LIVE! Sonia asks Cong leaders to talk to Raj MLAs

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Sun, 25 September 2022

Sonia asks Cong leaders to talk to Raj MLAs

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23:18 Sonia asks Cong leaders to talk to Raj MLAs

As the high drama unfolded in Rajasthan Sunday evening after a group of Congress MLAs loyal to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot reached the assembly speaker's residence to submit their resignation ahead of a legislature party meeting, party's senior leader Ajay Maken said that party's interim president Sonia Gandhi asked the AICC observers to directly talk to the party legislators.

"We aren't going to Delhi at the moment, we have been instructed by Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to conduct one-to-one talks with Rajasthan Congress MLAs. We'll meet them tonight," said Maken.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan ministers Pratap Singh Khachariyawas and Shanti Dhariwal are meeting AICC observers Ajay Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge at Gehlot's residence. -- ANI

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi has declined the central government's proposal to be appointed as the next attorney general for India.

Rohatgi was set to be appointed as the fourteenth attorney general of India replacing the incumbent KK Venugopal.

Asked about his decision to decline the Centre's offer, Rohatgi said that there is no particular reason for declining the offer and he "thought about it again" and decided not to take up the offer.

If Rohatgi had accepted the offer, it would have his second tenure as an AG, after he served the post for the first time between June 2014 and June 2017.

Earlier, the veteran lawyer and present Attorney General KK Venugopal expressed unwillingness to continue in the top law officer's post beyond September 30 citing health problems. -- ANI

The Centre has withdrawn incentives and special allowances given to IAS, IPS and IFoS officers working in the north eastern regions with immediate effect, an official order said.

A special allowance payable to the officers belonging to north-east cadres of all India services while they are actually working in the north-east region @ 25 per cent of their basic pay (in addition to other allowances) has also been withdrawn, the order said.

The government had on February 10, 2009 issued an order for this particular grant, called as "special allowance for officers belonging to north-east cadres of all India services".

There are three all India services -- Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service and Indian Forest Service.

Officers of these services work in cadre which is state/states or group of states/Union Territories.

The department of personnel and training in a brief order dated September 23, 2022, said the government, after review of the various incentives/special allowances being granted to the AIS officers working in the north eastern region, has decided to withdraw with immediate effect incentives/special allowances granted to them through four of its orders issued between 2007 and 2017.

Official sources said improvement in law and order situation in the north eastern states (which have been considered as the difficult areas postings) is one of the probable reasons behind the government's decision to withdraw the benefits. -- PTI

Pratap Singh Khachariyawas/ANI

21:38 Cong MLAs threaten to resign over Gehlot decision

High drama unfolded in Rajasthan on Sunday evening as a group of Congress MLAs loyal to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot headed to the assembly speaker's residence to submit their resignation ahead of a legislature party meeting which was likely to pick his successor.

The development suggested a worsening power struggle between the chief minister and Sachin Pilot who was tipped to be Gehlot's replacement after he declared his candidature for the Congress president's post.

Congress observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken, along with Gehlot, reached the chief minister's residence where the Congress Legislature Party meeting was to be held.

Pilot reached there separately.

About 25 legislators were present there, sources said.

However, a large group of MLAs loyal to the chief minister who held a meeting at Minister Shanti Dhariwal's residence decided to go to Speaker CP Joshi's residence to submit their resignation.

"We are going to the speaker's residence in a bus and will submit our resignation," state minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas told reporters.

Sources claimed there were around 80 MLAs, including Independents, in the group.

Some of its MLAs said Gehlot's successor should be someone who was instrumental in saving the government during the political crisis in 2020 and not someone who was involved in the bid to topple it, a veiled reference to Pilot. -- PTI

21:07 Will ensure Ankita's killers are hanged: DGP

Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar on Sunday assured the family of the receptionist allegedly murdered by a BJP leader's son that police will produce enough evidence in court to hang her killers.

Nineteen-year-old Ankita Bhandari was killed near Rishikesh allegedly by her employer and her body was recovered from the Cheela canal close to Rishikesh early on Saturday, six days after her parents found her missing from her room.

"I have spoken to the victim's father on the phone and assured him of an impartial probe into her killing and strictest punishment to the guilty. They will not be spared at any cost," the DGP said in a social media post.

"I can personally assure you that the SIT looking into the case is collecting all evidences to produce in the court and ensure that the guilty are hanged," he said.

Additional SP Kotdwar Shekhar Chandra Suyal also refuted a report on the social media that evidences at the resort were destroyed. -- PTI

Two Social Democratic Party of India functionaries were arrested on Sunday in connection with petrol bomb attack on the premises of BJP and Hindu Munnani leaders in Coimbatore.

