As the UPA -II completes a year in power, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has metamorphosed into a smart politician who is firmly in the saddle and completely in command.
On Monday, it was the consummate politician and not a veteran bureaucrat who deftly tackled tricky questions thrown at him by the media, ranging from his retirement, his reported differences with the UPA chairperson, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, allegations against the allies and bickering in the cabinet.
Glimpses of Dr Singh's transformation from a disciplined bureaucrat to a canny leader had flashed past during the no trust move against the UPA-I. After Monday’s press meet, it became evident that he was no longer the ‘reluctant politician,’ a term that he chose to describe himself two years ago.
The soft-spoken leader has accomplished what his oratorical predecessor, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, could not do. He successfully completed his first term in power and continues to be at the helm of affairs even in the second term.
And his confidence could be gauged from the way he handled the lengthy media conference on Monday (something which ‘political’ Prime Ministers don’t usually dare to) revealing his thoughts on price rise, Maoist violence, spectrum issue, and foot-in-the-mouth ministers, to name a few ticklish subjects.
There was no chest-thumping and he termed the first year of UPA-II as a period of "reasonable achievement" with “room for achievement and better outcomes." He agreed that "price rise continue to be a matter of deep concern”.
At the same time, he deftly played down the differences between his ministers and added that policy matters be better discussed inside the cabinet rather than outside. It was a loud and clear message that there would be zero tolerance for those who cross the line.
Interestingly, he trod a middle path when asked about his future. While saying that he would not retire till he accomplished “unfinished tasks,” Dr Singh also indicated that he was willing to make way for “younger generation, if the party so desires.” It was carefully balanced, leaving the Congress happy and the opposition wringing its hands.
The Prime Minister had to reply on the controversies surrounding the DMK telecommunication minister, Mr A. Raja, on the spectrum issue which has much to do with the arithmetic in Lok Sabha. So he restricted himself to assuring that “corruption would be dealt with at any level.”
Despite facing much criticism, he also reiterated his belief on the need to have the best possible relations with Pakistan, but added the rider that the neighbour had to ensure that it “will not allow its soil to be used for terrorism.”
And for once the mission oriented-bureaucrat came to the surface when asked about the legacy he would leave behind. “I have a task to accomplish. It is for the historians to pronounce judgments.” Vintage Manmohan Singh
Showing posts with label Rahul Gandhi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rahul Gandhi. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Cong says Rahul denied permission to garland Ambedkar statue
As BSP and Congress play the Dalit card on the birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar, the district authorities here today told Rahul Gandhi that he could garland the Dalit icon’s statue only after Mayawati’s party function got over.
Congress Legislative Party leader Pramod Tewari said his party had sought written permission from the district administration for 39-year-old Rahul to garland Ambedkar’s statue here.
“We had sought written permission but were denied the same,” he said.
However, District Magistrate Kunwar Vikram Singh said, “We have not denied permission but we will allow the garlanding of the statue by Congress leaders only after the BSP’s function ends here.”
The BSP’s function here is scheduled from 10 am to 4 pm while the Congress function is planned from 10 am to 2 pm.
Both the Congress and BSP are preparing to play their Dalit card on the 119th birth anniversary of Ambedkar and both the parties have organised functions at a short distance of each other in this district. The Ambedkar statue in question is in the middle of the two places.
Tight security arrangements have been made in the district with the AICC general secretary scheduled to flag off Chetna Yatra (awareness drive) to mark 125 years of party’s establishment, and BSP planning to stage a demonstration against “wrong policies” of the UPA government and “short comings” in the Women Reservation bill.
On the directives of Mayawati, a battery of senior leaders, including state cabinet ministers, will stage a demonstration, they said.
Ambedkar Nagar, which has a sizeable Dalit population, holds significance for the BSP as it had been represented by Mayawati thrice in Lok Sabha in 1998, 1999 and 2004.
Congress Legislative Party leader Pramod Tewari said his party had sought written permission from the district administration for 39-year-old Rahul to garland Ambedkar’s statue here.
“We had sought written permission but were denied the same,” he said.
However, District Magistrate Kunwar Vikram Singh said, “We have not denied permission but we will allow the garlanding of the statue by Congress leaders only after the BSP’s function ends here.”
The BSP’s function here is scheduled from 10 am to 4 pm while the Congress function is planned from 10 am to 2 pm.
