K'taka HM Parameshwara takes dig at Centre over plea to cancel Prajwal Revanna's passport
Bengaluru, May 25: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday took a dig at the Centre, a day after the Ministry of External Affairs said the state government's request to impound the diplomatic passport of absconding Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna was received only on May 21.
He sought to know what happened to the letter sent by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April, seeking revocation of the passport of the suspended JDS leader.
Reacting to a reported interview of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar that his ministry got the request for cancelling the passport only on May 21, Parameshwara told reporters: "I too saw the media report. If he (S Jaishankar) said so, then it means that the PMO did not inform the Ministry of External Affairs."
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"The Chief Minister wrote the letter in April itself and the EAM says he received it on May 21. What happened to the letter in the Prime Minister's Office? Didn't it get the value it deserved or did the PMO not inform the External Affairs Ministry?" Parameshwara asked.
Taking a swipe at the union government, he said, "We can see how the Centre is functioning."
The Home Minister noted that once the diplomatic passport is cancelled, Prajwal has to return to India as he will lose the immunity to stay abroad.
Prajwal, who is the grandson of JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda and the NDA candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, is facing charges of sexually abusing women.
Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on April 27, a day after Hassan went to polls, and is still at large. A 'Blue Corner Notice' seeking information on his whereabouts has already been issued by Interpol, following a request by the SIT via the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
A Special Court for Elected Representatives issued an arrest warrant against Prajwal, following an application moved by the SIT.
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TN seeks duty-free cotton imports to support textile sector: CM Vijay writes to PM
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove the import duty on cotton.
In his first letter to Modi after taking over as chief minister of the state, he said Tamil Nadu is the country’s largest textile and apparel exporting state.
Lakhs of people are dependent on this sector for both direct and indirect employment, especially women from rural and semi-urban backgrounds, Vijay pointed out.
Stating that the industry is facing a severe crisis due to an increase in cotton prices and consequently yarn prices, he said, “I understand this is caused primarily due to a shortage in cotton production and increased trading activity in the country.”
Pointing out that the price of cotton has increased from Rs 54,700 to Rs 67,700 per candy—an increase of 25 per cent over the last two months—while yarn prices have increased from Rs 301 to Rs 330 per kg, he said, “In this situation, the continued supply of raw material can be ensured only through imports.”
However, there is an import duty of 11 per cent on cotton, he said, adding that in such a situation, permitting duty-free cotton imports will help the industry meet increasing export commitments and remain globally competitive.
Vijay said that after agriculture, the textile and apparel sector is one of the largest employment-generating sectors.
“There is a significant responsibility on the government to safeguard the employment of lakhs of people and ensure the sustainability of the textile value chain," he said.
“Hence, I request your intervention to remove the import duty on cotton from the existing 11 per cent to 0 per cent to ensure the availability of raw material. This measure will enable the textile and apparel industry to remain globally competitive, enhance exports, and protect jobs,” he added.
