Seen and heard: Congress backs Manmohan

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had his party solidly behind him when Parliament debated a controversial India-Pakistan joint statement that seeks to de-link talks with terrorism.

Senior Congress leaders and MPs spiritedly defended the statement. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and External Affairs Minister S M Krishna insisted that the government would not ease pressure on Pakistan but it cannot avoid talks.

"We can't erase Pakistan. It's going to exist. War is no solution," said Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha on Thursday during the second day of debate on the Prime Minister's foreign visits, including his trip to Egypt where he met Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.

Foreign Minister S M Krishna told Parliament that India had nothing to hide on Balochistan, which is mentioned in the statement.

This strong backing of the Prime Minister came moments after Sonia Gandhi at a crucial party meeting batted for him.

Singh had strongly defended the need for talks with Pakistan, saying that this is what even Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Atal Behari Vajpayee had advocated during his tenure as Prime Minister.

Sonia supported the initiative with Pakistan but with a word of caution. "We support the resumption of the dialogue process with Pakistan, but only after it has demonstrated its seriousness to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice," she said at a Congress parliamentary party meeting.

“No one should be in any doubt on our party's position vis-a-vis Pakistan. It remains unchanged.”

Sonia has often spoken for a bonding between the party and Government but it was disconnect over the joint statement that made her support to the Prime Minister conditional.

There was no mention of Balochistan and joint statement in her speech, reflecting the party's discomfort with these issues.

It is this discomfort in the Congress that gives the Opposition a chance to attack the Prime Minister.

BJP leader L K Advani said the Government had failed to explain the Sharm el-Sheikh joint statement.

"There was no satisfactory response. There is no point in this discussion," said Advani and walked out of the Lok Sabha with BJP MPs.

READ MORE - Seen and heard: Congress backs Manmohan

He is still the same, says PM’s daughter-in-law

Mansi Tewari Kolkata


When Manmohan Singh was taking oath for his second term in office as the Prime Minister of India, his younger sisters from Kolkata were in Delhi to celebrate the day. The Day After magazine caught up with his daughter-in-law Kuki Sahni in the city

An obvious question, but cannot help asking, how does it feel to see your father-in-law as the Prime Minister again? I feel very happy and proud especially since this is the second time that he has taken the oath. It is the same feeling that anyone would have when someone in his or her family achieves something. Yes though this time the feeling is doubly better. It definitely is a huge occasion for the family and so both his sisters have gone to Delhi to witness their brother taking the oath.

Had confident were you on the UPA’s victory? Did it match your expectations? I was always very confident and optimistic about the result, but we had not expected that it would be a ‘clean sweep’. The performance of the Congress party has been better than the last time and it is clearly the people’s decision.

What are the key issues you would like our PM to focus on? I think Manmohan Singhji has always made it very clear that currently he would like to focus on getting economic stability and development for India, which I also think is currently the need for our country.

And what issues do you have in mind that our PM should focus on in context to West Bengal? For Bengal, it has to be issues like infrastructure, roads in particular and to boost the industries in Bengal, which is very necessary right now.

Speculations have it that Rahul Gandhi will take over as the PM after 3 years of the government’s tenure - your reactions. I would like to comment on baseless rumors. As of now, we all know that Rahul has in fact chosen not to be a part of the cabinet, so I don’t think I need to comment on this.

As a person, do you notice any changes in him since he became the PM? None at all! He is still the same simple and a soft-spoken person.

Could you share with The Day After some of your fondest memories spent with Manmohan Singhji? I have known him since I was kid and I remember him sitting down with all the kids of the family and asking us about our studies. And he would always tell me that when I grow up I should be a professor. Though, I did not become a professor, but that is what I remember of him. He always encouraged everyone in the family to study hard.

Lastly, Mamata Banerjee back in action. What are your expectations from her? Mamata Banerjee took a very wise step of joining hands with the Congress and it has definitely benefited her. Now all we expect from her is that she should bring about development in the state. Also, she should wipe out the bandh culture, many people and industries suffer because of these bandhs in the city.

