Category: News

Hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the top 25 people in the country hold the same wealth as 70 crore Indians.

Drawing a comparison, the Congress MP said that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) paid by a common man and industrialist Gautam Adani is the same.

Rahul Gandhi will be seeking his second term from the Wayanad constituency in Kerala, which goes to polling in the second phase of elections on April 26.

Addressing the public meeting in Maharashtra’s Solapur, Rahul Gandhi said, “1 per cent of people in India have 40 per cent of the nation’s wealth and that’s why the unemployment is rising. They (Centre) did demonetisation saying that they would eliminate the ‘black money’, but it ended up benefitting only those 22-25 people. They implemented the ‘wrong’ GST, five different taxes, they put a tax on farmers…whether you (people) know this or not but the GST that you pay, Adani pays the same.”

He further alleged that 25 rich people in the country have been given benefits of Rs 16 lakh crore with loan waivers.

“Narendra Modi has given Rs 16 lakhs crores to 25 rich people in the country by waiving off their loans. Rs 16 lakh crore is equal to the MNREGA allocation of 24 years…the situation has reached an extent that on one hand are PM Modi’s 25 rich people and on the other hand there are 70 crore Indians with the same wealth”.

The former Congress President further asserted that this is not an ‘ordinary’ election, alleging that the BJP wants to “destroy” the Constitution after returning to power.

“This is not an ordinary election. First time after independence, there is a party that wants to destroy the Constitution. Their target is not to win the election but to destroy the Constitution. And our target, Congress party’s and INDIA bloc’s target is to save the Constitution and the democracy in the country,” he said.

Stating that all the benefits to the poor are ensured by the Constitution, he further vowed that “no power in the world” can change the Constitution.

“Whatever progress has happened in the country, whatever the poor, backwards have received, it is because of the Constitution. If they (BJP) destroy the Constitution nothing will be left for the poor, farmers, labourers,” the Congress leader said.

“This is the first election where the BJP and its leaders have openly said that after winning the elections, they will change the Constitution. But, I want to assure everyone, that there exists no power in the world that can change the Constitution of India,” he added.

Taking to social media platform X, about his public meeting, Rahul Gandhi said that PM Modi is “trembling” out of fear and he knows that the elections have slipped out of his hands.

“Narendra Modi is trembling in fear of defeat! That’s why he is continuously saying one lie after the other. He knows that the people of India have understood that Narendra Modi is the leader of the billionaires, not of the poor. He knows that the people of India have stood up to protect the Constitution. He knows that the election has slipped out of his hands,” he posted.

नरेंद्र मोदी हार के डर से कांप रहे हैं!

इसीलिए वो लगातार एक के बाद एक, झूठ बोल रहे हैं।

वो जानते हैं कि हिंदुस्तान की जनता समझ गयी है कि नरेंद्र मोदी अरबपतियों के नेता हैं, गरीबों के नहीं,

वो जानते हैं कि हिंदुस्तान की जनता संविधान की रक्षा के लिए खड़ी हो गयी है।

वो जानते हैं… pic.twitter.com/PD5OWGAgLN

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 24, 2024

The polls for the five parliamentary seats in Maharashtra were held in the first phase of polling on April 19.

The state, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh.

In the 2019 elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 contested seats, while the undivided Shiv Sena secured 18 out of 23 seats. The undivided NCP, part of the opposition alliance, contested 19 seats and won four.

Following the split in the Shiva Sena 2022, the Eknath Shinde faction aligned with the BJP. The NCP also split with Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar joining the BJP-led NDA.

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “panicked” after seeing the Congress’ “revolutionary” manifesto.

“So did you like the Congress manifesto? You must have seen that the Prime Minister has panicked. It is a revolutionary manifesto,” Rahul Gandhi said while speaking at Social Justice conclave organised by the Congress in Delhi.

Rahul alleged that the Narendra Modi government at the Centre transferred crores of rupees to a few billionaires and said that the Congress manifesto talks about returning a small amount of that money to the people who are at the bottom pyramid of income and wealth distribution.

“There is mention of x-ray (caste census) and income inequality created by Modi ji. The Congress will return a small amount of money to 90% of the people of the country from the Rs 16 lakh crore given to the 22 people by Narendra Modi,” he said

His comment was in the backdrop of Prime Minister Modi’s criticism that the Congress manifesto smacks of appeasement and that if it came to power, it would redistribute people’s wealth and also give reservations to Muslims from the quota for SC, ST, and OCB communities. (ANI)

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Actor Varun Dhawan is celebrating his 37th birthday today. He treated fans with a sneak peek of his birthday celebration.