Both the Congress and BSP are preparing to play their Dalit card on the 119th birth anniversary of Ambedkar and both the parties have organised functions at a short distance of each other in this district. The Ambedkar statue in question is in the middle of the two places.
Tight security arrangements have been made in the district with the AICC general secretary scheduled to flag off Chetna Yatra (awareness drive) to mark 125 years of party’s establishment, and BSP planning to stage a demonstration against “wrong policies” of the UPA government and “short comings” in the Women Reservation bill.
On the directives of Mayawati, a battery of senior leaders, including state cabinet ministers, will stage a demonstration, they said.
Ambedkar Nagar, which has a sizeable Dalit population, holds significance for the BSP as it had been represented by Mayawati thrice in Lok Sabha in 1998, 1999 and 2004.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Rahul Gandhi visits New Zealand, assures security of players
On a visit to New Zealand, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said the Indian government will take all possible steps to ensure safety of international players, according to an opposition leader.
The General Secretary of the Congress Party, who is in New Zealand on a fellowship, gave this assurance when he met Labour Party foreign affairs spokesman Chris Carter in Wellington, ‘New Zealand Herald’ reported on Wednesday, quoting the opposition leader.
His remarks follow a warning by PoK-based HuJI commander Ilyas Kashmiri - whose 313 Brigade is an operational arm of al-Qaeda - to the world community not to send their people to the 2010 Hockey World Cup, IPL cricket tournament and the Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi in October.
Carter said he had discussed the security situation with Rahul and “came away feeling confident that India was very aware of the implications of the threats and was taking all possible steps to ensure safety,” the report said.
Carter said recent terror attacks in India meant such threats had to be taken seriously.
However, he said he was confident Indian authorities had a good handle on the situation and wanted to see New Zealand sports teams continue with scheduled visits.
“My initial thoughts are to go - in fact you have to go - otherwise you give in to the terrorists,” he said.
At the same time, he said those travelling to India also needed to be aware of security risks and be sensible with their own travel arrangements.
The General Secretary of the Congress Party, who is in New Zealand on a fellowship, gave this assurance when he met Labour Party foreign affairs spokesman Chris Carter in Wellington, ‘New Zealand Herald’ reported on Wednesday, quoting the opposition leader.
His remarks follow a warning by PoK-based HuJI commander Ilyas Kashmiri - whose 313 Brigade is an operational arm of al-Qaeda - to the world community not to send their people to the 2010 Hockey World Cup, IPL cricket tournament and the Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi in October.
Carter said he had discussed the security situation with Rahul and “came away feeling confident that India was very aware of the implications of the threats and was taking all possible steps to ensure safety,” the report said.
Carter said recent terror attacks in India meant such threats had to be taken seriously.
However, he said he was confident Indian authorities had a good handle on the situation and wanted to see New Zealand sports teams continue with scheduled visits.
“My initial thoughts are to go - in fact you have to go - otherwise you give in to the terrorists,” he said.
At the same time, he said those travelling to India also needed to be aware of security risks and be sensible with their own travel arrangements.
Gadkari does a Rahul, has lunch in Dalit’s house
Seeking to challenge Rahul Gandhi’s bid to attract Dalits, BJP President Nitin Gadkari walked the extra mile to show his concern for the community on the eve of the three-day party meet beginning here on Wednesday.
Putting his best foot forward to attract Dalits, the first thing Gadkari, 52, did after reaching here on Tuesday was to proceed to nearby Mhow, the birthplace of B. R. Ambedkar and pay his respects by garlanding the statue of the Dalit icon there.
Later, he went to the house of a local BJP corporator Preeti Karosiya who hails from the Dalit Valmiki community for lunch.
Mr. Gadkari has time and again declared that the focus of the party would be more on Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities and other weaker sections.
His pet theme has been ‘Antyodaya’, serving the last man in the queue.
The new BJP president aims to increase the party’s vote bank by 10 per cent by winning over these sections.
In fact, BJP has now been saying that its aim was to provide good governance and development while working for the ’last man’
Rahul Gandhi has been visiting Dalit households during his tours in Uttar Pradesh.
Putting his best foot forward to attract Dalits, the first thing Gadkari, 52, did after reaching here on Tuesday was to proceed to nearby Mhow, the birthplace of B. R. Ambedkar and pay his respects by garlanding the statue of the Dalit icon there.
