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Faux pas galore as Rahul inaugurates Amma… err..Indira Canteen in Bengaluru

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Rahul Inaugurates Indira Canteen in Bengaluru

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah’s populist Indira Canteen scheme unveiled by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday, promises to provide breakfast at Rs5, lunch and dinner at Rs10 each to the city’s poor. It is modeled after late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s hugely popular Amma Canteens

Re-modeling populist schemes of other political parties with an eye on the electorate has its own pitfalls and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi must have realized this on Wednesday. Gandhi, who is known for embarrassing his party by floundering during his public speeches, was in Bengaluru to inaugurate Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah’s ‘Indira Canteen’ scheme when he almost mixed up the venture’s name with its original version – the hugely successful Amma Canteen of Tamil Nadu.

“Every citizen of Karnataka, under the Siddaramaiah government should feel he won’t go hungry. That is the vision of the Amma… Indira Canteen” Rahul said, while addressing the inaugural event of the Indira canteen at Kanakanapalya Main Road in Bengaluru.

Rahul’s faux pas, though embarrassing for the Siddaramaiah government and the Congress, is understandable. After all, the Amma Canteens – started by late Tamil Nadu chief minister and former AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa to provide wholesome meals at massively subsidized rates to her state’s poor – have been appropriated, tweaked, re-named by various political parties in different states. For instance, the BJP in Madhya Pradesh had, last year, launched a similar scheme and named it Deen Dayal Rasoi.

On Twitter, the Congress vice president was certainly more lucid with his praise for the scheme.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]The Karnataka chief minister, who also holds the additional portfolio of finance, had while presenting the state’s budget this year announced the plan to set up 198 Indira Canteens across Bengaluru. The canteens promise to provide breakfast at Rs5 to any citizen who wishes to eat here while lunch and dinner have been priced at Rs10 each. While only 101 of these canteens were ready for launch, on Wednesday, the remaining are set to become operational from October 2. The delay has been attributed to various problems and opposition that the Bengaluru municipal corporation and state government have had to face in their attempt to acquire land for the pro-people measure.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDYmxvY2txdW90ZSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydHdpdHRlci10d2VldCUyMiUyMGRhdGEtbGFuZyUzRCUyMmVuJTIyJTNFJTNDcCUyMGxhbmclM0QlMjJlbiUyMiUyMGRpciUzRCUyMmx0ciUyMiUzRUFubm91bmNlZCUyMGluJTIwQnVkZ2V0JTIwMjAxNyUyQyUyMGhhcHB5JTIwdGhhdCUyMGluJTIwNjAlMjBkYXlzJTJDJTIwMTAxJTIwSW5kaXJhJTIwQ2FudGVlbnMlMjBkZWRpY2F0ZWQlMjB0byUyMGNpdGl6ZW5zJTIwb2YlMjBCTFIuJTIwUmVtYWluaW5nJTIwdG8lMjBiZSUyMGxhdW5jaGVkJTIwb24lMjBPY3RvYmVyJTIwMi4lMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdC5jbyUyRnJkVFZNbmhTZkMlMjIlM0VwaWMudHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZyZFRWTW5oU2ZDJTNDJTJGYSUzRSUzQyUyRnAlM0UlMjZtZGFzaCUzQiUyMENNJTIwb2YlMjBLYXJuYXRha2ElMjAlMjglNDBDTW9mS2FybmF0YWthJTI5JTIwJTNDYSUyMGhyZWYlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tJTJGQ01vZkthcm5hdGFrYSUyRnN0YXR1cyUyRjg5NzczMTcxMzI1Mzc0ODczNiUyMiUzRUF1Z3VzdCUyMDE2JTJDJTIwMjAxNyUzQyUyRmElM0UlM0MlMkZibG9ja3F1b3RlJTNFJTBBJTNDc2NyaXB0JTIwYXN5bmMlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjIlMkYlMkZwbGF0Zm9ybS50d2l0dGVyLmNvbSUyRndpZGdldHMuanMlMjIlMjBjaGFyc2V0JTNEJTIydXRmLTglMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0U=[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]The populist move by Siddaramaiah is ostensibly aimed at making incremental electoral gains across the state in the assembly polls due next year, especially since his government has been hit with factional feuds and a perception of it being corrupt – issues that the BJP is certain to highlight during the poll campaign.

