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<keyword id="1575" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="congress" source="Orion">Congress</keyword> president <keyword id="19897159" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mallikarjun-Kharge" source="keywords">Mallikarjun Kharge</keyword> on Monday wrote an open letter to the country's bureaucracy on the eve of counting of votes for the <keyword id="19923279" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-elections" source="keywords">Lok Sabha elections</keyword>, urging officers to adhere to the Constitution and serve the nation "without fear, favour and ill-will against anybody". "Do not get intimidated by anyone. Do not bow down to any unconstitutional means. Do not be afraid of anyone and discharge your duties, based on merit, on this counting day," he wrote. "We owe it to future generations, a vibrant Democracy and a long-lasting Constitution, as penned by the makers of modern India," he said. The counting of votes polled in the Lok Sabha elections will be held on Tuesday. <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Infographic"><cdata><![CDATA[]]></cdata></div> "In this hope that India remains truly Democratic in nature, I extend good wishes to each one of you, and expect that our eternal ideals of the Constitution remain untarnished," the Congress chief said. In his appeal to all civil servants and officers, he said he is writing in his capacity of the Leader of the Opposition (Rajya Sabha) and as the president of the <keyword id="19964138" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-National-Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian National Congress" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Indian National Congress">Indian National Congress</keyword>. He congratulated the Election Commission of India, the Central Armed Police Forces, state police forces, civil servants, district collectors, volunteers and all in the bureaucracy who were involved in the smooth conduct of the mammoth general elections. "Our inspiration and India's First Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel famously called the civil servants as the 'Steel frame of India'. The people of India are well aware that it is the Indian National Congress which established numerous institutions, laid their solid foundation, and devised mechanisms for their independence, on the basis of the Constitution of India. "Independence of the institutions is paramount, for every civil servant takes oath of the Constitution that they 'will faithfully and conscientiously discharge their duties and will do right to all manner of people in accordance with the Constitution and the law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will'," he said. "In this spirit we expect every bureaucrat and officer - from top to bottom of the hierarchy, to discharge their duties in the spirit of the Constitution, without any coercion, threat, pressure or intimidation either from the ruling party/coalition or from the opposition party/coalition," the Congress chief said in his letter. He said that the Congress, through the Constitution prepared by inspirational founding members such as Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, B R Ambedkar, Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Azad, Sarojini Naidu and countless others, not only created a framework of strong governance, but also ensured affirmative action through representation of the marginalised in the bureaucracy and the civil society. "The last decade has witnessed a systemic pattern to assault, undermine and suppress our autonomous institutions by the ruling party. India's Democratic ethos are being consequently damaged. There is a widespread tendency to turn India into a regimental dictatorship. "We are increasingly seeing some institutions shedding their independence and brazenly following the diktats of the ruling party. Some have completely adopted their style of communication, their way of functioning, and in some cases even their political rhetoric," Kharge said. But it is not their fault, he said. "With brute power, threat, coercive mechanisms and misuse of agencies, this tendency to bow to the powers that have become a way for their short-term survival. Even though, in this denigration, India's Constitution and Democracy have become a casualty." The Congress chief also said that the "will of the people" is supreme, and people want Indian bureaucracy to again be the same 'Steel frame of India' as envisaged by Sardar Patel. "Indian National Congress now urges the entire bureaucracy, to adhere to the Constitution, enact their duties, and serve the nation, without fear, favour and ill-will against anybody," Kharge said. Counting for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections would be held on Tuesday, and both the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc have claimed victory. Meanwhile, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya shared a purported letter of the Congress in which it has asked all its cadres to reach the counting centres. However, there was no confirmation of the letter from the Congress. "<keyword id="1571" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="congress-party" source="Orion">Congress party</keyword>'s instruction to its workers' reads like a manual to riot...There is absolutely no merit in asking people to assembly in state and district offices because counting happens in a designated secure zone for each Lok Sabha, unless the idea is to unleash mobs and disrupt the process," Malviya said in a post on X while sharing the unsigned letter of the Congress.

