LIVE
Mon, 26 September 2022
Jaish terrorist killed in Kulgam encounter
Timeline Refresh
Shashi Tharoor
23:56 Not written any letter favouring Tharoor as IT par panel chairman: BJP MP
BJP MP Anil Agarwal on Monday refuted reports of him signing or writing a letter in favour of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor continuing as chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Information Technology.
Agarwal's denial came days after DMK MP T Sumathy, a member of the parliamentary panel, tweeted the letter containing the names of five parliamentarians, including the BJP MP.
The letter requested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to retain Tharoor as chairman of the panel.
Retweeting Sumathy's tweet, Tharoor had thanked all five MPs for their solidarity.
Agarwal on Monday wrote to Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, Piyush Goyal claiming that he has not written or signed any letter in favour of Tharoor.
Stating that he is a loyal soldier of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Agarwal noted that he will never take any such step which will hurt the party's image or amount to indiscipline. -- PTI
Representational image
23:38 Maharashtra to get lion-lioness pair from Gujarat
Maharashtra will get a lion-lioness pair from Gujarat in return for a tiger and tigress from Mumbai's Sanjay Gandhi National Park, state forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said on Monday.
The Asiatic lion and lioness will be housed at the SGNP in Borivali.
Mungantiwar held discussions on this with Gujarat's minister of state for forest department Jagdish Vishwakarma.
It was also decided to jointly seek approval from Central Zoo Authority for this project.
Prior to this, discussions also took place between Maharashtra principal chief conservator of forest (Wildlife) Sunil Limaye and Abhishek Kumar, the director of Sakkarbagh Zoological Park in Gujarat's Junagadh, an official release said. -- PTI
23:00 Jaish terrorist killed in Kulgam encounter
A Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, the police said.
Two civilians and a soldier were also injured in the encounter in the district's Batpora village, they said.
Security forces launched a cordon operation in Batpora following information about the presence of terrorists there, a police official said.
He said the search operation turned into an encounter when the terrorists opened fire at the security forces, who retaliated.
"01 Army soldier & 02 civilians got injured in the ongoing #encounter. All the 03 injured shifted to hospital for treatment. #Operation going on. Further details shall follow," a police spokesperson tweeted. One terrorist of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) was killed in the subsequent exchange of fire between the two sides, he said. The identity of the slain terrorist is being ascertained, he said. -- PTI
Representational image
22:30 Plane forced to land after bird-hit in Kerala
A Delhi-bound plane was forced to land at the Kannur International Airport on Monday due to a bird-hit soon after take-off.
"It was a case of bird-hit and the aircraft was grounded for checks and maintenance," said a spokesperson of the airlines, Air India.
Sources in the airport said the flight with 135 passengers originated from Kozhikode and landed in the Kannur airport before flying to Delhi.
"Out of 135 passengers, 85 were from Kozhikode and 50 from Kannur. All of them were safe," airport SHO said.
He said the airlines made arrangements for accommodating the passengers bound overseas on other flights, while the Delhi-bound passengers were lodged in two hotels in Kannur and their travel arrangements would be made on Tuesday. -- PTI
22:07 Court extends custodial interrogation of 19 PFI members for five days
A court in New Delhi on Monday extended the custodial interrogation of 19 activists of the Popular Front of India arrested in a multi-agency operation led by the National Investigation Agency for five days.
Special Judge Shailender Malik passed the order after the probe agency produced the 19 accused before the court and sought an extension of their custody.
The court had on September 22 sent 18 PFI activists to four days custodial interrogation, while another accused arrested from Bengaluru was produced before the court and sent for three days NIA custody the next day.
During the last hearing, the NIA told the court that the probe was at a preliminary stage and further remand might be needed later.
It further said that the investigation was sensitive in nature and more people were likely to be identified during the course of the probe.
In near-simultaneous raids across the length and breadth of the country, a multi-agency operation spearheaded by the NIA on September 22 led to the arrest of 106 activists of the Popular Front of India in 11 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. -- PTI
21:56 US whistle-blower Snowden made Russian citizen
Just In: Former US intelligence contractor and whistle-blower Edward Snowden has been granted Russian citizenship by President Vladimir Putin.
Details soon.
21:19 Warrant against ATS officer in Malegaon blast case
A special National Investigation Agency court in Mumbai on Monday issued a bailable warrant against an officer of the Anti-Terrorism Squad for not appearing before it in connection with the 2008 Malegaon blast case.
The officer concerned had arrested a few accused in the case and recorded some statements.
He is also a witness in the case.
According to a lawyer, a bailable warrant of Rs 5,000 was issued against the officer, as he had skipped multiple summons.
Six people were killed and over 100 injured on September 29, 2008, after an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle went off near a mosque at Malegaon town in Nashik district, located about 200 km from Mumbai.
Besides Dwivedi, other accused in the case include Lt Col Prasad Purohit, BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, Shudakar Diwedi, Major Ramesh Upadhyay (retired), Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Chaturvedi and Sameer Kulkarni, all of whom are out on bail. -- PTI
Representational image
20:44 TN gives nod to regulate online gambling
The Tamil Nadu Cabinet on Monday gave its nod to promulgate an ordinance to regulate online gambling.
The cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister M K Stalin in Chennai, took the decision after final touches were given to the draft ordinance.
It would be promulgated once the Governor RN Ravi gives his assent, the government said.
In June this year, the chief minister announced a new law to curb online gambling, and the state government constituted a panel under retired judge of the Madras high court Justice K Chandru to recommend on the promulgation of an ordinance to regulate online gambling in the State.
Accordingly, the recommendation was submitted to the chief minister on June 27, 2022, and it was placed before the Cabinet the same day for consideration.
The Cabinet took up the draft ordinance for discussion today after obtaining the requisite information from the school education department on the impact of online gaming on students, said an official release. -- PTI
20:26 Assam Cong men clash at Bharat Jodo Yatra meet
A clash between two groups of Congress workers broke out during a meeting to discuss the Bharat Jodo Yatra at Rajiv Bhawan in Assam's Dhubri district on Monday.
The incident happened in the presence of some leaders of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee.
A meeting was organized at Rajiv Bhawan, Dhubri to discuss the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Assam slated for November 1.
The local leaders dismissed the claims of any division within the party and said that some misconceptions prevailed.
