Page 8 - Indian National Congress

Sonia Gandhi responding well to treatment; diet being monitored: Hospital

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi who was hospitalised owing to a stomach-related issue is responding well to treatment but her discharge date has not yet been decided, the hospital said on Tuesday. The 78-year-old Congress leader was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on Sunday evening. In a statement, chairman of the hospital Ajay Swaroop, said, "She is stable and responding well to treatment. She is recovering from a stomach infection. Her diet is being closely monitored, and she remains under observation. As a precautionary measure, her discharge date has not yet been decided." "Our team of doctors, Dr S Nundy and Dr Amitabh Yadav, is closely monitoring her health and diet, he added On June 9, the former Congress president underwent a medical check-up at the same hospital. Two days before the check-up, she underwent some tests at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla after she complained of high blood pressure.

Open to alliance in UP but focused on rebuilding strength on ground: Cong

Congress is in the middle of a month-long organisation-building campaign across all 75 districts in Uttar Pradesh (UP) to strengthen its grassroots presence and the party is hopeful of striking a respectful and suitable alliance to take on the BJP in the 2027 assembly polls. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress-Samajwadi Party alliance delivered a strong performancethe Congress winning six of the 17 seats it contested and the SP bagging 37 seatsreducing the BJP's tally from 62 to 33 in UP, the most populous state in the country. Perhaps that is why Congress general secretary and Uttar Pradesh in-charge Avinash Pande told PTI that while the party is focused on rebuilding its grassroots presence across the state, it would, in all likelihood, look to enter into a respectable and suitable alliance under the INDIA bloc to take on the BJP in the next round of elections. For the moment however, Pande said, the party in the middle of "Sangathan Srijan" (organisation building) ...

Sonia Gandhi stable, doctors monitoring her: Sir Ganga Ram Hospital

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who is undergoing treatment for a stomach-related issue at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, is currently stable, an official statement said on Monday. The 78-year-old Congress leader was admitted to the hospital on Sunday evening. In the statement, Dr Ajay Swaroop, Chairman, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said, She was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital at 9 pm yesterday (15.06.2025, Sunday), under the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology for a stomach-related issue. She is currently stable, and the doctors are closely monitoring her health." On June 9, the former Congress president underwent a medical check-up at the same hospital. Two days before the check-up, she underwent some tests at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla after she complained of high blood pressure.

Congress slams Shah's remarks on Ahmedabad crash as 'insensitive'

The Congress on Friday termed Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks in Ahmedabad following a plane crash "insensitive", and said the least he could offer is a promise of accountability, not a "shrug and a lecture on fate". Sharing a brief clip from the home minister's remarks, Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said Shah's "nobody can stop accidents" remark was an abdication. "When a plane crashes and people die, the least a home minister can offer is a promise of accountability, not a shrug and a lecture on fate. Nobody can stop accidents' is an abdication. If nothing can be prevented, why do we have ministries at all," Khera asked in a post on X. "Aviation accidents are not acts of God - they are preventable. That's why we have aviation regulators, safety protocols, and crisis response systems," Khera said. Going by the home minister's logic, should we stop investing in safety infrastructure, regulation, or crisis preparedness altogether, Khera asked. "Just le

India suffered 3 setbacks from US: Cong blames govt's foreign policy

The Congress on Thursday claimed India has suffered three "huge diplomatic setbacks" from the US which is constantly hyphenating India and Pakistan and that the Modi government's foreign policy has "failed" as it is driven by domestic political considerations. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the US' recent statements were both a "challenge and a warning" and required serious thinking "when the PM is only interested in playing divisive politics". He also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should leave aside his "stubbornness" to call an all-party meeting and a special session of Parliament. "Yesterday, Indian foreign policy and diplomacy received three huge, undeniable setbacks. The General of the US Central Command gives a statement that Pakistan is a phenomenal partner in counter-terrorism. What is phenomenal? On May 2, 2011, Osama Bin Laden was found in Abbottabad and you are calling that country a phenomenal partner," Ramesh told PTI. So, th

