"Bitter Medicine" of demonetisation to "treat" corruption: PM
Jhabua, Nov 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday said he used the "bitter medicine" of demonetisation to bring back money into banking system and to give "proper treatment to deep-rooted corruption system" in the country.
Addressing a poll rally here for the November 28 Assembly elections, Modi also said his government has so far disbursed loans to 14 crore people, "that too without guarantee", under the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana.
"The amount of work we (BJP-led government) have done in four years, Congress would be able to do it in 10 years," Modi said.
"Remember the time when Congress was in power here in Madhya Pradesh, what was the condition of people? Madhya Pradesh does not deserve a government which never thinks about the state's welfare," Modi said, targeting the Congress party.
Modi said that during the Congress' 55 year rule in Madhya Pradesh, 1,500 schools were made, but Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan established 4,000 schools in the state in just 15 years.
"Our mantra is to provide education to boys and girls, income for youth, irrigation facility to farmers and medicines to elders," Modi said.
Modi said the Congress promised to waive farmers' loans in Karnataka, but instead of doing so, issued warrants against peasants and sent them to jail.
"My government is aiming to double farmers' income by 2022," the prime minister said.
On 'housing for all', Modi said, "My dream is to provide 'pucca' houses to everyone in the country by 2022. We have so far given keys of such houses to 1.25 crore people".
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