The arrests were made after prolonged technical investigation, intelligence inputs and going through CCTV footage from Kuniyamuthur area, city police commissioner V Balakrishnan told reporters in Combatore.

The accused were identified as Jesuraj and Iliyas and after completion of interrogation, they will be produced before the court for remand, he said.

The police is closing in two more accused involved in another two cases and will bring them to book soon, he said, adding that there is progress in other cases and also stoning a government bus.

The police action comes following a series of attacks on the premises of BJP and Hindu Munnani leaders in the last few days in the state.

The attacks come in the backdrop of nationwide raids conducted at the offices of Popular Front of India by National Investigation Agency recently. -- PTI

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20:09 Boat carrying Hindu devotees to temple capsizes in Bangladesh; 24 die, several missing

A boat carrying Hindu devotees to centuries-old Bodeshwari Temple capsized in the Korota river in northwestern Bangladesh on Sunday, killing at least 24 people, including women and children, while over a dozen remained missing, officials said.

The incident happened in Bangladesh's Panchagarh district when the devotees were travelling in the boat to the Bodeshwari Temple on the occasion of Mahalaya, the auspicious start of the Durga Puja festival.

"Around 24 people have died in the boat capsizing incident. Of the dead eight are minor children and 12 are women . . . some of them were declared dead after they were brought to a local hospital," Solaiman Ali, administrative chief of Panchagargh's Boda sub-district, told newsmen.

He said searches by firefighters and local divers were underway for the missing ones, adding the number of passengers was assumed to be between 70 and 80.

Ali said the engine-run boat was carrying Hindu devotees to a centuries-old Bodeshwari Temple coinciding with a festival.

Panchagargh's administrative chief or deputy commissioner Zahurul Haque said the boat was apparently carrying passengers beyond its capacity. -- PTI

The Kerala government has extended the tenure of former diplomat Venu Rajamony as its officer on special duty by one year, according to an official order.

Rajamony, former India's ambassador to the Netherlands, had assumed the charge as the OSD to the Kerala government for external cooperation in September last year.

His one-year term ended on September 16, 2022.

"Government have examined the matter in detail and are pleased to extend the tenure of Shri Venu Rajamony, Indian Foreign Service (1986 Batch; Retd.) as officer on special duty to the government of Kerala (external cooperation) on the same terms and conditions of his current appointment on part time basis, for a further period of one more year with effect from 17.09.2022," a statement issued by the state government said.

Rajamony had retired in November 2020 after completing 34 years of service.

A career diplomat, he worked as the Ambassador of India to the Netherlands from 2017 to 2020 and as the press secretary to former president (late) Pranab Mukherjee from 2012 to 2017. -- PTI

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19:46 Pune cops add sedition in PFI pro-Pak slogan case

The Pune police on Sunday added the sedition charge in connection with the alleged raising of pro-Pakistan slogans during a protest organised by the Popular Front of India in the city, officials said.

The police had registered a case against 60-70 suspected PFI activists for unlawful assembly in connection with the protest held outside the district collector's office on Friday.

A Bundgarden police station officer said they have added sections 109 (An act committed in consequence of abetment), 120B (Criminal conspiracy), 124A (Punishment for sedition), 153 A and B (Promoting enmity between different groups) of the Indian Penal Code in the First Information Report.

"We have already registered cases against activists of PFI on Friday. Today (Sunday), we added new sections in the matter and further investigation is going on," said Pratap Mankar, senior inspector, Bundgarden police station. Notably, the Supreme Court in May put on hold the colonial-era penal law on sedition till an "appropriate' government forum re-examines it and directed the Centre and states to not register any fresh FIR invoking the offence.

A video had surfaced on social media, which purportedly shows that the "Pakistan Zindabad" slogan was raised a couple of times when the agitating PFI activists were being bundled into a police vehicle. -- PTI

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Sunday met Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi in a bid to unite Opposition parties to take on the BJP in the 2024 general elections.

The meeting at Gandhi's 10 Janpath residence is being considered very crucial in forging an Opposition unity as efforts are on to reconcile differences between the Congress and some regional parties that have been at loggerheads traditionally.

This was Kumar's first meeting with Gandhi since he severed ties with the BJP and joined hands with the RJD and the Congress to form the government in Bihar in August.

Earlier in the day, Kumar called for uniting all opposition parties, including the Congress and the Left, to take on the BJP and said this "main front of opposition" will ensure that the saffron party loses badly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

\If all non-BJP parties unite, then they can get rid of those who are working to destroy the country, Kumar said at a rally organised by the Indian National Lok Dal in Haryana to mark former deputy prime minister Devi Lal's birth anniversary. -- PTI

19:09 Congress will follow tradition: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said a one-line resolution stating all Congress legislators have full faith in the party president's decision on his successor is likely to be passed during the legislature party meeting this evening.

