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Manmohan’s demonetisation diatribe forces Jaitley to take moral high ground

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Arun Jaitely

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Hours after former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh shredded Modi government’s economic reforms agenda to bits, Arun Jaitley says demonetisation was an “ethical drive”

It was to be another self-laudatory attempt over the government’s economic reforms agenda and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetisation decision but Union finance minister Arun Jaitley’s media briefing, on Tuesday, seemed more like an exercise meant to rebut a strong attack launched by former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh earlier in the day.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Hours after Dr Manmohan Singh tore into the Modi government terming demonetisation as a “reckless step” meant purely to “reap political benefits” and listed the disruption that it, along with the GST rollout, caused in the Indian economy, finance minister Arun Jaitley was forced to take the moral high ground on the issue of noteban.

Addressing the media in New Delhi on the eve of demonetisation’s first anniversary, Jaitley said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision that withdrew from circulation 86 per cent of legal tenders in the Indian economy in one single swoop was an “ethical drive and a moral step” that made corruption difficult.

While Dr Singh, during his address to traders and businessmen in Ahmedabad, reiterated that demonetisation was “an organised loot and legalised plunder”, Jaitley countered saying the loot is what happened in the 2G scam, Commonwealth Games and allocation of coal blocks; harking back to the financial scandals that had tarnished the Manmohan Singh-led UPA II government. It was largely the public outcry over these repeated scams, along with a high-pitched anti-Congress campaign by Narendra Modi that had catapulted the BJP to power in May 2014.

An anti-black money drive is (an) ethical drive, a moral step. And what is morally and ethically correct has to be politically correct,” Jaitley said.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]While Dr Singh had quoted a series of facts, government data and economic indices to substantiate his allegations that demonetisation and the GST rollout had wreaked havoc on the Indian economy, Jaitley was forced to launch a largely political attack, devoid of substance that could actually prove the merits of noteban and the unified tax regime.

The finance minister said while the 10 years of UPA government were characterised by “policy paralysis”, the Modi government introduced structural reforms to make India a developed nation and give it a cleaner economy.

“The Congress’ main aim is to serve the family whereas BJP wants to serve the nation,” Jaitley said. Reiterating his earlier defence of Modi’s demonetisation exercise, the finance minister said that note ban was aimed at making India a more formal economy with a broader tax base.

“Less cash in the system may not end corruption but makes corruption difficult,” Jaitley claimed, adding that terror funding got “squeezed” post-demonetisation, though he failed to give any evidence to substantiate this claim.

The finance minister also put out a note on Facebook in defence of the demonetisation decision – whose first anniversary on Tuesday will be celebrated by the Centre as ‘anti-black money day’ while the Opposition will observe it as a ‘black day’ – which largely focused on rhetoric and adjectives that sounded more like poll slogans meant to hail the noteban.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Jaitley hailed noteban as “watershed moment in the history of Indian economy” and claimed that “the next generation will view post November, 2016 national economic development with a great sense of pride as it has provided them a fair and honest system to live in”.

However, he failed to counter the allegation that Dr Singh, several economists and Opposition leaders have made against demonetisation – that the initiative triggered a downward trajectory for India’s GDP and wreaked havoc in the country’s informal economy, which is still the largest job creator domestically.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

E20 Janta Party set to follow in CJP footsteps

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Excise duty on petrol

After the success of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a new outfit, calling itself the E20 Janta Party, has come into being.

It trended across social media platforms on Thursday after the CJP claimed victory following the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, with supporters applauding the outcome as a major milestone in the ongoing student-led movement over alleged NEET-UG examination irregularities.

Thousands of posts, memes and videos flooded social media with users celebrating what they described as the growing influence of the CJP-led agitation. The term “E20 Janta Party” quickly gained traction on X and other platforms as motorists worried over the mixing of ethanol in petrol claimed they would themselves stage protests a la CJP.

Motorists all over India have been protesting against the fuel mixture given that their cars and motorcycles bought earlier had not been tuned for such increase in ethanol ratio. Some have claimed damage, ranging from engine damage to lower mileage. The government has not conceded the engine damage claim but has accepted that mileage may be compromised. Further, they have been agitating for a lowered fuel price for E20 since it has 20% ethanol but the government has shown willingness only to lower prices for the E85 blend which is being introduced slowly.

The public outpouring of support for the anti-NEET protests seems to have egged the anti-E20 people to come out of the woodwork though they have been vocal on social media. The Delhi taxi drivers association is also believed to have lent support to this cause. Transporters are also expected to join the protest slated on August 4 year since there are moves afoot to introduce isobutanol-diesel blend this year.

