Tag: Cong

PM Modi always targets the Gandhis. Why is he not disqualified, asks Maha Cong chief

[ad_1]
Nagpur: In the wake of Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha following his conviction in a defamation case, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Sunday asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not facing a similar action for constantly criticising Sonia Gandhi and late PM Rajiv Gandhi.
He said Rahul Gandhi was being punished for becoming the voice of the people, and added that his disqualification was against democratic values.
Members of the Nagpur District Congress Committee and party workers led by Patole, former Union minister Vilas Muttemwar and other leaders staged a day-long ‘Sankalp Satyagraha’ protest at the Sanvidhan square to show their solidarity with Rahul Gandhi.
“Democracy in the country is facing a big threat because of the Modi-led government’s autocratic rule. Rahul Gandhi had been constantly raising the issue of fugitive economic offenders Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi, who ran away with the country’s money. This is what the Opposition does and it is the duty of the government to reply,” Patole said in a press conference during the protest.
“The country’s prime minister constantly attacked the Gandhi family and their (BJP) ministers insulted former Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the Lok Sabha. They call Rahul Gandhi anti-national, forgetting that he is the grandson of a freedom fighter and son of a martyr. They are targeting members of a family who have sacrificed their lives and this fight is against this mindset of calling a nationalist an anti-national,” he alleged.
Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to two years in jail for calling Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi thieves, he claimed.
“I want to question why there is no action against PM Modi, who constantly attacks Sonia Gandhi and called Rajiv Gandhi ‘chor’ (thief)? Why is he not getting this kind of punishment?” he asked.
Rahul Gandhi was becoming the voice of people, and disqualifying him from the Lok Sabha was against the values of democracy and injustice to him, Patole said.

The Congress leader announced that a huge rally will be taken out on March 29 against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at various places across India.
Gandhi, representing Wayanad parliamentary constituency in Kerala, was on Friday disqualified from the Lok Sabha, a day after his conviction in a defamation case by a court in Surat in Gujarat.
The court sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail in the defamation case over his “Modi surname” remarks at a 2019 poll rally in Karnataka. However, the court also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.
[ad_2]
#Modi #targets #Gandhis #disqualified #asks #Maha #Cong #chief
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 26, 2023
Karnataka polls: Cong releases 1st list of 124 candidates

[ad_1]
Bengaluru: The Congress has released its first list of 124 candidates for the Karnataka Assembly polls fielding Opposition leader Siddaramaiah from Varuna constituency and retaining most of the old faces.
Presently, the seat in Mysuru district is being held by his son Dr. Yatindra. Siddaramaiah is also expecting a ticket from another constituency, which is likely to be announced in the second list.
According to sources close to Siddaramaiah, the former chief minister might again contest from the Badami constituency.
Varuna ticket has been given to Siddaramaiah to ensure victory without having to campaign for a long time in the constituency. However, BJP is contemplating fielding former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s son B.Y. Vijayendra from Varuna.
In this scenario, the Varuna constituency will witness a fierce competition and a high voltage campaigning with Congress’s game plan of using Siddaramaiah’s services across the state likely to receive a jolt.
Senior Congress leader late Dhruvanarayana’s son Darshan Dhruvanarayana has been allotted ticket from Nanjangud (SC) constituency, which is likely to see a close contest with BJP’s B. Harshavardhan, who is son-in-law of former union minister V. Srinivasa Prasad.
Five senior Muslim candidates — U.T. Khader (Ullal), B.Z. Zameer Ahmad Khan (Chamarajpet), Rahim Khan (Bidar) and Kaneez Fatima (Gulbarga North) have also been allotted tickets.
Priyakrishna is being fielded from Govindarajnagar constituency ruling out the possibility of rumours of BJP Minister V.Somanna joining Congress. The party has allotted father-son duo, Shamanur Shivashankarappa and S.S. Mallikarjun tickets from Davanagere South and Davanagere North constituencies.

