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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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Rahul Gandhi attacks Punjab AAP government over man’s death, alleges dangerous pattern

Rahul Gandhi accused Punjab’s AAP government of failing on the drug issue and demanded an independent probe into Gulzar Singh’s death.

Published

9 hours ago

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September 9, 2026

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Rahul_Gandhi_

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has launched a fresh attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab over the death by suicide of Gulzar Singh, a 50-year-old man from Sangrur district.

Gandhi alleged that Singh was pressured by police to apologise after questioning Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema over the state’s handling of the drug menace. Singh later consumed pesticide and died after being taken to different hospitals, according to Gandhi’s account.

What Rahul Gandhi said about Gulzar Singh

Rahul Gandhi described the incident as part of what he called a “dangerous pattern” emerging under the Punjab AAP government.

He alleged that people who question the government’s performance on issues such as drugs are facing threats and torture.

According to Gandhi, Gulzar Singh belonged to the Dalit community and had seen his son become a victim of drugs. He said Singh questioned the finance minister about the government’s failure to stop the drug trade.

Gandhi alleged that Singh was subsequently humiliated and pressured to apologise, following which he consumed poison. He also claimed that Singh struggled to receive treatment after being taken from one hospital to another before eventually dying.

Rahul Gandhi demands action against Punjab government

Gandhi also referred to the case of Mohanjeet Singh, whom he said he had spoken with the previous week.

According to Gandhi, Mohanjeet Singh was allegedly subjected to custodial torture after protesting against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann by carrying a black flag at an event attended by the chief minister.

Gandhi said the government should respond to questions from citizens rather than suppress those raising concerns.

He called for Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to demand the resignation of Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and sought an independent and impartial investigation into Gulzar Singh’s death. Gandhi also demanded that Cheema’s name be registered in the FIR. These are Gandhi’s demands and allegations; the NDTV report does not establish them as proven findings.

Drug de-addiction admissions rise in Punjab

The report also cited government data showing a significant increase in admissions at state-run de-addiction and rehabilitation centres.

Admissions rose from 9,577 in 2024 to 25,290 in 2025, an increase of more than 164 per cent. More than 14,000 people had already been admitted to such centres by July this year, according to the data cited in the report.

The Congress has said that people in Punjab will vote out the AAP in the state election, which is due in the coming months.

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PM Modi pushes for global expansion of UPI at Fintech Fest

PM Modi has called for wider global adoption of UPI, highlighting India’s digital payments success and fintech growth at Fintech Fest.

Published

24 hours ago

on

September 8, 2026

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PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for greater global expansion of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), highlighting India’s digital payments infrastructure and its potential to connect people and businesses across borders.

Speaking at the Fintech Fest, PM Modi emphasised the role of technology and financial innovation in transforming India’s payments ecosystem. He said India’s experience with digital payments offers an opportunity to take the country’s homegrown payment infrastructure to a wider international audience.

PM Modi highlights India’s digital payments journey

The Prime Minister pointed to the rapid growth of digital payments in India and the way UPI has become an important part of everyday transactions.

He stressed that India’s fintech ecosystem has demonstrated how technology can make financial services more accessible and convenient for people.

UPI has emerged as one of India’s key digital public infrastructure platforms, allowing users to make instant bank-to-bank payments through participating applications.

Push for wider international adoption of UPI

PM Modi also underlined the importance of taking India’s digital payment capabilities beyond the domestic market.

The push for wider UPI adoption comes as India has been working to establish digital payment linkages with other countries, enabling easier cross-border transactions.

Such international expansion can support Indian travellers, businesses and consumers by making digital payments more convenient in participating countries.

India’s fintech ecosystem in focus

The Prime Minister’s remarks came as the fintech sector continues to play a major role in India’s digital transformation.

India’s experience with UPI has attracted international attention because of the scale at which real-time digital payments are being used.

At the event, the broader fintech ecosystem and the potential of technology to improve access to financial services were also central to discussions.

Why UPI’s global expansion matters

A wider international footprint for UPI could strengthen India’s digital payments ecosystem while making cross-border transactions simpler in countries where UPI-linked systems are available.

The expansion also reflects India’s broader effort to promote its digital public infrastructure and fintech capabilities internationally.

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PM Modi attacks Rahul Gandhi over Jhooth Ki Goonj as he addresses youth in Gujarat

PM Modi took an apparent swipe at Rahul Gandhi in Vadodara, urging young people not to be misled while highlighting infrastructure and education initiatives.

Published

1 day ago

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September 8, 2026

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took an apparent swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while addressing a gathering of young people in Gujarat’s Vadodara.

Speaking at the “NaMo for Viksit Bharat” event, PM Modi cautioned the youth against what he described as misleading claims and referred to “Jhooth Ki Goonj” in an apparent reference to Rahul Gandhi and the Congress’s “Chhatron Ki Goonj” campaign.

“People will try to mislead you through Jhooth Ki Goonj, but youth will stand with truth,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister was in Vadodara to announce new projects and inaugurate completed infrastructure works. He said development projects worth more than Rs. 35,000 crore would provide further momentum to the journey towards a Viksit Bharat.

PM Modi’s dig at Rahul Gandhi

PM Modi’s remarks came in the context of the political debate surrounding the Congress’s “Chhatron Ki Goonj” campaign.

He appeared to refer to a fact-check of Rahul Gandhi’s speeches by a satirical political website. According to the report, the website examined 40 statements made by Rahul Gandhi at four events associated with the campaign and described 29 as “false” and 11 as “misleading”.

The Prime Minister urged young people to distinguish between what he portrayed as misleading political claims and what he called the truth.

Double-stack freight train highlighted

During his address, PM Modi also highlighted the operation of a double-stack container freight train between JNPT in Mumbai and Vadodara.

He said the single journey carried a volume of cargo equivalent to more than 250 trucks. He also used the example to take a humorous swipe at critics concerned about the impact of infrastructure changes on truck operators.

PM Modi also referred to the Dedicated Freight Corridor and said that before 2014, not even 1 km of the project had been completed during the previous government’s seven to eight years.

Free online coaching initiative for students

The Prime Minister also spoke about the government’s move towards providing free online coaching by top teachers to students preparing for competitive examinations.

He said the initiative was aimed at reducing the financial burden of coaching on poor and middle-class families.

PM Modi said education is changing alongside the wider transformation in the world, with skills becoming increasingly important alongside formal degrees.

The Vadodara event combined announcements on infrastructure and education with political remarks directed at the Opposition.

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