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I do not have the luxury of being a former finance minister: Arun Jaitley responds to Yashwant Sinha

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A day after senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha slammed the Modi government’s handling of economy in a stinging article in The Indian Express, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley defended the government policies saying they are aimed at ending corruption.

Speaking at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Jaitley defended the government’s decision of demonetisation and the launch of Goods and Services Tax (GST) and took a dig at his predecessor and said he does not have the luxury of being a former finance minister.

Refusing to respond to the charges made by Sinha, Jaitley said, “I must confess that I do not have the luxury as yet of being a former finance minister. Nor do I have the luxury of being a former finance minister who has turned a columnist.”

He added, “Therefore I can conveniently forget a policy paralysis, 4 billion reserves left in 1991 and I can switch over and change a narrative. Speaking of persons and then bypassing the issues is something which is very easily done.”

The minister also rejected the notion that the economy is in a downward spiral as suggested by Sinha. He mentioned the figures of tax collection to substantiate his claim of a strong economy. “Direct tax figures are 15.7% over and above last year’s figure, so this so-called slowdown visualized by some, hasn’t even impacted,” said Jaitley.

On GST, Jaitley said that the decision was taken with consensus and it was everybody’s call that a single rate should be introduced. He said that while some Congress leaders have been critical, most of the state governments have been supportive. Some teething problems were always expected, he added.

Calling fiscal prudence a difficult job, he said that there has been no reduction in the collection of direct taxes during his tenure. He said that the GST collection in the first two months has also been on expected lines and will pick up pace soon.

Speaking about slow down of growth in the private sector, Jaitley said some harsh steps were taken to control the effects of the “reckless lending” that took place during the UPA era.

On ease of doing business, Jaitley said that the government has ended rep-tapism. Earlier there was a lot of government discretion, which led to corruption. PM Modi has scrapped government discretion and left it to market forces, he said. This, he said, has made India a more attractive destination.

“Today the challenge really is during the boom period of 2003 to 2008-09, our private sector expanded when global economy slowed down. Private companies had undertaken large liabilities from bank, did not find demand. When global commodity prices went down, many of them did not find their loans serviceable.

“Then came a situation in 2012-14 when the governmet virtually gave up, there was no policy initiative, they allowed things to drift on their own. When you allow this, the figure (NPAs) mounted up. I must say that those in government, those in banking industry, those in RBI, when reckless lending took place, all looked the other way.

“Then suddenly some harsh steps were required. so debate is are all those steps taken a bit too harsh. Bankers believe the steps with regard to excessive provisioning are a bit too hard on them. therefore the private sector area itself was one area we have not grown…several areas of private sector have grown.

“Large industry is borrowing more from the bond market than the banks itself. that is the problem that needs to be addressed by us.

Talking about the criticism against demonetisation, Jaitley said it “one of the smoothest possible replacements of currency itself.” He said, “People saw riots would begin, starvation would take place. It was one of smoothest possible replacements of currency itself.”

He also said that the note ban targeted the shadow economy. “Demonetisation was to make sure that the anonymous tender which operated in market gets identified to its owner. The prime minister has a strong agenda on creating a new normal as far as countery’s shadow economy was concerned,” said Jaitley.

The minister added that the government is serious at checking the improper political funding. He added that illegtimate political funding has corrupted the society and tarnished the country’s image globally.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Mallikarjun Kharge writes to PM Modi seeks time to explain Congress’s Nyay Patra

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge wrote an open letter to PM Modi and said the Prime Minister is being misinformed by his advisors

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Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge wrote Prime Minister Narendra Modi a letter on Thursday, requesting an explanation of the ancient party’s Nyay Patra.

In support of the Congress manifesto, Kharge said that the Nyay Patra aims to give justice to marginalised people from all castes and communities, including women, children, farmers, and labourers.

The Congrss president said, PM’s  advisors are misrepresenting things to him that aren’t even included in our manifesto. Kharge said, he would be more than happy to meet with him in person to explain thehir Nyay Patra’ so that, as prime minister of the country, he dosen’t make any statements that are false.

It has become his  habit to seize on a few words taken out of context, create communal divide, Kharge added.

The Congress leader said that he is neither shocked nor surprised by the language used by the prime minister, in reference to Modi’s recent addresses.

