Another Nehru-Gandhi scion enters politics; BJP calls it family rule

Agencies
January 24, 2019

New Delhi/Lucknow, Jan 24: In a strategic move to bolster its prospects in upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the opposition Congress on Wednesday appointed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, as party general secretary in-charge of east Uttar Pradesh.

She is likely to address a public rally in Lucknow next month, marking the start of the Congress campaign.

The development comes after the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samajwadi Party formed an alliance in the state which returns the highest numbers of parliament seats.

“We will not play on the backfoot," Congress president Rahul Gandhi told reporters in state capital Lucknow.

Asked if Priyanka will contest the Lok Sabha polls, he said, “It’s up to Priyanka to take a decision.”

The BJP reacted quickly to the announcement and termed the formal entry of Priyanka to national politics as yet another episode of ‘dynastic politics’.

The party also said her entry highlights the failure of Rahul Gandhi.

"Aaj ek rajyabhishek hua hae (This is only part of dynastic politics and passing of the responsibility within a family)," said BJP spokesman Sambit Patra.

He said the country has embarked on the path of a 'New India' and today the 'New India' is asking the question - "How long will this continue...after Jawaharlal Nehru, there came Indira Gandhi, then Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi...after Sonia Gandhi - Rahul Gandhi and now Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and after this who else?

"This shows the fundamental difference between the BJP and the Congress. In BJP, the party is the family whereas in Congress party, 'parivar hi party hae' (the family is the defacto party)".

Talking to reporters in Lucknow, Rahul Gandhi denied the development in the Congress has come because the party was not included in the 'Mahagathbandhan' of regional parties either in Uttar Pradesh or Bihar.

He asserted that the INC will field candidate in all the 80 seats.

But UP Congress president Raj Babbar earlier in the day accused the SP and the BSP of finalising the alliance without consulting the grand old party.

“The duo underestimated the oldest political outfit of the country while announcing Mahagathbandhan," Mr Babbar asserted.

“We have recently showed our strength in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where INC contested alone and formed the government”, said Babbar. The same, he said, will happen in UP with the Congress winning maximum seats.

Meanwhile, the Congress president in Lucknow asserted that the INC will field candidate from all the 80 seats.

In another significant move, the Congress party also made Jyotiraditya Scindia general secretary in-charge for western Uttar Pradesh.

Mr Scindia will take up his new assignment, following the Lucknow rally, which sources said could be held on February 10.

In 2004, Priyanka was instrumental in introducing brother Rahul to the media in Amethi and thereafter he contested the elections for the first time in 2004 from Amethi, once represented by his father late Rajiv Gandhi.

Before that, in the Lok Sabha elections of 1999, Priyanka helped her mother Sonia Gandhi win the two crucial seats of these constituencies by campaigning on her behalf. She stayed in Amethi for two weeks. Sonia had won the constituency by a huge margin.

In 2014, while Rahul and Sonia Gandhi campaigned in the entire nation, Priyanka took charge of Amethi and Rae Bareli.

Congress workers in Lucknow, Amethi and Rae Bareli along with other parts of the state celebrated with much fanfare on the appointment of Priyanka.

They distributed sweets, bursted crackers and danced at the state Congress headquarters in Lucknow and offices in Amethi and Rae Bareli.

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said,'We welcome Priyanka Gandhi’s appointment as General Secretary. Her entry into active politics will energise cadres and be a catalyst for the rising fortunes of the Congress Party.'

Senior Congress leader Motilal Vora said,'The responsibility given to Priyanka ji is very important. This will not only have an effect on eastern Uttar Pradesh but also other regions.'

However, Mr Gandhi hinted that a “bigger” alliance can be formed in UP for the upcoming LS polls to take on the BJP if SP-BSP agree to include Congress.

“If SP and BSP want to talk to us for a bigger alliance in UP, then they are welcome, there is no problem," Mr Gandhi said adding that all, including Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati, have similar mission--defeating the BJP.

“We still have door opens for larger alliance and anyone who can defeat the BJP is welcome,” Mr Gandhi said.

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News Network
February 21,2020

Pune/Mumbai, Feb 21: A BJP youth wing leader from Pune on Thursday submitted a complaint application to the police against AIMIM leader Waris Pathan for his controversial remarks made recently in Karnataka.

Pathan has claimed he has been quoted out of context.

Parismal Deshpande, a BJYM worker, submitted the written application at the Deccan Gymkhana police station, demading action against Pathan for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups and outraging religious feelings of a community.

Deshpande, in his complaint stated, that Pathan reportedly said "15 crore hai lekin 100 crore pe bhari hai' (We are 15 crore but we can dominate 100 crore).

