Congress using National Herald case to harm national interest: BJP New Delhi: With Parliament virtually paralysed due to disruption by Congress, BJPTuesday attacked it saying it was using the National Herald case to "harm" national interest and holding the country's development "hostage" to its "selfish" political goal. The BJP Parliamentary Party voiced concern over the way the main opposition party was creating "obstruction" in the path of development and said it would be "suicidal" for it. Briefing the media after the meeting, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said BJP has issued a whip, asking its members in both the Houses to be present for the remainder of the Winter session during which the government hopes to push through a host of Bills even as prospect for it appears dim. Like last year, the government and party will also celebrate former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birth day on December 25 as 'good governance day' during which a host of events will be held, he said. The parliamentary party was told that a number of programmes aimed at empowering youth, including skill development projects in every Lok Sabha constituency, will be launched on January 12, the birth anniversary of spiritual guru Vivekananda. Banks and public sector units will pitch in and the aim behind it will be to give a boost to job growth, Naqvi said. The party MPs also decided to contribute Rs 10,000 each for Chennai flood relief, he said. "The parliamentary party expressed its concern over the negative politics of Congress and its attempt to obstruct the country's development. It is doing so for its own narrow and selfish political interest and it can be suicidal for Congress. "The National Herald case is being used to harm national interest. Congress should see to it that the case does not overshadow national interest," Naqvi said
Here's why 'All BJP MPs' is trending on Twitter New Delhi: Many of the Twitter users must be wondering why hash tag 'All BJP MPs' is one of the top trends on Tuesday. The hash tag 'All BJP MPs' made it to top trends as Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday announced that all the BJP MPs will contribute Rs 10,000 each to Chennai flood relief fund. Nearly 350 persons have died in Tamil Nadu in various rain-related incidents since October while about 17.64 lakh people were rescued and sheltered in 6605 relief centres across the state, according to the state government. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has pegged the damages due to flood in the state at over Rs 8,000 crore.
BJP's political rivals trying to communalise society: Gadkari Panaji: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday accused the BJP's political rivals of trying to "communalise" society, saying his party never believed in discrimination on the basis of religion "There are some political leaders who live on fear...Image versus reality. We have been accused of anti-minority by political rivals who want to communalise the society. BJP will never discriminate on religion, caste and sex. We are taking everyone along with us while ruling the country," Gadkari said. He was addressing a reception hosted for Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on his 60th birthday here, which was attended by more than 30,000 people. In a veiled reference to China and Pakistan, Gadkari said,"....There are so many neighbouring countries which are prospering. They are just aiming to grab land of others. We are tolerant persons. We don't want to invade neighbours, but that doesn't mean we will tolerate anyone trying to create trouble for us. We have said that we want peace...The same peace that Mahatma Gandhi spoke about". Gadkari said only the strong and efficient power can give peaceful governance in the country. Hailing Parrikar, Gadkari said the former is following politics as an "instrument for bringing socio-political reforms". "He (Parrikar) has maintained the same profile in public life right from the day he entered politics till date," said Gadkari. On the occasion, he proposed a special gallery depicting the history of Goa's liberation on an upcoming bridge on Zuari river here. "The proposed Zuari bridge should have a gallery displaying the liberation history of Goa for which my ministry will sanction the required amount. "In next five years, roads worth Rs 5 lakh crore would be constructed across the coastal state, of which one per cent would be mandatorily used for plantation and beautification," the Highways and Road Transport Minister said, adding that the foundation stone for the bridge would be laid shortly. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik, Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar were also present on the dais. Naik said the growth of BJP in Goa was parallel to Parrikar's rise in politics. "Parrikar has provided the best governance during his tenure in Goa. People always remember him as a person with vision," he said. Parsekar said that Parrikar has been constantly in touch with the happenings in Goa despite being in Delhi. PWD Minister Ramakrishna Dhavalikar said that Parrikar proved as a "visionary" for the state working for the welfare of people. "He taught us how to rule the state despite difficult financial situation," he added.
Parrikar slams critics of public celebration of birthday Panaji: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday lashed out at the Congress for calling the public celebration of his 60th birthday a "bash", saying the success of the event organised by the BJP and the number of people who attended it was a "slap in the face" of those who criticised the event. Parrikar was speaking at a function in Panaji organised by the Goa unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party to celebrate the former chief minister's 60th birthday. "You have shown immense love towards me by coming here and sitting patiently for 3-4 hours. When those people who think this is a bash, see photographs of 50,000 people at one place, it will be like being slapped on the face 60 times," an emotional Parrikar told the audience. Many Congress leaders have been criticising the public celebration of Parrikar's birthday, claiming it was "insensitive" towards the recent Chennai floods in which nearly 350 people have died. Parrikar, however, said he was in no mood to accept the Congress charge. He said that as defence minister, he had ensured that the armed forces responded with clinical efficiency to the natural disaster in the southern metropolis. "You (referring to Congress leaders) are telling me about Chennai? The day the news broke about heavy rains in Chennai, I monitored the situation till midnight to ensure that the army and the navy reached there on time," Parrikar said. The coordination of the armed forces with the National Disaster Response Force was perfect, he said. "We rescued people from all over the country. Brought them out in a safe and sound way (from Chennai) and we need certification from the Congress? I am glad I got endorsement from you people," Parrikar said.