Gehlot said he had held different constitutional posts for 40 years and the new generation should get a chance now, in an indication that he was not averse to the party picking Sachin Pilot as his successor in the state.

Meanwhile, many MLAs considered close to Chief Minister Gehlot met under the leadership of cabinet minister Shanti Dhariwal, which is being seen as an attempt to put pressure on the party high command to pick a Gehlot loyalist as his successor.

"I have said it earlier as well. No post is important to me. I am doing politics for last 50 years. I have remained on some constitutional post or other for 40 years. What more I can get and want. So, it is in my mind that the new generation should get a chance and we all will together give a leadership in the country," the chief minister told reporters during to a visit to Jaisalmer to offer prayer at the Tanot Mata Temple.

On the CLP meeting, Gehlot said all party leaders will hold a discussion to arrive at a consensus and this has been the Congress' strength.

"This has been a tradition in the Congress from the beginning that whenever the Legislature Party meeting is held at the time of election or for the selection of a chief minister, a one-line resolution is definitely passed to give all rights to the Congress president. And, I understand this will happen today too," Gehlot told reporters in Jaisalmer.

"All Congressmen unanimously keep faith on the Congress president, and today also, you will get a glimpse of it. You need not have to think much about ifs and buts," he said. -- PTI

Twenty Bangladeshi nationals have been arrested in Goa for allegedly staying illegally without any valid documents, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters here, Sawant said the arrests were made in different parts of the coastal state over the last one week.

The arrested immigrants, who were found without any valid identity cards, will be deported to their home country, he said.

"The police arrested 20 Bangladeshis staying illegally in the state and search is on for more such persons," Sawant said, adding that the Union ministry of home affairs has been informed to initiate the deportation process.

The chief minister also appealed to people not to rent out their premises without cross-checking the antecedents or filling the tenant verification forms. -- PTI

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18:50 House linked to 2 slain terrorists in J-K attached

The Bandipora police attached the residential house of one person after it was proved that the said house was used for the purpose of terrorism, sheltering, and harbouring terrorists, said Kashmir police press release on Sunday.

The said house was linked to a case in which two hard-core terrorists were neutralised, who were involved in different terror crimes in Bandipora.

The house was attached after obtaining legal sanction from the competent authorities, added the press release.

"Bandipora police has attached the residential house of one person namely Bashir Ahmad Mir S/o Ab Sattar Mir R/o Wanpora Gurez A/p Watrina Bandipora after "obtaining legal sanction from the competent authorities ".The said house was linked to case FIR No.166/2021of PS Bandipora U/S 16,18,19,20,23,39UAPA,307IPC,7/27 IA Act, dated September 28, 2021, in which two hard-core terrorists were neutralised, who were involved in different terror crimes in Bandipora," said the press release.

The person whose house has been attached is identified as Bashir Ahmad Mir.

The investigation proved beyond doubt that the said house was used for the purpose of terrorism, sheltering, and harbouring terrorists and the such house was voluntarily and knowingly given by the member of the family

Many attacks on civilians and protected persons were carried out, conspired, and planned by terrorists while using this house as a hideout. -- ANI

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18:18 CUET-PG result to be declared on Monday at 4 pm: UGC chairman

The results of the Common University Entrance Test for admission to postgraduate programmes will be announced on Monday, according to UGC chairman Jagadesh Kumar.

"National Testing Agency will declare CUET-PG results on 26 September (Monday) by 4 pm, required for post-graduate admissions in the participating universities. Best wishes to all the students," he tweeted.

The University Grants Commission on Sunday wrote to vice chancellors of universities opting for CUET to start the admission process.

"You are requested to make necessary preparations for admissions, including website and web portals, so that the PG admission process may be timely started, based on the CUET score," it said.

Nearly 3.6 lakh candidates just over 1.8 lakh male and 1.7 lakh female had registered for CUET-PG.

The exam had recorded over 55 pc attendance. Among the universities, BHU (3.5 lakh) received the maximum number of applications, followed by JNU with 2.3 lakh applications. -- PTI

Ahead of the Rajasthan Congress legislature party meeting on Sunday, many party MLAs and party leaders have reached the residence of state minister S Dhariwal.

"Our opinion is that Ashok Gehlot should continue as CM. He can handle both responsibilities (party president & CM),' said Rajasthan minister GR Meghwal. -- ANI

As several opposition leaders came together on one stage in Fatehabad in Haryana, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar on Sunday said the time has come for everyone to work towards ensuring a change of the government at the Centre in 2024.

