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Wed, 22 February 2023
Day after dogs kill boy, another kid attacked in H'bad
Timeline Refresh
23:48 AIADMK leadership row: SC to deliver its verdict tomorrow
The Supreme Court will deliver its verdict on Thursday on a batch of pleas relating to the tussle between former Chief Ministers O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami over AIADMK leadership.
On January 11, the apex court bench reserved its verdict on a batch of pleas relating to the tussle between former Chief Ministers O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami over AIADMK leadership.
The judgement will be pronounced by a bench headed by justice Dinesh Maheshwari.
On February 3 The Supreme Court had asked the AIADMK party general council to pass a resolution related to a candidate who will represent the party in the upcoming bye-elections of Erode (East) constituency in Tamil Nadu.
The court has also permitted expelled three members of the party including O Panneerselvam to also vote in the general council.
The bench further said that the Council's decision regarding the candidate will be conveyed to the Election Commission by the party's presidium chairman.
23:28 Day after dogs kill boy, another kid attacked in H'bad
Just a day after a 5-year-old boy was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs in Hyderabad, another incident has come to the fore where a 4-year-old boy was attacked by stray dogs where he sustained minor injuries.
The incident took place in Maruti Nagar Colony, Hyderabad.
Talking about the incident the mother of the injured child said, "My child was playing along with two other kids while 4-5 dogs attacked them. Earlier we had complained to the municipal authorities and they had come to catch the dogs but they were immediately released. The people here keep feeding these dogs despite our objections. We demand that these dogs should be taken away by the municipal authorities as it is creating problems and attacking people."
According to LB Nagar DCP, Sai Sri, "We do not have any information regarding such an incident. However, we will send our team and the inquiry will be done."
In a similar incident, a five-year-old boy was mauled to death by a pack of street dogs at a housing society in Erukula Basti, in Bagh Amberpet in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
The child was identified as Pradeep.
The deceased minor was identified as Pradeep, who had accompanied his father to his workplace where the incident took place.
Reportedly, the child's father Gangadhar was working as security personnel in the residential complex where the incident took place. -- ANI
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23:07 Seven flights cancelled in Northeast due to poor visibility
At least seven flights were cancelled across the Northeast on Wednesday due to poor visibility and bad weather conditions, a senior official of the Airports Authority of India said.
The flights from Guwahati to Tezu and Tezu to Guwahati were cancelled due to low visibility, mainly over Guwahati sky, the official told PTI.
"The Tezu-Imphal flight was cancelled due to poor visibility. All these three flights are operated by FlyBig airlines," he said.
Due to bad weather, Tezpur-Guwahati and Guwahati-Tezpur services by Pawan Hans were cancelled, the official said.
"The Guwahati-Dimapur-Imphal and the return Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati flight of Alliance Air were also cancelled during the day," he said.
Regional meteorological centre scientist Sanjay O'neil Shaw said the weather conditions and visibility are likely to improve over the next 2-3 days.
"There will be generally cloudy sky in Guwahati with the expectation of light rain or drizzle on Thursday. It will be similar on Friday as well," he added. -- PTI
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22:43 Fire destroys BEST bus in Mumbai, third incident this year; no injuries
A fire broke out in a bus belonging to the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking in suburban Andheri on Wednesday evening, in the third such incident this year, an official said.
No one was injured in the accident, said the official.
The fire started around 6.55 pm when the BEST bus was at Agarkar Chowk, behind the Andheri police station.
It was doused within 20 minutes but the bus was completely gutted, he said.
"There has been no report of any injury to anyone,' a civic official said, adding that the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. More details are awaited. -- PTI
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22:28 MP to slap NSA on 3 held on charges of killing cow
The police arrested three men on charges of killing a cow in Bhopal, an official said on Wednesday, as local authorities demolished "illegal" constructions at the house of one of them and moved to invoke the stringent National Security Act against the trio.
The alleged incident occurred on Tuesday in Paras Nagar under Gandhi Nagar police station limits of the Madhya Pradesh capital.
The Gandhi Nagar police station in-charge Arun Sharma informed that following a tip off, a police team reached the spot and spotted three persons with a blood-stained sharp-edged weapon.
Remains of the slaughtered cow were also found at the spot, he said.
The trio tried to flee the site of the crime after seeing the police team.
The police, however, caught them and during interrogation they admitted to killing the bovine, Sharma said.
