Page 12 - Opposition

'INDIA' intact, will cross 272, PM's corruption pitch hollow: Jairam Ramesh

The INDIA bloc is intact despite Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's "somersault" and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee deciding to be Mamata Banerjee, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has said, rejecting as "hollow" Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pitch against the opposition on corruption. In an interaction with PTI editors at the news agency's headquarters here, Ramesh also said the opposition will unitedly cross the halfway mark of 272 in the elections and oust the BJP from power. He spoke on a range of issues including electoral bonds, the arrests of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and JMM leader Hemant Soren, who resigned as Jharkhand CM, and also addressed speculations around Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra potentially contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Amethi and Raebareli, respectively. "Look at the way the electoral bonds scheme has worked. Rs 4,000-crore of bonds are directly linked with Rs 4-lakh crore of contracts. There is a clear correlation between the ...

Here's a look at top Opposition leaders challenging PM Modi in LS polls

Known by its acronym I.N.D.I.A. - or Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance - the coalition of more than 20 parties has been beset by defections to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party

'Shakti' remarks: Opposition alliance only targets Hinduism, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday kept up the attack on the INDIA bloc over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark, saying the opposition alliance displayed its "ill-intention" by declaring to destroy it. The opposition alliance, of which the Congress and the DMK are key constituents, repeatedly insults Hinduism but never targets any other faith, he said, addressing a BJP rally here. "INDI alliance people repeatedly deliberately insult Hindu faith; every statement made by them against it is well thought out," he said. In Hinduism, Shakthi means "Matru shakthi, naari shakti," he said, referring to women power. "INDI alliance which has the Congress and the DMK says they will destroy this." Shakti refers to the divine and manifests in the form of various deities in the state like Mariamman, Madurai Meenakshiamman and Kanchi Kamakshiamma, he said. National poet Subramania Bharathi worshipped mother India as 'Shakti,' he said. "Tamil Nadu will punish those who talk of .

Oppn asks EC to act against PM Modi's Whatsapp message on 'Viksit Bharat'

Raising the issue of people receiving Prime Minister Narendra Modi's letter on WhatsApp seeking support in building a 'Viksit Bharat', opposition leaders on Monday called on the Election Commission to act against what they said was a "blatant violation" of the model code of conduct. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tagged a post of a person raising the issue of privacy over the prime minister's letter being received by persons living abroad. "Will the @ECISVEEP take note of such a blatant misuse of government machinery and government data to serve the partisan political interests of the ruling party?" Tharoor said on X. Another Congress MP Manish Tewari also posted on X the WhatsApp message which had the letter attached, as received by him on his phone. "This unsolicited WhatsApp message came at 12.09 AM today . It seems to be from @GoI_MeitY (Ministry of Electronics & IT). Is this not a blatant violation of the both Model Code of Conduct & Right to Privacy," Tewari said. "Where ...

INDIA bloc's manifesto talks about finishing 'Shakti': PM Modi in Telangana

Alleging that the INDIA bloc's manifesto talks about finishing 'Shakti', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the fight is between those who want to destroy 'Shakti' and those who worship them. Addressing a rally here, Modi said, for him, every mother and every daughter is a form of 'Shakti' and that he worships them. He said the nation dedicated 'Chandrayaan's' success to 'Shiv Shakti' and the opposition parties are talking of destroying 'Shakti'. "On Sunday in Mumbai, there was an INDI alliance rally after the announcement of the schedule for elections. They announced their manifesto in the rally. In Mumbai's Shivaji Park, they said their fight was against 'Shakti'. For me, every mother, every daughter is a form of 'Shakti'. Mothers and sisters, I worship you as 'Shakti'. I am Bharat Maa's 'pujari', he said. "INDI alliance in its manifesto announced to finish/destroy Shakti. I accept their challenge. I will sacrifice my life for the security of mothers and sisters," he ...

Elections 2024: Electoral bonds may not be Opposition's core campaign issue

Without establishing quid pro quo and given their own handicaps, it is unlikely the Opposition parties can present an effective narrative about 'corruption' involving electoral bonds to the voters

Strong anti-incumbency in UP, situation very good for INDIA: SP's Ram Gopal

Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav Sunday claimed there is strong anti-incumbency in Uttar Pradesh and the INDIA bloc will defeat the BJP in at least 40 seats the ruling party won last time. Uttar Pradesh goes to the polls on all seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections, beginning on April 19 and ending on June 1. The BJP-led ruling coalition won 64 seats -- BJP 62, Apna Da(S) 2 -- out of the total 80 constituencies in 2019. "There is a strong anti-incumbency in Uttar Pradesh against both the state and the central governments. The situation of the alliance will be very good in UP and we will win in at least 40 seats the BJP won (last time)," Yadav said to reporters here. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party were in alliance. While the SP secured victory on five seats, the BSP won 10. This time, the SP has joined the opposition INDIA grouping to fight the BJP-led NDA. On the electoral bonds issue, the Rajya Sabha member said, "People s

