One person was killed and about 14 injured when violence erupted following a scuffle between Muslim and Hindu school students in Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s home state of Gujarat, a senior administrative official said on Sunday.

A crowd of about 5,000 people attacked Muslim residents and set dozens of homes and vehicles on fire at Vadavali village in Patan district on Saturday after Hindu students complained of misbehaviour by Muslim students, said K. K. Nirala, the district&#39;s top administrative official.

Members of the Muslim community retaliated by throwing stones and police used teargas and fired seven rounds to disperse the crowd and control the violence, Nirala said.

Gujarat has a history of serious communal trouble.

Rioters killed about 1,000 people, most of them Muslims, in the state 2002, according to estimates.

Modi was chief minister at the time and he was accused of turning a blind eye to one of the worst outbreaks of religious violence in independent India.

Modi denied any involvement in the unrest and in 2013 a panel appointed by the Supreme Court said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute him.

Nirala said the situation had been brought under control and three companies of the State Reserve Police have been asked to stay in the village to maintain peace.

(Reuters)

A crowd of about 5,000 people attacked Muslim residents and set dozens of homes and vehicles on fire in western India

One person was killed and about 14 injured when violence erupted following a scuffle between Muslim and Hindu school students in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat, a senior administrative official said on Sunday. A crowd of about 5,000 people attacked Muslim residents and set dozens of homes and vehicles on fire at Vadavali village in Patan district on Saturday after Hindu students complained of misbehaviour by Muslim students, said K. K. Nirala, the district's top administrative official. Members of the Muslim community retaliated by throwing stones and police used teargas and fired seven rounds to disperse the crowd and control the violence, Nirala said. Gujarat has a history of serious communal trouble. Rioters killed about 1,000 people, most of them Muslims, in the state 2002, according to estimates. Modi was chief minister at the time and he was accused of turning a blind eye to one of the worst outbreaks of religious violence in independent India. Modi denied any involvement in the unrest and in 2013 a panel appointed by the Supreme Court said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute him. Nirala said the situation had been brought under control and three companies of the State Reserve Police have been asked to stay in the village to maintain peace. (Reuters)

Communal clash leaves one dead, 14 hurt in PM Modi's home state

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took over the reins of India&#39;s most populous and politically critical state recently, Uttar Pradesh, but one of their first decisions to crack down on young men seen with women in public has produced&nbsp;realms of news reports in the country.

The right-leaning BJP had in its election manifesto vowed to set up a squad to deter men from harassing women amid reports of a spike in molestation cases in India&#39;s northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

But the new government&#39;s decision to empower the unit, known as &quot;anti-Romeo squads&quot;, to put men behind bars has raised the perennial dilemma of moral policing and governance.

Yogi Adityanath, the new head of the state, has been a strong advocate of crackdowns of such nature -- evidenced by the fact that local police arrested about 50 men from his constituency of Gorakhpur, roughly 215 kilometres from India&#39;s capital New Delhi, on Wednesday (March 22).

The drive to protect &quot;women&#39;s self-respect&quot; -- as put by the BJP in its manifesto -- has fanned out across the state, with reports of police questioning, and in some cases incarcerating, men seen with women in public.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="videos-block">
<div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jEB1ZXDjWbM"></iframe></div>
</div>

<div class="media-description">
The squads have been formed on the directive of new UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath (Reuters)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/up-college-20170323112535.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Police escort a boy away from a college in Lucknow. (DNA)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/anti-romeosquads-20170323113445.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Police patrol outside a college in Lucknow. (ANI)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

On Tuesday, two men were arrested in the state&#39;s capital city of Lucknow, while reports of questioning people emerged from other small towns such as Meerut and Jhansi.

In some cases, a few boys who had to come to pick up their sisters from colleges were also arrested, DNA reported.

Deccan Chronicle&nbsp;reported that a boy was made to do sit-ups by the police as punishment for sitting with girls in Meerut.

But the BJP says the anti-Romeo squad is keeping a close vigilance on men in public spaces to prevent cases of molestation in the state.

Adityanath has reportedly asked the police to take strict action against those found guilty.

Sources in the police department say the modus operandi of the drive would be on the lines of the infamous Operation Majnu. In 2005, Operation Majnu had empowered police to question any boy&nbsp;seen with a woman on the streets or in parks. The campaign had soured when reports of police thrashing young men came to the fore.

The BJP and its allies recorded a landslide victory in the recently-concluded elections in Uttar Pradesh, winning roughly 80 per cent of the seats in the legislative house.

(WION)

The government says it is trying to curb an 'alarming' rise in eve-teasing incidents

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took over the reins of India's most populous and politically critical state recently, Uttar Pradesh, but one of their first decisions to crack down on young men seen with women in public has produced realms of news reports in the country. The right-leaning BJP had in its election manifesto vowed to set up a squad to deter men from harassing women amid reports of a spike in molestation cases in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh. But the new government's decision to empower the unit, known as "anti-Romeo squads", to put men behind bars has raised the perennial dilemma of moral policing and governance. Yogi Adityanath, the new head of the state, has been a strong advocate of crackdowns of such nature -- evidenced by the fact that local police arrested about 50 men from his constituency of Gorakhpur, roughly 215 kilometres from India's capital New Delhi, on Wednesday (March 22). The drive to protect "women's self-respect" -- as put by the BJP in its manifesto -- has fanned out across the state, with reports of police questioning, and in some cases incarcerating, men seen with women in public. The squads have been formed on the directive of new UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath (Reuters) × Police escort a boy away from a college in Lucknow. (DNA) × Police patrol outside a college in Lucknow. (ANI) × On Tuesday, two men were arrested in the state's capital city of Lucknow, while reports of questioning people emerged from other small towns such as Meerut and Jhansi. In some cases, a few boys who had to come to pick up their sisters from colleges were also arrested, DNA reported. Deccan Chronicle reported that a boy was made to do sit-ups by the police as punishment for sitting with girls in Meerut. But the BJP says the anti-Romeo squad is keeping a close vigilance on men in public spaces to prevent cases of molestation in the state. Adityanath has reportedly asked the police to take strict action against those found guilty. Sources in the police department say the modus operandi of the drive would be on the lines of the infamous Operation Majnu. In 2005, Operation Majnu had empowered police to question any boy seen with a woman on the streets or in parks. The campaign had soured when reports of police thrashing young men came to the fore. The BJP and its allies recorded a landslide victory in the recently-concluded elections in Uttar Pradesh, winning roughly 80 per cent of the seats in the legislative house. (WION)

New UP govt cracks down on men & women seen together in public

Pakistan&#39;s cricketer-turned- politician Imran Khan&#39;s stand on the recently concluded PSL final in Lahore reached Parliament with&nbsp;PML-N lawmaker Mian Javed Latif calling the Pakistani cricket legend a &quot;traitor&quot;.

Mian Javed Latif&#39;s defiant stand led to a heated argument with Murad Saeed who belongs to Imran Khan&#39;s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf. Their argument soon disintegrated into a scuffle which was stopped in time by other lawmakers present in the&nbsp;National Assembly.

The matter did not end there, Saeed kept the issue burning&nbsp;saying&nbsp;PML-N lawmaker had no reason to call Imran Khan a &quot;traitor&quot; and asked the Speaker to take notice.

Not to be undone, PML-N&#39;s Talal Chaudhry accused the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmaker&nbsp;of deliberately creating unpleasant scenes in Parliament.

The controversy<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_VFoCr0bxk"> was ignited yesterday by Imran Khan in a leaked video</a> in which he opposed staging of Sunday&#39;s final of the Pakistan Super League in Lahore.

Watch Video:&nbsp;
<centre><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3_VFoCr0bxk" width="560"></iframe><centre>
&nbsp;

The PTI chief&nbsp;wanted the tournament to be played in the UAE citing security reasons. The former World Cup-winning captain went a step further and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/cricket/imran-khan-angers-fans-by-calling-darren-sammy-third-class-13151">used derogatory terms against some foreign players in the league namely Darren Sammy of the West Indies calling him &quot;</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/cricket/imran-khan-angers-fans-by-calling-darren-sammy-third-class-13151">phateechar</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/cricket/imran-khan-angers-fans-by-calling-darren-sammy-third-class-13151">&quot;&nbsp;</a>meaning &quot;third class&quot;.

Imran Khan&#39;s leaked video went viral as several Pakistan fans attacked the former cricket captain on social media even though he seemed to take a soft stand publicly&nbsp;on Twitter congratulating Peshawar for winning the final

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Congratulations to Peshawar Zalmi on winning the PSL final.
&mdash; Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/838462281092583427">March 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

but he soon appeared on a Pakistani news channel and declared, &quot;Sammy was captain but he is not a big player, had Chris Gayle come, had Kevin Pietersen come, I would have said they were big international stars.&quot;&nbsp;

Several players had in fact backed down from playing in Pakistan. England cricketer Pietersen withdrew from the final over security fears along with other Quetta players Rilee Rossouw from South Africa and England&#39;s Luke Wright and Tymal Mills who also refused to play in Pakistan.

(WION with agency inputs)
</centre></centre>

The choice of Adityanath, an ascetic firebrand with a history of agitation against Muslims, has stunned observers. Here's why

Pakistan's cricketer-turned- politician Imran Khan's stand on the recently concluded PSL final in Lahore reached Parliament with PML-N lawmaker Mian Javed Latif calling the Pakistani cricket legend a "traitor". Mian Javed Latif's defiant stand led to a heated argument with Murad Saeed who belongs to Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf. Their argument soon disintegrated into a scuffle which was stopped in time by other lawmakers present in the National Assembly. The matter did not end there, Saeed kept the issue burning saying PML-N lawmaker had no reason to call Imran Khan a "traitor" and asked the Speaker to take notice. Not to be undone, PML-N's Talal Chaudhry accused the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmaker of deliberately creating unpleasant scenes in Parliament. The controversy was ignited yesterday by Imran Khan in a leaked video in which he opposed staging of Sunday's final of the Pakistan Super League in Lahore. Watch Video: The PTI chief wanted the tournament to be played in the UAE citing security reasons. The former World Cup-winning captain went a step further and used derogatory terms against some foreign players in the league namely Darren Sammy of the West Indies calling him "phateechar" meaning "third class". Imran Khan's leaked video went viral as several Pakistan fans attacked the former cricket captain on social media even though he seemed to take a soft stand publicly on Twitter congratulating Peshawar for winning the final Congratulations to Peshawar Zalmi on winning the PSL final. — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 5, 2017 × but he soon appeared on a Pakistani news channel and declared, "Sammy was captain but he is not a big player, had Chris Gayle come, had Kevin Pietersen come, I would have said they were big international stars." Several players had in fact backed down from playing in Pakistan. England cricketer Pietersen withdrew from the final over security fears along with other Quetta players Rilee Rossouw from South Africa and England's Luke Wright and Tymal Mills who also refused to play in Pakistan. (WION with agency inputs)

Hardline priest Yogi Adityanath's elevation a sign Modi is moving toward Hindu India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will learn on Saturday whether his popularity is sufficient to clinch a win for his party in the country&#39;s most populous state, where its sights are set on an absolute majority to consolidate its position.

Modi campaigned for more than two months to win the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, the most important election he has faced since triumphing in the 2014 general election.

As the campaign &#39;face&#39; of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Modi, and his election strategist Amit Shah, can take credit if they win - but may face a backlash from sidelined party elders if they come up short.

&quot;The results will redefine the prime minister&#39;s political destiny and his future course of action,&quot; an aide to Modi in the capital, New Delhi, told Reuters.

Post-election surveys suggest Modi has done enough to come first in Uttar Pradesh, home to one in six Indians, but may fall short of an outright majority in the 403-seat state assembly.

The exit polls, which are often wrong in India, also put the BJP ahead in three of four other states that will declare election outcomes on Saturday.&nbsp;

Endorsement

If results do hand Modi an outright win in Uttar Pradesh that would be an endorsement of his stewardship of Asia&#39;s third-largest economy after his high-risk decision last November to scrap high-value banknotes worth 86 per cent of the cash in circulation.

A strong BJP showing would be welcomed by investors counting on further economic reforms - including the launch of a national sales tax - in the absence of any credible opponent who might halt Modi&#39;s march to a second term in 2019.

Short of a majority, the BJP could see opponents block its path to power in the state by forming a coalition, although Modi&#39;s party will also look to convince its smaller rivals to join forces.

&quot;If the BJP fails to secure a majority, then Modi&#39;s economic decisions will be questioned and his failure to create jobs will impact his political future,&quot; said Mohan Guruswamy, who heads the Centre for Policy Alternatives, an independent think-tank.

The BJP&#39;s opponents include an alliance between the Congress party and the ruling Samajwadi Party, a tie-up that caught Modi&#39;s party off guard. A better than expected showing by a third party could complicate the picture as results filter out.

The BJP is also eyeing victory on Saturday in the northeastern state of Manipur, northern Uttarakhand state, and the southern resort state of Goa, while an alliance of which it is a member in Punjab state is predicted to lose badly.

