Page 18 - Opposition

Congress leaders call for delaying seat-sharing talks with INDIA bloc

Expressing confidence about the party faring well in the upcoming assembly polls in five states, some Congress leaders on Sunday called for delaying the seat-sharing talks with INDIA bloc partners for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections till November so as to do it from a position of strength, sources said. The call from a section of leaders, particularly those from states where the Congress is directly in contest with some INDIA bloc partners, came while the top party leadership pitched for strengthening the Congress as well as the opposition bloc. Sources said several leaders supported the call to strengthen the Congress organisation and the opposition INDIA alliance during the two-day brainstorming session of the Congress Working Committee, but they asserted that the party should not rush into seat-sharing arrangements with like-minded parties. During the two-day parleys, Sonia Gandhi called for strengthening the INDIA alliance, while Rahul Gandhi said both the Congress party and the ..

All-party meet: Oppn dub bill on EC appointments as anti-Constitution

Several opposition leaders on Sunday dubbed the bill on the appointment and service conditions of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners as "anti-Constitution" and "anti-democratic", sources said. They spoke against the bill at an all-party meeting convened by the government on the eve of the five-day Parliament session beginning Monday. The bill seeks to replace the Chief Justice of India with a cabinet minister in the panel for selection of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners, in a move that will allow the government to have more control in the appointment of members of the poll panel. The bill comes months after the Supreme Court in March ruled that a three-member panel, headed by the Prime Minister and comprising the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India, will select the CEC and ECs till a law is framed by Parliament on the appointment of these commissioners. According to the Chief Election Commissioner a

CM Patnaik inaugurates, lays foundation of projects worth Rs 541 cr

Amid protests by opposition workers, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday inaugurated and laid the foundation of projects worth Rs 541 crore. He inaugurated nine projects worth Rs 341 crore and laid foundation of four other projects with an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore. The nine inaugurated projects include Rs 90-crore Netaji Bus Terminal built on 15 acres of land at Khannagar area of Cuttack on the banks of Kathajodi River. He had laid the foundation of the bus terminal on the occasion of the the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on January 23, 2021. Cuttack-Barabati MLA Mohammad Moquim, who was expelled from Congress, boycotted the event alleging that locals were ignored in the construction and operation of the project, while BJP activists staged a protest, demanding the rehabilitation of vendors displaced by the project. Patnaik, who attended the function amid tight security, said the terminal, which was named after Netaji who was born in Cutta

People will never accept 'INDIA' bloc: Union minister Anurag Thakur

The public will never accept the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) of opposition parties, which is attacking the Constitution, suppressing the voice of the media and thinking of destroying Sanatan Dharma, Union minister Anurag Thakur said on Saturday. Addressing a public meeting in Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh, Thakur said the leaders of the INDIA bloc have only changed their attire, but their behaviour and character remain the same. He described the opposition alliance as a front of highly-opportunistic and anti-people forces. "The public will never accept the INDIA bloc, which is attacking the Constitution, suppressing the voice of the media and thinking of destroying Sanatan Dharma," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said. He said due to a low income and high expenditure, Punjab takes maximum loan from the Centre, adding that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state spends Rs 600 crore every year on advertising, but does not even spend a pen

Oppn named its alliance INDIA as UPA was associated with corruption: Shah

Shah also thanked the people for standing against the decision of the Nitish Kumar-led government over the cancellation of holidays on Rakshabandhan and Janmashtami in Bihar

Will attend shows of 14 journalists named if they realise mistakes: Cong

We have not banned, boycotted or blacklisted anyone. This is a non-cooperation movement, we will not cooperate with anyone spreading hatred in the society...They are not our enemies," Khera said

When INDIA gets angry

We must accept that the INDIA alliance has the right to boycott anybody it wishes. But the list of TV anchors is almost like painting a target on people's backs

26 recruitment exam papers leaked under BJP, Congress, says RLP's Beniwal

The Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) leader has accused both BJP and Congress for allowing recruitment scam to continue in Rajasthan

Opposition BJP to boycott Odisha Assembly Speaker's election on Sept 21

The opposition BJP on Friday decided to boycott the election for the Odisha Assembly Speaker on September 21 as it coincided with the 'Nuakhai' festival, an agrarian event in the western region of the state. The BJP's decision came a day after the Congress announced boycott of the Assembly Speaker election. Both the opposition parties accused the BJD government in the state of maintaining a "step-motherly" attitude towards the people of the western region of the state. BJP MLA Nauri Nayak at a press conference here alleged that the BJD leaders have "no respect towards the sentiments of the western Odisha people". "It is not possible for the MLAs of western Odisha to reach the Odisha Assembly a day after the Nuakhai festival. This is because the celebrations continue till the next day for 'Bhet-ghat'. Though we had demanded a change in the date of the election, the government paid no heed to it. This has hurt the sentiments of the people of western Odisha," Nayak said. While Nuakhai

Beware of 'INDIA' as it wants to erase Bharat, ancient culture: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the newly formed opposition front 'INDIA', saying it wants to destroy Sanatan Dharma and erase Bharat as well as its culture of thousands of years as he asked people to remain vigilant from them. Addressing a 'Vijay Sankhnad' rally at Kondatarai village in Raigarh district of poll-bound Chhattisgarh, Modi also targeted the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government in the state, saying it lagged behind in welfare of the poor, but was ahead in corruption. He accused the Congress government of indulging in politics of scams and alleged it committed corruption in 'Godhna Nyay Yojna' (cow dung procurement scheme), liquor sale and irregularity in managing district mineral foundation (DMF) fund. It was Modi's second visit to the state in the last two-and-a-half months and comes ahead of the year-end assembly polls in Chhattisgarh where the BJP lost power in 2018 after ruling for 15 consecutive years. I want to make you .

