Page 13 - Indian National Congress

Congress slams EC's response on duplicate voter IDs as 'duplicitous'

The Congress on Friday termed as "duplicitous" the Election Commission's explanation on duplicate voter ID numbers and asked the poll body to come clean on the issue. Amid allegations of a cover-up over duplicate voter identity card numbers, the poll panel earlier in the day said it would address the "decades-long" matter in the next three months. "The Congress party rejects this feeble and duplicitous explanation by the ECI and reiterates its demands to come clean on the sanctity of voter lists in India," the Congress' Empowered Action Group of Leaders and Experts (EAGLE) said in a statement. The group said the Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a duplicitous response on the issue of the same voter IDs being allotted to multiple voters. "The ECI, in its response, hides behind its processes to offer a feeble explanation. Shockingly but not surprisingly, the ECI has been forced to admit that its voter lists are flawed and not trustworthy," it said. The EC, in a letter is

Cong protests in Uttarakhand's Rudrapur against party leader's 'harassment'

Congress workers led by Leader of Opposition in Uttarakhand Assembly Yashpal Arya have caused a ruckus outside the office of the senior superintendent of police here to protest the alleged harassment of party leader Sarwar Khan by the force. Sarwar Khan was recently taken to the Kiccha police station for interrogation following a complaint from a man that the Congress leader had attacked him during the recently held cooperative elections. On Thursday, several Congress workers and leaders, including Kiccha MLA Tilak Raj Behad, led by Arya marched to the SSP's office demanding that they be allowed to meet the officer in his chamber, an official at Sidcul police station said. He said the protesters got into a scuffle with the police personnel who stopped them at the SSP's office gate. The high voltage drama lasted for hours till late in the evening as the Congress leaders demanded the removal of the Kiccha police station SHO, accusing him of "acting as a BJP agent and harassing" a sen

PM focused on 'tareef' not tariffs, must stand up to US threats: Ramesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is only interested in 'tareef' and not concerned with tariffs, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Friday and wondered where is the PM's "56 inch chest" in dealing with US threats on the the reciprocal tariff issue. In an interview with PTI, Ramesh said the Congress will raise the issue of US President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariff threats during the upcoming second half of the Budget session and called for a bipartisan collective resolve to deal with the threats. The Congress leader also alleged that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has been speaking like an American envoy and a spokesperson for that country. "Our prime minister wants to hear only 'tareef (praise)', he is not concerned about tariffs. 'Tareef kum, aur tariff pe baat kijiye (talk about the tariffs issue and less about your praise)," Ramesh said. He said Trump is redoing the entire rules of international trade and asserted that the US President's whole idea of ...

Cong flags US downsizing NOAA, urges India to boost earth sciences research

The Congress on Friday claimed the downsizing at the US' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration could adversely impact India, and said the country will have to enhance its own research capacity and capability in earth sciences very significantly. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared on X a media report which claimed the move to downsize the US meteorological body could hurt its data collection around the world. "Right now the Modi government's priority appears to be a trade deal to deal with President Trump's threats on tariffs. But his actions in other areas too could have adverse impacts on India," Ramesh said on X. "The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been of great importance to our understanding of the monsoon. But NOAA has been identified by President Trump for downsizing and big cuts," he said. Ramesh said the NOAA collects global data on parameters like temperature, salinity, and sea levels that are cruc

WATCH: Mani Shankar Aiyar calls Rajiv Gandhi 'two-time failure', sparks row

It is not the first time when Congress had to face embarrassment because of Mani Shankar Aiyar's remarks

BJP slams Karnataka Cong over alleged 4% Muslim quota in govt contracts

State BJP president B Y Vijayendra alleged that while development work across the state had come to a halt, the Congress government is focused on extending reservations to religious minorities

Shama Mohamed faces backlash for fat-shaming Rohit Sharma: Who is she?

Congress party spokesperson Shama Mohamed is facing criticism over her comments about Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma

Tharoor takes a U-turn: Slams Kerala's startup woes, calls for more MSMEs

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor shared his displeasure about the state's startup ecosystem whose growth is continuing to decline

I'm a loyal Congress worker, those questioning me are deluded: Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday said he was a loyal Congress worker and anyone questioning his dedication to the party and the Gandhi family is in illusion. He also asserted that the party will come back to power in the 2028 Assembly polls. Shivakumar was reacting to speculation about his recent meeting with party central leaders in Delhi, and talks about in political circles, especially in the ruling party, about the chief minister change, later this year, under a "rotational chief minister" or "power-sharing" formula. "I have not put any condition on any one and there is no need to put any condition. I'm a Karyakarta, I work according to what the party tells me. Putting conditions or blackmailing is not in my blood. I'm a loyal Congress worker," Shivakumar said, in response to a question on speculation about his visit to Delhi and that he had apparently put some conditions on party leaders. Speaking to reporters here, he said, "If anyone, let them be from

Cong slams govt for low consumption, inequality; urges rural income boost

Flagging issues of low consumption expenditure and inequality, the Congress on Friday said the way out of this quagmire is to shift the focus of policymaking from cronyism to bottom-up empowerment and that it must begin with kickstarting rural incomes. In a statement, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh cited the Indus Valley Annual Report 2025, an examination of India's economic landscape and start-up ecosystem by the noted VC firm Blume Ventures, to attack the government. The report offers a granular look into the Indian economy, he noted. Flagging India's consumption story and inequality, Ramesh said India's per capita consumption expenditure is only USD 1,493 -- less than a third of China's. India's consumption of several key lifestyle goods (e.g. two-wheelers, air conditioners, footwear, FMCG, etc.) is alarmingly low. India accounted for 7 per cent of global AC units sold, whereas China accounted for 55 per cent, Ramesh said. He said India's ...