READ MORE - He is still the same, says PM’s daughter-in-law

Congress nominates Manmohan to lead new government

By Iftikhar Gilani

NEW DELHI: Newly elected Congress party members of parliament (MPs) on Tuesday nominated last term prime minister, Manmohan Singh to lead the party again in the Lok Sabha, India’s lower house of parliament, and form new government

Earlier, MPs unanimously elected Congress President Sonia Gandhi as chairperson of the party, who in turn nominated 76-year old Singh as head of next government. Hailing his “dignified, determined and effective leadership of government” as “an inspiration for us all” that got overwhelming approval from the people, she said: “Let us all congratulate him and wish him well.”

Singh praised the “enterprise and ingenuity” of Rahul Gandhi and dedication and hard work of each and every member of Congress in achieving the “historic victory” which he said would usher in a “golden era” for the party. Singh warned the new mandate to Congress comes with the challenge of rising expectations, particularly of the youth. “They (youth) ... expect us to work with renewed energy. They expect a more responsive ... (and) efficient government,” he underlined.

Goals: Setting the agenda for the new government, Singh said every minister will be given time-bound targets to implement election promises and various programmes and he will undertake quarterly review of implementation of programmes by each ministry. He declared internal security as a “top most priority” and said his government will not be found wanting in remaining vigilant and effective in dealing with the threat of terrorism and extremism.

“Equally important is maintenance of communal harmony and peace” for which the centre will work closely with the state governments. He said the centre will also work with he state governments to ensure better implementation of the welfare schemes, specially the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, National Rural Health Mission, Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission and programmes for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, other backward classes and minorities.

Describing the challenges before the nation as daunting, he set before him the goals of sustaining the growth rate of the last five years, reducing poverty, creating employment, accelerating rural development and industrialisation. Stressing that the election verdict is for inclusive growth, he set the growth process as socially and regionally inclusive and equitable as a priority. “Ensuring that people of all regions, all religions , all languages and castes benefit from growth will be a priority for us,” he added.

READ MORE - Congress nominates Manmohan to lead new government

Manmohan Singh promises to tackle recession and terrorism

Jodhpur, April 29: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that only the Congress Party was equipped to tackle recession and terrorism.

"In this time of economic recession, you need a government who has the experience to tackle with such situations. Because of the UPA Government's policies, recession has not affected India as much as to other countries. Only the Congress Government has the ability and experience to deal with economic recession," Singh said in a rally here on Tuesday.

Dr. Singh further added that coordination was required between all states of the country and other countries to combat terrorism.

"Coordination is required between all the states of our country and between all other countries of the world to deal with terrorism. Support of international diplomacy is also required to deal with various issues related with terrorism. I believe only the Congress Government can deal with all these matters efficiently," Singh added.

The Prime Minister also said that it was the Congress Party that stepped up diplomatic pressure to deal with the perpetrators of last year's Mumbai terror attacks.

READ MORE - Manmohan Singh promises to tackle recession and terrorism

Congress to improve tally from Gujarat: PM

Surat/Ahmedabad, April 26  A confident Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday evening said his Congress party expects to improve its tally from Gujarat in the Lok Sabha elections, and took a dig at the Narendra Modi government for claiming credit for the state’s economic progress.
“The BJP’s divisive politics is unlikely to work now. The Congress in Gujarat is expected to win more seats. The UPA (Congress-led United Progressive Alliance) has spent its five best years in office doing excellent work for the country,” Manmohan Singh said at a rally in Surat.


Of 26 Lok Sabha seats from Gujarat, the Congress had won 12 in 2004, giving a shock to the state’s ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), which could manage to win only 14, down from its previous tally of 21.


Polling will be held in Gujarat April 30.


Manmohan Singh said the UPA government has taken several measures to keep the Indian economy on track despite global recessionary conditions.


No government in New Delhi had done more than the UPA in keeping the country’s economic health in fairly good shape during economic slowdowns, he said.


He reiterated that the UPA had provided a fair share of funds to Gujarat during its rule and there had been a sizeable chunk of funds which went for various developmental schemes during the last five years.


