Tag: BJP

  • BJP carrying out relief work amid Covid, opposition has gone into quarantine: JP Nadda

    BJP workers standing with the people during the pandemic unlike the opposition leaders who are only visible in virtual press conferences, the BJP president said.

  • ‘Nothing new to offer’: Sanjay Raut on Modi government completing seven years in power

    By ANI
    MUMBAI: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Central government completed seven years in office on Sunday, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that the current Central government has nothing new to offer to the people of the country.

    MP Raut said, “As compared to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s regime, the current Central government has nothing new to offer to the people of the country. The infrastruture, institutions developed in the period of Nehru is still existing and thiriving.”

    “I know that there are no corruption charges on the present government,The expectations of people from the government are based on basic necessities ‘roti, kapda, makan’, no one wants to become Tata, Birla and Adani”, the Shiv Sena leader said.

    “I agree that the Centre claims to be not tainted by any corruption charges, but they should not shy away from addressing the issues raised by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi”, he said.

    Supporting West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for opposing the presence of Opposition party in the review meeting of Cyclone Yaas chaired by PM Narendra Modi, Raut said, “The differences between Centre and Mamata di’s opinions are not new. However, this time, I agree with her. She raised the point that as to why an opposition leader was called up in the meeting when no opposition leader was present in any other state’s Cyclone-related review meeting.”

    On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a review meeting at Kalaikunda in Paschim Medinipur district in West Bengal to take stock of the post cyclonic situation. Mamata Banerjee was supposed to attend the meeting. However, she arrived late by 30 minutes and handed him over reports of damage caused by the impact of Cyclone Yaas. Following this, she left for her pre-scheduled meeting at Digha.

    The Shiv Sena leader also spoke upon the recent bribery case of the Maharashtra Transport Minister, Anil Parab. He said, “The opposition parties are continuously engaged in putting false allegations and demanding resignation on the same. As of now, I think that Anil Parab will be in a better position to comment on the matter.”

    Meanwhile, Maharashtra Police has set up a three-member panel to inquire into the allegations of corruption and bribery against state transport minister Anil Parab, transport commissioner Avinash Dhakne and five other senior department officials.

  • Mamata’s Rs 20,000 crore demand for cyclone relief unrealistic: Bengal BJP chief

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Asserting that Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s demand of Rs 20,000-crore for cyclone relief was “unrealistic”, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Sunday said she skipped the review meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to avoid giving a detailed account of the claims that she has made.

    Ghosh also pointed out that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), which called the review meeting on Friday, is entitled to decide on the list of invitees.

    “Odisha faced the brunt of the cyclone while Bengal was largely spared, but she is asking for Rs 20,000 crore. She did not attend the review meeting with the Prime Minister at Kalaikunda as she did not want to elaborate on this unrealistic demand,” Ghosh said.

    The CM had on Friday said that she, in separate proposals submitted to Prime Minister Modi, sought Rs 10,000 crore each for rebuilding the seaside tourist town of Digha and the ravaged parts of the Sunderbans region.

    Banerjee, however, skipped a review meeting on cyclone devastation with Modi, seeking to know why opposition BJP leaders were present at the session.

    Ghosh further contended that the presence of Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of opposition in the Assembly, was another reason that prompted Banerjee to skip the meeting.

    “Adhikari will be attending assembly sessions, too. Will Banerjee stop going to the House? Instead of politicising the calamity, she should work with everyone for the welfare of people,” Ghosh said, in a dig at the TMC supremo.

  • Modi government’s lack of planning, incompetence responsible for oxygen crisis: Priyanka Gandhi

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Saturday blamed the government’s alleged incompetence and lack of planning for the medical oxygen crisis during the second wave of coronavirus in the country, and said it must answer the public for the lives lost to COVID-19.

    Taking forward her “Zimmedaar Kaun (who is responsible)” campaign, under which she has been asking questions of the government over its handling of the pandemic, she said it’s time for the ruling dispensation to answer for its actions.

    She alleged that India increased its oxygen exports by “700 per cent during 2020 and did not make any efforts to import oxygen” when the demand in the country skyrocketed during the second Covid wave.

    “It is clear that the Modi government’s lack of planning and incompetence are responsible for the shortage of oxygen that devastated lives in the second wave. Now, it’s time for them to answer to the public,” she said in a Facebook post.

    She asked as to why there was “no contingency plan” for the supply of oxygen.

    “Why was the advice of the Empowered Group-VI summarily ignored? Why was no provision made for increasing the number of cryogenic tankers, when by all accounts a second wave was imminent?” she asked.

    Vadra said as the second wave of Covid raged across the country, almost every state began reporting a shortage of oxygen and many people died gasping for air.

    “Who is responsible for the lack of oxygen in hospitals across India?” “Why were the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee on Health ignored,” she asked.

    “And no control exercised on the price of oxygen cylinders and their refilling.”

