The Asian Age – In Delhi, death politics begins

Rajnish Sharma, Asian Age Correspondent

New Delhi, 3 May 2013. Hours after Sarabjit died in mysterious circumstances, a full-blown political slugfest erupted in New Delhi, with the Opposition, including the BJP and the Akali Dal, leaving no stone unturned to embarrass the government.

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi was quick to criticise the government for “failing Sarabjit”. He said: “The Indian government had all the time to mobilise the world … it left the matter to Sarabjit’s family themselves to handle.”

At a Mangalore election rally, Mr Modi said Sarabjit’s death was a clear case of “extra-judicial killing”. Realising the issue could snowball into a huge political controversy, the government swung into damage control mode, with home minister Sushilkumar Shinde meeting Sarabjit’s family members early Thursday.

The MHA arranged for a helicopter to fly the family from Delhi to their native village Bhikiwind.

This was followed by an emotionally-charged meeting of family members with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who promised all possible help to them. Rahul Gandhi hugged Sarabjit’s sister Dalbir Kaur while offering his condolences.

http://www.asianage.com/india/delhi-death-politics-begins-909

The Asian Age – Modi on Bharat blitz

Asian Age Correspondent

New Delhi, 9 April 2013. After the grand show at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Patel Stadium, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, who is emerging as the BJP’s face for the 2014 general election, continued his moves to inch closer to Delhi.

On Monday he addressed the Ficci Ladies Organisation in the national capital, and then moved on to talk about governance in a television show. His Ficci address was aired live by nearly 40 TV channels across the country. On Tuesday, Mr Modi is expected to reach Kolkata and take on Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee over development issues.

West Bengal, incidentally, had lost out to Gujarat when Tata Motors shifted out its Nano factory from Singur. In Kolkata, the Gujarat CM is due to address a special session on “Modi’s Vision of a Vibrant Growth Model for India”.

Addressing the Ficci ladies in New Delhi on Monday, Mr Modi focused on women’s entrepreneurship, empowerment and equality. At the same time he took potshots at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, and virtually ridiculing his famous “Kalavati” role model, the CM talked about Gujarat’s own “Jasubehn” and her “famous pizzas”.

Mr Modi said Jasubehn “exemplified” how successful women entrepreneurs could be “if they were given the right opportunity, which was available in Gujarat”.

Mr Modi said “even today women are not part of the economic decision-making process”, and added that “we have to change this, and bring them into decision-making”. Mr Modi added: “Entrepreneurship is inbuilt in women, and if an opportunity is given for this to flourish, it gives results.” He claimed things were now “changing… with more and more men seeking working wives”.

Then came the dig at Rahul Gandhi. “Before our friends from the media go there to find out if Jasubehn is like Kalavati, I would like to tell them she died five years ago. Her pizzas, however, still have a big market,” Mr Modi said amid laughter. And then his sting for Gujarat’s woman governor Kamla Beniwal.

He said the Gujarat Assembly had passed a bill reserving 50 per cent seats for women in local bodies in urban and rural areas, but it had still not got her assent. “It is my misfortune that despite being a woman she has not given her assent,” he said.

And then he took on the Congress. “My Congress friends had created so many potholes that till now I have been filling them. I have brought it to a level playing field now. Imagine how big those potholes were. Now the effort will be to build an impressive, grand Gujarat.”

Later, responding to Mr Modi’s swipe, AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi, alluding to the 2002 riots in Gujarat, said: “Someone will have to surely fill up the deep chasm he has created.”

Mr Modi strongly criticised female foeticide and pointed to imbalances in the sex ratio due to this. He stressed the need to show respect to women, and claimed he granted property rights to women in his state and also given them stamp duty relief.

Mr Modi, who is likely to play a key role in the general election, sent a clear signal to the Ficci audience. “No human being is complete. In everybody there are some shortcomings. I have all the shortcomings of an ordinary man, but with the values I received, I have been able to leave some of them behind. I have not reached the height where I can evaluate myself. That is for you all to do.”

From Ficci he went to address the audience at a TV show “Think India”, where he spoke on issues ranging from good governance to policy matters.

http://www.asianage.com/india/modi-bharat-blitz-994

The Asian Age – Rahul Gandhi terms Modi as ‘marketeer’ who makes false propaganda

Jamnagar (Gujarat), 11 December 2012. Making his first appearance in the Gujarat Assembly election campaign, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today unleashed an attack on chief minister Narendra Modi calling him a “marketeer” who does false propaganda claiming progress in the state.

