Page 31 - Opposition

Oppn to meet at Kharge's office ahead of 2nd phase of Budget session Monday

Opposition leaders will hold a meeting on Monday morning to firm up their floor strategy for the second leg of the Budget session as they gear up to corner the government on issues such as alleged misuse of probe agencies and the Adani row. The opposition leaders are expected to meet at Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge's office in the Parliament complex at around 10 am, sources said. The Congress MPs will gather at the Congress Parliamentary Party office before the meeting to deliberate on the party's strategy, they said. The Congress is also set for a duel with the BJP over Rahul Gandhi's remarks in the UK over which the saffron party's leaders have been continuously attacking the former AICC chief. Opposition parties are gearing up to corner the government on issues such as alleged misuse of probe agencies to target their leaders, allegations against the Adani Group, border standoff with China, price rise and unemployment. The Congress continues to demand a

Lies on migrant workers a fallout of call for oppn unity against BJP: TN CM

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has alleged the "lies spread" regarding the attacks on migrant workers in the state was a fallout of his recent call for opposition unity to dislodge the ruling BJP at the Centre next year and blamed the saffron party functionaries for doing so. In his "Ungalil Oruvan" question and answer series, the chief of the ruling DMK asserted no migrant worker in the state has been assaulted as alleged. Many such workers were employed in Tamil Nadu for a long time and never have they faced any issues, he said. "Some have been preparing fake videos and spreading lies.The BJP functionaries in north India have done this with an agenda. You will understand the conspiracy behind doing so, if you notice that such lies were spread the very next day I highlighted the need for political organisations opposed to the BJP joining hands at the national level," he said. At his birthday rally here on March 1, attended by leaders including Congress president Mallikarjun

Behead me, but can't do anything to increase dearness allowance: Mamata

She explained the difference in the salary structures of the Central and state governments and claimed that the TMC government is already giving its employees DA of 105 per cent

Mikes of opposition silenced; media under attack in India: Rahul Gandhi

Gandhi, who is on a trip to London, also said that the Prime Minister PM is in "denial mode" over Chinese incursions into Indian territory

Six-party alliance picks main opposition leader to run against Erdogan

A six-party alliance on Monday nominated main opposition party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu as its common candidate to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in elections in May, ending months of uncertainty and bickering that had frustrated their supporters. The alliance tapped the leader of the pro-secular, center-left Republican People's Party, or CHP, hours after a key member of the grouping who had rejected Kilicdaroglu's candidacy agreed to a compromise solution and returned to the coalition. Turkiye is headed toward pivotal presidential and general elections on May 14 that could shift the country toward a more democratic course or extend Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade. The elections are Erdogan's toughest during his 20-year rule and come amid economic turmoil and criticism of the government's response to a devastating earthquake last month. Our biggest goal is to carry Turkey toward prosperous, peaceful and joyful days, Kilicdaroglu said after

Congress has lost opportunity by not supporting Oppn over Adani issue: AAP

The AAP on Monday attacked the Congress, saying the grand old party lost an opportunity by not supporting the Opposition in the fight over the issues of Adani and raids by central agencies. AAP national spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj also took a dig at Rahul Gandhi and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wins the elections as he gets to choose his competitor who is the former Congress chief. Bharadwaj made the remarks at a press conference here. When asked about the Congress not being a signatory to the letter written by some opposition leaders to PM Modi alleging "blatant misuse" of central agencies, the AAP leader said, "Congress had an opportunity to support the Opposition over the Adani issue and the CBI-ED raids. But they sided with the BJP." "They (Congress) are saying in 95 per cent of the cases the raids are wrong. What the Congress means by saying that is they (raids) are 95 per cent wrong when they happen with Congress leaders but are five per cent correct for other ..

Oppn writes to PM on misuse of central agencies; slams Sisodia's arrest

Leaders of nine opposition parties, including Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, have written a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging "blatant misuse" of central agencies against the members of the opposition. The signatories of the letter are Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Bannerjee, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Sharad Pawar (NCP), Farooq Abdullah (Jammu & Kashmir National Conference), Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena, UBT) and Akhilesh Yadav of Samajwadi Party. The blatant misuse of central agencies against the members of the opposition appears to suggest that we have transitioned from being a democracy to an autocracy the misuse of central agencies and constitutional offices like that of the Governor - to settle scores outside of the electoral battlefield is strongly condemnable as it does not bode well for our democracy, the letter said. Highlighting Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's arrest by ...

RS Chairman Dhankar demands breach of privilege notice against 12 Oppn MPs

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar has given his consent for the privilege committee to examine the conduct of 12 MPs from the opposition

Karnataka: Siddaramaiah accuses Bommai government of taking 40% commission

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and leader of opposition Siddaramaiah on Wednesday accused the Basavaraj Bommai-led government of taking "40 per cent commission."

