Report Wire

Category: Politics

  • Social media accounts suspended, govt trying to suppress our voice: Farmer leader Pandher

    Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Friday accused the Center of trying to “suppress” the voices of the protesters, claiming social media accounts of farmers and YouTubers have been suspended. Protesting farmers have stayed put at Shambhu and Khanauri points on Punjab’s border with Haryana for the fourth day after their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to press the Center for various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, was stopped. by security forces which led to clashes.

    Union ministers and farmer leaders met on February 8, 12 and 15 to discuss the farmer unions’ demands but the talks remained inconclusive. The two sides will meet again on February 18 for a fourth round of talks.

    Talking to reporters on Friday, Pandher said that during the meeting with Union ministers a day ago, “we raised the issue of the suspension of Internet and Twitter (now X) handles of farmer leaders”. Also alleging that the government has suspended the accounts of around 70 YouTubers who were showing farmers’ protest, he said it appears “the government wants to suppress our voice.”

    Pandher said that during the talks with the Union ministers, they raised the issue of the use of “force” against farmers by the paramilitary personnel deployed at the PunjabHaryana border who fired tear gas shells at the protesters.

    He claimed that around 70 farmers have sustained serious injuries in an action by Haryana security personnel at Shambhu and Khanauri borders. The farmer leader said the talks with the Union ministers were held in a positive atmosphere and various demands of the protesters, including a law on MSP and debt waiver, were discussed. The government said they wanted to continue talks, Pandher said, adding that their ‘Delhi Chalo’ call still stands and the protesters were staying put at the PunjabHaryana border so that a solution emerges through talks.

    On Thursday, Pandher said during the meeting with ministers they raised the issue of tear gas shelling by the paramilitary forces on farmers at the Shambhu and Khanuri borders. He said they showed the shells to the ministers during the meeting.

    Haryana Police on Friday again fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesting farmers when they moved towards the barricades at the Shambhu border near Ambala.

    Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal demanded the release of farmers who were either arrested or detained by the Haryana police.

    Besides a legal guarantee of MSP, the farmers are demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, farm debt waiver, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and “justice” for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 202021.

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  • Farmers’ protest: Rakesh Tikait gives a call for ‘Gramin Bharat Bandh’ on Feb 16

    Farmers’ protest Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait says, “We have spoken about ‘Gramin Bharat Bandh’ that farmers do not go to their farms tomorrow. This will send a big message tomorrow…This agitation has a new ideology, a new method. Highways will not be shut. But meetings will continue at our meeting points and we will take decisions there…Monthly panchayat will take place in Sisauli on 17th February…We do have the demand on MSP but a strategy will have to be built on incidents that are taking place in Punjab and Haryana we hope for this. We have told not to gather as a crowd for it…As far as the Bandh is concerned, we have urged people to participate voluntarily…”

  • Women of Sandeshkhali recount their horror, make allegation against TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh

    Sandeshkhali (WB): Local women of the Sandeshkhali region of West Bengal on February 14 spoke on the recent violence and the Section 144 imposed in the region. She said that the leader threatened them of killing their husbands and abducting their sons, and thus asked them to keep their mouth shut in front of media. “We do not trust the government here or the local police. We want our lands and our dignity back, will they provide it to us? Women were taken from here and kept inside the homes for the whole night. They were also beaten up. Nobody could speak anything because they threatened to kill our husbands or abduct our sons. The State police will never take into custody Shahjahan, Shibu and others,” said a local.

  • Karnataka government tables bill mandating 60% Kannada on signboards

    The Karnataka government on Tuesday tabled the Bill mandating the 60% use of Kannada on business’ sign boards in the Legislative Assembly, two weeks after Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot returned an ordinance to the same effect.

    Kannada shall be displayed in the upper half of the name board, according to the Bill. It would be amending the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act 2022.

    The Congress regime had opted to go the ordinance route in order to mollify the proKannada protests searing the state over the issue. In December last year, civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had issued a notice that all businesses’ nameplates need to be at least 60% in Kannada by the end of February, under threat of losing their licenses. The government had come out in support, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah insisting on strict compliance with the policy on use of local language on sign boards as well. Protests on the issue however, turned violent, with proKannada activists vandalising malls and blackening Hindi and English signs on prominent outlets like Starbucks, Third Wave Coffee, Theobroma, and House of Masaba. The government was forced into damage control mode with industries minister MB Patil issuing a warning, saying that such actions damaged the state’s reputation as an investorfriendly place.

