Page 126 - Congress

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Ignored plight of Manipur amidst flood, violence in Union Budget: Congress

The opposition Congress in Manipur on Tuesday criticised the BJP-led government at the Centre, alleging that it ignored the plight of the state, which not only suffered a major flood but also bore the brunt of ethnic violence, in the Union Budget. State Congress president K Meghachandra alleged that there was a partisan approach in the Budget. "There was a partiality in the budget. The entire Northeast was not taken care of. Manipur was once again neglected. While flood-hit Assam was mentioned, Manipur that witnessed a catastrophic hailstorm and two of the worst floods in more than 20 years was not," he said. "Not providing any aid to more than 60,000 displaced people is also a setback. We are very much disappointed," he said. Meanwhile, the ruling BJP in the state hailed the Budget, asserting that it was dedicated to the holistic and inclusive development of all citizens. In a statement, state BJP spokesperson M Asnikumar said, "To achieve comprehensive social justice, we will em

Chidambaram, Tharoor laud angel tax end, call Budget 2024 'underwhelming'

Union budget 2024-25: Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor find Budget 2024 presentation full of missed opportunities, compared it Congress manifesto

Union Budget 2024: Rahul Gandhi calls it a copy-paste 'kursi bachao' Budget

Budget 2024: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the Budget 2024 document was copied from the Congress party's election manifesto

Budget 2024: 'FM taking ideas from Congress manifesto', says Jairam Ramesh

Union Budget 2024: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the Finance Minister has taken a leaf out of the INC's Nyay Patra 2024, with its internship programme. Here's how the Opposition reacted

FM took leaf out of our Nyay Patra with its internship programme: Congress

The Congress on Tuesday said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has taken a leaf out of its 2024 Lok Sabha polls manifesto by announcing an internship programme but "in their trademark style", the scheme has been designed to "grab headlines with arbitrary targets" rather than a programmatic guarantee. In the Union Budget of 2024-25, Sitharaman announced that the government will launch a scheme to provide internship opportunities to 1 crore youth in 500 top companies over five years. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "The Finance Minister has taken a leaf out of the INC's Nyay Patra 2024, with its internship program clearly modelled on the INC's proposed Apprenticeship Program that was called Pehli Naukri Pakki." "However, in their trademark style, the scheme has been designed to grab headlines, with arbitrary targets (1 crore internships) rather than a programmatic guarantee for all diploma holders and graduates, like the Indian National Congre

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Govt staff allowed to take part in RSS activities; Opposition-BJP spar

Goyal said the Congress government's decision in 1966 to ban government employees from attending RSS activities was driven by political reasons and termed the RSS a nationalist organisation

Cong calls Eco Survey 'cherry-picked' view, says India in precarious state

The Congress alleged on Monday that the Economic Survey released by the government presented a "cherry-picked" view of the economy and claimed that India is experiencing its "most precarious and difficult" economic situation in many years. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Economic Survey 2023-24, along with the statistical appendix, in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The Economic Survey is an annual document presented by the government ahead of the Union Budget to review the state of the economy. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the need of the hour is a right to apprenticeship, protections for gig workers and unorganised sector workers, minimum wage hikes to Rs 400 per day, an end to "tax terrorism" and an expansion of social-protection schemes like the one for anganwadis. "The Economic Survey of 2023-24, released in advance of tomorrow's Budget, must have been a difficult document for the non-biological PM's spin doctors to produce.

Govt employees being politicised by PM Modi on ideological basis: Congress

The Congress slammed the BJP-led Centre on Monday over its order removing a ban on the participation of government employees in RSS activities, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to politicise employees on an ideological basis. The attack by the Congress, which also said the move would be a challenge to the sense of neutrality of public servants, came after a government order about the ban being lifted became public and several opposition leaders criticised it. In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on this day in 1947, India adopted its national flag but the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), opposed the tricolour and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had warned the organisation against it. "Sardar Patel had also banned RSS after Gandhiji's assassination on February 4, 1948. Modiji has lifted a 1966 ban on government servants attending RSS activities, after 58 years," Kharge said. "We know

Cong hits back at PM, says Modi suppressed voice of country for 10 years

The Congress hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday over his remarks criticising the opposition, alleging that it was he who "suppressed the voice" of the country for 10 years and for which people "punished" him in the Lok Sabha polls. Talking to reporters ahead of the start of a Parliament session, Modi said in the first session of this Lok Sabha, "an undemocratic attempt was made to scuttle the voice of the government that had been ordered by 140 crore Indians to serve". "For two-and-a-half hours, attempts were made to scuttle the voice of the prime minister and such a thing has no place in democratic traditions. They (opposition) has no remorse over it," he said. Hitting back at Modi over his remarks, Congress's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said the person who "throttled the country and suppressed its voice" for 10 years, today looked "very weak and was seen weeping" when the opposition raised its voice. The prime minister started the Monsoon sessi

Explained: What was the RSS ban on govt servants; lifted after 58 years

Narendra Modi-led central government on July 9 passed an order lifting a ban imposed by then Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Patel, following Mahatma Gandhi's assassination

