Is Rahul Gandhi Victim Of Congress Conspiracy, Asks Minister Anurag Thakur

Why no eminent lawyer of the Congress came to the aid of Rahul Gandhi when he was convicted in a defamation case leading to his disqualification from Parliament, Union Minister Anurag Thakur asked on Tuesday and wondered if it was deliberate and part of a conspiracy within the party.

Mr Thakur, addressing the 'Times Network India Digital Fest', also described Gandhi as a "loose cannon" and a "serial offender" who has seven cases of defamation in various courts even after being cautioned by the apex court.

The Information and Broadcasting Minister made it clear that neither the government nor the Lok Sabha secretariat had any role to play in the former Congress president's disqualification from the Lok Sabha.

Mr Thakur said that according to the Representation of the People Act, Rahul Gandhi stood disqualified the moment he was sentenced to a two-year jail term in a criminal defamation case.

The senior BJP leader wondered why none of the eminent lawyers sent by the Congress to the Rajya Sabha could be of any help in the defamation case against Mr Gandhi.

"Was it deliberate? Is there a conspiracy within the Congress? It is surprising that an entire battery of lawyers came to the rescue of Pawan Khera within an hour. Why did the Congress leader not move court in support of Rahul Gandhi? This is a big question," Mr Thakur said.

"Who are these persons who hatched the conspiracy against Rahul Gandhi," the Union minister asked.

Anurag Thakur said that even after issuing a written apology to the Supreme Court, Mr Gandhi continued to make defamatory remarks against communities, people and organisations like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

He also slammed Gandhi for speaking harshly to a journalist during a press conference on Saturday.

"Some people do not know that the person who was spoken harshly to had covered the Congress party for 15 years. He lashed out at the journalist and still he talks of freedom of the press," the Union minister said.

Mr Thakur dismissed suggestions that the BJP was over-obsessed with Gandhi and said it was the Congress that has been unable to come out of the influence of the Gandhi family.

He also accused the Congress of derailing the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament after it realised that the BJP would insist on an apology from Gandhi for his remarks "maligning India" on foreign soil.

The minister also rejected the opposition charge that the BJP government was on the defensive on the Adani issue and said that SBI, LIC, RBI, SEBI had come out with statements on the matter.

He said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman too had made a statement on the issue and an investigation by a Supreme Court-appointed committee was underway.

"There is nothing to hide. Our institutions are strong. We have to trust them. Had this not been the case, everything would be haywire," he said.

Mr Thakur slammed the Congress party and claimed that it was obsessed with Gandhi family and prioritised them over the nation.

"Since 2013, 12 lawmakers have lost their Parliament membership due to their involvement in a criminal offence. But, Congress prioritises only a family over the country's judiciary and people and Parliament proceedings," the senior BJP leader said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Respect For Rule Of Law...": US Says It's Watching Rahul Gandhi's Case

The United States is watching Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's case in Indian courts, US Department of State Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Monday (local time), adding that the US engages with the Indian government on a shared commitment to democratic values, including freedom of expression.

"Respect for the rule of law and judicial independence is a cornerstone of any democracy, and we're watching Mr Gandhi's (Rahul Gandhi) case in Indian courts," he said in a press briefing while responding to a question regarding Rahul Gandhi's expulsion from the Indian Parliament.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified on Friday as a Member of Lok Sabha (MP) from the date of his conviction in the criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark. Rahul Gandhi was an MP from the seat of Wayanad in Kerala.

"The US engages with the government of India on our shared commitment to democratic values, including of course freedom of expression in our engagements with our Indian partners," he added.

"We continue to highlight the importance of democratic principles and the protection of human rights including freedom of expression as a key to strengthening both our democracies," Vedant Patel said.

When asked whether the US is engaging with India or Rahul Gandhi, he said, "I don't have any specific engagements to read out... but as I am sure you know some of these covered this department for some time it is normal and standard for us to engage with members of opposition parties in any country where we have bilateral relationships but I don't have any specific engagement to read out."

The development comes after the Surat court on Thursday, sentenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to two years imprisonment in a defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark made in 2019 during an election rally in Karnataka.