The three men -- identified as Imran (30), Irshad (28) and Javed (30) -- were booked and arrested under provisions of the state's anti-cow slaughter law -- Madhya Pradesh Govansh Vadh Pratishedh Adhiniyam and -- also the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, said the police officer.
He said process of invoking the National Security Act against the accused has been initiated. -- PTI
Amit Shah
22:10 Will Amit Shah meet Kushwaha on Saturday?
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to meet former Janata Dal-United leader Upendra Kushwaha, who recently launched a new political party 'Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal'.
According to party sources, the speculation has intensified regarding the home minister meeting Kushwaha as the former embarked on his three-day visit to Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar on Wednesday.
As per information, Shah will head to Bihar on Saturday where he will address a mega rally in the Sahujan ground of Balmiki Nagar's Lauria before leaving for Nandangarh.
In Nandangarh, the home minister will visit the stupa marking where Prince Siddhartha shed his royal robes and went out searching for knowledge to become the Buddha.
By noon, Shah will attend a function organised by the Kisan Mazdoor on the occasion of Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Jayanti in Patna and will hold a meeting with state BJP leaders in the late evening.
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21:49 2 dead, 53 missing as mine collapses in China
A vast portion of an outdoor opencast mine in China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region collapsed on Wednesday, killing at least two persons and leaving 53 missing, local officials said.
The incident happened in Inner Mongolia autonomous region's Alshaa Left Banner and the authorities were at work to rescue those trapped inside.
A preliminary investigation showed that more than 50 people were trapped under the mine, the State-run China Daily reported, quoting the emergency management authority in the league.
Eight persons trapped were saved, among whom two showed an absence of vital signs and six were sent to a hospital, according to the publicity bureau.
The rescue operation is being carried out by eight teams consisting of 334 rescue workers, 129 rescue vehicles of various types, and nine safety production experts, the State-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Rescue personnel from nearby areas have also been dispatched to support the ongoing efforts to find the missing men, it said.
Bihar deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav
21:35 I am in no hurry to become CM: Tejashwi
Bihar deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday asserted that he was "in no hurry' to replace his boss Nitish Kumar, rubbishing speculations that his Rashtriya Janata Dal wanted to elbow out the ageing Janata Dal-United leader.
Yadav, who is in his early 30s, also deftly rebuffed queries from journalists as to whether he felt "cheated' by averments of some top JD-U leaders that the septuagenarian Kumar would complete his five-year tenure ending in 2025 and was "capable of' leading the Mahagathbandhan till 2030.
"What wrong did they say? Indeed he (Nitish) is very much capable. And the longer he stays, the richer will be his experience. I am in no hurry," said the RJD leader, who returned as deputy CM in August last year following the JD-U's exit from BJP-led NDA.
The statement of Yadav, younger son and heir apparent of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, comes as a reprieve for the JD-U which recently saw its parliamentary board chief Upendra Kushwaha walking out alleging that a "deal' has been struck with the alliance partner.
Moreover, quite a few MLAs of the RJD, a party not known for restraint in speech, have also been issuing statements that Yadav will be taking over after Holi, which falls in the first week of March.
Yadav said he was concentrating on ensuring the defeat of the BJP in the general elections next year by ensuring that out of 40 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, "They do not win a single seat." -- PTI
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21:25 Delhi Metro's Blue Line faces glitch at Uttam Nagar station
Trains services were delayed for half an hour on Wednesday morning on Blue Line following a technical glitch in a train at Uttam Nagar Metro Station, the DMRC said in an official statement.
According to the statement, the trains services were delayed from 8.10 am to 8.40 am on its down section -- going from Dwarka to Noida.
One train developed a technical problem at Uttam Nagar West Metro Station due to which it had to be moved with restricted speed till Janakpuri West Metro Station.
To avoid delay to the following trains on this section, the train was removed from service at Janakpuri West Metro station and was put into the stabling line for further investigation, it stated.
Services ran normal on the rest of the Line during this period, it added.
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21:01 Maoist top gun arrested in Andhra Pradesh for 2018 murder of TDP leaders
Maoist leader Jalumuri Srinu Babu alias Sunil, prime accused in the 2018 twin murder case of the then Araku Telugu Desam Party MLA and a former legislator, has been arrested from a forest area along the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border following a shootout, the police said.
The Maoist top gun, who is the divisional committee member of Andhra Odisha border special zonal committee of the banned outfit, was arrested on Tuesday during the exchange of fire between the Maoists and security forces in the forest area.
