Tag: probe

IIT-B condoles death of Dalit student, orders probe

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Mumbai: The IIT-Bombay on Monday condoled the death by suicide of B.Tech. First Year Dalit student, Darshan Solanki, terming it as “a great loss to the family and to the IITB community.
In its first reaction, the IIT-B said: “It is unfortunate that such a loss could not be prevented despite the efforts of the Institute and Student Mentors to support our students. A committee has been constituted to investigate the incident.”
The IIT-B held a condolence meeting and observed two minutes of silence in memory of the departed soul, said a spokesperson.
In a shocking incident, Solanki, 18, jumped to his death from the 7th floor of his hostel building in the Powai Campus on Sunday afternoon, after his first semester exams for the Chemical Engineering course a day earlier.
According to certain reports, Solanki reportedly did not heed warning shouts from other co-students who noticed him just before he took the plunge to death.
“While we cannot change what has already happened, we will further increase our efforts to prevent such events in future. We pray that his family gets the strength to bear this loss. The Institute is with his family at this difficult time. We deeply mourn the tragic loss of Darshan’s life,” said the IIT-B.
Earlier on Monday, a student group, the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle-IITB had pointed fingers at the IIT-B for alleged discrimination prevalent on the Powai Campus against students from reserved categories, various lapses on the part of the management to address their distress, etc., and sought redressal.

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#IITB #condoles #death #Dalit #student #orders #probe
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 13, 2023
Assam: AAP holds protest, demands JPC probe into Adani-Hindenburg issue

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Guwahati: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday staged a protest here, demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the allegations of malpractices against the Adani group in the Hindenburg Research report.
Workers of the party tried to march towards the Assam BJP headquarters on National Highway-27 in the Basistha area but were stopped by the police around 50 metres away from the place.
“We picked up many protesters and took them in a bus to the designated dharna site at Chachal. They were released there,” a senior police officer said.
“We demand a JPC probe into the latest allegations of malpractices in Adani stocks,” an AAP member said.
The protesters also raised slogans against the ruling BJP and billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani.
Adani Group stocks had taken a beating on the bourses after the US-based Hindenburg Research made several allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation.
The Gautam Adani-led group has dismissed the allegations.
The opposition parties have alleged that the meltdown in Adani Group shares is a scam that involves common people’s money as “LIC and SBI have invested in them”.

These parties have also been demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the issue.
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#Assam #AAP #holds #protest #demands #JPC #probe #AdaniHindenburg #issue
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 12, 2023
Maha orders SIT probe into scribe’s ‘killing’, Congress demands judicial probe

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Mumbai: Under flak from various quarters for the “killing” of a Ratnagiri journalist Shashikant Warishe, the Maharashtra government will on Saturday set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, ordered the police to form the SIT and investigate Warishe’s killing even as the Opposition Congress demanded a judicial probe panel.
Fadnavis has directed the police department to set up the SIT headed by a senior officer and conduct the investigations into the case which has grabbed national attention.
On the other hand, Congress Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe has sought an inquiry commission headed by a sitting or retired Bombay High Court judge to carry out the case probe, plus the report must be handed over to the court and not the state government.
“It must be noted that Fadnavis had in the past declared that the Barsu refinery complex (originally due to come up at Nanar) will come up no matter what and nothing can stop it…” Londhe pointed out, demanding the judicial probe to ascertain Warishe’s killing and a possible conspiracy behind it.
On Monday, Warishe, 46, was knocked down and dragged on his bike by a SUV allegedly driven by a local realty agent, Pandharinath Amberkar, 42.
While the scribe succumbed to his serious injuries on Tuesday, following a massive hue and cry, Ambedkar was arrested and charged with murder, as the incident reverberated nationally.
Major media organisations, rights and social groups, NGOs, and almost all major political parties like Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena (UBT), CPI, and others have rallied together to condemn Warishe’ killing, and unravel the plot behind it.

