Ghulam Nabi Azad

Rahul must clarify Azad's charge on meeting 'undesirable businessmen': BJP

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday said Rahul Gandhi must respond to the charge made by former Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad that he meets undesirable businessmen during foreign tours. "Ghulam Nabi Azad has made a serious allegation that whenever Rahul Gandhi goes on a foreign tour, he meets many 'unwanted businessmen', Prasad told reporters here. Azad, who floated the Democratic Progressive Azad Party after quitting the Congress, had reportedly said in an interview that the former Congress chief goes abroad and meets undesirable businessmen. "Who are these 'unwanted traders' and what are their interests? Is Rahul Gandhi trying to weaken India at the behest of anti-India businessmen and working against Modi ji (PM Narendra Modi)?," Prasad said.

Every day Azad falls to new depths to demonstrate his loyalty to Modi: Cong

The Congress Monday hit out at its former leader Ghulam Nabi Azad for his reported remarks that Rahul Gandhi allegedly has ties with "undesirable businessmen", saying these "contemptible statements" on the party leadership reflect his desperation to remain relevant. In an interview with Malayalam News channel Asianet News, Azad, referring to the Gandhi family, said, "The entire family has associations with businessmen, including him (Rahul). I can give you 10 examples of where he would go even outside the country, to meet people who are undesirable businessmen." Hitting back at Azad, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "With every passing day, Ghulam Nabi Azad falls to new depths to demonstrate his true character and his loyalty to Mr (Narendra) Modi." "His contemptible statements on the Congress leadership reflect his desperation to remain relevant. I can only say that he is PATHETIC," Ramesh said in a tweet. Coinciding with the launch of his autobiography, Azad has bee

Rahul targets Ghulam, Scindia, Himanta over Adani issue; BJP hits back

They hide the truth, that's why they mislead every day! The question remains the same - who has Rs 20,000 crore benami money in Adani's companies? Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi

Azad's comments on Kashmiri Pandits' displacement to bail out culprits: BJP

The Jammu and Kashmir BJP on Friday targeted Democratic Progressive Azad party (DPAP) chairman Gulam Nabi Azad for allegedly hurting the sentiments of Kashmiri Pandits in his autobiography Azaad. It said reasons identified by Azad as being responsible for the displacement of the minority community members from the Valley is to to bail out the real culprits. "We condemn Azad for abusing and hurting the sentiments of Kashmiri Pandit community in his autobiography as reported by the media. We blame Azad for being equally responsible for the forced displacement of a religious minority of Kashmiri Hindus from the Kashmir Valley in 1989-90," BJP spokesperson and former legislator Girdhari Lal Raina told reporters here. Blaming Azad for being one of the persons at helm responsible for the death and destruction in Jammu Kashmir, Raina said that his studied silence over gathering storm from 1980 onwards and infiltration and exfiltration of terrorists and unilateral attacks on the minority ..

No one thought Scindia, Azad would use such language for Rahul: Gehlot

Hitting back at Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad for targeting Rahul Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said no one had thought that the duo would start speaking such a low level language against the Gandhi scion. He said the BJP leaders are tired because Gandhi has not shied away from raising the voice of people despite so many attacks. That is why, a task has been given to these leaders who left the Congress. The ideology they had sworn to fight throughout their lives, today they have stood with the same fascist ideology at the behest of BJP leaders, Gehlot said. Launching a sharp attack on Gandhi and the Congress, Scindia alleged the party has been left with no ideology, except the one of a "traitor who works against the country". He attacked the Congress for giving Gandhi a "special treatment" following his conviction in a defamation case. He accused the party of pressuring the judiciary and doing everything

Rahul to blame for Congress' situation, Sonia's writ doesn't run: Azad

Ghulam Nabi Azad termed Rahul Gandhi the main reason why he was no longer with the party

