New Delhi:

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has paid tribute to the four soldiers killed on Monday in an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda. “Today, our soldiers were martyred in another terrorist encounter in Jammu and Kashmir. I pay my humble tribute to the martyrs and express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families,” he posted in Hindi on X Tuesday morning.

Mr Gandhi, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said the number of such attacks on Indian soldiers in J&K in the past few months is “extremely sad and worrying”.

He also hit out at the government for the “poor condition of Jammu and Kashmir” and said the soldiers there are “bearing the brunt of the BJP’s wrong policies”. The “wrong policies” reference has been seen as an attack on the Modi government over the scrapping of Article 370 in J&K.

“It is the demand of every patriotic Indian that the government should take full responsibility for repeated security lapses,” Mr Gandhi said and called for “strict action” against the terrorists.

आज जम्मू कश्मीर में फिर से एक आतंकी मुठभेड़ में हमारे जवान शहीद हो गए। शहीदों को विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित करते हुए शोक संतप्त परिजनों को गहरी संवेदनाएं व्यक्त करता हूं।

एक के बाद एक ऐसी भयानक घटनाएं बेहद दुखद और चिंताजनक है।

लगातार हो रहे ये आतंकी हमले जम्मू कश्मीर की जर्जर…

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 16, 2024

However, Mr Gandhi also underlined the need for political unity at this time, and the importance of the opposition supporting the government as it responds to the increased terror threat.

“In this hour of grief, the entire country stands united against terrorism,” he said.

Four soldiers, including an officer, were killed in action in Doda district. The terrorists had attacked a joint operation – of the Army and J&K Police – formed to track them down.

READ | 4 Soldiers Killed In Action In Encounter With Terrorists In J&K’s Doda

Contact was made late Monday night, the Army had said.

The operation is ongoing, NDTV has been told.

Sources told NDTV Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi and took stock of the ground situation and ongoing operation in Doda.

This was the second major encounter in the Jammu region after five soldiers were killed in action in Kathua last week. That attack, in which five were also injured, was a coordinated strike on two trucks – with grenades and armour-piercing bullets, and an American-made assault rifle.

READ | Kathua Terror Attack On 2 Trucks, Armour-Piercing Bullets Used

The attacks, which began in Poonch and Rajouri, have now spread across Jammu, a region that was free from terrorism till a few years ago. In the last 32 months, 48 soldiers have been killed.

Earlier this month Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Parliament the fight against terrorism in J&K is in its last stage, and that a multi-pronged strategy had been adopted to destroy the remaining network. “Our fight against terrorism in J&K, in a way, is in last stage, last leg. We are moving with a multi-pronged strategy to eliminate the remaining terror network there,” he said.

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New Delhi:

BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla today slammed the Mamata government over another alleged flogging incident in West Bengal, asking whether Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders will visit the victim.

The BJP spokesperson took to his X handle and shared a video of a group of men thrashing someone, captioning it, “Another Horrific Talibani video from Bengal after Chopra talibani flogging.”

He alleged that in the video, a “close associate of TMC MLA is thrashing a girl with his gang.”

Sharing a video on X, Shehzad Poonawala said, “One more Bengal Talibani video has surfaced, which shows that a woman is being brutally beaten by a person who is close to the Trinamool Congress leaders.”

Another Horrific Talibani video from Bengal after Chopra talibani flogging by Tajmul ..

TMC means Talibani Mujhe Chahiye

A close associate of TMC MLA is thrashing a girl with his gang.

Will leader of hypocrisy Rahul Gandhi say a word or visit? What about INDI ALLIANCE… pic.twitter.com/4yoFn1ho8s

— Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) July 9, 2024

“Incidents like these are constantly happening. TMC now means Talibani Mujhe Chahiye. And TMC leaders are defending it. They also defended the Chopra incident and the Sandeshkhali incident, for which the Mamata government was also reprimanded by the Supreme Court,” he added.

