Congress

Constitution under siege, BJP attempting ideological coup: Sonia Gandhi

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Saturday alleged that the Constitution is "under siege" as the ruling BJP is using its power to dismantle the very framework it long opposed. She alleged that the BJP is seeking to bring an "ideological coup" by replacing our democratic republic with a theocratic corporate state serving the powerful few. In her special message read out at the day-long national legal conclave on 'Constitutional Challenges - Perspectives and Pathways', Gandhi said the Congress would oppose every attempt to undermine the Constitution in Parliament, in courts and on the streets, asserting that it is not just a political but an ideological commitment to defend every Indian's dignity. "Today, the Constitution is under siege. The BJP-RSS, which never fought for freedom or upheld equality, now uses its power to dismantle the very framework it long opposed," she said. "Their ideological forebears glorified Manusmriti, rejected the tricolour, and ...

SC extends stay on proceedings against Shashi Tharoor in defamation case

Asking the complainant's lawyer "why be so touchy", the Supreme Court on Friday extended the stay on trial court proceedings against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in a defamation case filed for his alleged "scorpion on Shivling" remark targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh passed the order after adjourning the matter on the request of Tharoor's lawyer. The lawyer appearing for the complainant, BJP leader Rajeev Babbar, sought a hearing on a non-miscellaneous day. "What non-miscellaneous day? Why do you want to be so touchy about all this? Let us close all this," the bench said, as it posted the matter for hearing on September 15. Tharoor moved the top court against the Delhi High Court's August 29, 2024, order, which refused to quash the defamation proceedings against him, asking him to appear before the trial court on September 10. Tharoor's counsel previously argued that neither the complainant nor the members of the political

Highlights: India to take all steps to protect national interests, says commerce minister

Latest news updates: The Congress stated that that President Trump is "piling it on India". Catch all the news developments here

Rahul Gandhi agrees with Trump calling India 'dead economy'; allies differ

Rahul Gandhi echoes Donald Trump's 'dead economy' remark for India, but Congress leaders and INDIA bloc allies reject the claim, citing strong economic data

Everybody except PM, FM know India is 'dead economy': Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said everybody except Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman know that India is a dead economy, as he alleged that the BJP-led government has destroyed India's economic, defence and foreign policies. Speaking with reporters in the Parliament House complex, Gandhi also claimed that a trade deal with the US will happen and Trump will define it, while Prime Minister Modi will do what the American President tells him to do. Gandhi's remarks came after US President Donald Trump announced the imposition of 25 per cent tariff and penalties on India and called India and Russia dead economies. Asked about Trump's criticism of the Indian economy, Gandhi said, He is right, everybody knows this except the prime minister and the finance minister, Everybody knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy. I am glad that President Trump has stated a fact. Gandhi alleged that the BJP has destroyed the Indian economy in order to

Chidambaram calls Shah's Afzal Guru execution remark 'lie, distortion'

Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday slammed as a "lie and distortion" Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks alleging delay in carrying out the death sentence for Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. The Congress leader's remarks came in response to Shah's statement in the Rajya Sabha that the death sentence for Guru could not be carried out for as long as Chidambaram was the home minister. In a statement, Chidambaram said, "Home Minister Mr Amit Shah made a statement in the Rajya Sabha that 'Afzal Guru could not be executed as long as P Chidambaram was Home Minister'. The statement is a mixture of insinuation, lie and distortion." After the conviction and sentence by the courts, Guru's wife filed, on his behalf, a mercy petition to the President of India in October 2006, Chidambaram said. "The President rejected the mercy petition on 3-2-2013. Afzal Guru was hanged six days later on 9-2-2013. I was Home Minister during 1-12-2008 and 31-7-2012," he said. "During the entire perio

