Page 391 - Congress

Bharat Jodo Yatra enters 11th day; Rahul Gandhi resumes journey from Kerala

The Congress party's Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi resumed its journey on Sunday from Kerala's Haripad with hundreds of party workers and leaders accompanying it. The yatra, which entered its 11th day, started shortly after 6.30 AM and senior leaders including Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan, Kodikunnil Suresh, K C Venugopal and Leader of Opposition, V D Satheesan are walking beside Gandhi in the 13 km-long first leg of the march. Gandhi was seen breaking security cordon in between to meet people waiting on both sides of the road. After walking for over one hour, he took a break to have tea from a hotel along the route. The Congress party said the morning session of the yatra will conclude once it reaches Ottappana and the members will rest at Karuvatta nearby. According to the schedule, the yatra will resume at 5 PM from Purakkad which is 6.5 km away from Karuvatta and Gandhi and the yatra members will be travelling that distance by vehicle. The evening session is ...

J&K: Will BJP explain decision to honour Hari Singh, says Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday took a swipe at the BJP over the announcement that Maharaja Hari Singh's birthday would be a public holiday in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the ruling party must explain the decision to honour the erstwhile ruler and "dishonour" the terms of the accession to India which the royal had signed on. The former home minister also said in the absence of Maharaja Hari Singh, only the people's elected representatives can determine their future. The decisions of August 5, 2019 were not the decisions of the people or of the elected Legislature, or of the duly constituted government, he added. On August 5, 2019, the Centre had scrapped J and K's special status and bifurcated it into Union Territories --- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. In a series of tweets, Chidambaram said the BJP has discovered the virtues of Maharaja Hari Singh, the last Dogra ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, and has declared his birthday as a holiday. The most important act of Hari

8 cheetahs have come, why didn't 160 mn jobs come in 8 yrs: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying eight cheetahs have come and now he should tell why 16 crore jobs weren't created in eight years. Prime Minister Modi turned 72 on Saturday. It was a busy day for the PM who, among other things, released eight cheetahs brought from Namibia at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh under a landmark project seven decades after the animal was declared extinct in the country. In a tweet in Hindi, Gandhi said, "Eight cheetahs have come, now tell why 16 crore jobs didn't come in eight years." "Yuvaon ki hai lalkar, le kar rahenge rozgaar (It is the cry of the youth that they will have employment)," the former Congress chief said, using the hashtag 'Rashtriya Berozgar Diwas'. The Congress on Saturday claimed that in view of the "worrying" job situation in the country, the youth are marking the prime minister's birthday as "National Unemployment Day", and demanded that he provide employment to t

PM's release of Cheetah tactic to divert attention from Bharat Jodo: Ramesh

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday dubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's move to release Cheetahs in a Madhya Pradesh national park as a "tactic to divert attention" from the grand old party's "immensely successful" 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. Ramesh claimed that the BJP's "dirty tricks department" had been working overtime for the last few days to throw a spanner in the Congress yatra. "It has been ten days since the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' started, and the spontaneous response we received showed that the initiative is turning out to be immensely successful. "This has perplexed the BJP and its leadership. They now want to change the narrative and have been trying to look for diversionary tactics," the former Union minister said, addressing a press conference here. Modi on Saturday released cheetahs brought from Namibia into a special enclosure at the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh. Eight cheetahs were brought to Gwalior from Namibia in a special plane on Saturday

Youth marking PM's bday as 'Unemployment Day', he must provide jobs: Cong

The Congress on Saturday claimed that in view of the "worrying" job situation in the country, the youth are marking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday as "National Unemployment Day", and demanded that he provide employment to them as promised. The opposition party also greeted Prime Minister Modi on his 72nd birthday and wished him good health and a long life. "Our ideological and political battles against him continues. His personal vendetta against us intensifies. Even so, here is wishing and greeting our Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 72nd birthday," Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet. Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the birthdays of Indian prime ministers have always been celebrated as special days. "Given his love for children, Nehru Ji's birthday is marked as Children's Day, Indira Ji's birthday is celebrated as Communal Harmony Day and Rajiv Gandh

Governor Vs CM: Congress seeks intervention by PM, President in Kerala

State Congress president K.Sudhakaran told the media in Alappuzha that all levels of decency has been breached in the war of words between the two 'heads' of the state.

