Page 124 - Congress

India locked into low investment cycle, needs liberalised approach: Cong

The Congress on Wednesday claimed that India has been locked into a cycle of low investment since 2014 due to a combination of "erratic policy, rampant cronyism, and the ED/IT/CBI raid raj", and asserted that the country needs a new liberalised approach to political economy. Ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget next week, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said the single most important statistic that explains India's inability to grow faster since 2014 is the "sluggish investment rate". "India has been locked into a cycle of low investment since 2014, due to a combination of erratic policy, rampant cronyism, and the ED/IT/CBI raid raj," Ramesh said in a statement. Low investment drags down the medium and long-term GDP growth rates, which in turn drags down wages and consumption growth, he said. "The biggest component of investment - private domestic investment - has been in the doldrums since 2014. It was solidly in the 25-30% of GDP rang

Congress to contest assembly elections alone: Delhi chief to party workers

Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav on Tuesday informed the party workers that the Congress will go it alone in the next assembly elections as its tie-up with the AAP was only for the Lok Sabha polls, a statement said. After the Congress' vote share went up substantially in the recent Lok Sabha elections, there is renewed enthusiasm among the workers and general public that the party will perform better in the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls as people now look for change, Yadav claimed. Addressing a meeting of the office-bearers of the Krishna Nagar district Congress Committee at Preet Vihar, Yadav said the block and district Congress committee meetings have activated and rejuvenated the workers to strengthen the party at the booth level and will bring back the Congress to power in the Delhi Assembly. "Yadav told the workers that in the coming elections, the Congress will go it alone as the tie-up with AAP was only for the Lok Sabha elections," the statement said. He said the people'

News updates: Indian national killed, another injured in Muscat mosque shooting in Oman

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BJP will not allow OBC quota for Muslims in Haryana, says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday accused the Congress of being anti-backward classes and said if the party comes to power in Haryana, it will snatch the reservation for them and give it to Muslims. Addressing a 'Backward Classes Samman Sammelan' here, Shah referred to the Kaka Kalekar Commission formed in the 1950s to provide reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and said the Congress did not implement its recommendations for years. "In 1980, (the then prime minister) Indira Gandhi put the Mandal Commission in cold storage. In 1990, when it was accepted, Rajiv Gandhi gave a two-and-a-half-hour speech and opposed OBC reservation," the Union minister said. "In Karnataka, the Congress snatched reservation for backward classes and gave it to Muslims. The same will happen here if they come (to power) here," Shah said. "I want to assure you that we will not allow Muslim reservation in Haryana," he said. He asserted that the BJP will form the government in Haryana with a f

Soldiers, their families suffering because of BJP's wrong policies: Rahul

The Congress on Tuesday attacked the Centre after four soldiers were killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda, with Rahul Gandhi asserting that the government should take full responsibility for the repeated security lapses and take strict action against the culprits. Four Army personnel, including an officer, died after being injured in a gunfight with heavily armed terrorists in Doda district, officials said on Tuesday. The latest incident comes a week after a terrorist ambush on an Army patrol in the remote Machedi forest belt in Kathua district claimed the lives of five soldiers and injured as many. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also said such horrific incidents one after the other are extremely sad and worrying, and that Army soldiers and their families are bearing the brunt of "BJP's wrong policies". Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said he was deeply distressed by the martyrdom of the four brave soldiers, including an officer. "Our heart goes out to the famili

Kharge urges strict action against culprits in murder of VIP chief's father

Condemning the brutal murder of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani's father, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday demanded strict action against the culprits at the earliest and justice for his INDIA bloc partner. Jitan Sahani, father of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani, was found murdered at his ancestral home in Bihar's Darbhanga district, police said on Tuesday. Jitan Sahani's body, with several stab injuries and cut marks on his chest and stomach, was found inside his room at his house in Biraul area this morning. In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge said, "The brutal murder of Shri Jitan Sahni, father of Shri Mukesh Sahni, founder of Vikassheel Insaan Party in Bihar and former state minister, is extremely sad and condemnable." "We express our deepest condolences to his family. May God give them the strength to bear this loss," Kharge said. "We demand that strict action be taken against the culprits at the earliest and that our INDIA bloc

Congress to contest all five seats in bypolls, says Assam state chief Borah

Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah on Tuesday said the party will contest all the five Assembly seats where bypolls will be held. He also reiterated the party's opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, even as the state government asked its border police wing to advise non-Muslim illegal immigrants entering the state prior to 2015 to apply for citizenship under the new law. These decisions were part of discussions during a meeting chaired by AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh with district-level party leaders here on Monday, marking the first day of his three-day visit, Borah said. Singh plans to hold further meetings with MPs, MLAs, and other leaders to strengthen the party's organisational structure and strategise for the future. In a post on X, Borah said, "@INCAssam would contest all the 5 seats where byelections would be held. We would constitute 5 teams of senior leaders who would reach out to the grassroots. The Election Commission is yet to announce the ..

