Opposition

Oppn-ruled states to build pressure for fair share in 16 Finance Commission

The issue of significant cuts in the Central financial allocations to some states due to their progress in certain areas will be a major highlight when Finance Ministers from four South Indian states and Punjab meet on September 12, sources said on Monday. Five opposition-ruled states -- Kerala (Left), Karnataka and Telangana (Congress), Tamil Nadu (DMK), and Punjab (AAP) -- are holding a conclave to seek a fair deal for their fiscal needs in the upcoming 16th Finance Commission. The Finance Ministers' conclave is also seen as a bid to build pressure on the BJP-ruled Centre to address their grievances regarding resource allocations, given the commencement of the 16th Finance Commission's operations, chaired by Dr A Arvind Panagariya. A government source said Kerala and some other states have faced significant cuts in Central financial allocations, as recommended by previous Finance Commissions. "The 10th Finance Commission recommended a 3.875 per cent allocation for Kerala, whereas

Opposition at its heart is voice of people, says Rahul Gandhi in US

Opposition is the voice of the people, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said in Dallas, Texas, underscoring that its main focus is to raise issues concerning the people after understanding their perspectives "carefully" and "sensitively". Gandhi, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, is on a four-day unofficial trip to the US. During an interaction with students at the University of Texas in Dallas on Sunday, Gandhi said, "Opposition at its heart is the voice of people, there is a whole sequence of events that go on, but what you generally think about is where and how can I raise the issues of the people of India." "You are thinking from an individual perspective, and also from (a) group perspective, industry perspective, farmer perspective, the important thing is you do it sensitively and after listening and understanding carefully," he added. Talking about Parliamentary proceedings, Gandhi described them as a "pleasant war" of ideas and words. "You go to the ...

Not worried: K'taka CM dismisses Oppn's claim, says committed no wrong

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said he is "not worried or tense" as claimed by opposition leaders in the wake of Governor's sanction for his prosecution in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment issue, as he has not committed any wrong. Rather, he said, opposition leaders are worried about their "lies against him not turning true." "They (opposition) have lied and they are worried about it not proving it as true. I have never lied and have not committed any wrong, so I'm not worried," Siddaramaiah told reporters here in response to a question about him appearing to be relaxed, while the opposition was claiming that he was tense and worried. The Karnataka High Court on Monday extended till September nine the interim stay on trial court proceedings against the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the MUDA case. The Court adjourned for a week the hearing on Siddaramaiah's petition challenging the legality of Governor Thaawarchand's sanction for his ..

Venezuelan judge issues arrest warrant for Oppn's ex-presidential candidate

A Venezuelan judge on Monday issued an arrest warrant for the opposition's former presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzlez as part of a criminal investigation into the results of a disputed election. The warrant was issued at the request of authorities who accuse Gonzlez, a former diplomat, of various crimes including conspiracy, falsifying documents and usurpation of powers. The warrant comes just over a month after election officials declared President Nicols Maduro the winner of an election that his opponents say he lost. Authorities sought the warrant after Gonzlez failed to appear three times to answer questions from prosecutors in a criminal investigation stemming from the disputed election results. Ruling party-loyal electoral authorities declared Maduro the victor of the July 28 election, hours after polls closed. They did not show any detailed results to back up their claim as they had offered in previous presidential elections. The lack of transparency has drawn internation

Hema Committee report: Opposition slams govt's inaction, asks 5 questions

In a scathing attack on the Left government in Kerala, the Congress-led opposition on Wednesday raised five pointed questions on the Hema committee report, alleging a blatant cover-up and accusing the Pinarayi Vijayan-headed dispensation of shielding key persons by glossing over crucial facts. Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, V D Satheesan, alleged that the government is on the defensive regarding the Hema Committee report. "The government is trying to save some individuals by playing hide-and-seek. The government's actions are creating an impression among the public that everyone in the film industry is troublesome. "However, there are many good people in the film industry. The government is hiding the real culprits, which is why even innocents are being humiliated in Kerala. The government should resolve this issue," Satheesan told reporters at Puthanathani in Malappuram. The opposition leader accused the government of silence and evasion over the Hema Committee report

Shivaji Maharaj statue collapse: Raut seeks CM's resignation, alleges scam

A statue of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a fort in Maharashtra's coastal Sindhudurg district just eight months ago, collapsed on Monday, an official said, with the chief minister blaming "strong winds" for the cave in. As the incident caused an embarrassment to the state government and invited scathing criticism from the opposition, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde vowed to rebuild the structure, which he said, was designed and constructed by the Indian Navy. Asked about the collapse, Shinde told PTI, "The wind was blowing at a speed of 45km per hour, which caused the statue to fall. It is very unfortunate the statue has fallen as it was designed and built by the Navy. However, our guardian minister (Ravindra Chavan) has arrived at the spot to assess the situation, and we will rebuild this statue even stronger. Navy officials will also take part in the rebuilding efforts." Public Works Department (PWD) personnel will visit

