“We have not received any formal request for his visit to Mansarovar,” MEA

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New Delhi:

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said it has not received any “formal request” for Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Kailash Mansarovar in China’s Tibetan region.

“We have not received any formal request for his visit to the Tibetan Autonomous region in China,” MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

Last week, the Congress had said that Gandhi was yet to receive a response from the government to his request to undertake the Kailash Manasoravar Yatra.

Addressing a rally in New Delhi on 29 April, Gandhi had announced that he would go on a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar after the 12 May Assembly polls in Karnataka.

He had made the announcement three days after an aircraft in which he was travelling from Delhi to Karnataka developed technical snag.

Kumar said Gandhi can visit Kailash Mansarovar either through the MEA-organised route or through a private route.

He said the MEA has not received any communication for the second option as well.

Known for its religious values and cultural significance, Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, organised by the Ministry of External Affairs, is undertaken by hundreds of people every year.

Neerav Modi is having only one passport : MEA

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  • MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar sought to put the speculation to rest by stating that every time a fresh passport was issued to Modi, his previous passport was “physically” cancelled
  • Official sources here said that there’s not much the ministry can do until the agencies are able to establish Modi’s precise location

 

 

NEW DELHI: The external affairs ministry broke its silence on Thursday over the issue of Nirav Modi saying that at no stage did the fugitive scamster hold more than one valid passport.

While it has been widely reported that Modi held 6 passports, MEA spokesperson Ravees Kumar sought to put the speculation to rest by stating that every time a fresh passport was issued to Modi, his previous passport was “physically” cancelled.

TOI had first reported on Wednesday that MEA had written to select European countries asking them to help India trace Modi and that the diamond trader held only one valid passport at a time.

Apart from the point about the passport, Kumar made the following 3 points in an official briefing. First, all Indian missions were informed about the revocation of Modi’s passport in February and that the Indian envoys conveyed the same to the respective countries they were serving in.

Second, a fresh communication has now been sent to a select group of countries, asking them to help locate Modi and deny him entry into their territory. “We have asked them to inform us if they find him living in their country,” said Kumar.

Third, the foreign ministry has so far not received any extradition request for Modi from the agencies involved in investigating the financial fraud case against Modi.

While a Mumbai court this week was reported to have allowed ED to initiate extradition proceedings, the investigating agency has not yet approached MEA for the same. The fact that MEA has written to several countries including Belgium, France and UK suggests that the government is not yet sure about Modi’s exact location.

The ministry was compelled to go public with its position after reports emerged, mostly attributed to anonymous sources in investigating agencies, suggesting that MEA had not taken enough follow-up action to strengthen CBI’s attempts to track Modi down.

Official sources here said that there’s not much the ministry can do until the agencies are able to establish Modi’s precise location. The Interpol is yet to issue a Red Corner Notice (RCN) for Modi as it apparently believes that all legal formalities for the same have not yet been completed.

The “diffusion” notice from Interpol, according to senior government sources, is not enough to get western European countries like Belgium, France or UK to detain him.

A “diffusion” is less formal than an RCN and clearly not taken as seriously as the latter. While Interpol “publishes” RCN and also alerts cops all over the world about it, Diffusion is circulated directly by the Interpol nodal agency in a member country to any other member country of its choice or to “the entire Interpol membership” . For Interpol to issue RCN, it’s important that all legal requirements are met.

Bhagwan Jagannath give darshan to general public out in the open

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Lakhs of devotees thronged the holy town here to witness the annual ritualistic ceremonial bath of the Lord Balabhadra, Lord Jagannath and Goddess Subhadra at the Snan Mandap on Thursday.

The deities were bathed with 108 pitchers of aromatic water by servitors and• this was followed by the splendid “Hati Besha” or “Gajanana Besa” of the deities as frenzied devotees danced with joy to traditional devotional songs.

Early morning, the servitors escorted the deities to the Snana Mandap inside the premises of Srimandir facing the Grand Road where devotees gathered in large numbers to witness the ritual.

