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Mon, 03 October 2022
Bring ordinance to end Ravan effigy burning: Seer

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23:54   Fire destroys Ramlila stage in UP's Etawah, no casualty
A fire broke out on a Ramlila stage during preparations in Bharthana town on Monday evening, reducing the stage and pandal to ashes, the police said. 

There was no casualty in the incident that took place at the Ramlila Maidan, Bharthana station in-charge Mansoor Ahmed said. 

According to the police, the fire broke out in the evening and soon engulfed the stage and pandal. 

The fire created a panic among the artists, administrators, and spectators present there. 

Fire brigade personnel brought the blaze under control, but by then the Ramlila stage and the pandal were burnt to ashes. 

The fire department staff present on the spot said that prima facie the reason for the fire seems to be a short circuit. 

The Ramlila committee is assessing the damage. 

On Sunday night too, five people were killed and 70 others injured in a fire at a Durga puja pandal in Bhadohi district. -- PTI
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23:36   Bring ordinance to end Ravan effigy burning: Seer
A prominent seer on Monday said an ordinance should be promulgated immediately to stop the burning of Ravan's effigy during Dusshera. 

"The ordinance may be later ratified by Parliament," said Adhokshajanand Devtirath in a statement. 

According to Hindu culture, the last rites of a person is conducted only once, he said, adding that Ravana's last rites were conducted in the presence of Vibhishan and Laxman. 

The evil of burning Ravana's effigy should be stopped as it has no place in Hindu culture and teaches youngsters to disrespect the knowledgeable, he said. 

The environment also gets polluted after the effigy is burnt, he added. 

The way stubble burning and vehicular emissions are stopped, this evil (burning Ravana effigy) should also be stopped permanently, the seer stated. -- PTI
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23:06   Puducherry electricity staff call off 6-day strike after talks with CM
Staff of the Electricity Department, on strike since September 28 protesting against the privatisation of power distribution, called off their indefinite strike on Monday following talks held with the Chief Minister N Rangasamy and home and electricity Minister A Namassivayam. 

Secretary of the joint action committee of the employees and engineers of the department of electricity Velumurugan said that during the talks with the chief minister, the committee placed before the government that while it went ahead with its plan to privatise distribution and retail sale of power, care should be taken that the government had greater control over power distribution. 

Velumurugan said the CM promised the employees` representatives that their plea would be considered. 

"All the employees will resume duty with immediate effect in response to the assurances given by the Chief Minister during the talks," Velumurugan said. 

Power staff went on the strike against the plan to open up power distribution. The whole Puducherry region was plunged into darkness. -- PTI
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22:48   Odia singer dies while performing at Durga Puja
Popular Odia singer Murali Mohapatra collapsed and died while performing at a Durga Puja cultural event in Odisha's Koraput district, his family said. 

Mohapatra, who was reportedly unwell, suddenly sat down on a chair on the stage after singing four songs in Jeyore town. 

When taken to a hospital, he was declared dead on arrival. 

He died of heart attack late on Sunday night, his brother Bibhuti Prasad Mohapatra said. 

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condoled the death of Mohapatra. Saddened to know about the demise of popular singer Murali Mohapatra. 

His sweet voice will always ignite the hearts of listeners. May his soul rest in peace. 

"My condolence to his family," Patnaik said in a Twitter post in Odia. 

The incident reminded people of singer KK's death at a hotel after a concert in Kolkata earlier this year. Mohapatra was also a government employee working at the office of the Jeypore sub-collector. 

He was set to retire from service nine months later. -- PTI
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22:17   Former SC judge's relative convicted in cheque bounce case
A fast track court in Chennai has convicted a relative of a retired Supreme Court judge in a cheque bounce case and he was sentenced to undergo six months simple imprisonment. 

Following a request from the counsel for the accused, the court kept in abeyance the operation of the order to enable him to prefer an appeal. 

FTC-III judge B Santosh convicted Kumar and directed him to pay Rs 20 lakh compensation to complainant KC Raveedran within two months. 

According to Raveendran, he had lent Rs 1.20 crore to Kumar and when he insisted on repayment in October, 2016, Kumar had issued six cheques for Rs 20 lakh each. 

However, when the cheques were presented for realisation, the bank returned them all with the note 'insufficient funds,' in January, 2017. 

Hence, the present petition for a direction to punish Kumar under the Negotiable instruments Act. 

The judge observed that by executing six promissory notes while borrowing the money and by issuing six cheques to discharge his legally enforceable debt to the complainant, the accused has admitted his liability. 

The presumption stands in favour of the complainant. 

The accused is liable to be punished for the offences under the Negotiable Instruments Act, the judge said and imposed the sentence. -- PTI
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21:49   KRK gets bail in Rishi Kapoor, Irrfan tweets case
A Mumbai court on Monday granted bail to Kamal Rashid Khan, popularly known as KRK, in a case pertaining to derogatory tweets about late actors Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan. 

KRK, who claims to be a film critic, had allegedly made the remarks in 2020, after which a case was registered against him at Bandra police station. 

In the bail plea filed before the Bandra magistrate court through advocates Ashok Sarogi and Jay Yadav, he claimed the offence was bailable in nature. 

The lawyers submitted that KRK's custody was not required as the police had filed its charge sheet in the case. 

Earlier, the Borivali court had released him on bail connection with controversial tweets about actor Akshay Kumar and producer-director Ram Gopal Verma. 

His bail plea in a 2021 molestation case had been allowed by another court. 

KRK was arrested in August from Mumbai airport after he arrived from Dubai.
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21:34   CEC launches voter awareness radio series
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey on Monday launched a voter awareness radio series in collaboration with All India Radio.

Fifty-two episodes, each 15 minutes long, will be broadcast every Friday on Vividh Bharati stations and various radio stations of the All India Radio.

Matdata Junction will have its first episode aired on October 7.

Kumar said the programme will be a strong platform to connect with voters across the country.

The programme, as a combination of information and entertainment, would specifically help address urban apathy and inform the audience about the election process. Pandey stressed on voter awareness to ensure better turnout in future polls. -- PTI
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21:25   Man held with gun, sharp weapons in UP temple
A man was arrested for entering Raghunath temple in Gaziabad in Masuri town with a pistol and other weapons in his bag, the police said on Monday. 

