by admin | May 25, 2021 | Interviews, Politics
By Saurabh Katkurwar and Brajendra Singh,
New Delhi : Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan says the NDA does not want the Pulwama attack and subsequent developments to become an election issue but “it cannot be ignored” as he made it clear that the government “is as serious as the people of the country” after the terror attack.
While not going into the specifics of what the government may do to retailiate against the Pakistan-sponsored operation in Pulwama, he acknowledges that there are expectations from the government to “act”.
In an interview to IANS, Paswan said he feels the much-talked about Grand Alliance of Opposition parties is a non-starter due to contradictions among the parties and will in no way affect the chances of NDA returning to power, says Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Paswan.
He also rules out his dumping the NDA in case of a hung verdict in the coming Lok Sabha elections.
“We have done a lot of development work. We don’t need to make it an election issue. But the Pulwama incident cannot be ignored. The entire world is speaking now. US President Donald Trump has reacted. France has said it will take the initiative to get the Pulwama attack by Jaishe-e-Mohammed condemned in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
“We don’t want to make it a political or election issue. Every political party has come forward and has shown unity in national interest. What government will do I can’t say. But the government has taken it seriously. The government has taken it as seriously as the people have taken it,” he said on the Pulwama terror attack and the demands being made to avenge the terror sponsored from across the border.
Paswan said the people were outraged and the Prime Minister has clearly said that “every drop of soldier’s blood will be avenged”.
“Their sacrifices will not go in vain,” he said, adding people and parties should believe in what the Prime Minister has said.
Dismissing the possibility of the grand alliance being a threat to the NDA returning to power, he said the ruling coalition will get more number of MPs than now and Narendra Modi will again be the Prime Minister.
“I do not think there will be a pre-poll alliance (among Opposition parties). The NDA will be the biggest gainer and it will form the government as President will invite the majority pre-poll group.
“Do you think Mamata Banerjee will go along with Congress and the Left in Bengal? Will SP-BSP go with Congress in Uttar Pradesh? The situation is similar everywhere. There will not be any grand-alliance,” he said.
Asked about the description of the grand alliance as ‘mahamilavat’ (highly adulterated) by the Prime Minister and the BJP too striking deals with other parties in states, Paswan said there was nothing wrong with that.
“We are pure. There is no adulteration. They (Opposition) are adulterated. As Prime Minister says it is ‘mahamilavat’ (highly adulterated). In Opposition, all are tainted. Lalu Prasad is tainted, Mayawati is tainted, Akhilesh is tainted. Mamata Banerjee’s party is in Saradha scam,” he said.
The Union Minister also felt that the Congress contesting alone in Uttar Pradesh would cut into the votes of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) which would benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“The SP-BSP alliance is not going to continue because the man who built the SP, Mulayam Singh Yadav, is against it,” Paswan said and recalled Yadav’s praise in the Lok Sabha and his wish to see Modi return to power.
Asked about challenges being posed by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-led grand alliance in Bihar, Paswan said that it will have no impact on the NDA.
“We are in solid position in Bihar whereas in the Opposition camp, there is uncertainty over distribution of seats. If someone gets lesser seats than expected, it will come out of the grand alliance. The Congress cannot go with the RJD. There is no question of if and but. We will win Bihar and Uttar Pradesh too despite opposition alliance,” he said.
To a query about what will be his party’s strategy in case of a hung verdict and NDA not being in a position to form the government, Paswan said, “We are with the NDA and will remain with the NDA.”
Talking about why the NDA will come back to power, the Minister said that the tax sops for those with annual income of Rs 5 lakh and schemes like the Ayushman Bharat health scheme, housing scheme for poor and toilet, electricity and gas in all the poor homes would vouch for the government’s performance.
The decision to provide 10 per cent quota for economically weaker sections would also remove the anger among the upper castes while issues like demonetisation and rural distress have faded into the background.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Commodities, Commodities News, News, Politics
Ram Vilas Paswan
New Delhi : Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Tuesday said there cannot be two different policies for farmers and businessman even as he demanded assured 50 per cent profit for agricultural commodities.
