New Delhi, Aug 12 (PTI) Signs of a thaw emerged in Lok Sabha with the government accepting Opposition demand to discuss an adjournment motion on External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s alleged role in Lalit Modi controversy.

Swaraj herself requested Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to accept the Opposition demand soon after the House assembled for the day, the penultimate day of the Monsoon Session which has remained stalled over Congress protests on the Lalit Modi and Vyapam issues.

The External Affairs Minister’s request prompted Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu to tell the House that the government was ready to discuss the issue under an adjournment motion, a matter which was not acceptable to it so far.

As the Opposition began their protests, Swaraj requested the Speaker to accept the notice of adjournment motion given by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge that was related to her.

Making an earnest appeal, Swaraj said the adjournment motion should be “accepted as it is”.

Let only the Opposition participate in the debate and no one from the government would be part of it, she said.

“My only request is that the Opposition should be present in the House when I give the reply,” Swaraj said.

However, Kharge insisted that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be present during the debate and should reply.

How can action be taken against the Minister without the Prime Minister being present and answering to the debate, he wondered.

In a setback to India’s bid for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council, the US, along with Russia and China, has opposed negotiations to reform the powerful UN body, refusing to contribute to a text that will form the basis for the long-drawn reform process.

UN General Assembly President Sam Kutesa achieved a breakthrough of sorts by circulating a text to UN members that will form the basis for the negotiations on the reform of the Security Council. Kutesa had appointed Jamaica’s Permanent Representative Courtenay Rattray to chair on his behalf the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform.

Kutesa, in a letter dated July 31 to all UN members, said he is also circulating letters containing the positions of groups and Member States that indicated they did not wish their proposals to be included in the body of the negotiating text. These countries include US, Russia and China.

American Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said in her letter to Kutesa that the US is “open in principle” to a “modest” expansion of both permanent and non-permanent members but the condition that “any consideration of an expansion of permanent members must take into account the ability and willingness of countries to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security and to the other purposes of the United Nations.”

Power added that “we believe that consideration of new permanent members must be country-specific in nature.” She also reiterated that the US remains opposed to “any alteration or expansion of the veto”.

Sources told PTI that the US opposition to aspects of the reform process can be perceived as a “duplicity” since President Barack Obama has reaffirmed his support for a reformed UN Security Council with India as a permanent member.

Russia, which has also supported India’s candidacy as permanent member, said in its letter to Kutesa that the “prerogatives of the current Permanent Members of the Security Council, including the use of the veto, should remain intact under any variant of the Council reform”.

“The intergovernmental negotiations on the UN Security Council reform should proceed in a calm, transparent and inclusive atmosphere free from artificial deadlines,” it said.

India has maintained that the process to expand the powerful UN body “cannot be seen to be an exercise ad infinitum” and a results-based timeline is crucial to achieve a concrete outcome.

“Those who ask for not imposing artificial timelines may be advised to desist from inflicting artificial delays on this process,” India’s Ambassador to the UN Asoke Kumar Mukerji has said in the past.

Sources said that India feels that the 70th anniversary of the UN, being commemorated this year, is an appropriate milestone to propel the reform process, which should be completed within the next one year.

New Delhi, Aug 11 (PTI) The Delhi High Court today observed there was “nothing wrong” with the AAP government referring to itself as ‘Kejriwal sarkar’ as all governments do that.

“All governments do that. We have seen that. Nothing wrong with that,” a bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath said in response to a petitioner’s objection to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government referring to itself as ‘Kejriwal sarkar’.

On the allegations against Delhi government that it continues to violate the Supreme Court’s ruling that taxpayers’ money cannot be spent to build image of political leaders, the bench sought the Centre’s response on what steps it was taking to implement the apex court’s guidelines.

The court also sought Delhi government’s reply to Congress leader Ajay Maken’s affidavit claiming that the city government was still issuing advertisements in violation of Government Advertisement (Content Regulation) Guidelines, 2014.

The guidelines were approved by the apex court by its order of May 13.

Maken has also termed as “incorrect” the city government’s claim, of July 29 that it has taken down the advertisements which were violating the guidelines.

He placed before the court pictures taken post July 29 of various advertisements which were allegedly violating the guidelines.

His counsel today told the court that advertisements in violation of the guidelines as well as allegedly glorifying Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the party were still being put up.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on September 1.

The AAP government had on August 3 informed the court that it had spent Rs 22 crore on advertisements in the three months after the apex court’s ruling of May 13.

The city government had, however, denied the allegation that huge amount of money was being spent on advertisements glorifying Kejriwal and the party and said it was spending Rs eight crore per month and that too on ads related to its policies.

The AAP government’s response had come in the backdrop of the court’s July 29 direction which had asked them to give details of money spent on advertisements allegedly glorifying Kejriwal and AAP.

