Rahul Gandhi has lost the plot, says Bawankule; denies dig at Bachchu Kadu
BJP
leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Congress leader
Rahul Gandhi
, saying the latter continues to make "incoherent" statements.
His remarks came in response to the Supreme Court's oral observation on Gandhi's 2022 statement — Chinese are "thrashing our soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh".
"If you were a true Indian, you would not say all this," the SC told him.
"Rahul Gandhi has lost the plot and still does not understand the pulse of the country. His statements make no sense, and he keeps speaking against India's interests without understanding the consequences," Bawankule told reporters.
The minister also sought to quell speculation about dyCM
Eknath Shinde
's recent visit to Delhi being linked to the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra. "There is absolutely no connection between Shindeji's Delhi visit and the civic polls. All decision-making power on this front lies with CM Devendra Fadnavis and the two deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, who are leading Mahayuti," he said.
Bawankule further clarified that his earlier controversial remark about "nautanki andolan" (gimmick protests) was not aimed at former MLA Bachchu Kadu. "I never said that about Bachchu Kadu. My comments were about a larger trend where people agitate without any real reason. Even our opposition MLAs prefer protesting outside the legislature holding placards rather than raising issues within the assembly, which is where debates should happen," he added.
Bawankule said when Kadu had started his agitation in Amravati district, many ministers went to meet with him and even convinced him to end the protest promising follow-up of his demands.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
21 minutes ago
- Economic Times
H-1B visa tension rises amid US lawmaker's call to curb Indian tech hiring
NYT News Service A social media post by US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has intensified political scrutiny over the H-1B visa programme, widely used by Indian professionals. On August 4, Greene wrote on X, 'End Indian H-1B visas replacing American jobs instead,' while reposting former President Donald Trump's call for higher tariffs on Indian exports over its oil trade with statement, though not tied to any legislative move, has drawn strong reactions from Indian students, legal professionals, and tech workers in the United States. It also coincides with remarks from Trump's aide Stephen Miller, who in a Fox News interview accused India of undermining US interests on trade and immigration.'India portrays itself as being one of our closest friends in the world. But they don't accept our products, they impose massive tariffs on us. We also know they engage in a lot of cheating on immigration policy,' Miller said. India continues to be the top source of H-1B visa recipients. According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), nearly 70% of all H-1B visas approved in FY 2024 were granted to Indian nationals. The programme is often a key step for international students transitioning from academic training to full-time employment in the US. Greene's statement emerged in the context of rising US-India trade tensions, with Trump demanding tariff retaliation for India's energy imports from Russia. While Greene tied her comment to American job losses, Miller's interview offered further criticism of India's economic and immigration practices. Though no new visa restriction has been introduced, the political messaging has prompted concern. US lawmakers have recently debated reforms such as more transparency in the H-1B lottery, better wage protection for domestic workers, and broader access for STEM graduates trained in US institutions. No policy change yet, but messaging matters As of August 2025, the F-1 visa and the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programmes remain operational. Indian students and professionals applying for H-1B visas continue to follow the existing process. However, experts advise staying informed through USCIS updates and seeking legal or academic guidance for long-term Greene and Miller's remarks do not carry immediate policy consequences, they reflect growing scrutiny around skilled migration programmes and outsourcing. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. Can Coforge's ambition to lead the IT Industry become a reality? BlackRock returns, this time with Ambani. Will it be lucky second time? Amazon is making stealthy moves in healthcare, here's why! The trader who blew the whistle on Jane Street Stock Radar: Globus Spirits breaks out from 9-month consolidation; check target & stop loss for long positions Weekly Top Picks: These stocks scored 10 on 10 on Stock Reports Plus These large-caps have 'strong buy' & 'buy' recos and an upside potential of more than 25% Stock picks of the week: 5 stocks with consistent score improvement and upside potential of up to 36% in 1 year
Economic Times
21 minutes ago
- Economic Times
INDIA bloc's Election Commission march over SIR rescheduled to August 11
Synopsis The Opposition's march to the Election Commission of India, initially planned for August 8, has been moved to August 11 due to the passing of former Jharkhand CM Shibu Soren. Despite the rescheduling, the INDIA bloc leaders' dinner meeting will proceed as planned on August 7 at Rahul Gandhi's residence. PTI LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi consoles Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren as he visits Sir Ganga Ram Hospital to pay his respects to the latter's father, former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren, in New Delhi. The Opposition's march to the Election Commission of India headquarters against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar has been rescheduled to August 11, a source said on Tuesday. The march, earlier scheduled to be held on August 8, was rescheduled after the death of former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren. The schedule of the dinner meeting of the INDIA bloc leaders remains the same, and will be held on the evening of August 7 at Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's new residence - 5, Sunehri Bagh road. Popularly known as Guruji, Shibu Soren died at a private hospital in Delhi on Monday. Several Opposition leaders are visiting Ranchi on Tuesday to pay their last respects to the leader credited with leading the agitation for the formation of the state of Jharkhand. Following his death, a protest that the Congress was to hold in Bengaluru on Tuesday was postponed to August 8. That protest is to be led by Rahul Gandhi. The Congress is protesting against what it calls large-scale manipulation of electoral rolls in Bengaluru's Mahadevapura constituency in the 2023 Assembly polls. At a meeting of the INDIA bloc parties on Tuesday morning, Opposition leaders agreed that SIR remains the key issue for the Monsoon Session, and they will continue protests inside, as well as outside, the House, pressing for a debate on the issue. Opposition parties have warned that the exercise may lead to disenfranchisement of many, and have called it "vote-bandi" and "vote-chori" (vote theft).
Hindustan Times
24 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Tariff war will have worse impact than Covid: Kerala minister Balagopal
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Tuesday warned that the emerging global tariff war, led by the United States, could have a more damaging impact on the economy than the Covid pandemic. Tariff war will have worse impact than Covid: Kerala minister Balagopal Speaking at a seminar on 'Post-Covid Development Challenges and Responses: Kerala through the Lens of State Budgets', organised by the Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation here, Balagopal said, 'While India is being asked to reduce tariffs on imports, the US is imposing higher duties on our exports. This imbalance will affect the Indian economy.' Citing examples, he said India has already reduced import duties on vehicles like Land Rover and Jaguar to 10 percent. At the same time, he alleged, international companies are pressuring India to lower its Goods and Services Tax rates. Despite a reduction in the state's borrowing limit by the Centre, Kerala has managed its finances post-Covid through increased revenue collection, Balagopal added. 'The state's revenue as a percentage of GSDP grew from 56 percent in 2020-21 to 74.89 percent in 2024-25,' he said. Tax and non-tax revenues rose from ₹54,000 crore in 2021 to ₹92,000 crore in the last fiscal. Highlighting the government's priorities in recent years, Balagopal said the focus had been on strengthening infrastructure and social security. He termed the commissioning of the Vizhinjam International Seaport a significant achievement and added that the government had invested in enhancing research and development facilities at premier institutions in the state. The minister also criticised the GST regime introduced in 2017, calling the division of tax revenues between the Centre and states 'unjustifiable.' 'Covid brought about social, political, and economic disruptions, leading to stagnation. The state is now striving to move forward from that,' he added. The United States has slapped a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods as part of a broad trade measure targeting nearly 70 countries, according to an executive order issued by the White House recently. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
