Page 49 - Congress

Economy deep in 'Modi-made crisis', claims Congress on rising gold loans

The Congress on Tuesday flagged the issue of rise in gold loans and claimed that the Indian economy is "deep in a Modi-made crisis". Congress general secretary in-charge communications cited the February RBI data and pointed out that gold loans had jumped a whopping 71.3%. "India's economy is deep in a Modi-made crisis. Recall that by 2024, widespread and persistent economic stagnation had resulted in a 300% growth in gold loans in just 5 years. Gold loans crossed the Rs. 1 lakh crore mark for the first time ever," Ramesh said on X. "The bad news for India's women now continues to pile up. In February 2025, RBI data showed that gold loans had jumped a whopping 71.3%," he said. While bank credit in every other sector has slowed, from housing loans to car loans, distress lending such as gold loans is peaking, Ramesh said. Not just that, a Cibil-NITI Aayog report showed that gold loans make up nearly 40% of all credit issued to women, and the number of women forced to put up their ..

Highlights: Man rams car into crowd in western Germany; at least one dead, several injured

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Suspect held 2 days after Haryana Congress worker's body found in suitcase

Haryana police arrest a suspect two days after Congress worker Himani Narwal's body was found in a suitcase near Sampla bus stand; family demands the death penalty for the accused

'Rohit Sharma fat for a sportsman,' says Congress leader, faces backlash

Congress leader Shama Mohamed calls Rohit Sharma 'fat', sparking BJP backlash, as political leaders trade barbs over the Indian captain's fitness and leadership

Down but not out? Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party confident amid setback

AAP's Goa President Amit Palekar says the Congress has voters but it has no cadre. Therefore, AAP has chance

'They stand united': Rahul Gandhi on Kerala leaders amid Shashi Tharoor row

Rahul Gandhi's remarks come amid reports of tensions in the Congress' Kerala unit, with senior leader Shashi Tharoor taking a different stance from the party on multiple issues

Highlights: Core sectors' output grows by 4.6% in January, shows govt data

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Rahul Gandhi slams BJP over vacant posts in National Commission for SC

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday hit out at the government over key posts lying vacant in the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fill them up to ensure that it effectively fulfils the responsibility of protecting the rights and interests of Dalits. The former Congress president said the vacant posts were a manifestation of the "anti-Dalit mindset" of the BJP government. The commission is a constitutional institution and weakening it is a direct attack on the constitutional and social rights of Dalits, he said In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "Look at another proof of the anti-Dalit mindset of the BJP government! The National Commission for Scheduled Castes, which protects the rights of Dalits, has been deliberately neglected -- two of its key posts have been lying vacant for the last one year," he said. "This commission is a constitutional institution -- weakening it is a direct attack on the constitutional and social

News updates: Select Committee of Lok Sabha to examine the Income-Tax Bill 2025 on March 6 and 7

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Cong asks govt to stand up to US, says tariff removal will destroy economy

Flagging US President Donald Trump's push for reciprocal tariffs, the Congress on Thursday said the Modi government must stand up to the "humiliation" and tell its American counterpart that such moves would not be acceptable to India as they would "destroy" the country's economy. At a press conference here, Congress leader Ajoy Kumar played video snippets from French President Emmanuel Macron's meeting with Trump and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with the US president to claim that the Indian PM remained "mum" even when the US president was "speaking ill of India". "We have seen French President Emmanuel Macron correcting Trump in conversation and telling him he is wrong. On the other hand, in front of Narendra Modi, Trump kept speaking ill of India. "He keeps calling India a tariff violator, we will impose reciprocal tariffs, but Narendra Modi remained silent," Kumar said at the presser at the AICC office at 24, Akbar Road. Kumar said Modi calls Trump his best friend

News updates: Donald Trump holds first cabinet meeting in second term, Elon Musk attends

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Cong asks for Delhi liquor scam probe to include BJP leaders' involvement

The Delhi unit of Congress on Wednesday called for the formation of the Public Accounts Committee soon so that the CAG report on the previous AAP government's excise policy can be investigated, and demanded that the scope of the probe be widened to include the alleged involvement of BJP leaders in the matter. The opposition party also demanded that the remaining 13 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports on the AAP government's performance be tabled as well and discussed in the public domain. The CAG report on the 2021-22 liquor policy was tabled by the new Chief Minister Rekha Gupta of the BJP on the very second day of the first session of the newly elected Delhi Assembly on Tuesday. Addressing a press conference at the Congress' 24, Akbar Road headquarters, Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav said the party had given a written complaint to investigating agencies on the liquor policy and had included "evidence" of BJP's "involvement" in the matter. He also asked why all 14 C

