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Sushma Swaraj reacts angrily on Twitter; Chidambaram demands release of letters to UK

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Sushma Swaraj

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday reacted angrily to a tweet suggesting she took favours to get her daughter a seat in a medical college through the northeast quota.

“My daughter is a barrister and Oxford graduate. What you say is absolutely false,” she replied to the tweet.

The twitter handle ‘Soch @pakoed’ had insinuated that “Sushma is no stranger to taking and giving favours! Her daughter studied through NorthEast quota in medical college.”

Twitterati immediately reacted, wondering at Sushma’s impulsive response to a stray tweet. The handle @pakoed was deleted, though its tweet was retweeted by others.

Sushma’s twitter supporters urged her not to be hassled by a “dog that barks” and keep up her good work.

On Monday too, Sushma appears to have lost her cool, targeting a senior journalist of a news channel that was reporting on the Lalit Modi episode. “Look who is preaching propriety – of all the persons Navika Kumar!” she posted.

Sushma’s daughter Bansuri is a lawyer, who is reported to have appeared in passport cancellation matters relating to former Indian Premier League chief Lalit Modi before the court.

The Congress has pointed this out in its accusations against the minister, citing “conflict of interest”.

The senior minister is facing flak for having helped Lalit Modi procure documents to travel to Portugal in 2014. Lalit Modi, who is wanted by the Enforcement Directorate for alleged financial impropriety in the money-spinning IPL, stays in London.

Her husband Swaraj Kaushal was governor of Mizoram from 1990 to 1993 and is an expert on the northeast.

(IANS)

PM must order probe to expose real gameplan: Shiv Sena on Sushma Swaraj row

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Saamana-News-Epaper

Mumbai: Claiming that Sushma Swaraj has been targeted under a “political game” to oust her from BJP, Shiv Sena today said it is imperative for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to step in and order an investigation to know who is so keen on “maligning” her “clean” reputation.

Sena, which has come out in support of the External Affairs Minister in the row over helping scam-tainted former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi obtain British travel papers, said Congress was “lifeless” and its reaction did not mean much but “who is trying to give flight to its wings”.

“The Congress party is behaving as if Swaraj has helped get bail to arrested fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim or Kasab. This controversy is being fuelled by using a section of the media. It is vital for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order an investigation on who is so keen on maligning her clean reputation of 35-40 years,” the Sena said in an edit in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’.

“Covering Swaraj in a mist of controversy and questions seems to be a huge political game being played to oust her from the BJP and from national politics,” the Sena alleged.

It said that PM Modi too may get engulfed in such controversies in the future and that some of his cabinet ministers are being tactfully harassed.

The edit added that similar allegations had been levelled against Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s son in the recent past and also against Nitin Gadkari, when he took over as the President of the BJP.

“An Indian has been helped on humanitarian grounds. Why so much fuss over it? The Congress has become lifeless now and thus its flutter also does not mean much. But the question is who is trying to give flight to these fluttering wings,” the Sena said.

“If somebody is attacking the External Affairs Ministry to weaken it and thereby trying to demoralise the Modi government, the person is ultimately causing harm to the country. This a very big political game that needs to be ended by PM Modi,” it added.

(PTI)

'Sushma offered to quit but RSS sought she continued'

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Sushma Swaraj

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj offered to resign almost a week before the controversy broke out over her help to former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi in getting travel documents on “humanitarian ground”, but her offer was rejected on the intervention of the RSS, informed sources said.

The sources said the news channel that on Sunday read out e-mails of a British MP concerning travel documents for Modi, had sent an e-mail to Sushma Swaraj almost a week before, seeking her response on the issue.

Soon after that she met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and informed him of the matter in detail, a highly placed source told IANS.

Sources said a meeting of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh functionaries was convened a day later by Modi to discuss the matter and to chalk out the future strategy.

They said at the meeting Sushma Swaraj clarified her stand on the issue and said she was ready to resign as she did not want the government to face any embarrassment. But RSS functionaries stopped her, saying she has done nothing wrong, the sources added.

The RSS functionaries also said that Sushma Swaraj had made it clear in her communication that any help rendered by the British authorities to Lalit Modi should be subject to their rules.

According to sources, the meeting chalked out strategy to defend Sushma Swaraj.

As part of the strategy, Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and RSS leader Indresh Kumar came out in support of Sushma Swaraj on Sunday.

The controversy, which first appeared in a British newspaper, went on to dominate Indian news channels from Sunday.

(IANS)

Congress protests outside Sushma Swaraj's residence; demands resignation

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Sushma Swaraj Lalit Modi

New Delhi: Scores of Congress workers today protested outside residence of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj demanding her resignation for “extending help” to scam-tainted former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi in procuring travel documents in the UK.

Shouting slogans and holding placards, the Congress workers demanded action against Swaraj and said she must quit or Prime Minister Narendra Modi should sack her immediately from the Union Cabinet. The protesters also burnt effigies of Swaraj.

Congress has been attacking Swaraj since yesterday after reports surfaced that she had written to British lawmaker Keith Vaz to allegedly recommend travel documents for Lalit Modi for visiting Portugal.