  • Congress weakening India’s fight against Covid, providing tools to Pakistan: BJP

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The BJP on Saturday accused the Congress of working to “weaken” India’s fight against COVID-19, and alleged that the opposition party “provided” tools to countries like Pakistan to defame India.

    Citing the alleged remarks of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath that India is not great but infamous following the spread of the infectious disease, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia sought to know the Congress’ stand on his comments and claimed that defaming India has become a priority for its leaders.

    Noting that the senior Congress leader had earlier controversially described a Covid variant that originated in India as the “Indian variant”, Bhatia alleged at a virtual press conference that whatever he says is done at the behest of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

    “What Kamal Nath says is the Congress’ ideology and does so on behalf of Sonia Gandhi. Defaming India has become your priority. Why is the Congress silent at his abhorrent statement? Why is Sonia Gandhi silent? Does she agree with him?” Bhatia asked.

    He also cited comments of other senior Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor to claim that the opposition party has been making “irresponsible” statements to weaken India’s fight against Covid.

    Referring to a media report in Pakistan, the BJP spokesperson alleged that the term Indian variant used by it had “originated” at the Congress headquarters.

    The opposition party has provided tools that are used by countries like Pakistan to target India, he alleged.

    He also took strong exception to Rahul Gandhi’s use of “nautanki” barb at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    Bhatia noted that Modi had turned emotional while speaking to healthcare workers recently and asked if this was “nautanki” (drama).

    The Congress had shed tears for terrorists killed in the Batla House encounter in 2008, he alleged and said people know whose tears are sincere.

  • COVID crisis: 34 days after son’s death, UP BJP MLA waits to file FIR against hospital

    By PTI
    HARDOI: An Uttar Pradesh BJP legislator, who lost his son to coronavirus in April, said he had been trying for a month to get an FIR registered against a hospital for alleged negligence.

    Rajkumar Agrawal, the MLA from Sandila in Hardoi district, claimed he had also written letters complaining about it to the chief minister and health minister.

    Agarwal alleged that his 30-year-old son, who was admitted to a hospital in Kakori town in Lucknow district on April 22, died four days later due to negligence.

    When contacted, Kakori inspector Brijesh Singh said he assumed charge only three days ago and he had not got the MLA’s complaint.

    He assured that a case would be filed after taking another complaint and the matter would be investigated.

    Agarwal said his son’s oxygen level was 94 in the morning of April 26, and he was eating and having a conversation.

    “Suddenly, in the evening, doctors said his oxygen level was going down,” the MLA said.

    “My other two sons brought oxygen cylinders, but the doctors did not allow it to reach the patient.”

    “Despite much persuasion, oxygen was not taken and after a while, Ashish died. The carelessness of the hospital resulted in the death,” Agarwal said.

    The hospital was not immediately available for comment.

    The legislator said he submitted a complaint to the Kakori police for registering a case against the hospital, but the police refused to file the report without a probe by the chief medical officer.

    Agarwal claimed he also complained about it to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh.

    A case has, however, not registered till now on the complaint given on April 26, he said, adding that that he also spoke to the DGP and the police commissioner, but to no avail.

  • ‘Cops not filing FIR’: Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA alleges negligence after COVID positive son dies

    By ANI
    HARDOI: Alleging foul play in his son’s death, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator in Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi district said he had been struggling for over a month to lodge a complaint against a private hospital’s negligence, but the police is not filing an FIR.

    Rajkumar Aggarwal, BJP MLA from Sandila in the Hardoi district, told ANI that his son Ashish (35) died on April 26 at a hospital in Kakori where he was admitted after testing positive for COVID-19.

    “On April 26 morning, the oxygen level of the son was 94. He was eating and was having regular conversations with us. Suddenly in the evening, doctors told him that his oxygen level was decreasing. We arranged an oxygen cylinder from outside, but the doctors did not allow this oxygen to reach the patient, and he died,” the BJP MLA said.

    Aggarwal alleged that his son died due to negligence of the hospital administration and doctors and added that he is trying to file an FIR to get justice for his son.

    “That day seven people died in that hospital. I had complained about this to the chief minister, District Magistrate, Police commissioner, and Director-General of Police, and still, my complaint was not registered. My demand is that police should analyse the CCTV footage of the hospital and see who is responsible for the death of my son. I want the responsible doctors should be punished,” he further said.

    Uttar Pradesh is one of the worst affected states by the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 death toll in Uttar Pradesh crossed 20,000 on Friday with 159 more people succumbing to the disease. A total of 2,402 new cases of COVID infection were also reported in the state. There were 52,244 active COVID cases in Uttar Pradesh till Friday.

  • Congress and BJP get locked in verbal war on COVID vaccination

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  The war of words between Congress and BJP goes on. On Friday, Rahul Gandhi held Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible for the second wave of COVID-19 in the country. Taking a potshot,  Union minister Prakash Javdekar said the Congress leader was going by his ‘toolkit manual’ while making these allegations.

