Only Rahul Gandhi can rescue hockey Suniel Shetty

Only Rahul Gandhi can rescue hockey: Suniel Shetty
By Subhash K. Jha

Mumbai, Feb 24 (IANS) Bollywood star Suniel Shetty feels Congress MP Rahul Gandhi should step in to save the sport from the "doldrums".

"Only Rahul Gandhi with his initiative and youth power can rescue hockey from the doldrums. Otherwise the game is doomed," Suniel told IANS.

Suniel intends to request Rahul Gandhi to bring a sense of direction to the game.

The fiasco on Saturday at the sports event hosted in Chandigarh by the AMR Sports Foundation, where the national hockey players apparently asked for Rs.500 million at the eleventh hour to play at the event, has not left Suniel disillusioned or discouraged.

"See, what happened in Chandirgarh was really sad. I don't know what happened between the event's organisers and our boys from the national hockey team. If they really asked for the money, then they shouldn't have.

"But think of it from their point of view. Hockey players in our country are still so underpaid. They're under so much pressure from their family to give up hockey and do something more paying. How long can our players withstand the financial pressure?"

The sports event at Chandigarh was touted as the ultimate teaser before the World Cup matches, but ended up being a damp squib. Dharmendra and his sons, Sunny and Bobby Deol, were shooting in Patiala and were expected to attend, cancelled at the last minute.

"It was not Dharamji's fault at all. He was all set to travel from Patiala to Chandigarh when the organisers informed him not to come because of the chaos that happened over the money the hockey players demanded. I was also told not to come. But I didn't listen. And I'm glad I went. There were 30,000 expectant people in the stadium at Chandigarh," said Suniel.

He feels every sport in the country barring cricket is in a shoddy condition.

"Look at the way our world-class sport persons like Abhinav Bhindra are treated. It's a shame. We really need to respect sports and sportsmen other than cricket. We keep forgetting we have a Hockey World Cup coming up. And we cannot allow our hockey players to be demoralised in this way. Like I said, we need Rahul Gandhi to step in," said Suniel.

Rahul Gandhi floors fairer sex during Mumbai visit

Young women keen to join the Youth Congress after 'charming' Rahul Gandhi's Mumbai visit

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi seems to have floored the fairer sex during his visit to the city. It's raining enquiries at the Congress office, especially from young women expressing interest in joining the Youth Congress after Rahul's dramatic one-day visit on Friday.

"There were many students at the Bhaidas Hall, who expressed interest in joining the party, immediately after Rahul addressed them," said Pratik Malhotra, an Indian Youth Congress (IYC) activist.

Smile please: Rahul Gandhi has inspired a lot of women to join the Youth Congress. File pic

Girl power

"In my constituency alone, over 1,500 females have filled up membership forms. Though we have received around 10,000 applications, the female proportion is sizeable," said spokesperson Krishna Hegde.

"The gathering of 1,200 students for an interaction with Rahul has sent a message to the youth. Girls joining the party is very encouraging," affirmed Kiran Reddy, secretary, IYC.

Rahul understands

Among those who are keen to join the Congress wing is Priyam Ganeriwal, a BMM student of Vile Parle's Usha Pravin Gandhi College of Management. "I attended the seminar and heard Rahul's entire speech. He is so young and dynamic. He knows our problems and understands us. Besides, he is very charming." 

Ishita Ghelani, another student from the same college, added, "The Youth Congress is a platform for someone who wants to contest Lok Sabha elections, even if you don't have a godfather in the party. And I liked the way Rahul answered every question posed to him." 

"Yes, I am interested in joining the Youth Congress after hearing Rahul. He behaved like one of us and when somebody called him sir, he said 'Just call me Rahul', which really impressed me. The Youth Congress values every single person and I was thrilled when I got a chance to shake hands with him," said Monali Jasrani, a BMS student of N M College of Arts and Commerce.

NEWS midday

Sonia Gandhi and Railway Minister Mamta Banarjee flagging off dozen of new trains

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Railway Minister Mamta Banarjee flagging off dozen of new trains at Kanpur.

Rahul Gandhi travels in local train Photos

6 Feb, 2010

Congress party General Secretary Rahul Gandhi (C) walks on a railway platform in Mumbai on February 5, 2009. During his four-hour stay, Gandhi boarded a local train from Andheri to Dadar. 

Rahul Gandhi coming out of an ATM centre at Vile Parle in Mumbai on February 5, 2010.

