Politics

Focus on free and fair polls: Congress to Election Commission

Published

5 months ago

October 28, 2022

The Election Commission, the government or courts did not have jurisdiction to regulate issues such as poll promises, the Congress has said. It urged EC to focus on ensuring free and fair polls through proper implementation of election laws, in its reply to the poll panel’s suggestion that parties account for the revenue source to meet the expenses of poll promises it makes.
Publicising its letter to EC, a part of which was reported by ET, Congress suggested that EC concentrate on implementing existing laws first. Pointing out that EC has an explicit ban on invocation of the armed forces for campaign purposes, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh in his reply to EC said that Congress had repeatedly represented before the election commission several instances of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ministers of his government flouting the rule on invoking armed forces. “Yet the ECI disposed of those complaints, giving a clean chit to the PM and HM, thereby, in our opinion, emboldening the continued violation of election laws that followed… These are the issues in our opinion the ECI should be focusing on, issues which ensure that the massively irregular tilt in favour of the ruling party is corrected or it risks becoming an entity to police solely the opposition,” Ramesh has written.

“It is important to remember that even assuming without conceding that something needs to be done about any issue, it does not follow that that issue is justiciable or liable to regulation by constitutional bodies, be it courts or Election Commission. Freebies, howsoever defined, appear to fall in this category,” Ramesh’s letter said. Congress said that the issue should be left to the electorate to decide. “It is really something which is to be decided, be it pre-election or post-election, be it by way of electoral punishment or electoral acceptance and reward that the electorate decides the wisdom of such poll promises or campaign assurances and equally decides their breach and non-compliance,” Ramesh said in his reply.

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Politics

As part of Rahul Gandhi’s trials, Kanhaiya may get bigger role in Congress

Published

60 mins ago

March 21, 2023

ironity

The Congress leadership is testing waters to appoint CPI functionary-turned-Congressman Kanhaiya Kumar in a leadership slot, with the presidentship of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) or the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) being weighed as options, according to people aware of the development.The move has triggered disquiet among sections of the DPCC and IYC leaders who consider Kumar a “political and ideological outsider”, they said.

Kumar, a former JNU students union leader, joined the Congress in 2021 by reaching out to Rahul Gandhi. While many Congress leaders of his home state Bihar were known to have resisted any active role being given to him.

With attempts to revive the Delhi PCC coming to naught, a section of Congress leadership is now known to be arguing that Kumar can be the “panacea” for Delhi Congress even as they cite how another “experiment”, of bringing Dikshit “from UP to Delhi Congress leadership” had succeeded. Similarly, IYC leadership is also being cited as a potential slot for Kumar, 36, by arguing that Srinivas BV, 42, will be soon completing four years in IYC leadership.

But many among the Delhi Congress and IYC brass are not enthused about the move. “Kumar is far too new in the Congress to be considered to head a PCC. And those arguing Sheila (Dikshit) ji too was an outsider in Delhi Congress are being dishonest because she had been a Congress leader right from the beginning,” said a Delhi Congress functionary, who did not wish to be identified. The mood is similar in IYC, especially as most IYC leaders have been fighting against the Leftists and saffron outfits.

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Politics

Meghalaya: Voice of the People’s Party stages walkout in protest of Governor’s Hindi speech

Published

3 hours ago

March 20, 2023

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The Voice of the People’s Party (VPP) staged a walk out of Meghalaya Assembly in protest against the Governor Phagu Chauhan for delivering his address in Hindi.The Governor on the first day of the Budget Session delivered his speech in Hindi.

VPP legislator from Nongkrem, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said that Meghalaya is not a Hindi speaking state and Hindi cannot be imposed by the Government of India on the people of the State. “This is against the sentiment of the people of the state.”

Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma however said that such behaviour is not accepted from an elected MLA and written English speech is already circulated in the house.Assembly Speaker, Thomas A Sangma said that he would allow the Governor to address the House in Hindi as written speech in English was circulated among all the members.

Health Minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh said, “It is important to consistently pursue with the Government of India that the indigenous people of the state are a non-Hindi speaking community. It is important to understand the inability of Meghalaya to speak and communicate in Hindi”.

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Politics

JPC probe into Adani issue will bring off BJP’s mask: Pramod Tiwari

Published

7 hours ago

March 20, 2023

ironity

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on March 20 said that if Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is constituted on the Adani issue, then the reality of BJP would come to the fore and all those who are involved in the issue would be exposed. “The drama that has been going on since 13th March, can’t be happening without the permission of the PM. Today, once again Parliament wasn’t allowed to function. What are we demanding? Just a JPC investigation into the biggest scam after Independence,” said Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on Adani issue. “Why is BJP scared of JPC? If JPC is taken up, BJP’s mask would fall off and all those – from top to bottom – who filled the coffers of Adani by snatching away the rights of the middle class and the poor will be exposed,” he said.

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