Page 6 - Indian National Congress

Workers of oppn parties disrupt rail, road traffic to enforce 'Bihar Bandh'

Rail and road traffic were disrupted in parts of Bihar on Wednesday as workers of opposition parties hit the streets to enforce a statewide bandh called by the Mahagathbandhan to protest the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls before the assembly polls. Opposition leaders, including Congress' Rahul Gandhi, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav and several others of the INDIA bloc, will lead a march to the Election Commission's office in Patna. A large number of Opposition party leaders blocked the movement of road traffic on Patna's Mahatma Gandhi Setu by burning tyres. Independent Lok Sabha MP from Purnea, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, along with his supporters, reached Sachiwalay Halt railway station and tried to disrupt the movement of railway traffic. Yadav's supporters blocked rail and road traffic in several parts of Patna as well as in other parts of the state, including Araria, Purnea, Katihar and Muzaffarpur. Speaking to reporters in Patna, he said, "The Electio

Kharge used 'objectionable' words against Prez Murmu, Kovind, alleges BJP

The BJP on Tuesday accused Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge of insulting President Droupadi Murmu and her predecessor Ram Nath Kovind by using certain "objectionable" words against them, and demanded a public apology from him and his party. This came a day after Kharge, while speaking at an event in Chhattisgarh, reportedly mispronounced the names of President Murmu and her predecessor Kovind but quickly corrected himself. Addressing a public rally in Raipur on Monday, the Congress president also said that "The BJP always speaks about making (Droupadi) Murmu ji and (Ram Nath) Kovind ji presidents of the country but did the party do all this to snatch our assets, forests, water and land". At a press conference here, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia charged that Kharge used "objectionable words for President Droupadi Murmu ji and former President Ram Nath Kovind ji. This shows the "anti-Dalit, anti-Adivasi and anti-Constitution" mindset of the Congress in its DNA, he ...

Karnataka transporters strike over late dues; Anna Bhagya food supply hit

Transporters halt foodgrain movement across Karnataka over unpaid dues spanning six months; halting delivery of govt food scheme

Opportunist govt destroyed law and order in Bihar: Kharge takes dig at NDA

Taking to X, Kharge highlighted the rising crime in the state, noting yesterday's Purnia witchcraft murder case and the murders of businessmen in the state

All-party meetings just formality, no outcome from talks: Jairam Ramesh

Jairam Ramesh said Congress has consistently been asking for a discussion on the strategic challenges, economic challenges, diplomatic challenges being posed by China

Farmers sinking deeper into debt: Rahul Gandhi criticises Modi govt

In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi cited a media report that claimed 767 farmers in Maharashtra have taken their own lives in just three months

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah says he will be in office for 5 years

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday asserted that he will be in office for a full five-year term. "Yes, I will be. Why do you have the doubt?" the veteran leader said in response to a question by reporters whether he will be the CM for five years. There has been speculation within political circles, especially within the ruling Congress, for some time now about the Chief Minister change later this year, citing power-sharing agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar. However, Shivakumar on Tuesday said there is no discussion on leadership change and stressed on strengthening the hands of CM Siddaramaiah and the party's government in the state. On claims by the BJP and JD(S) leaders that the CM will be replaced, he shot back, "Are they our high command?" "R Ashoka (Leader of Opposition in the Assembly) is a BJP man. B Y Vijayendra (state BJP President) is a BJP man. Chalavadi Narayanaswamy (Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Counci

Cong leader's reference to Sikkim as neighbouring country draws criticism

Congress leader Ajoy Kumar's reference to Sikkim as a "neighbouring country" has drawn widespread criticism from various sections of the society, including political parties, in the Himalayan state. Kumar, during a press conference on Tuesday, had referred to the state as a neighbouring country in the same frame alongside Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. However, with the issue snowballing into a controversy, the senior Congress leader on Tuesday apologised, stating it was a "slip of the tongue". "Yesterday, in my press conference on 'SAIL 400 crore scam', when I was speaking on the deteriorating relations with our neighbouring countries, I accidentally took the name of a state for which I sincerely apologise as it was just a slip of the tongue... BJP looks for small mistakes of the opposition leaders," he added. Sikkim's lone Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba said Kumar's remark was "irresponsible and insulting", and a "grave affront to the people of the state, who have always stood w