After the• ritualistic bath, Hati Besha and public darshan, the dieties are to be taken to Anasara Ghara. Legend is that the deities catch cold and fall sick. They are treated by traditional methods with herbs for a fortnight and during this entire period they are out of bounds for devotees.

The rejuvenated dieties come out of Anasara a day before the famous Rath Yatra which is scheduled on 14 July this year. A total of 42 platoons of police force has been deployed for the smooth conduct of the Snana Purnima rituals on Thursday.

Snana Yatra is the first festival at the 12th-century shrine in the Hindu calendar every year when the Lords give darshan to general public out in the open. The occasion marks a prelude to the annual Rath Yatra celebrations.

‘Disrespect’ shown to President, wife Puri temple chief seeks to set record straight

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A section of the servitors lodged a complaint against Puri collector and firmer SJTA chief alleging that the administration is intentionally trying to defame the servitors.

The Chief Administrator of Jagannath Temple, Puri Mr P K Mahapatra, IAS, on Thursday sought to put a lid on the hugely embarrassing controversy over alleged ‘disrespect’ to the President Ram Nath Kovind and his wife during their visit to the Temple in March, by claiming the office of the President had not expressed its displeasure nor written any letter to the temple administration in this regard.

The attempt to set the record straight by Mahapatra however did not wash away the fact that some servitors had breached the protocol and brushed past the President and his wife in the temple, as confirmed by the SP of Puri Sarthak Sarangi.

Further, the temple managing committee meeting held in the last week of March had discussed the issue with the district collector Arvind Agarwal reportedly raising it. The only aspect of the media report contradicted by Mahapatra on Thursday is as to whether the President’s office had written a letter expressing its displeasure or not.

The rest of it- with regard to breach of protocol and attempts to get close to the President or talk to him has been confirmed by the SP and the minutes of the committee meeting.

There were strict instructions that nobody should breach the inner ring formed by the security of the President and hence when this was done by servitors in the presence of the collector and SP, they took note of it and reported to the managing committee.

Apparently, the entire incident was ignored for over two months and no action was taken.

It is in this context that there are suspicions on why such a matter which was ignored when it happened and which was not objected to by the President is being raked up now.

Two months after, a section of the media picked it up a few days ago and kicked up a controversy.

Who did it and why is the million dollar question. Certainly, some people are out with a design to somehow churn up controversies involving the sentiments associated with the Puri Jagannath Temple, said the ruling BJD spokesperson and MP P K Deb.

He was implicitly referring to a political party without naming it. In a related development, a section of the servitors has on Thursday lodged a police complaint against Puri collector Arvind Agarwal and former SJTA chief Pradeep Jena alleging that the administration is intentionally trying to defame the servitors.

“They were trying to offend us before the nation and preparing grounds to take action,” said a servitor

LeT behind Bukhari’s Murder : J&K Police

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Four pictures of the accused were released.

The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) hatched the conspiracy to kill the Valley-based senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari, and it was executed by four militants, including a foreigner, the Jammu and Kashmir police said on Thursday.

“Tangible evidence suggests that the LeT hatched the conspiracy in Pakistan,” Inspector-General of Police, Kashmir, S.P. Pani said in Srinagar.

He refused to name the LeT handlers at this juncture. The police released the pictures of four militants “directly involved” in the killing. They were identified as Muzaffar Ahmad alias Talha from south Kashmir’s Qazigund area; Azad Ahmad Malik alias Dada alias Zaid from Bijbehara; Naveed Jatt alias Hanzulla from Pakistan; and Sheikh Sajjad Gul from Srinagar. Describing them as “important LeT operatives,” the police said Talha was active as a militant since January 2018 and Malik since December 2016. Jatt, a resident of Multan’s Borivali in Pakistan, escaped from Srinagar’s Shri Maharaja Hari Singh hospital on February 6 when he was being shifted from Central Jail, Srinagar.

The police said Bukhari’s killing was preceded by an online smear and hate campaign with intimidating content.

