Report Wire

Category: India

  • With ‘GYAN’, BJP Clears Its 2024 Poll Strategy To Counter Congress’ Caste Census Plank |

    Congress and Rahul Gandhi’s pitch for caste-based census across the country in a bid to counter BJP’s Hindutva poll plank, the saffron party has played two major cards – one was ‘poor’ caste and now the ‘GYAN’. Reacting to the opposition’s demand for a caste census, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during assembly polls in November that there is only one caste for the government and that is ‘poor people’. He said that the NDA government has been working for the welfare of this caste.

    Now, two months later, ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that ‘GYAN’ encompasses the Modi government’s four main focus points. Explaining ‘GYAN’, FM Sitharaman said that G stands for ‘Garib’ (Poor), Y for ‘Yuva’ (Youth), A for ‘Annadata’ (Farmer) and N for ‘Nari’ (Women). She said that PM Modi believes in focusing on these four ‘castes’ and the government is committed to the progress of these four sections. While some may have taken it lightly, this is a broader narrative on which the Modi government is working and is wooing the voters of this section.

    The government has already been running various programs for these four sections and some of them are the SAUBHAGYA electricity scheme, Ujjwala LPG cylinder scheme, Skill India or Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), promotion of sports through TOPS and Khelo India, and Kisan Samman Nidhi. These are just some of the schemes of the Modi government that cater to these four sections and if taken a holistic view, any poor family.

    Women and youth form a majority of the Indian voters and the NDA government has been able to keep this section happy in the 2019 polls and the continuation of such schemes is likely to help the ruling party in the upcoming polls as well. Congress, which has been talking about caste-based census each day ahead of the assembly polls in November, has not only toned down on the issue but now talks about it very rarely. Most probably, the grand old party may have realized that the narrative did not work in its favor and rather gave the BJP a chance to further highlight the schemes run by its government. Now, the question here is, can Congress find a fix to BJP’s ‘GYAN’ and ‘poor’ caste narrative? In the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress is not only facing an issue on the alliance front but it will have to find poll planks that resonate with the common people.

  • As Actor Vijay Launches Political Party, Here’s A List Of Stars Who Entered Tamil Nadu Politics In Past |

    New Delhi: Tamil Nadu’s tradition of actors entering politics has a new entrant: actor Vijay, who is one of the most popular and successful stars in the state. The actor, who had faced the ire of the BJP for his anti-GST dialogues in his 2017 blockbuster ‘Mersal’, announced his political party “Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam” (Tamil Nadu Victory Party) on Friday. The word ‘Mersal’ means to create fear or awe, and in the context of the film directed by Atlee, it referred to the daring and righteous deeds of the protagonist. The film was a huge hit among the masses and the critics, and also sparked a political controversy.

    Vijay’s political entry comes at a time when he is at the peak of his career and fame in cinema, and at a relatively young age of 49. This makes him an exceptional case among the actors who have ventured into politics in Tamil Nadu.

    Long List Of Stars In Tamil Nadu Politics

    The state has a long history of actors turning politicians, dating back to the early 1950s, when the Dravidian movement used drama and cinema as a medium to propagate its ideals. The DMK founder and former Chief Minister CN Annadurai, who was a Dravidian icon, had a profound influence on the people and the film industry with his writings, plays and films. His successor and late DMK chief M Karunanidhi also achieved great success in Tamil literature and cinema, and was known for his oratory and writing skills.

    The most charismatic and successful actor-turned-politician in Tamil Nadu was MG Ramachandran, who founded the AIADMK and became the Chief Minister three times. He started his political career in the DMK, and later split from it to form his own party. He was followed by his protege J Jayalalithaa, who also became the Chief Minister three times and ruled the AIADMK with an iron hand. Both MGR and Jayalalithaa enjoyed a cult-like following among the masses and dominated the state politics for decades.

    Apart from MGR and Jayalalithaa, no other actor has been able to replicate their success in politics. ‘Captain’ Vijayakanth, who floated his own party DMDK, became the Leader of Opposition in 2011, but only after aligning with the AIADMK. He later lost his political relevance and his party’s vote share dwindled.

    Kamal Haasan, who is widely regarded as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema, has not been able to translate his popularity into votes. He launched his party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) in 2018, and contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the 2021 Assembly elections, but failed to win any seat.

    Sivaji Ganesan, another legendary actor in Tamil cinema, had a brief stint in politics. He joined the Congress and later formed his own party, but quit politics after losing the 1989 Assembly election in Tiruvaiyaru. Sarath Kumar, a former DMK MP, runs his own party ‘Akila Indiya Samathuva Makkal Katchi’, but has not made any significant impact. Other actors who started their own parties without any success include Karthik, K Bhagyaraj and T Rajendar.

