News Analysis India

Tag: Congress MP

  • MSP to get legal guarantee if INDIA bloc comes to power: Rahul Gandhi in Bihar

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said his party will accept long-pending demands of farmers in the country and ensure a legal guarantee to minimum support price (MSP) of crops if the INDIA bloc comes to power after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Addressing the ‘Kisan Nyay Panchayat’, a gathering of farmers, in Bihar’s Rohtas, as part of his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, Gandhi claimed that “cultivators are not getting the remunerative prices for their crops”.

    “If the INDIA bloc comes to power after the general elections, we will give a legal guarantee to MSP. Whenever farmers have asked for something from the Congress, it has been given to them. Be it loan waiver or MSP, we have always protected the interests of cultivators and will do so in future,” Gandhi said.

    His comment comes at a time when Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a farmers’ body, called for ‘Bharat Bandh’ on Friday to press the BJP-led central government to accept cultivators’ demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price for crops. Farmers from Punjab began their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on Tuesday but were stopped by security personnel at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Delhi and Haryana.

    The protesting farmers have been camping at the border points ever since. Their agitation entered the fourth day on Friday.

    The Congress MP also slammed the BJP-led central government, accusing it of “transferring a considerable portion of funds of the defence budget into the pockets” of an industrialist. “The Centre’s defence budget is not for the welfare of jawans and all defence contracts are going to a corporate group only,” he alleged. Gandhi also criticised the Centre for the ‘Agniveer’ scheme, saying, the Union government has “divided the army into two categories – Agniveer and regulars”.

    “If an Agniveer is injured or martyred, they will not receive adequate compensation. Why is this discrimination? Why have they created separate categories in the Army for Agniveer and others?” the Congress MP asked.

    Earlier, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav joined Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’. which resumed from the party’s district office in Sasaram this morning and is expected to enter Uttar Pradesh through Mohania in Kaimur district in the evening.

    Yadav and Gandhi were seen sitting on the roof of a sports utility vehicle, which was slowly moving, and they waved at enthusiastic crowds that gathered along the main road of the town.

    Locals queued up on both sides of the road and watched the procession. Earlier, Yadav was seen driving the SUV with Gandhi and other leaders on board.

    Both leaders of the opposition ‘Mahagathbandhan’ will also address a public meeting in Kaimur around 3 pm on Friday.

    The ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, which started in Manipur on January 14, is scheduled to cover 6,713 km in 67 days, passing through 110 districts in 15 states, before culminating in Mumbai on March 20.

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  • Congress MP Gogoi pushes for caste census in Assam on lines of Bihar, Rajasthan

    By ANI

    GUWAHATI: Following Bihar and Rajasthan, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday pushed for a similar caste-based census in Assam so that all backward communities in the state receive “dignity” and “justice”.

    “Yesterday I was at a function organised by a prominent Tai Ahom youth organisation. I demanded a caste census in Assam on the lines of the Bihar and Rajasthan model. We need to ensure that the SC, ST, OBC and minority communities receive dignity and justice,” Gogoi said in a post on ‘X’.

    Gogoi also shared a post by the Assam Congress which had a video of him pushing for a caste-based census in the state while giving a public speech at General Field in Assam’s Golaghat.

    “MP @GauravGogoiAsm dangoria delivered an inspiring & invigorating speech at “General Field”, Golaghat on the occasion of 7th annual convention of TAIPA central committee,” the Assam Congress said in a post on ‘X’.

    Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday announced that the state will conduct a caste-based census like in Bihar. Gehlot spoke to the media after a state party meeting in Jaipur on Friday.

    “Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made the caste census system in the Raipur session of Congress, and we will do it here on the basis of the same. Rajasthan government will also conduct a caste census like Bihar. We will take the concept that there should be participation of the people as per their population. Instructions will be given to conducting caste-based census on the lines of Bihar,” CM Gehlot said.

    The report of the caste-based survey conducted in Bihar was released on October 2 by the Nitish Kumar-led Mahagathbandhan government. The Congress is an ally of the government in Bihar.

    ALSO READ | Caste census will not divide society: Siddaramaiah

    Asserting the importance of a Caste-based census, Ashok Gehlot said, “When we talk about social security, it can be implemented only when we know what the situation is caste-wise. There are different castes living in the country who do different jobs, when we know how much population each caste has, then we can make special schemes for them.”

