Page 9 - Jairam Ramesh

BJP, Congress in letter war over President's intervention in Manipur crisis

A fresh political battle has erupted between BJP and Congress as Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to President Droupadi Murmu seeking her intervention in Manipur violence

Jairam Ramesh calls Nadda's letter fake, raises questions on Manipur crisis

This comes after BJP national president JP Nadda criticised Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's letter to President Droupadi Murmu on violence in Manipur and attacked the party, saying that the party

Timing of report raises questions: Amit Malviya on US charging Adani

Malviya came down hard on the Congress after Jairam Ramesh demanded a JPC investigation into the matter

Vindicates demand for JPC probe: Congress on charges against Adani in US

With billionaire Gautam Adani charged in the US with alleged bribery and fraud, the Congress on Thursday said it "vindicates" its demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee investigation into the various "scams" involving his conglomerate. The opposition party also called for "a new and credible" SEBI head to be appointed to complete the securities law investigations into the "Adani Mega Scam". Adani has been charged by US prosecutors over his role in an alleged years-long scheme to pay USD 250 million bribe to Indian officials in exchange for favourable terms for solar power contracts. US prosecutors charged Adani, 62, his nephew Sagar and other defendants for paying over USD 250 million in bribes between 2020 and 2024 to Indian government officials to win solar energy contracts on terms that could potentially bring in more than USD 2 billion in profit. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the US Securities and Exchange Commission's actions also c

Water woes example of BJP, Mahayuti's failure to provide solutions: Cong

The Congress on Tuesday accused the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra of creating a water crisis in Marathwada and said the region's water woes remain a glaring example of its inadequate planning and failure to provide sustainable solutions. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Mahayuti's "six-step guide to creating a water crisis" includes delayed implementation of a water grid. Despite launching the ambitious Marathwada Water Grid Project in 2019, the BJP-led government failed to ensure its timely execution, he said in his post on X. Ramesh said that after returning to power by horse-trading in 2022, the Mahayuti revived the Water Grid Project but its execution continues to be slow, with no substantial relief provided to Marathwada's water-scarce regions so far. The government's focus on securing Rs 20,000 crore from the central government and international organisations has delayed the scheme's implementation on the ground, the Congress lea

Indira Gandhi protected environment, which is under assault now: Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday hailed former prime minister Indira Gandhi's contribution in shaping laws and institutions protecting the environment and natural heritage, which he claimed were under "systematic assault" these past few years. Ramesh's remarks came on the birth anniversary of Indira Gandhi. "Today is the 107th birth anniversary of an extraordinary woman, who was not just born into history but who went on to shape it in so many ways. She would often quote the advice given by her grandfather - There are those who work and there are those who claim credit; try to be in the first group since there is far less competition there!" he said. Indira Gandhi worked untiringly but without making bombastic claims, Ramesh said. He said Indira Gandhi gave Indian science and technology a renewed push and fresh momentum - especially in agriculture, space, atomic energy and defence. Public sector giants that have done the country proud owe much to her leadership, he said.

Jharkhand elections to determine future of 'jal-jungle-zameen': Congress

Asserting that the Jharkhand assembly polls will be watershed, the Congress on Saturday said this is an election to determine the future wellbeing and continued flourishing of Jharkhand's "jal-jangal-zameen". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said in 2006, the decades-long struggle of India's tribal communities came to an end when the Congress government introduced the historic Forest Rights Act. This act grants Adivasi and forest-dwelling communities a path to assert their rights over their forest land and its produce, he said, adding that it has been a boon for Jharkhand's forest-dwelling communities. "Last year, the non-biological PM Modi introduced the Forest Conservation Amendment Act and undid all of this progress. The new Act undermines the Forest Rights Act of 2006, doing away with provisions for the consent of local communities and other statutory requirements for forest clearance in vast areas," Ramesh said. "The intention, of course, is to

PM off on his foreign jaunt, why is he refusing to visit Manipur: Cong

Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress said he is off on his "periodic foreign jaunt" from Saturday where he will attempt to score domestic political points and asked why is he steadfastly refusing to visit the troubled state of Manipur. The Opposition party's dig came as Prime Minister Modi will travel to Brazil to attend the annual G20 Summit and to Nigeria and Guyana as part of a three-nation tour beginning Saturday. "For the next 3 days, we will be spared the non-biological PM's lie-surplus, dignity-deficit election campaign. He is off on his periodic foreign jaunt, where he will attempt to score domestic political points rather than engage in any pretence of statesmanship," said Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh. "But why is Mr Narendra Modi steadfastly refusing to visit the troubled state of Manipur that has been torn apart so tragically since May 2023?" he added. Ramesh said the prime minister's refusal to do so is simply

