<p>The Twitter account of Rahul Gandhi, the vice-president of Congress, India&#39;s opposition party, was hacked on Wednesday evening and misused to post obscentities. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The leader&#39;s office confirmed the breach of privacy and said efforts were being made to rectify the problem.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The hacker also changed the name of the verified twitter handle and posted profanities.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/rahul-20161130040921.png" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Gandhi&#39;s account was hacked around 8.45 PM. (Twitter)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The offensive tweets were soon deleted, but the hacker&#39;s access to the Twitter account has not been revoked so far.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Congress media in charge Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted, &quot;Such lowly tactics will never drown the sane voice of reason nor deter Rahul Gandhi from raising.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hacking of@OfficeofRG proves lack of Digital safety around each one of us. Every digital info can be accessed, altered, morphed &amp; modified.</p>
&mdash; Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) <a href="https://twitter.com/rssurjewala/status/803992722658889728">November 30, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</p>


The hacker also changed the name of the verified twitter handle and posted profanities that were deleted soon after

The Twitter account of Rahul Gandhi, the vice-president of Congress, India's opposition party, was hacked on Wednesday evening and misused to post obscentities. The leader's office confirmed the breach of privacy and said efforts were being made to rectify the problem. The hacker also changed the name of the verified twitter handle and posted profanities. Gandhi's account was hacked around 8.45 PM. (Twitter) × The offensive tweets were soon deleted, but the hacker's access to the Twitter account has not been revoked so far. Congress media in charge Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted, "Such lowly tactics will never drown the sane voice of reason nor deter Rahul Gandhi from raising." Hacking of@OfficeofRG proves lack of Digital safety around each one of us. Every digital info can be accessed, altered, morphed & modified. — Randeep S Surjewala (@rssurjewala) November 30, 2016 × (WION with inputs from agencies)

India: Rahul Gandhi's Twitter account hacked, expletives-laden tweets posted

<p>In a reply to the opposition in India, the BJP said that the government was eager to hear Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi&#39;s &quot;scholarly&quot; arguments on demonetisation.</p>

<p>Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also spoke about the Congress&#39; poor show in by-poll results, which were announced yesterday. Instead of forming a&nbsp;human chain outside the Parliament they should produce a &quot;chain of speakers&quot; inside and start a debate, he said.</p>

<p>&quot;The government is very keen to hear Rahul Gandhi&#39;s scholarly arguments. Rajya Sabha witnessed a debate on November 17 and Congress leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma besides BSP&#39;s Mayawati spoke. What happened now that they are running away from a debate. They realise that the country is not appreciating their arguments,&quot; DNA reported Prasad as saying.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, there were reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend the Rajya Sabha tomorrow.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prasad said that over Rs 7 lakh crores have been deposited in banks and it may lead to lower interest rates and other benefits to the masses.</p>

<p>Opposition parties today came together to protest against demonetisation outside Parliament, with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi describing it as the world&#39;s &quot;biggest impromptu financial experiment&quot; and said they are firm on their demand for a JPC probe into the &quot;scam&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;Our demand is that PM represents the country and he should come to Parliament and sit through the entire debate and hear us out and the other opposition leaders,&quot; Gandhi said.</p>

<p>&quot;We feel there is a scam behind this decision. We feel he informed his own people before and the opposition is firm that it wants a JPC,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>He added that the decision has hit the fishermen in Bengal and Kerala and other places.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from DNA)</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today lashed out at the opposition saying it should debate in Parliament instead of protesting outside

In a reply to the opposition in India, the BJP said that the government was eager to hear Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's "scholarly" arguments on demonetisation. Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also spoke about the Congress' poor show in by-poll results, which were announced yesterday. Instead of forming a human chain outside the Parliament they should produce a "chain of speakers" inside and start a debate, he said. "The government is very keen to hear Rahul Gandhi's scholarly arguments. Rajya Sabha witnessed a debate on November 17 and Congress leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma besides BSP's Mayawati spoke. What happened now that they are running away from a debate. They realise that the country is not appreciating their arguments," DNA reported Prasad as saying. Meanwhile, there were reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend the Rajya Sabha tomorrow. Prasad said that over Rs 7 lakh crores have been deposited in banks and it may lead to lower interest rates and other benefits to the masses. Opposition parties today came together to protest against demonetisation outside Parliament, with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi describing it as the world's "biggest impromptu financial experiment" and said they are firm on their demand for a JPC probe into the "scam". "Our demand is that PM represents the country and he should come to Parliament and sit through the entire debate and hear us out and the other opposition leaders," Gandhi said. "We feel there is a scam behind this decision. We feel he informed his own people before and the opposition is firm that it wants a JPC," he said. He added that the decision has hit the fishermen in Bengal and Kerala and other places. (WION with inputs from DNA)

Demonetisation: Government ready to hear 'scholarly arguments' of opposition

<p>The last rites of ex-Indian Army soldier, Ram Kishan Grewal, who committed suicide over the One Rank One Pension (OROP) issue on Wednesday, were performed today in his native village in Bhiwani city of northern Haryana state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Opposition leader and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi attended the cremation along with other senior party leaders, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kamal Nath, Kiran Choudhry and Shailaja, attended the cremation, Indian daily DNA reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was also present during the ceremony, announced Rs 1 crore (USD 160, 000) for the deceased&#39;s family.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FLASH?src=hash">#FLASH</a> Rs.1 crore to be granted to the kin of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RamkishanGrewal?src=hash">#RamkishanGrewal</a> by Delhi Government.</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/794079077170810880">November 3, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Aam Admi Party (AAP) chief Kejriwal targeted the Narendra Modi government &nbsp;saying that the pride, which led down the formerly ruling Congress party, will work the same way with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Grewal&#39;s suicide triggered a political row yesterday as Rahul Gandhi and Kejriwal, along with other senior political leaders, were detained in the the capital of India, Delhi, when they tried to meet Grewal&#39;s family.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)&nbsp;</p>


Ram Kishan Grewal's suicide has triggered a political row as opposition leaders attack the Narendra Modi government over the OROP scheme

The last rites of ex-Indian Army soldier, Ram Kishan Grewal, who committed suicide over the One Rank One Pension (OROP) issue on Wednesday, were performed today in his native village in Bhiwani city of northern Haryana state. Opposition leader and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi attended the cremation along with other senior party leaders, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kamal Nath, Kiran Choudhry and Shailaja, attended the cremation, Indian daily DNA reported. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was also present during the ceremony, announced Rs 1 crore (USD 160, 000) for the deceased's family. #FLASH Rs.1 crore to be granted to the kin of #RamkishanGrewal by Delhi Government. — ANI (@ANI_news) November 3, 2016 × Aam Admi Party (AAP) chief Kejriwal targeted the Narendra Modi government saying that the pride, which led down the formerly ruling Congress party, will work the same way with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Grewal's suicide triggered a political row yesterday as Rahul Gandhi and Kejriwal, along with other senior political leaders, were detained in the the capital of India, Delhi, when they tried to meet Grewal's family. (WION)

Indian ex-serviceman suicide: Delhi chief minister announces Rs 1 crore for deceased's family