The chief minister has also announced that similar canteens will soon be set up at all district headquarters across Karnataka.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Understandably then, Siddaramaiah would have hoped that by inviting Rahul to inaugurate the first Indira Canteen, the project would get widespread publicity and as a natural corollary, also win his government some mass appreciation. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

After almost calling the canteen by its ‘original’ name (Amma – the title Jayalalithaa is still popularly called by), Rahul went on to make other faux pas during his brief address.

“The chief minister has told me he will open many more such canteens across the state. Most cities in Bengaluru will have such canteens soon,” Rahul said. Of course, he meant most cities in Karnataka will have such canteens but then the 47-year-old often ends up saying things he doesn’t actually plan to.

Perhaps with the pressure of his party actually winning an election weighing heavily on his mind, Rahul also referred to the canteens as ‘campaigns’ twice before correcting himself.

Rahul Gandhi

Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah had used micro-blogging website Twitter to hail the inauguration of Indira Canteen by Rahul.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDYmxvY2txdW90ZSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydHdpdHRlci10d2VldCUyMiUyMGRhdGEtbGFuZyUzRCUyMmVuJTIyJTNFJTNDcCUyMGxhbmclM0QlMjJlbiUyMiUyMGRpciUzRCUyMmx0ciUyMiUzRVRvZGF5JTIwaXMlMjBhJTIwaGlzdG9yaWMlMjBkYXklMjBmb3IlMjBLYXJuYXRha2ElMkMlMjBpbiUyMG91ciUyMGZpZ2h0JTIwYWdhaW5zdCUyMGh1bmdlciUyMCUyNmFtcCUzQm1hbG51dHJpdGlvbiUyQyUyMHdpdGglMjBJbmRpcmElMjBDYW50ZWVucyUyMGdldHRpbmclMjBsYXVuY2hlZCUyMGFjcm9zcyUyMEJlbmdhbHVydSUzQyUyRnAlM0UlMjZtZGFzaCUzQiUyMENNJTIwb2YlMjBLYXJuYXRha2ElMjAlMjglNDBDTW9mS2FybmF0YWthJTI5JTIwJTNDYSUyMGhyZWYlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tJTJGQ01vZkthcm5hdGFrYSUyRnN0YXR1cyUyRjg5NzY3NjAxMDI3MDc2OTE1MiUyMiUzRUF1Z3VzdCUyMDE2JTJDJTIwMjAxNyUzQyUyRmElM0UlM0MlMkZibG9ja3F1b3RlJTNFJTBBJTNDc2NyaXB0JTIwYXN5bmMlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjIlMkYlMkZwbGF0Zm9ybS50d2l0dGVyLmNvbSUyRndpZGdldHMuanMlMjIlMjBjaGFyc2V0JTNEJTIydXRmLTglMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0U=[/vc_raw_html][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Before the praise, controversy

Even though the canteens are being projected as a major outreach by the Congress government in the state, many have opposed it too. Residents’ welfare associations (RWA) in Domlur, Sarakki and Jayanagar areas of Bengaluru opposed the setting up of the canteens as they would cut into public spaces. In Domlur, residents protested plans to set up an Indira Canteen in a park, and BBMP moved it to a temple. In Banashakari, the Bengaluru municipal corporation faced problems as the temple authorities and public opposed the canteen coming up next to the temple. In Murphy Town in East Bengaluru, the canteen was set up in a heritage building. RWAs in Jayanagar have expressed concerns about handling of food waste and littering from the canteens.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

Priyanka Gandhi accompanies Robert Vadra to ED office for second day in Gurugram land probe

Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, appeared before the ED for the second day in the Gurugram land case.

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Robert Vadra Priyanka Gandhi

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accompanied her husband Robert Vadra to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office on Wednesday as he appeared for questioning for the second consecutive day in connection with the Gurugram land case.

Mr Vadra, the brother-in-law of Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, was seen exchanging a hug with Ms Gandhi before entering the ED office. He is under scrutiny in a money laundering probe linked to a 2008 land deal in Manesar-Shikohpur area, now known as Sector 83 of Gurugram.

Focus of the probe: land deal from Congress tenure in Haryana

The investigation stems from a land transaction executed by Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, a company in which Mr Vadra was formerly a director. In February 2008, Skylight purchased 3.5 acres of land from Onkareshwar Properties for ₹7.5 crore. At that time, Haryana was governed by a Congress-led administration under then Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

In September 2012, four years after the acquisition, Skylight sold the same land to real estate developer DLF for ₹58 crore. The deal later drew public attention after senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who was then heading the Land Consolidation and Land Records department in Haryana, cancelled the land mutation, citing violations of the State Consolidation Act and procedural discrepancies.

