<p>US President Donald Trump`s daughter Ivanka Trump is set to get a&nbsp;royal treatment at Taj Falaknuma, the palace hotel where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting a dinner for her and other delegates of Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) on November 28.</p>

<p>A possible ride on the regal horse-drawn carriage from the main gate to the palace atop the hill, a rose petal shower, a gala dinner on the famed 101-seater dining table with mouth-watering delicacies on the menu and of course a guided tour to the grand palace await Ivanka.</p>

<p>While she will be staying at Westin Hotel near the GES venue in Hitec City, Nizam`s suite, the costliest among all suites at Falaknuma, has been booked for her in case she wants to stay for a couple of hours, sources told IANS.</p>

<p>Nizam`s suite, which used to be the private suite of the ruler of Hyderabad State, costs a whopping Rs5 lakh to Rs8 lakh a night, depending on the season.</p>

<p>Ivanka will join the select list of VVIP guests to visit Falaknuma, arguably the most beautiful among over a dozen palaces in the city of pearls.</p>

<p>While Czar Nicholas II (when the heir to the Russian throne), King George V and Queen Mary and royalty from different parts of the world visited Falaknuma as the guests of Nizam, Ivanka will be the guest of the Indian government.</p>

<p>The advisor to White House is also the first high-profile foreign dignitary visiting the palace after it was converted into a star hotel a decade ago.</p>

<p>It`s still not clear if Ivanka will take a buggy (horse-drawn carriage) of Nizam era to reach the palace from the main gate.</p>

<p>For all the guests, vehicles are allowed only up to the main gate and from there are ferried either by horse-drawn carriages or battery-operated cars. Sources said exception, however, could be made for VVIPs on security grounds.</p>

<p>On entering the palace and ascending the grand staircase, the guests are welcomed with a shower of rose petals. Elaborate arrangements have been made to accord to a memorable welcome to Ivanka.</p>

<p>Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, some key members of US delegation, selected politicians and industrialists will join Ivanka and Modi on a 101-seater dining table, on which the Nizam used to dine with his guests.</p>

<p>The dinner for other delegates has been arranged in the gardens in the palace premises.</p>

<p>Interestingly, Narendra Modi will become the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Falaknuma. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, was among its guests.</p>

<p>A palace historian may take Ivanka, Modi, and others for a guided tour of the palace aptly named `Falaknuma` or mirror of heavens.</p>

<p>It was Nawab Vaqar-ul-Umra, the Nizam`s prime minister, who built the palace in 1893. Impressed by its magnificence, sixth Nizam Mir Mahboob Ali Khan bought it for himself and stayed there till 1911.</p>

<p>Built over 32 acres, the scorpion-shaped, all-marble palace stands tall in its splendour and majesty atop a hill, at 2,000 ft above sea level and overlooks the old city of Hyderabad.</p>

<p>A majestic blend of Italian and Tudor architecture, it has 60 lavish rooms and halls including Durbar Hall, embellished with intricately carved wooden ceilings, parquet flooring, regal walnut wood furniture and handcrafted mirrors.</p>

<p>The interiors are a splendid interplay of Venetian chandeliers and intricate frescos and have charming outdoor terraces, and a treasure of rare artefacts, including paintings, statues, furniture, manuscripts, and books.</p>


US President Donald Trump`s daughter Ivanka Trump is set to get a?royal treatment at Taj Falaknuma, the palace hotel where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting a dinner for her and other delegates of Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) on November 28

US President Donald Trump`s daughter Ivanka Trump is set to get a royal treatment at Taj Falaknuma, the palace hotel where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting a dinner for her and other delegates of Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) on November 28. A possible ride on the regal horse-drawn carriage from the main gate to the palace atop the hill, a rose petal shower, a gala dinner on the famed 101-seater dining table with mouth-watering delicacies on the menu and of course a guided tour to the grand palace await Ivanka. While she will be staying at Westin Hotel near the GES venue in Hitec City, Nizam`s suite, the costliest among all suites at Falaknuma, has been booked for her in case she wants to stay for a couple of hours, sources told IANS. Nizam`s suite, which used to be the private suite of the ruler of Hyderabad State, costs a whopping Rs5 lakh to Rs8 lakh a night, depending on the season. Ivanka will join the select list of VVIP guests to visit Falaknuma, arguably the most beautiful among over a dozen palaces in the city of pearls. While Czar Nicholas II (when the heir to the Russian throne), King George V and Queen Mary and royalty from different parts of the world visited Falaknuma as the guests of Nizam, Ivanka will be the guest of the Indian government. The advisor to White House is also the first high-profile foreign dignitary visiting the palace after it was converted into a star hotel a decade ago. It`s still not clear if Ivanka will take a buggy (horse-drawn carriage) of Nizam era to reach the palace from the main gate. For all the guests, vehicles are allowed only up to the main gate and from there are ferried either by horse-drawn carriages or battery-operated cars. Sources said exception, however, could be made for VVIPs on security grounds. On entering the palace and ascending the grand staircase, the guests are welcomed with a shower of rose petals. Elaborate arrangements have been made to accord to a memorable welcome to Ivanka. Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, some key members of US delegation, selected politicians and industrialists will join Ivanka and Modi on a 101-seater dining table, on which the Nizam used to dine with his guests. The dinner for other delegates has been arranged in the gardens in the palace premises. Interestingly, Narendra Modi will become the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Falaknuma. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, was among its guests. A palace historian may take Ivanka, Modi, and others for a guided tour of the palace aptly named `Falaknuma` or mirror of heavens. It was Nawab Vaqar-ul-Umra, the Nizam`s prime minister, who built the palace in 1893. Impressed by its magnificence, sixth Nizam Mir Mahboob Ali Khan bought it for himself and stayed there till 1911. Built over 32 acres, the scorpion-shaped, all-marble palace stands tall in its splendour and majesty atop a hill, at 2,000 ft above sea level and overlooks the old city of Hyderabad. A majestic blend of Italian and Tudor architecture, it has 60 lavish rooms and halls including Durbar Hall, embellished with intricately carved wooden ceilings, parquet flooring, regal walnut wood furniture and handcrafted mirrors. The interiors are a splendid interplay of Venetian chandeliers and intricate frescos and have charming outdoor terraces, and a treasure of rare artefacts, including paintings, statues, furniture, manuscripts, and books.

Royal treatment awaits Ivanka Trump at Global Entrepreneurship Summit

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday suggested nations to adopt stricter rules on preventing cyberspace from becoming a platform for &#39;dark forces of terrorism and radicalisation,&quot; while addressing the crowd in the cyberspace conference.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;We need to ensure that vulnerable sections of our society do not fall prey to the evil designs of cyber criminals. Alertness towards cyber-security concerns should become a way of life. Nations must also take a responsibility to ensure that the digital space does not become a playground for the dark forces of terrorism and radicalisation,&quot; he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Further, the Prime Minister said it was necessary for the global community to approach the issue of cyber-security with conviction.</p>

<p>&#39;Cyber for All: A Secure and Inclusive Cyberspace for Sustainable Development&#39; is a two-day event which is being organised for the first time in India.</p>

<p>More than ten&nbsp;thousand delegates have taken part in the conference in person which will also include virtual participation from over 2800 locations across the world that will be connected in an interactive mode.</p>

<p>The conference has been organised to encourage people to take steps to prevent cyber-crime and signify the inclusiveness and human rights in global cyber policy.</p>

<p>&quot;The GCCS 2017 is certainly in accord with the Hon&#39;ble Prime Minister&#39;s vision to transform India into a digitally empowered country. GCCS 2017 will give the world&#39;s cyber community a unique opportunity to learn from global experience and expert insight, and discover more about the technology led transformation being engineered in India,&quot; Ravi Shankar Prasad, Electronics &amp; IT and Law &amp; Justice Minister said on Wednesday, as reported by the media.</p>

<p>External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will deliver the keynote address at the valedictory function.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>(with input from agencies)&nbsp;</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated 5th Global Conference on 'Cyber Space', a two-day event, in the national capital.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday suggested nations to adopt stricter rules on preventing cyberspace from becoming a platform for 'dark forces of terrorism and radicalisation," while addressing the crowd in the cyberspace conference. "We need to ensure that vulnerable sections of our society do not fall prey to the evil designs of cyber criminals. Alertness towards cyber-security concerns should become a way of life. Nations must also take a responsibility to ensure that the digital space does not become a playground for the dark forces of terrorism and radicalisation," he said. Further, the Prime Minister said it was necessary for the global community to approach the issue of cyber-security with conviction. 'Cyber for All: A Secure and Inclusive Cyberspace for Sustainable Development' is a two-day event which is being organised for the first time in India. More than ten thousand delegates have taken part in the conference in person which will also include virtual participation from over 2800 locations across the world that will be connected in an interactive mode. The conference has been organised to encourage people to take steps to prevent cyber-crime and signify the inclusiveness and human rights in global cyber policy. "The GCCS 2017 is certainly in accord with the Hon'ble Prime Minister's vision to transform India into a digitally empowered country. GCCS 2017 will give the world's cyber community a unique opportunity to learn from global experience and expert insight, and discover more about the technology led transformation being engineered in India," Ravi Shankar Prasad, Electronics & IT and Law & Justice Minister said on Wednesday, as reported by the media. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will deliver the keynote address at the valedictory function. (with input from agencies)

Digital space should not become playground for dark forces of terrorism: PM Modi

<p>Renowned multilingual actor Prakash Raj has sent a legal notice to Mysuru MP Pratap Simha for trolling him after he accused <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/prakash-raj-calls-modi-a-better-actor-over-his-silence-on-gauri-lankeshs-murder-20932">Prime Minister Narendra Modi of &#39;&#39;being a bigger actor than him&#39;&#39; </a>for not speaking on the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh.</p>

<p>&#39;&#39;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/case-registered-against-actor-prakash-raj-in-lucknow-court-21001">I have sent a legal notice to </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/case-registered-against-actor-prakash-raj-in-lucknow-court-21001">Mr.</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/case-registered-against-actor-prakash-raj-in-lucknow-court-21001"> Pratap Simha (BJP Mysuru MP), as a citizen of this country</a> for the way he has trolled me which has disturbed my personal life. I am asking him to answer legally &amp; if he doesn&#39;t, I will be taking criminal action against him,&#39;&#39; the actor said.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Let&rsquo;s set it straight..... I will continue to question. It&rsquo;s my fundamental right <a href="https://t.co/JJBegBjAGc">pic.twitter.com/JJBegBjAGc</a></p>
&mdash; Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) <a href="https://twitter.com/prakashraaj/status/922350429198880768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The actor had earlier called Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a bigger actor than himself and had condemned his silence over journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh&rsquo;s murder. Responding to Rai&rsquo;s statement, MP Pratap Simha had said what could the Prime Minister do if the law and order failed in the state.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I have sent a legal notice to Mr. Pratap Simha (BJP Mysuru MP), as a citizen of this country for the way he has trolled me which has disturbed my personal life. I am asking him to answer legally &amp; if he doesn&#39;t, I will be taking criminal action against him: Actor Prakash Raj <a href="https://t.co/wh5sCW1kuE">pic.twitter.com/wh5sCW1kuE</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/933585048980226050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Earlier the BJP leader had said that Prakash Rai was Gauri&#39;s friend and added where was he when more than 12 members of pro-Hindu organisations were brutally killed? When he goes to Tamil Nadu, he becomes Prakash Raj and in &nbsp;Karnataka, he is Prakash Rai. What would he get with this duality? Having concern for the state, he had then said and added that the actor did not speak a word during Cauvery dispute. While speaking about the likes of Modi, he should be cautious,&rdquo; the MP added.</p>


Renowned multilingual actor Prakash Raj has sent a legal notice to Mysuru MP Pratap Simha for trolling him after he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of ''being a bigger actor than him'' for not speaking on the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh. ''I have sent a legal notice to Mr. Pratap Simha (BJP Mysuru MP), as a citizen of this country for the way he has trolled me which has disturbed my personal life. I am asking him to answer legally & if he doesn't, I will be taking criminal action against him,'' the actor said. Let’s set it straight..... I will continue to question. It’s my fundamental right pic.twitter.com/JJBegBjAGc — Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) October 23, 2017 × The actor had earlier called Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a bigger actor than himself and had condemned his silence over journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh’s murder. Responding to Rai’s statement, MP Pratap Simha had said what could the Prime Minister do if the law and order failed in the state. I have sent a legal notice to Mr. Pratap Simha (BJP Mysuru MP), as a citizen of this country for the way he has trolled me which has disturbed my personal life. I am asking him to answer legally & if he doesn't, I will be taking criminal action against him: Actor Prakash Raj pic.twitter.com/wh5sCW1kuE — ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2017 × Earlier the BJP leader had said that Prakash Rai was Gauri's friend and added where was he when more than 12 members of pro-Hindu organisations were brutally killed? When he goes to Tamil Nadu, he becomes Prakash Raj and in Karnataka, he is Prakash Rai. What would he get with this duality? Having concern for the state, he had then said and added that the actor did not speak a word during Cauvery dispute. While speaking about the likes of Modi, he should be cautious,” the MP added.

Actor Prakash Raj sends legal notice to BJP MP Pratap Simha

<p>In the post-independence period, Patidars became the social force behind Gujarat&rsquo;s industrial push. By the 1960s and &lsquo;70s, they dominated large sectors of agricultural, industrial and commercial activities.</p>

<p>Patidars consolidated their economic and social standing through affiliating with ruling political parties, first the Congress and then the BJP. &nbsp;The Patidars in sum were the mascots of success in Gujarat and the &lsquo;prosperous Patel&rsquo; became a familiar figure in popular culture and national imagination.</p>

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<h5>The Patidars in sum were the mascots of success in Gujarat and the &lsquo;prosperous Patel&rsquo; became a familiar figure in popular culture and national imagination.</h5>
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<p>Yet for all this picture of success, it has to be noted that more than a third of the Patidars are still small and marginal farmers, often inhabiting the less fertile regions of north Gujarat. As the sociologist, Ghanshyam Shah, observed in one of his interviews to the magazine Frontline, that with the onset of a phase of agricultural distress in Gujarat induced by a steep increase in input cost for cultivation most of these poor farmers no longer have resources to access to timely credit for investment.</p>

<p>With agriculture becoming difficult and un-remunerative, the young Patidars are forced to find alternative employment in urban areas. It is here that they encounter the deep disconnect between their abilities and their expectations. In Prof Shah&rsquo; words, &ldquo;it is this lot &nbsp;that forms the spine of the Patidar agitation.&rdquo;</p>

<p>This is a complex situation within a community that&rsquo;s aspirational but structurally disadvantaged not by its caste position, but by a neo-liberal economic order that offers them little recourse to cope with the demands of the job market or look to the state for protection. Once spearheading the anti-reservation movement of the 1980s and now faced with the challenges thrown up by the &lsquo;merit&rsquo; imperative in an unequal social order, the demand for reservations seem to be the sole way out.</p>

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<h5>The demand for reservations is less for jobs than for opportunities in higher education, particularly in engineering and medicine.</h5>
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<p>Yet, as the political scientist Amit Dholakia argues, the demand for reservations is less for jobs than for opportunities in higher education, particularly in engineering and medicine. With the large-scale privatisation of higher education and the proliferation of deemed universities and colleges often demanding high capitation fees and offering a quality of education that rarely meets market demands, the younger Patidars rearing to move out of farming and small enterprise, feel deeply betrayed.</p>

<p>Hemmed in by a lack of educational and social capital and the difficulties of access to the modern sectors of employment, this section of the young Patidars, unlike an older generation, are also finding it increasingly hard to emigrate or seek opportunities in the west. Little wonder then that a &nbsp;2012 film titled &ldquo;Kevi rite jaish?&rdquo; or &ldquo;How do I go?&rdquo; spoofing the Patel aspiration to emigrate resonated with the predicament of the Gujarati youth and became one the most successful regional language films made in recent times.</p>

<p>Alice Tilche a young researcher studying the problems of Patidar discontent makes the astute observation that the problems of Patidar youth have much in common with young people in the newly depleted economies of southern Europe where expectations driven by the promise of education and emigration have been belied by the tightening of international borders and the increasing demands for skilled migrants.</p>

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<h5>Their demand for reservations within the Other Backward Class category is a poignant statement of their willingness to be marked &lsquo;down&rsquo; in order to &lsquo;move up&rsquo;.</h5>
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<p>The villages of Gujarat she concluded have become dismal &ldquo;waiting rooms&rdquo; for a generation of young people who are Patels, but not quite. Their demand for reservations within the Other Backward Class category is a poignant statement of their willingness to be marked &lsquo;down&rsquo; in order to &lsquo;move up&rsquo;.</p>

<p>Hardik&rsquo;s &nbsp;supporters who are bent on defeating the BJP this time constantly remind us that the policemen deployed to brutalise them on the night of his arrest 2015 belonged to the OBCs. They feel that the reservations for caste groups &lsquo;lower&rsquo; than they have left them both deprived and vulnerable.&nbsp;It&rsquo;s a perception that makes their alliance with the OBCs and the Congress a particularly troubled one.</p>

<p>It is likely that the BJP will win the elections and subdue the angry Patidars, but it remains to be seen if it can sustain Gujarat&rsquo;s developmental model in its existing form. The angry young men from the OBC, Dalit and Patidar communities have a compelling story to tell about the social strains, the human costs and economic limits of a market-led model of economic growth. Any party that wins these elections may be well advised to heed these stories and craft an alternative and more genuinely humane model of development for Gujarat.</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).</em></p>


Once spearheading the anti-reservation movement of the 1980s, and now faced with the challenges thrown up by the ?merit? imperative in an unequal social order, the demand for reservations seem to be the sole way out for the Patidar community.

In the post-independence period, Patidars became the social force behind Gujarat’s industrial push. By the 1960s and ‘70s, they dominated large sectors of agricultural, industrial and commercial activities. Patidars consolidated their economic and social standing through affiliating with ruling political parties, first the Congress and then the BJP. The Patidars in sum were the mascots of success in Gujarat and the ‘prosperous Patel’ became a familiar figure in popular culture and national imagination. The Patidars in sum were the mascots of success in Gujarat and the ‘prosperous Patel’ became a familiar figure in popular culture and national imagination. × Yet for all this picture of success, it has to be noted that more than a third of the Patidars are still small and marginal farmers, often inhabiting the less fertile regions of north Gujarat. As the sociologist, Ghanshyam Shah, observed in one of his interviews to the magazine Frontline, that with the onset of a phase of agricultural distress in Gujarat induced by a steep increase in input cost for cultivation most of these poor farmers no longer have resources to access to timely credit for investment. With agriculture becoming difficult and un-remunerative, the young Patidars are forced to find alternative employment in urban areas. It is here that they encounter the deep disconnect between their abilities and their expectations. In Prof Shah’ words, “it is this lot that forms the spine of the Patidar agitation.” This is a complex situation within a community that’s aspirational but structurally disadvantaged not by its caste position, but by a neo-liberal economic order that offers them little recourse to cope with the demands of the job market or look to the state for protection. Once spearheading the anti-reservation movement of the 1980s and now faced with the challenges thrown up by the ‘merit’ imperative in an unequal social order, the demand for reservations seem to be the sole way out. The demand for reservations is less for jobs than for opportunities in higher education, particularly in engineering and medicine. × Yet, as the political scientist Amit Dholakia argues, the demand for reservations is less for jobs than for opportunities in higher education, particularly in engineering and medicine. With the large-scale privatisation of higher education and the proliferation of deemed universities and colleges often demanding high capitation fees and offering a quality of education that rarely meets market demands, the younger Patidars rearing to move out of farming and small enterprise, feel deeply betrayed. Hemmed in by a lack of educational and social capital and the difficulties of access to the modern sectors of employment, this section of the young Patidars, unlike an older generation, are also finding it increasingly hard to emigrate or seek opportunities in the west. Little wonder then that a 2012 film titled “Kevi rite jaish?” or “How do I go?” spoofing the Patel aspiration to emigrate resonated with the predicament of the Gujarati youth and became one the most successful regional language films made in recent times. Alice Tilche a young researcher studying the problems of Patidar discontent makes the astute observation that the problems of Patidar youth have much in common with young people in the newly depleted economies of southern Europe where expectations driven by the promise of education and emigration have been belied by the tightening of international borders and the increasing demands for skilled migrants. Their demand for reservations within the Other Backward Class category is a poignant statement of their willingness to be marked ‘down’ in order to ‘move up’. × The villages of Gujarat she concluded have become dismal “waiting rooms” for a generation of young people who are Patels, but not quite. Their demand for reservations within the Other Backward Class category is a poignant statement of their willingness to be marked ‘down’ in order to ‘move up’. Hardik’s supporters who are bent on defeating the BJP this time constantly remind us that the policemen deployed to brutalise them on the night of his arrest 2015 belonged to the OBCs. They feel that the reservations for caste groups ‘lower’ than they have left them both deprived and vulnerable. It’s a perception that makes their alliance with the OBCs and the Congress a particularly troubled one. It is likely that the BJP will win the elections and subdue the angry Patidars, but it remains to be seen if it can sustain Gujarat’s developmental model in its existing form. The angry young men from the OBC, Dalit and Patidar communities have a compelling story to tell about the social strains, the human costs and economic limits of a market-led model of economic growth. Any party that wins these elections may be well advised to heed these stories and craft an alternative and more genuinely humane model of development for Gujarat. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Harsh reality drives Patidar's demand for reservation

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 5th Global Conference on &#39;Cyber Space&#39;, a two-day event, in the national capital on Thursday.</p>

<p>The event is being organised for the first time in India.</p>

<p>The theme of the conference is &#39;Cyber for All: A Secure and Inclusive Cyberspace for Sustainable Development.&#39;</p>

<p>Representatives from around 124 countries and 33 Ministerial delegates from 31 countries, including Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremasinghe, will attend the conference.</p>

<p>The conference is being organised to promote the importance of inclusiveness and human rights in global cyber policy.</p>

<p>Over 10 thousand delegates will take part in the conference in person. There will also be virtual participation from over 2800 locations across the world that will be connected in an interactive mode.&nbsp;</p>


The event is being organised for the first time in India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 5th Global Conference on 'Cyber Space', a two-day event, in the national capital on Thursday. The event is being organised for the first time in India. The theme of the conference is 'Cyber for All: A Secure and Inclusive Cyberspace for Sustainable Development.' Representatives from around 124 countries and 33 Ministerial delegates from 31 countries, including Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremasinghe, will attend the conference. The conference is being organised to promote the importance of inclusiveness and human rights in global cyber policy. Over 10 thousand delegates will take part in the conference in person. There will also be virtual participation from over 2800 locations across the world that will be connected in an interactive mode.

