Archives for 2019

The address comes days ahead of the Prime Minister’s annual Independence Day speech from the ramparts of Red Fort.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on the historic step to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir and split the state into two Union Territories, informed sources said.

The broadcast will be aired on All India Radio at 4 p.m.

The address comes days ahead of the Prime Minister’s annual Independence Day speech from the ramparts of Red Fort.

Shah appreciated Bangladesh’s policy of not allowing use of its territory by extremists and insurgents for perpetrating violence in other countries including India.

NEW DELHI: Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday raised with Bangladesh India’s concerns over illegal immigration from that country to the Northeast.

The issue was flagged before Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan at the 7th meeting of India-Bangladesh Home Minister Level Talks (HMLT) here.

Shah raised India’s concern regarding the illicit movement of people across the border, with a view to find solutions to this problem especially in Northeast India, an official statement said.

This came ahead of the publication of the final list of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam on August 31.

When the draft NRC was published last year, 40 lakh names were excluded, leading to a huge political controversy.

Assam and other Northeastern states have been facing the problem of influx from neighbouring Bangladesh through the porus border.

Both the home ministers reaffirmed the need to further curb the menace of trans-border crimes, and therefore agreed to the need for greater co-operation to achieve “our aim of a secure border”, the statement said.

Both sides also reviewed the pending issues related to security and infrastructure at the borders and agreed to take steps to resolve the matters expeditiously.

Shah assured Khan of India’s continuing support for safe and speedy repatriation of the displaced Myanmar citizens sheltered in Bangladesh, for whom India has provided humanitarian assistance in four tranches since September 2017.

The leaders also looked forward to enhancing cooperation in simplifying people-to-people contact and travel for business, health and tourism, including through promoting connectivity, it said.

This was Shah’s first interaction with a foreign leader after assuming charge as the country’s home minister two months ago.

Following the talks, Shah said in a tweet he “had extensive discussion on the bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh”.

During the meeting, the ministers expressed satisfaction that both countries were working closer than ever before in every sector, including security and border management.

They reiterated their commitment to keep the borders friendly, and in this regard appreciated the close co-operation between their border guarding forces, the statement said.

Shah appreciated Bangladesh’s policy of not allowing use of its territory by extremists and insurgents for perpetrating violence in other countries including India.

Shah congratulated the visiting dignitary on his resumption of the office as home minister of Bangladesh for a second term, and reiterated India’s full support for Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s development agenda.

Both the ministers reiterated the significance attached to the bilateral relationship, that is forged in the 1971 Liberation War, which goes far beyond a strategic partnership.

“Today, our ties are a role model for good neighbourly relations across the world. They are rooted in history, culture, language and shared values of democracy, secularism, development cooperation and countless other commonalities,” the statement said.

India shares a 4,096-km-long border with Bangladesh.

Five villages in the Western Ghats submerged, over 30 partially flooded; Krishna river swelling drastically with the release of more than 5 lakh cusecs water from Maharashtra’s reservoirs

BELAGAVI:  Even as rescue teams were able to evacuate thousands of people caught in the disastrous floods in North Karnataka in the past few days, it has come to light that a couple is caught badly in the floods at Kabalapur village, near Belagavi, waiting desperately for rescue teams to evacuate them. Kallappa and Ratnavva, who were stranded on their flooded house for the past three days, waiting for the rescue teams to arrive, had to climb a tree for their safety when their house collapsed in gushing waters.

According to teams desperately trying to enter the flooded areas to rescue the couple, it is getting difficult to launch the rescue operation due to massive floods in Bellary Nala. The house of the couple was located on the other side of the nala, which is overflowing for the past three days halting traffic on several bridges on Belagavi city’s outskirts.

MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar, who is monitoring the ongoing rescue operation at Bellary Nala said, “The team of rescuers is leaving no stone unturned to reach the spot to evacuate the couple for the past two days. We will continue efforts to reach the spot where they are stranded. A mammoth 120-ft long crane is being brought from a private company to make the operation successful.’’

A helicopter was used by rescue teams to reach the spot by crossing the flooded Bellary nala but the chopper returned after flying half-way due to the inclement weather, sources said, adding that efforts are on to get an Army helicopter by contacting the officials.To evacuate the stranded couple, the district administration tried out several tricks and operations since yesterday. 

According to the rescue team, the rescue operation is getting highly risky as it takes rescuers to brave the rapid flow of floods to reach the spot.Commenting on the ongoing operation to evacuate the couple in Belagavi, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said, “Our teams will do their best to rescue the couple. An operation is on for the last two days to ensure that both of them are evacuated safely.’’