The Maoist leader carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh on his head.
A group of Maoists had gunned down Araku MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao and former legislator Siveri Soma of the same constituency, also of the TDP, near Livitiput under Dumbriguda mandal in Alluri Sitharama Raju district along the state border with Odisha on September 23, 2018.
ASR district police chief Satish Kumar said they have recovered a gun, an IED, some explosive materials and some revolutionary literature from Srinu Babu, who is also known as Rhino within the organisation.
Srinu Babu had joined the Maoist party in 2000 and worked in Yellavaram, Gurthedu and Nandapur 'dalams' of the now banned outfit.
He worked as commander of the protection squad for Maoist top leader RK, who died a few months ago.
The organisation was outlawed by the Centre in 2009.
The police said Srinu Babu was involved in many offences in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh. -- PTI
Alia Bhatt/Instagram
20:43 Cops call Alia Bhatt after she slams paparazzi
The Mumbai police has contacted Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt after she took to social media to complain about paparazzi invading her privacy.
The actor, however, did not lodge any formal complaint, said an official in Mumbai on Wednesday.
In her Instagram post, Alia had lashed out at photographers for clicking her pictures while she was inside her house and tagged the Mumbai police.
Officials of the Khar police station contacted her but she did not file any formal complaint, the official added. -- PTI
20:21 Whenever PM goes abroad, Adani gets a gift: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday continued his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his relationship with the Adani group, claiming that whenever the PM goes abroad, the conglomerate gets a "gift".
Addressing an election rally in Shillong, Gandhi asserted that the group has access to every single business because its head Gautam Adani is close to the prime minister.
Claiming that television channels and newspapers did not properly cover his speech in Lok Sabha on this subject, he alleged that the media is in the hands of the powerful and close aides of the prime minister.
"Whenever the PM goes abroad, Mr Adani gets a gift. PM goes to Bangladesh, Mr Adani gets a gift. PM goes to Australia, Mr Adani gets a gift. PM goes to Sri Lanka, Mr Adani gets a gift. PM goes to Sri Lanka, Mr Adani gets a gift, Gandhi said, referring to contracts bagged by the ports-to-energy conglomerate in those countries.
One businessman became the second richest man in the world from the 609th in a matter of years, the Congress leader said without naming Adani.
"He (Adani) owns ports, airports; he does constructions; he works for the defence sector; he dominates the apple trade in Himachal Pradesh, Gandhi said.
The former Congress president claimed that the scale of corruption at the Centre is probably never ever seen in Indian history.
Gandhi said he had asked the PM to disclose his relationship with Adani in a Lok Sabha speech earlier this month, but got no reply.
"My speech was nowhere to be seen. It was not visible in the media, not heard about in newspapers and not seen in channels. The reason is the media of this country is completely controlled by two or three large industrialists who have a good relationship with the PM," he said.
On Monday also, Gandhi alleged that the billionaire industrialist benefited from the central government's magic and asserted that he was not against businesses but the creation of monopolies.
Gandhi and the Congress party have been attacking the prime minister and the government over the growth of the Adani group during the BJP rule and have claimed that this is happening due to the businessman's proximity to the party and its leadership.
The BJP had slammed the allegations as baseless and reminded the opposition party that there were big scams when the Congress-led UPA was in power that tarnished the image of the country.
20:13 Rising temperatures cast a shadow on wheat production, prices, says report
If the prevailing high temperatures continue through March, then the rabi wheat crop will be impacted and yields will at best be on a par, or even lesser marginally, than last year's low, warns a report.
In Uttar Pradesh, which accounts for around 30 per cent of wheat production, the eastern part is expected to have relatively good yields due to timely sowing after the kharif paddy harvest.
But the western UP may see a marginal decline due to late sowing if the high temperatures persist in March, research agency Crisil said on Wednesday.
In Punjab and Haryana, which together contribute 25 per cent of annual wheat production, late-sown wheat is in the flowering stage, while the early-sown lot is in the milking stage and high temperatures are detrimental to grain formation in both these stages, the report added.
Similarly, in Madhya Pradesh which produces 20 per cent of annual wheat, the late-sown wheat is at the milking stage now. But Bihar, which contributed 5 per cent of production, has seen early sowing and the crop there is at the grain formation/maturation stage, which could mean relatively less impact.
Though such abiotic factors are difficult to be managed very effectively, the report says, farmers in Punjab, Haryana and western UP are already spraying crop nutrients like bio-stimulants and specialty fertilisers which should help them cope with the heat wave to some extent.
