The Indian Panorama

Tag: Indian Politics

  POLITICS & POLICY  

  • SP TO GO ALONE FOR NEXT YEAR’S UP POLLS: MULAYAM

    SP TO GO ALONE FOR NEXT YEAR’S UP POLLS: MULAYAM

    LUCKNOW (TIP): Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday said his party will go to polls alone and not enter into an alliance for the assembly elections in UP early next year. However he is open to mergers if any political party wants to join the SP, he said.

    “SP will not go in for any alliance for the UP polls as decided during the national convention of the party earlier,” Mulayam said, addressing a press conference on Thursday. “There maybe only mergers like ones which have happened in the recently,” he said in an apparent refernce to mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari’s Quami Ekta Dal (QED) which merged with the SP two months ago.

    Mulayam’s statement comes a day after UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav expressed confidence that the SP will get a clear majority on its own in the next elections and that alliances were not easy. The UP CM too has not been keen over SP entering into any tie-up with other parties for the UP polls.

  • MODI WITHDRAWS OLD NOTES TO CHOKE BLACK MONEY

    MODI WITHDRAWS OLD NOTES TO CHOKE BLACK MONEY

    NEW DELHI (TIP): In an extraordinary step to tackle the scourge of black money in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi banned Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from November 8 midnight.

    In his first televised address to the nation, Modi said people holding notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 can deposit the same in their bank and post office accounts from November 10 till December 30. He explained that the currency notes will be just paper with no value.

    Meanwhile, banks, which remained closed on November 9, next day opened to huge rush as people queued up to deposit their old notes in exchange of new currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000. All ATMs also remained closed for two days.

    The PM assured the nation that the notes of Rs 100, 50, 10 and coins of all denominations will remain legal tender and will not be affected and that “this step will strengthen the hands of the common man in the fight against black money.”

    However, ATM withdrawals will be restricted to Rs 2,000 per day and withdrawals from bank accounts will be limited to Rs 10,000 a day and Rs 20,000 a week.

    The Prime Minister said that black money to the tune of Rs 1.25 lakh crore had been unearthed during last two-and-a-half years.

    Finance minister Arun Jaitley said demonetization would benefit everyone in the long run.

    The government also warned that cash deposits above Rs 2.5 lakh during the 50-day window to return 1000- and 500-rupee notes could be taxed while a 200% penalty would be applied to deposits that don’t match declared incomes.

    “We will be getting reports of all cash deposited during the period of November 10 to December 30, 2016, above a threshold of Rs 2.5 lakh in every account. The (tax) department would do matching of this with income returns filed by the depositors. And suitable action may follow,” revenue secretary, Hashmukh Adhia, said.

    He further said any mismatch of income declared by the account holder and the deposits will be treated as a case of tax evasion.

    “The tax amount plus a penalty of 200 per cent of the tax payable would be levied as per the Section 270(A) of the Income Tax Act.”

    CURRENCY SHAKEUP CAN

    HELP INDIAN ECONOMY

    Sectoral clean-up

    India’s economy – and its tax base -has long been hobbled by a parallel economy running on cash hoarded by people avoiding paying taxes. Use of illicit money is so prevalent that raids on dishonest politicians and businesses regularly turn up people holding crores of rupees in cash, sometimes stashed away in false ceilings and walls.

    Much of the illicit money in India is believed to be used in real estate purchases, which make up more than 6% of India’s $2.1 trillion economy, according to data from by Mumbai-based consultants Liases Foras. The firm estimates 30% of these transactions are done with untaxed funds or “black money”. The ban of big bank bills should help improve transparency in a sector forecast to grow fivefold to $676 billion by 2025 and 13% of GDP by 2028, say consultants KPMG.

    A squeeze on cash flow could force builders to sell at a lower price.

    A clean-up of the country’s luxury goods market, valued at about $18 billion, should also be expected.

    Wider tax net

    Successive governments have struggled with under-reporting of taxes, seen as a major hurdle in expanding state revenues, as well as with growing undisclosed incomes to avoid taxation. India has only 7.4 crore-odd taxpayers. A 2015 Credit Suisse survey said India had 185,000 dollar millionaires but officially only about 150,000 people are known to have an annual income of above Rs5 million. The move will force honest people with cash savings to open bank accounts and boost tax revenue in a country where just 3% of the working population pays tax.

    Stemming illicit outflows

    A substantial amount of black money is secreted away to accounts overseas. Last month, an HT analysis of classified central bank data showed Indians exported goods and services worth at least Rs 17 trillion over the past four decades but did not remit an equivalent amount in foreign exchange. The amount accounts for a seventh of India’s current GDP.

    Stronger laws and monitoring could help curb phoney export deals, and money-laundering in stocks.

    Cashless society

    Many dishonest people will destroy a lot of cash that would have otherwise gone into real estate or luxury jewellery, but Modi’s plan should ultimately help accelerate India onto the path of a cashless society.

    This will be enabled further by an explosion in smartphone usage for online payments. It can benefit the technology sector.

    Curb counterfeiting

    Fake banknotes have been a major concern for India. As many as 250 of every one million banknotes in circulation are fake, the Indian Statistical Institute said in a recent study. This would mean a face value of Rs 400 crore of counterfeits are in circulation now, with banknotes of a face value of Rs 70 crore being infused into the system every year.

    The ban will help choke the flow of counterfeit high-value banknotes militant groups use to fund their attacks against the country. In his television speech on Tuesday, Modi also dwelled on the scourge of fake bank notes, saying militants operating against India were using counterfeit of the 500 rupee note.

    “Terrorism is a frightening thing … But have you ever thought about how these terrorists get their money?Enemies from across the border have run their operations using fake currency notes,” he said, referring to a euphemism many Indian leaders use to describe Pakistan.

  • PM Modi profiteering from blood spilt by soldiers, says Rahul

    PM Modi profiteering from blood spilt by soldiers, says Rahul

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Oct 6 unleashed a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of “profiteering” from the soldiers who have given their blood for the nation.

    “Aap kar kya rahe ho jo hamare jawan hain, jinhone khoon diya hai, jinhone Jammu and Kashmir mei apna khoon diya hai, jinhone Hindustan ke liye surgical strike kiya hai, unke khoon ke peeche aap chhupe huye ho. (What are you (PM) doing? Our soldiers have given their blood in Jammu and Kashmir, carried out surgical strikes for India, you (PM) are hiding behind their blood),” he said.

    “Aap unki dalali kar rahe ho. Ye galat hai (PM is profiteering from the soldiers. This is wrong.),” Gandhi said, winding up his 26-day Kisan Yatra across poll-bound Uttar Pradesh in Delhi.

    Gandhi’s remarks came six days after he had praised the PM over the surgical strikes on terror launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC).

    “I want to thank him (PM) because for the first time in two-and-a-half years he has taken an action that is of the stature of PM,” he had said while addressing a public meeting at Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh.

    This was a rare occasion when Gandhi publicly praised Modi. But on Thursday evening, Gandhi was in an attacking mode.

    “The Indian army has done its job for the country, you do yours now. Increase their (soldiers) pay in the 7th pay commission,” he told the PM.

    Reacting shar ply to the Congress leader’s comment, BJP secretary Sidharth Nath Singh said, “Rahul Gandhi’s statement is a new low in Indian politics. It is not only condemnable but highly irresponsible coming from a vice-president of the Congress party which fought for Independence. It also proves that what Sanjay Nirupam had said two days back had Rahul Gandhi’s backing and, therefore, no action has been taken against him. Congress and other political parties may be nervous because of courage and will power shown by Modi government in backing armed forces’ decision to go for surgical strikes across LoC… Rahul Gandhi has done surgical strike on his party.”

