Eight Opposition members were suspended from the Lok Sabha on Tuesday for 'unruly behaviour', including for tearing papers and throwing them at the Chair. As soon as the House met at 3 pm following multiple adjournments, Dilip Saika, who was in the Chair, named the eight Congress members. Subsequently, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju read out a resolution seeking suspension of the eight members for the remaining period of the Budget session that is scheduled to conclude on April 2. The House passed the resolution by a voice vote, following which the proceedings were adjourned for the day amid uproar. Congress members, led by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, staged a protest outside Parliament building against suspension of party members from the Lok Sabha. Since Tuesday afternoon, the House has been witnessing uproar after Gandhi was disallowed to cite an article based on excerpts from an unpublished 'memoir' of former Army chief M M Naravane on India-China conflict of 2020. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
03 February,2026 04:26 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIThe Maharashtra government has appointed Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Sunetra Ajit Pawar as the guardian minister for Pune and Beed districts, filling the vacancy left by her husband, the late Ajit Pawar, who held the post until his untimely demise in a plane crash. The decision, issued as a government resolution by the General Administration Department on February 3, 2026, amends the earlier order dated September 16, 2024. The resolution, digitally signed by Hemant Anant Mahajan, undersecretary to the government, has been published on the official Maharashtra government website. As per the GR, the late Ajit Pawar had previously overseen Pune and Beed as guardian minister alongside his responsibilities as Deputy CM, handling finance and planning portfolios. With Sunetra Pawar now holding the post for both districts, she assumes the responsibility of coordinating government schemes and development work in these key regions. Sunetra Pawar was recently elevated to the position of Maharashtra Deputy CM on January 31, following Ajit Pawar’s tragic death in an air crash on January 28. The appointment as guardian minister for Pune, a major urban hub, and Beed, a traditional stronghold of the Pawar family, consolidates Sunetra Pawar’s administrative role in the state’s governance structure. Copies of Tuesday’s GR have been circulated to the Secretary to the Governor, among other authorities, and the appointment will be reflected in official government records. Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar likely to visit Delhi after February 9 Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar is likely to visit Delhi after February 9. According a section of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders, the newly elected Maharashta Deputy CM is likely to meet National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. She is also likely to even pay a courtesy visit to President and Vice President. Not in race for NCP chief's post, will follow party workers’ sentiments: Praful Patel Senior NCP leader Praful Patel on Tuesday clarified that he is not in the race to become the National President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), following the tragic death of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash last week. Patel expressed concern over comments from those outside the party regarding decisions being taken after Pawar’s demise. “Election of Sunetra Pawar as leader of the legislature party is our right. We will take decisions as per the sentiments of our rank and file,” the NCP working president told reporters in Delhi. He emphasised that while the vacancy for the party’s national president will be filled, he personally is not seeking the post. “I am not in the race for the president's post. It is not proper to speak on any other issue at this juncture,” Patel said Earlier, while paying condolences at the party office, Patel noted that the NCP will chart out its future under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar. (With PTI inputs)
03 February,2026 03:54 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentDuring the ongoing Budget session 2026, for the second consecutive day, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, raised the Ladakh standoff issue. Despite repeated objections from the Chair to only present "authentic sources”, the Congress MP urged to speak about the Ladakh standoff issue. As reported by news agency IANS, the Lok Sabha saw a heated exchange as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition MPs continued to accuse the Centre of "misleading" the House on the India-China issue. PM Modi is Compromised.PM is too afraid to let me speak in Parliament about Naravane, Epstein Files and how he has surrendered on Tariffs. pic.twitter.com/V1J6yxZDM2 — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 3, 2026 ‘Ladakh standoff’ issue The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha has been raising the Ladakh standoff issue while quoting from a magazine article linked to an "unpublished book" by former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane. Even after the Chair issued a ruling stating that no one can quote a news article or magazine, citing parliamentary rules, the LoP remained adamant about raising the issue. Rahul Gandhi claimed that he was not being given "permission" to