Page 346 - Congress

BJP will fight Congress' Tughlaqi decrees through campaign: Jai Ram Thakur

Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur on Sunday said that the BJP will fight hard against the state Congress government's "Tughlaqi" orders of closing down of several institutions started under his dispensation. A continuous process of closure of hundreds of institutions opened by the previous BJP government for "public welfare" is underway and the BJP will restore these institutions with the help of the public through a signature campaign, he asserted. Addressing the State Working Committee, he said that BJP lost the previous state election by a margin of 0.9 per cent, and that this was the first ever time in the state's history that a government was formed on the back of such a slim margin. "It will not last long." Highlighting the previous BJP governments works, he said they were successful in getting the state a Bulk Pharma park, a medical device park, AIIMS, medical colleges, and also managed to construct 5,000 km of roads. He said that

Congress' 85th plenary session to be game changer for politics: Venugopal

All India Congress Committee general secretary K C Venugopal on Sunday claimed the three-day 85th plenary session of the party to be held in Raipur from February 24 will be a "game changer" for Indian politics. Venugopal along with senior party leaders Pawan Bansal and Tariq Anwar reached Chhattisgarh's capital to take stock of preparations for the plenary session to be held at the Rajyotsava Sthal in Nava Raipur. Talking to media persons at the airport here, Venugopal said, We have come here to take stock of the preparations for the plenary session scheduled to be held from February 24 to 26. This plenary is going to be a game changer of Indian politics." To a query, he targeted the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre said, ''The BJP is only spreading lies in the country. They talked about Bharat Jodo Yatra too. The yatra became one of the biggest political movements in the country. The entire BJP was against it. The BJP can do politics." The Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congr

Cabinet expansion CM's prerogative: Congress after Tejaswi Yadav's denial

Reacting to Deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav's statement ruling out the possibility of cabinet expansion in Bihar, PCC Chief Akhilesh Singh said that the cabinet expansion is the chief minister's prerogative

Congress to ask three questions daily related to Adani issue to PM Modi

The Congress on Sunday said that it will ask three questions a day related to Adani issue to the Prime Minister. The Congress said that after Panama Papers leak no action was taken despite assurance

Modi, govt cannot hide from questions saying Hum Adani Ke Hain Kaun: Cong

The Congress on Sunday stepped up its attack on the Centre over allegations against the Adani group, alleging that the Modi government's "loud silence" over the issue "smacks of collusion". Adani group stocks have taken a beating on the bourses after US-based activist short-seller Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation at the Gautam Adani-led group. In a statement, Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said that starting Sunday the Congress will pose three questions a day to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue. He said that amid the allegations against the Adani Group, the Modi government has maintained a "loud silence which smacks of collusion". Ramesh said that in a response to the Panama Papers expose on April 4, 2016, the Ministry of Finance had announced that Modi had personally directed a multi-agency investigative group to monitor financial flows to and from offshore tax ...

Re-examine your theory on housing loan: Chidambaram to Finance Secy

Senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram on Sunday urged Finance Secretary T V Somanathan to "re-examine his theory" that a housing loan is not a saving. Somanathan, in an interview to The Hindu while talking about the old tax regime, said that if one looks at the structure of the tax deductions, half of them are for savings and half of them are for dis-savings like housing loan or interest on housing loan. "The Finance Secretary asks 'Is the housing loan a saving?' His answer is 'No'. I wonder how many people will agree with the Finance Secretary," Chidambaram said on Twitter. The payment of interest and the installments of the loan is indeed an expenditure, but it is expenditure which is converted into an asset, which is a saving, the former finance minister argued. "Suppose you spend the same money on a holiday or at a race course: there will be no asset at the end," he said. "The Finance Secretary should re-examine his theory that a Housing Loan is not

Modi privatising all public sectors to help big people, says Congress

Rao further said that the shareholders are coming down and people are asking in Parliament to put a Joint Parliamentary Committee and urge the Chief Justice to enquire about it

Budget session: Smriti Irani slams Cong for disrupting Parl proceedings

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday slammed the Congress for disrupting the proceedings in Parliament demanding an independent investigation into the allegations of fraud against billionaire Gautam Adani's companies that triggered an unprecedented stock crash. She alleged it is a reflection of the animosity the party has towards President Droupadi Murmmu from the day she took office. Parliament was adjourned for the second consecutive day on Friday without transacting any business after the Opposition stepped up its demand for an independent investigation into the allegations of fraud against billionaire Gautam Adani's companies that triggered an unprecedented stock crash. Proceedings in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were disrupted as Opposition members raised slogans demanding a discussion and a JPC probe into the fraud-allegation-triggered rout. "The government has repeatedly said they are open for any conversation, but why would it not begin (not allow) with a vote of thank

