BJP attacked minorities who have stood by nation like rocks: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi, in his inaugural speech as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, boldly proclaimed that the Congress party is unafraid of the BJP, asserting instead that it is the BJP that fears the Congress. Gandhi's remarks were delivered amidst a backdrop of intense parliamentary exchanges between the opposition and ruling party MPs.
Highlighting issues of communal harmony and minority rights, Gandhi accused the BJP of spreading hatred towards minority communities. "BJP spreads hate against minorities. They attack Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, and what are the minorities doing? They represent and make India proud in every sphere. They stand with this country like rocks. They are patriots, and you attack and spread hate against all the minorities," Gandhi stated.
Gandhi's speech, which touched on themes of social justice and inclusivity, marked a significant moment in the ongoing parliamentary session. He reiterated his party's stance on economic policies, criticizing the Modi government's handling of demonetization and the implementation of GST, which he claimed favored billionaires over small industrialists.
Earlier, Gandhi had also raised concerns about the Agniveer scheme, pointing out discrepancies in military recruitment policies under the current government.
The Leader of Opposition's inaugural address underscored his party's determination to challenge the BJP in upcoming state elections, notably in Gujarat, where Gandhi expressed confidence in the India alliance's prospects for success.
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Mumbai-Pune Expressway connecting link now fully operational
Mumbai (PTI): The Mumbai-bound carriageway of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway connecting link was opened to vehicular traffic on Saturday noon after a delay caused by the dismantling of inauguration infrastructure and cleaning work, a day after the Pune section became operational.
The 13.3 km-long "missing link", which bypasses a section of the Bhor Ghat stretch of the expressway and cuts travel time between Mumbai and Pune by 25 to 30 minutes, was inaugurated a day earlier by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the presence of Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar.
The Pune-bound carriageway of the corridor was opened to traffic immediately; however, the Mumbai-bound section remained closed to traffic for several hours after the inauguration.
An official of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation told PTI on Saturday that the opening of the Mumbai-bound carriageway was delayed mainly due to the dismantling of the inauguration infrastructure and cleaning work.
The removal of the stage and other decorations was completed in the morning. The work to load and transport the material slightly delayed the opening of the carriageway.
Vehicular movement on the carriageway began after all the remaining material was cleared and road cleaning was completed, the official added.
The expressway control room said that despite significant vehicular movement, the access-controlled highway has not witnessed any major traffic snarls since Friday evening, after the Pune-bound carriageway of the missing link was opened to traffic.
The Missing Link project connects Khopoli (in Raigad) on the Mumbai side to Kusgaon near Lonavala in Pune district and is expected to make the expressway fully access-controlled, easing congestion in the ghat section.
Developed by the MSRDC and dubbed an "engineering marvel", the project includes two tunnels, two viaducts and a cable-stayed bridge over Tiger Valley. It bypasses the steep, accident-prone ghat section, where frequent traffic snarls are reported during weekends and on public holidays.