"The Dhubri District Congress is not divided, we are united. But there are some misconceptions. We don't have any division over Bharat Jodo Yatra. During the discussion on Bharat Jodo Yatra, Assam, a group raised their allegations against the district president. Today's meeting is not the right place to raise such things. When they raised their issues some of our party workers opposed it and some untoward situations happened," said Congress MLA, Wazed Ali Choudhury. -- ANI
20:16 Modi emplanes for Japan to attend State funeral of former PM Shinzo Abe
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday emplaned for Japan to attend the state funeral of his "dear friend" and former PM Shinzo Abe, which will be held on Tuesday.
"PM @narendramodi emplanes for Tokyo to attend the state funeral of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. India had announced one-day national mourning on 09 July 2022 as a mark of respect to former PM Abe. The visit will be an opportunity to honour his memory," tweeted the ministry of external affairs spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi.
Hours before departing, PM Modi tweeted that he would be travelling to Tokyo tonight to participate in the State Funeral of former PM Shinzo Abe, "a dear friend and a great champion of India-Japan friendship."
"I will be conveying heartfelt condolences to Prime Minister Kishida and Mrs. Abe on behalf of all Indians. We will continue working to further strengthen India-Japan relations as envisioned by Abe San," he said.
19:57 SC takes note of letter on drug mafia network in country, seeks Centre's reply
The Supreme Court Monday sought a response from the Centre after taking cognizance of a letter it has received alleging the menace of drug mafia network operating in the country.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit said a letter was written to the then CJI NV Ramana, who on November 17 last year, directed that it be converted into a suo motu case titled: "The Menace of Drug Mafia Network Operating in The Country'.
The bench, also comprising justices S Ravindra Bhat and JB Pardiwala, appointed lawyer Shoeb Alam as an amicus curiae to assist it and gave him the liberty to take assistance of an advocate-on-record of his choice.
"The office note put up before the Chief Justice on November 17, 2021 has been converted under the directions of the Chief Justice in a suo motu Writ Petition. Considering the gravity of the situation and the material placed before this court, we have requested Shoab Alam to assist the court as amicus curiae, an offer which he has graciously accepted," it said.
"At this stage we issue notice to the Union Government. We also issue notice to Aishwarya Bhati, the Additional Solicitor General," it said in the order.
The bench has now posted the matter for hearing on October 18. -- PTI
19:37 Sonia Gandhi seeks written report on Raj crisis
Congress observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken briefed president Sonia Gandhi on Monday regarding the developments in Rajasthan and will submit a written report about the crisis in the party's state unit by Monday night or on Tuesday.
Talking to reporters after a nearly hour-long meeting with Gandhi, AICC in-charge for Rajasthan Ajay Maken said they apprised the party president of the developments in the state after which she sought a detailed report on it.
He said it was 'unfortunate' that the Congress Legislature Party could not be held and termed the move of pro-Gehlot loyalist MLAs and ministers as "indiscipline".
He added that the CLP meet was kept after Gehlot's consent and the place and time were set as per his request.
He said the MLAs and ministers loyal to Chief Minister Gehlot cannot pose conditions to the party leadership as they amount to a "conflict of interest".
"Kharge ji and I have apprised the Congress president of the CLP meeting in Rajasthan. The Congress President has sought a written report on the entire chronology, which we will submit by late night or tomorrow," Maken said.
Maken said the Congress president had asked the observers to meet all MLAs separately. -- PTI
19:26 Passport applicants can apply online for police clearance certificates
Passport applicants will now be able to apply for police clearance certificates at all online post office passport seva kendras, the ministry of external affairs said on Monday.
The MEA is the nodal ministry for the issuance of passports.
The PCCs are a pre-requisite for the issuance of passports to the applicants.
Often, the issuance of the PCCs by the local police takes time that results in a delay in the grant of passports.
"To address the unanticipated surge in demand for police clearance certificates, the ministry has decided to include the facility to apply for PCC services at all online Post Office Passport Seva Kendras across India, starting from September 28," the MEA said in a statement.
"This step would significantly add to the availability of PCC appointment slots, and at an earlier date," it added.
The MEA further said: "The action taken by the ministry in extending this PCC application facility to POPSKs would not only help Indian citizens seeking employment abroad, but also meet the demand for other PCC requirements, such as in the case of education, long-term visa, emigration etc." -- PTI
19:05 Shah Rukh gets SC relief in 2017 stampede case
The Supreme Court on Monday granted relief to Shah Rukh Khan as it upheld Gujarat high court which quashed the case against him related to the 2017 stampede in Vadodara Railway Station.
A bench of Justice Ajay Rastogi and Justice CT Ravikumar rejected the plea filed by a complainant against Shahrukh Khan.
The complainant had challenged a Gujarat high court order.
The Supreme Court refused to interfere with the order passed by the high court of Gujarat quashing the complaint filed by the complainant against the actor.
On April 27, 2022, Gujarat high court ordered quashing the criminal case against Shah Rukh Khan for allegedly causing a stampede at Vadodara Railway Station while promoting his film Raees in 2017.
The actor along with his production team was travelling from Mumbai to Delhi to promote their Hindi feature film Raees.
The complainant, Jitendra Madhubhai Solanki had filed a private complaint against Khan before the judicial magistrate, first class, Vadodara, alleging his presence at the Vadodara Railway Station coupled with him throwing T-shirts and smiley balls at the crowd assembled at the station led to the alleged stampede. -- ANI
Representational image
18:51 Common University Entrance Test-PG results announced
The results of the Common University Entrance Test-PG, for which 6.07 lakh candidates had registered, were announced on Monday, according to National Testing Agency officials.
The exam was held in computer-based test mode, comprising multiple choice questions.
"The results have been announced," said NTA senior director (exams) Sadhana Parashar.
Unlike the CUET-UG, the NTA has also announced subject-wise toppers for the postgraduate entrance exam.
The University Grants Commission on Sunday wrote to vice-chancellors of universities that opted for CUET to start their admission processes.
"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.
Among the universities, BHU received the maximum number of 3.5 lakh applications, followed by JNU with 2.3 lakh.
A total of 66 universities, including central, state and private universities, had opted for the CUET-PG exam for admissions. -- PTI
18:45 PFI raids: Mumbai court extends ATS custody of five accused till Oct 3
A court in Mumbai on Monday extended till October 3 the ATS custody of five people, arrested during the multi-agency raids conducted on the Popular Front of India in Maharashtra last week.