<p>Delhi Police on Monday briefly detained Congress party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia after they tried to enter a government hospital in the Indian capital to meet the family of the ex-serviceman who had committed suicide earlier in the&nbsp;day, dissatisfied over the implementation of one rank one pension scheme for the Indian Army.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hours later, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was also detained after he protested outside another hospital where the soldier&#39;s body had been&nbsp;taken for post-mortem.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ex serviceman suicide issue: Cong VP Rahul Gandhi has been released from Mandir Marg Police station (Delhi) after being detained by police <a href="https://t.co/KvgkwU17Un">pic.twitter.com/KvgkwU17Un</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793761706312728576">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The family of the deceased soldier, Ram Kishan Grewal,&nbsp;was&nbsp;also reportedly detained&nbsp;for continuing to protest at New Delhi&#39;s Ram Manohar Lohia hospital even after the body was taken to the&nbsp;Lady Hardinge hospital for the post-mortem.<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<center>
<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: Family members detained as well as they are contacting political leaders and holding demonstration here: MK Meena <a href="https://t.co/Ks7FwlK2qt">pic.twitter.com/Ks7FwlK2qt</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793745960719429632">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</center>

<p><br />
Rahul argued with the police about the reason for the arrest of the family members.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash">#WATCH</a>: Inside visuals of the Mandir Marg Police station (Delhi), where Congress VP Rahul Gandhi has been detained. <a href="https://t.co/Tr0F34XMTn">pic.twitter.com/Tr0F34XMTn</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793760420259442689">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
This is &#39;goondagardi&#39; (hooliganism), Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said about his deputy being&nbsp;detained,&nbsp;adding that he was determined to meet Grewal&#39;s family. &quot;I am the chief minister of Delhi. An ex-serviceman has committed suicide. Is it not my duty to meet the grieving family?&quot; Kejriwal said.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Deputy CM has also been detained, we have a cabinet meeting today which we will have to cancel now. This is &#39;gundagardi&#39;: Delhi CM Kejriwal <a href="https://t.co/QpftaqnHrA">pic.twitter.com/QpftaqnHrA</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793754612398329856">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rahul was forbidden from entering the hospital premises&nbsp;for &#39;disruption of duty,&#39; Delhi Police had earlier told Indian&nbsp;news agency ANI.<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<center>
<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Security personnel not allowing Rahul Gandhi to enter RML Hospital to meet family of ex-serviceman(who committed suicide) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OROP?src=hash">#OROP</a> <a href="https://t.co/Nnd3a8M8qk">pic.twitter.com/Nnd3a8M8qk</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793731887881519104">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</center>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<center>
<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">RGandhi detained at Mandir Marg PS for &#39;disruption of duty&#39;after he wasn&#39;t allowed to enter RML hosp to meet ex-serviceman&#39;s family-MK Meena <a href="https://t.co/bqtfShbuKe">pic.twitter.com/bqtfShbuKe</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793745082436296704">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</center>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-cards="hidden" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Democracy doesn&#39;t mean creating obstruction. Leaders must also understand that hosp is not the place to hold any demonstrations: MK Meena <a href="https://t.co/yLKvutCRG9">pic.twitter.com/yLKvutCRG9</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793746332389257216">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>He retailated with a caustic tweet: &quot;A new India is being built&rdquo;.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<center>
<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Naya Hindustan ban raha hai bhaiya: Rahul Gandhi after not being allowed to meet family of ex-serviceman in RML Hospital <a href="https://t.co/v1IWKaOSVl">pic.twitter.com/v1IWKaOSVl</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793732623327637504">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
</center>

<p>Rahul Gandhi had earlier condoled his death on Twitter and urged PM Modi that &ldquo;OROP be implemented in a meaningful way.&rdquo;</p>

<p>On Saturday, the Congress vice-president had written to&nbsp;PM Modi, asking his government to ensure that the grievances of defence personnel relating to their salary and pensions were addressed. He had specifically mentioned the OROP scheme and the disability pension in his letter.</p>

<p>Indian Army soldier, Ram Kishan Grewal allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison at New Delhi&#39;s Jantar Mantar over the implementation of the Indian government&#39;s One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a suicide note, Grewal, 70, said he was taking the extreme step for the soldiers.</p>

<p>Police said that&nbsp;he along with some other ex-servicemen was in the process of submitting a memorandum to the Indian defence ministry over the issue of OROP.</p>

<p>Grewal&#39;s son told ANI that his father took the extreme step because the government had failed to fulfil the demands related to OROP.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ex-servicemen have been protesting over the OROP scheme introduced by the government.<br />
<br />
(WION with inputs from ANI)</p>

<center><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>


The Congress vice-president attacked the Narendra Modi-government and sarcastically tweeted: A new India is being built

Delhi Police on Monday briefly detained Congress party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia after they tried to enter a government hospital in the Indian capital to meet the family of the ex-serviceman who had committed suicide earlier in the day, dissatisfied over the implementation of one rank one pension scheme for the Indian Army. Hours later, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was also detained after he protested outside another hospital where the soldier's body had been taken for post-mortem. Ex serviceman suicide issue: Cong VP Rahul Gandhi has been released from Mandir Marg Police station (Delhi) after being detained by police pic.twitter.com/KvgkwU17Un — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × The family of the deceased soldier, Ram Kishan Grewal, was also reportedly detained for continuing to protest at New Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia hospital even after the body was taken to the Lady Hardinge hospital for the post-mortem. Delhi: Family members detained as well as they are contacting political leaders and holding demonstration here: MK Meena pic.twitter.com/Ks7FwlK2qt — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × Rahul argued with the police about the reason for the arrest of the family members. #WATCH: Inside visuals of the Mandir Marg Police station (Delhi), where Congress VP Rahul Gandhi has been detained. pic.twitter.com/Tr0F34XMTn — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × This is 'goondagardi' (hooliganism), Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said about his deputy being detained, adding that he was determined to meet Grewal's family. "I am the chief minister of Delhi. An ex-serviceman has committed suicide. Is it not my duty to meet the grieving family?" Kejriwal said. Deputy CM has also been detained, we have a cabinet meeting today which we will have to cancel now. This is 'gundagardi': Delhi CM Kejriwal pic.twitter.com/QpftaqnHrA — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × Rahul was forbidden from entering the hospital premises for 'disruption of duty,' Delhi Police had earlier told Indian news agency ANI. Security personnel not allowing Rahul Gandhi to enter RML Hospital to meet family of ex-serviceman(who committed suicide) #OROP pic.twitter.com/Nnd3a8M8qk — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × RGandhi detained at Mandir Marg PS for 'disruption of duty'after he wasn't allowed to enter RML hosp to meet ex-serviceman's family-MK Meena pic.twitter.com/bqtfShbuKe — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × Democracy doesn't mean creating obstruction. Leaders must also understand that hosp is not the place to hold any demonstrations: MK Meena pic.twitter.com/yLKvutCRG9 — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × He retailated with a caustic tweet: "A new India is being built”. Naya Hindustan ban raha hai bhaiya: Rahul Gandhi after not being allowed to meet family of ex-serviceman in RML Hospital pic.twitter.com/v1IWKaOSVl — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × Rahul Gandhi had earlier condoled his death on Twitter and urged PM Modi that “OROP be implemented in a meaningful way.” On Saturday, the Congress vice-president had written to PM Modi, asking his government to ensure that the grievances of defence personnel relating to their salary and pensions were addressed. He had specifically mentioned the OROP scheme and the disability pension in his letter. Indian Army soldier, Ram Kishan Grewal allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar over the implementation of the Indian government's One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme. In a suicide note, Grewal, 70, said he was taking the extreme step for the soldiers. Police said that he along with some other ex-servicemen was in the process of submitting a memorandum to the Indian defence ministry over the issue of OROP. Grewal's son told ANI that his father took the extreme step because the government had failed to fulfil the demands related to OROP. Ex-servicemen have been protesting over the OROP scheme introduced by the government. (WION with inputs from ANI)

