Tag: Rahul Gandhi

Congress telangana

Cong Sounds Poll Bugle In Telangana With Massive Rally

By LokMarg

Sounding the poll bugle in Telangana with a mammoth rally, the Congress party announced six guarantees for the people of the state after the two-day Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Hyderabad. 

General Secretary KC Venugopal said, “The Congress has announced 6 Guarantees to transform Telangana into a prosperous state so as to address the needs of the poor, backward and ensure that marginalised are uplifted and live a life of dignity.”

The Telangana Assembly election is slated to be held this year. 

The Congress MP Rahul Gandhi listed out six guarantees by the party once it comes to power in the state including houses for all homeless, Rs 4,000 old age pension, Rs 2,500 monthly assistance for all women, gas cylinders for Rs 500, free bus travel for women and Rs ten lakh health insurance, besides several other things.

The first Guarantee “Indiramma Indlu” promises House site + Rs. 5 lakh and 250 sq yards plot for Telangana movement fighters

“We have promised to provide a house plot and Rs 5 lakh for the construction of a house for the homeless through the Indirimma Indlu scheme. 250-square-foot house for those who fought for the Telangana movement. Whenever we come to power you will get a house over your head,” Rahul Gandhi said.

The second Guarantee is “Mahalakshmi”  Rs 2500 monthly allowance to all women,Gas cylinder at Rs. 500  and Free travel in all TSRTC buses across the state.

“Every month women will get Rs 2500. Narendra Modi has given you Rs 1000 gas cylinder, we will give you Rs 500 cylinder,” he said speaking on the Mahalaxmi scheme. “Karnataka buses are free for Karnataka women…Telangana women will also get this benefit once the Congress party comes to power,” he added.

The third Guarantee is Gruha Jyoti – 200 units free electricity 

Rahul Gandhi also promised “200 units of free electricity every month through Griha Jyoti Scheme.” Moreover, under the Yuva Vikasam scheme, he promised “five lakh assistance to youths going to colleges, and for coaching fees.”

Fourth Guarantee is for the elderly: Cheyutha – Rs. 4000 pension – Rs. 10 lakh Rajiv Arogyasri insurance

The Congress MP also promised Rs 4000 monthly pension for the elderly and Rs 10 lakh health insurance under the Rajiv ArogyaShri scheme.’

Fifth Guarantee is Rythu Bharosa: Rs 15,000 annually to all farmers and tenant farmers alongwith  Rs. 12,000 for agri labour and Rs. 500 bonus for paddy crops

Moreover, under Rythu Bharosa, Rahul Gandhi promised “Rs 15,000 for every acre to our farmer and Rs 12000 for every agricultural labourer.”

The sixth Guarantee is for youth i.e. Yuva Vikasam – Vidya Bharosa card worth Rs. 5 lakh for students – Telangana International Schools in every mandal

Assuring people that these guarantees will be fulfilled in the first meeting of the cabinet once Congress forms the government in the state, he asked them that they can crosscheck and verify in neighbouring Karnataka where they had promised similar guarantees and which have already been fulfilled.

The party leaders also lashed out at the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for his secret understanding with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and indulging in rampant corruption and benefitting his own family.

Leading the charge, party president Mallikarjun Kharge said that while the Congress delivered the promise of a separate Telangana state, KCR brought it to the brink of bankruptcy with over Rs 3.60 lakh crore debt, while the state was earlier financially surplus.

He alleged that Prime Minister Modi and the Chief Minister KCR had joined hands together.

He reminded people that it was Sonia Gandhi who had promised them a separate Telangana state and fulfilled her promise, but everything was squandered away and looted by KCR in the last ten years.

Meanwhile, former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi announced the Mahalakshmi scheme for empowering the women of Telangana. She said, that under the Mahalakshmi scheme Rs 2,500 per month, financial assistance will be given to every woman in the state. Besides, she added, gas cylinders will be provided at Rs 500 and women will get free travel facilities in TSRTC buses across the state.

