Page 21 - Jairam Ramesh

Latest LIVE updates: Strong earthquake tremors felt across Delhi-NCR

Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

Modi govt tried to 'weaken' 2010 Act meant for protecting monuments: Cong

The Congress on Sunday claimed the Modi government has tried to "weaken" a 2010 law meant for the protection of monuments and archaeological sites and that its determined resistance along with that of other parties has prevented this from happening so far. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared a media report on X on the National Monuments Authority (NMA) having released draft heritage bylaws for one more centrally protected monument in Bihar - the supposed site of the Palace of Asoka located in the state capital- for conservation and periphery development. He hailed it as great news. In his post, Ramesh said, "The National Monuments Authority (NMA) was set up soon after Parliament passed the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act in March 2010." This was a huge step forward for the protection of "our cultural heritage that is under constant threat", he said. The NMA has so far laid in both Houses of Parliament a total of eigh

Cong cites news on Adani's auditor, says something truly rotten in group

The Congress on Thursday cited a media report that one of the Adani Group's longtime auditors is being scrutinised by India's accounting regulator to allege that "something is truly rotten" in the conglomerate. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh's attack on the Adani Group came after a media report claimed that the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) has in recent weeks started an inquiry into one of the member firms of EY in India, S R Batliboi. In his post on X, Ramesh said, "In May 2023, a little-known statutory auditor of Adani Total Gas Ltd resigned. In August 2023, another statutory auditor this time an internationally known firm resigned after flagging concerns on financial transactions of Adani Ports." In October 2023, comes news of a third statutory auditor also a big name in the profession of five listed Adani Group companies being itself investigated by the National Financial Reporting Authority, Ramesh said. "Something is truly rotten in Modi's ...

Ultra-rich, middle-class gap widening: Congress on income inequality

The Congress on Monday charged that the gap between the ultra-rich and the middle class in the country is widening under the Modi government. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said an analysis of the publicly available data on income tax returns for the period 2013-14 to 2021-22 confirms one of the essential themes of the Bharat Jodo Yatra that of increasing income inequality. "The widening gap between the ultra-rich and the middle class under the Modi government is more and more apparent," he said in a post on X. "Here's the proof: The top 1 percent of income tax payers made 17 percent of all income in 2013-14. By 2021-22, the top 1 percent made 23 percent of all income. "Further, the income growth of the ultra-rich was much faster than for the middle class. The top 1 percent of income tax payers saw their income grow at 13 percent year-on-year from 2013-14 to 2021-22 a massive 60 percent faster than the income of the lowest 25 percent of tax payers," the Congress leader

Congress to EC: Book Amit Shah for 'provocative' comments in Chhattisgarh

Amit Shah accused the Bhupesh Baghel government of lynching Bhuneshwar Sahu for 'appeasement and vote bank politics' during a rally in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh

Govt making 'cheap attempt' of using Army for its publicity: Congress

The Congress on Monday accused the government of making a "cheap attempt" of using the Army for its political publicity and sought President Droupadi Murmu's immediate intervention in the matter. The party's remarks come in the wake of claims made in a media report that the Army would help publicise government schemes across the country. Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh said the Army belongs to all and has never been made a part of the country's internal politics. "After facing failure on inflation, unemployment and all other fronts during the last nine and a half years, the Modi government is now making a very cheap attempt to get its political publicity from the army. This attempt to politicise the army is a very dangerous step," he said in a post in Hindi on X. "We request President Droupadi Murmu ji, the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, to intervene in this matter and direct the Modi government to immediately withdraw this wrong step," the

