Nation

16

Mar

By The Press Editor

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Nation, Politics

BJP predicts clean sweep for NDA in Bihar RS polls

Voting is currently underway for five Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar, with both the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan opposition projecting total confidence in a clean sweep. While 26 candidates across the country have already been elected unopposed, the contest in Bihar has turned into a high-stakes numbers game, with the counting of votes set to begin at 5:00 pm today.   Leading the NDA’s charge, Bihar BJP president Sanjay Saraogi dismissed any possibility of an upset, stating that all five of their candidates would leave the assembly as members of the Upper House. Saraogi also took…

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11

Mar

By The Press Editor

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Nation, Politics

Sloganeering against LPG price hike in Lok Sabha

Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 12 noon on Wednesday following vociferous protests by opposition members over various issues, including the hike in LPG prices. As soon as the House met for the day, opposition members raised various issues and shouted slogans. Several of them took to sloganeering in the Well of the House. The session has now resumed.    When it was Congress member Kumari Selja's turn to ask a question, she just remarked that the government should first reduce the LPG price.   Responding to queries, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took a swipe at the opposition members, saying…

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10

Mar

By The Press Editor

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Nation, Politics

No-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla admitted in Lok Sabha

In a historic move, the Lok Sabha on Tuesday admitted a resolution for the removal of Speaker Om Birla after more than 50 members stood in support, meeting the constitutional threshold for the motion to proceed. The House has allocated 10 hours for a fiery debate on the matter, marking a rare instance of a Speaker’s conduct being formally scrutinised through such a resolution.   The motion, which bears the signatures of 118 Opposition MPs, stems from allegations of "partisan" behaviour by the Chair. The primary grievance cited is that the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, was repeatedly prevented…

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09

Mar

By The Press Editor

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Nation, Politics

Congress moves suspension notice in RS, LS over West Asia conflict

The reopening of Parliament on Monday was immediately dominated by the crisis in West Asia, as senior Congress MPs Manish Tewari and Randeep Surjewala moved separate motions to suspend normal business in both Houses. The opposition is demanding an urgent, full-scale debate on the regional war and its direct threat to India’s energy security, rather than settling for a unilateral government briefing.   In the Lok Sabha, Manish Tewari called for an transparent evaluation of how the government is protecting national interests. In Rajya Sabha Surjewala’s motion highlighted how precariously positioned Indian’s strategic partnerships are and clarified what happens to…

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08

Mar

By The Press Editor

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Nation, Politics

Sorry madam, you have fallen into BJP’s trap: Mamata to President

President Droupadi Murmu’s remarks on the condition of tribal communities in West Bengal on Saturday triggered a sharp political response from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who accused the BJP of attempting to use the President to advance its political agenda in the state.   The President raised concerns about the development and welfare of tribal and Santal communities during her address at the International Santal Conference in Siliguri in North Bengal. She questioned whether tribal communities in the state were receiving government benefits properly and expressed doubts about their overall progress.   Her remarks prompted a response from the West…

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03

Mar

By The Press Editor

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Nation, Politics

Sonia targets PM Modi over govt’s silence on Khamenei’s assassination

In a sharply worded intervention on Tuesday, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi criticised the Modi government's response to the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Writing in The Indian Express, the former Congress president argued that New Delhi’s refusal to issue a formal condemnation is not an act of neutrality, but a "troubling departure" from India’s historical foreign policy and a failure of moral leadership.   Gandhi emphasised the fact that the targeted assassination of a head of state while holding office is a "grave rupture" in international relations. She also pointed out the fact that while…

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20

Feb

By The Press Editor

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Nation, Politics

India to halt Ravi water flow for Pakistan

Pakistan is currently dealing with a serious water crisis before the onset of summer, and this is expected to worsen with the upcoming completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage on March 31, after which the surplus water, which used to flow into Pakistan because of the absence of storage facilities in India, will instead be used for irrigation.   The decision to use the water for irrigation was announced by J&K minister Javed Ahmed Rana, who said that the aim is to irrigate the drought-affected Kathua and Samba districts. In response to the effect on Pakistan, Rana mentioned, "Why are…

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16

Feb

By The Press Editor

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Nation, Politics

Aiyar’s ‘not a Rahulian’ remark rattles Congress

Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has stirred a fresh political storm within the party after declaring, “I am not a Rahulian,” predicting a third consecutive term for Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and launching sharp attacks on colleagues ahead of the Assembly polls.   Clarifying his stand, Aiyar said, “I am in the Congress party, I haven’t left it. Mr Rahul Gandhi has forgotten that I am a member of the party. Therefore, I am a Gandhian, I am a Nehruvian, I am a Rajivian, but I am not a Rahulian.”   His remarks have sharpened internal fault lines,…

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13

Feb

By The Press Editor

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Nation, Politics

Cong appoints Chennithala chairman, Tharoor co-chair for Kerala poll campaign

In what appears to be an attempt to fortify its ranks for the impending Kerala Legislative Assembly polls, the Congress has named its veteran politician Ramesh Chennithala as the Chairman of its election campaign committee, while Shashi Tharoor, the party’s MP, has been named its Co-Chairman.   Apparently following a series of meetings with party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, Shashi’s elevation seems to have marked a truce between Gandhi and Shashi, who had been up in arms over fears of being passed over by state-level leaders. The apparent resolution of the crisis seems to have augured well for…

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06

Feb

By The Press Editor

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Nation, Politics

Rahul Gandhi’s ‘memoir’ remark triggers uproar in Lok Sabha

A statement by the Leader of the Opposition and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi turned into a controversial dispute in the Parliament. Rahul authenticated a copy of an article in the Lok Sabha which cited former army chief M M Naravane's unpublished 'memoir,' but it failed to end the impasse over the matter, leading to a brief adjournment. The Congress leader insisted on raising the issue in the House.   In between all this, Chair Krishna Prasad Tenneti moved on to other Speakers and asked Harish Balayogi of the TDP, an NDA constituent, to speak on the President's address after three…

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