Taking to Instagram, Varun shared a series of pictures of him and his family.

The first picture captured Varun posing happily with his birthday cake placed in front of him.

In the next photo, Varun’s mother, Karuna Dhawan is seen giving a warm hug to her son.

The third image shows Varun’s niece Niyara sitting in front of their home temple.

His pet dog, Joey also joined the celebration and posed with Varun’s mom.

Varun also shared his excitement for his new movie and expressed gratitude for receiving love on his big day.

“Growing, learning and yet trying to stay the same thank u for all the wonderful wishes and love. P.s – I ate very lil bit of that cake since I start a new movie. very soon so very excited about that !!!!”

As soon as the post was uploaded, Varun’s fans and industry friends flooded the comment section with wishes.

Shraddha Kapoor wrote, “Happy Bday Babdulal Main hoon na, I will eat a lot of cake from your side.”

Dia Mirza commented, “Happy Birthday the best boy. Be you and be true as always! Love love love.”

Malaika Arora dropped a wish, which read, “Happy happy birthday Varun Dhawan.”

Jacqueliene Fernandez posted, ” happy bdayyyyyy.”

Varun Dhawan and his wife Natasha Dalal recently celebrated their impending parenthood with a cosy baby shower attended by close friends and family. The couple, who announced their pregnancy in February with an endearing Instagram post, have been inundated with love and blessings from fans ever since.

Varun tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend Natasha on January 24, 2021. The wedding was a close-knit affair with very few guests in attendance due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Varun will be seen in the upcoming action thriller film ‘Baby John’. ‘Baby John’ is directed by A Kaleeswaran. Atlee is presenting the film in association with Jio Studios and Cine1 Studios.

He will also be seen in the Indian adaptation of the Hollywood series ‘Citadel’ opposite actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu.

It is an Indian adaptation of the Russo Brothers’ series of the same name. Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden headlined the international version. (ANI)

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Preity Zinta is set to make a comeback to Bollywood in the upcoming film ‘Lahore 1947’ alongside veteran actor Sunny Deol.

Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, this project marks a significant milestone for Preity as she returns to the silver screen after a hiatus.

The ‘Veer Zaara’ actor gave fans a delightful sneak peek into the film’s production with a series of behind-the-scenes photos shared on social media.

Expressing her excitement, Preity posted snapshots from the film set, offering fans a glimpse into the world of ‘Lahore 1947’.

Sharing a photo of the film’s clapperboard, Preity captioned it with a simple yet powerful statement, “On set for Lahore 1947.”

Another image featured the actress sharing a candid moment with director Rajkumar Santoshi, hinting at the camaraderie behind the scenes.

The announcement of Preity Zinta’s return to Bollywood has sparked a wave of enthusiasm among her fans. Eagerly anticipating her comeback, fans flooded social media with expressions of joy and anticipation.

From labeling her as the “queen” of Bollywood to expressing their eagerness to witness her on the big screen again, fans have been vocal about their excitement in the comments section.

‘Lahore 1947’, produced under Aamir Khan’s banner, marks a significant collaboration between Sunny Deol and Aamir Khan’s Productions.

The film was officially announced last October, garnering attention for its star-studded cast and promising storyline.

Adding to the anticipation, veteran actor Shabana Azmi, Ali Fazal has also joined the cast of ‘Lahore 1947’ in a pivotal role.

The movie will also feature Sunny Deol sharing screen space with his elder son Karan Deol. (ANI)

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As legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar turned 51 today, actor Anil Kapoor showered his love and shared a special post to wish him.

Anil took to Instagram and posted a monochrome portrait of Sachin along with a birthday message.

Sharing the image, he wrote, “Happy birthday, to the always warm and humble, @sachintendulkar! Here’s to the man who redefined the game. Cheers.”

Indian cricket fraternity also took to social media on Wednesday to extend birthday wishes.

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the governing body of the sport, BCCI secretary Jay Shah, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina among others wished the former Indian captain.

Tendulkar, known as ‘Master Blaster’ for his ability to blast his way through any bowling attack and his very mastery over every skill, technique and shot in the book, this right-handed batter entertained and mesmerised the entire world with his batting from 1989-2013.

The Maharashtra-born player made his Test debut on November 15, 1989, at the age of 16. In the same year on December 18, he played his first ODI match.

