Modi govt took credit for valour of armed forces; failed to ensure their safety: TDP
Visakhapatnam:The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Sunday alleged the Narendra Modi government was quick to take credit for action of the armed forces against terrorists but failed to gave them bullet proof vehicles which could have prevented the attack on a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.
TDP national spokesperson Dinkar Lanka told PTI that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated bullet proof buses for the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in September 2017, but the paramilitary force has not received them yet.
The attack on a CRPF bus in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama happened due to negligence on the part of the government. Sitharaman inaugurated bullet proof buses for CRPF on September 7, 2017. There are 200 such vehicles in the inventory of the Defence Ministry, but the forces haven't got them yet. Where are those buses? he asked.
The Narendra Modi government was quick to take credit for the valour of the armed forces, but has failed to ensure their safety, he alleged.
Lanka also said that his party will win more than 20 out of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh and will play a pivotal role at the Centre.
The TDP had won 15 seats in the 2014 elections in an alliance with the BJP and actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena party.
Eying the role of a kingmaker at the Centre, TDP president Naidu has been travelling around the country, rallying opposition parties against the BJP.
Asked if going solo in the elections will cost the TDP, Lanka said his party lost minority votes due to the alliance with the BJP in 2004. "Going solo will benefit us."
The TDP leader said both the Congress and the BJP cheated the people of Andhra on the issue of special category status, but "Rahul Gandhi's party has passed a resolution to meet the demand if voted to power".
Simultaneous polls will be held in Andhra Pradesh on April 11 for 25 Lok Sabha seats and to elect the new 175-member Assembly.
On Sunday evening, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal will address a rally along with Naidu in Visakhapatnam.
Kejriwal had also campaigned for Naidu on March 28. Earlier, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah had attended public meetings in support of Naidu in the state.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda and DMK chief M K Stalin will also canvass for the TDP the next week.
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EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
