PARLIAMENT GOES INTO MONTH-LONG RECESS; ADANI ISSUE MARS SESSION

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday named eight MPs of the Opposition Congress and Aam Aadmi Party over persistent disruptions on the Adani issue and suspension of MP Rajani Patil, with both Houses of Parliament going for a month-long recess of the Budget session later yesterday.

The Houses will reassemble on March 13, after the customary recess that will give time for department related standing committees to examine the Budget proposals related to different ministries.

Just ahead of the adjournment of the Rajya Sabha around noon, Dhankhar took strong exception to the Congress and AAP MPs constantly creating ruckus in the House and continuing to raise slogans demanding a joint parliamentary committee to discuss Adani-Hindenburg issue and revocation of Patil’s suspension.

Dhankhar said he was getting sleepless nights due to inputs he was getting. “The entire world is watching. It is beyond my comprehension how members can behave like this and attack the Constitution,” he said.

The pre-recess session of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha was marked by constant disruptions over the demand to set up a JPC to investigate US-based Hindenburg Research’s accusations of stock manipulation against the Adani Group.

ADANI ROW: GOVT ACCEPTS SC PROPOSAL, WILL SET UP A PANEL

With the Centre agreeing to its proposal to have a committee of experts to recommend measures to plug loopholes in the regulatory regime to prevent any loss to Indian investors due to market volatilities as was witnessed during the Adani-Hindenburg episode, the Supreme Court Monday agreed to its request to suggest what could be the remit of the proposed committee.

Meanwhile, in a note submitted to the Supreme court, market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) said it “is already enquiring into both, the allegations made in the Hindenburg report as well as the market activity immediately preceding and post the publication of the report, to identify violations of SEBI Regulations…” including those related to short selling.

Hearing two PILs filed in the wake of the Hindenburg report that alleged fraud and stock price manipulation by the Adani Group, the SC had, on the last date of hearing, said it was “thinking aloud” on whether a committee of experts could be put in place to suggest possible improvements to the regulatory mechanism.

Responding to this Monday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for the Centre told the bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala that his “instructions are that existing structure — SEBI and are other agencies – are fully equipped, not only regime wise but otherwise also to take care of the situation…However, responding to the suggestion which fell from Your Lordships as a loud thinking, we would have no objection…the govt has no objection constituting a committee”.

One of the PILs has sought a declaration that short selling be declared as a fraudulent practice.

The SEBI, however, said in its note that “securities market regulators in most countries, and in particular, in all developed securities markets, recognize short selling as a legitimate investment activity….” and “instead of prohibiting short sales per se…have permitted it to take place within a regulated framework. The International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) has also reviewed short selling and securities lending practices across markets and has recommended transparency of short selling, rather than prohibiting it. India follows this policy of regulated short selling and has framed its regime accordingly”.

I ASKED PM ABOUT ADANI, HE RESPONDED BY QUESTIONING MY SURNAME: RAHUL ATTACKS MODI

Stepping up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the allegations against the Adani Group, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Monday asked why the PM would not answer the questions he had asked of him in the Lok Sabha but instead resorted to talking about his surname.

Alleging a “nexus” between Modi and Gautam Adani, Rahul also said he had written a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla with “supporting proof” to back his remarks regarding the same, which were expunged from the House records. The Lok Sabha Secretariat had asked Rahul to respond by February 15 to notices given by BJP members regarding his remarks on the PM.

Addressing a public meeting in his Lok Sabha constituency Wayanad, Rahul asked why the Modi comment that had “directly insulted” him by referring to his surname had not been expunged. “He says why is your name Gandhi and not Nehru. So the Prime Minister of the country directly insults me but his words are not taken off the record. But it does not matter because the truth always comes out,” Rahul said.

Replying to the Motion of Thanks on President’s Address in the Rajya Sabha, Modi had said: “If we miss out on mentioning (Jawaharlal) Nehru anywhere, they (the Congress) get upset. Nehru was such a great person, then why do none of them use the Nehru surname? What is the shame in using the Nehru name?”

