The Modi government must revoke all three of the black agricultural laws and listen to the voice of our Annadattas

Farmers of India

It is high time modi government learned that muscular tactics are no substitute to mature and deft diplomacy.

Foreign Policy

Neighbourhood Lost?

पड़ोसी खो दिया?

Ever shrinking employment opportunities has made joblessness an epidemic.

Jobs

Job Destruction

खत्म होती नौकरियां

It is the largest government-abetted money laundering scheme in history.

Demonetisation

Demonetisation: A Modi-Made Disaster

नोटबंदी : मोदी निर्मित त्रासदी

A  Perfect smokescreen to legalize theft from the government.

Not a Good and Simple Tax

अच्छा और सरल कर नहीं

Hum Adani Ke Hai Kaun: 100 questions to the Prime Minister (English)

Hum Adani Ke Hai Kaun: 100 questions to the Prime Minister (Hindi)

HAHK (Hum Adani Ke Hain Kaun) series: Today’s set of questions

Smt. Indira Gandhi's Broadcast over All India Radio on Mahatma Gandhi [New Delhi, October 1, 1968]

MAHATMA GANDHI

India's first and longest serving Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, was a man of vision. Having participated in the long struggle for freedom from the British, Nehru, fondly called Pandit Nehru, a reference to his Kashmiri Pandit community roots, was a firm believer in nation building, as he understood that the young Indian nation had a tryst with destiny.

PANDIT JAWAHARLAL NEHRU

Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel, one of the six children of Jhaverbhai Patel and Ladba, was born in Nadiad, Gujarat. There is no record of his date of birth. The generally accepted date, October 31, 1875, of which the source is his Matriculation certificate, was chosen by Vallabhbhai himself while filling in a form.

SARDAR VALLABHBHAI PATEL

It takes courage to break free from the shackles of social inequality. It takes enormous amounts of courage to believe that things can change. It takes a leader to fight these inequalities and establish a new social order.

DR. B.R AMBEDKAR

Translation of a Hindi speech by Smt Indira Gandhi at a meeting to welcome the relics of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Delhi, December 17, 1967.

NETAJI SUBHASH CHANDRA BOSE

Pt Jawaharlal Nehru’s Speech in Lok Sabha on the death of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, February 24, 1958)

MAULANA AZAD

Jagjivan Ram, popularly known as Babuji was a national leader, a freedom fighter, a crusader of social justice, a champion of depressed classes, an outstanding Parliamentarian, a true democrat, a distinguished Union Minister, an able administrator and an exceptionally gifted orator.

BABU JAGJIVAN RAM

Kumaraswami Kamaraj played a leading role in shaping India's destiny after the passing away of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964, to the Congress split in 1969.

SHRI K. KAMRAJ

Tribute to Lal Bahadur Shastri  (From Tribute to the late Prime Minister, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri, at an All-Party Memorial Meeting, New Delhi, January 11, 1967)

SHRI LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI 

Smt. Indira Gandhi saw herself as a latter day Joan of Arc—such was her ardour and faith in herself as a patriot. Like the "The Maid of Orléans", she too died as a martyr for the unity of her country. She had said before her tragic death: “Every drop of my blood will contribute to the growth of this nation and make it strong and dynamic.”

SMT. INDIRA GANDHI

At 41, Rajiv Gandhi was the youngest Prime Minister of India and perhaps one of the youngest elected heads of Government in the world. His mother, Indira Gandhi, was eight years older when she first became Prime Minister in 1966. His illustrious grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru, was 58 when he started his 17 year long innings as free India’s first Prime Minister.

SHRI RAJIV GANDHI

Dr Manmohan Singh, India’s 14th Prime Minister, presided over a decade of phenomenal growth and development. Under Dr Singh’s stewardship, India witnessed the highest growth rate in its history, averaging at 7.7% to become a nearly two trillion-dollar economy. 

DR. MANMOHAN SINGH

The debates of Constituent Assembly-B. R. Ambedkar

बहस संविधान की-बाबा साहेब आंबेडकर

Debate of the Constitution- Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Desh Ki Dharohar में संविधान निर्माण की बहस में राजेंद्र बाबू का योगदान

The Debates and Discussion Which Made Our Constitution-1

बहस संविधान की-1

The Journey of the Constitution-3

यात्रा संविधान की: 3

The Journey of the Constitutions-2

यात्रा संविधान की-2

The journey of the Constitution

यात्रा संविधान की

Largest Security Force | Central Reserve Police Force

सबसे बड़ा बल: केंद्रीय रिजर्व पुलिस बल (CRPF)

Reserve Bank Of India

भारतीय रिजर्व बैंक

The First Step Towards Atomic Energy

परमाणु ऊर्जा की ओर पहला कदम

Handing Over Air India to the Nation

एयर इंडिया देश के हवाले

Temple of Modern India: Bhakra Nangal Dam

आधुनिक भारत का मंदिर:भाखड़ा नांगल बांध

The Voice of Workers-INTUC

मजदूरों की आवाज इंटक

The Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi Ji and Sardar Patel Ji's Strong Decision

गांधी जी की हत्या और सरदार पटेल का कड़ा फैसला

The March towards a modern India

आधुनिक भारत की ओर बढ़ते कदम

The Independence-IV | The Unification of India

आजादी-IV | भारत का एकीकरण

INDIA AT 70

India at 70

CREATING THE REPUBLIC

BUILDING AN EQUAL INDIA

BRINGING PROSPERITY

STRENGTHENING NATION

PROMOTING PEACE

On 28 December 1885, 72 social reformers, journalists and lawyers congregated for the first session of Indian National Congress at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College, Bombay.

First Session of the Congress: The Journey Begins

The second session of the Congress took place under the leadership of Dadabhai Naoroji in Calcutta. The number of delegates had increased to 434. Towards the end of the session, the Congress decided to set up Provincial Congress Committees across the country.

