News Analysis India

Tag: Mallikarjun Kharge

  • Congress alleges shortage of vaccines in states, says third COVID wave may hit India ‘very badly’

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday attacked the Centre over the “shortage” of COVID-19 vaccines and said the third wave of the pandemic may hit the country very badly due to the “slow” pace of vaccination and the government’s “failure”.

    Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said the weekly pace of vaccinations has declined to nearly 60 percent of what was seen in the week after June 21.

    Rahul Gandhi, who has been persistently targeting the Centre over its handling of the pandemic, said there are “jumlas (rhetoric)” but no vaccines.

    “Jumle hain, vaccine nahin (There is rhetoric, no vaccines),” Gandhi tweeted using the hashtag ‘WhereAreVaccines’.

    Congress leader Jairam Ramesh pointed to complaints of shortage of vaccines in several states and urged the Modi government to double the vaccine procurement and allocate the same to states fairly.

    “Vaccine shortages are now hampering drives even in states friendly to Modi government – Odisha, Andhra and Telangana – in addition to states governed by Opposition.

    The only way forward is: Double vaccine procurement and allocate to states fairly and transparently,” Ramesh said.

    The two leaders pointed to the shortage of vaccines in several states including Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Telangana, Odisha, Kerala and Delhi.

    “The Government led by PM Narendra Modi claimed that it will fully vaccinate all adults by year end. For that, 80 lakh doses need to be given daily. Yet, only 34 lakh doses are being given daily,” Kharge said in a series of tweets.

    “Thanks to Modi Government’s failure, the 3rd wave may hit India very badly,” he said.

    However, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday dismissed statements claiming shortage of vaccines, saying they are being made only to create panic among the people.

    He asserted that states know very well when and in what quantity they will get the doses.

    To enable vaccination through government and private hospitals, Mandaviya said, 11.46 crore vaccine doses were made available to the state governments and union territories in June and this availability has been increased to 13.50 crore in July.

    Hitting out at leaders who make statements that create confusion and concern in the media, he said they need to introspect whether they are so far removed from the governance process that they are not even aware of the information already being given in the context of vaccine supply.

    Kharge, however, claimed that the shortage of vaccines in several states has forced them to shut down vaccination centres.

    The Congress leader pointed out that Tamil Nadu has received only 1.67 crore doses of the two vaccines, against a demand of 11.5 crore doses and Maharashtra has administered 3.7 crore doses but the state government has passed a resolution demanding three crore doses per month to vaccinate enough people in the state.

    “Several COVID vaccination centres in Telangana have run out of Covaxin doses.

    “Kerala has the capacity to deliver 2.5-3 lakh doses per day but the huge supply-demand mismatch has reduced the pace of vaccination.24 of 30 districts have run out of vaccines in Odisha,” he noted.

    He claimed Delhi’s vaccine stock is so low that 500 centres had to be closed due to shortage.

    “The lack of sufficient doses of the vaccines has forced Andhra Pradesh to prioritise giving the second dose to the beneficiaries due to receive it by limiting giving the 1st dose to certain groups,” he claimed.

    In another tweet, Kharge cited a media report saying, “Reportedly, Gujaratis have mortgaged gold worth Rs 10,000 crores in the past 1.5 years.

    Families have had to pledge their gold to meet routine expenses, pay staff, pay medical bills and pay for weddings.”

    “PM Narendra Modi’s policies have destroyed India’s middle and lower income groups,” he alleged.

    The Congress has been critical of the government’s vaccination policy.

  • New ministry will be used to control cooperatives: Mallikarjun Kharge

    By Express News Service
    MUMBAI: Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday alleged that the BJP’s objective behind creating the cooperation ministry was to control the rich cooperative sector of the country. He said earlier the finance-related issues were handled by the finance minister, but Amit Shah, who is the home minister, has kept the Enforcement Directorate with him.

