Page 11 - Jairam Ramesh

Congress alleges delay in vote count updates as BJP surges in Haryana polls

Congress leaders highlighted the discrepancies between the rounds of votes counted and the data broadcast by news channels, which was based on Election Commission figures

Why is PM Modi delaying Census that must include caste count: Jairam Ramesh

The Congress on Monday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the "delay" in the Census and asserted that it is only through a caste count that full and meaningful social, economic, and political justice can be ensured in education and employment. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said that in the midst of its political transition and economic turmoil, Sri Lanka has just announced that its latest Population and Housing Census - last done in 2012 - will begin Monday. "What about India? The decennial Census was due in 2021. There is still no sign of it happening," Ramesh said in a post on X. Over 10 crore Indians are being denied benefits under the National Food Security Act, 2013 or the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana because still the 2011 Census enumeration is being used, he said. And what about integrating questions on caste in the census, as is being demanded by Congress and all other political parties, he asked. "Detailed enumeration of Schedu

Claims on economy conceal choke points that will strangulate growth: Cong

Asserting that the last 10 years have seen "highly detrimental economic trends", the Congress on Sunday said the monsoon has receded but at least "three dark clouds" of languishing private sector investment, stagnating manufacturing and decline in real wages and productivity for labourers, still loom over the Indian economy. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said bombastic claims on the economy are being made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his drumbeaters but what these claims conceal are the choke points that will strangulate growth in the years to come if not taken seriously now, in a spirit of humility. "The monsoon has receded. But new evidence has shown that at least three dark clouds still loom over the Indian economy," Ramesh said in a statement. "First, after a brief surge in private sector investment during 2022-23 on the back of the COVID-19 recovery, investment has returned to an unsteady path," he said. New project announcements by t

No 'spin-doctoring' can change fact that 2014-24 saw jobloss growth: Cong

The Congress on Monday dismissed as "half-truths" the government's assertions of creating eight crore employment opportunities between 2021 and 2024 and 6.2 crore net subscribers joining the EPFO database, and said no "spin-doctoring" can take away from the fact that 2014-24 has seen "jobloss growth". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said that amidst the "U-turns and scandals" that have marked the last few months of this "tottering" government, "the non-biological PM and his drum beaters have tried to find some solace in their economic record, claiming to have created eight crore employment opportunities between 2021 and 2024". "This claim initially emerged from the RBI KLEMS data, which we had earlier countered on July 15th, 2024. The Government's spin doctors have now mustered another statistic - that of 6.2 crore net subscribers joining the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) database between September 2017 and March 2024. Both claims are

Great Nicobar project recipe for ecological, humanitarian disaster: Ramesh

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday said the present design of the Great Nicobar Island infrastructure project "endangers ecology" in a "needlessly unacceptable manner". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh on X cited the views of former Chief of Navy Admiral Arun Prakash, who has stated that it is both desirable and possible to bolster security without harming ecology. Sharing a report on Prakash's remarks, Ramesh said on X, "These views on the very controversial Greater Nicobar Integrated Development Project expressed by a very distinguished former Chief of the Indian Navy, Admiral Arun Prakash, who has served in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands merits serious attention. His basic point is this: It is both desirable and possible to bolster security without harming ecology." "The present design of the project being pushed through by the non-biological PM endangers ecology in a needlessly unacceptable manner," Ramesh said. The Congress general .

Govt hell-bent on inflicting ecological disaster: Ramesh on Nicobar project

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has written to Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav over the Great Nicobar Island infrastructure project, alleging the high-powered panel tasked to revisit environmental clearances to the project was "biased" in its very composition and did not carry out any meaningful reassessment. Ramesh also expressed "grave concern" over expressions of interest being invited even as the National Green Tribunal deliberates on petitions before it. In his letter to Yadav, Ramesh also questioned the credibility, composition, and conclusions of a high-powered committee (HPC) tasked to revisit the environmental clearances granted to the Great Nicobar Island infrastructure project. "It is also a matter of grave concern that while the NGT deliberates on petitions before it, ANIIDCO has already invited expressions of interest that is a precursor for the clearing of around 65 square km of biodiversity-rich forests. I believe the Government of India is hell-bent on ...