Parliament panel on Waqf meets, Oppn MPs oppose proposed amendments

BJP members of the committee appreciated the proposed amendments, particularly the one that seeks to give representation to Muslim women in Waqf boards

Autumn session of Assam Assembly begins on stormy note, Oppn stages walkout

The autumn session of the Assam Assembly began on a stormy note on Thursday with the entire opposition staging a walkout after the rejection of their three adjournment motions. When their motions were rejected by Speaker Biswajit Daimary, members of Congress, AIUDF, CPI(M) and Raijor Dal went to the Well of the House with placards and shouted slogans in support of their demands. Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia raised the issue of exorbitant charges through smart metres, while Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi wanted to discuss a recent case of the attack on a minor national-level player, and AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam raised the proposal on the restriction of land sale-purchase between two communities. "Electricity is a basic amenity and the public can't be deprived of it. It's also in the concurrent list. The smart metres are charging exorbitant amounts and poor people are suffering. The subject needs urgent attention," Saikia said. Islam said it's the constitutional right of an .

Some trying to destroy brotherhood; be ready to make sacrifices: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said "some forces" are trying to destroy "our brotherhood" by forcibly imposing their views, and urged people to be ready to make sacrifices to protect the Constitution. In his message on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day, Kharge also said it is a matter of concern that constitutional and autonomous institutions have been turned into "puppets" by the government. Democracy and the Constitution are the biggest shields for 140 crore Indians, Kharge said and asserted that "we will protect them till our last breath". "The opposition is like oxygen for democracy. Along with stopping the unconstitutional attitude of the government, it also raises the issues of the public," he said in a video message posted on X. "The dream of our freedom fighters was to maintain unity in diversity. But some forces are trying to destroy our brotherhood by forcibly imposing their views on the country," Kharge alleged. "Therefore, it is important tha

Meghwal accuses Oppn of creating confusion over creamy layer observation

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal has accused the opposition of creating confusion among people over the Supreme Court "observation" on creamy layer among SCs and STs, and asserted that the Constitution given by B R Ambedkar has no provision of a creamy layer. In an interview to PTI Videos, he said the the BJP-led NDA government will follow Ambedkar's Constitution and will continue the reservation system for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as provided in it. Meghwal noted that though the opposition is aware that the top court had only made an "observation" on creamy layer, it is trying to create confusion among people. On Saturday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had said that the idea of denying reservation to SCs and STs on account of the creamy layer concept is "condemnable" He also said the government should have brought a legislation in Parliament to nullify the part of the recent Supreme Court judgement that talks about the issue. Meghwal underlined that the top cou

Opposition spreading rumours about 'Ladki Bahin' scheme: Maha CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde targeted the opposition parties, accusing them of spreading rumours about his government's flagship 'Ladki Bahin' scheme for women, and asked people to be cautious of such "stepbrothers". Speaking on Friday night in Thane, his home turf, Shinde said his government does not work keeping in mind the elections, but it works for the welfare of people. Assembly elections in Maharashtra are likely to be held in October this year. Months before the elections, his government announced 'Mukhymantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana', which literally means 'Chief Minister's My Beloved Sister Scheme', under which eligible women will be given a financial assistance of Rs 1,500 every month. "Citizens, especially women in the state, should be cautious of the 'savatra bhau' (stepbrothers) who spread all kinds of rumours about the Ladki Bahin scheme. So far, I had only one sister. Now, I have got lakhs of sisters across the state," CM Shinde said at Yeoor here durin

For Russian activist Ilya Yashin, resuming work against Putin a priority

All Russian opposition politician Ilya Yashin had with him when he was released from his penal colony in a swap was his toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, his expired passport and the prison garb he was wearing. But he has hit the ground running. Within days of arriving in Germany, Yashin not only bought new clothes, set up a smartphone and reunited with his parents, but also held a news conference, fielded questions from his supporters live on YouTube and held a rally in a Berlin park even if it meant he didn't have time to catch up on sleep. The 41-year-old dissident, released last week in the historic East-West prisoner exchange, admits he doesn't quite know how to be a politician in exile, a role that was forced upon him against his wishes. But in an interview Friday in Berlin with The Associated Press, he said he wanted to continue campaigning against Russia's war in Ukraine, trying to free more political prisoners and advance projects to unite the country's fragmented ...

