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Tag: Rajnath Singh

  • Defence Minister Rajnath Singh surprises everyone by attending adopted son’s wedding

    Express News Service
    LUCKNOW: It has been two decades and yet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has never lagged in fulfilling his responsibilities towards his adopted son Brijendra Kumar.

    The culmination of this came on Saturday when the Raksha Mantri suddenly reached Ghazipur to shower his blessing on Brijendra, now a doctor, and his bride at their wedding taking all by surprise.

    “What a pleasant surprise, possibly the biggest of my life so far. I am very happy since it was unexpected as he is always so busy,” said the groom.

    The Defence Minister, who had painstakingly kept his visit a secret from the family to surprise them, reached the venue at Madaripur locality of Ghazipur in eastern UP and blessed the groom by placing a ’tilak’ on his forehead.

    Rajnath Singh had adopted Birjendra in the year 2000. Then he was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Brijendra had topped the state board examination for class 8 students.

    Rajnath Singh had called him up to congratulate him and enquired after his family. This was when he came to know that Brijendra was a dalit and had lost his father at a tender age. 

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    After the death of his father Jagannath, a resident of Virpur Khilwa in Azamgarh, Brijendra’s mother Sushila had gone to stay with her parents along with her three small sons — Vipin and Manjesh being the two others — at Madaripur in Ghazipur.

    On coming to know of this, Rajnath Singh adopted Brijendra, who was a bright student.

    “I took on the responsibility of his education when I was CM of UP. I’m happy that he has become a doctor today,” said Rajnath Singh while talking to media persons in Ghazipur.

    At present, Brijendra is posted at Gosainganj CHC in Ayodhya.

    Brijendra’s second brother Vipin is preparing for civil services by staying in Delhi and the youngest Manjesh is pursuing a B.ED course.

    Dr Brijendra’s bride Krtika is a post graduate in English, who has done her B.Ed from Kolkata University.

    “I did not know that my son-in-law is the adopted son of Raksha Mantriji. It all dawned upon me today only when he came to bless the couple himself. It is unbelievable for me,” said the bride’s father Premchandra.

    Dr Brijendra said he met Rajnath Singh on February 14 to invite him for the marriage. “He had promised to come but I had kept my fingers crossed given his busy schedule and responsibilities,” he said.

    Dr Brijendra said the Defence Minister was always there for him.

    “Whenever, there was a problem, I was free to call him up directly. Then he would solve our problems on priority either by sending someone or whichever way,” added Dr Brjendra.

    “Just because of him my son has been able to achieve whatever he could,” underlined Sushila Devi.

  • No bigger irony than questioning valour of country’s Army: Rajnath

    By PTI
    GHAZIPUR: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said there can be no bigger irony than questioning the valour of the country’s Army.

    The defence minister said this while talking to reporters at Madaripur of the Saidpur area while attending the wedding of his adopted son Dr Vijendra.

    “We are proud of the might of the Indian Army. It is meaningless to doubt our Army. There can be nothing more ironic than questioning the Army. No one should doubt the valour and might of the Army of the country,” the defence minister said.

    Terming the Indian Army as highly valiant, Singh said it is unfortunate that questions are being asked by the Opposition despite China retreating from border points.

    The defence minister said it is a moment of great happiness that a poor child adopted by him has turned out a successful human through education.

    Every capable person should do such noble work, he said.

    Singh said when he was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, he had adopted two children and Vijendra is one of them who is now a doctor in a government hospital.

    He blessed the couple on the occasion.

    Union Minister Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey was also present on the occasion.

  • Political violence has reached ‘new high’ under Mamata government: Rajnath Singh

    By PTI
    BALURGHAT: Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh on Friday said political violence has reached a “new high” under the TMC dispensation while West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee looks the other way.

    Speaking at a public meeting here in Dakshin Dinajpur district, Singh said, people do not want a government which cannot ensure their security.

    “If the BJP is elected to power in the state polls, political violence will come to an end.”

    “The Trinamool Congress (TMC) had come to power with ‘Maa Mati Manush’ slogan. But what happened later? The slogan has been trampled for all practical purpose.”

    “Political violence has gone up to a new high. Law and order has completely broken down. Shouldn’t the CM look into this?”, Singh, who was known to have cordial relations with Banerjee, said.

    In English, the “Ma, Mati Manush” means “Mother, Motherland and People”.

    It became very popular in the state during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls and 2011 assembly polls.

    Alleging that over 150 people had died and thousands injured in the state in political violence “orchestrated by the TMC”, Singh said, “We do not want such a government which cannot ensure safety of its citizens.”

