Repeating his 'suit-boot' jibe at Narendra Modi, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Monday alleged there is no place for the poor in the prime minister's heart, adding, "If you are not in suit-boot you are not PM's bhai".

Gandhi also accused Modi of remaining silent when Dalits, women, minorities, tribals and the poor are attacked in the country and alleged that he and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were trying to save a rape accused BJP MLA in the northern state.

On a campaign trail in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, the Congress president again took on Modi over the controversial Rafale jet deal and alleged he had close proximity with businessmen like Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Anil Ambani.

He also said that loans of farmers will be waived in 10 days if the Congress comes to power in the state.

Gandhi earlier began his two-day tour of the state by offering prayers at the famous Maa Peetambara Peeth temple complex in Datia in Gwalior division.

Taking a swipe at BJP's assurance on women's safety, Gandhi, without naming anyone, said there is a "need to save our daughters from BJP MLAs". Kuldeep Singh Sengar, a BJP MLA from UP, is accused of raping a minor girl in Unnao district.

Noting that the prime minister had said before the 2014 polls he wanted to be a "chowkidar" (guard), Gandhi alleged only 15-20 industrialists of the country benefitted under his government, instead of farmers.

"Prime Minister addresses Mehul Choksi as Mehul bhai (brother), Nirav Modi as Nirav bhai and Anil Ambani as Anil bhai but he never addresses a labourer, a poor and a farmer as bhai or hugs them. There is no place for them in his heart.If you are not in suit-boot you are not PM's bhai," Gandhi said addressing a public gathering in Datia.

"The prime minister let jeweller Nirav Modi escape with Rs 35,000 crore, which is equal to the entire budget of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)," Gandhi further charged.

He was referring to the PNB banking fraud allegedly involving Nirav Modi, his uncle Mehul Choksi and others.

Taking a dig at the ruling party over the issue of women's safety, Gandhi said, "The BJP gave a good slogan 'Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao' (save and educate daughters).

"But in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were trying to save a rape accused BJP MLA. The PM didn't speak a word," he alleged. 
"There is a need now to save our daughters from BJP MLAs."

On the multi-billion dollar Rafale jet deal with France, Gandhi alleged that Modi ensured the offset contract for Anil Ambani, "who owes Rs 45,000 crore to public sector banks".

"The prime minister does not have the courage to reply why the offset contract for the French aircraft was "snatched" from the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and instead, given to Ambani's firm," he said.

"The prime minister could not look me in the eye (during debate in Parliament). The PM gives speeches but no answers...He doesn't have the courage to reply as to why the contract was snatched from HAL and given to Anil Ambani."

The Modi government has denied allegations of irregularities in Rafale deal and Ambani, too, has dismissed the Congress's allegations that he got any undue benefit.

Gandhi accused Modi of "insulting every Indian by mocking the governance of other parties during 70 years, before the BJP-led NDA came to power.

"From the Red Fort, Modi (during his Independence Day speech) said the country was sleeping before he took over as country's prime minister. This is not an insult to Congress leaders. This is insult to the country's people.

"This is an insult to farmers, labourers, youths, small traders and people who toiled hard to build this country. This is an insult to your mother and father," he added.

Repeating his 'suit-boot' jibe at Narendra Modi, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Monday alleged there is no place for the poor in the prime minister's heart, adding, "If you are not in suit-boot you are not PM's bhai".

Repeating his 'suit-boot' jibe at Narendra Modi, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Monday alleged there is no place for the poor in the prime minister's heart, adding, "If you are not in suit-boot you are not PM's bhai". Gandhi also accused Modi of remaining silent when Dalits, women, minorities, tribals and the poor are attacked in the country and alleged that he and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were trying to save a rape accused BJP MLA in the northern state. On a campaign trail in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, the Congress president again took on Modi over the controversial Rafale jet deal and alleged he had close proximity with businessmen like Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Anil Ambani. He also said that loans of farmers will be waived in 10 days if the Congress comes to power in the state. Gandhi earlier began his two-day tour of the state by offering prayers at the famous Maa Peetambara Peeth temple complex in Datia in Gwalior division. Taking a swipe at BJP's assurance on women's safety, Gandhi, without naming anyone, said there is a "need to save our daughters from BJP MLAs". Kuldeep Singh Sengar, a BJP MLA from UP, is accused of raping a minor girl in Unnao district. Noting that the prime minister had said before the 2014 polls he wanted to be a "chowkidar" (guard), Gandhi alleged only 15-20 industrialists of the country benefitted under his government, instead of farmers. "Prime Minister addresses Mehul Choksi as Mehul bhai (brother), Nirav Modi as Nirav bhai and Anil Ambani as Anil bhai but he never addresses a labourer, a poor and a farmer as bhai or hugs them. There is no place for them in his heart.If you are not in suit-boot you are not PM's bhai," Gandhi said addressing a public gathering in Datia. "The prime minister let jeweller Nirav Modi escape with Rs 35,000 crore, which is equal to the entire budget of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)," Gandhi further charged. He was referring to the PNB banking fraud allegedly involving Nirav Modi, his uncle Mehul Choksi and others. Taking a dig at the ruling party over the issue of women's safety, Gandhi said, "The BJP gave a good slogan 'Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao' (save and educate daughters). "But in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were trying to save a rape accused BJP MLA. The PM didn't speak a word," he alleged. "There is a need now to save our daughters from BJP MLAs." On the multi-billion dollar Rafale jet deal with France, Gandhi alleged that Modi ensured the offset contract for Anil Ambani, "who owes Rs 45,000 crore to public sector banks". "The prime minister does not have the courage to reply why the offset contract for the French aircraft was "snatched" from the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and instead, given to Ambani's firm," he said. "The prime minister could not look me in the eye (during debate in Parliament). The PM gives speeches but no answers...He doesn't have the courage to reply as to why the contract was snatched from HAL and given to Anil Ambani." The Modi government has denied allegations of irregularities in Rafale deal and Ambani, too, has dismissed the Congress's allegations that he got any undue benefit. Gandhi accused Modi of "insulting every Indian by mocking the governance of other parties during 70 years, before the BJP-led NDA came to power. "From the Red Fort, Modi (during his Independence Day speech) said the country was sleeping before he took over as country's prime minister. This is not an insult to Congress leaders. This is insult to the country's people. "This is an insult to farmers, labourers, youths, small traders and people who toiled hard to build this country. This is an insult to your mother and father," he added.

'If you are not in suit-boot you are not PM's bhai', Rahul at Madhya Pradesh poll rally

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee Chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy and other party leaders Monday inspected the arrangements for the visit of party President Rahul Gandhi to Telangana on October 20.

Reddy and others left from Hyderabad by a chopper to Bhainsa near Adilabad where Gandhi will address a public meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, Reddy attacked the TRS government in Telangana for allegedly ignoring farmers' and other sections and highlighted the promises of Congress for the December 7 Legislative Assembly elections.

Gandhi would address two public meetings in Telangana on October 20.

He would hoist the Congress flag near Charminar here and address the gathering on the occasion of Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Yatra commemoration day, they said.

Former Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh K Rosaiah will be conferred the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Yatra commemoration award.

Later, the Congress leader would visit Bhainsa town and address a public meeting and another one in Kamareddy, they added.

The party has formed an alliance with the TDP, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) and been holding talks on seat-sharing for the polls.

Gandhi had visited Telangana in August last and interacted with women of Self Help Groups (SHGs) and others.

The state Congress hoped Gandhi's visit would give a boost to its prospects in the assembly elections.&nbsp;

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee Chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy and other party leaders Monday inspected the arrangements for the visit of party President Rahul Gandhi to Telangana on October 20.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee Chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy and other party leaders Monday inspected the arrangements for the visit of party President Rahul Gandhi to Telangana on October 20. Reddy and others left from Hyderabad by a chopper to Bhainsa near Adilabad where Gandhi will address a public meeting. Speaking on the occasion, Reddy attacked the TRS government in Telangana for allegedly ignoring farmers' and other sections and highlighted the promises of Congress for the December 7 Legislative Assembly elections. Gandhi would address two public meetings in Telangana on October 20. He would hoist the Congress flag near Charminar here and address the gathering on the occasion of Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Yatra commemoration day, they said. Former Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh K Rosaiah will be conferred the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Yatra commemoration award. Later, the Congress leader would visit Bhainsa town and address a public meeting and another one in Kamareddy, they added. The party has formed an alliance with the TDP, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) and been holding talks on seat-sharing for the polls. Gandhi had visited Telangana in August last and interacted with women of Self Help Groups (SHGs) and others. The state Congress hoped Gandhi's visit would give a boost to its prospects in the assembly elections.

Telangana Congress gearing up for Rahul Gandhi's visit

Against the backdrop of Congress President Rahul Gandhi's interaction with present and past employees of HAL on the Rafale deal, the state-run aerospace company Saturday regretted 'politicisation' of its employees and termed it as a fad and regrettable development that would be detrimental to national security and the organisation.

A HAL statement, which did not specifically refer to Gandhi's interaction with the employees, came after the event, where the Congress president alleged that temples of modern India were being attacked and destroyed.

An official from the agency told PIT that the NADA government has extended full-fledged support (to HAL), having placed supply orders of over Rs 27,340 crore during the 2014-18 period by recognising its premier position.

Towards improvement and up gradation of infrastructure, including ramping up of production facilities, funding to the tune of Rs 7,800 crore was sanctioned during the period, it said.

The official also said HAL enjoys pride of place in the defence and aerospace industry sector and has made an immense contribution to the nation-building process.

"Today's attempt at the politicisation of the employees is a fad and regrettable development and will be detrimental to the interest of the organisation, its employees as well as national security,"the HAL official told PTI in the statement.

In the interaction with former and past employees, Gandhi had accused the Modi government of destroying the "strategic asset" state-run aerospace company HAL and told its employees that Rafale is their right.

Congress, which has been accusing the government of benefiting Reliance Defence Ltd of Anil Ambani from the deal, has also been demanding answers on why the state-run aerospace major HAL was not involved in the deal as finalised during the UPA regime.

The party had been accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of snatching jobs of people of Karnataka by taking away the contract from HAL.

Gandhi had been saying that had HAL been selected in place of Reliance Defence, it could have generated employment to scores of unemployed youth in the state.

However, the BJP and Reliance Defence have dismissed all the allegations as false.

Modi had announced the procurement of 36 Rafale fighters after holding talks with then French President Francois Hollande on April 10, 2015, in Paris.

Against the backdrop of Congress President Rahul Gandhi's interaction with present and past employees of HAL on the Rafale deal, the state-run aerospace company Saturday regretted 'politicisation' of its employees and termed it as a fad and regrettable development that would be detrimental to national security and the organisation.

Against the backdrop of Congress President Rahul Gandhi's interaction with present and past employees of HAL on the Rafale deal, the state-run aerospace company Saturday regretted 'politicisation' of its employees and termed it as a fad and regrettable development that would be detrimental to national security and the organisation. A HAL statement, which did not specifically refer to Gandhi's interaction with the employees, came after the event, where the Congress president alleged that temples of modern India were being attacked and destroyed. An official from the agency told PIT that the NADA government has extended full-fledged support (to HAL), having placed supply orders of over Rs 27,340 crore during the 2014-18 period by recognising its premier position. Towards improvement and up gradation of infrastructure, including ramping up of production facilities, funding to the tune of Rs 7,800 crore was sanctioned during the period, it said. The official also said HAL enjoys pride of place in the defence and aerospace industry sector and has made an immense contribution to the nation-building process. "Today's attempt at the politicisation of the employees is a fad and regrettable development and will be detrimental to the interest of the organisation, its employees as well as national security,"the HAL official told PTI in the statement. In the interaction with former and past employees, Gandhi had accused the Modi government of destroying the "strategic asset" state-run aerospace company HAL and told its employees that Rafale is their right. Congress, which has been accusing the government of benefiting Reliance Defence Ltd of Anil Ambani from the deal, has also been demanding answers on why the state-run aerospace major HAL was not involved in the deal as finalised during the UPA regime. The party had been accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of snatching jobs of people of Karnataka by taking away the contract from HAL. Gandhi had been saying that had HAL been selected in place of Reliance Defence, it could have generated employment to scores of unemployed youth in the state. However, the BJP and Reliance Defence have dismissed all the allegations as false. Modi had announced the procurement of 36 Rafale fighters after holding talks with then French President Francois Hollande on April 10, 2015, in Paris.

HAL regrets 'politicisation' of employees after interaction with Rahul Gandhi

Congress President Rahul Gandhi meets HAL employees

Congress President Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to interact with nearly 100 working and retired employees of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Saturday.

Informing about his meeting at the state-owned aerospace and defence manufacturer, Rahul tweeted on Saturday that the interaction will be held from 3:00 pm onwards outside the HAL headquarters in Bengaluru.

"HAL is India's strategic asset. The future of India's aerospace industry has been destroyed by snatching #Rafale from HAL &amp; gifting it to Anil Ambani. Come defend the dignity of India's defenders. I am in Bengaluru to stand with HAL's employees. Join me outside HAL HQ, at 3 PM," the tweet read.

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HAL is India's strategic asset. The future of India's aerospace industry has been destroyed by snatching <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rafale?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rafale</a> from HAL &amp; gifting it to Anil Ambani. 
 
Come defend the dignity of India's defenders. I am in Bengaluru to stand with HAL’s employees. Join me outside HAL HQ, at 3 PM. <a href="https://t.co/FzfVGZ17Z6">pic.twitter.com/FzfVGZ17Z6</a>
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1050983130536927234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The meeting comes at a time when the Congress party-led opposition is mounting attack on the government over the India-France Rafale deal and the selection of Reliance Defence Limited, instead of HAL, as an offset partner for France's Dassault Aviation.

Gandhi, time and again, has accused the Narendra Modi-led NDA government of ousting HAL as Rafale's offset partner and choosing Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence Limited to save the company's debt-ridden chairperson and his business.

