Page 330 - Congress

Congress releases second list of 41 candidates for Karnataka polls

The Congress on Thursday released its second list of 41 candidates, including three defectors, who had recently quit as legislators and joined the party, for the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka. There is no mention of Kolar, the second seat from where senior party leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, wants to contest, in addition to Varuna, where his name is already cleared. Baburao Chinchansur and N Y Gopalakrishna, who had quit as BJP MLC and MLA recently and joined Congress have been fielded Gurmitkal and Molakalmuru, respectively. While S R Srinivas (Vasu), who had quit as JD(S) MLA has been fielded as a candidate from Gubbi. Gopalakrishna was BJP's MLA from Kudligi in Vijayanagara district in the current Assembly. Congress has left the Melukote seat in Mandya district for Darshan Puttannaiah of Sarvodaya Karnataka Party. His father late Puttannaiah was a prominent farmer leader and had earlier represented the constituency. Former Minister Vinay Kulkarni, who w

Punjab CM Mann overrules minister, scraps Rs 40 crore land scam inquiry

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has overruled decision of his own minister and ordered the closure of the Rs 40 crore Bhagtupura land scam inquiry

Why's govt unable to seek release of ex-Navy personnel from Qatar: Congress

The Congress on Thursday raised concerns over the detention of eight former Navy personnel by Qatar and sought to know from the government why it could not seek their release even after seven months. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a statement that even though the Qatari national arrested along with the former Naval personnel has been released, why have the Indian authorities not been able to secure the release of Indians? "Why is the Indian government still unable to either ascertain the facts of the case or to reassure the ex-naval personnel and their families that justice will be done," he asked. Ramesh reminded the government that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had in Parliament termed it a "very sensitive case and said that the interest of the detained is "foremost in our minds... We assure, they are our priority". Yet, while an Omani national who was arrested along with the ex-Navy personnel was released in November, the Indian citizens remain in ...

Rahul to blame for Congress' situation, Sonia's writ doesn't run: Azad

Ghulam Nabi Azad termed Rahul Gandhi the main reason why he was no longer with the party

Cong cites OBC Mahasabha's 'notice to Nadda', says it showed mirror to BJP

The Congress on Wednesday attacked the BJP over an OBC mahasabha reportedly hitting out at the saffron party for "dragging" OBCs in the row over Rahul Gandhi's 2019 remarks, saying the ruling party has been shown the mirror. Several BJP leaders, including party chief J P Nadda, have accused Gandhi of insulting Other Backward Classes (OBCs) with his remark for which he has been convicted by a Surat court. Gandhi (52) was disqualified from the Lok Sabha last month after he was convicted by a court in Gujarat's Surat in a 2019 defamation case. The court in Surat sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail in the case, filed on a complaint by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi for his remark, "How come all thieves have Modi as the common surname?" On Twitter, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh tagged a media report which said that the national core committee of the OBC Mahasabha in Gwalior has issued a legal notice to BJP president JP Nadda in which it has been claimed that he "insulted" the OBC ...

Rahul, Priyanka to address joint rally in Nagpur in Apr; date not finalised

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Wednesday said a public meeting of party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is likely to be held in Nagpur between April 20 and 25, although the date is yet to be finalised. Speaking to reporters at the Nagpur airport, he also said that the date of their rally will be finalised during a meeting of the Congress's state executive to be held in Thane on April 10. Patole accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of ignoring the basic issues of people. Targeting the saffron party over taking out 'Savarkar Gaurav Yatra' to honour late Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar, the Congress leader asked, "Did the BJP take out any yatra against the farmers' suicides happening in the state?" "Is Gaurav Yatra being taken out because farmers' electricity supply is being snapped and their produce is not getting good price?" he said, adding that the poor were unable to get proper food.