Cong asks BJP about vision to ensure Haryana's farmers make decent living

The Congress claimed on Wednesday that Haryana's farmers have completely lost trust in the BJP and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spell out his party's vision for ensuring that the state's tillers can make a decent living. As Modi heads to Haryana to campaign for the Assembly polls, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posed three questions to the prime minister. Does the prime minister have any updates on the commitments he had made to the farmers after their protests against three agriculture laws that have since been repealed, Ramesh asked. "Haryana's farmers have completely lost trust in the BJP. When the farm protests were called off in 2021, farmers left after being reassured by the non-biological PM and his government that they would meet their demands," he said. However, over time, the Modi government's dialogue with farmers' organisations slowed down and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appointed a "biased committee" to deliberate

JP Nadda's response to Kharge's letter on Gandhi threats draw Congress' ire

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh described JP Nadda's reply to Mallikarjun Kharge's letter to PM Modi over 'threats' made against Rahul Gandhi as 'intemperate' and 'senseless'

If Manipur situation normal like Shah's claims, why hasn't PM visited: Cong

Hitting out at Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks on Manipur, the Congress on Tuesday asked if the situation there was as normal as he made it out to be why hasn't Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the state yet or met its political leaders. Addressing a press conference here, Shah said the government is talking to both the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur to ensure lasting peace and has begun fencing the country's border with Myanmar to check infiltration. Barring three days of violence last week, the overall situation in Manipur has been calm and the government has been working to restore peace in the restive Northeastern state, Shah said at the press conference on the achievements of 100 days of the Modi government 3.0. Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said, "If the situation in Manipur is as normal as the self-styled Chanakya has made it out to be today (and) if the chief minister of Manipur is doing as good a job as the self-styled Chanak

100 days of Modi 3.0: Cong says govt again 'failed to act' on unemployment

The Congress on Tuesday claimed that the first 100 days of Modi 3.0 was marked by a litany of U-turns and a series of scandals with the government yet again having "failed to act" on India's "mass unemployment crisis". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said "the non-biological PM and his drumbeating economists" have consistently attacked the idea of jobless growth but the reality of what has been seen since 2014 is perhaps even more stark -- "job-loss growth". "Yesterday marked a hundred days of this unstable, crisis-ridden Government. Amidst a litany of u-turns and a series of scandals, the government has yet again failed to act on India's mass unemployment crisis an issue which the Congress has been consistently sounding the alarm on for the past five years at least," he said in a statement. The crisis has been of the government's own making, caused by the decimation of job creating MSMEs through the "Tughlakian demonetisation", a hastily rushed ..

J&K became a bureaucratic fiefdom controlled by BJP-RSS cabal: Cong

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress on Saturday asked when will full statehood return to the union territory and alleged that the region has "become a bureaucratic fiefdom controlled by the BJP-RSS cabal". Prime Minister Modi addressed an election rally in the Doda district of Jammu region in support of BJP candidates. Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh noted that since the fall of the PDP-BJP government in 2018, Jammu and Kashmir has been administered by Modi government. Posing questions to the PM, Ramesh asked when will full statehood return to Jammu and Kashmir. He alleged that since 2018, the people of J&K have been denied any avenue to express their grievances. "The region has become a bureaucratic fiefdom controlled by the BJP-RSS cabal. While claiming to have ended special status for J&K, the government has in fact created an extra-special situation of a new and unique political system: one where ...

Adani's foreign forays can threaten national security vis-a-vis China: Cong

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh also alleged that 'the non biological PM's clean chit to China'

Congress criticises Adani's China venture, warns of national security risks

The Congress' criticism comes amid reports that the Adani Group has formed a subsidiary in China to carry out the business of providing supply chain solutions and project management services

