My Opinion

In a hard-hitting attack on Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, Congress must tell the nation who bowed to foreign pressure and prevented the Indian armed forces from mounting a military response after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.
Addressing people while inaugurating the Navi Mumbai airport on Wednesday, Modi , without naming Congress leader P. Chidambaram, said: “A Congress leader, who has been the Home Minister, has said, India was ready to respond after 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai, but because of pressure exerted by some country, the then Congress government prevented Indian armed forces from attacking Pakistan. Congress must clarify who was the person who took this decision and who ignored the sentiments of the people of Mumbai and rest of India. The nation has the right to know. This decision emboldened terrorists and weakened national security.”
I have seen P. Chidambaram’s interview to which Prime Minister Modi has referred. What Chidambaram said was quite clear.
One, he wanted India to attack Pakistan after the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai, our armed forces were ready to strike. Two, the then government did not take military action because of pressure from America. Three, the External Affairs ministry had conveyed that the US had dissuaded India from taking any action and India did not take any action.
This matter came to light earlier too. But it is now significant because the then Home Minister P. Chidambaram has now revealed it.
Modi mentioned it in his speech because, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had been consistently saying after the 4-day armed conflict with Pakistan that Modi “surrendered” to Donald Trump. The fact is, Modi has now turned the tables.
First, by taking military action against terror hideouts deep inside Pakistan, he conveyed the message that he did not fear, nor bowed before anybody, and today, he reminded the people of India that it was the Congress government in 2008 which had surrendered to America post-26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Akhilesh meets Azam Khan : Will the ice be broken?

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav went to Rampur for a two-hour closed-door meeting with Azam Khan, recently released from prison. Akhilesh took Rampur MP Mohibullah Nadvi with him for the meeting, but when Azam Khan sent message that he would meet no one else for this one-to-one meeting, Nadvi was left behind in Bareilly.
After the meeting, Azam Khan said, “I am not a bird that flies from one branch to another. I shall not leave the Samajwadi Party”. Akhilesh Yadav described Azam Khan as the “oldest and strongest tree” of Samajwadi Party. The SP chief said, whatever people may say, Azam Khan’s blessings shall always be with the party.
Neither Azam Khan nor Akhilesh revealed what was discussed behind closed doors. In the morning, Azam Khan had said, he has not forgotten that Akhilesh had given Mohibullah Nadvi the ticket to contest from Rampur despite his reservations.
When Azam Khan was in jail, Nadvi had commented that Azam Khan is in “a reformatory” and he hoped he would come out as “a reformed man”.
Mohibullah Nadvi is of Turkish origin, while Azam Khan is a Pathan. Among the Muslims of Rampur, Turks and Pathans remain at loggerheads. Akhilesh Yadav wanted a patch-up today, but Azam Khan refused to shake hands.
UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar said, Akhilesh is fearing the possibility of Azam Khan and Shivpal Singh Yadav joining hands to form a new party. UP deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak described this meeting as a “political compulsion” because SP has lost much of its base in Rampur.
Akhilesh Yadav and Azam Khan have a very old relationship. Azam Khan was one of the most trusted leaders of late Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Azam Khan has this habit of speaking out bitterly in public, but with a flair of its own. His remarks are biting, but dipped in sweet syrup. His remarks are always overloaded with meanings.
The fact remains that Azam Khan, after his release from prison, is a bitter man nowadays. He still feels that nobody supported him when he was in crisis. Leaders from various parties are interpreting the outcome of this meeting differently.
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In a massive boost to India’s defence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has embarked on major plans to acquire weapons, missiles and 5th generation stealth fighter jets.
On Thursday, India successfully tested its nuclear-capable Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile from a rail-based mobile launcher system. This missile can reach up to 2,000 km and all corners of Pakistan can come within its range.
With this, India has joined an elite group of nations, like US, Russia, North Korea, and China, which have the capability of firing railcar-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs. India can now fire an ICBM from anywhere on its vast rail network spreading from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and from Gujarat to Assam.
Former DRDO director general Hari Babu Srivastava said, the test firing of rail-based Agni Prime will send a clear message to Pakistan. Agni-Prime is the hybrid version of Agni-4 and Agni-5.
The importance of rail-based missile launcher was realized during the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel in June this year. Israeli air force used to target all Iranian missile launchers by detecting their locations through satellites. Because of this, Iranian army had to change its locations frequently.
In a second major announcement, Prime Minister Modi said on Thursday that India and Russia will be jointly producing latest weapons. Reports suggest, India and Russia may jointly produce Sukhoi-57 fifth generation stealth fighter jets, which can evade radars. The US had offered F-35 fighter jets for sale to India. Soon after Russia offered joint production of Su-57 stealth fighter jets. Russia has also offered joint production of its S-70B combat drones which can engage enemy radars and air defence systems.
Russia wants to jointly produce S-500 Prometheus, considered one of the world’s most advanced air defence system, with India. S-500 can easily target enemy ballistic and hypersonic missiles in air. Russia has deployed S-500 air defence system in Crimea against Ukraine. It is so powerful that it can down enemy stealth fighter jets and even low-earth orbit satellites.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will be visiting India in December and chances are that India and Russia may sign some major defence deals. The ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ that PM Modi announced from Red Fort this year, includes S-500 Prometheus.
Already India and Russia are jointly producing BrahMos supersonic missiles and all its three versions are now with the armed forces. Both countries have already begun joint production of AK-203 rifles in their factory in Amethi, UP under the aegis of Indo-Russian Rifles Pvt Ltd.
Major General S K Sharma, heading this joint venture, said, 70 per cent indigenous components have been used in manufacturing AK-203 rifles. Already,18,000 AK-203 rifles have been handed over to our army in the last 18 months. 22,000 more rifles will be delivered by December this year. This company has got a contract to manufacture more than six lakh AK-203 rifles in the next ten years.
On Thursday, Defence Ministry signed one of its biggest deals, worth Rs 62,370 crore with public sector company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for manufacture of 68 single seater Tejas Mk-1 light combat aircraft and 29 twin seater trainer aircraft. Delivery will begin from 2027-28 onwards.
HAL CMD D. K. Sunil told India TV defence editor Manish Prasad that the first lot of 12 Tejas aircraft is almost ready and will be delivered by December. Work is now going on for Tejas Mk-2 aircraft.
It should be a matter of pride for all of us that today we are manufacturing our own fighter jets and preparing to jointly produce the latest air defence systems. In this modern age, it is essential that we become self-reliant in defence and obtain full technology transfer, so that in times of war, our armed forces will not have to be dependent on other countries.
During Operation Sindoor, India showed to the world how its BrahMos missiles can work with pinpoint precision and cause heavy damage to the enemy. The world is today sitting up to take note of our missiles.
For 60 to 65 years since Independence, nobody even thought of manufacturing weapons, missiles and fighter jets in India. Most of the attention was given to buy thousands of crores worth weapons from abroad and there used to be reports of bribes being taken in almost every defence deal.
Narendra Modi changed this entire line of thinking. He prepared a defence policy for India, where weapons and equipment will be manufactured in India and there will be technology transfer. Work has begun.
Our armed forces have a huge list of requirements. It will take time for us to be self-reliant in defence. In English, there is a saying: ‘Well begun is half done’. The missiles, rifles and fighter jets that are being made send a good signal.

