Bharat Rakshak

chetak wrote:A bunch of lies and platitudes but one needs to read between the lines to get the real message of these bigots.

The vatican is a separate country with an embassy in India. The pope appoints bishops and cardinals and as such these people voicing political opinions should be taken as foreigners interfering in the Internal affairs of India. These people owe a direct allegiance to rome and by their law also take orders from rome. People should stand united to dislodge NDA Government: Church of South India

nachiket wrote:

ShyamSP wrote: BJP got best case scenario in BJP dominant states including UP. Getting up to 50 in UP in itself is big achievement. Any dent can't compensated by other states but can be reduced if it wins some in Orissa and West Bengal. No other place is there for new seats except for some new partnership with other parties will help to get 20-40 seats.

Yes the lack of expansion in new states is a problem. Even if they improve a lot in Odisha and WB they are starting from almost nothing. It cannot be enough to defray the losses due to united opposition in other states.

It wasn't just UP, the 2014 win was due to the NaMo tsunami absolutely decimating all opposition in several other high population states like Maharashtra, Bihar, MP and Gujarat. Add to that TDP winning AP. That was on the back of immense dissatisfaction with congress government, zero opposition unity and a campaign by NaMo the likes of which India had never seen. It is very very difficult to repeat that performance when you have anti-incumbency and opposition unity working against you. So I'm not sure why people are surprised by BJP themselves projecting between 200-240 seats. Lets hope they reach that because it is possible to form a government with those numbers.

ShyamSP wrote: Alternative to Modi might be way to go. Modi and Amit with arrogance screwed up friendly partners and couldn't do well in their own states in recent elections. Non-Modi person as PM such as Gadkari, etc can fetch good partners including TDP back.

maluman wrote:

chetak wrote:A bunch of lies and platitudes but one needs to read between the lines to get the real message of these bigots.

The vatican is a separate country with an embassy in India. The pope appoints bishops and cardinals and as such these people voicing political opinions should be taken as foreigners interfering in the Internal affairs of India. These people owe a direct allegiance to rome and by their law also take orders from rome. People should stand united to dislodge NDA Government: Church of South India

Here is the thing, Church of South India has nothing to do with the Pope/Catholic Church. CSI in India is the combination Anglican (Episcopal), Congregational, Presbyterian and Methodist that was started by British Missionaries Pre-independence. The CSI Church follows Non-Apostolic Christian doctrines while Catholics under the Pope represent Apostolic Christianity. They are completely different in Theology, Liturgy, Administrative structure, etc.

So long story short blaming the Catholics for something the CSI Bishop said is like Bahamians for something the Buddhists said.

In general I believe that religion must stay out of politics, I was just pointing out the difference thats all.

hanumadu wrote:People may be living in rural area, but their work might be in a urban or semi urban location. In a densely populated area like India, the nearest town is barely a cycle ride or a scooter ride away. With improved rural roads and suburban buses, even a bus ride is not too inconvenient.

If services has surpassed agriculture in rural employment, it could partly be because people travel to their nearest town to work from their villagers. I have heard of people taking their autorikshaws from their home in the village to ply in the city and at the end of the day go back to their village.

nachiket wrote:

ShyamSP wrote: Alternative to Modi might be way to go. Modi and Amit with arrogance screwed up friendly partners and couldn't do well in their own states in recent elections. Non-Modi person as PM such as Gadkari, etc can fetch good partners including TDP back.

Are you serious? Take Modi and Shah out of the picture and BJP will struggle to reach 100. Overreacting is not the answer.

chetak wrote:
FCRA is a major bugbear for these people and their activities.

As per the ED chargesheet, a copy of which is available with Republic TV – ED concludes that Christian Michel acknowledges knowing 'Mrs. Gandhi'. Michel further reveals that he was in touch with 'Mrs Gandhi' and knew her since 1986-87.

Earlier, the investigating agencies had recovered hand-written diary notings detailing the alleged kickbacks paid for the 12 AW-101 AgustaWestland deal. These noting mentioned ‘FAM’, ‘AP’ among others – answers to which were unknown so far. However, as per ED conclusion, Christian Michel has revealed that 'AP’ stands for Ahmed Patel and 'FAM’ was the abbreviation for ‘Family'.

The 'Italian lady’s son' mention:
The 52 page chargesheet mentions meetings with 'the Italian lady's son' who 'will be the next Prime Minister'. Reference to 'Son's power growing in the party and mother unaware of full facts' have been made as part of the dispatch published by the Enforcement Directorate.