Rahul said: “I asked the Prime Minister some questions. I asked him about his relationship with Mr Adani. I asked how Mr Adani has grown so fast. The Prime Minister did not answer a single question. His response to my questions was that why are you not called Nehru, why are you called Gandhi. Because generally in India… maybe Mr Modi doesn’t understand this… But generally in India our surname is the surname of our father.”

In contrast, Rahul said, his remarks were expunged, though, “I spoke in the most polite, respectful tone. I did not use any bad language. I did not abuse anybody. I just raised certain facts.”

Rahul also asked the people to observe his body language and that of the PM during their respective speeches in Parliament. “All you had to do was look at my face when I was speaking and look at his face while he was speaking. Look at how many times he drank water, how his hand was shaking when he was drinking water, and you will understand everything,” he said.

AERO INDIA 2023 TAKES OFF, PM'S SHOUT-OUT TO MADE-IN-INDIA TEJAS: 10 FACTS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday inaugurated Asia's largest aero show, Aero India 2023, in Bengaluru. The 14th edition of the event will display indigenous equipment and technologies to forge partnerships with foreign companies.

The five-day event, on the theme 'The runway to a billion opportunities', is showcasing India's growth in aerospace and defence capabilities.

Nearly 809 companies from 98 countries are taking part in Aero India 2023.

Inaugurating the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Aero India reflects India's new strength and aspirations. "India's successes are giving proof of its possibilities and capability and added that Tejas aircraft roaring in the sky is the proof of the success of 'Make in India'. The new India of the 21st century will neither miss any opportunity nor leave any stone unturned in its hard work. We are gearing up," PM Modi said in his address.

United States Charge d'Affaires Ambassador to India Elizabeth Jones is leading the largest-ever US delegation to the biennial air show. US will unveil its fifth-generation fighters, the stealthy and supersonic F-35A Lightning II and F-35A Joint Strike Fighter.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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CHINA: US SENT BALLOONS OVER 10 TIMES LAST YEAR

China said on Monday that US high altitude balloons had flown over its airspace without permission over 10 times since the beginning of 2022, drawing a swift denial from Washington. China’s accusation widened a dispute with US that began last weekend after the US military shot down what it says was a Chinese spy balloon.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin did not specifically describe the US balloons as military or for espionage purposes and did not provide further details. Asked how China had responded to such incursions, Wang said its responses had been “responsible and professional”. White House national security spokesman John Kirby denied China’s accusation. “Not true. Not doing it. Just absolutely not true,” he said. “We are not flying balloons over China.”

THE REST

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AJIT PAWAR’S ‘REBELLION’ AT DAWN: FADNAVIS SAYS SHARAD PAWAR WAS IN THE KNOW

Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis rekindled an old row Monday, claiming that NCP chief Sharad Pawar was in the know about his nephew Ajit Pawar’s short-lived defection to the BJP’s side in November 2019.

On November 23, 2019, even as the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress tried to rustle together a coalition to stake claim to form the govt after the Assembly election results were inconclusive, Ajit had stunned the state by popping up besides Fadnavis. The two had proceeded to take oath – Fadnavis as CM and Ajit as Deputy CM – before it all came crashing down within hours.

On Monday evening, speaking at TV9 Marathi channel’s ‘Maharashtra Cha Mahasankalp’ event, Fadnavis claimed that it was only after Sharad Pawar’s go-ahead that Ajit and he had proceeded with the swearing-in.

Pawar hit back, denying Fadnavis’s claims. “I thought Fadnavis is a cultured and decent man, but he is resorting to lies,” he said.

In three days, as Ajit failed to get the required number of NCP MLAs with him, the Fadnavis govt fell. Soon after, Ajit returned to the NCP, presumably chastened and “forgiven” by his uncle and the party supremo.

