Page 122 - Congress

Govt should have nullified SC's 'creamy layer' judgement via Parl: Kharge

Asserting that the idea of denying reservation to SCs and STs on account of the creamy layer concept is "condemnable", Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said the government should have bought a legislation in Parliament to nullify the Supreme Court judgement on the issue. Earlier this month, a seven-judge Bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud ruled in a 6:1 majority judgement that state governments were permitted to sub-classify communities within the SC list based on empirical data. Supreme Court judge Justice B R Gavai had said that states must evolve a policy for identifying the creamy layer even among the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Schedule Tribes (ST) and deny them the benefit of reservation. "Who do you want to benefit by bringing a creamy layer? By bringing a creamy layer (concept) on one hand you are denying untouchables and giving to those who have enjoyed privileges for thousands of years. I condemn this," Kharge told reporters ...

Congress slams govt over bid to privatise steel plants, suffocate industry

The Congress on Saturday attacked the government over attempts to privatise steel plants, alleging the country's industrial base is being "suffocated" and Union Steel Minister H D Kumaraswamy is party to it. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh cited a written reply in the Rajya Sabha by Kumaraswamy. "Yesterday in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister for Steel revealed that the Modi Government has attempted and failed to privatise 4 steel plants and is currently attempting to privatise another 2," Ramesh said on X. None of these six privatisations were necessary, he argued. "Perhaps the Government's incompetence in enacting its own decisions, however ill-founded, is a small mercy," he said. However, these PSUs are now in a state of inactivity, and will be for an indeterminate period of time, Ramesh said. "The Government will not invest in them - in fact, there is evidence that the Government is actually systematically trying to further throttle these units t

PIL seeks disqualification of all Cong MPs for financial guarantees

A PIL has been filed before the Allahabad High Court seeking the disqualification of all 99 Congress MPs, arguing that the party's 'Ghar Ghar Guarantee Scheme' launched during the Lok Sabha poll campaign amounted to bribery under law. The public interest litigation (PIL) has also sought direction against the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of failing to act against the Congress campaign. Despite the ECI's advisory issued on May 2 this year, warning political parties against such practices, the petition alleged that the Congress continued its distribution of these cards compromising the fairness of the electoral process. According to the PIL, the 'Ghar Ghar Guarantee Scheme' involves the distribution of guarantee cards that promise various financial and material benefits in exchange of votes. The promise amounts to bribery under Section 123(1)(A) of the Representation of People's Act, 1951 and is punishable under Sections 171B and 171E of the Indian Penal Code, it .

No concept of national disaster in govt rules: UPA's reply in Parliament

Government sources on Saturday cited a 2013 reply in Parliament by a Congress-led UPA government minister to emphasise that no concept of "national disaster" exists under the rules of the central government. The clarification came amid a demand, including from Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, that the landslide tragedy in Kerala's Wayanad be declared a national disaster. The then minister of state for home and Congress MP from Kerala Mullappally Ramachandran had told the Lok Sabha in 2013 in a reply to a question that "there is no provision to declare a natural disaster as a national disaster", the sources noted. The reply stated that the government of India adjudges a calamity of severe nature on case-to-case basis, taking into account its intensity and magnitude, level of relief assistance, capacity of the state government to tackle the problem, and alternatives and flexibility available within the plan to provide succour and relief etc. The priority is immedia

When underdog pushes top dog

The third Modi govt has quickly moved away from dismissing all Congress ideas as unimaginative and is now implementing several of them. Think poll-bound Haryana and Maharashtra

Highlights: Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia walks out of Tihar jail after 17 months

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Gujarat Congress launches Nyay Yatra for victims of state's major tragedies

The Gujarat Congress on Friday launched a 14-day 'Nyay Yatra', a foot march, here to seek justice for the victims of four major tragedies that took place in the BJP-ruled state over the last five years. The Bharatiya Janata Party was shielding the real culprits of these incidents including the recent Rajkot game zone fire, it alleged. Congress Legislative Party leader in the assembly Amit Chavda, Seva Dal president Lalji Desai and MLA Jignesh Mevani launched the campaign. The march will cover nearly 350 kilometers before reaching Gandhinagar on August 23, said party spokesperson Manish Doshi. Family members of the deceased from these tragedies -- 2019 Takshashila fire incident in Surat, Morbi bridge collapse of 2022, and this year's Vadodara boat capsizing incident and TRP game zone fire in Rajkot -- will join the the Yatra, he said. Mevani said that nearly 200 people died in these incidents due to the rampant corruption under the BJP government. "We are taking out this Nyay Yatr

