NATIONAL NEWS
Diversity is the identity of our strong democracy, says Modi at U.N. General Assembly
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that he represents a country which is proud to be known as the mother of democracy and said , democracy can deliver, newswire PTI reported. Modi said: We have had a great tradition of democracy that goes back to thousands of years. I represent a country that is proud to be known as the mother of democracy. On 15th of August this year, India entered into the 75th year of its independence, he said. The Prime Minister said the strength of India’s democracy is in its diversity. It is a country that has dozens of languages, hundreds of dialects, different lifestyles and cuisines. This is the best example of a vibrant democracy, the Prime Minister said. I will soon have spent 20 years serving my countrymen as head of government. First, as the longest serving Chief Minister of Gujarat and then as the Prime Minister for the last seven years, Mr. Modi said, adding that democracy has delivered. Modi said that countries with regressive thinking that are using terrorism as a political tool must understand that it is an equally big threat for them also, in a veiled attack on Pakistan which is often accused by its neighbours of providing safe havens to terrorists. Prime Minister also said that in order to strengthen the rules-based world order, the international community must speak in unison, in an apparent reference to China which is flexing its military muscles in the Indo-Pacific. Noting that the world is facing an increased threat of regressive thinking and extremism, Modi said countries that are using terrorism as a political tool have to understand that terrorism is an equally big threat to them. It is absolutely essential to ensure that Afghanistan’s territory is not used to spread terrorism and for terrorist activities, he said. We also need to ensure that no country tries to take advantage of the delicate situation in Afghanistan and use it for its own selfish interests. Pakistan’s neighbours, including Afghanistan and India, and the U.S. have long accused Islamabad of providing safe haven and support to militants, a charge denied by it. Modi said that oceans are also a shared heritage. Our oceans are also the lifeline of international trade. We must protect them from the race for expansion. The international community must speak in one voice to strengthen a rule-based world order, he added.
Cyclone Gulab to make landfall on Sunday evening
The Odisha government has sounded a warning for Cyclone Gulab, which is expected to cross the coast between its southern districts and north Andhra Pradesh at 75-85 kmph wind speed on September 26 evening. Though the wind speed predicted for the cyclonic storm may not prove much destructive, the associated heavy rain is likely to cause landslide and flood situation in some of southern districts. Director-General of India Meteorological Department (IMD) Mrutyunjay Mohapatra informed the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) meeting Chaired by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba that the cyclone would mostly likely affect Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Vishakhapatnam districts of in Andhra Pradesh and Ganjam and Gajapati of Odisha. The deep depression over northwest and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal moved nearly westwards with a speed of 7 kmph in last 6 hours, intensified into Cyclonic Storm ‘Gulab’ (pronounced as Gul-Aab) and lay centered over northwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal, about 370 km east-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 440 km east of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), says an IMD Bulletin. The system is likely to move nearly westwards and cross north Andhra Pradesh – south Odisha coasts between Kalingapatnam and Gopalpur around evening of September 26 (Sunday), it said. As many as 42 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force, 24 National Disaster Response Force and about 100 fire service teams have been instructed to move immediately towards southern districts, Mr. Jena said. Back in 2018, Cyclone Titli, which had hit the same region of Odisha, had left many people dead in the subsequent heavy flooding and landslides. This time, seven districts Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Kandhamal have been asked to stay alert. The Odisha government is also keeping a close watch on flood situation in rivers such as Rushikulya, Vansadhara and Nagabaali flowing in southern districts.
