India

Former India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetisation, saying that the country will suffer a loss of Rs 1.5 lakh crore from the note ban and the "worse" was yet to come.
 
"Demonetisation has hurt the country hard. Things have gone bad in the last two months, but worse is yet to come," said Manmohan Singh, addressing the Congress' Jan Vedna Sammelan.
 
"The beginning of the end has come," he added.
 
"Modi's propaganda that the national income of India in the last two years has gone up, has failed... The 7.6 per cent growth rate of country has come to 7 per cent in only a few months as a consequence of steep fall in the GDP of the country," the former Prime Minister, himself a well-known economist, said.
 
Speaking on the issue, Chidambaram questioned claims that a Cabinet meeting took place before Modi's November 8 announcement of demonetising Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes.
 
"According to the records we have been able to access so far, there is no record of a Cabinet meeting on November 8. We are yet to see a cabinet note of the meeting that took place, there has to be some record of the meeting taking place," Chidambaram said.
 
"Ministers were kept prisoners till the Prime Minister announced the demonetisation decision," he alleged.
 
Chidambaram claimed demonetisation was Modi's "unilateral" decision.
 
"Demonetisation was the decision of one person. ‘I am the Fuhrer. I am the leader. I must decide'," he said, mocking Modi and going on to add: "All will have to suffer because of the folly of one person."
 
Pointing out that post-demonetisation the country's growth rate forecast has come down from 7.6 per cent to 7 per cent; Chidambaram said for the loss of every one per cent in GDP growth, the country "will face a loss of Rs 1.5 lakh crore."
 
"I demand that the government pay compensation to the daily wage workers who lost their livelihoods," he said, adding that 45 crore people lost their livelihood for 70 days "due to one man's decision."
 
Chidambaram also dared Modi to put to test his claims of demonetisation putting an end to black money, corruption and fake currency.
 
He also slammed Modi for his push towards cashless economy.
 
"When the Prime Minister talks of a cashless society, he talks of something that never happened anywhere. He has no right to decide that. It's my choice to use cash or card."
 
"I am throwing another challenge to the Prime Minister. In the months of May and June, engineering, medical colleges will open and capitation fee will be taken. Can the Prime Minister assure that the parents need not worry? That no capitation fee will be asked or taken. Can he give that promise?" he asked.

Attacking the Modi government over its policies and decision, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that the Centre is trying scare people but his party stands with them and they don’t need to fear.

Speaking at Congress convention at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi, Gandhi said his party’s symbol (hand) is omnipresent in every religion and it signifies that people of any religion should not fear the government as Congress is with them.

“I found Congress symbol in Shiv ji, Gurunanak, Buddha, Mahavir’s pictures. I asked Karan Singh ji what does it mean? He said ‘daro mat’ sachhayi ka saamna karo’,” said Gandhi adding, “Congress philosophy says ‘daro mat’, and the other philosophy says ‘daro aur darao'”.

“Policies introduced by the Congress have helped the people of this country to be fearless,” Gandhi said. “But what has (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji done? He has made farmers of the country fear and also said that I shall snatch your land if you don’t listen to me,” Gandhi said, referring to the land acquisition act.

“If there is any natural calamity then also the government won’t give any compensation to farmers. If any tribal man stands and says that it is my land, forest or home, he is shot dead,” Gandhi alleged.

“Whether it is Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, wherever they go they spread fear,” the Congress leader said, referring to the BJP-ruled states. “It is a clash between two philosophies. Congress says ‘daro mat’ (don’t fear), BJP says ‘daro aur darao’ (create fear and frighten),” Gandhi said, adding, “wherever we (Congress) go we spread the message of fearlessness”.

Taking a dig at the prime minister, Gandhi said, “Modi ji ne kya kiya? kaha ki mera naam Narendra Modi hai aur mai tumse tumhari (farmers) zameen chheen sakta hoon. I told them daro mat. Ye desh akalmand desh hai, angrezon ko bhagaya hai. Chaand tak mission bhej diya hai. (What did Modi do? He said My Name is Narendra Modi and I can snatch your land. This is a country of intelligent people. We have thrown Britishers out of the country. Sent mission on mood, we won’t be fooled by Modiji)”

Hitting out at Modi’s demonetisation policy, Gandhi said, “Crores of people were standing in lines, did you find any corrupt person there? The corrupt ones were at the bank’s backdoor.” He also recited an old song featuring Amitabh Bachchan to describe the demonetisation policy. “Ram naam japna, gareeb ka maal apna- ye philosophy hai suit-boot ki sarkar ki; isi se aapko ladna hai,” said Gandhi.

