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New Delhi, Jan 14 (IANS) A sharp political war of words erupted on Wednesday after Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on China and India’s industrial growth, with senior BJP leaders accusing him of undermining national interests and echoing narratives favourable to foreign powers.

The controversy arose followed LoP Gandhi’s speech in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, where he addressed a school function and spoke about the future of children and India’s economic growth through industrial development.

LoP Rahul Gandhi stressed that while India has performed well in the IT sector, manufacturing has not reached its potential over the past 11 years, particularly in the small-scale sector. LoP Gandhi also highlighted that many commonly used items, such as microphones and cameras, are imported from China, underlining the need for a shift in mindset to promote domestic production.

Reacting strongly to this on Wednesday, BJP Delhi President Virendra Sachdeva alleged that LoP Gandhi consistently damages India’s image.

“Rahul Gandhi goes abroad and plays into the hands of foreign powers. I want to comment on those who are working at the behest of the country’s enemies. Every Indian understands how serious Rahul Gandhi really is,” Sachdeva said.

BJP leader Yaser Jilani also criticised the Congress leader, questioning his focus. “Will Rahul Gandhi ever talk about India? India itself is emerging as a major force in front of the entire world. It has strong manufacturing capacity, a large workforce, and a vast market. If Rahul Gandhi talks about these aspects of India, it would be more beneficial for him,” Jilani said.

Joining in the criticism, BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri linked the MP’s comments to what he described as a historical pattern within the Congress leadership.

“This is in their DNA. Even their grandfather had said that when Sardar Patel warned that China was occupying our land, he dismissed it by saying that not even grass grows there, so why should we sacrifice our youth for it. As a result, thousands of square kilometres of land were handed over to China,” Bidhuri alleged.

He claimed, “This reflects their long-standing mindset, one of opposition and betrayal of national interests. Rahul Gandhi has not said anything new. This line of thinking has continued from his grandfather’s time itself.”

Defending Rahul Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee Vice President V. Gurunadham said the leader was highlighting the need for stronger manufacturing capabilities in India.

“Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi visited Tamil Nadu for a school function and delivered a speech on the future of children and boosting India’s economic growth through industrial development,” Gurunadham said.

He added that Gandhi pointed to China’s rapid technological and industrial progress, including aircraft manufacturing, while noting that India continues to lag behind in large-scale industrial growth, hence there was a need for boosting manufacturing capabilities of the nation.

–IANS

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Varanasi, May 26 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi completing 12 years in office drew praise on Tuesday from devotees and residents in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi, with many hailing his leadership for boosting India’s global standing and accelerating development in the temple city.

People from Varanasi and visitors said the country’s image has strengthened significantly on the global stage during PM Modi’s tenure, while Kashi has witnessed visible changes in infrastructure, cleanliness and religious development.

Pooja Pandey, a local resident, said PM Modi’s tenure had brought major achievements for the country and transformed Varanasi.

“PM Modi’s tenure has been very good. We had never achieved so many accomplishments before. Today, India is well recognised in all foreign countries; earlier, it was not like this. A lot of good work has also been done in Varanasi, which is his parliamentary constituency. Security has improved, employment opportunities have increased, and by developing the corridor, he provided jobs to many unemployed people. There may hardly be any Prime Minister like him. We want him to return again in 2029,” she told IANS.

Another resident, Raghavendra Singh, pointed to cleanliness and beautification in the city.

“PM Modi’s tenure has been very good. Earlier, people used to create filth everywhere. Today, beautification has taken place in every lane and street,” he said.

Devotees visiting from other districts and states also echoed similar views, saying the transformation in Varanasi was clearly visible.

Gaurav Pandey, a devotee from Bihar, said the difference compared to a decade ago was remarkable.

“If we compare it to 10-12 years ago, there was not this much development when we used to come here. Now everything has become very beautiful. Cleanliness has improved a lot,” he said.

Satendra Gupta, a devotee from Hathras, praised the government’s efforts towards temple restoration and promoting Sanatan traditions.

