Latest news with #Hooda
The Print
14 hours ago
- Business
- The Print
‘Lowest ever since 1962': Congress MP Deepender Hooda flags dip in defence budget under Modi govt
'This is the lowest ever since 1962, when India was defeated due to lack of readiness,' Hooda stated, blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for 11 years of decline in the defence budget. Rs 6.81 lakh crore was allocated for defence for the year 2025-26, an increase of 9.5 percent over last year, which is just 1.9 percent of GDP, compared to 2.5 percent a decade ago, he said Monday. Gurugram: Participating in the debate on Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack, Congress MP Deepender Hooda expressed concern about the defence budget going down in proportion to India's Gross Domestic Product. Urging an immediate hike in defence allocations, Hooda batted for the armed forces to be equipped with modern weapons and fighter aircraft. He pointed out the air force's alarming decline in its fleet strength as it has dipped below the sanctioned 42 aquadrons. 'More pilots are losing their lives in crashes than combat—two from Haryana were killed in three crashes in six months,' the Congress MP said, asking the government to adopt ideas from the opposition. 'The armed forces did their job (in Operation Sindoor), but did the ruling party do its job?' he said in the Lok Sabha on Monday. Citing Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Rahul Singh who noted that defence equipment promised for January 2025 remains undelivered, Hooda said that the country is still dependent on others. 'With such resources, Operation Sindoor's fate could have been altered,' Hooda said, adding that Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh's statement on zero timely project completions indicates the government's disregard of the Parliamentary Standing Committee reports. The Modi government's foreign policy also came under scanner as the Rohtak MP recalled the circumstances leading to Operation Sindoor's sudden ceasefire on 10 May. 'The nation wished for an appropriate response, but a US President's tweet put an end to it,' he mentioned, quoting Donald Trump's '28 assertions' of facilitating the ceasefire via trade threats. 'The issue turned from terrorism to trade, with Trump referring to five airplane crashes and internationalisation of Kashmir. Our PM didn't deny it ever,' Hooda said. 'Donald ko chup karao, Donald ka muh band karao ya phir Hindustan mein McDonald's ko band karao. (Silence Donald, shut Donald's mouth, or shut down McDonald's in India).' Pakistan, he said, instead got loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). 'For the first time, a dacoit was appointed as in-charge of a police station,' he said, in reference to Pakistan chairing the Taliban Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in 2025 and serving as vice-chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the 15-nation UN body. The Congress MP further slammed the Modi government for its inability to stop Pakistan from coming out of the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) grey list, unlike the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) that did it in 2011. Hooda reminded the government that China supported Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, as he targeted External Affairs Minister who recently visited the neighbouring country and endorsed Beijing taking over the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) presidency. 'When Pakistan's army chief had lunch in the White House and trilateral discussions with China and Bangladesh took place, where was India's voice?' he pointed out, citing that 81 percent of Pakistani and 72 percent of Bangladeshi arms are sourced from China. He drew a comparison in India's strong response in the face of American pressure during the 1971 Bangladesh war and the 1998 nuclear tests and contrasted it with the new 'hand-washing' policy. 'The government must reveal which country stood with India—those it once called friends have washed their hands off,' the Congress MP said, demanding accountability from the Modi government. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: Jat khaps rally behind Dhankhar, but 'mentor' Devi Lal's clan divided over shock resignation
Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Why Deepender Hooda's Donald-McDonald sound bite is old potato
During the ongoing discussion in Parliament on Operation Sindoor, five-time Congress MP Deepender Hooda drew a line from Donald (as in US President Donald Trump) to McDonald's (as in the fast-food chain). Questioning the Modi government over Trump's claims of having brokered the peace between India and Pakistan, Hooda said: 'You need to choose either of the two. Either be an adversary or friends with America. Either hold talks and improve relations, or silence Donald Trump. Else, shut down McDonald's in India.' The play on words had many MPs in splits. However, 13 years ago, also addressing the Lok Sabha, Hooda had issued an invite to the multinational fast food giant to open an outlet in Haryana. The Congress was in power at the Centre as well as in Haryana then, with Hooda's father Bhupinder Hooda the Haryana CM. In his 2012 speech, Hooda, a long-time MP from Rohtak, promised '24-inch-long potatoes' as the reason for McDonald's to look at Haryana. He was responding to then Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj's remarks that MNCs like McDonald's force farmers to dump their produce as it did not match their requirements. A grinning Hooda said, 'Sushmaji's statement that McDonald's is procuring potatoes from the US is wrong. Their potatoes are procured from Gujarat. If Gujarat (a BJP-ruled state) cannot produce the requisite size of potatoes, farmers in Haryana can produce them.' McDonald's should 'not be afraid of anyone', Hooda added. 'If you think you will not be respected in Gujarat, come to Haryana, to Ambala. These people talk of six- to 12-inch potatoes, we shall give you 24-inch-long potatoes.' Swaraj in response said she was just waiting to hear him out and chided Hooda for 'getting excited over two-foot-long potatoes'. 'He says he is the son of a farmer. Arre beta kisan ke bete ho, lauki aur aloo ka antar toh samajh lo (son, at least understand the difference between bottle gourd and potato),' she said. After Hooda's remarks Monday in Parliament, senior BJP leader and Haryana minister Anil Vij said they showed he was being 'childish'. 'He (Hooda) said in Parliament that Trump called Prime Minister Narendra Modi 32 times. Is he counting? The PM has repeatedly said there was no intervention, so did the Pakistani deputy PM (Ishaq Dar) in a TV interview. You do not believe the PM, that is alright, but you have always favoured Pakistan. At least believe them,' Vij said, on Hooda's remarks. On Hooda's reference to McDonald's, Vij said the Rohtak MP was not aware of what his own party has done in the past. 'He has forgotten that he himself invited them to Haryana,' he said.
