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Wed, 14 September 2022
Delhi police summons Norah Fatehi on Thursday
Timeline Refresh
23:48 Lalu visits RJD office after a gap of several years
Rashtriya Janata Dal's founding president Lalu Prasad on Wednesday drove to his party office in Patna, after a gap of several years which were marred by imprisonment and ill health.
Prasad's arrival at the Birchand Patel Marg office at around 3 30 pm was joyously hailed by party members who have been in a state of elation since the "Mahagathbandhan", helmed by the RJD, formed a government in Bihar last month.
The haggard-looking septuagenarian, who wore a T-shirt and track pants, his preferred attire these days, was welcomed by state party chief Jagadanand Singh, among others.
His younger son Tejashwi Yadav, who has become the deputy CM, also came rushing upon hearing about his father's visit to the party's state headquarters.
"Our national president finalised the programme for the party's national executive and an open session in Delhi next month", senior RJD leaders Shyam Rajak and Uday Narayan Chaudhary told reporters afterwards.
They said the national executive will be held near Jantar Mantar on October 09, followed by the open session at Talkatora Stadium a day later. -- PTI
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna
23:36 France to open consulate in Hyderabad: French Foreign Minister Colonna
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said that France is open to Indian students, as the country set the ambitious target of welcoming 20,000 students by 2025.
During a press conference along with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi, Colonna said that both of the counterparts have discussed the strengthening of ties between the two countries today.
"We have discussed today the strengthening of ties between our peoples, this partnership of hearts and minds, to which we are so attached. This morning I conveyed a message to Indian students in this regard: France is open to you. We wish to see you come and study in France in greater numbers. President Emmanuel Macron has set us the ambitious target of welcoming 20,000 Indian students to France by 2025," she said.
"The new Indo-French Campus for Healthcare that we are working on, which will award dual degrees in healthcare from next year, will contribute to this. As will the Bureau of France that we will soon open in Hyderabad. This will come in addition to the one in Chennai, to our 4 Consulates general and to our 15 Alliances francaises, so that wherever you live in India, France will not be far away," the foreign minister added.
The French foreign minister also said that France is proud to be one of India's first defence partners, adding that the arm forces of both countries are now conducting joint patrols. -- ANI
Norah Fatehi
22:57 Delhi police summons Norah Fatehi on Thursday
Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez was on Wednesday questioned by the Delhi police's Economic Offences Wing for over eight hours in connection with an extortion case linked to alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, officials said.
Actor Nora Fatehi and Pinky Irani, who allegedly introduced Fernandez to Chandrashekhar, have been summoned for questioning on Thursday, they said.
Fernandez, a Sri Lankan, joined the probe after being issued a third summons.
Irani had accompanied her, they said.
Special commissioner of police (crime) Ravindra Yadav said Fernandez was grilled about her alleged role in the multi-crore money laundering case linked to Chandrashekhar and about the gifts she took from him among other issues.
Fernandez and Irani were confronted together, Yadav said.
The actor cooperated during the questioning and later had lunch, he added.
The Housefull 3 actor had been asked to join the probe on Monday but cited prior commitments and sought another date.
She will be called again for questioning but the date has not been fixed yet, the senior police officer said.
Though the agency has already questioned Norah Fatehi for six to seven hours in the case and has recorded her statement, she will be further interrogated on Thursday as there are "certain unanwered questions", he said.
The officer, however, denied any direct link between the two actors.
Chandrashekhar, who is currently in jail, is accused of cheating various people, including high-profile individuals such as former Fortis Healthcare promoter Shivinder Mohan Singh's wife Aditi Singh.
Fatehi was earlier questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in the case. -- PTI
22:49 Man held for raping 3-year-old girl, authorities raze 'illegal' house of accused
A three-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a labourer at a town in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district, following which the police arrested him, while the local civic authorities pulled down his "illegal" house, officials said.
The 35-year-old accused, identified as Girraj Rajak, was arrested after the incident that occurred in Banmore town on Tuesday evening, said additional superintendent of police Rai Singh Narwaria.
The girl was sitting outside when the accused lured her away to a deserted place nearby and sexually assaulted her, he said.
"When the girl's mother heard her crying, she rushed to the place and saw the accused fleeing from the spot. She also followed the accused for some distance, but failed to catch hold of him," the ASP said.
The victim's mother then approached the local police station and filed a complaint, following which he as arrested, he said.
The local authorities demolished his house on Wednesday, he said, adding that the girl was admitted to a hospital in Gwalior, where she is undergoing treatment, and her condition is stable.
The police sources said the accused worked as a labourer at a stone quarry.
He is married and has three children.
He was involved in a similar offence in the past, they said.
Talking about the action against Rajak's house, Banmore Municipal Council's chief municipal officer Yaswar Goyal said, "The entire colony where the residence of the accused is located is illegal. Therefore, his house was brought down." -- PTI
22:30 Queen Elizabeth II: Flight carrying coffin to London most tracked plane in history
Nearly six million people tried to follow a British Royal Air Force transport aircraft taking Queen Elizabeth II's coffin from Edinburgh in Scotland to London, making it the most tracked flight in history, website Flightradar24 said on Wednesday.
The Queen's coffin was flown on a RAF Globemaster C-17 on Tuesday evening, after lying in state at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh.
The previous record was when a US military aircraft carrying US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan last month was followed by 2.2 million people on Flightradar24.
On Tuesday, nearly six million people tried to follow the British military plane's route from Edinburgh to RAF Northolt within its first minute in the air, the website said.
The huge traffic caused disruptions to the site, where users can track the path of planes in the air.
More than 4.79 million people watched on its site and app and 296,000 were watching on a YouTube stream, the BBC reported.
The flight used the callsign "Kittyhawk", used for any military flight with the Queen on board. The C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft was earlier used to take humanitarian aid and weapons to Ukraine following Russia's invasion.
Prime Minister Liz Truss and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace were among those waiting at RAF Northolt for the flight carrying the coffin of the late monarch.
Queen Elizabeth II died aged 96 at her Balmoral Castle summer residence in Scotland on September 8.
Flightradar24 said it had taken steps to make its platform as stable as possible before the plane took off. -- PTI
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22:09 2 terrorists killed in encounter in Srinagar
Two terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Srinagar on Wednesday, the police said.
Based on specific inputs, security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Dangerpora under the Nowgam police station area, a police official said.
During the operation, he said, the terrorists opened fire at the security forces. The security forces retaliated, triggering an encounter.
So far, two terrorists have been killed in the operation, which was underway when last reports came in.
The slain terrorists are yet to be identified, the official said.
22:02 Modi to address youth rally in Mandi, HP, on Sep 24
Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a youth rally in Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur's home district Mandi next week.
PM Modi will address the youth rally to be organised by the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha at Paddal Maidan in Mandi on September 24, Thakur said while addressing a public meeting in Mandi on Wednesday.
Himachal Pradesh is likely to go to polls in November this year.
21:38 Sardar Sarovar Dam close to full reservoir level of 138.68 mtrs
Aided by bountiful rains in its catchment areas, the water level of the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat's Narmada district reached 138.46 metres on Wednesday evening, just shy of 22 cms from achieving its full reservoir level of 138.68 metres, officials said.