With 34,357 runs in 664 international appearances at an average of 48.52, Sachin is the highest run-scorer in international cricket. He has scored 100 centuries and 164 half-centuries, most in international cricket. He is the only player to have a century of centuries.

Apart from Test cricket, Sachin has created numerous records in the ODI format as well.

With 18,426 runs in ODIs at an average of 44.83, 49 centuries and 96 half-centuries, and 15,921 runs in Tests at an average of 53.78 with 51 centuries and 68 fifties, Sachin has the highest runs in both formats as well. The Master Blaster is also the first-ever cricketer to have hit a double hundred in ODIs and to have played a total of 200 Test matches.

Tendulkar is part of the Indian Team which won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011. After his World Cup debut in 1992, his dream to win the prestigious trophy came true in 2011 after India defeated Sri Lanka in the final by six wickets.

Sachin was also the part of Mumbai Indians franchise from 2008-13 as a player and won the IPL in 2013.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Anil Kapoor is set to star in the action-drama ‘Subedaar’.

The film will be directed by Suresh Triveni, who previously directed T-Series’ comedy-drama ‘Tumhari Sulu’ (2017) and ‘Jalsa’, both headlined by Vidya Balan.

Vikram Malhotra, Suresh Triveni, and Anil Kapoor serve as producers for the film.

“In an adrenaline – fueled action drama, Subedaar Arjun Singh grapples with civilian life, navigating a strained relationship with his daughter, and societal dysfunction. The man who once fought for the nation must now fight enemies within to protect his home and family,” read the official synopsis of the project. (ANI)

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Amid the furore around wealth redistribution, an idea Congress leader Rahul Gandhi allegedly said would be followed up on and implemented if his party was voted to power; Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said previous Congress governments at the Centre tried to create a division in the country’s armed forces by recommending a ‘religious census’.

Addressing an election campaign at Vishakhapatnam on Wednesday, the Union Defence Minister said, “The Sachar Committee, which was formed by the Congress government, recommended a religion-based census in the armed forces in 2006. The Congress, in its manifesto (for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections), has also hinted at a reservation for religious minorities if they are elected. If they introduce reservations for religious minorities and extend the idea to the armed forces, it wouldn’t bode well for the country’s unity and integrity of the country.”

“What worries me more is that whatever the Congress has put in its manifesto in the name of minority welfare has echoes of the ideas and recommendations in the Sachar Committee report,” the Union Defence Minister said.

In a scathing attack on the Congress over its ‘appeasement’ politics, he said the grand old party was trying to introduce a ‘religion-based reservation’ through the back door, adding that appeasement shows the ‘real face’ of the Congress.

“The Congress, through its manifesto, was subtly trying to bring back the idea of reservation on grounds of religion into the political and electoral discourse. However, PM Modi exposed their face because of which he is facing such brickbats from the Congress,” Rajnath added.

“The promises that the Congress has made in its manifesto stand to divide our society. Sections 3 and 6, under the Minorities Chapter in their manifesto, bare their real intentions. This is a party that divided the country on religious lines and has appeasement in its DNA,” the Union Defence Minister stated further.

The ‘Rangnath Mishra Commission’ and ‘Sacchar Commission’ were put together under the previous Congress-led UPA at the Centre, with the sole purpose of according a special treatment to a particular community in the name of minority welfare, the Union Minister said.

“I remember when (former) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said minorities, especially Muslims, have the first right to the country’s resources. And when Modi-ji reminded the Congress of the statement by the former PM, they got furious,” Rajnath added.

The previous Congress government in undivided Andhra Pradesh set up a ‘communal laboratory’ by giving reservations to Muslims in government jobs, Rajnath alleged, adding that it amounted to a blatant disregard of the ideas enshrined in the Constitution.

“From 2004 to 2014, the Congress government made five attempts to introduce Muslim reservation but the Supreme Court and the laws of land prevented them from advancing their agenda,” he added.

On the chief of Congress’ overseas chapter, Sam Pitroda calling for discussions on the introduction of an ‘inheritance tax’ in the country on the lines of the US, the Union Defence Minister said the grand old party should clarify whether it wants to impose such a levy. (ANI)

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Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘mangalsutra jibe’, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had donated her jewellery in the 1962 India-China war while he also questioned the whether any such sacrifices have been made by Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

“What sacrifice has any leader of the BJP-RSS ever made for the nation? They did not even participate in the National Movement. For elections, Modi ji is lying to the people that their Mangalsutra shall not be safe. Congress governed this country for 55 years. Has that even happened once? Indira Gandhi donated her jewellery in the 1962 War. Pandit Motilal Nehru and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru donated their home to the freedom movement as Anand Bhawan in Allahabad. Our leaders have lived and sacrificed their life and blood for the nation,” Kharge posted on X.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi last week alleged Congress wants to take away the gold and property of people and distribute it among “those having more children”.