    Some actors have also joined national parties like the BJP and the Congress. Napolean, who was a DMK MP and a Union Minister of State, later joined the BJP and moved to the USA. Khushbu Sundar, who was earlier in the DMK and the Congress, is now active in the BJP.

    Vijay, who has declared that he has prepared for his political innings by learning lessons from seniors, faces a tough challenge in the political arena. While his fans are confident of his leadership and celebrated his party launch by bursting crackers and distributing food, political analysts are skeptical.

    Sumanth Raman, a noted political commentator, said that running a political party is a very difficult task and achieving in politics is even harder. He said that Vijay will have to prove his mettle and vision in the upcoming local body elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

  • Muslims Protest Against Court Order Allowing Puja In Gyanvapi Tehkhana, Claim ‘No Proof Of…’ |

    Varanasi: A section of people from the Muslim community on Thursday staged a protest against the Varanasi court’s order allowing puja inside Gyanvapi Mosque complex’s ‘Vyas Tehkhana’. The Muslim community protested after offering prayers at the Gyanvapi mosque. The protestors while talking to reporters claimed that “there is no evidence that a that the Vyas family held any land inside the mosque complex.”

    Earlier today, the Masjid Intezamia Committee of Gyanvapi mosque of Varanasi filed a revision petition in Allahabad High Court against Varanasi District Court’s order allowing Hindus to perform prayers inside the southern celler of Gyanvapi mosque.

    In the petition filed by the Mosque committee, they have sought a stay on Varanasi court order. The plea stated that till now the petition regarding maintainability of the suit under Order 7, Rule 11 has not been decided. Therefore, the order to give the right to worship is not correct.

    Following the Varanasi court order, Muslim side lawyer Akhlaq Ahmed said, “The order has overlooked the Advocate Commissioner report of 2022, ASI’s report, and the decision of 1937, which was in our favour. The Hindu side has not placed any evidence that prayers were held before 1993. There is no such idol in the place.”

    The mosque has four ‘tahkhanas’ (cellars) in the basement, of which one is still in the possession of the Vyas family, who used to live there. Vyas had petitioned that, as a hereditary pujari, he be allowed to enter the tahkhana and resume pooja.

    The ASI survey, ordered by the same court, in connection with a related case, suggested that the mosque was constructed during Aurangzeb’s rule over the remains of a Hindu temple.

  • Hemant Soren In ED Custody, Claims JMM Leader Mahua Manjhi

    Hemant Soren today resigned as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand after facing ED grilling for over seven hours.

  • Ahead of President’s Budget Session Address, Rajya Sabha Chairman Revokes Suspension Of 11 Opposition MPs.

    Hours after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that the suspension of 11 opposition MPs in Rajya Sabha would be revoked on the government’s request, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar revoked their suspension allowing them to attend the Budget session. The Rajya Sabha Privileges Committee held 11 suspended opposition MPs guilty of breach of privilege and contempt of the Council of States.

    The committee submitted the report to Dhankhar, acknowledging the circumstances that the suspended members would be unable to participate in the special address by President Droupadi Murmu to both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday, marking the first address in the new Parliament building. In its report, submitted to the Rajya Sabha chairman a day before the session commences on Wednesday, the committee also proposed considering the duration of suspension already served by the members as an adequate penalty for the violation.

    The MPs are Jebi Mather Hisham, L Hanumanthaiah, Neeraj Dangi, Rajmani Patel, Kumar Ketkar, GC Chandrashekhar, Binoy Viswam, Santhosh Kumar P, M Mohamed Abdulla, John Brittas and AA Rahim. The committee usually submits its recommendations to the House. The sources said the chairman invoked the authority vested in him under the rules of procedure to revoke their suspension enabling the members to attend the special address by the president.

    The matter of 11 MPs suspended by the chairman during the Winter session of Parliament was referred to the Privileges Committee.

  • Watch: Vijay Chowk Reverberates To Indian Tunes During Beating Retreat 2024 |

    Beating Retreat ceremony, that marks the end of the Republic Day celebrations, today took place at the historic Vijay Chowk in Delhi. The landscape came live to foot-tapping tunes and synchronized steps by members of armed forces during the ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony that was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. The setting sun setting down provided a majestic background as soldiers marched to Indian tunes.

    Great display of military power and cultural heritage in ‘Beating Retreat’ #BeatingRetreat pic.twitter.com/NTv3ZGapBV — Vinod Tawde (@TawdeVinod) January 29, 2024

    The music bands of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) played captivating tunes before a distinguished audience including President Droupadi Murmu, who is Supreme Commander of defense forces, and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.

