Months Of "Betrayal": Congress Attacks BJP After Key Party Meet

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the last 52 months have

 been a "sordid saga of betrayal and backstabbing".

The Congress on Sunday, dubbed the BJP's political resolution as a testament of "unpardonable failures and betrayal" by the Narendra Modi government and said the exclusion of key promises of 2014 establishes that Modi-Shah duo has failed to deliver.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala described the ruling party's national executive as "arrogance Modi-fied" and "Shahi arrogance".

"Deliberate elimination and deceptive exclusion of key promises of 2014 establishes that Modi-Shah duo has miserably failed to deliver. The BJP now stands for - 'Break, Jam & Perish'. 'Breaking' the backbone of India's MSME's and shopkeepers through flawed GST, 'Jamming' the economy through demonetisation disaster and 'Perish' the future of youth and farmers," he said.

Mr Surjewala said shifting goalposts is ingrained in the DNA of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was elected by the people of India  because he promised to deliver 'New India' in 60 months, he said.

"Having run a 'jumla' govt for 52 months, Modi-Shah duo is weaving another set of lies to befool the people. There conspiracy will be exposed in 2019 itself. Year 2022 'Goalpost' is nothing 'Mungeri Lal Ke Haseen Sapne'," he said in a statement.

The Congress leader said the last 52 months have been a "sordid saga of betrayal and backstabbing".

"The term 'jumlas' has now been embedded in the consciousness of the people of India and it squarely represents the character of the BJP's leadership. The BJP is the ultimate 'Break Jam Perish' party of India that has mastered the art of 'Dupery', 'Deception', 'Doublespeak' and 'Duplicity'. A Scheming BJP only knows to implement one Scheme - 'Headlines Management'," he said.

Mr Surjewala said the political resolution is devoid of key promises like - bringing back 80 lakh crore of black money, depositing 15 lakh in every Indian's bank account, corruption-free governance, creating 2 crore jobs per year, tackling price rise, creating infrastructure, ensuring women security, strengthening national security apparatus, 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas', among others.

He said the Narendra Modi government and the BJP has plunged Jammu and Kashmir into a deep turmoil through an "unethical opportunistic alliance, marred with a disquiet border, corruption, mal governance and false promises".

Sixteen major terror attacks have taken place on our security installations that include CRPF camps, Army Camps, Air Force Station and Military Stations- Pampore, Uri, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amarnath, Yatra attack Sunjwan, where scores of lives have been lost since May 26, 2014 during the PM Modi government, Mr Surjewala said.

In the last 51 months, 410 jawans have died and 256 civilians have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir alone, he said.

The Congress leader said the rupee is at an all-time low and has crossed Rs. 72 and the GDP growth is a 4 year low and people's households savings is at a 20 year low.

COMMENT

"There are no jobs. Joblessness is rampant," he said, adding that even NITI Aayog has admitted in February this year that India is plagued by 'unsatisfactory jobs and underemployment'.

Everyone Has The Right To Die With Dignity: Chief Justice On Euthanasia

Delivering the Dr Patangrao Kadam Memorial Public Lecture Series at Pune's Bharti

 Vidyapeeth, the CJI, while referring to the Aruna Shanbaug case, touched upon 

the issue of conflict between two fundamental rights.

Just a few days after the Supreme Court gave a landmark judgment by decriminalising homosexuality, Chief Justice of India (CJI), Dipak Misra said that each individual has the right to life as well as the right to live with dignity, but cases involving conflicting interest have to be dealt with in a balanced manner.

Delivering the Dr Patangrao Kadam Memorial Public Lecture Series at Pune's Bharti Vidyapeeth, the CJI, while referring to the Aruna Shanbaug case, touched upon the issue of conflict between two fundamental rights, and said that the verdict in such cases should be given after thoroughly studying the facts of the case and the fundamental structure of the Constitution.

The Aruna Shanbaug case led to a change in euthanasia laws of the country. The bench handling this case in 2017, recognised a living will by a terminally-ill patient for passive euthanasia and drafted new guidelines clarifying the way to execute the will and the role of the medical board in giving assent to the will.

