Page 12 - Congress

Bihar polls: Congress questions PM, CM on paper leaks, crime, and jobs

Countering the NDA's 'jungle raj' charge, the Congress on Sunday sought to corner Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on paper leaks, "displacement" of families in search of employment and alleged rise in heinous crimes in Bihar. Attacking the ruling alliance, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, cited criminal incidents and asked the prime minister whether this is the "so-called Mangal Raj" of his "trouble engine government". The NDA has been warning voters in Bihar that a return of Magathbandhan to power in Bihar will bring back the era of "jungle raj" under the RJD rule, where, it alleged, criminals "acted with impunity". In a post in Hindi on X, Ramesh said that on the same streets of Patna where young people were lathi-charged almost every month for demanding jobs and fair recruitment exams, the prime minister and chief minister are holding roadshows for votes. "That's why today we want to ask them three direct questio

Congress slams Delhi govt's cloud seeding experiment, calls it 'cruel joke'

The Congress on Sunday took a swipe at the Delhi government over its cloud seeding experiment for improving air quality and said getting slight improvement in a limited area for a day or two as is now being claimed is a "cruel joke". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Delhi government has spent Rs 34 crore on the winter cloud seeding experiment in order to improve air quality. On December 5, 2024, the Union Minister of State of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, had answered a question in the Rajya Sabha saying that three specialised agencies -- the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCT, the Central Pollution Control Board, and the Indian Meteorological Department -- had clearly advised against winter cloud seeding to improve air quality in Delhi, Ramesh said. Then on October 31, 2025 --- that is just the day before yesterday -- the well-known and prestigious Centre for Atmospheric Sciences at IIT Delhi issued a detailed report

Rahul, Priyanka among Cong's 40 star campaigners for 2nd phase Bihar polls

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with Kanhaiya Kumar and Independent MP Pappu Yadav, are among the party's 40 star campaigners for the second phase of the Bihar assembly polls. AICC in-charge of Bihar Krishna Allavaru, Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram, Congress general secretaries K C Venugopal, Bhupesh Baghel, Sachin Pilot, Randeep Surjewala and Syed Naseer Hussain, as well as senior leaders Ashok Gehlot, Tariq Anwar, Gaurav Gogoi, Mohammad Jawed and Akhilesh Prasad Singh, are also on the list. The Bihar polls will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, and results will be announced on November 14. The opposition INDIA bloc, which has RJD, Congress and Left parties as the main constituents, on Thursday declared RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav its chief ministerial candidate for the Bihar polls. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, senior leaders Digvijaya Singh, Adhir Ranjan ...

Datanomics: Election looms in Bihar, but who's been asking tough questions?

As Bihar heads for polls on Nov 6 and 11, data shows active questioning by opposition MLAs and fluctuating assembly sittings under the NDA-Mahagathbandhan tenure

Congress calls Nitish's silence at NDA manifesto event an insult to Bihar

The Congress on Friday slammed NDA leaders for not allowing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to speak at the release of the ruling coalition's manifesto for the state assembly polls, claiming it was an insult to Bihar and Biharis. Talking to reporters here, senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot also claimed that the NDA's manifesto release programme lasted only 26 seconds, as the leaders were afraid of facing questions from journalists about their 20-year rule. CM Nitish Kumar, his deputy Samrat Choudhary, BJP president JP Nadda, Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Chirag Paswan and other leaders of alliance partners released the NDA's manifesto in less than a minute. All then left the venue, except the deputy CM who remained and answered a few questions from journalists. An announcement was made from the dais that the leaders had to leave as they had poll-related engagements. "The NDA leaders came to the press conference which lasted merely 26 seconds. They were afraid

