Meta to get parliamentary panel summons over Zuckerberg's 2024 Lok Sabha poll remark

News Network
January 14, 2025

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New Delhi: Social media giant Meta is set to get a summons from a Parliamentary Standing Committee over its boss Mark Zuckerberg's remark on the 2024 Indian general election. Nishikant Dubey, BJP MP and chairman of the House panel on Communication and Information Technology, said Meta would be summoned on grounds of spreading misinformation.

"Misinformation on a democratic country maligns its image. The organisation would have to apologise to the Parliament and the people here for this mistake," Mr Dubey said in a post on X.

In a podcast on January 10, the 40-year-old Facebook co-founder said the Covid pandemic had led to an erosion of trust in incumbent governments the world over. He incorrectly cited India's example in this connection. "2024 was a very big election year around the world and all these countries, India, had elections. The incumbents basically lost every single one. There is some sort of a global phenomenon - whether it was because of inflation or the economic policies to deal with Covid or just how the governments dealt with Covid. It seems to have had this effect that's global," he said.

Soon after, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw fact-checked Zuckerberg's remark and said the people of India had reaffirmed their trust in the NDA led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha election held last year.

"As the world's largest democracy, India conducted the 2024 elections with over 640 million voters. People of India reaffirmed their trust in NDA led by PM @narendramodi Ji's leadership. Mr. Zuckerberg's claim that most incumbent governments, including India in 2024 elections, lost post-COVID is factually incorrect," Mr Vaishnaw, who handles portfolios of Railways, Information and Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology in the Modi 3.0 government, said in a post on X.

"From free food for 800 million, 2.2 billion free vaccines, and aid to nations worldwide during COVID, to leading India as the fastest-growing major economy, PM Modi's decisive 3rd-term victory is a testament to good governance and public trust. Meta, it's disappointing to see misinformation from Mr. Zuckerberg himself. Let's uphold facts and credibility," he added.

The ruling BJP, which had scored thumping victories in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, suffered some setbacks in the general election last year and ended below the majority mark. The NDA alliance, however, crossed the magic figure comfortably with key allies bolstering the BJP's numbers. A united Opposition led by the Congress did make gains, but fell well short of the numbers required to turn the tables. With Modi 3.0, Prime Minister Modi became only the second Indian Prime Minister after Jawaharlal Nehru to get the top post for three consecutive terms.

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News Network
February 1,2025

The Union Budget 2025 has brought significant revisions to the income tax structure, aiming to address long-standing demands of middle-class taxpayers, particularly salaried individuals. The newly proposed tax slabs and rebate enhancements are expected to provide substantial relief, making taxation more streamlined and beneficial for the majority.

REVISED INCOME TAX SLABS

The proposed tax slabs under the new regime are as follows:
•    Income up to Rs 4 lakh – Nil
•    Rs 4-8 lakh – 5%
•    Rs 8-12 lakh – 10%
•    Rs 12-16 lakh – 15%
•    Rs 16-20 lakh – 20%
•    Rs 20-24 lakh – 25%
•    Above Rs 24 lakh – 30% (plus applicable cess and surcharge)

Currently, the tax slabs under the new regime are:
•    Income up to Rs 3 lakh – Nil
•    Rs 3-7 lakh – 5%
•    Rs 7-10 lakh – 10%
•    Rs 10-12 lakh – 15%
•    Rs 12-15 lakh – 20%
•    Above Rs 15 lakh – 30%

ENHANCED REBATE UNDER SECTION 87A

The budget proposes an increase in the income cap for availing the rebate under Section 87A from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 12 lakh, while the rebate amount will rise from Rs 25,000 to Rs 60,000. This effectively means that individuals earning up to Rs 12 lakh annually (or Rs 1 lakh per month) will not have to pay any income tax under the new regime, excluding special rate income such as capital gains.

Additionally, salaried taxpayers can benefit from the standard deduction of Rs 75,000, pushing the tax-free income threshold to Rs 12.75 lakh.

Recent data suggests that 78% of taxpayers have already transitioned to the new tax regime. With these latest reforms, the government anticipates an even greater shift towards the default new regime.

TDS AND TCS RATE RATIONALISATION

The government has proposed selective rationalisation of Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) and Tax Collected at Source (TCS) rates, which include:

•    Senior Citizens’ Interest Income – The tax deduction threshold will be increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.

•    TDS on Rent – The annual exemption cap will rise from Rs 2.40 lakh to Rs 6 lakh.

•    TCS on Foreign Remittances – The threshold cap will increase from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

Additionally, the higher 20% TDS deduction will now apply only in cases where the PAN is inoperative, ensuring that compliant taxpayers do not face undue deductions. These adjustments are expected to ease compliance burdens for taxpayers.

UPDATED TAX RETURN FILING WINDOW EXTENDED TO 4 YEARS

Currently, taxpayers can file an updated return within 24 months from the end of the relevant assessment year, provided it results in additional tax payments. The new proposal extends this window to 48 months, offering taxpayers more flexibility to rectify their tax filings and remain compliant.