PM Modi inaugurates 5th Global Conference on 'Cyber Space'

<p>I was going to Rohingya refugee camps in Balukhali from Cox&rsquo;s town in a battery run three-wheeler locally called &ldquo;auto&rdquo;. Six people can commute in such vehicle. All my co-passengers were locals of this rural area, and it was understood from their discussion that they had no or primary level of education. Surprisingly, I found them discussing Rohingya crisis and the discussion included geopolitics in their own style. The driver of the three-wheeler also joined the discussion.</p>

<p>The time was early September. In the discussion, I found them to be very angry with China for its indirect support to Myanmar in the atrocities against Rohingya people. &ldquo; China er jonnoi Burma er ato sahosh barse&rdquo; was the gist of their discussion in Bangla meaning &ldquo;Myanmar is so arrogant for China&rsquo;s support&rdquo;.</p>

<p>A few days later when the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Myanmar and reportedly told Suu Kyi that India was with Myanmar, I witnessed how the anger against China just turned into anger against India. People were no longer concerned about China. It seemed to me that it was expected to them that China would side&nbsp;with Myanmar but they did not expect India to support Myanmar against Bangladesh.</p>

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<h5>Anti-Chinese sentiment could have grown rapidly in Bangladesh due to China&rsquo;s continued support to Myanmar government as Rohingya sentiment has been very high in Muslim majority Bangladesh.</h5>
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<p>The news that PM Modi said India was with Myanmar went viral on Bangladesh&rsquo;s social media. I found many people who were never critical of India were critical&nbsp;this time. Added to the injury, the BJP government also expressed their interest to deport Rohingya refugees who took shelter in India.</p>

<p>One Bangladeshi newspaper carried a report that some Rohingya refugees were pushed from India to Bangladesh through Satkhira border. There was a backlash in Bangladesh following this report. At the same time, in Assam, BJP reportedly carried out campaign to deport what they call &ldquo;illegal Bangladeshis&rdquo; there. There was an uproar in Bangladesh after local newspapers reported on this false claim of the Assam BJP.</p>

<p>And recently, when news circulated that India abstained from voting in a UN resolution on Rohingyas while Pakistan voted in favour of it, there was also uproar on Bangladeshi social media.</p>

<p>As I extensively covered Rohingya crisis and visited different parts of the country to work on varies reports in the last few weeks, it seemed to me that India missed an opportunity in the Rohingya crisis. Anti-Chinese sentiment could have grown rapidly in Bangladesh due to China&rsquo;s continued support to Myanmar government as Rohingya sentiment has been very high in Muslim majority Bangladesh. However, the wrong policy of the Modi government on the Rohingya issue has helped grow anti-Indian sentiment in Bangladesh instead.</p>

<p>There was another crucial aspect. The Bangladeshi Opposition parties have been criticising the government for putting all its eggs in one basket, i.e. depending on India in the foreign policy matters. When India turned its back on Bangladesh, during one of the biggest crises, the anti-Indian quarter got fuel and it is at all time high in Bangladesh.</p>

<p>There might be some equations of the Modi government to take this policy on Rohingya crisis. We have heard that this is due to India&rsquo;s &ldquo;Go East&rdquo; policy. The Modi government might have a fear that growing Chinese influence in East Asian nations might cause problems to India in the coming days and Myanmar is the gateway for India to establish ground in other East Asian nations.</p>

<p>It also might have fear about its North East and its huge investment in Rakhine state. China might be benefited in any tension between India and Myanmar. It has the real fear of insurgents in North East of India getting direct support from Myanmar.</p>

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<h5>As India has strong influence both on Suu Kyi and her party and on Bangladesh, it could easily meditate the Rohingya crisis.</h5>
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<p>However, the way Modi government dealt the crisis was a real disaster. Many Bangladeshis believe that the Modi government&rsquo;s Rohingya policy was the result of its anti-Muslim mindset. There were many discussions on different platforms in Bangladesh that India would not take the same policy if Rohingyas are not Muslims. Many also pointed out that the Modi government does not have the same policy for refugees of other religious groups like Tibetan and Tamil refugees.</p>

<p>As India has strong influence both on Suu Kyi and her party and on Bangladesh, it could easily meditate the Rohingya crisis. Even if it could not successful, any such attempt would help grow anti-Chinese sentiment in Bangladesh. However, siding with a country against a friendly nation who helped smashed insurgents in its North East can never constitute a smart foreign policy.</p>

<p>In my opinion, after Doklam crisis which alarmed Bhutan of its national security and forced it to rethink about its full dependency on India, the Rohingya crisis is another foreign policy mistake of the Modi government. I fear that these might be two historical mistakes for India. They have potentials to end India&rsquo;s strong influence on these two neighbouring nations.</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity)</em>.</p>


India missed an opportunity to win over Bangladesh from China by siding with Myanmar on Rohingya issue.

I was going to Rohingya refugee camps in Balukhali from Cox’s town in a battery run three-wheeler locally called “auto”. Six people can commute in such vehicle. All my co-passengers were locals of this rural area, and it was understood from their discussion that they had no or primary level of education. Surprisingly, I found them discussing Rohingya crisis and the discussion included geopolitics in their own style. The driver of the three-wheeler also joined the discussion. The time was early September. In the discussion, I found them to be very angry with China for its indirect support to Myanmar in the atrocities against Rohingya people. “ China er jonnoi Burma er ato sahosh barse” was the gist of their discussion in Bangla meaning “Myanmar is so arrogant for China’s support”. A few days later when the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Myanmar and reportedly told Suu Kyi that India was with Myanmar, I witnessed how the anger against China just turned into anger against India. People were no longer concerned about China. It seemed to me that it was expected to them that China would side with Myanmar but they did not expect India to support Myanmar against Bangladesh. Anti-Chinese sentiment could have grown rapidly in Bangladesh due to China’s continued support to Myanmar government as Rohingya sentiment has been very high in Muslim majority Bangladesh. × The news that PM Modi said India was with Myanmar went viral on Bangladesh’s social media. I found many people who were never critical of India were critical this time. Added to the injury, the BJP government also expressed their interest to deport Rohingya refugees who took shelter in India. One Bangladeshi newspaper carried a report that some Rohingya refugees were pushed from India to Bangladesh through Satkhira border. There was a backlash in Bangladesh following this report. At the same time, in Assam, BJP reportedly carried out campaign to deport what they call “illegal Bangladeshis” there. There was an uproar in Bangladesh after local newspapers reported on this false claim of the Assam BJP. And recently, when news circulated that India abstained from voting in a UN resolution on Rohingyas while Pakistan voted in favour of it, there was also uproar on Bangladeshi social media. As I extensively covered Rohingya crisis and visited different parts of the country to work on varies reports in the last few weeks, it seemed to me that India missed an opportunity in the Rohingya crisis. Anti-Chinese sentiment could have grown rapidly in Bangladesh due to China’s continued support to Myanmar government as Rohingya sentiment has been very high in Muslim majority Bangladesh. However, the wrong policy of the Modi government on the Rohingya issue has helped grow anti-Indian sentiment in Bangladesh instead. There was another crucial aspect. The Bangladeshi Opposition parties have been criticising the government for putting all its eggs in one basket, i.e. depending on India in the foreign policy matters. When India turned its back on Bangladesh, during one of the biggest crises, the anti-Indian quarter got fuel and it is at all time high in Bangladesh. There might be some equations of the Modi government to take this policy on Rohingya crisis. We have heard that this is due to India’s “Go East” policy. The Modi government might have a fear that growing Chinese influence in East Asian nations might cause problems to India in the coming days and Myanmar is the gateway for India to establish ground in other East Asian nations. It also might have fear about its North East and its huge investment in Rakhine state. China might be benefited in any tension between India and Myanmar. It has the real fear of insurgents in North East of India getting direct support from Myanmar. As India has strong influence both on Suu Kyi and her party and on Bangladesh, it could easily meditate the Rohingya crisis. × However, the way Modi government dealt the crisis was a real disaster. Many Bangladeshis believe that the Modi government’s Rohingya policy was the result of its anti-Muslim mindset. There were many discussions on different platforms in Bangladesh that India would not take the same policy if Rohingyas are not Muslims. Many also pointed out that the Modi government does not have the same policy for refugees of other religious groups like Tibetan and Tamil refugees. As India has strong influence both on Suu Kyi and her party and on Bangladesh, it could easily meditate the Rohingya crisis. Even if it could not successful, any such attempt would help grow anti-Chinese sentiment in Bangladesh. However, siding with a country against a friendly nation who helped smashed insurgents in its North East can never constitute a smart foreign policy. In my opinion, after Doklam crisis which alarmed Bhutan of its national security and forced it to rethink about its full dependency on India, the Rohingya crisis is another foreign policy mistake of the Modi government. I fear that these might be two historical mistakes for India. They have potentials to end India’s strong influence on these two neighbouring nations. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: India missed an opportunity to counter China on Rohingyas

<p>Actor-turned-politician and BJP MP Paresh Rawal on Wednesday&nbsp;apologised for his &quot;chai wala, bar wala&quot;&nbsp;tweet.</p>

<p>The official twitter handle of the Youth Congress&#39;s online magazine Yuva Desh had made a &quot;chai&quot;&nbsp;jibe at Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Responding to the jibe, Rawal had tweeted: &quot;Our Chai Wala is any day better than bar wala !&quot;</p>

<p>The 67-year-old veteran actor tweeted late night saying: &quot;Deleted the tweet as it&#39;s in bad taste n I apologise for hurting feelings.&quot;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Deleted the tweet as it&rsquo;s in bad taste n I apologise for hurting feelings .</p>
&mdash; Paresh Rawal (@SirPareshRawal) <a href="https://twitter.com/SirPareshRawal/status/933041550019272709?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="it">Cong ke delete hote hi account bhi automatically delete Ho jayega ... <a href="https://t.co/vuBjBN9Dt0">https://t.co/vuBjBN9Dt0</a></p>
&mdash; Paresh Rawal (@SirPareshRawal) <a href="https://twitter.com/SirPareshRawal/status/933043065941454848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Youth Congress later deleted the tweet, apologised, and blamed the tweet on &quot;volunteers&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the online magazine was slammed on the internet its&nbsp;comment on PM Modi.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">RT If You&#39;re Proud That A <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chaiwala?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chaiwala</a> Is Our PM. It Shows How Great India&#39;s Democracy Is. Dynasty Crooks Will Never Understand It. ??????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CongChaiSelfGoal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CongChaiSelfGoal</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CongressChaiwalaAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CongressChaiwalaAttack</a> <a href="https://t.co/3ZWy7ThnUz">pic.twitter.com/3ZWy7ThnUz</a></p>
&mdash; Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) <a href="https://twitter.com/SirJadeja/status/933011647844646912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dear Congress,<br />
<br />
Selling Tea Is Better Than Selling The Nation With Bofors, 2G, 3G, 4G, Coal-G, CWG, Jija-G Scams. ??????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CongChaiSelfGoal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CongChaiSelfGoal</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CongressChaiwalaAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CongressChaiwalaAttack</a></p>
&mdash; Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) <a href="https://twitter.com/SirJadeja/status/933018937624739840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">RaGa ain&#39;t responsible for<br />
1. Youth Congress beheading a cow<br />
2. Youth Congress mocking Modi through obnoxious tweets<br />
3. Their Minister calling Modi napunsak<br />
4. Their MP calling Modi stupid<br />
<br />
But <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> is responsibl for every person he follows on Twitter<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CongChaiSelfGoal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CongChaiSelfGoal</a></p>
&mdash; The Skin Doctor ?? (@thecyberbully13) <a href="https://twitter.com/thecyberbully13/status/933023848366092289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">From celebrating birthdays lavishly in planes to looking down upon people, the colonial minded Congressis have yet not come to terms with a chaiwala becoming the PM. That&#39;s why they insult <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> every now and then. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CongChaiSelfgoal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CongChaiSelfgoal</a> <a href="https://t.co/OmiUesI7Hn">pic.twitter.com/OmiUesI7Hn</a></p>
&mdash; The Skin Doctor ?? (@thecyberbully13) <a href="https://twitter.com/thecyberbully13/status/933009104129417216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">In #2014 the empire of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nehru?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Nehru</a>&rsquo;s &amp; Gandhi&rsquo;s was demolished by <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> but their arrogance still continues. Rassi jal gayi lekin bal nahi Gaya. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChaiPePolitics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChaiPePolitics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CongChaiwalaAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CongChaiwalaAttack</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CongChaiSelfgoal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CongChaiSelfgoal</a></p>
&mdash; Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashokepandit/status/933009759518756865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Even Cong. Pidis know the classist &amp; anti-poor tweet by Yuva Desh mocking PM Modi as Chaiwala has done irretrievable damage to it.<br />
<br />
Its Time for Cong to PACK UP<br />
<br />
Chaiwala showed u your place in 2014 &amp; will have Last Laugh in 2019<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CongChaiSelfGoal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CongChaiSelfGoal</a> <a href="https://t.co/RMvJwwAI3C">pic.twitter.com/RMvJwwAI3C</a></p>
&mdash; Rosy (@rose_k01) <a href="https://twitter.com/rose_k01/status/933039263251181568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This Low Mentality That Poors Aren&#39;t Capable For Higher Jobs Exposes Congress Thought Process. They&#39;re Poor Coz They Weren&#39;t Born With Silver Spoon In Their Mouth Like Rahul Gandhi. But They&#39;re Far More Hardworking &amp; Capable Than Him. Do Not Insult Them ??????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CongChaiSelfGoal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CongChaiSelfGoal</a> <a href="https://t.co/JExxp723bt">pic.twitter.com/JExxp723bt</a></p>
&mdash; Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) <a href="https://twitter.com/SirJadeja/status/933010335203823617?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Nothing explains better!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CongChaiSelfgoal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CongChaiSelfgoal</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/congchaiwalaattack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#congchaiwalaattack</a> <a href="https://t.co/55PT7oIKsS">pic.twitter.com/55PT7oIKsS</a></p>
&mdash; Geetika Swami (@SwamiGeetika) <a href="https://twitter.com/SwamiGeetika/status/932988408032456706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The 67-year-old veteran actor tweeted ' Deleted the tweet as it's in bad taste n I apologise for hurting feelings.'

Actor-turned-politician and BJP MP Paresh Rawal on Wednesday apologised for his "chai wala, bar wala" tweet. The official twitter handle of the Youth Congress's online magazine Yuva Desh had made a "chai" jibe at Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday. Responding to the jibe, Rawal had tweeted: "Our Chai Wala is any day better than bar wala !" The 67-year-old veteran actor tweeted late night saying: "Deleted the tweet as it's in bad taste n I apologise for hurting feelings." Deleted the tweet as it’s in bad taste n I apologise for hurting feelings . — Paresh Rawal (@SirPareshRawal) November 21, 2017 × Cong ke delete hote hi account bhi automatically delete Ho jayega ... https://t.co/vuBjBN9Dt0 — Paresh Rawal (@SirPareshRawal) November 21, 2017 × The Youth Congress later deleted the tweet, apologised, and blamed the tweet on "volunteers". However, the online magazine was slammed on the internet its comment on PM Modi. RT If You're Proud That A #Chaiwala Is Our PM. It Shows How Great India's Democracy Is. Dynasty Crooks Will Never Understand It. ??????#CongChaiSelfGoal #CongressChaiwalaAttack pic.twitter.com/3ZWy7ThnUz — Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) November 21, 2017 × Dear Congress, Selling Tea Is Better Than Selling The Nation With Bofors, 2G, 3G, 4G, Coal-G, CWG, Jija-G Scams. ??????#CongChaiSelfGoal #CongressChaiwalaAttack — Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) November 21, 2017 × RaGa ain't responsible for 1. Youth Congress beheading a cow 2. Youth Congress mocking Modi through obnoxious tweets 3. Their Minister calling Modi napunsak 4. Their MP calling Modi stupid But @narendramodi is responsibl for every person he follows on Twitter#CongChaiSelfGoal — The Skin Doctor ?? (@thecyberbully13) November 21, 2017 × From celebrating birthdays lavishly in planes to looking down upon people, the colonial minded Congressis have yet not come to terms with a chaiwala becoming the PM. That's why they insult @narendramodi every now and then. #CongChaiSelfgoal pic.twitter.com/OmiUesI7Hn — The Skin Doctor ?? (@thecyberbully13) November 21, 2017 × In #2014 the empire of #Nehru’s & Gandhi’s was demolished by @narendramodi but their arrogance still continues. Rassi jal gayi lekin bal nahi Gaya. #ChaiPePolitics #CongChaiwalaAttack #CongChaiSelfgoal — Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) November 21, 2017 × Even Cong. Pidis know the classist & anti-poor tweet by Yuva Desh mocking PM Modi as Chaiwala has done irretrievable damage to it. Its Time for Cong to PACK UP Chaiwala showed u your place in 2014 & will have Last Laugh in 2019#CongChaiSelfGoal pic.twitter.com/RMvJwwAI3C — Rosy (@rose_k01) November 21, 2017 × This Low Mentality That Poors Aren't Capable For Higher Jobs Exposes Congress Thought Process. They're Poor Coz They Weren't Born With Silver Spoon In Their Mouth Like Rahul Gandhi. But They're Far More Hardworking & Capable Than Him. Do Not Insult Them ??????#CongChaiSelfGoal pic.twitter.com/JExxp723bt — Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) November 21, 2017 × Nothing explains better!#CongChaiSelfgoal#congchaiwalaattack pic.twitter.com/55PT7oIKsS — Geetika Swami (@SwamiGeetika) November 21, 2017 ×

Now, Paresh Rawal deletes 'chai wala, bar wala' post, apologises

<p>&quot;When I gave the taxi driver at Ahmedabad airport the name of a nondescript hotel as my address, he looked at me pityingly and asked, &ldquo;Chota-mota dhanda hai (Are you engaged in petty business)? I readily agreed and said I was in the business of journalism and had come to study the election; I had been there in 2012 also. He perked up and in the course of the 40-minute journey assured me that change would happen in Gujarat. &ldquo;The BJP will be voted out. Hardik Patel and Alpesh Thakore will ensure that.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>Across north Gujarat and Saurashtra, the Patidars were backing Hardik Patel&rsquo;s reservation agenda and would vote against the BJP.</h5>
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<p>Is Hardik Patel really a challenge, I asked. Does he command the majority support of the Patidar community, I wondered. The taxi driver responded, &ldquo;If he were not a challenge, why is the BJP doing so much to discredit him? And why has the party launched a desperate drive to retain the Patel votes?&rdquo; Across north Gujarat and Saurashtra, he claimed, the Patidars were backing Hardik Patel&rsquo;s reservation agenda and would vote against the BJP.</p>

<p>I assumed by his stiff defence of the young Patel leader that he was a votary of reservation for the Patidar community in the State. His answer was surprising. &ldquo;The Patidars don&rsquo;t deserve reservation. They are financially, educationally and socially well off.&rdquo; Before I could respond, he added, &ldquo;You must be amazed. I am backing Hardik Patel because he is today in my community leader Alpesh Thakore&rsquo;s side.&quot;</p>

<p>The Thakores belong to the Other Backward Class (OBC), and the taxi driver was a Thakore. He strongly suggested that I move around extensively in Mehsana, Patan, Sabarkantha and other parts of north Gujarat, and Ahmedabad too. &ldquo; You will realise that I am right. The BJP will lose this time. You came five years ago, but things are very different today.&rdquo; I assured him that I would visit as many of the places he had advised.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>BJP will emerge with a simple majority (100-plus seats) and form the Government yet again.</h5>
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<p>But after moving around throughout the day across the length and breadth of Ahmedabad (Thaltej, Vastrapur, Naranpur etc) and in Patan and Mehsana, the impression I had was far from the kind the taxi driver had predicted. The driver represented one kind of extreme outcome which found resonance among a clutch of people on the streets &mdash; the BJP&rsquo;s rout. A few others I spoke to in these towns and adjoining villages presented another extreme &mdash; that the ruling party would return to power with even more seats than it had in 2012.</p>

<p>Most of the people with whom I interacted on the subject foresaw a &lsquo;moderate&rsquo; outcome. They were agreed on three conclusions. The first is that the Hardik Patel factor has gained some traction for the Congress. The second is that the Patidar leader will cut into the Patel vote-bank of the BJP. The third is that, despite these setbacks, the BJP will emerge with a simple majority (100-plus seats) and form the Government yet again.</p>

<p>What also became evident through my interactions in Ahmedabad, Patan and Mehsana is that, at the ground level the Patidar and the Thakore communities do not see eye to eye. This is easy to understand. The Thakores belonging to the OBC resent the prospect of having to share the quota pie with the dominant Patels. It&rsquo;s not ideology that binds them together now; the desire to oust the BJP compels them to share the tent.</p>

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<h5>The turning point for the Patidars, according to a resident of Thaltej locality in Ahmedabad, was the crackdown by the State police on Patidar agitators in August 2015.</h5>
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<p>The turning point for the Patidars, according to a resident of Thaltej locality in Ahmedabad, was the crackdown by the State police on Patidar agitators in August 2015. Fourteen people had died in the violence. The subsequent action against Hardik Patel, including his incarceration and banishment from Gujarat for a while, was viewed as a humiliation of a proud community which had stood by the BJP for decades.</p>

<p>Or at least this is how the Patidar community led by Hardik Patel presented it before his people. The sentiment is echoed by Babubhai Patel, an elderly local in Mehsana. &ldquo;The BJP Government really brutalised the Patidar community through its action. The lathi-charge cannot be forgotten. We would not have turned against the party but for this act of atrocity.&rdquo;</p>

<p>The Thaltej resident, who belongs to the OBC and did not wish to be named, remarked, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not that the Congress is liked by us. It has been disastrous for Gujarat in the past. But if it can manage Hardik Patel properly, it can gain significantly.&rdquo; The anti-BJP sentiment, according to him, the taxi driver and a few&nbsp;other spoken to, is such that the voters are willing to ignore the development work BJP regimes have done over the years, and the failures of the Congress too.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Was this an all-pervasive mood? Not really. The manager of the hotel I stayed in, and who appeared politically well-informed, smirked at the proposition. &ldquo;Do not over-estimate Hardik Patel,&rdquo; he warned. &ldquo;Because of his youth and enthusiasm and Congress support, he has begun to look larger-than-life. The Patidar outfit he heads is not the only Patel organisation that exists. There are others and those are as important. They are with the BJP. The Patidar votes will split, true, but not to the extent that the divide can harm the ruling party greatly.&rdquo;</p>

<p>He said that the Patels were an educated lot and socially aware, and they realise that Hardik Patel was leading them up the garden path with his promise of reservation. &ldquo;How can he ensure his community reservation? The 50 per cent mark is already touched. The Congress&rsquo;s assurance is only on paper. It cannot be implemented.&rdquo; This line or reasoning was incidentally shared by several middle-aged and senior citizens.</p>

<p>But everyone is agreed upon the fact that Hardik Patel has taken a big risk and that things can go wrong. If the Congress fails to give the Patidars a credible and actionable plan of action for reservations, for instance. Or, if the Patels, who have been inextricably linked to the BJP for their socio-economic development and who now back Hardik Patel, develop cold feet over the disruption that may happen in case they vote against the BJP, keep themselves away from the polling booth. Or, if the Congress does not give the Hardik Patel-led organisation, the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) a fair number of seats to contest.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>The Congress and the Hardik Patel-led Patidars, he said, represented the privileged system, while the BJP under Modi stood for inclusive development.</h5>
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<p>There is another danger, which even Hardik Patel&rsquo;s supporters acknowledge, even if grudgingly: That of Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s ability to swing fence-sitting Patidar votes in his party&rsquo;s favour through a series of aggressive campaigns in the region. A 65-year old voter in Patan town remarked, &ldquo;Modi sabka magaj ghuma dega (Modi can change people&rsquo;s minds in his favour), adding, &ldquo;Also, don&rsquo;t forget the Gujarati pride (which the Prime Minister symbolises) issue.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Although Mehsana had been the focal point of the Patidar agitation, opinion there is not overwhelmingly against the BJP &mdash; or at least not as decisively as one might have expected. A 25-something (Patel) civil engineer who has ventured into the construction business said that while Hardik Patel was shrewd and manipulative, the BJP led by Modi &ldquo;can manage things at the last moment&rdquo;. He supported Hardik Patel&rsquo;s demand for reservation. &ldquo;Patidars need quota not so much in Government employment (we Patels either have land or are engaged in business or are salaried employees) but in educational institutions.</p>

<p>Why should we lose out to those who are less merited but get through because of quotas?&rdquo; On the other hand, a shop-keeper, vociferously supported by a bunch of youngsters around him, bluntly said, &ldquo;Hardik Patel cannot be trusted. He is neither mature nor responsible.&rdquo;</p>

<p>The sense of ambivalence that was reflected across Ahmedabad and in Patan and Mehsana towns, was replaced by clarity in the small Pimpal village, situated on the Mehsana-Patan road. Phulabhai Jeevabhai Rabari is a 30-year old who is engaged in the dairy business. The Rabari community belongs to the OBC and is a beneficiary of the quota system.</p>

<p>He made light of the benefit and claimed that it made no difference to youngsters like him. &ldquo;We live by our skills and hard work. I don&rsquo;t like the reservation business.&rdquo; The Congress and the Hardik Patel-led Patidars, he said, represented the privileged system, while the BJP under Modi stood for inclusive development. &ldquo;The 2017 election is about development versus reservation&rdquo;, Phulabhai stated. A motley group of villagers seconded the opinion.</p>

<p>Perhaps Phulabhai hit the nail on the head. It does appear that the Assembly poll is just that.</p>


The Congress and the Hardik Patel-led Patidars represented the privileged system, while the BJP under Modi stood for inclusive development.