Warishe had run a series of articles opposing the Barsu refinery-cum-petrochemicals complex – billed as the world’s biggest – coming up at a cost of Rs 3.50 lakh-crore, with foreign collaboration in Ratnagiri.
Earlier, following protests by locals, the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi government had scrapped the Nanar location and the next regime has finalised Barsu as its new location, which is also facing huge opposition.
Warishe had been running a campaign against the upcoming refinery and petrochemicals complex coming up in the region, while Amberkar was a supporter of the mega-project.
Journalists and other organisations took out silent protest marches in Mumbai on Friday and in Rajapur on Saturday demanding justice for Warishe’s family and ensuring stringent punishment to the prime accused Amberkar.
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#Maha #orders #SIT #probe #scribes #killing #Congress #demands #judicial #probe
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 11, 2023
Telangana HC warns of CBI, ED probe into Nizam’s properties

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Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Thursday said that fraudsters can’t take advantage of the legal system in the Nizam land deals case while warning that it might order the CBI and the ED to look into the transactions made in the name of the Civil Suit (CS)13 and CS 14 batch cases.
CS 14 and 13 lands are part of an ongoing litigation property case concerning the alleged transfer of land parcels from the former Nizam of Hyderabad to various individuals.
A special bench presided over by chief justice Ujjal Bhuyan every day in the afternoon session, has been hearing this dispute.
The bench of chief justice Bhuyan and N Tukaramji, on Thursday morning, discovered a new land dispute involving 93 acres in the Kuntloor village of the Hayathnagar Mandal of Ranga Reddy district.
In this case, a few landowners intended to divide their property among their rightful successors to prevent it from being sold off to third parties.
After finding these shady aspects of the case, the bench instructed the judicial registrar to look into the incident.
In June 2021, a single court prohibited the sub-registrar of Hayathnagar from considering any registrations pertaining to this area.
Although some other kin petitioned the High Court to have this restraint order lifted, the single judge declined to do so. In response, they filed writ appeals, which were also rejected.

However, the owners again approached the court, claiming that the sub-registrar was acting against the court’s instructions when he began to accept sale documents authorising transactions over this land.
The parties in return, filing the registrations provided a second ruling signed by a single judge allowing them to proceed with the filings. This unexplained directive surprised the bench.
The bench suspended this ruling and instructed the sub-registrar against accepting any registrations for this property until further directions were issued.
It further instructed the HC registrar to look into the incident and submit a report and postponed the matter till March 2.
The bench mentioned the CS 13 and CS 14 cases when it was making its judgement and stated that it found various anomalies in those situations and denied permission for their transaction.
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#Telangana #warns #CBI #probe #Nizams #properties
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 10, 2023
Pence is subpoenaed in special counsel probe of Jan. 6

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Pence was the target of Trump’s last-ditch bid to derail the transfer of power to Joe Biden, leaning on his then-vice president to prevent Congress from counting electoral votes that would affirm Biden’s victory.
Pence resisted the effort, drawing Trump’s fury, even as a mob on Jan. 6, 2021, violently attacked and breached the Capitol, where Pence had been presiding over the electoral vote count.
One advantage for Smith in pursuing Pence’s testimony is that Pence has sought to publicly describe his private interactions with Trump during the chaotic weeks before Jan. 6. Pence wrote about it in his recently released book, indicating he had directly told Trump that even his own lawyers didn’t think courts would support his plan to have Pence single-handedly overturn the results.
Two of Pence’s top aides — Marc Short and Greg Jacob — have already testified to the grand jury and are the subject of ongoing secret legal proceedings pending before the federal courts related to Trump’s effort to assert privilege over their testimony. Both men also testified at length to the Jan. 6 select committee last year and provided crucial evidence that a federal judge said pointed to “likely” crimes committed by Trump.
The subpoena has the potential to trigger an executive privilege fight if Trump or Pence ask a judge to rule that some or all of their testimony should be off limits to prosecutors and the grand jury in order to protect White House deliberations.
Attorney General Merrick Garland tapped Smith to serve as a special counsel shortly after the midterm elections in November and following an announcement by Trump that he would be a candidate for president in 2024. Smith’s mandate includes not only Jan. 6-related matters and alleged interference with the 2020 presidential election, but also the presence of a range of documents with classification markings at Trump’s Florida home.
Josh Gerstein and Meridith McGraw contributed to this report.
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#Pence #subpoenaed #special #counsel #probe #Jan
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

February 10, 2023
Trinamool MP seeks ED probe into affairs of ‘certain’ company, avoids naming Adani

