Rahul should take over as Cong chief soon, it's party's decision: Oscar

June 14, 2016

Udupi, Jun 14: Congress party has already decided that Rahul Gandhi should take over as AICC president as soon as possible, according to senior party leader and Rajya Sabha member Oscar Fernandes.

Speaking to media persons in Udupi on his first visit after winning the Rajaya Sabha elections, Mr Fernandes said that the decision on this will be taken by AICC president Sonia Gandhi.

“Whatever decision Ms. Gandhi takes, we will abide by it,” he said.

On the increasing clamour for Mr. Gandhi's sister, Priyanka Vadra, to join the party and take up the mantle, Mr. Fernandes said that the party workers might have many desires. But it was up to the Gandhi family members and Ms. Gandhi to take a decision on the matter, he said.

Asked if there was no leader other than the members of the Gandhi family who could lead the party, Mr. Fernandes said that the new generation should understand the sacrifices made by the Gandhi family. Both the former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi laid down their lives for the sake of the country.

“If you think a little about this, there will be no basis for asking the question,” he said.

Later, speaking at a felicitation function at the Congress Bhavan, Mr. Fernandes thanked the Congress high command, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC president and Home Minister G. Parameshwar and leaders and workers of the party for his victory in the Rajya Sabha elections.

Mr. Fernandes recalled that when he first contested as Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha elections in 1980, it was the auto-rickshaw drivers and garage workers, who collected Rs. 250 to pay for his election deposit.

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1980 it was the autorickshaw drivers who paid 250 rs for Mr. Oscar's election deposit. Now Mr. Oscar is the owner of crores and crores of rupees property....... great achievement.

Oscar, Good for Nothing!

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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