Referring to the stir against the agri laws, he said farmers committing suicide is not a solution and that the real solution would be to bring about the change in government.

Farmers staged protests on the borders of the national capital, but the central government did not heed to their demands for a very long time, Pawar said here at a mega rally organised by the Indian National Lok Dal.

The rally was also attended by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Shiromani Akali Dal's Sukhbir Singh Badal among others.

Pawar said farmers and youths committing suicide is not a solution, but the real solution is to bring about a change and everyone must strive for a change of the government at the Centre in 2024.

He said the central government had promised to withdraw cases filed against farmer leaders, but it has not fulfilled it as yet.

At the same rally, Nitish Kumar also called for uniting all non-BJP parties, including the Congress and the Left, to take on the BJP and said this "main front of opposition" will ensure that the saffron party loses badly in the 2024 general elections.

Kumar also said he was not a prime ministerial candidate. -- PTI

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17:33 55 sikh, Hindu refugees from Afghanistan reaching Delhi today: AAP MP

A batch of 55 Sikh and Hindu refugees stranded in Afghanistan will land in New Delhi on Sunday evening, AAP MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney said.

The Rajya Sabha MP said the ministry of external affairs had earlier granted this "last batch" of refugees e-visas and their repatriation was facilitated by both Indian and Afghanistan governments.

A special aircraft has been organised by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Amritsar, to bring 38 adults and 17 children, including three infants, Sahney said in a statement.

"We were in continuous touch with the ministry of external affairs for the evacuation of this last batch which was stranded there," he added.

"We have been coordinating the repatriation and rehabilitation of the Afghan refugees and will continue to support these families by providing them free housing, giving them monthly household expenses, providing them skills, medical insurance and educating their youth," said Sahney, who is also the president of World Punjabi Organisation. -- PTI

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17:05 TN to deploy 20K cops in southern districts

Tamil Nadu has deployed about 20,000 policemen for security in southern districts of the state amid petrol bomb attacks in various parts of the state.

Night patrolling has also been intensified while security increased at the homes, offices and places of important people, said South zone IG Asra Garg.

"Owners of petrol depots in southern districts have been advised not to supply petrol in bottles in retail mode," said Garg.

He also said to identify people who repeatedly comes to fill petrol in same bikes. -- ANI

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16:41 3 UP police constables among 6 booked for cop's suicide

Six persons, including three police constables, have been booked in connection with the alleged suicide of a constable posted at Kamasin police station in Banda, Uttar Pradesh, an official said on Sunday.

SHO of Kamasin police station Umesh Singh said Constable Raghavendra Pratap (24) allegedly died by hanging himself in a rented home on July 30.

He said on the basis of the complaint of the constable's father Gokul Prasad, an FIR of murder was lodged on Saturday evening against three constables posted at the police station namely, Saurabh Verma, Vikas and Aman, besides three unidentified persons.

The deceased constable was a resident of the Jhansi district and had returned from leave before the alleged incident. -- PTI

Filmmaker Ayan Mukerji on Sunday announced that the team of Brahmastra Part One: Shiva will be offering the film's tickets at Rs 100 for the next four days to mark the Navratri festival.

In an Instagram post, the filmmaker said the new "scheme" is a result of the team's experience during the National Cinema Day on Friday, when ticket prices were offered at a "celebratory admission price" of Rs 75 at over 4000 screens across the country.

Tickets of the Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt-starrer will be available at Rs 100 each from September 26 to September 29, Mukerji said.

"Excited about this scheme! National Cinema Day may have taught us something about finding the right ticket price point to allow more audiences to enjoy the movie experience on the big screen! Something which we are incredibly passionate about !"

"With an attitude of always learning and trying new things, we hope this scheme brings some interesting positive learning to us all... and we hope our audiences continue to enjoy Brahmastra this week, as we kick off Navratri celebrations from tomorrow!" the filmmaker wrote. -- PTI

Senior Congress leader and Kerala MP Shashi Tharoor will file nomination for the post of party president on September 30, said sources on Sunday.

Tharoor is approaching delegates from various states soon.

He has taken 5 sets of nomination papers, for which he will need 50 delegates as proposers for his candidature. -- ANI

15:53 Modi extends Mahalaya greetings to people

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday greeted the people on the occasion of Mahalaya.

"On Mahalaya, we pray to Maa Durga and seek her divine blessings for our people. May everyone be happy and healthy. May there be prosperity and brotherhood all around. Shubho Mahalaya!" tweeted PM Modi.