The Surat rally was held amid unprecedented security and no mobile phones were allowed at the venue.


Earlier in the day, Manmohan Singh’s first election meeting in Gujarat, at Ahmedabad, was briefly disrupted when a young man, identified as Hitesh Chauhan, flung a shoe towards the podium. The footwear fell far too short of the podium but the young man was immediately nabbed and taken by the police for questioning..


In Ahmedabad, the prime minister said: “There is no need for the BJP to keep talking in public forums about Gujarat’s development during its rule as the state was considered developed well before the party came to power in Gujarat.”


The BJP government in the state led by Modi has often claimed credit for the industrial development and continued foreign investments in the state, but the Congress argues that Gujarat had been in the forefront of economic progress well before the BJP came to power in the mid-1990s.


“The state now has an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and other centrally funded educational institutions,” Singh pointed out.

Referring to the India-US nuclear agreement, Manmohan Singh said his government had signed the deal to generate more electricity and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had been opposing it without looking into its merits.

Criticising the main opposition, Singh referred to the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani’s statement promising to raise the income tax limit to Rs.300,000 if the NDA was voted to power. The prime minister said the NDA could not raise the income tax limit to that amount when it was in power.


He said the UPA government had gone for sweeping tax reforms, not only raising the income tax limit for a large category of taxpayers but also for senior citizens.


He also listed the achievements of his government, including the loan waiver worth Rs.71,000 crore for distressed farmers.

READ MORE - Congress to improve tally from Gujarat: PM

BJP solely to blame for Babri demolition: PM

Guwahati, April 19 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday rejected Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad’s charge that the Congress too was to blame for Babri Masjid, saying the BJP was solely responsible for the 1992 mosque demolition.

Addressing a press conference in Amin Gaon in Guwahati, the prime minister also said he would prefer to put an end to the slanging match with Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani.

“We can’t be blamed,” the prime minister said replying to a question on his reaction to Lalu Prasad’s remark on the Babri razing. He said that the then BJP chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Kalyan Singh “did what he did” despite his affidavit to the apex court that he will protect the 16th century disputed structure.

“It is known to everybody that then BJP chief minister Kalyan Singh gave a solid assurance to the Supreme Court and after that he did what he did. The Congress party certainly cannot be blamed because it believed that Kalyan Singh would honour the affidavit given to the Supreme Court.

“But he didn’t honour it and that is the only fault you can find with the Congress party with regard to the demolition of the Babri Masjid,” the prime minister said.

Lalu Prasad, the railways minister, had said in Bihar that the Congress was also to blame for the demolition as it did nothing to prevent it, despite being in power at the centre then.

Signalling an end to his slugfest with Advani, who has repeatedly called him a “weak prime minister”, Manmohan Singh, replying to a journalist’s query, said: “I don’t want to prolong the match and the dialogue whatever I had to say I have said already”.

Speaking on terrorism, he said: “Communalism, terrorism, and Naxalism (Maoism), is today a big threat to the country’s unity and integrity, but we are committed to fighting all these evils with a firm hand. To defeat communalism, we all have to vote for the Congress party as we are the only party that stands for secularism.”

On the global financial crisis, the prime minister said the meltdown was a result of “financial mismanagement” by developed countries and it would blow over “partially” by September.

“This crisis has arisen due to mishandling of the financial system by the major developed countries,” he said.

“We expect the crisis to be partially over by September when we can go back to our growth rate of 8 to 9 percent.”

He also said the Congress if voted to power would make a renewed effort to curb militancy and terror.

“I am confident the Congress party and its alliance partners would be able to form the next government at the centre and we shall work for development and fight terrorism with a renewed effort,” the prime minister said.

The prime minister, who is a Rajya Sabha member from Assam, was in Guwahati to address an election meeting at Amin Gaon on the outskirts of Assam’s main city of Guwahati.

READ MORE - BJP solely to blame for Babri demolition: PM

Singh confirmed as Congress PM candidiate

NEW DELHI, Mar 26 - The following is a snapshot of recent developments in India’s general election campaign. (Items are from own sources unless stated.)