'Follow Constitution, serve nation without fear': Congress chief Kharge writes open letter to bureaucrats

As expected, leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword>) cannot stop singing praises of the Union Budget 2024-2025 presented by Finiance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> earlier today. However, moments after <keyword id="20385790" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Finance-Minister" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Union Finance Minister" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Union Finance Minister">Union Finance Minister</keyword> Nirmala Sitharaman presented the <keyword id="19955368" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Budget-2024" source="keywords">Budget 2024</keyword> in Parliament, the <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword> party launched a critical attack on the ruling Centre. They claimed that portions of the fiscal document had been lifted directly from their <keyword id="19977669" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manifesto" source="keywords">manifesto</keyword> for the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year. <h2><keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword>'s "Kursi Bachao" Budget comment</h2>Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticised the Budget, describing it as the "Kursi Bachao" (Save the Seat) Budget, aimed at appeasing the BJP's allies and cronies. He alleged that the document was copied from the Congress party's Lok Sabha polls manifesto. "Kursi Bachao Budget. Appease Allies: Hollow promises to them at the cost of other states. Appease Cronies: Benefits to AA with no relief for the common Indian. Copy and Paste: Congress manifesto and previous budgets," Gandhi said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). <div type="twitter" handle="RahulGandhi" handlename="RahulGandhi" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1815672226584166514"></div><h2><keyword id="19934649" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="P-Chidambaram" source="keywords">P Chidambaram</keyword> takes dig at the Nirmala Sitharaman</h2>Former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram expressed his satisfaction over what he perceived as the government's adoption of ideas originally proposed by the Congress. "I am happy the Union Finance Minister has virtually adopted the Employment-linked Incentive (ELI) outlined on page 30 of the Congress Manifesto," tweeted Chidambaram. He further noted his approval of the introduction of an apprenticeship scheme with allowances for apprentices, a concept detailed on page 11 of the Congress Manifesto. <div type="twitter" handle="PChidambaram_IN" handlename="PChidambaram_IN" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1815638125168783772"></div> <div type="twitter" handle="PChidambaram_IN" handlename="PChidambaram_IN" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1815641688922063221"></div><h2><keyword id="19897159" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mallikarjun-Kharge" source="keywords">Mallikarjun Kharge</keyword> highlights 10 areas the Budget 2024 went wrong</h2>The President of the Indian National Congress Karge called the <keyword id="19916814" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-Government" source="keywords">Modi Government</keyword> a "copycat" while going on to suggest that they could not even copy Congress' justice agenda properly. Here’s an English translation of his tweet: “The Modi Government's budget is distributing half-hearted "rewadis" to dupe its coalition partners so that the NDA survives. This is not a budget for "progress of the country", it is a "save Modi government" budget! 1. After 10 years, limited announcements have been made for the youth who are bearing the brunt of the slogan of two crore jobs per year. 2. Only superficial talks have been held for farmers, one and a half times MSP and doubling of income - all turned out to be electoral fraud! This government has no intention of increasing rural wages. 3. There is no revolutionary scheme for Dalits, Adivasis, backward classes, minorities, middle class and rural poor people like the one implemented by Congress-UPA. The word "poor" has become just a means of self-branding, there is nothing concrete! 4. There is nothing in this budget for women that would enhance their economic capacity and enable them to participate more and more in the workforce. 5. On the contrary, the government is patting its back on the back for rising inflation; it is robbing people of their hard-earned money and distributing it among its capitalist friends! 6. Less money has been spent on agriculture, health, education, public welfare and tribals than the budget allocation because these are not the priorities of the BJP. Similarly, Rs 1 lakh crore less has been spent on Capital Expenditure, so how will jobs increase? 7. Urban Development, Rural Development, Infrastructure, Manufacturing, MSME, Investment, EV scheme - only Document, Policy, Vision, Review etc. have been discussed, but no major announcement has been made. 8. Railway accidents are happening every day, trains have been stopped, the number of coaches has been reduced, ordinary passengers are troubled, but nothing has been said about the railways in the budget, there is no accountability. 9. Nothing has been said about Census and caste census, whereas this is the fifth budget which is being presented without Census! This is a shocking and unprecedented failure - which is against democracy and the Constitution! 10. On 20 May 2024, i.e. during the elections, Modi ji claimed in an interview that "We already have a 100-day action plan "... When the Action Plan was there two months ago, they should have at least told it in the budget! There is no plan in the budget and BJP is only busy in the action of cheating the public.” <div type="twitter" handle="kharge" handlename="kharge" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1815669463284416605"></div> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111917247" title="Budget 2024: Can Lakhpati Didi Yojana’s reality inspire better focus on women?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Jairam Ramesh accuses Centre of stealing ideas from the Congress</h2>In her Budget address, Sitharaman announced that the government would provide a month's wage to all first-time employees in formal sectors. This direct benefit transfer, disbursed in three installments, will cover employees registered with the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and amount up to ₹15,000 per individual. The eligibility limit is set at ₹1 lakh per month, potentially benefiting 2.1 crore youth across the country. Congress MP and communications in charge Jairam Ramesh also accused the Finance Minister of taking ideas from the Congress's "Nyay Patra 2024." He claimed the internship program announced in the budget was a clear adaptation of the Congress's proposed Apprenticeship Program called "Pehli Naukri Pakki." He also insinuated that this particular scheme seemed to have been come up with in haste. <div type="twitter" handle="jairam_ramesh" handlename="jairam_ramesh" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1815714388340568111"></div>Ramesh critiqued the government's approach, describing it as a "festive offer" designed to capture headlines with arbitrary targets, such as the promise of one crore internships. He argued that the Congress's vision offered a programmatic guarantee for all diploma holders and graduates, rather than the broad and unfocused targets announced by the government. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111944393" title="Here&amp;#39;s a quick overview of PM Modi 3.0 government&amp;#39;s first budget, to be presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman today" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Ramesh also pointedly criticised the government over a special package for Andhra Pradesh, highlighting a ₹15,000 crore allocation aimed at developing Amaravati, the state's capital city and a significant project for Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. "Why has it taken 10 years to announce that what was already committed to in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 will be implemented?" questioned Ramesh in a post on X.

