Her courage, patriotism inspire me to stand against injustice: Rahul on Indira's birth anniversary
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Wednesday paid rich tributes to former prime minister Indira Gandhi on her birth anniversary, with Rahul Gandhi saying that he was inspired to make fearless decisions for India from his grandmother.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi paid floral tributes to Indira Gandhi at her memorial, Shakti Sthal, here.
In a post on X, Khrge said the exemplary and dynamic leadership of Indira Gandhi, showing immense political courage, will forever inspire.
"Her unwavering resolve and lifelong dedication to public service left an indelible mark on India's journey of progress. Her ultimate sacrifice in safeguarding the unity and integrity of the nation deserves a million salutations," Kharge said.
"On her birth anniversary, we offer our respectful homage to her enduring legacy," he said.
Rahul Gandhi said her courage, patriotism, and morality continue to inspire him to stand firmly against injustice.
In a post in Hindi on X, he said, "I got inspiration to make fearless decisions for India and to put national interests first in every situation from my grandmother. Her courage, patriotism, and morality continue to inspire me to stand firmly against injustice."
Congress general secretary, in-charge, organisation, K C Venugopal remembered the first female prime minister as someone who steered the country through turbulent times and ushered in an era of welfare.
"Her bold leadership saw India emerge as a strong global force that stood shoulder to shoulder with superpowers and never bowed down to any pressure," Venugopal said on X.
Till her last breath, she gave it her all to our country and laid down her life for its unity, integrity and sovereignty, he said.
"For generations to come, she will be revered for her service to the nation. Her life remains one of the most important guiding lessons for us all, and we will always be inspired by her vision and dedication to our country," he said.
The Congress, on its official X handle, said, "The embodiment of 'Shakti', Indira ji steered the nation towards self-reliance, inclusive development and an advanced global standing, undaunted in the face of numerous geopolitical challenges."
The party added, "Her bold leadership and earnest commitment to justice, unity and progress continue to light Congress' path forward."
Through an unshakeable resolve and bold leadership, Indira Gandhi successfully secured India's agricultural self-sufficiency, liberated Bangladesh and challenged world powers head-on to safeguard the nation's interests, the party said.
"On her birth anniversary, we honour Indira ji's fearless leadership, decisive vision and unwavering commitment to India's progress. From the Green Revolution to the liberation of Bangladesh, her bold leadership shaped a strong, self-reliant nation that bowed to no superpower," the Congress said.
Born on November 19, 1917, Indira Gandhi served as the prime minister from 1966 to 1977 and then again from 1980 until her assassination on October 31, 1984.
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Delhi CM Rekha Gupta accuses Mamata Banerjee of stalling SIR; TMC hits back
Kolkata (PTI): Alleging that her West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee had approached the Supreme Court to stall the SIR exercise to prevent the identification of infiltrators, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday claimed that the people of the state have made up their minds to dislodge the Trinamool Congress from power.
The TMC countered strongly, urging Gupta to "look into her own backyard" and accused her of making absurd allegations against the TMC government without checking facts.
Addressing participants at the 'Nari Sankalp Yatra' organised by the BJP's women's wing at Science City auditorium here, Gupta alleged that the "hands-off" and appeasement policies of the TMC government had allowed thousands of infiltrators to enter the state in recent years.
She claimed that this had put a strain on basic rights such as access to water, electricity, ration, education, livelihood and the right to vote for genuine citizens.
"She wants to perpetuate this and hence is trying to stall the SIR exercise, which aims at identifying and deporting infiltrators. Imagine a chief minister going to the apex court to argue against an exercise meant to ensure free and fair polls," Gupta said.
The BJP leader alleged that appeasement politics had reached an "alarming level" under the TMC regime.
Raising concerns over women's safety, she claimed that women in the state were not secure despite having a woman chief minister.
Referring to the rape-murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Hospital, Gupta alleged that the state government had failed to respond adequately to such crimes.
She also referred to the alleged rape of a woman medic in Durgapur and another law student on a Kolkata college campus, claiming that criminals had been emboldened to commit brutalities against women.
She alleged that in crimes against women, overall crime incidents and child marriages, West Bengal remained among the top -- "a slur on a state which once led intellectual and social movements and set examples for the rest of the country," she said.
Criticising the state government's welfare initiatives, she said schemes such as Kanyashree were built on "false claims" and asserted that women needed security rather than assurances.
Accusing the state government of blocking central schemes, Gupta alleged that funds worth "lakhs of crores of rupees" had not reached the poor due to non-implementation of programmes such as Ayushman Bharat, PM Awas Yojana and Jal Jeevan Mission by the state.
"You are only interested in renaming projects and taking credit," she said.
Gupta also alleged that the education sector in the state had been adversely affected, saying several state-run schools had closed due to a shortage of teachers and that the government was opposed to the National Education Policy.
Drawing a comparison with BJP-ruled Delhi, Gupta said, "People have already voted out 'Bhaia' (a reference to former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal). Now it is your turn to bid farewell to 'Didi'." Calling upon women to resist what she termed "strong-arm tactics", she urged them to assert their strength, invoking the imagery of Goddess Durga.
"Bengal has the right to live with dignity, and women have the right to live with dignity," she added.
Reacting to Gupta's allegations, West Bengal Women and Child Welfare minister Shashi Panja accused her of making "absurd allegations" against the Trinamool Congress government ahead of elections.
Panja alleged that during Gupta's tenure in Delhi, several incidents had raised serious concerns, including reports of missing young women and a blast near the Red Fort.
She also criticised the air pollution situation in the national capital, claiming that people were struggling to breathe.
The TMC leader said that despite being in power for a year, Gupta was making "tall claims" instead of addressing key issues in Delhi.
Panja further alleged that the Delhi CM visited West Bengal during elections to "peddle false allegations" against the state government.
Rebutting Gupta, the TMC said in a post on X said, "Madam why did you go off-script again? For your edification, here are the cold, hard facts: In total cases of crimes (IPC + SLL), Bengal ranks a respectable 15th, far safer than BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, which languish near the bottom."
"In overall crime rate, Bengal sits comfortably at 28th. Who's second? Your own Delhi. Double Engine Gujarat and Haryana grab 4th and 5th as top-tier crime havens," the TMC said.
"In child marriage, Assam again takes the shameful pole position. And yet you dare lecture Bengal? Stop embarrassing yourself, stop the hypocrisy, and maybe fix the rotting mess in your own backyard before pointing fingers at a state that's outperforming your disasters on every key metric," the TMC countered.
