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Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘A dyed in wool third generation Congressman': Warring re-inducts Phillaur MLA Vikramjit Chaudhary into party
A little over a year after Phillaur MLA Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary was suspended from the Congress over 'indiscipline' and 'anti-party activities', state party chief and Ludhiana Lok Sabha MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring revoked his suspension and re-inducted him into the party during the 'Samwidhan Bachao' (Save the Constitution) rally in Dakha on Monday. The son of late Santok Singh Chaudhary — a veteran Congress leader and former Jalandhar Lok Sabha MP — Vikramjit was suspended from Congress in a run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections after he had objected to the Lok Sabha candidature of Charanjit Singh Channi from Jalandhar. Chaudhary instead wanted the ticket for his mother Karamjit Kaur, who had also contested the 2023 bypoll but lost to the then AAP's Sushil Kumar Rinku. After the party fielded Channi from Jalandhar in 2024, Chaudhary had rebelled and called Channi 'Shakuni Mama', referring to the Mahabharata. Addressing the Monday rally, Warring along with senior Congress leader and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa welcomed Chaudhary back to the party. 'We are glad that our colleague and the Phillaur MLA is back with us. He is a dyed in wool third generation Congressman,' Warring said. 'His homecoming will definitely strengthen the party. United we stand, stronger and stronger.' This came just a day after Punjab Congress's working president and Ludhiana West bypoll candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu, and Channi and Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh made Kamaljit Singh Karwal rejoin the party on Sunday. Notably, during Karwal's joining, Warring and Randhawa were missing from the event in Ludhiana. Karwal had left Congress following the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, after losing on Congress ticket from Ludhiana's Atam Nagar seat. He later joined BJP and AAP, before returning to Congress on Sunday. Last year however, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when Warring contested from Ludhiana and won the seat, Karwal's bete noire — former MLA Simarjeet Singh Bains and his elder brother Balwinder Singh Bains — had also joined Congress in Warring's presence, as well as merged their Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) with Congress. After Karwal rejoined Congress, Bains expressed his displeasure and said the 'party protocol was not followed in his joining, as the state chief (Warring) was absent from the event'. Warring also expressed dissatisfaction over Karwal's re-induction into the party by Ashu and his supporters, saying he has flagged this to Congress General Secretary Bhupesh Baghel. Ashu has, however, hit back, saying he is the working president of Punjab Congress and re-inducted Karwal into the party 'only after taking Baghel's permission'.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Kolkata: PM politicising Op Sindoor for poll gains, charge Left & Congress leaders
Demanding a special Parliament session to discuss the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed, the Congress and Left leaders on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of politicising Operation Sindoor, and alleged that his government was misusing the military operation for electoral gains while avoiding accountability in Parliament. Taking part in the 'Save the Constitution, Save the Country' convention here in Kolkata, CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim said: 'The Constitution guarantees equal rights to all, yet the government is politicising the Pahalgam attack along religious lines, effectively advancing the terrorists' aim of inciting communal unrest. Meanwhile, workers from Bengal are being targeted in various states, falsely labelled as Rohingyas or Bangladeshis.' The participants also criticised the recent statements made by Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, saying they rejected religious nationalism in all forms. 'We strongly oppose communalism, religious extremism, and terrorism that arise from such ideologies,' the joint statement released following the conclusion of the convention said. Prominent civil society leaders, political activists, and intellectuals took part in the convention, raising concerns about alleged 'attacks on the basic structure of the Indian Constitution'. The gathering reiterated a collective commitment to the ideals enshrined in the Preamble and called for urgent political and judicial intervention to address what it described as a 'constitutional crisis.' 'If you can speak, then raise your voice. If you can write, then put it into words. If you can gather, then stand with others in solidarity. Or simply display the words of the Constitution on the walls of your home. Do whatever it takes to safeguard the Constitution,' Congress leader and NSUI in-charge Kanhaiya Kumar appealed. CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya added, 'We want a republic of freedom.' Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar made an appeal to citizens, saying, 'If you can speak, then raise your voice. If you can write, then put it into words. If you can gather, then stand with others in solidarity. Do whatever it takes to safeguard the Constitution.' The convention also denounced the passage of the Waqf Amendment Act, describing it as unconstitutional and part of a broader campaign to erode minority rights. The statement also called for the repeal of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, and the law revoking Article 370, and appealed to the Supreme Court to strike them down. The ruling TMC in the state also came under fire for alleged electoral malpractice, law and order failures, and widespread corruption. The organisers cited the Murshidabad riots, the school recruitment scam among others as examples of the state government's failure. The convention concluded with a five-point resolution, urging citizens to stand with secular, progressive forces and defend the constitutional values of sovereignty, socialism, secularism, and democracy. (Adrija Datta is an intern at The Indian Express' Kolkata office)
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Massive crowd gathers for Congress's ‘Save the Constitution' rally near AAP MLA's office in Mohali
