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ISLAMABAD: The president of India&#39;s main opposition party said Monday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s government withheld fuel and commodity price increases until state assembly elections concluded, as back-to-back hikes in petrol and compressed natural gas prices make the lives of average Indians increasingly difficult. <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/opposition-leader-terms-modis-address-travesty-of-democracy-indian-constitution" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mallikarjun Kharge</a>, the President of the Indian National Congress party and Leader of the Opposition in the Indian parliament&#39;s upper house, said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party had concealed the state of the economy from voters ahead of the polls.&nbsp; &quot;The Modi government kept everything hidden from the country until the elections, but once the elections were over, prices of everything increased,&quot; Kharge said in a post on X. State-run fuel retailers raised petrol and diesel prices by ₹3 per liter on Friday, citing surging global crude costs driven by the ongoing war in the Middle East. A second hike in compressed natural gas prices followed on Sunday, the second such increase in a single week, according to the Press Trust of India. &quot;If Modi had raised the prices of petrol, diesel, and other commodities before the elections, he would have suffered significant losses,&quot; Kharge said. &quot;The BJP government and Modi lack foresight.&quot; India imports over 80% of its crude oil, leaving it heavily exposed to supply disruptions in the Middle East. Wholesale inflation rose to 8.3%, a three-and-a-half-year high. It was driven by imported oil and metals costs. Meanwhile, retail inflation climbed to 3.4% in March, up from 3.2% in February, according to Consumer Price Index data. The Reserve Bank of India projected average retail inflation at 4.6% for the current fiscal year, above its 4% target. The IMF put the figure higher, forecasting consumer prices to rise 4.7% in 2026. Economic growth has slowed. The World Bank&#39;s April 2026 India Development Update cut its GDP growth forecast to 6.6% for FY27, down from an earlier projection of 7.2%, citing high energy prices and supply chain disruptions tied to the Middle East conflict. The IMF revised its own 2026 growth forecast to 6.5%. Cooking gas prices on the black market, the only source accessible to millions of domestic migrant workers without formal documentation, increased up to five times their pre-crisis levels, from ₹80 ($0.83) to ₹90 ($0.93) per kilogram to as high as ₹500 ($5.19), according to AFP. India has more than 450 million internal migrants, per government estimates, many of whom told AFP they were preparing to leave cities and return to their home states. &quot;Inflation is continuously rising due to the BJP government,&quot; Kharge said. &quot;The poor in the country are not even able to get the essential goods they deserve.&quot;

Mallikarjun Kharge, President of the Indian National Congress, criticized the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi over rising fuel and commodity prices, saying increases were delayed until after elections and citing concerns about the economic 

India

Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge says the ruling party concealed economic pressures before state polls; 'once the elections were over, prices of everything increased.'

Indian opposition says Modi govt delayed fuel price hikes until after elections

ISLAMABAD: Last week, a state government in southern India quietly lifted a ban that had spent four years doing what its architects intended: keeping Muslim girls out of school. The ban was on the hijab. It was imposed in 2022 in Karnataka, a state of 67 million people, by the Bharatiya Janata Party. The BJP is India&#39;s governing Hindu nationalist party, in power nationally since 2014 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It lost Karnataka in 2023 state elections. The party that replaced it, the Indian National Congress, revoked the ban on May 13. Schools may now permit headscarves, Sikh turbans, and Hindu sacred threads alongside uniforms, as reported by The Hindu. The mechanics of the original ban reveal how deliberately it was constructed. In late 2021, Muslim women students at a government college were suddenly barred from classrooms for wearing headscarves. The practice had been accepted for years without incident, per the IIUM Law Journal. Groups of Hindu nationalist students then showed up in saffron-colored scarves. Saffron is the symbolic color of BJP-aligned nationalism in India. The government did not act against those students, it acted against the Muslim girls. The order it issued described the headscarf as a threat to &quot;equality and public order,&quot; as reported by Muslim News UK. Legal scholars writing in the International Journal of Law in Context called it what it was: indirect discrimination, dressed in the language of neutral policy. The girls paid the price. Many were turned away from national board examinations. Many lost full academic years. The People&#39;s Union for Civil Liberties, an Indian civil rights organization, documented the damage in detail. Then came February 10, 2022, and a moment that traveled around the world. A 19-year-old student named Muskan Khan arrived at her college to submit an assignment. A crowd of men in saffron scarves surrounded her. They followed her across campus, chanting political slogans. She did not run. She turned and chanted back, alone, until staff pulled her to safety, per the Times of India. CNN called her &quot;a symbol of resistance.&quot; Within days, fabricated social media posts were circulating that falsely linked her to the Taliban, according to fact-checkers at The Quint. The message to Muslim women was clear: visibility itself is a provocation. That message has been delivered consistently. Amnesty International documented the headscarf ban as one piece of a larger campaign against India&#39;s roughly 200 million Muslims under BJP governance, alongside the demolition of Muslim-owned homes, laws criminalizing marriages between Muslims and Hindus, and organized boycotts of Muslim market traders, per Amnesty&#39;s Human Rights Charter for India. United Nations human rights experts formally warned India in June 2022 that the ban violated its obligations under international law, per an OHCHR communication. India&#39;s Supreme Court took up the case and split without a resolution in October 2022, per MUNA Bulletin. The constitutional question remains open. The Congress party reversed the ban. It also banned saffron scarves from classrooms, calling them tools of intimidation rather than religious expression, per the Times of India. The BJP called this &ldquo;Muslim appeasement&rdquo;. A federal minister claimed, without evidence, that the decision would lead to &lsquo;Islamic law&rsquo; in Karnataka, as reported by Hindustan Times. Human Rights Watch had already described BJP policies of this kind as systematic discrimination against religious minorities, in a formal submission to the United Nations. The headscarf ban is over in Karnataka. The political infrastructure that built it remains intact nationally. For Muslim women in India, the battleground may have shifted, but it certainly has not disappeared.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and religious activists protest near the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh office in Kolkata on December 22, 2025  (AFP)

