PM Modi to address nation at 6 p.m. on Tuesday

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PM Modi to address nation at 6 p.m. on Tuesday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he will be sharing a message with the country at 6 p.m. on Tuesday where he is expected to make an important announcement. There is a possibility that he might inform the people about the ongoing war against the corona pandemic.

Modi tweeted, “I will address the nation with a message at 6 pm today. I will share a message with my countrymen and urge the people to join me.” The PM might speak to the people on issues related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

During his address, the Prime Minister might appeal to the people to remain cautious about the coronavirus ahead of the upcoming festivals.

Cong revs up for ‘tractor yatras’ to counter BJP on farm laws

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Cong revs up for ‘tractor yatras’ to counter BJP on farm laws

The opposition Congress plans to hold ‘tractor rallies’ across the country in November in line with Rahul Gandhi’s similar endeavor in Punjab and Haryana earlier this month in order to counter the BJP’s efforts to drum up support for the three central farm laws.

The Congress leadership has asked its state units to prepare for the tractor rallies proposed to be held in the first fortnight of next month.

In his letter to the Pradesh Congress Committees, party General Secretary KC Venugopal said:” To continue our fight, the PCCs are requested to take out ‘tractor yatras’ in their respective states in which all state office-bearers apart from members of Parliament and MLAs along with Congress affairs in charges will participate.

“The occasion should be utilized to demolish the farmers’ yatra undertaken by the BJP and galvanize public opinion against the three central farm laws,” the Rajya Sabha MP added.

Rahul Gandhi had led the Congress’ first ‘tractor rally’ on October 4 from Badhni Kalan town in the Moga district of Punjab. During his three-day visit to the state as part of the ‘Kheti Bachao Yatra’, his rallies covered Moga, Ludhiana, Sangrur, and Patiala districts in the Malwa region. On October 6, the ‘tractor rally’ entered Haryana through the Pehowa border.

The Congress said it had also chalked out a strategy to corner the Modi government on key issues of economic policy, farmers, and women’s safety in the coming weeks.

The Congress said that the party’s future course of action has been decided on what it called the “anti-farmers, anti-women, anti-labor and anti-poor policies and actions” of the BJP-led central government and the state governments.

BJP leaders had held ‘Kisan Dhanyawaad Yatra’ while riding a convoy of tractors that passed through villages in Jagadhri block of Yamunanagar district in Haryana a few days ago, apart from holding ‘tractor pujas’ and rallies earlier this month.

Punjab CM moves draft resolution to reject Centre’s farm laws

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Punjab CM moves draft resolution to reject Centre’s farm laws

In a move to protect the state’s farmers and agriculture, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday presented in the Vidhan Sabha a draft resolution rejecting outright the Centre’s “anti-farmer” laws and the proposed electricity amendment Bill, with an appeal to all parties to rise above political interests in the spirit of saving the agrarian state.

The draft resolution seeks annulment of the farm laws and the proposed Electricity Bill, as well as promulgation of “a fresh ordinance making the procurement of food grains on the minimum support price (MSP) a statutory right of the farmers and continue with procurement by the Government of India through the FCI and other such agencies”.

Regretting that several legislators indulged in frivolous activities on Monday to gain political mileage, with some coming in tractors and some spending the night in the Assembly precincts in protest against non-receipt of his government’s Bills, the Chief Minister said he had signed the same at 9.30 p.m., after extensive discussions and consultations with various experts.

Such delays in sharing copies of Bills happen in an emergent session, he said, pointing to something similar happening when his government had brought in the Punjab Termination of Water Agreements Act during his last tenure in 2004.

Amarinder Singh said the Bills being presented on Tuesday, the second day of the special assembly session, would form the basis of the state’s legal battle ahead and, hence, needed to be thoroughly vetted before the presentation.

The draft resolution expresses the deep regret of the state legislative assembly over the “callous and inconsiderate attitude of the Government of India in attending to the concerns of the farming community on recent alleged farm legislation enacted by them”.