Congress to join Bharat Bandh on Monday
The Congress has decided to lend more than its arm to the ongoing farmer’s protest which has been going on for the last one year. The party will join the September 27 Bharat Bandh called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha to mark the first anniversary of passing of the three controversial farm laws in Parliament, the party announced on Saturday. Party spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said the Narendra Modi government has systematically assaulted the agriculture sector in past seven years. At the very onset in 2014, the Modi government came up with the Land Acquisition Ordinance to usurp farm lands in the name of strategic sectors but the government had to drop this bill, he said. In 2015, Vallabh said, the government in an affidavit to the Supreme Court submitted that the markets will get distorted if MSP is decided according to the formula laid down by the Swaminathan Commission. Meanwhile, the government found a way to divert the agri-budget to private insurance companies by bringing in PM Kisan Bima Yojana, Vallabh alleged. It was the Modi government, which for the first time imposed a tax on the major farm implements, tractors, pesticides and seeds, the Congress spokesperson said. As per one study, in the last seven years, per hectare cost of farming has increased by ₹25,000 because of the indirect taxes imposed on agriculture, he added. The Modi government had promised to double farm incomes by February 2022 but today, the farmer’s income has hit an all-time low, he added. Quoting government data, Vallabh said that in 2012-13 on an average each farmer had a debt of ₹47,000. By 2018-19 this has increased to ₹74,000. The Modi government is responsible for all round ruin of the farm sector. And now they are turning a blind eye towards the farmers who have protesting for nine months braving the elements at the Delhi border. 600 farmers have died in this agitation but the government still insists on not talking about the farm laws, Vallabh added. The Congress supports the demand of the farmers asking for withdrawal of the laws and giving MSP legal backing, he said. I am surprised why Prime Minister Modi is opposed to Chief Minister Modi? During UPA-2 then Gujarat Chief Minister demanded that the MSP should be made part of the law, Vallabh pointed out.
RJD demands caste census
Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav has written to 33 senior political leaders to press the demand for a caste census. Led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar whose party JD(U) has been a ruling ally of BJP, the Opposition party leaders in Bihar, had earlier met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put forth their demand for caste based census. The demand for caste based census needs to be seen as an essential step in nation building. The caste census once conducted would actually bring to the forefront the pressing concerns that a country like India must attend to with a sense of urgency. This is a historic opportunity before us to push for an agenda that is essential for making this country more just and egalitarian. It would play a pivotal role in ensuring social harmony and social cohesion, Mr. Yadav wrote in letter to the leaders. Yadav’s letter is addressed to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, National Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, Lok Janshakti Party leader Chirag Paswan, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Bahujan Samajwadi Party supremo Mayawati, Orissa CM Naveen Patnaik, CPI leader D Raja, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury, formerJ&K CM Farooq Abdullah, Tamil Nadu CM and DMK leader M.K.Stalin, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam and others. I’m sure you will agree with me that we need to join our hands and push the government of the day to see this absolutely crucial need to set the priorities of the socio-economic development of our country. I am open to suggestions and inputs from you so that we immediately prepare our plan of action in this regard without any further delay, Yadav wrote in the letter conclusively. Earlier on September 24, he had said that he would wait for Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s response on Central government’s decision that conducting caste based census would not be feasible in the country. Yadav’s father and the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief, Lalu Prasad too had wondered why the BJP/RSS had so much hatred against backward class people. Yadav had also called for boycott of BJP ministers sand party MPs belonging to Other and Extremely Backward Class.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
First in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit begins in Washington
The much-anticipated first in-person meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (or Quad, of India, the United States, Australia and Japan), began on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is participating in the Quad leaders meeting along with leaders of the US, Japan, and Australia in Washington. US President Joe Biden is hosting all the leaders at the White House. According to sources and official announcements, today’s summit will touch upon a variety of subjects like 5G technology, climate change, critical infrastructure, supply chains and regional security. Earlier today, PM Modi and US President Biden held their first bilateral meeting since the latter assumed office and discussed bilateral relations including trade, COVID-19, climate challenges, and stability in the Indo-Pacific. PM Modi, who met Biden at the White House, said in his opening remarks that the bilateral summit was important and seeds have been sown for an even stronger friendship between India and the US. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said PM Modi and Biden, along with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and their Japanese counterpart Yoshihide Suga will review the Quad Vaccine initiative which was announced in March this year, as part of their ongoing efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The leaders will review progress made since their first virtual summit on March 12, 2021, and discuss regional issues of shared interest. They will also exchange views on contemporary global issues such as critical and emerging technologies, connectivity and infrastructure, cyber security, maritime security, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, climate change, and education. The Summit on Friday would provide a valuable opportunity for dialogue and interactions among the leaders, anchored in their shared vision of ensuring a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. A US official has said that hosting the Quad fundamentally is a demonstration of the priority of engaging in the Indo-Pacific, including through new multilateral configurations designed to focus on 21st-century challenges. On Thursday, PM Modi met his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison, US Vice President Kamala Harris, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and held meetings with five global CEOs for potential investment in India. Earlier in March, the first-ever Quad virtual summit had stressed a free, open, and rule-based Indo-Pacific region that is anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion. Prime Minister Modi arrived in Washington on Wednesday for his much-touted US visit. PM Modi is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, and senior officials.