    The much-publicised Indian army operation across the LoC is turning into a political slugfest, with the opposition asking the Modi government to furnish evidence to call “Pakistan’s bluff ”. Upcoming elections in five states, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab, are widely believed to be the reason why the opposition parties are asking for proof but couching it as a must to quash Pakistan’s propaganda.

  • Now, Sidhu’s front waiting for invite from AAP, Congress

    Now, Sidhu’s front waiting for invite from AAP, Congress

    CHANDIGARH (TIP): After playing hardball with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress, cricketer-turned-politician and Awaaz-e-Punjab leader Navjot Singh Sidhu is now waiting for an invite from both.

    Sidhu held yet another meeting with his teammates —independent MLAs Simarjeet and Balwinder Bains and Pargat Singh — in Delhi on Thursday.

    Simarjeet said after the meeting that they are waiting for an alliance with the AAP or the Congress. “Our front has made it clear that we will not divide the anti-incumbency vote against the ruling SAD-BJP government. We are waiting for reaching an understanding with either the AAP or Congress,” he said.

    The Congress leaders said no meeting was held on Sidhu between party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh.

    “We are not in talks with Sidhu so there was no question of holding a meeting on the issue,” Congress Punjab affairs in-charge Asha Kumari said. Party’s Punjab leaders were in Delhi on Thursday to welcome Rahul who returned from his month-long “kisan yatra” in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

    Sidhu’s forum is finding itself in a piquant situation vis-à-vis both the AAP and Congress. The AAP is not willing to buy Sidhu’s bait after burning its fingers last time when he held meetings with party leaders, but was not happy with the deal.

    MAKE ALL FOUR JOIN CONGRESS: BAJWA

    Leaving the final decision to the Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa on Thursday advocated taking Navjot Sidhu, Pargat Singh and Bains brothers into the party fold. Contrary to this, state Congress chief captain Amarinder Singh was wary and had shown reluctance to make the four join the party.

    “In the forthcoming polls, every single vote and every candidate in poll fray will matter, so my advice is to take decision wisely,” suggested Bajwa, saying he will also take it up with the party high command.

  • Row over surgical strikes deepens

    Row over surgical strikes deepens

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The army has handed over video evidence of its September 29 surgical strikes on terrorist launchpads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir but the government doesn’t see the need to make them public, two senior ministers said.

    Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked his ministers not to indulge in chest-thumping over the raid, sources said, adding the army, too, is not in favor of making public the details of the sensitive operation.

    Urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu rejected the opposition’s demand for proof of the strikes, saying any further discussions would be an “insult” to the army. “There is no need to respond to such irresponsible comments and demands. Fortunately, the Congress has also realized its mistake and distanced itself from the comments of its leaders,” Naidu told mediapersons a day after he said that the proof would be presented at an appropriate time.

    Defense minister Manohar Parrikar has also concurred with the army. Parrikar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval were shown unedited footage of the September 29 operation on October 1, followed by a presentation of an edited version the next day by the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO).

    After seeing the visuals, Parrikar conveyed to the Prime Minister that he was satisfied and felt there was no need to release the footage.

    “The opposition should understand the difference between a covert and overt strike. And it is not incumbent on the Indian army to release video footage every time they do their duty,” a senior official said on conditions of anonymity.

    South Block sources said there was no need to rub Pakistan’s nose in the dirt after the successful surgical strike.

    Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and a section of Congress leaders have been calling for evidence, couching it as a must to debunk “Pakistan propaganda” that the raid was nothing but cross-border fighting.

    Several ministers had taken on the opposition for “questioning” army’s courage in demanding evidence for the raid. “I don’t think any Indian citizen has got any doubt… It would be an insult to the army if we further discuss,” Naidu said. “Only Pakistan is saying something because they have to say something. They are not in a position to conduct funeral or last rites of their own citizens…This is their culture.”

    Sources in the army said the force was not in favor of releasing the evidence though the final decision lay with the government. The army would like to keep under wraps the tactics of its special forces.

    The army, they said, was proud of its apolitical and secular credentials and didn’t want to be dragged into political wrangling.

    Nawaz Sharif warns Pak army not to shield militants

    nawaz-sharif-warns-pak-army-not-to-shield-militantsISLAMABAD (TIP): Facing international isolation, Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif has warned the powerful military not to shield banned militant groups and has directed authorities to conclude the Pathankot terror attack probe and the 2008 Mumbai attack trial, a leading Pakistani daily reported on October 6.

    Sharif’s orders came after a series of meetings between military and civilian leaders, Dawn newspaper said. The government delivered a “blunt, orchestrated and unprecedented warning” to the military leadership and sought consensus on several key actions, including action against banned militant groups, the paper quoted unnamed individuals, who were involved in the meetings.

    However, the spokesman of Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office strongly rejected the Dawn report. “The spokesman has termed the contents of the story not only speculative but misleading and factually incorrect. It is an amalgamation of fiction and half truths which too are invariably reported out of context,” an official statement said.

    “The fact that the report itself states that none of the attributed statements were confirmed by the individuals mentioned in the story, clearly makes it an example of irresponsible reporting,” it said. The PMO spokesman said, “It is imperative that those demanding the right to information at par with the international best practices, also act in a manner which is at par with international reporting norms and standards.”

    The Pakistan Foreign Office termed the report as “speculative”. Asked about the report, Pakistan foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said, “The story you are referring to is purely speculative and as the author himself acknowledged that ‘none of the attributed statements were confirmed by the individuals mentioned’.”

  • I AM AGAINST RSS IDEOLOGY, SAYS RAHUL GANDHI

    I AM AGAINST RSS IDEOLOGY, SAYS RAHUL GANDHI

    GUWAHATI (TIP): Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said here that he was opposed to the RSS ideology that intended to divide the country.

    After appearing in the court of the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) in a defamation suit filed against him by the RSS, the Congress vice-president said such cases wouldn’t deter him from continuing his fight for the interests of the downtrodden and suppressed.

    “I work for the suppressed, downtrodden, unemployed, poor farmers of the country. These cases are filed against me to prevent me from working for the weaker and deprived sections. But I will not be deterred by such designs,” he said.

    The CJM court here released Rahul on a bond of Rs 50,000 in a criminal defamation case filed against him by the RSS. The court has fixed November 5 as the next date of hearing. Counsel for the RSS, Bijon Mohajan, said the Congress vice-president did not apply before the court to spare him from personal appearance in the case during further hearing. Gandhi will be asked to submit his explanation of the offence during the next hearing.

    Gandhi appeared in the court at 10 am and came out at 10.45 am. The hearing was conducted amid tight security. Coming out of the court, Rahul drove to Rajiv Bhawan to address a meeting of party leaders, but not before he paid tribute to Swahid Kushal Konwar, a freedom movement martyr, at Nehru Park in front of the court premises.

    The case was filed against him by RSS member Anjan Bora because of Gandhi’s comment made against the RSS accusing the latter of conspiring to prevent him (Gandhi) from entering Barpeta Satra (a Vaishnavite monastery) in western Assam during his visit to the state in December 2015. Gandhi, however, had visited the monastery later in the day of his padayatra.