    Singh claimed that law and order situation has “vastly improved” in Tripura after the BJP came to power dislodging CPI(M).

    Noting that the TMC has “politicised the atmosphere in such a way that it is harming people of Bengal,” Singh said, “as a result many central projects for poor, backwards, tribals are yet to be implemented in the state.

    “Farmers here are not getting the benefit of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme which they will certainly get after the BJP comes to power here. They will have Rs 6,000 in their individual accounts.”

    “We will see to it that people of the state get the benefits of Ayushman Bharat Yojana once we are elected. They will get medical insurance upto Rs 5 lakh.” Singh highlighted that the saffron party “Is not in politics only to grab power.

    It is into politics to work to increase respect for the country.

    Claiming that “a new cut money, extortion culture is now flourishing here which will be wiped out by our party”, the BJP leader alleged that bomb making units have mushroomed all over West Bengal but the TMC is indifferent to it.

    Claiming that BJP believes in giving equal respect to every religion, Singh asked, “But what is Didi’s (Mamata Banerjee) government doing? At times we hear Saraswati Puja is not allowed here and at times the administration disallows Durga puja immersion.

    Is it right?” Blaming the state for dithering in providing land for fencing along border with Bangladesh for years, he said, “Once we come to power, fencing work will be over in a stipulated time which will put a lid on incidents of smuggling, human trafficking and other illegal activities.”

    “The soil of Bengal had given birth to luminaries like Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanya, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda. The BJP will once again bring back the glory of Bengal,” he said.

    Alluding to the campaign song “Khela Habe”, meaning ‘game on’, by the Trinamool Congress, Singh said in Bengali, “certainly there will be ‘khela’. But it will be the ‘khela’ (game) for growth, for development and progress.”

    “We believe in the ‘khela’ for peace.”

    Paying tribute to security forces, Singh, who is also the defence minister said, “Our jawans display valour gallantly guarding borders”.

    Referring to Balakot Air Strike, he said, “It was successfully done on this day in 2019 to show that we never compromise on issues of national security. We will never compromise with the security of the nation.”

  • Rajnath Singh a ‘caged parrot’ in Modi govt, says BKU chief Naresh Tikait

    Express News Service
    LUCKNOW: The leader of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Naresh Tikait on Wednesday said if Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is given a free hand, the farmers’ issue would be resolved in a minute.

    This is Singh as a ‘caged parrot’ in the Modi government.

    Expanding the base of the protest which had so far been relegated only to western UP, to the eastern and central region of the state, BKU held a Kisan Mahapanchayat at Barabanki, just 40 km away from Lucknow, on Wednesday.

    “I guarantee that the impasse will end in a minute if Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is given a free hand to hold talks with us. But this government is rigid and obstinate. It has made him a ‘caged parrot’. The government should change its attitude and listen to the voices of agitating farmers to repeal new farmlaws,” Tikait said in his address to the farmers.

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    Claiming that Barabanki was the gateway to Purvanchal (east UP), Tikait said it was important to make the farmers of central and eastern UP aware of the shortcomings of the new farm laws. The BKU president announced that the union would hold Kisan Mahapanchayats across eastern UP to unite farmers and continue their stir till the three farm laws were repealed. “If the government is not willing to withdraw these laws, then we will also continue our agitation,” he declared.

    Tikait claimed that Union Minister Dr Sanjeev Balyane was also feeling suffocated in the Modi government and unable to express his feelings he has for the agitating farmers. “We voted for the BJP government but now the same government is not with us. Instead, they are out to ruin us,” he fumed.

    If this government continued in power, then farmers would be left with no choice but to sell their lands. “Farmers are not getting MSP. Prices of electricity, diesel and petrol are spiralling. In such a situation, our survival is at stake. The government must change its attitude and withdraw the new laws,” he said.

  • New list of defence items barred from import in March: Rajnath Singh

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said another list of items pertaining to the defence industry that will not be imported from other countries will be notified next month.

    He also said procurement of defence equipment from the private sector will not be limited to 15 per cent but will go much beyond that.

    “Another list of items that will be not be imported to be notified in March 2021,” he said in his closing remarks in a ‘Webinar on Budget Announcements 2021-22: Galvanising Efforts for Atmanirbhar Bharat’ on effective implementation of the Union Budget provisions in the defence sector.

    Last year, the Department of Military Affairs (DMA), Ministry of Defence (MoD) prepared a list of 101 items for which there would be an embargo on the import.

    Singh shed light on the plans to spend USD 130 billion on military modernisation in the next five years, as he mentioned the recent order of 83 indigenously designed and developed Light Combat Aircraft MK 1A, Tejas, worth Rs 48,000 crore, awarded to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) during the recently held Aero India 2021.

