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Modi far ahead others in popularity, majority of Indians favour dictatorship

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Modi far ahead others in popularity, majority of Indians favour dictatorship

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  • Nearly nine out of 10 Indians hold a favourable opinion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
  • Seven-in-ten Indians are now satisfied with the way things are going in the country.
  • More than eight-in-ten (85%) voice trust in the national government.
  • The public is also quite satisfied (79%) with the way their democracy is currently working.

These findings of a Pew Research Centre survey come as a major morale booster for the BJP ahead of some key state elections and with two years to go before the next Lok Sabha elections.

The survey was conducted just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was going to complete three years in government, between Feb. 21 – Mar. 10, 2017, a few months after the drastic, much reviled step of demonetisation. One may quibble about the sample size of the survey, which was 2,464. It was based on face-to-face interviews with respondents in 16 of India’s 18 most populous states and Delhi.

Modi’s popularity rating in the survey is seen as unusual for a leader having completed three years in office, with no sign of his popularity waning since 2015 when his government was one year old. “Three years into Modi’s five-year tenure, the honeymoon period for his administration may be over but the public’s love affair with current conditions in India is even more intense,” Pew said.

For those who oppose Modi for being autocratic, the survey provides a reality check: A majority, 53% support military rule and 55% of Indians back a governing system in which a strong leader can make decisions without interference from parliament or the courts. Support for autocratic rule is higher in India than in any other nation surveyed. India is one of only four nations where half or more of the public supports governing by the military.

The Pew research findings also lend credence to views about the saffron party’s ‘intolerance’: BJP supporters in general had more intense and stronger views that those of other parties.

About eight-in-ten (79%) in India are satisfied with the way their democracy is currently working.

Modi’s lowest ratings are for his handling of communal relations (50%) – the long fractious tensions between Muslims and Hindus and India’s various castes – and for his efforts to curb air pollution (48%). Women are particularly critical of how he has dealt with communal relations, as are people living in northern India. Rural Indians are less supportive than those in urban areas of his handling of both communal relations and air pollution. But both of these issues are relatively low priorities for Indian adults.

The Pew survey found that 88 per cent of Indians held a favourable view of Modi, a shade higher than the 87 per cent who gave him a thumbs-up in 2015, a year after he swept to power promising to transform India into a high-growth economy.

Modi’s favourable rating is 31 percentage points higher than that of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the leader of the main opposition Congress party, 30 points more than that for her son and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who is expected to take over the party leadership, and 49 percent higher than Delhi chief minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal.

Public backing for Arvind Kejriwal has consistently dipped after coming to power in Delhi in 2015. Two years on, only 39 per cent Indians view him in a favourable light.

Not just Modi, but also his party, the BJP, continues to enjoy widespread public support. More than eight-in-ten Indians have a favourable view of the party, roughly its level of backing for the past three years, says the report.

About six-in-ten Indians express a positive opinion of the Congress party. Again, this is fairly consistent with past support. But the gap between BJP and Congress backing, which was 26 points in 2015 and then narrowed to 13 points in 2016, has now widened again to 25 points.

Indians in rural areas (63%) are more supportive of Congress than those in cities (51%). Those with a primary education or less are more likely to back Congress than are those with at least some college education.

Notably, 60% of Congress party supporters have a favourable view of the BJP. Just 45% of BJP backers hold a positive opinion of the Congress party. Neither party’s supporters hold positive views of the AAP.

While there has been much criticism of Modi government over demonetisation and growing unemployment, the poll found that more than 80 percent of those surveyed said economic conditions were good, up 19 percentage points since just before the 2014 election. “Overall, seven-in-ten Indians are now satisfied with the way things are going in the country. This positive assessment of India’s direction has nearly doubled since 2014,” Pew said.

More than 83 per cent Indians say the nation’s economy is good, and 30 per cent say it is very good.

Bloomberg reported that in an email reply, Bruce Stokes of Pew Research said that the data on hand does not include public sentiment over the last few months after signs emerged that the economy was in a funk after two economic disruptions in 6 months – demonetisation and the GST roll out. “What is important is that satisfaction with the economy was widely shared across demographic groups. And trust in the government and satisfaction with democracy was correlated with economic satisfaction,” Stokes told Bloomberg.

Roughly three-quarters of the public (76%) says the media, such as television, radio, newspapers and online news, have a good influence on the way things are going in India. But such sentiment is far less intensely felt (39% very good) and is down 16 points from public views in 2015. BJP supporters (79%) are much more likely than Congress backers (59%) to say the media have a good influence, and Congress supporters are somewhat more likely to have no view.

BJP supporters and those who live in urban areas are significantly more likely than Congress party backers and those in rural regions to support rule by a strong leader, by the military and by experts. Rural respondents and Congress supporters are significantly more likely to offer no opinion, however. Those with some college education or more are significantly more likely than those with a primary education or less to back rule by experts, although those with less education are also more likely to not answer. In general, there are no major differences by gender and age.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Jharkhand elections: Amit Shah says will implement Uniform Civil Code in state

The party aims to create 500,000 job opportunities, including 287,000 government positions, to bolster employment in Jharkhand, the Union Home Minister promised.

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday announced that if the BJP is elected to power in Jharkhand, it will implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) while excluding tribal communities from its provisions.

Speaking in Ranchi during the release of the party’s manifesto ‘Sankalp Patra’ for the upcoming Assembly elections, Shah emphasised that the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) government’s claims that the UCC would threaten tribal rights and culture are unfounded.

