Modi's farmers rally an epic flop, his speech full of white lies: Congress
New Delhi, July 11: Claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's farmers' rally in Punjab's Malout was an "epic flop", the Congress on Wednesday termed him the "emperor of lies and king of rhetoric" as his speech was "laced with white lies".
The party also said the stark reality is that Modi government has betrayed the farmers in last four years on the solemn promise of Cost+50 per cent profit to them, and it will raise the issue of farmers in the monsoon session of Parliament.
Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said: "It is time Modiji faced the stark reality... the poor response of the farmers to his speech today (Wednesday) is a clear indicator of Modi losing grip on the narrative."
"Modi's first farmer rally in Punjab after announcing 'jumla' of MSP was an epic flop. There were no farmers in the rally, neither the rented crowd, nor their own BJP workers were impressed by his speech laced with white lies," she said.
Terming Modi the "emperor of lies and king of rhetoric," whose "lies are becoming popular across the world", she said: "Modi in his speech came up with a whole set of lies and jumlas to mislead the farmers and the nation. He came up with cost price which varies with the Commission of Agricultural Cost and Prices (CACP) 2018-19 report."
"If you take into account the CACP data, the promise of MSP+50 per cent is far from the truth. With the increase in cost factoring in the current inflation the MSP announced is C2+15 per cent for paddy, C2+20 per cent for Ragi and C2+19 per cent on Moong etc.
"This is confirmed by agriculture scientist M. S. Swaminathan himself, who has drafted the Swaminathan report on the basis of which Modi made huge promises to the farmers of Cost+50 per cent profit," she added.
Countering Modi's claims, the Congress said he claimed that soil health cards were issued by his government, though the programme was started in 2009 under UPA and 5 crore cards were distributed by 2012 itself.
It also said that while Modi said that 9,000 soil examination centres have been approved by his government against 40-50 soil testing labs by the Congress, it said that the UPA established 1,141 soil testing labs.
Also noting neem-coated urea was an initiative of UPA in 2011, it asked him why he did not mention the PM's crop insurance scheme.
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NIA court to complete framing of charges against 2010 hand-chopping case accused on May 15
Kochi (PTI): A special court here will complete proceedings for framing charges against the prime accused in the 2010 hand-chopping case involving professor T J Joseph, in which PFI activists were accused of attacking him at Muvattupuzha.
Ernakulam Special Court for NIA cases judge P K Mohandas, on April 30, heard the arguments of counsel for accused Savad and Shafeer C and decided to proceed with framing charges against the duo.
A group chopped off Thodupuzha Newman College professor Joseph's right hand in July 2010, accusing him of religious blasphemy in a question paper he had prepared.
The case, later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), resulted in the conviction of 19 accused.
The first accused, Savad, who allegedly chopped off Joseph’s palm, was arrested in Berram in Mattannur, Kannur, in January 2024, where he had allegedly been hiding under the pseudonym Shajahan.
The NIA also arrested Shafeer, who allegedly arranged shelter and provided logistical support to Savad at Chakkad and Mattannur in Kannur since 2020.
On April 30, the court heard the counsel for the accused and the NIA prosecutor on framing charges against the duo.
"On going through the documents and evidence in the case and on hearing the counsel for the accused and the prosecutor, I am of the opinion that there are grounds for presuming that the first accused has committed offences punishable under provisions of the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and that the second accused has committed offences punishable under the IPC and the UAPA, and there are materials for framing charges under these provisions against the accused," the court said.
The court directed that Savad be produced and Shafeer, who is on bail, appear before it on May 15 for recording their pleas as part of the charge-framing process.
After framing the charges, the court will schedule the trial in the case.
