PARLIAMENT DEADLOCK BROKEN: SPEAKER LIFTS SUSPENSION OF 4 CONG MPS, RS REMOVES REMARKS ON SONIA

Dialling down the discord between the ruling party and Opposition in Parliament, after days of bitter exchanges and adjournments since the Monsoon session began on July 18, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday revoked the suspension of four Congress MPs even as remarks made by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Congress chief Sonia Gandhi were expunged from Rajya Sabha records.

The Lok Sabha decision on the four MPs came after he obtained an assurance from Opposition parties that they would not bring placards into the House. The move also led to a discussion in the afternoon on the issue of price rise.

Congress Leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the Speaker should now convene a meeting of the General Purpose Committee with members from all parties to decide on the mode of protests in the House. He also said the Opposition should get opportunities to raise issues. “At times, there are issues which the Opposition wants to raise vociferously and we have to resort to demonstrating our protests if the Govt does not give us a patient hearing… But sir, it’s not the intention of the Opposition to hurt the Chair,” Chowdhury said, addressing the Speaker. He said that he would convey the Speaker’s instructions to the suspended MPs.

The Rajya Sabha Secretariat’s move came on directions from Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu after Finance Minister Sitharaman had demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi over Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s “Rashtrapatni” remark on President Droupadi Murmu.

PRICE-RISE DEBATE IN LOK SABHA

Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman, responding to the debate on price rise in the Lok Sabha today, gave an account of all the parameters to assess the economy, and said there is no chance of the country going into recession or stagflation. In the middle of her response, the Congress staged a walkout, saying they were not satisfied with her response.

"The pandemic, second wave of Covid, Omicron, Russia-Ukraine -- in spite of all this we have held the inflation at 7 per cent or below. And that has to be recognised," Ms Sitharaman said.

"Currently retail inflation is at 7 per cent. During UPA rule from 2004 to 2014, the inflation went into double digits. During that period, the inflation was above 9 per cent for 22 consecutive months," she said.   Most of the inflation, she said, is in food and fuel. "Food inflation is coming down in the world, and it will come down in India also," she added.

Citing the other parameters of economy, she said, "The NPA of commercial banks is at a six-year low. GST collections have been above ₹ 1.4 lakh crore consecutively for 5 months".

Around 20 members across parties participated in the discussion. Even like-minded parties like Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal and the YSR Congress urged the govt to intervene to arrest inflation.

Congress MP Manish Tewari started the discussion, accusing the BJP-led govt of mishandling the economy through "demonitisation and the ill-conceived GST". Through the latest GST hike, the govt has strengthened their budget but ruined the budget of 25 crore Indians, he said.

Jharkhand's BJP MP Nishikant Dubey cited the fact-checker Mohammed Zubair's tweet on LPG prices to counter Mr Tewari. The price of LPG in 2013 was over ₹ 1,000, now it is less, he said.

The BJD's Pinaki Misra highlighted that the cash in circulation now has doubled compared to the pre-demonitisation period and asked the govt to introspect on its policies. Countering the Centre's defence that fuel prices are rising due to the fuel bonds purchased by Congress, Mr Misra said the Centre has collected 27.27 lakh crore through fuel taxes. Every time they say that they are paying for the fuel bonds purchased by UPA, but in reality, "they have just paid 93,600 crore... which is just 3.4 per cent," he said.

Trinamool Congress's Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, munching on a raw brinjal, said the price of LPG cylinder have been raised four times in the last few months. "From ₹ 600, it is now ₹ 1,100...Does the govt want us to eat raw vegetables?" she said.

GOVT EARNS OVER RS 1.5 LAKH CR IN 5G SPECTRUM AUCTION; JIO TOP BIDDER

India's biggest ever spectrum auction ended Monday, with bids upwards of Rs 1.5 lakh crore coming in after seven days of bidding spread over 40 rounds, belying initial expectations that the auction process would be wrapped up in under three days. Reliance Jio emerged as the largest spender in the 5G spectrum auction, acquiring almost half of all the airwaves sold for more than Rs 88,000 crore, and was also the only one (among four applicants) to have acquired spectrum in the premium 700 MHz band.

