Page 284 - Congress

K'taka to spend Rs 52k cr annually on 5 key promises, to benefit 13 mn

Seeking to highlight the Congress party's poll promises, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said approximately Rs 52,000 crore would be spent annually for the five key poll 'guarantees' and it is expected to benefit 1.3 crore families. Presenting the 2023-2024 budget, with an outlay of over Rs 3.27 lakh crore, in the Legislative Assembly, he said through the five 'guarantees' (poll promises), the government will be providing an average additional financial assistance of Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 a month to each household. The five 'guarantees' related to free bus travel for women, 200 units of free electricity, 10 kilograms of free foodgrains to the poor, Rs 2,000 for the woman head of the house and unemployment benefit of up to Rs 3,000. According to some political analysts, these pre-poll promises found resonance with the electorate leading to the Congress' resounding victory in the Assembly elections. In the polls to the 224-member Assembly, the Congress bagged 135 seats

Congress worker killed in West Bengal's Murshidabad ahead of rural polls

A Congress worker was allegedly beaten to death by unidentified people in West Bengal's Murshidabad district ahead of the panchayat polls in the state, police said on Friday. The incident took place in the Raninagar area, hours before Governor C V Ananda Bose reached the district to visit violence-hit areas there, a senior officer said. Arabindo Mondal (45), who was a Congress member, died after he was beaten up by unidentified people, the officer said. The house of the deceased was allegedly attacked on Thursday night, leading to a clash between two groups, he said. "The person was declared brought dead to a hospital in Islampur. We are investigating the matter. No one has been arrested," the officer said. Heavy police deployment was made in the area to maintain law and order, he added. The panchayat elections in the state will be held on Saturday. Around 5.67 crore people are eligible to exercise their franchise in the three-tier panchayat system, comprising zilla parishad, .

Never heard US envoy making statement on India's internal affairs: Cong MP

Congress MP Manish Tewari on Friday objected strongly to US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti's reported remarks on Manipur and said he doubts if the new American envoy is cognisant of the torturous history of US-India ties and New Delhi's sensitivity about interference, perceived or real, in its internal affairs. Speaking at a press conference in Kolkata on Thursday, Garcetti reportedly said the violence and killings in Manipur are a matter of "human concern" and the US is "ready to assist" India in dealing with the situation "if asked". Reacting to the remarks, Tewari said on Twitter, "To the best of my recollection going back at least four decades in public life, I have never heard an US Ambassador making a statement of this nature about the internal affairs of India." "We faced challenges in Punjab, J-K , northeast over the decades and surmounted those with sagacity and wisdom," the former Union minister said. Even when Robin Raphel would be "loquacious" on Jammu and Kashmir in

Cong to move SC against HC order on Rahul's conviction in defamation case

The Congress on Friday said it would move an appeal before the Supreme Court challenging the Gujarat High Court order dismissing party leader Rahul Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark. AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said, "There is one more option before us... the Supreme Court. Let's see. The Congress party will seek that option too". Venugopal said this while addressing a party programme organised in Kozhikode district of northern Kerala. His statement came soon after the Gujarat High Court dismissed Gandhi's plea, upholding the order of the lower court, describing it as "just, proper and legal". A stay of the conviction would have paved the way for Gandhi's reinstatement as a Member of Parliament. A metropolitan magistrate's court in Surat on March 23 sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail after convicting him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 and 500 (criminal defamation) in a

Guj HC to deliver verdict on Rahul Gandhi's plea seeking stay on conviction

The Gujarat High Court will deliver on Friday its verdict on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his Modi surname remark. As per the cause list issued by the HC on Thursday, the court of Justice Hemant Prachchhak will deliver the verdict at 11 am. A stay on conviction would pave the way for Gandhi's reinstatement as a Member of Parliament (MP). In May, Justice Prachchhak, while hearing Gandhi's plea, had refused to grant any interim relief saying it will pass a final order after the summer vacation, which ended three weeks back. During a hearing on April 29, Gandhi's lawyer had argued that a maximum punishment of two years for a bailable, non-cognisable offence meant his client could lose his Lok Sabha seat "permanently and irreversibly", which was a "very serious additional irreversible consequence to the person and the constituency he represents". A metropolitan magistrate's court in Surat sentenced the former .

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Defamation case: Gujarat HC to deliver verdict on Rahul's plea on Friday

The Gujarat High Court will on Friday deliver its verdict on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his Modi surname remark. As per the causelist issued by the HC on Thursday, the court of Justice Hemant Prachchhak will deliver the verdict at 11:00 am. A stay on conviction would pave the way for Gandhi's reinstatement as a Member of Parliament. In May, Justice Prachchhak, while hearing Gandhi's plea, had refused to grant any interim relief saying it will pass a final order after the summer vacation, which ended three weeks back. During a hearing on April 29, Gandhi's lawyer had argued that a maximum punishment of two years for a bailable, non-cognisable offence meant his client could lose his Lok Sabha seat "permanently and irreversibly", which was a "very serious additional irreversible consequence to the person and the constituency he represents". A metropolitan magistrate's court in Surat sentenced the former Cong

Congress appoints Kanhaiya Kumar as NSUI incharge with immediate effect

The Congress on Thursday appointed former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar as the AICC in-charge of its students' wing. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has appointed Kanhaiya Kumar as AICC in-charge of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) with immediate effect, according to a statement issued by KC Venugopal, the Congress general secretary organisation. The NSUI is headed by Neeraj Kunadan. Kumar had participated in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra and walked the entire distance from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.

