New Delhi:

Congress’ deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday wrote to Speaker Om Birla, expressing deep concern over “deteriorating standards of parliamentary conduct” in the House as he cited instances of ministers allegedly making objectionable remarks against opposition leaders.

Gaurav Gogoi alleged that Union Ministers Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Ravneet Singh Bittu used threatening and unparliamentary language against former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi, respectively.

In his letter to Birla, the Congress MP from Assam’s Jorhat sought the Lok Sabha speaker’s immediate intervention in the matter and hoped that he would take prompt action against those making “deplorable statements” against members of Parliament.

“I am writing to you to express my deep concern about the deteriorating standards of parliamentary conduct in the Lok Sabha as evidenced by several instances from the ongoing Monsoon Session. Often, it is the ministers of the government themselves who make unparliamentary, objectionable and threatening remarks against members of opposition parties,” Gaurav Gogoi said in the letter.

He claimed that on July 26 Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh used “threatening language” against former Haryana chief minister Bhupender Singh Hooda who is not a member of Parliament.

On July 25, Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu used “unparliamentary language” while referring to Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sonia Gandhi, Gaurav Gogoi alleged.

The Congress’ deputy leader in the Lok Sabha also cited the example of BJP MP Nishikant Dubey using “communal language” during his interventions in the House.

“It is disappointing to note that the minister of parliamentary affairs was been able to restrain his colleagues when these incidents took place despite being present in the House,” he said in the letter to Birla.

Asserting that ensuring the smooth functioning of the House is a collective responsibility, Gaurav Gogoi said it is also important that the government takes a proactive and collaborative approach.

“It is unfortunate that this government has consistently overlooked procedures, conventions and decorum of Parliament, leaving no room for the opposition’s voice,” he said.

Each member of the House holds equal responsibility for representing the voice of their constituents, Gaurav Gogoi said and stressed that difference of opinion should not result in disrespect.

“As a custodian of the House, we expect you to uphold the code of conduct and ensure that no member, whether treasury or opposition, is allowed to breach the norms of Parliament,” he said in the letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker.

“I urge your immediate intervention in the matter and hope that you will take prompt action against those making these deplorable statements against Members of Parliament,” Gaurav Gogoi added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Agartala:

Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said that his party does not want ethnic violence similar to Manipur to erupt in Tripura and it wants equal justice for everyone and each community.

Mr Gogoi along with Lok Sabha Member and former Union Minister Tariq Anwar accompanied by other senior Congress leaders met Tripura Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu and discussed the ongoing violent incidents relating to Panchayat elections in the state and recent ethnic violence in Ganda Twisa in the state’s Dhalai district.

He said that the Congress wanted justice for the youth who was killed and for those people, whose houses, shops, and properties were either set ablaze or damaged in the recent ethnic violence in Ganda Twisa.

Large-scale arson, attacks, and looting took place in Ganda Twisa on July 12 after the death of a tribal college student Parameshwar Reang, who succumbed to his injuries after being assaulted on July 7.

According to officials, over 40 houses, 30 shops, and many vehicles were either burnt or severely damaged by the attackers in Ganda Twisa situated 130 km southeast of Agartala.

Over 300 villagers took shelter in special camps after the violence. The Tripura government announced Rs 1.60 crore compensation for the 166 affected families.

Mr Gogoi, who was elected to the Lok Sabha from Assam’s Jorhat Parliamentary constituency, claimed that the law and order situation has collapsed in Tripura, democracy and the Constitution are now under threat and people are not getting due justice from the authority.

“Our party leaders in Tripura from time to time inform the police authority about the violence in Ganda Twisa and violent incidents relating to the upcoming Panchayat elections, but the government is not taking any steps and actions against the perpetrators,” he said.

Demanding the Governor’s intervention, the Congress leader said, “Our party candidates are not being allowed to submit nominations in a large number of seats, therefore there is no guarantee that the voters can reach polling booths on the day of polling on August 8…”

He said that the “entire world is watching how many incidents of violence are taking place in Tripura ahead of the panchayat elections”.

