Feb 10 News Live | No trust motion: LS Speaker decides to step aside from House

Bengal storm into Ranji Trophy semifinals with innings win over Andhra

Bengal booked their place in the Ranji Trophy semifinals with a dominant innings and 90-run victory over Andhra on Tuesday, riding on Sudip Kumar Gharami’s monumental 299 that set up the match. Andhra, resuming their second innings at 64 for three on Day 5, were always fighting a lost cause after conceding a massive first-innings lead of 334 runs.

Bengal will now face Jammu and Kashmir in the semifinal starting February 15, while Karnataka will take on Uttarakhand in the other last-four clash. Andhra’s hopes of avoiding an outright defeat on the final day were quickly dented as left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed exploited the fifth-day surface to trigger a collapse.

Shahbaz finished with impressive figures of 4/72, with Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal chipping in with two wickets. Akash Deep, Sumanta Gupta and Anustup Majumdar picked up a wicket each. Out-of-favour India seamer Mohammed Shami, who had contributed with the bat in Bengal’s first-innings total of 629, bowled only three overs in Andhra’s second innings.

Nitish Kumar Reddy stood out for Andhra with a resolute 90 off 144 balls, hitting seven fours and two sixes. Andhra needed a strong partnership between Reddy and skipper Ricky Bhui, but Shahbaz removed Bhui soon after and later dismissed Reddy to seal the contest. Contributions from Tripurana Vijay (46) and Kalidindi Raju (25) only delayed the inevitable, while wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat did not bat due to injury.

Netherlands cruise past Namibia by seven wickets in T20 World Cup

The Netherlands registered a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Namibia in their T20 World Cup match on Tuesday after restricting their opponents to 156 for eight. Asked to bat first, Namibia were led by Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton’s 42 off 38 balls, while Jan Frylinck contributed 30 from 26 deliveries. Captain Gerhard Erasmus struck a quick 18 off nine balls, and JJ Smit added 22 off 15 to push the total to a competitive score.

For the Netherlands, Logan van Beek and Bas de Leede were the standout bowlers, picking up two wickets each and keeping Namibia in check during the middle overs.

Chasing 157, the Netherlands reached the target in 18 overs. Bas de Leede anchored the innings with an unbeaten 72, well supported by Colin Ackermann’s 32, after opener Michael Levitt set the tone with a brisk 28 off 15 balls. The win strengthened the Netherlands’ position in the tournament with a composed all-round performance.

Fauzia Khan flags the early childhood gap in the Viksit Bharat vision

NCP–SP MP Fauzia Khan on Tuesday said India’s much-cited demographic dividend rests not in abstract statistics but in the 165 million children below six years of age who will form the future workforce.

Calling early childhood development non-negotiable, Khan asked whether a Viksit Bharat could be built without safeguarding the rights of the country’s youngest, non-voting citizens. “ECD must be seen as a fundamental human right,” she said, noting that “80% of brain development happens before the age of six,” and warning that missed opportunities in this period cannot be fully recovered later, reported The Hindu.

Pointing to budgetary priorities, she said the Women and Child Development allocation for 2026-27 stood at Rs 28,000 crore, even as child-focused spending had fallen as a share of the Union Budget and remained below 1 per cent of GDP. Despite the NEP 2020, she noted, 40 per cent of rural children aged three to six remain outside pre-schools or anganwadis.

Khan cited examples from Japan and Singapore to underline the economic payoff of universal early education, arguing India was constrained by weak utilisation, not resources. With Rs 3.5 lakh crore in cess funds lying unused, she called for child budgeting units, outcome-based tracking and a national pre-primary education framework, saying investment in ECD is a strategic economic imperative.

Milind Deora rebuts Rahul's “dead economy” charge, cites growth indicators

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Milind Murli Deora on Tuesday took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his “dead economy” remark, saying the charge reflected a loss of faith rather than economic reality.

“The only thing that is dead is certain people’s confidence in India and its economy,” Deora said during the debate on the Union Budget, adding that “the only thing that is alive is their hatred for India.” Without naming Gandhi or former US President Donald Trump, he said such claims showed “wilful ignorance.”

If the economy were truly dead, Deora asked, why had the European Union signed what he called its biggest trade deal with India. “Why not with China or the United States?” he asked, arguing that countries across continents were keen to trade with India “on our terms.”

Citing indicators, he pointed to India’s status as the fastest-growing major economy, UPI processing over 70 crore transactions daily, and the Jan Dhan Yojana bringing 50 crore people into formal banking. GST revenues, he said, had doubled since 2020.

Responding to criticism from P Chidambaram, Deora said private investment had peaked at ₹6.5 lakh crore in 2024. He credited production-linked incentives for reviving manufacturing, saying, “there has been a tectonic shift in thinking,” even as global uncertainty persists.

Manoj Kumar Jha questions who the budget truly serves

RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha on Tuesday questioned the intent behind the Union Budget, asking whether it was designed for workers and ordinary citizens or for a narrow ruling elite.

Raising concerns about the economy’s direction, Jha said India was being projected as a fast-growing hub for global investment even as unemployment remained widespread. “The economy is progressing quickly and becoming a centre for global investment,” he said, adding that this narrative ignored the reality that crores of young people were still without jobs and that real growth had stalled for many, reported The Hindu. 

Turning to small businesses, Jha argued that micro, small and medium enterprises should be treated as stabilisers in difficult times. “MSMEs can work as shock absorbers,” he said, but warned that policy decisions were placing excessive pressure on them instead.

He also flagged rising inequality, saying wealth creation was heavily skewed. “While wealth is being created at the top, it is being whittled away at the base,” Jha said, calling for a more balanced economic approach.