Parliament session highlights: Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha highlights: Here are the news updates on the developments in the Parliament

'Unacceptable tone': Jaya Bachchan demands apology from RS Chair Dhankhar

The Opposition staged a walkout on Friday after Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan accused Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar of using unacceptable' tone

BJP-JD(S) 'Mysuru Chalo' march seeking CM's resignation continues on day 7

The combined Opposition, BJP and JD(S), on Friday continued their protest march, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment 'scam.' The week-long Bengaluru-Mysuru padayatre (foot march) has sought to highlight the alleged fraudulent allotment of sites to land losers by MUDA, including to Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi. The seventh day of the 'Mysuru Chalo' protest march began at Srirangapatna in Mandya district, and is scheduled to cover a distance of 10 km. This even as the Congress is hosting a mega "Janandolana" convention at Maharaja's College Grounds in Mysuru today in support of Siddaramaiah and to counter the opposition's allegations and their foot march. BJP-JD(S) are scheduled to conclude their protest march on Saturday by holding a mega rally on reaching Mysuru. BJP state president and MLA B Y Vijayendra, former Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, former BJP national general ...

Congress hails Neeraj Chopra for winning silver medal at Paris Olympics

The Congress on Friday hailed Neeraj Chopra after he became the first Indian track-and-field athlete to win two successive Olympic medals with a silver in men's javelin throw. "Once a champion, always a champion! Many Congratulations, @Neeraj_chopra1 on your phenomenal achievement!" Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post on X. "Winning the Silver Medal in the Men's Javelin Throw event at the Paris 2024 Olympics is a testament to your dedication, hard work, and unwavering passion. You've made India proud once again!" the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said. "Your remarkable 89.45m throw has not only earned you a podium finish but also inspired a nation," Kharge said. "Keep shining and reaching new heights. Cheers to your success!" he added. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also lauded Chopra for the feat. "Congratulations on your Silver medal after a spectacular performance throughout the Paris Olympics 2024," Gandhi said on X. "You've mad

Cong seeks withdrawal of Mandaviya's remark on Phogat's disqualification

Congress MP Manickam Tagore gave the adjournment motion notice regarding the statement of Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandivya

Swift restoration of peace, normalcy need of hour: Cong congratulates Yunus

The Congress on Thursday congratulated Professor Muhammad Yunus on being sworn in as the head of Bangladesh's interim government, with Rahul Gandhi saying that a swift restoration of peace and normalcy in that country is the need of the hour. Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took oath as the head of an interim government, replacing Sheikh Hasina who abruptly resigned and fled to India leaving the country in turmoil following deadly protests against her government over a controversial quota system in jobs. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on X, "On behalf of the Indian National Congress, I extend our good wishes to Professor Muhammad Yunus on being sworn in as the head of Bangladesh's interim government." "We sincerely hope that normalcy and peace returns in Bangladesh, our neighbour, with whom we Indians share a historic relationship. We pray for the safety of all the Bangladeshi people, including all the minorities," Kharge said. In a post on X, Gandhi also congratulated Yu

News updates: PM Modi to visit landslide-affected sites in Kerala's Wayanad on Aug 10

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Vinesh deserves the vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana: Ex-CM BS Hooda

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that if he had the majority, he would have allocated the vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana to wrestler, Vinesh Phogat

Cong, allies oppose Waqf Amendment bill, seek review by standing committee

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is listed for introduction by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju in Lok Sabha

News updates: Vinesh Phogat appeals against disqualification at Court of Arbitration for Sport

PMLA review news updates : A special bench of the Supreme Court will hear pleas seeking a review of its judgement upholding the validity of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002

Parliament highlights: Avg processing time of ITR reduced from 93 days in 2013 to 10 now, says FM

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha news updates: Here are the news updates on the developments in the Parliament

29 Awami League leaders, family members found dead in Bangladesh violence

Bangladesh crisis: In the wake of Sheikh Hasina's resignation, Bangladesh is experiencing a wave of violence as mobs target members of her party, along with their families and businesses

Highlights: Amazon India country head Manish Tiwary has left the e-commerce firm, claims report

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