Page 46 - Congress

Oppn has sentiments towards Maha Kumbh, should be heard: Priyanka Gandhi

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended the successful organisation of the MahaKumbh in Prayagraj

LoP should be allowed to speak, not given permission in 'new India': Rahul

As the Lok Sabha was briefly adjourned amid opposition protests after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on the Mahakumbh, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the LoP should be allowed to speak according to the democratic structure but is not given permission in "new India". Gandhi also said the prime minister should have paid homage to those who lost their lives in the January 29 stampede at the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj. The Lok Sabha was briefly adjourned till 1 pm on Tuesday following protests by opposition members over Modi's remarks on the success of the Mahakumbh, which was held from January 13 to February 26. Many opposition members rose from their seats in protest after the prime minister spoke. "I wanted to support what he was saying. Kumbh is our tradition, history and culture. There was also a complaint that he did not pay homage to those who lost their lives (in the stampede in the Mahakumbh)," Gandhi told reporters outside Parliament. "The other thin

Sonia Gandhi demands Rs 400 minimum wage, 150 workdays under MGNREGA

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday demanded raising of minimum wages and the number of guaranteed workdays under the rural employment guarantee scheme, MGNREGA. Raising the issue through a Zero Hour mention in the Rajya Sabha, Sonia Gandhi said the BJP government at the Centre has "systematically undermined" the scheme by keeping the Budget allocation for it stagnant. Adequate financial provisions be made to sustain and expand the scheme, she said. Also, minimum wage should be increased by Rs 400 per day along with timely disbursement of wages, the Congress leader said, adding that the number of guaranteed workdays should be increased from 100 to 150 per year. "These measures are essential to ensure that MGNREGA provides dignified employment and financial security," she added.

LoP Rahul Gandhi calls on New Zealand PM Luxon during his 5-day India visit

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday called on New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in the national capital."LoP Rahul Gandhi met with the Right Honourable Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, in New Delhi," posted Congress on X.New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also posted on his social media handle on X earlier in the day after meeting President Droupadi Murmu."President Droupadi Murmu is a great friend of New Zealand. Having met in Wellington last year, I'm glad to meet on her home turf in New Delhi," he posted on X.New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, on Monday, acknowledged India's growing economic sophistication, highlighting the country's emergence as a critical source of pharmaceuticals and machinery for New Zealand.Luxon's speech at the Raisina Dialogue 2025 marked a significant milestone in India-New Zealand relations, the growing diversity of trade between India and New Zealand shifting beyond

Congress attacks PM Modi over giving 'clean chit' to China on podcast

Jairam Ramesh played purportedly a clip of PM Modi from 2020, where in the video the PM is heard saying "no one has crossed our borders, or any of our posts are captured by someone else"

Lok Sabha to discuss demands for grants under Railway Ministry, Jal Shakti

Congress leaders also submitted a motion for adjournment to discuss the "affordable quality of medicines for a healthier future" and "Impact of new RBI rule on Jewel loans"

Highlights: SC issues contempt notice to Delhi home secretary over Nitish Kataria remission plea

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Sonia Gandhi, Mamata among those who inquired about my health: VP Dhankhar

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were among the leaders who got in touch with the family of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar to inquire about his health after he was hospitalised for cardiac-related ailments. Dhankhar revealed this in the Rajya Sabha on Monday as he resumed chairing the proceedings of the House. He said he was "greatly touched" by the concerns expressed across party lines which contributed to his speedy recovery. "The Leader of the House (and Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda) and the Leader of the Opposition (Mallikarjun Kharge) were the first ones to get in touch with my family. "Sonia Gandhi got in touch with my wife as did the chief ministers of several states including West Bengal," he added. Gandhi was present in the House when Dhankhar mentioned this. Dhankhar, who is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national capital on March 9 followi

