Latest news with #Nehru-Gandhi
India Today
17-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Rahul vs Himanta: I will send you to jail; you are out on bail
Few rivalries in Indian politics have flipped so dramatically, or so publicly, as the one between Rahul Gandhi and Himanta Biswa Sarma. A decade ago, Rahul, then Congress vice-president and heir to the Nehru-Gandhi legacy, hardly acknowledged Sarma despite his status as the party's most influential leader in nearly every visit to Assam over the past few years, Rahul, now leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has taken a pointed aim at Sarma, the state's chief minister and a rising national figure in the BJP. On July 16, at a rally at Chaygaon, Assam, Rahul hardly bothered to conceal that his campaign in Assam revolves around unseating one chief minister thinks of himself as the king of Assam,' he thundered, accusing Sarma of looting public resources and selling Assam's land to corporate cronies. Rahul then issued a dramatic promise to the crowd: 'One day the lions of Congress will catch him Your CM will be in jail after some time, and neither [Narendra] Modi nor Amit Shah will be able to save him.'Sarma, never the one to let a punch go unanswered, hit back on X: 'Rahul Gandhi has come all the way just to issue a threat, conveniently forgetting that he himself was out on bail in multiple criminal cases.' Then came the backhand compliment: 'He mentioned my name repeatedly in all his meetings. I must thank him. He has elevated my stature far beyond what I could've achieved by staying in the Congress.' It was a classic Sarma flourish—turning Rahul's attacks into validation of his own clout.A decade ago, Sarma was a sidelined Congress leader, denied chief ministership despite commanding the support of 54 of 78 Congress MLAs in Assam. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, an observer then, recorded the numbers and Sonia Gandhi, according to multiple accounts, conceded that 'Sarma had a clear majority and should be the new CM'.But Rahul intervened saying that there would be no change in leadership. When it was pointed out that Sarma might exit the party, Rahul said, 'Let him go'. In an ironical twist, the same Kharge, now Congress president, stands beside Rahul on the same stage, urging Sarma to start 'renovating prisons' for his future 2015, Sarma joined the BJP. He did not just switch parties, he systematically dismantled the Congress edifice he had helped build over two decades. His intimate knowledge of the party's workings, combined with his extensive network across the Northeast, made him the BJP's most potent weapon in a region where the saffron party had historically recent exchanges between Rahul and Sarma represent far more than routine political mudslinging. It marks the culmination of a personal conflict that has fundamentally altered the political geography of the Northeast, a transformation that began with a plate of biscuits and a dog named one now-famous anecdote recounted by Sarma, Rahul once summoned Assam's Congress leaders to discuss urgent state matters, only to spend the meeting playing with his pet dog, Pidi, and feeding it biscuits while the politicians waited to be heard. Sarma often recalls that encounter in public, describing Rahul's attitude as a 'servant-master relationship' wherein courtiers are expected to quietly endure royal revelation about another meeting where Rahul responded to every issue with 'So What?' more than 50 times in 20 minutes paints a picture of a relationship defined by contempt on one side and growing resentment on the personal animus between Rahul and his one-time junior has only grown with time, and often in public view. Once freed from the Congress's decorous restraint, Sarma turned into one of Rahul's most unrelenting critics, frequently launching barbed attacks on the Gandhi scion. When Rahul posted about his dog on social media in 2017, Sarma couldn't resist responding: 'Sir @OfficeOfRG, who knows him better than me. Still remember you busy feeding biscuits 2 him while we wanted to discuss urgent Assam's issues.'Over time, Sarma's taunts grew more personal, less restrained and even crude. He has mocked Rahul's credentials, intelligence and even his lineage. In early 2022, at a rally in Uttarakhand, responding to Rahul's insistence on proof for the Indian Army's surgical strike inside Pakistan in 2016, Sarma sneered, 'Did we ever ask you for proof of whether you are Rajiv Gandhi's son or not? What right do you have to demand proof from my Army?'advertisementFor years after Sarma's departure, Rahul chose not to engage publicly with his former lieutenant, avoiding any descent into political mudslinging. He often dismissed Sarma as a turncoat driven by power, someone who had betrayed his party for office. Rahul has even suggested he was 'perfectly okay' with people like Sarma leaving the Congress, arguing that 'Sarma represents a corrupt of politics that is not Congress' politics'. Citing Sarma's penchant for communally charged statements, Rahul implied