The five accused were among 20 people nabbed from the state by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in multi-agency raids across the country spearheaded by the National Investigation Agency last Thursday.
The ATS produced the five accused before the court of additional sessions judge A M Patil on Monday on the expiry of their previous remand.
They were booked on charges of engaging in unlawful activities, promoting enmity among communities, and waging a war against the country.
In a massive crackdown on PFI, multi-agency teams had arrested 106 leaders and activists of the radical Islamic outfit in near-simultaneous raids in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. -- PTI
Representational image
18:36 Centre blocks 45 videos on 10 YouTube channels
Government has ordered the blocking of 45 videos from 10 YouTube channels that contained fake news and morphed content with the intent to spread hatred amongst religious communities, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said on Monday.
The blocked videos had a cumulative viewership of over 1.30 crore and claimed that the government had taken away the religious rights of certain communities, an official statement said.
"These channels had content that spread fear and misconception among communities," Thakur said.
An official statement said the blocked content included fake news and morphed videos spread with the intent to spread hatred among religious communities.
"Some of the videos blocked by the Ministry were being used to spread disinformation on issues related to Agnipath scheme, Indian Armed Forces, India's national security apparatus, Kashmir," it said.
The content was observed to be false and sensitive from the perspective of national security and India's friendly relations with foreign nations, it added.
The order to block the videos was issued on September 23 under the provisions of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, the statement said. -- PTI
Representational image
18:11 Indian climber among 12 injured as avalanche hits Nepal's Mt Manaslu
Indian climber Baljeet Kaur was among 12 climbers who were injured when an avalanche struck them at the base camp of Mt. Manaslu in Nepal on Monday, according to media reports.
Out of the 12 mountaineers, three were critically injured, The Himalayan Times newspaper reported.
The department of tourism confirmed that the avalanche hit at 11:30 am on Monday.
Sources told local media that Sherpa climbers from Seven Summit Treks, Satori Adventure, Imagine Nepal Treks, Elite Expedition, and 8K Expeditions, among others, were injured.
Pemba Sherpa from 8K Expedition said Indian climber Kaur and her Sherpa guide both suffered minor injuries and were safe, the report said.
The tourism department is yet to establish contact with the officials at the incident site, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported, quoting the director of the department.
The avalanche struck the route just below Camp IV of Mount Manaslu when the climbers were ferrying logistics to the high camps.
Rescue operations are underway and various helicopter services are conducting aerial searches.
Government official for expeditions on Mt Manaslu Yashoda Acharya said that bad weather conditions at Mt Manaslu Base Camp were hindering rescue efforts. -- PTI
17:57 Bal Thackeray's trusted aide joins Shinde camp
Champa Singh Thapa and Moreshwar Raje who had served former Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray at his residence 'Matoshree' for almost three decades on Monday joined the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Mumbai.
Thapa, the trusted Man Friday of the Sena patriarch, had served him devotedly for 27 years before the Thackeray senior's death in November 2012.
Raje, who used to attend phone calls at 'Matoshree' for Bal Thackeray, had spent at least 35 years in the Thackeray residence in suburban Bandra in Mumbai.
Chief Minister Shinde, an MLA from Thane, welcomed Thapa and Raje to the fold by offering them shawls and greeting them.
"On this auspicious occasion of Navaratra, everyone is happy that (pandemic-related) restrictions on festivals had been lifted. There is huge enthusiasm which is the need of the hour," he said and added that the joining of Thapa and Raje, who were like shadows of Bal Thackeray, had added to the pleasant atmosphere of festivities.
Shinde said the duo decided to join his faction as he represents the "real" Shiv Sena and is taking forward the teachings of the Sena founder and Hindutva.
"Balasaheb used to do straight talking and used to be blunt. People knew Balasaheb well and hence they did not accept the Sena's alliance with Congress and NCP under the Maha Vikas Aghadi," he said. -- PTI
Kharge with Gehlot
17:41 Kharge, Maken head to Sonia's home to brief her on Rajasthan
Congress observers returned to Delhi on Monday to give their feedback about political developments in Rajasthan to the party high command, after a failure to hold a meeting of the legislature party to decide on Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's successor.
The Congress had appointed its senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge and Rajasthan incharge Ajay Maken as observers for the CLP meeting, which was scheduled on Sunday evening but was cancelled after MLAs loyal to Gehlot chose to skip it and met separately.
The two leaders headed for a meeting with Sonia Gandhi soon after arriving in the national capital.
Earlier, Gehlot met Kharge at a hotel in Jaipur before they left for Delhi, sources said.
"He (Gehlot) had come. It was a courtesy call. Nothing else. I am going to Delhi. So, before that, I had called him. He said he will come to meet. We will apprise about the situation to the party president then whatever will be the decision that everyone has to accept," Kharge told reporters after meeting Gehlot.
He further said, "Party should have discipline and party should also be strengthened and the party should also be united. For this, whatever strategy Congress president will make, everyone will have to accept."'
17:29 Twitter challenges govt order to block some users
The high court of Karnataka on Monday heard a petition by microblogging platform Twitter against the Central government's orders asking it to block some accounts, URLs and tweets.
Twitter had challenged the orders on grounds of violation of freedom of speech and the authorities not issuing notice to the alleged violators before asking Twitter to take down content.
The ministry of electronics and Information Technology had on September 1 filed a 101-page statement of objection to Twitter's petition.
Senior advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for Twitter on Monday online, argued the company was following the rules laid out in the Information Technology Act.
He contended that Twitter as a platform was affected by the Centre asking it to take down accounts without issuing notice to the alleged violators.
The Centre was asking for wholesale blocking of accounts which will affect its business, according to him.
He said several prominent persons have accounts on Twitter. Another contention Datar raised was that instead of blocking the tweet that was deemed improper, it was being told to block the account itself because of political content.
He cited the example of farmers' protest in Delhi and claimed content that was telecast in the news media was asked to be blocked on Twitter. -- PTI
Sreenath Bhasi/Twitter
17:02 Kerala Actor Sreenath Bhasi in police custody for questioning in verbal abuse case
The Kochi city police on Monday took into custody Malayalam actor Sreenath Bhasi for allegedly hurling abusive words at a woman journalist during an interview, the police said.