Cong slams PM for 'lip service' to Adivasis, says govt denies them justice

The Congress on Friday accused the Centre of going "full throttle" on attempts to deny Adivasis justice and said the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA) was a "full mockery" of the Forest Rights Act, illustrating the government's hypocrisy. The Opposition party also claimed that DAJGUA, in "typical Manuvadi fashion", only sees these communities as forest-dwelling 'vanvasis' who are 'labhaartis' (beneficiaries), rather than political and economic actors in their own right. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said today is the 150th birth anniversary of 'Dharti Aaba Bhagwan Birsa Munda', one of the greatest sons of India and a fierce advocate of self-governance and social justice. "The non-biological PM is in Jamui, Bihar paying lip service to the cause of the Adivasis on this occasion, even as his Government goes full throttle on attempts to deny Adivasis justice," Ramesh alleged in a statement. "The Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh .

Congress accuses BJP of communal polarisation in Jharkhand poll campaign

The Congress on Monday alleged that the BJP's campaign in Jharkhand is focused solely on communal polarisation, and said it is an indictment of the Union government's performance that after ten years in power, the BJP is seeking votes only on religious polarisation. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said on November 13 and 20, the people of Jharkhand will vote decisively for continuity, communal harmony, social justice, and self-dignity. The INDIA coalition's campaign in Jharkhand is centred around its government's achievements in the last five years and its seven guarantees - ranging from enhanced food rations to honorariums for women and new degree colleges in each block, he said. "We are focused on our governance and our vision for a just, inclusive, and prosperous Jharkhand," Ramesh said. "The BJP's campaign is devoid of issues and focused solely on communal polarisation. It is an indictment of the Union Government's performance that after ten ye

Maharashtra elections: Congress accuses Mahayuti of spreading hate in state

The Congress on Monday accused the BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra of deliberately infusing "hate and poison" into its poll campaign and attempting to "disturb communal harmony in the state." Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the campaign revealed the "sick mindset" of the BJP. "The Mahayuti, led by the BJP, has only one agenda in its campaign. It is simply and only to polarize society on the basis of religion and to disturb communal harmony in the state. Such an awful campaign reveals its sick mindset," Ramesh wrote in a post on X. "The campaign is full of hate and poison deliberately being injected. But the people of Maharashtra will reject this type of campaign decisively on Nov 20th," the Congress leader added. Ramesh said that the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is campaigning in Maharashtra on basic issues of daily concern to the people, such as the acute distress of farmers and women, the increase in the prices of essential commodities, and .

Ramesh asks environment ministry to clarify air quality standards review

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh asked the Environment Ministry on Sunday to clarify the results of the review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards-2009 that IIT-Kanpur was tasked to carry out on the orders of the Central Pollution Control Board in 2021. The Congress general secretary in-charge communications said the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) covering 12 major pollutants were last promulgated in November 2009. That was widely hailed at that time, even though it was well understood that they would have to be kept under periodic review, the former environment minister said in a post on X. IIT-Kanpur had been intimately involved with this initiative, he said. In December 2021, IIT-Kanpur was tasked by the Central Pollution Control Board to review NAAQS, 2009, Ramesh said. "Meanwhile, there seems to be an effort to relax standards like those relating to emissions of sulphur dioxide from power plants." "Till today, even as the country chokes, we have no idea

PM has 'denied' Adivasis religious identity, refused Sarna code, says Cong

The Congress hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday by posing questions on Jharkhand, asking why has he "denied" Adivasis their religious identity and refused to enact the Sarna code. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said that as Prime Minister Modi holds poll rallies in Jharkhand, he should answer three questions before seeking a single vote. Where is the Korba-Lohardaga and Chatra-Gaya railway lines, Ramesh asked in a post on X. He said the people of Lohardaga and Chatra have been demanding better rail connectivity for years as it would improve locals' access to education and employment opportunities. "Sadly, the Railway Ministry has ignored their demands and made very poor progress on this front. In October 2022, the Railway Ministry sanctioned the Chatra-Gaya rail project but two years later, no progress has been made. There is no word on the Korba-Lohardaga line," he said. "How much longer must the people wait for the these crucial

