Page 114 - Congress

Unified Pension Scheme: U in UPS stands for Modi govt's U-turns, says Cong

The Congress on Sunday took a jibe at the Centre over its announcement of the Unified Pension Scheme, saying the 'U' in UPS stands for Modi government's "U-turns". The opposition party's swipe came a day after the Union Cabinet approved an assured pension of 50 per cent of salary for those who joined the service after January 1, 2004, under the National Pension System (NPS). Fulfilling long pending demands of government employees ahead of assembly elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, the Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), which assures guaranteed pension. Taking a dig at the government, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "The 'U' in UPS stands for Modi Govt's U turns! Post June 4, the power of the people has prevailed over the arrogance of power of the Prime Minister." "Rollback in the budget regarding Long Term Capital Gain/Indexation. Sending Waqf Bill to JPC. Rollback of Broadcast Bill. Rollback o

Proverbial ostrich: Cong slams govt over unprecedented decline in wages

The Congress on Sunday claimed that a combination of slow wage growth and "back-breaking" inflation has caused an unprecedented decline in real wages and said that like the "proverbial ostrich", the government continues to remain blind to the most fundamental challenge faced by the Indian economy. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said a new report by a noted brokerage firm has once again shed light on the truth that the Union Government has consistently denied - real household incomes in India are facing a persistent decline. "A combination of slow wage growth and back-breaking inflation has caused an unprecedented decline in real wages (wages adjusted for price rise) and therefore incomes," he said in a statement. Ramesh pointed out that several surveys and data sets - including the Annual Survey of Unregistered Enterprises (ASUSE), the Reserve Bank of India's KLEMS data, and the Household Consumer Expenditure Survey (HCES) - have demonstrated ...

Bhupender Yadav responds to Jairam's concerns over Great Nicobar project

Yadav noted that despite the diversion of forest land for the project, 82 per cent of the Great Nicobar area remains under protected forests

'Such clarity on census delayed for over three yrs': Cong takes dig at Shah

The Congress on Sunday took a swipe at Home Minister Amit Shah for his remarks that an announcement on a census would be made once it was finalised, saying "such clarity on a census that has already been delayed for over three years". The opposition party's remarks came a day after Shah said the decadal census exercise would be carried out at an appropriate time and an announcement made when it was decided. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "The self-styled Chanakya has just dropped a bombshell. Yesterday, in Chhattisgarh, he let out a top secret. He said that the census will be carried out at an appropriate time and that an announcement will be made for it when it is decided." "Wow. Such clarity on a census that has already been delayed for over 3 years!" Ramesh said in a post on X. The house listing phase of the census and the exercise to update the National Population Register were scheduled to be carried out across the country from April 1

Cong allies with NC ahead of J-K polls as it is hungry for power: Odisha CM

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi slammed the Congress for joining hands with the National Conference (NC) ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, alleging that the grand old party is "hungry for power". He sought clarification from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi whether his party would "support the National Conference's promise for a separate flag in Jammu and Kashmir". Does the Congress support any unrest in Jammu and Kashmir by increasing terrorist activities once again? Will the Congress have the support to promote separatists by talking to the arch-enemy Pakistan, instead of establishing peace by talking to the people of Jammu and Kashmir?" Majhi asked Gandhi in the video message. He also asked, "Will the Congress party support the cross-border terrorism by opening trade with Pakistan? Will this not affect the local ecosystem?" The BJP leader sought clarification from the Congress on "whether it supports the decision of the National Conference to give government jo

No Dalit, Adivasi, or OBC in Miss India list, I checked, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said he checked the list of former Miss India but found no Dalit, tribal, or OBC among the winners. Gandhi made the remark during a 'Samvidhan Samman Sammelan' here, while pressing for a nationwide "caste census". The former Congress chief said that without the participation of "90 per cent" of its people, the country cannot operate. "I have checked the list of Miss India, which did not have any Dalit, Adivasi (tribal) or OBC women. Some will talk about cricket or Bollywood. No one will show the cobbler or plumber. Even top anchors in the media are not from the 90 per cent," he said. "They will say Modiji embraced someone and we have become superpower. How have we become superpower when 90 per cent people has no participation?" he asked, attacking the mainstream media of the country. The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha also alleged that the BJP might say that he was trying to divide the country with his demand of a caste census. "We want