    He added that the contract for indigenously designed Light Combat Helicopter is likely to be signed soon.

    The defence minister further said the Letter of Intent (LoI) for Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) will be given to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd so that the helicopters can be inducted into the armed forces coinciding with the 75th Anniversary of India’s independence.

    The ‘AON’ (Acceptance of Necessity) contract conversion would be completed within two years under close monitoring.

    “Projects worth Rs 500 crore to Rs 2,000 crore will be announced on competitive basis and will be finalised within one year,” he said.

    Singh added that a “Fund of Funds” worth Rs 10,000 crore has been created for Start-ups and MSMEs.

    Complete support would be provided to the Defence and Aerospace sector in utilising the fund.

    Acceptance in principle would be accorded for at least five Make-1 projects this year, he added.

    In his opening remarks, Singh said the defence budget has seen an unprecedented increase of 18.75 per cent in capital outlay over and above last financial year and 30 per cent the year before, which is the highest in the last one and a half decade.

    He underlined the close cooperation between the Armed Forces and manufacturers to reduce the gap between the aspirations of the Armed Forces and actual delivery by the manufacturers.

    He said ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ is the only mantra to stay abreast with latest technological advancements and remain frugal at the same time.

    Emphasising that the defence industry can only thrive by going global, he said, the government is actively promoting not only domestic manufacturing but also an export-oriented defence industry.

  • Centre to spend Rs 70,221 crore on domestic defence procurement in 2021-22: Rajnath Singh

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: The Indian government has planned to support the domestic defence industry in its bid for indigenisation of defence manufacturing. While the Ministry of Defence has plans to infuse capital to support the industry, a list of defence items that will be banned from being imported is also on the cards.

    Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said, “My Ministry has planned to invest about 63% of the outlay for 2021-22 on domestic procurement, i.e. about Rs 70221 crore.”

    This increase, added the Defence Minister, will have a positive impact on enhanced domestic procurement, having a multiplier effect on our industries including MSMEs and start-ups. It would also increase employment in the defence sector.

    Speaking at a webinar on budget announcements, the Defence Minister acknowledged the capital-intensive defence manufacturing and said that long-term importance of indigenisation in defence manufacture dictates that the government will willingly take on this short-term impact to build the Indian defence industry for the future.

    “Keeping this objective in mind, Ministry of Defence has set a target to achieve a turnover of Rs 1,75,000 crores (US$ 25 billion) including export of Rs 35,000 crores (US$ 5 billion) in aerospace and defence goods and services by the year 2024,” Rajnath Singh said.

    India plans to spend 130 billion dollars on military modernization in the next five years. Recently, orders for 83 indigenously designed and developed LCA MK1A worth Rs 48000 crore have been awarded to HAL. The contract for the indigenously designed Light Combat Helicopter is likely to be signed soon.

    Aiming to promote indigenous design and development of defence equipment, ‘Buy Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufacture (Indian-IDDM) has been accorded topmost priority for procurement of capital equipment in Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020. During the current financial year, Rs 75000 crore worth acceptance of necessities (first step to start the process of acquisition) have been accorded out of which 87% relate to Make in India.

    To cut down delay and the consequent cost increase, the Ministry is also working on bringing down the delays in timelines of capital acquisition. “We will make efforts to complete the defence acquisition within 2 years, instead of the existing 3-4 years being taken on the average,” he said.

    In the process towards promoting the indigenous industry the MoD is working on another list of items to be banned form importing in future informed Rajnath Singh. The Ministry of Defence has already notified a ‘negative list’ of 101 items for which there would be an embargo on imports.

    “We now intend to notify the next list of items and would also request Secretary, Department of Military Affairs that they should also consider including certain spares currently being procured from outside so that we could indigenize the same.”

    The embargo on imports is planned to be progressively implemented between 2020 to 2024. The Centre has also established the Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme under the ‘Make in India’ initiative to create an eco-system for enhancing cutting edge technology capability by inculcating R&D culture in industry for building indigenous state-of-the-art systems for defence applications and import substitution. To give a major boost to innovative defence technology and support start-ups in the country, the Ministry of Defence has planned to channelize about Rs 1000 crore during 2021-22 for procurement from the flagship programme of Innovation for Defence Excellence (iDEX).

    Due to these reforms, the FDI in India in the defence sector has jumped by more than 200%. Rs 2,871 crore worth FDI has been invested in the defence sector in the last six years, informed the Defence Minister.