(Reuters)

Exit polls suggest Modi has done enough to come first in Uttar Pradesh, but may fall short of an outright majority

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will learn on Saturday whether his popularity is sufficient to clinch a win for his party in the country's most populous state, where its sights are set on an absolute majority to consolidate its position. Modi campaigned for more than two months to win the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, the most important election he has faced since triumphing in the 2014 general election. As the campaign 'face' of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Modi, and his election strategist Amit Shah, can take credit if they win - but may face a backlash from sidelined party elders if they come up short. "The results will redefine the prime minister's political destiny and his future course of action," an aide to Modi in the capital, New Delhi, told Reuters. Post-election surveys suggest Modi has done enough to come first in Uttar Pradesh, home to one in six Indians, but may fall short of an outright majority in the 403-seat state assembly. The exit polls, which are often wrong in India, also put the BJP ahead in three of four other states that will declare election outcomes on Saturday. Endorsement If results do hand Modi an outright win in Uttar Pradesh that would be an endorsement of his stewardship of Asia's third-largest economy after his high-risk decision last November to scrap high-value banknotes worth 86 per cent of the cash in circulation. A strong BJP showing would be welcomed by investors counting on further economic reforms - including the launch of a national sales tax - in the absence of any credible opponent who might halt Modi's march to a second term in 2019. Short of a majority, the BJP could see opponents block its path to power in the state by forming a coalition, although Modi's party will also look to convince its smaller rivals to join forces. "If the BJP fails to secure a majority, then Modi's economic decisions will be questioned and his failure to create jobs will impact his political future," said Mohan Guruswamy, who heads the Centre for Policy Alternatives, an independent think-tank. The BJP's opponents include an alliance between the Congress party and the ruling Samajwadi Party, a tie-up that caught Modi's party off guard. A better than expected showing by a third party could complicate the picture as results filter out. The BJP is also eyeing victory on Saturday in the northeastern state of Manipur, northern Uttarakhand state, and the southern resort state of Goa, while an alliance of which it is a member in Punjab state is predicted to lose badly. (Reuters)

India Assembly Elections: PM Modi looks for big gains in crucial test today

India&#39;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress for corruption and lack of development in Manipur and said the party was spreading misinforming people that the central government was compromising with the territorial sovereignity of the state.

The prime minister also said that if the BJP comes to power in the state, he would ensure economic blockades were put to an end in the state.&nbsp;

&quot;There will never be an economic blockade when BJP comes to power in Manipur, I assure you this,&quot; PM Modi said at an election rally in Manipur capital Imphal.

Accusing the Congress of &quot;ruining&quot; Manipur in the last 15 years, Modi assured that the BJP would do in 15 months what the Congress could not do all this while. He also said he was the only prime minister after Morarji Desai who attended the North East Council (NEC) meetings for the overall development of the North Eastern states.

&quot;It has been 15 years, Manipur has been ruined. Who is responsible? Congress did no development, do they deserve to be here now?. What they (Congress) did not do in last 15 years, I assure we will do it in 15 months,&quot; PM Modi said.

&quot;When Atalji (former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee) formed government, he made policies for overall development of Northeast. But Congress did not carry the good work forward.

&quot;Since last 40 years, no PM of the country came to North-East for NEC Meeting. After Morarji Desai I am the only one who visited,&quot; he added.

Modi also alleged that the Congress party was dividing people by saying that the Centre was compromising the territorial integrity of Manipur by signing an accord with the Naga insurgent group -- the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) (NSCN-IM). &nbsp;

&quot;People have been talking about the accord with the Nagas. I want to ask the CM, were you sleeping for 1.5 years? You never wrote a letter to Centre seeking details. I alone revealed everything about the accord to the Congress. They are dividing the people of Manipur by spreading lies,&quot; Prime Minister Modi said.

&quot;Naga accord was signed one and half years ago. Was Congress asleep that time? And, now they are spreading lies,&quot; he said.

He also accused the state government of pitting communities against one another for their personal gain.

&quot;In order to win elections and they are making people fight against each other. They pitted one brother against another. They don&#39;t care about the people of Manipur, all they care about is grabbing power. They don&#39;t deserve to be in the government,&quot; Prime Minister Modi said.&nbsp;

Targeting chief minister Ibobi Singh, the PM said, &quot;&quot;They (Congress) want votes for their 10 per cent commission... Have you ever heard about 10 per cent chief minister? Anywhere? Manipur now needs a zero per cent chief minister... We want vote for 100 per cent development...&quot;

Manipur goes to polls in two phases on March 4 and March 8. The results will be declared on March 11 along with that of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Goa.

The BJP is hoping to gain some ground in the state where the Congress is the largest party followed by the All India Trinamool Congress and Manipur State Congress Party.&nbsp;

Human rights activist Irom Sharmila, who has floated a new party after breaking her 16-year-long fast demanding repeal of the controversial AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act), is also in the fray. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

At an election rally in Imphal, Modi said the Congress was spreading lies about the Naga accord signed with the Naga insurgent group NSCN-IM

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress for corruption and lack of development in Manipur and said the party was spreading misinforming people that the central government was compromising with the territorial sovereignity of the state. The prime minister also said that if the BJP comes to power in the state, he would ensure economic blockades were put to an end in the state. "There will never be an economic blockade when BJP comes to power in Manipur, I assure you this," PM Modi said at an election rally in Manipur capital Imphal. Accusing the Congress of "ruining" Manipur in the last 15 years, Modi assured that the BJP would do in 15 months what the Congress could not do all this while. He also said he was the only prime minister after Morarji Desai who attended the North East Council (NEC) meetings for the overall development of the North Eastern states. "It has been 15 years, Manipur has been ruined. Who is responsible? Congress did no development, do they deserve to be here now?. What they (Congress) did not do in last 15 years, I assure we will do it in 15 months," PM Modi said. "When Atalji (former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee) formed government, he made policies for overall development of Northeast. But Congress did not carry the good work forward. "Since last 40 years, no PM of the country came to North-East for NEC Meeting. After Morarji Desai I am the only one who visited," he added. Modi also alleged that the Congress party was dividing people by saying that the Centre was compromising the territorial integrity of Manipur by signing an accord with the Naga insurgent group -- the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) (NSCN-IM). "People have been talking about the accord with the Nagas. I want to ask the CM, were you sleeping for 1.5 years? You never wrote a letter to Centre seeking details. I alone revealed everything about the accord to the Congress. They are dividing the people of Manipur by spreading lies," Prime Minister Modi said. "Naga accord was signed one and half years ago. Was Congress asleep that time? And, now they are spreading lies," he said. He also accused the state government of pitting communities against one another for their personal gain. "In order to win elections and they are making people fight against each other. They pitted one brother against another. They don't care about the people of Manipur, all they care about is grabbing power. They don't deserve to be in the government," Prime Minister Modi said. Targeting chief minister Ibobi Singh, the PM said, ""They (Congress) want votes for their 10 per cent commission... Have you ever heard about 10 per cent chief minister? Anywhere? Manipur now needs a zero per cent chief minister... We want vote for 100 per cent development..." Manipur goes to polls in two phases on March 4 and March 8. The results will be declared on March 11 along with that of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Goa. The BJP is hoping to gain some ground in the state where the Congress is the largest party followed by the All India Trinamool Congress and Manipur State Congress Party. Human rights activist Irom Sharmila, who has floated a new party after breaking her 16-year-long fast demanding repeal of the controversial AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act), is also in the fray. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Government not compromising Manipur's territorial integrity, Congress lying: PM Modi

In a fresh verbal exchange, Indian Prime Minister&nbsp;Narendra Modi today mocked at the &#39;donkey&#39; remark of Uttar Pradeh chief minister&nbsp;Akhilesh Yadav who responded by saying that the PM&nbsp;was indulging in petty talk despite holding the high post.

&quot;In elections, opponents criticise each other... Akhileshji, I can understand if you attack Modi and BJP but I am amused that you have attacked donkeys...Are you afraid of donkeys, that too these are thousands of kilometres away?&quot; Modi said.

He was responding to a remark by Akhilesh at a poll rally three days back in which he had said megastar Amitabh Bachchan should not campaign for donkeys as he was doing in a Gujarat government tourism advertisement.

&quot;Akhileshji, you might hate the donkeys of Gujarat but it was that very state which gave birth to Dayanand Saraswati, Mahatma Gandhi...And Lord Krishan chose to stay,&quot; Modi said. addressing BJP&#39;s Vijay Shanknaad rally in Bahraich.

&quot;The people of this country are my master, I take inspiration from the donkey because I work for people day and night...Donkeys are loyal to their master and work tirelessly even without food,&quot; the Prime Minister added.

While attacking Akhilesh, he said, &quot;I am amused that your casteist mentality is also having a reflection on animals too...You found donkeys so bad...It is natural as your government is so efficient that the entire government goes about looking for buffaloes when they go missing.&quot;

His reference was to the buffaloes of SP minister Azam Khan which had gone missing in Rampur and police went all out to track them down.

&quot;This is the pehchaan (identity) of your government but you are not aware that donkeys too give us inspiration if heart and mind is clear...We can also take that inspiration, it is loyal to the master and works as much as the master asks for and is very economical,&quot; he said.

&quot;It works even if it is ill, hungry or tired and completes the work...Akhileshji these 125 crore countrymen are my masters...I do all the work they ask me to do as I take inspiration from donkeys and take it with full pride,&quot; Modi said.

Elaborating, he said, &quot;Donkeys do not discriminate while carrying anything on its back...Whether it is a bag of sugar or bag of lime...(those who discriminate) are the ones who are neck deep in corruption.&quot;

Hours later, Akhilesh, while addressing an election meeting in Pechpedva, said, &quot;the Prime Minister is sitting on such a high post and indulging in such petty talk which does not suit him.&quot;

Taking a dig at Modi, he said, &quot;it seems he does not like staying in Delhi and is moving about all over UP...If he so desires, he can swap places with me.&quot;

He added, &quot;Piqued are only those who are faced with defeat...Only those who are left behind talk about the past.&quot;

On Modi&#39;s remark that he is an &quot;adopted son&quot; of UP, the Chief Minister said, &quot;PMji do not confuse our Uttar Pradesh... If you are the adopted son of UP, then we belong to this place...Who is going to adopt us&quot;.

On the prime minister&#39;s allegations that police stations are run by SP people, Akhilesh said he does not know that it is also run through UP-100.

&quot;We admit that there had been some shortcomings, but it will improve with UP-100 and the anomalies in the police working will be addressed,&quot; he said.

(PTI)

&nbsp;

?At a poll rally three days back Yadav?had said that actor Amitabh Bachchan should not campaign for 'donkeys' as he was doing in a Gujarat government tourism advertisement

In a fresh verbal exchange, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today mocked at the 'donkey' remark of Uttar Pradeh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav who responded by saying that the PM was indulging in petty talk despite holding the high post. "In elections, opponents criticise each other... Akhileshji, I can understand if you attack Modi and BJP but I am amused that you have attacked donkeys...Are you afraid of donkeys, that too these are thousands of kilometres away?" Modi said. He was responding to a remark by Akhilesh at a poll rally three days back in which he had said megastar Amitabh Bachchan should not campaign for donkeys as he was doing in a Gujarat government tourism advertisement. "Akhileshji, you might hate the donkeys of Gujarat but it was that very state which gave birth to Dayanand Saraswati, Mahatma Gandhi...And Lord Krishan chose to stay," Modi said. addressing BJP's Vijay Shanknaad rally in Bahraich. "The people of this country are my master, I take inspiration from the donkey because I work for people day and night...Donkeys are loyal to their master and work tirelessly even without food," the Prime Minister added. While attacking Akhilesh, he said, "I am amused that your casteist mentality is also having a reflection on animals too...You found donkeys so bad...It is natural as your government is so efficient that the entire government goes about looking for buffaloes when they go missing." His reference was to the buffaloes of SP minister Azam Khan which had gone missing in Rampur and police went all out to track them down. "This is the pehchaan (identity) of your government but you are not aware that donkeys too give us inspiration if heart and mind is clear...We can also take that inspiration, it is loyal to the master and works as much as the master asks for and is very economical," he said. "It works even if it is ill, hungry or tired and completes the work...Akhileshji these 125 crore countrymen are my masters...I do all the work they ask me to do as I take inspiration from donkeys and take it with full pride," Modi said. Elaborating, he said, "Donkeys do not discriminate while carrying anything on its back...Whether it is a bag of sugar or bag of lime...(those who discriminate) are the ones who are neck deep in corruption." Hours later, Akhilesh, while addressing an election meeting in Pechpedva, said, "the Prime Minister is sitting on such a high post and indulging in such petty talk which does not suit him." Taking a dig at Modi, he said, "it seems he does not like staying in Delhi and is moving about all over UP...If he so desires, he can swap places with me." He added, "Piqued are only those who are faced with defeat...Only those who are left behind talk about the past." On Modi's remark that he is an "adopted son" of UP, the Chief Minister said, "PMji do not confuse our Uttar Pradesh... If you are the adopted son of UP, then we belong to this place...Who is going to adopt us". On the prime minister's allegations that police stations are run by SP people, Akhilesh said he does not know that it is also run through UP-100. "We admit that there had been some shortcomings, but it will improve with UP-100 and the anomalies in the police working will be addressed," he said. (PTI)

India: Modi mocks Akhilesh Yadav for 'donkey' remark, Yadav says PM indulging in 'petty talk'

BSP leader Mayawati today hit back at <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/now-pm-modi-compares-himself-to-lord-krishna-12485">PM Modi&#39;s</a> &#39;Behenji Sampatti (wealth)&nbsp;Party&#39; barb, calling the Indian prime minister &quot;Mr Negative Dalit Man&quot;.

Mayawati&#39;s latest dig at Modi comes after the Indian prime minister said &quot;those who deposit wealth for themselves can never solve the problems of people&quot;.

