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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Today, we're 4th largest economy…days are over when India was considered a soft state': Sudhanshu Trivedi
Delivering the 4th Balramji Dass Tandon Memorial Lecture at Panjab University, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said Sunday the world is watching India's rise closely but there is no need to fear it, as he underlined the nation's economic, strategic and cultural ascent under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking on the theme 'Why a Strong India Scares the World', Trivedi underscored that India now accounts for 48 per cent of global digital transactions, has 50 per cent of its installed power capacity from clean energy, and is the fastest-growing economy among the major countries. Referring to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the BJP national spokesperson said India's contribution to global growth is going to be 15 per cent, adding that according to Morgan Stanley, India will become the engine of global growth in the next decade. 'The Word Bank has stated that 16 crore people have been lifted out of extreme poverty. Today, we are the fourth largest economy in the world,' he said. Trivedi also noted India's co-chairing of the Global AI Summit as a marker of its growing international leadership. Quoting PM Modi, Trivedi stressed that 'this is the right time' for India, and those attempting to create confusion will not succeed. India's strength, he said, lies not only in its economic, military and intellectual capabilities but also in its spiritual and cultural power — unique assets that position India to shape the world order. He cited the UN resolution on yoga, co-sponsored by 177 countries, as a strong example of India's growing soft power. On the country's strong response to terrorism, he spoke of surgical strikes, the Balakot airstrike, and Operation Sindoor, emphasising that New India does not tolerate terror. The Operation Sindoor proved that Pakistan's nuclear threats do not work, marking the end of India's era as a soft state, the BJP MP said. 'Those days are over when India was considered a soft state,' he said. Explaining the communication between India's External Affairs Minister (S Jaishankar) and his Pakistani counterpart (Muhammad Ishaq Dar), Trivedi said the Operation Sindoor began at 1:05 am and concluded at 1:27 am. Pakistan was informed at 1:30 am, and it was clarified that the strike was against terrorists, not Pakistan's military installations, he said. He described it as a trap that Pakistan failed to recognise, which exposed the collusion of state and non-state actors within the neighbouring country. Trivedi also said that the world is seeking alternatives to China for industrial investment and that India is best positioned to offer this. India is the only country in the world that has received the S-400 missile system from Russia and advanced drone systems from the US, he said. Russia does not supply arms to any QUAD member nation, while the US does not supply defence equipment to any country receiving arms from Russia, which proves India's tactfulness, he said. On trade relations, Trivedi said the UK was more eager for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) than India, reflecting the country's rising economic stature. 'India is steadily becoming an economic superpower,' he said. Describing Balramji Dass Tandon as a 'Path Pradarshak Deepak' (guiding lamp), Trivedi paid rich tributes to him for his contributions to the RSS, BJP and the region. Lauding Tandon for his unwavering dedication to public service and organisational discipline, he referred to him as the 'foundation stone of the bright building which we are seeing now'. Speaking on the occasion, Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma supported the demand to bestow a Padma award posthumously on Balramji Tandon for his contributions to society and the nation. Sharma also shared his personal experience of working with him. The Panjab University Vice-Chancellor, Prof Renu Vig, highlighted the contribution of Panjab University both before and after India's independence, and spoke about the unique character of the university, which has continued its journey from being the fourth oldest university to becoming a modern inter-state body corporate, with several advanced facilities and notable achievements to its credit. Sanjay Tandon, president of the host foundation and son of Balramji Tandon, highlighted the teachings and high moral values of his father. He shared various examples from the 1965 and 1971 wars and the Covid-19 pandemic, drawing parallels with his father's values and underlining the importance of probity and being a 'karma yogi' in public life.
