Hamirpur:

Targeting Congress for “misleading” the country’s youth by spreading false propaganda on the Agnipath scheme, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Youth and Sports Anurag Thakur said on Sunday that the game-changing initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government guarantees 100 per cent employment.

“Every Congress leader is misleading the youth by lying about the scheme which guarantees 100 per cent employment,” Anurag Thakur said while campaigning in the Hamirpur constituency which goes to polls on June 1.

Asserting that the scheme allows India’s youth to serve the country by joining the Armed Forces, Mr Thakur mentioned that it is a win-win situation for all as youngsters exiting after four years will not only get a service fund package but also jobs in various Public Sector Undertakings.

“All BJP-ruled state governments have provided 10-20 per cent reservation in the state police for these young comrades. Reservations have also been made in the Central government’s paramilitary forces. Not only that, they have been given many concessions in selection. Congress should stop misleading the youth and should not play with their future,” the Union Minister said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has claimed that the Agnipath scheme has been brought against the will of armed forces and if the INDIA bloc is voted to power, the party will discard it immediately.

“Rahul Gandhi will go to Italy or Bangkok but the Agniveers will continue to serve the country. It is PM Modi who named islands after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees, cleared the One Rank-One Pension scheme, gave the latest arms and ammunition to our forces, got Rafale fighters, built INS Vikrant and Brahmos missiles… What did the Congress do for 40 years except for encouraging corruption and getting kickbacks in defence deals?” the BJP leader questioned.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Hamirpur:

Citing a new report on India’s demographic transition, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur wondered how Muslims can feel insecure in the country, especially when their population has reportedly increased by 45 per cent and they have been equal recipients of government welfare programmes.

A working paper on population trends released recently by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister said the population of majority Hindus declined by 7.82 per cent between 1950 and 2015 while that of Muslims increased by 43.15 per cent, suggesting that there is a conducive environment to foster diversity. It, however, did not give absolute numbers.

In an interview to PTI late Friday, senior BJP leader Thakur said the minorities are clearly thriving and need not worry.

He also rubbished the opposition’s charge that the BJP would change the Constitution. “On the contrary, the BJP will ensure that reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs is not diluted or altered by anyone.” 

The four-time MP from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, who is defending his seat against Congress’ Satpal Raizada, accused the party of seeking to take away the reservation meant for SCs/STs/OBCs and provide it to Muslims.

He also alleged that the Congress is aiming to grab the wealth of people and provide the same to Muslims to further its appeasement and vote bank politics.

The Congress has denied these claims, also made by other BJP leaders, as lies and distortion of their manifesto.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also said that he will never allow reservation based on religion by taking away quotas meant for SCs, STs and OBCs, Thakur said.

Asked if there was a need for policy change on population control or a legislation on the issue in the wake of changing demography, Thakur said the new government will discuss the issue and then take a call after discussion as population figures have just come out in public domain.

He said the figures show that the population of Muslims in India has increased by almost 45-47 per cent over 65 years.

“What do these figures indicate. On one side the population of Hindus declined by 7.8 per cent and on the other hand the population of Muslims increased by 45-47 per cent. One has to ponder over the reasons behind this.

In Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, the population of Hindus was 23 per cent in 1947, now they are only 2 per cent left. And still, some people in India say Muslims are insecure. Their population has increased by 45 per cent, still they say they are insecure,” he said.

“How are they insecure? We never said vote for us out of compulsions, we have not indulged in any vote bank politics. We freed Muslim women of the scourge of triple talaq, we have also provided Muslims women with pukka houses, toilets and free (cooking gas) cylinders, besides free medical treatment even if they have eight children. They have also benefited from our schemes,” the minister said.

On the Constitution, he told PTI, “There will be no change of Constitution.” He said the BJP has been in power for the last 10 years while wielding absolute majority in Parliament. Still, it has not made any Constitutional amendment, Thakur said.

“It is the Congress which has amended the Constitution all the time. Besides, the Congress insulted Babasaheb Ambedkar, who gave us this Constitution, and even worked to send him out of politics. The Congress also did not give him honour,” he alleged.