From ‘Copycat’ to ‘Kursi Bachao Budget' — Here’s what Rahul and other Congress leaders had to say about Budget 2024

New Delhi [India], July 24 (ANI): Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> on Wednesday lashed out at the opposition's claim that the budget was 'discriminatory' and said that it was an '<keyword id="22528799" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Outrageous-allegation" source="Orion">outrageous allegation</keyword>' and a deliberate attempt by the opposition parties led by the Congress to give the people the wrong impression that their states were not allocated funds or schemes. The Finance Minister reacted after Leader of Opposition <keyword id="19897159" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mallikarjun-Kharge" source="keywords">Mallikarjun Kharge</keyword> made claims that the budget was discriminatory towards the states of the country. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, the Finance Minister said, "It is unfortunate that the opposition, particularly a senior leader, Mallikarjun Kharge, stood up to say what he heard of the budget yesterday. Now that the leader of the opposition raised issues on the budget, which was presented and tabled in the house yesterday." "Just to the point he raised, I have not named many states and only spoken of two states. There are a few points I would like to make here as to what happens in a speech. The Congress party has been in power for a very long time in this country and they have presented so many budgets that they would know clearly that in every budget, you don't get an opportunity to name every state of this country," she said. "I'll take this example: between the vote on account which was presented on February 1 this year and the full budget that was presented yesterday for this year, I have not named very many states. The Cabinet, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, decided to set up a port at Vadhvan, but Maharashtra's name was not included in the budget yesterday. Does this mean that Maharashtra feels ignored?" she said. The Finance Minister said that 76 thousand crores have been announced for Mahrashtra for that project. "Maharashtra's name was not taken on vote-on-account. The state's name was not mentioned even yesterday; does that mean the state got ignored?" she stated. Adding further, she said, "And I can take the name of so many different states that have so many major projects. If the speech does not mention the name of a particular state, does that mean the schemes and programmes of the government of India, the externally aided assistance that we obtain from the World Bank, ADB, AIB and so on, do not go to these states?" "They go as per routine, and, in the expenditure statement of the government, the department-wise allocation of the government mentions all this," she stated. "I am saying with responsibility that this is a 'deliberate attempt' of the opposition parties led by the Congress to give the people the wrong impression that their states were not allocated funds or schemes," said Sitharaman. Challenging the Congress, the Finance Minister said, "I would challenge the Congress party that for all the budget speeches they have delivered. Have they named every state of the country in each of their budget speeches? This is an outrageous allegation," she stated. This comes after Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the budget presented yesterday and claimed that no other states other than Andhra Pradesh and Bihar received anything. "Sabke thali khali aur sirf do ke thali mai pakoda aur jalebi. Ye do states ko chodkar, kisi ko kuch nai mila. Neither Tamil Nadu Kerala nor Karnataka got anything. Neither Maharashtra nor Punjab or Rajasthan and neither Chhattisgarh," he said. "Even Delhi did not receive anything nor did Odisha. I have not seen this kind of budget until now. This budget has been presented only to keep some people happy and it has all been done save their chairs, 'Kursi bachane ke liye' kiya gaya. We condemn this budget and protest against it. The whole of INDIA bloc condemns this," said Kharge. Meanwhile, the opposition INDIA bloc MPs held a protest in the Parliament complex on Wednesday, against the <keyword id="6360189" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-budget" source="Orion">Union Budget</keyword>, presented on Tuesday by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. "Opposition virodhi kursi bachao Budget murda baad" slogans were raised by the INDIA bloc leaders as they protested holding placards in the Parliament building, claiming that the Budget is "discriminatory" in nature. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Sonia Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party General Secretary KC Venugopal, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, TMC MP Dola Sen were seen participating in the protest.

