NEW DELHI: Amid his confrontation with the Centre, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today made fresh allegations against the CBI, accusing it of seizing documents “unrelated” to the agency’s probe against his Principal Secretary and claimed that a file relating to DDCA was scrutinised by it. Kejriwal also launched a fresh attack on Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, saying he had “misled” Parliament by saying that the CBI did not raid the Chief Minister’s office. “CBI kept reading DDCA file in my office.They wud hv seized it. But after my media briefing, they left it. Not clear if they took a copy. Docs seized from my office.No relation to allegations being probed.Item 7 -file movement register of last one month,” he said in a series of tweets.Kejriwal suggested that Jaitley was worried about Delhi government’s probe into the functioning of DDCA. Jaitley had yesterday dismissed the allegations against him as “rubbish”. Kejriwal also uploaded image of a document listing the files allegedly taken away by CBI from Delhi Secretariat during its day-long raid yesterday. The office of Kejriwal’s Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar was raided by CBI yesterday in a corruption case triggering a fresh face-off between the AAP and Centre and a vicious political slugfest in which the AAP chief lashed out against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kejriwal claimed his office was raided which was denied by CBI as well as the Finance Minister in Rajya Sabha where the opposition created an uproar. The chief minister claimed he was in fact the target and that Kumar was just an excuse.

(14 Dec) New Delhi: Rejecting any “flip flop”, India today asserted that the decision to re-start talks with Pakistan was based on “trust” and said the intent would be to have an “uninterrupted” dialogue process despite provocations by the “saboteurs”, an apparent reference to terror groups. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, while briefing Parliament on her recent visit to Pakistan, justified the decision to have ‘Comprehensive Dialogue’, saying there is a “need for bridging the gulf” with the neighbouring country for peace and stability in the region. Answering critics, she said in the latest arrangement, the level of talks on terror has been raised as this issue will now be dealt with by the National Security Advisers (NSAs) instead of Foreign Secretaries as earlier.

The fact that NSAs of India and Pakistan met in Bangkok without any publicity does not mean any third country’s involvement but it was only to take forward the Ufa process as such a meeting could not take place in Delhi as “you all know”, she told the Lok Sabha. Swaraj, who sought the support of Parliament to the latest initiative with Pakistan, made suo motu statements in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and answered questions posed by members in the Lower House like whether Pakistan could be trusted particularly since the history shows that dialogue has been accompanied by attacks from Pakistan. She appreciated the fact that the House had welcomed the initiative after 13 members from various parties spoke. “Nothing has changed on the ground. Because we had said that terror and talks cannot go together. So at Ufa, we said that NSAs will talk on terrorism,” she said to a question about what had changed since September when NSA talks could not take place after Pakistan insisted that Kashmir should be discussed at the meet.

“Whenever talks happen, that is based on trust..There is a need to bridge the gulf (with Pakistan),” Swaraj said, adding progress in dialogue is necessary for peace. Underlining that “The only way forward is through dialogue”, she said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had initiated the efforts to reach out to Pakistan not in Ufa but even before he took oath on May 26 last year when he invited Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his swearing-in ceremony. To demands by some members for assurance that thedialogue process will be “uninterruptable”, she said, “It never works like that. We would like not to get provoked by the saboteurs, who want to stall the dialogue somehow, and will try find a way forward through the dialogue. This will be our intent.” When some members alleged ‘flip flop’, she said it was not the “correct definition” as stopping and re-starting a dialogue process is a “part of diplomacy”

(15 Dec) Taking tensions between the Delhi government and the Centre to a new level, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday claimed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided his office at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also went as far as to call the Prime Minister a ‘coward and a psychopath.’ The central agency has registered a case against Rajendra Kumar for allegedly favouring a firm in getting contracts from Delhi government. A CBI spokesperson said, “The CBI has registered a case against Rajender Kumar, secretary to CM Delhi, on the allegation of abusing his official position by favouring a particular firm in the last few years in getting tenders from delhi government departments. After taking warrants, searches are being conducted in the office and residence of Rajendra Kumar.” CBI sources said the case was registered based on a complaint filed former Delhi Dialogue Commission member Ashish Joshi who has a running feud with Kejriwal. Joshi was one of the first few bureaucrats with whom Kejriwal picked up a battle after assuming office in Delhi.