Caste census required for 90% people sitting out of system: Rahul Gandhi

Pressing the demand for a nationwide "caste census", Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said 90 per cent people of the country are sitting out of the system and the step would be is necessary for them. Addressing the "Samvidhan Samman Sammelan" here, Gandhi said, "90 per cent people are sitting out of the system. They have skill, knowledge but no connections (with the system). That is why we have raised the demand for a caste census." "For the Congress, the caste census is the foundation of policy making," the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said.

J-K polls: Cong forged alliance with NC for power, says U'khand CM Dhami

The Congress forged an alliance with the National Conference for the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir due to its "lust for power", Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday. Dhami also posed 10 questions to the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi and asked them to explain why the party allied with the National Conference and the Abdullah family. He alleged that the Abdullahs "pushed back" Jammu and Kashmir for three decades and "ruined" it. Describing the National Conference as a party that fomented separatism and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Dhami said, "(Rahul) Gandhi owes an explanation to the nation on whether, by entering into an alliance with the National Conference, he supports the party's promise of a separate flag for Jammu and Kashmir and restoration of Article 370." "Gandhi and his party must explain whether they want to push Jammu and Kashmir back into disorder. Does he support separatism and cross-border terrorism and the National Conference's .

MVA got anti-BJP votes in LS polls, no rise in support base: MNS chief

Addressing a press conference, Thackeray further claimed the outfits led by Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar will not get these anti-incumbency votes in the assembly polls

Cong rules out alliance with AAP for Haryana Assembly polls: Selja

Ruling out the possibility of an alliance with the AAP for the Haryana Assembly polls, senior Congress leader Kumari Selja has said her party is strong in the state and will fight the elections on its own. In an interaction with PTI editors at the news agency's headquarters here, the Lok Sabha MP and the party's prominent Dalit face also dismissed the possibility of a hung assembly, asserting that the Congress would secure an "excellent majority" in the 90-member House. Selja also asserted that the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) has lost a lot of ground in Haryana as it is "breaking up" and does not have a chance in the upcoming polls. "The JJP has lost ground. This time you will not find many takers for the JJP. Even last time, most of the candidates who won were from the Congress. Today, it is already breaking up. Most of their MLAs have already left them. I don't see much of a chance for the JJP in this election," the AICC general secretary and former Haryana Congress chief said. Sh

Mayawati slams SP, Congress for being silent on SC, ST sub-classification

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday accused Samajwadi Party and Congress of maintaining silence on the Supreme Court's decision to make sub-classification within the Scheduled Castes and Schedule Tribes reservation and said their thinking is "anti-reservation". "The conduct, character and face of SP, Congress and others has always been anti-reservation, which is proven by their lack of support of Bharat Bandh. Anyway, it is not clear from their statements regarding reservation whether they are in favour of the Supreme Court's decision or against it? Why is there such a confusion?," she said raising questions in a series of posts on X in Hindi. Mayawati, in a post on X in Hindi, said that SP, Congress and others speak in support of SC/ST reservation out of interest and compulsion but are silent on the Supreme Court's decision on August 1 regarding the classification of ST/SC reservation and creamy layer. She added that their silence shows their anti-reservation ...

Congress leader Kumari Selja hints at contesting for Haryana CM position

Virtually throwing her hat in the ring for the Haryana chief minister's post in case the Congress gets a majority, senior party leader Kumari Selja on Friday said people do have ambitions "individually and community-wise" and went on to ask "why not". Months after winning the Lok Sabha polls from Sirsa, the former Union minister and the Congress' prominent Dalit face also indicated her desire to contest the upcoming assembly elections and said she wishes to work in the state but the high command will take a final call on the matter. In an interaction with PTI editors at the news agency's headquarters here, Selja brushed aside talk of factionalism hampering the party's chances in the polls, saying everyone gets down to groundwork together as "one Congress camp" when elections come. "I am very practical and I will answer you very frankly. In any organisation, there will always be push, pull and going for your space. That is part of any organisation and that will always be there. It is