The ant-terror squad and the Intelligence Bureau are quizzing him to know his purpose behind entering the temple with an assumed name, the police said. 

At the time of entry, the man had said his name was Sameer Sharma. 

The incident happened Sunday night when a religious discourse was underway inside the temple in Ikla village, the police said. 

When the volunteers who had detained the man, checked his bag, they found in it a country-made pistol, cartridges, sharp weapons, an Aadhaar card, and two mobile phones, superintendent of police (rural) Iraj Raja said. 

The man during interrogation identified himself as Aas Mohammad, a native of Palla village of Gautam Buddh Nagar district. 

The SP said that keeping in view of the festival season and the incident, security has been beefed up in the area. -- PTI
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20:46   Kamal Haasan's 'Vikram' to be screened at Busan International Film Festival
Superstar Kamal Haasan-fronted Tamil blockbuster Vikram is set to be screened at the 27th Busan International Film Festival, the makers announced on Monday. 

The high-octane action drama, which also features Vijay Sethupathi and Fahadh Faasil in pivotal roles, will be shown in the Open Cinema category at the upcoming movie gala slated to take place from October 5-14. 

"We are elated to announce that #Vikram has been officially selected to be screened at the 27th Busan International Film Festival, 2022," co-producer Turmeric Media posted on it's official Twitter page. 

According to a press note issued by Haasan's banner Raaj Kamal Films International, the Open Cinema category recognises "new and internationally acclaimed films that strike the perfect balance between popular and artistic cinema". 

Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Vikram released theatrically on June 3. 

"The response to Vikram all over the world has been extremely overwhelming. 

The Busan International Film Fesitval is another feather in the film's cap and its selection is a win for the entire team. -- PTI
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20:31   CBI nabs Russian in JEE-Mains manipulation case
The Central Bureau of Investigation has detained a Russian national at Indira Gandhi International Airport in connection with its probe into alleged manipulation of JEE-Mains last year, officials said Monday. 

The central agency had issued a 'look out circular' against the foreign national, suspected to be main hacker, for alleged manipulation of the prestigious examination, they said. 

The CBI was alerted by the central agencies when the Russian national arrived at the airport from abroad, they said. 

He was immediately detained by the CBI and is being questioned in connection with the JEE manipulation case probed by the agency, they said. 

Sources said the suspect might be taken into custody. 

In September last year, the agency had booked Affinity Education Pvt Ltd and its three directors, Siddharth Krishna, Vishwambhar Mani Tripathi and Govind Varshney, besides other touts and associates for alleged manipulation of examination. 

It was alleged that the three directors, in conspiracy with other associates and touts, were manipulating the online examination of JEE-Mains and facilitating aspiring students to get admission into top National Institutes of Technology in consideration of huge amounts by solving the applicants' question papers through remote access from a chosen examination centre in Sonepat (Haryana). -- PTI
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20:26   Jasprit Bumrah ruled out of T20 World Cup
The BCCI medical team has ruled out Team India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup squad. 

The decision was taken following a detailed assessment and in consultation with the specialists. 

Bumrah, was initially ruled out from the ongoing Mastercard 3-match T20I series against South Africa due to a back injury. 

The BCCI will be naming a replacement for Jasprit Bumrah in the squad for the marquee tournament soon.
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19:51   Centre asks news websites, TV channels to refrain from carrying ads of betting sites
The Centre on Monday issued advisories to news websites, OTT platforms and private satellite channels asking them to refrain from carrying advertisements of offshore betting sites. 

"...the private satellite television channels are strongly advised to refrain advertisements of online offshore betting platforms and/or their surrogate news websites or any such product/service depicting these platforms in a surrogate manner," the ministry of information and broadcasting advisory said. 

It also warned private satellite television channels of penal action under applicable laws for violation of the advisory. 

In a separate advisory to publishers of news and current affairs content on digital media and OTT platforms, the ministry issued a similar directive and asked them not to target such advertisements towards the Indian audience. -- PTI
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19:26   Sheena Bora case: Not aware Rs 10L paid to cops to avoid accident FIR, says Rahul Mukerjea
Rahul Mukerjea, son of former media baron Peter Mukerjea, on Monday denied having any knowledge about Rs 10 lakh being paid to the police for not registering a road accident case against him. 

Rahul Mukerjea told court it was not "really" an accident and that he had not crashed into the pregnant woman while riding a motorcycle. 

On Monday, Rahul Mukerjea, Peter Mukerjea's son from an earlier marriage, was cross examined by Indrani Mukerjea's lawyer Ranjeet Sangle before special CBI Judge SP Naik-Nimbalkar in connection with the 2012 Sheena Bora murder case. 

Indrani Mukerjea is a prime accused in the case and is out on bail. 

The murder case was registered in 2015, three years after Sheena Bora was allegedly killed by her mother with the help of co-accused Sanjeev Khanna and Shyamvar Rai. 

Responding to a question about an accident in 2010, Rahul Mukerjea said it is true he met with an accident while riding a motorcycle, but asserted it was not correct to say he crashed into a pregnant lady. 

Replying to another question on the incident, he said, "I don't know if the pregnant lady lost her child due the accident." 

On the defence advocate saying that former policeman Sohail Buddha paid police Rs 10 lakh to ensure an FIR was not registered, Rahul Mukerjea said he was "not aware" of this development. Sohail Buddha never informed him about this, he added. 

Rahul Mukherjea further said, "It was not really an accident. I had stopped my bike before any impact with the lady. However, the lady fell and raised a hue and cry. The police came and took my motorcycle. Then, I informed my father (Peter Mukerjea) and he got in touch with the police," the witness explained. -- PTI
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19:11   Over 6K trees felled for tiger safari in Corbett
More than 6000 trees were felled illegally to start a tiger safari in the Kalagarh forest division of Corbett Tiger Reserve, the Forest Survey of India has said in its report. 

The Uttarakhand forest department had taken the clearance of the Union ministry of forest, environment and climate change for the tiger safari project saying only 163 trees will be chopped off in the process. 

But the FSI in its report said 6,093 trees were felled over 16.21 hectares of land in place of 163 for the tiger safri project at Pakhro in the Kalagarh forest division. 

The report based on a survey conducted by the FSI in June this year was submitted to Uttarakhand's Head of Forest Force Vinod Kumar Singhal recently. 

