Page 2 - Congress

Congress takes dig at PM after Trump repeats claim of ending India-Pak war

The Congress on Friday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after US President Donald Trump repeated his claim that he stopped the conflict between India and Pakistan last year, saying the PM's "good friend in Washington DC" is fast moving to the century mark of stating that he had intervened to halt Operation Sindoor and yet he maintains "complete silence". The opposition party also lashed out at Modi over his address in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday when he replied to the discussion on the motion of thanks to the President's address, saying he is a prisoner of his own pet hates and answered none of the serious questions raised by the Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge in the Upper House. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "The PM revealed yet again last evening in the Rajya Sabha what a huge bundle of insecurities, what a perennial peddler of lies, what a storehouse of prejudices, and what a source of sheer bile and poison he is. One

Sensitive sectors safeguarded in US trade deal: Piyush Goyal in Lok Sabha

Parliament Budget session: Piyush Goyal said that India protected sensitive sectors like agriculture and dairy in India-US trade deal, adding that labour-intensive sectors will benefit

Parliament Budget session: 8 Oppn MPs suspended over 'unruly behaviour'

Eight Opposition MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha during the Budget session for unruly behaviour after repeated disruptions and protests in the House over the President's Address debate

Budget 2026: Sitharaman did not address key concerns, says P Chidambaram

Chidambaram, who has served as the finance minister four times, said the Budget failed "the test of economic strategy and economic statesmanship"

Totally lacklustre, fell woefully short of the hype: Congress on Budget

The Congress on Sunday said the Union Budget was "totally lacklustre" and fell woefully short of the hype that was generated around it. Congress general secretary, Communications, Jairam Ramesh said the budget speech given by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was also "non-transparent" as it gave no idea of the budgetary allocations for key programmes and schemes. "While the documents need to be studied in detail, it is clear after 90 minutes that Budget 2026/27 falls woefully short of the hype that was generated about it. It was totally lacklustre," Ramesh said in a post on X. "The speech was also non-transparent since it gave no idea whatsoever of budgetary allocations for key programmes and schemes," he said. In her speech, Sitharaman announced that the target for capex will be raised to Rs 12.2 lakh crore for FY27 from Rs 11.2 lakh crore earmarked for the current fiscal year. She also announced a slew of measures to boost infrastructure in the country, including in tie

Pollution now a national health emergency, govt must act: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said pollution is no longer just an environmental issue but a national health emergency, and asserted that Parliament must discuss it as well as the government must act. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha also said that the Union Budget must put real resources behind real solutions. Gandhi said over the last few days, he has read thousands of messages from Indians about what pollution is doing to their lives. "What stood out was fear - fear for children, for parents, for tomorrow - felt by families in cities across India," Gandhi said in a Facebook post. "Pollution is no longer just an environmental issue, it is a national health emergency. Parliament must discuss it. The government must act. And this Budget must put real resources behind real solutions. Indians are not asking for reports or rhetoric. They are asking for clean air," he said. Gandhi last week had said that people are paying a heavy price for air pollution with their hea

I have quit Congress: Navjot Kaur slams party's Punjab unit chief Warring

Congress leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu on Saturday said she has quit the party, while hitting out at its Punjab unit chief, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, for allegedly "damaging" the organisation and calling him "the most horrific, incapable, corrupt president ever". Kaur was suspended by the Congress from its primary membership last month, after she sparked a political row with her "Rs 500 crore for the chief minister's chair" remark. Kaur is the wife of former Punjab Congress chief and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu. The former MLA accused Warring of selling the party for petty gains through an understanding with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab. "RAJA WARRING, The most horrific, incapable, corrupt president ever. You saved yourself from jail by co partnering with CM to destroy Congress. You have sold the party for petty gains with a understanding with AAP. "You had a suspension letter ready for me but what about nearly 12 senior Congress leaders who were busy in workin

Poor coordination in policy making: Congress slams govt ahead of Budget

The Congress on Saturday questioned whether the Budget numbers would undergo revisions very soon after they are unveiled, as the new GDP and Consumer Price Index (CPI) series are to be released just days after the Budget, and said it reflects poorly on coordination in policy making. Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, noted the Budget for 2026/27 will be presented on Sunday. "State governments will be anxiously awaiting what awaits them since the Finance Minister will be announcing the implementation of the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission," he said in a post on X. The Finance Commission is a body set up under Article 280 of the Constitution every five years (or earlier) to recommend the share of the states in the tax revenues collected by the Centre, the distribution of this share among the states, and special grants for five years, he said, adding that the 16th Finance Commission deals with the period 2026/27-2030/31. "But there

