"Chose Rashtraneeti Over Rajneeti": PM On Why White Paper Was Brought Now

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said his government could have brought a white paper on economy in 2014 itself when it came to power but he chose 'rashtraneeti' over 'rajneeti' as he did not want to shake the country's confidence.

The document has been introduced in the last Parliament session before the general elections.

Prime Minister Modi-led government on Thursday brought a white paper tearing into Congress-led UPA rule and saying that it had turned the Indian economy into a non-performing one through indiscriminate revenue expenditure, off budget borrowings and pile of bad debts at banks.

Addressing the Times Groups' ET NOW Global Business Summit, PM Modi said that in the decade before 2014, the policies on which the country was running was taking the country on the path of bankruptcy. "On this, we have tabled a white paper on the economy in Parliament," he said.

"The discussion on it is ongoing. Since there is such a big audience, I would like to state my 'Mann ki Baat' also that the white paper that I have brought now, I could have brought in 2014. If my aim had been to derive political gain, then I would have kept those figures before the people 10 years ago," PM Modi said.

"When things came before me in 2014, I was stunned. The economy was in a critical situation. Due to scams and policy paralysis, there was widespread pessimism among global investors. If I would have brought these things to light, if a wrong signal would have gone, probably the country would have lost its confidence in the country like when a patient gets to know that he has a serious disease, he panics, and the country would have felt like that," the prime minister said.

PM Modi said that bringing the white paper in 2014 would have suited him politically.

"'Rajniti' tells me to do that but 'Rashtraneeti' does not allow me to do that and, therefore, I chose 'rashtraneeti' over 'rajneeti'. And when the situation has become strong in 10 years and we can sustain any assault, then I thought I should tell the truth to the people and that is why I released white paper in Parliament," he said.

"When you look at it, you will know where we were and from what situation we have risen and reached here. Now you are seeing the new height of development," PM Modi said.

PM Modi said it is his guarantee that in his third term, India will become the world's third largest economy.

Speaking at the summit, Times Group MD Vineet Jain said the last ten years have been transformative for India with its economy undergoing significant structural reforms, boosting its macroeconomic foundations.

"As we embark on 'Amritkaal', I want us all to envision a futuristic, inclusive, and prosperous society rooted in a human-centric approach. This will be our India.

The next two decades belong to India, where initiatives like Make in India, Create in India, Serve from India, and Start up India converge into a majestic narrative, transforming the nation into a knowledge, innovation, and manufacturing hub," Mr Jain said.

"This vision aligns perfectly with the theme of this year's ET Now Global Business Summit - Disruption, Development, Diversification - an intricate tale echoing your vision to craft India as the Vishwaguru. During this time of change, there is no better guide than you, prime minister, to set the course," he said.

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

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Kriti, Janhvi And Others Attend Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya Screening

It was a star-studded night on Thursday as some of the biggest names in the Bollywood industry attended the screening of Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon's upcoming film Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. Kriti Sanon, who plays a robot Sifra in the film, kept her look causal in a black top and green pants. Also present at the event to support her older sibling was Nupur Sanon, who looked cute in a dress. Shahid Kapoor's cheer squad at the screening was his wife Mira Rajput, brother Ishaan Khatter and mom Neelima Azeem.

Take a look at the pictures from the night:

Others attending the screening were Janhvi Kapoor and couple Rakul Preet Singh and Jackky Bhagnani.

See how the stars dressed:

A day ahead of Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya's theatrical release, Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon visited Siddhivinayak Temple to seek blessings. The actor was spotted inside the temple premises in a beautiful yellow suit. Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya marks Kriti Sanon and Shahid Kapoor's first collaboration. The romantic comedy has been helmed by Amit Joshi and Aradhana Sah, and also stars Dharmendra and Dimple Kapadia in important roles. The film is set to release in theatres on Friday.

In a promotional interview with E Times, Shahid Kapoor spoke about dancing in a film after eight years and how Kriti Sanon outshone him in the title song. He said: “I was dancing after 8 years while Kriti gets an opportunity to dance in movies at least twice every year, so I was a little nervous. And while we were dancing, she would tell me that she was nervous. But I had my own set of issues to deal with, that come with dancing after such a long break. I think the music of the film is really fun, and I really enjoyed myself. I was telling Kriti the other day that by the third song (title song), she was better than me.”