When contacted Singhal said he disagrees with the technique of FSI's survey sample. 

He said he has sent the report with his comments to the Uttarakhand government and FSI. 

Illegal felling of trees and constructions carried out in the buffer zone of Corbett has been probed by around half a dozen committees which have found the involvement of forest officials in the irregularities. -- PTI
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18:34   Organiser, others booked in Durga Puja pandal fire in UP
A case has been registered against the president of the Durga Puja organisation committee of the pandal where the fire broke out on Sunday night, the Bhadohi DM informed.           

The case has been registered against Baccha Yadav on the charges of carelessness in maintaining the security system at the event. 

Other than him, cases have also been registered against other members of the organisation committee.    

Gaurang Rathi, the DM of Bhadohi also informed that the SIT team has submitted its report. 

The reason for the fire has been found to be the heating of halogen. 

The SIT report also said that there was carelessness regarding the setting up of the electricity system in the pandal. 

Also, the material that was used in the construction of the pandal was inflammable in nature.           

Anil Kumar, the SP of Bhadohi informed on Monday that a case has been registered against Bacchja Yadav and other committee members because of carelessness in security at the event.           

Earlier on Monday, the death toll in the Bhadohi Durga Puja pandal fire incident rose to five. 

More than 60 people were in the incident. -- PTI
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18:06   Union min Balyan in court in Muzaffarnagar case
Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan and other Bharatiya Janata Party leaders on Monday appeared in a special MP/MLA court in Muzaffarnagar in connection with a case of violating prohibitory orders and inciting communal tension during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. 

Judge Mayank Jaiswal fixed October 10 as the next date of hearing as all accused were not present in the court. 

The judge also issued non-bailable warrants against four accused, including Achary Narsinghanand Saraswati alias Deepak Tyagi, priest of Dasna (Gaziabad) temple, for failing to appear in court. 

The court directed the police to produce him and three other accused - Ravinder, Mintu and Shivkumar -- on October 10. 

According to prosecution officer Niraj Singh, 21 accused including Union minister Balyan, UP minister Kapil Dev Agarwal and VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi, are facing trial for allegedly violating prohibitory orders and inciting communal violence. 

It is alleged that they had taken part in a panchayat meeting in Nagla Mador village where they violated prohibitory orders and incited violence through their speeches on August 30, 2013. -- PTI
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17:49   Delhi police provides Z-plus security to CDS Anil Chauhan on MHA's order
The Delhi police provided Z+ security to chief of defence staff Gen Anil Chauhan on the directions of ministry of home affairs, an official said on Monday. 

Chauhan on Friday became India's new chief of defence staff with a mandate to implement the ambitious theaterisation plan that aims to ensure tri-services synergy and prepare the armed forces for future security challenges facing the nation. 

"CDS Gen Anil Chauhan has been provided with Z+ security on MHA's order," confirmed a senior police officer. 

Gen Chauhan, a former Eastern Army commander, took charge as the country's senior-most military commander over nine months after first chief of defence staff Gen Bipin Rawat died in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu. -- PTI
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17:25   Bhagwant Mann wins confidence vote
Just In: Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann wins confidence vote in the Punjab assembly, even as Congress members walk out.

Details soon.
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17:06   Security blanket over J-K ahead of Amit Shah's visit
Security has been tightened for the three-day visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Jammu and Kashmir beginning Monday evening, officials said. 

Shah is scheduled to address two rallies -- one in Rajouri district of the Jammu region on Tuesday and another in Baramulla in north Kashmir on Wednesday. 

There have been two major terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir over the past week. 

Officials on Monday said a multi-tier security arrangement has been put in place for the Union Home minister's visit and drones are being used for aerial surveillance as well. 

The checking on Jammu-Poonch and Srinagar-Baramulla highways has been intensified, while additional police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed to keep a close watch on the situation, they said. 

"Police and CRPF personnel have been deployed at several places in Srinagar as well as elsewhere in the Valley as part of the security measures," the officials said. 

Patrolling has been intensified at many places, especially on the Srinagar-Baramulla-Kupwara highway, they added. 

"High-resolution camera-equipped drones are keeping a vigil at many locations and are aiding the security forces in maintaining surveillance," the officials said. 

Director general of police Dilbag Singh, who visited both the venues last week, said attempts are being made by terrorist and their handlers to disrupt peace in Jammu and Kashmir but all necessary security arrangements are in place for the high-profile visit and "... to sabotage the VIP visit or any such activity that sends a positive message to the people, the terrorists and their handlers across the border try to show that all is not well (on the security front)," the police chief had said here on Sunday. -- PTI
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury at the funeral/CPI-M Kerala/Twitter
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury at the funeral/CPI-M Kerala/Twitter
16:53   Teary farewell to CPI-M leader Balakrishnan in Kerala
The mortal remains of Communist Party of India-Marxist stalwart Kodiyeri Balakrishnan were consigned to flames on Monday in Kannur in the presence of tens of thousands of party workers and senior leaders.  

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Marxist party general secretary Sitaram Yechury, along with other leaders carried the body of Balakrishnan to the pyre readied at Payyambalam beach.

Balakrishnan, who was the former home and tourism minister of Kerala, was cremated with full state honours. 

His two sons, Binoy and Bineesh, lit the pyre while slogans hailing the departed leader reverberated across the beach.

Vijayan, party state secretary MV Govindan, leaders M A Baby, A Vijayaraghavan, MV Jayarajan, and state ministers took part in the over three kilometre long procession of party workers.

The senior Left leader passed away at a private hospital in Chennai on October 1 after battling cancer. He was 70. -- PTI
Sharad Pawar with Uddhav Thackeray in a 2020 picture
Sharad Pawar with Uddhav Thackeray in a 2020 picture
16:14   Pawar dismisses Sena-Cong-NCP tie rumors in 2014
NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday virtually dismissed Congress leader Ashok Chavan's claim that Shiv Sena wanted to form a government in alliance with Congress in 2014 after snapping ties with BJP and was told to consult Pawar. 

 Speaking to reporters in Pune, Pawar also said 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' is organised by Congress and there is no reason for other parties to take part in the foot march led by Rahul Gandhi.