India's Hindu nationalist government has spent years using Muslim women's clothing, marriages, and livelihoods as instruments of political exclusion, drawing repeated condemnation from the United Nations and global rights organizations.

Indian Congress overturns discriminatory hijab ban imposed by Modi-led BJP previously

ISLAMABAD: A high-level panel led by Indian PM Modi met to select the next director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), but the process drew sharp criticism from the opposition, according to The Hindu on Tuesday. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who is part of the selection committee, reportedly described the meeting as a &ldquo;mockery&rdquo; of the process and submitted a formal dissent note. The committee, which also includes the Chief Justice of India or a nominee, is meant to ensure transparency and bipartisan consultation in the appointment of the head of India&rsquo;s premier investigative agency. However, Gandhi objected to the way the meeting was conducted, saying the discussion lasted only a few minutes and did not allow for meaningful deliberation. He also questioned the shortlist of candidates, arguing that the process appeared predetermined rather than consultative. Gandhi complained that despite repeated written requests, he was not provided with the self-appraisal reports or 360-degree reports of the eligible candidates.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2054240346893385872&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=8de341bf7e2a56d8b239a5841a00bad3ebaa3e61&theme=light&widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Accusations of &#39;institutional capture&#39;The criticism has reignited allegations of the opposition that the BJP-led government is tightening its control over key institutions. Opposition parties have repeatedly accused the government of &ldquo;institutional capture,&rdquo; claiming that agencies like the CBI are being influenced to serve political interests. They argue that central investigative bodies are increasingly used to target opposition leaders while cases involving ruling party figures are handled differently. The BJP has consistently rejected such accusations, maintaining that agencies operate independently and that investigations are based on evidence. The selection of the CBI director is particularly sensitive because the agency handles major corruption cases and politically high-profile investigations. Process lacks transparency, says criticsConcerns over the appointment process have raised broader questions about the credibility and autonomy of institutions tasked with upholding the rule of law. Critics say that if the selection process lacks transparency, it risks undermining public trust in the agency&rsquo;s impartiality. The meeting comes at a time when the role of central agencies in India has been under intense scrutiny from both political actors and civil society. The current CBI director, Praveen Sood, who was already serving on an extension, was given another one-year extension amid the political row.

Rahul Gandhi criticizes selection process, terming it a “mockery” and accusing the government of weakening transparency amid opposition concerns over institutional capture and political targeting by central agencies.