Instead, he said, it was Narendra Modi who made ‘paanch teerth’ at Nagpur, Mhow, Mumbai, Delhi and England in honour of Babasaheb Ambedkar and began marking Constitution Day on November 26, besides declaring a holiday on Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14.

“I want to tell this country and the youth that it was Indira Gandhi who murdered democracy and if anyone has tried to crush the Constitution, it is Arvind Kejriwal,” Thakur said.

“Even the creators of the Constitution would have never thought that a chief minister and deputy chief minister would be in jail for corruption and still are reluctant to resign from their posts,” Thakur added.

Thakur also reeled out government statistics to support his view that the BJP government has consistently worked during the last 10 years for the poor, especially the backward class and castes.

Out of four crore houses made under the PM Awas Yojna by PM Modi, as many as 58 per cent houses were made for SC/STs, he said.

He also cited the Rs 6,000 annual dole given to farmers, of which a majority of the beneficiaries are SC/ST and OBC category people.

Thakur noted that four crore houses, 12 crore toilets, 13 crore water connections and 10 crore free cooking gas cylinders were provided to people, as well as free medical treatment to 60 crore people and free ration to 80 crore people.

“These people (opposition) are spreading fear, misconceptions and rumours that SC/ST reservation will go, but the truth is that wherever the Congress governments came, in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, they took away SC/ST quota and gave to Muslims and are creating fear among SC/STs,” Thakur said.

The senior BJP MP said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wants a survey that will lead to wealth redistribution. “This is appeasement politics which the Congress started, not us,” he said.

“We have done ‘Sabka Vikas’ and did not do Hindu-Muslim, and we will carry on doing work like this in future. But when these people say such things for votes that they will give to Muslims, then we raise questions that they try to insult Hindus and talk of crushing Sanatan and talk of giving resources to Muslims,” Thakur said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chandigarh:

Former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi has landed in a huge row with his comment that Saturday’s Terror attack in Poonch, in which an Air Force soldier was killed and four others were injured, was a “pre-election stunt by the BJP”. Amid the general election, it has provided the BJP a handle to attack the Congress, with Union Minister Anurag Thakur ripping into the Grand Old Party.

“These are all stunts and not terrorist attacks. There is no truth in it. BJP is playing with the lives of people and bodies,” Mr Channi said while campaigning in Jalandhar, from where he is contesting.

“These attacks are not really happening but just meant to benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party… Whenever elections take place, such stunts are played like it happened last time,” he added, pointing at the 2019 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) personnel died.

In the terror attack on two IAF vehicles in the Bakrabal (Sanai) area of Poonch, Corporal Vikky Pahade of the Indian Air Force was killed and four other soldiers injured.

“This is a poor statement. This reflects their mentality,”said Union minister Anurag Thakur.

“Instead of strengthening the army, they did brokerage for 10 years… After Pulwama we did surgical strike. These people held a hearing at 2:30 pm to stop the hanging of the Parliament attack accused… People will not forget that 1000 km has been taken away – the area of Aksai Chin, a part has been taken by Sri Lanka,” he added.

New Delhi:

Union Minister Anurag Thakur hit out at the Congress Saturday morning – a day after the second phase of voting for the Lok Sabha elections – and claimed that there were “foreign forces” involved in preparing the poll manifesto of the opposition party.

“In the Congress manifesto, along with the hand of the Congress, hands of foreign forces are also visible who want to give your children’s property to Muslims, finish the nations nuclear weapons, divide the nation on casteism and regionalism,” Mr Thakur said at a rally in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur.

“The tukde-tukde gang has surrounded Congress completely and has hijacked their ideology. You have to decide whether the children’s property should remain with them or should it go to Muslims. We gave all rights to Muslims, equally. But we did not give it based on religion, we gave it because it was their right,” he added.

#WATCH | Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh: Union Minister Anurag Thakur says, “In the Congress manifesto, along with the hand of the Congress, hands of foreign forces are also visible who want to give your children’s property to Muslims, finish the nations nuclear weapons, divide the… pic.twitter.com/3dxJE6avvz

— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2024

The attack follows fierce sparring between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top Opposition leaders over claims that the Congress will seize the wealth of Indians and distribute it among Muslims. At rallies in Rajasthan’s Tonk and Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar, the PM alleged that the Manmohan Singh-led Congress government had said Muslims have the first right to the country’s wealth.

