PM Modi breaks silence to denounce communalism
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said in Parliament that his government’s only religion is putting India’s interests first. "Nobody has the right to discriminate on the basis of religion," he said. "My government has only this ideology ‒ India and the Constitution above all else.” Modi’s reassurance comes on the back of attacks on Christian institutions in Delhi and a church vandalised in Mangaluru on Thursday. In his 70-minute speech, the Prime Minister sought support from the opposition on the land acquisition law and criticised Congress’s programme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act as a monumental failure.
Economic survey predicts more than 8% growth
India’s annual economic survey on Friday has forecast growth of 8.1-8.5% in 2015-'16. The report was authored by a team led by Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian and presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday. Strong industrial growth, a six percentage point fall in inflation since 2013 and an estimated increase in foodgrain production by 8.5 million tonnes over the current financial year were some of the positive points from the report.
Bangladesh-born US blogger hacked to death in Bangladesh
Avijit Roy, a Bangladesh-born American atheist blogger, was hacked to death by two unidentified assailants in Dhaka on Friday. Roy and his wife, Rafida Ahmed were returning from a book fair in a cycle rickshaw when the assailants dragged the couple to the sidewalk and struck them with machetes, according to local media. “He died as he was brought to the hospital,” said local police chief Sirajul Islam. "His wife was also seriously wounded. She has lost a finger." Roy is the founder of the Mukto-Mana (Free Mind) blog, which features liberal secular writings. His father confirmed that Roy had been receiving several threatening e-mails and messages from hardliners. He is the second blogger to be murdered in the country in two years and fourth writer attacked since 2004.
Essar leaks reveal favours to ministers, journalists
Internal communications of Essar Group leaked by a whistleblower suggest that the firm had allegedly showered gifts and favours on ministers, bureaucrats and journalists to push their business interests, according to a public interest litigation filed in the Supreme Court by a non-governmental organisation on Friday. Company communications reveal that Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, his wife, two sons and a daughter spent two days on an Essar luxury yacht between July 7 and July 9, 2013. He was not a union minister then and had stepped down from the post of Bharatiya Janata Party President. Some of the emails also suggest that certain ministers referred candidates for jobs in the company. Essar had also arranged for taxis and other perks for some journalists.
Pakistan army chief warns against ceasefire violations
Pakistan’s army chief General Raheel Sharif on Thursday warned India that it would get a befitting reply from his country for the alleged ceasefire violations on the Line of Control ahead of Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar’s visit to Islamabad. “Repeated Indian ceasefire violations on the Working Boundary and the LoC in recent past was a distraction for Pakistan from campaign versus terrorism and it affects regional stability," a statement from the army quoted Sharif as saying. Jaishankar will visit Pakistan on March 3. The talks between the two countries had come to a standstill seven months ago when the foreign secretary-level interaction was cancelled after the Pakistan High Commissioner held consultations with Kashmiri separatists.
We welcome your comments at
letters@scroll.in.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said in Parliament that his government’s only religion is putting India’s interests first. "Nobody has the right to discriminate on the basis of religion," he said. "My government has only this ideology ‒ India and the Constitution above all else.” Modi’s reassurance comes on the back of attacks on Christian institutions in Delhi and a church vandalised in Mangaluru on Thursday. In his 70-minute speech, the Prime Minister sought support from the opposition on the land acquisition law and criticised Congress’s programme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act as a monumental failure.
Economic survey predicts more than 8% growth
India’s annual economic survey on Friday has forecast growth of 8.1-8.5% in 2015-'16. The report was authored by a team led by Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian and presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday. Strong industrial growth, a six percentage point fall in inflation since 2013 and an estimated increase in foodgrain production by 8.5 million tonnes over the current financial year were some of the positive points from the report.
Bangladesh-born US blogger hacked to death in Bangladesh
Avijit Roy, a Bangladesh-born American atheist blogger, was hacked to death by two unidentified assailants in Dhaka on Friday. Roy and his wife, Rafida Ahmed were returning from a book fair in a cycle rickshaw when the assailants dragged the couple to the sidewalk and struck them with machetes, according to local media. “He died as he was brought to the hospital,” said local police chief Sirajul Islam. "His wife was also seriously wounded. She has lost a finger." Roy is the founder of the Mukto-Mana (Free Mind) blog, which features liberal secular writings. His father confirmed that Roy had been receiving several threatening e-mails and messages from hardliners. He is the second blogger to be murdered in the country in two years and fourth writer attacked since 2004.
Essar leaks reveal favours to ministers, journalists
Internal communications of Essar Group leaked by a whistleblower suggest that the firm had allegedly showered gifts and favours on ministers, bureaucrats and journalists to push their business interests, according to a public interest litigation filed in the Supreme Court by a non-governmental organisation on Friday. Company communications reveal that Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, his wife, two sons and a daughter spent two days on an Essar luxury yacht between July 7 and July 9, 2013. He was not a union minister then and had stepped down from the post of Bharatiya Janata Party President. Some of the emails also suggest that certain ministers referred candidates for jobs in the company. Essar had also arranged for taxis and other perks for some journalists.
Pakistan army chief warns against ceasefire violations
Pakistan’s army chief General Raheel Sharif on Thursday warned India that it would get a befitting reply from his country for the alleged ceasefire violations on the Line of Control ahead of Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar’s visit to Islamabad. “Repeated Indian ceasefire violations on the Working Boundary and the LoC in recent past was a distraction for Pakistan from campaign versus terrorism and it affects regional stability," a statement from the army quoted Sharif as saying. Jaishankar will visit Pakistan on March 3. The talks between the two countries had come to a standstill seven months ago when the foreign secretary-level interaction was cancelled after the Pakistan High Commissioner held consultations with Kashmiri separatists.