Page 306 - Congress

Cong insulted OBCs, but BJP gave 1st PM from this community to nation: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday accused the opposition Congress of harassing and insulting the Other Backward Classes during its rule at the Centre, and asserted that it was the BJP that gave the first OBC prime minister to the country in the form of Narendra Modi. Addressing a national convention of the Modi community here, Shah said PM Modi gave the OBCs their due respect and understood the pain of poor citizens because he himself was born in such a family. Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark, he said if someone insults a person, it is not a big deal, but if someone insults an entire community and the prime minister, then it is an insult to the entire country. size="5">"During its rule at the Centre, Congress only neglected, harassed and insulted the OBCs. As soon as BJP came to power, PM Modi gave OBC community its due respect. And it was BJP who gave the first OBC PM to the country in

Cong preps for next round of assembly polls; Kharge calls meeting on May 24

After a stunning victory in Karnataka, the focus of Congress leadership has shifted to the next round of assembly elections where the party is locked in a direct contest with the BJP in some states. With assembly elections due in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram in the next few months, the Congress is working on poll strategies in these states and has convened a meeting of state leaders on May 24. While Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh are two states ruled by the Congress where it is hoping to offset the anti-incumbency factor and factional fighting by replicating the 'Karnataka strategy', the party is also determined to make a comeback in Madhya Pradesh where it lost power after Jyotiraditya Scindia and some of the MLAs switched loyalties, sources said. They said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has called a meeting of its leaders from Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh on May 24 to strategise on the upcoming assembly elections. Khar

Siddaramaiah's anti-urban bias may well become the chink in Cong's armour

And Siddaramaiah's relationship with his former leader, H D Deve Gowda, and his biting criticism of the Vokkaliga community amplify and inform both the data and his politics

Challenge to fight powers inciting social and communal divide: Pawar

Nationalist Congress party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar on Sunday said the challenge before everyone is to fight powers that are deliberately inciting social and communal divide in the country. The results of the recently held Assembly elections in Karnataka show the situation is gradually changing, Pawar said at an event in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district. If the working class remains strong and united, what was seen in the Karnataka Assembly polls can be replicated elsewhere in the country as well, he said. In the recent Assembly elections in Karnataka, the Congress returned to power after a gap of five years by defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 'Some powers ruling the country are taking it backwards by inciting tensions on caste and religious lines in society. They are using power not for the welfare of people, but to create divisions among them,' Pawar alleged. The challenge is to fight against these powers, otherwise the common man will be destroyed, the NCP chief

Party in power at Centre concerned about itself, rather than nation: Cong

The Congress in Kerala on Sunday lashed out at the BJP, alleging that the party in power at the Centre is more concerned about itself rather than the country, a sharp contrast to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who put the nation first before everything. The view was expressed by veteran Congress leader and former Union Defence Minister A K Antony while speaking on the occasion of Rajiv Gandhi's death anniversary. "When he (Rajiv Gandhi) was Prime Minister he put the country first before the interests of the party. However, the party (BJP) in power at the Centre is more concerned about itself than the nation. "They are not concerned if the country burns, if there is communal violence or if there is any other form of unrest. They are only concerned with ensuring they remain in power," Antony alleged at the remembrance ceremony held at Indira Bhavan here. He claimed that when Rajiv Gandhi was PM, he ensured peace in Punjab, Assam and Mizoram at the cost of the Congress's power in

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Priyanka to kickstart Cong's MP poll campaign from Jabalpur on June 12

Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will kickstart the Assembly poll campaign for her party in Madhya Pradesh on June 12 with a road show and a rally in Jabalpur after offering prayers to the Narmada river, considered the state's lifeline, a functionary said on Saturday. Assembly polls are likely to be held at the end of the year in MP, where the Congress emerged as the largest party in the 2018 polls but its government fell in March 2020 following a rebellion by Jyotiraditya Scindia and more than 20 of his loyalist MLAs, paving the way for the Bharatiya Janata Party to return to power. Jabalpur is the largest city of the state's Mahakoshal region, where the Congress had won 11 out of the 13 Scheduled Tribe-reserved seats in the 2018 Assembly polls, leaving the Bharatiya Janata Party with victories in just two constituencies. "Priyankaji will first do Narmada puja at Gwarighat on the bank of the holy river here, after which she would lead a roadshow and then address a publi

Siddaramaiah govt's first Cabinet meet gives nod for Congress' guarantees

The Karnataka government in its maiden Cabinet meeting on Saturday accorded "in-principle" approval to implement the Congress party's five guarantees and initial estimates indicate that it would cost the exchequer Rs 50,000 crore annually, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said. The first Cabinet meeting was held immediately after Siddaramaiah was sworn in as Chief Minister, and D K Shivakumar as Deputy Chief Minister along with eight MLAs as Ministers. "It's agreed upon. We will not go back (on the promises)," the Chief Minister said, adding, the assurances would be fulfilled notwithstanding financial implications, if any. Siddaramaiah said initial estimation of the government is that the implementation of the poll promises would cost the exchequer Rs 50,000 crore a year. The assurances promised before the elections would "most likely" be implemented after the next Cabinet meeting, he said addressing a press conference here. The party's five poll guarantees are 200 units of free power

1984 anti-Sikh riots case: CBI files charge sheet against Congress leader

The CBI on Saturday filed a charge sheet against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in the Pul Bangash case connected to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, officials said. Three people were killed and a gurdwara was torched in the Pul Bangash area here on November 1, 1984, a day after the then prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated. In its charge sheet filed before a special court here, the CBI said Tytler "incited, instigated and provoked the mob assembled at Pul Bangash Gurdwara Azad Market" on November 1, 1984 that resulted in burning down of the gurdwara and killing of three Sikhs -- Thakur Singh, Badal Singh and Guru Charan Singh. The agency has invoked charges under sections 147 (rioting), 109 (abetment) read with 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), among others, against Tytler, the officials said. The court will consider the charges on June 2, they said.

