Ego amidst calamity: Defence Minister loses her cool in flood-ravaged Kodagu

coastaldigest.com web desk

August 25, 2018

Madikeri, Aug 25: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who paid a visit to Karnataka’s flood-hit Kodagu yesterday to review the army's relief operations, lost her cool at a press conference and blasted district in-charge minister Sa Ra Mahesh publicly.

The union minister got upset after the Karnataka minister asked her to wind up the press conference at the district commissioner PI Sreevidya’s office citing lack of time. The Defence Minister said she was not at fault for following a "minute-to-minute" itinerary given to her by the district administration.

“I am following a minute-to-minute programme, minister. If officials are important, my parivaar (family) is also important.... Central minister follows the minister in-charge here. Unbelievable," she rebuked Mr Mahesh at the dais.

When told this conversation was getting recorded on cameras, Ms Sitharaman, a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, shot back "Let it get recorded." Asked her to speak in the mic by media persons, Ms Sitharaman, still visibly upset, said "Record whatever you want."

Confusion prevailed at DC office over who should brief the union minister. As Mahesh has begun a Power-Point presentation, Ms Sitharaman snubbed him and asked Sreevidya to take over. Angry exchanges continued as the minister proceeded to a review meeting. Ms Sitharaman’s staff was apparently unhappy that the media was allowed to attend the review meeting. Ms Sitharaman later held a meeting at the DC’s office separately.

At press conference, Ms Sitharaman said the Centre will announce flood relief to Kodagu after receiving a comprehensive report from the central and the state government teams. She said she will work as a messenger and declined to reply to questions on an interim package.

The three defence public sector undertakings will contribute Rs 7 crore towards the relief works under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. “From my MP Local Area Development Scheme, I will release Rs 1 crore,” she said.

“I will work as the messenger about the flood fury and the landslides in Kodagu district to the Union government. I will discuss flood-related issues with the prime minister, finance minister, road transport minister and others. Once the central and the state teams submit the report on the loss, the central government will release funds," she said.

Meanwhile, speaking to media persons, Mahesh said the Union minister had “disappointed” him. “We were waiting for an interim relief package. In Kerala, the Union government announced interim relief. But here she didn’t announce anything,” he said. “I will meet the Union government authorities and ministers with CM HD Kumaraswamy, seeking an early package for the flood- and landslide-hit Kodagu," he said.

Torrential rains have hit the Kodagu district hard over the last week, killing 17 people and leaving a huge trail of destruction.

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Karnataka BJP urges Modi govt to ban PFI, SDPI

News Network

January 29,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 29: The Karnataka unit of BJP has urged the Centre and the State governments to ban the Popular Front of India (PFI) and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), accusing them of harbouring terrorist tendencies.

Addressing a press meet, N Ravi Kumar, state general secretary of the party, alleged that there was a nexus between the Congress, the PFI and the SDPI.

“Recent reports have exposed the links between the PFI and the Congress,” he said, accusing Congress leader Kapil Sibal of receiving huge funds from PFI to defend their cases in the Supreme Court.

He also accused the organisations as the ones responsible for the death of 23 Hindu activists in Karnataka. Such incidents have proven that both SDPI and PFI are dubious organisations, he said.

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PFI is the first kind of organization which is doing community work in all the walks of life.

and providing the helping hands to all the Indian community doing marvelous job.

this is the first organization fighting against corrupt and injustice following the principle of our father of nation mahatma Gandhi’s.

the corrupt and injustice people in the society not ready to accept their policy and trying to stop the voices of justice to the society.

I wish PFI and its sub organizations will continue to support to the society and keep the good work so that people are with you.

Wah what a joke.

RSS is blamming others as terrorists.

Constitutionof RSS is a terrorism. Stupid Hegevar and Savarkar are the heroes of illiterate stupid community.

The whole intelligent community including European Uniion and US openly declared.

This is the sure end and downfall of RSS, which will never come-up again. You woke-up of peace lovers.

Thank you.

You people are never fit to run even a small village and how come thinking of ruling a big country.

RSS is the most active and first ever terrorist organisation in India and it should be banned first. There is no proof of terrorist activities by SDPI and PFI. BJP is afraid of these organisations as they give tought resistance to BJP and this is the reason why its planning to ban these organisations. BJP is doing propoganda only. Real thread for peace + harmoney in India by sanghis. We should ban them first.

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Country's economy not showing good signs under Modi, reiterates BJP's Swamy

News Network

January 6,2020

Jan 6: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy on Sunday said the country's economy is not showing good signs though Prime Minister Narendra Modi has manifested tremendous leadership skills in fighting terror and in social welfare projects.

The fiscal decisions of the government have not yielded the desired results, the Rajya Sabha MP said here.

"Modi had shown tremendous leadership skill in fighting terror, in several social areas, micro areas like bringing toilets to every village home. But the economy is a complex system...," he said while taking part in a discussion.

While every minister is talking about a 5 trillion dollar economy by 2024, but the current GDP growth has to be multiplied in four years to achieve that, the former Union minister said.

He said, if wages are slashed as a measure to cope with the situation, labor will become cheap but that will also cut down the people's purchasing power triggering dip in demand, closing down factories and rise in unemployment.

"This is one problem for which you really need an economist," he said.

Swamy said in jest, "I think Modi has one problem with me. Not only I am an economist but also a politician."

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Once again Bengaluru witnesses massive protest against CAA, NRC, NPR

News Network

January 21,2020

Bengaluru, Jan 21: A massive protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC), and National Population Register (NPR) was witnessed at Shivajinagar's Chandni Chowk area on Tuesday.

Scores of people came together carrying national flags and placards to register their protest in the city.

Speaking to ANI, a protester said, "People of all religious community have assembled here in Chandni Chowk to protest against CAA, NRC, and NPR. We the people of India are against this law."

Terming the law as anti-constitutional, he said that we support all the states who oppose the CAA. We demand the revocation of CAA and the government should remove conditions in NPR which lead to NRC.

CAA grants citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Buddhist and Christian communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.

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What if the Caa was implemented by congress which was earlier planned by dr mnmohan singh and even Gandhiji said this that minorities of Pak amd Bangladesh can come india. Go check facts. Domt trust ur whstapp knowledge.

Unfortunately Hitler brother is our HM who is deaf, dumb and blind. He has shit in his brain. He is unfit to be called as human being. He is thinking that he has no death. I am sure that he will meet a miserable end.