'Unacceptable tone': Jaya Bachchan demands apology from RS Chair Dhankhar

The Opposition staged a walkout on Friday after Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan accused Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar of using unacceptable' tone

Waqf amendment bill 2024 not anti-Muslim: Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan

Janata Dal (U) leader and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' on Thursday said the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was aimed at bringing transparency in the functioning of the Waqf Board and not an attempt to interfere with running of mosques. As opposition leaders opposed the introduction of the bill, the JD(U) leader stood up to speak amid uproar by opposition members. "JD(U) is a party here whether it is opposing or supporting, I have to record my view here," Singh said. Defending the bill, he said, "Several members are making it sound as if the amendment in Waqf Board law is anti-Muslim. How is it anti-Muslim?" "Here example of Ayodhya is being given... Can you not differentiate between a temple and an institution? This is not an attempt to interfere with mosques. This law is for the institution, to make it transparent..." he claimed. "How was the Waqf Board formed? It was through a law. Any institution established through law becomes autocratic. Government has the right to bring

Vinesh deserves the vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana: Ex-CM BS Hooda

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that if he had the majority, he would have allocated the vacant Rajya Sabha seat from Haryana to wrestler, Vinesh Phogat

Opposition walkout in Rajya Sabha over Vinesh Phogat's disqualification

The Opposition said they wanted to discuss wrestler Vinesh Phogat's Olympic disqualification. But the government was not ready, alleged Congress Members of Parliament

Tenders for boosting grain storage capacity given via online process: Govt

Tenders for enhancing grain storage capacity are awarded through a transparent, online process that many states governed by INDIA bloc parties have also adopted, Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Prahlad Joshi said on Wednesday. The issues of food storage capacity increase and privatisation of Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns were addressed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, with Joshi responding to questions from Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay. Bandyopadhyay raised concerns about the sufficiency of the storage capacity at FCI godowns and the involvement of a private entity in the sector. He pointed out that sophisticated silo godowns were being set up, primarily in Maharashtra and Gujarat, by the private company and questioned if the government planned to hand over FCI's operations to it. Responding to these questions, Joshi clarified that the overall storage capacity was 837.68 lakh metric tons (LMT) with 650-700 LMT foodgrains typically stored. "To

BJP spreading lies, trying to create fissures in BJD: Odisha's Oppn whip

Opposition chief whip in the Odisha assembly Pramila Mallik alleged that the ruling BJP was spreading lies that several BJD leaders would join the saffron camp, asserting that such an attempt was aimed at creating fissures in the regional party. Her comment comes after BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi had, on August 4, said Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Mohanta joining BJP after resigning from the BJD was just a trailer and many others would follow her suit. Mallik, a former state minister and ex-Speaker of the assembly, also rejected several BJP leaders' remarks that many BJD functionaries were in touch with the saffron camp. A false campaign is being spread by BJP leaders, she said. Several BJP leaders, including former minister and MLA Arabinda Dhali, were accused of spreading lies that many BJD leaders would join the saffron party as they did not have confidence in former chief minister Naveen Patnaik. They (BJP) are spreading lies to disturb our party. No one from our party is interested in

Venezuela's Oppn urges armed forces to withdraw support for Prez Maduro

Venezuela's opposition leaders are calling on the country's armed forces to abandon their support of President Nicols Maduro and stop repressing demonstrators who have come out in force to dispute the leader's claim he prevailed in last Sunday's election. The armed forces are traditionally the arbiter of political disputes in Venezuela and have been key to Maduro's grip on power ever since he took over the so-called Bolivarian revolution in 2013 from his mentor, the late Hugo Chvez. So far, they've shown no signs of ditching Maduro even in the face of credible evidence presented by the opposition that it trounced the self-proclaimed socialist at the polls by a more than 2-to-1 margin. In a message posted Monday on social media, Edmundo Gonzlez who the U.S. and a half dozen countries have recognized as the victor and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado called on rank and file members of the security forces to rethink their loyalty. We appeal to the conscience of the military an

Opposition in Venezuela demands presidential election results be overturned

Thousands of people rallied in the streets of Venezuela's capital Saturday, waving the national flag and singing the national anthem in support of an opposition candidate they believe won the presidential election by a landslide. Authorities have declared President Nicols Maduro the winner of last Sunday's election but have yet to produce voting tallies to prove he won. Instead, the government arrested hundreds of opposition supporters who took to the streets in the days after the disputed poll, and the president and his cadres have threatened to also lock up opposition leader, Mara Corina Machado, and her hand-picked presidential candidate, Edmundo Gonzlez. On Saturday, supporters chanted and sang as Machado arrived at the rally in Caracas. Machado, who has been barred by Maduro's government from running for office for 15 years, had been in hiding since Tuesday, saying her life and freedom are at risk. Masked assailants ransacked the opposition's headquarters on Friday, taking ...