Page 22 - Indian National Congress

Congress accuses Centre of 'hidden agenda' over memorial for Manmohan Singh

The Congress on Sunday alleged that union government could not identify a designated space for performing the last rites of former PM Manmohan Singh, where a memorial could be built later, as it intervened in the matter with a "hidden agenda". It has long been the practice to set up a memorial at the same place where the last rites are performed. However, the BJP-led Union government mishandled the issue and worsened the situation, the party alleged. Speaking to reporters here, AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal said that not only the Congress party but also the Shiromani Akali Dal had harshly criticised the Union government on the matter. "A designated space was not found for Manmohan Singh's last rites and memorial because the central government intervened in the matter with a specific hidden agenda," he alleged. The Congress leader also wanted a discussion on the "brutal approach" and lapses on the part of the Centre. "It should be explained why the government is showing such

Sad to see Cong doing politics over Manmohan Singh's cremation: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday accused the Congress of attempting to stir a controversy over the cremation of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, despite the Centre announcing a fitting memorial to honour his legacy. Sarma said it was not the first time that the Congress has "shown such disregard be it towards the legacy of Narasimha Rao or Pranab Mukherjee, the party has, unfortunately, treated its own with indifference. The CM's remarks 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 had said the BJP-led Centre had "totally insulted" Singh by performing his last rites at Nigambodh Ghat. The BJP maintained that the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had allocated space for Singh's memorial and also informed his family about it,

Cong politicising Manmohan's final journey height of hypocrisy: Vaishnaw

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday claimed that the Congress' hypocrisy stood exposed as the party sought to "politicise" former prime minister Manmohan Singh's last journey. In a series of posts on X, Vaishnaw accused the Congress of repeatedly sidelining Singh during his tenure as the prime minister. "Congress's hypocrisy stands exposed as they politicise Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji's last journey. Congress repeatedly sidelined him during his tenure as PM," the I&B minister said. His remark came as Congress leaders accused the BJP-led NDA government of insulting Singh by performing his last rites at Nigambodh Ghat instead of a designated spot that could be turned into his memorial. "Congress denied a proper memorial to former PM PV Narasimha Rao Ji, the architect of economic reforms. He was denied the last journey through AICC headquarters," Vaishnaw said. He said that the Congress failed to honour former president Pranab Mukherjee after his death and even downplayed the ...

Manmohan Singh: Portrait of a technocrat as a practitioner of politics

Manmohan Singh, a pioneering economic administrator and India's fourth-longest-serving PM, leaves behind a legacy of economic reforms, policy pragmatism, and unwavering dedication to public service

Centre to allocate space for ex-PM Manmohan Singh's memorial: MHA

The government will allocate space for a memorial of former prime minister Manmohan Singh and this has been communicated to his family and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, the Union home ministry said on Friday night. In a late-night release titled "Facts of the matter regarding memorial for Former Prime Minister Late Dr Manmohan Singh", the ministry said the government received a request to allocate space for a memorial for Singh from the Congress chief. Immediately after the Cabinet meeting, Union Home Minister Amit Shah communicated to Kharge and the family of Manmohan Singh that the government would allocate space for the memorial. In the meanwhile, cremation and other formalities can happen because a Trust has to be formed and space has to be allocated to it, the home ministry said. Singh, who headed the Congress-led UPA government and is credited with economic reforms, passed away on Thursday at the age of 92. He was India's prime minister for 10 years between 2004 and

Kharge asks for memorial to be built at site of Manmohan Singh's funeral

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to conduct the last rites of former PM Manmohan Singh at a place where a memorial can be built. He wrote the letter after speaking to Modi about setting up a memorial for Singh, who was a two-term prime minister revered by the people of the country. "Apropos our telephonic conversation today morning, wherein I made a request to hold Dr Manmohan Singh's last rites, which will take place tomorrow i.e. 28th December 2024, at his final resting place that would be a sacrosanct venue for memorial of the great son of India. "This is in keeping with such tradition of having memorials of statesmen and former Prime Ministers at the very place of their funerals," Kharge said in his two-page letter. The Congress chief said Dr Manmohan Singh holds a highly revered place in the psyche of the country and the people of this nation, and his contributions and achievements were phenomenal. He also said

