Tag: India

Modi Receives Warm Welcome At BJP HQ After Polls Results

Modi Receives Warm Welcome At BJP HQ After Polls Results

By LokMarg

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm welcome at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in Delhi after the Assembly polls results of three northeastern states of Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya were declared on Thursday.

With the declaration of results for the Tripura Assembly polls on Thursday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) returned to power in the state by winning an absolute majority.
According to the Election Commission of India, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 32 seats with a vote share of around 39 per cent. Tipra Motha Party came second by winning 13 seats. Communist Party of India (Marxist) got 11 seats while Congress bagged three seats. The Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) managed to open its account by winning one seat.

The CPI(M) and the Congress, arch rivals in Kerala, came together in the Northeast this time in a bid to oust the BJP from power. The combined vote share of CPI(M) and Congress remained around 33 per cent.

Chief Minister Manik Saha defeated Congress’ Asish Kumar Saha from the Town Bordowali seat by a margin of 1,257 votes. In the 60-member Tripura assembly, the majority mark is 31.

The BJP, which had never won a single seat in Tripura before 2018, stormed to power in the last election in alliance with IPFT and had ousted the Left Front which had been in power in the border state for 35 years since 1978.

The BJP contested on 55 seats and its ally, IPFT, on six seats. But both allies had fielded candidates in the Ampinagar constituency in the Gomati district.

The Left contested on 47 and Congress on 13 seats, respectively. Of the total 47 seats, the CPM contested 43 seats while the Forward Bloc, Communist Party of India (CPI) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) contested one seat each.

The CPI(M)-led Left Front ruled the state for nearly four decades, with a gap between 1988 and 1993, when the Congress was in power but now both parties joined hands with the intention to oust BJP from power.

In Nagaland, BJP secured 12 seats, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) won 25 seats and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) bagged seven seats. National People’s Party (NPP) won five seats. Naga Peoples Front, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Republican Party of India (Athawale) won two seats each. Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) got one seat.

The majority mark in 60 seat Nagaland Assembly is 31.

In Meghalaya, the National People’s Party (NPP) won 26 seats, United Democratic Party (UDP) bagged 11 seats and Trinamool Congress got five seats. BJP, People’s Democratic Front and Hill State People’s Democratic Party bagged two seats each. Congress managed to get five seats while the Voice of the People Party got four seats. Two seats were won by independent candidates. (ANI)

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Nagaland: BJP-NDPP Alliance Leading In 24 Seats; Cong In 1

Nagaland: BJP-NDPP Alliance Leading In 24 Seats; Cong In 1

By LokMarg

The ruling alliance of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the BJP was leading in 24 Assembly constituencies in Nagaland, nearing the majority mark of 31, as per the latest counting trends shared by the Election Commission at 11 am.

Polling for the 60 Assembly constituencies in the state was held on February 27.

The BJP was leading in 7 constituencies while the NDPP, led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, was leading in 17 constituencies, as per the latest trends shared by the poll panel.

Dimapur-I, Ghaspani-I, Seyochung Sitimi, Southern Angami-II, Tuensang Sadar-I, Tuli, Tyui, while the NDPP was leading in Chazouba, Chizami, Dimapur-II, Meluri, Northern Angami-I, Northern Angami-II, Peren, Phek, Pungro Kiphire, Sanis, and Western Angami constituencies.

The Congress, Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party(Ram Vilas), National People’s Party, Nationalist Congress Party, and Republican Party of India (Athawale) were leading in 1, 2, 3, 2, 5, 2 Assembly constituencies respectively.

CM Rio, the NDPP candidate from the Northern Angami-II constituency, was leading by a margin of 6394 votes.

The BJP had opened its account in the Northeast state after its candidate Kazheto Kinimi won uncontested from the Akuluto seat. This after the Congress candidate, Khekashe Sumi, withdrew his nomination.

The withdrawal of candidature by Sumi reduced the total candidates in fray to 183. (ANI)

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Tripura Polls: BJP Leads By 26 Seats, CPIM-Cong Alliance In 18, Tipra Motha 13 In Latest Trends

Tripura Polls: BJP Leads By 26 Seats, CPIM-Cong Alliance In 18, Tipra Motha 13 In Latest Trends

By LokMarg

The ruling BJP was leading in 26 seats, the CPI(M) in 12, Congress 6, and Tipra Motha Party in 11 seats, as per the latest trends in the ongoing counting of votes for the Tripura Assembly on Thursday.

