Page 19 - National Politics

Cong can only practice vote bank, appeasement politics: Shah slams Rahul

Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday targeted Rahul Gandhi over the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', saying the Congress leader had once said India is not a nation and is now out to "unite" the country wearing a "foreign-make" T-shirt. Addressing the Rajasthan BJP's booth functionaries, he also hit out at the state government over the murder of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal by Muslim extremists and the Karauli violence and alleged the Congress can only practice politics of vote bank and appeasement. Taking aim at Gandhi, he said, "I want to remind Rahul baba and other Congress members about his speech given in Parliament. Rahul baba had said India is not a nation. Rahul baba, in which book have you read this? This is the nation for which lakhs and lakhs of people have sacrificed their lives." "The one who said India is not a nation is now on a yatra to unite India wearing foreign T-shirt," he said, referring to the the BJP's swipe at the Congress leader for wearing a Burberry T-shirt reportedly ..

Smriti Irani hits out at Rahul Gandhi over 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Karnataka

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' questioning him on who has harmed the unity of India that required the opposition party to take out such a campaign. Making an indirect reference to Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar, Irani also took a dig at Gandhi for being in the company of people who allegedly chanted "anti-India" slogans. "Rahul Gandhi is on the way to unite India but he should answer first who dared to break India. You make a person a member of your party who had shouted the slogan 'Bharat Tere Tukde Honge, Insha Allah'," Irani said at Doddaballapura in Bengaluru. She was addressing the gathering at the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'Jana Spandana' programme celebrating the ruling party's three years in office in Karnataka. Irani expressed her shock over Gandhi's remark in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu that the fight is now against the structure of Indian state and the opposition. "With all seriousness, I am

BJP accuses Congress of 'Hindu hatred', Oppn says 'hate factory' at work

The BJP on Saturday cited a video of a Christian priest's purported comments mentioning Hindu goddess Shakti during a conversation with Rahul Gandhi to allege it shows the "anti-Hindu" face of the opposition party, drawing a sharp reaction. The Congress accused the BJP of spreading mischief through its "hate factory" and alleged that the ruling party has turned more desperate ever since the successful launch of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. In the video shared by several BJP leaders among others, the priest identified as George Ponnaiah is purportedly heard telling Gandhi that Jesus Christ is the "real god. ...revealed as a human being. Not like Shakti..." He was responding to the Congress leader's query if Jesus is considered god or not. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed the video has exposed the reality of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. It insults goddess Shakti ahead of the beginning of Navratra, he told reporters. This is not the first time the Congress has been involved in such ...

HP polls: AAP promises Rs 3,000 monthly allowance to jobless youth

The AAP on Friday promised to create 6 lakh government jobs in Himachal Pradesh and pay Rs 3,000 per month as unemployment allowance to jobless youth till they find work if the party is voted to power in assembly polls scheduled to be held later this year. The party said a consultation board would be formed for traders and tourism industry to end inspector raj and political corruption in the state. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia made the announcements during a public meeting in Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur's home district Mandi. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also promised free pilgrimage for senior citizens to their choice of religious place. The party said Himachal Pradesh would be made corruption-free on the lines of Delhi. The AAP leaders also promised to provide every panchayat Rs 10 lakh as grant for development and a monthly salary of Rs 10,000 for panchayat presidents. The leaders said minimum support price

Anurag Thakur grills Cong over Bharat Jodo Yatra, says India already united

Taking a pot shot at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, Anurag Thakur said that India is already united under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi

Bharat Jodo Yatra will help in forging opposition unity: Rahul Gandhi

The Bharat Jodo Yatra will help in forging Opposition unity even though that is a separate exercise, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday. Speaking to the media during the yatra which started from Kanyakumari on Thursday, he said the idea of this march is to connect with the people, listen to them, understand what they are facing and also communicate to them a few things. Gandhi said the aim is to communicate that India has changed and the "institutional framework of India has been captured". "There is an attempt to place one vision on top of this country which has multiple visions. One vision is being enforced," he said, adding the yatra is a step to communicate that to the people. "The yatra will of course help in bringing together the Opposition but that is a separate exercise," the former Congress chief said when asked about what is being done for Opposition unity. Rahul Gandhi, along with several of his party colleagues, embarked on the 3,570-km 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' fro