"When I gave the taxi driver at Ahmedabad airport the name of a nondescript hotel as my address, he looked at me pityingly and asked, “Chota-mota dhanda hai (Are you engaged in petty business)? I readily agreed and said I was in the business of journalism and had come to study the election; I had been there in 2012 also. He perked up and in the course of the 40-minute journey assured me that change would happen in Gujarat. “The BJP will be voted out. Hardik Patel and Alpesh Thakore will ensure that.” Across north Gujarat and Saurashtra, the Patidars were backing Hardik Patel’s reservation agenda and would vote against the BJP. × Is Hardik Patel really a challenge, I asked. Does he command the majority support of the Patidar community, I wondered. The taxi driver responded, “If he were not a challenge, why is the BJP doing so much to discredit him? And why has the party launched a desperate drive to retain the Patel votes?” Across north Gujarat and Saurashtra, he claimed, the Patidars were backing Hardik Patel’s reservation agenda and would vote against the BJP. I assumed by his stiff defence of the young Patel leader that he was a votary of reservation for the Patidar community in the State. His answer was surprising. “The Patidars don’t deserve reservation. They are financially, educationally and socially well off.” Before I could respond, he added, “You must be amazed. I am backing Hardik Patel because he is today in my community leader Alpesh Thakore’s side." The Thakores belong to the Other Backward Class (OBC), and the taxi driver was a Thakore. He strongly suggested that I move around extensively in Mehsana, Patan, Sabarkantha and other parts of north Gujarat, and Ahmedabad too. “ You will realise that I am right. The BJP will lose this time. You came five years ago, but things are very different today.” I assured him that I would visit as many of the places he had advised. BJP will emerge with a simple majority (100-plus seats) and form the Government yet again. × But after moving around throughout the day across the length and breadth of Ahmedabad (Thaltej, Vastrapur, Naranpur etc) and in Patan and Mehsana, the impression I had was far from the kind the taxi driver had predicted. The driver represented one kind of extreme outcome which found resonance among a clutch of people on the streets — the BJP’s rout. A few others I spoke to in these towns and adjoining villages presented another extreme — that the ruling party would return to power with even more seats than it had in 2012. Most of the people with whom I interacted on the subject foresaw a ‘moderate’ outcome. They were agreed on three conclusions. The first is that the Hardik Patel factor has gained some traction for the Congress. The second is that the Patidar leader will cut into the Patel vote-bank of the BJP. The third is that, despite these setbacks, the BJP will emerge with a simple majority (100-plus seats) and form the Government yet again. What also became evident through my interactions in Ahmedabad, Patan and Mehsana is that, at the ground level the Patidar and the Thakore communities do not see eye to eye. This is easy to understand. The Thakores belonging to the OBC resent the prospect of having to share the quota pie with the dominant Patels. It’s not ideology that binds them together now; the desire to oust the BJP compels them to share the tent. The turning point for the Patidars, according to a resident of Thaltej locality in Ahmedabad, was the crackdown by the State police on Patidar agitators in August 2015. × The turning point for the Patidars, according to a resident of Thaltej locality in Ahmedabad, was the crackdown by the State police on Patidar agitators in August 2015. Fourteen people had died in the violence. The subsequent action against Hardik Patel, including his incarceration and banishment from Gujarat for a while, was viewed as a humiliation of a proud community which had stood by the BJP for decades. Or at least this is how the Patidar community led by Hardik Patel presented it before his people. The sentiment is echoed by Babubhai Patel, an elderly local in Mehsana. “The BJP Government really brutalised the Patidar community through its action. The lathi-charge cannot be forgotten. We would not have turned against the party but for this act of atrocity.” The Thaltej resident, who belongs to the OBC and did not wish to be named, remarked, “It’s not that the Congress is liked by us. It has been disastrous for Gujarat in the past. But if it can manage Hardik Patel properly, it can gain significantly.” The anti-BJP sentiment, according to him, the taxi driver and a few other spoken to, is such that the voters are willing to ignore the development work BJP regimes have done over the years, and the failures of the Congress too. Although Mehsana had been the focal point of the Patidar agitation, opinion there is not overwhelmingly against the BJP × Was this an all-pervasive mood? Not really. The manager of the hotel I stayed in, and who appeared politically well-informed, smirked at the proposition. “Do not over-estimate Hardik Patel,” he warned. “Because of his youth and enthusiasm and Congress support, he has begun to look larger-than-life. The Patidar outfit he heads is not the only Patel organisation that exists. There are others and those are as important. They are with the BJP. The Patidar votes will split, true, but not to the extent that the divide can harm the ruling party greatly.” He said that the Patels were an educated lot and socially aware, and they realise that Hardik Patel was leading them up the garden path with his promise of reservation. “How can he ensure his community reservation? The 50 per cent mark is already touched. The Congress’s assurance is only on paper. It cannot be implemented.” This line or reasoning was incidentally shared by several middle-aged and senior citizens. But everyone is agreed upon the fact that Hardik Patel has taken a big risk and that things can go wrong. If the Congress fails to give the Patidars a credible and actionable plan of action for reservations, for instance. Or, if the Patels, who have been inextricably linked to the BJP for their socio-economic development and who now back Hardik Patel, develop cold feet over the disruption that may happen in case they vote against the BJP, keep themselves away from the polling booth. Or, if the Congress does not give the Hardik Patel-led organisation, the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) a fair number of seats to contest. The Congress and the Hardik Patel-led Patidars, he said, represented the privileged system, while the BJP under Modi stood for inclusive development. × There is another danger, which even Hardik Patel’s supporters acknowledge, even if grudgingly: That of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ability to swing fence-sitting Patidar votes in his party’s favour through a series of aggressive campaigns in the region. A 65-year old voter in Patan town remarked, “Modi sabka magaj ghuma dega (Modi can change people’s minds in his favour), adding, “Also, don’t forget the Gujarati pride (which the Prime Minister symbolises) issue.” Although Mehsana had been the focal point of the Patidar agitation, opinion there is not overwhelmingly against the BJP — or at least not as decisively as one might have expected. A 25-something (Patel) civil engineer who has ventured into the construction business said that while Hardik Patel was shrewd and manipulative, the BJP led by Modi “can manage things at the last moment”. He supported Hardik Patel’s demand for reservation. “Patidars need quota not so much in Government employment (we Patels either have land or are engaged in business or are salaried employees) but in educational institutions. Why should we lose out to those who are less merited but get through because of quotas?” On the other hand, a shop-keeper, vociferously supported by a bunch of youngsters around him, bluntly said, “Hardik Patel cannot be trusted. He is neither mature nor responsible.” The sense of ambivalence that was reflected across Ahmedabad and in Patan and Mehsana towns, was replaced by clarity in the small Pimpal village, situated on the Mehsana-Patan road. Phulabhai Jeevabhai Rabari is a 30-year old who is engaged in the dairy business. The Rabari community belongs to the OBC and is a beneficiary of the quota system. He made light of the benefit and claimed that it made no difference to youngsters like him. “We live by our skills and hard work. I don’t like the reservation business.” The Congress and the Hardik Patel-led Patidars, he said, represented the privileged system, while the BJP under Modi stood for inclusive development. “The 2017 election is about development versus reservation”, Phulabhai stated. A motley group of villagers seconded the opinion. Perhaps Phulabhai hit the nail on the head. It does appear that the Assembly poll is just that.

2017 Gujarat election: Development vs reservation

<p>On the occasion of &#39;World Toilet Day&#39; on Sunday, Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi reiterated his stand on improving sanitation facilities across the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Modi posted a video clip on his Twitter handle to highlight the significance of having public toilets and abandoning the idea of &#39;open defecation&#39; across the country, stating that this could be the &#39;best gift that could be given to women.&#39;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">On World Toilet Day we reaffirm our commitment towards improving sanitation facilities across our nation. <a href="https://t.co/nteYOD6wND">pic.twitter.com/nteYOD6wND</a></p>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/932060104614035456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The prime minister also acknowledged the contributions of individuals and organizations taking steps towards creating more toilets in the country and appreciated the invaluable contribution towards the &#39;Swachh Bharat&#39; mission from every Indian on the occasion.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I compliment all those individuals and organisations working towards building more toilets in various parts of India. Their invaluable contribution adds solid momentum to Swachh Bharat Mission.</p>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/932060597683863552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>At least one in every three toilets in the rural areas is considered unsafe, a sample survey on the technologies under the Swachh Bharat Mission has pointed out.</p>


The prime minister also acknowledged the individuals and organizations taking steps towards creating more toilets in the country on the occasion

On the occasion of 'World Toilet Day' on Sunday, Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi reiterated his stand on improving sanitation facilities across the country. Modi posted a video clip on his Twitter handle to highlight the significance of having public toilets and abandoning the idea of 'open defecation' across the country, stating that this could be the 'best gift that could be given to women.' On World Toilet Day we reaffirm our commitment towards improving sanitation facilities across our nation. pic.twitter.com/nteYOD6wND — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 19, 2017 × The prime minister also acknowledged the contributions of individuals and organizations taking steps towards creating more toilets in the country and appreciated the invaluable contribution towards the 'Swachh Bharat' mission from every Indian on the occasion. I compliment all those individuals and organisations working towards building more toilets in various parts of India. Their invaluable contribution adds solid momentum to Swachh Bharat Mission. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 19, 2017 × At least one in every three toilets in the rural areas is considered unsafe, a sample survey on the technologies under the Swachh Bharat Mission has pointed out.

Modi reiterates commitment to improve sanitation facilities on 'World Toilet Day'

<p>After missing several deadlines Congress Working Committee (CWC) &nbsp;is expected to approve an election schedule on Monday.</p>

<p>According to the party constitution, the CWC meeting is required to approve the schedule for the election of the party president. This will be the final step for Rahul &nbsp;Gandhi to be elevated as President of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).</p>

<p>And as it is unlikely that there will be a contender to challenge Rahul, his election will be complete by mid-December.</p>

<p>The decision came after a meeting was held on Saturday.</p>

<p>The elevation of Rahul Gandhi will mean that he will also be heading the final phase of the politically crucial Gujarat elections as AICC chief.</p>

<p>Rahul&#39;s taking charge of the party will bring the end of an era of Sonia Gandi heading as party chief and it will end a long apprenticeship that saw Rahul being named vice-president in January 2013.</p>


After missing several deadlines Congress Working Committee (CWC) ?is expected to approve an election schedule on Monday

After missing several deadlines Congress Working Committee (CWC) is expected to approve an election schedule on Monday. According to the party constitution, the CWC meeting is required to approve the schedule for the election of the party president. This will be the final step for Rahul Gandhi to be elevated as President of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). And as it is unlikely that there will be a contender to challenge Rahul, his election will be complete by mid-December. The decision came after a meeting was held on Saturday. The elevation of Rahul Gandhi will mean that he will also be heading the final phase of the politically crucial Gujarat elections as AICC chief. Rahul's taking charge of the party will bring the end of an era of Sonia Gandi heading as party chief and it will end a long apprenticeship that saw Rahul being named vice-president in January 2013.

Congress will start process to make Rahul Gandhi chief on Monday

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only world statesman to have stood up to China&#39;s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/india-welcome-to-join-belt-and-road-initiative-says-china-22994">Belt and Road Initiative</a>, also known as One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR), even though the US has been silent on the ambitious project till recently, a top American expert on China said on Friday.</p>

<p>During a Congressional hearing, Michael Pillsbury, Director of Center on Chinese Strategy at the prestigious think-tank Hudson Institute, told lawmakers that Modi and his team have been quite outspoken against Chinese President Xi Jinping&#39;s ambitious project.</p>

<p>&quot;The only statesman in the world who stood up to it yet, is Prime Minister Modi. He and his team have been quite outspoken, partly because the Belt and Road Initiative includes violation of Indian sovereign claims, Pillsbury said.</p>

<p>&quot;But the US government, until now and this is a five- year-old initiative if you count the early part of it, has been silent, he said.</p>

<p>Praising the Trump administration for its new Indo- Pacific strategy, the former Pentagon official said in recent days people have heard more than 50 times by members of the Trump administration including the president himself mentioning &quot;free and open&quot; Indo-Pacific region.</p>

<p>&quot;The Chinese have already attacked this. They don&#39;t like it, said Pillsbury, who is considered an authority on China- related issues.</p>

<p>&quot;The Indians, fairly recently, were joking about we want to make the Indian Ocean the Indian Ocean, by which they meant the purchase of several billion dollars worth of American PA aircraft, which have weapon systems in the back that can sink ships, frankly, and other improvements including maritime situational awareness and a big new center in Delhi where the Indians can keep track of both blue holes and grey holes going through the Indian Ocean, he said.</p>

<p>&quot;Chinese are very angry about this. They have criticised the Obama administration for its effort to, as they say, boost India, to a higher rank order in comprehensive power than the Chinese believe India deserves, the top American expert on China said in response to a question.</p>

<p>Senator Ed Markey said China&#39;s signature Belt and Road Initiative that aims to position China as the uncontested leading power in Asia &quot;may further coerce&quot; its neighbours through loans they cannot repay.</p>

<p>The BRI aimed at building a vast network of infrastructure projects expanding China&#39;s expertise and capital to different parts of the world includes US $50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over which India has protested as it traversed through Pakistan- occupied-Kashmir (PoK).</p>

<p>India boycotted the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) organised by China in May this year to highlight its concerns over Beijing pushing projects through the the PoK.</p>

<p>He said the US companies face the threat of intellectual property theft with reports that China has been stealing cutting-edge research as well as sensitive trade secrets from the US.</p>

<p>And that includes companies working in the clean energy sector who cannot compete with state-backed firms, he alleged.</p>

<p>Pillsbury said Chinese are offering low interest loans to countries that cannot afford it.</p>

<p>&quot;We&#39;re already saw the example of Sri Lanka, which fell behind in its payments and then was the subject of coercion that if you transfer the main port here in Sri Lanka to Chinese control, we will forgive the debt. The Sri Lankans did it, he said.</p>

<p>There were concerns of debt burden brought in by the BRI projects after Sri Lanka opted for long-term lease of its Hambantota port for US $1.12 billion debt swap.</p>

<p>&quot;...So we are beginning to see, just through the media, what the Belt and Road Initiative may mean, Pillsbury told the lawmakers.</p>

<p>Senator Markey said China is challenging the very underpinnings of the global order that has brought peace and prosperity.</p>

<p>China has not lived up to its international obligations to help denuclearise the Korean Peninsula, he said.</p>

<p>&quot;No country has greater leverage than China, which is responsible for approximately 90 per cent of North Korean trade,&quot; he noted.</p>

<p>Markey said, &quot;China is challenging the international system elsewhere as well. It has constructed in violation of international law, military bases on artificial islands and disputed areas of the South China Sea.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Through economic coercion, Beijing undermined the sovereignty of its smaller neighbours and countries including South Korea and the Philippines face Chinese retaliation for taking legal and sovereign actions in their own defence,&quot; he said.</p>


Michael Pillsbury, Director of Center on Chinese Strategy at the prestigious think-tank Hudson Institute, said that Modi and his team have been quite outspoken against Chinese President Xi Jinping's ambitious project.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only world statesman to have stood up to China's Belt and Road Initiative, also known as One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR), even though the US has been silent on the ambitious project till recently, a top American expert on China said on Friday. During a Congressional hearing, Michael Pillsbury, Director of Center on Chinese Strategy at the prestigious think-tank Hudson Institute, told lawmakers that Modi and his team have been quite outspoken against Chinese President Xi Jinping's ambitious project. "The only statesman in the world who stood up to it yet, is Prime Minister Modi. He and his team have been quite outspoken, partly because the Belt and Road Initiative includes violation of Indian sovereign claims, Pillsbury said. "But the US government, until now and this is a five- year-old initiative if you count the early part of it, has been silent, he said. Praising the Trump administration for its new Indo- Pacific strategy, the former Pentagon official said in recent days people have heard more than 50 times by members of the Trump administration including the president himself mentioning "free and open" Indo-Pacific region. "The Chinese have already attacked this. They don't like it, said Pillsbury, who is considered an authority on China- related issues. "The Indians, fairly recently, were joking about we want to make the Indian Ocean the Indian Ocean, by which they meant the purchase of several billion dollars worth of American PA aircraft, which have weapon systems in the back that can sink ships, frankly, and other improvements including maritime situational awareness and a big new center in Delhi where the Indians can keep track of both blue holes and grey holes going through the Indian Ocean, he said. "Chinese are very angry about this. They have criticised the Obama administration for its effort to, as they say, boost India, to a higher rank order in comprehensive power than the Chinese believe India deserves, the top American expert on China said in response to a question. Senator Ed Markey said China's signature Belt and Road Initiative that aims to position China as the uncontested leading power in Asia "may further coerce" its neighbours through loans they cannot repay. The BRI aimed at building a vast network of infrastructure projects expanding China's expertise and capital to different parts of the world includes US $50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over which India has protested as it traversed through Pakistan- occupied-Kashmir (PoK). India boycotted the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) organised by China in May this year to highlight its concerns over Beijing pushing projects through the the PoK. He said the US companies face the threat of intellectual property theft with reports that China has been stealing cutting-edge research as well as sensitive trade secrets from the US. And that includes companies working in the clean energy sector who cannot compete with state-backed firms, he alleged. Pillsbury said Chinese are offering low interest loans to countries that cannot afford it. "We're already saw the example of Sri Lanka, which fell behind in its payments and then was the subject of coercion that if you transfer the main port here in Sri Lanka to Chinese control, we will forgive the debt. The Sri Lankans did it, he said. There were concerns of debt burden brought in by the BRI projects after Sri Lanka opted for long-term lease of its Hambantota port for US $1.12 billion debt swap. "...So we are beginning to see, just through the media, what the Belt and Road Initiative may mean, Pillsbury told the lawmakers. Senator Markey said China is challenging the very underpinnings of the global order that has brought peace and prosperity. China has not lived up to its international obligations to help denuclearise the Korean Peninsula, he said. "No country has greater leverage than China, which is responsible for approximately 90 per cent of North Korean trade," he noted. Markey said, "China is challenging the international system elsewhere as well. It has constructed in violation of international law, military bases on artificial islands and disputed areas of the South China Sea." "Through economic coercion, Beijing undermined the sovereignty of its smaller neighbours and countries including South Korea and the Philippines face Chinese retaliation for taking legal and sovereign actions in their own defence," he said.

Narendra Modi only world statesman to stand up to China on OBOR: US expert

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/narendra-modi-only-world-statesman-to-stand-up-to-china-on-obor-us-expert-24462">Narendra Modi only world statesman to stand up to China on OBOR: US expert</a></p>

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only world statesman to have stood up to China&#39;s Belt and Road Initiative, also known as One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR), even though the US has been silent on the ambitious project till recently, a top American expert on China said on Friday.</p>

<p><br />
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/china-open-defending-champion-pv-sindhu-eliminatede-by-teenager-in-quarter-finals-24457">China Open: Defending champion PV Sindhu knocked out in quarter-final by Chinese teen</a></p>

<p><br />
P V Sindhu&#39;s title defence lay in tatters after suffering a shock straight-game loss to hitherto unknown Chinese Gao Fangjie in the quarterfinals of the China Super Series Premier here on Friday. Sindhu&#39;s loss drew curtains on India&#39;s campaign at the China Open, following the ouster of Saina Nehwal and H S Prannoy in the pre-quarterfinals yesterday.</p>

<p><br />
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/nitish-kumar-led-jdu-gets-control-over-arrow-party-symbol-24459">EC recognises Nitish Kumar-led faction as JD(U)</a></p>

<p>The Election Commission has recognised Janta Dal United&#39;s faction led by Nitish Kumar. EC &#39;s decision comes after it rejected the plea filed by Gujarat party leader Chhotubhai Amarsang Vasava to recognise his group as real JD(U). He is the working president of the JD(U) faction led by Sharad Yadav.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-releases-first-list-of-70-candidates-for-gujarat-polls-24460">Gujarat elections: BJP releases first list of 70 candidates</a></p>

<p>The BJP today released its first list of 70 candidates for the Gujarat elections, including five Congress rebels and 49 sitting MLAs. The state&#39;s ruling party has fielded 16 fresh faces in its first list for elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly, to be held in two phases on December 9 and 14.</p>

<p><br />
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/taylor-swifts-reputation-becomes-highest-selling-album-of-2017-24454">Taylor Swift&#39;s &#39;Reputation&#39; becomes highest-selling album of 2017</a></p>

<p>Taylor Swift is back on the Billboard with her latest album &quot;Reputation&quot; breaking all records by selling 1.05 million copies in the first four days of its release on streaming services. &quot;Reputation&quot; is Swift&#39;s fourth consecutive album to sell more than a million copies in its first week.</p>


Narendra Modi only world statesman to stand up to China on OBOR: US expert Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only world statesman to have stood up to China's Belt and Road Initiative, also known as One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR), even though the US has been silent on the ambitious project till recently, a top American expert on China said on Friday. China Open: Defending champion PV Sindhu knocked out in quarter-final by Chinese teen P V Sindhu's title defence lay in tatters after suffering a shock straight-game loss to hitherto unknown Chinese Gao Fangjie in the quarterfinals of the China Super Series Premier here on Friday. Sindhu's loss drew curtains on India's campaign at the China Open, following the ouster of Saina Nehwal and H S Prannoy in the pre-quarterfinals yesterday. EC recognises Nitish Kumar-led faction as JD(U) The Election Commission has recognised Janta Dal United's faction led by Nitish Kumar. EC 's decision comes after it rejected the plea filed by Gujarat party leader Chhotubhai Amarsang Vasava to recognise his group as real JD(U). He is the working president of the JD(U) faction led by Sharad Yadav. Gujarat elections: BJP releases first list of 70 candidates The BJP today released its first list of 70 candidates for the Gujarat elections, including five Congress rebels and 49 sitting MLAs. The state's ruling party has fielded 16 fresh faces in its first list for elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly, to be held in two phases on December 9 and 14. Taylor Swift's 'Reputation' becomes highest-selling album of 2017 Taylor Swift is back on the Billboard with her latest album "Reputation" breaking all records by selling 1.05 million copies in the first four days of its release on streaming services. "Reputation" is Swift's fourth consecutive album to sell more than a million copies in its first week.

