Category: SPECIAL

New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Friday met leaders of several farm unions from across the country at the Parliament House.

During the meeting, the farm union representatives expressed strong opposition to the India-US trade deal and conveyed their deep concern over the potential impact on farmers’ livelihoods, particularly those engaged in the cultivation of corn, soybean, cotton, fruits, and nuts.

The leaders told the Congress leader that they fear the agreement could open the door for agricultural imports, which may adversely affect domestic producers. Gandhi also reiterated his position, stating that the trade deal has opened the door for agricultural imports and warned that many other crops could soon be impacted as well.

The discussion also focused on the need for a large-scale national movement to oppose the deal and safeguard the livelihoods of farmers and farm labourers.

The farm leaders who participated in the discussion included Sukhpal S. Khaira (All India Kisan Congress), Ranjit S. Sandhu (GKS Rajasthan), Adv. Ashok Balhara (Bharatiya Kisan Mazdoor Union, Haryana), P.T. John (KMM Kerala), Baldev (BKU Krantikari, Zira), R. NandKumar (Progressive Farmers Front), Amarjit S. Mohri (BKU Shaheed Bhagat Singh), Akhilesh Shukla (All India Kisan Congress), Kedar Sirohi (Aam Kisan Union), Kiranjit S. Sandhu (Kisan Congress Punjab), Gurpreet S. Sangha (Rajya Sabha), Guramneet S. Mangat (Kisan Mazdoor Morcha – India), Hameed Malik (J&K Zamidara Forum), Tejveer Singh (KMM), Dharamvir Goyat (Haryana Kisan Sangarsh Samiti), Ishwar Singh Nain (Krishak Samaj), and Satbir Khatana (South Haryana Kisan Union).

Rahul Gandhi on Thursday asserted he would not be deterred by any FIR, criminal case or privilege motion and asserted that he would continue to fight for farmers’ rights.

In a video post on X, Gandhi had reiterated his opposition to the India-US trade deal, claiming it would severely impact Indian farmers. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “opened the doors” of India’s agriculture market to foreign players at the cost of domestic producers.

“I have spoken the truth in Parliament. If you do not like the truth, that is a different matter. The country understands the truth. Do whatever you want to do. Let an FIR be filed, let a case be registered or bring a privilege motion. I and the entire party stand with farmers,” Gandhi had said.

He had said any trade agreement that threatens farmers’ livelihoods or weakens the country’s food security is anti-farmer. Gandhi also claimed that corn, soybean, cotton and fruit growers would be the first to suffer, alleging that the government would eventually open the entire farm sector to foreign interests and corporate allies.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) As many as 12,057 cases were filed against defaulters by anti-food adulteration authorities in 2024-25 after 12,780 samples of milk and milk products were found non-conforming to the standards, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav, in a written reply, said that in 2024-25, a total of 33,405 samples were analysed during action against defaulting food business operators (FBOs).

He said the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is mandated to lay down science-based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

The State Food Safety Authorities are primarily responsible for enforcement at the field level, he said.

Jadhav said the implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, is a shared responsibility between the Central and State governments.

The Minister of State said FSSAI, through its four Regional Offices and State/UT food safety authorities, conducts regular localised/targeted special enforcement and surveillance drives, inspections and sampling activities for various food products, including milk and milk products, throughout the year.

“If any deviations from the standards or violations of the Food Safety and Standards Regulation (FSSR) are observed, the defaulting Food Business Operators (FBOs) are subjected to regulatory actions, including punitive measures, as stipulated under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006,” he said.

The Minister of State said that for strengthening food safety implementation mechanisms, the FSSAI organises Central Advisory Committee (CAC) meetings at regular intervals to facilitate focused deliberations on emerging issues and policy reforms.

He said that through meetings of the Central Advisory Committee, regular engagements are held with State Food Safety Commissioners to review the status of enforcement machinery and ensure the proper implementation of food safety measures.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) ‘Seva’ and service to the citizens, particularly the vulnerable and disadvantaged sections of people, formed the core of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first four decisions from the new office ‘Seva Teerth’, as he took charge of the new office at Kartavya Path on Friday and sat down to work.

The Prime Minister signed important files and gave his approval to four key projects which would have a direct bearing on the lives of Lakhpati Didis, farmers and youth.

The initiatives undertaken at the Seva Teerth include the PM RAHAT scheme, doubling of the target of Lakhpati Didis to six crore, doubling of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund to Rs 2 lakh crore, and launching of a Startup India fund for which a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore will be allocated.

These decisions, the first from the new PMO office, will touch every section of society, but the biggest beneficiaries would be farmers, women, youth, and the vulnerable/marginalised class.

1. PM RAHAT Scheme

The PM RAHAT Scheme will serve as a “protection shield” for every citizen affected in road accidents and will facilitate immediate medical help to victims.

With the launch of the PM RAHAT scheme, accident victims will receive cashless treatment of up to Rs 1.5 lakh, ensuring that no life is lost due to a lack of immediate medical help.

2. Doubling of the target of Lakhpati Didis to Rs 6 crore

PM Modi has now set a new, ambitious target of raising six crore Lakhpati Didis in the country by March 2029, doubling both the scale and aspirations of women.

The government has also crossed the landmark of three crore Lakhpati Didis, more than a year ahead of the original March 2027 timeline.

3. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund doubled to Rs 2 lakh crore

Aiming to strengthen India’s entire agriculture value chain, PM Modi gave his approval to double the outlay of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund from Rs one lakh crore to Rs two lakh crore.

4. Startup India Fund FoF 2.0

The Prime Minister also approved Startup India FoF 2.0 with a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore, which will go a long way in powering India’s innovation ecosystem, especially in deep tech, early-stage ideas, advanced manufacturing and breakthrough technologies.

Earlier, PM Modi unveiled the new complex named ‘Seva Teerth’, which houses the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) and the Cabinet Secretariat.

The occasion marks a significant milestone, a formal transition from the old PMO office at South Block to ‘Seva Teerth’, the new state-of-the-art complex on Kartavya Path, previously known as Rajpath.

The new PMO office, situated barely about one kilometre from the iconic South Block building on Raisina Hill, will serve as the new cornerstone of governance, bringing the entire administrative machinery in proximity.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) The Bangladesh election result has been welcomed by the country’s media as a verdict against fundamentalism and gender inequality, where an alliance led by a more tolerant party won the trust of an overwhelming majority of the 59 per cent of the country’s 12.8 crore electors who exercised their franchise on Thursday.

“BNP clocks landslide victory as Jamaat’s religion card fails,” said Bangladesh’s The Business Standard, while the weekly Blitz termed it “A silent revolt against extremism and pro-Pakistan politics: BNP wins landslide in general elections”.

And in a quick assessment of the results on Friday, the Dhaka Tribune found: “Seven women candidates elected to parliament.”

But if that indeed is the total number of women in a 300-member Parliament, then Bangladesh may need to work more on gender equality. The report said that of these, six were from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and one was an independent candidate.

In “A quick interpretation of BNP’s landslide victory”, The Business Standard identified several points that made the country’s 13th national election stand out.

“Through this election, the voters have proved that they are religious, but they will not allow theological extremism, and they rightly opted for a pluralistic and moderate governance system,” it observed.

Incidentally, Thursday’s poll was preceded by elections in many of the country’s universities where the student organisation affiliated to the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami had won decisively. The results led to an anticipation that the conservative, pro-Pakistan party held an edge over some five crore youth that comprised some 12.8 crore voters in Bangladesh.

“The election results also reflect a strong showing for the rise of women’s power. More than half the voters are women, and they did not like being told they are not good at leading a political platform. They did not like the idea of being labelled as people of moral decay if they came out to the workplace. The male voters were also repulsed at such arcane thinking of a political party vying to lead a country,” the newspaper further observed.

This is the first election in decades that both the Begums, who largely dominated the country’s political space, were absent.

Begum Khalida Zia, who led the BNP after the passing of her husband, and founder of the party, General Ziaur Rahman, died in late December. Her political nemesis, Begum Sheikh Hasina, is currently in exile, with a death sentence handed down since the fall of her Awami League government in August 2024. Hasina leads the party founded by her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, widely known as the chief architect of Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, “On February 12, 2026, Bangladesh chose equilibrium over extremism, democracy over doctrinaire politics, and sovereignty over subtle subservience,” observed the Blitz.

“The lesson is larger than party lines. A nation that fought for linguistic and political freedom will not casually surrender it to ideological nostalgia or external choreography. The electorate has spoken in the firm language of ballots rather than barricades,” it added.

“If BNP remembers that its victory was less about triumph and more about trust, Bangladesh may indeed enter a new era – one defined not by tilts toward distant capitals but by confidence at home,” it further said.

Meanwhile, after much speculation and number crunching across a wide section following the general election, the country’s media on Friday quoted the Election Commission putting Thursday’s turnout in the 13th parliamentary election and referendum at 59.44 per cent.

The mandate is in, now it is upto the BNP and its leader, Tarique Rahman, to live the dream of a vast majority of its citizens.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday underscored the importance of India engaging with the global economy. He stated that international trade agreements should be designed to provide mutual benefits while also protecting the interests of the nation and its farmers.

