The Congress on Sunday said that the Narendra Modi government had upturned a rising economy and left it in “dire straits” with its “ad hoc and myopic economic policies”.

“Dear Arun Jaitley, Congress governments (2004-2104) delivered the highest decadal growth of 8.13 per cent at factor-cost since Independence. Under Modi government, GDP growth in 2017-18 is just 6.7 per cent, which is a four-year low. In July 2018, IMF itself lowered our growth projections,” Congress Spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said in a series of tweets.

“Jaitley ji should know that Modi government had inherited an economy that was on the upswing. But due to BJP’s ad hoc and myopic economic policies — demonetisation, flawed implementation of GST and tax terrorism — that momentum was lost,” he added.

Surjewala’s tweets came in response to a post on social media by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who said that it was only with NDA coming to power in 2014 that the economy had undergone a transformational change.

In his post, Jaitley said that a comparison of the data released in 2014 and 2018 proved that high inflation, fiscal deficit and current account deficit, besides a standstill in the infrastructure and power sectors, as well as in allocation of natural resources, were some of the failures of the previous UPA government.

“We have come a long way. The last four years have seen a series of reforms, both legislative and otherwise, which have been carried on by the government. The system has been substantially cleaned up and made more transparent,” Jaitley posted on Facebook.

However, Surjewala said that certain parameters showed a downward trend in economy and that “no amount of whitewashing” could change those facts.

“Gross Fixed Capital Formation as a percentage of GDP was 34.3 per cent in 2011-12. Even in 2013-14 it was 31.3 per cent. In the last three years, it has remained constant at 28.5 per cent and has impacted growth. No amount of white washing or blog writing can increase that,” Surjewala said.

He said that the manner in which the Modi government had sought to “supress the ‘back series’ of GDP” and attempted to “distort” them through “spins”, was now out in the open.

The war of words between former CM Siddaramaiah, who is also the chairman of the coalition government coordination committee and the JDS leaders has further escalated. On Sunday, Siddaramaiah and PWD minister HD Revanna were involved in a war of words.

In Mysuru, former CM Siddaramaiah took on CM H D Kumaraswamy by opting to reply to latter’s statement that some are trying to destabilise the government.
Siddaramaiah, responding to the same said that people making such vague statements must explain it themselves.

“Ask the questions to HDK; not to me. It was he who had made the statement,” he told the reporters adding that it is the people who have expressed their wish of seeing him (Siddaramaiah) as the CM of the state again.

The row erupted with Siddaramaiah reportedly saying that he wishes to become the CM of the state again and the coalition partner JD(S) raking up the statement, intending to say indirectly that Siddaramaiah is trying to topple the government for his own greed.

Meanwhile, PWD minister HD Revanna reacted sharply to Siddaramaiah’s statement. Speaking to the reporters, Revanna stated that coalition government is like a boat and few are trying to drown it. “But the boat will travel till God wishes,” he said.

But a few minutes later, Food and civil supplies minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan tried to end the row by saying that marriage between the JDS and the Congress has been registered and it will not collapse.

 
The Congress on Sunday said the DNA profiling Bill prepared by the Narendra Modi government was full of loopholes and would violate the right to privacy in its current form. It termed the proposed legislation as “ill-conceived” and an attempt by the government to “strengthen the conformity that surveillance breeds”.

Congress Spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that the DNA profiling Bill was the latest in a series of attempts by the Modi government to “snoop and spy on ordinary citizens”.

“The introduction of DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2018, in a hush-hush manner, in the recently concluded monsoon session of Parliament is another attempt towards this mala fide objective,” Singhvi said.

“Surveillance breeds conformity. And this government is an absolute conformist government. The DNA bill is an attempt to strengthen this conformity,” he added.

He said that “fearing backlash” from opposition in the Rajya Sabha, the government withdrew the bill after listing it in the business of the House, but then it notified it in the business of the Lok Sabha, where it has a majority, at late night on August 8 and introduced it the next day.

Singhvi clarified that the Congress party was not in principle against DNA profiling, but the government should first bring a comprehensive data protection law “encompassing issues pertaining to all the sectors and ministries” after wide public consultations.

“The DNA Database could be another Aadhaar-like database, without adequate protection and safeguards. DNA samples can reveal more intrusive information about a person and hence there is a greater risk of this information getting misused,” Singhvi said.

The Congress leader pointed out that the A.P. Shah Committee on privacy has expressed its concerns on the issue of breach of privacy by DNA profiling.

“The Committee made several recommendations including ensuring safeguards against breach of data by the government, right of citizens against retention of data, notification and mandatory consent of data subject taken before sharing the data with third party, besides many. The bill does not seem to consider either of the recommendations,” he said.

Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday said there is a monopoly of the PMO on the External Affairs Ministry and that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has no job except spending a lot of time working on people’s visas.

Speaking at an event in London in the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS), Gandhi said: “You notice one thing, everybody says that it is a great thing that India’s Foreign Minister spends a lot of her time working on visas.

“Do you realise what that statement means? It means the Foreign Minister has nothing better to do than get people visas. So, only there is the monopoly of the Foreign Ministry, and the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office) has monopoly over the Foreign Ministry.”

Sushma Swaraj really has nothing to do, though she is quite a capable lady, the Congress leader said. “If you actually give her the power to do something, she could probably break that monopoly (in the ministry).”

He maintained: “In India…if you’re seeing something that is not scaling in India, just look at the monopoly that is not letting that happen.