Later, he went to the house of a local BJP corporator Preeti Karosiya who hails from the Dalit Valmiki community for lunch.
Mr. Gadkari has time and again declared that the focus of the party would be more on Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities and other weaker sections.
His pet theme has been ‘Antyodaya’, serving the last man in the queue.
The new BJP president aims to increase the party’s vote bank by 10 per cent by winning over these sections.
In fact, BJP has now been saying that its aim was to provide good governance and development while working for the ’last man’
Rahul Gandhi has been visiting Dalit households during his tours in Uttar Pradesh.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Remember, it was NSG men from U.P. & Bihar who took on 26/11 gunmen: Rahul
AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Monday criticised the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for their unabated tirade against people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, reminding them that NSG men who vanquished terrorists during the 26/11 attacks were also from these two States and other places.
And taking a swipe at the two Sena outfits, Mr. Gandhi said, “If terrorists have to be fought with, let Biharis remain there[Mumbai].”
“In Maharashtra, MNS leader Raj Thackeray keeps saying ‘throw out people of Bihar and U.P’. But, who killed the terrorists who had attacked Mumbai? They were the NSG guys from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and from the rest of the country. At that time they did not say throw away Biharis,” Mr. Gandhi pointed out, interacting with workers of the Youth Congress and the NSUI here.
To go it alone in Bihar
Mr. Gandhi, who set out on a tour of the NDA-ruled Bihar where the Assembly elections are due later this year, said the Congress would go it alone as it did in the Lok Sabha polls.
“Congress workers will fight for the rights of the people without fear and bring about a change in Bihar,” he said at Bettiah.
Lamenting lack of development in the State, he asked youth to change Bihar. “Bihar has to be changed and it is the youth who will bring about this change by joining politics. There is no problem with the people of Bihar.”
The Congress leader took pot shots at the BJP-Janata Dal(United) government, saying funds sent by the Centre for development schemes were not utilised properly.
And taking a swipe at the two Sena outfits, Mr. Gandhi said, “If terrorists have to be fought with, let Biharis remain there[Mumbai].”
“In Maharashtra, MNS leader Raj Thackeray keeps saying ‘throw out people of Bihar and U.P’. But, who killed the terrorists who had attacked Mumbai? They were the NSG guys from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and from the rest of the country. At that time they did not say throw away Biharis,” Mr. Gandhi pointed out, interacting with workers of the Youth Congress and the NSUI here.
To go it alone in Bihar
Mr. Gandhi, who set out on a tour of the NDA-ruled Bihar where the Assembly elections are due later this year, said the Congress would go it alone as it did in the Lok Sabha polls.
“Congress workers will fight for the rights of the people without fear and bring about a change in Bihar,” he said at Bettiah.
Lamenting lack of development in the State, he asked youth to change Bihar. “Bihar has to be changed and it is the youth who will bring about this change by joining politics. There is no problem with the people of Bihar.”
The Congress leader took pot shots at the BJP-Janata Dal(United) government, saying funds sent by the Centre for development schemes were not utilised properly.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Rahul Gandhi’s visit: State serves notice to Indore university
The Madhya Pradesh government has served notices to Devi Ahilyabai University, Indore, in connection with AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s visit o the campus earlier this week.
The Department of Higher education, Madhya Pradesh, has served notices to the vice-chancellor and registrar of the university demanding an explanation for Mr. Gandhi’s visit to the campus. The notices seek a reply from the university as to why Mr. Gandhi was allowed to visit the university and interact with students without prior permission from the state government.
The state government has served notice only to the university of Indore and not other educational institutions visited by Mr. Gandhi. According to sources, other institutes visited by the AICC general secretary were either private-owned or under the control of the Government of India., while the Devi Ahilyabai University is a statutory university under the control of the state government.
The state Congress has expressed its displeasure over the notices. “Why is the BJP government fiddling with the autonomy of the university,” state Congress spokesperson Arvind Malviya, told The Hindu. “Rahul Gandhi was invited by the university as a Member of Parliament and not as a Congress party member. I can assure you he did not ask any of them to join the NSUI or the Congress. It seems the state government is against the participation of students in the process of nation building,” he said.
He also said the state government was only panicking at Mr. Gandhi’s popularity and that surveys conducted by several local newspapers revealed that the students appreciated his interacting with them.