He was speaking on Day 2 of the Mumbai Vyakhyanmala lecture series, organised as part of the “100 Years of Sangh Journey”.

Bhagwat said, “People believe in power; they listen to those who have power behind them.” Reflecting on India’s civilisational message to the world, he added, “I am going to America soon, and I am also going to start my speech with ‘my dear sisters and brothers’, but I won’t get applauded the way Swami Vivekananda was. People appreciate power.”

Speaking on international economic engagement, including India-US trade discussions, the RSS chief underlined the need for balanced agreements.

“International economic affairs will keep going on; isolation is not a way. In deals, if we get something, we are supposed to give something also. If possible, we should make a win-win deal or at least assure our win,” he said. Bhagwat also praised the current governance approach, remarking, “The administration we are seeing for the last ten years is fearless and can stand strongly.

Turning to agriculture, Bhagwat stressed that farmers must remain central to policy decisions. “In agriculture, farmers should be their own owners,” he said, cautioning against untested reforms. Recalling India’s agricultural diversity, he noted, “Our farmers were once at their peak; we had 8-9 thousand rice varieties, but now we have only 3-4 thousand. Wide varieties were taken away.” He warned that “rapid experimentation and adopting things without proper testing is not good for our farmers; everything should be tested well before implementation.”

Bhagwat also spoke about the ethical dimension of growth, asserting that economic progress should benefit humanity at large. “Economic development should also lead to the development of the world, not just one’s own development. That is what makes us human, not animals,” he said.

On Saturday, during the first session of the event, the RSS chief said India’s trade agreements must be finalised strictly on its own terms and not under external pressure. “We cannot isolate ourselves from the world, but the deal should be on our terms and conditions. We will not do it under anybody’s pressure nor by seeing tariffs.”

Without naming any country or leader, he added, “We are watching what the superpower is doing. We don’t want to become one who intimidates others. As Vishwaguru, we want to lead from within and become an example for the world.”

–IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS) The Apex Business Chamber CII has prepared a roadmap for setting up a scalable model pilot air corridor connecting Gurugram, Connaught Place, and Jewar International Airport to reduce transit time and provide a high-impact solution to urban congestion.

The CII report titled ‘Navigating the Future of Advanced Air Mobility in India’, launched by Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, is also expected to contribute to India’s Net-Zero 2070 goals through zero-emission electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft technology.

Setting up a clearly defined and empowered AAM regulatory function within the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will ensure the safe and efficient integration of Advanced Air Mobility solutions like Electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) or air taxis into Indian airspace, according to a CII statement issued on Sunday.

This specialised entity within DGCA would focus on developing airworthiness, operational, and safety standards tailored to emerging technologies, including electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft and low-altitude urban flight operations. The report outlines a phased and structured roadmap for the safe integration of next-generation air mobility solutions into India’s aviation ecosystem.

Collaborating with urban planning bodies and Smart City missions to embed AAM corridors and vertiport locations within master plans will ensure land availability, multimodal connectivity, and grid integration for battery charging infrastructure, the report further states.

As India prepares for advanced air mobility, rooftop vertiports offer an efficient, scalable, and cost-effective solution, especially in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. However, under current DGCA regulations, routine commercial vertical take-offs and landings from rooftops are not yet permitted, and any future enablement would be subject to the evolution of applicable regulatory frameworks and safety assessments, the report points out.

It states that rooftops are being proposed as a solution, since acquiring land for new ground-based vertiports is prohibitively expensive and often delayed by regulatory clearances. Rooftops, on the other hand, offer existing, underutilised real estate-ideal for rapid deployment and rooftop vertiports can be placed within commercial hubs, hospitals, tech parks, and residential towers-closer to where people live and work.

The report also calls upon public financial institutions, including SIDBI, banks, and government grant agencies, to establish dedicated financing instruments for Advanced Air Mobility. These could take the form of sector-specific infrastructure funds, venture leasing mechanisms, or credit enhancement facilities aimed at reducing investment risk and enabling long-term capital flows.

The report recommends drone-based logistics operations focusing on cargo and essential medical supply deliveries over 50–100 km ranges. It also emphasised on early planning for take-off and landing infrastructure, urging identification of high-potential urban zones such as NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).

By grounding its analysis in a corridor-based case study and focusing on operational and regulatory readiness, report on “Navigating the Future of Advanced Air Mobility in India” serves as a strategic reference for policymakers, regulators, investors, and industry stakeholders shaping the next phase of safe, scalable, and sustainable three-dimensional mobility in India, the CII statement added.

–IANS

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Dharamsala, Feb 8 (IANS) The office of the Dalai Lama on Sunday firmly denied media reports suggesting any association between the Tibetan spiritual leader and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The clarification comes after several media outlets, citing documents from the United States Department of Justice (DoJ), reported that the Dalai Lama’s name appeared 169 times in the widely discussed Epstein files.

According to some reports, the Buddhist leader’s name allegedly appeared in multiple personal emails and in the index of a book titled ‘Massage for Dummies’, which was included as a scanned document in files released earlier as part of the Epstein case records.

Following the circulation of these claims, the Dalai Lama’s office issued a statement categorically rejecting any alleged link.

“Some recent media reports and social media posts concerning the ‘Epstein files’ are attempting to link His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Jeffrey Epstein,” the statement read.

“We can unequivocally confirm that His Holiness has never met Jeffrey Epstein or authorised any meeting or interaction with him by anyone on His Holiness’s behalf,” it added.

Some reports have referred to emails dated October 2012 that allegedly contained references suggesting a meeting between the Tibetan spiritual leader and Epstein, and also indicated that the Dalai Lama was expected to attend an event alongside him.

Additionally, European media outlet ‘Nexta TV’ claimed that individuals described as followers of the Dalai Lama might have met Epstein, further fuelling speculation about possible indirect links.

The issue also gained attention last year after journalist Michael Wolff made claims during an appearance on the ‘Daily Beast’ podcast.

Wolff spoke about gatherings, described as “salons”, that were reportedly hosted at Epstein’s Manhattan residence and attended by several prominent personalities.

While naming attendees, Wolff included the Dalai Lama and speculated that the spiritual leader’s presence, if any, may have been connected to fundraising or philanthropic outreach, as several individuals were known to approach Epstein for financial contributions.

Independent journalist Jacob Silverman later referred to Wolff’s claims in an article titled “Why Was The Dalai Lama At Jeffrey Epstein’s House?”

In his report, Silverman mentioned that the Dalai Lama’s office did not respond to queries at the time, regarding whether the organisation had received any donations from Epstein or had any form of association with him.

The controversy has resurfaced after the US DoJ recently released a massive collection of records linked to Epstein.

The release reportedly includes more than three million files, over 2,000 videos and approximately 1,80,000 photographs connected to the disgraced financier’s activities.

According to reports, the newly released documents contain references to several influential personalities from across sectors, including political leaders, business figures, and globally recognised individuals.

Names mentioned in various reports include current and former US Presidents such as Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, as well as business leaders including Bill Gates and Elon Musk, among others.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS) Calling it a major boost to bilateral ties, Bihar BJP State President Sanjay Saraogi on Sunday said the India-US Interim Trade Agreement marks a new chapter in economic cooperation between the two nations.

Reacting to the development, Saraogi said, “The India-US interim trade agreement gives a new direction to economic cooperation between the two countries. This agreement will strengthen trade, investment, technology, and supply chains, helping India achieve its Viksit Bharat goals. It is not just a trade agreement but also a step to elevate the strategic and economic friendship between India and the United States.”

His remarks came after the US and India announced a framework for an Interim Agreement on reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade, aimed at paving the way for a comprehensive bilateral trade pact. As part of the announcement, the White House formally confirmed a reduction in tariffs on imports of Indian products from 25 per cent to 18 per cent, offering immediate relief to Indian exporters and industries.

According to a joint statement issued by both sides, the framework reaffirms India and America’s commitment to negotiations on a US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement, talks launched by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2025. Officials said the interim arrangement is designed to deliver early outcomes while supporting more resilient and diversified supply chains.

“The Interim Agreement between the United States and India will represent a historic milestone in our countries’ partnership, demonstrating a common commitment to reciprocal and balanced trade based on mutual interests and concrete outcomes,” the announcement noted.

Earlier this week, President Trump also spoke with Prime Minister Modi and later wrote on ‘Truth Social’ that both countries had agreed on a trade deal. He highlighted reciprocity, expanded market access, and efforts to address long-standing trade imbalances, while underlining the broader strategic importance of economic ties with New Delhi.

Under the proposed framework, India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and on a wide range of American food and agricultural products. These include dried distillers’ grains, red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruits, soybean oil, wine and spirits, among others.

On another matter, reacting to the arrest-related developments involving MP Pappu Yadav, Sanjay Saraogi said, “Pappu Yadav has had ongoing cases for years and is currently absconding, with orders for attachment and seizure already issued. The court has emphasised that an absconding accused must surrender, and if warrants or attachment orders are executed, the administration must ensure their arrest and imprisonment.”

–IANS

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