Ladakh statehood : Let the talks begin

An uneasy calm prevails in Leh and Kargil after arson and violence on Wednesday that led to the death of four persons and injuries to nearly 90 people. The Home Ministry said, the violence was a result of pre-meditated political conspiracy and social activist Sonam Wangchuk was partly responsible for this.
In a 10-point statement, the Home Ministry said, Wangchuk, in his speech, had mentioned about Arab Spring-style protest and Nepal’s Gen-Z movement. This led to youths resorting to widespread arson and violence.
The ministry said, the government’s high-powered committee and sub-committees are already engaged in talks with different parties and leaders, and reservation for Scheduled Tribes in Ladakh has been raised from 45 pc to 84 pc, recruitment to 1,800 posts has begun and women have been given 33 pc reservation in local council. The statement also said, Bhoti and Purgi have been given official language status in Ladakh.
On his part, Sonam Wangchuk alleged that the Centre was trying to make him a scapegoat and he had nothing to do with violence. He said, he used the Gen-Z word in some different context, and his words were being thoroughly misinterpreted.
Wangchuk’s problems are going to increase. On Thursday, the Home Ministry revoked the FCRA licence of his NGO Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh, choking off his foreign donations. The ministry found that the NGO had already started collecting foreign donations even before it got the licence. The land lease given to Wangchuk’s NGO Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning has been cancelled. This 1,076 canal land was leased by the government to his NGO for 40 years.
One must learn lessons from the sudden violence that gripped Ladakh. It may be that Sonam Wangchuk could have incited people, or there may be a larger conspiracy.
But we should not ignore the core issue. People of Ladakh are demanding full statehood and talks must begin. People are seeking jobs, and if recruitments begin, then people should understand this fact too. Time is not lost. The situation is under control.
The nice people of Ladakh are nice and peace loving. They believe in democracy. We should regain their trust and must not delay talks. The message must go that the government might consider their demands with full sympathy and some ways would be found out.
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World leaders on Wednesday (Sept 17) made phone calls to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sent messages of good wishes to him on is 75th birthday . The first phone call came at midnight from US President Donald Trump from his plane Air Force One.
Trump later wrote on Truth Social: “Just had a wonderful call with my friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I wished him a very Happy Birthday! He is doing a tremendous job. Narendra: Thank you for your support in ending the War between Russia and Ukraine! President DJT.”
Modi responded on X: “Thank you, my friend President Trump, for your phone call and warm greetings on my 75th birthday. Like you, I am also fully committed to taking the India-US Comprehensive and Global Partnership to new heights. We support your initiatives towards a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict.”
The phone call between Modi and Trump took place after a gap of nearly three months. The last time, they spoke on phone was on June 17, when the Prime Minister had gone to Canada to attend the G7 Outreach Summit, which Trump had left earlier than scheduled.
Wednesday’s phone call was significant because there were media reports that Modi did not receive several calls made by Trump, after he consistently claimed that he had brokered the India-Pakistan ceasefire. The relationship soured when the US slapped the highest 50 pc tariff on Indian goods, but when Modi went to SCO Summit and met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump changed his stance and said, India is a trusted partner.
The main reason behind making the midnight phone call to Modi is the Russia-Ukraine war which Trump wants to end early. It appears Trump wants to take Modi’s help because he knows the Russian President to be a good friend of Modi. The Indian Prime Minister had requested Putin to end the Ukraine war at the soonest. Overall, it is a good development for India.
Putin also phoned Modi and in a message published on the Kremlin website, he wrote: “Dear Mr Prime Minister, please accept my heartfelt congratulations on the occasion of your 75th birthday. You are making a great personal contribution to strengthening the special privileged strategic partnership between our countries, to developing mutual beneficial Russian-Indian cooperation in various areas.”
The prime ministers of Italy, New Zealand, Australia and Israel were among the world leaders who sent birthday wishes to Modi. Italian PM Georgia Meloni, in her social media post, described Modi as her inspiration.
Those sceptics in India who had declared Modi’s foreign policy as a failed one, should have realized by now that Modi’s stature among world leaders is still intact.
Those who were jumping in joy over the tense relationship between Trump and Modi have now found their hopes dashed.
Those who were describing Modi as a weak leader vis-à-vis Xi Jinping, have found their celebrations spoiled. After reading the messages from Putin, Netanyahu, Albanese, Meloni and other world leaders, they may be having some cause for worry.
People of Indian origin living across the globe are witness to the fact that India is now respected throughout the world. And credit for this goes to Narendra Modi.