India ex-serviceman suicide: Rahul Gandhi, Delhi CM briefly detained while trying to meet deceased's family

<p>Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday wrote a letter to&nbsp;Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to address the grievances of the defence forces concerning their pay&nbsp;and to reverse the recent decisions of the government regarding the disability pension that has &quot;adversely&quot; affected the &quot;morale of our armed forces&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;Just days after our soldiers conducted the surgical strikes, the disability pension system was converted to a new slab system, that in many instances drastically reduces the pension received by these brave men in case of a disability,&quot; the Congress leader wrote in his letter. He was referring to a recommendation by the defence ministry for implementing the 7th Pay Commission&#39;s slab based system for determining pensions as against the current percentage-based method.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Defence personnel are opposed to the slab system, which determines pension on the basis of a three fixed rates&nbsp;rather than on the basis of percentage of pay. The pay commission also steeply slashed the pension rates across all ranks. These have led to a discrepancy in the pension between a defence personnel and his civilian counterpart.</p>

<p>The Congress vice president also urged PM Modi to implement the &quot;One Rank, One Pension&quot;&nbsp;(OROP) scheme, which calls for parity in pension for defence personnel holding the same rank, for same length of service, irrespective of the year they&nbsp;retired. OROP was accepted by the government in 2014, but has not been fully implemented so far.</p>

<p>&quot;OROP must be implemented in a meaningful way to satisfy ex-servicemen, and the anomalies in the 7th Pay Commission must be addressed at the earliest, because soldiers should not have to struggle to claim what is surely due to them on behalf of a grateful nation,&quot; Gandhi&nbsp;said.</p>

<p>Steps should be taken to send a message to soldiers on Diwali expressing &quot;our gratitude both in words and in deed&quot;, Rahul said in his letter to the PM. Modi&nbsp;launched a &nbsp;&quot;#Sandesh2Soldiers&quot;&nbsp;campaign, through which people can send their Diwali greetings and messages to soldiers guarding the nation&#39;s borders. People can send messages&nbsp;on the Narendra Modi App, through MyGov.in, and also through All India Radio.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&quot;As a responsible democracy we must make sure that the brave soldiers who put their lives on the line for each one of us, feel the love, support and gratitude of 125 crore people,&quot; Rahul said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Congress scion says the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission, which came into effect, from January 1, 2016, continue to keep the defence forces at a disadvantage, further exacerbating the disparity between them and civil employees.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 7th Pay Commission has recommended a similar pay structure at the entry level for both civilian and military services, which is not acceptable to the armed forces.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I therefore urge you Prime Minister to ensure that our soldiers get their due&nbsp;whether it is regarding compensation, disability pension, or parity with civil employees,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>PM Modi had earlier accused the Congress of not taking the OROP issue seriously by earmarking a mere Rs 500 crore for the scheme.</p>

<p>He will celebrate this Diwali with personnel of the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) at a remote border post in the state of Uttarakhand, PTI reported.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Don&#39;t subject army to &#39;petty politics&#39;: Government to Rahul</strong></p>

<p>The government on Saturday dismissed Rahul Gandhi&#39;s accusations about the One Rank One Pay (OROP) and the disability pension, with Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asking him not to subject the army to &quot;petty politics for partisan gains&quot;.</p>

<p>Prasad said equivalence has been in force since 1998-99 and &quot;no new policy initiative undertaken taken by the Narendra Modi government in this regard&quot;.</p>

<p>He said that as far as pension payment on slab system is concerned, it was a recommendation of the Pay Review Committee which the government had not accepted and the percentage system of calculating pension would continue till the anomaly commitee gave its recommendations.</p>

<p>&quot;The government has referred this issue to the anomaly committee. Till the time the anomaly committee gives a recommendation, the payment of pension on percentage basis shall continue,&quot; Prasad said.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Government reverses recommendation on disability pension</strong></p>

<p>The same day that Rahul Gandhi shot off his letter to PM Modi, the defence ministry said armed forces personnel would continue to get such pension based on percentage system till the Anomaly Committee came out with its report, PTI reported.</p>

<p>A letter issued by the ministry on September 30, introducing the slab-based system recommended by the 7th Pay Commission, was widely criticised by opposition parties and the military.</p>

<p>Following this, the Ministry had referred the matter to the Anomaly Committee. A percentage-based system for calculating disability pension for both defence personnel as well as civilians has been followed as per &nbsp;the 6th Pay Commission recommendations.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from PTI)</p>


The Congress vice president wrote to Narendra Modi asking him to take measures to ensure that Indian soldiers remain economically secure

