Modi turns emotional at RS farewell for Azad
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday heaped praise on Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad by describing as a leader who cared not just for his party, but about the country and its Parliament, and welled up while describing shared experiences with the leader whose tenure in the Upper House ends on February 15.
“I am concerned that whoever is appointed on his position may not be able to match up to him,” Modi said, pointing to Azad, who was sitting across the hall, in the slot occupied by the Opposition floor leader in the Rajya Sabha.
“Posts come, power comes but how to handle these one must learn from Ghulam Nabi Azad,” the PM added. He saluted in his direction, and said:“On the basis of events and experiences, I respect him as a friend.”
Modi also complimented Azad for being a stellar Parliamentarian whose word he respected, and on the lighter note, for his interest in gardening.
Modi’s emotional farewell speech for Azad came while he was talking about the members of the House whose tenures end this month -- these, apart from Azad, are the PDP’s Nazir Ahmad Laway (February 15), and the PDP’s Mir Mohammed Fayyaz and the BJP’s Shamsher Singh Manhas (February 10).
While speaking at length about his association with Azad, the PM recalled how, as the then chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Azad called Modi as the then chief minister of Gujarat, after several tourists from
Modi’s state were attacked in a terror ambush in the Valley in May 2006.
“He had not just called to inform me... his tears were flowing uncontrolled. Pranab Mukherjee was then the defence minister, and I called him to ask if the defence planes could be provided for ferrying the bodies… At night Ghulam Nabi ii called me from the airport. He sounded as concerned as people are when talking about their own family members,” the PM said, pausing as he was overcome with emotion and had to take a few sips of water before continuing.
When Azad later referred to the same incident in his speech, he got emotional as well. He said there have been only a few occasions when he wept aloud, and the incident that the PM recounted was one of them.
“When I went to the airport. These young kids who had lost family members clung to my legs, weeping. I could not control myself and wept aloud,” Azad said, his voice quivering.
In his farewell speech, Azad -he has spent 28 years of his 40 years as a parliamentarian in the Rajya Sabha -- said he is a proud
Indian, and that when he reads about circumstances in Pakistan, he feels proud to be a Hindustani Muslim. “If any Muslim should feel proud in the world, it should be the Indian Muslim. Over the years we have seen how Muslim countries from Afghanistan to Iraq are getting destroyed. There are no Hindus or Christians there, they are fighting amongst themselves…” Azad said.
He also recalled how he had the opportunity of learning from not just Congress leaders but also imbibed lessons in politics from BJP stalwarts. “I learnt how to be the leader of the opposition from Atalji...how to break a deadlock, how to run the House,” he said.
Earlier, referring to the two PDP MPs, Modi said he has heard their views on various subjects in his chambers several times. And recalling how he would go riding a scooter with Manhas when they were party workers in Jammu & Kashmir, the PM said he cannot even recall how long their association dates back to. Appreciating his dedication, he pointed out that Manhas’s attendance in the
house has been 96%, and whatever responsibilities have been given to him he has perform them to the best of his ability.
Modi went on to say that his doors are open for all four retiring members as their experience, suggestions and views are necessary for the country. “Your experience will be very valuable... I will keep expecting this and I will not allow you to retire.”
The speeches were accompanied by generous thumping of tables by members from across party lines -- a welcome shift from the animosity witnessed between leaders from the opposition during the last Monsoon session and the early part of the ongoing Budget session.
MODI WENT ON TO SAY THAT HIS DOORS ARE OPEN FOR ALL RETIRING MEMBERS
The government’s 2021-22 budget announcement of the Jal Jeevan Mission-Urban (JJM-U), with an outlay of ₹2.87 lakh crore, over five years, rightly addresses the huge gap in water supply and sewage infrastructure in cities. However, it is not enough to deliver long-term water sustainability across urban India. A 2018 NITI Aayog report estimates that, one, by 2030, the urban water deficit will stand at almost half of the projected demand and, two, 21 major cities will run out of groundwater in the immediate future. Water sustainability is vital for resilient and healthy cities. With unprecedented urbanisation projected over the next 30 years, the government must expand its focus from infrastructure provision to the comprehensive management of urban water to ensure sustainable urban growth and enhanced quality of life of millions of city-dwellers.