Reminding people about the creation of a separate state of Telangana, she said, “I along with my colleagues have the opportunity to be a part of the birth of this great state, Telangana. Now it is our duty to elevate it to new heights.” 

“It has been my dream to see the Congress government in Telangana that will work for all sections of society. Are you all going to give us your support?” she asked the public.

Earlier today, the two-day Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Hyderabad concluded, with party leaders expressing optimism about receiving a “clear mandate” in the upcoming assembly elections in five states.

Congress chief of all poll-bound States has given presentations during the meeting about their strategy and preparations, sources said.

Calling the upcoming polls a “do-or-die fight”, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said that the party is determined to remove the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

“This two-day meeting has put up a clear-cut agenda. It is a do-or-die fight for Congressmen. In 2024 we have to remove this (BJP) government. Therefore this is a call from the CWC to the workers of the party throughout the country. Now without taking a rest, we have to fight to win,” Venugopal said after concluding the two-day Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.

He further asserted that Congress is going to form the government in all five states.

“As far as assembly elections are concerned, we are very confident that we are going to form the government in all five states.”

Meanwhile, Congress leader Sachin Pilot who attended the meeting said that we have discussed and made strategies on how to defeat the BJP and other parties.

“This meeting was held for elections…Despite getting a complete majority, the BJP government has failed… We have discussed and made strategies on how to defeat the BJP and other parties. The Congress will win the upcoming elections in all five states,” Pilot said.

After the CWC meeting, Congress leader Ambika Soni said, “That (discussion on INDIA alliance) was not on the agenda but to fight the election, everybody gave their opinion”

Moreover, Karnataka Deputy CM and Congress leader DK Shivakumar called the meeting fruitful. 

“Very very fruitful (meeting). It will change the face of Telangana, it will change the face of India…we have assured the country that Congress will come back,” Shivakumar said. 

Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana will go to polls later this year. (ANI)

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Congress Rahul Gandhi

Congress Fighting Against BJP-BRS-AIMIM, Says Rahul Gandhi

By LokMarg

Asserting that though the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) call themselves different parties, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said that they work together in unison in Telangana but the Congress party is fighting against BJP-BRS-AIMIM combine.

“In Telangana, the Congress party is not fighting against BRS but with BRS, BJP and AIMIM combined. They call themselves different parties but they are working together unitedly,” Rahul Gandhi said speaking at Vijayabheri Sabha at Telangana’s Tukkuguda.  

“I have watched the BRS with my own eyes in Parliament. Whenever BJP needed them the BRS supported them. They supported Narendra Modi while passing the Farmers’ Bill. When it came to the election for the President, Vice President they supported Narendra Modi. They supported GST,” Rahul Gandhi listed out the instances the BRS supported the BJP in Parliament.

Rahul Gandhi also alleged that the three parties chose to disturb the Congress party’s Vijayabheri Sabha by holding public meetings on the same day.

“We decided to hold a public meeting today, all three chose to hold public meetings today so that they can disturb our meeting. But Telangana supported the Congress, so they were not able to disturb us. They will call each other up in the evening and will figure something out to oppose the Congress party,” he said.

Rahul Gandhi also claimed that there are no cases against Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao or AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi since Prime Minister Narendra Modi considers them his “own people”.

“There are cases against every Opposition leader by the central agencies, whether it is the ED or the CBI. But there is no case against the Telangana Chief Minister KCR nor the AIMIM chief. They just fight against the opposition. Narendra Modi does not fight against their own people. They think your Chief Minister and AIMIM to be their own. So there is no case against them. They have broken all records of corruption but there is no case by the ED, CBI,” he said.

The Congress MP also listed out six guarantees by the party once it comes to power in the state.

“We have promised to provide a house plot and 5 lakh rupees for the construction of a house to the homeless through the Indirimma Illu scheme. 250-square-foot house for those who fought for the Telangana movement. Whenever we come to power you will get a house over your head,” Rahul Gandhi said.

