Page 39 - Politics

Bidhuri's boorishness has its political uses

Bidhuri may be a small fry in the larger calculus of the party. Yet, in his blundering and uncultured way, he was voicing in Parliament what has already been normalised on the streets

Let's ensure politics of compassion prevails over politics of hate: Cong

The Congress on Gandhi Jayanti on Monday vowed to "expose" the "total hypocrisy" of those who appropriate Gandhian symbols and project his legacy to the world, "but are simply unable and unwilling to uphold the values he championed." The opposition party also resolved to work towards the victory of "truth over lies", and ensure that the politics of compassion prevails over the "politics of hate, vengeance and prejudice." The Congress paid rich tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge hailing him as not just an individual, but an ideology and the moral compass of the country. Congress chief Kharge paid floral tributes at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial at Rajghat here. In a post on X, he said, "Mahatma Gandhi ji is not just an individual, he is an idea, an ideology and the moral compass of our great nation." "His ideals of truth, non-violence, freedom, equality and coexistence have eternal value. We bow in reverence to Bapu's ideals on his .

Bidhuri remarks row: Danish Ali writes to PM, calls for suitable punishment

Amid a row over Ramesh Bidhuri's derogatory remarks in the Lok Sabha against him, BSP MP Danish Ali on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make a public statement condemning Bidhuri's behaviour and ensure "suitable punishment" to the BJP MP. In a letter to the prime minister, Ali also demanded that he be provided enhanced security in view of an "escalation of threats" against him. The recent incident during the special session of Parliament was not just an attack on him as an individual but an attack on the "very essence of democracy", Ali said. Expressing grave concern as a Member of Parliament over the "recent shameful events" that occurred on the floor of the House, the BSP leader called on the prime minister, as the Leader of the House, to take note of the incident. "As you must be aware, the situation has significantly worsened since September 21, 2023, and it has cast a shadow over the parliamentary decorum and democratic functioning of our esteemed House of which I

OPCC launches 'Ghar Ghar Congress' campaign to reach voters in Odisha

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Monday launched Ghar Ghar Congress' campaign to reach out to voters ahead of the simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly polls. The drive has been launched to create awareness among voters about the failures of the BJD government in power in the state for 23 years and the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, PCC campaign committee chairman Bijay Patnaik said. It will continue till October 15, he said. Launching the drive in Gajapati district, Patnaik said people are aware of the anti-democratic rule of the BJD government and the BJP. They want a change and only Congress can provide them good governance. He also conducted door-to-door campaign in Paralekhamundi town to seek the people's support for the party. The Congress leader said the party had led the Independence movement and initiated all developmental activities in the country. In Odisha, major irrigation projects including Hirakud, Indravati and Upper Kolab, roads, hydro

BJP fields 7 LS MPs, including three Union ministers, in Madhya Pradesh

The BJP has fielded Vivek Bunty Sahu from the Chhindwara Assembly seat, which has Kamal Nath as its sitting legislator

Mizoram polls: Deceived by party leadership, say former ZPM members

The ex-ZPM members had been followers of KS Thanga, Mizoram's former agriculture minister under the Congress government

Cong to launch Jan Aakrosh Yatra against 'failures' of MP govt from Sep 19

The Congress will launch the Jan Aakrosh Yatra on September 19 from seven places covering all 230 assembly segments in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, senior leaders said on Saturday. Addressing a press conference, MP Congress chief Kamal Nath and AICC in-charge for the state, Randeep Singh Surjewala, alleged "rampant corruption" under the BJP government, which they said had "failed" to tackle unemployment and crime against women and Dalits. "As many as 250 scams have taken place during 225 months of the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh. The dissatisfaction among people against the 18-year rule of Shivraj Singh Chouhan has turned into 'Jan akrosh' (public anger)," Surjewala said. He alleged Madhya Pradesh is witnessing "severe anarchy, crime, fear, atrocities and looting". "All sections, including tribals, farmers, Dalits, daughters, sons, backward classes and youths, want to remove this government to save the state," Surjewala said and alleged 58,000 women and girls were raped and abou

After verbal lynching, they are trying to lynch me outside: MP Danish Ali

Danish Ali while speaking to the media here also asked Nishikant Dubey to produce the video proof for what he is alleging the BSP MP