A total of 51.2 GHz of spectrum was sold, of the total 72 GHz that was up for grabs – close to 71%. Union Minister of Communications Ashwini Vaishnaw said the total spectrum sold was “good enough” for covering all circles in the country, estimating “good coverage” of 5G in the next two-three years. The expected total first annual installment that the govt will garner from the bidders has been pegged at Rs 13,365 crore.

Apart from high-speed data connectivity for users, 5G also has the potential to enable a number of enterprise-level solutions such as machine-to-machine communications, connected vehicles, and more immersive augmented reality and metaverse experiences, among others.

At Rs 1,50,173 crore, the final total bids have exceeded expectations, surpassing the govt’s internal estimates of receiving bids of around Rs 1 lakh crore.

COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA

As of 0800 IST / Aug 1

from mohfw.gov.in ,

New Cases on Sunday  16,464

Active Cases 1,43,989 (+313)

Total Deaths (Deaths Yesterday) 5,26,396 (39)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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AL QAEDA LEADER ZAWAHIRI KILLED IN CIA DRONE STRIKE IN AFGHANISTAN

The head of al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was killed Saturday in an airstrike by the United States, US President Joe Biden confirmed Monday.

“On Saturday, at my direction, the United States successfully concluded an air strike in Kabul, Afghanistan and killed al Qaeda Amir Ayman al-Zawahiri,” Biden said in a media briefing.

The US President said that justice has been delivered, adding, “No matter how long it takes, no matter where you hide, if you are a threat to our people, the US will find you and take you out.”

“He carved a trail of murder and violence against American citizens, American service members, American diplomats, and American interests. Zawahri was Bin Laden’s leader, his number two man, and his deputy during the time of terrorist attacks on 9/11. He was deeply involved in the planning of 9/11,” Biden said.

Taking to Twitter, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid also confirmed the strike and said, “An airstrike was carried out on a residential house in Sherpur area of Kabul city on July 31.”

He said, “The nature of the incident was not apparent at first” but the security and intelligence services of the Islamic Emirate investigated the incident and “initial findings determined that the strike was carried out by an American drone.”

Mujahid said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan “strongly condemns this attack on any pretext and calls it a clear violation of international principles and the Doha Agreement.”

Zawahiri, who just turned 71 years old, had remained a visible international symbol of the group, 11 years after the US killed Osama bin Laden. At one point, he acted as bin Laden’s personal physician.

In 1998, he was indicted for his alleged role on August 7, 1998, bombings of the United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya.

‘DON’T SAY WE DIDN’T WARN YOU,’ THREATENS CHINA PELOSI’S POSSIBLE VISIT TO TAIWAN

US House Speaker, the third most important person in the American political hierarchy after the president and the vice-president, will visit Taiwan on Tuesday, protected by the full might of the US military in the face of threats from China that it “will not sit idly by”.

Media outlets in Taiwan and the US citing officials from both sides say Pelosi will be supported by the Biden administration, which initially was lukewarm about the trip, and she will actually stay overnight in Taipei.

Republican hardliners in the US have also urged her to go, in fact virtually dared her to go. “To allow America to be bullied by Chinese propaganda, right after President Biden has had a. . . long phone call with Xi Jinping. . . would send a really bad message to our friends in the region: The Australians. The South Koreans. The Japanese,” Mike Pompeo, former US secretary of state said.

More forceful criticism of initial reports that she would not go came from Senator Tom Cotton who said backing down in the face of China’s threat “might incite them and tempt them to go for the jugular in Taiwan”.

China has said the US is playing with fire and will get burnt if Pelosi visits Taiwan. The country’s media has been more direct and militaristic in echoing the threat, including suggesting that her plane would be shot down.

THE REST

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SITHARAMAN DISMISSES ALLEGATIONS OF CENTRE FAVOURING AMBANI, ADANI

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday dismissed allegations that the Modi govt was working only for 'Ambani and Adani', and said Opposition-ruled states were also signing agreements with the two leading business houses.

