RAHUL GANDHI IN LOK SABHA, SLAMS GOVT PERFORMANCE ON ALL FRONTS

India faces a challenge that is the creation of two Indias—one extremely wealthy and the other is being pushed deeper into poverty, said Rahul Gandhi as he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of behaving like a “King” and of fiddling with the “idea of India”.

Gandhi was speaking in Lok Sabha on Wednesday on the “motion of thanks” on the Presidential Address.

“The poor of India have no jobs. The Presidential address had not a word on unemployment,” he said. “About 3 crore jobs were lost in 2021. The SME and MSME enterprises have had no support rather have been attacked by the Government…..The UPA uplifted 27 crore people from poverty and you have pushed 23 crore people into poverty,” he said.

He claimed monopolies were being created in the formal sector and accused ‘Adani and Ambani’ of cornering ports, airports, petrochemicals, power transmission, green energy, telecom and e-commerce. “There can be no ‘Make in India’ until SMEs and MSMEs are doing better. Manufacturing has been reduced by 46 percent,” he said. “You have focused only on 5 or 10 big industries.” “I am not against the big industry,” he qualified.

Taking on the BJP and Modi, he said it is Union of India, “a partnership and not a Kingdom”.  Pegasus, the judiciary, and control over the Election Commission are all acts of destroying the country. “The PM personally goes to Israel and authorises use of Pegasus,” he said.

Rahul Gandhi also criticised the country’s foreign policy, saying that India currently stood isolated in her own neighbourbood. “The Chinese have a clear vision about what they want to do. The single biggest strategic goal of India’s foreign policy was to keep China and Pakistan separate, you have brought them together,” Gandhi said. “China acts in Doklam and Ladakh are the foundation of serious threat.”

WERE CHINA AND PAKISTAN DISTANT THEN? JAISHANKAR TO RAHUL GANDHI

Top union ministers and BJP leaders, led by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on Wednesday responded to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s assertions in Lok Sabha earlier in the day.

Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, “Rahul Gandhi alleged in Lok Sabha that it is this Government which brought Pakistan and China together. Perhaps, some history lessons are in order: -In 1963, Pakistan illegally handed over the Shaksgam valley to China. -China built the Karakoram highway through PoK in the 1970s.”

“From the 1970s, the two countries also had close nuclear collaboration. In 2013, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor started. So, ask yourself: were China and Pakistan distant then,” he tweeted.

Responding to Rahul’s remark that the government could not bring a guest on Republic Day, Jaishankar said, “In Lok Sabha, @RahulGandhi said we could not get a foreign guest for Republic Day. Those who live in India know we were in the midst of a corona wave. The 5 Central Asian Presidents, who were to come, did hold a virtual summit on Jan 27. Did Rahul Gandhi miss that as well?”

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi called Rahul “confused” and “mindless”. “He said India is not a country. He said China’s vision is very clear. Have you come here to support China? Tibet problem is because of Congress only,” the minister told reporters.

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Congress MP should issue an unconditional apology for his remarks on the judiciary and Election Commission. “Not only as India’s Law Minister but also as an ordinary citizen, I condemn what Mr. Rahul Gandhi has said about India’s judiciary and EC. These are vital institutions of our democracy. Mr. Rahul Gandhi should immediately apologise to the people, judiciary and EC,” Rijiju tweeted.

OPPN CORNERS GOVT ON PRICE RISE, UNEMPLOYMENT; SAYS BREACHING STATES' RIGHTS

Opposition parties on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on the government in Rajya Sabha, alleging it has failed to control prices of essential commodities, provide jobs and meet its target of doubling farmers' income.

They also accused the Centre of transgressing into the rights of the states and impinging on the federal structure of the country, as they opposed the proposed changes in All-India Services cadre rules and the decision to extend the jurisdiction of the BSF to 50 km in states bordering Bangladesh and Pakistan

Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address, charged the government with not delivering on its various promises, including generating two crore jobs per year. Taking a dig at the Modi government's claim of bringing achhe din (good days), Kharge said the inflation is going up and prices of pulses and LPG are on rise. "Prices of LPG have gone up by 117 percent. In 2014, an LPG cylinder gas was priced at Rs 414 and in your time this has increased to Rs 1,000," Kharge said adding prices of pulses are up 60 percent and vegetable prices are up by up to 80 percent.