Modi speaking Trump's language: Cong on PM's remarks on global bodies

The Congress on Monday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks in a podcast on the relevance of global organisations, claiming that the PM is clearly going out of his way to keep US President Donald Trump in good humour and "repeating his good friend's chant". In his interaction with American podcaster and computer scientist Lex Fridman, Modi emphasised the need for synchronisation and collaboration to propel global initiatives forward. He also addressed the relevance of global organisations like the United Nations, noting that their inability to evolve with the times has sparked a global debate on their relevance. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Mr. Modi clearly is going out of his way to keep Mr. Trump in good humour." "He says international organisations, from which India has benefited immensely, have become irrelevant. "This is the US President's language. In fact, it is Mr. Trump who is doing his best to make them irrelev

No limit to hypo(d)crisy: Cong's play on words slamming PM over his podcast

In a play on words, the Congress took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, saying there is no limit to his "hypo(d)crisy" as he has not faced a press conference but has found comfort in a US podcaster. In an interaction lasting over three hours with US-based popular podcaster and computer scientist Lex Fridman, Modi opened up on a host of foreign affairs issues and also touched on various aspects of his life journey. He praised RSS for instilling patriotic values in him, lauded Mahatma Gandhi's legacy and described himself as a peacemaker who has nudged both Russian and Ukrainian leaders to come to the negotiating table. Reacting to the podcast, Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh hit out at the prime minister for saying "criticism is the soul of democracy" and accused him of "demolishing" institutions that were to hold his government accountable and having gone after critics "with a vengeance". "He who is afraid of facing the media in a press ..

Congress launches 'palayan roko, naukri do padayatra' across Bihar

The Congress in Bihar on Sunday launched a state-wide 'pada-yatra' themed 'palayan roko naukri do', highlighting the endemic unemployment in the province which is blamed for migration of young population on a large scale. The pada-yatra commenced at the Bhitiharwa Ashram in West Champaran district, which was set up by Mahatma Gandhi a century ago, shortly after he led his first 'satyagraha' in the country, championing the cause of indigo plantation workers in north Bihar. Bihar Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh was presented with a national flag, as a symbolic gesture, on the occasion by party workers in the presence of a host of leaders like national in charge of the students' wing, NSUI, Kanhaiya Kumar. Others present on the occasion included NSUI president Varun Choudhary, Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib and AICC in-charge for Bihar Krishna Allavaru. The pada-yatra is being seen, in political circles, as an attempt by the Congress to assert itself ahead of the ..

Trump signs bill funding government for 6 months, avoiding shutdown

President Donald Trump has signed into law legislation funding the government through the end of September, ending the threat of a partial government shutdown and capping off a struggle in Congress that deeply divided Democrats. Harrison Fields, White House principal deputy press secretary, said in a post on X that Trump signed the continuing resolution Saturday. The bill largely keeps government funding at levels set during Joe Biden's presidency, though with changes. It trims non-defence spending by about USD 13 billion from the previous year and increases defence spending by about USD 6 billion, which are marginal changes when talking about a topline spending level of nearly USD 1.7 trillion. The Senate cleared the legislation on Friday in a 54-46 party line vote, with 10 members of the Senate Democratic caucus helping the bill advance to passage despite opposition from within their party most vocally from colleagues in the House, who exhorted them to reject the bill out of ...

Assam Congress leader held for post; CM Himanta backs police action

Assam Congress spokesperson Reetam Singh was arrested on Saturday for a social media post enquiring about the status of cases against three senior BJP leaders, including two serving MLAs one of whom is a former state party chief. He was arrested at his home in Guwahati by a team from Lakhimpur district police, with assistance from Guwahati Police. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who also holds the Home portfolio, in a post on X said the case pertains to a caste-based insult directed at a Dalit woman. Sarma responded to criticism from Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, asserting, "If you justify calling the husband of a Dalit woman a rapist as a 'perfectly reasonable' social media post, it speaks volumes about the direction in which you people have taken the Congress party." "But, just waitthe big revelation is yet to come - The nexus of your senior leader with ISI and Pakistan will be exposed by September," Sarma added, referring to the police case against Pakistani ...

