Congress

'Maximum Optics Damaging India': Cong's dig at Modi govt over US-Pak ties

Taking a swipe at the government, the Congress on Friday said the romance between the US and Pakistan continues unabated while the "self-declared Vishwaguru" is busy giving the world "gyaan" which is nothing but "MODI governance - Maximum Optics Damaging India". The opposition party's attack came a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the Board of Peace in Washington along with leaders of other nations who have signed up to join the Trump-led organisation. Trump repeated the assertion that Sharif had claimed he saved 25 million lives when he stopped the war between India and Pakistan. In his remarks, Sharif described Trump as a man of peace and a "saviour of South Asia". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the romance between the US and Pakistan continues unabated. "It was on display yet again in Washington DC yesterday.That Pakistan has paid no price whatsoever on the world stage for orchestrating the Pahalgam terror attack

Israel condemns attack on Indian workers in Ashkelon, perpetrators held

The Israeli embassy in India informed that the perpetrators have been caught and assured that justice will be delivered

Rahul calls AI summit 'disorganised', says Chinese products displayed

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday dubbed the AI Summit a "disorganised PR spectacle" and alleged that Chinese products are being showcased there. "Instead of leveraging India's talent and data, the AI summit is a disorganised PR spectacle - Indian data up for sale, Chinese products showcased," Gandhi said in a post on X. The former Congress president's remarks came amid a controversy over Galgotias University allegedly showcasing a robotic dog labelled "Orion" at the AI Summit expo that critics said was actually a Chinese-made Unitree Go2 and not an in-house innovation. According to sources, Galgotias University has been asked to vacate ts stall at the AI Summit Expo immediately. Gandhi also tagged a post of the Congress which alleged, "The Modi government has made a laughing stock of India globally, with regard to AI. " In the ongoing AI summit, Chinese robots are being displayed as our own, he charged. "The Chinese media has mocked us. This is truly embarrassing for ...

Cong alleges use of benami funds to amass large stakes in Adani Group

The Congress on Wednesday cited an Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project report to allege the use of benami funds to amass large stakes in the Adani Group by two of its close associates, and claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "stonewalled" the party's demand for a JPC to investigate all aspects of the "scam" involving the conglomerate. The Adani Group has repeatedly denied all allegations that have been made by the Congress in the past. While there was no immediate reaction from the Adani Group on the latest allegations by the OCCRP, reportedly funded by the likes of George Soros and Rockefeller Brothers Fund, it has previously rejected charges made in OCCRP reports. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said there is a difference between genuine entrepreneurship which the Congress welcomes, supports and celebrates, and business expansion through cozy and mutually lucrative political relationships. "New revelations have just emerged

Ex-Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah will join BJP on Feb 22: Himanta

In a major jolt to the opposition Congress in Assam ahead of the assembly polls, its former state president Bhupen Borah will join the BJP on February 22, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday after meeting him. Sarma visited Borah's residence in the Ghoramara area of Guwahati, a day after the senior leader resigned from the Congress. The CM was welcomed by Borah's wife and son with 'aarti'. After the over one and a half hours long meeting, Sarma announced that Borah will join the BJP along with his supporters, and state BJP president Dilip Saikia will finalise the modalities. "Borah, along with some of his supporters, will join the BJP in Guwahati, but there will be another joining programme at Lakhimpur from where he hails, as many Congress members have expressed their desire to follow his steps," Sarma said, with the veteran leader by his side. The CM claimed that Borah's joining the BJP would show that Congress is not a place for Hindus. "He is the last recognise

BJP's Nishikant Dubey moves substantive motion to expel Rahul Gandhi

Dubey argues the motion aims to 'expose the intentions of the Tukde Tukde gang to divide the country into pieces' and asserts that Parliament has previously expelled members through similar motions

Rahul Gandhi to lead Congress rally against India-US trade deal in Punjab

The Congress will hold a rally over the issue of India-US trade deal in Punjab and it will be attended by Rahul Gandhi, said senior party leader Bhupesh Baghel here on Monday evening. Baghel said the rally is expected to be held either on February 28 or March 1. He said Rahul has been opposing the India-US trade deal in Lok Sabha and outside Lok Sabha and adding that he has already been raising farmers' related issues. "The fight over this issue (India-US trade deal) will begin from Punjab. A big rally will be held in which Rahul ji and other party leaders will be present," said Baghel. To a question on Union Home Minister Amit Shah asking Gandhi to debate this issue, Baghel said, "Amit Shah wants to hold a debate. We will come there. Farmers will come. You decide the time and place." Rahul has been attacking the BJP-led government and accusing it of a sell-out through the India-US trade deal and on Sunday he posed a string of questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged

Nearly one in four BMC winners face criminal cases, ADR analysis shows

Nearly one in four winning candidates in the 2026 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls have declared criminal cases against themselves, while close to four-fifths are crorepatis, according to an analysis by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The ADR, which studied affidavits of all 227 winning candidates, said 54 winners, or 24 per cent, have declared criminal cases, while 29 candidates, or 13 per cent, face serious criminal charges. The data was compiled along with Maharashtra Election Watch from candidates' self-sworn affidavits filed during the civic polls. Party-wise analysis showed that 33 per cent of the winners from the BJP have declared criminal cases, followed by 24 per cent from Shiv Sena and 15 per cent from Shiv Sena (UBT), the report said. The financial profile of candidates also indicated a strong presence of wealthy contestants. Up to 180 of the 227 winners, about 79 per cent, declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore, with the average assets of

Doors of BJP open for Bhupen Borah after exit from Congress: Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said the doors of the BJP were open for Bhupen Borah, hours after the former state Congress chief resigned from the party. Sarma also said that if Borah joins the BJP, he would try to get him elected from a "safe seat". Borah sent his resignation letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge earlier in the day, dealing a blow to the party ahead of the Assam assembly polls. In the letter, he claimed that he was being "ignored" by the party leadership and not being accorded his due in the state unit. Borah was the president of the Assam Congress unit from 2021 to 2025, and was replaced by Gaurav Gogoi last year. He has been a two-time legislator in Assam. Sarma said Borah was the "last Hindu leader" in the Congress without a family background father or mother not occupying a ministerial post or being an MLA. ''His resignation carries the symbolic message that in the Congress, no one from a normal family can prosper. Congress doe

Shivaji-Tipu remarks: FIRs against BJP, Cong workers for violence in Pune

BJP workers confronted Congress activists in Pune while protesting against Congress leader Harshwardhan Sapkal's remarks 'equating' Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with Tipu Sultan, with the Opposition party alleging stone pelting during the agitation on Sunday.Joint Commissioner of Police Ranjan Kumar Sharma told reporters that three Congress workers, two BJP workers, two police personnel, and two journalists sustained minor injuries in the melee. "A protest was held near the Congress Bhavan, which saw sloganeering from workers of BJP and Congress. Workers of both parties climbed onto walls and there was stone pelting from both sides," Sharma informed. A case was registered against workers of the BJP and Congress at Shivajinagar police station later in the evening, an official said. Pune city Congress chief Arvind Shinde said the party has submitted a written complaint to the police against BJP functionaries. A case should be registered against Mayor Manjusha Nagpure, BJP City presiden

'Carefully scripted, desperate PR exercise': Cong slams PM Modi's interview

The Congress on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's interview with PTI was "no interview" and claimed that it was a "carefully scripted" as well as "desperate PR exercise". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh further alleged that, being "under siege and attack because of his surrender to the US on the trade deal", the prime minister is now resorting to his "favourite tactic" of headline management. "The PM knows that this year's Budget has been a damp squib and shows every sign of intellectual exhaustion. Markets have reacted negatively and investors have been unimpressed. Hence, he feels the need to give an interview a fortnight after the Budget was presented and a few days after it was taken apart by the Opposition in Parliament," Ramesh said. "As usual, there are Modi-style one-liners that mean little in reality," the Congress leader said. Ramesh claimed that Modi is trying to divert attention away from his "betrayal" of lakhs of farmers and

Witnessing betrayal of farmers in name of US trade deal: Rahul Gandhi

Upping the ante against the government over the India-US interim trade deal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday posed a string of questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged that "we are witnessing a betrayal" of Indian farmers. Gandhi, who has been attacking the government and accusing it of a sell-out through the deal, said this issue concerns the future and asked whether India is allowing another country to gain a long-term hold over India's agriculture industry. "In the name of a US trade deal, we are witnessing a betrayal of Indian farmers," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said in his post in Hindi on X. Posing questions to the prime minister, Gandhi asked what it means to import Dried Distillers' Grains (DDG). "Does it mean that Indian cattle will be fed distillers' grains made from GM American corn? Won't this effectively make our milk products dependent on the US agricultural industry?" he questioned. Gandhi further inquired that if India allows the

'Atmanirbhar now looks like Trump pe nirbhar': Cong's Kapil Sibal

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday took a swipe at the government over the India-US interim trade deal, saying despite its claims to make the country "atmanirbhar" (self-reliant), it seems to have become "Trump pe nirbhar" (dependent on Trump). Sibal also accused the government of agreeing to align India's foreign and economic policy with America, saying and said that such a thing had not happened in India's history. The former Union minister also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he inaugurated the new PMO, named Seva Teerth, and two buildings of the central secretariat - Kartavya Bhawan 1 and 2 -- asking whether he has fulfilled his "kartavya (duty)" towards the country. "I was very happy to read the papers today, the PM has inaugurated the Seva Teerth and Kartvaya Bhawan. Earlier there was the naming of Kartavya Path. But in the last 11 years, I want to ask the PM, what kind of kartavya he fulfilled," Sibal said at a press conference. "It is good to make ...