  • Modi takes blessings of mother on 66th birthday

    Modi takes blessings of mother on 66th birthday

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi today visited his mother Hiraba here and took her blessings on his 66th birthday.

    Modi reached the residence of his brother Pankaj Modi in Raysan area of state capital here, where his 97-year-old mother is staying.

    The Prime Minister sought her blessings and spend around 25 minutes with her. He later drove off to Raj Bhavan where he is put up during his visit.

    Born on September 17, 1950, Modi turned 66 today. He is here to spend his birthday between tribal and Divyangs (differently abled).

    He will travel to Limkheda of Dahod and inaugurate many schemes for development of this tribal district later in the day.

    Later in the afternoon he would go to Navsari where he is scheduled to take part in a function where aid would be distributed to the differently-abled persons.

  • A CM shouldn’t be arrogant, Akhilesh needs more experience: Shivpal

    A CM shouldn’t be arrogant, Akhilesh needs more experience: Shivpal

    Amidst the Yadav family feud, Uttar Pradesh Samajwadi Party President Shivpal Yadav has commented on his nephew Akhilesh Yadav, saying that a Chief Minister should not be arrogant.

    Akhilesh Yadav, on Friday, restored all the portfolios that were withdrawn from Shivpal earlier this week.

    “I have seen many chief ministers in the state. Most turn arrogant and develop a massive ego. I have learnt a lot from Netaji (Mulayam). Akhilesh too should learn from him and me as well. Akhilesh needs more experience,” says Shivpal.

    Shivpal had earlier resigned from his position as party chief and as minister earlier as a feud erupted when he replaced Akhilesh as party chief.

    “The responsibility given to me is huge. I need to work harder as elections are near,” he said after being reinstated as party chief.

    When asked about Akhilesh’s demand for authority to take a call on ticket distribution, Shivpal said, “How elections are fought are the prerogative of the party chief and Netaji (Mulayam) will decide on ticket distribution”.

    When inquired about Amar Singh’s role in the Yadav clan unrest, he said, “Amar Singh can never cause any harm to our family. Outsiders are with Netaji and also with Akhilesh. There are some ministers in his cabinet who are outsiders and do no work.”

    Shivpal further added that he supports Akhilesh’s position as Chief Minister, even if the ruling party returns after 2017 UP Assembly elections.

    Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav will deliver a final call to put all questions to rest on Saturday.

  • PM Modi’s 8 Foot Tall Birthday Cake Attempts To Break World Record

    PM Modi’s 8 Foot Tall Birthday Cake Attempts To Break World Record

    On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on Saturday, Atul bakery, a Surat-based bakery has created an world’s biggest cake measuring eight feet high!

    The cake weights up to 3750 kg was made in collaboration with Shakti Foundation, an NGO working for the empowerment of rural women.

    The cake will be cut by girls coming from various tribal areas and distributed amongst them and others.

    The cake honours thhe Prime Minister’s ‘Beti Padhao-Beti Bachao’ campaign and is all set to break the Guiness World Record for the biggest cake.

    The present record is held by a six feet tall cake attributed to the MTR Rzeszow International Fair in Rzeszow, Poland.

    The cake was prepared by a team of 20 chefs and is made in the flavour of choco-berry. The entire pyramid is made with over 10,000 blocks and later neatly stacked together.

  • CAUVERY DISPUTE: STALIN, VAIKO, KANIMOZHI ARRESTED AS TN WITNESSES BANDH

    CAUVERY DISPUTE: STALIN, VAIKO, KANIMOZHI ARRESTED AS TN WITNESSES BANDH

    CHENNAI (TIP): Senior DMK leader MK Stalin was taken into preventive custody on Friday after staging a rail roko at the Egmore Railway station in Chennai. Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi also courted arrest as the entire state witnessed a shutdown over the ongoing Cauvery water-sharing dispute and the violence against Tamils living in Karnataka.

    The bandh, which will last from dawn to dusk, was called by all political parties and their affiliated trade organisations, barring the ruling AIADMK and its allies.

    More than 12,000 policemen have been deployed across Chennai to maintain order. Police stated that no attempt to disrupt public peace or prevent the free movement of transportation would be tolerated.

    The senior DMK leaders, who launched their protest rallies in Egmore station and on Anna Salai, are currently courting arrest.

    MDMK leader Vaiko and his party cadre were arrested earlier in Tiruchy after attempting to stage a rail roko.

    The Supreme Court on Thursday slammed both the governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for failing to prevent violence over its order, and stated that its verdict had to be complied with. But the dispute has seen large-scale violence across Karnataka – especially in Bengaluru – where rampaging mobs have torched vehicles and damages property worth crores.

  • A Party in a Hurry – Aam Aadmi Party

    A Party in a Hurry – Aam Aadmi Party

    Political scientists write with some regret of how a political movement that had tapped the consciousness of lakhs of Indians through sustained and patient mobilization, dissemination of ideology, and shared understanding of what is wrong with our society and what can be done about it atrophied and folded up when it began to rule. The empirical referent is, of course, the Indian National Congress. In the 1970s, the once charismatic and sage leadership of the Congress reduced itself into a bunch of courtiers paying ritualized homage to the leader. In the second decade of the 21st century, India witnessed a contrary phenomenon. A civil society movement against corruption mutated into a political party, and in two consecutive years formed a government in Delhi. The victory of the party showed a mirror to established political parties that increasingly rely on the supposed charisma of one man or woman to win elections.aam-aadmi-party

    Meteoric rise and meltdown

    The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) strategies of connecting with citizens, particularly in the slums of Delhi, put into practice the wisdom of democratic theory: that the task of a party is to arouse political awareness by means other than the dishonorable politics of identity, evoke critical evaluations of power and its misuse, and enable the articulation of everyday needs and aspirations. This sagacity was confirmed the moment the AAP won power in the 2013 and 2014 Assembly elections.

    Even within the limited power that Delhi, not quite a Union Territory but not wholly a State, has been granted, the hope was that the AAP, backed by a massive majority, would perform. The party, however, failed to shrug off the techniques that had brought it fame in its civil society avatar, the politics of accusation, ‘naming and shaming’, and blame, and become a party that concentrates on democratic governance. Arvind Kejriwal’s government has not been allowed to perform, Ministers have been harassed by the police, the Lieutenant Governor has performed a role normally reserved for a Viceroy, and the Opposition, reduced to a pathetic rump in the 2014 elections, has sponsored a number of sting operations and complaints against Ministers.

    But all is not well in the quintessential anti-establishment party. For one, the AAP has failed to priorities a clearly enunciated and well-thought-out belief system that all members can subscribe to, and that distinguishes the party from others. Two, it has developed a leadership cult, and such cults hardly tolerate dissent. Three, this has occurred because the party has failed to establish mechanisms for reconciling difference of opinion among members.

    The AAP should learn from history, for example from the Congress system in the 1950s and early 1960s. Intricate networks to resolve conflict between political interests represented in the Congress ensured that no one interest gained or lost too much. Because the AAP has not established such procedures, we witness the ignominious spectacle of leaders exiting the party in a huff and blasting the dictatorial tendencies of Mr. Kejriwal.

    Delhi rerun in Punjab?