Even though wheat prices have been trending down for the past 20 days, if these high temperatures persist for the next 20 days, there can be price pressures, Pushan Sharma, a director at the agency, said. -- PTI
20:11 UP govt allocates Rs 2,500 crore for Maha Kumbh Mela 2025
The Uttar Pradesh government in its budget presented on Wednesday allocated Rs 2,500 crore for the preparations of Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 against Rs 621.55 crore for the financial year 2022-23.
The religious fair is held after every 12 years.
A state government official said the work on widening and beautifying three access roads in Ayodhya will be finished within the next two years.
"In anticipation of a potential increase in tourism brought on by the construction of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in the district of Ayodhya, it is planned that work on widening and beautifying three access roads will be finished within the next two years," Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said while presenting the budget.
"An arrangement of Rs 50 crore as a grant for developing basic infrastructure facilities in religious and historically significant urban bodies of the state. A provision of Rs 1,000 crore has been proposed for the development of roads related to religious relevance," he said.
A provision of Rs 2,500 crore has been made in the budget for the grand event of the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, compared to Rs 621.55 crore in the year 2022-23, he said.
The renovation and beautification process of Maa Vindhyavasini Devi Temple, Maa Ashtabhuji Devi Temple and Kali Khoh Temple in Mirzapur district is also under progress, Khanna added.
A proposal for the establishment of 'Bhajan Sandhya Sthal' in Prayagraj district and veda science study centre in Naimisharanya, a famous 'taposthali' (hot spot) in Sitapur has also been made, he said.
He said in 2022, more than 24 crore 87 lakh tourists visited Uttar Pradesh, of which more than 4 lakh 10 thousand were foreigners.
Tourism development and beautification of Ayodhya, Varanasi, Chitrakoot, Vindhyachal, Prayagraj, Naimisharanya, Gorakhpur, Mathura, Bateshwar Dham and other important tourist places are also under progress, he said. -- PTI
20:06 5.2 magnitude quake hits Nepal
A 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck western Nepal Wednesday afternoon.
The Nepal Earthquake Monitoring Centre said the quake struck at 1.45 pm and it was recorded in the Bajura district, 450 km west of Kathmandu.
However, there were no reports of any damage from the earthquake yet, officials said.
Earlier, on January 24, one person was killed when Bajura was hit by a 5.9 magnitude earthquake. -- PTI
Pic: JP Moczulski/ Reuters
19:57 Backstreet Boys to perform in Mumbai, Delhi in May
Popular American boy band Backstreet Boys, known for their songs such as Quit Playing Games, As Long As You Love Me and Shape of My Heart, on Wednesday announced that they are set to return to India after 13 years with their DNA World Tour in May.
'The Backstreet Boys: DNA World Tour' will be a two-city tour, which will be held at Mumbai's Jio World Gardens and in New Delhi at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, on May 4 and 5, respectively.
The Backstreet Boys, formed in 1993 with AJ McLean, Howie Dorough, Kevin Richardson along with Nick Carter and Brian Littrell, had last toured India in 2010.
BookMyShow, India's leading entertainment destination along with Live Nation is bringing the world-renowned band to the country this time.
In a press statement, BookMyShow said registrations for the much-awaited concert are live exclusively on their platform.
The next phase of DNA World Tour, which began in 2019, will kickstart from May 1 in Egypt and further move to places such as India, the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Israel and South Africa.
19:35 Govt has made Parliament a 'rubber stamp': Kharge
Citing expunction of remarks and suspension of an MP, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday alleged that the government has made Parliament a "rubber stamp" with members not allowed to raise voice of the people and demand a JPC probe into the Adani-Hindeburg issue.
He said everyone will work jointly and definitely, the Congress together with friendly parties, will form the government in 2024.
Addressing the Indian National Trade Union Congress plenary session, Kharge also urged people to save democracy and Constitution, saying if this was not done then "dictatorship will come and finish everyone".
The Congress chief raised the Adani issue, accusing the government of working for the welafare of crony capitalists.
"Government has made Parliament a rubber stamp. When we want to put forward our views, we are not allowed to do so. Our people got notices, one woman MP was suspended, why? They were raising the voice of the people and against Adani," he said.
He claimed that Adani's wealth grew from Rs 3,000 crore from 2004 to eventually Rs 12 lakh crore.