“Gul ran ‘Kashmirfight’ blog, ‘Kadwasach Kashmir’ page on Facebook and ‘Ahmad Khalid’ Twitter handle from Pakistan. The service- providers have enough evidence of this. A resident of Srinagar, Gul went to Pakistan in March 2017 on a fraudulently obtained passport,” said Mr. Pani.

The police said it will issue an Interpol notice to Pakistan, under a treaty between the two countries, “to hand over Gul,” who was first arrested in Delhi in 2002 in a Hawala case and again in 2016 in a terror case.

On the motives behind the assassination, Mr. Pani said the identity of the executioners had now been established. “The investigating team will now focus on the chargesheet that will contain the motive too.”

The police said a fifth suspect, who was seen picking up a service pistol from an injured policeman at the encounter site, is “still being questioned about his role.”

Bukhari, 50, editor of the local daily Rising Kashmir, was killed along with two guards on June 14 in Lal Chowk’s Press Enclave by three motorbike-borne men carrying automatic weapons. The image of the gunmen was captured by many CCTV cameras in the area.

Independent probe

Both the LeT and militant conglomerate United Jehad Council (UJC) denied their involvement in the killing.

“If the Indian forces are truly convinced that this heinous crime was committed by militants, then they should have no objection to an independent investigation by a neutral country like China or Russia,” said LeT chief Mehmood Shah on Wednesday.

“We will fully cooperate in the probe and will accept the findings of the investigating agency,” he said.

Release of NRC draft delayed by floods

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The final draft of Assam’s National Register of Citizens (NRC) will not be released on June 30 as scheduled, owing to the heavy floods in the Barak Valley, NRC State coordinator Prateek Hajela said here on Thursday.

He added that a petition was filed in the Supreme Court last week, seeking more time to prepare the draft. The apex court has fixed the date of hearing on July 2. The NRC is being updated under the Supreme Court supervision to weed out illegal immigrants.

Meanwhile, security across the State has been stepped up ahead of the publication of the draft to prevent any untoward incident. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the names of all “genuine Indians” would be incorporated in the list.

The first NRC draft was released on January 1, in which the names of 1.9 crore of the 3.29 crore applicants were included.

Assam, which faced an influx of people from Bangladesh since the early 20th century, is the only State with an NRC, which was first prepared in 1951.

Congress and the JD(S) will meet in Bengaluru on Sunday to iron out any misunderstanding.

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New Delhi:

With differences cropping up between ruling coalition partners in Karnataka over budget presentation and other issues, senior leaders of the Congress and the JD(S) will meet in Bengaluru on Sunday to iron out any misunderstanding.

The leaders are also likely to discuss the common minimum programme (CMP) of the alliance and give a final shape to it at the meeting of the coordination committee. The five-member sub-committee, which includes Congress leader M Veerappa Moily and H D Revanna, son of former prime minister and national president of the JD(S), H D Devegowda, will submit its report on the CMP issue, sources said.

“The coordination committee will meet in Bengaluru on July 1 to discuss the current political situation and the common minimum programme of the two alliance partners,” JD(S) secretary general and convener of the coordination committee Danish Ali told PTI on Wednesday.

He said the sub-committee will also submit its report to the panel meant for coordination between the two parties in Karnataka and the same will be discussed to give final shape to the CMP. Sources said the growing differences between the two parties on budget presentation and the resentment among disgruntled legislators are also likely to be discussed at the meeting. This is the second meeting of the coordination committee set up between the two allies. The first meeting was held on 14 June.

Besides Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Danish Ali, former chief minister Siddharamaiah, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and and All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge for Karnataka K C Venugopal are members of the panel. The sub-committee was formed at the time of government formation by the two parties, which entered into a post-poll alliance. The allies are yet to hold discussion on appointment of new chairmen for boards and corporations in the state and the issue is likely to come up in the meeting. Ali said the leaders of the coalition partners would also hold discussions to chalk out future strategy in the state.