Bharat Jodo Yatra was massive booster dose for Congress, says Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir was a "massive booster dose" for the party and heralded a change in the country's politics. "Today is the 2nd anniversary of the start of the truly transformational Kanyakumari to Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra. Over 200 Bharat Yatris led by Rahul Gandhi completed the 4000 km long yatra, overwhelmingly on foot, over a period of 145 days and covering 12 states and 2 UTs," Ramesh said. "This yatra led to unprecedented connectivity and collectivity and was a massive booster dose for the Indian National Congress. It heralded a change in the politics of our country as well," he said. It provided the impetus for the Manipur to Mumbai Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra during Jan-March 2024, Ramesh added. Rahul Gandhi launched the yatra from Kanyakumari on September 7, 2022. It culminated on January 30, 2023 as Gandhi capped his ambitious 145-day journey in Srinagar. During the course of the

Congress levels fresh conflict of interest charges against Sebi chief Buch

Levelling more conflict of interest allegations against SEBI Chairperson Madhabi Buch, the Congress on Friday claimed that she received rental income from an entity affiliated with a company that the capital markets regulator was investigating for various cases, including that of insider trading. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the question really had to be asked of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and no one else on how much more evidence was needed to show the collapse of transparency and integrity, as far as the capital markets regulator was concerned. "By the NSE's data, there are now 10 crore Indians with unique PANs who have some form of investment in this market. Don't they deserve better? Why does he not move? What is he afraid of?" Ramesh said in a post on X. The Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said that between 2018 and 2024, Buch -- as a whole-time member and later chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Boar

Rs 62k cr claims settled for just Rs 16k cr after Adani's takeover: Cong

The Congress on Wednesday cited data purportedly revealed by All India Bank Employees Association to allege that public sector banks that had claims of about Rs 62,000 crore from 10 financially-stressed companies were made to settle them for just Rs 16,000 crore after the Adani Group took over these firms. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared a screen shot of details purportedly shared by the Association which shows that 10 firms were given 'haircuts' ranging from 96 per cent to 42 per cent as they were purchased by the Adani Group. "The All India Bank Employees Association has revealed, through publicly available data, how public sector banks that had claims of about Rs 62,000 crore from 10 financially stressed companies have been made to settle for just Rs 16,000 crore after the non-biological PM's favourite business group took over these 10 companies," Ramesh said. "In the colourful language of finance, this is a 74 per cent 'haircut' taken by the banks," Ramesh ...

Will PM Modi hijack another Cong guarantee and conduct caste census: Jairam

A day after the RSS' comments on caste census, the Congress on Tuesday wondered whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would "hijack" another of its guarantee and conduct the caste census now with the Sangh having "given the green signal". The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Monday said it has no objection to collecting data on specific communities or castes, provided that the information is used for their welfare and not exploited as a political tool for electoral gains. Reacting to the remarks, Congress' general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said RSS's preaching on caste census raises some basic questions such as - does it have a veto power over caste census. "Who is the RSS to give permission for caste census? What does the RSS mean when it says caste census should not be misused for electioneering? Is it to be a judge or umpire?" Ramesh said in a post in Hindi on X. Why has RSS maintained a "mysterious silence" on the need for a constitutional amendment to

Govt defends Great Nicobar project amid criticism, cites national interest

The project could also effect a potential genocide of the Shompen tribe, Ramesh had alleged, echoing concerns of various activists over the past year

Proverbial ostrich: Cong slams govt over unprecedented decline in wages

The Congress on Sunday claimed that a combination of slow wage growth and "back-breaking" inflation has caused an unprecedented decline in real wages and said that like the "proverbial ostrich", the government continues to remain blind to the most fundamental challenge faced by the Indian economy. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said a new report by a noted brokerage firm has once again shed light on the truth that the Union Government has consistently denied - real household incomes in India are facing a persistent decline. "A combination of slow wage growth and back-breaking inflation has caused an unprecedented decline in real wages (wages adjusted for price rise) and therefore incomes," he said in a statement. Ramesh pointed out that several surveys and data sets - including the Annual Survey of Unregistered Enterprises (ASUSE), the Reserve Bank of India's KLEMS data, and the Household Consumer Expenditure Survey (HCES) - have demonstrated ...

Bhupender Yadav responds to Jairam's concerns over Great Nicobar project

Yadav noted that despite the diversion of forest land for the project, 82 per cent of the Great Nicobar area remains under protected forests