    The same political spectacle is now being re-enacted in Punjab in the run-up to the 2017 State elections. Earlier this year, the AAP effectively challenged the monopoly on political power exercised by the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) alliance on the one hand, and the Congress on the other. Mr. Kejriwal appeared on to the political horizons of Punjab as a swashbuckling Roman gladiator, and metaphorically girded his loins to cure the twin malaise of misgovernance and deprivation in the State. Reeling under two terms of the SAD-BJP alliance, the people of Punjab breathed, or so initial surveys held, a sigh of relief. At last someone who does not carry the historical burdens of Punjab on his shoulders has come to rescue people from non-performing Punjabi politicians.

    Hundreds of volunteers flocked to the party and enabled the leaders to establish contact with the debt-ridden peasantry, and hold dialogues with vulnerable sections to identify the components of the Punjab crisis: serious agrarian distress that has led to farmer suicides, the drug menace, the ominous influence of the liquor and the sand mafias, the lack of access to health and education, acute unemployment, and above all, the completely amoral corruption of those who have ruled and continue to rule Punjab.

    The contact program of the AAP should have made it aware of the scale of the calamities that have hit Punjab since the 1980s. But it is precisely here that the party falters and shows neither initiative nor imagination. Unveiling the AAP’s ‘Farmers and Farm Laborers Manifesto’ on September 11 at Baghapurana village near Moga, Mr. Kejriwal upped his allegations against Ministers belonging to SAD and Congress leaders and promised them jail if voted into power.

    Certainly corruption is a critical issue that stalks high economics and politics as well as everyday life in India. The issue, however, hardly forms the stuff of which an inspired and visionary party manifesto is authored and drafted. Destruction of corruption through administrative means should be an essential precondition for democracy. In India, the ignoble phenomenon has become a surrogate for democracy; an alibi for authoritarian proclivities. In the process, politics has been reduced to management. And a politically imaginative and innovative vision of how complex problems can be resolved has been diminished to populism.

    Populist politics

    It is precisely in these spheres that the AAP has been unable to transcend its origins as an anti-corruption movement. Mr. Kejriwal heaps abuse on politicians deemed to be corrupt and threatens them with imprisonment. What are his solutions to the other problems of the State? Re-enacting the well-worn script of political agendas in Punjab, he promised the status of a holy city to Amritsar and Anandpur Sahib, easing of debts, waiver of bank loans to poor farmers, laborers, Scheduled Castes and Backward Castes, a halt on action by banks against defaulters till the end of 2018, compensation for crop loss, raising of minimum support prices, free electricity, and money grants to farmers on the occasion of the birth/marriage of their daughters.

    As far as populist politics goes, the program rivals the agenda of the two Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu. But unlike Punjab, Tamil Nadu ranks high on all indicators of social development: it was one of the earliest States to universalize the Public Distribution System, and has brought down poverty over the years. Tamil Nadu spends the highest proportion of the State domestic product, about 10.2 per cent, on literacy. The lesson is that doles are no substitute for social policy and debt is not a cause of the crisis; it is merely an indicator of the magnitude of the problem. The AAP seems to have misread the situation in Punjab.

    Above all, the party is imploding under the weight of too many ticket-seekers. It has taken care to hunt for and recruit candidates of integrity. But the number of people deserting the party outweighs hopeful candidates. Ironically, Punjab, for long a two-party State, today witnesses a proliferation of minor parties formed by deserters from the AAP bandwagon. There is danger that the latest political kid on the block will find itself unable to resolve the same problems it accuses other parties of being incapable of solving. If it fails to learn from the Punjab and the Delhi experience, the AAP will tend to increasingly resemble other parties it is prone to attack and abuse.

    Michael Oakeshott, the conservative English political philosopher, spoke of the politics of the ‘politically inexperienced’. A new ruling class takes decades to learn how to rule. But the crisis that has overcome Punjab is too pressing to wait for a resolution. There was hope that the AAP would step in and provide some lasting solutions to perennial problems. For this the party has to learn to combine the politics of political mobilization with political vision and robust inner-party organization. It cannot be in a hurry.

    (The author is a former Professor of Political Science, Delhi University)

  • Akhilesh’s uncle Shivpal quits UP govt, steps down as SP state chief

    Akhilesh’s uncle Shivpal quits UP govt, steps down as SP state chief

    LUCKNOW (TIP): Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Shivpal Yadav quit the government as well as his position as chief of Samajwadi Party’s state unit on Thursday (Sept 15), in what is seen as a blow to the party ahead of state elections due early next year.

    The move signalled an attempt by Shivpal to distance himself from his nephew and chief minister Akhilesh with whom he has been involved in a bruising fight for influence. It was not immediately clear if a split in the party was in the offing, but sources said the turn of events meant Akhilesh might have emerged stronger for now.

    Sources said Akhilesh rejected Shivpal’s resignation from the cabinet, but the party had made no decision yet on his offer to quit as its state chief.

    As Shivpal came out of his house late on Thursday, his supporters who had gathered to meet the leader erupted in joy. “Go home. Go to bed. I too will sleep,” Shivpal told them. “Na soeyengey, na soney denge (We won’t sleep, we won’t let others sleep),” the crowd replied.

    The late night development came after a day of separate meetings between party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, his brother Shivpal and Akhilesh raised hopes of a truce between the uncle and nephew.

    Mulayam met with the two separately to ask them to end their feuding. A meeting between the uncle and nephew lasted barely 15 minutes at the Akhilesh’s office.

    Two days ago, Akhilesh stripped Shivpal of three top departments after the chief minister himself was removed as the party’s state chief and Shivpal given the post. Their differences, a badly kept secret for years, had become public over the past months.

    The party’s Rajya Sabha MP, Amar Singh’s, alleged role in the crisis also figured in discussions during the day, with Akhilesh’s second uncle Ramgopal Yadav and party leader Naresh Agarwal hinting at his “interference” in party matters.

    Akhilesh Yadav had also mentioned about an “outsider” which is seen as a reference to Amar Singh, who is seen as close to Shivpal.

    Earlier in the day, Akhilesh found support from Ramgopal, who said the party should have consulted the chief minister before sacking him as state party president.

    “Differences do take place on some minor point and they can be resolved,” Ramgopal said.

    “He (CM) should have been asked to resign and he would have tendered it. He could have been told that elections are coming and you continue as CM and the work of state president will be taken care of by him (Shivpal). Some misunderstanding has taken place and there is nothing more to it,” he said.

    Shivpal also spoke to journalists in Lucknow and asserted that the party was not in any kind of trouble.

    “Whoever is given responsibility, whatever it be…we have to follow that. The party is not in trouble. If I am given a responsibility, I will work to the fullest for it. Nobody can challenge netaji’s (Mulayam) decisions,” he said .

    “In 2011, when I was the state president, back then I was removed and Akhilesh was given responsibility and I accepted that. Netaji took that decision carefully and after consideration surely.”

  • Chaos in Punjab assembly, Cong MLA throws shoe at Majithia

    Chaos in Punjab assembly, Cong MLA throws shoe at Majithia

    CHANDIGARH (TIP): As curtains came down on the last assembly session of Punjab ahead of polls, it saw yet another first. After an unprecedented sit-in by Congress MLAs on the floor of the House for two nights, one of them hurled a shoe at the treasury benches over an alleged caste slur.

    Half of party’s 42 MLAs had continued the sit-in, started on Monday (Sept 12) evening after the no-trust vote moved by the party was defeated, through Tuesday (Sept 13) night. When the session began at 10 am on Wednesday, the opposition members were already in the well of the house shouting slogans. Assembly speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal first adjourned the House for 15 minutes and later suspended the question and zero hour and asked the ministers to table reports and bills. Amid the bill-passing spree, agitated opposition members continued shouting slogans and threw bills and paper planes at his chair calling him a “sarkari speaker” for not allowing a debate on the no-confidence motion.

