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Revocation of Article 370 provisions for special status to J&K divides Congress

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7 years ago

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Revocation of Article 370 provisions for special status to J&K divides Congress

Narendra Modi government’s move to revoke provisions of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir to complete its ‘integration’ with India and ‘unite’ the country also divided the Congress.

The disarray and division in the party on a crucial issue face a party that was flung into a crisis following its humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections and was left rudderless when a leadership crisis at the top followed with Rahul Gandhi quitting as party chief. The party is yet to decide on a successor and Rahul Gandhi is yet to issue a statement on the contentious move, thus adding to the confusion.

On Monday, Aug 5, Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill in the Rajya Sabha that proposed abrogation of Article 370, which accorded special status to the state, and Article 35A, while also bifurcating the state into two union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

Many Congress leaders came out in support of the decision.

On Monday, the bill to reorganise Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories was passed by the Rajya Sabha, where the government is short of a majority, with several opposition parties walking out and others siding with the government, like Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJP), Jagan Reddy’s YSR Congress, N Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Congress leader, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, speaking to news channel NDTV, admitted yesterday that the party had been outfoxed. “We have been politically outwitted as we are among four or five parties alone that have opposed it. I wouldn’t say we didn’t know about it because I think everybody in our party, from Ghulam Nabi Azad to P Chidambaram, have been talking about it for the last one week. It was the closest to an open secret, but obviously one could not be sure. But yes we are now in a very small number of parties which argued and opposed and voted against it, but a democracy is a democracy… you have to go by the numbers,” said Singhvi.

Many Congress leaders came out in support of  the move outside Parliament, calling it their “personal” view, even as the party’s Rajya Sabha members like Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kapil Sibal blasted the move in the house, calling it “murder of democracy”, and Congress MPs in Lok Sabha staged a walkout led by Sonia Gandhi.

“Today BJP has murdered the constitution as well as democracy through the scrapping of Article 370. The very article that gave special status to J&K and linked it to the country has today been done away with mercilessly,” Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said in Parliament.

His colleague and former Union minister P. Chidambaram termed it a “constitutional monstrosity”.

But many other Congress leaders though otherwise.

The Congress’s chief whip Bhubaneswar Kalita quit the party and the Rajya Sabha calling the Congress stand on Kashmir “suicide” and “against the mood and emotions of the nation”. He said in a statement: “The Congress has asked me to issue a whip on the Kashmir issue. But the truth is that the mood of the nation has completely changed and this whip is against the public sentiment across the country. The ideology of Congress today looks like it is committing suicide and I do not want to be a part of it. I do not want to accept this whip and I am resigning from the Congress party,” he said in the letter referring to the whip to ensure party lawmakers attend Rajya Sabha during the discussion on Article 370.

His resignation is critical for the Congress not just because he was a key face from the North East, heading the party’s Assam unit for over a decade, but also because he was a key organization man handling a series of responsibilities.

In his resignation letter, Kalita has made stinging remarks on the Congress’ current state and leadership.

“Congress party’s leadership is doing the work of completely destroying the party. My view is that no one can save this party from being devastated,” he added.

Congress veteran Janardhan Dwivedi said a historic blunder had been remedied. “My mentor Ram Manohar Lohia was against Article 370 from the start…. My personal view is that this is a matter of national satisfaction. A mistake made during independence has been corrected, even if belatedly,” Janardhan Dwivedi told news agency ANI.

Congress leader Deepender Hooda tweeted: “My personal view is that there isn’t a need to have Article 370 in the 21st century. The move is not only in the interest of the country but also for the benefit of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India. It is the responsibility of the government to implement the move in a peaceful environment.”

Taking a neutral stand, Mumbai Congress leader Milind Deora tweeted: “Very unfortunate that Article 370 is being converted into a liberal vs conservative debate. Parties should put aside ideological fixations and debate what’s best for India’s sovereignty and federalism, peace in J and K, jobs for Kashmiri youth and justice for Kashmiri Pandits.”

“My Personal Point of View : I support abrogation of Art 370 (as opening words say it’s temporary) but Only and Only in accordance with provisions and methodology provided by the Constitution of India which mandates consent of J&K State Assembly -any other way is Unconstitutional,” tweeted Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill.

Rae Bareli MLA Aditi Singh has also supported the Modi government’s decision.

Rahul Gandhi has decided not to speak in the Lok Sabha during the debate on the Kashmir move.

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Case registered against Mamata Banerjee over controversial 2025 religion remark

A formal police case has been registered against Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee in Siliguri, West Bengal. The complaint alleges that her 2025 “Ganda Dharm” remark targeted Hinduism and hurt the religious sentiments of the community.

Published

7 hours ago

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May 27, 2026

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Mamata Banerjee

A formal police complaint has been lodged against Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal’s Siliguri. The legal action stems from an alleged derogatory remark regarding Hinduism made during an Eid congregation in Kolkata in 2025.

The case was registered following a complaint filed by a local lawyer, Rinki Chatterjee, who alleged that the former Chief Minister’s comments deeply hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus globally.

Legal charges and complaint details

The police have invoked multiple sections under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Banerjee, including Section 351(1) for criminal intimidation, Section 352 for intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, and Section 353 for promoting feelings of enmity, hatred, or ill will between different communities.