He was my friend, philosopher, and guide: Sonia Gandhi on Dr Manmohan Singh

"In Dr Manmohan Singh's passing, we have lost a leader who was the epitome of wisdom, nobility, humility," Sonia Gandhi remembers Dr Manmohan Singh

'As PM, can't let any Indian go without food', recalls Dr Singh's agri secy

As the nation mourns the loss of one of its most respected statesmen Manmohan Singh, his former food and agriculture secretary T Nanda Kumar on Friday shared his memories of working with the former prime minister during some of India's most challenging times. Manmohan Singh, whose leadership was defined by compassion and intellect, passed away in New Delhi on Thursday night at the age of 92. Recalling his first one-on-one meeting with Singh in 2006, Nanda Kumar said India was facing a shortage of what at that time and it was decided to import it, sparking criticism from several quarters. Nanda Kumar said he went to the prime minister to talk over the issue. "He heard me patiently and explained, like the professor he was, the need to augment supplies when demand outstripped availability. He told me, 'as prime minister, I cannot let any Indian go without food'. That summed up the basis of his decisions," Nanda Kumar recounted to PTI. "This ethos guided Singh's leadership during cris

One-third of Lok Sabha MPs elected with 30% or fewer votes in 2024: ECI

Party wise, BJP received a total of 23.59 crore votes, Congress secured a total of 13.67 crore votes, and Samajwadi Party received 2.95 crore votes in the 2024 General Election

Lost a mentor and guide: Rahul Gandhi on ex-PM Manmohan Singh's demise

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said he has lost his mentor and guide in former prime minister Manmohan Singh. "Manmohan Singh Ji led India with immense wisdom and integrity. His humility and deep understanding of economics inspired the nation. My heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Kaur and the family," Gandhi said in a post on X. "I have lost a mentor and guide. Millions of us who admired him will remember him with the utmost pride," the former Congres chief said. Singh, the architect of India's economic reforms, died here on Thursday night. He was 92. His death was announced by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, where he was admitted in the Emergency ward around 8.30 PM in a critical condition. An AIIMS bulletin said "he was treated for age related medical conditions and had sudden loss of consciousness at home" on December 26.

Former PM Manmohan Singh passes away: Tributes pour in from all quarters

The former prime minister passed away after a brief hospitalisation on December 26 at Aiims Delhi

Former PM Manmohan Singh, architect of modern India's economy, passes away

Dr Singh, 92, was admitted to Aiims Delhi's emergency ward late Thursday and had been battling health issues for a while

CWC meeting: Cong to rededicate itself to protect Mahatma Gandhi's legacy

Ahead of its extended CWC meeting here, the Congress on Thursday said it will rededicate itself to protect, preserve, and promote Mahatma Gandhi's legacy which is under "systematic assault by the ideological brotherhood that fought him bitterly". In a bid to get battle-ready for challenges ahead, the Congress will decide on an action plan for the next year at its CWC meeting named 'Nav Satyagraha Baithak' being held in Karnataka's Belagavi to mark the 100th anniversary of the Belgaum session presided over by Mahatma Gandhi. The opposition party has asserted that the "insult" to B R Ambedkar by Home Minister Amit Shah will be taken up for deliberation at Belagavi and that there will be a "strong follow-up" on the issue. In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Mahatma Gandhi took over as President of @INCIndia on Dec 26th, 1924 - 100 years ago at what was then called Belgaum, now Belgavi. It was a historic session." "Today the Extended

NDA leaders meet at BJP chief's residence to discuss political strategy

Leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) met here at BJP president J P Nadda's residence on Wednesday on the birth centenary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, JD-U leader and Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Apna Dal (S) president and Union minister Anupriya Patel, as well as JD (S) leader and Union minister H D Kumaraswamy, were present at the meeting. Bihar's Hindustani Awam Morcha (S) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi, also a minister in the Modi government, Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) president Upendra Kushwaha, a Rajya Sabha MP, and Thushar Vellappally, president of Bharath Dharma Jana Sena, were also present at the meeting. Though there was no official word on the agenda of the meeting, sources said good governance and political issues were discussed. Good governance was a key theme of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. It was decided to hold