The feud eventually saw an unceremonious exit of Joshi from the Delhi Dialogue Commission. CBI lying. My own office raided. Files of CM office are being looked into. Let Modi say which file he wants? – Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 15, 2015 “I am the only CM who dismissed, on my own, a minister n a senior officer on charges of corruption and handed their cases to CBI. If CBI had any evidence against Rajender, why didn’t they share it wid me? I wud hv acted against him,” Kejriwal wrote on Twitter. The raid could potentially be the latest flash-point in what has been a highly troublesome and tumultous relationship between the AAP government and the BJP-ruled Centre ever since Kejriwal assumed power. Explained: Last week, The Indian Express Kumar, the most powerful bureaucrat in the capital, was questioned several times by the Anti-Corruption Branch of the Delhi government in connection with the 2002 CNG fitness scam case. Sources said Kumar denied any involvement in the case. Back in June, the Home Ministry was all set to initiate disciplinary action against Kumar for not relinquishing his position. Kumar had assumed the charge of home secretary after the city government shifted incumbent senior IAS officer Dharam Pal and placed him at the disposal of the Home Ministry following a tussle between the AAP government and Lt-Governor Najeeb Jung over the appointment of Mukesh Kumar Meena as chief of Anti-Corruption Branch. The government on its part has denied any involvement in the CBI raids.

On Friday, proceedings in Parliament continued to be disrupted with Congress MPs refusing to relent on their vociferous protest against the government for what they claim is “political vendetta”. The Rajya Sabha had to be adjourned more than once. It has been like this for the past four days ever since a trial court in Delhi issued summons to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul, who is also the party vice-president, in what has come to be known as the ‘National Herald Case’.

The questionable acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd, a public limited company and publisher of the now defunct newspaper National Herald, by Young Indian, a private limited company in which Sonia and Rahul own 38% shares each, has been in the news for some time. The details of how Congress funds were used for the transaction that has given Young Indian control over AJL’s vast prime properties are by now well known and need not be recounted in detail.

Two points are of interest and merit elaboration. First, the National Herald case dates back to the time when Congress was in office as the head of the UPA government and Sonia wielded enormous power, though no accountability. Documents related to the AJL-Young Indian deal appeared in the public domain in 2012, a full two years before the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

Second, Subramanian Swamy, who has taken the transaction to court alleging “criminal breach of trust”, was not a member of the BJP in 2012-13. That he has since joined the BJP does not in any manner change the fact that the petition was filed by a private citizen and maintained by the judiciary.

Therefore, to allege, as the Congress is doing, that the National Herald case is a BJP-inspired litigation or harassment by proxy by the government of the day is at once far-fetched and untenable. Unless the Congress is insinuating that the judiciary, including the High Court of Delhi, is willing to do the bidding of the government. That would be tipping over into the dangerous zone of contempt which any well-wisher of the Congress and admirer of the Nehru Dynasty should try and avoid.

Ideally, the Congress should have responded to the court summons, issued after the High Court rejected the defendants’ plea, with dignity. Sonia and Rahul should have said they would be present in court (which in any case they have agreed to do on December 19) and let the law take its own course. The numerous top gun lawyers in the Congress should have said they would contest and disprove Swamy’s charge of criminal misdemeanour (which the court says is prima facie valid).

Instead, the only other national party’s response has been anything but dignified. Flatterers have sensed an opportunity to demonstrate loyalty. Lawyers have betrayed a certain tasteless disdain for the judiciary and judicial process. The First Family of the Congress has been less than gracious.

