Surjewala also challenged the that the claim that farmers were getting prices over and above the MSP on various crops…reports Asian Lite News
The Congress has announced that it will give notice for a privilege motion against the Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the Rajya Sabha for “misleading the House” on various counts.
Addressing a press conference here, Congress MPs Randeep Singh Surjewala and Digvijaya Singh alleged that Chouhan misled the House “by telling lies”.
Surjewala, a Congress general secretary, said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always been claiming to provide farmers with minimum support price (MSP) on input costs plus fifty per cent, in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on February 6, 2015, the BJP government had said that it was not possible. He asked what is the actual truth.
Surjewala also challenged the that the claim that farmers were getting prices over and above the MSP on various crops.
Digvijaya Singh disputed claims that when he left office as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister in 2003, only 7 lakh hectares of land in the state was irrigated.
He said 33 lakh hectares of land in the state was irrigated in 1997-98.
He also disputed the claims that the Congress government had not provided any debt waiver to the farmers. He said that debt of 37 lakh farmers had been waived off when Kamal Nath was the Chief Minister.
Earlier in the day, the Union Minister for Agriculture slammed the opposition leaders in the Rajya Sabha for not “prioritising the farmers”.
“We were discussing Kisan Samman Nidhi. Congress talked about direct assistance to farmers but Congress never made a scheme like Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi made this scheme. They (opposition) will not understand but the amount of Rs 6000 matters for small farmers. Due to this Kisan Samman Nidhi, farmers have become self-reliant, farmers have also become empowered and the respect of farmers has also increased. They (opposition) cannot see the respect of farmers,” Chouhan said. (ANI)
Mallikarjun Kharge said on Monday that BJP’s policy on Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh neither respects ‘Kashmiriyat’ nor upholds ‘Jamhuriyat’….reports Asian Lite News
Congress has called for elections be held in Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the Supreme Court set deadline so that the people can elect their representatives, secure Constitutional rights and put a full stop to the mechanism of being ‘ruled by bureaucracy’.
The party’s national president, Mallikarjun Kharge said on Monday that BJP’s policy on Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh neither respects ‘Kashmiriyat’ nor upholds ‘Jamhuriyat’.
The statement comes on the fifth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370. The Centre on this day in 2019 abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into J&K and Ladakh union territories.
Kharge said that the Modi government had claimed that this move would help to fully integrate J&K, boost the economic development of the region and prevent terrorism and separatism. However, the reality is starkly different, he said.
The Congress chief said that since 2019, there have been 683 fatal terror attacks, resulting in the martyrdom of 258 security personnel and the loss of 170 civilian lives. Notably, 25 terror attacks have occurred in the Jammu region since PM Modi’s third oath, claiming the lives of 15 soldiers and injuring 27. Targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits have become a norm in the past few years.
“A staggering 65 per cent of government department posts in Jammu and Kashmir remain vacant since 2019. The unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir stands at 10 per cent, with an alarming 18.3 per cent youth unemployment rate. Despite the introduction of the New Industrial Policy in 2021, a mere 3 per cent of investments have materialised on the ground. 40 per cent of projects under the PM’s Development Package, 2015, remain pending,” Kharge added.
The congress president said that Jammu & Kashmir’s net state domestic product (NSDP) growth rate has declined from 13.28 per cent (April 2015 – March 2019) to 8.73 per cent post-2019.
“The people of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh yearn for normalcy, a sentiment they conveyed to Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Indian National Congress stands firmly with the people of these regions, which are an integral part of India,” Kharge said.
Article 370 abrogation began era of progress, says PM
Calling the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35(A) a “watershed moment” in the nation’s history, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the step was a new era of progress and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
On the fifth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35(A), PM Modi said that with abrogation came security, dignity and opportunity for the women, youth, backwards, tribal and marginalised communities.
“Today we mark 5 years since the Parliament of India decided to abrogate Articles 370 and 35(A), a watershed moment in our nation’s history. It was the start of a new era of progress and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh,” he posted on X.
“It meant that the Constitution of India was implemented in these places in letter and spirit, in line with the vision of the great men and women who made the Constitution. With abrogation came security, dignity and opportunity for the women, youth, backwards, tribal and marginalised communities who were deprived of the fruits of development,” the Prime Minister added.
