India News
PM leaves for first ever Israel visit
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Haretz expects BJP will anchor ties with greater alacrity
Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for his three-day visit to Israel Tuesday morning, being the first Indian PM to land in that country. His Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and his senior ministers and large number of dignitaries will receive him at Tel Aviv airport, the rare honor given to Pope and the US President.
At the end of his Israel visit, PM is scheduled to visit Hamburg in Germany from June 6 to 8 for attending G-20 Summit.
In a series of Facebook posts, Prime Minister said “I will be visiting Israel on 4-6 July, 2017 upon invitation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As the first Prime Minister to do so, I am greatly looking forward to this unprecedented visit that will bring two countries and people closer. This year India and Israel are marking 25 years of our diplomatic relations.”
While describing his priorities during the visit Prime Minister said, “I will have in-depth talks with Prime Minister Netanyahu on the full spectrum of our partnership and strengthening it in diverse fields for mutual benefit. We will also have the chance to discuss major common challenges like terrorism.”
He said, “I will visit the Yad Vashem memorial Museum to honor the memory of the victims of the holocaust that counts among the greatest tragedies in human history. Later, I will also pay my respects to the courageous Indian soldiers who laid down their lives during the liberation of Haifa in 1918.”
In one of his tweets PM expressed his enthusiasm for meeting his Israeli counterpart.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Before the arrival of PM Modi in Tel Aviv, Israel on Monday backed India on the issue of terror threat from Pakistan. Mark Sofer, Deputy Director General in-charge of the Asia Pacific Division at Israeli foreign office told an Indian journalist on Monday, “Israel supports India on terrorism emanating out of Pakistan, hook, line and sinker. But we are not asking quid pro quo… the horrors coming from Pakistan…the Lashkar-e-Toiba, the rogue operations from Pakistan. We say India has the right to defend itself, just like Israel has right to defend itself. I don’t see difference between LeT and Hamas. A terrorist is a terrorist is a terrorist.”
The Israeli officials described Modi’s visit as “historic and special”. According to sources the groundwork was prepared by “seven pre-visits” from different ministries and departments from India.
Prime Minsiter Modi will skip visiting Palestinian territory during his Israel visit. Traditionally, most foreign dignitaries visit both sides of the rival territories. Recently, US President Donald Trump had also visited Ramallah, the headquarters of Palestinian Authority.
While discussing about Modi skipping visit to Palestinian territory, the Israeli official was quoted as saying there was “nothing sinister or special” about this. “Israel has de-hyphenated its relationship… and PM Modi’s visit is a bilateral visit”, he added.
Haaretz, an important Israeli newspaper, while discussing PM’s visit on Tuesday, analyzed as to how relations passed through different phases between the two countries. It said that the two leaders would mark a significant warming up of ties and express fulfillment of a long unrequited desire, dating back to the early days of the Jewish state, for close ties with, and recognition from, India.
Discussing the historical perspective, the daily said, “In those early days, David Ben-Gurion (primary founder and the first PM of Israel) and other key Zionist leaders made strenuous bids for political and diplomatic support from Indian nationalist leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.”
Referring to Albert Einstein’s letter to Jawaharlal Nehru pleading to establish ties with Israel written in the summer of 1947, the daily said, “But not even Einstein could convince Nehru. India voted against the UN partition plan of Mandate Palestine in 1947 and later, in 1950, extended recognition to the state of Israel but without establishing diplomatic relations.” In fact Ben-Gurion asked Albert Einstein to write letter to Nehru at that time.
Complaining about India’s attitude those days, the newspaper said, “In the absence of any ideological or diplomatic support from Gandhi for Zionism, or later from the Indian Republic for Israel, it was an unusual and difficult affection for Ben-Gurion to carry – much like a one-sided love affair.”
Haaretz further said that, “Self-determination for the Palestinian people was significant issue for Nehru, who gave them strong support and turned away from relations with Israel. There was a regional political consideration for India in the 1950s: the Kashmir dispute with Pakistan. India hoped for Arab support for the Indian case against Pakistan by extending its strong support to the Palestinians and not towards Israel.”
Discussing about the reasons for changed India’s policy towards Israel, the daily said, “First, the end of the Cold War and the collapse of Soviet Union created a new diplomatic matrix for India. Indian foreign policy was revised. Second, Israel was an excellent source of armaments and defense systems just as the Soviet Union and its associated weapons industries were crumbling. India’s poor military capabilities played a crucial role in opening relations with Israel.”
The daily revealed that during 1962 war with China, Nehru himself wrote a letter to Ben-Gurion asking for help in November that year.
While concluding its analysis, the daily said, “And India’s governing party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, a long time advocate of Israel in the Indian political system, is likely to anchor India’s ties with Israel with even great alacrity. That would indeed be a realization of Ben-Gurion’s long-held but frustrated hopes of decades ago.”