speak in the House and said that, being the LoP, "No one can give him any permission to speak,” as per IANS. Rahul Gandhi, while speaking furiously during the session, said, "I am objecting to the term 'permission'; it is not the correct word. Because I am not given permission by anyone to speak. I am the LoP... so, I am objecting to that." Opposition protests in Lok Sabha Amid the heated session in the Lok Sabha, the opposition MPs continued to protest the rulings of the Chair and demanded that the LoP be allowed to speak on the issue. Rahul Gandhi, while questioning about the denial of permission to speak, said, "The President's address was about the path India has to chart, the direction in which India has to move. Today, on the world stage, the main issue in international affairs is the conflict between China and the US. This is central to our president's address and our budget. And I want to make a statement about what happened between China and India and how our prime minister reacted to it. Why am I being stopped?" as per IANS. "In Eastern Ladakh, there was a conflict; our soldiers were killed," he continued, when he was again interrupted by the treasury benches. Chair dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s request Replying to the LoP, the Chair said, "I made a repeated request to Honourable LoP to speak on the President's address," and then he called on the next speaker, Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Uttam Patel. Patel, however, refused to speak. Following this, he called other speakers from the opposition side, but all refused to speak. Amid the constant sloganeering and ruckus, TDP MP G.M. Harish Balayogi stood up to speak on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address, as per IANS. However, the lower house of the Parliament was adjourned till 3:00 pm amid the ruckus going on around the LoP not being allowed to speak. (With inputs from IANS)
03 February,2026 03:35 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentCongress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has buckled under US pressure to finalise a trade deal and has "sold out" the hard work of Indian farmers through the agreement. Addressing reporters in the Parliament House complex after he was not allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha as he insisted on quoting from an article that cited former Army chief MM NAravane's unpublished "memoir", Gandhi said it is for the first time in history that the Leader of Opposition has not been allowed to speak on the president's address. "We need to understand why a trade deal stuck for about four months was suddenly finalised last evening," Gandhi said adding that "there was huge pressure on Prime Minister Modi". Asked what kind of pressure he was referring to, Gandhi alleged there is a case against industrialist Gautam Adani in the US and a lot more is to come in the Epstein files. He alleged that Prime Minister Modi "has been compromised" and that Indian farmers must understand their hard work "as well as their blood and sweat" has been "sold out" through the India-US trade deal. He also said the entire country had been "sold out". There was no immediate reaction from the BJP or the government. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
03 February,2026 03:26 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIAdani Group and Italian major Leonardo on Tuesday announced a strategic partnership to establish an integrated helicopter manufacturing ecosystem in India.The move will be a significant boost for the 'Make In India' efforts and to make the country more self-reliant. The manufacturing ecosystem will look to address military demands and boost India's self-reliance in helicopter production. Adani Defence & Aerospace and Leonardo on Tuesday inked a Memorandum of Understanding for the partnership at an event in the national capital. The partnership will target the Indian Armed Forces' requirements, particularly for Leonardo's advanced AW169M and AW109 TrekkerM helicopters. "The collaboration will deliver phased indigenization, robust maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities, and comprehensive pilot training," a release said. India has a low helicopter penetration density of less than 250 helicopters for the country's population, and the country will need around 100 helicopters annually for the next 10 years. Adani Defence & Aerospace Director Jeet Adani said it was laying the foundation for an aviation ecosystem that serves the nation across civil and defence needs.The partnership with Leonardo is rooted not only in shared expertise but in shared purpose, he said. "Together, we will build an ecosystem on Indian soil that brings manufacturing, assembly, training, and world-class support into one cohesive whole," he added. Adani Defence & Aerospace CEO Ashish Rajvanshi said that with the Indian Armed Forces projecting demand for over 1,000 helicopters in the coming decade, this partnership realises the vision for sovereign manufacturing. Leonardo is a key global player in the areas of aerospace, defence, and security. eonardo Helicopters Managing Director Gian Piero Cutillo said India is a big market and that the country's armed forces have a growing requirement for helicopters.The announcement on Tuesday also comes a week after Adani Defence & Aerospace and Brazilian major Embraer announced a strategic collaboration that aims to set up a regional aircraft manufacturing facility in India. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