Indian opposition leader calls CBI chief selection a ‘mockery’

ISLAMABAD: In a sharp political reaction, Indian Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misusing an official national address for partisan attacks, calling it &ldquo;a travesty of Democracy and the Constitution of India.&rdquo; In a strongly worded statement shared on X on Saturday, Kharge alleged that the prime minister&rsquo;s speech&nbsp;disproportionately criticized the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/rahul-gandhi-modi-compromised-by-epstein-files-sold-india-out" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Congress</a> while neglecting key issues such as women&rsquo;s representation,&nbsp;and claimed it violated the Model Code of Conduct already in force.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2045543427056836836&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=322607743007a53857a0c77384a7dda48fb42d1e&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 345px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> &ldquo;A desperate and frustrated PM&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/bjp-accused-of-reshaping-indias-political-system-to-retain-power" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">@narendramodi</a>&nbsp;with nothing meaningful to show for the last 12 years, turned an official address to the nation, into a political speech, full of mudslinging, and outright LIES.&rdquo;&nbsp;&lsquo;Travesty of Democracy&rsquo;&nbsp;The Congress president, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said, &ldquo;The Model Code of Conduct is already in place and it was very clear how PM Modi misused official machinery to attack his opponents. This is a travesty of Democracy and the Constitution of India.&rdquo; Criticizing the Indian prime minister, he said, &ldquo;Modi ji mentioned Congress 59 times and women barely few times. That tells the country everything about his priorities. Women are not the BJP&rsquo;s priority. Congress is, because Congress stands on the right side of history.&rdquo; Taking the prime minister to task for the ruling BJP&rsquo;s poor record on women&#39;s rights, the opposition leader said, &ldquo;Congress has always supported women&rsquo;s reservation. We were the party that passed the Women&rsquo;s Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha in 2010 so that it would not lapse. The BJP could not get that Bill passed in the Lok Sabha. They brought another Bill in 2023 and the Congress Party supported that too. That Bill still exists. In fact, it was notified on 16th April, while the Lok Sabha was discussing these delimitation Constitutional Amendment Bills. This was done by the same Prime Minister. The fact that it took the BJP 3 years to notify their own bill, shows their commitment to India&rsquo;s Naari Shakti!&rdquo;&nbsp;&lsquo;STOP lying to the nation&rsquo;He said, &ldquo;Modi ji should STOP lying to the nation.&rdquo; The opposition leader demanded that Modi &ldquo;implement 33% reservation for women in the existing 543 Lok Sabha seats under the 2023 law.&rdquo; &ldquo;Stop mixing up the delimitation bills, i.e, the 3 Constitution Amendment Bills &nbsp;with the Women&rsquo;s Reservation Bill. Stop lying to the nation that this was an amendment to the Women&rsquo;s Reservation Bill &mdash; the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. It was NOT. This was purely a delimitation Bill, brought in to create further division and redraw the electoral map in a manner that can only benefit the BJP,&rdquo; Kharge demanded.&nbsp;&lsquo;Apologise to 140 Crore Indians&rsquo;&nbsp;Kharge&nbsp;demanded PM Modi to &ldquo;Apologise to 140 Crore Indians.&rdquo; &ldquo;Congress has always been pro-reform. Congress transformed Indian agriculture through the Green Revolution, strengthened dairy development through the White Revolution, created our Space sector, made India a Nuclear power, Liberalised the economy in 1991, 60 Crore ADHAAR cards were distributed before Modi ji took office. Congress passed RTI, RTE, Food Security Act, MGNREGA - which Modi ji repealed,&rdquo; he lamented.&nbsp;Garlanding rapists &nbsp;The Congress president said, &ldquo;The BJP has been anti-women in both action and attitude. They have no answers for Hathras. They have no answers for Unnao. They have no answers for the treatment of Haryana&rsquo;s women wrestlers. They have shielded rapists within their own party. They released the rapists in the Bilkis Bano case.&rdquo; &ldquo;They have garlanded criminals and rapists. The NCRB data itself shows that crimes against women are highest in BJP-ruled states,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;&lsquo;Nothing to offer&rsquo;&nbsp;Kharge said, &ldquo;After 12 and a half years in power, in the middle of an international crisis, high inflation, a deteriorating economy, sliding Rupee, and deep public distress, the Prime Minister had nothing to offer the nation except a political speech.&rdquo; &ldquo;Even with the Model Code of Conduct in place, he chose to blame the Opposition, especially Congress, for his own failures, his own betrayal, and his own apathy.&rdquo; The opposition leader accused the Indian prime minister of dividing the nation. &ldquo;BJP-RSS divides the nation. RSS supported the British against Indians and wrote mercy petitions to them. Every Indian knows that Modi Jis political masters &mdash; RSS are against WOMEN. They believe in Manusmiti, which encourages DIVISION, and NOT the Constitution of India,&rdquo; he said in his social media post.