    A soul-stirring tribute! Captivating moment at the Beating Retreat Ceremony as a soldier skillfully plays the flute notes of ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram’.#BeatingRetreat #BeatingRetreat2024 #RepublicDay2024 pic.twitter.com/Bf2duXyDkx — DD News (@DDNewslive) January 29, 2024

    The ceremony began with the massed band’s ‘Shankhnaad’ tune which was followed by enthralling tunes such as ‘Veer Bharat’, ‘Sangam Dur’, ‘Deshon ka Sartaj Bharat’, ‘Bhagirathi’, and ‘Arjuna’ by Pipes and Drums band. Lt Col Vimal Joshi is the principal conductor of the ceremony.

    Jayostute, Jayostute Shri Mahanmangle Shivashadde Shubhade Swatantrate Bhagwati Tvamaham Yashoyutam Vande.

    Whenever I listen to this song composed by Swatantraveer Savarkar, my heart gets filled with the inspiration of patriotism.

    Bharat Mata Ki Jai #BeatingRetreat #BeatingRetreatCeremony #IndianArmy pic.twitter.com/domv7h4Rd3 — Sunil Deodhar (@Sunil_Deodhar) January 29, 2024

    ‘Beating Retreat’ traces its origins to the early 1950s when Major Roberts of the Indian Army indigenously developed the unique ceremony of display by the massed bands. It marks a centuries-old military tradition, when the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms, withdrew from the battlefield and returned to the camps at sunset at the sounding of the Retreat. Colors and Standards are cased and flags lowered. The ceremony creates nostalgia for the times gone by. (With ANI inputs)

  • Amid Nitish Kumar’s Flip-Flop, Lalu Yadav Holds ‘Trump Card’ That Can Help Make Tejashwi CM Of Bihar |

    New Delhi: The political landscape in Bihar is currently ablaze with speculation and heated discussions, primarily centered around the rumored strains between the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Janata Dal United (JDU). Despite the absence of explicit statements from either party regarding a potential split, the air is thick with anticipation for the next move by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

    Amidst this uncertainty, the RJD, under the leadership of political heavyweight Lalu Yadav, is actively crafting a counter-strategy. Lalu Yadav, renowned for his political acumen, possesses several strategic options that could potentially reshape the political narrative in Bihar.

    Political experts highlight Assembly Speaker Avadh Bihari Chaudhary as a key asset in Lalu Yadav’s current hand of cards. Chaudhary, an RJD MLA, assumed the role of the assembly speaker through the JDU alliance. Analysts suggest that, under favorable circumstances, Lalu Yadav could leverage Chaudhary’s position to execute strategic political maneuvers, possibly positioning his son, Tejashwi Yadav, as the next Chief Minister of Bihar.

    In the intricate dance of political alliances, it’s crucial to understand the party dynamics in the Bihar Assembly. With a total of 243 seats, the magic number for forming a government is 122. In the 2020 assembly elections, RJD emerged as the largest party with 79 seats, closely followed by the BJP at 78 seats. Nitish Kumar’s JDU secured 45 seats, Congress 19, Left 16, HAM party 5, and one independent.

    Lalu Yadav’s array of options includes the prospect of forming an RJD government by presenting letters of support from 79 RJD, 19 Congress, 16 Communist parties, and independent MLAs. While this would fall seven short of the majority, tactics inspired by the Maharashtra model could be employed. The RJD might attempt to woo JDU MLAs, potentially creating a separate faction under the RJD quota, mirroring the strategy used in Maharashtra.

    Facing potential obstacles, Lalu Yadav could also explore influencing the floor test by convincing JDU MLAs to be absent, thereby reducing the majority figure. Alternatively, inducing resignations from some JDU MLAs could strategically diminish opposition numbers in the assembly, paving the way for RJD to realize its government formation aspirations.

    However, the biggest hurdle in Lalu Yadav’s path is Governor Rajendra Arlekar. The success of these intricate political moves hinges on the Governor’s acceptance of Lalu Yadav’s claim to form the government. If the Governor favors Nitish Kumar, the seasoned political strategist Lalu Yadav might find his arsenal of options rendered powerless. The coming days promise a riveting political saga in Bihar as the battle for power and strategic maneuvering intensifies. Stay tuned for updates on this evolving political drama.

  • Modi-Macron Talks Boost India-France Defence, Space And Civil Nuclear Cooperation |

    New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron held talks in Jaipur on Thursday and agreed to enhance India-France cooperation in defence, space and civil-nuclear sectors. They also signed a defense industrial roadmap and a defense space partnership agreement. Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, who briefed the media on Friday, said the defense industrial roadmap will identify opportunities for co-designing, co-development and co-production of military hardware and building defense supply chains. He said the aim is to meet the defense needs of India and France and also to contribute to the security partnership with other countries.

    Kwatra said the defense space partnership agreement will enable joint work on a space situational awareness programme, which is important for developing military satellites and sharing information on space traffic and debris.