The Union Budget 2025’s tax reforms reflect a concerted effort to reduce the financial strain on taxpayers while simplifying the taxation process. These changes mark a significant shift in the government's approach to personal taxation, with a clear emphasis on inclusivity and fairness.

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News Network
February 6,2025

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A U.S. military aircraft carrying 104 Indian migrants deported from the United States landed in Amritsar, Punjab, on Wednesday. This marks the first such deportation flight under President Donald Trump's intensified crackdown on illegal immigration. 

Harrowing Journeys in Pursuit of the American Dream

Many of the deported individuals undertook perilous journeys orchestrated by unscrupulous agents who promised legal entry into the U.S. Harvinder Singh, from Tahli village in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district, recounted his ordeal:

False Promises and Dangerous Routes: After paying an agent ₹4.2 million for a U.S. work visa, Singh was rerouted through multiple countries, including Brazil and Colombia. He endured a treacherous two-day trek through mountainous terrain, often referred to as the "donkey route," and a perilous sea journey toward the Mexico-U.S. border. During this voyage, the boat capsized, resulting in the death of a fellow traveler. 

Survival Amidst Tragedy: Sukhpal Singh from Darapur village described a similar experience, involving a 15-hour sea journey and a 45-kilometer hike through hazardous hills. He witnessed numerous fatalities along the way and was eventually apprehended in Mexico before reaching the U.S. Detained in a dark cell for 14 days, he emphasized the dire conditions faced by many Punjabi migrants. 

Financial Ruin and Broken Dreams

Families of the deported migrants are now grappling with substantial debts incurred to fund these ill-fated journeys.

Crippling Debts: Kuljinder Kaur, wife of Harvinder Singh, lamented, "We sold whatever little we had and borrowed money at high interest to pay the agent, hoping for a better future. But he deceived us. Now, not only has my husband been deported, we are also left with a huge debt." 

Mortgaged Futures: In Kapurthala's Behbal Bahadue, Gurpreet Singh's family mortgaged their home and took loans to send him abroad. Similarly, Jaswinder Singh's family in Fatehgarh Sahib spent ₹5 million, only to face the burden of high-interest loans after his deportation. 

Government Response and Future Implications

This deportation operation precedes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Washington for discussions with President Trump. The Indian government has expressed its willingness to accept deported nationals after proper verification. Between November 2023 and October 2024, the U.S. deported 519 Indian citizens, with estimates suggesting around 725,000 unauthorized Indian immigrants currently reside in the U.S. 

The deported individuals' experiences underscore the perils of illegal migration and the exploitation by fraudulent agents. Authorities urge citizens to pursue legitimate avenues for international travel and employment to avoid such tragedies.

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Agencies
February 7,2025

Washington DC: In a big relief for Indian students and professionals living in the United States on visas and awaiting green cards, a federal judge in Seattle has indefinitely blocked President Donald Trump's executive order that seeks to end birthright citizenship. Slamming the order, the court reportedly said Trump is trying to skirt the rule of law to play "policy games" with the Constitution.

US District Judge John Coughenour's preliminary injunction is the second major legal blow to Trump's efforts to alter the US law as part of a broader immigration crackdown after a federal judge in Maryland issued a similar ruling.

"It has become ever-more apparent that to our president, the rule of law is but an impediment to his policy goals. The rule of law is, according to him, something to navigate around or simply ignore, whether that be for political or personal gain," Judge Coughenour said during a hearing on Thursday in Seattle, according to a report by CNN.

"In this courtroom and under my watch, the rule of law is a bright beacon which I intend to follow," Coughenour continued.

The judge noted that the Constitution is not something with which the government can play policy games. "If the government wants to change the exceptional American grant of birthright citizenship, it needs to amend the Constitution itself," he stressed.

The new nationwide preliminary injunction issued in Seattle expands a previous short-term block Coughenour issued against the President's order days after he signed it. It came a day after US District Judge Deborah Boardman in Maryland issued another preliminary injunction against Trump's order on Wednesday.

Both orders apply nationwide and will remain in effect while the case proceeds. The Justice Department said late Thursday it was appealing the Seattle court's order. The appeal of the preliminary injunction will reportedly go to the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, a left-leaning appeals court, a move that could eventually land the issue before the US Supreme Court.

How Does Trump's Order Affect Indians In America?

Soon after taking for the second time on January 20, Trump signed an executive order ending birthright citizenship in the United States. The order denies US citizenship to children born on American soil to parents who are not permanent residents of the United States.

The order caused concerns among the Indian community in the US, particularly those living on temporary visas like H-1B (work visas), L (intra-company transfers), H-4 (dependent visas) and F (student visas). As per Trump's order, children born to parents on temporary visas would not get citizenship unless one parent was a US citizen or a green card holder.

Without the right to birthright citizenship, children of these immigrants are at risk of losing access to in-state tuition rates, federal financial aid and scholarships, significantly impacting their educational prospects. The order caused many expectant Indian parents to rush for pre-term deliveries before February 20-- the deadline fixed by Trump's order.

Trump's order also brought anxieties for Immigrants caught in green card backlogs, as their children born outside America could be forced to self-deport upon turning 21 unless they secure another visa.

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