The actor was summoned by police to Maradu station in Kochi city on the basis of the complaint filed by the journalist of an online media.
"He is in our custody. His statement is being recorded," a police officer said.
A case was registered last week against Bhasi based on the journalist's complaint that the actor used abusive words when she was interviewing him at a hotel here last week. -- PTI
16:45 Time to spill blood to save govt: Gehlot loyalist
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot loyalist and state cabinet Minister Pratap Khachariyawas on Monday said that the Congress workers are attempting to save their party and have to be prepared to 'spill blood on the roads' against the Bharatiya Janata Party which he alleged, wants to 'topple' the state government.
The remarks of the Congress leader came amid the ongoing political crisis in the state.
Speaking to ANI, Khachariyawas said, "The BJP wants to topple the Rajasthan government. I have told Ashok Gehlot that it is important to save the government, you have to perform witchcraft. The BJP will eye Rajasthan to divert attention from inflation. They did it in Maharashtra. If we don't respond with courage, there will be fights on the streets. The Congress workers will have to spill blood on the roads. I had said it earlier to Gehlot that the BJP is prepared and there is a conspiracy underway against the government."
He claimed that the central agencies will hit the streets of Rajasthan.
"The ED and CBI will hit the streets of Rajasthan. Congress workers will have to hit the roads, then I will also come. We will have an equal fight. If the BJP uses stick, we will respond. If they fire at us, we will respond. But if MLAs want to save government against BJP's conspiracy then they should be heard," he said.
The leader, however, denied any factionalism in the Congress party and said that all MLAs have the right to express their opinion.
"There is no factionalism in Congress. Every MLA has the right to put forth his view on democracy. If the MLAs united at the residence of the parliamentary affairs minister and said something, they did not commit any crime. They were the same MLAs who saved the government on the call of Sonia Gandhi. There is no opposition of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Ashok Gehlot," the Congress leader said.
Responding to Ajay Maken's statement on issuing notices to rebel MLAs for their 'undisciplined move', Khachariyawas said, "If any notice is issued, we will respond to it." -- ANI
Amanatullah Khan
16:28 Delhi Waqf Board irregularities: Court sends AAP MLA Amanatulah Khan to judicial custody
A Delhi court on Monday sent Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan to 14 days of judicial custody in a case related to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board recruitment.
Special judge Vikas Dhull passed the order and posted the bail hearing for Khan on Tuesday.
Earlier, on September 21 the court had extended the custodial interrogation of Khan by five days.
The Anti-Corruption Branch arrested Khan after conducting raids at his premises on September 16.
According to the FIR, Khan, while working as chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board, illegally recruited 32 people by violating all norms and government guidelines.
The then CEO of Delhi Waqf Board had clearly given a statement and issued a memorandum against such illegal recruitment, it said.
Further, it was alleged that as chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board, Khan rented out several properties of the Waqf Board illegally amid allegations of corruption and favouritism, it added. -- PTI
The Navratri thali from IRCTC
16:01 IRCTC offers Durga Puja, Navratrai special menu
In a first, passengers travelling in the country's eastern region will have a chance to gorge on sumptuous Bengali cuisine, with the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) serving special Durga Puja menu on board trains, officials said.
The menu will be available in around 70 trains passing through Howrah, Sealdah and Asansol stations in West Bengal and Jasidih Junction in Jharkhand which have IRCTC's e-catering facility, they said. Passengers can call on 1323 to book their meals and get them delivered to their seats, officials said.
This is the latest offering from the Rail PSU, which started its 'Vrat Navratri' special thalis last year for passengers on fast during the festival.
The Pujo menu includes mutton thali -- with typical bengali specialities like luchi (puri), pulao, alu posto (potato with poppy seeds), chicken and fish thalis. Other items on the list include fish fry, Kolkata biriyani and rosogolla among others, officials said.
This year too, during Navratri, passengers will be offered meals without onion-garlic en route their journey, they said.
To avail this offer, passengers will have to place an order by calling on 1323. IRCTC will provide this facility at 400 stations, officials said, adding that the initial price of IRCTC's food menu begins at Rs 99.
The starters menu includes 'aloo chaap and sabudana tikki'. The main course includes Sabudana khichdi and paneer makhmali with parathas. Other food items like Kofta Curry, and Sabudana khichri Navratri thali are also available, officials said.
15:49 Rajasthan crisis: Kamal Nath summoned to Delhi
The Congress high command has summoned senior leader Kamal Nath to Delhi and he is likely to meet party chief Sonia Gandhi on Monday, sources said.
The visit of Kamal Nath, the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee chief, to Delhi comes amid a political drama in Rajasthan over leadership change following Ashok Gehlot's announcement that he would contest the AICC president polls.
Kamal Nath is known to have close ties with the Rajasthan chief minister and could be asked to broker a truce, sources said.
While legislators loyal to Gehlot have been vocal about their issues, MLAs in the Sachin Pilot camp refrained from commenting.
MLAs loyal to Gehlot have said they have put forth demands before the observers that any decision on the chief ministerial face should be taken after the party president election on October 19 and in consultation with Gehlot.
AICC observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Rajasthan in-charge Ajay Maken, who had waited in vain for all legislators to arrive for the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting on Sunday, were trying to persuade Gehlot loyalists to meet them one by one in an effort to defuse the political crisis.
However, several MLAs have left for their respective constituencies in view of Navratri festival, party sources said. The observers are likely to submit a report on the matter to Sonia Gandhi. PTI
15:29 PM set to leave for Japan to attend Abe's funeral
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for Tokyo later today to attend the state funeral of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.
The funeral will take place on Tuesday and is expected to be attended by representatives from around 100 countries.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said the duration of Modi's visit from the time of his departure from Delhi will be around 12 to 16 hours.
Kwatra said Modi will have a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and also meet Abe's wife.
Abe was shot dead while making a campaign speech three months back. Modi's visit to Japan will be an opportunity to honour former prime minister Abe, Kwatra said. PTI
15:10 SC asks HC to decide Anil Deshmukh's bail plea
The Supreme Court Monday directed the Bombay High Court to hear and decide expeditiously the bail plea of Maharashtra's former home minister Anil Deshmukh, arrested in connection with a money laundering case.
A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hima Kohli noted that the bail plea of Deshmukh is pending in the high court since March 21.
Any person who has filed a bail application has a legitimate expectation that his plea will be disposed of at an early date. Keeping an application for bail pending is not consistent with the Right to Life under Article 21.
