Why question LoP when PM spends half of his working time outside country: Priyanka
New Delhi (PTI): Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday hit back at the BJP for its criticism of Rahul Gandhi over his visit to Germany next week, asking why are they raising questions on the leader of opposition when Prime Minister Narendra Modi spends "almost half of his working time outside the country".
Rahul Gandhi will visit Germany from December 15 to 20 during which he will engage with the Indian diaspora and meet German ministers, according to the Indian Overseas Congress.
The BJP took a swipe at Gandhi over his visit, saying, "Rahul is LoP -- leader of Paryatan."
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"Once again Videsh Nayak is doing what he does best! Going for a foreign tour! Parliament is on till 19th Dec but Reports suggest Rahul Gandhi to visit Germany from Dec 15-20! Rahul is LoP - leader of paryatan," BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said in a post on X.
"During Bihar elections too he was abroad and then in Jungle Safari," he added.
Asked about BJP's attack on Gandhi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi told reporters, "Modi ji spends almost half of his working time outside the country... Why are they raising questions on the leader of opposition (in Lok Sabha) travelling?"
Earlier, Balwinder Singh, president of Indian Overseas Congress, Germany, said, "The Member of Parliament and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will visit Germany from December 15 to 20. He will be accompanied by Indian Overseas Congress Chairperson Sam Pitroda."
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Over 300 students from govt schools in Punjab qualify JEE Mains 2026: Education minister
Chandigarh (PTI): Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Saturday said 305 students from government schools qualified in their first attempt of the joint entrance examination (JEE) Mains 2026.
This number reflects an increase of 63 per cent from last year's 187 successful candidates, he said describing the achievement as a defining moment for the state's school education system.
Bains shared that five students from his constituency Sri Anandpur Sahib also cracked the prestigious examination.
He announced that the government will organise a special three-week residential training camp to prepare the qualified students for JEE Advance, ensuring they receive focused guidance for the next stage.
"This feat marks a moment of immense pride for our entire school education department. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our dedicated teachers. The recent JEE Mains Phase 1 results showcased an outstanding performance by the Punjab government schools, with 305 students cracking the competitive engineering exam," Bains said.
This feat represents a remarkable 63 per cent increase from last year's 187 qualifiers, he said.
"Achieving such a significant milestone in just one year is a testament to the transformative power of our Punjab 'Sikhya Kranti' initiative. We are committed to further accelerating our progress," the state education minister said.
He also shared that Bhavishya, a Class 12 non-medical student from the School of Eminence in Amritsar secured an impressive 98.182 percentile.
His father runs a mobile repair shop and his mother works as a tailor.
"Despite financial constraints, his determination to pursue engineering and uplift his family remained unshaken. With strong school support and disciplined preparation, he achieved outstanding success," he said.
He further informed that Dilkhush Jha, a government school student from Bathinda, scored 95.091 percentile in JEE Mains.
With his father being a labourer and mother a homemaker, and an annual family income of Rs 1.2 lakh, he relied on self-study.
Similarly, Priyanka Sharma, a science student from the School of Eminence, Sangrur, secured a 96.44 percentile in JEE Mains while simultaneously preparing for NEET.
Bains said no other state government has matched this scale of achievement in government schools.
He congratulated all 305 students and their parents, and thanked the teachers for making what he described as a historic day for Punjab's government school system.