Trains to and from B’luru cancelled
Bengaluru: The following trains have been cancelled due to landslides and the subsequent restoration work between Srivagilu and Subramanya Road stations: Yesvantpur-Mangalore Express and Karwar-Yesvantpur Express, which were scheduled to depart on August 8. On Wednesday, KSR Bengaluru-Kannur/Karwar Express and Kannur/Karwar-KSR Bengaluru Express were cancelled. 

Special train from today
Bengaluru: To facilitate transport to flood-affected areas, a special unreserved overnight train will run between Yesvantpur and Miraj (Maharashtra) for four days starting Thursday (August 8).  

SWR sends relief to Belagavi
Bengaluru: Hubballi Division of South Western Railway has sent across essential items by train on Wednesday to those affected. Items worth nearly `50,000 were sent by the Hubballi-Hazrat Nizamuddin Express on Wednesday, said an official release.

These projects will usher in the next era of industrial growth in the State and will contribute towards the vision of an industrially prosperous Odisha, he said.

BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday launched 22 new projects involving a total investment of Rs 4,461.42 crore under his Make in Odisha initiative.

The projects, mostly in food processing, metal and downstream industries, cement, plastic, paper and tourism, are expected to create employment opportunities for 9,451 people. “I congratulate all the companies concerned on this achievement and assure everyone of complete facilitation support from the State Government,” Naveen said.

These projects will usher in the next era of industrial growth in the State and will contribute towards the vision of an industrially prosperous Odisha, he said.

Inaugurating 10 industrial units and performing groundbreaking of 12 other projects across nine different sectors including power and renewable energy, textile and apparels and infrastructure through video conference from Lok Seva Bhawan here, the Chief Minister said this would take the Make-in-Odisha initiative to new heights.

Some of the key projects include Rs 870.20 crore steel project of Shyam Metalics and Energy in Sambalpur district, Rs 50.90 crore Hindalco solar plant at Lapang, Rs 155 crore cement grinding unit of JK Lakshmi Cement in Cuttack, Rs 318 crore facility of JSW Cement at Kalinga Nagar and Rs 120 crore plastic industry of Oricon in Khurda district.

Major projects for which the Chief Minister performed groundbreaking include capacity expansion of steel of Rungta Mines Limited at Korakhole in Keonjhar district at a project cost of Rs 1677.98 crore, capacity expansion of Shree Hari Sponge Pvt Ltd with an investment of Rs 284 crore in Sundargarh, Rs 125 crore golf resort project of Mayfair Hotels and Resorts at Satapada in Puri and Rs 114 crore apparel manufacturing unit of Aditya Birla Fashion Retails in Rayagada district.

“In the past 20 months, we have undertaken groundbreaking and inauguration of over 120 industrial units with an investment of Rs 92,686 crore in the State creating employment opportunities for over 1.2 lakh people,” Naveen said.

Noting that Odisha aspires to become one of the top three investment destinations, he said, “We have devised the ‘5T’ strategy in which transformation goals will be achieved through teamwork, transparency and technology enablers in a time-bound manner.”
The Chief Minister also released a coffee table book ‘Make in Odisha conclave 2018’ on the occasion.

Pramesh Jain

Alvida Sushma Swaraj :Nation Bids tearful and Emotional ADIEU to People’s Minister Stalwart Iron lady Sushma Swaraj cremated with full state honours .

