Page 275 - Congress

Hearing of defamation case filed against Rahul by RSS activist adjourned

A magistrate's court at Bhiwandi in Maharashtra's Thane district on Saturday adjourned the hearing of a criminal defamation case filed by an RSS worker against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, as a related matter is before the High Court. Judicial Magistrate (First Class) L C Wadikar scheduled the next hearing for September 16, said advocate Narayan Iyer, Gandhi's lawyer. Rajesh Kunte, a local worker of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, had in 2014 filed the case over the Congress leader's alleged statement at an election rally near Bhiwandi on March 6, 2014, that "the RSS people killed (Mahatma) Gandhi." He, thus, defamed the RSS by making a false claim, Kunte said. Kunte was to be cross-examined by the defence on Saturday, but Gandhi's lawyer sought adjournment. The Congress leader has approached the Bombay High Court challenging the magistrate's decision to accept certain documents presented by Kunte as exhibits in the case, and till the HC decides the matter, the magistrate should

PM continues to be silent, allows discredited CM to rule: Cong on Manipur

The Congress on Saturday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" on the Manipur violence issue and asked why did he allow Chief Minister Biren Singh to continue in the post. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh took to Twitter to cite a news report about "repeated armoury looting" leaving the security forces worried, to attack the government over the Manipur issue. "No wonder that on August 1, the Supreme Court observed that from the beginning of May there was an 'absolute breakdown of constitutional machinery', as also law and order machinery in Manipur," he tweeted. "Yet the prime minister continues to be silent and allows the totally discredited chief minister to continue," Ramesh said. The Congress has been demanding a statement from the prime minister on the Manipur issue in Parliament followed by a comprehensive discussion on the matter in both Houses. The Congress and other opposition parties have been disrupting both houses of Parliament during the Monsoon

Freedom of speech cannot be used as armour for abuse: Naqvi salms Rahul

A day after the Supreme Court stayed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a defamation case, senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi took a swipe at him on Saturday, saying freedom of speech cannot be used as an "armour for abuse". Gandhi on Friday got a huge relief from the Supreme Court after it stayed his conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his Modi surname remark and paved the way for his reinstatement as a Lok Sabha MP. The stay which will also enable Gandhi, 53, to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was given on the grounds the the trial court in Surat in Gujarat failed to explain why he deserved the maximum two-year punishment upon his conviction that led to his disqualification from the Lower House of Parliament. Speaking with reporters here, Naqvi said those notorious for nuisance should not misuse their freedom of speech as an armour for abuse. Some people are celebrating even as their leader has made his freedom of voice a "license for freestyle ..

Cong presented Rahul with different looks but that film couldn't run: Tomar

Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday said the Congress presented Rahul Gandhi in public with different "looks" but that "film" couldn't run, a dig coming amid celebration in the Congress camp over the Supreme Court staying Gandhi's conviction in a defamation case. Congress presented Rahul Gandhi in front of the public in new looks by changing his clothes several times, but that film could not run and there is no hope of it running in future also, Tomar told reporters in Gwalior while responding to a question about jubilation in the Congress camp after the SC verdict. The apex court stayed Gandhi's sentence in the defamation case but made no comment on the Congress leader's statement, he said. It (the verdict) should not be seen as a victory of defeat, the Union agriculture minister said. Gandhi went from being the barely stubbled, dimpled politician with neat hair to the man with unkempt locks and an overgrown salt-pepper beard during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, drawing ...

Himachal CM briefs Cong's Kharge about losses due to heavy rains last month

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi on Saturday and discussed multiple issues concerning the state, including the losses due to heavy rains last month. Sukhu informed Kharge about the devastation caused by floods and heavy rains in the state as well as the relief and rescue operations carried out by the state government. He also told the Congress chief about the evacuation of tourists from Chandertaal at an altitude of 4,300 metres in Spiti, by his ministers. The Congress government is trying its best to restore normalcy, Sukhu said and told Kharge that he has sought immediate relief from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kharge lauded the efforts of Sukhu for personally monitoring the relief and rescue operations on the spot, according to an official statement. The Himachal Pradesh chief minister also informed Kharge about his meeting with BJP President J P Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Raj

Rahul's LS membership should be restored immediately: Cong after SC relief

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Saturday said he has sent all documents pertaining to revocation of Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from Lok Sabha to the Speaker and his membership should be restored immediately. He said Speaker Om Birla should restore his membership with the same pace as he was disqualified after a Gujarat court convicted him in a defamation case pertaining to Modi surname remarks. Chowdhury said he had called the Speaker last night as well as this morning and later sent the documents to the Speaker's office since the Secretary General's office was closed due to a holiday. "Rahul Gandhi's Parliament Lok Sabha membership should be reinstated with the same pace and swiftness as he was disqualified," the Congress leader in Lok Sabha said, adding he hoped this would be done before Lok Sabha sits on Monday. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said 26 hours after Gandhi was "convicted" by the sessions Court in Surat, the notification of his disqualificati

J-K: BJP celebrates 4th years to Article 370 abrogation; Cong, PDP protest

The BJP on Saturday celebrated the fourth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 by holding a public meeting in Srinagar, while its rivals staged protests, with the Congress calling it a "black day". The Centre on this day in 2019 had revoked Article 370, which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated it into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Several leaders and workers of the BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit, led by general secretary organisation, J-K, Ashok Koul, participated in the meeting at Jawahar Nagar. This programme was held to open the eyes of those leaders who are trying to "provoke" the people in the name of Article 370, party spokesperson Thakur Abhijeet Jasrotia told reporters in Srinagar. "These leaders are propagating lies, but the common people and the poor want development...Today, people have risen above dynastic politics, and they do not want any Abdullah or Mufti to befool them," he said in an apparent .

