Rahul says PM got a woman to defend him on Rafale, Modi calls it insult to all women

Agencies
January 10, 2019

Jaipur/Agra, Jan 10: Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday said the prime minister got a woman to defend him in Parliament as he couldn't do so himself, a remark that appeared to trigger a sharp retort from Narendra Modi who accused the opposition of insulting Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Calling Modi a prime minister who claimed to have a broad chest, Gandhi said, the prime minister had "run away" from debate in Parliament on the defence deal.

The watchman with a 56-inch chest ran away and told a woman, Sitharaman ji, defend me. I won't be able to defend myself, defend me, he said at a farmers' rally in Jaipur.

For two and a half hours, the woman could not defend him. I had asked a straight question answer yes or no but she couldn't answer, the Congress chief said, using the word mahila' for a woman in his speech in Hindi.

Later in the address, he accused the prime minister again of running away from the debate, but this time did not refer to the defence minister in the same manner.

In his public meeting a few hours later in Agra, Modi accused Congress leaders of insulting the country's women.

He said Defence Minister Sitharaman had floored the Opposition in the Lok Sabha by coming up with "fact after fact" on the Rafale deal.

"They are bent upon insulting a woman defence minister," he said, without naming Gandhi.

"This is not an insult to a woman, but an insult to entire India's women power, for which these irresponsible leaders will have to pay the price," Modi added.

The prime minister said it was matter of pride that a woman had become defence minister for the first time in the country.

Former Rajasthan BJP president Arun Chaturvedi later demanded an apology from Gandhi for the manner in which he had referred to the defence minister.

Rahul Gandhi was addressing his first public meeting in Rajasthan since the Congress came to power there, and in two other Hindi heartland states, after the recent assembly elections.

The Congress leader reiterated his party's promise to waive farm loans if it forms the government at the Centre after the Lok Sabha polls later this year.

Gandhi repeated the Congress accusation of corruption in the deal for 36 Rafale aircraft being bought from French firm Dassault, an accusation constantly denied by the government.

The opposition leader claimed Modi failed to reply to the specific questions asked by him on the deal.

He said the prime minister went off to Punjab when the Lok Sabha was debating the deal.

Modi didn't step in the Lok Sabha for a minute because the chowkidar has committed theft, and ran away out of fear, he said.

He accused the prime minister of spreading hatred.

The BJP's ideology is different from that of the Congress. We will fight against them, but we will pay respect, be it to the prime minister, a chief minister or any minister, he said.

Wherever there is a need to pay respect to them, the Congress party will do that. But if in the Rafale deal Narendra Modi stole 30,000 crore, justice will be done, he said.

There will be no victimisation, but there will be justice, he said, in an apparent reference to the possibility of the Congress coming to power in the next elections.

Gandhi said a Congress government will waive farm loans if it comes to power at the Centre, but added this was not the final solution to the distress in the agriculture sector.

Loan waivers are just a small step towards helping farmers and a new green revolution is needed to address the problem, he added.

A new strategy and planning is the need. In Rajasthan, the work of setting up food processing units will be started in every corner. Mega food parks will be set up and we will link your farm with the world economy and big cities of the world. We will provide technology in your farm and change your world, he said.

The congress president said the recently concluded assembly elections have shown Modi the power of the farmers.

The farmers' power will have to be recognised, he said. India's biggest asset are the farmer and India's farmers can provide food to entire world, not only to India, he said.

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News Network
January 7,2020

Mumbai, Jan 7: Against the backdrop of the attack on JNU students, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that what they wanted was happening, and said such "brutal politics" was never seen before in the country.

An editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' further alleged that the BJP wanted to see "Hindu-Muslim riots" over the Citizenship Amendment Act, but that did not happen.

Since the BJP has been cornered over the issue of CAA, several things are happening out of "revenge", it said.

Comparing the attack on Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students to the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes, the Shiv Sena said: "divisive politics" was dangerous for the country.

It said the Union Home Ministry's decision to file cases against "unknown" attackers at JNU was laughable. "Those who entered JNU with masks are not unknown," it claimed.

On Sunday, a mob of masked young people stormed the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus in south Delhi and targeted students in three hostels, unleashing mayhem with sticks, stones and iron rods, hitting inmates and breaking windows, furniture and personal belongings.

Nearly 34 people were injured in the violence.

"The fallout of JNU attack is being seen elsewhere in the country...what Modi and Shah want is happening. The country is in danger. Divisive politics is dangerous for the country," the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said.

Terrorists who attacked Mumbai on November 26, 2008, were also masked and the same was seen at JNU. Such elements need to be exposed, it said.

"Allowing blood stains in universities, colleges and beating up of students and indulging in politics over the burning situation...such brutal politics was never seen before," the Marathi publication said while terming the attack on JNU students as a "blot" on the law and order situation.

Lashing out at Amit Shah, the Sena said he his in Delhi and busy distributing official pamphlets door-to-door to promote the Citizenship Amendment Act.

There is "confusion and unrest" in the country over the new citizenship law, it pointed out.

"The BJP wanted to see Hindu-Muslim riots over the issue, but that did not happen. The nationwide protests are not being done by Muslims alone. Hindus will also be affected due to the new Act," the Shiv Sena said.

It said the BJP has been cornered over the CAA issue.

Since the prevailing situation is "BJP versus the rest", hence "out of revenge", several things are happening, the Marathi daily said, adding that "there is room for doubt if the JNU attack was part of the revenge."

The BJP has condemned the violence and said universities should stay away from politics, it noted.

"Who brought violence and politics in universities in the last five years? Who is implementing the policy of destroying those who don't agree with your ideology by use of power?" it asked.

Without taking any name, the Sena said those who call students opposing the CAA as anti-nationals, are themselves anti-national.

"When Amit Shah accuses Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi of inciting violence, he admits that the Gandhi siblings have that much power to create mass awareness against a law brought in by the Centre and bring people to streets," the Sena said.

One cannot say if the Gandhi siblings incited violence, but one thing is sure that the Union Home Minister and his party are forced to distribute pamphlets to "clarify" on the new citizenship law, it said in sarcastic comments.

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News Network
March 5,2020

Bharuch, Mar 5: Vijay Kumar, a resident of the Tamil Nadu has sought help from his friend Abdulkhuda Mohd Hanif Shaikh who is residing in Gujarat to build a temple in his village.

Abdulkhuda Mohd Hanif Shaikh, who also belongs to Tamil Nadu's Paraipatti village and has been residing in Gujarat' Bharuch for a decade has collected Rs 3 lakh from his friends as a donation to build the temple in Paraipatti village in Dindigul district.

"They'd told me 4 months ago and came to me 10 days back. From Vapi to Mehsana, there are several Madrasis, even here in the village too. I personally went to them and collected around Rs 3 Lakh," Shaikh said.

Vijay Kumar said that he stayed in Gujarat for ten days and collected Rs 3 Lakh with him.

"I had sought help from him. I stayed here in Gujarat for 10 days, and went with him from people to people and collected Rs 3 Lakh. No one lives like Hindus or Muslims in our village, everyone lives like friends," he said.

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Agencies
February 26,2020

New Delhi, Feb 26: The death toll in northeast Delhi communal violence over the amended citizenship law rose to 20 on Wednesday, according to GTB Hospital authorities.

On Tuesday, the death toll was 13.

"The death toll has risen to 20 today," Medical Superintendent of GTB Hospital, Sunil Kumar, told PTI.

Earlier, at least four bodies were brought to the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital from the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, a senior official said.

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