Venkaiah Naidu voices concern over rising nexus between politicians and civil servants

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Venkaiah Naidu voices concern over rising nexus between politicians and civil servants

Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday voiced concern over the perceived rising nexus between the political executive and civil servants and its consequences for the people and the country. He urged the civil servants to be frank and honest and stand for what is right and to speak the truth to the political executive.

Naidu said, “Politicians being wise and receptive to good suggestions would not like the risk of being punished for any bad decision and wrongdoing and hence, the officials should present the truth and various scenarios in a convincing manner.”

“When you (civil servants) are instructed to present a particular issue in a particular manner that suits the political executive, all you need is to speak for the right and if required, to do so in writing. If you are overruled, the concerned authority would be taken to task. Political and permanent executives should work in tandem and in the right manner. Political executives should definitely change,” he said.

Naidu has noted with concern that all is not well with the civil services in the country and called for reforms to enable the promotion of meritocracy in the bureaucracy to meet the emerging challenges and complexities in the changing times. The Vice President spoke at length on a range of issues impacting the civil services while addressing Trainee Officers at Dr. Marri Chenna Reddy Human Resource Development Institute, Hyderabad on the occasion of Civil Services Day on Thursday.

Tracing India’s developmental journey since Independence, Naidu said there is still work to be done in eliminating poverty, illiteracy, gender, and social discrimination, among other issues. Calling upon the civil servants to strive harder in addressing these issues, he said the Civil Services Day offers an opportunity to introspect and understand the opportunities and challenges for the services.

“The civil services have played an important role in this journey of ours (since Independence) but all is not well with the services and they are in need of revamping, reawakening and reorientation to meet the challenges of the time,” Naidu said.

Referring to the recent reports of the bad state of finances in several states by incurring huge expenditure on ‘freebies’ in the name of welfare, Naidu stressed the need to harmonize the welfare concerns and development needs. He urged the senior civil servants in particular, to shoulder the responsibility of enabling such reconciliation by being frank and honest with the political executive about the consequences of such an approach.

While urging the civil servants to be politically neutral, the Vice President asked them to be driven by the idealism of being with the poor and the needy sections, who need their support the most. He reminded the officials that in every ‘File’, there is a ‘Life’ and the progress and life of the nation depend on effective processing of the files through proper and effective decision making.

Sasikala to be grilled in Kodanad murder and heist case

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Sasikala to be grilled in Kodanad murder and heist case

A special team of the Tamil Nadu Police will be questioning AIADMK’s former interim General Secretary, V.K. Sasikala in the Kodanad murder and heist case on Thursday, officials said.

The 906-acre estate was jointly owned by late Chief Minister and AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithaa and her aide Sasikala, and the murder and heist case took place on April 24, 2017, four months after the passing away of J. Jayalalithaa and the arrest of Sasikala.

According to the charge sheet, C. Kanagaraj, who was once the driver of Jayalalithaa, hatched a conspiracy to break open the Kodanad estate as he believed that huge money was stashed in the estate bungalow. On April 23, 2017, a gang of ten people, led by him, broke into the estate and killed guard, Om Bahadhur while another guard Krishna Thapa was beaten and tied.

Police sources said that Kanagaraj had convinced another accused Stayan that an amount of Rs 200 crore was stashed in the estate bungalow but the burglars could get only ten watches and a crystal replica of rhinoceros worth Rs 42,000.

Five days after the Kodanad estate heist, Kanagaraj was killed in a road accident on the Salem-Chennai highway in Attur. Another accused Sayan from Kerala also met with an accident on the same day but he escaped with injuries while his wife and daughter got killed.

In July 3, 2017, Dinesh Kumar, a computer operator at the estate, was found dead in his home leading to five deaths altogether.

Police filed a 300-page charge sheet in September 2017 against 11 people out of which only Kanagaraj was from Tamil Nadu, and the rest were from Kerala.

Sayan and another accused Manoj had given an interview to a journalist stating that the then Chief Minister, K. Palaniswami had ordered the break-in at the Kodanad estate to search for some important documents.

