US To Bihar, Opposition Ready With Laundry List As Monsoon Session Begins
Parliament is set for a stormy monsoon session, with the Opposition, spearheaded by the Congress, ready to corner the government on multiple issues, ranging from Pahalgam attack to electoral rolls in Bihar.
Here are the top 10 points from this big story:
The Congress has said it would seek reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the lack of security that enabled terrorists to attack tourists with impunity in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.
The party will also seek response to US President Donald Trump's claims about mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, Congress's communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh has posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Also, "Our senior army officers have raised a very sensitive issue about the two-front axis that has been formed on our border with China, Pakistan and Bangladesh. So it is very important that we talk about defence and foreign policy," said Congress's Gaurav Gogoi after an all-party meeting ahead of the monsoon session.
The party will also seek discussion on restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Schedule VI status for Ladakh, and the situation in Manipur.
At the all-party meeting, attended by representatives from 51 political parties, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju appealed for cooperation to ensure smooth functioning of parliament.
Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has also called for cooperation among political parties and highlighted the need for mutual respect.
The government has a packed schedule, with multiple bills listed for discussion and passage. Eight new bills will be introduced and eight pending bills will be taken up for discussion.
The key bills will include the Income-Tax Bill, introduced during the Budget Session in February. The bill and its amendments, adopted by the select committee, will be sent for passage after cabinet approval.
Another key bill that would be taken up is the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, which seeks to promote ease of doing business and improve regulatory compliance.
The Monsoon Session will continue till August 21, with a break from August 12 to August 18. There will be 21 sittings across 32 days.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
2 minutes ago
- India.com
Good news for Central govt employees, can now take up to 30 days leave yearly to…, Check details
Central government employees in India can take up to 30 days of leave every year for personal reasons, including looking after their elderly parents. This was confirmed by Union Minister of State for Personnel, Jitendra Singh, while answering a question in the Rajya Sabha during the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament. He said that this rule is already part of the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972. Under these rules, a central government employee gets: 30 days of earned leave 20 days of half-pay leave 8 days of casual leave 2 restricted holidays every year. These leaves can be used for any personal reason, such as caring for sick or elderly parents, the minister explained in a written reply. Advertisement === What are the CCS (Leave) rules, 1972? The Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972 came into effect on June 1, 1972, and they decide how leave is given to most Central government employees. However, these rules do not apply to everyone. For example, railway workers, casual or part-time staff, and members of the All India Services follow different leave rules. In total, 11 groups of employees are excluded from these rules. What types of leave are available for central employees? Earned Leave (EL) – Leave earned over time for personal use. Half Pay Leave (HPL) – Leave taken with half the salary. Commuted Leave – Half pay leave converted into full pay leave in special cases. Leave Not Due – Advance leave, allowed when no other leave is left. Extraordinary Leave (EOL) – Leave without pay when other options are used up. Maternity and Paternity Leave – For new mothers and fathers. Child Care Leave (CCL) – Special leave for taking care of children. Study Leave – For employees wanting to pursue higher studies or training. Special Disability Leave – If an employee gets injured during duty. Seamen's Sick Leave – For employees working on ships. Hospital Leave – For serious health conditions needing hospital care. Departmental Leave – Special leave granted in certain departments. How earned leave works for Central employees Earned Leave is added to your leave balance twice a year i.e. on January 1 and July 1. When you use it, it is deducted from your leave account. Some special kinds of leave, like maternity or child care leave, are not deducted from your regular leave balance. Advertisement === Other holidays and offs for Central employees Apart from the leaves listed above, there are also other types of time-off like: Casual Leave Restricted Holidays Compensatory Offs Special Casual Leave These are managed through government instructions and can change from time to time.
