Page 27 - Rahul Gandhi

Rahul is anti-Gujarati: Nadda on Medha Patkar joining Bharat Jodo Yatra

Nadda said, Medha Patkar has always taken a stand for anti-development. Rahul Gandhi standing next to her means he is also anti-Gujarati"

Shah targets Rahul, says Medha Patkar's presence in Yatra insult to Gujarat

Union Home Minister and BJP MP Amit Shah on Wednesday said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's gesture of taking along anti-Narmada activist Medha Patkar during his Bharat Jodo Yatra is the "biggest insult" meted out to Gujarat's people by the Opposition party. He was addressing a poll rally in Jasdan town in Rajkot district in support of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Kunvarji Bavalia for the next month's Gujarat Assembly elections. Voting on Jasdan and 88 other seats will be held on December 1 in the first phase of the two-phase polls. "Medha Patkar, who had stalled the Narmada dam project through litigation, is now walking with Congress' prince Rahul Gandhi. The party owes an answer to the people. This is akin to sprinkling salt on the wounds of the people of Gujarat," the Gandhinagar MP said. The official handle of Bharat Jodo' had tweeted a photo of Patkar with Gandhi when the Yatra was in Maharashtra, along with a caption, When you do something for the society, people ...

Row over Rahul's remarks on Savarkar: Chapter closed now, says Jairam

Days after a controversy erupted over Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's remarks on freedom fighter V D Savarkar, senior party leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said that chapter is closed. During the Maharashtra leg of the Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi alleged that Savarkar had helped the British and wrote a mercy petition out of fear. He had also called Savarkar a symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Gandhi's remarks were criticised by the BJP and other political organisations. On Wednesday, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Savarkar's chapter is closed. However, I would like to reiterate that the day people from the BJP and RSS stop lying about our leaders, we will stop speaking the truth about their leaders." He was addressing a press conference during the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra in Madhya Pradesh's Burhanpur district. The foot march entered Bodarli village in Burhanpur from neighbourin

Rahul looks like Saddam, says Assam CM; Congress terms him 'petty troll'

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has claimed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi looks like "Saddam Hussein", the former Iraqi dictator, and it would have been better had he turned his appearance like Sardar Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru or Mahatma Gandhi. Hitting back, senior Congress leader Manish Tewari said the Assm CM was sounding like a "petty troll". Gandhi has been seen sporting a beard during the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass contact initiative of the Congress. During a public rally in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, Sarma said, "I just saw that his looks have also changed. I said in a TV interview a few days back that there is nothing wrong with his new look. But if you have to change the looks, at least make it like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel or even Jawaharlal Nehru will do. It is better if it looks like Gandhiji. But why is your face turning into Saddam Hussein?" This is because the Congress culture is not closer to Indian people. Their culture is closer to people who have never ..

Rahul Gandhi-led Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' enters Madhya Pradesh

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday. The yatra entered the state from Boderli village situated on the Maharashta-MP border. The yatra flag was handed over to Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath in the presence of Rahul Gandhi. The Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Govind Singh, was also seen holding the flag on the occasion. A large number of Congress leaders and workers were present on the occasion. The yatra will commence from Boderli bus stand and stop at St Xavier International School Jainabad Fata in Burhanpur district.

MP Cong ready to welcome Rahul's BJY, Priyanka to join yatra on Wednesday

After winding up its Maharashtra leg, Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra is all set to enter its first Hindi heartland state of Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday

Tribals want traditional lifestyle: Himanta on Rahul's adivasi comment

Hours after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of depriving tribals of modern amenities, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday claimed that such communities do not want to let go of their traditional lifestyle. "I don't think that tribals want to discontinue their traditional lifestyle. So, jungle is not a demeaning word. Jal-jameen-jungle' -- these are very emotional words," Sarma said at a press conference here. "... Jal-jameen-jungle' are the most precious three words for the tribal community, he said. The CM, however, said he does not know in what context the Congress leader made the comments. Earlier in the day, Gandhi addressed his first election rally in Gujarat and accused the BJP of drawing up plans to displace adivasis' (tribals) by handing over forests to industrialists. "They (BJP) call you 'vanvasi' (forest dwellers). They do not say you are the first owners of India, but that you live in the jungles. Do you see the difference? It means they do

Rahul Gandhi hits Gujarat campaign trail after taking break from yatra

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he felt the pain of farmers, youth and tribals after meeting them during his Bharat Jodo Yatra and accused the BJP of drawing up plans to displace adivasis by handing over forests to industrialists as he hit the campaign trail in Gujarat 10 days ahead of the first phase of Assembly polls. Addressing his first rally in Gujarat after the announcement of the Assembly poll schedule, Gandhi asserted tribals are the first owners of the country, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was working to take away their jungles and keep their children away from modern education. The Congress MP took a break from his Bharat Jodo Yatra, currently passing through Maharashtra, and travelled to Gujarat, where he addressed a gathering of tribals at Mahuva in Surat district in support of his party, which is seeking to end its nearly three-decade stint in the opposition in the BJP-ruled state in the next month's Assembly polls. Gandhi said his 3,570-km yatra,

Farooq Abdullah to join Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra in J-K

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah will join the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi when it reaches Jammu and Kashmir, a spokesperson of the All Parties United Morcha (APUM) said on Monday. The Jammu-based umbrella organisation of nearly a dozen mainstream parties and social organisations called on Abdullah at his residence here and discussed the need to further strengthen coordination among opposition parties to defeat the designs of "communal and divisive forces'', a spokesperson said. The delegation included leaders of the Congress, the CPM, PDP, IDP and CPI. According to the spokesperson, Abdullah was in agreement with the delegation that opposition parties should mount a more united and coordinated campaign against attempts to create political and social divisions in society and assured that he would work towards strengthening broader unity to "defeat BJP and its sister concerns''. The APUM leaders suggested that a joint convention of major ...

