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AAP will campaign for BJP in Lok Sabha polls if Delhi granted statehood: Kejriwal

Agencies
June 12, 2018

New Delhi, Jun 12: In a rhetorical speech in the Delhi assembly, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that the AAP would campaign for the BJP during the 2019 Lok Sabha election if Delhi was granted full statehood.

He also warned that if the Modi government failed to do so, the party would conduct a "BJP, quit Delhi" campaign.

"I want to say to BJP, give full statehood status to Delhi before Lok Sabha polls, every vote of people will go in favour of BJP and we (AAP) will campaign for them in Lok Sabha election," Kejriwal said in the assembly.

"But, if they (BJP) do not give full statehood to Delhi, people here will say that BJP walon, Delhi chodo (BJP, quit Delhi)," he added.

Speaking on the government's resolution that seeks full statehood status for Delhi that was adopted in the assembly, Kejriwal sought to know from Prime Minister Narendra Modi whether his promise to give full statehood to Delhi during the 2014 Lok Sabha election was just a "jumla" (election rhetoric).

"We will have to fight for development of Delhi, our children's future... I want to ask Modi ji that he had promised full statehood status to Delhiites during the last Lok Sabha election. I want to ask him whether it was 'jumla'," he said.

Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held in 2019. Ahead of polls, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party has decided to strongly raise the issue of full statehood among people in Delhi.

Under its campaign, AAP has given workers a slogan - "LG, quit Delhi"

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, BJP had won all seven seats in Delhi.

Kejriwal alleged that the people of Delhi were being "harassed" by the Centre at a scale the British had not done during their rule.

Equating the lieutenant governor with viceroys during the British rules, Kejriwal said that Delhi was being ruled by "Kings" since 1556, adding that in 1947, India got independence, but Delhi is yet to get "freedom" as they (Centre) have appointed L-G in place of viceroys, who is ruling the national capital.

"There is no people's rule in Delhi. King L-G is running Delhi...I want to ask why we (Delhiites) have not got freedom yet. Our ancestors had also fought for India's freedom..." Kejriwal said in the Delhi Assembly.

Giving a call for "freedom of Delhi", the AAP's national convener said that the time has come for the people of Delhi to "fight for their freedom" and implement the "people's rule" in Delhi, and "throw away L-G's rule".

Invoking Bal Gangahar Tilak, Kejriwal said, "Swaraj mera Janam sidh adikar hai (Swaraj is my birthright)...we will implement swaraj in Delhi as L-G is only accountable to the prime minister, and not the people of Delhi."

He said that in 1992, the central government had made a system to hold elections in Delhi as the British had done the same in 1935 under which elections used to be held, but "viceroys had power".

"The Centre had made a bad joke with Delhi in 1992. I want to ask why Delhiites are treated as second class citizens. Why are we half citizens? Why the cost of Delhiites' vote is zero?" he said.

Kejriwal said that in Delhi, "BJP's L-G" doesn't allow the government to work, adding that "King L-G" creates hurdles in the government's work.

Yesterday, eyeing Lok Sabha elections, the AAP has decided to hold meeting at 300 locations across Delhi on the issue of full statehood to Delhi.

Under the plan, the AAP will also hold workers' convention on July 1 where Kejriwal will address party workers on the issue.

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News Network
February 1,2020

Feb 1: The Congress on Saturday expressed hope that the Union Budget would provide relief to the salaried class through tax cuts and invest in rural India besides providing a healing touch to the common man and industry facing “hardship” since demonetisation.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the last budget led to crashing consumption levels, soaring unemployment and falling GDP. “Budget 2019= Consumption crashed, Unemployment soared, Farm distress surged, Incomes declined, Investments slumped, Public spending fell, GDP nose dived!,” Surjewala tweeted. “Yet, Modiji gave Corporate Tax Cuts of Rs 1,45,000 crore. Let Budget 2020 give tax cuts to Salaried Class and invest in Rural India,” he said

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot hoped the budget fulfils expectations of the common people. “Budget 2020 is the time for NDA government to provide a healing touch to common people and industries facing hardships since noteban. Hope the budget fulfils expectations of common people and provide relief across sections,” Gehlot said.

