Cong should tell why its govts have not fulfilled OPS promise in states: BJP on 'U-turn' jibe on UPS
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Sunday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the decision to bring a unified pension scheme for central government employees and hit out at the Congress, asking why it has not implemented its promise of bringing back the old pension scheme in Himachal Pradesh and other states where it is in power.
Addressing a press conference at BJP headquarters here, senior party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad slammed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for his U-turn jibe at the Centre and said Prime Minister Modi is "sensitive" to public issues and takes decisions in public interest after careful consideration.
The Modi government does not take "ad-hoc decisions", the former Union minister said and asked Kharge to tell the nation why his party has taken a "U-turn" on its poll promise of implementing the old pension scheme in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana after coming to power in these states.
"The Congress has made the old pension scheme a massive issue in Indian politics over the last two years. So much so that the Congress made even Priyanka Gandhi Vadra announce during elections in Himachal Pradesh that the party will implement the old pension scheme in the state if voted to power," Prasad said
"Will this Congress only make announcements or implement them as well? The Congress in general and Rahul Gandhi in particular, please tell the nation did you implement the old pension scheme as promised in Himachal Pradesh," he said.
The BJP leader accused Gandhi of "bluffing" people by making false promises for votes and asked him to desist from such practice.
"We are proud of Prime Minister Modi that he listened and understood the concerns of the (central government) employees, set up a committee to look into that, and a meaningful decision was made. On behalf of the party, we greet the government, especially the prime minister for this," he added.
Prasad said the Congress had become "so weary of the palpable falsehood" of its assurance about the pension scheme that it could not muster the courage to include it in its Lok Sabha poll manifesto.
"Rahul Gandhi, what are you doing brother? How much do you bluff. Tell the truth sometimes. And when you say something, you should do it. If you can't do it then don't say it," he said.
"Rahul Gandhi, the country is not run like this. Governing India is a serious business where decisions have to be made after careful consideration. Adhocism doesn't work here," Prasad added.
Taking a dig at the government, Congress president Kharge said in a post on X, "The 'U' in UPS stands for Modi Govt's U turns! Post June 4, the power of the people has prevailed over the arrogance of power of the Prime Minister."
However, the BJP asserted that the UPS has been in the making since 2023 and it was reported by media too.
"Kharge ji, The Unified Pension Scheme has been in the making since 2023, much before June 4, 2024...," BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said in response to Kharge's post.
"You are the Congress President. Can’t come across as so clueless and ill-informed. But what the new well-thought out-pension scheme has done is reduced Congress’s room for profligate politics," he said.
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SC dismisses plea seeking to declare Agra 'heritage city'
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea seeking to declare Agra a "heritage city" and said there is nothing to show that such a declaration would give the city any special advantage.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan dismissed the application filed in a 1984 PIL on the protection and preservation of the iconic Taj Mahal and its adjoining areas.
"Nothing has been placed on record to show that there will be any special advantage to the city. Moreover, this court cannot grant any such declaration. Interlocutory application is dismissed," the bench ordered.
During the hearing, the bench asked the counsel what advantage the city would get if it was declared a heritage city and what were the provisions under the law for such a declaration.
The counsel said that Agra needed to be declared a heritage city as it has a history of over 1,000 years and several historic monuments which need to be preserved.
"Declaring Agra a heritage city would give a boost to tourism, help create employment and preserve the area," the counsel added.
Justice Oka observed that there was hardly anything smart in a city that has been declared a "smart city".
"Similarly, how does it help Agra city by declaring it a heritage city? Does Agra become cleaner by the declaration? If it does not help, then it will be an exercise in futility," the bench observed.
Justice Oka said that this court is already looking into the matter of protection and preservation of the Taj Mahal and the maintenance of the Taj Trapezium Zone (TTZ).
The TTZ is an area of about 10,400 square kilometres spread over the districts of Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Hathras and Etah in Uttar Pradesh and Bharatpur district of Rajasthan.
The apex court has been monitoring development in the area to protect the Taj Mahal.
The construction of the Taj Mahal was completed in 1643 but work continued on other phases of the project for another 10 years. The ivory-white marble mausoleum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
