Sidhu apologises to Manmohan, says his silence did what BJP's uproar could not

Agencies
March 19, 2018

New Delhi, Mar 19: Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu was full of praise for a reticent Manmohan Singh on Sunday and said the former prime minister's silence did what the ruling BJP's uproar could not.

Addressing the 84th plenary session of the Congress here, Sidhu, a former BJP MP, who had often targeted Singh over his reluctance to speak out on issues, also apologised to the former prime minister.

Sidhu, in his speech peppered with poetry and witty remarks, also said that Singh was both Sardar (a Sikh) and asardar (effective)".

I want to apologise to Sardar Manmohan Singh and that too bowing down (before Singh). Sardar Manmohan Singh, your silence has done what the BJP's uproar could not. I realised this after 10 years, sir, said the cricketer-turned-politician, who joined the Congress before Punjab Assembly polls in 2017.

Lauding the Congress veteran, Sidhu said the economy galloped like an Arabian horse under his watch as the prime minister. Whereas, he said, under the BJP's rule, the economy is moving at the pace of a tortoise.

Sir, you worked hard silently in such a way that your success created an uproar. Sir, you are a Sardar and also asardar (effective), a comment which had former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and senior party leader Ashok Gehlot, who flanked Singh, giggling.

Sidhu also hailed former party president Sonia Gandhi, party president Rahul Gandhi and Congress workers in his speech.

He said Rahul Gandhi is set to unfurl the tricolour from the ramparts of the Red Fort after becoming the country's prime minister post the 2019 general election.

Sidhu said the BJP's lies stood exposed after its four-year rule.

They (BJP) appear tall but are hollow like bamboo from inside. I have seen them from close quarters. And Rahul Bhai is like sugar cane, sweet from within and outside, he said.

Hailing Congress workers, Sidhu likened them to Sikandar (Greek emperor Alexander the Great) and said the party cannot be what it is without them.

If the Congress has lost, it may be due to some leaders, but you are the ones who help win (elections) friends. Sikandar (workers) does not bow before the situation...the workers are soul, life and identity of the party, he added.

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
March 16,2020

New Delhi, Mar 16: Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani has been summoned by the ED in connection with its money laundering probe against Yes Bank promoter Rana Kapoor and others, officials said on Monday.

They said Ambani was asked to depose at the Enforcement Directorate office in Mumbai on Monday as his group companies are among the big entities whose loans went bad after borrowing from the crisis-hit bank.

The officials said Ambani, 60, has sought exemption from appearance on some personal grounds and he may be issued a new date.

Ambani's group companies are stated to have taken loans of about Rs 12,800 crore from the bank that turned NPAs.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said in a March 6 press conference that the Anil Ambani Group, Essel, ILFS, DHFL and Vodafone were among the stressed corporates Yes Bank had exposure to.

Officials said promoters of all the big companies who had taken large loans from the beleaguered bank which later turned bad are being summoned for questioning in the case to take investigation forward.

Ambani's statement will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) upon deposition, they said.

Kapoor, 62, is at present in ED custody after he was arrested by the central probe agency early this month.

The ED has accused Kapoor, his family members and others of laundering "proceeds of crime" worth Rs 4,300 crore by receiving alleged kickbacks in lieu of extending big loans through their bank that later turned NPA.

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.
Agencies
March 22,2020

Mumbai, Mar 22: The total number of coronavirus positive patients in Maharashtra has risen to 74 with 10 more positive cases reported in the last 24 hours, officials said.

Of the 10 new cases, 6 are in Mumbai and 4 in Pune, they said on Sunday.

Earlier this week, a Covid-19 patient died in Mumbai.

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 15,2020

New Delhi, Apr 15: With 1,076 new COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, India's tally of coronavirus cases has risen to 11,439, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday.

Out of the total tally, 9,756 cases are active while 1,306 patients have been cured/discharged and migrated.

With 38 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the death toll rises to 377.

According to the ministry, Maharashtra is the worst-affected state with 2,687 cases of which 259 patients have recovered/discharged while 178 patients have lost their lives due to the virus.

Delhi comes in at the second position with 1,561 cases of which 30 patients have recovered while 30 patients have succumbed to the virus.

Tamil Nadu is the third state with over 1,000 cases at 1,204 cases of which 81 have recovered and 12 have died due to the deadly virus.

Rajasthan is nearing the 1,000 mark with 969 cases of which 147 people have recovered while 3 patients are dead. Madhya Pradesh reported 730 cases including 51 patients recovered and 50 patients dead.

On Tuesday, in an address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the 21-day national lockdown has been extended till May 3.

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.