Criticising the Bengal government for saving the culprits, he said, “Today, the Mamata government has “changed its slogan from ‘Ma Mati Manush’ to ‘Balaatkaari bachao’ (save the rapists), ‘Bhrashtachaari bachao’ (save the corrupt) and ‘Bomb Blast karne waalo ko bachao’ (save the bombers).”

Response of INDI ALLIANCE

SANDESHKHALI – silence

SHAHJAHAN – silence

TAJMUL – silence

CHOPRA INCIDENT – silence

SWATI MALIWAL – silence

KAMARHATI VIDEO – silence

COOCH BEHAR – silence

MAHUA MOITRA TWEET – silence

MANIPUR – vulture politics https://t.co/ja42NYdFJG

— Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) July 9, 2024

Slamming the INDIA bloc for its “hypocrisy” of maintaining silence on this issue, Mr Poonwalla said, “The sad thing is that the leaders who talk a lot about women’s empowerment and the others who reach Manipur, like Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, will he go and meet this woman? Will they talk against the Mamata government? Will leaders like Priyanka Vadra, Priyanka Chaturvedi and Aam Aadmi Party speak on this issue? No, it is just a pin-drop silence on the Sandeshkhali, Swati Maliwal, Talibani incident in Chopra and this recent Talibani incident.”

Alleging that the Trinamool leaders have “themselves confirmed” the video, he wrote in his post on X, “THEIR DEFENCE IS THAT IT’S A FEW WEEKS/MONTHS OLD! Is that even a defence? It means TMC, as usual, suppressed the video using threats.”
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Raebareli:

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday met the family of late Captain Anshuman Singh, who died in the July 2023 Siachen fire, showing exceptional bravery and saving many lives.

He was honoured with the Kirti Chakra posthumously by President Droupadi Murmu recently.

Late Captain Anshuman Singh’s father Ravi Pratap Singh and mother Manju Singh reached Raebareli to meet the senior Congress leader.

Talking to reporters after meeting the Congress MP, Manju Singh said that she had earlier expressed a desire to meet the Congress MP and he called her. She was very moved while meeting Mr Gandhi on Tuesday, and discussed the Agniveer scheme with him.

Replying to a question, she said that the Indian Army should ensure equal facilities for all.

She said that she had met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and their response was very positive.

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi landed at the Lucknow airport and reached Raebareli by road.

He was scheduled to land at Fursatganj airport but due to low visibility, his special aircraft coming from Manipur was diverted to Lucknow, Congress sources said.

This was the first visit of the Congress MP to his constituency after assuming office of the LoP in the Lok Sabha.

On reaching Raebareli, Mr Gandhi offered prayers at a temple in Bachhrawan and then headed to the Bhuemau Guest House where he met delegations from different sections of society, besides party leaders and citizens.

He is also expected to visit a few villages in his constituency before returning to New Delhi later in the evening.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Imphal:

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had a message of “peace” for the people of Manipur after he visited relief camps in the violence-hit state. “I want to tell Manipur, I come here as your brother. I want to work with you to bring back peace in Manipur,” he said.

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, while addressing a press briefing, claimed that there was not much improvement in the situation in the state: “It’s the third time I have come here since the problem started and it has been a tremendous tragedy. I expected some improvement in the situation but was disappointed to see no marked improvement.”

Rahul Gandhi landed at the Imphal airport this afternoon and visited the relief camps in Jiribam and Churachandpur districts and offered support to the victims of violence there.

He also called on Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey during his visit. “We had a conversation with the Governor and we expressed to the Governor that we would like to help in whatever way we can. We also expressed our displeasure and we said that we are not happy with the progress that has taken place here,” Mr Gandhi said.

“I don’t want to politicise the issue,” he insisted.

He will stay in Imphal tonight and hold meetings with Manipur leaders. 

This was Mr Gandhi’s third visit to the state and first after the Lok Sabha elections, in which the Congress won both constituencies in the ethnic violence-hit state.

