Congress inefficient in curbing price rise: Vijender Gupta

New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) A day after his appointment as the president of Delhi unit of BJP, Mr Vijender Gupta today lambasted the Sheila Dikshit government for its inefficiency in controlling the price rise and its insensitivity towards people.

''There is an arrogance in the conduct of the Congress government in Delhi. I would advise them to abandon this arrogance and work for the betterment of the people,'' he said at a press conference here.

Charging the state government of indulging in dirty politics while dealing with the MCD and other local bodies, Mr Gupta asked them to provide support and financial help to the same.

He alleged that the Delhi Government was not giving requisite support to MCD in pursuit of political gains, thus hampering the developmental work in the city.

''The politics of the government in dealing with the MCD has impacted developmental work and provision of facilities to the common man,'' he said.

Talking about his priorities as the chief of the Delhi BJP, Mr Gupta said his endeavour would be fight the war of the common man against the insensitivity of the Sheila Dikshit government.

Mr Gupta warned that if the CM continues with her attitude, the BJP would be forced to come out on streets.

The focus of the BJP would be on price rise of essential commodities in recent months, which he said was the biggest issue today.

Criticising in this context, the Rs four difference in the prices of Diesel in Delhi as compared to the neighbouring state Haryana, Mr Gupta said the hike was reflective of the Delhi government's callousness towards the common man.

Mr Gupta's alleviation to the post of Delhi BJP chief is being seen as an attempt to present the youth face of the party.

''His appointment as the Delhi BJP chief will lend more energy and vigour to the party,'' outgoing Delhi BJP chief O P Kohli said.

Though the decision raised many eyebrows in the party leadership and many senior leaders, including Vijay Goel and Nand Kishore Garg remained absent, it has also been seen by many as BJP's attempt to woo the youth towards the party.

Replying to a question about prevailing fractionalism in the party, Mr Gupta said the BJP always believed in working collectively and followed a democratic path in its conduct.

''I have been given this job only after taking seniors into confidence,'' he said.

''There will be no bossism in the party. I will work as a convenor and try to create a balance between seniors and youths in the party,'' he added.

He also said the women, Dalit, Minority, Backward Classes and other regional groups would be given preference.

Emphasising the need to do result-oriented work for the people, the newly appointed president said the performance of the activists would be the only criteria for giving higher responsibilities to members in the party.

The youth wing of party also welcomed the party's decision to give Delhi's command into the hands of a young leader. Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) president Anuj Sharma and state general secretary Sunil Yadav noted that since the percentage of youths in the country was very high, appointment of a young president would attract youth towards the party.

Due to death of former Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, the celebration at the party's state headquarters was kept to the minimum.

Hang Afzal, don't insult martyrs: BJP

New Delhi, May 19 (UNI) Delhi BJP president Vijender Gupta today demanded that the process of execution of the Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru be expedited as any delay was an insult to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sovereignty of the country.

''Not hanging the terrorists like Afzal Guru is an insult to the security personnel who sacrificed their lives during the attack to save us and the sovereignty of our country,'' Mr Gupta said, addressing BJP Minority Morcha activists, who staged a protest demonstration at Parliament Street here on the issue.

Braving the scorching heat in the Capital, the activists raised slogans against the Delhi government, accusing it of delaying its reply on the mercy petition filed by Afzal.

He also claimed that it was BJP's 48-hour ultimatum that forced the Sheila Dikshit Government to file its reply.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijay Kumar Malhotra expressed concern over government's dilly-dallying on the issue.

He said, ''Giving an excuse that it will affect the law and order situation in the country is shameful.''

''They have lakhs of security personnel in the country to maintain the law and order situation. The only thing they lack
is will to take steps,'' he added.

BJP national vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, ''Terrorism has no religion and we should not see a terrorist as a Hindu or Muslim. If Afzal is hanged it will be the death of a terrorist not a Muslim.''

Saying that BJP does not look at terrorism through the prism of religion, Delhi BJP Minority Morcha president Atif Rashid alleged the Congress was sending a wrong message to people that Afzal is a Muslim not a terrorist.

''We will not give an inch of land for the burial of Afzal. His body will be sent to Pakistan, where he belongs to,'' Mr Atif stated.

Police was forced to use water cannons on the aggressive protestors as they tried to cross the barricades and detained many people for violating restrictions.

Congress-led UPA more interested in IPL than BPL: BJP

New Delhi, Apr 21 (UNI) Continuing its tirade against the murky IPL dealings, the BJP today criticised the Congress-led UPA government for ''being more interested in Cricket than the problems of commons''.

