Politics Live | When can I visit J&K, Rahul Gandhi asks Governor Malik – The Hindu

New Delhi

’Fun and frolic’ in Corbett will not solve grave economic crisis: Sitaram Yechury

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that “fun and frolic” in Jim Corbett National Park will not solve the problems faced by the economy, in an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he appeared on Discovery Channel’s Man vs Wild.

The episode, telecast on Monday night, was shot in the national park.

“The fun and frolic in Corbett will not provide the solution to this grave economic crisis, created by the government since 2014. We have not heard any coherent plan from the govt except same rabid, divisive spiel meant to cause social disharmony.

“This is no longer some anecdotal evidence. Hard data every single day is driving home the gravity of the economic crisis which engulfs all sectors. The writing is on the wall and those responsible for managing the economy are missing or distracting from the real issue,” Yechury tweeted.

Jammu and Kashmir

When can I visit J&K, Rahul Gandhi asks Governor Malik

Rahul Gandhi reiterated that he accepts Governor Satya Pal Malik’s invitation to visit Jammu & Kashmir and meet the people “with no conditions attached”.

Referring to Mr. Malik’s reply as “feeble,” Mr. Gandhi asked the Governor when he can visit.

“Dear Maalik ji, I saw your feeble reply to my tweet,” Mr. Gandhi wrote on Twitter.

“I accept your invitation to visit Jammu & Kashmir and meet the people, with no conditions attached. When can I come?,” he asked.

On Monday, Governor Malik had said that he would send an aircraft for Mr. Gandhi to visit J&K after the Congress leader had questioned the law and order situation.

Panaji

‘Article 370 as ‘long pending wound’ of J&K’

Union minister Shripad Naik on Wednesday said the Independence Day celebrations this year hold greater significance as the Centre has cured the “long pending wound” in the form Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Residents of the Kashmir Valley will now be able to celebrate the Independence Day in the “real sense” and the region will prosper along with other states of the country, the minister of state for defence said.

The Centre on August 5 announced that Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 was being revoked and proposed that the state be split into two Union Territories.

Naik said this was one of the key decisions of the present Modi-led government’s tenure.

“The Independence Day this year is more important as we have managed to cure the long pending wound that we had in the form of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. We can say that the people of Kashmir can now celebrate the Independence Day in the real sense,” he told PTI over phone from Delhi.

New Delhi

Congress cautions Modi government on economy

Alleging that India’s economy had stalled, the Congress on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spell out what his government was doing out to revive the economy.

“It is an economy which has stalled, the growth engine has stalled, all the four engines have stopped functioning — investment, industrial production, capacity utilisation and exports,” said senior Congress leader Anand Sharma.

Mr. Sharma, who had been Commerce Minister, referred to the slowdown in the automobile sector and the possibility of job losses on a massive scale.

“It is feared that 3.5 lakh jobs would be lost by the end of August in the sector.”

He said the demand had fallen by as much as 20% in July for passenger cars and it is almost 26% for commercial vehicles.

He said the situation was ‘serious’ if one factored in ancillary industries.

“It is a serious situation. Factories are closing, there is retrenchment taking place — over one lakh workers and labour have been retrenched in the last month in the sector,” he said.

New Delhi

Sushma always took up challenges: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led leaders across party lines and members of his own Council of Ministers on Tuesday in paying homage to former Union Minister Sushma Swaraj who passed away last week.

Terming Swaraj a Minister who transformed the External Affairs Ministry from one bound by protocol to one which heeded the “people’s call,” Mr. Modi was fulsome in his praise for his late colleague. He recalled instances when he and Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu helped persuade her to fight from Bellary in Karnataka against Congress president Sonia Gandhi in 1999. “I remember Venkaiah Naidu ji and me going to Sushma ji, and asking her to go to Karnataka to fight elections. The outcome was certain but she was someone who was always ready to take up challenges,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies, correspondents)