by admin | May 25, 2021 | Opinions, Politics
By Amulya Ganguli,
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) hope of avoiding the nightmare of a united opposition may well be fulfilled.
After K. Chandrashekhar Rao of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi poured cold water on the idea of a federal front floated by him and Mamata Banerjee some time ago, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) czarina, Mayawati, has scuttled the possibility of a united opposition battling the BJP by charting out her own course.
By forming an alliance with breakaway Congress leader Ajit Jogi in Chhattisgarh and unilaterally announcing the names of 22 BSP candidates in Madhya Pradesh, Mayawati has virtually dumped the Congress and exposed the hollowness of the bonhomie which the non-BJP leaders had displayed at the swearing-in of Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in Bengaluru last May.
All eyes will now be on Uttar Pradesh to see whether the understanding between the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the BSP, which paid rich dividends for the two in recent by-elections, will last till 2019.
Given Mayawati’s disinclination to go along with the Congress and her demand for a “respectable” share of seats in an electoral arrangement, it is open to question whether the Uttar Pradesh tie-up will survive the strains of her mercurial temperament.
Several reasons have been cited to explain her hesitancy to be a part of a broad-based anti-BJP front. One is that she is under pressure because of the pending cases against her being pursued by the Enforcement Directorate and other government agencies.
The other is that she wants to assert her hold on the Dalits at a time when young leaders of the community like Jignesh Mewani and Chandrashekhar Azad “Ravan” are coming to the fore.
A third factor is her known unrealiability as an ally which was in evidence in Uttar Pradesh in the mid-1990s when she dumped the SP in favour of her sworn enemy at the time, the BJP, and then ditched it as well.
More recently, she is back to an understanding with the SP which, too, had become a sworn enemy following the so-called circuit house incident in Lucknow in 1995 when she faced a serious threat from a group of Samajwadi Party “goons”.
However, what the latest uncertainties in the wake of her politicking suggests is that a far more concerted attempt to form an alliance of the national opposition parties is needed than the present desultory initiatives that are being undertaken by leaders like Mamata Banerjee and Sharad Pawar.
For this purpose, an occasional dinner or a march to “save” the Constitution are not enough. There have to be regular meetings of the leaders of parties whose commitment to take on the BJP is unequivocal — a test in which the BSP has failed.
Among the parties whose “secular” credentials and reliability can be trusted are the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Samajwadi Party, the National Conference, the Left parties and the Nationlist Congress Party — although Sharad Pawar’s comment that the people do not doubt Modi’s intentions on the Rafael deal will bother the Congress.
The prime ministerial ambitions of some the leaders like Mamata Banerjee are known, but these motivations need not come in the way of bringing together like-minded parties on a common platform, leaving the leadership question for the future. But to do so, there is a need for someone to assume the responsibility of doing the hard work of networking.
Can Rahul Gandhi be the person since Mamata does not quite have a pan-Indian persona while Sharad Pawar at 78 may not have the energy to do the running around a la Amit Shah?
The West Bengal Chief Minister’s other difficulty is that she is apparently facing considerable problems at home. As the violence during the panchayat elections showed, there are widespread misgivings about the law and order situation in the state where the Trinamool Congress cadres are seemingly emulating the earlier lawlessness of the Marxists.
Since the unsettled conditions are being exploited by the BJP to establish itself in the state, the Chief Minister faces a political challenge as well. She may not have the time, therefore, to stitch together an opposition combine by reaching out to the various leaders across the country.
The Congress president is better placed in this respect. He is relatively young at 48 and is not burdened by administrative duties. He is also now far more energetic than when he was caught napping in parliament.
His disadvantage is that he is not a “natural” politician like his sister Priyanka and is generally seen to be standoffish and ill at ease with the leaders of other parties, especially the elder ones among them.
But it is now generally agreed that he is becoming more adept at interactions. Given the challenges which the Congress is facing in the wake of Mayawati’s cynical manoeuvres, Rahul has no alternative but to leave no stone unturned in the quest for forging a viable opposition unity.
(Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at amulyaganguli@gmail.com)
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Corporate, Corporate Governance, News, Politics
Chennai : Attacking the Congress for its offensive against the Modi government on the Rafale deal, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said that the party was “restless” because it could not make money.
She accused the previous Congress government of negotiating with “brokers” and not buying important equipment required for the defence forces.
“… and with brokers and dalal they were still buying time, not buying important equipment. But we are buying now and that’s where I think the Congress is being restless. Restless because they couldn’t make money. …(they) couldn’t perform, left the Air Force where it was,”
she told reporters.
The minister was replying to the Congress attack on the government that has been accused of being involved in a scam in the purchase of Rafale jet fighters from France.
She said the Congress was desperate and its desperation showed.
“That this government could run without any allegation of corruption. For them it’s just not going down the throat. They are just not able to digest the fact. Search for corruption. You can’t find, so throw an allegation and let them keep giving explanations. I’m finished with it, I’ll go to the next allegation. That is their approach,” she said about the Congress offensive.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Corporate, Corporate Governance, News, Politics
New Delhi : A Congress delegation on Wednesday met the Comptroller and Auditor General to seek a probe into the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets by the Narendra Modi government.
