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Gujarat needs Gandhian bottom-up model of development, says Sam Pitroda

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Sam Pitroda’s China remark sparks controversy

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hitting out at the saffron government in Gujarat, Pitroda said that the state must discard the top-down approach which mostly favors the top corporates.

Ahead of the Assembly polls in Gujarat, Sam Pitroda – who was one of the key personalities in launching the country’s telecom revolution during the regime of the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi – contradicted BJP’s key propaganda – “Gujarat model of development. Hitting out at the saffron government in Gujarat, Pitroda said that the state must take a bottom-up approach instead of the top-down approach towards development – which is only beneficial for the top corporates at the cost of the poor and marginalized section.

In an e-mail interview to IANS, Pitroda said, “Gujarat needs a Gandhian model of development bottom-up. Development should not be assessed in terms of how many lakhs or crores of rupees you can bring in as investment at global investors’ conferences. It doesn’t mean you dislike big corporates. But what will transform Gujarat is what do you do for the poor.”

Pitroda – who has been instrumental in drafting the Congress party’s manifesto for the upcoming Gujarat elections – further questioned the government on how the growth figures in terms of GDP is favorable for the common men in the state.

Stating that Gujarat need a new design of development, the former Telecom Commission Chairman asserted that if the Congress comes to power in the state, Gujarat Advisory Council will be formed on the lines of National Advisory Council. The advisory council was first formed during the first regime of the United Progressive Alliance in 2004 and later during it second regime from 2009 to 2014.

Being a close confidant of the Gandhi family, Pitroda played a key role in organizing Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the United States earlier this year. After his recent visit to Gujarat, Pitroda claimed that he had interacted with farmers, Dalits, women, fishermen, traders and NGOs in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Rajkot, Surat and Jamnagar. The 75-year-old stated that there is a growing discontent among the people of the state with the present governance.

Pitroda further took a dig at the BJP government over the implementation of the recently introduced policy reforms – demonetization and Goods and Service Tax (GST) regime. He said that the small and medium entrepreneurs have been adversely affected by the government’s economic reforms.

“Banks are not giving them loans. They are ready to give loans to big corporates but not to small entrepreneurs. The focus is on big projects like that of Tata MotorsBSE -1.36 %,” said Pitroda.

“The farmers’ complaints are that fertile lands are taken away from them with some compensation given. But after that no industry comes up on those lands. There is no economic profit for the local society,” Pitroda said and cited the case of GIFT (Gujarat International Finance Tec-City), “which has huge area of land but just a couple of office buildings,” he added.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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PM Modi marks Operation Sindoor anniversary, calls it India’s firm stand against terrorism

PM Modi said Operation Sindoor showcased India’s firm response against terrorism while paying tribute to the armed forces on the operation’s first anniversary.

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PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s firm response against terrorism and highlighted the country’s commitment to national security.

Marking one year of the operation, the Prime Minister praised the courage, precision and professionalism of the Indian armed forces. He said the military action was carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that had claimed the lives of 26 civilians in 2025.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, as a calibrated tri-services operation targeting terror infrastructure linked to cross-border terrorism. Reports said the operation showcased coordinated action by the armed forces and was seen as a major counter-terror response by India.

On the anniversary of the operation, PM Modi also changed the display pictures across his social media platforms, including X, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The image carried the text “Operation Sindoor” along with the Indian tricolour design.

The Indian Air Force also shared visuals and messages recalling the operation and highlighting India’s military response. A video released by the force described the operation as a strong message against terrorism and referred to the precision strikes carried out during the mission.

Operation Sindoor was launched following the Pahalgam terror attack, after which India carried out strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, according to official statements and reports published at the time.

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Vijay meets Tamil Nadu Governor again as TVK pushes to prove majority

TVK chief Vijay held another meeting with Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar as the party intensified efforts to secure majority support after emerging as the single-largest party in the Assembly elections.

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Actor-turned-politician Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar again on Thursday as his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), continued efforts to prove it has enough support to form the next government in the state.

TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly after winning 108 seats, but it remains short of the majority mark of 118.

The Congress has extended support to TVK, adding five MLAs to Vijay’s side. However, the alliance still needs additional backing from other parties or independents to comfortably cross the halfway mark.

According to reports, the Governor has not yet been fully convinced that TVK currently has the required numbers to form a stable government. This has delayed clarity over the swearing-in ceremony and the formal invitation to form the government.

Political activity intensified after reports emerged that some AIADMK legislators were moved to a resort in Puducherry amid speculation over possible support to TVK. AIADMK leaders, however, publicly denied any internal crisis.

TVK sources have expressed confidence that the party will be able to demonstrate majority support during discussions with the Governor.

The Tamil Nadu election results marked a major political shift in the state, with TVK breaking the long-standing dominance of the DMK and AIADMK in its first Assembly election contest.

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PM Modi changes social media profile pictures to mark Operation Sindoor anniversary

PM Modi changed his social media profile pictures to commemorate one year of Operation Sindoor, with several NDA leaders following the move.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday updated the display pictures of his social media accounts to mark the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor. The new image was seen across his profiles on X, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp channels.

The updated profile picture carries the text “Operation Sindoor” on a black background along with elements of the Indian tricolour. One of the letters in the word “Sindoor” has been stylised using vermilion, commonly associated with married Hindu women.

Operation Sindoor was launched a year ago by Indian defence forces and the Border Security Force along the western border. The anniversary was also marked by several Union ministers and NDA leaders, who changed their social media profile pictures in a similar manner.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other senior leaders were among those who adopted the commemorative display image on social media platforms, according to reports.

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