He further assured the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh that the BJP-led central government will keep working for them in the coming times.
“At the same time, it has ensured that corruption, which plagued J-K for decades, has been kept at bay. I assure the people of J&K and Ladakh that our Government will keep working for them and fulfil their aspirations in the coming times,” PM Modi wrote on X.
Meanwhile, Indian National Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday criticised the Centre on the 5th anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, and said that the BJP neither respects “Kashmiriyat nor upholds ‘Jamhuriyat’ (democracy).”
In a post on X, Kharge said, “BJP’s policy on Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh neither respects ‘Kashmiriyat’ nor upholds ‘Jamhuriyat’! The Modi Govt had claimed that this move would help to fully integrate Jammu and Kashmir, boost the economic development of the region, and prevent terrorism and separatism.”
The Congress chief claimed that the “reality is starkly different” and said, “Since 2019, there have been 683 fatal terror attacks, resulting in the martyrdom of 258 security personnel and the loss of 170 civilian lives. Notably, 25 terror attacks have occurred in the Jammu region since PM Modi’s third oath, claiming the lives of 15 soldiers and injuring 27.”
He claimed that “targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits have become a norm” in the past few years.
Kharge further said during Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra, the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh conveyed to Rahul Gandhi that they “yearn for normalcy.”
“A staggering 65 per cent of government department posts in Jammu & Kashmir remain vacant since 2019. The unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir stands at 10 per cent, with an alarming 18.3 per cent youth unemployment rate. Despite the introduction of the New Industrial Policy in 2021, a mere 3 per cent of investments have materialized on the ground. 40 per cent of projects under the PM’s Development Package, 2015, remain pending. Jammu and Kashmir’s net state domestic product (NSDP) growth rate has declined from 13.28 per cent (April 2015- March 2019) to 8.73 per cent post-2019,” he mentioned in his post.
In August 2019, the Centre revoked Article 370, which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the region into two Union Territories- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. (ANI)
Kapil Sibal MP argued that while it is acceptable for members to express their opinions, it is inappropriate for the Chair to do so, as it goes against parliamentary tradition…reports Asian Lite News
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal expressed disapproval of Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar’s remarks that praised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for having “unimpeachable credentials.”
Sibal argued that while it is acceptable for members to express their opinions, it is inappropriate for the Chair to do so, as it goes against parliamentary tradition.
Sibal’s comments came in response to a statement made by Dhankhar during the Question Hour on Wednesday when Samajwadi Party member Ramji Lal Suman suggested that RSS affiliation was a criterion for selecting the head of the National Testing Agency (NTA).
In response, Dhankhar ordered that Suman’s remarks not be recorded, and he defended the RSS, stating that it is an organisation with full constitutional rights to participate in the nation’s development and has a long-standing commitment to national welfare.
Dhankhar emphasised that the RSS has been a significant contributor to India’s culture and welfare, describing it as an organization with “unimpeachable credentials” and a “global think tank of the highest order.”
Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge supported Suman, asserting that members should be allowed to speak freely within the rules.
Kharge argued that Suman’s comments were valid and that Dhankhar’s intervention was inappropriate. He emphasised that the Chair should only intervene when there is a clear violation of rules.
The remarks by the Rajya Sabha Chairman come after the central government lifted the ban on participation of government employees in RSS activities.
A few days ago, an order was reportedly issued by the Ministry of Personnel, lifting the ban on the participation of government employees in RSS activities. The order has, however, sparked a row, drawing criticism from the opposition.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had referred to it as “very strange” after the central government lifted the ban on the participation of government employees in RSS activities.
Tharoor said that it is the responsibility of the government employees to work for everyone and added that they should remain “neutral” when in government.
“This is very strange. RSS work and government work are different, both should not be together and the Narendra Modi government did not change this rule for 10 years, then why are you changing it now? It is the responsibility of government employees to work for everyone, work for the whole country. This is not fair, after retiring from service you can do whatever you want but when you are in the government you should remain neutral,” Tharoor had said.
