'Amazing transformation' of Rahul Gandhi: Omar

May 24, 2015

New Delhi, May 24: Rahul Gandhi preferred silence during the UPA regime as speaking his mind would have meant either being critical of the Prime Minister or his mother, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said and termed as "amazing transformation" the Congress vice president's approach after his 56-day sabbatical.

Omar"The Rahul who left is not the Rahul who has come back," Omar said on the Congress Vice President aggressively taking on the Modi government.

"That's an amazing transformation. I don't know what it's down to. I haven't had the chance to meet up with him as he has been incredibly busy but I don't know where he went and what he did...

"What this transformation is down to, I will try and learn because I guess there are lessons to be learnt for myself in that as well. I just hope that it doesn't mean I have to disappear for 56 days. But it's good. Hats off to him," Omar said here.

He said speaking for Rahul earlier was always going to be difficult. "For him to speak his mind would have meant either being critical of his prime minister or critical of his mother. And that was never going to be easy. And, therefore, I think his option was then to keep quiet and that allowed the perception to grow that he couldn't speak and did not know what he wanted to say," he said.

Rahul had a lot to say but he just wasn't in a position to be able to say it, which is the advantage of being in the opposition where one just gets to speak his or her mind, he said.

Omar hoped that Rahul will be able to sustain this momentum till the next general elections.

"The question which people are asking and I am sure he will really prove them wrong is if he will be able to sustain it. People are wondering whether this is going to be a splash in the pan... two months, three months, four months and then nothing.

"I think, from what I know of him, now that he has set his mind, this is what he will have till next general elections," he said.

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News Network
March 21,2020

New Delhi, Mar 21: A couple was deboarded from a Delhi-bound Rajdhani train on Saturday after co-passengers observed a home quarantine seal on the husband's hand, the Railways said Saturday.

Officials said the Delhi-based couple boarded the Bangalore City-New Delhi Rajdhani at Secunderabad on Saturday morning.

When the train reached Kazipet in Telangana at 9:45 am, a co-passenger noticed the quarantine mark authorities are putting on suspected coronavirus cases —on the husband's hand when he was washing his hands. Other co-passengers then informed the TTE onboard.

The train was briefly detained and the couple was taken to a hospital. The coach was completely sanitised in Kazipet and was locked, officials said.

The air conditioning was also switched off.

The train left for its destination at 11.30 am.

People fleeing quarantine has been a common problem reported from different parts of the country.

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Agencies
January 6,2020

Lucknow, Jan 6: Undeterred by the large scale protests that claimed as many as 20 lives in the state, Uttar Pradesh government has started the process of implementing the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

According to sources in the government, the district magistrates have been directed to identify the migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who have been living in their districts.

Sources said that the state home department has given oral instructions to the district magistrates. ''No written orders have been issued,'' said a senior official here preferring anonymity.

The official said that the district magistrates would be preparing a list containing names of those minorities, who had migrated from these countries following their persecution and had been living without obtaining the citizenship of India.

According to sources, the government expected that the migrants, who could be eligible for the Indian citizenship in accordance with the CAA, could be more in number in the districts, including Rampur, Ghaziabad, Shahjahanpur, Lucknow and some others.

''The list will be sent to the union home ministry,'' the official added.

Sources said that the state government will also inform the centre about the ''illegal Muslim migrants'' for their ultimate deportation to their countries of origin.

Different parts of UP had witnessed large scale violence last month during the protests against the CAA. At least 20 people, mostly youngsters, were killed allegedly in police firing and many others were injured. The state government had denied the charge. 

Alleged police excesses during and after the protests triggered a nationwide outrage with several rights organisations and activists slamming the BJP government and demanding a high-level probe into the allegations.

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News Network
May 24,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, May 24: Keralites on Sunday celebrated a low-key Eid-ul-Fitr amid the coronavirus lockdown in the state as most of the faithful marked the culmination of the fasting month of Ramzan by offering thanksgiving prayers at home.

The festival is being celebrated across Kerala and Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, while the rest of the country will celebrate Eid on Monday.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan extended Eid-ul-Fitr greetings to all Keralites across the world.

State Governor Arif Mohammed Khan also extended his festival wishes to all the Keralites.

"May we also have the blessing to prevent and eliminate the COVID-19 disease," Khan tweeted.

Vijayan said this year Ramzan is celebrated at a time when the world is going through "an unprecedented crisis and misery" because of pandemic COVID-19.

"Usual celebration during Ramzan is not there anywhere in the world due to the pandemic. Instead of offering prayers at mosques, which is important for Muslims, this time the prayers and the feast is performed in their homes.

Community leaders have taken this important decision to protect the interests of the society" he added.

The chief minister said Eid-ul-Fitr gives out a message of equality, tolerance and repentance.

The state government had earlier announced that the lockdown restrictions in the state onSunday will be relaxed in the view of Eid-ul-Fitr with shops selling essential items remaining open.

The State government had earlier declared that a complete shutdown would be observed in Kerala on Sundays in order to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

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