“I am Indira Gandhi’s daughter-in-law. I am not afraid,” said Sonia in response to the summons. “This is pure vendetta coming out of the Prime Minister’s Office,” added Rahul. “This is political vendetta… Modi’s dictatorship… Hitlership…” has been the subsequent loyalist refrain both inside and outside Parliament, prompting Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha PJ Kurien to quip, in half amusement and half puzzlement, “Why are you howling? It is not in human nature to howl.”

Not surprisingly, the Trinamool Congress has come out in support of the Congress and the Dynasty. The TMC’s top leaders are facing prosecution for benefiting from chit fund scams and the party’s boss Mamata Banerjee has similarly claimed “political vendetta” as the heat generated by the CBI’s investigation threatens to singe, if not scorch her. It makes sense to make common cause.

Surprisingly, though, the Aam Aadmi Party, which has made a fetish of fighting corruption and misuse of office for self, has maintained a loud silence on the National Herald Case. So loud that Delhi is awash with stories of an AAP-Congress alliance in the making as part of a ‘Mahagathbandhan’ to take on the NDA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019.

But corruption has never succeeded in trouncing political expediency. At the moment, the ongoing sideshows of stated and unstated solidarity with the Congress are not really overwhelmingly important. At best they indicate the direction of future winds.

What should concern everyone, especially those who worry about the revival of India’s economy without which neither jobs nor development would happen, is the disruption of proceedings in Parliament. There are many who see nothing wrong with this; after all the BJP did it too when in Opposition. That’s whataboutery at best and chicanery at worst. It could be argued if the BJP’s stalling of parliamentary proceedings was wrong, it does not make the Congress’s disruptive tactics right. More importantly, as someone acidly commented on Twitter, “The BJP stalled proceedings to protest Congress’s corruption; the Congress is doing the same to protest Congress’s corruption”.

Popular perception is not influenced in the Congress’s favour given the present circumstances. Arguably, corruption per se is never a clincher of an election issue or else Lalu Prasad Yadav, convicted of corruption and out on bail, would not have succeeded in winning more seats for his party RJD than Nitish Kumar could for his JDU in the Bihar Assembly election. But the Congress would be committing a huge mistake in copying the Lalu Model. The crafty meshing of identity politics and community votes in caste-ridden Bihar helped Lalu Prasad Yadav. That advantage does not accrue to the Congress.

More importantly, India was a different country in 1975 when Mrs Indira Gandhi could thumb her nose at the judiciary, bank on ‘committed judges’, and impose Emergency with impunity after the Allahabad High Court judgement unseated her from Parliament and disqualified her from contesting elections. Forty years later, it would be disastrous for Mrs Indira Gandhi’s daughter-in-law to attempt a replay of her mother-in-law’s brazen bravado. Nor should Sonia bank on recreating her mother-in-law’s post-1977 victimhood narrative. Like Morarji Desai, Narendra Modi may be a Gujarati, stern and puritan, but the comparison does not extend any further. The two, to use a cliche, are as different as chalk and cheese as are the Janata and NDA governments.

Equally important is the fact that unlike the Shah Commission of Inquiry, the judiciary is not a creation of the government. Narendra Modi may be a Gujarati, stern and puritan, but the comparison does not extend any further. The two, to use a cliche, are as different as chalk and cheese as are the Janata and NDA Governments.

Wisdom demands that the Congress demonstrate maturity and display responsibility to remind people that it still remains a national party. Unless the disruption ends, the GST Bill will not pass in the Rajya Sabha and the April deadline for its implementation won’t be met. Surely this fact is not lost on the Congress?

Or are we to assume that the Congress has decided not to allow any legislation to pass the Parliament’s approval by blocking Bills in the Rajya Sabha under some excuse or the other? If the Congress strategy is to hobble the Modi government by blocking key legislation, then there is little to say. All that can be said is that this would amount to cutting India’s nose to spite Congress’s face.