In his recent campaign in poll-bound Rajasthan, the Congress president also alleged that Prime Minister Modi has "become the Chowkidaar of his friends including Ambani, and not the nation's."

Congress President Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to interact with nearly 100 working and retired employees of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Saturday. Informing about his meeting at the state-owned aerospace and defence manufacturer, Rahul tweeted on Saturday that the interaction will be held from 3:00 pm onwards outside the HAL headquarters in Bengaluru.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to interact with nearly 100 working and retired employees of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Saturday. Informing about his meeting at the state-owned aerospace and defence manufacturer, Rahul tweeted on Saturday that the interaction will be held from 3:00 pm onwards outside the HAL headquarters in Bengaluru. "HAL is India's strategic asset. The future of India's aerospace industry has been destroyed by snatching #Rafale from HAL & gifting it to Anil Ambani. Come defend the dignity of India's defenders. I am in Bengaluru to stand with HAL's employees. Join me outside HAL HQ, at 3 PM," the tweet read. HAL is India's strategic asset. The future of India's aerospace industry has been destroyed by snatching #Rafale from HAL & gifting it to Anil Ambani. Come defend the dignity of India's defenders. I am in Bengaluru to stand with HAL’s employees. Join me outside HAL HQ, at 3 PM. pic.twitter.com/FzfVGZ17Z6 — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 13, 2018 × The meeting comes at a time when the Congress party-led opposition is mounting attack on the government over the India-France Rafale deal and the selection of Reliance Defence Limited, instead of HAL, as an offset partner for France's Dassault Aviation. Gandhi, time and again, has accused the Narendra Modi-led NDA government of ousting HAL as Rafale's offset partner and choosing Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence Limited to save the company's debt-ridden chairperson and his business. In his recent campaign in poll-bound Rajasthan, the Congress president also alleged that Prime Minister Modi has "become the Chowkidaar of his friends including Ambani, and not the nation's."

Rahul Gandhi to interact with HAL employees today

Veteran environmental activist GD Agarwal died at a Rishikesh hospital on Thursday, 111 days after he began a fast for a pollution-free Ganga. He was 86.

Agarwal, who began his hunger strike on June 22 demanding government measures to save the Ganga, died of a heart attack at the All India Institute of medical Sciences in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh, its director Ravi Kant said.

The activist was admitted to hospital on Wednesday after he even gave up water.

Local authorities imposed section 144 of the CrPC, which bans the assembly of people, around the venue of the protest and he was picked up and taken to hospital.

Dr Ravi Kant said Agarwal suffered from hernia, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease and the fast worsened his condition.

GD Agarwal, also known as Swami Gyanswaroop Sanand in his later years, had been a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur and served on the Central Pollution Control Board.

He was protesting against hydroelectric projects on the Ganga's tributaries and had demanded a law to protect the river.

Earlier, he had rejected a plea from Haridwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank to end the fast, following assurances on his demands from the Centre.

Agarwal had been campaigning for the Ganga for several years and undertook a similar fast earlier as well.

A day before Agarwal died, Union Water Resources and Ganga River Rejuvenation Minister Nitin Gadkari said almost all his demands had been met and he had written a letter to the activist to give up his fast.

On Tuesday, the Centre came out with a gazette notification stating the minimum environmental flow that is to be maintained at various locations on the Ganga.

Gadkari said draft legislation on protecting the Ganga had also been sent to the Cabinet for approval.

Reacting to the Ganga crusader's death, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his passion for saving the environment will always be remembered.

"Saddened by the demise of Shri GD Agarwal Ji. His passion towards learning, education, saving the environment, particularly Ganga cleaning will always be remembered. My condolences," he tweeted.

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Saddened by the demise of Shri GD Agarwal Ji. His passion towards learning, education, saving the environment, particularly Ganga cleaning will always be remembered. My condolences.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1050402246008217600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Gadkari termed Agarwal's death an irreparable loss to the nation.

The water resources minister said Agarwal's contribution towards the environment and the Ganga will be greatly remembered.

Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh said an "insensitive government" was "waiting? for him to die.

Senior Congress leader and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh expressed anguish over the activist's "martyrdom".

"He was an indefatigable crusader not only for Nirmal Ganga but also for Aviral Ganga (free-flowing Ganga). It was my privilege and good fortune to be able to implement some of his important suggestions to ensure uninterrupted flow in the Ganga and its tributaries in Uttarakhand,"&nbsp;Ramesh said.

A few years ago, the activist adopted Swami Gyanswaroop Sanand as his name.

As he continued the fast continued, on September 9, Agarwal announced he will give up water in October.

The National Mission for Clean Ganga officials then talked with him and Congress president Rahul Gandhi expressed support for his cause.

Agarwal had pledged his organs for medical research at the AIIMS in Rishikesh, the hospital director said.

Veteran environmental activist GD Agarwal died at a Rishikesh hospital on Thursday, 111 days after he began a fast for a pollution-free Ganga. He was 86. Agarwal, who began his hunger strike on June 22 demanding government measures to save the Ganga, died of a heart attack at the All India Institute of medical Sciences in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh, its director Ravi Kant said.

Veteran environmental activist GD Agarwal died at a Rishikesh hospital on Thursday, 111 days after he began a fast for a pollution-free Ganga. He was 86. Agarwal, who began his hunger strike on June 22 demanding government measures to save the Ganga, died of a heart attack at the All India Institute of medical Sciences in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh, its director Ravi Kant said. The activist was admitted to hospital on Wednesday after he even gave up water. Local authorities imposed section 144 of the CrPC, which bans the assembly of people, around the venue of the protest and he was picked up and taken to hospital. Dr Ravi Kant said Agarwal suffered from hernia, high blood pressure and coronary artery disease and the fast worsened his condition. GD Agarwal, also known as Swami Gyanswaroop Sanand in his later years, had been a professor at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur and served on the Central Pollution Control Board. He was protesting against hydroelectric projects on the Ganga's tributaries and had demanded a law to protect the river. Earlier, he had rejected a plea from Haridwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank to end the fast, following assurances on his demands from the Centre. Agarwal had been campaigning for the Ganga for several years and undertook a similar fast earlier as well. A day before Agarwal died, Union Water Resources and Ganga River Rejuvenation Minister Nitin Gadkari said almost all his demands had been met and he had written a letter to the activist to give up his fast. On Tuesday, the Centre came out with a gazette notification stating the minimum environmental flow that is to be maintained at various locations on the Ganga. Gadkari said draft legislation on protecting the Ganga had also been sent to the Cabinet for approval. Reacting to the Ganga crusader's death, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his passion for saving the environment will always be remembered. "Saddened by the demise of Shri GD Agarwal Ji. His passion towards learning, education, saving the environment, particularly Ganga cleaning will always be remembered. My condolences," he tweeted. Saddened by the demise of Shri GD Agarwal Ji. His passion towards learning, education, saving the environment, particularly Ganga cleaning will always be remembered. My condolences. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 11, 2018 × Gadkari termed Agarwal's death an irreparable loss to the nation. The water resources minister said Agarwal's contribution towards the environment and the Ganga will be greatly remembered. Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh said an "insensitive government" was "waiting? for him to die. Senior Congress leader and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh expressed anguish over the activist's "martyrdom". "He was an indefatigable crusader not only for Nirmal Ganga but also for Aviral Ganga (free-flowing Ganga). It was my privilege and good fortune to be able to implement some of his important suggestions to ensure uninterrupted flow in the Ganga and its tributaries in Uttarakhand," Ramesh said. A few years ago, the activist adopted Swami Gyanswaroop Sanand as his name. As he continued the fast continued, on September 9, Agarwal announced he will give up water in October. The National Mission for Clean Ganga officials then talked with him and Congress president Rahul Gandhi expressed support for his cause. Agarwal had pledged his organs for medical research at the AIIMS in Rishikesh, the hospital director said.

Save Ganga crusader GD Agarwal dies after 111-day fast: Govt says most of his demands met

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday accused Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his party of repeatedly "spreading falsehood and lies" over the Rafale deal and called him a "serial liar".

Addressing a press conference here, he said, "We have of late been experiencing the activities of a serial liar. Only an issue-less man can repeat a lie again and again. Even if a lie is repeated 100 times, it can never substitute the truth,'' &nbsp;said Goyal.&nbsp;

''The government negotiated terms which are far better than what was agreed by UPA. We have gotten faster delivery, longer maintenance tenure, better availability of spare parts and much-needed defence capabilities,'' he added.&nbsp;

Goyal's&nbsp;remarks came in the wake of Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier saying that the company`s joint venture with Reliance in Nagpur represents only about 10 per cent of the offset obligations in the deal to purchase 36 fighter jets from France and it was in negotiations with about a hundred Indian companies to meet the requirements under the Defence Procurement Procedure of the Indian government.

He&nbsp;said the Congressmen were possibly trying to hide their own misdemeanours of 2012 when under the pressure of the first family (Gandhi family) they cancelled important negotiations over the deal to benefit their associates and compromised national security.&nbsp;

Referring to Trappier`s comments, the BJP leader said that he has categorically confirmed that since the "implementation of offset was an obligation under the Indian regulation" also drafted under the UPA, they themselves choose the partners to implement the offsets".&nbsp;

"The CEO has confirmed that of their volition and choice they chose a particular company with which their discussions and contracts are persisting since 2012," he said.&nbsp;

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday accused Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his party of repeatedly "spreading falsehood and lies" over the Rafale deal and called him a "serial liar".

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday accused Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his party of repeatedly "spreading falsehood and lies" over the Rafale deal and called him a "serial liar". Addressing a press conference here, he said, "We have of late been experiencing the activities of a serial liar. Only an issue-less man can repeat a lie again and again. Even if a lie is repeated 100 times, it can never substitute the truth,'' said Goyal. ''The government negotiated terms which are far better than what was agreed by UPA. We have gotten faster delivery, longer maintenance tenure, better availability of spare parts and much-needed defence capabilities,'' he added. Goyal's remarks came in the wake of Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier saying that the company`s joint venture with Reliance in Nagpur represents only about 10 per cent of the offset obligations in the deal to purchase 36 fighter jets from France and it was in negotiations with about a hundred Indian companies to meet the requirements under the Defence Procurement Procedure of the Indian government. He said the Congressmen were possibly trying to hide their own misdemeanours of 2012 when under the pressure of the first family (Gandhi family) they cancelled important negotiations over the deal to benefit their associates and compromised national security. Referring to Trappier`s comments, the BJP leader said that he has categorically confirmed that since the "implementation of offset was an obligation under the Indian regulation" also drafted under the UPA, they themselves choose the partners to implement the offsets". "The CEO has confirmed that of their volition and choice they chose a particular company with which their discussions and contracts are persisting since 2012," he said.

Piyush Goyal slams 'serial liar' Rahul Gandhi for spreading falsehood on Rafale deal 

Congress president Rahul Gandhi came out in support of India's burgeoning #MeToo movement on Friday.&nbsp;

"It’s about time everyone learns to treat women with respect and dignity," he tweeted.&nbsp;

"I’m glad the space for those who don't, is closing. The truth needs to be told loud and clear in order to bring about change," he added.&nbsp;

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It’s about time everyone learns to treat women with respect and dignity. 
 
I’m glad the space for those who don't, is closing. The truth needs to be told loud and clear in order to bring about change. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MeToo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MeToo</a>
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1050629984014884864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-most-indian-men-dont-see-women-as-equals-166453">Most Indian men don't see women as equals, says Rahul Gandhi</a>

India's #MeToo movement began two weeks ago with the actress Tanushree Dutta accusing the actor Nana Patekar of sexual harassment. She said he had tried to touch her inappropriately.&nbsp;

Since then the floodgates have opened and woman after woman in the (till now) media and entertainment industries have accused men of having sexually assaulted and harassed them.&nbsp;

The list of men accused so far reads like a list of the rich and powerful. They include: the actor Alok Nath, the popular writer Chetan Bhagat, the Queen director Vikash Bahl, Suhel Seth, the director Subhash Ghai, the director Sajid Khan, the former Times of India and DNA editor Gautam Adhikhari, a number of other journalists, and Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar.&nbsp;

The names of a number of other men in a number of professions are expected to tumble out too. On Friday, Justice Gautam Patel of the Bombay High Court came out in support of the movement, saying the judiciary too was plagued with "rampant sexism and the culture of patriarchy".

So far, seven women have accused MJ Akbar of sexual assault and harassment from when he was a journalist and editor. Akbar, who is currently in Nigeria with a trade delegation, has not yet responded to the charges.&nbsp;

Calls for his sacking however have grown louder and louder.&nbsp;

Congress president Rahul Gandhi came out in support of India's burgeoning #MeToo movement on Friday. "It’s about time everyone learns to treat women with respect and dignity," he tweeted.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi came out in support of India's burgeoning #MeToo movement on Friday. "It’s about time everyone learns to treat women with respect and dignity," he tweeted. "I’m glad the space for those who don't, is closing. The truth needs to be told loud and clear in order to bring about change," he added. It’s about time everyone learns to treat women with respect and dignity. I’m glad the space for those who don't, is closing. The truth needs to be told loud and clear in order to bring about change. #MeToo — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 12, 2018 × Also read: Most Indian men don't see women as equals, says Rahul Gandhi India's #MeToo movement began two weeks ago with the actress Tanushree Dutta accusing the actor Nana Patekar of sexual harassment. She said he had tried to touch her inappropriately. Since then the floodgates have opened and woman after woman in the (till now) media and entertainment industries have accused men of having sexually assaulted and harassed them. The list of men accused so far reads like a list of the rich and powerful. They include: the actor Alok Nath, the popular writer Chetan Bhagat, the Queen director Vikash Bahl, Suhel Seth, the director Subhash Ghai, the director Sajid Khan, the former Times of India and DNA editor Gautam Adhikhari, a number of other journalists, and Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar. The names of a number of other men in a number of professions are expected to tumble out too. On Friday, Justice Gautam Patel of the Bombay High Court came out in support of the movement, saying the judiciary too was plagued with "rampant sexism and the culture of patriarchy". So far, seven women have accused MJ Akbar of sexual assault and harassment from when he was a journalist and editor. Akbar, who is currently in Nigeria with a trade delegation, has not yet responded to the charges. Calls for his sacking however have grown louder and louder.