‘B in BJP’s budget stands for betrayal’: Kharge
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday attacked the central government over the employment-linked incentive schemes presented as part of the Union Budget and said that “B in Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) budget stands for “Betrayal.”
“A week into the ‘Kursi Bachao Budget’, the academia and the industry awaits clarity from the Modi government on its Tokenism regarding the so-called ’employment-linked incentive’ schemes,” Kharge posted on X.
The Congress chief said that crores of youth want a permanent solution to their plight of jobs, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government “bitterly deceives” them by not even giving a “temporary solution!”
“We ask 2 questions to the Modi government on these SHAM schemes: When will the Modi government provide details of the schemes? Neither the youth nor the industry, which is to be NUDGED, according to the FM, to provide Internships, First Time Jobs or Training has any know-how about the contours of the 5 Employment-Link Incentive Schemes. A government, which could not create a conducive environment for Private Investment and took measures to plunge it, is now acting as if it will suddenly NUDGE 500 top companies, to hire 4000 interns per year! Was there any stakeholder consultation before imposing this half-copied idea from the Congress Manifesto?” he asked the government
Kharge said that the Congress Manifesto had a Right to apprenticeship, but PM Modi’s government’s budget has mere internships forced upon the industry with no long-term solution in sight.
“The Congress Manifesto had a ‘Right to Apprenticeship’ – which is a structured system of training where individuals, known as apprentices, learn a trade or profession through a combination of on-the-job training and classroom instruction. On the other hand, the Modi government’s budget has mere internships forced upon the industry with no long-term solution in sight,” he said.
He further claimed that the BJP government does not want to recruit SC, ST, OBC, and EWS youth in the public sector.
“Why are none of these Employment-Link Incentive Schemes missing the Public Sector component? Is it because the BJP wants NO recruitment of SC, ST, OBC and EWS youth in the Public Sector – through reservation?” he said.
Questioning the government, Kharge asked, “Why are all these schemes providing “temporary” employment/internships?”
“For instance, the incentive scheme for first-time employees, which offers a Rs 15,000 subsidy is paid out in three instalments; the second instalment is only payable if the employee undergoes a compulsory online financial literacy course. Why should employees in every unrelated sector be expected to do this? More worrying is the clause stating that the subsidy is “to be refunded by the employer if the employment to the first timer ends within 12 months of recruitment.” If the employee switches jobs in 10 months, he/she has already received the benefit of the scheme, but the employer is required to bear the costs. Would any small employer take this risk?” Kharge asked the government.
The Congress chief demanded clarification from PM Modi’s government on the Union Budget.
“The minimum wage (average) in India is about Rs 13,300. It looks as if no new intern/hire in these SHAM schemes even getting that. Modi government should clarify this. The ‘B’ in BJP’s Budget stands for ‘Betrayal’!” he stated.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget in Parliament on July 23 and said that to provide on-the-job training to youth, the government will launch an internship scheme to provide opportunities to one crore youth in the top 500 companies over the next five years.
Sitharaman proposed that for the interns to get exposure to real-life environments an internship allowance will be provided of Rs 5000 per month. (ANI)
In BJP-ruled Haryana, the Congress has formed the screening committee under the chairmanship of Ajay Maken….reports Asian Lite News
The Congress on Thursday evening announced the formation of screening committees for the Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Haryana, and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to be held later this year.
“Congress President (Mallikarjun Kharge) has constituted screening committees for the upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Jammu and with immediate effect,” Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal said in a statement.
In Maharashtra, the four-member screening committee is led by Madhusudan Mistry with Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, Mansoor Ali Khan, and Sirivella Prasad as its members. Congress is a key ally in the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in the state, aiming to dislodge the MahaYuti government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde of the Shiv Sena.
In BJP-ruled Haryana, the Congress has formed the screening committee under the chairmanship of Ajay Maken. The committee includes Manickam Tagore, Jignesh Mevani, and Srinivas B.V. as its members.
In Jharkhand, where the Congress is part of the ruling alliance led by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Girish Chodankar has been named the Chairman of the screening committee with Poonam Paswan and Prakash Joshi as the other members.
In Jammu and Kashmir, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa will head the screening committee which includes Anto Antony, and Sachin Rao as its members.
