New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) Highlighting the farmers’ plight a day after his Punjab visit, Rahul Gandhi today targetted Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha for his foreign tours and said he should travel to the state to know first hand about the condition of the farming community.

“Again his (PM’s) tour is on the cards. He has come here for sometime. He should visit Punjab and he will know first hand what is happening to farmers,” the Congress Vice President said, triggering uproar as BJP members protested.

Raising the issue of farmers during Zero Hour a day after his visit to mandis in Punjab, Gandhi said he wanted to apprise the House of the pain and problems of the state’s farmers whose produce is lying in mandis and is not being procured by the government.

The refrain of Gandhi was that the NDA government had left the farmer to fend for himself.

Amid protests by BJP members, Gandhi took a swipe at the Prime Minister’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, questioning whether farmers are not contributing to ‘Make in India’ by providing food to the entire country.

“When there was hailstorm, the government did not help.

State governmments used to give bonus, farmers tolerated its non-payment. Farmers were lathicharged when they asked for fertiliser. Now their produce is not being lifted from mandis,” he said.

Gandhi accused the government of not procuring the produce of farmers, a charge rubbished by Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan who hit back by suggesting that the Congress leader was trying to become a “martyr by cutting a finger”.

Gandhi said “while farmers in the mandis are crying, the Haryana Agriculture Minister is saying farmers committing suicide are cowards,” he said amid cries of “shame, shame” from the opposition.

Asserting that government is purchasing each and every grain from farmers, Paswan insisted that the government under the leadership of Modi had taken several decisions for the welfare of farmers which had not happened in the past 10 years of the UPA.

Contending that the Prime Minister is not only concerned about the welfare of farmers, Paswan said he has proactively taken several steps to help the farmers hit hard by unseasonal rains and hailstorm.

There was uproar over the issue, leading to adjournment of the House for 10 minutes. .

Kolkata, Apr 28 (PTI) In a major boost to the party ahead of next year’s Assembly polls, the Trinamool Congress today scored a landslide victory in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation bagging 114 of the 144 wards, and also won 69 of the 91 civic bodies in districts across West Bengal.

The victory in the municipal polls, which was billed as the semifinal before the Assembly polls, will act as a shot in the arm for the TMC, which recently faced serious allegations of corruption, including alleged involvement of some of its leaders in the Saradha Chit Fund scam.

Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee termed the victory as “a befitting reply to the slanderous campaign carried out by the Opposition and a section of the media.”

The TMC, which in the last KMC polls had won 95 seats, increased its tally to 114 while the main opposition CPI(M)- led Left Front was reduced to just 15 from 33.

The BJP, which was hoping to replace the Left as the main opposition in the KMC, miserably failed, managing to increase its tally from three to just seven seats.

Independents bagged three seats in the KMC.

Congress, which was fast becoming insignificant in state politics, managed to win five seats, down from eight in 2010.

Although the TMC scored a big win, it got some blows too as several heavyweights bit the dust.

Chairman of the outgoing KMC board Sachidananda Banerjee, deputy mayor Farzana Alam of TMC besides prominent party councillor Paresh Pal were defeated.

On the part of CPI(M), the leader of opposition in the outgoing KMC board Rupa Bagchi was defeated by her nearest TMC rival.

Contrary to KMC, the results in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation showed the CPI(M)-led Left Front has managed to regain some of its lost ground capturing 23 of the 47 seats.

TMC bagged 17 seats in Siliguri Municipal Corporation, which was regarded as a prestige fight for TMC leader and state minister Gautam Deb and CPI(M) leader and former minister Ashok Bhattacharya.

The Congress won five seats while the BJP got two seats and an independent won one seat in Siliguri. .

Mumbai: Opposition Congress on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Eknath Khadse for submitting “false information” to Centre on the number of farmers having killed themselves owing to unseasonal rains and hailstorm in the state.

“Between January and March, 622 farmers had committed suicide including 448 in Vidarbha region, which is the highest. The state government has not provided any relief to the farmers who have suffered crop loss due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm but provided false information to the Centre that only three farmers had committed suicide,” said the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.

Khadse had earlier this week said there were only three cases of suicides by farmers due to the natural disasters while the total number of farmers who committed suicide was 601 this year.