Says, ‘a desperate and frustrated PM @narendramodi with nothing meaningful to show for the last 12 years, turned an official address to the nation, into a political speech, full of mudslinging, and outright LIES.’

Opposition leader terms Modi’s address 'travesty of democracy, Indian Constitution' 

ISLAMABAD: Indian opposition has slammed the Gujarat Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government for the parental consent requirement under a newly proposed law. In a post on X on Saturday, Dr Shama Mohamed, spokesperson for the Indian National Congress, criticized the newly proposed law by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/rahul-gandhi-attacks-modi-after-us-court-strikes-down-trump-tariffs" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gujarat BJP government</a>.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2025091746473148916&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=501441cf5ec9b557fe3d6ccfec1976b01d8f3462&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 417px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>She highlighted that under the proposed amendment to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/govt-is-feeding-people-poisonous-water-indian-opposition-leader" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gujarat Registration of Marriages Act</a>, even adults seeking to marry would require parental consent. Dr Mohamed questioned the constitutionality of such a measure, noting that while India is focusing on technological advancements such as AI, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-can-never-defeat-pakistan-says-indian-journalist" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">BJP&rsquo;s</a>&nbsp;actions were taking society backward.&nbsp; She further criticized the BJP for raising the issue of &ldquo;Love Jihad&rdquo; to divert attention from its inefficiencies, despite being in power in Gujarat for over 30 years. The Gujarat government&rsquo;s proposal, as reported by Indian media, introduces a significant overhaul to the state&rsquo;s marriage registration process.&nbsp; Announced by Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, the amendment mandates a multi-step verification system for marriage registrations.&nbsp;&nbsp;&lsquo;Parental Declaration&rsquo;One of the most controversial features of this change is the &quot;Parental Declaration&quot; clause, requiring both the bride and groom to declare whether their parents are aware of the marriage.&nbsp; This declaration will trigger a mandatory notification to the parents within 10 working days, using the contact details provided by the couple.&nbsp; Furthermore, the proposed rules stipulate a 30-day waiting period before the final marriage certificate is issued.&nbsp; During this time, all relevant marriage data, including photographs and witness details, will be uploaded to a state-run online portal.&nbsp; The government insists the changes are based on feedback from various community groups, though the proposal is currently open for public feedback, with concerns about privacy and the potential discomfort of mandatory parental notifications still being debated, according to the Indian media report.

Indian opposition spokesperson says, 'How is this even constitutional? On one hand, we talk about AI and development, while on the other, the BJP is forcing society to regress decades backward.'

  Indian opposition slams proposed Gujarat marriage law for parental consent requirement

ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has stepped up his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the US Supreme Court struck down global tariffs imposed by former US President Donald Trump, triggering a fresh political row over India&rsquo;s interim trade understanding with Washington.&nbsp;In a post on X, Gandhi accused the prime minister of compromising India&rsquo;s national interest. &ldquo;PM Modi&rsquo;s betrayal now stands exposed,&rdquo; he wrote, adding that the premier &ldquo;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/congress-criticizes-modi-over-us-tariff-conditionality-on-russian-oil" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">can&rsquo;t renegotiate</a>&rdquo; and would &ldquo;surrender again.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 320px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2025074652406841686&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=ceba81b994fe79e6c41b6814b5f454752c7bc856&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>The remarks followed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-vows-10-global-tariff-after-stinging-court-rebuke" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">6-3 ruling by the US Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;that the Trump administration had exceeded its authority by invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977 to impose sweeping import tariffs.&nbsp;The court held that the law did not permit such broad trade measures.&nbsp;Reacting to the verdict, Trump called it a &ldquo;terrible decision&rdquo; and announced plans to introduce a 10%&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indian-garment-exporters-reel-under-us-tariffs" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">global tariff</a>&nbsp;under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows temporary import surcharges of up to 15% for 150 days to address balance-of-payments issues. The controversy has sparked sharp reactions from India&rsquo;s opposition. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge questioned why the Modi government had moved ahead with what he described as a &ldquo;trap deal&rdquo; before the US court&rsquo;s ruling.<iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 392px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2025088486391644220&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=ceba81b994fe79e6c41b6814b5f454752c7bc856&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe><div class="fr-embed"> </div>He alleged that the joint trade statement included major concessions, including zero tariffs on several American exports and large-scale imports of US goods. Congress leader Dr Shama Mohamed also cited remarks attributed to Trump, quoting him as saying: &ldquo;We made a deal with India, it&rsquo;s a fair deal now, we are not paying tariffs and they are paying tariffs.&rdquo;<div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 665px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2025065394600579308&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=ceba81b994fe79e6c41b6814b5f454752c7bc856&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div>In her post on X, she echoed Gandhi&rsquo;s criticism, alleging that the deal benefits the United States at India&rsquo;s expense.&nbsp;She also questioned whether the government was aware of the pending case before the US Supreme Court and suggested that the agreement may have been concluded under pressure.&nbsp;The Modi government has yet to issue a response to the opposition&rsquo;s latest allegations.