There are, however, two key barriers. One, our statutory and administrative frameworks, including the National Water Policy 2012 (NWP), do not recognise cities as a unit of planning for integrated water management even though cities continue to be the biggest consumers of water and the biggest contributors of pollution in a watershed. The current hydrology-based basin-level approach misses a critical element of urban governance that is directly linked to municipal jurisdictions, mandates, and organisational structures. Two, over time, we have compartmentalised water into distinct entities (potable water, groundwater, stormwater, ponds and lakes) — each with distinct custodians (if at all) and distinct planning and management objectives. Moreover, integrated planning and management of water (including natural water resources) do not feature as a mandate in the municipal Acts. As a result, departmental priorities, targets, and budgetary provisions for the same do not exist.
JJM-U provides a unique opportunity to remedy this through strategic enabling statutory, administrative, and institutional reforms coordinated across scales — national, state, and city. A national-level mandate for Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM) in cities is necessary. IUWM is a globally accepted approach that integrates the elements of the urban water cycle — source management, water supply, sanitation, stormwater management, sewage treatment and its reuse, solid waste management — with the city’s urban development to maximise economic, social, and environmental benefits in an equitable manner (World Bank 2012).
For this, NWP, currently under review, must emphasise the need for IUWM at the city level. Although NWP recommends devolution of authority to the lower tiers of government, it does not set out how. The revised NWP must also stress the need for preparing city Water Master Plans as a key planning tool and statutory mechanism for implementation of IUWM and its integration with city planning processes.
JJM-U must also incentivise the preparation of WMPs by making this a pre-condition for cities seeking financial assistance under the scheme. The right institutional mechanism is equally essential. An Integrated Urban Water Management Authority (IUWMA) should be created under the state water resources department in all millionplus cities with representation from all city agencies and stakeholders to facilitate more coordinated planning and implementation of sustainable urban water management. IUWMA should be backed by legislation and a model Act should be prepared to assist this process. In smaller cities, an integrated urban water management department should be created within municipal corporations/ municipalities.
Necessary amendments to the municipal Act should be made to add IUWM to the list of existing municipal functions. To ensure efficacy, WMPs need adopting as a statutory document at the city level and integrated with the city development plans/city master plans. The JJMU must create the enabling framework for IUWM, moving a step closer to creating cities that are resilient and healthy.
Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia said that there is no conflict between him and former chief minister Vasundhara Raje. In an interview with Jaykishan Sharma on Tuesday, Poonia claimed that their party is united and has begun preparations for bypolls to be held soon for four assembly seats. Edited excerpts:
You have been giving different statements on Vasundhara Raje’s role in the state. Is everything cordial between you and former CM?
Our party doesn’t run on statements. The social media creates divides. There is no conflict between me and Raje. She is our national vice-president. This is true that role of senior leaders is decided by the central leadership. Even the Congress had to remove its state president and a few ministers (during the political crisis in July year). Being the BJP president in the state, it is my role to keep everybody together.
Political observers say that your party is divided into different factions. Is it true?
There is no difference between leaders in our state. This is a positive side that we have many leaders. Earlier, people used to say that we don’t have good leaders in the state.
Why your party was not able to perform well in the local body elections?
The local body election results always come in the favour of the ruling party. When the Congress was in the opposition, they had secured 25 seats and we won 39 seats. Out of 48 municipal bodies where the Congress succeeded in forming boards a couple of days ago, the ruling party had lead only in 19. They formed boards in the rest of the municipal bodies with the help of independents. The mandate is against the state government. For the first time in the history of Rajasthan, out of 21 zila parishads, they were ahead of us only in five. It is big failure of the state government.
Fuel and electricity prices are at a high. The BJP has not been able to launch big agitation of the people against government?
On year went in vain because of the Covid pandemic, but still we raised the issue of hike in electricity prices. The state government started accusing us of violating Covid norms. Being a responsible party, we thought that it is not responsible to gather in large numbers. Still, hundreds of cases were registered against our party leaders. After restrictions are lifted, we have planned big agitations against the government on the issues of inflation, deteriorating law and order, and atrocities against women, among others. What are your prepara
tions for the bypolls to four assembly seats?
Trend indicates that the bypoll results generally come in favour of the ruling party, but this time there is an anti-incumbency against the government. Our senior leaders are working at the grassroots and have started booth management. I have also visited the seats. In future, two senior leaders will be deputed in every seat. Our organisational strength is better than the Congress.