GUWAHATI: Six BJP MLAs and nine from Congress, who had recently declared their allegiance to the opposition party, were today suspended from Assam Assembly for the 5-day Winter Session by Speaker Pranab Gogoi for disobeying his ruling and creating noisy scenes. Just before the beginning of the Question Hour on the first day of the session, the Speaker gave the ruling that all the BJP members and those from Congress supporting it, have been suspended from the House for the entire Winter Session. BJP has six MLAs and nine Congress MLAs recently announced their decision to join the party. All of them were suspended. The strength of the Assembly is 126. Earlier, when the House assembled, BJP MLA Jadav Chandra Deka demanded scrapping of the Question Hour and holding of a discussion on the “deteriorating law and order situation” in the state.

“The law and order situation is deteriorating day by day. Hindi-speaking people are being tortured and Jehadi activities are on rise. Allow us to discuss the issues by today itself,” Deka said. When the Speaker did not accept his demand, all BJP MLAs stood up and shouted in support of their demand. Immediately, all Congress MLAs, including the ministers, countered the opposition demand by shouting back. The BJP MLAs then rushed to the Well of the House and pressed the Speaker with their demand. They were joined by the Congress MLAs, who had recently declared their allegiance to the opposition party but had not resigned from the ruling party. Thereafter, two Congress MLAs also rushed to the Well and shouted slogans against BJP, leading to a face-off between the members. With no signs of cooling of frayed tempers, the Speaker called the Marshals, who took the BJP MLAs out of the House, and announced his decision to suspend the members for the Winter Session period. Congress MLAs then returned to their seats and normal business began. Outside the House, the expelled BJP members shouted slogans against the state government and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who holds the Home portfolio. The opposition members also demanded immediate resignation of the Chief Minister for failing to improve the law and order situation in the state. However, the Congress MLAs, supporting BJP, have not formally resigned forcing the ruling party to seek termination of their membership just before the start of the Winter Session. Today, after the Question Hour ended, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rockybul Hussain again demanded action against the nine Congress members. “Some of our MLAs walked out with BJP members and they have not resigned from the party. It proves that they have defected. There are many recommendations against defection in India. I request you to take action against them accordingly,” Hussain told the Speaker. On this, the Speaker said, “I will take action as per rules.”

In a surprise development kept secret until their meeting was over, Indian and Pakistani National Security Advisers led delegations for talks in Bangkok on Sunday.

In a joint press release announcing the meeting between Pakistan NSA Lt. Gen (Retd.) Nasir Khan Janjua and Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretaries Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhury and S. Jaishankar, and other officials, the MEA said the discussions covered “peace and security, terrorism, Jammu and Kashmir, and other issues, including tranquillity along the LoC.”

The statement said the parleys were pursuant to the meeting between PMs Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif in Paris on November 30.

India-Pakistan dialogue process back on track

Senior officials have confirmed to The Hindu that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will visit Islamabad this week, leading the Indian delegation to the ‘Heart of Asia’ donor conference on Afghanistan. Ms. Swaraj, whose visit is yet to be announced, will leave on Tuesday for a two-day visit from December 8 and is expected to meet the Pakistani leadership.

The meeting of NSAs in Bangkok and Ms. Swaraj’s Islamabad visit are part of the government’s decision to reset the engagement with Pakistan that has suffered after the cancellation of Foreign Secretary talks in 2014 and NSA talks earlier this year, and will ensure that the governments meet at four levels: of PM, EAM, NSA and Foreign Secretaries within a span of 10 days.

The developments were welcomed by the Opposition parties, including the National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir. However Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari questioned the secrecy over the talks, calling it a “grand betrayal of the position the BJP government held so far.”

Sources told The Hindu there were several reasons for holding the NSA talks away from the public glare in Thailand, and came after both sides agreed to compromise on their previous positions that led to the cancellation of NSA talks in August.

While the government agreed to include Jammu and Kashmir in the talks along with terrorism, which it had earlier refused to, the venue of a third country obviated Pakistan’s requirement of meeting with the Hurriyat conference.

The statement issued in Bangkok said the talks “were held in a candid, cordial and constructive atmosphere” and “It was agreed to carry forward the constructive engagement.”

According to the sources, some of the details of the Bangkok dialogue were ironed out between the existing channels of communication between the NSA and Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit, and through Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar and Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad TCA Raghavan with the Pakistani Foreign Ministry.

