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Swadesh Conclave 2024 Live: Former CJI NV Ramana says people still have faith in judiciary

Our Conclave serves as a vibrant hub where like-minded professionals converge to share insights, discuss best practices, and explore solutions for maximizing the value of Governance and Rule of Law.

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The Swadesh Conclave 2024 kicked off today at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The theme this year is “Brand Bharat: Connecting People, Building the Future”.

Swadesh Conclave 2024 is dedicated to makers of India, says Rajshri Rai, Editor-in-Chief, APN News.

Swadesh Conclave 2024 began with former Chief Justice of India Justice NV Ramana, veteran singer Usha Uthup, and Mankind Pharma MD Rajiv Juneja inaugurating the event.

Supreme Court Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai, also the ILRF Chairman, speaks at the inaugural session of the Swadesh Conclave 2024. He says Justice Ramana as CJI appointed 250 HC judges, and 9 SC judges.

As CJI, Justice Ramana appointed 3 women judges to the Supreme Court, says ILRF chairman Pradeep Rai. He reviewed PMLA verdict, pushed for mediation, got new chambers for lawyers.

Mankind Pharma MD Rajeev Juneja established a Rs 75,000-crore company single-handedly, says ILRF Chairman Sr Adv Pradeep Rai.

Former CJI NV Ramana commends Swadesh Conclave 2024 and says such events are necessary. He notes the idea of justice is intrinsic to Indian culture.

Former CJI Justice Ramana notes the importance of legal aid in taking justice to the people and the efforts of NALSA in this direction.

Justice Ramana says, “The structure of justice is not a shield for those in power. Constitutional courts have played an important role.”

It’s the duty of the State to provide the judiciary with proper infrastructure. Earlier governments ignored this. Even the ratio of judges is not enough for the country, says Justice Ramana

Justice Ramana says he is glad that the current justice delivery system is doing its best.

Mankind Pharma MD Rajeev Juneja, who was awarded the Swadesh Samman, says medicines made in India promote the country’s branding. India’s contribution to pharmaceuticals worldwide is immense.

Mankind Pharma MD Rajeev Juneja: Research is important for pharma, takes 5-10 years to develop a medicine. We have skills, but we need investment and research.

Mankind Pharma MD Rajeev Juneja: If we want to make India a worldwide brand India, then time and labour restraint is required.

Former CJI NV Ramana says people still have faith in the judiciary.

Explaining the Brand India theme, Rajshri Rai said, “What is India really? What makes India the India, Brand Bharat is the name of the search for all this.”

The second Session begins with the 15th Finance Commission Chairman NK Singh speech.

The 15th Finance Commission Chairman NK Singh addresses the session on India’s economic growth. Says the GDP has been growing at about 8 per cent. India used to contribute 25 per cent of world GDP.

15th Finance Commission Chairman NK Singh says this government is focused on economic growth, capital expenditure to foster private investment.

15th Finance Commission Chairman NK Singh says climate change challenges have pushed for restructuring agriculture.

15th Finance Commission Chairman NK Singh’s services and manufacturing need to be promoted equally for Viksit Bharat by 2047. More labour-intensive industries are needed for this.

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari says India is the fastest-growing economy in the world. It can become the third-largest economy with some effort.

Gadkari says India’s rural, agricultural, and tribal economies have not got the attention they deserve, thus forcing migration to urban areas.

Nitin Gadkari says agricultural stubble, which causes pollution in Delhi, will now be used to make bio-ethanol, and bio-CNG.

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari says if biofuel can be used to reduce India’s fuel import bill, it can be used instead to improve agriculture.

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari says plastic waste from Ghazipur landfill has been used in laying NHAI road projects underway, including Delhi-Mumbai Expressway.

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari the prices of petrol, diesel and electric vehicles will become equal in the future.

Eminent personalities addressing the Conclave include Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Hardeep Singh Puri, Chirag Paswan, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, former Chief Justice of India Justice NV Ramana, BJP MP Anurag Thakur, 15th Finance Commission chairman NK Singh and Supreme Court Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai among others.