While Referring to Kashmir policy, Kharge said after the removal of Article 370 from the state, over 500 incidents of terrorist activity have happened.

Kharge also pointed out that there have been various instances of attacks on the SC/STs and Christians in the country.

DMK MP Tiruchi Siva criticised the proposed amendments in all-India services cadre rules, which give greater say to the Centre, alleging that "this is again transgressing into the rights of the states". "This is a federal country. Did you consult any of the states? No...This is not an indication of federalism," he said.

Trinamool Congress MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray said the government issued a 'fatwa' to make amendment in the rules which is an arbitrary and a veiled attempt to centralise executive powers of the states -- a decision which has been opposed by nine chief ministers as well as over 100 retired IAS, IFS, etc.

COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA

As of 0800 IST /Feb 3

from mohfw.gov.in ,

New Cases on Wednesday 1,72,433

Active Cases 15,33,921 (-87,682)

Total Deaths (Deaths Yesterday) 4,98,983 (673)

Total Vaccination: 167.87 Crores (+55,10,693)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

======================

BIDEN ORDERS 3,000 US TROOPS TO EASTERN EUROPE TO COUNTER RUSSIA

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday approved deployment of about 3,000 additional American troops to Eastern Europe amid ceaseless wrangling with Russia over Ukraine, on whose borders Pentagon says Moscow has amassed 1,00,000 troops ready to invade the former Soviet territory.

The officials maintained that the moves are not permanent, defensive in nature, and that Washington is only responding to “current conditions”, while aiming to reassure Nato allies and meet US commitments to protect them.

Responding to Moscow’s allegation that the US is being provocative by trying to rope in Ukraine into Nato, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki took to metaphors to rebut the charge, while alleging it is Russian President Vladimir Putin who has “invaded multiple countries in the past several years”. “When the fox is screaming from the top of the henhouse that he’s scared of the chickens, which is essentially what they’re doing, that fear isn’t reported as a statement of fact. We know who the fox is in this case,” Psaki said.

Russia’s ambassador to US Anatoly Antonov retorted that it is the US interventions that brought the world “nothing but chaos, instability and loss of lives,” while excoriating Washington’s “bloody experiments” to bring democracy to the former Yugoslavia, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.

FEMALE STUDENTS JOIN MALE PEERS AS AFGHAN UNIVS REOPEN

The Taliban on Wednesday said they have reopened public universities for women students in six of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, a move marking a major concession to international demands by the country’s new rulers. Since they swept into power in August, the international community has watched to see whether the Taliban will impose the same harsh measures as during their 1990s rule, including banning girls from education.

The Taliban have imposed several restrictions, many of them on women, since their takeover — women have been banned from many jobs outside the health and teaching sector, and girls have not been able to go to school after grade six. The culture and information ministry said public universities in Nangarhar and Kandahar provinces were open for women in what it described as a staggered process expected to see all students— men and women — eventually return to university. Men will attend classes in the morning and women in the afternoon, aligning with a gender-segregated system under the Taliban.

THE REST

=========

SELF-RELIANCE IMPERATIVE: MODI SAYS BUDGET LAYS OUT AMENITIES FOR POOR

A day after Union Budget 2022-23 was presented in Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said its focus was to provide basic amenities to the poor, middle class and the youth.

The Prime Minister was addressing BJP cadre on Aatmanirbhar Arthvyavastha amid criticism over various aspects of the Budget, including no changes in personal income tax or tax benefits for the middle class.

Putting aside the Opposition’s response, the Budget has been welcomed by all quarters, he said, adding that the Budget “focuses on providing basic amenities to the poor, middle class and youth”.

The decisions taken in the past seven years have expanded the Indian economy, he said, adding that India’s GDP 7-8 years ago was Rs 1.1 lakh crore while today it was nearly Rs 2.3 lakh crore.

The PM said the Budget had allocated Rs 48,000 crore to build 80 lakh houses for the poor. “In the last seven years, we have given 3 crore poor people ‘pucca’ houses, and made them ‘lakhpatis’. Those who lived in slums, now have their own houses,” he said. “Our government has increased the price and size of these houses so that there is enough space. Most of the houses are in the name of women,” the PM said.

