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LIVE! Was offered Rs 1 crore to join BJP: Patel leader’s sensational claim

09:40  MRV thinks Adhia should be sacked:   Chartered Accountant and economic commentator M R Venkatesh, who has otherwise been a champion of Prime Minister Narendra D Modi’s policies, is a scathing critic of the Goods and Sales Tax regime.

Responding to Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia’s remarks on Sunday that the GST rate structure needs changes, MRV tweeted: ‘He he he. In any other country for botching it up many offers certainly would hv been sacked. Here? Promotions. Seventh pay’.
MRV’s recent interviews to Rediff.com’s Shobha Warrier are a must read. You can read them here and here.

09:37  ‘Mersal’ addressed important issue, says Rajini amid row:  

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth lauded the crew of actor Vijay’s starrer ‘Mersal’, saying the film has addressed an important issue.

However in a terse Twitter message, he did not explicitly refer to any specific issue, although the film has courted controversy over Goods and Services Tax, with BJP claiming that there have been incorrect references to the central taxation.

“Important topic addressed….. well done!!! congratulations team#mersal’ Rajinikanth said in a brief tweet.

Diwali release “Mersal” has kicked up a row with the BJP taking exception to references on GST in the movie.

BJP leaders, including Raja, a national secretary in the party, state president Tamilisai Soundarajan and Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan, have been demanding that the “incorrect” references be deleted from the big-budget flick.

However, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, his senior colleague P Chidambaram, DMK working president M K Stalin, veteran star Kamal Haasan and a host of Tamil cinema industry representatives had supported the film crew on the issue.      

The BJP had on October 20 objected to what it termed as “untruths” regarding the GST in just-released “Mersal”, and wanted dialogues on the central taxation to be deleted.      

Actor Vishal had earlier accused Raja of advocating piracy by watching the movie online, a charge rejected by latter. — PTI

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09:28  Modi congratulates Shinzo Abe on re-election:  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today congratulated his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on his re-election and said he looked forward to further strengthening the relations between the two countries.

Abe got a resounding victory in the snap polls held yesterday, with his LDF-led coalition winning two-thirds majority in the lower house of Parliament.

“Heartiest greetings to my dear friend @AbeShinzo on his big election win. Look forward to further strengthen India- Japan relations with him,” Modi tweeted.

Modi and Abe share a great relationship and have met several times over the last three years.

Abe was in India recently for the annual summit meeting with Modi. — PTI

09:04  Army’s battle tank Arjun Mark II modified as per requirement: DRDO :  

The Defence Research and Development Organisation Chairman S Christopher has said that necessary modifications have been made to the advanced version of the indigenous Arjun Mark II main battle tank as recommended by the army.

The DRDO chairman expressed confidence that the tank will be accepted by the army.

The army had asked for 93 improvements to the tank which includes the capability of firing the anti-tank LAHAT missile, laser protection suite and improved armoured protection for the vehicle.

“We have done the modifications… it will go through the trials and there is a possibility that Arjun MK II (battle tank) will be accepted by army and two regiments have already agreed to induct the tanks,” said DRDO Chairman, while talking to reporters in Pune.

Christopher was in Pune to inaugurate POINTS 21 Batch of  Post Induction Training School programme for newly inducted DRDO scientists at the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology.

As per DRDO, Arjun Mark II can fire missiles, has advanced explosive reactive armour panels, mine plough, automatic target tracking, advanced land navigation system, digital control harness and advanced commander panoramic sight among other features.

Arjun will have a better gun barrel with an equivalent firing charge (strength of the barrel to sustain firing) of 500 rounds against the T 72’s 250 rounds.

The Chennai-based Combat Vehicle Research and Development Establishment has designed the Mark II version of MBT at its facility there. — PTI

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08:18  Was offered Rs 1 crore to join BJP: Patel leader’s sensational claim:  

A member of the Hardik Patel-led group campaigning for reservations for the Patel community in Gujarat has alleged that he was offered Rs 1 crore for crossing over to the Bharatiya Janata Party. 

Narendra Patel, convenor for the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti in north Gujarat, had joined the BJP on Sunday evening in the presence of Hardik Patel’s former aide Varun Patel who had crossed over to the BJP on Saturday.

However, late in the night Narendra Patel alleged that he had been offered Rs 1 crore by the BJP through Varun Patel to switch sides. The charge has been denied by Varun Patel.

Varun took me around in Gandhinagar and then took me to Shree Kamalam office of the BJP and introduced me to Jitubhai Vaghani and some ministers. He then took me to a room and handed over a bag of Rs 10 lakh cash as token and promised to pay me Rs 90 lakh tomorrow after a party function which I was required to attend, he said, dramatically spreading out the bundles of cash that he said were handed over to him, at a late-night press conference on Sunday.

“These people (BJP leaders) then immediately called a press conference, and made me say it (that I was joining the BJP),” Patel went on to say. 

“I, however, felt that this is wrong, and that the Patel community is being betrayed,” Patel told a crowded a press conference.

He said that he had decided to take the money and parade it before the media to expose Varun Patel and the BJP.

These allegations come a day after Varun and Reshma Patel, another member of the PAAS, joined BJP, alleging that the Congress was trying to hijack the reservation stir.

“The allegations are baseless and motivated by the Congress as the party fears that Patidars are swinging back to the BJP after realising the Congress gameplan,” Varun Patel said.

Source: Rediff