Pakistan Cricket Team’s Drama Misfired in Dubai

Pakistan cricket board created a drama before its team’s Asia Cup match against UAE on Wednesday evening.
First, Pakistan refused to play the match with UAE and asked its team to go back to the hotel, but a few hours later, it tamely sent its team to the stadium to play the match.
PCB wrote two letters to the International Cricket Council demanding that the match referee Andy Pycroft be removed. At the same time, PCB threatened to walk out of Asia Cup tournament, if the match referee was not removed.
ICC rejected PCB’s request twice and refused to remove the match referee. When the Pakistani players were about to board the bus to go to the stadium, a phone call came from Lahore, and the team went back to the hotel. It was claimed that Pakistan will not play the match.
It was a cheap pressure tactic against the ICC, a mere drama.
Soon afterwards, PCB held a press conference in Islamabad to clarify that no final decision has been taken for boycotting the match and talks with ICC are in progress.
The match was delayed for an hour, and soon after, orders came for the team to leave for the stadium. The match referee was not changed and it was Andy Pycroft who conducted the toss ritual.
The question is: if Pakistan wanted to play the match, why such a big drama? If they wanted to boycott the match, why did they send the players to the stadium? What was Pakistan’s compulsion?
One thing is sure. Team India has given such a pain in the neck to Pakistan that their cricket officials are still groaning. Putting up a brave face, Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s Home Minister and chairman of PCB, claimed, “Pakistan got what it wanted and therefore sent its team to the ground.”
Another former PCB chief Najam Sethi told a big lie. Sethi said, Pakistan had demanding Andy Pycroft’s apology for the handshake controversy, and Pycroft has apologised to the entire Pakistani team.
When the match against UAE was hanging in suspense, Pakistani fans who had bought tickets worth 700 dirhams (Rs 17,000 approx) asked, what was the need for such a big drama? If the team is unhappy with India, let it give its reply on the ground, why such a rigmarole? By doing this, they are bringing insults to their nation.
The claim that is being made that Pycroft apologized is a white lite. The fact is: all conditions set by Pakistan were rejected.
First, Pakistan demanded that Andy Pycroft by removed as match referee for the rest of the tournament. It was rejected.
Then it demanded that Pycroft be removed from matches involving Pakistan. It was also not accepted.
Ultimately, with Pycroft as referee, Pakistan played the match against UAE.
Whatever claims that Pakistani officials make, the truth is Pakistan could not summon the courage to boycott the Asia Cup, because PCB officials know that if they had boycotted the tournament, PCB would have been slapped with a $16 million (Rs 140 crore) fine. With its finance in dire straits, Pakistan could not face such a big loss. In the end, a drama was enacted to save its face.
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The handshake controversy at Sunday’s India-Pakistan match in Asia Cup has riled both Pakistan Cricket Board and its former cricketers. On Pakistani news channels, some of their former players openly abused Indian players for not shaking hands with Pakistanis after the match.
Former Pakistan cricket captain Mohammed Yousuf went to the extent of using a cuss word against Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav. He used the expletive ‘suar’ (pig). He used this word twice on a TV show, as other panellists and the anchor laughed.
Mohammed Yousuf also demanded that Pakistan Cricket Board should boycott Indian cricket commentators.
It is interesting to note that Mohammed Yousuf is a Christian turned Muslim. His original name was Yousuf Yohana and he changed it to Mohammed Yousuf after converting to Islam. Religion may be his personal choice, but fingers will be raised at him for abusing the Indian captain.
When he was a Christian, Yousuf Yohana used to complain that he faced religious discrimination inside the dressing room and his mates used to abuse him. The same man is abusing the Indian captain now.
Another former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi blamed Prime Minister Modi for what happened at the match. Afridi alleged that Modi and his party BJP had been inciting people in the name of religion and at least, Rahul Gandhi was better than Modi. Afridi alleged, Modi wants to convert India into another Israel, and so long as Modi is in power, India-Pakistan relations will never improve.
Mohammed Yousuf crossed all limits of decency and Shahid Afridi also did the same.
Afridi should ask his own government why Imran Khan, who brought laurels for Pakistan in international cricket, is rotting in jail? When will Pakistan release its most famous cricketer from jail?
Shahid Afridi should ask Army Chief Asim Munir why he sent terrorists to kill innocent Indian citizens in cold blood?
Afridi should ask Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar why he wept when his entire family was killed during Operation Sindoor? Why didn’t Masood Azhar shun terrorism?
Afridi must know, Operation Sindoor will continue so long as terrorists are given a free hand by the Pakistani rulers. He must watch the video of Jaish commander Masood Ilias Kashmiri lamenting the death of Masood Azhar’s family members in the Bahawalpur air strike.
The Jaish commander was addressing a huge rally of several thousand people. He admitted that family members of Jaish chief were blown to bits in the Indian air strike on Jaish headquarters in Bahawalpur.

Shocker to Pak: America can’t be the mediator

On one hand, Pakistan’s ex-cricketers and terrorists are spewing venom, but on the other hand, Pakistan government is eager for starting talks with India. It has sought America’s help in initiating talks with India. Pakistan foreign minister Ishaq Dar, a close associate of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, said in an interview to Al Jazeera TV channel on Tuesday that Pakistan was willing for talks, but India is unwilling.
He said, Pakistan sought US help, but US Secretary of State Marco Rubio clearly told him that India has told the US, Americans should stay off from this bilateral issue, because India does not want any third party mediation.
Ishaq Dar’s revelation has come at a time when Pakistan PM Shahbaz Sharif is preparing to go to New York to address the UN General Assembly. Shahbaz Sharif is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump and there are reports that Pakistan army chief Asif Munir will also be present.
Both of them are trying to their best to appease Donald Trump, because of a bi-partisan bill that has come up in the US Congress for imposing sanctions against Pakistani generals and officials for human rights violations. Asim Munir and Shahbaz Sharif are trying their best to block this sanction.
There is possibility of a US-Pak deal on giving America its share in the world’s biggest Reko Diq copper-gold mine in Baluchistan. Already, Canadian, Finnish, Japanese and American companies are trying to develop this copper and gold mine and Trump wants his cut.
President Donald Trump has himself admitted that he had offered to mediate on Kashmir issue while talking to Prime Minister Modi, who flatly refused any mediation.
Trump had then said, ‘Modi is a tough man’. Modi told him that we are capable of solving our problems, but Pakistan had been shamelessly seeking American mediation.
The Trump administration is trying to keep Pakistan in good humour. Different people are citing various reasons. Some say, Trump’s family has done a big crypto currency deal with Pakistan, while some others say, the US is eyeing Pakistan’s copper and gold mines.
Trump had claimed a few days ago that the US would explore oil in Pakistan. Some of the speculations could be true, because already there are indications of a deal between the US and Pakistan.
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In one of his strongest attacks on RJD and Congress in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday told a rally in Purnea that both these parties are trying to protect infiltrators, but his government would not allow this to happen.
Modi said: “Today, from this land of Purnea, I want to explain one thing to these people clearly. RJD and Congress people, listen to me with open ears. Whoever is an infiltrator will have to go. It is the firm responsibility of the NDA to stop infiltration.”
Modi chose Purnea because it has a Muslim population of more than 40 per cent and is considered a bastion of RJD-Congress-led Mahagathbandhan. He inaugurated and laid the foundation of projects relating to railway, irrigation, airport and power to the tune of Rs 40,000 crore. The crowd waited for the PM for nearly three hours as Modi was late in reaching Purnea from Kolkata.
Modi alleged that during RJD rule, the ‘Hand’(Congress symbol) in connivance with ‘Lantern’(RJD symbol) was looting the public exchequer and benefiting “dynastic parties”.
Purnea is the region where the maximum number of names of voters has been deleted during the recently held SIR (Special Intensive Revision) of electoral rolls by the Election Commission.
By launching new Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat trains from Purnea and by opening the new terminal of Purnea airport, Modi has ensured electoral advantage for his party in the forthcoming Bihar elections.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, at the rally, read out the full list of public welfare schemes implemented and asked people to stand up in ovation for Modi.
On the other hand, RJD and Congress seem to be contented patting those who hurled abuses at Modi’s late mother. They have been describing Nitish Kumar as a weak chief minister. Nitish Kumar replied back in his own style.
Purnea MP Pappu Yadav, who was present at the rally, thanked PM Modi for the new airport and new trains. It is now up to the Congress and RJD to ask Pappu Yadav why he praised Prime Minister Modi publicly at the rally.