    Earlier in Chhattisgarh, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday asserted if Congress is re-elected to power in the state, a caste census will be conducted in the state, similar to the one carried out in Bihar. 

    GUWAHATI: Following Bihar and Rajasthan, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday pushed for a similar caste-based census in Assam so that all backward communities in the state receive “dignity” and “justice”.

    “Yesterday I was at a function organised by a prominent Tai Ahom youth organisation. I demanded a caste census in Assam on the lines of the Bihar and Rajasthan model. We need to ensure that the SC, ST, OBC and minority communities receive dignity and justice,” Gogoi said in a post on ‘X’.

    Gogoi also shared a post by the Assam Congress which had a video of him pushing for a caste-based census in the state while giving a public speech at General Field in Assam’s Golaghat.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “MP @GauravGogoiAsm dangoria delivered an inspiring & invigorating speech at “General Field”, Golaghat on the occasion of 7th annual convention of TAIPA central committee,” the Assam Congress said in a post on ‘X’.

    Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday announced that the state will conduct a caste-based census like in Bihar. Gehlot spoke to the media after a state party meeting in Jaipur on Friday.

    “Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made the caste census system in the Raipur session of Congress, and we will do it here on the basis of the same. Rajasthan government will also conduct a caste census like Bihar. We will take the concept that there should be participation of the people as per their population. Instructions will be given to conducting caste-based census on the lines of Bihar,” CM Gehlot said.

    The report of the caste-based survey conducted in Bihar was released on October 2 by the Nitish Kumar-led Mahagathbandhan government. The Congress is an ally of the government in Bihar.

    ALSO READ | Caste census will not divide society: Siddaramaiah

    Asserting the importance of a Caste-based census, Ashok Gehlot said, “When we talk about social security, it can be implemented only when we know what the situation is caste-wise. There are different castes living in the country who do different jobs, when we know how much population each caste has, then we can make special schemes for them.”

    Earlier in Chhattisgarh, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday asserted if Congress is re-elected to power in the state, a caste census will be conducted in the state, similar to the one carried out in Bihar. 

  • Bharat Jodo Yatra suspended for twenty-four hours due to Congress MP demise

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: The Bharat Jodo Yatra has been suspended for twenty-four hours due to the demise of 76-year-old Santokh Singh Chaudhary Congress Member of Parliament from Jalandhar today morning as he died of a heart attack during the Yatra of Rahul Gandhi in Phillaur.

    Sources said that as the yatra reached Phillur the two-time Member of Parliament came out with Rahul Gandhi from Kusht Ashram and then began walking with him. After a few minutes, he collapsed during the yatra and was rushed to Virk hospital in Phagwara in an ambulance where he was declared dead.

    The yatra was halted following Chaudhary’s death leading Rahul Gandhi to rush to the hospital. Later, when the body of the deceased MP was brought to his house in Jalandhar, Rahul visited and paid his condolences.

    The last rites of Chaudhary will be performed at his village tomorrow.

    A prominent Dalit leader Chaudhary had won the Lok Sabha seat from Jalandhar twice in 2014 and 2019 and earlier he remained state cabinet minister in the Capt Amarinder Singh Government. While his son Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary is presently MLA from the Phillaur assembly constituency.

    Earlier in the morning, the yatra resumed from Ladhowal in Ludhiana as part of its Punjab leg.

    Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjjnder Singh Randhwa announced that the Yatra has been suspended for twenty-four hours in honour of Chaudhary. “The yatra will again start from Khalsa College in Jalandhar tomorrow afternoon after the cremation of Chaudhary and Rahul will attend the cremation tomorrow morning and today also go to the house of the deceased MP to pay his condolences,” they said.

    Ramesh said that they got this tragic news at around 9 am when they were walking and the yatra was immediately suspended.

    Randhawa said that it is a big loss to Congress as Chaudhary belonged to a family who has dedicated their entire life to the grand old party. “This is so sad that it happened just a few minutes after he was walking hail and hearty.”

    “The yatra has nothing to do with elections as this march is of a political party and not a yatra to win the elections as it is being taken out against economic disparities, social polarization and political dictatorship,” said Ramesh.

    He said that the congress will start a ‘Hath-Se-Hath Jodo’ campaign from January 26 to March 26 with the ensuing assembly elections in a few states this year and Lok Sabha elections of 2024 and it will cover 2.50 lakh panchayats in six lakh villages to take forward the message of this yatra and will give the ‘charge-sheet’ of this government to the public which we have prepared as this government failed to fulfil the promises it made.

