logo
‘Why did he call Parliament session?' asks Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on PM Modi's trip to U.K. and Maldives

‘Why did he call Parliament session?' asks Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on PM Modi's trip to U.K. and Maldives

The Hindu6 days ago
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to the U.K. and Maldives from July 23 to 26 during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Mr. Tiwari on Sunday (July 20, 2025) questioned the Prime Minister's commitment to democracy, suggesting he should review his attendance record in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The Congress MP, while talking to ANI, said, 'When the Prime Minister knew that he would be abroad on those dates, why did he call the session? The Prime Minister should look at his attendance as to how many days he attended the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Our Prime Minister is not serious about democracy.'
The Monsoon Session of Parliament, starting today, July 21, is expected to be intense, with the Opposition's INDIA bloc gearing up to grill the Narendra Modi-led government on several contentious issues.
Flashpoints
Key flashpoints include Operation Sindoor, handling of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Air India Ahmedabad plane crash and the Bihar Electoral Roll Revisions.
Mr. Tiwari emphasised the importance of the Prime Minister's presence in Parliament to address these critical issues, expressing doubts about the government's seriousness in running the House.
He criticised the Centre for bad governance and said that there were important issues the Opposition wanted to raise in the house, and the PM's presence was required.
'Operation Sindoor, the issue of Bihar, the issue of foreign policy. Atrocities against SC women have increased under this government, and we will raise all these issues in the House. We clearly told the government that these issues are important, so the Prime Minister should be present, but I think the government is not serious about running the House', he added further.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Congress targets government over ‘organic cotton scam', demands probe
Congress targets government over ‘organic cotton scam', demands probe

The Hindu

time6 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Congress targets government over ‘organic cotton scam', demands probe

Alleging a 'scam' of over ₹2.1 lakh crore in the name of organic cotton in India, the Congress on Saturday (July 26, 2025) demanded the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the supervision of a High Court judge. The party said that the scam has severely harmed the global credibility of India's organic products and caused significant damage to farmers. Speaking at a press conference at the All India Congress Committee headquarters, senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Digvijaya Singh, alleged that certain traders are falsely labeling non-organic cotton as 'organic' and earning six-fold profits, while genuine farmers struggle to get even the minimum support price. He added that the scam involved massive tax and GST evasion. The Congress leader said the government has been aware of irregularities in the certification process and the scam since 2017 but has not taken any strict action. Mr. Singh explained that in 2001, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry launched the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), which is implemented by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). The goal is to certify and regulate organic exports. Under this programme, NPOP accredits certification bodies that verify Internal Control Systems (ICS). After ICS verification, a transaction certificate is issued, declaring the group as organic. These ICSs are clusters of 25 to 500 farmers growing organic cotton and presently there are about 6,046 ICS groups and 35 certification agencies. He added that these farmer groups receive ₹5,000 per hectare for three years to promote organic farming. Certification is crucial in this process, as it significantly increases the international market value of the produce. 'Most farmers shown as registered in these ICS groups neither grow organic cotton nor are aware of their inclusion in the system. These ICS groups have deliberately committed fraud by including farmers' names to obtain transaction certificates,' he said. 'Fake groups were also formed in Madhya Pradesh, and farmers were unaware they had been made members,' he added. He further said some powerful traders are making six times the profit by selling non-organic cotton as organic. Citing instances where the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the European Union, and the Global Organic Textile Standard revoked the accreditation of Indian certifiers, Mr. Singh said India is now seen as a hub of fraud in the organic product market. He said that he had written to the Prime Minister in August 2024, flagging the organic cotton fraud in Madhya Pradesh. 'I got a reply from Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal acknowledging the irregularities, (but) no appropriate action was taken,' Mr. Singh said. He demanded criminal proceedings against all 192 fraudulent ICS groups, an investigation into these groups, and fair compensation for the exploited farmers.