“If you bring in new voices, if you bring in business, if you bring in other think tanks and give them actual power in the Foreign Ministry, it’ll scale immediately.”

(IANA)

Bengaluru: Water resources minister, D. K. Shivakumar hit out at critics for casting aspersions on the longevity of the coalition government in the state stating that the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government was not an ‘earthen pot’ which could be broken by anyone.

His remarks came a day after former chief minister Siddaramaiah clarified on his ‘CM again’ remark made at a public gathering in Hassan.

Speaking to media persons, Shivakumar said that he was a loyal party worker and would stand by the Congress party decision to forge an alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular). The alliance was forged based on certain values and ideologies to keep communal forces at bay, he said.

“I will be the last one to pull the rug from beneath anyone’s feet. I stood like a rock behind our party leader Siddaramaiah for five years without a murmur. I will do the same with Mr Kumaraswamy as well,” he said adding that anyone dreaming of breaking the alliance will meet with disappointment

Backing Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar said that the veteran leader would not the coalition government fall and he may have made the statement to motivate party workers.

Replying to a question on whether he is aspiring for the CM post, Shivkumar said that he was not in the race for the coveted Chief Minister’s post for the next five years and later on a decision on who will be the CM candidate will be taken by party central leaders.

[UDAYAVANI]

Then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajapyee was not in favour of advancing the Lok Sabha election in 2004 as he feared defeat but an overconfident BJP still decided to go for it, says his long-time aide Shiv Kumar Pareek, recognisable to everyone by his handlebar moustache.

Pareek also feels that the coordination that existed between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and workers during the Vajpayee era is now missing.

“There were two reasons behind the (2004) defeat. First, the slogan of ‘India Shining’ went against us. The second was the decision to hold early polls. Although Atalji was not in favour of early polls, the party decided to hold it,” Shiv Kumar, who had been with Vajpayee through thick and thin for over five decades and was his virtual shadow, told IANS in an interview.

He disclosed that Vajpayee had sensed the BJP’s defeat in 2004, a day before he cast his vote in the last election he ever contested.

“‘Sarkar to gayi. Hum haar rahe hain’ (The government is going. We are losing),” Vajpayee told Shiv Kumar after returning from an election campaign in Lucknow around midnight.

He said when he countered that a defeat was not possible, Vajpayee replied: “In which world are you living in? I am campaigning among people.”

Asked about the performance of the Modi government and whether it was following the path shown by Vajpayee, Shiv Kumar said: “It’s a political question. When I praise someone, I do it wholeheartedly, and when I criticise something, I do it to the fullest as well.

“Walking on Atalji’s path means living the way he lived, treating everyone the way he did and performing like he did as a Prime Minister. I hope they will follow his path.”

He added that it was due to the foundation laid by Vajpayee that the BJP not only crossed the half-way mark in 2014 but also became the first ever non-Congress party to a simple majority on its own. Besides the Centre, the BJP is now ruling 19 states. “If the foundations are strong, the structure will be steady.”

Asked whether the country could see another Vajpayee, Shiv Kumar said: “I believe that an artisan may create any idol, whether of Lord Ram or Hanuman or Ma Durga, but people will not bow before it until it is consecrated and installed in a temple.

“Atalji used to do the same with the karyakartas. In the present situation there is nobody who does it. The coordination that existed between the party and the workers during the Vajpayee era is missing now.”

Shiv Kumar said the Modi government was doing a good job and taking ahead Vajpayee’s initiatives. “This government is also bringing a lot of new schemes. In 2019, the people of this country will judge this government.”

Is there any difference between the “Shining India” campaign and Modi’s “New India” slogan?

He said: “Vajpayee was running a coalition government of 24 parties while Modi is running a majority government with BJP being in power in 19 states. Although an atmosphere against it is being created, the BJP will emerge victorious. The number of seats may go down but it will not be defeated.”

Shiv Kumar rejected suggestions that Vajpayee kept himself away from active politics due to the shock defeat in 2004.

“Atalji was never bothered about victory or defeat. You must have heard his famous poem — Na haar me na jeet me, kinchit nahi bhaybheet mai. After defeat he attended the BJP’s National Executive meet in Mumbai where he declared his retirement from active politics. After that he kept himself confined to attending limited functions of his closest ones. He remained active till Bhairon Singh Shekhawat contested the presidential elections in 2007.”

Asked whether Vajpayee really wanted Modi removed as Chief Minister of Gujarat post the riots in Godhra, Shiv Kumar replied: “Vajpayee wanted him (Modi) to follow Rajdharma (rule of law).”

Shiv Kumar, who saw Vajpayee from very close quarters, said the late leader’s life was like an open book.

“I am an orphan now,” he said, referring to Vajpayee’s passing away. He was the only person besides the family who was allowed on Vajpayee’s cremation platform.

“I was an RSS worker. Later I became a worker of the Jan Sangh. After Shyama Prasad Mukerjee’s death in mysterious circumstances, I approached Atalji and expressed my willingness to work with him as a caretaker. He was non-committal initially. Finally, he agreed and I started working with him in 1967.”

He said this was how he got associated with Vajpayee till his last breath.

“If you look for the ideals of Lord Ram, the energy of Lord Krishna, the policies of Chanakya in one man, he was Atal Bihari Vajpayee.”

According to Shiv Kumar, Vajpayee used to watch movies, listen to songs and see Marathi plays at his 3, Krishna Menon Marg residence for 14 long years after he demitted office as Prime Minister and from where he was taken to hospital where he died.

[IANS]