Reliable sources also indicated that Indian NSA Ajit Doval may have spoken directly to his Pakistani interlocutor Lt. Gen. Nasir Khan Janjua prior to the talks.

Cricket series to return?

The newfound bonhomie between Delhi and Islamabad has also raised hopes from the cricket authorities over the possibility of a series to be played between India and Pakistan later this month.

The Delhi cabinet on Thursday cleared two amendments to the Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill, 2015.

The amendments are in line with those proposed by social activist Anna Hazare, who Aam Aadmi Party leaders had visited after the bill was tabled in the assembly.

One amendment proposes a seven-member panel to select two members and chairperson in the institution of Jan Lokpal.

The original bill said the panel consisting chief minister, leader of opposition, assembly speaker and Delhi High Court chief justice will select the members and chair of Jan Lokpal.

Now, the proposed new members will include another judge from the high court, any eminent personality selected the rest of the committee members and the Lokpal chairman from the next term.

For removal of Lokpal, there would be a high court enquiry first before referring the matter to the assembly, two-thirds of the Delhi assembly can vote to remove the Lokpal.

A reliable source had stated that either Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal or his deputy Manish Sisodia will announce today that about the changes being made in the Bill proposed by Hazare.

Mumbai, Dec 2: The financial condition of Maharashtra is reeling under severe conditions with more than a debt of more than Rs 3 lakh crore, and a revenue deficit to the extent of 7,000 crore. With the economy cornered in a poor shape, the Maharashtra state government is experimenting with direct democracy in a bid to acquire ‘out of the box’, innovative and expert opinion from the general masses in order to improve the financial environment. (ALSO READ: Arvind Kejriwal’s Janta Ka Budget: Delhi Chief Minister seeks public opinion on budget)
The notification was cleared by the Maharashtra cabinet on Monday. It proposes to include 27 of the best suggestions provided by the citizens and incorporate it in the fiscal budget prepared for the year 2016-17. To register their suggestions, the citizens could write to – “The Finance Minister or additional chief secretary, finance, Finance department, Mantralaya, Madam Cama Road, Hutatma Rajguru Chowk, Mumbai – 400032.” People are also provided the option of sending their suggestion online on the following website: ‘http://aaplesarkar.maharashtra.gov.in’.
In order to lure the citizens to provide genuine, well-thought, innovative and practical solutions, the government has announced an award prize of Rs 10 lakh to the person whose suggestion would be regarded as the best. The second best would be granted Rs 7.50 lakh by state exchequer, while the remaining 25 selected suggestions would garner Rs 1 lakh to the provider.
This participative form of budget preparation is replicated from the concept of ‘AAP ka budget’ introduced by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The Aam Aadmi Party government held mohalla sabha in various parts of the capital listening to the opinion of general public before preparing the final draft of budget. Kejriwal, along with his deputy Manish Sisodia, himslef attended a number of sabhas listening to the ideas provided by the people. The subsequent state budget released was termed as ‘Janta ka budget’, claiming to have incorporated the suggestions of electorates.

Ahmedabad: Counting of votes for the crucial local bodies polls in Gujarat, a litmus test for the ruling BJP against the backdrop of Patel quota agitation, will be conducted today.