“Every month women will get Rs 2500. Narendra Modi has given you Rs 1000 gas cylinder, we will give you Rs 500 cylinder,” he said speaking on the Mahalaxmi scheme. “Karnataka buses are free for Karnataka women…Telangana women will also get this benefit once the Congress party comes to power,” he added.

Rahul Gandhi also promised “200 units of free electricity every month through Griha Jyoti Scheme.” Moreover under the Yuva Vikasam scheme he promised “five lakh assistance to youths going to colleges, and for coaching fees.”

The Congress MP also promised Rs 4000 monthly pension for the elderly and Rs 10 lakh health insurance under Rajiv ArogyaShri scheme.

Moreover, under Rythu Bharosa, Rahul Gandhi promised “Rs 15,000 for every acre to our farmer and Rs 12000 for every agricultural labourer.”

Drawing a reference from the success of their guarantees in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi said, “In Karnataka elections, Narendra Modi said in his speech that the Congress party won’t be able to fulfill its guarantees. We gave five guarantees to Karnataka. We implemented them the day our Cabinet was sworn in. The day the Congress party will form the government here, that very day you will receive your guarantees.”

Speaking about the scams undertaken by the BRS government through their schemes, Rahul Gandhi said, “They (BRS) stole Rs 1 lakh crore in the Kaleshwaram project, they took away your land in the Dharinin portal scam,…big landowners were benefitted from the Rythu Bandhi scheme…,they leaked your public service paper. We want to give you back what they have looted.”

Telangana will go to polls by the end of this year. The state is expected to see a three-pronged contest against the Congress, BJP and BRS. The results of the assembly elections is expected to set the tone for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls. (ANI) 

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Congress Working Committee

Congress Working Committee To Meet In Hyderabad On Saturday

By LokMarg

The newly constituted Congress Working Committee (CWC) will hold its first meeting in poll-bound Telangana’s Hyderabad on Saturday.

Congress President Mallikharjun Kharge will be chairing the highest decision-making body of the party to discuss the party strategy for the upcoming assembly election in the five states. 

Senior leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and CWC members will attend the CWC meeting.

Informing about the details of the CWC meeting at a press conference, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said, “Tomorrow we will hold the first CWC (Congress Working Committee meeting) in Hyderabad in which the preparations for the upcoming elections will be discussed. We have invited 90 people, out of which 84 people will attend.” 

“Congress president will preside over the CWC meeting. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will be there. Our 4 chief ministers will also attend the meeting,” he said.  

Exuding confidence that the meeting is going to be a game changer in Telangana politics, KC Venugopal said,” We will discuss the upcoming elections of the 5 states. We will surely form government in five states including Telangana. The meeting is going to be a game changer in Telangana politics. We will launch six guarantees to the people of Telangana and we will fulfil them within a month after coming to power.” 

He further informed that the extended CWC meeting will also be held. Moreover,  a public rally will be organised on September 17. 

“We invited 159 people and 149 people will attend the extended CWC meeting on September 17. We will organise a ‘Vijayaberi public meeting ‘ on the same day. On September 18, our leaders apart from MPs will go to all Assembly constituencies,” he said. 

After the rally on the same evening, the Congress president will flag off the cavalcades of CWC members, PCC presidents, CLP leaders and others to 119 Assembly constituencies of Telangana.

KC Venugopal said that the BJP is the principal enemy of the grand old party in politics and KCR’s party Bharat Rashtra Samithi is supporting anti-democratic laws in the Parliament.

“Certainly, we had past experience. Our fight is with PM Narendra Modi. Our principal enemy in politics is the BJP and their ideology. They (KCR’s party BRS) support anti-democratic laws in the Parliament, Venugopal said during a press conference in Rangareddy.

