English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

Amid Padmavati row, Deepika Padukone pulls out of Global Entrepreneurship Summit

Published

8 years ago

on

Deepika-Padukone

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Facing death threats, abuse for her portrayal of Padmavati, Padukone to skip the summit which will be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on Nov 28 in Hyderabad

Under vitriolic attack from right-wing fringe groups and facing death threats for her portrayal of Rani Padmavati in Bollywood director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming flick Padmavati, actor Deepika Padukone has reportedly decided to skip the Indo-US Global Entrepreneurship Summit that will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Hyderabad on November 28.

While Padukone has herself not commented yet on why she had decided to give the event, which will see US president Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka leading a powerful American delegation, a miss government sources have told some sections of the media that the actor will not be attending the summit.

Former Indian cricket team captain MS Dhoni has also reportedly dropped out of the event, sources said.

While Padukone has most likely dropped out of the event due to the abuse and threats she has been facing for playing the titular role in Padmavati and the fact that a majority of these attacks have been directed at her by people and outfits patronized by Narendra Modi’s BJP, ‘she has so far refused to comment on the issue.

The summit – an event that the Narendra Modi-led BJP government will no doubt showcase as a major endorsement from global entrepreneurs of the supposedly investor-friendly policies of the Centre – will have ‘Women First, Prosperity for All’ as its theme. Ironical, given the broadside that Padukone has been facing in recent weeks, with leaders from the BJP and fringe group Karni Sena announcing bounties for killing her or chopping her nose off.

According to Jayesh Ranjan, principal secretary, IT and Industry, Telangana government, who is part of the team of bureaucrats overseeing the preparations for the high-profile event to be held in the capital of the newly-formed state confirmed that Padukone, who had earlier agreed to participate in a panel discussion to be organised during the summit, has opted out.

“There is a panel discussion on ‘Hollywood to Nollywood (the Nigerian film industry) to Bollywood’. Earlier, Deepika Padukone was expected to be in that session, but she has now declined. We are trying (to see) who can replace her,” Ranjan told mediapersons in Hyderabad.

The senior Telganana government official added: “Others have also dropped. For example, MS Dhoni was supposed to be in one of the sessions. Now he has declined. People are declining for various reasons. Because Dhoni has declined, we have to now bring in Sania (Mirza), (Pullela) Gopichand,” Ranjan told reporters.

With days to go before Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, scheduled to be held between November 28 and 30, the event is already drawing some negative publicity.

Earlier this month, reports had emerged that the Telangana government, with the approval of the Centre, had engaged in large-scale ‘beautification’ drive of Hyderabad wherein state agencies were rounding up beggars and slum dwellers from across the capital and relocating them to shelters for the poor. The action was being taken in a bid to give foreign delegates, including Ivanka Trump, coming for the event, a false impression that Hyderabad is a beggar-free city.

On Tuesday, a section of the media reported that at least two women who had been rounded up as part of this cover-up drive and parceled out to an ashram, were actually English-speaking, educated women who had worked in foreign countries and had huge financial assets within Hyderabad and abroad. These two middle-aged women had been forced to take to begging as personal circumstances had made them mentally disturbed.

According to a report by news agency PTI, the Telangana Prisons Department, in coordination with the local police and civic administration, has caught and shifted as many as 235 male beggars and over 130 women beggars to Anand Ashrams since October 20 as part of the ‘cover-up’ drive.

“Two women, aged 50 and 44, both natives of Hyderabad, were among some 30 women caught begging near a dargah (shrine) in Langer Hauz. Police took them to Anand Ashram on November 11,” a senior Telangana government official was quoted as saying.

To their astonishment, the Ashram staff found that the two women spoke English well and the elder of the two even told the Ashram staff that she had an MBA degree, and once worked as an accountant in London before returning to Hyderabad. The 50-year-old woman’s son was reportedly contacted by the authorities and confirmed the story.

“The younger woman said she was a Green Card holder and had worked in the US”, said K Arjun Rao, superintendent of the Cherlapalli open-air jail and the Ashram in-charge.

Arjun Rao told mediapersons that: “The 50-year-old woman had lost her husband and was facing certain problems… she had approached a godman, and on his advise started begging near the dargah. Her son is an architect based in the US.”

Rao added that the younger woman had taken to begging after her relatives cheated her out of her share of the ancestral property.

The two women have been handed over to their relatives, Rao informed, adding that they were asked to give a written undertaking saying that they would not return to begging.

There is, however, no word from the Telangana government or the Centre on how they would ensure that the two women, and scores of other beggars detained as part of the drive, will refrain from returning to begging once the Global Entrepreneurship Summit concludes. There is also no roadmap on what the state and federal governments plan to do to provide for the destitute women and men who are forced into begging because of various personal circumstances. Clearly, the razzmatazz of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit or the imminent high-octane addresses expected from Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Ivanka Trump will not alleviate the condition of the beggars of Hyderabad.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

India News

Amit Shah counters delimitation concerns, says southern states to gain Lok Sabha seats

Amit Shah assures Parliament that southern states will gain Lok Sabha seats after delimitation, countering opposition criticism during the women’s reservation debate.