Maximum boasts, minimum achievements: Cong slams Shah's 'peace' remark

The Congress on Tuesday said it was "bizarre" of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to claim that peace had been established in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast, alleging that his assertion was meant to divert attention from his own "colossal failures." The opposition party also said that never has India had a Union home minister whose tenure has been one of "maximum boasts, minimum achievements." In a post in Hindi on X, Shah had on Monday said that the 11 years of the Narendra Modi government was a "golden period" of resolve, endeavour and dedication towards public service. "Naxalism is on its last legs, peace has been established in Jammu-Kashmir and the Northeast, India now responds to terrorist attacks by entering the homes of terrorists. This shows the changing picture of India under the Modi government," he said. Responding to the remarks, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh on X said Shah's claim was "bizarre" since Manipur continues to burn and

Cong questions PM Modi for not holding 'undoctored' press conferences

The Congress on Monday stepped up its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not holding an "undoctored" press conference and asked why is he still "running away" or whether it is taking time to prepare the questions and answers and find suitable persons to query him in a "servile manner". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said on Sunday the party had challenged the PM to have his first-ever "unscripted, undoctored" press conference on the completion of his 11 years in office. "Today, the BJP President J. P. Nadda has been fielded to meet the press at 12 noon to highlight the 11 year millstone (not milestone)," he said. "Why is the Prime Minister still running away? Or is it taking time to prepare the questions and answers and find suitable persons to 'query' him in a servile manner? Or is Bharat Mandapam not fully ready?" Ramesh said on X. There was no immediate response from the BJP or the government on the Congress' attack. The Congress on Su

Congress leaders are doing politics on Op Sindoor: Minister Anupriya Patel

Union Minister Anupriya Patel added that when India's parliamentary delegation visited foreign countries recently, they received widespread support for India's stand against terrorism

Rahul Gandhi dismissing mandate of people as they rejected him: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, instead of introspecting on the defeat in the 2024 state assembly polls, has been repudiating the mandate given by the people because they rejected him. The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha is preparing his excuses for future defeats in the upcoming assembly elections, including Bihar, Fadnavis said in his articles published in the Indian Express and Marathi daily Loksatta. On Saturday, Gandhi, in an article published in several newspapers and in posts on X, claimed the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections were a "blueprint for rigging democracy" and alleged this "match-fixing" would next happen in Bihar. In a post on X, Gandhi outlined the alleged electoral irregularities in a stepwise manner fake voters are added, voter turnout is inflated, bogus voting is facilitated, and evidence is subsequently hidden. The Election Commission rejected the charge, saying defaming the poll panel after an .

Rahul upset over electoral losses: Maharashtra BJP chief on rigging claims

Election Commission described Rahul Gandhi's allegations relating to Maharashtra polls as an "affront to the rule of law"

'PM must wake up from his sleep': Cong on 'rising' economic inequalities

The Congress on Friday slammed the government over the alleged rise in the gap between the rich and the poor and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must "wake up from his sleep" otherwise the country would face terrible consequences. Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, shared a media report on X, which claimed that the number of super-rich is increasing rapidly. Citing the World Wealth Report 2025, the report said that 33,000 high net worth individuals -- HNIs -- were added in the country in 2024. "Due to the capitalist policies of the Modi government, the gap between the rich and the poor is constantly increasing. The rich are becoming richer and the poor are becoming poorer," Ramesh said in a post in Hindi on X. Due to rising unemployment and inflation in the country, 80 crore people have to be given government ration, while the number of 'super rich' has increased to 3.78 lakh, he said. "The common people of the country are forced to survive by

Infirmities to caste-tech: How Census questions have changed since 1872

The evolution of India's Census questions over 150 years reflects the state's shifting priorities, from caste and infirmities to migration, fertility and tech-driven caste data