"Everyone has a right to life but at the same time, he or she has a right to life with dignity. If he/she is unable to live with dignity because of prolonged illness, from which he/she will not overcome then in such cases he/she has the right to die with dignity. This is what balancing of rights mean. Adjustment, acceptance, compromise, and settlement comes in the balancing of rights and for the coexistence of rights. We have to balance them for the well being of mankind," Mr Misra added.

Citing the Mazdur Krishna Shakti Sangathan case, the Chief Justice said that in situations where conflict arises between two fundamental rights or intra-fundamental rights in respect of some person, it becomes slightly difficult for a bench to give out the verdict. "No particular parameter can be fixed but yet the courts try and endeavor to fix certain parameters, it has to be judged on facts of each case, taking care of certain constitutional concepts," he noted.

Furthermore, Dipak Misra noted that it is important for an individual to exercise rights granted by the constitution in order to develop the society and strengthen the democracy.

"We have a constitutional democracy and it is conceded with a singular and a sole mission and purpose of securing its citizen's rights and liberties which foster and strengthen the spirit and growth of development in a society. Rights protected and guaranteed under a constitution are the fulcrum of any free society. We ought to live in a democratic and free society. As far as that concept is concerned there is no compromise. We have the rights and must exercise them within the constitutional parameters. These rights are interest recognised and protected by a rule of justice. If the rule of justice collapses, rule of law will automatically collapse. I must respect your freedom, you must respect mine and this is how we can build up a societal fraternity in a true sense," the Chief Justice said.

Speaking further on the importance of individual's right in a democratic country, CJI Misra said, "In a democratic setup, every right matters and no right is absolute. There is no hierarchical order in rights. A particular fundamental right cannot exist in isolation."

COMMENT

The CJI also cited an example of the 1975 Narendra Prasad case and said that in this case, the judicature observed that "A particular fundamental right cannot exist in isolation in a watertight compartment and one fundamental right of a person may have to coexist in harmony with the exercise of another fundamental right by others. "So, we have to co-exist, therefore the rights have to balanced."

Mahagathbandhan A Compulsion, Vindication Of BJP's Success, Says PM Modi

The Prime Minister said the proposed grand alliance of the opposition was leaderless, 

had no clear policy and its intentions were corrupt.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday scoffed at opposition efforts to forge a Mahagathbandhan for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, saying it was nothing but their compulsion and a vindication of the BJP-led government's success.

The Prime Minister said the proposed grand alliance of the opposition was leaderless, had no clear policy and its intentions were corrupt. The opposition parties had failed to deliver when they were in power and now in their present role, he claimed.

PM Modi also had a veiled dig at Congress President Rahul Gandhi, saying that various opposition parties were not prepared to give the Congress any leadership role, with some even regarding it a burden.

Addressing the concluding session of the BJP National Executive, PM Modi said that there was also a situation of non-acceptance of the leadership within the Congress which he said spoke "lies."

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad later briefed the media about PM Modi's remarks.

"Today, there is discussion about Mahagathbandhan. People who do not see eye to eye, who cannot walk together, who have no political or ideological understanding, who can't even tolerate each other are thinking of forging a Mahagathbandhan and embracing each other. It is the biggest vindication of our success," Mr Prasad quoted PM Modi as saying.

"Mahagathbandhan -- its leader is not known, the policy is unclear and intention is corrupt. These are so powerful words of the Prime Minister..." Mr Prasad said.

Referring to the Congress, PM Modi said that "nobody is prepared to accept its leadership. Even small parties are not willing to accept its leadership. Some treat it as a burden."

The Prime Minister said that there should be an effective opposition in a democracy for accountability.

"Our pain is that those who were failure in the government are also failures in the opposition. They have till date not raised relevant issues."

He said the BJP was willing to answer questions on its ideological commitment, its work but will also pose questions about "48 years of a family" and 48-month rule of the BJP-led government.

"Surely, we will ask what that family worked for, for what consideration, with what objective and purpose. Our difficulty is that they do not fight on issues, nor on our performance," Mr Prasad quoted PM Modi as saying at the party meet.

"They fight on lies. They speak a lie everyday. Manufacturing lies and then repeating these has become a habit."