Five 'guarantees' will become a law after 1st Cabinet meeting today: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the five 'guarantees' promised by the party before the elections in Karnataka will be implemented within a few hours after the first Cabinet meeting. He also said the people of Karnataka defeated BJP's "hatred and corruption" in the Assembly elections. "I had said we don't make false promises. We do what we say. The first cabinet meeting of the new government will take place in one to two hours. In that meeting, all the five 'guarantees' will become a law, Gandhi said after the swearing-in ceremony of Siddaramaiah as Chief Minister. These guarantees are: 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya), Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (both in the age group of 18-25) for two years (YuvaNidhi) and free travel for women in ..

People of Karnataka defeated money, power of BJP, says Rahul Gandhi

"We had the truth, poor people on our side. The BJP had money, power and everything but the people of Karnataka defeated all of it," the senior party leader said

Siddaramaiah sworn in K'taka CM, DKS dy CM; several Oppn leaders attend

Siddaramaiah was sworn in as Chief Minister for the second term, along with state Congress President D K Shivakumar as Deputy Chief Minister, and eight legislators as Ministers on Saturday, exactly a week after the party swept the Assembly polls in Karnataka. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the oath of office and secrecy to the Chief Minister and his Cabinet at Sree Kanteerava Stadium here, where Siddaramaiah had taken oath in 2013, when he became Chief Minister for the first time. The Legislators who were sworn in as Ministers are: G Parameshwara, K H Muniyappa, K J George, M B Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Priyank Kharge (AICC President M Mallikarjun Kharge's son), Ramalinga Reddy, and B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan. Mallikarjun Kharge, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi, General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attended the swearing in ceremony, while former AICC President Sonia Gandhi was absent. Chief Ministers of Congress ruled states Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan), Bhupesh Baghel ..

Only fair investigtion will reveal truth: Kharge on Rs 2000 note withdrawal

"Now the 'second demonetisation' on Rs 2,000 note... Is there a veil over the wrong decision? Only an unbiased investigation will reveal the truth," Kharge said

We have PM Modi to win Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, says CM Chouhan

He also called the Congress leaders "Kalnemi" who come in different guises and try to cheat the public

Congress targets PM Modi over withdrawal of Rs 2,000 currency notes

The Congress targeted the prime minister on Friday over the RBI announcement on the withdrawal of Rs 2,000 currency notes from circulation, saying the move was "typical of our self-styled vishwaguru" and his method of "first act, second think". A party MP said it was the beginning of a second demonetisation "disaster", in an apparent reference to the demonetisation exercise of November 8, 2016 when the legal tender status of all Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bank notes was withdrawn by the Narendra Modi government. "Typical of our self-styled Vishwaguru. First Act, Second Think (FAST). 2000 rupee notes introduced with such fanfare after that singularly disastrous 'Tughlaqi firman' of Nov 8 2016 are now being withdrawn," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Twitter, targeting the prime minister. Congress MP Manickam Tagore tweeted, "Second Demo disaster starts .. M = Madness." The Reserve Bank of India on Friday announced withdrawal of Rs 2,000 currency notes from circulation, and

Bengaluru swearing in and the shifting sands of opposition alliances

While several key Opposition leaders have not been invited, a few others who have, are not attending the oath taking ceremony on Saturday

Will Cong implement 5 guarantees or will they add conditions apply clause?

Will the new Congress government implement the five 'guarantees' that helped it in part to wrest power from the BJP in toto or will they now add a "conditions apply" clause ? All eyes now seem to be on this, as the Siddaramaiah-led government assumes office on Saturday. During campaigning for the May 10 Assembly elections, Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, repeatedly assured the voters that these five guarantees would be approved in the maiden cabinet meeting on the first day of coming to power. The 'guarantees' found resonance with voters, particularly with women, and played a key role in the party's resounding victory, political analysts noted. The Congress, which bagged 135 seats in the 224-member Assembly, ousted from power the BJP, which won in 66 constituencies, while the Janata Dal (Secular) managed to win only 19 seats. Some BJP leaders have alleged that implementation of the 'guarantees' would push the state into bankruptcy, and have also claimed that the Congress

AI camera case: Kerala govt gives clean chit, Cong to take legal action

All the tender process has been done according to the CWC guidelines, and the report has dismissed all the allegations levelled as baseless, said Rajeev

Gehlot govt burning midnight oil to help Cong pull off another 2004 in 2024

The victory of Congress in Karnataka Assembly polls undoubtedly has left the Congress confident and motivated but not without triggering a debate on whether it can pull off another 2004 in 2024

Why is there delay in justice to wrestlers: Congress' Sachin Pilot

Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Friday met the protesting wrestlers at the Jantar Mantar, and questioned the delay in justice to those who have made the country proud