Page 8 - Congress

Aviation monopoly dangerous, break IndiGo into 2 entities: Cong leader

Former Union minister Prithviraj Chavan of the Congress on Monday said the growing monopoly in the aviation sector poses a "serious threat" to economy and affects passenger interest, and demanded crisis-hit IndiGo be split into two companies to ensure fair competition. Talking to reporters here, Chavan noted only two major players now dominate India's air travel -- IndiGo with 65 per cent market share and the Tata Group (Air India and AI Express) with nearly 30 per cent pie. "In 2004, India had 10 functional airlines, but today only two big companies are left. Nearly 40 crore passengers and just two airlines -- this situation will become more serious in the future," the former Maharashtra Chief Minister cautioned. Calling the current crisis at IndiGo, which has seen widespread flight disruptions over the last one week, "unfortunate and shocking", the Congress leader maintained the situation was a result of regulatory lapses and alleged collusion between the government and private .

Congress likely to field Gogoi, Priyanka during Vande Mataram debate in LS

Congress' deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Deepender Hooda and A Bimol Akoijam are likely to be among the party's speakers during the debate on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram in Lok Sabha on Monday, party sources said. The party is also likely to field Praniti Shinde, Prashant Padole, Chamala Reddy and Jyotsana Mahant during the debate, they said on Saturday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will initiate the debate on the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha on December 8 while Home Minister Amit Shah will begin the discussion in the Rajya Sabha on December 9. According to sources, Prime Minister Modi will initiate the debate on the national song at noon in the Lower House while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and several other ministers will also participate in the day-long debate. The last speaker in the Lok Sabha debate will be someone from the ruling BJP, they said. A meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Modi on October

'Warm and engaging atmosphere reigned': Shashi Tharoor on Putin banquet

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who on Friday attended a banquet for Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, on Saturday described the atmosphere there as "warm" and "engaging", and said he enjoyed his conversations with many of the attendees. Tharoo's remarks came a day after President Droupadi Murmu hosted a banquet for the visiting Russian president at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here. Attended the @rashtrapatibhvn banquet for President Putin last night. A warm and engaging atmosphere reigned. Enjoyed my conversations with many of the attendees, especially my dining companions from the Russian delegation!" Tharoor said in a social media post. Murmu, while welcoming President Putin and his delegation at the banquet, had said that his visit marked an important milestone -- the 25th anniversary of the India-Russia strategic partnership, which was established in October 2000 during his first visit to the country as president. Murmu also appreciated Putin's supp

Modi promised ease of air travel but gave 'cease of air travel': Congress

Taking a swipe at the government over the IndiGo flight disruptions, the Congress on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised ease of air travel but gave "cease of air travel" and asked whether Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu would take responsibility for the "unprecedented crisis". The opposition party claimed that the ongoing IndiGo chaos was not an accident but the direct outcome of the BJP government's "relentless push to manufacture a duopoly in the sector". With IndiGo flight disruptions impacting thousands of passengers, the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Saturday directed the airline to complete the ticket refund process for the cancelled flights by Sunday evening, as well as ensure that the baggage separated from the travellers is delivered in the next two days. A day after the country's largest airline, IndiGo, cancelled more than 1,000 flights and caused disruptions for the fifth day on Saturday, the ministry said that any delay or non-compliance

Ambedkar's legacy strengthens my resolve to defend Constitution, says Rahul

The Congress on Saturday paid tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary, with Rahul Gandhi saying his timeless legacy of equality, justice and human dignity strengthens "my resolve to defend the Constitution". Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also paid homage to Ambedkar and said that today, more than ever, "we are called upon to uphold, preserve and defend the values he lived for and his greatest gift to the nation, the Constitution of India". Gandhi paid floral tributes at Ambedkar's statue at the Prerna Sthal on the Parliament House premises. "Ambedkar ji is an icon. He showed a path to the entire country, he gave us the Constitution. So, we remember him and protect his ideas and the Constitution," he told reporters after the event. Earlier in a post on X, Gandhi said, "Humble tributes to Babasaheb Ambedkar on his Mahaparinirvan Diwas. His timeless legacy of equality, justice and human dignity strengthens my resolve to defend the Constitution and inspires our .

