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Intolerance, Unemployment Key Issues Facing India: Rahul Gandhi

username — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 12:13:50 +0000

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has said that intolerance and unemployment are the key issues that pose a serious challenge to India’s national security and development.

Gandhi, who is in the US on a two-week-long tour, held a series of meetings, including a roundtable with eminent Indian/ South Asia experts hosted by the Center for American Progress (CAP), a Democratic-leaning think tank.

Prominent among the attendees were CAP head Neera Tandon, the former US Ambassador to India, Richard Verma, and Hillary Clinton’s top campaign advisor John Podesta.

Lisa Curtis, who heads the South Asia division at the National Security Council of the White House held discussions with Gandhi over a breakfast meeting during which the Trump administration official sought his views on the US-India relationship and the recently announced Afghanistan and South Asia policy of US President Donald Trump, according to the participants of the meeting.

US Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Thomas J Donohue met Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders at an event hosted by US India Business Council (USIBC).

During the meeting, Gandhi expressed concern over the inability of the government to create jobs in India, which he felt was leading the country towards a dangerous situation.

Source: http://www.news18.com/news/india/intolerance-unemployment-key-issues-facing-india-says-rahul-gandhi-1521851.html

Petrol Price Hike: Achhe Din for whom?

username — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 06:04:09 +0000

The sky rocketing of fuel prices in India is going to affect each and everything that we use in our day to day life. The cascading effect on transportation and further on daily commodities will affect the people lower down in the economic strata. In the past three years, fuel prices have been increased several times. Not because of increasing crude prices, which have been falling. But because of increase in taxes by the BJP led NDA government. This usurious extraction via taxes on a basic commodity shows that the Govt of the day is not in sync with the needs of the economy and the people.
Ever since the government initiated the dynamic pricing system where fuel prices are being raised every day rather than every fortnight. The increase in price has been particularly marked in Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, and Kolkata. On June 16, 2017, petrol cost was Rs 65.48 per litre in Delhi. But today, it costs Rs 70.30 per litre. Similarly, in Mumbai, on June 16, petrol cost Rs 76.75 per litre but as of September 12, it costs Rs 79.41 – the highest since August 2014. Kolkata and Chennai, too, are paying Rs 7 more on petrol than they were paying in July. On the other hand, the price of diesel has also risen by Rs 5 per litre since July 1. The parable of the frog being boiled alive comes to mind.
It is understood that the foremost reasons being the unreasonable hike in fuel prices in spite of the crude oil prices hitting an all time low are TAXES. The central government has been consistently hiking excise and other levies to increase its tax kitty. The total levy on diesel is Rs 17.33 per litre and for petrol, it is Rs 21.48 per litre today versus Rs 3.43 per liter for diesel and Rs 9.20 per liter for petrol in November 2014 which is equal to a hike of 400% and 133% on diesel and petrol respectively.
The state governments also use Value Added Tax on fuel to increase tax revenues. The immediate effect was the highest rise in oil prices in three years in many of the states in the country, following a sharp rise in central excise tax and VAT. Petrol price in Mumbai rose to its highest since August 2014 while diesel prices reached their peak since August 2014 in Kolkata and Chennai. Since July 1, petrol price has climbed Rs 5.18 per litre in Mumbai, and diesel by Rs 5.75 per litre in Kolkata, and Rs 5.71 per litre in Chennai.
Tamil Nadu government increased Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol to 34% from 27% and on diesel to 25% from 21.43%. Prices have gone up by ₹3.78 per litre for petrol and ₹1.70 for diesel. Petrol price in the state of Maharashtra has increased by Rs 3 as VAT rate is hiked by the state government. In Delhi, VAT on petrol has been raised from 20% (2014) to 27% (2017) and VAT on diesel has been increased from 12.5% (2014) to 18% (2017).
In practice, the recent price spike is expected to result in enormous gains for oil companies who while charging higher fuel prices also benefited from lower crude rates. Instead of passing falling prices of petroleum products in the international market, BJP led NDA government keeps on fleecing the people via increased taxes. Who is achhe din for exactly?

Source: http://inc.in/In-focus/955/petrol-price-hike-achhe-din-for-whom

Gujarat model has ‘failed’, Congress to win next polls: Rahul Gandhi

username — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 12:58:00 +0000

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched the party’s campaign for the upcoming Assembly polls in Gujarat, with stinging criticism of the NDA government for demonetisation and the GST rates, which, he said, have ruined small businesses, traders and entrepreneurs and farmers.

In a “direct dialogue” with party workers at the Sabarmati riverfront here, Mr. Gandhi said, “The entire focus of Mr. Modi was on 50-60 industrial groups at the cost of small traders, businessmen, farmers and students.”

“You know the outcome of note bandi (demonetisation), which has ruined the lives of businessmen, traders, farmers and poor people. Similarly, this GST with highest tax rates of 28% is killing small and medium enterprises which generate jobs in the country,” Mr. Gandhi said, responding to a question from a party worker in an open forum. Besides targeting the Modi government, Mr. Gandhi made it clear that this time “tickets will only be given on merit and no turncoat or any leader without a base will be parachuted as candidate.”

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/gujarat-model-has-failed-congress-to-win-next-polls-rahul-gandhi/article19620259.ece

Over 500 NCP Cadres Switch To Congress In Poll-Bound Gujarat

username — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 12:51:44 +0000

“Among prominent local leaders of the NCP who joined the Congress are its state spokesperson Manhar Patel, the core committee members Jeevanbhai Kabariya and Takhatsinh Solanki, Rajkot district president Lalitbhai Katodiya, Tarunbhai Gadhvi, Vijay Patel, and Rajesh Patel among others,” the Congress said in a statement.

The Congress said these NCP members were angry over their party acting as the “B-team of the BJP”.

Source: http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/over-500-ncp-cadres-switch-to-congress-in-poll-bound-gujarat-1745628

Demonetisation the biggest scam, says Congress

username — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 12:36:12 +0000

Indian National Congress on Thursday described demonetization as the “biggest scam” and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misleading the people by repeatedly making “false statements” on what the decision to junk high-value currency notes had achieved.

These remarks by senior Congress leader Anand Sharma come in the wake of the RBI’s annual report on Wednesday that revealed that Rs 15.28 lakh crore of high-value currency had returned to the system by way of public deposits – in short, that the experiment was a failure.

The Prime Minister, Mr Sharma stressed, owed the nation an explanation. “He has to accept moral responsibility. He must apologise to the country and we will continue to force accountability on this issue,” he said.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/demonetisation-biggest-scam-says-congress/article19595702.ece

BJP has made municipal corporation level person as CM: Congress

username — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 12:29:29 +0000

“The state unit of BJP lacks leadership. State level leaders have been sidelined and a municipal corporation level leader has been given power here,” Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia said.

“BJP is ruling Gujarat for the last 22 years. Gujarat was declared a separate state in 1960. The party has ruled the state for almost half of its existence,” he said.
“Instead of giving the account on what they have done for Gujarat in the last 22 years these leaders are blaming Congress for every problem of the state,”

Source: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/bjp-has-made-municipal-corporation-level-person-as-cm-congress-4825499/

Shamvad – Rahul gandhiji held an interaction with professionals in ahmedabad

username — Mon, 04 Sep 2017 13:30:12 +0000