No one can shake government: CM Kumaraswamy
‘Action against babus who fail to follow orders’
Mysuru, September 11: Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said that as the coalition government was stable and strong, no one could able to shake it.
Inaugurating the cultural forum of the Maharani Women’s Arts College here on Tuesday, the CM said that the news that the coalition government was shaking was the creation of media. Media have been publishing false news by listening to some people. Only he knew how strong the government was. Don’t create confusion among people by publishing fake news. No one could able to shake the Congress-JDS coalition government in the state, he said.
“Chief Minister position may go. Power is not eternal. But what we do is more important. I am committed to work for the overall development of the state. Your reports would cause lethargic attitude among officials. Thinking that the government will not survive for long time, the officials will not listen to the words of the ministers and MLAs. So, media should not allow this development to happen”, he said.
The news that ten MLAs from Congress would go to BJP and they were in Hyderabad was just a fake news. You people write that the coalition government will collapse during Gowri Ganesh festival by listening to the words of some vested interests. Later, you say by Gandhi Jayanti and Dasara. Don’t create confusion among people for somebody’s political gains, he told media people.
No link between development and loan waiver
“The reports that I have waived off the farmers loans in the development funds are not true. A sum of Rs 2.18 lakh crore was earmarked in the budget for the development works in different departments. I have not waived off the farmers loans from this amount. I have been using the tax amount for loan waiver. Every month the government has been repaying the amount for cooperative department. For nationalized banks, the government has asked four installments. Some people have been doing politics in that too. The loans of the nationalized banks will be cleared well in advance”, he said.
Strict measure to check leakage of tax money
The Chief Minister said that the government would take stringent measures to check the leakage of tax money and collect the due tax amount.
Action against officials who ignore government orders
The Chief Minister warned the officials of taking strict action against them if they ignore the government orders or directions and against those who neglect in implementing the government directions effectively. If the officials neglect development works because of the media reports that the government would collapse at any time, he would take stringent action against them. The government was safe and strong. There was no threat to it. He has been observing all the 30 districts and act against the officials who fail to discharge their duties efficiently, he warned.
“Only the officials who work honestly and efficiently will get protection. No casteism and relationship. Only development is important for me. Officials have to follow the new programmes to be taken up in the interests of the state. So, if the officials neglect the development works, they will have to face the music”, the CM said.
Chamarajnagar MLA L Nagendra presided over the programme, in which Higher Education and Mysuru district minister GT Deve Gowda, Tourism Minister SR Mahesh, MLC Marithibbe Gowda, ZP president Nayima Sultana Nazeer Ahmed, principal Prof CH Prakash, lecturers Prof HM Basavaraj, Dr Vijayalakshmi, Dr Vijay and others were present.
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India proposes preferential trade agreement with Mexico to deal with high tariffs
New Delhi (PTI): India has proposed a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Mexico to help domestic exporters deal with the steep tariffs announced by the South American country, a top government official said on Monday.
Mexico has decided to impose steep import tariffs - ranging from about 5 per cent to as high as 50 per cent on a wide range of goods (about 1,463 tariff lines) from countries that do not have free trade agreements with Mexico, including India, China, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that India has engaged with the country on the issue.
"Technical level talks are on...The only fast way forward is to try to get a preferential trade agreement (PTA) because an FTA (free trade agreement) will take a lot of time. So we are trying to see what can be a good way forward," he told reporters here.
While in an FTA two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on maximum number of goods traded between them, in a PTA, duties are cut or removed on a limited number of products.
Trading partners of Mexico cannot file a compliant against the decision on imposing high tariffs as they are WTO (World Trade Organisation) compatible.
The duties are within their bound rates, he said, adding that their primary target was not India.
"We have proposed a PTA because its a WTO-compatible way forward... we can do a PTA and try to get concessions that are required for Indian supply chains and similarly offer them concessions where they have export interests in India," Agrawal said.
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Citing support for local production and correction of trade imbalances, Mexico has approved an increase in MFN (most favoured nation) import tariffs (5-50 per cent) with effect from January 1, 2026 on 1,455 tariff lines (or product categories) within the WTO framework, targeting non-FTA partners.
Preliminary estimates suggest that this affects India's around USD 2 billion exports to Mexico particularly -- automobile, two-wheelers, auto parts, textiles, iron and steel, plastics, leather and footwear.
The measure is also aimed at curbing Chinese imports.
India-Mexico merchandise trade totalled USD 8.74 billion in 2024, with exports USD 5.73 billion, imports USD 3.01 billion, and a trade surplus of USD 2.72 billion.
The government has been continuously and comprehensively assessing Mexico's tariff revisions since the issue emerged, engaging stakeholders, safeguarding the interests of Indian exporters, and pursuing constructive dialogue to ensure a stable trade environment benefiting businesses and consumers in both countries.
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Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai has said that Mexico's decision is a matter of concern, particularly for sectors like automobiles and auto components, machinery, electrical and electronics, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and plastics.
"Such steep duties will erode our competitiveness and risk, disrupting supply chains that have taken years to develop," Sahai said, adding that this development also underlines the little urgency for India and Mexico to fast-track a comprehensive trade agreement.
Domestic auto component manufacturers will face enhanced cost pressures with Mexico hiking duties on Indian imports, according to industry body ACMA.