Three of the accused also moved to court seeking the interrogation of Palaniswami, Sasikala, the then Nilgiris Collector, and then district police chief.

AIADMK and Palaniswami had reacted strongly, accusing the DMK government of using police to settle scores.

With Sasikala’s interrogation slated for Thursday, the AIADMK camp is in jitters and the possibility of Palaniswami being called for quizzing by the sleuths is on high.

‘It was during AIADMK rule…’: Stalin’s fierce attack on oppn party

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‘It was during AIADMK rule…’: Stalin’s fierce attack on oppn party

In a no-holds-barred attack on the opposition AIADMK, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K.Stalin on Wednesday said it was during the party’s rule that the Governor was attacked by a group led by four lawmakers and narrowly escaped.

Stalin also said it was during AIADMK rule only that the then Chief Election Commissioner T.N. Seshan was chased from the airport to Taj Coromandel Hotel and the property was attacked.

Replying to the debate on the security provided to Governor R.N. Ravi, he said that there is no truth in the allegation that Ravi’s convoy was attacked with stones and sticks on Tuesday in Mayiladuthurai while on his way to the Dharmapuram Adheenam mutt.

Hitting out at the opposition party, he said it was during the AIADMK rule that then-Governor M.Channa Reddy’s car was stopped on the road in Dindigul on April 10, 1995, and a group led by four AIADMK lawmakers threw stones, eggs, and tomatoes.

Stalin said newspapers had reported that Channa Reddy escaped an attempt on his life.

He added that on April 26, 1995, a resolution was passed in the Assembly to recall the Reddy who was earlier attacked.

Stalin also recalled the attempts to attack BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on the Madras High Court premises and also the acid attack on IAS officer V.S. Chandralekha during the earlier AIADMK regime.

On Tuesday’s incident, he said that Ravi’s convoy had safely passed the spot where the protestors were assembled. The protestors threw their party flags at the police vehicles that were used to transport them after their arrest.

He also pointed out the letter by Ravi’s ADC saying that the Governor’s convoy passed unharmed.

According to Stalin, the police have filed a case against the protestors and given proper security to the Governor.

Naidu turns 72, gears up for another poll battle

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Naidu turns 72, gears up for another poll battle

As he turned 72 on Wednesday, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu is gearing up for another electoral battle in his long chequered career.

Nearly three years after suffering his worst-ever electoral defeat, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief appears to be down but not out as he looks to infuse new energy into the party for the 2024 poll battle.

Leading the charge against Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government, the veteran leader aims to make another comeback to power.

Though facing perhaps the toughest challenge of his four-decade-long political career, Naidu continues to be the tallest opposition figure who can take on Jagan Mohan Reddy, a leader 22 years younger than him.

As the leader of the opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, he is leading from the front the fight against the ‘misrule’ of YSRCP. Backed by a strong cadre at the grassroots level, he is helming the TDP’s fight against the YSRCP government’s ‘corruption’, ‘anti-people policies’, and ‘atrocities’.

With two years to go for the polls and Jana Sena led by actor-politician Pawan Kalyan and BJP yet to have a strong presence on the ground, Naidu seems to be the only one who can give Jagan Mohan Reddy a run for his money.

On his 72nd birthday, Naidu said that he is working to restore the glory of the Telugu people. He visited Kanakadurga temple in Vijayawada, seeking blessings and strength to carry on what he calls the fight on behalf of the people.

Thanking people for celebrating his birthday, Naidu assured them that he would carry forward the party by working as per their expectations. Determined to be steadfast in this fight, he is confident of a victory.

Political observers say 2024 could be a do-or-die battle for him. If he makes a comeback as the chief minister, he can groom his son Nara Lokesh as his political successor but if he fails, it could well be the end of the road for him.

Naidu’s four-decade-long career saw his political pendulum swinging wildly from left to right. In 2019, he exercised even his last option — aligning with the Congress but this gamble could not save him.

He not only lost power in the state but became irrelevant in national politics as his friend-turned-rival Narendra Modi retained power at the Centre with a huge majority.

