Cong hails PM for ‘listening’ to Rahul’s advice
NEW DELHI: Taking the credit for cancellation of CBSE Class 10 exam and postponement of Class 12 board exams, the Congress on Wednesday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for listening to the advice of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.
As the decision was taken by PM Modi after a meeting with Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank' and other top officials amid growing demands of cancelling or postponing the board exams due to surge in Covid-19 cases, Congress said, “Well done Modi ji, listening to sound advice from Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi and the Congress party will go a long way in mending our nation. It is our democratic duty to work together for the betterment of our people. It's good to see BJP finally put nation over ego.” In the meeting, PM Modi said, “The well being of students has to be the top priority for the government. The Centre would keep in mind the best interests of students, ensuring their health was taken care of but their academic interests were not harmed.”
Notably, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had been rallying for putting off the board exams. After the announcement, Gandhi tweeted that a decision must be taken for Class 12 too.
“Glad the government has finally cancelled the 10th standard exams, however, a final decision must be taken for the 12th grade too. Keeping students under undue pressure until June makes no sense. It's unfair. I urge the government to decide now,” she tweeted.
Over one lakh students and several parents' associations had written to the Central government asking for either postponement or online examinations amid an unprecedented surge in Covid-19 cases.
GOALPOKHOR (West Bengal): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Wednesday termed BJP claims to build "Sonar Bangla" (golden Bengal) as a "mirage" and said the saffron party has nothing to offer except for hatred, violence and dividing people on the basis of language, religion, caste and creed.
During his first rally in Bengal in this election season, Gandhi took a dig at Chief Minister
Mamata Banerjee and said his party would never align with the BJP and the RSS, unlike the TMC, which in the past had been an alliance partner of the saffron party-led NDA.
"BJP wants to destroy Bengal's culture, heritage and divide it. In Assam, they are doing the same thing; in Tamil Nadu, they are trying to do the same thing with their alliance partner AIADMK.
"The BJP has nothing to offer except for hatred, violence and divisive politics," he said.
Mocking BJP's slogan of building "Sonar Bangla", Gandhi termed it as a "mirage and said they "sell the same dream in every state".
"In every state, they say similar things like Sonar Bangla. But, they only offer dividing people on the basis of religion, caste and language," the Congress leader said.
Criticising "cut money" culture in Bengal, Gandhi said "You gave opportunity to TMC. But, they failed. People of the state have to venture out in search of jobs. This is the only state where you have to pay cut money to get jobs.
Ridiculing TMC poll slogan "Khela Hobe" (Game will happen), he said serving people and playing games in this regard are not the same.
"We have never aligned with the BJP and the RSS. Our fight is not just political but ideological too. For Mamata Ji, it is just a political fight," he said.