"Sitting Comfortably As Prime Minister...": M Kharge Hits Out At PM Modi

Congress is making all efforts to unite various political parties in the country to mount a united fight against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP in the days to come, party president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Sunday.

He also urged the people to root out the BJP in Karnataka during Assembly polls, likely by May, and install a Congress government that will work for all sections of the people and for development of the state.

"Modi is sitting comfortably as the Prime Minister. Let him sit there for few more days. Let's see what will happen in the days to come. We are trying to unite various parties to put a united fight against the BJP," Mr Kharge said.

Speaking at a party meeting , he said  PM Modi did not become Prime Minister with 51 per cent vote share as the BJP got just 37 per cent in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. "Let PM Modi say what he has done to our state?" Mr Kharge said while hitting out at the government on the issues of unemployment and price rise, among other issues.

Mr Kharge was addressing Tumakuru district-level Congress workers' meeting in Koratagere.

Accusing BJP of creating a rift within the society, he said the ruling party is instigating clashes between Hindus and Muslims, and between different castes.

"Such a party's government is there at the Centre and also in the state. Instead of development and welfare of people, what should be the dress worn to schools, what should be the food habit are their main issues. Root out this BJP government for a happy and prosperous future. All of you (people) should take this pledge and bring Congress back to power," he added.

AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, state Congress President DK Shivakumar, party manifesto committee chief G Parameshwara, among other leaders were present at the event.

Pointing to PM Modi's recent visit to his former Lok Sabha constituency Kalaburagi, Mr Kharge said: "Using government's money, car and aircraft, instead of working for the development of the state, how right is it on PM's part to criticise people like me and Sonia Gandhi, alleging we did nothing for the country?" "Have the people made you Prime Minister and gave you power to work for the welfare of the people and to develop the country, or is it to criticise us?" he asked, directing his queries to Modi as he accused the BJP government of misusing the Constitution and autonomous bodies to bring down the governments of Congress and other non-BJP parties in the country.

Questioning as to what PM Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah have to say about 40 per cent commission and corruption charges faced by the BJP government in Karnataka, Mr Kharge asked them to speak about it.

"Corruption is taking place just below you, but you are not looking at it....you say bhaiyo or behno (brothers and sister - the words with which Modi usually begins his speech), and allow them (BJP leaders) here to do 40 per cent (commission corruption), and send rest for the party, so combining both it is 100 per cent," he said.

Alleging 100 per cent corruption with high estimation on projects among other irregularities by the BJP in Karnataka, Mr Kharge said, "This is my 52nd year in politics as MLA and MP, other then losing last MP election from Gulbarga (in 2019), I have won 11 elections successively, but have never seen such a Prime Minister." Wherever this Prime Minister goes, he criticises Congress and its leaders, Mr Kharge said, adding: "Tell what you have done for the country, your own party government's corruption, other than criticisng the Congress wherever you go." Hitting back at PM Modi's umbrella jibe at the Congress party, the AICC president said the Prime Minister did not find anything good from the party's plenary session in Raipur, like the resolutions passed, the statement on foreign affairs, unemployment and inflation, among others. "Leaving everything aside, what he only saw was there was no umbrella over my head."

At a rally in Belagavi recently, PM Modi claimed that Mr Kharge, who hails from the state, was insulted and disrespected by the Congress in favour of a "family", despite his seniority and age, pointing out that a leader from Nehru-Gandhi family got an umbrella as shade under the scorching heat at Raipur, but not for the party chief.

Chiding the BJP for not showing any shame, Mr Kharge said, "They protect the corrupt, and put ED and Income Tax behind political opponents, but stay quiet when crores of rupees of ill-gotten money is found in the house of their own people." "Why are you sitting with your eyes shut? Where is your ED, Income Tax departments? Are they sleeping, are you controlling them to follow as you say?" he questioned pointing at Lokayukta raids on a BJP MLA's son and family properties, during which more than Rs 8 crore was recovered.