All general secretaries/in-charges, PCC chiefs, CLP leaders, and AICC secretaries in charge of these states will be ex-officio members of the respective screening committees, the statement said.
The President of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (Varsha Gaikwad) and the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly (Vijay Wadettiwar) will also be ex-officio members of the screening committee for Maharashtra.
On June 21, the Election Commission of India (ECI) kicked off preparations for holding Assembly elections in J&K, Haryana, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra. As per the poll panel, the revised electoral rolls for these states and the lone Union Territory of J&K will be published by August 20.
Congress general secy KC Venugopal stated that the government’s attitude was completely antithetical to constitutional principles….reports Asian Lite News
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal termed the Union Budget 2024 as discriminatory and announced that the Indian National Congress (INC) Chief Ministers would boycott the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled for July 27.
Taking to X, Congress MP KC Venugopal said, “The Union Budget presented today was extremely discriminatory and dangerous, which completely goes against the principles of federalism and fairness that the Union Government must follow. In protest, INC CMs will be boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled for 27th July.”
He further stated that the government’s attitude was completely antithetical to constitutional principles.
He further added, “This government’s attitude is completely antithetical to constitutional principles. We will not participate in an event that is solely designed to hide the true, discriminatory colours of this regime.”
After the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the first Budget in Narendra Modi 3.0, the Opposition parties slammed the Centre, terming the budget as “Kursi Bachao Budget”, while the ruling parties said that is the roadmap for a “Viksit Bharat”.
Sitharaman made history as the first finance minister to present seven consecutive budget speeches, surpassing former Prime Minister Morarji Desai’s record of six consecutive budgets as finance minister between 1959 and 1964.
The Finance Minister, in her seventh consecutive Union Budget for 2024-25, outlined key priorities aimed at fostering economic growth and creating ample opportunities. The priorities include Productivity and Resilience in Agriculture, Employment and Skilling and services.
The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday criticised the Union Budget 2024-25, accusing the Finance Minister of making hollow promises.
Taking to social media platform ‘X,’ he tweeted, “Kursi Bachao Budget. Appease Allies: Hollow promises to them at the cost of other states. Appease Cronies: Benefits to AA with no relief for the common Indian. Copy and Paste: Congress manifesto and previous budgets.”
Mallikarjun Kharge also took to ‘X,’ tweeting, “Modi Government’s ‘copycat budget’ could not even copy Congress’ justice agenda properly! The Modi Government’s budget is distributing half-hearted ‘rewadis’ to dupe its coalition partners so that the NDA survives. This is not a budget for the ‘progress of the country,’ it is a ‘save Modi government’ budget!”
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram noted that the budget had “missed opportunities” and welcomed the adoption of Congress’ Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) and Apprenticeship scheme. However, he wished more ideas from the Congress manifesto had been included. Chidambaram also welcomed the move to abolish the Angel Tax, a long-standing demand of the Congress.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also criticised the Union Budget, labelling it a ploy to retain power by mentioning special projects for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.
Yadav said, “They have increased unemployment in the last 10 years,” and questioned what the BJP had done for farmers and youth.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday said that Modi government has failed to conduct Census and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget speech on Tuesday did not mention funds for decadal Population Census which was supposed to take place in 2021.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee slammed the Union Budget 2024-25 calling it politically motivated, directionless, anti-people, and lacking vision.
“Directionless, anti-people, no vision, only political mission is there. I don’t see any light, it is dark,” she said. (ANI)
Rahul Gandhi to meet delegation of seven farmer leaders
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will meet the delegation of seven farmer leaders on Wednesday, sources said.
The meeting will be held at around 11 am in the Parliament.
According to the sources, the farmer’s leaders will ask Rahul Gandhi to bring a private member bill to fulfil their long-standing demands.
Meanwhile, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leaders announced on Monday that they would burn effigies of the Modi government all over the nation and launch a fresh protest to fulfil their demands for legalising the MSP guarantee.
As part of this protest, they will also stage a “long march” to support the private bills by the opposition.
The announcement came while they were addressing a press conference in Delhi.
Subsequently, the protesting farmers will take out a tractor rally nationwide on August 15, when the country marks Independence Day. They will also burn copies of new criminal laws.
