Page 392 - Congress

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

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Rahul Gandhi's political pilgrimage: Loaded with too many expectations

For the Congress to be credible as an Opposition party, it needs to rebuild a grassroots organisation, restore cadre's confidence in the leadership and convince people that it has a political future

Bharat Jodo Yatra is extension of ideas prevailing in Kerala: Rahul Gandhi

Kerala respects everyone in the State and does not allow itself to be divided or hatred to spread here and therefore, the Bharat Jodo Yatra is an extension of these ideas, said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday at the culmination of the fifth day of the yatra here. Addressing thousands who had joined the yatra during the course of the day, Gandhi said, "Standing together, working together in harmony is natural and normal for the people of Kerala and you have shown this to the rest of the country." He further said the reason the State has a good education system and the "most compassionate nurses" is because "Kerala respects everyone in Kerala". "It does not allow itself to be divided nor does it allow hatred to spread in the State. So in a sense, Bharat Jodo Yatra is just an extension of the ideas that prevail in Kerala," he added. He also said the message Congress was trying to spread through the yatra was "not a new message". "It is quite an old message which is in the DNA

Petrol, diesel prices regulated by election dates, not global rates: Cong

The Congress on Sunday alleged that petrol and diesel prices were regulated by the election dates and not due to the global rates

Will announce formation of new party within 10 days, says Ghulam Nabi Azad

Ghulam Nabi Azad, who recently parted ways with the Congress, on Sunday said he will announce the formation of his new political party within 10 days and asserted that its ideology will be "independent". The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said the agenda of the new political outfit would be to struggle for the restoration of J and K's statehood and to fight for the job and land rights of people. "I thank my colleagues who stand with me and are the base of my new party which, God willing, will be announced within the next 10 days," Azad said addressing his maiden public rally in the Kashmir Valley after resigning from the Congress on August 26. Speaking at a public meeting at Dak Bunglow in Baramulla in north Kashmir, Azad said his new party will be 'Azad' (free), like his name, in its ideology and thinking. "My party will be Azad. Many of my colleagues said we should name the party as Azad. But, I said never. But, it's ideology will be independent, which will not join or

Ashok Gehlot's aide rejects Amit Shah's criticism of Rajasthan govt

Lokesh Sharma, officer on special duty to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Saturday rejected Union Home Minister Amit Shah's criticism of the state government, saying it has been working to fulfil promises from day one. His rebuttal came hours after the home minister accused the Congress government of not fulfilling the promises made by the party before the 2018 polls. On Shah asking questions on the promise of "employment to 20 lakh" youths and Rs 3,500 allowance for the unemployed, Sharma said the promise during the 2018 election was to create more and more employment opportunities. "Mr home minister, (it was) not 20 lakhs, it was promised in 2018 to create more and more jobs for the youth. The chief minister has worked accordingly from day one," he tweeted. "So far, 1.29 lakh youths have been given jobs by the Rajasthan government. One lakh jobs are under process and an announcement to give 1 lakh has been made," he said. On Shah's statement, during a BJP booth level ...

Rahul signs off yatra in TN, talks to the unemployed, sips tea with workers

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi signed off his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Tamil Nadu on Saturday by saying unemployment among the youths is high and that the differently abled should be provided equal opportunities. He interacted with a group of disabled rights activists in the district en route to Kaliakkavialai bordering Kerala. Gandhi met Tamil Nadu's first woman bus driver Vasanthakumari and briefly interacted with sanitary workers at Marthandam and also a group of local unemployed youth who accompanied him during the fourth day of the yatra in the district. Also, he stopped to sip tea and have biscuits while interacting with party workers. Following his interaction with differently abled rights activists, he said in a tweet: "Equal opportunity is true inclusion, anything less than that is unacceptable." About 42 per cent of the youth are unemployed, he said. "As we bid adieu to the land of Thiruvalluvar and Kamaraj, I thank the people of Tamil Nadu for the immense love and support t