9 terror attacks within 38 days of PM Modi govt: Cong after J-K encounter

Party President Mallikarjun Kharge also questioned the Central government alleging that the government was acting as if it were business as usual

Highlights of the day: Govt raises windfall tax on petroleum crude to Rs 7,000 per metric tonnne

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20% bus fare hike proposal stirs row over 'Shakti' scheme in Karnataka

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has proposed a 15-20% bus fee hike, citing massive losses due to free travel scheme for women; government rebukes claims

Bihar CM should 'strike', he's in position to get it done, says Congress

The Congress on Monday sought to know what Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is doing about the demand for special category status for the state and asserted that "he should strike" as he is in a position to get this done now. The opposition party's remarks come after Bihar ministers claimed that the latest report of NITI Aayog's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index 2023-24 vindicated the state's long-standing demand for greater central financial assistance. On July 12, NITI Aayog released the SDG India Index 2023-24 -- an assessment of the country's sustainable development. Bihar has figured at the bottom of the index despite improvements on some parameters. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said senior ministers in Bihar are now arguing that NITI Aayog's latest analysis vindicates their demand for special category status in the matter of Central assistance to the state. "Basically this would mean that instead of 70 per cent of such ...

Cong attacks BJP over its 'Rahul encourages violence against PM' remark

The Congress on Monday slammed the BJP for its allegation that Rahul Gandhi encouraged violence against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying "cheap politics" should not be played on the issue of security of leaders. The BJP on Sunday had targeted the Leader of Opposition following the assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump. "Third Time Fail Rahul Gandhi has often encouraged and justified violence against Prime Minister Modi, who he has lost election to, several times now. How can India ever forget how Punjab Police, then under the Congress, deliberately compromised PM's security, when his convoy was left stranded on a flyover," BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya had said. Hitting back at the BJP, Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said, "Cheap politics should not be played on the issue of security of leaders. The Congress party lost Mahatma ji to Right Wing terrorists. We lost two prime ministers at the hands of terrorists. We lost our ..

Congress appoints Gaurav Gogoi as party's deputy leader in Lok Sabha

Gaurav Gogoi will be the deputy leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha and a letter regarding the decision has been sent to Speaker Om Birla. Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has written to Birla, informing him about the appointment of the deputy leader, chief whip and two whips for the Congress party in the Lower House of Parliament, AICC general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said on X. While Gogoi will be the party's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, eight-time MP from Kerala Kodikunnil Suresh will be its chief whip, he said. Virudhunagar MP Manickam Tagore and Kishanganj MP Mohammad Jawed will be the party's whips in the Lower House, Venugopal added. Earlier, the party had named Rahul Gandhi as the leader of opposition and subsequently, he was appointed to the post. "Guided by LoP Rahul Gandhi ji, the Congress and INDIA parties will energetically champion the people's causes in the Lok Sabha," Venugopal said. Gogoi was the party's deputy leader in

Cong slams govt on NRA, asks why agency did not conduct exam in 4 years

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday alleged that the BJP-RSS has taken up the task of "destroying the education system" and asked why has the National Recruitment Agency (NRA) not conducted a single exam in the last four years. Kharge's reaction came on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks in Mumbai on Saturday emphasising that creation of eight crore new jobs in the last three to four years has "silenced" those spreading fake narratives about unemployment. In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge said, "Narendra Modi ji, yesterday you were weaving a web of lies about providing jobs in Mumbai. I want to remind you again what you said while announcing NRA - National Recruitment Agency." "In August 2020 you said - 'NRA will prove to be a boon for crores of youths. Through the Common Eligibility Test, it will eliminate multiple examinations and save precious time as well as resources. This will also give a big boost to transparency'," he posted. "We have 3 questions - Why has the