COMMENT

"But as part of our strategy, we have to expose their lies. The lie, the misrepresentation of opposition in general and the Congress in particular must be defeated strongly with reference to the great work we have done," PM Modi said.

Bharat Bandh LIVE Updates: Congress, Left Have Called For Bharat Bandh Against Rising Fuel Prices |

Bharat Bandh: The Congress said 21 opposition parties are supporting the Bharat

Bandh along with a number of chambers of commerce and traders' associations.

The Congress will today organize a nationwide shutdown or Bharat Bandh to protest rising fuel prices. The Congress has asked other opposition parties and civil society groups to join their protest against the government. Congress leader Randeep Surjewala had said that the common man was bearing the burden of escalating prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas.

The Congress said 21 opposition parties are supporting the Bharat Bandh along with a number of chambers of commerce and traders' associations.

The party demanded that petrol and diesel should be brought under GST, by which oil prices could drop by about Rs. 15 to Rs. 18.

The Congress along with the JD(S), who run a coalition government in Karnataka, will gear up to organise the Bharat Bandh in the state. Schools and colleges in the state capital Bengaluru, will be closed today and daily life will likely be affected. Public transport, cinema theatres, multiplexes among others. A host of organisations such as Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, KSRTC, BMTC, Ola and Uber Drivers and Owners Association, Auto Drivers' Association will lend their support to the Bharat Bandh in Karnataka.

In West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress said that while it supported the issues related to increasing fuel prices, it would not support the Bharat Bandh called by the Congress. The reason, it said, was that strikes like the Bharat Bandh would lead to a waste of working hours. Trinamool Congress Secretary General Partha Chatterjee had urged the Trinamool activists and common people to keep shops and establishments functional today.

In Odisha, the ruling BJD has also refused to support the Bharat Bandh called by the Congress. Toeing the Trinamool line, it also said that it was against the hike in fuel prices. The Odisha government has however, announced that all schools in the state would be closed today to ensure the safety of students.

AAP has joined the protests against the rising fuel prices. AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Somnath Bharti along with others marched towards Rajghat to protest against deteriorating Rupee value and the fuel price hike

NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Sharad Yadav have joined Rahul Gandhi's protest against the fuel price hike. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad can be seen sitting alongside Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Bharat Bandh: Uddhav Thackeray will decide whether the Sena will join the protests over fuel price hike or not.

Police in Rajasthan's Jaipur has said that precautionary measures have been taken. Rajasthan police has been directed to take stringent action against protestors resorting to violence

Commissioner Of Police, Pune City, Dr Venkatesham K. told ANI, "One SPRF company and 6000 police officials have been deployed in the city to prevent any unlawful action. Whoever tries to forcefully close the market will need to face the action by Pune Police."

Bharat Bandh: Rail, road traffic hit in Bihar during shutdown

Rail and road traffic was hit across Bihar on Monday due to a nationwide shutdown called by the Congress against the hike in fuel prices, according to news agency IANS.

The shutdown is being supported by the opposition Rashtryia Janata Dal (RJD), Left Parties and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM).

Hundreds of Congress and other opposition parties leaders and workers took to the streets since early Monday in different parts of Bihar.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi is marching towards Ramlila Maidan from Rajghat to protest against the fuel price hike.

At least 21 opposition parties, led by the Congress, are participating in the 'Bharat Bandh' today to protest the rise in fuel prices in the country and depreciation of the rupee. Congress president Rahul Gandhi joined protesters in Delhi this morning. Top opposition leaders like Sharad Pawar, MK Stalin and Left leaders have openly extended their support for the call for shut down, while the Trinamool Congress has decided to stay away from the protest The effect of the bandh is expected to be strong in states like Kerala, Karnataka and West Bengal. Schools and other institutions are likely to be closed in many states.

Firm action will be taken on any miscreants taking the law into their hands, tweets Commissioner Of Police, Pune City, Dr Venkatesham K, according to news agency ANI.

Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are leading the protests in Delhi's Rajghat area.

Read Here: Congress Appeals To Workers To Ensure Violence-Free Bharat Bandh Today
The opposition Congress, which has called for a nation-wide shut down on Monday over rising fuel prices and depreciation of the rupee, has appealed party workers to maintain peace and not to associate with any violent protests.