"We issue a direction and permit the petitioner to apply before the learned judge to whom the case has been assigned tomorrow. The application shall be taken for hearing during the course of this week and decided expeditiously," the bench said. The top court clarified that it has not expressed any opinion on the merits of the case.
14:59 Salaries in India may rise by 10.4% in 2023: Survey
Corporate India is bullish about its strong business performance and expected to dole out a double-digit salary hike of as much as 10.4 per cent in 2023, a survey said on Monday.
According to leading global professional services firm Aon Plc's latest Salary Increase Survey in India, remunerations in India are expected to increase by 10.4 per cent in 2023, compared to an actual increase of 10.6 per cent to date in 2022, which is slightly higher than the 9.9 per cent increase projected in February.
The study that analysed data across 1,300 companies from more than 40 industries in India noted that the attrition rate for the first half of 2022 continued to be high at 20.3 per cent, marginally lower than the 21 per cent recorded in 2021, thus retaining the pressure on salaries. This trend is expected to continue for the next few months, the survey noted.
14:16 'This could be the era of South Asian literature'
KPR Nair, founder and managing director, Konark Publishers Pvt Ltd, was chosen by the Federation of Publishers' & Booksellers' Associations in India for its Golden Award for his outstanding contribution to the book industry for more than 50 years.
Nair pointed out that India is the third-largest publisher of English language books and there are more than 9,000 publishers in the country, which include both Indian and foreign.
"As of 2019, the publishing industry, directly and indirectly, employed 1.2 million people," Nair said.
However, the Indian publishing industry is today being hit by unfathomable challenges. The rising paper and printing costs are threatening the very existence of this industry. Though it is a global problem, the repercussions will be severe in our country as India publish in 22 languages.
Social media is a medium that is a boon as well as a bane. It has given a new lease of life to Indian publishing by giving a platform for authors and publishers to promote their books. But it also paved the way for paid reviews which were unheard of in publishing till a few years ago.
Suddenly, they seem to have penetrated all platforms and have started influencing the opinions of readers.
Another issue of concern is the changing reading habits. For a generation that is fully dependent on technology for even their basic needs, libraries and reading rooms are becoming an increasingly alien concept, especially for people in cities.
"This change should be taken due note of and policies need to be formulated to check the selling of fake, counterfeit, and pirated books on leading e-commerce sites. If a proper regulatory mechanism is not put in place at the earliest, it will have an adverse impact on the publishing industry," Nair said.
With the Booker Prize being awarded to Geetanjali Shree, an Indian writer, for a translated work, it is evident that this could be the era of South Asian literature if there is enough support from governments.
Image: KPR Nair, founder and MD, Konark Publishers Pvt Ltd, left, is presented the Federation of Publishers' & Booksellers' Associations in India's Golden Award, by FPBAI President Pradeep Arora at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, September 24.
Representational image
14:07 Six dead in school shootout in Russia
A gunman has killed six people and wounded 20 others in a school in central Russia, say reports.
The shooter, who is yet to be identified, entered a school in the Izhevsk province, killed a guard and some of the children. The gunman is believed to have shot himself.
Children in the age group of one year to 11 years go to this school.
14:02 Happy birthday, Dr Singh!
Sharmistha Mukheree, the daughter of former president Pranab Mukherjee, shares this picture on the occasion of Dr Manmohan Singh's birthday today. From L to R: Sharmistha Mukherjee, Pranab Mukherjee, Dr Manmohan Singh, Gursharan Kaur and Abhijit Mukherjee.
13:56 Pak PM omits names of group names at UNGA
Former Afghan foreign minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar has slammed Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after he raised concern about the terror threat from Afghanistan in his address at the United Nations General Assembly but failed to mention the terrorist groups operating in his home country.
In a series of tweets, Haneef Atmar ripped apart Sharif for failing to name Pakistan-based terrorist organisations like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) in his speech that was full of criticism of Afghanistan.
Haneef Atmar rebuked Pak PM for distinguishing between good and bad terrorists while deliberately omitting the name of LeT, which is the largest of all foreign groups operating in the region.
"PM Shehbaz at UNGA warning about the threat posed by major terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan" should be of vital concern to Afghanistan, the region and the international community," he tweeted.
"First, he makes distinction between good and bad terrorists by omitting the name of LeT and JeM from his list. In terms of fighters' strength, LeT is only second to the Taliban and the largest of all foreign groups operating in the region," he added.
Considering the LeT's growing presence in the region, Atmar said this is a serious warning to the international community given the group's history and current objectives.
The former Afghan minister said Sharif is already directing the international community's anger and response to Afghanistan in case of another 9/11.
"And yet, he does not take any responsibility for this situation," he said. -- ANI
13:38 Tax case: No arrest for Anil Ambani till Nov 17
Bombay High Court gives relief to Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani in an alleged Rs 420 crore tax evasion matter. The HC has asked the income tax department not to take coercive action against Anil Ambani until 17th November.
The income tax department has sought to prosecute Anil Ambani under the Black Money Act for allegedly evading Rs 420 crore in taxes on undisclosed funds worth more than Rs 814 crore held in two Swiss bank accounts.
The department has charged Anil Ambani, 63, with "willful" evasion, saying he "intentionally" did not disclose his foreign bank account details and financial interests to Indian tax authorities.
13:14 CWC wants Gehlot out of party presidential race
With the deepening political crisis in Rajasthan over the appointment of Ashok Gehlot's successor, Congress Working Committee members have demanded from Sonia Gandhi to pull the state chief minister out of the race for the party chief and select another candidate for the top post, sources said on Monday.
Miffed over the recent political developments in the crisis-hit state and the conduct of the MLAs of the Gehlot camp, the CWC members have registered a complaint against him with the party chief and said, 'It would not be good to lay faith in him and give him the responsibility of the party. The party top leadership should reconsider his candidature.'
The members have urged Sonia Gandhi to make another such person a candidate who is a senior leader and also loyal to the Gandhi family.
Sonia Gandhi, at the behest of Ashok Gehlot, has taken cognisance of the MLAs of his camp not meeting the two observers -- Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken -- sent to Jaipur by the party leadership.
Notably, the MLAs of the Gehlot camp had not attended the meeting of the Congress legislative party (CLP).
