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Most <keyword id="21473307" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP-allies" source="keywords">BJP allies</keyword> have kept their cards close to chest on the issue of <keyword id="19934070" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Uniform-Civil-Code" source="keywords">Uniform Civil Code</keyword>, which Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> strongly backed in his Independence Day speech, with the party's largest partner <keyword id="19910625" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Telugu-Desam-Party" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Telugu Desam Party" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Telugu Desam Party">Telugu Desam Party</keyword> (TDP) saying that it will wait for details to emerge before finalising its stand. The JD(U), the BJP's second biggest ally, said the party supports any such reform but its spokesperson K C Tyagi added that it must be pushed only after evolving a consensus by speaking to all stake-holders, including religious groups and states. Lavu Srikrishna Devarayalu, the head of TDP Parliamentary Party, told PTI that his party will wait for the details of any proposal related to the UCC before finalising its stand. Another party ally <keyword id="20280818" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Janshakti-Party" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Lok Janshakti Party" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Lok Janshakti Party">Lok Janshakti Party</keyword> (<keyword id="20354493" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ram-Vilas" source="keywords">Ram Vilas</keyword>) has also been non-committal, with its president and Union Minister Chirag Paswan recently highlighting cultural, linguistic and regional diversities across the country to wonder how everyone can be brought under one umbrella. Last month, he said that his party will wait for a draft on the UCC before taking a stand. Tyagi cited JD(U) president and Bihar Chief Minister <keyword id="19907431" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nitish-Kumar" source="keywords">Nitish Kumar</keyword>'s submission in 2017 to the Law Commission to make his point. Kumar had said, "Any attempt to impose a UCC without obtaining through substantive consultations the concurrence of various religious groups, especially the minorities, could lead to social friction and an erosion of faith in the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion." However, the proposal for simultaneous elections, which was also staunchly advocated by Modi on Thursday, generally enjoys support among the BJP's allies. Tyagi said his party is in complete agreement with the BJP on the issue. Both JD(U) and the LJP(Ram Vilas) had extended their support to the concept 'one nation one election' in their submission to the high-level committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind. Another important BJP ally <keyword id="19905334" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shiv-Sena" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Shiv Sena" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Shiv Sena">Shiv Sena</keyword>, which is headed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has been supportive of both UCC and simultaneous elections. Modi had on Thursday made an unequivocal pitch for a uniform civil code in the country, asserting that a "secular civil code" in place of the existing "communal" one is the need of the hour. He also pushed forcefully for 'one nation one election'. Frequent elections are an "obstacle" in the country's growth, and every scheme is seen as a consequence of one poll or another happening every few months, he said in his speech on India's 78th Independence Day. The UCC has been a key ideological plank of the BJP, while the party has also taken a strong stand in favour of <keyword id="20033454" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="simultaneous-polls" source="keywords">simultaneous polls</keyword>, promising both measures on its successive manifestos.

Most BJP allies keep away from supporting Uniform Civil Code, positive to idea of simultaneous polls

