Page 25 - Jairam Ramesh

Row over Rahul's remarks on Savarkar: Chapter closed now, says Jairam

Days after a controversy erupted over Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's remarks on freedom fighter V D Savarkar, senior party leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said that chapter is closed. During the Maharashtra leg of the Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi alleged that Savarkar had helped the British and wrote a mercy petition out of fear. He had also called Savarkar a symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Gandhi's remarks were criticised by the BJP and other political organisations. On Wednesday, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Savarkar's chapter is closed. However, I would like to reiterate that the day people from the BJP and RSS stop lying about our leaders, we will stop speaking the truth about their leaders." He was addressing a press conference during the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra in Madhya Pradesh's Burhanpur district. The foot march entered Bodarli village in Burhanpur from neighbourin

Priyanka Gandhi to join 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' as it enters MP on Wednesday

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will join the Bharat Jodo Yatra on Wednesday when it enters Madhya Pradesh, senior party leader Jairam Ramesh said. This is the first time that Priyanka Gandhi, general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, will be joining the yatra. In a tweet, Ramesh said Tuesday was a rest day for the Yatra which will resume on Wednesday when it will enter Madhya Pradesh near Burhanpur. "Priyanka Gandhi will join the Yatra there and participate for four days," the Congress general secretary in-charge communications said in his tweet in Hindi. Former Congress leader Rahul Gandhi along with other party leaders and workers, began the cross-country Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7. It has traversed through the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra so far.

Rahul's Bharat Jodo Yatra to enter Madhya Pradesh on Nov 23: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra will enter Madhya Pradesh from Maharashtra on Wednesday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted on Monday

Bharat Jodo Yatra revolutionary moment for national politics: Jairam Ramesh

Congress General Secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said the Bharat Jodo Yatra is a "revolutionary moment" for national politics as well as the party and not an event, and converting it into electoral success will take a while. Addressing a press conference on the last day of the foot march's Maharashtra leg, Ramesh claimed people were looking for an alternative and wanted to get rid of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). ''The Congress is the only ideology that presents an alternative to the BJP and the RSS. The Bharat Jodo Yatra is a revolutionary moment for national politics and the Congress and not an event,'' he said. It will take a while to convert the yatra's success into the electoral success, he added. Ramesh said the yatra will take a break on November 21 and 22 in Maharashtra and will proceed to Madhya Pradesh on November 23. The party had earlier said the yatra would proceed to MP on Sunday and take a night halt i

No difference in condition of roads in Maharashtra and Bihar: Jairam Ramesh

AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh, who is walking with Rahul Gandhi in Bharat Jodo Yatra, on Wednesday said the condition of roads in Maharashtra and Bihar is equally bad and took a dig at the Central government over the road construction. Talking to reporters in Washim, Ramesh said the condition of roads in Maharashtra is bad unlike in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He said he experienced difficulty in walking on roads in Maharashtra leg of the foot march. The Yatra continued on the 10th day of its Maharashtra leg on Wednesday in Washim district in the Vidarbha region. "There is a minister in the Modi government who holds an important portfolio and it is believed that after Sher Shah Suri, he has constructed all roads. He has an image of a master road builder. He also boasts of his work. What has happened to Marathwada and Vidarbha?'' Ramesh asked. He said Maharashtra is number one in investment "but I have to say there is no difference in terms of

Congress facing challenges, Bharat Jodo Yatra brought unity: Jairam Ramesh

The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra has brought unity in the Congress in the last 70 days as the party has been fighting political challenges, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Tuesday. The foot march, a mass contact initiative of the Congress, entered its 69th day on Tuesday and reached Washim district in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra from Hingoli. Addressing a press conference in Washim, Ramesh said Gandhi will also address a public meeting of tribals on the occasion of the birth anniversary of iconic tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda. Targeting the Centre, Ramesh claimed the Forest Rights Act and the Land Acquisition Act 2013 have been weakened and this is specially harmful for tribals. The legislations were brought during the rule of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). Ramesh alleged that the Narendra Modi government's policy was to forcefully take the land of farmers and give it to the big companies. The Bharat Jodo Yatra has nothing to do with the vot