Cong slams Modi govt over rise in per capita debt of individual borrowers

The Congress on Wednesday slammed the Centre over the rise in the per capita debt of individual borrowers and said the government is constantly trying to hide the real shortcomings by taking the help of statistics and experts, but the debt burden on the country is at its peak in "Modi Raj". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared screenshots of media reports to attack the government. One media report stated that the average debt of every person in the country has increased by Rs 90,000 in the last two years and the per capita debt of individual borrowers increased to Rs 4.8 lakh in March 2025 from Rs 3.9 lakh in March 2023. The other report shared by Ramesh said 25.7 per cent of the common man's disposable income is going towards paying EMIs of loans which are non-productive for him in the future. "Debt of 'Achhe Din'! The Modi government has ruined the country's economy in the last eleven years. No effort was made to improve the lives of the people

Banks not supporting Centre's loan schemes for entrepreneurs: Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday claimed that banks were not cooperating with the Central government's schemes aimed at supporting entrepreneurs, particularly those offering loans without guarantees or collateral. Speaking at the inauguration of the Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association's (KASSIA) Centre of Excellence and Innovation in Bengaluru, Shivakumar underlined the importance of giving the younger generation opportunities to grow. "KASSIA will succeed only if it exerts more pressure on the government than the large industries," he remarked. He criticised the banks for failing to support the Centre's annoucements. "The Central government makes grand announcements like providing loans without guarantees or collateral, but banks do not comply. They prefer lending to those with a proven track record and are hesitant to support emerging entrepreneurs," the Deputy CM said. He urged KASSIA office-bearers to actively work towards empowering the next

Investment depression result of Modi govt's policies of suppression: Cong

The Congress on Saturday said the country's economic and investment growth is sluggish due to the Narendra Modi government's "policies of suppression and oppression". In a post on X, Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh said India's economic growth "stubbornly refuses" to accelerate at the desired and perfectly feasible rate. The most important reason for this failure, he said, is that private corporate investment continues to remain sluggish in spite of the generous tax cuts in September 2019 and the PLI (production-linked incentive) cash handouts. Ramesh said the Modi Government's own survey indicates that private sector capital expenditure may well be 25 per cent lower in 2025-26 as compared to the previous year. "Informed analysts have opined that while banks are willing to lend, companies are unwilling to borrow since the investment environment is not seen to be conducive to expansion. "Growing demand creates a climate for investment. There are undoubtedl

Trump used trade deal as instrument for India-Pak ceasefire: Jairam Ramesh

With US President Donald Trump announcing that a "very big" trade deal is on the cards with India, the Congress on Friday took a swipe at the government and said it seems that India gets to know decisions of great importance to it from the White House. The opposition party's swipe at the government came after President Donald Trump said a "very big" trade deal is on the cards with India, hinting at significant progress in the negotiation process of a long-awaited bilateral trade agreement between the two countries. "We are having some great deals. We have one coming up, maybe with India. Very big one. Where we're going to open up India," said Trump while speaking at the 'Big Beautiful Bill' event at the White House. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said that "after repeating 16 times" that he used a trade deal as an instrument to bring about a ceasefire between India & Pakistan, Trump has now announced that the India-US trade agreement is going to .

Cong slams RSS over calls for reviewing 'socialist', 'secular' in Preamble

Slamming the RSS for calling for reviewing the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the Preamble of the Constitution, the Congress on Friday alleged that the RSS has "never accepted" Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution and that their demand was part of the conspiracy to destroy it. The RSS on Thursday called for reviewing the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the Preamble of the Constitution, saying they were included during the Emergency and were never part of the Constitution drafted by B R Ambedkar. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the RSS has "never accepted" the Constitution of India. "It attacked Dr Ambedkar, Nehru, and others involved in its framing from November 30, 1949 onwards. In RSS' own words, the Constitution was not inspired by Manusmriti," he said in a post on X. "The RSS and the BJP have repeatedly given the call for a new Constitution. "This was Mr (Narendra) Modi's campaign cry during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The people o

Rahul Gandhi claims Fadnavis seat voter list grew by 8% in just 5 months

In a post on X, Gandhi shared a news article, demanding the immediate release of machine-readable digital voter rolls and CCTV footage

Cong slams BJP, says Modi govt left no stones unturned in ruining economy

The Congress on Tuesday attacked the Centre over interest rates on savings accounts reportedly reaching the lowest level in 25 years, alleging that the Modi government has in the last 11 years left no stone unturned in "ruining" the country's rapidly growing economy. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared a media report on X which claimed that the 1% cut in repo rate by the RBI has forced banks to reduce their deposit rates, pushing savings account interest rates to a 25-year low. "In the last 11 years, the Modi government has left no stone unturned in ruining the country's rapidly growing economy. Starting with demonetization, new experiments are being conducted on the people of the country every year, they are being tortured in new ways everyday," Ramesh said in a post on X in Hindi. The interest rates on savings accounts have reached the lowest level in 25 years, which is directly hitting the pockets of the elderly and the common citizens, he ...