Rupee crashes to lifetime low of 69 per dollar

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A question raised today, now that the rupee has crossed the 69 level, is as to where can it go? The answer is that no one really knows, as there have been too many things happening that go beyond the realm of fundamentals. Normally when the rupee falls at a rapid pace, it is conjectured that it would continue to fall and new psychological levels are accordingly fixed.

Touching 69 invariably has the market talking of 70. This is because we tend to make what in economics is called ‘adaptive expectations’. But as has been seen in the past, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) can make a big difference in terms of intervening in the market, which then changes things quite appreciably and often there can be a reversal in direction.

Why has the rupee fallen? There are two standard sets of reasons for the same with each one reinforcing the other. These are witnessed even today. The market sentiment actually drives the rupee on a daily basis. Here the causes have strengthened this week.

First, the trade war between the US and China seems to be escalating in terms of decibels though the exact tariffs and restrictive procedures are less severe. But this is good to spook the market. Second, the recent decision of the OPEC to increase output has been interpreted as being a damp squib as the amount is too low to make a difference. The market now realises that what has been proposed touches the periphery and not the core. Therefore, Brent is back to the happy hunting days of $77-78 a barrel.

Third, US sanctions on Iran are escalating. As India imports oil from Iran, the panic is palpable even though closure of this market will bring about substitution with other countries. But the fact that a part of such imports is in oil is good enough to keep the market jittery.

Fourth, added to these factors is the realisation that interest rates in the US will increase, which means that there will be less capital flows to India. This makes the scene even messier. Last, the signals from RBI are awaited. Will the RBI do or not do? Yes, this is critical in the market as it always believes that the RBI will intervene in the market by selling dollars or through banks like the SBI in case things are moving away from fundamentals. As long as the RBI does not say anything or does not intervene in the market, it means that things are fine. Therefore, the rupee will go below further.

In such a situation, the fundamentals also get supportive. Exporters would prefer to hold back their dollar earnings hoping to reap a higher conversion rate that lowers the supply of dollars. Importers will rush for purchases of dollars – especially the oil companies, which in turn will add to demand for forex. This makes the fundamentals weaker, which support further deprecation. This is the usual story of the decline of the rupee which is being played out again.

The fundamentals are tending to show signs of fissures. The trade balance is widening and will do so further in case oil remains where it is. The CAD came in higher for FY18 and the belief is that it will be pressurised further this year due to these developments. Add to this the FPIs that were the favourites of the markets. They are in the withdrawal mode and in the last three months have been negative. This tilts the fundamentals in favour of a weaker rupee. which is being witnessed today.

The RBI has to step in now and send signals. Otherwise the assumption will be that a weaker rupee is acceptable as it provides a boost to exports. But beyond a limit, the inflation consequences are scary. Inflation is already moving up and a weaker rupee combined with a trade deficit means that imported inflation increases further. While one cannot predict food prices, the non-food component has been rising in the last 12 months and this can be the proverbial last straw. Therefore, there has to be some control over the depreciation. This is something which the RBI has to decide and it would have to assess the component of the depreciation which is not related to the fundamentals that are weakening.

The external account has been a strong point for us in the last three years mainly owing to the oil factor and relative peaceful geo-political relations. The advent of Donald Trump and other developments has made the global economic situation more volatile and the equations have changed. That is why the currency will cease to be stable, and forex reserves that were assiduously built up will now become a war chest where withdrawals can be expected to maintain stability in the market.

‘ए बार बंगला चलो पालटाई’ शाह

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शाह बोले, ‘ टीएमसी अगर समझती है कि हिंसा के तांडव से बंगाल में इनकी सरकार बनी रहेगी तो मैं आज इनको चुनौती देता हूं कि हमारे कार्यकर्ताओं का लहू रंग लाएगा और अब आपकी सरकार लंबे समय नहीं चल पाएगी.’

