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India Gazette
06-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"PM never acknowledges continuity in governance": Jairam Ramesh takes dig at PM Modi over USBRL
New Delhi [India], June 6 (ANI): Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Friday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the latter 'never acknowledged continuity in governance because he is perennially searching for self-glorification and self-publicity'. The Congress MP said that the BrahMos missile and the Udampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway projects are examples of continuity in governance. 'The Prime Minister never acknowledges continuity in governance because he is perennially searching for self-glorification and self-publicity... The BrahMos missile is also an example of continuity in governance,' the Congress Rajya Sabha MP told ANI. The Congress MP claimed that the project was sanctioned in March 1995 when PV Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister, adding that all contracts for the Chenab Bridge were awarded in 2005. 'The Udampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway project was sanctioned in March 1995 when PV Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister. In March 2002, Atal Bihari Vajpayee declared it a national project when he was the Prime Minister... All contracts for the Chenab Bridge were awarded in 2005,' Ramesh said. Pointing out the contribution of different Prime Ministers in the project, he said, 'While today is an important day for the people of J&K and the Indian railways, governance in continuity has to be recognised. It is a collective achievement of the last 30 years... Successive Prime Ministers have worked to make these projects a reality, he added. Meanwhile, an air of enthusiasm was seen in schoolchildren of Katra on Friday as they awaited Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The 272 km long project is built at Rs 43,780 crore and includes 36 tunnels spanning 119 km and 943 bridges. In line with his commitment to boost rail infrastructure and connectivity in the region, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the Chenab bridge and visit the bridge deck. Thereafter, he will visit and inaugurate the Anji bridge. He will also flag off Vande Bharat Trains. Thereafter, he will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate and dedicate to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 46,000 crore at Katra. The architectural marvel Chenab Rail Bridge, situated at a height of 359 meters above the river, is the world's highest railway arch bridge. It is a 1,315-metre-long steel arch bridge engineered to withstand seismic and wind conditions. A key impact of the bridge will be in enhancing connectivity between Jammu and Srinagar. Through the Vande Bharat train moving on the bridge, it will take just about 3 hours to travel between Katra and Srinagar, reducing the existing travel time by 2-3 hours. The Anji Bridge is India's first cable-stayed rail bridge that will serve the nation in a challenging terrain. The Prime Minister will also dedicate the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project to the nation. The 272 km long USBRL project, constructed at a cost of around Rs 43,780 crore, includes 36 tunnels (spanning 119 km) and 943 bridges. The project establishes all-weather, seamless rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country, aiming to transform regional mobility and drive socio-economic integration. Prime Minister will also flag off two Vande Bharat Express trains from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Srinagar and back. They will offer a swift, comfortable, and reliable travel option for residents, tourists, and pilgrims, among others. (ANI)
New Indian Express
31-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Trust ‘Brand CBN' & invest in AP: CM Chandrababu Naidu
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is keen to transform the State into a $2.4 trillion economy by 2047, has invited industry leaders to participate in the Swarna Andhra Vision 2047. Addressing the annual Business Summit 2025 of the CII in New Delhi on Friday, the CM called for deeper collaboration in innovation, infrastructure, and inclusive growth. 'Entrepreneurs generate wealth, and with it, we can implement impactful welfare programs,' he said. Recalling the CII Partnership Summit held in Hyderabad, 'it brought immense visibility and investment. I seek your support to bring investments to Andhra Pradesh.' The CM emphasized that industrialists can trust his leadership, stating, 'CBN is a tested Brand with a proven track record.' He urged them to leverage this credibility to grow their businesses in AP.' 'The economic reforms initiated by former PM PV Narasimha Rao changed India forever. Today, many of the world's top achievers are Indians and about 30% of them are Telugus. India is poised to serve the global community for centuries to come. The world is moving forward rapidly with developments in AI, quantum computing. If real-time data can be harnessed effectively, India, with its pool of outstanding entrepreneurs, can lead this revolution,' Naidu said.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Global outreach against Pakistan a right step by govt, says Congress' Amar Singh
