Eye on Dalits, PM Modi launches Bhim pay app

December 31, 2016

New Delhi, Dec 31: With his gaze fixed on UP and the larger Dalit constituency, PM Narendra Modi launched on Friday an app whose acronym Bhim (Bharat Interface for Money) beamed a political message to the socially disadvantaged.

pmThe app, which seeks to ensure easy, fast and secure digital transactions, saw Modi invoking Dalit icon B R Ambedkar several times at an event here as he argued digitalisation would empower the poor -rather than disadvantage them, as maintained by some demonetisation critics.

The acronym is reminiscent of pro-Dalit outfit BSP's "Jai Bhim" slogan and carries an association with Dalit movements. Apart from challenging BSP in the UP polls, the move seeks to counter the flak BJP received over violence against Dalits in some of the states it rules and also the Rohith Vemula suicide. The mantra of Dr Ambedkar was to work for uplift of the poor. And the biggest power of technology is that it can empower the poor," Modi said as he extolled the app's feature that allows a thumb print to activate it. Earlier, use of a thumb impression for legal purposes was a sign of illiteracy (angutha chhaap) but technology and the new app could turn this into an instrument of personal empowerment, the PM said. "Your thumb is your bank now. It has become your identity now."

The political application of Bhim was all too evident as the launch of the app comes just before the crucial assembly elections in UP where BJP is struggling to detach the Dalits from BSP chief Mayawati. The social enlargement Modi had in mind seemed to be an attempt to expand the constituency beyond the party's more traditional catchment of upper castes to the less well-off OBCs and SCs.

Addressing the gathering of party workers and officials, Modi recalled Ambedkar as an economist and even went on to utter "Bahujan Hitay Bahujan Sukhay".

"The RBI was born on principles he (Ambedkar) wrote in his thesis. How the federal structure should run economically. The Finance Commission that was formed for this purpose was a result of his principles. If there is one person whose contribution stands out in India's economic framework, it is Babasaheb Ambedkar's," Modi said.

"No matter how far a country has gone, even for them, they have to go to Google, ask Google Guru what is Bhim. At first, they will see Bhim from Mahabharat. If they dig deeper, they will find Bharat Ratna Bhimrao Ambedkar. This was the goal of his life, to empower the poor. And this is what the app will do. This is the poor's treasure. This will empower the poor, farmers, tribal people," the PM said.

Arguing that Bhim app will bring Ambedkar centrestage, Modi said, "Be it a smartphone or feature phone of Rs 1,000-1,200, Bhim app can be used. There is no need to have internet connectivity .One only needs a thumb" Modi's dedication of the app to Ambedkar is a part of his strategy over the past year to seek to position BJP as being truly mindful of his legacy . He has repeatedly attacked Congress for ignoring and even downplaying Ambedkar in comparison with Nehru-Gandhi leaders.

BJP and Sangh Parivar have tried to appropriate a piece of the Dalit icon's legacy as the Modi government accelerated construction of an Ambedkar memorial in Delhi.

BJP government in Maharashtra decided to buy the London flat where Ambedkar stayed and the Sangh Parivar celebrated the birth centenary of the framer of the Constitution on a big scale through the year.

But BJP suffered setbacks because of Hyderabad Central University student Rohith Vemula's suicide and the atrocity committed by gau rakshaks on Dalits at Una in Gujarat. But the incidents have not fazed BJP and Sangh Parivar as only on Thursday, the government relaxed guidelines to facilitate the constriction of Ambedkar memorial in Mumbai. The government also plans to announce the mega draw of Rs 1 crore under "Lucky Grahak Yojana" and "DigiDhan Vyapar Yojana" on April 14, the birth anniversary of Ambedkar.

Comments

Skazi
 - 
Sunday, 1 Jan 2017

In India Feku is acting like BHIM and Arjuna ....But, but Google and You tube have placed Modi in the list of top 10 CRIMINALS of the world ....

