Morning Digest: Centre, Opposition face off in Parliament over Budget; Biden says he ended 2024 U.S. presidential bid to unite Democratic party, and more

The Hindu’s Morning Digest on July 24, 2024, gives a select list of stories to start the day

In both Houses of Parliament, the Opposition attacked the government, accusing it of presenting a “discriminatory budget” that excluded the non-National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-ruled States. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman issued a strong rebuttal to this in Rajya Sabha, hitting out at the Opposition for deliberately maligning the government, and giving a wrong impression that some States had been left out.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar lost his cool in the Assembly on July 24 and shouted at Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Rekha Devi. The Chief Minister, who was speaking on reservation, was assuring the House that he was taking steps to ensure that the proposed quota hike of 65% is implemented. Despite his assurance, the Opposition continued sloganeering. Losing his temper, Mr. Kumar pointed his finger at Ms. Devi, the Masaurhi MLA, who was protesting, and said, “You are a woman, don’t you understand, these people never let women progress. You are a woman, you don’t know anything.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and condemned American protesters in a scathing speech to the U.S. Congress on July 24, which triggered boycotts by many top Democratic lawmakers and drew thousands of protesters to the Capitol to condemn the war in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis it has created.

Amid widespread allegations of cheating in the NEET examination for medical college admissions, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is all set to revamp its own examination system through technological solutions such as Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication and facial recognition systems, and closed circuit television (CCTV) surveillance using artificial intelligence (AI).

Ratan Sharda, an author and leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, came down heavily on Amit Malviya, the head of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s IT cell, on July 24, for trolling social media users who criticised the Union Budget. Terming it a “serious problem”, Mr. Sharda, who is also a columnist in the RSS’ English mouthpiece Organiser, said that the IT cell should instead focus on simplifying the government’s schemes for citizens who can benefit.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday told 20 Congress MPs, who are slated to speak in the debate on Union Budget, to ensure that in their speech rather than lamenting the funds allocated to Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, they should highlight the States that have been ignored. 

The Supreme Court on July 24 urged a balance to be struck between railway infrastructure development at Haldwani, considered to be the doorway to the hills in Uttarakhand, and the fundamental right to shelter of nearly 50,000 people accused of illegally living on railway land. “They are also human beings…” a Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant observed.