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New Delhi: A woman has been detained after she allegedly tried to throw a flower pot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s convoy. She allegedly insisted that she wanted to meet the prime minister.
An advance team had barricaded the road where the prime minister was to pass when this woman allegedly started fighting with the police.
The woman, who had been waiting outside the building that has the PM’s office, has been taken for questioning.
(Agencies)
New Delhi: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi may look to press the reset button on his leadership this spring to reinvigorate stalled economic reforms and appease critics, eyeing a mix of tried and tested allies and fresh blood, senior government sources said.
The government has overseen rapid economic growth but failed on tax and land reforms, and the euphoria that met Modi’s 2014 election triumph has given way to investor disillusionment; Indian stocks have erased all of their gains since he won power.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) faces a crucial election test in the most populous state of Uttar Pradesh in 2017 that it probably needs to win if it wants to hold on to power nationally in 2019.
“Modi needs to identify new talent and bring changes in his government. It will be too late if he fails to do it now,” said veteran newspaper editor and commentator Shekhar Gupta.
With an eye on Uttar Pradesh, Modi looks set to keep Amit Shah on as BJP president, the sources said, extending his closest aide and election campaign manager’s tenure by three years when it expires at the weekend.
But Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, responsible for delivering the Modi message to international investors, may move to defence after he delivers his annual budget in late February, sources said.
Jaitley, 63, has failed to push through a major tax reform and critics have faulted his stewardship over India’s $2 trillion economy, which is growing fast but not creating enough jobs to employ an expanding workforce.
A spokesman for Modi declined to comment on the move and an official in Jaitley’s office said he had no knowledge of a possible reshuffle.
Moving Jaitley to defence, a post he also held in the early months of the Modi government, could better suit the veteran corporate lawyer and keep the strategically important portfolio in trusted hands.
It would also open the way for power and coal minister Piyush Goyal to take the finance portfolio, while underperformers in other minor posts may be weeded out.
A federal minister and two BJP officials said Goyal, 51, was being groomed for his next big role, and a white paper on banking was recently shared with him to seek his inputs. A Goyal aide denied all knowledge of an impending promotion.
Goyal is a good communicator and has often travelled abroad with Modi, but lacks political and electoral experience.
The ex-investment banker has turned around state-run Coal India, tackled chronic power shortages and backed renewable sources of energy.
Those are key wins for Modi, whose provision of 24/7 electricity as chief minister of Gujarat state helped him become prime minister.
“Goyal is doing a fine job – he has brought a lot of energy to the coal and power sector,” said Rajiv Kumar, senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi.
“But I’m not sure he can do justice to the complex finance portfolio,” he said. “Goyal, with his micro orientation, might struggle to get to grips with multi-dimensional and serious macroeconomic issues facing the country.”
Balancing Act
Modi, who has relentlessly centralised power in the prime minister’s office, has held his cards close to his chest and would have the last word on recruiting new talent from a pool of candidates that is short on experience.
Shah, Modi’s right-hand man in Gujarat and the architect of his general election triumph, lost his winning touch last year with a heavy defeat to an upstart party in Delhi and a crashing loss in the big eastern state of Bihar.
That has tested the patience of the ideological parent of the BJP, the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). But, apart from a brief rebellion by party elders, Modi has managed to fend off challenges to his authority.
At a meeting between BJP and RSS leaders earlier this month in New Delhi, Modi made his support for Shah clear. No challenger has applied for the post, meaning that Shah’s term that expires this weekend will be extended by three years.
While party workers praise Shah as a tough and effective administrator, many want him to promote new faces instead of, as he has done, focusing his campaign strategy exclusively on Modi.
Even though Modi addressed more than 30 rallies on the campaign trail, the BJP fell in Bihar in November to an alliance of regional parties. Realising its fate was sealed, it did not even field a candidate for chief minister.
The party’s fortunes will depend on five state polls in 2016 that will build up to next year’s crunch vote in Uttar Pradesh. The outcome of that ballot will set the tone for the 2019 general election.