    “This means Amit Shah controls the ED to target his political opponents and silence their voices. The same thing will happen with the cooperation department. Earlier, it was part of the Agriculture Ministry, but the Centre has made it a separate ministry. Shah has been made in charge of this department too. Does it not clearly show the BJP intention? The BJP has never been able to control the cooperative sector, so they are doing it in a circuitous manner,” Kharge alleged.

    “We’ll protest the decision. The government needs to protect the rural economy’s flourishing sector,” said the Congress leader.The Modi government recently created a new Ministry of Co-operation with senior leader Amit Shah heading it.Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the Centre had no right to control the cooperative sector. “The Centre can control the multi-states cooperative sector, not the states’ cooperative sector. If they try to do it, then it will be an attack on federalism.” Maharashtra alone has over 200 cooperative sugar factories whose annual turnover is around Rs 35,000 crore while the cooperative milk federation and allied businesses’ turnovers are collectively over Rs 40,000 crore.

  • Fuel price rise: Congress to hold press conferences across country to highlight failures of Modi government

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: As part of its nationwide plan to corner the Centre on price rise, including those of petrol and diesel, Congress leaders will hold press conferences across the country up to July 15 and highlight the “failures” of the government.

    Congress leader P Chidambaram will address the media in Delhi and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, will hold a press conference in Mumbai.

    Senior leaders of the ‘Group of 23’, including Anand Sharma, Manish Tewari, Shashi Tharoor and Mukul Wasnik, who had written to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi seeking an overhaul of the party, have also been involved to address the press.

    Former Union minister and deputy leader of the Congress in Rajya Sabha Sharma will address the media in Jaipur, Tewari in Ahmedabad and Tharoor in Chennai.

    Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath will address a press conference in Lucknow, while Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel will speak to reporters in Nagpur.

    AICC general secretary Ajay Maken will address the media in Bhopal, Digvijaya Singh in Shimla and Salman Khursheed in Ranchi.

    In Dehradun, former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot will address the media.

    Former Union minister Subodh Kant Sahay will address the press in Raipur and party leader Mohan Prakash in Patna.

    Congress leader Deepender Hooda will address a press conference in Hyderabad, Dinesh Gundurao in Thiruvananthapuram and Shaktisinh Gohil in Guwahati.

    Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala has said that high prices are adding salt to injury.

    Burdening people with high prices during an “acute” economic slowdown is what “the insensitive, uncaring Modi government has done”, he said.

    Instead of putting money in the hands of people, this government is forcing them to pay higher for basic things, Surjewala said.

    He claimed that 23 crore people have slipped below the poverty line.

    The good work done by the UPA government has been undone.

    “We had pulled 27 crore people out of poverty during our tenure,” the Congress leader said.

    Two crore people lost their jobs in April and May, 97 per cent people are earning lower wages and job losses and wage cuts have forced people to withdraw almost Rs 1.25 lakh crore out of their provident funds, which is retirement money for most, he alleged.

    The Congress leader said high inflation is criminal when Gross Domestic Product growth is shrinking.

    “Not all of this economic ruin is due to corona (COVID-19) alone. Our economy entered the pandemic with huge co-morbidities – our growth dropped from 8.2 per cent in FY17 to 4.1 per cent in FY20 – all due to the dreaded demonetisation, the ill conceived Goods and Services Tax and the flawed policies of the Modi government,” he alleged.

    He said petrol rates have crossed the 100-rupee mark in all four metro cities and in more than 250 cities for the first time in history.

    Between January 1 and July 12, petrol and diesel prices have been increased 66 times.

    The Narendra Modi government has earned more than Rs 25 lakh crore through excise duty in the last seven years, Surejwala said.

    High excise duty on petrol and diesel is highly regressive as it affects the middle class and lower income groups, both directly and indirectly, he said, adding that high prices of diesel are anti-farmer as they are the direct consumers of the fuel and an increase in cost affects them directly.

    Surjewala said the UPA government used to bear loss on diesel to keep prices in control as it directly affects inflation and transportation costs.

    The previous UPA government bore as much as Rs 1.64 lakh crore 2013-14 and Rs 1.42 lakh crore in 2012-13 as the under recovery (loss on account of selling petrol below the market prices), while the Modi government reduced under recovery on diesel to zero in September 2014, he said.

