Page 164 - Bjp

Who Is Bhartruhari Mahtab? BJP's pro-tem speaker who sparked controversy

BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab was sworn in as the pro-tem Speaker by President Droupadi Murmu in the 18th Lok Sabha's first Parliament session on June 24

Can Congress be third-time lucky in upcoming Haryana Assembly polls?

Dushyant Chautala's Jannayak Janta Party is outvoted by NOTA as Congress secures five Lok Sabha seats. ARCHIS MOHAN writes

18th Lok Sabha convenes on Monday: House test for govt amid exam row

It's rare for a special session to begin on a fractious note with NDA, Oppn bloc engaged in war of words over appointment of pro-tem Speaker. Archis Mohan writes

'Exam system handed over to copying mafia': Akhilesh Yadav targets BJP

Accusing the BJP of ruining the future of the youth, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said the country's examination system has been completely ruined and handed over to the copying mafia. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said the government does not have the ability to conduct even a single examination transparently. "The BJP government has ruined the future of the youth. The education and examination system has been completely ruined and handed over to the copying mafia," he said in a statement issued by the Samajwadi Party. Yadav said the government is steeped in corruption. "It is in the grip of the corrupt. The BJP has hollowed the entire system in its 10 years of rule. This government is playing with the future of the students and the youth as well as the country," Yadav said. "It is wasting the hard work of the students. This government has failed on every front," he added. The Samajwadi Party chief said the BJP government is completely running on lies

Education system handed over to mafia by Modi govt, alleges Priyanka Gandhi

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday attacked the Narendra Modi government over the alleged irregularities in national competitive exams, including the NEET-UG, alleging that it has handed over the entire education system to the "mafia" and the "corrupt". Her reaction came a day after the Union education ministry set up a panel to review the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA) -- the body responsible for conducting the tests -- and recommend exam reforms. The Centre on Saturday also shunted out the agency's Director General Subodh Singh and handed over the probe into the irregularities in medical entrance exam NEET-UG to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). In a post on X, Priyanka Gandhi said the NEET-UG question paper was "leaked" while the NEET-PG, UGC-NET and CSIR-NET exams were "cancelled". "This is the condition of some of the biggest examinations in the country today. Under the BJP's rule, the entire education system has been handed over to the

New Odisha govt seeks higher allocation of funds for infra development

The new BJP government in Odisha has submitted a memorandum to the Centre seeking the expansion of Paradip port, a second AIIMS at Sambalpur and higher allocation of funds to further accelerate infrastructure development in the state. The memorandum was submitted by Odisha Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo who attended the meeting of finance ministers of the states before the Union Budget. The meeting was chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Saturday. The Odisha government memorandum sought higher allocation under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SACI), 2024-25 to further accelerate infrastructure development, an official release said. Apart from the demand for the establishment of a second AIIMS at Sambalpur, the state government also sought expeditious completion of National Highways, specifically the Coastal Highway and Capital Region Ring Road (CRRR) projects, in Odisha. The new BJP government in Odisha also .

Education system ruined under PM Modi: Rahul on NEET-PG postponement

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday over the postponement of the NEET-PG, saying it was yet "another unfortunate example that the education system has been ruined". The Union Health Ministry said on Saturday that it has decided to postpone the NEET-PG entrance examination, scheduled to be held on June 23, as a "precautionary measure" in the wake of recent allegations on the integrity of certain competitive exams. In a post in Hindi on 'X', Gandhi said, "Now NEET-PG is also postponed. This is another unfortunate example of the education system that has been ruined under the rule of Narendra Modi." Under the BJP's rule, instead of building their careers by studying, students are forced to fight the government to save their future, he said. "Now it is clear -- Modi, who used to silently watch the spectacle every time -- is completely helpless in front of the paper leak racket and education mafia," the former Congress chief said. "Narendra

Exam cancellations happening due to PM's incompetence: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday claimed that exam cancellations are happening in the country every day because of the "total incompetence" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the "people around him". The scathing attack on the prime minister came on a day the NEET-PG examination was postponed as a "precautionary measure" in the wake of recent allegations on the integrity of certain competitive exams. The exam was scheduled to be held on Sunday. A day earlier, the June edition of the Joint Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (CSIR-UGC-NET) was postponed due to unavoidable circumstances and logistic issues. On Wednesday, UGC-NET was cancelled following inputs that the exam's integrity was compromised. Opposition parties have also claimed irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET-UG, the results of which were announced by NTA on June 4. A probe into the alleged irregularities in this exam has been ...