&quot;Arrey Behenji discussion not because elections are being held but because you have deposited Rs 100 crore after note ban...BSP is no longer Bahujan Samaj Party...Bahujan toh Mayawati me simat gaya hai...It is Behenji Sampatti Party now. Those who deposit wealth for themselves, can they solve your problem?&quot; the prime minister said at an election rally in Orai region in Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh.

Mayawati was quick to hit back declaring the PM Modi would get a tit-for-tat reply in the Uttar Pradesh polls.

&quot;Money started being deposited in banks all of a sudden (after demonetisation) and Mayawati started shouting as why is it only at election time that the account of her brother has been made public...why is it being discussed that Rs 100 crore have been deposited,&quot; the India prime minister said.

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash">#WATCH</a>: BSP President Mayawati says PM Modi&#39;s full name means that he is an anti-Dalit man. <a href="https://t.co/Nhl0lDbNH3">pic.twitter.com/Nhl0lDbNH3</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/833604759508578304">February 20, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Prime Minister Modi has been attacking the Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) and Samajwadi Party(SP) repeatedly in an effort to get his party the Bharatiya Janta Party(BJP) back in power after fourteen long years. He recently attacked the Yadav family of the Samajwadi Party singling out chief minister Akhilesh Yadav for aligning with the Congress.

Uttar Pradesh, India&#39;s largest state, is the middle of a hard-fought election campaign spread across seven phases. The results&nbsp;are set to be declared on March 11. Most pollsters and political pandits have given the opposition BJP the edge but with the recent coalition of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rahul-invokes-dilwale-dulhania-dacoit-gabbar-singh-to-hit-pm-modi-12501">Congress </a>and Samajwadi Party, the political equations in Uttar Pradesh have changed with every party trying its best to win over the electorate, often at any cost.

(WION with agency inputs)

BSP leader Mayawati's latest dig comes after PM Modi's 'Behenji Sampatti Party' remark at an election rally in Uttar Pradesh

BSP leader Mayawati today hit back at PM Modi's 'Behenji Sampatti (wealth) Party' barb, calling the Indian prime minister "Mr Negative Dalit Man". Mayawati's latest dig at Modi comes after the Indian prime minister said "those who deposit wealth for themselves can never solve the problems of people". "Arrey Behenji discussion not because elections are being held but because you have deposited Rs 100 crore after note ban...BSP is no longer Bahujan Samaj Party...Bahujan toh Mayawati me simat gaya hai...It is Behenji Sampatti Party now. Those who deposit wealth for themselves, can they solve your problem?" the prime minister said at an election rally in Orai region in Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh. Mayawati was quick to hit back declaring the PM Modi would get a tit-for-tat reply in the Uttar Pradesh polls. "Money started being deposited in banks all of a sudden (after demonetisation) and Mayawati started shouting as why is it only at election time that the account of her brother has been made public...why is it being discussed that Rs 100 crore have been deposited," the India prime minister said. #WATCH: BSP President Mayawati says PM Modi's full name means that he is an anti-Dalit man. pic.twitter.com/Nhl0lDbNH3 — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 20, 2017 × Prime Minister Modi has been attacking the Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) and Samajwadi Party(SP) repeatedly in an effort to get his party the Bharatiya Janta Party(BJP) back in power after fourteen long years. He recently attacked the Yadav family of the Samajwadi Party singling out chief minister Akhilesh Yadav for aligning with the Congress. Uttar Pradesh, India's largest state, is the middle of a hard-fought election campaign spread across seven phases. The results are set to be declared on March 11. Most pollsters and political pandits have given the opposition BJP the edge but with the recent coalition of the Congress and Samajwadi Party, the political equations in Uttar Pradesh have changed with every party trying its best to win over the electorate, often at any cost. (WION with agency inputs)

PM Modi is Mr 'Negative Dalit Man', says BSP leader Mayawati

By &nbsp;Arghya &nbsp;Roy Chowdhury

The mother of all battles,&nbsp;kickstarts in Uttar Pradesh from Saturday. The importance of UP in India&#39;s electoral politics can&#39;t be overstated. Not only does it have the highest number of Lok Sabha seats, it also has given more prime ministers than any other state in the country.

The state is so important, even Narendra Modi had to contest from Varanasi to leverage his own charisma to get Bharatiya Janata Party home.

The frenzy generated by Modi mixed with an electorate divided along communal lines, ensured that BJP managed to virtually sweep the entire state. But this time the situation is bit different, and one of the main reasons is the alliance between Congress and SP.

The first phase, where 73 constituencies are going to polls are spread across 15 districts. They are Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Mathura, Hathras, Agra, Firozabad, Etah and Kasganj.

Many of these districts are communally sensitive and the Muzaffarnagar riots in 2013 greatly affected the voting patterns in 2014. One of the biggest puzzles of this phase would be whether people chose to vote along religious lines or go back to their usual pattern of caste-based identities.

One party which would be hedging their bets for the&nbsp;conventional order to resume is Ajit Singh&#39;s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). A party predominantly asserting the Jat identity, its message resonates well in the sugarcane-soaked Jat heartlands.

The party won 9 of out 73 seats, in the last Assembly elections and was on the cusp of stitching up an alliance with SP and Congress before talks fell through.

RLD still enjoys decent clout and may upset equations in several constituencies where close contest is on cards.In the last elections, SP and BSP both won 11 seats out of the 73 up for grabs on Saturday.

For BSP, this is a crucial phase as many of the seats have a&nbsp;strong concentration of Dalits and Muslim, once Mayawati&#39;s favourite hunting ground.

But it will be up for a stiff concentration with Owaisi&#39;s AIMIM in contention and SP and Congress fighting together. Congress has been a marginal player in Western UP for decades now, but it will try to galvanise the upper-caste votes for SP.

But no other party has more riding on phase one than the BJP. A good start will give it much-needed momentum to march towards the majority mark.

The party has made a major gamble by not putting up a CM face. It hopes that carpet-bombing by top leaders including Modi and Shah will do the trick.

Some of the top BJP candidates contesting in this phase are Rajnath Singh&#39;s son, Hukum Singh&#39;s daughter and controversial leaders like Sangeet Som and Suresh Rana.

In some of the more urbane districts like Noida and Agra, the party is likely to perform well.

The issues which have dominated the campaign cycle so far have been demonetisation, the law-and-order situation, communal disharmony, lack of industries and the informal sector facing a&nbsp;crisis.

Of which the opposition have tried to skewer BJP on demonetisation. Western UP is the hub of small scale industries, many of them been adversely affected by the&nbsp;cash crunch.

The SP government is facing the heat for poor law and order condition, especially it&#39;s ham-handed handling of the riots.

While Western UP is no longer the communal tinderbox it was in 2014, undercurrents of deep religious disharmony permeate till this day. And politicians of all hue have tried to exploit that according to their vote banks.

Both SP and BSP will be pretty happy if they can hold on to their 2012 tally.

For BJP, a good start is extremely necessary. PM Modi has given a clarion call for voting out SCAM (Samajwadi-Congress-Akhilesh-Maywati) which got an angry response from others.

Amit Shah has made a bold prediction that BJP will win 90 out of 143 seats in the first two phases.So, BJP is looking for high strike rate in Western UP to make up for its organisational weakness in other phases. Others will be desperate to deny them the perfect start.

&nbsp;

(This report first appeared in DNA)

Not only does UP have the highest number of Lok Sabha seats, it also has given more prime ministers than any other state in the country

By Arghya Roy Chowdhury The mother of all battles, kickstarts in Uttar Pradesh from Saturday. The importance of UP in India's electoral politics can't be overstated. Not only does it have the highest number of Lok Sabha seats, it also has given more prime ministers than any other state in the country. The state is so important, even Narendra Modi had to contest from Varanasi to leverage his own charisma to get Bharatiya Janata Party home. The frenzy generated by Modi mixed with an electorate divided along communal lines, ensured that BJP managed to virtually sweep the entire state. But this time the situation is bit different, and one of the main reasons is the alliance between Congress and SP. The first phase, where 73 constituencies are going to polls are spread across 15 districts. They are Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Mathura, Hathras, Agra, Firozabad, Etah and Kasganj. Many of these districts are communally sensitive and the Muzaffarnagar riots in 2013 greatly affected the voting patterns in 2014. One of the biggest puzzles of this phase would be whether people chose to vote along religious lines or go back to their usual pattern of caste-based identities. One party which would be hedging their bets for the conventional order to resume is Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). A party predominantly asserting the Jat identity, its message resonates well in the sugarcane-soaked Jat heartlands. The party won 9 of out 73 seats, in the last Assembly elections and was on the cusp of stitching up an alliance with SP and Congress before talks fell through. RLD still enjoys decent clout and may upset equations in several constituencies where close contest is on cards.In the last elections, SP and BSP both won 11 seats out of the 73 up for grabs on Saturday. For BSP, this is a crucial phase as many of the seats have a strong concentration of Dalits and Muslim, once Mayawati's favourite hunting ground. But it will be up for a stiff concentration with Owaisi's AIMIM in contention and SP and Congress fighting together. Congress has been a marginal player in Western UP for decades now, but it will try to galvanise the upper-caste votes for SP. But no other party has more riding on phase one than the BJP. A good start will give it much-needed momentum to march towards the majority mark. The party has made a major gamble by not putting up a CM face. It hopes that carpet-bombing by top leaders including Modi and Shah will do the trick. Some of the top BJP candidates contesting in this phase are Rajnath Singh's son, Hukum Singh's daughter and controversial leaders like Sangeet Som and Suresh Rana. In some of the more urbane districts like Noida and Agra, the party is likely to perform well. The issues which have dominated the campaign cycle so far have been demonetisation, the law-and-order situation, communal disharmony, lack of industries and the informal sector facing a crisis. Of which the opposition have tried to skewer BJP on demonetisation. Western UP is the hub of small scale industries, many of them been adversely affected by the cash crunch. The SP government is facing the heat for poor law and order condition, especially it's ham-handed handling of the riots. While Western UP is no longer the communal tinderbox it was in 2014, undercurrents of deep religious disharmony permeate till this day. And politicians of all hue have tried to exploit that according to their vote banks. Both SP and BSP will be pretty happy if they can hold on to their 2012 tally. For BJP, a good start is extremely necessary. PM Modi has given a clarion call for voting out SCAM (Samajwadi-Congress-Akhilesh-Maywati) which got an angry response from others. Amit Shah has made a bold prediction that BJP will win 90 out of 143 seats in the first two phases.So, BJP is looking for high strike rate in Western UP to make up for its organisational weakness in other phases. Others will be desperate to deny them the perfect start. (This report first appeared in DNA)

India: First phase of Uttar Pradesh elections could make or break BJP's dream to rule

A meeting was held in the Prime Ministers Office which included senior officers of various departments to review the functioning of &lsquo;shell companies&rsquo; (companies which do&nbsp;not conduct any operations and indulge in money laundering) in India, in order to prevent&nbsp;money laundering and tax evasion, especially in the context of unearthing black money post-demonetisation.&nbsp;

There are about 15 lakh registered companies in India and only 6 lakh companies file their annual tax returns, according to the government. This means a large number companies may be indulging in financial irregularities. &nbsp; &nbsp;

In the initial analysis it has been found that &lsquo;shell companies&rsquo; are characterized by nominal paid-up capital, high reserves &amp; surplus on account of receipt of high share premium, investment in unlisted companies, no dividend income, high cash in hand, also private companies as majority shareholders, low turnover &amp; operating income, nominal expenses, nominal statutory payments &amp; stock in trade including minimum fixed asset.

In a small sample analysis of such companies it has been found that Rs.1,238 crore cash has been deposited in these entities during November-December period.&nbsp;

Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has filed criminal prosecution for cheating the national exchequer after investigation of entry operators running a group of 49 shell companies and other proprietorship concerns.&nbsp;

It has been found that 559 beneficiaries have laundered money to the extent of Rs.39,00 crore with the help of 54 professionals who have been identified. This information has been shared with SIT, Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate, SEBI and The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).&nbsp;

Income Tax Department has re-opened completed assessment in these cases and Enforcement Directorate has initiated action under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. ICAI has also initiated disciplinary proceedings against its members. The winding up process has been initiated in respect of 49 shell companies.

In order to create a credible deterrence a &ldquo;whole government approach&rdquo; will be adopted through coordinated efforts and by leveraging technology.&nbsp;

It has also been decided that appropriate red flag indicators would be used for identifying shell companies, and a database of such companies and their directors would be built by pulling in information from various agencies. The database will also capture Aadhar number of individual directors in the companies.

Harsh punitive actions will be taken against the deviant shell companies which will include freezing of bank accounts, striking off the names of dormant companies and invocation of Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016.

A task force with members from various regulatory ministries and enforcement agencies has been set up under the co-chairmanship of the revenue secretary and corporate affairs secretary to monitor the actions taken against deviant shell companies by various agencies. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The concerned regulatory ministry will ensure that disciplinary actions are initiated against the professionals indulging in malpractices and abetting the entry operators of the shell companies.