    Surjewala said various ministers and spokesperson from the BJP have tried to blame Oil Bonds issued during the UPA rule for the rising petrol and diesel prices but this is just another non-factual attempt at evading questions.

    The purpose of issuing oil bonds was to protect final consumer from huge financial burden in the form of high prices of petrol and diesel, when the crude oil price in the international market was very high, he said.

    “The 140 crore people of India are suffering the Modi-made disaster of inflation, unemployment, economic recession and Corona pandemic.

    Everyday hike in fuel prices had further compounded the problems by making ends meet a challenge for every household,” Surjewala said.

    “Thus, the increase in the prices of diesel fertilizers-seeds-pesticides-electricity-agriculture equipments effected by the Modi government has increased the cost of cultivation for the farmer by about Rs 20,000 per hectare,” he said.

    The Congress leader also alleged that raising petrol prices is not dynamic as all depends on election schedule.

    Stating that the issue of inflation and the rise in fuel prices will dominate the Parliament session beginning July 19, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday alleged the Centre had collected Rs 25 lakh crore through fuel tax but it is neither using this fund for the welfare of people nor giving it to state governments.

    Addressing a press conference here, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said the Narendra Modi government had made the lives of ordinary people “miserable” in the last seven years.

    ”Prices of fuel, LPG, edible oil are at an all-time high. The Centre has collected Rs 25 lakh crore as tax on fuel but it is not being used for people’s welfare or being given to state governments,” Kharge alleged.

    He said the Modi government had raised prices of fuel “326 times including 38 times in the last two months”.

    “The Central tax on fuel during the UPA rule was Rs 9.48 (per litre) which is now Rs 32.90 (per litre). During the tenure of the UPA, the rate of crude oil was Rs 111 per barrel and the petrol price was Rs 71 (per litre). Contrary to this, when the rate of crude oil is 44 USD per barrel the price of petrol is Rs 107 per litre now,” he said.

    He said while the Union government has “collected Rs 25 lakh crore in the fuel tax” and the rate of LPG cylinder has reached Rs 834 the subsidy has also been withdrawn.

    “The prime minister had said direct benefit transfer (DBT) would ensure savings of Rs 15,000 crore, which means the government has saved almost Rs one lakh crore this way. But the Modi government is not using this money for the welfare of people and also not providing it to state governments,” Kharge said.

    He said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had suggested that Rs 6,000 be transferred in bank accounts of the poor, but that idea was rubbished.

    “During the UPA rule, 27.1 per cent people were lifted above the below poverty line whereas 23 crore people were below the poverty line (BPL) as of last year. Due to the wrong policies of the Modi government, the income of 97 per cent of families had reduced,” Kharge said.

    He said 1.33 lakh people lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic while the per capita income fell by Rs 10,000 and GDP dipped by 9 to10 per cent.

    Kharge said Maharashtra is yet to receive Rs 32,000 crore in GST refund from the Centre.

    The Congress is one of the ruling constituents in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government comprising the Shiv Sena and the NCP.

  • Punjab CM arrives in Delhi to meet 3-member AICC panel on June 4

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Amid infighting within Punjab Congress, state Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will meet the three-member panel headed by Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday morning to resolve differences with MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu and take steps to strengthen the party at the grassroots level ahead of next year’s Assembly polls.

    The panel constituted by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to resolve factionalism in the Punjab unit comprises Kharge, former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat and former MP J P Aggarwal.

    Meanwhile, the Punjab CM arrived in the national capital on Thursday.

    Sources said Singh will meet the panel members at 11 am on Friday morning.

    Congress leaders, including Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tewari, met the panel on Thursday along with some MLAs and discussed possible ways to end the infighting and prepare for the upcoming polls in Punjab.

    The panel also spoke to Rajya Sabha member from Punjab Ambika Soni and held deliberations with her.

    Of late, Soni has not been keeping well.

