Archives for 2019

PM Narendra Modi, during his visit to the US, will be addressing the Indian diaspora at an event called ‘Howdy Modi’ in Houston on September 22.

NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump joining Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diaspora event in Houston next week will be a message for the world and it is up to Pakistan what they wish to read, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said here on Tuesday.

Modi, during his visit to the US to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), will be addressing the Indian diaspora at an event called ‘Howdy Modi’ in Houston on September 22, and will be joined by Trump as a special gesture.

Addressing a press conference on the achievements of the External Affairs Ministry in 100 days of the Modi government’s second term, Jaishankar spoke about Indo-US relations and said these have come a long way and were in “good health”.

To a question, the minister described as a “matter of great honour” Trump accepting to attend the diaspora event on the invitation of the Indian-American community. “And obviously, we will welcome President Trump in the warmest manner,” he added.

Jaishankar, who has served as Indian Ambassador to the US, said the Houston event is the third time Modi would be doing a major community event in the US. “And I regard this as a great achievement of the India-American community,” he said.

“If today, there is an event of this size and have someone like President Trump coming there, this shows where the community has reached, how it is regarded in the US, the respect it commands out there. It is obviously the achievement of the community,” he added.

He said with such events, the community definitely stands more motivated, united, inspired by the fact that Modi is the Prime Minister.

Asked whether Trump’s presence at the event would be a message for Pakistan, the External Affairs Minister said there are going to be multiple messages there. “And obviously it will be up to Pakistanis to read what they wish to read and the same applies to other parts of the world.”

Noting that communities and countries develop a reputation, he said, “In my sense, it’s not just Pakistan, the whole world will be watching the Houston event and take lessons from there what Indian-Americans have achieved, what India-US state of relations are today.”

The minister said India-US relations have gone through repeated changes with administrations like that of former US President Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

“The India-US relationship has come a long way and if we look today at the quality of the relationship, amount of the trade, amount of political comfort, amount of security cooperation, amount of movement of people, students, research, there is no facet of relationship today which hasn’t sort of gone upwards over the last 20 years,” the former diplomat said.

“The trajectory was always upwards. Even today if we are planning an event like Houston, the thinking from our part is very bi-partisan. And from their (US) side also the approach is bi-partisan. I want to reassure all of you people India-US relationship is in very good health,” he said.

Jaishankar also said he was very satisfied about what has happened in the last few years. “And I am very optimistic about where we are going,” he said.

Talking about trade issues with the US, he said, “As the relationship grows, there will be some issues. The only thing there will be no problem if you don’t trade. And the trade problem happens with the people who are closest too because those are the ones with whom you do most of the trade.”

Jaishankar noted that the trade issues are in fact normal, in many ways reflective of very substantial relationship.

Asked what would happen if the issue of Kashmir comes up during Modi’s US visit, he said, “Don’t worry much about what people will say on Jammu and Kashmir… Let me tell you one thing, there is complete predictability about my position. My position has been clear since 1972 and my position is not going to change. At the end of the day it is my issue. So on my issue my position has prevailed and will prevail. So don’t worry about those aspects.”

The leaders are learnt to have discussed the current political situation, including Kashmir, upcoming elections and the economic situation in the country, during the half-hour meeting.

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ahmed Patel met former finance minister P Chidambaram at Tihar Jail on Wednesday morning, sources said.

They were accompanied by Chidambaram’s son and Congress MP, Karti.

The leaders are learnt to have discussed the current political situation, including Kashmir, upcoming elections and the economic situation in the country, during the half-hour meeting, the sources added.

Chidambaram has been lodged in Tihar jail since September 5 on charges of corruption in the INX Media case.

The senior Congress leader, who celebrated his 74th birthday on Monday, is in good health, sources said.

The proposed Rs 3 lakh crore refinery at Nanar in the state’s Ratnagiri district was scrapped earlier this year after the Shiv Sena put up a stiff resistance.

THANE: Asserting that development should not be at the cost of citizens and environment, Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray has said his party opposed the Nanar refinery project in Maharashtra as “sons of the soil” were against it.

The proposed Rs 3 lakh crore refinery at Nanar in the state’s Ratnagiri district was scrapped earlier this year after the Sena put up a stiff resistance.

Justifying his party’s opposition to the project, Thackeray said its proposed location would have adversely affect the environment.

“Wherever else it is suitable and does not affect the environment and locals welcome it, the Sena will never oppose it. The Sena is not against development, but not at the cost of citizens. We are against the Nanar project as ‘sons of the soil’ are opposed to it,” he said.

Incidentally, Thackeray has been quite vocal against the proposed felling of over 2,600 trees to make way for a Metro car shed in Aarey Colony of Mumbai.

Environmentalists and activists are also opposing the Metro car shed project and have been demanding its relocation.

The Yuva Sena chief, who is the son of Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, was talking to reporters here on Tuesday night on the sidelines of his ‘Jan Ashirward Yatra’, a public outreach programme, ahead of the upcoming state polls.

