Chennai: Siddaramaiah conferred with Ambedkar Sudar award by VCK
Chennai, Jul 30: Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah, who received the Ambedkar Sudar award instituted by the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), at a gala function here on Saturday evening accused the BJP government at the Centre of 'duplicity' in ensuring social justice.
Though he hailed Droupadi Murmu becoming the President of India, the Centre was not keen on implementing social justice, he claimed and referred to a statement by former Union Minister Anant Kumar Hegde, who had said his party came to power to change the constitution drafted by Ambedkar.
"The Minister in Narendra Modi's cabinet made a statement: 'We have come to power only to change the constitution written by Ambedkar.' He should have made the statement with the knowledge of the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah, otherwise he would have been sacked immediately," Siddaramaiah claimed.
"I welcome Droupadi Murmu becoming the President but wonder if the RSS has ever followed social justice in elevating its leaders," the leader of the opposition in Karnataka Assembly said.
The award was in recognition of his tireless service in opposing the 'Sanatana' and following the footsteps of "revolutionary social reformer" B R Ambedkar said Lok Sabha MP Thol Thirumavalavan, after presenting the award.
"Siddaramaiah's past 16 years of political journey has been with the Congress. He remains firm in opposing the principles of 'Sanatana' because of his own backward class background and his ideological commitment to activist Ram Manohar Lohia, Ambedkar and social reformer Basavanna," Thirumavalavan, also founder of the TN-based VCK said.
The former Karnataka CM remained committed to opposing the hate politics of the Sangh Parivar that engineers divisions within society and caste on religious lines," the VCK leader said and added that Siddaramaiah's ascension to the position of Chief Minister was a result of his relentless hard work and the politics of social justice taken forward by him.
S V Rajadurai, writer and human rights activist, V G Santhosam industrialist, Chellappan former IAS officer, Tehlan Baqavi, leader of Social Democratic Party of India, Prof K Rajan, archaeologist and R Jawahar (posthumous) writer and activist were presented the Periyar Oli, Kamarajar Kathir, Iyothee Thass Aadhavan, Quaid-E-Millat Pirai, Semmozhi Gnayiru and Marx Mamani awards, respectively.
"I am very very happy to receive this prestigious Ambedkar Sudar award given by VCK," Siddaramaiah said after receiving the award.
Advocating the abolition of the caste system in India, AAP Minister for Social Welfare, SC & ST, Rajendra Pal Gautam pointed out that world over caste system has been dispensed with and only in India it has been kept live.
"Why was the caste system not abolished in India? The Centre and BJP-ruled States want the caste system to be alive. They want the atrocity to continue. They are not willing to give us our share. So, we have to fight for justice and fulfill the dreams of Ambedkar," he said.
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Trump says EU has until July 4 to approve last year's trade deal or it will face higher tariffs
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump has said in a social media post that goods from the European Union would face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc fails to approve last year's trade framework by July 4.
The announcement on Thursday appeared to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25 per cent tariff starting this week. Trump made the updated announcement after what he described as a "great call" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Still, the US president was displeased that the European Parliament had yet to finalize the trade arrangement reached last year, which was further complicated in February by the US Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks.
"A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!" Trump posted. "I agreed to give her until our Country's 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels."
It was unclear from the post whether Trump was implying that the tariff rates would jump on all EU goods or the increase would only apply to autos.
His latest statement indicates he might be backing away from his earlier threat on EU autos by giving the European Parliament several more weeks to approve the agreement.
Under the original terms of the framework, the US would charge a 15 per cent tax on most goods imported from the EU.
But since the Supreme Court ruling, the administration has levied a 10 per cent tariff while investigating trade imbalances and national security issues, aiming to put in new tariffs to make up for lost revenues.
