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Our Peculiar Election Has Also Confused Google: Abbasi

By LokMarg 17th February 2024

Amid the frenetic power play and uncertainty around the formation of the new government in Pakistan, former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, said the politics of grabbing power has always been harmful to the country and its people.

Abassi made the remarks while speaking to media persons after attending the hearing of the PSO unlawful recruiting case before an accountability court here. He said anyone who comes to power under the current conditions will be incapable of resolving national challenges.

“Our peculiar election has also confused Google, which has been tired of issuing results,” he said.

“It has an easy way-out that the one, who has been the winner in Form 45, is the winner of election, but here form 47 has won and form 45 has lost,” ARY News quoted Abbasi as saying further.

“I earlier said that the election will bring chaos, which has proved, thankfully I didn’t participate in this practice,” the former PM added.

“Everyone is vying for power promising to lead the situation to betterment, one who will make more compromises will become the prime minister,” he said.

Bracing reporters earlier, Abbasi said he was satisfied with his decision not to contest the general elections, adding, however, that it does not mean he has left politics.

He warned that any attempt to “manipulate their mandate will result in unsustainable chaos”.

“The heat of the electoral process has passed; it is time to allow the country to heal,” the former PM said, in a word of caution to the country’s power brokers amid the flurry of talks and parleys towards forming a new dispensation at the Centre.

The remarks by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi underscored the need for collective action and cooperation among political leaders to steer Pakistan through its current challenges, according to the report.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), founded by now-deposed and jailed PM Imran Khan, alleged mass rigging in the general elections. (ANI)

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Thalapathy Vijay Forays Into Politics, Announces Party Name

By LokMarg 2nd February 2024

South superstar Thalapathy Vijay on Friday officially announced the name of his political party as ‘Tamilaga Vetri Kazham’ (TVK).

Vijay, in a statement said, “We are not going to contest 2024 elections and we are not going to any party. We have made this decision on General and Executive Council Meeting.”

Taking to X, Vijay shared a statement and wrote #TVKVijay.”

The statement reads, “To my best, the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam has been doing a lot of public welfare activities for the past many years. But a lot of political changes cannot be made only through a non-profit organisation, a political power is needed. You all know the current political scenario. Wrongful administration and corrupt politics is on one hand, on the other hand is discriminative politics to divide our people. On two sides obstacles have been placed for our development and unity.”

“All are carving for good politics especially Tamil Nadu each people are carving for Selfless, truthful Politics with foresight and non corrupt government without caste – religion differences and with good administration. Very importantly, that Politics would be based on our Indian Constitution to apt with Tamil Nadu State rights and will be based on this soil ‘By Birth all are same’ ideology,” the statement added.

Vijay stated further that Tamil people are the ones who gave him everything and he wanted to give it back to them.

“After my father and mother, the Tamil people are the ones who have given me everything including my name, fame and money. And I have been waiting to give it back to them for a long time Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam will be the party led by me. Our party leaders have gone to Delhi to register the party in the ECI We have already written and submitted the bylaws and the structure of the party,” the statement read further.

Further, according to the statement, the party will not be contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the unveiling of the symbol, flag, the articulation of ideologies that the fledgeling outfit will seek to put forward, policies, and meet-and-greet with people will be taken care of after the general elections.

“2026 is our goal. After getting altricial from ECI and after 2024 Lok Sabha elections we will be deciding upon the symbol, flag, ideologies, policies, meet and greet with people and the proper beginning of our political jour way will begin. We are not contesting in the 2024 elections and we will not be supporting any of the party that is contesting,” the statement added.

Vijay is known for his eye-catching performances in films such as ‘Theri’, ‘Master’, ‘Bigil’, ‘Beast’ ‘Puli’, ‘Thuppakki’, ‘Mersal’, and ‘Kaththi’, among others.

He was last seen in the action film ‘Leo’ which also starred Sanjay Dutt in the lead role.

Helmed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, the film received positive responses from the audience.

The superstar, in his statement, added that there’s one more film that he has signed, and after completing the project, he will shift his focus to politics.

“I have one more film that I have signed. I will finish it and completely indulge myself into politics. I have been preparing myself for my political journey for a long time. I will devote myself for the people of Tamil Nadu. This is the only way I can give back to my people,” the statement quoted Vijay as saying.

Vijay will be next seen in the film ‘The Greatest of All Time’. (ANI)

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Spl Parl Session To Start In Old Building, Move On To New One

By LokMarg 6th September 2023

The special session of Parliament will start in the old building on September 18 and will be later moved to the new building on September 19 on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, sources said.

The Centre has called for a special session of Parliament for five days between September 18 and 22.

Meanwhile, 24 parties of the INDIA bloc have agreed to participate in the special session of the Parliament scheduled to begin on September 18. Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi will be writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of these 24 parties, sources said.

This decision was taken at a meeting of INDIA bloc floor leaders.

The meeting of floor leaders of the INDIA bloc parties was held at the residence of Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi on Monday evening.

Issues that will be raised by the opposition parties in the Special Session of the Parliament were also finalised in the meeting. These issues will be given in writing to the government through the Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, said sources.