Ex-Union minister, Congress leader Manikrao Gavit dies at 87 in Maharashtra

Former union minister and Congress leader Manikrao Gavit died of old age at a hospital in Maharashtra's Nashik on Saturday, sources said. Gavit was 87, and is survived by his daughter former MLA Nirmala Gavit and son Bharat. A nine-time Lok Sabha MP, Gavit represented the tribal-dominated Nandurbar constituency from 1980 to 2009, and lost the election in 2014. Gavit's son Bharat joined the BJP after he was denied ticket by the Congress in 2019, while daughter Nirmala, a two-time Congress MLA from Igatpuri, joined the Shiv Sena and lost her seat. Gavit served as the Union minister of state home in the Manmohan Singh government in 2004 and minister of state social justice in 2013.

Rajasthan Congress to propose party president's name in meeting today

Members of Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee will on Saturday meet in Jaipur for organisation election. The members will propose the name for party's national president and send it to Delhi headquarters, a party spokesperson said. He said that about 400 party members from different districts of the state will taking part in the meeting. Ajay Maken, state in-charge of Congress and Rajendra Kumpawat, co-in-charge of state organisation elections, will steer the meeting to be held at the state Congress headquarters here. State Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and state president Govind Singh Dotasra will also take part in it. In the meeting, the proposal for the name of the national president will be passed and submitted to the party's Central Election Authority.

Opposition slams Punjab AAP govt over promises, says faltered on key issues

The opposition parties on Friday slammed the ruling AAP government in Punjab on the completion of its six months, accusing it of "selling" dreams to people while failing to fulfil promises. The Congress took on the Bhagwant Mann government over its anti-corruption crusade, with Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa saying the helpline launched for it has remained shut for the past few weeks. Addressing separate press conferences here, Punjab BJP President Ashwani Sharma and Bajwa hit out at the AAP government over non-fulfilment of promises and law and order. Both Sharma and Bajwa said the AAP government's tall promises exist only in newspaper advertisements. On the other hand, Shiromani Akali Dal Sukhbir Singh Badal said the AAP government faltered on key issues. Referring to newspaper advertisements issued by the Punjab government on Friday, Bajwa said the Mann government immediately after coming to power sacked its own minister Vijay Singla for corruption on the basis of an a

Project Cheetah proposal made in 2009, approved by Manmohan govt: Congress

A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi releases eight cheetahs brought from Namibia in a Madhya Pradesh national park, the Congress said Friday the proposal for 'Project Cheetah' was prepared in 2008-09 and approved by the then Manmohan Singh-led UPA government. The opposition party also said that in 2013, the Supreme Court had stayed the project, and in 2020, that the apex court allowed it, paving the way for the cheetahs to come ot India. "The proposal for 'Project Cheetah' was prepared in 2008-09. Manmohan Singh's government gave approval to it. The then Forest and Environment Minister, Jairam Ramesh, went to Cheetah outreach centre in South Africa in April 2010," the Congress said in a tweet. In 2013, the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the Cheetah Reintroduction Programme and in 2020 allowed it, the party said, adding that now the cheetahs are coming. The Congress also tweeted a picture of Ramesh at the Cheetah Outreach Centre in South Africa in 2010. In a tweet

BJP, RSS giving communal colour to Lakhimpur Kheri rape, murder: Congress

The Congress Friday accused the BJP and RSS of giving communal colour to the alleged rape and murder of two Dalit sisters in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri and demanded that justice delivery in the case be fast-tracked. The Opposition party also demanded the Narendra Modi government should implement the SC/ST Act with "full force". Two teenage sisters were found hanging from a tree in a sugarcane field located about a kilometre from their house in Lakhimpur Kheri's Nighasan police station limits Wednesday. Six people were arrested on Thursday in connection with the alleged rape and killing of the two girls. Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters here, the party's Scheduled Caste department head Rajesh Lilothia said the alleged rape and murder of the two sisters should not be seen as an isolated incident and alleged that atrocities against Dalits have been rising. The National Crime Records Bureau data revealed that 70,818 cases of atrocities against Dalits are

