Anybody can be PM, Rahul is popular; Modi indulging in attention diversion: Shatrughan

Agencies
May 12, 2018

Patna, May 12: Firing a fresh salvo, disgruntled BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha today questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's criticism of Rahul Gandhi for expressing readiness to become PM and alleged that he was indulging in "attention diversion politics" instead of answering the "pertinent" questions raised by the Congress president.

In a series of tweets on a day when assembly polls are being held in Karnataka, the Patna Sahib BJP MP said the Congress president, who has "matured in the past few years", was popular with the general public and asked what was wrong if the leader heading the biggest, oldest national party saw a possibility of becoming the next Prime Minister. 

"Anybody can become PM in our country. Naamdar, Kaamdar, Daamdar or for that matter any average Samajhdaar, if he has the numbers and support.

"Why are we making such a hue and cry about it? After all, isn't it their internal matter and any PMship has to be through verdict of majority," Sinha said in a series of tweets tagging both Modi and the BJP and signing off with slogans of "Jai Karnataka, Jai Hindi!

"Modi had mocked Rahul Gandhi’s remarks that he is ready to become the PM if Congress emerges as the largest party in the 2019 general election, calling him immature and ‘naamdar’ (dynast). "You (Gandhi) are ‘naamdar’ , while I am ‘kaamdar’ (ordinary worker)," he had said earlier.

Sinha, who is at loggerhead with party leadership ever since being ignored in Bihar election in 2015, is frequently seen in the company of former Union minister Yashwant Sinha who quit BJP recently after consistently attacking Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.

He went to meet jailed RJD chief Lalu Prasad and had also met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently in the national capital along with Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie, another vocal critic of Modi Government.Sinha, who served as Union minister in the NDA government of A B Vajpayee, said that instead of answering "pertinent questions" raised by Congress President "we go for attention diversion politics an art which we have mastered, far from development and other issues".

"Sir, you received our full support along with media support and now you are raising slogans so that it isn't taken over? What's wrong if the president of the biggest, oldest national party sees the possibility and wishes to become the next PM, if he wins the upcoming elections," Sinha said on Twitter, tagging the BJP.

"By the way, the president of the oldest party has really matured in the past few years and has been raising some pertinent questions which we are refusing to answer or even entertain. The Neerav, the Lalit, the Mallyas, the Bank, the Rafael deal and so on," Sinha said in another tweet, tagging both Modi and the BJP."

Instead of answering, we go for attention diversion politics an art which we have mastered, far from development and other issues.

"However Sir, its a matter of our people, our politics and our policies, so less said the better. With regards to you! Jai Karnataka, Jai Hindi!," the BJP leader said in another tweet on the micro-blogging site.

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Agencies
August 8,2020

The Civil Aviation Ministry announced an initial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the dependents of the deceased in the Kozhikode AIE plane crash, while the Kerala government also announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each.

Minister of Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri, who visited the mishap spot on Saturday, said that a detailed probe is already on and the pilot and co-pilot were highly experienced.

He also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the injured and Rs. 50,000 each to those who suffered minor injuries. The other normal compensations would be decided in due course.

Puri said that Captain Deepak Vasant Sathe, aged 59, who commandeered the AIE flight, had a flying experience of 10,848 hours, while co-pilot Akhilesh Kumar, aged 32, had a flying experience of 1,723 hours.

"Deepak was one of the most distinguished and experienced pilots. He had a commanding experience of 6,662 hours and was commander of B-737 aircraft for 4,244 hours. He had also operated to Kozhikode international airport 27 times. He joined AIE in 2013 and prior to that he served with the IAF and HAL. He was a figher pilot and a recipient of prestigious sword of honour and a gold medalist," said Puri.

Puri said that even as the flight slipped down to around 35 feet, a major disaster was averted due to timely rescue operations. Local people played an exemplary role and the fire brigade's timely action of cutting the plane body and rescuing the passengers minimised the casualties, he said.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also said that the local people and all rescue and relief agencies did a well co-ordinated job. The state government would also meet the entire treatment expenses of the injured.

Till Saturday afternoon, the total number of deaths was 18. While 149 were still in hospitals, 23 were discharged.

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Agencies
February 26,2020

Hyderabad, Feb 26: Hyderabad Police on Tuesday registered a case against well-known poet Imran Pratapgarhi for his statement asking why there was "no Shaheen Bagh in Hyderabad".

According to Charminar Police, the complaint was registered by Sub-Inspector S Guruswamy, who was on duty at the QQ Stadium on February 24 where an Ehtaji Mishaira (Poetry Program) against the Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register Commission and National Population Register was held.

Permission for the said event was granted by Hyderabad Additional Commissioner of Police to the program organisers with certain guidelines including that poetry program should be held on February 24 from 6 pm to 9 pm, and no speaker should give provocative speeches in the program.

However, police said that the program was started by the organisers at 6 pm and continued till 9:48 pm even after police officers asked them to end the event by 9 pm. The program was attended by around 3,000 members at QQ stadium.

According to police, while addressing the meeting Pratapgarhi said: "Mujhe hairath hai us Hyderabad mein koi Shaheen Bagh kyu nahi hai (I am surprised why there is no Shaheen Bagh in Hyderabad)", which is "provocative" and may cause fear to any section of the public.

In this regard, a case has been registered against organisers for disobeying public servants' orders and the poet has been booked for delivering provocative statements under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Further investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir took to Twitter to condemn the police action.

"Hyderabad Police booked a case against poet Imran Pratapgarhi for expressing surprise on why there is no Shaheen Bagh in Hyderabad. For police, this sentence is provocative. Is Shaheen Bagh not a part of India?," Shabbir tweeted.

"Shame on TRS Government and Hyderabad Police for targeting a poet for no-fault," he added.

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News Network
June 23,2020

Jun 23: The U.S. government on Monday restricted charter flights from India, accusing the nation of "unfair and discriminatory practices" by violating a treaty governing aviation between the two countries.

Air India Ltd. has been making flights to repatriate its citizens during the travel disruptions caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, but also has been selling tickets to the public, the Transportation Department alleged.

At the same time, U.S. airlines have been prohibited from flying to India by aviation regulators there, the DOT said in its order. The situation "creates a competitive disadvantage for U.S. carriers," the agency said in a press release.

Air India is advertising a schedule that is more than half of pre-virus operations, the department said. "The charters go beyond true repatriations, and it appears that Air India may be using repatriation charters as a way of circumventing" that nation's flight restrictions, the U.S. agency said.

The order becomes effective in 30 days, the department said.

Indian airlines must apply to the DOT for authorization before conducting charter flights so that it can scrutinize them more closely, it said. The department will reconsider the restrictions once India lifts restrictions on U.S. carriers.

The action against India follows weeks of DOT restrictions against Chinese airlines after the U.S. agency accused that nation of unfairly banning American carriers in the wake of the virus. On June 15, the U.S. announced it would agree to allow four flights a week from China after it allowed the same number by U.S. carriers.

Attempts to reach Air India and the Indian embassy in Washington after business hours were unsuccessful.

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