What is your party’s strategy to take on the government in the budget session?
We will raise the issues of farm loan waiver, corruption and deteriorating law and order n the state, among others. For the first time, 580,000 cases have been registered in the state, which shows rising crime, especially atrocities against women. A few days ago two innocents were killed in a gang war in Churu. The Congress had promised loan waiver for 6.9 million farmers, but nothing has happened. BJP legislators have also prepared details of local problems and failures of the government.
Motown singer and the Supremes co-founder Mary Wilson has died, US media reported on Tuesday. She was 76.
She founded the US group aged 15 while living in a Detroit housing project, according to Variety, and continued with the band long after lead singer Diana Ross’ departure, eventually going on to be inducted into the 1988 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“Mary Wilson was extremely special to me. She was a trailblazer, a diva and will be deeply missed,” said Berry Gordy, founder of Motown records who were behind many of the band’s hits. She died at her Las Vegas home on Monday, her publicist Jay Schwartz told ET News.
Only two days ago, Wilson uploaded a short clip to YouTube celebrating Black history month and announcing: “exciting news about The Supremes, Florence Ballard and unreleased materials.” The circumstances around her death have not been released.
Born March 12, 1944 in Greenville, Mississippi, Wilson was brought up by her aunt and uncle, before moving to Detroit with her mother when she was 12. There she began singing and with Ballard founded the group that would eventually become known as the Supremes.
Despite limited early success, the band struck success in the late sixties with hits like “Stop! In the Name of Love” and “Baby Love”. Following Ross’s departure in 1970 for a solo career the group never regained its dominance on the US charts, but did enjoy some hits such as “River Deep, Mountain High” and “Stoned Love”.
Wilson continued to perform in the band - Ross was replaced by Jean Terrell remaining a constant during the shifting cast of members until the group finally folded in 1977. In 1988 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Supremes.
Little heard of in the intervening years, she burst back onto the public stage with her 1986 memoir “Dreamgirl: My Life As a Supreme”.
Bitcoin extended gains on Tuesday to a record high as the afterglow of Tesla Inc’s investment in the cryptocurrency had investors reckoning it would become a mainstream asset class for both corporates and money managers.
Bitcoin has more than doubled over two months as institutional investors search for alternative wealth stores and retail traders ride the wave. Monday’s leap after Tesla’s announcement was its largest daily rise in more than three years.
It climbed to a new peak of $48,216 late in the Asian afternoon on Tuesday. Rival cryptocurrency ethereum had struck a record high of $1,784.85 in the early morning.
Shares of companies that provide trading platforms for bitcoin and the technology to “mine” the cryptocurrency
surged in China, South Korea, and Australia, and big computer chip making companies such as SK Hynix also rose.
The US dollar slumped against most currencies.
Analysts figured Tesla’s announcement that it had bought $1.5 billion in bitcoin and that it would take the cryptocurrency as payment for cars is part of a larger shift as companies and big investment houses follow small traders into the asset.
“While you can now buy a Tesla with bitcoin, I wouldn’t suggest doing so,” said Michael Bucella, partner at crypto investment firm BlockTower on CNBC. “We’re in a position where these are the earliest phases of an allocation to bitcoin from the institutional and corporate community.”
Bitcoin is already up 62% this year, on top of a 300% rally last year, as investors search for alternatives to the greenback because of the US Federal Reserve’s 0% interest rates.
Central bankers and regulators, particularly in China, are also starting to embrace issuing their own digital currencies for everyday use, in a major break from the conventional workings of global finance.
“Digital currencies, it seems clear to us, are going to be an increasing part of financial architecture very broadly and potentially portfolios moving forward,” Ben Powell, APAC chief investment strategist at BlackRock’s Investment Institute, said on CNBC.
“There isn’t just news in the US with the bitcoin situation, but in China we’ve got a rollout of China’s digital currency with so-called ‘red packets’.”
Tesla boss Elon Musk has long been a cryptocurrency fan - he has talked them up online - but Tesla’s hard currency investment came as a surprise that has put a rocket under the sector.
Even dogecoin, a joke cryptocurrency with a dog as its symbol, has seen its value turbocharged after Musk mentioned it on Twitter. It has jumped by 13% in the past day, according to CoinMarketCap.
China’s Feitian Technologies Co Ltd, which makes technology for digital payments, rose 4.47% on Tuesday.