Tag: congress

Chidambaram slams Centre for ‘failing miserably’ in rolling out vaccination process for citizens | India News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday hit out at Centre for “failing miserably” in rolling out the Covid-19 vaccination for Indians.
“I share the pride that India exported 5.9 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines. At the same time, I am disappointed that we have administered only 3 crore doses to Indian citizens,” Chidambaram tweeted.

“The central government has failed miserably in rolling out the vaccination to Indians. Is there any wonder that the number of infections is rising rapidly every day?” he added.
The former Union minister also pointed out the need to allow walk-in, on demand vaccination and get rid of the bureaucratic hurdles, including pre-registration.
“Government should allow walk-in vaccination on demand and get rid of bureaucratic hurdles including pre-registration,” he further tweeted.

The nationwide Covid-19 vaccination has crossed 3.64 crores coverage, informed the Union ministry of health and family welfare on Wednesday.
According to the official data, a total of 3,71,43,255 vaccine doses were administered in the country, as per the provisional report till 8 am on Thursday.
The second phase of the vaccination drive started on March 1 in which doses are being administered to people above the age of 60 and those between 45 and 59 years with specific comorbidities.



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UDF Withdraws Video of ‘Lipstick Wearing, Selfie Taking’ Woman Targeting Left on Sabarimala Post Row

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Sabarimala temple, Kerala (Image: Shutterstock)

Sabarimala temple, Kerala (Image: Shutterstock)

The video was meant to attack the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s earlier stand on the Sabarimala issue.

A video released by the Congress party on the Sabarimala controversy of 2018, has been withdrawn after criticism amid assembly polls in Kerala. The one-minute-video showed few male devotees of Lord Ayyappa, dressed in the traditional clothes, chanting prayers and trekking while a young woman dressed in modern clothes walks past them with police escort.

The video was meant to attack the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s earlier stand on the Sabarimala issue, The News Minute reported.

The Supreme Court had later supported the entry of women in the temple in a verdict in 2018. The video was part of the opposition campaign for the 2021 assembly elections in the state.

The video begins with prayers and chants of some men and two traditionally dressed women in mundum neriyathum before they set for Sabrimala. Then there are visuals of a young woman wearing lipstick, packing a backpack and going off to Sabarimala is shown, to changing background music.

The video further shows the women passing by the men wearing shoes and headphones clicking a selfie amid police escort. The video shows the police clearing the way and the women returning in 10 minutes. The two traditional women are shocked seeing the incident.

The video draws the context of the Sabrimala temple controversy and the SC judgment in 2018. While the BJP and Congress led UDF held massive protests against women entry, the LDF decided to follow the SC verdict.

The video ends with the UDF’s promise to formulate laws to “protect the interest of believers.” Critics say that the video is communal and misogynistic. After widespread criticism the video was pulled down.

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Govt: No political agenda behind sedition cases | India News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: Faced with questions in Rajya Sabha over the rising number of sedition cases being filed by police, and the falling rate of conviction, the government said states were acting on their own and there was no political agenda behind it. It claimed no false case had been registered against those involved in protests against CAA and the new farm laws.
Claiming that sedition law data was kept hidden during Congress’ tenure, the government informed the House that it has sought inputs from various quarters for criminal law reforms and has set up a committee for it. When asked if the sedition law would be amended, MoS (home) G Kishan Reddy said the government was going to take a “big step”.
“The central government does not give any direction to any state government to arrest anyone. This act is there from the time of the Congress government. As far as conviction is concerned, judgments have not come in some cases,” the minister said. “During the current farmers’ agitation, different statements have been given, but the government has not intervened,” he said.

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A Photo, a Tweet Fuel Truce Bid Post Amarinder-Sidhu ‘Chai Pe Charcha’

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This was the second meeting between the two leaders after Sidhu resigned from Cabinet in 2019.

This was the second meeting between the two leaders after Sidhu resigned from Cabinet in 2019.

The 50 minute-long meeting held at the CM’s house may have cleared the decks for the re-induction of Navjot Singh Sidhu into the Punjab Cabinet.

  • News18
  • Last Updated:March 17, 2021, 22:55 IST
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Have decks been cleared for the re-induction of Navjot Singh Sidhu into the Punjab Cabinet after a ‘tea’ meeting with the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday? If optics are anything to go by, the answer could be in the affirmative.

As soon as the 50 minute-long meeting held at the CM’s residence ended, the Media adviser to the Chief Minister, Raveen Thukral shared a picture of the two leaders smiling with a caption, ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’. Soon after, the photo was shared by many Congress leaders and also the Punjab Congress Twitter handles fuelling speculations that a truce had been arrived at between the two and Sidhu could well be on way back into the state Cabinet.