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Opinion: How Pakistan Election Commission Has Become A Facade For The Deep State

Elections were held in Pakistan today. The prerequisite of free and fair elections in Pakistan lies with the institutions that have the onus to uphold democracy as per the people's mandate. However, Pakistan's case seems to be different. On paper, the structure of its Election Commission looks encouraging, with representation from retired judges of four of its state high courts. However, on the ground, the Election Commission of Pakistan is no different from the other biased institutions.

Pertinently, since the country's inception, it has been dominated by extra-democratic forces such as the military, bureaucracy, and Punjabi landlords. The situation is more or less similar in its 75 years of journey as a nation-state. With the help of Punjabi bigwigs, the military and bureaucratic institutions run the country.

A little insight into the Election Commission's structure highlights that along with a Chief Election Commissioner, four other election commissioners are from four provinces - Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, dominant power remains in the hands of the Chief Election Commissioner. The CEC of Pakistan generally comes from the Pakistan Administrative Service, which has its colonial lineage, making it one of the most influential and corrupt institutions in the country.

Pakistan's Current Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has been handpicked by the country's powerful lobby. Born and raised in the Sargodha region of Punjab in a family of landlords and military officials, Raja's father was an Army official. Since his inception into the Pakistan Administrative Services in 1989, he has been appointed to crucial positions. He has served in key posts, including as petroleum secretary, railway secretary, secretary of aviation, and saffron secretary, in Pakistan's administration. After his retirement in 2020, he was appointed as the CEC.

Since then, there have been reports of misconduct by the CEC in various electoral processes. In mid-2022, Pakistan's Punjab assembly passed a resolution against the CEC, accusing him of impartiality during the election process. PTI, the party of ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan, decided to go into legal battles with the CEC, and two provincial governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa passed no-trust motions against the top election officer.

These visible tensions between the military bureaucracy and the PTI-ruled government caused the military to orchestrate Imran Khan's ouster in a well-planned conspiracy. Khan has been sentenced to jail in different corruption cases and is likely to stay in prison for trials in other cases till the election and probably thereafter, making him ineligible for the polls based on convictions and 'moral turpitude'. It is important to note that Khan is also facing shady trials, and the court recently ordered fresh and open trials in the cases against him.

In another turn of events, the Election Commission of Pakistan also stripped the PTI's electoral symbol - of a "bat" - last December. While the Peshawar High Court provided relief to Khan's party and restored its symbol, the Peshawar High Court's decision was annulled by the Supreme Court, which ruled that the original decision of the poll body about depriving PTI's iconic bat symbol was correct. People in the know of things say that the decision probably was forced upon the judiciary.

There is no doubt that PTI enjoys widespread support from the people of Pakistan. Losing its electoral symbol may cause the loss of some of its seats because the party plans to field its candidates as Independents. The PTI cadres know that losing the famous electoral symbol will have certain repercussions as it may confuse the people who connect the "bat" with ex-PM Imran Khan. Without a common symbol, the PTI is set to lose reserved seats in Pakistan's national and provincial assemblies, causing a loss of about 225 such seats. 

A little throwback into past elections reveals that the last free and fair elections in the country probably were held in 1970 when East Punjab's Awami League won. However, the mandate was not accepted by West Pakistan's military-political elites, causing a deep political crisis within the country that ultimately ended with the creation of Bangladesh.

Since then, none of Pakistan's elections have been called fair, and in 1977, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto held elections where allegations of rigging were prominent. It gave General Zia-ul-Haq a chance to topple the government, and he did so, leading to military rule in Pakistan for 11 years and the execution of Bhutto. Since the early 1990s till now, not much has changed in Pakistan except a prolonged military rule under General Pervez Musharraf. 

The two parties, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz Sharif) and Pakistan's People's Party (now led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari), have been in power with the military's blessings. These parties were considered largely corrupt and did not enjoy the legitimacy needed to govern the country. 

