At CPI rally in Patna, Nitish blames Congress for INDIA losing steam
Patna (PTI): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday blamed the Congress' preoccupation with assembly polls in five states for the INDIA coalition's inability to build on the momentum it had gained in recent months.
The JD(U) leader's remarks to the effect came at a rally, held here by the Communist Party of India which was evocatively themed 'Bhaajpa hataao Desh bachao' (dislodge the BJP from power, save the country).
Speaking in the presence of senior leaders like CPI general secretary D Raja, the Bihar CM recalled that parties opposed to the current dispensation had come together to form the new coalition.
"But, of late, there has not been much progress on that front. The Congress party seems to be more interested in the five assembly polls. In the INDIA coalition, all of us had agreed to assign the Congress the leading role. But it appears they will respond and call the next meeting only after they are through with the ongoing elections", said Kumar who had hosted the first meeting of opposition leaders here in June which set the tone for the formation of the new coalition.
He also charged the BJP, which he had dumped about a year ago, with trying to pit Hindus against Muslims while noting with satisfaction that Bihar has remained relatively free from communal disturbances.
The JD(U) leader lambasted the ruling BJP at the Centre for "trying to alter the country's history, to hide the fact that it had played no role in the struggle for independence".
Turning towards Raja, he recalled his close association with the Left parties since the 1980s when "CPI and CPI(M) had worked together to help me win my first election".
"In Bihar, we used to admire the Left for its progressive outlook. Its rallies used to be attended by a substantial number of women in times when this was not a common sight", said the septuagenarian.
"All Left parties have the same origin. You should consider becoming a single entity again", Kumar remarked in a lighter vein, to which the CPI general secretary replied with a broad grin.
In his speech, Kumar also touched upon the alleged muzzling of the media by the current regime at the Centre, claiming that good work done by his government in the state did not get adequate coverage.
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.
Will allow only individuals with more than two children to contest local body polls: Andhra CM
Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that an individual can become a sarpanch, municipal councillor or a mayor only if he/she has more than two children, hinting that it will arrest the falling population.
Naidu said he will bring out policies to encourage people to have more children.
"At one time, individuals with many children were not allowed to contest the panchayat (election) or local bodies. Now what I am saying is that individuals with lower numbers of children cannot contest. You will be a sarpanch, municipal councillor, corporation chairman or a mayor only if you have more than two children," he told reporters in Naravaripalle here recently.
According to the CM, North India may lose its advantage of having a stable fertility rate in about 15 years.
The TDP supremo noted that the older generations had more children, while the current generation brought it down to one child and also highlighted that some 'smart' people nowadays are going for double income no kids (DINK) concept to enjoy.
"Your parents bore four to five children and you reduced it to one. Even smarter people now are saying double income no kids let us enjoy. If their parents had thought like them, they would not have come into this world," he said.
All countries made this mistake, and we have to make the decision at the right time, said Naidu, adding that the importance of having more children was not stressed and the situation went out of hand.
Citing countries like South Korea and Japan and continental Europe, he said people in those places did not realise the danger of plummeting populations but only focused on creating wealth, raising income and taking those countries forward.
"Now they need people, we have to send them. We came to that situation," Naidu added.
Early this month, Naidu flagged the falling birthrates and said India should not repeat the mistakes committed by other countries such as South Korea and Japan, where birthrates have plummeted.
The CM said some couples are averse to having children nowadays because they do not want to share the money they earned and use those riches for their own enjoyment.
Naidu, in October last year, said there was a need to manage the population in Andhra Pradesh given that there will be an increase in the aging population.
"Till 2047, we will have the demographic dividend, there will be more youngsters. After 2047, there will be more old people…if less than two children are given birth (per woman), then the population will reduce. If you (each woman) give birth to more than two children, then the population will increase," Naidu had said.
