Jairam Ramesh

'No deal but US steal': Congress' dig at govt over Indo-US trade agreement

The Congress on Wednesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-US interim trade agreement, saying the deal is a steal by the "PM's good friend in Washington" and reflects an "abject failure" of our "political huglomacy" as well as economic diplomacy. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said no matter what spin the "PM and his lie-brigade" may give, the hard reality is that the US has extracted more from India than it has conceded. "It is significant that a number of independent analysts and commentators -- who have not been Modi-unfriendly -- have criticised the India-US trade deal as a capitulation, an asymmetrical set of commitments, a sell-out, and a humiliating cave-in," Ramesh said. "Whatever the spin that the PM and his lie-brigade may give, the hard reality is that the US has extracted more from India than it has conceded. This is inspite of Mr. Modi's aggressive wooing of President Trump, including campaigning for him in

Congress takes dig at PM after Trump repeats claim of ending India-Pak war

The Congress on Friday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after US President Donald Trump repeated his claim that he stopped the conflict between India and Pakistan last year, saying the PM's "good friend in Washington DC" is fast moving to the century mark of stating that he had intervened to halt Operation Sindoor and yet he maintains "complete silence". The opposition party also lashed out at Modi over his address in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday when he replied to the discussion on the motion of thanks to the President's address, saying he is a prisoner of his own pet hates and answered none of the serious questions raised by the Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge in the Upper House. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "The PM revealed yet again last evening in the Rajya Sabha what a huge bundle of insecurities, what a perennial peddler of lies, what a storehouse of prejudices, and what a source of sheer bile and poison he is. One

PM completely surrendered to appease Trump: Cong slams govt on trade deals

The Congress on Tuesday demanded that the Modi government should take Parliament into confidence on the details of both the EU and US trade deals, while alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "completely surrendered" to appease US President Donald Trump at the cost of India's farmers. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh hit out at the government over the announcement of the India-US trade deal, saying "India stands diminished by this unfortunate sequence of events." He said that from the information President Trump has provided, it is abundantly clear that Prime Minister Modi has "completely surrendered". Ramesh said that almost exactly a year ago, Prime Minister Modi landed at the White House to greet President Trump on his re-election. "His trademark huglomacy was on full display. India-US relations never appeared brighter. Negotiations for a trade deal started immediately thereafter.But ever since President Trump made the first announcement

Totally lacklustre, fell woefully short of the hype: Congress on Budget

The Congress on Sunday said the Union Budget was "totally lacklustre" and fell woefully short of the hype that was generated around it. Congress general secretary, Communications, Jairam Ramesh said the budget speech given by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was also "non-transparent" as it gave no idea of the budgetary allocations for key programmes and schemes. "While the documents need to be studied in detail, it is clear after 90 minutes that Budget 2026/27 falls woefully short of the hype that was generated about it. It was totally lacklustre," Ramesh said in a post on X. "The speech was also non-transparent since it gave no idea whatsoever of budgetary allocations for key programmes and schemes," he said. In her speech, Sitharaman announced that the target for capex will be raised to Rs 12.2 lakh crore for FY27 from Rs 11.2 lakh crore earmarked for the current fiscal year. She also announced a slew of measures to boost infrastructure in the country, including in tie

Poor coordination in policy making: Congress slams govt ahead of Budget

The Congress on Saturday questioned whether the Budget numbers would undergo revisions very soon after they are unveiled, as the new GDP and Consumer Price Index (CPI) series are to be released just days after the Budget, and said it reflects poorly on coordination in policy making. Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, noted the Budget for 2026/27 will be presented on Sunday. "State governments will be anxiously awaiting what awaits them since the Finance Minister will be announcing the implementation of the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission," he said in a post on X. The Finance Commission is a body set up under Article 280 of the Constitution every five years (or earlier) to recommend the share of the states in the tax revenues collected by the Centre, the distribution of this share among the states, and special grants for five years, he said, adding that the 16th Finance Commission deals with the period 2026/27-2030/31. "But there

