Page 21 - Jairam Ramesh

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No right to insult new Parliament: BJP hits back at Congress' Jairam Ramesh

"The new Parliament building is made in India in the true sense...You have no right to insult the Parliament by saying all this...I condemn this statement on behalf of the party," Prasad said

Delimitation poor excuse for postponement of women's quota Bill: Jairam

Congress General Secretary in charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh said the delimitation exercise and caste census "poor excuses for the postponement" of the Women's Reservation Bill

Women's reservation: What major political leaders have said on the Bill

Since the 1990s, governments have tried to push through legislation to provide reservation to women in the Parliament and state Assemblies

'It is ours', says Congress' Sonia Gandhi on Women's reservation bill

The Congress' parliamentary party chief Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said the women's reservation bill "is ours", amid speculation that the bill may be tabled in Parliament. The Congress on Monday said it welcomed the reported move as the party has been raising the demand for long. Asked about the bill when she was entering Parliament on Tuesday, Gandhi said, "It is ours, apna hai." In a post on 'X' a day back, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "We welcome the reported decision of the Union Cabinet and await the details of the Bill." "This could have very well been discussed in the all-party meeting before the Special Session, and consensus could have been built instead of operating under a veil of secrecy," he said. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said if the government introduces the women's reservation bill on Tuesday, it will be a "victory for the Congress and its allies in the UPA government". It was during the UPA government that the bill was passed in the Rajy

Parl panels reconstituted; Rahul remains member of Committee on Defence

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was reinstated as an MP after losing his membership of the Lok Sabha following his conviction in a criminal defamation case, remains a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence while fellow party colleague and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh continues as the chairperson of the Committee on Science & Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change, a month after hinting at resignation. A Lok Sabha bulletin on the members of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee was released on Saturday, two days ahead of the Special Session of Parliament from September 18 to 22.The newly formed department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee came into effect from September 13.According to the bulletin, the chairs of six major parliamentary committees - Home, IT, Defence, External Affairs, Finance and Health - are all with the BJP or its allies.Meanwhile, from the opposition, Abhishek Manu Singhvi of the Congress has been ...

Adani scam exposed role of tax havens in hiding regulatory violations: Cong

The Congress on Thursday alleged that the "Adani scam" has exposed the role tax havens play in hiding large-scale violation of Indian laws, and said the issue should have discussed at the recent G20 Summit. It also said that if a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe is ordered into the allegations against the Adani Group, it will have to make sure that any loopholes for round-tripping and money-laundering are effectively shut. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the rise in Indian outward direct investment in the past 25 years has been a sign of deepening globalisation. "However, it is disturbing that offshore tax havens like Bermuda, Jersey and Cyprus rank among the top 10 destinations for Indian investment, according to the RBI," he said. This is in addition to Mauritius that has long been suspected as a preferred destination for Indian money-laundering and round-tripping, the Congress leader noted. "The Adani MegaScam has exposed the critical role

'One man, one govt, one business group': Cong's swipe over Adani issue

The Congress on Saturday attacked the government over the Adani issue, saying the G20 theme is 'One Earth, One Family, One Future' but Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to actually believe in "One Man, One Government, One Business Group". The Congress has been questioning the financial dealings of billionaire Gautam Adani's group after US research firm Hindenburg alleged "irregularities" and charged it with stock price manipulation. The Adani Group has denied all the allegations made in the Hindenburg report and claimed there had been no wrongdoing on its part. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a statement that as the 2023 G20 Summit begins in Delhi, it is worth recalling Modi's many exhortations at previous meetings of the grouping for the international community to crack down on corruption and money laundering. At the 2014 Brisbane G20 meeting, the prime minister called for global cooperation "to eliminate safe havens for economic offenders", to "track down and ...