Delhi Cong issues white paper, targets BJP; says AAP alliance was mistake

Delhi Congress on Wednesday released a 12-point "white paper" targeting the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP over their alleged unkept promises and mismanagement on various issues like pollution, civic facilities and law and order. Addressing a press conference, AICC treasurer Ajay Maken lashed out at AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, saying his party came to power riding on the Janlokpal agitation but has failed to set up the anti-corruption ombudsman. "If there is one word to describe former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal here then it would be Farziwal," he said while releasing the white paper titled "Mauka Mauka, Har Baar Dhoka". "If anyone is the king of fraud in the entire country then it is Kejriwal and that is why we have come here with a white paper on the Kejriwal government and also on the BJP government at the Centre," Maken said. There was no immediate reaction from AAP and BJP. Maken questioned why the Janlokpal had not been formed even in Punjab. "If LG is not allowing

Delhi polls: Cong releases 2nd list, Farhad Suri to take on Manish Sisodia

The Congress Tuesday released its second list of 26 candidates for the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls, fielding Farhad Suri against AAP's Manish Sisodia from Jangpura while also giving tickets es-AAP MLAs Asim Khan and Devender Sehrawat. With this list, the Congress has declared a total of 47 candidates for the elections for the 70-member Delhi Assembly. While Khan has been fielded from Matia Mahal, Shrawat has been given a ticket from Bijwasan. Both the former AAP MLAs joined the Congress on Monday. Suri will take on AAP's Sisodia from Jangpura. The Congress also fielded Satish Luthra from Shakur Basti, Rajesh Lilothia from Seemapuri (SC), Haji Mohammad Ishraq Khan from Babarpur, Rajesh Chauhan from Deoli (SC), Pradeep Kumar Upmanyu from Delhi Cantt and Sumit Sharma from Laxmi Nagar. The party had released its first list of 21 candidates earlier this month, fielding ex-MP Sandeep Dikshit from New Delhi, setting up a contest between him and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. T

Video: Chandigarh Municipal Corporation meet erupts in chaos, fistfights

BJP and Congress clash over sand mining allegations, 'vote chor' slogans at municipal meeting over Dr Ambedkar's legacy and political allegations

RaGa visits Delhi market, interacts with vendors over rising food prices

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to people at a neighbourhood market in Delhi on how the price of items, like garlic, peas, etc are straining household budgets

UP CM Adityanath accuses Congress of insulting Ambedkar since Nehru days

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress as he accused the party of repeatedly disrespecting 'the architect of India's Constitution' B R Ambedkar during his lifetime and undermining his legacy after his death. Adityanath also claimed that India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru was against Ambedkar's inclusion in the Drafting Committee of the Constitution. He made the remarks in a press conference at his official residence 5 Kalidas Marg, amid ongoing controversy triggered since Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on Ambedkar in Rajya Sabha last week. Flanked by ministers Swatantra Dev Singh and Asim Arun, Adityanath highlighted the press conference's purpose as an effort to expose what he described as the unethical and unconstitutional conduct of Congress and other opposition parties against Ambedkar. "Dr B R Ambedkar played a monumental role during India's freedom movement, the drafting of the Constitution and th

Karnataka govt approves 9 industrial projects worth Rs 9,823 crore

The Karanataka government on Monday approved nine industrial projects with a total investment of Rs 9,823.31 crore, which are expected to create approximately 5,605 jobs. The projects were approved at the 64th meeting of the State High Level Clearance Committee (SHLCC), headed by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. While three of these are new investment proposals, the remaining six involve expansions or amendments to existing plans. According to an official statement, the approved new projects include DN Solutions India Private Limited's Rs 998 crore investment at the ITIR, Devanahalli, expected to create 467 jobs; Silectric Semiconductor Manufacturing Private Limited's Rs 3,425.60 crore project at Kochanahalli, Mysuru, aimed at generating 460 jobs; and Sansera Engineering Limited's Rs 2,150 crore project at Harohalli, which is estimated to create 3,500 jobs. The six expansion or amended projects with total investments worth Rs 3249. 71 crore is expected to create 1178 ...