Demanding resignation of Khadse, who also holds portfolio of Relief and Rehabilitation, Vikhe Patil said the government only created a public perception that it is with farmers in their time of despair.

The BJP-led NDA government in Maharashtra has been facing flak for stating in a report to the Centre that only three farmers committed suicide in the state following the hailstorm and unseasonal rains in the last few weeks, with Congress and NCP slamming the government for being “insensitive” and “under-reporting” facts.

“Eleven days have passed since the Budget session of the state Legislature ended. However, there is no clarity yet on the promises made by government on floor of the House like bonus for paddy and cotton growers and FRP (fair and remunerative price) for sugarcane growers,” Vikhe Patil told reporters at a press conference here.
PTI

Chennai: Slamming the land acquisition bill as “draconian”, NDA constituent PMK Wednesday called for opposition unity to defeat it in the Rajya Sabha.

Party founder S Ramadoss said the amendments proposed by the central government were in “no way advantageous to the farmers”, and claimed that it would further add to their woes.

“The government is determined to pass this draconian bill in the face of stiff opposition. This is testimony to the central government’s anti-farmer position,” he said.

Ramadoss, who has been critical of the Centre on various issues, alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley “with the intention to deceive the nation, are doing a false propaganda that it will help improve the lives of farmers”.

While Modi had stated that industries would come up in rural areas aimed at improving lives of the locals, “Jaitley is claiming” that it will usher in 30 crore jobs, he said.

“How can this be possible? The Prime Minister and Finance Minister who assure that the bill will bring spring in farmers’ lives have not given a roadmap to achieve this. This proves that they are hollow promises,” he said in a statement.

Ramadoss said that if Modi can assure that families of farmers parting with land would be given “jobs and shares” of the company, “then we can welcome his intentions”.

The government had recently stated that over 40 per cent of land acquired for Special Economic Zones had remained untilised for over five years, he said, adding these tracts of land could be used for building new industries.

If further land was acquired for industries they also may remain unutilised and the new bill would only help to acquire lands of farmers at very low costs and transfer them to corporates, “who will use them for real estate purposes and make crores of money,” he said.

“This seems to be the wish of the central government and corporates. They appear to achieve this purpose only,” he said, adding farmers would be severely affected if the bill was passed.

“Since the passing of the bill in Lok Sabha appears certain, the opposition should unite and ensure that the bill is defeated in the Rajya Sabha.

“Particularly the MPs of Tamil Nadu from AIADMK, DMK, Congress, Left and the nominated members should vote against the bill in Rajya Sabha,” he said.

All democratic efforts should be made to defeat the land bill if the NDA tried to pass it through a Joint Session of Parliament, he added.
PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of running a government for the “super rich” and slammed his government for the “inordinate urgency” for bringing the Land Acquisition Ordinance hurting the farmers.

Mr. Kejriwal launched a major political attack on Mr. Modi, the first after his landslide victory in the Delhi Assembly polls in February, at a farmers rally here, but the event was marred by the suicide of a farmer from Rajasthan, who hanged himself from a tree in front of the chief minister.

He alleged that the central government has “betrayed” the trust of the farmers on whose votes the BJP came to power.

“The farmers had reposed trust in Narendra Modi and voted him to power. Now they have lost their trust (in the government) within a year. They are coming out in thousands protesting against the land bill,” he said, addressing a modest gathering.

“Narendra Modi government is anti-farmer. It is a government of the super rich. The bill has been brought to favour the super rich who move 24 hours around Modi,” Mr. Kejriwal alleged.

He sought to know what was the urgency behind bringing the Ordinance which is an emergency power. “The whole country wants to know why was it brought — was there a project that was stalled? If there was no such thing, then what was the hurry?” the chief minister asked.

The Bihar Legislative Assembly today witnessed an unseemly fight between two women MLAs of rival JD(U) and BJP leaving everybody befuddled.

The fight broke out between Annu Shukla of ruling Janata Dal (United) and Bharatiya Janata Party’s Bhagirathi Devi during the Zero Hour.