How Team India rubbed salt into Pakistan’s wounds

Pakistan got a rap on its knuckles on Tuesday when the International Cricket Council rejected its demand to remove Andy Pycroft from the Asia Cup match referee panel for allowing Indian players not to shake hands with Pakistanis during the Sunday match.
Pakistan Cricket Board had threatened to walk out of the tournament, but, according to latest reports, it has decided not to boycott.
It was a double whammy for Pakistan, when it was defeated by Team India easily by a margin of seven wickets and soon after the victory, Indian players walked back to the pavilion without doing the traditional handshake with Pakistani players.
Also, after the toss, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav did not shake hands with Pakistani skipper Salman Ali Agha.
Yadav dedicated it to the Indian Army jawans who taught Pakistan a lesson during Operation Sindoor and also to the victims of Pahalgam who were killed in cold blood by Pakistani terrorists.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Home Minister and chairman of Asian Cricket Council, alleged that India violated the ICC Code of Conduct by refusing to shake hands with rival players. He suspended the PCB international cricket director Usman Wahla for delay in lodging the complaint against India.
Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav said, some matters are more important than sportsman spirit and cricketing courtesy, like the Pahalgam massacre. He justified his team’s stand in not shaking hands with the rival players.
Yadav said, “we are Indians first and the entire team stands with the families of terror victims and we dedicate our win to our armed forces.”
Former Pakistani players like Tanveer Ahmed, Moin Khan and Shoaib Akhtar chafed at India for refusing to shake hands. Tanvir Ahmed and Moin Khan said, PCB officials should now refuse to shake hands with BCCI counterparts. Shoaib Akhtar said, Pakistani players stand with their army and it would be better if such matters are kept away from the playground.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said, India has already decided not to play bilateral matches with Pakistan, but at international tournaments, it is not India which decides whom to play against. “What our players did was a correct reflection of the sentiments of our nation”, the minister said.
Let me put matters in perspective. One, India should not have played the match against Pakistan. Now that Pakistan has been defeated, public anger has somewhat softened, but Pakistan has this habit of crying after every defeat, whether on the cricket pitch or in the theatre of war.
It would have been better if Pakistan had confined itself to express sadness over its defeat. Instead, it is crying hoarse over why Indians did not shake hands with its players. Had our players shook hands with their counterparts, Pakistan would have hollered, why Indians did not hug us.
Pakistan’s team should be more worried over why its batters and bowlers failed. But they are crying why the doors of the Indian dressing room was kept shut. The doors were shut the day Pakistani cricketers supported those terrorists who killed our innocent people in cold blood.
I would like to praise Suryakumar Yadav for dedicating this win to our army and to the victims of Pahalgam.

Vantara : A Triumph of Justice, Victory for the Voiceless

The Supreme Court on Monday gave a clean chit to Reliance Foundation’s animal rescue and rehabilitation centre, Vantara. A bench of Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice P B Varale cleared Vantara of all charges relating to smuggling, money laundering and violation of statutory laws in sourcing animals.
The apex court said, no court or administrative forum in the country will henceforth entertain any complaint or proceedings on these allegations in future.
The court order was based on a special investigation team (SIT) report prepared by former Supreme Court judge J. Chelameswar along with three other members, former Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court Raghavendra Chauhan, former Mumbal police commissioner Hemant Nagrale and former IRS officer Anish Gupta.
In a press statement, Vantara has described the apex court order as a triumph of justice.
Supreme Court was right when it ordered setting up of an SIT to investigate all allegations against Vantara, being run by Anant Ambani. The head of the SIT was former Justice Chelameshwar, about whom nobody can say that he is pro-government. Nobody can now say that Prime Minister Narendra Modi saved Ambani in this matter.
The point to note is that Anant Ambani built a world class facility for rescue and rehabilitation of sick and invalid animals in a natural environment.
Anant Ambani could have invested this money in building hotels or casinos or in any other business and could have earned millions of rupees. But he devoted his time, money and mind to save animals and birds by providing them proper care in a natural environment.
These voiceless animals will never be able to say ‘Thank You’ to him, but their eyes will surely light up with gratitude and love.
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In a major step towards economic reforms, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has restructured the GST rates by lowering tax on almost all essential goods and services, while reducing the tax slabs from four to two. Two slabs – 12 per cent and 28 per cent – have been abolished. There will be only two major slabs now – 5 per cent and 18 per cent.
Paan Masala, cigarettes and tobacco along with other costly luxurious goods like cars and carbonated water products will face a sin tax of 40 per cent.
All daily food items, home appliances, cars, bikes, life saving drugs, tractors and agricultural appliances are now in the lower tax slab. GST on individual health insurance and life insurance has been abolished. People will now have to less premium on life and medical insurance.
The holy festival of Navratra begins on September 22. From this date, the new GST rates will be implemented. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described this as a Diwali bonanza for the common man. GST now means Good and Simple Tax, he said.
Modi pointed out how during the Congress rule, people used to burdened under the weight of steep taxes. He hoped that the lifestyle of people would now improve and it would give a big boost to the economy.
None of the political parties have criticised the new GST slabs. However, Congress has tried to claim credit for this. One needs to make a comparison on how goods used to be taxed during Congress rule and how goods will now be taxed under the new slabs during Modi’s rule.
Let me give some examples, there was 27 pc tax on soap, toothpaste and hair oil during Congress rule and it will now be only 5 per cent. Tax on sewing machines was 16 pc during Congress rule, and it is now 5 pc. There was 29 pc tax on cement during Congress rule, and now it will be 18 pc. Bottled water used to be taxed at 18 pc during Congress rule and now it will be 5 pc.
There are many such comparisons. The question is not about cheaper commodities only. The changes made by Prime Minister Modi in GST are not only part of tax reforms, but will benefit every class of consumers. Commodities of daily use will now become cheaper and the quality of life will improve. Small traders will benefit from rise in sales, and it will have a good effect on manufacturing sector, which will provide jobs to more people.
The GST reforms will have a good impact on the overall growth of Indian economy. The procedure for depositing GST and obtaining refund has now become easier. For traders and businessmen, this will be a boon.
On the whole, Next Gen GST reforms will have a direct impact on economic growth. No need to say that Narendra Modi will be reaping the political benefits.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a speech filled with tears and emotion, said on Tuesday that his mother was abused during the Congress-RJD rally in Bihar and this act has insulted every mother and sister of the country.
Addressing nearly 20 lakh women through video conferencing while launching the Bihar Rajya Jeevika Nidhi Saakh Sahkari Sangh, Modi reminisced about his late mother Hiraben.
Modi said in an emotional voice: “My mother used to work even when she was sick. She saved every paisa to buy clothes for us. There are crores of such hardworking mothers. In India, a mother is placed on a pedestal higher than that of a goddess… The abuses that were hurled at my mother from a Congress-RJD stage was not just for her, but for crores of mothers and sisters. Princes born in rich families with a golden or silver spoon in their mouth, will never understand the sufferings of a poor mother and her son’s struggles. …I want to tell the people of Bihar, Modi may forgive this insult, but the land of Bihar and India will never tolerate such an insult to a mother”.
Soon after the PM’s speech, protests were held in different parts of the country and the NDA gave a call for Bihar Bandh on November 4.
The emotional touch with which Modi spoke displayed the immense hurt that was caused to him by Congress workers who shouted filthy abuse in Darbhanga. Congress and RJD leaders in Bihar are now on the defensive.
The hurt caused to Narendra Modi is understandable. Any son will feel hurt if he hears people abusing one’s mother. Modi’s mother Hiraben passed away three years ago. She was never in politics. She did not hurt anybody. Was she abused only because her son is the Prime Minister?
Had Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav condemned this act by their supporters on that very day itself, heavens would not have fallen. They continued with their yatra. Had they expressed regret, it wouldn’t have snowballed into a big issue.
Probably the two leaders have large-sized egos. Soon after the incident, a Congress leader described it as a conspiracy, another leader said it was the work of an ordinary party worker. Soon after, other leaders indulged in whataboutery listing out the times when who abused whom.
In politics, there is no place for filthy abuses. It must be condemned. To indulge in whataboutery by alleging who had abused whom in the past, Congress leaders cannot say they have got the licence to abuse. The people of India do not approve filthy language. Politically, Tejashwi Yadav may have to face loss because of this. He will have to pay the price for insulting a departed mother.