Jairam Ramesh revisits adoption of national emblem, motto on Republic Day

On India's 77th Republic Day, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh recalled the adoption of the Lion Capital of Ashoka as the national emblem and 'Satyameva Jayate' as the national motto. Noting the Constitution came into effect on this day 76 years ago, he said the history of its making continued to be analysed ever since Granville Austin's classic "The Indian Constitution: Cornerstone of a Nation" came out in 1966 and B Shiva Rao's magisterial five-volume "The Framing of India's Constitution" were published by 1968. There have been other notable works, no doubt, but special mention must be made of the very recent book by Rohit De and Ornit Shani, "Assembling India's Constitution: A New Democratic History", he pointed out. The first two handwritten copies of the Constitution in English and Hindi also had the national emblem on their cover, Ramesh said. By the end of 1947, it had been decided that the national emblem would be the Ashokan Lion Capital first excavated at Sarnath in 1905, he

Jairam Ramesh moves SC against ex post facto environmental clearances

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said he has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging ex post facto environmental clearances, asserting that they are bad in law, detrimental to public health and make a mockery of governance. In a post on X, Ramesh said, "Encouraged by the Supreme Court's review on December 29th 2025 of an earlier verdict on the redefinition of the Aravallis, I have just filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging ex post facto environmental clearances." "Retrospective environmental clearances are bad in law, are detrimental to public health, and make a mockery of governance," the former environment minister said. Ramesh said they give an easy way out to those who are actually wilful defaulters. Ignorance of the law cannot be an excuse for violating it, he added. Last month, the Congress general secretary had urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of three "urgent" environmental matters. In a post on X, Ramesh referred to the apex

Congress launches 45-day nationwide MGNREGA Bachao Sangram campaign

The Congress on Saturday launched its 45-day nationwide campaign -- MGNREGA Bachao Sangram -- against the repeal of the UPA-era rural employment law by holding press conferences at every district. The opposition party's agitation demanding the withdrawal of the VB-G RAM G Act and restoration of MGNREGA as a rights-based law in its original form, the right to work, and the authority of panchayats, will continue till February 25. Press conferences were held at all district headquarters on Saturday, highlighting the manner in which MGNREGA was repealed and replaced by the VB-G RAM G Act in the Winter Session of Parliament. This will be followed by a day-long fast and symbolic protests at the district headquarters on January 11. "Today, the Indian National Congress is launching the MGNREGA Bachao Sangram with a press conference at each of the District Congress Committee offices across the country. "The Congress is committed to seeing this struggle through until we secure the restorati

Congress claims govt plans to ease curbs on Chinese firms, seeks PM's reply

The Congress on Friday cited a media report to claim that the Modi government is now proposing to lift five-?year-old curbs on Chinese companies bidding for Indian government contracts and claimed that this is "nothing short of a calibrated capitulation" to Chinese aggression. The opposition party also demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must explain his government's sudden "U-?turns" on China policy during the forthcoming Budget session of Parliament. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared on X a media report which claimed that India's finance ministry plans to scrap five-year-old restrictions on Chinese firms bidding for government contracts. There was no immediate response from the government on the claims. "Eight months after China gave full military backing (and fronting) to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and was described by Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Rahul R Singh as one of India's 'adversaries', the Modi government is now .

Jairam Ramesh questions environment minister over Aravalli redefinition

Jairam Ramesh, in a letter to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, asked if the redefinition would result in the loss of several small hillocks and undermine the geographical integrity

Jairam Ramesh accuses Centre of misleading public on Aravalli Hills

"Why is the Modi Govt pushing through a fatally flawed redefinition of the Aravallis?" Ramesh asked in his tweet

Congress questions Modi govt's move to redefine Aravalli mountain range

The Aravallis are the country's natural heritage and have great ecological value, the Congress on Tuesday said, as it wondered why the Modi government was "hell-bent" on redefining the mountain range and for whose benefit. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the recent "clarifications" on the ancient mountain range given by the Environment and Forest Minister raise more questions. "Aravallis are part of our natural heritage and have great ecological value. They need substantial restoration and meaningful protection. Why is the Modi Government hellbent on redefining them? To what end? For whose benefit? "And why are the recommendations of a professional organisation like the Forest Survey of India being deliberately ignored and set aside?" he asked. Ramesh also said, "The very recent 'clarifications' given by the Union Minister of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change on the Aravallis issue raise even more questions and doubts." The Congress leader, who

Congress announces public agitation campaign to repeal abolition of MGNREGA

On Sunday, Jairam Ramesh said MGNREGA's core character has been altered and announced that the Congress Working Committee on December 27 will finalise a nationwide action plan