Imran Khan's Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), which also came with the military's backing, enjoyed widespread support for a change. But, Imran Khan's stance about undue military-bureaucratic control over Pakistan's garrison state saw his planned ouster. After his ouster, the country erupted in nationwide protests, showing the legitimacy the previous Prime Minister enjoyed. 

It has been a historical trend that in Pakistan, power has been enjoyed by the over-privileged - a few who have been in power generation after generation. The case of the Election Commission of Pakistan is no different. 

The power within the institutions is generally vested in one person, and checks and balances on the post's accountability are not to the people of Pakistan but to the deep state that runs through the caucus of the military, Punjabi bigwigs, and corrupt bureaucracy.

Succumbing to Western pressure over the last decade, the Pakistani Army has not indulged in any coup attempts. But there is a tacit understanding among political elites that the Army will have the final say in the country's democracy, not people or politicians. Many observers call what the military is doing a clear case of "Election Engineering". 

However, it remains unclear what it will get by curtailing the people's right to vote for their favourite leaders by rigging the elections in favour of some. As protests erupted after Imran Khan's ouster, for the first time, its brunt has been faced by the military. 

Pakistan remains in a bad economic shape for decades with little sign of improvement. People's eroding trust in critical institutions such as the Election Commission and the armed forces will have a severe impact on Pakistan, which is walking on eggshells and is ready to implode any day.  

(Rajiv Tuli is an author and commentator)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

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Rani, Alia Spotted Arriving At KJo's House For Yash-Roohi's Birthday

Rani Mukerji, Alia Bhatt were pictured from inside their cars as they arrived at Karan Johar's house on Wednesday night. Rani Mukerji, a dear friend of Karan Johar, wore a printed green outfit and she added a dash of style with her black shades. Alia Bhatt was also pictured by the lensmen stationed outside. Karan Johar's kids Yash and Roohi turned 7 years old today. Ahead of their birthday, Karan Johar hosted a lavish party on last Saturday. Shilpa Shetty attended the party with her kids Viaan and Samisha. Amitabh Bachchan's daughter Shweta Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, Neha Dhupia along with her husband Angad Bedi and kids, Tahira Kashyap and many other celebrities attended the celebartions. Take a look:

ICYMI, here's a video of the celebrities arriving and exiting the birthday party of Yash and Roohi.

The theme of the birthday party was inspired by Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Sharing pictures with kids Yash Roohi and his mother Roohi Johar, KJo wrote, "Happiest birthday to the brightest sunshines (x2) of my life! My life is forever changed, for the best with you two coming into it with your goofy and adorable laughs, unadulterated sass towards me and of course - an abundance of love to give to the world! Never change...grow up but never change! And thank you to my mom, who is forever the strength of our family...and being a mother figure to Yash and Roohi! Love you forever mom."  Take a look:

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Sharing an inside video from the celebrations, Karan Johar wrote in the caption, "Roohi & Yash in their chocolate factory!!! Filled with an abundance of love, laughs, celebration and pure gratitude. They truly grow up faster than you can ever imagine and comprehend.... Big big bigggg thank you to @meghakulchandani (@the.popcorn.company) who just make a dreamland out of everything - it's always such a pleasure to work with them...absolute best!" Take a look:

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On the work front, Karan Johar will soon make an action film. He returned to the director's chair with Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kaahani last year. The film was a box office hit. 

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"Trade Deal Floor, Not Ceiling, Of Ties": UK Opposition Leaders To NDTV

With elections in the United Kingdom due in a few months and their party enjoying a significant lead in opinion polls, two senior leaders from the opposition Labour Party are on a three-day visit to India to speak to senior ministers as well as business leaders. Stating that India is a "huge powerhouse", the leaders stressed the importance of the UK-India relationship, calling it a deep people-to-people connection spanning generations.

In a wide-ranging, exclusive interview with NDTV on Tuesday, shadow foreign secretary David Lammy and the shadow business and trade secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, also spoke about the Labour Party's support for the delayed India-UK Free Trade Agreement and India's transformation in the past two decades. 

Shadow ministers, appointed by the leader of the opposition in the UK, take up roles mirroring the government and are responsible for not only scrutinising the policies of the government in their specific areas, but also questioning their counterparts in the cabinet in Parliament and other domains.