The minister, while replying to a debate on price rise in the Lok Sabha, said the Congress govt in Rajasthan signed two agreements related to renewable energy with the Adani Group a day after Rahul Gandhi while speaking in Jaipur accused the Centre of working for the two industrial conglomerates.

"...and Congress people repeatedly taunt us of being 'Ambani-Adani sarkar," she said.

Sitharaman further said the Congress party's alliance partner DMK, which is ruling in Tamil Nadu, too has signed agreements with the Adani Group for setting up data centres.

MAHARASHTRA GOVERNOR APOLOGISES FOR HIS REMARK

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, facing flak over his "Mumbai will have no money if the Gujaratis and Rajasthanis were to leave” remarks, on Monday apologised for the same. A statement issued by Raj Bhavan on Monday evening quoted Koshyari as saying that he was confident that the people of Maharashtra will display their large heart and forgive him for his recent remarks.

Koshyari said he may have committed a mistake while speaking about the contribution of some members of society, during his speech. ”I expect the citizens of this state would forgive a humble servant of this state by abiding with the teachings of several saints. It was an unintentional error from my side,” Koshyari said,

HC SAYS IRANI, DAUGHTER NOT OWNERS OF GOA CAFE, SLAMS CONG LEADERS

The Delhi high court has said that Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera, Netta D'Souza along with others conspired to 'launch a tirade of false scathing and belligerent personal attacks' on BJP leader Smriti Irani and her daughter, who are neither owners of the restaurant in Goa nor have they ever applied for the licence for food and beverages at the eatery, as alleged.

The high court said the statement made by three Congress leaders are in the nature of 'slander and seem to be bogus with malicious intent', to intentionally subject Irani to a 'great public ridicule' and 'to injure the moral character and public image' of the BJP leader and her daughter.

The high court's order, in which it had on July 29 issued summonses to three Congress leaders on the civil defamation suit, was uploaded on the court's website on Monday.

Irani has filed a defamation suit against the Congress leaders for allegedly making baseless and false accusations against her and her 18-year-old daughter.

The matter has now been listed for further hearing before the court and registrar on November 15 and August 18, respectively.

MONKEYPOX DEATH: CENTRE CONTACTS UAE TO KNOW HOW PATIENT TOOK FLIGHT TO KERALA

Days after a 22-year-old Kerala man monkeypox patient died, the Indian govt has reached out to authorities in the UAR to know how he could board a flight to India despite having declared positive for the infection. The man reportedly boarded a flight to Kerala on July 22 after even as he was positive in the UAE itself.

“We have reached out to the officials in that country [UAE] to see why the man was allowed to board a flight despite having tested positive for monkeypox. We are stringently screening everyone at our airports and we expect the same from other countries as well,” an official in the know of the matter said.

The official added, “We have also been sensitising people about the infection, yet the patient did not immediately report to a health facility even after reaching Kerala.

This is the first death linked to monkeypox infection in India.

So far, six cases of monkeypox have been recorded across the country, including a Nigerian national living in Delhi testing positive on Monday. The Nigerian who was admitted to Delhi’s nodal Lok Nayak Hospital on Sunday, doesn’t have history of international travel in last 21 days.

2ND T20I: WEST INDIES BEAT INDIA BY FIVE WICKETS

Left-arm paceman Obed McCoy decimated a star-studded Indian batting line-up with sensational career-best figures of 6 for 17 as West Indies equalised the five-match series with a five-wicket victory in the second T20I in Basetterre, St Kitts, on Monday.

McCoy wreaked havoc in his two spells as India, after being put into bat, were bundled out for 138 in 19.4 overs.

The target was never going to be a problem for the West Indies batters as opener Brandon King smashed 68 off 52 balls, but the hosts stuttered during the back-end before Devon Thomas' unbeaten 31 off 19 balls sealed it in his team's favour, hitting a six and a four off Avesh Khan.

It was Arshdeep singh, who bowled a lethal yorker to castle the dangerous Rovman Powell and set it up nicely for Avesh to defend 10 runs, but a no-ball off the first delivery derailed India's bid to pull off a heist.