Given the circumstances, other party leaders like Digvijaya Singh and Mukul Wasnik are a few names emerging on the list of probable candidates.
Shashi Tharoor who is also in the race for the party's top post will file the nominations on September 30.
A legislative party meeting was scheduled on Sunday evening at the residence of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in the presence of the observers, which was attended by the Sachin Pilot and his camp MLAs, however, the Gehlot loyalists had held a meeting with cabinet minister Shanti Dhariwal at his residence, following which over 90 MLAs had submitted their resignations to Speaker C P Joshi.
Pilot, is being seen as the successor of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who is all set to contest the Congress president election scheduled on October 17.
The Rajasthan deputy chief minister late last night conducted a second round of meeting with the All India Congress Committee observers.
According to the sources close to Gehlot, "What the MLAs did was not right. The legislators should have come to the legislature party meeting in front of the observers sent by Sonia Gandhi. Gehlot also wanted that all the MLAs should come in front of the observers in the legislature party."
The sources further said that the party leadership wanted the MLAs to express their opinion in the meeting and the final decision to be left for Sonia Gandhi to make.
"This has been the tradition of Congress which has been followed in Rajasthan Congress, but despite all the efforts of Gehlot, the MLAs felt that the decision was going to be in favour of Sachin Pilot, their anger erupted because they did not want to give the reins of the government at any cost to the person who betrayed the BJP and tried to bring down the Congress government at the same time," said the sources.
The Gehlot loyalists want someone from their own camp to be chosen as the next chief minister, instead of Pilot, who according to them, had revolted against his own party back in 2020. -- ANI
13:07 One of India's finest statesmen: Rahul on Manmohan Singh's birthday
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday wished former prime minister Manmohan Singh on his 90th birthday, and said his humility, dedication and contribution to India's development has few parallels.
Dr Singh, a renowned economist, was India's prime minister between 2004 and 2014 during the Congress-led UPA rule. He was also India's finance minister in the P V Narasimha Rao-led government during 1991-96, an epochal era for the country's economy marked by wide-ranging reforms.
"Wishing one of India's finest statesman, Dr Manmohan Singh ji a very happy birthday. His humility, dedication and contribution to India's development, has few parallels," Gandhi said in a tweet. "He is an inspiration to me, and to crores of other Indians. I pray for his good health and happiness," he said.
In a tweet, the Congress wished the former prime minister on his birthday and said, "Visionary leadership and dedication defines what Dr Manmohan Singh means for India. The architect of India's economic reforms, it was his magnificent vision that launched India's economic story to the next level."
Congress's communication department chief Pawan Khera said that, "In the last twenty four years, India has seen three prime ministers: One who was known to be an orator. One who was known for his work. And the third one who is known for being boastful. Happy Birthday to Dr Manmohan Singh, who made India a proud place in the world."
12:49 Azad unveils Ukraine-like flag for his new party
Ghulam Nabi Azad today unveiled the flag of his new 'Democratic Azad Party'. "Mustard colour indicates creativity and unity in diversity, white indicates peace and blue indicates freedom, open space, imagination and limits from the depths of the ocean to the heights of the sky," Azad said.
The veteran Congress leader quit the party last month.
12:46 Tharoor: You will see support I enjoy when...
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday claimed he has the support of party workers from across the country for his bid to fight the AICC president polls.
Amid uncertainty over Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's candidature for the top party post, Tharoor also met Rahul Gandhi on the sidelines of Bharat Jodo Yatra at Pattambi in this north Kerala district.
Tharoor said it was a courtesy call as Gandhi was in his home district.
"You will see the support I enjoy when I submit my nomination paper. I will be in the fray if I get support from party workers from the majority of the states. So many people from different parts of the country have requested me to be in the fray," Tharoor told reporters reacting to a query on his candidature for the Congress president's post.
Tharoor said he was interested in fighting the poll but the picture will be clearer only after September 30, the last date for submitting nomination papers.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP, who has got the nomination form for the poll collected from the Congress headquarters last Saturday, said a candidate should fight the polls with confidence.
"I have got the form. I am meeting people and talking to them", he said. Asked whether he has the support of the Nehru-Gandhi family in fighting the polls, the Congress leader said he had discussed the matter with Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and Priyanka and "and all three have directly told me that they don't have any issues".
He also claimed the support of party workers in Kerala in his bid to fight the polls. Tharoor had met Sonia Gandhi last Monday and expressed his intention to contest the poll. The Congress president conveyed she would stay "neutral" in the elections, according to sources. -- PTI
Representational image
12:33 Six Pak Army officials killed in chopper crash
Six Pakistan Army officials, including two pilots, were killed in a helicopter crash in southwestern Balochistan province, the military said on Monday. The incident occurred near Khost in the Harnai area of the province on Sunday night during a flying mission, it said.
All the "six personnel on board, including 2 pilots" were killed in the crash, the army said. No reason for the crash was given.
The accident comes more than a month after a similar incident occurred in Balochistan on August 1 when a Pakistan Army helicopter crashed, killing all six personnel on board, including a Lieutenant General. According to the army, the accident had occurred due to bad weather. PTI
The Covid-19 virus with its distinctive spike protein
12:17 New Covid-like virus in bats can infect humans
A new S-CoV-2-like virus discovered in Russian bats is capable of infecting humans, and is resistant to current vaccines against COVID-19, a study has found.
A team led by researchers at Washington State University (WSU), US, found spike proteins from the bat virus, named Khosta-2, can infect human cells and is resistant to both the antibody therapies and blood serum from people vaccinated for S-CoV-2.
A virus uses the spike protein to enter and infect the human cells. Both Khosta-2 and S- CoV-2 belong to the same sub-category of coronaviruses known as sarbecoviruses.
"Our research further demonstrates that sarbecoviruses circulating in wildlife outside of Asia -- even in places like western Russia where the Khosta-2 virus was found -- also pose a threat to global health and ongoing vaccine campaigns againstS-CoV-2," said Michael Letko, corresponding author of the study.
The finding, published in the journal PLoS Pathogens, highlights the need to develop universal vaccines to protect against sarbecoviruses in general, rather than just against known variants ofS-CoV-2.
"Right now, there are groups trying to come up with a vaccine that doesn't just protect against the next variant ofS-2 but actually protects us against the sarbecoviruses in general," Letko said.