It reads that the assembly is constrained to unanimously reject the three (farm) legislations and the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020.

Referring to The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, the draft resolution notes that the Union Government had converted the relevant farm ordinances into Acts and notified the same on September 24 and 26 even though the concerns and sentiments of the House were conveyed to the Prime Minister through the letter of September 14 by the Chief Minister.

“These three legislations along with the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020 are clearly against the interests of farmers and landless workers, and time-tested agriculture marketing system established not only in Punjab but also in original green revolution areas of Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh,” it said, adding the Government of India had clearly enacted trade legislations and not farm legislations.

Further, said the draft resolution, these laws are also against the Constitution of India (Entry 14 List-II), which comprises agriculture as a subject of the state.

These legislations are a direct attack, and use of subterfuge to encroach upon the functions and the powers of the states, as enshrined in the country’s Constitution, said the draft resolution, read out by the Speaker.

Punjab Assembly special session begins, farm Bill likely on Oct 20

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Punjab Assembly special session begins, farm Bill likely on Oct 20

The two-day special Punjab Assembly session began on Monday amid protests by opposition parties, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) outside the complex against the Centre’s three contentious agricultural laws.

The Congress-ruled state is likely to bring a bill to nullify the Centre’s legislation on Tuesday.

On the first day, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh led the House in paying homage to all farmers who lost lives during the ongoing agitation in protest against the agricultural laws.

The House also paid respects to freedom fighters, political and other eminent personalities, as well as soldiers.

All members observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect to the departed souls during the obituary references.

On the request of Finance Minister Manpreet Singh, Speaker Rana KP Singh also consented to include the name of Shaurya Chakra awardee Balwinder Singh Sandhu — who was shot dead by two assailants at his hometown Bhikhiwind on Friday — among the obituary references.

As the house adjourned, AAP members staged a sit-in in the House, saying the members were not provided copies in advance of the Bill to be tabled in the Vidhan Sabha.

Before the House assembled, SAD legislators marched on tractors on roads leading to the Assembly to register their protest against the farm laws.

Wearing ‘black robes’ to lodge their protest against the farm laws, Aam Aadmi Party members burnt copies of the farm laws outside the Assembly complex.

High drama was witnessed outside Punjab Bhavan, near the Assembly, as Akali legislators led by Bikram Singh Majithia tried to enter to brief the media after the House adjourned.

They raised slogans against the government. Some legislators scaled the walls and forced their way inside the Punjab Bhavan.

Naidu appoints TDP central committee, politburo members

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Naidu appoints TDP central committee, politburo members

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu appointed new members to the party’s central committee and politburo on Monday.

Six central vice presidents, eight central general secretaries, and six central official spokespersons were appointed, among others.

Kavali Prathiba Bharati, Galla Aruna Kumari, D. K. Satya Prabha, Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy, Mecha Nageswar Rao, and Chiluveru Kasinadh have been appointed central vice presidents.

The eight central general secretaries included Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh along with Varla Ramaiah, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Nirmala Ramanaidu, Beeda Ravi Chandra, Kothakota Dayakar Reddy, Kambhampati Rammohan Rao, and Bakkani Narsimhulu.

Rao will also handle the national political affairs of the party founded by Tollywood legend Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao, famously known as NTR.

Central official spokespersons include Ganapati Deepak Reddy, Kommareddy Pattabhiram, Mohammed Naseer, Prem Kumar Jain, T. Jyotshna, and Nannuri Narsi Reddy.

Sriram Rajgopal Tataiah has been appointed as the treasurer.

Naidu also appointed 25 more politburo members including Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Pusapati Ashok Gajapati Raju, Chintakayala Ayyanna Pathrudu and K. E. Krishna Murthy among others.

In addition to being a party general secretary, Lokesh is also an ex-officio member of the politburo, along with party president Kinjarapu Atchannaidu and Telangana TDP president L. Ramana.

The TDP suffered a massive defeat in the 2019 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections at the hands of the Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Yuvajana Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP).

