by admin | May 25, 2021 | Interviews
Anna Hazare
By Mohit Dubey,
Lucknow : Gandhian and anti-corruption crusader has accused prime minister Narendra Modi of not being interested in appointment of the Lokpal at the centre. Having hit the road in the run up to the mega show of strength at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on March 23, the veteran crusader Anna Hazare says Modi was “never serious about Lokpal”.
The reason behind the delay in appointment of a Lokpal, he points out, is because the prime minister is afraid that once this becomes a reality his office as well as that of his cabinet members would also come under its purview.
“Panth Pradhan ka office bhi Lokpal ke neeche aa jayega, ye bhay unko satata hai” (The PMO will also come under the ambit of Lokpal and his fear stalks the PM), Hazare said during a free wheeling interview with IANS at the VVIP guest house in the state capital.
Sipping hot green tea to fight off the signs of tiredness from his visit to Sitapur, where he addressed a well-attended public rally, the 80-year-old informs that he has written 22 letters to the prime minister in the past four years but has got a reply to even one. Even as chief minister of Gujarat, Modi tried to cold shoulder the appointment of a Lokayukta in the state, he added.
He cites the section 4 clause 2 of the Lokpal Act wherein it is specifically said that in case the appointment of Lokpal is made with some members of the select panel not being there, it is in principle binding. “This government says there is no leader of opposition hence Lokpal cannot be appointed. This is all hogwash,” Hazare says
Ask him if graft has come down under the watch of Modi and he smiles. “Wo bolta acche hai, isliye bhrastachaar ki baat chup jaati hai par vaisa hai nahin. Aaj bhi aam aadmi bhrastachar se bahut peedit hai” (He (Modi) is a good orator, hence the issue of graft is overshadowed but the reality is that the common man continues to bear the brunt of graft), he says while pointing out how the entire political system was scared of a full-fledged and effective Lokpal.
Having addressed more than 50 rallies since he started the renewed mission from November 22 last year, Hazare bubbles with energy when one mentions how his ‘andolan’ in 2011 had spurred the youth of the nation.
He is quick to inform that thousands of volunteers in the movement this time around too are putting in their whole effort so that the nation could be freed from the clutches of corruption. “If the youth gets up, the fate of the nation will change for good” he says while pointing out on how his rallies in Aurnachal Pradesh, Assam, MP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Haryana in the past few months had garnered immense support of women and the youth.
But how would the movement be different this time round?
“See, the last time we were successful in ensuring that a legislation which was put on the back burner and resisted by the political establishment for so many decades was passed by the parliament. This time we will ensure that it is implemented in letter and spirit, he proclaims as a group of youngsters who have come to meet him and seek his blessings breaks into a spontaneous applause. Broach the name of Arvind Kejriwal and a sadness creases his face. He informs that he had cautioned the Delhi chief minister many a times that he should not “be tempted by power” but he did not pay heed.
Kejriwal, who has many times called Hazare his mentor and guru and he have not spoken for the last many years.
Once bitten twice shy, the octogenarian has now enforced a strict rule that any body who becomes part of the outfit taking forward the anti-graft crusade will have to sign an affidavit promising no role in active politics. Over 5,000 people have already signed it, informs an aide while adding that in case someone breaches the contract, Anna can take the person to court.
Quoting the teachings of eminent Maharashtrian saint Tukaram, Hazare says the greed of power and attachment can be a great road block in national service. “I have not met my biological family for the last 45 years, I lead a simple life, don’t even know what my account holds in terms of savings….my only mission is to see this country free of corruption” he muses.
As him if this much traveling doesn’t trouble his aging bones and he snaps back with a smile. “At 80, I feel younger than many teenagers. Its all about ‘mann’ (mind and heart)” he says while pointing out how his meals are simple and fast food like burgers are strictly out.
He informs that his day starts with pranayam, followed by sprouts as breakfast and two phulka (roti) and vegetables for lunch. There is no dinner, only fresh fruit juice. He vows that “till mylast breath” he will continue his struggle against graft and that he is very optimistic that the ‘Jan Sansad’ (peoples’ parliament) will make this happen.
