NCP leader demands suspension of woman IAS officer after her anti-Gandhi tweet sparks row
New Delhi: A Mumbai woman IAS officer's tweet virtually making a call to erase Mahatma Gandhiji from everywhere in the world, including Indian currency notes, sparked a controversy, forcing her to backtrack, on Saturday.
Nidhi Choudhari, currently Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Special) in the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, had made the tweets on May 17.
"What an exceptional celebration of 150th birth anniversary year is going on... High time, we removed his face from our currency, his statues from across the world, rename institutions/roads named after him! That would be a real tribute to all of us! ThankU #Godse for 30.01.1948."
Terming the IAS officer's tweets as "derogatory to Mahatma Gandhi," Nationalist Congress Party legislator Jitendra Awhad demanded that Choudhari should be immediately suspended for glorifying Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Bapu.
"We seek immediate suspension of the IAS officer for her derogatory tweets against Mahatma Gandhi. She has also glorified Godse. This is shocking and such things should not be tolerated," Awhad told mediapersons today.
Under fire from various quarters, Choudhari said on Friday she had deleted her controversial tweet.
"I have deleted my tweet of 17.05.2019 w.r.t. Gandhiji because some people misunderstood it. If only they had followed my timeline since 2011, they would've understood that I would NEVER even dream of insulting Gandhiji. I bow before him with deepest regard and will do so till last breath," she tweeted.
Awhad pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has categorically said that he would not tolerate any kind of insults to Gandhiji or any attempts to glorify his assassin.
On Friday, Choudhari posted a tweet on new Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, but without directly taking her name: "A proud moment. Women are best at managing budgets... hope Indian economy achieves greater heights under her leadership."
Adding in a lighter vein, Choudhari also demanded that Goods and Services Tax (GST) on sanitary napkins, garments and beauty services would be reduced and said: "I would want it to be zero."
I have deleted my tweet of 17.05.2019 w.r.t. GandhiJi because some people misunderstood it
— Nidhi Choudhari?☪️✝️☸️ (@nidhichoudhari) May 31, 2019
If only they had followed my timeline since 2011 they would've understood that I would NEVER even dream of insulting GandhiJi
I bow before him with deepest regard & will do till last breath pic.twitter.com/CSjaKHF9BJ
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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.
