Page 3 - Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Amit Shah, Adhir Ranjan in 8-member Kovind panel on simultaneous polls

The government on Saturday notified an eight-member high-level committee to examine and make recommendations at the earliest on the issue of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, municipalities and panchayats. The committee will be headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind and will have Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and former Finance Commission chairman N K Singh as members. The panel, which will commence functioning immediately and make recommendations at the earliest, will also have former Lok Sabha Secrertary General Subhash C Kashyap, senior advocate Harish Salve and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari as members. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will attend the meetings of the committee as a special invitee, while Legal Affairs Secretary Niten Chandra will be secretary to the panel. The committee will examine and recommend

Diminishing world of Adhir Chowdhury

The MP from Behrampore has never wavered in his allegiance to the Congress. But now, it is his party that might have to give up on him

One nation, one election: All you need to know about simultaneous elections

Centre has constituted a committee headed by former President Ram Nath Kovind to explore the possibility of 'one nation, one election'

Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's suspension from Lok Sabha revoked

Earlier in the day, Chowdhury appeared before the Privileges Committee of Lok Sabha and expressed regret over his conduct in the House

Thorough investigation needed in JU death case: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has termed the Jadavpur University incident "unfortunate" wherein an undergraduate student died last week and demanded a thorough investigation into the matter

LS privileges panel to probe Chowdhury's 'misconduct' at meet on Friday

The Privileges Committee of the Lok Sabha will probe on Friday the complaint of misconduct against Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who was suspended from the lower house last week. The committee, chaired by BJP member Sunil Kumar Singh, is set to deliberate on the motion adopted by the Lok Sabha on August 10 on the "gross, deliberate and repeated misconduct of Chowdhury in utter disregard to the House and authority of the Chair. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had objected to the behaviour of Chowdhury and BJP member Virendra Singh during the debate on the no-confidence motion against the government. Singh, the BJP member from Ballia, had tendered an apology to the Chair for his conduct in the House, and escaped action. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi termed Chowdhury's actions as "habitual" and deliberate. Joshi said Chowdhury had repeatedly disrupted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reply to the debate on no-confidence motion and also interrupted speeches of Home .

Mallikarjun Kharge defends Adhir Chowdhury's 'Nirav Modi' remark in RS

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said his party colleague Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's suspension from Lok Sabha for using "Nirav Modi" for the prime minister was not right as "nirav" means "silent". Chowdhury, the leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, was suspended on Thursday for allegedly attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and disturbing the ministers. The matter will be referred to the privileges committee. "Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was suspended on a flimsy ground. He had just said 'Nirav Modi'. 'Nirav' means "shaant and silent". For uttering 'Nirav Modi', you are suspending (a member)," Kharge said in the Upper House of Parliament. During a debate, certain remarks are made. "If (a remark) is unparliamentary and hurts someone, at that moment, you can say it is unparliamentary and not correct to use," he said. Kharge kept on speaking even as Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said it happened in the other House. "I am pleading with you as Vice President of

Opposition's no-confidence motion defeated in Lok Sabha by voice vote

Referring to the no-confidence motion of 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it has always been auspicious for the government

Police, goons threatening Congress members to join TMC in Bengal: Adhir

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that his party's victorious candidates in the panchayat polls are being threatened by the police and goons, compelling them to join the ruling TMC. He urged Banerjee to look into the matter and take preventive steps before the formation of the panchayat boards. "Despite violence (in West Bengal during the panchayat polls), wherever Congress candidates have won, police/political leaders/goons are threatening them by slapping murder and other charges, thus compelling them to save their lives through surrender by accepting TMC membership. If this goes on unchecked, it is bound to assume in the days to come a monstrous dimension, which will tell upon the democratic health of the nation as well as that of West Bengal," Chowdhury said in his two-page letter. Chowdhury, the Bengal Congress president, also alleged that the insatiable thirst of TMC activits for more power and lucre

Shah made an election speech, Oppn not allowed to raise issues: Chowdhury

The opposition on Thursday walked out of Lok Sabha before the voting on the Delhi services bill, accusing Home Minister Amit Shah of making an election speech and alleging that it was not allowed to raise some issues. Speaking to reporters, Leader of the Congress Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury claimed that the issue was all about snatching the rights of an elected government but Shah was instead "abusive" to the opposition and made an election speech. He said he wanted to seek some clarifications from Shah, including on the Manipur issue, but was not allowed. DMK member T R Baalu accused Union minister Anurag Thakur of taunting his party over the issue of scams. Opposition members were quiet during the debate and disturbed no one, including Shah, but Thakur started "heckling" them later, he said. The BRS also joined INDIA bloc parties in walking out of the House. The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which will replace an ordinance promulgated for

INDIA leaders brief Prez about Manipur situation, seek her intervention

The meeting came at a time when the Opposition's demand for PM Modi to make a statement in Parliament, followed by a comprehensive discussion on the violence in Manipur, remained unfulfilled