#MeToo: 'Truth needs to be told loud and clear,' says Rahul Gandhi

As the most female ministers have avoided&nbsp;commenting on sexual allegations levelled against minister of state for external affairs, MJ Akbar,&nbsp;Bharatiya Janata Party's women wing chief for Madhya Pradesh, Lata Kelkar came out in defence of Akbar in a press conference in Bhopal as she said, "I don't consider women journalists to be so innocent that anyone can misuse them".

"I welcome this MeToo campaign but I don't consider women journalists to be so innocent that anyone can misuse them," Kelkar told reporters as she was asked about the charges against the minister.

In the media interaction, she was also asked whether Akbar should resign from his post to which she responded saying that it wasn't for her to say and can only be decided by him and the party command.

However, she also said that she would have asked for the resignations after reporters asked for her reaction&nbsp;if similar allegations were levelled against a Congress leader.

As the #MeToo campaign is gathering momentum in the country, some women journalists came out and accused MJ Akbar of sexually harassing them during his stint as editor in two newspapers.

Akbar, whose resignation from the government is being demanded by opposition political parties and various others, has however not reacted to the allegations so far.

Meanwhile, Congress president Rahul Gandhi came out in support of the #MeToo movement, saying it was about time that everyone learns to treat women with respect and dignity.

He also said he is happy that the space for those who don't treat women with respect and dignity is closing. 
&nbsp;

As the most female ministers have avoided commenting on sexual allegations levelled against minister of state for external affairs, MJ Akbar, Bharatiya Janata Party's women wing chief for Madhya Pradesh, Lata Kelkar came out in defence of Akbar in a press conference in Bhopal as she said, "I don't consider women journalists to be so innocent that anyone can misuse them".

As the most female ministers have avoided commenting on sexual allegations levelled against minister of state for external affairs, MJ Akbar, Bharatiya Janata Party's women wing chief for Madhya Pradesh, Lata Kelkar came out in defence of Akbar in a press conference in Bhopal as she said, "I don't consider women journalists to be so innocent that anyone can misuse them". "I welcome this MeToo campaign but I don't consider women journalists to be so innocent that anyone can misuse them," Kelkar told reporters as she was asked about the charges against the minister. In the media interaction, she was also asked whether Akbar should resign from his post to which she responded saying that it wasn't for her to say and can only be decided by him and the party command. However, she also said that she would have asked for the resignations after reporters asked for her reaction if similar allegations were levelled against a Congress leader. As the #MeToo campaign is gathering momentum in the country, some women journalists came out and accused MJ Akbar of sexually harassing them during his stint as editor in two newspapers. Akbar, whose resignation from the government is being demanded by opposition political parties and various others, has however not reacted to the allegations so far. Meanwhile, Congress president Rahul Gandhi came out in support of the #MeToo movement, saying it was about time that everyone learns to treat women with respect and dignity. He also said he is happy that the space for those who don't treat women with respect and dignity is closing.

Don't consider women journalists to be so innocent: MP BJP's women's wing chief on allegations against MoS Akbar

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a quickly organised press conference, Rahul stated that Modi is a corrupt Prime Minister and claimed that he gave away Rs 30,000 crore rupees to Ambanis.

Sharpening his attack a step further, the Congress president also accused Modi of being Ambani's Prime Minister. "PM Modi Ambani ki chowkidari kar rahe hain (PM Modi is safeguarding Ambani's interest)," Rahul said.

The attack comes in the wake of a report published by a French website Mediapart which said it has accessed an internal document of French aviation major Dassault Aviation where it was being claimed that it is imperative for the company to get into a relationship with a particular Indian counterpart, in this case the Reliance Group.

Rahul also insisted that Prime Minister is directly involved in the Rafale scam and called for an investigation by joint parliamentary committee (JPC).

The Congress has <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-alleges-govt-manipulated-rafale-deal-process-170698">decided to make Rafale</a> into an issue of corruption to target PM Modi. Throughout the press conference, Rahul continued to press the message that Rafale is a scam which has been instituted from top within the NDA regime. He also raised questions on defence minister Nirmala Sitaraman's visit to France.

Though French government and Dassault Aviation <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/freely-chose-reliance-for-rafale-deal-dassault-aviation-issues-clarification-170776">continue to deny</a> any quid pro quo, Congress is determined to take on the government on the Rafale issue. In fact, the party has constituted a small group to focus only on the Rafale deal and turn it into an electoral issue.

Rahul Gandhi said that Dassault will say whatever the Indian government wants it to say as the company is sitting on a huge contract. Despite the best effort of the the government, controversy refuses to die down for the government which claims that it went into a deal because of urgent requirement by the Indian Air Force.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a quickly organised press conference, Rahul stated that Modi is a corrupt Prime Minister and claimed that he gave away Rs 30,000 crore rupees to Ambanis.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a quickly organised press conference, Rahul stated that Modi is a corrupt Prime Minister and claimed that he gave away Rs 30,000 crore rupees to Ambanis. Sharpening his attack a step further, the Congress president also accused Modi of being Ambani's Prime Minister. "PM Modi Ambani ki chowkidari kar rahe hain (PM Modi is safeguarding Ambani's interest)," Rahul said. The attack comes in the wake of a report published by a French website Mediapart which said it has accessed an internal document of French aviation major Dassault Aviation where it was being claimed that it is imperative for the company to get into a relationship with a particular Indian counterpart, in this case the Reliance Group. Rahul also insisted that Prime Minister is directly involved in the Rafale scam and called for an investigation by joint parliamentary committee (JPC). The Congress has decided to make Rafale into an issue of corruption to target PM Modi. Throughout the press conference, Rahul continued to press the message that Rafale is a scam which has been instituted from top within the NDA regime. He also raised questions on defence minister Nirmala Sitaraman's visit to France. Though French government and Dassault Aviation continue to deny any quid pro quo, Congress is determined to take on the government on the Rafale issue. In fact, the party has constituted a small group to focus only on the Rafale deal and turn it into an electoral issue. Rahul Gandhi said that Dassault will say whatever the Indian government wants it to say as the company is sitting on a huge contract. Despite the best effort of the the government, controversy refuses to die down for the government which claims that it went into a deal because of urgent requirement by the Indian Air Force.

Rafale deal: In a sharp attack on Modi, Rahul says PM safeguarding Ambani's interest

Congress President Rahul Gandhi will meet Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) employees in Bengaluru on October 13, news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of India on Wednesday asked the Central government for <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rafale-deal-supreme-court-asks-govt-for-details-of-decision-making-process-170590">details of the decision-making process in the Rafale deal</a>.&nbsp;

According to reports, the top court asked for the details in a sealed cover, while clarifying that it did not want information on the deal's pricing and technical details. &nbsp;

The opposition has accused the Narendra Modi-led government of corruption in the Rafale deal. &nbsp;

The opposition — led by Congress president Rahul Gandhi — says the NDA government is paying three times as much as the UPA government had agreed to pay for every Rafale. The opposition has also accused the government of crony capitalism.&nbsp;

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Congress President Rahul Gandhi to meet HAL employees in Bengaluru on 13 October. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Karnataka?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Karnataka</a> <a href="https://t.co/h4pcPQyFi8">pic.twitter.com/h4pcPQyFi8</a>
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The original Indian partner in the Rafale deal was the public sector HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd). But HAL was turfed out of the new deal, in favour of Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence which has little to no experience in the defence and aerospace industries.&nbsp;

The government had earlier said it was Dassault which chose Reliance and they had nothing to do with it but Hollande, while on a trip to India, recently said it was the Indian government which had suggested Reliance's name.&nbsp;

The Supreme court was on Wednesday hearing various petitions against the Rafale deal. The petitions seek directions from the top court, including asking the Centre to reveal details of the Rafale deal and the comparative prices of the deals brokered by the UPA and the NDA governments.&nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)

Congress President Rahul Gandhi will meet Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) employees in Bengaluru on October 13, news agency ANI reported. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of India on Wednesday asked the Central government for details of the decision-making process in the Rafale deal.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi will meet Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) employees in Bengaluru on October 13, news agency ANI reported. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of India on Wednesday asked the Central government for details of the decision-making process in the Rafale deal. According to reports, the top court asked for the details in a sealed cover, while clarifying that it did not want information on the deal's pricing and technical details. The opposition has accused the Narendra Modi-led government of corruption in the Rafale deal. The opposition — led by Congress president Rahul Gandhi — says the NDA government is paying three times as much as the UPA government had agreed to pay for every Rafale. The opposition has also accused the government of crony capitalism. Congress President Rahul Gandhi to meet HAL employees in Bengaluru on 13 October. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/h4pcPQyFi8 — ANI (@ANI) October 10, 2018 × The original Indian partner in the Rafale deal was the public sector HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd). But HAL was turfed out of the new deal, in favour of Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence which has little to no experience in the defence and aerospace industries. The government had earlier said it was Dassault which chose Reliance and they had nothing to do with it but Hollande, while on a trip to India, recently said it was the Indian government which had suggested Reliance's name. The Supreme court was on Wednesday hearing various petitions against the Rafale deal. The petitions seek directions from the top court, including asking the Centre to reveal details of the Rafale deal and the comparative prices of the deals brokered by the UPA and the NDA governments. (With inputs from PTI)

Rafale deal: Rahul Gandhi to meet HAL employees on October 13

Taking his attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi to poll-bound Rajasthan, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax, which he referred to as Gabbar Singh Tax, had destroyed India's economy.&nbsp;

Addressing a rally in Dholpur's Mania area, Gandhi said the prime minister had declared during elections that he wanted to be a 'chowkidar' but never clarified who he wanted to guard. The Congress president alleged that he benefited 15-20 industrialists of the country instead of farmers.

According to Gandhi, the former UPA government led by his party had waived farmers' loans worth Rs. 70,000 crore. But bad debt worth Rs. 3.5 lakh crore was written off by the present government and the prime minister did not help farmers with even a one rupee waiver, he alleged.&nbsp;

Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to the state, named several industrialists, including Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, Lalit Modi and Anil Ambani, and said the PM benefited them but did not take care of farmers and youths.

Gandhi claimed the government had destroyed the country's economy with decisions like demonetisation and GST.&nbsp;

Modi, he said, benefited his industrialist friend in Rafale deal and did not speak a single word when he raised the matter in Parliament.&nbsp;

The Congress president said the Centre and state governments worked against people, small-scale business, farmers, women and youths.&nbsp;

The former UPA government introduced several schemes and programmes for the poor, including MGNREGA. Moreover, the former Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan had brought free medicines schemes but the BJP governments had weakened them and worked against the people, Gandhi said.

The Congress chief, who is holding a 150 km roadshow in eastern Rajasthan, will visit Bikaner Wednesday.&nbsp;

Elections in Rajasthan will be held on December 7.&nbsp;

Taking his attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi to poll-bound Rajasthan, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax, which he referred to as Gabbar Singh Tax, had destroyed India's economy.

Taking his attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi to poll-bound Rajasthan, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax, which he referred to as Gabbar Singh Tax, had destroyed India's economy. Addressing a rally in Dholpur's Mania area, Gandhi said the prime minister had declared during elections that he wanted to be a 'chowkidar' but never clarified who he wanted to guard. The Congress president alleged that he benefited 15-20 industrialists of the country instead of farmers. According to Gandhi, the former UPA government led by his party had waived farmers' loans worth Rs. 70,000 crore. But bad debt worth Rs. 3.5 lakh crore was written off by the present government and the prime minister did not help farmers with even a one rupee waiver, he alleged. Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to the state, named several industrialists, including Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, Lalit Modi and Anil Ambani, and said the PM benefited them but did not take care of farmers and youths. Gandhi claimed the government had destroyed the country's economy with decisions like demonetisation and GST. Modi, he said, benefited his industrialist friend in Rafale deal and did not speak a single word when he raised the matter in Parliament. The Congress president said the Centre and state governments worked against people, small-scale business, farmers, women and youths. The former UPA government introduced several schemes and programmes for the poor, including MGNREGA. Moreover, the former Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan had brought free medicines schemes but the BJP governments had weakened them and worked against the people, Gandhi said. The Congress chief, who is holding a 150 km roadshow in eastern Rajasthan, will visit Bikaner Wednesday. Elections in Rajasthan will be held on December 7.

Demonetisation and GST destroyed economy: Rahul Gandhi

Congress President Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said attacks on the migrant workforce in Gujarat are not good for business and the economy and that the Government must act decisively to restore peace and ensure the safety of every Indian.

In a Facebook post, he said "poor'" economic policies, demonetisation and a "poorly-implemented" GST has led to the closure of factories and rise in unemployment that is being manifested in violent attacks on migrants across Gujarat.

He said there is growing frustration and anger with the government's "inability" to create jobs.

Across Gujarat, poor economic policies, demonetisation and poorly executed GST have devastated industry resulting in shutting down of factories and industrial units, leading to massive unemployment.&nbsp;

Amongst the youth, there is growing frustration and anger with the Government's inability to create jobs. This anger and frustration is being manifested in violent attacks on migrants, across the state of Gujarat, he said in his post.

The Congress chief said the migrant workforce is "critical to our economic growth" and attacks on them create an environment of fear and insecurity that isn't good for business and economy".&nbsp;

He also said, that the Government must act decisively, and do all it can to restore peace and to ensure the safety of every Indian.&nbsp;

Since the alleged rape of a 14-month-old girl in Sabarkantha district on September 28, six districts, most of them in north Gujarat, has witnessed sporadic incidents of violence against Hindi-speaking people, police said.