Hope SC will soon pronounce verdict on money bill issue: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh Thursday expressed hope that the Supreme Court will soon pronounce a verdict on his pleas challenging the "unconstitutional manner" in which the government passed key legislations by declaring them money bills and said it will have far-reaching implications on Parliament's functioning. Ramesh's remarks came after last week the Supreme Court said it will constitute a seven-judge bench to consider the issue of the validity of passage of laws like the Aadhaar Act as a money bill. In a post on X, Ramesh said, "Finally, the Supreme Court has set up a seven-judge bench, headed by the CJI (Chief Justice of India) himself, to hear my petitions challenging the unconstitutional manner in which the (Narendra) Modi government has passed key bills by getting them declared as Money Bills." "I have repeatedly raised this issue in the Parliament and outside it through three petitions in the Supreme Court first one filed on April 6th, 2016, as it denies the Rajya Sabh

Cong attacks govt on transfer of officers involved in audit of Expressway

The Congress on Wednesday accused the government of intimidating officers of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), who had exposed "corruption" in various schemes, and demanded that their transfer orders be revoked. Citing a media report on the transfer of the officers, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh charged that it is the modus operandi of the Modi government to threaten and remove anyone who "exposes" them. "We demand that these transfer orders should be cancelled immediately, the officers return to the CAG and action must be taken on these mega scams relating to Dwarka Expressway, Bharatmala and Ayushman Bharat," he said in a post on X. The Congress leader charged that "the Modi government operates mafia style under a cloak of silence and intimidation. If anyone exposes its modus operandi of corruption, they are threatened or removed". The latest victims are three officers of the CAG, who exposed "massive scams" in government schemes in a report tabled during the

Rahul acted in consonance with people's sentiment on caste census: Congress

The Congress on Monday said Rahul Gandhi decided to take forward the demand for a caste census by the backward class people he met during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the party leadership has endorsed this move. In a post in Hindi on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, there was one thing which almost all the backward class people of every state sought which was that there should be a caste census in the country. "Rahul ji acted in consonance with the sentiments of the people and the Congress leadership endorsed it," Ramesh said. His remarks came ahead of the crucial Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting here at the AICC headquarters. The Congress has taken a stand to push for the caste census. After Bihar released the findings of a caste census in the state, Congress-ruled Rajasthan issued orders on Saturday for holding a similar exercise. In Chhattisgarh too, the Congress has announced that it will conduct a caste survey if it is v

Many families facing true hardships from unabated increase in prices: Cong

Hitting out at the government, the Congress on Friday said concerns on inflation continue to be serious and claimed that crores of families were facing "true hardships" from "unabated increase" in prices of essential commodities. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh's attack on the government came after the Reserve Bank of India on Friday decided to keep the policy rate unchanged for the fourth time in a row. In a post on X, Ramesh said, "The RBI has maintained the Repo Rate the interest rate it charges for borrowings by commercial banks from it at 6.5%. This simply means that concerns on inflation continue to be serious." "For 47 months, the Consumer Price Index(CPI) has remained well over the RBI's own medium-term target of 4%. In August 2023, the CPI stood at 6.83%," the Congress general secretary in-charge communications said. "This of course masks the true hardships being faced by crores upon crores of families from unabated increase in prices of essential commodities,"

MPs raised concerns on climate change: Jairam Ramesh after House panel meet

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment, Forests and Climate Change met on Tuesday with MPs raising concerns and questions about various issues, including implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, according to its chairperson Jairam Ramesh. Ramesh said that the Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change met to discuss the subject of Environment and Public Health in terms of morbidity and mortality. It met with both the Ministries of Environment, Forests and Climate Change as well as with the Ministry of Health together, which in itself was a "minor innovation" that hopefully will have major effects, Ramesh said. "Ministries made their presentations. MPs had many concerns and questions on pollution, contamination and climate change. One key concern remained implementation and enforcement of environmental laws," he said on X after the meeting. Future meetings on this very wide but crucial subject will be held in the n

'BJP rewards hate':Opposition slam BJP for giving Bidhuri poll duty in Tonk

Opposition leaders have criticised the ruling party for giving Ramesh Bidhuri poll duty in Tonk district of Rajasthan after he made offensive remarks against BSP MP Danish Ali in Parliament

LIVE: Court extends TDP Chief Naidu's judicial custody till October 5

Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

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 ...