This is for the first time this monsoon season that the water level of the dam, located near the iconic Statue of Unity at Kevadia, has reached so close to the FRL.
The dam's catchment areas also fall in the adjoining Madhya Pradesh.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is scheduled to visit the dam site on Thursday morning when the water level is likely to reach the FRL of 138.68 metres (455 feet), the officials of the state information department said.
As per an update released by the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd, the dam had been receiving an inflow of 2.23 lakh cusec of water, while 1 lakh cusec of water was being released through its ten gates.
SSNNL is a Gujarat government PSU that administers this giant hydropower and irrigation project.
Out of two powerhouses built on the dam for production of electricity, 42,519 cusec water was being released in riverbed and 17,273 cusec in canal-head powerhouses, said the update. -- PTI
DIG Satya Veer Singh meets a victim of mass shooting at a hospital in Begusarai/ANI
21:12 7 Bihar cops suspended after Begusarai shooting
Seven police personnel in Bihar's Begusarai were suspended on Wednesday for dereliction of duty after four gunmen went on a rampage in the district, killing a man and critically injuring 11 people, a senior official said.
Earlier, district police officers had claimed that two bike-borne assailants were involved in the incident.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar told reporters in Patna, "The incident is being thoroughly investigated by the Bihar police. Officers are also probing the motive behind it."
Seven district police personnel have been suspended in connection with the shooting, the chief minister said.
Talking to media persons, Yogendra Kumar, Begusarai superintendent of police, said, "The district police have launched a manhunt to nab the accused. Altogether four gunmen were involved in the incident. The miscreants came in two bikes and fired indiscriminately at several locations in Begusarai on Tuesday, killing a 30-year-old man, Chandan Kumar, and injuring 11 others'.
Five persons have been detained in connection with the incident, he said.
Security has been heightened in the district and all the entry points have been barricaded, the SP said.
The police have released CCTV footage of the incident, and announced cash reward for anyone providing reliable information about the accused. -- PTI
20:53 Princes William, Harry walk side by side for Queen in symbolic unity
As Queen Elizabeth II's coffin left Buckingham Palace in London for the last time on Wednesday, the new heir to the British throne, William - Prince of Wales, walked side by side with his younger brother, Prince Harry -- the Duke of Sussex, in a deliberate show of symbolic unity following a reported rift between the royal siblings.
It marked the second time the duo has come together in the wake of their grandmother's death on Thursday, previously seen on a walkabout at Windsor Castle to view the floral tributes and greet crowds with their spouses over the weekend.
The foursome was united again inside Westminster Hall, where Kate -- the Princess of Wales and Meghan Markle -- the Duchess of Sussex joined William and Harry respectively in a procession for the short service marking the Queen's Lying-in-State ceremony.
It was in contrast to when the two princes were separated in procession behind their grandfather, Prince Philip's coffin at Windsor Castle in April last year.
The duo walking alongside each other will be seen as a message of unity from a grieving royal family.
A unifying and healing note was struck when King Charles III lovingly referred to his younger son Harry and daughter-in-law Meghan in his first televised address to the nation last week.
It was reciprocated by Harry in his own message in memory of his grandmother as he wished his father well as the new monarch.
There have been reports of a rift between father and son and the two brothers ever since Harry and Meghan announced their decision to step back as frontline royals a few years ago and relocate to the US, where they are now based in California with their two children -- Archie and Lilibet, named after the late Queen. -- PTI
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20:31 Student critical in Gurugram college fight
A student of Guru Dronacharya College was injured critically on Wednesday when he was thrashed by some students with sticks and an iron rod right outside the college, the police said.
The injured student, Rohit, is being treated at a hospital and an FIR has been registered at the city police station.
The injured student is a resident of Damdama village and is a student of BA second year in Guru Dronacharya College, according to the police complaint he filed.
In his complaint, Rohit said that around 1 pm Wednesday he had an altercation with one Raman alias Harry Rao inside the college.
After about half an hour, when he came out of the college, he saw that Raman and his friend Nishu Kataria were already waiting for him with their other friends.
Nishu was holding a stick while Raman had an iron rod in his hand, he said.
"As I was passing, both of them suddenly started beating me with sticks and the iron rod and their other friends too beat me with kicks. When people started gathering, they fled from there and threatened to kill me before leaving," Rohit said in his complaint.
Rohit was rushed to the hospital by his friend Sandeep.
An FIR has been registered against the accused under sections 323 (causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 34 (common intention) of the IPC, police said.
"We are conducting raids to nab the accused who are absconding,' said Inspector Vedpal, SHO, City police station. -- PTI
20:11 Court orders FIR, probe against Yediyurappa, kin
The additional city civil and sessions judge court on Wednesday ordered an FIR to be registered and investigation taken up on a private complaint alleging corruption by former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa and his family members.
The order comes exactly a week after the high court of Karnataka on September 7 directed the special court to hear the complaint of corruption afresh.
The lower court had on July 8 dismissed the complaint, as the governor had refused to give sanction to the complainant, TJ Abraham.
The HC, however, ruled that the complainant was not the competent authority to seek sanction from the governor.
The complaint is against Yediyurappa, the then chief minister, and his family members, alleging that they obtained bribes in return for granting Bangalore Development Authority contracts.
Reacting to the order, Yediyurappa said he has full confidence in the judiciary.
"There is no truth in any of these allegations. I will come out of all these (cases). These things are natural, I'm not bothered about it," he said.
Asked whether there was any conspiracy against him, he said, "definitely". -- PTI
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20:01 'Drunk' medical students attack police patrolling team in MP; 10 booked
Some "drunk" students of a government medical college in Gwalior allegedly snatched the mobile phone of a police official and also beat up the driver of a police vehicle following an argument with a patrolling team that found them wandering on a city street in the wee hours of Wednesday, the police said.
After the incident, four of the students were detained before being let off following a medical examination on them, and a first information report was registered against them along with six others in this connection, an official said.
"The incident occurred after city superintendent of police Rishikesh Meena spotted the youths in an inebriated condition near the Gajra Raja Medical College around 2 am when he was on patrolling duty, and asked them why they were out in the wee hours," additional superintendent of police Mrigakhi Deka said.
"On being stopped, the students entered into an argument, encircled the CSP and snatched his mobile phone. After that, these students rushed back to the Ravishankar Hostel located inside the college," she said.
Later, when the CSP reached the hostel along with his driver, they up beat the latter, threw away his mobile as well as the key of the official police vehicle into a nullah.
They also deflated one of the tyres of the vehicle, she said. -- PTI
Pic: Maja Smiejkowska/Reuters
19:53 Accompanied by King Charles III and sons, Queen's coffin leaves Buckingham palace
King Charles III and his sons, Princes William and Harry, joined a sombre procession as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II left Buckingham Palace in London on Wednesday, on its final journey to be conveyed to Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament complex for lying-in-state until the state funeral at Westminster Abbey nearby on Monday.
At 2.22 pm local time, the coffin placed on a horse-drawn gun carriage of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery began its ceremonial procession of under two kilometres to the Palace of Westminster.