Leaders must maintain discipline, will win Raj polls with unity: Congress

The Congress on Thursday said it can win the Rajasthan assembly elections provided there is complete unity and asked all its leaders to maintain discipline and not speak outside the party forum. The party also said that it will decide its candidates for the polls by the first week of September and winnability will be the only criterion for their selection. Congress leaders will hit the ground from Friday through a house-to-house campaign to take schemes of the state government to the people. All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal told reporters after the party's strategy meeting on election preparedness in Rajasthan that all leaders agreed that the Congress could win the assembly polls slated later this year provided there is complete unity. It, however, refrained from commenting on any peace formula between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot. "We never announce the chief ministerial candidate, but we will fight the election

Congress leaders will work together to ensure party's victory: Sachin Pilot

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Thursday said the party's lawmakers and functionaries in Rajasthan will work together to ensure its victory in the upcoming assembly polls. After a meeting convened by the Congress leadership here to discuss the poll preparedness of the party, he said it discussed ways on how to buck the trend of the state voting out incumbent governments. Pilot also said that he raised the issues of corruption of the previous BJP government in the state, paper leaks and Rajasthan Public Service Commission reform. He expressed satisfaction that the party leadership has taken cognisance of the issues raised by him as well as those relating to the youth, and has given appropriate directions. The Congress leader said the party will make corruption an election issue in Rajasthan. The Congress government in Rajasthan is serious about acting against corruption that happened during the previous BJP rule, he told reporters after the meeting. "There was a meaningful discussi

Meeting to select new Delhi Congress chief held at DPCC office: Report

Two separate meetings have been held to seek suggestions on selecting new chief of the Congress' Delhi unit and discuss ways to mobilise the party workers in the national capital, party sources said on Thursday. The meeting was chaired by AICC incharge for Delhi Deepak Babaria at the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) office here on Wednesday. He also met Indian National Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on the same day. The meeting to seek suggestions on the new party chief was a one-on-one meeting with the party's district and block-level leaders and workers, sources said. "Delhi Congress' district and block level leaders and workers were called individually to seek suggestions about a new party president. The meeting on Wednesday lasted for more than eight hours," a source in the party told PTI. "Suggestions were also sought on how to mobilise the party workers in every district of Delhi and strengthen the party further ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections," the source

Modi taking revenge for K'taka defeat by depriving it of foodgrains: Cong

The Congress on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Centre's discontinuing the sale of foodgrains from its pool to state governments, calling it a revenge on Karnataka. The party said that the discontinuation was a "political decision" taken by Modi as a revenge on the people of Karnataka for rejecting the BJP in the assembly polls. On June 13, the Centre discontinued the sale of rice and wheat from the buffer stock to state governments under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) officially due to inflationary pressure and concerns over monsoon. The Congress has alleged that the move was aimed at scuttling the Karnataka government's Anna Bhagya scheme. The Anna Bhagya scheme, one of the five pre-poll guarantees of the Congress, promises 10 kg rice for every BPL (below poverty line) family in the state. In a tweet, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it was clear after Wednesday's meeting of Piyush Goyal with state food and civil supp

Govt which restricts press freedom danger to democracy, says Congress

The opposition Congress in Kerala on Thursday attacked the ruling CPI(M) over its recent action against an online channel and reporters of two Malayalam TV channels, saying that a government which intervenes with or restricts press freedom is an "insult" and a "danger" to democracy. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K Sudhakaran said that the ruling Left in the state holds "grudges" against those media houses or reporters who criticise them and "takes revenge" when they get an opportunity. "That is the low standard politics of the CPI(M) in Kerala. Such a stand is reprehensible," the KPCC chief said and announced that a 'Media Freedom Meet' would be organised by it and as part of that police station marches would be held on July 26. Referring to the recent police action against a Thiruvananthapuram-based online news channel -- 'Marunadan Malayali' -- and its employees, Sudhakaran said that the force acted like "attackers" in the matter. "They can take action, but t

Congress top brass deliberates with Raj leaders, all eyes on Gehlot-Pilot

Top leaders of the Congress were on Thursday holding deliberations with the party's leaders in Rajasthan on the strategy and poll preparedness, while also seeking to resolve the tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his bete noire Sachin Pilot. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary organisation K C Venugopal, AICC in-charge of state Sukhjinder Randhawa, state unit chief Govind Singh Dotasra, Pilot and other senior leaders from Rajasthan met at the party headquarters here at 11 am. Chief Minister Gehlot, who is recovering from fractures in both his toes, is attending the meeting via video conferencing, sources said. Rahul Gandhi is also set to hold a press conference at the party headquarters here this afternoon. Kharge has been chairing key strategy meetings with leaders of poll-bound states. He has already held separate meetings with leaders of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram. All eyes are on Rajasthan as