Rahul Gandhi accuses the prime minister of compromising India’s national interest; says Modi 'can’t renegotiate' and will 'surrender again.'

Indian opposition leader says 'Modi will surrender again' after US tariff ruling

ISLAMABAD: The Indian National Congress on Saturday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a recent US executive order that removed an additional 25% tariff on certain Indian imports. Congress spokesperson Dr Shama Mohamed, in a post on X, said the order, signed by US President Donald Trump, allows the United States to reimpose the tariff if India resumes importing Russian oil, directly or indirectly.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2019981308030853155&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=393ffcf903aaafb51ab8d42de17b83db68fc8b42&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 758px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2019981308030853155"></iframe></div></div>&ldquo;The executive order signed by President Trump to remove the extra 25 percent tariff imposed due to Russian oil imports states that the tariff could be reinstated if India resumes such imports,&rdquo; she wrote. Dr Mohamed accused the Prime Minister of yielding to pressure from the US president. &ldquo;PM @narendramodi has succumbed to the pressure of President Trump. Who is America to decide whether we should buy oil from Russia, a country that has been our all-season friend!&rdquo; she added. The Congress criticism refers to Section 4 of the order, which gives the US President the authority to recommend reinstating the 25% duty on Indian goods if India resumes imports of Russian oil. In a separate post, Dr Mohamed also highlighted India&rsquo;s trade balances:&nbsp;&ldquo;With our biggest trading partners UAE, Russia &amp; China, we have a trade deficit. The only major trading partner with whom we have a trade surplus is the US. After the new trade deal, even with the US we will have a trade deficit! What a fall for India&rsquo;s economy!&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-4" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-4&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2020013789857607848&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=393ffcf903aaafb51ab8d42de17b83db68fc8b42&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2020013789857607848"></iframe></div></div> <div class="fr-embed"></div>

Says PM Modi has ‘succumbed to the pressure of President Trump and compromised our sovereignty. Who is America to decide whether we should buy oil from Russia or not, a country that has been our all season friend!’

Congress criticizes Modi over US tariff conditionality on Russian oil

ISLAMABAD: Eight opposition lawmakers on Wednesday from India&rsquo;s Congress party and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) were suspended from the lower house of Parliament for &lsquo;disruptive&rsquo; conduct, Indian media reported. The lawmakers were expelled from the ongoing Budget Session of the Lok Sabha after they reportedly climbed onto desks and threw papers in protest over opposition leader Rahul Gandhi being prevented from speaking for a second day, Indian media reported. Gandhi has been trying to respond to remarks attributed to former army chief Gen M.M. Naravane about alleged Chinese aggression, mentioned in an unpublished book. In a letter to the parliament&rsquo;s speaker, Gandhi said it was unprecedented for an opposition leader to be stopped from commenting on the President&rsquo;s joint address, which opens each parliamentary year. The suspensions came a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to give his formal reply to the debate on that address. Government sources told local news outlets that Modi&rsquo;s speech would proceed as planned. The confrontation began when Gandhi attempted to authenticate a newspaper article related to Naravane&rsquo;s claims, as the Parliament&rsquo;s chair had requested. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju objected, claiming Gandhi was defying a ruling that barred discussion of the issue, media reported. Meanwhile, Presiding Officer Tenneti Krishna Prasad halted Gandhi&rsquo;s speech and called other members to speak, but several declined. Disorder followed as lawmakers shouted slogans. One member climbed on the secretary general&rsquo;s table while papers were thrown toward the chair. The session was adjourned before being briefly reconvened, when Presiding Officer Dilip Saikia announced the suspensions. Gandhi later wrote to the speaker stating there was a deliberate effort to silence him on national security issues.

A view of the lower house of the Indian Parliament, Lok Sabha, chamber. (Digital Sansad Media Gallery)

Eight opposition lawmakers were suspended after protests erupted in India’s Parliament when opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was blocked from addressing claims by a former army chief about Chinese border tensions.