SC gives Telangana speaker 3 months to decide on BRS MLAs' disqualification

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Telangana assembly speaker to decide within three months the disqualification petitions against 10 BRS MLAs, who had switched allegiance to the ruling Congress. Observing that political defections have been a matter of national discourse and have power to disrupt democracy if not curbed, a bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai allowed an appeal filed by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Padi Kaushik Reddy seeking a directing to the speaker to expeditiously decide disqualification petitions against the BRS MLAs. The bench set aside the November 22, 2024 decision of the Telangana High Court's division bench which had interfered with a prior order of a single judge. We have referred to various parliamentary speeches, including those by Rajesh Pilot and Devendra Nath Munshi, to emphasise that entrusting disqualification proceedings to the speaker were aimed at avoiding delays that may occur before courts, the CJI said while reading out the

India has to now contend with CAP- China, America, Pak: Cong's dig at govt

After US President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on India, the Congress on Thursday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that he once spoke of the TOP -- Tomato, Onion, Potato -- challenges in prices, but the country now has to contend with the political challenges arising out of CAP -China, America, Pakistan. The opposition party said that on the one hand President Trump criticises India strongly and imposes penalties on it for trading with Russia, while on the other hand, just before the Iranian President's visit to Pakistan, he announces a big partnership with Pakistan for hydrocarbon exploration and development, alongside a trade deal. Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said that President Trump is "piling it on India". In an X post, Ramesh wrote, "Since May 10, he has claimed 30 times that he stopped Operation Sindoor. These claims were made in four different countries. On June 18, he hosted the Pakistan Army Chief

All 'taarif', no gain: Congress mocks PM Modi as Trump slaps 25% tariff

Congress criticises PM Modi after Trump imposes 25% tariff on Indian imports, saying the 'Howdy Modi' friendship has brought no real benefits

Cong seeks govt's help for release of Catholic nuns jailed in Chhattisgarh

Congress members from Kerala in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday demanded government intervention for release of two Catholic nuns jailed for alleged human trafficking and forced religious conversion in Chhattisgarh. Nuns Preethi Merry and Vandana Francis along with Sukaman Mandavi were arrested at the Durg railway station in the BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh on July 25 following a complaint by a local Bajrang Dal functionary, who accused them of forcibly converting three girls from Narayanpur and trafficking them. Raising the matter during Zero Hour, Congress members K C Venugopal and K Suresh said the incident is "deeply disturbing and shocking" as the nuns are innocent and were doing social work by providing palliative care for cancer patients. Venugopal said the nuns were manhandled and "falsely accused" of religious conversion and human trafficking by Bajrang Dal members. The two nuns were stopped at the Durg railway station while they were travelling to Agra. "These two nuns are in jail .

Rahul Gandhi to protest against 'votes theft' in Bengaluru on Aug 4

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who recently claimed that his party has figured out the modus operandi of the "votes theft" by studying a Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka, will participate in a protest in Bengaluru on August 4 and submit a representation to the Election Commission officials here. Amid the raging row over the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, on July 23, alleged that elections are being "stolen" in India and claimed that his party has figured out the modus operandi of the "votes theft" by studying a LS constituency in Karnataka. "Rahul Gandhi has raised voice against irregularities in elections. He had said that such things had taken place in Karnataka too, so he is coming here to give representation to the Election Commission officials. He is coming on August 4," state Home Minister G Parameshwara said. Speaking to reporters here, he said the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee will be organising a programme (protest)

Parliament Highlights: Op Sindoor showed India knows how to protect its sovereignty, says Rajnath

Parliament Monsoon Session Highlights: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to open discussion on Operation Sindoor in Rajya Sabha today. Follow live updates on the debate and proceedings here

Op Sindoor debate: Nadda apologises to Kharge over 'mental balance' remark

The Rajya Sabha witnessed heated exchanges between the Opposition and treasury benches after Leader of the House J P Nadda made some objectionable remarks against Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge that he later withdrew and apologised. Rising soon after Kharge spoke over one hour during the discussion on Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack, Nadda first accused him of "losing his mental balance" as he made some remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Nadda demanded that Kharge's remarks on the Prime Minister be expunged from the records as they were made in a "flow of emotions". However, Kharge as well as Opposition benches made strong objections to Nadda's "mental balance" remark and demanded an apology. Kharge also said that Nadda is one of the ministers in the NDA government whom he respected, but said it was a matter of shame that he made such remarks against him and demanded his apology. Nadda soon got up to say that he has already withdrawn his wo

