PM Modi welcomes Xi in Tamil Nadu's traditional 'veshti'
Chennai, Oct 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mamallapuram near here, wearing Tamil Nadu's traditional veshti (dhoti), which drew praise RPT drew praise from Pattali Makkal Katchi and others.
Modi, who reached Mamallapuram ahead of Xi by a chopper, received the Chinese leader at Arjuna's penance monument.
Attired in a striking Tamil traditional 'karai veshti' (dhoti with a border in green), angavastram (a shawl), and a half sleeve white shirt, the Prime Minister shook hands with Xi as the two leaders exchanged pleasantries.
The Chinese leader wore a full sleeve white shirt and black trousers.
Pattali Makkal Katchi founder leader S Ramadoss said the Prime Minister donning veshti, the traditional dress of Tamils, was a thing of joy.
"Let the world know the culture of Tamils," he said in his twitter handle.
Karnataka Culture and Toursim Minister C T Ravi tweeted: "Respecting the Culture and Traditions of the Land He visits comes naturally to PM @narendramodi. He is seen here comfortably moving around in the traditional attire of Tamil Makkal (meaning people)."
Later, as he conversed with his Chinese counterpart at the Five Rathas monument, the Prime Minister offered a tender coconut to the visiting foreign dignitary and the two leaders relished the drink, considered good for health.
Earlier, Xi was treated to Tamil cultural performances by folk dancers and Bharatanatyam artistes while scores of children greeted him by waving Indian and Chinese flags as he arrived here and later drove to seaside resort town of Mamallapuram on Friday.
The Chinese president was accorded a red carpet welcome at the airport here on his arrival and received by Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister K Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minsiter O Panneerselvam and Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal.
About 500 Tamil folk artistes rendered performances, including "tappattam," and "poi kal kuthirai" while a group of colourfully dressed women presented a Bharatanatyam programme to the accompaniment of 'thavil' and 'nadaswaram' (traditional percussion and wind instruments respectively) music.
A smiling Xi waved at the artistes as he paused briefly before moving on slowly.
Temple priests with traditional honours greeted him before he boarded his car.
PM @narendramodi and President Xi Jinping are at the Pancha Rathas complex in Mamallapuram. pic.twitter.com/ejVC1aBtxH
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 11, 2019
#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping visit group of temples at Mahabalipuram. The group of monuments at Mahabalipuram is prescribed by UNESCO as a world heritage site. #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/Yf8mHXCxh5
— ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019
The #ChennaiConnect!
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 11, 2019
PM @narendramodi welcomes President Xi Jinping at Arjuna's Penance in Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu. pic.twitter.com/wS06sEWCTU
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Karnataka Assembly passes bill on Palace Grounds amid opposition protest
Bengaluru, Mar 6 (PTI): The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed the Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Bill, reaffirming state ownership over 472 acres and 16 guntas of land here, amid protests by the opposition BJP.
During the discussion, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the state government would have to provide Rs 200 crore worth of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) for each acre of land, which means that for 15 acres, Rs 3,000 crore worth of TDR would be issued.
“If we accept it, then this 2-km stretch of road will become the costliest road in the world. If we accept it then how are we going to develop the city in later stages? How will you carry out development works?” asked Patil.
He also pointed out that this question was raised not only under the Congress government but also during the previous BJP regime.
However, the BJP-led cabinet has opposed the project.
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“Suppose we agree to it then, what will be the valuation of the 472 acres? It will be lakhs and lakhs of crores of rupees. Can we accept?” Patil wondered.
The Minister said the government had previously exercised its executive powers to issue an ordinance, which was approved by the Governor. Now the government is bringing a bill with two amendments.
“In this bill, we have made provisions either to develop or drop the road development work,” Patil explained.
However, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and BJP MLA Arvind Bellad opposed the move, alleging that the government was targetting Yaduveer Krishna Datta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of the Mysuru royal family, and the BJP MP from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency out of political vendetta.
“We talk of 472 acres of Mysuru Maharaja but here there are many Maharajas who too own 400 acres, 500 acres and thousands of acres of land, which is known to everyone,” Bellad said.
He slammed the Congress government, saying political power should not be misused for personal vendetta.
“Why (the then Deputy Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah brought the law in 1996 pertaining to the Bangalore Palace? Why are you setting eyes on the Bangalore Palace?” he asked.
Vijayendra charged that Wadiyar won the election on BJP ticket so the state government realised that it should acquire it.
“This bill has been brought for political vengeance. We are not discussing whether Rs 3,000 crore is exorbitant or not but the moment Yaduveer became MP, the state government woke up. You should be ashamed. This house should not be used for political vendetta,” he said.
Intervening, Minister Priyank Kharge said Vijayendra should not have raised it because the intention behind building the road was noble.
According to him, the BJP too had the same plan when it was in power.
He sought to know whether thousands of crores of rupees be spent on a road which should have cost significantly less.
In response, BJP MLA B A Basavaraj (Byrathi) said issuing TDR will not be a burden on the state government and appealed to the ruling Congress to reconsider its stance.
Minister Ramalinga Reddy too explained that the Karnataka government acquired the entire land way back in 1996.
The Mysuru royal family went to the High Court, which gave ruling in favour of the state government. The royal family then approached the Supreme Court, where the case is still going on, the Minister pointed out.
“The final judgment is pending in the SC to decide whether the acquisition was right or wrong. If the SC says it’s the royal family’s property then let it be so. If the order is in the state government’s favour then we can take a decision. The bill is only about it,” Reddy explained.
Speaker U T Khader then called for a voice vote and the bill was passed by the Assembly amidst opposition BJP’s discontent.