India faces its worst-ever economic crisis, heading towards disaster: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said India is facing its "worst-ever economic crisis" and is heading towards a "disaster", while also alleging that a handful of large businesses are controlling the country with the help of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking at the launch of the Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' at a rally here, Gandhi said during the British period, there was one East India Company that controlled the country, now there are three-four companies doing so. "Today, India faces its worst-ever economic crisis. The highest level of unemployment that we have ever seen and the country is heading into a disaster," he said. "Unfortunately, our friends in the media are fully controlled," the former Congress chief alleged in his speech that was being simultaneously translated into Tamil by an interpreter. Gandhi said everybody understands the economic situation in the country. However, one would never see unemployment or price rise on television and only the image of

It should be 'main front', not 'third front': Nitish on opposition unity

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday pitched for uniting all non-BJP parties, saying it will be the "main front" and not the "third front". Speaking to reporters after meeting several non-BJP leaders here, Kumar said he had "very good and long discussions". "If all non-BJP parties in various states come together, then an atmosphere will emerge for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where things would not remain one-sided. With whomever I talked to, there were positive discussions," he said. On talks of the third front, he said, "Whenever someone says there is a need to create a third front, I always say let's make the 'main front'. Whenever it happens, it will be the main front, not the third front." Kumar held deliberations with NCP supremo Sharad Pawar earlier in the day and also met CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya. The Bihar chief minister met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday. He had on Tuesday met CPIM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general .

Bharat Jodo Yatra will be momentous, will rejuvenate Congress: Sonia Gandhi

Sonia Gandhi, who is abroad for a medical check up, termed the party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Kanyakumari to Kashmir "transformational moment of Indian politics"

Rahul Gandhi should try to integrate Pak, Bangladesh with India: Himanta

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should try to integrate Pakistan and Bangladesh with India for creating 'Akhand Bharat' if he has any regret about the Partition designed by his ancestors, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme here, Sarma said the Congress's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' led by Gandhi is the "comedy of the century" as the country is one and united. "The country is united and integrated from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Silchar to Saurashtra and there is no need for the unification," he said. "In 1947, the country was partitioned for the creation of Pakistan and later Bangladesh came into existence. If Rahul Gandhi has any regret or is apologetic for the problem created by his ancestors, then he should try to integrate Pakistan and Bangladesh with India for the creation of Akhand Bharat (undivided India)," he said. Sarma, a former Congress leader, said in a tweet that today's India is resilient, robust an

Nitish Kumar's Delhi visit explored policy-oriented alternative: RJD leader

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Manoj Jha has said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's visit to Delhi was an effort to explore "policy-oriented political alternative"

Nitish 'neither claimant nor desirous' for PM post, calls for united Oppn

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said he is neither a claimant for the prime minister's post nor desirous of it, his assertion coming amid speculation that his visit to Delhi is to claim leadership of the opposition parties. It is time for the Left parties, the Congress and all regional parties to come together to form a united opposition, Kumar told reporters after meeting CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI general secretary D Raja at their respective party offices. The Janata Dal (United) leader, who severed his party's ties with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) last month, is in the capital to meet key opposition leaders. "I have had a long association with the CPI(M) from my younger days. You all have not seen me, but whenever I used to come to Delhi, I used to come to this office. We were separated but today, all of us are together again. Our entire focus is to unite all the Left parties, the regional parties and the Congress. This will b

Delhi: Nitish Kumar's meeting with Rahul Gandhi goes on for nearly an hour

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, who reached the national capital to confer with opposition leaders on taking on the BJP together, had a nearly one-hour-long meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi re-launch 4.0 as no one wants to head Congress, says BJP

The BJP on Sunday dubbed the Congress rally against price rise as "Rahul Gandhi relaunch 4.0" because, it said, no leader of the opposition party wants to head it. The Congress on Sunday held a 'Mehngai par halla bol' rally at the Ramlila Maidan here, which was addressed by former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and a host of other party leaders. Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, BJP national spokesperson Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said the real purpose of Congress rally is to save Gandhi family and re-launch the family scion Rahul Gandhi. "This rally is meant to save the family and not to protest against price rise. And to relaunch Rahul Gandhi, who has been launched several times in politics. This rally is 'Rahul Gandhi relaunch 4.0', as no one wants to lead the Congress," Rathore said. He said that the Congress party "has lost 90 per cent of the elections since 2014. In Uttar Pradesh elections, its deposit was forfeited on more than 90 per cent of the .