"Unfortunately, many of our current vaccines are designed to specific viruses we know infect human cells or those that seem to pose the biggest risk to infect us," the scientist added.
While hundreds of sarbecoviruses have been discovered in recent years, predominantly in bats in Asia, the majority are not capable of infecting human cells. The Khosta-1 and Khosta-2 viruses were discovered in Russian bats in late 2020, and it initially appeared they were not a threat to humans, the researchers said.
"Genetically, these weird Russian viruses looked like some of the others that had been discovered elsewhere around the world, but because they did not look likeS-CoV-2, no one thought they were really anything to get too excited about," Letko said.
"But when we looked at them more, we were really surprised to find they could infect human cells. That changes a little bit of our understanding of these viruses, where they come from and what regions are concerning," he added. -- PTI
Congress observer for Rajasthan Ajay Maken
11:53 Why Cong observers' meet with Raj MLAs failed
AICC observer Ajay Maken on the no-show by Rajasthan MLAs loyal to CM Ashok Gehlot.
"Mallikarjun Kharge and I came to Jaipur as AICC observers to hold a meeting in accordance with the CM's convenience his residence. We were continuously telling the MLAs who didn't come to meet us, to come and talk one-on-one.
"If CM Ashok Gehlot becomes Congress chief after October 19, he can empower himself over his own resolution.
"The second condition is that the MLAs wanted to come in groups when we said that we shall talk to everyone individually.
"We made it clear that this is not how it works, but they did not accept it.
"The third condition was that the CM should be from the 102 MLAs who are loyal to CM Ashok Gehlot and not Sachin Pilot or his group. We said that their exact sentiments will be conveyed to the Congress chief, who will take the decision after talking to CM Ashok Gehlot and everyone else," Maken said.
As the majority of Congress MLAs from the Ashok Gehlot camp were submitting their resignations, party interim president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday directed observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken to conduct one-on-one talks with Rajasthan MLAs to resolve the issue.
11:20 Ukraine girds up for month 7
Anton Gerashchenko, advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, quotes the former British PM as the war in Ukraine enters its seventh month. "We shall fight on beaches, landing grounds, in fields, in streets and on the hills. We shall never surrender.
--Winston Churchill June 4, 1940."
11:16 Jacqueline Fernandez gets interim bail
Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez on Monday arrived at the Patiala House Court which had summoned her in connection with the Enforcement Directorate case related to Rs 200 crore money laundering case involving conman Sukesh Chandrashekar and others.
Actor Jacqueline Fernandez's lawyers have moved a bail plea in the money laundering case. Additional Sessions Judge Shailender Malik sought a response from the ED on the bail plea, till then her regular bail is pending before the court.
At the request of Jacqueline's lawyer, the court granted interim bail to Jacqueline on a bail bond of Rs 50,000.The next date of hearing is October 22 this year. -- ANI
File pic
11:00 Mom clings on to baby as monkey tries to snatch it
A one-month-old girl was injured after a monkey sneaked into a police station in Thane and tried to snatch the baby from her mother, an official said.
The incident took place on Sunday when the woman carrying the infant went to Shil Daighar police station in Maharashtra's Thane city to file a complaint. At the same time, a monkey sneaked into the premises, jumped on the woman and tried to snatch the baby, the official said.
The woman held the baby tightly and saved her from the animal's clutches. The child, however, suffered injuries in the incident, the official said.
The woman rushed the bleeding child to a nearby hospital where the baby received five stitches on her head for the injuries, he said.
The child's condition is stable, the official said. The woman told reporters that she had seen the monkey at the police station and wanted to drive it away during which the animal pounced on her child. "I was shocked, but luckily, I managed to save my child," she said.
10:30 Rupee touches another lifetime low
Continuing with the depreciation, Rupee slipped further from the past week's low and hit another lifetime low on Monday morning.
This consistent depreciation follows the ongoing strengthening of the US dollar index for a two-decade, on hopes that demand for safe-haven currency such as the dollar would pick up.
This morning, it crossed 81.50 against the US dollar. On Friday, it closed at 81.25. Notably, last Thursday's depreciation was the biggest single-day fall for the rupee since February 24. The latest monetary policy tightening by the US Federal Reserve also lent support to the dollar, thereby weakening other major currencies globally, including India's rupee.
10:30 Count the pack
Shah Rukh Khan drops this pic promoting his upcoming flick, Pathaan.
SRK tweets, "Me to My Shirt today:
'Tum hoti toh kaisa hota'.
Tum iss baat pe hairaan hoti,
Tum iss baat pe kitni hansti''.
Tum hoti toh aisa hota..'
Me also waiting for #Pathaan."
'Tum hoti toh kaisa hota'.
Tum iss baat pe hairaan hoti,
Tum iss baat pe kitni hansti''.
Tum hoti toh aisa hota..'
Me also waiting for #Pathaan."
Pathaan is set for release in January 2023.
09:45 We know where Pak will use your F-16s: EAM tells US
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has raised questions over the "merits" of the US-Pakistan relationship and said that Washington's ties with Islamabad have not served the "American interest".
"It's a relationship that has neither ended up serving Pakistan well nor serving the American interests," Jaishankar said at an event organized by the Indian American community in Washington on Sunday.
The remarks were made when the Indian minister was questioned by the audience on US action on F-16 fighter jets with Pakistan.
Just weeks ago, for the first time since 2018, US State Department approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of Pakistan for the sustainability of the Pakistan Air Force F-16 fleet and equipment at the cost of USD 450 million.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh promptly conveyed to US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin India's concerns over Washington's decision to provide a sustenance package for Pakistan's F-16 fleet.
"It's really for the United States today to reflect on the merits of this relationship and what they get by it," Jaishankar asserted.
"For someone to say I am doing this because it is all counter-terrorism content and so when you are talking of an aircraft like a capability of an F-16 where everybody knows, you know where they are deployed and their use. You are not fooling anybody by saying these things," Jaishankar noted.
"If I were to speak to an American policy-maker, I would really make the case (that) look what you are doing," Jaishankar strongly asserted.
Jaishankar on Saturday concluded the high-level United Nations General Assembly debate in New York and is scheduled to spend the next three days in Washington. -- ANI
09:34 Yamuna level may breach warning mark in Delhi
The Yamuna is flowing close to the warning mark of 204.5 metres following heavy rain in upper catchment areas and is likely to breach the danger mark on Monday, authorities said.
