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
March 25,2020

Kolkata, Mar 25: Amid the countrywide lockdown in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that all police stations will take responsibility to deliver food at doorsteps under the supervision of District Magistrates and Police Superintendents.
"As we have to ensure that there is no scarcity of food, all Police stations will take responsibility to deliver food at doorsteps and it will be monitored by District Magistrates and Police Superintendents," said Banerjee at a press conference here.
She also said that under the social pension schemes, the pension holders will get their pension of March and April together.
Speaking on local police blocking people involved in essential services, she said, "The Officer-in-charge will have to ensure that the local police know about the rules and exemptions during the lockdown."
"If any police official or an administrative official is found flouting the lockdown norms, then strict action will be taken against them," she added.
The Chief Minister also said, "If somebody needs to help us by giving materials then they need to contact health department official Sanjay Bansal, whose contact number is - 9051022000."
"The government has also launched a State emergency relief fund wherein people can donate. For donation, the account number is 628005501339, IFSC: ICIC0006280 and website: wb.gov.in," she said.
She also said that on March 31 the government will review the situation.
According to a recent update by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a total of 562 positive cases for coronavirus have been confirmed in the country.

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News Network
February 19,2020

New Delhi, Feb 19: The UIDAI on Tuesday said its Hyderabad office has sent notices to 127 people for allegedly obtaining Aadhaar numbers on "false pretences" but asserted these have nothing to do with citizenship.

The notices were issued after reports from the police, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) said.

"Aadhaar is not a document of citizenship and UIDAI has been mandated under the Aadhaar Act to ascertain residency of a person in India for 182 days prior to applying for Aadhaar," the nodal body, which issues the 12-digit biometric ID, said in a statement.

The Supreme Court, in its landmark decision, has directed the UIDAI not to issue Aadhaar to illegal immigrants, it said.

"It may be noted that the regional office Hyderabad received reports from the state police that 127 people have obtained Aadhaar on false pretences, as in their preliminary enquiry they were found illegal immigrants who were not qualified to obtain an Aadhaar number," the UIDAI said.

As per the Aadhaar Act, such Aadhaar numbers are liable to be cancelled.

"Therefore, the regional office Hyderabad has sent notices to them to appear in person and to substantiate their claims for getting an Aadhaar number," it said.

The UIDAI emphasised that these notices have "nothing to do with citizenship and cancellation of Aadhaar number is in no way related to the nationality of any resident".

In case it is found and proved that any of them obtained Aadhaar by submitting false documents or through false pretences, their Aadhaar is liable to be cancelled or suspended depending on the severity of the transgression, UIDAI said.

"Severe errors like forged documents, etc., will lead to appropriate actions, including suspending /cancelling the Aadhaar," it cautioned.

"Sometimes it becomes necessary to cancel the Aadhaar number when it is found that a resident has obtained it by submitting false biometrics or documents. It is a routine quality improvement process that the UIDAI takes up regularly," the authority said.

The 127 people have been asked to appear before the UIDAI deputy director in Hyderabad for a personal hearing on February 20.

Additional time has been given to allow them to collect the requisite documents, "Since it may take them some more time to collect the original documents that they had submitted for obtaining Aadhaar, as informed by the state police, the UIDAI has postponed the personal hearing to May 2020," it added.

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News Network
June 20,2020

Hyderabad, Jun 20: IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on Saturday said that the force is well prepared and suitably deployed to respond to any contingency and it will never let the sacrifice of the bravehearts of Galwan go in vain.

"It should be very clear that we are well prepared and suitably deployed to respond to any contingency. I assure the nation that we are determined to deliver and will never let the sacrifice of the braves of Galwan go in vain," IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said here.

Bhadauria was speaking at the Combined Graduation Parade (CGP) at Air Force Academy in Hyderabad.

His remarks come days after 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in the violent face-off on June 15-16 during an attempt by the Chinese troops to unilaterally change the status quo during the de-escalation in eastern Ladakh.

Speaking about the current border situation with China, he said: "We are aware of the situation, be it on LAC or beyond, be it their air deployments, their posture and kind of deployments. We've full analysis and we have taken necessary action that we need to take to handle any contingency that may come up."

"We are monitoring all the moments and we are aware of the full situation," he added.

He further said that in spite of the "unacceptable Chinese action" at Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh, which claimed lives of 20 Indian Army personnel, efforts are underway to ensure that the current situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is resolved peacefully.

He asserted that the IAF is determined to deliver and the development at the LAC in Ladakh is a small snapshot of what the force is required to handle at short notice.

The IAF Chief further appealed to people to join him in paying tribute Colonel Santosh Babu and his brave men who made the sacrifice while defending the LAC in Galwan valley.

"The gallant actions in a highly-challenging situation have demonstrated our resolve to protect India's sovereignty at any cost," the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief said.

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