Mahalaya, which marks the beginning of Durga Puja celebrations, is here. It is observed at the end of Shradh or Pitru Paksha, a 16-day period when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors.

This year, this special day falls on September 25 this year. -- ANI

President Droupadi Murmu will visit Karnataka from September 26 to 28 to attend a host of programmes, according to a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday.

This will be her first visit to any state as the President of India, it said.

She will inaugurate the Dasara festival at Chamundi Hills in Mysuru on Monday.

On the same day, the president will attend a felicitation function, 'poura sanmana', organised by the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation in Hubli, the statement said.

She will also inaugurate the new campus of the Indian Institute of Information Technology in Dharwad, it added.

The president will inaugurate the Integrated Cryogenic Engines Manufacturing Facility of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

On that occasion, she will also lay the foundation stone of the Zonal Institute of Virology (South Zone) virtually, the statement said.

On the same day, the president will grace the inaugural function of the St Joseph's University and will also attend a civic reception hosted by the government of Karnataka in her honour in Bengaluru, it added.

On September 28, the president will return to New Delhi. -- PTI

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14:57 Two terrorists killed near LoC in Kupwara

Two terrorists were killed near the Line of Control in Machil sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district on Sunday, the police said.

The identification of the terrorists was being ascertained.

"Army and Kupwara Police neutralised two #terrorists near #LoC Tekri Nar in Machil area of #Kupwara," the Kashmir Zone Police said in a tweet. "02 AK 47 rifles, 02 pistols & 04 hand grenades recovered. Further details shall follow," the police said.

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14:45 6 IAF officers booked for trainee cadet's death

Six Indian Air Force officers have been charged with murder after a trainee cadet, against whom a court of inquiry was initiated, was found hanging, a police officer said.

According to the police, Ankit Jha (27) was found hanging in one of the rooms of Air Force Technical College (AFTC).

The police suspected that the death happened four or five days ago.

Based on his brother Aman Jha's complaint, the police registered a case against six police officers at Gangammana Gudi police station on Saturday.

Aman has also alleged in his complaint that attempts were made to tamper with the evidence as people from the AFTC were present around 4.30 am on Saturday at the police station with a piece of evidence he was also looking for.

He even wondered how the people from AFTC knew beforehand about his presence in the police station in the early hours and reached there.

"The reason behind the death is yet to be ascertained. Our investigations are on. Jha was a trainee cadet and he was found hanging in one of the rooms of AFTC," a senior police officer told PTI.

"The officers against whom the complaint was lodged have not been arrested but the Indian Air Force has assured us all assistance," the officer said.

He added that they are waiting for the post-mortem report to carry forward the investigation.

-- PTI

In the wake of widespread violence in Kerala allegedly by Popular Front of India activists two days ago, country-made bombs were thrown at the residence of one of the members of its political offshoot SDPI in Kannur on Sunday.

The incident occurred at Panur area of the northern Kerala district of Kannur around 2 am, the police said.

An officer of Panur police station said no one was injured in the attack and a case under various provisions of the Explosives Act has been registered.

Presently, the accused have not been identified and investigation was going on to identify the attackers and their numbers.

The police said the extent of damage to the house was being ascertained, while TV channel visuals showed broken window panes and floor tiles outside the house.

Masked men and miscreants went on a rampage in different parts of Kerala on September 23 during the dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the PFI, under the lens for alleged terror activities. -- PTI

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13:42 BJP to meet Pune CP over PFI's pro-Pak slogans

Amid the ongoing fracas over the viral video doing rounds on the web for alleged Pakistan zindabad slogans in a Popular Front of India protest in Pune, the Bharatiya Janata Party's Pune president Jagdish Mulik will meet the city's police commissioner on Sunday.

The BJP leader will meet Pune police commissioner Amitabh Gupta to file a complaint against anti-social elements who raised pro-Pakistan slogans during the PFI protest.

Earlier the Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Saturday said that he will speak to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to ban the PFI, which is involved in anti-national work in the state and country.

His remarks came after a video surfaced on social media, which shows that a "Pakistan Zindabad" slogan was allegedly raised during a protest organised by the PFI in Pune.

The BJP chief further said that those who raised the "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans should be arrested under cases of sedition.

"I will speak with the chief minister and deputy chief minister to ban PFI, which is involved in anti-national work in the state and country. I will demand from the chief minister and deputy chief minister that wherever they are in Maharashtra, find them and arrest them by filing a case of sedition against them," Bawankule said.

With a video showing that 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans were allegedly raised during a PFI protest outside the district collector's office in Pune on Friday against the crackdown by NIA-led multi-agencies, Pune police said they will probe and verify the videos and action will be taken accordingly.