Govt using tech to deny social welfare to vulnerable sections: Congress

The Congress on Monday attacked the Modi government over the Women and Child Development Ministry ordering face recognition authentication to be made mandatory for anganwadi beneficiaries, alleging that it is systematically using technology to exclude the most vulnerable sections of society from social welfare entitlements. The opposition party also said Digital India must enable, not disempower, and it must not remain a "Preach Inclusion Practice Exclusion (PIPE) dream". The ministry has directed all states and Union territories to implement a mandatory face recognition system for take-home ration distribution and child attendance monitoring at anganwadi centres. According to a letter issued by the ministry last month, the face recognition feature will now be accessible within the beneficiary profiles on the Poshan tracker application. Beneficiaries will also have the option to self-register using the citizen module of the tracker for e-KYC and photo capture. Reacting to the ...

PM Modi has mastered 'art of slogans', not solutions: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mastered the "art of slogans" but offers no solutions, and claimed that India's manufacturing was at a record low despite the 'Make in India' initiative. "'Make in India' promised a factory boom. So why is manufacturing at record lows, youth unemployment at record highs, and why have imports from China more than doubled? "Modi ji has mastered the art of slogans, not solutions. Since 2014, manufacturing has fallen to 14 per cent of our economy," he said in a post on X. Gandhi, the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, said Modi has "no new ideas" and has "surrendered". "Even the much-hyped PLI scheme is now being quietly rolled back," he alleged. Gandhi said India needs a fundamental shift, one that empowers lakhs of producers through honest reforms and financial support. "We must stop being a market for others. If we don't build here, we'll keep buying from those who do. The clock is ticking," he said. G

Sonia slams govt's silence on Gaza, Iran, calls it 'surrender of values'

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday strongly criticised India's silence on Israel's devastation in Gaza and Iran as "not just a loss of its voice, but also a surrender of values". In an article - "It is still not too late for India's voice to be heard", she accused the Narendra Modi government of abandoning India's long-standing and principled commitment to a peaceful two-nation solution envisioning an independent Palestine along with Israel. Gandhi, in the article, was also critical of US President Donald Trump for following a "destructive path" in West Asia, after having spoken against America's endless wars. "New Delhi's silence on the devastation in Gaza and now on the unprovoked escalation against Iran reflects a disturbing departure from our moral and diplomatic traditions. This represents not just a loss of voice but also a surrender of values," the Congress leader said in her article in 'The Hindu'. "It is still not too late. India must speak .

Congress favours Hindi, but English opens new avenues: Ashok Gehlot

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said Congress is in favour of Hindi but English opens new avenues in the world for everyone. Gehlot's comments came a day after Home Minister Amit Shah's reported remarks on English. "Congress Party, Rahul Gandhi and all of us are also in favour of Hindi but English is an international language which opens new avenues in the world for everyone," Gehlot said in a post on X. "Home Minister Shah and many people of BJP-RSS are against English although the people of the country know that the children of most of the Union ministers are studying abroad and they confuse the people here," the Congress leader said. During childhood, we also used to oppose English but it has become the need of the hour, so we also changed our 'approach', he said. Today, in the era of computers, internet, Artificial Intelligence, the young generation can be completely successful in life through English, Gehlot said. The previous Congress government in ..

PM Modi targets RJD, Congress at rally in Bihar, credits NDA for progress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) at a public rally in Siwan, accusing them of pushing Bihar into poverty and lawlessness during their rule. Addressing the public meeting, the PM said the people of Bihar have ended the jungle raj created by the Congress-RJD combine. Modi also slammed the RJD for allegedly insulting Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar and said the people of the state would not tolerate the insult to the Dalit icon. The RJD and the Congress are responsible for the large-scale migration of labourers from Bihar and for the persistent poverty that plagued the state for decades, Modi alleged. He claimed that the RJD-Congress governance model was focused on "enriching their own families while ignoring the needs of the people". During the Congress's licence raj, their leaders became rich, but the public remained poor, he added. The RJD insulted Babasaheb and the people of Bihar will never forgive