Senior journalist Ravish Tiwari passes away
New Delhi(PTI): Senior journalist and Indian Express national bureau chief Ravish Tiwari passed away following a two-year-long battle with cancer.
He was 40.
Tiwari died in Gurgaon on Friday night and leaves behind his parents, wife and a brother. Tiwari was also the national political editor of The Indian Express. He had previously worked at India Today and The Economic Times.
He had done his schooling from the government-run Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya and thereafter completed his BTech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay.
Tributes poured in for Tiwari. President Ram Nath Kovind said Tiwari's death ''silences a distinct voice in news media''.
"For Ravish Tiwari, journalism was a passion, and he chose it over lucrative professions. He had an enviable knack for reporting and incisive commentary. His sudden and shocking demise silences a distinct voice in news media. My condolences to his family, friends and colleagues," he said in a tweet.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi while condoling Tiwari's demise said he was insightful and humble .
"Destiny has taken away Ravish Tiwari too soon. A bright career in the media world comes to an end. I would enjoy reading his reports and would also periodically interact with him. He was insightful and humble. Condolences to his family and many friends. Om Shanti," Modi tweeted.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Tiwari was a ''young, bright and professional journalist''.
"Shocked and pained to learn about the untimely demise of, Ravish Tiwari. He was a young, bright and professional journalist, full of life. My condolences to his family and friends. May God give them strength to bear the irreparable loss. Om Shanti," Shah tweeted.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh remembered Tiwari as a close friend.
"Ravish Tiwari, a product of Navodaya Vidyalaya, IIT Mumbai & Oxford, was amongst the finest, scholarly & objective journalists. He'd been critical of me as Env Minister, but we were closest of friends. Just 4 days ago we had a long chat. Extremely saddened by his untimely demise," he tweeted.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also paid tributes to Tiwari.
"The untimely demise of senior journalist Ravish Tiwari is extremely saddening. My deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues from the newsroom. May God bless his soul," he said.
Kejriwal's colleague and AAP leader Atishi called Tiwari her dearest and most loyal friend.
"Lost my best friend @ravishkt today after his long battle with cancer. While the world has lost a sharp and insightful journalist, I have lost my dearest and most loyal friend. Ravish: you will be missed deeply...," she tweeted.
Senior journalist Vikas Bhadauria shared the news of Tiwari's death on Twitter.
"Profound journalist, a great human being and my dearest friend, Ravish Tiwari, passed away last (Friday) night. Last rites will be performed at Sector-20, Gurgaon 3.30 PM today. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti," he tweeted.
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Cong indulging in anti-national activities, wants illegal immigrants to settle in Assam: PM
Namrup (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of engaging in "anti-national" activities and helping illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to settle in Assam.
The PM, addressing a public rally after unveiling a Rs 10,601-crore fertiliser plant at Namrup in Assam's Dibrugarh district, accused the grand old party of opposing the revision of voter list due to its only aim of grabbing power.
"The Congress is indulging in anti-national activities. They want illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to settle in Assam's forests and land. They only want to strengthen their vote bank, and don't care about the people," he claimed.
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Modi said the opposition party is not concerned about the identity, existence and pride of Assamese people, which the BJP has been trying to protect.
"The Congress is opposing the revision of voter lists as it wants to grab power... They oppose whatever good I try to do... The BJP government will always work to protect the identity, land, pride and existence of Assamese people," Modi asserted.
"Assam must be safeguarded from the poison of Congress' appeasement and vote-bank politics. I assure you all that BJP will stand like a shield to protect Assam's identity and honour," he told thousands of people ahead of the assembly polls.
The Assembly polls to 126 constituencies are likely to take place in March-April next.
Underscoring that BJP governments at the Centre and state are for the poor, tribals, youth and women, Modi said it is working to end decades of violence in Assam and the Northeast.
"Our government has always kept Assam's identity and culture paramount, highlighting symbols of Assamese pride on every platform," he added.
Addressing the rally on the second and final day of his Assam tour, the PM alleged that the Congress has inflicted "so much wrongs" to this country that despite "correcting" those for the last 11 years, a lot of work still remained to bring everything on track.
"When our government awarded Dr Bhupen Hazarika the Bharat Ratna, the Congress openly opposed the decision. Its national president remarked that 'Modi nachne gane walon ko Bharat Ratna de raha hai' (Modi is giving Bharat Ratna to dancers-singers), which is an insult to both Bhupen Da and the people of Assam," Modi asserted.
He said the BJP government's aim is to make Assam as powerful as it was during the Ahom dynasty centuries ago.
"Industrialisation and connectivity are fulfilling Assam's dreams. The double-engine government of the BJP is empowering youth to see new dreams," he added.
Continuing its tirade against the Congress, Modi said even when a semiconductor unit was set up in the state, the opposition party went against it.
"It was the opposition government that for decades denied land rights to the tea community brothers and sisters, whereas the BJP government has given them land rights and a dignified life," he added.
Expressing satisfaction at the presence of a huge number of women at the rally, Modi said: "When my mothers and sisters come in such large numbers, it gives me a special feeling. Many sisters have come with tea gardens' flavour and tea's flavour creates a special feeling inside me."
He also informed the crowd that when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited India recently, Assam's black tea was gifted to the VIP.
"We facilitated the opening of Jan Dhan accounts for 7.5 lakh tea garden workers in Assam. Funds can now be transferred directly to their accounts, ensuring greater transparency and efficiency. The BJP government is also working to improve basic amenities in tea garden regions," the PM said.
Stating that India cannot develop without Northeast's progress, he said everyone is lauding Assam's development momentum nowadays.
"The benefits of development have reached the poor in far-flung areas of the country. Due to our relentless efforts, 25 crore people have been taken out of poverty and a neo-middle class has been created in India," Modi asserted.
The PM pointed out that fresh data has come which symbolises the changes taking place in the country.
"Earlier, among the poorest families in villages, only one in 10 had a bike. Now, nearly half the families in villages own a bike or a car. Mobile phones have reached almost every household and items like refrigerators, once considered a luxury, have now become common and found a place even in village kitchens," he said.
Modi said that the role of eastern and Northeastern India is continuously increasing, and the entire region will become the growth engine of the nation’s development.
"Namrup plant is a significant contribution of the Northeast to the country's fertiliser needs. Projects like this demonstrate that in the coming time, the region will emerge as a major centre of self-reliant India and will remain as Ashtalakshmi in true sense," Modi said.