“Nobody knows the production cost of cars and the profit margin by the companies. Farmers cannot decide the production cost of their crops. Farmers should get Minimum Support Price (MSP) of 1.5 times the input cost. It should be neither less nor more,” Paswan, the chief of the Lok Janshakti Party, told reporters on the sidelines of National Executive of his party’s farmer cell.
He welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent announcement of 50 per cent profit to the notified crop produce.
“(A) Policy decision has been taken to double farmers’ income and MSP of 1.5 times (the input cost). A committee is working on it (price fixation),” said Paswan, but refused to divulge much about the formula to be used to fix the MSP.
To a query on anticipated impact of higher MSP on inflation, he asked why only this issue was being raised when there was silence on the rising prices of other commodities.
“Is there anything that has not become costly? Be it cars or houses. However, the crop prices have been stagnant in last five years,” he said, adding that the government will take care of the expenditure on higher MSP.
Paswan also said that the government was “aware” of the delay in paying claims under crop insurance schemes by private insurance companies.
“We are alert this time,” he said.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Employment, Government Jobs, News, Politics
Ram Vilas Paswan
New Delhi : Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Wednesday said reservation in promotion for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) will continue at both at the Centre and in the states and directives in this regard will be issued soon.
“There was confusion over whether the Supreme Court’s order was applicable for just Central government employees or for state government employees. In our meeting of ministers, it was cleared that the reservation is for both Central and state government employees,” Paswan told reporters after attending the meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
The apex court had said last week that the government was not debarred from making promotions in accordance with law, subject to further orders.
On June 5, the Supreme Court permitted the Central government to go ahead with reservation in promotions to certain categories of staff in accordance with law but did not stay a Delhi High Court judgment that quashed an office memorandum on such reservations.
Paswan said the quota in promotion was halted on account of the judgements passed by different high courts in the country.
The minister also said the government was ready with an ordinance to overturn the Supreme Court’s March 20 order that puts safeguards against arrests under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act but it would wait for the court’s final decision on the review petitions.
He also said the University Grant Commission (UGC) will also soon withdraw its order affecting reservation soon.
Paswan also reiterated his demand of reservation for those preferring inter-caste marriages.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Interviews
Ram Vilas Paswan
By V.S. Chandrasekar and Brajendra Nath Singh,
New Delhi : There is no possibility of any new political realignments ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year, says Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, who has also ruled out his quitting the NDA to join an opposition front.
He says there is no alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the opposition, which is disunited and the much-touted SP-BSP unity would not be there in the general elections. While UPA Chaiperson Sonia Gandhi is in the background, Congress President Rahul Gandhi has no Charisma, Paswan feels.
Paswan, who heads Bihar’s Lok Janshakti Party, concedes that in an election year, even “small” issues get magnified which is dubbed as anti-incumbency and the government needs to change the “perception” at the ground level.
“No. Earlier it used to happen. There was a time when realignments used to happen. Now the people have tested all the political parties.
“People like me do politics of self-respect. Those who have self-respect can never stay with (RJD chief) Lalu Prasad. In Congress if somebody wants to meet Rahul Gandhi it will take three months. Even then, the meeting is not sure,” Paswan told IANS in an interview.
Asked about the possibility of a realignment of political parties ahead of next year’s elections, especially after the coming together of SP-BSP in the recent Lok Sabha bye elctions in Uttar Pradesh.
Paswan also ruled out the possibility of quitting the NDA and join an anti-BJP, anti-Congress front.
“There is no dilemma. It’s unthinkable to leave NDA. The question does not arise,” he asserted.
In Uttar Pradesh, the minister said, the SP-BSP alliance is not going to happen.
In the last parliamentary polls they contested in all the 80 seats in the state on their own but in case of an alliance each of the two parties would have to contest in 40 seats each.
In this case, Paswan asked “what will happen to those who would not get a ticket despite spending their life for tickets in a particular seat? They are not going to remain silent. Obviously they will spoil the chances of others.”
He said some 25 per cent of voters who swing before elections will vote in favour of NDA because they will see Narendra Modi as the candidate for the Prime Minister’s post as there are half a dozen leaders in opposition for the post.