His first visit to take stock of the situation in the hill state came nearly two months after the violence when he visited Churachandpur, one of the worst-hit districts in the Manipur ethnic strife.

Mr Gandhi’s next visit came during the second leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Congress kicked off the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur with a promise to “bring peace and harmony” to the ethnic violence-hit state.

Manipur’s two Lok Sabha MPs – Angomcha Bimol Akoijam (Inner Manipur) and Alfred Kanngam S Arthur (Outer Manipur (ST) – and other senior party leaders including AICC General Secretary, KC Venugopal were accompanying Rahul Gandhi.

During his visit, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF)  urged Mr Gandhi for an immediate political solution to the ethnic hostilities.

People displaced by the ethnic violence in the northeastern state, which claimed over 200 lives since May last year, are staying in those relief camps.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today visited a relief camp in Manipur for people displaced by the ethnic violence in the northeastern state. Several videos and photos showed the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha interacting with people in the camp in Tuibong village in Churachandpur district.

He was also seen greeting the local leaders, workers and volunteers outside the camp.

LoP Shri @RahulGandhi visits a relief camp in Manipur’s Churachandpur district, where thousands of violence-hit people have taken refuge. pic.twitter.com/iBMWFrmL3S

— Congress (@INCIndia) July 8, 2024

LoP Shri @RahulGandhi visits a relief camp in Tuibong village of Manipur and interacts with displaced families affected by the violence.

Churachandpur, Manipur pic.twitter.com/W97Efl5Q8M

— Congress (@INCIndia) July 8, 2024

Rahul Gandhi, who arrived at the Imphal airport this afternoon, visited the Jiribam Higher Secondary School relief camp earlier today and offered support to the victims of violence there.

Hours before his visit, suspected insurgents fired at an armoured vehicle of the security forces in Jiribam this morning.

“LoP Rahul Gandhi visits Jiribam Higher Secondary School relief camp, meets victims of violence and offers support in their darkest hour. His third visit to Manipur post-violence shows his unwavering commitment to the people’s cause,” the Congress said in a post on X.

Mr Gandhi is scheduled to call on Governor Anusuiya Uikey at 5.30 pm after which he will address a press conference at the Manipur Congress office at 6.15 pm.

Congress legislature party leader O Ibobi Singh said, “Mr Gandhi visited the state twice since the outbreak of the violence on May 3 last year. He has visited relief camps to learn about the pains and sorrow of the people.”

This is Mr Gandhi’s third visit to the state and first, after the Lok Sabha elections, in which the Congress won both constituencies in the ethnic violence-hit state.

His first visit to take stock of the situation in the hill state came nearly two months after the violence when he visited Churachandpur, one of the worst-hit districts in the Manipur ethnic strife.

Mr Gandhi’s next visit came during the second leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Congress kicked off the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur with a promise to “bring peace and harmony” to the ethnic violence-hit state.

Clashes broke out in Manipur after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts on May 3 last year to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The violence has claimed more than 180 lives and left thousands homeless.

Lucknow:

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has written a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regarding the Hathras stampede incident.

Mr Gandhi explained the problems of the victims’ families in his letter and urged the Chief Minister to increase the compensation amount and provide it to the victims’ families as soon as possible.

The Congress leader posted the letter dated July 6 on social media platform X on Sunday.

Talking about his visit to Aligarh and Hathras on Friday where he interacted with the bereaved families, Mr Gandhi wrote that no amount of compensation can be enough for the loss suffered by families.

He further said that an impartial probe would help identify the lapses by the district administration in the tragic incident that claimed the lives of 121 people. “This will help in preventing the recurrence of such incidents in future and the guilty need to be punished,” he wrote.

He further wrote that the Congress workers and he was prepared to extend any help that may be required.

On Friday, Mr Gandhi met the victims’ families in Hathras and inquired about the incident and the help they had received. He had assured them that he would take up their problems at the right forum and also help them in every possible way.