Earlier last week, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi informed about the five-day special session of Parliament from September 18-22.

The agenda for the special session, has however not been revealed yet.

The Monsoon Session of Parliament, which concluded last month, was held in the old Parliament building. The announcement of the special session came as a surprise in political circles with the parties gearing up for assembly polls in five states later this year. (ANI)

Superstar Vijay To Launch ‘Thalapathy Vijay Institute’ On July 15

By LokMarg 14th July 2023

South superstar Vijay is about to start the ‘Thalapathy Vijay Institute’ through his Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, a fan-club-turned-welfare-organisation from July 15, officials said on Friday.

According to officials, the actor is ready to start the ‘Thalapathy Vijay Institute’ across 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu from July 15, which is also the birth anniversary of former Tamil Nadu chief minister Kumaraswami Kamaraj, popularly known as Kamarajar.
According to sources, Vijay’s initiative is aimed at helping provide education to poor students.

Officials added that the actor’s social schemes were gaining currency by the day.

Earlier, in June, packed theatres, giant cake-cutting ceremonies and feeding of the poor in Madurai marked the 49th birthday celebrations of one of the most popular actors in the Tamil cinema industry.

Speculations around Vijay’s foray into politics intensified days after he felicitated toppers of class 10 and 12 board exams from all the districts of Tamil Nadu.

His fans, who gathered in numbers at a private theatre in the Kalavasal area of Madurai, cut a 50 kg cake along with the theatre staff.

The cake was inscribed with a message saying, “Vijay will rule Tamil Nadu in 2026”.

The actor’s fan club also arranged distribution of food to the poor and needy across Madurai. The fans gifted free notebooks, pens and pencils to the students.

Also, as part of the event, a special screening of actor’s blockbuster ‘Master’ was also arranged in theatres across the district, drawing his fans in huge numbers at Madurai cinemas.

Earlier this month, Vijay attended an event at Chennai’s RK Convention Centre where students, who ranked in the top-3 in the class 10 and 12 boards, gathered. He distributed cash prizes, and certificates to them.

In a brief address at the event, the actor emphasised the importance of engaging in friendly discussions and urged caution in using social media platforms. He also emphasised the need to be vigilant as voters.

“In this age of information, a lot of the news that are in the public domain are dake. Do be fake news peddlers on social media,” the actor said, urging students to also read books and be informed about luminaries such as Dr BR Ambedkar, Periyar, and Kamarajar.

Earlier, the actor distributed free food to the poor and needy on May 28, World Hunger Day, across Tamil Nadu through his Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, officials said.

Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, better known as Vijay or Thalapathy, is one of India’s highest-paid actors in India and has appeared on Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list seven times. (ANI)

BBC Documentary Is Politics: Jaishankar

By LokMarg 21st February 2023

“Actual politics” is being conducted “ostensibly as media” by people who do not have the “courage to come into political field,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told ANI, alluding to the controversial BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Terming the furore as “politics by another means,” Jaishankar, in an interview with ANI, said, “Sometime politics of India doesn’t even originate in its borders, it comes from outside.”
“We are not debating just a documentary or a speech that somebody gave in a European city or a newspaper edits somewhere — we are debating, actually politics, which is being conducted ostensibly as media — there is a phrase ‘war by other means’ this is politics by another means — I mean you will do a hatchet job, you want to do a hatchet job and say this is just another quest for truth which we decided after 20 years to put at this time,” he said.

Coming a year just before the Lok Sabha polls of 2024, the external affairs minister questioned the timing of the documentary.

“I mean, come on, you think timing is accidental! Let me tell you one thing – I don’t know if the election season has started in India, Delhi or not, but, for sure it has started in London, New York,” he added.

The BBC, in January, released a documentary film titled ‘India: The Modi Question,” that features the Gujarat riots of 2002. The film caused a controversy for alluding to PM Modi’s role in the riots whereas disregarding the Supreme Court clean chit to Narendra Modi.

“I mean, do you doubt it? Look who the cheerleaders are. What is happening is, just like I told you — this drip, drip, drip — how do you shape a very extremist image of India, of the government, of the BJP, of the Prime Minister. I mean, this has been going on for a decade, ” said Jaishankar when asked about some western media’s bias against PM Modi in India.

The EAM said that the motive behind planting such stories abroad is to further the anti-India agenda.

“Let’s not have illusions about it…, there is an echo chamber, it will be picked outside and then they will say it is being said outside, it must be true. Then you will say it inside. There is a ding-dong going on, look this is a globalized world, people take that politics abroad,” said the EAM.

He further asked, “Why suddenly there is a surge of reports and attention and views? I mean, were some of these things not happening earlier. Many things happened in Delhi in 1984, why don’t we see a documentary on that? If that was your concern, you suddenly feel one day, “I am very humanistic, I must get justice for people who have been wronged, ” said Jaishankar.

He further advised to not get fooled by such agendas and challenged the propagator to come in the political field.

“This is politics at play by people who do not have the courage to come into the political field. They want to have that teflon cover saying that I am an NGO, media organisation etc. They are playing politics,” Jaishankar asserted.