Congress to launch state-wide padayatra in Bihar from Dec 28: Jairam Ramesh

The Congress is set to launch a state-wide padayatra in Bihar from December 28 on the lines of 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', senior party leader Jairam Ramesh said here. He said the 1,200-km-long march against the "communal agenda of the BJP" will start from Banka district and conclude in Bodh Gaya. It will cover 17 districts of the state. Rahul Gandhi, however, is unlikely to take part in the state-wide padayatra in Bihar. "The Bharat Jodo Yatra has unsettled the BJP, which has resorted to cheap and childish diversionary tactics. The top rung of the saffron party, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is worried by the padayatra of Rahul Gandhi," Ramesh said at a press conference with party colleague Digvijaya Singh by his side on Sunday. Singh said all senior Congress leaders, ministers and lawmakers in Bihar will take part in the state-wide padayatra. A senior Congress leader in Bihar said Rahul Gandhi will visit the state during the proposed east-west second phase of the 'Bharat Jodo

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Congress to launch state-wide padayatra in Bihar from Dec 28: Jairam Ramesh

Congress is set to launch a state-wide padayatra in Bihar from December 28 on the lines of 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', senior party leader Jairam Ramesh said here on Sunday. He said the 1,200-km-long march against the "communal agenda of the BJP" will start from Banka district and conclude in Bodh Gaya. It will cover 17 districts of the state. Rahul Gandhi, however, is unlikely to take part in the state-wide padayatra in Bihar. "The Bharat Jodo Yatra has unsettled the BJP, which has resorted to cheap and childish diversionary tactics. The top rung of the saffron party, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is worried by the padayatra of Rahul Gandhi," Ramesh said at a press conference with party colleague Digvijaya Singh by his side. Singh said all senior Congress leaders, ministers and lawmakers in Bihar will take part in the state-wide padayatra. A senior Congress leader in Bihar said Rahul Gandhi will visit the state during the proposed east-west second phase of the 'Bharat Jodo ...

Sharad Pawar not to join Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra: Jairam Ramesh

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar will not join the Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra due to health issues, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Thursday. Addressing media persons here, Ramesh said Pawar (81) had earlier agreed to participate in the foot march. ''He was recently hospitalised and considering doctor's advice for rest, he will not join (the yatra),'' said Ramesh, the general secretary (communications) of the All India Congress Committee. Pawar's daughter and NCP Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule, state party president Jayant Patil and NCP leader Jitendra Awhad reached Maharashtra's Nanded district on Thursday to join Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the foot march from Deglur Naka and to attend the latter's public rally in the evening. AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge will also attend the rally. Ramesh said Rahul Gandhi had spoken to Pawar when he was in hospital. ''Even though Pawar had agreed to join the yatra, he is unable to come due to doct

FM called 1991 reforms half-baked, master chef Gadkari baked it fully: Cong

The Congress on Wednesday took a swipe at Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for her remarks a few weeks ago calling the 1991 reforms "half-baked", and said "master chef" Nitin Gadkari" has baked it fully and well by paying fulsome tributes to former prime minister Manmohan Singh. Union Minister Gadkari had on Tuesday said the country is indebted to former prime minister Singh for the economic reforms of 1991 started by him as the finance minister. Speaking in September at an event, Sitharaman had said that the 1991 economic reforms undertaken by the then Congress government were "aadhe-adhure reforms" (half-baked reforms), where the economy was not opened in the right way but as per the strictures imposed by the IMF. Taking a dig at Sitharaman, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "On 16th September, Madam Finance Minister had belittled 1991 reforms by terming it 'half-baked'. Yesterday, the MasterChef Gadkari has baked it fully and well by payin

Bengaluru Court asks Twitter to block Congress, Bharat Jodo Yatra accounts

Order follows a copyright infringement case filed by MRT Music, which said both accounts illegally used sound recordings of the film KGF-Chapter 2

Surprising Karan Singh sidestepped Rijuju's hit job on Nehru: Jairam Ramesh

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday criticised party colleague Karan Singh for "sidestepping" Union minister Kiren Rijuju's "hit job" on Jawaharlal Nehru's role in Jammu and Kashmir's accession to India. The Congress general secretary's remarks come over an article by Karan Singh on Jammu and Kashmir's accession to India in an English daily in which Ramesh said he had defended his father and erstwhile ruler Hari Singh. Reacting to the piece, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Ramesh said on Twitter, "There is not a single scholarly and serious work on J&K that portrays Maharaja Hari Singh in good light." "Even this authoritative work by VP Menon doesn't make Hari Singh a wronged man. It is hence natural that his son Dr. Karan Singh defends him in the HT today," Ramesh said, sharing the screenshot of the cover of a book by Menon. "What I find surprising though is that Dr.Karan Singh has sidestepped Rijuju's hit job on Nehru. This the same Nehru without