03 February,2026 02:47 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIIndia’s trade agreement with the United States (US), under which tariffs on Indian goods have been reduced to 18 per cent, is expected to make a range of products — from tech hardware to certain agricultural imports — more affordable. India-US trade deal: Tech and household goods to benefit Under the deal, laptops, gadgets, consumer electronics, processed foods, packaged goods and household appliances may become more competitively priced. Agricultural products such as pulses, dairy and processed foods could also see reduced import levies, potentially easing pressure from rising food inflation, news agency IANS reported, adding that official details on the full terms of the deal are awaited. India-US trade deal: Boost for Indian sectors The agreement could benefit key export sectors such as textiles and apparel, gems and jewellery, as well as industrial and engineering goods including steel and chemicals. Analysts note, however, that some products, including steel, aluminium and copper, may continue to face duties of around 50 per cent, IANS reported. Certain auto components may also remain subject to significant tariffs. The India–US trade deal follows a phone call between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. The agreement reportedly also includes India’s commitment to reduce purchases of Russian oil while increasing imports from the United States and potentially Venezuela. PM Modi welcomed the tariff reduction on social media platform X, saying: “Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 per cent. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement.” Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18%. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement.When two large economies and the… — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 2, 2026 India-US trade deal: Industry chambers upbeat Leading industry bodies said the deal would enhance the global competitiveness of Indian products, boost manufacturing growth, create jobs and strengthen supply chains. “The expected reduction of US–India tariffs to 18 per cent marks a significant step forward in the strategic economic partnership between India and the US,” said Rajiv Memani, President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Rajeev Juneja, President of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), added: “Reduced tariffs cut input costs for domestic industries, strengthen supply chains, and ease inflation by lowering prices for businesses and consumers. They benefit key sectors — including manufacturing, technology, healthcare, and renewable energy — by improving access to intermediate goods, capital equipment, and critical components.” (With IANS inputs)
03 February,2026 02:46 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA Himachal Roadways bus met with an accident on Tuesday in the remote area of Kwanu-Meenus Road in Kalsi in Uttarakhand's Dehradun district and fell into a deep gorge, the State Disaster Response Force said. Preliminary reports suggested that more than 30 passengers were on board the bus. Following the information and on the orders of SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi, SDRF teams from posts at Dakpathar, Chakrata, Mori, and Tyuni were immediately dispatched to the accident site. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami spoke to the District Magistrate and issued necessary instructions to rescue the passengers. In an X post, CM Dhami said that all nearby medical centres have been placed on high alert mode and in case of serious injuries, passengers will be airlifted and admitted to advanced medical centres. "We have received the extremely distressing news of the accident involving a bus of the Himachal Transport Corporation on the Kuanu-Meens Motor Road in the Kalsi area (Dehradun). Upon receiving information about the accident, I spoke with the District Magistrate over the phone and issued necessary instructions. The district administration and police have promptly initiated relief and rescue operations. All nearby medical centres have been placed on high alert mode. If needed, any seriously injured passengers will be airlifted and admitted to advanced medical centres. I pray to God for the safe well-being of all passengers," Dhami said on X. Further details on the incident are awaited. In a separate incident on Sunday, devotees returning after visiting the Samayapuram Mariamman Temple met with an accident when their van overturned on the Tiruchy-Chidambaram National Highway in Tamil Nadu's Ariyalur district, officials said. The incident took place near Poiyyur village. Upon receiving information, Keezhapazhuvur police rushed to the spot, registered a case, and launched an investigation into the incident. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