It's wrong, says Ghulam Nabi Azad on Rahul Gandhi's disqualification

Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday termed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha a "wrong thing" and does not bode well for democracy. Gandhi was on Thursday sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his "why all thieves have Modi surname" remark. He was later disqualified from the Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction in the case. "I am against this, whether he is Rahul Gandhi or Lalu Prasad Yadav or any other MP or MLA. It is against natural justice that on one side a judge delivered a judgement and on the other the MP or MLA is disqualified," Azad told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Kathua district. It is a wrong thing, he said. "Earlier, the rule was that he or she won't be disqualified till the last court does not award him punishment. There are 20 steps before reaching the last court. This does not go well with the democracy," the former Congres

Reconsider imposing property tax in J-K, leave decision for govt: Azad

Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday said the Jammu and Kashmir administration should reconsider its decision of imposing property tax in the Union Territory and leave such decisions for an elected government. "I request the government to reconsider this issue and leave it for the elected government," Azad told reporters at the party's office in Sonwar here. There have been no elections in Jammu and Kashmir for nine years and the people have been waiting for the conduct of elections for all this time so that such decisions are taken by an elected government, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said. "Unfortunately, the laws framed by the elected governments in the assemblies are being revoked. My government framed the Roshni Act. I did not frame it in my home. "It was vetted by the Law department and the Cabinet, it was then discussed in the assembly -- it was a coalition government of many parties -- and the opposition parties also voted fo

Security personnel's sacrifices kept country's integrity intact: Azad

Democratic Azad Party (DAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday said the sacrifices made by personnel of the army and other paramilitary forces have kept the country's integrity intact. He said the entire population of the country is having peaceful sleep at night only due to the untiring and uncompromising security provided by these men who sometimes have paid with their lives. "We are today proud of our country since it has not only grown as economic power but also won almost all wars fought against enemies since 1947. This makes us feel great and proud as citizens of India, he said in Samba where he took part in a "Vishnu Mahayagya". "The sacrifices made by our army personnel and other paramilitary forces have kept the integrity of our country intact. They have been selfless when it comes to fighting terrorism and guarding borders from our enemies," Azad said.

DAP chief Ghulam Nabi Azad cautions party leaders against groupism

Democratic Azad Party (DAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad has said there cannot be any "groupism in his party like that in the Congress", and that there was a need to promote a culture of merit and teamwork. Azad, a former J-K chief minister, was on Saturday addressing the first meeting of the newly appointed office bearers and executive committee members of the party, which he floated in September last year after ending his five-decade-long association with the Congress. We cannot have groupism in our party like the Congress. We need to promote the culture of merit, appreciation and teamwork, he said. Nepotism, favouritism and culture of groupism are not acceptable, he stressed. Azad directed the members to promote the core agenda of the party and reach out to the public at the grassroots. Our agenda of peace and development must reach every person of Union Territory. We need to engage with the people at ground level and make our workers understand about our ideology and agenda, and

Shift Kashmiri Pandits to safer Jammu till things improve: Ghulam Nabi Azad

Questioning the safety of the Kashmiri Pandits, he said that life is more important than employment and the government should transfer Kashmiri Pandits to Jammu

Doors of party always open for secular-minded people: J&K Congress chief

Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Vikar Rasool Wani Saturday said the doors of his party are open for secular-minded people and closed for those with a communal mindset. He termed the Democratic Azad Party headed by Ghulam Nabi Azad branch of the BJP and claimed it is "collapsing under its own weight". Wani also extended support to the Kashmiri Pandit migrant employees and Jammu-based reserved category staffers who are on protest strike here since May demanding relocation outside the Valley following targeted killings by terrorists. "The Democratic Azad Party headed by Ghulam Nabi Azad is a branch of the BJP but those who have gone there from the Congress are secular-minded people. "Our party's doors are open for them and a decision to reinduct them into the Congress will be taken at an appropriate time," Wani told reporters here. He was responding to a question about whether the Congress will accept the recently expelled DAP leaders, including former deputy chief minister Tara Cha

Resigning from Cong in support of Azad was blunder: Ex J&K DyCM Tara Chand

Resigning from the Congress in support of Ghulam Nabi Azad was a "blunder", former Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief Minister Tara Chand said on Saturday - two days after he along with former minister Manohar Lal Sharma and former legislator Balwan Singh were expelled from the Azad-led Democratic Azad Party (DAP). More than 100 office bearers and founding members of the DAP announced their resignation from the party in support of the three leaders, who decided to reach out to the people before taking a decision on their next course of action. Chand, however, said they will remain secular till their last breath and would have no objection in joining the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra when it enters Jammu and Kashmir. "The decision of the DAP to expel us without any reason or justification came as a big surprise to us. Today, we feel that our decision to resign from the Congress in support of Azad was a blunder," Chand, flanked by the leaders and activists, told reporters here. He