    Lok Sabha MP Tewari said there is no factionalism within Punjab Congress and this exercise is being done to strengthen the party and evolve a strategy before next year’s elections.

    The MP added that it was normal for the Congress to hold such exercises to seek views of party leaders and he had given his suggestions to the panel.

    At a press conference, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the committee was formed swiftly after the issue cropped up and a report would come out after internal discussions.

    “The issue has been taken seriously by the party leadership. The committee was set up in the shortest possible time and will give its report soon,” Singhvi said.

    Congress spokesperson and youth leader Jaiveer Shergill said the ongoing discussions are not a “crisis management” exercise but that of “election preparation” where suggestions are being taken to ensure that the Congress comes on top in 2022.

    “The youth workers of Punjab Congress should get maximum opportunity in 2022,” he said after meeting the panel members.

    After the day’s deliberations with various party leaders from Punjab, AICC general secretary in-charge for Punjab Harish Rawat told media persons that they would meet CM Singh on Friday.

    “We will meet Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh tomorrow,” Rawat told reporters.

    “We also talked to many party candidates who contested the last Punjab assembly elections in 2017.

    We are trying to iron out differences between various party leaders and will try to put up a united face in the 2022 Assembly elections in the state,” Rawat also said.

    He also said all the three members of the panel spoke to Soni over telephone and held deliberations with her on how to strengthen the party.

    Soni had earlier sent a letter to Sonia Gandhi about the prevailing situation in Punjab Congress, amid an open war of words between the chief minister and his former cabinet colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu.

    Sources said the attempt behind setting up the panel was to resolve the issue of factionalism and minimise the internal rift within the party and present a united face.

    Sources added that in the bid to unite all factions, Sidhu may be included in the cabinet once again and elevated as deputy chief minister, along with some others including a Hindu and a Dalit face in Punjab.

  • Congress to launch own TV channel on April 24, won’t be available on satellite or OTT

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: The Congress Wednesday announced the launch of its digital media platform ‘INC TV’ to help put forth the views of all sections of the society that are currently not being shown. The channel will be formally launched on April 24, but will not be on the Satellite or OTT .

    Initially, it will be in Hindi and English but may be expanded in regional languages too. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said the Constitution of India is good but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to spread his own ideology.

    “Modiji is trying to scare journalists and leaders. Every minute there is a crime committed against the Dalits and oppressed sections in the country,” he alleged.

    Announcing the launch of INC TV on the birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar, Kharge said that he was a key architect of India’s Constitution and fought for the rights of oppressed sections of the society and wanted every thought to be heard but what is happening today is just the opposite.

    The party said that INC TV digital media is a small beginning to break the shackles of slavery, which is against the thinking of Mahatma Gandhi.

    party chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the platform will be formally launched on ‘Panchayati Raj Day’ and will help raise the voice of the downtrodden and oppressed sections of the society.

    Surjewala said the digital platform will air eight hours of live programming from April 24, but will not be on the Satellite or OTT.

    Initially, the language used will only be Hindi and English, but may be expanded in regional languages too.

    He clarified that the same would be headed by a journalist and would help put forth the views of all sections of the society that are currently not being shown.

    Kharge said the Constitution of India is good but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to spread his own ideology.

    He said Babasaheb Ambedkar, a key architect of India’s constitution, fought for the rights of oppressed sections of the society and wanted every thought to be taken care of and heard, but what is happening today is just the opposite.

    “Modi ji is trying to scare journalists and leaders. Every minute there is a crime committed against the Dalits and oppressed sections in the country,” he alleged.

    Kharge stated Ambedkar had said that one has to be knowledgeable and not remain ignorant and that is even more relevant today, when Prime Minister Modi is attacking the Constitution and constitutional institutions as part of a predetermined conspiracy.

    Surjewala said the move will help break the shackles of slavery in the media and put an end to worshipping of one individual.

    The Congress has been accusing the mainstream media of not showing their views, alleging that the media sector is only showing the government picture.

    “Today, when there is darkness all around and there is an environment of mental slavery, where an individual arrogant ruler is worshipped, there is a need to attain freedom from individual worship and the mind has to be free of shackles,” he told reporters.

