News Analysis India

Tag: Prime Minister

  • Defamation case: Magistrate summoned Rahul Gandhi as evidence prima facie points to offence, complainant tells HC

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: A BJP worker, who had filed a defamation complaint against Rahul Gandhi over his “commander-in-thief” remark targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, told the Bombay High Court on Thursday that a local court had summoned the Congress leader after forming an opinion that the evidence prima facie points to an offence.

    The Bombay High Court on Thursday posted Gandhi’s petition challenging the summons for final hearing on January 18, 2022, and directed the magistrate’s court to defer hearing on the defamation complaint till January 25.

    Rahul Gandhi was directed by the local court to appear before it on November 25 in connection with the defamation complaint filed by Mahesh Shrishrimal, who claims to be a member of the BJP Maharashtra Pradesh Committee since 1997.

    Shrishrimal filed the complaint against the Congress leader for his remark targeting PM Modi in 2018 over the Rafale fighter jet deal. Gandhi had approached the HC challenging the summons issued to him.

    Last month, a single bench of Justice S K Shinde directed the local court to defer hearing on the defamation complaint, which meant the Congress leader would not be required to appear before the magistrate. Shrishrimal on Thursday filed his affidavit in the HC seeking dismissal of Gandhi’s petition.

    In the affidavit filed in response to the plea, the complainant said the magistrate issued summons and initiated criminal proceedings against Gandhi as he (Shrishrimal) had made out a prima facie case against the Congress leader.

    The affidavit said the magistrate’s court issued the summons only after scrutinising the evidence submitted by Shrishrimal.

    “It is pertinent to note that before passing the order of issuance of process (summons), the Magistrate has formed the opinion that factual ingredients constituting the offence existed and therefore the process was issued against the petitioner/accused summoning him for trial,” the affidavit said.

    The complainant said has been aggrieved by the alleged defamatory remarks made by Gandhi against Prime Minister Modi.

    Gandhi, through his remarks, tried to insinuate and imply that the BJP was a party of thieves and that the prime minister was its commander, he said. The magistrate had initiated criminal proceedings against Gandhi in August 2019. However, the Congress leader in his petition before the HC had claimed he learnt about it only in July 2021.

    The complainant’s allegations are that in September 2018, Gandhi conducted a rally in Rajasthan during which he made the alleged defamatory statements against PM Modi.

    Due to the said defamatory statement, Modi was allegedly trolled on social media platforms, he said.

    As per the complaint, four days later, Gandhi purportedly commented on a video and posted on his personal Twitter account “The sad truth about India’s commander in thief.” The complainant alleged that Gandhi was making “defamatory statements against Modi and by calling him ‘commander in thief’, made a direct allegation of theft against all members of the BJP and Indian citizens connected to Modi”.

    Gandhi, in his petition filed through advocate Kushal Mor, said the complaint was a classic example of a frivolous and vexatious litigation motivated by the sole purpose of furthering the complainant’s latent political agenda.

    He further said the complainant had no locus to file the complaint since a defamation plaint can be initiated only by the person who has been allegedly defamed.

    The Congress leader had sought for quashing the magistrate’s order and a stay on the proceedings, pending hearing of the petition.

    Justice Shinde on Thursday posted the petition for final hearing on January 18 and directed the magistrate to defer hearing on the defamation complaint till January 25.

  • Time to act now before farming issues become severe: PM Modi

    'We need to take agriculture out of the chemical lab and connect it with nature's lab,' Modi said. The PM also asked states to take up natural farming as a mass movement.

  • Cabinet’s decision on semiconductors will encourage innovation; boost manufacturing: PM Modi

    Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a budget of Rs 76,000 crore for designing and manufacturing semiconductor chips in India.

  • Tyrants like Aurangzeb tried to destroy Kashi, city now writing new chapter of its glory: PM Modi

    A new history is being created, he said, asserting that if an Aurangzeb came, a Shivaji also rose and if a Salar Masud, a Muslim invader, marched, then a Raja Suheldev took him on.

  • PM Narendra Modi to address bank deposit insurance programme

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a programme, “Depositors First: Guaranteed Time-bound Deposit Insurance Payment up to Rs 5 Lakh,” on Sunday at Vigyan Bhawan here, his office said.

    Deposit insurance covers all deposits such as savings, fixed, current and recurring deposits in all commercial banks.

    Deposits in state, central and primary cooperative banks, functioning in states and union territories are also covered, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) noted.

    In a path-breaking reform, bank deposit insurance cover was enhanced from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, it added.

    With deposit insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh per depositor per bank, the number of fully protected accounts at end of previous financial year constituted 98.1 per cent of the total number of accounts as against the international benchmark of 80 per cent.