He also woed that his party will save the country from the hatred being spread by the RSS and the BJP government. “RSS aur BJP desh ko barbaad kar rahi hain, nafrat faila kar, DeMonetisation implement karke desh ko barbaad kar rahe hain. Hum aapko bachaynegy (RSS and BJP is destroying the social fabric of this country by spreading hatred, by implementing demonetisation. But Congress will rescue this country),” said Gandhi.

Congress Party’s Jan Vedna Sammelan was called to highlight the ‘misfortunes’ caused to the people of India due to the demonetisation move by Prime Minister Modi on November 8 last year.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and estranged father Mulayam Yadav could meet tomorrow morning in Lucknow to revisit attempts at burying their differences - or at least compute a workable solution that would prevent their Samajwadi Party from splitting ahead of the election that begins next month, said sources this evening.

"Akhilesh will be the Chief Minister after the election," said Mulayam Singh this evening, hours after he said "there is no rift with Akhilesh." Both statements suggest that the 77-year-old has grabbed a line to climb out of the hole he dug by earlier declaring that he alone would decide who would be the Chief Minister if the Samajwadi Party is re-elected.

Over the last few months, Akhilesh Yadav and Mulayam Singh have pulled the party in different directions, each guided by a relative that is distrusted by the other. Mulayam Singh has been flanked by brother Shivpal Yadav, and, more recently, Amar Singh. The Chief Minister has teamed with Ram Gopal Yadav, his father's cousin.

Tired of being relegated to a witness in his father's plan for the election, Akhilesh Yadav on January 1 put the squeeze on by having himself declared the Samajwadi President, the title held by his father. He also declared his own list of candidates to counter that of his father. Later, he reportedly conveyed that he would step down to make way for Mulayam Singh as president after the election, but not before then, because he did not want to risk Shivpal Yadav and Amar Singh making crucial decisions. There has been no indication yet that Mulayam Singh will grant his son's wish of stripping them of any prominence.

To display that the party backs him, Akhilesh Yadav has held a series of meetings attended by the vast majority of his party's legislators and top leaders. Their signatures, pledging allegiance to him, have been furnished to the Election Commission to back his claim to the party symbol, the cycle. Mulayam Singh has filed his own petition, alleging that as the founder, the cycle belongs with him. The easy recall of the symbol among voters makes it election gold.  

The Yadavs have danced around a compromise for weeks, only to circle back to their points of dispute. But for now, Mulayam Singh's remarks will allow his party to wonder anew if his son and he will find a way to ride the cycle in tandem.

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday blamed Pakistan as well as separatists for derailing the dialogue process by shutting doors on the All Party Delegation.

She also said the preparations for the five-month long unrest in Kashmir were made in advance and when the triggers like separate Kashmiri Pandit Colony and Sainik Colony did not work, the killing of Burhan Wani triggered the unrest.

The three-month unrest, which started after the killing of militant Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016, left more than 100 people dead.

''Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Lahore and it was followed by the Pathankot terrorist attack and today in Jurian. The entire nation had their eyes on those (separatists) doors and the nation was breathless to see the outcome and several senior leaders went to meet them. They could have opened the doors,'' Mehbooba said while replying to a discussion on the Kashmir unrest in the state assembly.

''A message would have gone and they (separatists) would have told the All Party Delegation what they have done in the past and what steps have they taken to resolve the issue,'' she added.

Referring to the unrest in Kashmir, which left several people dead and many injured, the chief minister said the unrest took place under a “well-planned conspiracy”.

''Earlier they used the issue of separate Kashmiri Pandit Colony and then Sainik Colony to trigger the unrest but when they failed, this (Burhan Wani’s killing) provided them the trigger they wanted,'' Mehbooba said. ''Preparations were made in advance as from the very next day, slogans were being raised in mosques and a number of CDs were distributed.''

Some elements used small kids as shields and pushed them inside the security force camps and police stations, she added.

It is easy to say that the security forces could have exercised restrain but when a mob attacks a police station with petrol bombs, stones and axes, it becomes difficult to exercise restraint, Mehbooba said.

''Many school children did not go to the school in uniform as they feared they would be attacked. Several students who went to give examinations were accompanied by their mothers who were carrying doctor’s prescriptions to show them (protesters) that they were going to see the doctors. They were so scared,'' she added.