The state is set to witness a triangular contest among the BJP, the ruling BRS and the Congress. The Telangana election will serve as a litmus test for the BJP-led NDA and the INDIA alliance before the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram will also go to polls later this year. (ANI)

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Rahul In Mizoram

INDIA, Is A Union of States: Rahul Slams Centre on ‘One Nation, One Election’

By LokMarg

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government for “toying’ with the idea of holding simultaneous Lok Sabha elections and state assembly elections in the country.

According to the Congress MP representing Wayanad in Kerala, the idea of One Nation, One Election is an attack on the “Bharat” which, as per him, is the “Union of States.

In a message on his social media post, X, formerly known as Twitter, Rahul Gandhi said, “INDIA, that is Bharat, is a Union of States. The idea of ‘one nation, one election’ is an attack on the Union and all its States.”

The Centre on Saturday constituted an eight-member committee to examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections in the country.

The members of the committee, apart from former President Kovind, include Union Home Minister Amit Shah; Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury; former Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad; former Finance Commission chairman NK Singh, former Lok Sabha secretary general Subhash C Kashyap, senior advocate Harish Salve and former chief vigilance commissioner Sanjay Kothari.

The notification of the high-powered panel by the Centre came just days after it announced a special session of the Parliament from September 18 to 22, on the same day the two-day Mumbai conclave of the INDIA bloc was in progress.

However, the government remained tight-lipped on the issues to be taken up during the special session.

Opposition leaders slammed the BJP-led Centre for announcing a special session without holding prior consultations with them or informing the Business Advisory Committee.

According to the Centre, the high-level committee shall start functioning immediately and make recommendations at the earliest.

Further, according to the official notification, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will attend the meetings of the committee as a special invitee.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, however, declined to serve on the panel, saying its “terms of reference have been prepared in a manner to guarantee its conclusions”.

Simultaneous elections for the state assemblies and the Lok Sabha were held till 1967. However, in 1968 and 1969 some legislative assemblies were dissolved prematurely followed by the dissolution of the Lok Sabha in 1970. This forced a change in electoral schedules for the states and the country. (ANI)

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Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra

PM, BJP Are Nexus Of Corruption: Rahul

By LokMarg

Launching an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government over allegations concerning the Adani group, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the PM and BJP of being a nexus of corruption and demanded a probe into the Adani matter. 

“The nexus between the PM and one businessman is for every person to see. I mentioned in my press conference yesterday that the G20 is coming and India’s credibility, our nation’s credibility that the Prime Minister make his position clear and begin an enquiry on what is happened with regards to Mr Adani,” Rahul added. 

He further accused the Prime Minister and the BJP are a nexus of corruption and that is the first thing that the INDIA alliance is going to demonstrate and prove. 

“The Prime Minister and the BJP are a nexus of corruption and that is the first thing that the INDIA alliance is going to demonstrate and prove. The idea behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is to extract money from the poor people of this country and transfer it to a limited few. So, we are going to propose a clear path to development,” he added.

Earlier on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of “being quiet” and said the least that should be done is a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe.

Addressing a press conference here, Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of “protecting one person” and asked “why he is not forcing an investigation”.

Gandhi referred to the G20 Summit being hosted by India and the reports on the Adani group in two British papers and said the allegations impact perception about India.

The Congress leader said the issue affects India’s reputation, especially because of G20 Summit and alleged that PM Modi’s “reputation is on line”.

“…It is very important that the Prime Minister of India Mr Narendra Modi clears his name and categorically explains what is going on. At the very least, A JPC should be allowed and a thorough investigation should take place. I don’t understand why the PM is not forcing an investigation? Why is he quiet and people who are responsible are put behind bars? This is raising very serious questions on the PM just before G20 leaders come here…It is important that this issue is made clear before they (G20 leaders) arrive,” Gandhi said.

Gandhi, who is in Mumbai to take part in the meeting of opposition leaders, said the current flavour is G20 and it is about India’s position in the world.

“What is very important for a country like India is that there is a level playing field and transparency in our economic environment and businesses that operate here. Today morning, two global financial newspapers have raised a very important question. These are not any random newspapers. These newspapers affect investment in India and the perception of India in the rest of the world…,” he said.