According to the latest data shared by the Election Commission at 10.45 am, Congress candidate from Agartala, Sudip Roy Barman, was leading BJP’s Papia Dutta by 3,668 votes.
Tripura BJP president and the party’s candidate from Banamalipur constituency, Rajiv Bhattacharjee, was trailing Congress’ Gopal Chandra Roy.

Chief Minister Manik Saha was leading Congress’s Asish Kumar Saha by 337 votes.

Independent candidate Kartush R Marak was leading in the Baghmara constituency against BJP’s Brigady Napak Marak, by 904 votes.

Exit poll projections for Tripura, where the BJP created history in 2018 by wresting the state from the Left, put the rival parties ahead of its rivals.

The poll panel made elaborate security arrangements to ensure a smooth counting process. A three-tier security arrangement has been made with the required the deployment of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Tripura State Rifle (TRS) and Tripura Police. Sufficient security arrangements are there besides round-the-clock patrolling by 30 vehicles in which CRPF officers would be there.

“Counting of votes will take place at 21 counting centres. The EC has deployed 60 election observers. All counting staff have been trained. Security arrangements and CCTV coverage have been arranged outside and inside counting centres,” Kiran Gitte, Tripura’s Chief Electoral Officer said earlier.

Gitte said Section 144 has been imposed at certain locations in light of apprehensions over law and order.

The Northeast state saw a triangular contest as Congress and CPIM, which have been arch rivals for years, stitched a pre-poll alliance to defeat the ruling BJP.

While the BJP which is looking to retain the power contested in alliance with Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) and the Tipra Motha which is being seen as a kingmaker in case of a hung assembly scenario, emerged as an influential regional party floated by the royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarma in 2021.

In the 60-member Tripura assembly, the majority mark is 30 and the exit polls predicted a clear edge for the BJP over its rivals in the state.

The BJP, which had never won a single seat in Tripura before 2018, stormed to power in the last election in alliance with IPFT and had ousted the Left Front which had been in power in the border state for 35 years since 1978.

The BJP contested on 55 seats and its ally, IPFT, on six seats. But both allies had fielded candidates in the Ampinagar constituency in the Gomati district.

The Left contested on 47 and Congress on 13 seats, respectively. Of the total 47 seats, the CPM contested 43 seats while the Forward Bloc, Communist Party of India (CPI) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) contested one seat each.

BJP won 36 seats in the assembly and got 43.59 per cent of the votes in the 2018 election. The CPI (M) won 16 seats with a 42.22 per cent vote share. The IPFT won eight seats and Congress could not open its account.

The CPI-M-led Left Front ruled the state for nearly four decades, with a gap between 1988 and 1993, when the Congress was in power but now both parties joined hands with the intention to oust BJP from power. (ANI)

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Antony Blinken Arrives In India For G20 Meeting

Antony Blinken Arrives In India For G20 Meeting

By LokMarg

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived here on Wednesday to take part in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting under India’s G20 presidency will be held on March 2.

During his visit, Blinken will have bilateral meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. He will also participated in the Raisina Dialogue.

“Welcome to India, FM Sameh Shoukry of Egypt @MfaEgypt, FM @ABZayed of UAE @MoFAICUAE and @SecBlinken of USA @StateDept. Looking forward to deliberations at the #G20FMM. @SecBlinken & FM Shoukry will also participate in #Raisina2023,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a tweet.

The G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre and nearly 40 delegations are expected to participate.

This will be second ministerial meeting being held under India’s presidency so far. The first ministerial meeting – Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors – was held in Bengaluru.

A US State Department official had said last week that Blinken will attend a bilateral meeting with Jaishankar on the sidelines of the G20 meeting.

“They will talk about our strategic partner partnership but really focus on how we’re working together in the Asian Quad, in the G20, what we’re doing on defence cooperation and the Initiative for Critical and Emerging Technologies that is being run out of the White House and the prime minister’s office,” Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, had said.

Blinken and Jaishankar will also meet with ministers from Australia and Japan. The four countries are part of Quad. (ANI)

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This Holi, Chinese Merchandise Loses Market Share

Bulldozer Pichkaris Throng UP Markets Ahead Of Holi Festival

By LokMarg

Holi is incomplete without pichkaris (water guns). Over the years, different kinds of pichkaris have flooded the market. This year political-themed pichkaris and masks are on sale in the markets of Gorakhpur.

From bulldozer pichkari to Modi masks, the markets are inundated with Holi goods that have the essence of Indian politics.

With the festival of colours around the corner, the narrow lanes of the busy markets of Gorakhpur are decorated with Abir, Gulal, and Rang.