Second Session

In his presidential address, Pherozeshah Mehta said 'To my mind, a Parsi is a better and a truer Parsi, as a Mohammedan or a Hindu is a better and truer Mohammedan or Hindu, the more he is attached to the land which gave him birth, the more he is bound in brotherly relations and affection to all the children of the soil, the more he recognises the fraternity of all the native communities of the country".

Sixth Session

In the 1892 Parliamentary Elections in Britain, Dadabhai Naoroji was elected from the Finsbury Central seat as a candidate of the Liberal Party. He won despite a leading British politician chastising the public for "stooping so low as to vote for a brown man".

Dadabhai Naoroji becomes the first Asian to be elected to the British Parliament

At its Allahabad Session in 1892, the Congress criticised the Indian Councils Act of 1892, which had just been put into operation by the colonial government. They said that the Act did not give the Indian people the right to elect their own representatives.

Eighth Session

The Congress at its Eleventh Session was buoyed by a substantial increase in the number of delegates from 1163 in 1894 to 1584. An elated President Surendranath Banerjea congratulated the Congress for bringing together 'the scattered element of a vast and diversified population', and making them vibrate with the new born sentiment of an awakened nationality.

Eleventh Session

1885 - 1895

Our nation stands at a critical juncture, grappling with challenges that demand collective action. From India witnessing rapists being garlanded to the suspension of 100+ opposition MPs from the parliament, the harsh reality of today's India necessitates a powerful response. Our Constitution, federal structure, and institutions are under attack. In a time when atrocities against Dalits, women, and farmers are unending, India needs change.
 
To combat the injustices perpetrated by the BJP-RSS against our country and its people, the Congress party is marching the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Led by Rahul Gandhi, this 6700-kilometer-long march, starting on January 14, 2024, from Manipur to Mumbai, builds on the momentum of the 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra, addressing deep-seated social, political, and economic injustices.
 
This movement is more than a political exercise; it is a crusade against the divisive ideology threatening the very essence of India. The yatra focuses on justice, emphasizing the delivery of justice to all by walking through 15 states, transcending political affiliations, against the rising tide of injustice and hatred.
 
At its core, the Nyay Yatra serves as a platform to voice concerns about the disastrous consequences of a decade of misguided policy-making, resulting in widespread unemployment, inflation, human rights abuses, communalism, and a growing mistrust in institutions. It is a fight against the regime thriving by suppressing all voices—those of the people, the opposition, or any voice that dares to question it. It is a movement to raise the people's voice.
 
Highlighting India's alarming economic disparity, where the top 5% own 60% of the nation's wealth while the bottom 50% struggles with 3%, the Yatra underscores the urgent need for economic justice. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra confronts crony capitalism, exposing rule manipulations favoring billionaires like Adani and serving as a reminder that economic prosperity must be inclusive.
 
As the Yatra begins, our impassioned appeal goes out to all: become Nyay Yoddhas, warriors for justice. Join the movement, stand united against injustice, and strive for a Bharat embodying equality, inclusivity, and justice for all. It's time to be part of the change and to walk towards a brighter, more equitable future.

Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra

In 1920–21, Mahatma Gandhi ignited the spirit of collective responsibility by calling upon the nation to contribute to the Tilak Swaraj Fund. In 2024, inspired by this historic initiative, the Indian National Congress proudly launched 'Donate for Desh,' an online crowdfunding campaign aimed at safeguarding India's constitutional democracy.

Rooted in the ethos of Gandhi's vision, 'Donate for Desh' goes beyond a mere financial appeal. It represents a commitment to building an India where resources and opportunities are distributed equitably, mirroring the ideals of justice and equal opportunities. This campaign invites citizens to become equal partners in the ongoing struggle to realize the vision Mahatma Gandhi envisaged for the nation.
 
More than a donation, this initiative serves as a powerful pledge to champion the rights of marginalized communities, bridge societal disparities, and stand as a formidable opposition against a government perceived to favor the affluent. Contributors to 'Donate for Desh' actively engage in addressing critical issues, including unprecedented unemployment, rising costs, societal inequality, the concentration of wealth, and the suppression of people's voices.
 
Your impact matters. Every contribution, regardless of size, plays a crucial role in empowering the Indian National Congress to lead the fight against these pressing challenges. To join this transformative journey, individuals can choose their preferred contribution amount through secure online channels, such as www.donateinc.in and the official INC website, www.inc.in
 
'Donate for Desh' is more than a campaign; it is a call for citizens to be changemakers, actively participating in shaping a brighter, more inclusive future for India. Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge formally inaugurated the campaign, symbolizing a commitment to justice and equal opportunities. Join the movement, be a changemaker, and let's together shape a future that embodies the true spirit of Mahatma Gandhi's vision for the nation.

Donate for Desh - Initiative

"If words come from the heart, they will enter the heart." - Rumi

Last year, I spent a hundred and forty-five days walking across the land I call home. I started at the edge of the sea and walked through heat, dust and rain. Through forests, towns and hills, until I reached the soft snow of my beloved Kashmir.
Many people along the way asked me: why are you doing this? Even today, they ask, Why? What were you looking for? What did you find?

I wanted to understand the thing I loved. The thing for which I was ready to give up everything, including my life. The thing that could make me take so much pain and abuse for so many years.

I wanted to know precisely what it was that I loved. Was it this land? The mountains? The sea? Was it a person? Was it a people, or a set of ideas? But there was something else. I also wanted to understand what sort of heart was mine that had allowed itself to be captured in this way.

For years, I used to run eight to ten kilometers every evening. So I thought, "Twenty-five?" I can easily walk twenty-five kilometers. I was certain the walk was going to be easy.

Within a few days, the pain arrived. My old knee injury, one that hours of physiotherapy had banished, was back. The next morning, I found myself in tears, sitting alone in a metal container. How was I ever going to walk the 3800 kilometers that lay ahead? The crutch of arrogance was gone.