Swaraj has said she had written to Vaz on “humanitarian grounds” after Lalit Modi said his wife was ill.

Modi is wanted in India and has made London his home since 2010 to avoid a probe in the alleged betting and misappropriation of funds in the T20 cricket tournament.

Some of the Congress protesters also broke barricades outside Swaraj’s Safdarjung residence in posh Lutyens Bungalow Zone in central Delhi. Around 100 protesters were detained by the police and were later released.

Earlier in the day, Congress sharpened attack on Swaraj alleging there was “quid pro quo” involved in her “assistance” to Modi and demanded that the former IPL Commissioner be brought back and tried in India.

“There are circumstances which establish contact between Sushma Swaraj and Lalit Modi. As a quid pro quo, Sushma Swaraj has done favour to a tainted person who is accused of Rs 700 crore money laundering, tax evasion and several other charges,” said Congress national spokesperson P L Punia.

(PTI)

Tomar row: Congress asks Centre to act against Irani, Katheria

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Smriti Irani

New Delhi: Latching on to the arrest of former Delhi Minister Jitender Tomar, Congress today demanded that Centre should also be pro-active in cases related to Union Ministers Smriti Irani and Ram Shankar Katheria.

“The way they have proceeded against Tomar, they should do likewise against Irani and Katheria”, party spokesman Ajay Maken said in reply to a volley of questions from reporters.

Detractors of Irani have accused the HRD Minister of giving wrong information about her educational qualifications whereas Katheria is facing a marksheet forgery case. Irani was alleged to have provided contradictory affidavits of her educational qualifications to the Election Commission.

Maken, who is also the Delhi PCC Chief, demanded that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should quit in the wake of the arrest of Tomar.

This, he claimed, was necessary as the issue of Tomar’s “fake” law degree was raised inside AAP before the Assembly elections, but Kejriwal had ignored it. Tomar was not only given the AAP ticket, but was also made a Minister by Kejriwal despite knowing fully well the charges against him.

Maken faulted Kejriwal for doing precious little to promote transparency and accountability in the government despite getting a huge mandate from the people of Delhi.

Recalling that Kejriwal had last time resigned as Chief Minister after 49 days in power citing his failure to bring the Jan Lokpal bill, but now he has not acted over the matter.
Besides, he said that there has been no Lokayukta in Delhi for long, but Kejriwal has not cared to fill the post till now. He noted that Kejriwal had also removed L Ramdas who was working as the internal Lokpal in AAP.

Earlier in the day, scores of protesters led by the Maken and senior party leader PC Chacko marched towards the Delhi Secretariat demanding the resignation of Kejriwal.
Meanwhile, former Union Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram took a dig at the Centre over the developments in Delhi.

“Orders & counter orders of Delhi CM & LG (read Union government) are fine examples of Acche din, and maximum governance !”, Chidambaram said in a tweet.

Another party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi wondered through a tweet: “Is the delhi law minister post jinxed? First Somnath Bharati now TOMAR!”. The obvious reference was Bharati forced to resign as Law Minister during the first stint of AAP in power in the wake of a controversy.

“Forged BSC degree, forged LLB degree, fake marksheet. And Mr Tomar & AAP expected soft treatement?”, Singhvi said attacking AAP in another tweet.

(PTI)

'BJP wants to run India like an RSS Shakha': Rahul Gandhi

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Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi-lead govt saying he wants to run the country like an RSS sakha. Speaking at an NSUI function in the national capital, Rahul said the govt is trying to enforce the RSS ideology on the people of this country.

Slamming the RSS, Gandhi said there is no place for differing voices in the organisation. The Congress leader praised his party functioning saying the complexity of India and it’s ideologies are filled in this NSUI room and this is the strength of Congress party.

“The DNA of the Congress party is to listen to everyone,” said Rahul.

Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s frequent tour, Rahul said Modi visited China, US and Mongolia but didn’t get time to visit a farmer’s house. “The Prime Minister went all the way to Mongolia, but didn’t visit a farmer’s house,” said Rahul.

He also lashed out at the PM for not paying attention towards the educational development of the country. “The PM says education is important but has cut its budget,” said Rahul.

“Our former PM Manmohan Singh criticised the health of the economy in the morning and by evening Modi took lessons from him,” said Rahul.

(Agencies)

Delhi government challenges Centre’s notification on LG’s powers

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Najeeb Jung Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: The AAP government on Thursday moved the Delhi High Court challenging the Centre’s recent notification giving the Lieutenant Governor absolute powers in appointing bureaucrats in the national capital.

The petition was mentioned before a bench of justices B.D. Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva, saying, “The Delhi government has decided to move against the Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA’s) May 21 notification.”

“As per the notification, the LG would have jurisdiction over matters connected with services, public orders, police and land, and…services of bureaucrats…allowing him discretionary powers to seek the opinion of the CM,” it said.

The petition was mentioned by Delhi government standing counsel Raman Duggal a day after the Centre moved the Supreme Court challenging an order of the Delhi HC which termed as “suspect” MHA’s recent notification barring the city government’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) from acting against its officers in criminal offences.