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday wrote a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to address the grievances of the defence forces concerning their pay and to reverse the recent decisions of the government regarding the disability pension that has "adversely" affected the "morale of our armed forces". "Just days after our soldiers conducted the surgical strikes, the disability pension system was converted to a new slab system, that in many instances drastically reduces the pension received by these brave men in case of a disability," the Congress leader wrote in his letter. He was referring to a recommendation by the defence ministry for implementing the 7th Pay Commission's slab based system for determining pensions as against the current percentage-based method. Defence personnel are opposed to the slab system, which determines pension on the basis of a three fixed rates rather than on the basis of percentage of pay. The pay commission also steeply slashed the pension rates across all ranks. These have led to a discrepancy in the pension between a defence personnel and his civilian counterpart. The Congress vice president also urged PM Modi to implement the "One Rank, One Pension" (OROP) scheme, which calls for parity in pension for defence personnel holding the same rank, for same length of service, irrespective of the year they retired. OROP was accepted by the government in 2014, but has not been fully implemented so far. "OROP must be implemented in a meaningful way to satisfy ex-servicemen, and the anomalies in the 7th Pay Commission must be addressed at the earliest, because soldiers should not have to struggle to claim what is surely due to them on behalf of a grateful nation," Gandhi said. Steps should be taken to send a message to soldiers on Diwali expressing "our gratitude both in words and in deed", Rahul said in his letter to the PM. Modi launched a "#Sandesh2Soldiers" campaign, through which people can send their Diwali greetings and messages to soldiers guarding the nation's borders. People can send messages on the Narendra Modi App, through MyGov.in, and also through All India Radio. "As a responsible democracy we must make sure that the brave soldiers who put their lives on the line for each one of us, feel the love, support and gratitude of 125 crore people," Rahul said. The Congress scion says the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission, which came into effect, from January 1, 2016, continue to keep the defence forces at a disadvantage, further exacerbating the disparity between them and civil employees. The 7th Pay Commission has recommended a similar pay structure at the entry level for both civilian and military services, which is not acceptable to the armed forces. "I therefore urge you Prime Minister to ensure that our soldiers get their due whether it is regarding compensation, disability pension, or parity with civil employees," he said. PM Modi had earlier accused the Congress of not taking the OROP issue seriously by earmarking a mere Rs 500 crore for the scheme. He will celebrate this Diwali with personnel of the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) at a remote border post in the state of Uttarakhand, PTI reported. Don't subject army to 'petty politics': Government to Rahul The government on Saturday dismissed Rahul Gandhi's accusations about the One Rank One Pay (OROP) and the disability pension, with Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asking him not to subject the army to "petty politics for partisan gains". Prasad said equivalence has been in force since 1998-99 and "no new policy initiative undertaken taken by the Narendra Modi government in this regard". He said that as far as pension payment on slab system is concerned, it was a recommendation of the Pay Review Committee which the government had not accepted and the percentage system of calculating pension would continue till the anomaly commitee gave its recommendations. "The government has referred this issue to the anomaly committee. Till the time the anomaly committee gives a recommendation, the payment of pension on percentage basis shall continue," Prasad said. Government reverses recommendation on disability pension The same day that Rahul Gandhi shot off his letter to PM Modi, the defence ministry said armed forces personnel would continue to get such pension based on percentage system till the Anomaly Committee came out with its report, PTI reported. A letter issued by the ministry on September 30, introducing the slab-based system recommended by the 7th Pay Commission, was widely criticised by opposition parties and the military. Following this, the Ministry had referred the matter to the Anomaly Committee. A percentage-based system for calculating disability pension for both defence personnel as well as civilians has been followed as per the 6th Pay Commission recommendations. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Rahul Gandhi's Diwali wish for Indian PM Modi: Implement 'one rank, one pension' scheme for Army

<p>Days after he praised India&#39;s prime minister Narendra Modi for the surgical strikes across the Line of Control, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today accused Modi of exploiting the strikes for political gains.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;You (Modi) are hiding behind the blood of soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir and those who carried out the surgical strikes for India. You are exploiting their sacrifices, which is very wrong,&quot; Gandhi said at a rally in the poll-bound state of northern Uttar Pradesh state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;The Indian army has done its job for the country, you do yours,&quot; the Congress Vice President said at the rally which marked the conclusion of his month-long &#39;Deoria to Delhi &nbsp;kisan yatra&#39; in the state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On September 30, the Congress vice-president had said he had &nbsp;supported Modi&#39;s midnight operation against five terrorist launchpades across the Line of Control (LoC), the defacto border between India and Pakistan, &nbsp;calling it his &#39;first action worthy of prime minister.&#39; &nbsp;</p>

<p>He also accused India&#39;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) &nbsp;of neglecting the cause of farmers and soldiers. &quot;You should help the farmers of the country. You should provide more money to the<br />
Indian Army under the 7th Pay Commission, that is your responsibility. This is why people<br />
of India have elected you and this is the truth,&quot; he said.</p>

<p><br />
<strong>&#39;New low in Indian politics&#39;&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>BJP hit back, calling Gandhi&#39;s remarks &quot;highly irresponsible&quot; and &quot;a new low in Indian politics.&quot; The party also alleged that Gandhi was frustrated with the praise the PM was getting from everywhere for conducting the strikes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sidharth Nath Singh, the party&#39;s national secretary, said: &quot;His statement is a new low in Indian politics. It is not only condemnable but highly irresponsible coming from the vice president of Congress party which fought for independence. Surgical strikes happened across the LoC but Rahul Gandhi has done surgical strike on his party.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;It is most shameful. Such remarks reflect his mental bankruptcy. The army and the Prime Minister are getting praise from everywhere for the surgical strikes. Modi is being praised for his decision and he is unable to digest it. Rahul Gandhi is in frustration,&quot; Shrikant Sharma, also the party&#39;s national secretary, said.</p>

<p>He added that being a &#39;broker&#39; was the nature of the Congress and Rahul Gandhi referring to a number of like the 2G spectrum scam, the Commonwealth Games Scam, and the Coal Scam involving the former United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, which, as per him, ran into 12 lakh crores of &nbsp;rupees.</p>

<p>He alleged that Gandhi himself was out on bail in the National Herald scam of Rs 5000 crore. Referring to controversial comments of some leaders of the Congress, including Sanjay Nirupam, Sharma said the Opposition party was confused as they had been attacking Modi after the January terrorist attack in Pathankot and last month&#39;s Uri terror attacks and did not know how to react after he ordered the surgical strikes.</p>

<p>&quot;Congress and other political parties may be nervous because of courage and will power shown by Modi government in backing armed forces decision to go for surgical strike across LOC. The aim of a responsible govt is to back armed forces which defend the nation and not use them for political gains, Singh said.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from PTI)&nbsp;</p>


The Congress vice-president had initially lauded PM Modi for the Indian Army's surgical strikes against terrorist launch pads across the LoC

Days after he praised India's prime minister Narendra Modi for the surgical strikes across the Line of Control, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today accused Modi of exploiting the strikes for political gains. "You (Modi) are hiding behind the blood of soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir and those who carried out the surgical strikes for India. You are exploiting their sacrifices, which is very wrong," Gandhi said at a rally in the poll-bound state of northern Uttar Pradesh state. "The Indian army has done its job for the country, you do yours," the Congress Vice President said at the rally which marked the conclusion of his month-long 'Deoria to Delhi kisan yatra' in the state. On September 30, the Congress vice-president had said he had supported Modi's midnight operation against five terrorist launchpades across the Line of Control (LoC), the defacto border between India and Pakistan, calling it his 'first action worthy of prime minister.' He also accused India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of neglecting the cause of farmers and soldiers. "You should help the farmers of the country. You should provide more money to the Indian Army under the 7th Pay Commission, that is your responsibility. This is why people of India have elected you and this is the truth," he said. 'New low in Indian politics' BJP hit back, calling Gandhi's remarks "highly irresponsible" and "a new low in Indian politics." The party also alleged that Gandhi was frustrated with the praise the PM was getting from everywhere for conducting the strikes. Sidharth Nath Singh, the party's national secretary, said: "His statement is a new low in Indian politics. It is not only condemnable but highly irresponsible coming from the vice president of Congress party which fought for independence. Surgical strikes happened across the LoC but Rahul Gandhi has done surgical strike on his party." "It is most shameful. Such remarks reflect his mental bankruptcy. The army and the Prime Minister are getting praise from everywhere for the surgical strikes. Modi is being praised for his decision and he is unable to digest it. Rahul Gandhi is in frustration," Shrikant Sharma, also the party's national secretary, said. He added that being a 'broker' was the nature of the Congress and Rahul Gandhi referring to a number of like the 2G spectrum scam, the Commonwealth Games Scam, and the Coal Scam involving the former United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, which, as per him, ran into 12 lakh crores of rupees. He alleged that Gandhi himself was out on bail in the National Herald scam of Rs 5000 crore. Referring to controversial comments of some leaders of the Congress, including Sanjay Nirupam, Sharma said the Opposition party was confused as they had been attacking Modi after the January terrorist attack in Pathankot and last month's Uri terror attacks and did not know how to react after he ordered the surgical strikes. "Congress and other political parties may be nervous because of courage and will power shown by Modi government in backing armed forces decision to go for surgical strike across LOC. The aim of a responsible govt is to back armed forces which defend the nation and not use them for political gains, Singh said. (WION with inputs from PTI)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hits out at Indian Prime Minister over surgical strikes in Pak-administered Kashmir