No action against culprits of bridge crash as they are linked to BJP: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said no action has been taken against the "real culprits" behind the last month's collapse of a suspension bridge in Gujarat's Morbi town, where 135 people were killed, because they share a "good relationship" with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Addressing an election rally in Rajkot, his second in the day, he said while watchmen (posted at the accident site) were arrested and jailed, no action was taken against the real culprits. "When journalists asked me what I think about the Morbi tragedy... I said around 150 people died and this is not a political issue and so I would say nothing on this. But the question arises today as to why no action was taken against those who were behind this (tragedy), why no FIR (has been filed against them)?" he asked. "Will nothing happen to them because they share a good relationship with the BJP? They arrested chowkidars (watchmen) and put them behind bars, but no action has been taken against the .

Sanjay Raut praises Rahul for inquiring about his health during Yatra

After differences emerged between Rahul Gandhi and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena faction over the Cong leader's comment on Savarkar, Sanjay Raut appreciated Wayanad MP for enquiring about his health

Rahul's Bharat Jodo Yatra to enter Madhya Pradesh on Nov 23: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra will enter Madhya Pradesh from Maharashtra on Wednesday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted on Monday

PM takes dig at Rahul, says those dethroned taking out yatra to come back

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, saying those who have been thrown out of power are taking out yatra to get back to power. Addressing a gathering in Surendranagar town of poll-bound Gujarat, he also said some people abuse Gujarat even after eating salt manufactured in the state. Gujarat produces 80 per cent of the country's salt, he added. Modi said people who were dethroned long back were taking out yatra to get back the power. They can do it but they are walking with those who stalled the Narmada dam project for 40 years. Modi was referring to Narmada Bachao Andolan spearhead Medha Patkar joining the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra recently. "The people of Gujarat have decided to punish those who stalled the Narmada dam project for 40 years," the PM said. He also said instead of talking about development during elections, the opposition Congress is saying it will show him his "aukat" ...

BJP's actions to be blamed for distress among farmers and tribals: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has claimed the Bharatiya Janta Party's actions are the root cause of distress among farmers, youth and tribal people in Maharashtra. In a statement dated November 20, which was released on Monday, Gandhi said during his Bharat Jodo Yatra's Maharashtra leg, voices of farmers were heard whose long-standing distress has worsened in recent years due to the rising costs, uncertain prices and the failure of insurance schemes to support the cultivators in bad years. Voices of the state's youth, who are worried about finding work which meets their dreams, despite hard work and sacrifice, and the adivasis, were heard, the Congress leader said. The root cause of this distress is the BJP government's actions, which concentrate wealth and power in the hands of a few. It is worsened by their agenda of dividing Indians against each other using culture, religion, caste and language, Gandhi alleged. Standing against this agenda is Maharashtra's rich progressive ...

After Rahul's phone call, Sanjay Raut says such gestures becoming rare

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday said he received a call from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi who enquired about his health, and claimed such gestures were becoming rare in times of "political bitterness". Raut said Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass contact initiative underway from September 7, is getting a massive response because he is focussing on love and compassion. The Rajya Sabha member's praise for Gandhi comes at the time when the latter has been facing flak for his remarks on freedom fighter V D Savarkar. Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray last week said his party has immense respect for Savarkar and they do not approve of Gandhi's remarks about the late Hindutva ideologue. Gandhi recently called Savarkar a symbol of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He had also claimed that Savarkar helped the British rulers and wrote a mercy petition to them out of fear. Raut, who was recently grant

Rahul Gandhi to address two public rallies in poll-bound Gujarat

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will address two public rallies in Gujarat on Monday as part of the campaign for party candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls in the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state. This will be Gandhi's second visit to Gujarat in two-and-a half-months and the first to campaign for the state elections which will be held on December 1 and 5. He will address rallies at Mahuva in Surat district and in Rajkot city, as per the schedule released by the party. Gandhi is currently leading the Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass contact initiative of the Congress which started on September 7. He last visited Gujarat on September 5 when he addressed a gathering of booth-level party workers in Ahmedabad.

To criticise Savarkar or not: A false dilemma

While Rahul Gandhi's critics only have utilitarian concerns, the Congress scion aspires to be the moral beacon for his party. His goal is beyond tactical electoral gains and losses

Bharat Jodo Yatra: Maha leg ends, Rahul says experience in state enriching

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said his experience was enriching as the Bharat Jodo Yatra wound up its Maharashtra leg during the day with a 'Light of Unity' show in Nimkhed in Buldhana district. He said he learnt a lot during his 14 days and the experience in the land of Chhattrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj and Mahatma Phule was enriching. "I will always cherish this experience," he said, adding he interacted with farmers, youth, women, Dalits and backward classes and deprived sections of the society on the socio political situation in the country. The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which began in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, reached Jalgaon Jamod from Bhendval during the day. The march, which had reached the Madhya Pradesh border by the evening, will halt at Nimkhedi for two-days before moving into Burhanpur in the neighbouring state.

Gujarat Assembly polls: BJP, Cong, and AAP are locked in a fierce contest

Aditi Phadnis looks at the central political issues, promises made, and strategies employed to impress voters

For the Congress, a middle position is hard to sustain: Zoya Hasan

'While the Congress claims that the yatra is not a tool to win elections, its success will only be gauged in electoral terms in the future'