Asked about rumours that former state chief minister and Maharashtra Swabhiman Party leader Narayan Rane may join the ruling BJP, the Yuva Sena leader said, “We don’t discuss such small issues. We have a big dream of creating a new Maharashtra.”

“I want to build a new Maharashtra, which is the dream of every citizen, and bring ‘Mantralaya’ (secretariat) at the doorsteps of citizens,” said the young Sena leader, whose party is an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in the state.

He said the relevant issues for them are the recent abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, and their party’s demand for construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Asked about the numerous potholes in Thane, he said such road conditions were seen in many parts of the state, including the Mumbai-Goa highway.

“There is a dire need to have a relook into the tendering system where contract is given to the lower bidder. This affects the quality of construction,” he said.

He said time has come when the Centre, the state government and local bodies should think over it and bring about a change in the process to improve the quality of roads.

This year there has been heavy rainfall and also due to the ongoing Metro work, roads have become bad, he noted.

Incidentally, Sena supremo late Bal Thackeray had once during an election rally in Thane prostrated before the audience and sought their blessings.

Replicating his grandfather’s action, the Yuva Sena chief also prostrated before the gathering during his rally here on Tuesday and sought their blessings for his party in the upcoming state polls.

He said the Sena has a special love and affection for Thane as it gave his party a political fillip in 1960s.

“The same love I want throughout the state. Whatever development work has happened (in Thane), I want to replicate it in the entire state. Hence, I have come to this city to seek your blessings,” he told the gathering.

In last one month, changes in party units reflect Sonia reposing her trust in old hands. In Jharkhand, Rahul appointee Ajoy Kumar was replaced by Rameshwar Oraon. 

NEW DELHI: Is the Congress old guard returning to party’s power centre? Since Sonia Gandhi took over as party chief, many members of Rahul Gandhi’s young brigade are slowly being replaced with veterans.

The latest to join is Tripura PCC chief Pradyot Debbarman, who had quit over differences with AICC in-charge for Northeast Luizinho Faleiro.

In last one month, changes in party units reflect Sonia reposing her trust in old hands. In Jharkhand, Rahul appointee Ajoy Kumar was replaced by Rameshwar Oraon. 

Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar was shown the door and Kumari Selja replaced him while Hooda was made the CLP leader. In Maharashtra, Sonia accepted Mumbai Congress chief Milind Deora’s resignation and Eknath Gaikwad was brought in

Rahul during his two-year tenure as party chief had appointed many young leaders as state in-charges but things seem to change with Sonia at helms of affairs.

However, a senior party functionary said young leaders could be given bigger responsibilities in the central office. 

“A balance would be maintained between young and old leaders,” said the leader.

The state lagged behind other states in effectively implementing the management framework for tiger conservation.

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh’s performance on tiger conservation management has been miserable as the big cat population has dwindled by 59% since 2014, revealed the official findings.

The state forest department didn’t hesitate to admit that the situation is really depressing.

The state lagged behind other states in effectively implementing the management framework for tiger conservation.

The state, which initially had 26 tigers in 2006 touched the figure of 46 in 2014 but plummeted to 19 tigers in 2018 — a decline of 59 per cent.

Interestingly the neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, which is rightly referred to as tiger state of India, had 308 tigers in 2014 and has risen to 526 in 2018.

Chhattisgarh, which has 3 tiger reserves, was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in November 2000.

The Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) process, was first initiated in 2006, now being done every fourth year, was conducted by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) ministry of environment forest and climate change.

In 2006, there were 28 tiger reserves which rose to 50 in 2018 in the country.

Going by the extensive assessment report clubbing all 50 tiger reserves, the Chhattisgarh state has been cited as the least performing state.

The mean percentage derived out of MEE score of 4 cycles (of four years each) from 2006-2018 in tiger reserve management in Chhattisgarh was 45.62 percentage.

Kerala having 2 tiger reserves has been judged as the best state on performance scale with 82 per cent followed by Madhya Pradesh with 6 tiger reserves scoring 80.25 % in the state-wise comparison of MEE Tiger Reserve cycles.

“It’s really disheartening indeed. We believe there are lack of dedicated efforts among the staff, lack of monitoring and effective control. The element of fear has also vanished, so we ended up with such discouraging figures on tigers in Chhattisgarh”, the principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) Atul Shukla said.

A wildlife enthusiast Nitin Singhvi shared, “According to the wild animal anti-poaching database after 2010 over 20 hides of tigers were recovered, suggesting poaching as one of the major reasons behind a major decline of tiger population”.

PCCF told that the department has begun damage control exercise and strict instruction being issued from the top to the grass-root level to ensure there is no dereliction of one’s duties.

“Those found reckless will face the music”, the PCCF averred.

Among the reasons and constraints that MEE cited include inadequate trained manpower, biotic interference in core and buffer areas, issues of connectivity and corridors, relocation of villagers, poor infrastructure and communication, no effective monitoring and timely management actions.

“The officers are not in accordance with the sanctioned strength, they lack appropriate training on wildlife management and some shortage of funds”, the MEE further highlighted the reasons behind various limitations.