Desperate to stop Modi, Naidu was holding extensive deliberations with regional parties across the country to forge an anti-BJP alliance. He wanted to achieve what he did in 1996 when as the convenor of the United Front (UF) he brought together regional parties to prop up the government of the third alternative. In 1999, he donned a similar role for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

A shrewd politician, Naidu was also seen as a rank opportunist as he aligned with the BJP, apparently to ride on the Vajpayee wave. He succeeded in retaining power, which he got in 1995 after leading a revolt against his father-in-law and TDP founder N.T. Rama Rao.

Then known as the poster boy of new economic reforms, a reformist, and a tech-savvy leader, Naidu mastered the skills of doing business with any formation at the Centre, irrespective of its ideology.

After losing power to his bete noire Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) in 2004 following a record 9-year stint as Andhra Pradesh chief minister, Naidu admitted his priorities were lop-sided which led to the neglect of agriculture in the state.

So he promised a slew of freebies in the 2009 elections, but the people remained unconvinced and gave YSR a fresh mandate.

The emergence of Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate in 2014 offered Naidu a chance to revive his political fortunes.

He not only joined the NDA once again but by campaigning with Modi, he succeeded in storming to power in the truncated state of Andhra Pradesh, as people preferred him, apparently for his experience in developing Hyderabad as a tech hub.

As a leader who always enjoyed the role of a kingmaker and extracted his pound of flesh from the government at the Centre, Naidu was uncomfortable in the new dispensation where Modi had an absolute majority.

Though facing post-bifurcation challenges like lack of state capital and poor finances, he had no option, but to quietly accept whatever was doled out to the state.

However, it was when YSR’s son and the chief of the YSRCP Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy started targetting him for his compromise over the Special Category Status (SCS) and Naidu realized how he was losing the ground to the opposition. In 2018, he pulled out of the NDA government accusing Modi of ‘betrayal’.

From a great admirer of Modi, Naidu soon turned into his worst critic and even joined hands with the Congress, his party’s sworn enemy of 35 years. This was Naidu’s biggest political misadventure.

His experiment ended in a disaster with the Congress-led United People’s Alliance (UPA) biting the dust.

Ironically, Naidu began his political career with the Congress party. At the age of 28, he was elected to Assembly from Chandragiri constituency in his native district Chittoor and became a minister in the state cabinet (1980-83)

When his father-in-law and popular actor N. T. Rama Rao floated TDP, Naidu was with the Congress and had even thrown a challenge at the former. The TDP wave in 1983 nearly wiped out Congress and Naidu too failed to be re-elected to the Assembly.

Later, NTR admitted Naidu into TDP and since then he never looked back. Making a modest beginning in NTR dominant TDP, he climbed to the position of party general secretary.

In 1995, a few months after NTR led TDP back to power with a landslide victory, Naidu staged a revolt against their father-in-law to become chief minister. NTR’s children backed Naidu as they were also unhappy over growing interference by his second wife Lakshmi Parvathi in administration and party affairs.

NTR, who accused Naidu of back-stabbing him, died of cardiac arrest in January 1996, dramatically changing the state’s political scene.

Since then Naidu has been heading TDP. He became the longest-serving chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh (1995-2004). A decade later when Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated to carve out Telangana as a new state, he made a new beginning as the first chief minister of the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh.

PM launches Ayush Visa for medical tourists

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PM launches Ayush Visa for medical tourists

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced the launch of a special category of Ayush visa for tourists visiting India for medical tourism or treatment.

He also said that a special hallmark type of branding for Ayush products will be initiated by the Ministry of Ayush to identify and give recognition to the high-quality products.

Prime Minister Modi was speaking at the inauguration of the three-day Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit 2022 at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.

“India is a very attractive destination for medical tourism. We have been witness to the rise in Kerala’s tourism due to its medical industry. This model can also be replicated across the nation, where Ayurveda, Yunani, and Siddha forms of traditional medicine and wellness centres can be very popular. Our government has decided to set up a special Visa category to ease the Visa process for foreign travelers wishing to avail medical treatment in India and are medical tourists,” he said.

