Page 18 - Jairam Ramesh

Congress' Jairam Ramesh accuses govt of importing 5.6 mn tonnes cheap steel

India is currently the world's second-biggest crude steel producer

'Aaya Kumar, gaya Kumar'?: Congress slams Nitish, says people will reply

The Congress on Monday took a swipe at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with another chameleon barb and 'aaya Kumar, gaya Kumar' jibe at him, a day after the JD(U) leader's latest volte-face in Bihar. Kumar on Sunday resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar, saying "things were not working well" for him in the Mahagathbandhan or the grand alliance and the opposition bloc INDIA, and formed a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago. In a post in Hindi on 'X', Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Girgit ko bhi karni padi naye rang ki khoj, ye shoorveer badalte hain itne rang roz (Even the chameleon had to search for a new colour as these 'warriors' change so many colours everyday)." Speaking with reporters in Uttar Dinajpur in West Bengal during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Ramesh said, "What can I say? I said yesterday 'aaya Kumar, gaya Kumar'. Nitish Kumar gives a tough competition to a chameleon." Ramesh swipe was a word play on the ...

Our workers not happy with clash with TMC at ground level: Jairam Ramesh

In the states, we can fight, like in Kerala, where we fight with the leftists. We keep fighting with each other, but if we do not fight at the national level, we will have to find some similar formula

Modi govt doing politics of symbolism with Dalits, backwards, tribals: Cong

The Congress on Sunday alleged that there is a "conspiracy" to end reservation given to SCs, STs and OBCs for posts in higher education institutions, and claimed that the Modi government is only doing "politics of symbolism" with regard to Dalits, backward classes and tribals. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared a media report on X which said that the University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued draft guidelines for de-reserving vacancies meant for the scheduled castes (SC), the scheduled tribes (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) candidates for posts in higher education institutes (HEIs) and open them up for the general category if enough reserved candidates are not available. Ramesh demanded that such a proposal should be withdrawn immediately. In his post in Hindi, Ramesh said, "A few years ago, RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) chief Mohan Bhagwat had talked about reviewing reservations. Now, there is a conspiracy to end the reservation given to SCs, STs and OBCs

Expected Nitish Kumar would fight BJP at very end: Cong's Jairam Ramesh

His reaction came just moments before Nitish Kumar announced his exit from the Mahagathbandhan creating a path for him to a possible return to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)

Nyay Yatra being denied permission for rallies in West Bengal: Congress

West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Friday said his party was facing problems in getting permission for organising some public meetings as part of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in West Bengal. Speaking to reporters in Siliguri, Chowdhury said the party wanted to organise public meetings in certain places, but due to school examinations, the permission was not granted. "In some places, we are facing roadblocks as we are not getting permission to organise public meetings, citing exams. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra has faced problems in the Northeast, including Assam, and now it is facing problems in TMC-ruled West Bengal as well," he said. Speaking on the issue on Thursday night, Chowdhury had said that they thought they would get "relaxations" in some places in West Bengal for the public meetings but the administration "is saying that they can't give it". The Rahul Gandhi-led Yatra, which began in Manipur on January 14, entered West Bengal from Assam on Thursday, and

Hopeful of finding solution to seat-sharing impasse with TMC: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh Thursday said the party is hopeful of finding a solution to the seat-sharing impasse with the TMC, a day after its supremo Mamata Banerjee made a surprise announcement of going solo in the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal. Ramesh, while speaking to reporters at the Bagdogra airport here, maintained that the Congress cannot think of an INDIA bloc without Banerjee, as she is indispensable in the fight against the BJP in the country. "We all want Mamata Banerjee to be a part of the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' as our motto is common... If we want to defeat the BJP in Bengal and India, she is very much needed. Our leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have immense respect for Mamata ji," he said. "I don't want to make any running commentary on seat-sharing, but we want this impasse to end and we will find a solution," he added.

National Voters' Day: Cong hits out at EC for refusing to meet INDIA bloc

The Congress on Thursday criticised the Election Commission on the National Voters' Day for refusing to meet INDIA bloc leaders on its demand for greater use of VVPATs in polls, terming it as an "injustice" that strikes at the very foundations of democracy. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also said that the National Voters' Day reaffirms the power of the people to determine their own destiny by exercising the freedom to elect their own representatives. In a post on X, AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said every year January 25 is celebrated as the National Voters' Day by the Election Commission of India. But sadly, this independent institution has been simply refusing to meet a delegation of leaders belonging to the INDIA bloc who only want to put across their point of view on the greater use of VVPATs when voters cast their vote, he said. "VVPAT is nothing but Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail. This persistent refusal of the ECI is an ANYAY that strikes at the very ...

Bharat Ratna award to Karpoori reflects Modi govt's desperation: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday welcomed the decision to confer Bharat Ratna to former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur and said it reflects the Narendra Modi government's desperation and hypocrisy. Thakur was a champion of social justice and conducting a nationwide caste census would be an appropriate tribute to him, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said. "Even though it reflects the Modi Govt's desperation and hypocrisy, the Indian National Congress welcomes the posthumously awarded Bharat Ratna to the champion of social justice Jannayak Karpoori Thakurji," Ramesh said in a post on X. "'Bhagidari Nyay' is one of the five pillars of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. It will need a nation-wide caste census as a starting point. "Rahul Gandhi has been consistently advocating this but the Modi Government has all along refused to release the results of the Socio Economic Caste Census 2011 and also refused to commit itself to conduct an updated nation-wide caste census which will be the

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We have broken barricades, but will not break the law: Rahul Gandhi