    “The INC TV digital media is a small beginning to break the shackles of slavery, which is against the thinking of Mahatma Gandhi,” Surjewala told reporters.

    He added that there is subjugation of thoughts and dissent in the media space, where the difference of opinion is not recognised.

    Surjewala said the NaMo Tv is an example symbolising individual-worship.

    He said the whole idea behind the digital TV concept is to have dissemination of views and opinions of different sections of the society, especially that of the poor and oppressed classes.

    “The idea is that different shades of opinion must be placed on the table, as ‘one size fits all’ does not suit everyone and works in a diverse country like ours. This is not for eulogising or celebrating one person or ideology,” he said.

    The platform is an attempt to help the party convey its message to the people directly and raise issues of importance, he said.

    Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev claimed that the Modi government has consistently worked against the interests of Dalits and oppressed sections.

    NSUI chief Neeraj Kundan alleged that the government does not want children of Dalits to get good education and that is why the Scheduled Caste sub-plan has been done away with and scholarships to Dalits are on the decline.

    He said there are still 14,336 vacancies under reserved category in various government departments to be filled with SCs/STs.

    (With PTI Inputs)

  • Bills passed in budget session to be challenged in court: Congress

    Congress claimed that they wanted the current Parliament session to continue till its stipulated time of April 8, but the government found excuses to curtail it two weeks ahead of schedule.

  • Congress in Rajya Sabha accuses government of conspiring to end reservation for SCs

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament on Monday accused the government of conspiring to end reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) as it had not yet filling 50 per cent vacancies under this category in all government departments.

    He also slammed the government for bringing an amendment bill to include seven castes in Tamil Nadu under one group of the SC list ahead of assembly polls in the state despite the demand being made in 2015.

    Participating in a discussion on The Constitution (Scheduled castes) order (Amendment) bill 2021, Leader of Opposition Kharge said: “Reservation is ending gradually in public and private sectors. There is a 50 per cent vacancy in the SC category in every department,” he said.

    There are 56 per cent SC category vacancies in Railways, 85 per cent in Defence and 28 per cent in posts, he said.

    “They don’t want to fill the vacancies. There is a conspiracy to end the assured job available to SCs. The conspiracy is to prevent SCs from getting jobs and keep them financially weak and as slaves like before. This is the thinking,” he noted.

    Expressing concern over the plight of SCs, Kharge said the situation is such that no one in the upper house has “ever cried when these people are murdered”.

    “When you need to, you have learnt to cry, laugh and also make fun of others,” he said.

    The Congress leader told the government that it should not think that it was doing great help whenever some castes are brought under the SC list because reservation to these people was ensured under the Constitution after much struggle by B R Ambedkar since 1919.

    Supporting the bill, Kharge said a delegation from Tamil Nadu had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 and sought the inclusion of seven castes under the SC list.

    But at that time, Modi neither spoke about it nor extended any support.

    Now, the bill has been brought in the wake of forthcoming assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, he claimed.

    “The intentions are not good. You are taking the wrong path in policy. You could have done this in 2015,” he said, adding that these days many bills come to the House which are prepared in two days and on the third day they are passed in Lok Sabha and on the fourth in Rajya Sabha.

    He also criticised the ruling party members for talking about SCs without being part of their movement in the past.

    “We went to jail when there was a plan to install an Ambedkar statue here. Where were you at that time?” he said and added that it was Congress party which made Ambedkar as chairman of the drafting committee of the Constituent Assembly.

    “You are destroying this. Now, instead of democracy, you want to bring autocracy,” he said, urging the government to fill up the vacant SC posts first.

    However, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said Modi “does not have a habit to do politics in the name of Dalits” and the government is not thinking about ending reservation.

    “Our demand is reservation in the private sector and there is a need for the government to consider this,” he said while participating in the debate.

