Congress slams NITI Aayog as ‘Ayogya body’, BJP hits back

First day of NITI Aayog results in a slugfest between the Centre and the Opposition. Congress leader Ramesh asked what sort of Viksit Bharat will it be if India’s glorious diversities are deliberately sought to be insulted. “What sort of Viksit Bharat is it where not only is freedom of speech under threat

Calling the NITI Aayog an “Ayogya body”, the Congress on Saturday hit out at the Centre and said the commission meeting was yet another exercise in “hypocrisy and diversion”. Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, said before the meeting on Saturday, “What sort of Viksit Bharat will it be if those in power themselves destroy the bonds of social harmony by their malicious words and deeds”.

The Congress leader continued, “What sort of Viksit Bharat will it be if those in power subvert Parliament, judiciary, universities, media, and Constitutional and statutory authorities to fulfil their nefarious goals?”  Ramesh also asked what sort of Viksit Bharat will it be if India’s glorious diversities are deliberately sought to be insulted. “What sort of Viksit Bharat is it where not only is freedom of speech under threat but freedom after speech is also endangered?” he asked. “Today’s meeting is yet another exercise in hypocrisy and diversion,” Ramesh alleged.

He will finish Cong: BJP

The BJP on Saturday slammed Jairam Ramesh for his remarks on the NITI Aayog meeting, saying the Congress leader will finish off his party with his tendency to create controversy over some or other issues. “This is a meeting of Team India to take decisions for the country’s development. Jairam Ramesh is finding fault in this too,” BJP national spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said.

BJP national spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain. Pic/Getty Images

Reacting sharply, Hussain said the Congress leader keeps finding faults in every meeting convened by the government to create some controversy. “Jairam Ramesh Congress ki Ram Ram kar ke hi chhodenge [Jairam Ramesh will finish off the Congress],” he said. “NITI Aayog is a big institution of the country. It makes policies for the country. In its meeting, eminent people, including chief ministers, are sitting together to make the country develop. The Congress has started objecting to it also,” Hussain said.

The BJP leader also took a swipe at Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his visit to Jammu and Kashmir. “Bahut der kar di huzoor aate aate’ (It took you a long time to visit),” he said, reciting a couplet from a popular Hindi film song. The BJP leader also took a swipe at Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his visit to Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army has given such a befitting reply to Pakistan that it is still feeling the pain, he said. Gandhi met the victims of cross-border shelling by Pakistani troops in Poonch on Saturday.

Power flex and demands from states

Punjab’s paddy crop solution

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann demanded a cash incentive for maize cultivation to replace the water-guzzling paddy crop. “We reaffirm Punjab’s dedication to cooperative federalism and to building a Viksit Bharat by 2047 through collaboration,” he added.

PM Shri scheme in Tamil Nadu 

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday urged the Union government to disburse R2,200, crore funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) due for the state. This hefty sum, Stalin said, was earlier denied to the state.

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