Bharat Bandh: Bengaluru Schools To Be Closed Today For Congress' Protest
Schools and colleges in Bengaluru will be closed and daily life is likely to be affected in JDS-Congress ruled Karnataka on Monday by the 'Bharat Bandh' called by the Congress over rising fuel prices and depreciation of the rupee.

Read Here: BJP Bothered About Industrialists, Not Rising Fuel Prices: Raj Babbar
The Congress on Sunday accused the BJP of bothering only about industrialists instead of focusing on rising petroleum prices.

Read Here: Congress Appeals To Workers To Ensure Violence-Free Bharat Bandh Today
The opposition Congress, which has called for a nation-wide shut down on Monday over rising fuel prices and depreciation of the rupee, has appealed party workers to maintain peace and not to associate with any violent protests.

Rahul Gandhi Leads Opposition's Bharat Bandh Over Fuel, Rupee: 10 Points

Bharat Bandh: The Congress has urged party workers not to indulge in any violent

 protest.

At least 21 opposition parties, led by the Congress, are participating in the

 'Bharat Bandh' today to protest the rise in fuel prices in the country and 

depreciation of the rupee. Congress president Rahul Gandhi joined protesters 

in Delhi this morning. Top opposition leaders like Sharad Pawar, MK Stalin and

 Left leaders have openly extended their support for the call for shut down, while

 the Trinamool Congress has decided to stay away from the protest The effect

 of the bandh is expected to be strong in states like Kerala, Karnataka and 

West Bengal. Schools and other institutions are likely to be closed in many states.

                     Here are the top 10 updates on Bharat Bandh:

1. 1.Schools and colleges are closed in Bengaluru today after the ruling JD(S) announced it will support the day-long nationwide protest. Schools in Odisha too are closed today though Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's party has refused to back the shutdown.
2. 2.Uber and Ola drivers groups, Auto Drivers' Association and other 
3. organisations such as Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, KSRTC, BMTC
4.  too will lend their support to the Bharat Bandh in Karnataka.
5. 3.The ruling Trinamool in West Bengal has expressed support on the issues on which the shut down has been called, but said it was against any kind of strike in the state according to the stated policy of party supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
6. 4.Protests began in the morning in different parts of the country.
7. 5.Protesters in Karnataka's Huballi burnt tyres. 
8. 6."We demand that petrol and diesel be brought under the ambit of the GST. High prices of petrol and diesel found no mention in the BJP's national executive meeting because they are not bothered about the pain of public," Surjewala said.
9. 7.In Tamil Nadu, DMK leader MK Stalin said the centre  is not doing anything to halt the rupee's slide against the dollar or to control the fuel prices.
10. 8.The Congress has urged party workers not to indulge in any violent protest. "I appeal to all Congress workers to make the bandh violence-free. We are Mahatma Gandhi's party and we should not associate ourselves with any violence," party leader Ajay Maken said.
11. 9.Petrol and diesel prices set new records Sunday. According to the price notification issued by state fuel retailers, petrol price was raised by 12 paise a litre and diesel by Rs. 10 paise per litre on Sunday.
12. 10.On Sunday, the Rajasthan government announced tax cuts on petrol and diesel.

Election Strategist Prashant Kishore Ready To Switch To Politics

Prashant Kishore came to be known as Chanakya of Nitish Kumar and their 

association has continued even after Nitish Kumar joined hands with the BJP.

After nearly six years of formulating election strategy - initially for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then for his rivals, Nitish Kumar and the Congress -- Prashant Kishore is ready for electoral politics. At an interaction with students of the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad on Sunday evening he said he is done with campaigning for individuals and wanted to return to "grassroots politics".

Mr Kishore was unwilling to reveal which party he was planning to join. But indications are that it would be Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United. The 42-year-old enjoys a good rapport with Mr Kumar, with whom he has been associated since he drew up the election strategy for the Grand Alliance in 2015.