    Calling the PM as an event manager, Gandhi said: “There is no vaccination strategy. The Prime Minister doesn’t think strategically. He is an event manager, he thinks one event at a time. You don’t need events now as events will kill many. You need a strategy with an aim to shut the space for corona.”

    Gandhi added that India has vaccinated only 3 per cent of its people, while the US and Brazil have inoculated 50 per cent and 8-10 per cent, respectively.

    “The PM is responsible for the second wave of the virus, it is the result of his theatrics and the lack of his responsibility. It is time for the PM to be a leader and display leadership skills and courage and come out with excuses and blame others. The buck stops at the PM,” he said.

    “I am again requesting the Government. Get your vaccination strategy in order. Do not give the virus space to mutate. It is going to kill again. Lockdown is a temporary solution. The moment you open the lockdown, the virus will prepare itself and I guarantee you at 3 per cent vaccination we are going to get a third wave,” he added.

    Javdekar said the Congress leader’s press conference was straight out of the party’s toolkit. “People know well that Gandhi’s presser was as per the toolkit,” he said.

    BJP has been alleging that Congress has been working on the basis of a toolkit to build campaign against the government and PM Modi. The minister objected to Gandhi’s use of the term nautanki, saying it’s an insult to the country. 

    Javdekar said that 216 crore vaccines will be available by December this year to ensure vaccination of 108 crore people in the country. He hit out at the former chief of the Congress. “India will get 216 crore new vaccines by December, which will given to 108 crore people. Rahul Gandhi shouldn’t indulge in fear-mongering. India is second fastest on vaccination,” he added.

  • Five cops suspended for beating up BJP worker in Maharashtra’s Jalna

    By PTI
    JALNA: Five police personnel were suspended in Maharashtra’s Jalna district on Friday for allegedly beating up a BJP worker more than a month ago, an official said.

    A video of the incident went viral this week, following which an inquiry was ordered.

    District Superintendent of Police Vinayak Deshmukh on Friday suspended a sub-inspector and four police constables allegedly involved in the incident.

    Additional Superintendent of Police Vikrant Deshmukh was probing the matter further, Deshmukh told reporters.

    Asked about the two police officers including a Sub- Divisional Police Officer seen in the video, the SP said a decision regarding them will be taken at a higher level.

    The video showed the policemen beating BJP worker Shivraj Nariyalwale with batons.

    The incident took place at Deepak Hospital here on April 9 when some people attacked doctors and went on a rampage in the ICU of the hospital after the death of a youth injured in a road accident.

    Police rushed to the hospital.

    While others fled, Nariyalwale was caught and allegedly beaten up.

    State BJP leaders had demanded action against the policemen.

  • Covid-19 vaccination exercise in India will be complete by December​, says Prakash Javadekar

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Asserting that the COVID-19 vaccination will be complete in India by December this year, the BJP on Friday slammed Rahul Gandhi for his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the pandemic’s spread and said the language he used and the way he tried to stoke “fears” confirm that the Congress was behind the “toolkit”.

    Speaking to reporters, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar noted that the health ministry had recently given a roadmap about producing 216 crore doses by December and how 108 crore people will be vaccinated, as he rebutted Gandhi’s claim that it may take three years to finish the exercise, considered critical to curb the disease.

    Attacking the Congress leader, the Information and Broadcasting minister alleged that his choice of words like “nautanki” for the prime minister when Modi is working to curb Covid is part of the toolkit’s script, referring to a controversial document about targeting the government.

    The BJP has claimed that the Congress is behind it, a charge the opposition party has rejected.

    It has instead blamed the BJP and sought police probe into the matter.

    “It has been confirmed, and there is no need for any evidence. It is clear that the toolkit was produced by you. The kind of language you used and the way you tried to stoke confusion and fear among people is part of that politics,” Javadekar said.

    People have instead put an end to his “nautanki”, he added, an apparent pointer to the series of electoral setbacks the opposition party has suffered over the years.

    What Gandhi has said is an insult to the country and people, he added.

    India ranks second in the world in the scale of vaccination by administering over 20 crore doses, and it is set to see a big jump from August, he said.

    The BJP leader said Gandhi should rather be concerned about the Congress-ruled states as they have not been able lift their quota from vaccine producers.

    Noting that Gandhi had stressed the importance of vaccination, he said this is what the government has been saying and working on from the beginning and cited the production of two vaccines in India.

    Attacking the Congress, Javadekar said its leaders raised questions and spread doubts about the indigenously manufactured Covaxin.

    Modi put all such questions to rest by opting for this jab himself, the minister said.

    Earlier, Gandhi had held Modi’s responsible for the second coronavirus wave and warned of more waves at the current rate of vaccination.

    Calling on the government to evolve a vaccine strategy for the entire population, he noted that India is the vaccine capital of the world and it is possible to escalate the inoculation drive as only three per cent of the people have received both doses.