IN RAJYA SABHA TOO, MODI SLAMS CONGRESS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched another blistering attack on the Congress Tuesday as he accused the opposition party of destabilising state governments, corruption, putting a family’s interests over everyone else’s and not respecting freedom of speech among others.

Congress members walked out of the House during Modi’s speech in the Rajya Sabha, discussing the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address, a day after he had gone after the party in the Lok Sabha.

Without naming him, Modi referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s speech last week in the Lok Sabha highlighting the country’s federal structure, and accused the opposition party of becoming a hurdle in the country’s march to progress. “When Congress was in power, they didn’t allow the country’s development. Now when in Opposition, they are obstructing the development of the country. They are now objecting to the nation. If the idea of nation is unconstitutional, then why is your party called Indian National Congress? Change it to the federation of Congress,” he said.

The prime minister said it has been asked if Congress wasn’t there, then what might have happened to the country. He also mentioned that even Mahatma Gandhi wanted the party to be disbanded after Independence was won.

But, he said, had Congress not been there, “democracy would have had been free of dynastic culture. The blot of Emergency would have not been there.” He said the country would have not faced decades of corruption, would be free of the evils of casteism, the Sikh genocide would have not taken place, Kashmiri Pandits would have not left Kashmir and Punjab would not have burned for years. He also said that daughters would have not been burned in ovens and people would not have to wait for years for basic facilities like house roads, electricity, water, and toilets.

As almost all Congress MPs got up and walked out, Modi took another shot at them, saying, “They are so used to giving others lectures, they find it tough to listen to others.” He said in a democracy one cannot just make others listen, listening to others is also needed.

Congress, he said, has been “trapped by the urban Naxals” and their “thought process has been captured by urban Naxals” making their thought-process “destructive”.

Regarding India’s economy, Modi said everyone must focus on how to take the country forward in the next 25 years when India completes 100 years of Independence. “India is among the top three nations in terms of start-ups due to efforts of youth,” he said, adding the government is focussed on infra projects to help generate employment opportunities during the pandemic.

Touching upon the freedom of speech issues, Modi cited some examples where people were jailed for criticising Nehru, and Lata Mangeshkar’s brother was fired from All India Radio for doing a show based on poems written by V D Savarkar.

PM'S FEAR OF CONGRESS SHOWED IN PARLIAMENT: RAHUL GANDHI

Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was afraid of the Congress as it spoke the truth which is why he attacked the party in both Houses of Parliament. He also said if the prime minister likes abusing the Congress and his great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru, 'be my guest, but do your job'.

"I do not need anyone's certificate for my great-grandfather. I don't care what anybody says about him," the former Congress chief said.

Gandhi said the prime minister did not answer the issues of 'two Indias', China and Pakistan 'getting together' and the attack on India's institutions, raised by him in the Lok Sabha.

'He is a little afraid of the Congress. There is a little anxiety because the Congress speaks the truth. He is in the business of marketing. He has spread lies. So fear is natural and that showed in Parliament.

About the external affairs minister's comments that China and Pakistan were together earlier too, Gandhi said, "The gentleman obviously does not understand his job very well……He has to understand that there is something new that is taking place. That Chinese and Pakistanis are now one and India is facing a cyber superpower. So, India needs to be very careful."

Citing the $90 billion Belt and Road initiative, Chinese troops in PoK, he claimed that Pakistan military people are sitting in China looking into Pakistan and China's military strategy.

"You are in sleep right now, ignoring the facts. The Chinese have entered Ladakh, positioned themselves in Doklam. You are asleep, please wake up. It is very dangerous for the country. If you like abusing the Congress and Nehru, be my guest but do your job," Gandhi said.

HYUNDAI KASHMIR POST: S KOREAN FM CALLS JAISHANKAR, 'REGRETS OFFENCE'

The South Korean foreign minister on Tuesday 'regretted the offence' caused to the people and government of India by the social media post on the so-called Kashmir solidarity day by the Hyundai Pakistan, a day after New Delhi summoned the RoK envoy to express 'strong displeasure' over the 'unacceptable' post.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said South Korean envoy Chang Jae-bok was summoned on Monday and bluntly told that there could be no compromise on the matter that relates to the country's territorial integrity.

A tweet by Hyundai Pakistan on the occasion of so-called Kashmir solidarity day triggered a massive row with some social media users in India even calling for boycotting cars manufactured by the company.

As the issue threatened to trigger a diplomatic discord, Bagchi said the East Asian nation's 'Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong called External Affairs Minister this morning. While they discussed several issues, the RoK Foreign Minister also conveyed that they regretted the offence caused to the people and Government of India by the social media post'.

In a tough message to Hyundai, Bagchi said India expected the company to take 'appropriate action' to 'properly' address the matter. He said India welcomes investments by foreign companies in various sectors, but, it is also expected that such companies or their affiliates will refrain from 'false and misleading' comments on matters of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"The offending post has been removed subsequently. The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs yesterday. The strong displeasure of the Government on the unacceptable social media post by Hyundai Pakistan was conveyed to him," he said while responding to a media query on the issue. "It was highlighted that this matter concerned India's territorial integrity on which there could be no compromise. We expected the company to take appropriate action to properly address these issues," he said.