According to the complaint, the controversy traces back to an Eid event organized on Kolkata’s iconic Red Road in 2025. While delivering a speech targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Banerjee purportedly referred to the version of Hinduism championed by the political rival as “Ganda Dharm” (filthy religion).

Chatterjee stated in her complaint that labeling Sanatan Dharma in such a manner at a religious gathering was “absolutely unacceptable”. The complainant also pointed to other instances where senior TMC leaders allegedly targeted Hinduism, adding that Banerjee made indirect threats to the Hindu community during the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election campaign to influence voters through intimidation.

Political responses to the FIR

The reported statements had previously drawn sharp criticism from the state BJP leadership last year, including strong objections from current Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. However, this FIR represents the first formal legal action taken regarding the speech.

When approached for a response, Atri Sharma, a lawyer and general secretary of the TMC’s Darjeeling unit, declined to comment officially as a party spokesperson. However, he noted that many within the party internal circles found the remarks inappropriate at the time they were spoken. Sharma acknowledged that holding a high public office required restraint and affirmed that every individual holds the moral right to pursue legal remedies.

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Congress Dismisses Karnataka Leadership Transition Rumors After Six-Hour Delhi Meet

The Congress party has rejected ongoing rumors regarding a leadership change or a rotating Chief Minister formula in Karnataka, stating that a recent six-hour meeting in Delhi focused strictly on the upcoming Rajya Sabha and MLC elections.

Published

22 hours ago

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May 26, 2026

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The Congress party has strongly downplayed the intense political buzz surrounding a potential leadership transition or a change in the Chief Minister’s post in Karnataka. Following a marathon six-hour meeting with the state’s top leadership in New Delhi, the party explicitly rejected the ongoing speculation, labeling it as having “no reality.”

A brief statement issued to the media after the high-level meeting advised against spreading rumors, clarifying that the discussions were entirely centered on upcoming electoral strategies rather than structural changes within the state government. The party stated that the deliberations solely revolved around the state’s three vacant Rajya Sabha seats and the upcoming Member of Legislative Council (MLC) elections.

Rajya Sabha and MLC Polls Take Center Stage

The high-stakes meeting was attended by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leader Rahul Gandhi, and party General Secretary KC Venugopal, alongside Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

Briefing the media post-meeting, KC Venugopal stated that conversations were strictly confined to the Rajya Sabha and MLC elections, emphasizing that there is no truth to any other political speculation. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also confirmed that the agenda of a potential cabinet expansion or a leadership shift did not come up during the six-hour-long discussion.

Background of the Power Struggle

The question of leadership in Karnataka has remained a recurring theme for over a year. Supporters of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar have consistently maintained that the central leadership promised a rotating Chief Ministership arrangement when the government was formed after the 2023 assembly elections.

Speculation had intensified recently as the ruling government faced local anti-incumbency pressures alongside renewed political activity from the opposition bench. Some internal reports had even indicated a push from within certain sections of the high command, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, for a leadership revamp.

Balancing Caste Equations and Party Structure

The central leadership has navigated the situation cautiously to maintain political stability. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, 80, commands a powerful “Ahinda” support base—a coalition comprising minority communities, backward classes, and Dalits. This social alliance was crucial in helping the party navigate the traditional Vokkaliga and Lingayat caste dynamics during the 2023 elections.

Although the rotation issue had previously gained significant momentum when the government completed two years in office, the party high command had chosen to maintain the status quo to avoid any adverse electoral impact in neighboring assembly elections, such as in Tamil Nadu. With those elections concluded, supporters of the 64-year-old Deputy Chief Minister had expressed optimism for a transition. Shivakumar currently holds the dual responsibility of being the Deputy Chief Minister as well as the state Congress chief, signaling his critical organizational value to the party. However, for the time being, the party high command has firmly signaled that the current leadership structure will remain unchanged.

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Congress high command steps in to resolve Karnataka leadership impasse with crucial Delhi meeting

The Congress leadership, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, is holding a vital meeting in Delhi with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to find a definitive solution to the state’s prolonged leadership impasse.

Published

1 day ago

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May 26, 2026

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The top leadership of the Congress party is scheduled to hold a high-level meeting at its headquarters in the national capital today morning to address the long-standing leadership dispute in Karnataka. Senior leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and MP Rahul Gandhi, will lead the discussions aimed at resolving the continuous friction between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

The ongoing power struggle over the state’s top position has persisted since the party’s electoral victory in 2023. For the current session, only Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been called to join the discussions in Delhi. When questioned about the agenda by reporters, the Chief Minister stated that he was unaware of the specific subjects to be discussed, noting that political speculation is inevitable.

Background of the internal division

The internal friction intensified significantly in November 2025 when the state government completed its two-and-a-half-year mark in office. Supporters of the Deputy Chief Minister pointed to a purported unacknowledged internal arrangement suggesting a rotational chief ministership split equally across the five-year term. Despite multiple prior interventions by central party leadership to manage the internal friction, a permanent resolution has remained elusive.

While Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has not been invited to this morning’s initial session, indications suggest that separate individual discussions and a potential joint meeting involving both leaders are planned as part of the broader resolution process. Observers note that several state ministers and legislators have also traveled to the national capital as the party leadership aims to settle the administrative roadmap and finalise leadership plans before the next assembly elections.

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