Urination case: MP authorities demolish part of accused's father's house

Hours after Madhya Pradesh police arrested Sidhi district resident Pravesh Shukla for allegedly urinating on a tribal youth, the local authorities on Wednesday pulled down a part of a house belonging to his father. A video of the urination incident involving Pravesh surfaced on Tuesday. Opposition Congress had demanded that the BJP government in the state use a bulldozer to demolish Shukla's properties. "His father Ramakant Shukla's house was not constructed as per permissions and therefore the illegal portion of it is being demolished, a district official said. Pravesh Shukla, who has been arrested, was found to have a criminal background, he added. On Tuesday, an official from the MP Chief Minister's Office had said that a case had been registered against Pravesh under Indian Penal Code sections 294 (obscene acts), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

1,000 Lok Mitra Kendra to be opened in Himachal to provide internet: CM

Himachal Pradesh government is planning to open 1,000 Lok Mitra Kendra in far-flung areas during the current fiscal to provide instant internet access to the people, said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here on Wednesday. The government is determined to make high-speed internet connectivity accessible to the users, especially in the rural areas which lack internet connectivity through these Kendras, he said in a statement. These centres will help in fulfilling the objective to create employment opportunities for the rural youth at their doorstep, the Congress leader said. A widespread optical fibre cable network will be laid across the state for providing internet connectivity, he said, adding that the government will also take up the matter with the concerned authorities to strengthen 5G services. Adequate budget provision has been made for the same by the government for the current financial year, the statement added. The chief minister said an 'Integrated Data Base Manage

Cong deceived people with 'misleading poll guarantees': BJP to K'taka govt

The BJP attacked the Congress government in the Assembly on Wednesday, alleging that it deceived the people with their "misleading poll guarantees", which are now replete with conditions. The party claimed that the Siddaramaiah government is fast losing its popularity as people are no longer relying on its guarantees. Former deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka sought to pick holes in the five 'guarantees' promised in the Congress party's election manifesto. He alleged that the government introduced numerous conditions in these guarantees and limited the number of beneficiaries. Ashoka charged that these conditions in the guarantees are creating confusion among people. Referring to the 'Shakti' scheme offering free rides for women in government buses, Ashoka noted that the Congress manifesto did not mentions any conditions but after coming to power, the government said the scheme is available only in non-luxury buses. Ashoka accused the government of plying only a limited number of buses

Help develop local leaders, don't fight among yourselves: Kharge to cadre

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday urged the party cadre to help develop leadership at the grassroots level and not fight among each other. Inaugurating the party's national workshop on the 'Leadership Development Mission' for the SC, ST, OBC and the minorities wings at the Congress headquarters here, he called for making it successful and sought support from all levels. Urging party leaders and workers to think about the party's future, Kharge cited his own example and said he gave party tickets to even those who helped the BJP in his defeat in the Lok Sabha elections as he wanted the party to succeed. "We have to promote leadership development. But that does not mean you start fighting with local leadership and complain against them. You have to work in coordination with the local leadership," he told party workers at the workshop. "You should not fight among yourselves. You should all support them. Most people try to target and try to pull down new leaders," he .

Delhi Congress to meet on Wednesday to deliberate on DPCC president

Newly appointed AICC in-charge for Delhi Deepak Babaria has called a meeting of Delhi Congress leaders on Wednesday to seek suggestions about a new party chief for the state, sources said. "A meeting has been called at Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee office at 4 pm on Wednesday. All Delhi Congress leaders will be present at the meeting and provide their suggestions on who should be the new president of the party," a source told PTI. Babaria had also held a meeting last week with party leaders and workers to discuss Congress' roadmap for the 2024 Parliament elections. The meeting culminated with the passing of two resolutions - political and organisational. Anil Chaudhary, the current Delhi Congress President, is likely to depart before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The main contenders for his replacement are Sandeep Dikshit, Devender Yadav, Arvinder Singh Lovely, and Kanhaiya Kumar, according to the party sources. The new Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president was supp

People will not buy into hollow slogans of BJP: Kharge slams govt on prices

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday hit out at the Modi government over rising prices and unemployment, saying that people will not buy into the "hollow slogans" of the BJP and will wipe it out of power this time. His attack came a day after the Congress slammed the Centre over rising prices of vegetables and other essential food items and demanded immediate steps from his government to address the issue. "Both inflation and unemployment are increasing continuously due to the loot of the Modi government. But the BJP is engrossed in the greed for power," Kharge alleged in a tweet in Hindi. The prices of vegetables are skyrocketing and the unemployment rate in the country has gone up to 8.45 per cent, he said. The unemployment rate in villages is 8.73 per cent and the demand for MGNREGA in villages is at its peak, but there is no work, Kharge said. The rural wage rate has come down, he added. "Narendra Modi ji, the people of the country know that before elections, yo