Who will hear the cries of Gurugram ?

Flood situation has worsened in Punjab after heavy discharge of water from Bhakra and Pong dams, with the state government declaring flood as a state calamity. Flood in Punjab has claimed 30 lives and had caused distress to over 3.5 lakh people.
In Haryana, Yamuna, Ghagghar and other rivers are in spate and several hundred villages have been inundated. Crops on several lakh hectares of land have been damaged.
The Millenium City of Gurugram faced waterlogging in most parts of the city after incessant rains for the past three days. Long traffic jams were witnessed on Monday and Tuesday because of waterlogged roads at Rajiv Chowk, Hero Honda Chowk, Iffco Chowk and Khirki Daula toll plaza.
Thousands of people living in posh multi-storeyed apartments and gated enclaves have remained locked inside their homes. They are unable to move out. Employees working in top multinational companies have been asked to work from home.
Techies vent out their anger through memes and stinging remarks on social media saying the city that contributes millions of crores as revenue to the government is now at a standstill. Local governance has almost completely failed. People who bought posh apartments for several crores of rupees are being forced to live the life of an insect.
What is the fault of the residents of Gurugram? Why do they have to wait in several kilometer long traffic jams for hours because of waterlogging?
Is it their fault that they contribute more than Rs 1 lakh crore as tax to the exchequer? Is it their fault that Haryana collects 45 pc of its GST from Gurugram alone, and Haryana’s GST collection is almost five times that of Punjab?
Is it the fault of Gurugram residents that they contribute 27 pc of Haryana’s revenue as excise? Residents of Gurugram pay crores in road tax, toll fee and all other taxes and yet their roads become rivers when its rains continuously. Those living in apartments worth Rs 50 crore are unable to move out of their homes.
Gurugram is the home for several top multinational companies where people from big cities of the world come and work. What is the message that is being sought to be conveyed to the rest of the world?
Who is bringing a bad name to Gurugram? Such waterlogging and traffic snarls have not taken place once. It has become an annual feature.
Who will change this situation? Who will take care of the residents of Gurugram? There are no answers to these questions.
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The world’s attention is now focussed on the forthcoming meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin.
Modi’s meeting with Xi is scheduled for Sunday before he attends the summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization. This is Modi’s first China visit after seven years.
Already, American and European media have started speculating what will happen if India and China join hands with Russia on the issue of trade. Russian President Vladimir Putin will be visiting India in December and this is surely going to raise tension in Washington DC.
On one hand, we have Trump and his advisers adopting a belligerent approach towards India, and on the other hand, India is engaged in quiet diplomacy. Modi is in Japan which has promised to invest 10 trillion yen in India in the next ten years. Modi hitched a ride with Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba on the bullet train on Saturday.
Meanwhile China has begun selling US treasury bonds and this has caused a huge pressure on the US government which is facing more than $35 trillion debt. Three top rating agencies including Moody’s and Fitch have lowered US credit ratings.
The Tianjin SCO summit is being seen as China’s major global presentation with leaders from 20 countreis and 10 international organizations going to take part.
China’s semi-official daily Global Times in its editorial has this headline: “China, India strengthening interaction a rational choice in a multipolar world”.
The editorial says, “India’s active participation in the SCO Tianjin Summit reflects its repositioning of the multilateral cooperation framework. …. The current recovery phase of China-India relations is primarily driven by shared strategic needs. Since the Galwan Valley incident, both sides have consumed considerable resources in managing border tensions. Increasingly, both countries recognize that allocating limited resources to economic development and more pressing strategic priorities – rather than endless border disputes – is the more rational choice.”
It is not a secret that Trump’s biggest rival in world trade is China. China has a $650+ billion goods and service trade with the US. This is the reason why Trump, despite wanting badly, could not impose steep tariff on China.
On the other hand, Russia is also the US’ old rival. Despite much efforts, Trump failed to persuade Putin to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine. Putin is working on his own objectives.
India-US relationship is old, and till a few months back, Trump-Modi ties were good. But due to his belligerence, Trump made his friend Modi his rival. He did not leave any stone unturned in spoling that friendly relationship. Trump deliberately harassed Modi by claiming that he brokered the ceasefire with Pakistan. His effort to bring both Asim Munir and Narendra Modi to a table failed. In the end, he slapped the highest tariff against India.
China was keeping a close watch on this failing relationship. It extended its hand of friendship towards India, and Modi agreed. Putin played a positive role in this. Putin has not forgotten that it was Modi who supported Russia in its worst moments. Despite US pressure, India imported crude oil from Russia.
Now if all these three big countries – India, Russia and China – come together because of Trump’s follies, it is the US President who must be held responsible. The contest is between a loudmouth and silent planners.
Modi is a past master in converting crisis into opportunity. If the SCO Summit ushers in a new world order, it may cause worries for the US.

Abusing Modi’s late mother : Congress, Who is responsible?