पश्चिम बंगाल के अपने दो दिवसीय दौरे के आखिरी दिन बीजेपी अध्यक्ष अमित शाह पुरुलिया के सिमुलिया ग्राउंड में रैली को संबोधित करने पहुंचे. रैली में मौजूद भारी भीड़ को देखकर बीजेपी अध्यक्ष ने प्रदेश की टीएमसी सरकार और मुख्यमंत्री ममता बनर्जी पर सीधा वार कर दिया. अपनी पार्टी के कार्यकर्ताओं की हत्या को लेकर शाह ने प्रदेश की सरकार को निशाने पर लिया.

अमित शाह ने कहा ‘हमारी पार्टी के कार्यकर्ताओं का लहू रंग लाएगा. ज्यादा दिनों तक आपकी सरकार नहीं चल पाएगी.’ पश्चिम बंगाल में राजनीतिक हिंसा में बीजेपी के कई कार्यकर्ता मारे गए हैं. पुरुलिया में ही तीन बीजेपी कार्यकर्ताओं की पंचायत चुनाव बाद हत्या हो गई थी.

बीजेपी अध्यक्ष ने मंच से ही पीड़ित परिवार के परिजनों को सांत्वना दी और मौजूद लोगों को भरोसा दिलाया कि बीजेपी हर हाल में उन पीड़ित कार्यकर्ताओं के साथ खड़ी रहेगी.

पंचायत चुनावों ने भरी ऊर्जा

दरअसल, बीजेपी पश्चिम बंगाल में हाल के पंचायत चुनावों के बाद काफी उत्साहित है. पार्टी ने लगभग सात हजार पंचायत में जीत दर्ज की है. बीजेपी दावा कर रही है कि सही मायने में निष्पक्ष चुनाव होते तो तस्वीर कुछ और होती. अमित शाह ने भी आरोप लगाया कि ममता राज में दो करोड़ मतदाताओं को वोट ही नहीं डालने दिया गया.

लेकिन, अब पार्टी की तरफ से तैयारी लोकसभा चुनाव की हो रही है. लोकसभा चुनाव को लेकर पार्टी ने अभी से ही ‘ए बार बंगला चलो पालटाई’ का नारा दिया है. यानी इस बार बंगाल में परिवर्तन का नारा बीजेपी की तरफ से दिया जा रहा है. पुरुलिया की रैली में भी अमित शाह ने साफ कर दिया कि 2019 का लोकसभा चुनाव ही बंगाल में अगली सरकार की नींव डालने वाला है. फिलहाल बीजेपी बंगाल में बड़ी बढ़त का दावा कर रही है. दो सीटों वाली बीजेपी ने लक्ष्य रखा है 42 सीटों में से 22 से ज्यादा सीटों पर जीत का.

मुस्लिम तुष्टीकरण का मुद्दा भी है अहम

हालांकि बीजेपी के एजेंडे में पार्टी कार्यकर्ताओं की हत्या के मुद्दे के अलावा ममता सरकार के मुस्लिम तुष्टीकरण का मुद्दा भी काफी ऊपर है. शाह को भी बंगाल की जमीनी हकीकत का अंदाजा है, उन्हें भी पता है कि मुस्लिम तुष्टीकरण के मुद्दे को उठाकर जमीनी स्तर पर इसका फायदा सीधे बीजेपी को मिलेगा.

बीजेपी के कार्यकर्ता और रैली में जुटी भीड़ की तरफ से लगातार जय श्री राम के नारे लगाए जा रहे थे. इस बारे में बीजेपी युवा मोर्चा के बंगाल अध्यक्ष देबजीत सरकार ने फ़र्स्टपोस्ट से बातचीत के दौरान कहा, ‘रामनवमी के मौके पर जिस तरह से बजरंग दल के लोगों को गिरफ्तार कर उन्हें बेवजह परेशान किया जा रहा है और ममता सरकार जिस तरह से मुस्लिम तुष्टीकरण की कोशिश करती है वो आने वाले दिनों में टीएमसी को बैकफायर करेगा.’