Delhi water crisis: Senior AAP leaders to meet LG to find solution

A delegation of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including its MPs, MLAs and senior leaders, will meet Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena here on Sunday to find a solution to the deepening water crisis faced by the city. AAP national secretary Pankaj Kumar Gupta in a letter to Saxena on Saturday said that all the MPs, MLAs and senior leaders of his party will meet him at 11 am regarding the water issue. "Since there is a serious water crisis in Delhi and the people of Delhi should get their rightful water. Therefore, we are coming to meet you to discuss this serious issue. We have full hope that tomorrow we will sit together and find a solution to this problem," Gupta said in his letter. The AAP leader blamed Haryana for the water crisis persisting in Delhi since last many weeks. "This water crisis has increased due to the Haryana government not releasing the entire share of water to Delhi. On top of that, the heat wave has further increased the demand for water in Delhi. In such a situation,

Odisha seeks higher allocation of Centre's funds for infra development

The new BJP government in Odisha has submitted a memorandum to the Centre seeking expansion of Paradip port, a second AIIMS at Sambalpur and higher allocation of funds to further accelerate infrastructure development in the state, an official release said on Saturday. The memorandum was submitted by Odisha Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo who attended the meeting of Finance ministers of the states before the Union Budget. The meeting was chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Saturday. The Odisha government memorandum sought higher allocation under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SACI), 2024-25 to further accelerate infrastructure development, the release said. Apart from the demand for the establishment of a second AIIMS at Sambalpur, the state government also sought expeditious completion of National Highways, specifically the Coastal Highway and Capital Region Ring Road (CRRR) projects, in Odisha. The new BJP

PDP holds meeting in Jammu with focus on next assembly polls in J-K

Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured the people about holding of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held a meeting here on Saturday to chalk out its action plan in preparation for the much awaited democratic exercise. The meeting, chaired by PDP vice-president Abdul Hameed Choudhary at Gandhi Nagar party headquarters, was primarily convened to gear up and strengthen the party cadres in Jammu region ahead of the assembly elections, party spokesperson Variender Singh Sonu told PTI. He said PDP general secretary Amrik Singh Reen, party additional general secretary Satpal Singh Charak, Jammu women wing president Surjit Kaur, district president Jammu Sohit Sharma and senior leaders Vijaya Dogra, Choudhary Chuni Lal and K K Sharma among others attended the meeting. The meeting discussed in detail the party's preparations for the upcoming assembly elections and the action plan to strengthen the party at the grass-roots level across th

Govt, opposition face-off on protem Speaker issue ahead of first LS session

Ahead of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, the NDA government and the INDIA bloc sparred on the issue of Pro-tem Speaker with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accusing the Congress of resorting to lies and the opposition threatening to refuse to join the panel of chairpersons in the House. President Droupadi Murmu had appointed BJP leader and seven-term member Bhartruhari Mahtab as the Pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha, who is tasked with administering the oath and affirmation to the newly-elected members of the lower house and preside over the election of the Speaker. The President had also named five senior members -? K Suresh (Congress), T R Baalu (DMK), Radha Mohan Singh and Faggan Singh Kulaste (both BJP) and Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC) to assist Mahtab in the process that will take place over the first three days of the Lok Sabha Session commencing on June 24. The Congress had alleged that the government has violated procedures and conventions and ignored the ..

Water cannon used to disperse BJP workers protesting over water shortage

The Delhi Police on Saturday used a water cannon to disperse BJP workers demonstrating against the AAP government over water shortage in the the national capital. Led by the BJP's former South Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri, the protesters gathered outside a Delhi Jal Board (DJB) office in Okhla and raised slogans against the AAP government. The police dispersed them with a water cannon after they refused to move. Amid a punishing heat wave battering the city, Delhi is facing a severe water shortage while the BJP and AAP continue to blame each other for the crisis. Addressing the protesters, Bidhuri alleged that the DJB, which had profits of Rs 600 crore, is now facing losses of Rs 60,000 crore due to corruption. He later handed over a memorandum to a DJB engineer over an acute shortage of water in the Tughlaqabad assembly constituency. Meanwhile, Delhi Water Minister Atishi's indefinite hunger strike for release of the city's "rightful share" of water share in the Yamuna by Haryana ente

