Rahul, his family members are fake Gandhis, says Pralhad Joshi
Bengaluru, Dec 15: Hitting out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his Savarkar barb, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Sunday termed him and his family members as "fake Gandhis".
He also accused the Congress and other "so called secular parties" of trying to project the Citizenship (Amendment) Act as a Hindu-Muslim issue with an intention to create unrest in the country.
"Rahul Gandhi has said he was not Rahul Savarkar.. it is impossible for you to become Rahul Savarkar," Joshi said.
Speaking to reporters in Hubballi, he said, "as per convenience you enter into an understanding with anyone, you can become Rahul Uddhav Thackrey- we all know what all words you have used against him and what you have done now."
"You (Rahul) become whatever you want, but speaking against a patriot like Vinayak Damodar Savarkar shows the frustration of Congress... they are all nakli (fake) Gandhis- Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Priyanka Vadra Gandhi- only they can speak such things about others," he added.
Under fire from the BJP over his 'rape in India' remark, Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said he will die but never apologise for speaking truth as he was a Gandhi and not a Savarkar, remarks that drew immediate disapproval from new- found ally Shiv Sena which said the Hindutva icon should not be insulted.
Alleging the "so called secular parties" were trying to instigate violence in the country, Joshi clarified that the Citizenship Amendment Act has nothing to do with stripping anyone of their citizenship, but about providing it.
"Our neighboring Islamic countries, where religious persecutions are occurring against minorities- if they (minorities of those countries) come to India- this will provide citizenship to them.
Congress was indulging in evil tricks of playing it up as a Hindu-Muslim issue," he alleged.
CAA was not an Hindu-Muslim issue at all, but providing citizenship to those who are in this country without it for years together, the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister said.
Claiming that people who came from Uganda, Bangladesh, and also Sri Lankan Tamils had earlier been granted citizenship, he said if anyone from other countries apply, the government will look into it.
After the Narendra Modi led government came to power, 550 minority refugees were given citizenship, he said.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