Addressing a press conference, Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) leaders also said that the farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ march will complete 200 days on August 31 and appealed to people to reach Khanauri, Shambhu, etc on the Punjab and Haryana border.
Following the announcement, they further informed both the organizations Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) will hold a mega rally in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh on September 1.
A rally will be held in the Jind district of Haryana on September 15, 2024, and another rally will be held in Pipli on September 22, 2024.
In February, the Haryana government had set up barricades on the Ambala-New Delhi national highway after farmer’s unions announced that farmers would march to Delhi in support of various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops.
Earlier in February this year, farmers’ protest 2.0 began, however, they were stopped at the Haryana borders for several days. (ANI)
Since the ’80 million new jobs’ headline elides discussion on the quality of jobs, the government touts the ‘creation’ of these low-productivity, poorly paid jobs as an achievement, he said…reports Asian Lite News
The Congress on Monday countered the Centre’s claim that eight crore new jobs have been created, alleging that the government has done some “artful statistical jugglery” to claim job creation as it has failed to pay attention to the “quality and circumstances” of employment.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that at a time when India faces a “severe Modi-made unemployment crisis”, when lakhs of young people apply for each and every job, “the self-anointed non-biological PM is busy reacting the only way he knows — by applying his patented 3D model of denying, distracting, and distorting”.
He said that based on new RBI estimates, the government is claiming a booming job market.
“The self-appointed divinity himself has chimed in with the claim that the economy created 80 million jobs,” Ramesh said in a statement.
The truth is that the alleged growth in employment figures doesn’t square up to the grim realities of the Modi era economy, where private investment has been weak and consumption growth sluggish, he said.
“The government has done some artful statistical jugglery to claim job-creation, by adopting a very expansive definition of employment, without paying attention to the quality and circumstances of employment: A large part of the claimed ’employment growth’ is just recording unpaid household work done by women as ’employment’,” Ramesh claimed.
“Amidst the poor economic climate, the share of salaried, formal employment in the labour market has decreased. Workers are moving to low-productivity informal and agricultural jobs – this is an economic tragedy,” the Congress leader said.
However, since the ’80 million new jobs’ headline elides discussion on the quality of jobs, the government touts the ‘creation’ of these low-productivity, poorly paid jobs as an achievement, he said.
“This deception is also why the RBI’s data shows an increase in employment during the COVID-19 pandemic years, when large sections of the economy fully shut down. While crucial sectors like education saw 12 lakh fewer jobs in 2020-2021, a whopping 1.8 crore ‘jobs’ were ‘created’ in agriculture,” Ramesh said.
Thus, factory workers, teachers, miners, etc. who returned home during the pandemic and had to fall back upon farming in their family’s fields or as tenants for a richer farmer registered as a “job created” in agriculture, he argued.
“This travesty is the non-biological Prime Minister’s economic legacy,” Ramesh said.
He said the forthcoming Budget will also undoubtedly make use of the RBI data to paint a rosy picture of the economy.
“The reality on the jobs front, however, is extremely grim – both because of mass unemployment and an abundance of low-quality employment. This dual tragedy will certainly get overlooked in the Budget speech next Tuesday,” Ramesh said.
His remarks come after Prime Minister Modi on Saturday emphasised that creation of eight crore new jobs in the last three to four years has “silenced” those spreading fake narratives about unemployment.
BJP MLA urges students to open puncture shop
Known for making controversial statements, Pannalal Shakya, the BJP MLA from Guna in Madhya Pradesh, advised students Monday to open “motorcycle puncture repair shops”, since nothing would be gained by obtaining degrees. This, while addressing an event to inaugurate a ‘PM College of Excellence’.
Earlier, at a function held in Indore on Sunday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had e-inaugurated similar PM College of Excellences in 55 districts of the state. Following this, separate events were held in the respective districts, including Guna, on Monday. The initiative had been announced by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav during his first Cabinet meeting, with the state government taking extra measures to ensure the project took off on time.
“We are opening a PM College of Excellence today. I appeal to everyone to keep one sentence in mind — that nothing is going to be achieved with these college degrees. Instead, open a motorcycle puncture repair shop to at least earn a livelihood,” said Shakya.