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New Delhi: Senior Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy sought to know in the Lok Sabha on Thursday as to why the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is not investigating the affairs of a “certain” company which did round-tripping of its finances and bought assets in India.
However, Roy made the remarks without taking the name of Adani group.
The Trinamool MP also demanded that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman should ask market regulator SEBI to inquire into the fallen shares of this “certain” company.
Roy raked up the issue while participating in the discussions on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha.
Sitharaman, though, was not present in the House when Roy raised the issue.
Without taking Adani group’s name, Roy said, “The Hindenburg report said that a certain company did round-tripping of its finances, and bought assets in India after round-tripping them from abroad. You know in the snowy areas, the ice comes down. The ice came down on this company’s shares as well. In three days, it lost to the tune of Rs 10 lakh crore.
“You people tell me which company is this. Its name cannot be taken. If we say Adani, they will demand expunging the name.”
“I have a simple demand from the Finance Minister. She has got the SEBI under her. If a company has done round-tripping, it is the job of SEBI to look into it,” he added.

“I demand that she (Sitharaman) should ask SEBI to inquire into the fallen shares of this certain company. Also, the ED, which is a matter of fear for the Opposition, is under the Finance Minister as well. It is investigating each and every politician from the Opposition. Why is the ED not investigating the affairs of this company,” the Trinamool MP asked.
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#Trinamool #seeks #probe #affairs #company #avoids #naming #Adani
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 9, 2023
House GOP opens politicized-government probe with a Fox News-ready lineup

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“I’m deeply concerned about the use of this select subcommittee as a place to settle scores, showcase conspiracy theories and advance an extreme agenda that risks undermining Americans’ faith in our democracy,” said Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-V.I.), her party’s top member on the panel.
Republicans defended their strategy, arguing that whistleblowers — some of whom will testify publicly — have been privately raising concerns to the committee staff. Others have met behind closed doors with the panel, including as recently as this week.
“I have never seen anything like this. Dozens of, dozens of whistleblowers, FBI agents, coming to us … Not Jim Jordan saying this, not Republicans, not conservatives, good, brave FBI agents,” said Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), chair of the panel and the broader Judiciary Committee.
Yet two of the GOP witnesses who set the tone for the panel’s work are currently employed Fox News contributors with gripes against their onetime organizations to match: former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who recently left the Democratic Party, and former FBI agent Nicole Parker.
It’s not just the Fox News contributors who set the panel up to deliver a grievance-fueled message to the party base. The GOP witnesses included two GOP senators — Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin — as well as constitutional lawyer Jonathan Turley, a favored witness for Republicans in recent years. Another former FBI official, Thomas Baker, testified.
It’s the panel’s first hearing after Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed to create it last month as he sought to lock down conservative votes and win the gavel. And the broad scope of the hearing — the “weaponization of the federal government,” a mission similar to the panel’s own name — is likely to serve as a springboard into a litany of topics that all fuel outrage on the right, although many of the GOP witnesses are particularly critical of the FBI’s actions dating back to the 2016 presidential campaign.
And the vast scope of the hearing in some ways mirrors the panel’s blurry boundary lines in its relationships with other House investigative work. Many of the 12 Republicans on the subcommittee — including Reps. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Dan Bishop (R-N.C.) and Mike Johnson (R-La.) — have suggested they want to dig into matters that are also being pursued by the wider Judiciary Committee, the Oversight Committee and other panels.
Jordan, who chairs the Judiciary panel and the new subcommittee, wields subpoena power for both panels, making him primarily responsible for sorting out any overlap in jurisdiction. Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) has stressed his coordination with Jordan, who preceded him as the top Republican there.