Asked about Chavan's claim that there was a proposal from Shiv Sena for forming a government with the Congress and the NCP in 2014, Pawar said no one gave such a proposal to the Nationalist Congress Party. 

 "Had a proposal been given to NCP, I would have known a bit about it. Though leaders of NCP have the right to take a decision, at least they keep me posted. So whatever Ashok Chavan said, I never heard of it," he said.

 Chavan had said Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, the incumbent chief minister, was part of a delegation that had met him with a proposal to form a Sena-Congress alliance government.

 The senior Congress leader had also claimed that Shinde came with a proposal to snap ties with the BJP, after which the former asked him to consult Sharad Pawar. If he agreed, Chavan would talk to the Congress's central leadership, but nothing happened after that. 

 The Shiv Sena is the alliance partner of NCP and Congress under the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which remained in power from November 2019 to June 2022. 

 Asked about whether NCP will take part in the Maharashtra leg of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', Pawar said it is Congress' program and he didn't see any reason for others (parties) to take part. 

 "I also do not see if anyone has asked (other parties) to join the yatra," he said. Queried on the tussle between Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and the Eknath Shinde faction over holding of Dussehra rallies, the NCP chief said conflicts (between two factions) do take place.

"It is not a new thing but when such conflict happens, there has to be some limit. If something is happening by crossing that limit, it is not good for the state," he said. 

 Pawar said that senior and responsible leaders should step forward to improve this atmosphere in the state and the main responsibility lies on the chief (minister) of the state. 

"He is also the chief of the 14 crore population of Maharashtra and that is why he has more responsibility. We can hope that both sides will conduct themselves in such a way (during the rallies) that bitterness will not increase. If both the factions (of Shiv Sena) ensure that they will not do something that will fuel bitterness, it will help to improve the situation in the state," he said. 

Asked if the NCP is backing the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena for the Shivaji Park congregation, Pawar said it is Sena's event while the rally is organised separately by the Shinde-led faction. "There is no reason for the other party to take part in it". -- PTI
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16:03   Nafed offloads buffer onion of 20,000 tons
To check the sudden spike in onion prices, cooperative Nafed has offloaded 20,000 tonnes of the bulb from the government's reserves in the last three weeks across India, official sources said.

Onion is being disposed of at the "going market rate" in major cities like Delhi, Patna, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Chennai and Hyderabad among others, sources said. 

 Nafed has been creating a buffer stock of onion on behalf of the government under the Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF) for the last few years. For 2022-23, Nafed has built a record onion reserve of 2.50 lakh tonnes to deal with a potential spike in onion prices during the lean season that runs from August to December. 

According to sources, Nafed commenced the disposal of buffer onion on September 14 and has offloaded 20,000 tonnes till now. 

 Onion procured in April and May is being offloaded at the "going market rate", the sources said. The stocks from the buffer will be released in a targeted and calibrated manner till December. 

 According to the data maintained by the consumer affairs ministry, the average retail price of onion was ruling high at Rs 40 per kg in the northeast zone on October 2, while it stood in the range of Rs 23-25 per kg in other zones.
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15:45   Mulayam in CCU, treated by specialists: Medanta
Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav is admitted to the "critical care unit" of Medanta Hospital here and is being treated by a "comprehensive team of specialists", the hospital said on Monday. 

 The announcement from the hospital comes a day after the Samajwadi Party on Sunday said its 82-year-old patriarch's health had deteriorated.

 Mulayam Singh Yadav has been under treatment at the hospital since August 22. He was admitted to the hospital in July as well, sources said. "Sh Mulayam Singh is currently admitted in Critical Care Unit of Medanta Hospital, Gurgaon, and is being treated by a comprehensive team of specialists," the hospital said in a statement. 

 His son Akhilesh Yadav, daughter in-law Dimple Yadav and brother Shivpal Singh Yadav had visited the hospital on Sunday. 

Some party workers, too, reached the hospital premises to enquire about his condition, sources said, adding they have been advised not to visit the health facility. 

 "Respected netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) is admitted to the ICU. His condition is stable. It is a humble request to all of you not to come to the hospital. Information about his health will be given from time to time," the SP had written on its official Twitter handle on Sunday. 

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also spoken to Akhilesh Yadav to enquire about his father's health. -- PTI
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15:35   Man (27) dies of heart attack while playing garba
A young man in Mumbai died on Saturday after experiencing chest pain while playing garba.

The man fell after experiencing chest pain and was admitted to a nearby hospital, where the doctor declared him dead. 

The person was identified as 27-year-old Rishabh. 

He was a resident of Dombivili and worked at a private company.

The Mulund Police has registered the matter under Accidental Death Report (ADR) and has started the investigation.
Svante Paabo
Svante Paabo
15:30   Nobel Prize for Medicine awarded for evolution
Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded to Svante Paabo "for his discoveries concerning the genomes of extinct hominins and human evolution."

Paabo found that gene transfer had occurred from these now extinct hominins to Homo sapiens. This ancient flow of genes to present-day humans has physiological relevance today, for example affecting how our immune system reacts to infections.
Sonia Gandhi in Mysuru with DK Shivakumar
Sonia Gandhi in Mysuru with DK Shivakumar
15:28   Sonia arrives in Mysuru, to join Yatra on Thursday
Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi arrives at Mysore airport, Karnataka. "She will join the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Mandya on October 6," said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.

The yatra will pass through Karnataka for 21 days covering 511 km across the state. The Bharat Jodo Yatra began on September 7 from Kanyakumari and entered Karnataka on Friday after passing through Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Rahul Gandhi has been walking continuously in the Yatra and reached Gundlupet in Karnataka on September 30 from Gudalur in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
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15:05   Iranian plane was in Indian airspace for 40 minutes
A passenger jet operated by Mahan Air, which was on its way from Tehran to Guangzhou in China hovered in Indian airspace for about 40 minutes, before it was allowed to leave India after getting clearance by Iranian authorities, according to an official.

According to sources, inputs were received at 9:20 am on Monday by Delhi Police about a bomb threat on board the Airbus A340 aircraft after which Indian Air Force jets were scrambled to intercept the aircraft. 

Indian Air Force Su-30MKI fighter jets from Halwara (Punjab) and Jodhpur airbases were scrambled to intercept the flight which was moving towards the New Delhi airspace.