NDA nominee <keyword id="19896877" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Om-Birla" source="keywords">Om Birla</keyword> was elected as speaker of the Lok Sabha for a second consecutive term by voice vote on Wednesday, capping days of intense battle on the issue with the <keyword id="19895395" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="opposition" source="keywords">opposition</keyword> in a rare move proposing its own candidate. <keyword id="19911515" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prime-Minister" source="keywords">Prime Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword>, who moved the motion for Birla's <keyword id="19895095" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="election" source="keywords">election</keyword> as speaker, lauded the balance he showed in maintaining decorum of the House during his previous term. Several opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, congratulated Birla too, stressing on "impartiality" and hoping he would allow them to raise the voice of the people and not apply his restraint orders only to opposition benches. Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab made the announcement of Birla's election after the opposition, which had forwarded the the name of eight-term Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh as its candidate, did not press for votes to the motion. This is the fifth time that a speaker will serve beyond the tenure of one Lok Sabha. It is also amongst the few occasions that an election became necessary for a post conventionally decided by consensus. As he assumed charge, Birla read out a resolution condemning the Emergency imposed by then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1975 and asked members to observe a moment's silence, triggering a wave of protests by the opposition. "Democratic values and debate have always been supported in <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword>... Indira Gandhi imposed dictatorship on such an India. The democratic values of India were crushed and freedom of expression was strangled," Birla said while reading the resolution. His first day in the chair saw the House being adjourned. While opposition members vociferously protested inside, <keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BJP" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="BJP">BJP</keyword> members held a demonstration outside <keyword id="19895397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="parliament" source="keywords">Parliament</keyword> House, raising slogans and demanding an apology from the Congress for the Emergency. Earlier in the morning, after the election, the prime minister and Leader of Opposition Gandhi escorted Birla to the speaker's chair. Gandhi also shook hands with Modi before escorting him. In his address, the first in the 18th Lok Sabha, Modi said Birla's work as a parliamentarian should be an inspiration for new Lok Sabha members. He said Birla presided over a golden era in Lok Sabha history with a number of historic decisions taken during its previous term. Modi lauded the balance shown by him in maintaining the decorum of the House which also involved taking several tough decisions. He expressed gratitude towards Birla for choosing to uphold the values of the House while maintaining traditions. The prime minister emphasised that the functioning of the house, conduct and accountability deepen the foundation of <keyword id="19973112" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="democracy" source="keywords">democracy</keyword> in the country. Congratulating Birla, Gandhi said the opposition wanted the House to function "often and well" and added that it was very important that cooperation happens with trust. "The opposition would like to assist you in your work. I am confident you will allow us to speak in the House," he said. Gandhi also pointed out that the opposition this time represents significantly more voices of the Indian people than last time. Samajwadi Party chief Yadav hoped that actions like suspension of MPs would not be taken as they hurt the dignity of the House. He said he also hoped Birla would be impartial towards the opposition and give its leaders equal opportunities. Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay and DMK leader T R Baalu echoed the sentiment. Bandyopadhyay said the functioning of the House always depends on the attitude of the treasury benches. "It is my firm belief and so far parliamentary democratic practice is concerned, the House belongs to the opposition," he said. He referred to the suspension of opposition MPs in the 17th Lok Sabha and said it was "not desirable". "You might have been elected by my BJP friends (but) hereafter there is no politics between you and the powers... You have to treat the opposition and the ruling party in the same manner. Kindly be impartial," added Baalu. Birla, 61, the BJP's MP from Kota, has risen through the ranks of the party. He is a third-term MP from Kota in Rajasthan and been a member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly thrice. "Treasury and opposition benches run the House together, the strength of Indian democracy is in listening to everyone, and running the House with everyone's agreement. I will expect that I run the House with everyone's agreement. Even if there is lone member from a party, they should get sufficient time," Birla said. "It will be my expectation that the House runs without obstruction. We are elected by people with hope, which is why I urge there should not be disruptions in the House." There can be criticism, but obstruction is not a tradition of the House, Birla said. "I never want to act against any member, but everyone wants the high standard of parliamentary tradition to be maintained. For that I have to make tough decisions at times," the speaker said. During the course of the proceedings, Birla intervened several times, reminding members to be precise and raise issues they wanted to during the debate on the motion of thanks to the president's address. He said the members should remember for the next five years that others should take their seat when the speaker is standing, Union Minister and LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan took a jibe at the opposition for forcing an election for the speaker's post. In many opposition ruled states, he said, the post of both speaker and deputy speaker in the assembly is held by the ruling party. Birla's election follows a rare showdown by both the ruling alliance and the opposition bloc after the effort for a consensus was failed. The opposition's last-minute decision to go for a contest came after senior BJP leaders did not agree to the precondition that the INDIA bloc must be offered the post of deputy speaker in lieu of supporting Birla. "INDIA parties exercised their democratic right and moved motions in support of Kodikunnil Suresh as <keyword id="19990696" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-speaker" source="keywords">Lok Sabha Speaker</keyword>... Voice Vote was taken. Thereafter, INDIA parties could have insisted on division. They did not do so. "This is because they wanted to a spirit of consensus and cooperation to prevail, a spirit singularly lacking in the actions of the PM and the NDA," Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X. With the NDA having 293 MPs in its kitty and the INDIA bloc 233 in the Lok Sabha, the numbers were clearly in favour of Birla. The Lok Sabha currently has 542 members after Rahul Gandhi resigned from one of the two seats he was elected from. At least three independent members also support the opposition. Balram Jakhar is the only presiding officer to have served two complete terms extending seventh and eighth Lok Sabha.