[ad_2]
#Karnataka #polls #Cong #releases #1st #list #candidates
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 25, 2023
Cong in MP stages protest over Rahul’s disqualification from LS

[ad_1]
Bhopal: Enraged over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha following his conviction in a defamation case, party members in Madhya Pradesh staged a massive protest on Friday.
The Congress workers across Madhya Pradesh, holding party’s flags, took out rallies on roads, blocked traffic and raised slogans against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Hundreds of NSUI workers reached Rani Kamalapati Railway Station in Bhopal and blocked a couple of trains. However, railway officials later jumped into action and train services were started after disruption of around an hour.
The protest was not limited to the state capital Bhopal only. As per reports, Congress workers across Madhya Pradesh marched on roads holding ‘mashals’ (torches) in their hands and shouting slogans against Prime Minister Modi.
In Gwalior, youth Congress workers burnt the effigy of the BJP and blocked vehicular movements at several junctions in the city.
Similarly, in Rewa, hundreds of party workers holding ‘mashals’ marched on the road in support of their leader, Rahul Gandhi.
Reacting to the matter, former chief minister and Madhya Pradesh unit Congress chief Kamal Nath criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating “the BJP government has crossed all limits in hatching a conspiracy”.
“The way his (Rahul Gandhi) Lok Sabha membership has been cancelled, it is clear that the Modi government is scared of Rahul Gandhi. Instead of answering the questions raised by him, the government was looking for a way to remove him from the Lok Sabha. Today is a day of great sadness and pain for Indian democracy,” Kamal Nath said.

“Today, the people of India stand with Rahul Gandhi stronger than ever before. Justice will be done,” he added.
[ad_2]
#Cong #stages #protest #Rahuls #disqualification
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 25, 2023
Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification: Cong says it will launch ‘Jan-Andolan’ across country

[ad_1]
New Delhi: The Congress on Friday announced a nationwide agitation against Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from Lok Sabha, alleging that the government acted with lightning speed to “gag” him, and called for taking forward the opposition unity in a systematic manner.
Soon after Gandhi’s disqualification by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the Congress leadership got into a huddle at the party headquarters and deliberated on the way forward.
Top Congress leaders, including former AICC chief Sonia Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K C Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Rajiv Shukla and Tariq Anwar, and senior leaders P Chidambaram, Anand Sharma, Ambika Soni, Mukul Wasnik, Salman Khurshid and Pawan Kumar Bansal among others attended the meeting where the party decided to take this forward into a “Jan Andolan”.
Congress general secretary Ramesh said, “We will go all over the country as Rahul Gandhi was deliberately disqualified for raising his voice against the Modi government on the Adani issue, on the government’s foreign policy and the clean chit given to China for incursions at the border.”
Ramesh said the BJP was rattled with the success of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which, he said, became a movement.
The Congress leadership has welcomed the statements of support of all opposition leaders, he said, and asserted that “we should now take the issue of opposition unity forward in a systematic way”.
“It was noted today that many opposition parties have condemned the action taken unilaterally with such lightning speed to disqualify Rahul Gandhi,” he said.
“Yes, there was a consensus that we should now take the job of building opposition unity in a systematic way. Every day Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has been meeting floor leaders of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. So we are coordinating in Parliament and now coordination has to be outside Parliament,” he said.

“It is also heartening to note that parties which were not part of this floor coordination have now issued public statements condemning this action of disqualification of Rahul Gandhi,” Ramesh said.
The Congress’ state units and frontal organisations will launch programmes across the country and they will begin from Monday with a countrywide agitation, he said.
“We will go all over the country saying that Rahul Gandhi has been deliberately disqualified as he has been raising his voice against the Modi government on various issues, including demonetisation, GST, foreign policy, and the government’s intentions and policies,” Ramesh said.
Urging people to “understand the chronology”, the Congress leader said nine days after Gandhi’s Adani speech in Lok Sabha on February 7, the defamation case against him was fast-tracked by the complainant, who withdrew his own stay in the high court on February 16.
On February 27, the arguments resumed after a year and on March 17, the judgment was reserved, he said, adding that the verdict was pronounced on March 23. “This is no coincidence,” Ramesh added.
In a tweet later, he said the prime minister was using the G20 to proclaim to the world that India is the ‘Mother of Democracy’.
“That Mother is weeping today at the Murder of Democracy in India,” Ramesh alleged.
[ad_2]
#Rahul #Gandhis #disqualification #Cong #launch #JanAndolan #country
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 25, 2023
Rajasthan Cong stages demonstration to show solidarity with Rahul

[ad_1]
Jaipur: Rajasthan Congress workers led by state unit president Govind Singh Dotasara held a protest outside the party’s headquarters here on Thursday in solidarity with party leader Rahul Gandhi.
A court in Surat sentenced Gandhi on Thursday to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his “Modi surname” remark.
Addressing the Congress workers, Dotasara said Gandhi fearlessly puts forth his views while fighting the battle of truth. He said Gandhi was firm on his views and instead of apologising like Savarkar, he accepted the action being taken against him.
“Gandhi is fighting the battle of truth. The verdict of the court will be challenged under the judicial process,” he said.
Subscribe us on
[ad_2]
#Rajasthan #Cong #stages #demonstration #show #solidarity #Rahul
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 23, 2023
BJP asks if Cong want complete freedom for Rahul to abuse others, seeks his apology