Democrats, mindful of the TV-caliber lineup, selected their own camera-friendly witnesses. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) — a constitutional lawyer and veteran of recent major Democratic investigations — sat alongside Grassley, Johnson and Gabbard, ready to parry allegations that his party regards as conspiracy theories. And Elliot Williams, a former Obama Justice Department official who now contributes to CNN, took alongside the other witnesses during a second panel.
Raskin warned that the subcommittee “could take oversight over a very dark alley” and that the panel’s name was “pure physiological projection.”
“Not because ‘weaponization of the government’ is its target, but because weaponization of the government is its purpose. What is in a name? Well, everything is here,” Raskin added.
And the White House fired off an opening salvo against the panel ahead of the hearing, calling it a “Fox News reboot of the House Un-American Activities Committee” that “weaponizes Congress to carry out the priorities of extreme MAGA Republicans in Congress.”
In a standard practice for fellow members, Raskin, Johnson, Grassley and Gabbard only give opening statements, sparing them from questions that would force them to go toe-to-toe with their political opponents.
The decision to rely heavily on GOP, or GOP-aligned witnesses, is a sharp-turn from the last prominent select committee — the Jan. 6 panel. That Democratic-run investigation largely relied on Republicans and officials within Trump’s orbit to tell the story of his attempt to overturn the 2020 election, culminating in the violent attack on the Capitol.
Grassley and Johnson discussed, among other matters, their Hunter Biden investigation and their belief that the then-Trump-era FBI worked to undercut their probe of the now-president’s son as the 2020 election drew closer.
“I’ve ran countless investigations. In the past few years, I’ve never seen so much effort from the FBI, the partisan media, and some of my Democratic colleagues to interfere with and undermine very legitimate congressional inquiries,” Grassley said.
The hearing came in the wake of a back-and-forth between Jordan and the Justice Department over his subpoena last week for documents related to certain Biden administration decisions regarding threats against school officials during the pandemic.
The Justice Department, in a letter obtained by POLITICO, told the Ohio Republican that it remained “ready to discuss next steps” on his request for documents and urged him to “reconsider engaging.”
“We are committed to working in good faith to respond to your requests and remain ready to discuss your informational needs and priorities for review and production of pertinent documents,” the department added.
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#House #GOP #opens #politicizedgovernment #probe #Fox #Newsready #lineup
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

February 9, 2023
Rajya Sabha sees verbal skirmishes as Oppn presses for JPC probe

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New Delhi: Verbal skirmishes between treasury and opposition benches that forced frequent interventions by the Chair marked the proceedings in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday as the opposition parties targeted the government on the Adani issue pressing for a JPC probe.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the House during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address, opposition members referred to allegations against the Adani group made by Hindenburg Research and made several insinuations, prompting Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to repeatedly ask them to authenticate the charges by end of the day.
Dhankhar urged the members to maintain dignity and not make wild allegations unless authenticated with evidence. Members of the treasury benches also asked the opposition MPs to authenticate the charges made in the House.
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge led the charge, demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the allegations against Adani, and asked why the government was “shying away” from an investigation.
Kharge also invoked Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s ‘raj dharma’ remark made post-2002 Gujarat riots, sparking a heated exchange with BJP members who accused him of quoting the former prime minister “partly to suit their convenience”.
Leader of the House Piyush Goyal and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also opposed Kharge’s remarks made during his speech and asked him to authenticate the allegations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reply to the debate at 2 pm on Thursday.
Leaders of BRS, AAP and Shiv Sena (Thackeray) earlier walked out of the House in protest after their adjournment notices on the Adani issue were denied by the Chairman who found no merit in them.

