Page 45 - Congress

BJP dares Congress to seek fast trial in Herald case, slams graft defence

The BJP on Friday dared Congress leaders facing corruption charges to seek a quick and time-bound disposal of cases, as it slammed the party for citing politics as the reason for the ED's action against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. The ruling BJP kept the heat on the opposition party following the ED's chargesheet against the Gandhis and accused chief ministers from the Congress-ruled states of ploughing public money as advertisement into the weekly newspaper which few read. Former Union minister Anurag Thakur alleged that the Congress used the newspaper as its ATM, claiming that Gandhis sought to acquire properties worth Rs 2,000 crores of the National Herald without investing a penny from their pocket. Both Gandhis together owned 76 per cent of the Young Indian company which was, he said, given Rs 50 lakh loan by the Congress. The company then took over the Associated Journals Limited, which owns the newspaper affiliated to the Congress, in lieu of R

Opposition welcomes Supreme Court's interim stay on key Waqf Act provisions

Opposition parties also welcomed the SC's interim order that waqf properties, including "waqf by user", will not be denotified until May 5

News highlights: CBI conducts searches at residence of former AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak

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Highlights: Congress workers protest against Centre over National Herald case

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Only Congress can defeat RSS and BJP, says Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat

He described Gujarat, where the Congress was once a powerful political force, as the most important state for the opposition party

Delhi Congress chief detained during protest against ED action on Gandhis

Congress workers are holding a protest outside 24, Akbar Road against the Centre over the Enforcement Directorate filing a chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi

National Herald case: What ED chargesheet says on Sonia, Rahul Gandhi

The ED invoked PMLA Sections 44, 45 for money laundering under Section 3, cited Section 70 on corporate offences, and sought penalties under Section 4 (up to 7 years jail)

Robert Vadra appears before ED on day 2 of questioning in land deal case

Robert Vadra, the businessman brother-in-law of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate on the second straight day on Tuesday for his questioning in a 2008 Haryana land deal linked money laundering case. He was accompanied by his wife Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress MP from Kerala's Wayanad. The two exchanged hugs before Robert Vadra went inside the ED office. He was questioned for about five hours on Tuesday and his statement was recorded by the federal probe agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), official sources said. The session will resume on Wednesday, the sources said. The 56-year-old Vadra had termed the ED action "political vendetta". He said he has always cooperated with investigative agencies and has furnished huge amount of documents, stressing that there needs to be a closure in cases which are as old as 20 years. The probe against Vadra is linked to a land deal in Haryana's Manesar-Shikohpu

Cong to hold protest as ED charges Sonia, Rahul in National Herald case

ED's chargesheet also names Congress leader Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey and others, including several firms

Highlights: ED chargesheets Sonia, Rahul Gandhi in National Herald money laundering case

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ED files chargesheet against Sonia, Rahul Gandhi in National Herald case

The chargesheet was filed two days after ED said it has initiated proceedings to take possession of immovable assets valued at ₹661 crore linked to Congress-controlled National Herald newspaper

100% smells of revenge: Warring questions Punjab govt's FIR against Bajwa

Punjab LoP Partap Singh Bajwa under fire for claiming 50 bombs have reached the state, with 18 already exploded and 32 yet to go off

Highlights: PM Modi lays foundation of 800 MW thermal power unit in Chhotu Ram power plant

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Country saw blackouts under Congress, now exporting electricity: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said there were blackouts when the Congress was in power before 2014 but India's power production has doubled in the last decade and it is exporting electricity. Addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of a 800-MW ultra critical modern thermal power unit at the Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant here, the prime minister said Haryana is seeing double speed of the BJP's double-engine government. The thermal power unit, spread across 233 acres and worth around Rs 8,470 crore, is expected to become operational by March 2029. It will significantly boost Haryana's energy self-sufficiency and provide uninterrupted power supply across the state. Taking forward the vision of 'Gobardhan' (Galvanising Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan), Modi also laid the foundation stone of a compressed biogas plant in Mukarabpur here. The plant, slated for completion by 2027, will have an annual production capacity of 2,600 metric tonnes and will

'Congress insulted Ambedkar': PM Modi accuses party of appeasement

Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress of undermining BR Ambedkar's legacy, alleging the party disrespected him during his lifetime

Tamil Nadu Governor stokes row again, asks students to chant 'Jai Shri Ram'

Governor RN Ravi, who was the chief guest at an event in Madurai, asked students to chant 'Jai Shri Ram.' The Congress has accused him of the language of the RSS and the BJP

Congress cries 'political bias' after ED acts on National Herald properties

On Saturday, the ED confirmed that notices were served on April 11 to property registrars in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow, directing them to take over AJL assets under the PMLA

Congress accuses govt of looting, demands CAG audit on fuel duty hikes

Accusing the government of "looting" people by increasing excise duty on petrol and diesel, the Congress on Sunday called for fixing accountability and demanded that the CAG should audit how government policies benefited private companies. The opposition party also demanded that the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should investigate whether there was deliberate negligence or collusion in this. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh in a post on X said, "The people of India are being looted on one hand the Modi government is increasing the tax burden and picking people's pockets, while on the other hand private and government oil companies are making profits! This is open economic exploitation!' "The truth is: In May 2014, the excise duty on petrol was Rs 9.20 and on diesel Rs 3.46. Which is now Rs 19.90 on petrol and Rs 15.80 on diesel in the Modi government an increase of 357% and 54%!" he said in his post in

OBC artisans trapped in neglect, struggle in textile sector: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Saturday claimed many skilled artisans from backward classes fail to make it big in the textile sector and asserted that he was fighting to break this "vicious circle of neglect and injustice". In a post on X, he shared a video of his visit to the workshop of a textile artisan trying to make his place in the fashion design sector. During the visit, Gandhi met the artisans in the workshop and tried his hands in the trade. In a post in Hindi, he said, "'I have never met an OBC at the top of the textile design industry'. This was told by Vicky, a youth who has built his business in this field based on his skills." "The artisans in his factory work hard for 12 hours a day, weaving magic with needle and thread. But the situation is the same, there is no appreciation for the skill," Gandhi said in his post. He said like other industries, the Bahujans neither have representation in the textile and fashion sector, nor access to education or a place in the ...

ED issues notice to take possession of assets in Cong-linked AJL case

The Enforcement Directorate Saturday said it has issued notices to take possession of immovable assets worth Rs 661 crore that it had attached in probe into the money laundering case against Congress-controlled Associated Journals Limited (AJL). The federal probe agency said in a statement that it has affixed these notices at the Herald House located in Delhi at ITO, at the premises in Bandra area of Mumbai and the AJL building located at Bisheshwar Nath Road in Lucknow on Friday. The notices seek vacation of the premises or transfer of rent (in the case of the Mumbai asset) to the ED. The action has been taken under Section (8) and Rule 5(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) that talks about the procedure of taking possession of the assets that are attached by the ED and confirmed by the adjudicating authority (of PMLA). These immovable assets were attached by the ED in November 2023. The ED case of money laundering is against AJL and Young Indian. The National He