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
February 11,2020

New Delhi, Feb 11: Celebrations broke out at the AAP headquarters here as early vote-counting trends for the Delhi Assembly polls on Tuesday showed a comfortable victory for the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led party.

The headquarters were decorated with blue and white balloons and big cut-outs of Kejriwal were placed in different parts of the party office.

"We knew it. We have changed the politics of this country. Now it is Delhi, next is India," said Sanjeev Singh, a party volunteer from Hari Nagar.

Another volunteer Fareen Khan said, "We hope we get such a clear majority that a message goes out that doing Hindu-Muslim politics will not work anymore."

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is leading in 26 seats while the BJP is leading in 14 seats, according to early trends by the Election Commission.

According to the EC's website, AAP convenor Kejriwal is leading in his New Delhi constituency.

Kejriwal reached the party office as the counting of votes got underway.

Counting centres are spread across 21 locations, spanning 70 constituencies.

Polling for the 70-member Delhi Assembly was held on Saturday.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
April 9,2020

Patna, Apr 9: In a horrifying incident, a migrant woman was sexually abused in a Gaya hospital where she was kept in an isolation ward. Three days later, she died due to excessive bleeding.

The matter came to light on Tuesday when her mother-in-law informed the authorities concerned about the shocking incident.

The 25-year-old victim had returned to Bihar’s Gaya district from Ludhiana (in Punjab) along with her husband on March 25. Before returning to her in-laws’ place, she had undergone abortion at Ludhiana just when she was two months pregnant.

On reaching Gaya, she complained of excessive bleeding. Her husband admitted her to Anugrah Narain Magadh Medical College and Hospital (ANMMCH) on March 27 where she was kept in the emergency ward.

Later, on April 1, on being suspected to be coronavirus patient, she was kept in an isolation ward. Her family members alleged that it was in this isolation ward where a doctor attending to her overnight outraged her modesty for two successive nights on April 2 and 3.

“The following day, she was discharged from the hospital after her coronavirus test report was found to be negative. However, after returning home, she remained aloof and struck by fear. On questioning, she revealed how a doctor had sexually abused her in the isolation ward. On April 6, she passed away due to excessive bleeding,” said her mother-in-law.

On receiving the information, the local police asked the mother-in-law to come to the hospital on Tuesday and identify the doctor (about whom the victim had given a description). However, the accused was not identified.

“Prima facie, the matter is serious. We are verifying the allegations. We will dig out the CCTV footage in the hospital and take strict action after identifying the culprit,” said Dr VK Prasad, the hospital superintendent.

Meanwhile, the Gaya police have arrested two people who posed as doctors and entered the isolation ward using doctors’ kits. One of the apprehended people works in a private.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
June 8,2020

New Delhi, June 8: Only 20.26 lakh migrant workers of the targeted 8 crore such labourers have received free food grains in May and June (2020), according to data released by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

In the middle of May, as part of the Rs 20 lakh crore Atma Nirbhar Bharat package, the Modi government had announced that migrant labourers who are not covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) or any state-run PDS scheme, will receive free food grains for two months.

"Non-card holders shall be given 5 kg wheat or rice per person and 1 kg chana per family per month for the next 2 months. About 8 crore migrants will benefit from this scheme that will cost the government Rs 3500 crore,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said at a press conference following PM Modi’s announcement.

But the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said on Sunday, "The states and UTs have lifted 4.42 LMT (lakh metric tonne) of food grains and distributed 10,131 MT of it to 20.26 lakh beneficiaries."

It added, "The Government of India also approved 39,000 MT pulses for 1.96 crore migrant families. Around 28,306 MT gram/dal have been dispatched to the states and UTs. A total 15,413 MT gram have been lifted by various states and UTs". The state governments, the ministry added, had distributed only 631MT (metric tonnes) of gram so far.

Because of the constant movement of migrant workers, the Centre had said that the states will be responsible for identifying the migrants and subsequent food distribution.

The Centre claims it is spending approximately Rs 3,109 crore for food grains and Rs 280 crores for grams/chana under this package.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.