Glorifying Godse: Cong slams govt over NIT professor's appointment as dean

Slamming the Modi government over the appointment of an NIT-Calicut professor who is accused of praising Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse as a Dean, the Congress said this was part of its mindset to "appropriate Gandhi, glorify Godse". In an order issued by the Director of the National Institute of Technology-Calicut (NIT), Dr Shaija A has been appointed as the Dean of the Planning and Development Department, with effect from March 7. A police case is pending against her for allegedly praising Nathuram Godse on Mahatma Gandhi's Martyr's Day. In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "A Professor in Kerala who publicly says she is proud of Godse for saving India is made a Dean in NIT-Calicut by the Modi government. He added that a former judge of the Calcutta High Court "could not choose between Mahatma Gandhi and Nathuram Godse" and he is now a BJP MP. "This is all part of the Modi mindset - Appropriate Gandhi, Glorify Godse,"

Kejriwal 'destined' for Tihar jail, should become CM there: Cong's Udit Raj

Speculation about Kejriwal's Rajya Sabha bid arose after AAP nominated sitting Rajya Sabha MP Sanjiv Arora as its candidate for the Ludhiana West assembly by-election

Do not own land, home or stocks in India: Sam Pitroda dismisses allegations

With a BJP leader accusing him of illegally acquiring 12.35 acres of government land in Bengaluru, Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda on Wednesday said he does not own any land, home, or stocks in India. BJP leader N R Ramesh has alleged that Sam Pitroda, with the help of five senior government officers, including forest department officials, illegally acquired 12.35 acres of government land worth Rs 150 crore at Yelahanka in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Ramesh, a former councillor in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), has lodged a complaint with the Enforcement Directorate and the Karnataka Lokayukta. In a statement put out on X, Pitroda said, "In light of recent reports in the Indian media, both on television and in print, I wish to categorically state the following: I do not own any land, home, or stocks in India." "Additionally, during my tenure working with the government of India -- whether with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in the mid-1980s or with Dr. Manmohan Si

Congress questions Center as US allocates $397 mn for Pak's F-16s

In the wake of US President Donald Trump reportedly allocating USD 397 million for Pakistan's F-16 fleet maintenance, the Congress on Tuesday questioned the Modi government's diplomatic strategy and called for a reassessment of India's foreign policy priorities to safeguard national interests. There was no immediate reaction from the government or the ruling BJP on the matter. Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said the recent decision by President Trump to allocate USD 397 million for Pakistan's F-16 fleet maintenance raises critical questions about the Modi government's diplomatic efficacy. This move, reminiscent of the 2022 Biden administration's USD 450 million package for the same purpose, highlights a pattern of US military support to Pakistan, he said in a post on X. Such actions potentially compromise India's security interests, especially given the historical use of F-16s by Pakistan against India, Khera said. During the UPA years (2004-?2014), Indi

Govt has 'snatched' scholarships of SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday alleged that the government has "snatched" the scholarships of the youth of SC, ST, OBC and minority communities, and claimed that its slogan of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" mocks the aspirations of the weaker sections. Kharge asked how will jobs for the youth be increased until the students of weaker sections of the country get opportunities and their skills are encouraged. "Narendra Modi ji, Your government has snatched the scholarships of the youth of SC, ST, OBC and Minority categories in the country," Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X. These shameful government statistics show that the Modi government has not only drastically reduced the beneficiaries in all scholarships, but has also spent 25 per cent less funds on an average year after year, he said sharing data of "declining" scholarships for SC, ST, OBC and minority students. "Until the students of the weaker sections of the country get opportunities, their skills are not ..

Shashi Tharoor's article sparks row, BJP says his marginalisation certain

Shashi Tharoor wrote an article in an English newspaper, where he appreciated Kerala's investment growth under the left-front government. But Congress leaders criticise his views

CAG reports must be tabled in Parliament: Cong's Pawan Khera slams govt

On the issue of foreign funding, Khera pointed out that the Indian government had received Rs 825 crore from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) last year

Cong promises clean, green Haryana for civic polls, releases manifesto

The Congress on Sunday made a slew of promises to woo urban voters in Haryana as the party released its manifesto for the upcoming urban local body elections. Party leaders appealed to the electorate for a full majority for the Congress. Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the party's state chief Udai Bhan and former minister Ajay Singh Yadav, among others, were present at the manifesto release event in Gurugram. Elections for four municipal councils, 21 municipal committees and seven municipal corporations -- Faridabad, Gurugram, Manesar, Hisar, Karnal, Rohtak and Yamunanagar -- will be held on March 2. Polling for the Panipat Municipal Corporation will take place on March 9. Hooda said the state's BJP government could not provide basic facilities despite holding office for 10 years. He appealed to the people to elect mayors and the maximum number of councillors from the Congress. Hooda said the people of Gurugram did not get basic facilities that the BJP had .

IUML asks ally Cong to resolve leadership issues in latter's Kerala unit

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadik Ali Shihab Thangal on Sunday called on the Congress to address any internal leadership disputes in its Kerala unit. His remarks came in response to a political debate ignited by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's recent interview with an English daily. In the interview, Tharoor highlighted the "absence of a leader" in the party's Kerala unit, subtly positioning himself as a viable option by citing his appeal among non-traditional voters. His comments come amid criticism from within the party for his recent praise of the ruling LDF government in Kerala. This is not just about Tharoor's issue. If there are any leadership issues, Congress should address them and move forward, Thangal told reporters. He stated that this view is shared by all constituents of the Congress-led UDF. "With elections approaching, Congress should resolve the issues as it is to lead the front," he added. IUML is a major partner of the grand o

Working to revive Karnataka economy after BJP's mismanagement: Siddaramaiah

The chief minister said that the BJP government took up projects worth seven times more than the budget allocated