Amit Shah slams Chidambaram for 'clean chit' to Pakistan in Pahalgam attack

Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday accused P Chidambaram, a previous incumbent of the ministry, of giving a "clean chit" to Pakistan in the Pahalgam terror attack, asserting that it amounted to questioning India's attack on terror facilities in the country. Shah lashed out at the senior Congress leader as informed Lok Sabha during a discussion on the terror strike and Operation Sindoor that three terrorists killed by security forces in Kashmir on Monday were behind the horrific Pahalgam incident. He said the government had proof of the three being from Pakistan, including that the voter numbers of two of them. He added that they carried chocolates made in Pakistan, turning up the heat on the former home minister. The Congress leader, a Rajya Sabha member, Shah said, raised the questions when Parliament was to begin this discussion. "Whom do you want to save? What will you gain by shielding Pakistan?" In an interview, Chidambaram had raised questions on the claim that the terrorists

Rahul Gandhi to sponsor schooling of 22 kids orphaned by India-Pak conflict

During his visit to Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch in May, Rahul Gandhi had reportedly asked Congress workers to identify children affected by cross-border shelling in the region

Parliament Highlights: Retaliation by Army forced Pakistan to bow down, says Rajnath Singh

Monsoon Session Highlights: Top leaders from NDA and INDIA bloc to face off in Parliament over Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor. Follow live updates on the debate and proceedings here

Congress, Chidambaram speaking Pakistan's language: Shivraj Chouhan

Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday accused the Congress and its leader P Chidambaram of "speaking the same language" as used by Pakistan and claimed that the Opposition was "running away" from a discussion in Parliament on Operation Sindoor out of fear of being unmasked. Speaking to reporters inside the Parliament complex, he said when the government is ready to discuss the issue then why is the Opposition running away from it. The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm on Monday amid opposition protests on the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, delaying the start of the discussion on Operation Sindoor. A political row erupted on Monday over Chidambaram's reported remarks that the terrorists behind the Pahalgam could have been "homegrown". "It was their demand only that a discussion should be held on Operation Sindoor. And, when the government is ready for discussion, why is it running away from it? The entire Opposition is not letting a discussion on terror and terrorism

Tharoor declines to speak on Op Sindoor, opts for ports bill debate

The Congress asked its MP Shashi Tharoor if he was interested in speaking during the Operation Sindoor debate in Parliament but he declined and instead expressed a desire to speak on 'The Indian Ports Bill, 2025', party sources said on Monday. There has been intense speculation on whether Tharoor, who led the delegation to the US among other countries, will be picked as a speaker by the Congress given that his enthusiastic endorsement of the government's action following the terror attack has soured his ties with tge party. Asked whether Tharoor was asked to speak during the debate, a senior Congress functionary told PTI, "It is a practise that senior leaders are asked whether they are interested in speaking on a major issue. Gaurav Gogoi and K Suresh had reached out to him and asked if he was interested in speaking during the debate on Operation Sindoor, to which he said he is not interested and would like to speak on the ports bill." There was no immediate response from Tharoor on

Clerical error turns Madhya Pradesh farmer into India's poorest man

An income certificate in Satna showed a farmer earning just ₹3 a year, triggering ridicule and Congress criticism before officials admitted a clerical error and issued a correction

Congress stages protest demanding SIR not be conducted in West Bengal

Congress workers on Sunday staged a protest here demanding that a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal not be conducted. An SIR is being conducted in neighbouring Bihar, where assembly elections are due later this year. Assembly polls are likely to be held in West Bengal in mid-2026. "The main issue is illegal immigration from Bangladesh," Congress leader Asutosh Chatterjee, who participated in the demonstration in south Kolkata's Bhawanipur area, said. He demanded that immediate steps be taken to fence every inch of the international border between India and Bangladesh in West Bengal. "Our national leadership has opposed the SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar, and we also oppose any plan to hold the same in West Bengal," he told reporters. The Congress workers raised slogans against the SIR. Chatterjee alleged that the Election Commission was working at the behest of the BJP. The Congress leader also questioned how Leader of Opposition in West Bengal