People are afraid to criticise the Centre, industrialist Rahul Bajaj tells Amit Shah
Industrialist and Bajaj Group Chairperson Rahul Bajaj raised concerns on Saturday over people’s fear when it comes to criticising the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre, The Indian Express reported. The businessman directed the questions to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal at The Economic Times’ ET Awards 2019 event in Mumbai.
“During UPA-II [second term of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance], we could abuse anyone,” Bajaj said. “You are doing good work, but if we want to openly criticise you, [but] there is no confidence you will appreciate that. I may be wrong but everyone feels that.” Bajaj noted that no one else from the business community would raise this matter.
Several industrialists, including Reliance Industries Limited Chief Managing Director Mukesh Ambani, Aditya Birla Group Chairperson Kumar Mangalam Nirla, and Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal attended the event.
Bajaj also highlighted the alleged remarks of BJP MP from Bhopal Pragya Singh Thakur in the Lok Sabha on Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse, and said that she had been included in a defence panel despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that he would not be able to forgive her.
Thakur on Friday apologised in the Lok Sabha for her controversial remarks, adding that she did not “call Nathuram Godse a ‘deshbhakt’”. She said that her statement had been “distorted”, but offered an apology if she had hurt anyone’s feelings.
The industrialist on Saturday said that instances of mob lynchings in the country had created an intolerant environment. “We don’t want to say certain things but we see that until now no one has been convicted,” he said.
Shah said that there was no need for anyone to be afraid, and said that if such a situation existed then the administration would work towards improving it, The Print reported. The home minister added that the government was being run in a transparent manner and that it was not worried about opposition.
The minister said that senior BJP leaders had condemned Thakur’s statements and that neither the government nor the saffron party supported what the MP had said. Addressing the matter of lynchings, Shah said that they occurred in the past as well but had reduced now. He claimed that the media did not report on lynching cases where the punishment has been doled out to the accused.
Bajaj voiced his concerns a day after the Centre released the Gross Domestic Product figures for the July-September quarter, which contracted to 4.5%. This was the slowest growth rate in more than six years, and the sixth straight quarter of slowdown.
Hours after the numbers were released, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday said he was deeply worried about the current state of the Indian economy. “We need to change the current climate in our society from one of fear to one of confidence for our economy to start growing at 8% per annum,” he had said. The government has repeatedly denied the economy is in recession.
Courtesy: scroll.in
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Three footballers of Indian origin named in squads for FIFA World Cup 2026
New Delhi: Three footballers of Indian origin have been named in preliminary or final squads for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, scheduled to be held across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
According to a report published by Mathrubhumi, Sarpreet Singh was included in the New Zealand national football team squad which was announced on Wednesday.
Born in Auckland to Indian parents, Singh was eligible to represent India through his family roots but chose to play for New Zealand. The 27-year-old attacking midfielder made his senior international debut in 2018 and has since become a regular member of the national side.
Singh has made 26 appearances for New Zealand and has scored three goals while providing seven assists.
Julen Lopetegui has included two players of Indian origin: Niall Mason and Tahsin Mohammed, in Qatar’s selections for the tournament.
Mason, a defender whose mother is Indian, previously trained in the youth academies of Real Madrid, Southampton FC and Aston Villa FC. Although he received his first senior call-up earlier this year, the Qatar defender is yet to make his senior international debut.
Tahsin Mohammed, 19, was born to parents from Kerala’s Kannur district. His father Jamshid is from Thalassery, while his mother Shaima belongs to Valapattanam. The winger became the first player of Indian origin to feature in the Qatar Stars League, Qatar’s premier domestic football competition.
Mohammed has made two appearances for the senior Qatar side, including in a World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan in June 2024.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be jointly hosted by United States, Mexico and Canada.
