New Delhi: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for attempting to portray himself as a champion of Indian farmers, after being “hurt and subdued” by recent criticism from US President Donald Trump.

Ramesh recalled the 2020-21 farmers’ protests against the three farm laws, alleging that the Prime Minister mocked the agitators by calling them “protest enthusiasts” in Parliament. He claimed that over 700 farmers lost their lives during the protests, yet the Prime Minister expressed no regret or sympathy.

“Five years ago, there was a time when the Prime Minister, in Parliament, mocked the protesting farmers by calling them ‘protest enthusiasts.’ More than 700 farmers lost their lives during the protests against three black, anti-farmer laws, but not a single word of pain, regret, or sympathy came from the Prime Minister’s mouth for them. Farmer organizations are still demanding a legal guarantee for MSP, calculated by adding 50% profit to the total cost of production (C2), along with concrete debt relief. The Prime Minister remains completely silent on these demands, even though these same issues were raised by India’s former Vice President,” he posted on X.

“In November 2019, the Prime Minister was fully prepared to include India in the RCEP trade agreement, which could have caused significant harm to Indian farmers and dairy producers. However, due to persistent pressure from the Congress Party and farmer organisations, Prime Minister Modi had to back down at the last moment,” he added.

He further took a jibe, saying, “Now, hurt and subdued by Trump’s attacks, PM Modi is trying to present himself as the greatest champion of Indian farmers, but no one is under any illusion about this.”

On Thursday, in a message against the tariffs imposed by the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that farmers remain India’s top priority and that the country would never compromise their interests.

“For us, the interest of our farmers is our top priority. India will never compromise on the interests of farmers, fishermen and dairy farmers. I know we will have to pay a heavy price for it, and I am ready for it. India is ready for it,” PM Modi said while addressing the MS Swaminathan Centenary International Conference.

His remarks come amid the Trump administration doubling the tariff imposition to 50 per cent on goods from India. During trade negotiations, the United States was pushing for greater access to India’s agricultural market, especially for corn, soybeans, and cotton.

However, India has so far resisted the opening of the agricultural sector and dairy products due to concerns about domestic livelihoods and potential impacts on farmers.

Kochi: A 28-member group of tourists, who are natives of Kerala, has gone missing after a cloudburst triggered massive mudslides in Uttarakhand, family members said on Wednesday.

Of the 28 individuals, 20 are reportedly from Kerala settled in Maharashtra, while the remaining eight are from various districts in Kerala, a relative of one of the couples in the group told the media.

She said the couple’s son last spoke to them a day ago.

“They said they were leaving from Uttarkashi to Gangotri at around 8.30 am that day. The landslides occurred along that route. We have been unable to contact them since they left,” she said.

She added that the Haridwar-based travel agency, which arranged the 10-day Uttarakhand tour, was also unable to provide any update on the group’s whereabouts.

“Their phones may have run out of battery by now. There is no mobile network in that region currently,” she said.

At least four people have been confirmed dead in the disaster that struck Dharali, an ecologically fragile region in Uttarakhand, following the cloudburst on Tuesday afternoon.

Officials said nearly half of Dharali was buried under a massive mudslide of slush, debris, and water. The village is a key stop on the route to Gangotri, the origin of the Ganga, and hosts several hotels and homestays.

Darbhanga: A shocking incident surfaced from Bihar’s Darbhanga, where a man allegedly shot dead his son-in-law in front of his daughter. The deceased has been identified as Rahul Kumar, a 25-year-old second-year student of BSc (Nursing) at Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital.

The accused, Premshankar Jha, opened fire at Kumar in front of his newlywedded wife, Tannu Priya. Jha was upset due to Priya’s intercaste marriage with Kumar. The victim was rushed to a hospital. However, he could not survive.

Priya is a first-year nursing student. She got married to Kumar four months ago. They reportedly stayed on different floors in the same hostel building. The woman notices that a person wearing a hoodie approached her husband on Tuesday evening.

“He had a gun. It was my father, Premshankar Jha. He shot my husband in the chest, in front of my eyes. My husband fell into my lap,” she said as quoted by the media house. The woman alleged that her whole family was part of the conspiracy to kill her husband.

“We had also gone to court and said that my father and my brothers may harm me or my husband,” Priya added. Kumar’s friends also beat up Jha after he shot at the victim. He was also rushed to a hospital. The video of students beating up the accused also surfaced online.

After receiving the information, a senior official rushed to the spot. Jha was taken into custody. “A love affair was ongoing with the deceased, and a love marriage had taken place in April 2025. After the death incident, the people present there caught and beat Prem Shankar Jha, due to which Prem Shankar Jha is injured and has been sent to PMCH Patna for treatment,” the Darbhanga Police said.