(WION)

The government has decided to take harsh action against shell companies which includes freezing bank accounts of these companies

A meeting was held in the Prime Ministers Office which included senior officers of various departments to review the functioning of ‘shell companies’ (companies which do not conduct any operations and indulge in money laundering) in India, in order to prevent money laundering and tax evasion, especially in the context of unearthing black money post-demonetisation. There are about 15 lakh registered companies in India and only 6 lakh companies file their annual tax returns, according to the government. This means a large number companies may be indulging in financial irregularities. In the initial analysis it has been found that ‘shell companies’ are characterized by nominal paid-up capital, high reserves & surplus on account of receipt of high share premium, investment in unlisted companies, no dividend income, high cash in hand, also private companies as majority shareholders, low turnover & operating income, nominal expenses, nominal statutory payments & stock in trade including minimum fixed asset. In a small sample analysis of such companies it has been found that Rs.1,238 crore cash has been deposited in these entities during November-December period. Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has filed criminal prosecution for cheating the national exchequer after investigation of entry operators running a group of 49 shell companies and other proprietorship concerns. It has been found that 559 beneficiaries have laundered money to the extent of Rs.39,00 crore with the help of 54 professionals who have been identified. This information has been shared with SIT, Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate, SEBI and The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). Income Tax Department has re-opened completed assessment in these cases and Enforcement Directorate has initiated action under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. ICAI has also initiated disciplinary proceedings against its members. The winding up process has been initiated in respect of 49 shell companies. In order to create a credible deterrence a “whole government approach” will be adopted through coordinated efforts and by leveraging technology. It has also been decided that appropriate red flag indicators would be used for identifying shell companies, and a database of such companies and their directors would be built by pulling in information from various agencies. The database will also capture Aadhar number of individual directors in the companies. Harsh punitive actions will be taken against the deviant shell companies which will include freezing of bank accounts, striking off the names of dormant companies and invocation of Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016. A task force with members from various regulatory ministries and enforcement agencies has been set up under the co-chairmanship of the revenue secretary and corporate affairs secretary to monitor the actions taken against deviant shell companies by various agencies. The concerned regulatory ministry will ensure that disciplinary actions are initiated against the professionals indulging in malpractices and abetting the entry operators of the shell companies. (WION)

'Shell companies' under lens post-demonetisation

As his helicopter swooped down for a rally the crowds cheered and waved at the leader of India&#39;s most populous state, where millions will vote on Saturday in a key test of Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s popularity.

The northern state of Uttar Pradesh is home to over 200 million people -- more than the entire population of Brazil -- and polls there are seen as a bellwether of national politics.

Voting in the vast state, which sends the largest share of MPs to both houses of parliament in Delhi, will be staggered over several weeks with results out on March 11.

With so much at stake, Modi has personally led the campaigning for his right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which won big in the 2014 general election.

The vote is seen as a key test of his popularity after a controversial ban on high-value notes that was aimed at combating tax evasion by the rich&nbsp;but has also hit poor rural communities in UP hard.

He faces strong competition from the state&#39;s youthful and popular current Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, campaigning in a tie-up with the BJP&#39;s ailing national rivals the Congress Party.

Political analyst RP Mamgain told AFP the elections were a &quot;litmus test&quot; for the BJP after nearly three years in power.

&quot;People are really looking forward to see what all they have managed to do, and their assessment will be reflected in the UP election,&quot; said Mamgain, professor at the Giri Institute of Development Studies in state capital Lucknow.

&quot;It is a kind of a litmus test for them, on whether they delivered on jobs, urban and rural development.&quot;

It also offers a chance for the BJP to gain more seats in the upper house, which has blocked some of its planned reforms.

&#39;Huge loss&#39;

Yadav denounced the cash ban at a series of rallies this week attended by well-wishers -- some perched on trees to get a glimpse of the leader.&nbsp;

&quot;Demonetisation didn&#39;t help anyone,&quot; the 43-year-old told AFP.&nbsp;

&quot;This step has been a huge loss for the country whose consequences can&#39;t be seen at the moment.

&quot;But it will become apparent in days to come because our economy, our labour, our manufacturing have been hit badly.&quot;

The government has conceded that the drive will hit national growth&nbsp;but says it will ultimately benefit the economy by bringing hidden wealth back into the system.

Analysts said it was unlikely to dent the BJP&#39;s election prospects because bank lines have eased. Anecdotal evidence suggests the policy may actually have boosted Modi&#39;s popularity in poor communities because it is viewed as hitting the rich. &nbsp;

&quot;People by-and-large have appreciated Modi&#39;s intentions. Demonetisation has lost its sting, it&#39;s become a non-issue now,&quot; Anil Verma, director of the Uttar Pradesh-based Centre for the Study of Society and Politics, told AFP. &nbsp;

Pollsters are divided on who will win, with some forecasting a hung assembly. Low-caste leader Mayawati&#39;s Bahujan Samaj Party is expected to take third place, sweeping much of the Dalit vote.

Yadav, who became India&#39;s youngest chief minister in 2012, is hoping to win the support of Uttar Pradesh&#39;s youth after wresting control of the Samajwadi Party from his ageing father in a bitter months-long battle.

He has campaigned with the Congress second-in-command Rahul Gandhi, 46, with both leaders projecting themselves as modern agents of change in a state where religion and caste have generally dominated campaigns.

&quot;When a young person sees that there is young leadership, somewhere or the other he will feel that this leadership will understand his particular problems like wages and jobs and will help him fulfil his dreams and ambitions,&quot; said Akhilesh.

Analysts say Gandhi, likely to be the next Congress leader, desperately needs a win to boost his lacklustre reputation after defeat at the 2014 polls.

&quot;Congress is almost a dead party,&quot; Mamgain told AFP. &quot;On its own, Congress is not even considered as a real alternative.&quot;

(AFP)

Voting in Uttar Pradesh is a key test of Modi's popularity after his demonetisation move which hit poor rural community of UP very badly

As his helicopter swooped down for a rally the crowds cheered and waved at the leader of India's most populous state, where millions will vote on Saturday in a key test of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity. The northern state of Uttar Pradesh is home to over 200 million people -- more than the entire population of Brazil -- and polls there are seen as a bellwether of national politics. Voting in the vast state, which sends the largest share of MPs to both houses of parliament in Delhi, will be staggered over several weeks with results out on March 11. With so much at stake, Modi has personally led the campaigning for his right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which won big in the 2014 general election. The vote is seen as a key test of his popularity after a controversial ban on high-value notes that was aimed at combating tax evasion by the rich but has also hit poor rural communities in UP hard. He faces strong competition from the state's youthful and popular current Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, campaigning in a tie-up with the BJP's ailing national rivals the Congress Party. Political analyst RP Mamgain told AFP the elections were a "litmus test" for the BJP after nearly three years in power. "People are really looking forward to see what all they have managed to do, and their assessment will be reflected in the UP election," said Mamgain, professor at the Giri Institute of Development Studies in state capital Lucknow. "It is a kind of a litmus test for them, on whether they delivered on jobs, urban and rural development." It also offers a chance for the BJP to gain more seats in the upper house, which has blocked some of its planned reforms. 'Huge loss' Yadav denounced the cash ban at a series of rallies this week attended by well-wishers -- some perched on trees to get a glimpse of the leader. "Demonetisation didn't help anyone," the 43-year-old told AFP. "This step has been a huge loss for the country whose consequences can't be seen at the moment. "But it will become apparent in days to come because our economy, our labour, our manufacturing have been hit badly." The government has conceded that the drive will hit national growth but says it will ultimately benefit the economy by bringing hidden wealth back into the system. Analysts said it was unlikely to dent the BJP's election prospects because bank lines have eased. Anecdotal evidence suggests the policy may actually have boosted Modi's popularity in poor communities because it is viewed as hitting the rich. "People by-and-large have appreciated Modi's intentions. Demonetisation has lost its sting, it's become a non-issue now," Anil Verma, director of the Uttar Pradesh-based Centre for the Study of Society and Politics, told AFP. Pollsters are divided on who will win, with some forecasting a hung assembly. Low-caste leader Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party is expected to take third place, sweeping much of the Dalit vote. Yadav, who became India's youngest chief minister in 2012, is hoping to win the support of Uttar Pradesh's youth after wresting control of the Samajwadi Party from his ageing father in a bitter months-long battle. He has campaigned with the Congress second-in-command Rahul Gandhi, 46, with both leaders projecting themselves as modern agents of change in a state where religion and caste have generally dominated campaigns. "When a young person sees that there is young leadership, somewhere or the other he will feel that this leadership will understand his particular problems like wages and jobs and will help him fulfil his dreams and ambitions," said Akhilesh. Analysts say Gandhi, likely to be the next Congress leader, desperately needs a win to boost his lacklustre reputation after defeat at the 2014 polls. "Congress is almost a dead party," Mamgain told AFP. "On its own, Congress is not even considered as a real alternative." (AFP)

India state elections: Dry run for Modi as India's most populous state votes

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Opposition parties in the state of Uttar Pradesh saying that even if he wants development in UP, there are governments here that will create obstacles.

Addressing his first rally in Meerut ahead of the first phase of the UP assembly polls, Modi said, &quot;What is the state of Meerut? Is there a guarantee that a common man will return home alive every evening? Even if I want development in UP, there are governments here that will create obstacles.&quot;

Questioning why the youth of UP did not have employment opportunities even after so much potential, Modi said his party&#39;s fight was against SCAM. &quot;Out fight is against SCAM - Samajwadi, Congress, Akhilesh and Mayawati. Do you want SCAM or BJP? Do you want SCAM or UP&#39;s development?&quot; he asked.

Modi also said that if they have a state government that creates obstacles then the development works will get stalled in Lucknow. &quot;Nothing will reach people,&quot; he said.

Further claiming that there is no legal action taken on the culprits behind killings in UP, he added, &quot;Why are innocent citizens being killed? Why are innocent traders being killed? There is no fear of the law among the killers.&quot;

The Prime Minister also attacked the Congress saying, &quot;Those who have been rejected by the people, how can they talk about saving the state?&quot;

&quot;We are willing to do everything for the growth of UP. To change the fortunes of UP, change the government in the state,&quot; he appealed to voters.

(This first appeared in DNA)

Modi says fight is against 'SCAM?Samajwadi Party, Congress, Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati'

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Opposition parties in the state of Uttar Pradesh saying that even if he wants development in UP, there are governments here that will create obstacles. Addressing his first rally in Meerut ahead of the first phase of the UP assembly polls, Modi said, "What is the state of Meerut? Is there a guarantee that a common man will return home alive every evening? Even if I want development in UP, there are governments here that will create obstacles." Questioning why the youth of UP did not have employment opportunities even after so much potential, Modi said his party's fight was against SCAM. "Out fight is against SCAM - Samajwadi, Congress, Akhilesh and Mayawati. Do you want SCAM or BJP? Do you want SCAM or UP's development?" he asked. Modi also said that if they have a state government that creates obstacles then the development works will get stalled in Lucknow. "Nothing will reach people," he said. Further claiming that there is no legal action taken on the culprits behind killings in UP, he added, "Why are innocent citizens being killed? Why are innocent traders being killed? There is no fear of the law among the killers." The Prime Minister also attacked the Congress saying, "Those who have been rejected by the people, how can they talk about saving the state?" "We are willing to do everything for the growth of UP. To change the fortunes of UP, change the government in the state," he appealed to voters. (This first appeared in DNA)

India: PM Modi addresses rally in Meerut ahead of Uttar Pradesh polls

United States President Donald Trump will speak to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone late on Tuesday.

The White House released Trump&#39;s schedule for Tuesday and said, &quot;President speaks with Indian Prime Minister at 1:00&nbsp;pm Washington time.&quot;

The scheduled time for the talks between the two leaders according to Indian standard time is 11:30 pm.

Prime Minister Modi would be the fifth foreign leader to hold talks with Trump after he was sworn in as the 45th US President on Friday.

Trump will afterwards meet the CIA director Mike Pompeo at 1:30 pm and with key Senate leaders at 3:00 pm.&nbsp;

(ANI)&nbsp;

Modi would be the fifth foreign leader to hold talks with Trump after he was sworn in as the 45th US President on Friday

United States President Donald Trump will speak to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone late on Tuesday. The White House released Trump's schedule for Tuesday and said, "President speaks with Indian Prime Minister at 1:00 pm Washington time." The scheduled time for the talks between the two leaders according to Indian standard time is 11:30 pm. Prime Minister Modi would be the fifth foreign leader to hold talks with Trump after he was sworn in as the 45th US President on Friday. Trump will afterwards meet the CIA director Mike Pompeo at 1:30 pm and with key Senate leaders at 3:00 pm. (ANI)

Trump to hold talks with PM Modi over phone tonight

Outgoing US President Barack Obama telephoned Indian&nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi to thank him for his partnership that enhanced the relations between India and America, the White House has said. The two leaders reviewed progress and cooperation in Indo-US ties.

PM Modi thanked President Obama for strong support and contribution to strengthening strategic partnership and conveyed best wishes to him for his future endeavours.

Obama spoke on the phone with Modi on Wednesday to thank him for &quot;his partnership&quot; and to review joint efforts of cooperation including defence, civil-nuclear energy, and enhanced people-to-people ties, a readout of the telephonic conversation between the two leaders said.

&quot;Recalling his visit as the chief guest at India&#39;s Republic Day celebrations in 2015, President Obama wished the Prime Minister warm congratulations ahead of India&#39;s upcoming 68th Republic Day anniversary,&quot; the White House said. &quot;Both leaders discussed the progress they have made on shared economic and security priorities, including recognition of India as a major defense partner of the United States and addressing the global challenge of climate change,&quot; it said.

Obama was one of the first leaders to congratulate Modi after his electoral victory in May 2014 and immediately invited him to visit the White House. The two leaders met at the White House in September 2014. Since then they have met each other for eight times. This is a record for leaders between India and America.

