Haryana polls: Kharge targets PM Modi, says promises made by BJP never fulfilled
Chandigarh (PTI): Launching a scathing attack on the BJP for failing to fulfil the promises made to people, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an expert in telling lies.
"It is Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri's birth anniversaries today. Mahatma Gandhi taught us truth and non-violence. I don't want to say this, but those in power how much truth and how much lies they speak," said Kharge addressing a poll rally at Badhra in Charkhi Dadri.
"Modi ji toh bharosa todne walo ka bhi sardar hai (Modi is the leader of those who break trust.) His numerous lies, promises, you know about it," he added in the presence of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik.
Kharge said Prime Minister Modi made so many promises during the past ten years "that there is no limit" to it.
"Before polls, he said after he is elected, he will put Rs 15 lakh in everyone's pocket," he said.
The person, who is the prime minister for ten years, can he speak a lie. Did former prime ministers Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi say such thing, no one did, he said.
"He (PM Modi) said the Congress people had stashed their black money in foreign shores and he (Modi) will bring it back and put Rs 15 lakh in everyone's pocket," he added.
Kharge said Prime Minister Modi "promised 2 crore jobs to youth each year".
"Where did those 20 crore jobs go which they had to give in ten years?" he asked.
The Congress president said the BJP is saying now during the polls in Haryana that they will give five lakh jobs, whereas they did not fill the over 1.60 lakh vacant posts.
Those in power are speaking such lies, Kharge said.
"Manohar Lal Khattar was the chief minister for nine-and-a-half years, but he was changed. He was changed because that engine failed. Had their work been proper, had they kept their promises, what was the need to change. The fact that they changed him means they have not been able to fulfill the promises they made to people," he added.
The Congress president said the people still remember the works done during Bhupinder Singh Hooda's time, adding his party does what it says.
"That is why I keep saying this repeatedly that BJP is 'jhoothon ki sardar' and Modi is expert in telling lies. He is not afraid," he alleged.
Kharge said the Congress leaders, who became the prime ministers always fought for their country.
What was the slogan given by Lal Bahadur Shastri, it was "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan", he said.
"They dont know about jawans, nor kisans, they only know the RSS' agenda. What else they know. No one is farmer in the RSS or BJP. This is why they don't understand the pain of the farmers," he said.
Haryana goes to polls on October 5 and the results will be declared on October 8.
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Consumer Affairs Minister slams air purifier firms for false claims ahead of pollution season
New Delhi, Oct 14: Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday criticised air purifier manufacturers for making false claims about their products, and called for increased consumer awareness ahead of winter when air pollution worsens in Delhi due to crop stubble burning in neighbouring states.
Addressing an event commemorating World Standards Day, Joshi expressed concern over misleading marketing tactics adopted by some air purifier companies.
"Discussion on air pollution has begun. Looking at Air Quality Index (AQI) on mobiles, people out of fear, go and buy air purifiers. Air purifiers make such false claims. ...We see air purifiers and so much is written but nothing is there in it. There is just a fan in it, yet claims are still made," the minister stated.
Joshi called for a collaborative approach involving the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the consumer affairs ministry and consumers to address the issue.
While praising the BIS for their "exceptionally wonderful job" in recent years, the minister emphasized that more needs to be done.
"I do not blame BIS for this. BIS in the last few years has done an exceptionally wonderful job. But both BIS and the consumer affairs ministry and consumers together need to create awareness. It is important, and I strongly feel (this way)," the minister said stressing the collective responsibility in combating misleading product claims.
He emphasized the government's commitment to ensuring every Indian has access to safe, reliable, and high-quality products and services.
These comments come as concerns grow about air quality in major Indian cities and expansion of the air purifier market.
Joshi also announced plans to make BIS standards mandatory for public procurement on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal. "BIS standards are partially implemented on GeM. We'll try to make it mandatory."
The minister highlighted the government's focus on quality standards, noting that Cabinet proposals now include global standard notes.
"These days, the tradition has started in the Union Cabinet. Wherever a bill to be introduced in Parliament comes before the Cabinet, the global standard note comes with it. That has been made mandatory for the Cabinet," he said.
This note mentions which countries perform best in the particular field, rules and how India can achieve it. "So, we have to match every Cabinet note with the global standards. This helps our government to make decisions to set high standards whether it is quality infrastructure or urban metro trains."
Implementation of standards at national level has been given a top priority by the government and is actively bringing more products under mandatory quality controls, he said.
He said that over 22,300 standards are currently in force, with 94 per cent harmonized with international standards. The number of Quality Control Orders has risen from 14 (covering 106 products) in 2014 to 174 (covering 732 products) now.
Also, 94 per cent of Indian Standards are harmonised with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
Joshi stressed the interdependence of consumers and producers in fostering a quality ecosystem. He urged the BIS to take on more leadership roles in international standardization and fast-track the development of new standards.
World Standards Day, observed annually on October 14, aims to raise awareness about standards and their role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