On the proposed new digital currency to be issued by RBI, the PM said:  “The digital rupee will revolutionise the fintech sector by creating new opportunities and lessen the burden in handling, printing, logistics management of cash….This will be such a system that will enable exchange of physical currency with digital currency. It will strengthen the digital economy.”

MAMATA’S FRESH JIBE AT GOVERNOR, HE RESPONDS

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday once again hit out at West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar accusing him of causing interference in the day-to-day functioning of her government. In a fresh jibe at Dhankhar, she claimed that a ‘ghorar paal’ (herd of horses) has been sent to govern West Bengal. The remark was an apparent reference to the Governor, who is called ‘Rajyapal’ in Bengali and Hindi.

“From morning to night, abuses are hurled at me. Now, these abuses are being thrown at me on my official Twitter handle. Only negative statements on democracy, peace, murder, violence and human rights are being made as if he is looking at us through a binocular. Have you seen what is happening in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Tripura and Gujarat?” Banerjee asked.

In his first public reaction to being blocked on Twitter by CM, Governor Dhankhar termed the move as a “challenge to democracy and humanity”.

“There is no pending file on my table. It’s her government that has to reply on pending issues. I ask the CM to point out a single document or tweet from me which is abusive or unjustified,” Dhankhar said.

Claiming that what the CM said “carries no credibility”, Dhankhar told mediapersons that he would resign from governorship if any of the allegations made against him were proven.

PRIYANKA GANDHI SLAMS NIRMALA SITHARAMAN FOR 'UP-TYPE' REMARK

A row has erupted over Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's 'UP-type' remark, with Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra saying on Wednesday that people of Uttar Pradesh are proud of their dialect and culture and that there was no need to "insult" the people of the state

Sitharaman's remarks had come after Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, who is also an MP from Uttar Pradesh, said on Tuesday that Rahul Gandhi did not understand the budget. After the former Congress President said that the government had delivered a zero sum budget, Chaudhary had said, "Probably, Rahul Gandhi did not understand the budget, which is futuristic".

Reacting to Chaudhary's remarks on Rahul Gandhi, Sitharaman had said, "I think he (Chaudhary) has given that typical UP-type of an answer which is good enough for an MP who ran away from UP."

In a tweet in Hindi, Priyanka Gandhi said, "@nsitharaman jee, you did not put anything in the budget bag for Uttar Pradesh.It is okay...But, what was the need to insult the people of UP like this. Please understand that people of UP feel proud to be of 'UP-type'. We are proud of UP's language, dialect, culture and history."

SP MLC Ashutosh Sinha also slammed the minister for the remark. "The 'UP-type' remark made by a Union minister is not appropriate at all. It only shows a narrow mindset," Sinha said.

AKHILESH SAID RIVERS OF BLOOD WILL FLOW OVER ARTICLE 370 REVOCATION, BUT NOT A STONE WAS THROWN: AMIT SHAH

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday targeted Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav for his alleged remarks that “rivers of blood” would flow over the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir but no one had the courage to “throw even a stone” over the decision.

Shah warned the voters in Uttar Pradesh that if “mafia rule”—apparently referring to the Samajwadi Party—again comes in the state, people will hesitate to invest in the defence corridor in Aligarh, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018.

“He (Akhilesh) stood in front of me and said due to the decision (revoking Article 370) ‘khoon ki nadiya bahengi’ (rivers of blood will flow) but Akhilesh Babu leave that river of blood no one had the courage to throw even a ‘kankad’ (stone). Narendra Modi has secured the nation now,” Shah said.

He was addressing a rally in Aligarh.

Shah also hit out at the BSP and the Congress for opposing the abrogation of Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, due to “vote bank” politics. “Had SP, BSP, Congress been in power, will they ever had withdrawn Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir?

Alleging that Akhilesh Yadav misled people on Covid vaccine, Shah said, “He used to say it’s BJP’s vaccine, I will not get it administered. He misled people of UP and the country. He, however, out of fear got the vaccine administered himself.” “Had you all not taken the vaccine, would you be able to save yourself in the third wave? Narendra Modi secured 130 crore people by getting them vaccinated,” he said.