Shouldn't all Raj Bhavans become Kartavya Bhavans: Tharoor questions Centre

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday took a swipe at the government over the renaming of Rajpath as Kartavya Path and asked if all Raj Bhavans should not also be rechristened as Kartavya Bhavans. He further went on to say that Rajasthan should be renamed Kartavyasthan. "If Raj Path is to be renamed Kartavya Path, shouldn't all Raj Bhavans become Kartavya Bhavans," he said on Twitter. "Why stop there? Rename Rajasthan as Kartavyasthan?" he also said. The government changed the name of Rajpath to Kartavya Path with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying Rajpath symbolised India's "slavery" and so has been consigned to history. TMC MP Mahua Moitra had also raised a similar question on Friday when she tweeted, "Will all Raj Bhavans be now known as Kartavya Bhavans?" On Saturday, she put out another tweet, "Meanwhile new BJP in charge for WB can ride on the Kartavyadhani Express to Sealdah enjoying his Kartavya kachoris followed by a nice sweet Kartavya bhog. Yummy." The BJP has n

Congress to issue delegates' list on Sep 20 for president post contenders

Anyone wanting to file nomination for the post of Congress president will be able see the list of all 9,000 delegates from the office of central election authority at the AICC office from September 20, Congress leader Madhusudan Mistry has said. Addressing the concerns of five MPs, including Shashi Tharoor, Karti Chidambaram, and Manish Tewari, over the electoral rolls and the "transparency, fairness" in the election process, Mistry said those seeking to contest the poll can check the names of 10 delegates from the list. Once the nomination is signed and handed over to the Chief Returning Officer, they will get the entire list of the delegates, he said in a letter to the MPs. "If anyone desires to get nominations from ten supporters from different states, the list of all 9000+ delegates will be available in my office at AICC, Delhi from 20th September (11 AM to 6 PM), before they file their nomination on 24th September," Mistry said in his letter to Tharoor and others. "They can co

Cong can only practice vote bank, appeasement politics: Shah slams Rahul

Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday targeted Rahul Gandhi over the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', saying the Congress leader had once said India is not a nation and is now out to "unite" the country wearing a "foreign-make" T-shirt. Addressing the Rajasthan BJP's booth functionaries, he also hit out at the state government over the murder of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal by Muslim extremists and the Karauli violence and alleged the Congress can only practice politics of vote bank and appeasement. Taking aim at Gandhi, he said, "I want to remind Rahul baba and other Congress members about his speech given in Parliament. Rahul baba had said India is not a nation. Rahul baba, in which book have you read this? This is the nation for which lakhs and lakhs of people have sacrificed their lives." "The one who said India is not a nation is now on a yatra to unite India wearing foreign T-shirt," he said, referring to the the BJP's swipe at the Congress leader for wearing a Burberry T-shirt reportedly ..

Smriti Irani hits out at Rahul Gandhi over 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Karnataka

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' questioning him on who has harmed the unity of India that required the opposition party to take out such a campaign. Making an indirect reference to Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar, Irani also took a dig at Gandhi for being in the company of people who allegedly chanted "anti-India" slogans. "Rahul Gandhi is on the way to unite India but he should answer first who dared to break India. You make a person a member of your party who had shouted the slogan 'Bharat Tere Tukde Honge, Insha Allah'," Irani said at Doddaballapura in Bengaluru. She was addressing the gathering at the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'Jana Spandana' programme celebrating the ruling party's three years in office in Karnataka. Irani expressed her shock over Gandhi's remark in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu that the fight is now against the structure of Indian state and the opposition. "With all seriousness, I am

BJP accuses Congress of 'Hindu hatred', Oppn says 'hate factory' at work

The BJP on Saturday cited a video of a Christian priest's purported comments mentioning Hindu goddess Shakti during a conversation with Rahul Gandhi to allege it shows the "anti-Hindu" face of the opposition party, drawing a sharp reaction. The Congress accused the BJP of spreading mischief through its "hate factory" and alleged that the ruling party has turned more desperate ever since the successful launch of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. In the video shared by several BJP leaders among others, the priest identified as George Ponnaiah is purportedly heard telling Gandhi that Jesus Christ is the "real god. ...revealed as a human being. Not like Shakti..." He was responding to the Congress leader's query if Jesus is considered god or not. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed the video has exposed the reality of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. It insults goddess Shakti ahead of the beginning of Navratra, he told reporters. This is not the first time the Congress has been involved in such ...

