Page 2 - Jairam Ramesh

Jairam Ramesh to move SC against BJP MP Pragya Thakur over 'hate speech'

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday said BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks at a function in Karnataka's Shivamogga are a clear example of hate speech and he would move the Supreme Court against her. Ramesh said he would file a case against Thakur in the apex court as the police in Karnataka would not act against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP. Karnataka is currently being ruled by the BJP and the Assembly polls are due in the state early next year. "BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks made in Karnataka are a clear example of hate speech and I would be moving the Supreme Court against her for making such remarks," the former Union minister told PTI. He said Thakur's remarks clearly seek to divide the society, while claiming that the local police would not act against her since the BJP is in power in the southern state. Thakur said Hindus have the right to respond to those who attack them and their dignity as she spoke about the killing of Hindu activists. She also cal

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IB interrogating people who interacted with Rahul Gandhi: Jairam Ramesh

Denying any secrecy pertaining to the Yatra, the Congress leader also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleging that the two leaders are "nervous"

Congress' Jairam Ramesh hints at renaming Jaipur's Albert Hall Museum

Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary, has hinted at changing the name of Albert Hall Museum, the oldest museum of the state

Congress is democratic party, believes in live and let live: Jairam Ramesh

Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said the Congress is a democratic party and believes in live and let live. Ramesh is part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra that has so far covered over 2,400 kilometers since it started on September 7 from Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi recommenced the yatra on its 91st day on Wednesday as he along with others marched towards Kota from Darra Station Ganesh Mandir. In a press conference, when asked about the police action here on some people who wanted to submit a memorandum to Gandhi while the Congress is talking on preserving democracy, Ramesh said the Congress is a democratic party. "The Congress has people with different views and there is no environment of fear," Ramesh said, adding that sometimes people within the party criticise it and this happens in every state. It has recently happened in Uttar Pradesh, he said without elaborating. "Live and let live. Currently, talks are only about 'live' but the Congress

Cong leaders will find way to resolve Rajasthan infighting: Jairam Ramesh

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday said the party leadership will come up with a way to resolve the infighting in its Rajasthan unit while keeping the party above individuals. The party faces a tussle for power in Rajasthan between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot. But the two have presented a united front as the party's Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra passes through the state. Ramesh said that after the yatra finishes, the election process in Rajasthan will start and there will be only seven or eight months left for the Assembly polls. "I don't have knowledge about the individuals. But the party leadership will come up with a way forward which preserves the primacy of the organisation and not the primacy of any one individual or the other," Ramesh told PTI on the way from Suket to Devarighata of Jhalawar district. He said that primacy of any individual is not important and the only objective is to find a way to strengthen the ...

Bharat Jodo Yatra to reach Srinagar around January 26: Jairam Ramesh

Bharat Jodo Yatra of Congress will reach Srinagar around January 26, said party leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday

'Gehlot calling Pilot traitor unexpected, leadership to resolve crisis'

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot using the term "Gaddar" (traitor) for party colleague Sachin Pilot was "unexpected". The party needs both the warring leaders, and the crisis in the Rajasthan unit will be resolved keeping in mind the interests of the organization and not individuals, he added. Ramesh, the Congress's media head, was speaking during Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra here. Gehlot, in a TV interview on Thursday, said Pilot was a "Gaddar" and cannot replace him as Rajasthan CM, drawing sharp response from his former deputy who said such "mud-slinging" would not help. Gehlot also alleged that Pilot had rebelled against the Congress in 2020 and tried to topple the party's government in Rajasthan. "Gehlot is a senior and experienced leader of the Congress. But the term used by him in an interview (for Pilot) is unexpected and even I am surprised," Ramesh said. "The party needs both Gehlot and Pilot. There are some .

Row over Rahul's remarks on Savarkar: Chapter closed now, says Jairam

Days after a controversy erupted over Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's remarks on freedom fighter V D Savarkar, senior party leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said that chapter is closed. During the Maharashtra leg of the Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi alleged that Savarkar had helped the British and wrote a mercy petition out of fear. He had also called Savarkar a symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Gandhi's remarks were criticised by the BJP and other political organisations. On Wednesday, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Savarkar's chapter is closed. However, I would like to reiterate that the day people from the BJP and RSS stop lying about our leaders, we will stop speaking the truth about their leaders." He was addressing a press conference during the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra in Madhya Pradesh's Burhanpur district. The foot march entered Bodarli village in Burhanpur from neighbourin

Priyanka Gandhi to join 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' as it enters MP on Wednesday

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will join the Bharat Jodo Yatra on Wednesday when it enters Madhya Pradesh, senior party leader Jairam Ramesh said. This is the first time that Priyanka Gandhi, general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, will be joining the yatra. In a tweet, Ramesh said Tuesday was a rest day for the Yatra which will resume on Wednesday when it will enter Madhya Pradesh near Burhanpur. "Priyanka Gandhi will join the Yatra there and participate for four days," the Congress general secretary in-charge communications said in his tweet in Hindi. Former Congress leader Rahul Gandhi along with other party leaders and workers, began the cross-country Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7. It has traversed through the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra so far.