Om Birla elected for second time as Lok Sabha speaker, opposition hopes their voice will be heard

A day after <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> leader <keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword>'s remarks in the <keyword id="19895397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Parliament" source="keywords">Parliament</keyword> created a political uproar, <keyword id="19905334" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shiv-Sena" source="keywords">Shiv Sena</keyword> (UBT) leader <keyword id="19905333" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sanjay-Raut" source="keywords">Sanjay Raut</keyword> backed his words stating that the leaders of the INDIA bloc do not align with the "fake <keyword id="19935821" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hindutva" source="keywords">Hindutva</keyword>" portrayed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword>). "Yesterday, Rahul Gandhiji said that Hindutva is not equal to the BJP. Hindutva does not promote spreading hatred. We do not align with the fake Hindutva portrayed by the BJP", Raut said while addressing the media here in the national capital on Tuesday. Falling in line with Rahul Gandhi's remarks, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader further added that the former said in the Parliament that 'Hindutva' is a much wider term. "He did not say anything wrong about the Hindus. Those who consider themselves Hindus should hear again that Rahul Gandhiji had said that 'Hindutva' is a much wider term and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won't understand this", he said. On Monday, Rahul Gandhi's maiden speech in <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha generated a lot of political heat with BJP leaders accusing him "of speaking lies, misleading the House and terming the entire Hindu community violent" and the Congress hitting back with counter allegations against the <keyword id="19916814" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-government" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Modi government" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Modi government">Modi government</keyword>. The two Houses took up the debate on the motion of thanks on the President's address with PM Modi slamming Rahul Gandhi during his speech. "Calling the entire Hindu community violent is a very serious matter," PM Modi said. Home Minister Amit Shah demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi. While the BJP held a press conference later to denounce Rahul Gandhi's remarks, Congress also held an evening presser to slam the ruling party at the Centre. Rahul Gandhi launched a multi-pronged attack on the BJP targeting it over its remarks during the Lok Sabha campaign, the NEET-UG controversy, <keyword id="20611113" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Agniveer-scheme" source="keywords">Agniveer scheme</keyword>. Participating in the debate on the Motion Of Thanks on the President's Address, Rahul Gandhi targeted the BJP-led government over the Agniveer scheme and claimed that Agniveer is not called a 'jawan' and said that Agniveers serving for a period of four years will not get a pension. "One Agniveer lost his life in a landmine blast but he is not called a 'martyr'... 'Agniveer' is a use and throw labourer," Rahul Gandhi alleged, attacking the BJP-led NDA government over the scheme," he had said. He also called the Hindu symbol 'Abhayamudra' which gestures fearlessness, reassurance and safety, as the symbol of the Congress party. "Abhayamudra is the symbol of Congress...The Abhayamudra is the gesture of fearlessness, is the gesture of reassurance and safety, which dispels fear and accords divine protection and bliss in Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism and other Indian religions...All our great men have spoken about non-violence and finishing fear...But, those who call themselves Hindu only talk about violence, hatred, untruth...Aap Hindu ho hi nahi," the Congress leader said. "It is written in the Hindu religion; do not shy away from the truth, stand with the truth", he added. Gandhi's remarks witnessed brickbats from the BJP leaders as they accused the Congress leaders of "spreading lies" and demanded an apology from his side. Meanwhile, PM Modi will deliver his reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President's address in the lower house of Parliament later today. JP Nadda, MoS Jadhav Prataprao Ganpatrao, Jitin Prasada, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, Ram Nath Thakur, Nityanand Rai, Satya Pal Singh Baghel, Shobha Karandlaje, BL Verma, L Murugan, Ajay Tamta, Kamlesh Paswan, Ravneet Singh will lay papers on the table in Lok Sabha today.