The delegation consisting of senior party leaders A.K. Antony, Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Mukul Vasnik, Jairam Ramesh, Randeep Surjewala, Rajeev Shukla and Vivek Tankha reached the CAG office around 11 a.m.
According to the party, the delegation would also submit a memorandum seeking the probe.
The party has already held a series of press conferences on the issue, raising several questions on the deal done by the Modi government with France to purchase the fighter jets.
The government has, however, denied all the allegations.
The move is seen as an effort by the party to raise the pitch over the issue ahead of the Assembly polls later this year and the parliamentary elections in 2019.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Corporate, Corporate finance, Corporate Governance, News, Politics
Chandigarh : Congress on Saturday alleged that Modi government lied on the India-specific enhancements in the Rs 41,000-crore Rafale deal and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s reply.
The party said India-specific enhancements in the NDA deal were the same as the UPA deal.
“Yet the Prime Minister and Defence Minister are lying on enhancement of cost per aircraft from Rs 5,26 crore to Rs 1,670 crore,” said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala in a statement.
“Modi government has been caught in a web of lies of its own making,” he added.
The party said the deal caused a massive loss of Rs 41,000 crore to public exchequer by purchasing the 36 Rafale aircraft with the same configuration at thrice the price i.e. Rs. 526 crore per aircraft during Congress-UPA to Rs 1,670 crore per aircraft during Modi government.
The party said the deal squandered away ‘national interests’ by forgoing the transfer of technology to public sector undertaking Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL).
Surjewala said Modi, Sitharaman and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley “brazenly lied” when they tried to whitewash Modi government’s “sins” by implying that the aircraft bought by the BJP government was different on account of India-specific enhancements.
“Information in public domain affirms that according to the ‘Air Staff Qualitative Requirements’ (ASQR) provided by the Indian Air Force (IAF) there were 13 India-specific enhancements demanded by India during the 126 aircraft MMRCA Contract issued by UPA government,” said Surjewala.
It included Radar enhancement, Helmet-mounted display, Towed decoy system, Low band jammer, Radio altimeter and Ability to start and operate from High Altitude Airfields.
“Combat aircraft tender issued by Congress government clearly envisaged ‘full weaponry’ and ‘transfer of technology’, which is missing in the BJP government’s deal.
“RFP issued by Congress government clearly states cost of initial purchase, transfer of technology and licensed production,” said the leader.
The party said claim of Modi government that cost is increased on account on additional technical specifications was blatantly false.
“The Rafale aircraft being purchased earlier (UPA-Congress Govt) and now (Modi government) including ‘its associated systems and weapons’ are the same as tested and approved by Indian Air Force during UPA-Congress government,” he added.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
New Delhi : Calling the steep rise in diesel and petrol prices as Rs 11 lakh crore ‘fuel loot,’ the Congress on Thursday called for a ‘Bharat bandh’ on September 10, saying it was in touch with other parties for their support.
The party again demanded that petrol and diesel be brought under Goods and Services Tax (GST). The government had earlier rejected the demand saying most states were opposed to it.
It also demanded that there should be immediate reduction in central excise duty and excessive VAT in the states.
“Many promises were made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi before coming to power in 2014, but none were kept. When questions were raised by Congress President Rahul Gandhi about the Rafale fighter deal and Amit Shah’s son, those too went unanswered,” Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said at a press conference in the Capital.
“The mismanagement of economy has led to high prices. When fuel prices were rising during the UPA regime, taxes were reduced to take the burden off the people. But due to the mismanagement by the current government, the prices of petrol, diesel and gas cylinders have gone up steeply,” he said.
“We decided for the Bharat Bandh call today after a meeting of all party general secretaries and the state leaders,” he said, adding the party was in touch with other opposition parties for their support.
He said Congress workers would protest at petrol stations across the nation between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Later his party colleague Randeep Singh Surjewala said the “fuel loot” has resulted in the Modi government profiting Rs 11 lakh crore.
In May 2014, he said, excise duty on petrol was Rs 9 per litre while today it is Rs 19 per litre. “Similarly the excise duty on diesel in 2014 was Rs 3 and today it is around Rs 15 today.
“An RTI reply has revealed that the Modi government is selling diesel for Rs 34 per litre and petrol for Rs 37 per litre to other countries whereas in India the price is high,” he alleged.
Calling it “fuel loot,” the Congress leader said the diesel and petrol should have been brought under the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
“Rahul Gandhi had demanded to bring petrol and diesel under GST as this alone will give a relief to common people by Rs 10-15 per litre,” he said.
“The rupee is getting devalued every day. 10 per cent is the loss in value of the rupee in last one year. It is the most devalued currency in Asia, but neither the Prime Minister nor the Finance Minister is worried about it.”
On Supreme Court ruling that ‘bandhs’ are illegal, Surjewala said: “We are aware of the ruling and that is why the ‘bandh’ is between 9:00 am to 3:00 pm so that the common person is not inconvenienced.”
Congress leader Ahmed Patel said that most opposition parties have given their consent to support the bandh. “Consultations are going on with three or four parties. The SP, RJP and NCP have agreed.”
“We have not consulted BSP yet and so far as TMC is concerned, they have agreed to support the agitation,” he said.
—IANS