Shah helped Modi win the biggest general election mandate in three decades by sweeping 71 of 80 seats in the northern state, whose 200 million population is as big as Brazil’s.
“If Shah wins Uttar Pradesh, then no one can stop Modi from becoming the prime minister again,” said one senior BJP leader.
(Reuters)
Ahmedabad: Mallika Sarabhai, social activist, dancer and daughter of renowned Bharatnatyam exponent Mrinalini Sarabhai, has criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not paying tributes to her mother who died on Thursday.
Mallika Sarabhai took to Facebook to ask why Modi, who belongs to Gujarat, had not bothered to condole the death of her 97-year-old mother.
“My dear prime minister. You hate my politics and I hate yours, that has nothing to do with what Mrinalini Sarabhai did to promote the culture of this country to the world over 60 years. She blazed a trailer for our culture in the world,” Mallika Sarabhai said.
“That her death sees no word from you shows your mentality. However much you hate me, as our prime minister it behove you to recognize her contribution. You have not. Shame on you.”
As an activist, Mallika Sarabhai continuously attacked the then Gujarat chief minister Modi for the 2002 communal riots in the state.
Mrinalini Sarabhai was a Padma Bhushan awardee. She founded Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, an institute for imparting training in dance, drama, music and puppetry.
(IANS)
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today visited the strategic Pathankot Air Force base for a first-hand assessment of the situation in the aftermath of the terror attack last Saturday.
Security forces had yesterday declared the sprawling Air Force station fully sanitised after a massive combing operation spanning over three days.
“The combing operation at the Air Force station is over,” a senior IAF official said, adding the entire area has been sanitised.
Six terrorists, believed to owe allegiance to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed were gunned down by the security forces after a four-day gun battle. Seven Indian security personnel also lost their lives.
The operation to ensure that no terrorist was hiding was carried out jointly by Army, NSG and IAF’s Garud commandos.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had also visited the base on January five.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had called up Modi and promised action against the perpetrators of the brazen attack.
During his visit, the Prime Minister is also likely to undertake an aerial survey of the Indo-Pak border areas, official sources said.
Elaborate security arrangements are in place in Pathankot for Modi’s visit and media has been stationed near the entrance of the air base.
During his visit to the strategic facility on January 5, Parrikar had admitted to “some gaps” that led to the attack.
The perpetrators were believed to have infiltrated the Indian territory from a spot near Bamiyal village in Pathankot located close to the international border.
(Agencies)
New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday promised his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi that Islamabad will take “prompt and decisive action” against terrorists linked to the attack on the IAF base in Pathankot.
Sharif gave the assurance after New Delhi provided “specific and actionable information” to Islamabad regarding the terrorists, and Modi underlined the need for Pakistan to take “firm and immediate action” against organisations and individuals responsible for the attack.
The Sharif-Modi telephonic conversation followed the killing of all six terrorists believed to be from Pakistan after they attacked the Indian Air Force base early on Saturday, leaving seven security personnel dead.
An official statement said Modi received a call on Tuesday afternoon from Sharif “regarding the terrorist attack on the Pathankot air base”.
“Modi strongly emphasised the need for Pakistan to take firm and immediate action against the organisations and individuals responsible for and linked to the Pathankot terrorist attack,” the statement said.
It said specific and actionable information in this regard has been provided to Pakistan.
“Sharif assured Modi that his government would take prompt and decisive action against the terrorists,” it added.
Modi and Sharif met on Christmas Day when the Indian leader, while flying home from Kabul, dramatically made a two-hour halt in Lahore.
The Lahore visit came after a series of diplomatic engagements between New Delhi and Islamabad after the two leaders had a seemingly impromptu meeting on November 30 at the Paris climate summit.
Following this, on December 6, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Pakistani counterpart Naseer Khan Janjua met in Bangkok which was also attended by Foreign Secretaries S. Jaishankar and Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry.
Two days later, Sushma Swaraj landed in Islamabad to attend the Heart of Asia conference which engages “heart of Asia” countries for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.