Police have arrested Ravindra Sahu, a labourer hailing from Bihar and working in a local ceramic factory, for the crime.&nbsp;

Congress President Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said attacks on the migrant workforce in Gujarat are not good for business and the economy and that the Government must act decisively to restore peace and ensure the safety of every Indian.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said attacks on the migrant workforce in Gujarat are not good for business and the economy and that the Government must act decisively to restore peace and ensure the safety of every Indian. In a Facebook post, he said "poor'" economic policies, demonetisation and a "poorly-implemented" GST has led to the closure of factories and rise in unemployment that is being manifested in violent attacks on migrants across Gujarat. He said there is growing frustration and anger with the government's "inability" to create jobs. Across Gujarat, poor economic policies, demonetisation and poorly executed GST have devastated industry resulting in shutting down of factories and industrial units, leading to massive unemployment. Amongst the youth, there is growing frustration and anger with the Government's inability to create jobs. This anger and frustration is being manifested in violent attacks on migrants, across the state of Gujarat, he said in his post. The Congress chief said the migrant workforce is "critical to our economic growth" and attacks on them create an environment of fear and insecurity that isn't good for business and economy". He also said, that the Government must act decisively, and do all it can to restore peace and to ensure the safety of every Indian. Since the alleged rape of a 14-month-old girl in Sabarkantha district on September 28, six districts, most of them in north Gujarat, has witnessed sporadic incidents of violence against Hindi-speaking people, police said. Police have arrested Ravindra Sahu, a labourer hailing from Bihar and working in a local ceramic factory, for the crime.

Gujarat migrant attacks: Rahul Gandhi says govt must act decisively to restore peace

Congress president Rahul Gandhi took another potshot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi (and Anil Ambani) in Rajasthan's Dholpur on Tuesday.&nbsp;

"Modiji took out Rs 45,000 crore from pockets of farmers and poor and gave to Anil Ambani," Gandhi said.&nbsp;

"I asked him in Parliament why did he give the contract to him? I looked him in the eye but he looked here and there. Nation saw that he couldn't look youth of India in the eye," Gandhi added.&nbsp;

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Modi ji took out Rs 45,000 Cr from pockets of farmers&amp;poor &amp; gave to Anil Ambani. I asked him in Parliament why did he give the contract to him? I looked him in the eye but he looked here&amp;there. Nation saw that he couldn't look youth of India in the eye: Rahul Gandhi in Rajasthan <a href="https://t.co/kt7051Plxw">pic.twitter.com/kt7051Plxw</a>
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Rahul was addressing a campaign rally. Rajasthan will go to the polls on December 7. The results will be out four days later on December 11.&nbsp;

He also said he wanted the ubiquitiuos words "Made in China" replaced by "Made in Dholpur", "Made in Jaipur", or "Made in Rajasthan".&nbsp;

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I want that when someone takes a selfie in China, he would see the words 'Made in Dholpur' written at the back of the phone &amp; wonder where it is. Then we bring him to Rajasthan as a tourist, put his money in your pocket &amp; send him back by flight: Rahul Gandhi in Dholpur,Rajasthan <a href="https://t.co/3mRLrpim6C">pic.twitter.com/3mRLrpim6C</a>
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"You are taking a selfie, if you turn the phone you will find 'Made in China' written on it. I want 'Made in Dholpur', 'Made in Rajasthan', 'Made in Jaipur' written on it," Gandhi said.&nbsp;

Congress president Rahul Gandhi took another potshot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi (and Anil Ambani) in Rajasthan's Dholpur on Tuesday. "Modiji took out Rs 45,000 crore from pockets of farmers and poor and gave to Anil Ambani," Gandhi said.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi took another potshot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi (and Anil Ambani) in Rajasthan's Dholpur on Tuesday. "Modiji took out Rs 45,000 crore from pockets of farmers and poor and gave to Anil Ambani," Gandhi said. "I asked him in Parliament why did he give the contract to him? I looked him in the eye but he looked here and there. Nation saw that he couldn't look youth of India in the eye," Gandhi added. Modi ji took out Rs 45,000 Cr from pockets of farmers&poor & gave to Anil Ambani. I asked him in Parliament why did he give the contract to him? I looked him in the eye but he looked here&there. Nation saw that he couldn't look youth of India in the eye: Rahul Gandhi in Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/kt7051Plxw — ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2018 × Rahul was addressing a campaign rally. Rajasthan will go to the polls on December 7. The results will be out four days later on December 11. He also said he wanted the ubiquitiuos words "Made in China" replaced by "Made in Dholpur", "Made in Jaipur", or "Made in Rajasthan". I want that when someone takes a selfie in China, he would see the words 'Made in Dholpur' written at the back of the phone & wonder where it is. Then we bring him to Rajasthan as a tourist, put his money in your pocket & send him back by flight: Rahul Gandhi in Dholpur,Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/3mRLrpim6C — ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2018 × "You are taking a selfie, if you turn the phone you will find 'Made in China' written on it. I want 'Made in Dholpur', 'Made in Rajasthan', 'Made in Jaipur' written on it," Gandhi said.

Nation saw Modi couldn't look youth of India in the eye: Rahul Gandhi

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat today refused to comment on Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's statement that farmers in BJP-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan were in distress.

Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, the Union Minister of State for Agriculture said that it would "not be appropriate" to comment on the statement of a person "who doesn't know the difference between wheat and paddy crops".

Mr Shekhawat was replying to a query on Mr Gandhi's allegation about agrarian distress in several parts of the country.

"I am a farmer, an agriculturists' leader and their representative in the Central government. So I know the condition of the agricultural sector better," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Indore.

"It would not be appropriate to comment on the statements of a person who doesn't know the difference between wheat and paddy crops, who doesn't know the difference between a lamb and the offspring of a goat," the minister added.

The minister claimed that farmers were getting the right price for their products and this had strengthened the agricultural sector.

Speaking on the October 2 police action on protesting farmers marching towards Delhi, the minister said that the government would fulfil their legitimate demands but added that farmers were being "instigated" to reap the political benefit in view of the upcoming Assembly polls.

Farmers marching towards Delhi as part of the Bharatiya Kisan Union's (BKU) protest call over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to reduction in fuel prices were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border on October 2 with police using water cannons to disperse them.

Mr Shekhawat stated that the government was trying to increase the export of soyabean and other agricultural products seeing an opportunity in the ongoing US-China trade tussle.

"In view of the ongoing China-US trade war, there is a huge opportunity for agrarian economies like India. So our government is making efforts to promote the export of agriculture-based products," he said.

Mr Shekhawat said previous Congress governments betrayed farmers as well as those in the food processing industry.

This, he claimed, had led to an increased dependence on import of edible oil. "To reduce this dependence, our government increased the import duty on edible oil four times. We also increased the minimum support price of oilseeds so that farmers get the right price of their produce and more farmers get attracted to such crops," he said.

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat today refused to comment on Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's statement that farmers in BJP-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan were in distress.

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat today refused to comment on Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's statement that farmers in BJP-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan were in distress. Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, the Union Minister of State for Agriculture said that it would "not be appropriate" to comment on the statement of a person "who doesn't know the difference between wheat and paddy crops". Mr Shekhawat was replying to a query on Mr Gandhi's allegation about agrarian distress in several parts of the country. "I am a farmer, an agriculturists' leader and their representative in the Central government. So I know the condition of the agricultural sector better," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Indore. "It would not be appropriate to comment on the statements of a person who doesn't know the difference between wheat and paddy crops, who doesn't know the difference between a lamb and the offspring of a goat," the minister added. The minister claimed that farmers were getting the right price for their products and this had strengthened the agricultural sector. Speaking on the October 2 police action on protesting farmers marching towards Delhi, the minister said that the government would fulfil their legitimate demands but added that farmers were being "instigated" to reap the political benefit in view of the upcoming Assembly polls. Farmers marching towards Delhi as part of the Bharatiya Kisan Union's (BKU) protest call over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to reduction in fuel prices were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border on October 2 with police using water cannons to disperse them. Mr Shekhawat stated that the government was trying to increase the export of soyabean and other agricultural products seeing an opportunity in the ongoing US-China trade tussle. "In view of the ongoing China-US trade war, there is a huge opportunity for agrarian economies like India. So our government is making efforts to promote the export of agriculture-based products," he said. Mr Shekhawat said previous Congress governments betrayed farmers as well as those in the food processing industry. This, he claimed, had led to an increased dependence on import of edible oil. "To reduce this dependence, our government increased the import duty on edible oil four times. We also increased the minimum support price of oilseeds so that farmers get the right price of their produce and more farmers get attracted to such crops," he said.

Rahul Gandhi doesn't know difference between wheat and paddy: Minister

BJP chief Amit Shah on Saturday challenged Congress president Rahul Gandhi to a debate with any leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) on the development track record of the two parties in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.

"I challenge Rahul baba (Rahul Gandhi): decide the city, forum, date and time, and I will send the chief of my Yuva Morcha (youth wing) of that city and let there be a debate on development... (during) your 55 years of rule and (chief minister) Shivraj Singh Chouhan's 14 year-rule," Shah said, addressing a gathering here.

However, he said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had much more to achieve.

"There is a lot to be done. (West) Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have to be won. Until the saffron flag of the BJP flutters from the south to the eastern coast, no BJP worker has the right to rest," he said.

Shah stressed the victory in November 28 polls in Madhya Pradesh will boost the enthusiasm of party workers in West Bengal and provide some succour to "mothers of martyred party workers in Kerala".

"MP victory should be so big that the BJP should win all elections from Panchayat to Parliament for the next 50 years," he said further.

Shah said BJP had won all the states which went to polls after 2014 Lok Sabha elections and the Gandhi scion should not "even dream" about winning in Madhya Pradesh.

"Be it Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand, Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal, Goa, Gujarat, BJP won every state. How can you (Rahul Gandhi) even dream (of a victory in Madhya Pradesh)?" Shah asked.

Shah also accused former prime minister Manmohan Singh of not uttering a word while infiltrators sneaked into the country and beheaded Indian soldiers.

"After the BJP came to power, they (terrorists from Pakistan) made the mistake of attacking our jawans at Uri at 3 AM and did not give a chance to retaliate. Twelve soldiers were killed," he said.

"On the tenth day (of the attack), Modi ordered our soldiers to retaliate. Our brave jawans conducted a surgical strike and took revenge," the BJP chief said.

Earlier only the US and Israel were known for avenging the death of their soldiers, now India's name has been added to this list, he said.

BJP chief Amit Shah on Saturday challenged Congress president Rahul Gandhi to a debate with any leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) on the development track record of the two parties in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.

BJP chief Amit Shah on Saturday challenged Congress president Rahul Gandhi to a debate with any leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) on the development track record of the two parties in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh. "I challenge Rahul baba (Rahul Gandhi): decide the city, forum, date and time, and I will send the chief of my Yuva Morcha (youth wing) of that city and let there be a debate on development... (during) your 55 years of rule and (chief minister) Shivraj Singh Chouhan's 14 year-rule," Shah said, addressing a gathering here. However, he said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had much more to achieve. "There is a lot to be done. (West) Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have to be won. Until the saffron flag of the BJP flutters from the south to the eastern coast, no BJP worker has the right to rest," he said. Shah stressed the victory in November 28 polls in Madhya Pradesh will boost the enthusiasm of party workers in West Bengal and provide some succour to "mothers of martyred party workers in Kerala". "MP victory should be so big that the BJP should win all elections from Panchayat to Parliament for the next 50 years," he said further. Shah said BJP had won all the states which went to polls after 2014 Lok Sabha elections and the Gandhi scion should not "even dream" about winning in Madhya Pradesh. "Be it Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand, Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal, Goa, Gujarat, BJP won every state. How can you (Rahul Gandhi) even dream (of a victory in Madhya Pradesh)?" Shah asked. Shah also accused former prime minister Manmohan Singh of not uttering a word while infiltrators sneaked into the country and beheaded Indian soldiers. "After the BJP came to power, they (terrorists from Pakistan) made the mistake of attacking our jawans at Uri at 3 AM and did not give a chance to retaliate. Twelve soldiers were killed," he said. "On the tenth day (of the attack), Modi ordered our soldiers to retaliate. Our brave jawans conducted a surgical strike and took revenge," the BJP chief said. Earlier only the US and Israel were known for avenging the death of their soldiers, now India's name has been added to this list, he said.

Amit Shah dares Rahul Gandhi to debate with youth wing leaders over development in MP

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday said he will become prime minister if allies want him but the first step is for all parties to get together and defeat the ruling BJP.

It's a two-stage process and a decision on who will be prime minister comes second, Gandhi said.&nbsp;

"We have had discussions with allies and what we decided is that this is a two-stage process stage -- one is to get together and defeat BJP and stage two is, once the election is over then we will decide what happens," the Congress president explained.&nbsp;

Probed further about the possibility of him becoming prime minister, Gandhi said, "If they (allies) want me, sure... I will."

The Congress chief, who was speaking at the HT Leadership Summit, answered questions on a range of issues, including his temple visits and the RSS.

Gandhi said he has been going to temples, gurdwaras and mosques for years, but the issue of his visits to temples has suddenly been publicised.&nbsp;

"I guess BJP doesn't like it. It infuriates them. BJP feels only they can go to temples, he said.

He said he has developed a thick skin. He can understand the criticism and is not disturbed by it. "My response is to listen."

"Leadership is an evolution. It is something which is constantly changing and you learn. At least in my evolution, I am going much more into listening to people and trying to understand them," Gandhi said.

He added that while he does not see India in blocks, he believes every Indian is a stakeholder.

Taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP and its ideological mentor RSS, Gandhi said a single, suffocating ideology is being imposed upon 1.2 billion Indians. "The ideological centre that is fighting the BJP can only be the Congress," he said.

