JD(U) national meet likely to indicate opposition to Narendra Modi

April 13, 2013

Narendra_Modi

New Delhi, Apr 12: Amid strong reservations within the party over Narendra Modi's much-speculated projection as BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate, the two-day national meet of JD-U beginning here tomorrow is set to bring the spotlight back on NDA's next candidate for the top post.

The national executive and national council meeting of JD(U) will also see a formal announcment of Sharad Yadav as the party's President for a third consecutive time.

The Constitution of JD-U was amended on March 5 to provide a third term to Yadav who had first become its chief in 2006 replacing George Fernandes.

JD-U, whose antipathy to Narendra Modi is well-known, is likely to make a strong demand for early projection of the next Prime Ministerial candidate of the alliance and emphasise its committment to secularism ahead of Lok Sabha elections.

Though party leaders have remained tighlipped about the contents of the political resolution to be passed at the meeting, there is a likelihood that the party refrains from naming Modi in it but making its reservatioins against his candidature more than clear.

There are indications that the party leaders will vehemently oppose projection of the Gujarat Chief Minister for the top job.

Talking to PTI, Rajya Sabha MP from JD-U Ali Anwar Ansari said "it is the old stand of the party that some secular leader should be projected as Prime Minister of NDA, a leader, who is acceptable to all and who believes in taking all sections together. It should be announced before the polls, who will be NDA's Prime Ministerial candidate."

Congress leader from Bihar Shakeel Ahmed, however, mocked at JD(U)'s "secular search" saying "if somebody is searching for secular leader and says no to Narendra Modi but yes to L K Advani, it makes no sense."

"Modi is the symptom of the disease (of communalism) that Atal Behari Vajpayee and Advani had spread," he said. JD(U) President Sharad Yadav had yesterday evaded a direct reply on whether the

party will oppose the projection of Modi. "We had never compromised on the issue of secularism nor will we do now," he said.

He was asked whether secular credentials of NDA's next Prime Ministerial candidate will be an important issue to be discussed at the JD(U) meet.

On whether the party will discuss the issue of Modi's increased projection in BJP, he had said "there is no bar on any issue. Everything can be discussed. Sky is the limit as far discussing issues is concerned.

There has been unease in JD(U) over Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who runs a coalition government with BJP, has been a known critic of Modi.

A sizeable section in JD-U believes that parting of ways with BJP will be unavoidable if Modi is projected a Prime Ministerial candidate in Lok Sabha polls.

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Agencies
February 29,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 29: With Saudi Arabia indefinitely suspending visas for visit to Islam's holiest site for the Umrah pilgrimage in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, more than 10,000 people in the state who are awaiting their turn this year for the annual Hajj pilgrimage are a worried lot.

"This year more than 10,000 people in Kerala have been cleared by the Hajj committee," said C Muhammed Faizy, chairman, Kerala State Hajj Committee.

"There is no cause of worry. We hope that during the time of the pilgrimage, the travel restriction by Saudi Arabia will be lifted," he said.

Umrah is a pilgrimage to the holy site that can be undertaken at any time of the year, while the annual Hajj pilgrimage has specific months according to the lunar calendar.

"The move by the Saudi Arabian Government to impose travel restriction was due to the outbreak of coronavirus. It is a preventive step to contain it. In such large gatherings, if one person is affected, it will spread to others. So we fully understand the concerns of the Saudi Government," Muhammed Faizy added.

He said that the Hajj Committee only processes the requests of annual Hajj visit pilgrims and not Umrah.

"This year we expect the Hajj pilgrimage season to be from June to August after Ramzan. But it may vary according to the Ramzan date. We are yet to get any official correspondence from the Saudi Government regarding travel restrictions," he added.

The Saudi Arabian Government suspended visas for tourists from countries affected by the coronavirus, with many having to cancel their Umrah pilgrimage at the last minute.

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News Network
March 31,2020

Srinagar, Mar 31: In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday declared 20 villages of Kashmir division as 'red zone'.
"20 villages including Parray Mohala Hajin, Chandergeer Hajin, Batagund Hajin in Bandipora district, Gudoora, Chandgam, Pinglena, Parigam, Abhama, Sangerwani and Khaigam in Pulwama district, Waskura in Ganderbal, Sedew, and Ramnagri in Shopian district have been declared as red zones," said Department of Information and Public Relations, J-K, in a tweet.

In Srinagar district, Mehjoor Nagar, Natipora, Lal Bazar, Eidgah and Shalteng villages have been declared as red zones.

"Chadoora in Budgam district of Kashmir division has also been declared as red zone," another tweet said.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir climbed to 49 after 11 more people tested positive in the Union Territory on Monday. While three of these cases were reported from Jammu region, eight were from the Kashmir division.

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News Network
August 7,2020

New Delhi, Aug 7: The Congress on Thursday demanded the removal of Karnataka minister KS Eshwarappa from the cabinet and his arrest for his statement that grand Krishna and Vishwanath temples would come up in Mathura and Kashi respectively after "liberating" them.

Mr Eshwarappa made the statement while reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying the foundation of the Ram temple in Ayodhya yesterday.

"By asking kar sevaks (volunteers) to launch a similar campaign, the minister (Eshwarappa) is trying to disturb peace in the society," Congress Karnataka unit chief DK Shivakumar said at a press conference in Ballari today.

"Such people should be arrested immediately, police officials should register a case against him and the Chief Minister should remove him from the cabinet,"he said.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj minister Eshwarappa had said on Wednesday that he was of the firm opinion that "if not today, tomorrow, Mathura and Kashi temples will be liberated and grand temples would be built there."

"A place of devotion has to be built in both Kashi and Mathura. There too, grand temples have to be constructed. The mosques have to be removed from there," he said.

Mr Eshwarappa, a former BJP state president, said the centres of Hindu belief, Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura were a kind of a symbol of "slavery" as "temples of our Rama, Krishna and Vishwanath were destroyed and mosques built."

Stating that Mr Eshwarappa is not an individual but a minister who represents the government, Mr Shivakumar on Thursday sought to know from the Chief Minister whether this was his government's stand.

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