Rahul Gandhi travels in Mumbai local train Videos

Rahul Gandhi travels in Mumbai local train Videos

Rahul Gandhi Sonia Gandhi

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Rahul Gandhi asks youth to stay away from divisive politics

Rahul Gandhi snubs Shiv Sena, boards local train in Mumbai

Rahul Gandhi arrives in Mumbai Sena activists detained

Rahul Gandhi asks youth to stay away from divisive politics

Rahul Gandhi asks youth to stay away from divisive politics

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Friday called upon the youth of Mumbai to focus on the inclusive development of India and stay away from divisive politics.

“If you want to make a change, join politics and the Congress party. Some people are trying to divert your attention from real issues, but you have to stay focused,” he said addressing 1,100 college students at Bhaidas Hall in suburban Ville Parle here on Friday.

“Congress stands for a united India. There are two kinds of leaders in the country, one who divide and rule and the other who collaborate and take everyone along towards the objective of a united India and move forward.”

There are some people here who are trying to divide you on communal and linguistic basis and Congress is against them, the Congress general secretary said.

Earlier, Mr. Rahul arrived here amid tight security following Sena’s threat to greet him with black flags.

Despite the Sena’s threat after Mr. Rahul’s “Mumbai-for-all” comments, Police Commissioner D Shivanandan, said that the city was peaceful and there were no disruptions.

The officer said many people were detained as a precautionary measure. However, he declined to divulge any further details on the issue.

Yash Panchal from N N College, who attended the meeting, said that the hour-long deliberations with the Congress leader was a good experience.

Rahul Gandhi travels by suburban train

Ignoring protests by Shiv Sena, he took a local train from suburban Andheri to Dadar in central Mumbai after dropping his plans to visit a slum in Ghatkopar by a helicopter.

An SPG protectee, the Congress leader, accompanied by the newly-appointed Indian Youth Congress president Rajeev Satav and party MP Jitendra Singh, disembarked at Dadar, a Shiv Sena stronghold, from where he took another train on way to Ghatkopar, an eastern suburb.

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has issued a diktat to his supporters to greet Mr. Gandhi with black flags during his Mumbai visit to protest his “Mumbai for all Indians” remark.

Scores of Sena supporters have been rounded up while staging protests in the city.

According to Mumbai Youth Congress president Sunil Ahire, Gandhi was slated to board a chopper at Vile Parle and land in Vikhroli to avoid any incident, but changed his mind midway.

Mr. Rahul, who is on a day-long visit to the city, was accompanied by his security personnel.

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Rahul Gandhi arrives in Mumbai Sena activists detained

Rahul Gandhi arrives in Mumbai Sena activists detained

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived here on Friday amidst tight security following Shiv Sena’s call for black flag demonstrations against him for his “Mumbai for all Indians” remark even as three Sena activists were detained after they tried to enter his itinerary venue.

Sena corporator, Rajul Patel, wearing a black sari, and two others were picked up while trying to make way into the Bhaidas Hall in suburban Vile Parle without proper invite, police said.

The trio has been detained and taken to nearby police station, they said.

Tight security

Tight security measures are in place after Sena chief Bal Thackeray asked his partymen on Thursday to show the Congress leader black flags to protest his remarks on Mumbai.

Police are also maintaining a strict vigil at the venue in Ghatkopar where 39-year-old Rahul is scheduled to visit later in the day and have sanitised both the venues and adjoining areas.

Shops in both the areas remained closed, police said, adding several trouble makers were detained last night as a preventive measure.

This is Mr. Rahul’s maiden visit to the financial capital after he became the AICC General Secretary.

Hundreds of policemen are keeping vigil at the Vile Parle railway station, bus stops and the road leading to the venue.The entire road leading to the venue and across the city was dotted with posters that read -- ‘Fight an election, become a leader.’

Mr. Gandhi will be addressing “selected” college students at the Bhaidas Hall where a function has been organised by the Youth Congress.

After the meeting, Mr. Rahul will head to Ramabai Nagar colony in suburban Ghatkopar to interact with the slum youth.

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Rahul Gandhi snubs Shiv Sena boards local train in Mumbai

Rahul Gandhi snubs Shiv Sena, boards local train in Mumbai

Discarding security considerations as well as a waiting helicopter, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hopped into a local train on Friday to travel from Andheri to Dadar, much to the delight of his co-passengers in the second class compartment.

Maximising the massive public response to his sudden Mumbai trip in the wake of Shiv Sena threats to "keep off Maharashtra", the Congress general secretary made a last minute change in his itinerary to travel from Vile Parle in western suburbs to his second engagement at Ghatkopar in the eastern suburbs.

