Never seen any incident like this in my 30 yrs as Parliamentarian: Deve Gowda on RS chaos

News Network
August 22, 2021

New Delhi, Aug 22: Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Sunday rued the unruly scenes in the Rajya Sabha and wastage of the recently concluded Parliament session without any debates on issues affecting people, saying he had not seen anything like it in his 30 years as a parliamentarian.

After the conclusion of the monsoon session on August 11, he met the opposition leaders and asked them what they had achieved as none of the issues affecting the people was discussed, Gowda said. "I was not allowed to speak during the monsoon session due to the ruckus by members of the ruling and opposition parties. No business took place and the session was wasted," the JD(S) leader told reporters at the party office here.

On the unruly behaviour of parliamentarians in the Rajya Sabha, he said, "I am disgusted with the behaviour of the ruling party, as well as the members of the opposition... People danced on the table in the well the house. In my 30 years as a parliamentarian, I have never witnessed any incident like this." Such behaviour was not good for society because it showed the degeneration of democratic values and was an insult to the great people who fought for the freedom of the country, he said.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu had suspended four TMC MPs on August 4 for the rest of the day for creating a ruckus over the Pegasus spying issue.

Gowda said his party would launch a state-wide campaign after the conclusion of the legislature session on September 24, to resolve the water disputes in the state, including that pertaining to the Krishna and Mahadayi rivers and the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project across the river Cauvery.

He said Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had spoken to NCP chief Sharad Pawar and other BJP leaders in a bid to find a solution to the Krishna and Mahadayi water sharing dispute between the state and Maharashtra.

Regarding the Mekedatu issue, he said some leaders from Tamil Nadu he had spoken to had advocated a reservoir on the Cauvery river at Hogenakkal on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, and not Mekedatu in Ramanagara district. "A reservoir at Hogenakkal would mean encompassing a large catchment area whereas in Mekedatu, the catchment area is small," Gowda said.

The former PM said only a regional outfit like JD(S) could find a solution to these two river water disputes and not any national party.

He said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi needed to 'walk the extra mile' to hone his political skills and wondered what he had achieved by taking out a bicycle rally recently to protest the hikes in fuel prices.

To a question on his recent meeting with Bommai, Gowda said he assured him support on various issues.

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Agencies
February 18,2025

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New Delhi: In a significant diplomatic milestone, India and Qatar formally exchanged an agreement to establish a strategic partnership, reinforcing their growing bilateral ties. The exchange took place on Tuesday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

The Amir of Qatar arrived in New Delhi on Monday evening for a two-day state visit, aimed at deepening cooperation across various sectors. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the visit as a step forward in strengthening the “growing multifaceted partnership” between the two nations.

During their meeting at Hyderabad House, Prime Minister Modi and the Amir of Qatar engaged in discussions covering a wide range of bilateral issues. The landmark agreement was exchanged between Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, and India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar.

Adding to the economic dimension of their collaboration, a revised agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion concerning income taxes was also exchanged. This agreement was signed between Qatar’s Prime Minister and India’s Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, further strengthening economic cooperation.

The visit and agreements mark a new chapter in India-Qatar relations, paving the way for deeper economic, political, and strategic engagement in the years ahead.

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Agencies
February 20,2025

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First-time MLA Rekha Guptatook took oath as Delhi’s ninth Chief Minister on Thursday (February 20, 2025) at an event in the iconic Ramlila Maidan in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president J.P. Nadda, and Chief Ministers and Deputy CMs of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-ruled States.

Lieutenant Governor of Delhi V K Saxena administered the oath of office and secrecy.

BJP's Parvesh Sahib Singh, Ashish Sood, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Ravinder Indraj Kapil Mishra and Pankaj Kumar Singh also take oath as ministers in CM Rekha Gupta-led Delhi Government.

Rekha Gupta from Shalimar Bagh was chosen as the Leader of the House in the Delhi Assembly at the BJP legislature party meeting on Wednesday. The party has returned to power in Delhi after over 26 years, ending the 10-year rule of the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP.

Born in Haryana's Julana, Gupta is a BCom graduate from Delhi University's Daulat Ram College. She later earned a law degree from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, and also practised as an advocate.

Gupta, who has had a 32-year association with the RSS, began her political journey with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at Delhi University's Daulat Ram College in 1992. In 1995-96, she was the secretary of the Delhi University Students' Union and was its president in 1996-97.

In 2002, she joined the BJP and has been the national secretary of the party's youth wing. Gupta has also served as the BJP's women wing in charge in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

She is also the national vice-president of BJP Mahila Morcha.

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News Network
February 20,2025

Bengaluru: Starting March, households in Karnataka will feel the pinch as the price of Nandini milk is set to increase by ₹5 per litre. The hike, which will take effect after the state budget on March 7, will also see a reduction in milk packet quantity from 1,050 ml to 1 litre. With this revision, the cost of a litre of Nandini toned milk will rise to ₹47.

This marks the latest price revision by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) in the past three years. In 2022, milk prices increased by ₹3 per litre, while in 2024, KMF raised prices by ₹2 per packet but increased the quantity by 50 ml. However, KMF insists that last year’s change was not a price hike, as it involved a proportional increase in milk volume.

The increase in milk prices comes amid multiple price hikes across essential commodities and services. The Coffee Brewers Association has announced a ₹200 per kg hike in coffee powder rates by March, while BMTC bus and Namma Metro ticket fares have also been increased. Additionally, the state government is considering a rise in water tariffs, and electricity supply companies (Escoms) have sought approval for a 67-paise hike per unit from the Karnataka Electricity Commission.

According to KMF Managing Director B. Shivaswamy, the hike follows demands from farmers for a ₹5 per litre increase. "Earlier, we procured 85-89 lakh litres of milk per day, sometimes even 99 lakh litres. Now, the supply has dropped to 79-81 lakh litres per day, so the additional milk provided to consumers will stop," he explained.

Despite the price increase, Shivaswamy emphasized that Nandini milk will still be more affordable than other brands in Karnataka and other states, including those sold online. KMF is currently in discussions with farmer unions, milk unions, employee associations, and other stakeholders to determine how the increased revenue will be allocated.

"Ideally, the additional cost should benefit farmers. However, concerns raised by employee unions over financial matters, including 7th Pay Commission wages and pensions, also need to be factored in," said a KMF official on the condition of anonymity.

The final decision on the milk price hike now rests with the Karnataka Chief Minister, with an official announcement expected post-budget.

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