He later visited Hathras and met the injured and those who had lost their family members in the stampede.

He told reporters, “There have been some lapses on the part of the administration which led to a tragedy of this magnitude. When permission was for 80,000 people, then how did so many people reach there? Action should be taken against whoever is guilty.”

The stampede took place on Tuesday evening (July 2) at a Satsang of a self-styled godman, Suraj Pal who also goes by the names of Narayan Sakar Hari and ‘Bhole Baba’.

An FIR was registered in the incident naming the organizers of the event and the main accused — the manager Dev Prakash Madhukar– was arrested on Friday night. The police also arrested six persons, known as sewadars, who were supporters of the preachers and were managing the event.

Uttar Pradesh Police conducted a search operation at Ram Kutir Charitable Trust in Mainpuri. Later, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mainpuri Sunil Kumar said that ‘Bhole Baba’ was not found inside his ashram. Superintendent of Hathras City, Rahul Mithas also said that they did not find him in the ashram.

On Wednesday, Yogi Adityanath visited the site of the tragedy and ordered a judicial probe into the incident.

A three-member Judicial Inquiry Commission under the chairmanship of Justice (retd) Brijesh Kumar Srivastava has been constituted to ensure comprehensiveness of the subject matter and transparency in the inquiry. The team visited Hathras on Saturday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha on Saturday congratulated the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the Labour Party’s massive electoral triumph in the UK and said the victory is a testament to the power of a politics that puts people first.

In his letter to Keir Starmer, Mr Gandhi said his poll campaign’s emphasis on economic growth with equality, better opportunities for all through stronger social services, and community empowerment clearly struck a chord with the people of the UK, reflecting their aspirations for a brighter future.

“I extend my heartiest congratulations on your remarkable electoral victory, a significant achievement for the Labour Party and for you personally,” Mr Gandhi said in his letter.

“I extend my heartiest congratulations on your remarkable electoral victory.

I look forward to the continued strengthening of the bilateral relationship between India and the UK.”

Here is the letter from LoP Shri @RahulGandhi to UK Prime Minister Mr. @Keir_Starmer pic.twitter.com/pwiBb50PWq

— Congress (@INCIndia) July 6, 2024

“As someone committed to these ideals, I congratulate you and the people of the UK for championing them. Your victory is a testament to the power of a politics that puts people first. I also look forward to the continued strengthening of the bilateral relationship between India and the UK,” he said.

Mr Gandhi wished Mr Starmer all the best for his tenure and said he looks forward to meeting the British prime minister in the near future.

On Friday, Keir Starmer became the UK’s new prime minister and vowed to rebuild Britain, hours after his Labour Party secured a landslide victory in a general election in which the weary voters inflicted a “sobering verdict” on Rishi Sunak-led Conservatives.

The Labour Party secured 412 seats in the 650-member House of Commons, up 211 from the 2019 elections.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi extended commiserations to the UK’s Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak on the party’s recent electoral washout, saying victories and setbacks are inevitable parts of democracy and that “we must take both in our stride”.

In his letter to Mr Sunak, Rahul Gandhi hailed the former British PM’s dedication to public service and commitment to the British people.

“I would like to extend my commiserations on the recent electoral outcome. Victories and setbacks are both an inevitable part of the journey in a democracy and we must take both in our stride,” the Congress MP said.

“Your dedication to public service and commitment to your people are commendable. I also deeply value the efforts you made to strengthen the ties between India and the UK during your term in office. I am confident you will continue to contribute to public life with your… pic.twitter.com/NNAsGQV7Jh

— Congress (@INCIndia) July 6, 2024

“Your dedication to public service and commitment to your people are commendable. I also deeply value the efforts you made to strengthen the ties between India and the UK during your term in office,” he said.

