Rahul non-performing Congress chief: BJP
New Delhi, July 22 : Taking a jibe at Congress President Rahul Gandhi, the BJP on Sunday dubbed him a "non-performing chief" of a party that is doing negative politics as against the positive politics pursued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"After the defeat of the no-confidence motion in Parliament, the Congress non-working committee met today (Sunday) under a non-performing party President Rahul Gandhi. His mother Sonia Gandhi chaired the CWC (Congress Working Committee) for 20 years and after that her son Rahul Gandhi is chairing it. This is not how a democracy functions," BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra told a press conference here.
He said that the two-line decision taken at the CWC meeting was that the Congress does not want to win and its sole aim is to stop Modi at any cost.
"The Congress has decided to play the role of a suicide bomber. It is negative politics. Positive Politics is being performed under the leadership of Modi. The people of the country, who believe in positive and developmental politics, will never accept this negative politics," he said.
The BJP leader also hit out at UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for her "reverse countdown" jibe at the Prime Minister, saying the country had few days back seen the politics of "hug and wink" and the rhetoric on the floor of Parliament.
Addressing the CWC meet, Sonia Gandhi had said earlier in the day that the Prime Minister's rhetoric shows his "desperation" reflecting that the "reverse countdown" of the Modi government has begun.
"You (Sonia) were runing the country in reverse gear and you are now talking of reverse countdown. The reverse countdown of dynastic politics, appeasement politics and caste politics has begun," Patra said.
He said that the whole purpose of the CWC meet was to back Rahul Gandhi as Congress candidate for 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
"What is new in Sonia's backing of Rahul as PM. This was the whole purpose of CWC. Sonia's only ambition is to back Rahul as PM candidate," he said.
Commenting on former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram's remarks that the Congress can win three times more seats in the 2019 general elections, Patra asked: "If a party is looking at contesting only 150 seats, how can it dream of getting the Prime Minister's post?"
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345 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran return home via Armenia
New Delhi (PTI): A group of 345 Indian fishermen, who were stranded in Iran amid escalating regional tensions, returned to India via Armenia on Saturday, officials said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan for assistance in return of the Indian nationals.
The Indian nationals arrived in Chennai this evening, the officials cited above said.
The circumstances that led to them being stranded in Iran were not immediately known.
"Thank FM @AraratMirzoyan and the Government of Armenia for facilitating the evacuation of Indian fishermen today from Iran, through Armenia to India," Jaishankar said on social media.
Over 1,500 Indian nationals have left Iran through land border crossings in Armenia and Azerbaijan since the start of the West Asia conflict over a month ago.
"A group of Indian fishermen, stranded in Iran, are returning home via Armenia today; their flight is expected to reach India this evening," a government statement said.
It said the Ministry of External Affairs continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the West Asian region, with the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community being accorded the highest priority.
It also made a mention of five Indians being injured in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
According to Abu Dhabi authorities, the Indian nationals were among the 12 people injured by debris from an intercepted missile.
"In an attack in Abu Dhabi, five Indian nationals were injured; four have been discharged, one remains under treatment," the Indian government's statement said.
It said the Indian mission in Abu Dhabi is extending "full" assistance and coordinating with local authorities, adding that their flight is expected to reach India this evening.