"We have received some videos, we will investigate and verify them completely and take action accordingly," said Sagar Patil, DCP Zone II, Pune.

'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans were heard outside the district collector's office yesterday in Pune city where PFI cadres gathered against the recent ED-CBI-police raids across 15 states.

Due to the high ambience noise in the original video feed some parts of the slogans in the video were faint. Information about slogans was further corroborated by reporters at the spot.

Some protestors were detained by Pune police and a case was registered for unlawful assembly against protestors. Police also arrested some protestors. -- PTI

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13:24 TN police warns of slapping NSA against those impeding public peace

Amid continuing incidents of Sangh Parivar activists' properties being targeted in the wake of NIA raids against the Popular Front of India, the Tamil Nadu police on Sunday warned of slapping the stringent National Security Act against those indulging in such acts.

A release from the office of DGP C Sylendra Babu said investigation is being held in connection with various incidents of explosive substances being hurled at the premises of the members of "some organisations", and 250 people have been enquired so far.

Without specifying the numbers, he said arrests have also been recorded in connection with the incidents. Similar fresh incidents -- from Madurai, Salem and Kanyakumari -- where unidentified miscreants hurled such substances were reported from the state.

Earlier, the premises and vehicles of members of the BJP and RSS, mainly in and around Coimbatore, were targeted in the wake of NIA raids against the PFI earlier this week, with the BJP holding the radical Islamist outfit responsible for the incidents.

The police said the miscreants hurled "kerosene-filled" bottles. -- PTI

Assam Rifles and Zokhawthar police with recovered drugs/The Assam Rifles/Twitter

12:52 Assam Rifles recover drugs worth Rs 168 cr in major drug haul in Mizoram, 1 held

In a major drug haul, a joint team of Assam Rifles and Zokhawthar police recovered 5,05,000 tablets of methamphetamine worth Rs 167.86 crore in Mizoram, officials said on Sunday.

The drugs weighed around 55.80 kgs.

The officials also detained a woman in connection with the incident.

The drugs were recovered in Melbuk village, Champhai district on September 23 during an operation carried out by the joint team of Assam Rifles and Zokhawthar Police based on specific information.

"A vehicle was spotted by the joint team moving suspiciously and on being intercepted and checked, it was found to be carrying Methamphetamine tablets (5,05,000 in number). The drugs were being carried by a woman in the vehicle and had a market value of approximately Rs 167,86,20,000 (167.86 crore)," said an official statement.

The seized items and detained woman were handed over to Zokhawthar police station on September 24 for further investigation and legal proceedings.

"In the past year and more, Assam Rifles has been actively chasing the illegal movement of drugs, weapons and explosives. The disturbed internal situation in Myanmar has led to a spike in this illegal trans-border movement of contraband and people. If the number of migrants moving into Mizoram from Myanmar increases, these illegal activities are likely to get further accentuated," added the statement.

Earlier on Saturday, Assam Police on Saturday evening seized 504 grams of heroin in Karimganj district and arrested one person. -- ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that the Chandigarh airport will now be named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh as a tribute to the great freedom fighter.

In his Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, Modi also said that climate change is a major threat to marine ecosystems and that the litter on beaches is disturbing.

"It becomes our responsibility to make serious and continuous efforts to tackle these challenges," he said.

In the broadcast, Modi paid tributes to BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, saying he was a profound thinker and a great son of the country.

Modi also said that 130 crore Indians were filled with pride over the return of cheetahs.

He said a task force will monitor them and on the basis of that it will be decided when people can see them. He said that an important day of 'Amrit Mahotsav' is coming on September 28 when the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh will be celebrated.

"Just before his birth anniversary, as a tribute, an important decision has been taken, it has been decided that the Chandigarh airport will now be named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh," Modi said. -- PTI

SM Krishna

11:32 Karnataka ex-CM SM Krishna hospitalised

Karnataka's former chief minister SM Krishna has been admitted to a hospital in Bengaluru after he developed acute respiratory tract infection.

Krishna is on minimal respiratory support and in a cheerful frame of mind, said Manipal Hospital, where he has been admitted on Sunday morning.

"His health status is being monitored by state health minister Dr K Sudhakar," said the hospital authorities. -- ANI

The Punjab Governor today approved a second special assembly session after bitter exchanges with the Chief Minister over his "duties".

"The Hon. Governor, Punjab, has very kindly acceded to our request and summoned the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to meet for it's third session on 27.9.2022 at 11.00 AM at Chandigarh," Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan said in a tweet.

The AAP government has said that the proposed session of September 27 will be used to discuss stubble burning and power sector issues.