Tariq Anwar, who is a member of the Congress Working Committee, said that the panchayat poll on August 8 “should be held in a free, fair and transparent manner allowing all parties to participate in the entire electoral process”.

Earlier in the day, the Tripura High Court directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to conduct free and fair three-tier Gram Panchayats elections on August 8.

A division bench of the High Court comprising Justice Arindam Lodh and Justice Sabyasachi Datta Purkayastha asked the SEC to hold the panchayat elections freely, fairly and transparently.

The High Court passed the order after the opposition Congress and the CPI-M filed separate petitions before the court seeking its directions to the SEC to conduct the Gram Panchayats elections freely and fairly after a large number of violent incidents took place across the state while the candidates of the opposition parties tried to submit their nomination papers.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The Congress party has named party MP Gaurav Gogoi as the deputy leader and K Suresh as the Chief Whip in the Lok Sabha.

Congress MPs Manickam Tagore and Md Jawaid will serve as whips of the party.

In this regard, a formal letter has been sent to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.

Party MP KC Venugopal took to ‘X’ and provided information about the fresh appointments.

“Hon’ble CPP Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji has written to the Hon’ble Lok Sabha Speaker informing him about the appointment of the Deputy Leader, Chief Whip, and two Whips for the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha. Deputy Leader: Shri @GauravGogoiAsm, Chief Whip: Shri @kodikunnilMP, Whips: 1. Shri @manickamtagore and 2. @DrMdJawaid1. Congratulations to the new appointees,” he wrote in a post on ‘X.

The Congress MP also expressed confidence that the party, along with its allies in the INDIA bloc, would champion the people’s causes in the Lok Sabha.

“Guided by LOP Shri @RahulGandhi ji, the Congress and INDIA parties will energetically champion the people’s causes in the Lok Sabha,” he added.

Gaurav Gogoi represents Assam’s Jorhat constituency in the 18th Lok Sabha. He was pitted against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Topon Kumar Gogoi.

K Suresh is currently the longest-serving Lok Sabha MP, as he has remained MP for 29 years.

Suresh was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989, and thereafter, he won consecutively in the 1991, 1996, and 1999 general elections to the Lok Sabha from the Adoor constituency for four straight terms.

Suresh, who won his eighth Lok Sabha election from Mavelikkara (Kerala) in the 2024 general elections, has represented the seat four times in the past.

He is the working president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and was the chief whip of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the 17th Lok Sabha.

The Mavelikkara MP was also nominated for the post of Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha. Later, the INDIA bloc decided to field him for the post of Speaker after the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) refused to accept the opposition INDIA bloc’s demand that the Deputy Speaker’s position be left for the Opposition in exchange for its support for the NDA nominee.

However, the NDA, which commands 293 MPs in the 543-member Lok Sabha, was able to demonstrate its clear majority to ensure that Om Birla returns to the chair he held in the 17th Lok Sabha.

Earlier, the INDIA bloc appointed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition (LoP), ending the 10-year spell of no LoP in the Lower House since 2014.

Lok Sabha did not have a Leader of Opposition in the last 10 years because no political party, other than the ruling party, was able to secure the minimum number of Lok Sabha seats required to nominate a Leader of the Opposition.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, the Congress emerged as the second-largest party with 52 seats. This was three short of the requisite numbers. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress, again the second largest party, won 44 Lok Sabha seats — way below the mark.

After the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls, the Congress emerged as the second-largest party in the election and improved its tally to 100, from 52 in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll. The total tally of the INDIA bloc stood at 234.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The Congress on Tuesday claimed there is no anti-incumbency against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in Rajasthan and the party will buck the trend of alternating governments in the desert state. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi made the remarks after chairing a meeting of the party’s screening committee for Rajasthan in the presence of state leaders here.

Mr Gogoi also accused the BJP of fielding its MPs in the state assembly polls out of fear of losing in the 2024 parliamentary polls, claiming there is a lot of anti-incumbency against them.