    “This Hath-Se-Hath Jodo campaign which is directly linked to the elections will take the Bharat Jodo Yatra further but the Yatra is not directly linked to the polls but to an ideology,” said Ramesh and added that this campaign will be at three levels (block, district and state). Besides ‘Mahila Yatras’ within states will also be organized.

    When he was asked about the invitations sent for the January 30 program in Srinagar the day yatra ends, Ramesh said that to date the Congress president has sent invitations to 23 parties to join the Congress during the last leg of the yatra on January 30 which is the martyrdom day of Mahatma Gandhi. Attacking a few political parties he said that the B, C and D teams of BJP have not been invited.

    “The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), ADMK, and BJD have not been invited. Only those parties which believe in Bharat Jodo Yatra have been invited for this meeting. As former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Farook Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufi have been invited and there is no need to invite former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi as the leaders who have gone with him have already returned to congress fold,” he said.

    Meanwhile expressing his condolences, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann tweeted, “I am deeply saddened by the untimely death of Congress Member of Parliament from Jalandhar, Santokh Singh Chowdhury… May God rest his soul in peace.”

    Former Chief Minister and Ex-Congress leader Amarinder Singh also expressed his condolences, he tweeted, “Extremely saddened to hear about the sudden demise of MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary ji due to a heart attack today. My heartfelt condolences are with his entire family in their time of grief. May Waheguru Ji grant eternal peace to the departed soul.”

    Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Banwarilal Purohit has expressed his grief over Chaudhary’s death. “I am shocked at the sudden, untimely demise of Chaudhary ji. He was a dedicated and hardworking leader. May his soul rest in peace,” he said.

    CHANDIGARH: The Bharat Jodo Yatra has been suspended for twenty-four hours due to the demise of 76-year-old Santokh Singh Chaudhary Congress Member of Parliament from Jalandhar today morning as he died of a heart attack during the Yatra of Rahul Gandhi in Phillaur.

    Sources said that as the yatra reached Phillur the two-time Member of Parliament came out with Rahul Gandhi from Kusht Ashram and then began walking with him. After a few minutes, he collapsed during the yatra and was rushed to Virk hospital in Phagwara in an ambulance where he was declared dead.

    The yatra was halted following Chaudhary’s death leading Rahul Gandhi to rush to the hospital. Later, when the body of the deceased MP was brought to his house in Jalandhar, Rahul visited and paid his condolences.

    The last rites of Chaudhary will be performed at his village tomorrow.

    A prominent Dalit leader Chaudhary had won the Lok Sabha seat from Jalandhar twice in 2014 and 2019 and earlier he remained state cabinet minister in the Capt Amarinder Singh Government. While his son Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary is presently MLA from the Phillaur assembly constituency.

    Earlier in the morning, the yatra resumed from Ladhowal in Ludhiana as part of its Punjab leg.

    Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjjnder Singh Randhwa announced that the Yatra has been suspended for twenty-four hours in honour of Chaudhary. “The yatra will again start from Khalsa College in Jalandhar tomorrow afternoon after the cremation of Chaudhary and Rahul will attend the cremation tomorrow morning and today also go to the house of the deceased MP to pay his condolences,” they said.

    Ramesh said that they got this tragic news at around 9 am when they were walking and the yatra was immediately suspended.

    Randhawa said that it is a big loss to Congress as Chaudhary belonged to a family who has dedicated their entire life to the grand old party. “This is so sad that it happened just a few minutes after he was walking hail and hearty.”

    “The yatra has nothing to do with elections as this march is of a political party and not a yatra to win the elections as it is being taken out against economic disparities, social polarization and political dictatorship,” said Ramesh.

    He said that the congress will start a ‘Hath-Se-Hath Jodo’ campaign from January 26 to March 26 with the ensuing assembly elections in a few states this year and Lok Sabha elections of 2024 and it will cover 2.50 lakh panchayats in six lakh villages to take forward the message of this yatra and will give the ‘charge-sheet’ of this government to the public which we have prepared as this government failed to fulfil the promises it made.

    “This Hath-Se-Hath Jodo campaign which is directly linked to the elections will take the Bharat Jodo Yatra further but the Yatra is not directly linked to the polls but to an ideology,” said Ramesh and added that this campaign will be at three levels (block, district and state). Besides ‘Mahila Yatras’ within states will also be organized.