Speaking to ANI, a shopkeeper said, “There is a lot of demand for bulldozer pichkari, Modi mask, Modi, Yogi cap and saffron belts with cartoon pichkari on Holi festival.”

He added, “Pichkaris are available in the markets from Rs 5 to Rs 1500. There is enthusiasm in the markets for purchase.”

Another shopkeeper said, “Many types of pichkari are being sold in the market. This year bulldozer pichkari, Pubji pichkari, Doraemon Pichkari, Baby Girl Pichkari are being sold in the market.

Shopkeeper Vinod Chaudhary told ANI, “this time on Holi, children’s cartoon characters based pichkaris are in demand.”

There is a lot of demand for Yogi and Modi’s T-shirts, Modi’s mask, and saffron towels, he added.

“Due to inflation, the rates of pichkaris are high in the markets but the sale is fine,” he further stated.

Tanya, a customer said, “We have already started preparations for Holi, there are all kinds of water cannons available in the markets for children. I have bought a Pichkari with an umbrella and Doraemon for my child.” (ANI)

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UK Foreign Secy Raises Issue Of BBC Tax Searches In India With Jaishankar

UK Foreign Secy Raises Issue Of BBC Tax Searches In India With Jaishankar

By LokMarg

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Wednesday said that the issue of searches on BBC offices in India was raised with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during a bilateral meeting today.

Cleverly is currently in India to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting brought up the issue of the BBC tax searches during his meeting with Jaishankar, sources told ANI.
“He was firmly told that all entities operating in India must comply fully with relevant laws and regulations,” according to sources.

In February this year Income Tax authorites had conducted searches at the offices of the British broadcaster in New Delhi and Mumbai.

Speaking to ANI in an exclusive interview, Cleverly said that BBC is an independent organisation and is separate from the UK Government.

“I didn’t see the documentary but I’ve seen reactions in UK and India. BBC is an independent organisation and separate from government. I enjoy a strong personal relationship with Dr Jaishankar…relationship between UK-India growing stronger by the day,” said Cleverly when asked about the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The BBC had in January this year released the documentary film titled ‘India: The Modi Question,” which features the Gujarat riots of 2002. The film caused controversy for alluding to the leadership of Modi as chief minister during the riots while disregarding the clean chit given by the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile speaking on Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the UK, Cleverly said, “We do a lot of business with India and are working extensively. I’ll be meeting India’s trade secretary. We want to make sure this trade agreement really benefits both the countries and unlocks billions of pounds of bilateral trade.”

Cleverly added that the UK looks forward to bringing the trade agreement to conclusion in due course of time.

Commending India’s G20 presidency Cleverly said it is quite exciting and the event holds has fantastic opportunities.

“This is a great opportunity to talk about sustainable economic agenda and green agenda,” he said.

The G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting (FMM) is scheduled to take place in physical format from March 1-2, 2023 in New Delhi under India’s presidency.

Representatives of 40 countries, including non-G20 members have invited by India, and multilateral organisations will attend.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the foreign ministers of the member countries of G20 and he will talk about India’s growing influence globally.

The foreign ministers are also likely to discuss ways to deal with falling economic growth, increasing inflation, lower demands for goods and services as well as increasing prices of food, fuel and fertilisers. (ANI)

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BJP Protest Over Naba Das’s Murder Turns Violent In Bhubaneswar

BJP Protest Over Naba Das’s Murder Turns Violent In Bhubaneswar

By LokMarg

Bharatiya Janata Party’s Yuva Morcha protest in Bhubaneswar over former Odisha minister Naba Kisore Das’s murder turned violent on Tuesday after a section of agitators tried to break the police barricade intending for a ‘gherao’ of the state assembly, currently in session.

Some protestors hurled eggs and water at police while the police resorted to lathi-charge.
They were protesting against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over ‘deteriorating’ law and order in the state.

Naba Kishore Das was shot at by a policeman in Brajarajnagar in the Jharsuguda district on January 29 and succumbed to his bullet injuries in Bhubaneswar hospital on the same day.

Thousands of BJP Yuva Morcha supporters led by Odisha BJP Youth wing’s president Irasis Acharya marched towards Odisha Assembly in order to take out a mega rally in protest against the alleged lawlessness in the state.

A few police personnel and some BJP workers sustained injuries in the face-off.

National General Secretary of the BJP Yuva Morcha Rohit Chahal, while talking to ANI said that law and order have totally “deteriorated” in the state.

“Law and order have totally deteriorated in the state. People are sick of the lawlessness in Odisha. We want to ask why the CM is silent on the Naba Das murder case. Why is the investigation not being done into the matter? We won’t sit silently,” he said.