वंदे मातरम से अपना भाषण खत्म करने से पहले अमित शाह ने भी जय श्री राम और जय-जय श्री राम के नारे लगाकर कार्यकर्ताओं को अपने हिंदुत्व के एजेंडे पर बरकरार रहने का संकेत भी दे दिया. उत्साहित भीड़ की तरफ से भी इस मुद्दे पर शाह को पुरजोर समर्थन भी मिला. बीजेपी आने वाले दिनों में सरकार की पक्षपात पूर्ण रवैये को मुद्दा बनाकर बंगाल में अपनी जड़ को और मजबूत करने की कोशिश भी कर रही है.

बीजेपी पहले से ही बांग्लादेश से आने वाले अवैध घुसपैठियों के मुद्दे को भी उठाती रही है. एक बार फिर से रैली में अमित शाह ने राज्य के लोगों को वादा किया कि पश्चिम बंगाल में बांग्लादेशी घुसपैठियों की समस्या से निजात दिलाई जाएगी.

ममता ने किया बंगाल का बंटाधार !

दरअसल, ममता बनर्जी पूरे देश में विपक्षी दलों के कुनबे को एक कर मोदी सरकार को घेरने की कोशिश कर रही हैं. अमित शाह ने उल्टे ममता से सवाल करते हुए कहा,‘ममता जी देश में गठबंधन बनाइए इसमें कोई आपत्ति नहीं है. लेकिन, पहले बंगाल संभाल लीजिए नीचे से जमीन खिसक रही है.’

दरअसल अमित शाह ममता बनर्जी को बंगाल के भीतर ही घेरना चाहते हैं. शाह की रणनीति है कि देशभर में मोदी विरोधी गठबंधन को बनाने की कोशिश में लगी ममता को अगर उनके घर में ही घेर लिया जाए तो फिर वो देशभर में माहौल बनाने की कोशिश में सफल नहीं हो पाएगी.

अमित शाह ने केंद्र के पैसे को बंगाल के विकास पर ठीक से खर्च नहीं करने का आरोप भी लगा दिया. रैली के दौरान अमित शाह ने आरोप लगाया कि पश्चिम बंगाल का नहीं बल्कि ममता राज में टीएमसी के गुंडों का विकास हो रहा है. बंगाल की दुर्दशा और दूसरे राज्यों की तुलना में कम विकास को लेकर शाह लेफ्ट के साथ-साथ ममता बनर्जी को घेर रहे हैं.

पुरुलिया की रैली में अमित शाह ने आरोप लगाया कि मां, मांटी और मानुष की बात करने वाली ममता बनर्जी ने राज्य का बंटाधार कर दिया है. पहले जब ममता सरकार बनी तो राज्य के लोगों पर लगभग दो लाख करोड़ का ऋण था लेकिन, अब यह बढ़कर साढे तीन लाख करोड़ तक पहुंच गया है.

बंगाली अस्मिता के मुद्दे पर भी बीजेपी गंभीर

दरअसल बीजेपी की रणनीति में बंगाली अस्मिता का मुद्दा भी काफी आगे है. बीजेपी की रैली के दौरान इसकी झलक भी मिली. बीजेपी के सभी बैनर-पोस्टर पर हर जगह केवल बांग्ला में ही नारे लिखे गए थे. अमित शाह ने भी बंगाल की धरती को स्वामी विवेकानंद से लेकर रामकृष्ण परमहंस की धरती बताया. जिक्र रवींद्र संगीत का भी किया. जनसंघ के संस्थापक श्यामा प्रसाद मुखर्जी का भी किया. बीजेपी की रणनीति ही रही जिसके तहत हिंदी हर बैनर पोस्टर से गायब थी. लेकिन, ममता बनर्जी के टीएमसी के बैनर को हिंदी में लिखे जाने पर भी शाह ने तंज कस दिया. शाह ने कहा कि शायद उन्हें पढाने के लिए हिंदी में इस तरह का बैनर तैयार किया गया था.

