PM coins new acronyms for BC and AD to take a swipe at Congress
says it is 'Before Congress' and ‘After Dynasty’
New Delhi : Coining new acronyms for 'BC'and 'AD'--the two time periods, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday used them to take a swipe at the Congress, saying the opposition party has known only two phases--'Before Congress' and 'After Dynasty'.
Modi referred to the two phases in years denoted in the Julian and Gregorian calendars while responding to assertions by Congress leaders during the debate on motion of thanks to President's address on the country's achievements since Independence.
In a marathon reply to the debate, Modi said the Congress keeps bringing up 1947 like BC and AD whenever the current government speaks about its achievements since 2014 when it came to power.
"When we speak about history, we use BC and AD. We heard speeches which kept mentioning the periods from 1947 to 2014.
"BC and AD have their meanings. BC means 'Before Congress' which means there was nothing before the Congress came to power and AD 'After Dynasty' which means whatever happened was after the dynasty," Modi said in a veiled reference to the Nehru-Gandhi family.
The terms AD(anno Domini) and BC(before Christ) are used to label or number years in the Julian and Gregorian calendars.
Modi also accused the Congress of defaming the nation.
"In discussing Modi and in discussing BJP, they end up defaming the nation. That is why their leaders go to London and do press conferences to show India in bad light," the prime minister said.
Modi made this remark in an apparent reference to a news conference in London by a self-proclaimed cyber expert who claimed that the 2014 Lok Sabha polls were rigged through hacked Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Congress leader Kapil Sibal was present at the conference last month through skype by an US-based Indian who identified himself as Syed Shuja.
Sibal had said he attended the event in personal capacity , in response to the BJP's allegation that he was there on behalf of his party.
Modi also said the Congress did not have vision and has not worked for the benefit of the nation. "Modiji will frighten the people who are corrupt," said Modi, adding, "the nation has put me in this position to end corruption.
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Philippines president declares national energy emergency amid global fuel supply risks
Manila: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has declared a national energy emergency, citing the “imminent danger” to the country’s fuel supply due to global disruptions linked to the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran, Al Jazeera reported.
“The declaration of a state of national energy emergency will enable the government… to implement responsive and coordinated measures under existing laws to address the risks posed by disruptions in the global energy supply and the domestic economy,” Al Jazeera quoted Marcos Jr as saying.
As part of the emergency response, a committee has been formed to ensure the orderly movement, supply, distribution and availability of fuel, food, medicine, agricultural products and other essential goods, he said.
The emergency declaration, which will remain in force for one year, allows the government to procure fuel in advance and take action against hoarding and profiteering.
Authorities are also empowered to take action against the hoarding, profiteering and manipulation of petroleum product supplies.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the country currently has about 45 days of fuel supply based on current consumption. She added that the government is working to procure 1 million barrels of oil from countries within and outside Southeast Asia to build a buffer stock, though uncertainties remain.
Meanwhile, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said the government is in talks with Washington to secure exemptions that would allow for the purchase of oil from countries under US sanctions.
The announcement comes amid rising public discontent. Transport workers, commuters, and consumer groups have planned a two-day strike to protest fuel price hikes and what they call inadequate government response.
Piston, a federation of public transport associations, described the declaration of a national energy emergency as a “superficial band-aid that deliberately ignores the structural roots of the fuel crisis”.
“If the government genuinely intends to protect transport workers and commuters from this geopolitical crisis, it would immediately suspend the Excise Tax and Value-Added Tax on petroleum products to drastically lower prices overnight,” Al Jazeera quoted Piston as saying.
Renato Reyes Jr, of the progressive civil society coalition Bayan, said the declaration “does not address the basic problem of runaway oil prices and [their] effects on the mass transport system and other sectors in the country”.
As part of the government’s mitigation measures, students and workers in some cities are being given free access to bus rides, and the government has started to provide a 5,000 peso subsidy for public transport workers, including motorcycle taxi drivers, to help them cope with rising fuel costs.