Deep Ties

To a question on why they chose to visit India now, when elections are due in both countries, Mr Lammy said, "The relationship between the United Kingdom and India transcends whoever is in government. This is an important strategic relationship, a history that goes back many, many generations, a deep people-to-people connection, as well as a business-to-business connection."

The Labour Party leader said that, if his party comes to power, it wants to understand the views of the Indian government, as well as business leaders, and identify opportunities. The objective, he said, is also to underline that his party's focus is growth.

With that objective in mind, he said, "We recognise that India, this huge powerhouse, growing economy, growing population, growth against the backdrop, where other parts of the world, and certainly in Europe, are not seeing anything like the growth, there are key opportunities for us going forward. Yes, we are working on a trade deal. But that is the floor of our relationship, not the ceiling. There's much more to do in the years ahead."

Trade Deal Delays

Asked about statements from the Conservative Party government, when former Prime Minister Liz Truss was in office, that the deal would be signed by Diwali 2022 and what the Labour Party would do if the agreement was not in place if and when it came to power, Mr Reynolds said he was aware that there were some worries about the elections in both countries affecting the timeline. 

"We have come to make clear that if the Labour Party does form the next government in the UK, this is something we support, that we would want to implement or continue those negotiations. Of course, for both sides, it is going to be a good deal. It is going to work commercially. But there are clearly areas where we can see the potential for that to be something very significant indeed," he said. 

Mr Reynolds stressed that reducing tariffs for textiles imported to the UK from India and for scotch and whiskey flowing the other way were obvious areas, but access to services is also critical.

"People shouldn't think that we just want to finish this trade deal, get it done - as significant as it would be - and that's the end. There are a whole range of further areas of collaboration. We have talked to people about technology, about defence, about what collaboration on the green transition might mean, not just for India and the UK, but for the rest of the world. The collaboration that we could do together, could really have such a positive and beneficial impact," he added.

'Support India Joining UN Security Council'

On how the India-UK relationship has changed - with India overtaking the country to become the fifth-largest economy and poised to be the third-largest economy by 2030 - and whether the Labour Party backs New Delhi's push for permanent membership of the UN Security Council, Mr Lammy said, "The levels of growth here, the growing, burgeoning middle class, the gripping of education and skills, the dynamism of the economy are exemplary. And there's much to learn. I think, as I come here, and I have now visited India on many, many occasions. I remember one of my first trips 22 years ago, as a young minister in Tony Blair's government, and the transition has been immense. "

"Let me just say, of course, we support India joining the UN Security Council alongside Germany, Japan, Brazil, and Africa as well, very, very important, indeed. The world is changing and multilateral partnership is essential. And in that sense, India remains and will continue to be a key partner of the UK and our allies. We have a long history. There's much that we can do together in a dangerous world," he added.

Kashmir, Khalistani Issue

Former labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn had been criticised for saying that he supported a proposal for an Independent Kashmir but the new labour leader, Keir Starmer, has corrected that. Another sticking point between India and the UK has been the reaction to the Khalistani protests at the Indian High Commission last year.

Asked for the Labour Party's stand on both issues, Mr Lammy said, "First, Jeremy Corbyn is not in the Labour Party any longer. We have had dramatic changes since the 2019 election, led by Keir Starmer, and that is important to emphasise. And that has put us in a position where, once again, we hope to have the privilege of serving in a government."

"...the issues of Kashmir are complex, 75 years old and beyond, they are centrally issues for India, for Pakistan and the Kashmiri people. And we understand that in the British Labour Party," he said.

Mr Lammy also reiterated that his party has zero tolerance for "extremist behaviour". 

Racist Rhetoric?

On the anti-immigration rhetoric by Conservative MP and former home secretary Suella Braverman and others, Mr Reynolds said India and the UK share a strong relationship and his country is welcoming. 

Asked whether he thought the recent rhetoric was racist, he said, "I think a lot of what we've seen from the Conservative government on immigration, how they've tackled this, yes. How they fundamentally, I think, sent out a message that might be unwelcoming, it is a challenge, it is a problem."

The Labour Party, he said, recognises the benefit of the global economy and championing its strengths, including higher education.