The remarks have sparked a massive row, with one section criticising the Prime Minister for using expressions such as “infiltrators” for Muslims, and another section slamming Dr Singh over his alleged remarks.

In a five-minute video message posted on the BJP’s X handle yesterday, BJP party chief JP Nadda also repeated controversial sections from the Prime Minister’s Rajasthan speech – in which he referred to Muslims and said the Congress plans to “redistribute wealth to infiltrators” – and said, “Congress says Muslims have first right on country’s resources, whereas PM Modi says poor people must have the first right…”

“BJP does not want Muslims to be neglected… but they should not take undue advantage at expense of others,” Mr Nadda declared, as he slammed the Congress for “appeasement politics” and claimed such practices were evident in its manifesto – which the PM called a “Muslim League imprint”.

Mr Thakur and Mr Nadda’s remarks come just days after the Election Commission sent a notice to the party based on a complaint by the Congress against the Prime Minister, alleging he made divisive remarks during his Rajasthan speech. The notice – in a significant first – said party bosses would be held accountable for Model Code violations in campaign speeches and materials.

The poll panel sent a nearly identical notice to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, after the BJP filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi, claiming he had made “obnoxious utterances” against Mr Modi.

In a two-page statement – which did not name either the Prime Minister or Mr Gandhi but included copies of the complaints – the poll body said “‘star campaigners’ are expected to contribute to a higher quality of discourse… which sometimes gets distorted in the heat of contests at local level”.

Hyderabad:

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi both are trained in “Aurangzeb school of thought” with democracy on their lips but “Shariah in their hearts and minds”.

Addressing a press conference here, he slammed Rahul Gandhi for fielding a candidate against Owaisi in the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency.

“Is Rahul Gandhi the ‘B’ team of Owaisi or Owaisi the ‘B’ team of Rahul Gandhi? Is Rahul Gandhi a peddler of Owaisi’s communal agenda? This is what appears from the Congress manifesto,” he said.

Union Minister Thakur further said that just like Rahul Gandhi was defeated by a woman in Amethi, Mr Owaisi will be defeated by a woman in Hyderabad.

“Owaisi has been missing in action ever since Madhavi Latha (BJP candidate) entered the fray. The time to cut the kite’s string has come,” said the Union Minister, who earlier participated in the nomination rally of the BJP candidate.

He also claimed that the people of Hyderabad want to defeat Mr Owaisi. “I have seen people’s enthusiasm, support and blessings on Hyderabad roads for our party candidate,” said the Union Minister.

He also alleged that Mr Owaisi won many times on the basis of fake votes. “The genie of fake votes has been capped in a bottle. It’s time for him to pack up,” he said.

Union Minister Thakur accused Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi of being silent on the demand of their party councillor in Karnataka for a CBI probe into the murder of his daughter due to ‘Love Jihad’. “How many more daughters will be sacrificed in the name of ‘Love Jihad’,” he asked, reading out names of victims and accused.

“Hundreds of Hindu daughters were killed by infiltrators and people of a particular community. Why do you have sympathy for them,” he asked and accused Congress leaders of doing vote bank politics.

“Did they not shout ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ in the Karnataka Assembly? There were bomb blasts in Bangalore and the accused were sheltered in Bengal under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Can our daughters be safe or our borders be safe with appeasement politics?” he said.

The Union Minister alleged that the Congress party is bent on destroying ‘Sanatana Dharma’. “They opposed the construction of Ram Temple, rejected the invitation for its inauguration and called Ram Setu fictional. The EVM beeps will give an answer to such beef-eating people,” he remarked.

Union Minister Thakur claimed that Congress will snatch away property and hard-earned money of citizens for distribution among those who are its vote bank and with whom it does politics of appeasement.