MMRDA continues repair work on approach road connecting Atal Setu in Mumbai

Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole inspected the cracks spotted on the Mumbai-Trans Harbour Link

People bearing double brunt of unemployment, price rise, says Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday attacked the Narendra Modi government, claiming that it is nonchalant and not concerned about the issues of unemployment and price rise. In a post on X, Ramesh shared a media report on increase in food prices, and said people are bearing the double brunt of rising unemployment and price rise. The increase in the prices of kitchen essentials such as potatoes, onions, tomatoes, vegetables and pulses are witnessing record increase, he claimed in his post in Hindi. "But one-third prime minister is completely nonchalant and unconcerned," Ramesh said. The Congress general secretary claimed that Prime Minister Modi never talks about inflation. "Amid rising unemployment, people are being hit doubly by high inflation. For how long will the public bear the brunt?" Ramesh said.

Govt doing 'damage control': Cong on implementation of anti-paper leak law

The Centre's decision now to implement a law to prevent the use of unfair means in competitive examinations after several "scams" have taken place, including in the NEET-UG and the UGC-NET tests, is "damage control", Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed on Saturday. This law was needed but it deals with question paper leaks and other irregularities after they have occurred, he claimed in a post on X. Several opposition political parties and student associations, including the Congress, have held protests across the country over alleged irregularities in medical entrance exam NEET-UG and the UGC-NET. Amid the raging row over the issue, the Centre on Friday operationalised the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, that aims to curb malpractices and irregularities in competitive examinations and entails provisions for a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of up to Rs 1 crore for offenders. The Bill received the President's assent on February 13, but was ...

BJP holds marathon meeting to discuss strategy for Maha Assembly polls

The Maharashtra unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held a marathon meeting here to discuss strategy for the upcoming state assembly elections, sources said on Saturday. During the meeting held on Friday night, discussions were held for five hours on how to plan the election campaign and finalise the strategy, they said. Elections to the 288-member state assembly are likely to be held in October. In the recently-held Lok Sabha elections, the BJP's seat tally in Maharashtra dropped from 23 to nine. The ruling Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, bagged only 17 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats, whereas the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), a three-party alliance of Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) won 30 seats. Talking about the meeting, a BJP source said, "Our first meeting, which lasted for five hours, discussed the preliminary blueprint prepared for the assembly polls. The action plan will be finalised soon and more meetings hav

LS pro-tem Speaker issue: Cong should make Kodikunnil Suresh LoP, says BJP

A day after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Congress slammed the Centre over the pro-tem Speaker appointment issue, the BJP on Saturday hit back by asking the grand old party to make Kodikunnil Suresh as the Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha. Both Vijayan and the Congress have claimed that not appointing Suresh, the senior most MP in the Lok Sabha, as the pro-tem Speaker is a violation of the conventions followed in the past. Hitting back, BJP state chief K Surendran said that the Congress should protest against the Centre's decision by making Suresh the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He also termed the Congress MP from Mavelikara constituency as "brilliant", a member of the Dalit community and a member from Kerala -- "the family home of Rahul (Gandhi) and Priyanka (Gandhi) today and tomorrow Vadra's". "At any rate, this man (Suresh) should be made the leader of the opposition. This is how the Congress party should express its protest against him not bei

BJP's 'corruption' weakening country: Priyanka slams govt over paper leaks

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday launched a scathing attack on the government over exam paper leaks, saying the issue has become a national problem under the BJP rule which has "ruined the future" of crores of youth. The Congress general secretary's attack comes amid outcry against alleged irregularities in the medical entrance examination NEET and also the cancellation of the UGC-NET examination on Wednesday a day after it was held, citing compromised integrity of the test. In a post on X, Priyanka Gandhi said the Congress demands that strict action be taken over the "NEET scam" so that 24 lakh students get justice. In another post in Hindi on X, she wrote, "In the last five years, papers of 43 recruitment exams have been leaked in the country. Paper leak has become a national problem of our country under BJP rule which has ruined the future of crores of youth so far." "India is the youngest country in the world. We have the largest youth population. Instead of maki

Paper leaks to pro tem Speaker issue: 18th LS set for combative 1st session

The war of words indicated that the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, which begins on Monday, is likely to be combative