Congress member K C Venugopal also alleged the government is running away from an investigation by a JPC on the allegations against the Adani Group as it wants to “hide something”.
Leaders from different Opposition parties demanded a JPC probe on the Hindenburg-Adani issue and many alleged that the President’s speech missed out key issues especially the “attacks” on minority Muslims, price rise and unemployment, and demanded a caste-based census.
Amid a fiery debate, Rajya Sabha on Wednesday also witnessed rare moments of collective mirth when Kharge, during his speech, praised Chairman Dhankhar’s work as a lawyer and recalled that the vice president once told him that in his early years as an advocate he used to count cash with his hands, but as his career took off he bought a ‘cash counting machine’.
“I did not say this. I think you will get a JPC (joint parliamentary committee) set on me,” Dhankhar told the Congress president as the House broke into peals of laughter over the exchange between the two veterans.
Kharge also said that Prime Minister Modi was targeting even his home constituency Kalaburagi in poll-bound Karnataka by addressing public rallies not once but twice, bringing a smile to Modi.
Leader of the House Piyush Goyal also quipped that Kharge was wearing a Louis Vuitton scarf and a JPC probe cannot be instituted on individual cases.
Amid the raillery, Kharge said the prime minister is always in election mode. “Even the parliament was in session, he went to my constituency in Kalaburghi,” he said in a lighter vein adding that PM had two meetings and he selected only his constituency for this.
The remark evoked laughter among those present including PM Modi.
Kharge raised concerns over the “growing communal divide” and alleged that Dalits were being beaten for entering temples.
Their hate is not against us but also on religion, caste and language, said Kharge asking the ruling party to stop it. He asked the prime minister why he was “sitting quietly.
“Once you give a stern glance, the people would stop spreading hate. This situation has come to this because you have kept quiet and become a ‘Mauni Baba’,” he said, prompting Dhankhar to intervene and point out that such remarks do not suit his stature.
With Chairman Dhankhar interrupting several times during the Leader of Opposition’s speech, asking him not to say anything which goes against the national spirit, Kharge lost his cool.
“I differ with your opinion. If I speak the truth, it is anti-national! I am not anti-national. I am more patriotic than anybody up here.
“I am a Bhumi Putra. I have not come from Afghanistan or Germany or other countries. I am a native of this land, I am a ‘Mool Bhartiya’ don’t try to suppress me, my feelings. You are ruling the country and you are telling that I am anti-national,” he retorted.
Countering the Opposition attack, BJP MP Surender Singh Nagar said the years 2009 to 2014 were marked with scams.
He said that people talking of corruption are those whose entire family is on bail for corruption charges.
He said under the Modi government, corruption has been weeded out and India’s prestige across the world has grown manifold times.
Venugopal said the truth will come out with a JPC probe.
“This House has the greatest tradition. That House also has the greatest tradition. Whenever this type of big scam is raised in the public domain, it is the right of the parliamentarians to ask for an inquiry from the government
“If the government does not need to hide any truth, then it should come forward for a JPC inquiry, like during the UPA rule, how many JPC inquiries we have done.. we are asking why are you running away from JPC… something is there somewhere,” he said.
Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav hit out at the Congress, saying the opposition does not believe in any data put out by the government as he reeled out numbers related to employment generations, rise in internet users, vaccination, MUDRA loan, and free cooking gas connections.
The Congress does not appreciate anything on which India takes pride, he alleged.
Ajit Kumar Bhuyan (Independent), who belongs to Assam, said the people of the region had developed some hope after the prime minister told the nation that the Naga conflict was resolved but the President’s Address does not reflect any concern on the Naga conflict.
Vivek Thakur (BJP) spoke about the various development works and initiatives by the Modi government that have empowered the poor, farmers, dalits, tribals, and rural India during the last nine years.
Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Jaya Bachchan demanded that the government conduct a caste-based census so that Other Backward Community (OBC) people can avail the benefits of government welfare schemes and jobs.
Bachchan alleged that the President’s speech failed to mention what the government has achieved in improving the lives of women, sanitation workers and senior citizens.
NCP leader Fauzia Khan alleged that the ruling government was using the Enforcement Directorate to target the opposition party members, and there is no politics with principles at present as “fear and exclusion” are used as a strategy for polarisation.
Abdul Wahab (IUML) favoured the demand for JPC probe and also alleged that the President’s speech did not address the struggles of the Muslims.
Sulata Deo (BJD) talked about women’s empowerment and emphasised the need for the Women’s Reservation Bill.
Kavita Patidar (BJP), Birendra Prasad Baishya (AGP), Ramchandra Jangra (BJP), Brijlal (BJP) and Rwngwra Narzary (UPPL) also participated in the debate.
TMC MP Abir Ranjan Biswas said the immediate inquiry into the “big scam” which is currently creating much furore can happen in two different ways. It could be through a JPC or a time-bound probe by a Supreme Court-monitored Committee.
“So, we demand the second, of course, if the first plan is touching the weak nerve of the government,” he said.
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#Rajya #Sabha #sees #verbal #skirmishes #Oppn #presses #JPC #probe
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 8, 2023
Govt running away from JPC probe into allegations against Adani Group: Venugopal

