The Asian Independent - January 2019

www.theasianindependent.co.uk
NEWS
CONGRESS READY FOR DEBATE ON RAFALE,
CENTRE REJECTS ALLEGATIONS
New Delhi, The Congress,
which has been demanding a
Joint Parliamentary Probe (JPC)
probe on the Rafale fighter jet
deal since the beginning of the
Winter Session of Parliament, on
Monday said that it was ready
for a debate on Wednesday over
the controversial deal.
“Jaitley ji has thrown a challenge
… we accept it… we are
ready for a debate on January 2.
Please decide a time,” Congress
leader Mallikarjun Kharge said
in the Lok Sabha just as it was
about to adjourn for the day.
He was responding to Finance
Minister Arun Jaitley, who said
that the Congress should begin
the discussion on the issue
immediately. The minister had
alleged that the Congress was
“running away” from a discussion
and was spreading “lies”
over the deal. “If you have the
courage, begin the debate immediately,”
Jaitley said soon after
the House voted the
Supplementary Demands for
Grants amid din and slogan
shouting by the Congress
demanding a JPC probe on the
Rafale deal.
During the debate, BJP’s
Nishikant Dubey too accused the
Congress of making a hue and
cry over the issue and charged
that the Congress was running
away from a discussion.
As Speaker Sumitra
Mahahjan was about to adjourn
the House for the day, Kharge
reminded her about Jaitley’s
challenge and asked her to fix
the time for a discussion on
January 2. “I am not saying
no…why should I say
no…In fact the House was
prepared for a debate but
something happened and
you (Congress) started
demanding JPC probe…you
keep your challenges to
yourself… don’t challenge
me. When the debate will
take place, I will
decide…you will decide,”
Mahajan remarked and then
adjourned the House for the
day.
The government has been
saying that it was ready for a discussion
on the issue.
Earlier in the day, Home
Minister Rajnath Singh rejected
allegations of corruption in the
Rafale deal while asserting that a
lie repeated again and again will
not become a truth.
“The Congress should understand
that a lie spoken many a
time cannot turn into truth. We
have been ready for a discussion
from the very first day. But why
is the opposition party running
away (from a discussion),”
Singh said. He was responding
to Kharge’s accusations on the
issue during Zero Hour amid
protests and slogan-shouting by
opposition members including
those of Congress, AIADMK
and the TDP on different issues.
Raising the issue, Kharge
reiterated his party’s demand for
a Joint Parliamentary Committee
(JPC) probe into the deal alleging
that it was one of the biggest
“scams” of the country.
“We are demanding a JPC
probe for three weeks. Allow it,”
he said, questioning the government
for not disclosing the price
of the aircraft. He claimed that
the Rafale fighter jets have been
purchased at a price three times
higher than the UPA government’s
deal.
“Why the government is not
disclosing the prices even as the
French President has said it can
be disclosed,” he said.
Not satisfied with the government’s
response, the Congress
members continued with their
protest.
January 2019
11
Andhra employees of Hyderabad
High Court leave for Amaravati
Hyderabad, With the decks cleared for functioning of separate
high courts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana from New Year,
employees and lawyers of Andhra Pradesh at the High Court of
Judicature in Hyderabad left for
Andhra Pradesh capital Amaravati on
Monday. About 900 employees left for
Amaravati in special buses as their
Telangana counterparts saw them off.
Some employees turned emotional on
leaving Hyderabad.
The Hyderabad High Court has been
serving as the common High Court for
both the Telugu states since June 2014
when Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated to
carve out Telangana state. Earlier, the
Supreme Court refused to take up for
immediate hearing a petition filed by
Andhra Pradesh Lawyers Association
for postponing shifting of High Court to Amaravati till the construction
of High Court building was completed there. The Supreme Court
will take up the petition for hearing on Wednesday. The petitioners
say that completion of High Court building could take about 10
months. The Centre had last week issued a notification for bifurcation
of the High Court between the two states. The gazette notification said
January 1 would be the appointed day for the Andhra Pradesh High
Court, which will start functioning from Amaravati, while the High
Court of Judicature at Hyderabad will become the High Court for
Telangana. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu
had criticised the Centre for not giving sufficient time to make preparations
for shifting of the High Court.
Enjoy Holidays in India & Across the Globe with ONTIME
Inbound & Outbound Tailor Made Tours
Ontime Luxurious Apartment
Rent-a-car Service Across India
Visa & Air Tickets | Travel Insurance
ONTIME HOSPITALITY SERVICE (Mumbai, India)
+91-22-26848985/66952866/26837175
+91-9833120569
info@ontimetravel.net, chetna@ontimetravel.net
www.ontimetravel.net | www.ontimeapartments.com
On kanshi TV
channel 864.
SATURDAY at
6 :00 pm
SUNDAY at
6 :00 pm
Ambedkarites News and Views
by
BUDDHIST INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
Mob : 07411 251 804, 07847 307 059