Biden's team says India has not allowed media questions after meet: Cong

The Congress on Friday alleged that US President Joe Biden's team has said that despite multiple requests India has not allowed media to ask questions of him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi after their bilateral meeting here. President Biden is in Delhi to attend the G20 Summit on September 9 and 10. "President Biden's team says despite multiple requests India has not allowed media to ask questions of him and Prime Minister Modi after their bilateral meeting," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on X. "President Biden will now take questions in Vietnam on Sept 11th from the media accompanying him. Not surprising at all. This is how democracy is done Modi-style," Ramesh said. Soon after his arrival this evening, Biden held a bilateral meeting with PM Modi at his residence. Biden and many other dignitaries from across the world are in New Delhi for the G20 Summit. India currently holds the presidency of G20.

Unprecedented failure of Modi govt not to come out with Census: Congress

The Congress slammed the Narendra Modi government on Friday for its failure to conduct the decadal Census due in 2021 and said as many as 14 crore Indians would be excluded from their food entitlements because of this. In a statement, Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh dubbed the Modi government as "inept and incompetent", and said not conducting the Census is an unprecedented failure in the history of the country. Ramesh said even other developing countries in the G20 bloc, such as Indonesia, Brazil and South Africa, have conducted their Census despite COVID-19. The Congress demanded that the BJP-led Centre stop denying 14 crore Indians their basic rights under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and increase the beneficiary quota until the Census is carried out. It also sought the conduct of an updated national caste census and said efforts to oppose a state-level caste census should stop. "The start of the 18th G20 summit with India's rotational preside

IIT-Mandi director Behera not fit to hold the position: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday said IIT-Mandi Director Laxmidhar Behera is not fit to hold the position after he purportedly claimed that cloudbursts and landslides in Himachal Pradesh are happening because people eat meat. Sharing a news report on the statement made by Behera, Ramesh said on X that the longer he stays in office "more the damage he will do to the spirit of scientific temper". "The PM spoke of plastic surgery being known to our ancestors. He also told children climate has not changed, while we have. A senior Minister confused Newton and Einstein while another justified excluding Darwin from textbooks. "Now, this simply flabbergasting statement from the Director of a prestigious institution!!! He actually has shown he is not fit to hold the position. The longer he stays, more the damage he will do to the spirit of scientific temper," Ramesh posted. Science and spirituality is one thing, but science and crackpot theories that are put out by people in positi

Pralhad Joshi accuses Ramesh of twisting facts on constitutional provisions

Union minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday accused senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh of twisting facts about constitutional provisions and parliamentary procedures related to Parliament sessions. It is crucial to stop the spread of misinformation that scandalises Parliament and its procedures, the parliamentary affairs minister said in a rejoinder to Ramesh who had accused him of being "misleading" in his reply to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's letter to the prime minister. The Congress has been targeting the government for not disclosing the agenda of the five-day special session starting from September 18. Ramesh had claimed the agenda of every special session in the past was well known in advance and alleged that it was only the Modi government that "distorts" parliamentary conventions. Seeking to set the record straight, Joshi accused him of "falsely claiming" that the historic function in Parliament's Central Hall on June 30, 2017 for the GST roll out, was a Parliament ...

Bharat Jodo Yatra was opportunity to listen to Janta ki Chinta: Jairam

On the first anniversary of the launch of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Congress on Thursday said it was not a "Mann ki Baat" lecturing exercise for Rahul Gandhi but an opportunity to listen to "Janta ki Chinta" and it continues in different forms. Describing the yatra as a transformative event in Indian politics, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it focused on "rising economic inequalities, increasing social polarisation and deepening political authoritarianism". In a post on X, he said today marks the first anniversary of the launch of the historic Kanyakumari to Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi. "It (yatra) was not a Mann ki Baat lecturing exercise for Rahul Gandhi but an opportunity to listen to Janta ki Chinta (concerns of the people)," Ramesh said. On this day in 2022, the Congress launched the yatra in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, the southern tip of the country. Ramesh said that "after paying tributes to his father at Sriperumbudur, he (Rahul Gandhi) .