Congress neglected Northeast, endangered security: PM Modi in Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched an all-out attack on the Congress, accusing it of neglecting the Northeast and promoting insurgency in Assam during its rule. Addressing BJP workers at a rally here, Modi alleged that the Congress always endangered the nation's security, with fear and insecurity prevailing during its tenure in Assam. ''The Congress indulged in polarisation and vote bank politics, and took decisions that promoted these,'' he said. "The partition of the country took place due to the Muslim League, but now there is 'MMC' Maoist, Muslim, Congress and people should be aware,'' Modi said. The PM accused the Congress of protecting infiltrators, but the BJP is "committed to end illegal immigration, and so the next five years are very important for the state''. He also claimed that the Congress, being out of power in Assam for 10 years, is "more dangerous than when it was in power, and this is evident from the venomous statements made by its leaders". Fo

Rahul 'immature', lacks understanding of economy: Goyal on textile remarks

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday described Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as "immature" and lacking understanding of the economy and accused the opposition party of spreading misinformation as it had no constructive agenda to criticise the Narendra Modi government. Speaking to reporters here in Mumbai on the Union Budget, Goyal said Rahul Gandhi is "thousand miles away from the truth" and asserted "discredited leaders" like him may try but would not be able to stop Prime Minister Modi and his service to the nation. "The Congress is frustrated. It has no other scheme or solution except spreading misinformation and fabricated claims. It does not have any point to criticise us. They are trying to mislead our farmers by spreading wrong and false information," he said. "I am confident that discredited leaders like Rahul Gandhi of the Congress and its allies, including TMC, DMK and SP, which are parties rejected by the people, can try hundreds of thousands of ..

Shivraj Chouhan hits out at Congress for 'spreading lies' on US trade deal

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday launched a sharp attack on the opposition Congress for "spreading lies" about the India-US trade agreement, asserting that the Narendra Modi government has completely safeguarded the interests of the farming community. Addressing the 64th convocation ceremony of ICAR-IARI, Chouhan said that not only the trade deal with the US, but all free trade agreements with other countries, including the one with Europe, have been done in the national interest. "All the FTAs, including one with the EU and other countries, are all in the interest of the country. The deal with the US is in India's national interest and completely safeguarded. The interests of the farmers have been kept at the top," Chouhan said. In an apparent reference to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the minister said some people are creating a "ruckus" on this issue. "They are creating a ruckus and saying we are looted. We are ruined. Everything is destroyed. Nation is sold

Telangana municipal elections: Congress takes lead in early trends

The ruling Congress has taken a lead over the opposition BRS and BJP as counting for the Telangana Municipal election progressed on Friday. Of the 2,582 wards in 116 municipalities where elections were held on February 11, Congress was ahead in 300, while BRS was leading in 170 wards at 10.45 AM. BJP candidates were ahead in 48 wards, as per initial trends. The counting process of votes is expected to take time as ballot papers were used in the election. Postal ballots were taken up first for counting. The counting of votes polled in the elections to 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations began at 123 centres across the state at 8 AM. The outcome of the three-cornered contest between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP and BRS is crucial for all of them as it would be an indicator of their popularity among the voters. Elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure that the exercise passes off smoothly. DGP B Shivadhar Reddy has said comprehensive an

Congress congratulates BNP for winning parliamentary polls in Bangladesh

The Congress on Friday congratulated the BNP for winning the parliamentary elections in Bangladesh, with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge saying a democratic, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh would always be supported by all Indians for the stability and peace of the region. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Friday claimed victory in the crucial general elections, marred by sporadic incidents of violence, to elect a new government to replace the interim administration, which took charge after the fall of the Awami League regime in August 2024. In a post on X, Kharge said, "On behalf of the Indian National Congress, I congratulate Mr. Tarique Rahman and the BNP for winning the Parliamentary elections in Bangladesh." India and Bangladesh share deep rooted bonds of history, language, culture, and multitude of other commonalities, the Congress chief said. "A democratic, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh would always be supported by all Indians for the stability and peace o

Congress names Tharoor co-chairman of campaign committee for Kerala polls

The Congress on Thursday set up two key panels for the upcoming Kerala Assembly polls, with Ramesh Chennithala and Shashi Tharoor appointed chairman and co-chairman, respectively, of the party's campaign committee. Tharoor's appointment assumes significance as it comes days after he met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi for redressal of his grievances, after which he said "all is good" and "we are all on the same page". Since then, Tharoor has been seen speaking prominently for the Congress, and also initiated the discussion on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha. Congress president Kharge has approved the proposal for the constitution of the campaign committee and the manifesto committee of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee for the upcoming Assembly elections, a party statement said. While Chennithala has been named the chairman of the campaign committee, Tharoor has been appointed its co-chairman. Congress MP Shafi Parambil will be the

Piyush Goyal slams Rahul Gandhi over US deal, says farmers fully protected

Commerce minister Piyush Goyal accused Rahul Gandhi of spreading lies on the India-US interim trade deal, asserting that farmers' interests were fully safeguarded and exports would rise