We would start walking in the darkness before dawn. Almost immediately, the pain would begin. Like a hungry wolf, it would follow me everywhere I went, waiting for me to stop. A few days into the walk, my physio joined us; he came and gave me sage advice. The pain remained.

And then I started to notice something. Every time I would think about stopping, every time I considered giving up, someone would come and gift me the energy to continue. Once it was a lovely little girl with a beautiful letter, another time an old lady with some banana chips, then a man who suddenly ran up and hugged me. It was as if a silent energy kept helping me, and like fireflies in a dark forest, it was everywhere. When I really needed it, it was there to help and guide.
The Yatra progressed. At first, I wanted to tell everyone what I thought. I wanted to show them what I understood. I spoke about solutions to their problems. But soon the numbers of people became so large and the pain so persistent that I started to observe and listen.

There was always a din in the space where we walked, with loud slogans, clicking cameras, and people pushing and shoving. Again and again and again. Every day, for eight to ten hours, I would just listen, try and ignore my knee.

Then one day, I felt a silence I had never felt before. I could hear nothing but the voice of the person holding my hand and talking to me. The inner voice that had spoken to me ever since I was a little child was gone. It felt as if something had died.
He was a farmer, and he spoke about his crop. He was crying as he showed me the strands of rotten cotton. I saw the years of suffering in his hands. In those puffs of cotton, I could see the fear he felt for his children. On his sunken face, I could see the nights he had spent hungry. He spoke about how he had helplessly watched his father die. He told me about the humiliation he felt when he had no money left to give to his wife. There was nothing I could say, so I stopped walking and hugged him.

This happened again and again. It happened with children, with mothers and with students. It happened with shopkeepers, carpenters and labourers. It happened with soldiers. Now I would almost never hear myself or the crowd. My attention would not move from the person who spoke into my ear. The constant chatter and judgement inside me were gone. When a student would say they were scared of failing, I would listen. When a group of little children who were forced onto the street to beg for a living shivered in front of me one morning, I decided I would walk in my t-shirt till I no longer could.
The object of my love had suddenly revealed herself. My beloved Bharat Mata was not a land. It wasn't a set of ideas. It wasn't a particular culture, history or religion. Neither was it the caste that people had been assigned. India was the voice of every single Indian, no matter how weak or strong. India was the happiness, the fear and the pain hidden deep inside all the voices.

To hear India, my own voice, my desires, and my ambitions had to fall silent. India would speak to one of her own, but only if one was humble and completely silent.

How simple it had turned out to be. I had been looking in the river for that which could only be found in the sea.


Bharat Mata: The Voice of Every Indian

It is an honour for me to be here today to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of Thiru K Karunanidhi and share the stage on this special meeting for women with all of you.

Almost thirty-two years ago, on the darkest night of my life, I first set foot on this land of Tamil Nadu to collect my father’s shattered body.

I was nineteen years old, and my mother was just a few years younger than I am today.

As the door of the plane opened, the night grabbed us and drew us in, but I was not afraid of it because the worst thing I could have imagined had already happened.

A few hours earlier, my father had been killed.

I had walked towards my mother that night, knowing that the words I was to speak would break her heart, yet I spoke them, and I watched as the light of happiness was extinguished from her eyes forever. We walked down the stairs of the plane onto the tarmac of the Meenambaakam airport terminal, shocked and alone. Then suddenly, as if sent by the embarrassed gods who had failed us, a crowd of women dressed in blue saris surrounded us.

They were ladies who worked at the airport; they held my mother in their arms and cried inconsolably with her as if they were all my mothers, as if they too had lost their beloved.

In those shared tears, a bond formed between my heart and the women of Tamil Nadu that I can neither explain nor ever erase.

You are my mothers, you are my sisters, and I am honored to be here today to have the opportunity to speak to you about us, the women of India.

I am here to remind you that we are the strength of this proud and beautiful nation, which is our motherland.
My sisters,
No matter how rich we are or how poor we are,
No matter whether we live in big cities, small towns, or villages,
No matter how well educated we are, or how much lack of opportunity we have faced...
We are the bedrock upon which our families and societies are built, brick by brick.
We are the ones who carry the weight of our society on our shoulders.
We do this with grace and courage,
We do it with tenacity and strength of will, and our capacity to absorb pain and suffering is immense.
We are proud of these qualities, which have been passed on in our bones through generations and generations of oppression.

But my sisters, I am here to remind you that we are more than this.
We are greater than our ability to bear suffering.
We are the ones that nurture and hold, that give to our children and to all those around us unfailingly.
We are the ones who teach courage, the ones who teach love.
It is us who understand forgiveness and who know how to fight fearlessly in the face of adversity.
We are the workforce powering our nation forward, and we are the millions of young women aspiring towards a better future.

We know how to rise from the darkest night to claim a new dawn.
We have a light within each one of us that is capable of shining brighter than the sun, but that light has never been allowed the freedom and joy to shine in its fullness.
It was almost a hundred years ago that Thandai Periyar asked:
Why were women enslaved?

Then he answered this question in a series of revolutionary essays in which he wrote about the economic and social enslavement of women.

It was he who laid the foundation for the empowerment of women in Tamil Nadu, which Thiru Annaaduraai and Thiru Karunaanidhi carried forward. My sisters, this empowered you, the women of Tamil Nadu, to show the way of emancipation and progress to the rest of India.

Yet across our nation, beneath the surface of progress, we are still struggling with the harsh reality of an entrenched patriarchy that ensures the systemic oppression of women. In fact, almost a century after Thandai Periyar’s essays were published, the same question looms large before us.

‘Why are women enslaved?'

And although I do not have the stature, nor the experience and wisdom of Thandai Periyar, my answer is this:
I am a woman.
We have been taught, generation after generation, to cede our power to others.
We have been taught to talk softly, to step aside, to be ashamed of honouring our essence, and to take care of everyone else before we show compassion to ourselves. And unfortunately, we have learned these lessons only too well—so well that we have passed them down.

