Sonia Gandhi

Modi govt has 'nearly signed death warrant' for Aravalli: Sonia Gandhi

Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday claimed that since coming to power, the Modi government has displayed a particularly "venal streak of cynicism" in relation to environmental protection, while alleging that it has now "nearly signed a death warrant" for Aravalli hills. She demanded that the government must withdraw the amendments it "bulldozed" through Parliament in the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 as well as the Forest Conservation Rules (2022). Gandhi said the government's declaration that any hills in the Aravalli range with an elevation of less than 100 metres are not subject to the strictures against mining is an open invitation for illegal miners and mafias to finish off 90% of the range which falls below the height limit set. "The Aravalli range, which runs from Gujarat through Rajasthan and till Haryana, has long played a significant role in Indian geography and history. It has served as a barrier to the spread of desertification from the

Modi-Shah using 'vendetta politics', says Cong after FIR on Sonia, Rahul

With the Delhi Police filing an FIR against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, the Congress on Sunday alleged that the "Modi-Shah duo" is continuing with its mischievous politics of harassment, intimidation, and vendetta against the party's top leadership. The opposition party also said the National Herald matter is a "completely bogus case" and justice will ultimately triumph. In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "The Modi-Shah duo is continuing with its mischievous politics of harassment, intimidation, and vendetta against the top leadership of the INC. Those who threaten are themselves insecure and afraid." "The National Herald matter is a completely bogus case. Justice will ultimately triumph. Satyameva Jayate," he said. His remarks came after the Delhi Police filed an FIR against the Congress leaders and other accused in the National Herald case on a complaint by the ED as part of the agency's money ...

Police files FIR against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi in National Herald case

Delhi Police has filed an FIR against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and other accused in the National Herald case on a complaint by the ED as part of the agency's money laundering probe into the high-profile case that alleges that the first family of the party "abused" their position for personal gains. Official sources said the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police filed a complaint against the Gandhis and seven others on October 3. The police has pressed charges under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC in the FIR that names the Gandhis, Congress leaders Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda, entities like the Young Indian (YI) and Dotex Merchandise Ltd, Dotex promoter Sunil Bhandari, Associated Journals Ltd. (AJL) and unknown others. These entities are also named as an accused (except unknown others) in the ED chargesheet filed before a Delh

V-P Radhakrishnan, Sonia Gandhi pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, Shastri

Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Thursday paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversaries, recalling their contributions to uplifting the downtrodden. In a post on X, Radhakrishnan said that through his life and teachings, Gandhi showed the path of truth, love and selfless service to mankind. "His entire life truly was an experiment with truth." The vice president recalled the words of Gandhi that people should contemplate whether their actions will benefit the poorest and weakest man they have seen. In another post, Radhakrishnan said Shastri's life and leadership exemplified simplicity and honesty. He said Shastri's steadfast dedication and moral courage inspired generations to rise above personal interests for the greater good of the country. "His wonderful quote, 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan', reminds us of the inseparable bond between our farmers and soldiers, the essential pillars of India's progress and security," he added. Radhakrishnan sa

India must lead on Palestine issue, Modi govt has failed humanity: Sonia

Asserting that India needs to demonstrate leadership on the issue of Palestine, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday slammed the Modi government's stance, saying its response has been characterised by a "profound silence" and an abdication of both humanity and morality. She said the government's actions appear to be driven primarily by the personal friendship between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu rather than India's constitutional values or its strategic interests. "This style of personalised diplomacy is never tenable and cannot be the guiding compass of India's foreign policy. Attempts to do the same in other parts of the world, most notably in the United States have come undone in the most painful and humiliating ways in recent months," Gandhi said in her article published in The Hindu. This is the third article by Gandhi on the Israel-Palestine conflict, published in a national daily in the recent past, i

Court rejects plea alleging forgery over Sonia Gandhi's name in voter list

A Delhi court on Thursday dismissed a plea seeking action against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, alleging her name was included in the electoral rolls three years before she became an Indian citizen. Additional chief judicial magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasia dismissed the plea. A detailed order is awaited. On September 10, senior advocate Pavan Narang, appearing for the complainant, Vikas Tripathi said in January 1980 Gandhi's name was added as a voter of New Delhi constituency when she was not an Indian citizen. "First, you have to satisfy the threshold of citizenship, then you will become a resident of an area," he said. Narang said in 1980, the proof of residence was probably a ration card or a passport. "If she was a citizen, then why was her name deleted in 1982? Two names were deleted then by the election commission, one was of Sanjay Gandhi after he died in a plane crash, and the other was of Sonia Gandhi," he said. Narang said the election commission must have found something

Delhi court to rule on complaint against Sonia over voter list forgery

The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Vaibhav Chaurasiya had reserved the order on Wednesday after hearing arguments