MLA Aman Mani threatens government counsel

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MLA Aman Mani threatens government counsel

Controversial Independent MLA, Aman Mani Tripathi, is in news again for wrong reasons. This time, he has threatened additional district government counsel (ADGC) Ramesh Chandra Pandey.

Pandey has submitted a complaint at the Cantt. Police station, claiming that he was threatened by the MLA on phone.

The ADGC has said that Aman Mani Tripathi was pressurizing him to arrive at a compromise in a case registered in Lucknow. “He threatened to kill me and also get me removed from my post,” the ADGC told the police.

The Cantt police spokesperson said that they had received the complaint on Wednesday and had started investigations. “We are trying to track down the number from which the caller gave the threat and then will initiate further action,” said a police spokesperson.

Aman Mani Tripathi is the son of former minister Amar Mani Tripathi who is serving life sentence for the murder of poetess Madhumita Shukla in 2003. His mother, Madhu Mani, is also serving a life term in the same case.

Aman Mani has also been charged by the CBI for the murder of his wife Sara in 2015. He recently got married again.

He has been named in cases of kidnapping and extortion.

During the lockdown, he hit headlines when he traveled to Uttarakhand with his friends and claimed that he had been authorized by Yogi Adityanath to offer prayers at Badrinath for the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s father, who had passed away.

He was stopped by the Uttarakhand police and the Adityanath government issued a clarification saying that the Yogi government had not authorized anyone to visit Badrinath and offer prayers on his behalf.

Aman Mani Tripathi is an independent MLA from the Nautanwa assembly segment.

Crime is rising as UP govt protecting perpetrators: Priyanka

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Crime is rising as UP govt protecting perpetrators: Priyanka

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday criticized Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the rising crime graph in the state.

Priyanka said, “The UP government’s politically motivated narrative of justifying and protecting perpetrators of crimes against women has only emboldened criminals across the state.”

While attacking the government over the Gonda acid attack case, she attached the statement of the victims’ father to her Tweet and said, “This man’s three daughters aged 17, 10, and 8 were asleep in their home when someone entered and threw acid on them.”

Congress state president Ajay Kumar Lallu alleged that “in Yogiraj, Dalits are subjected to oppression as the government is trying to save criminals to save itself, then why will the criminals fear the state government.”

The party said that law and order has collapsed in the state after the three minor Dalit sisters received burn injuries when an unidentified attacker threw acid on them in Paska village in Gonda district in the wee hours of Tuesday. Two of the girls received minor injuries while the third was burnt in the face.

The Samajwadi Party, the principal opposition party in the state, is also up in arms after a woman tried to commit self-immolation in Lucknow.

The 35-year-old woman attempted self-immolation in front of the Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday afternoon, police said. A resident of Maharajganj district, the woman has been admitted to the civil hospital in a critical condition.

The Samajwadi Party said, “Injustice and torture have crossed the limits in the state.”

Recently, the state has witnessed a spate of crimes.

Close on the heels of the Hathras horror, a girl was gang-raped in a polytechnic college in Jhansi. In Gonda, a temple priest was shot over an alleged property dispute on Saturday. The victim, Samrat Das, is a ‘pujari’ at the Ram Janki temple.

With Khushbu, BJP adds more star power in TN

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With Khushbu, BJP adds more star power in TN

With actor Khushbu Sundar joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Tamil Nadu unit of the party has added more star power.

Khushbu joined the BJP on Monday.

Several popular actors and others from the Tamil movie field have joined the BJP in the state in recent times.

The list of actors and movie field celebrities who have joined the BJP in the state are Khushbu, Radha Ravi, Gouthami, Namitha, Gangai Amaran, Kutti Padmini, Gayathri Raghuram, S.Ve. Shekher, Perarasu, Kasturi Raja, Power Star Srinivasan, Pyramid Natarajan, and others.

On Monday, apart from Khushbu, former Indian Revenue Service (IRS) official Saravana Kumar also joined the BJP.