Speaking to ANI, Sanjay Tomar, Deputy Chief Fire officer said, "At around 9.25 am we were informed of a bomb scare after which we put our teams in a stand-by position but the flight did not land. We were given an all-clear message at 10.05 am by security".

"They might have had some suspicion about the bomb scare, so we were kept on alert for it. We had positioned our vehicles. We had two fire unit vehicles positioned with assistant regional officers and reinforcements are sent as and when required," he added.

According to the IAF officials, the plane was allowed to continue its flight towards China after Iranian agencies asked the force to "disregard the threat". -- ANI
Ajay Mishra 'Teni' has not been sacked from the council of ministers
Ajay Mishra 'Teni' has not been sacked from the council of ministers
14:46   Cong on Lakhimpur: Clear evidence of Teni's son
On the first anniversary of Lakhimpur Kheri violence, the Congress on Monday attacked the Modi government over the continuation of Ajay Misra 'Teni' as a minister as it cited the alleged involvement of his son in mowing down of farmers protesting against the three farm laws that have now been repealed. 

"Nothing can be more insulting that the farmers agitating against the black laws were deliberately killed while the culprit remains a member of the Union council of ministers," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh told reporters. 

 There was clear evidence that the minister's son was involved in the killing, he alleged. 

 Misra's son Ashish Misra was arrested in the case after four farmers were crushed under the wheels of a convoy of cars and four others, including two BJP workers, were killed in apparently retaliatory violence. 

 Addressing a press conference, Ramesh also hailed Rahul Gandhi's address to people in Karnataka while heavy rains drenched him as a "defining" moment during the Congress' ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra. 

 It was a historic day and shows people's support to the yatra, he said.

 The more Gandhi and people are praised for this, the less it will be, he claimed. Congress delegates who are part of the foot march may vote in the election for the party president through postal ballots, he said, adding there is also a possibility that they can come down to Bengaluru to vote on October 17. The yatra will be passing through Karnataka around that time.

 Ramesh claimed that popular support to the yatra has rattled the BJP and slammed the Enforcement Directorate's summons to Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar in the National Herald case as continuation of the government's "vendetta politics". Every effort will be made to derail the yatra but the Congress will continue with its efforts, he said.
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14:41   Air India introduces new menu in domestic flights
Tata-owned Air India has introduced a new in-flight menu on domestic routes amid the onset of the festive season. 

 Since taken over by the Tatas in January this year, the loss-making airline has been making efforts to revamp services, expand its fleet and increase its overall market share in the fast-growing domestic aviation space. 

 The new in-flight menu, featuring an assortment of gourmet meals, trendy appetisers and decadent desserts, showcases India's locally sourced culinary influence, it said in a release. The menu was introduced on October 1. 

 "The new menu choices have been curated to ensure that the flyers enjoy a gourmet meal with emphasis on health and well-being... We are excited to roll out this new menu on domestic routes, and are hard at work preparing a revamp of the international menu as well," Sandeep Verma, Head of Inflight Services at Air India, said. 

 Last month, Air India unveiled 'Vihaan.AI', a comprehensive transformation plan with a detailed road map for the next five years under which the airline aims to have a domestic market share of 30 per cent and significantly strengthen its international operations.
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14:09   New chopper can send message to enemy: Rajnath
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh takes a sortie in Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) 'Prachand' at Jodhpur airbase.

"It was a smooth and comfortable flight in the indigenously built Light Combat Helicopter (LCH). It can fly in any terrain, weather, and altitude; it has the capability to attack. Our motto is -- make in India, make for the world," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.

"There is no need to define 'Prachand', the LCH itself is capable of sending out a message to the enemy," he added.

The IAF on Monday inducted the first fleet of LCH, which has been developed primarily for mountain warfare after a requirement for it was felt during the Kargil war in 1999.  

Developed by state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, the 5.8-tonne twin-engine gunship chopper is armed with air-to-air missiles, 20 mm turret guns, rocket systems and other weapons.  

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14:02   Durga puja revelry gets a drenching
The nightmare of every Durga Puja pandal and pandal-hopper. Heavy rainfall dampens the festive spirit at a Durga puja pandal in Rukmini Gaon area in Assam, which was waterlogged. 
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13:53   Siddhartha Mukheree's Song of the Cell will be published Oct 25
Pulitzer prize winning author, Siddhartha Mukherjee, has an announcement to make on his new book. "So here it is ' Blue, gold and red (via Kiki Smith) ' out on Oct 25th. Pre-order if you'd like I'll post reading events next," the Pulitzer Prize winning author tweets.  

His forthcoming book, "The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human," part of what he says will be a quartet, is "fundamentally about understanding the units that organize our life", he tells the NYT. Read the interview here. 

Mukherjee, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene, The Song of The Cell, is the third book in this extraordinary writer's exploration of what it means to be human.

In the late 1600s, a distinguished English polymath, Robert Hooke, and an eccentric Dutch cloth merchant, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, look down their handmade microscopes. What they see introduces a radical concept that sweeps through biology and medicine, touching virtually every aspect of the two sciences and altering both forever. It is the fact that complex living organisms are assemblages of tiny, self-contained, self-regulating units. Our organs, our physiology, our selves-hearts, blood, brains-are built from these compartments. Hooke christens them 'cells'.

The 480-page tome is available on Amazon. 


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13:14   Cong's pics of Rahul, Modi in rain has a message
The Congress party tweets this image of Rahul Gandhi addressing crowds in Mysuru amid heavy rain. Juxtaposed is an image of PM Narendra Modi holding an umbrella in a light drizzle. 

The tweet read: Jan-neta (mass leader) for Rahul Gandhi, and Abhineta (actor) for the PM, and said, the 'difference is obvious'. 

Hundreds of people raised pro-Congress slogans as party leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday addressed them amid heavy rains and asserted that nothing can "stop us to unite the country" through the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra. 