    A huge posse of assembly marshals flanked the chairs of speaker and assembly secretary Shashi Lakhanpal Mishra to ward off the paper missiles. Amid the pandemonium, Congress MLA Tarlochan Singh Soondh hurled a shoe at the treasury benches. The shoe narrowly missed Punjab revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia, the brother-in-law of SAD president and Punjab Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal. After Majithia stood up and flashed the shoe before the house, Akali Dal and BJP legislators too left their seats. Both sides trained their guns at each other, plunging the house into utter chaos.

    As Majithia instructed assembly marshals to find out the MLA with a missing shoe, the Congress decided to walkout. But Majithia threw Soondh a dare and asked him to “own up” that he hurled the shoe. “The assembly marshals told me Soondh was not wearing shoes. After hurling it, he was standing and shouting slogans from the chair of leader of opposition Charanjit Singh Channi and left his other shoe there. But when they were staging a walkout, I asked Soondh to have the guts to own up that it was him,” Majithia later told HT.

    At 11.36 am, an hour-and-half after the session began, speaker Atwal adjourned the House sine die. Though many senior Congress leaders disapproved of the incident, the party decided to brazen it out and held a hurried press briefing to justify Soondh’s action. Flanked by party MLAs, Soondh admitted to throwing the shoe but claimed it was aimed at SAD MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha who “used expletives and insulted his community”.

    “Valtoha took my name in the House and said ‘ae ne chure, chamara da theka laya ae’ (has he taken responsibility of all churas and chamars in Punjab). I am a proud Dalit and could not tolerate this insult to my community and hurled a shoe at him,” Soondh said. Channi, also a Dalit from the Ravisdassia sect, added that “100 shoes will be hurled if anyone insults Dalits”.

    The Congress later held a mock session in the House and Soondh was made the “speaker”. Interestingly, at the mock session, Channi who had invited the wrath of the ruling benches by calling Badals “thugs”, spoke eloquently without using any offensive words till Congress MLA Jagmohan Kang raised a point of order and reminded him that he was forgetting the words he used inside. But the pun was not lost on senior Congress leaders who said on condition of anonymity that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had passed the baton of the assembly to “inexperienced” young leaders and they had little choice but to go by their decisions.

    Make video public: Valtoha to speaker

    The Akali Dal, too, lost no time to rebut Congress allegations. Soon after Congress media briefing, Valtoha denied abusing Soondh and claimed the assembly video recording would bear him out. He has written to the speaker to make the video public to “expose” the Congress. As is his wont, Valtoha went a step further and issued a statement accusing Congress MLAs of “drinking, eating non-vegetarian fare and singing and cracking jokes “ during their night stay. Congress MLAs Sukhjinder Randhawa and Tripat Bajwa too shot back asking Akalis to go to a gurdwara and say it under oath.

    Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh, in a statement, congratulated his party MLAs for

    “bringing Akalis on toes”. He said the he sit-in by the legislators helped in highlighting the issues for which the Congress had sought a debate and which was refused by the Speaker.

    “With an arrogant government and not an impartial speaker, our members were left with no option. This was the beginning of the final assault on the government,” he added.

  • Cong MLA’s shoes get Rs 50,000 price tag

    Cong MLA’s shoes get Rs 50,000 price tag

    Chandigarh: Congress MLA from Banga Tarlochan Singh Soondh would never have imagined how his worn-out pair of shoes would become a “prized” possession.

    A Canada-based news channel has reportedly offered Soondh Rs 50,000 if he could bring on their show the shoe allegedly hurled by him towards the Akali Dal legislators in the Vidhan Sabha, or even the one he did not throw.

    The MLA went back to the Vidhan Sabha this afternoon to get his shoes. Secretary Shashi Lakhanpal Mishra reportedly told him that the shoe that landed near Revenue Minister Bikram Majithia was a “case property”, while the other one was not in their possession.

    Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Mohan Mittal said while the shoe that fell near Majithia had been handed over to the Speaker’s office, he had no clue where the other one was.

    Soondh had claimed that he had hurled the shoe at Akali MLA Virsa Singh Valtoha over an alleged caste slur.

    The Treasury benches came to know about the shoe-hurler only when they noticed that Soondh had only   one shoe on. Sensing trouble, Soondh hid it near his seat. It was taken into possession by the watch and ward staff and its whereabouts are not known.

    Soondh admitted receiving calls from Canada-based news organisations. “They want to highlight the incident as a strong protest not just against Majithia, but against the government,” he said. Soondh walked barefoot yesterday and asked the CLP office secretary to arrange a pair of shoes. “They did buy me a new pair, but it was uncomfortable. Now I am looking for a new pair in the Sector 19 market,” he said.

  • JOLT TO MEHBOOBA AS FOUNDING MEMBER KARRA QUITS PDP, AS MP TOO

    JOLT TO MEHBOOBA AS FOUNDING MEMBER KARRA QUITS PDP, AS MP TOO

    SRINAGAR (TIP): In the first major fallout of over two-month-long unrest in the Kashmir valley that has left over 80 persons dead, PDP’s founding member Tariq Hameed Karra resigned from the party and membership of Parliament on September 15.

    He accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headed by CM Mehbooba Mufti of “becoming a collaborator for the fascist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-governed BJP and termed it an “unnatural alliance”.

    “Though I was all along feeling suffocated due to PDP’s alliance with the RSS-backed BJP, my conscience was shaken over the last two months, especially due to PDP’s newly acquired avatar during the present upheaval,” Tariq Karra told reporters.

    “Taking a call of conscience and as a mark of protest against the brutal policies of the BJP at the Centre and the state government’s complete sellout and surrender before them, I have decided to disassociate myself from the primary membership of the party and from the membership of Parliament,” he said.

    Karra said his resignation was also in protest against “wanton killings and treating people worse than Nazi forces”. “Every single day Kashmiris are being butchered… Kashmiri blood is being spilled onto walls, in lanes and drains of the Valley. For the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, people were not allowed to offer Eid prayers. Grand mosques and shrines were locked. My apprehension that the PDP’s facilitated RSS-backed BJP will impose religious ingression stands vindicated today,” he said. “The PDP is losing its character and they are doing exactly what they opposed since the party formation,” he said. The MP, who was elected from Srinagar in 2014, said he would be forwarding the resignation to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

    Karra’s quitting the party is a major setback for the PDP, which has been facing sharp criticism over its handling of the situation in the state. The 61-year-old MP, known as PDP’s face in Srinagar, has been openly airing his views against the PDP-BJP alliance.

    Karra is the second politician to resign after the unrest erupted. He also asked other lawmakers to decide about their future course of action as per their conscience.

  • Kashmir Remains Paralyzed For 69th Consecutive Day

    Kashmir Remains Paralyzed For 69th Consecutive Day

    For 69th consecutive day and after violence has claimed over 80 lives in the Valley, life remained paralyzed.

    In view of the continuing protest in Srinagar, the authorities made heavy deployment of the security forces in the city today, Sep 15.

    A senior police official said: “Heavy deployments of police and paramilitary forces have been made in Srinagar and other district headquarters of the valley to maintain law and order today (Thursday)”.

    The separatists continued their protest shutdown because of which public transport, main markets and other businesses have remained shut.