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Nadda meets Gadkari, seeks help in restoring HP roads damaged by flash floods
Shimla: Union health minister and BJP national president J P Nadda , along with BJP Rajya Sabha member from Himachal Pradesh Harsh Mahajan, met road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday and sought help for the damaged roads and highways in the hill state. After the meeting, Nadda said Gadkari assured them that the central govt would not leave any stone unturned to help Himachal and the roads damaged by the disaster would be repaired on a war footing. The vision presented by the central minister regarding road construction technology, tunnels, and bridges will significantly benefit Himachal, Nadda added. The health minister said the pace of development in the rural areas of Himachal would now accelerate. The central govt has approved a material budget of Rs 201 crore for the state under the first phase of MNREGA, he informed. This amount will expedite small and large projects, including steps, pathways, and roads at the panchayat level. Nadda mentioned that Himachal had been consistently receiving funds from the central govt under the national disaster relief fund and the state disaster relief fund, with over Rs 5,000-crore in aid already provided to the state. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like [Pictures] The only WD-40 trick everyone should know Undo The central govt is always ready to provide relief, having stood by Himachal financially in the past and will continue to do so, said the BJP national president. Recalling the 2023 monsoon season, Nadda mentioned the disasters in Mandi and Kullu, during which he had visited Himachal three times. He recalled that Rs 3,146 crore in relief was provided by the central govt to the hill state. Recently, the central govt allocated Rs 2,006 crore to Himachal for rehabilitation under the NDRF, totalling Rs 5,152 crore, said Nadda. Also, more than one lakh houses have been provided under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and roads worth over Rs 3,000 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, he added. Shimla: Union health minister and BJP national president J P Nadda, along with BJP Rajya Sabha member from Himachal Pradesh Harsh Mahajan, met road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday and sought help for the damaged roads and highways in the hill state. After the meeting, Nadda said Gadkari assured them that the central govt would not leave any stone unturned to help Himachal and the roads damaged by the disaster would be repaired on a war footing. The vision presented by the central minister regarding road construction technology, tunnels, and bridges will significantly benefit Himachal, Nadda added. The health minister said the pace of development in the rural areas of Himachal would now accelerate. The central govt has approved a material budget of Rs 201 crore for the state under the first phase of MNREGA, he informed. This amount will expedite small and large projects, including steps, pathways, and roads at the panchayat level. Nadda mentioned that Himachal had been consistently receiving funds from the central govt under the national disaster relief fund and the state disaster relief fund, with over Rs 5,000-crore in aid already provided to the state. The central govt is always ready to provide relief, having stood by Himachal financially in the past and will continue to do so, said the BJP national president. Recalling the 2023 monsoon season, Nadda mentioned the disasters in Mandi and Kullu, during which he had visited Himachal three times. He recalled that Rs 3,146 crore in relief was provided by the central govt to the hill state. Recently, the central govt allocated Rs 2,006 crore to Himachal for rehabilitation under the NDRF, totalling Rs 5,152 crore, said Nadda. Also, more than one lakh houses have been provided under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and roads worth over Rs 3,000 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, he added.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Must stop calling Tibet border India-China boundary: BJP MP
NEW DELHI: A day after Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu said India does not share any boundary with China, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sujeet Kumar doubled down on the issue on Friday saying India should stop referring to India-Tibet border as India-China border, reports Pradeep Thakur. "We don't have any borders with China. They've occupied Tibet and it's today an occupied territory," Kumar said, referring to the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1949-50. Unmindful of backlash from Beijing, the Rajya Sabha MP called for Parliament to have more debates on Chinese occupation of Tibet and an ongoing cultural genocide in the occupied plateau, similar to what Nazi Germany did. Kumar is the ex-convener of the All Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet (APIPFT) and a vocal voice among Tibet support groups. He is also presently engaged in a signature drive of Parliamentarians canvassing for Dalai Lama to be conferred the Bharat Ratna.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Amit Shah to unveil statue of Peshwa Bajirao I at NDA today