(Mohit Dubey can be contacted at mohit.d@ians.in)
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Interviews
Salman Khurshid
By Prashant Sood,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not told the “truth” to the opposition about the conversations he has had with the Pakistani leadership and the government’s policy vis-a-vis the neighbouring country had reached a “dead end”, says former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.
He also feels India is losing its grip on the world in foreign policy and has gone into the US camp with very little returns.
“Our policy on Pakistan is at a dead end. We are losing people every day. We keep saying we are giving it back to them. Years of losing civilians and soldiers and years of saying we are giving it back to them isn’t really my idea of a good foreign policy,” Khurshid told IANS in an interview.
“Pakistan is a slippery, difficult creature and (dealing with) that is what diplomacy is about,” he added.
Khurshid, a senior Congress leader, said it was more than clear that “we do not have a war option with Pakistan”.
“So our failure is writ large. We have to find a solution. It is not our job in the opposition to give him a solution unless he consults with us. Unless he asks us what can be done. But this is not something that can be allowed to go on indefinitely,” he said.
Asked if the Congress party had any suggestions for the government, he said, “We have no suggestions except that he should first tell us to the truth”.
“He has never told us the truth about Pakistan; what he has said to them, what does he do (in) meetings with them, what does he share, what do they promise. He must share with us something before we can tell him what to do,” Khurshid said.
The former minister said India has been unable to go “beyond a certain point with our agenda as far as the US is concerned”.
“Yes, I certainly think we have gone into the US camp. We have got very little in return. We used to get concrete results from being with the (erstwhile) Soviet Union — not just with it, but with the rest of the world that was aligned towards socialism. So I think there are major issues there. And we have gone in blind, we haven’t calculated properly.”
Khurshid, whose latest book “Triple Talaq: Examining Faith” has hit the stands, said India was getting global attention not because of its foreign policy but because of its economic potential.
“Our markets are forcing people to show interest and the Indian diaspora is playing an increasingly important role in the world. These things give us stature.
“This is not the kind of stature we had when India provided leadership to the Third World under (Prime Minister Jawaharlal) Nehru and the comfort India had when the Soviet Union stood strongly with India and India was an exponent of non-alignment,” he said.
He said Modi has shown an “enormous amount of energy of salesmanship” and has done a reasonably effective job in this respect because of his oratory.
“I don’t think in foreign policy, if you look around the neighbourhood, if you look around West Asia, if you look around Europe, if you look at Africa, I don’t think we have a consistently coordinated foreign policy posture that will be appreciated in the world. The way we are jumping from leg to leg on Israel and Palestine, the way we are dealing with China vis-a-vis Japan and China itself, the way we are keeping a very low relationship with Russia,” he said.
Khurshid, who was External Affairs Minister in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, said India was consulted on major international flashpoints in the past — but that was no longer the case.
“In the past, nothing moved without India being consulted. Today, in Syria nobody wants to know what India thinks, in Iraq nobody wants to know what India thinks. I think we are losing our grip on the world as far as foreign policy is concerned,” he said.
(Prashant Sood can be reached at prashant.s@ians.in)
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Business, Economy, Emerging Businesses, Markets, Medium Enterprise, News, Politics, SMEs
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said bilateral trade between India and South Korea in 2017 reached $20 billion, the first time in six years.
Modi also said that he wondered how South Korea, a country of the size of Gujarat, could make such economic progress.
“It is heartening to note that the bilateral trade crossed $20 billion for the first time last year in six years,” Prime Minister said while addressing the India-Korea Business Summit here.
He also said he “admires the spirit of entrepreneurship of the Korean people”.
“I admire the way in which they have created and sustained their global brands, from information technology and electronics to automobile and steel, Korea has given exemplary products to the world.”
Modi also said South Korean companies are appreciated for their innovation and strong manufacturing capability.
Speaking on the investment of Korean companies in India, the Prime Minister said: “South Korea ranks only 16th in FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) equity inflows to India. India offers a lot of potential for the Korean Investors with its huge market and enabling policy environment.”
