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'If honest, Modi should not fear CBI probe in Rafale Deal, Says Arvind Kejriwal

Agencies
October 28, 2018

Jaipur, Oct 28: Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over alleged corruption in the multi-crore Rafale jet deal with France, saying he should not fear a CBI probe if he is honest.

Referring to the Union government's mid-night decision to send CBI chief Alok Verma on indefinite leave last week, Kejriwal claimed Verma was "suspended" as Modi feared he was to register an FIR in connection with the deal and launch an investigation.

"It is Rs 36,000-crore fighter aircraft scam. An honest CBI chief was removed at 3 am as he wanted to lodge FIR against the prime minister the next morning. The prime minister should not be afraid of a CBI probe if he is honest," Kejriwal said at a public meeting in Jaipur in poll-bound Rajasthan.

His supporters chanted that Modi is a "thief".

Verma was sent on leave after a feud erupted between him and his deputy, Special Director Rakesh Asthana, with the government saying the decision was taken to protect institutional integrity of the agency.

The government has also repeatedly denied allegations of corruption in the Rafale deal.

Referring to himself, Kejriwal said the people of New Delhi can proudly say that their chief minister is honest. Can they say the prime minister is "honest", he asked the crowd?

"The CBI conducted a raid at my residence. I cooperated with the sleuths, offered them tea and sweets. All they found were four mufflers. People of the New Delhi can proudly say their chief minister is honest," he said.

Kejriwal asked the people whether they have got a quality education, better healthcare, free water and cheaper electricity under the rule of the BJP or the Congress, whom they have voted to power in Rajasthan alternately in recent elections.

Making a case for his AAP, he suggested to the people that they should vote for the party, like the people of Delhi have done, and dislodge both BJP and Congress from governance in Rajasthan.

"We do not vote to make any party win but to defeat the other. BJP and Congress had done a setting in New Delhi to loot people but the people threw both the national parties out of power and it can happen in Rajasthan as well," Kejriwal said.

He claimed the AAP government in Delhi has done what the two national parties could not do in 70 years.

The success rate of Delhi government-run schools was 10 per cent better than private schools, people get free medicines, treatment, water under government schemes and cheaper electricity, he said.

Talking about farm distress, he criticised Centre's crop loan insurance scheme, saying it was meant to benefit insurance firms and not farmers.

"Crop insurance scheme is a scheme to loot farmers. Premium amount is directly deducted from their bank accounts, and when it comes to raising claims farmers have to run from pillar to post," he alleged, seeking an end to the central government scheme.

The party, which will be contesting the assembly election, scheduled on December 7, for the first time in the state, on Sunday also released its draft manifesto and sought suggestions from people.

Kejriwal said people decide the fate of democracy and AAP would work for the betterment of all sections of society.

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jamal
 - 
Monday, 29 Oct 2018

But, blind people will vote for BJP, SDPI, JDS etc...

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Agencies
July 29,2020

Dubai, Jul 29: Muslim pilgrims on Wednesday begin the annual Haj, downsized this year as the Saudi hosts strive to prevent a coronavirus outbreak during the five-day pilgrimage.

The Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam and a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime, is usually one of the world's largest religious gatherings.

But this year only up to 10,000 people already residing in the Kingdom will participate in the ritual, a tiny fraction of the 2.5 million pilgrims from around the world that attended last year.

"There are no security-related concerns in this pilgrimage, but (downsizing) is to protect pilgrims from the danger of the pandemic," said Khalid bin Qarar Al Harbi, Saudi Arabia's director of public security.

Pilgrims will be required to wear masks and observe social distancing during a series of religious rites that are completed over five days in the holy city of Makkah and its surroundings in western Saudi Arabia.

Those selected to take part in the Haj were subject to temperature checks and placed in quarantine as they began trickling into Makkah at the weekend.

State media showed health workers sanitising their luggage, and some pilgrims reported being given electronic wristbands to allow authorities to monitor their whereabouts.

Workers, clutching brooms and disinfectant, were seen cleaning the area around the Kaaba, the structure at the centre of the Grand Mosque draped in gold-embroidered cloth towards which Muslims around the world pray.

Haj authorities have cordoned off the Holy Kaaba this year, saying pilgrims will not be allowed to touch it, to limit the chances of infection.

They also reported setting up multiple health facilities, mobile clinics and ambulances to cater to the pilgrims.

Saudi authorities said only around 1,000 pilgrims residing in the Kingdom would be permitted for the Haj. Some 70 per cent of the pilgrims are foreigners residing in the Kingdom, while the rest will be Saudi citizens, authorities said.

All worshippers were required to be tested for coronavirus before arriving in the holy city of Makkah and will also have to quarantine after the pilgrimage as the number of cases in the Kingdom nears 270,000.