WION Evening News Brief, November 17, 2017

<p>Continuing his tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today fired yet another salvo on Twitter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Attacking Modi on the Rafale deal, the Congress leader told reporters that they have been asking so many questions and he responded but why have they failed to question the prime minister on who changed the Rafale deal to&nbsp;benefit of &quot;one&quot;&nbsp;businessman.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">You ask me so many questions &amp; I answer you properly, why don&#39;t you ask the PM about Rafale deal? He changed the whole deal for benefit of one businessman. Why don&#39;t you ask questions about Amit Shah&#39;s son? These are the questions I wanted to ask you: Rahul Gandhi <a href="https://t.co/p5S3nPMecR">pic.twitter.com/p5S3nPMecR</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931057231935676416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&quot;You ask me so many questions &amp; I answer you properly, why don&#39;t you ask the PM about Rafale deal? He changed the whole deal for benefit of one businessman. Why don&#39;t you ask questions about Amit Shah&#39;s son? These are the questions I wanted to ask you,&#39;&#39; Rahul Gandhi said without mentioning Anil Ambani-owned Reliance.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Can you explain &quot;Reliance&quot; on someone with nil experience in aerospace for Rafale deal?</p>
&mdash; Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/930995047436185600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Taking a jibe at Modi on Twitter, the Congress vice-president said Self &quot;Reliance&quot; is obviously a critical aspect of &quot;Make in India.&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Self &quot;Reliance&quot; is obviously a critical aspect of &quot;Make in India.&quot;</p>
&mdash; Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/930995317801082882?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Rahul took a dig at PM&nbsp;Modi asking: Can you explain &quot;Reliance&quot; on someone with nil experience in aerospace for Rafale deal?</p>


Continuing his witty jibe on Modi, he further asked on his Twitter handle: Can you explain "Reliance" on someone with nil experience in aerospace for Rafale deal?

Continuing his tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today fired yet another salvo on Twitter. Attacking Modi on the Rafale deal, the Congress leader told reporters that they have been asking so many questions and he responded but why have they failed to question the prime minister on who changed the Rafale deal to benefit of "one" businessman. You ask me so many questions & I answer you properly, why don't you ask the PM about Rafale deal? He changed the whole deal for benefit of one businessman. Why don't you ask questions about Amit Shah's son? These are the questions I wanted to ask you: Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/p5S3nPMecR — ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2017 × "You ask me so many questions & I answer you properly, why don't you ask the PM about Rafale deal? He changed the whole deal for benefit of one businessman. Why don't you ask questions about Amit Shah's son? These are the questions I wanted to ask you,'' Rahul Gandhi said without mentioning Anil Ambani-owned Reliance. Can you explain "Reliance" on someone with nil experience in aerospace for Rafale deal? — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) November 16, 2017 × Taking a jibe at Modi on Twitter, the Congress vice-president said Self "Reliance" is obviously a critical aspect of "Make in India." Self "Reliance" is obviously a critical aspect of "Make in India." — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) November 16, 2017 × Rahul took a dig at PM Modi asking: Can you explain "Reliance" on someone with nil experience in aerospace for Rafale deal?

Now, Rahul Gandhi tweets on Rafale deal, takes a dig at Modi government

<p>Is Gujarat ready to deliver the sixth term for Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on December 18, 2017? The answer is not as simple as the question. Since 1962, Congress and BJP have each been successful six and five times respectively in winning five consecutive terms. However, Madhav Singh Solanki of Congress and Narendra Modi of BJP were the only Chief Ministers to win three consecutive terms for their parties.</p>

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<p>It is common sense that each electoral victory is based on a combination of several factors for which positive determinants outweigh the negative ones. Whatever may, in the 2017 Gujarat election, one may notice that the competitiveness of Congress and BJP is more balanced than expected at least with regard to the popular perception.</p>

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<h5>In the Saurashtra and Kutch region as the present political conjuncture in this region is favourable to Rahul Gandhi&rsquo;s Congress.</h5>
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<p>While the planets may seem aligned for BJP, the bad news is the party running for the sixth consecutive term. Therefore, it appears that there is a risk of fatigue on the part of the electorates in Gujarat. This trend is more visible in the Saurashtra and Kutch region as the present political conjuncture in this region is favourable to Rahul Gandhi&rsquo;s Congress.</p>

<p>We must remember that &ldquo;all politics is local&rdquo; and thus each region has their own political dynamics. It is equally true about Saurashtra and Kutch&nbsp;region. In total, there are 54 assembly seats in this region, the highest number comparing other regions. In particular, these assembly seats are divided as per the following: 6 in Kutch, 5 in Surendranagar, 11 in Rajkot, 7 in Jamnagar, 2 in Porbandar, 9 in Junagarh, 5 in Amreli, and 9 in Bhavnagar.</p>

<p>Saurashtra and Kutch&#39;s region is no longer appearing ideologically stable with BJP and showing trends to swing in favour of Congress. Though BJP did well in this region in 2012 Assembly elections despite the probable challenge from Keshubhai Patel&rsquo;s Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP). The BJP won 34 of the 54 seats. But the party&rsquo;s vote share in the region was declined from 48 per cent in 2007 to 45 per cent in 2012.</p>

<p>One of the reasons was the GPP&rsquo;s performance that secured almost 8 per cent of the votes in this region and ended up winning two seats. The Congress won 16 seats that is a gain of two seats from 2007. Interestingly, BJP with 34 seats got 45 per cent of votes while Congress with only 16 seats got 37 per cent of votes.</p>

<p>In the past and even now, there has been a deep schism between the mainland Gujarat and Saurashtra. In 1957, Jivraj Mehta from Saurashtra as Chief Minister nominated most of the minsters from Saurashtra region and refused to take orders from the mainland dominated Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee.</p>

<p>The replacement of Keshubhai Patel from Saurashtra by Narendra Modi in 2001 was seen in the similar light. Similarly, in popular imaginations, mainland Gujarat is treated modern, progressive while Saurashtra as backward and regressive.</p>

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<h5>The changing social dynamics in this region is equally worrisome for BJP.</h5>
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<p>In 2017, we must underline that Congress is becoming stronger in this region. As for the voters Congress resembles more as BJP in its methods and approach to make a dent in BJP&rsquo;s support base like visiting temples, attending local festivals, sidelining minorities, playing religious card like using Lord Shiva, exploiting the economic pessimism among farmers, workers, traders, industrialists due to GST, demonetisation, poor employment records and other governance failures at local level.</p>

<p>At the same time, the changing social dynamics in this region is equally worrisome for BJP. It can be seen in the rising anxiety amongst the close circle of BJP due to the rising graph of the Congress. If election will held today, as reflected in the November 2017 survey of Lokniti-CSDS data, both Congress and BJP will secure 42 per cent of votes. However, in the August 2017 Survey, BJP was supposedly enjoying 65 per cent of vote shares while Congress only 26 per cent. It is certainly a huge decline of BJP on perception index.</p>

<p>How do we explain such a decline in popular perception? The significant development is the frustration of Patidars and Karadia Rajputs with BJP. Karadia Rajputs having a dominant presence in 25 Assembly constituencies of this region and traditionally voted for BJP are mobilising against the party.</p>

<p>We must note that Karadia Rajputs are OBCs and the OBC leader Alpesh Thakor is gaining prominence among them. Interestingly, their rivalries with Patidars are also getting diluted due to their anti-BJP convergence. What could not be gained socially is achieved politically? It is also to be highlighted that Rajputs in Saurashtra includes lower castes such as Kathis, Kolis and Mers and collectively referred as Kshatriyas.</p>

<p>For Patidars, Saurashtra and Kutch&nbsp;is a stronghold. They are in sizable presence in more than 30 Assembly seats and are in a position to tip the scale of victory in these constituencies. The Patidar leader, Hardik Patel still enjoys the confidence of his community despite the attempt to demean his character through the sudden release of CDs. It must be noted that it is not for the first time Patidars are giving a challenge to BJP. In 2012, Keshubhai Patel also tried to mobilise Patidar voters but failed.</p>

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<h5>The certain swing of voters and the habit of &lsquo;panic vote&rsquo; in the last minute may still be able to change the fate of the BJP in Saurashtra as it happened in 2012.</h5>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The certain swing of voters and the habit of ?panic vote? in the last minute may still be able to change the fate of the BJP in Saurashtra as it happened in 2012." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
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<p>But unlike the past, first, Patidar&rsquo;s anger was consolidated with an organised movement by the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti on the pretext of &lsquo;first reservation then vote&rsquo;. Second, the overall pessimism of the electorate was relatively modest in 2012, and thus BJP did well due to excellent management of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Third, for the first time, Kadvas, Leuvas and other sub-castes of Patels like Chaudharys and Anjanas came together to emerge as the united force due to reservation movement.</p>

<p>However, BJP may get the support from Koli community that is more than 20 per cent and has a sizable presence in 18 Assembly seats in Saurashtra. More specifically, like always, the certain swing of voters and the habit of &lsquo;panic vote&rsquo; in the last minute may still be able to change the fate of the BJP in Saurashtra as it happened in 2012.</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer</em>: <em>The author writes here in a personal capacity)</em></p>


The changing social dynamics in Saurashtra and Kutch is worrisome for BJP and also Congress is becoming stronger in this region

Is Gujarat ready to deliver the sixth term for Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on December 18, 2017? The answer is not as simple as the question. Since 1962, Congress and BJP have each been successful six and five times respectively in winning five consecutive terms. However, Madhav Singh Solanki of Congress and Narendra Modi of BJP were the only Chief Ministers to win three consecutive terms for their parties. It is common sense that each electoral victory is based on a combination of several factors for which positive determinants outweigh the negative ones. Whatever may, in the 2017 Gujarat election, one may notice that the competitiveness of Congress and BJP is more balanced than expected at least with regard to the popular perception. In the Saurashtra and Kutch region as the present political conjuncture in this region is favourable to Rahul Gandhi’s Congress. × While the planets may seem aligned for BJP, the bad news is the party running for the sixth consecutive term. Therefore, it appears that there is a risk of fatigue on the part of the electorates in Gujarat. This trend is more visible in the Saurashtra and Kutch region as the present political conjuncture in this region is favourable to Rahul Gandhi’s Congress. We must remember that “all politics is local” and thus each region has their own political dynamics. It is equally true about Saurashtra and Kutch region. In total, there are 54 assembly seats in this region, the highest number comparing other regions. In particular, these assembly seats are divided as per the following: 6 in Kutch, 5 in Surendranagar, 11 in Rajkot, 7 in Jamnagar, 2 in Porbandar, 9 in Junagarh, 5 in Amreli, and 9 in Bhavnagar. Saurashtra and Kutch's region is no longer appearing ideologically stable with BJP and showing trends to swing in favour of Congress. Though BJP did well in this region in 2012 Assembly elections despite the probable challenge from Keshubhai Patel’s Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP). The BJP won 34 of the 54 seats. But the party’s vote share in the region was declined from 48 per cent in 2007 to 45 per cent in 2012. One of the reasons was the GPP’s performance that secured almost 8 per cent of the votes in this region and ended up winning two seats. The Congress won 16 seats that is a gain of two seats from 2007. Interestingly, BJP with 34 seats got 45 per cent of votes while Congress with only 16 seats got 37 per cent of votes. In the past and even now, there has been a deep schism between the mainland Gujarat and Saurashtra. In 1957, Jivraj Mehta from Saurashtra as Chief Minister nominated most of the minsters from Saurashtra region and refused to take orders from the mainland dominated Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee. The replacement of Keshubhai Patel from Saurashtra by Narendra Modi in 2001 was seen in the similar light. Similarly, in popular imaginations, mainland Gujarat is treated modern, progressive while Saurashtra as backward and regressive. The changing social dynamics in this region is equally worrisome for BJP. × In 2017, we must underline that Congress is becoming stronger in this region. As for the voters Congress resembles more as BJP in its methods and approach to make a dent in BJP’s support base like visiting temples, attending local festivals, sidelining minorities, playing religious card like using Lord Shiva, exploiting the economic pessimism among farmers, workers, traders, industrialists due to GST, demonetisation, poor employment records and other governance failures at local level. At the same time, the changing social dynamics in this region is equally worrisome for BJP. It can be seen in the rising anxiety amongst the close circle of BJP due to the rising graph of the Congress. If election will held today, as reflected in the November 2017 survey of Lokniti-CSDS data, both Congress and BJP will secure 42 per cent of votes. However, in the August 2017 Survey, BJP was supposedly enjoying 65 per cent of vote shares while Congress only 26 per cent. It is certainly a huge decline of BJP on perception index. How do we explain such a decline in popular perception? The significant development is the frustration of Patidars and Karadia Rajputs with BJP. Karadia Rajputs having a dominant presence in 25 Assembly constituencies of this region and traditionally voted for BJP are mobilising against the party. We must note that Karadia Rajputs are OBCs and the OBC leader Alpesh Thakor is gaining prominence among them. Interestingly, their rivalries with Patidars are also getting diluted due to their anti-BJP convergence. What could not be gained socially is achieved politically? It is also to be highlighted that Rajputs in Saurashtra includes lower castes such as Kathis, Kolis and Mers and collectively referred as Kshatriyas. For Patidars, Saurashtra and Kutch is a stronghold. They are in sizable presence in more than 30 Assembly seats and are in a position to tip the scale of victory in these constituencies. The Patidar leader, Hardik Patel still enjoys the confidence of his community despite the attempt to demean his character through the sudden release of CDs. It must be noted that it is not for the first time Patidars are giving a challenge to BJP. In 2012, Keshubhai Patel also tried to mobilise Patidar voters but failed. The certain swing of voters and the habit of ‘panic vote’ in the last minute may still be able to change the fate of the BJP in Saurashtra as it happened in 2012. × But unlike the past, first, Patidar’s anger was consolidated with an organised movement by the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti on the pretext of ‘first reservation then vote’. Second, the overall pessimism of the electorate was relatively modest in 2012, and thus BJP did well due to excellent management of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Third, for the first time, Kadvas, Leuvas and other sub-castes of Patels like Chaudharys and Anjanas came together to emerge as the united force due to reservation movement. However, BJP may get the support from Koli community that is more than 20 per cent and has a sizable presence in 18 Assembly seats in Saurashtra. More specifically, like always, the certain swing of voters and the habit of ‘panic vote’ in the last minute may still be able to change the fate of the BJP in Saurashtra as it happened in 2012. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity)

Changing dynamics in Saurashtra might hurt BJP in Gujarat

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Trump had a meeting on November 13, 2017, on the sidelines of the ASEAN and East Asia Summit held in Manila. This was days after India attended a meeting with Japanese, Australians and the US (this grouping has been dubbed as the Quad). Off late, the US has also spoken about a greater role for India in the Indo-Pacific, first Secretary of State Rex Tillerson did so, and during his visit to Asia, the US President Trump has referred to the Asia-Pacific as the Indo-Pacific much to the chagrin of the Chinese.</p>

<p>The Indian prime minister&rsquo;s emphasis on the need for New Delhi-Washington ties moving beyond the bilateral context was a clear reference to a greater role for India in the Indo-Pacific and greater cooperation between New Delhi and Washington DC.</p>

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<h5>The US President while highlighting India&rsquo;s democratic credentials and diversity, laid special emphasis on the stellar economic progress made by India.</h5>
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<p>Indian Prime Minister said, &quot;The cooperation between India and US can rise beyond bilateral cooperation and both countries can work for the future of Asia and the world. We are moving ahead together on many issues,&quot; Modi told Trump in his opening remarks&rsquo; Modi also expressed gratitude to Trump for expressing optimism with regard to the India growth story and stated that India would live up to US expectations.</p>

<p>Trump had lavished praise on India while addressing a gathering of CEO&#39;s on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Vietnam. The US President while highlighting India&rsquo;s democratic credentials and diversity, laid special emphasis on the stellar economic progress made by India. Said Trump: &ldquo;Since India opened its economy, it has achieved astounding growth and a new world of opportunities for its expanding middle class&rsquo;.</p>

<p>While there is a clear synergy, a few questions need to be kept in mind. The US President is transactional and unpredictable. While New Delhi should be happy with the current administration&rsquo;s repeated calls for granting a larger role to India in the Indo-Pacific, New Delhi should not forget that Trump himself has given mixed signals with regard to the US role in the Indo-Pacific. Initially, the US President had backed a more isolationist role for the US, confusing its allies like Japan and South Korea. Only on the issue of North Korea, Trump has taken an unequivocally harsh stance.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Secondly, while Trump may at times make belligerent statements against China. Beijing has read him very well and understood that business deals work as a sweetener for the US President. This was clearly evident from Trump&rsquo;s recent China visit where the Chinese apart from laying out a red carpet, also signed business deals to the tune of 250 billion USD (the sceptics believe that many of these are MOU&#39;s).</p>

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<h5>While the Trump administration has made the right noises on Pakistan, New Delhi should not expect Washington to dump Islamabad or Rawalpindi.</h5>
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<p>Post the meeting between&nbsp;Trump and Xi, the US President&rsquo;s tone totally changed. While Washington having good ties with Beijing is not bad news for India, Trump&#39;s flip-flops certainly send a clear message that New Delhi should not solely depend upon Trump for its Indo-Pacific strategy, and neither should it&#39;s China policy be an extension of Washington&#39;s. Given their economic clout, the Chinese are in a good position to outmanoeuvre Trump.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Third, while the Trump administration has made the right noises on Pakistan, New Delhi should not expect Washington to dump Islamabad or Rawalpindi. Old hands in the state department will not let go so easily, and even on Afghanistan, Washington&rsquo;s policy will not echo India&rsquo;s though the synergies may increase. PM Modi&rsquo;s mention of India&rsquo;s recent decision to send a consignment of wheat to Afghanistan via Chabahar (Iran) sent an important message that just as Washington has its own priorities, so does New Delhi.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
<strong>What are India&rsquo;s options</strong></p>

<p>While the scepticism with regard to being part of a US-led alliance is over the top, the Quad in itself is not an answer to India&rsquo;s strategic challenges &ndash; especially with the rise of China. India&rsquo;s most reliable partner is Japan and Australia, which of&nbsp;late has witnessed significant strains in the relationship, and should be given high top priority.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Second, New Delhi should continue to explore synergies with China, but New Delhi should draw some red lines. China&rsquo;s approach of turning a blind eye towards the activities of Pakistani terror groups targeting India, especially its recent decision to block the UN ban on Azhar Masood should not go unnoticed. New Delhi should look at reducing economic dependence upon Chinese goods, and look at other alternatives. This can not happen overnight but should be an incremental process.</p>

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<h5>While New Delhi needs to get out of embedded biases&nbsp;and suspicion of the US, it also needs to realise, that it will have to fight its own battles.</h5>
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<p>Third, India has understood the importance of personalised diplomacy with Trump, and the importance he gives to business in bilateral relationships. This is useful, though not enough given the US President&#39;s flip-flops. Apart from this, a lot also depends upon the US President&#39;s domestic political capital. A vulnerable Trump could be even more isolationist and this does not help India&#39;s cause in any way.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
In conclusion, while New Delhi needs to get out of embedded biases&nbsp;and suspicion of the US, it also needs to realise, that it will have to fight its own battles. China&rsquo;s increasing leverage clearly shows that robust economic growth enhances diplomatic clout. Western democracies which pontificate about Human Rights and Democracy, have had to meekly surrender vis-&agrave;-vis Beijing on more than one occasion.</p>


India needs to develop business bilateral ties in order to fight its own battle.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Trump had a meeting on November 13, 2017, on the sidelines of the ASEAN and East Asia Summit held in Manila. This was days after India attended a meeting with Japanese, Australians and the US (this grouping has been dubbed as the Quad). Off late, the US has also spoken about a greater role for India in the Indo-Pacific, first Secretary of State Rex Tillerson did so, and during his visit to Asia, the US President Trump has referred to the Asia-Pacific as the Indo-Pacific much to the chagrin of the Chinese. The Indian prime minister’s emphasis on the need for New Delhi-Washington ties moving beyond the bilateral context was a clear reference to a greater role for India in the Indo-Pacific and greater cooperation between New Delhi and Washington DC. The US President while highlighting India’s democratic credentials and diversity, laid special emphasis on the stellar economic progress made by India. × Indian Prime Minister said, "The cooperation between India and US can rise beyond bilateral cooperation and both countries can work for the future of Asia and the world. We are moving ahead together on many issues," Modi told Trump in his opening remarks’ Modi also expressed gratitude to Trump for expressing optimism with regard to the India growth story and stated that India would live up to US expectations. Trump had lavished praise on India while addressing a gathering of CEO's on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Vietnam. The US President while highlighting India’s democratic credentials and diversity, laid special emphasis on the stellar economic progress made by India. Said Trump: “Since India opened its economy, it has achieved astounding growth and a new world of opportunities for its expanding middle class’. While there is a clear synergy, a few questions need to be kept in mind. The US President is transactional and unpredictable. While New Delhi should be happy with the current administration’s repeated calls for granting a larger role to India in the Indo-Pacific, New Delhi should not forget that Trump himself has given mixed signals with regard to the US role in the Indo-Pacific. Initially, the US President had backed a more isolationist role for the US, confusing its allies like Japan and South Korea. Only on the issue of North Korea, Trump has taken an unequivocally harsh stance. Secondly, while Trump may at times make belligerent statements against China. Beijing has read him very well and understood that business deals work as a sweetener for the US President. This was clearly evident from Trump’s recent China visit where the Chinese apart from laying out a red carpet, also signed business deals to the tune of 250 billion USD (the sceptics believe that many of these are MOU's). While the Trump administration has made the right noises on Pakistan, New Delhi should not expect Washington to dump Islamabad or Rawalpindi. × Post the meeting between Trump and Xi, the US President’s tone totally changed. While Washington having good ties with Beijing is not bad news for India, Trump's flip-flops certainly send a clear message that New Delhi should not solely depend upon Trump for its Indo-Pacific strategy, and neither should it's China policy be an extension of Washington's. Given their economic clout, the Chinese are in a good position to outmanoeuvre Trump. Third, while the Trump administration has made the right noises on Pakistan, New Delhi should not expect Washington to dump Islamabad or Rawalpindi. Old hands in the state department will not let go so easily, and even on Afghanistan, Washington’s policy will not echo India’s though the synergies may increase. PM Modi’s mention of India’s recent decision to send a consignment of wheat to Afghanistan via Chabahar (Iran) sent an important message that just as Washington has its own priorities, so does New Delhi. What are India’s options While the scepticism with regard to being part of a US-led alliance is over the top, the Quad in itself is not an answer to India’s strategic challenges – especially with the rise of China. India’s most reliable partner is Japan and Australia, which of late has witnessed significant strains in the relationship, and should be given high top priority. Second, New Delhi should continue to explore synergies with China, but New Delhi should draw some red lines. China’s approach of turning a blind eye towards the activities of Pakistani terror groups targeting India, especially its recent decision to block the UN ban on Azhar Masood should not go unnoticed. New Delhi should look at reducing economic dependence upon Chinese goods, and look at other alternatives. This can not happen overnight but should be an incremental process. While New Delhi needs to get out of embedded biases and suspicion of the US, it also needs to realise, that it will have to fight its own battles. × Third, India has understood the importance of personalised diplomacy with Trump, and the importance he gives to business in bilateral relationships. This is useful, though not enough given the US President's flip-flops. Apart from this, a lot also depends upon the US President's domestic political capital. A vulnerable Trump could be even more isolationist and this does not help India's cause in any way. In conclusion, while New Delhi needs to get out of embedded biases and suspicion of the US, it also needs to realise, that it will have to fight its own battles. China’s increasing leverage clearly shows that robust economic growth enhances diplomatic clout. Western democracies which pontificate about Human Rights and Democracy, have had to meekly surrender vis-à-vis Beijing on more than one occasion.