Rahul Gandhi made the "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname" remark in April 2019, at a Lok Sabha election rally at Kolar in Karnataka. The criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi was filed by BJP MLA from Surat West Purnesh Modi.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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US School Shooter Bought 7 Weapons Legally, Used 3 To Kill Six

28-year-old Audrey Hale, who shot dead six people at Nashville's Covenant School, had bought seven weapons legally and used three of them in the horrific tragedy on Monday. Metro Nashville Police Department Chief John Drake in press briefing said that the weapons were purchased from five different local gun stores and were legally purchased.

John Drake said Hale self-identified as transgender without offering further clarity. Mr Drake and other officials repeatedly referred to the attacker with female pronouns, though Hale used male pronouns on a LinkedIn page that listed recent jobs in graphic design and grocery delivery, Reuters reported.

"She was under a doctor's care for an emotional disorder. Law officers know nothing about the treatment she was receiving. Her parents felt that she should not own weapons. The parents felt that Audrey had one weapon and that she sold it," John Drake said, adding that the weapons had been hidden around the house.

In the brief press conference, Mr Drake said that they still did not have a motive for the attack. "We believe that the students that were targeted were randomly targeted. There was no particular student that she was looking for during the incident."

Mr Drake indicated that Hale may have had some training.

"As they arrived on the property, there were police cars being hit by gunfire. The suspect was at an upper level. We believe that there was some training (for her) to be able to shoot from a higher level. She stood away from the glass so that she wouldn't be an easy target to be shot," he said.

He said that Audrey Hale's manifesto contained several writings that the Nashville police department and the FBI were still going through. It contained information about different locations, a map of the attacked school, a drawing of how Hale would enter and the assault that would take place.

The police chief added that had there been a law in place, authorities would have been able to take the weapons away from Hale prior to the attack. "Had there been a law and had it been reported that she was suicidal or that she was going to kill someone, had it been made known to us, then we would have tried to get those weapons. But as it stands, we had absolutely no idea."

Police got the call about the attack at 10:14 am and by about 10:24 they had engaged the suspect. On why the school was targeted, he said that all they know is that Hale was a student of the church but were unsure yet if that was a contributing reason.

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3rd T20I, Live: South Africa Fight It Out vs West Indies In 221-run Chase

South Africa vs West Indies, 3rd T20I, Live Updates: South are scoring steadily in chase. West Indies scored 220/8 in 20 overs against South Africa. Crucial knocks Brandon King (36, 25b), Nicholas Pooran (41. 19b) and Romario Shepherd (44, 22b) took West Indies past the 200-mark. For South Africa, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi took two wickets each at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday. South African captain Aiden Markram said there were similarities between the Wanderers and SuperSport Park in Centurion, where South Africa achieved a world record run chase of 259 runs to level the series at 1-1 on Sunday. (Live Scorecard)

Here are the Live Updates of the 3rd T20I match between South Africa and West Indies, straight from the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg:

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Ex-Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg's Shares Pics From Her "Delayed Honeymoon"

Sheryl Sandberg, former Chief Operating Officer of Meta, tied the knot with businessman Tom Bernthal in an intimate ceremony in August last year. Recently, she took to Facebook to share pictures of her "delayed honeymoon" in Japan. 

The executive and Mr Bernthal's three-part honeymoon began a month after their wedding with a week in Sydney and was followed by a week in Morocco in October.

"Just returned from (delayed) honeymoon week 3 - Japan - with my still-new and ever-more-amazing husband Tom Bernthal. As he always does, Tom planned every minute of our week together from long walks to unique experiences and incredible food," she wrote in the caption. 

The couple had a special meal at Ete, a French restaurant in Tokyo, where Chef Natsuko Shoji was just named the finest woman chef in Asia and one of the best chefs in the world.

Ms Sandberg added, "For our final night, Tom arranged a special honeymoon dinner at Ete, where Chef Natsuko Shoji was recently named the best woman chef in Asia and one of the top chefs in the world. In a field dominated by men, Chef Shoji stands out for her talent and graciousness. Each course was delicious and beautifully presented."