2019 में बंगाल से बहुत है आस

दरअसल बीजेपी के एजेंडे में बंगाल इस वक्त काफी ऊपर है. बीजेपी को उम्मीद है कि देश के दूसरे प्रदेशों में अगर 2014 के मुकाबले सीटों की संख्या कुछ कम भी आती है तो उसकी भरपाई पश्चिम बंगाल जैसे राज्यो से कर ली जाएगी. इसके लिए पहले से ही बड़े प्लान पर काम चल रहा है. बीजेपी ने अपने लिए बंगाल में मिशन 22 + का लक्ष्य भी रखा है. पंचायत चुनावों की सफलता के बाद पुरुलिया की बड़ी रैली के बाद अब अमित शाह की टीम और आक्रामक होकर अपने मिशन में लगने की तैयारी में है.

RJD को गंदगी से भरा बताया, जहां कोई भी नहीं जाना चाहेगा : पासवान

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पासवान ने की नीतीश से बात, बिहार में NDA के बरकरार रहने की बात कही

पासवान ने RJD को गंदगी से भरा बताया, जहां कोई भी नहीं जाना चाहेगा

केंद्रीय मंत्री रामविलास पासवान ने बिहार के मुख्यमंत्री और JDU प्रमुख नीतीश कुमार से अपनी बातचीत के बाद आज कहा कि राज्य में बीजेपी नीत NDA बरकरार रहेगा और यह वहां साथ मिलकर आगामी लोकसभा चुनाव लड़ेगा.

दरअसल , कुमार के अगले कदम को लेकर अटकलें बढ़ गई हैं. उनकी पार्टी के कई नेता JDU को गठबंधन में बड़े साझेदार के तौर पर पेश कर रहे हैं.

RJD प्रमुख का कुछ ही दिन पहले मुंबई में एक ऑपरेशन होने के बाद उनके साथ कुमार की टेलीफोन पर हुई बातचीत ने भी अटकलों को तेज कर दिया है.

पासवान ने संवाददाताओं से कहा कि उन्होंने आज कुमार से बात की और JDU नेता ने उनसे कहा कि NDA बरकरार रहेगा.

लोजपा प्रमुख ने कहा , ‘मैंने नीतीश जी से बात की है. मैंने बीजेपी नेताओं से भी बात की है. आपको बताना चाहुंगा कि NDA बरकरार रहेगा. हम सभी एक ही जहाज पर सवार हैं और कोई भी इसे डुबाना नहीं चाहेगा.’

उन्होंने कहा कि बीजेपी अध्यक्ष अमित शाह 12 जुलाई को राज्य का दौरा करेंगे और उनके कुमार से मुलाकात करने की उम्मीद है. शाह ने हाल ही में पासवान से मुलाकात की थी.

उन्होंने लोकसभा चुनाव के लिए सीटों के बंटवारे को लेकर सहयोगी दलों के बीच कथित मतभेद की खबरों को तवज्जो नहीं देते हुए कहा कि वरिष्ठ नेताओं की जब बैठक होगी , तब इसे सुलझा लिया जाएगा.

पासवान ने RJD को गंदगी से भरा बताया, जहां कोई भी नहीं जाना चाहेगा.

उन्होंने कुमार की लालू के साथ हुई बातचीत के बाद लगाई जा रही अटकलों को बेबुनियाद बताया और कहा कि बिहार के मुख्यमंत्री ने पिछले कुछ हफ्तों में RJD प्रमुख के स्वास्थ्य की जानकारी लेने के लिए उन्हें या उनके सहयोगियों को चार फोन कॉल किए हैं. पासवान ने कहा कि हर चीज को राजनीतिक रंग नहीं देना चाहिए.

बिहार में RJD नीत गठबंधन के दरवाजे कुमार की वापसी के लिए बंद होने संबंधी तेजस्वी यादव (लालू प्रसाद के बेटे) के बयान के बारे पूछे जाने पर पासवान ने कहा कि वह इस पर कोई टिप्पणी नहीं करेंगे.