“The tenure has been very good, especially for Sanatan Dharma. He has created a strong image for himself and for the country across the world, which is highly commendable. Temples have been renovated and restored very well,” Gupta said.

Dinesh Pratap Singh, a devotee from Ghazipur, said Kashi had witnessed unprecedented development in recent years.

“What had not happened in Kashi over the last 70 years has happened now. Whether it is roads, electricity or any other arrangements, there has been major improvement,” he said.

With PM Modi marking 12 years in office, voices from Varanasi reflected appreciation for the city’s changing landscape and the belief among many residents and devotees that India’s visibility and prestige have risen globally under his leadership.

–IANS

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New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan was sought to be implicated in the Bofors scandal by a planted story linking his name to a secret Swiss account for kickbacks from the Swedish arms giant as part of a “vicious campaign”, says journalist Chitra Subramaniam.  

“No, there was absolutely no shred of evidence that he (Amitabh Bachchan) had taken any money. But the water had been muddied so much that by the time the water could be cleaned up, the damage had been done,” Subramaniam told IANS in an interview.

“And you know how it is like, imagine the name of the Bachchans, I mean it’s a big name…”

Subramaniam, who has detailed how she faced pressure to find any proof of the involvement of the Bachchans — the Big B and his brother Ajitabh — after their names cropped up in the scandal, in her recently released “Boforsgate: A Journalist’s Pursuit of Truth”, accused a section of the then government and media of trying to implicate the Bollywood megastar, who was then a member of Lok Sabha from Allahabad.

“And you say the sixth account…there was no sixth account. It didn’t exist… it was planted by the Indian government officials,” she said, and called out the media and some then officials from top legal authorities of a “habit of speaking around loosely”.

“You don’t speak loosely as a journalist… if you are a journalist of stature or an official of stature, you don’t speak loosely, throwing names here and there. You know the office of the Solicitor General of India, or the CBI (the Central Bureau of Investigation) meeting the office of the Swiss authorities, you don’t speak around loosely. Every word is precious, whatever you say, you must be careful…,” she added.

In her book, Subramaniam notes that an Indian delegation, comprising several top officials, had, at a meeting with a Bofors delegation, mentioned the names of the Bachchans and some Italian relatives of the Prime Minister.

She also recounts how she had travelled with an official Indian delegation to Switzerland in 1990 and after a meeting with Swiss officials, one team member took her aside and told her how there was a “sixth account” which could not be blocked as it was connected with the account of someone whose name did not figure in the FIR. According to this team member, the Swiss were given a list of names, including the Bachchans, and had allegedly indicated it was them. She posited that the bid to draw in the Bachchans was due to the fact they were close to the Gandhi family.

Subramaniam notes she made 18 phone calls to her sources “Snowman” in Switzerland and “Sting” in Sweden, seeking confirmation but drew a blank, with both sources telling her that she needed a break.

The story broke out in two Swedish papers and then in a number of Indian papers, and Subramaniam said she was asked by several people how she had missed the story but stuck to her guns of not doing it unless she obtained independent confirmation and was eventually vindicated.

In the book, she also notes how the Bachchans came to her house for dinner, and the talks eventually veered on to Bofors, and she told him that she had not found any evidence against him.

Asked if Amitabh Bachchan’s silence on the matter, and his resignation as an MP in 1987, were counter-productive, Subramanian termed him a “gentleman to the core”.

“What can you say if the accusation is so false, where you do even begin?” she said.

Subramaniam noted that she had first got in touch with Ajitabh Bachchan in Switzerland even though she was not allowed to meet him when she went to his home, and he later connected with her over the phone before meeting Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan. She recounts further meetings and how she and her family members were impressed by the breadth of his knowledge of things beyond cinema.

But, the contact with the Big B and her stand in not believing the planted story led to a spate of nasty stories and character assassination in a section of the Indian media then.

“And now, when I think back, people have asked me why do you think he (Amitabh Bachchan) was brought in, I think there was envy. The man was.. he didn’t need the money, he didn’t need the fame, he was somebody on his own. You needed to crush him… and the viciousness of it all, it was horrible,” Subramaniam told IANS.

–IANS

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