Chaos in India’s Parliament as 8 opposition members suspended

ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s main opposition party, Congress, while raising the issue of several deaths due to the consumption of contaminated water in the states of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, has criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. &nbsp; Congress in a post on X shared the speech of Deputy Leader of Congress in Rajya Sabha, Pramod Tiwari, <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/delay-in-pipeline-tender-under-scanner-after-multiple-contamination-deaths-in-indian-city" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">on the issue</a> on Monday.&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 720px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2018228080138145799&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=ba324b59a8e7e0620abcbfdbbac589621ad36140&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>In his speech, Tiwari raised the issue that in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, and Indore, Madhya Pradesh, several people have died due to drinking contaminated water. &ldquo;I would like to draw your attention to a serious issue, which is related to humanity and every person in India. Gandhinagar is in Gujarat. The minister is also from Gujarat.&rdquo; He said that he wanted to ask the minister what steps the government is taking to improve the quality of groundwater.&nbsp; &ldquo;Please inform the House about this&rdquo;, he said. &ldquo;Water is extremely essential for the life of all of us, but the government is feeding people poisonous water,&rdquo; Tiwari said. &ldquo;Corruption in this department is at its peak; the government should seriously consider this,&rdquo; he said&nbsp;32 dead in Indore&nbsp;Meanwhile, Indian media reported Indore&#39;s contaminated water tragedy has claimed yet another life quietly, painfully, and after weeks of suffering. Anita Kushwah, 65, who had been battling for survival for over a month, died on Sunday night, taking the official death count to 32, the report said.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari criticizes the BJP government over contaminated water in Gandhinagar and Indore, blaming corruption; the Indore tragedy has claimed 32 lives, highlighting urgent concerns about groundwater safety and government accountability.

Indian opposition accuses BJP government of 'poisonous water' crisis

ISLAMABAD: The Indian National Congress on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Madhya Pradesh of shielding a party leader accused of assaulting a woman, following the circulation of a video allegedly showing the incident.&nbsp;In a post on X, the Congress said the incident took place in Nagod in Satna district and involved&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/opposition-slams-indias-ruling-bjp-after-attack-on-christian-pastor" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">BJP&nbsp;</a>mandal president Pulkit Tandon.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 698px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2016485157079761076&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=9c73833bd4df316d92757f2ad9eeb8579b8cea1d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2016485157079761076">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>In its post, the Congress alleged that Tandon was seen in the video chasing and brutally beating a woman, even after she fell onto a pile of rods.&nbsp; The party claimed that he continued to thrash her mercilessly and later threatened the woman and her daughter to force a quiet settlement, allegedly saying that no one could take action against him.&nbsp; Opposition demands immediate arrest&nbsp;The Congress further alleged that local residents said Tandon claimed to be a close confidant of the Chief Minister and senior ministers, and described him as a source of terror in the area.&nbsp; The opposition party demanded his immediate arrest and strict action, accusing the BJP government of being indifferent to atrocities against women, Dalits and tribals. Meanwhile, Indian media reported on Thursday that Tandon has been booked for allegedly assaulting a young woman and her mother following a late-night altercation in Satna district.&nbsp; The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday night at the warehouse of Tandon&rsquo;s trading shop. As per the complaint, the woman, who runs a beauty parlor, alleged she was called to the warehouse under the pretext of attending to a customer.&nbsp; She told <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indian-opposition-slams-police-for-discriminatory-practices-after-bareilly-birthday-party-attack" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">police </a>she received a phone call from RK Namdev, described as Tandon&rsquo;s servant, who later connected her to Tandon.&nbsp; Assault and abuse&nbsp;The woman claimed that when she reached the warehouse, she found Tandon consuming alcohol.&nbsp; She alleged that when she tried to leave, Tandon grabbed her hand, pushed her to the ground, slapped and assaulted her, while verbally abusing her. The woman&rsquo;s mother and brother intervened, and the brother&rsquo;s mobile phone was allegedly smashed when he attempted to record the incident. Both women sustained injuries and were hospitalized.&nbsp; CCTV footage of the incident later surfaced and went viral.&nbsp; Police registered an FIR under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.&nbsp; BJP has issued a notice to Tandon seeking an explanation, while police said further investigation is underway, the Indian media report said.

In a post on X, Congress shares BJP leader Pulkit Tandon’s video, purportedly chasing and brutally beating a woman, even after she fell onto a pile of rods. 

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