Cong prez poll process begins next week but still suspense on candidates

With the process for the Congress Presidential polls opening with the issue of notification in the next week, there is still suspense over the candidates who are going to file nominations

Bharat Jodo Yatra not for Oppn unity but to strengthen Cong: Jairam Ramesh

AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Thursday categorically said the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra is being done not for opposition unity, but to strengthen the Congress party

Bharat Jodo Yatra started to break govt's silence on inflation: Congress

The Congress on Thursday attacked the Centre over the wholesale price-based inflation remaining in double digits for 17 months, and said the Bharat Jodo Yatra has been started to break the government's silence on inflation. The wholesale price-based inflation eased to a 11-month low of 12.41 per cent in August, on softening in prices of manufactured and fuel products, even as food items remained expensive. Although the Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation declined for three consecutive months in August, it remained in double digit for 17 months beginning April last year. The inflation was 13.93 per cent in July and 11.64 per cent in August last year. "Why is the Modi government silent on back-breaking inflation?" Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet in Hindi. "Bharat Jodo Yatra has been started to break this silence," he said and shared a media report on the wholesale price-based inflation being in double digits for 17 months. After traversing a total 15

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Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra to resume on Friday after one-day break

Taking Twitter on Wednesday, Congress leader Jairam said that the Padyatra will resume on Friday

Defecting Congress MLAs have betrayed God and Goans both, says AAP

"We are the only honest party in the country and our MLAs will always work for Goans' benefit," AAP state President Amit Palekar said at a press conference

Decided to join BJP to strengthen PM Modi's hands: Congress' Michael Lobo

Michael Lobo, one of the eight Congress MLAs in Goa who joined the BJP on Wednesday, said they took the decision to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. A resolution was passed in the Congress Legislature Party meeting here on Wednesday to merge with the BJP, Lobo said. The opposition is now left with just three MLAs in the 40-member state Assembly. The eight MLAs - former chief minister Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes - joined the BJP in presence of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and state BJP chief Sadanand Shet Tanavade. Briefing mediapersons in the presence of Chief Minister Sawant, Lobo said the Congress Legislature Party met on Wednesday morning during which they decided to merge with the BJP. The decision was taken to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Goa CM Pramod Sawant, he said. We have started Congre

Cong leader Rahul Gandhi begins 4th day of Bharat Jodo Yatra's Kerala leg

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday commenced the Bharat Jodo Yatra on a spiritual note by paying his respects to renowned philosopher and social reformer Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt here. At Sivagiri Mutt, Gandhi met the swamis there and offered prayers to the saint reformer before commencing the fourth day of the Kerala leg of the Congress party's 3,570 kilometres and 150-day long foot march which started off from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu and will conclude at Jammu and Kashmir. Sharing pictures of his visit on Facebook, he said, "Visited the Sivagiri Mutt to offer my respects at the Samadhi of the great spiritual leader, philosopher and social reformer, Sree Narayana Guru. Sree Narayana Guru worked tirelessly for the upliftment of people and had a great influence on leaders of our freedom movement, including Mahatma Gandhi." Jairam Ramesh, AICC general secretary in-charge Communication, also tweeted about it. "Before padayatra began, @RahulGandhi visited the most .

Congress' Rahul Gandhi talks of nextgen MGNREGA during Bharat Jodo Yatra

As the country gets more urbanised there is a need to evolve a modern social welfare scheme, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said here on Tuesday. Gandhi, while interacting with MGNREGA workers during the break between the two phases of the day's Bharat Jodo Yatra, said a large part of the population now live in urban areas and therefore, we need to think "what is the urban MGNREGA idea". "As India gets more urbanised, what's the next step for MGNREGA? There is a need to evolve a modern social welfare scheme. Met with MGNREGA workers and listened to their issues. These are the conversations that will lead to a new inclusive vision for India," he tweeted after the interaction. Sharing a video-clip of the discussion he held with the MGNREGA workers, Gandhi said the idea of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was to create a minimum wage in the country below which nobody had to work. "Nyuntam Aay Yojana (Nyay) was the idea that we will create a minimum income