They were given elaborate amenity kits that include sterilised pebbles for a stoning ritual, disinfectants, masks, a prayer rug and the Ihram, a seamless white garment worn by pilgrims, according to a Haj ministry programme document.

"I did not expect, among millions of Muslims, to be blessed with approval," Emirati pilgrim Abdullah Al Kathiri said in a video released by the Saudi media ministry.

"It is an indescribable feeling... especially since it is my first pilgrimage."

The Haj ministry said non-Saudi residents of the Kingdom from around 160 countries competed in the online selection process but it did not say how many people applied.

Despite the pandemic, many pilgrims consider it safer to participate in this year's ritual without the usual colossal crowds cramming into tiny religious sites, which make it a logistical nightmare and a health hazard.

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News Network
June 20,2020

New Delhi, Jun 20: With the highest single-day increase of 14,516 COVID-19 cases reported in the last 24 hours, India's coronavirus count stood at 3,95,048 on Saturday.

The death toll has gone up to 12,948 in the country with 375 persons succumbing to the infection.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of cases includes 1,68,269 active cases, 2,13,831 cured/discharged/migrated and 12,948 deaths.

Maharashtra with 1,24,331 cases continues to be the worst-affected state in the country with 55,665 active cases while 62,773 patients have been cured and discharged in the state so far. The death toll due to COVID-19 stands at 5,893 in the state.

The number of confirmed cases in Tamil Nadu also crossed the 50 thousand mark on Saturday and reached 54,449.

The national capital is the third-worst affected by the infection in the country with the count reaching 53,116 today.

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News Network
March 21,2020

Mar 21: India’s economy, already in the grip of a slowdown, is in for more pain after Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to citizens to stay at and work from home to curb the coronavirus outbreak.

The services sector, which accounts for about 55% of India’s gross domestic product, is poised to be the worst hit after Modi, in a late evening address on Thursday, urged citizens to go on a self-imposed curfew for a day and private companies to allow employees to work from home for longer. In the country’s vast informal sector, social-distancing measures could mean a dent to productivity and consumption because of job or pay losses.

“The impact of a partial lock-down or social distancing will be significant,” said Rahul Bajoria, a senior economist at Barclays Plc in Mumbai. “If there’s a widespread community outbreak, GDP could fall as low as 3.5% in the year starting April 1.”

Shrinking output may limit growth in an economy that’s already set to expand at an 11-year low of 5% in the current year to March 31. Before the virus outbreak, India had forecast growth to recover to 6%-6.5% in the next fiscal year. S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings have already slashed their growth forecast by 50 basis points.

“The current social-distancing measures will severely impact airlines, hotels, malls, multiplexes, restaurants and retailers,” according to analysts at Crisil Ltd., the local unit of S&P Global. “Lower footfalls and occupancies, decline in business volume and sub-optimal operating efficiencies will impact cash flows of companies in these sectors,” wrote the analysts led by Chief Economist Dharmakirti Joshi.

The government will try to announce a relief package for virus-affected sectors as early as possible, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Friday.

In a televised address, Modi advised all citizens to stay at home for a day on March 22, as he sought to stem the spread of the coronavirus -- cases of which are relatively low in India at about 200, compared with more than 200,000 infected people globally. His government also barred incoming flights for a week from that day, joining a growing list of countries effectively sealing their borders.

What Bloomberg’s Economists Say

We had only earlier this week lowered our GDP outlook to consider the direct impact of the local outbreak as confirmed virus cases exceeded 100 as of March 15 and the federal and state governments announced social distancing measures that have already started to crimp economic activity. We are now revising down our GDP estimate for 4Q fiscal 2020 to 3.3%, from our 3.5%.

-- Abhishek Gupta, India economist

For more, click here

“Consumption being the biggest component of GDP, a lock-down is bound to have a big impact on the economy,” said Devendra Kumar Pant, chief economist at India Ratings and Research, the local unit of Fitch. “Modeling uncertainty in any system will be very difficult, but one can say the slowdown could deepen or prolong further.”

Work From Home

While companies, including billionaire Mukesh Ambani-controlled Reliance Industries Ltd., are asking employees to work from home, the option isn’t feasible in India’s vast informal sector.

“The option to work remotely simply won’t exist for most,” said Shilan Shah, an economist with Capital Economics Pte. in Singapore.

As many households don’t have savings buffers, the government would probably have to back this up with large-scale cash handouts that reach the poorest, he said.

Work from home is posing implementation challenges for the manufacturing sector where workers are required to be physically present at the production sites. The services sector, such as banking and information technology, also needs employees to be present in offices as confidential data is used, according to industry group Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

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