Planned misadventure, risks tribes: Sonia Gandhi slams Nicobar project

Terming the Great Nicobar infrastructure project a "planned misadventure", Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday said it poses an existential danger to the island's indigenous tribal communities and is being insensitively pushed through, making a "mockery of all legal and deliberative processes". The collective conscience cannot, and must not, stay silent when the very survival of the Shompen and Nicobarese tribes is at stake, Gandhi said in an article published in 'The Hindu'. "Our commitment to future generations cannot permit this large-scale destruction of a most unique ecosystem. We must raise our voice against this travesty of justice and this betrayal of our national values," she said in her article titled 'The making of an ecological disaster in the Nicobar'. Hitting out at the Modi government, the former Congress president said there has been no shortage of "half-baked and ill-conceived policymaking" in the last 11 years. "The latest in this serie

B Sudarshan Reddy files V-P nomination in presence of Sonia, Rahul, Kharge

Opposition vice-presidential candidate B Sudarshan Reddy on Thursday filed his nomination papers in the presence of top Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Reddy, a former Supreme Court Judge, submitted four sets of nomination papers before the Rajya Sabha secretary general, who is also the returning officer for the vice-presidential election. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, SP leader Ramgopal Yadav, DMK's Tiruchi Siva, TMC's Satabdi Roy, Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut, CPI(M)'s John Brittas were among the opposition leaders present for the nomination. As many as 160 MPs have signed as proposers and seconders. The returning officer scrutinised the nomination documents, and handed over an acknowledgement slip to Reddy. The electoral college for the vice presidential elections comprises members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha are also eligible to cast their votes. The effective strength of the electoral college

Congress kept India united, Gandhi family kept party intact: DK Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday said India has remained united because of the Congress and the Gandhi family has kept the party together as he urged party workers to contribute as a team to ensure the exit of the BJP in 2029. He also urged the lawyers community to help protect the right to vote of every Indian by creating legal banks in every constituency, as suggested by Rahul Gandhi. "Congress' history is country's history, Congress' strength is country's strength. The Gandhi family has kept the Congress family united and the Congress has kept the country united. Otherwise our country would have been broken into various pieces," he said. Shivakumar was addressing the valedictory function of the day-long national legal conclave on 'Constitutional Challenges: Perspectives and Pathways'. The eight-time legislator from Karnataka recalled the days when he was lodged in Tihar jail and lauded the role played by lawyers in helping him come out of it. He also .

Constitution under siege, BJP attempting ideological coup: Sonia Gandhi

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday alleged that the Constitution is "under siege" as the ruling BJP is using its power to dismantle the very framework it long opposed. She alleged that the BJP is seeking to bring an "ideological coup" by replacing our democratic republic with a theocratic corporate state serving the powerful few. In her special message read out at the day-long national legal conclave on 'Constitutional Challenges - Perspectives and Pathways', Gandhi said the Congress would oppose every attempt to undermine the Constitution in Parliament, in courts and on the streets, asserting that it is not just a political but an ideological commitment to defend every Indian's dignity. "Today, the Constitution is under siege. The BJP-RSS, which never fought for freedom or upheld equality, now uses its power to dismantle the very framework it long opposed," she said. "Their ideological forebears glorified Manusmriti, rejected the tricolour, and ...

Sonia, Kharge, Rahul, Akhilesh join Oppn leaders in protest against SIR

Several MPs of the INDIA bloc parties, including Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, protested in the Parliament House complex on Monday against the Election Commission's voter roll revision in Bihar, and demanded its rollback. Ahead of the day's proceedings in Parliament, top opposition MPs, including Sonia Gandhi, Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav, TMC's Derek O'Brien and Sagarika Ghose, DMK's Kanimozhi and A Raja, besides others, raised slogans and protested against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. There was a huge banner in front of them which read 'SIR- Attack on Democracy' as they lined up on and near the steps of the Makar Dwar of Parliament and staged a protest for the fifth consecutive day. With 'Stop SIR' placards in hand, several MPs of the opposition, including those of the .

ED targeting Vadra to malign Gandhi family, Congress: Mallikarjun Kharge

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday termed the ED charge sheet against Robert Vadra as an attempt to bring bad name to him and the Gandhi family, and to target the Congress party. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday filed a charge sheet against Robert Vadra, the businessman husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in a land deal in Haryana's Shikohpur. "What has been done to Vadra, is to take revenge on a person, to target a party, they are doing all this. It is done as part of an attempt to bring a bad name to the Vadra and Gandhi family. They will never be successful in it. There are courts," Kharge told reporters here. "The trouble that is being given to Vadra is not right. We all support his good work." Responding to a question on BJP accusing Congress of supporting "land jihad", the Congress chief said, "I don't know what land jihad is. If they want to take any action against me, welcome, l

National Herald case: Court reserves order on ED chargesheet cognisance

A Delhi court on Monday reserved its order on taking cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate in the National Herald case. Special Judge Vishal Gogne said the matter will be heard on July 29. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has accused Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, late Congress leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, as well as Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and a private company, Young Indian, of conspiracy and money laundering over the fraudulent takeover of Rs 2,000 crore worth properties belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which published the National Herald newspaper. ED alleges that Gandhis held the majority 76 per cent shares in Young Indian, which fraudulently usurped the assets of AJL in exchange for a Rs 90 crore loan. The chargesheet names Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Sam Pitroda, Suman Dubey, Sunil Bhandari, Young Indian and Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd.