''The Congress-led UPA is more worried about IPL than BPL (Below Poverty Line). Their ministers are more interested in looking after Cricket than working for the uplift of poor in the country,'' Former BJP president Rajnath Singh said while addressing a huge gathering of people at Ramlila Ground here.

The government has become ''Incompetent Political League'', he added. Former Union Human Resource Minister Murli Manohar Joshi also took the government to task on the issue of involvement of itsleaders in the IPL.

''The leaders of the UPA government are busy in the game instead of necessary things which have direct relation with the lives of people,'' Mr Joshi said.

UPA's wrong policies, bad governance led to price rise: BJP

New Delhi, Apr 21 (UNI) Calling the UPA a synonym of ''high inflation rate'', the BJP today held the wrong economic policies and bad governance of the Congress-led UPA Government the main
reasons for spiralling prices.

The party organised a massive opposition rally at the huge Ramlila Ground here in which more than two lakh people from across the country participated and registered their anguish towards rising prices of essential commodities.

Claimed by the BJP to be the biggest rally organised by any party in the country, the protest saw presence of people from all walks of life, including farmers, workers, labourers andex-servicemen, raising slogans and placards of ''Mehangayi rok do ya gaddi chod do'' (Stop inflation or quit).

The rally resulted in huge traffic jams in many parts of the city. Thousands of policemen were deployed to ensure it passes off smoothly.

Various senior leaders of the party including Nitin Gadkari, Lal Krishna Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Rajnath Singh, Murli Manohar Joshi, Venkaiah Naidu, Anant Kumar, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, addressed the rally.

Party Chief Gadkari said the country's political history proves that whenever there had been Congress-led government, people have suffered the problems of price rise and high inflation rate.

''Although the Congress' slogan claims ''Garibi Hatao'' (remove poverty) the latest data by Planning Commission proves that the number of BPL people has risen to 41 crore. In addition, 75 per cent of this number includes the people from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes about whose welfare the government has given many assurances,'' he said.

He stated that the data obtained from nations all over the world showed that in other countries the inflation has increased by less than two per cent while in India it has crossed 11 per cent. ''It is the wrong economic policies and bad governance of the Congress-led UPA Government at Centre which are responsible for the woes of the common man,'' he said.

Huge corruption in security system purchases: Harshvardhan

New Delhi, Apr 7 (UNI) Former Delhi BJP president Harshvardhan today alleged that the Sheila Dikshit government was ''bungling hundreds of crores'' in awarding tender for communication system to a private company ''disregarding'' security advice from various departments.

The Delhi government, he said, was compromising on the security of the people.

The government recently awarded the tender to telecommunication major Motorola for establishing a communication system between various security agencies and deliver 10,000 Tetra handsets for the Commonwealth Games, he told mediapersons at a press conference here.

Criticising the government for choosing an obsolete technology, Dr Harshvardhan asserted, ''Nobody is using this technology now. There are much better technologies available in the market to choose. This decision can be dangerous for the security of our country, sports and sportspersons.''

The senior leader also alleged that three conditions in the tender were relaxed to benefit the company. Even the Scientific Analysis Group (SAG), whose approval was necessary for any foreign purchase of security system, was also overlooked and no tests were conducted on the technology.

''China also used the same system during Beijing Olympics but it was tested for three years before the games, but nothing has been done here.''

Expressing apprehension about the vulnerability of the system, he pointed out that in the wake of threat from terrorists, naxalites, Maoists and other ''anti-India'' forces, the security of the country could not be given in the hands of private companies.

Dr Harshvardhan said the tender was given to the private company for Rs 99 crore, however, looking at the several discrepancies in awarding the tender and information, gathered through RTI applications and his sources, it was around Rs 230-300 crore.

He also demanded that a CBI inquiry be ordered into the whole issue of purchase of the security systems.

The former BJP President also demanded that an Expert Committee, comprising both government and non-government scientists, be formed immediately to scrutinise the system.

Oppn concerned over IPL, demands ticket window at Town Hall

New Delhi, Mar 25 (UNI) Raising serious questions over IPL matches in Delhi, Opposition leaders in MCD today expressed concern over the security of the cricket enthusiasts as ''MCD has no control over IPL operations.''

Indicating several discrepencies in organising IPL matches, Leader of Opposition in MCD Jai Kishan Sharma asserted that people were not properly intimated about the distribution counters of IPL tickets forcing cricket lovers to buy them on exhorbitant prices from black market.

Mr Sharma asked the chairman of the Standing Committee to intervene into the matter.