The Queen's heir, Charles, and her grandchildren William and Harry walked side by side behind the coffin, with gun salutes firing from Hyde Park and Big Ben tolling during a sombre journey.
The Queen's other children, Princess Anne and Princes Andrew and Edward, were also among the senior royals in the procession behind the carriage.
Thousands lined the route of the procession, which went past the Mall towards the Palace of Westminster by the river Thames.
The coffin will be received at Westminster Hall by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Reverend Justin Welby, to conduct a short service assisted by the Very Revd Dr David Hoyle, the Dean of Westminster.
This ceremony will be joined by other members of the royal family as well before the coffin is placed on a catafalque, or raised platform.
As the lying-in-state stage of the ceremony begins, a continuous vigil will be mounted by officers of the Household Division, the King's Bodyguards of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, The King's Bodyguard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers and the Yeomen of the Guard.
Westminster Hall will then open from 5 pm local time to the many thousands queuing since Monday evening to begin filing past the coffin to pay their respects to the late monarch.
J Nanda Kumar/Twitter
19:33 Non-veg not a taboo but avoid beef: RSS leader
Non-vegetarian food is not a taboo and cannot be banned in the country but beef should be avoided, senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh functionary J Nanda Kumar said on Wednesday.
However, Kumar, head of the RSS intellectual wing Pragya Pravha, added that this was his personal opinion and not of the Sangh.
The RSS functionary faced queries on the issue as he announced that his organisation and several other Sangh affiliates are organising a three-day conclave of intellectuals titled 'Lokmanthan' from September 20 in Guwahati to "celebrate the country's diversity".
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Kumar said the event will be inaugurated by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar there will be special emphasis on the culture of Northeastern states.
"Some inimical forces are running a sinister campaign against the unity of the country. With the conclave, we want to celebrate our diversity to strengthen our unity," Kumar said.
Asked about the various food habits prevalant in the country as the Sangh and other saffron outfits are accused by critics of imposing their choices on people, Kumar said, "Non-veg food is not a taboo and it cannot be banned." -- PTI
President Droupadi Murmu receives credentials from Marlene Inemwin Moses, high commissioner of Republic of Nauru/ANI
19:01 Envoys of 5 countries present credentials to President Murmu
Envoys of five countries, including Saudi Arabia and Czech Republic, on Wednesday presented their credentials to President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
Those who presented their credentials were ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Saleh Eid Al-Husseini, ambassador of the Czech Republic Eliska Zigova, ambassador of the Syrian Arab Republic Bassam Alkhatib, ambassador of the Republic of Congo Raymond Serge Bale and high commissioner of the Republic of Nauru Marlene Inemwin Moses.
The President accepted credentials from the envoys of Syrian Arab Republic, Czech Republic, Republic of Congo, Republic of Nauru and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on September 14, an official statement said. -- PTI
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18:48 Army won't shift Agnipath recruitment from Punjab
Amid controversy over the lack of support by the local administration for recruitment rallies in Punjab, Indian Army sources on Wednesday said such rallies under the Agnipath scheme had already been successfully conducted in a couple of cities and more were planned in Ferozepur and Jalandhar.
The issue came up after an Army's zonal recruitment office raised the issue of "vacillating" support from the local administration in Punjab for the Agnipath rallies.
However, top sources said that the recruitment of Agniveers as per the Agnipath scheme is progressing as per schedule for recruiting for the year 2022-23.
The sources in the Army clarified that the rallies scheduled to be held at several places in Punjab, including the ones for recruiting the women Agniveers, would be conducted as per the schedule.
"It is clarified that further rallies at Patiala (September 17 to 30), Ferozepur (November 1 to 16) and Jalandhar (November 21 to December 10), including women Agniveers, will also be conducted as scheduled in close coordination with the civil administration," said the sources.
"The registration and footfall of candidates have been encouraging. It is reiterated that there is no plan to shift recruitment rallies from Punjab to any other state or states," added the sources. -- ANI
18:21 Bhutan king meets PM Modi
Bhutan king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday and both leaders discussed bilateral ties and the ways to further strengthen them.
Wangchuck was in India en route to London to attend Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, officials said.
Modi tweeted, "Had a warm meeting with His Majesty the King of Bhutan. Discussed various ideas to further strengthen the close and unique India-Bhutan friendship. Conveyed my appreciation for the guiding vision provided by successive Druk Gyalpos in shaping our relations."
India and Bhutan share historically strong ties.
Wangchuck also met foreign secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra. -- PTI
18:01 Delhi police has 100 questions for Jacqueline
The Delhi police has prepared a questionnaire of 100 odd questions that actor Jacqueline Fernandez has been asked to answer in the alleged Rs 200 crore scam.
The actor is being questioned by the economic offences wing of the Delhi police since 11.30 am on Wednesday which is expected to go till the evening.
Jacqueline is in Delhi after she was summoned by the Delhi police for the third time on Wednesday.
Previously, she has been summoned twice but she did not turn up on both dates -- August 29 and September 12.
Jacqueline arrived at the economic offences wing office at Mandir Marg on Wednesday around 11 am along with a team of her lawyers.
She was then given a long questionnaire including at least 100 questions that the officers said mostly pertained to her relationship with Sukesh Chandrashekhar and the gifts she received from him that are said to have been bought using the proceeds of crime.
EOW had also summoned Pinky Irani to join the investigation.
She is said to have helped Sukesh to contact Jacqueline Fernandez. She was known to both of them.
Pinky and Jacqueline might be confronted during questioning to get more clarity in the case, sources said.
According to sources, Jacqueline has been communicated that her investigation might get stretched for a couple of days or back to back so plan your stay in Delhi accordingly. -- ANI
Rajnath Singh announces the Agnipath Scheme in June
17:36 AAP will fully support Agnipath: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said that the AAP government in Punjab will "fully support" the Agnipath Scheme during the recruitment drives of Agniveers.
Kejriwal's clarification came after reports that the Punjab government was not supportive of the recruitment drive. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had earlier criticised the Agnipath Scheme and appealed to the central government to give defence job aspirants the chance to serve the country throughout their life, not just four years.
"We had differences with the Centre on Agnipath Scheme but since the Centre has implemented it we will support it fully. We will completely cooperate with the scheme and the army," Kejriwal said while replying to a question in his first offline press conference since the formation of the AAP government in Delhi in February 2020.
Later, his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann clarified that directions have been given for "complete support" on the Agnipath scheme. "All deputy commissioners were directed to provide complete support to Army authorities for recruitment of Agniveers in Punjab. Any laxity shall be viewed seriously.
Every effort will be made to recruit the maximum number of candidates in the army from the state," Mann said in a tweet. The Agnipath scheme, launched in June this year, seeks to recruit soldiers in the Army, Navy and Air Force on a short-term contract of four years. PTI
17:02 SC allows BCCI to change its constitution
The Supreme Court allows the BCCI to amend its constitution.
The court says, "We are of the considered view that the amendment would not dilute the original objective. We accept the proposed amendment. "Amendment proposed by BCCI doesn't detract from spirit of our original judgment and is accepted."
The Supreme Court was hearing the matter of changing BCCI rules relating to the "cooling off" period for the president, secretary and other office bearers.