Shivakumar clarifies on Delhi visit, rejects meeting Congress top brass

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said that he had gone to Delhi to attend a wedding and to discuss with Congress office bearers, arrangements regarding an upcoming party event. He also rejected reports that he met Congress high command leaders amid ongoing power tussle in the state. "I had to go (to Delhi) for a private wedding programme. Also, for the December 14 rally. We are taking about 300 karyakartas and leaders from every district. To arrange accommodation and other things, the responsibility has been given to the working president and AICC secretary, for those coming by train. I have held meetings in this regard and have come back," Shivakumar said. The Congress is scheduled to hold a rally on December 14 at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi against the alleged 'vote chori'. The Deputy CM had gone to Delhi on Wednesday. Accusing the media of "creating news" that has "no strength", Shivakumar, who is also the Congress state unit chief said, "Every day is goo

India-Russia ties stem from 1955 Indo-Soviet partnership: Congress

Ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India, the Congress on Thursday recalled Soviet leaders Nikolai Bulganin and Nikita Khrushchev's tour of India and said the India-Russia ties are the direct outcome and continuation of the Indo-Soviet partnership cemented for the first time in late half of 1955. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh noted that the 23rd annual summit between the President of Russia and the Prime Minister of India in the last 26 years begins today. "These ties go back even longer.Exactly 70 years ago the top two leaders of the USSR came to India. Nikolai Bulganin and Nikita Khrushchev were here for an extraordinary 19 days: from November 18 to 30, 1955, and again from Dec 7 to 14, 1955. This followed Jawaharlal Nehru's journey to the USSR six months earlier," Ramesh said. The Bulganin-Khrushchev visit established the foundations of close Indo-Soviet collaboration of which the Bhilai Steel Plant and IIT Bombay were only tw

Congress slams Modi govt as Rubio repeats India-Pakistan peace claim

The Congress on Wednesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over repeated claims by the US that President Donald Trump brokered peace between India and Pakistan, saying no wonder the Modi-Trump huglomacy is in deep freeze". US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that President Trump has brokered several peace deals, including the very dangerous ones like India and Pakistan, and deserves tremendous credit for reshaping America's foreign policy. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said on May 10, 2025, at 5:37 PM, Rubio was the first person to announce the abrupt stoppage of Operation Sindoor. "Subsequently, President Trump himself has made the claim at least 61 times in 6 different countries that it was due to his intervention that Operation Sindoor was halted," he said on X. "Now Mr. Rubio has once again reminded the world of what Mr. Trump has been saying repeatedly. No wonder the Modi-Trump huglomacy is in deep freeze," Ramesh said. Durin

Sanchar Saathi row: Compulsory apps 'troubling' for democracy, says Tharoor

Amid the Sanchar Saathi application row, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday said making anything compulsory in a democracy is troubling and asserted that the government should explain everything to the public instead of just passing an order. The Department of Telecom (DoT) has directed manufacturers and importers of mobile handsets to ensure that its fraud reporting app Sanchar Saathi is pre-installed in all new devices within 90 days. Responding to questions on the issue outside Parliament, Tharoor said, "I have not studied the issue in detail but common sense tells me that these apps can be useful provided they are voluntary. Everyone who needs them should be able to download them." "Making anything compulsory in a democracy is troubling. But I need to look more into the logic of the government. The government should explain everything to the public instead of just passing an order that the media reports. We need to have a discussion where the government explains wh

Maharashtra sees 7.94% voter turnout for municipal elections till 9:30 am

An estimated 7.94 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling on Tuesday for elections to 264 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Maharashtra, officials said. Two suspected bogus voters were caught at a polling station in Buldhana barely an hour-and-a-half after voting began for the municipal council elections there, the Maharashtra Congress claimed. It also alleged that Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad was bringing people to cast "bogus" votes in the Buldhana Municipal Council elections. There was no immediate response from the authorities on the allegation. The polling began at 7.30 am and will conclude at 5.30 pm, election officials said. Till 9.30 am, 7.94 per cent of the electors cast their votes, they said. A man allegedly attempted to cast a vote in the name of local resident Vaibhav Deshmukh at the Gandhi Primary School polling centre in ward no. 15 of Buldhana. The individual is said to be a resident of Kothali in Motala taluka, the

'Political vendetta': Congress slams fresh FIR in National Herald case

The Congress on Tuesday attacked the Modi government over the filing of a fresh FIR in the National Herald case and said it is confident that the judiciary will see through this "political vendetta and mindless attempts to hound". Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said 12 years on, and suddenly, there is a new FIR in the old case on the Gandhi family targeting the Congress party. "Simply because the Modi government and the ED have exhausted their supply of fresh smears. When facts ran thin, theatrics stepped in: selective prosecutions, recycled allegations, and a thinly veiled attempt to keep opponents in the dock," Kharge said on X. "We are confident that the Judiciary will see through this political vendetta and mindless attempts to hound!" he said. The Congress had on Monday also slammed the Centre over the FIR, describing the move as "harassment" by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and a tactic by the Modi government to divert public attention from real issues. Speaking to

Unconstitutional: Congress slams mandatory Sanchar Saathi pre-installation

The Congress on Monday rejected the directions of the Department of Telecommunications on pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app in new mobile handsets as unconstitutional, and demanded its immediate rollback. Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said that the right to privacy is an intrinsic part of the fundamental right to life and liberty. Big Brother cannot watch us. This DoT direction is beyond unconstitutional. The Right to Privacy is an intrinsic part of the fundamental right to life and liberty, enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution. A pre-loaded government app that cannot be uninstalled is a dystopian tool to monitor every Indian. It is a means to watch over every movement, interaction and decision of each citizen, Venugopal said in a post on X. The move, he alleged, is part of the long series of "relentless assaults" on the Constitutional rights of Indian citizens, which will not be allowed to continue. We reject this direction and demand its immediate ...