"We do not align with fake Hindutva portrayed by BJP": Sanjay Raut backs Rahul Gandhi's remarks in Parliament

The tallies for each constituency are in, and the arithmetic for the next government is being worked out. If the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword>) manages to hold onto their alliances, the stage will be set for Modi 3.0. However, if the Congress-led INDIA bloc somehow lures major parties like JD(U) and TDP, they might have a chance, though it is a long shot at the moment. However, with the results out for all 543 constituencies, much has been revealed about the general attitude of the country’s voters. For instance, despite the almost-unshakable belief that the BJP will sweep almost all 80 <keyword id="19894922" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uttar-Pradesh" source="keywords">Uttar Pradesh</keyword> seats — especially after the Ram Mandir inauguration — the party shockingly only managed to win only 33. Some experts speculate that this outcome came from the party failing to address core issues such as employment and economic anxiety, and instead choosing to focus on religious divide to win ballots. Expert institutions, such as Bernstein and Citi Research, have now noted that new spendings may now thus become focused on the poor, women, farmers and rural areas, especially considering how rapidly BJP’s <a href="https://bfsi.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/bias-of-markets-expected-rural-agriculture-to-be-the-new-focus-areas-reports/110728041">vote share has dropped in the rural seats</a>. For context, rural constituencies make up 60% of the total constituencies in India, according to The Economic Times. However, this is not to say that the party has clear favourites among the more developed and richer states either. Many of the richest Indian states have expressed mixed to lukewarm reactions towards BJP this election cycle, and even delivered unexpected shockers. For instance, the NDA lost a lot of ground in Uttar Pradesh, <keyword id="19897316" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maharashtra" source="keywords">Maharashtra</keyword> and Rajasthan — some states with the biggest economies in the country. As for the current scenario, the party favourite remains mixed. Considering that the country has delayed the National Survey by four years, we have to rely on independent sources to come up with more current state-wide economic statistics. Therefore, as per the India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra), <keyword id="19896017" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karnataka" source="keywords">Karnataka</keyword>, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat formed the five largest state economies in India in the 2023 Financial Year. Let’s take a look at how India’s wealthiest states voted in <keyword id="20886626" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-2024" source="keywords">Lok Sabha 2024</keyword>. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Karnataka" comment="subhead" text="Karnataka">Karnataka</cmsannotation> Despite struggles with making headway in the South, the BJP had made a clean sweep in Karnataka, bagging 25 seats in the 2019 general elections. While the BJP-JD(S) alliance has managed to retain a majority in the southern state with 17 seats, <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> made an impressive comeback this year, winning 9 seats compared to the 1 in the last election cycle. JD(S) managed to capture the remaining two seats. As for the four Bengaluru constituencies, BJP managed to cling onto all of them as well, with Tejasvi Surya in Bengaluru South, Shobha Karandlaje in Bengaluru North, P. C. Mohan in Bengaluru Central and C. N. Manjunath in Bengaluru Rural. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Uttar Pradesh" comment="subhead" text="Uttar Pradesh">Uttar Pradesh</cmsannotation> As mentioned earlier, the biggest controversies came out of Uttar Pradesh. Housing prominent figures such as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state has been widely considered as a stronghold for the saffron party, who had won a whopping 62 seats in 2019. However, resident voters were determined to take to the booths to voice their dissent this year. Of the 80 UP constituencies — by far the state with the largest number of seats — 37 were won by the Samajwadi Party. Meanwhile, the BJP held onto 33 seats, and the INC 6. The difference is stark: BJP lost 27 of the seats it won in the previous election cycle. Many prominent figures were dethroned this year, including Smriti Irani in Amethi, Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra in Kheri and Maneka Gandhi in Sultanpur. However, perhaps the biggest shocker came from the fact that the BJP also lost the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, which housed the contentious Ram Temple. Awadesh Prasad of the Samajwadi Party will be chairing the constituency for the next five years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, contested for the Varanasi seat, beating INC’s Ajay Rai by a margin of 2.5 lakh votes. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Maharashtra" comment="subhead" text="Maharashtra">Maharashtra</cmsannotation> Another of the biggest losses for the BJP also saw a resurgence for Congress in the state with the highest <keyword id="35050" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gdp" source="Orion">GDP</keyword>. While the NDA had clinched 41 out of the 48 seats in the previous 2019 elections, it managed to bag a paltry 9 this time around. While this is a monumental loss for the ruling party, they managed to hold firmly onto most of the coastal Konkan belt. Headed by the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP won 7 of the 12 coastal seats, including in Palghar, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg and Mumbai North. Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (UBT) maintained its hold on half of the six Mumbai constituencies. Of the four Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) seats, NCP (SP) won Bhiwandi, Shinde-led Shiv Sena won Thane and Kalyan and BJP won Palghar. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Tamil Nadu" comment="subhead" text="Tamil Nadu">Tamil Nadu</cmsannotation> Of all the economic powerhouses, Tamil Nadu was the only state untouched by the BJP this year. Out of the 39 seats in the state, the MK Stalin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) came out victorious in 22, the INC won 9, while a coalition of other parties bagged the remaining seats. This was a massive win for the DMK, especially considering the two major opposition parties, the AIADMK and BJP, had come together to contest this year. Considered by many as BJP's most promising candidate, K Annamalai, too lost to DMK’s Ganapathi P Rajkumar in Coimbatore. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Gujarat" comment="subhead" text="Gujarat">Gujarat</cmsannotation> While most of the other states endured major plot-twists, the story has remained almost the same for Narendra Modi’s home state, Gujarat. As per final polls, the BJP won 25 of the total 26 seats in the state, falling short of a full clean sweep due to INC clutching the final one. However, the INC win in the Banaskantha Lok Sabha seat was no small victory, considering this was the first time in a decade that the party had made ground in the western state. Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah contested and won from state capital Gandhinagar by a massive margin of nearly 7.5 lakh votes.