The Delhi flood control room said the water level reached 204.4 metres at 9 pm on Sunday. It is likely to rise to 204.7 metres between 10 am and 12 noon on Monday.
A flood alert is sounded in Delhi when the discharge rate from the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana's Yamuna Nagar crosses the 1 lakh-cusecs mark. People living near the floodplains and in flood-prone areas are evacuated then.
The Delhi flood control room reported a discharge rate of around 45,352 cusecs at 8 pm on Sunday. One cusec is equivalent to 28.32 litres per second. Normally, the flow rate at the Hathnikund barrage is 352 cusecs, but the discharge increases after heavy rainfall in the catchment areas.
The water discharged from the barrage normally takes two to three days to reach the national capital.
Incessant rains have battered parts of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and north Uttar Pradesh over the last few days.
The catchment of the Yamuna river system covers parts of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. The low-lying areas near the river in Delhi are considered vulnerable to flooding. They are home to around 37,000 people. The Yamuna had breached the danger mark of 205.33 metres on August 12, following which around 7,000 people were evacuated from the low-lying areas near the river banks. PTI
09:03 EAM's dig at US media for biased India coverage
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has slammed the mainstream American media, including The Washington Post, for their "biased" coverage of India.
"I look at the media. You know, there are some newspapers you know, exactly, what they are going to write including one in this town," Jaishankar told a gathering of Indian-Americans from across the country amidst laughter and applause on Sunday.
The prestigious Washington Post is the national daily published from Washington DC and is currently being owned by Jeff Bezos of Amazon. "My point is there are biases, there are efforts really, to determine... Look, the more India goes its way and the people who believe that they were the custodians and the shapers of India lose ground in India the more actually, some of these debaters gonna come outside," Jaishankar said responding to a question on the increase in anti-Indian forces in this country.
Such groups, he asserted, are "not winning in India". Such groups, the minister noted, will try and win outside or try and shape India from outside.
"This is something which we need to be aware of. It is important to contest. It isn't because most Americans will not know what sort of the nuances and the complexities of back home, so, it's important not to sit back, not to let other people define me. That is something which I feel as a community is very important for us," he said.
Responding to a question on misrepresentation of the Kashmir issue in the American capital, Jaishankar said if there is a terrorist incident, it doesn't matter what faith the person who's killed belongs to.
"If there are Indian soldiers or Indian policemen who are abducted; If there are people working for the government, or citizens going about their business, who will lose their lives?," he added.
"How often do you hear people talking about it; pronouncing it, in fact, look at the media coverage. What does the media cover what does the media not cover?," the External Affairs Minister asked. That is how actually opinions and perceptions are shaped, he underlined.
File pic
08:51 Happy birthday, Dr Singh
Dr Manmohan Singh turns 90 today. Rahul Gandhi tweets, "Wishing one of India's finest statesman, Dr Manmohan Singh ji a very happy birthday. His humility, dedication and contribution to India's development, has few parallels. He is an inspiration to me, and to crores of other Indians. I pray for his good health and happiness."
Sachin Pilot does not have the numbers to be CM
08:46 Kharge, Maken fail to meet Rajasthan MLAs
AICC observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken will reach Delhi today and submit the report on Rajasthan to the top leadership. Miffed MLAs are not ready to meet the observers. The next step will be decided after a discussion with the high Command.
The Congress in Rajasthan plunged into a crisis Sunday as several MLAs loyal to Ashok Gehlot submitted resignation letters over a possible move to appoint Sachin Pilot as the next CM, their rebellion erupting just ahead of a Congress Legislature Party meeting.
The loyalists headed to Speaker C P Joshi's home after a long meeting in the evening at minister Shanti Dhariwal's residence, saying they were resigning as MLAs.
All this while, at the chief minister's home, Gehlot and Congress observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken waited for all legislators to arrive for the CLP meeting. Pilot and his supporters came but the meeting was a washout.
Gehlot loyalists claimed that over 90 MLAs went to Joshi's home, but the number could not be verified independently. The Congress has 108 MLAs in the House of 200. There was no word from the Speaker's office on the resignation letters.
08:34 Amit Shah on 2-day Gujarat visit from today
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is on a two-day visit to Gujarat from Monday where he will participate in a host of programmes including a farmers' conference in Ahmedabad.
He will also lay the foundation stones for an hospital at Sanand in Ahmedabad district and a lake beautification project here, as per the programme schedule shared by officials.
"Shah will stay in Gujarat on September 26 and 27 where he will take part in a host of programmes," a government release said.
He will attend a farmers' conference at Bavla in Ahmedabad district and will also inaugurate an overbridge on SP Ring Road here, a primary health centre at Sanand and an office of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. -- PTI
08:29 Whoever has MLAs should be CM: Gehlot loyalist
Amid the fast-paced political developments in Rajasthan, Food Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas on Sunday said democracy runs on numbers and whoever has the support of MLAs will be the state's next chief minister.
He also said that Congress MLAs reaching the assembly speaker's house should not be seen as a rebellion by the party high command.
High drama unfolded in Rajasthan as a group of Congress MLAs loyal to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot reached Speaker C P Joshi's residence earlier on Sunday to submit their resignation ahead of a legislature party meeting which was called to decide on 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.
The group of MLAs earlier held a meeting at Minister Shanti Dhariwal's residence, which was seen as an attempt to thwart the possibility of Pilot being made the next chief minister.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Khachariyawas said the Congress leadership should not see the decision of party MLAs to go to the assembly speaker's house as a rebellion.
"This should not be seen as a rebellion against the high command. We can give our life for the high command. This is about our Congress family," he said.
On Gehlot's successor, Khachariyawas said, "As of now Gehlot is the chief minister. In a democracy, an election is decided by counting votes. Democracy runs on numbers, whoever has the support of MLAs of Rajasthan will be the leader."
Khachariyawas also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to destabilise the Congress-led government.
"(During the meeting at Dhariwal's residence) the MLAs said that the BJP's conspiracy will not be successful. The people of the BJP have been trying to destabilise the government for the last four years. The BJP wants to topple the Rajasthan government," he charged. -- PTI
IMAGE: Congress MLAs leave for the residence of Rajasthan assembly Speaker CP Joshi for a meeting, in Jaipur, September 25, 2022. Photograph: PTI Photo
TOP STORIES
© 2024 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances