India, Cambodia discuss expanding military cooperation

New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia launched a sharp attack on the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Friday, accusing them of undermining constitutional institutions and misleading the people of Bihar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being conducted in the Assembly poll-bound state of Bihar.

Addressing a Press conference in New Delhi, Bhatia defended the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) SIR exercise, which has come under heavy criticism from Opposition parties.

Slamming the two parties, Bhatia said, “RJD and Congress never wanted real voters to vote. They have always stood against ECI’s efforts to clean up the voter rolls and ensure fair elections.”

Bhatia also referred to the Supreme Court’s recent observations on the matter, stating that the apex court had refused to stay the SIR in Bihar. “I want to ask Tejaswi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi — will they now oppose the Supreme Court as well? The people of Bihar are watching,” he said.

A day before the Supreme Court’s hearing, Opposition parties held protests and hinted at calling a Bharat Bandh, alleging that the SIR is being used to target minority and backward communities under the guise of voter list verification.

“The Congress and RJD do not believe in constitutional institutions. They question the Election Commission, other constitutional bodies — this has become their regular political strategy,” Bhatia alleged.

He further demanded an apology from Opposition leaders to the people of Bihar. “After the Supreme Court proceedings, it has become clear that the SIR drive is within constitutional bounds. Tejaswi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi must now apologise to the people of Bihar and to the entire country for creating unnecessary fear and confusion,” he said.

The BJP leader maintained that the people of Bihar have largely welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision and the ongoing exercise. “This opposition to a constitutional process exposes the real face of the Congress and RJD,” he noted.

The Opposition has been raising its concern over the process in which 78 million voters would have to establish they are genuine citizens in a matter of weeks.

According to the Congress, in a state like Bihar where poverty and low educational levels result in poor awareness on documentation, nearly 30 million voters would have to provide 11 documents, rather than the commonly available ration cards, Aadhaar cards or voter IDs to prove their citizenship.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) In a significant development, the GST rationalisation is set to provide a major push towards advancing India’s climate goals by making renewable energy, waste management, biodegradable products, and green mobility more affordable and within reach, the government said on Tuesday.

Moreover, by cutting costs, encouraging domestic manufacturing, and supporting sustainable industries, these changes will accelerate the adoption of clean energy and pollution control solutions, it said.

To begin with, GST on solar and wind devices has been reduced from 12 per cent to 5 per cent. This includes solar cookers, bio-gas plants, solar power-based devices, solar power generators, windmills, wind-operated electricity generator (WOEG), waste-to-energy plants/devices, solar lanterns/solar lamps, ocean waves/tidal waves energy devices/plants, and photo-voltaic cells, whether or not assembled in modules or made up into panels.

The reduction in GST will directly decrease the capital costs of solar panels, PV cells, wind turbines, and related devices. This reduction will enhance the viability of solar and wind projects, leading to lower tariffs for end consumers.

“The GST rate cuts will bolster domestic manufacturing by supporting India’s solar cell and module manufacturing ecosystem under PLI schemes, making domestic products more competitive against imports. This will make solar pumps more affordable, reducing irrigation costs and providing support to farmers,” according to the government.

The installed capacity of solar energy in India has increased more than 42 times, from 2.82 GW in 2014 to 119.54 GW as of July 31, 2025.

India has progressively continued the decoupling of economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions. The emission intensity of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) has reduced by 36 per cent between 2005 and 2020.

Similarly, GST on services provided by a common effluent treatment plant (CETP) has been reduced from 12 per cent to 5 per cent.

“Reducing taxes on CETPs will motivate industries to use centralised waste treatment methods, resulting in a pollution-free environment and supporting sustainable development in industrial areas. This will assist municipal corporations in implementing clean energy solutions for managing waste. The GST cuts will create green jobs in areas like waste segregation, plant operations, and maintenance,” the government highlighted.

Reduced GST on biodegradable bags (from 18 per cent to 5 per cent) makes them more affordable, encouraging consumers and retailers to move away from single-use plastics and thereby helping to decrease plastic pollution.

This supports India’s adherence to the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2022, and reinforces the ban on single-use plastics. It will promote investment in research and development, and the expansion of biopolymers, starch-based, and compostable materials, said the government.

“As many biodegradable bag producers are small and medium enterprises or startups, the lower GST facilitates their market entry and increases demand,” it added.

–IANS

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New Delhi, June 28 (IANS) Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram has stirred fresh political conversation with a thought-provoking social media post advocating for the creation of a new political party focused exclusively on urban issues.

In a candid message shared on X, Chidambaram — son of former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram — argued that mainstream political parties have consistently failed to prioritise the concerns of India’s rapidly growing urban population.

“In my opinion, a new political party (in India) purely focusing on urban issues—ease of living, quality of infrastructure & public services—devoid of emotive issues (religion, caste & language) will have a fair level of acceptance,” he wrote.

“Since none of the establishment political parties seriously address these issues or put it in the forefront of their agenda.”

Chidambaram’s remarks come at a time when urban India is grappling with mounting challenges; crumbling infrastructure, inadequate waste management, traffic congestion, and inconsistent public services.

His post reflects growing frustration among urban voters who feel sidelined by political narratives dominated by identity politics and rural-centric agendas.

This is not the first time the Parliamentarian from Sivaganga (Tamil Nadu) seat has voiced concern over governance gaps in urban areas.

Earlier this year, he publicly criticised the Chennai Corporation for poor waste management and deteriorating civic conditions, urging officials to learn from better-performing cities like Indore.

His latest call for a new political formation—one that sidelines divisive rhetoric in favour of pragmatic, service-oriented governance—has resonated with sections of the urban middle class and professionals who often feel politically unrepresented.

While Chidambaram stopped short of announcing any concrete plans to launch such a party himself, his post on micro-blogging platform X has sparked speculation about whether a new urban-centric political movement could gain traction in India’s evolving electoral turf.

Political analysts also observe that while urban voters are often seen as apathetic or fragmented, a focused platform addressing their daily struggles—without invoking religion, caste, or language—could potentially reshape the discourse in metropolitan constituencies.

Whether this idea gains momentum or remains a solitary voice in the digital wilderness remains to be seen. But Chidambaram’s post has undeniably opened a new front in the conversation about India’s political future.

–IANS

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