Jinnah, Savarkar caused Partition, now BJP dividing cities: Digvijaya Singh

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has alleged that Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar caused India's partition in 1947, while the ruling BJP is currently dividing the cities and neighbourhoods. He made the claim on Thursday in response to questions concerning media reports about the alleged exodus of Hindus from two Muslim-majority localities in Sagar city in the state. Jinnah (founder of Pakistan) and Savarkar divided the country, and now the BJP is dividing every city and every neighbourhood, the Rajya Sabha member told reporters in Indore. To a question about the BJP's Run for Unity' on Friday (October 31), marking the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Congress leader said, We welcome this event, but don't forget that October 31 is also a martyrdom day. He was referring to former prime minister Indira Gandhi, who was assassinated by her bodyguards on the morning of October 31, 1984. Singh also said that proofs of citizenship are

If elected, INDIA bloc to restore Old Pension Scheme in Bihar: Himachal CM

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said if the INDIA bloc forms the government in Bihar, it will reintroduce the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) on the lines of his state. Talking to reporters here, Sukhu said, "There has been no sign of development in the 20 years of NDA rule in Bihar. This is evident from the fact that 64 per cent of people in Bihar live on Rs 66 per day." He asserted that there was a need to "change for good" in the state, adding that Bihar, which could have emerged as a major tourism hub, "has been left in a dismal state by the NDA government". Sukhu said the OPS was restored in Himachal Pradesh in the first cabinet meeting of his government, resulting in a tenfold increase in the pension amount for state employees. "Nearly 1.36 lakh government employees have benefitted from the scheme," he claimed. The chief minister clarified that the move was made as part of Rahul Gandhi's commitment to fulfil the Congress' promises, and not for ...

If NDA comes to power in Bihar, there will be no migration: PM Modi

Bihar Assembly elections 2025: At a rally in Muzaffarpur, PM Modi said the NDA aims to stop migration from the state, ensure jobs, and promote Bihar's pride and development

Assam CM orders police action after Bangladesh anthem sung at Congress meet

This is a blatant insult to the people of India and aligns with recent assertions by certain Bangladesh citizens that the North-East will eventually belong to Bangladesh, Sarma said

Amit Shah accuses RJD, Congress of pushing dynastic politics in Bihar

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday attacked the INDIA bloc, alleging that RJD supremo Lalu Prasad wants to make his son Tejashwi the chief minister of Bihar and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi her son Rahul the PM, while asserting that "both posts were not vacant". Addressing a rally in Darbhanga district of Bihar, Shah termed the Mahagathbandhan as 'thug bandhan', alleging that Lalu Prasad is involved in fodder, bitumen and land-for-jobs scams, while Congress was involved in corruption cases worth Rs 12 lakh crore. Shah said that the Centre has put a ban on radical outfit PFI and arrested its members, asserting that the NDA will not let them come out of prison. "Do you think RJD will let PFI members remain in prison if they come to power in Bihar?" he questioned. Shah said that the NDA government provides free ration to 8.52 crore people of Bihar, constituted Makhana Board, and provides 125 units of free power to domestic consumers. "Darbhanga will get a metro rail soon... a

'Tejashwi Pran': INDIA bloc promises jobs, free power in poll manifesto

The INDIA bloc's Bihar election manifesto promises jobs for every family, free electricity, revival of the old pension scheme, higher welfare payouts for women, and protection of minority rights

LIVE news updates: Rain lashes Andhra coast as Cyclone Montha nears landfall

Latest news updates: Catch all the latest news developments here

'Specious argument': Congress slams Shah's defence of Great Nicobar project

The Congress on Tuesday slammed as "specious argument Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks that the Great Nicobar Island Development Project will increase the country's maritime trade multiple times. Congress general secretary in-charge communications and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh asserted that the project's devastating ecological and social impacts are beyond doubt. The opposition party's attack on the government came a day after over 70 scientists, environmentalists and former bureaucrats urged the government to reconsider the Great Nicobar Island project, claiming that it is "an exploitative commercial proposal" being "wrongly portrayed as a strategic defence project". "The Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) has unsurprisingly got involved in the debate on the Great Nicobar mega infrastructure project saying that it will boost India's maritime trade. As several experts on this issue have identified, this is a specious argument," Ramesh said. Moreover, the Home Minister