Hitting out at BJP over the execution of 1993 blasts case convict Yakub Memon, MNS president Raj Thackeray on Monday alleged that the BJP-led governments at the Centre and state wanted “riots to break out in the country”.

“Yakub Memon was a terrorist but his hanging episode was converted into a drama by both the Centre and the state government. Looking into the events preceding and following the hanging of this traitor who killed so many people, I feel that both governments only wanted riots to break out in the country,” he said.

The 47-year-old firebrand leader was addressing a gathering of party supporters in adjoining Thane. He alleged that the media was being fed with the details of Memon’s activities ahead of the July 30 hanging and the journalists, too, enthusiastically lapped them up.

“On the day of Yakub’s hanging, newspapers printed so many pictures of this traitor, while we could barely see photos of a nationalist like APJ Abdul Kalam (who was laid to rest on July 30),” he said.

Raj also blasted his long-time friend, Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, over his tweets, that were perceived as being in favour of Yakub (some of which were withdrawn later), ahead of the execution.

“Salman is a man without brains, while his father is a respectable man. He does not read newspapers and does not know the law and thus went on tweeting in his (Yakub’s) favour.

Then there are people who sent letters to the President seeking mercy for the traitor. How can anybody question a Supreme Court order?” he asked.

Justifying his visit to the actor’s residence after he was pronounced guilty in the hit-and-run case, Raj said he has very old family ties with his father Salim Khan and thus went there to be with him at the time of crisis.

The MNS president also trained his guns at Gujaratis living in Mumbai, saying they have gone “out of control” ever since Narendra Modi, who hails from the state, became Prime Minister.

He took a dig at Gujaratis over their predominately vegetarian food habit, seeking to know how they can discriminate among people on the basis of what they eat? Taking a jibe at Modi, Raj said the Prime Minister does not speak on anything, he just makes declarations. “His ‘Man Ki Baat’ programme has turned into ‘Moun Ki Baat’.” Raj hailed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s initiative to bring new industries in the state but insisted that Marathi youths be given employment in these units.

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a last push before the end of a stormy parliament sitting to pass a major tax reform aimed at boosting economic growth, but an opposition party dug in its heels to stop the bill.
Aimed at creating a customs union for India’s 1.2 billion people, the Goods and Service Tax (GST) is the biggest revenue shake-up since independence from Britain in 1947. Supporters say it will add up to two percentage points to economic growth.
A series of obstacles to the prime minister’s ambitious agenda of economic reform has increased a sense among debt-laden domestic companies suffering subdued earnings that India’s fledgling economic recovery could take longer.
Indian shares fell about 1 percent on Tuesday led by declines in banking stocks along with jitters over the parliament showdown and China’s yuan devaluation.
As monsoon rain lashed the colonial-era parliament building, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley introduced the bill in the Rajya Sabha to yowls of protest from members of the opposition Congress party. Seconds later, the speaker adjourned the chamber, putting off any discussion until Wednesday.
The Congress party is demanding the resignation of senior BJP leaders it accuses of graft before allowing parliament to work. It also wants changes to the bill, which it says has been diluted to win support from states.
“They don’t want the Indian economy to grow,” Jaitley said, barely audible above opposition shouts of “this will not go on”. He called the protest “merely a pretext”.
Congress leader Anand Sharma said the obstruction replicated tactics by the BJP, which blocked GST and other reforms when Congress ruled India for a decade, before being defeated by Modi last year.
Modi made the constitutional amendment to allow the new tax the main goal of the summer sitting of parliament, which ends on Thursday.
Failure to pass the GST bill now will make it hard for Modi to meet a self-imposed 2016 deadline for implementing it. In a research note, DBS Bank said any holdup “will be negative for market sentiment and could further delay the recovery process”.
Even so, many foreign investors still see India as a bright spot in the world economy and expect Modi’s reforms to prevail eventually.
The government has already passed the bill in the lower house. It does not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha, where it needs two-thirds of votes to pass the amendment. That is only possible if most parties support it, or if Congress abstains.

New Delhi: Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav was detained during a farmers’ protest at Jantar Mantar by Delhi Police Monday night.

The former Aam Aadmi Party, who was trying to march towards the Prime Minister’s official 7 Race Course Road residence has alleged that he was beaten, manhandled and dragged by Delhi Police.

In a series of tweets, Yadav narrated the incident.
I have been dragged, hit and pushed into a police van. Don’t still know my crime.
I have been beaten up, manhandled, dragged, pushed and arrested at the parliament street police station.
Is standing peacefully with a Hal an offence? We were not obstructing traffic, were willing to cooperate with any reasonable condition.

AAP leader Dharamvir Gandhi has demanded the release of Yadav and the others.

