News Analysis India

Tag: Jairam Ramesh

  • Defer implementation of new criminal laws: Jairam Ramesh

    Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday demanded that the enforcement of the three criminal laws, which are to come into force from July 1, be deferred, saying the Bills were “bulldozed” through Parliament. In a post on X, Ramesh said the implementation of the Bills be deferred to enable a thorough review and re-examination by a reconstituted Standing Committee on Home Affairs as they were passed at a time when 146 MPs had been suspended.

    “On Dec 25 2023, the President of India had given her assent to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023,the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023. The three far-reaching Bills had been bulldozed through Parliament without proper debate and discussion, and at a time when 146 MPs had been suspended from the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha,” Ramesh said.

    “Earlier the Bills had been bulldozed through the Standing Committee on Home Affairs without detailed interactions with stakeholders across the country and completely ignoring the written and very detailed dissent notes of a number of MPs belonging to different political parties, including the Indian National Congress, who were members of the Standing Committee,” he said. Ramesh said the three new laws are to come into effect from July 1, 2024, and the Congress is of the firm opinion that the date should be deferred to enable a thorough review and re-examination of the laws by the reconstituted Standing Committee on Home Affairs.

    He said the panel should have more extensive and meaningful consultations with various legal experts and organisations “who have serious concerns on the three laws as they stand”, after which it should be scrutinised by the 18th Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as well.

    On Friday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding deferment of the implementation of the three criminal laws, saying they were “hurriedly passed”. Similar demands have been made by the DMK as well.

  • LS Polls 2024: EC Asks Congress’ Jairam Ramesh To Share Details Of Amit Shah’s Pre-Counting Day Calls To DMs |

    New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) sought factual information from Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday on his claim that Home Minister Amit Shah has called up 150 district magistrates and collectors ahead of the June 4 counting of votes for the Lok Sabha polls. In a letter to Ramesh, the poll panel has asked him to share details regarding his claim by 7 pm on Sunday.

    The EC has referred to his post on X on June 1, in which the Congress general secretary had alleged that “the outgoing Home Minister has been calling up DMs/Collectors. So far, he has spoken to 150 of them. This is blatant and brazen intimidation, showing how desperate the BJP is….”

    The process of counting votes is a sacred duty cast upon every returning officer and such public statements “tend to put an element of doubt and thus, deserves to be addressed in larger public interest”, the EC has told Ramesh.

    It has also told the Congress leader that when the Model Code of Conduct is in force, all officers are under the deemed deputation of the commission and they report directly to the poll watchdog for any directions.

    “However, no DM has reported any such undue influence as alleged by you…,” the EC’s letter to Ramesh has stated.

    “It is requested that details of 150 DMs to whom such calls have been allegedly made by the Home Minister along with the factual matrix/basis of your information are shared by 7 pm today — June 2, 2024, so that appropriate action can be taken,” it has told the Congress leader.

    It has said that being a responsible, experienced and very senior leader of a national party, Ramesh must have made such a public statement ahead of the counting day on the basis of facts or information he believes to be true.

  • Cong’s Jairam Ramesh retorts to PM Modi’s ‘tempo loads of cash’ remark ‘Take action against Adani, Ambani’ – The Economic Times Video

    Congress Rajya Sabha MP and Communications in-charge, Jairam Ramesh launched a fresh attack on PM Modi over ‘tempo loads of cash’ remarks on May 19. Jairam Ramesh accused PM Modi of misusing ED, CBI, and IT against the opposition. Congress leader asked the PM to take action against Adani and Ambani for giving black money to the Congress. Jairam Ramesh said, “The way ED, CBI, and I-T are being misused by the Modi government, this has never happened before. PM Modi made the ED arrest Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal and put them in jail. PM Modi himself says that Adani and Ambani took black money in tempo to Congress office, so why is he not initiating a probe against them?”

  • Congress will increase reservation quota beyond 50 percent, claims Jairam Ramesh – The Economic Times Video

    Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue of increasing the reservation beyond 50 percent. Jairam Ramesh asked will the BJP remove this 50 percent limit or not. In India, reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes in legislatures, higher education, and public employment cannot exceed 50% of the total seats and this limit has been in place since a Supreme Court judgment in 1992.Jairam Ramesh said, “I have only one question for the PM and Home Minister the current limit of reservation for SCs, STs, and OBCs is 50 percent. Will you remove this 50 percent limit or not? We have clearly said in our ‘Nyay Patra’ that we will increase the limit beyond 50 percent.”

  • ‘He Wants To Divert Attention From Injustice…’: Congress Hits Out At PM Modi Over ‘Muslim League’ Remark |

    New Delhi: Congress launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday and alleged that he wants to divert the country’s attention from the issues and the 10 years of injustice under his government.

    Congress’ statements come after PM Modi slammed the party over its Manifesto and said it reflects that the party’s thinking resembles those of the Muslim League during the pre-Independence period.

    Hitting out PM, Congress general secretary and MP Jairam Ramesh said that PM Modi never talks about the issues of the public and with his Muslim league remarks he wants to divert the public’s attention from real issues.