According to assistant secretary of state for South and central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal, the two leaders share a very warm relationship. &quot;They have a great deal of personal camaraderie. But they also have a great deal of respect for each other for the leadership and the values and the integrity of each other&#39;s approach,&quot; Biswal told PTI in a recent interview. &quot;You have seen from President Obama that appreciation of Prime Minister Modi in words that he has used to describe him including in that Time magazine profile of the Prime Minister.

You have seen that Prime Minister Modi&#39;s appreciation of President Obama, of his values, his leadership style which the Prime Minister has used to describe the President,&quot; she said.

She said that it is not a relationship that just came about that day when President called Prime Minister-elect Modi to congratulate him. &quot;The seeds of this relationship were actually sown many many decades earlier,&quot; Biswal had said.

&nbsp;

(PTI)

Obama spoke on the phone with Modi on Wednesday amd also?reviewed joint efforts of cooperation including defence

Outgoing US President Barack Obama telephoned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to thank him for his partnership that enhanced the relations between India and America, the White House has said. The two leaders reviewed progress and cooperation in Indo-US ties. PM Modi thanked President Obama for strong support and contribution to strengthening strategic partnership and conveyed best wishes to him for his future endeavours. Obama spoke on the phone with Modi on Wednesday to thank him for "his partnership" and to review joint efforts of cooperation including defence, civil-nuclear energy, and enhanced people-to-people ties, a readout of the telephonic conversation between the two leaders said. "Recalling his visit as the chief guest at India's Republic Day celebrations in 2015, President Obama wished the Prime Minister warm congratulations ahead of India's upcoming 68th Republic Day anniversary," the White House said. "Both leaders discussed the progress they have made on shared economic and security priorities, including recognition of India as a major defense partner of the United States and addressing the global challenge of climate change," it said. Obama was one of the first leaders to congratulate Modi after his electoral victory in May 2014 and immediately invited him to visit the White House. The two leaders met at the White House in September 2014. Since then they have met each other for eight times. This is a record for leaders between India and America. According to assistant secretary of state for South and central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal, the two leaders share a very warm relationship. "They have a great deal of personal camaraderie. But they also have a great deal of respect for each other for the leadership and the values and the integrity of each other's approach," Biswal told PTI in a recent interview. "You have seen from President Obama that appreciation of Prime Minister Modi in words that he has used to describe him including in that Time magazine profile of the Prime Minister. You have seen that Prime Minister Modi's appreciation of President Obama, of his values, his leadership style which the Prime Minister has used to describe the President," she said. She said that it is not a relationship that just came about that day when President called Prime Minister-elect Modi to congratulate him. "The seeds of this relationship were actually sown many many decades earlier," Biswal had said. (PTI)

Outgoing US President Obama calls Indian PM Modi to thank him for his partnership

India&#39;s Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed the &#39;Sahara diaries&#39;&nbsp;case, saying there is not enough evidence to probe politicians accused of receiving kickbacks from large conglomerates.

The &#39;Sahara diaries&#39; -- a document impounded by taxmen during raids on Sahara and Birla offices in 2013 and 2014 -- had evidence of several big-name politicians, including the incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, of receiving bribes from the two conglomerates.

But the country&#39;s highest court said that &quot;given the shape in which these documents have been collected and filed, we are of the opinion that it would not be safe and proper to order investigations&quot;.

The court also said it set a dangerous precedent if they ordered an investigation based on such papers. &quot;If investigation is ordered on the basis of inadmissible evidence like this, constitutional functionaries can&#39;t function and democracy will not be safe.&quot;

Common Cause, an NGO, had filed a petition with the court, seeking an investigation against Narendra Modi and other politicians who were named in the seized documents.

The top court had similarly quashed an earlier plea in November, saying that the Sahara-Birla papers had &quot;zero material&quot; and was only an &quot;insinuation&quot;.

&ldquo;So far as this material is concerned, it does not arouse suspicion. We are not satisfied at all. These are high public functionaries. If you are bringing this material before us, it is nothing. It is a serious issue. You must give us something on which we can determine,&rdquo; the bench had said.

Common Cause filed a fresh petition last week, appending some e-mails to its affidavit.

There were entries in Sahara diaries which suggested that Narendra Modi, who was then the chief minister of India&#39;s western state of Gujarat, had received nine transactions totalling Rs 40.1 crore ($5.8 million) from Sahara.

(WION)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Sahara papers purportedly showed that the then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi received roughly $5.8 million from Indian conglomerate Sahara

India's Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed the 'Sahara diaries' case, saying there is not enough evidence to probe politicians accused of receiving kickbacks from large conglomerates. The 'Sahara diaries' -- a document impounded by taxmen during raids on Sahara and Birla offices in 2013 and 2014 -- had evidence of several big-name politicians, including the incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, of receiving bribes from the two conglomerates. But the country's highest court said that "given the shape in which these documents have been collected and filed, we are of the opinion that it would not be safe and proper to order investigations". The court also said it set a dangerous precedent if they ordered an investigation based on such papers. "If investigation is ordered on the basis of inadmissible evidence like this, constitutional functionaries can't function and democracy will not be safe." Common Cause, an NGO, had filed a petition with the court, seeking an investigation against Narendra Modi and other politicians who were named in the seized documents. The top court had similarly quashed an earlier plea in November, saying that the Sahara-Birla papers had "zero material" and was only an "insinuation". “So far as this material is concerned, it does not arouse suspicion. We are not satisfied at all. These are high public functionaries. If you are bringing this material before us, it is nothing. It is a serious issue. You must give us something on which we can determine,” the bench had said. Common Cause filed a fresh petition last week, appending some e-mails to its affidavit. There were entries in Sahara diaries which suggested that Narendra Modi, who was then the chief minister of India's western state of Gujarat, had received nine transactions totalling Rs 40.1 crore ($5.8 million) from Sahara. (WION)

India's top court junks 'Sahara diaries' case accusing Modi of graft

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament can call Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of demonetisation if it is not satisfied with the answers given by top finance ministry officials and the RBI Governor Urjit Patel, to whom a detailed questionnaire has been sent.

A PAC meeting on this issue has been called on January 20th, in which the Reserve Bank of Indian (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel, Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa and Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das will be present.

&quot;We have not yet received answers for the questions we have sent to them. They will reply few days before the January 20th meeting. Their replies will be discussed in detail,&quot; PAC Chairman and senior Congress leader K V Thomas told PTI.

Asked if the PAC would call the Prime Minister if replies were not satisfactory, he said: &quot;The committee has all right to 
call anybody involved in the matter. But that will depend on the outcome of the January 20th meeting. We can call PM on demonetisation issue if members unanimously decide.&quot;

In a meeting with the PM after demonetisation announcement made on November 8, Thomas said, &quot;I had met him and he said that the situation will be normal after 50 days by December-end. But it does not looks like&quot;.

So, PAC decided to call the top officials involved in the decision making process this month, he said, adding that the demonetisation has impacted the country&#39;s economy.

&quot;The PM is misleading the country to satisfy his ego. He is trying to justify his wrong decisions. He has done in a callous manner by introducing Rs 2,000 notes,&quot; he said.

&quot;In a country where there is a call drop problem and telecom facilities are not smooth, how can PM expect e-transactions would take place on mobiles. Do we have sufficient infrastructure?&quot; he questioned.

Asked what kind of questionnaire been sent to the RBI chief and top finance ministry officials, Thomas said that the PAC has raised questions on all aspects of demonetisation.

Among key questions sought are:&nbsp;Who were involved in the decision-making, how much money has come back into banks after demonetisation, is there a law that can restrict people&#39;s access their money, how much money has been pumped back into the system, if black money issue has been addressed and the impact on the economy and poor.

The PAC, which scrutinises the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), takes suo motu note of the important matters.

(PTI)

If unsatisfied with answers given by RBI Governor Urjit Patel to a detailed questionnaire on demonetisation, Modi himself will be called on

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament can call Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of demonetisation if it is not satisfied with the answers given by top finance ministry officials and the RBI Governor Urjit Patel, to whom a detailed questionnaire has been sent. A PAC meeting on this issue has been called on January 20th, in which the Reserve Bank of Indian (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel, Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa and Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das will be present. "We have not yet received answers for the questions we have sent to them. They will reply few days before the January 20th meeting. Their replies will be discussed in detail," PAC Chairman and senior Congress leader K V Thomas told PTI. Asked if the PAC would call the Prime Minister if replies were not satisfactory, he said: "The committee has all right to call anybody involved in the matter. But that will depend on the outcome of the January 20th meeting. We can call PM on demonetisation issue if members unanimously decide." In a meeting with the PM after demonetisation announcement made on November 8, Thomas said, "I had met him and he said that the situation will be normal after 50 days by December-end. But it does not looks like". So, PAC decided to call the top officials involved in the decision making process this month, he said, adding that the demonetisation has impacted the country's economy. "The PM is misleading the country to satisfy his ego. He is trying to justify his wrong decisions. He has done in a callous manner by introducing Rs 2,000 notes," he said. "In a country where there is a call drop problem and telecom facilities are not smooth, how can PM expect e-transactions would take place on mobiles. Do we have sufficient infrastructure?" he questioned. Asked what kind of questionnaire been sent to the RBI chief and top finance ministry officials, Thomas said that the PAC has raised questions on all aspects of demonetisation. Among key questions sought are: Who were involved in the decision-making, how much money has come back into banks after demonetisation, is there a law that can restrict people's access their money, how much money has been pumped back into the system, if black money issue has been addressed and the impact on the economy and poor. The PAC, which scrutinises the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), takes suo motu note of the important matters. (PTI)

Demonetisation: Parliamentary committee may summon Indian PM Narendra Modi

Amid a chill in India-Pakistan ties, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today called a high-level meeting and reviewed the current status of the country&#39;s ties with its neighbours and strategic partners, according to an official statement.

Sharif said Pakistan believes in peaceful co-existence with all countries of the region and looks forward to establish with them strong and mutually beneficial relations.

&quot;Peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and economically integrated region must be our shared objective and we must strive for realising this objective. This could be possible only when we demonstrate a commitment to our aspirations of peace, progress and prosperity,&quot; Sharif said during the meeting.

His remarks come amid severe low&nbsp;in Indo-Pak ties after Pakistan-based terrorists attacked an Indian army base in Uri in September. 
Sharif added that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor&nbsp;was a &quot;cornerstone of our own quest for regional connectivity and shared prosperity&quot;.

The meeting evaluated various policy options in response to different challenges in regard to foreign relations. It focused on issues pertaining to regional, external and internal security situation.

It also reviewed bilateral and multi-lateral relations with neighbouring countries, future roadmap for regional stability and maintenance of mutually beneficial relations with all countries in the region and beyond.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan, army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, ISI chief Lt. Gen&nbsp;Naveed Mukhtar, Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi, National Security Advisor Lt&nbsp;Gen&nbsp;(R) Nasser Khan Janjua and other senior officials attended the meeting.

(PTI)

'Peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and economically integrated region must be our shared objective...' said the Pakistani prime minister

Amid a chill in India-Pakistan ties, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today called a high-level meeting and reviewed the current status of the country's ties with its neighbours and strategic partners, according to an official statement. Sharif said Pakistan believes in peaceful co-existence with all countries of the region and looks forward to establish with them strong and mutually beneficial relations. "Peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and economically integrated region must be our shared objective and we must strive for realising this objective. This could be possible only when we demonstrate a commitment to our aspirations of peace, progress and prosperity," Sharif said during the meeting. His remarks come amid severe low in Indo-Pak ties after Pakistan-based terrorists attacked an Indian army base in Uri in September. Sharif added that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was a "cornerstone of our own quest for regional connectivity and shared prosperity". The meeting evaluated various policy options in response to different challenges in regard to foreign relations. It focused on issues pertaining to regional, external and internal security situation. It also reviewed bilateral and multi-lateral relations with neighbouring countries, future roadmap for regional stability and maintenance of mutually beneficial relations with all countries in the region and beyond. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan, army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, ISI chief Lt. Gen Naveed Mukhtar, Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi, National Security Advisor Lt Gen (R) Nasser Khan Janjua and other senior officials attended the meeting. (PTI)

Pakistan seeks peaceful ties with neighbours: Sharif

By&nbsp;Manju AB

Equated monthly installments (EMIs) on home, car, and education loans will fall by at least half a per cent with banks across the board reducing their lending rates.

On Sunday, India&#39;s largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), fired the first salvo by reducing its marginal cost-based lending rate (MCLR) by a whopping 0.9 per cent. With this, the bank has cut its benchmark rate by nearly 200 basis points from January 2015. Each basis point is equivalent to one-hundredth of a percentage.

As the deluge of deposits post demonetisation brought down funding costs for the bank and the government wanted to spread some New Year cheer (again post demonetisation), the cost of loans across the board have been made cheaper. The one-year MCLR of SBI, to which most of its loans are linked, is down to 8 per cent from an earlier 8.9 per cent. The reduction of 0.9 per cent is across all maturities.

The SBI action was followed within hours by peers. Punjab National Bank (PNB) has cut its one-year MCLR rate by 0.7 per cent to 8.45 per cent from 9.15 per cent, effective January 1. Similarly, Union Bank of India has reduced its one-year MCLR by 0.65 per cent to 8.65 per cent, effective January 2.