PM suffering from 'acronym-itis': Congress after passage of G RAM G Bill

A day after Parliament passed the VB-G RAM G Bill that seeks to replace the 20-year-old MGNREGA, the Congress on Friday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he is suffering from a "case of acute acronym-itis". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posted on X a cartoon representation on X which read: "All new A.C.R.O.N.Y.M MANTRALAYA - Administrative Commission for Renaming Old Schemes -- New Yet Meaningless". "The PM is suffering from a case of acute acronym-itis," Ramesh said in his post accompanying the cartoon. His dig came a day after the passage of two bills in Parliament with catchy acronyms -- Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill and the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill. The VB-G RAM G Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote, hours after the Lok Sabha cleared it on Thursday, amid strong protests by the opposition

Congress takes swipe at PM as India left out of US-led 'Pax Silica' group

The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group". Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC". In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, ...

Cong cites Rajmohan Gandhi's remark against 'vote chori' charge on Nehru

The Congress on Friday termed as a "blatant lie" Home Minister Amit Shah's "vote chori" charge against Jawaharlal Nehru as he cited eminent historian-author Rajmohan Gandhi's comments that people were very happy with Nehru becoming the prime minister and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel himself was in favour of it. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared on X a video clip of Rajmohan Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, in which he clarifies that the Pradesh Congress Committee's had batted for Patel to be the Congress president in 1946 and there was no question of prime ministership at the time. "The eminent historian-author and ex-MP Rajmohan Gandhi exposes one blatant lie told by the Union Home Minister in the Lok Sabha," Ramesh said on X. Rajmohan's paternal grandfather was the Mahatma while his maternal grandfather was C. Rajagopalachari, Nehru pointed out and shared the over 13-minute clip of Rajmohan Gandhi. "Thousands of people who went in jail fo

PM & brigade bruised, exposed for their lies: Cong on Vande Mataram debate

After both Houses held a debate on 150 years of Vande Mataram, the Congress on Thursday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "his entire brigade" have been thoroughly "bruised and exposed for their lies". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh noted that the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha debated Vande Mataram for three days. The national anthem also figured in some speeches, he said in a post on X. "It is clear that the PM and his entire brigade have NOT read the two definitive and authoritative books on the national song and the national anthem - written by two of India's finest historians, in the true sense of that term," Ramesh said and shared the screenshot of the cover pages of Rudrangshu Mukherjee's 'Song of India: A Study of the National Anthem' and Sabyasachi Bhattacharya's Vande Materam. "It is too much to expect that they would do so even after being thoroughly bruised and exposed for their lies," the Congress leader said. Earlier, Ramesh

India-Russia ties stem from 1955 Indo-Soviet partnership: Congress

Ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India, the Congress on Thursday recalled Soviet leaders Nikolai Bulganin and Nikita Khrushchev's tour of India and said the India-Russia ties are the direct outcome and continuation of the Indo-Soviet partnership cemented for the first time in late half of 1955. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh noted that the 23rd annual summit between the President of Russia and the Prime Minister of India in the last 26 years begins today. "These ties go back even longer.Exactly 70 years ago the top two leaders of the USSR came to India. Nikolai Bulganin and Nikita Khrushchev were here for an extraordinary 19 days: from November 18 to 30, 1955, and again from Dec 7 to 14, 1955. This followed Jawaharlal Nehru's journey to the USSR six months earlier," Ramesh said. The Bulganin-Khrushchev visit established the foundations of close Indo-Soviet collaboration of which the Bhilai Steel Plant and IIT Bombay were only tw

Jairam Ramesh calls India's 8.2% GDP growth 'ironic' after IMF criticism

Earlier on Friday, as per the NSO data, India's real GDP was estimated to have grown by 8.2 per cent in the July-September quarter of the current financial year 2025-26

Will PM Modi take up South Africa's cause with 'good friend' Trump: Cong

With US President Donald Trump announcing that he is barring South Africa from participating in next year's G20 summit in Miami, the Congress on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the "self-proclaimed champion" of both Africa and the Global South and asked whether he will take up South Africa's cause with his "good friend". Trump said Wednesday that he is barring South Africa from participating in the Group of 20 summit next year in Miami and will "stop all payments and subsidies" to the country over its treatment of a US government representative at this year's global meeting. Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said South Africa has been in the G20 from the very beginning simply because it is the largest economy measured by size of GDP in the African continent. "It is not there because the US is doing it some favour. It was very much present at the very first G20 Summit held in Washington DC that was chaired by ..