"I am ready to take criticisms and questions. Why can't the prime minister do the same. India desperately needs healing and listening and all sections want it," he said.

Asked about the difference between his leadership style and that of his mother, Sonia Gandhi, the Congress president said, "I have learnt a lot from her, she has taught me to be patient. I used to be much more impatient. She tells me how to be patient, sometimes I tell her she is too patient."&nbsp;

"She goes by gut feeling and I go by thinking," Gandhi said.&nbsp;

He added that he now listens more, like his mother.

Replying to a question about whether there is anyone special in his life, Gandhi smiled and replied that he has a lot of special people in his life, like his mother and sister.

He also attacked the government on various fronts, including demonetisation, foreign policy and governance.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday said he will become prime minister if allies want him but the first step is for all parties to get together and defeat the ruling BJP.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday said he will become prime minister if allies want him but the first step is for all parties to get together and defeat the ruling BJP. It's a two-stage process and a decision on who will be prime minister comes second, Gandhi said. "We have had discussions with allies and what we decided is that this is a two-stage process stage -- one is to get together and defeat BJP and stage two is, once the election is over then we will decide what happens," the Congress president explained. Probed further about the possibility of him becoming prime minister, Gandhi said, "If they (allies) want me, sure... I will." The Congress chief, who was speaking at the HT Leadership Summit, answered questions on a range of issues, including his temple visits and the RSS. Gandhi said he has been going to temples, gurdwaras and mosques for years, but the issue of his visits to temples has suddenly been publicised. "I guess BJP doesn't like it. It infuriates them. BJP feels only they can go to temples, he said. He said he has developed a thick skin. He can understand the criticism and is not disturbed by it. "My response is to listen." "Leadership is an evolution. It is something which is constantly changing and you learn. At least in my evolution, I am going much more into listening to people and trying to understand them," Gandhi said. He added that while he does not see India in blocks, he believes every Indian is a stakeholder. Taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP and its ideological mentor RSS, Gandhi said a single, suffocating ideology is being imposed upon 1.2 billion Indians. "The ideological centre that is fighting the BJP can only be the Congress," he said. "I am ready to take criticisms and questions. Why can't the prime minister do the same. India desperately needs healing and listening and all sections want it," he said. Asked about the difference between his leadership style and that of his mother, Sonia Gandhi, the Congress president said, "I have learnt a lot from her, she has taught me to be patient. I used to be much more impatient. She tells me how to be patient, sometimes I tell her she is too patient." "She goes by gut feeling and I go by thinking," Gandhi said. He added that he now listens more, like his mother. Replying to a question about whether there is anyone special in his life, Gandhi smiled and replied that he has a lot of special people in his life, like his mother and sister. He also attacked the government on various fronts, including demonetisation, foreign policy and governance.

If allies want me, I will: Rahul Gandhi on becoming PM

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday said the government is at war with its own people as it wants to impose "one imagination" on 1.3 billion Indians.

He also said aspiration is turning into anger and hatred due to unfulfilled promises.

Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit, Gandhi said, India has been imagined and re-imagined for centuries and those courageous men and women who fought for country's liberty imagined a nation where all its children would be free, and where none would be discriminated on the basis of their caste, gender, religion or creed.&nbsp;

They imagined a tolerant and fair India, who would force no agenda on any of its friends or neighbours but guide them along the path that we had travelled: one of unity and brotherhood, Gandhi said.&nbsp;

"The Indian government has gone to war with its own people because it wants to impose one imagination on 1.3 billion of us. It wants to impose one singular, suffocating memory on our 1.3 billion memories," he said at the event.&nbsp;

Noting that the work of imagination is never over as it is always in constant flow and flux, he lamented that what one sees today is not a re-imagining."It is a defaming, a maligning of the Indian imagination."&nbsp;

He alleged that farmers are committing suicide by the thousands, the economy is decimated, the rupee "is on its knees", petrol prices at all-time high, the stock market has imploded and with Rs 12 lakh crore NPAs, the banking system is "jammed shut".&nbsp;

The informal sector, he said, was decimated as a result of demonetisation and an extremely complex multi-layered GST has led to small and medium businesses wiped out.

"Public confidence is in tatters. This my friends is the price of hatred. Aspiration is turning into anger," he noted.&nbsp;

Gandhi said Dalits and tribals are agitating across the country and minorities are under vicious attack, while those who criticised the prime minister are sacked.

"Fresh thinking is unwelcome," he said, adding that those in power hate thinkers like Raghuram Rajan, Amartya Sen, while institutions are being "destroyed".

"Today in India the fear is palpable. And while India burns, all they do is talk but their slogans. But their slogans have a shelf life: Make in India. Startup India. Clean India. What exactly have they translated into? Nothing.&nbsp;

"Because the people in charge are convinced that they have a monopoly on knowledge. They are convinced that only they understand. That no one in this country understands anything about India or the dreams of its people except them," he said.&nbsp;

The Congress chief said his career in politics has been about fighting for and alongside India's most vulnerable and told the gathering that he wants to be a mirror for their aspirations and voices. "I want to fight for you too", he said, adding that he has a record of delivering in the past.

"Everyone in India is a stakeholder - all of us, rich or poor, weak or strong, north or south, east or west, every voice is a part of the harmony that makes India. We don't subscribe to black or white ideologies, we don't believe in binaries. India is a partnership between all its people," he said.

Noting that "We must re-imagine that old India", he ended his brief speech at the summit with Rabindranath Tagore's poem, "Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high. Where knowledge is free. Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls."

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday said the government is at war with its own people as it wants to impose "one imagination" on 1.3 billion Indians. He also said aspiration is turning into anger and hatred due to unfulfilled promises.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday said the government is at war with its own people as it wants to impose "one imagination" on 1.3 billion Indians. He also said aspiration is turning into anger and hatred due to unfulfilled promises. Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit, Gandhi said, India has been imagined and re-imagined for centuries and those courageous men and women who fought for country's liberty imagined a nation where all its children would be free, and where none would be discriminated on the basis of their caste, gender, religion or creed. They imagined a tolerant and fair India, who would force no agenda on any of its friends or neighbours but guide them along the path that we had travelled: one of unity and brotherhood, Gandhi said. "The Indian government has gone to war with its own people because it wants to impose one imagination on 1.3 billion of us. It wants to impose one singular, suffocating memory on our 1.3 billion memories," he said at the event. Noting that the work of imagination is never over as it is always in constant flow and flux, he lamented that what one sees today is not a re-imagining."It is a defaming, a maligning of the Indian imagination." He alleged that farmers are committing suicide by the thousands, the economy is decimated, the rupee "is on its knees", petrol prices at all-time high, the stock market has imploded and with Rs 12 lakh crore NPAs, the banking system is "jammed shut". The informal sector, he said, was decimated as a result of demonetisation and an extremely complex multi-layered GST has led to small and medium businesses wiped out. "Public confidence is in tatters. This my friends is the price of hatred. Aspiration is turning into anger," he noted. Gandhi said Dalits and tribals are agitating across the country and minorities are under vicious attack, while those who criticised the prime minister are sacked. "Fresh thinking is unwelcome," he said, adding that those in power hate thinkers like Raghuram Rajan, Amartya Sen, while institutions are being "destroyed". "Today in India the fear is palpable. And while India burns, all they do is talk but their slogans. But their slogans have a shelf life: Make in India. Startup India. Clean India. What exactly have they translated into? Nothing. "Because the people in charge are convinced that they have a monopoly on knowledge. They are convinced that only they understand. That no one in this country understands anything about India or the dreams of its people except them," he said. The Congress chief said his career in politics has been about fighting for and alongside India's most vulnerable and told the gathering that he wants to be a mirror for their aspirations and voices. "I want to fight for you too", he said, adding that he has a record of delivering in the past. "Everyone in India is a stakeholder - all of us, rich or poor, weak or strong, north or south, east or west, every voice is a part of the harmony that makes India. We don't subscribe to black or white ideologies, we don't believe in binaries. India is a partnership between all its people," he said. Noting that "We must re-imagine that old India", he ended his brief speech at the summit with Rabindranath Tagore's poem, "Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high. Where knowledge is free. Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls."

Government is at war with its own people: Rahul Gandhi

Senior Congress leader Motilal Vora Saturday told a Delhi court that BJP leader Subramanian Swamy was trying to influence the proceedings in the National Herald case by commenting on social media.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal was told by senior advocate R S Cheema, appearing for Vora, that Swamy was indulging in "character assassination" of the accused persons by tweeting.

"The complainant (Swamy) is also insulting the lawyers appearing for the accused persons and trying to influence the ongoing probe by commenting on the merits of the case," the counsel said.

Vora, also represented by advocate Tarannum Cheema, requested the court to pass an injunction order restraining Swamy from tweeting about the case.

The court has put up the matter for further hearing on October 20 when Swamy will respond to the application.

The BJP leader, in a private criminal complaint, has accused the Gandhis and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by paying just Rs 50 lakh, through which Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YI) obtained the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that Associate Journals Ltd owed to the Congress.

He has filed the case against Vora, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi, and others.

Swamy had earlier accused Vora of wasting the court's time by filing frivolous applications&nbsp;in the case.

In an application, Vora said he has time and again noticed that the complainant (Swamy) has been putting up various posts on social media regarding the daily proceedings of the instant case for the purpose of causing defamation of the accused and vilification of the court process.

Vora has also alleged that Swamy had been indulging in "loud and persistent publicity", amounting to an interference with the administration of justice.

The application said, before and after every date of hearing he (Swamy) unleashes hostile publicity through tweets, posts on social media or statements to the media.

All the seven accused&nbsp;the Gandhis, Motilal Vora (AICC treasurer), Oscar Fernandes (AICC general secretary), Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and YI have denied the allegations levelled against them in the case.

The court had summoned the accused persons, besides YI, on June 26, 2014.

On December 19, 2015, it had granted bail to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Vora, Fernandes and Dubey, who had appeared before it pursuant to summonses.&nbsp;

Pitroda was also granted bail on February 20, 2016 when he had appeared in the court.

Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Vora, Fernandes, Dubey and Pitroda had been summoned for the alleged offences of misappropriation of property, criminal breach of trust and cheating, read with criminal conspiracy of the Indian Penal Code.&nbsp;

Senior Congress leader Motilal Vora Saturday told a Delhi court that BJP leader Subramanian Swamy was trying to influence the proceedings in the National Herald case by commenting on social media.

Senior Congress leader Motilal Vora Saturday told a Delhi court that BJP leader Subramanian Swamy was trying to influence the proceedings in the National Herald case by commenting on social media. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal was told by senior advocate R S Cheema, appearing for Vora, that Swamy was indulging in "character assassination" of the accused persons by tweeting. "The complainant (Swamy) is also insulting the lawyers appearing for the accused persons and trying to influence the ongoing probe by commenting on the merits of the case," the counsel said. Vora, also represented by advocate Tarannum Cheema, requested the court to pass an injunction order restraining Swamy from tweeting about the case. The court has put up the matter for further hearing on October 20 when Swamy will respond to the application. The BJP leader, in a private criminal complaint, has accused the Gandhis and others of conspiring to cheat and misappropriate funds by paying just Rs 50 lakh, through which Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YI) obtained the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that Associate Journals Ltd owed to the Congress. He has filed the case against Vora, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi, and others. Swamy had earlier accused Vora of wasting the court's time by filing frivolous applications in the case. In an application, Vora said he has time and again noticed that the complainant (Swamy) has been putting up various posts on social media regarding the daily proceedings of the instant case for the purpose of causing defamation of the accused and vilification of the court process. Vora has also alleged that Swamy had been indulging in "loud and persistent publicity", amounting to an interference with the administration of justice. The application said, before and after every date of hearing he (Swamy) unleashes hostile publicity through tweets, posts on social media or statements to the media. All the seven accused the Gandhis, Motilal Vora (AICC treasurer), Oscar Fernandes (AICC general secretary), Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and YI have denied the allegations levelled against them in the case. The court had summoned the accused persons, besides YI, on June 26, 2014. On December 19, 2015, it had granted bail to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Vora, Fernandes and Dubey, who had appeared before it pursuant to summonses. Pitroda was also granted bail on February 20, 2016 when he had appeared in the court. Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Vora, Fernandes, Dubey and Pitroda had been summoned for the alleged offences of misappropriation of property, criminal breach of trust and cheating, read with criminal conspiracy of the Indian Penal Code.

Swamy trying to influence National Herald case proceedings by tweeting: Vora tells court

Congress President Rahul Gandhi took <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-anil-ambani-jointly-carried-out-surgical-strike-defence-forces-rahul-gandhi">another potshot at Anil Ambani</a> on Saturday.&nbsp;

"When your BFF is the PM, you can get the 1,30,000 Cr. Rafale deal, even without relevant experience. But wait. There’s more!" Gandhi tweeted. &nbsp;

"Apparently, 400,000 JK Govt staff will also be arm twisted into buying health insurance ONLY from your company!" he added.&nbsp;

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When your BFF is the PM, you can get the 1,30,000 Cr. Rafale deal, even without relevant experience. But wait. There’s more! 
 