Lok Sabha 2024: How BJP, Congress and other parties have performed in states with largest economies in India

New Delhi, Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 12 noon on Wednesday as Opposition parties continued to protest on the <keyword id="17320926" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manipur-issue" source="Orion">Manipur issue</keyword>. The protests began soon after the House paid tributes to soldiers who had died in the Kargil war. Opposition members sought to raise the issue of violence in <keyword id="6359754" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="manipur" source="Orion">Manipur</keyword> with some displaying placards during Question Hour. Some members were also heard shouting slogans such as 'We want justice'. Speaker Om Birla told the protesting members that all issues can be discussed and urged them to uphold the decorum of the House. He also wondered whether the Opposition did not want to discuss the Manipur issue. Amid the din, three questions and their supplementaries were taken up during Question Hour that lasted less than 20 minutes. As the protests continued, proceedings were adjourned till 12 noon Earlier in the morning, Birla paid tributes to those who died in the Kargil war on the occasion of the 24th Kargil Vijay Diwas. The House also stood in silence briefly as a mark of respect for the departed souls. With the deadlock over the Manipur violence continuing, the 26-member opposition alliance INDIA is planning to submit a notice for a no-confidence motion against the government in Lok Sabha. Parliamentary proceedings have been disrupted since the start of the Monsoon session on July 20 as the Opposition has been demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Manipur violence. Union ministers Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari and Pralhad Joshi were among those present in the House during Question Hour on Wednesday. PTI RAM http://ptinews.com/images/pti.jpg "We bring the World to you" Disclaimer : This e-mail message may contain proprietary, confidential or legally privileged information for the sole use of the person or entity to whom this message was originally addressed. Please delete this e-mail, if it is not meant for you. MIN MIN

Manipur issue: Lok Sabha adjourns amid opposition protests

Full text of President Ram Nath Kovind's first address to the Parliament as the 17th Lok Sabha gets underway