We have learned to define ourselves through the eyes of the hierarchy that was instilled in us, and by doing so, we have allowed and enabled our own oppression. We ourselves have forgotten that the root of discrimination of any kind, whether it is based on colour, creed, caste or gender, is an inability to honour the truth that equality and personal dignity are neither a privilege nor a gift but a natural endowment of life. Today, there is much talk about “empowerment” as every political party begins to realise that women can become a formidable collective force that shapes our nation’s future.
But they still look at us with greed.

Greed for votes and the greed to capture our power and use it to keep us down.
On your behalf today, my sisters, I demand more.
I demand that we own our power.
I demand the immediate implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill.
We, the women of India, have no more time to waste. It is our right to be counted in the political process.
I demand that our worth be valued and respected as a political instrument for our own empowerment.
I demand that we put an end to the glorification of our tolerance for injustices committed against us day after day.
I demand the rejection of any system—societal, religious or political—that thrives on our oppression and forces us to collude with it.

Every woman holds the right to express and embody her own power, and she should be free to exercise it. You are the essence of humanity. Each one of you standing exactly where you are today has the power to change your lives, but only if you deeply understand the unbridled potential of your sisterhood. Only if you see in each other the great value of coming together, of helping and holding each other, and of rising in solidarity with one another.
My sisters, nothing can hold back the power of women when we stand as one.
We are half the population of this country – HALF - no less.

It is for us to set aside barriers of caste, religion, state, language and society. It is for us to recognise ourselves first and foremost as sisters who can unify into an unstoppable momentum for change.
Today, as we stand here to commemorate Thiru Karunanidhi, a leader who understood the power of women, let us awaken to a new dawn.

Let us create our own destiny.


Smt. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's address at the Women's Rights Conference in Chennai

Thiru MK Stalin Ji, Thirumati Kanimozhi Karunanidhi Ji, all women leaders on the dias. Sahodara Sahodaregale Vanakkam!
Thank you, Chief Minister Thiru MK Stalin, for inviting me to this Women’s Right Conference.

We are assembled here to commemorate the work and memory of the great son of India, Thiru Dr K Karunanidhi, lovingly called Kalaignar—a leader of many talents, a writer, a poet, a journalist, a chief minister of many terms, but, above all, a leader who believed deeply in the upliftment of the deprived. He believed in equality for all, regardless of faith, caste, language or region. And ahead of his time, he was a champion of gender equality, which has now become something of a national movement.

Our women have made India proud in multiple fields and sectors, in spite of the shackles of tradition, patriarchy, and culture that stood in their way. This struggle for equality has had many ups and downs. But today, Indian women shine in many spheres, to mention just a few: science, knowledge, skills, culture, sports, politics, and above all, as the center of our families and as leaders of people. Yet, we all know this struggle continues, and there are many more frontiers to cross, especially for our disadvantaged sisters.

The remarkable non-violent freedom struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi placed a strong emphasis on gender equality. In 1928, the Draft Constitution was being crafted under the chairmanship of Motilal Nehru, and the Karachi Resolution of 1931 framed by Jawaharlal Nehru. Both of these documents championed women's rights, advocating for equal voting rights, political and economic rights, and fair wages. They laid the foundation for women to play an equal role in our nation’s building. They embodied the promise of universal suffrage, gender equality, and a socialist, equitable society, and this spirit continued when the Constitution of India, under the leadership and chairmanship of Dr. BR Ambedkar, was ultimately framed.

Who can forget what our first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, once said: “If you educate a man, you educate one individual, however, if you educate a woman, you educate a whole family. Women empowered means India empowered."
And we cannot ever forget the inspiring role of Indiramma in showing how a woman can lead with strength, ability and leadership, combined with a deep sensitivity to the abolition of poverty.

Rajiv Ji, as we all know, brought in the historic 33% reservation for women in Panchayati Raj and local self-governments. This spurred an entirely new phenomenon of women entering roles of leadership at the grass-root level. It was a vital stepping stone towards the reservation on a similar one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha, which the Indian National Congress has pioneered in parliament and outside.

The Women’s Reservation Bill introduced by the UPA-2 was passed by the Rajya Sabha. But a lack of consensus prevented it from being passed in the Lok Sabha. Now, the Women’s Reservation Bill has finally been passed due to our relentless persistence, all of us, not just Congress (said pointing towards the leaders sitting on the dias) and efforts, but, as we all know, it is still a long way to come, and as Mehbooba Ji said and many of us, members of Parliament said in our intervention in Parliament, when is the bill now going to be implemented—in one year, in two years, in three years? We have no idea. Yes, I can see that some of you men are happy, but we are not; we women are not, and we are going to fight for it till we eventually get it, whether you men like or not.

I am glad to be able to say here today that the government of Tamil Nadu under Thiru Annadurai and then Thiru Karunanidhi laid the foundations for incredible changes in status and opportunities for women. Today, Tamil Nadu stands as a beacon of women’s equality and women’s development. In his historic five terms as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru Karunanidhi brought the provision of reservation for women in the Police way back in 1973. Today, a fourth of its police force, or Tamil Nadu police force, are women. Another very important initiative brought in by Karunanidhi Ji was the reservation for women in government positions. Today, women’s participation in government services exceeds 30 percent. And I am told, just recently, Chief Minister M K Stalin has raised it to 40 percent, and I commend your Chief Minister for this.

And it comes as no surprise that through initiatives like mid-day meal programs, the promotion of women's empowerment, and the encouragement of female education, Tamil Nadu boasts today of some of the most impressive maternal and infant mortality rates in India.

It is unfortunate that many of these efforts and programmes to help and empower women have not been reflected at the national level. In fact, instead of mitigating the problems faced by women, the last nine years have seen a sustained effort on the part of the Modi government to turn our women purely into symbols, to be counted and appreciated only in their restricted traditional roles in a patriarchal framework.

