India News
Congress Foundation Day 2021: History and significance
The Indian National Congress played an essential role in the Indian independence struggle. It is one of the oldest ruling parties of India.
The Indian National Congress was founded on December 28, 1885, at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College in Bombay. Ever since, today is marked at Congress Foundation Day. The official twitter handle of the Indian National Congress tweeted in honour of 136 years of the party.
Who founded the Indian National Congress?
The founder of the Indian National Congress (INC) was actually not an Indian. Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British Indian Civil Services officer, founded the party with an aim to provide educated Indians with a platform for civil and political discussions. With 72 delegates present, the Indian National Congress was founded. Hume was the General Secretary and the president was Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee. Names like Dadabhai Naoroji, MG Ranade, Monomohun Ghose, Sundernath Banarjee and Dinshaw Wacha were also founders of the Indian National Congress. There were other two British members as well.
What was its significance back then?
Indian National Congress was the only body that represented the Indians. After 1885, the Indian National Congress passed a significant number of resolutions that fulfilled humble demands of the Indians like civil rights and policies.
Indian National Congress and its prominent leaders
The Indian National Congress was popular among people. Its leaders had a massive following. Mahatma Gandhi was a prominent name during the Indian freedom struggle. He was also the president of INC’s Belgaum session in 1924.
After earning political power and control over various provinces, Jawaharlal Nehru came up as the leader that the people wanted. He became the Prime Minister of India after independence, and continued for 17 years.
After Nehru, his daughter succeeded him. Indira Gandhi became the first female Prime Minister of India. She held the office for 15 years. After her assassination in 1984, her son Rajiv Gandhi continued the legacy. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1984 and he held the office till 1989. The party has given six Prime Ministers to the country: Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, P V Narsimha Rao and Manmohan Singh.
What is INC’s symbol?
Initially, the Election Symbol was an image of two bullocks with a plough. It changed to a cow with a sucking calf during 1971-1977 period. Then, the symbol changed to right hand facing front. It hasn’t been changed since.
What happened after Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination?
After Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, his widow, Sonia Gandhi took the office of Congress president. Following that, the INC made alliance with various regional parties and led to the formation of Congress-led UPA government. Dr. Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister.
Read Also: PM Modi to inaugurate Kanpur Metro stretch, pipeline project and attend IIT convocation
Who are the current leaders of the Indian National Congress?
Currently, the party is led by Rahul Gandhi while Sonia Gandhi is the president. Since the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has come into power, influence of the Gandhi family has been reducing.
The Indian National Congress played an essential role in the Indian independence struggle. It is one of the oldest ruling parties of India.
India News
Madhya Pradesh elections: Congress to release first list of candidates after October 5
According to the source, the party has received more than 3,500 inquiries from potential candidates who wish to run for office on the Congress ticket in the Assembly elections.
As the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections draw nearer, sources stated on Friday that the Congress is expected to reveal its first list of candidates after October 5 as part of its strategy. A Congress source told IANS that the party will announce the names of the candidates at the ideal moment and that the campaigning for the Assembly elections is already underway.
The source stated that the party would issue its initial list of candidates after October 5, when it is anticipated that the Election Commission will have released its polling schedule.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the party’s general secretary, will be in the state on October 5 to speak at a large public gathering, the source added, and her input will be sought before the release of the final list.
To narrow down the field of candidates for the elections, the party organised two sessions of the Screening Committee in the national capital.
According to the source, the party has received more than 3,500 inquiries from potential candidates who wish to run for office on the Congress ticket in the Assembly elections.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, will speak at a public meeting on Saturday in the Kala Pipla Assembly seat.
Two lists of candidates from the BJP have already been made public for the upcoming elections. Along with four other current MPs, the ruling party has included three Union Ministers in its second list. On Monday, a few hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at a public gathering in Bhopal, the second list of 39 candidates was made public.
The list also included Kailash Vijayvargiya, the national general secretary of the BJP.
The list includes the names of three Union Ministers: Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State for Food Processing Industries and Jal Shakti from Narsinghpur; Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of Agriculture and Chairman of the Party’s State Election Management Committee from Dimni-Morena; and Fagan Singh Kulaste, Minister of State for Rural Development and Steel from Niwas.
India News
President Droupadi Murmu gives assent to Women’s Reservation Bill
The new law provides 33% reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
The Women’s Reservation Bill became law in India after President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent, days after the historic vote in the Parliament. The new law provides 33% reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women. However, the law will be imposed after the new census and delimitation.
The Women’s Reservation Bill which is officially known as Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was passed in both the houses during the special session of the Parliament. The historic bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on September 20, with 454 MPs voting in its favour and 2 voting against it. In the Rajya Sabha, the bill was passed unanimously on September 21 with 214 MPs voting in favour of the bill.
Issuing a gazette notification, the Government of India stated that the Bill has become an Act after the approval granted by the President. The notification read that the act will come into force on such date as the central government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
While supporting the historic bill in the Parliament, the Opposition condemned the government for not bringing the quota for women into immediate effect. Union Home Minister Amit Shah told the Parliament during the bill’s discussion that it could only come into effect after 2029 due to the pending census and delimitation.
A day after the bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked that with the passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in Parliament, the nation usher in an era of stronger representation and empowerment for the women of India. He added that this is not merely legislation but a tribute to the countless women who have made the nation. He exclaimed that India has been enriched by their resilience and contributions.
India News
CM Arvind Kejriwal announces Delhi winter action plan to curb pollution
Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi government will also deploy 530 water sprinklers in an attempt to prevent dust pollution
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday affirmed that pollution levels dropped in the national capital owing to various government initiatives as he announced the winter action plan to curb pollution.
Addressing a press conference, CM Arvind Kejriwal stated that the number of days witnessing severe pollution levels declined in the past eight years due to several initiatives of the government, like the introduction of electric buses and the EV Policy, among others.
Announcing the winter action plan in Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal stated that the Pusa bio decomposer that prevents stubble burning will be sprayed on 5,000 hectares of farmland this year against 4,400 hectares the previous year. As far as reports are concerned, the Pusa bio decomposer, developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) is a microbial solution that can turn paddy straw into manure in 15-20 days.
In addition, Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi government will also deploy 530 water sprinklers in an attempt to prevent dust pollution and 385 teams, who will be entrusted to check vehicles pollution certificates and prevent the plying of overage cars.
According to reports, in 2018, the Supreme Court banned diesel and petrol vehicles older than 10 and 15 years, respectively, in Delhi. The top court had added that the vehicles plying in violation of the order would be impounded. Further, a 2014 order of the National Green Tribunal bars vehicles older than 15 years to be parked in public places.
Arvind Kejriwal also reiterated that burning garbage in the open is banned in Delhi. He mentioned that 611 teams will supervise the implementation of the same. He also urged people to download the Green Delhi mobile application on their devices and report any pollution-causing activity to the government.
Speaking about stubble burning, the Delhi Chief Minister noted that in Punjab, they formed a government last year and the data from the last year showed that the steps taken in 6-7 months led to a 30% reduction in stubble burning.
