Obama-Singh will meet again this year

Saturday, September 17, 2011

The White House expects meetings between US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at different fora later this year, but has ruled out any bilateral talks between them next week in New York where they would attend the annual session of the UN General Assembly.

“We don’t have any bilateral meetings planned at this point,” US Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters while briefing them on Obama’s agenda in New York.

“I think that it is our expectation that the President will be able to see — in his travels later this year,including to the East Asia Summit and other forums, he’ll have opportunities to engage with Prime Minister Singh,” Rhodes said last evening.

Obama would be travelling to New York for three days next week beginning Monday to attend the General Assembly session of the United Nations.Besides addressing the UN General Assembly, Obama would be meeting leaders of some countries.

Prominent among them are Libya’s Mustafa Abdul Jalil;Afghan President Hamid Karzai; Brazilian President Dilma Rouseff; Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda of Japan; Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France and President Salva Kiir of South Sudan.

While the focus of his meetings and his remarks at the UN will be pressing global issues like Libya, Palestine,economic matters and the Middle East, the US President is expected to reiterate his position on the reforms of the UN Security Council and support India’s bid for its permanent membership.

“There’s been no evolution in the US position. We obviously have expressed our support for permanent membership for India…,” Rhodes said.

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MODI'S 72-hour fast starts

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today began his three-day fast for “peace, unity and communal harmony” in the BJP-ruled state.

The BJP stalwart’s 72-hour fast under `Sadbhavna Mission’ coincides with his 62nd birthday. The venue, Gujarat University Convention Centre here – where a host of leaders from the BJP and its key ally Shiromani Akali Dal have arrived – has been put under strict vigil by the police.

On the eve of fast, Modi had issued a statement that was interpreted as his first sign of regret over the 2002 post-Godhra communal violence.

“Constitution of India is supreme for us. As a Chief Minister of the state, pain of anybody in the state is my pain. (Delivering) Justice to everyone is the duty of the state,” Modi had said yesterday.

Modi, in an attempt to reach out to the minority community, had said the state has realised that communal frenzy and casteism never helped anybody grow in the country and expressed “gratitude” to those who pointed out his mistakes in the last 10 years.

BJP leaders like L K Advani, Arun Jaitely, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Sahanawaz Hussain, Smriti Irani and Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Prem Kumar Dhumal, among others, were present when Modi began his fast.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, whose party Shiromani Akali Dal is a key member of the BJP-led NDA, was also present.

Leaders of Shiv Sena, BJP’s ally for over two decades, and emissaries of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha of AIADMK are also expected to come here to in support of Modi.

In response to Modi’s move, Gujarat Congress leaders Shankarsinh Vaghela and Arjun Modhvadia also started their fast on a footpath in front of Sabarmati Ashram.

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Ahead of his fast, Narendra Modi condemns 'communal frenzy & casteism'

Friday, September 16, 2011

On the eve of his three-day fast, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi expressed "gratitude" to those who pointed out his mistakes in the last 10 years and said the state has realised that communal frenzy and casteism never helped anybody grow in the country.

"Constitution of India is supreme for us. As a chief minister of the state, pain of anybody in the state is my pain. (Delivering) Justice to everyone is the duty of the state," Modi said on the eve of his three-day fast.

Modi's remarks are being interpreted as his first ever expression of regret over the post-Godhra communal riots in which more than 1,200 people, mostly Muslims, were killed. He has been severely criticised for not expressing any remorse over the killings since 2002.

The chief minister is going on a three-day fast from tomorrow -- his 62nd birthday -- for "peace, unity and harmony" in the state. 






Full text of Narendra Modi's second letter : 

My dear Brothers and Sisters!

Sadar Pranam,

Today, I begin my three-day fast of Sadbhavna Mission with your blessings and good wishes. This Mission is totally dedicated to the society and the Nation. It aims at Unity, Harmony and Brotherhood among all.

Twenty first century did not begin well for Gujarat. In 2001, the devastating earthquake on our Republic day, took a very heavy toll. In the subsequent year, Gujarat became the victim of communal violence. We lost innocent lives, suffered devastation of property and endured lot of pain. One can visualise what all we have gone through.

Those were very difficult and trying days. However, Gujarat has come out of these difficulties and leapfrogged on the path of development. Today, Gujarat is progressing fast. The atmosphere of peace, unity, social harmony and brotherhood has given further impetus to the process of development.

The Indian history is a witness that casteism and communalism have never done any good to society. This is also my own firm conviction. Gujarat has understood this and having overcome these evils, it has adopted the path of Inclusive Development. We are committed to work for a developed Gujarat for a developed India.

My dear Brothers and Sisters, no State, society or individual can claim to be perfect. I am grateful to all those who pointed out my genuine mistakes during last 10 years. I seek your blessings to serve the people with devotion free from all human shortcomings. As Chief Minister of the State, the pain of each and every citizen is my own pain. Ensuring Justice to all is the duty of the State.

The six crore people of Gujarat are working together for their own development and that of the State. The poorest of the poor is a partner in this process and is confident that he will get the fruits of development. Everyone has inculcated the State's ethos of 'Development of all with Cooperation of all' (Sabka Saath - Sabka Vikaas).

During my fast, I will continue to pray to the Almighty to give me strength so that I do not develop or retain any ill-feeling or bitterness towards those who defamed Gujarat or me by making false allegations.

Our country is a shining example of Unity in Diversity. I am confident that with your blessings, this Sadbhavna Mission will further strengthen our social fabric.

I will also pray to God to give the requisite strength to all of us to take this Sadbhavna Mission forward.

Vande Mataram!

Always yours,
Narendra Modi

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Centre may announce new exports sop scheme to replace DEPB

Centre is expected to introduce today a new scheme with the aim to replace the popular tax refund Duty Entitlement Pass Book (DEPB) for the exporters, which is scheduled to end on September 30.

Centre has been spending annually almost Rs 8,500 crore for reimbursing the exporters on the taxes paid on import equivalent to the content of export products, under the Duty Entitlement Pass Book (DEPB) scheme. The main beneficiaries are sectors such as engineering, automobile and chemicals.

It is quite popular among the Indian exporters due to its lucrative rates and also flexibility which are not available in the other refund mechanism - Duty Drawback. The exporters have been creating pressure that they should be permitted similar kind of benefits even if the nomenclature of the DEPB is altered.

The Union Finance Ministry has worked out a compromise between the DEPB and also Duty Drawback. The details of the scheme would be declared by Finance Secretary RS Gujral and the senior officials of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC).

Although exports have witnessed significant performance, surging by 54.2% between April-August 2011 to $134.5 billion, there are still concerns that the momentum won't be sustained due to the surging economic problems in US and also in Europe.

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