What matters more is intent: Cong's Jairam Ramesh ahead of G20 summit

"The Modani saga reveal that six out of eight funds-that had links to Adani group and that were allegedly moving money and manipulating stock price on its behalf-have been shut down," he said

'President of Bharat': Congress slams Centre over President's dinner invite

The G20 dinner invites sent in the name of "President of Bharat" instead of "President of India" sparks controversy

Cong hails Aditya-L1, shares timeline to understand continuity in Isro saga

The Congress on Saturday hailed the launch of Aditya-L1 as a "stupendous achievement" for India, as it shared a timeline of the mission from its conceptualisation for understanding of the "continuity in the ISRO saga". The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Saturday launched the country's ambitious solar mission Aditya L1, eyeing history again after its successful lunar expedition, Chandrayan-3, a few days ago. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Today's launch of Aditya-L1 is another stupendous achievement of ISRO and for India!" "While saluting ISRO once again, it is worthwhile recalling the recent timeline for Aditya-L1 to understand the continuity in the ISRO saga," he said. Ramesh stated that in 2006 scientists with the Astronomical Society of India and the Indian Academy of Sciences proposed the concept of a solar observatory with a single instrument. In March 2008, scientists shared the proposal with ISRO, he said. "December 2009: ISRO

Congress' Jairam Ramesh takes dig at PM's Rozgar Mela, terms it 'gimmick'

The Congress on Monday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the alleged lack of employment opportunities, saying he is holding Rozgar Melas as he is feeling the "heat of an election year" and to save his image. Addressing a Rozgar Mela this morning, Modi distributed over 51,000 appointment letters to the youth, mostly in the security forces. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh termed the Rozgar Melas as the "biggest jumlas"(rhetoric) and said the prime minister has "failed" to fulfil his promise of creating two crore jobs per year. "After destroying the MSME sector with demonetisation, a badly designed GST and an ill-planned sudden lockdown. After betraying the hope of aspirational youth for more than 9 years, the Prime Minister is feeling the heat in an election year.To save his flailing image, he has come up with one of the biggest jumlas the PM Rozgar Mela," he said on X. Ramesh claimed that the "jobs are already sanctioned posts that have not been filled up for ye

Cong slams those unable to digest contribution of Nehru in setting up Isro

The Congress has hit out at those "unable to digest the contribution" of Jawaharlal Nehru that led to the setting up of ISRO and asserted that the India's first prime minister used to encourage the scientific approach. The Congress and the BJP have been engaged in a war of words over Nehru and other Congress prime ministers' contribution to India's space programme with the opposition party highlighting its leaders' efforts while the ruling party asserts that major strides have been made in this sector post 2014. In a post on X on Sunday, Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said, "Nehru used to promote scientific approach. Those who are unable to digest his contribution in the setting up of ISRO should listen to his speech on the foundation day of TIFR (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research)." Ramesh also shared a video from Nehru's speech at the event. "Unlike the person who gave knowledge about the science of clouds providing a shield from radar, he (Nehru)

Isro's achievement reflects saga of continuity in fantastic way: Jairam

"Isro's achievement today reflects a saga of continuity in a truly fantastic way...Isro's accomplishments have always been anchored in self-reliance," Jairam Ramesh said

Modi govt focused on 'benefitting crony capitalists', alleges Congress

The Congress on Tuesday slammed the Centre over the "skyrocketing" prices of essential commodities, alleging the government's entire focus was only on "saving the image" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "benefiting its crony capitalist friends". Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said inflation is skyrocketing due to the "anti-people policies" of the Modi government. "The prices of all essential commodities including vegetables, flour, rice, pulses are increasing continuously. The 'thali' has become costlier by 28 per cent in one-and-a-half months," Ramesh said in a post on X and shared a media report which claimed that the price of the 'thali' has gone up by 28 per cent and daily kitchen expense by up to Rs 100. On one hand inflation is increasing, on the other hand farmers are not getting the right price for their produce, Ramesh claimed. "The promise of MSP has not been fulfilled till date. Farmers are forced to sell grains at low prices, but as soon as agricultural ...