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New Indian Express
10-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
BJP President's call to rename Lenin Centre sparks political controversy in Andhra
VIJAYAWADA: Moments before officially taking charge as the BJP Andhra Pradesh State President, PVN Madhav sparked a political row with his remarks on the historic Lenin Centre in Vijayawada, suggesting it be renamed after renowned Telugu poet Viswanatha Satyanarayana. Madhav made the controversial comments while garlanding statues during a rally to the party office, questioning the relevance of Lenin to Indian soil. His remarks drew sharp criticism from Left leaders urging Madhav to focus on developmental issues instead of stirring unnecessary controversies. During his rally to the BJP state office, Madhav stopped at Lenin Centre and garlanded the statue of Viswanatha Satyanarayana. Speaking at the spot, he said, 'Lenin had nothing to do with India. It is only fitting that this centre be renamed after a great literary figure like Viswanatha Satyanarayana, who contributed to Telugu culture and language.' He further reminded public that Viswanatha Satyanarayana had prepared a legislative dictionary, advocating for Telugu as the language of lawmaking in the state. 'This Centre should honour someone who belongs to our soil and represents our values,' he said. 'Lenin Centre reflects Vijayawada's historical identity & collective will' The remarks have drawn sharp criticism from Left parties, who regard the Lenin Centre as a symbol of Vijayawada's rich communist heritage. According to the sources, in 1987, under the Communist-led Vijayawada Municipal Corporation, a 12.5-foot statue of their ideological icon, V I Lenin was installed at a key city junction. The statue was procured from the former Soviet Union with the support of the late Chukkapalli Pitchaiah, a prominent industrialist and known Left sympathiser. A ceremonial event, attended by a Soviet dignitary, marked the installation. The Lenin Centre, featuring the statue of Vladimir Lenin, has remained a significant landmark for decades, particularly during the period when the city was considered a Left stronghold. Madhav's remarks have now become a political flashpoint, with the Left accusing him of attempting to erase historical memory and provoke controversy. Meanwhile, BJP cadres have backed his proposal, saying it reflects a desire to 'restore cultural and ideological identity rooted in Telugu heritage.'
The Mainichi
26-06-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
Taiwan's Lai, ex-Japan minister agree to ensure economic security
TAIPEI (Kyodo) -- Taiwan President Lai Ching-te and former Japanese economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi agreed Wednesday on the importance of building "non-red" supply chains among democratic partners to counter the influence of China-led "red" supply chains, according to Lai's office. The House of Representatives member, who was defeated by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party leadership election last September, reaffirmed strong ties between Tokyo and Taipei in his talks with Lai, saying Japan's strategic policy is to "never allow Taiwan to become isolated." Referring to the importance of trilateral cooperation between Taiwan, Japan, and the United States, Kobayashi said the main purpose of his three-day visit to the island through Friday is to exchange views with Taiwan on concrete steps to build supply chains that exclude Communist-led China. Since their split in a civil war in 1949, China has regarded Taiwan as an inalienable part of its territory and has stepped up military pressure on the island. Beijing denounces Lai as a separatist. The Taiwan leader expressed confidence that building on the foundation of Taiwan-Japan cooperation, democracies can link their industrial chains to secure global economic resilience and sustainability. In a separate meeting with Taiwan Defense Minister Wellington Koo, Kobayashi said peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are directly linked to Japan's national interests and that Tokyo looks forward to working with the territory to help safeguard regional peace and stability, according to a Taiwan Defense Ministry statement.
Japan Today
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Taiwan's Lai seeks cooperation with Japan to deter Chinese pressure
Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te has called for stronger cooperation between Taiwan and Japan to deter increasing military pressure from mainland China as he met former Japanese industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura in Taipei. Claiming Chinese military exercises in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China seas have undermined regional peace and stability, Lai told Nishimura that the self-ruled island and Japan should work together to ensure maritime security and counter Beijing's "gray-zone" threats. Gray-zone activity refers to aggressive acts that fall short of an armed attack. Lai also sought bilateral cooperation in such areas as semiconductors, artificial intelligence and drones. The senior member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, who had close ties with the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, referred to Abe's claim that "a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency" and went further to assert that "a Taiwan contingency is a global contingency." The House of Representatives member said he believes like-minded countries must work together to send a clear message in support of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Nishimura's four-day trip to Taiwan through Tuesday came after a visit last week to the island by former Japanese economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, who also had close ties with Abe. Communist-led China claims Taiwan as its "inalienable" territory and tensions have been on the rise since Lai, who Beijing condemns as a separatist, assumed the presidency in May last year. The two sides have been governed separately since they split in 1949 due to a civil war. © KYODO
The Mainichi
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Taiwan's Lai seeks cooperation with Japan to deter Chinese pressure
TAIPEI (Kyodo) -- Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te called Monday for stronger cooperation between Taiwan and Japan to deter increasing military pressure from mainland China as he met former Japanese industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura in Taipei. Claiming Chinese military exercises in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China seas have undermined regional peace and stability, Lai told Nishimura that the self-ruled island and Japan should work together to ensure maritime security and counter Beijing's "gray-zone" threats. Gray-zone activity refers to aggressive acts that fall short of an armed attack. Lai also sought bilateral cooperation in such areas as semiconductors, artificial intelligence and drones. The senior member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, who had close ties with the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, referred to Abe's claim that "a Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency" and went further to assert that "a Taiwan contingency is a global contingency." The House of Representatives member said he believes like-minded countries must work together to send a clear message in support of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Nishimura's four-day trip to Taiwan through Tuesday came after a visit last week to the island by former Japanese economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, who also had close ties with Abe. Communist-led China claims Taiwan as its "inalienable" territory and tensions have been on the rise since Lai, who Beijing condemns as a separatist, assumed the presidency in May last year. The two sides have been governed separately since they split in 1949 due to a civil war.