Prime Minister Modi also announced that just like the BSI and ISI marks, a special Ayush mark will be created to mark the highest quality Ayush products. “This will give the global consumers a recognized and high quality assured Ayush products,” the PM said.

He also announced the setting up of an Ayush Park where its products will be manufactured. “The Park will give a new direction to Ayush products manufacturing in India,” he stated.

The Summit inauguration was attended by the Director-General Dr. Tedros Gebreyesus of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated various services and applications related to Ayush products and services. A number of agreements were also signed for its research and development.

PM unlikely to be present at Bengal biz summit; political mudslinging begins

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PM unlikely to be present at Bengal biz summit; political mudslinging begins

Of now it is almost certain that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will skip the inaugural session of the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) 2022 on Wednesday morning, political mudslinging has started between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress on this issue.

While on the one hand, the Trinamool leadership has alleged that the Prime Minister is ‘deliberately’ trying to ignore the attempts at industrialization in West Bengal, the BJP leadership on its part has claimed that no official invitation was sent to the Prime Minister’s Office from the state secretariat on this count.

In November last year, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had gone to New Delhi where she met the Prime Minister and invited him to attend the inaugural session of BGBS-2022. After the meeting, Banerjee had told mediapersons that the Prime Minister had agreed to be present at the event.

However, till Tuesday noon, the state secretariat has not received any communication from the Prime Minister’s Office on this count.

As per PIB’s official tour information of the Prime Minister, he is slated to be in his home state Gujarat from April 18 to April 20.

BJP MP and the party’s national Vice President, Dilip Ghosh, told mediapersons on Tuesday that since the invitation was just a verbal communication from the Chief Minister, there is no question of the Prime Minister being present at the summit.

“There is a protocol in everything. No official invitation was sent to the Prime Minister’s Office from the state government on this count. So there is no question of the Prime Minister coming to attend the summit,” said Ghosh.

However, Trinamool leader Jaiprakash Majumdar said that when the Chief Minister had personally gone to Delhi and invited the Prime Minister, the latter should have honored that gesture.

“Who is Dilip Ghosh to comment on this? Is he a spokesman for the PMO? The Prime Minister often speaks of developing the nation. In West Bengal not part of his dreams,” Majumdar questioned.

‘Are these guys above law’, KTR asks Amit Shah

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‘Are these guys above law’, KTR asks Amit Shah

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao on Tuesday wondered if the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is above the law of the land.

He was reacting to a report about VHP threatening to launch a battle against the Delhi Police if any action is taken against its activists in connection with the violence during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in Jahangirpuri.

He also has asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah if he would tolerate outrageous nonsense against the Delhi Police.

“Are these guys above the law of the land & IPC Home Minister Amit Shah Ji?,” asked Rama Rao through a tweet on Tuesday.

“Will you tolerate such outrageous nonsense against Delhi police which reports to you directly?,” asked KTR, as the TRS leader is popularly known.

The VHP issued the threat after police registered an FIR against the organizers for taking out the procession without permission and arrested a local VHP leader.

Meanwhile, KTR in another tweet described the NDA government as NPA. “Unemployment in India at a 45 year High, Inflation at 30 year High, Fuel Prices all-time High, LPG Cylinder price Highest in the World, RBI says consumer confidence is at its lowest,” he wrote.

“Should we call this NDA Govt or NPA Govt? For Bhakts NPA Non-performing Asset,” added KTR, who is also state minister for information technology, industries, municipal administration, and urban development.

PM condoles demise of Table Tennis player Vishwa Deenadayalan

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PM condoles demise of Table Tennis player Vishwa Deenadayalan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed deep grief over the demise of Table Tennis player Vishwa Deenadayalan.

In a tweet, Prime Minister Modi said: “The demise of TT champion Vishwa Deenadayalan is shocking and saddening. He was admired by fellow players and distinguished himself in several competitions. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with his family and friends. Om Shanti.”