Hyundai had issued a clarification after it faced calls for a boycott of its cars, but there have been demands for the company to apologise unequivocally.

Besides Hyundai, distributors and franchisees of Japanese auto brands including Toyota, Suzuki Motor Corp, Isuzu and Chinese truck brand Faw Trucks also faced a backlash for similar messages posted in Pakistan. Each of them issued apologies or clarifications. As did fast food giants KFC, Pizza Hut and Domino’s.

COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA

As of 0800 IST /Feb 89

from mohfw.gov.in ,

New Cases on Tuesday 71,365

Active Cases 8,92,828 (-1,02,063)

Total Deaths (Deaths Yesterday) 5,05,279 (626)

Total Vaccination: 170.87 Crores (+53,61,099)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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NO RUSSIA-GERMANY PIPELINE IF UKRAINE IS INVADED, SAYS BIDEN

With German Chancellor Olaf Scholz standing beside him, US President Joe Biden warned on Monday that Washington would shut down the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that is poised to supply Russian gas to Germany “if Russian tanks or troops cross the border into Ukraine again”. The threat — which Scholz did not directly endorse aside from pledging to work with the US — came even as French President Emmanuel Macron failed to convince Russian President Vlamidir Putin during talks in Moscow to back down from a military build up on the Ukraine border, which in Washington’s eyes presages an imminent invasion.

Russia has rubbished the US assessment that an invasion is imminent, but left little doubt that it will maintain a strong military posture as long as the US and Nato allies do not commit to pull back Nato expansion to its borders, including an undertaking that Ukraine will not be drafted in the group.

In an effort to assuage Moscow, the US has indicated informally that Ukraine’s membership of Nato is not immediately on the cards, but Russia wants a formal commitment. On Monday, Biden even indicated that US had accepted Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory so far, saying US retaliation would come if Russia invades the border of Ukraine again.

But Russia remained unimpressed, with Putin apparently seeking ironclad guarantees from Macron. “Do you understand it or not, that if Ukraine joins Nato and attempts to bring Crimea back by military means, the European countries will be automatically pulled into a war conflict with Russia?” Putin said in Moscow, talking up Russian nuclear prowess, which he claimed outperforms the West’s in some ways. “There will be no winners. And you will be pulled into this conflict against your will,” Putin warned, even as his aides later shot down French claims that he had agreed to reel back war games and deployments on the border.

THE REST

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7 ARMY PERSONNEL HIT BY AVALANCHE IN ARUNACHAL FOUND DEAD

The bodies of seven Army personnel were found on Tuesday in the high-altitude Kameng region of Arunachal Pradesh, two days after they went missing. The Army personnel went missing after they were hit by the avalanche on Sunday. A search and rescue operation was launched following the incident.

'Bodies of all seven individuals have been recovered from the avalanche site. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of everyone involved, all seven have been confirmed deceased,' the Army said in a statement.

It said the area located at an altitude of 14,500 feet had been witnessing inclement weather with heavy snowfall in the last few days. 'The bodies of the soldiers are currently being transferred from the avalanche site to the nearest Army medical facility for further formalities,' the Army said.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives of the Army personnel.

NDA IS ‘NO DATA AVAILABLE’ GOVT: P CHIDAMBARAM

Taking a dig at the Centre for not furnishing information on deaths due to oxygen shortage during the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, or data on members of the purported “tukde-tukde” gang, Congress Rajya Sabha MP P Chidambaram on Tuesday said the NDA stands for “No Data Available’ government.

“I am a member of the ‘tukde-tukde’ gang, which means ‘disruption’,” he said. “I am worried because in this Parliament a question was asked: ‘who are members of the tukde-tukde gang. The honourable minister said, ‘we have no data available on tukde-tukde gang’.”

“No data is also available on oxygen shortage deaths, corpses floating in rivers, migrants walking back to their homes, and doubling farmers income, which was supposed to happen in 2022,” he said.

HIJAB ROW SNOWBALLS, KARNATAKA SCHOOLS, COLLEGES SHUT FOR 3 DAYS

Incidents of stone pelting and use of force by police were reported on Tuesday as the hijab row in Karnataka escalated and protests by students spread to more colleges prompting the state government to declare a three-day holiday for all educational institutions.

As the Karnataka high court and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai appealed to all students and people to maintain peace and calm, Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh claimed that according to a report the Campus Front of India (CFI) is said to have incited the hijab row, and this will be investigated.

CFI is the student wing of the Islamic outfit Popular Front of India(PFI).

The high court, which is looking into pleas by some Muslim girl students on their right to wear a headscarf and will resume hearing on Wednesday, observed that only 'some mischievous people' were keeping the hijab issue burning.

