Page 12 - Jairam Ramesh

Naidu taken for right royal ride: Congress on Budget allocation to Andhra

The Congress on Tuesday took a swipe at TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, saying he quit the NDA in 2018 due to the Centre's failure to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh and six years later when the government is reliant on his MPs, all he has managed to get is a "special financial support" for Amaravati. The government on Tuesday announced a series of measures for Andhra Pradesh, including arranging Rs 15,000 crore this fiscal and in future years for the development of the capital city of the state. Presenting Union Budget 2024-25, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will also facilitate special financial support for the development of the capital city. Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "In 2018, Chandrababu Naidu garu quit the NDA because of the non-biological PM's failure to grant Andhra Pradesh Special Category Status. "Six years after the drama, at a time when the Government is ..

Budget 2024: 'FM taking ideas from Congress manifesto', says Jairam Ramesh

Union Budget 2024: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the Finance Minister has taken a leaf out of the INC's Nyay Patra 2024, with its internship programme. Here's how the Opposition reacted

Explained: What was the RSS ban on govt servants; lifted after 58 years

Narendra Modi-led central government on July 9 passed an order lifting a ban imposed by then Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Patel, following Mahatma Gandhi's assassination

Nation's air pollution crisis result of policy failure: Congress slams govt

Accusing the Modi government of "poor policy-making" in dealing with air pollution, the Congress on Sunday demanded that the forthcoming Union Budget must provide a path forward to resourcing and equipping India's local bodies, state governments, and the Centre in tackling this "grave public health crisis". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said earlier this month, a study revealed that 7.2 per cent of all deaths in India are associated with air pollution -- about 34,000 deaths each year in just 10 cities. A new study by the Centre for Science and Environment in Delhi has evaluated the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) and brought to light the policy chaos that has resulted in this public health crisis, he said in a statement. "The current budget of the NCAP, including the 15th Finance Commission's grants, is about Rs 10,500 crore -- spread across 131 cities! The programme is therefore desperately underfunded -- and yet, and of this meagre amount, onl

Move to reduce govt stake in PSB to less than 51% will be resisted: Cong

The Congress on Friday said any move to bring down the Union government's stake in 12 public sector banks to less than 51 per cent would continue to be resisted forcefully both in Parliament and outside. The party asserted that the mergers in the public sector banking industry in the last seven years have been broadly accepted only because the Union government's share was not to be reduced to below 51 per cent. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh recalled that on this day 55 years ago, then prime minister Indira Gandhi had moved decisively to nationalise 14 banks and opened a whole new chapter in India's economic history. "I have described the background to this momentous event based on archival material in my 'Intertwined Lives: PN Haksar and Indira Gandhi'. DN Ghosh who played a key role along with Haksar has also left a detailed account of it in his very valuable memoir 'No Regrets'," he said. IG Patel was the special secretary in the finance minist

Jairam Ramesh seeks breach of privilege proceedings against PM Modi

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has sought breach of privilege proceedings against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Rajya Sabha for allegedly making "derogatory" remarks against former chairman of the Upper House Hamid Ansari. In his letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, Ramesh also alleged that no prime minister has ever attacked a former speaker of Lok Sabha or chairman of Rajya Sabha in the manner in which Modi has done. "I wish to bring to your notice a serious incident of breach of privilege and contempt of the House on the part of the Prime Minister of India. On July 2, 2024, prime minister while replying to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in Lok Sabha inter alia stated: 'No matter how many numbers they claim, when we came in 2014, our strength in the Rajya Sabha was very low, and the Chair's inclination was somewhat on the other side'," the Congress leader said. Notwithstanding the fact that the prime minister did not specifically too

Will Congress tie up with AAP for Delhi polls? Jairam Ramesh answers

Jharkhand, Haryana, and Maharashtra are slated to go to the polls later this year, while Assembly elections in Delhi will be held early next year

PM Modi goes to Moscow while Rahul heads for Assam, Manipur, says Cong

The Congress on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying while it will be Rahul Gandhi's third visit to Manipur since violence broke out in May last year, the PM has neither found the time nor even had the inclination to visit the state for even a few hours. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Today, the non-biological PM goes to Moscow while the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha heads for Assam and Manipur." "Of course, the drumbeaters of the non-biological PM have claimed that he stopped the Russia-Ukraine war for some time. Presumably, this Moscow trip will lead to even more bizarre claims," he said. This is Rahul Gandhi's third visit to Manipur ever since the "state blew up" fourteen months ago, Ramesh said. "The non-biological PM has not found the time nor even had the inclination to visit Manipur even for a few hours after the grave crisis erupted on May 3rd, 2023, " he said. "He (Modi) has not even met the CM of the state - who happens to be

'Centre sabotaging education': Cong slams govt over delay in Class 6 books

The Congress on Friday slammed the Centre over the delay in publishing new Class 6 textbooks, alleging the Education Ministry is "sabotaging" the education of children. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh hit out at the government over the issue, saying that either the "rot runs deep", or the incompetence scales new heights everyday. In a post on X, he said, "After sabotaging the examination process through the incompetent National Testing Authority, the non-biological PM's Education Ministry is sabotaging the education of our children." "Even as the school year has begun, the NCERT - the National (read Nagpur) Council of Educational Research and Training - has failed to publish new textbooks for Science, Mathematics, and Social Sciences for Class 6 students," Ramesh said. The textbooks themselves have not been finalised by the National Syllabus and Teaching Learning Material Committee (NSTC), he said. Ramesh pointed out that printing will take another 10 to 15 days. Officia