Inviting companies to invest in India, he said: “In FDI, we are one of the most open countries now. Most of the sectors of our economy are open for FDI.”
Modi further added that more than 90 per cent FDI approvals have been put on automatic route.
There is practically no requirement of government approval for investments in manufacturing sector except for the defence sector, Modi said.
“Very soon, we will become the world’s fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP. We are also the fastest growing major economy of the world today,” he added.
The Prime Minister also said India has all three factors of the economy.
“If you see around the globe, there are very few countries where you have three important factors of economy together. They are — democracy, demography and demand. In India, we have all the three together,” he said.
Modi added that the relations between India and South Korea dates back centuries.
“We are also bound by our Buddhist traditions. Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore composed poem ‘Lamp of the East’ in 1929 about Korea’s glorious past and its bright future.
“It is also conicidence that India and Korea both celebrate their independence day on August 15. From Princess to Poetry and from Buddha to Bollywood; India and Korea have so much in common,” the Prime Minister added.
“Our partnership has immense potential to promote regional growth, development, stability and prosperity in Asia. India is turning to the east for bigger economic engagement. Similarly, South Korea is trying to diversify it overseas markets,” he said.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Entrepreneurship, News, Politics, Startup Basics, Women Entrepreneur
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the country was moving from women development to women-led development and emphasised that the dream of New India was where women were empowered, strong and an equal partner in the nation’s overall development.
In his monthly radio address “Mann Ki Baat”, he also urged women to create self-help groups for the GOBAR DHAN initiative which may become a source of income for the rural population.
“The aim of GOBAR-Dhan scheme is to ensure cleanliness in villages and generating wealth and energy by converting cattle dung and solid agricultural waste into Compost and Bio Gas,” Modi said.
Speaking about International Womens’ Day on March 8, the Prime Minister said: “There are many programmes that are held in our country and the world. Today the country is moving forward from the path of women development to women-led development.”
Quoting Swami Vivekananda’s saying that the idea of a perfect womanhood was perfect independence, Modi said the dream of New India was where the women were empowered.
“Today, it is our duty to ensure the participation of women in every field of life, be it social or economic life, it is our fundamental duty. We are part of a tradition where men were identified due to women-Yashoda-Nandan, Kaushalya-Nandan, Gandhari-Putra, these were identities of a son.
“Today, woman power has shown inner fortitude and self-confidence, has made herself self-reliant. Not only has she advanced herself but has carried forward the country and society to newer heights.
“After all, our dream of ‘New India’ is the one where women are strong and empowered and are equal partners in the development of the country,” he said.
Referring to a suggestion from a listener, the Prime Minister urged countrymen to felicitate mothers and sisters who have completed 100 years on the occasion of International Women’s day.
“Can a programme of paying respect for such centenarians be held and can’t we reflect upon a life lived long?” he asked.
Hailing efforts of a group of women from Jharkhand who organised a hygiene campaign for an entire month and constructed 1.70 lakh toilets in just 20 days, Modi said they showed that women power was an integral component of the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’.
He mentioned the current budget in which an emphasis has been laid on turning ‘waste to wealth’ and ‘waste to energy’ through bio-gas.
“A target has been set to use cattle dung, agricultural waste, kitchen waste to produce Bio gas based energy. Under the GOBAR-Dhan Scheme, our farmer brothers and sisters will be encouraged to consider dung and other waste not just as a waste but as a source of income.”
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
New Delhi : Close on the heels of a massive Rs 11,300 crore PNB scam, three fresh financial frauds have come to light including the alleged involvement of a Delhi-based jeweller, who has been accused of defrauding the Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) to the tune of about Rs 390 crore through Letters of Credit.
The fresh exposure provided Congress President Rahul Gandhi an opportunity to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that like Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi, these promoters have also disappeared while the government looked the other way.
On Thursday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against Delhi’s Karol Bagh-based diamond jewellery exporting firm Dwarka Das Seth International for an alleged bank loan fraud of Rs 389.85 crore involving the Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC).
The agency on Wednesday filed a case against businessman Amit Singla and others on a complaint of the Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) of criminal misappropriation of a loan he had taken through forged documents.