'INDIA' bloc parties will fight in West Bengal to defeat BJP, TMC: Yechury

Trinamool Congress announcing its candidates for all seats in West Bengal means the other INDIA bloc parties will have to sit together and decide how to go about the polls, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said, adding that they will fight to defeat the "BJP and TMC". Asked about the TMC's decision to go solo in West Bengal, Yechury said, "Every party has the right to take decisions. If TMC has announced, it is a clear indication that rest of the parties will have to sit together and decide how to proceed in fighting these elections in Bengal." "Our line has always been very clear. We are asking all secular forces in Bengal to come together to defeat the BJP and the TMC, which actually has taken such unilateral decisions... CPI(M)'s appeal has always been to defeat BJP and defeat TMC in order to save democracy in India and Bengal," he said. The TMC has stepped away from the INDIA bloc, the mega opposition alliance against the BJP which includes th

BJP govt 'misusing' ED to create fear among Oppn leaders: Sharad Pawar

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government was misusing agencies like the Enforcement Directorate to create fear among opposition leaders and called the ED "supporting party" of the BJP. Speaking to reporters in Pune, Pawar cited figures of the ED's actions between 2005 and 2023, claiming it registered 5,806 cases and only 25 of them have been disposed of. "The disposal rate is 0.42 per cent and the conviction rate is just 0.40 per cent. The ED's budget has gone up from Rs 300 crore in 2022 to Rs 404 crore," the former Union minister further claimed. "Between 2005 and 2023, two governments were in power, including the UPA of which we were also a part. During the UPA regime, the ED investigated 26 leaders, of whom five were from the Congress and three from the BJP. It shows that during the UPA regime ED's action was not politically motivated, but after 2014, not a single BJP leader has been questioned," Pawar said. These figures raise a .

Oppn parties stage protest against CAA ahead of PM's visit to Assam

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's arrival in Assam on Friday on a two-day visit, opposition parties staged a protest in Kaliabor in Nagaon district against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). The sit-in by the 16-member United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA) was held near Kaziranga, where the PM is scheduled to spend the night after reaching the state in the afternoon. UOFA spokesperson and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi said the protest was initially slated for Saturday but was held a day before at the request of Ahom community organisations. "The prime minister will be unveiling a statue of Ahom general Lachit Borphukan. As such, the community requested us to change the date of the protest. Hence, we organised it a day earlier," Gogoi told reporters at the demonstration site. He maintained that the CAA is a threat to the identity of the Assamese people, and they will continue protesting it. State Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah, participating in the protest, said, "T

Rahul's Bharat Jodo yatra to pause for day in MP due to Oppn rally in Patna

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday spoke to Agniveers and ex-servicemen in Gwalior city of Madhya Pradesh on the 50th day of his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', a party functionary said. The yatra will take a pause on Sunday as Gandhi will participate in the opposition INDIA bloc's rally in Bihar capital Patna later in the day, he said. Gandhi will leave for Patna to take part in the opposition's rally there, Congress state media cell chief KK Mishra said. The yatra will resume in MP on Monday, he said. Earlier, the yatra, a mass outreach programme led by Gandhi ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, entered MP in Morena district on Saturday afternoon. It will pass through Shivpuri, Guna, Rajgarh, Shajapur, Ujjain, Dhar and Ratlam districts of MP, as per the schedule. The east-to-west Manipur-Mumbai yatra is scheduled to traverse 6,700 kilometres through 15 states. It aims at highlighting the message of 'nyay' (justice) while meeting common people on the way.

LoP Bhupinder Hooda seeks compensation for crops damaged due to hailstorms

Former Haryana chief minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday demanded compensation for the farmers, who suffered damage to crops due to hailstorms. He said that hailstorms damaged crops in many areas, including Rohtak, Jhajjar, Rewari, Bhiwani, Ambala, Kurukshetra Sirsa, Sonipat, Yamunanagar, Karnal Fatehabad, Hisar, Jind and Charkhi Dadri. In a statement, Hooda demanded that the state government should get 'girdawari' (survey to assess loss) done at the earliest and compensate the farmers. He said that unseasonal rains and hailstorms have caused huge damage to the standing crops of wheat and mustard, adding the extent of damage was aggravated due to strong winds. Hooda said this has led to a situation where the farmers fear that production would decrease. He alleged that for the last several seasons, the BJP-JJP government in the state is not giving any compensation to the farmers for their losses. "Even after so many months, the flood affected farmer