“People’s voice is not heard in Gujarat. The government of Gujarat and the chief minister do not want to listen to you. He wants to hear only his own voice. He has his dream and he thinks only about his own dream. A true leader makes people’s dream his own dream,” he said addressing a rally in this town of Saurashtra.

The Congress general secretary claimed that a false propaganda that Gujarat was making all round progress has been launched but contrary to it there is rampant corruption in the state, unemployment is very high and there is all round failure.

“The marketeer says Gujarat is shining. But tell me how many hours people get water ? People get water for 25 minutes in every three days. But marketeer says Gujarat is shining. There are 10 lakh unemployed youth in Gujarat. But marketeer says Gujarat is shining,” he said.

Rahul said voice of poor and down-trodden is suppressed in Gujarat as the leader does not want to hear common people’s grievances.

“Gandhiji and Nehruji always wanted to hear people’s voice. They were true leaders,” he said.

The Congress leader claimed that even Opposition’s voice is curbed in Gujarat as the Assembly sits for just 25 days in a year and very often Opposition leaders are thrown out of the House.

Rahul said there is no Lokayukta in Gujarat and 14,000 RTI applications were pending as government does not want to let any information come out as it would expose its true affairs. (PTI)

http://www.asianage.com/india/rahul-terms-modi-marketeer-who-makes-false-propaganda-155

BBC News – India’s Congress holds mass rally to defend reforms

New Delhi, 4 November 2012. India’s ruling Congress party has held a mass rally in Delhi to shore up support and defend controversial economic reforms.

Tens of thousands gathered to hear party head Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and possible future PM Rahul Gandhi speak.

Mr Singh said those opposing moves to open the retail sector to foreign firms were “misleading the people”.

Support for Congress has been hit by economic concerns and corruption cases.

‘Corruption a cancer’

The BBC’s Sanjoy Majumder, in Delhi, says the rally was a massive show of strength by Congress as it attempts to shore up support ahead of elections in 2014.

Mr Singh defended the recent wave of controversial economic reforms, which include allowing the likes of Walmart and Tesco to enter the Indian market.

He said the move would benefit everyone and that it was wrong to claim farmers would suffer when, in fact, the reforms would create more jobs.

Mrs Gandhi delivered a fiery speech, addressing corruption allegations levelled against her party and its allies over the past two years.

“I admit, corruption is a cancer, it is a disease,” she said. “We will continue to fight this disease.”

But she added: “Those who dig a pit for others to fall should know that a well is waiting for them to fall into.”

The corruption cases include allegations involving the hosting of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, mobile phone licensing, coalfield allocations, embezzlement of charity funds and the actions of Mrs Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra in real estate deals.

Our correspondent says that all eyes at the rally were on Rahul Gandhi, who is widely seen as Congress’s candidate for prime minister in 2014.

He stressed the party’s commitment to the poor and promised tough measures to tackle corruption and land reform.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20197379

The Tribune – Drug menace: New survey on the cards

Sarbjit Dhaliwal, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 26. One may call it as a Rahul Gandhi effect. The Punjab Government has started an exercise to conduct a statewide survey to identify drug addicts and to ascertain the magnitude of the menace in the state.

Official sources said the Health Department has discussed the problem with senior officials of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and also those of the United Nations Health Programme.

Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary, had had said a few weeks ago, that 70 per cent of the youth in the state was addicted to drugs, triggering a political storm. Angry Akali leaders had said that all Congress leaders needed to undergo a dope test for issuing such statements.

Confirming that issues related to drugs and health had been discussed with the officials concerned threadbare, ICMR Director V Katoch said the Centre was prepared to extend all help to the state in the matter. He said the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Vini Mahajan, had prepared an elaborate document in this regard.

A senior official said that though studies on the drug menace had been conducted in the past, these were based on random sampling with little effort to differentiate between drug addiction and drug abuse.

Vini Mahajan said there was a proposal to study the issue scientifically. “We have consulted experts and are preparing a format for the study,” she added.

Rahul effect

AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s claim during his Punjab visit that 70 per cent of youths in the state were addicted to drugs had triggered a political storm.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121027/punjab.htm#7

The Tribune – Rahul’s drug remark triggers row

Sanjeev Singh Bariana, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 11. Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Thursday quoted reports to say that seven out of 10 youths in Punjab had a drug problem, triggering a row, with ruling Akali Dal asking how he came to this “mathematical conclusion” on drug addiction in the state.

