Arvind Kejriwal Says Rahul Gandhi 'Just a Kid', in Row Over Delhi Slum Demolition

Arvind Kejriwal today called Rahul Gandhi a "kid" in a political war of words over the controversial demolition at a Delhi slum on Saturday, in which a baby died.

The Chief Minister derided Mr Gandhi for blaming Delhi's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for the demolition at Shakur Basti by the railway police, which reports to the Centre.

"Why is AAP doing dharna? They are in power in Delhi," Mr Gandhi was quoted as saying, in response to AAP lawmakers protesting at Parliament.



The Chief Minister then tweeted in Hindi: "Rahul Gandhi ji is still a kid. His party has perhaps not told him that railway comes under the central government, not Delhi government."

Another AAP leader, Ashutosh, said Mr Gandhi's comments show why the Congress was routed in the national election last year. "Now I know y Congress is reduced to 44?(sic)," he tweeted.

The demolition has provoked a political war with Rahul Gandhi making a high profile visit to the slums today and AAP taking its protests against the Centre to Parliament.

AAP alleges that no warning was given before the demolition, which has left thousands without a home in deepening winter. A six-month-old died allegedly because a heap of clothes fell on her while her family was trying to pack up and hurry out of their home.

The homes were razed allegedly to make way for a railway terminal. Mr Kejriwal visited the area in the early hours of Sunday and said: "Those who did this are not humans, they are beasts. God will not forgive them."

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said in Parliament that several warnings were given to the slum residents. "Such encroachments are the main source of garbage and are a safety hazard," he said.

Rcom introduces smartcare, customers can now manage and customize their account on twitter

Reliance Communications, today announced a milestone launch in the Digital Social Media space—Smartcare on Twitter—providing various user account management services to the Company’s wireless subscribers via Twitter’s live, public platform. Smartcare on Twitter empowers wireless customers to manage their user account by simply using their Twitter account login.

This new customer service initiative platform will let users explore a range of account information and services without having to reach out to traditional Customer Service representatives. As the first-ever such initiative in the country by a telecom player, Smartcare on Twitter allows customers to Tweet to ‘@RelianceMobile’, using specific keywords and hash-tags in order to get account information such as their balance/outstanding amount, facilitate online recharges and make bill payments, activate and deactivate any specific services, and more. Once the customer Tweets a query, the requisite information will be sent back to him/her as a Twitter Direct Message (DM). This will significantly increase customers’ digital interaction with RCOM and greatly reduce the need to physically contact Customer Care.

Announcing the launch of this game-changing service, Mr Gurdeep Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Consumer Business, Reliance Communications, said: “This is part of our endeavor to empower customers, making service and self-help possible on Twitter’s popular social media platform, creating pride of ownership. This is the country’s first such initiative by a telecom player, utilizing the Twitter platform, including real-time back-end analytics tracking to enable customers to make informed choices and customize their accounts as per their preferences and usage requirements.”

The Twitter-based SmartCare service enables users to take control of their mobile account, data usage, recharge and pay bills, etc., through the use of simple Tweets. To introduce this unique service to its users, RCOM has launched a Digital Campaign—#KaashEkTweetSe—asking users to share what they would want to achieve with just one Tweet, and tagging Reliance Mobile’s Twitteraccount @RelianceMobile.

Mr Arvinder Gujral, Director, Business Development, Twitter Asia-Pacific, said: “As Indians spend more and more time on social media, most forward-thinking and successful organizations such as Reliance Communications are integrating Twitter into their operations to increase engagement and satisfaction with their customers. As a platform for live, public conversations, Twitter is transforming customer relationship management by making it easier and faster for RCOM’s subscribers to get a whole range of account services with a simple Tweet. Smartcare on Twitter is an innovation that will provide an essential daily service in the lives of RCOM’s subscribers.”

RCOM unveiled the service by revealing that while not everything may be possible with just one Tweet, managing your Reliance Mobile account is now possible with SmartCare on Twitter. “The excellent and very creative participation from users in the campaign gives us confidence that this further innovation adds tremendous value to our customers,” Mr Singh added.

Rahul takes tea break in separatists' bastion

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday made a surprise visit to Maisuma locality, the hub of separatist protests in the city, near the city centre of Lal Chowk for a tea and snacks break at a local vendor.

"Just after leaving the Congress party office (at M A Road here) for airport, Rahul ji expressed a desire to visit Lal Chowk, so the cavalcade made a u-turn at Jehangir Chowk and halted at Maisuma Chowk (near Lal Chowk)," Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) President G A Mir told PTI.

At Maisuma, which is the bastion of separatist leader and JKLF chairman Yasin Malik, Rahul walked up to a local vendor at the busy market place, sending his security team into frenzy.

"Rahul had tea, pakoras (snacks) and Bakirkhani (local bread) at the vendor. He also bought potato chips and 'nadrumunj' (the famous Kashmiri snacks made from lotus stems) from the vendor and took them home," Mir said.

The JKPCC president said Rahul felt very happy after visiting Maisuma.

"He was extremely happy and excited," he said.

Earlier, the congress vice-president visited many religious places in the Valley including the revered shrines of Kheer Bhawani and Hazratbal.

"Rahul paid obeisance at the temple of Kheer Bhawani (in Ganderbal district), at Hazratbal Shrine (on the banks of the famous Dal Lake here) and at a temple in Ishber Nishat," Mir said.

He said Rahul also wanted to visit the shrine of Makhdoom sahib atop the Hariparbat hillock in downtown Srinagar.

"However, the security agencies did not allow the visit at such a short notice," Mir said.

Rahul also visited the party headquarters here, his first visit there after the last years' flood.

"He visited the party office and interacted with the party cadre," Mir said.

Rahul, who was on a three-day visit to the state, concluded his tour after his Ladakh visit was cancelled earlier.

"The Ladakh visit could not fructify as there was some change in his earlier schedule. Rahul will visit the state again in the coming months and that time he will only go to Ladakh," the Congress sources said.