On December 9, Sushma Swaraj told the media there that Modi would visit Islamabad in 2016 to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit.
Then, after a courtesy call on Sharif, she held a bilateral with his Advisor on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz.
The two then came out with a joint statement in which Pakistan assured India that all steps were being taken to expedite the early conclusion of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack trial.
“Both sides, accordingly, agreed to a comprehensive bilateral dialogue and directed the the foreign secretaries to work out the modalities and schedule of the meetings under the dialogue, including peace and security, CBMs (confidence buildins measures), Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project, economic and commercial cooperation, counter-terrorism, narcotics control, humanitarian issues, people-to-people exchanges and religious tourism,” the statement said.
Even as the stage was being set for the foreign secretary-level meeting in the middle of this month between the two sides came the Pathankot attack that is being deemed as an attack on the softening of ties between New Delhi and Islamabad.
(Agencies)
Lahore: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said it is “high time” India and Pakistan set aside their hostilities even as he expressed confidence that the spirit of goodwill generated by his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi’s visit to Lahore will persist.
“The Indian Prime Minister came to Lahore and gave us his few hours. It is high time the countries put aside their hostilities,” Sharif said.
“Goodwill gestures are the solution to many an ill,” he told reporters at Zhob airport in Balochistan.
Sharif also thanked Modi for visiting Lahore last week.
Modi had sprung a surprise when he visited Lahore on the occasion of Sharif’s 66th birthday and his granddaughter’s wedding on December 25.
“It has been agreed that we will re-start the dialogue between Pakistan and India,” Sharif said, adding that “progress is being made in bilateral negotiations with India”.
The Pakistan premier’s comments came a day after his Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said that foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan will meet in Islamabad on January 14-15 to prepare a schedule of meeting for the comprehensive dialogue covering Jammu and Kashmir and other issues.
Sharif also expressed optimism that India-Pakistan ties would improve in the days ahead and the “spirit of goodwill generated with Modi’s visit will continue to prevail”.
(PTI)
New Delhi: The Congress on Friday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lahore, saying the ruling BJP had replaced seasoned diplomats with businessmen to achieve its foreign policy goals.
“Has Prime Minister Narendra Modi and [External Affairs Minister] Sushma Swaraj earlier, when she went for the Heart of Asia conference in Islamabad, safeguarded and upheld India’s interests and India’s policy vis-à-vis the Taliban and the terror strikes to destabilise Afghanistan,” asked senior leader Anand Sharma at a press briefing.
“There is a very clear linkage in coming from Kabul to Lahore. The Prime Minister has compromised and surrendered to take personal interests forward,” he said.
Mr. Sharma’s remark was full of suspicion that the Prime Minister seemed to be favouring oligarchy over diplomacy and trading the long-term national interest for short-term business deals.
“It is now in the public domain that he used vested private business interests for a secret meeting with [Pakistan Prime Minister] Nawaz Sharif in Khatmandu, and the same channel he has used for the meeting in Lahore. The concerned industrialist who has a business partnership with the ruling establishment in Pakistan was there for the last two days. This has come out in the open,” he said.
(Agencies)
Kabul: Prime Minister Narendra Modi todayinaugurated the Parliament building which has been constructed by India at a cost of USD 90 million here.
The new parliament building in Afghanistan will stand as a symbol of ties between India and Afghanistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after the inauguration ceremony.
“It will stand as an enduring symbol of the ties of emotions and values, of affection and aspirations that bind us in a special relationship,” the prime minister said.
“The great Afghan people waged an epic struggle of courage and resolve to shape their future with vote and debate and not gun and violence.”
Modi said he stands on behalf of “1.25 billion friends in India in admiration for your achievements and in gratitude for your friendship.”
He said the day was special as it was former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birthday, adding he was “deeply touched” that a block in the new building was named ‘Atal block’.
Earlier, Khaama press reported that Ghani and Modi toured the parliament building, including the main session hall in the presence of guests, including member of the Afghan parliament.
PM has arrived on a visit during which he is expected to hold talks with Afghan leadership, including President Ashraf Ghani.