In the inaugural session, Gadkari, Ramana, and Pradeep Rai will discuss the future of India’s infrastructure, legal reforms, and sustainable development and the convergence of governance, law, and policy in shaping the nation’s progress.

The next session will deliberate on social justice, health policy, and law enforcement in maintaining social harmony and public safety along with India’s diplomatic strategies. Speakers for this session include MoS Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale, MoS Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying SP Singh Baghel, MoS Mines and Coal Shri Satish Chandra Dubey, spiritual guru Sadguru Shri Dayal, MEA Joint Secretary Mahavir Singhvi and India Australia Strategic Alliance chairman Dr Jagvinder Singh Virk.

Chirag Paswan, NK Singh, Jindal Steel and Power chairman and MP Naveen Jindal, Mankind Pharma Ltd MD Rajeev Juneja, and financial educator and content creator Rachna Ranade will address the session on the interplay between economic policy, corporate leadership, and financial literacy in India.

Samajwadi Party chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, Supreme Court Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai and entrepreneur and philanthropist Vinay Rai will discuss political leadership and its impact on regional and national development, apart from current political trends and governance challenges.

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, Endemol Shine founder Abhishek Banerjee, ad guru Prahlad Kakkar, Prasar Bharati chairman Navneet Sehgal and All India Radio DG Maushami Chakraborty will speak on the intersection of media, branding, and public relations in the digital age.

The valedictory session will focus on the celebration of India’s cultural diversity and its impact on national identity and the role of arts in social change. Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, MP Anurag Thakur, Manoj Tiwari, playback singers Usha Uthup, Kailash Kher and LGBTQIA+ activist and performer Sushant Divgikar will be at the session.

Swadesh Conclave, the premier vision fest of India, is being organised by the Balaji Foundation in collaboration with APN News. The idea behind the conclave is to host policymakers, experts, leaders across sectors, and luminaries from various fields to address challenges and foster direct engagement.

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Rahul Gandhi, Rajnath Singh clash in Lok Sabha over ex-Army chief’s unpublished book on Ladakh

Lok Sabha proceedings were disrupted after Rahul Gandhi cited an unpublished book by former Army chief General MM Naravane on the Ladakh stand-off, drawing objections from Rajnath Singh and other BJP leaders.

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February 2, 2026

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Rahul Gandhi

A sharp confrontation unfolded in the Lok Sabha on Monday after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi referred to an unpublished book by former Army chief General MM Naravane while speaking on the 2020 India-China Ladakh stand-off, prompting strong objections from treasury benches.

Rahul Gandhi began his address by holding a printout of a magazine article that carried an essay on General Naravane’s yet-to-be-published memoir, Four Stars of Destiny. The reference immediately drew an intervention from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who objected to the citation, saying quoting an unpublished book violated parliamentary rules.

Objections from treasury benches

Rajnath Singh demanded that the Leader of Opposition place the book before the House, arguing that since the memoir had not been formally published, its contents could not be cited during proceedings. The objection was echoed by Home Minister Amit Shah, who questioned how references could be made to material that was not publicly available.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju went a step further, suggesting that the House should deliberate on action against members who do not comply with the Speaker’s rulings.

As Rahul Gandhi persisted, repeatedly referring to “Chinese tanks” while discussing the eastern Ladakh situation, the opposition from BJP members intensified, leading to sustained disruptions.

Opposition support and continued disruptions

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav backed Rahul Gandhi, stating that issues concerning China were sensitive and that the Leader of Opposition should be allowed to present his views in the House.

Responding to the objections, Rahul Gandhi questioned the resistance to his remarks, asking what in the book was causing such concern. He maintained that both the article and the contents he was quoting were “100 per cent authentic.”

The Congress leader also said he had not intended to raise the issue but felt compelled to do so after BJP MP Tejasvi Surya questioned the patriotism of the Congress and its leadership.

Government, Congress trade charges

Government sources accused Rahul Gandhi of setting a dangerous precedent by citing material from an unpublished book, alleging that such references could be misused to make unverified claims on the floor of Parliament.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi defended her brother, saying he was not attempting to defame the Army and was merely reading an excerpt attributed to the former Army chief. She accused the ruling party of resisting discussion whenever uncomfortable issues surfaced.