During the protests at Jantar Mantar, many activists had raised the ethanol issue time and again targeting Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, an overzealous advocate for ethanol blending.

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India News

Parliament Monsoon Session 2026: Bill against paper leaks to be introduced in Lok Sabha today

The Lok Sabha will introduce and consider the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, proposing stricter punishment, fast-track courts and stronger safeguards against paper leaks.

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The Lok Sabha is set to take up the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 for consideration and passage on Monday as the Centre moves to tighten laws against paper leaks and examination-related fraud.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh will seek the House’s permission to introduce the Bill before moving it for consideration and passing during the day’s legislative business.

The proceedings of the Lok Sabha are scheduled to begin at 11 am with the Question Hour, during which ministers will respond to listed oral questions.

Bill proposes stricter action against paper leaks

The proposed amendment aims to strengthen transparency and integrity in the public examination system through stricter legal provisions while safeguarding the interests of students.

Among its major provisions are:

  • Imprisonment of up to 10 years for those found guilty.
  • A fine of up to Rs.10 crore.
  • Confiscation of assets of convicted offenders.
  • A mechanism to ensure verdicts in such cases are delivered within three months through fast-track courts.

The proposed changes follow the Union Cabinet’s approval of the legislation and related measures aimed at tackling paper leaks and examination fraud with stricter punishment and expedited trials.

Supreme Court judges amendment Bill also on agenda

Apart from the anti-paper leak legislation, the Lok Sabha is also scheduled to consider the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026.

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will move the Bill for consideration. It seeks to further amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.

Ministers to present implementation reports

Several Union ministers are also expected to place statements before the House on the implementation of recommendations made by various Parliamentary Standing Committees.

Among them:

  • Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will present an update on recommendations related to the Ministry of Tourism.
  • Jayant Chaudhary will report on recommendations concerning the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
  • Pankaj Chaudhary will table a statement on recommendations relating to the Ministry of Finance.
  • Suresh Gopi will present implementation updates on recommendations made by the Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas.

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India News

Who are the experts in Nandan Nilekani-led PM Modi’s exam reform task force?

PM Modi has constituted a six-member task force led by Nandan Nilekani to recommend reforms for the National Testing Agency. Here’s a look at the experts on the panel.

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Following the announcement of a high-powered task force to reform India’s examination system, the Centre has brought together experts from technology, space research, intelligence, education, cybersecurity and logistics to recommend structural changes for the National Testing Agency (NTA).

The panel, led by Infosys co-founder and technology expert Nandan Nilekani, was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi a day after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid nationwide protests over the alleged NEET paper leak.

In a video message shared on social media, the Prime Minister said the government aims to make examinations more reliable, transparent and technology-driven. He said the task force would submit recommendations to improve the credibility of upcoming examinations at the earliest.

Nandan Nilekani to lead the panel

Nandan Nilekani, co-founder and non-executive chairman of Infosys, will head the task force. Widely recognised for leading the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and playing a key role in the development of Aadhaar, Nilekani is expected to contribute his expertise in technology, digital infrastructure and data security to the examination reform process.

Former ISRO chief S Somanath

Former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman S Somanath, an aerospace engineer, is also part of the panel. During his tenure, ISRO successfully carried out the Chandrayaan-3 mission. His experience in executing complex, high-precision missions is expected to help strengthen quality control and multi-layered verification processes in examinations.

Former IB director Tapan Deka

Former Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Kumar Deka has been included for his experience in intelligence and security. A former IPS officer with a postgraduate degree in Physics, he is expected to provide inputs on strengthening intelligence gathering and cyber monitoring to curb organised examination fraud and paper leak networks.

IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti

V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, is another member of the panel. A computer science academic, he has led initiatives related to microprocessor development and information security at the institute. His expertise is expected to support measures aimed at enhancing cybersecurity and protecting examination software and digital infrastructure.

Former Education Secretary Anita Karwal

Former Education Secretary Anita Karwal brings administrative and academic policy experience to the task force. A retired IAS officer from the Gujarat cadre, she is expected to contribute recommendations on examination policies, answer-key mechanisms, evaluation standards and improvements in the functioning of examination centres.

Logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena

Retired bureaucrat Amrit Lal Meena, who previously served as Bihar’s Chief Secretary and as Special Secretary (Logistics) in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, completes the six-member panel. His expertise in supply chain management is expected to help strengthen the secure printing, storage and transportation of question papers through tamper-resistant logistics systems.

The multidisciplinary panel has been tasked with recommending structural reforms aimed at improving transparency, security and reliability in India’s examination system.

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