The Evening Wrap: Diversity is our strong democracy's identity, Modi tells U.N. General Assembly

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that he represents a country which is proud to be known as the mother of democracy and said, “democracy can deliver,” newswire PTI reported. Modi said: “We have had a great tradition of democracy that goes back to thousands of years”. “I represent a country that is proud to be known as the mother of democracy. On 15th of August this year, India entered into the 75th year of its independence,” he said. The Prime Minister said the strength of India’s democracy is in its diversity. “It is a country that has dozens of languages, hundreds of dialects, different lifestyles and cuisines. This is the best example of a vibrant democracy,” the Prime Minister said. “I will soon have spent 20 years serving my countrymen as head of government. First, as the longest serving Chief Minister of Gujarat and then as the Prime Minister for the last seven years,” Mr. Modi said, adding that democracy has delivered. Modi said that countries with “regressive thinking” that are using terrorism as a “political tool” must understand that it is an equally big threat for them also, in a veiled attack on Pakistan which is often accused by its neighbours of providing safe havens to terrorists. Prime Minister also said that in order to strengthen the rules-based world order, the international community must speak in unison, in an apparent reference to China which is flexing its military muscles in the Indo-Pacific. Noting that the world is facing an increased threat of regressive thinking and extremism, Modi said countries that are using terrorism as a political tool have to understand that terrorism is an equally big threat to them. “It is absolutely essential to ensure that Afghanistan’s territory is not used to spread terrorism and for terrorist activities,” he said. “We also need to ensure that no country tries to take advantage of the delicate situation in Afghanistan and use it for its own selfish interests.” Pakistan’s neighbours, including Afghanistan and India, and the U.S. have long accused Islamabad of providing safe haven and support to militants, a charge denied by it. Modi said that oceans are also a shared heritage. “Our oceans are also the lifeline of international trade. We must protect them from the race for expansion. The international community must speak in one voice to strengthen a rule-based world order,” he added. Cyclone Gulab to make landfall on Sunday evening The Odisha government has sounded a warning for Cyclone Gulab, which is expected to cross the coast between its southern districts and north Andhra Pradesh at 75-85 kmph wind speed on September 26 evening. Though the wind speed predicted for the cyclonic storm may not prove much destructive, the associated heavy rain is likely to cause landslide and flood situation in some of southern districts. Director-General of India Meteorological Department (IMD) Mrutyunjay Mohapatra informed the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) meeting Chaired by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba that the cyclone would mostly likely affect Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Vishakhapatnam districts of in Andhra Pradesh and Ganjam and Gajapati of Odisha. “The deep depression over northwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal moved nearly westwards with a speed of 7 kmph in last 6 hours, intensified into Cyclonic Storm ‘Gulab’ (pronounced as Gul-Aab) and lay centered over northwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal, about 370 km east-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 440 km east of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh),” says an IMD Bulletin. “The system is likely to move nearly westwards and cross north Andhra Pradesh - south Odisha coasts between Kalingapatnam and Gopalpur around evening of September 26 (Sunday),” it said. As many as 42 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force, 24 National Disaster Response Force and about 100 fire service teams have been instructed to move immediately towards southern districts, Mr. Jena said. Back in 2018, Cyclone Titli, which had hit the same region of Odisha, had left many people dead in the subsequent heavy flooding and landslides. This time, seven districts Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Kandhamal have been asked to stay alert. The Odisha government is also keeping a close watch on flood situation in rivers such as Rushikulya, Vansadhara and Nagabaali flowing in southern districts. Congress to join Bharat Bandh on Monday The Congress has decided to lend more than its arm to the ongoing farmer’s protest which has been going on for the last one year. The party will join the September 27 “Bharat Bandh” called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha to mark the first anniversary of passing of the three controversial farm laws in Parliament, the party announced on Saturday. Party spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said the Narendra Modi government has systematically assaulted the agriculture sector in past seven years. At the very onset in 2014, the Modi government came up with the Land Acquisition Ordinance to usurp farm lands in the name of strategic sectors but the government had to drop this bill, he said. In 2015, Vallabh said, the government in an affidavit to the Supreme Court submitted that the markets will get distorted if MSP is decided according to the formula laid down by the Swaminathan Commission. “Meanwhile, the government found a way to divert the agri-budget to private insurance companies by bringing in PM Kisan Bima Yojana,” Vallabh alleged. It was the Modi government, which for the first time imposed a tax on the major farm implements, tractors, pesticides and seeds, the Congress spokesperson said. “As per one study, in the last seven years, per hectare cost of farming has increased by ₹25,000 because of the indirect taxes imposed on agriculture,” he added. The Modi government had promised to double farm incomes by February 2022 but today, the farmer’s income has hit an all-time low, he added. Quoting government data, Vallabh said that in 2012-13 on an average each farmer had a debt of ₹47,000. By 2018-19 this has increased to ₹74,000. “The Modi government is responsible for all round ruin of the farm sector. And now they are turning a blind eye towards the farmers who have protesting for nine months braving the elements at the Delhi border. 