque and a university.

“He (Nadvi) is saying that his proposal is to ensure peace and unity in the country. Should we also give up Masjid-e-Aqsa (Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem) for unity in Arab,” asked Owaisi.

The MP claimed that Nadvi was one of the clerics who signed a ‘fatwa’ in 2001 that a mosque remains a mosque for eternity and hence Muslims can’t give up Babri Masjid.

He also alleged that Nadvi had also given a fatwa in support of terror group IS, which is responsible for massacre of Muslims in Syria, Iraq and other countries. ”

“Modi you are giving political patronage to those who had given fatwa in favour of IS,” said Owaisi.

The MIM chief said Modi using some people to create a rift in AIMPLB by suggesting that Muslims give up Babri Masjid.

He said the prime minister and those dancing at his tunes will not succeed in their attempts as the board is a symbol of Indian Muslims and united platform of all Islamic schools of thought.

(IANS)

Jaipur: As Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje presents her government’s final budget before the polls, a recorded telephonic conversation of BJP MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja seeking change in the party leadership in Rajasthan has gone viral.

Ahuja, in conversation with a party worker, is heard saying that he “has already predicted the results” and “requested the organisational General Secretary in Delhi to change the leadership in Rajasthan”.

The audio clip has been leaked at a time when a letter sent by BJP leader Ashok Choudhary to BJP President Amit Shah asking for a change in leadership in Rajasthan continues to make news.

Ahuja, who represents the Ramgarh constituency, is heard singing a song “Jaisa kiya hai tune waisa hi tu bharega (As shall you sow, so shall you reap)” in the audio clip.

“This is government’s defeat, not our defeat,” Ahuja is heard telling the party worker.

In the audio clip, the BJP MLA also says that though “We have been defeated by 40,000 votes, I am still smiling as I knew this was bound to happen.”

Ahuja tells the other caller that on January 25, he wrote a letter to organisation General Secretary Ram Lal where he has clearly mentioned that BJP will be a loser if Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and BJP State President Ashok Parnami are not changed.

The caller on the other side is heard saying that the same message should be sent to higher authorities or else “we will all collapse badly in the ensuing elections.”

Ahuja while singing a song seems all the more happy in the audio.

IANS tried to contact Ahuja for a comment, but he was unavailable.

(IANS)

New Delhi: The RBI has said that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, returned to banks when the government demonetised high value currency 15-months ago, are still being “processed for their arithmetical accuracy and genuineness.”

This is being done in an “expedited manner,” the central bank said. “Specific bank notes are being processed for their arithmetical accuracy and genuineness and the reconciliation for the same is ongoing. This information can, therefore, be shared on completion of the process and reconciliation,” the RBI said in reply to an RTI application.

To a query on the number of demonetised notes, it said, “..subject to future corrections if any, arising in the course of verification process, the estimated value of specified bank notes received as on June 30, 2017 is Rs 15.28 trillion (lakh crore).” Asked to provide the details of the deadline for finishing the counting of demonetised notes, the RBI said “specified bank notes are being processed in an expedited manner.” As on date, 59 sophisticated currency verification and processing (CVPS) machines are in operation in RBI for the purpose, it said. The reply did not specify the location of the machines.

The RBI will also soon have greater flexibility in terms of managing its liquidity operations with the addition of one more tool ‘Standing Deposit Facility Scheme’ to its kit. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, in his Budget, had proposed to amend the RBI Act to empower the central bank to come up with an additional instrument for liquidity management. The proposal forms part of the Finance Bill 2018 which is scheduled to be approved by Parliament by March 31.

“That is to provide one more tool for liquidity management. There is no more MSS (market stabilisation scheme),” Economic Affairs Secretary S. C. Garg told PTI.

The RBI proposed in November 2015 the introduction of the SDF by suitably amending the RBI Act. This would provide the RBI a new tool for liquidity management, particularly in times when the money market liquidity is in excess to deal with post-demonetisation like scenario.

CRR hike

Post-demonetisation, the RBI ran out of securities to offer as collateral and had to temporarily hike its cash reserve ratio (CRR) to force banks to park extra deposits with it. The CRR is the portion of deposits that banks have to compulsorily park with the RBI. Currently, the CRR is pegged at 4%.

When the liquidity position under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) is outside comfort zone, the RBI uses an array of instruments to absorb/inject durable liquidity from/into the financial system.

(PTI)

New Delhi: The buffalo racing sport, Kambala, will continue in Karnataka for now, as the Supreme Court on Monday refused to stop it saying it will hear the matter in March.

Kambala starts from December and continues till March. It coincides with the Pongal festivities.

As senior counsel Siddharth Luthra urged the court that it should step in and stop the race, which is now scheduled for February 18, Chief Justice Dipak Misra said “races will take place next year also”.

Urging the court to stop Kambala, Luthra appearing for the NGO People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) told the bench that an ordinance backing Kambala has lapsed and there was no statutory regime supporting the animal sport.

Additional Solicitor General Pinki Anand also informed the bench comprising Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y.Chandrachud, that the Karnataka Law bestowing sanctity to Kambala was pending before the President for his assent.

The court then directed the final hearing on PETA’s plea to March 12.

(IANS)

Koppal: Stepping up his attack on the BJP over the issue of corruption, Rahul Gandhi today said while the Congress’s Siddaramaiah government had a scam-free rule, the BJP had broken “world records” in graft in Karnataka.

The Congress president, continuing with the first leg of his poll campaign in north Karnataka for the second day, said when the BJP was in power in the state, there were “scams one after the other”.

“In the last five years there was not even a single scam, and during their (BJP) time there were scams one after the other, from mining to what not, different scams,” he said.

At roadside meetings in Koppal district during his ongoing ‘Janashirvad Yatra’ here ahead of Assembly polls in the state, Gandhi said, “Elections are coming, support the Congress party and Siddaramaiah. Once again bring our government here so that we can together work for you.”

The Congress president, who is travelling by a special bus along with other state leaders, received an enthusiastic response from party workers and people who had gathered in large numbers on both sides of the road at different places.

Gandhi also alighted from the bus and walked some distance along with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC President G Parameshwara at Kushtagi, giving anxious moments to security personnel as the surging crowds tried to get close to him.

At the public meetings, Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for talking about corruption in Karnataka overlooking his own party’s “track record” while running the government in the state.

Pointing out that the previous BJP government had seen three chief ministers, he said four ministers had gone to jail and had to resign.

“But still Modiji comes here and speaks about corruption against us,” he said.

The BJP government in the state had seen three chief ministers — B S Yeddyurappa, Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar — in five years from 2008.

“The previous BJP government in Karnataka broke world records in corruption and they come here and talk on corruption pointing at us,” he added.

Asking the people to support Congress in the coming elections, Gandhi urged them to thereby contribute towards the progress of Karnataka at a much “faster pace”.

Claiming credit for implementing Article 371(J) of the Constitution, giving special status to the Hyderabad- Karnataka region, where he is now on tour, he said during the NDA rule, then Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani had said it (giving special status) could not be done, holding that it would open up a “Pandora’s box” with others making similar demands.

Attacking the central government for not waiving farmers’ loans despite agrarian distress, Gandhi appreciated the Karnataka government’s move writing off loans.

“This is the difference between the Congress and BJP,” he said.

He targeted Modi on issues of unemployment, demonetisation and the GST, referring to the tax regime as the “Gabbar Singh Tax”.

(PTI)