26.11.99 : The Congress would support the IRA Bill, if it matched its manifesto, said the senior Congress leader and deputy Leader os Opposition in the Lok Sacha. Mr Scindia said his party favoured further strengthening of the GIC and the LIC in the Public Sector, Listing out his pre-condition for supporting the Bill, Mr Scindia said the resource generated in the wake of foreign investment in insurance business should be utilised on developing infrastructure and for programmes focussing on the problems of the weaker section. On the cyclone relief operation in Orissa, Mr Scindia said the tragedy needed to be declared a 'national calamity of rarest severity' to international assistance. Mr Scindia said that of the Rs 650 crore released by the centre, only Rs 200 crore had been classified as a grant. "A part of the remaining  amount which the State has a pay back, carries nine per cent interest.....Orissa wants  an assurance that the entire amount will be treated as a grant."

29.11.99 : Refuting the BJP allegation that the Congress is linking the chargesheet issue with the party's support to the economic legislation before Parliament, the Congress spokesman, Mr Ajit Jogi , said, " The congress is neither interested in a trade nor it is making the chargesheet issue a bargaining point." Mr Jogi said that it was tottaly wrong and incorrect to accuse the party of linking the two as the BJP does. Clarifying the party's stand on Bofors issue, Mr Jogi said that the law will take its own course "nut we object inclusion of Rajiv Gandhi's name in the chargesheet. He said it was a politically motivated decision aimed at political vendetta. Mr Jogi criticised the Governemnt for not coming up with all teh Bills mentioned in the President's address to Parliament last month. He said, "It only shows that this Government does not believe in honouring its own commitment."  Reiterating the party's demand thet the Orissa cyclone be termed as a national calamity, Mr Jogi accused the Government of politicising a human tragedy.

1.12.99 : As a per-condition for supporting the BIll on Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority, in the Lok Sabha, the Congress Party outlined four amendments to the Bill. They are: (1) According primacy for grant of licences to companies offering health insurance as only two million out of the 960 million Indians were currently covered by such schemes; (2) Specific dorections by the proposed IRDA fo rinvestment by new companies in the spheres of infrastructure developments such as water supply, housing, sewerage and power; (3) Ensuring that all social welfare programmes are implemented by the new private companies, be it crop insurance in rural areas ir insurance in informal or unorganised sectors comprising handloom weavers, bid iworkers and rickshaw. Any regulation made fot the purpose must make sure that such investments were not less than 75 per cent of the investible funds; (4) Imposition of steep penalties to the tune of Rs 25 lakh or cancellation of registration of companies which fail to comply with the direction of the IRDA. Mr Jairam Ramesh, secretary of the economic affairs to the Congress party, said his party would support the Bill only in the event of the Government categorically accepting the amendments as pro-poor, pro-social sector and pro-infrastructure development.

3.12.99 : The Congress has alleged that the Vajpayee Government had imported wheat from May to September this year for personal gain. Mr Ajit Jogi, Congress spokesman, termed Mr Vajpayee's refusal to order an inquiry as 'something fishy' in the deal. Mr Jogi said because of import the nation lost substantial amount of fireign exchange and reiterated the demand for an inquiry by a house committee.  "The refusal by the Government for a probe into the matter indicates that there is something wrong in the matter. That is why we are demanding a joint committee of the two houses to probe into the important deal,: he said.

6.12.99 : The Congress has boubted the Government intention to expedite the Ayodhya case and asked it if it was proper for the three Union Ministers, who were facing criminal proceedings, to continue in office.  The Congress spokesman, Mr Ajit Jogi, said that the Government could expedite the case if it was so inclined. Options such as a special court or daily hearings of the case should be explored. Mr Jogi said that prior to the demolition, BJP leaders had given assurances to Parliament and to the Supreme Court that no damage would be done to teh Babri Masjid. But they had gone back on their word. Mr Jogi demanded that the case be disposed of without delay and immediate legal action be taken against the guilty.

7.12.99 : The Congress has accused the bJP of adopting double standards and demanded removal of Mr L.K.Advani, Ms Uma Bharati and Dr M.M.Joshi from the Council of Ministers. The Congress spokesman, Mr Ajit Jogi, held them guilty of committing a heinous national crime and said that they should not be in the Government. They should have resigned on moral grounds the day the chargesheet eas filed against them, he said. Mr Madhavarao Scindia, deputy leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said all norms and standards of politically morality had been torn to shreds by the Prime Minister today in Parliament.  He remarked, "It is bewildering that we are being assured by the Prime Minister, on behalf of the Home Minister, that he will vigorously and diligently ensure that the cases against him arre pursued. The ugly face of the BJP is getting exposed."

8.12.99 : The Congress has castigated as the BJP for hypocrisy and termed as a 'drama' the offers of Mr L.K.Advani, Union Home Minister and Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, Human Resource development Minister, to resign.     The Congress spokesman, Mr Ajit Jogi, said his party would continue to press its demand for the removal of the three Union Ministers charge-sheeted in the Babri Masjid case.       The party attacked Mr Vajpayee's statement in the Lok Sabha yesterday in which he said that since there was neither an allegation of corruption nor any charge of misuse of office against the three ministers, he did not think it necessary for them to resign or for them to be debarred from answering questions on the Babri issue. Mr Jogi said that his party had always set high moral standards. In the past the ministers and the Chief Ministers of his party sub,itted their resignation on moral grounds whenever allegations of varied true were levelled against them. Meanwhile, Mr Vasant Sathe, a veteran Congress leader, has announced that he would go on an indefinite fast from March next year unless the Government changed the tax policy. He suggested hike in the upper slab of personal income tax to achieve economic independence.