03 February,2026 02:46 PM IST | Dehradun (Uttarakhand) | ANIUS President Donald Trump has said that India and the US have agreed on a trade deal under which Washington will bring down reciprocal tariff on Indian goods to 18 per cent from the current 25 per cent. The announcement is important as the US has imposed a steep 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods entering American markets from August 27, 2025. Here is a list of key pointers to explain the announcement: Tariff definition:These are customs or import duties which a country imposes on goods bought from other nations. An importer has to pay this duty to the government. Normally, companies pass on these taxes to end users or consumers. Import duty makes goods expensive in the importing country. Besides, a few other factors also play a role in this. For example, duty on India's competitor nations such as Bangladesh (20 pc), Vietnam (20 pc) and Thailand (19 pc); and quality and standards of items. USA'S tariffs on India:In August 2025, the US announced to impose a 25 per cent tariff plus another 25 per cent punitive duty for buying Russia's crude oil and military equipment. These duties are imposed over and above the existing tariffs that the Indian goods are facing in the US. The US has reduced the duty to 18 per cent. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that he was delighted that "made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18 per cent". Why is US imposing tariffs:The US has alleged that it faces a significant trade deficit with India, blaming New Delhi for imposing high tariffs on American goods, which it says restricts US exports to the Indian market. Trump's announcement:"It was an Honor to speak with Prime Minister Modi, of India...We spoke about many things, including Trade...He agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela. This will help END THE WAR in Ukraine, which is taking place right now, with thousands of people dying each and every week! Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi and, as per his request, effective immediately, we agreed to a Trade Deal between the United States and India, whereby the United States will charge a reduced Reciprocal Tariff, lowering it from 25 percent to 18 percent. "They will likewise move forward to reduce their Tariffs and Non Tariff Barriers against the United States, to ZERO. The Prime Minister also committed to "BUY AMERICAN," at a much higher level, in addition to over $500 BILLION DOLLARS of US Energy, Technology, Agricultural, Coal, and many other products," Trump has said in a social media post. Details of the deal:No details are available so far. An executive order from the US may provide clarity on the tariff issues, the trade deal document is expected to outline the sectors covered under the agreement. Both are awaited. Gains for India: Labour-intensive sectors such as garments, leather and non-leather footwear, gems and jewellery, carpets and handicrafts may get a boost as high tariffs were hurting exports of these goods to the US. Bilateral trade:During 2021-25, the US was India's largest trading partner in goods. The US accounts for about 18 per cent of India's total exports, 6.22 per cent in imports, and 10.73 per cent in bilateral trade. In 2024-25, the bilateral trade touched USD 186 billion (USD 86.5 billion exports and USD 45.3 billion imports). With America, India had a trade surplus (the difference between imports and exports) of USD 41 billion in 2024-25. It was USD 35.32 billion in 2023-24 and USD 27.7 billion in 2022-23. In services, India exported an estimated USD 28.7 billion and imported USD 25.5 billion, adding a USD 3.2 billion surplus.Altogether, India ran a total trade surplus of about USD 44.4 billion with the US. Major products traded between the two:In 2024, India's main exports to the US included drug formulations and biologicals (USD 8.1 billion), telecom instruments (USD 6.5 billion), precious and semi-precious stones (USD 5.3 billion), petroleum products (USD 4.1 billion), vehicle and auto components (USD 2.8 billion), gold and other precious metal jewellery (USD 3.2 billion), ready-made garments of cotton, including accessories (USD 2.8 billion), and products of iron and steel (USD 2.7 billion). Imports included crude oil (USD 4.5 billion), petroleum products (USD 3.6 billion), coal, coke (USD 3.4 billion), cut and polished diamonds (USD 2.6 billion), electric machinery (USD 1.4 billion), aircraft, spacecraft and parts (USD 1.3 billion), and gold (USD 1.3 billion). Services trade:As per estimates, USA's services imports from India amounted to USD 40.6 billion in calendar year 2024, with computer/information services imports at USD 16.7 billion and business management/consulting at USD 7.5 billion. High tariffs in US:As per reports, the US imposes high duties on items like dairy products (188 per cent), fruits and vegetables (132 per cent), coffee, tea, cocoa and spices (53 per cent), Cereals and food preparations (193 per cent), Oilseeds, fats and oils (164 per cent), beverages and tobacco (150 per cent), Minerals and metals (187 per cent), and Chemicals (56 per cent). Comments of experts on India-US trade deal:EPC (Apparel Export Promotion Council) Chairman A Sakthivel: This development is expected to give a boost to apparel exports, attract fresh investments across the value chain, and reinforce India's position as a reliable global sourcing hub. Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President SC Ralhan: It is expected to lead to an immediate and substantial release of orders that were earlier put on hold, particularly in labour-intensive sectors such as apparel, textiles, leather and footwear. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
