'Weapon of mass disinformation': Congress slams Amit Shah on 'infiltration' remarks
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Saturday attacked Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks on "infiltration", saying he is an "indigenously developed WMD -- weapon of mass disinformation".
Shah on Friday claimed that some political parties were treating infiltrators as a vote bank and questioned why infiltration does not take place along the Gujarat and Rajasthan borders.
Shah made the remarks while delivering a lecture in memory of Dainik Jagran's former editor-in-chief Narendra Mohan on the topic 'Infiltration (ghuspaith), demographic change and democracy'.
Reacting to the remarks, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "He (Shah) is an indigenously developed WMD - Weapon of Mass Disinformation - as well as a WIMP - Weapon of Intimidatory Mass Polarisation."
Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera also attacked Shah.
"The Minister of Cooperation said the most uncooperative thing on 10th Oct to fan the Hindu-Muslim fire, and polarise voters ahead of the upcoming elections. He pointed to the increasing population of Muslims on X, to insinuate that there is widespread 'Muslim infiltration' in India," Khera said.
"A logical question in this situation is - If the Muslim population has, as he claims, risen 'due to infiltration', what exactly was the Minister of Home Affairs doing for the last 11 years?" Khera said.
"He quickly realised that he is also the Home Minister and the boomerang he had aimed at Muslims had turned around and found him. So, his post was immediately deleted," Khera claimed.
"But that doesn't delete the truth: Between 2005-2013, Congress governments deported 88,792 Bangladeshi nationals. Under BJP rule, less than 10,000 have been deported in 11 years. Yet, we never boasted and the BJP will never shut up," Khera said.
Talking of empty vessels making much noise, he added.
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Minister Patil chairs industry meetings to chart growth for key sectors in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister M B Patil on Tuesday chaired meetings with industry representatives from the aerospace and defence, machine tools, auto/EV, and green energy sectors to discuss sector growth and government support measures.
The meetings were attended by leading industrialists and their representatives, with some participating virtually.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister for Large and Medium Industries said Karnataka is at the forefront of the country’s aerospace and defence sectors.
He noted that Suzuki and Toyota plan to launch aerial taxi services in Japan by 2028, with Bengaluru-based Sasmos supplying electrical equipment for the project.
Industrialists suggested introducing similar “fly-taxi” services in Karnataka through an appropriate policy, which Patil said would be examined seriously.
The minister highlighted the need to establish testing centres and Common Facility Centres for the aerospace and defence industries and assured that these facilities would be provided.
Suggestions were also made to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for sector growth.
Karnataka has urged the Central Government to approve Defence Corridor projects in the Bengaluru North–Kolar–Chikkaballapur and Dharawada–Vijayapura–Belagavi regions.
Industrialists also suggested a corridor between Bengaluru and Mysuru, Patil said.
He said Karnataka aims to become a hub for defence electronics manufacturing, with plans to establish a 200-acre Defence Electronics Park and a 100-acre Avionics and Sensor Park.
These projects will be implemented once the Special Investment Region is operational, and land availability will not be an issue.
On the machine tools sector, Patil said the industry has recorded an annual turnover of Rs 36,500 crore and is witnessing steady growth.
Large-scale exhibitions have increased demand, and the state must strengthen its capabilities to develop control systems for heavy machinery. One testing unit is already operational in Bengaluru, with another planned for Tumakuru. Expansion of vocational training institutes in industrial areas is also underway.
In the Auto and EV sector, Vision Group members highlighted the need for a network of dry ports and more EV charging stations across the state.
Patil noted that the Tata Group is manufacturing EV buses in Dharawada for nationwide supply. Plans for mini excavator production and export facilitation were also discussed, along with the establishment of a testing facility for two-wheeler EVs.
For the Green Energy sector, the group emphasised the need for a suitable policy on battery-based energy storage and the establishment of data centres.
Patil assured that the government will seriously consider all suggestions and respond positively.
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