Cong opposes MP govt's order to celebrate Janmashtami in school-colleges

Order issued by MP govt added that lectures through scholars on diff topics based on Krishna's education, friendship and life philosophy should be organised in all schools and colleges on Jamashtami

Harris supports Israel ceasefire deal, terms Gaza suffering "heartbreaking"

"What has happened in Gaza over the past 10 months is devastating. So many innocent lives lost. Desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking

MGNREGA living monument of PM Modi's betrayal of rural India, says Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday slammed the Centre over its handling of the MGNREGA, alleging that the present state of the scheme is "a living monument of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "betrayal" of rural India. Kharge recalled that in 2005, on this day, the then Congress-led UPA government enacted the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) to ensure 'Right to Work' to crores of people in rural India. In a post on X, he said at present, there are 13.3 crore active workers who depend on the MGNREGA, despite low wages, abysmal work-days, and facing deletion of job cards. In the guise of using technology and Aadhaar, the Modi government has deleted over seven crore workers' job cards, cutting these households off from MGNREGA work, the Congress president claimed. This year's Budget allocation for the MGNREGA is just 1.78 per cent of the total budgetary allocation, which marks a 10-year low in the scheme's funding, he said. The lower allocat

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'Have blood ties with J-K': Rahul Gandhi sounds poll bugle in the Valley

In his first visit to Jammu-Kashmir after the announcement of assembly elections, Rahul Gandhi said that restoration of statehood is a priority for both him and his party

Hindenburg row: Cong holds protests, demands Buch's resignation, JPC probe

The Uttar Pradesh Congress held a demonstration here on Thursday, demanding Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) chief Madhavi Buch's resignation and the formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the Adani issue. Led by state Congress president Ajay Rai, a large number of party leaders and workers protested outside the Raj Bhavan and demanded the formation of a JPC on the recent Hindenburg report. The Congress' provincial spokesperson Anshu Awasthi said party workers were marching towards the office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Lucknow but police stopped them near the Raj Bhavan, where they held their demonstration. State Congress president Rai said the recent Hindenburg Research report has completely exposed "corruption". "SEBI chief Madhavi Buch should resign or she should be dismissed," he added. Rai also said that the Hindenburg report has exposed the Adani group's "scams". The opposition party has stepped up its attack on the government

Telangana Cong govt hold protest demanding JPC probe into Adani issue

Telangana Chief Minister and state Congress chief A Revanth Reddy, his ministerial colleagues and party legislators on Thursday took part in a dharna here demanding SEBI chief Madhabi Buch's resignation and a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Adani issue. Senior Congress leader and former external affairs minister Salman Khurshid were among the party leaders, who also took part in the protest. Holding placards "The Truth Will Prevail" and raising slogans, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) leaders and workers, as part of a nationwide agitation, took out a rally from Gun Park to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office and later participated in the dharna in front of the ED office premises. "We demand the resignation of the SEBI chairperson and constitution of the JPC to investigate Adani Megascam," they said. The Congress has stepped up its attack on the NDA government after Hindenburg Research launched a fresh broadside against market regulator SEBI chairper

Delhi Congress protests at Jantar Mantar for SEBI chief's resignation

Leaders and workers of the Congress' Delhi unit staged a demonstration here on Thursday demanding SEBI chief Madhabi Buch's resignation from her post and the constitution of a joint parliamentary committee to probe the Adani issue. The protest at the Jantar Mantar was attended by Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav, senior leader Sachin Pilot, Kanhaiya Kumar and Udit Raj, among others. The Congress wants an impartial investigation into the matter, Pilot said. The opposition party has stepped up its attack on the government after Hindenburg Research launched a fresh broadside against market regulator SEBI chairperson Madhabi Buch, claiming she and her husband had stakes in obscure offshore funds used in the alleged Adani money siphoning scandal. Buch and her husband have denied the allegations levelled against them as baseless and asserted that their finances are an open book. The Adani Group has also termed Hindenburg Research's latest allegations as malicious and manipulative of