[ad_1]
New Delhi: The BJP on Thursday asserted that the law has to take its course if Rahul Gandhi abuses people and slammed the Congress over its criticism of his conviction in a defamation case, asking whether the opposition party wants “complete freedom” for him to “abuse” others.
BJP leader and former law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad cautioned Gandhi, saying he will find himself facing “more troubles” if he doesn’t refrain from making defamatory remarks, while Union Minister Piyush Goyal asked the Congress leader to apologise for his series of “defamatory” comments.
Both the leaders also hit out at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for questioning the court’s order by noting that several judges hearing the matter were changed.
“They should come out of their dynastic mindset and realise that no one is above the law,” Goyal told reporters, while Prasad accused Kharge of contempt of court at another presser.
It was “grossly unfair” on the part of Kharge to make such comments, Prasad said.
Making such comments show that the Congress does not believe in the judiciary, he said and asked, “Does it want to keep even the judiciary in its pocket.”
“If they think that they would get action in their favour by levelling allegations against the judiciary and putting pressure on it, it is their misconception,” he said.
Asked whether Gandhi will be disqualified from Lok Sabha, Prasad cited the provisions made in the Representation of People Act in this regard and said it is for Speaker Om Birla to decide. “This is speaker’s decision. I don’t have to say anything on that,” he said.

On Thursday, a court in Gujarat’s Surat sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail in a 2019 criminal defamation case filed against him over his “Modi surname” remarks.
The case was filed against the Congress MP for his alleged “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?” remark on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi.
Goyal said, “We are all in public life and have to chose our words wisely and maintain basic decorum and dignity in public discourse. Gandhi has disrespected people and every democratic institution be in Parliament or democracy. He should apologise for his series of defamatory statements.”
The BJP leaders in this context mentioned various allegations levelled by the former Congress president, be it during his recent visit to Britain or in the Rafale case.
Prasad said Gandhi with his comments insulted people with Modi surname, asserting that it was very much defamatory.
“The Congress party and others are saying many things but they are not saying what Rahul Gandhi had said,” he said and asked, “Won’t any action be taken against you if you insult a surname in such a way?”
He said Gandhi got the opportunity to defend his case and his lawyers argued in the court before the verdict was given. He has been convicted in the case because the court was not convinced with the arguments made in his defence, Prasad added.
It has become Gandhi’s “nature” to weaken and defame the country as well as level the “filthiest abuse like accusations” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, Prasad said, cautioning him against continuing with such remarks.
A number of defamation cases has been filed against Gandhi for his remarks, he said.
Referring to the defamation case in Gujarat, Prasad said a similar case was filed against Gandhi in Patna by BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi and its proceedings are underway.
The BJP leader also took a swipe at Gandhi for his remarks in a tweet after the court’s verdict in his case in Gujarat, asking if his faith in truth and non-violence meant insulting people by abusing them citing their caste.
“You will abuse freely, insult country’s Army, make fun of the Martyrs’ supreme sacrifices, insult patriotism, insult people’s votes, people’s manadate and say you are worshipper of ‘satya’ (truth) and ‘ahimsa’ (non-violence),” he charged.
Prasad said if the Congress leader has the right to abuse people, those aggrieved also have right to file case against him.
“Does Congress want Rahul Gandhi to have complete freedom to abuse people? There is rule of law in the country and it will prevail,” the BJP leader said, alleging that the Congress leader has a history of making defamatory comments and unfounded allegations.
“The law of India has it that if an individual or an organisation has been defamed with scurrilous statements, scandalous comments, abuses or any defamatory remarks, then he has a right to seek redress. But the Congress party has an objection. It wants complete freedom for Rahul Gandhi to throw abuses,” he added.
Prasad also lashed out at Gandhi for his recent democracy remarks in the UK, saying democracy is run by certain probity and propriety with regard to fair play.
“One of the most element of that is you please respect the popular verdict,” he added.
[ad_2]
#BJP #asks #Cong #complete #freedom #Rahul #abuse #seeks #apology
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 23, 2023
Punjab Cong chief comes down heavily on AAP govt over Amritpal Singh issue