Rahul does not like backseat driving or asserting authority: Jairam Ramesh

Rahul Gandhi does not like backseat driving or asserting his authority and his greatest value going forward will be to play the role of an ideological compass for the Congress, senior leader Jairam Ramesh said on Wednesday. A week after Mallikarjun Kharge, the first non-Gandhi president in over 24 years, took charge of the party, Ramesh said some people are calling Gandhi the elephant in the room but his response is that the former party chief is actually a tiger on the road. The Bharat Jodo Yatra, Ramesh told PTI, has been a real booster dose for the public relationship of the party and its "two Cs"- connectivity for Gandhi and collectivity for the organisation. The most tangible impact is on Congress organisation. Congress morale is now at extraordinary high levels. Whether this will translate into long lasting public support is now dependent on the organisation, the senior leader said. Ramesh, who is also walking in the Yatra, cited thinker and philosopher Albert Camus to descri

Jairam Ramesh calls Kiren Rijiju 'distorian' over the Nehru J-K debate

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said he spoke to a BJP ideologue about Union minister Kiren Rijiju's criticism of Jawaharlal Nehru on the Kashmir issue and was told that Nehru being vilified is one thing, but erstwhile ruler Hari Singh being exalted as a benevolent hero "takes the cake". Rijiju had stated that Nehru's "blunders", which included enacting Article 370 and taking the dispute with Pakistan to the United Nations, caused much tragedy, drained the country's resources and cost thousands of lives of soldiers and civilians in militancy. "I spoke to a BJP ideologue this morning about Kiren Rijiju, the latest entrant to the club of Distorians," Ramesh said in a tweet. "He (the BJP idealogue) sent me the following message: The strange thing is, Nehru being vilified is one thing, Hari Singh being exalted as some sort of upright & benevolent hero takes the cake," the senior Congress leader said without naming the "BJP ideologue". Hari Singh was the last ruling ...

RGF's FCRA licence cancelled to divert attention from economic crisis: Cong

After Centre cancelled FCRA of RGF, Cong MP Jairam Ramesh called it a move to divert public attention from the crisis caused by spiralling prices, unemployment, falling rupee

Rahul Gandhi to cast vote for Congress President's election in Karnataka

Congress General Secretary in-charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said that Rahul Gandhi, who is currently leading the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Karnataka, will cast his vote for the party's Presidential election at the Yatra's campsite in Sanganakallu here. Polls to the party's highest post is scheduled for October 17, and the result will be declared on October 19. "There've been queries on where @RahulGandhi will cast his vote tomorrow for Congress Presidential election. There should be no speculation. He will be voting at the #BharatJodoYatra campsite in Sanganakallu, Ballari along with around 40 other Bharat Yatris who are PCC delegates," Ramesh said in a tweet. Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor is pitted against veteran Congressman Mallikarjun Kharge in this polls for the post of AICC President. The 17th day of Bharat Jodo Yatra in Karnataka today began at Sanganakallu here this morning and will end at Bennikallu.

'Real' Rahul Gandhi emerging out of Bharat Jodo Yatra: Jairam Ramesh

The "real" Rahul Gandhi is emerging out of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which completed a month on Friday, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said. In an interview to PTI during the yatra in Mandya district, Ramesh described the foot march as the longest-ever undertaken by anyone and said it will help the Congress strengthen itself psychologically. He also described the Congress president's election as a "side show" and the yatra as the main show. "It's a transformation of the Congress party and it shows the real Rahul Gandhi coming out. I would not say it is the new Rahul Gandhi but the real Rahul Gandhi that is being seen," Ramesh said. He said Gandhi's interactions with civil society, party workers and his super fitness are what comprises the "real Mr Rahul Gandhi". "The biggest achievement is psychological. It's all in the mind. I think what the yatra has done is to show to the Congress party that we can do it. "We are on the roads, on the streets, we are fighting the BJP. We

Congress only party with system of electing President, says Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader and former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh on Friday said that his party is the only one in the country which has a system for electing its President.

Congress against communal ideologies, institutions: Jairam Ramesh

The Congress on Wednesday said it is against all ideologies and institutions that abuse religion to polarise the society and misuse it to spread hate, bigotry and violence. All India Congress Committee general secretary communications Jairam Ramesh said his party is against all forms of communalism. His statement came a day after the Central government banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) and several of its associates for their alleged terror activities. Ramesh said, "The Congress has always been and will continue to be against all forms and types of communalism majority or minority makes no difference." "The Congress' policy has always been to uncompromisingly fight all ideologies and institutions that abuse religion to polarise our society, that misuse religion to spread prejudice, hate, bigotry and violence," he said in a statement. Ramesh said this fight is of utmost priority to preserve, protect and celebrate the secular and composite construct of the society and ...