* The head of India’s ruling Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would remain as prime minister if the party managed to form government after the election. She also hinted that her son, Rahul Gandhi, could one day become prime minister.

“Wait and see. There may be a vacancy,” Sonia Gandhi told a press conference. (All newspapers.)

* Congress unveiled a populist platform in its election manifesto, with promises of cheap food for families under the poverty line. (All newspapers)

WHAT THE NEWSPAPERS SAY.


“Populist vows in please-all manifesto” (the Times of India)

“As a response to the current economic downturn, Congress has opted to remain silent on economic reforms.” (The Economic Times)

READ MORE - Singh confirmed as Congress PM candidiate

Manmohan a top leader, has achieved hell of a lot: Rahul

Puducherry, March 26 : A day after Congress president Sonia Gandhi endorsed Manmohan Singh's name as the prime ministerial candidate if the ruling coalition again came to power, her son and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Wednesday said Manmohan Singh had achieved a 'hell of a lot' and had both toughness and grit.

Rejecting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani's charge that he was a weak leader, Rahul Gandhi said: 'I guess, if he is a weak prime minister, he has achieved a hell of a lot.

He also said Manmohan Singh was a 'first class gentleman' and considered him to be 'one of the top leaders' of the country.

Addressing a press conference, he said: 'Let us not go back very far. During the (negotiations on) US deal, the prime minister showed tremendous grit, will and toughness. These are easy things to say. If he is a weak prime minister, he did not buckle in front of terrorists in Kandahar.

'He has achieved a lot for the country. I do not think he is weak. As a young leader of the Congress, he has my full support.'

Gandhi added: 'He has kept the country faster than it has ever grown. He has brought massive pressure on our neighbour over the Mumbai issue and he has given us a strategic deal (with the US) which the previous government had not done.'

A war of words broke out Tuesday between the prime minister and Advani. While Manmohan Singh challenged the BJP leader's ability to be prime minister, Advani hit back by again calling him weak.

But Rahul Gandhi avoided making any comments on Advani. He only said: 'He is a senior leader. I can't make comments about him. I am a youngster. I can only make comments about my leader.'

'I have had the pleasure of working with Manmohan Singh. I consider him to be one of the top leaders we have in the country. He is a first class gentleman. I don't think he is weak in the least,' Rahul Gandhi, who is meeting Youth Congress leaders here, said.

Rahul expressed his surprise over the allegedly inflammatory speeches of cousin Varun Gandhi, a BJP candidate from Uttar Pradesh, that attracted a strong reprimand from the Election Commission, which even asked the party not to field him the elections.

'I am surprised by his views. Life is full of surprises,' he said.

'Those are his views. I have my views. I don't carry hate and anger with me. Hatred and anger blind you,' Rahul Gandhi said.

He and Varun Gandhi are the grandsons of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi and greatgrandsons of Jawaharlal Nehru.

Asked about his taking charge as the prime minister, he laughed: 'I remember you were raising this issue even during the last elections in 2004. The press loves to raise this issue.'

He added that he was doing all he could to get more youngsters in the party and 'I enjoy my job.' Gandhi said the 'doors to politics' were 'open to youngsters.'

He admitted that the Congress had declined considerably in Uttar Pradesh, though he expressed hope that it would do well in the coming elections.

'We have declined considerably in UP. (But) I am optimistic about the situation. The people of UP are coming to the conclusion that the options that they have tried are not working,' Gandhi said and added: 'The state can not be run the way it is being run and has been run.'

READ MORE - Manmohan a top leader, has achieved hell of a lot: Rahul

Manmohan Singh slams Advani

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday criticised Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate L. K. Advani for calling him a weak leader.


“Let me say that whether I was a weak Prime Minister or the strong Prime Minister, actions of our government speak volumes for themselves.

I know Advani is making this charge again and again, and when I look at his record, all I can discover is the prominent role that he played is the destruction of Babri Mosque. What else has he done afterwards as a contribution to national welfare,” Singh told reporters on the occasion of releasing of manifesto of the Congress.

The Prime Minister also said that Advani in his tenure of Home Minister, failed to control western Gujarat riots and could not prevent military attacks on Parliament and Red Fort.

