Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said the 'wholesale attack on the democratic system' currently underway in India is the single biggest risk the country is facing, and asserted that allowing different traditions to thrive is very important as 'we cannot do what China does, which is to run an authoritarian system'. IMAGE: Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: / Rediff.com Speaking at a seminar titled 'The Future is Today' at the EIA University in Medellin, Colombia, Gandhi also alleged that there are 'huge amounts of corruption at a centralised level' in India now. "In India, we have huge amounts of corruption now at a very centralised level. So, three or four businesses taking over the whole economy, having a direct relationship with the prime minister, is rampant in India," the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said. "But I believe decentralising power, making things more transparent, bringing people into conversations, and bringing people into processes is the best way forward," Gandhi said while addressing the seminar on Wednesday. Hitting back at the Congress leader for his remarks, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday accused Gandhi of insulting and degrading India on foreign soil. Posting a video clip of Gandhi's speech on X, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, 'Rahul Gandhi does it again, degrades India on foreign soil. From defaming our democracy in London, to mocking our institutions in the US, now in Colombia he spares no chance to insult Bharat globally.' 'This isn't dissent. It's disgrace to the fake Gandhi. Criticising BJP may be your right but dare you malign Mother India for your cheap and petty politics,' Bhatia said. Speaking at the seminar, Gandhi said India has a much more complex system as compared to China and its strengths are very different from that of the neighbouring country. India also has a very old spiritual tradition and a thought system with profound ideas that are useful in today's world, he said, adding that there is a lot that the country can offer in terms of tradition and way of thinking. "I am very optimistic about India, but at the same time, there are fault lines within the Indian structure. There are risks that India has to overcome. The single-biggest risk is the attack on democracy that is taking place in India," the Leader of Opposition said. "India has multiple religions, traditions and languages. India is actually a conversation between all its people. Different ideas, religions and traditions require space. The best method for creating that space is the democratic system," he said. "Currently, there is a wholesale attack on the democratic system in India, so that is a risk. The other big risk is different conceptions -- some 16-17 different languages, different religions... So, allowing these different traditions to thrive, and giving them space to express themselves is very important for a country like India.
'The delay is high in India, and even higher in the case of electric vehicles.'
They've been the toast of the fashion world all through the year, but who's the sexiest of them all?
'But it's not something that I really focus on. That's not really my goal.'
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'Whatever is necessary for life and is not made in your country, we will import it from outside.'
Infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on Monday said its arm will set up the nation's largest green hydrogen plant at Indian Oil Corporation's Panipat Refinery in Haryana.
'What is it about the institution of faith that makes somebody get a sense of impunity, that they believe they can get away with anything?'
Executives from India's leading airlines are conducting internal meetings to devise alternative routes for their international flights that currently pass through Pakistani airspace.
Luxury carmakers are shifting into high gear with a mix of product launches, personalised experiences and lifestyle-led engagement.
'It shouldn't be that we travel to India and they don't come to our country. Idea is to settle it once and for all on equal terms.'
French auto major Renault on Monday said it will buy out its Japanese partner Nissan's stake in their Indian joint venture -- Renault Nissan Automotive India Private Ltd. Renault Group would own 100 per cent of Renault Nissan Automotive India Private Ltd (RNAIPL), by acquiring the 51 per cent shareholding currently held by Nissan, the company said in a statement.
India is not the lone bidder for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and will face competition from Nigeria to get the hosting rights of the multi-sporting event as the African nation has also submitted its formal bid before the August 31 deadline.
'Winning gold for India was a dream I lived on that rink.'
State governments have requested the Centre for export incentives, lifting of import duty in the case of cotton for the textile sector and GST exemptions.
What we see in him today is not just stardom, but the reflection of his sincerity, humility, and an artist who carries the fragrance of his roots, asserts K R Nayar, who has known the Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner from their school and college days.
Pixxel has raised $95 million in funding and with the company's commercial Firefly satellites up in orbit selling data globally 'we know and seen what it takes to make this business work.'
Industry leaders urge India to pursue diplomatic talks with the US, strengthen manufacturing, and consider China ties to gain leverage against tariff pressures.
Juliana Harnodkar hails from the tiny Siddi community that has its roots in Africa. When she failed to get a regular day job, Harnodkar began sourcing models of African origin. Today, she remains the only one from the community to do so.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of halting military conflict with Pakistan within five hours of being asked by then US President Donald Trump. He made the allegations during a rally in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, also criticizing the media and the deletion of names from electoral rolls.
The lead pair looks good on screen. But each time they look lovingly into each other's eyes, the viewer's eye wanders over to the gorgeous landscape, observes Deepa Gahlot.
'The government is distributing land in Ladakh as if they are selling cinema hall tickets.'
'The E20 usage accrues the huge benefit to the nation, to the society, to the farmer, to the environment, to the exchequer and all of us'
Women's cricket team gets rousing welcome at India House in London
Red Square and VDNKh easily rank among the most striking places I've visited -- both for their historical significance and architectural splendour.
My admiration for Russian culture, vision and ambition grew with every step as I clocked the miles, Nitin Sathe tells us after a visit to Moscow and St Petersburg.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India's second astronaut, shares his journey from a shy child hearing stories of Rakesh Sharma to becoming part of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station. He emphasizes the role of the IAF in his transformation and inspires India's youth to explore space.
You can't be the second-most expensive market in the world and deliver just 10 per cent EPS growth, points out Akash Prakash.
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'An HAL-private sector tieup is a possibility.'
'Sandbagging' means a player deliberately losing his games, along with it his rating points, so as to play in a lower rated player tournaments and win cash prizes.
More than 7,700 senior professionals with over 15 years of experience have exited India's IT services firms -- TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech, Tech Mahindra, Cognizant, and LTIMindtree -- over the past 12 months.
The ace designer reveals the best gift fashion gave him.
'The scale and depth of talent here plays a central role in core software product engineering for some of the biggest brands in tech.'
IndiGo, which operates the largest fleet among Indian carriers, has reported the highest number of serious engine-related incidents.
For Luxmi, the Brew Tea deal ticks key boxes in its strategy, mainly, focusing on quality and branding.
July belongs to Smriti Mandhana - who turns 29 today while on tour in England.
Do home prices really never fall? Ramalingam Kalirajan begs to differ.