“Just before the leaders of G20 are coming here, they are going to be asking what is this special company that is owned by a gentleman close to the PM and why is it in an economy like India this gentleman is being given a free ride?” he asked.

Alleging round-tripping in some funds concerning the Adani group, he asked whose money was involved. He also raised questions about the probe held in the past.

“There was an investigation, evidence was given to SEBI and SEBI gave a clean chit to Gautam Adani…So, it is clear that there is something very wrong here,” Rahul Gandhi said.

“What is amazing to me is that the gentleman who has done the investigation is today an employee of Mr Adani. What does that tell you about the nature of the investigation that the gentleman did? It is pretty clear that no investigation took place and the only reason no investigation took place is because the PM didn’t want an investigation to take place. Mr Adani cannot stop an investigation, the PM can…This is an issue that affects India’s reputation, especially because now there is the G20 taking place and India’s and PM’s reputation is on the line…,”he added.

Months after Hindenburg Research put out a report on Adani Group which allegedly claimed accounting fraud, stock price manipulation and improper use of tax havens, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) earlier today alleged that two men who it claimed “secretly invested” in the conglomerate turn out to have “close ties to its majority owners”, the Adani family.

The Adani Group has categorically rejected the allegations levelled by the OCCRP, terming the allegations as “recycled”.

“We categorically reject these recycled allegations. These news reports appear to be yet another concerted bid by Soros-funded interests supported by a section of the foreign media to revive the meritless Hindenburg report. In fact, this was anticipated, as was reported by the media last week,” the Indian conglomerate said in a statement.

These attempts are aimed at generating profits by driving down our stock prices and these short sellers are under investigation by various authorities, the statement added.

OCCRP – as per the information on its website – is “an investigative reporting platform formed by 24 non-profit investigative centres”, spread across Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Adani Group had also denied allegations in the wake of the Hindenburg report, stating that the report by the New York-based entity was “nothing but a lie”. (ANI)

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Padyatras Are Publicity Stunts

‘Political Padyatras Are Publicity Stunts, Seeking Attention’

By LokMarg

Dr Shuchi Goel, a former assistant professor at St. Joseph’s Girl’s Degree College in Sardhana, says Bharat Jodo yatra was a waste of money and man-hours. Her views:

Padyatras were historically taken by politicians or common people in India to connect with society and interact with common people. The original motive was not only to connect and unite the general public but also use it as a ‘long march’ towards popularity and power; an opportunity for politicians to interact with their voters in a fruitful manner.

But whether it is a pan-India journey or a state-level padyatra, political leaders have used it in the hope for garnering support for their party whenever elections are in sight. This is an idea of attracting or persuading people. All political parties are selling or trying to sell their different ideas in order to get a huge number of votes prior to elections. So, ultimately, it is just a political stunt, no less.

The latest example to this stunt was Bharat Jodo yatra. These were theatrics to appease pamper and appeal to the anti-establishment brigade to oust the incumbent party, in this case the BJP. But, as far as I can gauge the people’s mood, the electorate may not buy the latest offering.

For, nothing in politics is done in an altruistic manner. The big question is whether the padyatra and the crowd that it was drawing would translate into voters in the upcoming elections. Many are of the opinion that instead of ‘Bharat jodo’ it was actually a seat jodo andolan.

A padyatra may be beneficial from a health point of view but otherwise it is an aimless effort which causes hundreds of traffic jams, road diversions, and inconvenience to the general public and wastage of gallons of petrol and diesel. To top it all, hundreds who join the leader of the march either leave their everyday jobs or are perhaps aimless, mindless, youth paid for simply walking to make it look like a gathering. Roadshows are done to steal the limelight, grab attention of people and the media and get clicked or to appear on news channels.