He said that those who left Congress these days have pointed towards the party’s manifesto and said that the party has gone into “grasp of urban Naxals.”

Referring to reports about Congress’s intention to redistribute wealth if elected to power, the Prime Minister said the party would conduct a survey and they would not even let Mangalsutra remain with women and “will go to this extent.”

“When they (Congress) were in government, they said that Muslims have the first right over India’s resources. So, they will distribute this wealth (property and gold) among those having more children, among illegal immigrants…this Urban Naxal thinking won’t even spare your Mangalsutra,” the PM said.

PM Modi in another rally said that his speech had created panic in the entire Congress and INDIA bloc.

“When I came to Rajasthan the day before yesterday, I had presented some truths before the country in my 90-second speech. This has created panic in the entire Congress and INDI alliance. I had put the truth before the country that Congress is hatching a deep conspiracy to snatch your property and distribute it to its special people. I exposed their vote bank and appeasement politics. After all, why is Congress so afraid of the truth?” the Prime Minister said. (ANI)

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As news reports emerge about seat sharing alliance talks among political parties of the ‘INDIA’ coalition political grouping, it has also been learnt that the top rung involved in seat negotiations are also discussing possible arithmetic for power sharing for the top post in the country if the INDIA alliance were to emerge victorious in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

According to sources privy to the negotiations being held who requested anonymity for this story due to proximity to these talks said that a formula for “one year each” as Prime Minister for the top leaders of the political parties, according to the number of Lok Sabha seats their respective parties win, is being worked out.

Currently, INDIA alliance seat share talks have been unsuccessful in some states, West Bengal being the prominent one. Friction has also been seen in the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat where two coalition members are contesting against each other – Rahul Gandhi from Congress and Annie Raja from the Communist Party of India.

However, sources further affirm that these are pre-poll frictions which would be ironed out in the event the INDIA alliance where to stage a massive upset and defeat the Prime Minister Modi led, NDA alliance.

“We have to start our ground game now, the country doesn’t want a situation where the INDIA alliance is not sure of who will lead the country in a post BJP scenario…therefore, everything is being discussed thread bare,” added the source. (ANI)

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had panicked after seeing the Congress’ “revolutionary” manifesto.

“So did you like the Congress manifesto? You must have seen that the Prime Minister has panicked. It is a revolutionary manifesto,” Rahul Gandhi said while speaking at Social Justice conclave organised by the Congress in Delhi.

Rahul alleged that Narendra Modi government at the Centre transferred crores of rupees to the few billionaires and said that Congress manifesto talks about returning a small amount of that money to the people who are at the bottom pyramid of income and wealth distribution.

” There is mention of x-ray (caste census) and income inequality created by Modi ji. The Congress will return a small amount of money to 90% of the people of the country from the Rs 16 lakh crore given to the 22 people by Narendra Modi,” he said

His comment was in the backdrop of Prime Minister Modi’s criticism that Congress manifesto smacks of appeasement and that if it came to power, it would redistribute people’s wealth and also give reservations to Muslims from the quota for SC, ST, and OCB communities.

Rahul claimed that there is no one from Other Backward Classes community in the India’s rich people’s list.

“Prime Minister Modi has been saying for the ten years that he is an OBC but when I talked about caste census, Modi said that there is no caste. If there is no caste how are you OBC. Then he said that in India there is only two castes poor and rich. All right if you agree that there are rich and poor people in India, then bring out the lists of poor and rich in India. Then you will find OBCs and Dalits, Adivasis in poor people’s list, and see no Dalits, Adivasis and backwards in the rich list,” he said.

He said that ensuring social justice to the 90 percent of Indians who are at the bottom of the pyramid is his life mission and there is compromise on it.

“Caste census is not politics for me, it is my life’s mission, and I will not leave it. No power can stop the caste census. As soon as the Congress government comes, we will first conduct caste census. This is my guarantee,” Rahul Gandhi said.

“They say I’m not serious, I’m not interested in politics. Land Acquisition Bill, MNREGA, Niyamgiri, Bhatta Parsaul are not serious. When people talk about the larger population they call us non-serious. When you don’t have the loud speaker in hand, everything that you say is non-serious,” he further added. (ANI)

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After months of delay, the Senate successfully passed a USD 95 billion package aimed at providing aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, CNN reported.