    All schools, colleges and universities remained closed along with train services between Baramulla town and Jammu’s Bannihal town also suspended.

    Internet facilities since Monday was down in the Valley. Calling was only allowed on BSNL postpaid.

    All the separatists leaders were placed in the preventive detention in Srinagar.

    forces to restore traffic always resulted in clashes between them.

    A total of 86 persons were killed and 11,500 injured in the ongoing unrest that started on July 9 a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed.

    Blow to Mehbooba Mufti as PDP MP Tariq Hamid Karra resigns from party, Lok Sabha 

    Adding fuel to fire, senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and Lok Sabha member Tariq Hamid Karra on Thursday, Sep 15, resigned both from the party and the Parliament in a clear no confidence sign in the BJP-PDP alliance government in Jammy & Kashmir.

    Karra tendered his resignation citing the government’s failure to deal with the violence that engulfed the state following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8.

    “I have resigned from the primary membership of PDP and Parliament,” Karra was quoted as saying by the ANI.

    Karra, who served as the state’s Finance minister in the PDP government led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in 2002, was against the alliance between PDP and Bharatiya Janata Party in J&K.

  • Sidhus formally quit BJP; Funny, they Had Not Resigned till now

    Sidhus formally quit BJP; Funny, they Had Not Resigned till now

    Apparently, Sidhus had still not resigned, while he did resign from the Rajya Sabha in July but it is must be noted here that the BJP are so desperate for good candidates in Punjab that they never acted against them. Now even when he was in negotiations with Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party and not when he launched his own party, the “Awaaz-e-Punjab”, earlier this month.

    The mystery of whether Navjot Singh Sidhu had quit the BJP, as he weighed over multiple options (Politicians!!!) two months which would be his next political party, was solved today. He had not.

    Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu formally quit the BJP yesterday, Sep 14.

    Navjot Singh Sidhu last week had floated a new front ‘Awaaz-e-Punjab’ along with former Indian hockey team captain Pargat Singh, Awaaz-e-Punjab, which will contest the Punjab assembly elections against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

    Navjot had been upset since the party decided not to field him from Amritsar, a seat he had held for 10 years, in the 2014 parliamentary elections.

    Navjot Kaur Sidhu also hinted at joining the new front and said, “Along with Pargat Singh and Bains brothers we have formed a front. This will be against those working against Punjab.

  • INOC, USA criticizes BJP’s attempt to sow discord on the eve of Onam celebration

    INOC, USA criticizes BJP’s attempt to sow discord on the eve of Onam celebration

    NEW YORK (TIP): As the Keralites were celebrating Onam with traditional fervor and gaiety, Amit Shah, the President of BJP has succeeded in creating a fresh controversy by wishing ‘Vamana Jayanthi’ on Onam Eve. “It seems to be consistent with the ongoing drive by BJP to appropriate icons and legacies and rewrite history to suit its political purposes’ said George Abraham, Chairman, Indian National Overseas Congress, USA. There appears to be a concentrated effort to re-create Onam with an upper caste coloring countering the egalitarian and irreligious nature of the festival that has been celebrated by Malayalees across Kerala and around the world regardless of class, caste or religion” Mr. Abraham added.

    An article published in the Onam special edition of RSS mouthpiece ‘Kesari’ had questioned the traditional legends of the festival saying it is the celebration of the birth of Vamana, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu and not the homecoming of demon king Mahabali.

    The article had argued that there was no reference in any mythological scriptures which supports the popular and widely circulated legend that ‘Vamana’, had sent Mahabali to the netherworld through deceit and the king visits the land annually to meet his subjects, as widely believed.

    Regardless, Onam reminds Keralites everywhere about peace and tranquility in the world. It helps us to dream about economic well-being and resource sharing. It is an idea about love and brotherhood and setting up aspirational goals on high ethics and morals. It also motivates us to fight for human justice and preservation of nature.

    ‘Therefore, we kindly request the BJP leadership and their allies in Kerala to leave Onam alone, a festival which we all love and cherish and one that brings all of us together in unity and love, at the minimum, once every year!!’

  • After Eid curfew in Kashmir Valley: Politicians need to be pressed in Kashmir

    After Eid curfew in Kashmir Valley: Politicians need to be pressed in Kashmir

    It was left to senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav to observe that it was a “frightening situation” that a curfew had to be imposed on Eid in Kashmir. Yadav speaks the language of a politician, whereas it seems a policeman is calling the policy shots in New Delhi. There is the endless cycle of protest, violence, and the inevitable response from the security forces. New Delhi appears to have settled for a policy of tiring out the street protesters; it does not want to give the impression of being less than a tough, no-nonsense executioner of law and order. The official stance is reported to be calculated on a premise that inspiration and instigation for the street protests are emanating from across the border, and that only a very miniscule minority is out there protesting on the streets while the overwhelming majority of Kashmiris wants nothing more than a semblance of peace and normalcy.

    Each one of these calculations may be valid. Still the curfew-on-Eid was an overdone calculation. It has been noted that it was the first time in more than one hundred years that no prayers could be offered in Srinagar’s Jama Masjid. A community was made to feel that it was not allowed to observe its religious freedom. An unhappy feeling — anytime, anywhere. It needs to be pointed out that there was violence despite the curfew in various parts of the Kashmir Valley.

    This curfew-on-Eid tapestry was in sharp contrast to the earlier inspired leaks about the possibility of a Vajpayee-era like Ramadan “unilateral cease-fire.” While it would be naïve to discount Pakistan’s unabated interference in the Valley, it would be equally unwise to rely on the policeman to help seize the initiative away from the street protester. Pakistan’s unhelpfulness is a given, a constant and perhaps an unbreakable factor; but precisely because of this familiar meddlesomeness, New Delhi needs to let the politician do his trick and the diplomat practice his craft.

  • Gandhi’s wake up after 26 years After, Finally a Visit to Ayodhya

    Gandhi’s wake up after 26 years After, Finally a Visit to Ayodhya

    After a gap of almost 26 years, a member of the Gandhi clan, Rahul Gandhi, visited Ayodhya.

    As part of his ongoing ‘Kisan Mahayatra’, the Congress vice-president visited the temple town on Sept. 9 and made a brief stopover at Hanumangarhi, a famous temple.

    He was closeted with the priest of the temple for over five minutes after which he came out and drove off to the circuit house, where he started his road show.

    The late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was scheduled to visit the temple in 1990 when he was on his ‘Sadbhavna Yatra’ to Ayodhya, but the program was called off at the last moment as he had to fly back to Lucknow and it was getting dark.

    Emerging out of the meeting, priest Mahant Gyan Das said Rahul had come like any other devotee.

    When asked if there was any discussion on the contentious issue of the Ram temple, the priest answered in the negative.

    Gandhi was slated to go to the Kichaucha Dargah Sharif at Ambedkarnagar in the evening to meet the farmers in Faizabad at Ramlila grounds in Poorabazaar.

    He would later spend some time with Dalits in a Dalit colony.

    This has been his routine in the last three days of the 2,500-km-long Yatra which is to take him, in a special modeled, air conditioned bus, to more than 223 assembly constituencies in the state.

    #UttarPradesh is scheduled to elect a new government early next year.

    #Congress has 28 legislators in the present assembly and a recent survey has predicted that the party would slip further in numbers.

    The party has hired election strategist Prashant Kishore to pep up the campaign and to secure a better outcome at the polls.