West Indies sealed the match with 141/5 in 19.2 overs.

COMMONWEALTH GAMES, DAY 4: INDIA WIN A SILVER 2 BRONZE MEDALS

Indian judoka L Shushila Devi battled injuries to sign off with a silver medal after losing the women's 48kg final against South Africa's Michaela Whitebooi at the Commonwealth Games in Coventry on Monday. In a tight contest, Shushila, who had four stitches on her right toes, fought hard before losing the final via 'Waza-Ari' in 4.25 minutes. She had finished runners-up at the 2014 Glasgow Games as well.

India won a second medal in judo in the form of a bronze when Varanasi's Vijay Kumar Yadav (men's 60kg) defeated Petros Christodoulides of Cyprus by 'Ippon' in just 58 seconds.

Yadav, who has won the Commonwealth Championships in 2018 and 2019, had lost to Joshua Katz of Australia in the quarterfinal, but he produced a superb performance in 60kg repechage to advance to the bronze medal match with a win by 'Waza Ari' over Dylon Munro of Scotland. A 'waza-ari' is awarded after a player throws his opponent with control and accuracy, but not to the extent of an ippon.

India's Harjinder Kaur claimed the bronze medal in the women's 71kg weightlifting competition after a dramatic climax. England's Sarah Davies won the gold medal with a total of 229 kgs, while Canada's Alexis Ashworth bagged the silver with 214.

Harjinder totalled 212 (93 in snatch and 119 in clean and jerk).

India is currently laced 6th iun the nedals tally, with 9 medals in all – 3 of each kind.

Men's Hockey: In what turned out to be a blockbuster match, India were held to a 4-4 draw vs England in their Pool B fixture. Goals from Lalit Upadhyay (2') and Mandeep Singh (13', 23') helped India grab an early 3-0 lead. Liam Ansell pulled one back for England in the 42nd-minute, but then Harmanpreet Singh made it 4-1 in the 46th-minute. Nick Bandurak scored twice in the 47th and 53rd-minute, before Phil Roper (50') equalised late in Quarter 4, with seven minutes to go.

England made full use of the man-advantage in the second half as first Varun Kumar and then Gurjant got heavy suspensions for indiscipline. From 4-1 around the 47th minute mark, India conceded three goals in next to no time and by the time final whistle was blown, most of the Indian players were simply relieved. Coach Graham Reid will be furious at the way India gifted its three-goal lead.

India waltz into final of badminton mixed team

India came up with a near-perfect show against Singapore in the semi-final of the mixed team badminton. Cheered on by their spirited teammates, India shuttlers came up with a dominant display to hammer Singapore 3-0 and book a place in Tuesday's final against Malasia.

Lakshya Sen outsmarted reigning world champion Loh Kean Yew as India showed their might to blank Singapore 3-0 and enter the mixed team final at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Monday.

The men's doubles pairing of Satwiksairaj Reddy and Chirag Shetty gave India the lead in the semi-final with  a 21-11, 21-12 win over  Yong Kai Terry Hee and Andu Jun Kian Kwek.

Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu was clinical against 19th-ranked Jia Min Yeo for a 21-11, 21-12 win to extend India's lead to 2-0.

The third match between Sen and Loh was the most anticipated rubber of the semi-final with the 10th-ranked Indian facing the ninth-ranked Singaporean. "Let's go, India, let's go," was reverberating around the badminton venue as Lakshya demoralised Loh, winning the singles tie in straight games - 21-18, 21-15.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Question with boldness even the existence of God; because, if there be one, He must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear. – Thomas Jefferson

OFF TRACK

I was shocked, confused, bewildered as I entered Heaven's door,

Not by the beauty of it all, by the lights or its decor. 

But it was the folks in Heaven who made me sputter and gasp,

the thieves, the liars, the sinners, the alcoholics, the trash. 

I nudged the angel, "What's the deal? I would love to hear your take.

How'd all these sinners get up here? God must've made a mistake.

And why's everyone so quiet, so somber? Give me a clue." 

"Hush, child," said he. "They're all in shock. No one thought they’d see you."