"The statement by Pathan promotes violence and create a divide between two communities.

"Because of such statements, there are possibilities of atmosphere getting vitiated. Hence, he should be booked under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups, 295A (outraging religious feelings), and 504 (provoking breach of the peace)," Deshpande said in the complaint.

An officer from the Deccan police station confirmed receiving the application.

Meanwhile, in Mumbai, the BJP slammed Pathan.

The saffron party on Thursday tweeted @BJP4Maharashtra saying, "Waris Pathan, who are you threatening to? Shiv Sena led government may tolerate your comments; but BJP and people of Maharashtra will teach you a lesson that your hate- mongering speeches will be shut."

However, Pathan has issued a statement to the media, saying he has been quoted out of context.

"I hereby wish to state that the media reports on TV channels showing my statement made in the public meeting at Gulbarga five days back have totally quoted me out of context," Pathan claimed on late Thursday evening.

"I wish to reiterate that I can never say anything intentionally or unintentionally that hurts the sentiments of any caste, community or gender. I am a proud Indian and respects the plurality of this country," he said.

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April 16,2020

New Delhi, Apr 16: South Delhi District Magistrate Brij Mohan Mishra on Thursday said that the administration is investigating how the pizza delivery boy contracted the coronavirus.

"In the last 15 days, we discovered houses he had delivered food. We contacted people living in 72 houses and they have been asked to stay in-home quarantine. No symptoms have been seen in people related to him. 

Testing of his roommate has been done and his reports are awaited. The rest of the people don't have any symptoms, they have been placed under institutional quarantine. Those in-home quarantines are also asymptomatic," Mishra said.

"Unless a positive case comes, we feel that transmission has not taken place. The boy told us that he was continuously wearing a mask while delivering the food. We are also finding out how he got infected. We are getting the information about the places he visited for delivery. He was tested on the basis of the doctor's advice. Later, he tested positive," he said.

72 families have to stay in home quarantine in the Malviya Nagar area after the delivery boy tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said that 17 other delivery boys linked with the infected person have also been placed under institutional quarantine.

"A pizza delivery boy has been detected with COVID-19 here. 17 other delivery boys linked with him have been placed under institutional quarantine and 72 people have been placed under home quarantine," Jain said.

Food delivery app Zomato said that the staff of the infected person's restaurant has delivered some orders which were placed on its platform.

"We've been made aware today that a restaurant's employee, who has been recently tested positive for COVID-19, had delivered food in the past to a few customers in the Malviya Nagar area in Delhi. All these customers have already been contacted by the govt authorities... We are not sure whether the rider was infected at the time of delivery," the company said in a statement.

Zomato also claimed that colleagues of the delivery boy have tested negative for COVID-19.
"This restaurant had instructed their riders to wear masks and follow strict hygiene to keep customers safe from any unintended mishap.

All co-workers of the said rider have been tested negative. And as a precaution, the restaurant where this rider worked has suspended operations," read the statement.

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News Network
February 1,2020

New Delhi, Feb 1: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman promised to make India a higher education destination, as she unveiled the government’s plan to invest in the education sector in her Budget speech.

“We propose Rs 99,300 crore for education sector in 2020-21 and Rs 3,000 crore for skill development,” said Sitharaman. While there is an increase of 4.6 per cent in the education spending than last year, the budget for skill development remains almost unchanged. Sitharaman also announced holding IND-SAT exam in African and Asian countries, for foreign candidates who wish to study in India.

The Finance Minister had listed three themes of the Union Budget 2020 while presenting the financial statement of the government in Parliament: Aspirational India to boost the standard of living, economic development for all, and building a humane and compassionate society. The spend under education is being done under aspirational India, “which focusses on focussed on skills, education, and agriculture” said Sitharaman.

“A degree-level full-fledged online education programme will be offered by institutes in top 100 in National Institutional Ranking Framework,” said Sitharaman, adding that Centre will announce a new education policy soon. “The government has received over 2 lakh suggestions on it.”

Further giving boost to India’s import of skilled human capital, Sitharaman said, “I propose special bridge course for nurses and medical professional for labour export to countries who open their door for such jobs.”

“Steps will be be taken to attract external commercial borrowing and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the education sector,” the finance minister added.

She further said the government plans to start a programme for urban local bodies to provide opportunities for internship to young engineers.

The Finance Minister also said National Police University and National Forensic University are being proposed.

The government has also proposed to attach medical colleges with district hospitals on PPP model to deal with shortage of doctors, Sitharaman added.

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