Trump unreliable; India needs robust economy to counter China

<p>A New York Times article, headlined &quot;In India, Fashion Has Become a Nationalist Cause&quot;, has been met with tremendous anger on social media.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The article claims that ever since the current BJP government came to power in 2014, &quot;the Indian fashion industry has been pressed to aggressively promote traditional attire and bypass Western styles.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The article adds that &quot;The effort aligns with the party&rsquo;s broader political program: to project multi-faith India, a country of more than 1.3 billion, as a Hindu nation.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;Fashion, and how Indians think of it, has not been exempt. Mr. Modi has made traditional dress a priority and, as many in the country want to please him, the fashion industry has followed along,&quot;&nbsp;the New York Times story goes on to say.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The story finally hones in on the Banarsi sari -- Varanasi is also Modi&#39;s parliamentary constituency -- with the New York Times reporter travelling to the town to check on whether anything has changed for the artisans (largely Muslim) who make the saris in the three years that Modi has been in power.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nothing much has, he writes, saying that they continue to live in poverty.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He adds that things have got better for the Varanasi&#39;s merchants who employ the workers. And that they have reaped the benefits -- demand for the sari has gone up -- of the government&#39;s support for the Banarsi sari.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Social media in India exploded with anger -- with most people not agreeing with the NYT article -- after the story began to do the rounds:&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This kind of idiotic story in the New York Times confirms the Modi government&rsquo;s suspicion that foreign newspapers lie about it. <a href="https://t.co/Xoj0oeL7Lc">pic.twitter.com/Xoj0oeL7Lc</a></p>
&mdash; Tavleen Singh (@tavleen_singh) <a href="https://twitter.com/tavleen_singh/status/929958020016197632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Before 2014, no man wore a Kurta and no woman a saree? Because this &#39;fashion aesthetic&#39; is apparently part of &#39;pol program of Hindu nationalism&#39; <a href="https://t.co/BUMwSZWXss">https://t.co/BUMwSZWXss</a></p>
&mdash; Padmaja joshi (@PadmajaJoshi) <a href="https://twitter.com/PadmajaJoshi/status/930340015120506882?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Burqa is a sign of GLOBAL women empowerment, saree is a TOOL of Hindu Nationalism. Wearing Saree is communal, so dear Indian ladies if you want to be secular wear jeans, skirts, minis etc as per <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nytimes</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/vijayrupanibjp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@vijayrupanibjp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/smritiirani?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@smritiirani</a> <a href="https://t.co/a2TvgAPO6J">https://t.co/a2TvgAPO6J</a></p>
&mdash; Aditi Pathak (@AditiPathaak) <a href="https://twitter.com/AditiPathaak/status/930308818378022913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Everyone wears the Banarasi saree <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nytimes</a> this is incredibly biased writing. &quot;the Banarasi sari, the traditional garment known for its fine silk and opulent embroidery &mdash; and primarily worn by Hindu women.&quot;</p>
&mdash; Kiran Manral (@KiranManral) <a href="https://twitter.com/KiranManral/status/930278284981440512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Wearing Saree is communal, so dear Indian ladies if you want to be secular wear jeans, skirts, minis etc as per <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nytimes</a> <a href="https://t.co/xWJTklrqfP">https://t.co/xWJTklrqfP</a></p>
&mdash; Avinash (@avinashbhat01) <a href="https://twitter.com/avinashbhat01/status/929968222438285313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This asinine <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nytimes</a> article links the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/saree?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#saree</a> with Hindu Nationalism!<br />
Real issue is that Indians sticking to traditional attire get in the way of pushing Western attire. Pathetic drivel<a href="https://t.co/UefV1ntwJv">https://t.co/UefV1ntwJv</a></p>
&mdash; Smita Barooah (@smitabarooah) <a href="https://twitter.com/smitabarooah/status/929997610777174016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">What is this journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/qadri_asgar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@qadri_asgar</a> been smoking? <a href="https://twitter.com/nytimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nytimes</a> do you even verify what your reporters write? <a href="https://t.co/WwcH4mtyQq">pic.twitter.com/WwcH4mtyQq</a></p>
&mdash; India First (@OurIndiaFirst19) <a href="https://twitter.com/OurIndiaFirst19/status/929970811221417985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


'Mr. Modi has made traditional dress a priority and, as many in the country want to please him, the fashion industry has followed along,'?a New York Times story said

A New York Times article, headlined "In India, Fashion Has Become a Nationalist Cause", has been met with tremendous anger on social media. The article claims that ever since the current BJP government came to power in 2014, "the Indian fashion industry has been pressed to aggressively promote traditional attire and bypass Western styles." The article adds that "The effort aligns with the party’s broader political program: to project multi-faith India, a country of more than 1.3 billion, as a Hindu nation." "Fashion, and how Indians think of it, has not been exempt. Mr. Modi has made traditional dress a priority and, as many in the country want to please him, the fashion industry has followed along," the New York Times story goes on to say. The story finally hones in on the Banarsi sari -- Varanasi is also Modi's parliamentary constituency -- with the New York Times reporter travelling to the town to check on whether anything has changed for the artisans (largely Muslim) who make the saris in the three years that Modi has been in power. Nothing much has, he writes, saying that they continue to live in poverty. He adds that things have got better for the Varanasi's merchants who employ the workers. And that they have reaped the benefits -- demand for the sari has gone up -- of the government's support for the Banarsi sari. Social media in India exploded with anger -- with most people not agreeing with the NYT article -- after the story began to do the rounds: This kind of idiotic story in the New York Times confirms the Modi government’s suspicion that foreign newspapers lie about it. pic.twitter.com/Xoj0oeL7Lc — Tavleen Singh (@tavleen_singh) November 13, 2017 × Before 2014, no man wore a Kurta and no woman a saree? Because this 'fashion aesthetic' is apparently part of 'pol program of Hindu nationalism' https://t.co/BUMwSZWXss — Padmaja joshi (@PadmajaJoshi) November 14, 2017 × Burqa is a sign of GLOBAL women empowerment, saree is a TOOL of Hindu Nationalism. Wearing Saree is communal, so dear Indian ladies if you want to be secular wear jeans, skirts, minis etc as per @nytimes. @narendramodi @vijayrupanibjp @smritiirani https://t.co/a2TvgAPO6J — Aditi Pathak (@AditiPathaak) November 14, 2017 × Everyone wears the Banarasi saree @nytimes this is incredibly biased writing. "the Banarasi sari, the traditional garment known for its fine silk and opulent embroidery — and primarily worn by Hindu women." — Kiran Manral (@KiranManral) November 14, 2017 × Wearing Saree is communal, so dear Indian ladies if you want to be secular wear jeans, skirts, minis etc as per @nytimes https://t.co/xWJTklrqfP — Avinash (@avinashbhat01) November 13, 2017 × This asinine @nytimes article links the #saree with Hindu Nationalism! Real issue is that Indians sticking to traditional attire get in the way of pushing Western attire. Pathetic drivelhttps://t.co/UefV1ntwJv — Smita Barooah (@smitabarooah) November 13, 2017 × What is this journalist @qadri_asgar been smoking? @nytimes do you even verify what your reporters write? pic.twitter.com/WwcH4mtyQq — India First (@OurIndiaFirst19) November 13, 2017 ×

Fashion in India has become a nationalist cause, says NYT, Twitter erupts in anger

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called for intensifying regional cooperation to effectively deal with terrorism and pitched for a rules-based security architecture for the resource-rich region, seen as a veiled reference to China&#39;s expansionist posturing in the Indo- Pacific.</p>

<p>In an address at the ASEAN-India summit here, Modi identified terrorism and extremism as the major challenges facing the region and said the time has come for the countries of the region to join hands to collectively deal with it.</p>

<p>&quot;We have individually strived very hard to fight terrorism and violent extremism. It is time that we jointly address this challenge by intensifying cooperation in this crucial area,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is considered one of the most influential groupings in the region and India and several other countries including the US, China, Japan and Australia are its dialogue partners.</p>

<p>In a clear reference to the South China Sea (SCS) dispute which has cast a shadow over the summit talks, Modi said India will continue its support to the ASEAN for establishing a rules-based security architecture in the region.</p>

<p>&quot;India assures the ASEAN of its steady support towards achieving a rules-based regional security architecture that best attests to the region&#39;s interests and its peaceful development,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>China&#39;s aggressive military build up in the SCS was one of the focus areas of the deliberations at the ASEAN summit. China claims sovereignty over all of the SCS, a huge source of hydrocarbons.</p>

<p>However, several ASEAN member countries including Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brunei have counter claims.</p>

<p>India has been supporting freedom of navigation and access to resources in the SCS in accordance with principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.</p>

<p>The ASEAN has been pushing for a legally binding code of conduct for all stakeholders in the SCS but Beijing has been opposing such a framework asserting that it will resolve the dispute with respective countries under the bilateral mechanism.</p>

<p>Prime Minister Modi also talked about shared values and common destiny between India and ASEAN, adding 1.25 billion people in India were eagerly waiting to receive leaders of the ASEAN at the Republic Day celebrations in January next year.</p>

<p>He said India is also holding a commemorative summit with ASEAN on January 25 next year. The ties between India and ASEAN have been on an upswing.</p>

<p>The ASEAN region along with India together comprises a combined population of 1.85 billion people, which is one-fourth of the global population and their combined GDP has been estimated at over USD 3.8 trillion.</p>

<p>Investment from ASEAN to India has been over USD 70 billion in the last 17 years accounting for more than 17 percent of India&#39;s total FDI. India&#39;s investment in ASEAN during the same period has been more than USD 40 billion.</p>

<p>Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Brunei are the members of the ASEAN.</p>

<p>Prime Minister Modi also participated at a meeting of leaders of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).</p>

<p>The RCEP, comprising 10-member ASEAN bloc and six other countries -- India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, is engaged in negotiations for a free trade pact.</p>


'India assures the ASEAN of its steady support towards achieving a rules-based regional security architecture that best attests to the region's interests and its peaceful development,' Modi said

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called for intensifying regional cooperation to effectively deal with terrorism and pitched for a rules-based security architecture for the resource-rich region, seen as a veiled reference to China's expansionist posturing in the Indo- Pacific. In an address at the ASEAN-India summit here, Modi identified terrorism and extremism as the major challenges facing the region and said the time has come for the countries of the region to join hands to collectively deal with it. "We have individually strived very hard to fight terrorism and violent extremism. It is time that we jointly address this challenge by intensifying cooperation in this crucial area," he said. The 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is considered one of the most influential groupings in the region and India and several other countries including the US, China, Japan and Australia are its dialogue partners. In a clear reference to the South China Sea (SCS) dispute which has cast a shadow over the summit talks, Modi said India will continue its support to the ASEAN for establishing a rules-based security architecture in the region. "India assures the ASEAN of its steady support towards achieving a rules-based regional security architecture that best attests to the region's interests and its peaceful development," he said. China's aggressive military build up in the SCS was one of the focus areas of the deliberations at the ASEAN summit. China claims sovereignty over all of the SCS, a huge source of hydrocarbons. However, several ASEAN member countries including Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brunei have counter claims. India has been supporting freedom of navigation and access to resources in the SCS in accordance with principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The ASEAN has been pushing for a legally binding code of conduct for all stakeholders in the SCS but Beijing has been opposing such a framework asserting that it will resolve the dispute with respective countries under the bilateral mechanism. Prime Minister Modi also talked about shared values and common destiny between India and ASEAN, adding 1.25 billion people in India were eagerly waiting to receive leaders of the ASEAN at the Republic Day celebrations in January next year. He said India is also holding a commemorative summit with ASEAN on January 25 next year. The ties between India and ASEAN have been on an upswing. The ASEAN region along with India together comprises a combined population of 1.85 billion people, which is one-fourth of the global population and their combined GDP has been estimated at over USD 3.8 trillion. Investment from ASEAN to India has been over USD 70 billion in the last 17 years accounting for more than 17 percent of India's total FDI. India's investment in ASEAN during the same period has been more than USD 40 billion. Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Brunei are the members of the ASEAN. Prime Minister Modi also participated at a meeting of leaders of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The RCEP, comprising 10-member ASEAN bloc and six other countries -- India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, is engaged in negotiations for a free trade pact.

India supports rules-based security architecture: Modi at ASEAN

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that he wants to make India a global manufacturing hub and Indian youngsters job creators.</p>

<p>Speaking at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Manila, Prime Minister said he was keeping the emphasis on &#39;minimum government, maximum governance&#39;.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Want to make India a Global Manufacturing Hub and we want to make our youngsters job creators: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a></p>
&mdash; PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/930014923609878528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Transforming India was proceeding on at an unprecedented scale and he was working day and night towards easy, effective and transparent governance, the Indian prime minister said and added that the ties between India and ASEAN have been growing in the last few years with focus being on ramping up cooperation in the areas such as trade,&nbsp;investment,&nbsp;security and defence.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Large sections of India&#39;s population did not have access to banking services. The Jan Dhan Yojana changed that in a matter of months and transformed the lives of millions: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a></p>
&mdash; PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/930014334498910210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Large sections of India&#39;s population did not have access to banking services. The Jan Dhan Yojana changed that in a matter of months and transformed the lives of millions, Modi further said during his address.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Keeping our emphasis on &#39;Minimum Government, Maximum Governance&#39;, about 1200 outdated laws have been repealed in the last three years. We have simplified processes to start companies and for other clearances: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a></p>
&mdash; PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/930013478084939776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>On red-tapism and his governments&#39; steps in ease of doing business, Prime Minister said about 1200 outdated laws have been repealed in the last three years.&nbsp;</p>


Modi said he was keeping the emphasis on 'minimum government, maximum governance'

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that he wants to make India a global manufacturing hub and Indian youngsters job creators. Speaking at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Manila, Prime Minister said he was keeping the emphasis on 'minimum government, maximum governance'. Want to make India a Global Manufacturing Hub and we want to make our youngsters job creators: PM @narendramodi — PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 13, 2017 × Transforming India was proceeding on at an unprecedented scale and he was working day and night towards easy, effective and transparent governance, the Indian prime minister said and added that the ties between India and ASEAN have been growing in the last few years with focus being on ramping up cooperation in the areas such as trade, investment, security and defence. Large sections of India's population did not have access to banking services. The Jan Dhan Yojana changed that in a matter of months and transformed the lives of millions: PM @narendramodi — PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 13, 2017 × Large sections of India's population did not have access to banking services. The Jan Dhan Yojana changed that in a matter of months and transformed the lives of millions, Modi further said during his address. Keeping our emphasis on 'Minimum Government, Maximum Governance', about 1200 outdated laws have been repealed in the last three years. We have simplified processes to start companies and for other clearances: PM @narendramodi — PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 13, 2017 × On red-tapism and his governments' steps in ease of doing business, Prime Minister said about 1200 outdated laws have been repealed in the last three years.

Want to make India global manufacturing hub: Modi at ASEAN

<p>The relationship between India and the US goes beyond mutual interest and can be beneficial for Asia and the humanity at large, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today told President Donald Trump who described him as a &quot;friend&quot; who is &quot;doing a great job&quot;.</p>

<p>Modi&#39;s comments came ahead of his bilateral talks with Trump on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit here during which the two leaders discussed a range of key issues including defence and security.</p>

<p>&quot;The relations between India and the US are growing... and I also feel that the relationship between India and the US is not only of mutual interest. It goes beyond that. We are working together for the interest, for the future of Asia and for the humanity as a whole in the world,&quot; Modi said.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a>: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets US President Donald Trump in Manila, holds bilateral talks <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Philippines?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Philippines</a> <a href="https://t.co/aW6dlkgfwe">pic.twitter.com/aW6dlkgfwe</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/929996864681754625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Modi also thanked Trump for praising India whenever he got an opportunity to speak about the country during his Asia tour.</p>

<p>&quot;...In the few days wherever president Trump has travelled and whenever the opportunity arose to talk about India, he has expressed very high opinion about India,&quot; Modi said.</p>

<p>&quot;I would like to assure you whatever the expectations are of the world, of the US from India, India has always made efforts to fulfil those expectations and we will continue to do so in the future too,&quot; Modi said.</p>

<p>Trump on his part described Modi as a friend and a great gentleman.</p>

<p>&quot;PM Narendra Modi is here we had met at the White House before. He has become a friend of ours. He&#39;s doing a great job. A lot of things were solved and we will continue to work together,&quot; Trump said.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">More visuals of bilateral talks between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump, in Manila <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Philippines?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Philippines</a> <a href="https://t.co/7S0nF4oGoK">pic.twitter.com/7S0nF4oGoK</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/929995379914899456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>He said Modi was doing a &quot;fantastic job by bringing lots of factions in India together that is what I hear and is a good news and lot of good reports are coming out of India.&quot;</p>

<p>The two leaders are understood to have discussed the security scenario in the region besides several other issues of mutual interests, including ways to further boost bilateral trade.</p>

<p>The move to set up the quadrilateral alliance comes in the backdrop of growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea. The US has been favouring a larger role for India in the strategically&nbsp;important Indo-Pacific region.</p>

<p>The use of the term &quot;Indo-Pacific&quot; by President Trump has led to speculation that it may have something to do with Washington preparing the ground for a revival of the so called quadrilateral strategic alliance between the US, Japan, Australia and India to counter China&#39;s rise.</p>

<p>Trump on Saturday praised India&#39;s &quot;astounding&quot; growth after it opened up its economy and also lauded Modi, saying he has been working successfully to bring the vast country and its people together.<br />
Speaking at a gathering of CEOs on the sidelines of the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the Vietnamese city of Danang, President Trump had cited India as one of the countries in the Indo-Pacific region making strides.</p>

<p>He praised India as a sovereign democracy with a population of over 1 billion as well as the largest democracy in the world.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Manila

The relationship between India and the US goes beyond mutual interest and can be beneficial for Asia and the humanity at large, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today told President Donald Trump who described him as a "friend" who is "doing a great job". Modi's comments came ahead of his bilateral talks with Trump on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit here during which the two leaders discussed a range of key issues including defence and security. "The relations between India and the US are growing... and I also feel that the relationship between India and the US is not only of mutual interest. It goes beyond that. We are working together for the interest, for the future of Asia and for the humanity as a whole in the world," Modi said. #WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets US President Donald Trump in Manila, holds bilateral talks #Philippines pic.twitter.com/aW6dlkgfwe — ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2017 × Modi also thanked Trump for praising India whenever he got an opportunity to speak about the country during his Asia tour. "...In the few days wherever president Trump has travelled and whenever the opportunity arose to talk about India, he has expressed very high opinion about India," Modi said. "I would like to assure you whatever the expectations are of the world, of the US from India, India has always made efforts to fulfil those expectations and we will continue to do so in the future too," Modi said. Trump on his part described Modi as a friend and a great gentleman. "PM Narendra Modi is here we had met at the White House before. He has become a friend of ours. He's doing a great job. A lot of things were solved and we will continue to work together," Trump said. More visuals of bilateral talks between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump, in Manila #Philippines pic.twitter.com/7S0nF4oGoK — ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2017 × He said Modi was doing a "fantastic job by bringing lots of factions in India together that is what I hear and is a good news and lot of good reports are coming out of India." The two leaders are understood to have discussed the security scenario in the region besides several other issues of mutual interests, including ways to further boost bilateral trade. The move to set up the quadrilateral alliance comes in the backdrop of growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea. The US has been favouring a larger role for India in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region. The use of the term "Indo-Pacific" by President Trump has led to speculation that it may have something to do with Washington preparing the ground for a revival of the so called quadrilateral strategic alliance between the US, Japan, Australia and India to counter China's rise. Trump on Saturday praised India's "astounding" growth after it opened up its economy and also lauded Modi, saying he has been working successfully to bring the vast country and its people together. Speaking at a gathering of CEOs on the sidelines of the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the Vietnamese city of Danang, President Trump had cited India as one of the countries in the Indo-Pacific region making strides. He praised India as a sovereign democracy with a population of over 1 billion as well as the largest democracy in the world.