In a bold political move, the Congress organised a high-energy 'Savidhan Bachaoo (Save the Constitution)' rally in Sector 78, Mohali, just a short distance from the office of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Kulwant Singh Saturday. The rally, led by senior Congress leader and former Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, drew a massive crowd despite adverse weather conditions, signalling a political resurgence for the party in the region. Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, former Speaker Rana K P Singh, Congress co-incharge Ravindra Dalvi, and leaders like Inderbir Singh Bolaria also participated in the event. Addressing the crowd, Warring said, 'The BJP-RSS alliance is determined to divide this country in the name of religion. They are not only sacrificing the principles of the Constitution but also robbing people of their freedom, jobs, and rights.' Rana KP Singh also took a direct dig at the ruling AAP, stating, 'AAP has now become the B-team of the BJP.' Echoing the sentiments, Balbir Singh Sidhu said, 'The soul of this nation, our Constitution, our democracy, and our community, is under threat. But Congress, as the only national force, is fighting to preserve it. We will never allow the dictatorship that the BJP and RSS are trying to impose on this country to succeed.' Sidhu openly challenged the BJP, AAP, and RSS during the rally, signalling a combative tone from the party. Among the prominent attendees were Mayor Amarjit Singh Jeeti Sidhu, District Congress Committee President Jeeti Padiyala, Deepinder Dhillon, Vijay Sharma Tinku, Rajwant Rai Sharma, Krishna Mitu, and Kamaljit Chawla. The political message in rally's location What made the rally's location even more significant was its proximity to AAP MLA Kulwant Singh's office. According to insiders, choosing this location was a strategic move aimed at sending a strong message to rival factions by showcasing the massive public turnout. For the past three and a half years, internal factionalism had weakened Congress's standing in Mohali, especially after Balbir Singh Sidhu briefly joined the BJP. However, since rejoining the Congress, this rally marked a strong comeback. Despite the bad weather, the enthusiastic public response has injected fresh momentum into the party's local unit.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Congress fought for freedom, will now fight to protect Constitution: Balbir Sidhu
Former Punjab health minister and senior Congress leader Balbir Singh Sidhu led a 'Save the Constitution' rally in Sector 78, Mohali, on Saturday. Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, former speaker Rana KP Singh, Punjab Congress co-incharge Ravindra Dalvi, Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Dera Bassi in-charge Deepinder Dhillon, Mohali mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu, and other senior leaders were also present in the rally. Throwing an open challenge to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Warring said the Congress is raising its voice against the murder of democracy and the Constitution. Sidhu said, 'The soul of the nation—our Constitution, our democracy, and our harmony—is under threat today. But the Congress, as the only true national force which fought for the country's freedom in the past, is now fighting to protect it. We will never allow the dictatorship of the BJP and RSS to prevail.' Dalvi said, 'The BJP and RSS are trying to divide the country in the name of religion and snatch people's freedom, employment, and rights.' Rana KP Singh attacked AAP stating, 'AAP has become the B-team of the BJP. From Delhi to Punjab, their silence and collusion with the BJP has become a threat to our nation and Constitution. Those who came to power with slogans of change are now suppressing the voice of the people. But the Congress is fighting against this and receiving the support of people.'
The Print
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Modi's J&K trip cancelled 3 days before Pahalgam attack, what about security for tourists, asks Kharge
'The government admitted an intelligence failure and pledged to address it. When you (government) were aware, why did you not make good arrangements? It is our first question. I also got information, and newspapers have also reported that three days before the attack, Modi ji received an intelligence report, and that is why Modi ji cancelled his visit to Kashmir. I read it in a paper,' Mallikarjun Kharge said. Addressing a 'Samvidhan Bachao (Save the Constitution)' rally in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, where the Congress is a member of the ruling coalition led by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Mallikarjun Kharge demanded to know why the Centre did not beef up security despite intelligence alerts on the movement of terrorists. New Delhi: Mallikarjun Kharge Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi called off his trip to Kashmir only 'three days' before the Pahalgam attack. The Congress national president claimed that he based the allegation on an 'intelligence report' that advised the PM to cancel the visit. Kharge emphasised that the availability of such intelligence should have prompted the deployment of adequate security in the Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam, which tourists frequented. 'When an intelligence report says that it is not proper to go there from the point of view of security, why did you not direct your security apparatus, the local police and border force to protect people? When you got the information, you cancelled your programme but did not send more forces to protect tourists there,' Mallikarjun Kharge said. Twenty-six people were killed in the Pahalgam attack on 22 April. Since then, the Congress's top leadership, including Kharge, has been questioning the lapses leading to the attack while refraining from directly targeting the PM. The party was so particular about its calculated restraint that it deleted a social media post by its team to taunt Modi. The image, captioned 'Gayab (Missing)', portrayed the PM as absent during a crisis. After its deletion, the party issued a circular, advising its leaders not to stray from the line drawn by the Congress Working Committee resolution on the Pahalgam attack and public pronouncements made by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Kharge. 'There should be absolutely no doubt whatsoever at this most sensitive of times that the CWC resolution, the views expressed by Shri Mallikarjun Kharge and Shri Rahul Gandhi, and the views of authorised AICC office-bearers alone, represent the position of the Indian National Congress,' said the circular. On Tuesday, as Mallikarjun Kharge struck a different note, he reiterated that the Congress will support the steps taken by the government against Pakistan in the fight against terrorism. 'Because this is a matter of national security. The country comes first; everything else is secondary. We have made sacrifices for this nation,' Kharge said. Last week, Rahul called for decisive action from the Centre, saying Modi should act against the attackers without 'wasting time'. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: BJP sees red as Rahul Gandhi refers to Lord Ram as 'mythological' during US visit