INDIA bloc parties to boycott debate shows of these 14 news anchors

The opposition parties have repeatedly accused a section of the media of favouring the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in news coverage and during debates

INDIA slams BJP for 'celebrations' on day security personnel killed in J-K

Several INDIA bloc parties slammed the BJP on Thursday for holding "celebrations" to mark the success of the G20 Summit on a day security personnel were killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, with the Congress saying that no matter what happens, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot postpone receiving accolades. Colonel Manpreet Singh, Commanding Officer of 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Ashish Dhonack, and Deputy Superintendent Humayun Bhat were killed in the gunfight with terrorists that ensued in Garol area of Anantnag district early Wednesday. In a post on X, the Congress called the prime minister "insensitive" and shared videos of mourning family members of a deceased soldier and Prime Minister Modi being given a rousing welcome at the BJP headquarters on Wednesday evening following the successful G20 meeting under India's presidency. In a post in Hindi on X, Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said that at a time when the the sad news of the martyrdom of ..

Please inform us about real 'Mann ki Baat': Kapil Sibal's dig at govt

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal took a swipe at the government on Wednesday over a G20 booklet praising Mughal emperor Akbar, alleging that it has one face for the world and another for "India that is Bharat". Sibal cited a G20 booklet titled "Bharat: The Mother of Democracy", the 38th page of which talks about Akbar. "Good administration should embrace everyone's welfare, regardless of religion. That was the kind of democracy the third Mughal Padishah Akbar practised," the booklet said. In a swipe at the government, Sibal said on X, "G20 Magazine: Government hails Mughal emperor Akbar as proponent of peace and democracy! One face: For the world another: For India that is Bharat! Please inform us about the real mann ki baat!" The booklet said Akbar introduced the doctrine of "Sulh-i-Kuli ie universal peace, as a tool against religious discrimination". "To create a harmonious society, he propounded a new syncretic religion known as 'Din-i-llahi' or Divine Faith. He also established the

INDIA bloc's coordination panel to meet today at Sharad Pawar's residence

According to reports, the INDIA alliance can hold discussions on seat sharing, and a joint campaign plan is also on the table

Oppn slams decision to cut import duty on apples from US, Centre defends

However, the Centre reiterated that the move to slash import duty on apples from the US would have no "negative" impact on the growers

BJP fires fresh salvo at Opposition over 'Sanatan Dharma' remark row

The BJP on Tuesday accused the INDIA bloc of having a hidden agenda to attack Sanatan Dharma for its vote bank politics as it questioned the "silence" of opposition leaders amid frequent critical remarks by DMK leaders about the ancient faith. Firing a fresh salvo at the opposition over the issue, BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad targeted the Congress leadership saying the longer Sonia Gandhi maintains silence over the matter the more it will be clear that opposing Sanatan Dharma is part of the INDIA bloc's common minimum programme. Prasad seized on a recent comment by a DMK leader that it is the bloc's agenda to oppose Sanatan Dharma, and said what the Tamil Nadu leader has said is right. "The BJP will urge this alliance to come out with a categorical resolution that we completely disassociate ourselves (from DMK's criticism) and this is not our agenda," he said at a press conference. With the DMK linking Sanatan Dharma with the practice of caste ...

PM Modi's exit is certain in next election, claims RJD supremo Lalu

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging he has once again resorted to deceiving people ahead of the elections and asserted that his exit is certain. He also questioned what benefit the common people of India will get from the G20 summit. The veteran politician after paying obeisance at the famed Baba Baidyanath Dham temple in Jharkhand's Deoghar district while talking to media persons expressed concern over present affairs in the country. Prasad said, "The situation in the country is not good. Inflation and unemployment are at its peak. People are falling prey to hunger. Narendra Modi has resorted to deceiving people again with elections round the corner....But his exit is certain this time." Taking a jibe at the Prime Minister, he said the cut in prices of cooking gas was aimed at deceiving people before elections. The RJD boss said, "It is not a matter of your (PM's) home that you have reduced it (cooking gas pric

Renaming India: BJP's new Bharat

BJP govt works to a plan. Even if its objectives sometimes fail, it does nothing without clear objectives. Opposition is not able to fathom that the Modi govt's actions have long-term goals as well

Should give up its dream...: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma takes dig at Cong

"The Congress leaders say they will form the 'INDIA' government. I am saying we will form a government of 'Bharat'. We will form the next government under the leadership of Modi-ji"

Not inviting Oppn to G20 reflects govt doesn't value leaders: Rahul Gandhi

Taking a dig at the government for not inviting Opposition leaders to the G20, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said it shows that the current leadership doesn't value the leaders of 60 per cent of India's population and the people should think about it. Congress Party chief and the leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha Kharge has not been invited to the G20 gala dinner being hosted by President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday, media reports said. Interacting with the media at Brussels Press Club in Brussels, Gandhi said the government's action tells about its thinking. "It tells you it tells you something," Gandhi said in response to a question. "They have decided not to invite the Leader of the Opposition (Mallikarjun Kharge). It tells you it tells you something. It tells you that they don't value the leader of 60% of India's population," he said. "It is something that people should think about why they are feeling the need to do that and what is the type of thinking that goe