[ad_1]
In a statement, he said people’s trust and confidence in the state government was at its lowest ebb ever in history.
“It won’t be any exaggeration that Bhagwant Mann is spearheading the most inept state government in the country which hurtles towards a new embarrassment every new day,” Warring said, adding that the absence of governance in Punjab is a matter of concern for every Punjabi.
He said there are tell tale signs that the state government’s intelligence failed miserably in catching the Khalistan sympathiser even after such ‘meticulous’ planning as is being claimed by the state government.
Notably, the Punjab Police on Wednesday reiterated that they are making all-out efforts to trace Amritpal against whom a lookout circular and a non-bailable warrant had been issued.
“Our efforts are on to arrest him,” he said.
After the police crackdown against elements of ‘Waris Punjab De’ on Saturday, the Khalistan sympathiser switched from Mercedes car to Brezza SUV and later went to a gurdwara in Nangal Ambian village in Jalandhar from where he escaped along with three others on two bikes.
Warring also wrote to Punjab’s Director General of Police, saying he had earlier too written two letters drawing attention to the “growing concern of Punjabis regarding the Amritpal Singh issue and about him getting emboldened with every passing day”.
“I am very sure if you would have cautioned the Punjab government on the urgency of the matter and had the government been serious about the damage he was inflicting on the law and order situation by misguiding the youth of Punjab, the present-day situation could have been avoided.

“..I have always been appreciative of the capabilities of Punjab Police under your able leadership as Director General, but I am dumb struck and aghast at the failure of the Punjab Police.
“I am sure that Amritpal must have been under police surveillance for his anti national activities for quite some time. As per the information in public domain, he is said to have escaped by switching vehicles and changing dresses..,” the letter stated.
Warring mentioned that to allegedly cover up this failure of Punjab Police to nab Amritpal Singh, the police is rounding up a large number of youths who are branded as associates of Waris Punjab De chief.
“No doubt some young boys must have been misguided by his religious sermons, yet I feel that branding them as hardcore anti-national elements will further alienate these young people from mainstream and may push them to become hardliners, which Punjab can ill afford at this juncture.
“We do not support any leniency towards anti-national elements or criminals, but a soft approach is needed to bring these misguided youth back into the mainstream and rehabilitate them,” he added.
[ad_2]
#Punjab #Cong #chief #heavily #AAP #govt #Amritpal #Singh #issue
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 23, 2023
MP minister slams Cong over ‘no confidence’ motion against Assembly Speaker

[ad_1]
Bhopal: Senior BJP leader and Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Tuesday lashed out at Congress over a ‘no confidence’ motion against Assembly Speaker Girish Gautam.
Even after the Speaker agreed to allow discussion on ‘no confidence’ motion brought by the Congress, Mishra, who is also parliamentary affairs minister of the state assembly, opposed the decision arguing that “if it will set up a wrong precedence.”
The Congress had brought ‘no confidence’ motion against Assembly Speaker Girish Gautam for his decision to suspend former minister and Congress MLA Jitu Patwari from the House for entire budget session for allegedly sharing false information.
Accusing the Speaker of being ‘biased’ and ‘acting at behest of the ruling BJP’, the Congress had then brought a ‘no confidence’ motion against him in the first week of this month.
On Tuesday, the opposition asked the Speaker to allow for discussion over ‘no confidence’ motion against him. Speaker Girish Gautam agreed with the Congress legislatures demand and fixed the March 27 for discussion on the matter.
However, Narottam Mishra opposed the decision saying – “No confidence motion can not be brought against the Speaker.”
“If the opposition has any doubt on Speaker’s role, they should bring a ‘sankalp patra’ resolution letter. If today this no confidence motion was accepted, it would set up a wrong precedence in history of Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly. It has never happened before it, but the Congress wants to set a wrong president, which is totally unacceptable,” Mishra argued.
Mishra further said he has been asserting the same things since the day ‘no confidence’ against the Assembly Speaker was brought in the House, however, the Congress was in ‘sleeping mode’ and now “when just one day is left for the budget session, they (Congress leaders) have got up.”

Meanwhile, he also alleged that the Congress legislatures did not support their leader in the House.
“Govind Singh is the Leader of the Opposition in the House, but the Congress leaders are not supporting him. They are following the directions given by Kamal Nath, who never sit in the House even for a single day. Even when he (Kamal Nath) was chief minister, he did not sit in the House for a day. Groupism in the Congress is in a way that they are sidelining their own leader- Govind Singh.”
[ad_2]
#minister #slams #Cong #confidence #motion #Assembly #Speaker
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 21, 2023
‘Modani Model’: Cong slams Mehul Choksi’s name drop from Interpol list