BJP spent Rs 2,212 cr in FY24, double of all national parties combined: ADR

Total income of all national parties in 2023-24 was Rs 5,820.91 crore. At Rs 4,340.47 crore BJP accounted for 75% of this income: ADR

K'taka demonstrating how growth, sustainability can go together: Ramesh

Hailing the Karnataka government's decision to declare its lands in the Yelahanka taluk of Bengaluru Urban district as the Greater Hesaraghatta Grassland Conservation Reserve, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said the Siddaramaiah-led dispensation was demonstrating how economic growth, social development and ecological sustainability could go hand-in-hand. The Karnataka government on Monday notified 5,678 acres and 32 guntas of land in the Yelahanka taluk as the Greater Hesaraghatta Grassland Conservation Reserve. The notification came after the state Cabinet last month decided to declare the grassland as a conservation reserve. Reacting to the development, former Union environment minister Ramesh said the Karnataka government had been attracting very many new investments since May 2023. It has also been implementing historic income support, food security and other guarantees, he added. "Now, it has taken a bold decision to finally declare about 5,700 acres of government

Kejriwal to enter Rajya Sabha? AAP fields MP for Ludhiana West bypoll

AAP nominates Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora for Ludhiana West bypoll as Congress' Partap Singh Bajwa claims Kejriwal's Rajya Sabha entry is certain after dropping Punjab seat bid

Preity Zinta's loan not in probe: Mumbai Police debunks write-off claim

Mumbai Police has confirmed that Preity Zinta's loan is not under probe and has dismissed loan write-off claims amid an online row with Kerala Congress over fake news allegations

Why hasn't Bihar been given Special Category Status as promised: Cong to PM

The Congress on Monday posed questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Bihar, asking why hasn't the state been granted Special Category Status as promised and why are so many essential projects lying incomplete there. Ahead of Prime Minister Modi's visit to Bihar, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posed four questions for him. "Where are the promised airports for Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, and Purnea," Ramesh asked in his post on X. "The PM promised an airport in Purnea on 18th August, 2015. Six years and three Nitish Kumar U-turns later, his government is yet to fulfil the promise," Ramesh said. In a 2019 rally, Modi promised to open Patahi Airport in Muzaffarpur and in 2023, Home Minister Amit Shah also pledged to kickstart operations at the Patahi airport, while the BJP promised a fully operational airport by Diwali 2023, he said. "However, an AAI ground team from March 2024 found that the land plot has broken boundary walls, and buffaloes roam t

Cong slams BJP after FinMin says USAID projects not linked to voter turnout

Amid the ongoing row over USAID funding, the Congress on Monday claimed that the Union finance ministry has "thoroughly exposed" the BJP's "lies" with its annual report for 2023-24 stating that the US agency is currently implementing seven projects in collaboration with the Government of India and none of them has anything to do with voter turnout. The BJP has also rejected allegations of the Congress and accused Rahul Gandhi as well as the party of colluding with foreign forces in a bid to weaken India. The latest annual report of the finance ministry has disclosed that the agency funded seven projects worth USD 750 million in 2023-24. "Currently, seven projects worth a total budget of USD 750 million (approx) are being implemented by USAID in partnership with the Government of India," as per the finance ministry's annual report for 2023-24. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "None other than the Union Finance Ministry has thoroughly exposed th

Cong to hold AICC session in Ahmedabad on April 8-9 to tackle BJP policies

The Congress on Sunday announced that it will hold its AICC session in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on April 8 and 9 to deliberate on the challenges posed by the BJP's "anti-people" policies, its alleged attack on the Constitution and charting the party's future road map. In a statement, Congress general secretary, in-charge organisation, K C Venugopal, said the upcoming session will serve not only as a platform for crucial deliberations but also as a reaffirmation of the Congress party's collective resolve to address the concerns of the common people and present a strong alternative vision for the nation. "This significant gathering will bring together AICC delegates from across the nation to deliberate on the challenges posed by the anti-people policies and the relentless attack on the Constitution and its values by the BJP, while charting the party's future course of action," Venugopal said. The session will commence on April 8 with an extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, ..

Shashi Tharoor flags 'leadership void' in Kerala Cong amid LDF praise row

Facing flak over his praise for LDF government, Shashi Tharoor rejected rumours about him switching parties ahead of 2026 Kerala Assembly polls