    When he was asked about the invitations sent for the January 30 program in Srinagar the day yatra ends, Ramesh said that to date the Congress president has sent invitations to 23 parties to join the Congress during the last leg of the yatra on January 30 which is the martyrdom day of Mahatma Gandhi. Attacking a few political parties he said that the B, C and D teams of BJP have not been invited.

    “The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), ADMK, and BJD have not been invited. Only those parties which believe in Bharat Jodo Yatra have been invited for this meeting. As former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Farook Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufi have been invited and there is no need to invite former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi as the leaders who have gone with him have already returned to congress fold,” he said.

    Meanwhile expressing his condolences, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann tweeted, “I am deeply saddened by the untimely death of Congress Member of Parliament from Jalandhar, Santokh Singh Chowdhury… May God rest his soul in peace.”

    Former Chief Minister and Ex-Congress leader Amarinder Singh also expressed his condolences, he tweeted, “Extremely saddened to hear about the sudden demise of MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary ji due to a heart attack today. My heartfelt condolences are with his entire family in their time of grief. May Waheguru Ji grant eternal peace to the departed soul.”

    Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Banwarilal Purohit has expressed his grief over Chaudhary’s death. “I am shocked at the sudden, untimely demise of Chaudhary ji. He was a dedicated and hardworking leader. May his soul rest in peace,” he said.

  • Congress’ Bittu, SAD’s Harsimrat have verbal spat in Parliament over farm bills

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, a heated argument broke out between Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu and SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Thursday when the former accused the latter of getting the farm laws enacted while she was a minister in the Union Cabinet, and added that she ‘doing drama’ over the laws and showing ‘fake support’ to the farmers’ cause.

    The argument took place in Parliament today when SAD MPs were protesting against the new farm laws while Bittu was speaking to reporters.

    Bittu alleged that Badal resigned from the Cabinet after getting the laws enacted and repeatedly accused her of doing drama over the news laws.

    As Bittu continued to level allegations against Badal, the latter was seen arguing with him for a short while and then continuing with her protest.

    Speaking to reporters during the argument, Badal said, “Ask him (Bittu) where were Rahul Gandhi, Sonai Gandhi when these bills were passed. The Congress party by staging a walkout helped in the passage of those bills. Where were you when the bills were passed? Now you are spreading lies and maligning us?”

    Earlier, on Saturday, Badal along with members of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) met President Ram Nath Kovind to ask the Centre to discuss the issue of farm laws and Pegasus in the Parliament.

    Farmers have been protesting at the borders of Delhi since November 26 last year against the newly enacted farm laws — Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance, and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

    The opposition parties have been forcing adjournments in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha over several issues including the new farm laws since the beginning of this session.

    The Monsoon session of the Parliament, which started on July 19th, will conclude on August 13. (ANI)

  • Congress’ Shaktisinh Gohil gives suspension of business notice in Rajya Sabha for discussion over Pegasus Project

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil on Tuesday gave a ‘suspension of business’ notice under Rule 267 in Rajya Sabha to have a discussion on the Pegasus Project in the presence of the Prime Minister or Home Minister.

    In the notice, Gohil has demanded a Supreme Court-monitored enquiry in the matter and said, “…to have a discussion in the presence of the Prime Minister or Home Minister on the Pegasus snooping, spying and surveillance scandal that has undermined our democracy and Constitutional rights and to have a Supreme Court-monitored enquiry announced immediately.”

    The names of several Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi and 40 Indian journalists appeared on the leaked list of potential targets for surveillance by an unidentified agency using Pegasus spyware, according to reports published in The Wire.

    The Congress MP further said that things are “very serious” as the sensational revelations on surveillance of many public personalities and hacking of their phones by a foreign company in “total violation of their Constitutional rights by an Israeli company that sells such destructive software only to governments”.

    Pointing that media reports also noted two serving colonels who challenged official policy, a retired intelligence officer who took RAW to court, and two serving BSF officers also figure in the Pegasus Project database as persons of interest for an unidentified agency, he said: “It is a questioning of national security.”

    Meanwhile, following several adjournments of Rajya Sabha on Monday amid vociferous protests by the opposition over their demands, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that he had reached out to the opposition parties over the stalemate but “there is no consensus among them”.

    The Upper House saw five adjournments as the government sought to push its legislative agenda.