It was expected that the PM and other leaders from his party would start speaking in this manner after he saw the dismal performance of the BJP in the first phase of the elections, he continued.

The impoverished and their rights have been a topic of discussion in Congress (nyay). We know that you and your administration do not care about the underprivileged and destitute, he remarked.

Continuing his attack on the prime minister, Kharge said, PM’s ‘suit-boot ki sarkar’ works for the corporates whose taxes you reduced while the salaried class pays higher taxes. The poor pay GST even on food and salt and the rich corporate claim GST refunds. That is why, when we talk of inequality between the rich and the poor, you are purposely equating it with Hindu and Muslim.

Following the criticisms made by the prime ministers in their recent election speeches, Kharge has responded. Modi has not held back when criticizing the main opposition party at his rallies, accusing them of scheming to redistributing assets and referring to the Congress manifesto as a “imprint of the Muslim League.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Bollywood actor Neha Sharma campaigns for her father Ajit Sharma in Bhagalpur, Bihar

The Bollywood actor posted a video on her Instagram handle which showed her journey through various districts of Bihar, including Kishanganj, Banka, Purnea and Katihar. She was dressed in a traditional salwar kameez and was seen greeting and encouraging the public to cast their votes.

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Bollywood actor Neha Sharma’s recent participation in a roadshow in Bihar has taken the internet by storm. Sharma, known for her roles in films like Tum Bin 2 and Crook, was seen supporting her father, Ajit Sharma, who is contesting from Bhagalpur Lok Sabha seat on a Congress ticket. The roadshow came amid speculations that the actor might enter politics. But, it is now clear that she was just campaigning for her father.

neha sharma

The Bollywood actor posted a video on her Instagram handle which showed her journey through various districts of Bihar, including Kishanganj, Banka, Purnea and Katihar. She was dressed in a traditional salwar kameez and was seen greeting and encouraging the public to cast their votes.

The actor received a warm reception and love from a large crowd in Pirpainti and Kahalgaon during her roadshow. She wrote on Instagram that it is said when someone gives one a place in their heart, then they live there forever. She said her heart is full of all the love and support she was receiving from the people. She thanked the people for the warm welcome she got in Pirpainti and Kahalgaon. Aapka pyar sar ankhon par.

Another video, circulating on social media showed the actor actively participating in her father’s election campaign in Bhagalpur. The election to the Bhagalpur Lok Sabha seat is set to take place in the 2nd phase on April 26. Ajit Sharma is representing the Congress and is up against JDU’s Ajay Kumar Mandal in this seat.

Earlier, there had been rumours and speculations that Neha Sharma might join politics. But many reports have clarified that she is not making her political debut yet. The Bollywood actor had been offered the opportunity to join politics by her father Ajjit Sharma but she is currently focusing on her acting career.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Mallikarjun Kharge vows to continue politics till his last breath to defeat BJP

The 81-year-old Congress leader was speaking at a election rally in Afzalpur and said that if the people did not vote for the Congress candidate, he would think that he did not have any place in Kalaburagi anymore.

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Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday appealed to the people of Kalaburagi to at least attend his funeral if they thought he worked for them even though they do not wish to vote for Congress in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

The 81-year-old Congress leader was speaking at a election rally in Afzalpur and said that if the people did not vote for the Congress candidate, he would think that he did not have any place in Kalaburagi anymore. The Congress President sought an emotional chord with the people of his home district of Kalaburagi, Karnataka

The grand old party has fielded Kharge’s son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani from Kalaburagi, against BJP’s sitting MP Umesh Jadhav. Kharge had won the Lok Sabha elections from Kalaburagi in 2009 and 2014, but lost in 2019. He appealed to the voters to vote for Congress but at least come to his funeral if they thought that he had done some work in Kalaburagi. Kharge added that he would continue in politics till his last breath to defeat the BJP and RSS ideology.

The Congress leader said he is born for politics and whether or not he contests the election, he will continue to strive till his last breath to save the Constitution and democracy of the country. He asserted that he will not retire from politics. Kharge said that retirement happens from a position but one should not retire from his/her principles. He said he is born to defeat the ideology of the BJP and RSS and not to surrender before them.

He advised Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who shared the stage with him, to follow his principles. He said he had told Siddaramaiah many times that he may retire as CM or MLA, but he cannot retire from politics till he defeats the ideology of the BJP and RSS.

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