First keep your flock together, then talk of Bharat Jodo: Nadda to Congress

Making an unsparing attack on the Congress that has seen an exit of many senior leaders in recent times, BJP chief J P Nadda on Friday mocked the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra, telling it to first keep its flock together. Taking a dig at the Congress during a rally in Haryana's Kaithal, he also accused it of being a family-centric party. "The Congress is now neither a party of ideology nor a national party, nor even a regional party. It has been reduced to a brother-sister party," Nadda said apparently referring to former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi. Referring to senior Congress Ghulam Nabi Azad's exit from the party, he said the people who spent 50 years for it and gave their blood and sweat are deserting it. "Did you ever think why are they leaving," the BJP chief asked, adding that senior leaders are quitting with a message that the party first needs to keep its flock together. "Now, they are talking of Bharat Jodo, Bharat Jodo, 'arrey pehle party toh

INS Vikrant collective efforts of past govts; Cong accuses PM of hypocrisy

The Congress on Friday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking credit for the commissioning of India's first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and accused him of "hypocrisy" for not recognising the contributions made by earlier governments. Congress general secretary communications Jairam Ramesh also shared a video of former defence minister A K Antony launching INS Vikrant in August 2013 and said it just happens that the Modi government is in power when the aircraft carrier is being commissioned. "The Modi government has nothing to do with this. The Modi government just happens to be in power when it is being commissioned. In fact, INS Vikrant was launched years ago by Mr A K Antony when he was the defence minister. It has taken 22 years to design, manufacture, test, launch and finally be commissioned today. All that the Modi government has done is commissioning of the vessel and he is taking credit for it," Ramesh told PTI. "So this is hypocrisy, which is typical of

With Nitish by his side, Telangana CM in Patna calls for 'BJP mukt Bharat'

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who met his counterpart in Bihar Nitish Kumar, as part of efforts to forge opposition unity, on Wednesday called for a BJP mukt Bharat, blaming the saffron party's government at the Centre for the many ills plaguing the country. At a press conference he addressed in the presence of Kumar, whom he fondly called "bade bhai" (big brother), Rao skirted questions about who will lead a united opposition and whether the Congress will be taken on board. Rao is one of the most vocal satraps opposed to the BJP. These things will be decided in due course. We are in no hurry, said Rao, in reply to questions about the prime ministerial candidate and the role of the Congress, to which his Telangana Rashtra Samiti is bitterly opposed. He blamed the Narendra Modi government for capital drain, a term he coined rhyming 'brain drain' to underscore that businesses were withdrawing their money from the country because of the Centre's policies. Rao also fla

Sharad Pawar renews pitch for opposition unity for 2024 Lok Sabha polls

Amid bickering among the opposition parties, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday renewed the pitch for unity for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. Interacting with reporters here after welcoming leaders from Haryana into the party fold, Pawar said the NCP was open to contesting polls as part of an opposition alliance under a common minimum programme to take on the BJP. Pawar also asked the opposition parties to keep aside differences and unite on an anti-BJP platform for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, he had said efforts were underway at the national level to bring non-BJP parties together to create a public opinion. At the same time, the NCP supremo had made it clear that he was not keen on taking up any responsibility due to his age. Pawar also accused the Narendra Modi government of failing to fulfil any of the promises made by it since 2014, including ushering in "acche din". The BJP's agenda is to keep smaller parties away from power, the NCP chief alleged.

Golf resort near Raipur turns into fortress as Jharkhand MLAs check in

Away from the bustling crowds of Raipur city, the Mayfair Golf Resort where MLAs of the ruling UPA coalition in Jharkhand are sequestered has turned into a fortress with police personnel deployed everywhere. The JMM-Congress-RJD coalition in Jharkhand on Tuesday flew its 32 MLAs to Raipur to prevent the BJP's alleged attempts to poach its legislators. The MLAs, 15 from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and 17 from Congress, accompanied by senior Chhattisgarh Congress leaders Ramgopal Agrawal and Girish Dewangan, travelled in three buses to the luxurious resort located in Nava Raipur. While mediapersons are camping in the area in scorching heat in their quest for news and visuals, their entry is strictly barred inside. All 40-odd rooms at the resort have been booked for the guests from Jharkhand for the next two days, Congress sources said. A video of an SUV with 'Chhattisgarh government on duty' written on it and carrying liquor bottles allegedly towards the resort went viral during the

'One Nation, One Election' need of hour, says BJP's Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

Former Union minister and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Wednesday said 'One Nation, One Election' is the need of the hour and that political parties should not have a "prejudiced mindset" on the issue. In an interaction with journalists, he pitched for holding simultaneous elections, an idea often pushed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said political parties should move forward towards this important electoral reform. Political parties need to give priority to national interests over political interests so that this "significant and path-breaking" electoral reform takes place, Naqvi said. Most opposition parties have protested against the idea of holding Lok Sabha and various state assembly polls simultaneously in the country. With one or other election being held at regular intervals, all political parties remain "election machines all the time". This also causes wastage of public money and hampers development work. People, too, become unenthusiastic towards this "festiv