The Congress is now on the defensive after some of its workers shouted abusive slogans against PM Modi at a rally in Darbhanga, Bihar. BJP leaders are demanding public apology from Rahul Gandhi. In Patna and Kolkata, BJP and Congress supporters came to blows during protests. They used lathis and threw stones apart from ransacking party offices.
The Congress supporter Mohammed Rizvi alias Raja who has been arrested by Bihar Police from Bhapura Karmauni village, is a driver and runs a tyre puncture shop. Another local Congress leader Mohammed Naushad is under the scanner of police. Naushad had brought some anti-social elements to the meeting and BJP leaders are also demanding his arrest.
The Prime Minister’s late mother was abused by Congressmen, but the party is unwilling to speak on it. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar condemned the incident, while Home Minister Amit Shah, at a rally in Assam, said such an incident happened because Rahul Gandhi has been making objectionable remarks against the PM in most of his meetings in Bihar.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi is one of the most trenchant critics of Modi. But it goes to Owaisi’s credit that he never used gutter language against the Prime Minister. There is a clear difference between Owaisi and Rahul Gandhi.
Owaisi is Modi’s political rival, but Rahul Gandhi has deliberately opted for personal enmity towards Modi. If you watch Rahul speaking, he never goes by nuances while criticizing Modi. His remarks are brazen and insulting. He uses phrases like “Sun Modi, “Tu Kya Jaanta Hai”, “Modi Jhootha Hai”, “Modi Chor Hai”, etc.
Rahul Gandhi tries to show off that he is the only politician in the opposition who does not fear Modi and can abuse him. Congress workers and supporters have now taken the cue from their leader. They felt that if they hurl abuses at Modi, Rahul will be happy. Mohammed Rizvi committed this mistake and he is now behind bars. The abuses were hurled from a Congress platform, and yet the Congress says, it is a BJP conspiracy.
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav was the guest in my show ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ on Friday. He said, “Congress has forgotten Indian culture. In the Mahabharata, Shishupal hurled abuses at Lord Shri Krishna 100 times. When he abused Krishna for the 101th time, the Lord hurled his Sudarshan Chakra and dismembered him. The people of India are now waiting to use their Sudarshan Chakra at the Congress”.
You can watch Aap Ki Adalat with Mohan Yadav on Saturday night at 10 pm on India TV. Repeat telecasts will take place on Sunday at 10 am and 10 pm.
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The world is discussing why US President Donald Trump imposed the highest tariff on India. People in the US are also worried over Indian goods becoming costlier after the tariff was enforced.
Trump’s advisers are adding fire to the flames. His trade adviser Peter Navarro went to the extent of labelling the Russia-Ukraine conflict as ‘Modi’s War’. Another of his close advisers, Kevin Hassett, US National Economic Council director, accused India of “intransigence” in opening up its markets for American products. Hassett said, “If the Indians don’t budge, I don’t think President Trump will”.
Peter Navarro, after criticising India for purchasing crude from Russia, remarked on India’s thaw in relations with China. He said: “India, you are getting in bed with authoritarians. China invaded Aksai Chin and all your territory. They are not your friends. And Russia? Come on!”
Navarro alleged that the Russia-Ukraine conflict is “Modi’s war”, saying the “road to peace” runs partly “right through New Delhi”. In other words, he was saying, if India stops buying crude from Russia, the US will withdraw its additional tariff on India and the Ukraine conflict will come to an end.
The trade adviser’s logic does not carry weight, because another Trump adviser said, India refused to open up its agriculture and dairy sectors because of high US tariff. Since both Modi and Trump have adopted inflexible stands, the way out appears to be complicated.
There is no doubt that Trump has no genuine reason for imposing additional tariff on Indian products. Purchase of Russian oil is being projected as an excuse. Trump has himself admitted that the US is earning profit by selling weapons for the Ukraine conflict.
Experts have cited 4 main reasons for the rift between Trump and Modi.
Reason One: In July, 2019, when the then Pakistani PM Imran Khan went to the US, he was told by Trump that Modi has asked him to mediate on Kashmir. Modi expressed unhappiness over Trump’s remark and it was clearly conveyed to the White House that India will not accept any third party role for solving the Kashmir issue.
Reason Two: During the US presidential election, Modi had sought time to meet both the candidates, Trump and Kamala Harris. Trump gave him time and he announced this at one of his rallies saying that Modi was coming to meet him, but at the last moment, Kamala Harris backed out. Modi felt it would be unwise to meet only one party’s candidate. He cancelled his appointment with Trump, who took it amiss.
Reason Three: Trump claimed 42 times that he brokered the Indian-Pakistan ceasefire. India has clarified several times that the ceasefire offer was accepted at Pakistan’s request, but Trump was unwilling to listen.
Reason Four: Trump and Modi were supposed to meet in Canada on the sidelines of G-7 summit, but Trump left the summit midway and returned to the US. He rang up Modi and invited him to come to the White House. At the same time, Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir was supposed to meet Trump for dinner at the White House. Naturally, Modi declined Trump’s invite. This got Trump’s goat.
Experts say, because of these four main reasons, Trump decided to target India on tariff issue.
On the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung’s report that Trump made four telephone calls to Modi, but the Indian Prime Minister did not agree to speak to him, there is no official confirmation. But reports say, Trump has been calling world leaders on his personal phone number, which he had shared with them, including Modi.
During his first tenure, Trump had shared his personal number with Modi, but after becoming President again, Trump changed his phone numbers on the advice of security agencies. Probably, Trump made calls from his new number to Modi, and since it was an ‘unknown number’, the Indian Prime Minister did not receive Trump’s calls.
One thing is clear. Trump’s problem with India is not only because of India purchasing Russian oil. The US and European countries are still providing huge support to Ukraine, and India’s oil purchase from Russia is just minuscule.
Trump’s problem is so big that he made Asim Munir his friend and opted to embarrass Modi by joining the ceasefire issue with the tariff. It is because of this big reason that he imposed the highest tariff on India and did not keep his old friendship with India in mind.
Trump gave concessions to China, whom he considered the US’s biggest rival.
There can be only one reason behind this: Narendra refused to “surrender”. Modi refused to bow down to the US’ demands.
Trump has underestimated Modi. Trump has his own style of working. He speaks to media on a daily basis and says whatever he feels about any Head of State. He makes big announcements through his posts on social media. He speaks to world Prime Ministers and Presidents directly over his mobile phone. None of the US presidents ever did so.
Now, even the Americans are saying that Trump is only a trader, a deal maker. That is why India will have to explore new ways and methods of dealing with Trump and I believe, the work is on.