BCCI's proposed change in constitution accepted by Supreme Court, clears way for extension of Sourav Ganguly as the president of the BCCI and Jay Shah, as the secretary.
Rahul Gandhi at the Bharat Jodo Yatra
16:54 No backseat driving from Rahul: Jairam on Cong polls
With the process for electing the new Congress president round the corner, senior party leader Jairam Ramesh has batted for "consensus" in selecting the new AICC chief and sought to uphold the "prominence" of the Nehru-Gandhi family in the organisational matters in any sort of emerging situation.
Ramesh, the AICC general secretary in-charge Communication, Publicity and Media, said even if somebody else is elected as the party chief in the October 17 polls, Sonia Gandhi will continue to be a person "everybody looks up to" and insisted Rahul Gandhi will be the "ideological compass" of the grand old organisation.
He rejected the suggestion the Wayanad MP will do "backseat driving" in the event of somebody else being a Congress president, hailing the Gandhi scion as a very accommodative and democratic person.
"A party without a 'high command' would be 'anarchy,'" he said. In an interview to PTI, the former Union minister also opposed a section of Congress leaders' argument against its high command culture, claiming that there will be anarchy in a party without such a mechanism.
To buttress his arguments for a unanimous election of the new AICC chief, Ramesh invoked the "view" of legendary Congress leader K Kamaraj, which according to him, is "talk to everybody and find a suitable consensus choice" for leading the party.
"In the history of the Indian National Congress, generally we've selected people by consensus. But there had been elections -- in 1938, 1950, 1997 and 2000. But my view is that of a broad consensus--the Kamaraj view. I belong to the Kamaraj school," said Ramesh, a key Congress strategist, as the Rahul Gandhi-led "Bharat Jodo Yatra" reached near Kollam district in Kerala.
The notification for the election will be issued on September 22, while the filing of nomination would begin on September 24 and continue till September 30. The election, if there is more than one candidate, will take place on October 17, while counting of votes, if necessary, and the declaration of results would be on October 19. -- PTI
16:34 Kartavya Path to have 90 ice-cream carts
The newly-christened Kartavya Path can have a maximum of 120 ice-cream carts and water dispensing trolleys at six vending locations, NDMC said on Wednesday.
New Delhi Municipal Council Vice Chairman Satish Upadhyay said that there are six vending zones on Kartavya Path between Central Vista Lawns and India Gate.
"Each vending zone can have a maximum of 15 ice cream trolleys and five water dispensing kiosks. So cumulatively, 120 trolleys -- 90 ice cream trolleys and 30 water kiosks -- can be allowed in six vending areas. This is for better and effective management of vending kiosks," Upadhyay told PTI.
He said that an order to this effect has also been issued. The NDMC order said that ice cream trolley trade licences have been issued.
According to the NDMC order, the six locations from where these trolleys will be operating are South of C-Hexagon Road, North of C-Hexagon Road, South of Man Singh Road (both sides), South of Rafi Ahmed Road, and North of Rafi Ahmed Road.
The NDMC has also asked district magistrates to ensure the deployment of civil defence volunteers for duty in the area for monitoring, and law enforcement at path.
"District Magistrate, New Delhi District is requested to ensure that the deployment of Civil Defence Volunteers (CDVs) for duty in the area is rationalised as per the zonal plan so as to ensure that two CDVs per zone, per shift are available to assist the teams," NDMC's notice issued on Tuesday read.
Upadhyay said officials will also ensure that only licensed and prescribed numbers of carts are set up in each vending zone. "They will also educate people not to jump in the water bodies on the Kartavya Path. They will also ensure effective parking management. The enforcement officials will ensure that the place is not littered with garbage and other rules are followed," Upadhyay said. -- PTI
16:18 17 fined in Delhi for not wearing seat belts in rear
The Delhi Traffic Police on Wednesday issued 17 challans to people for not wearing seat belts in the rear seats of cars, officials said. The police conducted a drive on the Barakhamba Road near Connaught Place in central Delhi to ensure compliance.
"A total of 17 court challans were issued during the drive from 11 am to 1 pm under Section 194B (use of safety belts and the seating of children) of the Motor Vehicles Act," a senior police officer said.
The offenders were fined Rs 1,000 each, the police said. The drive comes after former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry (54) died in a road accident in Maharashtra's Palghar district on September 4. According to police, Mistry, who was sitting in the rear, was not wearing a seat belt. -- PTI
16:16 BJP got goons with bombs to WB rally: Mamata
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has alleged that the BJP was responsible for the violence in the state during the rally yesterday.
"The BJP brought in goons armed with bombs from outside Bengal for its September 13 rally. Police could have opened fire on violent BJP protesters, but government exercised restraint," Banerjee said.
The BJP on Wednesday alleged that West Bengal has become a "lawless" and "bankrupt" state under the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led government.
A day after BJP workers and police clashed after cops prevented them from marching towards the secretariat in the state capital during their protests, the party hit out at Banerjee for inflicting "police torture" on its members to suppress their voice. The BJP had launched a protest march against the ruling Trinamool Congress' alleged corrupt practises.
File pic
15:33 AI Express plane catches fire at Muscat airport
As many as 141 passengers were evacuated from an Air India Express plane at Muscat airport on Wednesday following a smoke warning, according to an airline source.
The incident happened while the Kochi-bound Boeing 737-800 aircraft was taxiing and after the warning, the passengers were evacuated as a precautionary measure, the source said.
There were 141 passengers and six crew members onboard the aircraft that was operating flight IX 442, the source said. Aviation regulator DGCA will probe the incident, according to an official. Alternative arrangements are being made to bring the passengers from Muscat to Kochi, the source said. PTI
15:21 Morale of criminals rising under Nitish reign: BJP
After two bike-borne miscreants shot at nine people, killing one in Bihar's Begusarai, former Union minister and BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain slammed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's government for the law and order situation in the state.
On Tuesday night, the BJP leader visited the injured at Sadar Hospital. Shahnawaz Hussain strongly attacked the Bihar government and said, "I was trying to set up industries in Begusarai but now bullets are being fired like terrorists in Punjab and Kashmir. So many people have been shot and injured. This is a big incident in Bihar. The morale of criminals is increasing in Bihar and people will not forgive those who boost the morale of criminals."
The BJP leader said these kind of incidents will defame the image of the state and asked the Bihar government which direction the state has been going.
"What will be the image of Bihar in the country? Nitish Kumar needs to check this situation," Hussain said. -- ANI
The King and The Queen Consort in Belfast, yesterday
14:57 President Murmu to attend Queen's funeral
President Droupadi Murmu to visit London on September 17-19 to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, announces the Ministry of External Affairs.
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II will make its final journey from Buckingham Palace in London on Wednesday, to be conveyed in procession to Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament complex for Lying-in-State until the state funeral at Westminster Abbey nearby on Monday.
At 2.22 pm local time, the coffin will be placed on a gun carriage of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery for a ceremonial procession of under two kilometres to the Palace of Westminster. King Charles III and his sons, Princes William and Harry, will walk behind the coffin, with gun salutes firing from Hyde Park and Big Ben tolling during a sombre journey.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Reverend Justin Welby, will conduct a short service assisted by the Very Revd Dr David Hoyle, the Dean of Westminster.
