Page 23 - Congress

Opposition's demand for discussion on votebandi non-negotiable: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday said the Opposition's demand for a discussion on the "votebandi" by the Election Commission is "non-negotiable" in both Houses of Parliament. There has been a logjam in Parliament over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, which the Opposition has alleged is being done to cut votes ahead of the state election. Congress general secretary in-charge, communications, Jairam Ramesh, said the Chair in the Rajya Sabha is a continuing entity despite the comings and goings, scheduled and unscheduled. "Yesterday, the Deputy Chairman gave a ruling that because the Lok Sabha Speaker had said so on December 14, 1988, any matter concerning the Election Commission cannot be discussed in Parliament. But on July 21, 2023, the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, a Modi appointee, had categorically ruled that 'the Rajya Sabha is entitled to discuss anything under the planet with only one restriction'," Ramesh said in a post on X. "He had gone on to say that th

Highlights: Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha adjourn proceedings for the day

Today's highlights: Catch all the news developments here

'Judges can't decide who's a true Indian': Priyanka after SC slams Rahul

Priyanka Gandhi defends Rahul after SC's remark, says judges cannot decide who is a true Indian and it is Rahul's job as Opposition leader to ask questions to the government

6 years of abrogation of Article 370: Why it matters and what has changed?

Six years after Article 370 was scrapped, debates continue over its impact on J&K's security, development, and political future, with statehood restoration still a key demand on the ground

Congress to observe Aug 5 as 'black day', demand J-K statehood restoration

The Congress will observe August 5 as a "black day" against the downgrading of Jammu and Kashmir from a state to a Union territory six years ago and will sit on a dharna to press for the restoration of statehood. On August 5, 2019, the Centre scrapped J&K's special status and bifurcated the state into two Union territories. The Congress is backed by the other members of the All Parties United Morcha, which was created with the aim of restoring statehood, for the protest on Wednesday. "The Congress party shall observe August 5 as a black day against the downgrading of the historical J&K state into a Union territory. All constituent members are fully supporting it together," chief spokesperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee, Ravinder Sharma, told reporters here. He said that a peaceful sit-in will be organised by the Congress supported by All Parties United Morcha near the statue of Maharaja Hari Singh at Tawi bridge in Jammu to press for the early ...

'Govt denies, distracts, lies': Congress slams Centre after SC raps Rahul

The Congress accuses the Centre of evading accountability on China border issue, calls it a 'DDLJ policy', after SC questions Rahul Gandhi's remarks on Chinese occupation of Indian territory

Congress, 'China guru' Rahul Gandhi hate Indian armed forces: BJP

After the Supreme Court rapped Rahul Gandhi over his alleged derogatory remarks about the Army, the BJP on Monday claimed that the "China guru" and his party hate Indian armed forces and that he is being remote controlled by foreign forces. The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the proceedings against Gandhi before a Lucknow court over his remarks about the Army during his December 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra. The court, however, censured the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, saying if he is a true Indian, he would not say such a thing. Reacting to the development, BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said in a post on X, "The Supreme Court has once again reprimanded 'China Guru' Rahul Gandhi for making irresponsible statements concerning India's national security and territorial integrity." "Imagine, a leader of the opposition being repeatedly rebuked for speaking such recklessly," he said. Malviya also took on the Congress leader over his recent "dead" economy remark, calling it "a .

Congress postpones protest against alleged electoral fraud to August 8

The Congress on Monday announced deferring its August 5 protest over alleged electoral fraud August 8 in light of the death of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren. Top party leader Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to lead the agitation here on Tuesday. Addressing reporters here, Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said Soren will be cremated on Tuesday and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha will attend the last rites. "The programme (protest) will now remain as it is, but will remain deferred to August 8," Surjewala, flanked by Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar, said. The Congress party had initially announced the protest in Bengaluru for Tuesday against what it calls large-scale manipulation of electoral rolls in Bengaluru's Mahadevapura constituency in the 2023 Assembly polls.

Lok Sabha MP Sudha R's gold chain snatched in Delhi's Chanakyapuri

Sudha Ramakrishnan, a Lok Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu, said the blatant attack on a woman, in a high-security zone like Chanakyapuri was highly shocking

Trump's dead economy remark should not be taken literally: Shashi Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has said US President Donald Trump's remark terming India a dead economy was meant to be an "insult" and must not be taken "literally". Tharoor on Sunday said that when wars are being conducted with the active involvement of some of the biggest powers, and people who are supposed to be upholding world order are contributing to promoting disorder, India needs to be very clear about its national interests. The senior Congress leader, who was in conversation with Crossword CEO Aakash Gupta in Pune, spoke on a wide range of issues, including his latest book, "The Living Constitution". US President Trump last week called India a dead economy just hours after he announced a 25 per cent tariff on the import of Indian goods along with an unspecified penalty for buying vast majority of Russian military equipment and crude oil. Tharoor said that it is a turbulent and unpredictable world, especially with Trump in the White House. "On Trump, let me say, you can't ta

Leaders across party lines remember Shibu Soren for his contributions

Jharkhand Chief Minister and his son Hemant Soren confirmed the demise of the leader in a post on X

Congress kept India united, Gandhi family kept party intact: DK Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday said India has remained united because of the Congress and the Gandhi family has kept the party together as he urged party workers to contribute as a team to ensure the exit of the BJP in 2029. He also urged the lawyers community to help protect the right to vote of every Indian by creating legal banks in every constituency, as suggested by Rahul Gandhi. "Congress' history is country's history, Congress' strength is country's strength. The Gandhi family has kept the Congress family united and the Congress has kept the country united. Otherwise our country would have been broken into various pieces," he said. Shivakumar was addressing the valedictory function of the day-long national legal conclave on 'Constitutional Challenges: Perspectives and Pathways'. The eight-time legislator from Karnataka recalled the days when he was lodged in Tihar jail and lauded the role played by lawyers in helping him come out of it. He also .