Women reservation benefit only possible in 2034, says Kapil Sibal

Hitting out at the Modi government, former Union law minister Kapil Sibal on Sunday said the earliest the women's reservation can come into effect is 2034 Lok Sabha elections, alleging it was brought with an eye on the upcoming state and Lok Sabha polls. The Rajya Sabha MP made the remarks in his new 'Dil Se' initiative under which he will engage fortnightly in a conversation with a journalist on important issues. In the first episode he posted on social media, Sibal took questions on the women's reservation bill, the row over BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri's derogatory remarks against BSP MP Danish Ali, and his views on the new Parliament building. Asked about Bidhuri's remarks, Sibal said the BJP MP must be "expelled" from parliament. "I have not seen this in my 30-year-long career in parliament. Never seen such foul language, such venom and I was even surprised and shocked by the person presiding, who said I would look at the record and then delete it. I just don't understand this," Siba

Centre has 'mismanaged' economy across all sectors, says Congress

The Congress on Sunday alleged that the government has mismanaged the economy across all sectors and since it is "too inept" in fixing issues such as unemployment and price rise, it is distorting the data instead. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said now that the special session of Parliament is over, it is clear that the Modi government was trying to "distract and divert" the nation from some critical issues "the Adani scam, the caste census and especially the rising unemployment, growing inequality and the economic distress". In a statement, he said no matter how much the Modi government hides the data, the reality is that the vast majority of people are suffering. He claimed that some of the facts reported last week are being "brushed under the carpet". He said RBI's latest bulletin of September 2023 shows the "complete failure" of the Modi government to execute a recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. "Forty-three per cent of people were in the labour force in February

B-team of BJP in Ktaka has officially become ND's part: Cong on JD(S) move

After the JD(S) joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Congress on Friday said the "B-team of the BJP" in Karnataka has officially become part of the coalition. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said their assertion made during the recent Karnataka assembly poll campaign in this regard has been vindicated today. "What the Congress had repeatedly said throughout the Karnataka election campaign has been officially vindicated today. The B-team of the BJP in the state - JD(S) - has officially become part of the NDA, that too a day following the most nakedly communal attack by a BJP MP on a former senior JD(S) leader in the Lok Sabha," Ramesh said on X. Ramesh was referring to BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri's objectionable remarks against Danish Ali, who is now in the BSP. In a boost to the BJP in Karnataka ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Janada Dal (Secular) decided to ally with the party following a meeting of its leader H D Kumaraswamy with Home Minister Amit Shah and pa

NCP split: Ajit faction submits disqualification plea against Sharad's MLAs

The Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party has submitted a petition to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar seeking disqualification of 10 MLAs affiliated to party founder Sharad Pawar. The petition was filed on Thursday by Anil Bhaidas Patil, who is the chief whip of the Ajit Pawar faction. The 10 MLAs named in the petition are Jayant Patil, Jitendra Awhad, Rajesh Tope, Rohit Pawar, Anil Deshmukh, Prajakt Tanpure, Balasaheb Patil, Sunil Bhusara, Sandeep Kshirsagar and Suman Patil, said Anil Bhaidas Patil. Incidentally, the Sharad Pawar faction has already filed disqualification petition against 40 MLAs who allied with Ajit Pawar. The NCP has 53 MLAs in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, with legislators like Nawab Malik and Suman Patil maintaining a neutral stance. On July 2, the NCP suffered a split after Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif and Dilip Walse Patil, joined the Eknath Shinde government. Ajit Pawar was sworn in

Canada must take action against anti-India elements active on its soil: BJP

The BJP on Tuesday termed as baseless and ironical Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations against India in connection with the killing of a Khalistani terrorist in Canada and demanded that the Canadian government take effective action against all anti-India elements active on its soil. The ruling party's reaction came after Canada expelled a senior Indian official on Monday following Trudeau's allegations of "potential" Indian links to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and one of India's most-wanted terrorists who carried a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head. Nijjar was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen outside a gurdwara in Surrey in the western Canadian province of British Columbia on June 18. India has rejected as "absurd" and "motivated" Trudeau's allegations and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in retaliatory action. The BJP said it is unfortunate that some Canadian political figures have openly expressed the

Cong dubs Women's Reservation Bill 'election jumla', huge betrayal of hopes

The Congress on Tuesday termed as "election jumla" and "huge betrayal of hopes of women" the women's reservation bill brought by the government, noting the Centre has stated that the reservation will be effective only after a Census and delimitation exercise is conducted post-enactment of the bill. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh wondered whether the Census and delimitation will be done before the 2024 elections, pointing out that the Narendra Modi government has not yet conducted the 2021 decadal Census. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "In a season of election jumlas, this one is the biggest of them all! A huge betrayal of the hopes of crores of Indian women and girls." "As we had pointed out earlier, Modi government has not yet conducted the 2021 Decadal Census making India the only country in G20 that has failed to carry out the Census. Now it says that the reservation for women will come into effect only following the first decadal Census