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

Bharat Jodo Yatra revolutionary moment for national politics: Jairam Ramesh

Congress General Secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said the Bharat Jodo Yatra is a "revolutionary moment" for national politics as well as the party and not an event, and converting it into electoral success will take a while. Addressing a press conference on the last day of the foot march's Maharashtra leg, Ramesh claimed people were looking for an alternative and wanted to get rid of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). ''The Congress is the only ideology that presents an alternative to the BJP and the RSS. The Bharat Jodo Yatra is a revolutionary moment for national politics and the Congress and not an event,'' he said. It will take a while to convert the yatra's success into the electoral success, he added. Ramesh said the yatra will take a break on November 21 and 22 in Maharashtra and will proceed to Madhya Pradesh on November 23. The party had earlier said the yatra would proceed to MP on Sunday and take a night halt i

No difference in condition of roads in Maharashtra and Bihar: Jairam Ramesh

AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh, who is walking with Rahul Gandhi in Bharat Jodo Yatra, on Wednesday said the condition of roads in Maharashtra and Bihar is equally bad and took a dig at the Central government over the road construction. Talking to reporters in Washim, Ramesh said the condition of roads in Maharashtra is bad unlike in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He said he experienced difficulty in walking on roads in Maharashtra leg of the foot march. The Yatra continued on the 10th day of its Maharashtra leg on Wednesday in Washim district in the Vidarbha region. "There is a minister in the Modi government who holds an important portfolio and it is believed that after Sher Shah Suri, he has constructed all roads. He has an image of a master road builder. He also boasts of his work. What has happened to Marathwada and Vidarbha?'' Ramesh asked. He said Maharashtra is number one in investment "but I have to say there is no difference in terms of

Congress facing challenges, Bharat Jodo Yatra brought unity: Jairam Ramesh

The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra has brought unity in the Congress in the last 70 days as the party has been fighting political challenges, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Tuesday. The foot march, a mass contact initiative of the Congress, entered its 69th day on Tuesday and reached Washim district in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra from Hingoli. Addressing a press conference in Washim, Ramesh said Gandhi will also address a public meeting of tribals on the occasion of the birth anniversary of iconic tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda. Targeting the Centre, Ramesh claimed the Forest Rights Act and the Land Acquisition Act 2013 have been weakened and this is specially harmful for tribals. The legislations were brought during the rule of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). Ramesh alleged that the Narendra Modi government's policy was to forcefully take the land of farmers and give it to the big companies. The Bharat Jodo Yatra has nothing to do with the vot

Congress to launch state-wide padayatra in Bihar from Dec 28: Jairam Ramesh

The Congress is set to launch a state-wide padayatra in Bihar from December 28 on the lines of 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', senior party leader Jairam Ramesh said here. He said the 1,200-km-long march against the "communal agenda of the BJP" will start from Banka district and conclude in Bodh Gaya. It will cover 17 districts of the state. Rahul Gandhi, however, is unlikely to take part in the state-wide padayatra in Bihar. "The Bharat Jodo Yatra has unsettled the BJP, which has resorted to cheap and childish diversionary tactics. The top rung of the saffron party, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is worried by the padayatra of Rahul Gandhi," Ramesh said at a press conference with party colleague Digvijaya Singh by his side on Sunday. Singh said all senior Congress leaders, ministers and lawmakers in Bihar will take part in the state-wide padayatra. A senior Congress leader in Bihar said Rahul Gandhi will visit the state during the proposed east-west second phase of the 'Bharat Jodo

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Congress to launch state-wide padayatra in Bihar from Dec 28: Jairam Ramesh

Congress is set to launch a state-wide padayatra in Bihar from December 28 on the lines of 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', senior party leader Jairam Ramesh said here on Sunday. He said the 1,200-km-long march against the "communal agenda of the BJP" will start from Banka district and conclude in Bodh Gaya. It will cover 17 districts of the state. Rahul Gandhi, however, is unlikely to take part in the state-wide padayatra in Bihar. "The Bharat Jodo Yatra has unsettled the BJP, which has resorted to cheap and childish diversionary tactics. The top rung of the saffron party, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is worried by the padayatra of Rahul Gandhi," Ramesh said at a press conference with party colleague Digvijaya Singh by his side. Singh said all senior Congress leaders, ministers and lawmakers in Bihar will take part in the state-wide padayatra. A senior Congress leader in Bihar said Rahul Gandhi will visit the state during the proposed east-west second phase of the 'Bharat Jodo ...

Sharad Pawar not to join Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra: Jairam Ramesh

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar will not join the Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra due to health issues, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Thursday. Addressing media persons here, Ramesh said Pawar (81) had earlier agreed to participate in the foot march. ''He was recently hospitalised and considering doctor's advice for rest, he will not join (the yatra),'' said Ramesh, the general secretary (communications) of the All India Congress Committee. Pawar's daughter and NCP Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule, state party president Jayant Patil and NCP leader Jitendra Awhad reached Maharashtra's Nanded district on Thursday to join Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the foot march from Deglur Naka and to attend the latter's public rally in the evening. AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge will also attend the rally. Ramesh said Rahul Gandhi had spoken to Pawar when he was in hospital. ''Even though Pawar had agreed to join the yatra, he is unable to come due to doct

FM called 1991 reforms half-baked, master chef Gadkari baked it fully: Cong

The Congress on Wednesday took a swipe at Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for her remarks a few weeks ago calling the 1991 reforms "half-baked", and said "master chef" Nitin Gadkari" has baked it fully and well by paying fulsome tributes to former prime minister Manmohan Singh. Union Minister Gadkari had on Tuesday said the country is indebted to former prime minister Singh for the economic reforms of 1991 started by him as the finance minister. Speaking in September at an event, Sitharaman had said that the 1991 economic reforms undertaken by the then Congress government were "aadhe-adhure reforms" (half-baked reforms), where the economy was not opened in the right way but as per the strictures imposed by the IMF. Taking a dig at Sitharaman, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "On 16th September, Madam Finance Minister had belittled 1991 reforms by terming it 'half-baked'. Yesterday, the MasterChef Gadkari has baked it fully and well by payin

Bengaluru Court asks Twitter to block Congress, Bharat Jodo Yatra accounts

Order follows a copyright infringement case filed by MRT Music, which said both accounts illegally used sound recordings of the film KGF-Chapter 2