WATCH: India-US relationship goes beyond mutual interest, says Modi in meeting with Trump

<p>The politics of caste has always been there in Gujarat like it has existed elsewhere in the country. But never before in the last two decades has it assumed a pole position in the manner that it has in the ongoing Assembly election campaign. What makes the development more interesting is that it is neither of the two major competitors &mdash; the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party &mdash; which is the driver.</p>

<p>The thrust is being engineered by three caste leaders who are upstarts and hope to, in the process, gain a pan-State relevance. Since they have decided to oppose the BJP, the Congress has latched on to them. And, the issue is not only one of caste calculations but of caste reservations.</p>

<p>Having jumped on to the caste bandwagon, the Congress cannot now turn back. Therefore, it is busy crafting the KHAM 2.0 version in the hope that this will shut down the BJP&rsquo;s page in the State. It was in the 1980s that senior Congress leader and four-time Chief Minister Madhav Singh Solanki along with Congressman Jinabhai Darji formulated the Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi and Muslim (KHAM) grouping. It served his party well.</p>

<p>The Congress won the Assembly election in 1981, bagging 156 seats &mdash; an achievement which the BJP has been straining to match. The winning formula worked for several years before the BJP took over Gujarat and reduced the KHAM phenomenon to ashes. The combination eventually lost out because it alienated the others, especially the upper castes and the influential Patidar community whom the BJP courted with success. The 2014 Lok Sabha election decimated whatever had remained of this coalition, with the BJP winning all the 26 seats on offer in the State. The new revived KHAM version includes the Patidars.</p>

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<h5>Whether it was during the 2002 communal violence or thereafter, the Patidars backed the BJP and the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi.</h5>
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<p>On the face of it, KHAM-plus-Patidar is a formidable formulation. The Patidar community represents a little over 12 per cent of the State&rsquo;s population; the Muslims comprise roughly 10 per cent, and the Adivasi community is around 15 per cent (the Scheduled Castes are eight per cent or so). The Kshatriyas in Gujarat are a mixed lot &mdash; the Koli people consider themselves as Kshatriyas, and so do a few others. But the success of KHAM 2.0 depends more on paper calculations. Will the chemistry complement the mathematics?</p>

<p>It stands to reason that the OBCs who are present beneficiaries of the reservation policy will not be amused by the demands of aspiring entrants. This could be more pronounced in the Patidar case, given that the Patidars are seen to have gained considerably over the decades, socially, educationally and economically, and are considered unworthy of the &lsquo;positive discrimination&rsquo; they now demand.</p>

<p>Additionally, if the Patidars become part of the Congress&rsquo;s KHAM 2.0, it would need a resolution of the long-standing conflict between the Patidar community and the rest, especially the main religious minority &mdash; the Muslims. Whether it was during the 2002 communal violence or thereafter, the Patidars backed the BJP and the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi.</p>

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<h5>Dissatisfaction among large sections of the traditional voters of the BJP need not automatically lead to their casting votes against the party.</h5>
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<p>It is one thing for a bunch of Patidar leaders, such as Hardik Patel and the Congress to align with each other. The real test lies in the alliance&rsquo;s acceptance among the people at the lower levels. Uttar Pradesh provides a good example. Congress&rsquo;s Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party&rsquo;s Akhilesh Yadav formed a coalition, but the understanding did not strike a chord at the local levels of the leadership. Neither was it seen as credible among the caste voters of both the groups. The Congress-SP combine faced a rout.</p>

<p>Besides, dissatisfaction among large sections of the traditional voters of the BJP need not automatically lead to their casting votes against the party. For instance, major opinion polls conducted so far in the State have noted considerable levels of unhappiness with the Government on a host of issues, including the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax and the demonetisation decision. And yet, the projected anger does not get reflected in the overall numbers the surveys projected &mdash; with the BJP doing nearly as well as it did in 2012.</p>

<p>However, none of the above arguments can be reason enough to dismiss the challenge the BJP faces in the wake the new caste coalition. The BJP cannot wish away the thought of the Congress reviving the KHAM coalition, strengthened with the addition of a good chunk of the OBCs and the Patidars. Nor can it shut its eyes to the traction that the trio of Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor (OBC leader) and Jignesh Mevani (Scheduled Castes leader) has gained and their pronounced tilt in the Congress&rsquo;s favour.</p>

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<h5>Fobbing off the Hardik Patel challenge could be a different cup of tea for BJP this time, given that the Patel charge is fortified with the OBC factor and possible anti-incumbency.</h5>
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<p>Some commentators may have gone overboard in comparing their combined assault against the BJP to the India Against Corruption movement Anna Hazare had launched four years ago. But it is a fact that the three have managed to sway public opinion in their favour at least in their strongholds. Mevani seeks to make a mark in Ahmedabad and nearabout; Patel in and around Bhavnagar; and Thakor at Mehsana and the neighbourhood.</p>

<p>Saurashtra and north Gujarat are the key regions that will determine the larger Patel drift as they are dominated by the Patidar community. Together they account for more than 100 seats. In 2012, the BJP had easily overcome a stiff challenge from Keshubhai Patel who had rebelled against the party. Fobbing off the Hardik Patel challenge could be a different cup of tea for the party this time, given that the Patel charge is fortified with the OBC factor and possible anti-incumbency.</p>

<p>And yet, it would be pertinent to note the word of caution which the original architect of KHAM, Solanki, expressed two years ago. He said the Patidar agitation would eventually fizzle out &ldquo;because truth has no role in it&rdquo;. While he did not name Hardik Patel or his outfit, the inference was clear as daylight.</p>

<p>This is what the BJP hopes in, more so because it believes that the Congress is in no position to offer a credible and workable reservation formula. It may be that Solanki was out of touch with the new realities when he made that remark and that his forward caste bias was on display. But the over-zealous and newly-emerged caste leaders cannot be oblivious to the fact that glories acquired overnight can dissipate just as quickly.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The real test of Hardik Patel's alliance with the Congress party lies in the alliance?s acceptance among the people at the lower levels.

The politics of caste has always been there in Gujarat like it has existed elsewhere in the country. But never before in the last two decades has it assumed a pole position in the manner that it has in the ongoing Assembly election campaign. What makes the development more interesting is that it is neither of the two major competitors — the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party — which is the driver. The thrust is being engineered by three caste leaders who are upstarts and hope to, in the process, gain a pan-State relevance. Since they have decided to oppose the BJP, the Congress has latched on to them. And, the issue is not only one of caste calculations but of caste reservations. Having jumped on to the caste bandwagon, the Congress cannot now turn back. Therefore, it is busy crafting the KHAM 2.0 version in the hope that this will shut down the BJP’s page in the State. It was in the 1980s that senior Congress leader and four-time Chief Minister Madhav Singh Solanki along with Congressman Jinabhai Darji formulated the Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi and Muslim (KHAM) grouping. It served his party well. The Congress won the Assembly election in 1981, bagging 156 seats — an achievement which the BJP has been straining to match. The winning formula worked for several years before the BJP took over Gujarat and reduced the KHAM phenomenon to ashes. The combination eventually lost out because it alienated the others, especially the upper castes and the influential Patidar community whom the BJP courted with success. The 2014 Lok Sabha election decimated whatever had remained of this coalition, with the BJP winning all the 26 seats on offer in the State. The new revived KHAM version includes the Patidars. Whether it was during the 2002 communal violence or thereafter, the Patidars backed the BJP and the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi. × On the face of it, KHAM-plus-Patidar is a formidable formulation. The Patidar community represents a little over 12 per cent of the State’s population; the Muslims comprise roughly 10 per cent, and the Adivasi community is around 15 per cent (the Scheduled Castes are eight per cent or so). The Kshatriyas in Gujarat are a mixed lot — the Koli people consider themselves as Kshatriyas, and so do a few others. But the success of KHAM 2.0 depends more on paper calculations. Will the chemistry complement the mathematics? It stands to reason that the OBCs who are present beneficiaries of the reservation policy will not be amused by the demands of aspiring entrants. This could be more pronounced in the Patidar case, given that the Patidars are seen to have gained considerably over the decades, socially, educationally and economically, and are considered unworthy of the ‘positive discrimination’ they now demand. Additionally, if the Patidars become part of the Congress’s KHAM 2.0, it would need a resolution of the long-standing conflict between the Patidar community and the rest, especially the main religious minority — the Muslims. Whether it was during the 2002 communal violence or thereafter, the Patidars backed the BJP and the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Dissatisfaction among large sections of the traditional voters of the BJP need not automatically lead to their casting votes against the party. × It is one thing for a bunch of Patidar leaders, such as Hardik Patel and the Congress to align with each other. The real test lies in the alliance’s acceptance among the people at the lower levels. Uttar Pradesh provides a good example. Congress’s Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav formed a coalition, but the understanding did not strike a chord at the local levels of the leadership. Neither was it seen as credible among the caste voters of both the groups. The Congress-SP combine faced a rout. Besides, dissatisfaction among large sections of the traditional voters of the BJP need not automatically lead to their casting votes against the party. For instance, major opinion polls conducted so far in the State have noted considerable levels of unhappiness with the Government on a host of issues, including the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax and the demonetisation decision. And yet, the projected anger does not get reflected in the overall numbers the surveys projected — with the BJP doing nearly as well as it did in 2012. However, none of the above arguments can be reason enough to dismiss the challenge the BJP faces in the wake the new caste coalition. The BJP cannot wish away the thought of the Congress reviving the KHAM coalition, strengthened with the addition of a good chunk of the OBCs and the Patidars. Nor can it shut its eyes to the traction that the trio of Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor (OBC leader) and Jignesh Mevani (Scheduled Castes leader) has gained and their pronounced tilt in the Congress’s favour. Fobbing off the Hardik Patel challenge could be a different cup of tea for BJP this time, given that the Patel charge is fortified with the OBC factor and possible anti-incumbency. × Some commentators may have gone overboard in comparing their combined assault against the BJP to the India Against Corruption movement Anna Hazare had launched four years ago. But it is a fact that the three have managed to sway public opinion in their favour at least in their strongholds. Mevani seeks to make a mark in Ahmedabad and nearabout; Patel in and around Bhavnagar; and Thakor at Mehsana and the neighbourhood. Saurashtra and north Gujarat are the key regions that will determine the larger Patel drift as they are dominated by the Patidar community. Together they account for more than 100 seats. In 2012, the BJP had easily overcome a stiff challenge from Keshubhai Patel who had rebelled against the party. Fobbing off the Hardik Patel challenge could be a different cup of tea for the party this time, given that the Patel charge is fortified with the OBC factor and possible anti-incumbency. And yet, it would be pertinent to note the word of caution which the original architect of KHAM, Solanki, expressed two years ago. He said the Patidar agitation would eventually fizzle out “because truth has no role in it”. While he did not name Hardik Patel or his outfit, the inference was clear as daylight. This is what the BJP hopes in, more so because it believes that the Congress is in no position to offer a credible and workable reservation formula. It may be that Solanki was out of touch with the new realities when he made that remark and that his forward caste bias was on display. But the over-zealous and newly-emerged caste leaders cannot be oblivious to the fact that glories acquired overnight can dissipate just as quickly.

Gujarat election: Hardik Patel's glory may fizzle out

<p>Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday&nbsp;alleged that Narendra Modi made money &quot;disappear&quot; from Gujarat through &quot;magic&quot; in the last two decades of the BJP rule, as he stepped up his attack on the Prime Minister in the poll-bound state.</p>

<p>Gandhi&#39;s jibe at Modi came after a man met him during an interaction with members of the notified and denotified tribes in Harij village in the district and lamented that he was once a snake charmer and now makes a living by performing magic.</p>

<p>Gandhi then asked him to perform some tricks and the man obliged. During his brief performance, the man produced some money through tricks.</p>

<p>&quot;....Narendra Modi did magic in Gujarat for 22 years like you did. The difference is that you produced money but Modiji made it disappear,&quot; Gandhi told the gathering after the performance got over.</p>

<p>He assured the members that their problems and difficulties will be considered by the party.</p>

<p>&quot;We are preparing the manifesto of the Congress Party (for December polls). Earlier 2-3 leaders used to make the manifesto behind closed doors. This time we are preparing the manifesto by consulting people,&quot; the Congress vice president said.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> Rahul Gandhi campaigning in Mehsana <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gujaratelections2017?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gujaratelections2017</a> <a href="https://t.co/S3hoKDIHwF">pic.twitter.com/S3hoKDIHwF</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/930071750330564609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>He asked the members to send a delegation to the manifesto committee and apprise them about their issues.</p>

<p>&quot;Tell them what do you want exactly. We will listen to your delegation and we will include your demands in our manifesto,&quot; Gandhi said.</p>

<p>Later addressing a public meeting in Varana, Gandhi asked Modi to respond to allegations of manipulative share trading by a firm linked to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.</p>

<p>&quot;This charge (against Rupani) is not levelled by media. The body which controls the stock markets says that your chief minister is &#39;beimaan&#39; (dishonest). They have fined him,&quot; Gandhi said.</p>

<p>He also raked up allegations of profiteering against the firm of BJP president Amit Shah&#39;s son Jay.</p>

<p>&quot;No businessmen, howsoever clever, can make Rs 80 crore from Rs 50,000 in a span of few months. But it happened in the company owned by Amit Shah&#39;s son after the BJP came to power in 2014,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Referring to Modi&#39;s promise that he won&#39;t let corruption thrive under him, Gandhi said the country wants to listen what the Prime Minister has to say about Rupani or Jay Shah&#39;s dealings.</p>

<p>&quot;Modiji used to say &#39;Na Khaunga, Na Khane Dunga&#39;. People of the country want to listen what you (Modi) have to say about the company of Amit Shah&#39;s son and on Vijay Rupani. People of Gujarat will believe that you are not &#39;chowkidar&#39; (watchman) but &#39;bhagidar&#39; (collaborator) if you don&#39;t say anything on these issues,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has reportedly fined 22 entities, including Rupani&#39;s HUF (Hindu Undivided Family), for alleged manipulative trading in the shares of a company, Saran Chemicals Ltd, during the January- June 2011 period.</p>

<p>Rupani has said that the SEBI set aside the fine of Rs 6.91 crore imposed on 22 entities, including his firm.</p>

<p>Gandhi also targeted the Modi government over demonetisation, the GST, unemployment and various issues related to farmers.</p>

<p>He visited Rani Ki Vav, a UNESCO world heritage site in Patan, and a cotton growing farm to inquire how cotton is grown.</p>

<p>During his interaction with a group of Dalits in Patan, Gandhi assured them of implementing all the promises made in the Congress&#39;s manifesto.</p>

<p>He also termed the RSS, the BJP&#39;s ideological mentor, as a &quot;manuvadi institute&quot;.</p>


Gandhi's jibe at Modi came after a man met him during an interaction with members of the notified and denotified tribes in Harij village in the district and lamented that he was once a snake charmer and now makes a living by performing magic.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that Narendra Modi made money "disappear" from Gujarat through "magic" in the last two decades of the BJP rule, as he stepped up his attack on the Prime Minister in the poll-bound state. Gandhi's jibe at Modi came after a man met him during an interaction with members of the notified and denotified tribes in Harij village in the district and lamented that he was once a snake charmer and now makes a living by performing magic. Gandhi then asked him to perform some tricks and the man obliged. During his brief performance, the man produced some money through tricks. "....Narendra Modi did magic in Gujarat for 22 years like you did. The difference is that you produced money but Modiji made it disappear," Gandhi told the gathering after the performance got over. He assured the members that their problems and difficulties will be considered by the party. "We are preparing the manifesto of the Congress Party (for December polls). Earlier 2-3 leaders used to make the manifesto behind closed doors. This time we are preparing the manifesto by consulting people," the Congress vice president said. #WATCH Rahul Gandhi campaigning in Mehsana #Gujaratelections2017 pic.twitter.com/S3hoKDIHwF — ANI (@ANI) November 13, 2017 × He asked the members to send a delegation to the manifesto committee and apprise them about their issues. "Tell them what do you want exactly. We will listen to your delegation and we will include your demands in our manifesto," Gandhi said. Later addressing a public meeting in Varana, Gandhi asked Modi to respond to allegations of manipulative share trading by a firm linked to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. "This charge (against Rupani) is not levelled by media. The body which controls the stock markets says that your chief minister is 'beimaan' (dishonest). They have fined him," Gandhi said. He also raked up allegations of profiteering against the firm of BJP president Amit Shah's son Jay. "No businessmen, howsoever clever, can make Rs 80 crore from Rs 50,000 in a span of few months. But it happened in the company owned by Amit Shah's son after the BJP came to power in 2014," he said. Referring to Modi's promise that he won't let corruption thrive under him, Gandhi said the country wants to listen what the Prime Minister has to say about Rupani or Jay Shah's dealings. "Modiji used to say 'Na Khaunga, Na Khane Dunga'. People of the country want to listen what you (Modi) have to say about the company of Amit Shah's son and on Vijay Rupani. People of Gujarat will believe that you are not 'chowkidar' (watchman) but 'bhagidar' (collaborator) if you don't say anything on these issues," he said. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has reportedly fined 22 entities, including Rupani's HUF (Hindu Undivided Family), for alleged manipulative trading in the shares of a company, Saran Chemicals Ltd, during the January- June 2011 period. Rupani has said that the SEBI set aside the fine of Rs 6.91 crore imposed on 22 entities, including his firm. Gandhi also targeted the Modi government over demonetisation, the GST, unemployment and various issues related to farmers. He visited Rani Ki Vav, a UNESCO world heritage site in Patan, and a cotton growing farm to inquire how cotton is grown. During his interaction with a group of Dalits in Patan, Gandhi assured them of implementing all the promises made in the Congress's manifesto. He also termed the RSS, the BJP's ideological mentor, as a "manuvadi institute".

Modi made money disappear from Gujarat through magic: Rahul

<p>With the Gujarat elections just around the corner, a &quot;sex CD&quot; has gone viral on social media.&nbsp;</p>

<p>News reports said the CD showed &quot;intimate moments&quot; between a man and a woman. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The allegation -- which has not been proved -- is that the man in the video is Hardik Patel, the leader of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Patel reacted to the allegation, tweeting:&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">?? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ???????? ????? ?? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ??????,????? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ?? ??? ????</p>
&mdash; Hardik Patel (@HardikPatel_) <a href="https://twitter.com/HardikPatel_/status/930005238991478784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&quot;This is the beginning of dirty politics. Defame me, it will not make a difference,&quot; he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;But the women of Gujarat are being insulted,&quot; he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>A prophecy foretold</strong></p>

<p>The interesting thing is Hardik had foretold -- on November 10 -- the release of the sex CD.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hardik had said then that the BJP would be responsible, and that they would do so for electoral gain.</p>

<p>&quot;The BJP has prepared a doctored sex CD to defame me and it will be released just before the election. What else can one expect from the BJP? So just wait, watch and enjoy,&quot; Hardik had said then.</p>

<p>When he was asked how he knew about the CD, Hardik had said, &quot;This is typical of the BJP.&quot;</p>

<p><strong>The Patidar </strong><strong>agit</strong><strong>ation</strong></p>

<p>Patel had led the massive Patidar agitation in the state in 2015.</p>

<p>The Patidars had been asking for reservations for the community in government jobs and educational institutions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Congress has since been courting Patel, who has said that he will work towards beating the BJP in the upcoming Gujarat elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-invites-hardik-patel-to-contest-gujarat-elections-22699" target="_blank">Also read:&nbsp;Congress invites Hardik Patel to contest Gujarat elections</a></p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gujarat-elections-cong-gives-3-quota-options-to-patidars-who-say-theyll-get-back-to-them-23775" target="_blank">Also read: Gujarat elections: Cong gives 3 quota options to Patidars who say they&#39;ll get back to them</a></p>

<p><strong>Not the first time</strong></p>

<p>This is not the first time an attempt has been made to defame Patel.</p>

<p>A sex CD was released in 2015 also, with exactly the same allegation -- that it was Hardik in the video.</p>


With the Gujarat elections just around the corner, a "sex CD" has gone viral on social media. News reports said the CD showed "intimate moments" between a man and a woman. The allegation -- which has not been proved -- is that the man in the video is Hardik Patel, the leader of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS). Patel reacted to the allegation, tweeting: ?? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ???????? ????? ?? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ??????,????? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ?? ??? ???? — Hardik Patel (@HardikPatel_) November 13, 2017 × "This is the beginning of dirty politics. Defame me, it will not make a difference," he said. "But the women of Gujarat are being insulted," he added. A prophecy foretold The interesting thing is Hardik had foretold -- on November 10 -- the release of the sex CD. Hardik had said then that the BJP would be responsible, and that they would do so for electoral gain. "The BJP has prepared a doctored sex CD to defame me and it will be released just before the election. What else can one expect from the BJP? So just wait, watch and enjoy," Hardik had said then. When he was asked how he knew about the CD, Hardik had said, "This is typical of the BJP." The Patidar agitation Patel had led the massive Patidar agitation in the state in 2015. The Patidars had been asking for reservations for the community in government jobs and educational institutions. The Congress has since been courting Patel, who has said that he will work towards beating the BJP in the upcoming Gujarat elections. Also read: Congress invites Hardik Patel to contest Gujarat elections Also read: Gujarat elections: Cong gives 3 quota options to Patidars who say they'll get back to them Not the first time This is not the first time an attempt has been made to defame Patel. A sex CD was released in 2015 also, with exactly the same allegation -- that it was Hardik in the video.

Gujarat elections: Sex CD goes viral, allegation is it features Hardik Patel

<p><strong><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/want-to-make-india-global-manufacturing-hub-modi-24108">Want to make India global manufacturing hub: Modi at ASEAN</a></strong></p>

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that he wants to make India a global manufacturing hub and Indian youngsters job creators while speaking at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Manila.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/air-pollution-supreme-court-issues-notices-to-center-state-govts-24105"><strong>Air pollution: Supreme Court issues notice to Centre, state govts</strong></a></p>

<p>The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Center, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi governments on the petition on stubble burning and dust pollution. Stating that it&#39;s an emergency situation, the Supreme Court sought expeditious action from the authorities.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/now-indigo-woman-flyer-falls-off-wheelchair-24106"><strong>Now, Indigo woman flyer falls off wheelchair</strong></a></p>

<p>A woman flyer with Indigo fell off her wheelchair as she was being pushed towards her plane.&nbsp;The airline said her wheelchair got stuck in a &quot;deep crack&quot; on the tarmac, that she &quot;lost balance&quot; and &quot;fell off her wheelchair&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/earthquake-hits-iran-iraq-border-area-at-least-65-dead-24060">Iran-Iraq earthquake: Death toll rises to 332</a></strong></p>

<p>At least 332 people were killed in Iran and Iraq when a magnitude 7.3 earthquake jolted the region on Sunday, state media in the two countries said, and rescuers were searching for dozens trapped under rubble in the mountainous area.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/one-last-chance-for-italy-to-qualify-for-world-cup-24103"><strong>One last chance for Italy to qualify for Football World Cup</strong></a></p>

<p>Beleaguered Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura said his team would try to qualify for the World Cup by &ldquo;playing football&rdquo; after their ill-tempered playoff first leg against Sweden.</p>


Want to make India global manufacturing hub: Modi at ASEAN Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that he wants to make India a global manufacturing hub and Indian youngsters job creators while speaking at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Manila. Air pollution: Supreme Court issues notice to Centre, state govts The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Center, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi governments on the petition on stubble burning and dust pollution. Stating that it's an emergency situation, the Supreme Court sought expeditious action from the authorities. Now, Indigo woman flyer falls off wheelchair A woman flyer with Indigo fell off her wheelchair as she was being pushed towards her plane. The airline said her wheelchair got stuck in a "deep crack" on the tarmac, that she "lost balance" and "fell off her wheelchair". Iran-Iraq earthquake: Death toll rises to 332 At least 332 people were killed in Iran and Iraq when a magnitude 7.3 earthquake jolted the region on Sunday, state media in the two countries said, and rescuers were searching for dozens trapped under rubble in the mountainous area. One last chance for Italy to qualify for Football World Cup Beleaguered Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura said his team would try to qualify for the World Cup by “playing football” after their ill-tempered playoff first leg against Sweden.