I am confident that we, the like-minded parties of the INDIA alliance, can and will take the urgent steps needed to make women’s equality a reality. And it is my fervent hope that INDIA alliance will see to it that the bill is implemented as soon as possible. We will all work together to see to it that it happens. This is our goal. This will be the INDIA alliance goal, and this is what we women must fight for. If we fight all together, we shall be victorious. We shall be victorious. Vetri Namadae, Nanri.

Congress Parliamentary Party  Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi's address at the Women's Rights Conference in Chennai

The Modi Govt can deny that India's rank in the Global Hunger Index slipped from 107th out of 121 countries in 2022 to 111th out of 125 countries in 2023.

But would they deny the following?

1. Is it not true that 35.5% of children under the age of five are stunted? Which means their height has not grown with their age.
2. Is it not a fact that 19.3% of children in India are wasted? Which means they weigh less than the national average for their height.
3. Is it incorrect that 57% of our women, aged between 15 and 49 years, are anaemic?
4. Is it untrue that in Modi Govt's Budget 2023–24, the Food Subsidy saw an astounding decrease of 31.28%—that is, one-third of its funds were slashed?
5. Is it not a fact that 74% of Indians were not able to afford a healthy diet due to backbreaking, food-snatching, and price rise imposed by the BJP?

We are putting out Indian numbers published by the GOI based on our own National Health and Family Survey [NFHS-5], 2019–2021, and Indian experts.

It is another story that even the Global Hunger Index, which is scrutinised by experts, is based on food balance sheets reported by us (India) and is even used for UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but the Modi government now does not accept it.

The Modi government can also claim that food grains are being distributed to 80 Cr Indians, but according to experts, even that number is short of a whopping 14 Cr people because Census 2021 is indefinitely delayed.

It was the Congress-UPA that brought in the Food Security Act, 2013 under PM Dr. Manmohan Singh and Smt. Sonia Gandhi. The BJP was opposed to it.

The nation has not forgotten the then CM Shri Modi's shameful remark on our Gujarat girls and malnutrition!


Modi govt shuns global data, but even Indian data shows hunger

• I extend a warm welcome to this Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting. In our first meeting in Hyderabad last month, we pledged to rid the country of divisive politics, strengthen social justice, and provide a responsible and responsive government.

• During the recent special session of Parliament, we saw that the Women's Reservation Bill passed, however, without any consultation or deliberation with opposition parties. This session became yet another example of the government's distraction and diversionary tactics.

• We wholeheartedly supported the bill, but questions remain about its implementation and the exclusion of OBC women.

• We resolve to implement women's reservation, including extending reservation to OBC women, when we come to power in 2024.

• The Prime Minister's absence in Manipur stands in sharp contrast to his frequent visits to the election-going states. His baseless attacks, filled with lies and falsehoods, on the Congress party will only increase in the coming days. It is essential that we counter these falsehoods and create our own counter narrative.

• We have also demanded a nationwide caste-based Census, crucial for effective government programs and welfare schemes.

• As we approach the upcoming assembly elections and general elections, it is important that the party works with meticulous coordination, complete discipline, and unity.

• We must also expedite efforts to highlight government failures and raise concerns affecting the common people.

• Today, our nation faces inflation, unemployment, and the government's failure to implement the Old Pension Scheme. The ruling party's divisive tactics and misuse of autonomous bodies pose a threat to democratic stability.

• In 2024, we must strive to establish a government that addresses these grave challenges and caters to the marginalized, youth, women, farmers, and labourers. Simultaneously, we must address pressing issues like inflation and unemployment while remaining attuned to the people's voices.

• We must propagate the exemplary work of Congress-led state governments and past Congress governments. By highlighting these accomplishments, we can instill faith in the public and inspire a brighter future.


Jai Hind.


Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge's opening remarks at the CWC Meeting in Delhi

The territorial clash between India and China is an unignorable threat to the sovereignty and integrity of the country. Since the Indian & Chinese troops clashed in May 2020, the problem has accelerated dangerously in a manner that in September that year more than 10,000 People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops were present near the flashpoint that extends from the southern bank of Pangong Tso to the Spanggur gap and the strategic Rechin La pass, all of which fall under the Chushul sub-sector. 

The presence of Chinese troops at the LAC was reported by all the leading media outlets. It was reported that China is constructing a bridge in eastern Ladakh, connecting the north and south banks of the Pangong lake, which will considerably bring down the time to move troops between the two sectors. The officials also confirmed two incidents of firing at the south bank of Pangong Tso. Later, in the last week of June 2022, a Chinese Air Force aircraft was observed flying very close to a friction point in the eastern Ladakh sector on the Line of Actual Control. Following which, the Indian Air Force responded swiftly as per standard operating procedures.

The Chinese have deployed a large number of fighter jets and unmanned aircraft at positions near the Indian territory. The major airfields in Hotan and Gar Gunsa have been upgraded immensely during the last two years. The last time such a breach happened, it led to multiple face-offs and physical fights in Eastern Ladakh. 

Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi being asked continuously to "break the silence" over Chinese "incursions" in the Galwan region of eastern Ladakh. Neither the PM nor the members of the ruling party could gather the courage to call out China and had denied any Chinese intrusion despite various confirmations and reports by different Indian intelligence agencies.

The last clash before that of 2020 took place back in 2013 in Despang when India was ruled by the UPA government. The clash led to no casualty as the Indian government protested diplomatically, asking the Chinese to withdraw their military and to recognise the status quo that existed before the incident. Through the efforts of then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Salman Khurshid, the issue was resolved in 20 days, whereas, the Modi Govt hasn’t been able to resolve the Ladakh standoff of 2020 yet. China now illegally occupies more than 38,000 square km of land in Ladakh. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2020 held the all-party meet to discuss the border incident along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh where 20 Indian soldiers died in the line of duty in brutal hand-to-hand combat with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). He underscored that the Chinese neither entered our territory nor any post was taken over by them. When the new Chinese villages were discovered near the Doklam plateau in November 2021, PM Modi and his government still brazenly chose to continue with their lenient and careless attitude towards China. 