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New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Congress MP K C Venugopal on Wednesday alleged that the government was “running away” from an investigation by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the allegations against the Adani Group as it wanted to “hide something”.
Leaders from different opposition parties in the Upper House also alleged that the President’s speech missed out key issues, especially the “attacks” on minority Muslims, price rise and unemployment, and demanded a caste-based census. Several of them demanded a JPC probe into the Hindenburg-Adani issue.
Speaking on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in Rajya Sabha, Venugopal said the truth will not come out with a JPC probe.
“This House has the greatest tradition. That House also has the greatest tradition. Whenever this type of big scam is raised in the public domain, it is the right of the parliamentarians to ask for an inquiry from the government
“If the government does not need to hide any truth, then it should come forward for a JPC inquiry, like during the UPA rule, how many JPC inquiries we have done.. we are asking why are you running away from JPC.. something is there somewhere,” he said.
He claimed there was high unemployment in the country and that some media platforms were spreading venom in the country in the name of Hindu-Muslim.
Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav hit back at the Congress, saying the opposition old party does not believe in any data put out by the goverment as he reeled out numbers related to employment generations, rise in internet users, vaccination, MUDRA loan, and free cooking gas connections.
The Congress does not appreciate anything on which India takes pride, he alleged.

Ajit Kumar Bhuyan (Independent), who belongs to Assam, said the people of the region had developed some hope after the prime minister told the nation that the Naga conflict was resolved when the Centre inked the framework agreement in August, 2015 but the President’s Address does not reflect any concern on the Naga conflict.
Vivek Thakur (BJP) spoke about the various development works and initiatives by the Modi government that have empowered the poor, farmers, dalits, tribals, and rural India during the last nine years.
Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Jaya Bachchan demanded that the government conduct a caste-based census so that Other Backward Community (OBC) people can avail the benefits of government welfare schemes and jobs.
She said beneficiaries for the government’s welfare schemes are identified based on caste data of scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribes (ST).
After 1931, a caste-based census – that would have helped get the data on OBCs – was not undertaken, she said.
“We demand… a caste-based census so that they (OBCs) get advantage and their due share in the welfare schemes and the government jobs,” she added.
Bachchan, also a Bollywood actress, alleged that the President’s speech failed to mention what the government has achieved in improving the lives of women, sanitation workers and senior citizens.
There was no mention of the Nirbhaya fund in the speech, she said, adding that the government also showed complete disregard towards the artist community.
NCP leader Fauzia Khan alleged that the ruling government was using the Enforcement Directorate to target the opposition party members, and alleged there is no politics with principles at present as “fear and exclusion” are used as a strategy for polarisation.
She also expressed concern over China’s alleged “water bomb” being developed by building river bridges and airports in neighbouring Nepal and Tibet. “This is a water bomb. Is the government thinking of signing a treaty with China?” she asked.
Pressing for a JPC probe on the Hindenburg-Adani issue, Abdul Wahab (IUML) alleged that the President’s speech did not address the struggles of the Muslims.
“India’s largest minority, that is Muslims, were not even once discussed by the President. We know there has been an increase in targeted attacks and demolition of houses in Muslim-dominated localities in UP, Uttarakhand, Assam and Madhya Pradesh,” he said.