Rajnish Kumar, Managing Director in charge of retail loans, SBI, told DNA: &quot;The reduction will result in all loan rates to come down. For home loans, the reduction will be up to 0.75 per cent, depending on the tenure and the maturity. The quantum of reduction for car loans is being decided. There also we will give a good relief for customers. For a Rs 30 lakh loan for 30 years, the monthly EMI will come down by Rs 1,200.&quot;

The overnight MCLR is down to 7.75 per cent from 8.65 per cen, the one-month MCLR is down to 7.85 per cent from 8.75 per cent, the three-moth MCLR is down to 7.90 per cent from 8.80 per cent, the six-month MCLR is down to 7.95 per cent from 8.85 per cent, and the 2-year MCLR is down to 8.10 per cent from 9 per cent.

The banks cutting their lending rates supplements the sops Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised the housing sector, small and medium enterprises and farmers.

Banking sources say it is only a matter of time before the private sector banks -- ICICI and HDFC -- match the cuts.

Loan rates have no option but to fall, irrespective of what action the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) takes. If you take the latest bank credit and deposit growth rates put out by the central bank, it shows that while bank credit growth is steadily shrinking to 4 per cent, deposit growth, especially savings accounts, have swelled by 15.9 per cent. The wide gap shows the banking system is flush with cash and that lending costs would correspondingly fall.

Last week, the largest private sector lender, ICICI Bank, prepared itself for a lending rate cut by cutting its deposit rates to 7.5 per cent for a 390-day fixed deposit and 7 per cent for senior citizens, reducing rates by 0.10 per cent to 0.25 per cent on various maturities.

RBI introduced the MCLR system in April this year with the objective of expediting monetary policy transmission along with augmenting uniformity and transparency in the calculation methodology of lending rates. The rates are revised every month.

(This report first appeared in DNA)

&nbsp;

With banks cutting their lending rates, It is hoped the reductions will kick-start a stuttering economy

By Manju AB Equated monthly installments (EMIs) on home, car, and education loans will fall by at least half a per cent with banks across the board reducing their lending rates. On Sunday, India's largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), fired the first salvo by reducing its marginal cost-based lending rate (MCLR) by a whopping 0.9 per cent. With this, the bank has cut its benchmark rate by nearly 200 basis points from January 2015. Each basis point is equivalent to one-hundredth of a percentage. As the deluge of deposits post demonetisation brought down funding costs for the bank and the government wanted to spread some New Year cheer (again post demonetisation), the cost of loans across the board have been made cheaper. The one-year MCLR of SBI, to which most of its loans are linked, is down to 8 per cent from an earlier 8.9 per cent. The reduction of 0.9 per cent is across all maturities. The SBI action was followed within hours by peers. Punjab National Bank (PNB) has cut its one-year MCLR rate by 0.7 per cent to 8.45 per cent from 9.15 per cent, effective January 1. Similarly, Union Bank of India has reduced its one-year MCLR by 0.65 per cent to 8.65 per cent, effective January 2. Rajnish Kumar, Managing Director in charge of retail loans, SBI, told DNA: "The reduction will result in all loan rates to come down. For home loans, the reduction will be up to 0.75 per cent, depending on the tenure and the maturity. The quantum of reduction for car loans is being decided. There also we will give a good relief for customers. For a Rs 30 lakh loan for 30 years, the monthly EMI will come down by Rs 1,200." The overnight MCLR is down to 7.75 per cent from 8.65 per cen, the one-month MCLR is down to 7.85 per cent from 8.75 per cent, the three-moth MCLR is down to 7.90 per cent from 8.80 per cent, the six-month MCLR is down to 7.95 per cent from 8.85 per cent, and the 2-year MCLR is down to 8.10 per cent from 9 per cent. The banks cutting their lending rates supplements the sops Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised the housing sector, small and medium enterprises and farmers. Banking sources say it is only a matter of time before the private sector banks -- ICICI and HDFC -- match the cuts. Loan rates have no option but to fall, irrespective of what action the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) takes. If you take the latest bank credit and deposit growth rates put out by the central bank, it shows that while bank credit growth is steadily shrinking to 4 per cent, deposit growth, especially savings accounts, have swelled by 15.9 per cent. The wide gap shows the banking system is flush with cash and that lending costs would correspondingly fall. Last week, the largest private sector lender, ICICI Bank, prepared itself for a lending rate cut by cutting its deposit rates to 7.5 per cent for a 390-day fixed deposit and 7 per cent for senior citizens, reducing rates by 0.10 per cent to 0.25 per cent on various maturities. RBI introduced the MCLR system in April this year with the objective of expediting monetary policy transmission along with augmenting uniformity and transparency in the calculation methodology of lending rates. The rates are revised every month. (This report first appeared in DNA)

EMIs on home, car, education loans to fall by at least half a per cent

India&#39;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a raft of measures for the lower income group, senior citizens and pregnant women.

New housing schemes targeting the poor and lower middle class and&nbsp;new initiatives to encourage the farming sector and&nbsp;micro, small and medium enterprises in the country were also a part of the prime minister&#39;s New Year sops. 
 
&quot;The Prime Minister has congratulated people on having ensured that the world&#39;s largest drive against corruption and black money is a huge success. A series of welfare measures for women, senior citizens, farmers and middle classes are his way of thanking the people for their unstinted support,&quot; BJP spokesperson G V L Narsimha Rao said.

The prime minister&nbsp;also assuaged the honest people that the government will act as a friend to them so that their difficulties are eased. 
 
Among the sops announced in his address to the nation at the end of 50-day demonetisation period, Modi said senior citizens will get 8 per cent interest on deposits of upto Rs 7.5 lakh for 10 years and deposit of Rs 6000 into accounts of pregnant and lactating women in rural areas to meet medical expenses. 
 
For farmers, he announced that banks will not charge interest for 60 days on loans taken from district cooperative central bank and primary societies for rabi crop. 
 
For construction or expansion of a rural house, 3 per cent interest will be waived on loan of upto Rs 2 lakh. 
 
Announcing two new schemes under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, he said 4 per cent interest subvention on loans upto Rs 9 lakh and 3 per cent on loan upto Rs 12 lakh. 
 
&quot;The law will take its course with full force. The government will help the honest and protect them and see their difficulties are eased. How honest will gain from the government. This government is a friend of good people and wants to build on the good environment for the people to return to goodness,&quot; he said. 
 
Acknowledging that &quot;serious offences&quot; have been committed by some bank and government officials taking advantage of situation, he said &quot;they will not be spared&quot;.

Here are the key points from PM Modi&#39;s speech:

8.12pm: The prime minister also took a swipe at his critics, saying that the farming sector has not been hit hard by demonetisation. He said fertiliser sales are up by 9 per cent and rabi sowing has seen a 6 per cent increase

8.10pm: Modi has doubled the credit guarantee for MSMEs from Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore. That means micro, small and medium enterprises can take loan up to Rs 2 crore without any collateral

8.08pm: People prefer digital transactions. Also reiterates the BHIM app that was launched on December 30. The app will assist the poor in making digital transactions

8.05pm: Cash credit limit to be increased from 20 to 25 per cent on turnover of small enterprises

8.03pm: Modi also announces sops for pregnant women and senior citizens. For senior citizens, fixed deposit up to Rs 7.5 lakh will remain at 8 per cent for the next ten years. He has also promised Rs 6,000 cash assistance to pregnant women. The money will be transferred to their accounts directly. Earlier, pregnant women in 53 districts were given financial assistance of Rs 4,000 as part of pilot project

7.58: Three crore kisan (farmer)&nbsp;cards will be converted into Rupay cards in the next three months

7.56pm: Modi offers a raft of sops for the lower income group to purchase property

7.54pm: The poor and the lower income group can avail up to&nbsp;Rs 9 lakh loan will get 4 per cent exemption on interest. Those who look to avail Rs 12 lakh will get 3 per cent&nbsp;interest rebate

7.53pm: Modi announces two housing schemes for the poor people

7.51pm: Twenty four lakh people have declared their income to be above Rs 10 lakh per annum, says the Prime MInister

7.49pm: Modi also lauds the efforts put in by the banks and post offices across the country, but also chastises some bank officials of trying to help the corrupt skirt the demonetisation policy. Promises to act tough on them

7.47pm: The Naxals, arm dealers were all dealing in black money. But demonetisation has curbed&nbsp;their activities: Modi

7.46pm: The Indian premier promises to crack down on those found guilty of perpetrating the show economy

7.44pm: Plan to scrap cash was to corner the corrupt. Wanted to bolster the honest of the country. Wanted to ease the pain of the common man: PM

7.40pm: It was important to battle the scourge of&nbsp;black money. The rich were amassing money while the poor continued struggling: Modi

7.34pm: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanks the people of India for supporting demonetisation of old currency notes. Says the country witnessed a cleansing ritual since November 8 -- the date the Indian government announced its plan to scrap old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes.

(WION with inputs from PTI)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Indian prime minister also urged political parties to take steps to end black money in funding and corruption

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a raft of measures for the lower income group, senior citizens and pregnant women. New housing schemes targeting the poor and lower middle class and new initiatives to encourage the farming sector and micro, small and medium enterprises in the country were also a part of the prime minister's New Year sops. "The Prime Minister has congratulated people on having ensured that the world's largest drive against corruption and black money is a huge success. A series of welfare measures for women, senior citizens, farmers and middle classes are his way of thanking the people for their unstinted support," BJP spokesperson G V L Narsimha Rao said. The prime minister also assuaged the honest people that the government will act as a friend to them so that their difficulties are eased. Among the sops announced in his address to the nation at the end of 50-day demonetisation period, Modi said senior citizens will get 8 per cent interest on deposits of upto Rs 7.5 lakh for 10 years and deposit of Rs 6000 into accounts of pregnant and lactating women in rural areas to meet medical expenses. For farmers, he announced that banks will not charge interest for 60 days on loans taken from district cooperative central bank and primary societies for rabi crop. For construction or expansion of a rural house, 3 per cent interest will be waived on loan of upto Rs 2 lakh. Announcing two new schemes under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, he said 4 per cent interest subvention on loans upto Rs 9 lakh and 3 per cent on loan upto Rs 12 lakh. "The law will take its course with full force. The government will help the honest and protect them and see their difficulties are eased. How honest will gain from the government. This government is a friend of good people and wants to build on the good environment for the people to return to goodness," he said. Acknowledging that "serious offences" have been committed by some bank and government officials taking advantage of situation, he said "they will not be spared". Here are the key points from PM Modi's speech: 8.12pm: The prime minister also took a swipe at his critics, saying that the farming sector has not been hit hard by demonetisation. He said fertiliser sales are up by 9 per cent and rabi sowing has seen a 6 per cent increase 8.10pm: Modi has doubled the credit guarantee for MSMEs from Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore. That means micro, small and medium enterprises can take loan up to Rs 2 crore without any collateral 8.08pm: People prefer digital transactions. Also reiterates the BHIM app that was launched on December 30. The app will assist the poor in making digital transactions 8.05pm: Cash credit limit to be increased from 20 to 25 per cent on turnover of small enterprises 8.03pm: Modi also announces sops for pregnant women and senior citizens. For senior citizens, fixed deposit up to Rs 7.5 lakh will remain at 8 per cent for the next ten years. He has also promised Rs 6,000 cash assistance to pregnant women. The money will be transferred to their accounts directly. Earlier, pregnant women in 53 districts were given financial assistance of Rs 4,000 as part of pilot project 7.58: Three crore kisan (farmer) cards will be converted into Rupay cards in the next three months 7.56pm: Modi offers a raft of sops for the lower income group to purchase property 7.54pm: The poor and the lower income group can avail up to Rs 9 lakh loan will get 4 per cent exemption on interest. Those who look to avail Rs 12 lakh will get 3 per cent interest rebate 7.53pm: Modi announces two housing schemes for the poor people 7.51pm: Twenty four lakh people have declared their income to be above Rs 10 lakh per annum, says the Prime MInister 7.49pm: Modi also lauds the efforts put in by the banks and post offices across the country, but also chastises some bank officials of trying to help the corrupt skirt the demonetisation policy. Promises to act tough on them 7.47pm: The Naxals, arm dealers were all dealing in black money. But demonetisation has curbed their activities: Modi 7.46pm: The Indian premier promises to crack down on those found guilty of perpetrating the show economy 7.44pm: Plan to scrap cash was to corner the corrupt. Wanted to bolster the honest of the country. Wanted to ease the pain of the common man: PM 7.40pm: It was important to battle the scourge of black money. The rich were amassing money while the poor continued struggling: Modi 7.34pm: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanks the people of India for supporting demonetisation of old currency notes. Says the country witnessed a cleansing ritual since November 8 -- the date the Indian government announced its plan to scrap old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Demonetisation: Indian PM's thank you note ? Schemes for farmers, women, small businesses

The Reserve Bank has&nbsp;said that the cash withdrawal limit from ATMs will be increased to Rs 4,500 per day from the current Rs 2,500 starting from&nbsp;January 1.

However, there has been no change in the weekly withdrawal limit, which stands at Rs 24,000, including from ATM, for individuals (Rs 50,000 in case of small traders).

&quot;On a review of the position, the daily limit of withdrawal from ATMs has been increased (within the overall weekly limits specified) with effect from January 1, 2017, from the existing Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,500 per day per card,&quot; the central bank said in a notification.

Following demonetisation of old Rs 500/1000 notes on November 9, limits had been imposed on withdrawal of cash from banks as well as ATMs.

The Reserve Bank&#39;s notification further stated &quot;there is no change in weekly withdrawal limits&quot; and such disbursals &quot;should predominantly be in the denomination of Rs 500&quot;.