“I demand Yogendra Yadav and others should be released who were detained last night,” said Gandhi.

Earlier, a the ‘Tractor March’ of Jai Kisan Andolan, led by Yadav, was stopped on Sunday evening on the Gurgaon-Delhi border near Kapashera.

The march was launched from Thikriwal village in Punjab’s Barnala district on August 1, with members of the Jai Kisan Andolan — avowedly fighting for justice for the nation’s farmers — from Punjab, Haryana, Mahararstra and Uttar Pradesh participating in it.

On Sunday, the march began from Nuh, after a stopover at Rozka Meo Village, at 10 am and moved towards Gurgaon.

The march passing through Sohna and Badshapur reached Kapashera but Delhi Police denied it entry into Delhi, saying tractors were not allowed on the roads of the national capital.

Yadav showed some papers to the police, claiming to have permission to enter the national capital, but in vain.

The march was heading towards Jantar Mantar, where a farmers’ rally is scheduled on Monday.

On being denied entry in Delhi, Yadav tweeted: “& now starts the Tamasha by government! Police not letting our march move inside Delhi. Even though we have had the permission since July 8.”

BJP on Tuesday asked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to stay within his “limits” taking strong exception to the latter”s repeated barbs at the Prime Minister even as it accused the AAP chief of playing “politics over corpses”.

Describing Kejriwal as a “marketing and packaging expert”, BJP said he was using Modi as a shield to hide his shortcomings and failures as Chief Minister and that he did not have the status to advice the Prime Minister.

“He (Kejriwal) has stooped to the lowest level of politics by repeatedly dragging the Prime Minister in every other issue. He clearly cannot function within constitutional norms and have nothing substantial to show to people except presenting old initiatives as new,” Delhi BJP unit president Satish Upadhyay told reporters

New Delhi, Jul 22 (PTI) Digging in its heels, Government today rejected demand for a probe into charges against Union minister Sushma Swaraj and and two BJP chief ministers, contending they had not violated any law and sharpened its attack on Opposition for stalling Parliament.

As the issue rocked Parliament for the second day, Finance Minister Arun Jailey lashed out at the opposition saying it is “weak on arguments and strong on disturbance”.

He told reporters that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, whose resignation has been sought by the Congress-led opposition parties, had given her “elaborate reasoning” at the BJP parliamentary party meeting today and the party wanted her to give it before the country.

“But obviously opposition is weak on arguments and strong on disturbance,” he said, accusing Congress and other parties of not being interested in debate.

Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje are under attack for their links with Lalit Modi, the controversial former IPL Chairman who is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate for alleged money laundering.

Madhya Prdesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is facing the heat over Vyapam scam and death of nearly 40 persons linked to it.

Jaitley said that the opposition after demanding resignations of Swaraj and others today sought an investigation into the charges against them.

“Investigation is held when some provision of law is violated. Nobody has been able to point out despite our repeated requests as to which provision of law, as they allege, has been violated,” he said, hitting out at the opposition.

Reiterating the government’s wish for a debate on the issues being raised by the opposition, he said the whole country should get to know the facts of the case.

Calling on parties to allow Parliament to function, he said, “There are many important issues of public welfare. Some laws have to be passed. There should be debate over them.

New Delhi, July 22 (PTI) Lok Sabha was repeatedly disrupted over Lalit Modi controversy on the first working day of the Monsoon session today with opposition members storming the Well with placards, ignoring Speaker Sumitra Mahajan’s warning of action.

Members of Congress and Left protested vociferously demanding ouster of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in connection with the row involving Lalit Modi, former IPL chairman.

Members of the RJD and NCP were also seen supporting the opposition demand.

The placards, carried by Congress members, read ‘Bade Modi meherban, to chhote Modi pehelwan’ (a Hindi idiom meaning that a small person is strong if supported by a powerful person) and ‘PM chuppi todo’ (PM, break your silence), Modi ji 56 inch dikhao, Sushma, Raje ko turant hatao (Show your 56 inch chest by removing Swaraj and Raje).

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not present in the House, Swaraj was sitting in the front row along with Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.

Congress members were also sporting black badges on their arms to register their protests and continued wearing them and carrying placards despite Speaker’s warning against doing so.

Due to the uproar, the House was repeatedly adjourned.

Patna, July 10 (ANI): The BJP-led NDA is leading in the 24 seats of the Bihar Legislative Council elections.
According to reports, the counting in 21 seats has been completed, with the NDA winning 11 seats, while the JDU-RJD-Congress alliance winning eight seats.
Two independent candidates also won in the polls.
Further details are awaited.
The election for the Bihar Legislative council were held on Tuesday with an estimated 94 percent voting recorded during the polls. (ANI)