I'm a strong CM, not a weak PM like you: CM Siddaramaiah to Modi
Bengaluru, Mar 19: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday called Narendra Modi a weak Prime Minister who could not restrain the rebel leaders in the BJP.
Siddaramaiah attacked Modi for his remarks against him on Monday during a public meeting in Shivamogga.
The Prime Minister had alleged, "There is competition in Karnataka to become partner in this loot. There are CM-in-waiting', future CM aspirant', super CM' and shadow CM'. Amid many CMs, there is a collection minister in Delhi."
In response, Siddaramaiah said in a post on social media platform X, "What are you other than 'Weak PM' who can't take action against rebel leader Eshwarappa? Dear Prime Minister Narendra Modi, you said there are super CMs and shadow CMs in the Congress party! We have no super, no shadow, there is only one CM that is 'Strong CM', I am not a 'Weak PM' like you."
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Furthermore, he said, "You describe yourself as some having 56-inch chest. Your fans hail you as Vishwaguru. But you are showing yourself as a 'Weak PM' again and again."
The chief minister said former chief minister B S Yediyurappa had once rebelled against his leadership and abused him. "By falling at the feet of such people and bringing them back to the party and taking out a rally, didn't you show yourself as a Weak PM'?" Siddaramaiah asked.
"Half a dozen leaders have rebelled against your leadership in Karnataka. Unable to get tickets, the BJP leaders are fighting on the streets, throwing mud at each other. They have not listened to any of your pleas. Some of them are also contacting us. Such a dance of indiscipline in the disciplined party'! Isn't it because you are a 'Weak PM'?" the chief minister further asked.
He said when Modi was holding a public meeting in Shivamogga, Eshwarappa did not attend it even though he was at his house just a stone's throw away from the venue.
"Eshwarappa was constantly speaking against the BJP leadership. What are you other than Week PM' who can't take action against them?" Siddaramaiah asked.
Claiming that the Congress is a party with internal democracy, Siddaramaiah said there are many people who deserve the post of chief minister. On the other hand there is not a single leader in BJP, which claims to be the largest political party in the world, who is eligible to become PM, he added.
"Aren't there any such leaders in BJP or are you not allowing others to grow, out of fear of losing your position?" he wondered aloud.
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'Brand Bharat' is statement of authenticity; of being Vishwa Bandhu, says EAM
New Delhi (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday extolled the idea of 'Brand Bharat' and said it is "statement of authenticity" in representation, articulation or beliefs, and equally a message that "we are now more comfortable in our own skin".
In a virtual address at India Ideas Conclave, he also underlined that it is also the "brand of Vishwa Bandhu" as on the big stage, a "multi-vector approach" engages the Quad and BRICS, Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Iran and the Global North and Global South.
Nations, like people, enterprises or services, have a reputation. When deeply entrenched into consciousness and easily recognisable, that becomes a brand. Obviously, it is related to the merits of the product and its track record, he said.
"When it comes to a country, the national brand is obviously a fusion and aggregation of different facets of its life. On the global stage, it is much more an integrated positioning of a multiple endeavors. We, in the world of diplomacy, have that responsibility. My thoughts today are about how we discharge that for an India that is more Bharat," Jaishankar said.
In his address, the external affairs minister encapsulated the journey of India from freedom struggle to gaining independence and the course the country took in the succeeding decades.
"Our initial decades after independence saw us struggling with the brand challenge. Given the ground situation, this was not unsurprising. A society recovering from two centuries of colonialism obviously had to painstakingly build itself up, creating new capabilities, institutions and practices," he said.
But at the end of the day, India entered the next century "intact as a polity, energetic as an economy and optimistic as a society".
"None of that could have been taken for granted and some, in fact, failed to make it," he underlined.
The Union minister, who virtually addressed the conclave hosted by India Foundation, lamented that earlier the country, at the global level, was "seen as sizeable player about whom there was limited expectation", and said, however, the last decade has seen a "big shift" in that regard.
"Economically, we are now perceived as much easier to do business. The transformation underway in infrastructure is also increasingly appreciated.
Whether it is the airports, metros, highways or railways, the achievements of the last decade stand out even by global standards. Perhaps, nothing has been more impactful than our embrace of digital technologies," he added.
Jaishankar then went on to expound what is 'Brand Bharat'.
"Bharat is a statement of authenticity, be it in representation, articulation or beliefs. Even our economic energies required a connotation of Atmanirbharta in that background," he asserted.
"It is equally a message that we are now more comfortable in our own skin, drawing on our own past, fashioning our own lexicon and advancing our own ideas," the Union minister added.
He said while recognising these developments, let us also realise that "we are not just one more country".
"Our history, tradition, culture and heritage makes us stand out. We are one of the rare ancient civilisations that have made a successful transition to a nation state. In the past, when our overall standing was less, perhaps this did not count for that much. But when juxtaposed with our achievements in so many fields, it now assumes very different connotation," Jaishankar added.
It is in this context that "we should reflect on Brand Bharat. The very term captures the civilisational aspect, while underlining how much more rooted we have become", he said.
"In a world asserting its independence from a globalised elite, it is an effort to engage the world more on our terms. The formulation of standing on the two legs of technology and tradition is one effective way of expressing Brand Bharat," Jaishankar said.
Coming from the domain of diplomacy, India naturally seek to advance that brand in more specific terms. That means defining how Bharat approaches the world, he said.
"There are a range of answers. The Global South sees a powerful advocate and the driver of Vaccine Maitri. Neighbours recognise a generous and non-reciprocal partner who stood by them during Covid, financial meltdowns or natural disasters. Democracies appreciate a confident partner whose choice has helped universalise their shared attributes," the minister asserted.
"The immediate region and beyond value an emerging 'first responder' and contributor to global goods. And on the big stage, a multi-vector approach engages the Quad and BRICS, Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Iran and the Global North and South. This is the brand of Vishwa Bandhu," he said.
