Don't need a 56-inch chest to run country: Priyanka to Modi

April 27, 2014

Priyanka_to_Modi

Rae Bareli, Apr 27: Taking a dig at Narendra Modi, Priyanka Gandhi today said a 56-inch chest is not needed to run the country but a "big heart" and "moral strength".

The Congress star campaigner was taking a jibe at BJP Prime Ministerial candidate's 56-inch chest remark during a rally in Gorakhpur recently.

"A 56-inch chest is not needed to run this country, a big heart is needed to run it. To run this country cruel force of power is not needed, but moral strength is needed. It needs an internal strength," Priyanka said while addressing a meeting here.

"Such type of strength is needed, which could even sacrifice life to save the culture of the country," she said.

Modi had said during the Gorakhpur rally that it would take a "56-inch chest" to convert UP into Gujarat.

"Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav), do you know the meaning of converting UP into Gujarat? It means 24-hour electricity, no power cut for 365 days in every village and street. You can't do it. You don't have the guts to turn UP into Gujarat. It takes a 56-inch chest," Modi had said.

Priyanka said this is the country of Mahatma Gandhi and people of all religions, including Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhist, Jains, sacrificed their lives for its freedom.

"Dalits and tribals sacrificed their lives for its freedom," she said.

"This is your country and you are its guard. This is my country and the blood which runs in my veins has mixed with its soil," Priyanka said, adding, "It your duty to protect the country and the 'dharma' of my family".

Terming the ongoing Lok Sabha elections as crucial, Priyanka said this time "you have to vote to strengthen the country and maintain its unity.

"When you go to cast your vote on April 30, you should not vote for yourself, Soniaji, development, these things are necessary. But this time you have to cast your vote to strengthen the country and maintain its unity," she said.

"I expect from you that in this elections, you will not restrict your vision, but expand it. You have to decide which type of country you want," Priyanka said.

She said this election was not limited to a particular area, but to decide the new government at the Centre.

"This election is not of a particular area. You are not going to elect your MP alone, but a new government in the country," she said.

Asking the people to rise above their area, Priyanka said before casting vote, "you should not only consider your area, future of your children, but also the entire country. When you will take a decision it will not be only for Soniaji, but for India."

"I know very well that your MP works for you. You will fully support her and ensure her victory with a huge margin," she said.

Priyanka also referred to self help groups started by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

"Nearly 12 lakh women in the country are associated with it. He showed you the way and it brought change in your lives," she said.

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Agencies
July 15,2020

New Delhi, Jul 15: Air India has started the process of identifying employees, based on various factors like efficiency, health and redundancy, who will be sent on compulsory leave without pay (LWP) for up to five years, according to an official order.

The airline's board of directors have authorised its Chairman and Managing Director Rajiv Bansal to send employees on LWP "for six months or for a period of two years extendable upto five years, depending upon the following factors - suitability, efficiency, competence, quality of performance, health of the employee, instance of non-availability of the employee for duty in the past as a result of ill health or otherwise and redundancy", the order said on Tuesday.

The departmental heads in the headquarter as well as regional directors are required to assess each employee "on the above mentioned factors and identify the cases where option of compulsory LWP can be exercised", stated the order dated July 14.

"Names of such employees need to be forwarded to the General Manager (Personnel) in headquarter for obtaining necessary approval of CMD," the order added.

In response to queries regarding this matter, Air India spokesperson said,"We would not like to make any comment on the issue."

Aviation sector has been significantly impacted due to the travel restrictions imposed in India and other countries due to the coronavirus pandemic. All airlines in India have taken cost-cutting measures such as pay cuts, LWP and firings of employees in order to conserve cash flow.

For example, GoAir has put most of its employees on compulsory LWP since April.

India resumed domestic passenger flights from May 25 after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the airlines have been allowed to operate only a maximum of 45 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights. Occupancy rate in Indian domestic flights has been around 50-60 per cent since May 25.

Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India since March 23.

The passenger demand for air travel will contract by 49 per cent in 2020 for Indian carriers in comparison to 2019 due to COVID-19 crisis, said global airlines body IATA on Monday.

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Agencies
July 14,2020

Mumbai, Jul 14: Bhima Koregaon case accused Varavara Rao was admitted to JJ Hospital in Mumbai on Monday night.

Rao who is in Taloja proson was rushed to the hospital following complaint of dizziness.

Rao was arrested in November 2018 along with five others, for alleged links with Naxals and for inciting the violence.

On January 1, 2018, the violence at Bhima Koregaon village in Pune district left one dead and several others injured including 10 policemen.

Violence erupted after some people, reportedly with saffron flags, pelted stones at cars heading towards the village for the commemoration of 200 years of Bhima-Koregaon war on New Year's Day.

The police had filed 58 cases against 162 people.

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News Network
February 28,2020

Feb 28: National oil marketer Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) on Friday said it is ready to supply low emission BS-VI fuels from April 1 and that there will be a marginal increase in retail prices.

The largest oil supplier has spent over Rs 17,000 crore to upgrade its refineries to produce the low-sulfur diesel and petrol, the company's chairman Sanjiv Singh told reporters here.

Without disclosing the quantum of price increase, Singh said, “there will definitely be a marginal increase in retail prices of the fuels from April 1 when the whole country will be run on new fuels, which will have a sulphur content of only 10 parts per million (ppm) as against the present 50 ppm.

“But let me assure you, we will not be burdening the consumers with a steep hike,” Singh said.

He said, state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) have invested Rs 35,000 crore to upgrade their refineries, of which Rs 17,000 crore have been spent by IOC alone.

Earlier this week, the sell-off bound BPCL said it had invested around Rs 7,000 crore for the same. ONGC-run HPCL has not so far disclosed its readiness for BS-VI supplies or its capex on the same.

HPCL had said from February 26-27 it was ready with BS-VI fuels and that it would sell only the new fuels from March 1.

IOC switched to BS-VI fuel production a fortnight ago and all its depots and containers are ready now, Singh said.

However, he said some remote locations, where the intake is very low, will take some more time to switch. But the company is planning to drain out the entire BS-IV stock and replenish the new fuels at such locations, he added.

Further, it has been reported that the companies will have to increase prices by 70-120 paise a litre, but Singh said, to arrive such a weighted average is not possible given the complexities of each refinery.

He, however, asserted that the price hike will not be a burden on consumers.

We are not looking at this investment from a pure return on investment basis, but this is a national mandate and we have done it.

Having said that, all those countries that moved to low emission fuels are charging higher prices; and from April 1, our prices will also be benchmarked against Euro VI prices as against the present practice of the cost-plus model, Singh concluded.

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