He further hit out at CM Naveen Patnaik and said, “We want to ask the CM, who is running the government because the assembly is in the session here and he is in Mumbai.” (ANI)

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Jaishankar

India’s Relations With Europe Are Stronger And Deeper Than Ever Before: Jaishankar

By LokMarg

Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said that India’s relations with Europe are stronger and deeper than ever before.

In the inaugural session of CII India-Europe Sustainability Conclave, S Jaishankar said India’s relations with Europe are stronger and deeper than ever before and this event itself is a testimony of that assertion.
The Conclave focuses on the strategic role of India-Europe partnership in changing geo-political scenario, strengthening bilateral engagements and discussions on emerging economic opportunities.

“Between us, rests the largest democratic and free market space globally. The business communities of India and Europe have a large stake and an enabling role in this transformation,” Jaishankar said, adding “The business communities of India and Europe have a large stake and an enabling role in this transformation.”

He said, “I hope your deliberations will reflect what is at stake here, not just for us but for the entire world, and how we can join hands to realize the economic dividends and democratic values that are inherent in our partnership.”

In the opening lines of his speech, Jaishankar said, “Businesses have a primary role in driving sustainability and that is why we are all meeting here today. The enabler, however, is the larger partnership and the understanding between India and Europe.”

Jaishankar said India and the EU believed in a multi-polar global order, shared a commitment to promoting effective multilateralism and were increasingly considerate to each other’s geopolitical, economic, strategic and security concerns.

He said, “Visits and exchanges at the highest level are today a regular feature between India and Europe, including at the Prime Minister’s level. I have personally interacted with the Foreign Ministers of all the 27 EU Member States and the High Representative of the European Commission at least once last year.”

He said these interactions contributed to the resumption of the India-EU FTA negotiations, the India-EU Trade and Technology Council. “The announcement of that, dialogues in the areas of security and defence, and human rights, and not least, a jump in bilateral trade,” he added.

For a sharper focus, Jaishankar said, “We recently announced three Working Groups within the India-EU TTC for strategic cooperation in Trade, cooperation in Green Transition and cooperation in Digital Partnership. I am glad that these three pillars are reflected in the agenda of this Conclave.”

The EU is one of India’s largest and most important trade partners. Jaishankar said, “Our bilateral trade was in excess of USD 115 billion in the FY 2021-22, which is the highest ever. With the UK and other non-EU countries added, I believe that the number is even greater. We expect the India-EU FTA will be a game-changer for the India-EU relationship.”

He said, “We look forward to a mutually beneficial, mutually advantageous conclusion to the negotiation process within a reasonably short planned timeline.”

India’s new approach to trade agreements addresses issues of non-tariff and behind-the-border barriers, quality standards and related benchmarks. “With like-minded partners, we have actually demonstrated in recent years a fast-track change in our FTA negotiation processes. FTAs- with the UAE and Australia- were actually concluded in record time,” Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar said India is expected to be the only major economy to keep growing at well above 6 per cent per annum in the foreseeable future, and thus will remain one of the major growth engines of the world.

He said when it comes to the green transition, clean energy and green transition are central to the India-EU Connectivity Partnership.

“Synergies have emerged in solar and wind energy, in green hydrogen, smart grids, sustainable urban transport (especially metro projects), waste management and the circular economy. But, to sustain this cooperation, the real ask is capacity building, clean technology transfer, alignment of standards and cooperation in critical materials,” he said, adding “And here, let me say upfront that promoting green financing is the ignition for any long-term result-oriented outcome.”

Jaishankar said India is today one of the leading countries in climate change mitigation commitments and environmental protection.

“Our Low-Carbon Development Strategy lays out the path to a carbon-neutral economy while taking into account specific development goals,” Jaishankar said, adding, “We have the third biggest installed renewable energy capacity in the world. Without stressing on our ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions at the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), let me say that we will reach our goals even earlier.”

Looking ahead, Jaishankar said, “India’s ambitious Green Hydrogen policy incentivises an indigenous ecosystem for local needs and exports. In this, we have already seen collaborations between many major European firms and Indian companies.”

“Electric vehicles, as Minister Rasmussen (His Danish counterpart) noted, will be the next big thing for a green transition of India’s urban landscape,” he said, adding, “Green transition is also the core of our sustainability goals and it is enshrined in our agenda for the G20 presidency, and in fact Prime Minister Modi’s LiFE Initiative adds the dimension of individual responsibility and ownership of our environment, in the synergy with India’s declared climate and environmental goals.” (ANI)

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China’s Foreign Minister To Attend G20 Meet In India

China’s Foreign Minister To Attend G20 Meet In India

By LokMarg

China on Tuesday confirmed that its Foreign Minister Qin Gang will be participating in the Group of 20 (G20) Foreign Ministers’ meeting in India, reported Reuters.

