GST Council Meet Begins Today; Jarange Patil Ends Fast; And More

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PM Modi Responds To Congress-RJD’s Abuses Involving His Mother

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday addressed the controversy regarding remarks targeting his late mother during Rahul Gandhi's recent "Voter Adhikar Yatra" in Darbhanga, Bihar, with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. 

Speaking at a Bihar Rajya Jeevika Nidhi event, Modi said, "Mother is our world. Mother is our self-respect. I had not even imagined what happened a few days ago in this tradition-rich Bihar. My mother was abused from the stage of RJD-Congress in Bihar... These abuses are not just an insult to my mother. These are insults to the mothers, sisters and daughters of the country."

The Prime Minister recalled his mother's role: "My mother separated me from her so that I could serve crores of mothers like you… That mother of mine, who had nothing to do with politics, who is no more, was abused from the stage of the RJD, Congress. Sisters and mothers, I can see your faces; I can only imagine the pain you must have felt."

Referring to the opposition, Modi added, "Yuvraaj, born in a royal family with golden and silver spoons, cannot understand the pain of a poor mother."

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar condemned the incident, calling the remarks "utterly deplorable."

GST Council Meet Begins Today; Arguably Most Important Meeting Yet

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council will convene its 56th meeting today and tomorrow in New Delhi. The meeting is expected to take up key recommendations from various Groups of Ministers (GoMs), including the Centre’s proposal to restructure GST into a two-rate system. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier referred to the upcoming reform as a “Deepavali gift” in his Independence Day address. 

The Finance Ministry subsequently confirmed that its proposals had been submitted to the GoM on Rate Rationalisation. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, who heads the GoM, had then said that the Centre’s proposal had been forwarded to the Council. 

However, Kerala Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal had cautioned that States remain concerned about possible revenue losses. He said the GoM has recommended a compensation mechanism for States, should the rate changes result in reduced collections.

This will be the Council’s first meeting in more than eight months, the last having been held in December 2024. This could also be the most awaited meeting of the Council in the eight year life of the GST regime. 

Under the rules, the Council is required to meet at least once every quarter.

Other developments

Trump: We Get Along With India ‘Very Well’ But. . .

US President Donald Trump said America gets along with India "very well" but described their relationship as "one-sided" for many years due to New Delhi charging Washington "tremendous tariffs."

Speaking at the White House on Tuesday when asked about removing tariffs on India, Trump said the relationship changed when he assumed office.

"India was charging us tremendous tariffs, about the highest in the world".

"But they were doing business with us because we weren't charging them, foolishly, we weren't charging them," he said, noting India was pouring its products into the US.

"They'd send it in, pour it into our country. Therefore it wouldn't be made here, which is a negative, but we would not send in anything because they were charging us 100% tariffs," Trump said.

He cited Harley Davidson motorcycles as an example, saying the company couldn't sell into India due to 200% tariffs. "So what happens? Harley Davidson went to India and built a motorcycle plant, and now they don't have to pay tariffs, same thing as us."

ICSSR Forms Inquiry Committee to Review CSDS Operations Amid Data Controversy

As per a report in a major national daily, the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) will establish a three-member inquiry committee to examine the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) following concerns over voter data handling and funding issues.

The committee will include a former UGC secretary, former government auditor, and former Pro Vice-Chancellor of a central university. 

The move follows controversy over CSDS's Sanjay Kumar, co-Director of Lokniti, who admitted to a "data error" regarding voter numbers in Maharashtra constituencies Ramtek and Deolali between 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. FIRs against Kumar were later stayed by the Supreme Court.

ICSSR issued a show-cause notice after allegations including irregular director appointments, absent governing body elections, and pending audits. CSDS maintained decisions followed proper procedures, but ICSSR found responses unsatisfactory, particularly regarding foreign funding.

Delhi High Court Denies Bail to Umar Khalid, Sharjee Imam, Others in 2020 Riots Conspiracy Case

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed bail applications of nine accused, including former JNU students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, in the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 north-east Delhi riots.

A Division Bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur upheld trial court orders denying bail, stating briefly: "All appeals are dismissed."

Other appellants included Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Shadab Ahmed, Abdul Khalid Saifi and Gulfisha Fatima. The accused sought bail citing prolonged incarceration and pending charge framing.

Khalid, arrested in September 2020, faces charges including criminal conspiracy, rioting, and UAPA offences. His previous bail pleas were rejected by trial and high courts in 2022.

Senior Advocate Trideep Pais argued Khalid's speeches were "rooted in Gandhian principles" with no evidence of violence. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed bail, claiming the accused were "preparing to divide the nation on the basis of religion."

From the states

Jarange Patil Ends Fast After State Govt Agrees To Give Eligible Marathas Kunbi Certificates

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis welcomed activist Manoj Jarange's decision to end his five-day hunger strike on Tuesday after the state government accepted most demands regarding Maratha quota reservations.

Jarange, 43, who began his fast on August 29, called off the protest at Mumbai's Azad Maidan after accepting the government's offer to grant eligible Marathas Kunbi caste certificates, making them eligible for Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation benefits.

"I am happy that Jarange ended his hunger strike," Fadnavis told reporters, thanking Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, along with senior BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation.

The breakthrough came through implementing the Hyderabad gazetteer, which will serve as proof for individuals whose ancestors are listed in the Kunbi caste records. "We have found a way out and accepted their most prominent demand," Fadnavis said.

Addressing concerns about inter-community tensions, the CM emphasized: "We will not let any dispute crop up between the Marathas and OBCs. We can't snatch something from one group and give it to the other."

Fadnavis concluded that the decision would "benefit the Maratha community in a big way" while maintaining harmony between communities.

K Kavitha Suspended From BRS By Father K Chandrashekar Rao After Accusing Cousin Harish Rao Of Corruption

Telangana legislator K Kavitha has been suspended from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) by her father and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao following public accusations against senior party leaders.

Her suspension came after she accused cousin T Harish Rao, former Irrigation Minister, of amassing wealth and collaborating with current Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to damage KCR's reputation. 

The remarks followed the Congress government's decision to transfer the Kaleshwaram irrigation project probe to the CBI. The project in question was executed during KCR’s tenure as CM. 

"We have to think about why the taint of corruption came to KCR," Kavitha said Monday, questioning how associates benefited using her father's name while defaming him through "misdeeds."

She alleged Revanth Reddy was shielding Harish Rao and former MP J Santosh Kumar, claiming they were acting together against KCR.

Kavitha faced party pressure after her CBI arrest in the Delhi liquor policy scam, spending nearly six months in jail. Her independent championing of OBC issues after release further displeased party leadership.

You’re all caught up. Until next time.