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

Spesial session: MPs to assemble for group photos on Parl legacy on Tuesday

All members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will assemble for group photographs on Tuesday morning and then participate in a function to commemorate the rich legacy of the Parliament of India and resolve to make Bharat a developed nation by 2047, before they move to the new building. According to a bulletin issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, all MPs have been called for a group photograph at 9:30 am on Tuesday. There would be three group photographs, first for all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, the second for Rajya Sabha MPs and the third for Lok Sabha MPs. Subsequently, all members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been requested to assemble in the Central Hall of Parliament at 11 am for a function to commemorate the rich legacy of the Parliament of India and resolve to make Bharat a developed nation by 2047, the bulletin said. MPs are also being issued new identity cards to enter the new Parliament building. Catering facilities in the MP Dining Room, MP Guest Dining Room, Central

TDP raises Naidu's 'illegal' arrest issue during all-party meeting

The Telugu Desam Party at an all-party meeting convened by the government on Sunday raised the issue of its leader Chandrababu Naidu's arrest and said it will also bring it up in Parliament. After the meeting, held a day before the five-day Parliament session begins, TDP MP Ram Mohan Naidu said his party raised the issue of the "illegal arrest"."We will raise this issue in Parliament as well," he added. Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Naidu's son Nara Lokesh had said on Friday that the arrest by the Andhra Pradesh Police in a corruption case was an attempt by a "known corrupt" chief minister to hamper the party's popular campaign to oust him from power. Naidu is currently lodged in a jail in Rajamahendravaram after being remanded in judicial custody by a court last Sunday for his alleged involvement in a multi-crore corruption scam. He was arrested on September 9 in connection with a fraud case involving alleged misappropriation of funds from the Skill Development Corporation,

Anurag Thakur slams 'INDIA' bloc for opposing 'one nation, one election'

Union Minister Anurag Thakur hit out at the opposition INDIA bloc on Sunday for opposing the "one nation, one election" concept and said it appears that the alliance neither has any ideology nor a leader. He described the alliance of opposition parties as an "amalgamation of egoists and opportunists" and alleged that it is "bent upon harming Sanatan Dharma". "Is it that the INDIA bloc does not want the time and money of the country to be saved by one nation, one election or is it afraid of facing the polls?" Thakur asked while talking to reporters here. The minister, who participated in various programmes organised by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) here to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday and distributed fruits among patients at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, said even after four meetings, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) has not been able to project a leader or appoint a convenor. He said, "This amalgamation of egoists and ...

Facing economic slowdown, PM not worried about unemployment: Youth Congress

The country is facing an economic slowdown but the prime minister is "not worried about employment for the youth", the Indian Youth Congress alleged on Sunday. Srinivas BV, the organisation's national president who led a protest at the Indian Youth Congress' office in central Delhi, said, "We mark this day -- September 17 -- as 'national unemployment day.' Scores of youngsters are unemployed across the country and yet the Centre and the prime minister refuse to acknowledge the problem." September 17 is the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who turned 73 this year. Srinivas further alleged that crores of people applied for central government jobs in the past nine years and "yet, a large number of youngsters are unemployed". "Every sixth graduate of the country is unemployed, 22 crore people applied for central government jobs in nine years. We appeal to Prime Minister Modi to pay some attention to the unemployed youngsters of the country and take some concrete steps for thei

All-party meeting: Regional parties push for women's reservation Bill

Several regional parties, including the BJD and the BRS, pushed for tabling of the women reservation bill in Parliament as the government held an all-party meeting on Sunday, a day ahead of the start of a five-day session. Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said his party will raise issues like price rise, unemployment, social conflict and the Manipur situation during the all-party meeting. He arrived at the Parliament House Complex to attend it. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the deputy leader of the House in Lok Sabha; Union Minister Piyush Goyal, the leader of the House in Rajya Sabha; and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi represented the government in the meeting. BJD and BRS leaders said they will push for the tabling and passage of the women reservation bill in the five-day session. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former prime minister and JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda, DMK's Kanimozhi, TDP's Ram Mohan Naidu, TMC's Derek O'Brien, AAP's Sanjay Singh, BJD's Sasmit Patr