Not Kharge, but Rahul is captain of Congress: Ghulam Nabi Azad

Veteran politician and former Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad believes that the Congress is still run by "remote control" and he also came down heavily on a "new coterie of inexperienced sycophants" who manage its affairs. Ahead of the release of his book 'Azaad -- an autobiography', the former Congress stalwart, who quit the party last year, refused to talk about the issues he had with his former colleagues, saying "the more I dig into the past, the more bitterness surfaces, and I don't want to dwell with that since I have stepped out of the party". At the same time, Azad, who was chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said he had great respect for Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, but acknowledged there were political differences with Rahul Gandhi. "...as an individual, I am not saying Rahul Gandhi is a bad person. As an individual he is a good person. Maybe we have some .

'Beware' of man who did not stay loyal to his former party: Cong to PM

The Congress on Wednesday hit back at Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia for his scathing criticism of Rahul Gandhi, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should "beware" of a man who did not stay loyal to his former party and will also "not be loyal" to him. Scindia launched a sharp attack on Gandhi and the Congress, alleging the party has been left with no ideology except the one of a "traitor" which works against the country. The BJP leader attacked the Congress for according Rahul Gandhi a "special treatment" following his conviction in a defamation case and accused the party of pressuring the judiciary, and doing everything possible to stay relevant. Slamming Scindia for his remarks, Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said, "When Mr. Scindia talks about doing things to stay politically relevant, I can think of his own example. To stay politically relevant he changed his party, he changed his friends, he changed his loyalties and he is giving us a lecture

Can't make separate guidelines for politicians: SC quashes plea by Oppn

Fourteen Opposition parties had filed a plea with the Supreme Court seeking a fresh set of guidelines governing the arrest, remand, and bail for politicians

Whitewashing with a vengeance: Congress over deletions from NCERT textbooks

The Congress on Wednesday hit out at the government over some texts missing from NCERT's new class 12 textbooks, including Mahatma Gandhi's pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity irking the right-wing and the ban on the RSS for some time, and called it "whitewashing with a vengeance". The NCERT, however, claims that no curriculum trimming has happened this year and the syllabus was rationalised last year in June. "Gandhiji's death had a magical effect on communal situation in the country", "Gandhiji's pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity provoked Hindu extremists", "organisations like RSS were banned for some time", "communal politics began to lose its appeal"--these are among the texts missing from class 12 political science textbooks for the new academic session. Tagging a media report on it, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Twitter, "Whitewashing with a vengeance." Tagging another report which claimed that chapters related to the Mughals and Dalit writers have also been axed fro

Scindia attacks Rahul Gandhi, says Congress is left with no ideology

Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched a sharp attack on Rahul Gandhi and the Congress on Wednesday, alleging the party has been left with no ideology except the one of a "traitor" which works against the country. The BJP leader attacked the Congress for according Rahul Gandhi a "special treatment" following his conviction in a defamation case and accused the party of pressuring the judiciary, and doing everything possible to stay relevant. This party has insulted backward classes, sought proof of our armed forces' bravery and spoken about our soldiers being beaten up by China, Scindia said, in a direct attack on Gandhi who has been accused of making these remarks. "The Congress has been left with no ideology. This Congress has been now left with only one ideology which is of a traitor, an ideology which works against the country," he told reporters. Scindia was incidentally in the Congress for a long time and was considered a close associate of Gandhi. He quit the party and

LS: MP gives adjournment notice to discuss govt in 'market for new spyware'

Congress MP Manish Tewari on Wednesday gave an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss a news report that "reveals that the Indian Government is in the market for new spyware."Tewari said, "A report in the Financial Times dated 31st March 2023 reveals that the Indian Government is in the market for new spyware. The NSO, the company that manufactures and sells Pegasus, has been blacklisted by some countries.""The report further reveals that the Government is willing to spend up to USD 120mn or around Rs 1000 crore. Around a dozen spyware sellers are expected to bid to the Indian Government," he added.He further said that the procurement of such Surveillance Technology without parliamentary oversight has grave implications for the right to privacy of individuals guaranteed under Article 21 of the Indian ConstitutionUnder these circumstances, the House must adjourn to discuss the matter of the Government reportedly seeking to procure Pegagus-like surveillance technology, he ...