    The first tranche of interim payments has been released by the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation recently against claims received from depositors of 16 Urban Cooperative Banks which are under restrictions by the RBI.

    Payout of over Rs 1,300 crore has been made to alternate bank accounts of over one lakh depositors against their claims, the statement said.

  • After farm laws roll back, Maulana Madni seeks repeal of CAA

    By Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: A day after the repeal of three contentious farm laws by the Government of India, the voices to repeal the Citizenship Amendment Act  (CAA) have also started emanating from various quarters.

    The national president of Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind, Maulana Arshad Madni has sought the Prime Minister to take back the CAA which had drawn nationwide protests in 2019.

    Greeting the farmers over the repeal of the farm laws, Madni said that it was proven yet again that a sustained and patient movement against any issue always reaped fruitful results.

    “We congratulate the farmers who continued their protest bravely. Similarly, we want the government to roll back the CAA which will hurt the Muslims the most. They, too, are citizens of India just like others. If they are affected, the government should feel the same way,” said Maulana Madni.

    Madni said that farm laws were repealed as Assembly polls to five states were due. 

    “We think that CAA-NRC is concerned with the nationality and Muslims will have to bear its brunt. The power of the public is strongest. So this CAA should also be repealed,” he added.

    Madni quoted PM Modi saying he claimed that the country had a democratic structure. ‘So now the PM should concentrate on those laws which were brought in connection with Muslims,” he claimed.

    “The rollback of farm laws showed that in a democracy the power of people is supreme. Those, who think that parliament and government are the most powerful, are wrong. The farmers have yet again shown their might,” said Madni.

  • After repeal of farm laws, Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind chief Maulana Arshad Madni seeks repeal of CAA

    By Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: A day after the repeal of three contentious farm laws by the Government of India, the voices to repeal the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) have also started emanating from various quarters. The national president of Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind, Maulana Arshad Madni has asked the Prime Minister to take back the CAA which had drawn nationwide protests in 2019.

    Greeting the farmers over the repeal of the farm laws, Madni said that it was proven yet again that a sustained and patient movement against any issue always reaped fruitful results. “We congratulate the farmers who continued their protest bravely. Similarly, we want the government to roll back the CAA which will hurt the Muslims the most. They, too, are citizens of India just like others. If they are affected, the government should feel the same way,” said Maulana Madni.

    Madni said that farm laws were repealed as Assembly polls to five states were due. “We think that CAA-NRC is concerned with the nationality and Muslims will have to bear its brunt. The power of the public is strongest. So this CAA should also be repealed,” he added.

    Madni quoted PM Modi saying he claimed that the country had a democratic structure. “So now the PM should concentrate on those laws which were brought in connection with Muslims. The rollback of farm laws showed that in a democracy the power of people is supreme. Those, who think that parliament and government are the most powerful, are wrong. The farmers have yet again shown their might,” he claimed.

  • Priyanka Gandhi urges PM not to share stage with MoS Home Ajay Mishra during DGPs’ conference

    By PTI

    LUCKNOW: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the repeal of the farm laws, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday urged him not to share the stage with Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra during the DGPs conference here keeping in mind farmers’ interest.

    She also sought the removal of Mishra from his post over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which his son is accused.

    Priyanka Gandhi made the appeal to the prime minister through a letter that she read out in front of reporters hours before the commencement of the DGPs conference.

    “Yesterday, while addressing the countrymen, you had said that with true mind and pious heart and keeping in mind the interests of the farmers, an unprecedented decision to repeal the farm laws was taken.

    If this is true, then getting justice delivered to the families affected by the Lakhimpur Kheri violence should be your top priority,” the Congress general secretary said.

    “But, Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’ still remains a member of your council of ministers.

    If you share the stage in the (DGPs) conference with the father of the accused (Ashish Mishra), then a clear message will go to the aggrieved families that you are still with those persons, who are giving patronage to the murderers”.

    She further said, “If today, your intention is really clear about the farmers of the country, then you should not share the stage with the Union Minister of State for Home, and remove him.” The AICC general secretary also urged that cases registered against the farmers in the country for staging protests against the agri laws be withdrawn and financial assistance be given to the families of all those who died during the agitation.

    “You are the prime minister and you must be understanding well the responsibility towards the farmers of the country. Ensuring justice towards every citizen is not only the duty but also the moral responsibility of the prime minister,” she said in the letter written in Hindi.

    Referring to Ashish Mishra, the son of Union minister Ajay Mishra, the Congress leader said, “The entire country has been witness to the cruelty that has been meted out to the ‘annadatas’ (food providers) in Lakhimpur Kheri.

    You know that the son of the Union minister of state for Home is the main accused in running a vehicle over the farmers.

