Page 305 - Congress

Religion is matter of conduct, BJP made it political propaganda: Kamal Nath

There is a lot of difference between the time of five years ago and today. Voters have become wiser and they will secure the future of Madhya Pradesh, the former CM added

Cong ups the ante on BJP over PM Modi inaugurating new Parliament building

Sharma said that the Lok Sabha Speaker chairs the Lok Sabha, and all decisions concerning, the summoning of the Parliament is vested in the President under Article 85

Cong likely to oppose bill to replace Centre's ordinance on Delhi Services

The Congress is likely to oppose in Parliament a bill, when it is brought, that will seek to replace a Union government Ordinance on Delhi's Services matters, sources said Monday, as the party asked the Centre to honour the Supreme Court order that transfer of bureaucrats is in the domain of the city's elected government. Senior Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said his party welcomed the Supreme Court decision when it came last week. "Today too, we have the same view that the SC decision was right. The Constitution bench has given a detailed judgement on the Delhi issue and the government should honour that," he told reporters when asked about the Ordinance. Sources in the party, meanwhile, said the Congress may oppose the bill when the government brings it in Parliament to replace the Ordinance that essentially upturn the Supreme Court verdict. Sharma said the government has brought an ordinance as well as sought a review of the May 11 judgement. "It is very clear that the ...

After Karnataka, Congress and BJP to fight again for women votes

Congress proposes 2 'guarantees' for women in MP; BJP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan to transfer first installment of monthly allowance for women

SC panel, SEBI 'hit walls' in probing Adani group's transactions: Cong

The Congress on Monday alleged that the Supreme Court-appointed expert committee and the SEBI have "hit walls" while investigating the Adani group's transactions and stressed the need for a joint parliamentary committee probe to unravel the truth in the matter. The Congress' assertion comes after a report by the Supreme Court-appointed expert committee said it has found no evidence of stock price manipulation in Adani group companies, while a separate SEBI probe into alleged violation in money flows from offshore entities has "drawn a blank". Taking to Twitter, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh tagged a media report which claimed that the Registrar of Companies (Gujarat), in a ruling earlier this month, has held that Adani Power and its officials had violated provisions of the Companies Act, 2013, by not reporting related-party contracts and transactions in the register of contract. "As the Modani brigade desperately tries to spin the Supreme Court Expert Committee's report a

Office of President reduced to tokenism under BJP govt, says Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday accused the Modi government of repeatedly disrespecting propriety by not inviting the president and former president for the inauguration of the new Parliament building. He also alleged that the Office of the President of India has been reduced to tokenism under the BJP-RSS Government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be inaugurating the new Parliament building on May 28, after the Speaker invited him to do so. Kharge charged that the Modi Government has ensured election of the President of India from the Dalit and tribal communities only for electoral reasons. While former president Ram Nath Kovind was not invited for the new Parliament foundation laying ceremony, President Droupadi Murmu is not being invited for the inauguration of the new Parliament building, he said. Noting that the Parliament is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India, and the President is its highest Constitutional authority, he said she alone ..

Congress won Karnataka polls taking cue from AAP manifesto: Arvind Kejriwal

The Congress won the Karnataka assembly elections by promising free electricity, free ration and unemployment allowance in its poll manifesto, taking cue from the Aam Aadmi Party, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday. He said the AAP has succeeded in its efforts to bring some change in the country's political discourse as other parties are also now seeking votes on issues like education and health. He was addressing AAP leaders who won seats in just-concluded Uttar Pradesh local body elections. "The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has tried to change the narrative of the country's politics. If you look at Karnataka polls, the Congress party has won on our manifesto," Kejriwal said. "We said we will provide free electricity, they (Congress) also said so. We said we will provide unemployment allowance, free ration, and Rs 1,000 (per moth to women, They also said so," he said. The BJP is also now making such promises, he said, adding, political parties earlier used to seek vote

'K'taka poll results gave ray of hope to country', says Mehbooba Mufti

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti said here on Sunday that the mandate of the people of Karnataka giving victory to the Congress has given a ray of hope to the entire country

With Karnataka win, Congress gets a template for other Assembly polls

THE WEALTH OF THE POOR: If BJP spent eight years trying to displace Congress as party for the poor, Congress' Karnataka triumph could help it reclaim that perch. Archis Mohan writes

Rajiv Gandhi laid foundation of young India, says IYC chief Srinivas

Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi laid the foundation of young India and brought the rights and power to the doorstep of the villages through Panchayati Raj , Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president Srinivas B V said on Sunday. Paying tributes to Rajiv Gandhi on his death anniversary, Srinivas said while Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of strengthening the villages during the freedom struggle, the former prime minister fulfilled that dream. "Rajiv Gandhi laid the foundation of young India and brought the rights and power to the doorstep of the villages through Panchayati Raj in the country," Srinivas said. "There are some great men who become immortal after giving up their lives, Rajiv Gandhi is one of them. His contribution in nation building is unforgettable," he said. The Indian Youth Congress organised a blood donation camp here on Sunday.

