Political updates: Narendra Modi tells BJP workers to focus on development
Narendra Modi appealed to BJP workers to engage in active outreach programmes across the country
New Delhi: The two-day national executive meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to an end on Sunday. Addressing party workers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the leaders should focus on development and engage in active outreach programmes. At the national executive, senior leaders of the party also reiterated the party’s commitment to the alliance in Jammu and Kashmir even as talks have so far have resulted in a deadlock. Separately, the political crisis in Uttarakhand deepened over the weekend after Govind Singh Kunjwal, Speaker of its legislative assembly issued notices to nine rebel Congress legislators, asking them why they should not be disqualified from membership of the assembly.
PM tells BJP workers to focus on development
Prime Minister Narendra Modi exhorted his party’s rank-and-file to focus on development, which has been the key priority of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the past 22 months. He appealed to BJP workers to engage in active outreach programmes across the country, while not getting provoked by those seeking to bait the party and divert attention from its agenda of development for all. He said that issues related to rural areas, farmers, financially weak, Dalits and tribals should be taken up by the party and people should be urged to join the campaign on cleanliness and to educate daughter, save daughter. Read more
Freedom of expression gives no right to destroy nation: BJP
Amid the ongoing debate on nationalism, the BJP in their two-day national executive meeting said that freedom of expression does not give a right to seek the country’s destruction. The issue was discussed and adopted in the political resolution of the party. BJP party chief Amit Shah had also raised the issue in his address on Saturday.
BJP hopeful of alliance revival with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir
Senior BJP leaders on Sunday said they were hopeful that the ruling alliance in Jammu and Kashmir will eventually be revived, three days after talks between Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti and BJP president Amit Shah failed to break the deadlock over government formation. Senior leaders of the party reiterated their commitment towards the alliance at the party’s two-day national executive. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti is likely to call a meeting of senior party leaders in the coming days to clear the “misgivings" about the deadlock over government formation in Jammu and Kashmir with BJP.
Uttarakhand Speaker serves notice to 9 rebel Congress MLAs
The political crisis in Uttarakhand deepened on Sunday after Govind Singh Kunjwal, Speaker of its legislative assembly, issued notices to nine rebel Congress legislators, asking them why they should not be disqualified from membership of the assembly for violating the party’s whip and aligning with the opposition BJP. The issue began over the weekend when nine members of the legislative assembly turned rebel and opposition BJP approached the governor to stake claim of the state. In the wake of the crisis, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP and said that toppling government by use of money is the party’s new model. Read more
Jewellers end 19-day strike
Jewellers called a 19-day strike late on Saturday after the government assured they will not be “harassed" by the excise department in collecting a new tax, the head of a trade body told Reuters. Jewellers from the world’s second-biggest gold consumer went on an indefinite strike from the start of March after the government reintroduced a 1% excise duty on gold jewellery after four years. The move in budget 2016 to impose levies on jewellery, while economically sound, had triggered a political backlash from the trading community, an important constituency of the BJP. Read more
Prime Minister to meet banks, insurance companies on crop insurance
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet top officials of all banks and insurance companies this week in Mumbai to discuss the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojana (PMFBY). Under the new PMFBY crop insurance scheme, premium burden on farmers has been kept low—up to 2% of the sum insured—and claims are to be settled at the earliest. The scheme will come into force from 1 April for kharif crops to be sown from June.
Aadhaar: Fact and fiction
The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016, finally got Parliament’s approval after the NDA government introduced it in the Lok Sabha as a money bill. Read more
Will restore freedom of opinion in West Bengal: Left Front manifesto
The Left Front on Sunday published its election manifesto for the assembly election in West Bengal, the first phase of which starts on 4 April, urging voters to exercise their franchise for restoration of democracy in the state. The 16-page manifesto promises to restore freedom to express one’s opinion and states that if elected to power it will see that the police and the administration work in accordance with the tradition of multi-party democracy.
Four parties may merge in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh
After a failed attempt at unification of the larger Janata Parivar, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Lok Dal, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajtantrik) and Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya) look set to merge in Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav, RLD chief Ajit Singh, his son Jayant Chaudhary and poll strategist Prashant Kishor had a meeting at the residence of JD(U) general secretary K.C. Tyagi in New Delhi on 15 March to work out the modalities, people close to the development said. Read more
Parliament panel favours bringing tobacco production under regulatory regime
A Parliamentary panel has recommended framing an “equitable and pragmatic" national tobacco control policy, so that various organs of the government can work in tandem and tobacco production can be brought under a regulatory regime. Read more
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!