    He also said that Tata Advanced Systems Ltd and Airbus Helicopters have entered into an industrial partnership for joint production of H125 helicopters in India with a significant indigenous and localization component. He said Airbus SE will set up an assembly line in India for the helicopters.

    The foreign secretary said Modi and Macron also discussed various aspects of civil-nuclear energy cooperation and that there was a very positive and forward leaning conversation on small modular reactors (SMRs). He said the civil-nuclear cooperation has several elements such as localisation, financial viability and cost effectiveness and that the discussions are ongoing.

    He also said that Modi and Macron exchanged views on the situation in the Red Sea and the potential disruptions that it can cause, as well as the conflict in Gaza. He said there was no announcement on India’s proposed procurement of 26 naval variants of Rafale jets and three Scorpene submarines from France as the price negotiations are still underway.

    The foreign secretary said Modi and Macron also firmed up agreements for boosting engagement in areas of healthcare, education, training, research and sustainable development. He said the year 2026 will be celebrated as India-France year of innovation.

    He also said Modi and Macron touched upon the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in the Indian Ocean Region and the Indo-Pacific.

    Macron, who was the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations at the Kartavya Path on Friday, was accompanied by a delegation of senior ministers, officials and top executives of leading French defense majors including Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury. He began his two-day visit to India from Jaipur.

    The foreign secretary described the area of ​​small modular reactors (SMRs) as a relatively new domain space in terms of discussion between the two countries.

    “Technology needs to come together, viability needs to come together and its positioning in the overall energy mix needs to come together. There was a very positive, forward leaning ongoing conversation between the two countries (on it),” he said.

    An MoU was inked by New Space India Limited (NSIL) and French space agency Arianespace for cooperation in satellite launches.

    Kwatra said the French side has always been forthcoming in supporting India’s candidacy for the membership of the International Energy Agency.

    He also said that following up on a decision taken during Modi’s visit to Paris in July last year, the Indian consulate in the southern French city Marseille and the French bureau in Hyderabad are now fully ready to be operational.

    The defense and strategic ties between India and France have been on an upswing in the last few years.

    The two strategic partners also expressed commitment to cooperate in the co-development and co-production of advanced defense technologies, including for the benefit of third countries.

    The two sides are also expanding cooperation in the maritime domain including in the Indian Ocean Region.

    (With Agency Inputs)

  • Frontier Life Line Hospital Celebrates Successful Conclusion of Landmark Pediatric Cardiology Conference Featuring Johns Hopkins Faculty |

    The conference included an interactive afternoon workshop tailored for city pediatricians, delving into the ‘Approach to Pediatric Cardiology.’ This engaging session provided valuable insights and hands-on learning opportunities, poised to elevate the standard of pediatric cardiac care.

    The evening sessions focused on ‘Advances in Pediatric Cardiology.’ Dr. Shelby Kutty, along with other distinguished speakers, shared the latest developments and innovations in pediatric cardiology, reaffirming Frontier LifeLine Hospital’s commitment to advancing medical knowledge and enhancing patient outcomes.

    The event witnessed an overwhelming turnout of medical professionals eager to glean insights from Dr. Kutty and his distinguished peers. Frontier Life Line Hospital continues to lead the charge for improved healthcare services for children, consistently at the forefront of pediatric cardiology through the facilitation of high-calibre medical gatherings.

    The conference, also convened in Pondicherry on January 23, 2024, in collaboration with Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital (IGGH) Pondicherry and Johns Hopkins’ faculty, brings together leading minds in cardiology in the vibrant city of Pondicherry. It serves as a platform for discussing groundbreaking techniques, treatments, and research in heart health.

    About Frontier Life Line Hospital:

    Frontier Life Line Hospital stands as a premier institution dedicated to excellence and innovation in cardiac care. With a dedicated team of healthcare professionals and cutting-edge facilities, Frontier Life Line sets the gold standard for medical achievements in pediatric cardiology.

    Contact:

    For more information about the event or to access post-event materials, kindly contact

    R-30C, Ambattur Industrial Estate Road, Chennai – 600101.

    044-4201 75 75



    (This article is part of IndiaDotCom Pvt Ltd’s Consumer Connect Initiative, a paid publication programme. IDPL claims no editorial involvement and assumes no responsibility, liability or claims for any errors or omissions in the content of the article. The IDPL Editorial team is not responsible for this content.)

  • Bihar: Nitish Kumar Praises PM Modi, Makes Veiled Attack On RJD, Congress; Is Another U-Turn On Cards?

    Chief Minister Nitish Kumar praised the Modi government for honoring Karpoori Thakur and launched a scathing attack on the dynastic politics of Lalu Yadav’s family without explicitly naming them.