LIVE: More than 60 Congress MPs released after 6 hours of detention

Latest news Live updates: Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K C Venugopal, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Gaurav Gogoi were among the MPs detained

Congress on Friday held a nationwide protest against the rise in inflation, GST rate and unemployment. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) members and senior leaders planned a "PM House gherao" while Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs held a "Chalo Rashtrapati Bhavan" from Parliament.

Rahul Gandhi and other Congress MPs arrived in Parliament wearing black clothes. Ahead of Congress' planned demonstrations, the Delhi Police imposed Section 144 in New Delhi and denied party the permission to hold protests. Despite no permission from the Delhi Police, the party leaders said that they will go ahead with their proposed protest march.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in the Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC’s) statement on Friday announced a rate hike of 50 basis points to 5.40 per cent, highest since 2019. The bi-monthly meeting of the RBI MPC started on Wednesday, and RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday announced that the MPC unanimously decided to hike the policy rate.

Das said, "MPC decided to focus on withdrawal of accommodation to keep inflation within target while supporting growth". RBI MPC revised the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) and bank rates to 5.65 per cent from 5.15 per cent, announced Governor Das.

The real GDP projection for FY23 was retained at 7.2 per cent with Q1 at 16.2 per cent, Q2 at 6.2 per cent, Q3 at 4.1 per cent, Q4 at 4 per cent, with risks broadly balanced, governor Das said. Das said that the consumer price inflation remains uncomfortably high and inflation is expected to remain above 6 per cent. He projected that CPI inflation for current fiscal year at  6.7 per cent and that for FY 2023-24 at 5 per cent.

9:39 PM

Assam secretariat to become fully digitised from Gandhi Jayanti: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday announced that the state secretariat will become fully digitised from Gandhi Jayanti on October 2 and asked all employees to become computer-proficient.

People can make online applications for any work without having to physically visit the secretariat and their work will be done, Sarma said while addressing a function here on the 72nd death anniversary of the state's first chief minister Gopinath Bordoloi, which is celebrated as 'Lok Kalyan Diwas'.

9:39 PM

Assam secretariat to become fully digitised from Gandhi Jayanti: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday announced that the state secretariat will become fully digitised from Gandhi Jayanti on October 2 and asked all employees to become computer-proficient.

People can make online applications for any work without having to physically visit the secretariat and their work will be done, Sarma said while addressing a function here on the 72nd death anniversary of the state's first chief minister Gopinath Bordoloi, which is celebrated as 'Lok Kalyan Diwas'.

9:30 PM

Jammu and Kashmir is and will remain an integral and inalienable part of India: MEA

The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is and will remain an integral and inalienable part of India. As a result of long-awaited changes three years ago, it today reaps the benefits of socio-economic growth and development, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said

8:18 PM

Congress have insulted the faith of India: UP CM Adityanath

Till now, Congress was protesting in normal attire but today they protested wearing black clothes. It's an insult to Ram Bhakts. They chose this day as today's Ayodhya Diwas which marks the beginning of construction of Ram Janambhoomi, said Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, ANI reported.

 

The UP CM said such acts of the Congress party have insulted the faith of India. 

 

"Congress' attitude has insulted Ayodhya Diwas along with insulting India's democracy and judiciary. We condemn such acts of the party," he added.

7:21 PM

Congress chose a day when PM Modi laid foundation of Ram Janambhoomi 2 years ago: Shah

Congress chose this day for protest and wore black clothes because they want to give a subtle message to further promote their appeasement politics because on this day itself Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation of Ram Janambhoomi, said Union Home minister Amit Shah on Friday, reports ANI

6:57 PM

Himanta records statement in defamation case against Sisodia

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday recorded his statement before a court in a criminal defamation case filed by him against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

Sarma gave his statement in the court of chief judicial magistrate, Kamrup Rural, and seeveral other witnesses in the case are likely to record theirs later this month, the chief minister's advocate, Devajit Saikia, told PTI.

6:39 PM

ISS India inks agreement with DSEU for skill development

ISS Facility Services India, a subsidiary of Denmark-based global facility management services and workplace experiences leader ISS A/S (ISS Group), on Friday said it has signed an agreement with Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University (DSEU).

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is aimed at training students enrolled in BBA (Facilities and Hygiene Management) programme, the company said in a statement.

6:12 PM

US has no right to allow Speaker Pelosi to visit Taiwan: China's foreign minister

US has no right to make the mistake again of allowing another US House Speaker to visit Taiwan says Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, reports Reuters

6:00 PM

SSC scam: Partha Chatterjee, Arpita Mukherjee sent to judicial custody till Aug 18

A Kolkata court on Friday sends Partha Chatterjee and Arpita Mukherjee to judicial custody till August 18 in connection with the SSC recruitment scam, reports ANI

4:30 PM

Police summon Sena leader Kedar Dighe in criminal intimidation case

Mumbai Police has summoned the Shiv Sena's Thane district chief Kedar Dighe in connection with a case where he is accused of threatening a rape survivor, an official said on Friday.

A woman alleged last week that Delhi-based businessman Rohit Kapoor raped her at a five-star hotel here, and Dighe. his friend, subsequently warned her not to disclose the incident to anyone.

4:20 PM

Congress leaders and workers hold a protest against the Centre in Jodhpur

3:51 PM

ACC has approved an extension in service to Rajiv Gauba

3:38 PM

CAA likely to be implemented by December: West Bengal BJP MLA

The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is likely to be implemented by December, West Bengal BJP MLA Asim Sarkar claimed on Friday.

Sarkar, the chairman of the BJP's refugee cell in West Bengal, said the CAA needs to be rolled out in the state to meet the aspirations of the people.

3:31 PM

Railways provided 350,000 jobs since 2014, process on for providing 140,000 more

The Indian Railways has provided employment to 3,50,204 people so far between 2014 and 2022 and the process of recruiting 140,000 more people is currently underway, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told Rajya Sabha, PTI reported.
 

Responding to supplementaries during the Question Hour, the minister said Indian Railways has been a major contributor in providing employment to people in the country and in this year alone 18,000 jobs have been provided.
 

"Between 2014 to 2022, the Indian Railways has provided employment to 3,50,204 people," the minister said.

2:38 PM

Congress MPs pose with party's interim president Sonia Gandhi in Parliament