"Outrageous allegation!": Nirmala Sitharaman reacts to opposition protesting budget, labeling it 'discriminatory'

INDIA bloc leaders gathered at <keyword id="19895812" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jantar-Mantar" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Jantar Mantar" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Jantar Mantar">Jantar Mantar</keyword> here on Tuesday to demand the release of Delhi Chief Minister <keyword id="19901384" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arvind-Kejriwal" source="keywords">Arvind Kejriwal</keyword> amid his declining health and hit out at the BJP-led Centre for "suppressing" the voice of <keyword id="19895395" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="opposition" source="keywords">opposition</keyword>. They also blamed the Centre for obstructing the work of the Delhi government, therefore leading to the recent incident in Rajinder Nagar where three students died after getting trapped in a flooded basement of a coaching centre. Slogans of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and "End dictatorship" were raised during the <keyword id="19895811" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="protest" source="keywords">protest</keyword> rally called by the <keyword id="19914482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AAP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="AAP" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="AAP">AAP</keyword>. CPI(ML) Liberation leader Dipankar Bhattacharya said three senior AAP leaders -- Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain were put in jail as "part of a conspiracy". He also accused the Centre of obstructing the work of the Delhi government, and held them responsible for the situation in the national capital, including the Rajinder Nagar coaching centre deaths. "The Modi government is responsible for the anarchy in Delhi. This anarchy took the lives of the three <keyword id="20217536" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="UPSC-aspirants" source="keywords">UPSC aspirants</keyword> in Rajinder Nagar. <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BJP" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="BJP">BJP</keyword> took the lives of three UPSC aspirants," Bhattacharya said during the rally. "They tried to end AAP, weaken Delhi government as part of a conspiracy. The elected chief minister is in jail. Umar Khalid and many activists are in jail in false charges in Delhi riots. Bhima Koregaon fake case, father Stan Swamy was in jail and he even died while in custody. There is a huge conspiracy against leaders, activists," he said. The BJP-led Centre is "trying to suppress the voice of those who oppose them", he said. "Six months ago when Arvind ji, Hemant ji were arrested, we knew it was a conspiracy because Lok Sabha elections were there," he said. "Hemant ji came out, there was an appeal to stop his bail but it was dismissed. Kejriwal ji was released for less than a month. Now though he has been given a bail there is a conspiracy to keep him in jail," he said. "It is a conspiracy to finish a democratically elected government and a political party," Bhattacharya said, urging the people to give their reply to the BJP in upcoming assembly polls in Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand by defeating the BJP. "The recent mandate has proved that people won't tolerate tyranny. We will ensure justice,"he added. Communist Party of India general secretary D Raja also demanded the immediate release of the Delhi chief minister, and expressed concerns about his health. "After BJP's coming to power, democracy is no longer 'for' the people, democracy is 'far' from people, democracy is not 'of' the people, it is 'off' the people, and it is not 'by' the people, it is 'buy' the people," Raja said. "Kejriwal is one of the victims of the central agencies used by the Modi government. Can we allow this? How much longer can we tolerate this situation in the country. Kejriwal is not well and his health has deteriorated," he said. AAP Delhi convener Gopal Rai said Kejriwal's sugar levels are going down in custody. "He was granted bail by trial court and Supreme Court but a conspiracy was hatched to keep him in jail. Why does BJP want to put opposition leaders in jail? Who is responsible for the deaths of the three UPSC aspirants?" Rai said. "When LG is being asked about the incident, he is quiet. The BJP, which is demanding Kejriwal's resignation, snatched away the powers of the Delhi government. They want rights but run away when they are held accountable," he charged. has been accusing the BJP of "conspiring to kill" Kejriwal in jail and cited his medical report to show that his sugar levels have fallen 34 times between June 3 and July 7. Nationalist <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword> Party - Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi are also present in the INDIA bloc rally. Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari referred to Kejriwal's wife Sunita as a "symbol of resistance" as he began his address. "We have come to give complete moral support to AAP and Kejriwal on behalf of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the struggle against illegal arrest of Arvind Kejriwal. The arrest of Kejriwal in an illegal and unconstitutional manner indicate nothing but the bad intentions of the BJP," he alleged. Tiwari said it was "height" of inhumanity to keep Kejriwal in jail despite his medical reports showing dip in his blood sugar to a dangerous level. The Congress and AAP had fought the recent Lok Sabha elections in Delhi in alliance. AAP had fielded candidates on four seats and Congress on three seats. However, the alliance drew a blank. Gogoi warned the BJP and its leaders saying they cannot scare the opposition whether it is AAP, Congress or any other party. "Their illusion lies shattered with this rally. If fair Lok Sabha elections had been held in 2024, the BJP would have been in opposition and we would have been in power. The BJP-led government is not going to complete its five-year term," he stressed. Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam and has been granted bail by the Supreme Court. However, he is currently lodged in Tihar in a connected CBI case.

