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Rahul mocks Modi with Gabbar Singh Tax (GST) barb in Gandhinagar rally

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9 years ago

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Rahul Gandhi

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Congress vice president launches scathing attack on Modi government in poll-bound Gujarat, flaunts his prize catch Alpesh Thakur

On a day when the BJP in poll-bound Gujarat received a major setback with the resignation of a key Patel leader and allegations of bribery by another prominent face of the Patel Andolan, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, on Monday, took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi that would have certainly riled the saffron party.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Visiting Gandhinagar in Gujarat a day after the Prime Minister went on a project inauguration spree in his home state and reiterated his oft-quoted attacks at the Congress, Rahul dubbed the Modi government’s version of the Goods and Services Tax – which was rolled out by Modi and his finance minister Arun Jaitley in July this year – as the Gabbar Singh Tax (GST). Hoping to draw voter support for his party by trying to cash in on the perceived anger among Gujarat’s trader and small-scale businesses community, the Congress vice president said that the new tax regime coupled with demonetisation have ruined the country’s economy.

“What happened on November 8? Modiji came on television and said I don’t like Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes. So I have decided to spike them from that midnight. And by doing that he attacked the whole country by one stroke,” Gandhi said at the rally.

The Nehru-Gandhi scion claimed that for the first couple of days after demonetisation, the Prime Minister “did not understand what has happened” but realised just a week later that he had made a mistake and so “he appeared on television and said if I don’t end the menace of black money by December 30 then hang me.”

In a speech which was generously peppered with direct attacks on Modi, his BJP, references to the controversy over BJP national president Amit Shah’s son Jay Shah’s rise in wealth under the BJP regime at the Centre and sarcastic swipes at various schemes of launched by the Prime Minister, Rahul sought to make a strong pitch for the Congress ahead of the assembly polls in Gujarat which are scheduled for December.

The Congress vice president didn’t forget to flaunt his party’s prized political catch in the state – OBC and Adivasi activist/leader Alpesh Thakore, who officially joined the Congress earlier in the day.

Rahul had earlier, on Monday, also given his party a theme for the election – Gujaratis are priceless and can’t be purchased – hoping to make incremental electoral gains by drawing on the pride of the voters in the state where Modi had managed to retain his clout by riding on the popularity of his ‘Gujarati Asmita’ remark.

Rahul’s ‘Gujaratis can’t be purchased’ remark was in reference to Patel Andolan leader Narendra Patel’s allegation that he had been offered Rs 1 crore as bribe by the BJP to join the party. Patel had in a dramatic turn of events, on Sunday night, convened a press conference and brandished wads of currency notes amounting to Rs 10 lakh, alleging that this was the “advance bribe” given to him by the BJP for his decision to join the party. He had then claimed that he was resigning from the party, which he had joined only hours earlier.

Rahul, who has in recent days been persistent with his attacks on Modi and his government over the slowing pace of India’s economy and the lack of job opportunities for the country’s youth, continued with his broadside on Monday too, attacking Modi’s Digital India, Make in India and Start Up India initiatives.

“He destroyed the entire economy. He did not stop there but went ahead with the GST,” Gandhi said. “GST was our thinking. We brought it, it was a thought of single tax of 18 per cent across the nation with less forms to be filled,” Rahuol claimed, adding: “Now there is a GST with 28 per cent tax and three return forms. Now GST has become a Gabbar Singh Tax,” he quipped, referring to the famous villain in Bollywood blockbuster Sholay.

Attacking the “Make in India” slogan of the PM Modi, Gandhi pointed out that it was Chinese goods everywhere in the country. “The government has to give employment to youth. India’s competition is with China. Should employment go to China or come to India?” he asked.

“Most of the products you use have the label of Made in China. Whether it is a shirt, cameras or anything else. When you click selfies or press a button for a picture, a Chinese youth gets employment,” he said, claiming that around 30 lakh youth are unemployed in Gujarat alone. “Everyday 30,000 people across the country enter the job market. But only 450 people get jobs.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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3 dead, several trapped after six-storey building collapses in Delhi, rescue operations continue

Three people died and two were critically injured after a six-storey PG building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan. Several others are feared trapped.

Published

2 hours ago

on

September 6, 2026

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Three people have died and two others are critically injured after a six-storey building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan on Sunday afternoon. Several more people are feared trapped under the debris as rescue operations continue at the site.

Nine people have been rescued so far, while authorities are searching for others who may still be trapped. The building, which was being used as a 75-bed paying guest accommodation, collapsed at around 1:30 pm, according to officials.

Building was being used as a PG accommodation

According to police, the building was around 40 to 50 years old and consisted of a basement and five upper floors. It was being used as a paying guest accommodation, with repair work reportedly underway in the basement when the collapse occurred.