“Youth of Punjab should break free from the shackles of drug addiction and focus on education,” said Rahul . “It’s time to initiate a change. Reports suggest at least 7 out of 10 youths are hooked on drugs. It’s unfortunate,” Rahul said while addressing students at Panjab University.

Reacting to Rahul’s remarks on the drug problem in the border state, SAD MP Naresh Gujral said, “I am not a mathematician like Mr Rahul Gandhi who after a flying visit to Punjab has discovered that seven out of 10 children in Punjab are addicted to drugs.” Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said Punjab government has no control over the flow of drugs into the state from Pakistan and that the problem was a national one.

Badal said it was the duty of the BSF which comes under the central government to check the flow of drugs into the state.

Rahul said youngsters do not participate in politics saying it was a dirty game. “The country will never embark on the path of progress till youngsters become torch-bearers and lead the revolution. Country and its people deserved a priority on the list of choices for the youth,” said Rahul. He said Punjab has initiated a national trend by allowing youth with a non-political background to enter mainstream electoral arena during the last Vidhan Sabha polls. The Congress is implementing a similar change across the country.

Rahul said to usher in any change in national politics was not easy. “Youth are not given opportunities. But by getting in leaders like Khatra and other Youth Congress members, who have became MLAs, the party is on road to revamp,” said the Congress general secretary.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121012/main4.htm

The Tribune – Ladakh needs connectivity, education, says Rahul; Lays foundation of a tunnel at Z-Morh in Sonamarg

Our Correspondent

Leh, October 4. All India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to the state, addressed a large public gathering at the Polo Ground in Leh today.

In his address, Rahul Gandhi termed the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) as the best model of an institution in terms of decentralisation of power, which plans and monitors the developmental activities at the district level.

While laying the foundation of a tunnel at ‘Z-Morh’ in Sonamarg today, the Congress leader stressed that Ladakh needed connectivity, infrastructural development and education.

The 6.5-km-long two-lane tunnel is being built at a cost of Rs 2,717 crore. It will be constructed by the Border Roads Organisation in five years. “This project is a step towards connecting Ladakh with the rest of the regions through an all-weather road,” he said.

He also assured early approval of the construction of a tunnel at the Zojila by the Central government, adding they were also considering the option of having an all-weather road from Korzok via the Parangla.

Rahul also held a meeting with the councilors of the LAHDC, during which the chief executive councilor of the LAHDC, Leh Rigzin Spalbar, apprised him about the developmental schemes being implemented in the district and rehabilitation of the 2010 cloudburst flashflood victims. The Congress general secretary was accompanied by Union Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh, Pradesh Congress Committee state president Saif-ud-Din Soz and senior congress leader Mohan Prakash.

In his welcome address, state Tourism and Culture Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora told Rahul that politics in Ladakh was based on achievement and performance, which was not found anywhere in the country. He said the Nehru family had special concern for the people of Ladakh.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20121005/j&k.htm#1

The Tribune – Eye on 2014, Congress grooms Generation-Next for Team Rahul

Anita Katyal, Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 26. While there is growing demand from the Congress rank and file that Nehru-Gandhi scion Rahul Gandhi be entrusted with greater responsibility, the party has signalled it is preparing for this eventuality by grooming its Generation-Next leaders for a bigger role in the organisation with an eye on the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

This was clearly indicated when members of the screening committees for the poll-bound states of Himachal Pradesh, Tripura and Gujarat were announced recently. Three junior ministers, who are said to be close to Rahul Gandhi, have been included in these panels, which are mandated to screen and recommend names of candidates to the party’s Central Election Committee, headed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

RPN Singh, minister of state for petroleum, is a member of the screening committee for the crucial state of Gujarat, Jitin Prasad, junior minister in the Roads and Transport Ministry, has been named on the panel for Tripura and Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Home, is a member of the screening committee for Himachal Pradesh.

The panel on Gujarat is headed by Minister of Roads and Transport CP Joshi, who is again known for his proximity to Rahul Gandhi. All the three junior ministers worked in the party organisation before their induction into the council of ministers. Jitendra Singh is a member of Rahul Gandhi’s personal team, RPN Singh was AICC secretary for several years while Jitin Prasad headed the Youth Congress and also worked as AICC secretary.