The same day, the agency also filed a case against Inder Chand Chundawat, the then Senior Branch Manager in the Punjab National Bank’s (PNB) Barmer office in Rajasthan, for alleged abuse of his official position by depositing various government subsidies to the tune of Rs 1.57 crore in a fictitious account. The official was suspended following an internal inquiry.
Last week, the banking sector was rocked by major financial frauds — involving Rs 11,300 crore by diamantaire Nirav Modi and Rs 3,695 crore by Rotomac owner Vikram Kothari — surfaced in which the CBI has filed cases and made several arrests.
After the PNB and the Bank of Baroda, the OBC, BoM and Barmer office of the PNB rushed to the CBI with their complaints of fraud, leading to the agency filing three separate cases.
The OBC has alleged that it was defrauded by Dwarka Das Seth International and its owner Sabhya Seth. The loans turned into non-performing assets (NPAs) way back in 2014, but the bank approached the agency on August 16 last year, after the company had folded up and Seth fled the country.
The CBI has started tracing India-based directors and partners of the company.
The OBC complaint has alleged that Dwarka Das Seth International took loans by way of letters of credit and other such credit facilities for gold jewellery export/import between 2007 and 2012 but failed to pay back.
A probe by the bank found that the company had indulged in round-tripping of funds through fictitious companies abroad and had utilised funds by discounting bills based on the letters of credit of foreign banks, which were either non-existent or had negative ratings.
Similarly, BoM has approached the CBI to lodge a loan default complaint against a Delhi businessman Amit Singla. The loan had turned into an NPA in 2013 and the bank has even sold a property kept as collateral to recover its dues, sources said.
The BoM’s FIR names Singla, the proprietor of Delhi-based Ashirwad Chain Co, loan guarantor Roshan Lal Bhalotia, property valuation firm Tech Mach International and unknown officials of the bank.
It is alleged that Singla and his company took loans of Rs 9.5 crore through cash credit facility from the bank between 2010 and 2012. The accused allegedly submitted three properties in Delhi and Haryana as collaterals. The properties, at the time of taking the loan, were valued at over Rs 18 crore by Tech Mach International.
But, after the loans turned into NPAs, the actual market value of the properties were found to be only Rs 2.5 crore. One of the properties, a double-storied house owned by Roshan Lal in Rohtak, Haryana, was valued at Rs 4.85 crore while sanctioning the loan. When the bank sold it off to recover its dues, it fetched only Rs 73 lakh.
Similarly, a commercial property owned by the accused at Chandni Chowk in Delhi was valued by Tech Mach at the time of disbursal of the loans at Rs 4.95 crore, but it was actually worth Rs 31 lakh only. Tech Mach was later removed from the panel of valuers by the bank.
In the complaint, the BoM said: “The overvalued valuations were deliberately given in connivance with the borrowers and the guarantors … to fraudulently induce the bank to finance the borrower.”
The FIR also alleged that Singla had submitted inflated stock audit reports and balance sheets, apart from diverting the loans to sister concerns.
In the light of the emergence of three fresh cases of fraud, Rahul Gandhi attacked the Prime Minister.
“Under Modiji’s ‘Jan-Dhan Loot Yojana’, another scam! 390 crore, involving a Delhi-based jeweller. Same Modus operandi as Nirav Modi. Fake LOUs,” wrote Gandhi in Twitter.
“Predictably, like Mallya and Nirav, this promoter too has disappeared while the Govt looked the other way,” he added with hashtag #ModiRobsIndia.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Saturday the discourse needed to move on from ease of doing business to that of Indian industry’s responsibility to become ethical in the way it does business.
He said political corruption at the Centre had “reduced significantly” after the ruling NDA government ended the administration’s discretionary powers in awarding contracts and allocation of resources.
The sale of electoral bonds from next week, he added, would be a decisive step in cleaning up the system of political funding in the country.
On Friday, Modi spoke about the bank fraud for the first time at the ET Global Business Summit saying government would take “stern action” against irregularities.
—IANS