On Page 22, a dispatch dated 1st October 2009, reads:

“Meeting at the beginning of the week with regards to the Italian lady’s son. The gentlemen I met knew about our activity and felt we were well placed. Explained that this was well known but that we could not wait any longer. The gentleman confirmed that the son will be next Prime Minister and his power in the party is growing day by day. Hence, the Finance Minister’s extreme anxiety at the son’s phenomenal rise. The son will be asked this weekend to raise this matter with his mother as the mother is certainly not aware of all the facts".

The dispatch further reads: “My friend will report back to us next week and may be willing to come and visit us if the news is significant. We feel this is a low-risk".

Indirect references to political influence in swinging the deal in favour of AgustaWestland are made. The chargesheet further reveals that the entire AgustaWestland deal was 'politically charged' and notes related to the deal were sent to the 'head of the ruling party'.

Vimal Dagli
‏

@vimaldagli
46m46 minutes ago
More
Replying to @republic
IE journo Raju Sanathanam, Print's Manu Pabbi & Shekhar Gupta recieved Dalali in #AugustaWestland case according to ED chargesheet.

They will move HC today praying to keep their name secret from public.
#AgustaCaseCracked

vijayk wrote:

Vimal Dagli
‏

@vimaldagli
46m46 minutes ago
More
Replying to @republic
IE journo Raju Sanathanam, Print's Manu Pabbi & Shekhar Gupta recieved Dalali in #AugustaWestland case according to ED chargesheet.

They will move HC today praying to keep their name secret from public.
#AgustaCaseCracked

naird wrote:

vijayk wrote:

That sounds illogical. Manu was the one who broke the scam !

nachiket wrote:Chetak, I have deleted your last post. You and maluman both need to stop the religious discussion. The first 2 posts were within context of the coming election so I've let them be.

ramana wrote:Coupta, Manu Pubby, and Raj Santhanam chargesheeted in Augusta case.

Karan M wrote:

ramana wrote:Coupta, Manu Pubby, and Raj Santhanam chargesheeted in Augusta case.

Shouldn't criminal charges have been filed on them as well?

naird wrote:

vijayk wrote:

That sounds illogical. Manu was the one who broke the scam !

nachiket wrote:

Karan M wrote:
Shouldn't criminal charges have been filed on them as well?

I don't see this being reported. Self imposed blackout to protect their own? I only see Christian Michel mentioned everywhere.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has mentioned names of several political leaders and three Indian journalists in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal supplementary chargesheet, said sources.

The names of these leaders and journalists, are however, not as accused in the chargesheet filed before a city court.

As per the chargesheet, British national and one of the middlemen of the scrapped deal, Christian Michel, had used important personalities in the field of media in order to influence the public opinion.

Michel is in Tihar jail and he has been named in the chargesheet as an accused.

The chargesheet mentions that Michel used media personalities as evident from trail of payment made to one Raju Santhanam.

It mentioned that "as per Casana sheet, a payment of Euro 205860.40 was made to Ashwin Santhanam, son of Raju Santhanam in addition to booking an air ticket for him and his family for a total amount of Rs 26.50 lakh".

Michel has accepted that he had made such payments and admitted to hiring services of Guy Douglas to influence the media and this fact is further corroborated by act of using influence on journalists "Manu Pubby and Shekhar Gupta to tone down the article in Indian Express", said sources.

"Michel also deposed that Douglas was in touch with several journalists."

The chrgesheet also mentions that Michel, Guido Haschke and his associate Carlo Gerosa -- all middlemen in the case -- made payment to defence officials, bureaucats and political leaders of ruling party. A total bribe of Euro 70 million allegedly exchanged hands in this case in two parts to Christian Miche and Agusta Westland's Guido Haschke.

-- IANS

rak/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

naird wrote:
That sounds illogical. Manu was the one who broke the scam !

Najunamar wrote:Williamsji, that's a very good breakup. Any ways to exploit these differences and angle for the independent crowd? I am thinking regional campaigns targeted at the rationalists and the self-centered groups...

Anything we can do? This is too important a battle to be disengaged from.

abhijitm wrote:How is the situation in Bengal for BJP this time around?

nachiket wrote:

Karan M wrote:
Shouldn't criminal charges have been filed on them as well?

I don't see this being reported. Self imposed blackout to protect their own? I only see Christian Michel mentioned everywhere.

