BJP pitches for anti-conversion law

December 20, 2014

Anti-conversion law
Kochi, Dec 20: As the NDA Government continued to face opposition heat over the conversion issue, BJP President Amit Shah today pitched for an anti-conversion law in the country and wanted the 'so called secular' political parties to support such a measure in Parliament.

"BJP is the only political party in the country that opposes forceful conversion and the so called secular political parties should come forward to support an anti-conversion legislation," he said here.

Shah was talking to reporters, winding up his two–day visit to state to gear up for the party organisational structure to face challenges of local body and assembly elections to be held in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

When asked whether BJP would hold talks with minorities' outfits on the matter, he said further steps on the legislation can be taken up only after a consensus was evolved among political parties in the country.

On the controversial 'Ghar Wapsi' (conversion ceremony) by a Hindutva group in Uttar Pradesh, Shah said the matter was now before the court.

"I do not want to make comment on the issue till the court decides," he added.

Dismissing Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's charge that NDA-led by BJP was dividing the people on communal lines, he said 'no such thing has taken place in the country'.

On criticism that BJP had taken a 'u-turn' on several issues, particularly on Aadhar and black money, he said the party-led government was committed to bringing back black money stashed away abroad.

BJP was not totally against Aadhar, he said adding it was concerned about certain issues regarding its implementation and necessary changes in this regard were being worked out.

After coming to power, the first action of the NDA was to set up a Special Investigation Team to unearth black money, he pointed out. Bilateral talks with foreign countries were also on to remove hurdles in bringing back black money.

The Finance Ministry had sent a special team to Switzerland and after that government of that country had agreed to cooperate with India, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken up the issue in international fora and was on a move to arrive at a consensus among countries, he said.

"BJP led NDA has done much more in last six months than what the Congress-led UPA did in ten years to bring back black money stashed away in foreign countries", Shah added.

Listing the achievements of the NDA Government, Shah said the country's economy was moving in the path of right growth rate after the slow down witnessed during the previous UPA regime.

On External affairs matters, he said India has emerged as a global power now.

"India is changing its perception in the eyes of world. India is being praised in countries where Prime Minister is travelling," he said.

The BJP President expressed confidence that party would come to power in Jammu and Kashmir in the current elections.

With regard to Kerala, where the party has been unsuccessful so far in opening its account in state assembly or Lok Sabha, Shah said a vigorous membership campaign was on and the target was to have 40 lakh party cadres.

He also said party would become a major political force in the state assembly after the next polls.

BJP State President V Muraleedharan was among the leaders present at the press meet.

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News Network
March 15,2024

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Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi would formally kickstart the BJP's Lok Sabha election campaign in Karnataka on Saturday from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's home turf— Kalaburagi.

He is scheduled to address a mega public meeting at the district headquarters town's N V Ground at 2 pm.

Kharge, who had represented Kalaburagi (Gulbarga Lok Sabha segment) twice in the past, lost to BJP's Umesh Jadhav by a margin of 95,452 votes in the 2019 general elections here— the octogenarian leader's first electoral loss in his political life spanning several decades.

BJP has once again fielded Jadhav from the segment.

Speculations are rife that the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, who has the role of managing the party nationally and coordinating with the opposition I.N.D.I.A bloc, may not contest the coming polls and, instead, the Congress is likely to field his son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani, a businessman, who also manages educational institutions.

On March 18, Modi will be in Shivamogga, the home district of veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, and is scheduled to address a huge public meeting at 2 pm.

Yediyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra is the sitting MP from Shivamogga and has been re-nominated by the party. Yediyurappa's other son B Y Vijayendra, who represents Shikaripura assembly constituency in the district, is the state BJP President.

BJP has announced candidates for 20 seats in the State, which has a total of 28 constituencies.

After being ousted from power by the Congress in the 2023 Assembly polls, the BJP now is making a strong bid to regain the lost ground in Karnataka.

The BJP won 25 out of total 28 seats in the previous elections, and had ensured the win of a party supported independent candidate in Mandya. The then ruling Congress-JD(S) alliance had come a cropper winning just one seat each.

It is a role reversal of sorts for JD(S), which joined the NDA last September and has forged an electoral alliance with the BJP. The regional party is expected to contest in three seats— Mandya, Hassan and Kolar.

Sharing details of Modi's visit, state BJP General Secretary Sunil Kumar on Wednesday said BJP National President J P Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath along with other leaders will visit different Lok Sabha constituencies for campaigning in the coming days.

Speaking about the party's poll preparations, he said: "We have divided 28 Lok Sabha constituencies into eight clusters for Lok Sabha elections. Keeping in view the local political and geographical background, programmes and strategies are being worked out in those eight clusters."

Several senior leaders including Shah and Nadda have already visited one of these clusters, Kumar said, adding, "Workers' convention, well-wishers' contacts have been made and election preparations are on in all these eight clusters. In the second phase, large public meetings will be held."

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News Network
March 14,2024

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The high-level committee on simultaneous elections, chaired by Ram Nath Kovind, on Thursday met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan and submitted its report on 'One Nation, One Election'. The report comprises 18,626 pages.

Home Minister Amit Shah was also present at Rashtrapati Bhawan when Kovind led panel submitted the report.

"Simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and state assemblies can be held in first step, followed by local body polls within 100 days in second step," reported PTI quoting the panel.

"Synchronised polls for all three tiers of government to improve governance architecture, in line with quest of aspirational India," it added.

The report has been submitted 191 days after the constitution of the panel on September 2, 2023.

It's further reported that the proposal also puts focus on having a singular electoral roll for holding Lok Sabha, state assembly and local body polls.

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News Network
March 16,2024

AIE.jpg

Budget carrier Air India Express has launched a new fare family, offering travelers the option to save on flight tickets by traveling light, with an increased baggage allowance of up to 40kg or no check-in luggage at all.

The new fare categories, applicable to flights to and from the UAE and other international destinations, are:

•    Xpress Lite
•    Xpress Value
•    Xpress Flex
•    Xpress Biz

Xpress Lite offers cabin baggage-only fares, making it the most economical option for passengers traveling with the airline.

Xpress Value fare includes 15 kg check-in bag fares, while Xpress Flex offers unlimited changes with no change fees. Xpress Biz features business class seats, complimentary meals, and priority services.

A subsidiary of Air India and a part of Tata Group, the airline introduced Xpress Lite on February 20 for UAE passengers who prefer traveling without check-in baggage.

Xpress Biz fares are accessible on all the new Air India Express Boeing 737-8 aircraft. Travelers can benefit from increased baggage allowances of 25kg for domestic flights and 40kg for international flights when booking Xpress Biz fares. This fare offers priority check-in, baggage, and boarding services.

Air India Express is already operating aircraft with Biz seats across 70-plus routes in India.

In a previous interview with a news channel Aloke Singh, managing director of Air India Express, stated that the carrier was looking to increase capacity to the Gulf region, including the UAE, as well as to provide better connectivity to Gulf travelers.
 

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