    “Owing to political pressure, the Uttar Pradesh government has from the beginning tried to stifle the voice of justice. The Supreme Court has said that it seems the government is trying to save a special accused person,” she said.

    Violence had erupted in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 when farmers were protesting the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit to Mishra’s place.

    Four agitating farmers were run over by a vehicle while four others, including a journalist, two BJP workers were also killed in the violence that ensued.

    Priyanka Gandhi also said that she had met the family members of the deceased farmers, and they are in tremendous pain.

    “All the families want justice and with the Union minister of state for Home being in office, they do not have any hope of getting justice. The current situation of the probe in the Lakhimpur violence case proves that the apprehension of the families is correct. Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have shared the stage with him (Ajay Mishra),” she said.

  • Priyanka writes to PM seeking removal of MoS Ajay Mishra to ensure justice for Lakhimpur victims

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: Raking up the Lakhmipur Kheri violence, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narednra Modi asking him not to share the stage with Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni whose son is a key accused in the killing of farmers in the Terai district on October 3.

    Gandhi demanded that the PM shunt out the MoS as an act of ensuring justice to the families of the deceased farmers. PM Modi is in Lucknow on Saturday and Sunday to attend the 56th All India conference of DGPs/IGs.

    It may be recalled that eight persons, including four farmers, had lost their lives in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3 after an SUV Thar had ploughed into a crowd of farmers protesting against MoS Ajay Mishra Teni and the visit of UP Deputy CM Keshav Maurya. After four farmers were mowed down, the violence escalated and three BJP workers were lynched by the angry farmers while a local journalist also lost his life as he got caught in the violence.

    Interacting with media persons in Lucknow on Saturday, Congress leader Gandhi read out the letter written to the PM. “Yesterday you repealed the three far laws while accepting that they were being forced upon the farmers. I have read inthe newspapers that you are in Lucknow today to attend the DGP conference and will meet with the top officials of the country who are responsible for maintaining law and order.”

    “The entire country saw the barbarity done with the farmers in Lakhimpur. You must be knowing that the main accused in this incident is the son of Union MoS Home in your government. Due to political pressure, the Uttar Pradesh government has been trying to silence the voice for justice since beginning. Honourable Supreme Court has also remarked that it seems that the government is trying to save a particular accused in this case,” said Gandhi.

    “Sir, I have met the families of the farmers who died in Lakhimpur, they are in extreme pain. All the families have said that they want just justice and till the time Union MoS is at his post they don’t have any hope of getting justice. The current situation of investigation in the Lakhimpur incident has proved the apprehension of the families correct. The Union Home Minister Amit Shah who is responsible for law and order in the country and Chief Minister of State Yogi Adityanath are sharing the stage with the same Union MoS,” asserted the Congress leader.

    “You are the Prime Minister of the country and you must be understanding your responsibility towards farmers very well. Yesterday while addressing the nation you had said you are repealing the laws in farmers’ interest with true intent andpure heart. If this is all true, then you should ensure justice for the families of the deceased farmers in Lakhimpur. However, Ajay Mishra Teni continues to serve as Minister in your government. If you share the stage with him in the DGP conference then a message will go to the families of the victims that you are standing with those shielding the murderers,” Gandhi wrote in her letter.

    “This will be an insult to those 700 farmers as well who lost their lives during the farmers’ protest,” she added.

    “If you have pure intent towards the farmers of the country, then don’t share the stage with Union MoS instead remove him from his post. You should also take back the cases against the farmers of the country and must ensure financial aid forthe martyred farmers,” stated Gandhi in her letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

  • Sad we could not convince farmers, says agri minister Narendra Singh Tomar

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Welcoming the Prime Minister’s decision to repeal the farm laws, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Friday expressed regret that the government was unsuccessful in convincing some farmers groups about the benefits of these laws.

    Tomar said the government wanted to remove hurdles faced by the farming community by bringing in the three new farm laws. These laws would have benefited farmers, Tomar said. He added that the PM’s intention was to bring a “revolutionary change” in the lives of farmers. “I am sad that we were not successful in convincing some farmers about the benefit of these laws.”

    Tomar said the PM tried to bring changes in the farm sector through these laws. But the situation became such that some farmers found problems in these laws. “We tried to convince them but were not successful,” said Tomar. 

    The minister spoke of the government’s commitment to agriculture and farmer welfare in the last seven years and highlighted various schemes launched since 2014. The government has decided to fix the minimum support price (MSP) at least 1.5 times the cost of production and procurement has doubled, he said.

    To support small farmers, the government has launched the PM-KISAN scheme under which `1.62 lakh crore has been disbursed to farmers, he said. He added that crop loan has been doubled in the last seven years of BJP rule.