Page 40 - Congress

Cong to file review petition in SC on release of Rajiv murder convicts

The Congress will file a review petition in the Supreme Court challenging the decision to release six convicts of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, party sources said on Monday. The petition will be filed this week, they said. "A fresh review application challenging the Supreme Court decision to release the convicts on the grounds set out in the order will be filed on behalf of the party in the next few days," a party insider said Facing criticism from the Congress, the government last week moved the Supreme Court seeking a review of its order for premature release of the convicts in the case. The Supreme Court on November 11 directed the premature release of the six, including Nalini Sriharan and R P Ravichandran, serving life term in the case. It noted that the Tamil Nadu government has recommended remission of their sentence. Besides Nalini and Ravichandran, the four others released were Santhan, Murugan, Robert Payas and Jayakumar. The top court also took into account that

Gandhi family gave nothing except 'deceit' to Amethi: Smriti Irani

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Monday attacked senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying despite the people of Amethi blessing the Gandhi family, it gave nothing to them except "deceit". The minister for Women and Child Development had defeated Rahul Gandhi in his family's bastion Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. "The people blessed Rahul Gandhi and the Gandhi family by electing them as public representatives from Amethi (previously). But, they gave nothing to the people except deceit and just one glimpse in five years," she said. Irani also said she was receiving full support from the Centre, state government and the district administration in implementing development works. During her day-long visit to the constituency, Irani laid foundation stones for projects worth Rs 6.85 crore in Dih block, distributed nutrition kits to tuberculosis patients and inaugurated a blood donation camp. She also interacted with the local people and heard their grievances.

PM rattled, involving in defame to inflame politics: Congress hits back

The Congress on Monday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi undertaking the Bharat Jodo Yatra, claiming the PM is "rattled" and indulging in his typical "defame to inflame" brand of politics. In an apparent reference to Gandhi during an address in Surendranagar town of poll-bound Gujarat, Modi said those who have been thrown out of power were taking out foot marches to get back to power. Responding to this, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said the Bharat Jodo Yatra aims to awaken the nation's conscience to growing economic inequalities, social polarisation and political authoritarianism. Anyone who shares these concerns, believes in the Gandhian way and is committed to the Constitution in letter and spirit is welcome to join the Yatra, he said. "The PM is indulging in his typical defame to inflame' brand of politics while criticising the Yatra. He is clearly desperate and rattled by the response o

BJP using 'money, muscle power' to intimidate voters, says Delhi Cong

The BJP is using "money and muscle power" to intimidate voters in the civic body elections, Delhi Congress president Anil Chaudhary alleged on Monday and said his party will file a police complaint in the matter. Chaudhary claimed that "corruption" in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi in the last 15 years has whipped up a strong anti-BJP tide in Delhi and the saffron party will go to any extent to win the upcoming civic body polls. "We will file a police complaint against the BJP as their youth wing workers are using money and muscle power to intimidate the voters. We will urge the Delhi Police to detain such goons so that people can cast their votes in a peaceful and democratic manner," he said. The voting for MCD will be held on December 4 and votes will be counted on December 7. He further claimed that the BJP is "using intimidatory tactics" and said it will boomerang on them in the upcoming polls. "Instead of raising issues like corruption, pollution and the garbage menace, t

Rahul's Bharat Jodo Yatra to enter Madhya Pradesh on Nov 23: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra will enter Madhya Pradesh from Maharashtra on Wednesday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted on Monday

Congress president Kharge to campaign in Gujarat from Nov 26 ahead of polls

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will campaign in Gujarat from November 26 to 28, sources close to him said here. Kharge will address a public meeting in Ahmedabad on November 26 and is likely to address a press conference the next day, they said. He will address a public meeting in Indore after participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra with Rahul Gandhi on November 27. The yatra enters Madhya Pradesh on November 23. Kharge will address another public meeting near Gandhinagar on November 28. The Gujarat assembly elections will be held in two phases on December 1 and 5. Results will be declared on December 8. Other details of Kharge's poll meetings are being worked out, the sources said. The new Congress president, who took over from Sonia Gandhi recently, had earlier addressed public meetings in Himachal Pradesh, where assembly elections were held on November 12.

Congress to file review petition in SC on release of Rajiv case convicts

The Congress will file a review petition in the Supreme Court challenging the decision to release the convicts of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, party sources said on Monday. The petition challenging the grounds set out in the order will be filed this week, they said. The Centre has already filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against the release of the convicts.