Bihar : Abusing Modi’s mother will harm opposition’s prospects

Electoral politics in Bihar has now entered the level of gutter language. On Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi used mean language about Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bihar, and on Thursday, Congress workers shouted abusive slogans against Modi’s late mother from the dais in Bithauli, Darbhanga. A stage was erected in Bithauli, but both Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav did not use the stage to address during their Vote Adhikar Yatra.
There were several thousands Congress and RJD supporters present. Suddenly a local Congress worker Mohammed Rizwi started shouting abusive slogans against Modi on the mike. He egged on his supporters to shout slogans abusing Modi’s late mother. There were local leaders present on the dais when this incident took place, but none of them stopped such slogans. Local Youth Congress leader Mohammed Naushad Alam had arranged the dais. On Friday, police arrested Mohammed Rizwi for shouting abusive slogans against the Prime Minister.
Top BJP leaders lambasted Rahul Gandhi and Congress over this incident. Home Minister Amit Shah said, shouting abusive slogans against the Prime Minister’s late mother is a blot on our democracy.
BJP president J.P. Nadda demanded public apology from both Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav for this incident. UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath said, such abusive remarks reflects the real DNA of Congress.
Recent electoral history is witness to the fact that whenever Congress abused Narendra Modi, it was Modi, who benefited and the Congress lost. Sonia Gandhi during her campaign in Gujarat had described Modi as “maut ka saudagar” (merchant of death) and Congress was crushed at the electoral hustings. Congress then avoided mentioning Gujarat riots.
When Rahul Gandhi coined the slogan, “Chaukidar Chor Hai”, it proved counter-productive for the Congress. Rahul’s gambit failed.
When Rahul Gandhi said, “Saare Modi Chor Hain”, he had to face a court case and found it difficult to give a cogent reply.
When Rahul Gandhi said, “Narender Surrender”, the public disapproved such remark. The language that Rahul used against the Prime Minister on Wednesday will not get any support from the people of Bihar.
The reason why abusive remarks have no impact on people is because of Modi’s proven track record. Nobody can raise questions about Modi’s patriotism.
Secondly, Modi is a man who cannot be browbeaten. Thirdly, not a single charge of corruption can stick to Modi. Even his rivals admit the amount of labour that the Prime Minister puts in.
This is the reason why abusing Modi will always prove counter-productive. There is no place for abuses and obscene remarks in Indian democracy.
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In a major step towards curbing corruption in politics, the government introduced three bills in Lok Sabha which provide for automatic removal of Prime Minister, Chief Minister and ministers in Centre, states and union territories, if they are sent to custody for more than 30 days on serious charges.
The bills, moved by Home Minister Amit Shah, were referred to a joint parliamentary committee for review, even as opposition members created a ruckus inside the Lok Sabha.
There was no legal framework till now for a minister or a chief minister losing his post if he or she fails to get bail from court and remains in jail for a longer duration. Neither the CM or minister can be dismissed nor can any court remove them from their post. The 130th Constitution Amendment Bill will have to be passed in both the Houses by a two-third majority.
When the bill becomes law, the accountability of people holding constitutional posts like the Prime Minister, chief ministers or ministers at the Centre and states will be fixed. It will not be left to their discretion whether to resign on moral grounds or not. This law will be applicable only to charges that provide for imprisonment up to five years or more.
In the recent past, when the then Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was arrested and sent to jail, he did not quit his post. Similarly, in Tamil Nadu, a minister Senthil Balaji continued to be in his post though he was arrested by Enforcement Directorate and sent to jail on corruption charges.
Chief Ministers of several non-BJP ruled states have opposed these bills. Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K.Stalin said, “the first move of any emerging dictator is to give himself the power to arrest and remove rivals from office”. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said, “I condemn it as a step towards something more than a super-Emergency.
Defending the move, Home Minister Amit Shah said, “we cannot be so shameless that we continue to occupy constitutional posts while facing serious charges”.
There is a background behind the introduction of these bills. In recent times, Arvind Kejriwal tried to run his government in Delhi from jail. At that time, both the Centre and the courts were in a fix, because there is no legal provision to stop a chief minister from working inside a jail.
The framers of our Constitution never envisaged such circumstances when a CM or a minister could refuse to resign on moral grounds despite being sent to jail. They never imagined that the lines of morality would be buried so deep.
It is surprising that the opposition parties are opposing this bill against corruption, but what will they tell the people in public? Will they tell the people that a chief minister of a minister should be allowed to run the government or ministry from jail and take decisions. What is the justification behind this?
This is a major reform and it was essential. It will now become mandatory for any minister to resign, if he or she stays in custody for more than 30 days.

Attack on Delhi CM : Motive unknown

A man from Gujarat went to the official residence of Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday when she was meeting common people who had come to air their grievances. The man slapped the chief minister, caught hold of her hair and threw her to the ground, before he was overpowered by security personnel.
Rekha Gupta had injuries to her head, neck, shoulder and back. On interrogation by police, it was found that the man, Rajeshbhai Sakharia, age 41, hails from Rajkot, Gujarat. Police is yet to find out the motive. The man had earlier done a recce of the chief minister’s residence and police found video clips of him outside the CM’s residence. The man had come to Delhi on Sunday.
Delhi minister Parvesh Verma says, there seems to be a deep conspiracy behind this. The man stayed in Gujarat Bhavan on Civil Lines, 800 metre away from the CM’s residence.
According to police, the man had a criminal background in Rajkot. He had five cases lodged against him. Still, the exact motive is unknown.
This attack points to a serious security lapse. The chief minister is accompanied by 20-25 security staff and Delhi Police personnel man the outer ring.
One thing is clear. The attack on Rekha Gupta was done after careful planning. It is clear that the attacker’s motive was not to stage any protest. The attack could have been fatal.
Police will surely find out the motive, but for now, the chief minister can no more meet commoners freely because of the risk to her life.
Since the time Rekha Gupta became CM, she had been constantly meeting common people. Her residence and office were open for all. Her security personnel will now prevent people from meeting their chief minister easily.

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From the ramparts of Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 12th consecutive Independence Day speech, conveyed to the nation his ideas about security, prosperity and national will. His speech was positive, precise, and most of his sentences were loaded with meanings.
Modi promised reforms in GST system, announced launch of Sudarshan Chakra to provide security from missile and drone attacks, and spoke about starting a high-powered mission to tackle demographic changes.
He warned Pakistan not to indulge in any misadventure or nuclear blackmail, and on the tariff issue, he announced there would be no compromise on the interests of farmers.
The leaders of opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, did not attend the I-Day function.

SUDARSHAN CHAKRA
The nation has seen the role of our impregnable air defence system during the four-day conflict with Pakistan post-Operation Sindoor. Thousands of Turkish drones sent by Pakistan could cause no harm to our assets. Fatah and Ghazni missiles sent by Pakistan were struck down by our air defence system.
On the contrary, our BrahMos missiles decapitated Pakistan’s air defence system and reached 13 Pakistani airbases. Not a single Indian aircraft entered Pakistani air space during the conflict. Warfare has undergone a sea change now and our air defence system needs to be strengthened.
All our army, air force and naval bases are well-protected but Pakistan cannot be trusted. It can attack our civilian installations including industry and railway. Last week, Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir had threatened to attack Reliance’s Jamnagar oil refinery in Gujarat.
Sudarshan Chakra will provide security to all such vital assets. It can detect all drones, artillery shells and missiles in real time and destroy them in air. There will be several layers in this system. India’s Sudarshan Chakra could be on the lines of Israel’s famous Iron Dome which detects and destroys all incoming missiles. Unlike Israel, India’s borders are well spread out and our installations need protection. India will have to develop its own style of air defence system and this can take nearly ten years.