Apparently, 400,000 JK Govt staff will also be arm twisted into buying health insurance ONLY from your company! <a href="https://t.co/DlEOqWA2NH">https://t.co/DlEOqWA2NH</a>
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1048440756946579456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Gandhi was referring to recent news reports saying Jammu and Kashmir government employees have been made to buy insurance from Reliance.&nbsp;

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Modi- Reliance nexus: 
 
If you want an insight into how Modi is invested to prop up Reliance, look no further than J&amp;K where all Govt employees are being forced to buy Reliance insurance policy but not Govt's LIC wd out bidding. Premium collection wd be 8000 crore per Annum! <a href="https://t.co/CX1QbhY1BK">pic.twitter.com/CX1QbhY1BK</a>
— Salman Nizami (@SalmanNizami_) <a href="https://twitter.com/SalmanNizami_/status/1044967638818906113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The reference to the BFF was to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.&nbsp;

Gandhi has been relentlessly attacking the Modi-led NDA government and Anil Ambani over the Rafale deal. Gandhi says the NDA government is paying three times as much as the UPA government had agreed to pay for the Rafale planes it is buying from France's Dassault Aviation.&nbsp;

He has also attacked Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence, which was chosen as Dassault's India partner. The original deal brokered by the UPA government had had the public-sector HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd) as the India partner.&nbsp;

Reliance Defence has no experience in the defence or aerospace industry.&nbsp;

Gandhi says Reliance being made the India partner is an example of crony capitalism.&nbsp;

Congress President Rahul Gandhi took another potshot at Anil Ambani on Saturday. "When your BFF is the PM, you can get the 1,30,000 Cr. Rafale deal, even without relevant experience.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi took another potshot at Anil Ambani on Saturday. "When your BFF is the PM, you can get the 1,30,000 Cr. Rafale deal, even without relevant experience. But wait. There’s more!" Gandhi tweeted. "Apparently, 400,000 JK Govt staff will also be arm twisted into buying health insurance ONLY from your company!" he added. When your BFF is the PM, you can get the 1,30,000 Cr. Rafale deal, even without relevant experience. But wait. There’s more! Apparently, 400,000 JK Govt staff will also be arm twisted into buying health insurance ONLY from your company! https://t.co/DlEOqWA2NH — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 6, 2018 × Gandhi was referring to recent news reports saying Jammu and Kashmir government employees have been made to buy insurance from Reliance. Modi- Reliance nexus: If you want an insight into how Modi is invested to prop up Reliance, look no further than J&K where all Govt employees are being forced to buy Reliance insurance policy but not Govt's LIC wd out bidding. Premium collection wd be 8000 crore per Annum! pic.twitter.com/CX1QbhY1BK — Salman Nizami (@SalmanNizami_) September 26, 2018 × The reference to the BFF was to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gandhi has been relentlessly attacking the Modi-led NDA government and Anil Ambani over the Rafale deal. Gandhi says the NDA government is paying three times as much as the UPA government had agreed to pay for the Rafale planes it is buying from France's Dassault Aviation. He has also attacked Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence, which was chosen as Dassault's India partner. The original deal brokered by the UPA government had had the public-sector HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd) as the India partner. Reliance Defence has no experience in the defence or aerospace industry. Gandhi says Reliance being made the India partner is an example of crony capitalism.

Rahul Gandhi now says J&K govt employees being forced to buy Reliance insurance

A day after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced a Rs 2.50 reduction in the prices of fuel, Congress President Rahul Gandhi once again called for the inclusion of petrol and diesel under the ambit of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

In a tweet addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul said the common man was badly affected by the skyrocketing prices of fuel, and therefore urged the former to bring petroleum products under the GST to provide some respite to citizens.

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आदरणीय श्री मोदीजी, आम जनता पेट्रोल-डीजल के आसमान छूते दामों से बहुत ज्यादा परेशान है. 
 
आप कृपया पेट्रोल-डीजल को GST के दायरे में ले आइए।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1048063675578417152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Fuel prices have been witnessing an upward trend for the last few weeks, burning a hole in people's pockets. In Mumbai, petrol rates had breached Rs 90 per litre mark.

In the wake of the skyrocketing fuel prices, Jaitley, while addressing the media on Thursday, announced a cut of Rs 2.50 per litre on both petrol and diesel, and directed the state governments to implement the same.

A day after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced a Rs 2.50 reduction in the prices of fuel, Congress President Rahul Gandhi once again called for the inclusion of petrol and diesel under the ambit of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

A day after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced a Rs 2.50 reduction in the prices of fuel, Congress President Rahul Gandhi once again called for the inclusion of petrol and diesel under the ambit of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). In a tweet addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul said the common man was badly affected by the skyrocketing prices of fuel, and therefore urged the former to bring petroleum products under the GST to provide some respite to citizens. आदरणीय श्री मोदीजी, आम जनता पेट्रोल-डीजल के आसमान छूते दामों से बहुत ज्यादा परेशान है. आप कृपया पेट्रोल-डीजल को GST के दायरे में ले आइए। — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 5, 2018 × Fuel prices have been witnessing an upward trend for the last few weeks, burning a hole in people's pockets. In Mumbai, petrol rates had breached Rs 90 per litre mark. In the wake of the skyrocketing fuel prices, Jaitley, while addressing the media on Thursday, announced a cut of Rs 2.50 per litre on both petrol and diesel, and directed the state governments to implement the same.

Rahul urges for inclusion of petrol, diesel under GST

Congress President Rahul Gandhi tweeted on Thursday that the rupee was "broken".&nbsp;

The rupee hit a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/rupee-continues-slide-against-dollar-hits-new-low-7377-169314">new low of 73.77 against the dollar</a> on Thursday.&nbsp;

The rupee has also been Asia's worst-performing currency this year, losing over 14% in value in 2018.&nbsp;

"#Breaking: Rupee slips to 73.77. It's not breaking - it's Broken," Gandhi tweeted on Thursday.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Breaking?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Breaking</a>: Rupee slips to 73.77 
 
It's not breaking - it's Broken.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rupee?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rupee</a>
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1047728951563575296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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There is a certain irony to Gandhi pointing out the rupee's current slide. Before the 2014 general elections, the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi had often pointed out the same thing to the then prime minister Manmohan Singh.&nbsp;

There are a number of reasons for the rupee's current freefall.&nbsp;

The prices of crude have in general been rising — petrol in Mumbai is selling at over Rs 90 a litre; there have also been fears that crude oil prices could sometime soon touch $100 a barrel — &nbsp;and the US has been putting pressure on countries to stop buying oil from Iran.

India gets a chunk of its oil from Iran.&nbsp;

The rupee has also been rattled by the trade war started by Trump with China.&nbsp;

And China's yuan has fallen in recent months, leading to a dollar flight from developing economies, all of which make the dollar dearer, and the rupee less so.&nbsp;

Congress President Rahul Gandhi tweeted on Thursday that the rupee was "broken". The rupee hit a new low of 73.77 against the dollar on Thursday. The rupee has also been Asia's worst-performing currency this year, losing over 14% in value in 2018.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi tweeted on Thursday that the rupee was "broken". The rupee hit a new low of 73.77 against the dollar on Thursday. The rupee has also been Asia's worst-performing currency this year, losing over 14% in value in 2018. "#Breaking: Rupee slips to 73.77. It's not breaking - it's Broken," Gandhi tweeted on Thursday. #Breaking: Rupee slips to 73.77 It's not breaking - it's Broken.#Rupee — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 4, 2018 × There is a certain irony to Gandhi pointing out the rupee's current slide. Before the 2014 general elections, the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi had often pointed out the same thing to the then prime minister Manmohan Singh. There are a number of reasons for the rupee's current freefall. The prices of crude have in general been rising — petrol in Mumbai is selling at over Rs 90 a litre; there have also been fears that crude oil prices could sometime soon touch $100 a barrel — and the US has been putting pressure on countries to stop buying oil from Iran. India gets a chunk of its oil from Iran. The rupee has also been rattled by the trade war started by Trump with China. And China's yuan has fallen in recent months, leading to a dollar flight from developing economies, all of which make the dollar dearer, and the rupee less so.

It's not breaking - it's broken: Rahul Gandhi on rupee's freefall

BJP MLA Ashish Deshmukh, a staunch proponent of separate Vidarbha state, has announced his resignation as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly as well as from the primary membership of the party.

Speculation is that Deshmukh is joining the Congress, as he is meeting party president Rahul Gandhi in Wardha this evening. Gandhi is in Wardha to attend the meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC).

Deshmukh, who represents Katol constituency in Nagpur district, will meet Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagde Wednesday to submit his resignation.

He has accused the BJP government of ignoring the plight of farmers and youths in the country and indulging in "divisive and vote bank politics".

Deshmukh, the son of former president of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Ranjeet Deshmukh, has been demanding that Vidarbha be carved out from Maharashtra.

"The situation of farmers and the youth has worsened in the last four years but the government is indulged only in the politics of vote bank for wining elections and dividing the nation," he said.

As the BJP has been ignoring the people of India, I am tendering my resignation as an MLA and a member of the BJP, he added.

BJP MLA Ashish Deshmukh, a staunch proponent of separate Vidarbha state, has announced his resignation as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly as well as from the primary membership of the party.

BJP MLA Ashish Deshmukh, a staunch proponent of separate Vidarbha state, has announced his resignation as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly as well as from the primary membership of the party. Speculation is that Deshmukh is joining the Congress, as he is meeting party president Rahul Gandhi in Wardha this evening. Gandhi is in Wardha to attend the meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC). Deshmukh, who represents Katol constituency in Nagpur district, will meet Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagde Wednesday to submit his resignation. He has accused the BJP government of ignoring the plight of farmers and youths in the country and indulging in "divisive and vote bank politics". Deshmukh, the son of former president of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Ranjeet Deshmukh, has been demanding that Vidarbha be carved out from Maharashtra. "The situation of farmers and the youth has worsened in the last four years but the government is indulged only in the politics of vote bank for wining elections and dividing the nation," he said. As the BJP has been ignoring the people of India, I am tendering my resignation as an MLA and a member of the BJP, he added.

BJP MLA Ashish Deshmukh announces resignation; to meet Rahul

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Sunday attacked Narendra Modi over the alleged financial support of LIC to debt-ridden IL&amp;FS and asked whether the prime minister "loves financial scams".&nbsp;

Taking to Twitter he said the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) is the country's symbol of trust and common people have saved every rupee to buy its policies.

"Modi ji, your favourite private company IL&amp;FS is about to turn bankrupt. You are trying to save it by putting the money of LIC. Why?" he asked in a tweet in Hindi.

"...Why are you using LIC money to save fraudsters? For you, hope IL&amp;FS does not mean I love financial scams," he added.

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मोदीजी, आपकी चहेती निजी कम्पनी ILFS डूबने वाली है। आप LIC का पैसा लगाकर उसे बचाना चाहते हो।क्यों? 
 
LIC देश के भरोसे का चिन्ह है। एक-एक रुपया जोड़कर लोग LIC की पॉलिसी लेते हैं। उनके पैसे से जालसाजों को क्यों बचाते हो? 
 
कहीं आपके लिए ILFS का मतलब ‘I Love Financial Scams' तो नहीं?
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1046354653607325703?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In another tweet in Hindi, Gandhi alleged that in 2007, Modi as Gujarat chief minister gave the Rs 70,000 crore 'Gift City' project to IL&amp;FS in which nothing has happened till now and alleged that a fraud had come to light.

In comparison, Gandhi alleged that in 2018, Prime Minister Modi is trying to give a bailout of Rs 91,000 crore to debt-ridden Infrastructure Leasing &amp; Finance Services (IL&amp;FS) through public money in the LIC and the State Bank of India.

"Chowkidar ki dari mein tinka (the watchman is guilty conscious)," he said.&nbsp;

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लाइटस, कैमरा, स्कैम 
 
सीन 1: 2007, CM मोदी IL&amp;FS कंपनी को 70,000 करोड़ का प्रोजेक्ट GIFT CITY देते हैं। आजतक कुछ काम नहीं। जालसाजियाँ आईं सामने। 
 
सीन 2: 2018, PM मोदी LIC-SBI में लगे जनता के पैसे से 91000 करोड़ की कर्जदार IL&amp;FS को बेलआउट दे रहे हैं। 
 
“चौकीदार की दाढ़ी में तिनका”
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1046288271268040704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Sunday attacked Narendra Modi over the alleged financial support of LIC to debt-ridden IL&FS and asked whether the prime minister "loves financial scams".

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Sunday attacked Narendra Modi over the alleged financial support of LIC to debt-ridden IL&FS and asked whether the prime minister "loves financial scams". Taking to Twitter he said the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) is the country's symbol of trust and common people have saved every rupee to buy its policies. "Modi ji, your favourite private company IL&FS is about to turn bankrupt. You are trying to save it by putting the money of LIC. Why?" he asked in a tweet in Hindi. "...Why are you using LIC money to save fraudsters? For you, hope IL&FS does not mean I love financial scams," he added. मोदीजी, आपकी चहेती निजी कम्पनी ILFS डूबने वाली है। आप LIC का पैसा लगाकर उसे बचाना चाहते हो।क्यों? LIC देश के भरोसे का चिन्ह है। एक-एक रुपया जोड़कर लोग LIC की पॉलिसी लेते हैं। उनके पैसे से जालसाजों को क्यों बचाते हो? कहीं आपके लिए ILFS का मतलब ‘I Love Financial Scams' तो नहीं? — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 30, 2018 × In another tweet in Hindi, Gandhi alleged that in 2007, Modi as Gujarat chief minister gave the Rs 70,000 crore 'Gift City' project to IL&FS in which nothing has happened till now and alleged that a fraud had come to light. In comparison, Gandhi alleged that in 2018, Prime Minister Modi is trying to give a bailout of Rs 91,000 crore to debt-ridden Infrastructure Leasing & Finance Services (IL&FS) through public money in the LIC and the State Bank of India. "Chowkidar ki dari mein tinka (the watchman is guilty conscious)," he said. लाइटस, कैमरा, स्कैम सीन 1: 2007, CM मोदी IL&FS कंपनी को 70,000 करोड़ का प्रोजेक्ट GIFT CITY देते हैं। आजतक कुछ काम नहीं। जालसाजियाँ आईं सामने। सीन 2: 2018, PM मोदी LIC-SBI में लगे जनता के पैसे से 91000 करोड़ की कर्जदार IL&FS को बेलआउट दे रहे हैं। “चौकीदार की दाढ़ी में तिनका” — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 30, 2018 ×

Rahul Gandhi attacks PM Modi on IL&FS issue

Union defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday said former French president Francois Hollande's claims on the Rafale deal have come at a time when he himself was facing allegations that his partner had received "some funds for some purpose."