The MLA also seemed to take a swipe at the mega sapling plantation drive held in Indore on Sunday, during which a world record 11 lakh-plus saplings were planted in a span of 24 hours, a programme overseen by Madhya Pradesh Minister for Urban Development Kailash Vijayvargiya. “People are planting trees, but not interested in watering them,” Shakya said.
When contacted by The Indian Express, the MLA said, “I did not make any statement against anyone. My statement has been taken out of context.”
An RSS worker most of his life, Shakya was chosen by the BJP as its Guna candidate in the 2023 Assembly elections over supporters of Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. This came soon after he urged the party to “not give tickets to bikau (sold) leaders”, and to choose a “tikau (loyal)” leader instead.
New Delhi, July 02 (ANI): Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi speaks in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Parliament session, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI Photo/Sansad TV)
Gaurav Gogoi represents Assam’s Jorhat constituency in the 18th Lok Sabha. He was pitted against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Topon Kumar Gogoi. K Suresh is currently the longest-serving Lok Sabha MP, as he has remained MP for 29 years…reports Asian Lite News
The Congress party has named party MP Gaurav Gogoi as the deputy leader and K Suresh as the Chief Whip in the Lok Sabha. Congress MPs Manickam Tagore and Md Jawaid will serve as whips of the party.
In this regard, a formal letter has been sent to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. Party MP KC Venugopal took to ‘X’ and provided information about the fresh appointments.
“Hon’ble CPP Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji has written to the Hon’ble Lok Sabha Speaker informing him about the appointment of the Deputy Leader, Chief Whip, and two Whips for the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha. Deputy Leader: Shri @GauravGogoiAsm, Chief Whip: Shri @kodikunnilMP, Whips: 1. Shri @manickamtagore and 2. @DrMdJawaid1. Congratulations to the new appointees,” he wrote in a post on ‘X.
The Congress MP also expressed confidence that the party, along with its allies in the INDIA bloc, would champion the people’s causes in the Lok Sabha. “Guided by LOP Shri @RahulGandhi ji, the Congress and INDIA parties will energetically champion the people’s causes in the Lok Sabha,” he added.
Gaurav Gogoi represents Assam’s Jorhat constituency in the 18th Lok Sabha. He was pitted against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Topon Kumar Gogoi. K Suresh is currently the longest-serving Lok Sabha MP, as he has remained MP for 29 years.
Suresh was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989, and thereafter, he won consecutively in the 1991, 1996, and 1999 general elections to the Lok Sabha from the Adoor constituency for four straight terms. Suresh, who won his eighth Lok Sabha election from Mavelikkara (Kerala) in the 2024 general elections, has represented the seat four times in the past.
He is the working president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and was the chief whip of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the 17th Lok Sabha.
The Mavelikkara MP was also nominated for the post of Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha. Later, the INDIA bloc decided to field him for the post of Speaker after the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) refused to accept the opposition INDIA bloc’s demand that the Deputy Speaker’s position be left for the Opposition in exchange for its support for the NDA nominee.
However, the NDA, which commands 293 MPs in the 543-member Lok Sabha, was able to demonstrate its clear majority to ensure that Om Birla returns to the chair he held in the 17th Lok Sabha.
Earlier, the INDIA bloc appointed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition (LoP), ending the 10-year spell of no LoP in the Lower House since 2014.
Lok Sabha did not have a Leader of Opposition in the last 10 years because no political party, other than the ruling party, was able to secure the minimum number of Lok Sabha seats required to nominate a Leader of the Opposition.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, the Congress emerged as the second-largest party with 52 seats. This was three short of the requisite numbers. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress, again the second largest party, won 44 Lok Sabha seats — way below the mark.
After the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls, the Congress emerged as the second-largest party in the election and improved its tally to 100, from 52 in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll. The total tally of the INDIA bloc stood at 234. (ANI)
The Maharashtra Congress Unit is set to hold a two-day meeting to discuss seat-sharing, starting today…reports Asian Lite News
As the Maharashtra assembly elections are slated to be held later this year, discussions on seat-sharing in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance consisting of the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-SP, and the Shiv Sena (UBT) among others are underway.