He is the second former bureaucrat to have joined the BJP after K.Annamalai, a 2011 batch IPS officer who resigned from service in 2019.

Sometime back DMK’s Deputy General Secretary V.P.Duraisamy also joined the BJP.

After that DMK MLA K.K. Selvam criticized his party President M.K. Stalin and expressed his support to the BJP.

Selvam was later dismissed from the DMK. However, he has not joined the BJP as of now.

The BJP is luring some disgruntled leaders in the DMK in order to project that it is growing in the state and one sparrow does not make a summer, DMK spokesperson and Member of Parliament T.K.S.Elangovan had told IANS earlier.

Be that as it may, punning on the word ‘Annamalai’, a hit movie starring Rajinikanth, Khushbu, and Radha Ravi, a jovial message is going around the social media.

The message reads: “Annamalai has come (referring to retired police officer Annamalai), Annamalai’ heroine (Khushbu) has also come and only the hero is remaining”.

Rahul’s tractor rally stopped briefly on Haryana border, later allowed

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Rahul’s tractor rally stopped briefly on Haryana border, later allowed

In the wake of assertions by the Haryana government to not allow Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to enter the state after his tractor rally in neighboring Punjab, he was briefly stopped on the Punjab-Haryana border but was later allowed to enter after heated arguments between the party workers and the police.

“They have stopped us on a bridge on the Haryana border. I’m not moving and am happy to wait here. 1 hour, 5 hours, 24 hours, 100 hours, 1,000 hours or 5,000 hours,” Rahul tweeted.

The Congress’ tractor rally — which the party held in Punjab from Sunday onwards — entered Haryana from the Pehowa border.

The former Congress chief will visit the Pehowa mandi and also address a meeting at the Kurukshetra Anaj Mandi.

The tractor rally started on Sunday from Badhni Kalan town in Moga district of Punjab and reached the Haryana border via Ludhiana, Sangrur, and Patiala.

Rahul claimed on Tuesday that the new farm laws will end up destroying the MSP and PDS systems for the poor.

“The danger is real and cannot be negated just because Modi and Company are making fun of me,” he said.

Rahul counters with Modi plane jibe when trolled for cushion on tractors

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Rahul counters with Modi plane jibe when trolled for cushion on tractors

Rahul Gandhi has been trolled by the BJP for using a cushion while riding a tractor on the third day of his tractor rally in Punjab on Tuesday. But the former Congress president countered the trolls for not asking questions about the Prime Minister’s recently refurbished aircraft.

In a press conference in Patiala, Rahul hit back saying “no question will be asked why PM Narendra Modi bought planes for Rs 8,000 crore” and there are no cushions in the plane but beds (“Ek Nahi 50 palang hain usme”).

“Nobody says that Modi bought planes because his friend Trump has planes and he also wanted it,” said Rahul.

He said that there is always talk of cushions on tractors because Rahul Gandhi and Amarinder Singh sat on a tractor.

Rahul was mentioning two Boeing B777 aircraft, which have been specially retrofitted with the latest self-defense protection suite for VVIP transport duties, which landed at the IGI Airport last week.

The aircraft, which were originally owned by Air India, will now be handed over to the Indian Air Force (IAF), which will use it to ferry the Prime Minister, the President, and the Vice President.

In response to a question on Modi making fun of his protests in Punjab and Haryana, Rahul shrugged it off, pointing out they had done that in February too when he had first warned about coronavirus.

But the truth is there for all to see now, he said, adding that six months on, everyone will know the truth of what he is saying now on the farm laws too.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Modi’s earlier statement that India will win the war against coronavirus in 22 days, the Congress leader said, “You can see for yourself who talks more sense — Modi or me.”

“You (media) can decide who is joking,” said Rahul.

Noting that all systems are connected, and destruction of one leads to the ruin of others, Rahul said that the farm laws will end up destroying the MSP and the PDS (public distribution system) for the poor too.

“The danger is real and cannot be negated just because Modi and Company are making fun of me,” he remarked.

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