Republic top 10 headlines: Rahul Gandhi on Twitter block; Blinken Dials Ghani; & more

Rahul Gandhi Breaks Silence On Twitter Block

Breaking his silence over being blocked on Twitter, ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi issued a statement lashing out at the micro-blogging site on Friday. Claiming that Twitter was making it it's business to define Indian politics, he said he did not like that. Stating that by blocking him Twitter had attacked the democratic structure of the country, he said that it was shutting down not just him, but his followers too. The Wayanad MP, who has 19-20 million followers has been locked out of his account for allegedly violating the site's rules.

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Opposition Parties Accuse Centre Of 'Derailing' Parliament Session

After the Parliament Session came to an end two days before schedule, 15 opposition leaders issued a joint statement on Thursday accusing the Centre of derailing the proceedings. The signatories to the statement are Mallikarjun Kharge, Anand Sharma and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of Congress, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, SP's Ramgopal Yadav, Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut, DMK's Tiruchi Siva and TR Baalu, RJD MP Manoj Jha, Elamaram Kareem of CPI(M), IUML's ET Basheer, CPI's Binoy Viswam, RSP's NK Premachandran and Thomas Chazhikadan of Kerala Congress (M). Condemning the Centre's alleged "authoritarian attitude", they reiterated their commitment to raise issues of national importance.

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TMC Dismisses Union Mins' Press Meet On Parliament Ruckus

Fuming at the eight-minister press conference over the Parliament ruckus, TMC MP Derek O'Brien on Thursday, called it 'no facts, all faff'. Posing eight questions on bulldozing of Bills in Parliament, PM Modi's absence and no debate on Pegasus, O'Brien dared the Centre to answer at least a single question. Parliament adjourned sine die prematurely amid continued Opposition ruckus over Pegasus, Farm Bills etc.  

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Akhilesh Yadav Mocks BJP's Farmer Outreach

On Thursday, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav took a dig at BJP's plan to reach out to farmers amid the ongoing protests against the agrarian laws. He contended that the saffron party had remembered the farmers as they will soon emerge as an important vote bank in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls due early next year. However, he asserted that farmers will not fall for the false promises of the JP Nadda-led party. He also claimed, "Farmers will vote en bloc against BJP in 2022". 

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China Prepared To Recognize Taliban-rule 

With the fall of Kandahar mounting serious pressure on the Afghanistan government, sources have learned that China is ready to accept the Taliban as a 'legitimate ruler' of the country if it succeeds in toppling its capital Kabul. According to a report in U.S News, with the Taliban overrunning 10 major provincial capitals in the war-torn nation, including key territory near China's border, the communist country now hopes to make significant strides in Afghanistan to expand its regional infrastructure projects. Keeping its investment interests in mind, Chinese military and intelligence assessments on the ground have encouraged Bejing to prepare to formalize their relationship with the Taliban, if Kabul was to fall, as per U.S. and foreign intelligence sources.

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Terrorists Attack BJP Leader's House In Kashmir's Rajouri

Protests have escalated in the Rajouri district, Kashmir, with several demonstrators calling for a shutdown, after a terrorist attack on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jasbir Singh's house. Five of Singh's family members were injured, and a minor was killed, in a grenade explosion caused by terrorists at 9 pm in Kasmir's Rajouri district on Thursday. Condemning the attack, Union Minister Jitendra Singh called it "a handiwork of those who have developed a vested interest in not allowing democratic and political processes to flourish." 

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Banerjee Fumes Over PM's Photo On Vaccination Certificate

Fuming against the Centre, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee claimed that one did not have the freedom to choose on having PM Modi's photo on their vaccination certificate. She added that as there was no freedom there, the PM should also allow his photo on death certificates too. Banerjee had herself put her photo on the vaccination certificates of recipients aged 18-44 when the state was procuring vaccines directly from manufacturers.

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MEA Breaks Silence On UK HC's Verdict On Nirav Modi

On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs gave its first reaction to the UK High Court's judgment allowing fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi to appeal against extradition to India. Addressing a press briefing, MEA official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi pointed out that the HC has allowed Modi to file an appeal only on two grounds while rejecting three other contentions raised by the defence. Moreover, he reiterated the Centre's commitment to repatriate all economic fugitives to India. He has been accused of being the principal beneficiary of the fraudulent issuance of letters of undertaking as part of a conspiracy to defraud the Punjab National Bank to the extent of Rs 13,570 crore.

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Blinken Dials Ghani, Talks Of Reducing US Civilian Footprint

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday informed that he spoke with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani regarding the current security situation in the country. Blinken also said that the two parties discussed the US plans to reduce America's civilian footprint in Kabul. The Secretary of State was joined by Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin during the meeting.

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WHO To Form New Expert Panel For Origin Of COVID-19

In a next step towards finding the origin of COVID-19, the World Health Organisation on Thursday said that it will be creating a new advisory group to study the pathogens with pandemic potential and also understand the COVID-19 origin. Confirming the same, WHO issued a statement on Thursday and provided details regarding the advisory group. Further speaking on the group, it said, "The International Scientific Advisory Group for Origins of Novel Pathogens, or SAGO, is a new advisory group for WHO, which will be responsible for advising WHO on the development of a global framework to systematically study the emergence of future emerging pathogens and pandemic potential. For SARS-CoV-2, it will support the rapid undertaking of recommended studies outlined in the March 2021 report."

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