HAL boss says cash in hand negative. Economy cashless, says BJP leader
New Delhi, Jan 08: Pawan Khera couldn't help pressing his palm against his head in disbelief. "Priceless," said one political analyst, tweeting a howling emoticon to boot.
The reason for all this incredulity and mirth? On an Aaj Tak TV debate (which featured Khera, a Congress leader), BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain replied to a remark on Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL) cash crunch like this:
"We are cashless economy people. Why do you want cash in hand?"
He said this, apparently, in all seriousness.
Now, what was the exact context? The anchor had just pointed to comments made by the HAL's CMD, R Madhavan, about the defence PSU's finances. "Our cash in hand is in the negative," Madhavan told a leading daily. "We've had to borrow close to Rs 1,000 crore as an overdraft."
When Shahnawaz Hussain replied as he did, the anchor said the panelists were having a serious discussion.
"Yes, it's a serious discussion," Hussain said. "What do you want? You want cash in hand?"
The anchor explained that the HAL boss was talking about paying employees' salaries. Pawan Khera's forehead disappeared behind his palm.
"There is no cash in hand these days," Hussain later said.
Here's a sample of reactions on Twitter, which have clips of the exchange.
I don't know why people are frothing in the mouth!
— Akash Banerjee (@akashbanerjee) January 7, 2019
Have you EVER seen a party spokesperson stun a primetime anchor into silence so quickly?
This is beyond the capability of even @sambitswaraj Ji ? pic.twitter.com/txJ3iZDY9g
Brilliant rebuttal by Shahnawaz Hussain: Why does HAL need "cash in hand" when we are a cashless economy? #KamalKeFools pic.twitter.com/552jq1iaWF
— Ruchira Chaturvedi (@RuchiraC) January 7, 2019
"Why does HAL need cash? We are a cashless economy," he says. Priceless. ??? https://t.co/XHhtKRDPzC
— Sumanth Raman (@sumanthraman) January 7, 2019
Courtesy: www.indiatoday.in
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West Asia conflict: Modi calls ministerial meeting to review energy situation
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting Sunday evening with senior ministers to review to take stock of petroleum, power, and fertiliser sectors in view of the evolving West Asia situation, sources have said.
The focus of the meeting is to ensure uninterrupted supply, stable logistics and efficient distribution across the country, and the government is taking proactive steps to this end, they said.
Continuous monitoring of global developments to protect consumer and industry interests is the key focus of the government, they said.
On March 12, Modi said that the war in West Asia has triggered a worldwide energy crisis, posing a critical test of national character that requires dealing with circumstances through peace, patience, and increased public awareness.
The prime minister emphasised that his government is working relentlessly to address disruptions that have emerged in international supply chains.
"Continuous efforts are also underway to determine how we can overcome the disruptions that have occurred in the supply chain," Modi said.
The prime minister has spoken to many global leaders since the West Asia conflict started on February 28, with the US and Israel attacking Iran.
Iran has retaliated by attacking Israel and several of its Gulf neighbours.
Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route through which 20 per cent of the world's energy is transported. Since the conflict, very few ships have been allowed by Iran to cross it.
The blockade has resulted in severe disruptions in energy supply to many countries, including India.
Since the conflict, Modi has had telephonic conversations with leaders from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, France, Malaysia, Israel and Iran.