“The voters will see that here is Modi and on the other side are are Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Chandrababu Naidu and many more in opposition. In such circumstances the voters would never think of spoiling his vote and would go for Modiji,” he asserted.
On Sonia Gandhi’s allegation that Modi’s call for “New India” is going to prove to be a mere slogan like the “India Shining and “Feel Good” campaigns during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government (1998-2004), Paswan said: “The situation during Vajpayee-ji’s time was different. He was running a coalition government. Modiji is running a government of a single party majority.
“That time (Vajpayee) the government used to move ahead after taking political allies into confidence while this government takes risks. Did any government have the courage to take decisions like demonetisation and the GST?
“When there was India Shining under Vajpayee, there was only one big face in opposition and she was Sonia Gandhi. Now, she has receded into background. There is no charisma in Rahul Gandhi. There are many regional satraps who have emerged as leaders. These things count in elections. In fact, the opposition is not united and will not unite in future.”
Asked about Modi’s “ache din” promise in the 2014 election campaign, Paswan said:
“For those who are angry with Narendra Modi, what are options for them? Who are they going to support? Had Rajiv Gandhi fulfilled the promises he had made? Will people now vote for Rahul Gandhi…There is no alternative to Modi. There is no vacancy for the Prime Minister’s post.”
Talking about four years of theModi government, Paswan said when the government enters into election year, even small issues are given the shape of national concern and thisis dubbed as an anti-incumbency against the government.
“What needs to done by the government is to propagate properly the development work done at the ground level. The perception needs to be changed. This government has done noting against the interest of the Muslims but there is a perception about the government that it is anti-muslim.
“Similarly, the government has done a lot for the SCs and STs but the perception about the government is of being anti-Dalit. The Prime Minister never spoke a word on controversial issues like construction of Ram temple, Article 370 or any Hindutava issue.”
Asked about the Prime Minister not speaking on issues in time when controversies rage, Paswan said: “It is not that the Prime Minister remains silent on every issue. He never spoke on Hindutva. After becoming Prime Minister when he first went to the Parliament he had said that the our constitution is our religion.”
Queried about the accusation that the Prime Minister does not take any action against fringe elements who give a bad name to the government, Paswan said: “Its an internal matter of the BJP and I am only an alliance partner. But I can say he is taking steps to control the hardcore Hindutva line of the some the leaders.”
In this context, he referred to former VHP working President Pravin Togadia as an example in the wake of his being sidelined in the organisation during the recent election.
On the defeat of BJP-JD(U) in the Lok Sabha and Assembly by-polls in Bihar recently, Paswan said it was on expected lines.
“The sympathy wave played a major role in win of the candidates. “MY” (Muslim+Yadav) equation of RJD chief Lalu Prasad is not new for the state. It’s an old practice of the RJD. Besides this, Lalu has no support of any other caste group. Lalu Prasad is in jail and facing corruption charges. People will soon forget him.”
When it was suggested that Lalu Prasad may get the sympathy of the people of Bihar, Paswan said: “After some days, the people will forget him. In India, people forgot the emergency. What happened in Haryana when Om Prakash Chautala was jailed? People forgot him. New leadership will emerge in Bihar.”
As far as NDA is concerned, he said “we are intact. Nitish has his own vote bank.”
In Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the minister said, the biggest issue is of caste. “In Bihar, if Scheduled Caste does not support the RJD, it can’t do anything. But there will be problem if the SCs join him. The issue of development is secondary in Bihar. Social issues like caste remain on top.”
(V.S. Chandrasekar can be contacted at chandru.vs; Brajendra Nath Singh can be contacted at brajednra.s@ians.in)
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Interviews, News, Politics
By V.S. Chandrasekar and Brajendranath Singh,
New Delhi : The government will issue an ordinance to uphold the rights of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes if the Supreme Court does not go back on its judgment deleting the provision of immediate arrest on complaints from Dalits, says Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, who asserts that the Constitution too will be amended if need be.
He acknowledged that the government had a problem of perception on the Dalit issue but felt this can be set right in no time if sufficient steps were taken.
