Rahul Gandhi sparks row in Punjab, Akalis call him 'national joke'

October 12, 2012

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Chandigarh, October 12: Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh may be going to polls, but it's Punjab where Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi has created a political storm. Reacting to his remark that "seven out of 10 youth in Punjab are addicted to drugs," the Punjab government hit back saying, "Rahul is a national joke" and sought an apology from him.

This sharp reaction came from Harcharan Bains, advisor to Punjab chief minister on media and national affairs, after Rahul raised the issue of drug addiction while addressing a students' rally here at the Panjab University (PU) campus on Thursday.

"Rahul Gandhi is a national joke. He invites youth of Punjab and then refers to them as drug addicts. Is he mindful of what he is speaking and to whom?" asked Bains.

Rahul, on a two-day visit to Punjab during which he met state Congress leaders at Amritsar, had said, "Youth have the power and knowledge. They could be the solution to all the ills. But what's happening to this human resource in Punjab? The problem of drug addiction is high in Punjab and the government has not shown any seriousness in solving it. Unemployment is also on a high."

Senior Congress leaders said Rahul seemed to have done his home work, basing his attack on an affidavit filed by the Punjab government with the Punjab and Haryana High Court in May 2009 that "Punjab is in the grip of drugs that weakens the morale, physique and character of the youth."

However, deputy CM Sukhbir Badal rubbished Rahul's statement citing the court observation saying, "Rahul Gandhi is trying to malign the youth of Punjab and specially the Sikh youth."

"Congress's policy was first to dub our youth terrorists. Now, they want to put the stigma of drugs on them. I am shocked at the statistics he has announced. Before making such allegations, he should look at the rape cases in a state ruled by his party," Sukhbir told TOI. He blamed the Congress of trying to divert the country's attention from the recent scams.

"Contraband is smuggled through Pakistan through international border and it travels through Punjab before being supplied at other places. Security of international border is the responsibility of government of India and we have no control over it. However, amount of drug seized and number of accused arrested by Punjab police is historic in the last few months," he added.

During his speech, Rahul also lashed out at the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP government in Punjab for "not keeping its promise of pension for all unemployed in the state and for not using scholarships meant for SC/ST students."

"Earlier, Punjab had announced pension for unemployed in the state. But, they forgot this promise. Now, they say this pension would be given to only those whose names are registered with the state employment exchange," he said.

"While the Centre has been sending scholarships for SC and ST students in Punjab, the state government has been returning them," he added.

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News Network
February 29,2020

New Delhi, Feb 29: Amid the raging communal violence in the entire north-east Delhi earlier this week, there were people who were trying to save persons and families from the "other community" from the fury of the mobs of their own community.

Naeem Ali Pradhan, 34, from Shiv Vihar, helped at least 7-8 Hindus on the night of February 24 -- when the violence was at its peak-- escape to safer locations. Shiv Vihar is one of the worst affected areas in the violence.

According to Naeem Ali, that night mobs attacked dozens of shops on the road and later tried to enter inside the residential areas.

Suddenly, he spotted a group of youth who were looking hassled and frantically asking for directions.

"I saw them. Thye were Hindus who were trying to escape a mob looking to target them. They had lost their way inside the streets of our colony. I along with other Muslim men escorted them to the nearby Hindu locality," Naeem, who is also a member of the Aman Committee constituted by the Delhi police, told ANI.

"Several shops which were on the roads including some showrooms were attacked by a group. These Hindus were worried as a mob which was on the main road was attacking people. They asked me the address of a colony as they were unable to find their way," Naeem said.

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News Network
July 19,2020

New Delhi, Jul 19: Blaming the BJP for the political drama in Rajasthan, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Sunday asked Sachin Pilot not to leave the grand old party.

In an interview to news agency, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said Pilot should not follow Jyotiraditya Scindia into the BJP, as he has bright future in Congress.

His remarks follow Pilot's open rebellion against the Ashok Gehlot government, which has been on shaky ground with at least 18 legislators backing the rebel leader.

Pilot was sacked as Rajasthan deputy chief minister and the state Congress chief recently and the Congress has accused the BJP of making efforts to topple the Gehlot-led government by indulging in horse-trading.

"The BJP is behind the crisis in Rajasthan," Singh said.

The Congress veteran said he tried to call Pilot but his calls and text messages went unanswered.

"Age is on your side. Ashok (Gehlot) may have offended you, but all such issues are best resolved amicably. Dont make the mistake that Scindia made. BJP is unreliable. Nobody who joined it from any other party has succeeded there," Singh said.

He said this is the first time that Pilot hasn't responded to him.

"Sachin is like my son. He respects me and I also like him. I called him three-four times and also texted him. He didn't revert. He used to respond immediately earlier," he said.

"It is good to be ambitious. How can one move forward without having ambitions, but along with ambition, one must also have commitment to your organisation, ideology and the nation," Singh said.

For latest updates on the Rajathan Political Crisis, click here

"I heard that he (Pilot) may form a new party. But what is the need for it. Has Congress not given him anything? He was made an MP at 26, a Union minister at 32, the state Congress president at 34 and deputy chief minister at 38. What else does he want? Time is on his side," Singh said.

If Pilot had any issue, then as the state party unit president, he should have called a meeting and discussed the matter, he said. Pilot could have involved Congress national general secretary and Rajasthan in-charge Avinash Pande in talks with Gehlot to resolve differences, he added.

"If you have faith in your legislators, why have you have confined 18-19 of them in ITC Grand hotel at Manesar in Haryana," Singh said.

This is the same hotel where the BJP kept MLAs from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh (during political dramas in those states), he said.

Pilot should forget whatever has happened, come back and sit across the table to discuss how Congress could be strengthened, he said

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Agencies
August 8,2020

Idukki, Aug 8: Nine more bodies have been recovered from the landslide ravaged Pettimudi near Munnar in Idukki on Saturday. With this the death toll in the tragedy reached 26. Around 40 are feared to be still trapped under the debris or washed away.

The rescue operation by NDRF and Fire and Rescue Services that was stopped by Friday evening due to poor light and bad weather resumed by Saturday morning.

Horrifying scene prevailed in the area as relatives of the missing people screamed around in search of their beloved ones. As it is nearly 48 hours since the incident happened, the chances of recovering missing persons alive from the debris is becoming bleak. Three of the bodies recovered on Saturday could not be identified till evening.

Kerala Revenue Minster E Chandrasekharan, who visited the area on Saturday, said that search operation would be carried out until all the missing are recovered.

It was by around 11.30 pm on Thursday that landslide had hit the Nayamakkad estate of Kannan Devan Hills and Plantations. Settlement clusters of plantation workers where 83 persons were staying were reduced to debris as the huge rocks came bulldozing. Five of the residents were reported to be not in the spot while the mishap occured.

Meanwhile, heavy rains led to floods at many parts of the state. Red alert has been issued at Idukki, Malappuram and Wayanad districts for Sunday also. A total of 11,446 persons of 3,530 families were shifted to relief camps across the state, of which major chunk is at Wayanad.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that water level at most dams is increasing swiftly.

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