'Amrit Kaal' for Modi, not commoners, says AAP; Mamata terms it poll budget; Cong calls it ‘pro-corporate’

News Network
February 1, 2023

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The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday questioned Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s claim about doubling of per capita income since 2014, saying it is ‘Amrit Kaal’ for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, not for the common people of the country.

Highlighting the achievements of the Modi dispensation so far, the finance minister in her budget speech said the government’s efforts since 2014 have ensured for all citizens a better quality of living and a life of dignity.

The per capita income has more than doubled to Rs 1.97 lakh, she added.

“Neither did the MSP of crops increase nor did the youth get employment. But this is Amrit Kaal for Modi ji. Nirmala ji is saying per capita income has doubled,” AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, who is also the party’s national spokesperson, said in a series of tweets in Hindi, wondering “whose income” doubled.

The AAP leaders said the Union Budget for 2023-24, presented by the finance minister in Parliament, does not have any provision for the country’s farmers, soldiers and youth.

“No provision for anyone in the budget. Common people are longing for Amrit (nectar) in the Amrit Kaal,” Singh said.

Latching on to the finance minister’s proposal that 50 additional airports will be revived, the AAP MP took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Modi ji will build 50 new airports. Who will get them?” Singh said in a tweet.

Eyeing 2024 Lok Sabha elections 

Calling the Union Budget 2023-24 “anti-people” and “totally opportunistic”, West Bengal Chief Minister Wednesday slammed saying the Budget was prepared eyeing the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Slamming the Budget, Banerjee said the changes in the income tax slabs will not help anyone. “This Budget does not address India’s unemployment issue,” news agency PTI quoted her as saying.

Political leaders across party lines welcomed the recent tax rebates announced in the Union Budget 2023-24, but some Opposition leaders criticised the Centre for failing to adequately address the issues of unemployment and inflation in the country.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said that the tax cuts were a “welcome” move. “I am a believer in a low tax regime. So, any tax cuts are welcome because giving more money into the hands of the people is the best way to boost the economy,” the Congress leader told news agency ANI.

Meanwhile, noting that there were “some good things” in the Union Budget 2023-24, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor flagged that there was no mention of the rural poor, employment and inflation. He said that some “fundamental questions remained to be answered”.

“There are some good things in Union Budget 2023 but there was no mention of MNREGA, poor rural labour, employment and inflation,” Tharoor told news agency ANI. “Some fundamental questions remained to be answered.”

Congress leader K Suresh called it a “pro-corporate” budget that was only in the interest of  “Adani, Ambani and Gujarat”. “This is a pro-corporate budget. All interests of Adani are fulfilled in this budget, but the common man has been ignored,” he told ANI.

Union Minister Smriti Irani called it a “middle class bonanza budget”, but added that there was something in it for everyone. “This is a middle-class bonanza budget but PM has spoken about inclusive growth. This has been an inclusive budget. There was something for SC, ST, OBC, women and elderly,” she said.

There has been little change in the Union Budget over the last 8-9 years, according to former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. “Taxes increased, money is not being spent on welfare schemes and subsidies,” she pointed out. ” Taxes are being collected for some crony capitalists and big businessmen.”

Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati said it would be better if the budget is for the country rather than for the party. In a tweet, she said, whenever the Centre talks about the figures of beneficiaries of schemes, it must remember that India is a vast country of about 130 crore poor, labourers, deprived, farmers who are yearning for their Amrit Kaal. 

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News Network
December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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