Rahul Gandhi a sincere leader, 'strong voice' against communalism: Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday lauded party leader Rahul Gandhi as a "sincere" person who was a "strong voice" on various issues like communalism in the country. Tharoor said that everyone likes Rahul as he constantly speaks against the politics of communalism, hatred and divisiveness in the country. "I do not have a different opinion on that," the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram told reporters here. Tharoor also said that he had never agreed with any wrong comment against Rahul, saying "he is a sincere leader". His remarks come a day after he met party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi for redressal of his grievances, after which he said "all is good" and "we are all on the same page". Tharoor had been upset over the treatment meted out to him at a Kochi event recently and attempts by some leaders to sideline him in Kerala.

Govt attacking poor, jobs now taken away: Congress during MGNREGA protest

The Union government is continuously attacking the poor and undermining their statutory right to employment, the Congress' Delhi unit said Friday at a protest against the removal of the MGNREGA scheme. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, who attended the "MGNREGA Bachao Sangram Yatra" event, said the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) gave legal right to employment benefiting lakhs of families but the the Centre was "eroding" these provisions. The VB-G RAM G scheme dilutes the the UPA-era MGNREGA's original spirit, he said. Addressing the protest at AICC office, Akbar Road, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Dharmendra Yadav said the government's actions signalled a "continuous attack on the poor." The Congress has launched a 45-day nationwide "MGNREGA Bachao Sangram Yatra" campaign, demanding the repeal of the VB-G RAM G Act and restoration of the original MGNREGA. "This government is continuously attacking the poor. People who w

Congress slams govt over move to bring private players into Nicobar project

The Congress on Friday alleged that the Great Nicobar project is being "bulldozed through" by the Modi government and said it is attempting to bring in private players into the venture at a time when it has refused to disclose key details to the general public on the grounds of national security. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared on X a media report which claimed that the Centre is moving on its ambitious plan to develop the Galathea Bay International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) project, in the Andaman and Nicobar islands, in a public-private partnership (PPP) framework. The former environment minister said the Great Nicobar project is being "bulldozed" through by the Modi government even though there is mounting evidence that it will have "disastrous ecological impacts". The project has evoked widespread concern, and petitions against the manner in which environmental and other laws have been flouted to push it along are pending in

Hypocrisy-laden message: Cong slams PM's remarks ahead of Budget session

The Congress on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks on the Budget session, saying he delivers his "usual hypocrisy-laden message to the nation" before the beginning of each session and "today's performance is part of this series". Congress general secretary in-charge Jairam Ramesh said, "He (PM) will not convene and chair all-party meetings to take the opposition into confidence on national issues." He will suddenly have Bills introduced at the last minute and bulldozed through Parliament without the necessary legislative scrutiny, Ramesh claimed, adding that Modi would not sit in Parliament and respond to the concerns of opposition leaders, and will instead make election rally speeches in both Houses. "Before the beginning of each session, he will give his usual hypocrisy-laden 'desh ke naam sandesh' with Parliament as his backdrop. Today's performance is part of this series," the senior Congress leader said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday

Congress hits out at govt over delay in sharing Budget session agenda

Congress on Tuesday flayed the government for "failing" to circulate its legislative agenda ahead of the Budget session of Parliament. Congress leader K Suresh told reporters that at the all-party meeting convened here, party leaders questioned lack of legislative agenda outlining the bills the government seeks to bring. However, Union ministers attending the meeting said the agenda will be circulated later. They told the meeting that the first part of the session will focus on debate on the Motion of Thanks and discussion on the Union Budget. While the first part of the session will begin on Wednesday with the address of President Droupadi Murmu to the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, the Union Budget will be presented on February 1, a Sunday. The first part of the session will continue till February 13 during which the Motion of Thanks will be discussed and passed. A discussion on the Union Budget will also be taken up. After a recess, the Houses will reconv

Jairam Ramesh revisits adoption of national emblem, motto on Republic Day

On India's 77th Republic Day, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh recalled the adoption of the Lion Capital of Ashoka as the national emblem and 'Satyameva Jayate' as the national motto. Noting the Constitution came into effect on this day 76 years ago, he said the history of its making continued to be analysed ever since Granville Austin's classic "The Indian Constitution: Cornerstone of a Nation" came out in 1966 and B Shiva Rao's magisterial five-volume "The Framing of India's Constitution" were published by 1968. There have been other notable works, no doubt, but special mention must be made of the very recent book by Rohit De and Ornit Shani, "Assembling India's Constitution: A New Democratic History", he pointed out. The first two handwritten copies of the Constitution in English and Hindi also had the national emblem on their cover, Ramesh said. By the end of 1947, it had been decided that the national emblem would be the Ashokan Lion Capital first excavated at Sarnath in 1905, he

