Page 255 - Congress

India's secular image dented by violence, BJP adding fuel to fire: Kharge

Noting the country is facing "serious internal challenges", Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said incidents of violence were tarnishing the image of a progressive and secular India and alleged the BJP was adding "fuel to fire". In his opening remarks at the first meeting of the reconstituted Congress Working Committee (CWC) here, Kharge said the party demands an immediate start of the Census process along with a caste survey to secure the right to health, education, employment and food security for the deprived sections of society. He said 27 INDIA bloc parties stand together on fundamental issues of importance. After three successful meetings, the opposition alliance is forging ahead to combat the "anti-people and anti-democratic BJP government", the Congress chief said. Perturbed by this development, the BJP dispensation is resorting to vindictive action against opposition parties, he alleged. At the CWC meeting, Kharge said, "We also strongly condemn the ...

Grateful to Priyanka for writing to PM for calamity-hit Himachal: CM Sukhu

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday said he was grateful to Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for strongly advocating for the calamity-hit state in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He thanked her for her appeal to the prime minister to declare the destruction caused by heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh a "national disaster", just like the Kedarnath tragedy of 2013. Close on the heel of her two-day visit to flood and landslide-hit areas of Mandi, Kullu and Shimla districts, Gandhi sent a letter to the prime minister on Friday, detailing the destruction suffered by the hill state during the ongoing monsoon. The Congress leader, in her letter, also sought financial assistance for providing relief to the victims and their families as well as for rebuilding the state. "I was pained to see the plight of affected people during my visit to rain-affected areas," Gandhi said in her letter," she wrote to Modi. She added that the state is .

First meeting of reconstituted Cong Working Committee begins in Hyderabad

This is the first meeting of the reconstituted Congress Working Committee, the party's top decision-making body under Mallikarjun Kharge's presidency

Will attend shows of 14 journalists named if they realise mistakes: Cong

We have not banned, boycotted or blacklisted anyone. This is a non-cooperation movement, we will not cooperate with anyone spreading hatred in the society...They are not our enemies," Khera said

Congress prods SEBI to act against Adani firms, demands probe by JPC

The Congress on Saturday questioned SEBI's move of not acting on money laundering allegations against "Adani-linked entities" and called for the formation of a joint parliamentary committee to discuss the issue during the special session of Parliament. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh wondered whether SEBI will act now that the Mauritius financial regulator has revoked the licences of two such entities. He also raised his doubts about the credibility of the Securities and Exchange Board of India, asking why the body has failed to inspire confidence as a fair regulator of capital markets in the country. Ramesh said that the Financial Services Commission (FSC), the Mauritian equivalent of SEBI, revoked the licences of the controlling shareholder of two Adani-linked funds in May 2022 for violating several laws including the Financial Services Act, the Securities Act, the Financial Intelligence and Anti-Money Laundering Regulations (2003 and 2018), and the Code on the Prevention

Free, open discussions to take place in CWC, Cong hails internal democracy

The Congress on Saturday said "free and open" discussions would take place during the CWC, asserting that its internal democracy is what makes it different from other parties. Addressing a press conference here ahead of the reconstituted Congress Working Committee's (CWC) first meeting, Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera also hailed as "historic" the election of Mallikarjun Kharge as the party president last year in internal polls. "No other party in this country has had this kind of an open election. We are very proud of our tradition of electing our president through an open election," he said. That is another "historic milestone" that we achieved in the last year, Khera said. "When we meet today in a few hours from now in the CWC, there will be an open discussion. Everybody is free to voice his or her opinion, suggestion, or criticism. That is the way our party functions, that is the way the blood in the veins of our party stays fresh and boiling," he ...

Reconstituted CWC to discuss strategy for state, LS polls in first meet

The first meeting of the reconstituted Congress Working Committee under Mallikarjun Kharge's presidency will be held here on Saturday during which the party's top brass will deliberate on evolving a strategy for upcoming assembly polls in five states and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Sources said the Committee is likely to also hold discussions on undertaking the Bharat Jodo Yatra 2.0, after the success of the previous Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. The reconstituted Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's top decision-making body chaired by party chief Kharge, has 39 regular members who will hold their first meeting on Saturday while deliberations will continue on Sunday with an extended CWC session that will include all state party chiefs and CLP leaders. On September 17 evening, which is celebrated as Telangana National Integration Day, the party will hold a "mega rally" near Hyderabad, where it will announce five guarantees for the Telangana assembly election. The ...