Mr Gandhi expressed confidence that Rishi Sunak would continue to contribute to public life with his experience. “I wish you all the best for your future endeavours,” the former Congress chief said.

On Friday, Keir Starmer became the UK’s new Prime Minister and vowed to rebuild Britain, hours after his Labour Party secured a landslide victory in a general election in which the weary voters inflicted a “sobering verdict” on Rishi Sunak-led Conservatives.

The Labour Party secured 412 seats in the 650-member House of Commons, up 211 from the 2019 elections.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ahmedabad:

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said here on Saturday that his party will defeat the BJP in Gujarat in the next election the same way it did in Ayodhya in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha made the remark while addressing a party workers’ convention in Ahmedabad.

“They (BJP) have challenged us by threatening us and damaging our office. Let me tell you that we are together going to break their government like they damaged our office. Take it in writing that Congress will contest in Gujarat and defeat Narendra Modi and BJP in Gujarat like we did in Ayodhya,” Mr Gandhi said.

Congress will win Gujarat, and make a new start from the state, he said.

He was referring to a clash that broke out between members of both Congress and BJP outside the Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan, Congress’s state headquarters, in Paldi area of Ahmedabad on July 2 after BJP’s youth wing members came there to protest against Mr Gandhi’s remarks on Hindus.

According to police, both sides engaged in stone-pelting, in which five policemen, including an Assistant Commissioner of Police, were injured.

In his speech, the former Congress chief also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the BJP’s defeat from the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh, where Ayodhya is located.

“People of Ayodhya felt angry when they found that not a single local person was invited for the Ram Mandir’s inauguration,” he said.

He also claimed that PM Modi wanted to contest from Ayodhya, but his surveyors advised him against doing so saying he will be defeated and his political career will end. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has again raised questions over the claims by the family of Agniveer Ajay Kumar, who was killed in the line of duty, that they have not got any compensation. The 23-year-old was killed on January 18 in a landmine blast near the Line of Control in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr Gandhi shared a video on X, purportedly of Ajay Kumar’s father, who said his family got Rs 50 lakh as insurance from a private bank and Rs 48 lakh from the Army Group Insurance Fund.

The Indian Army has rejected claims on social media that compensation has not been paid to the next of kin of Agniveer Ajay Kumar, and said his family has already been given Rs 98.39 lakh of the due amount. The total amount will be Rs 1.65 crore approximately, the army said in the “clarification” that came after Mr Gandhi shared the video on the microblogging platform.

Mr Gandhi in the video said the family had not got compensation, or ex-gratia payment.

शहीद अग्निवीर अजय कुमार जी के परिवार को आज तक सरकार की ओर से कोई Compensation नहीं मिला है।

‘Compensation’ और ‘Insurance’ में फर्क होता है, शहीद के परिवार को सिर्फ बीमा कंपनी की ओर से भुगतान किया गया है।

सरकार की ओर से जो सहायता शहीद अजय कुमार के परिवार को मिलनी चाहिए थी वो… pic.twitter.com/FG99h72rhX

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 5, 2024

“The family of martyr Agniveer Ajay Kumar has not received any compensation from the government till date. There is a difference between ‘compensation’ and ‘insurance’. The payment has been made to the family of the martyr only by the insurance company,” Mr Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.

“The family of every martyr who sacrifices his or her life for the country should be respected but the Modi government is discriminating against them. No matter what the government says, this is a matter of national security and I will keep raising it,” he said.

In the video, Ajay Kumar’s father said his family had not received any money from the central government, and demanded facilities and pension. He also asked for a canteen card to be given to his family. “Rajnath Singh said that families of martyrs have been given Rs 1 crore. We haven’t got that,” he said.

The Congress on Thursday asked the government to bring out a “white paper” on the Agnipath scheme for short-term military recruitment.

Launched in 2022, the Agnipath scheme provides for short-term induction of personnel into the armed forces with an aim to bring down the age profile of the three services. Those recruited under the scheme are called Agniveers.