Archives for May 2018

BJP President Amit Shah on Saturday said that the Narendra Modi-led government has “zero tolerance” towards national security but “a war with Pakistan is the last option”.

“We have zero tolerance for national security. The maximum number of militants have been killed in the state in last four years of our government. War with Pakistan is the last option,” he said addressing a press conference on the completion of four years of the NDA government.

He was replying to a question over the repeated ceasefire violations by the Pakistan on the international border and the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and whether war with Pakistan was an option.

When asked about the Congress President Rahul Gandhi attacking the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in his report card, Shah said, “What do you expect from the opposition?”

“I have given the facts and figures of the works of the (Narendra) Modi government in last four years. And we are ready to debate on the basis of the these facts and figures with them on any platform,” he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President also dubbed as “false” reports of Modi government spending over Rs 4,600 crore on advertisements to mark the completion of four years in office.

“These figures are not correct,” he said without elaborating.

Shah also said that there is “no atmosphere of fear” in the country as alleged by the opposition.

“But there is fear among those who are holding benami properties, those who are holding black money as the government has brought bills against them,” he said.

Shah also described south as an important area for the saffron party’s expansion. “South is an important area for the BJP. The party winning 104 seats in Karnataka assembly polls, I think, is a good symbol for the party to flourish in the southern states.”

Shah also said that the BJP government brought political stability in the country.

“There was a time when the national dailies were filled with news of corruption. But after this government came to power, no such news of corruption came,” he said.

“Modi brought political stability. He took the country forward from the era of policy paralysis to policy driven development,” he said.

Describing Modi as the most popular Prime Minister, Shah said, “For the first time after 30 years, a government with full majority came to power in the Centre. And Modi is the most hard working and popular Prime Minister of the country. He is a visionary.”

“And it is his work that people have chosen the BJP government in 20 states of the country. The BJP is currently ruling over 65 per cent of the total population,” he added.

Army on Saturday claimed that they killed 4 militants in Tangdhar sector of Jammu and Kashmir who were trying to infiltrate. Tangdhar sector is located in Kupwara district of North Kashmir.
The Army claimed, they foiled an infiltration bid by militants and managed to kill them along the Line of Control (LoC).
“Infiltration bid foiled in Tangdhar Sector. Four militants killed while attempting to infiltrate early morning today,” Defence PRO Col Rajesh Kalia in a WhatsApp text claimed. He added that operation against the “infiltrators” was going on.
Hindusthan Samachar/Saleem/Shri Ram Shaw\

Chief Minister (CM) H D Kumaraswamy who had indirectly launched an attack on Sanehalli Taralabalu Math pontiff Panditaradhya Shivacharya Swami, advising him to stop indulging in politics, says he is ready to apologize if his remark has hurt any seer.

The seer had allegedly shown displeasure regarding the coalition government and Kumaraswamy at his maiden press meet as chief minister on Wednesday, lashed out at the seer without taking seer’s name.

In retaliation, the seer wrote a letter to the CM rebuking him for his ‘loose talks’. Kumaraswamy was also criticized by the BJP for his comment against the seer.

Kumaraswamy has agreed to apologize to the seer if he has done anything wrong. However, he still stuck to his stand saying, “I only appealed to few seers not to indulge in politics. I respect all seers and if my comments have hurt anyone, I am ready to apologize. However, I will not take anyone lightly and expect no one to take my government lightly,” he said.

He also added that so far he has not received any letter from any pontiff.

MLA U T Khader informed on Saturday, May 26 that the construction of permanent and temporary sea walls in Kaiko, Subhasnagar and other places has begun under ADB project. He also demanded the Election Commission (EC) to look into Electronic Voter Machine (EVM) issue.

Addressing media Khader said, “Places like Kodi, Kotepura, Someshwar, Kaiko, Subhas Nagar, and Hilary Nagar are heavily affected due to sea erosion. Several houses have collapsed. Issues faced due to sea erosion at Kodi and Kotepura have been sorted out. The construction of permanent mini breakwater has been undertaken in places like Kaiko, Subhas Nagar, and Hilary Nagar under ADB project worth Rs 14 crore,”

“The construction of temporary sea wall of 900 meters worth Rs 4.75 crore at Someshwara has also been undertaken. We had a discussion with the deputy commissioner, if residents whose houses are damaged by sea erosion, can apply for compensation via taluk panchayat.”

Speaking on the successful floor test on May 25, he said, “We successfully won the floor test which is the victory of democracy. We will form the government along with JD(S) and continue to do all development works,”

Asked about portfolios being assigned to him or JD (S) leader B M Farooq, Khader said, “Our political parties might be different, but we share a close bond. It is left to the high command to assign portfolios. There is nothing fight between myself and B M Farooq.”
When asked about leaders’ suspicions about EVM, Khader said, “This is a serious issue. There was a lot of suspicion over EVM in the entire state. The Election Commission should look into this issue,”

Reacting to opposition leader Yeddyurappa’s call for bandh if the state government fails to waive farmers’ loans, Khader said, “Everything is viewed from a political angle. Before the floor test itself, Yeddyurappa announced a bandh if we fail to waive farmers’ loans. The cabinet has to be formed, portfolios need to be assigned and the discussions need to be held. This call for bandh is politically influenced,”

District Congress president Harish Kumar, Sadashiva Ullal, Mamatha Gatty and others were present.