Fadnavis warned yesterday: “If Ajit Pawar says anything on this issue, I will make more disclosures.”

Uddhav Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut accused Fadnavis of making these “mischievous” and “deliberate” statements to create a rift in the MVA. “If NCP chief Sharad Pawar was aware of it (Ajit changing sides) as Fadnavis is claiming, that means he (Pawar) took the BJP for a ride.”

There was another side to this, Raut pointed out. “If the oath-taking (of Fadnavis and Ajit) had not taken place, the President’s rule in the state would not have been lifted and the MVA govt would have not been formed,” he said, adding that if it was all part of Pawar’s grand plan, it was characteristic of how the NCP chief was always one step ahead of the others. “I have already said that to understand Pawar Saheb, you have to take a hundred births,” Raut said.

PM MODI CAMPAIGNING IN AGARTALA

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the BJP believes in the politics of transformation and change, not revenge. “Under the BJP’s five-year rule, all families of Tripura have benefited from development,” the PM said in Agartala, addressing a second set of rallies in the election-bound state on Monday.

“The BJP is a loyal servant of the people of Tripura and has left no stone unturned in ensuring the development of the state. Agartala has become a gateway for international trade and the state capital will soon become a major business hub,” the PM said.

The state votes on February 16.

The PM reiterated, “The Leftists and the Congress can do anything to satisfy their lust for power. They wrestle in Kerala and strike a friendship in Tripura.”

PUNJAB GOVERNOR WARNS CM, MANN SAYS NOT ANSWERABLE TO HIM

Taking the tussle between him and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann a step further, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Monday wrote him another letter questioning the selection of principals for Singapore training and the appointment of Gurinderjit Singh Jawanda as chairman of the Punjab Information and Communication and Technology Corporation Limited.

Responding to the Governor in social media, CM Mann said, “Honorable Governor Sahib Your letter received through the media… All the topics written in the letter are state subjects.. Me and my govt is accountable to 3 crore Punjabis as per the Constitution, not to any governor appointed by central govt. Consider this my answer (sic).”

Purohit sought to remind Mann that his mandate was to “run the administration as per the Constitution and not as per whims and fancies” and said that he had no other option but to publicise his previous letters to the chief minister as the latter had chosen to ignore them.

IS LOOKS TO RECRUIT CADRE OF BANNED PFI, SETS OFF ALARM

In what has set alarm bells ringing for security agencies, the ISIS has asked the cadres of Popular Front of India (PFI), banned recently under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), to join the global terror outfit under its ‘black flag’.

The ISIS made the appeal through its mouthpiece ‘Voice of Khorasan’ in an article titled ‘Crackdown on Popular Front of India: Lessons for Indian Muslims’, said Indian Intelligence sources. The 45-page magazine was published by ISIS affiliate Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP), the terror outfit operating in Afghanistan. The mouthpiece alleged that the recent police actions against SIMI and the PFI in India were aimed at “harassing innocent Muslims”.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), in joint operations with the police of several states, recently arrested over 100 Popular Front of India members for allegedly indulging in anti-India activities and executing targeted killings of non-Muslims. The Maharashtra Police also filed a chargesheet against the PFI in court claiming the outfit was “conspiring to make India a Muslim nation by 2047”.

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AZAM KHAN AND SON GET 2-YR JAIL FOR BLOCKING TRAFFIC 15 YRS AGO

SP MLA Abdullah Azam faces the prospect of losing his UP Assembly membership after a special court Monday sentenced him and his father, senior party leader Azam Khan, to two years’ imprisonment in a 15-year-old case in which they were booked for blocking traffic after their vehicle was stopped by the police for checking in Moradabad.

The incident for which the case was registered against the two leaders occurred a day after the terror attack on the CRPF camp in neighbouring Rampur district on January 1, 2008, which claimed the lives of seven jawans and a rickshaw-puller.

Abdullah is the MLA from Suar in Rampur.