Devi, third term MLA from Ramnagar (SC) got angry with Shukla, MLA from Lalganj in Vaishali district, for pointing her hand towards the former while she was raising the issue of non-payment of wage under MGNREGA scheme.

The BJP Legislator took objection to Shukla’s gesture and told her “haath is taraf kar lenge (I will bring your hand this side).”

This infuriated Shukla, who yelled at Devi in English “I will not accept this” and rushed into the well shouting at her. Devi also got agitated and tried to move towards Shukla in the well but Leader of Opposition Nand Kishore Yadav stopped her and asked her to be seated.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who made a suo motu statement on payment of compensation to farmers who have suffered due to hailstorm in March, had left Assembly just minutes before the fight broke out.

He was in his Assembly chamber and inquired from colleagues as to what happened.

Taken by surprise at the duel, Speaker Uday Narayan Choudhary tried to pacify the agitated women but to no avail. Later, he adjourned the house till 2 PM.

The quarrel continued even after the House was adjourned.

While Shukla was walking towards the Speaker’s chamber, Devi stopped her and asked why she was behaving like that. Shukla after showing an unkind gesture went to the Speaker’s chamber to register her complaint.

Devi followed her to the Speaker’s chamber but was stopped by his staff requesting her to enter only after Shukla leaves.

Devi told reporters she would urge the Speaker to discipline Shukla or she would drag her to court

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will hold a protest against the controversial Land Bill at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday and will be joined by farmers from Delhi and neighbouring states.

“We will launch a nationwide protest against the NDA government’s Land Bill seeking its withdrawal,” party leader Sanjay Singh said during a press conference today.

Party leader Kumar Vishwas said that AAP has been opposing the attitude of the central government towards farmers affected by the crop damage.

He added that if the government fails to withdraw the bill then a nationwide protest will be launched by the party.

The AAP leaders also launched a scathing attack on Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress and said that they should not think that they have worked for the interest of farmers.

AAP is the latest political party to join the opposition against changes in Land Acquisition Bill proposed by NDA government.

Giriraj Singh regrets racist remarks against Sonia, says he did not intend to insult anyone.

Union minister Giriraj Singh on Monday expressed regret on the floor of Lok Sabha over his racist comment against Sonia Gandhi after the Congress created a ruckus over the matter and forced a brief adjournment of the House.

The expression of regret came after the opposition demanded that Singh be sacked as a minister for his comment that the Congress made Gandhi the president of the party because of ‘her white skin’.

“It was not my intention to offend anybody. If my comments have caused any hurt I express regret,” said Singh.

As soon as the House assembled for the second part of the Budget session after a month-long break, Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia raised the matter.

“People are making statements against women. Central minister Giriraj Singh had made a derogatory comment about Sonia Gandhi. These kind of comments are not only against the women of the country, but the entire country should hang their heads in shame,” said Scindia.

“It is an insult to the Nigerians also… the Nigerian high commissioner has also protested,” Scindia added.

“We not only want an apology, but also resignation of the minister. The Prime Minister should also apologise,” he said.

While rejecting a variety of adjournment motions moved by Congress, AIADMK and Left members, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan allowed Scindia to raise the issue of Singh’s remarks.

She said she was also hurt by the remarks and such statements should not be made.

Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said Bharatiya Janata Paty (BJP) MPs and ministers have continuously been making unwarranted and irresponsible statements. Such remarks create fissures in the society and hurt the harmony, said Kharge.

At one point, Kharge got offended when his mike was switched off.

“Whenever I speak, the mike is switched off… I have to protest,” he said.

Both Gandhi and Singh were present in the House.

Parliamentary afairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the government and the BJP did not aprove of such remarks but there was no need to drag the Prime Minister in the picture.

Kharge said the PM was in picture as the remarks have been made by a minister which makes it a collective responsibility of the council of ministers.

“PM is the leader of the House…,” he said.

Speaker Mahajan condemned the comments, but said the issue could be discussed later.

As Mahajan took up the Question Hour, Congress members trooped into the Well and started shouting slogans forcing her to adjourn the House for 20 minutes. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi entered the House just as it was adjourned.

As soon as the House met again at 11:45am, Singh rose to say that his intention was not to insult anyone but if his remarks have hurt anyone he regretted it.