If Manipur issue is not resolved soon, may create security problems: Adhir

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday asserted that if the Manipur ethnic conflict is not resolved soon, it may create security problems for the country. A delegation of opposition INDIA bloc alliance MPs called on Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey at Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum on their observations after visiting the northeastern state. Addressing reporters outside Raj Bhavan after the meeting, the Congress leader said, "The governor heard our observations and agreed to those. She expressed sorrow over the incidents of violence and suggested that an all-party delegation should visit Manipur to talk to people to remove mistrust among communities." Chowdhury said that the visiting MPs will present their observations on Manipur in Parliament. "We have requested a discussion on Manipur in Parliament as the situation is deteriorating every day," he said. The opposition delegation of 21 MPs arrived in Manipur on Saturday to assess the ground situation and meet victi

Was Centre sleeping till now: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury during Manipur visit

A team of the opposition bloc INDIA on Saturday visited the riot-hit town of Churachandpur in Manipur where they met Kuki leaders and members of the civil society besides ethnic strife victims in the relief camps where they were lodged. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told reporters after visiting a relief camp, "They are talking of investigation by CBI (into the crimes committed)... I would like to ask were they (central government) sleeping till now?" TMC leader Sushmita Dev said the team will speak with representatives of both the communities. "Everyone's voice must be heard. We will be talking to both Kukis and Meiteis," she said. A delegation of 21 MPs from the opposition bloc INDIA reached Imphal earlier in the day and then teams from the delegation flew to Churachandpur in two helicopter flights. The team led by Chowdhury visited a relief camp set up at the Boys Hostel of Churachandpur College. Another team, comprising Congress' deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gog

All have to try for peaceful solution to Manipur conflict: Adhir Chowdhury

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said here on Saturday that the ethnic conflict in Manipur was sullying India's image and all parties must try and find a peaceful solution to end it. A delegation of 21 MPs from the opposition bloc INDIA reached Imphal to assess the ground situation in ethnic strife-torn Manipur. The team of opposition MPs would visit several relief camps to meet victims of the ethnic clashes during their two-day visit beginning Saturday. "We have come here to meet victims of ethnic clashes and understand the problem. We want the end of violence and the restoration of peace at the earliest...the entire world is watching what is going on in Manipur," Chowdhury told PTI . He also said, " The ethnic clashes have damaged the image of Manipur, the northeast region and India as a whole. We all have to try for a peaceful solution. We are here not to do any politics." The MPs reached Imphal by a commercial flight from Delhi. After their arrival here, the delegation w

Shah writes to Kharge, Adhir on Manipur; urges to rise above party lines

Seeking to break the current logjam, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday sought "invaluable cooperation" of the opposition to discuss the Manipur issue in Parliament and asked them to rise above party lines to find a "permanent" solution to the embroglio in a "harmonious" way. In identical letters in Hindi to opposition leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Shah said the people of Manipur want that MPs of all political parties give them confidence that the lawmakers are united and committed to the peace of Manipur. Kharge is the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Chowdhury is the Congress leader in Lok Sabha. Shah said the government is ready to discuss the Manipur issue and urged all to cooperate, rising above party lines. He said Manipur was experiencing a new era of peace and development during the last six years of the BJP rule but some court orders and some incidents resulted in violence in Manipur during May. The home minister said some "shameful .

Cong moves HC over panchayat poll violence, seeks compensation for victims

The Calcutta High Court on Monday allowed senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to file a petition seeking compensation to victims of panchayat poll violence in West Bengal and an investigation into it by an independent agency. Submitting personally before the bench presided by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam, Chowdhury, the state Congress president, alleged that entire West Bengal was ravaged by unprecedented violence during the elections held on July 8. Claiming that most of the deceased belonged to the poor, vulnerable and underprivileged sections of society, he prayed before the court that the next of kin of the deceased and the injured be given monetary compensation. He also sought an investigation into the incidents of violence, including killings and use of firearms and crude bombs, by an independent agency. The bench, also comprising Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, granted leave to him to file the petition. Chowdhury prayed for granting some pecuniary benefit so that t

MHA directed Central forces to arrive late in Bengal: Adhir Chowdhury

West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday alleged the Union Home Ministry had directed the Central forces to delay their coming to the state to help ruling Trinamool Congress loot votes during the panchayat poll. He also alleged that the BJP in New Delhi and the TMC had reached an understanding and "in exchange for this favour" TMC chief Mamata Banerjee would "play spoilsport" in the fight of a united opposition against the saffron party in 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "The Central forces were late in coming to Bengal under the instructions of the Union Home Minister and the BJP in New Delhi. They have an understanding with the TMC in Bengal and that is the reason the central forces were late in coming. They gave TMC the opportunity to loot votes, that is because, in the future, Didi (Mamata Banerjee) will be a 'gaddar' (traitor ) to break the proposed opposition front," Chowdhury said. Chowdhury was speaking to reporters after paying a visit to

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury meets victim's familyof Panchayat poll violence

There were reports of booth capturing, damaging of ballot boxes and assault of presiding officers from several districts such as Murshidabad, Cooch Behar, Malda, South 24 Parganas, North Dinajpur

Adhir Ranjan requests security for media during Bengal panchayat polls

Choudhury reminded the Governor that in the past, many media persons wore injured and killed in the incidents of violence

WB Panchayat polls: Adhir complains to Om Birla over misconduct of BDO

He in his letter said that they sat on the protest against the act of violence on Congress candidates adding that they were forcibly prevented by anti-social elements from submitting requisite forms