India to become developed nation by 2047, says Basavaraj Bommai in LS
New Delhi, Aug 6: BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said India is marching ahead under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and will become a developed nation by 2047.
Participating in the discussion on the Finance Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha, Bommai also said that PM Modi commands credibility like former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri in terms of morality, leadership quality and enjoys people's confidence.
He further said that like 'Neelkanth' (another name of Lord Shiva), he braves all insults, but does only good for people.
Bommai said that but for Prime Minister Modi, the country would have been in a chaotic state economically, socially and politically.
"We are moving ahead in Amrit Kaal under the Modi government and our children will get to see a developed India by 2047," he said.
The former chief minister of Karnataka said that the biggest enemies of our country are poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy.
"There is no magic in economy... problems can't be solved in one day... We need to tackle problems in a scientific way and not do politics," Bommai said.
Participating in the debate, Abhay Kumar Sinha (RJD) said the Union Government has refrained from giving special status to Bihar despite the state being run by a "double-engine government".
"This shows how serious they are with regard to development of Bihar," Sinha said.
Shambhavi (LJP, Ram Vilas) said that Bihar is an emerging economy and the double-engine government at the Centre and the state will push growth in Bihar.
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Bharat Bandh today: Nationwide strike disrupts services as over 25 cr workers protest govt policies
New Delhi: A nationwide strike or Bharat Bandh called by ten central trade unions is underway today, with over 25 crore workers from both organised and unorganised sectors participating. The strike, which is also supported by several rural and agricultural labour organisations, is a protest against the central government’s economic and labour policies, which unions claim favour corporates at the cost of workers, farmers, and the poor.
Key demands of protesters:
► Withdrawal of the new labour codes,
► Increase in minimum wages,
► Creation of more government jobs,
► Hike in MGNREGA wages and workdays,
► A similar urban employment guarantee scheme,
► End to hiring retired officials over younger professionals in government departments.
A 17-point charter of demands has been submitted to the Union Labour Ministry, but union leaders allege no meaningful engagement has been initiated by the government so far.
Disruptions reported:
While banks, stock markets, and government offices are functioning as usual, disruptions are being reported in public transport across several states:
West Bengal: Protesters blocked railway tracks at Jadavpur railway station despite police deployment. Bus services continued amid high security, with some drivers seen wearing helmets as a safety measure.
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and parts of Delhi and Maharashtra reported sporadic disruptions in bus and train services.
Schools and colleges remain open in most places, though some institutions announced last-minute closures depending on local conditions.
Unions leading the strike:
The strike is being spearheaded by major trade unions including: INTUC, AITUC, CITU, HMS, SEWA, AIUTUC, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC, and TUCC.
The new labour laws, a major flashpoint, have drawn flak for allegedly weakening worker protections. Union leaders say the changes:
► Extend working hours,
► Restrict the right to strike,
► Undermine collective bargaining.
The unions have also criticised the trend of hiring retired officials instead of young jobseekers. With 65% of India's population under the age of 35, they argue that ignoring youth employment in sectors like Railways, steel, and education is both unjust and economically damaging.
This is not the first large-scale strike organised by the trade unions. Similar nationwide protests were held on:
November 26, 2020,
March 28–29, 2022,
February 16, 2024.
All of them focused on issues like the privatisation of PSUs, job insecurity, and the casualisation of the workforce.