INDIA bloc leaders gather at Jantar Mantar, demand release of Delhi CM Kejriwal

Leaders from across the political spectrum, including from Congress, National Conference and <keyword id="6358821" type="General" weightage="40" keywordseo="shiv-sena" source="Orion">Shiv Sena</keyword> (UBT), wished Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="Orion">Narendra Modi</keyword> on his birthday. PM Modi turned 73 on Sunday. "Wishing PM Narendra Modi a happy birthday," Congress leader <keyword id="5268" type="General" weightage="40" keywordseo="rahul-gandhi" source="Orion">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> said in a post on X. Congress President Mallikarju <keyword id="65133" type="General" weightage="40" keywordseo="Kharge" source="Orion">Kharge</keyword>, in his post on 'X' also wished PM Modi good health and long life. "My best wishes to PM Shri Narendra Modi ji on his birthday. May he be blessed with good health and long life," Kharge said. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also extended his greetings. "Birthday greetings Hon'ble PM @narendramodi ji. Wish you good health and happiness." Congress Lok Sabha MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also conveyed his greetings. National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah extended his best wishes. "I want to extend my best wishes and I pray for his (PM Modi) long life," he said. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut wished PM Modi good health and a long life and said he prays to God to give PM Modi strength to deal with issues such as Manipur, Kashmir and inflation "I wish him good health and long life...He has led the nation in difficult times...Today there are several issues in front of the country such as Manipur, Kashmir, inflation and unemployment...He will continue to face such situations in the coming year...I pray to God to give him strength to deal with these issues as long as he is in power," Raut said. Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari said that PM Modi will celebrate his next birthday as 'former PM' of the country. "...He may celebrate this birthday as the Prime Minister, I wish him health and happiness...But next birthday, he will celebrate as former Prime Minister...," Tiwari told reporters here.

Kharge, Rahul Gandhi greet PM Modi on his birthday

The opposition parties are protesting against <keyword id="3315394" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="demonetisation">demonetisation</keyword>, demanding Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>’s to roll it back. 
 
Several political parties called for a nationwide shutdown, however, few of them such as Congress and TMC have refrained from it, saying it will lead to losses. 
 
But, opposition blocked railway tracks in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, upping their ante against scrapping of old notes. 
 
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also protested outside parliament. “This deadlock can only end when the PM comes for discussion in the house,” said Mallikarjun Kharge of the Congress in the Lok Sabha. 
 
The Congress clarified it was not seeking for a rollback but sought remedies to help rural India, especially farmers. However, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has called for rollback of demonetisation.

Opposition parties launch nationwide protest against demonetisation; take to streets

The death of <keyword id="808597" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="VG-Siddhartha">VG Siddhartha</keyword> has shocked one and all. The stock broker-turned-coffee baron’s body was found today, two days after he went missing on Monday (July 29). The share price of Coffee Day Enterprises has lost over ₹1,500 crore (over $200 million) in value in the two days. Not just the corporates, even <a href="https://www.livemint.com/companies/people/sombre-scene-at-sm-krishna-s-house-as-son-in-law-vg-siddhartha-missing-1564466265555.html">politicians of all colours</a> paid their respects to him. <keyword id="3003" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Former-Prime-Minister">Former Prime Minister</keyword> <keyword id="6359332" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="HD-Deve-Gowda">HD Deve Gowda</keyword>, who hails from Karnataka, even broke down on national television. 
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="MirrorNow" handlename="Mirror Now" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/844708508989841408/HLuil94O_normal.jpg" favoritecount="2" retweetcount="2" status="Mirror Now's @NehaHebbs spoke to JDS chief H. D. Deve Gowda who claimed that #VGSidharth was ill-treated by the tax… https://t.co/NDyoRRSwRZ" createdat="1564495201000" id="1156202791645282304"></div>







 India’s coffee king VG Siddhartha <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/news/ccd-founder-v-g-siddharthas-dead-body-recovered-by-the-police/articleshow/70459022.cms">(1959 to 2019)</a> is being remembered as the man who brought coffee culture to India before Starbucks. The promoter of Coffee Day Enterprises was a sharp businessman taken out by bad times, allegedly by aggressive taxmen. He was someone who played a silent but significant role in shaping India’s IT revolution, and benefited from it hugely. He was loved by the close-knit and elite Bengaluru corporate circuit of which Siddhartha was an influential member for more reasons than one. 
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="CNNnews18" handlename="News18" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/923813836724977664/2wlt99tw_normal.jpg" favoritecount="37" retweetcount="12" status="#CCDFounderMissing – The government needs to engage with honest wealth creators and look at how they need to tackle… https://t.co/bWF2rNsNaB" createdat="1564486027000" id="1156164314899738624"></div>