BJP should shed ‘anti-BC' mindset: Minister Ponnam Prabhakar
BJP should shed ‘anti-BC' mindset: Minister Ponnam Prabhakar

The Hindu

time6 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

BJP should shed ‘anti-BC' mindset: Minister Ponnam Prabhakar

Reiterating his charge that the BJP is infamous for its 'anti-BC' mindset since the Mandal Commission era, Minister for Transport and Backward Classes Welfare Ponnam Prabhakar has warned that BCs would not keep quiet if any attempts are made to obstruct the enhanced 42% quota for them in Telangana. Speaking to the media in Karimnagar on Saturday, Mr Prabhakar said the Congress party is the champion of social justice. The Telangana Assembly passed a Bill increasing reservation of BCs to 42%, he said, alleging that the BJP is conspiring to obstruct the move on one pretext or the other to jeopardise the interests of BCs. Asserting that the Congress party has the proven track record of championing the cause of BCs and other weaker sections, he alleged that the BJP earned notoriety for pursuing divisive politics and working against the interests of BCs since the era of the Mandal Commission. 'If the BJP is sincere for the empowerment of BCs, it should get the 42% quota Bill approved by the Centre and cooperate to ensure local body elections in the State before September 30, the timeframe set by the High Court to conduct the local body polls,' he added.

Focus On Drugs-Free India, Ensure Better Coordination: Amit Shah To Agencies
Focus On Drugs-Free India, Ensure Better Coordination: Amit Shah To Agencies

NDTV

time6 minutes ago

  • NDTV

Focus On Drugs-Free India, Ensure Better Coordination: Amit Shah To Agencies

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Eighth National Security Strategies Conference (NSSC) in New Delhi, marking the conclusion of the two-day meet on Kargil Vijay Diwas. Paying tribute to those who were killed in action in that conflict, the home minister also saluted the efforts of the armed forces and the Border Security Force during Operation Sindoor, calling it a reflection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's zero-tolerance approach to terrorism. The home minister said Operation Sindoor had sent a strong and clear message to the world about India's uncompromising stand against terror. "PM Modi, with his strong political will, once again demonstrated India's firm stance and resolve on the issue of national security," he said. He pointed out that India's economy is in the fourth position globally and, with its emergence as a key player in new and emerging technologies, green energy, and innovation, the security challenges before the nation would also multiply in the years to come. 'Security, Alertness, Coordination' In view of the evolving threats, the home minister called for better coordination among central and state agencies. He directed the formation of homogenous teams to develop, implement, and monitor security strategies effectively. He also stressed the importance of involving young police officers in each state to brainstorm and offer innovative solutions to national challenges. Referring to the three new criminal laws that recently came into force, the minister said the same seriousness with which Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) and situations in the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir were tackled must be shown in ensuring the effective implementation of these laws and in the fight against narcotics. He asked Directors General of Police across states to focus on the next three years as a mission period for a 'Nasha Mukt Bharat' (Drugs-Free India) and emphasised the need for going after drug cartels, securing the extradition of narco-offenders, and adopt a top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top approach in anti-narcotics efforts. Push For Real-Time Data Sharing Mr Shah called for establishing a reliable ecosystem for real-time data sharing and directed all agencies to integrate databases like NATGRID (National Intelligence Grid), NIDAAN (National Integrated Database on Arrested Narco Offenders), iMoT (Integrated Monitoring of Terrorism) and CBI's fugitive database into their day-to-day operations. He instructed that these tools be made a core part of all police training programmes to ensure better tech-driven enforcement on the ground. Highlighting the role of police stations as the first point of intelligence gathering, he called for a platform to enable real-time information sharing up to the station level. Maritime Security Mr Shah also stressed the need for all-round development in LWE-affected areas and urged police forces to coordinate with state administrations to ensure the timely implementation of over 300 central and state schemes at the grassroots level. On maritime security, the home minister flagged concerns over infiltration and smuggling along India's long coastal borders and emphasised the capacity building of state police forces to secure smaller seaports and prevent illegal activity. 'Excellence And Competition' Calling the internal security situation dynamic due to India's complex geopolitical neighbourhood, the home minister said the motto of " Suraksha, Sajagta, Samanvay" (Security, Alertness, Coordination) must become the guiding principle of all agencies. He urged the police leadership to strive for excellence, protect the life, property and dignity of every citizen, and nurture healthy competition in addressing internal security challenges. Mr Shah said the next five to ten years would be critical for India's security and development, and underlined that the Modi government has already resolved numerous issues scattered across states. He ended his address with a call for habitual alertness and a security-first mindset, saying these must now become an integral part of India's policing framework.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store