Highlights: SIR exercise to be conducted in 12 states after Bihar, announces CEC Kumar

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Kharge, Rahul, Priyanka among Cong's 40 star campaigners for Bihar polls

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Kanhaiya Kumar and Independent MP Pappu Yadav are among the party's 40 star campaigners for the first phase of the Bihar assembly polls. AICC in-charge of Bihar Krishna Allavaru, Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Ram, Congress general secretaries K C Venugopal, Bhupesh Baghel, Sachin Pilot, Randeep Surjewala and Syed Naseer Hussain, as well as senior leaders Ashok Gehlot, Tariq Anwar, Gaurav Gogoi, Mohammad Jawed and Akhilesh Prasad Singh, are also on the list. The Bihar polls will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, and results will be announced on November 14. The opposition INDIA bloc, which has RJD, Congress and Left parties as the main constituents, on Thursday declared RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav its chief ministerial candidate for the Bihar polls. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, senior leaders Digvijaya Singh, Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, Meira Kumar

Congress to launch Bihar poll campaign after Chhath; Rahul to lead

The Congress's poll campaign in Bihar will kick off soon after Chhath Puja with Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi canvassing for the INDIA bloc, senior party leader KC Venugopal said on Sunday. Venugopal, the Congress national general secretary (organisation), said that other party leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and national president Mallikarjun Kharge, will also campaign in the state, where the Voter Adhikar Yatra in August gave the party the much-needed momentum. "Our campaign will kick off soon after Chhath Puja. I think Rahul Gandhi will be here on October 29 and 30. Tours of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Mallikarjun Kharge are also on the cards," he told PTI video. Venugopal, who is a close aide of Gandhi, is among a number of senior Congress leaders who are camping in the poll-bound state to fine-tune the party's strategy, besides diffusing the crisis in its rank and file, which has come to the fore with many workers alleging that tickets were "put up for sale". Wh

India's air pollution crisis full-blown assault on brains, bodies: Congress

The Congress on Sunday said India's air pollution crisis is no longer just a respiratory issue but a full-blown assault on our brains and bodies, as it called for radically revising the National Clean Air Programme and urgently updating the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh asserted that air pollution is a public health catastrophe and a national security threat to our society, healthcare system, and future workforce. "India's air pollution crisis is no longer just a respiratory issue. It's now a full-blown assault on our brains and bodies," the former environment minister said on X. In 2023, approximately 2 million deaths in India were linked to air pollution - a 43% jump since 2000, Ramesh pointed out. Nearly 9 in 10 of these deaths were attributed to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, lung cancer, diabetes and now even dementia, he said India records around 186 air-pollution deaths per

Not just CPI, entire Kerala kept in dark on PM SHRI MoU: Congress leader

Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan on Saturday said that the CPI(M) and Chief Minister Pinarayi VIjayan kept the whole of Kerala, and not just its ally CPI, in the dark while signing the PM SHRI Schools MoU and alleged that there was some "conspiracy" behind it. Congress leader Satheesan claimed that the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme MoU was signed on October 16, less than a week after the CM met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 10, but was not informed to the state cabinet when it met on October 22. He said that Vijayan needs to disclose what alleged pressure or blackmailing from the Centre forced them to sign the MoU so "secretively". "The MoU was signed secretively without any information to its allies or the state cabinet. Even CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby and LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan were unaware," the opposition leader claimed. Satheesan said that all this indicated that the CM and state General Education ...

Kesri and Karpoori: Congress, BJP spar over two Bihar icons ahead of polls

Rahul Gandhi leads tributes to Sitaram Kesri as PM Modi honours Karpoori Thakur, signalling both parties' attempts to appeal to Bihar's backward class voters

NDA to break electoral records under Nitish: PM sounds poll bugle in Bihar

PM Modi showered praises on Nitish Kumar, the Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] supremo, who is seeking a fifth consecutive term in office