Centre to give soil cards to farmers by 2019: Amit Shah Parli: BJP President Amit Shah on Saturday said his party's governments both at the Centre and state will provide soil health cards to every farmer by 2019 while ensuring proper development of the agriculture sector Speaking after inauguration of 'Gopinath Gad', the late BJP Gopinath Munde's memorial, on the occasion of his birth anniversary today, he lauded the contribution made by him in building the party in Maharashtra, where the saffron outfit is heading its first government. "The government has launched soil health card scheme for farmers. By 2019, all farmers will get these cards. A sum of Rs 75,000 crore has been provided per year for irrigation network," he said highlighting pro-farmer initiatives taken by Narendra Modi government. Lauding Munde's role in Beed district of central Maharashtra, he said "the glory days of BJP in Maharashtra today are due to Mundeji who ensured the party's spread among the poor and downtrodden." "I have come here to pay my respects to Mundeji on behalf of crores of BJP workers," he said, adding that he washed out infamies of notoriety and criminals in the state. Munde, a former Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra who also served as a Union Minister, contributed to the organisational structure of the party in every region and village, Shah said. The BJP chief also praised Fadnavis, who completed one year in office on October 31 as head of the first party-led government in Maharashtra, saying he was doing "commendable" work. "I am sure under his leadership Maharashtra will regain the numero uno spot (in economic sphere). So clean has been the government under his leadership that the Opposition hasn't been able to level allegation of a single rupee worth of corruption...The government is for the welfare of backward, downtrodden and poor," he said.
Arun Jaitley fears washout of Winter Session, invokes Nehru to remind Congress of its responsibility New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday apprehended a "wash out" of the current Winter session and invoked Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru to remind Congress of the responsibility of MPs for governance of the country through Parliament. "The last session of the Parliament did not function. The current session of the Parliament is also threatened with a wash out. The reasons for the wash out of the current session keep changing by the hour. "The nation is waiting for Parliament to discuss public issues, to legislate and approve a historic Constitution Amendment enabling the GST. All this is being indefinitely delayed. The question we need to ask ourselves is are we being fair to ourselves and this country?" Jaitley said in a Facebook post. The Finance Minister also quoted a speech on the Parliamentary system by Pandit Nehru to hammer home his point. He said that the speech delivered on March 28, 1957 in the last day of first Lok Sabha by Nehru is "a must read for all of us". He quoted a paragraph from the speech in which Nehru had said, "Here, we have sat in this Parliament, the sovereign authority of India, responsible for the governance of India. Surely, there can be no higher responsibility or greater privilege than to be a member of this sovereign body which is responsible for the fate of the vast number of human beings who live in this country. "All of us, if not always, at any rate from time to time, must have felt this high sense of responsibility and destiny to which we had been called. Whether we were worthy of it or not is another matter. We have functioned, therefore, during these five years not only on the edge of history but sometimes plunging into the processes of making history." Taking a dig at Congress over frequent disruptions in Rajya Sabha, Jaitley said, "Those who claim the legacy of Pandit ji must ask themselves the question, what kind of history are they making."
The BJP's Plans For 2-Year Birthday Party Are Centred Around UP For Modi government's second year anniversary, Uttar Pradesh is expected to be at the centre of the celebrations and all senior ministers have been asked to visit the state in a 15-day exercise. New Delhi: Like year one, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to celebrate two years in power outside Delhi. He might address a rally, said sources in the ruling BJP, in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, where elections will be held early next year. That will be on May 26, the day PM Modi and his ministers took oath two years ago and will kick off month-long celebrations. Birthday plans were discussed at a meeting between BJP president Amit Shah and the party's state unit chief Keshav Maurya. "Last year, the Prime Minister broke the tradition of celebrations in Delhi when he held a public meet at ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay's village in Mathura. This time he may unfold his vision for next year in Saharanpur," a senior BJP leader said. At a workshop on Saturday, a "pathshaala", said sources, party functionaries will be briefed on plans for the BJP's celebrations by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. The next day, Sunday, May 22, said the BJPs media convenor Shrikant Sharma, a larger meeting of party workers and volunteers will be held. Uttar Pradesh is expected to be at the centre of the celebrations and all senior ministers have been asked to visit the state in a 15-day exercise. The party wants to build on the momentum in generated in the state in the national election, winning 71 of 80 parliament seats. Starting May 26, the BJPs central ministers, lawmakers, chief ministers and party leaders will also address 200 press conferences all over the country to publicise the Modi government's initiatives and achievements. "Central ministers have been asked by PM Modi to spend at least seven nights in villages to assess the implementation of the government's flagship schemes. MLAs and leaders have been asked to plan such 'nightouts' in their constituencies," BJP general secretary Arun Singh said. 30 teams have been set up, each with four or five members and mostly headed by a cabinet minister, that will visit six different places in every state.
Smriti Z Irani @smritiirani #TransformingIndia by leveraging technology to enhance transparency.2 years of increased economic growth.मेरा देश बदल रहा है आगे बढ़ रहा हैा