<p>Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, a vociferous critic of Indian Prime Minister Modi, has lauded him for the surgical strikes by the Army across the Line of Control (LoC), saying it is his &#39;first action worthy of PM&#39; in two-and-a-half years. &quot;When Prime Minister acts as the prime minister of the country then I too support him...I want to thank him that in the past two-and-a-half years, this is the first action which can be termed as worthy of prime minister,&quot; the Congress leader said at a roadshow in Uttar Pradesh&#39;s Bulandshahr district.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<center>
<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash">#WATCH</a> Rahul Gandhi: &quot;I thank PM for taking this action. My party &amp; I stand with him in this&quot; on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SurgicalStrike?src=hash">#SurgicalStrike</a> conducted by Indian army <a href="https://t.co/L7kSlg0lEk">pic.twitter.com/L7kSlg0lEk</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/781755213908627457">September 30, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</center>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
He also extended his party&#39;s support to the PM in his actions against Pakistani terrorists, saying, &quot;He (Modi) has my full support and that of Congress. The entire nation is with him today.&quot;</p>

<p>Yesterday, the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes on seven terrorist launchpads across the LoC dividing India and Pakistan. 38 terrorists were killed in the under-an-hour long midnight incursion.</p>

<p>On September 18, eighteen Indian soldiers had died in a terror attack on an army camp in Uri, Kashmir. India had blamed the attack on terrorists from Pakistan. In the aftermath of the Uri attack, Rahul Gandhi had criticised Modi&#39;s &quot;short-sighted&quot; political alliance with PDP, saying it &quot;opened space&quot; for terrorism in Kashmir. He also blamed the NDA government for having &quot;no strategy&quot; vis-a-vis Kashmir.</p>

<p>&quot;I stand by our soldiers and I condemn what has been done to them by Pakistanis. However, space for that has been created by the politics the NDA has practised in Jammu and Kashmir,&quot; he had said in Mati (Kanpur Dehat) on September 20.</p>

<p>Targeting PM Modi, he had said, &quot;He goes from one event to another and this is no way of handling national security. National security cannot be handled like public meetings. This is a serious matter.&quot;</p>

<p>He had also tweeted:<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">FYI Modiji: a Kashmir strategy cannot be developed using selfies and sound bites</p>
&mdash; Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/778243848195612672">September 20, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

<p><br />
Rahul Gandhi is currently on a month-long roadshow through Uttar Pradesh, where he has been focusing on door-to-door campaigns and one-to-one interactions with farmers. The roadshow is part of the Congress strategy to connect with people ahead of the Uttar Pradesh polls next year.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)</p>


Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi says his party Congress stands by PM Modi's decision to conduct the midnight operation in Pakistan

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, a vociferous critic of Indian Prime Minister Modi, has lauded him for the surgical strikes by the Army across the Line of Control (LoC), saying it is his 'first action worthy of PM' in two-and-a-half years. "When Prime Minister acts as the prime minister of the country then I too support him...I want to thank him that in the past two-and-a-half years, this is the first action which can be termed as worthy of prime minister," the Congress leader said at a roadshow in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district. #WATCH Rahul Gandhi: "I thank PM for taking this action. My party & I stand with him in this" on #SurgicalStrike conducted by Indian army pic.twitter.com/L7kSlg0lEk — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 30, 2016 × He also extended his party's support to the PM in his actions against Pakistani terrorists, saying, "He (Modi) has my full support and that of Congress. The entire nation is with him today." Yesterday, the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes on seven terrorist launchpads across the LoC dividing India and Pakistan. 38 terrorists were killed in the under-an-hour long midnight incursion. On September 18, eighteen Indian soldiers had died in a terror attack on an army camp in Uri, Kashmir. India had blamed the attack on terrorists from Pakistan. In the aftermath of the Uri attack, Rahul Gandhi had criticised Modi's "short-sighted" political alliance with PDP, saying it "opened space" for terrorism in Kashmir. He also blamed the NDA government for having "no strategy" vis-a-vis Kashmir. "I stand by our soldiers and I condemn what has been done to them by Pakistanis. However, space for that has been created by the politics the NDA has practised in Jammu and Kashmir," he had said in Mati (Kanpur Dehat) on September 20. Targeting PM Modi, he had said, "He goes from one event to another and this is no way of handling national security. National security cannot be handled like public meetings. This is a serious matter." He had also tweeted: FYI Modiji: a Kashmir strategy cannot be developed using selfies and sound bites — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) September 20, 2016 Rahul Gandhi is currently on a month-long roadshow through Uttar Pradesh, where he has been focusing on door-to-door campaigns and one-to-one interactions with farmers. The roadshow is part of the Congress strategy to connect with people ahead of the Uttar Pradesh polls next year. (WION with inputs from agencies)

India's surgical strikes Modi's 'first action worthy of PM', says Rahul Gandhi

India&#39;s Congress party vice-president Rahul Gandhi is all set to go in for a major image makeover. His month-long campaign in Uttar Pradesh on farmer&rsquo;s debt intends to recraft his image from a 10 am to 6 pm politician into a full time 24x7 political actor.<br />
<br />
Sources inside his campaign team confirmed to WION that Rahul Gandhi during the course of his campaign, will not return to Delhi even once. &ldquo;The idea is to blunt BJP&rsquo;s charge that Rahul Gandhi jumps from one issue to another. He will stick to one issue for an entire month and that being that the Centre should waive off farmer&rsquo;s debt in Uttar Pradesh,&rdquo; a source said.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
In another first, Rahul Gandhi will himself be a part of a door-to-door campaign which is a first for any member of the Gandhi family after India&#39;s first woman PM, Indira Gandhi.<br />
<br />
The Congress intends to target 20 million households in this door-to-door campaign for which 2,50,000 workers have been identified.<br />
<br />
The identified workers would concentrate on 25,000 blocks selected by the Congress Party. Rahul Gandhi himself would cover 2,500 km.<br />
<br />
The unique feature of the campaign would be that every targeted household will get a receipt from Congress after getting the pledge signed that if they come back to power then Congress would waive off farmer&rsquo;s loans and half the electricity tariff for the agrarian sector. Rahul Gandhi will come back to Delhi once the targets have been met and the receipts collected.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
The Congress vice-president will cover 55 Lok Sabha constituencies and 225 assembly segments in this phase. Rahul will clock 11 hours every day that he spends in Uttar Pradesh. His meetings would start at 10.30 am every day and would only end at 9.30 pm at night.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
The Congress&#39;s campaign manager Prashant Kishore has also taken a leaf out of his old strategy. The missed-call campaign will be deployed for Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh. The number would be advertised and anyone who gives a missed call would get connected to a recorded message of Rahul Gandhi on the farmer&rsquo;s issue.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Other parties, however, remain unimpressed. BJP spokesperson Sudesh Verma says that the Congress is neither a force nor an alternative in UP.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;Mayawati is the only option to the Samajwadi Party,&rdquo; adds BSP&rsquo;s Sudhindra Bhaduria.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Even the Congress understands that it stands 4th in the race and even after the Bhatta Parsaul pad yatra and a campaign based around the farmers&#39; issue in the UP assembly elections in 2012, the party came a miserable fourth. Even then Rahul Gandhi had invested a lot of time in Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The Congress disagrees. &ldquo;Our support to loan-waiver issue remains despite our electoral reverses,&rdquo; said Congress spokesperson RPN Singh.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
(WION)<br />
&nbsp;