  • Young Politico of Queens arrested for faking donations to campaign fund

    Young Politico of Queens arrested for faking donations to campaign fund

    QUEENS, NY (TIP): A young Queens politico who ran for City Council in 2015 was arrested Tuesday, September 6 for faking donations to get 6-for-1 matching taxpayer funds for her losing campaign, authorities said.

    A news report published in New York Post says that Celia Dosamantes, 25, allegedly forged 32 contribution cards totaling $3,255, then filed the documents with the Campaign Finance Board in an attempt to get matching funds of nearly $19,530 from the city, officials said.

    CFB allegedly caught Dosamantes red-handed during a compliance visit last summer, according to assistant district attorney Nicholas Leddy.

    “Forged contribution cards were recovered from a folder defendant attempted to conceal in her lap,” the prosecutor said in Manhattan Supreme Court as Dosamantes sat at the defense table in a pin-striped navy pant suit, her hands cuffed behind her back.

    The SUNY grad filed two disclosure statements with the CFB in August 2015, court papers show.

    “These fillings included dozens of forged documents that purported to show contributions to her campaign that were never, in fact, made,” Leddy said. “The forged contribution cards appear to have been digitally altered from legitimate contribution cards.”

    She’s also charged with submitting a copy of a digitally altered check, officials said.

    “All of the donors who appear on the contribution cards and the check at issue in this indictment confirmed that they did not make the donations reflected in those documents,” Leddy said.

    She faces 1 ¹/? to 4 years in prison on 35 counts of offering a false instrument and attempted grand larceny.

    Justice Michael Sonberg set bail at $15,000, which was promptly posted by bondsman Ira Judelson. Dosamantes previously worked as an aide to Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Queens), who was surprised to hear of her arrest.

    “She was a good worker, I had no problem with her,” said Weprin. “You never want to hear something like this.”

    Defense lawyer Joseph Corozzo said, “We deny any allegations of criminality in this matter and feel that the evidence will vindicate Miss Dosamantes.”

    Celia’s arrest has upset many politicians who are believed to be under investigation for similar offences.

  • Indian American Aam Aadmi Party Activist, Pran Kurup, dies of Cardiac Arrest

    Indian American Aam Aadmi Party Activist, Pran Kurup, dies of Cardiac Arrest

    SACRAMENTO (TIP): Indian American entrepreneur and social activist Pran Kurup, nicknamed the “unsung hero” behind the nascent Aam Aadmi party movement in Northern California, died Sept. 3 in Thiruvananthapuram, India, of cardiac arrest.

    Kurup was 49 at the time of his death. The Silicon Valley, Calif., resident leaves behind

    his wife, Lachmi Khemlani, and two children.

    In July, Kurup released his third book, “Arvind Kejriwal and The Aam Aadmi Party: An Inside Look.” Kurup and Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal were batch-mates at IIT Kharagpur, and the book chronicles the deep friendship the two shared, as well as Kejriwal’s influence on Kurup’s philosophy.

    “Pran, IIT batch mate and a very dear friend, passed away due to cardiac arrest. May his soul rest in peace. Heartfelt condolences to his family,” tweeted Kejriwal Sept. 3.

    As the Aam Aadmi Party began its growth in the U.S., in 2012, Kurup is credited with increasing the movement’s visibility through social media and his popular column in The Economic Times. At a Sept. 21, 2013 panel discussion at UC Berkeley that explored India’s changing political landscape, Kurup remarked: “Although the last thing India needs is a new party, it is unfortunately the only alternative for a young, aspiring secular India in the 21st century.”

    He then discussed the AAP’s transparent funding process, the open candidate selection process, the push to political decentralization, and the focus on education and healthcare for the masses, emphasizing the message: “Vote even if you don’t vote for AAP.”

    University of California San Francisco cancer researcher Maya Vishwakarma – who in 2014 ran for a Lok Sabha seat from Hoshangabad district in Madhya Pradesh on the Aam Aadmi ticket – credited Kurup with being a mentor, teacher and beloved friend.

    The Chennai-born Kurup founded Vitalect, an e-learning company based in California, in 1997. He also served as the president of the Silicon Valley Indian Professionals Association.

     

     

  • ‘Sidhu never asked to be made CM face, said God told him to work with AAP’

    ‘Sidhu never asked to be made CM face, said God told him to work with AAP’

    As cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Sidhu fired his first salvo at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) saying Arvind Kejriwal wanted to use him as a “piece of decoration” during elections, AAP’s Punjab co-incharge Sanjay Singh, in an interview to HT in Ludhiana on Thursday, said Sidhu is not speaking the truth as he (Sidhu) had himself said he is not selfish to contest from his wife’s seat and would campaign for the party in the entire state.

    Sidhu has accused the AAP of trying of give him a raw deal?

    Sanjay: I am surprised by his U-turn. I had a direct discussion with Sidhu and he had said he would join us in Punjab’s interests. He said it is a fight between ‘dharm’ and ‘adharm’ (good versus evil) and he wants to uproot the corrupt Badals. I still cannot forget what he then said. I quote him, “Mujhe Mahdev ka adesh ho gaya hai. Mein AAP ke saath Punjab ke liye laruga (I have been ordered by God Mahadev. I will fight alongside AAP to save Punjab)”.

    What was the deal offered to him?

    The AAP is not a mall that it would offer a deal or a discount on its policies. He was only told about the policy of “one family, one-ticket” rule. Sidhu had then said he is not so selfish that he would contest from his wife’s seat. He said his wife would contest elections and he would campaign for the AAP across the state. He is not saying the truth.

    Did he ask for being made party’s CM face, or was offered to be one?

    To be fair to him, neither did he once ask for being made the CM face of the party in Punjab nor was it offered. He did talk to us once again (after Arvind Kejriwal came back from his Vipassana meditation centre in Himachal) on what have we thought about him, and we told him all of that has already been discussed.

    Why is the AAP worried over the fourth front?

    The AAP is not worried. We are only gaining ground in Punjab. Our rallies are only getting bigger. The nervousness being betrayed by our rival parties is the proof. But it is for Sidhu to answer who is he trying to benefit by forming a fourth front. Even a child will not believe that a party being formed a few months before elections has any commitment. It will only lead to division of votes and vitiate the environment of the state before elections. Instead of attacking the Badals and their mafia raj, Sidhu is busy attacking the AAP and helping them.

  • Sidhu’s new outfit a ‘B-team’ of the RSS, says AAP’s Jarnail

    Sidhu’s new outfit a ‘B-team’ of the RSS, says AAP’s Jarnail

    Aam Aadmi Party’s Punjab co-incharge Jarnail Singh hit back at Navjot Singh Sidhu, alleging that his political outfit Awaaz-e-Punjab is the “B-team of the RSS”, and said his attack on the Badal family was a diversion, as his real target was Delhi chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

    Jarnail also said that by forming a new party, the cricketer-turned-politician finally accepted that he harbours chief ministerial ambitions. “Navjot Singh Sidhu’s press conference has made it clear that he is the B Team of the RSS. We were suspicious of him from the very beginning. He first wanted that the BJP should contest the Punjab polls all alone, but when it was not possible, he got separated with the blessings of the RSS,” Jarnail said.

    “How can a person save Punjab when he cannot relinquish his claim to a ticket,” Jarnail added.