Congress leaders said the inclusion of these three ministers was a clear signal that the party is giving serious thought to the grooming of younger leaders so that they are ready to assume greater responsibilities once Rahul Gandhi enters the picture.

“The younger leaders need to be trained to build Rahul Gandhi’s future team,” remarked a senior Congress leader, adding that as members of screening committees, these young ministers will learn to deal with the pulls and pressures of handling ticket seekers and the considerations that go into the selection of candidates.

While Rahul Gandhi recently declared that he is ready to play a larger role either in the party of the government, there is no clarity on this matter so far. There is a section in the Congress, especially the younger leaders, that feels he should be more proactive in the organisation instead of confining himself to the activities of the Youth Congress as this would enthuse the demoralised party cadres.

It has been made clear that Sonia Gandhi will continue as party president and will lead the party in the 2014 elections while Rahul Gandhi will be projected as the future Prime Minister.

There is a section in the party which believes Rahul Gandhi should be made a minister to gain experience in the running of a government which will stand him in good stead for the future.

Rahul as Lok Sabha leader?

Ten Congress MPs have written to Sonia Gandhi suggesting that Rahul Gandhi be appointed Lok Sabha leader in place of Pranab Mukherjee. As leader of the House, Rahul will be able to speak dynamically on issues concerning the masses, the letter said. According to norms, a Lok Sabha leader has to necessarily be a Cabinet minister.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120727/main2.htm

The Asian Age – Rahul accepts Bilawal invite to Pakistan

Asian Age Correspondent

New Delhi, 9 April 2012. The cynosure of all eyes at the four-course Sunday lunch Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hosted at his 7 Race Course Road residence for Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari were two young guests — Mr Zardari’s son Bilawal, who heads the Pakistan People’s Party, and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi — who sat next to each other.

The two were seen talking to each other throughout the 50-minute lunch. It was revealed later that Bilawal had invited Rahul Gandhi to visit Pakistan soon, and that the latter had accepted the invitation.

Bilawal, 24, now studying history at Oxford’s Christ Church College (also attended by his grandfather Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto), was named PPP chairperson days after his mother Benazir Bhutto’s assassination in December 2007.

He tweeted soon after the meal: “Prez n I enjoyed lunch with Rahul Gandhi and PM Singh. lovely meal. Much to learn from each other.”

Congress president Sonia Gandhi could not attend due to ill health, and sent her regrets.

The lavish spread included kebabs, biryani and masala dosa.

Dr Singh asked Mr Zardari to pray for peace in both India and Pakistan when he went to Ajmer Sharif immediately after the lunch.

Those present included senior ministers P. Chidambaram, A.K. Antony and S.M. Krishna, top BJP leaders L.K. Advani and Sushma Swaraj, NSA Shivshankar Menon and foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai. Mr Chidambaram could be seen exchanging notes with his Pakistani counterpart, interior minister Rehman Malik.

http://www.asianage.com/india/rahul-accepts-bilawal-invite-pak-341

The Hindu – Sonia meets general secretaries to discuss poll results

New Delhi, 7 March 2012. Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday held a meeting of party general secretaries and office bearers to discuss the outcome of the Assembly elections in five states, including Uttar Pradesh, and the reasons behind it.

Ms. Gandhi met party general secretaries and office-bearers at the All Indian Congress Committee headquarters here and later discussed the poll results with general secretaries in-charge of the five states.

General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, who had campaigned extensively for the party in Uttar Pradesh, kept away from the meeting.

Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh, in-charge of UP; Chaudhary Birendra Singh, in-charge of Uttarakhand; Gulchain Singh Charak, in-charge of Punjab; Jagmeet Singh Brar, in-charge of Goa; and Luizinho Faleiro, in-charge of Manipur, were present in the meeting with Gandhi.

Congress was hopeful of wresting Punjab from the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP but put up a dismal performance. In Uttar Pradesh also the party could improve its tally by only six seats from 22 in 2007 to 28 this time.

Congress had virtually made UP a prestige issue and Rahul Gandhi and Digvijay Singh had made all efforts to improve the tally. However, Samajwadi Party swept the polls with an unprecedented 224 seats in its kitty.

Rahul Gandhi had on Tuesday accepted responsibility for the party’s dismal performance in UP. (PTI)

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2969685.ece?homepage=true