Will continue fight for restoration of J&K's statehood: Ghulam Nabi Azad

The Democratic Azad Party (DAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday said he will continue to fight for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood. The former chief minister also urged the Union government to fulfil its commitment over the same. Azad said his party will create diverse employment opportunities for the youth in a bid to bring lasting peace and stability to the Union territory. "I will continue to fight on the political front to ensure statehood is restored to Jammu and Kashmir and all the rights that were taken away on August 5, 2019, will be granted back to its people", Azad said during his visit to Udyanpur in Doda district. In 2019, the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union territories - Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir - and Article 370, which granted special powers to the state, was abrogated. Azad said for lasting peace and stability, his party will create diverse employment opportunities for the youths if it gets into power after

Gave him much more than he deserved: Congres takes a swipe at Azad

The Congress on Friday took a dig at its former leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, saying the party gave him much more than he deserved. The attack on Azad came over remarks by Home Minister Amit Shah, who in an interview to Daily Excelsior, said, "Everyone has the right to contest, elections are to be fair and free but one thing is there Ghulam Nabi Azad is not among the three families." Tagging a tweet by a Youth Congress office bearer who claimed that Azad is the most trusted man of Nagpur in J&K currently, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh tweeted, "He is the beneficiary of the Congress Party which over 50 years gave him much more than he deserved and much more beyond his capability." Shah, at a public rally in Baramulla this week, had said that before delimitation, only the "three families" used to come to power, "but the delimitation by the Election Commission will result in your own representatives winning in the elections and then governing". "Mufti and company, Abdullah and .

Ghulam Nabi Azad avoids comment on developments in Rajasthan Congress

Democratic Azad Party (DAP) leader and former J-K chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday tactfully avoided a question on the developments in Rajasthan Congress and said there is no need to take the name of the village which you had left. Azad, 73, ended his over five-decade long association with Congress on August 26 and exactly after a month launched his own party here. "There is no need to take the name of the village which you have left. Let them see and bear. We have suffered a lot, let others go through it now," Azad told reporters here on being asked about the Rajasthan development during the launch of his new party. The political drama in Rajasthan over leadership change continued on Monday with MLAs loyal to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot remaining non-committal on holding a meeting with Congress observers, who are likely to return to Delhi to apprise the high command about the developments. Sachin Pilot, who is seen to be the main contender for the chief minister's post if

Ghulam Nabi Azad announces 'Democratic Azad Party' ahead of J-K polls

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday announced that his new political outfit will be named as 'Democratic Azad Party'

LIVE: Ghulam Nabi announces new party, names it 'Democratic Azad Party'

MLAs loyal to the Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, who is set to contest for the post of Congress president, reached the assembly speaker's residence to submit their resignation on Sunday

Ghulam Nabi Azad likely to unveil new political party in a press meet today

A month after breaking ties with the Congress, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is set to hold a press conference on Monday to unveil his new political outfit

Ghulam Nabi Azad reaches Jammu; likely to launch his party next week

Veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who ended his more than five-decade-long association with the Congress last month, is likely to launch his party in the next couple of days. "I am inviting the media tomorrow (Monday) before the launch of the party. I am here to meet workers and leaders," Azad told reporters in a brief interaction at his residence here upon his arrival from Delhi. A close aide of the former J&K chief minister has confirmed the news. "He is having two back to back separate meetings with senior and second rung leaders later today," he said, adding Azad is visiting Srinagar on September 27. He said the name and the flag of the new party have been finalised and it is now a matter of a day or two before the new party becomes a reality on the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir. Azad, 73, quit Congress on August 26, terming the party "comprehensively destroyed". He also lashed out at Rahul Gandhi for "demolishing" the party's entire consultative ...