Page 14 - Indian National Congress

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

Rahul Gandhi urges Cong workers in Raebareily to set for UP elections 2027

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday urged party workers to strengthen the organisation and begin preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Party workers met Gandhi at his parliamentary residence in Bhuemau and apprised him of various issues, particularly those concerning Dalits. Sunil Kumar Gautam, president of the Congress Scheduled Caste wing in Rae Bareli, said a 12-member delegation from the community met Gandhi at his Bhuemau residence. "We discussed issues concerning the Scheduled Caste community and informed him about the difficulties faced since the BJP government came to power in the state. A major concern is that sanitation workers from the Valmiki community, employed in municipal bodies, are still forced to work without protective gear, which is a violation of Supreme Court directives," Gautam told PTI Videos. He added that Gandhi motivated them and emphasised the need to prepare vigorously for the 2027 elections while strengthening the party ...

Cong party not weakened, course correction soon: Harshwardhan Sapkal

Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal has said it would be wrong to conclude that his party has weakened after its worst-ever performance in the recent Maharashtra assembly polls. Calling the present scenario a do-or-die situation, Sapkal, who recently took charge as the Maharashtra Congress chief, said he has accepted the challenge to revitalise the state unit. It is a wrong perception that the cadre is demoralised... election results were shocking and the cadre is eager for a course correction. We won only 16 seats but that doesn't mean we have become weak. You will see their enthusiasm once we get into the action mode, Sapkal told PTI in an interview. The Congress, a partner of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) in the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) bloc, won just 16 of the 288 assembly seats in last year's Maharashtra polls despite fielding candidates in 101 constituencies. Sapkal accused the BJP-led government of not wanting to hold local body elections, saying

Raebareli: Posters seek apology from Rahul Gandhi after remarks on Mayawati

This comes after Rahul Gandhi on Thursday indicated that if Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati had fought the recent parliamentary elections with the Congress, they would have won

Siddaramaiah gets clean chit in Muda case, police find no evidence

The Lokayukta police failed to prove charges against the chief minister and his wife Parvathi in the absence of evidence against the couple

BJP demands white paper on Karnataka's financial health ahead of budget

The Assembly session in Karnataka is scheduled to begin on March 3, and this will be Siddaramaiah's 16th budget presentation

Kharge tells his top party leaders they will be accountable for results

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday told top party leaders that they would be held accountable for election results in the future and warned them against turncoats, remarks that came in the backdrop of the party's Delhi poll debacle. Addressing the new office-bearers at a meeting held at the party's headquarters at Indira Bhawan, he urged party leaders to work at the grassroots level and strengthen the party from the booth level and promote such people who are ideologically committed to the organisation. Kharge also hinted at some more changes in the organisation, saying some changes have already taken place and some more are in the offing. "I want to talk to you about the most important thing of accountability. You all will be held accountable for revamping the organisations in states and for all future election results," he told the office-bearers. The party recently brought in new office bearers in the revamped organisation. Among those who attended the meeting

Cong slams Trump's threat to GST, questions Modi's stance on tariffs

The Congress on Wednesday claimed that the talk of reciprocal tariffs by US President Donald Trump is calling into question a consumption tax like GST, and wondered whether his "good friend in New Delhi" would stand up to it when national sovereignty is at stake. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said his party has long been calling for a GST 2.0 that will make GST a truly Good and Simple Tax, as it was intended to be. It has called for the barest minimum of rates and vastly reformed compliance rules, he said in a post on X. "Now President Trump is threatening the very existence of GST. By its very structure, GST is applicable to imports but not on exports. This has never been disputed," he said. Now all this talk of reciprocal tariffs by the US President is calling into question a consumption tax like GST, Ramesh claimed. "WTO apart, national sovereignty is at stake here. Will President Trump's good friend in New Delhi, who keeps trumpeting that he

Telangana govt eases work timings for Muslim during Ramzan, BJP is unhappy

Throughout the month, the Muslim employees will be able to leave their offices and workplaces at 4 pm instead of the usual 5 pm

Akash Anand demands Cong leader Udit Raj's arrest over remarks on Mayawati

Calling former Lok Sabha MP Udit Raj a "sycophant" of the Congress and the BJP, BSP leader Akash Anand called for strict action against his threats to "strangle" Mayawati. In a post on X, Anand said, "He is threatening to "strangle" respected sister Miss Mayawati ji. I want to clearly tell @uppolice that these criminals should be arrested within 24 hours and strict action should be taken under the law, otherwise the Bahujan youth of the country is not going to sit quiet, I know very well how to teach them a lesson." This comes after Udit Raj on Monday launched a scathing attack on BSP chief Mayawati and said that she has "strangled the social movement" and now the time has come to strangle her. Anand, in his post said, Today in Lucknow, some old associates of Honorable Kanshiram Saheb and sometimes BJP and sometimes Congress sycophant Udit Raj have given a lot of knowledge on Saheb's mission." He accused Udit Raj of "looking for opportunities in other parties for his own selfish .

Haste decision taken to avoid SC's scrutiny: Cong on CEC's appointment

Soon after the Centre notified the appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as the chief election commissioner on Monday, the Congress said the hastily-taken decision shows that the government is keen on circumventing the Supreme Court's scrutiny and getting the appointment done before a clear order kicks in. Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said in a hasty midnight move, the government has notified the appointment of the new CEC. "This goes against the spirit of our Constitution, and what has been reiterated by the Supreme Court in many cases -- for the electoral process to have sanctity, the CEC must be an impartial stakeholder," Venugopal said in a post on X. The amended law dealing with the appointment of election commissioners has removed the chief justice of India (CJI) from the CEC selection panel and the government ought to have waited until the apex court's hearing in the matter on Wednesday (February 19) before selecting the officer, he said. "Their decision to hastily hold t