BJP wins Bhavnagar municipal elections, secures 34 out of 52 seats; Congress gets 18 seats
Hardik Patel’s associate and sedition accused Neelesh Arwariya’s wife wins from Morbi
Congress captures Botad zila panchayat
Congress wins Mehsana municipality
Congress wins ‘zila panchayat’ in Junagarh
BJP wins both the municipalities of Gandhinagar
Congress wins a municipality in Amreli district
BJP leading on 11 municipalities
BJP does well in cities, Congress does well in rural areas
Congress wins panchayat elections in Rajkot, Surendranagar, Gandhinagar, Morbi and Amreli
BJP wins Bhavnagar municipality
BJP wins on Porbandar municipality
In Valsad ‘zila panchayat’; Congress ahead on 6 seats; BJP on 5
In HM Rajinibhai Patel’s area Bahuchara, Congress ahead on 9 seats in Taluka Panchayat counting, BJP ahead on only 1 seat
Bhavnagar’s mayor Babubhai Solanki loses
Congress leads on 17 out of 31 ‘nagar panchayats’
Ahmedabad’s mayor Meenakshiben Patel wins
Congress loses in Bharuch which is party leader Ahmed Patel’s bastion
BJP attains massive lead in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Bhavnagar municipalities. Close fight between Congress and BJP in Rajkot
Ahmedabad BJP 44, Congress 8
Surat Municipality BJP 49, Congress 35
Baroda Municipality BJP 13, Congress 3
Rajkot Municipality BJP 04, Congress 1
Bhavnagar Municipality BJP 09, Congress 09
Jamnagar Municipality BJP 16, Congress 04
BJP wins in Surat’s Kakodara municipality, celebrations in Gandhi Nagar
BJP ahead on all 6 municipal corporations
BJP wins from Vadodara municipal corporation
Surat: BJP 19, Congress 16
Ahmedabad: BJP 53, Congress 17
Bhavnagar mayor Babubhai of BJP loses election against Congress
Gujarat Civic Polls trends so far: Vadodara-BJP 12,Congress 10
Counting begins, BJP takes early lead
Voting for six municipal corporations was held on November 26, while that for 31 district panchayats, 230 taluka panchayats and 56 municipalities was held on November 29.
The six municipal corporations registered only 45 per cent voter turn-out, but elsewhere it was over 60 per cent.
The State Election Commission had made all the preparations for the counting at several places across the state, officials said.
The elections are being seen as a challenge for the BJP and the Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, as they come after the Patel quota stir. These are also the first major elections in the state after Anandiben took over from Narendra Modi.
The Congress is hoping to make a comeback in the state, cashing in on resentment of the Patel community against BJP.
Patel leaders who are demanding inclusion in the OBC quota had appealed the community members to vote against BJP and for Congress ahead of the elections.
All the six municipal corporations — Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Jamnagar, and Bhavnagar — are at present controlled by the BJP. Most of the other local bodies in rural and semi-urban areas too are controlled by the BJP.
The SEC on Tuesday conducted re-polling at a booth each in Dahod and Mahisagar districts.

(1 Dec) Lok Sabha on Monday witnessed repeated adjournments and protests as it debated the issue of intolerance. Similar scenes are expected to continue in the House on Tuesday, as both sides – the Opposition and the treasury benches – will continue their verbal attack against each other. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi is expected to participate in day two of the discussion in Lok Sabha. Rajya Sabha, which will conclude the discussion on the Indian Constitution on Tuesday, will also initiate a discussion on intolerance, where Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and CPI-M’s Sitaram Yechury are likely to hit out against the government. Tharoor lauds Narendra Modi’s way of handling the crowd during the bomb blast at his Patna rally before Lok Sabha elections. ” I want to know the same what has gone wrong with Modi, who displayed great sense of responsibility during the bomb blast at his rally to avoid panic,” Tharoor. We cannot promote Make in India abroad while promoting intolerance in the country:

Tharoor Congress leader Shashi Tharoor speaks in Lok Sabha on intolerance. BJP MP Kirron Kher thanks NDA govt for respecting film industry. : NCP MP Supriya Sule asks the ruling party to rise to the occasion and introspect over issues like ‘ghar wapsi’ and ‘award wapsi’. Rajnath ji, please tell your ministers and colleagues to think before you talk, says Sule. Let’s not run down Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan. They have worked globally: Sule. Speaking during the intolerance debate in Lok Sabha, Galla said politicians must stop dividing people on the basis of caste and religion as it only hurts the nation. “We are misusing the word intolerance,” Galla said, adding that issues like the murder of Dabholkar or the Dadri lynching must be condemned but at the same time questioned how the NDA government at the Centre could be responsible, saying law and order is a state issue. “State governments must take action against such elements and the role of the Centre, if any, must be proved before allegations against the Centre,” Galla said. Speaking on the discussion of India’s commitment to the Indian constitution, O’Brien quoted MS Golwakar, saying the Modi government must clarify what its stand on the Indian Constitution is.