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  • Funds devolution rows: Siddaramaiah defends Raghuram Rajan, accuses BJP of twisting his report to defend itself

    Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday attacked the BJP, accusing the party of twisting former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan committee report to suit its political narrative. The saffron party had claimed that the committee had in 2013 suggested that Karnataka’s share of funds from the Center should be reduced from 4.13% to 3.73%.

    The CM’s defense of the former RBI governor on social media platform “The narrative, suggesting that the committee headed by Raghuram Rajan recommended a reduction in Karnataka’s share of tax revenue is not only inaccurate but also a misinterpretation of the committee’s role,” Siddaramaiah said. The committee’s focus, he added, was on ensuring a balanced distribution of certain development funds to enhance the overall growth and progress of all states, particularly those lagging in specific development parameters.

    “These recommendations were not meant to replace existing methodologies for devolution of taxes allocation,” he said. The Finance Commission, he added, operated independently of such committees. “Was the 15th Finance Commission constituted in 2019 by [Prime Minister] Narendra Modi influenced by some committee which gave a report in September 2013?”The CM hit out at the BJP’s state party president BY Vijayendra who had made the statements, accusing him of being willing to “forsake the very heart and soul of Kannadiga pride ,” all for the sake of winning approval from BJP high command. The BJP leaders’ actions, he said, revealed a “chilling indifference” to the fate of the state. “This act of betrayal, this glaring abandonment of honesty, tears at the very essence of Karnataka Pride,” he added.

    With Lok Sabha polls a few months away, the Congress and its allies have been cornering the BJP on the topic of fiscal inequality towards the states, with protests in the national capital as well as social media campaigns.

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  • Rajya Sabha Elections: BJP names Sudhanshu Trivedi, RPN Singh among 14 candidates

    The BJP on Sunday announced its candidates from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. Sudhanshu Trivedi, RPN Singh from Uttar Pradesh. Former Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala was announced as the party’s candidate from Haryana.

  • ‘Great India’ of 21st century is not possible without Ram Mandir: Sudhanshu Trivedi

    ‘Great India’ of 21st century is not possible without Ram Mandir: Sudhanshu Trivedi

  • Amravati MP Navneet Rana demands Bharat Ratna for Balasaheb Thackeray, Savarkar

    On Maharashtra leaders demanding Bharat Ratna for Balasaheb Thackeray and VD Savarkar, Amravati MP Navneet Rana says, “…PN Narasimha has been named for Bharat Ratna. I think all the names that have been announced are welcome. The demands have been made now , so I think that in the time to come, this government will take note of it. They should be awarded…”

  • White Paper: From Crisis to Confidence: Modi govt’s ‘White Paper’ examines economic evolution since UPA tenure

    The government has released a white paper, shedding light on what it perceives as the economic challenges inherited from the previous administration. The document, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament, outlines the alleged shortcomings of the Congressled United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and emphasizes the strides made under the current leadership.

    Economic Comparison

    The white paper underscores contrasting economic conditions between the previous UPA tenure and the present government’s term. It accuses the UPA of leaving behind a “nonperforming” economy after a decade in power, contrasting it with the purportedly healthier economic landscape inherited by the current administration from the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.Challenges and Progress

    Highlighting the hurdles faced, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) acknowledges the multifaceted challenges in revitalizing the Indian economy. Despite facing what it terms a “hydraheaded challenge,” the government asserts progress in restoring economic fundamentals and global confidence. The paper cites achievements such as India’s substantial contribution to global growth and successful international engagements like the G20 Presidency in 2023.

    Addressing Previous ConcernsThe white paper references past scandals and economic crises during the UPA tenure, including the 2G and Coalgate scams, doubledigit inflation, foreign exchange crises, and policy paralysis. In contrast, it highlights current achievements such as extensive 4G and 5G coverage, transparent resource auctions, reduced inflation rates, and record foreign exchange reserves.The white paper concludes by asserting the current government’s progress in overcoming the purported challenges inherited from the previous administration. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman defends the timing of the document’s release, emphasizing the need to address past economic issues. However, opposition figures like P Chidambaram from the Congress call for independent scrutiny of the paper’s contents.