During a press briefing, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, “The G20 should focus on prominent challenges in the global economy. China stands ready to work with all parties to ensure the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting sends a positive signal on multilateralism.”
The G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting (FMM) is scheduled to take place in physical format from March 1-2, 2023 in New Delhi under India’s presidency.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the foreign ministers of the member countries of G20 and he will talk about India’s growing influence globally.

The March 1-2 meeting of the G20 foreign ministers will be held days after a meeting of finance chiefs of the bloc in Bengaluru.

The New Delhi meeting will be attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly. In all, representatives of 40 countries, including non-G20 members invited by India, and multilateral organisations will attend.

Mao also reacted to the White House setting a deadline for removing TikTok from federal devices.

“US is overstretching concept of national security, abusing state power to suppress foreign companies, we firmly oppose those wrong actions,” she added.

The White House on Monday (local time) gave federal agencies 30 days to purge the Chinese-owned app TikTok from all government-issued devices.

The directive comes after congressional legislation passed in December banned the popular video-sharing app from federal government devices and systems, amid concerns TikTok’s parent company ByteDance could allow the Chinese Communist Party access to user data, reported New York Post (NYP).

Several government agencies, including the White House, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department, had preemptively banned TikTok from government devices before Congress’s December vote.

Meanwhile, ByteDance-owned TikTok has said the concerns are fueled by misinformation and has denied using the app to spy on Americans.

ByteDance denied that it would share user data with the CCP, calling the concerns “misinformation,” reported NYP.

The US move comes after Canadian government blocked the short-form video app TikTok from official electronic devices.

According to CNN, the ban is set to take effect on Tuesday. Government-issued devices will be blocked from downloading TikTok, and existing installations of the app will be removed, according to a statement by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. (ANI)

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Cong To Stage Nationwide Protests Over Adani-Hindenburg Row From March 6

Cong To Stage Nationwide Protests Over Adani-Hindenburg Row From March 6

By LokMarg

The Congress has announced block-level agitations across the country from March 6 to April against the BJP government over the Adani-Hindenburg row.

Congress general secretary in-charge organisation K C Venugopal said the party has decided to intensify its agitation and will hold ‘PARDAFASH’ rallies in March and April against Adani and organise agitational activities at various levels in the country to take the issue directly to the people.
The party has directed all Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) to arrange press conferences in all districts which will be addressed by senior state leaders, and subsequently, all state units will organise the agitational activities at various levels, Venugopal said.

Venugopal said the report of Hinderburg and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been selling the country’s important infrastructure to the Adani group.

“The recent Hindenburg report has exposed Prime Minister Modi and the BJP government’s policy of crony capitalism in favour of Adani. During deep economic distress, PM Modi has been selling the Nation’s critical infrastructure to the Adani group, bending India’s foreign policy and forcing public institutions like SBI and LIC to invest in the Adani group. The recent revelations have shown that crores of rupees of poor and middle-class people’s savings are at risk,” the Congress statement said.

“The Congress Party has been raising this issue at all levels – in Parliament, in media and social media, and in front of the people. Most recently, press conferences were held in 23 cities on 17th February. The Congress Party has decided to intensify its agitation and take the issue directly to the people, Venugopal’s statement added.

Highlighting various agitational activities to be organized by All Pradesh Congress Committees, Venugopal in his statement said, “All Pradesh Congress Committees have been asked to arrange press conferences in all districts, where senior state leaders will address the media. Subsequently, all state units will organise the agitational activities at various levels.”

“Block-level agitations will be organised in front of offices of public banks and LIC between 6th and 10th March 2023 all over the country. PARDAFASH rallies will be organised at all the district headquarters in the month of March. A massive “Chalo Raj Bhavan” march will be organised at the state headquarters on March 13, 2023,” he added.

Focusing on the PARDAFASH Maharallies’s participants scheduled to be organised in state capitals, Venugopal said, “Massive PARDAFASH Maharallies will be organised in all state capitals in the month of April, and these will be addressed by Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, former Congress President Shri Rahul Gandhi and other national-level leaders”.

“All the state-level senior leaders, MPs, MLAs/MLCs and other elected representatives, leaders of frontal organisations, departments & cells and party workers have been asked to participate in all of these agitational programmes”, his statement read further. (ANI)

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