<ul><li>India’s President’s address was full of praises for <keyword id="6387077" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi-government">Narendra Modi government</keyword>. </li><li>However, some of the accolades may be exaggerated or not in sync with facts.</li></ul>Ram Nath Kovind, India’s President for eighteen months, took the lead to give the country’s Parliament a report card on behalf of the four-and-a-half year old Narendra Modi government. Kicking off the <keyword id="105431" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-session">budget session</keyword> of Parliament, Kovind, in a speech that lasted over an hour, gave a glowing tribute to the incumbent government that will be seek re-election in less than 100 days from now. The following are some of the highlights of Kovind’s laudatory speech, each followed by facts that may question the President’s conviction about the Modi government’s performance. 1. “Compromising with security needs is not in interest of present &amp; future of country. New deals in last year, purchase of defence equipment raised morale of defence. After decades, Indian Air Force will use ultramodern Rafale aircraft in coming months &amp; strengthen itself.” The government auditor – the Comptroller and Auditor General of India – is yet to <a href="https://www.news18.com/news/india/only-3-copies-of-cags-rafale-report-likely-to-reveal-pricing-details-parliament-may-get-redacted-version-2018409.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">submit</a> its report on the government’s deal to purchase 36 Rafale aircraft for an undisclosed sum of money. Giving a clean chit to the government on the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-rafale-deal-controversy/jet-set-go/slideshow/65079741.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">alleged irregularities</a> may be premature. 2. “Youth are the greatest strength of our nation. India has the largest number of young people in the world, and the policy decisions of my Government have been inspired by the aspirations and dreams of young Indians of 21st century.” The President said this on the day a report revealed that employment in the Indian economy was at its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/unemployment-in-india-is-at-its-highest-in-45-years-says-an-indian-daily-citing-an-undisclosed-jobs-survey/articleshow/67769020.cms">worst</a> in 45 years, a labour survey that the government has not made public yet. 3. “GST has benefited businesses by bringing in more honesty and transparency." In December 2018, the All India Manufacturers’ Organisation (AIMO), <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-micro-and-small-enterprises-saw-a-whopping-32-drop-in-jobs-in-the-last-4-years-survey/articleshow/67123219.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">said</a> small businesses across the country lost over 3.5 million job losses since 2014. The job losses were attributed to a 70% drop in operational profits in the MSME sector since 2014, according to K E Raghunathan, president of AIMO. 4. “By decreasing the burden of income tax and keeping the rate of inflation under control, the government has created new opportunities for expanding the savings of the middle class.” Despite the government’s best intentions, the “current (consumer) sentiment on the general economic situation dipped further into the pessimistic zone” – this is the finding from a consumer confidence <a href="https://rbi.org.in/Scripts/PublicationsView.aspx?id=18729"></a><a href="https://rbi.org.in/Scripts/PublicationsView.aspx?id=18729" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">survey</a> conducted in six Indian cities by the Reserve Bank of India. In fact, the consumer confidence is at its lowest it has been since Modi government took charge. Indeed inflation has been low for much of the current government’s tenure, jobs have been scarce and income growth very tepid, making middle class consumers penny wise. 5. “Demonetisation was a defining moment in the govt’s war on corruption and black money. This decision struck at the very root of the parallel economy thriving on black money; and the money outside the formal system was brought within the ambit of nation’s economy.” One of the defining steps against black money taken by the Modi government, by its <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/modi-says-demonetisation-forced-nirav-modi-vijay-mallya-to-flee-curbed-black-money/1431229/"></a><a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/modi-says-demonetisation-forced-nirav-modi-vijay-mallya-to-flee-curbed-black-money/1431229/" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">own admission</a>, was demonetisation. However, contrary to the hope that a big chunk of unaccounted cash stashed away will be left worthless, nearly all the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/finance/after-almost-two-years-of-counting-rbi-says-99-3-of-demonetised-notes-returned/articleshow/65589904.cms"></a><a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/finance/after-almost-two-years-of-counting-rbi-says-99-3-of-demonetised-notes-returned/articleshow/65589904.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">banned notes</a> have returned to the system. What came to a grinding halt was the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/demonetisation-hit-growth-by-2-percentage-points-us-study/articleshow/67154320.cms"></a><a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/demonetisation-hit-growth-by-2-percentage-points-us-study/articleshow/67154320.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Indian economy</a> leading to job losses. 6. “Government has approved ₹25,500 crores for ‘Namami Gange Mission’. By stopping the flow from dozens of big drains into the river, by stopping the industrial waste, and by setting up sewer treatment plants, my government has shown proactiveness to clean up Ganga.” Indeed the money has been allotted and a lot has been spent, but is it working? India’s waterman <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/why-indias-waterman-thinks-the-governments-3-5-billion-plan-to-clean-up-ganga-is-not-working/articleshow/67672185.cms"></a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/why-indias-waterman-thinks-the-governments-3-5-billion-plan-to-clean-up-ganga-is-not-working/articleshow/67672185.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Rajendra Singh</a> believes that a clean Ganga may still be a distant dream. 