HD Kumaraswamy may have won the crucial vote of confidence in the state Assembly Yesterday smoothly with the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party preferring to abstain from the house by staging a walkout when the voting was scheduled to take place. But the immediate second test in the form of cabinet formation is yet to begin.

As per the indications available now the Janata Dal-Secular and Indian National Congress parties are set to have agreed upon an understanding for the formation of the cabinet.The JDS including the Chief Minister’s position will be entitled for 12 berths while the Congress including the Deputy CM’s position will be handed over 22 berths.

In the dozen cabinet positions, the JDS is also supposed to accommodate the lone BSP member from Kollegal reserve constituency in Chamarajnagar district and two Independents.It may be recalled here that the JDS had contested the polls on an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party and the latter’s nominee emerged victorious in one seat.

Thanks to last-minute developments in the form of rejection of nomination papers of the official candidate in the Mulabagal constituency of Kolar district, the Congress party was compelled to support an Independent who also managed to win.

While R Shankar of the KPJP regional outfit floated by Upendra, film actor trounced KB Koliwad, Speaker of the previous Assembly in Ranebennur constituency of Haveri district. KH Koliwad didn’t hide his anger on the counting day and squarely blamed Siddaramaiah for his defeat.

In fact R Shankar had earlier tried for a Congress ticket in vain.KB Koliwad had termed Siddaramaiah as ‘Bachha’ in comparison with his long stint in the Congress party. However according to him, Siddaramaiah ensured his defeat as R Shankar belonged to his Kuruba community.

R Shankar’s behavior on the next day of counting was also found peculiar. In the morning he accompanied KS Eshwarappa,then leader of the opposition in the legislative council who got elected from Shivamogga constituency to BS Yeddyurappa’s house.

Then the party sources also claimed that R Shankar had extended his support to the BJP. But by the end of the day he had switched sides and joined the Congress camp citing ‘development of his constituency’.In fact this first time legislator happens to be KS Eshwarappa’s relative and the previous day KSE’s son had brought him to the city from Ranebennur.

Even if both the Independent MLAs’ had supported the BJP also the strength of the saffron party would still be 106 and remained short of seven members to reach the magic number.Well all these factors are now things of the past and history.

The pertinent question which will continue to haunt the new alliance government for now is the expansion of the two members cabinet.As mentioned earlier there may not be another round of debate on the 12-22 understanding between the parties.But who will represent whom is bound to become a new headache if the matter can be perceived in that way.

HD Devegowda’s preferences on choices from the Congress are no public secret either.He’s said to have expressed his resentment on taking in DK Shivakumar,Congress party’s Man Friday and MB Patil,former Major Irrigation Minister to the cabinet.

HDD feels DK Shivakumar although a Vokkaliga is a sworn enemy having friendly relations with BS Yeddyurappa. Perhaps the senior Gowda looks to be scared that DK Shivakumar may repeat what his own son had done for the Congress led JDS supported government in 2006!

But DK Shivakumar is no simpleton.He’s already registered his dissatisfaction to the party high command and according to his own public utterances:I am no saint to keep quiet…

His grouse is that the party made use of his services when it was struggling to keep the entire flock together.Over the years he’s in fact become a veteran of such capabilities.But after the task was over he has been let down by not inducting into the cabinet as another Deputy Chief Minister.

He had kept all the 46 Gujarat Congress MLAs’ together in the same Eagleton resort during the Rajya Sabha elections which returned Ahmed Patel to the upper house.His similar experience of holding captive Maharashtra Congress MLAs during adverse political conditions to the late Vilasrao Deshmukh government is also something the party can ill afford to forget.

But the Congress party has its own problems. HD Kumaraswamy is a Vokkaliga holding the CM’s position and the 16 member strong Lingayat lobby is also pressurizing the party to be given one more Deputy CM’s post.In a way the top brass of the party is in a fix of not being in a position to oblige either DK Shivakumar nor the Lingayat lobby.

Dr G Parameshwar,the first Dalit Deputy Chief Minister is averse to the idea of another DCM from his own party as he feels the importance attached to the position now may lose its shine sooner or later.

DK Shivakumar is also said to be toying with the idea of holding the KPCC President’s post as well along with a cabinet berth.

Janata Dal Secular looks to be in a advantageous position with only 37 MLAs’.Apart from the cabinet berths all those who couldn’t make it to the cabinet can be rehabilitated by rewarding with positions of chairmen to boards and corporations.But the same argument cannot hold good to the 78 members Congress.

Hindusthan Samachar/Manohar Yadavatti

In a series of Tweets PM says, we’ve taken futuristic and people-friendly decisions

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that BJP-led NDA government at the Centre is laying the foundations of a New India.

In a series of tweets on the fourth anniversary of NDA government at the Centre, Modi said that we took futuristic and people-friendly decisions with the best intent and complete integrity.

Over the last four years, development has become a vibrant mass movement, with every citizen feeling involved in India’s growth trajectory, he added.

Expressing gratitude to the citizens for their unwavering faith in the NDA Government, Modi said that 125 crore Indians are taking India to great heights.

He said, this support and affection are the biggest source of motivation and strength for the entire Government.

PM said that the government will continue to serve the people of India with the same vigour and dedication as for them it is always India First.

Hindusthan Samachar/Shri Ram Shaw