Karnataka power tussle: Shivakumar to meet CM Siddaramaiah over breakfast

The meeting follows a high-level interaction between the two leaders on Saturday morning at Siddaramaiah's Cauvery residence

Will raise Congress's plan to go solo in BMC polls with high command: Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday said he will talk to the Congress high command over its Mumbai unit's decision to go solo in the forthcoming city civic body polls, as the move could benefit the BJP. Speaking to reporters after a break of more than a month, Raut, who is undergoing medical treatment, also said it is necessary to have the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi fold to ensure the ruling BJP's defeat. Elections to various local bodies in the state are scheduled for Tuesday. The schedule for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections and some other civic bodies has not yet been announced. The Supreme Court has directed that the local body polls in Maharashtra be completed by January 31, 2026. Last month, the Mumbai Congress ruled out an alliance with the MNS and said it will contest the civic body polls independently. However, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) insists that the Congress should be

Congress calls PM Modi 'biggest dramabaaz', accuses him of hypocrisy

The Congress on Monday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dubbing him the "biggest dramabaaz" after he accused the opposition of indulging in drama in Parliament. In a statement on X, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said that instead of addressing the real issue of people, Prime Minister Modi has once again made his 'dramebazi delivery". He said the reality is that the government has been continuously trampling parliamentary decorum and system for the past 11 years, and the long list of such instances is well-known. "The BJP should now end this drama of distraction and engage in debate in Parliament on the real issues facing the people," Kharge said in his post. In his remarks before the start of Winter session, Modi said Parliament is not a place for drama, it is a place for delivery instead. Kharge said the truth is that the common man is struggling with unemployment, inflation, economic inequality, and the looting of the country's precious resources, while "those in po

Row in Rajya Sabha as Kharge flags Dhankhar's 'sudden exit'; BJP hits back

A heated argument broke out in the Rajya Sabha between Mallikarjun Kharge and the BJP after the former mentioned Jagdeep Dhankhar's sudden exit as vice president

Congress' Venugopal moves Lok Sabha adjournment motion to debate SIR crisis

Congress MPs Manickam Tagore and Vijay Kumar Vasanth on Monday moved an adjournment motion in Parliament, seeking an urgent debate on the SIR exercise

Modi-Shah using 'vendetta politics', says Cong after FIR on Sonia, Rahul

With the Delhi Police filing an FIR against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, the Congress on Sunday alleged that the "Modi-Shah duo" is continuing with its mischievous politics of harassment, intimidation, and vendetta against the party's top leadership. The opposition party also said the National Herald matter is a "completely bogus case" and justice will ultimately triumph. In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "The Modi-Shah duo is continuing with its mischievous politics of harassment, intimidation, and vendetta against the top leadership of the INC. Those who threaten are themselves insecure and afraid." "The National Herald matter is a completely bogus case. Justice will ultimately triumph. Satyameva Jayate," he said. His remarks came after the Delhi Police filed an FIR against the Congress leaders and other accused in the National Herald case on a complaint by the ED as part of the agency's money ...

CM Vijayan is Centre's 'Trojan horse' in Kerala: Congress' Venugopal

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal on Saturday called Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as the "Trojan horse" of the central government. Venugopal was hitting back at the ruling CPI(M) in the state a day after state Minister V Sivankutty had called the Congress leader and Alappuzha MP a "Trojan horse" deployed by the BJP to destroy the grand old party. "Pinarayi Vijayan is the Centre's 'Trojan horse' in Kerala. Every child in the state knows that," the Alappuzha MP claimed while speaking to reporters here. The Congress general secretary said that the current government in Kerala was working hard for the last few years to implement whatever Prime Minister Narendra Modi was thinking of. "That is what we saw in the case of the PM SHRI scheme and the new labour codes. Even before the Centre implemented the labour codes, the government here had formulated draft regulations in connection with it," he said and questioned the intention behind it. "The CPI(M) has to clarify that

Congress appoints new chiefs for 41 district units in Chhattisgarh

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has appointed presidents for its 41 district units in Chhattisgarh as part of the party's organisational restructuring in the state, a party functionary said on Saturday. The appointments as per the choice of Congress workers are part of a comprehensive organisational overhaul under 'Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan', aimed at strengthening the party's urban and grassroots structure in the state, said Dhananjay Singh Thakur, senior spokesperson of the state Congress. The list of appointments, which includes five women leaders, was issued on Friday late evening. The move comes a day after senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot, who is the party's state in-charge, concluded his two-day visit to Chhattisgarh. AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal, in a statement, said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal for the appointment of heads of district Congress committees as part of the 'Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan'. He said that under this