Companies competing with Adani for prized assets faced CBI, ED raids: Cong

The Congress on Saturday cited the takeover of a cement company to allege that probe agencies were being misused by the BJP government to "enrich" a select few crony capitalists. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed that in sectors such as airports, ports and cement, companies competing with the Adani Group for prized assets have faced CBI, ED and Income Tax raids "that have dissuaded them from proceeding with their bids, and the assets have ultimately gone to Adani". "In our Hum Adani ke Hain Kaun (HAHK) series of 100 questions for Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi, the Congress party had pointed out how the Adani Group has repeatedly profited from well-timed, Modi-made raids by investigative agencies on its business competitors," he said in a statement. "The latest episode involves the takeover of Sanghi Industries by the Adani-owned Ambuja Cements," Ramesh said. "Aap chronology samjhiye: April 28, 2023: India's third-largest cement producer Shree Cement is reported to b

Unfortunate that court procedures used for political agendas: Cong's Sibal

With the Supreme Court staying Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a defamation case, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday said he had stated earlier that the conviction was unwarranted and rued that "court procedures are used for political agendas". Gandhi on Friday got a huge relief from the Supreme Court after it stayed his conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his Modi surname remark and paved the way for his reinstatement as a Lok Sabha MP. The stay which will also enable Gandhi, 53, to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was given on the grounds the the trial court in Surat in Gujarat failed to explain why he deserved the maximum two-year punishment upon his conviction that led to his disqualification from the Lower House of Parliament. The top court also noted that the sentence would not have attracted disqualification had it been a day lesser. In a tweet, Sibal said, "Supreme Court stays Rahul's conviction. On the day Rahul was convicted I publicly

Cong chief Kharge congratulates World Archery Championships gold medallists

The president of the Indian National Congress party Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday congratulated the Indian women's compound team of Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur, and Aditi Gopichand Swami, for bagging the gold medal at the World Archery Championships 2023 in Berlin on Friday. "Our women's team scripts history at the World Archery Championships! Many congratulations to the formidable trio of V. Jyothi Surekha, Aditi Swami and Parneet Kaur who clinched the first-ever gold medal for India in Berlin. India is proud of your accomplishment, and we wish you a bright future ahead!" tweeted Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge.https://twitter.com/kharge/status/1687680663057530880?t=EP4bZFvuwyISvy9V66aeIg & s=08It is India's first-ever gold at the archery world championships in any category.In the gold medal final, the Indian trio defeated the Mexican combination of Dafne Quintero, Ana Sofa Hernandez Jeon, and Andrea Becerra 235-229. The Indian trio, placed second in the ...

We could have shown truth of Kejriwal's governance to K'taka minister: Cong

As the war of words between the AAP and the Congress over 'mohalla clinics' in Delhi hots up, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on Saturday said he could have shown the real truth of Arvind Kejriwal's governance to visiting Karnataka minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. Dikshit's remarks come in the wake of Rao calling the mohalla clinics run by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) "overhyped" and that he was left "disappointed" after a visit to one such facility. Taking to social media, Dikshit tweeted, Wish you'd met us also Dinesh Gundu Rao - would have shown real truth of Arvind Kejriwal's education, health, finance, environment, water, roads, buses, infra, rampant corruption. Perhaps you could have conveyed this to his new drum beaters in Congress. Hours after praising the AAP government's mohalla clinic initiative, the Karnataka health minister on Friday said it was "overhyped" and that he was left "disappointed" after visiting it. The AAP, in a statement, alleged that Rao received a phone call aft

INDIA coalition's next meet likely on Aug 31-Sept 1 in Mumbai: Reports

Opposition bloc INDIA is likely to hold its next meeting on August 31 and September 1 in Mumbai, sources said on Friday. They said it would be held on the format of the Bengaluru meeting with leaders first confabulating in an informal setting on August 31 before their main meeting the next day. "The opposition meeting will be a two-day affair and will take place on August 31 and September 1 with all leaders approving the dates," a source said. The likely venue would be a hotel in Pawai and there will be a press conference on September 1 evening, the source said. There have been several dates that have been talked about earlier but those did not work out as all leaders were not available on those dates. The third meeting of the bloc is being hosted jointly by the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP's Sharad Pawar faction, with support from the Congress -- the three constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. The MVA constituents had been holding parleys to schedule the meeting. The I

SC stays Rahul's conviction, Cong demands restoration of LS membership

The order will restore his Lok Sabha membership and enable him to contest election

