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‘Chintan Shivir’ about national issues, meaningful self-introspection: Sonia Gandhi

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Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the ongoing violence and other problems in the country as she inaugurated her party’s three-day ‘Chintan Shivir’.

She said that the Chintan Shivir will give an opportunity to discuss the numerous challenges that the country is facing as a result of the policies of the BJP and of the RSS and its affiliates.

“So it is both a chintan about national issues and a meaningful atma-chintan about our party organisation,” she said in her inaugural speech.

Targeting the Prime Minister, she said that the BJP’s “maximum governance, minimum government” means “more empty slogans, diversionary tactics and utter silence on the part of an ever-so eloquent Prime Minister when the healing touch is most needed”.

“By now it has become abundantly and most painfully clear what Prime Minister Modi and his colleagues really mean by their frequently repeated slogan: maximum governance, minimum government. It means keeping the country in a state of permanent polarisation, compelling our people to live in a constant state of fear and insecurity.

“It means viciously targeting, victimising and often brutalising minorities who are an integral part of our society and are equal citizens of our republic.It means using our society’s age-old pluralities to divide us and subverting the carefully nurtured idea of unity in diversity,” she said.

Gandhi also accused the Modi regime of “threatening and intimidating political opponents, maligning their reputations, jailing them on flimsy pretexts, misusing investigative agencies against the and eroding the independence and professionalism of all institutions of democracy”.

She also hit out at its bid for “the wholesale reinvention of history, the constant denigration of our leaders, especially Jawaharlal Nehru, and systematic moves to distort, deny and destroy their contributions, achievements and sacrifices nd glorifying the killers of Mahatma Gandhi and their ideologues”.

She alleged that the government is “blatant in undermining of the principles and provisions of our nation’s Constitution, of its pillars of justice, liberty, equality, fraternity and secularism”.

“They are turning a blind eye to continued atrocities across the country on weaker sections, especially Dalits, adivasis and women and using fear to make the bureaucracy, to make corporate India, to make civil society and sections of the media fall in line.

“It is not just the undermining of our long-cherished values embodied in the Constitution that are now at grave risk. The fires of hatred and discord that are being ignited have taken a heavy toll on peoples’ lives. This is having serious social consequences,” she said.

The Congress chief underlined that while the vast majority of Indians want to live in an atmosphere of peace, amity, and harmony, the “BJP, its cohorts and surrogates want to keep our people in a state of perpetual frenzy and conflict. They constantly provoke, instigate and inflame”.

“We have to combat this growing virus of divisiveness that is being maliciously and mischievously spread. This we must do at all costs. We must sustain high economic growth to provide adequate employment opportunities for our youth, generate revenues needed for welfare programmes, and improve the standard of living of our people. But the worsening environment of social illiberalism and bigotry shakes the very foundations of economic growth.”

Crime

‘Give her to us’: Adobe techie Vinay Gupta’s mother, sister allege pre-planned murder by in-laws in Delhi

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New Delhi, Aug 22: The mother and sister of 31-year-old software engineer Vinay Gupta, who was allegedly beaten to death by his in-laws in outer Delhi Nihal Vihar area, on Saturday alleged that the killing was pre-planned and demanded strict punishment for those responsible.

Speaking to reporters, Gupta’s mother alleged that her daughter-in-law had orchestrated the murder and deliberately called her relatives to their home.

“Give her to us, and we will punish her with our own hands. She orchestrated his murder and left,” she said.

According to her, the incident occurred early in the morning when her daughter-in-law allegedly called her brothers to the house. “We were preparing to serve them water, thinking that relatives had come to visit. But they did not want water. They grabbed him by his hands, choked his throat, jumped on his chest and killed him right before my eyes within five minutes,” she alleged.

She further claimed that when she tried to save her son, she too was assaulted. “When I rushed to save him, they beat me. When his father tried to rescue him, they assaulted him as well. Everything went dark before my eyes. There was no one else in the house. She had the CCTV cameras switched off,” the grieving mother stated.

Calling the incident pre-planned, she said there had been no major dispute before the attack. She claimed that six people were involved, of whom four had reportedly been detained while two are absconding.

Gupta’s sister, who was at her in-laws’ home at the time of the incident, also alleged that the killing had been planned in advance.

“My parents and my brother were alone at home. In the morning, she had an argument over something and stormed out of the house. Within just 10 minutes, she returned with six men from her family. She led them upstairs,” she said.

“My mother was preparing to serve them water, thinking that guests had arrived. But they refused the water, grabbed my brother by his hair, choked his throat and killed him. Before leaving the house, she had intentionally switched off the CCTV cameras,” she alleged.

She questioned how the relatives could have reached the house within 10 minutes when their residence was allegedly around 30 minutes away.

“It was completely pre-planned. Everything was orchestrated in advance,” she said, adding that her elderly parents were unable to save her brother.