“A people’s minister, Sushma will be remembered by friends, foes alike”
Former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj was cremated with full state honours at the Lodhi Road crematorium here on Wednesday. Hundreds of people, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and veteran party leader Lal Krishna Advani, bade farewell.
Tears rolled down her face as Bansuri performed the last rites of her mother Sushma Swaraj,surrounded by a sea of mourners on Wednesday.
Swaraj’s husband Kaushal Swaraj and daughter saluted the mortal remains, wrapped in a tricolour,as they were kept on a hearse decorated with flowers at the BJP office on DDU Marg,before its final journey to Lodhi Road crematorium.
Sushma Swaraj was cremated at Delhi’s Lodhi Road electric crematorium on Wednesday with full state honours.The last rites of the 67-year-old BJP stalwart were performed by her daughter Bansuri Swaraj,as her husband Swaraj Kaushal stood beside her
Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with other prominent leaders paid last respect to former Swaraj.After paying tribute to the late leader at her residence,PM Modi got emotional as he condoled the family of the BJP Stalwart Sushma Swaraj.A glorious chapter in Indian politics comes to an end. India grieves the demise of a remarkable leader who devoted her life to public service and bettering lives of the poor. Sushma Swaraj Ji was one of her kind, who was a source of inspiration for crores of people,PM Modi said,leading the nation in paying her tribute.
Swaraj,who also served as the Leader of Opposition and chief minister of Delhi,was given full state honours after which her body was cremated in the electric crematorium.Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, several leaders from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as well as the opposition,were present.
Swaraj died on Tuesday night at the age of 67.The senior BJP leader was brought to AIIMS around 9:30pm and was taken to the emergency ward after suffering a massive cardiac arrest.
Swaraj had put out a tweet on Tuesday evening congratulating Modi after the Centre’s move to revoke the special status for Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the border state into two Union Territories secured Parliament’s approval.Narendra Modi ji – Thank you Prime Minister. Thank you very much. I was waiting to see this day in my lifetime,” she had said.
The body of the long-time BJP leader on Wednesday was brought to the crematorium from the party office around noon.Many jostled for a last glimpse as the casket with Swaraj’s mortal remains, wrapped in the tricolour,was put in the hearse in preparation for her final journey. Others tried to capture images on their mobile phones in the main hall of the BJP headquarters and outside as the van rolled across the street.
Other leaders who paid their respects included Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal,Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal,Union ministers,Rajnath Singh, Harsh Vardhan and Ashwini Kumar Choubey, BJP working president JP Nadda, and New Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi.
Describing Swaraj as a great parliamentarian and a lady of extraordinary gifts,Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said she shared a warm personal relationship with her and felt her loss greatly.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi described Swaraj as an extraordinary parliamentarian and a gifted orator,adding that her legacy will live on and continue to touch the lives of millions of Indians.In a letter to Swaraj’s husband Swaraj Kaushal,Gandhi said he was deeply saddened by her untimely demise.We have lost an extraordinary parliamentarian and a gifted orator,Gandhi said.
Senior Congress leaders Anand Sharma, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also attended the funeral.Swaraj’s mortal remains were consigned to flames in the electric crematorium, amid sounding of the ceremonial bugle and strains of vedic mantras in the background.
Modi was seen comforting her husband Swaraj Kasushal and daughter Bansuri. People from multiple faiths converged at the crematorium, and many came from as far as Bihar and Madhya Pradesh to pay homage to Swaraj.
National President of Jamaat Ulama-e-Hind Molana Suhaib Qasmi,who came with a group of people from Nizamuddin area, told media persons that Her death is a big loss for the party,and the country.As a foreign minister,she had helped so many distressed diaspora people,whether it was in Saudi Arabia or Iraq or Yemen.I had once travelled with her to Yemen.She raised India’s stature as the external affairs minister. We are shocked by her death,he said.
Choubey said that Swaraj’s death was a huge loss for the party and an irreparable loss for the country.Our prayers are with the family. 
Lekhi,who had also visited the family at the AIIMS on Tuesday night, besides a host of the other senior leaders, lauded Swaraj, saying, she was an icon for every woman.Any woman who wants to be in politics, ask her, and she would say I want to be like Sushma Swaraj. She had exemplary oratory skills, was academically sound and was a leader of immense credibility who could take the opposition head on,” she said.
AAP MLA Somnath Bharti said, Swaraj was a “rare politician” who was liked by people across parties.
“I used to invite her for the events, when I was the alumni association president at IIT. BJP has several good leaders but the leaders of the stature of Vajpayeeji (former PM) and Sushmaji, I don’t think we see them any longer,” he said.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat expressed grief at Swaraj’s demise, saying it was an irreparable loss for the country’s politics.Extremely saddened to hear about Sushma ji’s demise.It is an irreparable loss for the country’s politics. We have lost a great leader and a brilliant orator who was full of human emotions,” he said. 
Rawat’s Punjab counterpart,Amarinder Singh,said he was shocked to learn about the former Delhi chief minister’s demise and described her as a dynamic and sensitive leader.