From Bhaidas Auditorium at Juhu (in Vile Parle), Rahul Gandhi's motorcade zoomed towards the Andheri railway station, about two kilometres away, taking most people by surprise. As per the original plans, he was scheduled to fly in a helicopter.

En route, he was seen standing on the footboard of his SUV and waving to the people lined going about their routine and even shaking hands with some.

Within minutes, he reached Andheri to board a Western Railway (WR) suburban train to Dadar station in the southern direction. He travelled on the Virar-Dadar fast train in a second class compartment along with the general public, and got off 15 minutes later around 1.15 p.m. at Dadar.

He was also scheduled to catch a suburban Central Railway (CR) local train to reach Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar.

All the three stations - Andheri, Dadar and Ghatkopar - are among the most congested railway stations in the Mumbai suburban network. It is usually a nightmare even for the most diehard Mumbaikars to alight or board from trains at these stations "conquered" by Rahul Gandhi, who is in Mumbai for a short four-hour visit after which he leaves for Pondicherry.

Officials of both the WR and CR claimed ignorance of the Congress leader's travel plans and said they were not informed about it by his security personnel.

Ravi Shankar Javed Akhtar Jagjit Singh call on Sonia Gandhi

Ravi Shankar, Javed Akhtar, Jagjit Singh call on Sonia

New Delhi, Feb 4 (IANS) Veteran musician Pandit Ravi Shankar, lyricist Javed Akhtar, ghazal singer Jagjit Singh and composer-singer Shankar Mahadevan met Congress president Sonia Gandhi here Thursday morning.

Congress sources described the meeting as "a courtesy call". They did not divulge details of the meeting.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of an escalating controversy over Shiv Sena's threats to stop the release of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's film "My Name Is Khan" following his remarks in favour of the participation of Pakistani players in the Indian Premier League.

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Rahul Gandhi in Mumbai tomorrow to meet students slum youth

Rahul in Mumbai tomorrow to meet students, slum youth

Against the backdrop of the "Mumbai for all" controversy, AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi will arrive in the city tomorrow for a short visit where he will interact with students and slum youth.

The AICC General Secretary's visit is a part of the ongoing Mumbai Youth Congress membership drive and the organisational elections.

Gandhi will interact with college students at the Bhaidas Hall in suburban Vile Parle in the morning and later proceed to Ramabai Nagar slum colony in Ghatkopar to meet slum youth.

Mumbai Youth Congress President Sunil Ahire said that the local unit had requested Gandhi to briefly interact with the media or just issue a statement at Ramabai Nagar.

The process of organisational elections has begun in the Mumbai Youth Congress and the membership drive will continue till February 17.

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Shiv Sena keeps up offensive Shah Rukh Khan defiant

Shiv Sena keeps up offensive, Shah Rukh defiant (Roundup)  
Mumbai/New York, Feb 2 (IANS) The Shiv Sena was on collision course Tuesday, taking on Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. The actor, who was in New York, said he would "stand up" for his comment on the exclusion of Pakistani cricketers from the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The Shiv Sena said if Shah Rukh failed to apologise for his statement, his next big release "My Name Is Khan" could be banned in Mumbai. 

"Shah Rukh Khan must withdraw his comments if he wants his new film to be released in Mumbai," senior party leader Manohar Joshi, a former speaker of the Lok Sabha, told mediapersons in Mumbai this afternoon.

He also warned that all Shah Rukh's films could face a ban in the city if he failed to tender an apology. Shah Rukh, who owns the Kolkata Knight Riders team of IPL, had spoken against the exclusion of Pakistani cricketers from the forthcoming tournament. 

The Shiv Sena also fired a salvo at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Tuesday morning.

Rahul Gandhi has slammed the Shiv Sena for its controversial 'Mumbai for Marathis' slogan. The Shiv Sena was silent, he said, when National Security Guard (NSG) personnel from various parts of India fought Pakistani terrorists during the Nov 26-29, 2008 attacks in Mumbai. 

"In Mumbai, men in the NSG were from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra. At that time they (Shiv Sena) were silent and did not say that those from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh should be taken out. India has to move forward and all have to be taken forward," Rahul Gandhi told reporters in Patna. 

"India belongs to Indians. Every part of India belongs to every Indian. I am not interested in the views of Bal Thackeray or Raj Thackeray (of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena or MNS).

Reacting to this, Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray said it was an "insult to the memory of the martyrs" who sacrificed their lives.