“When Advani was the Home Minister of the country, the attack on parliament took place. His government mobilized Indian troops for 12 months without getting any result, they rolled them back with thousands and thousands of crores of loss.

Parliament was attacked, Lal Qila (Red Fort) was attacked, Indian Airlines plane was hijacked and the terrorists were rewarded by being made the honoured guests.

This is the record of Advani. He was the home minister, who presided over the massacre that took place in Gujarat. The country must reflect whether this is a person who is fit to hold the office of the Prime Minister,” he said.

Prime Minister also alleged that endorsement of the inflammatory speech of Varun Gandhi by BJP is a reflection of its communal agenda.

“The BJP is dividing our people on the basis of the communal lines and the most recent shameful instance of this is their endorsement of the line that its young leader Varun Gandhi has taken with regard to his speeches that he made in Pilibhit,” Singh said.

India will hold elections between April 16 and May 13, in which 714 million people will cast their votes.

READ MORE - Manmohan Singh slams Advani

Manmohan Singh lashes Pakistan, says to take concrete steps to fight terrorism

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday urged Pakistan to take concrete steps to fight terrorism and bring perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks to justice.

“We expect Pakistan to bring all the culprits to justice. We have made important diplomatic efforts, which have succeeded so far.

For the first time, Pakistan has admitted that its own citizens have been involved in these horrible acts.

We expect Islamabad to take the next sequential steps and ensure that justice is done and the culprits are punished.

I can’t say that I am fully satisfied with the way the process is moving, but we still believe that diplomacy should be given a chance. No purpose is served by promoting war hysteria,” Singh told reporters here.

Earlier in March, India replied to the 30 questions raised by Pakistan over last November’s Mumbai attacks. Pakistan raised the questions in response to a dossier of evidence provided by India.

India said the dossier pointed to Pakistan-based militants being behind the attacks that killed 166 people in Mumbai.

READ MORE - Manmohan Singh lashes Pakistan, says to take concrete steps to fight terrorism

SP pitches for Manmohan Singh as next PM

New Delhi, Mar 17 : Notwithstanding its failure to reach a seat-sharing agreement with Congress, Samajwadi Party today said it would support Manmohan Singh for the Prime Ministership and ruled out his party joining the Third Front which will have CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat at its helm.

"Out of L K Advani (of NDA), Mayawati (of BSP) and Manmohan Singh, we prefer Manmohan Singh," Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh told reporters here when asked whom his party would support for Prime Ministership as there are several aspirants.

Taking a swipe at LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and BSP chief Mayawati who are aspiring to be the Prime Minister, Amar Singh said, "Pradhan mantri ki kursi ke liye swayamwar ho raha hai aur log saj dhaj ke tuktuki lagake baithe hain (the best suitable groom is being chosen for the PM's chair and people attired in best dresses are eyeing it)." Talking about the failure of SP and Congress to forge a seat-sharing alliance, Amar Singh said, "We may not have seat-sharing arrangement with it (Congress), we have ideological understanding with Congress, which is more important than seat-sharing." He made it clear that after the elections, SP would be with a "secular" coalition led by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

READ MORE - SP pitches for Manmohan Singh as next PM

Assam Congress would be happy if PM contests from Assam

Guwahati , Mar 8 : The Assam Congress would be happy if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh contests from Assam for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, state power minister Pradyut Bordoloi said today.

"We have not been informed yet if the Prime Minister would be contesting from Assam, but we will be very happy if he decides or expresses his willing to do so," Bordoloi told reporters here.

"Dr Singh represents Assam in the Upper House of Parliament. It is because of his goodwill towards Assam that we have been able to achieve so much development here,"he said.

The Congress would fight the Lok Sabha polls in the state on the slogan of&aposdevelopment', Bordoloi added.

Key issues on which the Congress will reach out to the voters would be communal amity and social justice, besides prevention of infiltration by foreigners, long term measures to arrest floods and erosion and creating income and employment opportunities.

READ MORE - Assam Congress would be happy if PM contests from Assam