Haryana Police registered an FIR to examine the deal in 2018, further intensifying the legal scrutiny.

ED questions Vadra under PMLA

On Tuesday, Mr Vadra was questioned for nearly five hours by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), during which his statement was recorded. The businessman has consistently maintained that the case is part of a political vendetta and emphasized that he has cooperated fully with all investigative agencies, submitting numerous documents over the years.

Calling for a closure to what he described as a decades-old matter, Mr Vadra said cases like these should not be allowed to drag on indefinitely.

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India News

Congress slams PM Modi, Amit Shah after ED files chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi

The ED’s chargesheet has accused the Congress leaders of money laundering under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

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The Congress on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah after the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others in the National Herald case.

Labelling it a blatant act of vendetta politics, the grand old party also condemned the seizure of the newspaper’s assets as a “state-sponsored crime disguised as justice,” vowing to fight back against what it calls an attempt to silence its leadership.

In a fiery statement on X, Congress general secretary in charge of communication Jairam Ramesh accused PM Modi and Shah of orchestrating a campaign of intimidation. “Filing chargesheets against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others is nothing but the politics of vendetta gone wild,” Ramesh posted. “Seizing National Herald’s assets is a mockery of the rule of law.”

Hitting out at Shah, the Congress leader accused him of going “completely berserk.” He asserted that the Indian National Congress and its leadership refuse to be silenced, stating: “Satyameva Jayate.”

The ED’s chargesheet has accused the Congress leaders of money laundering under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Alongside Sonia and Rahul, it names Congress figures Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda. Special Judge Vishal Gogne reviewed the document for cognisance, scheduling further proceedings for April 25, with the filing handled by ED’s special public prosecutor, N.K. Matta.

Ramesh asserted that the Congress remains undeterred, promising, “We will not be silenced, and the truth will triumph.” The chargesheet reignites a long-standing legal battle tied to the National Herald, a newspaper associated with the Congress since India’s independence era.

The Delhi Rouse Avenue Court has scheduled a hearing for arguments on the ongoing National Herald case for April 25, 2025.

During a recent session, the presiding judge stated, “The present prosecution complaint shall next be taken up for consideration on the aspect of cognisance before this court on April 25, 2025, when the special counsel for the ED and the investigating officer will ensure the production of case diaries for the court’s examination.”

The prosecution complaint, lodged under Sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002, pertains to allegations of money laundering, as outlined in Section 3, in conjunction with Section 70, and is punishable under Section 4 of the same act, as per the report.

This case has garnered significant attention, following a complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy against Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul, their associated companies, and other individuals involved.

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Cricket news

Virat Kohli breaks silence over deleting all ads from Instagram account, says needed a reset

The interviewer, Nags, playfully asked if Kohli would share their ad-free clip on his account, only to be met with a swift, “Nope!” sparking laughter.

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Cricket icon Virat Kohli addressed the buzz around his decision to wipe all advertisements from his Instagram account, calling it a necessary “reset”, during a candid chat with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

The move, which left fans puzzled earlier this month, reflects the star’s desire to step back from heavy social media engagement while keeping the door open for future changes.

In a lighthearted RCB video posted Tuesday, Kohli was quizzed about his soaring endorsement value after the Champions Trophy win. With a grin, he quipped, “Yes, it’s gone up!” When probed about his stripped-down Instagram profile, he explained, “I’m in a unique space with social media right now. I’m not feeling like diving in too much at the moment, but who knows what’s next? It just needed a fresh start.”

The interviewer, Nags, playfully asked if Kohli would share their ad-free clip on his account, only to be met with a swift, “Nope!” sparking laughter.

On April 9, Kohli stunned his 70 million followers by clearing his Instagram ‘posts’ section of all promotional content, paid partnerships, and ads, relegating them to the reels tab. His timeline now showcases personal moments—family snapshots, gym workouts, and glimpses of his IPL 2025 journey with RCB—offering a more intimate look at the 36-year-old’s life.

Speculation swirled that Kohli might be redirecting focus to personal ventures, but he clarified that the overhaul was about reclaiming his digital space. “It’s about finding balance,” he hinted, dispelling rumours of a strategic shift.

On the field, Kohli is in top form, dazzling in IPL 2025 with 248 runs across six innings, including three fifties, at a strike rate of 143.35. His latest gem—an unbeaten 65 off 33 balls against Rajasthan Royals—marked his 100th T20 fifty, making him the first Asian batter to hit this milestone. Tied with David Warner for the most IPL fifties (66), Kohli trails only Warner’s 108 in overall T20s.

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