"Congress brought freedom to this country, we did not fear British, will we fear you (BJP)? We will use our strength to unite and save democracy and Constitution," Mr Kharge said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Uzbekistan Syrup Deaths: Process Initiated To Cancel Noida Firm's Licence

The process has been initiated for cancellation of the drug licence of pharmaceutical firm Marion Biotech, which is allegedly linked with the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan who consumed their cough syrup in December 2022, officials in Noida said on Sunday.

All production of drugs and other activities at the firm's campus in Sector 67 have also been stopped completely, Gautam Buddh Nagar drug inspector Vaibhav Babbar said.

On Friday, the local police arrested three senior employees of the firm after an FIR was lodged against them on charges of manufacturing and sale of adulterated drugs.

The two directors of the company named in the FIR, however, still remain at large.

“The process has been initiated for cancellation of the drug licence of pharmaceutical firm Marion Biotech. Paperwork for it is in progress and a report has been sent to the Uttar Pradesh government," Babbar told PTI.

"All production at the firm had been suspended in January itself and now it has been completely stopped,” he said.

Marion Biotech had come under the scanner in December over reports of the children's death in Uzbekistan after which India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) initiated a probe into the matter and found 22 out of 36 samples “not of standard quality” (adulterated and spurious).

The World Health Organization had also declared a “medical product alert” related to Marion Biotech's drugs in the wake of the deaths reported in Uzbekistan.

The cough syrup 'Dok-1 Max', which was under the spotlight, has no domestic market in India and it was only an export item, the drug inspector said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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मुंबई के आजाद मैदान में 'जस्टिस फॉर दर्शन सोलंकी' आंदोलन

आईआईटी बॉम्बे के छात्र दर्शन सोलंकी की खुदकुशी के मामले ने आईआईटी जैसे संस्थानों में अनसूचित जाति, जनजाति के छात्रों के साथ अन्य वर्ग के छात्रों के व्यवहार को लेकर और साथ ही आईआईटी प्रबंधन की कार्यक्षमता पर भी सवाल उठाया है. इसे लेकर पूरे देश में आंदोलन चल रहा है. इसी क्रम में मुंबई के आजाद मैदान में भी दर्शन को न्याय दिलाने के लिए बड़ी संख्या में लोग जमा हुए. इस आंदोलन में दर्शन के  माता - पिता भी शामिल हुए. 

एनडीटीवी से बातचीत में दर्शन के पिता रमेश सोलंकी ने कहा कि उनके बेटे ने खुदकुशी नही की है बल्कि उसकी हत्या की गई है. हालांकि पुलिस की अभी तक की जांच के मुताबिक दर्शन परीक्षा में एक पेपर खराब जाने से दुखी था. लेकिन दर्शन के पिता इस बात को मानने के लिए तैयार नहीं हैं.

इस बीच मामले की गंभीरता को देखते हुए जांच के लिए क्राइम ब्रांच की SIT बना दी गई है.

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Centre Not Crazy To Rush Out To Sell Everything: Minister On Disinvestment

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said the government is not crazy to rush out to sell everything and the Opposition fully understands the meaning of divestment but would still say "you are selling that off".

During the eighth edition of Raisina Dialogue in Delhi, the finance minister said, "The government is not crazy rushing out to sell everything. Because of strategic interest, you (the government) would have to be there in the sector, like telecom. These firms will be run professionally." She added: "The Opposition fully understands the meaning of divestment but would still say you are selling that off."

The Union minister said, "We have announced four core sectors where we have said there will be at least minimum presence of the government. But they have been also opened for private sector."

"There is no sector in India that is not available for the private sector to be in function," the Union minister said, adding that, "Public sector institutions which have begun to run on their own steam will be there but if there are others which are very small or unsustainable or not scalable."

"If there is a possibility, we will try to blend them so that the bigger unit or sustainable unit on its own take care of its needs. We will blend and create a larger company," she said, "But, if there are two small ones and also small ones which cannot be blended with bigger one, we will try to see if others would like to take them over or if it is not possible to be sold, they will be shut."

