Page 65 - Congress

J&K's UT status diminution of 'crown of India': Cong leader Karan Singh

Senior Congress leader and veteran politician Karan Singh has demanded the immediate restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and said that the current status of the region is an "unacceptable" diminution of the "crown of India". In a recent interview to PTI Videos, Singh, a three-time Rajya Sabha MP and Sadr-i-Riyasat (constitutional head) of the erstwhile state, also voiced his concerns over the changes following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution. He noted that before this constitutional change, the entire debate used to revolve around how much autonomy was to be accorded to the state. "The whole game has changed after the abrogation of (Article) 370," Singh said. He said Jammu and Kashmir's transition to a union territory is a diminution of the erstwhile state and it is "unacceptable". Singh noted that a former Indian ambassador to the US said that the current status of Jammu and Kashmir has put it behind states like Himachal Pradesh and Haryana in terms of

BJP has vested interest in Manipur unrest, PM can't evade blame: Kharge

After fresh violence erupted in Manipur, the Congress on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said he could not escape the constitutional culpability of not following "rajdharma". In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the BJP had some vested interest in keeping the border state on the boil. "The BJP is the matchstick which burnt Manipur!" he said in his post. He also shared a screengrab of a news report about the latest violence. The Congress chief said in the post, "Narendra Modi ji, your last visit to Manipur was for seeking votes for the BJP, way back in January 2022. Violence erupted in the state on May 3, 2023." "More than 600 days have passed, and media reports through satellite images have now revealed that villages after villages have been wiped off in the state," he added. Kharge said fresh violence was witnessed recently when a mob attacked the Kangpokpi district superintendent of police, resulting in injuries. "Your incompe

Kejriwal's work common, holds no reality on ground: Sandeep Dikshit

Dikshit further said that even in the field of education, the pace of progress during Sheila Dikshit's tenure was much faster

Updates: Grap 3 curbs back in Delhi-NCR amid rise in air pollution levels

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Delhi elections: Congress fields Alka Lamba from Kalkaji against CM Atishi

Alka Lamba, the president of the All India Mahila Congress, is a former Aam Aadmi Party leader and an ex-legislator from Chandni Chowk

Prayer meet for late former PM Manmohan Singh to be held on Friday

Leaders from across the political spectrum will pay their tributes to former prime minister Manmohan Singh at a prayer meeting on Friday. The 'Shabadv Kirtan and Antim Ardas' of Dr Singh would be held at the Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib at 3 pm. Before the prayer meet, the family of the former PM would also hold a 'bhog' of the 'Akhand Path' kept in the memory of Singh at their 3, Motilal Nehru Marg residence. Singh, who steered the country as prime minister from 2004 to 2014, was considered the architect of India's economic reforms in the 1990s. He died at AIIMS Delhi December 26. He was 92.

News updates: US NSA Jake Sullivan set to visit India early next week

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Cong to launch 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' campaign on Jan 3

The Congress will launch its 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan Abhiyan' in all blocks, districts and states on January 3. The campaign will culminate in a public rally at Mhow on January 26. The campaign was to be launched on December 27 but was suspended in view of the demise of former prime minister Manmohan Singh on December 26 and the announcement of a seven-day mourning in his honour. The decision to organise the campaign was taken at the last meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) at Belagavi on December 26. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the implementation of the CWC resolution of December 26 was suspended for a week as a mark of "deep respect' and reverence for Singh. "It will take more time to get used to the fact that he is no longer with us," he said. "Even so the Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan Abhiyan will resume in blocks, districts and states, on January 3, 2025 leading up to rally in Dr. Ambedkar's 'janmabhoomi' Mhow on January 26, 2025 w

Biren Singh hits back at Congress, accuses past leaders for Manipur crisis

Manipur CM Biren Singh apologised for the ongoing unrest, blaming Congress' past actions. He responded to Jairam Ramesh's criticism, citing political neglect by Congress leaders

Business Standard wishes all its readers a very happy new year

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As CM Biren says sorry, Cong asks why PM can't go to Manipur and apologise

After Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday apologised for the ethnic conflict in the state, the Congress asked why can't Prime Minister Narendra Modi go there and do the same even though he travels across the country and the world. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the people of Manipur cannot understand their neglect by the prime minister, whom he accused of deliberately avoiding a visit to Manipur. "Why can't the Prime Minister go to Manipur and say the same thing there? He has deliberately avoided visiting the state since May 4, 2023, even as he jets around the country and the world," Ramesh said in his post. "The people of Manipur simply cannot understand this neglect," he said. His comments came hours after Biren Singh apologised for the ethnic conflict in Manipur, which claimed over 250 lives and rendered thousands homeless since May 2023, appealing to all communities to forget and forgive past mistakes and live together in a "peaceful"