After the sentences were announced, Azam Khan and his son filed a bail application, which was granted by court.

ICHR NOT REWRITING INDIAN HISTORY, ONLY FILLING GAPS: GOVT

The Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) has not launched any project to rewrite Indian history and it is only “filling gaps”, the govt informed the Lok Sabha Monday.

In a written reply to a starred question from CPI member K Subbarayan, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, “No, Sir. The ICHR, Delhi, has not launched any project to rewrite Indian history.”

Later, Congress member Manish Tewari, who asked a supplementary question, pointed out a “contradiction” between the Education Ministry and the ICHR. “It seems from the reply given by the minister that there is a contradiction… the ICHR is saying publicly, consistently, and repeatedly, that ‘we are rewriting the history. We are writing comprehensive history of India, which will be published in 12-13 volumes and of which the first volume will be released in March 2023. More than 100 historians are involved in that project’,” Tewari said.

“So, my question to the minister is, if the ICHR is not rewriting history, then what precisely are they doing? Would the minister enlighten this House exactly why there is a contradiction between what you are telling this House and what the ICHR is saying,” Tewari asked.

To this, Pradhan reiterated his written answer and said there is no plan to rewrite history. He, however, said the ICHR has taken an initiative (prakalp) on history. “This country has passed through subjugation in different periods during the last 1100-1200 years. If we analyse the country based on that time, then there are many kingdoms, which have contributed a lot to highlight the culture, civilisation and identity of the country… This should be part of history today,” Pradhan said.

RELIANCE JIO AIMS FOR 100% 5G COVERAGE IN CITIES, TEHSILS BY DECEMBER

Reliance Jio is aiming to hit a minimum of 100 million 5G customers by the end of financial year 2024 (FY24) by covering all cities and over 6,000 tehsils. Sources working on the roll out say the goal is to reach 100 per cent coverage in these locations by December.

Currently, Reliance Jio offers 5G services in 240 cities. Jio currently has a total subscriber base of 423 million. In the effort to appeal to more customers to switch to 5G, Jio (and rival Bharti Airtel) have refrained from charging any premium over their 4G tariff.

The roll out of 5G services began last October and within five months the figure reached 20 million subscribers jointly for Jio and Airtel.

ADANI SHARES TUMBLE OVER MORE PLEDGING; ADANI ENTERPRISES DOWN 7%

Shares of Adani Group companies on Monday fell by up to 7 per cent following reports that three companies in the group have pledged additional shares to SBICAP Trustee Company, a company in the State Bank of India group.

Shares of Adani Total Gas, Adani Power, Adani Transmission, Adani Green Energy, NDTV and Adani Wilmar fell by around 5 per cent each. Adani Port by 5.25 per cent, Ambuja Cement by 5.17 per cent and ACC Ltd by 3.06 per cent.

According to filings, as many as 75 lakh more shares of Adani Ports have been pledged, taking the total to 1 per cent of all shares with SBICAP. In the case of Adani Green, pledge of 60 lakh more shares took the total to 1.06 per cent. The pledge of 13 lakh more shares of Adani Transmission took the total to 0.55 per cent.

SBICAP Trustee officials said the additional pledge is a top-up of the existing collateral, and no new loan was issued. SBICAP Trustee is a subsidiary of SBI Capital Markets, which is a subsidiary of SBI.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The past is a place of reference, not a place of residence. - Willie Jolley

OFF TRACK

A man is a person who, if a woman says, "Never mind, I'll do it myself;" lets her.

A woman is a person who, if she says to a man, "Never mind, I'll do it myself," and he lets her; gets mad.

A man is a person who, if a woman says to him, "Never mind, I'll do it myself," and he lets her and she gets mad; says, "Now what are you mad about?"

A woman is a person who, if she says to a man, "Never mind, I'll do it myself," and he lets her and she gets mad, and he says, "Now what are you mad about?" says, "If you don't know I'm not going to tell you!"