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Amar Singh, the two-term Congress Lok Sabha member from Punjab, who is part of the Indian delegation to the United Kingdom and other European countries, has welcomed the Centre initiating a global outreach against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and pointed out that similar bipartisan initiatives had been carried out by the previous Congress governments headed by Manmohan Singh and PV Narasimha Rao when Indian faced Pakistan-sponsored terrorist Singh's name, like that of his party colleagues in the delegations such as Shashi Tharoor and Manish Tewari, didn't figure in the 'alternative list' of Congress leaders' names that leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi had sent to the government only to see the Centre retaining its original list of MPs representing the main Opposition in the delegations."I feel the government has done the right thing by deciding to send Indian delegations for a global outreach against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the wake of the Pahalgam incident and its aftermath. Similar bipartisan initiatives had been undertaken by former Congress governments as well - by Manmohan Singh government after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and during the PV Narasimha Rao government, the then Opposition leader AB Vajpayee famously led the Indian delegation to the United Nations to expose Pakistan's role in sponsoring terrorism," Singh told a former IAS officer who now represents Fatehgarh Sahib Lok Sabha and belongs to the Dalit community, said he had spent a lot of his early years in the border districts of Punjab that were prone to cross-border terrorism."I have watched from close quarters, like most of my fellow Punjabis, the menace of terrorism and its dangerous consequences, including the killings of innocent people and the suffering and dislocation of many, many families. That may be one of the reasons for the government to choose me to be part of the delegation. We, the people of Punjab and J&K, have been the worst victims and sufferers of Pakistan's nefarious designs, its many ways of promoting terrorism through indoctrination, guns, bombs, drones and drugs," he who is all set to attend the pre-travel briefing by MEA, said he is confident of contributing to the delegation's mission abroad.
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
John Brittas writes: Taking India's message to world
In 1994, when P V Narasimha Rao was Prime Minister, India sent a delegation to the United Nations headquarters in New York led by Farooq Abdullah. India's permanent representative to the UN at the time was Hamid Ansari, who would later become the country's Vice President. After the discussions concluded, the Indian delegation came face to face with Pakistan's permanent representative to the UN, Jamsheed Marker, who posed a sarcastic question to Ansari and his team: 'Aren't there people in Hindustan other than Muslims?' That question perhaps encapsulates India's syncretic and pluralistic culture — and how starkly it differs from Pakistan's choice of becoming a religion-based theocratic state after Partition. Notably, this was also the same year that Indian bipartisanship was showcased to the world in Geneva, where Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Salman Khurshid helped thwart a UN resolution against India on the Kashmir issue, returning home to a rousing reception. The public outreach diplomacy under Narendra Modi today echoes that same bipartisanship, though in an unexpected form, as the Prime Minister broke his usual pattern to embrace cooperation and uphold India's foundational values of pluralism in both society and policy-making. The central aim of the multiparty delegations to various countries is to strengthen India's international relations and reinforce its stance against terrorism in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, by showcasing our diversity and plurality against a military-theocratic state that supports proxy wars and kills innocents. Truth be told, the decision to dispatch such teams raised eyebrows because the Centre 'deviated' from its usual approach. The members of these delegations hail from parties with serious differences of opinion but are united by the larger cause of the country, embodying the spirit of our Constitution-inspired values and democracy. This is certainly a welcome development. At the same time, questions persist: Could there have been a more coherent way to carry out the initiative? Why has the PM avoided calling an all-party meeting to discuss Operation Sindoor? Why is the Centre reluctant to convene a special session of Parliament? Would it have been more impactful if the delegations left after fruitful discussions in Parliament? The Pahalgam incident, where innocent civilians were gunned down in a cowardly terrorist attack designed to cause chaos, has brought political parties together in solidarity with the Centre during this grave national security crisis. Meanwhile, purveyors of hate, especially media houses aggressively chasing TRP nationalism with bombastic and foolish rhetoric, are running amok. Can the government not act? Yes, but no such move has been made. Even within the government, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri became a victim of cyber mobs, forcing him to lock his X handle. I can list others, including Himanshi Narwal, wife of Navy officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal — killed in the Pahalgam terror attack — who faced online abuse after she appealed to the public not to spread hatred against Muslims or Kashmiris. Colonel Sofiya Qureshi was targeted by a minister from Madhya Pradesh whose apology, the Supreme Court later said, lacked sincerity. Our media — and, for