The chief minister said she wanted the walls of hate to fall down and let hearts meet. ''Despite several provocations, Union home minister Rajnath Singh went to Pakistan but was it the way they should have treated him?'' Mehbooba said.

Asking the Opposition to help her 'heal' the wounds of the people, she said, ''I strongly feel that the situation was not sudden and going on for several years. My request is that be it 2010 or 2016 it should not have happened, either on your time or ours. Help us heal the wounds of the people and bring them out of this,'' she said.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has sought Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha's reply on the plea of Opposition parties seeking postponement of the budget presentation date.

The ECI has written a letter to Sinha on the issue and has asked him to respond to the plea by January 10. The ECI is believed to have asked the Centre to explain why it wants to advance the budget session for it to take an informed decision on the matter.

The Budget session of the Parliament will begin from February 1 if the government has its way.

The session is being advanced as the government wants early allocation of funds for various schemes - from April 1, the beginning of the financial year.

Opposition leaders from the Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC), DMK, Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) visited the Election Commission Thursday to protest the Union Budget date, as it was being announced before the Assembly elections in five states.

The Opposition requested the EC to ensure that the Budget is held after polls in five states - Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur - conclude on March 8.

“Populist measures could be taken in the Budget, so a just and fair election cannot be held,” Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad said after meeting EC officials.

“We demand that the Budget be presented after March 8, which is when polling for elections will be over,” he added.

The Election Commission on Wednesday announced seven-phase polling for 403 assembly constituencies in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, two-phase polling in Manipur and one-phase polling each in the states of Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa respectively.

Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi said that the counting of votes in all the five states will take place on March 11.

Raisina Hill has a word of caution over Modi government's note ban. President Pranab Mukherjee said the move may temporarily slowdown the economy and affect poor.

"Demonetisation, while immobilizing black money and fighting corruption, may lead to temporary slowdown of the economy," Mukherjee said in his New Year's message to Governors and Lt Governors.

"We all will have to be extra careful to alleviate the suffering of the poor which might become unavoidable for the expected progress in the long term," he added.

The president, however, had as some words of praise too. "While I appreciate the thrust on transition from entitlement approach to an entrepreneurial one for poverty alleviation, I am not too sure that the poor can wait that long. They need to get succour here and now, so that they can also participate actively in the national march towards a future devoid of hunger, unemployment and exploitation. The recent package announced by the Prime Minister will provide some relief," the President said.

The Election Commission will on Wednesday announce the poll dates for elections to five state assemblies – Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Manipur, Goa and Uttarakhand. A press conference will be held at noon where Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi will announce a list of dates including the last date of filing nominations, when each state will vote, phases, if any, and the day of counting.

On Tuesday, the Election Commission held a meeting with Chief Electoral Officers of the five poll-bound states – Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa to fine tune the arrangements. The law and order situation in Manipur due to the on-going road blockade by some Naga groups was the focus.

The Election Commission is likely to hold a seven-phase poll in Uttar Pradesh and single-phased polling in the four other states. However, with the on-going blockade situation in Manipur, the Commission may go in for multiple phases in the north-eastern state.

The terms of the legislative assembly of Goa, Manipur and  Punjab are due to expire on March 18 while that of Uttarakhand expires on March 26.  The legislative term of Uttar Pradesh ends on May 27.

In December last year, the Election Commission had written to the state government and state education boards to frame their election schedule in consultation with the Election Commission.

Strength of the five assemblies that will go to polls in the next few weeks:

Goa has 40 assembly seats, Manipur has 60, Punjab has 117, Uttarakhand has 70 while Uttar Pradesh has 403.

Security to be deployed

The Union Home Ministry will provide around 85,000 security personnel for deployment in the upcoming assembly elections in the five states. Top officials of the Ministry led by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi conveyed that it would provide around 750 companies of paramilitary forces for smooth conduct of the election process in the five states.

In addition, around 100 companies, most of which belong to State Armed Police Forces and India Reserve Battalions, will also be drawn from different states for deployment of election duties.

The model code of conduct comes into effect immediately after the press conference.

Samajwadi Party’s Maharashtra chief Abu Azmi on Tuesday said women should not forget that “security starts at home” and that partying late night is not in the Indian culture, when asked about the harassment incident in Bengaluru during New Year’s eve.

“Partying late night in half attire, blindly following western culture, has never been our culture. Ladies hailing from well-to-do families, be it from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan or UP, they come out in decent attire and mostly with their family members,” he said, when asked about alleged harassment of women in Bengaluru during the New Year eve.