The EAM in his various interactions on multiple platforms abroad has hailed India’s democracy as a guiding force not just for the country but for the world to emulate. In the interview with ANI, the minister said that the people’s verdict will quell all the misconceptions.

“Among other things in a democracy – don’t you trust the ballot box, people’s verdict to be the final opinion? I do. I know there are certain people who believe that their view supersedes elections. Look, I like you, you win election–great democracy. I don’t like you win election. What are you — ‘electoral autocracy’. That’s reserved for people whom you don’t like to win elections. This is politics,” said Jaishankar. (ANI)

There Shouldn’t Be Any Politics: Shinde On Karnataka Border Issue

By LokMarg 19th December 2022

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, speaking on the border issue with Karnataka in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, said that there should not be any politics on it now.

“For the first time, the Union Home Minister has mediated in the inter-state border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka. There should be no politics on this issue now. We should stand together with the border residents,” said Chief Minister Shinde.
Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had a telephone conversation with Shinde.

“Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Eknath Shinde had a telephonic discussion with me, we both agreed that there should be peace and law and order to be maintained in both the states,” Bommai said in a tweet.

The border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka goes back to the implementation of the State Reorganization Act, of 1956. The then Maharashtra government had demanded the readjustment of its border with Karnataka.

Following this, a four-member committee was formed by both states. The Maharashtra government had expressed willingness to transfer 260 predominantly Kannada-speaking villages, but the proposal was turned down by Karnataka.

Both governments later approached the Supreme Court to expedite the matter.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar on Saturday said that Karnataka and Maharashtra CMs’ talks with Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the border issue should be made public.

“Karnataka and Maharashtra CMs’ talks with Union HM Amit Shah should be made public. We’ll support it if the state government proposes border issues,” said Ajit Pawar. (ANI)

Imran Khan’s Politics Weakens Pakistan: PM Shehbaz Sharif

By LokMarg 5th December 2022

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif criticised his predecessor and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan for his comments on the retired chief of army staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, The Dawn reported.

“PTI leader’s politics is aimed at making his way to power, even if it meant undermining foundations this country stood on,” Prime Minister Sharif said on his Twitter handle, according to The Dawn.

According to the tweet by Sharif, quoted by The Dawn, Imran’s recent diatribe against parliamentary democracy is the latest in a series of attacks that fly in the face of how democracy functions in modern nation-states.

His politics is aimed at making his way to power even if it means undermining the foundations this country stands on, it added.

Khan in an interview had previously told that giving a 3-year tenure extension in 2019 to the retired CAOS Bajwa was his biggest mistake, similar statements were given by the former speaker of Pakistan National Assembly Asad Qaiser, The Dawn reported.

The Special Assistant to Prime Minister Atta Tarar said Pakistan Muslim League Quaid e Azam leader Moonis Elahi had defamed Khan and General Bajwa in his statements. Although, at the time of the no-confidence vote against Imran, he was urged by Moonis Elahi to support Khan.

Meanwhile, a leader of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Hafiz Hamdullah in a statement said that the election would be taking place as scheduled in October next year. And if the country’s economic condition does not allow then the elections can be delayed for a year.

Previously, Khan also announced that his party has decided not to remain part of the current political system and will instead resign from all the assemblies. (ANI)

HealthCare.gov closes signups — register or get a penalty

By Jasdev Singh Rai 11th February 2016

For me personally, 7 years later, all these is just a short summary of all the promises Mr. Obama failed to deliver to America’s doorstep. All the great plans that could have made him a truly Reforming President, were not completed and so the 44th President of US will most likely remain an “intermediate” part of American history. That is confirmed by President himself, as he now constantly compares himself (unfavorably) to truly great US leaders, like Lincoln or Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

And I have to agree with him. And the funniest thing is probably that Obama still managed to accomplish pretty big steps during his Presidency. Such as the “Affordable Care Act” (Obamacare), or achieving some kind of ease of US image overseas (which, though, made us look weak now, instead of strong and intimidating before). Anyways, the way those great Presidents Obama mentions himself has changed the country is a great comparison. Like FDR, who was able to overcome the complete weakness of US federal government over private banks and financial sector in general, when dealing with the Great Depression. Or Lincoln, who held the bipartisan country together with a grip of a mountain grizzly bear.

Remember the Republican response to Obama’s speech that day? One of the most famous ones was Bobby Jindal’s reaction. He just buoyed the stimulus plan that was just approved by the Congress. Even tried to mock it up, while objecting to spending “140 million US dollars for something vaguely called Volcano Monitoring…”.
The irony is that next month after his words, the Alaskan volcano erupted (just as Obama’s intentions did) and covered the state for days with thick, 60000-foot ash and smoke cloud…

As CNN reporter once said then, regarding GOP response to these wonderful, though unfulfilled ideas of Obama:
“To come up at this moment in history with a stale, government-is-the-problem, we can’t trust the federal government—it’s just a disaster for the Republican Party.…in a moment when only the federal government is big enough to actually do stuff—to just ignore all that, and just say ‘government is a problem, corruption, earmarks, wasteful spending,’ it’s just a form of nihilism. It’s just not where the country is. It’s not where the future of the country is.”