  • R-day parade: Jat Regimental Centre, Delhi Police given best marching contingent trophies

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday handed over the trophies of best marching contingents of this year’s Republic Day parade to the Jat Regimental Centre and the Delhi Police.

    “The Jat Regimental Centre bagged the trophy of best marching contingent among the tri-services, while the Delhi Police was adjudged as the best marching contingent among the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and other auxiliary services,” the Defence ministry’s statement noted.

    In his speech at the event, Singh lauded the “courage and valour” of the Jat Regimental Centre while praising the Delhi Police for “effectively carrying out additional responsibilities”.

    As per the statement, Singh said, Delhi is the nerve centre of Republic of India, thereby on the target of our adversaries.

    It is commendable that in addition to ensuring safety and wellbeing of the National Capital from internal and external threats, the Delhi Police win the best marching contingent trophy regularly.

    The minister said the marchpast on January 26 by different contingents during the Republic Day parade symbolises the country’s unity in diversity and reflects the sense of national pride and preparedness of the security forces.

    Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Army Chief General MM Naravane and Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar were also present at the event.

  • Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to make statement on ‘present situation in Eastern Ladakh’ in Lok Sabha shortly

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will make a statement on ‘present situation in Eastern Ladakh’ in Lok Sabha at 5.00 pm on Thursday.

    “Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will make a statement on ‘Present Situation in Eastern Ladakh’ in Lok Sabha at 5.00 PM today,” Office of the Raksha Mantri tweeted.

    Earlier today, the Defence Minister informed the Rajya Sabha that through sustained talks, both Indian and China have reached an agreement for disengagement on the north and south bank of Pangong Lake.

    Speaking on the present situation in Eastern Ladakh, Rajnath Singh said, “I am happy to inform the House today that as a result of our well thought out approach and sustained talks with the Chinese side, we have now been able to reach an agreement on disengagement in the North and South Bank of the Pangong Lake.”

    “It has also been agreed to convene the next meeting of the Senior Commanders within 48 hours after the complete disengagement in the Pangong Lake area so as to address and resolve all other remaining issues,” he added.

    As per the agreement reached by the two sides, India and China will withdraw the forward deployment in a phased and coordinated manner, the Defence Minister said. “The agreement that we have been able to reach with the Chinese side for disengagement in the Pangong lake area envisages that both sides will cease their forward deployments in a phased, coordinated and verified manner,” he said.

    Previously, India and China had agreed to push for an early disengagement of the frontline troops in eastern Ladakh during the ninth round of the China-India Corps Commander Level meeting held on the Chinese side of the Moldo-Chushul border meeting point on January 24 to address the ongoing military standoff.

    The two countries have been engaged in a stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since April-May last year. While China began amassing massive military strength along the LAC, India responded with a befitting build-up. (ANI)

  • Bengal polls: BJP to unleash Rajnath, Adityanath to breach TMC citadel Birbhum

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: BJP high command has decided to engage its heavyweights to wrest the ruling Trinamool Congress’ citadel of Birbhum that comprises 14 Assembly constituencies. 

    The saffron camp is likely to send Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani, and UP CM Yogi Adityanath to the south Bengal district shortly as the party showed impressive performance by bagging leads in four Assembly seats out of 14 in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

    The saffron camp gained remarkable momentum by taking its vote share to more than 40% in 2019 from 8% in 2016.

    “Since we have made deep inroads in north Bengal in 2019 general elections by bagging seven Lok Sabha seats out of eight, now we are giving stress in south Bengal. We are expecting a tooth and nail battle with the TMC in Birbhum district as our performance in the previous Lok Sabha elections was impressive,” said a BJP leader.

    Eyeing the 14 Assembly seats in the district’s two Lok Sabha constituency — Birbhum and Bolpur, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a roadshow in Bolpur on December 20.

    The four Assembly seats — Dubrajpur, Suri, Sainthia, and Rampurhat — in the Birbhum Lok Sabha constituency witnessed BJP’s aggressive onslaught in the general elections in 2019. When the saffron camp secured the lead with a razor-thin margin in Sainthia seat, the difference was between 5% to 9% in three other seats. Among the four seats, two are reserved for candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste communities. 

    “In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, we performed well in the regions dominated by the voters belonging to SC communities. In Birbhum districts, Dalits form more than 35% of total electorates as Scheduled Tribe voters have more than 6% electoral stake. So, we are preparing for an all-out battle in Birbhum as the district turned to be a fertile ground for us in the previous general elections,” said a BJP leader.

  • India to have 17 Rafale jets by March; entire fleet by 2022: Rajnath Singh

    In 2016, India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36-Rafale Jet aircrafts at a cost Rs 59,000 crore.