Constitution under siege, BJP attempting ideological coup: Sonia Gandhi

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday alleged that the Constitution is "under siege" as the ruling BJP is using its power to dismantle the very framework it long opposed. She alleged that the BJP is seeking to bring an "ideological coup" by replacing our democratic republic with a theocratic corporate state serving the powerful few. In her special message read out at the day-long national legal conclave on 'Constitutional Challenges - Perspectives and Pathways', Gandhi said the Congress would oppose every attempt to undermine the Constitution in Parliament, in courts and on the streets, asserting that it is not just a political but an ideological commitment to defend every Indian's dignity. "Today, the Constitution is under siege. The BJP-RSS, which never fought for freedom or upheld equality, now uses its power to dismantle the very framework it long opposed," she said. "Their ideological forebears glorified Manusmriti, rejected the tricolour, and ...

SC extends stay on proceedings against Shashi Tharoor in defamation case

Asking the complainant's lawyer "why be so touchy", the Supreme Court on Friday extended the stay on trial court proceedings against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in a defamation case filed for his alleged "scorpion on Shivling" remark targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh passed the order after adjourning the matter on the request of Tharoor's lawyer. The lawyer appearing for the complainant, BJP leader Rajeev Babbar, sought a hearing on a non-miscellaneous day. "What non-miscellaneous day? Why do you want to be so touchy about all this? Let us close all this," the bench said, as it posted the matter for hearing on September 15. Tharoor moved the top court against the Delhi High Court's August 29, 2024, order, which refused to quash the defamation proceedings against him, asking him to appear before the trial court on September 10. Tharoor's counsel previously argued that neither the complainant nor the members of the political

Highlights: India to take all steps to protect national interests, says commerce minister

Latest news updates: The Congress stated that that President Trump is "piling it on India". Catch all the news developments here

Rahul Gandhi agrees with Trump calling India 'dead economy'; allies differ

Rahul Gandhi echoes Donald Trump's 'dead economy' remark for India, but Congress leaders and INDIA bloc allies reject the claim, citing strong economic data

Everybody except PM, FM know India is 'dead economy': Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said everybody except Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman know that India is a dead economy, as he alleged that the BJP-led government has destroyed India's economic, defence and foreign policies. Speaking with reporters in the Parliament House complex, Gandhi also claimed that a trade deal with the US will happen and Trump will define it, while Prime Minister Modi will do what the American President tells him to do. Gandhi's remarks came after US President Donald Trump announced the imposition of 25 per cent tariff and penalties on India and called India and Russia dead economies. Asked about Trump's criticism of the Indian economy, Gandhi said, He is right, everybody knows this except the prime minister and the finance minister, Everybody knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy. I am glad that President Trump has stated a fact. Gandhi alleged that the BJP has destroyed the Indian economy in order to

Chidambaram calls Shah's Afzal Guru execution remark 'lie, distortion'

Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday slammed as a "lie and distortion" Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks alleging delay in carrying out the death sentence for Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. The Congress leader's remarks came in response to Shah's statement in the Rajya Sabha that the death sentence for Guru could not be carried out for as long as Chidambaram was the home minister. In a statement, Chidambaram said, "Home Minister Mr Amit Shah made a statement in the Rajya Sabha that 'Afzal Guru could not be executed as long as P Chidambaram was Home Minister'. The statement is a mixture of insinuation, lie and distortion." After the conviction and sentence by the courts, Guru's wife filed, on his behalf, a mercy petition to the President of India in October 2006, Chidambaram said. "The President rejected the mercy petition on 3-2-2013. Afzal Guru was hanged six days later on 9-2-2013. I was Home Minister during 1-12-2008 and 31-7-2012," he said. "During the entire perio

SC gives Telangana speaker 3 months to decide on BRS MLAs' disqualification

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Telangana assembly speaker to decide within three months the disqualification petitions against 10 BRS MLAs, who had switched allegiance to the ruling Congress. Observing that political defections have been a matter of national discourse and have power to disrupt democracy if not curbed, a bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai allowed an appeal filed by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Padi Kaushik Reddy seeking a directing to the speaker to expeditiously decide disqualification petitions against the BRS MLAs. The bench set aside the November 22, 2024 decision of the Telangana High Court's division bench which had interfered with a prior order of a single judge. We have referred to various parliamentary speeches, including those by Rajesh Pilot and Devendra Nath Munshi, to emphasise that entrusting disqualification proceedings to the speaker were aimed at avoiding delays that may occur before courts, the CJI said while reading out the

India has to now contend with CAP- China, America, Pak: Cong's dig at govt

After US President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on India, the Congress on Thursday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that he once spoke of the TOP -- Tomato, Onion, Potato -- challenges in prices, but the country now has to contend with the political challenges arising out of CAP -China, America, Pakistan. The opposition party said that on the one hand President Trump criticises India strongly and imposes penalties on it for trading with Russia, while on the other hand, just before the Iranian President's visit to Pakistan, he announces a big partnership with Pakistan for hydrocarbon exploration and development, alongside a trade deal. Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said that President Trump is "piling it on India". In an X post, Ramesh wrote, "Since May 10, he has claimed 30 times that he stopped Operation Sindoor. These claims were made in four different countries. On June 18, he hosted the Pakistan Army Chief