“There has been a tradition in Rajasthan for many years that the government changes every five years, but this time we have seen very closely that there is no anti-incumbency against the government and the chief minister.

“This time the tradition is going to break and that is why the BJP is scared and has given tickets in the assembly polls to those MPs against whom there is a lot of opposition. There is big anti-incumbency as they know they are not going to win the Lok Sabha polls again,” the Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha said.

Chief Minister Gehlot, who is seeking to repeat his government in the state, also met former party chief Sonia Gandhi as also the party’s treasurer Ajay Maken.

Mr Gehlot, who was here to attend the Congress Working Committee meeting on Monday, left the national capital for Rajasthan in the afternoon.

Rajasthan goes to polls on November 30 for the 200-member state assembly.

Asked about who would be the CM face in Rajasthan, Mr Gogoi said the party would follow the tradition.

On when the party would declare its candidates, he alleged that the BJP knows all the news in advance about when the model code is going to be imposed and when the election schedule is going to be declared, hence their preparations are done accordingly.

“See, how much chemistry there is between the two when the elections are declared, the list is prepared,” he said.

“As far as the Congress party is concerned, we are fully active and fully prepared…we are going to win this election,” Mr Gogoi said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Guwahati:

Opposition MLAs in Assam staged a walkout in protest after Speaker Biswajit Daimary rejected their request for an adjournment motion to address allegations against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife. 

According to the allegations leveled by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, a company associated with Mr Sarma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma reportedly received a subsidy under a central scheme.

Mr Gogoi asserted that the subsidy was sanctioned on November 10 under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampad Yojana’s agro-processing clusters programme to Riniki Bhuyan Sarma’s Pride East Entertainment Private Limited for a project valued at Rs 25.88 crore.

The Opposition submitted an adjournment motion notice to deliberate on this matter. 

However, the Speaker deemed it “out of order”, leading to a strong reaction from Opposition members. 

Subsequently, the House witnessed two adjournments, each lasting 30 minutes, due to the ensuing turmoil.

Guwahati:

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma today said she would files a Rs 10 crore defamation case against Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi over his allegation that her company has taken a Rs 10 crore central subsidy.

There has been an intense war of words between Mr Gogoi and the Chief Minister on X (formerly Twitter) since yesterday over Mrs Sarma’s alleged involvement in receiving a credit-linked subsidy from the Central Government.

 “Pride East Entertainments Pvt. Ltd. is an independent entity in existence since 2006 with business interests in varied sectors. It is a law-abiding company with all its financial records in the public domain. With a long and successful business track record, Pride East Entertainments Pvt. Ltd.- like any other qualifying enterprise – is eligible to participate in government-supported programs/incentive schemes. However in the present case, pertaining to the PM Kisan Sampada Scheme, Pride East Entertainments Pvt. Ltd has neither claimed or received a single paisa of government subsidy, despite meeting all the eligible criteria,” Riniki Bhuyan Sarma tweeted in X.

Attaching Lok Sabha replies, Mr Gogoi had initially posted: “The whole day yesterday Himanta Biswa Sarma parroted one line regarding his wife’s firm. For his benefit I am stating the reply of Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal in Parliament. Piyush Goyal’s reply has exposed the truth and both Ministers need to clarify”.

Out of respect I will offer my free advice to the company linked to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma which has received approval for a Rs 10 crore grant from the Government of India. Please make Union Minister Piyush Goyal and BJP MP Pallab Das a party to the case. pic.twitter.com/6O3oJ7wKz2

— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) September 14, 2023

“The reply itself clarifies the fact that the Government of India has not released any funds to the mentioned company. I want to emphasize once again that neither my wife nor the company she is associated with has received or claimed any amount from the Government of India. If anyone can provide evidence to the contrary, I am willing to accept any punishment including retirement from public life,” the Chief Minister tweeted.

“Please be present in Assam Assembly and clarify instead of typing on Twitter. Congress MLAs in the morning have moved an adjournment motion to discuss the entire Pride Media- KMSY but your answer is lacking,” Mr Gogoi had responded.