Earlier, Governor Banwarilal Purohit had shot down the state government's plan to summon a special Assembly session on September 22 to bring a confidence motion.

Family members of the 19-year-old receptionist Ankita Bhandari murdered in Uttarakhand have refused to perform her last rites

"We won't conduct her last rites until her post-mortem report is given. We saw in her provisional report that she was beaten up and was thrown in a river. But we're awaiting the final report," said Ajay Singh Bhandari, brother of Ankita Bhandari.

Bhandari had been under pressure from Pulkit Arya -- who was arrested on Friday with resort manager Saurabh Bhaskar and assistant manager Ankit Gupta and sent to 14 days judicial custody -- to provide 'special services' to guests, Director General of Police Ashok Kumar said.

Outrage over the killing of the 19-year-old, who worked as a receptionist in the Vanantara resort in Pauri district's Yamkeshwar block owned by Haridwar BJP leader Vinod Arya's son Pulkit Arya, escalated as details emerged of her trauma in the days preceding her death.

Violent protests erupted in areas surrounding the resort with locals breaking glass panes and some trying to torch a pickle factory in its premises.

However, the fire did not spread much as the weather was cloudy.

BJP's Yamkeshwar MLA Renu Bisht's car was also attacked near the Cheela canal close to Rishikesh from where the young woman's body was recovered, six days after her parents found her missing from her room.

However, the crowds, seething with anger, succeeded only in breaking the rear windscreen of her car and Bisht was escorted to safety by police personnel.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Mithun Chakraborty on Saturday claimed that 21 Trinamool Congress MLAs of West Bengal are in touch with him.

Addressing a press conference, the Bollywood star who joined the BJP ahead of last year's assembly elections said he stood by what he said in July -- 38 MLAs of the ruling TMC are in touch with the opposition party, and of them, 21 are directly in contact with him.

"I stand by what I had said in July. Still 21 TMC MLAs are directly in touch with me. Please wait for some time, and you will get to know everything," he said.

With state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar by his side, Chakraborty said he is well aware of objections within the party to inducting TMC leaders.

"I am well aware of the objections. But, I would like to say that I am not a fool, and the same mistakes won't be repeated," he said.

Earlier, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari claimed that the TMC government in West Bengal would not be able to complete its five-year term, and will be ousted by 2024.

Hitting back, the TMC said its MLAs are not up for sale.

"Such statements are an attempt to fool the people. There is no relation with reality. I think such comments would further fuel infighting within the BJP. TMC MLAs are not up for sale like BJP leaders," TMC's state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said. -- PTI

09:43 Russia a major partner of India: Jaishankar

Describing Russia as a "major partner in many domains", External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said discussions with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov focused on "bilateral cooperation" as well as the conflict in Ukraine.

"We discussed a number of issues. Some part of my meeting was focused on our bilateral cooperation because Russia is a major partner in many domains," Jaishankar said.

He was responding to a question by PTI on his meeting with Lavrov as he spoke to a group of Indian reporters here Saturday after wrapping up the New York leg of his visit to the United States with his address to the United Nations General Assembly high-level session.

Just hours before his address to the UN General Debate, Jaishankar had a bilateral meeting with Lavrov on the margins of the high-level session. "A wide-ranging conversation with FM Sergey Lavrov at #UNGA 77. Discussed our bilateral cooperation. Exchanged views on Ukraine, G-20 and UN reforms," Jaishankar had tweeted.

Responding to the question, he said while "obviously" there are big issues, which focus both the Russians and the rest of the world, the relationship has to address its own requirements, processes and objectives.

"We spend some time on the bilateral side, where things are, taking stock," he said, adding that they also spoke in "some detail" about issues related to Ukraine.

"A lot of it was he briefed me about various developments from the Russian perspective. I also shared with him what I picked up from some of the others. So that was a back and forth conversation," he said.

He said there was also a discussion on the G-20, with India beginning the G-20 presidency this December. "Russia is very much at the centre of debate where G-20 is concerned. And finally, we spoke about the UN reform."

The meeting in New York is the fourth between Jaishankar and Lavrov this year, including in Bali on the sidelines of the G-20 foreign ministers' conclave in the Indonesian city of Bali and when Lavrov was in New Delhi earlier this year.

In response to a question on his meeting with Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal this week on the UNGA margins and what were the concerns articulated by the leader, Jaishankar said "a big concern was the conflict itself. He gave me his perception, his assessment of what was happening in Ukraine.