The participation of Muslims in higher education has declined to 4.6 per cent from 5.5 per cent. The quality of public education deteriorated, and as a result, private tuition and coaching centres thrived. Financial aid to higher education students decreased, he added.
Wahab said the President’s address should have set a roadmap for addressing the common concerns of people in areas like rising unemployment, increase in gas cylinder and petrol price and hike in prices of essential food items.
Sulata Deo (BJD) talked about women’s empowerment and emphasised the need for the Women’s Reservation Bill.
Pabitra Magherio (BJP) praised the Modi government for taking steps to end terrorism in the Northeast. “There has been a 74 per cent decline in terrorist activities. Terrorists and rebel groups are in dialogue now.”
Terrorist activities have reduced and as a result, G-20 meetings are being held there also, he added.
Sonal Mansingh (BJP) drew attention to the government initiatives taken to promote and preserve India’s rich cultural heritage.
“Government has chosen the path of consolidating heritage and giving priority to development”, she said.
The government’s endeavour has been to focus on preserving India’s glorious past, and paying homage and tribute to great freedom fighters, she said.
She mentioned initiatives such as upgrading five iconic museums to international standards, the Statue of Unity, and the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate.
She said that millions of people have for centuries yearned for the temple of Lord Ram, for which the prime minister led the bhoomi pujan.
“It was an emotional moment for millions since many people had wondered if they would ever see Shri Ram in a grand temple instead of a makeshift tent,” she said.
Kavita Patidar (BJP) said the government has taken a number of policy measures for the welfare of farmers, right from the PM-KISAN scheme to One Nation One Fertiliser scheme, and PM Kisan Samruddhi Kendras.
Birendra Prasad Baishya (AGP) recounted that in 2014 after taking over as the prime minister, Narendra Modi announced that the Northeast region is a priority.
“He not only announced, he has implemented,” Baishya said. Before 2014, Assam had only one cancer hospital, and now that number has grown to nine, he added.
Ramchandra Jangra (BJP), Brijlal (BJP) and Rwngwra Narzary (UPPL) also participated in the debate.
Radha Mohan Das Agarwal (BJP) focused on the health sector. He said the health budget has increased to Rs 86,200 crore in 2022-23 from Rs 33,700 crore in 2013-14.
Santhosh Kumar P (CPI) accused the central government of weakening institutions like SEBI.
“It is actually now a Silent and Embarrassed Body of India,” he alleged.
A D Singh (RJD) also raised the demand for JPC probe.
“What is the harm if a JPC is constituted? At least, you can show to the world that everything is transparent here, and in case, the Opposition is saying something wrong, we will also get embarrassed if the JPC clears everything that a particular industrialist has done,” he said.
While supporting the motion of thanks, Manas Ranjan Mangaraj (BJD) highlighted that banking services are absent in many Panchayats of Odisha.
“These also need to be provided by the Centre,” he said, and added that because of the implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer, the people of Odisha will not be benefitted unless Brick and Mortar (Physical) banks are there in the panchayats.
TMC MP Abir Ranjan Biswas said the immediate inquiry into the “big scam” which is currently creating much furore can happen in two different ways. It could be through a JPC or a time-bound probe by a Supreme Court-monitored Committee.
“So, we demand the second, of course, if the first plan is touching the weak nerve of the government,” he said.
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#Govt #running #JPC #probe #allegations #Adani #Group #Venugopal
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 8, 2023
Govt running away from JPC probe into allegations against Adani Group: Venugopal

