Modi completely failed on national security front: Azad
New Delhi, May 26: Speaking on the work of Narendra Modi government that completed four years on Satutrday, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Prime Minister failed to keep his promise on national security and let down security forces.
"Kashmir is a state which was exploited by Modi most during the elections. In the recent past, ever since things had normalised in Jammu and Kashmir post 1996, highest number of security forces and civilians were killed in the four years of Modi government," Azad said at a press conference.
He was accompanied by several senior Congress leaders.
Attacking Modi on national security, Azad said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had used the issue of national security during the election campaign and exploited the nation in the name of national security.
"National security is an area on which Prime Minister spoke during the election campaign. He highlighted the importance of national security and exploited it to the hilt. And, he got the maximum votes in the name of national security.
"But where is national security today? The national security does not mean only the territorial integrity of the country. The national security means where people are safe and secure, it means where there is freedom of expression and freedom of press. But under Modi's government nobody is safe. Everybody is having sleepless nights," Azad said.
The Congress leader went on to remind the incidents of terrorist attacks on important locations like Pathankot, Uri and Nagrota, where dozens of security forces and civilians were killed.
Congress General Secretary Ashok Gehlot said: "No other Prime Minister has ever lowered down the dignity of the post of PM like Modi."
Party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala summed up Modi government's rule by saying, "treachery, trickery, revenge and lies are the four words that define Modi government's four years."
"Modi government spent Rs 4,600 crore on advertisements in the last four years," he added.
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Karnataka Guv letter to govt, want to know how it got 'confidential material' from Lokayukta
Bengaluru (PTI): Another letter written by Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to the Chief Secretary, expressing "perplexity", as to how the government came to know about the "confidential material" relating to Lokayukta's request to him seeking prosecution or investigation sanction against some opposition leaders, surfaced on Friday.
In the letter to Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, the Governor also pointed out that in the August 22 Cabinet decision there is only observation with regard to pendency in according sanction in four cases, and there was no "advice" to him, as reported in the media.
The Karnataka Cabinet has decided to give "aid and advice" to the Governor to act on requests seeking sanction for prosecution against JD(S) leader and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy and three former BJP ministers including mining baron G Janardhan Reddy, the government had said on August 22.
"I have been made aware through media reports published on 23-08-2024 that the Cabinet had advised the Governor to accord sanction for investigation/prosecution proposal against H D Kumaraswamy, Murugesh Nirani, Janardhan Reddy, and Shashikala Jolle received from Lokayukta police without delay," the Governor said in a letter dated August 28.
"But, on thorough reading of the Cabinet decisions, it is further noted, that there is only observation with regard to pendency in according sanction in the above four cases along with dates of submission by Lokayukta Police to this Secretariat but there is no advice as such," he said.
Further noting that he is both "curious and perplexed" to note that how did the State Government and the Cabinet came to know about the request from Lokayukta Police along with dates of submission to the sanctioning authority and other details, the Governor asked, "how did Lokayukta Police being an independent body share confidential material with any person other than the sanctioning authority since I have seen in the media the confidential material floating around?"
"I am also curious to see the Cabinet note/materials regarding this subject based on which the Cabinet has observed and decided and which has been conveyed to me officially. Hence, I expect a prompt and early reply along with Cabinet note/supporting documents and the source of documents/ information in this regard," he added.
The August 22 Cabinet meeting and its decision that the Governor is referring to, was held within a week after him granting sanction for prosecution and investigation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case on August 16.
On August 19, Siddaramaiah moved the High Court challenging the legality of the Governor's order.
The High Court on September 12 completed its hearing on Siddaramaiah's petition challenging the legality of Governor Gehlot's approval for investigation against him in the MUDA site allotment case and reserved its orders.
In the MUDA site allotment case, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife B M Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA.
The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where MUDA developed a residential layout.
Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts. Some Opposition leaders and activists have also claimed that Parvathi had no legal title over this 3.16 acres of land.