that losing such individuals was addition by subtraction for the Congress's Sarma framed his departure in ideological terms. He portrays Rahul as the epitome of all that was wrong with the Congress: entitlement, indifference and incompetence. His reminiscences of Rahul's dog and the biscuit and jibes about a 'master-servant' culture are meant to underscore that the Congress under Rahul was a feudal family firm where merit had no continually poking at Rahul, Sarma keeps alive the narrative that he is everything Rahul is not: grounded, hardworking, aggressive in pursuing his state's interests and unafraid to take the fight to much bigger supporters cheer Sarma's caustic put-downs of Rahul, the dynasty's prince, for it reinforces their belief that the once unchallenged Gandhis can be humbled by a self-made regional leader. Sarma's very presence in the BJP is a talking point to woo other Congress leaders: it says, join us and you too can eclipse the simmering feud has lately entered a new phase, one that sees Rahul and Sarma face off almost as equals. Rahul may be a national figure and scion of India's most famous political family while Sarma is 'only' a chief minister of a far-flung state. But in their mutual crosshairs, they appear to recognise in each other a prime political antagonist. The indifferent boss and the disgruntled underling have transformed into combative rivals each determined to best the January 2024, during the Assam leg of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Rahul called Sarma 'the most corrupt chief minister in India' and alleged that 'every member of his family, children, wife, and he himself, is involved in corruption'. Sarma hit back, calling the remark 'below the belt' and denouncing the dragnet attack on his children—both students with no political role—as deeply inappropriate. With characteristic bite, he added: 'Rahul Gandhi once feared me. Now he fears my son.'advertisementAnd now, the July 16 confrontation represents a remarkable evolution in this relationship. No longer is this a story of an indifferent boss and disgruntled subordinate. Rahul positions the campaign against Sarma as something of a moral crusade, to save Assam from a 'raja' (king) who has betrayed the public trust and will eventually face justice at the hands of the people. This shows that the Congress leader has finally recognised his former party junior as a formidable opponent worthy of sustained a barely noticed snub in a drawing room to thunderous threats from rally stages, the journey of this rivalry is a story of pride and power, of a relationship soured and then set ablaze. And as the barbs about 'jail' and 'bail' fly, one thing is certain: neither man is likely to back to India Today Magazine- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
RBSE to govt: Review syllabus before new term
Jaipur: The Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) has written to the state govt to review all books that are part of the curriculum and suggest changes well before the start of the next academic session. This action follows days after state education minister Madan Dilawar announced that a supplementary textbook for classes 11-12, 'Azadi Ke Baad Ka Swarnim Bharat', will not be taught in schools due to its alleged focus on the Nehru-Gandhi family's contribution to India's development. Officials said that books are usually reviewed after a change of govt in the state. However, this time, after the minister announced the scrapping of two books, the Board wrote to the state govt to form a committee of experts to review the books. RBSE Secretary Kailash Sharma said that from classes 9-12, the Board has 71 books for different subjects, along with NCERT books, which serve as additional readings or workbooks and have not been reviewed in a long time. "71 books for different language subjects for classes 9-12 are prepared by RBSE after approval from the state govt. For such books, a committee is set up by the state govt for review or to create a new book. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ada jeragat, terus nampak tua! Minum ni je, beli kat Guardian URUHIME MOMOKO Undo We have requested that these existing books should either be sent to the existing syllabus review committee or a new committee should be formed for the review," Sharma said. The books prepared by RBSE include those for Hindi, Sindhi, Punjabi, and Sanskrit, which cover both literature and grammar. Officials said that as part of the review, the contents, especially those in the literature section, can be checked. On Friday, the state govt removed Dinesh Kumar Ojha, senior assistant director of RBSE, from his post following a controversy surrounding class 11-12 textbooks titled 'Azadi Ke Baad Ka Swarnim Bharat'. The issue allegedly relates to not giving enough space to PM Narendra Modi's achievements. Ojha, who was allegedly responsible for textbook selection and was working on deputation at RBSE, has been placed on awaiting posting order (APO) and asked to report to the education directorate in Bikaner.