ALSO READ: ‘Bharat Jodo Is A Healing Touch For Wounded Nation’

Padyatras usually aims to project the image of an austere and organic leader, accessible to all, who relates to the difficulties and problems faced by the masses. But who does it help? If you want to act towards a cause, then do something. Take action. See that people get employment. Understand what’s happening in the education and health systems. Rectify problem areas.

How will these padyatras help? People get fooled by the fact that a leader of the stature of a celebrity is so accessible to them – they can touch him, talk to him, eat with him – that’s what appeals to them along with the misconception that they will be able to reach out to these very politicians post elections also if and when they are in power.

To an extent these padyatras are helpful in contributing to an image makeover, maybe, but it may not work for any party in terms of polls. Though there is no guarantee of success in politics, still it is an attempt at a cardinal level to reconnect and revive any party that undertakes such yatra in time for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

(The narrator has taught psychology and history, and she has been a social activist associated with awareness programmes related to education, heath, sanitation and environment)

As told to Deepa Gupta

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Rahul Gandhi

The More They Try To Separate Us: Rahul To Wayanad People

By LokMarg

Addressing a gathering in his parliamentary constituency for the first time after being reinstated as Lok Sabha MP, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at the BJP saying that his relationship with people of Wayanad will become even stronger if they try to separate them.

“The BJP and the RSS do not understand what a family is. They don’t understand that the more they try to separate you and me, the closer we will become. They think that if we disqualify Rahul Gandhi, his relationship with Wayanad will break. If you disqualify Rahul Gandhi, his relationship with Wayanad will become even stronger ,” the reinstated MP said. 

Rahul was reinstated as Wayanad MP last week, after the Supreme Court on August 4 stayed his conviction in the ‘Modi’ surname remark case.

Continuing his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over violence-hit Manipur, the Congress leader said that rapes and murders are happening in the northeastern state but the former laughed and joked in Parliament. 

The Congress MP has been launching attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi since the latter’s over two-hour-long speech in Parliament.  

Rahul alleges that the Prime Minister spoke for 2 hours and 13 minutes in Parliament but he spoke about Manipur for only two minutes. 

“There are thousands of people in Manipur who have suffered this. Someone’s house has been burnt down, someone’s sister has been raped, and someone’s brother and parents have been killed. It is as if somebody threw kerosene across Manipur and set it on fire…There is blood everywhere, there is murder everywhere, rape everywhere. That is the situation in Manipur and the Prime Minister spoke for 2 hours and 13 minutes in Parliament but he spoke on Manipur for 2 minutes. He laughed, joked. His cabinet laughed, joked…” Rahul Gandhi said. 

Earlier on Friday, while addressing a press briefing in the national capital, Gandhi launched a similar attack on PM Modi. 

“I heard PM Modi speaking in Parliament for about 2 hours and 13 minutes. He was cracking jokes, laughing with NDA MPs sloganeering. It does not behove a prime minister,” Rahul Gandhi said yesterday.  

Emphasising that the Indian Army is capable enough to resolve the situation and bring normalcy to the state, he said, “Indian Army can stop this nonsense, drama in two days, but the PM wants Manipur to burn and does not want to extinguish the fire.”

Earlier on Thursday, PM Modi appealed to all Opposition parties to get involved in a collective effort to gain the trust of the people of Manipur and asked them not to exploit the situation in the northeastern state for political gains.

PM Modi further asked the opposition to ‘work together’ for restoring peace in Manipur and bringing normalcy there.

“I want to request the MPs of the Parliament to understand the value of this time. Come and proceed together. In this country, there have been more serious issues in the past, but we found a way to work together. Let’s come together. Take people of Manipur in confidence. Don’t take advantage of Manipur for doing politics. What has happened there in Manipur is unfortunate. Understand their pain and work for healing it. This should be our only way,” PM Modi said while replying to the debate on the no-confidence motion. (ANI)

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Rahul Gandhi National Democratic Alliance (NDA) MP Smriti Irani

NDA Women MPs Demand Action Against Rahul For Making Inappropriate Gesture In House

By LokMarg

Demanding strict action against Rahul Gandhi, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) women MPs wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker OM Birla alleging the Congress MP of making inappropriate gesture and displaying indecent behaviour in the House.