Modi who flew in the wee hours from Moscow, where he had annual summit talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, was received by Afghan National Security Adviser Mohammad Hanif Atmar and deputy Foreign minister Hekmat Karzai.
“From Russia to Afghanistan. A pre-dawn arrival in Kabul begins a day of engagements with another dost,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.
On his arrival Modi said, “delighted to be in Kabul among friends. Will meet Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah and former President Hamid Karzai”.
Modi will be holding talks with Afghan leaders on key bilateral issues, including security co-operation and discuss the ways to help war-torn country where India has committed over two billion assistance.
The Prime Minister will also be inaugurating the Parliament building and expected to address the Afghan lawmakers.
The Parliament building project, which was initially conceived at a cost of USD 45 million, was started by India in 2007 as a mark of friendship and cooperation to help rebuild Afghanistan.
Significantly, prior to the Prime Minister’s visit, India has delivered three Mi 25 attack helicopters to Afghanistan, in what is seen as a shift in its strategy towards the strife-torn country.
Defence sources said that three such choppers have already been delivered to the Afghan government, which will boost its capability against Taliban terrorists.
The Parliament building project, which was initially conceived at a cost of USD 45 million, was started by India in 2007 as a mark of friendship and cooperation to help rebuild Afghanistan.
Situated between historic landmarks King’s Palace “Darulaman” and the Queen’s Palace – the building has elements of Mughal and modern architecture and has Asia’s largest dome as its key feature.
The building will house the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House) with a seating capacity of 294, a 190-seat Meshrano Jirga (Upper House), besides other facilities like conference hall and press room.
Meanwhile, Mi 25 choppers were taken to Afghanistan in a C-17 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force, sources said.
While Afghanistan has repeatedly sought India’s support in beefing up its military’s fighting capability in terms of machinery, India had shied away till now.
The development came after the recent visit of Afghan National Security Adviser Mohammad Hanif Atmar to New Delhi.
Afghanistan has till now been dependent on the US air support in its operations against the Taliban.
However, with the American forces pulling out that country to a large extent, the Afghan forces will be using the Mi 25 now.
(Agencies)
Kabul: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that he will meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Lahore on his way back to New Delhi.
Now in Kabul, Modi tweeted that he spoke to Sharif over telephone and wished him on his birthday.
“Looking forward to meeting Sharif in Lahore today afternoon when I will drop by on my way back to Delhi.”
(Agencies)
Kabul: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to discuss a wide range of issues, including security and bilateral cooperation.
Modi met Ghani soon after his arrival here from Moscow in the wee hours. He was accorded a ceremonial welcome after which Ghani warmly received him at presidential palace.
“A meeting between friends…President @ashrafghani warmly welcomes PM @narendramodi as they begin their meeting,” Prime Minister’s office tweeted.
“The embrace of a friend, the strength of a true partner. Prez @ashrafghani welcomes PM @narendramodi in Kabul,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted.
On his arrival here, Modi was received by Afghan National Security Adviser Mohammad Hanif Atmar and deputy Foreign minister Hekmat Karzai.
“From Russia to Afghanistan. A pre-dawn arrival in Kabul begins a day of engagements with another dost,” Swarup tweeted.
Modi will also be holding talks with other Afghan leaders, including Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah and former President Hamid Karzai.
His talks with Afghan leaders will be focused on key bilateral issues including security co-operation and the ways to help the war-torn country where India has committed over USD two billion assistance.
He will also inaugurate the Parliament building which has been constructed by India at a cost of USD 90 million. He is expected to address the Afghan lawmakers.
The Parliament building project, which was initially conceived at a cost of USD 45 million, was started by India in 2007 as a mark of friendship and cooperation to help rebuild Afghanistan.
Significantly, prior to the Prime Minister’s visit, India has delivered three Mi 25 attack helicopters to Afghanistan, in what is seen as a shift in its strategy towards the strife-torn country.
Defence sources said that three such choppers have already been delivered to the Afghan government, which will boost its capability against Taliban terrorists.
(PTI)