The Maharashtra assembly polls are scheduled later this year to elect 288 members of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
Earlier on Tuesday, the top leaders of the three major allies — Congress, NCP-SP, and Shiv Sena (UBT) — held a meeting and deliberated on the seat-sharing formula.
According to the sources from the Congress, the party is likely to contest 120-130 assembly seats; the Shiv Sena (UBT) 90-100 seats while the NCP-SP is likely to contest 75-80 seats in the coming elections.
The Maharashtra Congress Unit is set to hold a two-day meeting to discuss seat-sharing, starting today.
Earlier, after the conclusion of the Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party core committee on June 29, party state president Ashish Shelar said that the BJP will contest the assembly polls with its Mahayuti ally partners, and a road map for the same was decided in the meeting.
Shelar said that a proposal was passed appreciating the budget of Maharashtra, which covers the welfare of all segments of society, including farmers, youth, women, etc.
“BJP will contest assembly polls with its Mahayuti ally partners and a road map for the same was decided in the meeting. No organisational changes are to be made in the state unit of the BJP. Also, a proposal was passed appreciating yesterday’s budget of Maharashtra, which covers the welfare of all segments of society, including farmers, youth, women, etc. A clear road map for contesting and winning Assembly polls was discussed and finalised,” the BJP leader said.
The Lok Sabha polls 2024 have given a boost to the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, with the Shiv Sena (UBT) winning seven seats, the Congress 13, and the NCP-SP one, taking the total tally of the alliance 17.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dipped to nine seats in Maharashtra against 23 in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The vote share stood at 26.18 per cent.
In the 2019 Assembly elections, the BJP and the undivided Shiv Sena had contested in an alliance. The BJP won 105 seats while the Sena won 56 seats.
The undivided NCP had won 44 seats while the Congress had won 44 seats. (ANI)
Kharge also reiterated the demand for a re-examination of the NEET-UG…reports Asian Lite News
Amid the ongoing controversy over the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG 2024 exam, Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the central government, claiming that the BJP-RSS administration has promoted an “education mafia” by taking control of the entire education system.
Kharge also reiterated the demand for a re-examination of the NEET-UG.
On ‘X’, Kharge wrote, “The Modi Government has told the honorable Supreme Court that no paper has been leaked in NEET-UG! This blatant lie is being told to lakhs of youth. Their future is being ruined. The Ministry of Education has said that ‘irregularities/cheating have taken place only in a few places.’ This is misleading. The BJP-RSS has promoted the education mafia by taking control of the entire education system.”
He further claimed that the Narendra Modi-led government is “bent on destroying our education system.”
“Be it NCERT books or leakage in exams, the Modi government is bent on destroying our education system. We reiterate our demand that: 1) NEET-UG should be conducted again. It should be conducted online in a transparent manner. 2) All paper leak scams should be thoroughly investigated under the supervision of the Supreme Court, and strict action should be taken against the culprits.”
“The Modi government cannot escape from its misdeeds,” Kharge added.
The Central government has told the Supreme Court that, in the absence of any proof of a large-scale breach of confidentiality in the NEET-UG 2024 examination, it would not be rational to scrap the entire examination.
Scrapping the NEET-UG exam held on May 5 entirely would “seriously jeopardize” the lakhs of honest candidates who attempted the question paper in 2024, said the Ministry of Education.
The Centre has filed an affidavit on a batch of petitions pending before the apex court seeking direction to recall NEET-UG 2024 results and conduct the examination afresh, alleging paper leakage and malpractices in the test held.
The apex court had already refused to stay the counselling of NEET-UG 2024.
The top court will hear the cases on July 8.
Responding to the petitions, the Ministry said that prayers raised in the petitions for the cancellation of the exam and the re-test based on “surmises” and “conjectures” must be rejected.
It also informed the apex court that a high-level committee has been constituted to suggest measures for effective, smooth, and transparent conduct of the examinations by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Meanwhile, NTA has also filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court opposing the cancellation of the NEET-UG exam and said that the alleged malpractices were only in Patna and Godhra centers and that the entire exam should not be cancelled based on individual instances.