600 farmers have died in this agitation but the government still insists on not talking about the farm laws,” Vallabh added. The Congress supports the demand of the farmers asking for withdrawal of the laws and giving MSP legal backing, he said. “I am surprised why Prime Minister Modi is opposed to Chief Minister Modi? During UPA-2 then Gujarat Chief Minister demanded that the MSP should be made part of the law,” Vallabh pointed out. RJD demands caste census Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav has written to 33 senior political leaders to press the demand for a caste census. Led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar whose party JD(U) has been a ruling ally of BJP, the Opposition party leaders in Bihar, had earlier met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put forth their demand for caste based census. “The demand for caste based census needs to be seen as an essential step in nation building. The caste census once conducted would actually bring to the forefront the pressing concerns that a country like India must attend to with a sense of urgency. This is a historic opportunity before us to push for an agenda that is essential for making this country more just and egalitarian. It would play a pivotal role in ensuring social harmony and social cohesion”, Mr. Yadav wrote in letter to the leaders. Yadav’s letter is addressed to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, National Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, Lok Janshakti Party leader Chirag Paswan, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Bahujan Samajwadi Party supremo Mayawati, Orissa CM Naveen Patnaik, CPI leader D Raja, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury, formerJ&K CM Farooq Abdullah, Tamil Nadu CM and DMK leader M.K.Stalin, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam and others. “I’m sure you will agree with me that we need to join our hands and push the government of the day to see this absolutely crucial need to set the priorities of the socio-economic development of our country. I am open to suggestions and inputs from you so that we immediately prepare our plan of action in this regard without any further delay”, Yadav wrote in the letter conclusively. Earlier on September 24, he had said that he would wait for Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s response on Central government’s decision that conducting caste based census would not be feasible in the country. Yadav’s father and the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief, Lalu Prasad too had wondered why the BJP/RSS had “so much hatred against backward class people”. Yadav had also called for boycott of BJP ministers sand party MPs belonging to Other and Extremely Backward Class. Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments The number of reported coronavirus cases from India stood at 3,36,46,290 at the time of publishing this newsletter, with the death toll at 4,46,873. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 25 SEPTEMBER 2021 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Diversity is the identity of our strong democracy, says Modi at U.N. General Assembly [Addressing the United Nations General Assembly session]( Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that he represents a country which is proud to be known as the mother of democracy and said , “democracy can deliver,” newswire PTI reported. Modi said: “We have had a great tradition of democracy that goes back to thousands of years”. “I represent a country that is proud to be known as the mother of democracy. On 15th of August this year, India entered into the 75th year of its independence,” he said. The Prime Minister said the strength of India’s democracy is in its diversity. [Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the 76th session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on September 25, 2021. Photo: YouTube/Narendra Modi]  “It is a country that has dozens of languages, hundreds of dialects, different lifestyles and cuisines. This is the best example of a vibrant democracy,” the Prime Minister said. “I will soon have spent 20 years serving my countrymen as head of government. First, as the longest serving Chief Minister of Gujarat and then as the Prime Minister for the last seven years,” Mr. Modi said, adding that democracy has delivered. Modi said that countries with “regressive thinking” that are using terrorism as a “political tool” must understand that it is an equally big threat for them also, in a veiled attack on Pakistan which is often accused by its neighbours of providing safe havens to terrorists. Prime Minister also said that in order to strengthen the rules-based world order, the international community must speak in unison, in an apparent reference to China which is flexing its military muscles in the Indo-Pacific. Noting that the world is facing an increased threat of regressive thinking and extremism,  Modi said countries that are using terrorism as a political tool have to understand that terrorism is an equally big threat to them. “It is absolutely essential to ensure that Afghanistan’s territory is not used to spread terrorism and for terrorist activities,” he said. “We also need to ensure that no country tries to take advantage of the delicate situation in Afghanistan and use it for its own selfish interests.” Pakistan’s neighbours, including Afghanistan and India, and the U.S. have long accused Islamabad of providing safe haven and support to militants, a charge denied by it. Modi said that oceans are also a shared heritage. “Our oceans are also the lifeline of international trade. We must protect them from the race for expansion. The international community must speak in one voice to strengthen a rule-based world order,” he added. [underlineimg] Cyclone Gulab to make landfall on Sunday evening The Odisha government has [sounded a warning for Cyclone Gulab]( which is expected to cross the coast between its southern districts and north Andhra Pradesh at 75-85 kmph wind speed on September 26 evening. Though the wind speed predicted for the cyclonic storm may not prove much destructive, the associated heavy rain is likely to cause landslide and flood situation in some of southern districts. Director-General of India Meteorological Department (IMD) Mrutyunjay Mohapatra informed the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) meeting Chaired by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba that the cyclone would mostly likely affect Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Vishakhapatnam districts of in Andhra Pradesh and Ganjam and Gajapati of Odisha. [A cyclist is seen on the road as rain lashes in Bhubaneswar due to low pressure formation in the Bay of Bengal.]  “The deep depression over northwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal moved nearly westwards with a speed of 7 kmph in last 6 hours, intensified into Cyclonic Storm ‘Gulab’ (pronounced as Gul-Aab) and lay centered over northwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal, about 370 km east-southeast of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 440 km east of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh),” says an IMD Bulletin. “The system is likely to move nearly westwards and cross north Andhra Pradesh - south Odisha coasts between Kalingapatnam and Gopalpur around evening of September 26 (Sunday),” it said. As many as 42 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force, 24 National Disaster Response Force and about 100 fire service teams have been instructed to move immediately towards southern districts, Mr. Jena said. Back in 2018, Cyclone Titli, which had hit the same region of Odisha, had left many people dead in the subsequent heavy flooding and landslides. This time, seven districts Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Kandhamal have been asked to stay alert.   The Odisha government is also keeping a close watch on flood situation in rivers such as Rushikulya, Vansadhara and Nagabaali flowing in southern districts. [underlineimg] Congress to join Bharat Bandh on Monday The Congress has decided to lend more than its arm to the ongoing farmer’s protest which has been going on for the last one year. The party will [join the September 27 “Bharat Bandh”]( called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha to mark the first anniversary of passing of the three controversial farm laws in Parliament, the party announced on Saturday. Party spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said the Narendra Modi government has systematically assaulted the agriculture sector in past seven years. At the very onset in 2014, the Modi government came up with the Land Acquisition Ordinance to usurp farm lands in the name of strategic sectors but the government had to drop this bill, he said. In 2015,  Vallabh said, the government in an affidavit to the Supreme Court submitted that the markets will get distorted if MSP is decided according to the formula laid down by the Swaminathan Commission. “Meanwhile, the government found a way to divert the agri-budget to private insurance companies by bringing in PM Kisan Bima Yojana,” Vallabh alleged. It was the Modi government, which for the first time imposed a tax on the major farm implements, tractors, pesticides and seeds, the Congress spokesperson said. “As per one study, in the last seven years, per hectare cost of farming has increased by ₹25,000 because of the indirect taxes imposed on agriculture,” he added. The Modi government had promised to double farm incomes by February 2022 but today, the farmer’s income has hit an all-time low, he added. Quoting government data, Vallabh said that in 2012-13 on an average each farmer had a debt of ₹47,000. By 2018-19 this has increased to ₹74,000. “The Modi government is responsible for all round ruin of the farm sector. And now they are turning a blind eye towards the farmers who have protesting for nine months braving the elements at the Delhi border. 600 farmers have died in this agitation but the government still insists on not talking about the farm laws,”  Vallabh added. The Congress supports the demand of the farmers asking for withdrawal of the laws and giving MSP legal backing, he said. “I am surprised why Prime Minister Modi is opposed to Chief Minister Modi? During UPA-2 then Gujarat Chief Minister demanded that the MSP should be made part of the law,” Vallabh pointed out. [underlineimg] RJD demands caste census Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, [Tejashwi Yadav has written to 33 senior political leaders]( to press the demand for a caste census. Led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar whose party JD(U) has been a ruling ally of BJP, the Opposition party leaders in Bihar, had earlier met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put forth their demand for caste based census. “The demand for caste based census needs to be seen as an essential step in nation building. The caste census once conducted would actually bring to the forefront the pressing concerns that a country like India must attend to with a sense of urgency. This is a historic opportunity before us to push for an agenda that is essential for making this country more just and egalitarian. It would play a pivotal role in ensuring social harmony and social cohesion”, Mr. Yadav wrote in letter to the leaders. Yadav’s letter is addressed to  Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, National Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, Lok Janshakti Party leader Chirag Paswan, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Bahujan Samajwadi Party supremo Mayawati, Orissa CM Naveen Patnaik, CPI leader D Raja, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury, formerJ&K CM Farooq Abdullah, Tamil Nadu CM and DMK leader M.K.Stalin, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam and others. “I’m sure you will agree with me that we need to join our hands and push the government of the day to see this absolutely crucial need to set the priorities of the socio-economic development of our country. I am open to suggestions and inputs from you so that we immediately prepare our plan of action in this regard without any further delay”, Yadav wrote in the letter conclusively. Earlier on September 24, he had said that he would wait for Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s response on Central government’s decision that conducting caste based census would not be feasible in the country.  Yadav’s father and the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief, Lalu Prasad  too had wondered why the BJP/RSS had “so much hatred against backward class people”. Yadav had also called for boycott of BJP ministers sand party MPs belonging to Other and Extremely Backward Class. [underlineimg] Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments The [number of reported coronavirus cases from India]( stood at 3,36,46,290 at the time of publishing this newsletter, with the death toll at 4,46,873.  [underlineimg] Evening Wrap will return tomorrow.  Today's Top Picks [[Kamla Bhasin: Feminist, poet, protester, secularist] Kamla Bhasin: Feminist, poet, protester, secularist]( [[An enhanced Quad and the missing 'C' word | In Focus podcast] An enhanced Quad and the missing 'C' word | In Focus podcast]( [[Rohini court shootout underlines Supreme Court concerns over security] Rohini court shootout underlines Supreme Court concerns over security]( [[Buzz over Congress revamp with entry of Kanhaiya Kumar, Jignesh Mevani] Buzz over Congress revamp with entry of Kanhaiya Kumar, Jignesh Mevani]( Copyright @ 2021, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [try here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](