Latest news with #Dhankhar


Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Rajya Sabha may form panel to probe hate speech charges against HC judge Shekhar Kumar Yadav
Acting on a notice to impeach Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar is likely to form an inquiry committee to look into the alleged hate speech made by the judge at a VHP event in December last year, The Indian Express has learnt. It is learnt that six months after Opposition MPs submitted a representation with 55 signatures to bring an impeachment motion against the judge to Dhankhar, the process of verifying the signatures is underway. To start impeachment proceedings, at least 50 MPs in Rajya Sabha or at least 100 in Lok Sabha have to sign the resolution, according to the Judges Inquiry Act. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on March 21, Dhankhar had said that two mails had been sent to the MPs asking them to verify their signatures. 'Of the 55 members who signed the representation, a member's signature appears on two occasions and the member concerned has denied his signature. Now I do not wish to get into this act which may graduate to culpability to a higher level. If the number is above 50, I will proceed accordingly. Therefore, most of the members have cooperated. Those members who have not done so far, may please do it in response to the second mail sent to them,' he had said. Sources in the Opposition told The Indian Express that the signature duplication happened due to some misunderstanding during the signing of the papers. Three sets of representation were prepared for submission, they said. The sources said the requisite number of signatures were there to proceed with the impeachment proceedings, even if one signature is declared invalid. The Opposition has been pushing the Rajya Sabha to initiate the process against Justice Yadav for his controversial speech. Speaking at the VHP event on December 8 last year, Justice Yadav had said: 'I have no hesitation in saying that this is Hindustan… and the country will run according to the majority who live in Hindustan.' Supporting a Uniform Civil Code, he referred to the Muslim community, and said: 'You have a misconception that if a law [UCC] is brought in, it will be against your Shariyat, your Islam and your Quran… But I want to say one more thing… Whether it is your personal law, our Hindu law, your Quran or whether it is our Gita, as I said we have addressed the ills [buraaiyan] in our practices.' He said untouchability, sati, jauhar and female foeticide had been addressed. 'Then why are you not doing away with… that while your first wife is there… you can have three wives… without her consent… that is not acceptable.' On December 13, accusing Justice Yadav of engaging in hate speech, a delegation of Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha submitted a notice seeking his impeachment. Addressing the House on February 13, Dhankhar said he had received an undated notice for motion to remove Justice Yadav under Article 124 (3) of the Constitution. 'The obligation for the stated subject matter constitutionally rests with the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, and in eventuality with Parliament and the honourable President. Taking note of public domain information and inputs available, it is appropriate that the Secretary General, Rajya Sabha shares this, for information, with the Secretary General, Supreme Court of India,' he had said. It is learnt that Dhankhar was referring to media reports that the Supreme Court had taken note of the incident and asked Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Arun Bhansali for a report. Sources said Rajya Sabha Secretary General P C Mody informed the Supreme Court that Parliament was already seized of the matter as an impeachment notice was pending. Following this communication, it is learnt that the Supreme Court decided not to proceed any further in the matter. During a meeting with floor leaders on March 25, the matter of the pending impeachment notice is learnt to have been brought up. Sources said once the signatures are verified, action can be taken whether the House is in session or not. The Monsoon Session of Parliament begins on July 21. According to Article 124 (4) of the Constitution, a Supreme Court judge can be removed by Parliament on grounds of 'proved misbehavior' and 'incapacity', following the laid-down procedure. As per Article 218, the same applies to judges of High Courts. Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu's national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. ... Read More Have been in journalism covering national politics for 23 years. Have covered six consecutive Lok Sabha elections and assembly polls in almost all the states. Currently writes on ruling BJP. Always loves to understand what's cooking in the national politics (And ventures into the act only in kitchen at home). ... Read More


Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
VP Dhankhar urges rural youth to become agri-entrepreneurs
Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, while interacting with the students at the Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, on Saturday stressed on use of Artificial Intelligence in agriculture. He remarked, 'Nowadays, when we talk about Artificial Intelligence, the younger generation is indeed fortunate because they can journey from Agriculture Intelligence to Artificial Intelligence.' He further added, 'You can travel from Agriculture Intelligence (AI) to Artificial Intelligence. Artificial Intelligence, Agriculture Intelligence is the medium that will bring revolutionary changes in the rural system. The life of the farmer will change.' Speaking on the roadmap to a developed India at the university, the Vice-President stated, 'The path to a developed India goes only one way — through the farmer's field. And that will happen only when you hold the farmer's hand.' He described farmers not only as annadata (providers of food) but also as bhagya vidhata — shapers of our destiny. Expressing concern over the export-oriented mindset, Dhankhar said, 'I find it very troubling when people say — 'this is export material, this is for export'. Why? Shouldn't we eat the best, wear the best?' He proudly pointed out how Indians are now leading major global institutions and lauded the rising participation of women in leadership roles. On the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, the Vice-President urged the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to revise the current ₹6,000 payout in line with inflation. He said, 'If support is given directly to the farmer… If the indirect financial support being given to the agriculture sector is routed directly to farmer families, then, based on my assessment, and that assessment comes after study — where they now get ₹6,000 annually, they will end up receiving ₹30,000 a year.' Highlighting the benefits of direct subsidies, he said, 'If the fertilizer subsidy is given directly to farmers, the farmer will decide — do I want to buy that fertilizer, or raise livestock and use cow dung manure instead? The farmer will think — should I do organic farming, natural farming? The farmer will make that decision himself.' Emphasizing rural entrepreneurship, the Vice-President said, 'Boys and girls from the farming community in rural areas must be trained to become entrepreneurs, agri-entrepreneurs. A force must be raised.' Citing the example of the United States, he noted that the average income of farming families there is higher than that of average households because government support goes directly to farmers. Underscoring the need for value addition, Dhankhar remarked, 'Today we must pay attention to the rural system. Vegetables come to the village from cities, fruits come from cities — how can we tolerate this in our country? That when tomatoes are in surplus, they are dumped on the streets?' He called for value addition and food processing to be done at the farmland level. The vice President also planted a sapling in memory of his mother Kesari Devi and also visited the exhibition on the campus by various farmer producers organizations and start ups. 'Success of Op Sindoor has given different identity to country' 'Success of Operation Sindoor has given a different identity to the country', said the Vice-President at Dr YS Parmar Horticulture and Forestry University Nauni in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh on Saturday. Talking about the valour of the Armed forces of the country, Dhankhar said, 'This is the first occasion when no one is asking for proof of this'.


India Gazette
3 days ago
- Business
- India Gazette
Political parties must lower political temperatures; dialogue cannot be confrontation: Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar
New Delhi [India], June 7 (ANI): The Vice-President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday said, 'Political parties in the country will have to bring down the political temperature. The dialogue between political parties cannot be a confrontation -- the dialogue has to be soothing. Democracy is defined, friends, by dialogue and discourse.' Vice President's Secretariat said in an official statement, He further added, 'India is a thriving federal society where there has to be sync between the Centre and the States. Dialogue between leaders and political parties is vital -- absence of dialogue will not be good for our national mindset.' Interacting with industry leaders and entrepreneurs in Bengaluru today, he stated, 'Issues of national security, issues connected with our nationalism, and issues connected to our development must be viewed from a national prism, not a partisan one. I do not doubt the political sagacity of people across the spectrum -- they are available in all political parties.' Invoking the Vedantic principle of freedom of expression, the Vice-President remarked, 'Democratic values cannot be described without freedom of expression and debate. If someone attacks, frustrates or regulates your right to expression, then there is a deficiency in democracy.' Commenting on industrial trends, he made a sharp observation, 'People in industry, unlike politics, are satisfied by balance sheets. But greenfield projects are not emerging at the pace they should. Please think, converge in clusters to ensure equitable employment and growth.' Calling on the corporate sector to share their profits with the farm sector, Dhankhar said,'Time has come for corporates to share their profits with the farm sector. Your investment in research or farmland is not charity -- it is a gainful investment.' Speaking on farm-sector integration with industry, the Vice-President, drawing from his own background, said, 'I come from a farming community. The farm sector plays a critical role in the nation's growth trajectory. But at the moment, it is only producing agro-products -- it is not part of the marketing chain.' Calling for industry-farm convergence, he added, 'Industry must brainstorm to bring greater synergy with the farm sector. Farmers need to be hand-held; agripreneurs must emerge, but they cannot do so without support.' On the future of India's growth, Dhankhar underscored the role of research and innovation, 'We must engage in research of the highest order. Our research capacity will define Bharat's global standing. Our technological innovation will define how secure we are.' Touching upon strategic peace, he observed, 'Peace is fundamental to business and people's harmony. But peace is never bargained -- it comes from strength. The greatest peace is secured when we are ever prepared for war.' Highlighting the evolution of industry's role in national security, he noted, 'There was a time when industry only manufactured armoury. Now, it must lead in technology. Research is the spine of long-term growth.' Declaring that Bharat is on an unstoppable rise, the Vice-President stated, 'Bharat is no longer a country of potential -- it is a country on the rise. 