 However, he is barely getting any credit for being just as savvy politically as in business. He had friends across parties and made strong connections. It seemed that way until his mysterious disappearance on July 29 and the discovery of his dead body in the Netravathi river two days later. The grief of all leaders from all parties once again underscored the point. Taxing times Siddhartha <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cafe-coffee-day-founder-vg-siddhartha-letter-to-board-of-directors/articleshow/70443951.cms">accused taxmen of harassing him</a> in a letter that he sent to the Board of Directors of his company before he went missing, which led many to blame ‘tax terrorism’ for his plight. 
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="TheVijayMallya" handlename="Vijay Mallya" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/827708603/Copy_of_VJM_4_normal.JPG" favoritecount="4652" retweetcount="845" status="I am indirectly related to VG Siddhartha. Excellent human and brilliant entrepreneur. I am devastated with the cont… https://t.co/OLFGOFBdsG" createdat="1564523998000" id="1156323576171114496"></div>







 The Income Tax Department countered saying that the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/tax-department-acted-as-per-law-in-ccd-promoter-siddhartha-case-sources/articleshow/70449827.cms">millionaire businessman admitted to</a> having ₹480 crore of unaccounted wealth. However, he did not reveal the source or pay the tax due on that money until his death, according to the department. Siddhartha’s harassment charge at the tax department came at a time while his father-in-law SM Krishna is with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), that’s ruling at the centre and state. He <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/why-sm-krishna-is-an-important-acquisition-for-bjp-1672353">switched his allegiance to the BJP in 2017</a> after being in the rival Congress camp for 46 years. However, Krishna was conspicuous in his silence during the chaotic political power play in Karnataka over the last few weeks. The bitter battle for power was <a href="https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/karnataka-assembly-floor-test-live-news-updates-yediyurappa-bjp-speaker/liveblog/70428190.cms">eventually won by his party</a> BJP, and BS Yediyurappa was <a href="https://www.livemint.com/politics/news/yediyurappa-sworn-in-as-karnataka-chief-minister-for-record-fourth-time-1564147393568.html">sworn in as the Chief Minister on July 26</a>, three days before Siddhartha’s disappearance and death. One of the many who were holding off Yediyurappa from claiming power was Congress leader DK Shivakumar, a political mastermind from Karnataka who put up a fervent fight against the BJP. He is also a close friend of Siddhartha. Therefore, Shivkumar’s outburst soon after Siddhartha went missing was not surprising. 
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="DKShivakumar" handlename="DK Shivakumar" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/807171771233247232/iDF5c7Pi_normal.jpg" favoritecount="2409" retweetcount="656" status="The letter purportedly written by Shri VG Siddhartha which is circulating is dated July 27th. I received a call fr… https://t.co/Qo6ZQVF4fI" createdat="1564466916000" id="1156084157325254656"></div>







 Shivakumar too, has a tax case against him and his premises were raided in 2017 by officials who <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/karnataka-news/300-crores-undisclosed-income-found-in-raid-on-dk-shivakumar-sources-1733978">unearthed unaccounted cash of ₹300 crore</a> and, shockingly, <a href="https://caravanmagazine.in/politics/yeddyurappa-diaries-bjp-1800-crore-payouts-jaitley-rajnath-gadkari-advani-crores">copies of a diary allegedly maintained by his rival Yediyurappa</a>. From Shivakumar to Yediyurappa to Kumaraswamy, people across the political spectrum are grieving Siddhartha’s untimely death. It is also a testament to the fact that in India, businessmen cannot thrive without politically astute connections. The Rajkumar Ransom Both the success of his ventures and his father-in-law’s power made Siddhartha important in Karnataka. When S M Krishna’s government was frantically coming up with a massive ransom necessary to free <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/rajkumar-case-verdict-the-perfect-script-that-will-remain-a-secret/article25042510.ece">Rajkumar, the Kannada superstar who was kidnapped by Veerappan in 2000</a>, Siddhartha came to help. According to an account, <a href="https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/telgi-link-to-veerappan-ransom/cid/729965https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/telgi-link-to-veerappan-ransom/cid/729965">Siddhartha was one of the five people in the room</a> that included the then CM Krishna, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Abdul Karim Telgi. Telgi is better known for his $2.9 billion fake stamp paper scam, and was acquitted from it, <a href="https://www.news18.com/news/india/abdul-karim-telgi-acquitted-in-stamp-paper-scam-year-after-his-death-1987855.html">after his death, for lack of evidence</a>. The government of Karnataka at the time <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Govt-not-Rajkumar-family-paid-ransom-Ex-DGP/articleshow/29005840.cms">insisted that it had paid for Rajkumar’s release</a> from <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Veerappan-End-of-three-decades-of-terror/articleshow/890585.cms?referral=PM">Veerappan, a dreaded bandit</a> who modelled himself after Robin Hood. However, it has been alleged many times that <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Veerappan-End-of-three-decades-of-terror/articleshow/890585.cms?referral=PM">both government and private money were paid</a> to secure the release of the actor, while thousands of Rajkumar’s fans took to the streets to protest, violently at times. The role and involvement of Siddhartha may remain unclear. The length of the arm between Chief Minister Krishna and his son-in-law in state matters may remain anybody’s guess. While the details of Siddhartha's political prowess may remain unknown, his achievements in business have been celebrated abundantly. Coffee estate to real estate India has always had coffee houses, in the big cities at least, where for decades thinkers, lovers, and revolutionaries have hung out. Siddhartha’s chain Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) brought the 21st century colours to this culture. 
	