Rijiju warns of “ugly scenes” amid Parliament protest row

Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday said Parliament could have witnessed “very ugly scenes” had BJP MPs not exercised restraint when Congress members moved towards the Treasury Benches during proceedings last week.

Referring to a video from February 4, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to reply to the Motion of Thanks, Rijiju questioned how the Opposition’s conduct could be defended. “The Congress party is proud of the most degrading behaviour by their MPs,” he said, claiming BJP women MPs had to be held back to avoid a confrontation. “We have very high consideration to protect the dignity and sanctity of Parliament.”

Rijiju alleged that Congress MPs crossed Treasury Benches and even approached the Prime Minister’s seat, showing “no respect for the dignity of the House.” He also criticised Opposition leaders for celebrating the episode on social media. “This is utterly shameful,” he said.

According to Rijiju, BJP women MPs have submitted a complaint to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking action against what they described as “heinous acts.” He claimed the Opposition later went to the Speaker’s chamber and issued threats.

The disruptions stem from protests after Rahul Gandhi was barred from citing references to former Army chief M M Naravane’s unpublished memoir. Prime Minister Modi ultimately did not deliver his speech, and the Motion of Thanks was passed without it. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra rejected claims that MPs sought to intimidate the Prime Minister. Eight Opposition MPs have since been suspended for the remainder of the session

Tharoor calls Budget underwhelming, warns of promise-delivery gap

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday delivered a sharp critique of the Union Budget, calling it “underwhelming” and a “squandered opportunity,” and likening it to “rearranging the airbags on a crashing car while assuring the passengers that the chassis is sturdy.”

Opening the Budget debate in the Lok Sabha, Tharoor invoked Mirza Ghalib, quoting “Dil ko khush rakhne ko yeh khayaal achcha hai” to argue that comforting rhetoric was being substituted for real outcomes. The Budget’s core weakness, he said, lay in execution. “This is headline management,” Tharoor remarked, adding that promises were loud but delivery “conspicuously absent.”

He accused the government of failing to honour commitments in agriculture, describing announcements as “modern courtships — promises without commitments.” While fiscal prudence was being praised, Tharoor warned that “prudence without vision or fairness is hollow,” arguing that unemployment, rising prices and inequality had been largely ignored.

Citing official data, he pointed to chronic under-spending across welfare schemes, calling it evidence of administrative failure. “Hope is repeatedly sold, but delivery remains perpetually deferred,” he said, questioning the credibility of the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

“A truly Viksit Bharat,” Tharoor concluded, “will not be built on slogans,” insisting that turning promises into outcomes was the government’s “kartavya.”

Abhishek Banerjee flags Bengal dues, questions Centre’s slogans

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday launched a sharp critique of the Centre, accusing it of sidelining West Bengal while projecting slogans of inclusive development.

“We live in India where singing Joy Bangla or Amar Shona Bangla can get you labelled as an infiltrator,” Banerjee said, arguing that cultural identity itself was being politicised. He contrasted this with the government’s repeated invocation of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, saying the promise rang hollow on the ground.

According to Banerjee, Bengal continues to be denied its legitimate financial share. “I come from an India where Bengal is not given her dues to the tune of ₹1,90,000 crore,” he said, calling the gap between rhetoric and reality impossible to ignore.

He broadened his attack to the overall economic climate, suggesting public confidence was steadily eroding. “India lives with three certainties,” Banerjee remarked, listing “pressure that mounts, taxes that multiply and trust that is betrayed.”

His remarks reflect growing friction between the Centre and Opposition-ruled States over federal finances and political narratives.

Congress' Varsha Gaikwad rebuts Rijiju’s charges over Parliament protest

Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad on Tuesday pushed back against allegations levelled by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who shared a video on X accusing Congress MPs of “degrading behaviour” inside Parliament.

The video showed Congress members, including Gaikwad, moving towards the Treasury Benches with posters. Responding to the charge, Gaikwad dismissed Rijiju’s claims as “baseless allegations,” insisting the protest was peaceful. “Wasn’t Kiren Rijiju present in the House that day? What is new in the video?” she asked, adding, “We didn’t go to assault anyone; we were just holding a banner," reported ANI.

She questioned the government’s reaction, saying, “He got scared because of a banner… He doesn’t want to talk about tariffs or China.”

Earlier, Rijiju wrote that stopping BJP MPs prevented “a very ugly scene,” citing concern for parliamentary dignity. The row follows remarks by Speaker Om Birla, who said he advised Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stay away from the House to avoid an incident.

Congress women MPs have since said they were unfairly targeted despite protesting within norms, noting that Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was repeatedly denied the chance to speak.

Akhilesh Yadav says UP ignored in Budget, raises farmer concerns

Samajwadi Party chief and Kannauj MP Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday criticised the Union Budget, saying Uttar Pradesh had been effectively ignored in the government’s infrastructure push.

Yadav said the state, despite its size and political significance, did not feature in any major new infrastructure announcements. “No big project has been launched by this government,” he said, arguing that the Centre was largely finishing initiatives started by previous administrations. According to him, the projects lined up for the future also failed to match the promise of Viksit Bharat. “Upcoming projects do not reflect Viksit Bharat,” he added, reported The Hindu. 

Taking aim at the BJP’s anti-corruption rhetoric, Yadav urged the party to look closer to home. He pointed to the state of roads, questioning how claims of clean governance squared with deteriorating public infrastructure.

He also raised concerns about farmers’ livelihoods, warning of the impact of trade decisions on domestic agriculture. “We are all worried of this deal,” Yadav said, asking, “If all crops are going to come from US, what will our farmers grow?”