PM Modi travelled to Israel in 2006 while he was Gujarat Chief Minister. President Pranab Mukherjee travelled to Israel in 2015 and addressed Israeli Parliament.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
India News
Sankalp Saptaah: PM Modi today launches week-long initiative for aspirational blocks at Bharat Mandapam
The country’s Sankalp Saptah programme, which is being implemented in 500 aspirational blocks throughout 329 districts, seeks to increase block-level government while also improving civilian quality of life.
At Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced a week-long project named Sankalp Saptaah for the country’s aspirational groups.
He also conversed with attendees, including members from the panchayat and the block level.
The week-long programme, which is described in an official news release, is closely correlated with the national Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP), which Modi introduced in January of this year.
The country’s Sankalp Saptah programme, which is being implemented in 500 aspirational blocks throughout 329 districts, seeks to increase block-level government while also improving civilian quality of life.
Chintan Shivirs were held nationwide at the village and block levels to help with the effective execution of the ABP and to create strong block development strategies. The result of these careful considerations, which will be seen in each of the 500 aspirational blocks, is Sankalp Saptaah.
On October 9, the final day of the seven-day event, a celebration of the week’s worth of effort will take place under the banner of Sankalp Saptaah – Samavesh Samaroh.
Speaking at the inaugural function, the prime minister claimed that more than 25 crore people’s lives in 112 districts throughout the nation had been improved by the aspirational districts plan. He asserted that the quality of living had changed. Now, the aspirational blocks programme will be built on the success of the aspirational districts programme, he said.
According to the statement, about 3,000 panchayat and block level functionaries and representatives of the people are expected to attend the inaugural event at Bharat Mandapam, in addition to about two lakh farmers, block and panchayat level functionaries, and people from other walks of life who will participate virtually.
Starting on October 3 and running through October 9, each day of Sankalp Saptaah is devoted to a distinct development subject on which all aspirational blocks will focus. Sampoorna Swasthya, Suposhit Pariwaar, Swachhta, Krishi, Shiksha, and Samridhi Diwas are some of the themes for the first six days, according to the statement.
India News
Madhya Pradesh elections: Congress to release first list of candidates after October 5
According to the source, the party has received more than 3,500 inquiries from potential candidates who wish to run for office on the Congress ticket in the Assembly elections.
As the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections draw nearer, sources stated on Friday that the Congress is expected to reveal its first list of candidates after October 5 as part of its strategy. A Congress source told IANS that the party will announce the names of the candidates at the ideal moment and that the campaigning for the Assembly elections is already underway.
The source stated that the party would issue its initial list of candidates after October 5, when it is anticipated that the Election Commission will have released its polling schedule.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the party’s general secretary, will be in the state on October 5 to speak at a large public gathering, the source added, and her input will be sought before the release of the final list.
To narrow down the field of candidates for the elections, the party organised two sessions of the Screening Committee in the national capital.
According to the source, the party has received more than 3,500 inquiries from potential candidates who wish to run for office on the Congress ticket in the Assembly elections.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, will speak at a public meeting on Saturday in the Kala Pipla Assembly seat.
Two lists of candidates from the BJP have already been made public for the upcoming elections. Along with four other current MPs, the ruling party has included three Union Ministers in its second list. On Monday, a few hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at a public gathering in Bhopal, the second list of 39 candidates was made public.
The list also included Kailash Vijayvargiya, the national general secretary of the BJP.
The list includes the names of three Union Ministers: Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State for Food Processing Industries and Jal Shakti from Narsinghpur; Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of Agriculture and Chairman of the Party’s State Election Management Committee from Dimni-Morena; and Fagan Singh Kulaste, Minister of State for Rural Development and Steel from Niwas.
India News
President Droupadi Murmu gives assent to Women’s Reservation Bill
The new law provides 33% reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
The Women’s Reservation Bill became law in India after President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent, days after the historic vote in the Parliament. The new law provides 33% reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women. However, the law will be imposed after the new census and delimitation.
The Women’s Reservation Bill which is officially known as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was passed in both the houses during the special session of the Parliament. The historic bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on September 20, with 454 MPs voting in its favour and 2 voting against it. In the Rajya Sabha, the bill was passed unanimously on September 21 with 214 MPs voting in favour of the bill.
Issuing a gazette notification, the Government of India stated that the Bill has become an Act after the approval granted by the President. The notification read that the act will come into force on such date as the central government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
While supporting the historic bill in the Parliament, the Opposition condemned the government for not bringing the quota for women into immediate effect. Union Home Minister Amit Shah told the Parliament during the bill’s discussion that it could only come into effect after 2029 due to the pending census and delimitation.
A day after the bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked that with the passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in Parliament, the nation usher in an era of stronger representation and empowerment for the women of India. He added that this is not merely legislation but a tribute to the countless women who have made the nation. He exclaimed that India has been enriched by their resilience and contributions.