 
 
 <div type="image" title="An employee prepares coffee for customers at a Cafe Coffee Day outlet in Mumbai" msid="70464424" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;An employee prepares coffee for customers at a Cafe Coffee Day outlet in Mumbai, November 2, 2015. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui/Files&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>







 It may have helped that his father-in-law SM Krishna -- Chief Minister of Karnataka between 1999 to 2004 -- was a man with massive political clout at the time. However, Siddhartha’s privilege does not take away the credit due for his business acumen. There are many who own estates in <a href="https://www.indiacoffee.org/coffee-regions-india.html">Karnataka’s coffee belt</a> but it was Siddhartha who made the right moves at the right time and CCD became the go-to place for young Indians at the turn of the century long before competitors woke up to the opportunity. Privileged and benevolent Siddhartha not only built his own empire of coffee chains, real estate, financial services and logistics, he also supported entrepreneurs who went on to become icons in their own right. Infosys is a shining example, which went on to be the first poster boy of India’s IT revolution. However, the company didn’t have enough takers for its shares at the time of its IPO. Siddhartha, who was a stock broker in Bengaluru at the time, had underwritten those shares and bought them. He made a lot of money out of it but only because he knew their worth when no one else did. Infosys and Mindtree are <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/ites/tech-savvy-siddhartha-got-many-a-tech-winner-going/articleshow/70458429.cms?from=mdrhttps://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/ites/tech-savvy-siddhartha-got-many-a-tech-winner-going/articleshow/70458429.cms?from=mdr">only two of the many examples</a> were Siddhartha backed entrepreneurs. He owed a lot of his wisdom and foresight to the training he received under Mahendra Kampani (1959 to 2017), one of the stars of India’s stock market, who was the sitting member of the governing board at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/mahendra-kampani-dies-in-car-crash-197082701105_1.html">until his death in a car crash in 2017</a>. After his Masters in Economics, Siddhartha got his early training at JM Financial under Kampani in 1983-84. Those two years of training and some capital from his father made him an independent broker in Bengaluru later. It was then that he underwrote the shares of Infosys and profited from the investment. The other ventures and profits followed this initial success. However, one may wonder if he could have built his fortune as a businessman in India without being just as savvy politically. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/cafe-coffee-day-founder-vg-siddhartha-letter-to-board-of-directors/articleshow/70443951.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Full text of the letter written by Cafe Coffee Day founder VG Siddhartha before he went missing</a>

A former Prime Minister cried on national TV for VG Siddhartha-- the untold tales of politics and privilege may die with India’s coffee baron

Son-in-law of Congress party’s President <keyword id="689" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Sonia-Gandhi">Sonia Gandhi</keyword>, <keyword id="12593" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Robert-Vadra">Robert Vadra</keyword>, may get into trouble as <keyword id="58687" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bharatiya-Janata-Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</keyword> (BJP)-led <keyword id="74452" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Haryana-government">Haryana Government</keyword> will soon set up a panel to probe his land deals in the state. 
 
The state government is in final stages of setting up the panel, which is likely to be headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Swatanter Kumar. 
 
BJP’s Haryana in-charge and national general secretary Anil Jain said the commission is in formative stage. 
 
"We are surely going ahead with forming a commission to look into all the land deals, if we spot any aberration, the panel will look into it. Right now the commission is in the formative stage," said Jain. 
 