“This anti-Dalit perception of the government can be changed in mere two days. The matter will be heard on May 3 in the court. I have said that if the court’s verdict will not be in favour (of those who demand retention of the original provisions), we (government) will go for an ordinance and that too without a change of comma and full stop in the original SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,” Paswan told IANS in an interview.
Asked whether the government will seek to nullify the court verdict if it does not change its order, he said: “Yes. We will not allow the dilution of the Act at any cost. Even a comma and full-stop will be retained as in the Act. The Act will continue in its original form. We will do whatever needed to protect the rights of SCs and STs. If need be, we will go for constitutional amendment too.”
Paswan, the Dalit face of the NDA government, has been leading a campaign in pushing the government to file a review petition in the Supreme Court against the March 20 two-bench order that a government official or a civilian cannot be immediately arrested if a FIR is filed by a person belonging to SCs and STs.
The Supreme Court had said that arrest under the Act was not mandatory and recourse to coercive action would be taken only after preliminary inquiry and sanction by the competent authority. The court said the arrest should be cleared by an official of the Superintendent of Police after a complaint is filed.
The government filed a review petition earlier this month seeking an immediate stay of the judgment but the court refused to grant any relief saying the ruling had been misunderstand.
Paswan, a key member of the Group of Ministers on the issue headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, said the government would adopt a similar approach on reservation in promotions in government and public sector organisations.
“We are going to do the same for reservation in promotion. In this case, the Supreme Court has not said that reservation in promotion is unconstitutional but has put three conditions of backwardness, efficiency and representation.
“All the three conditions do not apply. No one can charge any SC/ST Class I officer that he is not efficient. I have asked the AG to go to court and put forward these points. Even if the court does not agree, we will not hesitate to bring an ordinance. If need be, we will bring amendments in the constitution.”
Paswan had campaigned strongly for reservations for Other Backward Classes in the late 80s as part of the V.P. Singh government. “When I speak, the message goes that I am speaking as I am a Dalit.”
He said the government had done a lot for the SC and ST communities but the perception that should have been there in public mind was not there.
“V.P. Singh was from a royal family and an upper caste leader. But after nine months as Prime Minister the perception about him changed. There were slogans in his favour like ‘Raja Nahi Fakir Hai, Desh Ki Taqdeer Hai’. He became a leader of Dalits, poor and backward classes.
“This government is working a lot but is not able to propagate its work properly among the SC/ST communities. During the Una incident in Gujarat in 2016 (in which Dalits associated with disposing of dead cattle were lynched, the state government took action. They replaced the Chief Minister. Around 36 officials were transferred but they didn’t put these things before the public properly. If Indira Gandhi would have been there, she would had spoken loudly about it. I did this and I did that for Dalits.
“Modiji belongs to the weaker section of the society. He is from Most Backward Caste (MBC). He is also from a very poor family, economically and socially. But the kind of perception should have been there for him is not there. Just because he has a tag of being from RSS and the BJP. As a result, the perception about him is not changing. All his good work gets washed away when someone says something unwanted and unwarranted.”
Paswan said it was Mayawati who as as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh issued an order in October 2007 against the misuse of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and said that police should register a case only after probing a complaint.
“It was she who weakened the Act and despite that she calls herself a Dalit leader.”
Asked why the government reacted late in filing the review petition, Paswan said: “Every department has its own style of functioning. If I get a work, I call the officials concerned and take decisions without delay… The court’s verdict came on March 20 and the review petition was filed in April due to weekend holidays and other reasons.”
He said the Law Minister should have discussed the issue in a day or two with the Attorney General. “I met the Prime Minister with other MPs over the issue. A GoM also met under Rajnath Singh where I put up my concerns.”
He said the Prime Minister told everyone clearly to file a review petition.
Paswan said the Supreme Court had “broken the teeth” of the Act. The court said the accused can get anticipatory bail before his arrest.
(V.S. Chandrasekar can be contacted at chandru.v@ians.in while Brajendranath Singh can be reached at brajendra.n@ians.in)
—IANS