Cong insulted OBCs, but BJP gave 1st PM from this community to nation: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday accused the opposition Congress of harassing and insulting the Other Backward Classes during its rule at the Centre, and asserted that it was the BJP that gave the first OBC prime minister to the country in the form of Narendra Modi. Addressing a national convention of the Modi community here, Shah said PM Modi gave the OBCs their due respect and understood the pain of poor citizens because he himself was born in such a family. Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark, he said if someone insults a person, it is not a big deal, but if someone insults an entire community and the prime minister, then it is an insult to the entire country. size="5">"During its rule at the Centre, Congress only neglected, harassed and insulted the OBCs. As soon as BJP came to power, PM Modi gave OBC community its due respect. And it was BJP who gave the first OBC PM to the country in

Cong preps for next round of assembly polls; Kharge calls meeting on May 24

After a stunning victory in Karnataka, the focus of Congress leadership has shifted to the next round of assembly elections where the party is locked in a direct contest with the BJP in some states. With assembly elections due in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram in the next few months, the Congress is working on poll strategies in these states and has convened a meeting of state leaders on May 24. While Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh are two states ruled by the Congress where it is hoping to offset the anti-incumbency factor and factional fighting by replicating the 'Karnataka strategy', the party is also determined to make a comeback in Madhya Pradesh where it lost power after Jyotiraditya Scindia and some of the MLAs switched loyalties, sources said. They said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has called a meeting of its leaders from Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh on May 24 to strategise on the upcoming assembly elections. Khar

Siddaramaiah's anti-urban bias may well become the chink in Cong's armour

And Siddaramaiah's relationship with his former leader, H D Deve Gowda, and his biting criticism of the Vokkaliga community amplify and inform both the data and his politics

Challenge to fight powers inciting social and communal divide: Pawar

Nationalist Congress party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Sunday said the challenge before everyone is to fight powers that are deliberately inciting social and communal divide in the country. The results of the recently held Assembly elections in Karnataka show the situation is gradually changing, Pawar said at an event in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district. If the working class remains strong and united, what was seen in the Karnataka Assembly polls can be replicated elsewhere in the country as well, he said. In the recent Assembly elections in Karnataka, the Congress returned to power after a gap of five years by defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 'Some powers ruling the country are taking it backwards by inciting tensions on caste and religious lines in society. They are using power not for the welfare of people, but to create divisions among them,' Pawar alleged. The challenge is to fight against these powers, otherwise the common man will be destroyed, the NCP chief

Party in power at Centre concerned about itself, rather than nation: Cong

The Congress in Kerala on Sunday lashed out at the BJP, alleging that the party in power at the Centre is more concerned about itself rather than the country, a sharp contrast to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who put the nation first before everything. The view was expressed by veteran Congress leader and former Union Defence Minister A K Antony while speaking on the occasion of Rajiv Gandhi's death anniversary. "When he (Rajiv Gandhi) was Prime Minister he put the country first before the interests of the party. However, the party (BJP) in power at the Centre is more concerned about itself than the nation. "They are not concerned if the country burns, if there is communal violence or if there is any other form of unrest. They are only concerned with ensuring they remain in power," Antony alleged at the remembrance ceremony held at Indira Bhavan here. He claimed that when Rajiv Gandhi was PM, he ensured peace in Punjab, Assam and Mizoram at the cost of the Congress's power in

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Priyanka to kickstart Cong's MP poll campaign from Jabalpur on June 12

Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will kickstart the Assembly poll campaign for her party in Madhya Pradesh on June 12 with a road show and a rally in Jabalpur after offering prayers to the Narmada river, considered the state's lifeline, a functionary said on Saturday. Assembly polls are likely to be held at the end of the year in MP, where the Congress emerged as the largest party in the 2018 polls but its government fell in March 2020 following a rebellion by Jyotiraditya Scindia and more than 20 of his loyalist MLAs, paving the way for the Bharatiya Janata Party to return to power. Jabalpur is the largest city of the state's Mahakoshal region, where the Congress had won 11 out of the 13 Scheduled Tribe-reserved seats in the 2018 Assembly polls, leaving the Bharatiya Janata Party with victories in just two constituencies. "Priyankaji will first do Narmada puja at Gwarighat on the bank of the holy river here, after which she would lead a roadshow and then address a publi

Siddaramaiah govt's first Cabinet meet gives nod for Congress' guarantees

The Karnataka government in its maiden Cabinet meeting on Saturday accorded "in-principle" approval to implement the Congress party's five guarantees and initial estimates indicate that it would cost the exchequer Rs 50,000 crore annually, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said. The first Cabinet meeting was held immediately after Siddaramaiah was sworn in as Chief Minister, and D K Shivakumar as Deputy Chief Minister along with eight MLAs as Ministers. "It's agreed upon. We will not go back (on the promises)," the Chief Minister said, adding, the assurances would be fulfilled notwithstanding financial implications, if any. Siddaramaiah said initial estimation of the government is that the implementation of the poll promises would cost the exchequer Rs 50,000 crore a year. The assurances promised before the elections would "most likely" be implemented after the next Cabinet meeting, he said addressing a press conference here. The party's five poll guarantees are 200 units of free power

1984 anti-Sikh riots case: CBI files charge sheet against Congress leader

The CBI on Saturday filed a charge sheet against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in the Pul Bangash case connected to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, officials said. Three people were killed and a gurdwara was torched in the Pul Bangash area here on November 1, 1984, a day after the then prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated. In its charge sheet filed before a special court here, the CBI said Tytler "incited, instigated and provoked the mob assembled at Pul Bangash Gurdwara Azad Market" on November 1, 1984 that resulted in burning down of the gurdwara and killing of three Sikhs -- Thakur Singh, Badal Singh and Guru Charan Singh. The agency has invoked charges under sections 147 (rioting), 109 (abetment) read with 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), among others, against Tytler, the officials said. The court will consider the charges on June 2, they said.

Five 'guarantees' will become a law after 1st Cabinet meeting today: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the five 'guarantees' promised by the party before the elections in Karnataka will be implemented within a few hours after the first Cabinet meeting. He also said the people of Karnataka defeated BJP's "hatred and corruption" in the Assembly elections. "I had said we don't make false promises. We do what we say. The first cabinet meeting of the new government will take place in one to two hours. In that meeting, all the five 'guarantees' will become a law, Gandhi said after the swearing-in ceremony of Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister. These guarantees are: 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya), Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years (YuvaNidhi) and free travel for women in ..