BJP's race for new party president heats up, who will replace JP Nadda?
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Indian Express
10 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘Why is every citizen in debt of Rs 4.8 lakh in ‘Modi Raj'?': Congress accuses Centre of catering to capitalist friends
A sharp rise in individual debt levels has sparked political fire, with the Congress lashing out at the Centre after a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) report revealed that the per capita debt of borrowers has soared over the past two years. According to the RBI, the average debt per borrower jumped from Rs 3.9 lakh in March 2023 to Rs 4.8 lakh in March 2024, a spike largely driven by higher-rated borrowers. Taking aim at the government's economic policies, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh blamed the BJP-led NDA government for pushing ordinary citizens into debt while favouring corporates. 'Why is every citizen of the country in debt of Rs 4,80,000?' he asked in a post on X in Hindi. Attacking what he called the government's pro-corporate tilt, Ramesh alleged: 'Debt of 'Achhe Din'! The Modi government has ruined the country's economy in the last eleven years. No effort was made to improve the lives of the people, all the policies were made only for the capitalist friends, the losses of which are being suffered by the people of the country today.' Continuing the Opposition's criticism of unemployment and inflation, he added: 'Youth are unemployed. Farmers are dying by suicide. People are troubled by inflation. Constitutional institutions are being crushed. People are drowning in debt and Modi ji's best friends are making profits, their wealth is increasing.' Ramesh also cited data to highlight the nature of the debt burden. 'In 2 years, the per capita debt has increased by Rs 90,000 to Rs 4.8 lakh,' he said. Calling it 'deeply worrying,' Ramesh, 71, noted that unsecured loans have crossed 25 per cent and external debt stood at $736.3 billion by March 2025 – a 10 per cent rise over the previous year. Accusing the Centre of attempting to 'hide the real shortcomings by taking the help of statistics and experts', Ramesh said no one can 'deny the truth' that the debt burden on the country is at its peak in 'Modi Raj'.
Hans India
11 minutes ago
- Hans India
Will serve full year term: CM Siddaramaiah amid leadership change speculation
Bengaluru: Amid demands from some Congress MLAs for a change in leadership in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that he will serve a full five-year term. Speaking to the media at Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapura district, ahead of the cabinet meeting, Siddaramaiah, when asked whether he would remain Chief Minister for the full term, responded, "Yes, I will be the Chief Minister for the full five years." "Why do you (media) have doubts about this? It is always the BJP and JD(S) that make such statements. B. Y. Vijayendra and R. Ashoka are BJP leaders. Their statements don't make any difference. The media must verify the facts," Siddaramaiah remarked. "In a democracy, every MLA of the ruling party has the right to aspire to become a minister. We currently have 142 MLAs, but only 34 have been inducted into the cabinet. As per constitutional provisions, only 15 per cent of the total MLAs can be appointed as ministers," he clarified. "Our government is united. I have already addressed this matter in Mysuru. Our government is rock solid. We will complete the five-year term," Siddaramaiah asserted. Claiming that the BJP and JD(S) are "daydreaming" about the collapse of the Congress-led government in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said: "They did nothing while in power. Deputy CM D. K. Shivakumar rightly questioned them for evidence of development work carried out during their tenure." "They have made no significant contributions in sectors like irrigation, PWD, education, health and others. Union Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy was the Chief Minister during the coalition government, and the BJP ruled for four years in Karnataka. What have they done? They are simply misleading the people," Siddaramaiah added. Referring to the public turnout at a recent event to celebrate the completion of two years in power in the state, he said, "About three lakh people gathered in Hospet amid heavy rain to mark the completion of two years. Do people come in such large numbers without reason?" When asked about allegations that the survey of oppressed communities regarding internal reservation was not being conducted properly, Siddaramaiah stated, "There are 101 sub-castes within Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities. A door-to-door survey is underway, and people can also provide information online. However, in cities like Bengaluru, there seems to be a social stigma preventing people from identifying themselves as belonging to these categories, and hence online provision is made." Regarding the special cabinet meeting at Nandi Hills, Siddaramaiah said, "Today's meeting is focused on the Bengaluru Revenue Division. Earlier, similar cabinet meetings were held for the Belagavi and Mysuru revenue divisions. Soon, a meeting will be held for the Bijapur Revenue Division.
Hans India
12 minutes ago
- Hans India
‘Performance very low, failing in duties': BJP on Rahul Gandhi's one-year tenure as LoP
New Delhi: As Congress leader Rahul Gandhi completed one year as Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, the BJP on Wednesday sharply criticised his performance, calling it 'very low' and accusing him of failing to fulfil his constitutional responsibilities. BJP leaders alleged that LoP Rahul Gandhi was frequently absent from the House for extended periods and spent too much time abroad, undermining his ability to represent the Opposition effectively. 'In the last year, the country's politics has changed a lot. Today, during the meetings of the INDI Bloc in the Lok Sabha, they tried to create an impression that the BJP has been defeated and that the NDA has fallen behind. But the election results over the past year have shown the people of this country the reality. There is a clear difference in the politics and ideology of both sides,' BJP leader Rohan Gupta told IANS. He added that this journey, which started from Haryana, shows a clear mandate from the people, from Haryana to Delhi, demonstrating that there will be no compromise on national issues. 'The message for the Opposition is equally clear: the politics of appeasement has taken centre stage. Their alliance partners are relying on appeasement to save their sinking boat,' he said. He further pointed out that the upcoming Bihar elections will show this even more clearly, with their leaders doubling down on appeasement, adding that they talk about the Constitution, but somewhere they also support Sharia. 'The people of this country know the whole truth. That is why the Congress party, which once led the INDI Bloc, is now reduced to a junior partner. This decline is due to the Congress party's ideology, policies, and its relentless pursuit of appeasement politics,' he said. Another BJP leader, Jagannath Sarkar, also criticised LoP Rahul Gandhi's commitment to his role, saying that Rahul Gandhi has not performed his duties as LoP in the Lok Sabha. 'He has been absent from Parliament for long hours. As LoP, he must be present in the House and listen to debates,' he said. BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi claimed that Congress is a party whose leader, Rahul Gandhi, frequently travels abroad, often immediately after each Parliament session. 'Even senior leaders of his party cannot distinguish between national responsibilities and foreign trips,' he alleged. BJP leader Nisith Pramanik said that Rahul Gandhi has completed one year as LoP in the Lok Sabha. 'But I feel that by the time he even begins to understand how Parliament functions, the five-year term will be over,' he said. He further alleged that LoP Rahul Gandhi's performance is 'very poor' even by the standards of a normal parliamentarian. Despite the BJP's criticism, Rahul Gandhi's appointment as LoP marked a significant moment in parliamentary history. After the Congress secured 99 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the position - vacant for a decade because no Opposition party met the minimum requirement of 10 per cent of seats - was finally filled. As LoP, Rahul Gandhi holds the critical responsibility of holding the government accountable and providing constructive criticism of its policies, a role that remains essential in any parliamentary democracy.