GOVT: CAN’T LET ECO FUGITIVES OFF HOOK JUST ON REPAY OFFER

In what seemed a rejoinder to the SC’s day old suggestion to agree not to prosecute the fugitives who were ready to return and repay the amount they owed to banks, the Centre has informed the SC that cases against absconding economic offenders wanted for massive defrauding could not be dropped on the basis of mere offers of settlement.

On Tuesday, a bench of Justices Sanjay K Kaul and MM Sundresh had suggested to the Centre to consider allowing fugitives to come back to India and staying criminal proceedings against them if they are agreeable to pay up their defaulted amounts to banks. This suggestion came from the bench during the hearing of a plea by Hemant S Hathi, who is wanted along with promoters Sandsaras in the Sterling Biotech case involving alleged swindling of Rs 14,500 crore from banks. Hathi had agreed to pay back around Rs 900 crore due from him in lieu of a clean chit.

The bench told the Centre, “You are chasing many people around the world but you have not been able to get anything. Here he (Hathi) is offering to refund the money. So some criminal proceedings can be stayed and allow them to come back. ”

U19 WORLD CUP: INDIA THRASH AUSTRALIA, MEET ENGLAND IN FINAL

Led by a century from captain Yash Dhull, Indian colts put on a superb all-round show to crush Australia by 96 runs in the under-19 World Cup semi-final in Osbourn, Antigua on Wednesday.

This is India's fourth successive and eight overall appearance in an Under-19 World Cup final.

Earlier, skipper Yash Dhull gave a glimpse of his enormous talent with a superbly-crafted hundred while deputy Shaik Rasheed ideally complemented him with 94 as India scored a mammoth 290 for 5 against Australia.

Chasing 291 for victory, Australia got off to a torrid start, losing four wickets for just 83 run in 20.5 overs. They were all out for 194, in 42 overs.

On Saturday, India take on England in the final.

COVID HITS INDIA CAMP AHEAD OF WINDIES SERIES

A Covid-19 outbreak hit the Indian cricket team on Wednesday as three players—senior opener Shikhar Dhawan, reserve opener Ruturaj Gaikwad and middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer—tested positive for the virus during their mandatory isolation period before the start of West Indies series.

The Indian team assembled in Ahmedabad on January 31 for the upcoming white-ball series against the West Indies and were going through a three-day isolation period post their break from the South Africa series.

“Three players—Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer and Shikhar Dhawan have tested positive. However there are multiple Covid positive cases among non-coaching administrative support staff. It could be between two to four people,” a veteran BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

The series starts in Ahmedabad on February 6 with India’s 1000th ODI match but it is now a foregone conclusion that the trio will be missing the series as they will have to undergo a week-long isolation and then return with two negative RT-PCR tests.

It is expected that M Shahrukh Khan, R Sai Kishore, Rishi Dhawan, who are stand byes for the series, will now get a look-in to be in the squad.

As far as Rohit Sharma’s opening partner is concerned, Venkatesh Iyer, a specialist opener in T20 squad, could be tried out.

INDICATORS

Sensex 59,558 (+696), Nifty 17,780 (+203), Trading Value NSE (Rs.crores) 60,041

Nasdaq 14,418 (+72) Dow 35,629 (+224), S&P 4,589 (+43)

US$-Rs. 74.73 GBP-Rs. 101.26, Euro-Rs. 84.40, UAE Dhm-Rs.20.34, Can$-Rs. 58.92, Aus$- Rs. 53.33

GBP 0.74 /US$, Euro 0.88 /US$, Jap.Yen 114.83 /US$, Aus$ 1.40 /US$, Sing 1.34 /US$, Bang Taka 84.35 /US$, Can$ 1.26 /US$, Mal Ring 4.18 /US$,

Pak Re 175.71 /US$, Phil Peso 51.01 /US$, Russian Rouble 76.30 /US$, NZ$ 1.50 /US$, Thai Baht 33.13 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 28.12 /US$

Bitcoin - USD 36,962

Dollar Index 96.02 Brent Crude 89.11 BDI 1,419

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,806 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,898 / 4,490, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 65,600

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams

OFF TRACK

You can tell a lot about a woman by her hands.

For instance, if they're placed around your throat she's probably slightly upset.