PM Modi concludes US visit; brings home 157 artefacts, antiquities
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday left for India after concluding his visit to the US during which the prime minister said he had productive bilateral and multilateral engagements and expressed confidence that the India-US relationship will grow even stronger in the years to come. During his three-day visit, Prime Minister Modi addressed the 76th session of the United Nations Security Council, attended the first in-person Quad summit and held bilateral and multilateral engagements, including with US President Biden, US Vice President Harris and his counterparts from Australia Scott Morrison and from Japan Yoshihide Suga. PM Narendra Modi also brought home 157 artefacts and antiquities, which were handed over to India by the US during his visit, with both he and President Joe Biden expressing commitment to strengthening efforts to combat theft, illicit trade and trafficking of cultural objects. While nearly half of the artefacts (71) are cultural, the other half consists of figurines related to Hinduism (60), Buddhism (16) and Jainism (9), an official statement said on Saturday. Modi conveyed his deep appreciation for the repatriation of antiquities to India by the United States. The list of 157 artefacts includes a diverse set of items ranging from the one-and-a-half metre bas relief panel of Revanta in sandstone of the 10th CE to the 8.5 cm tall, exquisite bronze Nataraja from the 12th CE. This continues the efforts by the Modi government to bring back India’s antiquities and artefacts from across the world, it said. Government sources said that only 13 antiquities were retrieved by India from different countries between 1976 and 2013. However, between 2014, when Modi came to power, and 2021, over 200 antiquities have either returned or are in the process of being returned, they added. Between 2004 and 2014, only one ancient antiquity returned to India, the sources said. The Modi government has brought back more ancient Indian treasures than the four decades before it, they claimed. Referring to the items handed over to India by the US during Modi’s ongoing trip, the official statement said they largely belong to the period of 11th CE to 14th CE as well as historic antiquities such as the copper anthropomorphic object of 2000 BC or the terracotta vase from the 2nd CE. Some 45 antiquities belong to Before Common Era, it said. Their make spreads across metal, stone and terracotta, the statement said. The bronze collection primarily contains ornate figurines of the well-known postures of Lakshmi Narayana, Buddha, Vishnu, Siva Parvathi and the 24 Jain Tirthankaras and the less common Kankalamurti, Brahmi and Nandikesa besides other unnamed deities and divine figures. The statement noted that the motifs include religious sculptures from Hinduism– three-headed Brahma, chariot driving Surya, Vishnu and his consorts, Siva as Dakshinamurti and dancing Ganesha among others, Buddhism– standing Buddha, Boddhisattva Majushri, Tara, and Jainism– Jain Tirthankara, Padmasana Tirthankara, Jaina Choubisi, as well as secular motifs, including amorphous couple in Samabhanga and chowri-bearer female playing the drum among others. There are 56 terracotta pieces and an 18th CE sword with a sheath with an inscription mentioning Guru Hargovind Singh in Persian, it added.