Pune: Union home minister Amit Shah will be in Pune on Friday and is expected to unveil a life-size statue of Peshwa Bajirao I at the NDA campus in the morning. The unveiling ceremony will be held at NDA's Trishakti gate where the statue has been installed. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Peshwa's family members are expected to attend the event. I ncidentally, just a few days ago, there was uproar when BJP Rajya Sabha member Medha Kulkarni raised a demand during a meeting with central railways officials that Pune station be renamed after Peshwa Bajirao I. She said at a time when several railway stations and airports in the country were getting associated with that particular city's history, there was no such connection between Pune and its railway station. She emphasised that the station be renamed after Bajirao I, who had never lost a battle. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Kulkarni's demand took a political turn with some Maratha outfits raising objections. Some of them staged a protest outside the Pune railway station and demanded that the station be renamed after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's mother Jijabai or social reformer Jyotiba Phule instead. Asked about Kulkarni's demand on Thursday, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said, "I feel she is following her party seniors' instructions." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trending in in 2025: Local network access control [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo On Thursday, a controversy reared its head over unveiling of the statue after Nawab Shadab Ali Bahadur — descendant of Mastani and Peshwa Bajirao I — said he would boycott the ceremony since he had received a late invitation and was not offered a seat on the main dais with Shah and other dignitaries. Bahadur issued a statement on Thursday and said, "The organisers invited me at the last minute. They said I would not get a place on the dais. This is insulting to me as a descendant of Peshwa Bajirao I. Thus, I have decided to boycott the event." Meanwhile, some educational institutes located along the route to be taken by Shah have either announced a holiday, half day or online classes to ensure students are not affected by road closures and traffic diversions. In its notice to students, the Bishop's School, Undri, said the school will remain closed. Online classes will be held for students from classes I to XII and pre-primary children will have a holiday. Sanskriti School in Undri has announced a holiday for pre-primary classes and half day for other students.
Indian Express
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Trying to create rift': Sharad Pawar questions demand to name Pune railway station after Bajirao I
NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar on Friday waded into the debate over naming Pune railway station, saying that people were unnecessarily creating a rift among communities by raising the issue. Pawar was speaking in the backdrop of BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni's recent demand that the railway station be named after Thorle Bajirao Peshwa I. Also known as Bajirao I, Thorle Bajirao Peshwa was appointed the 'peshwa' or chief minister of the Maratha confederacy from 1720 to 1740 during the reign of Chhatrapati Shahu. However, Kulkarni's demand led to protests from Maratha organisations and Opposition parties. 'There was no reason to create a dispute by raising the issue now. I have not understood why there is an urge to give the name of Bajirao Peshwe. If bravery is the criterion, there are many names. Maratha king Sambhaji was known for his bravery and sacrifice,' Pawar said in Kolhapur. The NCP(SP) chief said there was no reason to raise the issue now. 'Some people only try to create a rift between different communities without any reason,' he added. Kulkarni had requested that the Indian Railways give the Peshwa's name to Pune railway station, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stand on highlighting local history in the name and planning of railway stations. The leader had never lost a battle, and such a great figure deserves the honour, she had said. However, city NCP (SP) chief Prashant Jagtap had opposed the demand, saying many historical leaders could be considered for the same honour. Meanwhile, NCP(SP) spokesperson and former city mayor Ankush Kakade said that the Pune railway station should be named after social reformer Jyotirao Phule or political and social leader Gopalkrishna Gokhale, considered to be the mentor of Mahatma Gandhi. A leader of the Maratha organisation Sambhaji Brigade, Santosh Shinde, also said that the organisations and political parties should oppose the move to name Pune railway station after Bajirao Peshwe, and suggested the names of Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule instead. Shiv Sena (UBT) workers in Pune had also put up flex boards against Kulkarni, following which the police had registered a case against unidentified persons. Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune. He writes on Infrastructure, Politics, Civic issues, Sustainable Development and related stuff. He is a trekker and a sports enthusiast. Ajay has written research articles on the Conservancy staff that created a nationwide impact in framing policy to improve the condition of workers handling waste. Ajay has been consistently writing on politics and infrastructure. He brought to light the lack of basic infrastructure of school and hospital in the hometown of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde even as two private helipads were developed by the leader who mostly commutes from Mumbai to Satara in helicopter. Ajay has been reporting on sustainable development initiatives that protects the environment while ensuring infrastructure development. ... Read More
