Rahul, Priyanka make a great team, says Punjab CM
Chandigarh: Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra make a "great team" and would "wipe out" the Modi government in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh claimed Thursday.
Trashing allegations of the Congress promoting dynastic politics, he said, "The people vote for individuals, not for dynasty."
Attributing the Congress victories in recent assembly polls in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattishgarh to Rahul Gandhi's efforts, he said the party president has "evolved greatly" as a leader.
Describing Rahul Gandhi as "extremely receptive with a deep understanding of issues" facing the country, he said the Congress party president would make an excellent prime minister.
Singh made the remarks, while speaking at a media house conclave, said an official release.
In contrast to his mother, who used to listen and mull over the issues, Rahul Gandhi discusses them and takes prompt decisions with total confidence, he said.
Reacting to the recent Kolkata standoff between the Mamata Banerjee's government and the CBI, the chief minister described the central agency's action "as a sheer case of victimisation and unacceptable in a democratic polity".
"Even the ED cases against Robert Vadra are nothing but victimization and vindictiveness by the Central government, he said, adding that such acts have no place in a civilised nation".
"The things are not done this way in a democratic society," he said.
Drawing an analogy with his own style of functioning, Singh said, "Lot of my colleagues tell me to fix X, Y or Z, but I do not believe in indulging in political vendetta."
Claiming there is no vendetta against the Badals, the chief minister, however, added, "Investigations are in progress in all the allegations against the Badals and (former Akali minister) Bikram Singh Majithia and they will pay for their misdeeds.
On the Narendra Modi government's performance, Singh claimed it has failed to do anything for the welfare of farmers, who were not being given even the MSP on their crops.
He claimed even the sugar and cotton industries were in dire straits.
Accusing Prime Minister Modi of backtracking in implementing the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations on the farming sector, Amarinder Singh said, The report had to be implemented in toto and not piecemeal for their own advantage."
Despite being a minister in the Union government, Harsimrat Badal has also failed to do anything for the state or its people, particularly the agrarian sector, the chief minister alleged.
He claimed the Congress government, on the other hand, has managed to bring things on track "despite the massive fiscal crisis we inherited from the erstwhile Badal government".
"Apart from successfully generating 6.25 lakh jobs in less than two years, our government has so far waived Rs 4,786 crore of debts of farmers, which, though not sufficient, was much better than the Rs 17 a day earning announced by the Modi government in its recent interim budget," he said.
Listing out major challenges facing the BJP in the upcomning Lok Sabha elections, Singh claimed that it would lose the elections due to disenchantment of youths over massive unemployment and the distress among farmers.
Hailing the opening of Kartarpur Sahib corridor, Singh said though it was a welcome step, there was need for vigilance as Pakistan's ISI could misuse it for its own nefarious ends.
He said the Pakistan military has been constantly thwarting India's initiatives for peaceful resolution of bilateral issues.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
New York, Apr 30 (PTI): New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he would encourage King Charles III to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond.
“If I was to speak to the King separately from that, I would probably encourage him to return the Koh-i-Noor diamond,” Mamdani said at a press conference Wednesday before he met the British monarch in the city later in the day. Mamdani was asked what he would say to the King, who visited New York City on the second day of his State Visit to the US.
King Charles addressed a joint meeting of the US Congress Tuesday, as he and Queen Camilla were honoured at a state dinner hosted by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump in the White House.
King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the 9/11 Memorial in the city and paid their respects to the victims of the terror attack.
They also visited Harlem Grown, a network of urban farms supporting children and families in Upper Manhattan.
Mamdani met King Charles at the 9/11 memorial. The 105.6-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond was given to Queen Victoria in 1849 by Maharajah Duleep Singh. It was worn by the Queen Mother on her crown in 1937.
India has indicated that it will continue to explore ways to bring back the Koh-i-noor from the United Kingdom.
The country has been raising the matter from time to time with the UK government and said it will continue to explore ways and means for obtaining a “satisfactory resolution of the matter.”
The Koh-i-Noor diamond is currently displayed at the Tower of London. The diamond, set within the Crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, has "many previous owners, including Mughal Emperors, Shahs of Iran, Emirs of Afghanistan, and Sikh Maharajas,” according to the Historic Royal Palaces charity.
The 34-year-old Indian-descent Mamdani is the son of renowned filmmaker Mira Nair and Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani.
He is the first Muslim, the first Indian-origin, the first born in Africa, and the youngest one in more than a century to become New York Mayor.
