The UPA is soft on terrorists and hard on nationalists
Varun episode will boomerang on Mayawati, says Venkaiah Naidu
Special Correspondent
BANGALORE: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday alleged that invoking the provisions of the National Security Act against its candidate, Varun Gandhi, was a “conspiracy” by the Uttar Pradesh and Central governments to “defame Varun and the BJP.”
Addressing a press conference in Bangalore, senior party leader M. Venkaiah Naidu warned that: “such a conspiracy will become counterproductive and boomerang on the Bahujan Samaj Party and its leader Mayawati.” He said those behind this episode might have to pay a “heavy political price.” He urged the Congress to make known its stand on the issue.
Terming it the “height of political vendetta,” Mr. Naidu declared that the BJP would fight it legally and politically. “We will not be cowed down by this episode.”
He charged the Uttar Pradesh government with coming to a conclusion that Mr. Gandhi was guilty without even conducting an inquiry or verifying the veracity of the CD containing his speech.” Wondering why no action was taken against a Congress candidate from Chandigarh who too made a similar hate speech, Mr. Naidu alleged that the provisions of the NSA were being misused to settle political scores.
He took exception to the Election Commission’s suggestion to the BJP to deny ticket to Mr. Gandhi. “What is the role of political parties if the EC itself has to decide who should get ticket and who should not,” he remarked and said: the Election Commission had acted in “haste” in this episode.
On the BSP’s allegations that Mr. Gandhi’s remarks created disaffection among religions, Mr. Naidu said the BSP was trying to create such disaffection among communities in its poll campaign.
“I do not know why NSA provisions have been invoked against him. He is not a terrorist, anti-national or criminal,” Mr. Naidu said. “The government is soft on Afzal Guru, who masterminded the Parliament attack, PDP leader Abdul Nasser Madani, who is allegedly involved in Coimbatore blasts, and parties which are having links with SIMI. But it finds Mr. Gandhi dangerous,” he remarked. He said the UPA was soft on terrorists and hard on nationalists. Mr. Naidu condemned the terror attacks in Lahore. He said Pakistan should understand that encouraging the Taliban and jihadi forces was “suicidal.” Even those who aided terrorists cannot escape from terror strikes,” he remarked and said the need of the hour was to dismantle the terrorists’ infrastructure on Pakistan soil.
Mr. Naidu said the BJP would launch a national campaign on April 6 demanding that the Prime Minister strive to bring back to India black money to the tune of Rs. 25 lakh crores believed to have been deposited in Swiss Bank by Indians. As a first step, he should prevail upon the Swiss Bank to disclose the details regarding deposits by Indians.
Special Correspondent
BANGALORE: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday alleged that invoking the provisions of the National Security Act against its candidate, Varun Gandhi, was a “conspiracy” by the Uttar Pradesh and Central governments to “defame Varun and the BJP.”
Addressing a press conference in Bangalore, senior party leader M. Venkaiah Naidu warned that: “such a conspiracy will become counterproductive and boomerang on the Bahujan Samaj Party and its leader Mayawati.” He said those behind this episode might have to pay a “heavy political price.” He urged the Congress to make known its stand on the issue.
Terming it the “height of political vendetta,” Mr. Naidu declared that the BJP would fight it legally and politically. “We will not be cowed down by this episode.”
He charged the Uttar Pradesh government with coming to a conclusion that Mr. Gandhi was guilty without even conducting an inquiry or verifying the veracity of the CD containing his speech.” Wondering why no action was taken against a Congress candidate from Chandigarh who too made a similar hate speech, Mr. Naidu alleged that the provisions of the NSA were being misused to settle political scores.
He took exception to the Election Commission’s suggestion to the BJP to deny ticket to Mr. Gandhi. “What is the role of political parties if the EC itself has to decide who should get ticket and who should not,” he remarked and said: the Election Commission had acted in “haste” in this episode.
On the BSP’s allegations that Mr. Gandhi’s remarks created disaffection among religions, Mr. Naidu said the BSP was trying to create such disaffection among communities in its poll campaign.