03 February,2026 02:40 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIPresident Droupadi Murmu visited Biraja temple in Odisha's Jajpur district on Tuesday morning to perform the 'pinda daan' ritual. Elaborate security arrangements have been made at the temple, with about 600 security personnel deployed for the presidential visit, officials said. Murmu performed the 'pinda daan' ritual at 'Navi Gaya', a sacred pool in the temple premises, for the salvation of the souls of her ancestors. According to mythology, after demon Gayasura was killed by Lord Vishnu, his body was divided into three parts. His head fell at Gaya in Bihar, his feet at Pithapuram in Andhra Pradesh and the naval portion at Jajpur in Odisha. Before beginning the 'pinda daan' ritual, Murmu performed puja at the 13th-century shrine where Goddess Biraja is worshipped in the form of Durga with two hands or 'dwibhuja', spearing the chest of Mahisasura with one and pulling his tail with the other. All schools in Jajpur town and its nearby areas have been shut in view of the president's visit, according to a notification. Later in the day, Murmu will attend the convocation of Fakir Mohan University in Balasore. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
03 February,2026 02:32 PM IST | Bhubaneswar/Jajpur | PTIA man allegedly killed his friend on the eve of his wedding in Maharashtra's Beed district. According to the police, the accused committed the crime because he feared that the victim would disrupt the ceremony over an unpaid debt of Rs 1.5 lakh, news agency PTI reported. The victim, Chand, also known as Guddu Tamboli (30), was found bludgeoned to death during the early hours of Monday on the outskirts of Khokarmoh village in Shirur Kasar tehsil. Further investigations by the authorities indicated that Chand had lent Rs 1.5 lakh to his friend Atiq Tamboli and was persistently demanding repayment. “The victim had apparently threatened to show up at the venue of Atiq's (accused) wedding on Monday and cause disturbances if the money lent by him was not returned," said a local crime branch officer. The officer further highlighted that the accused was concerned about the threat he received from the victim and also feared social humiliation on his wedding day. On Sunday night, he called the victim to a secluded spot and allegedly killed him by crushing his head with a stone before absconding, PTI reported. Chand's body was found on Monday, following which the police launched an investigation. Based on technical surveillance and localised intelligence, the authorities apprehended Atiq from Beed city on the same day and booked him on charges of murder. Woman, minor girl held for killing 40-year-old man over dispute in Thane Police have arrested a woman and detained a juvenile girl in connection with the death of an unidentified man following an altercation in Maharashtra's Thane district, an officer said on Tuesday. The assistant police inspector, while briefing about the incident, said, “The incident occurred on Sunday in Bhiwandi town after a quarrel broke out between the man, aged around 40, and the two accused over some issue.” The officer further stated, “The accused 18-year-old woman and a juvenile aged 17 allegedly pushed the man down from the slab of a police chowkie located at Dhamankar Naka.” The man fell and sustained grievous injuries. He was rushed to a hospital for treatment, where he died after a few hours, she said. “The police initially registered an FIR on charges of quarrel and causing serious injuries, but after the man's death, it was converted to a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita,” the officer added. (With inputs from PTI)
03 February,2026 01:48 PM IST | Beed | mid-day online correspondentThe owner of a Rottweiler was booked after his pet allegedly mauled a woman during her morning walk here, leaving her with severe facial and neck injuries that required an eight-hour surgery, police said on Tuesday. The incident happened when Shalini Dubey, (31), a techie at Teachers Colony in HSR layout stepped out for a morning walk near her home on January 26, they said. CCTV footage of the attack shows the dog running towards her on the road, knocking her down and biting her repeatedly on the face and neck. The dog was allegedly released onto the road by its owner without a leash or muzzle and attacked her, her family alleged. Following the attack, she sustained severe injuries to her face and neck and received more than 80 stitches across her face, throat and scalp, her husband Satya Prakash Dubey said. She underwent a nearly eight-hour-long surgery. One deep wound, measuring about seven centimetres, was dangerously close to her airway and she is currently hospitalised, he said. The couple has a 17-month-old toddler, and the incident has left her deeply traumatised, Dubey added. Recalling the incident, her husband said on January 26, around 6.50 am, his wife was returning from her morning walk when the neighbour's dog suddenly ran towards her, she fell down, and the dog brutally attacked her. She suffered severe injuries to her neck, the right side of her face, and her scalp, Dubey said. "If the pet owner could not control such a large dog, it should never have been allowed to roam freely. Pet owners are responsible for following safety norms, including using a leash and muzzle, especially in public areas," he told PTI Videos recently. "My wife is in deep trauma and has suffered severe mental shock. As per doctors, the scars on her face and body will remain for life," he added. Following a complaint, a case was registered against the pet owner Amaresh Reddy under Sections 117 (3) (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 291 (negligent conduct with respect to animal) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and subsequently, he was held in connection with the incident, police added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
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