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Agencies
August 6,2020

Mumbai, Aug 6: Former Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan said on Thursday that overly focusing on what sovereign rating agencies think can take one's eyes off what needs to be done for the economy.

"It is also important to convince both domestic and international investors that after the crisis associated with the pandemic is over, we will return to fiscal responsibility over the medium term, and the government should do more to convince them of that," Rajan told the Global Markets Forum.

India was placed under one of the strictest lockdowns in the world in late March for more than two months to stem the spread of the coronavirus, but cases have continued to rise steadily since the government eased restrictions in June, stymieing hopes of an economic recovery.

The government has announced several initiatives to help the poor and small- and medium-size businesses, but actual cash outgo from the government's measures has been estimated at just about 1% of GDP.

Several attribute the fiscal prudence to fear of a downgrade after Moody's cut India's rating and outlook in early June followed closely by a change in outlook from Fitch.

The central bank on its part too has reduced the key lending rate by 115 basis points on top of the 135 bps last year and is widely expected to cut rates by another 25 bps later on Thursday.

"The RBI and government have certainly been cooperating, but it seems like it is elsewhere, the ball is in the government's court to do more," Rajan said.

He said the RBI needs to focus on whether credit is reaching the stressed areas of the economy and also if the viable firms were able to access credit and not the unviable ones.

"And I think that's where it has to focus its attentions, because resources, as you well know, are limited in India today."

Recently analysts, however, have cited the growing possibility the RBI may prefer to pause and cut rates only at its October meeting.

Government officials too have suggested the possibility of any more fiscal stimulus being announced, would only come in the second half of the fiscal year, once a recovery has taken root and coronavirus cases have peaked.

"What India should focus on at this point is protecting its economic capabilities, so that when it has dealt with the virus it can go resume activity in a reasonable way. That should be the focus," Rajan said.

"And if it does that, there is no reason why the rating agencies will not see that as an appropriate policy".

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News Network
February 21,2020

Aurangabad, Feb 21: The All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) will seek an explanation from its leader Waris Pathan over his alleged '15 crore Muslims can be heavy on 100 crore' remark he recently made in Karnataka, a party leader said here on Friday.

Pathan had made the purported remarks while addressing an anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) rally at Kalaburagi in North Karnataka on February 16.

"We have to move together. We have to take Azadi (freedom), things that we don't get by asking, we have to take it by force, remember it...(We maybe) 15 crore, but are heavy on 100 (crore), remember it," Pathan can be heard purportedly saying in a video of his speech that has gone viral.

Talking to reporters here, AIMIM's Maharashtra unit chief and Aurangabad MP Imtiyaz Jaleel said, "Our party does not support the statement made by Waris Pathan. The party will seek an explanation from him over the remarks."

"If needed, we will come out with a set of dos and don'ts for the party workers to be while giving speech," he said.

"BJP leaders Anurag Thakur and Yogi Adityanath had also given some hateful statements, but none questioned them about it," Jaleel added.

On Thursday, a young woman had raised "Pakistan Zindabad" slogan in Bengaluru during a protest against CAA, NRC and NPR, where AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi was also present. Owaisi had denounced her action.

Talking about the incident, Jaleel said, "That event was not organised by the AIMIM. It was organised by JD(S) and leaders of all parties were there. Asaduddin Owaisi stopped the woman and also condemned her act. But it is being projected that it was AIMIM's stage."

Meanwhile, the BJP and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) held protests in Aurangabad against Pathan, seeking stern action against him.

The BJP protested in Gulmandi area and burnt an effigy of Pathan.

"Waris Pathan has hurt the feelings of 100 crore people. He has tried to divide the people of the country. The state government should take action against him and send him out of Mumbai," BJP MLA Atul Save said.

The MNS took out a symbolic funeral procession of Pathan and raised slogans against the AIMIM.

"The language of Waris Pathan was disgusting. He should be banned from giving public speeches in the state and also be arrested," MNS lader Prakash Mahajan said.

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