"While combating terrorists, Mumbai police's officers like Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar, Tukaram Omble and other courageous Marathi men were martyred. Even NSG's Sandeep Unnikrishnan became a martyr, and Rahul Gandhi has insulted their martyrdom," Uddhav said in a statement in Tuesday's party mouthpiece Saamna.

Countering Rahul Gandhi's statement that Sena and MNS leaders were not seen in public for days after the Mumbai attacks, Uddhav asked whose government was in power at that time and why it took no action to prevent the attacks.

"And where was Rahul 'mahashay' at the time of the attacks?" he demanded.

As the controversy over Shah Rukh's comments snowballed, the actor said he was "saddened" by it and that it was "highly unhealthy, undemocratic and insensitive" on the Sena's part.

"It is very unfortunate. I think it is unhealthy, undemocratic and highly insensitive. But I guess one has to get used to these things around you. I kind of feel that what I feel and say to youngsters is as an Indian and I am proud to be that. If some situations like this arises, though I wish it didn't, I wish everything settles down...But yes, I do feel saddened by controversies like these," he told reporters.

Shah Rukh was in New York with co-star Kajol to ring the opening bell of Nasdaq, the world's biggest stock exchange, to promote Karan Johar's forthcoming film "My Name Is Khan". The duo became the first Indian actors to ring the bell, an honour usually reserved for CEOs of major corporations.

"My Name Is Khan", one of the most awaited films this year, is set to release Feb 12.

Asked about the ban that the Shiv Sena plans to impose on "My Name Is Khan" in Mumbai, Shah Rukh said: "The controversy is with me and my statement. It has nothing to do with Karan (Johar), Kajol or the film. I stand up for my comments...there is no excuse for having said what I said and I am proud that I have a take like that."

Shah Rukh's stand has been endorsed by actor Aamir Khan

NEWS BS

Bal Thackeray attacks Rahul, calls him 'frustrated'

In a vicious, personal attack on Rahul Gandhi for his comments on Mumbai, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Wednesday said frustration sets in when a person doesn't get married "despite advancing age" and the Congress MP was also "victim of this disease".

Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi for his statements on the role of north Indians in protecting Mumbai during the 26/11 terror attacks, Thackeray said in an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamna: "It seems that since Rahul won't grow any further physically, he has now grown horns and wisdom teeth to make such statements."

"Despite advancing age, if a person does not get married, he becomes frustrated, even Rahul seems to be a victim of this disease and makes stupid remarks," Thackeray lashed out.

"Rahul speaks of the north Indians' contribution during the 26/11 attacks, but in Kashmir, maximum number of soldiers from Maharashtra sacrificed themselves to protect the national borders. By his senseless utterances, he has spat on the sacrifices of the brave Marathis and other security personnel during the Mumbai attacks. Each and every Maharashtrian must deplore him," the editorial said.

Denying that the Sena ever advocated separating Mumbai from the rest of the country, Thackeray said the party does not need lessons on this from "Prince" Rahul, especially since his party Congress was responsible for the division of the country. "Now, these people talk of unity."

The editorial added that the Sena had never said Mumbai was not a part of India nor could seeds of separation be ever sowed on Maharashtra soil.

However, whenever Islamic terror loomed, the Sena raised its voice as only 'Hindutva' had the power to inspire people from all parts of the country to fight against it.

"But Congress is allergic to the word 'Hindutva', especially the Nehru-Gandhi clan which feels that national unity can be achieved only by pampering Muslims," Thackeray observed.

He warned that whoever tried to challenge Maharashtrians would have to bow before them. "Let 'Prince' Rahul study history and he would know how his great grandfather Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had to apologise to the people of Maharashtra. Let the Prince not repeat such mistakes," he said.

Thackeray declared that the entire country indeed had a right over Mumbai, but the first and foremost right was of Maharashtrian sons-of-the-soil who speak Marathi.

Stating that north Indians were happy and prosperous in Maharashtra, he urged Rahul Gandhi to concentrate on the plight of north Indians in south India and Assam.

"Let Rahul go to Belgaum area and listen to the Maharashtrians' angst there against the Kannadigas and give them justice - we shall applaud him for this."

"Every part of India belongs to every Indian. All Indians have every right to go and work anywhere in the country," Rahul Gandhi had said at a press conference in Bihar Tuesday.

The Shiv Sena, Gandhi said, was silent when National Security Guard (NSG) personnel from various parts of India fought Pakistani terrorists during the November 26-29, 2008 attacks in Mumbai

"In Mumbai, men in the NSG were from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra. At that time, they (Shiv Sena) were silent and did not say that those from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh should be taken out. India has to move forward and all have to be taken forward."

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