Ahead of Budget's presentation, Congress demands legal guarantee for MSP

A day before the presentation of the Union budget, the Congress on Monday said the Centre must make three important announcements of making MSP a legal guarantee, fix MSP on the basis of the Swaminathan formula and establish a permanent commission to monitor the implementation of farm loan waivers. Congress general secretary in-charge Jairam Ramesh said that of all the "failures" of the central government, the "incompetence and ill-will" of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare is the most damaging. "While the UPA had raised the MSP of wheat by 119% and that of rice by 134%, the Modi government has raised it by 47% and 50% respectively. This is not at all enough to keep up with inflation and the rising prices of agricultural inputs," Ramesh said in a statement. He pointed out that farmers' debt has increased tremendously. According to the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), outstanding loans have increased by 58 per cent since 2013, he said. "More than half of the far

Ban on govt employees taking part in RSS activities removed: Congress

The Congress on Sunday cited a purported government order issued last week to claim that a "ban" on the participation of government employees in the activities of the RSS has been removed. While the veracity of the purported government order, which was posted on X by Congress leaders, could not be ascertained immediately, BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya also shared the screenshot of the order and said that an "unconstitutional" directive issued 58 years ago has been withdrawn by the Modi government. Congress general secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh shared an office memorandum, dated July 9, issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension pertaining to the participation of the government servants in the activities of the RSS. "The undersigned is directed to refer to the OM (office memorandum)..dated 30.11.1966, OM No. 7/4/70-Est.(B) dated 25.07.1970 and OM No. 15014/3(S)/80- Estt. (B) dated 28.10.1980 on the above subject. 2. The aforesaid instructio

Has Congress-led Karnataka govt been able to live up to its 'guarantees'

A debate is simmering in Karnataka: About the performance of the "Congress guarantees" that brought the party to power in the state in May last year. Aditi Phadnis explains

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600 PUC centres in Delhi shut due to AAP govt's internal churn: Congress

Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav Sunday alleged that 600 PUC centres, which check vehicles for their emission levels, have closed due to the AAP government's "internal churn", and lakhs of vehicles are plying on the road without pollution clearance certificates. He said the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party should emulate the governance model of the Sheila Dikshit-led Congress dispensation to eradicate air pollution from the city, he said. "Due to the Kejriwal government's internal churn, 600 PUC (Pollution Under Control) centres have been closed -- lakhs of vehicles ply on roads without getting pollution clearance certificates in the Capital," Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav said. Delhi Petrol Dealers' Association (DPDA) has been demanding the government revise the rates for Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates in the national capital. It recently shut down nearly 600 PUC centres functioning at petrol pumps, saying the hike announced recently was not commensurate with ...

All-party meet: Congress demands discussion on NEET, UP eateries row

The Congress on Sunday asserted at an all-party meeting that issues such as the NEET 'scam', Uttar Pradesh government's order to eateries and internal security situation in Jammu and Manipur, be taken up for discussion during the Budget session of Parliament. Congress general secretary, in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh said that in the all-party meeting of floor leaders chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress' deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi presented a host of issues on behalf of the party that should be taken up in the Parliament session beginning Monday. Gogoi called for discussion on governance issues relating to "NEET/NET scams, UPSC controversies, worsening railway safety and Agniveer", Ramesh said. He said the party also flagged that the internal security situation in Jammu and Manipur should be taken up for discussion during the session. According to Ramesh, Gogoi also asserted at the meeting that challenges on the borders with China and ...

Congress, CPI(M) skip all-party meeting ahead of Odisha Assembly session

The opposition Congress and CPI(M) in Odisha skipped the all-party meeting that was convened by Speaker Surama Padhy on Sunday ahead of the assembly session. The BJD was represented by its Chief Whip Pramila Mallik with Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik staying away from the meeting. Senior Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati said as the decision was not made on who would be the legislature party leader, the party did not attend the meeting. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling said, "We had a friendly discussion with the BJD chief whip and she has assured full cooperation for the smooth functioning of the House." "The Congress is yet to name its leader in the assembly. I spoke to state Congress president Sarat Patnaik in the morning, and requested him to send an MLA to the meeting," he said. The lone CPI(M) MLA also did not attend the meeting. After the meeting, the speaker said, "Suggestions of all the members were taken. The assembly will start with the governor's .

In all-party meet, Congress seeks LS Dy Speaker's post for opposition

The Congress on Sunday sought the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker's position for the opposition in the all-party meeting convened by the government ahead of Parliament session, and raised the issue of paper leaks, including of the prestigious NEET, sources said. They said party leader Gaurav Gogoi said the opposition should be allowed to raise issues in Parliament after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju sought cooperation from every party for the smooth running of the two Houses. Samajwadi Party MP Ramgopal Yadav, sources said, raised the issue of the Uttar Pradesh government's controversial directive to eateries on the kanwariya route to display the owners' names. The YSR Congress spoke about the TDP government's alleged targeting of its leaders in Andhra Pradesh and sought the Centre's intervention. The meeting is being chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and was convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju. Separately, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that in th