Sonia Gandhi calls meeting on July 15 to finalise Monsoon session strategy

Congress parliamentary party leader Sonia Gandhi will chair a key meeting on Tuesday to finalise the party's strategy for the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament which is expected to witness confrontations between the opposition and the government on a host of issues. Opposition parties are expected to raise strong concerns over the Election Commission's move to carry out a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. Also, the Congress has been demanding a discussion on the Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor as well as the diplomatic outreach following that. The Congress' parliamentary strategy group meeting is expected to be attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, among others. It will be chaired by Sonia Gandhi at her 10, Janpath residence, party sources said. The government has announced that the Monsoon session of Parliament will begin on July 21 and continue till August 21, a week longer than

National Herald case: AICC attempted to revive AJL, Cheema tells court

Senior advocate R S Cheema, representing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday argued that the AICC was not trying to sell the assets of Associated Journals Limited (AJL), but rather attempting to save the institution, which was part of the freedom movement. Cheema began his rebuttal before Special Judge Vishal Gogne. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has accused Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, late Congress leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, as well as Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, and a private company, Young Indian, of conspiracy and money laundering over the fraudulent takeover of properties valued at over ?2,000 crore belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which published the National Herald newspaper. "Can my friend (ED counsel) tell me why they were shy of placing the Memorandum of Association (MoA) of AJL? AJL was established in 1937 by Jawaharlal Nehru, J. B. Kripalani, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai, and others. "The AJL MoA said that the policy of AJL will be the policy of the

Sonia, Rahul Gandhi wanted to usurp ₹2,000 cr AJL company: ED to court

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday alleged Sonia and Rahul Gandhi wanted to usurp the assets of Associated Journals Limited (AJL), a Rs 2,000 crore company, the publisher of National Herald newspaper. Special judge Vishal Gogne was hearing the submissions on the point of cognisance in the National Herald case. Additional solicitor general S V Raju said a conspiracy was hatched to form Young Indian Private Limited in which the Gandhis held 76 per cent shares to usurp the assets of AJL, which took a Rs 90 crore loan from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) despite having assets worth in crores. Explaining the conspiracy, the ASG said, "AJL was not making profits but had assets worth Rs 2,000 crore. But they were finding it difficult to manage their daily affairs. If you are doing reasonably well, you cannot say, I am in loss, etc. You have to build a facade. Rs 90 crore loan was taken from the AlCC. They (AJL) said we cannot repay you (AICC). Ordinarily, any prudent person .

Sonia slams govt's silence on Gaza, Iran, calls it 'surrender of values'

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday strongly criticised India's silence on Israel's devastation in Gaza and Iran as "not just a loss of its voice, but also a surrender of values". In an article - "It is still not too late for India's voice to be heard", she accused the Narendra Modi government of abandoning India's long-standing and principled commitment to a peaceful two-nation solution envisioning an independent Palestine along with Israel. Gandhi, in the article, was also critical of US President Donald Trump for following a "destructive path" in West Asia, after having spoken against America's endless wars. "New Delhi's silence on the devastation in Gaza and now on the unprovoked escalation against Iran reflects a disturbing departure from our moral and diplomatic traditions. This represents not just a loss of voice but also a surrender of values," the Congress leader said in her article in 'The Hindu'. "It is still not too late. India must speak .

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi discharged from Delhi hospital after 4 days

The 78-year-old former Congress president had been admitted to the hospital on June 15 for treatment

Sonia Gandhi responding well to treatment; diet being monitored: Hospital

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi who was hospitalised owing to a stomach-related issue is responding well to treatment but her discharge date has not yet been decided, the hospital said on Tuesday. The 78-year-old Congress leader was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on Sunday evening. In a statement, chairman of the hospital Ajay Swaroop, said, "She is stable and responding well to treatment. She is recovering from a stomach infection. Her diet is being closely monitored, and she remains under observation. As a precautionary measure, her discharge date has not yet been decided." "Our team of doctors, Dr S Nundy and Dr Amitabh Yadav, is closely monitoring her health and diet, he added On June 9, the former Congress president underwent a medical check-up at the same hospital. Two days before the check-up, she underwent some tests at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla after she complained of high blood pressure.