Former Haryana Chief Minister B.S. Hooda, who is also named by the BJP, said there was nothing illegal in Vadra deals. 
Congress party also came out to support Vadra. 
 
"These kinds of tactics won't work on us. If there is truth to it let them bring it out, why make statements?" said senior Congress party leader Mallikarjun Kharge. 
 
Party spokesperson P.C. Chacko played down the panel, saying there was nothing new in the charges levelled by the government. 
 
However, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij was confident about the probe initiated against "Rahul Gandhi's suited-booted brother-in-law". 
 
"When will it happen, who will do it, only CM Khattar will take a call on it," Vij said. 
 
In March, CAG had said that the previous Hooda government had granted undue favours to builders, including Vadra's firm, Skylight Hospitality. 
 
Congress party has insisted the CAG report has neither indicted the former Congress government of Haryana or Vadra or his Skylight Hospitality Private Limited for any violation of the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975, or any rules or policy. 
 Skylight Hospitality sold a prime 3.5 acre piece of land in Manesar in Gurgaon district to <keyword id="6362997" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="DLF">DLF</keyword> in 2008 for Rs 58 crore. The land had, however, only cost his company 
around Rs 15 crore and was sold to DLF after obtaining change of land use and other permissions. 
 Vadra is a flamboyant businessman who married Sonia Gandhi’s daughter <keyword id="12587" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Priyanka-Gandhi">Priyanka Gandhi</keyword> in 1997. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

BJP spells trouble for Robert Vadra, to probe land deals

A day after a <keyword id="48857" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Farmer">farmer</keyword>, <keyword id="27515" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Gajendra-Singh">Gajendra Singh</keyword> shockingly committed suicide in view of thousands, the government has been under attack from what appears to be a united opposition. So much so that the <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword>, <keyword id="460622" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Narnedra-modi">Narnedra Modi</keyword> was forced to speak in the <keyword id="6355187" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha">Lok Sabha</keyword>, following <keyword id="6000" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Home-Minister">Home Minister</keyword> <keyword id="6355121" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Rajnath-Singh">Rajnath Singh</keyword>’s address in the same house. Modi said that there was nothing more important than a farmer’s life, a human’s life. He has sought suggestions from all political parties to better the destitute situation the farmers are in today. 
Here are the latest updates in the matter. 
 
1) The PM said the issue of farmer suicides had been a matter of great concern for years and asked political parties to work together to find a solution. "It should be our determination to find a solution to this problem. The government will accept all suggestions," he said. 
2) The PM spoke after Home Minister Rajnath Singh made a statement on the issue. Lawmakers from several parties had during a discussion, demanded that the PM, who was not present in the House in the morning, make a statement. 3) In his statement, Singh backed the <keyword id="6358992" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Delhi-Police">Delhi Police</keyword>, accused by Delhi Chief Minister <keyword id="260213" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Arvind-Kejriwal">Arvind Kejriwal</keyword> and other leaders of his party of not attempting to save the farmer, who was on the tree for some time before he hanged himself. 
4) "Policemen at the spot alerted the control room and asked a fire tender with a long ladder, so that this person on the tree could be brought down," the Home Minister said while replying to a discussion in the Lok Sabha. He said he has ordered the Delhi Police to conduct a time-bound investigation into the Rajasthan farmer's death. 
5) The Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge demanded a judicial inquiry into the farmer's death, saying "police inquiry won't be unbiased because they are at fault too." 
6) During the discussion, the Trinamool Congress' Saugata Roy said, "Instead of a tweet, the PM can come to the House and make a statement." Communist leader MB Brijesh said, "This isn't suicide, this is homicide... I would like to ask the PM to come out of Twitter and come see the ground reality... this is happening throughout the country." 
7) "Make farmers independent... Provide them with facilities and then there will be no need to move around the world," said Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, apparently hinting at the Prime Minister who has actively sought foreign investments during his trips abroad. 
8) PM Modi had on Wednesday tweeted, "Gajendra's death has saddened the Nation. We are all deeply shattered &amp; disappointed. Condolences to his family." This morning, he was briefed on the farmer's death by top ministers including Rajnath Singh. 
9) A discussion hasn't begun yet in the Rajya Sabha, which has been adjourned twice since morning among noisy protests by the opposition. 10) There have been protests outside Parliament; with Congress workers burning effigies of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The Congress' Randeep Singh Surjewala accused Kejriwal of "cruelty" for continuing with the <keyword id="6356115" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="AAP">AAP</keyword> rally even after the farmer hanged himself. The AAP chief has been attacked by several political parties for making a speech.

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