Shocked to learn of the sudden demise of Sushma Swaraj ji.I will always remember her as a dynamic and sensitive leader with the ability to empathise with the common people. Will miss her. May your soul rest in peace,” the senior Congress leader said in a tweet.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said he was deeply shocked to learn about Swaraj’s demise.It is a personal loss for me,he wrote on Twitter.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa paid his last respects to the departed leader and remembered her association with the southern state. He said Swaraj had a close connection with Karnataka since 1999, when she contested the Lok Sabha polls against UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi from Ballari.She made it a point to visit Ballari every year for the Varamahalakshmi pooja for a decade. She is fondly remembered by the people for such gestures,” Yediyurappa said.May her soul rest in peace and may god give the strength to his family and loved ones to endure this loss.Yediyurappa also remembered Swaraj as an excellent orator and an exceptional leader who rose to great heights in her political career as a committed soldier of the country.Sushma Swaraj served as the minister of external affairs and was the second woman to hold the office after Indira Gandhi.Her proactive outreach to people in distress and accessibility to citizens earned her love and respect from the masses,he said.
The former Delhi chief minister was hailed as India’s best-loved politician by the global media, he added. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister EK Palaniswami expressed grief over Swaraj’s demise and hailed her contributions to the country.He described Swaraj as “one of the highly-respected women leaders” in the world of politics and said her demise was a great loss to the country.I was shocked and grieved on hearing about the demise of Sushma Swaraj, who had held various portfolios including that of external affairs,Palaniswami said in a statement issued in Chennai.She was cordial to leaders of all political hues and her demise is a great loss not just to her family, but the country,” the chief minister said.
Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi and Chief Minister V Narayanasamy also condoled Swaraj’s demise. In her condolence message,Bedi said, “The passing away of Sushma Swaraj is a personal and national loss. She brought warmth and care in her work.
Narayanasamy described Swaraj as a “veteran Parliamentarian and powerful speaker. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray expressed grief over the “irreparable loss” his family had suffered following the demise Swaraj, whom party patriarch Bal Thackeray had once backed as the NDA’s prime ministerial face.He recalled that his father Bal Thackeray shared an affectionate rapport with the BJP leader.A resplendent era in India’s politics has come to a halt with the demise of Sushma Swaraj. It is not only the country and the BJP, but the Thackeray family too has suffered an irreparable loss.The rapport (late) Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray and Sushmaji shared was an affectionate one, Uddhav Thackeray’s office quoted him as saying on Twitter.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condoled the former external affairs minister’s demise, describing her as a “tall leader and an icon for millions of women”. “As a self-made public persona, she was always eager to help stranded Indians anywhere in the world. She was at the forefront when it came to using social media for providing instant assistance to people in distress.Her multi-linguistic skills and convincing oratory made her a leader of the masses and an icon for millions of women,” Patnaik said. 
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma condoled Swaraj’s demise, hailing her as one of India’s tallest leaders and an epitome of integrity”.
Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik also expressed grief over Swaraj’s demise.Describing her as a dynamic politician and a symbol of women empowerment who always worked for the country’s betterment, he said it was difficult to fill the space left behind by Swaraj.In a condolence message, Malik prayed for peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family in this hour of grief he said.
Swaraj had served as a member of the Rajya Sabha, the Lok Sabha and the Haryana Legislative Assembly. She was even chief minister of Delhi for a short while in 1998.
While Swaraj delivered many key speeches during her career, including a few at the United Nations.
One particular speech that has resurfaced after her death is a Lok Sabha address from 1996.BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee had to resign merely 13 days after he became the prime minister, and Swaraj’s speech from June 11, 1996, is a scathing attack on Vajpayee’s and BJP’s opponents.Swaraj drew analogies from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, equating Atal Bihari Vajpayee with Lord Ram and King Yudhishthir.Don’t make your speech so interesting, the Speaker told Swaraj after the comparisons caused an uproar in the House.Our opponents accuse us of being communal,Swaraj said.Yes, we are communal because we advocate that people sing our national song Vande Matram,we fight for the honour of the tricolour,we demand Article 370 of the Constitution be revoked,we talk of implementing a uniform civil code,and we give a voice to the pain of Kashmiri refugees. We are communal because we are not ashamed of being Hindus she said.
Harish Salve, one of India’s top lawyers, on Tuesday said that hours before Sushma Swaraj’s demise, she had asked him to collect his fee of Re 1 that he had charged for the case against Pakistan involving Kulbhushan Jadhav.While talking to a media persons, Salve said,I am in a state of shock.I spoke to Sushma Swaraj at 8.50 pm and she asked me to meet her tomorrow and collect the fee of Rs 1.Harish Salve, one of India’s top lawyers, had charged only Rs 1 as the fee for fighting India’s case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ)against the death penalty given to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistani military court.This was disclosed by former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in response to a tweet by one Sanjeev Goyal, who said India could have got any good lawyer with much less fee than what Salve must have charged for fighting the case.Not fair. #HarishSalve has charged us Rs. 1/- as his fee for this case,Swaraj tweeted.
In her last tweet that was sent out on August 6, Swaraj thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for scrapping the special status for Jammu and Kashmir.
Not just politicians in India, leaders from the US, China, Bangladesh, Iran and Singapore also condoled Swaraj’s demise and recalled her important role in cementing India’s relations with the world.