Mr Kishore, who started his career as a political strategist in 2012, working closely with Narendra Modi, then the Gujarat Chief Minister, made headlines after crafting his campaign for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. But after the elections, differences cropped up between him and BJP chief Amit Shah and Mr Kishore decided to go his own way. Over the next few years, Mr Kishore worked for political rivals of the BJP - not just Nitish Kumar but also the Congress.

In political circles, Prashant Kishore came to be known as Chanakya of Nitish Kumar and their association has continued even after Mr Kumar joined hands with the BJP. Lately, the two had a series of meetings, which has given rise to speculation that Janata Dal United might be his chosen party.

Sources say Mr Kishore was even tasked with brokering peace between the Chief Minister and Lalu Yadav's party, but the plan did not materialise, as Tejashwi Yadav, who is handling the party in his father's absence, is set against it.

Lalu Yadav was jailed months after Nitish Kumar ended the Grand Alliance in July last year and partnered with the BJP and Tejashwi Yadav, his political heir, has been a bitter rival of the Chief Minister since.    

But while his strategy for the Congress in Punjab elections worked out, with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh publicly acknowledging his role, the results in Uttar Pradesh, where the Congress partnered with Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party, were disastrous. The BJP swept the election, winning 325 of the state's 403 seats. The Samajwadi Party and the Congress together won only 54 seats.

Prashant Kishore was blamed for the defeat - with state leaders attributing it to his idea of naming three-time Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit as the chief ministerial candidate for the state. Others said the tie-up with Akhilesh Yadav alienated the local Congress leaders, leading to further rifts within the party.

The results ended his association with the Congress. Lately there has been speculation that he might be allowed a limited role for the BJP election campaign in 2019

Will Win 2019, Rule For 50 Years, Says Amit Shah At BJP Meet: 10 Points

BJP National Executive Meet: The Prime Minister has vision, passion 

and imagination says union minister Prakash Javadekar at BJP National Executive.

At a key meeting of the BJP today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a blistering attack on the Congress and BJP chief Amit Shah declared that the party will rule for another 50 years. "PM Modi told party workers that we must strengthen the party at booth-level and we must win in every booth," Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told the media after the two-day national executive meeting. Ahead of the next year's assembly elections, the strategy session focussed on censuring the opposition. The national executive comes as the government is facing opposition challenge over a number of issues, including the fuel price hike and Assam citizens' list.

Here are the top 10 points of what the BJP said in its National Executive

                

1. 1. "Those who were a failure in government are a failure in opposition," said Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Our performance of 48 months will be judged against their (Congress') performance of 48 years," the Prime Minister said.
2. 2. "We will win 2019 and no one will be able to remove us for 50 years," Mr Prasad quoted BJP chief Amit Shah as saying.
3. 3. Calling a second term for the BJP government "guaranteed", Union minister Prakash Javadekar launched a sharp attack on the opposition saying, it does not have "neta, neeti and rann neeti (leader, ideology or strategy).  Even after four years in power, PM Modi's approval rating is more than 70 per cent, he said.

1. 4.PM Modi has "vision, passion and imagination" and the government's win in 2019 elections is guaranteed," Prakash Javadekar said. PM Modi, he said, has maintained a "70 per cent popularity rate"  because he "interacts directly with the people".
2. 5. Asked about the spike in petrol and diesel prices, Mr Javadekar sidestepped the question. The rate of inflation during UPA's tenure was 10 per cent while now it is less than five per cent, he said.
3. 6. The BJP national executive meeting is being held after nearly a year. Over the coming months the party will be facing elections in three states - Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh -- and the general elections next year. A fourth state, Telangana, is also likely to go to polls at the same time.
4. 7. Delivering the inaugural address, BJP chief Amit Shah yesterday alleged that the opposition was providing financial support to "urban Naxals" and backing those accused of conspiring to kill PM Modi.
5. 8. Quoting the party chief, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said he praised Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for his action against the activists allegedly linked with Bhima Koregaon case.
6. 9. A political resolution was presented by home minister Rajnath Singh reaffirming the party's commitment to build "New India by 2022". The party said the opposition's plan to defeat BJP in 2019 is a "day dream".
7. 10. This was the first national executive meeting held since the BJP was formed in 1980 without Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who died last month. The party has planned a series of programmes in his memory.