She was apparently referring to reports which suggested that Anil Ambani group firm Reliance Entertainment had signed a pact to finance a film by French actress producer Julie Gayet, partner of Francois Hollande, in a quid pro quo deal for getting the Rafale offset contract.

Reliance Entertainment has refuted the allegations, saying that no payments were made to her.

The reports had suggested that Reliance Entertainment signed the pact with Gayet's company ahead of Hollande's 2016 India visit and India signing a pact to acquire 36 Rafale fighter aircraft under a government-to-government deal.

Speaking to reporters at the Officers Training Academy here, the defence minister said, "... Here was the former president of France who himself is facing an allegation of his associate having received some funds for some purpose.

It (allegation) may be true or may not be true. But in such a situation, the former president saying this..."

On September 21, a French media report quoted Hollande as purportedly saying that the Indian government proposed Reliance Defence as partner for Dassault Aviation in the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale jet fighter deal and France did not have a choice.

The defence minister also took a swipe at Congress President Rahul Gandhi's August 30 tweet, saying he seemed to be predicting Hollande's actions well in advance.

"...It is done well in advance. It is very interesting," she said. On August 30, Gandhi tweeted "Globalised corruption. This #Rafale aircraft really does fly far and fast! It's also going to drop some big bunker buster bombs in the next couple of weeks. Modi ji please tell Anil, there is a big problem in France."

To a question on much-delayed S-400 deal with Russia, Sitharaman said the deal was almost at a stage where it could be finalised.

Asked if the 'surgical strike' across the border, the second anniversary of which is being observed RPT observed today, has deterred intrusions, she said a lot of them were being eliminated at the border itself and they were not allowed to come in.

"I would believe that action of this kind would deter Pakistan in training and sending terrorists," she said.

On reports that a defence ministry official had raised objections on-record to the Rafale deal before it was signed in 2016, Sitharaman said various committees hold discussions for every procurement.

"During talks every opinion is recorded, differential opinions are also recorded. But after that, when the decision has to be taken, all of them have to come on the same page and take a call," she said.&nbsp;

Union defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday said former French president Francois Hollande's claims on the Rafale deal have come at a time when he himself was facing allegations that his partner had received "some funds for some purpose.

Union defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday said former French president Francois Hollande's claims on the Rafale deal have come at a time when he himself was facing allegations that his partner had received "some funds for some purpose." She was apparently referring to reports which suggested that Anil Ambani group firm Reliance Entertainment had signed a pact to finance a film by French actress producer Julie Gayet, partner of Francois Hollande, in a quid pro quo deal for getting the Rafale offset contract. Reliance Entertainment has refuted the allegations, saying that no payments were made to her. The reports had suggested that Reliance Entertainment signed the pact with Gayet's company ahead of Hollande's 2016 India visit and India signing a pact to acquire 36 Rafale fighter aircraft under a government-to-government deal. Speaking to reporters at the Officers Training Academy here, the defence minister said, "... Here was the former president of France who himself is facing an allegation of his associate having received some funds for some purpose. It (allegation) may be true or may not be true. But in such a situation, the former president saying this..." On September 21, a French media report quoted Hollande as purportedly saying that the Indian government proposed Reliance Defence as partner for Dassault Aviation in the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale jet fighter deal and France did not have a choice. The defence minister also took a swipe at Congress President Rahul Gandhi's August 30 tweet, saying he seemed to be predicting Hollande's actions well in advance. "...It is done well in advance. It is very interesting," she said. On August 30, Gandhi tweeted "Globalised corruption. This #Rafale aircraft really does fly far and fast! It's also going to drop some big bunker buster bombs in the next couple of weeks. Modi ji please tell Anil, there is a big problem in France." To a question on much-delayed S-400 deal with Russia, Sitharaman said the deal was almost at a stage where it could be finalised. Asked if the 'surgical strike' across the border, the second anniversary of which is being observed RPT observed today, has deterred intrusions, she said a lot of them were being eliminated at the border itself and they were not allowed to come in. "I would believe that action of this kind would deter Pakistan in training and sending terrorists," she said. On reports that a defence ministry official had raised objections on-record to the Rafale deal before it was signed in 2016, Sitharaman said various committees hold discussions for every procurement. "During talks every opinion is recorded, differential opinions are also recorded. But after that, when the decision has to be taken, all of them have to come on the same page and take a call," she said.

Rafale: Hollande's claims come at time when his associate facing charges, says Nirmala Sitharaman

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the Congress of spreading lies over the world`s largest statue of Sardar Patel named "Statue of Unity" being built in Gujarat.

&nbsp;"They spread lies on Statue of Unity that it is Made in China. I saw false information in which the Congress President (Rahul Gandhi) equated the Sardar Patel statue with shoes Made in China," Modi was quoted as saying during his interaction with BJP workers through video conferencing via NaMo app.&nbsp;

All these years Congress disrespected Patel, Modi said adding: "How far they will to express their disliking for Sardar Patel?"

Modi`s remarks came two days after Gandhi while addressing a public rally in Madhya Pradesh`s Satna said that the statue being built for him in Gujarat is "Made in China" like the Made in China written on mobile phones, shirts and shoes.

"Modiji had promised to build the world`s largest statue of Sardar Patel in Gujarat. But later it was revealed that on the back of the statue it was written Made in China," Gandhi said.

In the last four years, the Congress has only spread lies, it has become arrogant, it has drifted away from the people, it has become insensible and it has failed to perform as an opposition, Modi added.

The Statue of Unity, which is 182 metres from the ground and 240 metres from the river base of Narmada, has been completed. The inauguration of the statue will be done on Vallabhbhai Patel`s 143rd birth anniversary on October 31 by the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the Congress of spreading lies over the world`s largest statue of Sardar Patel named "Statue of Unity" being built in Gujarat.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the Congress of spreading lies over the world`s largest statue of Sardar Patel named "Statue of Unity" being built in Gujarat. "They spread lies on Statue of Unity that it is Made in China. I saw false information in which the Congress President (Rahul Gandhi) equated the Sardar Patel statue with shoes Made in China," Modi was quoted as saying during his interaction with BJP workers through video conferencing via NaMo app. All these years Congress disrespected Patel, Modi said adding: "How far they will to express their disliking for Sardar Patel?" Modi`s remarks came two days after Gandhi while addressing a public rally in Madhya Pradesh`s Satna said that the statue being built for him in Gujarat is "Made in China" like the Made in China written on mobile phones, shirts and shoes. "Modiji had promised to build the world`s largest statue of Sardar Patel in Gujarat. But later it was revealed that on the back of the statue it was written Made in China," Gandhi said. In the last four years, the Congress has only spread lies, it has become arrogant, it has drifted away from the people, it has become insensible and it has failed to perform as an opposition, Modi added. The Statue of Unity, which is 182 metres from the ground and 240 metres from the river base of Narmada, has been completed. The inauguration of the statue will be done on Vallabhbhai Patel`s 143rd birth anniversary on October 31 by the Prime Minister.

Congress is spreading lies, disrespecting Sardar Patel, says Modi 

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence on the controversy pertaining to the Rafale jets deal and come clean on the deal between French aircraft manufacturer Dassault and Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence Industries.

Intensifying his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress president said, "I throw a fresh challenge to Prime Minister Modi. Answer this to the youths of this state, on why did the former French president said that it was you, Prime Minister who handed over the contract to Anil Ambani. Why did you facilitate the deal for a company indebted with Rs 45,000 crore? Why did you buy a fighter aircraft for Rs 1,600 crore which cost Rs 526 crore?"

He went on to add, "You won`t answer these questions as you helped your friend Anil Ambani bag a Rs 30,000 crore deal and the country knows that you speak lies one after another on the stage and your intentions are not clear."

Urging the Prime Minister to break his silence on the matter, Rahul said, "The former French president himself came out and said that neither his government nor Dassault chose Reliance as the offset partner for the Rafale jets. He said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who preferred Reliance over HAL. So, it was PM Modi who helped Anil Ambani making money out of the deal, which means, the Chowkidar (watchman) of this country is nothing but a thief."

Even during the Parliamentary debate, I threw the same questions to the Prime Minister on why he chose Anil Ambani over HAL when his company has a debt of over 45,000 crore Rupees. But, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was caught grasping at straws because the Chowkidar (watchman) has robbed the nation. People who are corrupt and loot a nation, cannot look into eyes and say the truth," Rahul added.

Rahul also attacked Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and said that Congress will be a pro-farmer government in the state, unlike the ruling BJP government, so that the farmers can say that, "this government works for them."

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He also promised that if voted to power in Madhya Pradesh, Congress will open banks for all small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Elections to the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly will be held in 2018 to elect members of the 230 constituencies in the state.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence on the controversy pertaining to the Rafale jets deal and come clean on the deal between French aircraft manufacturer Dassault and Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence Industries.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence on the controversy pertaining to the Rafale jets deal and come clean on the deal between French aircraft manufacturer Dassault and Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence Industries. Intensifying his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress president said, "I throw a fresh challenge to Prime Minister Modi. Answer this to the youths of this state, on why did the former French president said that it was you, Prime Minister who handed over the contract to Anil Ambani. Why did you facilitate the deal for a company indebted with Rs 45,000 crore? Why did you buy a fighter aircraft for Rs 1,600 crore which cost Rs 526 crore?" He went on to add, "You won`t answer these questions as you helped your friend Anil Ambani bag a Rs 30,000 crore deal and the country knows that you speak lies one after another on the stage and your intentions are not clear." Urging the Prime Minister to break his silence on the matter, Rahul said, "The former French president himself came out and said that neither his government nor Dassault chose Reliance as the offset partner for the Rafale jets. He said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who preferred Reliance over HAL. So, it was PM Modi who helped Anil Ambani making money out of the deal, which means, the Chowkidar (watchman) of this country is nothing but a thief." Even during the Parliamentary debate, I threw the same questions to the Prime Minister on why he chose Anil Ambani over HAL when his company has a debt of over 45,000 crore Rupees. But, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was caught grasping at straws because the Chowkidar (watchman) has robbed the nation. People who are corrupt and loot a nation, cannot look into eyes and say the truth," Rahul added. Rahul also attacked Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and said that Congress will be a pro-farmer government in the state, unlike the ruling BJP government, so that the farmers can say that, "this government works for them." × He also promised that if voted to power in Madhya Pradesh, Congress will open banks for all small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Elections to the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly will be held in 2018 to elect members of the 230 constituencies in the state.

In Madhya Pradesh, Rahul accuses 'chowkidaar' PM Modi of robbing country

Attacking the Congress for its alleged support to Maoists, fake activists and corrupt elements, BJP president Amit Shah Friday said "there is only one place for idiocy and it's called the Congress".

Shah's response came after the Supreme Court refused to interfere with the arrest of five rights activists by the Maharashtra Police in connection with the Koregaon-Bhima violence case and declined to appoint a SIT to probe their arrest.

"There is only one place for idiocy and it's called the Congress. Support 'Bharat Ke Tukde Tukde Gang' (break India gang), Maoists, fake activists and corrupt elements. Defame all those who are honest and working.&nbsp;Welcome to Rahul Gandhi's Congress," he said in a tweet.

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There is only one place for idiocy and it's called the Congress. Support ‘Bharat Ke Tukde Tukde Gang’, Maoists, fake activists and corrupt elements. Defame all those who are honest and working.&nbsp; 
 
Welcome to Rahul Gandhi’s Congress.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BhimaKoregaon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BhimaKoregaon</a> <a href="https://t.co/eWoeT0qo1L">https://t.co/eWoeT0qo1L</a>
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He used the hashtag Bhima Koregaon.

The Bharatiya Janata Party chief was responding to a tweet posted by Congress president Rahul Gandhi on August 28.

Gandhi had said following the arrests that there is a place for only one NGO in India and it's called the RSS.

"Shut down all other NGOs. Jail all activists and shoot those that complain. Welcome to the new India," he said.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, in a 2:1 verdict, Friday refused the plea seeking the immediate release of the activists.

Attacking the Congress for its alleged support to Maoists, fake activists and corrupt elements, BJP president Amit Shah Friday said "there is only one place for idiocy and it's called the Congress".

Attacking the Congress for its alleged support to Maoists, fake activists and corrupt elements, BJP president Amit Shah Friday said "there is only one place for idiocy and it's called the Congress". Shah's response came after the Supreme Court refused to interfere with the arrest of five rights activists by the Maharashtra Police in connection with the Koregaon-Bhima violence case and declined to appoint a SIT to probe their arrest. "There is only one place for idiocy and it's called the Congress. Support 'Bharat Ke Tukde Tukde Gang' (break India gang), Maoists, fake activists and corrupt elements. Defame all those who are honest and working. Welcome to Rahul Gandhi's Congress," he said in a tweet. There is only one place for idiocy and it's called the Congress. Support ‘Bharat Ke Tukde Tukde Gang’, Maoists, fake activists and corrupt elements. Defame all those who are honest and working. Welcome to Rahul Gandhi’s Congress. #BhimaKoregaon https://t.co/eWoeT0qo1L — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) September 28, 2018 × He used the hashtag Bhima Koregaon. The Bharatiya Janata Party chief was responding to a tweet posted by Congress president Rahul Gandhi on August 28. Gandhi had said following the arrests that there is a place for only one NGO in India and it's called the RSS. "Shut down all other NGOs. Jail all activists and shoot those that complain. Welcome to the new India," he said. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, in a 2:1 verdict, Friday refused the plea seeking the immediate release of the activists.

Only one place for idiocy and it's called Congress: Amit Shah

Whether it accepts it or not, the furore over the Rafale fighter jet with France's Dassault has become a problem, a big one, for the BJP-led NDA government. 
 