    Athawale said Thaawar Chand Gehlot, a prominent Dalit face of the BJP, was made the Union Minister and even Kharge has been appointed as Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

    Hitting back at Kharge, BJP member Bhupender Yadav, while participating in a debate on the bill, said it was the Congress which suspended fundamental rights of the citizens by imposing national emergency in 1975.

    He also informed that Ambedkar had headed the drafting committee, but it was the Congress party which ensured he was defeated in his first election, thus preventing his entry in Lok Sabha.

    “We respect Ambedkar and therefore Bharat Ratna award was given to him during the BJP regime. Today, Congress is giving wrong statements for vote bank politics,” he said and accused the Congress of making SC reservation religion based.

    He also said the BJP’s commitment is to continue reservation for SCs.

    The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) too questioned the timing of the bill.

    TRS member Bandra Prakash said a bill from Telangana on reservation for SCs is pending with the centre since the last four years.

    “When elections are coming, you are placing it (bill) before parliament. For the sake of social justice, kindly consider such bills from Telangana and other states,” he said.

    Both SC and ST posts are lying vacant.

    Even the standing committee should be given instructions to review every institution once in three months and parliament should also discuss the reservation issue once every year, he suggested.

    Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh asked the government to address the plight of Dalits in BJP-ruled states, while observing that the saffron party has not had a president from the Dalit community so far or even a chief minister in any state.

    NCP leader Fauzia Khan asked the government to consider reservation for Marathas despite the matter being in court.

  • ECI has not denied Mamata’s injury, says Mallikarjun Kharge

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has ruled out the conspiracy against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee but has not denied her injury.

    “ECI has ruled out the conspiracy against Mamata Banerjee but has not denied her leg injury. The BJP should at least trust their agency,” said Kharge.

    “There must have a police lap that the election commission has mentioned. Shah and Modi always create a scene over everything but I believe politics should not be done in this matter,” he added.

    He also mentioned that, by privatising the banks, the government is systematically getting away with the arrangement of reservation given to SC, ST and OBCs.

    While talking about COVID-19 precautions, Kharge said, “We are taking preventive measures to avoid COVID-19 but the leaders of this country, Modi ji and Amit ji, are holding large gatherings in West Bengal. This reflects their alertness for the situation.”

    The Election Commission on Sunday said that the injury caused to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram was not a result of an “attack”, as per the findings of the state’s Observers and Chief Secretary. The official source of the poll body said that there is no evidence of an attack carried out on Banerjee.

    Mamata Banerjee, was on a two-day visit to Nandigram from where she filed her nomination, alleged that she was pushed by a few unidentified people during election campaigning.

    She had sustained “severe bone injuries” on her left foot and ankle as well as bruises and injuries on her shoulder, forearm and neck, according to the report of her initial medical examination.

    Elections to the 294-member assembly will be held from March 27 to April 29. Results will be declared on May 2.  

  • Will continue to protest against rising inflation, high prices of petroleum products: Congress

    Congress leader Deepinder Hooda said the entire country, including farmers, are suffering due to the price rise and inflation.

  • Youngsters should get COVID-19 vaccine first, not me, says Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha on Monday said that priority should be given to youngsters for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

    “I am above 70 years of age. You should give the COVID-19 vaccine to youngsters and increase the longevity of their life. I merely have 10 to 15 more years to live, Youngsters have a long life to live. I will also take the vaccine,” said Kharge when asked if he would take the jab in the ongoing vaccination phase.

    On Amit Shah’s criticism of Rahul Gandhi’s alleged ‘Fisheries Ministry’ gaffe, Kharge said, “As there are at least 100 constituencies in the coastal belt, the Fisheries ministry should be an independent Ministry rather than clubbed to in a single ministry with Animal Husbandry and Dairying”.

    “BJP is misleading people on this issue and fuel prices should be reduced as fishermen have to go a long way into deep waters to get the fish,” he added.

    “BJP is playing ‘divide and rule’ and caste politics. They are buying MLAs to bring down Congress governments in many states. I have to bear brunt of them playing caste politics,” he added.

    He congratulated the scientists who have made the COVID-19 vaccines but reminded that “such success should not be used for political gains”.