He also asked the IPL organisers to bring ''transparency'' in their operations and set up more windows for the tickets including one at the Town Hall.

''MCD is the authority which provides No Objection Certificates (NOC) before any major event including IPL and the land also belongs to MCD, so it is wrong to say that it has no control over IPL operations,'' he exhorted.

Saying that if any untoward incident happens, the MCD is held responsible for that, the Opposition leader noted that the corporation has no record about how many tickets are being published for every match.

''There is a block in the stadium with the capacity of 2500 people which is reserved for the DDCA members. Around 600 more free passess have been distributed for the block. So it is dangerous to accomodate 3100 people in the block with the capacity of 2500 people,'' Mr Sharma said.

'' Who will be responsible for any untoward incident?,'' he asked expressing concern over the security of the people.

Congress encouraging people to convert: Jaitley

New Delhi, Mar 11 (UNI) Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley today alleged that the Congress was ''encouraging people to convert'' by providing reservation to the converted Muslims and Christians.

''By providing reservation to the people who convert from Hindu to other minority religions, the Congress is encouraging people to convert and reap the benefits of reservation as well as of minority,'' Mr Jaitley said.

Mr Jaitley was speaking at a protest demonstration against Rangnath Mishra Commission Report, which recommended inclusion of minorities under the Backward Class, organised by 'Anusuchit Jati Arakshan Bachao Manch' at the Parliament Street.

He stated that the provision for reservation was made to promote the people who were denied fair share of opportunities for years and it was that it would not be provided on the basis of religion.

The Constitution has separate provisions for the minorities, he added.

The BJP leader asserted that if someone converts to another religion which is a casteless society and sets himself free from the bounds of backwardness then the benefits of reservation should not be given to him. What applies to a minority should be applied on him.

''But Mishra commission says if someone converts from Hindu to other religion he should be given both rights, reservation as well as minority rights'' Mr Jaitley said.

The Mishra Commission was formed to divide the society within the society and confiscating the rights of weaker sections promised to them in the Constitution, he opined.

BJP to oppose Ranganath Mishra Commission report

New Delhi, Mar 11 (UNI) The BJP today said it would oppose the Ranganath Mishra Commission Report, which recomended reservation for the minority communities, as its implementation would disintegrate the society.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said,''It is a conspiracy that the Congress has been planning for a very long time and the BJP will not let them do this injustice to the backward people.'' ''We would fight for the rights of the backward classes both inside and outside Parliament,'' she added.

She was addressing a gathering of thousands of people who came to the national capital from all over the country to oppose the Mishra Commission Report under the banner of 'Anusuchit Jati Arakshan Bachao Manch'.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley alleged the Congress of encouraging people to convert.

''By providing reservation to the people who converts from Hindu to other minority religions, the Congress is encouraging people to convert and reap the benefits of reservation as well as of minority,'' Mr Jaitley said.

Both the leaders asserted that the provision for reservation in the Constitution was made to promote the people who were denied fair share of opportunities for years and it was decided that it would not be provided on the basis of religion.

''Those who converted to reap the benefits of being a member of minority community now wants to snatch the few benefits reaching the backward classes after a long struggle,'' Ms Swaraj opined.

Calling this move an ''irony'' for the nation, former BJP president Bangaru Laxman said,''They are providing reservation to those communities which never had any caste system.'' Mr Jaitley said the Constitution had provided several other provision for the minority communities and inclusion of the minorities in the Scheduled Caste category would be an injustice to the people who faced difficulties for hundreds of years.

They should not be given two rights -- reservation and minority rights, he added.

Mishra Commission was formed to divide the society within the society and confiscating the rights of weaker sections promised to them in the Constitution, he opined.

Kashmir Times

Commodity exchanges are scam, Govt working for MNCs: Gadkari

New Delhi, Feb 10 (UNI) BJP president Nitin Gadkari today attacked the ruling UPA Government alleging that commodity exchanges are a scam and the government is working for big corporates and multi-national companies.

''People sitting in rooms are selling essential commodities on papers. There is a huge difference between speculated and actual amount of commodities, which is creating false sense of availability leading to price rise,'' Mr Gadkari said during a protest against price rise at Jantar Mantar here.

''It is a scam of around Rs 2.8 lakh crore and the UPA Government is also involved in this,'' he added.

He also accused UPA Ministers of passing the buck and opined that the Congress, including allies of the UPA, was responsible for inflation in the country.