[ad_1]
New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday hit out at the BJP-led government over fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi’s removal from the Interpol database of Red Notices, saying while the Opposition was being targeted by the Enforcement Directorate and CBI, its “friend” was being let off.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said talk of patriotism by those giving “protection” to such people is a “joke”.
In a tweet, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said, “‘Vipaksh ko ED, CBI, Mitr ko rihaai’ (ED, CBI for the Opposition, let off for friend).”
विपक्ष को ED-CBI, मित्र को रिहाई!
‘मोडानी मॉडल’ मतलब पहले लूटो, फिर बिन सज़ा के छूटो। pic.twitter.com/t0LGDWRcso
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 21, 2023
“‘Modani’ model matlab pehle looto, phir bin sazaa ke chooto’ (Modani model means first loot and then go scott-free without punishment),” he said.
Speaking with reporters before leaving for Parliament, Kharge said, “They are doing things to divert attention from real issues. Our embassies are being attacked. People who have run away with money from banks, Mehul Choksi, those giving protection to such people talk about patriotism, it is a joke.” the Congress president told reporters before leaving for Parliament.
“We will ask the government to clarify on this,” he said.
Choksi, wanted in a Rs 13,000-crore scam in the Punjab National Bank, is understood to have been removed from the Interpol database of Red Notices on the basis of his plea to the Lyon-headquartered agency, people in the know of the development had said.
Earlier in a tweet in Hindi, Kharge said, “ED-CBI for opposition leaders but release from Interpol for ‘our Mehul bhai’ of Modi ji. When Parliament can be stalled for ‘best friend’, then how can help for the ‘old friend ‘ be denied who absconded five years ago”.

“Thousands of crores of the country were lost and ‘Na khaane doonga’ became another ‘jumla’,” the Congress chief also said.
On the BJP’s attack on Rahul Gandhi, Kharge told reporters that the question of an apology doesn’t arise.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tuesday charged that Gandhi is the present day Mir Jafar of Indian polity.
“It would not be an aberration to say that Rahul Gandhi is a present day Mir Jafar of Indian polity. What he has done in London is the same thing that Mir Jafar did,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told a press conference
Parliament has remained paralysed due to protests from rival sides.
While the BJP has demanded an “unambiguous apology” from Gandhi for his remarks in the UK that democracy in India is “under attack”, several opposition parties have accused the government that it does not want Parliament to function and is finding ways to divert attention from their demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe (JPC) into allegations against the Adani Group.

[ad_2]
#Modani #Model #Cong #slams #Mehul #Choksis #drop #Interpol #list
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 21, 2023
Both Cong opponent Mamata & supporter Nitish gave Kejriwal’s unity meet a miss

[ad_1]
Kolkata: Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee whose party wants to keep a distance from both BJP and Congress as well as Bihar’s Supremo Nitish Kumar whose party is allied to Congress, seemed to have missed out on a meeting called by their Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal to try form a Third Front ahead of the 2024 general elections.
The invitation of the Aam Aadmi Party chief for the conclave was sent to some eight chief ministers on February 5, a source in the Bengal government said.
“She was invited by Kejriwal for a meeting in Delhi on March 18. a similar invitation was sent to seven other CMs for the meeting. However, the meeting obviously did not take place,” the source told PTI.
The TMC supremo, the source said, is likely to visit the national capital later this month, though as yet no meeting scheduled with Kejriwal.
Last week her party announced that it would go it alone sans the Congress and the BJP after she met Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav in Kolkata.
Incidentally, Yadav after meeting Banerjee had echoed the same thinking after the meeting last Friday.
“In Bengal, we are with Mamata didi (elder sister). Right now, our stand is to maintain equidistance from both the BJP and the Congress. Does Congress have any stake in Uttar Pradesh? We will continue our fight against the BJP,” Yadav had said after the meeting.
Party senior leader and MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay while dismissing talk of a third front, had held out the possibility of “regional players, including former NDA allies,” coming together in a compact ahead of the 2024 general elections.

Similarly, though Nitish had met Arvind Kejriwal during his Delhi trip immediately after joining Mahagathbandhan (Grand alliance), as part of his campaign for opposition unity, he has since been shy of being seen on the same page with AAP.
A case in point is the JD(U) not signing a recent letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, protesting the CBI action against AAP leader Manish Sisodia.
The JD(U) then appeared to have toed the line taken by Congress, its ally in Bihar.
Though another Bihar ally, RJD, had signed that letter.
Though there is no official confirmation of receipt of the Delhi CM’s letter here, so far, analysts believe Nitish Kumar is maintaining his distance from AAP in line with the thinking of its partner, Congress, in the coalition
[ad_2]
#Cong #opponent #Mamata #supporter #Nitish #gave #Kejriwals #unity #meet
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 20, 2023