that matter, social media — should not dictate foreign policy, especially during a national crisis. Our Ministry of External Affairs needs to explore the possibility of effectively using its social media handles to expose the fake news generated within the country aimed at vitiating our social atmosphere and influencing foreign policy narratives. While the idea of dispatching outreach teams to defend the idea of India is understandable, the government could have adopted a more inclusive approach by consulting various parties about the composition of these delegations. Doing so would have enhanced bipartisan appeal. Genuine dialogue and consultations would have enriched the process. It would have been a far greater demonstration of unity across party lines and fortified our credibility on the global stage. The treatment meted out to Ali Khan Mahmudabad, associate professor at Ashoka University, over a harmless social media post and flimsy charges is also deeply disconcerting. There is widespread condemnation of the incident, which could and should have been avoided, especially at a time when the nation stands united. Frankly, we should not have merely denied the American claim that they mediated the ceasefire talks between India and Pakistan. When Pakistan's defence minister, Khawaja Asif, admitted to the country's long history of supporting, training, and funding terrorist organisations as 'dirty work' for the West, India lashed out at Pakistan but not at the West, which had enabled that work. In the case of the ceasefire, denial alone was inadequate — a firm rebuttal would have made more sense. We are a pluralistic democracy and economically 11 times greater than Pakistan, while the latter continues to descend into chaos due to foundational missteps. And yet, Pakistan garners sympathy from multiple quarters, including global institutions that disburse loans at the behest of American interests. To sum up, the outreach teams could be an initiative to engage with foreign governments, formal institutions, civil society, and opinion-makers to build support for India's commitment to social harmony and multiculturalism, which, from a Pakistani point of view, Marker once found perplexing. As is often said, while many countries have a military, in Pakistan, the military has a country. We embarked on a different path thanks to our founders and the spirit of our Constitution. And we must not only cherish it but uphold it. Bipartisanship is one key aspect of championing this cause. The writer, a Rajya Sabha member from the CPM, is member of one of the seven multi-party delegations that will visit key nations after Operation Sindoor
Deccan Herald
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Delegation row mars message of unity
The government has done well to assign seven multi-party parliamentary delegations to world capitals to explain India's position on the Pahalgam terror attack, its response in the form of Operation Sindoor, and Pakistan's use of terror as State policy. The exercise will demonstrate unity and the country's resolve to face external threats and challenges. The delegations will comprise diplomats and specialists and represent the country's social and political spectrum. The destinations include the US, European Union countries, Russia, Japan, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations, Indonesia, and countries in Africa. It is to be noted that China and Turkey, who supported Pakistan during the conflict, have been excluded. The delegation's briefings can complement India's efforts at multinational forums to expose Pakistan as the has, in the past, sent all-party delegations to other countries for diplomatic engagements. In 1994, then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao sent a delegation consisting of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Farooq Abdullah to Geneva to counter a Pakistani resolution on Kashmir at the UN Human Rights Commission. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had also sent a multi-party delegation to other countries after the 2008 Mumbai attack. The delegations being sent now have the task of correcting misconceptions and projecting India's positions effectively – India did not receive extensive support from the world during the post-Pahalgam conflict. There is a tendency to equate India and Pakistan and the world needs to be told about the inherent flaw in this equation – India is a victim of terror while Pakistan has been the source of this terror, backed by its government and military establishment. India is a functioning democracy while Pakistan has a system run by the armed forces. The distinctions are important and the world should not lose sight of unfortunate controversy has emerged about the composition of the delegations, especially about the members from the Congress party. The Congress has the grouse that it was not properly consulted before the selection of its members. The government accepted only one name from the four put forward by the party. It may have done some politicking with the appointment of Shashi Tharoor as the leader of one of the delegations. It should have desisted from the temptation to embarrass the Congress now. Tharoor has recently expressed opinions, including about Operation Sindoor, that are different from his party's. However, he is an articulate leader and is experienced in diplomacy at the international level. The Congress may have overreacted, and was churlish in its response, especially in a situation where the greater national interest should have been its main consideration.