PM Modi breaks silence on Manipur: 'Leave behind politics, restore peace'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes his first remarks on Manipur in Rajya Sabha today, assures Parliament of decline in violence and schools reopening

PM's aura diminished; his govt on its last legs, can fall anytime: Cong

The Congress on Wednesday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's legitimacy has been diminished to "one-third" and his government is on its "last legs" and can fall anytime. The opposition party's assertion came over Prime Minister Modi's remarks in the Rajya Sabha that since the results came out, one Congress leader kept on beating the drum that there is a "one-third government" in place. "What can be a bigger truth than this that we have completed 10 years, 20 more are left. One-third is done, two-thirds are still left and so we are very happy for this prediction," Modi said in his reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address to the joint sitting of Parliament. Modi's remarks were an apparent dig at Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who has been referring to the PM as 'one-third PM'. Reacting to the remarks, Congress general secretary Ramesh said, "As always, the 'one-third' Pradhan Mantri is distorting. The label of 'ek tihai (one-third)' does not ref

Congress targets PM over 'Adani group taking Chinese help in solar project'

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a news report that the Adani Group has "selected eight Chinese companies to help" its solar manufacturing project and called for a strategy "to wean India of its dependence on China". He said it has to be ensured that the taxpayers' money does not benefit Chinese companies. In a post on 'X', Ramesh said, "The non-biological Prime Minister infamously told the nation on June 19, 2020, after the Galwan clashes that 'Na koi hamari seema mein ghus aaya hai, na hi koi ghusa hua hai (Neither has anyone entered our borders, nor has anyone occupied territories)'." "However, he shows no hesitation in liberally issuing visas to Chinese workers to help one of his 'tempowallah' buddies," he said in the post on 'X' while tagging with it a newspaper report about Adani Solar seeking Centre's nod to bring a few engineers from China. Ramesh's "tempowallah buddies" jibe is in reference to PM Modi's attack on Rahul ..

Time for proper strategy to decrease dependence on China: Jairam Ramesh

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that the conglomerate company has reportedly selected eight Chinese companies to help its solar projects

It's Jairam Ramesh's view, not Congress: Sam Pitroda on 'assurance' remark

Sam Pitroda, who was reinstated as Indian Overseas Congress chief on Wednesday (June 26), clarifies his comments, distinguishes between personal and party views amidst controversy

Captive elephant transfer rules 2024 leave gaps for misuse: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday wrote to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, expressing concern that the Captive Elephant (Transport or Transfer) Rules 2024 notified in March do not effectively prevent the wild capture and commercial trade of elephants. In his letter, Ramesh said the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2022, allowed the non-commercial transfer of elephants for "any other purpose" but failed to clarify what this phrase means, leaving room for misuse. "This is no way to treat India's national heritage animal, declared thus in 2010," Ramesh wrote on X and urged Yadav to reconsider the Rules in light of these concerns and those raised by various animal welfare organisations. Ramesh reminded Yadav that during his speech on the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2022, he had objected to the non-commercial transfer of elephants "for any other purpose". He said this was contrary to the recommendation of the Standing Committee that examined the Bill in

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 ...

Defer implementation of three new criminal laws, says Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday demanded that the enforcement of the three criminal laws, which are to come into force from July 1, be deferred, saying the Bills were "bulldozed" through Parliament. In a post on X, Ramesh said the implementation of the Bills be deferred to enable a thorough review and re-examination by a reconstituted Standing Committee on Home Affairs as they were passed at a time when 146 MPs had been suspended. "On Dec 25 2023, the President of India had given her assent to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023,the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023. The three far-reaching Bills had been bulldozed through Parliament without proper debate and discussion, and at a time when 146 MPs had been suspended from the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha," Ramesh said. "Earlier the Bills had been bulldozed through the Standing Committee on Home Affairs without detailed interactions with stakeholders across the country and ...

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.

Modi govt cannot conduct exams without leaks, frauds, alleges Congress

Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the cancellation of the UGC-NET exam, the Congress on Thursday said every year he conducts a "grand tamasha" of what he calls 'Pareeksha pe Charcha' and yet his government cannot even conduct an examination without leaks and frauds. The opposition party also asked the prime minister if he would "leak pe speak". The Union Education Ministry late on Wednesday night ordered cancellation of UGC-NET following inputs of the exam's integrity being compromised. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said every year the PM conducts a "grand tamasha of what he calls 'Pareeksha pe Charcha'." "Yet, his government cannot even conduct an examination without leaks and frauds," he added. Ramesh said the NEET UG 2024 Examination faces very serious questions that even the Education Minister has been forced to acknowledge. The integrity of the National Testing Agency (NTA) is under severe doubt, he said. Now the UGC-NET conducted just the day bef

People gave vote of no-confidence in him: Cong before Modi's Varanasi visit

On a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses his first event in Varanasi after the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress Tuesday said the people of his constituency gave a vote of no-confidence in him as he barely managed to edge past his Congress rival after trailing in multiple rounds of counting. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also posed a set of nine questions to the prime minister on issues concerning his constituency and asked why they have not been addressed. Ramesh asked the PM why river Ganga is "dirtier than before" even after spending Rs 20,000 crore on the Namami Gange project. He also asked why the nomination papers of 33 candidates were rejected in the Varanasi constituency during Lok Sabha polls. "The 'one-third' Pradhan Mantri is visiting Varanasi again, a few weeks after he barely eked out a victory after trailing @kashikirai for multiple rounds of counting. It was a vote of no confidence in him by the people of Varanasi. Here are 9 Varanasi-centric Questions