Telangana CM slams KCR for atteending assembly only twice in 15 months

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday criticised opposition BRS leader K Chandrasekhar Rao for attending assembly sessions only twice in the past 15 months and challenged him to a debate on the loss suffered by the state in utilising Krishna waters. In a marathon reply to the motion of thanks to the Governor's address to the legislature, he said since December 2023, when the Congress government assumed office, Rao had drawn a salary of over Rs 57 lakh as an MLA and opposition leader. "The opposition leader, who takes a government salary, has left the people to their fate," he said. Revanth Reddy also criticised the BRS for objecting to his frequent visits to Delhi and stated that he believes in maintaining cordial relations between the Centre and the states, as envisaged in the Constitution. "The Centre is a union of states, and the country's Prime Minister is indeed like an elder brother to any Chief Minister," he said. Reddy stated that his visits to Delhi are aim

Cong flagging threats to economy, when will PM listen: Jairam Ramesh

The Congress on Saturday said it has flagged a decade-long real income stagnation, a consumption boom entirely driven by the expansion of credit and deepening inequality as the three threats to the economy, and wondered what will it take for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hear them. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh cited the remarks of Chief Investment Officer of Marcellus Investments, Saurabh Mukherjea, to press his argument. "In a podcast interview, Chief Investment Officer of Marcellus Investments, the well-known Saurabh Mukherjea has identified three threats to the Indian economy which the Congress has been flagging for months," Ramesh said in a post on X. He said Mukherjea has identified "a pernicious, decade long real income stagnation for the majority of India's working people" and a "consumption boom which is entirely driven by the expansion of credit and is therefore highly unsustainable". The Congress leader said that Mukherjea had also .

Congress didn't allow peace in Assam, PM Modi restored it: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday alleged that the Congress did not allow peace to prevail in Assam, but PM Narendra Modi restored it, developed infrastructure and ensured employment for the youth of the northeastern state. Shah was speaking after inaugurating the revamped Lachit Barphukan Police Academy here. Over 10,000 youths have laid down arms and joined the mainstream in Assam, with peace returning to the state during the last 10 years, he said. The Narendra Modi-led government will bring in Rs 3 lakh crore infrastructure projects in Assam in addition to the Rs 5 lakh crore proposed investment at a recent business summit in the state, Shah said. Policing in Assam was earlier for fighting terrorists, but now it is people-centric, and this has led to the increase in conviction rate from 5 per cent to 25 per cent in the last three years. It will cross the national average soon, the home minister asserted. Shah, who is on a three-day visit to Assam and Mizoram, also said

Drug menace: Congress demands disbanding of SFI, targets Pinarayi Vijayan

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday alleged that SFI is mainly responsible for the widespread drug distribution and consumption in colleges and hostels in Kerala and CM Vijayan is "encouraging" them. He also demanded the disbanding of the Students Federation of India (SFI), the student organisation of ruling CPI(M). The Congress's sharp reaction came in the wake of police seizing two kilograms of ganja from the men's hostel of a Government Polytechnic College in Kalamassery in Kochi on Thursday night and arresting two students. CPI(M) strongly rejected the charges saying that there is an agenda to eliminate SFI. The incident triggered a blame game among student outfit leaders, including those from the Kerala Students Union (KSU) and the SFI, over the alleged involvement of their activists in the crime. The Congress leadership has been alleging that SFI leaders were involved in the ganja seizure case and the left outfit is playing a key role in the spread of drug

Highlights: Mark Carney sworn in as Canada's new PM as country deals with Trump's trade war

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Highlights: Tamil Nadu govt replaces ₹ symbol with Tamil symbol in state Budget documents

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Congress questions Starlink agreement, says PM Modi orchestrated deal

Elon Musk's SpaceX has entered into an agreement with telecom provider Airtel to introduce Starlink services in India. A day after Airtel, a deal was signed between Reliance's Jio Platforms and SpaceX