The sister also alleged that Gupta’s wife frequently fought over minor issues and threatened the family. “There were six people who killed my brother,” she alleged.

The deceased was a resident of Laxmi Park and worked as a software engineer with Adobe in Noida. He had married his 31-year-old wife, a homemaker, around three-and-a-half years ago. The couple have twin children — a son and a daughter — who are about four-and-a-half months old.

According to the victim’s family, an argument broke out between Gupta and his wife in the morning over a matrimonial issue. Following the dispute, the woman allegedly contacted members of her parental family, who later arrived at the couple’s residence in Nihal Vihar.

The family alleged that Gupta was subsequently attacked and severely beaten by his wife’s relatives. Gupta was later rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. However, doctors declared him dead on arrival.

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National News

15-year-old girl injured in Mumbai hit-and-run, police launch hunt for absconding biker

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Mumbai, Aug 22: A 15-year-old girl was injured in a hit-and-run incident near Mumbai’s Vile Parle, officials said on Saturday, adding that the motorcyclist involved in the accident fled the spot and remains absconding.

According to the information available, the incident took place on NS Road No 1 near Mithibai College in Vile Parle when the teenager was crossing the road. A speeding motorcycle allegedly struck the girl before the rider fled the scene without stopping to assist her.

The accident reportedly occurred during the usual rush hour, when the road was witnessing regular traffic movement. The girl was crossing the road when the motorcycle suddenly approached at high speed and hit her, leaving her injured on the road.

The injured teenager was left lying on the road before assistance reached her.

Mumbai’s Juhu Police Station has registered a case against an unidentified person and initiated an investigation into the incident.

Police officials are currently working to identify the motorcyclist responsible for the accident and determine the circumstances that led to the collision.

Soon after receiving information about the incident, police personnel rushed to the spot and arranged for the injured girl to be taken to a nearby hospital.

She is currently undergoing treatment, while further details regarding the extent of her injuries are awaited.

Meanwhile, the police have launched a search operation to trace the biker who fled after the accident.

Investigators are examining CCTV footage recorded by cameras installed near the accident site in an effort to identify the motorcycle and its rider.

Officials are checking footage from shops, buildings, junctions and other locations surrounding NS Road No. 1 and the area near Mithibai College.

Police have expressed confidence that the accused will be identified and arrested soon.

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National News

BJP criticises LoP Rahul Gandhi; Trinamool’s Saugata Roy hails his protest for students

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New Delhi, Aug 22: BJP leaders on Saturday stepped up their criticism of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of failing to discharge his responsibilities and questioning his stance on the Vande Mataram issue. At the same time, Trinamool MP Saugata Roy praised Rahul Gandhi for taking up the cause of protesting students and described his intervention in getting an FIR filed in the pellet gun use case as a major achievement.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh, speaking in Mumbai, claimed Rahul Gandhi had not fulfilled the responsibilities associated with the post of Leader of Opposition. Referring to recent developments, Singh accused the Opposition of raising the Vande Mataram issue for political purposes.

Singh said, “Rahul Gandhi is unfortunately the Leader of Opposition of India, but he has never fulfilled the duties of a LoP. Yesterday’s incident was related to the pellet-gun case to remain in the media. The Opposition is talking about Vande Mataram. Even in 1937, it was removed under the pressure of Jinnah. And now Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of the country. He worked to restore it…”

In West Bengal, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh also targeted LoP Gandhi over his political activities, questioning his decision to visit other places instead of Jharkhand, where students have been protesting over issues concerning them.

Ghosh said, “He isn’t going to Jharkhand, where students are protesting for their own interest. Their government is in power there, and the decision taken by the government was proven wrong by the court. So now, there is nothing left for Rahul Gandhi to do…”

BJP leader T.R. Sriniwas said, “Yesterday, there was entire FIR drama of Rahul Gandhi at the Parliament Street Police Station over the so-called Jantar Mantar fiasco. I would like to say to Rahul Gandhi, there was a drama in the late 80s and 90s called ‘Bakra Kishton Pe’. Now, what you are doing is ‘politics kishton pe’. This is what is happening. You are not a full-time politician, sir. You come at your leisure, do some drama, and go away. This is what you have done.”

However, Trinamool MP Saugata Roy defended LoP Gandhi’s intervention in the students’ protest and praised his role in raising the issue of filing of an FIR over the pellet gun issue.

Roy said, “I am happy that Rahul Gandhi, as a Leader of the Opposition, fought for the students’ cause. He staged a protest for nine hours, and finally, an FIR was registered regarding the police action and police atrocities against the students. This is a major achievement for Rahul Gandhi.”

The contrasting reactions highlight the political divide over Gandhi’s recent actions, with BJP leaders questioning his role as LoP while the Trinamool has backed his intervention on behalf of protesting students.

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