Reiterating the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday took a jibe at Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha by calling him king, who is snatching money from the people of Union Territory and giving it to outsiders.

Addressing a rally in Sangaldan, the former Congress chief said, “It is such a beautiful place, I don’t feel like going for next meeting. You would have seen that BJP and RSS people are spreading hatred, violence and fear, it is a fight of ideology, on the other hand, there is love and respect.

Gandhi recalled his Yatra and said he walked from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, 4,000 km, giving a slogan of ‘mohabbat ki dukaan’, adding that BJP break and Congress join. Hatred cannot be negated by hatred, it can only be defeated by love, the Congress leader said.

PM Modi used to give big speeches, now recently he had put constitution on his head while entering the Parliament, Gandhi said. “It has happened for the first time that a state has become UT, people’s rights were snatched. It is our priority to give statehood again”, he added.

“In 1947, we removed kings and formed democratic government, we gave the Constitution, today a king is sitting in J&K, his name is L-G but he is a king. Your money is being taken away, given to outsiders”, he said.

“Our first step would be to restore statehood,” Gandhi promised while addressing a rally in Sangaldan today.

Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said that PM Modi has spread unemployment in the entire country. “I don’t know whether you have heard the name of Adani? He is a friend of Modi ji. I cannot take name of Ambani and Adani in Parliament, I started calling them A1 and A2, ‘ham do hamare do’, a govt of Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Ambani and Adani is presently in place”, he slammed Centre.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday arrived in Singapore to deepen strategic partnership with the Southeast Asian country at the invitation of his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong after wrapping his visit to Brunei.

During the two-day visit, the Prime Minister will connect with three generations of Singapore’s leadership, officials in New Delhi said.

In his fifth official trip to Singapore, the Prime Minister will receive an official welcome at the Parliament House on September 5 and call on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

In a post on X, PM Modi said: “Landed in Singapore. Looking forward to the various meetings aimed at boosting the India-Singapore friendship. India’s reforms and the talent of our Yuva Shakti makes our nation an ideal investment destination. We also look forward to closer cultural ties.”

This visit comes days after Singapore PM Wong took over and PM Modi began his third term as Prime Minister.

Ahead of his departure, PM Modi on his social media handle X, had said, “I look forward to my discussions to deepen our Strategic Partnership with Singapore, particularly in new and emerging areas of advanced manufacturing, digitalization, and sustainable development.”

PM Modi, who last visited Singapore in 2018, is accompanied by Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and other government officials.

“The leaders will review the progress of India-Singapore Strategic Partnership and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest,” a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement said ahead of his departure for Brunei and Singapore.

PM Modi would call on Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. Singapore PM Wong and Lee will host PM Modi to separate meals.

PM Modi will also meet with Singaporean business leaders and interact with those in the country’s semiconductor ecosystem.

This visit will build synergies in semiconductor ecosystems of Singapore and India. Both PMs will visit a semiconductor manufacturing facility, officials said.

They said MoUs will be signed for cooperation in manpower skilling in the semiconductor sector.

From skilling centres to training and recruitment by Singapore firms, this will help India’s youth with better skills and opportunities, officials added. 

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang  Punia on Wednesday met Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi amid speculation over entering election fray from Haryana on Congress tickets.

The 30-year-old Phogat is expected to contest the Julana seat currently held by the Jannayak Janta Party’s Amarjeet Dhanda. Punia, who is also 30, will defend the Congress’ Badli seat.

The two wrestlers also met Congress general secretary in charge of organisation KC Venugopal today. However, after meeting the wrestlers, Congress leader Venugopal refused to speak on speculation of the two joining Congress and contesting the upcoming Haryana Assembly election on Congress tickets scheduled for October 5 this year.

Senior Congress leader Venugopal told reporters, “This meeting was not regarding contesting any election.”

Phogat and Punia made headlines last year after leading protests against former wrestling body chief Brij Bhushan Singh, who faces charges of sexual assault and intimidation.

AICC in-charge for Haryana Deepak Babaria, after the Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting on Monday in Delhi, said that it would soon become clear whether Phogat is contesting the Haryana Assembly elections.

According to Congress, the party has engaged in discussions regarding the potential of the two individuals contesting in the upcoming elections, and these deliberations are ongoing.

A Congress leader mentioned on Wednesday, “Certain aspects require clarification. Conversations are underway, and the public will soon be apprised of whether the two candidates will indeed participate in the elections.”

On August 31, the Election Commission of India postponed the polling day for Haryana from October 1 to October 5, 2024, and accordingly counting day for Jammu and Kashmir, and Haryana Assembly elections from October 4 to October 8, 2024.

The ECI said that the decision was taken to honour both the voting rights and the traditions of the Bishnoi community, which has upheld a centuries-old practice of participating in the Asoj Amavasya festival celebration in remembrance of their Guru Jambheshwar.