'Viksit Bharat' is no longer our dream -- it is our objective. But we must take a quantum leap by increasing per capita income manyfold.' Urging a practical outlook, he added, 'We must juxtapose our economic status with our demographic size -- 1.4 billion people. On empirical estimates, there must be an eightfold increase in per capita income.' Governor of Karnataka, Thawarchand Gehlot, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, DK Shivakumar, MP Lahar Singh, Minister, Govt of Karnataka, MC Sudhakar, and other dignitaries were also present. (ANI)


Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Need to revise farm scheme in proportion to inflation: Dhankar
Shimla: Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday called upon the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to revise the current Rs 6,000 payment under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme to account for inflation. "If the indirect financial support being given to the agriculture sector is routed directly to farmer families then, based on my assessment, and that assessment comes after study — where they now get Rs 6,000 annually, they will end up receiving Rs 30,000 a year," said Dhankhar, while addressing the students at Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Solan. He said the path to a developed India went only one way and that was through the farmer's field. "And that will happen only when you hold the farmer's hand," Dhankhar said, adding that farmers were not only "annadata (providers of food)", "but also bhagya vidhata (shapers of our destiny)". While focusing on the direct subsidies' benefits, the Vice-President said if the fertiliser subsidy was given directly to the farmer, the farmer would decide whether he wanted to buy that fertiliser or raise livestock and use cow dung manure instead. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like ¡Los Estados Unidos le ofrece el mejor futuro para usted y su familia! Usafis Registrarse Undo "The farmer will think — should I do organic farming, natural farming? The farmer will make that decision himself," he said. Boys and girls from the farming community in the rural areas ust be trained to become entrepreneurs and agri-entrepreneurs, Dhankhar added. Citing an example of the United States, he noted that the average income of farming families there was higher than that of average households because govt support went directly to the farmers. TNN
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Rural youth should be trained to become agripreneurs: VP Dhankhar
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday emphasised the need to empower the rural youth to become instruments of change in India's enormous but "underutilised" agricultural economy. Interacting with students, faculty and researchers during his visit to Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Solan, he also called for giving direct subsidy to farmers and claimed it will increase their annual income by Rs 30,000. Dhankhar said that instead of giving indirect subsidies on fertilisers, seeds and other inputs, farmers should get monetary assistance directly which will give them the choice to purchase fertilizer or opt for natural farming. He said that the income of a farmer's family in the US is higher than that of an average household in that country because farmers receive direct government support. Advocating for a hike in Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi, he said that this amount needs to be factored along with inflationary component, and added that like Samman Nidhi, all other aids should be deposited directly into farmers' accounts which would be immensely beneficial. Exhorting the students to become harbinger of change in their farming families, the vice president said, "Boys and girls like you should motivate their families to foray into marketing of their produce." He underscored the urgent need to bridge the gap between agricultural production and market access. The rural youth from farming backgrounds should be "trained to become entrepreneurs and agripreneurs" and empowered to become "instruments of change" in India's enormous but "underutilized" farm economy, he added. Dhankhar also called for the use of artificial intelligence to bring about revolutionary change in rural systems. Speaking on the roadmap to development, he said farmers are only "annadata" (providers of food) but also "bhagya vidhata" (makers of destiny), asserting that the path to a developed India goes through the farmers' fields. Expressing concern over the export-oriented mindset, Dhankhar said, "I find it very troubling when people say 'this is export material, this is for export'. Why? Shouldn't we eat the best, wear the best?" He proudly pointed out how Indians are now leading major global institutions and lauded the rising participation of women in leadership roles. Dhankhar also planted a sapling in memory of his mother, Kesari Devi, on the university campus and visited the exhibition showcasing the work of various Farmer Producer Organisations and agri-startups. The vice president was given a warm send-off at Annandale helipad where Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, among others, were present.