Over Rs 1,000 cr released in advance for states affected by Cyclone Fani: PM Modi
Hindaun City: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said over Rs 1,000 crore had been released in advance for the states affected by Cyclone Fani.
Addressing an election rally here, he said the government was with the people in times of crises. A detailed review meeting was held and he had been given the latest updates on Cyclone Fani, Modi said as the extremely severe cyclonic storm hit Odisha on Friday morning.
"Lakhs of families are affected by a cyclone in the coastal areas of Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and the Centre is in touch with the state governments. I got the latest update from officers sometime ago and also held a detailed review meeting yesterday. More than Rs 1,000 crore have been released in advance," Modi told the rally in Rajasthan's Hindaun town, located in Karauli district.
He added that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Indian Coast Guard, the Navy and the Army were engaged in the relief works.
"I want to assure the people of the cyclone-affected states that the entire country and the Centre are standing by the affected families and the state governments," Modi said. The prime minister also ramped up his attack against the Congress, saying the party is distraught about Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar being declared as an international terrorist during the election and is questioning the timing of the announcement.
He alleged that the opposition party is unhappy with India's security situation. Instead of celebrating the decision of the United Nations (UN) designating the JeM chief as an international terrorist, the opposition party is questioning its timing, the prime minister said.
"Should the UN ask the Congress, should it consult 'Madam' or 'Naamdar', before declaring him as a global terrorist?," he asked the gathering, in a mocking reference to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
Questioning the Congress's response to the development, he said the decision on the Pakistan-based terrorist was not taken by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The world is talking about India, Modi said. "India's biggest enemy, Masood Azhar, who had been wounding India for several years, was declared an international terrorist two days ago," he said, adding that the UN declaring the JeM chief as an international terrorist was the third surgical strike on Pakistan. "Have I dealt with Pakistan's arrogance or not?", he asked the crowd
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