This was the second meeting between the two leaders after Sidhu resigned from Cabinet in 2019. Sidhu was accompanied by Sports Minister Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi to the CM’s residence but sources said that the meeting by and large was a one-on-one affair.

Officially, the neither the CM’s office nor the party has made any comment on the outcome of the meeting but sources indicated that the re-induction of Sidhu into the Cabinet seemed quite likely with him being offered two portfolios of his interest.

Sidhu refused to talk to the waiting media crew but soon after tweeted, ‘Azad Raho Vicharoan Se Lekin Badhe Raho Sanskaroan Se.. Tankee Aas Aur Vishwas rahe Kirdaroan pe’.

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Congress Says it Will ‘Empower Housewives’ in Assam if Voted to Power

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The Congress will empower housewives, ensure women’s safety against the rising crime graph in Assam, provide the cushion against inflation and give the self respect that they deserve if voted to power in the coming assembly poll in the state, AICC spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said on Wednesday. Congress will implement the ‘Grihini Samman Guarantee’ if it comes to power, Shrinate told reporters here.

The scheme had been launched by party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during her visit to Tezpur on March 2. The Congress has pledged 5 Guarantee Programme for the people of Assam and one of the most important commitment is towards the housewives of the state, Shrinate said at a press conference here.

There has been special relevance of women in the Assamese society and the 81.2 per cent female literacy rate in the state is one of the highest in the country. But for long the contribution of the housewives has not been recognised or appreciated enough which the Congress seeks to set right, she said. Congress will promote and empower women as an equally important stakeholder in all household functions and decisions, Shrinate said.

“we will empower Assam and we pledge to implement the ‘Grihini Samman Guarantee’ that will cover all housewives of the state without any restriction or underlying clauses”, the Congress leader said. “The home is the cradle of civilization and we are resolute on starting our mission of empowering women at the household level,” she said.

The ‘Grihini Samman Guarantee’ seeks to provide every housewife Rs 2000 each month. The programme will cover all housewives, including widowed and divorced women, even if she has a job or works as a daily labourer to give self respect that all of them deserve. This programme will be implemented within the first few days of the Congress coming to power in the state, Shrinate said.

“A housewife not only manages the household but also has the responsibility of steering its future and that of the society. Recognizing and giving value to the work that they do is quintessential in elevating the respect for them in the society,” the Congress leader said. The party believes that through the Grihini Samman Guarantee housewives will be empowered to make better consumption investment decisions for their households, negotiate price rise, provide better nutrition and better future for their children, she said.

”When we look at the jobs women do at home, even though they may not be working outside, we see the unpaid labour that goes unaccounted and the time has come to ensure that women are recognized for the contribution they make to society, ” Shrinate added.

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Cong MP Urges Centre to Resolve Farmers’ Issue

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File photo of Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu.

File photo of Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu.

Ravneet Singh Bittu said the farmers have contributed most to the growth of India and many of them have even protected the country at the borders.

  • PTI New Delhi
  • Last Updated:March 17, 2021, 15:17 IST
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The Congress on Wednesday urged the Centre to resolve the ongoing farmers’ protests over three agriculture laws and warned that if turmoil begins again in Punjab, the whole country will suffer. Raising the issue of farmers protests in Lok Sabha, the leader of the Congress party in the Lower House, Ravneet Singh Bittu, also requested Speaker Om Birla to invite leaders of all political parties for a meeting to find a solution to the demands of the tillers.

Bittu said the farmers have contributed most to the growth of India and many of them have even protected the country at the borders. He said action must be taken as early as possible to find a solution to the ongoing farmers’ protests, else the situation may aggravate.

Bittu said Punjab, from where most of the farmers have come for the protests at Delhi’s borders, is a border state and explosives were being transported across the border on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) every day. ”Earlier, just one drone used to come from across the border. Now, every day 30 to 40 drones are coming with 30 to 40 kg of RDX and other explosives. You have to try to find a solution. Because if there is turmoil again in Punjab, the whole country will suffer,” he said.

The farmers have been protesting at Delhi’s borders since November-end blocking major roads demanding repeal of three agriculture laws enacted last year.

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PF Account: Covid effect? 6.5% more PF a/cs closed between April-December | India Business News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: The number of provident fund accounts closed between April-December of the current financial year has increased by 6.5% to 71 lakh, when the coronavirus-induced lockdown was at its peak and job losses were reported.
The number of accounts closed during the first nine months of 2019-2020 added up to 66.7 lakh. An EPF account is closed for a variety of reasons including retirement, job loss or a change in employment. There are over 5 crore active EPF accounts.
Withdrawals, however, rose by over 33% to Rs 73,498 crore during the nine months of the current financial year compared with Rs 55,125 crore in the corresponding period last year, Labour and employment minister Santosh Gangwar said in Lok Sabha on Monday, while responding to a question by Congress’ MP Abdul Khaleque.