7. "Government's digital plan is helping rural India." Once again, one of the stated goals of demonetisation was to make India a cashless society and push people towards digital payments. It seemed to work in the initial days of the cash crunch, but soon after, people were back to using cash, and in fact, it is <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Money/Oxohtwl6CBCWjnfjdbHCEL/Cash-transactions-up-after-demonetisation-but-Indias-ATM-ne.html"></a><a href="https://www.livemint.com/Money/Oxohtwl6CBCWjnfjdbHCEL/Cash-transactions-up-after-demonetisation-but-Indias-ATM-ne.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">now more than before</a> demonetisation. 8. “In 2014, only 59 village panchayats in the country had digital connectivity. Today, 1 lakh 16 thousand village panchayats are connected with optical fibre and about 40 thousand village panchayats have been provided with wi-fi hotspots.” The other big pillar of the Digital India dream is to allow millions of Indian villagers access to internet through a broadband network that spans the length and breadth of the country. The network has been laid for the first phase covering one lakh villages, but only 10% of the network is getting utilised. This has <a href="https://www.deccanchronicle.com/business/in-other-news/220119/rs-42000-crore-bharatnet-projects-face-delay-cost-overrun.html"></a><a href="https://www.deccanchronicle.com/business/in-other-news/220119/rs-42000-crore-bharatnet-projects-face-delay-cost-overrun.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">reportedly</a> led to the department of telecom warning the two implementing agencies, as recently as last week. India is ranked 91st among 139 countries on the Networked Readiness Index 2016, according to the <a href="http://reports.weforum.org/global-information-technology-report-2016/networked-readiness-index/"></a><a href="http://reports.weforum.org/global-information-technology-report-2016/networked-readiness-index/" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">World Economic Forum (WEF)</a>). 9. “By enacting RERA law, my govt has ensured that construction of houses is completed and they are handed over to the buyers as scheduled. After enactment of this law, about 35,000 real estate projects have been registered where lakhs of houses are being constructed.” The Real Estate Regulation Act is a potential game changer for India’s tainted real estate industry, infamous as a haven for ill-gotten wealth, but the reform measure has made little progress since it was rolled out in May 2017. “States have notified the act but, unfortunately, the structures of the RERA machinery in most of the states have not been put in place,” Samantak Das told the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/real-estate/poor-implementation-of-rera-across-states-poses-a-challenge-to-home-buyers/articleshow/66375451.cms"></a><a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/real-estate/poor-implementation-of-rera-across-states-poses-a-challenge-to-home-buyers/articleshow/66375451.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">IANS</a> in October 2018, adding that, “"After constituting a model act at the central level, the Union government has a role to look at whether the states are adhering to the central legislation and implementing it in true letter and spirit.” 10. “Be it cities or villages, the government is working at a fast pace to strengthen healthcare related infrastructure.” The government last year set a target of raising annual health spending to 2.5% of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025, from 1.15% now-- which is one of the lowest proportions in the world. Nepal (2.3%) and Sri Lanka (2%) spend more on healthcare than the government in India does. 11. “Thirty four crore bank accounts have been opened in the country because of ‘Jan Dhan Yojana’ and almost every family is now connected to the banking system. Today, Rs 88,000 crore deposited in Jan Dhan accounts is a testimony to the changing saving habits.” While it is true that the government pushed millions of Indians to have a bank account for the first time in their lives, it is still not a universal phenomenon. According to an August 2018 report from NABARD, nearly 190 million people still do not have access to a bank. Only “49% households reported that at least one of their members had saved any money in an institution (banks, post office etc.),” according to the report. 12. "Our daughters are making remarkable contribution in every field today and have brought laurels to the country. It is for the first time since independence that the policies &amp; programmes of the Govt have created numerous new opportunities for enterprise for women" It is true that there are more conversations about ending the discrimination against women today than ever before, but it is a global phenomenon too. However, presidential speeches have little impact unless it is forced into practice, particularly among public personalities like members of Parliament. In India’s political sphere, there is more sexism than oxygen in the air. Most recently the newly-appointed Congress general secretary <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/story/pretty-face-no-other-talent-bihar-minister-s-sexist-remark-about-priyanka-gandhi-1438935-2019-01-25" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Priyanka Gandhi </a>was at the receiving end of jibes that called her ‘chocolate face’ and ‘Surpanakha’ (a demon from Hindu mythology). But is not BJP’s forte <a href="https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/bjp-up-chiefs-sexist-joke-on-mayawati-akhilesh-and-mulayam-over-1995-guest-house-incident-raises-a-storm/355537" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">alone.</a> It’s something that unites the country’s <a href="https://www.newsbytesapp.com/timeline/Politics/39755/176209/congress-and-bjp-can-t-be-absolved-of-sexist-remarks" data-type="tilCustomLink">political class</a> more than anything else. Meanwhile, in India’s booming private sector, 40% of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/a-whopping-40-of-indias-women-engineers-dont-have-jobs-because-of-rampant-sexism-at-workplace/articleshow/67486684.cms">women engineers </a>in India do not have a job because the country’s corporate culture has a gender bias. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/unemployment-in-india-is-at-its-highest-in-45-years-says-an-indian-daily-citing-an-undisclosed-jobs-survey/articleshow/67769020.cms">Unemployment in India is at its highest in 45 years – says an Indian daily citing an undisclosed jobs survey</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indian-government-commits-to-increasing-public-health-spending-to-2-5-of-gdp-by-2025but-is-that-enough/articleshow/67086285.cms">Indian government commits to increasing public health spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2025—but is that enough?</a>