House adjourned amid chaos

The repeated interruptions forced Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to adjourn the House till 3 pm. When proceedings resumed, similar scenes played out as Rahul Gandhi again attempted to speak on the subject, leading to further disruptions and another adjournment.

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P Chidambaram avoids commenting on Trump’s dead economy remark echoed by Rahul Gandhi

Chidambaram stays silent on Trump’s ‘dead economy’ remark echoed by Rahul Gandhi as Congress critiques Union Budget 2026.

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February 2, 2026

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P Chidambaram

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday presented her ninth consecutive union budget, stopping just short of Morarji Desai’s record of ten.

Congress MP P Chidambaram, however, avoided commenting on the ‘India is a dead economy’ statement made by former US President Donald Trump last July, which was later echoed by Rahul Gandhi.

Speaking to reporters after reviewing the budget, Chidambaram said he could not respond as he lacked the full context of Trump’s original remarks.

The comment by Trump followed India’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil, which the US had criticized as indirectly funding military action in Ukraine. Trump imposed a 25 per cent penalty tariff on Indian imports and added: “I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.”

Rahul Gandhi later supported the statement, saying, “He is right, everybody knows this except the Prime Minister and Finance Minister. I am glad President Trump stated a fact…”

The remark sparked a political debate, with BJP leaders criticizing Gandhi, while some Congress members, including Rajya Sabha MP Rajiv Shukla, called the statement “completely wrong.”

Ahead of the budget, Gandhi had highlighted the impact of US tariffs on small textile businesses, noting on X: “50 per cent US tariffs are badly hurting textile exporters. Job losses, shutdowns… are reality of our ‘dead economy’.”

The debate gained traction following the budget announcement, which did not offer immediate relief to middle-class taxpayers and saw markets react sharply, with the Sensex closing 1,500 points lower on Sunday.

Chidambaram, as usual, led Congress’ critique of the budget, pointing to a decrease in capital expenditure as a percentage of GDP from 3.2 per cent in FY25 to 3.1 per cent, despite the proposal of Rs 12.2 lakh crore for capex. He added, “Revenue receipts short by Rs 78,086 crore… total expenditure short by Rs 1,00,503 crore… revenue expenditure short by Rs 75,168 crore… capex was cut by Rs 1,44,376 crore… not a word was said to explain this…”

Rahul Gandhi echoed the criticism, highlighting issues such as unemployment, farmers’ distress, declining household savings, and low investment. “A budget that refuses course correction and is blind to India’s real crises,” he said on X.

Responding to the criticism, Finance Minister Sitharaman said, “With due respects, I don’t know what course correction he is referring to. The economy and its fundamentals are strong.”

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Earthquake of 4.6 magnitude hits Andaman and Nicobar Islands

A 4.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Nicobar Islands at 10 km depth, highlighting the region’s seismic activity and potential risks from shallow tremors.

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February 2, 2026

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earthquake-tremors

An earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale struck the Andaman and Nicobar Islands early Monday at around 3:30 am, the National Center of Seismology (NCS) reported.

According to the NCS, the tremor occurred at a shallow depth of 10 km. The earthquake’s epicenter was located at a latitude of 9.03° North and a longitude of 92.78° East, placing it in the Nicobar Islands region.

In a post on X, the NCS confirmed the details: “EQ of M: 4.6, On: 02/02/2026 03:31:12 IST, Lat: 9.03 N, Long: 92.78 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Nicobar Islands.”

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands fall under Seismic Zone V, according to India’s seismic zoning map (1893-1984), making them one of the most earthquake-prone regions in the world. Historically, the islands have experienced several major earthquakes, including the devastating tremor on December 26, 2004, which caused significant land displacement and triggered tsunami waves, resulting in heavy loss of life and property.

Experts note that shallow earthquakes, like the one recorded on Monday, can be more hazardous than deeper ones. Seismic waves from shallow quakes travel a shorter distance to the surface, causing stronger ground shaking and posing higher risks to structures and human safety.

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