26 INDIA
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26 JAN - 1 Feb 2019
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Inauguration: Modi calls for ‘One World, One Sun, One Grid’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Winners of Know India Quiz, at the inauguration of the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention 2019, in Varanasi. Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth, Union Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and other dignitaries are also seen.
The 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas commenced on January 21, and will be held till January 23. This year, the theme of the event is “Role of Indian Diaspora in building a New India”. It is noteworthy that this is the first time since its inception in 2003 that the government's flagship outreach programme was not celebrated on its usual date, January 9. Ministry of External Affairs clarified, it is so because several expatriates wanted to attend the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth was Chief Guest of the convention, while Himanshu Gulati, member of the Parliament of Norway, was special guest. Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, member of Parliament of New Zealand
was Guest of Honour. While inaugurating the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed NRIs and called them “brand ambassadors of India.” Over 4,000 NRIs from 85 countries marked attendance in Pravasi Bharatiya Divas this year. Modi addressed the delegates and NRIs at the inaugural ceremony and said, “Today, India is in the position to lead the world in several subjects. International Solar Alliance (ISA) is one such platform. Through this medium, we want to take the world towards ‘One World, One Sun, One Grid’.” He said, “In past 4.5 years, our government has given around Rs. 5 lakh 78 thousand crores directly to
people through different schemes. We have transferred it to their bank accounts.” Adding, “In the last four years, India has made huge progress and left its mark in the world. Earlier they said India can’t change, we have reversed the situation.” The PM took his mandatory dig at the Indian National Congress, saying, “We ended loot in 4 years, which the Congress identified it but lacked to will to find a solution. In past 4.5 years, our government has given around Rs. 5 lakh 78 thousand crores directly to people through different schemes. We have transferred it to their bank accounts.” Modi then urged diaspora at Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas to participate in building 'New India'.
25 Opposition leaders join hands to take on BJP The rough draft of a 'mahagathbandhan' took shape at Mamata Banerjee's 'United India' rally in Kolkata as 25 political leaders from over 20 political parties joined hands with a shared agenda of taking on the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. They also agreed to take this partnership forward with more such rallies in other states and a concrete action plan in the form of a joint policy document. While agreeing to tackle the question of the Opposition's prime ministerial face after the election results, leader after leader targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP over "rising i n t o l e r a n c e , " demonetisation, GST and alleged corruption in the Rafale deal. Jammu and Kashmir National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, former prime minister and JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda, AAP leader and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, TDP leader and
Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav, DMK's M K Stalin, AIUDF's Badruddin Ajmal and JMM's Hemant Soren were among those who not only shared the stage with Banerjee, but also touched upon how they could take the Opposition unity forward before the Lok Sabha elections. The Congress, represented by Mallikarjun Kharge, who read out Sonia Gandhi's message of support, and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, too, made it clear that the party was willing to be a part of the grand alliance. Also present on the stage were NCP leader Sharad Pawar, NC's Omar Abdullah, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Patidar leader Hardik Patel, Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, former Arunachal Pradesh CM Gegong Apang, Zoram Nationalist Party leader Lalduhawma, RLD vice-
president Jayant Chaudhary, BSP leader Satish Mishra, former NDA ministers Arun Shourie and Yashwant Sinha, and BJP rebel Shatrughan Sinha. Trinamool sources said that 20,00,000 people attended the meeting. It’s anti-people: Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi scoffed at the Kolkata rally saying it is an alliance where the only aim of the partners is to save their fast waning political careers. “They have all gathered to save themselves from BJP. They are seeing public support slipping away and I can hear desperate screams of ‘bachaao, bachaao, bachaao (Save us),” said Modi while addressing a public meeting in Silvassa, the capital of Union territory of Dadra & Nagar Haveli. Modi said the formation of ‘mahagathbandhan’ stems from his crackdown on corruption and elimination of ‘political agents’ who once had a free run in the corridors of power.
Addressing NRIs and Indianorigin people at the convention in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi, Modi described NRIs as India's brand ambassadors and said they were the symbols of the country's capabilities. Modi also told overseas Indians that his government is making efforts to ease the processes concerning their social security, passport, visa and PIO and OCI cards and that work is on to issue chipbased e-passports. He said the government's endeavour was that overseas Indians should stay “happy and safe wherever they are.” “The government is trying to ease the entire processes concerning your social security, passport, visa, Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizen
of India (OCI) Cards. We have taken a new step a few months back concerning overseas Indians. Our embassies and consulates are being connected to the Passport Seva Project worldwide,” the PM said. Present at the occasion were External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat, UP Governor Ram Naik, and Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh, among others. Mauritian Premier Jugnauth too spoke at the event, positively surprising the audience by speaking in Bhojpuri. He hailed Modi for the country's transformation through initiatives such as the Skill India and the Beti
Bachao Beti Padhao schemes. He also praised Modi's global stewardship in promoting clean energy and for setting up the International Solar Alliance. Delivering the keynote address, he announced that Mauritius will host a Bhagwad Gita Mahotsav in partnership with the Haryana government next month and also for the first time, organise a Bhojpuri Festival next year. Many of those who first arrived in Mauritius to work as indentured labourers from India were from Bihar, and spoke Bhojpuri. Jugnauth also thanked India for supporting Mauritius' development through various assistance projects. Later, both the leaders held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the event.
Hatim Amir Karimjee passes away City Council, a Trustee for the Tanzania National Parks Authority, Chairman of the Tanzania Tourist Corporation, and Chairman of the National Advisory Council on Antiquities. A keen philanthropist, he has also served several other commitments, like Commodore of Dar es Salaam Yacht Club in 2002, where he worked as Trustee, and his service as Rotary International’s District Governor in Tanzania. Hatim was also appointed as Honorary Consul for New Zealand in Tanzania, in 2014. Hatim Karimjee is survived by his wife Razia, son Yusuf, daughter-in-law Aran, grandchildren Kaleem and Danyal, and two siblings, Zamy and Mahmood Karimjee. It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Hatim Amir Karimjee, on January 12, in London, surrounded by his family and close friends. Born in Zanzibar, Tanzania, in 1945, to the late Amir Yusufali Karimjee OBE and the late Kulsum Amir Karimjee, Hatim leaves behind a deep-rooted legacy of professional and philanthropic achievements honouring his family, community, and country. Chairman of the Karimjee Jivanjee Ltd, and Toyota Tanzania Ltd in Dar es Salaam, for 31 years, Hatim also served as a Trustee and Chairman for projects funded by Lord David Sainsbury's charities, and as the Chairman for the Jane Goodall Institute in Tanzania. He engaged in several public designations throughout his career, having served as Chairman of the Tanzanian Tea Authority, Councillor for the Dar es Salaam
Obituary Harilal Murji Halai It is with deep regret that we announce the sad demise of Shri Harilal Murji Halai, this month. He was born in Nairobi, Kenya, on September 19, 1949. A prayer meet was held at SKLPC Northolt on January 18 in his memory. He was very dedicated and fully committed member not only for SKLPC UK but also various other charitable organisations.