This ceremony will be joined by other members of the royal family as well before the coffin is placed on a catafalque, or raised platform.
14:26 Hindi is not competitor of regional languages: HM
Hindi language is not a competitor but a "friend" of all the other languages in the country, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday as he denounced the "disinformation" campaign to pit Hindi against regional languages.
He underlined the need to strengthen regional languages by keeping Hindi together. Addressing the All India Official Language Conference in Surat city, Shah said that accepting the co-existence of languages was needed and stressed the need to make Hindi flexible by taking words from other languages to expand its dictionary.
"I want to make one thing very clear. Some people are spreading disinformation that Hindi and Gujarati, Hindi and Tamil, Hindi and Marathi are competitors. Hindi cannot be a competitor to any other language in the country. You must understand that Hindi is the friend of all the languages of the country," Shah said.
He said regional languages in the country will prosper only when Hindi prospers, and vice versa. "Everybody should accept and understand this. So long as we do not accept the co-existence of languages, we cannot realise the dream of running the country in our own language. And I want to say with sincerity that it should be our aim to keep all the languages and mother tongues alive and prosperous. Only with the prosperity of all these languages will Hindi prosper," Shah added. -- PTI
Former Congress MLA Michael Lobo
14:01 People told us to join BJP: Ex-Cong MLA from Goa
"All top Congress leaders who strengthened the party will leave it in the coming days because of too much of differences among themselves. We're representing the people; we will have to hear their voices. The people told us to leave and we are leaving," former Congress MLA from Goa, Michael Lobo, after joining the BJP today.
Eight Congress MLAs in Goa, including former chief minister Digambar Kamat, on Wednesday joined the ruling the Bharatiya Janata Party, in a body blow to the opposition party which will be left with just three MLAs in the 40-member state assembly.
"People of Goa have told us that 'Bharat Jodo yatra' is not going to be a success because of big infighting amongst the topmost leaders of the Congress party," Lobo added.
In a similar move in July 2019, 10 Congress MLAs had switched over to the BJP.
The BJP retained power in the coastal state after the state assembly elections in March this year.
You give us strength, Rahul tweeted
13:40 Rahul: How will land 'given' to China be got back?
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "given" 1,000 square kilometres of Indian territory to China "without a fight", and asked the government how it will be retrieved.
He also claimed that China has refused to accept India's demand of restoring status quo on the border as on April 2020.
Gandhi's attack came after Indian and Chinese armies carried out a joint verification of the disengagement process at Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hotsprings area in eastern Ladakh after withdrawing their troops and dismantling temporary infrastructure from the friction point. Both sides completed the disengagement in a phased and coordinated manner, according to people familiar with the development.
Attacking the government, Gandhi tweeted, "China has refused to accept India's demand of restoring status quo of April 2020. PM has given 1,000 Sq Kms of territory to China without a fight." Can the government of India explain how this territory will be retrieved," he asked.
The eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas. Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers and heavy weaponry. As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year on the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area. -- PTI
13:13 Goa Cong MLAs join BJP
Eight Congress MLAs including Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira & Rudolf Fernandes join BJP in presence of CM Pramod Sawant
13:02 Maha police detain 6 people after 4 sadhus beaten
A day after four sadhus were allegedly thrashed by a mob in Maharashtra's Sangli district on the suspicion of being child-lifters, police took suo-moto cognisance of it and registered a case against 18 to 20 people, an official said on Wednesday.
The police have detained six persons in connection with the incident which took place near Lawanga village in Jath tehsil of Sangli on Tuesday, he said.
The sadhus did not file a complaint and left the place after the confusion was cleared in the presence of police that they were members of an 'akhada' in Uttar Pradesh, the official said.
A video showing some people beating the sadhus with sticks went viral on social media platforms.
"The sadhus did not file any complaint. But we took suo moto cognisance and registered a case against 18 to 20 people, out of whom six persons have been identified and detained," assistant police inspector Pankaj Pawar from Umadi police station said.
He said the four sadhus were on way to Pandharpur in neighbouring Solapur district in a vehicle.
"As they lost the their way, they approached a boy at a powerhouse station near Lawanga village. The boy, who did not know any language other than Kannada, got scared after looking at their appearance and started shouting 'thief-thief'," the official said.
This led some locals to suspect that they were part of criminal gangs which abduct children. "People from the village gathered there and caught hold of the sadhus. There was an argument. It escalated quickly and the sadhus were allegedly beaten up with sticks by locals," he said. -- PTI
12:53 WPI inflation eases to 12.41% in August
The wholesale price-based inflation eased for the third consecutive month in August to 12.41 per cent, on softening in prices of manufactured items, even as food items saw an uptick.
The Wholesale Price Index-based inflation was 13.93 per cent in July and 11.64 per cent in August last year. August is the 17th consecutive month of double-digit wholesale price inflation (WPI).
The WPI had touched a record high of 15.88 per cent in May, this year. Inflation in food articles in August rose to 12.37 per cent, as against 10.77 per cent in July.
The rate of price rise in vegetables was 22.29 per cent during the month under review, as against 18.25 per cent in July. In the fuel and power basket, inflation was 33.67 per cent in August, as against 43.75 per cent in July. In manufactured products and oil seeds it was 7.51 per cent and (-) 13.48 per cent, respectively.
12:36 Gujarat wasn't even in running for Vedanta: Sena
A day after Gujarat bagged a mega Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor project, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council Ambadas Danve claimed Gujarat did not have the infrastructure required for it and hence was not even in competition for the project.
"Maharashtra, Telangana and Karnataka were competing for the Foxconn-Vedanta semiconductor manufacturing plant. It requires a very high-end technology environment, hence these three states were competing with each other, Shiv Sena leader Danve told a TV channel.
"Gujarat does not have such infrastructure, hence it was not even in the competition. How come a project which requires information technology-related industries around it land in Gujarat?" he wondered.
A joint venture of the Indian conglomerate Vedanta and Taiwanese electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat government on Tuesday to set up a semiconductor and display manufacturing unit in the state.
Vedanta-Foxconn would invest Rs 1,54,000 crore to set up the facility, which would create one lakh job opportunities, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel had said after the MoU was signed. The opposition in Maharashtra had on Tuesday slammed the Eknath Shinde-led government for "losing out" on the big-ticket project.
Danve on Wednesday said he spoke to former Maharashtra industries minister Subhash Desai, who had held discussions with Vedanta and Foxconn officials for setting up the project in the state.
He said during a meeting with Vedanta group Chairman Anil Agarwal in May 2022, the then Maha Vikas Aghadi government (comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) had informed him about providing all clearances for the project.
"However, Agarwal smilingly made a concluding remark that he needs to get the proposal cleared from the Union government as well. His remarks made everybody nervous," Danve claimed. "Now, we know what was the meaning of that sentence," he added. PTI
Congress MLAs with the Goa CM Pramod Sawant
12:10 Goa CLP passes resolution to merge with BJP
The Goa Congress Legislature Party on Wednesday passed a resolution to merge into the Bharatiya Janata Party, soon after BJP state president Sadanand Shet Tanavade said eight Congress MLAs will join the ruling party.
Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo moved the resolution in the presence of seven other MLAs. The resolution was seconded by former chief minister and MLA Digambar Kamat, sources said.
Prior to this development, the Congress had 11 legislators in the 40-member Goa Assembly and the BJP had 20. After the resolution was passed, a picture of the eight MLAs meeting Chief Minister Pramod Sawant surfaced on social media.
In the picture, MLAs Michael Lobo along with Digambar Kamat, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Phaldesai, Kedar Naik, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira and Rudolf Fernandes were seen interacting with the chief minister. In a similar move in July 2019, 10 Congress MLAs had switched over to the BJP. PTI
File pic
11:56 Voters deliberately polarised for polls: Sonia
In a scathing attack on the Modi government, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that power has become intensely concentrated over the past eight years in a handful of politicians and business persons, which is undermining India's democracy and institutions.
She also alleged that constitutional values and principles are under assault, with the bonds of social harmony being deliberately stretched to a breaking point in order to keep voters polarised for electoral gains.
In an op-ed piece in the Hindustan Times, the Congress chief said that all too frequently, previously independent authorities have been reduced to "tools of the executive", ready to do its bidding in a partisan and heavy-handed way.
"As a result, election outcomes are being subverted by money power sustained by electoral bonds and cronyism. State agencies turn on any political party that opposes the current dispensation," she said.
Gandhi's article comes amid the Congress' ambitious Kanyakumari to Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra aimed at combating the alleged divide in the country and rejuvenating the party organisation.
Rahul Gandhi, along with several top leaders of the party, began the Yatra from Kanyakumari last week and after traversing through Tamil Nadu, it is now passing through Kerala.
In a stinging attack on the Modi government, Sonia Gandhi said in the opinion piece that painstakingly built public enterprises, which are held in common by all citizens, are being hollowed out and sold to one or two private bidders.
"Under the United Progressive Alliance, we understood that it was important to make sure that resources and opportunities flowed to all citizens in a time of rapid growth and rising inequality," she said.
Gandhi said the UPA government invested in health and education and initiatives such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, the Food Security Act and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAS) as well as the Right to Information Act and Aadhaar, improved welfare effectiveness and lifted tens of millions out of poverty. While elites and then Opposition parties ridiculed these measures, they have been a lifeline during the pandemic and times of economic distress, she opined.
This nurturing framework, which sustained India for many decades, is now under direct attack and inequality has never been higher in independent India, Gandhi said.
Power has become intensely concentrated over the past eight years in a handful of politicians and business persons, which is undermining our democracy and institutions, Gandhi alleged. "The independence of our institutions is being eroded and their role as balancers of the competing demands and aspirations of a wide range of social groups is being intentionally undermined," she alleged. -- PTI
11:35 Queen's coffin set for final journey to Westminster
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II will make its final journey from Buckingham Palace in London on Wednesday, to be conveyed in procession to Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament complex for Lying-in-State until the state funeral at Westminster Abbey nearby on Monday.
At 2.22 pm local time, the coffin will be placed on a gun carriage of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery for a ceremonial procession of under two kilometres to the Palace of Westminster.
King Charles III and his sons, Princes William and Harry, will walk behind the coffin, with gun salutes firing from Hyde Park and Big Ben tolling during a sombre journey.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Reverend Justin Welby, will conduct a short service assisted by the Very Revd Dr David Hoyle, the Dean of Westminster.
This ceremony will be joined by other members of the royal family as well before the coffin is placed on a catafalque, or raised platform.
As the Lying-in-State stage of the ceremony begins, a continuous vigil will be mounted by officers of the Household Division, the King's Bodyguards of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms, The King's Bodyguard for Scotland, the Royal Company of Archers and the Yeomen of the Guard.
Westminster Hall will then open from 5 pm local time to the many thousands queuing since Monday evening to begin filing past the coffin to pay their respects to the late monarch. -- PTI
10:58 9 people dead, 27 injured as bus plunges into gorge in J-K's Poonch
Nine people died and 27 more sustained injuries when a mini-bus plunged into a deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Wednesday, officials said in Jammu.
The bus, carrying over 36 passengers, was on its way to Poonch from Gali Maidan when it met with the accident near the Brari Nallah in the border belt of Sawjian, they said.
The officials said a joint rescue operation by the Army, police and local villagers was underway. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident and announced Rs 5 lakh ex gratia for the kin of the deceased.
"Saddened by loss of lives due to a road accident in Sawjian, Poonch. Condolences to bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Rs 5 lakh would be given to the next of kin of deceased. Directed police and civil authorities to provide best possible treatment to the injured," Sinha tweeted. PTI
10:56 Eight Goa Cong MLAs set to join BJP
Eight Congress MLAs from Goa are set to join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, state BJP chief Sadanand Shet Tanavade told PTI on Wednesday. In the 40-member Goa Assembly, the Congress has 11 legislators and the BJP has 20. In a similar move in July 2019, 10 Congress MLAs had switched over to the BJP. -- PTI
10:49 LIVE! Investors' wealth tumbles Rs 2.21L crore
Investors' wealth eroded by more than Rs 2.21 lakh crore in early trade on Wednesday, with the market witnessing a selling-off amid prospects of aggressive rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve to tackle high inflation, and sluggish global trends.
In less than hour of the start of trading on Wednesday, the key indices -- Sensex and Nifty -- were deep in the red and witnessed significant volatility, reflecting jittery investor sentiments.
The market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies, which is also an indicator of wealth of investors, tumbled more than Rs 2.21 lakh crore to Rs 2,84,49,727.56 crore amid the 30-share Sensex falling 564.76 points to 60,006.32 points.
On Tuesday, when the markets had gained for the fourth straight session, the market valuation stood at Rs 2,86,71,193.94 crore. Global markets went into a tizzy on Tuesday soon after the US inflation data for the month of August triggered concerns over the possibility of further rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve.
10:20 On Hindi Diwas Shah says: Hindi unites India
As the country observed Hindi Diwas on Wednesday, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said Hindi is the friend of all Indian languages and it "unites the whole nation in a thread of unity" as an official language.
The minister took to Twitter to express his views at the event and made it clear that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is committed for the "parallel development" of all local languages including Hindi.
"Official language Hindi unites the nation in the thread of unity. Hindi is a friend of all Indian languages. Modi's government is committed for the parallel development of all local languages including Hindi. I salute the great personalities who have contributed in the preservation and promotion of Hindi. Happy 'Hindi Diwas' to all," Shah tweeted in Hindi.
The minister's views came hours before taking part in the second All India Official Language Conference organized on the occasion of Hindi Diwas in Surat. Every year Hindi Diwas is observed on September 14.
The day is dedicated to the Hindi language after it was announced as the official language of the Union of India.
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, had officially declared September 14 as the Hindi Diwas. -- ANI
File pic
10:08 Heavy overnight rain in Mumbai
Heavy overnight showers in Mumbai caused water-logging in some low lying areas, but the water receded after the rain intensity reduced on Wednesday morning, civic officials said.