Earlier in the day, the RBI had permitted White Label ATM Operators (WLAOs) to source cash from retail outlets.

Most of the White Label ATMs are running dry since demonetisation as the operators were facing difficulties in sourcing cash from their sponsor bank(s).

Today was the last day to deposit the invalid currency notes in banks. However, people still have time to exchange the currency notes at designated RBI counters until&nbsp;March 31 after giving valid reasons for not depositing defunct notes in their accounts by December 30.

(PTI)

But the weekly withdrawal limit of Rs 24,000 remains the same

The Reserve Bank has said that the cash withdrawal limit from ATMs will be increased to Rs 4,500 per day from the current Rs 2,500 starting from January 1. However, there has been no change in the weekly withdrawal limit, which stands at Rs 24,000, including from ATM, for individuals (Rs 50,000 in case of small traders). "On a review of the position, the daily limit of withdrawal from ATMs has been increased (within the overall weekly limits specified) with effect from January 1, 2017, from the existing Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,500 per day per card," the central bank said in a notification. Following demonetisation of old Rs 500/1000 notes on November 9, limits had been imposed on withdrawal of cash from banks as well as ATMs. The Reserve Bank's notification further stated "there is no change in weekly withdrawal limits" and such disbursals "should predominantly be in the denomination of Rs 500". Earlier in the day, the RBI had permitted White Label ATM Operators (WLAOs) to source cash from retail outlets. Most of the White Label ATMs are running dry since demonetisation as the operators were facing difficulties in sourcing cash from their sponsor bank(s). Today was the last day to deposit the invalid currency notes in banks. However, people still have time to exchange the currency notes at designated RBI counters until March 31 after giving valid reasons for not depositing defunct notes in their accounts by December 30. (PTI)

Demonetisation: ATM withdrawal limit up to Rs 4,500 per day starting Jan 1

Preparations for a Buddhist ceremony, the 34th Kalachakra (Wheel of Time) ritual, have slacked due to a cash crunch in the holy city of Gaya in India&#39;s eastern Bihar province following the federal government&#39;s shock demonetisation move.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s sudden move to outlaw 86 per cent of cash in circulation on November 8 has caused huge disruptions to daily life, as well as affecting donations offered at various holy places.

The Kalachakra ritual, an esoteric but very important Buddhist rite for activating dormant enlightenment, is scheduled to take place from January 3-14. To mitigate the plight of cash strapped believers, the administration said it planned to take the help of banks.

&quot;As the prayers have not yet begun, so it is difficult to say. But whatever problem is faced due to the cash crunch, we can handle it. We have contacted the banks and I think we will be able to find a reasonable solution to it,&quot; said Gaya District Magistrate, Kumar Ravi on Tuesday.

Shopkeepers, however, have been disappointed by the forecast of a slump in business.

&quot;I think not even 20 per cent of the crowd which we were expecting will come for the Kalachakra prayer,&quot; said leader of Foothpath Shopkeepers Association, Noushad Alam.

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, will begin the ceremony at the Mahabodhi temple followed by prayers.

With the cash economy estimated to account for a fifth of India&#39;s $2 trillion gross domestic product, Modi&#39;s demonetisation decision has disrupted the daily lives of hundreds of millions of Indians.

The move to demonetise the large bills was originally said to be&nbsp;designed to bring billions of dollars&#39;&nbsp;worth of cash in unaccounted wealth into the mainstream economy, as well as dent the finances of Islamist militants who target India and are suspected of using fake 500 rupee notes to fund operations.&nbsp;

Many now say demonetisation is an&nbsp;attempt to digitize India and help make it a<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/banking/finance/banking/demonetisation-modi-govt-is-betting-its-future-on-digital-india-will-it-bear-good-results/articleshow/55969340.cms"> cashless economy.</a>

(Reuters)

The 34th Kalachakra ritual in the holy city of Gaya in India's eastern Bihar province has been impacted by the government's shocking move

Preparations for a Buddhist ceremony, the 34th Kalachakra (Wheel of Time) ritual, have slacked due to a cash crunch in the holy city of Gaya in India's eastern Bihar province following the federal government's shock demonetisation move. Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s sudden move to outlaw 86 per cent of cash in circulation on November 8 has caused huge disruptions to daily life, as well as affecting donations offered at various holy places. The Kalachakra ritual, an esoteric but very important Buddhist rite for activating dormant enlightenment, is scheduled to take place from January 3-14. To mitigate the plight of cash strapped believers, the administration said it planned to take the help of banks. "As the prayers have not yet begun, so it is difficult to say. But whatever problem is faced due to the cash crunch, we can handle it. We have contacted the banks and I think we will be able to find a reasonable solution to it," said Gaya District Magistrate, Kumar Ravi on Tuesday. Shopkeepers, however, have been disappointed by the forecast of a slump in business. "I think not even 20 per cent of the crowd which we were expecting will come for the Kalachakra prayer," said leader of Foothpath Shopkeepers Association, Noushad Alam. Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, will begin the ceremony at the Mahabodhi temple followed by prayers. With the cash economy estimated to account for a fifth of India's $2 trillion gross domestic product, Modi's demonetisation decision has disrupted the daily lives of hundreds of millions of Indians. The move to demonetise the large bills was originally said to be designed to bring billions of dollars' worth of cash in unaccounted wealth into the mainstream economy, as well as dent the finances of Islamist militants who target India and are suspected of using fake 500 rupee notes to fund operations. Many now say demonetisation is an attempt to digitize India and help make it a cashless economy. (Reuters)

Demonetisation: Cash crunch disrupts Buddhist ceremony

Launching a counter-attack against the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today asked her if the huge amount of money deposited in her party&#39;s bank account was a money conversion exercise as it accused her of using her Dalit identity to hide &quot;corruption&quot;.

The BJP fielded Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to attack Mayawati, and hurled other charges at them.

&quot;Her allegations are baseless and we reject it with the contempt they deserve. If the Enforcement Directorate (ED) does a routine exercise, why is she so rattled? Will your corruption be hidden in the name of Dalits. Does Mayawati want to say that her corruption should be seen as a fight against Dalits? It is an insult of Dalits,&quot; he told a press conference.

Noting that she did not deny the deposits in the BSP&#39;s account, he asked, &quot;It raises a bigger question. Is it a donation or money conversion exercise?&quot;

The development of Dalits cannot be &quot;mortgaged&quot; to corruption, he said.

Prasad also made light of her claim that Rs 104 crore found in BSP&#39;s bank account in Delhi had come by way of political donations and that those were converted into high denomination notes before being deposited after the note ban kicked in on November 8.

&quot;Small currencies were converted into bigger bills and the money was not deposited in August, September and October but soon after demonetisation. It also raised a lot of suspicion. Now we are getting signals of why she has been opposing the note ban so strongly from the first day,&quot; Prasad said.

He also rejected her claim that the ED&#39;s action was linked to her assertion that the BJP was pushing Samajwadi Party (SP)&nbsp;and Congress for an alliance for the Uttar Pradesh (UP)&nbsp;assembly polls.

&quot;This is nothing but her frustration. She made these comments only yesterday while deposits were made much earlier...As far as BJP is concerned, even if SP, BSP and Congress come together, it will emerge victorious,&quot; he said.

When asked about her demand that BJP too make public the donations it has received, he said all parties submit these details to the Election Commission which puts it on its website.

On the government&#39;s stand on electoral reforms, he said those were primarily the Election Commission&#39;s job but it was open to supporting &quot;positive reforms&quot;.

&quot;As far as improvement is concerned we are certainly open to that. There has to be proper initiative and consensus,&quot; he said.

When asked about Mayawati&#39;s assertion that the ED action would help her in the Uttar Pradesh state elections the same way as the alleged Taj corridor corruption case started under the NDA I in 2007, Prasad said, She had forgotten that there were Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and what happened to her party then.

(PTI)&nbsp;

'Her allegations are baseless and we reject it with the contempt they deserve', said Prasad, the lawyer the BJP fielded to attack Mayawati

Launching a counter-attack against the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today asked her if the huge amount of money deposited in her party's bank account was a money conversion exercise as it accused her of using her Dalit identity to hide "corruption". The BJP fielded Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to attack Mayawati, and hurled other charges at them. "Her allegations are baseless and we reject it with the contempt they deserve. If the Enforcement Directorate (ED) does a routine exercise, why is she so rattled? Will your corruption be hidden in the name of Dalits. Does Mayawati want to say that her corruption should be seen as a fight against Dalits? It is an insult of Dalits," he told a press conference. Noting that she did not deny the deposits in the BSP's account, he asked, "It raises a bigger question. Is it a donation or money conversion exercise?" The development of Dalits cannot be "mortgaged" to corruption, he said. Prasad also made light of her claim that Rs 104 crore found in BSP's bank account in Delhi had come by way of political donations and that those were converted into high denomination notes before being deposited after the note ban kicked in on November 8. "Small currencies were converted into bigger bills and the money was not deposited in August, September and October but soon after demonetisation. It also raised a lot of suspicion. Now we are getting signals of why she has been opposing the note ban so strongly from the first day," Prasad said. He also rejected her claim that the ED's action was linked to her assertion that the BJP was pushing Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress for an alliance for the Uttar Pradesh (UP) assembly polls. "This is nothing but her frustration. She made these comments only yesterday while deposits were made much earlier...As far as BJP is concerned, even if SP, BSP and Congress come together, it will emerge victorious," he said. When asked about her demand that BJP too make public the donations it has received, he said all parties submit these details to the Election Commission which puts it on its website. On the government's stand on electoral reforms, he said those were primarily the Election Commission's job but it was open to supporting "positive reforms". "As far as improvement is concerned we are certainly open to that. There has to be proper initiative and consensus," he said. When asked about Mayawati's assertion that the ED action would help her in the Uttar Pradesh state elections the same way as the alleged Taj corridor corruption case started under the NDA I in 2007, Prasad said, She had forgotten that there were Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and what happened to her party then. (PTI)

BJP attacks Mayawati over Rs 104 cr in bank account

Prime Minister Narendra Modi woved Sunday to crack down on &quot;benami&quot; properties. Benami properties are properties bought in other people&#39;s names in order to convert &quot;black&quot;&nbsp;or untaxed money into &quot;white&quot; and to avoid pay tax. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Referring to the benami properties law, which has so far been lying dormant, he said: &nbsp;&ldquo;We have retrieved it and turned it into an incisive law against benami property. In the coming days, this law will also become operational. For the benefit of the nation, for the benefit of the people, whatever needs to be done will be accorded our top priority,&rdquo; he said.

Modi continued his digital drive on Sunday, exhorting people on his monthly radio address &quot;Mann ki Baat&quot; to continue going &quot;cashless&quot;.&nbsp;

To start with, Mr Modi announced the launch of two lucky-draw schemes -- the Lucky Grahak Yojana for consumers and the Digi Dhan Vyapar Yojana for small traders -- to encourage people to transact digitally.&nbsp;

Starting today, for the next 100 days, Mr Modi said 15,000 lucky shoppers -- who make digital payments rather than use cash -- would get back Rs 1,000 every day. The draw, he said, would be run in a 100 cities across the country.

&quot;Lakhs of people will get crores of rupees,&quot; Mr Modi said.&nbsp;

There would also be a weekly draw with that prize money running into the lakhs,&nbsp;he added.

&ldquo;A bumper draw will be held on BR Ambedkar&rsquo;s birthday (April 14),&rdquo; he said.

Small traders who go digital, Mr Modi said, would be given income tax rebates.&nbsp;

&quot;They (the small traders) must encourage cashless transactions,&quot; Modi said.&nbsp;

The prime minister also vowed to crack down on &#39;benami&#39; (fictitious) properties, adding that he would do everything to thwart corruption in the country. People usually buy such properties to avoid taxes.&nbsp;

Curiosity to go cashless

&quot;Today there is curiosity among people as to how can one go cashless. People want to learn from each other,&quot;&nbsp;Mr Modi said

&quot;You will be surprised to know that 30 crore people in India have RuPay cards, of those 20 crore belong to poor families who have Jan Dhan accounts,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

And finally, said Mr Modi, cashless transactions have seen a 200 to 300% increase in recent times

The informal sector

Mr Modi also touched upon the informal sector, which is where most of the stories of hardship are coming in from.&nbsp;(The demonetisation of India&#39;s 500- and 1,000-rupee notes on November 8 sucked 86% of total currency in circulation at the time out of the market. With so much cash gone, things have been hard for people in a country where 68% of transactions are cash-based. If you were to calculate by volume, that figure goes up to 98%. But the government has stuck to its guns, saying the demonetisation would put a stop to &quot;black&quot;&nbsp;or untaxed money and terror funding.&nbsp;And since then, it has also said it would like to see India becoming a &quot;cashless&quot;&nbsp;or at least a &quot;less-cash&quot;&nbsp;economy.)&nbsp;

&quot;Informal sector is very significant in our country and mostly they receive salary/wages in cash and are often even exploitated,&quot;&nbsp;Mr Modi said.&nbsp;

A golden opportunity

But looking on the bright side, Mr Modi said: &quot;This digital movement is a golden opportunity for youth and start-ups. They can open new avenues through it.&quot;&nbsp;

And that, &quot;We should be at the forefront of using digital means to make payments and transactions.&quot;&nbsp;

Feeback, both bad and good

He said people had written to him, telling him about the problems they had had to put up with&nbsp;because of the demonetisation. But some people he said, praised the&nbsp;demonetisation, and how it fights corruption.