Cong objects private member's bill seeking repeal of Places of Worship Act

The Congress has strongly objected to the introduction in the Rajya Sabha of a private member's bill which seeks to repeal the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Repeal Bill, 2022 was listed for introduction in the Upper House of Parliament on Friday by BJP member Harnath Singh Yadav. The bill could not be taken up as the House was adjourned for the day following an uproar by Opposition members over the Adani issue. Congress MP Naseer Hussain gave a notice to the Rajya Sabha secretariat objecting to the introduction of the bill. In his notice, Hussain said he objects to the bill as it tends to adversely disturb the social fabric, shared living and age-old brotherhood of our society and create communal disharmony. "This bill is unconstitutional as it affects the secular nature of our Constitution striking at the very roots of basic structure doctrine," he said. The Congress member said the enactment of the Places of Worship

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Congress issues whip to Lok Sabha MPs to remain present in House today

This comes after both Houses were adjourned soon after the commencement of the day's session today

Cong gives adjournment notices in LS to discuss Adani crisis, border row

Congress members Manickam Tagore and Manish Tewari on Thursday gave adjournment notices in the Lok Sabha to discuss the Adani Group issue and Chinese transgressions along the border. Tagore, the party's whip in Lok Sabha, said there is an emergency situation due to diminishing shares of the Adani group. "This was followed by the Hindenburg report. A significant volume of public money through SBI and LIC is locked in the Adani Group. It is pertinent to discuss the matter immediately in the House, leaving aside routine business. The finance minister should disclose the actual condition of the loss and steps initiated by the government to save public money," he said in his notice. The House should come forward to discuss this matter and direct the government to act accordingly, he said. Tewari, the Lok Sabha member from Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, said in his notice that the House suspend Zero Hour and other businesses of the day to have a detailed discussion on the border situation wit

Left, Congress to withdraw candidates fielded against each other in Tripura

The CPI-M led Left Front and the Congress announced that both parties would withdraw their candidates fielded against each other in the Feb 16 Tripura elections, as per their seat-sharing agreement

More competitive Congress must for revival of healthy democracy: Guha

Historian Ramachandra Guha on Tuesday said that to "revive" healthy democracy in India in which one party does not steamroll the Opposition, a lot depends on the Congress becoming more competitive, which won't happen merely through a march but by winning votes. Guha was speaking at the launch of the third edition of his seminal work, "India After Gandhi", here. "Objectively, it is only the Congress that has a footprint, shall we say, in eight to 12 states. So to have healthy democracy in which one party does not steamroll the Opposition, the kind that India experienced from the late 1970s till 2014, to revive that, to restore it, which I believe would be very good for all of us, it would depend a lot on the Congress becoming more competitive," he claimed. To buttress his point, Guha spoke about how among all other parties it was the Congress that fought the BJP head-to-head in as many as 191 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He claimed the same would happen in the 2024 general

Challenge to build 'brand India' continues: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday said the challenge to build "brand India" continues because it is world's perception about the country that matters, not what "we are trying to sell about ourselves". Addressing an event organised by Mathrubhumi media group here, he said India witnessed rapid economic growth post liberalisation in the 90s and emerged as the world's fastest growing economy. Now the whole issue of our magnificent diversity and how the world perceives it with the current political environments in our country raises the question, he said, adding the "challenge to building brand India continues". The essential fact remains that what really matters is not the image but the reality. What really matters is not what we are trying to sell about ourselves but what people think of us, (and) whether we want them to think that way or not, he added. The Thiruvananthapuram MP also talked about the challenges and opportunities that Kerala faces. "There are a number of econ

Nothing on unemployment: Adhir Chowdhury on Murmu's address in parliament

'There are plenty of issues facing our country today and we will raise them all in Parliament, one after the other. There was no mention of unemployment in the President's address'

Will not join BJP even if offered PM, president post: Siddaramaiah

Congress Legislature party leader Opposition leader in Karnataka Siddaramaiah on Tuesday asserted that he will never join the BJP even if offered the prime minister or president's post

Kharge, several MPs won't be able to attend Prez address: Jairam Ramesh

The President addresses members of both Houses in the Parliament's Central Hall on the first day of budget session

Best of BS Opinion: Beyond the Yatra, the everywhere retail, and more

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today

Parliament's Budget session from Tuesday, Congress yet to show its hand

MPs feel that for the first time, the Congress is playing its cards close to its chest as no party leader is likely to be present at the meeting (they are unable to return from the Bharat Jodo Yatra)