PM, EAM 'quiet' on Indian students being affected by Trump's actions: Cong

Expressing concern over the US' decisions affecting foreign students, the Congress on Wednesday said China has reacted strongly regarding their students but Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar have remained "totally quiet" on how Indian students are being affected by the move. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh pointed out that according to the Ministry of External Affairs, approximately 3,37,630 Indian students went to the USA for higher studies in 2024 and about a third of the foreign students on American campuses are from India. This means that some three-and-a-half lakh Indian families invested their hard-earned savings or borrowed for the education of their children in the US, he said. "These students, plus those who went in earlier years, face an uncertain future. Large numbers of students planning to go in 2025 may never get to see their aspirations fulfilled," Ramesh said on X. "President Trump has made his

Pension remarks meant to show govt's delay in payment, arrears: Venugopal

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal on Wednesday clarified that his remarks about welfare pension disbursement by the Kerala government were aimed at showing how much delayed it was and that arrears were partially cleared usually close to elections. Venugopal, the MP from Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency, said his remarks were "deliberately misinterpreted" by the CPI(M) to "mislead" the people. "I did not say anything against the beneficiaries who deserve to get the pension on time. I only intended to point out the state government's priority with regard to its payment. "Last year, two out of seven months arrears were paid just before the Lok Sabha polls. This year, one month's arrears is being paid just before the by-poll," he told reporters. He alleged that while the government has enough funds to take care of "PR work" for itself and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, it is unable to pay pension arrears on time or increase the honorarium of Accredited Social Health Activist .

Himachal CM lays foundation stone for zoo, announces Rs 100 cr for Kangra

While addressing the public gathering, CM Sukhu also criticised the previous BJP-led government and accused the Centre of ignoring the state's needs

Rahul Gandhi launches 'Sangthan Srijan Abhiyan' in Madhya Pradesh

Criticizes BJP on caste census, stresses grassroots party strengthening

Rahul Gandhi visits MP, holds meeting with senior Congress leaders

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi arrived here on Tuesday to take part in a campaign being started with the aim of strengthening the party at the grassroots level and infusing new enthusiasm among workers for the 2028 Madhya Pradesh polls. Before the campaign launch, Gandhi addressed a meeting of the Congress' political affairs committee and discussed key issues with the senior party leaders. Earlier, MP Congress president Jitu Patwari and former chief minister Kamal Nath accorded a warm welcome to Gandhi, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, as he arrived at the airport here. Gandhi later chaired a meeting at the state Congress office in Bhopal where general secretary in-charge Harish Choudhary, AICC organisation in-charge K C Venugopal, Patwari, Nath, former CM Digvijaya Singh, Leader of Opposition in the MP assembly Umang Singhar and other party leaders were present. The state Congress unit later in a statement said, "Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi addressed the meeting of the .

Gaurav Gogoi takes charge as Assam Congress chief ahead of elections

Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday assumed charge as the Assam Congress president and he is all set to lead the party in next year's assembly polls. He was handed over the reins by outgoing president Bhupen Kumar Borah, who had helmed the state's main opposition party for over three years, at the state Congress headquarters here. Senior party leaders, including AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh and Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Debabrata Saikia were present on the occasion. Gogoi visited Kamakhya temple before taking charge as the Congress's state unit chief. Speaking to reporters after assuming charge, Gogoi said the party will continue to be inspired by its ideology of equality and inclusiveness. "Inspired by the ideology of leaders from Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru to Hitestwar Saikia and Tarun Gogoi, we will together take the party forward," he said. Gogoi was named the new state unit chief by the party's central leadership last week at a time when

Is it so difficult to be patriotic, asks Khurshid amid Op Sindoor outreach

Salman Khurshid's comments came shortly after he publicly praised the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir

Terrorists are roaming, so are our MPs: Jairam Ramesh stirs up controversy

Jairam Ramesh reignited row over Operation Sindoor, saying govt was silent on Pahalgam attackers while MPs 'roam' abroad