Cong accuses Modi govt of showing 'insensitivity' towards Maharashtra

The Congress on Sunday accused the Modi government of showing "insensitivity and hostility" towards Maharashtra, alleging that the past ten years have seen the state "consistently squeezed out of multiple key projects and investments". The Opposition party's attack came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted at an event in Mumbai on Saturday that his aim is to make Maharashtra the world's big financial powerhouse and to make Mumbai a global fintech capital. In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, said, "Last evening in Mumbai, the self-anointed non-biological Prime Minister claimed that his 'aim is to make Maharashtra the world's big financial powerhouse and to make Mumbai a global fintech capital'. This is his trademark lie." "Despite Mumbai having been the financial capital of India for 200 years, Mr. Modi has repeatedly refused to set up an IFSC in Mumbai. An International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) has been set up only in GI

K C Venugopal accuses Modi govt of targeting his phone with 'spyware'

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal on Saturday accused the Modi government of targeting his phone with a "malicious spyware" and asserted that "we will oppose this blatantly unconstitutional act" and breach of privacy. Venugopal shared the screenshot of a message purportedly from Apple which said that "you are being targeted by a mercenary spyware attack that is trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID". In a post on X, Venugopal said, "Thank you PM Modi ji for sending your favourite malicious spyware on my phone also! Apple has been kind enough to intimate me about this special present of yours!" "Let's be clear, the Modi government is acting in a criminal and unconstitutional manner, going after political opponents and invading their privacy in this manner," the Congress general secretary, in-charge organisation, said. The message of the Lok Sabha elections was that the people reject any attack on the Constitution and the "BJP's fascist agenda"

Reflects changing political climate in country: Congress on bypoll gains

The Congress on Saturday hailed its gains in the assembly bypolls in Himachal Pradesh and BJP-ruled Uttarakhand, saying the results "reflect the changing political climate in the country". The Congress won both the assembly bypolls in Uttarakhand and in Himachal Pradesh, it secured two out of the three seats where bye-elections were held. On the party's victories in Uttarakhand, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a post on 'X', said, "Manglaur was wrested from the BSP and in the face of dirty tactics by the BJP. In Badrinath, the sitting MLA was a Congressman who had switched to the BJP during the Lok Sabha polls. He has been rightly punished by the people and the Congress has held on to the seat." "Both ways the results reflect the changing political climate in the country," he said. On the Himachal Pradesh bypoll results, Ramesh said that "all machinations of the BJP have failed miserably". "The Congress has won two of the assembly seats held by Independents who had be

Salami tactics to fulfill RSS efforts: Cong on 'Manusmriti' proposal in DU

The Congress on Thursday attacked the Centre over a proposal to teach 'Manusmriti' to Delhi University's LLB students, alleging that this is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "salami tactics" to bring fulfilment to the decades-long attempt by the RSS to "assault" the Constitution. The Congress's Scheduled Caste department also called for protests against the proposed move at the state and district levels. The proposal to teach 'Manusmriti' (Laws of Manu) to DU's LLB students is slated to be discussed in a meeting of its Academic Council on Friday. Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary, in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh said this is "all part of the salami tactics of the non-biological PM to bring fulfilment to the decades-long attempt by the RSS to assault the Constitution and Dr. Ambedkar's legacy". "In its issue dated November 30, 1949, the RSS mouthpiece Organiser had stated: 'The worst about the new Constitution of Bharat is that there is nothing ..

Cong, BJP spar over video showing huge crowd for job interview in Gujarat

A stampede-like situation was witnessed after about 800 persons turned up for walk-in interviews held by a firm for 40 vacancies in Ankleshwar in Gujarat's Bharuch district, an official has said. Videos of a massive queue, marked by pushing and shoving as aspirants tried to get a toehold on a ramp leading to the entrance of a hotel where the interview was being held, went viral on Thursday on social media. The railing of the ramp finally collapsed, leading to several job-seekers falling off, though no one was injured. The incident, which took place on Tuesday, triggered a verbal duel between the opposition Congress and the ruling BJP. While the Congress said it had exposed the Gujarat model (of development that the ruling party talks about), the BJP said the former was trying to defame the state through the video. As per our information, a company arranged walk-in interviews for nearly 40 vacancies in five different roles. The company booked a hall in a hotel in Ankleshwar expecti

Congress takes a dig at BJP over viral job interview video

Recently, a video went viral where people can be seen struggling in a queue for a job interview in Gujarat.