Double engine of private investment, consumption derailed under Modi: Cong

The Congress on Sunday claimed that India was facing a "demand crisis" due to sustained income stagnation and said the 'double engine' of private investment and mass consumption that powered the UPA's decade of sustained GDP growth has been "derailed" in the last ten years of the Modi government. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh urged the government to accept what the Congress has been proposing - raising MGNREGA wages to a minimum of Rs. 400 per day, guaranteeing MSP and a loan waiver for farmers, and a monthly income support scheme for women - to kickstart income growth in rural India. He said that with each passing day, the tragedy of India's dying consumption story becomes more evident. Last week, several CEOs from India Inc raised the alarm over the 'shrinking' middle class and now, new data from NABARD's All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) 2021-22 adds to the evidence that India's demand crisis is a result of sustained income ...

Telangana govt to begin caste survey today, to cover 11.7 mn households

This is the first time a caste-based survey is being conducted by the government in Telangana since 1931

Cong asks PM why Gujarat's white onion farmers get preferential treatment

The Congress on Friday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking why Gujarat's white onion farmers were given preferential treatment over Maharashtra's onion farmers, and why has the BJP "diluted" Adivasis' forest rights in Maharashtra. Ahead of Prime Minister Modi's rallies in Dhule and Nashik, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posed questions to him. "Why were Gujarat's white onion farmers given preferential treatment over Maharashtra's onion farmers," he asked. Since December 2023, onion farmers in Maharashtra have been reeling from the Modi government's restrictions on onion exports, he said. During the cultivation season, the state suffered from unsatisfactory rainfall and water crises, and most farmers were only able to produce 50 per cent of their usual crop, he pointed out. "When the onions were finally harvested, farmers were hit with the arbitrary export ban which led to devastatingly low sale prices. As a result, farmers racked up ...

EC must act on Sarma's communal rhetoric, campaigning by Odisha guv: Jairam

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday hit out at the Election Commission for the "tone and tenor" of its recent letter to his party while also urging the poll body to act against "communal and incendiary rhetoric" allegedly used by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during poll campaigns. In an interview with PTI, the Congress general secretary in-charge communications also urged the Election Commission (EC) to take action against Odisha Governor Raghubar Das for campaigning in Jamshedpur. His remarks come days after the Congress slammed the EC after it rejected the party's allegations over irregularities in the Haryana assembly polls. The opposition party had said if the poll panel's goal was to "strip itself of the last vestiges of neutrality", then it was doing a "remarkable job" at creating that impression. In its letter to the EC signed by nine senior leaders, including Ramesh, the Congress had said, "We have carefully studied your response to our complaints. Not ...

BJP must explain delay in releasing funds for Jharkhand: Congress

The Congress on Sunday said the BJP must give an account for the delay of releasing Rs 1.36 lakh crore to Jharkhand in the form of pending coal royalties before seeking votes from the people. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed the Centre owes Jharkhand lakhs of crores of rupees in coal royalties and central scheme benefits. In Jharkhand, coal mines are operated by subsidiaries of the Coal India Limited which owe huge sums of money to the state government, he claimed. There is an outstanding of Rs 1,01,142 crore for "non-payment of land compensation", Rs 32,000 crore under "common cause dues" head, and Rs 2,500 crore under "washed coal royalty" head, the Congress leader said. Questioning the Jharkhand unit of the BJP, he asked why it failed to secure funds for the state and why was the prime minister silent. "Why has the non-biological PM failed to release these funds? Is step-motherly treatment being administered to Jharkhand for voting for the JMM-INC alliance? Why

Cong lists Jharkhand govt's welfare schemes, accuses BJP of misleading

The Congress on Saturday said the INDIA bloc government in Jharkhand is going among the people in the upcoming assembly polls on the basis of its work, while the BJP is trying to "mislead" them with its "same old politics of hatred". In a post on X in Hindi, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said that in the last five years, the Jharkhand government has taken many steps for the betterment of the people of the state and done excellent work in fields of education, health, housing and security. "Amidst all the efforts of 'MoShah' to destabilise the state government and Chief Minister Hemant Soren, these public welfare schemes of ours are providing relief to the people -- Bicycle distribution scheme: 10 lakh children got bicycles; CM Utkrisht Vidyalaya: Education started through CBSE medium in 80 schools, a total of 5,000 schools are being made excellent at the panchayat level." Ramesh also cited schemes such as pre and post-matric scholarship from which

Jairam Ramesh hits back at PM Modi's 'fake promises of Congress' jibe

Ramesh said that the people wanted economic and social justice and that is what the Congress had put before the people.