Condoling the demise, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur tweeted: “Heartbreaking to learn that Tamil Nadu paddler, Deenadayalan Vishwa passed away in an accident in Ri Bhoi District. He was on his way to Shillong to participate in the 83rd Senior National Table Tennis Championship. Sincere condolences to his family and friends.”

Deenadayalan, a Table Tennis player from Tamil Nadu, died and his three teammates were injured in a road mishap in Meghalaya, police said. The tragic incident occurred on Sunday when Vishwa, 18, and three other Tamil Nadu Tennis players were on their way in a tourist taxi from Guwahati airport to Shillong to take part in the 83rd Senior National Table Tennis Championship.

The taxi in which the four players were traveling, collided with a 12-wheel truck in Ri-Bhoi district injuring them critically while Vishwa died on the way to Nongpoh Civil hospital.

The other three injured players were rushed from Nongpoh to North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) in Shillong. Doctors at the NEIGRIHMS said the three injured players are in stable condition and out of danger.

Modi mourns loss of lives in road accident in Amethi

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Modi mourns loss of lives in road accident in Amethi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a road accident at Gauriganj in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi.

Taking to Twitter he said: “The road accident in Gauriganj is very shocking. I express my deep condolences to families who lost their kin in this accident.”

He also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.

As many as six people were killed and four were injured when a jeep and truck collided near Babuganj Sagra in the Gauriganj Kotwali area of Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi on Sunday night.

According to Amethi police officials, the people were returning from a wedding when the incident took place. The injured were taken to the local hospital for treatment and further investigation into the incident is underway.

Eyeing comeback, Sasikala approaches Thevar community leaders

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Eyeing comeback, Sasikala approaches Thevar community leaders

The former interim general secretary of the AIADMK, V.K. Sasikala, who was expelled from the party, has been knocking on all doors for a comeback to the party fold.

However, the stiff resistance from the faction led by former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami seems to be a major obstacle to her entry into the party.

She has, according to sources close to her, met senior functionaries of the “powerful” Thevar community to which she belongs.

As per the sources, the meeting was held at her T Nagar residence and the community elders have promised to pull the strings for her re-entry into the party.

It may be noted that the Thevar community of Tamil Nadu is strong in southern parts of the state and has been voting for the AIADMK. However, in the 2021 Assembly elections, the party lost miserably in its strongholds, and political pundits have opined that the Thevar community had played soft-peddle which had affected the party’s prospects in south Tamil Nadu.

The poster boy of the Thevar community in the state and former Chief Minister, O. Panneerselvam also had to face the ire of the community with the party candidate losing in his home turf Bodinaikar in Theni district during the urban local body polls.

Immediately after the Urban polls, a meeting of AIADMK district office bearers were held at the farm house of Panneerselvam and a resolution was passed for the re-entry of Sasikala. This, according to AIADMK office bearers, was at the behest of the Thevar community.

While Panneerselvam was present in the meeting, he denied having any role in passing the resolution. His brother O. Raja who was the district level office bearer and the Chairman of AIADMK controlled milk cooperative society of Theni was expelled from the party after he met Sasikala immediately after the Theni meeting.

Meanwhile, Sasikala’s plea that expulsion from the AIADMK was not valid according to the party constitution was dismissed by a Chennai court. Following this, former minister D. Jayakumar who is closely associated with Palaniswami immediately called upon Sasikala to accept the court verdict and not to dream of re-entry into the party.

However, sources in the AIADMK told IANS that strong pressure from the Thevar community cannot be overlooked by the party, and the re-entry of Sasikala into the party fold will become a reality in the days to come.

The estranged leader has the support of the powerful Kanchi Sankara Mutt and this has helped her garner support from the RSS, and BJP combine in the state.

R. Padmanabhan, Director, Socio-Economic Development Foundation, a think tank based out of Madurai, while speaking to IANS said, “AIADMK now needs a leader with a presence and Sasikala has that. Being the aide of late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, she knows all the tricks of the trade and if someone is willing to join the party why should she be kept out. I think the ground is now suited for her to stage a grand come back”.

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