“The non-Hindu people of Hindustan must either adopt Hindu culture and language, must learn and respect and hold in reverence the Hindu religion, must entertain no idea but of those of glorification of the Hindu race and culture . In a word they must cease to be foreigners, or may stay in the country, wholly subordinated to the Hindu nation, claiming nothing, deserving no privileges, far less any preferential treatment-not even citizens’ rights.” M. S. Golwalkar had said. “More that 3000 farmers are committing suicide in Maharashtra, my question to the government is when are they going to release funds to better the situation.” Chavan was speaking on the impact of climate change on farmers. In his response, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said the Centre has spoken to state government’s across the country on the issue. “Our team has returned from Maharashtra and in two or three days they will have a meeting. we will address all issues,” Singh said. Opposition MPs took the opportunity to raise concerns about communal violence during the Question Hour forcing Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to intervene and urged MPs to restrict their ‘statements’ to ‘questions.’ Responding to the questions, MoS Home Kiren Rijiju said there were cases of violence that were happening across the country, but it needs to be determined which cases were communal and which were not. Rijiju said the government had no panel to look into cases of communal violence.

As the BJP’s parliamentary party meeting ended, PTI reports that BJP MPs have been instructed not to make any provocative statement that could disrupt the functioning of the House. “BJP MPs told not to make provocative statements as it deflects from PM Narendra Modi’s developmental agenda,” Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said. The government is banking on the support of the Opposition to push important legislation like the GST Bill. Earlier this morning, Left parties protested against the government’s handling of yesterday’s developments in the House. The protests were led by Rajya Sabha MP Sitaram Yechury. BJP MPs met this morning to discuss their strategy ahead of what is expected to be a stormy day in Parliament, given Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will both debate the issue of ‘intolerance’. BJP Parliamentary Party meeting underway in Parliament. pic.twitter.com/kTfw8jgihf – ANI (@ANI_news) December 1, 2015 Watch video: Decoding the ‘intolerance’ debate in Parliament On Monday, Lok Sabha witnessed clashes and repeated adjournments as it took up the debate on ‘intolerance’ with the opposition targeting the government and triggering a storm after a CPI(M) member attributed ‘Hindu leader’ comments to The comments by Mohd Salim, who cited an Outlook magazine report while initiating the debate on ‘intolerance, led to a deadlock with the ruling side demanding that he either withdraw these comments or apologise. The logjam, because of which the House was adjourned four times, was resolved in the evening after Speaker Sumitra Mahajan expunged the remarks related to the allegations.

This paved the way for resumption of the debate during which opposition parties like CPI(M) and Congress attacked the government, alleging that intolerance had increased since the NDA government came. BJP hit back by saying that incidents, which were being projected by the opposition as examples of ‘intolerance’, had been taking place in the country for decades. Its member Meenakshi Lekhi also cited Home Ministry figures to insist that incidents of communal violence had come since NDA came to power. In Rajya Sabha, the Opposition raked up the “intolerance” issue to target the government in the society even before the NDA rule which needed to be identified and dealt with firmly, instead of generalising it. Members of the opposition parties like Congress, NCP and BSP sought to corner the government citing incidents of violence against minorities and dalits to suggest “anarchy” and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take strict action against ruling party members for “provocative” comments. BSP chief that Union Minister V K Singh should be “jailed” for his ‘dog’ remarks after the killing of two Dalit children in Haryana. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said such incidents “have been happening” and not started overnight after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister. “There is some amount of intolerance in the society, in different areas. That has to be identified, it has to be localised, it has to be dealt with firmly. Instead of that, we are making it generalised,” he said as he referred to instances of killing of dalits and writers in certain states. “Some people making out of turn statement, we have to condemn, we have to isolate them. they have to be condemnd and disowned,” he said.