The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is seeking an expedited trial against Congress leader P Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis and INX Media money laundering cases, having submitted the required prosecution sanction to the court.
The Indian government has challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism of levying fees on UPI payments above Rs 2,000 to merchants. The government highlighted that a parliamentary standing committee, which included Congress MPs, had previously backed a tiered Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework for UPI. This move aims to ensure the financial sustainability of the UPI ecosystem and reduce its dependence on government subsidies, a concern raised by the committee due to the significant funding gap between allocations and operational costs.
The Congress party has strongly refuted government claims that its MPs on the Parliament Standing Committee on Finance supported a fee on high-value UPI payments. Congress leaders, including Gaurav Gogoi and Manish Tewari, stated that the "UPI tax" proposal was not specifically discussed by the committee, accusing the Modi government of diverting attention from public backlash and appeasing US companies. The government, however, cited the committee's report which pressed for a tiered Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "dimagi naxal" remark by stating he is "proud to be a dimagi naxal". Modi had warned against "dimagi naxals" who manipulate policies and promote violence, despite the success in curbing armed Naxalism. Chidambaram's comment came after Modi's Independence Day speech where he highlighted the threat posed by ideological supporters of Naxalism.
BJD chief Naveen Patnaik has voiced concerns over the Centre's decision to introduce Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) charges on UPI transactions above Rs 2,000 from October 15, urging protection for small traders and common people. This move has sparked a political debate, with the BJP defending the charges as beneficial for digital infrastructure and largely not impacting consumers, while the Congress and traders' associations criticise it as an additional burden.
The Congress party has strongly refuted claims by Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance Chairperson Bhartruhari Mahtab that opposition MPs supported levying a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions. Congress MP Manish Tewari termed Mahtab's remarks "erroneous and fallacious," clarifying that the committee's recommendation was to "explore" revenue models, not to implement MDR. The party accused Mahtab of misleading due to his recent switch to the BJP.
Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan critically examined police conduct in India, raising serious concerns about alleged assaults on protesters, custodial torture, and the urgent need for comprehensive police reforms to uphold human rights and the rule of law.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'dimagi Naxal' (intellectual Naxal) remark, made during his Independence Day address, has ignited a significant political debate, with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju clarifying that the comment targets those who support Maoists and separatists, not opposition leaders, while opposition figures like P Chidambaram have embraced the label in defiance.
'Wages have not risen. Rural wages have stagnated. The growth was 0.7 per cent last year. For casual and irregular labour, the wage growth is negative.'
'You have to get private investment to somewhere between 35% to 36% of GDP. It is hovering about 30%-31%.'
A late-night meeting between leaders of the ruling NCP and Opposition NCP (SP) at the Maharashtra Chief Minister's residence has sparked intense speculation about shifting political dynamics in the state. This comes as the BJP reportedly seeks support for the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill, which proposes to increase Lok Sabha seats and initiate delimitation, a move criticised by Congress leader P Chidambaram for potentially disadvantaging states that controlled population growth.
The meeting comes amid the speculation that the Sharad Pawar led NCP may join the ruling alliance.
A meeting of Tamil Nadu MPs, led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, unanimously decided to oppose the Union government's proposed delimitation exercise, demanding its complete withdrawal and an extension of the delimitation freeze for another 25 years.
Teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's blistering 97 off 29 balls in Rajasthan Royals' IPL eliminator win over Sunrisers Hyderabad drew praise from Congress leader P Chidambaram and BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla
'At the end of the day, it is just another technology produced by the human mind.'
'Our leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, are in touch with all Opposition parties, including the DMK and the AAP.'
Chidambaram said that Operation Black Thunder was the right way to retrieve the Golden Temple, by keeping the Army out of the Sikh worship place.
The TVK's decision to offer the lone Rajya Sabha seat to the Congress came against the backdrop of key meetings between national party leaders, including former union finance minister P Chidambaram and Congress Tamil Nadu in-charge Girish Chodankar at the Secretariat.
The Congress party is set to challenge the Modi government on a range of critical issues, including alleged theft of Ram temple donations, 'systemic corrosion' of the education system, and constitutional amendment bills related to delimitation and dismissal of ministers, during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Amid renewed speculation about political realignments and a potential merger, senior leaders from two Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) factions met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule clarified her party's position on the proposed Delimitation Bill, stating that while a uniform 50 per cent increase in seats across states would be hard to oppose, any final decision would be made after discussions within the INDIA bloc.
It is because dealing with a regulatory system that is largely headed by retired IAS officers then becomes relatively easy, points out A K Bhattacharya.
The former Union finance minister warned that the INDIA bloc was fighting against a "formidable machinery", which must be fought on all fronts.
Delhi High Court judge Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma has recused herself from hearing a plea by Congress MP Karti Chidambaram seeking to quash a CBI FIR against him. The FIR alleges that Chidambaram helped an alcoholic beverage company over the ban on the duty-free sale of its whisky.
'Congress needs a positive agenda rather than primarily picking up on two business houses.'
'Even last year, when India bought gold, the physical quantity was much less than the previous years.'
Sitharaman took charge of the Finance Ministry on May 31, 2019, and has steered the economy through the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical turmoil, making India the fastest-growing major economy in the world.
The Delhi High Court has closed proceedings on a plea by Congress MP Karti Chidambaram seeking to defer the hearing on framing of charges in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Chinese visa scam.
Sri Lanka's response to the Easter attacks has been slow and politically contested, unlike India's swift institutional reforms after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, observes Colonel R Hariharan (retd).
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday makes history as she presents a record ninth consecutive Budget that is expected to unveil measures to sustain growth momentum, maintain fiscal discipline, and contain reforms that could buffer the economy from global trade frictions, including US tariffs.
Allies DMK and Congress have finalised their seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, resolving earlier tensions over power-sharing demands.
The Congress party has strongly criticized the Union Budget, calling it 'lacklustre' and 'disappointing,' claiming it fails to address the needs of farmers, unemployed youth, and other key sectors.
A finger-licking dish of crabs and moringa leaves.
Besides Karti Chidambaram, the Lok Sabha MP from Sivaganga, the CBI had named his alleged close associate and chartered accountant, S Bhaskararaman, Talawandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL), a subsidiary of Vedanta, and Mumbai-based Bell Tools, through which bribes were allegedly routed.
A recent report indicates that over 5,000 government schools in India have no students enrolled, with a significant concentration in Telangana and West Bengal. The number of schools with very low enrolment has also increased.
Congress leader P Chidambaram has refuted Home Minister Amit Shah's allegations regarding the delay in the execution of Afzal Guru, calling them a 'lie and distortion'.
Attacking the Congress, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that India has "paid a heavy price" for the sins committed by the Congress while Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has accused the Oppostion party of "mishandling" the situation after the 2011 terror attacks in Mumbai in under foreign pressure.
IndiGo is operating 1,650 flights of its 2,300 daily domestic and international flights on Sunday, and 650 remain cancelled for the day, amid the airline's operations gradually stabilising after massive disruptions in the last five days, the airline said.
The Congress leadership is reportedly upset with former Home Minister P Chidambaram for his remarks on 'Operation Blue Star'. Party sources indicate that senior leaders should be cautious about making public statements that could embarrass the party.
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind chief Maulana Arshad Madani's remarks alleging discrimination against Muslims, citing the Al Falah University case, have sparked a row with the BJP, who accused him of supporting terrorists.
Congress leader P Chidambaram's remarks questioning the origin of the terrorists behind the Pahalgam attack sparked a fierce political row ahead of the debate in Parliament on Operation Sindoor.
