It is ironical that Manmohan Singh and P Chidambaram, the two politicians primarily responsible for the near destruction of the country’s economy during their concurrent tenures as Prime Minister and Minister for Finance respectively, should be alleging that the economy is on a downturn since the Modi-led Government assumed power. It requires a certain amount of brazen shamelessness to do so, but they have done it. The recent release of an 80 page document to contend that the Government was hiding behind the numbers and the employment creation was abysmally low shows there narrow mindedness.Singh and his colleagues must remember that the international agencies such as the IMF have also welcomed the demonetisation move taken by the Modi Government and have expressed hope that the fallouts would be effectively addressed by the Modi Government. Indeed several economic experts across the globe have interpreted the decision as a bold and necessary step by Prime Minister Shri Modi, but obviously neither Manmohan Singh nor his then Finance Minister would want to refer to those statements as their main motive is to defame the Modi Government. Despite
demonetisation (which the Economic Survey says will impact GDP growth by 0.25 per cent to 0.5 per cent in the short term), the survey is confident that the farm sector will grow robustly (to 4.1 per cent, up from 1.2 per cent last year).This is contrary to the phobia the Congress has been spreading over the last few months. Besides, the positive impact of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, once it rolled out, will happen too.
BIBHU PATEL, Odisha
Beneficial to Every One (Walk the Talk, February 12); The 2017-18 Union Budget, with its emphasis on the agriculture sector had effectively dented Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi’s accusation that the Modi Government is a suit boot ki sarkar. The Modi Government must be complemented for |
Inside story of Punjab
(Their Last Battle of BALLOT, February 12); I read the article titled ‘Their Last Battle of BALLOT’ by Ajay Bhardwaj about the Punjab elections in Organiser. I am happy that all the BJP leaders including Prime Minister Shri Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah who went to Punjab for electioneering praised 89 years old Parkash Singh Badal. Shri Badal has actually done a lot for rural Punjab and that is why the rural Punjab praises him. He has given free electricity to the poor peasants of Punjab and started a large number of other pro-people schemes like atta-dal scheme for the poor. If the Akali-BJP alliance is defeated in these elections the poor peasants will have to pay heavy electric bills. Secondly only Badal can save the waters of Punjab. On the issue of Sutlej Yamuna link Canal (SYL) he said, “I am prepared to go to jail but I will not allow the SYL to be dug out.” The traditional anti-BJP press criticised the above BJP leaders for this. Captain Amerinder Singh too says that he would not allow the SYL to be dug. But it was the Captain who offered Indira Gandhi a kahi of silver for laying the foundation of the SYL on April 8, 1982. There was a blood bath of the innocent people in Punjab as a consequence of this. Even today Sonia Gandhi says that Captain will allow the SYL and impose the
electricity bills on the poor kisans. We talk in our homes in Australia that the Punjabis (Sikhs) made a blunder
mistake by not electing Arun Jaitley to the Lok Sabha from Amritsar. Captain Amerinder Singh never came to Amritsar after the election. On the other hand Jaitley is the son of the Punjab. He speaks Punjabi and understands the problems of Punjabis well. Had we elected him to the Lok Sabha from Amritsar he would have done a lot of development work in Amritsar. Navjot Singh Sidhu is the most opportunistic leader. He bites the hand that feeds him. The BJP sent him to the Lok Sabha thrice. Then they sent him to the Rajya Sabha. Yet he betrayed BJP. Arvind Kejriwal is playing with the sentiments of the NRI Sikhs. He pretends to be the supporter of the Sikhs and the Punjab but in fact he is not so.
AMAR JIT SINGH GORAYA,
30, Gillmartin DrGriffith NSW, Australia
Unjust Step
As feared, the Donald Trump Administration has indicated that it will not only squeeze the immigration
programme, but will also change rules for HI-B visa so as to promote local talent in the US. This is a sad development as not only Indian IT companies have been sending talent to work with the US companies, but Indian students also go to the US in hordes for better education and career. The Trump Administration must not forget that the wage of an Indian is far less than that of an US worker, so it is a win-win situation for both.
BAL GOVIND, Noida
Matter of shame for Marxists
It is a matter of shame that the Kerala Marxist are terrorising the BJP workers. The recent anti- BJP attacks in Kerala shifting from northern Kannur District, to the State capital Thiruvananthapuram is a message in this regard. If it was the CPM (M)’s killer gangs that are on the campaign of violence in Kannur against the BJP workers, Thiruvananthapuram saw the police controlled by the Marxist Chief Minister Vijayan, who holds the Home portfolio, showering physical terror on the BJP workers and leaders who were protesting against the
atrocities perpetrated by the management of the private Kerala Law Academy Law College against the
students, with water canons, lathis, tear gas and even grenades. The CPI (M) must understand that Keralites are no more tolerant of campaigns of violence — be it in Kannur, Thiruvananthapuram or any other place.
SAGAR MATHEW, Kerala
Ray of Hope for Good Education in the Budget
The Union Budget 2017-18 holds promise for significant reforms in the country’s education sector. For the first time in recent memory, the Budget has demonstrated focus on quality output instead of on mere number of
educational institutions, both at the school and the higher levels. This was necessary because, as successive findings by various agencies including the Annual State of Education Report, have informed about the abysmal quality of education being given to the students, more so at the primary and at the secondary levels. This had to do both with the quality of infrastructure and the quality of teachers. Besides an over-emphasis on text-books teaching without additionally restoring to creative methods has hampered the rounded development of a student’s mind. To begin with Union Minister for Finance has enhanced the allocation for education by nearly 10 per cent over the previous year. It is now up to the Ministry of Human Resource Development to make good use of the enhanced money.
RAJENDRA BHUTANI, Hyderabad
Incorrigible Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s provocation to call Prime Minister Narendra Modi a shameless dictator was the Income Tax Department’s recommendation to the poll panel to cancel the Aam Aadmi Party’s status as a political Party for submitting for false and fabricated audit reports for
donations of over rupees 27 crore. It is not for the first time that Kejriwal is facing a legal action for his
misdemeanours from the official agencies. The Election Commission of India had asked the Goa office to file an FIR against Kejriwal for advising his
supporters to accept bribes from opponents but also vote for the APP. Also he is up against several defamation cases pending in courts. Over the years India has witnessed many maverick politicians but Kejriwal takes the cake for being the crudest holder of a high constitutional office. It does not occur to Kejriwal that if Modi was a shameless dictator, would the former had survived after his anti — Modi abuses? His senselessness must be colossal.
M RATAN, Delhi