Published

6 hours ago

on

April 16, 2026

By

Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday addressed concerns over the proposed delimitation exercise, asserting in the Lok Sabha that southern states will not lose representation but instead see an increase in their number of seats.

His remarks came during a heated debate linked to the implementation of women’s reservation, where opposition parties have raised fears that population-based delimitation could reduce the political weight of southern states.

Shah rejected these claims, calling them misleading, and said the proposed framework ensures fairness while expanding the overall strength of the Lok Sabha.

Seat count to rise with expansion of Lok Sabha

The government has indicated that the total number of Lok Sabha seats could increase significantly as part of the delimitation process. In this expanded House, the combined representation of southern states is expected to rise from 129 seats at present to around 195 seats.

Shah emphasised that no state will lose seats in absolute terms, and the exercise is designed to reflect population changes while maintaining balance across regions.

State-wise projections shared in Parliament

During his address, Shah also provided indicative figures for individual southern states, suggesting notable increases in representation. According to the projections:

  • Tamil Nadu could see its seats rise substantially
  • Kerala, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh are also expected to gain additional seats
  • Karnataka’s representation may increase as well

These figures were presented to counter the argument that delimitation would disproportionately favour northern states.

Political debate intensifies over linkage with women’s quota

The delimitation exercise has been closely linked to the rollout of women’s reservation, which proposes one-third seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies.

Opposition leaders have questioned this linkage, arguing that tying reservation to delimitation could delay its implementation and raise federal concerns. Some leaders have also warned that the move could impact national unity if apprehensions among states are not addressed.

The government, however, maintains that the reforms are necessary to ensure equitable representation and to align the electoral system with demographic realities.

Centre dismisses ‘false narrative’ on southern states

Shah reiterated that concerns about southern states losing influence are unfounded. He said the delimitation process will increase representation across regions and described the criticism as a “false narrative” aimed at creating confusion.

The issue is expected to remain a key flashpoint as Parliament continues discussions on the women’s reservation framework and related legislative changes.

Continue Reading

India News

PM Modi assures no discrimination in women’s quota, delimitation debate intensifies in Parliament

PM Narendra Modi has assured that women’s reservation will be implemented without discrimination, amid a heated debate over delimitation in Parliament.

Published

13 hours ago

on

April 16, 2026

By

PM modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured that there will be no discrimination in the implementation of women’s reservation, as Parliament witnessed a sharp debate over the proposed linkage between the quota and delimitation exercise.

During the ongoing special session, the government reiterated its commitment to ensuring fair representation while addressing concerns raised by opposition parties regarding the timing and structure of the legislation.

The proposed framework aims to reserve 33 percent of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. However, its implementation is tied to a fresh delimitation exercise, which is expected after the next census.

Opposition questions timing and intent

Opposition leaders have raised concerns that linking the women’s quota to delimitation could delay its implementation. They argue that the process of redrawing constituencies may push the actual rollout further into the future.

The issue has triggered a broader political confrontation, with multiple parties questioning whether the move could alter representation across states.

Some critics have also alleged that the delimitation exercise could disproportionately benefit certain regions based on population, a charge the government has rejected.

Government reiterates commitment to fair implementation

Responding to these concerns, the Centre has maintained that the reforms are necessary to ensure accurate and updated representation based on population data.

Leaders from the ruling side have repeatedly emphasized that the process will be carried out transparently and without bias. The assurance that there will be “no discrimination” is aimed at addressing fears among states and opposition parties.

The debate marks a key moment in Parliament, with both sides engaging in intense exchanges over one of the most significant electoral reforms in recent years.

Continue Reading

India News

Give all tickets to Muslim women, Amit Shah says, attacking Akhilesh Yadav on sub-quota demand

A sharp exchange between Amit Shah and Akhilesh Yadav in Parliament over sub-quota for Muslim women highlights key divisions on women’s reservation implementation.

Published

15 hours ago

on

April 16, 2026

By

A heated exchange broke out in Parliament during discussions on the women’s reservation framework, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav locking horns over the demand for a sub-quota for Muslim women.

The debate unfolded as the government pushed forward key legislative measures to implement 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

Akhilesh Yadav argued that the proposed reservation must ensure representation for women from marginalised communities, including Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Muslim women. He said that without such provisions, large sections could remain excluded from political participation.

He also questioned the timing of the bill, alleging that the Centre was avoiding a caste census. According to him, a census would lead to renewed demands for caste-based reservations, which the government is reluctant to address.

Government rejects religion-based quota

Responding to the demand, Amit Shah made it clear that reservation based on religion is not permitted under the Constitution.

He stated that any proposal to provide quota to Muslims on religious grounds would be unconstitutional, firmly rejecting the idea of a separate sub-quota for Muslim women within the broader reservation framework.

The government has maintained that the existing framework already includes provisions for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) women within the overall reservation structure.

Wider political divide over implementation

The issue of sub-categorisation within the women’s quota has emerged as a major flashpoint, even as most opposition parties broadly support the idea of women’s reservation.

Samajwadi Party leaders reiterated that their support for the bill depends on inclusion of OBC and minority women, while the government continues to defend its constitutional position.

The debate is part of a broader discussion during the special Parliament session, where multiple bills linked to delimitation and implementation of the women’s quota are being taken up.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com