    The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 without discussion as opposition continued its protests on various issues despite the chair urging it to take part in the debate on the legislation. 

  • Congress MP Rajeev Satav dies after recovering from COVID-19

    By PTI
    PUNE: Congress MP Rajiv Satav died at a private hospital here on Sunday, days after recovering from coronavirus infection, hospital sources said.

    The 46-year-old leader was on ventilator support at the hospital after his health deteriorated.

    Satav, considered close to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, had tested positive for coronavirus infection on April 22.

    Satav was later diagnosed with a new viral infection and was in a critical condition.

  • Oxygen demand: Congress leader unhappy with Shivraj Singh govt for ignoring Jabalpur

    By PTI
    JABALPUR: Congress MP from Madhya Pradesh Vivek Tankha on Sunday accused the BJP-led state government of ignoring Jabalpur in the supply of medical oxygen amid the COVID-19 surge.

    Tankha, who hails from Jabalpur, in a Twitter post tagged a media report that mentioned about the state government’s decision on Saturday to airlift empty oxygen tankers from Bhopal and Gwalior along with Indore and send them to Ranchi for re-filling.

    Referring to the report, the Rajya Sabha member in his tweet said, “Is Jabalpur not in Madhya Pradesh”.

    Notably, five COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment in the ICU of a private hospital in Jabalpur died on Friday allegedly after the stock of medical oxygen at the facility got over, police earlier said.

    According to a government release issued on Saturday, there was sufficient medical oxygen available in Jabalpur.

    The medical oxygen is procured from local plants as well from outside.

    In the last two days, 20 KL (kilolitre) of medical oxygen was received from Rourkela (Odisha) and 15 KL from Bhilai (Chhattisgarh) by two tanker trucks.

    One more tanker truck carrying 20 KL of medical oxygen is expected to reach Jabalpur from Rourkela (Odisha) on Sunday, it added.

  • Congress MP gives Zero Hour notice in Rajya Sabha seeking end to farmers’ agitation

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Deependra Singh Hooda on Monday gave a Zero hour Notice in Rajya Sabha over demand for compensation to all the farmers who lost their lives in the ongoing farmers’ agitation and also to end the deadlock.

    Farmers have been protesting at the different border of Delhi since November last year against the three newly enacted farm laws — Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. 

  • Congress MPs give adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha demanding discussion on fuel price hike

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Congress Members of Parliament K Suresh and TN Prathapan on Friday gave an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha demanding a discussion on a hike in fuel prices.

    With the petrol and diesel prices surging to new highs people across cities have raised the demand for the government to find out ways to reduce the prices.

    During her budget speech, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the imposition of Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC) of Rs 2.5 per litre on petrol and Rs 4 per litre on diesel.

    ALSO READ: Petrol price crosses Rs 88-mark in Delhi, diesel breaches Rs 85 in Mumbai

    However, there would be no additional burden on the consumer overall as Sitharaman during Budget presentation also proposed to reduce Basic Customs Duty on these items. Sitharaman said that an AIDC of Rs 2.5 per litre has been imposed on petrol and Rs 4 per litre on diesel.

    However, blended fuel– M-15 petrol and E-20 petrol — will be exempted from cesses and surcharges on the lines of other blended fuels (like E-5 and E-10) if these blended fuels are made of duty paid inputs, Sitharaman had said. 

  • Budget allocation for social security schemes disappointing: Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: Congress Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi on Monday criticised Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for “cutting” the budget allocation to social security schemes for children under the ICDS programme.

    Writing a letter to Sitharaman, Gogoi said that the number of drop-outs from schools has increased in recent times due to the lockdown and the pandemic.

    “Mid-day meal scheme has proven to be an incentive for students to attend school, these cuts are not only alarming with regard to child nutrition but also with regard to education.

    “In a situation where the government should endeavor to ensure retention and incentivise re-enrolment in schools, the budget allocations are immensely disappointing,” he said.

    The senior Congress leader said the mid-day meal scheme has witnessed a decrease to Rs 11,000 crore compared to Rs 13,215 crore in 2014-15.

    “While these cuts are a reason of grave concern in any year, what the backdrop of National Family Health Survey-5 and the pandemic make them are deplorable sights.

    “In light of the aforementioned, I urge you to reconsider your stance on child welfare and economic support provided to such schemes. Especially, in the backdrop of the pandemic, the government should not paralyse the existing welfare mechanisms by starving them for revenue,” Gogoi said.