Modi is PM not for his degree but authorities must respond: Jayant Patil

Nationalist Congress Party state president Jayant Patil said on Tuesday that if Prime Minister Narendra Modi's academic qualification has become a subject of public debate, then the authorities concerned should respond to questions being raised over it, asserting that NCP does not think Modi has become the PM because of his degree. It's not that Modi became the PM because of his degree. The PM has disclosed his educational qualification and if questions are being raised about it and people are also discussing it, the matter is bound to get analysed in detail. The authorities concerned must respond to it, Patil said. We do not believe that Modi became the prime minister because of his academic qualification, he said. On Monday, his party colleague Ajit Pawar said people voted for Modi in the 2014 general elections as he created a charisma that the BJP did not have and not his degree. He (Modi) has been representing the country for nine years. I have observed that the issue of his or

Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar booked for throwing notes in rally

The Mandya Court, on Tuesday, booked Shivakumar for allegedly throwing Rs 500 currency notes during the Praja Dhwani Yatra in Mandya

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PM Modi urges CBI to go after all corrupt persons, no matter how powerful

Takes a swipe at previous Manmohan Singh-led govt, comes down hard on dynastic politics

Rahul's 'show of strength' before court constitutionally wrong: BJP

The BJP on Monday accused the Congress of indulging in a show of strength before a Surat court, where Rahul Gandhi filed an appeal against his conviction in a defamation case, saying it highlights his "arrogance" and is also morally as well constitutionally wrong. After several senior Congress leaders accompanied Gandhi when he filed the appeal in the sessions court, BJP national spokesperson and MP Sudhanshu Trivedi asked if it was a display of his arrogance, an attempt to pressure the judiciary or the "familiar tactic" of browbeating probe agencies. A large number of Congress workers had gathered outside the court and shouted slogans in support of Gandhi. Many of them were detained by police from the outskirts of the city and neighbouring Navsari district while they were headed towards Surat. Calling the former Congress president "chhote sarkar", a mocking expression for the Gandhi family scion, Trivedi said he had a chance to close the episode by tendering a simple apology for su

Rahul gets bail in defamation case; hearing in Surat court on April 13

The 52-year-old Congress leader reached Surat in the afternoon via a scheduled commercial flight along with sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and proceeded to the sessions court

ED raids: BJP trying to execute Operation Lotus in Chhattisgarh, says Cong

The ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh on Monday said Enforcement Directorate raids being carried out against its leaders were part of the Bharatiya Janata Party's efforts to execute 'Operation Lotus' in the state. 'Operation Lotus' is a term used by parties to allege horse-trading and poaching attempts by the BJP to bring down governments in states. The premises of chairman of Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation Girish Dewangan, Raipur mayor Aijaz Dhebar, chairman of Chhattisgarh State Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board Sushil Sunny Agrawal were raided by the ED recently. All three were present at the press conference held during the day at Rajiv Bhawan, the Congress' state headquarters. Dewangan claimed he was raided despite not having any link to the coal business. "The way the ED is taking action, it seems the agency has been trying to execute Operation Lotus in Chhattisgarh," he alleged. "I am chairman of the mineral development corporation but coal

This is a fight against 'Mitrkaal' to save democracy, says Rahul Gandhi

Soon after a Surat court granted bail to Rahul Gandhi in a 2019 defamation case, the Congress leader on Monday said this is a fight against "Mitrkaal" to save democracy and truth is his weapon in this struggle. Gandhi was convicted by a lower court here and sentenced to prison for two years last month for a speech in which he linked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's last name with two fugitive businessmen, remarking how the "thieves" shared the same last name. Minutes after the hearing on Monday, Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi, "This is a fight against 'Mitrkaal' to save democracy. In this struggle, truth is my weapon, and truth is my support!" Gandhi has been taking the 'Mitrakaal' jibe at the central government, accusing it of working to benefit its "crony capitalist friends". A sessions court on Monday granted bail to Gandhi in the defamation case and will hear the matter on April 13, an official said. The 52-year-old Congress leader reached Surat this afternoon via a scheduled .