India Today
15 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Donald, McDonald's and Deepender Hooda's 2-foot potato
In the Indian Parliament, sometimes the most memorable debates aren't about numbers or policies. They're about McDonald's and potatoes, with a side of U-turn. This is true of Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda and his two speeches in Parliament, separated by over a decade but connected by one unlikely common thread: McDonald's, the American fast food his recent speech during the debate on Operation Sindoor on Monday, Hooda called for shutting down McDonald's in India, not over food policy, but because the name reminded him of Donald Trump, whose repeated credit hogging of the India-Pakistan ceasefire had angered in a speech in 2012, Hooda pitched Haryana over Gujarat to McDonald's and said farmers of the state could grow 24-inch potatoes for the fast-food giant, urging it to source potatoes from Ambala for its fries. The U-turn is hard to miss. From offering supersized spuds to demanding a shutdown, all over a then, in 2012, BJP leader and the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, gently guided Hooda with humour. Today, her absence was felt. Perhaps only she could've reminded him that not every Donald is the same and a sitting duck for his a debate on FDI in retail in 2012, Congress MP Deepender Hooda stood up not just for farmers, but for the size of Haryana's potato produce. Responding to Sushma Swaraj's remark that McDonald's doesn't use Indian potatoes because they're too small for fries, Hooda proudly declared, "McDonald's company need not worry... if you want 24-inch potatoes for fries, come to Ambala". It was a light moment amid a heavy debate, and Sushma Swaraj met it with her signature wit: "Son, you're a farmer's son. First, learn the difference between a potato and a bottle gourd". It was a gentle correction, packed with humour and to the middle of a debate on Operation Sindoor and Donald Trump's repeated remarks on having brokered a India-Pakistan ceasefire, Hooda, this time from the Opposition bench, said, "Either silence Donald, shut Donald's mouth, or shut down McDonald's in India."Two speeches, 13 years apart, one unlikely thread — McDonald's. Once, a company to which Hooda was ready to supply with supersized potatoes became the target of his rhetoric, just because the name sounded like someone he disagrees with. It's a reminder that, in Indian politics, metaphors evolve and so do moods, knowingly sometimes otherwise. Perhaps it's less about fast food and more about changing equations and the penchant for could only wish Sushma Swaraj were still around. She had a knack for turning outbursts into thoughtful reflection with just a single line. Perhaps she would've reminded Hooda, once more, gently yet pointedly, that while names may sound alike, not everything deserves to be served with the extra fist of salt.- EndsTune InMust Watch
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Randeep Hooda marks International Tiger Day with powerful conservation message
On the occasion of International Tiger Day , actor and wildlife enthusiast Randeep Hooda shared a compelling message underscoring the critical importance of tiger conservation . Known for his deep commitment to animal welfare and environmental issues, Hooda took to social media to highlight the broader implications of saving tigers. 'Tiger Day is not just about the tiger,' Hooda wrote in a heartfelt post. 'The presence of a tiger on any land basically means that millions of species of flora and fauna are thriving there.' He lauded India's global leadership in tiger conservation, noting the country's increasing tiger population, but warned of a growing concern: shrinking habitats. 'Where will these increased number of tigers go?' he asked. Hooda emphasized that protecting tigers is intrinsically linked to protecting entire ecosystems. 'To protect the tiger is to protect the habitats, the planet and in turn protect us, let's save ourselves,' he urged. A passionate wildlife photographer and conservation advocate, Hooda has spent years observing tigers in the wild across India. His personal experiences have only strengthened his resolve to champion the cause. 'There is no view as majestic and as primal as a tiger in nature,' he added. One of the few mainstream Indian actors actively involved in environmental advocacy, Hooda continues to use his platform to amplify urgent ecological issues. His International Tiger Day message serves as a poignant reminder that tiger conservation is not just about saving a species—it's about securing a future for all life on Earth.
NDTV
16 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Shut McDonald's": How Fast Food Chain Made It To Operation Sindoor Debate
New Delhi: American fast food chain McDonald's was the surprise target during the Operation Sindoor debate in Parliament, as Congress leader Deepender Hooda said the Centre must confront US President Donald Trump on his ceasefire claims or shut down McDonald's in India. Trump has been claiming that he brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan after New Delhi targeted terror bases in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 innocents dead. India has stressed that it was Pakistan that reached out for peace. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has also trashed the US President's claim that he leveraged trade to get India to agree to a ceasefire. Mr Hooda said that despite Trump repeatedly making these claims, the Indian leadership has not clearly stated that the US President is lying. "The US must decide what kind of relationship it wants with India. India is a world power. The US cannot equate India with Pakistan," Mr Hooda said. He said even the Centre faces a choice: either talk to the US and ensure Trump does not make false claims or "shut down McDonald's in India". The US, it said, cannot ride two horses at the same time. When INDI Alliance MPs mocked the #OperationSindoor. A thread: Deependra Singh Hooda (Congress): "Donald ko chup karao, warna India mein McDonald ko band karao." Seriously? 🫥😅 — BJP (@BJP4India) July 28, 2025 While the Congress leader explained that the McDonald's reference was to stress that false claims and business cannot go together, the BJP mocked him for referring to the fast food chain. Sharing a video from the speech, the BJP pointed to Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, seen smirking in the background, as Mr Hooda makes the McDonald's remark. "Claim so ridiculous even his party leader cracked up," the caption read. Mr Hooda, however, stuck to his guns. In a post on X, he said that around the same time he made the McDonald's remark, Trump again claimed that he leveraged trade to get India and Pakistan to agree on a ceasefire. "Love and trade cannot be one-sided. The Indian government has to take a firm stand. The US has to be made aware of the Indian market's power," he said.