Here’s a fact check after Indian President's glowing tribute to the Narendra Modi government

New Delhi, <keyword id="6355261" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="finance-minister">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="129243" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> on Monday called on President <keyword id="6354561" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ram-nath-kovind">Ram Nath Kovind</keyword> before presenting the Union <keyword id="6358021" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget">Budget</keyword> 2021-22. As per established tradition, the Finance Minister met the President at the <keyword id="389151" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rashtrapati-Bhawan">Rashtrapati Bhawan</keyword> before heading to <keyword id="6354721" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="parliament">Parliament</keyword>. The <keyword id="6355512" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-cabinet">Union Cabinet</keyword> will meet at 10.15 am to clear the Budget. Also before the actual presentation, the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> will approve the Budget for the fiscal year 2021-22. While traditionally, copies of the Budget are brought to the Parliament complex before finance minister arrives, this year no document has been printed following the COVID-19 protocol. Instead, the Budget copies will be disseminated electronically, with documents being uploaded on the government website as well as being made available on a special app developed for the same. Expectations are running high as Sitharaman presents her third budget in the Lok Sabha on Monday. She has her task cut out to fire up a pandemic battered economy and revive the animal instinct in it. Dressed in a red silk saree with off-white detailing and golden border, Sitharaman continued with the tradition she set in 2019 carrying the budget speech in a bahi-khata, which she used ditching the briefcase. She was seen holding a red bahi khata. On the first day of the budget session of Parliament, Sitharaman on Friday tabled the pre-budget Economic Survey for 2020-21, which projected a 'V'-shaped recovery for the economy in the next financial year. The economy is projected to contract by 7.7 per cent in the current fiscal ending March 31, 2021 and expanding by 11 per cent in the next. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/india-union-budget-2021-live-news-and-highlights/liveblog/80621593.cms">Budget 2021 Live Updates : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to present the first-ever digital Union Budget today.</a>

Budget 2021: Nirmala Sitharaman meets President Kovind ahead of Budget speech

President-elect <keyword id="6354561" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ram-Nath-Kovind">Ram Nath Kovind</keyword> is India’s 14th President and will be heading to Raisina Hills. Kovind scored an easy win over his opponent, <keyword id="6408326" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Meira-Kumar">Meira Kumar</keyword>, a former <keyword id="6355187" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha">Lok Sabha</keyword> Speaker. Kovind is the second Dalit President of India after KR Narayanan. He is Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>'s choice and his candidature was dubbed as a masterstroke to divide the opposition and keep allies together. His name was also suggested as a move to cement the backward castes. Now that he will be living in the sprawling Rashtrapati Bhawan, here are 10 things you need to know about him

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