“I would like to drew your attention towards the incident in the House by Rahul Gandhi, MP from Wayanad, Kerala. The said member has behaved in an indecent manner and making inappropriate gesture towards Smriti Irani, Union Minister and Member of this House while she was addressing the House. We demand stringent action against such behaviour by the Manner, which has not only insulted the dignity women members in the House, it has also brought disrepute and lowered the dignity of this august House,” the letter read.

Bharatiya Janata Janata Party (BJP) MP Smriti Irani alleged Rahul Gandhi of ‘misbehaviour’ on the floor of the Lok Sabha. 

Without naming Rahul Gandhi, Irani said, “I object to something. The one who was given the chance to speak before me displayed indecency before leaving. It is only a misogynistic man who can give a flying kiss to a Parliament which seats female members of Parliament. Such undignified conduct was never before seen in the Parliament of the country…”

“When the House of the People, where laws are made to protect the dignity of women, during the course of a session stands witness to a man’s misogyny, my question is should he be brought to task?” she added.

In a complaint, signed by more than 20 women parliamentarians, it was alleged that the Congress member made the “inappropriate gesture” towards Irani when was speaking in the House.

Meamwhile, Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shobha Karandlaje also said that they have filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi’s unparliamentary behaviour.

“This is inappropriate and indecent behaviour of a Member. Senior members are telling that this has never happened in the history of Parliament of India…What is this behaviour? What kind of a leader is he? That is why, we have complained to the Speaker to take CCTV footage of it and take action against him. This is what we have demanded,” she added. (ANI)

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Meghalaya Gujarat Rahul Bharat Jodo Yatra

Rahul To Undertake Second Leg Of Bharat Jodo Yatra From Gujarat To Meghalaya

By LokMarg

The second leg of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra is set to begin from Gujarat and extend to the northeastern state of Meghalaya.

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole, while addressing the media here, confirmed the news and told reporters that party leaders within the state would hold a parallel march.

“The second leg of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra to begin from Gujarat to Meghalaya,” Patole said.

Prominent Congress leaders will be leading the march in different parts of the western state.

In the first leg of the yatra, Gandhi had walked almost 4,000 km from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started in Kanyakumari on September 7 last year, concluded on January 30 in Srinagar after covering 3,970 km, 12 states, and two Union territories and had lasted more than 130 days.

However, details about the new route and corresponding dates however remain unconfirmed thus far. (ANI)

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Rahul Gandhi Hit-And-Run Law

SC Stays Conviction Of Rahul; Says Person In Public Life Expected To Exercise Caution In Speeches

By LokMarg

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the conviction of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the criminal defamation case over the ‘Modi surname’ remark while saying that person in public life is expected to exercise caution while making public speeches. 

Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment which disqualified him as an MP under the rigours of the Representation of People Act. 

After his conviction in the case, Gandhi was declared disqualified as MP from Kerala’s Wayanad on March 24 following notification of the Lok Sabha Secretariat. 

A bench headed by Justice BR Gavai said no reason has been given by the trial court judge for imposing maximum sentence, and “order of conviction needs to be stayed pending final adjudication”. 

The apex court while granting relief to Gandhi said the ramifications of the trial court’s order are wide. 

Not only was Gandhi’s right to continue in public life affected but also that of the electorate who elected him, the bench said. 

The bench also said there is no doubt that the utterances of Gandhi were “not in good taste” and “person in public life expected to exercise caution while making public speeches”. 

The top court further said that Gandhi ought to have been more careful. 

“Trial judge has awarded maximum sentence of two years. Except for the admonition by Supreme Court, no other reason has been granted for this by the trial judge forwarding a maximum of two years of the sentence. It is to be noted only on account of this maximum sentence, provisions of the Representation of People Act have come into play. Had the sentence been a day lesser, provisions would not have been attracted,” the bench stated in its order. 

