Modi wave has faded, Rahul capable of leading the nation: Shiv Sena

Agencies
October 27, 2017

Mumbai, Oct 27: In a statement which is not likely to go down well with the BJP, a senior leader of its estranged ally in Maharashtra - Shiv Sena -  has said that the magic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has faded Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is capable of leading the country.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut made these remarks while participating in a discussion on a TV news channel on Thursday, according to news agency.

Stating reasons for rising public anger against the Narendra Modi-led BJP government, Raut blamed the faulty implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) by the Centre, which, he alleged, has made the life miserable for small traders and businessmen.

The implementation of GST is an indication that the BJP would face a stiff challenge in polls, scheduled to be held in December, Raut added.

Praising Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Raut said that it is wrong to call the Gandhi scion 'Pappu'.

"Rahul Gandhi is capable of leading the country. It is wrong to call him 'Pappu'," he said referring to the nickname used to mock the Congress vice-president by a section on social media.

Interestingly, Maharashtra State Education Minister and senior BJP leader Vinod Tawde was also present at the event.

"The biggest political power in this country is people...the voters. 'Woh kisi ko bhi Pappu bana sakte hai' (People can make anyone pappu)," the Sena leader said in an apparent dig at the BJP which had secured a massive mandate in 2014 polls.

Shiv Sena, the oldest constituent of the NDA, shares a 'love-hare' relationship with its senior ally, the BJP, in the Centre and Maharashtra.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party has been attacking Prime Minister Modi regularly and has often taken potshots at the BJP through editorials in the party mouthpiece "Saamana".

Raut's comments came a day after the schedule for Gujarat polls was announced.

Though Sena lacks any base in Gujarat - the home state of Modi - the party had extended its support to Patidar leader Hardik Patel who had met Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's residence in Mumbai earlier this year.

"The Modi wave was there in 2014 General Elections but now it seems to have faded away. The way people are marching on roads of Gujarat after GST was introduced, it seems they (BJP) are going to face a challenge," Raut added.

In 2015, Shiv Sena had said that even 100 Rahul Gandhis cannot match Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "mega wave" and had mocked the Congress vice president for his 'suit-boot ki sarkar' jibe.

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News Network
April 4,2020

Srinagar, Apr 4: Two militants were reportedly killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, police said.

The security forces launched a cordon and search operation based on intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in Hardmand Guri village in Kulgam, a police spokesperson said.

"This operation based on a credible police input was launched this morning. Two terrorists have been reportedly killed so far," the spokesperson said, adding that the exchange of fire was going on.

Earlier, the police tweeted on its official handle that three militants had been trapped in the cordon. "Same group of #terrorists trapped who killed 3 civilians recently," the police said.

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News Network
July 27,2020

New Delhi, Jul 27: India's COVID tally on Monday crossed 14 lakh mark with the highest single-day spike of 49,931 cases reported in the last 24 hours, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The total COVID-19 cases stand at 14,35,453, including 4,85,114 active cases, 9,17,568 cured/discharged/migrated, it added.

With 708 deaths in the last 24 hours, the cumulative toll reached 32,771.

India had crossed 13 lakhs COVID-19 cases on July 25.

Maharashtra has reported 3,75,799 coronavirus cases, the highest among states and Union Territories in the country.

A total of 2,13,723 cases have been reported from Tamil Nadu till now, while Delhi has recorded a total of 1,30,606 coronavirus cases.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 5,15,472 samples were tested for coronavirus on Sunday and overall 1,68,06,803 samples have been tested so far.

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News Network
March 9,2020

Kolkata, Mar 9: A diabetic man died in the isolation ward of a hospital in West Bengal's Murshidabad on Sunday, a day after he was admitted there with suspected symptoms of coronavirus following his return from Saudi Arabia.

According to doctors, he was admitted to the hospital with fever, cough and cold.

Though test results of his blood and swab samples for novel coronavirus were awaited, it can be said that he died probably of diabetes, Director of Health Services Ajay Chakraborty told PTI.

"The man was highly diabetic and was on insulin. He returned home from Saudi Arabia and had no money to take insulin for the last three to four days.

"He was also suffering from fever, cough and cold. He was admitted to the isolation ward of the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital yesterday and died today," the health services director said.

"We are waiting for the results of medical tests. The possibility of his death due to novel coronavirus infection is remote," he said.

However, precautions will be taken during the last rites of the victim according to the directives set by the central and state governments for patients who die of the virus, another senior official said.

"Family members will not be allowed to touch the body since the man had been suffering from cough and breathlessness. Those performing his last rites will be given protective gear, masks and gloves. Though test results are yet to be known, we do not want to take any chance," he said.

Meanwhile, the state health department has issued a directive to all private medical facilities to create a system for assessing all patients at admission allowing early recognition of possible COVID-19 infection and immediate isolation of patients with suspected novel coronavirus infection in an area separate from other patients.

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