Unlike 2019, Oppn offers strong alternative to BJP in 2024: Binoy Viswam

As the parties gear up for the Lok Sabha polls, Binoy Viswam, the Kerala state secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI), has asserted that opposition forces now have the confidence to present the INDIA formation as a compelling alternative to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). This confidence, he notes, was lacking during the 2019 elections. In an interview with PTI, Viswam, who is also a member of the Rajya Sabha, elaborated on the potential of the INDIA formation, which comprises anti-BJP parties. He highlighted the necessity for unity among opposition forces to counter the ruling coalition effectively. However, Viswam criticised the Congress party's move to field Rahul Gandhi from the Wayanad constituency, terming it as a "strategic misstep." "During 2019, people demanded an answer to the question of an effective alternative to the BJP, but we had no answer. This time, I am confident that people now have a hope of having an alternative with the INDIA formatio

Oppn convinced of loss in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, thus abuses me: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed on Tuesday that the opposition, convinced it won't win the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, resorts to abusing him as it allegedly lacks a roadmap for the nation's progress. Modi, speaking at the conclusion ceremony of the BJP state unit's padayatra at the Central Stadium here, urged Kerala's people to bless the saffron party with seats in double digits in the 2024 LS polls. He further said the BJP never sees a state from the perspective of vote-bank. Modi claimed that over the last 10 years, Kerala has benefited from development like other BJP-ruled states. He said it was his guarantee to make all possible efforts to realise the dreams and expectations of the people of Kerala. The PM said it was 'Modiyude guarantee' (Modi's guarantee) to make India the third largest economy in the world as well as eradicate poverty and corruption from the country.

Assam Cabinet's nod to repeal Muslim Marriage Act welcomed by BJP

The Assam cabinet's decision to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935 has been welcomed by the ruling BJP, while opposition parties claimed that the move, which was 'discriminatory against Muslims', was made to polarise voters in the election year. The state cabinet on Friday night approved the decision to repeal the Act in a bid to end the social menace of child marriage as it contained provisions allowing registration of marriages even if the bride and groom had not reached the legal ages of 18 and 21 respectively, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. AIUDF Chief Badruddin Ajmal claimed that the repeal of the Act was the first step to bring in the Unified Civil Code (UCC) in Assam, but it will sound the death knell of the BJP government in the state. 'They are trying to provoke the Muslims and polarise voters in their favour,' Ajmal told reporters on the sidelines of a programme here. Congress MLA Abdul Rashid Mandal claimed that the decision i

Mamata Banerjee announces alternate Aadhaar card upon deactivation

UIDAI has declared that no Aadhaar number has been cancelled; BJP leaders assure that deactivated cards would be reactivated within 24 hour

Haven't joined INDIA, will support anyone with 'selfless' thought: Haasan

Actor-politician Kamal Haasan on Wednesday said discussions were on for his party MNM's political alliance and stressed it would support any bloc that would "selflessly" think about the nation but desist from being part of "feudal politics." Addressing reporters here after leading the 7th anniversary celebrations of his Makkal Needhi Maiam, Haasan also welcomed the recent political entry of top Tamil actor Vijay. Asked if MNM will join the multi-party opposition INDIA bloc, he said, "I have already told, this is the time when you have to blur party politics and think about the nation. Anybody who thinks selflessly about the nation, my MNM will be part of it." However, MNM won't join hands with those doing "local feudal politics," he said. Asked if he has joined the INDIA grouping, he said, "no, I haven't." On his party's possible political alliance, he said "discussions are on," and that any "good news" in this regard will be communicated to the media. The question was asked in t

Differences among INDIA allies in some states, to be resolved: Sharad Pawar

Rajya Sabha member Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said there are differences among some of the opposition INDIA bloc parties in a couple of states over issues including seat-sharing which senior leaders from other states would try to resolve. Speaking to reporters in Kolhapur, the senior politician said a meeting of the INDIA alliance, formed by several opposition parties to take on the ruling BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, has not been convened of late. A decision was taken earlier that all the parties of the opposition bloc will work together, he said. "But majority of the parties in the alliance are limited to their states, so it was decided that all these parties will sit with other allied parties in their respective states and that process is going on," Pawar said. He noted there are differences among some the opposition alliance parties in a couple of states like Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. "In Uttar Pradesh, there is an absence of a common understanding over the ...

ED being used for character assassination of Opposition leaders: Pilot

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Tuesday alleged the Centre was using probe agencies like ED for "character assassination" of opposition leaders and crushing their voices. He also attacked the government over unemployment in the country. "95 per cent of cases the ED has registered are against Opposition leaders but the conviction rate is just one per cent. This means the ED (Enforcement Directorate) is being used for character assassination and crushing the voice of Opposition," the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister told reporters. He said protests by farmers in north India underline the problem of policy and intention of the government. "Country's assets have gone into the hands of select people because of the policies of the government," Pilot added.

People must be careful of rumours: Mayawati as she rejects alliance reports

Earlier, Mayawati reiterated her party's stand for the 2024 Lok Sabha election and said that her party will contest the polls alone