    “The Prime Minister never talks about the public; he wants to divert attention from what the public issues, farmers’ issues, youth issues, women’s issues, and workers’ issues are, which is the reality of the 10 years of injustice,” said Ramesh.

    #CongressNyayPatra को लेकर प्रधानमंत्री की दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण टिप्पणियों पर मेरा बयान।

    न्याय पत्र का केंद्रबिंदु पांच न्याय है : युवा न्याय, नारी न्याय, किसान न्याय, श्रमिक न्याय और हिस्सेदारी न्याय।

    प्रधानमंत्री ने आज अपना स्टैंड साफ़ कर दिया है: न्याय और अन्याय के बीच लड़ाई में… pic.twitter.com/IWM5ZqrHHo
    — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) April 6, 2024

    “They gave a clean chit to China and because of that clean chit, we have become weak today. The Prime Minister says that Congress adopted the policy of the Muslim League, let me remind the Prime Minister, in 1940, 1941 and 42, which person, which party, was in the coalition government with the Muslim League, in Bengal,” he added.

    “Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, who was the founder of the Jana Sangh, was the President of the Hindu Mahasabha and he formed a coalition government with the Muslim League. In Bengal, in Sindh and the Northwest Frontier Province, there was an alliance between the Hindu Mahasabha and the Muslim League,” Jairam said.

    “Today, if we talk about Congress, they always adopt divisive politics and the Prime Minister is ready to encourage social polarization on any issue,” he added.
    Congress manifesto was released at the party headquarters by party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on Friday.

    Earlier today addressing the rally in Pushkar PM Modi slammed Congress’ manifesto and said that the party’s manifesto is a “bundle of lies” and every page of the document reeks of attempts to “tear India apart.”

    “Yesterday the Congress Party released its manifesto, a bundle of lies. Every page of this smells of breaking India into pieces. The same thinking is reflected in the Congress manifesto as was present in the Muslim League at the time of independence. Congress wants to impose the views of the Muslim League of that time on India today,” PM Modi said.

  • Loktantra Bachao Rally: Congress on INDIA bloc’s ‘Loktantra Bachao Rally’: ‘Not about one person but to protect democracy’ – The Economic Times Video

    Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on March 30 held a press conference and shared the details of the INDIA bloc rally in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan scheduled for March 31. He informed that from TMC, Derek O’Brien will join instead of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and there was no surety of Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin joining. Jairam Ramesh said that leaders of around 27-28 parties will join the rally.

  • Arvind Kejriwal: “BJP afraid of INDIA bloc”: Jairam Ramesh on arrest of Delhi CM Kejriwal

    Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday took a jibe at the BJP over the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying it was ‘afraid’ of the INDIA bloc going into the Lok Sabha elections.

    Speaking to ANI, Ramesh said, “The arrest of Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren and Delhi Chief Minister is an attack on democracy and our constitution.”

    “This is politics of revenge at play. The BJP is afraid of the INDIA alliance. This is an attack on democracy and our constitution,” the Congress leader further said. Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said there is only one thought in the PM’s mind- ‘One Nation No Election’.

    “There is only one thought in the Prime Minister’s mind-‘One Nation, No Election’… The entire country is in OPD-One Person Dictatorship,” he added.

    Earlier, the BJP’s Delhi president Virendraa Sachdeva said the truth surrounding Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s alleged involvement in the liquor scam would soon be revealed.”Law is taking its course…Yesterday he (Arvind Kejriwal) was bargaining in the court that he is the Chief Minister of Delhi, hence he should be given two months but there is a rule of law in the country. The law treats every criminal the same, it is proven today. Soon the truth of Arvind Kejriwal’s involvement in liquor scam will be revealed to everyone,” Sachdeva told ANI.On Friday, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court sent Kejriwal to ED custody till March 28. The probe agency had asked for 10 days remand after arresting the Delhi CM in the alleged Delhi excise policy case.

    In its arguments before the court, the ED alleged that the Delhi Chief Minister is the key conspirator and kingpin in demanding kickbacks from businessmen. The agency further claimed that Kejriwal was directly involved in the formation of the excise policy.

    The ED counsel claimed that Vijay Nair, who was the media in charge of AAP, was working for Delhi CM Kejriwal. Nair, who the agency said lives adjacent to the residence of Kejriwal, acted as a middleman between the AAP and the South group.

    Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for Kejriwal opposed the remand plea and submitted that the agency needs to show the necessity of arrest. Singhvi argued that the power of arrest and the necessity of arrest are two different things.

    Kejriwal was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the excise policy case on Thursday after the Delhi High Court refused interim protection to Kejriwal from coercive action in connection with the excise policy case.

    The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy case 2022, which was later scrapped.

    Two senior AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are in judicial custody in the excise policy case. Sisodia, who was the then Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested by the CBI on February 26 following several rounds of questioning. On October 5, ED arrested Sanjay Singh, who is a Rajya Sabha member.