Referring to Sam Pitroda’s statement, he said Congress’ hidden agenda had come out. “It clearly shows, even after your death, they will keep on looting you in the name of inheritance tax. I call it vasooli tax,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Union minister Anurag Thakur joined his voice with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today to attack the Congress over the comments of its senior leader Sam Pitroda, alleging that the party’s secret plan is to tax people even after their deaths.

“I think the djinn has come out of the bottle,” Anurag Thakur said, “They were anti-sanatan already, now they are anti-santan (anti-descendants) also”.

The Congress’s “hidden agenda” is out and exposed, he said. “Even after death they will keep up the extortion. After your death, your assets will not go to your children. Are your children secure in the Congress government?” he said.

The fresh row started over Sam Pitroda’s comment that the inheritance tax in the US was an interesting law and could contain issues that people can debate.  

If one has $100 million when he dies, he can only transfer probably 45 per cent to his children and the rest goes to the government, he said.

“That’s an interesting law. It says you in your generation, made wealth and you are leaving now, you must leave your wealth for the public, not all of it, half of it, which to me sounds fair. In India, you don’t have that,” Mr Pitroda had said.

“If somebody is worth 10 billion and he dies, his children get 10 billion and people get nothing… So, these are the kind of issues people will have to debate and discuss,” he said.

The issue was highlighted by PM Modi, who over the weekend had remarked that the Congress, if voted to power, will redistribute the personal wealth of people to “infiltrators” and won’t even spare the mangalsutras of women.

Amid the massive row the comment caused, PM Modi said at a rally in Sarguja today that once voted back to power, the Congress will also introduce the inheritance tax in India.

“The wealth you accumulate with your hard work won’t pass down to your children. The Congress’s hand will snatch it. The Congress’s mantra is ‘loot during your lifetime, loot after your death’,” the Prime Minister said. “As long as you live, Congress’s high taxation will make you suffer. When you are dead, they will put the burden of inheritance tax,” he added.

Bengaluru:

Union Minister Anurag Thakur said the Centre has set a target to make India ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047 and slammed the previous UPA government over corruption and scams.

Addressing IT professionals here on Thursday, he said, “… IT stands for ‘India Tomorrow’ and what is the target for India tomorrow? The target is to develop India into Viksit Bharat by 2047.” Taking a dig at the Congress, the Union Minister said, “Can you imagine 10 years back our countrymen were finding it even difficult to think about freeing themselves from the clutches of corrupt Congress party and its alliance partners where one after another scam took place.”

Referring to the various scams during the UPA regime, he said because we have a short memory, sometimes we forget especially those aged between 18 and 22, they were only eight and 10 years old then.

“They are not aware of 2G scam or CWG scam… They didn’t know about AgustaWestland, Coal scam and all that…” “It is our duty to remind them that between 2009 to 2014, there were so many scams in this country that by 2014 it looked like the growth (of the country) was stagnant, inflation was high and policy paralysis was hitting the country hard and we were looking at an option,” he said.

Thakur said the country was looking at a way out and during that time, the BJP came up with an alternative leader named Narendra Modi.

“Modi was a ray of hope in 2014. We promised that we will give you a clean government and I’m glad that in the last 10 years we can proudly say in our government not even a single penny of corruption allegation is levelled against Modi or his ministers,” he said.

Hailing the Narendra Modi-led government, Thakur said MODI stands for “Master of Digital Information” and also maker of developed India – Viksit Bharat.

Underscoring that Indian talent was the biggest resource that the country has, he said, “We need to reskill them, upskill them. Covid has taught us whatever you may learn in the era of technology, you have to keep reskilling yourself… and that artificial intelligence will play a very very important role, our talent which is the Indian talent in the field of IT (information technology) will play a very very important role in bringing billions of dollars and jobs to India.” Targeting the Congress over I-T department notices to the party, he said, “political parties don’t have to pay income tax they have been waived but they have to file income tax returns. But look at the country’s oldest party… they fail to file their income tax returns.

“If you don’t file your income tax returns, you will get a notice then why should Congress be treated above law. That is what the Income Tax department did, they gave them a notice, but they didn’t reply, look at the arrogance they didn’t reply,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Palghar:

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Friday urged women entrepreneurs to use digital technology to help small businesses become resilient and champions of change.

