BJP MP Saroj Pandey barb: Calls Priyanka Gandhi 'Homely', Rahul 'Joker'
Mumbai, Jan 28: A senior BJP leader Monday took a swipe at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi with a card game reference by asking whether the latter was a "joker" if his sister Priyanka Gandhi was the opposition party's "trump card".
Saroj Pandey, BJP in charge for Maharashtra and Rajya Sabha MP, justified her card game wordplay by citing the statement of senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad who had termed Priyanka Gandhi's appointment as the party's general secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh as a "trump card" move.
"Congress party ke neta ne kaha, Ghulam Nabi Azad ne is baat ko kaha, ki hum turup ka ikka chalate hai... To joker se ab tak khelte the iskaa matlab tay hain (Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad says they are now playing with a trump card.
So it surely means so far they were playing with a joker)," Pandey said.
She was addressing the convention of Maharashtra BJP in Jalna.
"I cannot play cards, but you can understand (the difference between) trump card and joker," she further said.
Clarifying her remark, Pandey said, "It is not that we are calling him (Rahul Gandhi) joker, but their own leaders have certified that tag on him. We are getting criticised for calling him pappu."
"Had the party (Congress) played its trump card earlier, this joker would not have wasted so much time of the country," Pandey said.
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Punjab CM Mann lays foundation stone of Rs 14.63 crore sports stadium in Sangrur
Sangrur (PTI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday laid the foundation stone of a Rs 14.63 crore modern sports stadium here, underscoring that expanding access to quality playgrounds alongside a strong education system is key to steering the youth towards "purpose, performance, and global achievement".
The stadium coming up on 4.38 acres in Satouj will offer professional training and host a wide range of sports including badminton, handball, judo, netball, basketball, volleyball, football, gymnastics, kabaddi and karate, according to an official release.
"It is a historic day for the region as this stadium is coming up at a cost of Rs 14.63 crore. This stadium will be constructed over an area of 4.38 acres, and the complex will host various sporting activities," Mann said.
"The stadium will have a 200-metre athletic track, pavilion for spectators and players and a multipurpose indoor sports hall," he said.
While highlighting the wide range of facilities being created, Mann said professional training opportunities will be provided to children and youngsters in the stadium, adding that this project will ensure that the area emerges as a sports hub.
Emphasising the importance of balanced development, he said, "When there is a good school for education and a proper ground for sports, a child can bring glory to their village, state, and country on the global stage."
Reaffirming the Punjab government's focus on youth development, Mann said, "It is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction that the Punjab government is successfully providing world-class facilities for education and sports."
This project will help in further breaking the backbone of drugs by fostering sporting culture in the state, and it will help in channelising the unbounded energy of youth of state in a positive manner, he said.
Such stadiums will play an important role in helping the youth stay away from the curse of drugs and in order to encourage the youngsters to realise their dreams of winning medals in national and international sporting events, the CM said.
Later, Mann launched an ultra-modern community health centre here that aims to benefit the residents of 85 villages. It is equipped with round-the-clock emergency services, surgical facilities, treatment for serious illnesses and specialist care for children, he said.
Mann alleged that previous governments neglected regions like Dirba and kept development restricted. He said his government is reversing this by investing public money back into villages through hospitals, schools, libraries and roads.
"To impart quality health services to people, we have dedicated the CHC at village Kauhrian... This ambitious project has been completed at a cost of Rs 13.23 crore and the centre has a capacity of 30 beds," he said.
He further noted, "The CHC will also have paediatric specialists for treating children's diseases, and free treatment along with all necessary tests for mothers and children will be provided."
Mann added that dental treatment will also be provided by a specialist at the facility.