  • ARVIND KEJRIWAL ONLY WANTS ‘YES-MEN’, SAYS NAVJOT SIDHU

    ARVIND KEJRIWAL ONLY WANTS ‘YES-MEN’, SAYS NAVJOT SIDHU

    CHANDIGARH (TIP): Playing the cards close to his chest, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu on September 8 launched a non-political front in Punjab attacking the Akali-BJP combine, Congress and the AAP but gave no indication about who he will align with in the Assembly elections He dubbed the AAP, with which he was widely speculated to be eyeing a tie up, as “anarchy in the garb of democracy” and said its leader Arvind Kejriwal wants only “yes-men”.

    Addressing a press conference at the formal launch of “Awaaz-E-Punjab”, a non-political front for “betterment” of Punjab, the former BJP leader, who quit his Rajya Sabha seat in July, said its aim is to hand over the power of democracy to people after ending “the rule of one family” in the state.

    Sidhu said that in the next 15-20 days he will come out with the fronts future plan.

    Launching a frontal attack on the Badals, who have been in power for a decade, he said the “kaale Badal (dark clouds) have overshadowed Punjab and people are keen to see sunlight”.

    “People elect government for themselves and not for a family,” he said, alleging that Badals have made Punjab and the party as their family fiefdom. He also claimed that Akalis and Congress were “two sides of the same coin” who fought a “friendly-match” and ruined Punjab, which needed a change for its better future. Clearing the air over speculation about his joining AAP, Sidhu claimed that the AAP leadership was after him for the last two years and made many offers. He accused Kejriwal of speaking “half truth” as he was told to not contest but only campaign. “Kejriwal and his men were luring me for last two years to join AAP. They offered many things but I only asked them to define my role. I wanted to know his intentions and his aim. “He told me not to contest but only campaign. But he said my wife can contest and will make her a minister. I thanked him. He also wanted to make me a decoration piece, which I was earlier,” he told reporters.

    Attacking the AAP leader, Sidhu said, “Kejriwal wants only yes men…arrogance in democracy is not acceptable.”

    “Kejriwal thinks only he is honest and no one else is and it is his copyright. He feels others have no right to say that they are honest. I am sitting here with people who are to help Punjab. I am ready to give my life for Punjab.

    “Kejriwal is always trying to indulge in one-upmanship and take credit and no one else is allowed to do so,” said Sidhu, who was flanked by Olympian and rebel SAD MLA Pargat Singh and Bains brothers – Simarjeet and Balwinder. He claimed that people have suffered in the hands of five years of Congress government led by Capt Amarinder Singh and during the last 10 years of danda tantra (rule of the stick) during which he alleged, false cases were slapped on people and votes secured through polarisation. Sidhu formally launched the front as Kejriwal started his four-day visit to the state to boost the party’s campaign.

    Sidhu sought 15-20 days more to spell out what would be the role of his newly launched front. Without spelling out if

    ‘Awaaz-e-Punjab’ will be launched as a political party later on, Sidhu said it is a forum of like minded people for the betterment of Punjab.

    He went into details on why things with AAP did not materialise, how he was strongly opposed to the ruling Badals and mystery surrounding his surprise decision to resign from the Rajya Sabha seat recently.

    Sidhu began by telling journalists that he would prefer to address them in Punjabi, saying “If a Punjabi person does not speak in Punjabi, it looks like he is telling a lie.”

    “The issue I am putting up before you today is serious, it will answer most of your queries. Aawaz-e-Punjab’s objective is to make Punjab which is in dire straits prosperous again.”

    “It has become tradition in India and in Punjab to use good people as decoration pieces, when you need them use them and later on dump them. This has become the tradition,” he said.

    Attacking the Badal family, Sidhu said ideology of ‘Awaaz-e-Punjab’ is to empower people of Punjab rather than present concentration of power which is only with ruling Badal family.

    Noting that Badals have “no policy and no desire” to resurrect Punjab, he said “dark ‘Badal’ (cloud) has overshadowed Punjab and people are keen to see sunlight.”

    Without naming his own party BJP, he said like them, Kejriwal too wanted him to be just a “decoration piece” who are used and then dumped once the job is done.

    Sidhu held that no party is good or bad, but it’s the people who run it and their thinking what matters.

    He noted that need of the hour is to revive and redeem “hapless” Punjab. “Currently, Punjab is in worse condition,” he said. We are not fighting for personal gains but for the better future of Punjab,” he said.

    He said people of Punjab want change of governance and this can be done by those leaders who are strong. “We will work for Punjab, Punjabiat and in the end Punjabiat and people of Punjab will win,” he said.

    He accused Badals of controlling all the businesses in Punjab and even mortgaging government properties for their own family’s benefit. Sidhu alleged both Badal and Amarinder Singh (Punjab Congress chief) are two sides of one coin. “They are playing a friendly match,” he said, adding this had led to frustrated people raising their voices.

    Hitting out at Badals and Amarinder, he said “they are rich in ambition and poor in condition.”

    Over the issue of his quitting the Rajya Sabha seat, he said that “It had nothing to do with AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal. I had refused the Rajya Sabha seat two years back.”

    Sidhu also talked in detail trying to clear the air over earlier speculations on his joining AAP. “I will tell you why Sidhu could not be one with Kejriwal Sahib. When I speak, I speak less, but when I do, then I do not leave anything, I will make all things clear to you,” he told a volley of questions fielded on the issue.

    “Kejriwal and his men were luring me for last two years to join AAP. They offered many things, but I only asked them to define my role. I wanted to know his intentions and his aim,” he said.

    “Kejriwal thinks only he is honest and no one else is and it is his copyright. He feels others have no right to say that they are honest. I am sitting here with people who are to help Punjab. I am ready to give my life for Punjab.”

    Attacking BJP and the Akalis, Sidhu said he was made a “decorative piece” by the ruling dispensation and was not accorded any importance even at public functions, fearing he may hog limelight.

    “It was not possible to stand with Dhritarashtra. They are Dhritarashtra and Dusshasana. They nominated me to Rajya Sabha and one BJP leader said campaign for Badal and other said ‘don’t go to Punjab’,” he said, making an analogy with characters of epic Mahabharata.

    Without naming anyone, he said, “they hatched conspiracies, threw baits, but Sidhu did not leave Guru Ka Ghar (Amritsar). They wanted that Sidhu should leave Amritsar,” he said.

    Taking on Akalis, he said, “All that Sidhu wanted was development of Amritsar and to take care of problems faced by the people of holy city”.

    “What were we asking for, only development of Amritsar, something to solve the problem of solid waste in the city. Had they done any politics with Sidhu, I would not have had a problem, but you will stop development of Amritsar, that was unacceptable to me,” he said.

    About Punjab Congress chief, Sidhu said, he also tried to woo him. “Capt Sahib also send 30-40 people (to meet him),” Sidhu said.

    Replying to a question, Sidhu targeted AAP, saying “The East India company came with 40,000 troops and ruled over 40 crore people in India.”

    “Like that, the Central India company has sent 40 people and want to rule over Punjab by dividing the people of Punjab. There is no difference. They talk to individuals and people are told and never heard.”

    When asked that AAP has charged him with being highly ambitious, Sidhu shot back, “who are they to say this”.

    Asked if his front will help the ruling Akails, he said, “It is for the people of Punjab to decide.”

    When asked if he had asked bargained for being projected as Chief Ministerial candidate of AAP, Sidhu said, “look at Kejriwal’s tweet earlier, what does it say, it says Navjot Sidhu had set no pre-condition. Where does this question (of CM ship) arise that I aspired for this or that.”