Trains and buses were running normally in the city, they said. Some parts of the city witnessed clear sky and sunlight for a brief period in the morning.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted generally cloudy sky and moderate rain in the city and suburbs in the next 24 hours.
There is also a possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places, it said. There will be a high tide of 4.18 metres in the Arabian Sea in Mumbai at 2.12 pm, civic officials said. -- PTI
10:02 Fortunate to share her last 24 hours: Princess Anne
Anne, The Princess Royal, only daughter of the longest serving monarch of the UK Queen Elizabeth II, and Prince Philip, wrote a heartfelt note for her mother, as she accompanied her coffin back to Buckingham Palace.
Grieving the loss of her mother, the Queen's second child, The Princess Royal wrote that she was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of her dearest mother's life, as the coffin of the Queen travels from Balmoral to London for the final rites.
"It has been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys. Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been both humbling and uplifting," she wrote.
"We will all share unique memories. I offer my thanks to each and everyone who shares our sense of loss," she added.
The Princess Royal thanked the countrymen for extending support to her brother Charles III, who ascended the throne as King after the demise of Queen Elizabeth II.
"We may have been reminded how much of her presence and contribution to our national identity we took for granted. I am also so grateful for the support and understanding offered to my dear brother Charles as he accepts the added responsibilities of The Monarch," The Princess Royal wrote.
Born on August 15, 1950, Anne, The Princess Royal is 16th in the line of succession to the British throne after the death of her mother on September 8, 2022. The eldest daughter of Queen Elizabeth II was granted the title of 'Princess Royal' in 1987.
Meanwhile, the coffin of Queen Elizabeth on Tuesday II arrived at Buckingham Palace from Edinburgh and will rest overnight in the Bow Room of the palace. -- ANI
09:54 Rahul's yatra today begins on spiritual note
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday commenced the Bharat Jodo Yatra on a spiritual note by paying his respects to renowned philosopher and social reformer Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt in Thiruvananthapuram.
At Sivagiri Mutt, Gandhi met the swamis there and offered prayers to the saint reformer before commencing the fourth day of the Kerala leg of the Congress party's 3,570 kilometres and 150-day long foot march which started off from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu and will conclude at Jammu and Kashmir.
Sharing pictures of his visit on Facebook, he said, "Visited the Sivagiri Mutt to offer my respects at the Samadhi of the great spiritual leader, philosopher and social reformer, Sree Narayana Guru. Sree Narayana Guru worked tirelessly for the upliftment of people and had a great influence on leaders of our freedom movement, including Mahatma Gandhi."
Jairam Ramesh, AICC general secretary in-charge Communication, also tweeted about it. "Before padayatra began, @RahulGandhi visited the most sacred Sivagiri Mutt to pay obeisance at Samadhi of Sree Narayana Guru who empowered millions and had a great influence on Gandhi and Ambedkar. He was a social revolutionary who remains inspirational. #BharatJodoYatra," he tweeted.
The yatra, which began after 7.30 am from Navaikulam junction, continued to witness an encouraging turn out and will enter the Kollam district of the state during the day after spending the last three days in Thiruvananthapuram district.
The first phase of the day's yatra is scheduled to halt at Chathannoor in Kollam and is expected to resume from there at 4.30 pm. The march would halt for the day at Pallimukku junction in Kollam in the evening after which Gandhi is scheduled to hold a public meeting at nearby Madannada. On Tuesday, after that day's yatra ended at Kallambalam junction in Thiruvananthapuram, Gandhi had questioned how a party which calls itself a representative of Hindus was allegedly spreading 'ashanti' in the country when the first words taught in Hinduism is 'om shanti'.
"Wherever they are going they are destroying harmony, they are attacking people, they are dividing people, abusing them," he had said. The third day of the Kerala leg of the yatra had gone ahead amid intermittent rains and swelling public turnout, with the Congress leader saying that even blisters will not stop their journey as he and scores of yatris marched along the streets without an umbrella when it rained. The foot march will cover 12 states and two Union territories. The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which entered Kerala on September 10 evening, will traverse through the state covering 450 kilometres, touching seven districts over a period of 19 days before entering Karnataka on October 1.
09:34 Azad has become BJP's loyal soldier: Cong
The Congress on Tuesday took a swipe at Ghulam Nabi Azad, who quit the party recently, saying "climate change" has taken place and he has become a "loyal soldier" of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh tagged a tweet of a video clip of Azad, in which the former Congress leader is heard saying that he opposes the government's policies but does not abuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi like Rahul Gandhi.
"Climate change ho gaya hai aur ab yeh janab BJP ke wafadaar sipahi ban gaye hain (climate change has taken place and this gentleman has become a loyal soldier of the BJP)," Ramesh tweeted.
Azad ended his five-decade association with the Congress last month, saying the party was comprehensively destroyed and lashing out at Rahul Gandhi for "demolishing" its entire consultative mechanism.
The Congress had slammed Azad, alleging that his DNA had been "Modi-fied". The opposition party had also linked his resignation to the end of his Rajya Sabha tenure. -- PTI
Representative image
09:08 Maha: 4 sadhus thrashed on suspicion of being child-lifters
Four sadhus or religious ascetics were allegedly assaulted by a mob in Maharashtra's Sangli district on Tuesday on suspicion of being child-lifters, police said.
The sadhus, however, lodged no complaint over the incident even though its video went viral.
The incident took place at Lavanga village in Jat tehsil when the four men who hail from Uttar Pradesh were heading towards the temple town of Pandharpur from Bijapur in Karnataka in a car.
They had halted at a temple in the village on Monday. While resuming the journey on Tuesday, they asked a boy for directions, said a police official.
This led some locals to suspect that they were part of criminal gangs which abduct children.
"There was an argument. It escalated quickly and the sadhus were allegedly beaten up with sticks by the locals," the official said.
A police team reached the spot and found that the sadhus were indeed members of an 'akhada' in Uttar Pradesh, he said. -- PTI
09:04 They can make their own decisions: US on Russia's military drill with China, India
The United States has a very close defence relationship with India, the Pentagon has said as it dismissed questions about the latest multinational military exercises involving Russia, India and China.
"India's a sovereign nation, they can make their own decisions in terms of who they're going to conduct exercises with," Pentagon Spokesman Brig Gen Patrick Ryder told reporters at his news conference on Tuesday.
"Certainly, we have appreciated our partnership with India in the region. They're an important partner, as you know. And we'll continue to work closely with them," he said responding to a question on India participating in a war game with Russia and China.
"They have participated in games -- war games with Russia and China, which seems a little bit troubling to some people," he was asked.
"We have a very close partnership and relationship -- defence relationship with India. We obviously will continue to work with India and further develop that relationship," Ryder said.
The Vostok military exercise was held from September 1 to 7 at different locations in Russia's Far East amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In the exercises number of countries, including India and China, are participating. -- PTI
08:19 Cong prez poll: Jairam Ramesh bats for consensus
With the process for electing the new Congress president round the corner, senior party leader Jairam Ramesh has batted for "consensus" in selecting the new All India Congress Committee chief and sought to uphold the "prominence" of the Nehru-Gandhi family in the organisational matters in any sort of emerging situation.