When the offence is non-cognisable, bailable, or compoundable, the trial judge is expected to give reasons for imposing maximum sentence, it added. 

“Though the court has spent voluminous pages rejecting stay on conviction, these aspects are not considered in their orders,” the bench further said. 

The apex court was hearing the appeal of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi against the Gujarat High Court order declining to stay Gandhi’s conviction in the case. 

Appearing for Gandhi, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the bench that the case was non-cognisable, bailable, and compoundable offence and the offence was not against society, not kidnapping, rape, or murder. He asked how can this become an offence involving moral turpitude.

Gandhi is not a hardened criminal and there are many cases filed by BJP Karyakartas but was never any conviction, he said. 

He further added that Gandhi has already missed two sessions of the Parliament. 

Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani appearing for complainant Purnesh Modi argued Gandhi through his speech defamed the entire class, just because it matches that of the Prime Minister. 

During the hearing, the bench said there is no whisper by the trial court judge about the need to grant a maximum sentence to Gandhi.

The bench asked whether the Constituency being unrepresented is a relevant factor. It observed that it’s not just one individual’s right being affected, but an entire electorate of a Constituency. 

Earlier, filing an affidavit, Gandhi said that he was not guilty of in the ‘Modi surname’ remark case, and requested the Supreme Court to stay his conviction, to enable him to participate in the ongoing sittings of the Loksabha and the sessions thereafter. 

The complainant, Gujarat BJP MLA Purnesh Ishwarbhai Modi, in his reply before the apex court, used slanderous terms such as ‘arrogant’ to describe him only because he has refused to apologise, stated Gandhi’s affidavit.

The complainant in Rahul Gandhi’s criminal defamation case in which he was convicted and sentenced to two years in jail by the Surat court over the ‘Modi surname’ remark, told the Supreme Court that the attitude of the Congress leader reveals arrogant entitlement and he doesn’t deserve any relief in form of stay on his conviction. 

Gandhi has shown arrogance rather than being apologetic over his remarks and his attitude rank as insensitivity to an offended community and contempt for the law, he told the apex court.

Approaching the top court, Gandhi also sought a stay of the Gujarat High Court verdict which upheld his conviction. He said the High Court verdict “has no parallel or precedent in the jurisprudence of the law of defamation”. 

He contended that it was “not only curious but extremely significant, indeed sinister, that all earlier cases, including the one regarding the present speech, were filed by members and office bearers of the ruling party”. 

It was submitted that the surname ‘Modi’, in different parts of the country, encompassed different communities and sub-communities, which usually have no commonality or uniformity at all. The Modi surname belonged to various castes. 

The complainant, Gujarat BJP MLA Purnesh Ishwarbhai Modi who simply has a ‘Modi’ surname, did not prove that he was prejudiced or damaged in any specific or personal sense, the plea filed in the apex court added. 

Gandhi’s plea said, “Unprecedentedly, in a case of criminal defamation, a maximum sentence of two years has been imposed. This itself is a rarest of rare occurrence.” 

The High Court on July 7 affirmed the decision of a Gujarat Sessions court, which had refused to put on hold a magisterial court order on March 23 convicting Gandhi and handing out the maximum punishment provided for criminal defamation under the Indian Penal Code. 

Rejecting Gandhi’s plea, the High Court has said that he has been seeking a stay on his conviction on “absolutely non-existent grounds” and a stay on conviction is not a rule but an exception. 

In March, the magisterial court convicted Gandhi for his remarks ahead of the 2019 national polls about the ‘Modi’ surname. 

After the magisterial court convicted Gandhi, he approached the Sessions court, which rejected his plea for a stay on his conviction on April 20. Thereafter, he approached the High Court. 

Congress leader was sentenced to two years in jail on March 23 under sections 499 and 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in a case filed by Purnesh Modi. 

At a rally in Karnataka’s Kolar in April 2019, Rahul Gandhi, in a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said, “How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?”(ANI)