“Our government will introduce UCC in Jharkhand but tribals will be kept out of its ambit. The JMM government is making false propaganda that UCC will impact tribal rights and culture, which is totally baseless as they will be kept out of its ambit,” the senior BJP leader said.

Additionally, Shah stated that the BJP, if successful in the elections, would address the Sarna religious code issue and establish a Displacement Commission to aid those affected by industrial and mining activities in the state.

“BJP, if voted to power in Jharkhand, will deliberate on the Sarna religious code issue, and take appropriate decisions. A Displacement Commission will be formed to ensure the rehabilitation of people displaced by industries and mines in Jharkhand,” She said.

The party aims to create 500,000 job opportunities, including 287,000 government positions, to bolster employment in Jharkhand, the Union Home Minister promised.

Shah also assured that the BJP would conduct investigations by the CBI and SIT into ongoing “paper leak” scandals and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.

Moreover, he highlighted plans to enact laws to reclaim land from illegal immigrants and to identify and deport these individuals, asserting that the rights of land, women, and food for local residents are at risk due to illegal immigration.

He accused the JMM-led government of facilitating illegal immigration, claiming it had resulted in a decline in the tribal population and significant demographic changes in the state. Shah expressed concerns over Hindu communities feeling under siege and criticised the state government for widespread corruption.

Shah arrived in Ranchi on Saturday night and was set to hold rallies in Ghatshila, Barkatha, and Simaria the following day. The state Assembly elections, which will elect members to the 81-seat assembly, are scheduled to occur in two phases on November 13 and 20, with the results to be counted on November 23.

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Death threat to Yogi Adityanath: 24-year-old woman arrested for threatening Uttar Pradesh CM

“The woman is well qualified but is mentally unstable,” the police said.

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The Mumbai police have arrested a 24-year-old woman, Fatima Khan, on Sunday for allegedly sending a death threat to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Khan, who has a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, lives with her family in the Ulhasnagar area of the Thane district in Maharashtra; her father works in the timber business.

According to police, while she is well-educated, she is reportedly mentally unstable. “The woman is well qualified but is mentally unstable,” the police said.

The threat was communicated through a message received on the Mumbai traffic police’s WhatsApp number, warning that if Adityanath did not resign from his position within 10 days, he would face a fate similar to that of NCP leader Baba Siddique.

Following the investigation, police traced the message back to Khan.

The Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), in collaboration with Ulhasnagar police, successfully located and detained her.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident. With Adityanath expected to visit Maharashtra to campaign ahead of the November 20 state Assembly elections, police have increased security measures.

Notably, former Maharashtra Minister Baba Siddique was shot dead in Bandra, Mumbai, on October 12.

A few days earlier, a 20-year-old suspected caller was arrested today in Noida for threatening Baba Siddique’s son, Zeeshan Siddique and Bollywood actor Salman Khan.

According to reports, the suspected caller, identified as Mohammad Tayyab alias Gurfan, also demanded ransom from Zeeshan Siddique and Salman Khan. The 20-year-old was arrested in Noida’s Sector 39 area and the Mumbai Police brought him to the city on a transit remand.

In another threat, Mumbai Police had arrested Shaikh Hussain Shaikh Mausin, a 24-year-old vegetable seller from Jamshedpur, over a threat message received by Mumbai traffic police’s WhatsApp helpline.

Reportedly, a threat message demanding Rs 5 crore from Salman Khan was received on the Mumbai Traffic Police’s WhatsApp helpline, prompting the police to file a case and launch an investigation. 

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RJD slams PM Modi over his unfulfilled promise to revive Bihar sugar mills

She sarcastically asked, “Why did he not fulfill his own promise? Has he developed diabetes?”

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The RJD on Saturday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his unfulfilled promise to revive sugar mills in Bihar and wondered whether the Prime Minister has given up on his promise because of diabetes.

RJD MP Misa Bharti humorously remarked on PM Modi’s unfulfilled commitment to enjoy tea sweetened with sugar from Bihar’s sugar mills, which have remained inactive for many years.

Bharti, the eldest daughter of RJD leader Lalu Prasad, asserted that the sugar industry in Bihar has not been revived so far and questioned whether Modi had abandoned his promise due to diabetes.

“The PM is enjoying his third consecutive term in office and has not fulfilled any of the promises he made before ascending to power,” she stated, emphasising her disappointment as a resident of Bihar who recalls Modi’s grand declarations about revitalizing the state’s sugar mills.

She sarcastically asked, “Why did he not fulfill his own promise? Has he developed diabetes?”

Responding to media inquiries, Bharti also dismissed the concept of “One nation one poll” as a “shigoofa” (gimmick) from the Modi government, arguing that they struggle to conduct elections in four states simultaneously, let alone nationwide.

Her comment referenced the Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand occurring after recent elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.

Affiliated with the INDIA coalition, Bharti expressed confidence in the alliance’s success in upcoming Assembly elections and by-polls. Additionally, she condemned derogatory comments made by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant against a candidate from Eknath Shinde’s faction, asserting that “no offensive remarks should be made about a woman, even if she is a rival.”

Furthermore, she criticised inflammatory statements from Union Minister Giriraj Singh during the Hindu Swabhiman Yatra, saying it is “appalling” that a Union Minister could incite violence without facing repercussions.

Bharti also raised concerns about the BJP’s silence regarding a new political outfit formed by former Union Minister RCP Singh, who had transitioned to the BJP after being ousted from Nitish Kumar’s JD(U).

She took issue with Prashant Kishor, the Jan Suraaj founder, for making commitments that he never asked BJP and Nitish Kumar to fulfill while he was managing their campaign.

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