EC facing pressure, need to protect its independence: Kharge on Voters' Day

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said that in recent times, institutions like the Election Commission have faced sustained pressure and therefore it is "our responsibility" to protect their independence so that democracy does not merely survive, but truly thrives. He said snatching the "Right to Vote" through "vote chori" and unplanned SIR tarnishes India's long-cherished democracy. In a post on X on National Voters' Day, Kharge said this day is a powerful reminder that a nation's future belongs to its people, and that our collective voice can shape our shared destiny. "The people of India deserve a free, fair and fearless elections, where clean electoral rolls and level-playing field is the primary requisite," the Congress chief said. Snatching the "Right to Vote" through Vote Chori and unplanned Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls tarnishes India's long-cherished democracy, Kharge said. "In recent times, our institutions like the Election Commissio

Priyanka Gandhi writes to PM, seeks loan waiver for landslide victims

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has again written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to direct waiver of loans availed by the victims of the Mundakkai-Chooralmala disaster in Wayanad, the party said on Saturday. The Congress MP has also urged the PM to convert the loans given to the state for disaster relief work as grants, it said in a statement. It further said that after Wayanad did not receive any central assistance related to the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslides, all the Kerala MPs had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in person in December 2024. Subsequently, in February 2025, Priyanka had written to the PM pointing out that providing money as a loan for rehabilitation six months after the landslides was "unjust and inhumane", the statement said. She had also requested the PM to waive the loans of the jeep and autorickshaw drivers, small traders and homestay operators who had lost their means of livelihood in the disaster, it said. The Congress MP had again made th

Never violated party line, unapologetic over Op Sindoor stance: Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said he has never violated the party's stated positions in Parliament, asserting that his only public disagreement in principle was over Operation Sindhoor. Answering questions during a session at the Kerala Literature Festival here, Tharoor said he had taken a strong stand on that issue and remained "unapologetic". His statement comes amidst recent reports stating "Tharoor's differences with the party leadership", with a speculation that he is upset over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi not adequately acknowledging his presence at a recent event in Kochi and over alleged repeated attempts by state leaders to sideline him. Explaining his position, Tharoor said that, as an observer and writer, he had written a newspaper column after the Pahalgam incident, stating that it should not go unpunished and that there should be a kinetic response. He said that while India is focused on development, it should not be dragged into a prolonged conflict with ..

PM is India's greatest distorian: Congress revives Vande Mataram row

The Congress on Friday dubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "India's greatest distorian" and accused him of attempting to distort the history of the national anthem as well bringing "disrepute" to Rabindranath Tagore during the discussion on Vande Mataram in Parliament last month. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh also alleged that the PM is "systematically demolishing" Mahatma Gandhi's memory and legacy, with the latest instance being the repeal of MGNREGA. Ramesh made the remarks in a post on X on the 129th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. "During the discussion on the national song last month in Parliament which had left the PM and his colleagues badly bruised and exposed, there had been attempts made to distort the history of the national anthem as well - bringing disrepute to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore in the process," Ramesh said. Today on January 23, 2026, the nation celebrates the 129th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas ..

Govt doing to workers what it did to farmers: Rahul slams VB-G RAM G Act

Rahul Gandhi says repeal of MGNREGA mirrors farm laws push, warns Centre wants control over work and funds under VB-G RAM G Act; Congress vows to raise issue in upcoming Budget session

'Count now 70': Cong takes dig at PM after Trump repeats 'India-Pak' claim

The Congress on Wednesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after US President Donald Trump repeated his claim of ending the India-Pakistan conflict last year, saying the number of times the PM's "good friend and the recipient of his many forced hugs" has declared that he was responsible for the sudden halt of Operation Sindoor has shot up to 70 now. The opposition party's swipe came after Trump touted ending the conflict between India and Pakistan as among the accomplishments of the first year of his second term in the White House, saying the two countries "were going to go nuclear" in his opinion, and that he saved millions of lives by stopping the war. Trump said he ended "eight unendable wars in 10 months". In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Before yesterday the count stood at 68. Yesterday itself the count shot up not to 69 but to 70 - once in the opening statement of his White House Press Conference and later in