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has declared it to be a "perception problem" and in what seems like an eerie coincidence, the name of Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, has cropped up as "one who failed to get a cut" and therefore an interested party in the deal in which Congress president Rahul Gandhi accuses Prime Minister Narendra Modi of dubiously bringing in Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence as Dassault's partner.

In this war of mostly noisy and pointless TV news show debates, it has become fashionable to throw cow dung in return for bull droppings. But we must learn to look beyond these to ask some hard questions:

&nbsp;1. Why was the public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) sidestepped by its sole shareholder, the government of India, all of a sudden?&nbsp;

&nbsp;2.&nbsp; Since Anil Ambani publicly announced an Rs 30,000-crore revenue opportunity from the Dassault "offset" partnership, is there not a need to ask how his company there got in the first place without any bidding involved?

&nbsp;3. Why would a former president of a G-20 country, Francois Hollande, say the Indian government played a role in Dassault's choice of partner?

4. If Dassault added features to its fighters while cutting down the number of jets in the deal to 36 from 126, and it was indeed because of a secrecy clause linked to sweetheart features for India's added security, does that not set a secrecy precedent for any defence deal where any future government can escape the scrutiny of auditors, Parliament or media by citing a secrecy clause? How does that weigh in with a culture of transparency to cut corruption?

I would look for best practices to guide us in these matters. When the government is itself in the dock, it is best to look at global practices to arrive at an idea of fair play because the rule-makers cannot be judged on the basis of their own rules when they are themselves the purchasers.

In 2012, the European Court of Justice in a landmark ruling "significantly restricted the ability of EU governments to use sole-source or negotiated procedures with selected suppliers for purchases of defence and security equipment."

The ECJ ruled that procurement agencies "must" use competitive tendering procedures unless the supplies have been specially designed or modified for military use and the procurement involved an "essential national security interest."

Now, the NDA government is citing both modifications of supplies and essential national security interest among the reasons for the less-than-transparent Rafale deal, but it is pertinent to ask if a government in a democracy that runs under institutional supervision can be its own judge.

The fact of the matter is that "offset" deals forming part of defence purchases to aid local suppliers are a regular part of defence contracts. If the main purchase is an apple, the offset part is an orange. But the key point to note is that both the apple of the fighter jet and the orange of the offset components are paid for by the same taxpayer. If you follow the money, the government of India has both the right and the duty to determine the offset partner. A public purchase cannot be subject to the same rules as a private purchase.

Therefore, a statement by the government made last week that it had no role in Dassault's choice of partner is in itself questionable. In coal linkages for power plants, the NDA government reversed the UPA's policies and set the tone for auctions. In the case of 2G spectrum, the Supreme Court supervised auctions even before the NDA came to power.

Should not the logic that was applied to 2G spectrum and coal applied to defence offsets as well? The Reliance Defence contract falls into the "sole source" category ECJ mentions above and goes against the principle of transparency.&nbsp;

No wonder the Congress has been talking of either a parliamentary probe into the Rafale deal or a Comptroller and Auditor General report.

The Supreme Court is looking into a public interest litigation that is due for hearing on October 10. Don't expect a miracle there, but I do anticipate the honourable judges to ask some sharp questions on transparency -- enough to give the Congress ammunition in an election year. If national interest is monitored solely by a political leadership in power and kept outside other institutions, it does raise hard questions.

However, the fact is that Congress is not overly confident of getting Supreme Court support. A senior Congress source told me it was not keen on the PIL track as it did not "want to lose the narrative." Between the Congress party's 'narrative' and the BJP's 'perception problem' true insights may yet come from the CAG and/or the Supreme Court.

(This article was originally published on Zee News. Read the <a href="http://zeenews.india.com/blogs/not-just-a-perception-problem-rafale-deal-could-set-a-bad-precedent-2143942.html">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Whether it accepts it or not, the furore over the Rafale fighter jet with France's Dassault has become a problem, a big one, for the BJP-led NDA government. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has declared it to be a "perception problem" and in what seems like an eerie coincidence, the name of Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, has cropped up as "one who failed to get a cut" and therefore an interested party in the deal in which Congress president Rahul Gandhi accuses Prime Minister Narendra Modi of dubiously bringing in Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence as Dassault's partner.

Whether it accepts it or not, the furore over the Rafale fighter jet with France's Dassault has become a problem, a big one, for the BJP-led NDA government. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has declared it to be a "perception problem" and in what seems like an eerie coincidence, the name of Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, has cropped up as "one who failed to get a cut" and therefore an interested party in the deal in which Congress president Rahul Gandhi accuses Prime Minister Narendra Modi of dubiously bringing in Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence as Dassault's partner. In this war of mostly noisy and pointless TV news show debates, it has become fashionable to throw cow dung in return for bull droppings. But we must learn to look beyond these to ask some hard questions: 1. Why was the public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) sidestepped by its sole shareholder, the government of India, all of a sudden? 2. Since Anil Ambani publicly announced an Rs 30,000-crore revenue opportunity from the Dassault "offset" partnership, is there not a need to ask how his company there got in the first place without any bidding involved? 3. Why would a former president of a G-20 country, Francois Hollande, say the Indian government played a role in Dassault's choice of partner? 4. If Dassault added features to its fighters while cutting down the number of jets in the deal to 36 from 126, and it was indeed because of a secrecy clause linked to sweetheart features for India's added security, does that not set a secrecy precedent for any defence deal where any future government can escape the scrutiny of auditors, Parliament or media by citing a secrecy clause? How does that weigh in with a culture of transparency to cut corruption? I would look for best practices to guide us in these matters. When the government is itself in the dock, it is best to look at global practices to arrive at an idea of fair play because the rule-makers cannot be judged on the basis of their own rules when they are themselves the purchasers. In 2012, the European Court of Justice in a landmark ruling "significantly restricted the ability of EU governments to use sole-source or negotiated procedures with selected suppliers for purchases of defence and security equipment." The ECJ ruled that procurement agencies "must" use competitive tendering procedures unless the supplies have been specially designed or modified for military use and the procurement involved an "essential national security interest." Now, the NDA government is citing both modifications of supplies and essential national security interest among the reasons for the less-than-transparent Rafale deal, but it is pertinent to ask if a government in a democracy that runs under institutional supervision can be its own judge. The fact of the matter is that "offset" deals forming part of defence purchases to aid local suppliers are a regular part of defence contracts. If the main purchase is an apple, the offset part is an orange. But the key point to note is that both the apple of the fighter jet and the orange of the offset components are paid for by the same taxpayer. If you follow the money, the government of India has both the right and the duty to determine the offset partner. A public purchase cannot be subject to the same rules as a private purchase. Therefore, a statement by the government made last week that it had no role in Dassault's choice of partner is in itself questionable. In coal linkages for power plants, the NDA government reversed the UPA's policies and set the tone for auctions. In the case of 2G spectrum, the Supreme Court supervised auctions even before the NDA came to power. Should not the logic that was applied to 2G spectrum and coal applied to defence offsets as well? The Reliance Defence contract falls into the "sole source" category ECJ mentions above and goes against the principle of transparency. No wonder the Congress has been talking of either a parliamentary probe into the Rafale deal or a Comptroller and Auditor General report. The Supreme Court is looking into a public interest litigation that is due for hearing on October 10. Don't expect a miracle there, but I do anticipate the honourable judges to ask some sharp questions on transparency -- enough to give the Congress ammunition in an election year. If national interest is monitored solely by a political leadership in power and kept outside other institutions, it does raise hard questions. However, the fact is that Congress is not overly confident of getting Supreme Court support. A senior Congress source told me it was not keen on the PIL track as it did not "want to lose the narrative." Between the Congress party's 'narrative' and the BJP's 'perception problem' true insights may yet come from the CAG and/or the Supreme Court. (This article was originally published on Zee News. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Rafale deal could set a bad precedent

Congress president Rahul Gandhi thanked the Supreme Court for its verdict on the Aadhaar Act on Wednesday and said that it was an "instrument"&nbsp;for his party but a tool of "oppression and surveillance"&nbsp;for the BJP.

"For Congress, Aadhaar was an instrument of empowerment.

"For the BJP, Aadhaar is a tool of oppression and surveillance.

"Thank you Supreme Court for supporting the Congress vision and protecting India," Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
For Congress, Aadhaar was an instrument of empowerment. 
 
For the BJP, Aadhaar is a tool of oppression and surveillance. 
 
Thank you Supreme Court for supporting the Congress vision and protecting 🇮🇳. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AadhaarVerdict?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AadhaarVerdict</a>
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1044891845782896640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday upheld the constitutionality of the Aadhaar scheme.

The top court, in its verdict today, stated that "Aadhaar cannot be insisted upon in schools and private companies. CBSE, UGC and NEET making Adhaar making mandatory are bad," the ruling noted.&nbsp;

The verdict also rendered the unique identification number not mandatory for new mobile connections and banking services, however, it will still be required for Personal Account Number (PAN) and for filing ITR.&nbsp;

Congress president Rahul Gandhi thanked the Supreme Court for its verdict on the Aadhaar Act on Wednesday and said that it was an "instrument" for his party but a tool of "oppression and surveillance" for the BJP.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi thanked the Supreme Court for its verdict on the Aadhaar Act on Wednesday and said that it was an "instrument" for his party but a tool of "oppression and surveillance" for the BJP. "For Congress, Aadhaar was an instrument of empowerment. "For the BJP, Aadhaar is a tool of oppression and surveillance. "Thank you Supreme Court for supporting the Congress vision and protecting India," Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter. For Congress, Aadhaar was an instrument of empowerment. For the BJP, Aadhaar is a tool of oppression and surveillance. Thank you Supreme Court for supporting the Congress vision and protecting 🇮🇳. #AadhaarVerdict — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 26, 2018 × The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday upheld the constitutionality of the Aadhaar scheme. The top court, in its verdict today, stated that "Aadhaar cannot be insisted upon in schools and private companies. CBSE, UGC and NEET making Adhaar making mandatory are bad," the ruling noted. The verdict also rendered the unique identification number not mandatory for new mobile connections and banking services, however, it will still be required for Personal Account Number (PAN) and for filing ITR.

Rahul thanks Supreme Court for supporting 'Congress's vision' on Aadhaar

The Congress Tuesday rejected BJP's claim that Rahul Gandhi wanted the Rafale deal scrapped to help a firm linked to his brother-in-law Robert Vadra and said the Modi government was responding to the alleged "scam" with abuses and mud-slinging.

On Monday, the BJP alleged that the Congress president was involved in a "conspiracy, internationally" and former French president Francois Hollande was part of the "nexus" to sabotage the Rafale deal.

Responding to the claims, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the Congress government gave the contract to state-run firm Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave it to Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence.

"The tender was issued in 2007 August, and on December 12, 2012, it was opened...And in March 13, 2014, the Congress government gave the offset contract to state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited," Surjewala told reporters.

He cited the statements made by Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier and former HAL chairperson T S Raju.

Hitting out at Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and the Modi government, Surjewala said they were responding to the Rafale "scam" with abuses and mud-slinging.

"The country has heard the tale of Ali Baba aur Chaalis Chor, now it is asking that when will Modi Baba and Chaalis Chor answer," Surjewala said in a word play on the folk tale "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves".

"Are you Ambani's PM, or the country's prime minister?" he asked.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat had dragged the Gandhi family into the intensifying political row over the fighter aircraft deal, alleging that the UPA government had called off the multi-billion dollar deal after a private company linked to Vadra was not chosen as a broker.

The Rafale controversy took a new turn last week after Hollande, who was French president when the Rs 58,000 crore deal was announced, was quoted as saying by French publication Mediapart on Friday that France was given "no choice" on selection of the Indian partner for Dassault and the Indian government proposed the name of Reliance as offset partner for the French aerospace giant.

Modi had announced the procurement of 36 Rafale fighters after holding talks with Hollande on April 10, 2015, in Paris.&nbsp;

The Congress Tuesday rejected BJP's claim that Rahul Gandhi wanted the Rafale deal scrapped to help a firm linked to his brother-in-law Robert Vadra and said the Modi government was responding to the alleged "scam" with abuses and mud-slinging.

The Congress Tuesday rejected BJP's claim that Rahul Gandhi wanted the Rafale deal scrapped to help a firm linked to his brother-in-law Robert Vadra and said the Modi government was responding to the alleged "scam" with abuses and mud-slinging. On Monday, the BJP alleged that the Congress president was involved in a "conspiracy, internationally" and former French president Francois Hollande was part of the "nexus" to sabotage the Rafale deal. Responding to the claims, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the Congress government gave the contract to state-run firm Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave it to Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence. "The tender was issued in 2007 August, and on December 12, 2012, it was opened...And in March 13, 2014, the Congress government gave the offset contract to state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited," Surjewala told reporters. He cited the statements made by Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier and former HAL chairperson T S Raju. Hitting out at Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and the Modi government, Surjewala said they were responding to the Rafale "scam" with abuses and mud-slinging. "The country has heard the tale of Ali Baba aur Chaalis Chor, now it is asking that when will Modi Baba and Chaalis Chor answer," Surjewala said in a word play on the folk tale "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves". "Are you Ambani's PM, or the country's prime minister?" he asked. Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union minister Gajendra Shekhawat had dragged the Gandhi family into the intensifying political row over the fighter aircraft deal, alleging that the UPA government had called off the multi-billion dollar deal after a private company linked to Vadra was not chosen as a broker. The Rafale controversy took a new turn last week after Hollande, who was French president when the Rs 58,000 crore deal was announced, was quoted as saying by French publication Mediapart on Friday that France was given "no choice" on selection of the Indian partner for Dassault and the Indian government proposed the name of Reliance as offset partner for the French aerospace giant. Modi had announced the procurement of 36 Rafale fighters after holding talks with Hollande on April 10, 2015, in Paris.

BJP responding to Rafale 'scam' with abuses, mud-slinging: Congress

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