Commenting on the UPA Government's claims that the country was going to achieve double digit economic growth very soon which was an indication of development, the BJP leader said, ''The country may or may not achieve double digit growth but inflation is definitely growing in double digits.'' Pointing out the Congress' reiteration that the saffron party was communal, he said inflation was not related to religion or caste, it was related to the wrong policies of the government.

Despite numerous programmes announced by the UPA to reduce poverty, population of the poor has increased and they had become poorer and poorer, he stated.

Expressing disappointment over agriculture, Mr Gadkari said Minimum Support Price given to farmers in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab last year was Rs 9.5 per kg for wheat and imported at Rs 19 per kg from foreign countries.

He said in fact, the imported wheat was of worst quality which was used to feed pigs in those countries.

Saying that government policies were helping big corporates and multi-national companies in exploiting the poor, Mr Gadkari exhorted people to stand up and ask the government to control the sky-rocketed prices or step down.

''This is a struggle and we have to fight against government.

We welcome all the people and parties who want to join us in this struggle,'' the BJP president announced.

Don't help Soren becoming CM, appeals Shashi Nath Jha's family

New Delhi, Dec 26: Family and friends of Shashi Nath Jha, slain PA of Shibu Soren, here today appealed to political parties not to help him reaching the helm.

Expressing concern about their security, the family of Shashi Nath Jha told mediapersons, at a conference, that his position in power would hamper the path of justice and it was not good for the society, state and country.

''If he becomes Chief Minister then the Governor would be asked for the permission to arrest him which, we fear, will never come our way,'' Jha's friend Mukesh Baba said.

Jha's family and Mr Baba had filed a petition in the Supreme Court which the latter accepted. As Mr Soren has failed to submit his reply within stipulated time the court has fixed the date for hearing on March 8, 2010.

On Mr Soren being given a clean chit by the Jharkhand High Court on August 22, 2007, Jha's brother Vijay Nath Jha said, ''It took several years for the High Court to come to the decision. Ignoring all the witnesses and proofs, the Judge set him free without even providing any reason or basis for the judgement.''

On the issue of political parties supporting Mr Soren after the recent elections in Jharkhand, Mr Baba said, ''He is a murder accused and had been absconding from law earlier. If he becomes the CM, what image would it create? There is a question mark on the stability of the government also as there is a hearing in the case after three months only.''

He also expressed wonder on how the BJP leadership was behaving after the elections. ''Many senior leaders in the BJP were earlier openly calling Mr Soren a murderer but now they are defining him as clean,'' Mr Baba asserted.

He appealed to the Election Commission to stop such criminals and tainted people from contesting elections. ''If it will not be stopped a crop of such politicians will grow and affect the democracy,'' he stated. When quizzed about the threat to their lives, Mr Jha said, ''We have written to all the authorities about providing security to us but to no avail. We got no reply.''

''The Supreme Court is our last hope for justice,'' he said with tears in his eyes.

Shashi Nath Jha's daughter, Preeti Jha, also requested the Prime Minister to give justice to her father.

''I have no other demand. Just give us justice,'' she said.

''If the government can not give us justice at least hand over the remains of Shashi Nath Jha so that his last rites could be performed.'' Mr Baba requested.

Links:

http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-19224.html

http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20091226/1413029.html

Sheila ''misleading'' people, alleges Khandelwal

New Delhi, Dec 27 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister's statement that one per cent increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) would have no impact on common man did not go down well with Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal, who today called it ''misleading''.

Talking to UNI, Mr Khandelwal said, ''The statement of the Chief Minister was misleading as all the commodities on which VAT has been increased are of common man's use.'' Ms Dikshit made the statement in an interview with a news agency.

The VAT was recently increased by one per cent on 176 heads by the Sheila government in Delhi.

Mr Khandelwal stated that the increase in VAT would increase in the prices of raw material, finished goods, plants and machineries subsequently increasing the base price by five per cent.

He informed that the government had to increase the tax rate to compensate the loss incurred due to expected phasing out of Central Sales Tax (CST) in September but it did not happen.

''So logically VAT should not have been increased as CST did not phase out,'' Mr Khandelwal argued.

''The government has betrayed not only the people but also the other states as it was agreed that no state will increase the rates of VAT,'' he alleged.

It is against the agreed principles of 21-point convergence signed by all the states, he added.

Demanding the roll back of hike in VAT rates, Mr Khandelwal said it was ''illogical'' as Goods and Services Tax (GST), a uniform tax applicable on all the states, would be levied from next financial year.

Links:

http://topics.treehugger.com/article/04eE5gl1Kv7zK

http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20091227/1413633.html