Addressing the 40th Annual Session of the FICCI Ladies Organisation, Anurag Thakur said financial inclusion and going digital was critical to achieving the economic empowerment of women.

“Women must be a larger part of the economic development. Empowering women, addressing their concerns and amplifying their voices is a priority for the present government,” Anurag Thakur said.

He said India has the third largest start-up ecosystem in the world with 1.2 lakh start-ups and 110 Unicorns.

“Women’s contribution will be much more when India will move to become the 3rd largest economy in the next three years,” he said.

“Adoption of advanced technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) by women can serve as a tool for growth for small businesses in building their resilient capacity,” he said.

Adoption of digitalisation by small businesses means having the flexibility to adapt to disruptions and continue their operations, he said.

“Small entrepreneurs in small cities and villages are the backbone of India’s economy and play an intrinsic role in India achieving its ambitions of becoming the third largest economy by the year 2030,” said Anurag Thakur.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Refuting the opposition’s claims, Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday said that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are independent agencies and the probe agencies have nothing to do with the BJP.

Speaking at the Times Now Summit, Mr Thakur emphasised that “no one can accuse Modi ji of corruption in these 10 years”.

“In 2013, Kejriwal used to say that he would swear by his daughter that he would not enter politics and would not join hands with Congress. They (congress and AAP) have no achievements of their own, they just abuse Modi ji in the morning and evening. More they abuse PM Modi, more people will elect us with much bigger mandate,” he said.

“The ED summoned Arvind Kejriwal nine times, why did he not come? He used to talk about great morality. When he didn’t come, ED arrived at his home. Just as AAP got zero seats in Delhi in 2014 and 2019, this time they will get zero in Punjab also,” he added.

Further, the Information and Broadcasting Minister highlighted that those who used to talk about morality are in jail today.

“ED and CBI are independent agencies. They take action in their own way. This has nothing to do with us,” Mr Thakur said.

Further attacking the INDIA bloc, Anurag Thakur said that the INDIA alliance is full of ego and pride.

“If they were so honest then why would they change its name? There was 2G scam, submarine, coal scam, there were so many scams, so they could not go in front of the public with that face. Then who was added to the alliance, Lalu Yadav of fodder scam, the party whose ministers, deputies are in jail,” he added.

He asserted that the investigative agencies used to take action against the corrupt and would continue to do so in future too.

Mr Thakur pointed out that if action has to be taken against corrupt people, then does the timing matter?

“If action is to be taken against corruption, then does timing matter? In a country where elections are held in eight states in one year, we talk about One Nation One Election which can save thousands of crores of rupees, then they oppose it,” he said.

Speaking on the investigation on 2G scam, he said that at time, the shelter was given by the then UPA government to protect A Raja and others who were involved in the 2G scam. If today the permission is granted, we can commit to the country that there will be a transparent probe and action will be taken as per the law.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Union Minister Anurag Thakur today said the youth of the country or yuva is totally committed to India’s growth.

“Yuva means empowerment, development, passion, growth and commitment,” Mr Thakur said at the NDTV Yuva Conclave.

“India’s yuva is so committed that the country has become the third biggest start-up hub in the past 10 years,” he said.

He said that the youth is shaping the future of India and that the term yuva has nothing to do with the age.

“When I look at PM Modi, when he’s flying Tejas or doing deep-sea diving, I realise, being a yuva is about your thinking and work.” he said.

There is a lot of awareness among today’s youth, Mr Thakur said, adding that they also know about their rights.

Mr Thakur claimed that his boss, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is the best as he is strict at work, but kind towards the citizens of India.

“Most people here have their bosses. But My boss, PM Modi, is the best. He is the strictest at work, but kindest for the citizens of India,” Mr Thakur said.

“He hasn’t taken a single holiday in 23 years. Even when his mother passed away, he just took a 2 hour break for the funeral and then got back to work. That is the type of commitment the PM has,” he added.

India’s biggest youth disruptors from politics, cinema, music and comedy have come together at NDTV’s Yuva – Youth For Change mega conclave today