An irked post from the Chief Minister then read: “Please do not lecture me on what to do. Whether I decide to go to the assembly or a court of law against you, I will make that decision myself.”

“Please do not get agitated,” Mr Gogoi shot back. “I will send you the link of Opposition MLAs wanting your presence in Assembly. I will be happy if you go to court at least then all the documents will be made public,” he added.

There on, the spat became intensely personal, drawing protests from many following the Chief Minister.

“Yes, I am agitated. There have been numerous reasons for my anger against your family since 2010. I am confident that we will meet in court, and once again, I will be able to prove my point. I have successfully done so in 2016 and 2021, and I am determined to do it again, both in the People’s Court and in a court of law,” Mr Sarma posted..

During the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, one of Assam’s tallest politicians experienced post-Covid complications. We advised his family to transfer him to Delhi for better treatment, with the state government covering the expenses. However, his distinguished son refused to take the patient to Delhi,”read another post. .

I feel sorry for you and I wish you well. Sharing my late father’s Tarun Gogoi’ s viral video https://t.co/os4mYzgRNq In this video he said” I have never met a person who could touch my feet and put a dagger in my back at the same time ” (in Assamese). https://t.co/3136oQGv7e

— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) September 14, 2023

“I feel sorry for you and I wish you well. Sharing my late father’s Tarun Gogoi’ s viral video https://youtu.be/8lblKM7YXgc?si=phPGSjpk77XQiIi5 In this video he said” I have never met a person who could touch my feet and put a dagger in my back at the same time ” (in Assamese),”Mr Gogoi shot back.

New Delhi:

Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday criticized the BJP-led government, asserting that it has kept the nation uninformed as it is not disclosing the agenda for the upcoming special session of Parliament scheduled to be held from September 18 to 22.

Addressing a press conference, Gaurav Gogoi said, “Today a meeting of our Parliamentary Strategic Committee was held under the chairmanship of Sonia Gandhi and the leadership of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Important issues were discussed that the country is facing today. There was discussion about inflation, unemployment, Manipur and natural disaster in Himachal Pradesh.”

“Special session of Parliament has been called from September 18 but BJP itself is not able to tell what is the agenda of the session. The BJP has kept the country in the dark on this. This government is not transparent and responsible towards the country. BJP is not able to clear what will be the agenda for the session. Our principle is that there should be discussion in the House on the important issues of the country. Congress Party is ready to discuss and give suggestions on these issues,” he added.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the upcoming session of Parliament was called to divert the attention from the INDIA meeting in Mumbai and further attacked the BJP by mentioning that they won’t listen to ‘Modi Chalisa’ for 5 days.

“We are seeing for the first time that PM Modi and his associates announced a 5-day special session to divert attention from the INDIA meeting. If you look at the Parliament bulletin they have mentioned all 5 days for government business. We don’t have any information as to what matters will be taken up during this session. Today the Congress party has decided that we will participate in this special session, but discussion should be done on people’s issues,” the Congress leader said.

Earlier today Congress held a Parliamentary strategy group meeting ahead of the Parliament special session starting from September 18. The meeting was held at the residence of Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday informed about the five-day special session of Parliament from September 18-22. The agenda for the special session, however, was not revealed yet.

The Centre on Saturday constituted an eight-member committee to examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections in the country.

The members of the committee, apart from former President Kovind, include Union Home Minister Amit Shah; Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury; former Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad; former Finance Commission chairman NK Singh, former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash C Kashyap, senior advocate Harish Salve and former chief vigilance commissioner Sanjay Kothari.

The Monsoon Session of Parliament, which concluded last month, was held in the old Parliament building. The announcement of the Special Session came as a surprise in political circles with the parties gearing up for assembly polls in five states later this year.

Indicating his party’s readiness to cooperate with the government during the special session, Jairam Ramesh stated that the Congress party intends to have a comprehensive discussion on various challenges confronting the country, encompassing social, economic, political, and diplomatic issues.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)