Ramesh, the AICC general secretary in-charge Communication, Publicity and Media, said even if somebody else is elected as the party chief in the October 17 polls, Sonia Gandhi will continue to be a person "everybody looks up to" and insisted Rahul Gandhi will be the "ideological compass" of the grand old organisation.
He rejected the suggestion the Wayanad MP will do "backseat driving" in the event of somebody else being a Congress president, hailing the Gandhi scion as a very accommodative and democratic person.
A party without a 'high command' would be 'anarchy,' he said.
In an interview to PTI, the former Union Minister also opposed a section of Congress leaders' argument against its high command culture, claiming that there will be anarchy in a party without such a mechanism.
To buttress his arguments for a unanimous election of the new AICC chief, Ramesh invoked the "view" of legendary Congress leader K Kamaraj, which according to him, is "talk to everybody and find a suitable consensus choice" for leading the party.
"In the history of the Indian National Congress, generally we've selected people by consensus. But there had been elections -- in 1938, 1950, 1997 and 2000. But my view is that of a broad consensus -- the Kamaraj view. I belong to the Kamaraj school", said Ramesh, a key Congress strategist, as the Rahul Gandhi-led "Bharat Jodo Yatra" reached near Kollam district in Kerala.
The notification for the election will be issued on September 22, while the filing of nomination would begin on September 24 and continue till September 30.
The election, if there is more than one candidate, will take place on October 17, while counting of votes, if necessary, and the declaration of results would be on October 19.
When asked about the argument of a section of party leaders including Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor that a democratic contest for the Congress president's post will revitalise the Congress, Ramesh said if a consensus is not possible "we should have elections".
"Mr Tharoor is welcome to contest. It's democratic process. We are the only political party which has elections to the post of President."
Ramesh also took an indirect dig at Tharoor and the leaders who argue for organisational reforms and election to the party president's post, terming as "unrealistic" the thinking that the Congress party or any other party in India should be run along the lines of Labour and Conservative parties in the UK.
"It is being unrealistic. I think that the people who say this don't understand the realities of India," the senior Rajya Sabha MP said.
Responding to a query on the growing demand in the party for electing Rahul Gandhi as AICC chief, Ramesh said the former Congress president was in a "peculiar position" on the matter and it was up to him to decide whether to contest the polls or not.
"People are asking him (Rahul) now, why are you a candidate? Are you a candidate? At the end of the process of filing nomination, the same people could ask him why are you not a candidate? Mr Gandhi is in a peculiar position. It is up to him. I have no knowledge what he is going to do", he said, adding that currently the focus of Gandhi and the party is on the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Ramesh said when he had discussed the matters of the organisational elections with Rahul Gandhi on two or three occasions, "he has always told me -- why not have elections...why not people contest".
"If people want to file their nomination papers, they are welcome to do so. He (Rahul) himself has said this -- I welcome elections", the AICC general secretary said.
Rejecting the arguments of Tharoor and a few other members of the old G-23 groupings on the need of reducing or eliminating the "High Command" culture in the Congress party, Ramesh said every party has a high command and they call it in different names.
"Do you think the BJP doesn't have a high command? Do you think the CPI-M doesn't have a high command? Every party has a high command. Every party has a group of people who discuss, deliberate, decide based on various factors. A party without high command will be anarchy," he said.
When asked who will be the Congress high command if a new president from outside the Nehru-Gandhi family is elected as party chief, Ramesh said these are hypothetical questions now but said he was sure that both Sonia and Rahul will continue to be respected and people will look up to them.
"Mrs Sonia Gandhi is a person everybody looks up to. She will continue to be a person everybody looks up to. Mr Rahul Gandhi is Member of Parliament and he is on a five month long Bharat Jodo Yatra. So he will be very prominent. He will be an ideological compass", he said.
01:17 Heavy rain floods MGM hospital in Jamshedpur, burn care unit waterlogged
Medical service in MGM Medical College and Hospital in Jamshedpur came to a halt as heavy rains that lashed Jamshedpur city on Tuesday caused waterlogging at the hospital premises, especially the burn care unit.
The waterlogging forced the patients and their attendants to remain confined to their beds for a long time.
Jamshedpur has been undergoing cyclonic rains for the last two days.
This has resulted in waterlogging, and the water also flooded the premises of MGM Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday.
The patients and their relatives were forced to drain out water from the hospital ward using buckets and containers.
One of the relatives of one of the patients told ANI, "The hospitals should not have such poor conditions, there should be proper drainage facilities in the hospital."
"We just hope that the water is removed soon, or else it might lead to infections," said another relative. -- ANI
Naveen Patnaik
01:06 Odisha CM on three-day visit to Mumbai, will meet investors
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday went on a three-day trip to Mumbai where he is scheduled to attend an investors' meet, months ahead of the Make-in-Odisha Conclave.
Patnaik will hold discussions with major industrialists from different sectors and woo them to invest in Odisha, officials said.
Among the leading industrialists the chief minister is scheduled to meet are Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, Vedanta's Anil Agarwal and Mahindra Group's Anand Mahindra, they said.
The investors' meet will be held at Hotel Trident, while the one-on-one meetings are scheduled to be held at The Oberoi, they added. Patnaik is also scheduled to visit the Bombay Stock Exchange and attend the ceremony to ring the opening bell, officials said.
Earlier, similar meets were held in Dubai and New Delhi.
The state has already organised road shows in Mumbai, inviting investments in IT, metal downstream, renewable energy, chemicals, plastics and advanced electronic manufacturing sectors. -- PTI
00:23 Chhatrapati Shivajiraje Bhosale dies
Chhatrapati Shivajiraje Bhosale, a twelfth-generation descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, died at a private hospital in Pune on Tuesday due to age-related ailments, family sources said.
He was 75.
"Shrimant Chhatrapati Shivajiraje Bhosale, an heir of the Chhatrapati family and former mayor of Satara, passed away at the age of 75. His body will be kept at Adalat Wada in Satara tomorrow for the last darshan. A heartfelt tribute to respected uncle," tweeted Udayanraje Bhosale, his nephew and the BJP's Rajya Sabha MP.
BJP MLA Shivendra Raje Bhosale also condoled the death.
His work as Satara mayor was exemplary, Shivendra Raje said in his tribute. -- PTI
00:10 Queen's coffin lands for final night at Buckingham
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II arrived in London on Tuesday evening from Scotland for a final night at Buckingham Palace before its journey to Westminster Hall on Wednesday for Lying-in-Rest ahead of the state funeral on Monday.
Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-serving monarch, died on September 8 at the Balmoral Castle in Scotland after reigning for 70 years.
She was 96.
The national anthem played as the coffin was flown from Edinburgh Airport to London, accompanied by the Queen's daughter Princess Anne on a Royal Air Force aircraft that has been previously used for humanitarian aid missions.
On landing at the RAF Northolt air base in west London, the cortege began its journey by road into central London.
King Charles III, who was in Northern Ireland earlier on Tuesday, had arrived at the royal residence in time to receive the coffin with Queen Consort Camilla.
The oak coffin was placed in a state hearse as a royal salute was given by an RAF guard of honour for its journey to the palace. -- PTI
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