After 2024 report card, ministers get ready for work on New Year's Day

Although the talk about the New Year agenda within the government was subdued on December 31, the day started with promise of work in 2025

Rahul Gandhi gone for a pre-planned event: Congress MP Pramod Tiwari

Singh passed away at the age of 92 due to age-related medical issues in Delhi on December 26. On Saturday, Singh was cremated with full state honours at Nigambodh Ghat

Cong attacks Centre over depreciation in value of rupee against dollar

The Congress on Monday attacked the government over depreciation in the value of the rupee against the US dollar and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has nothing to say now even though he had resorted to personal attacks against former prime minister Manmohan Singh when the Indian currency had fallen during the UPA term. AICC general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh also recalled the words of Modi in 2013 when he had claimed that UPA leadership has become directionless and are neither worried about the country's defence nor the value of its currency, but are "only worried about saving their chair". "The then-biological CM of Gujarat had run a loud campaign against the depreciation of the rupee vis-a-vis the dollar in 2014 even resorting to personal attacks on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to score political points. On 16 May, 2014, the rupee closed at Rs 58.58 per USD. "Ten years later, the rupee has touched an all time-low of 85.27 per USD. The INR has achieved the ...

News updates: Delhi records best December AQI since system began in 2015

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BJP targets Rahul Gandhi over Vietnam trip after Manmohan Singh's death

In a fresh political uproar, BJP criticised Rahul Gandhi for allegedly travelling to Vietnam to celebrate the New Year just days after former PM Manmohan Singh's death

Skipped Manmohan Singh's ashes immersion to ensure family privacy: Cong

With the BJP criticizing the grand old party leaders for not accompanying former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's family during the immersion of his ashes in the Yamuna, the Congress on Monday said it was to ensure privacy to them. Congress leader Pawan Khera said the senior leaders did not accompany the family to gather and immerse the ashes of Dr Singh "out of our deference to the privacy of the family". He said after the cremation of our beloved departed leader, senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the family at their residence here. "After discussing with them, it was felt that since the family did not get any privacy at the time of the cremation and some extended family members could not reach the pyre site, it would be appropriate to give them some privacy for the 'Phool Chunana' and the immersion of the ashes which is an emotionally painful and difficult ceremony for close family members," Khera said in a statement. There has been a bitter war of words

TMC's Banerjee slams sports, film celebs over 'silence' on MMS' demise

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday criticised prominent figures in the sports and film domain, claiming that they have remained silent in paying respects to former prime minister Manmohan Singh. Describing Singh as one of India's "greatest statesmen" whose visionary leadership reshaped the nation's economy, he also claimed that the "complete silence" of the sports and film fraternities may have stemmed from fear of government backlash. "It is both shocking and disheartening to see the complete silence from prominent figures in the SPORTS and FILM industries individuals who are often celebrated as ROLE MODELS'. "Their reluctance to even acknowledge Dr Singh's passing raises uncomfortable questions about their priorities, responsibility and integrity. It appears this silence is driven by fear of government backlash, as staying silent on national issues has become the norm for many of these so-called ICONS'," Banerjee wrote in a post on X. Singh, 92, was cremated with

Sad that govt stooped to this level: Manickam Tagore over cremation of MMS

A war of words has broken out between BJP and Congress leaders over the cremation of Manmohan Singh at Delhi's Nigambodh Ghat

Govt marked space for Dr Singh's memorial, Cong doing cheap politics: Nadda

BJP president JP Nadda on Saturday said the Centre had allocated space for Manmohan Singh's memorial and informed his family about it as he accused the Congress of indulging in "cheap politics" over the former prime minister's cremation. The BJP chief's reaction came after the Congress accused the Centre of insulting Singh, the country's first Sikh prime minister, by performing his last rites at Nigambodh Ghat instead of a designated spot that could be turned into his memorial. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said the BJP-led Centre had "totally insulted" Singh, a great son of Mother India and the first prime minister from the Sikh community, by performing his last rites at Nigambodh Ghat. Reacting sharply, Nadda said, "It's very unfortunate that former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and incumbent Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge are not refraining from playing politics even over the former prime minister's sad demise." "No amount of condemnation is enough