The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra was stopped from entering the city on Tuesday, triggering protests from Congress workers who broke barricades and raised slogans. Gandhi later addressed party supporters on the outskirts of the city, and said, "We have broken barricades, but will not break the law". The police, which had set up barricades at two places to prevent the Yatra from entering the city limits, had to use force to stop the Congress workers. Gandhi was earlier accorded a boisterous welcome as he tried to enter Guwahati and addressed some varsity students on the way. Addressing supporters, he said while BJP president J P Nadda took the same route, they were not allowed to travel on it. "You should not think we are weak. We have broken the barricades," he told his workers and supporters, calling them "babbar sher" (lion). "They have cancelled my programme at the university. My programme was cancelled, but the students heard me outside," he said. "Congress workers

Rahul Gandhi to visit Sri Sankardev's birthplace on Jan 22: Jairam Ramesh

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will be visiting Bordowa Satra in Assam's Nagaon district, the birthplace of Sri Sankardev on Pran Pratishtha day, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Saturday

Cong, not Rajiv responsible for unlocking of Babri Masjid gates: Aiyar

Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has said the party and not former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was responsible for unlocking of Babri Masjid gates and asserted that the "BJP-planted" Arun Nehru was behind it. Aiyar also said his guess is that had Gandhi been alive and been the prime minister instead of P V Narasimha Rao, Babri Masjid would still be standing, the BJP would have been given an appropriate riposte and he would have found a solution similar to the one that the Supreme Court arrived at years later. He hailed the Congress top brass' decision to decline the invitation for the January 22 Ram temple consecration ceremony. Aiyar was speaking on Friday at the launch of his book "The Rajiv I Knew And Why He Was India's Most Misunderstood Prime Minister", published by Juggernaut. "He (Gandhi) was saying keep the masjid and build the temple. The Supreme Court said make the temple and make the masjid somewhere else. In a sense, the judgement is the same as the conclusion

We broke no rules, says Jairam Ramesh on FIR against Bharat Jodo Yatra

Ramesh claimed that the state government led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was making deliberate attempts to stop people from joining the Yatra

People are asking us why PM Modi has not visited Manipur: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who is with Rahul Gandhi in Manipur for 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' said that people are asking us why PM Modi has not visited Manipur

Tiger zinda hai: Jairam Ramesh rejects BJP's claims of 2024 being done deal

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has rejected the BJP's claims that the 2024 poll results are a foregone conclusion, saying "Tiger zinda hai" and that the opposition bloc will repeat the history of 2004 when the saffron party was unseated from power despite its 'shining India' campaign. In an interview with PTI, Ramesh asserted that only a strong Congress can ensure a strong opposition and the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' is an effort to strengthen the grand old party. On how the poll preparations will be handled by the party while also managing its east to west yatra, Ramesh said a party organisation is in place and Rahul Gandhi would be part of the campaign despite his preoccupation with the yatra. "The yatra will end by the time polls start. I expect the elections to start somewhere, maybe in first week of April by which time the yatra would have been over. Meetings can always be held on Zoom. I don't see it as a problem," he said, dismissing concerns that poll preparations may b

Timing of announcement determined by PM Modi: Cong on Deora's resignation

With its senior leader Milind Deora resigning just before the start of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the Congress on Sunday alleged that the timing of the announcement of his departure from the party was determined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh told PTI that Deora had spoken with him over phone this Friday and requested that he wanted to speak with Rahul Gandhi over his concerns over the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) laying claim to the South Mumbai Lok Sabha seat. Both Milind Deora and his father Murli Deora had served as MPs from Mumbai South. He messaged me on Friday at 8:52 AM and then at 2:47 PM I replied, Are you planning a switch?'. At 2:48 he sent a message, is speaking to you not possible?' I said I will call you and at 3:40, I spoke to him, Ramesh said. He (Deora) said he is concerned that it is a sitting Shiv Sena seat, he wanted to meet Rahul Gandhi and explain to him about the seat and also wanted me to talk to Mr. Gandhi

Cong slams Modi govt over issue of unemployment, says job famine worsened

The Congress on Thursday alleged that the country's "jobs famine" has worsened in the last ten years of Modi government, and accused the prime minister of miserably failing to fulfil his promise of creating two crore jobs every year. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said India's youth deserve growth that delivers them good quality jobs not joblessness and 'pakora' shops. According to data from Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, unemployment for youth aged 25-29 was the highest in almost four years, at 15.5 percent in December 2023, he said. "This means that unemployment now is worse than it was during the COVID-19 pandemic," he alleged. For youth aged 20-24, he said the unemployment rate hit a peak of 45.5 percent. Even for those between ages 30 and 34, the unemployment rate is at a three-year high, he claimed. "The crisis is especially bad in rural areas, and more and more families are turning to MGNREGA as there are no other jobs available," he said. "It is absolute

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EC dismisses Jairam Ramesh's concerns on VVPATs, asserts full faith in EVMs

Dismissing Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's concerns on the VVPATs, the Election Commission on Friday said that it raised "no new assertions or reasonable and legitimate doubts which require further clarifications", adding the rules governing paper slips were introduced by the grand old party-led government in 2013. In a communication to Ramesh, the poll body also expressed "full faith in the use of the EVMs in the elections" and made it clear that the latest updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) answer "adequately and comprehensively" all reasonable and legitimate aspects on the use of the EVMs in the Indian elections. "Rule 49A and 49M of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, governing VVPAT and handling of paper slips was introduced by INC (Indian National Congress) on 14th August, 2013," said the letter signed by Pramod Kumar Sharma, Principal Secretary in the Election Commission. Ramesh had written to the Election Commission on December 30 last year, requesting that a ...