“I do not know why NSA provisions have been invoked against him. He is not a terrorist, anti-national or criminal,” Mr. Naidu said. “The government is soft on Afzal Guru, who masterminded the Parliament attack, PDP leader Abdul Nasser Madani, who is allegedly involved in Coimbatore blasts, and parties which are having links with SIMI. But it finds Mr. Gandhi dangerous,” he remarked. He said the UPA was soft on terrorists and hard on nationalists. Mr. Naidu condemned the terror attacks in Lahore. He said Pakistan should understand that encouraging the Taliban and jihadi forces was “suicidal.” Even those who aided terrorists cannot escape from terror strikes,” he remarked and said the need of the hour was to dismantle the terrorists’ infrastructure on Pakistan soil.
Mr. Naidu said the BJP would launch a national campaign on April 6 demanding that the Prime Minister strive to bring back to India black money to the tune of Rs. 25 lakh crores believed to have been deposited in Swiss Bank by Indians. As a first step, he should prevail upon the Swiss Bank to disclose the details regarding deposits by Indians.
1 Comments:
Who Will be India's Next Prime Minister?
Scheduled Caste Queen
MayawatiPolitically vital, U.P. has thrown up many a prime ministerial candidate given the maximum share of Parliament seats allocated in the Lok Sabha (currently 80).
After consolidating in U.P., Bahujan Samaj Party leader Chief Minister Mayawati dubbed the “Scheduled Caste Queen,” has initiated the process of making her presence felt in other states.
Her unique social engineering has broadened the base of her vote bank to include upper castes as well as millions of SC/STs, OBCs and Minorities have-nots who face economic, social and religious oppression even in matters as simple as using a common well or praying in temples.
Mayawati’s antecedents can be traced to a Scheduled Caste family of nine children, living in a state of “absolute nothing.”
Many believe her political momentum could win her a good number of seats in the general elections which would usher in a revolution with India’s first Scheduled Caste prime minister.
Her popularity could gain her enough leverage, catapulting her to the top job.
Mayawati’s public visibility has been quite remarkable as she has gone about appointing technocrats, cracking down against crime, inaugurating India’s biggest highway projects, parks and statues celebrating her party and publishing her autobiography. She has been applauded for administering the state with a blatant authoritarian stick, while others have been peeved by what they consider to be her megalomaniacal tendencies, but for her besotted supporters, who easily run into the tens of millions, she remains their beloved bahenji.
In UP, where regional caste aspirations, sleaze and scandal long have been a part of the political culture, Mayawati’s ambition could transcend the misgivings about her and translate into rule from the center.
Mayawati launches BSP campaign in Orissa
BHUBANESWAR - Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati kicked off her party’s election campaign in Orissa Tuesday amid a gathering of thousands.
Addressing a public meeting at Sambalpur town, some 317 km from here, the BSP leader accused the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of ignoring the plight of the poor and downtrodden.
‘These parties spend huge money in their campaign and the funds come to them from the rich and the capitalists,’ the prime ministerial aspirant said.
Describing the BSP as the only party that takes care of all sections of people, she said it has grown with the funds garnered by its workers and common people.
Orissa will go to the polls in two phases - April 16 and April 23 - to elect 147 members to the state assembly and 21 members to the Lok Sabha.
Bhopal, March 31 (IANS) Economic recession coupled with the 2008 assembly elections has left Madhya Pradesh’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) short of funds. The Congress is not so worried because its resources come from its national headquarters.
While the Congress has asked its state unit to focus on the campaign rather than worry about money, the BJP here has also to mobilise resources apart from votes.
“Recession has badly affected fund collection since most financiers, a majority of whom are local industrialists, are not able to contribute as they have done earlier,” said state BJP treasurer Ram Gupta.
Gupta told IANS: “The reason is simple. Their business has suffered due to the economic slowdown in the past six months or so. They are more busy in maintaining their market reputation than giving funds to the party.”
The state Congress is not as worried.
“Slowdown is everywhere but in our case it is the AICC (All India Congress Committee) that will be taking care of this problem. We are simply concerned with creating a network and the strategy to beat the BJP,” said Madhya Pradesh Congress treasurer N.P. Prajapati.
“Though there is recession, it has also given a good excuse to many industrialists to avoid political funding,” a former spokesman of the BJP added.
The one party which is not bothered by the funds crunch is the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
“Why should we bother about funds? Our workers contribute substantially. We do not contest with the funds of industrialists and businessmen,” says BSP’s state election in-charge Rajaram.
Post a Comment
<< Home