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Flanked by entire family, Rahul Gandhi files nomination from Amethi

April 12, 2014

Rahul_Gandhi_Amethi

Amethi, Apr 12: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today filed his nomination from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh in the presence of mother Sonia, sister Priyanka and her husband Robert Vadra. The Congress No. 2 is seeking re-election for a third consecutive term from the Lok Sabha constituency.

"I have been working in Amethi for 10 years... We have family ties with Amethi, it will be a good victory," Mr Gandhi, flanked by his mother, told reporters. The 43-year-old also denied making any personal attack on Narendra Modi, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, referring to his remarks at a rally yesterday over the latter's controversial admission of marriage in his poll affidavit. "I just said Modi didn't mention his marital status earlier," Mr Gandhi said.

Earlier, the 43-year-old MP arrived to a rousing reception in Amethi. Perched atop an SUV, the Gandhi siblings waved as their convoy made its way through the huge crowd that had lined the entire route to the district collectorate in Gauriganj in Amethi where Mr Gandhi filed his nomination. Rose petals were constantly showered on them in line with the grand welcome promised by the local Congress unit.

500 kgs of flowers had reportedly been arranged to welcome Mr Gandhi who has held the Amethi seat since 2004.

Mr Gandhi, though, faces a tough three-cornered contest this time around with the BJP fielding actor-turned-politician and Rajya Sabha MP Smriti Irani from the seat and poet-turned-politician Kumar Vishwas representing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Both Ms Irani and Mr Vishwas have openly challenged the Congress No. 2 to a debate over development in Amethi, but so far he has refused. The constituency, which has been represented by Mr Gandhi's mother and Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the past, has traditionally voted for the party. It goes to polls on May 7, the penultimate phase of the nine-phase general election.

The battle for Amethi is also a major test for Priyanka, who as campaign manager, will have to ensure that Mr Gandhi's over 3.5 lakh-winning margin in 2009 is not breached this time. The 42-year-old had recently said that that she will actively campaign only for her brother and mother, who is contesting from the neighbouring Raebareli constituency after vacating the Amethi seat for her son in 2004.

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Agencies
July 27,2020

New Delhi, Jul 27: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he is not going to lie about Chinese transgressions in eastern Ladakh even if it costs him politically, asserting he will say the truth as far as Indian territory is concerned.

Gandhi made these remarks in a tweet, along with an over-a-minute-long video, as part of a series launched by him on the India-China face-off along the Line of Actual Control(LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

Asked in the video how he would react to people who say his questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on China weakened India, the former Congress chief said, "If you want me to lie that the Chinese have not entered this country, I am not going to lie. I will simply not do it. I do not care if my whole career goes to hell. I am not going to lie."

"This disturbs me. Frankly, it makes my blood boil. How can some other nation just come into our territory?"

"Hiding the truth is anti-national. Bringing it to people's attention is patriotic," Gandhi said.

"So frankly, I do not care if it costs me politically. I do not care if I have no political career at all after that. But I am going to say the truth as far as Indian territory is concerned," he added.

Gandhi has been repeatedly attacking the prime minister and the government over Chinese transgressions on the LAC in eastern Ladakh.

"As an Indian, my number one priority is the nation and its people," he said on Monday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit back at Gandhi over his attack on the government on the Ladakh face-off, alleging he is seeking to politicise defence and foreign policy matters and "wash their past sins of 1962 and weaken India".

BJP president JP Nadda has also alleged that for years, a dynasty has been trying to destroy Modi, while adding that those who want to destroy the prime minister will only end up causing further damage to their own party.

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Agencies
January 1,2020

New Delhi, Jan 1: On the New Year's eve, the railways announced fare hike across its network effective from January 1, 2020, according to an order issued on Tuesday.

While suburban fares remain unchanged, ordinary non-AC, non-suburban fares were increased by 1 paise per km of journey.

The railways also announced a two paise/km hike in fares of mail/express non-AC trains and four paise/km hike in the fares of AC classes.

The fare hike is also applicable to premium trains such as Shatabdi, Rajdhani and Duronto, according to the order.

In the Delhi-Kolkata Rajdhani, which covers a distance of 1,447 km, the hike at the rate of 4 paise per km will be around Rs 58.

According to the order, there will not be any change in the reservation fee and superfast charge and the hike in fares will not be applicable to tickets already booked.

The last such hike was announced in 2014-2015 when fares of all classes of trains were raised by 14.2 per cent and freight charges by 6.5 per cent. However, since then, the railways introduced the flexi-fare scheme which significantly raised fares on select trains and launched trains like Vande Bharat Express and Tejas Express which have relatively higher fares. Trains with dynamic pricing like Suvidha Express were also introduced.

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Agencies
January 5,2020

New Delhi, Jan 5: A masked mob on Sunday entered the Sabarmati Hostel on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus and assaulted several students and professors with sticks and rods.

"I have been brutally attacked by goons wearing masks. I am bleeding. I was brutally beaten up," JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) president Aishe Ghosh told reporters.

She has been admitted to the AIIMS here for treatment.

Several other students were also injured in the incident.

In a video of the incident, a group of goons with their faces covered can be seen assaulting students with wooden sticks and rods.

A tweet from the official handle of the JNUSU said, "Sabarmati Hostel: right now. They are beating the students who are inside. Knocking on doors with rods. People are jumping from balconies. #SOSJNU #EmergencyinJNU."

"Professors who were trying to protect us have been beaten up. These are unknown ABVP goons, not all are students, they have covered their faces, and they are moving towards the hotels near the West Gate. Stay alert. Make human chains. Protect each other. #SOSJNU #EmergencyinJNU," another tweet added.

Meanwhile, the ABVP's JNU unit claimed in a tweet: "Emergency in JNU. Leftist goons of JNU accompained with their cadre from other universities have crossed every limit. They have proceeded with unimaginable violence on ABVP activists of JNU."

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