9.12.99 : The Congress has cused the Government of going back on its promise of creating Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand and is trying to buy time by deciding to start the process from scratch. The Congress party spokesman, Mr Ajit Jogi, said some of the BJP's allise like TDP, Shiv Sena nad Akali Dal had already come out in the open against the creation of these small states and hence the Vajpayee Government was trying to put the matter on the back burner. Mr Jogi said all formalities including approval by the legislatures of the states out of which the smaller states were to be  carved out, had been completed and it was entirely within the powers of the Central Government to create new states.   Mr Jogi welcomed the Government's offer to set up a fresh panel to probe into the 1984 Delhi riots. "All the guilty must be punished. It is the responsibility of the Government to take appropriate steps to achieve this objective."  The Congress spokesman said the Congress-NCP Government in Maharashtra would take the steps to implement the report of the Srikrishna Commission as his party was committed to its.

10.12.99 : The Congress has expressed disappointment over the withdrawal of the US-based Cogentrix from the 1000 MW Manglore power project. It has asked the Government to come clean on the issue, "as tere is something more to it than what is reported in the press."   Mr Anil Shastri, party spokesman, asked the Government to clarify why Cogentrix had withdrawn as the Karnataka Government was eagerly looking for the completion of the project.  He said that it was interesting taht the Government was talking about secong generation reforms, on the one hand, and such disappointing developments were taking place on the other.

15.12.99 : The Congress has demandedimposition of President's rule in Haryana so that free and fair elections can be held in the State. Mr Ajit Jogi, Congress spokesman, argued that with the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, at the helm one could not expect fair elections in Haryana. The main prupose of the BJP-Chautala combine was to hold the polls under his regime.  Calling it as constitutionally correct but politically wrong, Mr Jogi said that Mr Chautala had cheated the people of Haryana by toppling the Bansilal Government and then declaring elections. "The BJP_Chautala combine had, through manipulation and horse-trading, brought down the elected Bansilal Government," he stressed.

16.12.99 :In a bid to gear up for Assembly elections, a State Election Committee and a campaign committrr have been formed in Haryana. The Congress spokesperson, Mr Ajit Jogi, said that Mr S.S.Surjewala (former PCC chief) and Mr Indrajit Singh will be the chairman and convenor, respectively, of the campaign committee which is likely to have 40 members. Senior leaders Mr Bhajan Lal, Mr Birendra Singh, Mr Avtar Singh  Bandhana and the HPCC president, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, are among the prominent names in the state election committee. Other members are Ms Selja, Mr Khusheed Ahmed, Mr Indrajit Singh, MR S.S.Surjewala, Mr Harpal Singh, Mrs Katari Devi, Mr Chiranjilal Sharma and Mr O.P.jindal.

20.12.99 : The Congress party has charged the BJP Government with not being clear in its intention to introduce the Bill. "Perhaps it wanted to introduce the Bill on the last day of the  session to 'go through the motion," said the Congress spokesman. Refusing the comment on the issue of quota within quota, Mr Jogi said, "It is for the Government to take a decision and initiative in this regard and evolve a consensus on it."

25.12.99 : The Congress has condemned the hijacking of Indian Airlines plane and demanded that the Government should take firm steps to ensure the release of the passengers without compromosing on the national interests. The party General Secretarey, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, said that the Government should have acted in advance and altered all the neighbouring countries, including Nepal, on the increase in militant activities in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East, in the last six months. "It is unfortunate that the hijackers have acted in a manner that is nothing short of cowardice," he added.

27.12.99 : The Congress has urged the Government to take necessary steps in resolvimg the hijackcrisis, keeping in mind the safety and security of the passengers and the interests of the nation.

                 The former Exteranl Affairs Minister, Mr Natwar Singh, said that considering the rapidly changing situation "whatever the Government decides, the decision should be made keeping in mind two main factors: the safety and security of the passengers, the crew and the interest of the nation."

28.12.99 : The Congress has reiterated that the Government was the best judge to decide on the steps to be taken to end the hijack drama. It refused to comment on the handling of the crisis, given the gravity of the situation.  "In a rapidly changing situation we believe that it is for the Government to make an overall assessment of the situation and take appropriate action, keeping in view national interests and the safaety and security of the passengers," said the Congress spokesman.

30.11.99 : The Congress has urged the Government to ensure safety of passengers and national interests while dealing with hijackers. Refusing the comment on the development in Kandhar, Mr Ajit Jogi, Congress spokesman, said, "In a rapidly changing situation it is for the Government to make assessment and thereafter to take decision."  The Congress is adopting a wait-and watch policy in Pondicherry where the TMC has withdrawn its support to the DMK-led Government, said Mr Jogi.