Nagesh told reporters that out of about 5,000-plus Pre-University colleges in the state that function, a 'conflict-like' situation has been created in about 10-12 institutions and in some degree colleges due to the hijab and saffron shawl controversy.

Chief Minister Bommai appealed to all students, teachers and management of schools and colleges as well as people of Karnataka to maintain peace and harmony.

Speaking to reporters, he appealed to the Opposition and the people concerned not to escalate the situation by making 'provocative' statements and to wait for the high court order. The state government is going by the law on dress code and the same stand has been put before the court, he said.

The hijab controversy that first erupted in January at a government PU College in Udupi, where six students who attended classes wearing headscarf in violation of the stipulated dress code were asked to leave the campus, has spread to different parts of the state with Hindu students too responding by turning up in saffron shawls.

The row has also taken a political colour as the ruling BJP stood strongly in support of uniform-related rules being enforced by educational institutions, calling the headscarf, a religious symbol, while the opposition Congress has come out in support of Muslim girls.

IN MEGHALAYA, CONGRESS MLAs JOIN BJP-BACKED MDA

All five Congress MLAs in Meghalaya joined the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government on Tuesday saying that it was for the “benefit” of the people of the state and their individual constituencies. The MDA is led by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma’s National People’s Party (NPP), and backed by the BJP.

Till November, the Congress was the principal opposition in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly — but after former chief minister Mukul Sangma and 11 other MLAs jumped ship to join the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), the grand old party was left with only five MLAs.

On Tuesday, these five MLAs met with the chief minister, handing over a letter that stated: “We wish to support you and the MDA to strengthen the government’s arms and decision-making, so as to ensure that our joined efforts will take the state forward, in the general interest of its citizens.”

Following the meeting, Sangma tweeted: “We are happy to welcome members of the Congress Legislature Party who have pledged their support to the MDA Government officially today.”

OMNIBUS DOWRY ALLEGATIONS DON’T MERIT PROSECUTION: SC

Citing misuse of penal provisions for dowry harassment to settle personal scores by dragging in-laws and other relatives into criminal proceedings, the Supreme Court on Tuesday held that general and omnibus allegations cannot be a ground for prosecution and asked courts to be careful and cautious in dealing with such complaints.

“This court has at numerous instances expressed concern over the misuse of section 498A of IPC and the increased tendency of implicating relatives of the husband in matrimonial disputes, without analysing the long term ramifications of a trial on the complainant as well as the accused. It is further manifest from the said judgments that false implication by way of general omnibus allegations made in the course of matrimonial dispute, if left unchecked, would result in misuse of the process of law. Therefore, this court by way of its judgments has warned the courts from proceeding against the relatives and in-laws when no prima facie case is made out against them,” it said.

NEVER HAD A TWITTER ACCOUNT, CONSPIRACY AGAINST ME: JNU V-C

A day after the controversy over tweets from an unverified Twitter handle in her name (@SantishreeD), newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of JNU Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit said on Tuesday that she “never had” a Twitter account.

The handle, which had tweets calling Jamia Millia Islamia and St Stephen’s College “communal campuses”, used slurs for Indian Christians and described civil rights activists as “mentally-ill jihadists”, was deleted following the uproar on Monday.

“I didn’t have a Twitter account… It has been found out that it has been hacked and somebody internally from JNU has done this. The point is, many people are unhappy that I am the first woman V-C,” said Pantit, adding that she had found out from reliable sources about the alleged involvement of people from JNU.

Asked if the Twitter account never belonged to her, she replied: “Never. I never had. My daughter is a cyber-security engineer. Six years ago, she closed it for me because she was applying for some jobs in the US and she told me, ‘Mom, you are not going to be on any social media sites’. I’m not at all active on social media.”

AMAZON GETS EARFUL FOR ATTEMPTING TO DRAG CASE

Multinational megacorp Amazon got an earful from the Supreme Court on Tuesday for seeking permission to file written submissions in the case relating to a notice by a consortium of banks threatening to invoke insolvency proceedings against Future Retail (FRL), five days after the court reserved its verdict. Senior advocate Nakul Dewan, appearing for Amazon, sought permission to file the submission, triggering a tongue-lashing from CJI N V Ramana, who said this appeared to be a tactic on to drag the case forever.

“Why did you not make the request on the day we reserved the order? Five days have passed since we reserved the order and we are in the final stages of preparing the decision. Can written submissions be filed by one party as and when it wishes to? We have to issue notice on this to the other side. Let them also come and debate whether it is ethical and permissible to file written submissions after such a long lapse,” the CJI said.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. - African Proverb

OFF TRACK

"Doctor, I'd like you to evaluate my 13 year-old son."

"OK: He's most likely suffering from a transient psychosis with an intermittent rage disorder, punctuated by episodic radical mood swings, but his prognosis is good for full recovery."

"How can you say all that without even meeting him?"

"I thought you said he's 13?"