 Soon after Gandhi arrived at the venue for the public meeting on the outskirts of Mysuru, a sudden burst of rain greeted him and the gathering. As the Wayanad MP chose to continue his speech, the crowds cheered for him, even as many were seen holding up chairs to ward off the torrential rain. "This journey will continue from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and will not stop. It is raining, but the showers have not stopped this yatra. Heat, storm, cold can't stop this yatra.
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13:05   President Murmu begins Gujarat visit at Sabarmati
President Droupadi Murmu began her two-day Gujarat tour on Monday by visiting the Mahatma Gandhi Ashram at Sabarmati in Ahmedabad. She will  also inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for projects worth Rs 1,330 crore at a function in Gandhinaga. This will be her first visit to Gujarat as the President.
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12:29   Rahul Gandhi's idea of India
Rahul Gandhi who is in Mysuru today tweeted an image of visits to a mutt, a mosque and church and wrote that embracing and respecting all religions is the foundation of a peaceful and progressive India.  
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12:24   There is no G-23 group: Tharoor
"There is no G23 group, it was all the media's idea," says Congress presidential poll candidate Shashi Tharoor.

Tharoor who is pitted against Gandhi family loyalist Mallikarjun Kharge says this election is about how the Congress should be best equipped to take on the ruling govt today, which is the BJP. 

"We've lost 2 elections... We need a renewed, reinvigorated Congress party where it is mobilized effectively to take on this challenge," Tharoor said.

Ahead of the Congress presidential polls, Shashi Tharoor said that he represents change in the party which a leader like Mallikarjun Kharge can't bring about. 

The Congress MP said that the Congress President's polls are not a war, but only "he" can bring the required changes in the party.

A group of 23 leaders of the Congress party sought organisational-level changes and group of senior Congress leaders first wrote a letter to interim party chief Sonia Gandhi in August 2020. 

This group was named G-23. Along with an immediate organisational rejig, the leaders also demanded active leadership.

The letter was signed by Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Manish Tewari, PJ Kurien, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Kuldeep Sharma, Vivek Tankha, Mohammad Ali Khan, Sandeep Dixit, Raj Babbar, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Prithviraj Chavan, Preneet Kaur, Shankersinh Vaghela and Manishankar Aiyer, among others. 
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11:57   IAF inducts Make-in-India Light Combat Helicopter
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday inducted the first fleet of indigenously-built Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), which has been developed primarily for mountain warfare after a requirement for it was felt during the Kargil war in 1999. 

 Developed by the state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the 5.8-tonne twin-engine gunship chopper is armed with air-to-air missiles, 20 mm turret guns, rocket systems and other weapons.

 The fleet comprising four helicopters was inducted into the IAF at a ceremony at the Jodhpur Air Force Station in presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and other senior military officials.
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11:52   Tharoor's book on Ambedkar to be launched on Thursday
When he's not trying to steer the Congress into sustainability, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor writes. His latest tome, Ambedkar, A Life, will be launched at Teen Murti Bhavan, Delhi on Thursday.

Dr Tharoor will be in conversation with former Supreme Court Justice Madan Lokur, Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar (educationist and an expert on Dr Ambedkar) and Karuna Nundy (Supreme Court lawyer), among others.
If you are interested in scintillating conversation email publicity@alephbookcompany.com or delhi@pkfoundation.org.

Tharoor is a candidate for the Congress presidential elections and ironically he is pitted against Mallikarjun Kharge, a Dalit candidate. 
Representational image
Representational image
11:27   Bomb threat on Iranian plane, IAF jets scrambled
Indian Air Force fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a foreign aircraft with its origin in Iran that was moving towards the New Delhi airspace.

According to sources, inputs were received by security agencies in Delhi about the possibility of a bomb on board, which triggered an alert and permission was not granted to the plane to land in Delhi. 

 The foreign aircraft was headed to China as its final destination, had entered Indian airspace when the alert from Indian Air Traffic Control was shared with the plane. 

Indian Air Force Su-30MKI fighter jets from Punjab and Jodhpur airbases were scrambled to intercept the plane, sources told ANI. 

 The nature of the bomb threat or the name of the Iranian commercial carrier is still unclear. However, after clearance, the aircraft is now moving towards China and at the time of filing this report, it was over Indian airspace and is being closely monitored by security agencies. The plane is continuing on its flight path towards China. -- ANI
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11:15   Jaishankar seeks Ma Durga's blessings
"A blessed Saptami Sunday morning. Prayed to Maa Durga for health and harmony for all at the Pandara Park Pujo Pandal in New Delhi," tweeted EAM Dr S Jaishankar yesterday. 
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait
11:08   Lakhimpur victims await justice a year on: Tikait
The families of those who died in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence are yet to get justice, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said, announcing that farmers will assemble across the country on Monday to mark the incident's first anniversary. 

 Speaking to reporters in Lakhimpur Kheri on Sunday evening, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson said the nation will never forget the violence that took place in Tikunia village on this day last year and claimed eight lives. 

 Tikait will take part in religious programmes at the Kaudiyala Ghat gurdwara in Tikunia on Monday to mark the first anniversary of the violence. 

 Farmers were staging a protest in Tikunia village on October 3 last year against a visit of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya when four of them were crushed under the wheels of a convoy of cars. In the subsequent violence, four others including two BJP workers and a journalist were killed. 

 "The families of the victims are yet to get justice," Tikait said. "It was a week of peace. The violence that broke out claimed the lives of eight people. It was unfortunate," he said. 

 "Farmers of the country will never forget the incident. They will assemble across the nation to mark its first anniversary on October 3," he added. 

 The BKU leader blamed the state government for the delay in justice. "The ruling dispensation neither believes in the legal system nor the Constitution and misused its power," he alleged. 

 Asked about the future course of action, Tikait said, "People can only raise their voices and the rest is up to the government." 

 Referring to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha's (SKM) three-day protest in Lakhimpuri Kheri in August over the delay in delivery of justice in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, he said over 50,000 farmers came together and put forth their demands. They were assured that the Uttar Pradesh chief minister or concerned officials will talk to them but nothing materialised.

 "In fact, even the authorities are helpless as the whole system is run from Delhi, which dictates Lucknow," he claimed. 

 On his way to the Kaudiyala Ghat gurdwara, Tikait will stop over at the residence of two Dalit sisters whose bodies were found hanging from a tree on September 14 after they were allegedly gang-raped and murdered last month in the Nighasan area. PTI
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10:36   Kharge & I battling BJP not each other: Tharoor
Ahead of the Congress presidential polls, Shashi Tharoor said that he represents change in the party which a leader like Mallikarjun Kharge can't bring about. 