Rahul Gandhi intends to target 20 million households in a massive door-to-door campaign ahead of the country's largest state polls

India's Congress party vice-president Rahul Gandhi is all set to go in for a major image makeover. His month-long campaign in Uttar Pradesh on farmer’s debt intends to recraft his image from a 10 am to 6 pm politician into a full time 24x7 political actor. Sources inside his campaign team confirmed to WION that Rahul Gandhi during the course of his campaign, will not return to Delhi even once. “The idea is to blunt BJP’s charge that Rahul Gandhi jumps from one issue to another. He will stick to one issue for an entire month and that being that the Centre should waive off farmer’s debt in Uttar Pradesh,” a source said. In another first, Rahul Gandhi will himself be a part of a door-to-door campaign which is a first for any member of the Gandhi family after India's first woman PM, Indira Gandhi. The Congress intends to target 20 million households in this door-to-door campaign for which 2,50,000 workers have been identified. The identified workers would concentrate on 25,000 blocks selected by the Congress Party. Rahul Gandhi himself would cover 2,500 km. The unique feature of the campaign would be that every targeted household will get a receipt from Congress after getting the pledge signed that if they come back to power then Congress would waive off farmer’s loans and half the electricity tariff for the agrarian sector. Rahul Gandhi will come back to Delhi once the targets have been met and the receipts collected. The Congress vice-president will cover 55 Lok Sabha constituencies and 225 assembly segments in this phase. Rahul will clock 11 hours every day that he spends in Uttar Pradesh. His meetings would start at 10.30 am every day and would only end at 9.30 pm at night. The Congress's campaign manager Prashant Kishore has also taken a leaf out of his old strategy. The missed-call campaign will be deployed for Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh. The number would be advertised and anyone who gives a missed call would get connected to a recorded message of Rahul Gandhi on the farmer’s issue. Other parties, however, remain unimpressed. BJP spokesperson Sudesh Verma says that the Congress is neither a force nor an alternative in UP. “Mayawati is the only option to the Samajwadi Party,” adds BSP’s Sudhindra Bhaduria. Even the Congress understands that it stands 4th in the race and even after the Bhatta Parsaul pad yatra and a campaign based around the farmers' issue in the UP assembly elections in 2012, the party came a miserable fourth. Even then Rahul Gandhi had invested a lot of time in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress disagrees. “Our support to loan-waiver issue remains despite our electoral reverses,” said Congress spokesperson RPN Singh. (WION)

India's Congress party scion to visit voters at home to revive political fortunes

Rahul Gandhi, the vice-president of Indian National Congress, told India&#39;s top court today that he was ready to face a trial for the alleged defamation of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), ideologically, the parent organisation of India&#39;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The Congress scion had blamed RSS for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, revered in India as the &#39;father of the nation&#39;. The Mahatma was the leader of Indian National Congress (often called Congress) during British rule of India and was a leading light of the country&#39;s struggle for independence.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&quot;I stand by each and every word. I will never take my words back. I stood by it yesterday, I stand by it today and I will stand by it in future. I am ready to go to trial,&quot; senior Congress leader and advocate Kapil Sibal, who was appearing for Rahul Gandhi, told a bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and R F Nariman.<br />
<br />
The Congress vice-president had made the remark about the 1948 assassination of the Mahatma at an election rally last year. &nbsp;&quot;<em>RSS </em><em>ke</em><em> </em><em>logon</em><em> </em><em>ne</em><em> Gandhi </em><em>ji</em><em> ko </em><em>goli</em><em> </em><em>mari</em>&nbsp;(RSS men had shot Gandhi ji),&quot; he had said. He would now face trial in a Bhiwandi court in the&nbsp;western state of Maharashtra where a defamation case has been filed.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>I stand by each and every word. I will never take my words back. I stood by it yesterday, I stand by it today and I will stand by it in future. I am ready to go to trial.&quot; &mdash;&nbsp;Kapil Sibal, counsel for Rahul Gandhi, told India&#39;s Supreme Court&nbsp;&nbsp;</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Gandhi withdrew a petition before the apex court that sought quashing of the defamation proceeding in a Maharashtra trial court. He moved the Indian apex court in May 2015 seeking a stay on the Bombay High Court order dismissing his plea for quashing the defamation case<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the top court refused to grant him the exemption from personal appearance before the&nbsp;lower court in the defamation case.<br />
<br />
Earlier on August 24, Sibal told the Supreme Court that Rahul never accused the RSS as an institution for the crime.<br />
<br />
&quot;<em>RSS </em><em>ke</em><em> </em><em>logon</em><em> </em><em>ne</em><em> </em><em>hatya</em><em> k?&quot;</em>&nbsp;(RSS members perpetrated the murder) is entirely different from &#39;RSS had killed Mahatma Gandhi&#39;,&quot; Sibal told the apex court.<br />
<br />
On July 19, the apex court remarked against Gandhi for indulging in &#39;collective denunciation&#39; against an organisation and said it&#39;s wrong. It said the Rahul Gandhi might have to face the trial to prove his defence that his statement was an assertion of a historical fact.<br />
<br />
Gandhi&#39;s counsel told the court that he was within his right to free speech. They have maintained that the complaint is motivated and malafide and should be quashed.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The Congress vice-president had made the remark about the 1948 assassination of Mahatma Gandhi at an election rally last year

