Latest news with #Kharge
The Hindu
8 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Congress protests at Jantar Mantar for immediate restoration of Statehood to J&K
Amid the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, the Congress on Tuesday (July 22, 2025) held a demonstration in New Delhi's Jantar Mantar area to press for the restoration of Statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, and the inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule. The issue would be raised in both Houses of Parliament during the Monsoon Session, the party stated. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi extended their full support to the 500 J&K Congress leaders and workers who travelled by buses to the national capital. 'When the Lieutenant Governor himself admits to grave security lapses in the Pahalgam terror attack, it vindicates our stand. Unelected, unaccountable administrators cannot replace a democratically elected government. Jammu & Kashmir deserves its dignity, its Assembly, and its voice,' Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal said, addressing the meeting at Jantar Mantar. Mr. Kharge and Mr. Gandhi later met the leaders and workers from J&K at Indira Bhavan, the party's headquarters. 'The people of Jammu & Kashmir deserve full Statehood. It is their Constitutional right. We have written to the PM demanding the same. Modi Govt has a consistent policy of betrayal for Jammu & Kashmir,' Mr. Kharge said in a post on social media platform X. 'The Pahalgam terror attack is a grim reminder of intelligence failure. We stand strongly with the people of J&K, demanding adequate compensation and protection for them, especially those families who have lost their loved ones in cross-border shelling. They are martyrs,' Mr. Kharge said. The Congress is fully committed to protect the rights of the people of J&K, Mr. Gandhi said in a Facebook post.
Hans India
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Kharge's birthday celebrated
Rajamahendravaram: The birthday of All India Congress Party President Mallikarjun Kharge was grandly celebrated at the Kasturba Gandhi Ashram here on Monday, under the leadership of East Godavari District Congress President Dr TK Visweswara Reddy. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Visweswara Reddy expressed confidence that the Congress Party would achieve victory under Kharge's leadership. He further stated his belief that Rahul Gandhi would become the Prime Minister of the country and Sharmila Reddy would take charge as AndhraPradesh Chief Minister. Senior Congress leader and Selection Committee Chairman Bezawada Ranga Rao praised Kharge's working style, noting that it aligns with Gandhian principles. District Congress Vice-President Devatha Sudhakar lauded Kharge as an upright and efficient individual. Party leaders Katam Ravi, M Padmavathi, and P Susheela also participated in the celebrations. As part of the event, bread and rusks were distributed at the oldage home.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Kharge: Trump's claim is humiliating
Mallikarjun Kharge NEW DELHI: Calling US President Donald Trump 's claim that he facilitated India-Pakistan ceasefire "humiliating", Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge sought a clarification on the issue. Kharge said that Trump has made the claim 24 times. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, the Congress president called for a two-day debate on the Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor and foreign policy. "The terrorists responsible have neither been apprehended nor eliminated to date," he said. "We had extended unconditional support to govt to maintain unity in the country and to strengthen the armed forces. In light of this, we wish to know from govt what the complete situation is," said Kharge, raising the issue. Kharge said the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Deputy Army Chief and one of the senior defence attache have made some revelations regarding Operation Sindoor. "Apart from this, govt should also clarify its stand on the statement of US President Donald Trump, because he has claimed not once but 24 times that he got the ceasefire done. This is humiliating for the country," he said.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Opposition uproar demanding answers from PM on terror attack and Operation Sindoor leads to adjournment in Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha was briefly adjourned in the first hour of the first day of the Monsoon Session after Opposition uproar over the Pahalgam terror attack and U.S. President Donald Trump's claims on ceasefire during Operation Sindoor, which the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Mallikarjun Kharge said was 'humiliating' for the country. Mr. Kharge, along with several Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha, had submitted adjournment notices (under Rule 267) for a discussion on the terror attack and Operation Sindoor after suspending the listed business of the day. Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, the Congress president made a case for a two-day debate on the Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor, alleged security lapses and foreign policy. 'The Prime Minister should answer,' he demanded. He said that the terrorists who carried out the attack have 'neither been caught nor killed till date'. He also flagged Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha's remarks 'admitting that there has been a lapse in Pahalgam'. Mr. Kharge said all political parties had given unconditional support to the government during Operation Sindoor. 'In such a situation, we want to know from the government what is the complete situation' he said. The senior Congress leader further said the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Deputy Army chief and a senior Defence attache had made some revelations regarding Operation Sindoor. 'The government should also clarify its stand on the statement of U.S. President Donald Trump, because he has claimed not once but 24 times that he got the ceasefire done. This is humiliating for the country,' he said. Responding to Mr. Kharge's demands, Leader of the House and Union Minister J.P. Nadda asserted that the government was ready to discuss all issues related to Operation Sindoor. Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar also assured the Opposition MPs that he would ensure a full-fledged discussion on the issue for as much time as the members wanted. He also admitted a motion moved by BJP's Bengal MP Samik Bhattacharya under Rule 167 on the issue. Mr. Dhankhar said he will discuss the issue with leaders of various parties, as he adjourned the House proceedings briefly till noon, amid uproar by the Opposition. When the House met at noon for the scheduled Question Hour, the Congress MPs again raised the issue, and later staged a walkout from the House in protest.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Jagdeep Dhankhar draws curtains on a stormy Rajya Sabha run
Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned as the Vice-President late on Monday citing his health, is no stranger to disagreements with the Opposition. Dhankhar was elected Vice-President in August 2022 and his term as the Rajya Sabha Chairman began on a controversial note during the Winter Session that year as he called the Supreme Court's 2015 judgment striking down the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act a 'glaring instance' of 'severe compromise' of parliamentary sovereignty and disregard of the 'mandate of the people'. Since then, there have been several instances when he and Opposition MPs have not seen eye to eye. In August 2023, Dhankhar told the Opposition that he 'could not and would not' direct Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be present in the House as it was the PM's prerogative like any other MP to come to Parliament. He made this statement as the Opposition benches continued to demand the PM's presence in the Rajya Sabha to address them on the issue of violence in Manipur. The ties between the Rajya Sabha Chairman and the Opposition hit a low during the Winter Session last year when 146 MPs were suspended from both Houses of Parliament, mostly over their demand for Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement on a Parliament security breach, followed by a discussion on the matter. It was the highest-ever number of suspensions in a Parliament session. As the proceedings came to a halt, Dhankhar wrote to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Upper House, about the 'acrimony and disruptions'. Kharge replied saying that 'he was firmly in favour of dialogue and discussion'. In his letter, Dhankhar highlighted that the latter's 'refusal to meet him to resolve the political stalemate' was 'not in sync with parliamentary practices' and sought a meeting. Kharge had declined Dhankhar's invitation and in a letter said that the mass suspension of MPs was 'premeditated' and 'weaponised' by the ruling party to sabotage parliamentary practices. In June 2024, Dhankhar courted controversy after Kharge entered the Well of House during a protest against paper leaks, with Dhankhar saying this was the first time that a LoP had done such a thing and called it a 'stain' on Parliament. Kharge responded by saying he was trying to grab the attention of the Chairman who was looking towards the Treasury benches. In July 2024, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal questioned the manner in which the Upper House was being run by Dhankhar and claimed that in no country the presiding officer of a House 'frequently interrupts' members during their speeches. The same month, Dhankhar said the RSS has 'unimpeachable credentials' and Constitutional rights to contribute to the development of the nation. 'RSS is an organisation which is a global think tank of the highest order…,' he said in the House while responding to a comment from Samajwadi Party MP Ramji Lal Suman that the government's main criterion for appointments was if a person belongs to the RSS. In September 2024, in an apparent reference to Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Dhankhar, without naming him, said nothing was more condemnable than someone holding a Constitutional post becoming 'part of enemies of the nation'. Dhankhar was speaking at Parliament to the third batch of the Rajya Sabha internship programme. During his visit to the United States that week, Gandhi said 'love, respect, and humility' were missing from Indian politics. In December last year, Dhankhar became the first person holding one of the top two constitutional posts to face the prospect of impeachment as the Opposition submitted a notice to move a no-confidence motion against him, a first in Indian Parliamentary history. However, after 60 INDIA bloc MPs gave a notice in the Rajya Sabha to bring a resolution for removal of Dhankhar, Deputy Chairman Harivansh rejected it, saying the petition was 'severely flawed', does not adhere to the requirement of 14 days' notice period and was 'drawn in haste and hurry' to 'mar the reputation' of Dhankhar and to 'damage the constitutional institution'. Earlier this year, in April, after the Supreme Court ruling set a three-month timeline for the President to decide on Bills referred by Governors of states, Dhankhar had said that India cannot have a situation where the judiciary directs the President. While the Supreme Court ruling addressed the long-running dispute between Governors and Opposition-ruled state governments, Dhankhar added that his worries are at the 'very highest level' and asked, 'There is a directive to the President by a recent judgement. Where are we heading? What is happening in the country?' Most recently, in June, Dhankhar waded into the political debate over the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the Preamble, referring to their addition to the Constitution by the Indira Gandhi government during the Emergency as 'sacrilege to the spirit of sanatan'. 'These words have been added as nasoor (festering wound). These words will create upheaval. Addition of these words in the Preamble during the Emergency signal betrayal of the mindset of the framers of the Constitution,' he said. Before he was elected Vice-President, Dhankhar served as the Governor of West Bengal when he had several run-ins with the government of Mamata Banerjee and became a vocal critic of the state administration. From the law and order situation in the state and post-poll violence to corruption accusations, alleged lapses in bureaucracy and the appointment of vice-chancellors in state universities, Dhankhar never shied away from criticising the government, which accused him of sitting on important BIlls. The situation took a turn for the worse when the state government in 2022 replaced the Governor with the CM as chancellor of state universities. His relationship with Mamata Banerjee became so acrimonious that the CM even blocked Dhankhar on social media. His relationship with Speaker Biman Banerjee was no less bitter, with the Speaker in 2021 complaining to then President Ram Nath Kovind about Dhankhar allegedly interfering in matters of the government. Born into a farmer's family at Kithana village in Jhunjhunu district in 1951, Dhankhar studied at a local government school before going to Sainik school in Chittorgarh. He studied law at the University of Rajasthan and became a professional lawyer, going on to serve as the president of the Rajasthan High Court Bar Association. Dhankhar started his political journey with the Janata Dal and in 1989, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Jhunjhunu. After that, he moved to state politics and was elected to the Rajasthan Assembly in 1993 from Kishangarh on a Congress ticket. He again tried his luck in the Lok Sabha elections in 1998 but lost from Jhunjhunu. Starting that year, Dhankhar served as a full-time senior advocate in the Supreme Court and in 2003 switched to the BJP. He advised the party on important legal matters.