Even after authorising the Indian Army to occupy positions in the Kailash Range south of Pangong Tso on the night of 29/30 August 2020, PM Modi couldn’t hold on to it and ended up giving up these advantageous positions in February 2021 without insisting on a full Chinese withdrawal and a return to the status quo—an incident which was described by Former Corps Commander Major General Raj Mehta (Retd.) as a “grave mistake”.

It is a bounden duty of our government and the Prime Minister to ensure that Chinese transgression into India’s territories is defeated decisively. The BJP government is so lost in its internal propaganda and attacks on Indian institutions and agencies, that it has failed to take strong steps to counter China’s moves jeopardising India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. In a time crucial for all international relations among countries, PM Modi’s silence and failure to take any action clearly show that the priorities of this government lie somewhere very far from its duties and responsibility towards the country.

PM Modi's Laal Ankh - Blind to Chinese aggression

**Demonetization - 2016**
**Goods and Services Tax - 2017**
**COVID lockdown - 2020**
**Farm laws - 2020**

Last month, the Modi government yet again added another name to its above-mentioned list of disastrous failures and slammed the country with an inadequate, undiscussed, and unthoughtful scheme with large-scale, long-term national implications, and pushed it into implementation without any discussion or consultation in Parliament - **The Agnipath**. The top court has now transferred three petitions filed before it challenging the Centre’s Agnipath recruitment scheme to the Delhi High Court.

Despite catchy titles like ‘Agniveers’, the new recruitment plan was welcomed with backlashes, protests, and disapproval throughout the country - causing serious damage and unrest in some parts. 

**What is Agnipath?**

Agnipath is the new blunderous defence recruitment reform brought in by the BJP government and has been cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security. Under this scheme, youth in the age bracket of 17.5 to 21 years of age are to be selected according to the existing selection system and employed as Agniveers on a four-year contract, starting with 31 weeks of basic military training. The ‘Agniveer’ will form a new military rank different from existing ranks and will be liable for deployment in any unit or regiment on military duties, like regular cadre soldiers.

Under the scheme, currently, 46,000 Agniveers are expected to be recruited this year, starting July 2022. At the end of four years, a maximum of 25% of Agniveers may be offered absorption into the Army. The age bracket has been revised after facing a huge backlash from the youth and it has been stretched to 23 years for this year. 

**How is Agnipath different from the old recruitment scheme?**

A regular cadre soldier goes through a performance assessment at the unit/sub-unit level that concerns his selection for promotion to non-commissioned officer rank. Upon disqualification, he serves for 15 years and retires with gratuity, pension, lifetime medical cover and other benefits. For an Agniveer, performance assessment has been made mandatory at the end of four years and only twenty-five% of the Agniveers would qualify for absorption into the regular cadre. 

India offered recruitment to the Army on a volunteer basis where the candidates offered themselves for employment and it was seen as a sign of valour and patriotism. Families in India have had traditions of joining the Army. It was seen as a dignified and proud career option for soldiers, as joining the armed forces was considered a lifetime of economic security through its post-retirement benefits and also a subject of valour. 

The Agnipath recruitment policy changes this structure and perception entirely. Agnipath disparagingly stays confined to the four-year defined service term, after which 75% of soldiers would be sent back home without any benefits. 

**Agnipath poses a serious threat to our army and national security. **

Training a combat soldier takes much longer than four years. A young recruit may learn to fight quickly but still end up as a casualty in an actual combat situation. The maximum casualties in war are always of recent recruits. With a clear and persistent threat on our northern border and a hostile neighbour in the west, India’s two-front danger is increasingly serious. An Agniveer trained for six months and with no experience in operations which involve personal risk, cannot acquire the professional competence level to inspire mutual trust and confidence. He will be insecure, unsure of his future, and hence, unmotivated to expose himself to the serious risks of military service. 

The Agnipath scheme poses a more significant threat to the regimented structure of the Indian Army. It will not only end the long glorious tradition of each regiment that soldiers hold dear but there are legitimate concerns of Agnipath staining the army with communal and undesirable political agenda. 

**India is at that juncture where policymakers can no longer take unemployment for granted.**

According to CMIE data, the unemployment rate in the country is as high as 7.4%. In 2017-18, the job generation stopped at a low of 0.03% per annum. The situation was further aggravated by the BJP government’s failed GST and Demonetisation plans. At the current time, 1/4th of the total number of approved posts in the Central government lay vacant. 

Agnipath is indeed a sinister scheme paraded as a great employment programme. Even though the government has hastily made promises of ensuring 10% recruitment of Agniveers in the central armed police forces, defence production units and other installations, the fate of ex-servicemen and the condition of their employment in these sectors aren’t hidden from any. In the last 8 years, the government could hardly fill the 10 % posts reserved in Group C and 20% posts in Group D in Central government departments for ex-servicemen. 

Ex-servicemen constitute only 1.29% of the overall strength in Group C and 2.66% in Group D across 34 of the 77 departments. As for the 10% reservation for ex-servicemen in the CPF, as of June 30, 2019, ex-servicemen accounted for only 0.47% in Group C, 0.87 % in Group B, and 2.20% in Group A.

**Agniveers returning after their four-year term would be akin to a trained militia.**

The Agnipath scheme poses threat to Indian society as it can disperse violence and weaponry back into the social order. The Agnipath scheme is another of the BJP’s attacks on the foundations of India and a larger project to re-shape India and its institutions as per the RSS-BJP ideology. The fact that several thousand demobilised soldiers with arms training will join society every year would go some way in fulfilling Savarkar’s goal of militarising Indian society. 

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel - who forged the Indian State’s monopoly over violence was sure that the access to violence in society is unacceptable.

The Agnipath that has been introduced without any consensus or consultation cannot be cleared from the doubt of it being RSS’s new model of a militarized society. Moreover, what are the chances that the annual 75 % rejected Agniveers will not be employed by insurgents, terrorists, or communal organizations which possess huge financial resources and result in increased violence and repression in society?