Rahul Gandhi, the vice-president of Indian National Congress, told India's top court today that he was ready to face a trial for the alleged defamation of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), ideologically, the parent organisation of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Congress scion had blamed RSS for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, revered in India as the 'father of the nation'. The Mahatma was the leader of Indian National Congress (often called Congress) during British rule of India and was a leading light of the country's struggle for independence. "I stand by each and every word. I will never take my words back. I stood by it yesterday, I stand by it today and I will stand by it in future. I am ready to go to trial," senior Congress leader and advocate Kapil Sibal, who was appearing for Rahul Gandhi, told a bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and R F Nariman. The Congress vice-president had made the remark about the 1948 assassination of the Mahatma at an election rally last year. "RSS ke logon ne Gandhi ji ko goli mari (RSS men had shot Gandhi ji)," he had said. He would now face trial in a Bhiwandi court in the western state of Maharashtra where a defamation case has been filed. I stand by each and every word. I will never take my words back. I stood by it yesterday, I stand by it today and I will stand by it in future. I am ready to go to trial." — Kapil Sibal, counsel for Rahul Gandhi, told India's Supreme Court Gandhi withdrew a petition before the apex court that sought quashing of the defamation proceeding in a Maharashtra trial court. He moved the Indian apex court in May 2015 seeking a stay on the Bombay High Court order dismissing his plea for quashing the defamation case Meanwhile, the top court refused to grant him the exemption from personal appearance before the lower court in the defamation case. Earlier on August 24, Sibal told the Supreme Court that Rahul never accused the RSS as an institution for the crime. "RSS ke logon ne hatya k?" (RSS members perpetrated the murder) is entirely different from 'RSS had killed Mahatma Gandhi'," Sibal told the apex court. On July 19, the apex court remarked against Gandhi for indulging in 'collective denunciation' against an organisation and said it's wrong. It said the Rahul Gandhi might have to face the trial to prove his defence that his statement was an assertion of a historical fact. Gandhi's counsel told the court that he was within his right to free speech. They have maintained that the complaint is motivated and malafide and should be quashed. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Will face trial for 'RSS men killed Gandhi' remark: Indian politician Rahul Gandhi tells top court

By&nbsp;Deepak Gidwani<br />
<br />
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi sounded the party&rsquo;s bugle for the UP election here on Friday in a rather unique manner. Instead of addressing a rally for the purpose, which is the norm with political parties, he fielded questions from party workers at an interaction with prospective candidates. He declared that the party&rsquo;s mission was to &ldquo;make UP number one&rdquo;.<br />
<br />
The peculiar format, devised by the party&rsquo;s election strategist Prashant Kishor, aka &lsquo;PK&rsquo;, was apparently a runaway success amply reflected in the constant rounds of applause by the sizeable crowd. UP unit chief Raj Babbar shared the stage along side with Sheila Dixit, Ghulam Nabi Azad and other state level leaders.<br />
<br />
Rahul faced some uneasy moments during the Q &amp; A session, too. Perhaps the most difficult one about why a 78-year-old leader was the chief ministerial candidate. Without losing his cool, Rahul answered: &ldquo;The energy of the youth is extremely important in an election. But, experience is equally important. Sheila ji has ruled in Delhi for three consecutive terms and people there are still praising the development work she has done.&rdquo;<br />
<br />
As the swathes of party cadres clapped and cheered, the experiment which PK had been planning for over a month seemed to have worked. The expansive Ramabai Ambedkar rally ground with a capacity of over a lakh swayed with a multitude of Congressmen party leaders have not seen in the last 27 years since the Congress lost power in 1989.<br />
<br />
The crowds were being managed since morning in a very organised manner, with each prospective candidate required to register along with at least 10 booth level agents. The applicants were also asked to submit a question they wanted to ask Rahul.<br />
<br />
The questions were later picked out randomly. Rahul also answered impromptu questions from the ticket seekers with great aplomb. To a question about whom he saw as the biggest challenger in UP, he said: &ldquo;The biggest challenge is to unite. Once we are united, there is no challenge. No one can defeat us.&rdquo;<br />
<br />
On how the Congress would improve UP&rsquo;s law and order, the proverbial Achilles&rsquo; heel for the Akhilesh Yadav regime, Rahul said: &ldquo;Police stations have become party offices. We will change all that. Those who don&rsquo;t perform, will be shunted out.&rdquo;<br />
<br />
Though the party&rsquo;s first big show turned out to be a huge success, many were disappointed over Priyanka Gandhi Vadra&rsquo;s absence. There had been a buzz in the party circles that she would be coming for the workers&rsquo; convention, too. No party leader was willing to comment on whether she would join the campaign at a later stage.<br />
<br />
(WION)

Though the party?s first big show turned out to be a huge success, many were disappointed over Priyanka Gandhi Vadra?s absence

By Deepak Gidwani Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi sounded the party’s bugle for the UP election here on Friday in a rather unique manner. Instead of addressing a rally for the purpose, which is the norm with political parties, he fielded questions from party workers at an interaction with prospective candidates. He declared that the party’s mission was to “make UP number one”. The peculiar format, devised by the party’s election strategist Prashant Kishor, aka ‘PK’, was apparently a runaway success amply reflected in the constant rounds of applause by the sizeable crowd. UP unit chief Raj Babbar shared the stage along side with Sheila Dixit, Ghulam Nabi Azad and other state level leaders. Rahul faced some uneasy moments during the Q & A session, too. Perhaps the most difficult one about why a 78-year-old leader was the chief ministerial candidate. Without losing his cool, Rahul answered: “The energy of the youth is extremely important in an election. But, experience is equally important. Sheila ji has ruled in Delhi for three consecutive terms and people there are still praising the development work she has done.” As the swathes of party cadres clapped and cheered, the experiment which PK had been planning for over a month seemed to have worked. The expansive Ramabai Ambedkar rally ground with a capacity of over a lakh swayed with a multitude of Congressmen party leaders have not seen in the last 27 years since the Congress lost power in 1989. The crowds were being managed since morning in a very organised manner, with each prospective candidate required to register along with at least 10 booth level agents. The applicants were also asked to submit a question they wanted to ask Rahul. The questions were later picked out randomly. Rahul also answered impromptu questions from the ticket seekers with great aplomb. To a question about whom he saw as the biggest challenger in UP, he said: “The biggest challenge is to unite. Once we are united, there is no challenge. No one can defeat us.” On how the Congress would improve UP’s law and order, the proverbial Achilles’ heel for the Akhilesh Yadav regime, Rahul said: “Police stations have become party offices. We will change all that. Those who don’t perform, will be shunted out.” Though the party’s first big show turned out to be a huge success, many were disappointed over Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s absence. There had been a buzz in the party circles that she would be coming for the workers’ convention, too. No party leader was willing to comment on whether she would join the campaign at a later stage. (WION)

