Delhi former Transport Minister and one of the ruling AAP’s senior most leaders, Kailash Gahlot joined the rivals BJP in the presence of Union Minister ML Khattar and Harsh Malhotra. Union Minister ML Khattar described Kailash Gahlot’s induction as a turning point, especially before the February election.

After joining BJP, Kailash Gahlot said that this was not an easy step for him as he was a part of the AAP since the time of Anna Hazare, the anti-corruption activist whose popular movement birthed the AAP, and that he has worked for Delhi throughout as MLA and minister.

He clarified  that he did not take any decision under pressure, adding that some may think that this is an overnight decision or due to pressure. He also rejected speculations that the move was the result of pressure from federal investigative agencies.

Slamming AAP,  he stated that there is a narrative that he switched due to Central Bureau of Investigation or Enforcement Directorate pressure, adding that since 2015, as an AAP member, as MLA, and as Minister he has never done anything due to pressure. He noted that the fact is AAP compromised its values, adding that the party’s political ambitions had overtaken its commitment to the people. Gahlot attributed his resignation decision to the dwindling credibility of AAP on several issues.

This switch by Gahlot, who was incharge of portfolios of Home, Administrative Reforms, IT and Women and Child Development, comes at a time when the party is gearing up for the Delhi Assembly election slated to be held in February next year.

Notably, he is the third member of the Kejriwal cabinet to have quit the party and the ministerial portfolio. Earlier in April, Raaj Kumar Anand, the minister in charge of social welfare and labour and employment, quit the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal has maintained silence on the resignation so far. At an event Sunday he declined to answer questions on Kailash Gahlot, passing the microphone to senior leader Durgesh Pathak instead.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a sharp dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan: ek hai to safe hai, accusing him of prioritizing the interests of business tycoon Gautam Adani over the people of Maharashtra. 

He explained the nexus between the slogan and Mumbai’s Dharavi project being given to Adani. Addressing a press conference, the Congress leader quoted PM Narendra Modi’s slogan, questioning who is one, who is safe and whose is it safe? He then continued that the answer is, there is Narendra Modi, Adani, Amit Shah and there is safe Adani, and at the same time, the people of Maharashtra and Dharavi are the ones who suffer loss.

The Congress MP said that  the Dharavi redevelopment is unfair, and it is being done to benefit only one person. He added that they are not convinced how tenders are being given, mentioning that only one person is given all the ports, airports and wealth of India. Furthermore, he also endorsed Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray’s promise to cancel the Dharavi project tender if the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance comes to power.

Rahul Gandhi also alleged that major industrial projects had been moved out of Maharashtra to Gujarat, accusing the Eknath Shine government of depriving the state of economic opportunities. He noted that a total of Rs 7 lakh crore worth of projects like Foxconn and Airbus have been shifted to Gujarat, taking away 5 lakh jobs from the people of Maharashtra.

Terming the Maharashtra election as a contest between the billionaires and the poor, Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress government would side with the farmers, poor and the unemployed. He noted that the main issues are employment and inflation.

Earlier, The BJP has defended the Dharavi project, calling it a transformative initiative to provide better living conditions and infrastructure for the residents of the slum area.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised the film ‘The Sabarmati Report’, based on 2002 Godhra train incident, saying the truth is coming to out.

He expressed his thoughts on social media platform X, saying, “Well said. It is good that this truth is emerging, especially in a manner accessible to the general public. A deceptive narrative can only last for so long. Ultimately, the facts will prevail!”

The Prime Minister’s remarks came in response to an X user who had shared a video of the film’s trailer, which was released on Friday.

‘The Sabarmati Report’ focuses on the tragic incident involving the burning of the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express near Godhra station in Gujarat on February 27, 2002, resulting in the deaths of 59 Hindu pilgrims returning from Ayodhya. This event ignited widespread riots in Gujarat that year.

Directed by Dheeraj Sarna, the film is produced by Shobha Kapoor, Ektaa R Kapoor, Amul V Mohan, and Anshul Mohan, and features actors Vikrant Massey, Raashii Khanna, and Ridhi Dogra.

In response to PM Modi’s commendation, producer Ekta Kapoor expressed her gratitude, highlighting that his praise provided a significant morale boost for the film’s team. Resharing the Prime Minister’s post, she wrote in Hindi on X: “Respected Prime Minister, thank you very much for your encouraging words about #TheSabarmatiReport. They have invigorated our spirits. Your recognition of #TheSabarmatiReport confirms that we are on the right path. Thank you for your love and support.”

This is not the first instance of PM Modi praising a film. In 2022, he lauded Vivek Agnihotri’s ‘The Kashmir Files’. He stated, “History must be conveyed in the correct context. Books, poetry, literature, and films all play a crucial role in this. You’ve likely heard the discussions surrounding ‘The Kashmir Files’; it has certainly ruffled the feathers of those who champion freedom of expression.” The film depicts the 1990 exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley and features Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, Mithun Chakraborty, Darshan Kumar, among others.