The sanctity of NEET-UG cannot be impeached by sporadic instances of alleged paper leaks, which are confined to a very small number of candidates, it said.
Earlier, while hearing the case, the top court told the Centre and NTA that if there is any negligence in conducting the NEET-UG exam, it should be dealt with thoroughly.
The NEET-UG examination, conducted by the NTA, is the pathway for admissions into MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi at the construction site during a meeting with daily wage laborers at GTB Nagar area in New Delhi on Thursday. (ANI Photo)
Congress MP Manickam Tagore has written to the Speaker, requesting that Direction 115(1) be invoked…reports Asian Lite News
Adopting a tit-for-tat strategy to counter the BJP’s offensive in Parliament, the Congress has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, flagging “inaccuracies” in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address replying to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address.
The main Opposition has also flagged Hamirpur MP and former Union minister Anurag Thakur’s speech in Lok Sabha.
The Congress’s move comes after the uproar over Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s address in Lok Sabha. Several portions of the speech were expunged and the BJP submitted a notice against the inaccuracies. Commenting on the notice by BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said any member trying to mislead the House won’t get away easily and “rules will get them”.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore has written to the Speaker, requesting that Direction 115(1) be invoked. The direction states: “A member wishing to point out any mistake or inaccuracy in a statement made by a Minister or any other member shall, before referring to the matter in the House, write to the Speaker pointing out the particulars of the mistake or inaccuracy and seek the permission of the speaker to raise the matter in the House.”
“In view of foregoing as per procedural norms, therefore, request you take note of the factually incorrect, inaccurate and misleading statements made by Prime Minister and Shri Anurag Thakur requisite proceedings be initiated and appropriate action be taken in this regard,” Mr Tagore has said.
Among the parts of Thakur the Congress has flagged are his claims that the Indian forces did not have fighter jets and adequate weaponry before the BJP came to power in 2014. “We had Jaguar, Mig 29, SU-30, Mirage 2000. We had nuclear bomb, missiles like Agni, Prithvi , Aakash, Nag, Trishul and later Brahmos,” the Congress MP has pointed out.
He has also challenged the government’s claim that 25 crore people have been brought over the poverty line in the past 10 years.
In the Prime Minister’s speech, the Congress MP has said he had inaccurately claimed that the Congress’s vote share went down in 16 states where it contested alone. “This is factually incorrect. Congress vote share increased in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Telangana etc,” he has said. On the Prime Minister’s charge that the Congress made a “false promise” of giving ₹ 8,500 a month to women, the Congress MP said, “It was a promise (to be fulfilled) on victory and government formation.”
The Congress MP’s letter to counter the BJP move suggests that Parliament sessions are likely to see disruptions going forward as an Opposition upbeat after its good show in this election goes all-out to counter the BJP, which finished below majority mark this time and had to reply on its allies to form the government.
The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been adjourned after the President’s address and the debate thereafter. Both Houses saw spirited protests by the Opposition, including a walkout in Rajya Sabha during the Prime Minister’s address. The Parliament is expected to reconvene in the third week of July ahead of the Union Budget.
After Rahul Gandhi’s maiden speech created political heat, several portions of his address targeting the central government were expunged from the records of Parliament on Monday.
In his speech in Lok Sabha on Monday afternoon, during the debate on the motion of thanks on President Draupadi Murmu’s address, Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP and RSS of preaching and spreading violence and hatred. His remarks drew protests from the Treasury benches.
Chautala urges Congress to field candidate for RS bypoll
Former Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala urged the Congress to field a socially and universally respected person in the Rajya Sabha by-elections assuring support from the opposition in the state.
The Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant when Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda won the Rohtak Lok Sabha seat in the Lok Sabha polls.
“We want the Congress to play the role of the main opposition party and field a socially and universally respected person in the Rajya Sabha elections so that the people of Haryana know which MLA is with the people and which MLA is with the government. We again say that if the Haryana Congress fights the Rajya Sabha by-election with the right heart, then the defeat of the BJP is certain,” Chautala said in a post on ‘X’.
Chautala was an ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Haryana till recently when he pulled out of the government after talks failed between his Jannayak Janta Party (JNM) and the BJP before the Lok Sabha polls.