The building was located in Satya Niketan, near Delhi University’s South Campus, an area with a large student population.

An eyewitness said at least 50 students were believed to have been inside the building when it collapsed. A student at the scene also reported hearing cries for help from beneath the rubble.

Rescue operation underway

Teams from the Delhi Police, National Disaster Response Force, Delhi Fire Service and Delhi Disaster Management Authority have been deployed for the rescue operation.

At least 12 fire tenders have been sent to the spot. An excavator has also been deployed, while additional machinery is being brought in to remove concrete slabs and girders from the debris.

Locals were also seen helping with the initial search before rescue teams and machinery reached the site.

The adjacent building has been vacated as a precautionary measure, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said. She added that rescue work was being carried out on a war footing and that authorities were coordinating efforts to assist those affected.

Government agencies coordinate rescue efforts

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu said concerned agencies, including the Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service and DDMA, had been directed to work together to ensure swift rescue operations.

Local BJP MLA Anil Sharma, who was at the site, said some students were still believed to be trapped and that some were reportedly making calls from inside the collapsed structure.

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj blamed alleged corruption for the incident and raised questions about building safety and inspections. His comments were political allegations and no official cause for the collapse has been established in the report.

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PM Modi takes aim at critics with Dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC centenary address

PM Modi revived his dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC’s centenary celebrations and spoke about India’s development journey.

Published

11 hours ago

on

September 6, 2026

By

PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi revived his ‘dimagi Naxal’ remark while addressing the centenary celebrations of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) in Delhi on Saturday, using the term to criticise his opponents.

Speaking to students at the Delhi college, PM Modi described the phrase as a “homeopathic pill” and said it had prompted those he described as “dimagi Naxals” to come forward and reveal their views.

The prime minister also used his address to speak to Gen-Z about India’s development journey and asked students to consider the challenges the country had faced in the past.

PM Modi recalls past crises

During his speech, PM Modi referred to the 2013 Kedarnath disaster and the 2008 global financial crisis while criticising the handling of national emergencies by previous governments.

He said the government at the time of the Kedarnath disaster was shaken and questioned its ability to respond to the crisis.

Referring to the 2008 banking crisis, PM Modi alleged that the government of the time failed to effectively deal with the situation and claimed that India’s banking system was pushed close to collapse.

Prime minister lists challenges faced by his government

PM Modi also highlighted several major global crises that occurred during his government’s tenure.

He mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, disruptions to global trade and supply chains, and the crisis in West Asia.

The prime minister said there had been concerns that India would struggle during these crises but argued that the country had continued to move forward.

PM Modi’s earlier SRCC visit

PM Modi had earlier visited SRCC in 2013, when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. His speech at the college received significant attention, particularly on social media, ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

His latest visit came during the college’s centenary celebrations, where his address focused on young people, India’s development ambitions and the challenges faced by the country.

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India Metro Rail Network May Overtake US in 2 Years

India’s metro rail network has reached 1,170 km across 26 cities. Union minister Manohar Lal said the country could overtake the US in network length within two years.

Published

1 day ago

on

September 5, 2026

By

Manohar Lal Khattar

India is on track to become the country with the second-largest metro rail network in the world after China, with Union Minister Manohar Lal saying the country could overtake the United States within the next two years.

India’s metro rail network has now expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities. The network is only 216 km shorter than the US metro rail network, which stands at 1,386 km, according to figures cited by the minister.

India’s metro network expands rapidly

Speaking after the inauguration of an extended metro service in Indore, Manohar Lal highlighted the pace at which metro connectivity has grown in India.

He said metro services were operational across just 245 km in five cities when Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014. The network has since expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities.

The minister said India could overtake the US in terms of metro rail network length in the next two years and become the world’s second-largest country in this segment after China.

China currently has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines, according to the figures cited by the minister.

Indore metro extension inaugurated

The minister made the remarks after inaugurating an extended section of the Indore metro. The project was built at a cost of around Rs 2,850 crore.

The Indore metro was earlier operating commercially on a six-km stretch between Gandhi Nagar and Super Corridor-3 stations. Following the extension, the service will operate on a 17-km route between Gandhi Nagar and Malviya Nagar Chauraha.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the metro service would mark a new phase in Indore’s development. He also said the network would eventually be extended to Ujjain and other nearby areas.

India’s metro rail network: Key figures

  • India currently has 1,170 km of operational metro rail network.
  • Metro services are operational across 26 cities.
  • The US has around 1,386 km of metro rail network.
  • India is currently 216 km behind the US.
  • China has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines.
  • India’s operational network stood at 245 km across five cities in 2014.

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