The bipartisan effort marks a significant victory for President Joe Biden, congressional Democrats, and Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, who has been a staunch advocate for supporting Ukraine despite increasing reluctance from some within his own party.

The comprehensive package, which now awaits President Biden’s signature, bundles together four bills that had previously faced hurdles in both chambers of Congress. This legislative feat follows a rare Saturday session in the House, where nearly USD 61 billion in aid for Ukraine, over USD 26 billion for Israel, and more than USD 8 billion for the Indo-Pacific were approved.

Notably, the package includes provisions to increase sanctions on Russian assets and contains language that could lead to a ban on the popular social media platform TikTok. Under the bill, Chinese parent company ByteDance is given a nine-month ultimatum to divest from TikTok or face a ban from American app stores–a move aimed at safeguarding national security interests.

When asked about the bill’s prospects, McConnell expressed optimism, saying, “Hope so.” His leadership played a pivotal role in navigating the legislation through the Senate, despite internal divisions within his party.

House Speaker Mike Johnson faced challenges from conservatives within his own party who opposed sending aid to Ukraine. However, after bipartisan negotiations, the legislation ultimately received broad support in the House.

The path to delivering aid to Ukraine and Israel had been fraught with obstacles, as House and Senate Republicans initially insisted on addressing border security concerns before proceeding with foreign aid. Former President Donald Trump’s opposition to the final deal further complicated negotiations, leading Republicans to discard the border package.

McConnell emphasised the importance of upholding American leadership and global responsibilities, describing the Senate’s action as “overdue” and “a test, and we must not fail it.”

“Our global interests come with global responsibilities. Healthy alliances lighten the burden of these responsibilities,” he also said, CNN reported. (ANI)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress on Tuesday, accusing it of attempting to provide reservations to Muslims in Andhra Pradesh in 2004 by reducing Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) reservations, disregarding the Constitution.

While addressing a public gathering in Rajasthan’s Tonk, PM Modi said that the right to reservation was given by Babasaheb Ambedkar to Dalits, backward classes, and Adivasis, but the Congress and the INDIA bloc wanted to give it to Muslims based on religion.

“The Congress party has played with the Constitution of this country. When the Constitution was drafted, reservation based on religion was opposed so that SC, ST, and OBCs could get protection. In his speech, former PM Dr Manmohan Singh said that Muslims have the first right on the country’s resources. This was Manmohan Singh’s statement. Congress’ thinking has always been of appeasement and vote bank politics,” PM Modi said.

Further, sharpening his attacks, PM Modi said that the thinking of Congress has always been of appeasement and vote bank politics.

“As soon as the Congress government came to power at the Centre in 2004, its first task was to try to give reservation to Muslims by reducing SC/ST reservations in Andhra Pradesh. This was a pilot project that Congress wanted to try in the entire country. Between 2004 and 2010, Congress tried four times to implement Muslim reservations in Andhra Pradesh. However, due to legal hurdles and the awareness of the Supreme Court, they could not fulfill this plan. In 2011, Congress tried to implement it across the country. They snatched the rights given to SC/STs and OBCs and gave them to others for vote-bank politics. Congress made all these efforts knowing that all this was against the basic spirit of the Constitution. But Congress did not care about the Constitution,” he added.

“The Constitution is completely against it. The right of reservation that Baba Saheb gave to Dalits, backward classes, and tribals, Congress and the INDI alliance wanted to give it to Muslims based on religion. Amid these conspiracies of Congress, Modi is today guaranteeing you from an open platform that reservations for Dalits, backward classes, and tribals will neither be ended nor will be allowed to be divided in the name of religion. This is Modi’s guarantee,” he said.

Amid a debate on his remarks that “Congress wants to snatch women’s Mangalsutra,” PM Modi reiterated on Tuesday that he had put the truth before the country that Congress is hatching a ‘deep’ conspiracy to snatch properties of the citizens of this country and distribute them among its own special people.

“When I came to Rajasthan the day before yesterday, I had presented some truths before the country in my 90-second speech. This has created panic in the entire Congress and INDI alliance. I had put the truth before the country. Congress is hatching a deep conspiracy to snatch your property and distribute it among their own special people. I exposed their vote bank and appeasement politics. After all, why is Congress so afraid of the truth?” he said.

Voting for 12 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan was held in the first phase of polling on April 19, while the remaining 13 will go to polls in the second phase on April 26. (ANI)

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