 The Congress MP, while addressing party workers at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial in Nagpur on Sunday, said that the Congress President's polls are not a war, but only "he" can bring the required changes in the party. 

"Let me make clear that I agree with @khargeji that all of us in @incIndia
 wish to take on the BJP rather than each other. There is no ideological difference between us. The choice for our voting colleagues Oct17 is only on how to do it most effectively.
#ThinkTomorrowThinkTharoor

"We are not enemies, it's not war. Some people are saying that Kharge Ji is a senior leader, and why don't I get out of the race for him? I respect Kharge Ji, but it's a poll for our party's future. There are differences in the way we want to take the party forward," Tharoor said. 

 "Kharge Ji is a part of our leadership, and other than the Gandhi family he is among the top three leaders of the Congress party. But leaders like him can't bring change and will continue the existing system. I will bring the change as per the expectations of party workers," Tharoor further said.

 Earlier on Saturday, while talking to ANI, Tharoor had called the Gandhi family an asset to the party saying, "Gandhi family and Congress' DNA is the same...No (party) president is such a fool to tell "goodbye" to Gandhi family. They are a huge asset to us". 

 Tharoor stressed that the contest between him and Kharge is "not a battle" and it should be left upon the Congress workers to choose between the two. "This isn't a battle...Let party workers choose, that's our message. I'm saying that if you're satisfied with the party's work, vote for Kharge Sahab. If you want a change, I'm there. But there's no ideological problem. There will not be any change in the message of the Congress party," he said.

 Noting that the Central leadership in the party is taking all the decisions, Tharoor emphasised on giving rights to the lower levels of the organisation to take decisions. 

 "All the decisions are being taken in New Delhi these days. It would be good for the party if the right to take decisions is given to the grassroots at the levels of the blocks, Zilla and states," he said. 

 Notably, in the manifesto released by Tharoor soon after filing his nomination, he mentioned the need for "decentralization" in the party. Talking about his decision to run for the party's top post, he said that he intended to contest when the election was announced, backed by the party workers. -- ANI
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10:14   Next Years Met Gala to Honor Karl Lagerfeld
The May 2023 event will celebrate the work of the German-born couturier, who worked at Chanel, Fendi and Chloe and died in 2019. Read more here. 
A Durga idol with a traditional Mahisasura
A Durga idol with a traditional Mahisasura
10:04   Gandhi lookalike as Asura at Kolkata changed
A Durga idol in Kolkata in which the 'Mahisasura' was replaced by a crudely-crafted Mahatma Gandhi-look alike created controversy on the birth anniversary of the father of the nation. 

Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, organisers of the puja near Ruby Crossing in southwest Kolkata, changed the appearance of the idol that looked like Gandhi following instructions from the police after a complaint was lodged. 

The organisers said the similarities were "just a coincidence". 

According to mythology, Goddess Durga slew Mahusasur in an epic battle to end his evil reign. 

"The Durga idol that was worshipped here initially had a Mahisasur whose face looked similar to that of Mahatma Gandhi. The similarities are just a coincidence. After photos of it went viral, a police team visited the pandal and asked us to change the face," Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha state working President Chandrachur Goswami told PTI on Sunday. 

 A journalist had earlier in the day tweeted a photograph of the Durga idol, tagging the Kolkata Police. He deleted the post later, claiming that the police asked him to do so as it might create tension during the festival. 

 "I have been requested by @KolkataPolice cyber cell @DCCyberKP to delete my tweet on a particular puja in Kolkata as they think it might create tension amid the festivities. As a responsible citizen I abide by their request," Alt News Senior Editor Indradeep Bhattacharyya said in a fresh post. 

 Goswami said the organisation didn't mean to hurt anybody's sentiments. "The police asked us to change it, and we obliged. We put a moustache and hair on Mahishasur's idol," he said. 

 The move drew condemnation from various quarters. 

 "We don't support what Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha did. We condemn it. We too had differences with Gandhiji's views, but this is not a way to protest against it," said Sandip Mukherjee, president, Bangiya Parishad Hindu Mahasabha. 

The Trinamool Congress and the BJP also slammed the alleged depiction of Gandhi as 'Mahisasura'. The ruling Trinamool Congress state spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said if this was really done, it was nothing but sacrilege. -- PTI
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10:03   Elon Musk and Twitter bosss messages show how pair fell out
Texts disclosed to a US court show the two bonding before the Tesla CEO tweeted: 'Is Twitter dying?' Read the report here. 
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09:34   3 killed, 64 injured Durga puja pandal fire in UP
Three people were killed and 64 others injured after a fire broke out in a Durga Puja pandal here due to overheating of a halogen light, officials said on Monday.

 A digital show was going on at the pandal and 300-400 people were inside it when the fire broke out on Sunday night. The pandal was reduced to ashes, they said. 

 The fire broke out in a Durga Puja pandal in Narthua village, a stone's throw from Aurai police station, around 9.30 pm on Sunday, District Magistrate Gaurang Rathi said. 

 A total of 67 people were injured in the fire and three of them -- Ankush Soni (12), Jaya Devi (45) and Naveen (10) -- died. 

Three of the injured are stated to be serious, he said. All the injured have been identified, and the district administration and police have their list, he said, adding that the majority of the people inside the pandal were women and children.

 A halogen light at the pandal overheated, causing an electric wire to catch fire at multiple points simultaneously. Soon the fire engulfed the wooden scaffolding and the tent, Rathi said. The cause of the fire was ascertained by a special probe team constituted by Additional Director General Ram Kumar, the DM said.
Pic: Priyanka Mathew. Courtesy her Facebook page
Pic: Priyanka Mathew. Courtesy her Facebook page
09:24   Remembering my friend Priyanka Mathew
"I met Priyanka Mathew for the first time in the early 2000s. She had just returned from a trip to Europe with a common friend. It was at a party '" I can't remember who was hosting it. Just like that Priyanka and I connected, talking about our lives and soon we became very good friends," writes Aseem Chhabra. Read the column here. 
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09:18   The 1st South Asian auctioneer at Sotheby's dies of cancer
An accomplished Tango dancer and former banker in her mid-40s, the Indian American was a well-known name in the New York art circles. Read more here.
Kamaladevi Chattopdhayay
Kamaladevi Chattopdhayay
09:14   Kamaladevi Chattopdhayay NIF Book Prize longlist is here
The shortlist will be announced on November 8, and the winner, on December 1. Read more here. 
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09:00   State accountability in violence rare: Teesta
Social activist Teesta Setalvad has said the country had rarely seen accountability of the state as far as targeted violence is concerned, and added that survivors and citizens supporting them are among the "fallout" of such violence. 