'Truth always triumphs': Rahul Gandhi after relief from Supreme Court

The apex court earlier in the day stayed the Gujarat court's decision to convict Gandhi in the Modi surname defamation case

Truth alone triumphs: Mallikarjun hails SC stay on Rahul's conviction

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday hailed the Supreme Court's stay on Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 defamation case, saying the decision had exposed the BJP's "conspiratorial hounding" of the party scion. He also called upon the BJP to respect the mandate given by the people and start governing the country which they have "miserably failed." "Truth Alone Triumphs. We welcome the verdict by the Hon'ble Supreme Court giving relief to Shri Rahul Gandhi. "Justice has been delivered. Democracy has won. The Constitution has been upheld. BJP's conspiratorial hounding of Shri Gandhi has been thoroughly exposed. Time for them to stop their malicious targeting of Opposition leaders," Kharge said on Twitter. "It is high time they respect(sic) the mandate given by the people and start governing the country, on which they have miserably failed in the last 10 years," the Congress chief also said. In a big relief to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Supreme Court on Friday sta

No force can silence voice of people: Cong on SC stay on Rahul's conviction

The Congress on Friday hailed the Supreme Court ruling staying the conviction of Rahul Gandhi in a 2019 defamation case, calling the judgment a strong vindication of truth and asserting that "no force can silence the voice of the people". The Congress described it as a "victory of love over hate". The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the conviction of Gandhi in the defamation case over his Modi surname remark. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Supreme Court judgment is a strong vindication of truth and justice. "Despite the relentless efforts of the BJPs machinery, Rahul Gandhi has refused to bend, break or bow, choosing instead to place his faith in the judicial process," he said on Twitter. "Let this be a lesson to the BJP and its acolytes: you can do your absolute worst but we will not back down. We will continue to expose and call out your failures as a Government and as a party. We will continue to uphold our Constitutional ideals and .

We are very serious about middle path solution: Jairam Ramesh on RS logjam

The Congress on Friday accused the Modi government of not being serious in finding a solution to the logjam in Rajya Sabha, saying the INDIA opposition bloc had offered a "middle path" solution and that a debate on Manipur under a mutually negotiated motion should have ideally taken place today or "very soon". Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said parties of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) offered a "middle path" solution to the Modi government to enable the smooth functioning of the Rajya Sabha. "We said let us have a mutually negotiated Motion on Manipur under Rule 167 and start a discussion on it. Modi government appeared to agree but indicated that the earliest that the discussion could take place was only on Friday, August 11th. This shows the government is not serious," he alleged in a tweet. "The discussion should ideally have taken place today for which INDIA parties were ready or very soon on Monday or Tuesday. We are very serious about

Modi surname row: Purnesh Modi's original surname not Modi, Rahul tells SC

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday told the Supreme Court that the original surname of former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi, who filed a defamation case against him, is not Modi and he belongs to the Modh Vanika Samaj. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Gandhi, told a three-judge bench of Justices B R Gavai, P S Narasimha and Sanjay Kumar that his client is not a hardened criminal and there is no conviction in any case despite several cases filed against him by BJP workers. The top court is hearing a plea by Gandhi challenging the Gujarat High Court verdict which dismissed his plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark. Purnesh Modi had filed a criminal defamation case in 2019 against Gandhi over his "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?" remark made during an election rally in Kolar in Karnataka on April 13, 2019.

Cipla's impending 'takeover' by Blackstone should sadden all of us: Jairam

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said Indian pharmaceutical company Cipla is an integral part of the country's political, economic and social history and its "impending takeover" by Blackstone should sadden everyone. The Congress general secretary shared a media report on Twitter which claimed that Blackstone, the world's largest private equity fund, is set to submit a non-binding bid as early as next week to acquire the entire 33.47 per cent promoter stake in Cipla. "It was painful to learn that Blackstone, the world's largest private equity fund, is negotiating to acquire the entire 33.47% promoter stake in Cipla, India's oldest pharmaceutical company," Ramesh, who is the chairman of Parliamentary standing committee on science and technology, environment and climate change, said. Cipla was established in 1935 by Khwaja Abdul Hamied, who was profoundly impacted by Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. He also played an important

Kharge lashes out at BJP, says only 1.2 mn formal jobs added in 5 years

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday claimed that India under the Modi government has added only 12.2 lakh formal jobs in the past five years, and said that for the survival of the poor and middle class, the BJP needs to be "thrown out of power". Kharge charged that the BJP has "miserably failed" to provide employment. "India under Modi Govt has added ONLY 12.2 Lakh Formal Jobs in past 5 years! That means an average of JUST 24,400 Jobs per year!" he said in a tweet. "We are not inventing this figure. It is the Modi government which created this narrative that EPF Regular Contributors = Creation of Formal Jobs! The EPF data corroborates this," Kharge said. The BJP promised two crore jobs per year which means 18 crore jobs could have been created in nine years, the Congress president said. "Our youth is staring at a dark future," he claimed. "No wonder, there is anger and violence on the streets. The BJP has miserably failed to provide Employment! Unimaginable unemploym