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Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Is it so difficult to be patriotic?': Salman Khurshid amid Congress flak over Article 370 remarks
NEW DELHI: In a barb apparently directed at his own party, ex-Union minister Salman Khurshid Monday said it is distressing to see those who had joined govt's campaign to sensitise the global community on Pakistan's terror agenda being criticised for their efforts. Congress has slammed Centre's move to send all-party delegations abroad, calling it a sham. "When on mission against terrorism, to carry India's message to the world, it's distressing that people at home are calculating political allegiances. Is it so difficult to be patriotic?" he wondered in a post on X that appeared to echo the exasperation of his colleague Shashi Tharoor, who has been at the receiving end of attacks from party spokespersons for agreeing to head one of the all-party delegations. Explaining his post, Khurshid said the need of the hour is to speak in a single voice in favour of the country, irrespective of party affiliations, as the delegations have been doing on foreign soil. "When I say, is it so difficult to be a patriot? - that is the question that has to be asked of those who are putting out tweets and saying things that I believe are not very encouraging when you want to do something for the nation," he wrote. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Lisburn: If You Were Born Between 1940-1975 You Could Be Eligible For This Life Cover Reassured Get Quote Undo Khurshid's remarks Friday backing abrogation of Article 370 while addressing think tanks and academia in Indonesia had caused a stir. He had said it was unfortunate that Pakistan wants to undo the prosperity that has come to J&K following the decision - something that is diametrically opposed to Congress' official stance of revocation of special status for J&K being a disaster. Sharing Khurshid's remarks on Monday, BJP stepped up its attack on Congress. "Congress, for the sake of petty political gains, puts party interest, parivaar interest above national interest. Hope they will realise that Salman Khurshid is not a super pravakta (spokesperson) of any party, he is putting nation first. But when will Congress put the nation first?" party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said. Significantly, unlike for Tharoor, Khurshid was spared attacks from his party.
Scottish Sun
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Scots supercar dealer linked to Dubai hood Ross ‘Miami' McGill hires top rapper to star in tribute vid to murdered bro
A SCOTS supercar dealer hired a chart-topping rapper to star in a Dubai music video tribute to his murdered brother. Bob McGuire appears with his face hidden behind a mask in the clip as drill star Fredo spits out lyrics commemorating blade victim sibling Billy. 6 Fredo with a hooded figure thought to be supercar dealer Boab McGuire. 6 Fredo raps from the plush car in a video that's been viewed thousands of times. 6 Glitzy Dubai where Boab McGuire, of Drumchapel, is now based Credit: Getty 6 Boab McGuire has recruited rap star to pay tribute to his tragic brother We can reveal McGuire, 36, is said to be an associate of Dubai-based Ross McGill. In the three-minute clip, McGuire and Fredo, 31, cruise around the desert paradise in a Lamborghini. Hailing Billy, the Londoner - who has worked with Stormzy - raps: "That spot that you left Bill will never be filled, the pain won't stop till the enemy's killed." The video has since been viewed more than 300,000 times on You- Tube. It's the latest homage to Billy from McGuire's Drumboys Productions - named after his home patch of Drumchapel, Glasgow. It ends with a photo of his tragic loved one captioned: "Everything we do, we do for you." Meanwhile, mobsters believed to be acting for McGill are behind a deadly turf war involving hoods in the Glasgow and Edinburgh areas. Crews connected to the ex-Union Bears Rangers ultra, 31, have been terrorising people associated with the Daniels crime clan. He is said to be linked to their enemies in the Lyons crew. Last night, a source told The Scottish Sun on Sunday: "McGuire and McGill live a very luxurious lifestyle and mix in the same circles. McGuire takes every opportunity to spend his cash on tributes to his brother Billy. Inside the rise of ex-Rangers ultras chief turned mob boss waging gangland war across Scotland "He is making a lot of money in Dubai and there are quite a few Drumchapel boys out there. "He used to be associated with the Daniels but is now with the Lyons. "A lot of guys have jumped ship and it all comes down to money." Brian Folan, 27, was jailed for life for stabbing to death Billy, 25, in Clydebank, near Glasgow, in 2020. His victim had been set to face trial over an alleged gun attack. We told in 2023 how McGuire - who claims to have raked in £17million - recruited rapper Mazza L20 for an earlier tribute to his brother. Mazza, real name Malcolm Graham, was serving an 11-year sentence for firearms offences but appeared via a mobile phone call. 6 Tragic Billy McGuire who was murdered in Clydebank five years ago. Credit: PA 6 Ross 'Miami' McGill is said be an associate of Boab McGuire in Dubai. A source said then: "Boab has never gotten over Billy's murder. He must be raking it in because he has spent a fortune on these films." One of Graham's tunes appeared to offer a £30,000 bounty to anyone who attacked those responsible for killing Billy. But a disclaimer at the start of McGuire's latest film stated: "The makers of this video do not condone violence of any kind." Fredo, real name Marvin William Bailey, had a No1 hit in 2018 with Funky Friday alongside fellow rapper Dave.
Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Kiren Rijiju says govt never asked parties for global outreach picks; Cong calls it ‘lies'
With some Opposition parties like the Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC) targeting the Narendra Modi government over the composition of the multi-party delegations it has announced for a global diplomatic outreach to convey India's message under Operation Sindoor, the government said Monday that it did not ask any party for names of their representatives for these delegations. Speaking to The Indian Express, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said, 'No party was asked to suggest names for the multi-party delegations for rallying global support for India's war against terror originating from Pakistan. The government has picked leaders including those from the Opposition and contacted them directly but the Opposition should not make it an issue as they are on a solemn duty representing the country, not a party.' Referring to the growing row, Rijiju said, 'I don't think the Opposition should make any controversy out of it now. The delegations were picked for a solemn duty. They are not representing any party, they are representing the country. It's a time we should stand united and the Opposition should cooperate with the government in its efforts to do its duty.' Downplaying the protests from the Congress and TMC, Rijiju claimed that the government never asks the parties when it chooses their members for a mission. 'When the Lok Sabha Speaker or the Rajya Sabha Chairman selects MPs for foreign visits, they never consult their party leadership. It's the discretion of the presiding officers. It's the same with the government,' he said. At the same time, Rijiju also claimed that the government went out of its way to inform the Congress leadership about the delegations. 'I called Leaders of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge and informed them about the delegations. It was after the government picked the members (of the delegations). Rahul Gandhi said he would get back after discussing with Kharge ji. Then he sent the list with four names. But by that time we had selected the members. The call was just a courtesy,' he said. Rijiju added that ex-Union minister Anand Sharma whose name was added to a delegation figured in the Congress's list. The Congress rejected Rijiju's statement that the government did not ask for names for the multi-party delegations. 'That is a lie,' said the Congress's Communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh. 'He (Rijiju) had a conversation with Congress president (Kharge) and LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on May 16. Immediately after that, a letter was sent to Kiren Rijiju by Mr Rahul Gandhi formally, suggesting four names from the Congress party. They (government) selected one (Anand Sharma) of the four. They had already made up their mind. There is nothing against them (the chosen members). They are senior and experienced Congress MPs. One of them is a former foreign minister (Salman Khurshid) and others are also experienced on national security… We don't want to make it a topic of politics anymore. The delegations are going.' The Congress has maintained that the government had asked the party to suggest names of its members to be part of the multi-party teams. Apart from Sharma, the Congress's list sent by Rahul to the government included the party's Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, and MPs Syed Naseer Hussain and Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. The Congress had not suggested the names of Salman Khurshid and party MPs ManishTewari and Amar Singh, who were included in these teams. Significantly, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's name did not figure in the list suggested by the party, who was named the head of one of the delegations by the government. Of the seven delegations, four will be headed by the leaders from the BJP-led NDA and three by the Opposition leaders. Besides Tharoor, the teams will be headed by the BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad and Baijayant Panda, JD(U)'s Sanjay Kumar Jha, DMK's Kanimozhi, NCP (SP)'s Supriya Sule and Shiv Sena's Shrikant Eknath Shinde. On Monday, the TMC announced that it has conveyed to the government that it will not send Yusuf Pathan or any other party MP as a part of these teams. Pathan is the lone TMC face picked as a member of one of the delegations. West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee said the government has not consulted her party for a name. 'They (Centre) cannot decide the name (of TMC representative) on their own. If they request the mother party, the party will decide the name. This is customary and is the system. We are totally with the Centre regarding the foreign policy,' Mamata said, adding that 'If they request me to send someone's name, we will decide it and tell them'. – With inputs from Asad Rehman Have been in journalism covering national politics for 23 years. Have covered six consecutive Lok Sabha elections and assembly polls in almost all the states. Currently writes on ruling BJP. Always loves to understand what's cooking in the national politics (And ventures into the act only in kitchen at home). ... Read More
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Ex-JD(U) president merges his party with PK's Jan Suraaj
Patna: Former JD(U) president RCP Singh merged his party, Aap Sabki Awaaz (ASA), with Prashant Kishor 's Jan Suraaj on Sunday, marking a new political alignment between the ex-Union minister and the former election strategist. Both described this coming together as the beginning of a political change in Bihar. Coincidentally, RCP was once the JD(U) national president and PK the party's vice-president. Both were once very close to CM Nitish Kumar. RCP said PK and he had done a lot of work in the past and would do so in the future too. "We may be in the third position in the exam now, but when the result comes out, we will be the first," the former Union minister said. PK praised RCP and said he has joined the campaign to change the system of Bihar. "RCP has administrative and organisational experience, which very few people have in Bihar. Today, when both of us are coming together, it will have a huge impact. Bihar should not return to 'Jungle Raj' again. Our fight is also with BJP so that they cannot form the govt through the backdoor," PK said. RCP appealed to the JD(U) netas to join them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Both the netas claimed a third political force, different from NDA and the Grand Alliance, was emerging in Bihar. PK said he had left JD(U) on the issues of CAA and NRC. "If Nitish had left the chair three years ago, he would have become great for Bihar," he said. "When I was a central minister, I came to know about many minerals in Bihar. I informed Nitish, but in vain," RCP said. He said PM Narendra Modi talks about making India a developed country by 2047, but, he never talks about making a developed Bihar.