India Gazette
14-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Nehru-Gandhi family bowing before America," BJP's Nishikant Dubey questions on missing CIA device near Nanda Devi, links it to natural disasters
New Delhi [India], July 14 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey on Monday slammed the Congress party and questioned the role of a missing American nuclear device near the Nanda Devi mountain in the Himalayas, linking it to recent natural disasters in India. In a post on X, Dubey attached a copy of a 1978 letter from members of the US Congress addressed to the US President. The letter expressed concern about the CIA's secret operation and the potential radioactive leak from the lost plutonium-powered device in the Himalayas. The lawmakers had urged the US government to investigate the matter and take responsibility if the claims were true. He referred to a past CIA operation in the 1960s, which allegedly involved placing nuclear-powered surveillance equipment on the Nanda Devi peak to monitor Chinese activities. One such device reportedly went missing after being buried by an avalanche, raising concerns that it may have leaked radioactive material. Dubey asked whether the Kedarnath disaster, the Teesta River flooding, melting glaciers in Gangotri and Yamunotri, and even the decreasing water level of the Ganga River could be linked to this incident. He also alleged that the Nehru-Gandhi family, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, had surrendered to foreign interests, harming India's environment and its farmers. 'The Nehru-Gandhi family bowing before America Rahul Gandhi ji, the Congress Party, and the destruction of farmers with India's faith. Did the Kedarnath disaster happen due to America's nuclear material that disappeared from above the Nanda Devi mountain peak in the 1960s? Is the same reason behind the flooding of the Teesta River? Are the melting glaciers of Gangotri-Yamunotri and the continuous decrease in the Ganga's water, responsible for the farmers' destruction, due to Nehru ji's surrender by the Congress Party?' the post read. In the 1960s, Indian and American intelligence agencies reportedly carried out a joint mission to place a nuclear-powered monitoring station near the summit. After one device was lost during the operation, a search mission failed to recover it, sparking fears of long-term environmental damage. (ANI)
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Nehru-Gandhi family bows before America': BJP's Nishikant Dubey slams Congress; digs up archives
Nishikant Dubey (File Photo) NEW DELHI: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Monday alleged that the Nehru-Gandhi family "surrendered" before the United States, as he slammed the Congress over a "missing American nuclear device" near the Nanda Devi mountain in the Himalayas, linking it to some recent natural disasters in India. In a post on X, Dubey attached a copy of an April 1978 letter from members of the US Congress addressed to the-then US President, Jimmy Carter. The letter expressed concern about a "CIA operation" in India in the 1960s, which the United States' foreign intelligence agency apparently carried out without keeping the Indian government in the loop. Nishikant Dubey X post The letter cited an Outside magazine article, published by Rolling Stone. "According to the author, Howard Kohn, there are two nuclear-powered monitoring devices - allegedly for the surveillance of Chinese atomic weapons testing - high in the Himalayas. The devices, containing plutonium, were placed on two mountains, one of which, Nanda Devi, is the source of India's Ganges River, the holy river for millions of Hindus," the letter stated. "One of the monitoring stations is said to have been buried by an avalanche, and thus might be currently leaking plutonium into the Ganges. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like เปรียบเทียบสเปรด: ระหว่าง Bitcoin และ Ethereum CFDs IC Markets อ่านเพิ่มเติม Undo If this is true, it would be a serious problem, indeed," it added. The US Congress had further urged Carter to investigate the matter, and take necessary steps to resolve the "serious and embarrassing situation" if the allegation was accurate. Sharing the letter, Dubey asked whether the Kedarnath disaster, the Teesta River flooding, melting glaciers in Gangotri and Yamunotri, and even the decreasing water level of the Ganga (also known as the Ganges) could be linked to this incident. "The Nehru-Gandhi family bowing before America Rahul Gandhi ji , the Congress party, and the destruction of farmers with India's faith. Did the Kedarnath disaster happen due to America's nuclear material that disappeared from above the Nanda Devi mountain peak in the 1960s? Is the same reason behind the flooding of the Teesta? Are the melting glaciers of Gangotri-Yamunotri and the continuous decrease in the Ganga's water, responsible for the farmers' destruction, due to surrender by the Congress party of Nehru ji ?" his social media post read. In the 1960s, Indian and American intelligence agencies reportedly carried out a joint mission to place a nuclear-powered monitoring station near the summit. After one device was lost during the operation, a search mission failed to recover it, sparking fears of long-term environmental damage.
New Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Tharoor's ‘Emergency' flak: State Congress leaders put ball in AICC court
KOCHI/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On the back foot over MP Shashi Tharoor's blistering article on the Emergency and the Nehru-Gandhi legacy, Congress leaders in Kerala have sought to distance themselves from the controversy, choosing instead to put the ball firmly in the court of the party's central leadership. In the sharply worded article, which appeared on some news websites, Tharoor termed the 21-month Emergency (1975–77) a 'dark period' in India's democratic history and accused former prime minister Indira Gandhi of authoritarian overreach. He went further, calling out her son Sanjay Gandhi for 'terrible atrocities' such as forced sterilisation and the use of violence in rural areas. Tharoor wrote that the period 'severely tested the fundamental guarantees of equality, liberty, and fraternity' and left a lasting scar on Indian politics. Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan acknowledged that he had read the article and hinted at his disapproval. However, Satheesan made it clear that he would not publicly comment on the matter. 'He (Tharoor) is a Congress Working Committee member. So, it's up to the central leadership to comment. I have my opinion about the article, and if I have any concerns, I will raise them directly with the high command,' he said in Kochi. UDF convenor and senior leader Adoor Prakash echoed this line, calling on senior leaders to show restraint. 'He is a senior AICC Working Committee member. It's for the AICC to respond. Leaders must act within the party's framework and be mindful of their responsibilities,' he said.