New Indian Express
2 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Rahul Gandhi spreading hatred through pre-planned actions, UP govt tells Supreme Court in Savarkar defamation case
NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh government has told the Supreme Court that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is deliberately spreading hatred through pre-planned actions, referring to his alleged remarks against freedom fighter Veer Savarkar during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022. The government made this claim in an affidavit filed in response to Gandhi's Special Leave Petition (SLP), which seeks to quash a summons issued by a Lucknow lower court based on a criminal complaint by lawyer Nripendra Pandey. A two-judge bench of the top court, comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan, is scheduled to hear the matter. In its previous hearing on 25 April, the Supreme Court had stayed the Allahabad High Court's order refusing to quash the summons and had directed the UP government to file a response. The Yogi Adityanath-led government, in its affidavit, defended the summons and urged the court to dismiss Gandhi's appeal, stating, "All the allegations are supported by the investigation, which indicates deliberate spreading of hatred through pre-planned actions." The affidavit claimed that the magistrate had thoroughly reviewed the case file, statements, and investigation report before issuing the summoning order under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between groups) and 505 (statements conducive to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The Print
2 minutes ago
- The Print
India uses BRICS to push reforms—not to challenge the US
These nations are now challenging the hegemony of the West. Calls for de-dollarisation—reducing reliance on the US dollar in trade and finance— are becoming prominent, posing a threat to America's financial and geopolitical dominance. It gives China and Russia (and India too) a louder voice on the world stage. It fuels global economic realignment away from the dollar and Western institutions, pointing to a multipolar world order—something that US President Donald Trump doesn't support. Although forming groups of countries to promote cooperation is common globally, BRICS is more than a conventional grouping. It is a group of countries challenging the clout of the developed powers, particularly the US and European nations. In 2010, the first five members—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—constituted 18 per cent of the global GDP. Their collective share has risen to 26.5 percent in 2025. The latest edition of the BRICS Summit was significant because all 10 member countries participated. It included Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the UAE, which attended as member states for the first time at the 2024 summit in Russia, and Indonesia, which joined in early 2025 as the first Southeast Asian country in the bloc. With its expansion, the group is now known as BRICS Plus—a term first used at the 2024 summit. Trump's worries with BRICS The recent expansion of BRICS, with five new members joining, has increased the worries of the West, particularly the US. And without mincing words, Trump has started expressing his unhappiness over the developments happening in BRICS. Here are the key reasons why Trump opposes BRICS: The primary reason is that both the original members (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and new entrants like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Iran, and Ethiopia are openly discussing reducing reliance on the US dollar in trade and finance. Trump's long-standing 'America First' stance makes any move away from the dollar a direct challenge to U.S. economic influence and its ability to enforce sanctions. The second point that irks Trump is BRICS' geopolitical opposition to the West. BRICS increasingly positions itself as a counterweight to Western institutions like the G7, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank. The deepening ties between China and Russia within BRICS are seen as part of a broader anti-Western alignment. Third, Trump has consistently taken a hardline stance on China, through trade wars, tariffs, tech and investment restrictions, etc. BRICS giving China a leadership platform to challenge the US on the global stage agitates him. He views BRICS as a vehicle for China's global expansion under the guise of multipolarity. Fourth, the inclusion of Saudi Arabia and Iran gives BRICS influence over global energy markets. There is growing potential for oil trade to be conducted in non-dollar currencies (e.g., yuan or BRICS currency), which would weaken the petrodollar system—a critical pillar of US global economic power. Fifth, Trump perceives BRICS expansion as a sign that the 'Global South' is drifting away from Western influence, forming its own independent bloc. This runs contrary to Trump's vision of negotiating 'from strength,' where US dominance is unquestioned. Sixth, Trump views global influence in zero-sum terms. Any rise of a non-Western grouping that excludes the US is seen as a personal and national affront. BRICS summits that propose alternative visions for world order without US involvement are perceived as a threat to 'American prestige'—something Trump values highly. He has threatened to impose higher tariffs on countries siding with the BRICS. He has already announced the imposition of 50 per cent tariffs on Brazil. Also read: BRICS nations resist 'anti-American' label after Trump tariff threat India's pragmatic approach Although India is a member of BRICS, its approach is more nuanced, balanced, and pragmatic compared to other members. India's stance is shaped by its national interests, strategic autonomy, and growing global ambitions. While it has been trying to promote its economic interests by promoting international trade and settlements in rupee—thereby reducing dependence on dollar—India is not anti-dollar. It supports a broader effort to diversify the global financial system, reduce dependency on a single currency, and promote a multipolar world order. India has initiated bilateral trade in rupees with countries such as Russia, the UAE, Sri Lanka, and Mauritius to reduce its forex outflows. So far, more than 20 countries have opened Vostro accounts to facilitate trade settlement in domestic currencies. India backs BRICS to create alternative payment mechanisms, like using local currencies or discussions around a potential BRICS currency, but remains cautious about their practicality. India understands the dominance of the dollar in global trade and finance and has not called for its outright replacement (or de-dollarisation). Instead, it favors the coexistence of multiple reserve currencies (like the euro, the yuan, and the rupee). India does not see BRICS as an anti-US bloc. It views the grouping as a platform for reforming global institutions, not for confrontation. India supports a world with multiple power centres, where the voices of emerging economies are better represented. India has been pleading for long to bring reforms in institutions like the United Nations, IMF, and World Bank, which it believes are West-dominated and don't reflect current global realities. In this context, under India's G20 presidency, an expert group was formed to prepare a report on reforms for global financial institutions. This group was co-convened by economists Larry Summers and NK Singh. Their report focused on strengthening Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). Guided by its own objectives, India uses BRICS to promote cooperation in technology, finance, infrastructure, and sustainable development. If the US is irked by Chinese dominance in BRICS, India too remains wary of China's influence in the bloc and rejects any behaviour that undermines its sovereignty or aligns too closely with Chinese interests. At the global level, India's balanced approach is to serve its national objectives and achieve its goals of protecting its national sovereignty. By promoting international settlements in Indian currency, reducing dependence on dollars, it's also trying to stop the de-weaponisation of dollars. India is promoting self-reliance through 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat', and discourages efforts of others (both the West and China) to weaponise global value chains. By promoting digital rupee payments, India is also trying to de-weaponise payment systems. These efforts protect our own national interest by not allowing others to dominate India. In the past, India has been able to demonstrate its clout by purchasing oil from Russia and Iran, promoting digital payments and pushing for reforms in global institutions at international fora. It's interesting that the US has not objected to these moves—perhaps looking at India as a force to balance the dominance of other countries, including China. Ashwani Mahajan is a professor at PGDAV College, University of Delhi. He tweets @ashwani_mahajan. Views are personal. (Edited by Ratan Priya)