She thanked the chef for a "memorable evening" and also shared a sweet message for her husband. "Thank you, Chef Shoji, for a truly memorable evening and Tom, for a truly memorable trip. Being your wife just gets better and better," the former Meta executive concluded.

Since being shared, her post has amassed over six thousand reactions and several comments.

"So happy for you," said a user.

"Congratulations Sheryl Sandberg and Tom. You look very happy. "The world is your oyster," commented another person.

A third user said, "Best wishes in your new married life together...food looks amazing..women rock."

"Congratulations Sheryl Sandberg! Good choice to go to Japan on honeymoon. Great that you went to eat with the female topchef!" remarked a person.

Ms Sandberg was married to SurveyMonkey CEO Dave Goldberg who died at the age of 47 in 2015. Meanwhile, Mr Bernthal's previous marriage ended in divorce. 

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Watch: Delhi Metro Driver Accidentally Plays Haryanvi Song, Internet Reacts

If you are suffering from Monday blues, then this hilarious video from Delhi metro will surely lift your spirits. During a recent ride on the Delhi metro, the commuters were left confused after the metro driver accidentally played a Haryanvi track '2 Numbari' instead of the usual announcement.

The video opens with a fully packed metro, with the majority of the people standing near the entrance doors. Moments later, Masoom Sharma and Manisha Sharma's '2 Numbari' can then be heard on the speakers that are generally used to convey important announcements. Passengers can be heard laughing their hearts out. The video shows that the song only played for a few seconds and was immediately turned off. The caption on the video read, "Driver playing songs in Delhi Metro. POV: It's Friday night."

The video was shared by a content creator named Amandeep Singh and was posted on Instagram. The caption of the video reads, "Reason why I love Delhi."

Watch the video here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by AMANDEEP SINGH (@onrecordamanyt)

The video has amused social media users. A user joked, "Haryana roadways driver after joining Delhi metro."

Another user wrote, "I was also present in that metro at the moment.Its real."

"When Delhi metro cross Tikri border," the third user wrote.

Meanwhile, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) recently stepped in with a word of caution. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation shared a hilarious meme while advising people not to shoot dance videos inside metros. Acing the meme game, DMRC used a reference from the Oscar-nominated song 'Naatu Naatu' from 'RRR' and wrote, "Dance is fun but Delhi Metro mein Na-Naacho Naacho Naacho".

The post was captioned, "Remember to Respect your passengeRs #DelhiMetro".

The picture also had a disclaimer saying, ''Filming Reels/Dance videos or any other such activities that may cause inconvenience to the passengers is strictly prohibited inside the Delhi metro.'' 

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"We're Watching Rahul Gandhi's Case In Indian Courts": US

The United States is watching Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's case in Indian courts, US Department of State Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Monday (local time), adding that the US engages with the Indian government on a shared commitment to democratic values, including freedom of expression.

"Respect for the rule of law and judicial independence is a cornerstone of any democracy, and we're watching Mr Gandhi's (Rahul Gandhi) case in Indian courts," he said in a press briefing while responding to a question regarding Rahul Gandhi's expulsion from the Indian Parliament.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified on Friday as a Member of Lok Sabha (MP) from the date of his conviction in the criminal defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark. Rahul Gandhi was an MP from the seat of Wayanad in Kerala.

"The US engages with the government of India on our shared commitment to democratic values, including of course freedom of expression in our engagements with our Indian partners," he added.

"We continue to highlight the importance of democratic principles and the protection of human rights including freedom of expression as a key to strengthening both our democracies," Vedant Patel said.

When asked whether the US is engaging with India or Rahul Gandhi, he said, "I don't have any specific engagements to read out... but as I am sure you know some of these covered this department for some time it is normal and standard for us to engage with members of opposition parties in any country where we have bilateral relationships but I don't have any specific engagement to read out."

The development comes after the Surat court on Thursday, sentenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to two years imprisonment in a defamation case over his 'Modi surname' remark made in 2019 during an election rally in Karnataka.

Rahul Gandhi made the "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname" remark in April 2019, at a Lok Sabha election rally at Kolar in Karnataka. The criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi was filed by BJP MLA from Surat West Purnesh Modi.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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