When INDIA gets angry

We must accept that the INDIA alliance has the right to boycott anybody it wishes. But the list of TV anchors is almost like painting a target on people's backs

Assembly polls: Eyes on 5 states, CWC set to meet in Telangana tomorrow

Rangareddy said that KCR's party Bharat Rashtra Samithi is supporting anti-democratic laws in the Parliament

26 recruitment exam papers leaked under BJP, Congress, says RLP's Beniwal

The Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) leader has accused both BJP and Congress for allowing recruitment scam to continue in Rajasthan

LIVE: Haryana govt suspends mobile Internet in Nuh after Cong MLA arrest

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Will fight Rajasthan polls unitedly, high command will decide CM: Pilot

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Friday stressed that the party would fight the Rajasthan assembly polls "unitedly" and said that a decision on who would lead the next government would be taken by the high command after consultations with the newly-elected MLAs. Exuding confidence that the Congress would buck the 'revolving door' trend in Rajasthan in the upcoming polls, the former deputy chief minister said the party is "absolutely united" with everyone's priority and efforts directed towards repeating the government in the desert state. In an exclusive interview with PTI ahead of the crucial Congress Working Committee meeting in Hyderabad, Pilot said the Congress has lived up to all the election promises it made in the 2018 Rajasthan polls and that is why he believes, the state government and the party working together, will be able to defeat the BJP. Asked about his assertion earlier that the party would go to the polls with collective leadership despite an incumbent CM in Ashok .

Chhattisgarh elections: Delhi CM Kejriwal to visit Chhattisgarh on Sept 16

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will also visit Madhya Pradesh on September 18

20% poorest bear maximum brunt of price rise on daily basis: Congress

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the BJP-led Centre on Friday on the issue of inflation, claiming that the 20 per cent poorest people in the country bear the maximum brunt of price rise on a daily basis. Kharge asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to divert from real issues and to focus on reducing prices so that the sufferings of people come to an end. "Don't talk here and there, talk about the real issues. By talking here and there, Modiji wants to divert the public's attention from 'looting by inflation'," the Congress chief said in a post in Hindi on X. "Due to the 'grand loot' of the Modi government, the poorest 20 per cent people are bearing the brunt of the back-breaking inflation," he added. Kharge said the prices of food items are skyrocketing and the country has now realised that the only reason for their troubles is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "In the coming elections, the public will definitely take revenge for this 'loot' by teaching a lesson to t

Hours after Cong MLA's arrest, Haryana govt suspends mobile internet in Nuh

Hours after Congress MLA Mamman Khan was arrested in connection with the July 31 Nuh violence, the Haryana government on Friday ordered the suspension of mobile Internet and the bulk SMS services in the district for two days. A government order in this regard does not mention anything about Khan's arrest though. "This order is issued to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the jurisdiction of district Nuh in the state of Haryana and shall be in force with effect from September 15 (10:00hrs) to September 16 (2359hrs)," says the order issued by Home Department Additional Chief Secretary T V S N Prasad. "It has been brought to my notice by Deputy Commissioner, Nuh, vide his request dated September 14 that there is an apprehension of causing tension, annoyance, agitation, damage of public & private property and disturbance of public peace & tranquillity in the district," Prasad said. Khan, the Ferozepur Jhirka legislator, was named an accused in an FIR lodged after

Fuel pumps go on indefinite strike in Rajasthan against high VAT

The Rajasthan Petroleum Dealers' Association (RPDYA) s demanding the state reduce its tax on fuel to match that of its neighbouring states

Congress MLA Mamman Khan arrested in Nuh communal violence case: Police

Congress MLA Mamman Khan has been arrested in connection with the July 31 Nuh violence case, police said on Friday. The Ferozepur Jhirka legislator, who was named as an accused in an FIR lodged after the communal clashes, was arrested late last night. Satish Kumar, Ferozepur Jhirkha Deputy Superintendent of Police and the head of the SIT investigating the case, confirmed the arrest. "Yes," he said, when asked if the legislator has been arrested. Senior Congress MLA from Nuh Aftab Ahmed also confirmed Khan's arrest. "The police have given information to us that he has been arrested," said the Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislature Party in the Haryana Assembly. Khan was named an accused in an FIR lodged after the Nuh violence, the Haryana government had told the High Court on Thursday, also claiming that the police have the phone call records and other evidence to back the charges. Haryana's Additional Advocate General Deepak Sabharwal told the High Court that Khan was named a

Congress to boycott Odisha Speaker's election on Sep 21 in view of Nuakhai

The Congress on Thursday said its legislature party would boycott the election for the Odisha Assembly Speaker on September 21. Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra said the party's MLAs will not join the election process as the day on which the poll will be held happens to be Nuakhai, a major festival of western Odisha. He said the festival is observed for two days across the western region of the state. He accused Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of meting out "step-motherly" treatment to the people of the western part of the state. Unfortunately, the chief minister has called for the assembly session on September 21. Despite protests, the government did not listen to our problem. The Congress MLAs will not be able to attend the Speaker election on that day. It is a step-motherly attitude towards western Odisha, Mishra alleged. Claiming that Nuakhai is "deeply rooted" in the sentiments of the people, he urged the residents of western Odisha to stand up against such a

Much ado about nothing: Jairam Ramesh on Parliament session agenda

Leaders of the INDIA bloc had been demanding that the government make the agenda of the 'special session' public

LIVE: 3 injured after flight faces runway excursion at Mumbai airport

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