    Kejriwal’s arrest came days after the ED arrested Bharat Rashta Samithi (BRS) leader and daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao K Kavitha, in connection with its investigation into money laundering charges linked to the now-scrapped excise policy. Kavitha is in ED custody till March 23.

  • Jairam Ramesh’s sharp jibe at Bharatiya Janata Party: ‘It’s Congress-Yukt BJP…’ – The Economic Times Video

    Varanasi (UP): Congress’ Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra resumed from Varanasi’s Golgadda Mandir Marg on February 17. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh shared the details of the party’s plan ahead for the Yatra. Jairam Ramesh said, “Modi has given a slogan of ‘Congress Mukt Bharat’ but what’s the reality now, it’s ‘Congress Yukt BJP’… The SC has clearly said that the electoral bond is a loot. Due to this, they (govt) have closed our accounts. This is a politics of revenge…”

  • Nitish Kumar Breaks Away From Mahagathbandhan, INDIA Bloc; Check How Congress Reacted |

    Nitish Kumar today resigned as the Chief Minister of the Mahagathbandhan alliance and got the Bihar government dissolved via Governor Rajendra Arlekar. Talking to the media after tendering his resignation, Kumar said that he quit the INDIA bloc as all was not well within the alliance. In his first reaction to the political turmoil, Kumar said the state of affairs in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (grand alliance) formed one and a half years ago was ‘not good’.

    “I resigned as chief minister and requested the Governor to dissolve the government. The situation came to this pass as the state of affairs within the ruling alliance in Bihar wasn’t good. I sought the advice and opinions of everyone before coming to this decision. I took all opinions and suggestions to heart. The government is being dissolved today,” Nitish told reporters on Sunday.

    He said that the alliance that was formed one and a half years ago, was sailing through choppy waters. “Though we came together on the basis of a common minimum programme and promises to the people, we failed to live up to expectations and discharge our salient duties. Eventually, we fell out and even stopped being on speaking terms. I was left with no option but to sever all ties with the alliance,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Congress compared Kumar with a chameleon for his frequent switchovers. “Nitish Kumar, who frequently changes political partners, is giving tough competition to the chameleons in changing colours. The people of Bihar will not forgive the experts of this betrayal and those who made them dance to their tune. It is quite clear that the Prime Minister and the BJP are scared of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and this political drama has been created to divert attention from it,” said Jairam Ramesh.

    बार-बार राजनीतिक साझेदार बदलने वाले नीतीश कुमार रंग बदलने में गिरगिटों को कड़ी टक्कर दे रहे हैं।

    इस विश्वासघात के विशेषज्ञ और उन्हें इशारों पर नचाने वालों को बिहार की जनता माफ़ नहीं करेगी।

    बिलकुल साफ़ है की भारत जोड़ो न्याय यात्रा से प्रधानमंत्री और भाजपा घबराए हुए हैं और उससे… https://t.co/v47tQ8ykaw
    — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) January 28, 2024

    Earlier today, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that he talked with Lalu Yadav on the issue. “Earlier he and us were fighting together. When I talked to Lalu Ji and Tejashwi, they also said that Nitish is going. If he wanted to stay, he would have stayed but he wants to go. That’s why we already knew this, but to keep the India Alliance intact, if we say something wrong, the wrong message will be sent. This information was already given to us by Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav. Today that came true. There are many people in the country like ‘Aaya Ram-Gaya Ram’,” Kharge said.

  • Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra: People are asking us why PM Modi has not visited Manipur: Congress’ Jairam Ramesh

    Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who is with Rahul Gandhi in Manipur for ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ said that people are asking us why PM Modi has not visited Manipur.

    The second day of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra resumed from Imphal West in Manipur in the early hours of Monday.

    Jairam Ramesh told that Rahul Gandhi listened to the pain of the people in Manipur.”People are asking us why PM Modi has not visited Manipur? Everyone wants Rahul Gandhi to raise this issue in parliament and ask the PM to come to Manipur and meet the people. You can see how many people have gathered here. Rahul ji listened to the pain of those who are not able to go to school and colleges and those who are still in relief camps,” he said.

    He further asserted that everyone in the violence-hit state wants a strong government.

    “There is no governance here since last 8 months. Two ministers here are working online; they are not even in Manipur. Everyone wants a government–a sensitive government and a strong government. This is also the question that you have the mandate; your party is in power here and in Delhi. You consider yourself a double-engine government; then why are the people in pain?” he added.The Yatra will be halted in Nagaland at night after it started from Sekmai, then will go to Kangpokpi and then Senapati in Manipur.Meanwhile on Sunday, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi flagged off the yatra from Manipur’s Thoubal. The yatra will cover over 6,700 kilometres over 67 days, traversing through 110 districts.

    The leaders and workers of the party paid a silent tribute to the people killed in the violence in the state before the start of the yatra.

    Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said that his party started the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra to ensure justice to the people as they are facing a period of ‘great injustice’ in the country.

    “The questions arose- why the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. It is because we are going through a period of great injustice in India. It is of all kinds – social, political and economical,” Rahul Gandhi said after launching his yatra from Manipur’s Thoubal.