WION Evening News Brief, November 13, 2017

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and several other world leaders will descend in Manila on Sunday for the ASEAN summit which is set to extensively deliberate on evolving security challenges facing South East Asia.</p>

<p>The annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN), a grouping of 10 influential countries, is taking place amid China&#39;s aggressive behaviour in the disputed the South China Sea and North Korea&#39;s nuclear missile tests and both these issues are likely to figure prominently during discussions among the leaders, a senior diplomat said here.</p>

<p>Prime Minister Modi will attend the 15th ASEAN-India summit and 12th East Asia summit on November 14 during which he is likely to reassert India&#39;s call for crafting a coordinated global initiative in dealing with traditional and non-traditional threats facing the region.</p>

<p>The ties between India and ASEAN have been on an upswing in the last few years with the focus being on ramping up cooperation in the areas of trade and investment as well as security and defence.</p>

<p>&quot;Every single country in the ASEAN region wants India to be more engaged in the region in every possible way. That is the real synergy we have with ASEAN,&quot; Indian Ambassador to Philippines Jaideep Mazumdar told Press Trust of India.</p>

<p>The US, France and Japan have been pitching for a larger role by India in the strategically key Indo-Pacific region where China has been trying to increase its military presence.</p>

<p>Majumdar said terrorism is going to be one of the issues that will be discussed not only during the ASEAN summit but also at the East Asia summit.</p>

<p>He said several documents are going to be adopted with an aim to contain terrorism, including one on stopping money laundering for the purpose of terrorism.</p>

<p>Besides holding bilateral talks with Philippines&#39; President Rodrigo Duterte, Modi is expected to meet many leaders attending the two summits, including President Trump.</p>

<p>Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev are among other prominent leaders who are scheduled to attend the East Asia Summit.</p>

<p>While ASEAN summit is likely to focus more on trade and investment-related issues, leaders at the East Asia Summit are expected to delve deep into issues relating to maritime security, terrorism, non-proliferation and migration.</p>

<p>Apart from the 10 ASEAN member states, East Asia Summit includes India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Russia and the US.</p>

<p>In the ASEAN-India summit, both sides are expected to explore ways to further enhance trade and investment ties.</p>

<p>The ASEAN region along with India together comprises the combined population of 1.85 billion people, which is one-fourth of the global population and their combined GDP has been estimated to be over $3.8 trillion.</p>

<p>Investment from ASEAN to India has been over $70 billion in the last 17 years, accounting for more than 17 per cent of India&#39;s total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).</p>

<p>India&#39;s investment in ASEAN during the same period has been more than $40 billion.</p>

<p>India&#39;s proposal to host an international conference on countering radicalisation may also be discussed during the deliberations at Manila as New Delhi is now looking at finalising the dates for the conclave.</p>

<p>Prime minister Modi will also participate in the ASEAN business and investment summit as well as a meeting of leaders of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).</p>

<p>The RCEP, comprising 10-member ASEAN bloc and six other countries &mdash; India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand &mdash; is engaged in negotiations for a free trade pact.</p>

<p>In his maiden visit to the Philippines as the prime minister, Modi will also attend a reception by the Indian community and visit the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Mahavir Philippines Foundation.</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Donald Trump and ther leaders to arrive in Manila tomorrow

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and several other world leaders will descend in Manila on Sunday for the ASEAN summit which is set to extensively deliberate on evolving security challenges facing South East Asia. The annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN), a grouping of 10 influential countries, is taking place amid China's aggressive behaviour in the disputed the South China Sea and North Korea's nuclear missile tests and both these issues are likely to figure prominently during discussions among the leaders, a senior diplomat said here. Prime Minister Modi will attend the 15th ASEAN-India summit and 12th East Asia summit on November 14 during which he is likely to reassert India's call for crafting a coordinated global initiative in dealing with traditional and non-traditional threats facing the region. The ties between India and ASEAN have been on an upswing in the last few years with the focus being on ramping up cooperation in the areas of trade and investment as well as security and defence. "Every single country in the ASEAN region wants India to be more engaged in the region in every possible way. That is the real synergy we have with ASEAN," Indian Ambassador to Philippines Jaideep Mazumdar told Press Trust of India. The US, France and Japan have been pitching for a larger role by India in the strategically key Indo-Pacific region where China has been trying to increase its military presence. Majumdar said terrorism is going to be one of the issues that will be discussed not only during the ASEAN summit but also at the East Asia summit. He said several documents are going to be adopted with an aim to contain terrorism, including one on stopping money laundering for the purpose of terrorism. Besides holding bilateral talks with Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte, Modi is expected to meet many leaders attending the two summits, including President Trump. Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev are among other prominent leaders who are scheduled to attend the East Asia Summit. While ASEAN summit is likely to focus more on trade and investment-related issues, leaders at the East Asia Summit are expected to delve deep into issues relating to maritime security, terrorism, non-proliferation and migration. Apart from the 10 ASEAN member states, East Asia Summit includes India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Russia and the US. In the ASEAN-India summit, both sides are expected to explore ways to further enhance trade and investment ties. The ASEAN region along with India together comprises the combined population of 1.85 billion people, which is one-fourth of the global population and their combined GDP has been estimated to be over $3.8 trillion. Investment from ASEAN to India has been over $70 billion in the last 17 years, accounting for more than 17 per cent of India's total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). India's investment in ASEAN during the same period has been more than $40 billion. India's proposal to host an international conference on countering radicalisation may also be discussed during the deliberations at Manila as New Delhi is now looking at finalising the dates for the conclave. Prime minister Modi will also participate in the ASEAN business and investment summit as well as a meeting of leaders of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The RCEP, comprising 10-member ASEAN bloc and six other countries — India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand — is engaged in negotiations for a free trade pact. In his maiden visit to the Philippines as the prime minister, Modi will also attend a reception by the Indian community and visit the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Mahavir Philippines Foundation.

Modi likely to reassert call for crafting global initiative to deal with threats at ASEAN summit

<p>Amid heavy smog that enveloped the national Capital, Britain&#39;s Prince Charles, accompanied by his wife Camilla Parker-Bowles, the Duchess of Cornwall, arrived here on Wednesday on a two-day visit to India at the final leg of their 10-day-long four-nation tour that also took them to Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. When their plane touched the technical area of Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) at 1:30 pm, cameramen had to use flash lights to capture the moment due to the smog. Interestingly, among others issues, climate change was also one of the agenda for the talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</p>

<p>External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said climate change, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), economic cooperation, and other bilateral issues came up for discussion. Among other engagements, Charles also launched a development bond for India to provide education to marginalised children. The British Asian Trust&#39;s $10-million Education Development Impact Bond, was founded by the Prince of Wales to improve literacy level for over 2,00,000 primary school students from marginalised communities in Delhi, Gujarat and Rajasthan.</p>

<p>The Education Development Impact Bond has been developed by the trust alongside UBS Optimus Foundation with the aim to provide funding to four local not-for-profit delivery partners over four years, delivering a range of operational models including teacher training, direct school management, and supplementary programmes.</p>

<p>Ahead of talks with Modi, the royal couple also attended UK-India Year of Culture function hosted by the British Council at the lawns of UK envoy&#39;s official residence. They also attended an event run by the charity Elephant Family marked by dozens of large, brightly-painted elephant sculptures.</p>

<p>The organisation was started by Camilla&#39;s environmentalist and adventurer brother, Mark Shand, who devoted his life to preserving India&#39;s dwindling Asian elephant population. He died tragically in 2014 in an freak accident in New York after which the royal couple decided to carry on his work. According to Vikram Goyal, Elephant Family Patron, India is home to the largest population of Asian elephants. &quot;The event was organised to highlight that survival was becoming harder for the animals as their habitate dwindles, forcing them to clash with locals,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Clarence House, the official Twitter handle of the Prince and the Duchess tweeted, &quot;An assembled &#39;Elephant Parade&#39; greet Their Royal Highnesses in the garden of the British High Commissioner&#39;s Residence.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;The elephant family sculptures will be taken to Mumbai to raise awareness of the charity&#39;s mission to help protect Asian elephants,&quot; it said in another tweet.</p>

<p>The UK government&#39;s Department for International Development (DfID) will contribute technical assistance and insights to the project as part of a wider partnership. &quot;The DfID is exploring new and innovative ways to finance programmes which will transform the lives of some of the world&#39;s poorest people. We are proud to support the British Asian Trust as they develop their Development Impact Bond, which will provide access to quality education for hundreds of thousands of children,&quot; said DfID minister Priti Patel.</p>


Apart from launching the $10-mn bond, Charles discusses climate change

Amid heavy smog that enveloped the national Capital, Britain's Prince Charles, accompanied by his wife Camilla Parker-Bowles, the Duchess of Cornwall, arrived here on Wednesday on a two-day visit to India at the final leg of their 10-day-long four-nation tour that also took them to Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. When their plane touched the technical area of Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) at 1:30 pm, cameramen had to use flash lights to capture the moment due to the smog. Interestingly, among others issues, climate change was also one of the agenda for the talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said climate change, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), economic cooperation, and other bilateral issues came up for discussion. Among other engagements, Charles also launched a development bond for India to provide education to marginalised children. The British Asian Trust's $10-million Education Development Impact Bond, was founded by the Prince of Wales to improve literacy level for over 2,00,000 primary school students from marginalised communities in Delhi, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The Education Development Impact Bond has been developed by the trust alongside UBS Optimus Foundation with the aim to provide funding to four local not-for-profit delivery partners over four years, delivering a range of operational models including teacher training, direct school management, and supplementary programmes. Ahead of talks with Modi, the royal couple also attended UK-India Year of Culture function hosted by the British Council at the lawns of UK envoy's official residence. They also attended an event run by the charity Elephant Family marked by dozens of large, brightly-painted elephant sculptures. The organisation was started by Camilla's environmentalist and adventurer brother, Mark Shand, who devoted his life to preserving India's dwindling Asian elephant population. He died tragically in 2014 in an freak accident in New York after which the royal couple decided to carry on his work. According to Vikram Goyal, Elephant Family Patron, India is home to the largest population of Asian elephants. "The event was organised to highlight that survival was becoming harder for the animals as their habitate dwindles, forcing them to clash with locals," he said. Clarence House, the official Twitter handle of the Prince and the Duchess tweeted, "An assembled 'Elephant Parade' greet Their Royal Highnesses in the garden of the British High Commissioner's Residence." "The elephant family sculptures will be taken to Mumbai to raise awareness of the charity's mission to help protect Asian elephants," it said in another tweet. The UK government's Department for International Development (DfID) will contribute technical assistance and insights to the project as part of a wider partnership. "The DfID is exploring new and innovative ways to finance programmes which will transform the lives of some of the world's poorest people. We are proud to support the British Asian Trust as they develop their Development Impact Bond, which will provide access to quality education for hundreds of thousands of children," said DfID minister Priti Patel.

Prince Charles backs new education bond for India

<p>The Indian economy is at a crossroads. The economic restructuring that began with the November 8 announcement of demonetisation, now faces the risk of being derailed by parties with vested interests. The process of demonetisation and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax are important economic disruptions that can go a long way in overhauling the dilapidated structures of Indian economy.</p>

<p>Critics have suggested that demonetisation could not achieve its declared goal and are, therefore, quick to pronounce it as a monumental failure. The former prime minister even went to the extent of calling the process a &#39;legalised plunder&#39;. It is, however, important to highlight why demonetisation was a critically important disruption that unveiled the depths of the black economy in India.</p>

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<p>Post-demonetisation, one of the major successes of the exercise has been the identification of additional 56 lakh taxpayers who filed e-ITRs between 1 April and 5 August 2017, while for the entire period of 2016-17, a staggering 91 lakh new taxpayers were added to the list. The number is expected to rise further with the implementation of complementary tax reforms. An estimated one crore new taxpayers will be contributing to the country&#39;s kitty by 2018.</p>

<p>For those who questioned the rationale of the process on the grounds that 99 per cent of the money came back into the system, it becomes important to highlight that while this may have gone against the government&#39;s initial calculations, the return of currency into the system was not as big a failure as is being made out. On the contrary, as previously unaccounted for money was deposited into the system, a large part of it was taxed, making major contributions to the government&#39;s kitty. The currency trail was, therefore, significant in the identification of the aforementioned pool of new taxpayers, who remained previously untaxed.</p>

<p>The exercise also helped in identifying a remarkable 3 lakh shell companies that were used for diverting funds and committing tax frauds. A crackdown on such companies was an effective anti-money laundering steps that was made possible by the currency trail identified post-demonetisation. While the usual narrative against the exercise uses the benchmark of &ldquo;99% cash returned&rdquo; to chastise the government, the actual benefits accrued from the disruption are brushed aside.</p>

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<p>8 months after demonetisation, the implementation of the GST as an indirect tax reform measure is another very important economic reform taken by the government. The GST helped widen the government&#39;s tax net to incorporate the previously un-taxed business enterprises. The self-corrective mechanisms incorporated in the GST structure, namely, the input tax credits against double taxation helps squeeze the noose around those who used to pass the tax burden onto the customers/consumers but did not pass on the benefits to the government.</p>

<p>Not only has the implementation of the GST acted as a stepping stone towards the creation of a unified market structure, it has also helped the government identify direct taxpayers. It has expanded the indirect tax base to 6.6 lakh new business agents, previously outside the tax net. Besides, the GST has helped in a greater formalisation of the economy; a process that will ensure minimum wages for workers as well as formal work contracts for labourers that will go a long way in mitigating the evil of labour exploitation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A greater formalisation of the economy will also help small businessmen keep a real-time record of their tax payments, and help them gain greater access to formalised credit options, thus, ending a previously faced constraint on credit-access. A digital record on the financial health of companies will also streamline investments and ultimately work to the benefit of consumers.</p>

<p>It is no surprise then that through the implementation of demonetisation and GST, within a year the government has announced three major capital-intensive schemes: the Saubhagya scheme to provide last mile electric connectivity to rural households, the Bharatmala scheme to upgrade the infrastructure of the country on a mission mode basis, and the bank recapitalisation scheme to improve the health of ailing public sector banks. While none of these schemes are &#39;populist&#39; in the true sense, they still cater to the needs of those on the lowest rung of our socio-economic ladder.</p>

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<h5>The government&#39;s emphasis on long-term economic reforms and socio-economic restructuring will go a long way in ushering in the idea of clean money.</h5>
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<p>To further deepen and widen its tax net, the government now must address the issue of high rates of taxes and bring them down to further encourage a voluntary filing of tax returns. The GST structures will need to be worked out so that filing of returns can be done effectively and easily. The government must be credited for putting a robust feedback mechanism in place. This must be used pro-actively to streamline the financial system by the end of this financial year.</p>

<p>For the rest, it must be remembered that no country can survive on an economic model that rests on a parallel system of white and black money. The unhindered flow from white-to-black-to-white has worked to hollow out our economic system. The government&#39;s emphasis on long-term economic reforms and socio-economic restructuring will go a long way in ushering in the idea of clean money. It has also instilled fear among those who choose to evade taxation and boost the morale of those who sustain on purely white incomes. This in itself, is an important moral victory for many.</p>


Demonetisation has instilled fear among those who choose to evade taxation and boost the morale of those who sustain on purely white incomes

The Indian economy is at a crossroads. The economic restructuring that began with the November 8 announcement of demonetisation, now faces the risk of being derailed by parties with vested interests. The process of demonetisation and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax are important economic disruptions that can go a long way in overhauling the dilapidated structures of Indian economy. Critics have suggested that demonetisation could not achieve its declared goal and are, therefore, quick to pronounce it as a monumental failure. The former prime minister even went to the extent of calling the process a 'legalised plunder'. It is, however, important to highlight why demonetisation was a critically important disruption that unveiled the depths of the black economy in India. Post-demonetisation, one of the major successes of the exercise has been the identification of additional 56 lakh taxpayers who filed e-ITRs between 1 April and 5 August 2017 × Post-demonetisation, one of the major successes of the exercise has been the identification of additional 56 lakh taxpayers who filed e-ITRs between 1 April and 5 August 2017, while for the entire period of 2016-17, a staggering 91 lakh new taxpayers were added to the list. The number is expected to rise further with the implementation of complementary tax reforms. An estimated one crore new taxpayers will be contributing to the country's kitty by 2018. For those who questioned the rationale of the process on the grounds that 99 per cent of the money came back into the system, it becomes important to highlight that while this may have gone against the government's initial calculations, the return of currency into the system was not as big a failure as is being made out. On the contrary, as previously unaccounted for money was deposited into the system, a large part of it was taxed, making major contributions to the government's kitty. The currency trail was, therefore, significant in the identification of the aforementioned pool of new taxpayers, who remained previously untaxed. The exercise also helped in identifying a remarkable 3 lakh shell companies that were used for diverting funds and committing tax frauds. A crackdown on such companies was an effective anti-money laundering steps that was made possible by the currency trail identified post-demonetisation. While the usual narrative against the exercise uses the benchmark of “99% cash returned” to chastise the government, the actual benefits accrued from the disruption are brushed aside. The GST helped widen the government's tax net to incorporate the previously un-taxed business enterprises. × 8 months after demonetisation, the implementation of the GST as an indirect tax reform measure is another very important economic reform taken by the government. The GST helped widen the government's tax net to incorporate the previously un-taxed business enterprises. The self-corrective mechanisms incorporated in the GST structure, namely, the input tax credits against double taxation helps squeeze the noose around those who used to pass the tax burden onto the customers/consumers but did not pass on the benefits to the government. Not only has the implementation of the GST acted as a stepping stone towards the creation of a unified market structure, it has also helped the government identify direct taxpayers. It has expanded the indirect tax base to 6.6 lakh new business agents, previously outside the tax net. Besides, the GST has helped in a greater formalisation of the economy; a process that will ensure minimum wages for workers as well as formal work contracts for labourers that will go a long way in mitigating the evil of labour exploitation. A greater formalisation of the economy will also help small businessmen keep a real-time record of their tax payments, and help them gain greater access to formalised credit options, thus, ending a previously faced constraint on credit-access. A digital record on the financial health of companies will also streamline investments and ultimately work to the benefit of consumers. It is no surprise then that through the implementation of demonetisation and GST, within a year the government has announced three major capital-intensive schemes: the Saubhagya scheme to provide last mile electric connectivity to rural households, the Bharatmala scheme to upgrade the infrastructure of the country on a mission mode basis, and the bank recapitalisation scheme to improve the health of ailing public sector banks. While none of these schemes are 'populist' in the true sense, they still cater to the needs of those on the lowest rung of our socio-economic ladder. The government's emphasis on long-term economic reforms and socio-economic restructuring will go a long way in ushering in the idea of clean money. × To further deepen and widen its tax net, the government now must address the issue of high rates of taxes and bring them down to further encourage a voluntary filing of tax returns. The GST structures will need to be worked out so that filing of returns can be done effectively and easily. The government must be credited for putting a robust feedback mechanism in place. This must be used pro-actively to streamline the financial system by the end of this financial year. For the rest, it must be remembered that no country can survive on an economic model that rests on a parallel system of white and black money. The unhindered flow from white-to-black-to-white has worked to hollow out our economic system. The government's emphasis on long-term economic reforms and socio-economic restructuring will go a long way in ushering in the idea of clean money. It has also instilled fear among those who choose to evade taxation and boost the morale of those who sustain on purely white incomes. This in itself, is an important moral victory for many.

Demonetisation and GST are not the 'demons' as some argue

<p>&ldquo;Organised loot and a legalised plunder&rdquo; is how Dr Manmohan Singh describes &lsquo;demonetisation&rsquo;. In Ahmedabad, on Tuesday, our former prime minister said: &ldquo;November 8 was a black day for our economy and, indeed, our democracy,&rdquo; referring to this day last year when the government announced its move to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;To promote a less cash economy, coercive steps like demonetisation are ineffective. Nowhere in the world has any nation taken such a drastic step that swept off 86% of the currency in circulations,&rdquo; he said.</p>

<p>Our Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says demonetisation was a &lsquo;watershed moment&rsquo; in Indian history. Hitting out at detractors, and perhaps especially miffed at his illustrious predecessor&rsquo;s comments, Jaitley said: &ldquo;An anti-black money drive is a moral step, loot is what happened in 2G, in Commonwealth Games 2010 and in coal block allocation.&rdquo;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Reducing the amount of cash in the economy won&#39;t end corruption but definitely make it difficult: <a href="https://twitter.com/arunjaitley?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@arunjaitley</a> defends <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/demonitization?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#demonitization</a></p>
&mdash; prasad sanyal (@prasadsanyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/prasadsanyal/status/927840191284371456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>While it may be politically expedient to brush off Dr Manmohan Singh and highlight the graft cases when he was the prime minister from 2004 to 2014, it must be conceded that Dr Singh does know a thing or two about the Indian economy. He does have a Tripos from Cambridge and a DPhil from Oxford in Economics. Besides, he has been a Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, headed the Planning Commission in its heydays in the 1980s and, as finance minister between 1991 and 1996, was the harbinger of economic liberalisation in India. &nbsp;</p>

<p>In a series of tweets and graphic templates, Prime Minister Modi has defended the move saying, it has resulted in the &lsquo;highest ever unearthing of black money and dealt a decisive blow to Naxalism and terrorism.&rsquo;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Giving strong impetus to the fight against black money. <a href="https://t.co/4fvbC31VAW">https://t.co/4fvbC31VAW</a><br />
<br />
via NMApp <a href="https://t.co/G0TMkBrX19">pic.twitter.com/G0TMkBrX19</a></p>
&mdash; PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/927812625043398656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Highest ever unearthing of black money<a href="https://t.co/4fvbC31VAW">https://t.co/4fvbC31VAW</a><br />
<br />
via NMApp <a href="https://t.co/jmrJRPVHSL">pic.twitter.com/jmrJRPVHSL</a></p>
&mdash; PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/927812417203068928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The verdict is still out on the impact of this move on the Indian economy, and as with other &lsquo;watershed&rsquo; moments in recent Indian history, it has left public opinion deeply divided.</p>

<p>In a society ridden with inequality and poverty, where the &lsquo;aam aadmi&rsquo; is faced with corruption to get even basic amenities, economics doesn&rsquo;t wash. The promise of nabbing those with black money does, and little wonder then, that the move was received positively - as a decisive measure that will rid India of corruption.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Opposition parties will observe the one-year mark of demonetisation on Wednesday as a &ldquo;Black Day&rdquo;. The Bharatiya Janata Party will commemorate the anniversary as &ldquo;Anti-Black Money Day&rdquo;. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The government has so far been able to pitch demonetisation as a move that was pro-poor and anti-rich, but as the economy shows signs of distress will Robin Hood and his merry band of men be able to assuage the &lsquo;aam aadmi&rsquo;?&nbsp;</p>

<p>As the Finance Minister pointed out today, there has been a shrinking of the informal sector, a wider tax base and greater digitisation in the economy. The government has been on point with its message and there are definite merits to these arguments.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Multi-dimensional success of Demonetisation. <a href="https://t.co/4fvbC31VAW">https://t.co/4fvbC31VAW</a><br />
<br />
via NMApp <a href="https://t.co/l3qbArBcFy">pic.twitter.com/l3qbArBcFy</a></p>
&mdash; PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/927812281378816000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Though viewed as a bold and landmark move by the masses, a former Finance Minister of India from the Prime Minister&rsquo;s own BJP, Yashwant Sinha has criticised the move. As businessmen and traders start accounting for the full brunt of the impact of demonitisation, many believe it may not be the best way to tackle corruption.</p>

<p>In August this year, the Reserve Bank of India reported Indians returned almost all of the estimated Rs 15.4 lakh crore ($242 billion) in high-currency bills removed from circulation. It implies that a very small amount of unaccounted for money was held in cash.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While there has been a lot of hullabaloo over different government agencies sharing different sets of numbers, the total value of non-cash transactions rose by around 19 per cent between November 2016 and August 2017. The value and volume of mobile-based transactions recorded negative growth rates between November 2016 and August 2017.</p>

<p>All available evidence suggests that cash has returned to daily transactions and demonetisation may not have had the desired effect, at least in the short-term.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


All available evidence suggests that cash has returned to daily transactions and demonetisation may not have had the desired effect, at least in the short-term.?