"It's divestment for those assets that exist that aren't used properly or which are optimally not generating revenues. They will be monetised. But monetisation is not like I'm selling it off," Ms Sitharaman said, adding, "It means certain value is assessed and what newly it can create by being used or being put into productive use."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Ex-MLA Mukhtar Ansari's Sons' House Demolished In Uttar Pradesh's Mau

A two-storey house in Mau district belonging to the sons of jailed gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari was demolished as the map of the building was not approved by the authorities, police said here.

Circle Officer Abhay Singh said the demolition of the house owned by Abbas and Umar Ansari began on Friday on orders from the district magistrate. It was completed a day later.

"The land on which the house of Abbas and Umar Ansari was built belongs to someone else. Apart from this, the map of the house was also not passed by the authorities," the official said.

The building was located out in the Jahangirabad locality under the Dakhin Tola police station area of the city.

Abbas Ansari, an MLA of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) from Mau, has been in prison for the last three months in a money laundering case. He is currently lodged in the Kasganj district prison.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Judiciary Must Be Far Away From Public Criticism": Law Minister

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said attempts were being made to tell the world that the Indian judiciary and the democracy were in crisis.

Inaugurating a conference of the Centre's counsels in the Eastern states, Mr Rijiju said the wisdom of judges was beyond public scrutiny.

"Indian judiciary cannot be questioned, especially the wisdom of judges cannot be put into public scrutiny," he said.

"At times, calibrated attempts are being made from both inside and outside the country to tell the world that the Indian judiciary is in crisis. A message is being sent to the world that Indian democracy is in crisis. It is a deliberate attempt by some groups to malign the image of the country," he added.

No campaign with ulterior motives can succeed in defaming India and its democratic setup, Mr Rijiju said.

The US may stake claim to be the oldest democracy, but India truly is the "mother of democracy", he said.

Mr Rijiju's comments came after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at a lecture at Cambridge University alleged that Indian democracy is under attack and several politicians, including himself, are under surveillance.

Rahul Gandhi listed five key aspects of the alleged attack on Indian democracy - capture and control of media and judiciary; surveillance and intimidation; coercion by federal law enforcement agencies; attacks on minorities, Dalits and tribals; and shutting down of dissent.

Noting that it was unfortunate that judges were being abused on social media, Mr Rijiju said this was happening as some people were not aware of how the Indian judiciary functions.

"It is not a good sign when the judiciary is subjected to some kind of criticism. The judiciary must be far away from public criticism," he said, adding that the problem lies with the same group, which wants to force the judiciary to play the role of the opposition party.

"The Indian judiciary will never accept it. I am sure the judiciary will resist the forceful attempt to make it play the role of opposition. This cannot happen," he said.

The minister maintained it is because of the Constitution that the government is of the view that the appointment of judges cannot be done by judicial orders.

The opinion of the executive and the judiciary may differ at times as everybody cannot have the same observation, he said.

Mr Rijiju said 65 redundant laws have been proposed to be repealed in the next session of Parliament. So far, 1,486 redundant laws have been removed.

He said the government wants to make India safe and secure, and so, it has to make stringent laws.

On the demand for a permanent bench of the high court in western Odisha, he said the Centre was ready to give its approval if the state government submits a complete proposal.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Shivraj Chouhan Praises Indore Civic Body For Its 'Tree Ambulance Service'

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday lauded the Indore Municipal Corporation for starting an 'ambulance' service for trees.

The civic body last week launched the service for taking care of roadside trees afflicted by pests or otherwise in need of attention.

The ambulance has so far attended to 50 trees so far, Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav told PTI.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi rightly says that Indore marches ahead of time," Chief Minister Chouhan told reporters here.

"Indore has come up with yet another innovation.... If a plant or tree by the roadside gets sick, the ambulance will rush to its help, spray pesticides and take care of it," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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