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Finance Minister Sitharaman Defends Centre Over Price Hike

Sitharaman
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said India has emerged as the fastest growing economy amid the pandemic.

Mumbai: After a lot of chaos in both the houses of the parliament over price rise and inflation for more than  10 days since the monsoon session began, the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman came to the parliament yesterday to address the opposition after recovering from Covid. Responding to the debate on price rise she provided an overview of all the parameters for assessing the economy, saying that there is no chance the country will slide into recession or stagflation.

Congress raised against her and said that it wasn’t satisfied with her response. To Congress, the union minister said, “Congress MPs are walking out, their hypocrisy has been exposed.”

Sitharaman then added, “The pandemic, second wave of Covid, Omicron, Russia-Ukraine — in spite of all this we have held the inflation at 7 percent or below. And that has to be recognized, currently, retail inflation is at 7 percent. During the UPA rule from 2004 to 2014, inflation went into double digits. During that period, the inflation was above 9 percent for 22 consecutive months. Efforts are made to bring down inflation.

The finance minister also added that India is still better than other nations.

“I fully credit the people of India for this, even against adversity we are able to stand up and be recognised as as the fastest growing economy,” she said.

The Congress MP Manish Tewari  accussed the BJP led government of mishandling the economy by demonitisation, GST hike .

The minister also asserted that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) levied on food items such as curd, lassi and wheat would not burden poor households.

TMC’s Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, munching on a raw brinjal, said the price of LPG cylinders had been increased in a row for four times in recent months. “From Rs.600 to now Rs.1100.Does the government want us to eat raw vegetables?” She asked.

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Channi Alleges Being Grounded By PM’s Flight, Missed Rahul Gandhi’s Rally

Ashmita Chhabria

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi alleged that he was forced to miss Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi’s rally, as he was denied permission to fly because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit. Being furious he says that he is a minister and not a terrorist. 

He said, “Charanjit Channi is a Chief Minister, he’s not a terrorist that you are stopping him from flying to Hoshiarpur! This is not the way.”

He was reportedly made to wait for more than an hour. His helicopter was permitted to fly only after PM Modi’s travel was completed. Amid Modi’s travel “no-fly zone” was enforced because of the PM’s visit to Jalandhar.

Channi, who was taking a chopper from Chandigarh to Hoshiarpur for Rahul Gandhi’s rally, finally returned home from the helipad.

“I was in Una at 11 am but suddenly permission to fly (to Hoshiarpur) was denied due to PM Modi’s movement, it was declared a no-fly zone. I was not able to attend Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Hoshiarpur. I had permission to land,” Channi was quoted as telling news agency ANI on what is quickly becoming a huge political row.

Tough Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s chopper was unable to reach the spot, Rahul Gandhi’s chopper was allowed to land in the town.

“The Chief Minister was scheduled to come here but it’s shameful that this government cancelled permission for Charanjit Singh Channi to come to Hoshiarpur. If Election Commission doesn’t take cognisance of this, I’ll understand that these polls are a farce, a sham,” said Congress leader Sunil Jakhar.

PM Modi addressing rally at Jalandhar in his first visit to Punjab since a security breach last month, referred to a similar hold-up in the past to target Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

PM Modi said in 2014, when he was campaigning as the BJP’s presumptive Prime Minister, his helicopter was held up in Punjab because “Yuvraj (prince)” was flying to Amritsar.

“My name was announced for PM candidate. I had to visit Pathankot and Himachal to campaign. But my chopper was not allowed to fly because their yuvraj (prince) was also in Amritsar. So the Congress has a habit of not allowing the opposition to work,” PM Modi said.

On January 5, the Prime Minister had to skip a chopper ride over poor weather and was on his way to a rally by road when he was forced to spend 20 minutes on a flyover in Bathinda because of a blockade by farm protesters.

PM Modi finally turned back from the spot and left for Delhi without addressing the rally.

“I wanted to visit Devi Ka Talab but the Punjab Police said it can’t allow it due to security. This is the condition of security in Punjab,” PM Modi remarked today, in what appeared to be a reference to that episode.

Punjab will vote on Sunday for a new government.

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