With the coronavirus pandemic throwing up unprecedented challenges, businesses facing closure and unemployment levels rising, partial withdrawals from the EPFO also surged in 2020. While the number of partial withdrawals in 2019 were pegged at 54.4 lakh, the numbers more than doubled to 1.3 crore partial withdrawals in 2020.
The government had opened a special window allowing Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) subscribers to dip into their retirement savings to tide over the corona crisis. In fact, individuals were allowed to withdraw up to 75% of their kitty, a facility which has been availed by many who lost their jobs.

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Not stars, but workers, will work to ensure Cong win: G-23’s Sibal | India News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: Congress MP and member of G -23 Kapil Sibal Sunday said that the dissidents at the recent controversial meeting in Jammu spoke about strengthening the Congress and their objective was not antithetical to that of what the party stands for.
While he denied that the leadership’s anger over the Jammu meeting was behind the decision to leave out senior members of the dissident bloc from the ongoing assembly elections’ “star campaigners list“, Sibal, according to media reports, tersely remarked, “We are not stars, we are Congress workers. And the workers will do whatever he can do to ensure that Congress wins… I think that the party has the discretion to decide who are stars and which are the stars who shine and which are the ones who have lost their lustre.”
He said the good thing that happened from the G-23 letter to the leadership asking for reforms was that it was decided that elections will be held to the post of the party chief and the CWC. He said it was absurd to attribute personal motives like Parliament term or a Rajya Sabha nomination to the decision of leaders to ask the leadership for reforms. He said while only 23 Congress leaders signed the letter, there are “many many more who agree with us on these issues.” “All that we say is that the state that we are in today, we should work hard and embrace what the Congress stands for,“ Sibal said.

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Congress only showed dreams of development in Assam; promises fulfilled by PM Modi: Irani | India News – Times of India

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SIVASAGAR: Union minister and senior BJP leader Smriti Zubin Irani said here on Saturday the opposition Congress only showed dreams of development during its regime in Assam, but the promises were fulfilled after the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power at the Centre.
Addressing her second rally during the day ahead of the state assembly elections, the Union textiles minister alleged that the Congress “looted public money” and did not undertake developmental works in Assam during its regime in the state.
“Congress had ruled Assam for years and showed dreams of development. However, development works started only when Narendra Modi became prime minister in 2014,” she said.
Irani, also the minister of women and child development, said funds will continue to come from the Centre, but it will reach the people through the state exchequer if there is a government of the BJP in the northeastern state.
“One Congress leader had said only 10 paise reach the people for every rupee released by the Centre. That means the leader also accepted that Congress workers and local activists looted public money,” she added.
The Union minister asserted that no one has dared to touch the taxpayers’ money after Modi came to power at the Centre.
Taking a dig at the “mismanagement” in the Congress party, Irani said, “Their leaders don’t see eye to eye. Two leaders in that party cannot take a decision, and they allied with an outfit which is destroying Assamese culture.”
Irani said the Congress could not even construct toilets for poor people but is promising to build colleges and universities.
“There was a mistake last time, it should not happen this time,” she said, referring to the Congress’ victory at the Sivasagar constituency in the 2016 Assembly polls.
Irani was in Sivasagar, which is going to poll on March 27, to campaign for BJP candidate Surabhi Rajkonwar.
Rajkonwar is pitted against jailed anti-CAA activist Akhil Gogoi and Congress leader Subhramitra Gogoi.

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Assembly Elections 2021 LIVE Updates: Amit Shah, Sarbananda Sonowal Reach Nadda’s Home for Meet

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Assembly Elections 2021 News LIVE Updates: The BJP on Saturday is all set to declare names for candidates for Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The meeting will start at 5 pm on Saturday.

The BJP Kerala core group meeting will also take place at party chief JP Nadda’s residence in Delhi before the CEC meeting. Apart from Nadda, Amit Shah, BL Santhosh, K Surendran were also present. This was the meeting ahead of CEC on Saturday.

While Mamata Banerjee has been discharged from hospital on Friday, and left the hospital in a wheelchair, the TMC has already announced an event on Saturday to induct into the party “an eminent personality”. TMC MP Derek O’ Brien, anchayat and rural development minister Subrata Mukherjee, and TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay will be present for the event that will be held in Trinamool Bhavan.

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