EXCERPT of the chargesheet filed by ED showing the NAMES journalists named in the
#AugustaWestlandScam They are- Indian Express journo Raju Sanathanam, Print's Manu Pubby & Shekhar Gupta

MEA sponsored free alcohol, air tickets, and more during Congress rule: Senior journalist reveals why media dislikes the Modi govt

Shrivastav explained how everything changed when Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of the country. Post-2014, no media organisations or journalists are being allowed to fly with the official Indian delegation.

OPINDIA STAFF
APRIL 5, 2019



The lavish air travel enjoyed by the Indian journalists during UPA days

The media in the country has always shared an intriguing relationship with the government of the day. From involving in the allocation of cabinet berths to availing freebies, the Indian media fraternity has been part of an echo chamber but unfortunately, it was never part of public debate.

Now, an interesting video has gone viral, in which senior journalist Ashok Shrivastav can be heard describing anecdotes, which explain the murkier relationship between the media and the past government. Ashok Shrivastav narrated his experience regarding how Indian journalists were gifted with freebies, including expensive alcoholic beverages whenever they travelled with the Indian delegation to foreign countries led by the past Prime Ministers. He said that over 150 journalists would travel officially during the Congress regime.

Embedded video https://twitter.com/i/status/1113884083384352769

Ashok Shrivastav
@ashokshrivasta6
समझिए क्यों भारत को "असहिष्णु" और "लिंचिस्तान"बना दिया कुछ पत्रकारों और बुद्धिजीवियों ने।#narendramodicensored

1,028
12:50 AM - Apr 5, 2019
589 people are talking about this

He further revealed how the previous governments spent lavishly to treat the Indian media establishment during the official trips. Narrating an incident, Shrivastav said that courtesy of the external affairs ministry during the Congress government, journalists were allowed to order expensive cuisine, alcohol while they were part of the Indian media delegation. Srivastav said that after journalists were wined and dined during the flight when they reached their hotel room an expensive alcohol bottle of Black Label would be waiting for them. He also said that many journalists had brought back expensive alcohol back to the country as it would be sponsored by the external affairs ministry apart from the free air tickets and hotel accommodation.

Interestingly, Shrivastav explained how everything changed when Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of the country. Post-2014, no media organisations or journalists are being allowed to fly with the official Indian delegation. The media organisations should cover their expenses if they intend to report on Prime Minister Modi’s official foreign trips. He also added how the Modi government cut unnecessary expenses on journalists by not allowing public money to spent on local trips, that used to be sponsored by the previous governments in the past.

The Indian journalists’ fraternity has in the past lamented against the present government for not following the established ‘etiquettes’. It is also believed that resentment against the Narendra Modi government also comes from the fact that there are no such freebies available to them today contrary to the past when ’eminent’ journalists were co-opted by the government for reciprocity of being soft on them.

It is rather worrying to see that the Indian media, dominated by the left-leaning Lutyens cabal, often speaking in a condescending tone targetting the self-made journalists of being co-opted and a mouthpiece to the present Narendra Modi government despite the fact that they themselves have questionable integrity and journalistic ethics in the past.

Najunamar wrote:I am particularly interested in the battles in TN. If BJP can win 3 or more of the 5 seats contested, will mean a lot for laying the foundation for a strong grassroots movement that is sustainable for 2024 and beyond.

ShyamSP wrote:
Alternative to Modi might be way to go. Modi and Amit with arrogance screwed up friendly partners and couldn't do well in their own states in recent elections. Non-Modi person as PM such as Gadkari, etc can fetch good partners including TDP back.

Klaus wrote:

naird wrote:
That sounds illogical. Manu was the one who broke the scam !

Change of heart. Pangs of conscience!

Singha wrote:i have a pic of suhasini haider and barkha dutt on whatsapp on that same PMO flight, the seats are rigged to business class. haider is working on a laptop.

per a personal source in same troupe:

At the end of the trip, the Air India gives us gifts... One litre of Black Label, 20 packets of Benson & Hedges cigarettes, one bottle of french perfume and a packet of Swiss chocolate..

shyamal wrote:

abhijitm wrote:How is the situation in Bengal for BJP this time around?

Bad. Tremendous amount of infighting. 5 seats max.

ramana wrote:

Klaus wrote:
Change of heart. Pangs of conscience!

Could be too clever by half. When story broke in Italian press Manu Pubby went vociferous hoping Michel will never get extradited.

Raveen wrote:

shyamal wrote:
Bad. Tremendous amount of infighting. 5 seats max.

Really? The crowds @ Modi's rally suggested otherwise though?

chetak wrote:these so called BJP guys see the chance to replace the TMC guys and continue to run their "businesses" by simply moving in and taking it over.

I don't think that many of them have an ideology in mind.