Rishi Sunak As PM

To a question on Rishi Sunak becoming Prime Minister being celebrated in India and the Labour Party's declining support among the Indian community in Great Britain, Mr Lammy spoke about the history between the two countries, pointed out his own personal connection with India and emphasised that the relationship between the two countries "supersedes" the person who is Prime Minister in the UK or who is in power in New Delhi. 

"I and the Labour Party also took great comfort and pleasure in the election of Rishi Sunak as the first UK Prime Minister of Indian origin, and that's personal to me. My family, my father, arrived in the UK from Guyana in 1956. My mother's grandmother was from (then) Calcutta. She arrived in Guyana as an indentured worker after the end of slavery in the century before last. So, look, our history is immense," the leader said.

"I think that the relationship between the UK and India supersedes whoever is in Number 10 or running India and I know you've got elections ahead, because it's an important relationship. It's an important partnership, not just a win-win for our two economies, but for the global community," he stressed.

The two leaders also spoke about the role of Indian investment in the UK, both countries cherishing the democratic tradition and how the Labour Party is, despite its lead, not complacent about coming to power after 14 years.

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High On Drugs, Kerala Couple Hits Several Cars, Stopped Using Crane

A couple who recklessly drove their car under the alleged influence of drugs and hit several vehicles here was caught after a crane was used to block the road they were moving on, police said on Tuesday.

The accused, identified as Arun and his wife Dhanusha from Kayamkulam, were taken into custody by Chingavanam police.

They drove the car dangerously at a high speed on the busy MC Road from Mariyappally to Chingavanam, police said. As the car hit several vehicles it passed, local people tried to stop them but the couple did not even slow down, they claimed.

On being informed by the locals, police rushed to the area and eventually stopped the rogue car by parking a crane across the road.

Once the car was compelled to come to a stop, the couple was reluctant to come out of the vehicle. Police then had to use force to drag them out, they said.

The two persons were under the influence of drugs, police said, adding that they seized five grams of ganja from the car.

Traffic was disrupted for some time on the busy road due to the incident.

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

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NASA Shares Pic Of Moon And Earth Captured Together From Space Station

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) regularly captures stunning images of our universe, leaving space lovers mesmerized. The social media handles of the US Space Agency are a treasure trove for those who love to watch educational videos and fascinating images showcasing Earth and space. Now, in its recent post, the space agency shared a picture of the Moon and Earth in a single frame from the International Space Station.

In the picture, the Moon is seen in a crescent phase and the Earth appears blue with faint white clouds in the atmosphere. "Our Moon is in its waning crescent phase, where most of the sunlight is illuminating its far side - the side we can't directly see from Earth. The waning crescent is the last phase before the lunar cycle repeats with a "new moon" phase, where it is completely obscured from Earth's perspective," NASA wrote while sharing the image.

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They added, "Seen from the @ISS, the Moon appears partially lit in the upper middle portion of the image. The Earth appears blue with faint white clouds in the atmosphere, stretching from the bottom left to the top right of the image. Black space surrounds the Moon."

Since being shared, the post has amassed over 6.9 lakh views and several reactions from internet users.

"10/10 for the caption and the image," said a user.

"Interesting ISS Images...!" remarked a person.

A third said, "Omg, magnificent! In addition, I love the philosophical captions of posts from NASA!"

A few weeks ago, NASA shared a picture taken from the International Space Station showing the Earth's airglow outlining the planet's horizon with the Moon above. The image was captured on November 14, 2023, from the International Space Station as it orbited 260 miles (418 km) above the midwestern United States. 

Describing the image, NASA wrote, "A view of Earth from the space station during orbital night. The Moon is above the earth nearly centered above the surface. An airglow outlines the atmosphere above the Earth's surface in a yellow shade. Lights from cities dot Earth's surface - among them, a concentration of lights near the horizon identifies the city of Chicago, while the concentration of lights closer to the bottom left identifies Denver."

As per NASA, Airglow is when atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere, excited by sunlight, emit light in order to shed their excess energy. NASA further explained that though they appear similar, aurora and airglow are formed by different processes. Auroras are driven by high-energy particles originating from the solar wind and airglow is sparked by day-to-day solar radiation.

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