Congress oblivious to existence of tribals in India, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took a swipe at Congress saying its leaders remained oblivious to tribals for a very long time even though tribals have been living in the country since the days of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna. Canvassing for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jambusar town in tribal-dominated Bharuch district in poll-bound Gujarat, the prime minister also said leaders of Congress mocked him for wearing traditional tribal attire at public functions. "For a very long time, Congress leaders remained unaware of the existence of tribals in India. Weren't they living here since the days of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna?.. Weren't they part of the 1857 mutiny? Tribals did so many things for this country. But, Congress leaders never knew that Adivasis exist." "Otherwise, why was there no separate ministry for tribals until Atal Bihari Vajpayee became prime minister? It was Ataljee's government at the Centre which carved out a separate ministry and allocated a budget for their

BJP files complaint against Cong workers camping outside EVM rooms in HP

The BJP's Himachal Pradesh unit filed a complaint with the state Chief Electoral Officer on Monday, claiming that Congress members were violating election rules by camping outside EVM strong rooms and could tamper with the machines. Co-convener of the BJP election cell Dinesh Chouhan said his party candidates from various assembly constituencies have informed that Congress workers have pitched tents outside strong rooms, where EVMs are kept, at several places and have been freely moving inside the campus. They are not maintaining the required distance. This amounts to a violation of the model code of conduct, he alleged in the complaint and specifically cited the case of strong rooms in Nahan. "The Congress is making an attempt to take advantage on the pretext of guarding EVMs and the threat of EVMs safety and sanctity being compromised looms large,'' he said. He requested the Chief Electoral Officer to ensure that the guidelines of the poll panel are followed strictly. Assembly .

Congress looking to win 125 seats in Gujarat Assembly polls: Ashok Gehlot

Hitting out at PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over their frequent visits to the state lately, Gehlot claimed that they were doing so as the BJP was "being wiped out of Gujarat"

After Rahul's phone call, Sanjay Raut says such gestures becoming rare

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday said he received a call from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi who enquired about his health, and claimed such gestures were becoming rare in times of "political bitterness". Raut said Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass contact initiative underway from September 7, is getting a massive response because he is focussing on love and compassion. The Rajya Sabha member's praise for Gandhi comes at the time when the latter has been facing flak for his remarks on freedom fighter V D Savarkar. Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray last week said his party has immense respect for Savarkar and they do not approve of Gandhi's remarks about the late Hindutva ideologue. Gandhi recently called Savarkar a symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He had also claimed that Savarkar helped the British rulers and wrote a mercy petition to them out of fear. Raut, who was recently grant

Rahul Gandhi to address two public rallies in poll-bound Gujarat

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will address two public rallies in Gujarat on Monday as part of the campaign for party candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls in the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state. This will be Gandhi's second visit to Gujarat in two-and-a half-months and the first to campaign for the state elections which will be held on December 1 and 5. He will address rallies at Mahuva in Surat district and in Rajkot city, as per the schedule released by the party. Gandhi is currently leading the Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass contact initiative of the Congress which started on September 7. He last visited Gujarat on September 5 when he addressed a gathering of booth-level party workers in Ahmedabad.

To criticise Savarkar or not: A false dilemma

While Rahul Gandhi's critics only have utilitarian concerns, the Congress scion aspires to be the moral beacon for his party. His goal is beyond tactical electoral gains and losses

Karnataka CM Bommai orders probe into voter data theft scam since 2013

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said he has directed officials to probe into the alleged voter data theft scandal since 2013, when the Congress party was in power in the state. Addressing reporters here, he said, I have directed the officials concerned to probe the case from 2013. They will ascertain when for the first time the contract to conduct such door-to-door survey was assigned to the Chilume Educational Cultural and Rural Development Institute (Chilume Trust') and what was the content of the order. Our objective is to bring out all the facts. This comes a day after the Congress had lodged a complaint with Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena alleging that electoral fraud, malpractice, and manipulation of voters' list was done by the CM, Higher Education Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, the District election officer and chief commissioner of the BBMP, Tushar Girinath and the Directors of Chilume Trust. According to Bommai, the Congress had roped in the

Gujarat Assembly polls: BJP, Cong, and AAP are locked in a fierce contest

Aditi Phadnis looks at the central political issues, promises made, and strategies employed to impress voters

For the Congress, a middle position is hard to sustain: Zoya Hasan

'While the Congress claims that the yatra is not a tool to win elections, its success will only be gauged in electoral terms in the future'

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge to meet party workers in Delhi on Monday

The newly-elected Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will meet the party workers in the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office at 24, Akbar Road building on Monday

Rajasthan crisis: 'Congress can't be revived by ignoring young leaders'

The internal crisis erupted in Rajasthan Congress after the mass resignation of over 80 of its MLAs from the state assembly on September 25, seems to have surfaced again

BJP bats for women's safety and security, puts Congress on the back foot

Women safety and security, curfew free Gujarat, and no incidents of communal violence, are some of factors that helped the BJP in keep winning the voters' heart during the last two decades

Probing alleged voter data theft, says Karnataka chief electoral officer

In the midst of Congress party's allegations of voter data theft, Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka Manoj Kumar Meena said the inquiry was ordered following apprehension of impersonation by an NGO during the voter awareness drive'. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) commissioner had some information. We have the apprehension that there is impersonation and it has to be inquired. Ultimately, after the police investigation and our Divisional Commissioner inquiry, we will come to know what is there in it, Meena told PTI. The Congress in Karnataka has alleged that the Chilume Educational Cultural and Rural Development Institute (Chilume Trust') hired many private people who were given fake identity cards impersonating Booth Level Officers (BLOs) of BBMP. The opposition party alleged that the private trust, which was assigned by the Bengaluru civic agency to spread awareness among voters, collected details of the voters such as name, mother tongue, gender, religion, caste,