Kharge slams 11 years of Modi-led NDA govt, accuses PM of committing 33 mistakes
Kalaburagi (PTI): Slamming 11 years of Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday accused the Prime Minister of committing 33 mistakes during this period.
He claimed that he had never seen a PM who lies so much and "traps" people and deceives the youth.
"It has been 11 years and 33 mistakes have been committed. You are aware and I have been saying it in parliament too -- I have never seen a Prime Minister who lies so much, who commits so many mistakes, who traps people, who deceives youth, who traps the poor and gets votes. I have been in power for 55 years, and in politics for 65 years. There has been no one like him," Kharge said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the PM lies for everything and does not implement anything that he says, and when questioned he does not have any answers for it.
"Whether it is demonetisation or employment generation or MSP, there are many such things. He has never admitted that he has lied to people and has committed a mistake, and never apologised for it. He keeps on saying things one after the other and it has been 11 years now," he added.
Prime Minister Modi took oath for a third term on June 9, 2024. The Modi government marked its first anniversary in the third term and 11th overall on Monday.
Kharge also said that he has written a letter to PM Modi stating that, in accordance with the Constitution, a Deputy Speaker should be appointed for the Lok Sabha, and that the government has to function in accordance with the Constitution.
"Modi says democracy, democracy. No Prime Minister after independence has kept the Deputy Speaker post vacant, but during both his tenures (as PM), now the third period is going on, the post had been kept vacant," he said.
Noting that there is a provision in the Constitution about the election of Deputy Speaker, Kharge said when UPA government was there, a leader from the opposition was made the Deputy Speaker and this had been done earlier too.
"Modi's act is illegal, undemocratic, and he doesn't even want to give the post of Deputy Speaker to the opposition. It shows he has no faith in democracy," he added.
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Canada, US to launch formal talks to review their free trade agreement in mid-January
Toronto (AP): Canada and the US will launch formal discussions to the review their free trade agreement in mid-January, the office of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said.
The prime minister confirmed to provincial leaders that Dominic LeBlanc, the country's point person for US-Canada trade relations, “will meet with US counterparts in mid-January to launch formal discussions," Carney's office said in a statement late Thursday.
The United States-Mexico-Canada trade pact, or USMCA, is up for review in 2026. US President Donald Trump negotiated the deal in his first term and included a clause to possibly renegotiate the deal in 2026.
Carney met with the leaders of Canada's provinces on Thursday to give them an update on trade talks with the US.
Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and more than 75 per cent of Canada's exports go to the country's southern neighbour. But most exports to the US are currently exempted by USMCA.
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Trump cut off trade talks to reduce tariffs on certain sectors with Carney in October after the Ontario provincial government ran an anti-tariff advertisement in the US. That followed a spring of acrimony, since abated, over Trump's insistence that Canada should become the 51st US state.
Carney said earlier Thursday that Canada and the US were close to an agreement at the time on sectoral tariff relief in multiple areas, including steel and aluminum. Tariffs are taking a toll on certain sectors of Canada's economy, particularly aluminum, steel, auto and lumber.
Carney also said trade irritants flagged this week by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are elements of a “much bigger discussion” about continental trade. Greer said a coming review of the Canada-US-Mexico trade deal will hinge on resolving US concerns about Canadian policies on dairy products, alcohol and digital services.
Carney and the provincial premiers agreed to meet in person in Ottawa early in the new year.
Canada is the top export destination for 36 US states. Nearly USD 3.6 billion Canadian (USD 2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day.
About 60 per cent of US crude oil imports are from Canada, as are 85 per cent of US electricity imports.
Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the US and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security.
Carney said US access to Canada's critical ministers is not a certainty.
“It's a potential opportunity for the United States, but it's not an assured opportunity for the United States. It's part of a bigger discussion in terms of our trading relationship, because we have other partners around the world, in Europe for example, who are very interested in participating,” Carney said earlier Thursday.