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New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Congress MP K C Venugopal on Wednesday alleged that the government was “running away” from an investigation by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the allegations against the Adani Group as it wanted to “hide something”.
Leaders from different opposition parties in the Upper House also alleged that the President’s speech missed out key issues, especially the “attacks” on minority Muslims, price rise and unemployment, and demanded a caste-based census. Several of them demanded a JPC probe into the Hindenburg-Adani issue.
Speaking on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in Rajya Sabha, Venugopal said the truth will not come out with a JPC probe.
“This House has the greatest tradition. That House also has the greatest tradition. Whenever this type of big scam is raised in the public domain, it is the right of the parliamentarians to ask for an inquiry from the government
“If the government does not need to hide any truth, then it should come forward for a JPC inquiry, like during the UPA rule, how many JPC inquiries we have done.. we are asking why are you running away from JPC.. something is there somewhere,” he said.
He claimed there was high unemployment in the country and that some media platforms were spreading venom in the country in the name of Hindu-Muslim.
Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav hit back at the Congress, saying the opposition old party does not believe in any data put out by the goverment as he reeled out numbers related to employment generations, rise in internet users, vaccination, MUDRA loan, and free cooking gas connections.
The Congress does not appreciate anything on which India takes pride, he alleged.

Ajit Kumar Bhuyan (Independent), who belongs to Assam, said the people of the region had developed some hope after the prime minister told the nation that the Naga conflict was resolved when the Centre inked the framework agreement in August, 2015 but the President’s Address does not reflect any concern on the Naga conflict.
Vivek Thakur (BJP) spoke about the various development works and initiatives by the Modi government that have empowered the poor, farmers, dalits, tribals, and rural India during the last nine years.
Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Jaya Bachchan demanded that the government conduct a caste-based census so that Other Backward Community (OBC) people can avail the benefits of government welfare schemes and jobs.
She said beneficiaries for the government’s welfare schemes are identified based on caste data of scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribes (ST).
After 1931, a caste-based census – that would have helped get the data on OBCs – was not undertaken, she said.
“We demand… a caste-based census so that they (OBCs) get advantage and their due share in the welfare schemes and the government jobs,” she added.
Bachchan, also a Bollywood actress, alleged that the President’s speech failed to mention what the government has achieved in improving the lives of women, sanitation workers and senior citizens.
There was no mention of the Nirbhaya fund in the speech, she said, adding that the government also showed complete disregard towards the artist community.
NCP leader Fauzia Khan alleged that the ruling government was using the Enforcement Directorate to target the opposition party members, and alleged there is no politics with principles at present as “fear and exclusion” are used as a strategy for polarisation.
She also expressed concern over China’s alleged “water bomb” being developed by building river bridges and airports in neighbouring Nepal and Tibet. “This is a water bomb. Is the government thinking of signing a treaty with China?” she asked.
Pressing for a JPC probe on the Hindenburg-Adani issue, Abdul Wahab (IUML) alleged that the President’s speech did not address the struggles of the Muslims.
“India’s largest minority, that is Muslims, were not even once discussed by the President. We know there has been an increase in targeted attacks and demolition of houses in Muslim-dominated localities in UP, Uttarakhand, Assam and Madhya Pradesh,” he said.
The participation of Muslims in higher education has declined to 4.6 per cent from 5.5 per cent. The quality of public education deteriorated, and as a result, private tuition and coaching centres thrived. Financial aid to higher education students decreased, he added.
Wahab said the President’s address should have set a roadmap for addressing the common concerns of people in areas like rising unemployment, increase in gas cylinder and petrol price and hike in prices of essential food items.
Sulata Deo (BJD) talked about women’s empowerment and emphasised the need for the Women’s Reservation Bill.
Pabitra Magherio (BJP) praised the Modi government for taking steps to end terrorism in the Northeast. “There has been a 74 per cent decline in terrorist activities. Terrorists and rebel groups are in dialogue now.”
Terrorist activities have reduced and as a result, G-20 meetings are being held there also, he added.
Sonal Mansingh (BJP) drew attention to the government initiatives taken to promote and preserve India’s rich cultural heritage.
“Government has chosen the path of consolidating heritage and giving priority to development”, she said.
The government’s endeavour has been to focus on preserving India’s glorious past, and paying homage and tribute to great freedom fighters, she said.
She mentioned initiatives such as upgrading five iconic museums to international standards, the Statue of Unity, and the statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate.
She said that millions of people have for centuries yearned for the temple of Lord Ram, for which the prime minister led the bhoomi pujan.
“It was an emotional moment for millions since many people had wondered if they would ever see Shri Ram in a grand temple instead of a makeshift tent,” she said.
Kavita Patidar (BJP) said the government has taken a number of policy measures for the welfare of farmers, right from the PM-KISAN scheme to One Nation One Fertiliser scheme, and PM Kisan Samruddhi Kendras.
Birendra Prasad Baishya (AGP) recounted that in 2014 after taking over as the prime minister, Narendra Modi announced that the Northeast region is a priority.
“He not only announced, he has implemented,” Baishya said. Before 2014, Assam had only one cancer hospital, and now that number has grown to nine, he added.
Ramchandra Jangra (BJP), Brijlal (BJP) and Rwngwra Narzary (UPPL) also participated in the debate.
Radha Mohan Das Agarwal (BJP) focused on the health sector. He said the health budget has increased to Rs 86,200 crore in 2022-23 from Rs 33,700 crore in 2013-14.
Santhosh Kumar P (CPI) accused the central government of weakening institutions like SEBI.
“It is actually now a Silent and Embarrassed Body of India,” he alleged.
A D Singh (RJD) also raised the demand for JPC probe.
“What is the harm if a JPC is constituted? At least, you can show to the world that everything is transparent here, and in case, the Opposition is saying something wrong, we will also get embarrassed if the JPC clears everything that a particular industrialist has done,” he said.
While supporting the motion of thanks, Manas Ranjan Mangaraj (BJD) highlighted that banking services are absent in many Panchayats of Odisha.
“These also need to be provided by the Centre,” he said, and added that because of the implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer, the people of Odisha will not be benefitted unless Brick and Mortar (Physical) banks are there in the panchayats.
TMC MP Abir Ranjan Biswas said the immediate inquiry into the “big scam” which is currently creating much furore can happen in two different ways. It could be through a JPC or a time-bound probe by a Supreme Court-monitored Committee.
“So, we demand the second, of course, if the first plan is touching the weak nerve of the government,” he said.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 8, 2023