The minister of state for micro, small and medium enterprises was under fire for his racist barb at Gandhi. He had kicked up a row by asking whether Congress would have accepted Sonia Gandhi’s leadership if she were not white skinned.

“Had Rajiv Gandhi married a Nigerian woman and if she was not a white-skinned woman, would the Congress have then accepted her (Sonia’s) leadership,” Singh had said earlier this month?.

(With PTI inputs)

Mumbai: Former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar said on Saturday he had “requested” Congress heavyweight Narayan Rane not to contest the Bandra (East) Assembly bypoll which the latter lost.

Ranesaheb had called me to inform me that he is contesting the bypoll. I requested him not to contest. I told him ‘you have just lost the Assembly elections (in October last year). Also, the constituency (Bandra) is new for you’.

“My personal opinion is that he should not have contested the bypoll,” he told reporters here.

The former chief minister was defeated by Shiv Sena’s Trupti Sawant, wife of MLA Prakash Sawant whose death had necessitated the April 11 bypoll, by over 19,000 votes.

A day after the bypoll result, Marathi newspaper ‘Prahar’, of which Rane is the editorial consultant, carried a piece that sought to put the onus of his defeat on senior Congress leaders.

However, Rane later distanced himself from the daily’s opinion and maintained he had no complains against Congress leaders over the poll outcome.

Last month, Rane had expressed his displeasure over the appointment of former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and ex-MP Sanjay Nirupam as Presidents of Maharashtra and Mumbai Congress units, respectively.

In 2008, he was suspended from Congress for critical comments against AICC leaders over appointment of Chavan as the Chief Minister in place of Vilasrao Deshmukh, who quit following the terror attacks in Mumbai.
PTI

New Delhi: The second half of the Budget Session of Parliament, which began on Monday, is likely to be a stormy affair as the Narendra Modi government is aiming to push the controversial land acquisition ordinance in the Lok Sabha and the Congress-led Opposition is bent on scuttling the move.

