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Covid spike: Nirmala Sitharaman says second wave won’t impact industry in recovery mode

Sitharaman said Budget proposals with regard to disinvestment and setting up of Development Finance Institution (DFI) are on course. The government has set a disinvestment target of Rs 1.75 lakh crore for the current year;

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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said the second wave of the pandemic will not affect the institutional reforms, including the disinvestment plans outlined in the Budget, although the focus right now was to take steps towards meeting the immediate requirement of saving lives.


Speaking at a webinar, organised by The Indian Express and Financial Times, the Finance Minister said the situation in 2020 when a nationwide lockdown was announced and the situation now are very different. Sitharaman said, the government has been taking steps to deal with the second wave of COVID-19 with regard to supply of medicines and oxygen.

Sitharaman said the second wave has been challenging on many grounds, including supply of medicines and oxygen, the government has been taking decisions, including on imports of medical oxygen and boosting supply of medicines. She said India was importing medical oxygen to meet the immediate challenge and had the testing capacity and vaccines to tackle the second wave.

She said Budget proposals with regard to disinvestment and setting up of Development Finance Institution (DFI) are on course. The government has set a disinvestment target of Rs 1.75 lakh crore for the current year; BPCL, Air India, Shipping Corporation are among the key strategic sale proposals under process.

Quoting the Prime Minister, Sitharaman said there will not be a country-wide lockdown comparable to 2020. A fresh wave of infections has led to localised containments in some parts of the country, affecting the movement of people and goods.

Sithraman said, there are numbers and the surge in certain pockets that is so significant — as in Delhi — the Centre’s week-long lockdown would affects the movement of goods and also, the industry suffer because the movement of raw materials would get affected.

She said that there are part lockdowns but hopefully it will be lifted once the infection chain is broken. In the context of lockdown not really having been imposed, however, lives being in difficulty because of the pandemic. the government would focus on these life saving Covid safety measures such as supply of medicines and oxygen.

The minister said it was too early to say if the restrictions are going to affect India beyond this week. India registered over 3.14 lakh new coronavirus cases in a day, the highest-ever single-day count recorded in any country, taking the the total tally of Covid-19 cases in the country to 1,59,30,965, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday. A total of 3,14,835 fresh infections were registered in a span of 24 hours, while the death toll increased to 1,84,657 with a record 2,104 new fatalities.

kicking off Thursday’s discussion on ‘India’s Quest for Economic Power’ as the keynote speaker, she said at this stage, the focus is to address the immediate requirements for saving lives and also making sure that vaccination is ramped up.

Read Also: Arvind Kejriwal’s televised discussion with PM Modi sparks controversy, his office says sorry later

The first part of the series organised under the broad theme ‘India’s Place in the Post-Pandemic World’ began Thursday, wherein policy, business and finance leaders from India and overseas discussed the challenges and opportunities for India in its quest for economic poweer

India News

Abhishek Banerjee says will not bow to BJP after nearly 11 hours of ED questioning

After spending nearly 11 hours before the Enforcement Directorate, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he would not bow to the BJP and accused the ruling party of using investigative agencies for political purposes.

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Abhishek Banerjee

Trinamool Congress leader and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday said he would not bow to the BJP after spending nearly 11 hours being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Speaking after the questioning, Banerjee alleged that central agencies were being used to target opposition leaders and asserted that he would continue his political fight despite what he described as sustained pressure.

The TMC leader has repeatedly maintained that investigations involving him are politically motivated, a charge he has made on several previous occasions while appearing before central agencies.

His appearance before the ED comes amid a period of heightened political activity and multiple investigations involving leaders in West Bengal. Recent days have also seen Banerjee face summons and questioning in separate matters by state investigative agencies.

After leaving the ED office, Banerjee reiterated that he would not be intimidated and said he remained committed to his political responsibilities. He also accused the BJP of attempting to weaken opposition parties through investigative action, an allegation that the BJP has rejected in the past.

The Enforcement Directorate has not publicly commented on Banerjee’s remarks. The investigation related to the questioning remains ongoing.

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India News

DMK attacks Rahul Gandhi, accuses him of weakening opposition unity

DMK has intensified its criticism of Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the Congress leader’s actions have weakened opposition unity and strained relations within the INDIA bloc.

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The war of words between the DMK and Congress has intensified, with the DMK launching a strong attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and accusing him of contributing to divisions within the opposition alliance. The criticism comes amid strained ties between the two parties following their political split in Tamil Nadu.

According to the DMK, Rahul Gandhi’s political approach has weakened unity among opposition parties. The party’s IT wing mocked the Congress leader on social media, while an editorial published in the DMK’s official mouthpiece Murasoli questioned his recent remarks on opposition solidarity.

DMK questions Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on opposition unity

In its editorial, Murasoli argued that Rahul Gandhi was speaking about opposition unity despite, according to the DMK, contributing to disagreements among alliance partners in several states. The publication cited criticism directed at Congress by various opposition parties and suggested that the party’s actions had often created tensions within the INDIA bloc.

The editorial also referred to past political disputes involving Congress and Left parties, particularly in Kerala, claiming such episodes had raised concerns among opposition allies about Congress’s approach toward its partners.

Tamil Nadu political fallout adds to tensions

The attack comes after a major political realignment in Tamil Nadu. Following the 2026 Assembly elections, Congress ended its alliance with the DMK and joined the government led by Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The move left the DMK in the opposition and significantly altered the political equation between the two former allies.

The DMK has alleged that Congress benefited from the alliance during the election and later abandoned its partner. The party’s editorial questioned whether assurances from Congress leadership would be trusted by alliance partners after the developments in Tamil Nadu.

Congress rejects allegations

Congress has not issued a detailed official response to the editorial, but party sources have rejected the allegations. According to the party, its decisions in Tamil Nadu were made in line with the mandate delivered by voters and were not intended to undermine either the DMK or the broader opposition alliance.

The latest exchange highlights growing strains between two key opposition parties even as leaders continue to stress cooperation on national issues. Just days earlier, Rahul Gandhi had said that the DMK remained aligned with the opposition on defending the “idea of India” despite political differences.

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Entertainment

Kumkum Bhagya actor Sanchita Ugale dies by suicide near Mumbai at 22

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, died by suicide at her residence near Mumbai. Police have launched an investigation.

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Sanchita Ugale

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for her appearances in Kumkum Bhagya, Wagle Ki Duniya and Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi, died by suicide at her residence in Nalasopara East near Mumbai on June 14. She was 22.

According to police officials, the incident took place at her home in Achole village, Nalasopara East. Authorities said Ugale had locked herself inside her bedroom and was later found hanging from a ceiling fan. Family members and local residents rushed her to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Officials said inquiries are underway and the exact reason behind the incident has not yet been established.

Career across television, OTT and films

Ugale had built a growing presence in the entertainment industry through television, streaming projects and films. Apart from Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, she played a lead role in Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi. She also appeared in OTT projects such as Crime Aaj Kal and Silence 2.

The actor was also associated with the film Chhaava, which contributed to her growing recognition among audiences.

Last social media post draws attention

Following news of her death, social media users shared and commented on Ugale’s final Instagram post, which had been uploaded hours before the incident. The post showed the actor in traditional attire lip-syncing to a classic Bollywood song. Fans expressed shock and grief after learning of her death.

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