Even if Agnipath has been introduced as a method of enormous saving in pensions and other lifelong benefits, on which a huge part of the defence budget is spent, the challenges and risks that come with it cannot be overlooked. Agnipath is indeed an **anti-youth, anti-national, and anti-army **scheme. Agnipath is a fire that can consume India. If not rolled back, it could prove malignant to the very foundations of this nation. 

The Indian National Congress strictly and strongly opposes and demands the withdrawal of Agnipath. The risks it poses are far more serious than the benefits it provides (if any). For a safe, secure, and peaceful future for the country, the Congress party shall not step back until the scheme is rolled back. In this fight against Agnipath, Congress fights for India.

 Agnipath - A Deceit

The year was 1937. The spirits were high and the aim was clear—freedom.  India was yearning for freedom. To give voice to the freedom movement in the country, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Purushottam Tandon, Acharya Narendra Dev, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai and other leaders in the struggle started the National Herald newspaper published by a company called Associated Journals Ltd. The newspaper gained popularity soon such that in a span of just 5 years, the British government felt so threatened that it banned its publication in 1942 during the  ‘Quit-India’ Movement. An event that was described as “A Tragedy for the National Movement” by Mahatma Gandhi. 

The British feared not the newspaper but the truth it carried and the spirit of the Congress party that stood for truth, justice and equality, and all the ideas that formed the foundation of an independent India. Today, after 75 years of freedom, those ideas are threatened again. This time, it is not an outsider that is threatening the idea of India but its own government—PM Modi’s government—yet, their reaction is the same as the British, who used their brute power to silence and crush the voices raised against their tyranny and misrule.

The ruling party's use of the central agencies for its own vendetta is a worrying and shameful reality of new India and its newest target is ‘National Herald’ and the Congress party—those who built the India they’re ruling today. The Enforcement Directorate acting on a fabricated and fake case summoned Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Shri Rahul Gandhi for questioning related to money laundering. This case with no standing or evidence is just another attempt by the BJP government to attack the voices that question their failures and speak out against their despotism.

**What is the National Herald case?**

Despite the editorial excellence of the paper, National Herald continued to face trouble sustaining itself financially and ran into losses with outstanding dues of Rs. 90 crores. To help the newspaper get through the crisis, Indian National Congress loaned Rs. 90 crores to it in the years between 2002 to 2011 in about 100 installments. Out of the whole amount loaned, National Herald used Rs. 67 crores to pay salary and VRS of its employees. The rest of the money was used for payment of dues related to electricity, tenancy, building expenditure etc. This loan was duly disclosed in books of accounts of the Congress Party, duly audited and submitted to the Election Commission of India. 

Since National Herald and the AJL were deemed unable to repay the loan later, the loan was converted into equity shares of Associated Journals Ltd. As Indian National Congress can not own equity shares, the equity was allotted to ‘Young Indian’, a Section-25 ‘Not-For-Profit’ company. Now, the point to note here is that Shareholders/Managing Committee members of a ‘Not-For-Profit’ company are prohibited by law from getting any dividend, profit, salary or any other financial benefit. Therefore, the question of any gain or profit or financial benefit to either Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Shri Rahul Gandhi or any other person in ‘Young Indian’ is completely out of the line and thus, it makes any claim of illegal gain or profit or financial benefit inherently false.

All income and all assets of the National Herald continue to remain the exclusive property of Associated Journals Limited as its assets are owned by the company and not any shareholder. **How can there be money laundering if there has been no transfer of any movable or immovable property/assets of Associated Journals Limited nor has ‘Young Indian’ withdrawn a single rupee from Associated Journals Limited?**

The National Herald is a legacy for our nation. It is no crime to protect a national legacy. Also, the grant of a loan by a political party is not a criminal offence under any law in India. **How can the Congress Party granting loans to Associated Journals Limited (a company closely associated with the Congress Party since 1937 and espousing the ideology of Congress) be called a criminal offence?**

Even the Election Commission in its letter to Subramanian Swamy in November 2012 clarified that there is no provision in the Representation of the People Act that prohibits or controls expenditure by a political party. The facts of this case make it clear that this is no case of money laundering but a callous maneuver by the BJP to weaken and threaten the Congress and the ideology it carries with it. Like the British felt intimidated by the truth and resorted to muzzling the voice of Congress in 1942, the BJP is also intimidated because the voices it is trying to suppress are unafraid voices that speak for the whole country and fight for justice and equality for all. 

We won’t be cowed; we won’t stay silent. As they keep attacking our efforts to save India and safeguard the people’s rights, we will keep emerging stronger. It is a battle for truth and truth always prevails. 

National Herald Case - The Truth

Press briefing by Shri Rahul Gandhi and Shri Akhilesh Yadav in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

Congress party media byte by Ms Supriya Shrinate at AICC HQ.

Eminent personality joins the Indian National Congress at the AICC HQ.

Congress party briefing by Shri Jairam Ramesh and Ms Supriya Shrinate at AICC HQ.

Press briefing by Shri Pawan Khera, Ms Supriya Shrinate and Shri Amitabh Dubey at AICC HQ

Congress party briefing by Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi at AICC HQ.

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Congress Delegation meets ECI 

Shri Rahul Gandhi, MP & former Congress President, addressed the public in Mandya | Karnataka

Shri Rahul Gandhi, MP & former Congress President, addressed the people during Janasamparkam in Kozhikode | Kerala

“Janasamparkam” | Kozhikode | Kerala | Rahul Gandhi

“Janasamparkam” | Wayanad | Kerala | Rahul Gandhi

The Congress-led UPA has always considered the safety and security of each and every citizen of the country with paramount importance. The ten years of UPA rule saw a considerable increase in expenditure on national security and defence, with an increase from 77,000 crore in 2004-05 to 1,93,407 crore in 2012-13.