 Delivering the Girish Patel Smarnanjali Lecture in Ahmedabad on Sunday, Setalvad said the story of targeted violence begins with the build-up that is created with hate speeches and hate writings. 

 The survivors of such violence have to face difficulties in ensuring punishment for the perpetrators, she added. 

 "What is fallout? State accountability happens rarely in our country. How many people have been punished in (the riots of) 1984, 1992 and 2002? These are the questions before us. And the difficulties that survivors have to face to ensure punishment and citizens for supporting them are the issues that come up," she said. 

 Setalvad was recently arrested by Gujarat police in a case of the alleged fabrication of evidence to frame innocent people in the 2002 Gujarat riots cases in which a large number of people, especially those from the minority community, were killed.

 She was recently granted interim bail by the Supreme Court.

 Setalvad said working on a deeply polarising issue among the public is not an easy one and added that the impact of social media on polarization is also overwhelming. 

 "The people in power who are controlling social media are the same that have spent 70-80 years in the society, on the roads, among doctors, lawyers, and cultural organisations to capture them. Power is degenerative, but they have worked hard," she said. 

"The process being witnessed in the country is that of people perpetrating the violence and the party in power lending its support, and this has an old history," she said. 

"What happened after the demolition of Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992, appears to repeat itself," she claimed. 

 "We saw a harking back to an earlier period. We need to understand the phenomenon as to what was happening in the country between 1986 and 1992, and what are we looking at now and what happened in between. Today, one also has to grapple with the media, which are carrying out a set agenda of "targeting individuals and movements who have in any way threatened it," the rights activist said. 

 She said the buffer against polarisation and hate politics will build on its own if one is successful in holding on to social, political, constitutional and human rights engagements. -- PTI
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08:48   President to visit Sabarmati Ashram today
President Droupadi Murmu will start her two-day Gujarat tour on Monday by visiting the Mahatma Gandhi Ashram at Sabarmati in Ahmedabad and also inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for projects worth Rs 1,330 crore at a function in Gandhinagar, according to a state government release. This will be her first visit to Gujarat as the President. 

 "On the first day of her two-day Gujarat visit, President Murmu will offer prayers at the Gandhi Ashram before taking part in the event in Gandhinagar which will also be attended by Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel," the state government release said. Later in the day, she will inaugurate/lay the foundation stone for various projects related to health, irrigation, water supply and port development at GMERS, Gandhinagar, a Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said. 

 In the evening, she will attend a civic reception hosted by the government of Gujarat in her honour in Gandhinagar, it added. -- PTI
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08:45   Veep to host dinner for RS floor leaders today
Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar will hold a dinner meeting for all Rajya Sabha floor leaders at his official residence in the national capital today.Sources in the VP Secretariat told ANI that an invitation had been sent to all Rajya Sabha floor leaders to attend the "courtesy dinner meet". 

This will be the first of such a gathering by Dhankhar since he assumed the VP office a couple of months ago.Apart from Rajya Sabha floor leaders, the Leader of the House, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and some senior ministers who are members of the upper house have been invited to the dinner meeting.
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08:39   Boy killed, 'sacrificed to God' in Delhi
In a shocking incident, a 6-year-old boy was allegedly killed by two men in South Delhi's Lodhi Colony on Saturday night in what they claimed was a "sacrifice on the orders of God".

According to Delhi Police, the incident took place on Saturday night at the construction site of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) headquarters in the posh Lodhi Colony area. Delhi Police got a PCR call in the early hours of Sunday at Lodhi Colony that the throat of a 6-year-old boy was slit by two men at an under-construction building. 

Police personnel rushed to the spot and arrested the two accused who were already caught by other labourers and CRPF personnel on the duty.

The victim was identified as the son of one of the labourers working at the site. They are natives of Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly.

Police said both the accused, Vijay Kumar and Aman Kumar, are natives of Bihar and worked as cement cutters at the site.

According to Police, the accused were under the influence of drugs when they allegedly slit the child's neck. -- PTI
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08:31   Mulayam Singh Yadav's health deteriorates
Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav was shifted to the ICU of the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram on Sunday after his health deteriorated, the party said. 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath spoke to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to enquire about the health of his father Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Sources said Modi assured Akhilesh Yadav that he is there to extend any possible help and assistance.
According to information provided by the Uttar Pradesh government, Adityanath also called doctors at the hospital and asked them to provide the best treatment to the SP patriarch.
In a tweet in Hindi, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said, "Received information about the ill health of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. I pray to lord Ram for his speedy recovery and long life."
Another Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also prayed for a speedy recovery of the 82-year-old leader.
"Respected netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) is admitted to the ICU. His condition is stable. It is a humble request to all of you that please do not come to the hospital. Information about netaji's health will be given from time to time," the SP wrote on its official Twitter handle.
Family members of the SP patriarch are reaching Gurugram to check on his health, the party's Uttar Pradesh unit spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said.
While his brother Shivpal Singh Yadav is there, Akhilesh Yadav also visited the hospital, party sources said.
They added that the party workers have been advised not to rush to Gurugram.
According to hospital sources, the veteran leader is being treated under the supervision of oncologists Dr Nitin Sood and Dr Sushil Kataria.
Mulayam Singh Yadav has been under treatment at the hospital since August 22, the sources said. The SP leader was admitted to the hospital in July as well.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called on Akhilesh Yadav and enquired about his father's health.
In a tweet in Hindi, Singh said, "On getting information about the ill health of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, I talked to his son Akhilesh Yadav over the phone and enquired about his well-being. I pray to god that he gets well soon."
In a tweet in Hindi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "Received the news of Mulayam Singhji's ill health. I wish him a speedy recovery."
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "All of us are concerned about the deteriorating health condition of Mulayam Singh Yadav and praying for his health."
"Hope Shri Mulayam Singhji is back to best health soon," Rashtriya Lok Dal president Jayant Singh Chaudhary wrote on Twitter. -- PTI 

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