Rahul woos UP Congress workers, blows poll bugle

Indian state of Gujarat continued to simmer for a third consecutive day as protests against brutal thrashing of Dalit youths (placed at the bottom of Indi? caste system) allegedly by some self-styled cow vigilantes. In several parts of the state, a shutdown was observed, besides road blockade and silent protests.<br />
<br />
Amid tensions, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi met the kin of the tannery workers who were beaten up allegedly by self-styled vigilante for skinning a dead cow on July 11 and assured them of all help. He also visited the hospital in Rajkot where the victims are admitted.<br />
<br />
Bharatiya Janata Party termed Rahul Gandhi&#39;s visit to Gujarat a &#39;&#39;political pilgrimage&#39;&#39; and &#39;&#39;photo-op&#39;&#39; and accused the opposition of trying to make political capital out of social tensions.<br />
<br />
With the party coming under increasing attack from opposition over its &quot;anti-dalit&quot; stand, BJP&#39;s senior party member M Venkaiah Naidu sought to highlight its pro-dalit and pro- weaker sections credentials by noting that it had highest number of SC, ST and OBC Members of Parliament.<br />
<br />
He claimed in a press conference that the opposition was afraid because weaker sections of the society were moving to the BJP and the Modi government was &quot;immensely popular&quot;. So they have launched a disinformation campaign against it, he alleged. They are doing so because of the UP assembly polls, he said. &quot;They, including our main rival (Congress) are instigating one community against another,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
Separately, Nationalist Congress Party politician Praful Patel along with two MLAs in Gujarat met one victim, Bhanubhai Sarvaiya, and his family members at Mota Samadhiyala and offered compensation of Rs 2 lakh, before leaving for Rajkot to meet the hospitalised victims.<br />
<br />
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is scheduled to visit Una in Gujarat&#39;s Gir-Somnath district on Friday.<br />
<br />
Naidu also targeted Kejriwal saying, &quot;Now they are making a political pilgrimage. It is nothing but an attempt to make political capital out of social tensions.&quot;<br />
<br />
Attacking Gandhi over his Gujarat visit, the Information and Broadcasting Minister said he did not find time to visit Kerala where a dalit girl was raped and murdered and the Hyderabad university, where many dalit students committed suicide during the UPA government.<br />
<br />
(PTI)<br />
&nbsp;

Bharatiya Janata Party has accused the opposition of trying to make political capital out of social tensions in Gujarat

Indian state of Gujarat continued to simmer for a third consecutive day as protests against brutal thrashing of Dalit youths (placed at the bottom of Indi? caste system) allegedly by some self-styled cow vigilantes. In several parts of the state, a shutdown was observed, besides road blockade and silent protests. Amid tensions, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi met the kin of the tannery workers who were beaten up allegedly by self-styled vigilante for skinning a dead cow on July 11 and assured them of all help. He also visited the hospital in Rajkot where the victims are admitted. Bharatiya Janata Party termed Rahul Gandhi's visit to Gujarat a ''political pilgrimage'' and ''photo-op'' and accused the opposition of trying to make political capital out of social tensions. With the party coming under increasing attack from opposition over its "anti-dalit" stand, BJP's senior party member M Venkaiah Naidu sought to highlight its pro-dalit and pro- weaker sections credentials by noting that it had highest number of SC, ST and OBC Members of Parliament. He claimed in a press conference that the opposition was afraid because weaker sections of the society were moving to the BJP and the Modi government was "immensely popular". So they have launched a disinformation campaign against it, he alleged. They are doing so because of the UP assembly polls, he said. "They, including our main rival (Congress) are instigating one community against another," he said. Separately, Nationalist Congress Party politician Praful Patel along with two MLAs in Gujarat met one victim, Bhanubhai Sarvaiya, and his family members at Mota Samadhiyala and offered compensation of Rs 2 lakh, before leaving for Rajkot to meet the hospitalised victims. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is scheduled to visit Una in Gujarat's Gir-Somnath district on Friday. Naidu also targeted Kejriwal saying, "Now they are making a political pilgrimage. It is nothing but an attempt to make political capital out of social tensions." Attacking Gandhi over his Gujarat visit, the Information and Broadcasting Minister said he did not find time to visit Kerala where a dalit girl was raped and murdered and the Hyderabad university, where many dalit students committed suicide during the UPA government. (PTI)

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi visits Gujarat, BJP terms it a political gimmick

The Supreme Court of India rapped the 46-year old vice-president of the Congress party, Rahul Gandhi,&nbsp;in connection with a defamation case filed against him by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Right wing Hindu nationalist organisation.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The apex body denounced Gandhi&#39;s remarks on RSS and said that the Congress politician must face trial.&nbsp;The Congress vice-president has maintained that his statement on RSS involvement in Mahatma Gandhi&#39;s killing was a historical fact and his counsel has asserted that his statement was within his right to free speech.<br />
<br />
Gandhi had earlier urged the Supreme Court to quash the proceedings against him, but his request was denied by the court. &nbsp;<br />
<br />
The Supreme Court remained firm on Gandhi facing trial and said that the case must be decided on merit.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&quot;You can&#39;t make wholesale denunciation of an organisation. Purpose of law is not to turn citizens into litigants,&quot; the court observed.<br />
<br />
The Supreme Court has given him time till next Wednesday to detail his arguments.<br />
<br />
RSS worker Rajesh Kunte had filed the case against Gandhi in a court in India&#39;s western state, Maharashtra. The apex court had stayed the proceedings against the Congress vice-president last year, pending before a magisterial court in Bhiwandi of Maharashtra&#39;s Thane district.<br />
<br />
Kunte had alleged that the Congress politician told an election rally at Sonale in Maharashtra on March 6 that &quot;RSS people killed Gandhiji&quot;. He said the Congress politician had sought to tarnish the reputation of the RSS through his speech.<br />
<br />
Following the complaint, the magistrate&#39;s court had initiated proceedings and issued notice to Gandhi directing him to appear before it.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The Congress leader took the matter to the High Court seeking exemption from appearance and quashing of the complaint.&nbsp;<br />
Gandhi&#39;s lawyers maintained that Kunte&#39;s complaint was motivated and malafide and deserved to be quashed, but led to failed attempts.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
(ANI)<br />
<br />
&nbsp;

The Congress vice-president had alleged in a public rally that 'RSS people killed' Mahatma Gandhi which was followed by a defamation suit

The Supreme Court of India rapped the 46-year old vice-president of the Congress party, Rahul Gandhi, in connection with a defamation case filed against him by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Right wing Hindu nationalist organisation. The apex body denounced Gandhi's remarks on RSS and said that the Congress politician must face trial. The Congress vice-president has maintained that his statement on RSS involvement in Mahatma Gandhi's killing was a historical fact and his counsel has asserted that his statement was within his right to free speech. Gandhi had earlier urged the Supreme Court to quash the proceedings against him, but his request was denied by the court. The Supreme Court remained firm on Gandhi facing trial and said that the case must be decided on merit. "You can't make wholesale denunciation of an organisation. Purpose of law is not to turn citizens into litigants," the court observed. The Supreme Court has given him time till next Wednesday to detail his arguments. RSS worker Rajesh Kunte had filed the case against Gandhi in a court in India's western state, Maharashtra. The apex court had stayed the proceedings against the Congress vice-president last year, pending before a magisterial court in Bhiwandi of Maharashtra's Thane district. Kunte had alleged that the Congress politician told an election rally at Sonale in Maharashtra on March 6 that "RSS people killed Gandhiji". He said the Congress politician had sought to tarnish the reputation of the RSS through his speech. Following the complaint, the magistrate's court had initiated proceedings and issued notice to Gandhi directing him to appear before it. The Congress leader took the matter to the High Court seeking exemption from appearance and quashing of the complaint. Gandhi's lawyers maintained that Kunte's complaint was motivated and malafide and deserved to be quashed, but led to failed attempts. (ANI)

India's Supreme Court raps Congress party's Rahul Gandhi over his comment on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

rahul-gandhi

Rahul Gandhi, News on Rahul Gandhi, stories on Rahul Gandhi, articles on Rahul Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi stories at Wion, Rahul Gandhi news, Rahul Gandhi latest news

rahul gandhi