कांग्रेस के नेतृत्व वाली यूपीए सरकार ने हमेशा देश के हर नागरिक की सुरक्षा और संरक्षा को सबसे जरुरी माना है। 10 साल के यूपीए शासनकाल में राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा और रक्षा खर्च में काफी वृद्धि देखी गयी, 2004-05 में ये 77,000 करोड़ रुपये से बढ़कर 2012-13 तक 1,93,407 करोड़ रुपये हो गया।

NATIONAL SECURITY

यूपीए के समय समृद्धि

The rate of employment is directly proportional to a country’s development. A similar pattern was witnessed during the Congress-led UPA regimes, where the employment graph only went up during 2004-10, with both public and private sectors experiencing strong and sustained growth.

रोजगार की दर का सीधा संबंध देश के विकास से है। कांग्रेस के नेतृत्व वाली यूपीए सरकार के दौरान इसी तरह की प्रवृत्ति देखने को मिली, जब 2004-10 के दौरान रोजगार ग्राफ काफी बढ़ा और सार्वजनिक तथा निजी क्षेत्रों को ठोस और सतत विकास का अनुभव हुआ।

ECONOMY

The Congress-led UPA believes that the nation can't progress unless the farmer gets a fair price for his produce. The Minimum Support Price(MSP) for Wheat has been more than doubled, from Rs 640 per quintal in 2004-05 to Rs 1,285 in 2011-12. Similarly, the MSP for Paddy has been increased from Rs 560 in 2003-04 to Rs 1250 per quintal in 2011-12.

कांग्रेस के नेतृत्व वाली यूपीए सरकार का मानना है कि देश तब तक प्रगति नहीं कर सकता, जब तक कि किसान को उसकी उपज का सही दाम न मिले। गेहूं का न्यूनतम समर्थन मूल्य (एमएसपी) 2004-05 के 640 रुपये प्रति क्विंटल से बढ़ाकर 2011-12 तक दोगुने से ज्यादा 1,285 रुपये किया गया था। इसी तरह, 2003-04 में धान का एमएसपी 560 रुपये से बढ़ाकर 2011-12 तक 1250 रुपये प्रति क्विंटल किया गया था।

AGRICULTURE

The Indian National Congress has always placed a high premium on education. Both UPA I and UPA II continued with this intense and pro-active approach to achieve maximum coverage. The share of GDP allocated for education (primary, secondary and tertiary) saw an increase from 3.29 per cent in 2004-2005 to 3.83 per cent in 2012-13.

भारतीय राष्ट्रीय कांग्रेस ने हमेशा शिक्षा को उच्च प्राथमिकता पर रखा है। अधिकतम लोगों तक इसकी पहुंच के लिये यूपीए-1 और यूपीए-2 दोनों सरकारों ने गहन और सक्रिय दृष्टिकोण बनाये रखा। शिक्षा (प्राथमिक, माध्यमिक और विश्वविद्याल स्तर) के लिए आवंटित सकल घरेलू उत्पाद का हिस्सा 2004-2005 के 3.29 प्रतिशत से बढ़ाकर 2012-13 तक 3.83 प्रतिशत किया गया।

EDUCATION

It has been the Indian National Congress’s concerted effort to provide easy access to quality and affordable health care through government funded programmes. The share of public health expenditure to GDP of the country was doubled from a mere 0.13% in 2000-01 to 0.26% in 2010-11 respectively. For the year 2012-13, the Budget for healthcare was earmarked at a whopping Rs. 24,261 crore.

भारतीय राष्ट्रीय कांग्रेस ने सरकारी वित्त पोषित कार्यक्रमों के ज़रिये बेहतरीन और किफायती स्वास्थ्य देखभाल सेवाओं तक आसान पहुंच प्रदान करने का सदैव ठोस प्रयास किया है। देश के सकल घरेलू उत्पाद में सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य व्यय का हिस्सा 2000-01 के 0.13 प्रतिशत से बढ़ाकर 2010-11 तक 0.26 प्रतिशत किया गया। वर्ष 2012-13 में स्वास्थ्य देखभाल बजट के लिये 24,261 करोड़ रुपये की भारी-भरकम धनराशि आवंटित की गयी थी।

HEALTH

The Congress-led UPA government knew that the nation needed to develop significant infrastructural facilities to make India an economic giant. With this lofty goal in view, the expenditure share of infrastructure in GDP increased from 4.69% in 2004-05 to 8.41% in 2010-11.

कांग्रेस के नेतृत्व वाली यूपीए सरकार को पता था कि भारत को आर्थिक ताकत बनाने के लिए देश में महत्वपूर्ण बुनियादी सुविधाओं को विकसित करने की जरूरत है। इस विशाल लक्ष्य को हासिल करने के लिये सकल घरेलू उत्पाद में बुनियादी ढांचे के खर्च का हिस्सा 2004-05 के 4.69 प्रतिशत से बढ़ाकर 2010-11 तक 8.41 प्रतिशत किया गया।

INFRASTRUCTURE

The Congress-led UPA government has drafted and implemented with a missionary zeal, various social welfare schemes, and the results are there for all to see. 10 years of UPA rule witnessed considerable improvement in the percentage of expenditure on social sector. The share of GDP allocated for social expenditure went up from 5.41% in 2003-2004 to 6.80% in 2012-13.

कांग्रेस के नेतृत्व वाली यूपीए सरकार ने दृढ़ निश्चय के साथ विभिन्न सामाजिक कल्याण योजनाओं का प्रारुप तैयार किया और उन्हें लागू किया, इसके नतीजे सभी के सामने हैं। 10 वर्षों के यूपीए शासनकाल के दौरान सामाजिक क्षेत्र पर खर्च के प्रतिशत में काफी सुधार हुआ। सामाजिक व्यय के लिए आवंटित जीडीपी का हिस्सा 2003-2004 में 5.41 प्रतिशत से बढ़ाकर 2012-13 तक 6.80 प्रतिशत किया गया।

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