Karnataka Cong dubs BJP's Janaspandana rally as 'convention of commission'

Taking a jibe at BJP's mega event 'Janaspandana' to commemorate one year of CM Basavaraj Bommai at office and three years of BJP rule in Karnataka, the state Congress termed it 'commission rally'

Gujarat: Congress calls 'symbolic bandh' to protest inflation, unemployment

Congress workers staged demonstrations in Bharuch and different parts of Gujarat as a part of the 'symbolic bandh' called by the party to protest against inflation and unemployment

Cong says BJP spreading mischief over Rahul's talks with Christian priest

The Congress on Saturday accused the BJP of spreading mischief and alleging that the ruling party has turned more desperate ever since the successful launch of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. The Congress was objecting to a tweet put out by BJP leaders about Rahul Gandhi's conversation with a Christian priest about Jesus being God. AICC general secretary communications Jairam Ramesh said BJP's "hate factory" is sharing tweets about Gandhi which has no relation to the audio. "An atrocious tweet from the BJP hate factory is doing the rounds. It bears no relation whatsoever to what is recorded in the audio. This is typical BJP mischief that has become more desperate after the successful launch of BharatJodoYatra which is evoking such a huge response," Ramesh tweeted. "People who were responsible for the killing of Mahatma Gandhi and the murders of people like Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, MM Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh are raising questions! What a morbid joke! Such attempts to damage t

Facilities at campsites, containers 'basic'; BJP defaming yatra: Congress

Sixty truck-mounted containers with colour-coded occupant capacity, a 10-seater conference facility, mobile toilets and a dining area are some of the features of a "Bharat Jodo Yatra" campsite that moves daily to a new location. Rahul Gandhi is staying in a one-bed container that has a small sofa, an air conditioner, a small refrigerator and an attached toilet. A pictorial representation of one of Mahatma Gandhi's marches with his quote, "Be the change that you wish to see in the world", is also put up in the former Congress chief's container. The containers are colour-coded according to their occupant capacity. Those marked yellow are single-bed containers. The containers marked with blue have two beds each, with a washroom. The red and orange zone containers house bunk beds and a train compartment like feel. There is also a pink zone for women yatris, with attached bathrooms. General camp guidelines put up in various containers state that consumption of liquor, tobacco and smok

Anurag Thakur grills Cong over Bharat Jodo Yatra, says India already united

Taking a pot shot at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, Anurag Thakur said that India is already united under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi

Bharat Jodo Yatra will help in forging opposition unity: Rahul Gandhi

The Bharat Jodo Yatra will help in forging Opposition unity even though that is a separate exercise, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday. Speaking to the media during the yatra which started from Kanyakumari on Thursday, he said the idea of this march is to connect with the people, listen to them, understand what they are facing and also communicate to them a few things. Gandhi said the aim is to communicate that India has changed and the "institutional framework of India has been captured". "There is an attempt to place one vision on top of this country which has multiple visions. One vision is being enforced," he said, adding the yatra is a step to communicate that to the people. "The yatra will of course help in bringing together the Opposition but that is a separate exercise," the former Congress chief said when asked about what is being done for Opposition unity. Rahul Gandhi, along with several of his party colleagues, embarked on the 3,570-km 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' fro

Cong gives bandh call in Gujarat to protest against inflation, unemployment

The Congress has appealed to the traders and other businesses to pull down their shutters from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m