&quot;I thank people as they not only went through hardships but also answered back those who tried to mislead the public,&quot; said Mr Modi.&nbsp;

The many rule changes

&quot;Lot of questions are being raised on frequent change of rules but I want to say that I have decided to take on those indulging in corruption,&quot; Mr Modi said. He added that the changes in rules -- there have been 60 so far since November 8 -- were a result of feedback. A way of rectifying the rules to try and make things easier for people.&nbsp;

Not the end, only the beginning

&quot;I assure you that this is not the end, this is just the beginning in our fight against corruption. It is our priority to do whatever it takes for the betterment of our nation,&quot; said Mr Modi.&nbsp;

He added, &quot;Black money hoarders are being nabbed across the country. Secret is that information by common people enables us to do it.&quot;&nbsp;

And that, &quot;Many are writing to me: Modiji thak mat jaana, rukk mat jaana aur jitna kathor kadam utha sakte ho uthao.&quot; (Do not tire, do not stop, take the harshest step&nbsp;that you can.)&nbsp;

(WION)

He says the so-far dormant benami properties law has been retrieved and will soon be operational

Prime Minister Narendra Modi woved Sunday to crack down on "benami" properties. Benami properties are properties bought in other people's names in order to convert "black" or untaxed money into "white" and to avoid pay tax. Referring to the benami properties law, which has so far been lying dormant, he said: “We have retrieved it and turned it into an incisive law against benami property. In the coming days, this law will also become operational. For the benefit of the nation, for the benefit of the people, whatever needs to be done will be accorded our top priority,” he said. Modi continued his digital drive on Sunday, exhorting people on his monthly radio address "Mann ki Baat" to continue going "cashless". To start with, Mr Modi announced the launch of two lucky-draw schemes -- the Lucky Grahak Yojana for consumers and the Digi Dhan Vyapar Yojana for small traders -- to encourage people to transact digitally. Starting today, for the next 100 days, Mr Modi said 15,000 lucky shoppers -- who make digital payments rather than use cash -- would get back Rs 1,000 every day. The draw, he said, would be run in a 100 cities across the country. "Lakhs of people will get crores of rupees," Mr Modi said. There would also be a weekly draw with that prize money running into the lakhs, he added. “A bumper draw will be held on BR Ambedkar’s birthday (April 14),” he said. Small traders who go digital, Mr Modi said, would be given income tax rebates. "They (the small traders) must encourage cashless transactions," Modi said. The prime minister also vowed to crack down on 'benami' (fictitious) properties, adding that he would do everything to thwart corruption in the country. People usually buy such properties to avoid taxes. Curiosity to go cashless "Today there is curiosity among people as to how can one go cashless. People want to learn from each other," Mr Modi said "You will be surprised to know that 30 crore people in India have RuPay cards, of those 20 crore belong to poor families who have Jan Dhan accounts," he added. And finally, said Mr Modi, cashless transactions have seen a 200 to 300% increase in recent times The informal sector Mr Modi also touched upon the informal sector, which is where most of the stories of hardship are coming in from. (The demonetisation of India's 500- and 1,000-rupee notes on November 8 sucked 86% of total currency in circulation at the time out of the market. With so much cash gone, things have been hard for people in a country where 68% of transactions are cash-based. If you were to calculate by volume, that figure goes up to 98%. But the government has stuck to its guns, saying the demonetisation would put a stop to "black" or untaxed money and terror funding. And since then, it has also said it would like to see India becoming a "cashless" or at least a "less-cash" economy.) "Informal sector is very significant in our country and mostly they receive salary/wages in cash and are often even exploitated," Mr Modi said. A golden opportunity But looking on the bright side, Mr Modi said: "This digital movement is a golden opportunity for youth and start-ups. They can open new avenues through it." And that, "We should be at the forefront of using digital means to make payments and transactions." Feeback, both bad and good He said people had written to him, telling him about the problems they had had to put up with because of the demonetisation. But some people he said, praised the demonetisation, and how it fights corruption. "I thank people as they not only went through hardships but also answered back those who tried to mislead the public," said Mr Modi. The many rule changes "Lot of questions are being raised on frequent change of rules but I want to say that I have decided to take on those indulging in corruption," Mr Modi said. He added that the changes in rules -- there have been 60 so far since November 8 -- were a result of feedback. A way of rectifying the rules to try and make things easier for people. Not the end, only the beginning "I assure you that this is not the end, this is just the beginning in our fight against corruption. It is our priority to do whatever it takes for the betterment of our nation," said Mr Modi. He added, "Black money hoarders are being nabbed across the country. Secret is that information by common people enables us to do it." And that, "Many are writing to me: Modiji thak mat jaana, rukk mat jaana aur jitna kathor kadam utha sakte ho uthao." (Do not tire, do not stop, take the harshest step that you can.) (WION)

Demonetisation: Prime Minister Modi vows to crack down on 'benami' properties

Why do Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi continue to pulverise each other with trivialities, sarcasm and cherry picked facts. Is it temporary or does it represents a permanent shift in the way politicians, mainstream and social media would behave with each other? In my opinion, it is a new reality of Indian political life, and it needs to be altered before it does deep and permanent damage to India&rsquo;s democratic discourse. It creates a culture to out-talk the adversary rather than engage in a dialogue, which is the most important pillar of democracy. Nations cannot turn their backs upon new technologies, but must be aware of the potential it holds to change the institution for which it is being imagined to help.

The new technology indeed liberates opinion from few and transfers it to everyone who can afford a 3G connection. It has expanded the pool of opinion makers, both geographically and class-wise. The very act has stolen the thunder from corporately structured mainstream media. It also makes mainstream media look compromised as talk on the social media is open to issue of corporate political nexus.The reduction of message to lowest common denominator, coupled with furious and repetitive messaging, makes technology&nbsp;used&nbsp;less for&nbsp;debate and more about putting down a rival on any trivial issue it can find. &nbsp;

So the larger question is how&nbsp;this aggressive messaging-politics will affect India. In the West it galvanised stereotypes masquerading as facts creating a minority complex within the majority. The results were on the expected line. The liberal opinion was rendered ineffective as it was criticised from the vantage point of political outsider. The accusation, whether grounded in fact or not, creates enough doubt in people to either extend or withdraw support on major issues. It solidifies the support constituency and hardens the opinion, rather than making it open to new ideas. It was best evident when Hillary Clinton lost the election&nbsp;because,&nbsp;only days before voters went to the polls,&nbsp;the FBI chief announced that the&nbsp;agency would open up a new investigation into her email scandal; the suggestion of the case re-opening confirmed her guilt&nbsp;for&nbsp;people who had been&nbsp;barraged with negative email messaging for months. Their&nbsp;minds were already so made up that&nbsp;the fact that&nbsp;she was eventually cleared of all wrongdoing, again, made no impact on their opinion.

Will this happen in India or not is a different story, but it renders certain institutional interactions compromised. The worst brunt of the redefined relationship between Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi because of technologically-enabled constant messaging was taken by the Parliament. Despite repeated offer of talks, both sides remained firm on their position and didn&rsquo;t budge as constant messaging solidified the views of supporters, reducing political elbow room for any compromise. So instead of genuine dialogue, the political discourse has reduced itself to out-talk the other. The process of out-talk, which was limited to assembly and national elections, has extended itself to normal discourse which relies on conversation. The out-talk might have immediate benefits, like management of opinion, but it creates an unhealthy political discourse.

Robust democracies rest&nbsp;on structured and unstructured discussions in every space available. Technology should be used to&nbsp;enable this, but to expect it&nbsp;to act as a wise&nbsp;enabler would be to fool oneself;&nbsp;technology is inherently amoral. The moral rim sprouts from the cultural bed unique to the country where the democracy rests. If India wants to walk a different path, especially from the West--which for the&nbsp;past 50 years&nbsp;has&nbsp;been exporting different phobias, ranging from socialism to an absence of liberty in West Asia and now Islam--it needs to do more. Indian political actors must re-learn the art of conversation and not score partisan points&nbsp;by out-talking each other.

A conversation is a journey in itself, and to out-talk is to walk on a path where the end has been imagined and consumed even before the first syllable has been uttered. &nbsp;

(WION)

Technology has reduced India's political discourse to out-talking opponents, rather than meaningful dialogue. Hopefully, this can change

Why do Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi continue to pulverise each other with trivialities, sarcasm and cherry picked facts. Is it temporary or does it represents a permanent shift in the way politicians, mainstream and social media would behave with each other? In my opinion, it is a new reality of Indian political life, and it needs to be altered before it does deep and permanent damage to India’s democratic discourse. It creates a culture to out-talk the adversary rather than engage in a dialogue, which is the most important pillar of democracy. Nations cannot turn their backs upon new technologies, but must be aware of the potential it holds to change the institution for which it is being imagined to help. The new technology indeed liberates opinion from few and transfers it to everyone who can afford a 3G connection. It has expanded the pool of opinion makers, both geographically and class-wise. The very act has stolen the thunder from corporately structured mainstream media. It also makes mainstream media look compromised as talk on the social media is open to issue of corporate political nexus.The reduction of message to lowest common denominator, coupled with furious and repetitive messaging, makes technology used less for debate and more about putting down a rival on any trivial issue it can find. So the larger question is how this aggressive messaging-politics will affect India. In the West it galvanised stereotypes masquerading as facts creating a minority complex within the majority. The results were on the expected line. The liberal opinion was rendered ineffective as it was criticised from the vantage point of political outsider. The accusation, whether grounded in fact or not, creates enough doubt in people to either extend or withdraw support on major issues. It solidifies the support constituency and hardens the opinion, rather than making it open to new ideas. It was best evident when Hillary Clinton lost the election because, only days before voters went to the polls, the FBI chief announced that the agency would open up a new investigation into her email scandal; the suggestion of the case re-opening confirmed her guilt for people who had been barraged with negative email messaging for months. Their minds were already so made up that the fact that she was eventually cleared of all wrongdoing, again, made no impact on their opinion. Will this happen in India or not is a different story, but it renders certain institutional interactions compromised. The worst brunt of the redefined relationship between Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi because of technologically-enabled constant messaging was taken by the Parliament. Despite repeated offer of talks, both sides remained firm on their position and didn’t budge as constant messaging solidified the views of supporters, reducing political elbow room for any compromise. So instead of genuine dialogue, the political discourse has reduced itself to out-talk the other. The process of out-talk, which was limited to assembly and national elections, has extended itself to normal discourse which relies on conversation. The out-talk might have immediate benefits, like management of opinion, but it creates an unhealthy political discourse. Robust democracies rest on structured and unstructured discussions in every space available. Technology should be used to enable this, but to expect it to act as a wise enabler would be to fool oneself; technology is inherently amoral. The moral rim sprouts from the cultural bed unique to the country where the democracy rests. If India wants to walk a different path, especially from the West--which for the past 50 years has been exporting different phobias, ranging from socialism to an absence of liberty in West Asia and now Islam--it needs to do more. Indian political actors must re-learn the art of conversation and not score partisan points by out-talking each other. A conversation is a journey in itself, and to out-talk is to walk on a path where the end has been imagined and consumed even before the first syllable has been uttered. (WION)

Facts or no facts : Let?s out-talk the other guy

US President Barack Obama has signed into law the $618 billion defence budget for 2017, which enhances security cooperation with India, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

The bill also conditions nearly half of US funding to Pakistan on certification that it is taking demonstrable steps against the Haqqani Network.

The National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2017 asks the US defence secretary and secretary of state to take the steps necessary to recognise India as a &ldquo;major defence partner&rdquo; of the US.

It also asks the administration to help resolve any remaining issues impeding US-India defence and security cooperation, trade, and co-production and co-development opportunities, PTI reported.

The NDAA imposes four conditions on Pakistan to be eligible for $400 million of $900 million of coalition support funds (CSF), PTI reported. &nbsp;

PTI reported that the US defence secretary needs to certify to Congress that Pakistan continues to conduct military operations that are contributing significantly to disrupting the safe havens and freedom of movement of the Haqqani Network in Pakistan and that Islamabad has taken steps to demonstrate its commitment to prevent the Haqqani Network from using any of its territory as a safe haven.

(WION with inputs from PTI)

The bill conditions nearly half of US funding to Pakistan on certification that it is taking demonstrable steps against the Haqqani Network

US President Barack Obama has signed into law the $618 billion defence budget for 2017, which enhances security cooperation with India, news agency Press Trust of India reported. The bill also conditions nearly half of US funding to Pakistan on certification that it is taking demonstrable steps against the Haqqani Network. The National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2017 asks the US defence secretary and secretary of state to take the steps necessary to recognise India as a “major defence partner” of the US. It also asks the administration to help resolve any remaining issues impeding US-India defence and security cooperation, trade, and co-production and co-development opportunities, PTI reported. The NDAA imposes four conditions on Pakistan to be eligible for $400 million of $900 million of coalition support funds (CSF), PTI reported. PTI reported that the US defence secretary needs to certify to Congress that Pakistan continues to conduct military operations that are contributing significantly to disrupting the safe havens and freedom of movement of the Haqqani Network in Pakistan and that Islamabad has taken steps to demonstrate its commitment to prevent the Haqqani Network from using any of its territory as a safe haven. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Obama signs $618 billion defence bill, boosts security cooperation with India

modi

Modi, News on Modi, stories on Modi, articles on Modi, Modi stories at Wion, Modi news, Modi latest news