Ramesh flays BJP MPs' praise of Modi, compares Parliament to North Korea's Assembly
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Congress leader and senior parliamentarian Jairam Ramesh has criticised BJP MPs for "excessively" praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Parliament, saying their actions sometimes give him the feeling that he is sitting in the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea, a totalitarian Communist country.
In an interview with PTI, Ramesh responded to questions related to India's foreign policy in the wake of attacks on Iran by the forces of the US and Israel, alleging that all matters concerning the country- -including external affairs and finance- -are handled by a single man.
The longtime Rajya Sabha MP said he sometimes felt he was "sitting in the Parliament of North Korea"- -a reference to the actions of members of the SPA when their supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, enters- -when he listened to speeches from the treasury benches in New Delhi.
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"Today, it's a one-man show. It's a one-man band. So it's the PM's foreign policy, it's the PM's budget. Everything is the PM," Ramesh said.
The AICC general secretary in-charge (Communications) said that when he sat in Parliament in the morning, he was the first to arrive and the last to leave.
The senior leader said he came, sat regularly and diligently, and remained there throughout the day.
"Sometimes I get the impression that I'm sitting in the Parliament of North Korea. I listen to the people from the BJP. Whatever be the subject, whatever the issue, 90 per cent of the speech will be praising the Prime Minister. Nothing to do with the subject, nothing to do with the bill. They will be praising the Prime Minister."
"When the Prime Minister enters, slogans, you know, table thumping, sloganeering, 'Modi, Modi, Modi.' This is the Parliament of India," Ramesh alleged.
He said even at moments of national triumph, such scenes were rare.
Referring to the 1971 war with Pakistan, he said then prime minister Indira Gandhi may have received an enthusiastic response on December 16, 1971, when Pakistan surrendered, and when the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee called her "Durga".
"Maybe that day everybody would have cheered her. But this one, every time he walks in... Modi bhajanam," he said.
"This has never happened. When Mr Nehru walked in, nobody said, ‘Nehru, Nehru, Nehru," Ramesh said, launching a broader attack on the foreign policy of Prime Minister Modi, particularly in the context of developments in West Asia.
"It is very clear that the Modi government is totally allied with Israel. It is afraid of (US President Donald) Trump. It has embraced Israel. It is very unfortunate," he said.
Referring to the 2023 attacks by Hamas in Israel, Ramesh said: "What happened on October 7, 2023, was absolutely unacceptable. No question about it."
However, he added, "What Israel has done subsequently, and what the US has supported along with Israel to do in Gaza and in Iran, that also is equally unacceptable."
He accused the government of abandoning India's traditional position.
"We recognised the State of Palestine on November 18, 1988. We were amongst the first countries in the world. And look at what we are doing now. In this regard, India has demonstrated moral cowardice," he said.
On India's economic exposure to the Middle East region, Ramesh noted the scale of migration and remittances.
"The total number of Indians working in the region is almost 10 million. We get about 40 or 50 billion dollars in terms of remittances every year. Kerala's economy is heavily, absolutely dependent," he said, stressing that "the security and safety of Indian citizens is absolutely important."
Ramesh alleged that India's independent foreign policy was now "a thing of the past".
"It's not foreign policy, it's not diplomacy. I call it huggomacy. Hug everybody and show that you're personal friends," he said, taking a dig at PM Modi.
He alleged that key announcements were being made from Washington rather than New Delhi.
"The first announcement that Operation Sindoor was going to be halted came from Washington. The first announcement of the trade deal came from Washington. The first announcement of stopping Russian oil came from Washington. Why can’t we take our people into confidence," he asked.
Responding to suggestions that the Congress position amounted to a Leftist stance, he said: "It's not a left position. This is the nationalist position. We are taking a nationalist position."
He cited India's stand during the 1971 Bangladesh crisis.
"Look at 1971, the American position on Bangladesh, how they tried to make life impossible for Indira Gandhi and how she stood up to Richard Nixon," he said.
Ramesh said that India's strategic autonomy must be preserved.
"Nobody can dictate to us what our relationship with Russia will be," he said, referring to longstanding defence and energy ties.
He alleged India's standing had declined.
"In my view, our standing has come down dramatically," he said, alleging that foreign policy was increasingly being used for domestic political polarisation.
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IPL final shifted for bigger stadium, not ticket issue: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday rubbished allegations that the IPL final venue was shifted from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad due to the distribution of tickets to MLAs.
Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said the reason for the shift could be the availability of a larger stadium in Ahmedabad.
“Ahmedabad has a large stadium and can accommodate more spectators. That must be the reason the IPL final was shifted there. There is no connection between ticket distribution to MLAs and the venue change,” he said.
When asked about reports linking the venue shift to MLAs demanding tickets, he quipped, “In some places, 50 per cent of tickets are reserved.”
When reporters said the BCCI had indicated that the decision was linked to ticket issues, he responded, “Let them make such statements. I will respond appropriately.”
Bengaluru was originally expected to host the final as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru were the defending champions.
Ahmedabad will host the IPL final for a second successive season on May 31, the BCCI announced earlier in the day, while allotting Qualifier 1 to Dharamsala and two other playoff games to New Chandigarh.
The board, however, said the final venue was shifted “owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols.”
Shivakumar declined to comment on the revocation of the suspension of Muslim leaders in Davanagere, saying it was a party decision.
Regarding the removal of MLC Naseer Ahmed as CM Siddaramaiah’s political secretary, he said the chief minister had already spoken on the matter.
“The CM has his own information. Party office-bearers have provided guidance. He was given certain responsibilities, which he did not handle properly, which is why he was removed,” Shivakumar said.
On MLC Abdul Jabbar, who resigned as the state Congress minority cell chief and was later expelled from the party, he said Jabbar had submitted his resignation, which the party accepted.
The Congress in Karnataka faced internal dissent in April when several Muslim leaders objected to the party fielding Samarth Shamanur as its candidate for the recently held Davanagere South Assembly bypoll.
They demanded that a Muslim candidate be fielded, citing the constituency’s substantial Muslim population. The party subsequently took disciplinary action against three leaders, including Jabbar and MLC Ahmed.
When asked about his and the CM’s visit to Delhi, he said, “We will go when the high command calls us. It is not appropriate to go without being called.”
On Congress supporting TVK in Tamil Nadu, Shivakumar said the decision was taken to keep the "BJP out of power and strengthen secular forces." Elections to the 234 Assembly constituencies were held on April 23, and the results were announced on May 4.
The Congress party, a long-time ally of the DMK, announced its support for TVK to form a government in Tamil Nadu and severed ties with the Dravidian major.
The incumbent DMK was trounced by the fledgling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, led by Vijay, who secured 108 seats. “Despite pressure from the AIADMK and BJP, TVK did not align with them. Our party has taken this decision in the interest of secular forces and the welfare of Tamil Nadu,” Shivakumar said.