Some Live updates of the Budget Session

We are ‘Team India’, States and Centre are working together. We need to together mind a lasting solution: Naidu.
What we got as viraasat has to be kept in mind: Venkaiah.
Our ministers visited various areas affected by unseasonal rain and we raised the limit for the relief: Naidu.
After Rahul Gandhi, Venkaiah Naidu speaks in LS, says the govt is sensitive to the plight of farmers.
Rahul concludes his speech.
I have one more suggestion for the PM. He should switch sides. The strength of the country is in the hands of the farmers: Rahul.
If you believe that those corporates who drive in swanky cars are India’s foundation you are gravely mistaken: Rahul.
Only one answer comes to my mind and that is – The land price is increasing at a fast rate and your corporate friends want that land. That is why you are weakening the farmers and then you will hit them with the ordinance axe: Rahul.
The PM knows political calculations. He has won the elections. 67 percent of people are dependent on agriculture. I have a question in mind. If PM understands political compulsions then why does he want to anger more than 67 percent of the people: Rahul.
You talk about defence, about fighter planes but don’t talk about the 60% of this country: Rahul.
You know it is the truth and that is why you are shouting so much: Rahul.
Uproar in Lok Sabha during Rahul Gandhi’s speech. Naidu asks MPs to remain silent.
Your government is a government of the rich and the corporates. It is the government of the ‘suit and boot’, says Rahul to BJP amid din in LS.
The agricultural growth during achche din govt is only 1%. Grains are being left at the mandi, but nobody is procuring them. There is urea shortage but farmers are being lathi charged: Rahul Gandhi.
I want to give a suggestion to the PM. He should go and visit those areas where the people and farmers are in pain: Rahul.
The biggest agricultural experts have said that 180 lakh hectares has been destroyed by the unseasonal rains but the PM says 106 lakh hectares: Rahul.
I’d like to praise Mr Gadkari, he speaks the truth, speaks his heart. He said that farmers should not rely on God or this govt: Rahul Gandhi
You talk about strengthening the country, but what is the result of all this?, asks Rahul.
The current govt has raised the MSP of wheat by Rs 10 only: Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha.
During UPA govt agricultural growth rate was 4.2 % while during ‘India Shining’ govt it was just 2.6%: Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha.
Green revolution happened because farmers were given abundant credit and were given an MSP to sell his crop: Rahul.
The farmer gave us green revolution, because he was provided with the idea of MSP: Rahul.
The achche din govt has failed the people on minimum support price and agriculture credit, says Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi speaks in the Lok Sabha on Land Bill.
Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot arrives at 10 Janpath to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi with farmers.
Rahul Gandhi is also likely to attend meet
Congress leaders from Haryana, Himachal and Haryana to attend meet.
Sonia Gandhi is due to meet Congress leaders at her residence at 4 pm to chalk out strategy to counter BJP on land bill, say reports.
To cause uproar and not let leaders speak is not the way to act, not expected. Why doesn’t Cong want Parliament to work, asks Venkaiah Naidu
BJP should tell us where these industrialists will set up projects and how many people will get employed: Mulayam
SP chief attacks PM Modi, says he will ruin farmers of the country.
Govt wants to make a back door entry to pass the land bill, alleges Congress
Congress issues whip asking its MPs to be present in Lok Sabha.
TMC walks out of Lok Sabha to protest against land bill.
Opposition threatens walkout if Rahul Gandhi stopped from speaking in Parliament.
Opposition agrees to allow Rahul Gandhi to speak against land bill, address farmers’ issues.
SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul discuss strategy to counter govt on land bill.
Rahul Gandhi is expected to speak on the crisis facing Indian farmers after unseasonal rains, claims ANI.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi due to speak in Parliament at 4 pm.
Uproar continues in Lok Sabha, Speaker adjourns proceedings till 2 pm.
I don’t understand, what the Opposition is protesting about when the land Bill hasn’t even been tabled yet, says Sumitra Mahajan.
Opposition disrupts EAM Swaraj’s statement in Parliament on Yemen evacuations.
EAM lauds VK Singh’s role in Yemen evacuations.
Indian govt evacuated not just Indians but foreigners too, we’re keeping close watch on Yemen’s situation: Swaraj.
EAM Sushma Swaraj makes statement on govt’s successful evacuation operation in Yemen amid uproar by Opposition MPs.
Land acquisition amendment ordinance tabled in Lok Sabha by Rajiv Pratap Rudy
Govt tables land bill in Lok Sabha, Opposition MPs continue to protest.
Mallikarjun ji is a senior leader, I respect him a lot, but I haven’t made any statement against Muslims: Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena.
I express regret, If anyone has been hurt by my statement, didn’t mean to insult anyone: Giriraj Singh
BJP MP Giriraj Singh regrets making ‘Nigerian’ remark on Sonia Gandhi.
Proceedings begin in Lok Sabha.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi reaches Parliament.
Speaker adjourns Lower House till 11.45 am as ruckus continues.
Speaker rejects adjournment motion by Jyotiraditya Scindia and others.
Request the house to proceed with Question Hour, whenever you give permission we can have a discussion on this: Naidu.
No one in government approves this sort of comments: Naidu
Issue raised by Congress MP is important, needs to be responded to: Naidu
Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu responds to Congress charge.
We want the PM to apologise and seek the resignation of such ministers and MPs, says Scindia.
Jyotiraditya Scindia raises Giriraj Singh’s ‘Nigerian lady’ comment, says its is “condemnable, insults women, every Indian and every Nigerian”.
Proceedings begin in Lok Sabha. Opposition MPs create ruckus over land bill.
We will strongly raise issue of land ordinance in Parliament today, lets see: Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress.
We have a clear stand, we will strongly oppose any anti-poor, farmer policy: Jyotiraditya Scindia of Congress.
I’m grateful to opposition parties for their cooperation in previous Session: PM
I am sure this leg of the session will witness even higher standards of debate to fulfil people’s aspirations: PM Modi.
PM Modi address media ahead of Parliament session, says he hopes this session will be productive.
PM Narendra Modi reaches Parliament, appeals to opposition parties for co-operation.
We have an overwhelming majority in Lok Sabha. We will see what happens: Venkaiah Naidu.
We believe in discussion. Let there be debate, discussion and then a decision will be taken: Venkaiah Naidu.