“Organised loot and a legalised plunder” is how Dr Manmohan Singh describes ‘demonetisation’. In Ahmedabad, on Tuesday, our former prime minister said: “November 8 was a black day for our economy and, indeed, our democracy,” referring to this day last year when the government announced its move to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. “To promote a less cash economy, coercive steps like demonetisation are ineffective. Nowhere in the world has any nation taken such a drastic step that swept off 86% of the currency in circulations,” he said. Our Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says demonetisation was a ‘watershed moment’ in Indian history. Hitting out at detractors, and perhaps especially miffed at his illustrious predecessor’s comments, Jaitley said: “An anti-black money drive is a moral step, loot is what happened in 2G, in Commonwealth Games 2010 and in coal block allocation.” Reducing the amount of cash in the economy won't end corruption but definitely make it difficult: @arunjaitley defends #demonitization — prasad sanyal (@prasadsanyal) November 7, 2017 × While it may be politically expedient to brush off Dr Manmohan Singh and highlight the graft cases when he was the prime minister from 2004 to 2014, it must be conceded that Dr Singh does know a thing or two about the Indian economy. He does have a Tripos from Cambridge and a DPhil from Oxford in Economics. Besides, he has been a Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, headed the Planning Commission in its heydays in the 1980s and, as finance minister between 1991 and 1996, was the harbinger of economic liberalisation in India. In a series of tweets and graphic templates, Prime Minister Modi has defended the move saying, it has resulted in the ‘highest ever unearthing of black money and dealt a decisive blow to Naxalism and terrorism.’ Giving strong impetus to the fight against black money. https://t.co/4fvbC31VAW via NMApp pic.twitter.com/G0TMkBrX19 — PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 7, 2017 × Highest ever unearthing of black moneyhttps://t.co/4fvbC31VAW via NMApp pic.twitter.com/jmrJRPVHSL — PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 7, 2017 × The verdict is still out on the impact of this move on the Indian economy, and as with other ‘watershed’ moments in recent Indian history, it has left public opinion deeply divided. In a society ridden with inequality and poverty, where the ‘aam aadmi’ is faced with corruption to get even basic amenities, economics doesn’t wash. The promise of nabbing those with black money does, and little wonder then, that the move was received positively - as a decisive measure that will rid India of corruption. The Opposition parties will observe the one-year mark of demonetisation on Wednesday as a “Black Day”. The Bharatiya Janata Party will commemorate the anniversary as “Anti-Black Money Day”. The government has so far been able to pitch demonetisation as a move that was pro-poor and anti-rich, but as the economy shows signs of distress will Robin Hood and his merry band of men be able to assuage the ‘aam aadmi’? As the Finance Minister pointed out today, there has been a shrinking of the informal sector, a wider tax base and greater digitisation in the economy. The government has been on point with its message and there are definite merits to these arguments. Multi-dimensional success of Demonetisation. https://t.co/4fvbC31VAW via NMApp pic.twitter.com/l3qbArBcFy — PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 7, 2017 × Though viewed as a bold and landmark move by the masses, a former Finance Minister of India from the Prime Minister’s own BJP, Yashwant Sinha has criticised the move. As businessmen and traders start accounting for the full brunt of the impact of demonitisation, many believe it may not be the best way to tackle corruption. In August this year, the Reserve Bank of India reported Indians returned almost all of the estimated Rs 15.4 lakh crore ($242 billion) in high-currency bills removed from circulation. It implies that a very small amount of unaccounted for money was held in cash. While there has been a lot of hullabaloo over different government agencies sharing different sets of numbers, the total value of non-cash transactions rose by around 19 per cent between November 2016 and August 2017. The value and volume of mobile-based transactions recorded negative growth rates between November 2016 and August 2017. All available evidence suggests that cash has returned to daily transactions and demonetisation may not have had the desired effect, at least in the short-term.

#Demonetisation: Indian economy watershed or waterboarded?

<p>It has been a year since Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared on the national television and announced the scrapping of Rs 500 and 1000 currency notes.</p>

<p>The BJP is celebrating the first year anniversary of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/demonetisation-indian-economy-watershed-or-waterboarded-23707" target="_blank">Demonetisation</a> as &quot;Anti Black Money Day&quot;&nbsp;while the Congress along with other opposition parties is observing the day as &quot;Black Day&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The PM assured that the scrapping of the currency notes&nbsp;will help in countering the growing corruption, killing black money, counterfeit notes and cut down funding to terrorists.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Claiming it to be a pro-poor move he said that demonetisation will root out inequality from the society.</p>

<p>PM Modi asked the country to unite in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/demonetisation-will-spur-indian-economy-in-long-run-indias-pm-modi-10715" target="_blank">larger objective of a cleaner society</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However,&nbsp; since the past one year, there has been a constant criticism of the &quot;Modi&nbsp;policy&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Opposition has claimed that the policy&nbsp;was responsible for job losses, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sambit-patra-says-for-congress-ease-of-doing-corruption-was-the-core-issue-23288" target="_blank">GDP downfall and destroying small business</a>, besides the physical pain that the people suffered in long queues.</p>

<p>On the eve of the first anniversary of Demonetisation <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/i-repeat-was-organised-loot-and-legalised-plunder-manmohan-singh-on-demonetisation-23656" target="_blank">former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh</a> said, &quot;Demonetisation was a black day for economy and democracy&quot;.</p>

<p>But the govt has maintained that the policy implemented has achieved its set goals.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/demonetisation-november-8-watershed-moment-in-history-of-indian-economy-says-arun-jaitley-23652" target="_blank">Finance Minister Arun Jaitley </a>said that&nbsp;demonetisation has led to a significant <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/demonitisation-choked-terror-funds-says-jaitley-23669" target="_blank">decrease in terror activities</a> in Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He claimed that the total fake currencies seized after demonetisation accounted to Rs 11.23 crore</p>

<p>The Reserve Bank of India recently claimed that 99 per cent of the old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes amounting to Rs 15.44 lakh crore have come back to the banking system.</p>

<p>The government also said that about Rs 17,000 crore has been recovered from income tax raids after the implementation of the policy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The government also claims that demonetisation has led to an increase in tax base with 9.1 million new taxpayers. They have stated an increase of 24 per cent in tax collections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also&nbsp;read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/india-is-moving-towards-digital-economy-post-demonetisation-arun-jaitley-23614" target="_blank">India moving towards digital economy </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/india-is-moving-towards-digital-economy-post-demonetisation-arun-jaitley-23614" target="_blank">post-demonetisation</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/india-is-moving-towards-digital-economy-post-demonetisation-arun-jaitley-23614" target="_blank">: Arun Jaitley</a></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The BJP-led central government is celebrating the first year anniversary of Demonetisation as 'Anti Black Money Day'?while the Congress along with other opposition parties is observing the day as 'Black Day'

It has been a year since Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared on the national television and announced the scrapping of Rs 500 and 1000 currency notes. The BJP is celebrating the first year anniversary of Demonetisation as "Anti Black Money Day" while the Congress along with other opposition parties is observing the day as "Black Day". The PM assured that the scrapping of the currency notes will help in countering the growing corruption, killing black money, counterfeit notes and cut down funding to terrorists. Claiming it to be a pro-poor move he said that demonetisation will root out inequality from the society. PM Modi asked the country to unite in the larger objective of a cleaner society. However, since the past one year, there has been a constant criticism of the "Modi policy". The Opposition has claimed that the policy was responsible for job losses, GDP downfall and destroying small business, besides the physical pain that the people suffered in long queues. On the eve of the first anniversary of Demonetisation former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said, "Demonetisation was a black day for economy and democracy". But the govt has maintained that the policy implemented has achieved its set goals. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that demonetisation has led to a significant decrease in terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh. He claimed that the total fake currencies seized after demonetisation accounted to Rs 11.23 crore The Reserve Bank of India recently claimed that 99 per cent of the old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes amounting to Rs 15.44 lakh crore have come back to the banking system. The government also said that about Rs 17,000 crore has been recovered from income tax raids after the implementation of the policy. The government also claims that demonetisation has led to an increase in tax base with 9.1 million new taxpayers. They have stated an increase of 24 per cent in tax collections. Also read: India moving towards digital economy post-demonetisation: Arun Jaitley

One year of demonetisation: Government observes 'Anti Black Money Day'

<p>Gearing up for Gujarat election, the BJP is distributing a letter written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</p>

<p>The handwritten letter is being distributed in a door-to-door campaign by the BJP. &quot;Gujarat is my soul and my God,&quot; PM Modi has said in the letter written in Gujarati script.</p>

<p>Highlighting BJP&rsquo;s achievements, PM Modi has said that his party has ensured all-round development of Gujarat. &quot;Gujarat is synonymous with development. The state has good roads and high level of women safety,&quot; the PM has said.</p>

<p>The 182-member Gujarat Assembly will go to the polls in two phases - on December 9 and 14 - and counting of votes will be taken up on December 18.&nbsp;</p>


The handwritten letter is being distributed in a door-to-door campaign by the BJP. "Gujarat is my soul and my God," PM Modi has said in the letter written in Gujarati script.

Gearing up for Gujarat election, the BJP is distributing a letter written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The handwritten letter is being distributed in a door-to-door campaign by the BJP. "Gujarat is my soul and my God," PM Modi has said in the letter written in Gujarati script. Highlighting BJP’s achievements, PM Modi has said that his party has ensured all-round development of Gujarat. "Gujarat is synonymous with development. The state has good roads and high level of women safety," the PM has said. The 182-member Gujarat Assembly will go to the polls in two phases - on December 9 and 14 - and counting of votes will be taken up on December 18.

Gujarat polls: BJP launchers door-to-door campaign with PM Modi's letter

<p>During the last Assembly election in Gujarat, Narendra Modi was the chief minister; Shankersinh Vaghela was the tallest Congress leader in the State; veteran Patidar leader Keshubhai Patel had rebelled against the Bharatiya Janata Party and floated his own outfit, the Gujarat Parivartan Party; Sonia Gandhi had vigorously campaigned for the Congress; the Congress was in power at the Centre; 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab was hanged; and Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray had passed away.</p>

<p>The BJP led by Modi had registered a resounding victory while the Congress helmed by Vaghela and consisting of a motley of lesser leaders managed just about half the number of seats the winning party got. Keshubhai Patel&rsquo;s party, contrary to its partvartan promise, could bring no change, ending with a paltry two seats. The so-called KHAM (Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi, Muslim) combine, that had been crafted in the 1980s by Congress leader Madhavsinh Solanki as his party&rsquo;s vote bank, failed to deliver &mdash; as it had on previous occasions in the past decade or so.</p>

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<h5>The last election prepared the ground for Modi&rsquo;s elevation to the national stage; the 2017 result could solidify his and his party&rsquo;s position in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll.</h5>
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<p>Now, as the people of Gujarat prepare to vote in a few weeks from now for a new Assembly, much has changed. Modi is the country&rsquo;s Prime Minister; Vaghela has quit the Congress and is expected to harm his former party&rsquo;s prospects; Keshubhai Patel has reconciled to being a non-entity in the State&rsquo;s politics; the Hardik Patel factor has been introduced to lure the Patidar votes away from the BJP; Balasaheb Thackeray&rsquo;s son and successor Uddhav Thackeray has turned into more of a rival than an ally (which is officially is) of the ruling party; Sonia Gandhi may not campaign extensively owing to her health; Rahul Gandhi, soon to be made Congress president, is at the forefront of his party&rsquo;s electoral battle; and, the BJP has replaced the Congress at the Centre.</p>

<p>Yet, some things remain the same. Modi in 2017, as in 2012, is the BJP&rsquo;s mascot and the Congress&rsquo;s chief enemy and a wall yet to be dented. Like in 2012, Modi is hard selling &lsquo;development&rsquo; and Gujarati pride in 2017 as well. Rahul Gandhi is seeking to establish his credentials as a serious and credible politician, something he had attempted in 2012 as well.</p>

<p>The Muslim voters of the State are as wary of the BJP today as they were in 2012, and they have to do with the ruling party&rsquo;s slogan of &ldquo;Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas&rdquo;. Finally, if the Gujarat election in 2012 was important on account of Modi, it is more so in 2017. The last election prepared the ground for Modi&rsquo;s elevation to the national stage; the 2017 result could solidify his and his party&rsquo;s position in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll.</p>

<p>The gloves are off on both the sides. Prime Minister Modi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi have visited Gujarat on several occasions and are expected to keep doing so in the run-up to the election. If Modi has sought to leverage &lsquo;development&rsquo;, Rahul Gandhi has concentrated on the &lsquo;divisive&rsquo; nature of his rival and rubbished the claimed development.</p>

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<h5>If Modi has sought to leverage &lsquo;development&rsquo;, Rahul Gandhi has concentrated on the &lsquo;divisive&rsquo; nature of his rival and rubbished the claimed development.</h5>
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<p>Modi talks of the Congress&rsquo;s corruption while Rahul Gandhi attacks the BJP for &lsquo;atrocities&rsquo; on Scheduled Castes and discrimination against the Muslims. If the BJP brandishes the World Bank&rsquo;s Doing Business report as a vindication of the Modi regime&rsquo;s economic policies, the Congress alleges the report was &lsquo;manufactured&rsquo; and &lsquo;fixed&rsquo;. The Congress cautions Gujarat&rsquo;s voters against social and economic disasters in case they let the BJP return to power, and the BJP warns them of a rude jolt to the development and Gujarati pride if the Congress succeeds.</p>

<p>The Congress believes, and with good reasons of its own, that it has the best chance in two decades to oust the BJP from the State. It may not have been wrong in sensing a level of disaffection among a section of the traditional BJP supporters &mdash; the business community and the Patidars, for example. The Congress is seeking to tap into the discontent among traders over disruptions caused by the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, while it is hoping to swing the Patel votes its way by holding out the promise of reservations in Government jobs and educational institutions.</p>

<p>With Patidar leader Hardik Patel apparently throwing his weight behind the Congress, the opposition party is upbeat. Add to this, the anger in the Scheduled Caste community following the Una incident last year under the BJP rule. The Congress hopes to exploit this as well, although the Dalit population in the State is too insignificant to make a major overall electoral impact.</p>

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<h5>The BJP is banking on its strong and decades-long socio-economic connect with the Patidar community to neutralise the Hardik Patel fallout.</h5>
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<p>Mindful of the new challenges which have come its way, the BJP has adopted a multi-pronged approach. For one, it has stepped up its focus on development and Gujarati pride &mdash; juxtaposing it with the Congress&rsquo;s &lsquo;indifference&rsquo;. While dedicating the Sardar Sarovar project to the nation, Modi did not fail to underline what he alleged were obstacles that Congress regimes at the Centre had placed in the early completion of the dam work. In later meetings in the State, he spoke of the delays the Congress-led UPA had effected, in the name of environment protection, in developing coastal Gujarat.</p>

<p>Modi spoke of the Congress&rsquo;s sidelining of Gujarati pride &mdash; freedom fighter, senior Congress leader and independent India&rsquo;s first Minister for Home Affairs, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel &mdash; and mentioned the ongoing work on the Statue of Unity that the BJP had undertaken in the Iron Man&rsquo;s memory. It has been wooing important leaders of the Patidar community to blunt the Hardik Patel impact, and also highlighting Hardik Patel&rsquo;s proximity to the Congress &mdash; a party which it says had consistently betrayed the Patel cause. The BJP is banking on its strong and decades-long socio-economic connect with the Patidar community to neutralise the Hardik Patel fallout.</p>

<p>As campaigning picks up and nominations are filed and confirmed, there will emerge a better understanding at constituency levels on which way the battle is going. Certain issues will gain steam while others may fall by the wayside. The larger picture, going by published opinion polls so far, appears to be in the BJP&rsquo;s favour. The party is expected to sweep as it did in 2012. These surveys also inform that a majority of the people are unhappy with the GST mess and the effects of demonetisation. And yet, if the BJP still wins, it can only mean one thing &mdash; and one that is discouraging to the Congress: People may be unhappy with some of the BJP Government&rsquo;s decisions, but they will not necessarily vote against the party.</p>


BJP has stepped up its focus on development and Gujarati pride ? juxtaposing it with the Congress?s ?indifference?.

During the last Assembly election in Gujarat, Narendra Modi was the chief minister; Shankersinh Vaghela was the tallest Congress leader in the State; veteran Patidar leader Keshubhai Patel had rebelled against the Bharatiya Janata Party and floated his own outfit, the Gujarat Parivartan Party; Sonia Gandhi had vigorously campaigned for the Congress; the Congress was in power at the Centre; 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab was hanged; and Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray had passed away. The BJP led by Modi had registered a resounding victory while the Congress helmed by Vaghela and consisting of a motley of lesser leaders managed just about half the number of seats the winning party got. Keshubhai Patel’s party, contrary to its partvartan promise, could bring no change, ending with a paltry two seats. The so-called KHAM (Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi, Muslim) combine, that had been crafted in the 1980s by Congress leader Madhavsinh Solanki as his party’s vote bank, failed to deliver — as it had on previous occasions in the past decade or so. The last election prepared the ground for Modi’s elevation to the national stage; the 2017 result could solidify his and his party’s position in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll. × Now, as the people of Gujarat prepare to vote in a few weeks from now for a new Assembly, much has changed. Modi is the country’s Prime Minister; Vaghela has quit the Congress and is expected to harm his former party’s prospects; Keshubhai Patel has reconciled to being a non-entity in the State’s politics; the Hardik Patel factor has been introduced to lure the Patidar votes away from the BJP; Balasaheb Thackeray’s son and successor Uddhav Thackeray has turned into more of a rival than an ally (which is officially is) of the ruling party; Sonia Gandhi may not campaign extensively owing to her health; Rahul Gandhi, soon to be made Congress president, is at the forefront of his party’s electoral battle; and, the BJP has replaced the Congress at the Centre. Yet, some things remain the same. Modi in 2017, as in 2012, is the BJP’s mascot and the Congress’s chief enemy and a wall yet to be dented. Like in 2012, Modi is hard selling ‘development’ and Gujarati pride in 2017 as well. Rahul Gandhi is seeking to establish his credentials as a serious and credible politician, something he had attempted in 2012 as well. The Muslim voters of the State are as wary of the BJP today as they were in 2012, and they have to do with the ruling party’s slogan of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”. Finally, if the Gujarat election in 2012 was important on account of Modi, it is more so in 2017. The last election prepared the ground for Modi’s elevation to the national stage; the 2017 result could solidify his and his party’s position in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll. The gloves are off on both the sides. Prime Minister Modi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi have visited Gujarat on several occasions and are expected to keep doing so in the run-up to the election. If Modi has sought to leverage ‘development’, Rahul Gandhi has concentrated on the ‘divisive’ nature of his rival and rubbished the claimed development. If Modi has sought to leverage ‘development’, Rahul Gandhi has concentrated on the ‘divisive’ nature of his rival and rubbished the claimed development. × Modi talks of the Congress’s corruption while Rahul Gandhi attacks the BJP for ‘atrocities’ on Scheduled Castes and discrimination against the Muslims. If the BJP brandishes the World Bank’s Doing Business report as a vindication of the Modi regime’s economic policies, the Congress alleges the report was ‘manufactured’ and ‘fixed’. The Congress cautions Gujarat’s voters against social and economic disasters in case they let the BJP return to power, and the BJP warns them of a rude jolt to the development and Gujarati pride if the Congress succeeds. The Congress believes, and with good reasons of its own, that it has the best chance in two decades to oust the BJP from the State. It may not have been wrong in sensing a level of disaffection among a section of the traditional BJP supporters — the business community and the Patidars, for example. The Congress is seeking to tap into the discontent among traders over disruptions caused by the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, while it is hoping to swing the Patel votes its way by holding out the promise of reservations in Government jobs and educational institutions. With Patidar leader Hardik Patel apparently throwing his weight behind the Congress, the opposition party is upbeat. Add to this, the anger in the Scheduled Caste community following the Una incident last year under the BJP rule. The Congress hopes to exploit this as well, although the Dalit population in the State is too insignificant to make a major overall electoral impact. The BJP is banking on its strong and decades-long socio-economic connect with the Patidar community to neutralise the Hardik Patel fallout. × Mindful of the new challenges which have come its way, the BJP has adopted a multi-pronged approach. For one, it has stepped up its focus on development and Gujarati pride — juxtaposing it with the Congress’s ‘indifference’. While dedicating the Sardar Sarovar project to the nation, Modi did not fail to underline what he alleged were obstacles that Congress regimes at the Centre had placed in the early completion of the dam work. In later meetings in the State, he spoke of the delays the Congress-led UPA had effected, in the name of environment protection, in developing coastal Gujarat. Modi spoke of the Congress’s sidelining of Gujarati pride — freedom fighter, senior Congress leader and independent India’s first Minister for Home Affairs, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel — and mentioned the ongoing work on the Statue of Unity that the BJP had undertaken in the Iron Man’s memory. It has been wooing important leaders of the Patidar community to blunt the Hardik Patel impact, and also highlighting Hardik Patel’s proximity to the Congress — a party which it says had consistently betrayed the Patel cause. The BJP is banking on its strong and decades-long socio-economic connect with the Patidar community to neutralise the Hardik Patel fallout. As campaigning picks up and nominations are filed and confirmed, there will emerge a better understanding at constituency levels on which way the battle is going. Certain issues will gain steam while others may fall by the wayside. The larger picture, going by published opinion polls so far, appears to be in the BJP’s favour. The party is expected to sweep as it did in 2012. These surveys also inform that a majority of the people are unhappy with the GST mess and the effects of demonetisation. And yet, if the BJP still wins, it can only mean one thing — and one that is discouraging to the Congress: People may be unhappy with some of the BJP Government’s decisions, but they will not necessarily vote against the party.

Gujarat election: Demonetisation vs Gujarati pride

<p><br />
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday assured all assistance to rain-ravaged Tamil Nadu in tackling the fallout of the heavy downpour in the capital and some districts, including Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur.</p>

<p>&quot;I assure all possible support to the Tamil Nadu government to tackle the situation due to rains,&quot; Modi said at a function to celebrate the 75th anniversary celebrations of Tamil daily Dina Thanthi.</p>

<p>The prime minister expressed grief over the death of those who had died in the rain over the last few days.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nine people died across the state in the recent round of heavy rain.He asked the media to have healthy competition and urged them to take extra effort to maintain credibility.</p>

<p>During his address at the Madras University Auditorium, Modi mourned the death of senior journalist and general secretary of the Madras Union of Journalists R Mohan (54) who died following a cardiac attack yesterday.</p>

<p>Modi was received by Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister K Palaniswami at the Chennai airport from where he proceeded to INS Adyar by helicopter.</p>

<p>Tight security was in place in view of the prime minister&#39;s visit.</p>


The prime minister expressed grief over the death of those who had died in the rain over the last few days.?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday assured all assistance to rain-ravaged Tamil Nadu in tackling the fallout of the heavy downpour in the capital and some districts, including Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur. "I assure all possible support to the Tamil Nadu government to tackle the situation due to rains," Modi said at a function to celebrate the 75th anniversary celebrations of Tamil daily Dina Thanthi. The prime minister expressed grief over the death of those who had died in the rain over the last few days. Nine people died across the state in the recent round of heavy rain.He asked the media to have healthy competition and urged them to take extra effort to maintain credibility. During his address at the Madras University Auditorium, Modi mourned the death of senior journalist and general secretary of the Madras Union of Journalists R Mohan (54) who died following a cardiac attack yesterday. Modi was received by Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister K Palaniswami at the Chennai airport from where he proceeded to INS Adyar by helicopter. Tight security was in place in view of the prime minister's visit.

I assure all possible support to Tamil Nadu government to tackle rain situation: PM Modi

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