1. At Maiden Press Briefing, PM Modi Says BJP Will Return to Power, but Takes No Questions
In his maiden press conference since assuming power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday termed the Lok Sabha elections as “spectacular” and asserted that the BJP will come back to power with a full majority on its own.
“The election has been amazing (shandar). Elections were held in a positive spirit. A government with full majority will come back after remaining in power for five years. This is probably happening after a very long time. This is a big deal in itself,” PM Modi told a large contingent of reporters after wrapping up his campaign for a second term.
In a surprise move, the Prime Minister showed up on the dais for a scheduled press conference by BJP president Amit Shah, who gave a detailed report card of the campaigning as well as the performance of the NDA government.
(Source: The Indian Express)
2. ‘I Have a Question’: Rahul Gandhi on PM Modi’s ‘Unprecedented’ Press Briefing
Terming the press conference by Prime Minister Narendra Modi “unprecedented”, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that he has question for him. “Why didn’t he respond to my call for a debate on Rafale,” the Congress chief said at a press briefing that clashed with the prime minister’s first ever.
“PM Modi is “accompanying” Amit Shah in a press conference, which is an unprecedented event for him. Let me ask him a question right now – Mr PM, why did you not accept my challenge to debate on corruption in Rafale?” Rahul Gandhi said.
In his first-ever press conference as the prime minister, Modi, with party chief Amit Shah seated beside him, predicted his return as prime minister.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
3. CBI vs Bengal: Top Cop Rajeev Kumar Loses Arrest Shield, Has 7 Days to Get Bail
The Supreme Court Friday withdrew its order granting protection from arrest to former Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in the Saradha chit fund case. Asking the CBI to act in accordance with the law, it granted Kumar seven days to seek suitable legal remedies during which period he will not be arrested.
The CBI had earlier sought the court’s permission to interrogate the officer in custody, triggering a war of words between the BJP-led Centre and TMC-ruled West Bengal.
Deciding the CBI application, the bench of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna expressed “regret” and said “we acknowledge and accept that despite orders and words of advice, antagonism and acrimony has escalated and not ebbed as is evident from the pleading and arguments addressed before us.”
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. More From BJP Join Pragya on Godse, PM Modi Says Won’t Forgive Her
As three more party leaders joined BJP Bhopal Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Singh Thakur in praising Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse and added to the party’s discomfiture, the BJP leadership cracked the whip Friday and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned Thakur’s remarks on Godse saying “it’s a different matter that she has apologised, I will not be able to forgive her from my heart.”
BJP president Amit Shah told a press conference that the party has initiated disciplinary action against Thakur, Union Minister of State Anantkumar Hegde and Karnataka MP Nalin Kumar Kateel for their remarks on Godse. He said the party’s disciplinary committee will be submitting a report in ten days for further action in the matter.
(Source: The Indian Express)
5. ‘All Religions Have Extremists’: Kamal Haasan After Slipper Attack, Godse Row
Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) leader Kamal Haasan has said he does not feel threatened amid a row over his remarks on Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse after eggs, stones and slippers were hurled at him during his political rallies.
Kamal Haasan has come came under fire from the BJP and Hindu outfits after he said that the first terrorist in free India was a Hindu in a reference to Nathuram Godse. Haasan made the comment on Sunday night while campaigning for his party’s candidate S Mohanraj for the Aravakkurichi assembly by-poll.
“I feel the quality of polity is going down. I don’t feel threatened,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
6. Why West Bengal, Why Not Varanasi? Mayawati to Election Commission
With days to go for the mammoth Lok Sabha election process to conclude and the votes to be counted, charges and attacks are flying thick and fast.
BSP chief Mayawati on Friday took potshots at the PM and targeted the Election Commission for its alleged inaction in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency Varanasi, which is scheduled to vote on 19 May.
Alleging that outsiders were threatening and luring voters in the star constituency, the BSP chief said, ”How can free and fair elections be held in such an atmosphere. Like West Bengal, why is EC not focusing on Varanasi?”
(Source: Hindustan Times)
7. Trump Unveils New Immigration Plan, Proposes to Replace Green Card With Build America Visa
Donald Trump has said he will replace the existing green cards with 'Build America' visa, as the US President unveiled a new merit and points-based immigration policy that seeks to increase the quota for highly-skilled workers from 12 to 57 per cent.
Every year the US issues nearly 1.1 million green cards, which gives foreign nationals life-time permission to live and work in the US and a path to citizenship in five years.
Currently most of cards are issued based on family links and diversity visa, and a small section is given to people who are professionals and highly skilled.
(Source: PTI)
8. Show-Cause Notices Issued to Kirron Kher, Pawan Kumar Bansal
On the last day of campaigning, Election Commission issued two show cause notices each against Congress candidate Pawan Kumar Bansal and BJP’s Kirron Kher – for the violation of model code of conduct on Friday.
A show cause notice against Kirron Kher was issued in the connection of a public meeting chaired by her husband Anupam Kher, in her favour at Bapu Dham Colony, Sector 26, on 16 May.
The notice was issued following the complaint of a Congress leader Pankaj Chandgothia, who stated that BJP had obtained the permission of merely using the loudspeaker in Bapu Dham Colony-26 but they organised a public meeting of 250 people without the permission of this purpose. In the complaint, Pankaj Chandgothia, also alleged that BJP is also evading booking of expenditure for their public meetings in their candidate account.
(Source: The Indian Express)
9. Kerala First Indian State to Tap Into Masala Bond Market
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan opened Friday’s trading on the London Stock Exchange by ringing the iconic bell after the state-owned Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) debuted its ‘masala bond’ issue of Rs 2,150 crore on the bourse.
While Kerala is the first Indian state to tap into the market for masala bonds — debt papers sold overseas by an Indian entity that are denominated in rupees — to raise development funds, the move is rarer still for a communist government.
After the bond issue debut, KIIFB became the first sub-sovereign entity in India to tap the offshore rupee international bond market.
(Source: The Indian Express)
More From The Quint:
- PM Modi’s ‘Press Conference’ That Wasn’t
- The Rahul Gandhi Interview: NYAY, Foreign Policy & Key Highlights
- ‘Mahatma Would Have Forgiven Pragya’: Grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi
- In Bihar CM Nitish’s Constituency, Dalit Weavers Upset With Modi
- PM Modi’s Press Conference or Mann Ki Baat? Twitter Left Wondering
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)