“I am saying what happened is very unfortunate. Undoubtedly, making security arrangement to thwart any eventuality is police’s job. But, as far as Bengaluru molestation is concerned, women and their guardians must also take precautions and think that security starts at home. Our women must think about their own security themselves,” Azmi told news agency PTI.

The new year celebrations at MG Road and Brigade Road in Bengaluru had turned into a nightmare for several women who were allegedly molested despite heavy police presence, sparking widespread outrage.

“But when few women in half dress come out on streets at late night with their friends, such incidents do occur,” said Azmi, an MLA from Shivaji Nagar in suburban Mumbai.

“The women are pride of our family and country. Therefore, it is our duty to safeguard them. If we allow them to follow western culture blindly, then I am sorry to say that people will misbehave them in such ways,” the SP leader said.

Azmi also defended Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara who had stoked a controversy by blaming the youngsters’ westernized ways for the incidents.

“He (Parameshwara) said the harsh reality. These kind of things do happen when women try to copy the westerners, not only in their mindset but even in their dressing,” he said.

“If my sister or daughter goes out with another man to celebrate the New Year and her father or husband is not with them, do you think she will be safe? I don’t think so,” he told CNN-News18 in a separate interview.

The Samajwadi Party, however, has condemned Azmi’s statement. Samajwadi Party leader, Juhie Singh, while speaking to the channel said, “It’s really unfortunate that Azmi thinks like that. The party condemns it. He should apologise.”

According to eyewitness accounts, dozens of women were molested, groped and lewd remarks were passed by miscreants late night on December 31 in Bengaluru despite the presence of over 1,500 police personnel deployed to control the crowds.

Meanwhile, the National Commission of Women (NCW) Chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam has come down heavily on the police and slammed Parameshwara’s remarks, demanding his resignation.

Incidentally, it is not the first time Azmi had made such remarks. Earlier this year, following the Jyoti Singh rape case, he had issued a similar statement,

“If you keep petrol and fire together then it will burn. There should be a law to ensure that there should be no ‘nangapan’. Those who wear less clothes should also be banned,” he had said.

Stung by the arrest of TMC MP Sudip Bandopadhyay, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using CBI, ED and Income Tax department against those who raised voice against demonetisation and dared him to arrest her and all TMC MPs. She asserted that their protest against note ban would continue.

“I just can’t think that Sudip Bandopadhyay, who is our party’s leader in the Lok Sabha will be arrested. I also have information that Modi wants to arrest many other TMC leaders like Abhishek Banerjee, Sovan Chatterjee (city mayor) and Firhad Hakim (minister),” she told reporters immediately after Sudip’s arrest by the CBI in connection with the alleged Rose Valley chit fund scam.

“I am shocked, but not scared. Let him arrest all of us. I openly challenge him to arrest me. Let me see his guts. He may silence others, but not me. He can’t suppress our voice. He can’t bulldoze people’s voice,” she said. “We will fight legal battle in every case,” she added.

Earlier, at a meeting in Medinipur she charged Modi with using CBI, ED and IT against persons who protested against demonetisation. The TMC supremo also convened an emergency meeting on Sudip’s arrest to chalk out the party’s action plan. TMC would launch dharnas to protest against Sudip’s arrest from tomorrow, she said, adding “politics cannot be done by resorting to vendetta”.

She alleged that Bandopadhyay was arrested due to “pressure from the PMO” and asked “why should Narendra Modi and Amit Shah not be arrested? “The party is behind Sudip. He has not done anything wrong. Even if he is in jail, the people of Bengal will keep him in their heart,” she said.

The TMC chief also said that it was the duty of the Centre, the Sebi and the RBI to keep a check on ponzi schemes in which they have “failed completely”. “I challenge Modi directly. You cannot do anything because Trinamool Congress is right and you are wrong. You cannot suppress the voice of the people. you have to withdraw restrictions (on withdrawal of cash)… Modi has no clue where this political vidictiveness will take him. We are not scared and will continue our demonstration against demonetisation,” she said.

Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay was on Tuesday arrested by the CBI after questioning in the Rose Valley chit fund scam case. The arrest came soon after another party MP Tapas Pal, accused in the same case, was sent to police custody.

Earlier in the day, Bandyopadhyay told media, “I said I will come to face CBI interrogation to know what is against me”. He also alleged political vendetta against him and the Trinamool Congress party by the NDA-ruled Central government.

Rose Valley scam, which was also being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate, encompasses a larger amount of money swindling as compared to the Saradha case.