The HC had also held that the LG cannot act in his discretion.

Mr. Duggal also said that he has challenged all notifications issued by the Centre in the past. The bench has listed the matter for hearing on Friday.

The Delhi government, led by the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, has also challenged the appointment of Shakuntala Gamlin as acting Chief Secretary by the LG.

LG meets Union Home Secretary

Meanwhile, Delhi LG Najeeb Jung met Union Home Secretary L.C. Goyal on Thursday, amidst the ongoing tussle between him and the AAP government.

The meeting came a day after the Delhi Assembly passed a resolution rejecting the Home Ministry notification giving absolute powers to the LG in several matters, including transfer and postings of senior bureaucrats.

After the meeting with the Home Secretary, the LG refused to speak to media persons.

Sources said they discussed the issue of Wednesday’s resolution passed by the Delhi Assembly and the government’s stand in the apex court with regard to the SLP.

(PTI)

BJP asks Siddaramaiah government to hand over Lottery Scam Case to CBI

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Photo: The New Indian Express

Photo: The New Indian Express

Bengaluru: A day after a senior IPS officer was suspended in connection with an alleged lottery scam, senior BJP leader and Union Minister DV Sadananda Gowda said the probe should be handed over to CBI as “top officials and some ministers are involved in it”.

“…just because top officials and some of the senior leaders-ministers of the present government are involved in this (single-digit lottery scam) – I think this cannot be investigated by the police of Karnataka. If they are fair enough, they should refer the matter to the CBI so that there could be clean and neat investigation and truth comes out,” he told reporters in Bengaluru.

Alok Kumar, Additional Commissioner of Police (West Bengaluru), was yesterday suspended for his alleged involvement in lottery scam.

A government order said yesterday, Mr Kumar had illegal contact with Pari Rajan, said to be the kingpin in the scam, and not only helped him but also interfered in the investigation process. Mr Rajan is already in police custody.

However, Mr Kumar has denied any kind of involvement in the case and demanded a fair investigation.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said the action was taken on the basis of a interim report submitted by the CID. Siddaramaiah who had held a meeting of senior police officials earlier this month, had ordered a CID probe into the alleged scam. He had also said that government would take strict action against those involved in the scam.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Suresh Kumar said it was a case of intelligence failure and questioned the intelligence wing for not keeping Siddaramaiah informed for two years.

“How can Home Minister escape from his responsibility? Why did our state intelligence not keep Chief Minister informed for two years? It is a case of intelligence failure, pure and simple. Here is an example of how to weakly handle Home Ministry,” he said.

Government had earlier suspended Dharanesh, Superintendent of Police (Lottery Squad) in connection with the case.

(PTI)

Modi government has only renamed the previous UPA government's policies: Chidambaram

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P-Chidambaram

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government has advertised its work better though it has only renamed the previous UPA government’s policies, former finance minister P Chidambaram today said.

“We didn’t trumpet our achievements as well or as cleverly like this Government does. We have to acknowledge they have advertised their work better,” he said.

“Best flattery is imitation. I am very happy that NDA is following UPA policies,” he quipped.

Mr Chidambaram, one of the seniormost ministers in the Congress-led government, addressed the press conference in response to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s briefing on Friday to mark one year of the Modi government.

He took on Prime Minister Modi on his comments in Shanghai, China, about Indians being ashamed to have been born in India.

“I was born many years ago. I was not ashamed to be born in India. I asked many people – have they been ashamed to have been born in India. If anyone born before May 26, 2014 was ashamed to be born in India, let them ask me a question…,” Mr Chidambaram remarked.

The PM had said, “Earlier, you felt ashamed of being born Indian. Now you feel proud to represent the country. Indians abroad had all hoped for a change in government last year.”

(Agencies)

HC vindicates AAP government in dispute with centre

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Kejriwal has described the Centre’s stand as perfidy and a blatant attempt to provide cover to corrupt officials. He has also said he will challenge the Centre’s notification in court.

arvind-najeeb

New Delhi: In the midst of a dispute with the Centre, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has received vindication in court.

The anti-corruption branch of Delhi, which comes under Delhi Police, must take its orders from Kejriwal’s government and not the Centre, the Delhi High Court said on 25 May.

The judge also said that Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung is “bound to act upon the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers”.

“Today’s judgement is a huge embarassment for the central govt, (sic),” jubilant Kejriwal tweeted.

Last week, the Centre said its officers could not be probed by the ACB, Delhi because it doesn’t have the right to intervene in matters of land, the Delhi Police, or the appointments of key bureaucrats.

The Centre also said the LG, who acts as its representative in Delhi, is not obliged to consult Kejriwal on these issues.

Kejriwal has described the Centre’s stand as perfidy and a blatant attempt to provide cover to corrupt officials. He has also said he will challenge the Centre’s notification in court.

The clash between the Centre and Kejriwal is over how their powers are divided in Delhi’s administration, a union territory.

Earlier in the day, in a maverick move, he summoned a cabinet meeting at a city public park and sought the attendance of the “aam aadmi” or common man that his party is named after.

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