    In response to the government’s white paper, the Congress has issued its own document, termed a ‘black paper,’ highlighting concerns such as rising unemployment, sluggish GDP growth, and vacant government positions. Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader, released the document, indicating a continued political debate over economic performance.

    This white paper serves as a comprehensive overview of the government’s perspective on economic governance, inviting scrutiny and debate as the nation approaches a pivotal general election.

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  • Soren undertook ‘blatant’ misuse of power: ED tells PMLA court

    Ranchi, The ED on Wednesday produced WhatsApp chat records between former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren and a close associate where information related to transfer and posting of state government officials involving “huge amount of money” is alleged to have been discussed. The Enforcement Directorate made the submission before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi while producing the 48yearold JMM leader on the expiry of his fiveday remand.

    After the ED informed the court of Special Judge Dinesh Rai that its investigation against Soren was “not restricted” to alleged fraudulent acquisition of a 8.5 acres land in Ranchi by him, but there are “several other properties linked to him (Soren)”, the court extended his custody by five days.

    Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31 from the Raj Bhavan after about seven hours of his questioning at his official residence at Kanke Road here. He resigned as the CM before the agency took him under custody. The ED told the court that during the time Soren was in its custody, “details of several other properties have also emerged, to which the accused person Shri Hemant Soren is neither divulging true information in his knowledge nor showing cooperation”.

    The federal agency said it was also undertaking raids in this case on Wednesday and it wanted to confront Soren with Bhanu Pratap Prasad, a revenue department subinspector, whom it has arrested in this case for allegedly conspiring with the former CM for allegedly acquiring 12 plots of land measuring about 8.5 acres.

    It informed the court that Soren was confronted with WhatsApp chats between him and his close associate Binod Singh which it claimed were “highly incriminating and contain details of several properties and had several confidential documents”. These chats “not only include exchange of confidential information regarding several properties but other incriminating information relating to transfer and posting, sharing of government records, etc., out of which huge amount of money appears to have been generated and transacted”. The agency claimed that Binod Singh also had WhatsApp chats with several other persons regarding transfer and posting of officials and sharing of several admit cards of students appearing for competitive exams held by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission.

    While appending some pictures of the WhatsApp exchanges between Soren and Binod Singh, the ED said these were only “a few samples” and such conversations run in over 530 pages.

    The ED said it requested the politician to produce the mobile phone on which he had conversations with Binod Singh but he “deliberately” did not furnish the device to “conceal facts and stall investigation relating to suspected proceedings of crime”.

    “The proceeds of crime acquired by him is not only restricted to the investigation of the property measuring 8.5 acres but there are several other properties linked to him (Soren) and investigation to identify the said proceeds of crime and its trail of money is essentially required at this stage,” the agency said.

    The ED, seeking further remand of Soren, told the court that Soren undertook “blatant misuse of power in hampering and frustrating the evidence” linked to the 8.5 acre measuring immovable asset.

    The agency said it issued the first summons to Soren for questioning on August 8, 2023 and called him for recording of his statement six days later on August 14.

    It claimed that a man identified as Raj Kumar Pahan filed a petition before the circle officer of Baragai in Ranchi on August 16 saying some people have got illegal ‘jamabandi’ (documents of legal rights) of his land and requested the authorities to save his land. .

    The land was resorted to Pahan on January 29 this year even as the agency said it was conducting raids in this case in Delhi that day, the ED said.

    It was alleged by the agency before the court that it seized documents related to this 8.5 acre land from the cupboard of Soren’s room that is located in a Delhi house.

    The agency also said that when it conducted the survey of this land in April last year, it met a ‘chowkidar’ (caretaker) posted at the property named Santosh Munda who told its officials that Soren and his wife Kalpana visited the property “two three times”.

    It is evident, the ED said, Soren “acquired proceedings of crime and also indulged in corrupt practice and misuse of position for destruction of evidence in order to conceal the proceeds of crime acquired by him to keep himself away from the property measuring 8.5 acres” .

    The agency also told the court that as Soren was taken to the Jharkhand assembly on February 5 and therefore a “substantial time passed out in arrangements and bringing him back to its office for investigation”.

    The ED sought Soren’s enhanced custody to “ascertain the source of funds” through which the said land was acquired and to confront him and other accused.

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