PM Modi chairs CCS meet on Nepal, appeals for peace
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security to discuss developments in Nepal, where violent protests have toppled the government headed by K P Sharma Oli, and stressed that stability, peace and prosperity of the country are of utmost importance to India.
Modi said the violence in Nepal, in which at least 19 people have lost their lives, is heart-rending and appealed to "my brothers and sisters in Nepal to support peace".
He called a meeting of the CCS on his return from a tour of flood-hit Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
Modi said, "The violence in Nepal is heart-rending. I am anguished that many young people have lost their lives. The stability, peace and prosperity of Nepal are of utmost importance to us. I humbly appeal to all my brothers and sisters in Nepal to support peace."
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are among the CCS members besides the prime minister.
Nepal is reeling under a serious crisis as Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli resigned in the face of massive protests for the second day with demonstrators storming many government buildings and setting Parliament as well as homes of several high-profile leaders ablaze, a day after 19 people died in violence.
The protest led by students under the banner of "Gen Z" that began against a government ban on social media expanded into a larger campaign reflecting growing public criticism of the Oli dispensation and the country's political elite over alleged corruption and apathy towards the common people.
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JD(S) attacks K’taka govt over fuel prices, accuses it of mobilising funds for guarantee schemes
Mysuru (PTI): Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Congress government in Karnataka over petrol and diesel prices, accusing it of "misleading the public" while repeatedly raising taxes and fuel prices to finance its guarantee schemes.
Addressing a public outreach programme titled 'Janarondige Janata Dal' (Janata Dal with the people) and a membership campaign in the Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency in Mysuru, the JD(S) state president challenged Congress leaders to make public the number of tax hikes and price increases imposed by the state government over the last three years.
"On one hand, the government is deceiving people by claiming to provide guarantees, while on the other, it is repeatedly increasing prices. Let the Congress government release a list of how many times it has imposed taxes and raised prices," Kumaraswamy said.
He alleged that the Congress government had continuously increased taxes and prices on liquor, bus fares, electricity, and several other sectors to mobilise funds for its five guarantee schemes—Gruha Lakshmi, Gruha Jyothi, Anna Bhagya, Shakti, and Yuva Nidhi.
Kumaraswamy also criticised Congress leaders for attacking the Centre over fuel price hikes and asked them to introspect on their own contribution to the state’s development before holding the proposed 'Sadhana Samavesha' (achievement convention) on May 19.
Referring to the global oil situation, he said the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran had triggered an international oil supply crisis and argued that fuel prices in India remained lower than in many developed countries.
"In Singapore, which is a developed country, petrol costs Rs 245. Congress leaders should open their eyes and see this," he claimed.
He further questioned what the Congress party would have done had it been in power during the present international crisis.
"Did anyone foresee that such a war would take place? If Congress leaders had such foresight, let them say so. If the Congress party itself had been in power during such a difficult situation, what would it have done?" Kumaraswamy asked.
Throughout his address, the former CM mounted a sustained attack on Congress leaders and dismissed claims that guarantee schemes had improved people’s lives.
"Congress leaders think people are living peacefully because of the guarantee schemes. That is wrong," he said.
Recalling the by-election scenario in the Chamundeshwari constituency in 2006, Kumaraswamy said JD(S) had suffered defeat due to internal mistakes within the party.
"If our leaders had been cautious then, the situation would not have reached this stage. JD(S) suffered defeat because of some mistakes on our part," he said.
He added that he shared a deep bond with the constituency.
Calling upon party workers to prepare for the next Assembly elections, Kumaraswamy expressed confidence that JD(S) would win 75 seats in the next polls and asserted that Chamundeshwari constituency would return to the party in 2028.
"There is no confusion in our party," he said, adding that JD(S) would not bow to any pressure and that the convention had been organised to strengthen its presence in Chamundeshwari.
"Our party has lakhs of loyal workers as its backbone. JD(S) remains strong even today because of the hard work of our cadre," he said.
Kumaraswamy also claimed that during his tenure as CM, he had sanctioned more funds for the Chamundeshwari constituency than the present CM (Siddaramaiah).
"We are not holding this convention to oppose anyone. We are organising it to inform the people about the failures of the state government," he said.
Addressing the gathering in a traditional turban, Kumaraswamy said the gesture was intended to send a message to the Hallumatha and Kuruba communities and reassure them of JD(S) support.
"JD(S) is working for Kurubas, Dalits, and minorities. I am not helping distressed people for publicity. I do it out of self-satisfaction and duty," he said.