Nothing for BJP to hide, be afraid of: Shah on allegations over Adani row

"The Supreme Court has taken cognizance of the matter. As a minister, if the Supreme Court is seized of the matter it is not right for me to comment," Shah said

The House and Adani: Second half of Budget session will resume on March 14

If the first half of the Parliament session is any indication, for the matter to have traction, BJP leaders will have to get a crash course on the allegations made by Hindenburg

Budget session: Kharge calls Oppn meeting Mon to chalk out floor strategy

Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has called a meeting of "like-minded" opposition parties on Monday

Opposition targets govt on inflation, unemployment issues in Lok Sabha

Hitting out at the government, Opposition members on Wednesday in Lok Sabha claimed that the rate of unemployment in the country had increased and more people were pushed into poverty due to its "flawed" economic policies. Initiating the debate on the Union Budget, Gaurav Gogoi, the deputy leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, said the government has failed to rein in inflation and its policies, outlined by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, will "benefit companies on Dalal Street and not the common people". Taking a swipe at the government, Gogoi said he would give an 'A' rating to the Union Budget but it is not the "A rating we used to get in school", and added that he was referring to a corporate group. Every announcement made in the Union Budget was for the benefit of a particular corporate group and there was "nothing for the common people", Gogoi claimed. The Congress member said the government has announced capital expenditure to the tune of Rs 10 lakh crore of which nearly

Ruckus in Parliament as Oppn claims BJP member 'glorified Sati' practice

BJP member Chandra Prakash Joshi clarified that said he did not intend to advocate the abolished practice and his statement was about the 'Jauhar' tradition

Opposition wants Parliament to function but Modi govt afraid: Congress

Amid the logjam in Parliament over the Adani-Hindenburg issue, the Congress on Tuesday said the Opposition wants the two Houses to function but the government is "afraid" and isn't even allowing it to raise the demand for a JPC probe. The opposition party also alleged that the government is making "no effort" to break the logjam in Parliament. Adani Group stocks have taken a beating on the bourses after US-based activist short-seller Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation, against the Gautam Adani-led group, which has dismissed the allegations as lies. The Opposition has been demanding a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe or a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the allegations. "Today Opposition parties meet at 10 am to decide the day's strategy. No effort from the government to break the logjam caused by its refusal to allow Opposition to even raise its demand for a JPC into the PM-linked Adan

Opposition stages protest in Parliament on Adani issue, stalls both LS, RS

Opposition MPs on Monday held a protest in front of Gandhi statue in Parliament complex and stalled proceedings in both houses while demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe or a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the Adani issue. Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 2 PM after opposition members protested in both houses seeking a discussion on the matter. Adani group stocks have taken a beating on the bourses after US-based activist short-seller Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation at the Gautam Adani-led group. The opposition parties have alleged that the meltdown in Adani Group shares is a scam that involves common people's money as public sector LIC and SBI have invested in them. The Adani group has maintained it complies with all laws and disclosure requirements. "Only a JPC or SC-monitored investigation under the CJI can bring out the truth about 'forced' investments

Adani row: Opposition wants a probe while govt gets into defensive mode

Internally, opposition feels it might be better to focus on an SC-monitored probe, as given its majority in both houses, advantage in a JPC might rest with BJP

Adani vs Hindenburg: Opposition seeks JPC or SC-monitored probe

The Opposition parties tried to raise the issue in both Houses of Parliament but were disallowed by the chair

Opposition seeks to raise Adani issue; Lok Sabha adjourned till 2 pm

Lok Sabha proceeding was adjourned till 2 pm on Thursday amid noisy scenes in the House as opposition members raised slogans demanding a discussion on the report of US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research on the Adani Group. Members of almost all opposition parties rushed to the Well of the House raising slogans on the tanking of Adani Group scrips on the stock exchange and sought a probe into the business practices of the corporate giant. Earlier, Speaker Om Birla welcomed a Parliamentary delegation from Zambia and started Question Hour. Objecting to the noisy scenes, he asked the members not to make unsubstantiated claims and said Question Hour was an important part of Parliamentary proceedings which should not be disrupted. As the slogan shouting continued, the Speaker adjourned House proceedings till 2 pm. Ahead of Parliament proceedings, leaders of several opposition parties met to evolve a joint strategy to take on the Central government during the Budget Session and decid

Budget 2023 fails to address problems of unemployment, poverty: Opposition

As the country is scheduled to have Assembly polls in some states in 2023 as well as Lok Sabha elections in 2024, the Opposition did not miss the opportunity to termed the Budget as anti-poor