"In terms of India, we had a discussion on what was our position and my sense is that he clearly appreciated the fact that we were against the continuation of the conflict and for the return for dialogue and diplomacy," Jaishankar said adding that Shmyhal had his own views on why this was not happening.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked the Centre over the issues of price rise and unemployment, alleging that the BJP-led government is not for farmers, youth and women but for the five-six richest Indians.

"PM often asks- '70 saal mein kya kiya?' We never gave India the highest-ever unemployment. We never gave India record price rise it faces today," Gandhi said in a tweet.

"BJP govt is not a govt for farmers, youth & women. It's a govt for 5-6 richest Indians who are monopolising any business they want," he said.

Gandhi and the Congress have been attacking the Centre over the issues of price rise and unemployment, alleging that the government's policies have worsened the economic situation of the country. -- PTI

A meeting of the Congress Legislature Party in Rajasthan will be held at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence in Jaipur on Sunday evening, amid the leadership change buzz following the announcement that he will contest the party president poll.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has appointed Mallikarjun Kharge as observer along with general secretary in-charge Rajasthan Ajay Maken.

They will attend the meeting of the Congress Legislature Party of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, All India Congress Committee general secretary organisation K C Venugopal said on Saturday.

This is the second CLP meeting within a week. The last meeting was held on September 20.

Sources said the leadership of the government going forward, if Gehlot is elected as party chief, is likely to be on the meeting agenda.

Gehlot became the first person to announce his candidature for the AICC presidential poll on Friday and said former president Rahul Gandhi has told him that no one from the Gandhi family should become the next party chief.

The chief minister also said that the call on his successor will be taken by Sonia Gandhi and Maken.

Gehlot's remarks came after Rahul Gandhi batted for the "one man, one post" concept in the party, in line with the 'Chintan Shivir' reforms.

Talking to reporters in Kochi, Gehlot had said, "I will fix the date (to submit the nomination papers) after going back (to Rajasthan), but I have decided that I will have to contest. It is a question of democracy and let us make a new start."

Later in the day, Gehlot had told reporters in Shirdi that the debate on "one man, one post" is unnecessary and that he would like to serve the people of his state all his life.

He also said his statements on wanting to serve the people of Rajasthan are being interpreted in different ways.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Friday had met Rajasthan Assembly Speaker C P Joshi amid speculation of a change of guard in the state.

Pilot had met Joshi in his chamber in the state Assembly, where several party MLAs were also present.

According to party sources, Pilot is the main contender for the chief minister's post but Joshi's name is also doing the rounds.

08:44 Jaishankar tears into Pak, China at UN

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday that no rhetoric, however sanctimonious, can ever cover up blood stains and asserted that nations who defend proclaimed terrorists in the United Nations neither advance their own interests nor their reputation, in a clear signal to China and Pakistan on the issue of terrorism.

In his address to the high-level UN General Assembly session here, Jaishankar said those who politicise the UNSC 1267 Sanctions regime, sometimes even to the extent of defending proclaimed terrorists, do so at their own peril.

"Having borne the brunt of cross-border terrorism for decades, India firmly advocates a 'zero- tolerance' approach. In our view, there is no justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of motivation. And no rhetoric, however sanctimonious, can ever cover up blood stains," he said.

"The United Nations responds to terrorism by sanctioning its perpetrators. Those who politicise the UNSC 1267 Sanctions regime, sometimes even to the extent of defending proclaimed terrorists, do so at their own peril. Believe me, they advance neither their own interests nor indeed their reputation," he said.

This was strong, though veiled attack against Pakistan and its all-weather ally China, which has on multiple occasions blocked bids and proposals by India and its allies to designate Pakistan-based terrorists under the 1267 sanctions regime of the UN Security Council.

"India has always espoused a cooperative, inclusive, and consultative approach to international relations. We believe that multipolarity, rebalancing, fair globalisation and reformed multilateralism cannot be kept in abeyance," he said.

India pledges that it will promote greater unity and solidarity. This expresses a coming together on global issues, such as terrorism, pandemics, or the environment, Jaishankar said.

"As the Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee this year, India would be hosting its special meeting in Mumbai and New Delhi. I invite all member states to participate in it. We need to create a global architecture that responds to the new tech tools deployed against open, diverse and pluralistic societies," he said.

Bids by India, the US and other western allies to blacklist Pakistan-based terrorists under the Security Council's sanctions regime have been blocked and put on hold on various occasions by Islamabad's all-weather ally and veto-wielding permanent member China in the 15-nation Council.

This month, China has put a hold on a proposal moved at the United Nations by the US and co-supported by India to designate Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Sajid Mir, wanted for his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks, as a global terrorist.

Beijing put a hold on the proposal moved by the US and co-designated by India to blacklist Mir under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council as a global terrorist and subject him to assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.

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