'The Modi government is trying to suppress the matter only to save its political image'
The government on Friday announced a five-day state mourning as a mark of respect to Nelson Mandela.
Declaration of Rahul Gandhi as prime ministerial candidate cannot be ruled out, Congress hinted on Monday in the backdrop of conflicting statements from party leaders including Digvijay Singh.
Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said Saturday's incident along the LoC was an outcome of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "flip-flops and somersaults" on Pakistan.
After Trinamool Congress's Tapas Pal threat to rape, comes TMC's Dipak Haldar, who has sparked controversy over his insensitive remarks on rape.
Congress on Thursday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party over sending an invitation to Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif for the swearing-in ceremony of prime minister designate Narendra Modi, reminding the party of its earlier remarks that terror and talks cannot go hand in hand.
Congress charged that there has been a rise in communal incidents in the country during the National Democratic Alliance coalition's first 100 days in power even as it questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" over the matter.
'Rahul Gandhi is going to turn 54 and in India political leaders peak when they are around 60.' 'This 'bhai-behen ki jodi' has done a wonderful job for the Congress.' 'Priyanka Gandhi was a very effective campaigner.'
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said nobody could imagine one would profiteer from the immeasurable suffering of millions, saying the 'scam was an insult to every Indian'.
The opposition strategy to corner the government on Manipur will continue in the Rajya Sabha as well, the sources said.
While 39 members of the all-important panel are general members, it has 32 permanent invitees, including some in-charges of state and 13 special invitees.
Amid speculation that Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose may be named for the Bharat Ratna, a Congress leader on Sunday said Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshi Ram and Aligarh Muslim University founder Sir Syed Ahmed Khan should also be given the country's highest civilian award.
Gandhi rued that the fourth estate was showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's face round-the-clock and not raising issues like unemployment or inflation.
The two-day media conclave of Congress will begin in New Delhi on Monday seeking to tone up its communication strategy in states and propagate UPA's achievements among the masses ahead of the next General elections.
Dismissing the Congress' criticism over its decision to charge Rs 5 for attending Narendra Modi's forthcoming public meeting in Hyderabad, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said the ruling party is making allegations as it is unable to digest the growing popularity of the Gujarat chief minister. "The Congress is rattled by Narendra Modi. They are not able to digest the growing popularity of Narendra Modi. That's why they are making such allegations. They are trying to hit below the belt," senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters.
The Congress president cited a report quoting Gadkari as saying that party workers should first fulfil their domestic responsibilities as "those who cannot do that cannot manage the country".
The Congress leader was first arrested by the CBI on August 21.
As the debate over the issue of leadership raged, another group of leaders put their weight behind the Gandhi family on Sunday, calling for Sonia Gandhi to stay or Rahul Gandhi to take charge again.
He termed the situation with China as 'very dangerous' and said India under Modi does not have any clear cut strategy on China, which is testing the country and will not sit silent.
Earlier, only Azad was scheduled to meet Sonia Gandhi.
'We wanted the PM to speak, and he just refused to -- now we have the opportunity, not just in the Lok Sabha, but also in the Rajya Sabha, to lay the government on the mat.'
Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Thursday refused to react to R K Singh's allegations against him, saying he no longer considered the retired bureaucrat as being a former home secretary but saw him as a politician and Bharatiya Janayt Party man.
Launching a fresh attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party over the Gujarat snooping row, Congress leader Manish Tewari on Monday asked why no private security officer was provided if the woman in question was being protected at her father's behest.
Protesting employees of the city electricity department on Wednesday evening called off their strike while power supply has also been restored in the most parts of the city.
The 'Group of 23' leaders who participated included Ghulam Nabi Azad, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Anand Sharma, Mukul Wasnik, Prithviraj Chavan, Manish Tewari, Shashi Tharoor, besides Sibal who hosted the post-birthday dinner for them.
One fallout of Rahul Gandhi's disqualification will be reflected in the Opposition's role in Parliament and related institutions.
Opposition members in the Lok Sabha on Monday blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government's policies for the price rise and accused it of ignoring the plight of common people, saying kitchens will soon "see a lockdown" if the Centre does not take corrective measures.
Union Minister Manish Tewari made a strong pitch to take forward the "secular agenda", asking spokespersons to talk strongly on issues related to communalism. The Congress has been gearing up to tone up its media strategy ahead of the next general elections.
Several political leaders on Monday alleged a conspiracy behind the road accident involving the Unnao rape complainant in Rae Bareli district of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday
An American news website has removed the name of Congress President Sonia Gandhi from the list of richest leaders of the world after the party derided the portal for the "absurd and ridiculous" item.
"I do not owe an explanation to anybody", a dismissive Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said on Tuesday when asked about his cryptic tweets late last night using words "disgust" and "duty" after representing the government at the Pakistan function in New Delhi.
The Opposition on Tuesday slammed Minister of State for External Affairs General (retd) V K Singh for his tweets of 'duty' and 'disgust' after attending the Pakistan Day celebrations in New Delhi.
Party president Sonia Gandhi, former chief Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress chief ministers Ashok Gehlot of Rajasthan, Bhupesh Baghel of Chhattisgarh and Charanjit Channi of Punjab attended the meeting.
A day after a stormy Congress Working Committee meeting, Sibal made the remarks in a cryptic tweet.
A row erupted over a Republic Day advertisement issued by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry which carried a picture of the Preamble to the Constitution as it appeared before the 42nd Amendment, without the words 'secular' and 'socialist'.
To highlight the achievements and programmes of the government, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday allocated a fund of Rs 630 crore to the information and broadcasting ministry, of which over Rs 200 crore could be spent in the current financial year.
The opposition on Tuesday termed as an 'election jumla' the women's reservation bill brought by the government with many leaders raising questions over the proposed legislation, contending it doesn't account for reservation for OBC communities and that it will be effective at the earliest by the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.
Named Indira Gandhi National University for Women, the institute will be set up in Raebarelli in Uttar Pradesh.
The Uttarakhand government will not allow any state to make unilateral efforts to evacuate its citizens stranded in the hill state, a move that comes in the midst of war of words on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's claim that he had rescued over 15,000 people.
The media report said Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau has sent a request to the ministry of home affairs seeking legal assistance in its probe into the alleged kickbacks.