Indian Express
03-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Vizhinjam: The several storms, and some politics, on way to a Kerala port
THE SAGA of the Vizhinjam International Transhipment Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport, which began as an idea in the 1940s, and almost drowned in the ebb and flow of power politics, all came together in one place on Friday. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned it, the BJP leader was flanked by CPI(M) Politburo member and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on one side, and Congress Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on the other. Occupying pride of place, right next to Modi, was Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, who at one time or another has been persona non grata for both the CPI(M) and Congress. Noting the cast of characters sharing the dais with him, PM Modi said: 'I would like to say to our CM, you are a big and strong pillar of the INDI Alliance. Shashi Tharoor is also sitting here, and I would like to say that today's event will take away the sleep of many.' He also noted that Kerala Ports Minister V N Vasavan had referred to the Adani Group as a 'partner' of the Communist-led state government, describing this as symbolic of the changes taking place in the country. CPI(M) position: Vijayan is the architect The CPI(M) is projecting the seaport as a major achievement of the Pinarayi Vijayan -led Left Democratic Front government's nine years of governance. This is mainly because a lion's share of the construction, which was slated to be completed in 2019, happened during its regime. Ports Minister Vasavan has been emphatic that it is Vijayan who is 'the architect of the seaport'. While the CM has in turn given credit to 'the people' for the project, he has denied any to the Congress-led United Democratic Front, saying that 'laying the foundation stone is not enough to bring development'. The May 2 inauguration of the project was also synced with the fourth anniversary celebrations of the second Vijayan regime. This is quite a far cry from 2015, when the Congress government first inked the deal with the Adani Group for the project, and drew the censure of the CPI(M), which raised the fact that Adani was the lone bidder. The Left party termed the Vizhinjam deal 'a land scam and a robbery of Rs 6,000 crore, at the cost of the livelihood of fishermen'. After it replaced the Congress in power in 2016, the Vijayan government ordered a judicial probe into the deal. Veteran CPI(M) leader V S Achuthanandan demanded that the government suspend the work until the probe report came out – which was ignored by Vijayan. Eventually, the judicial investigation could not come out with anything damning. Congress stand: Vizhinjam is Oommen Chandy's baby The Congress has been underlining that the deal with the Adani Group for the project was first signed by its government led by Oommen Chandy in 2015, and calls Vizhinjam a testimony to the late leader's willpower. After the CPI(M) raised corruption charges at the time, Chandy told the Assembly: 'Protecting the interests of the state, the Vizhinjam project will be implemented at any cost. All suggestions are welcome. The allegations of corruption will not deter the government from going ahead with the project.' The omission to invite Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan for the port's inauguration Friday was seen as another bid by the LDF government to erase the Congress's contribution to it. Satheesan was invited later, but decided to boycott. Tharoor, who has pronounced his wholesome support to the project and was at the airport to receive Modi for his Kerala trip, was present at the commissioning of the port as the Thiruvananthapuram MP. Pre-Independence: Once, a Diwan The idea of a port at Vizhinjam came up in the 1940s when C P Ramaswami Iyer was the Diwan of the erstwhile Travancore state. Fifty years later, in 1995, the Congress government finally signed an MoU with Hyderabad -based Kumar Energy Corporation for the development of a port under the BOT (Build Operate Transfer) scheme. But this never took off. In 1996, when it came to power, the CPI(M) government revived the plan by appointing a committee to study the project. Again, this remained in limbo till 2004, when a new regime, of the Congress, prepared a feasibility study. The first global bid was floated in 2005. This time, due to security reasons, the bid was not successful. Later, after updated studies, bids were floated again in 2007 and 2010, during an LDF regime this time, but failed to get clearance from the Centre. Finally, a bid in 2014 was successful, and led to an agreement between the Kerala government and Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited for the Vizhinjam International Transhipment Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport. The total cost of the first phase is Rs 8,686 crore, of which the state has to provide Rs 5,370 crore, the Adani Group Rs 2,499 crore and Centre Rs 817.80 crore as viability gap fund. In the second phase, which is slated to be completed by 2028, the Adani Group is to invest Rs 9,540 crore. Since trial operations began in July last year, the port has already made big strides, with 285 ships docking there. In February this year, Vizhinjam ranked first among 15 ports in the southeast coast of India in terms of cargo handled – among several other firsts. Officials point to the Vizhinjam port's proximity to international shipping routes connecting Europe, Persian Gulf and the Far East, to underline its growth potential.