PAKISTAN
There was a time when our Prime Ministers preferred to refrain from naming Pakistan in their I-Day speeches from Red Fort. They used to refer to Pakistan as “our neighbour” only.
Modi’s style is different. Naming the neighbour, Modi bluntly said, Pakistan would not get Indus river water and India would not tolerate Pakistan’s nuclear blachmail.
US President Donald Trump had said 35 times that he brokered the ceasefire by putting pressure on both countries over tariff deals. It is now crystal clear, India did not bow to US pressure on tariff and Modi clearly said, there will be no compromise on the interests of farmers, fishermen and dairy sector.
Modi spoke about “atmanirbharata” (self-reliance) 26 times in his speech. Modi’s message is clear: If India becomes self-reliant, no nation can put pressure on us.

DEMOGRAPHY
Modi spoke about launching a high-powered mission to tackle demographic changes. The demography-related conspiracy that the PM mentioned has two aspects.
One, Bangladeshi nationals who infiltrated into India and settled in different states like Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and other states. They mixed with the local population easily and acquired Aadhar card, ration card and voter identity card. To identify, catch and deport such infiltrators is a difficult task.
Two, BJP, RSS and other affiliated outfits have pointed out towards a steep rise in the number of Muslims in Assam, West Bengal and other states. They say, Hindus in some of these states may soon be reduced to a minority. Examples of Dhubri in Assam and Murshidabad in Bengal have been cited.
Congress has opposed the demography issue in Assam, while Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress is opposing this in West Bengal. These parties in both the states are unwilling to listen to any complaints about Muslims. So, when a high-powered mission on demography is launched, it will have to face the likes of Gaurav Gogoi and Mamata Banerjee.

GST
The original concept of Goods and Services Tax (GST) was to introduce One Nation, One Tax in India. At present, there are four slabs in GST and this is causing problems for consumers.
Traders have to hire experts to calculate GST rates and file returns regularly. GST reform was much needed and the slabs needed to be changed. Prime Minister Modi understood this problem.
There is now a proposal to keep only two slabs in GST – five per cent and 18 per cent. There are reports that agro-based and dairy products, health care and insurance may be kept in 5 pc slab. This will ensure lower prices for consumers and will be a relief.
That is why Modi promised a ‘double bonanza’ on GST during Diwali this year. There is also a report that tobacco, pan masala, cigarette, liquor which are injurious to health will have a separate provision. These may invite up to 40 pc GST.
GST Council is going to meet in September and there are expectations that prices of several products may become cheaper by 7 to 10 pc.

RSS
For the first time in history, a Prime Minister named Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, at the Indepence Day ceremony at Red Fort. RSS, set up in 1925, will complete its centenary on September 27. Modi praised the role of RSS in nation building. He described RSS as the world’s largest NGO and praised its volunteers for their selfless sacrifice.
Opposition leaders soon questioned Modi on RSS. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, Modi “is now at their (RSS) complete mercy and reliant on Mohan Bhagwat’s good offices for the extension of his tenure post-September.”
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said, if Modi wants to praise the RSS, he should have gone to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur. By praising RSS from the Red Fort, Owaisi said, the PM has set a wrong precedent.
RJD leader Manoj Jha said, Modi did not speak from the Red Fort as a Prime Minister, but as a BJP leader. Jha said, he should have mentioned the role of RSS in freedom movement.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said, BJP’s constitution speaks about socialism and secularism, but RSS does not believe in socialism or secular values. “It is for Modi to decide which path to take. If he has love for RSS, he should change BJP’s constitution”, he added.
BJP leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad and Giriraj Singh denounced the Congress saying that the party cannot tolerate other’s praise except the Gandhi-Nehru family.
By praising RSS from the Red Fort, Modi has spooked the opposition leaders. Some said, RSS is an anti-national outfit.
RSS reminded that during the 1962 India-China war and 1965 India-Pak war, the then Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri had taken help from RSS for civil defence purpose and RSS even sent its contingent to the Republic Day parade.
RSS reminded that Congress leader and founder of Benares Hindu University Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya had allowed RSS to set up its office in the university campus. Former President Pranab Mukherjee, a Congress stalwart, had praised the RSS at its Dussehra rally in Nagpur. Congress leaders who are describing RSS as anti-national should read history.
Some Congress leaders objected to Modi describing RSS as an NGO. RSS leaders say, it is the only voluntary organization which works for tribals through Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad, for students through Vidya Bharati, for carrying out social service through Sewa Bharati, for imparting education to poor children through Ekal Vidyalaya and for mobilizing women through Rashtra Sevika Samiti. All these outfits are run by RSS.
To raise questions about the loyalty, service and dedication of RSS is illogical. Those who levelled charges forget that Narendra Modi is a product of RSS. The people of Gujarat elected him to work as chief minister for 13 years. The people of India elected him thrice consecutively to work as Prime Minister.
The fact is, people of India have no problems with the RSS. But there are leaders in politics who believe that if they do not hurl abuses at RSS, their vote banks could become unhappy. So, it is an issue of political compulsion rather than an ideological one.

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The tariff war unleashed against India by US President Donald Trump appears to have indirectly led to a platform consisting of India, China and Russia. On Friday, Russia President Vladimir Putin spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on phone. According to Modi, Putin apprised him of the latest developments on the Ukraine front. Both the leaders spoke about the need for strategic relationship. Modi said, he was keenly awaiting Putin’s India visit.

In another interesting development, Chinese daily Global Times in its editorial has praised Prime Minister Modi and India. The newspaper article said it is a good development that Prime Minister Modi is going to visit China. This will encourage peace and stability in the region.

The editorial says: “As a Hindu proverb goes, ‘help your brother’s boat across, and your own will reach the shore’. A healthy China-India relationship brings positivde spillover effects to the region and the world. We welcome Prime Minister Modi to visit China with genuine intentions to improve bilateral ties and pragmatic cooperation plans, and to jointly usher in a new chapter of ‘the dragon and the elephant dancing together’.”

Meanwhile, US President Trump has put negotiations on India-US bilateral trade agreement on hold till the issue of tariff is cleared.

The manner in which Trump imposed 50 pc tariff on India makes one thing clear. That there was no deal by PM Modi with Trump, as is being alleged by people. Trump has claimed 32 times that he put pressure of trade deals on both India and Pakistan to accept a ceasefire. Trump did not mention about any deal.

It is now clear that Modi has not “surrendered” to Trump, as as being claimed by the opposition. On the other hand, Trump tried to provoke Modi at every step. But Modi maintained his dignity.

Trump to pressurize India consistently. he changed goal posts several times, but Modi did not compromise with national self-respect at any point.

Where are those people who were saying “Narender Surrender”. Where are those who were alleging that Modi had struck a tariff deal with Trump?

Trump continued to threaten India not to buy oil from Russia, and , on the other hand, he gave concessions to China. But Modi converted crisis to opportunity.

If India, Russia and China project a joint front, they can prcik Trump’s tariff balloon.

The most important point: the differences between India and China during the last five years have started vanishing courtesy Trump. The same China has now started speaking in favour of India. Where are those people who had been claiming that Modi’s diplomacy has failed?

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