"What magic is there, we will also tell workers that (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi has a pill, after having it you can make Rs 12 lakh crore. This is what we raised, Rahul Gandhi raised, Digvijaya Singh ji raised in Parliament, but our remarks were expunged," Kharge said.
The first part of the Budget session was marked by frequent disruptions over the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on US-based short seller Hindenburg Research's allegations of irregularities against the Adani group, which has denied the charges.
The issue dominated the proceedings in Parliament as the Opposition unitedly demanded that a JPC be set up to probe the crash of stock prices of Adani group companies leading to huge loss of capital including to some PSUs like SBI and LIC.
The treasury benches and the Opposition traded barbs inside and outside Parliament after Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar suspended Congress' Rajani Patil for the remaining part of the budget session for circulating an unauthorised video of House proceedings, and expunction of remarks of Opposition leaders.
Dhankhar has also asked a parliamentary committee to investigate the alleged breach of privilege by 12 MPs from the Congress and the AAP for repeatedly entering the well of the House, shouting slogans and obstructing its proceedings.
Kharge said the Opposition leaders' remarks raising questions about Adani were expunged, as he urged the INTUC to create a movement as the parties continue to demand JPC.
In his remarks, Kharge alleged that the agenda of the BJP and the RSS was always dominated by big industrialists and workers were never part of it.
"When workers' movement gained strength then to protect the interests of owners, they created a counter organisation to INTUC to oppose the workers and protect the interests of owners," he said.
Hailing India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's contribution, the Congress chief asked who build key assets such as HMT, BHEL, steel plants, IITs, IIM, AIIMs and ISRO.
"We were not fakes, we have build the country, lakhs of people work in these organisations," he said.
He pointed out that important legislations Industrial Disputes Act, Minimum Wages Act, Employees' Provident Funds Act and Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act were brought during Congress rule.
"How many acts were brought in by Modi-(Amit) Shah. Instead of getting welfare measures, they converted it into a code of four laws," he said.
"After 2014, the Modi government harmed workers' rights. Labour laws were weakened to benefit crony capitalists and left workers open to exploitation," he alleged.
Despite strong objections from the Opposition, the labour codes were passed, he said.
19:18 Lockdown over suspicious package at US embassy in London
The United States embassy in south London was on Wednesday briefly placed under lockdown as a suspicious package was investigated by armed security officials.
Embassy staff within the sprawling complex in the Nine Elms area of the city were asked to stay indoors as security measures were undertaken. According to reports, armed guards asked everyone inside the building to move away from the glass facade of the building as a precaution and some fire engines were called in as back up.
"The US Embassy is back to normal business operations. Local authorities investigated and cleared a suspicious package outside the Embassy, the American Embassy in London tweeted in an update, as it thanked the Metropolitan Police force.
"Thanks to @metpoliceuk for your swift action, and thanks to all visitors for your cooperation and patience at this time, the embassy said.
The complex at Nine Elms by the River Thames formally opened in January 2018 after the US embassy shifted from its Grosvenor Square location in central London, mainly over security concerns as its historic status prevented any major changes to the structural design.
Designed by Philadelphia-based architecture firm KieranTimberlake, the new complex is a translucent crystalline cube design that is based on core democratic values of transparency, openness, and equality. It is said to have been designed with greater energy efficiency in mind and also has many reinforced security measures. -- PTI
18:43 India, China meet in Beijing for consultation over border affairs
India and China on Wednesday discussed proposals for disengagement in the remaining friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in an "open and constructive manner" and agreed to hold the next round of military talks at an early date.
The two sides discussed the proposals at an in-person meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) in Beijing, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
"The two sides reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control in the Western Sector of India-China border areas and discussed proposals for disengagement in the remaining areas in an open and constructive manner, which would help in restoration of peace and tranquillity along the LAC in Western Sector and create conditions for restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations," the MEA said.
"To achieve this objective in accordance with the existing bilateral agreements and protocols, they agreed to hold the next (18th) round of the senior commanders meeting at an early date," it said in a statement.
The MEA said the two sides agreed to continue discussions through military and diplomatic channels.
"The 26th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs was held on 22 February 2023 in person in Beijing," the MEA said.
"This was the first WMCC meeting since the 14th meeting held in July 2019, to be held in person," it said.
Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs led the Indian delegation.
The Chinese delegation was led by the Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
18:25 BJP like a 'class bully', it thinks...: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party was like a "class bully" that respects no one as it thinks that it knows everything.
Addressing his first election rally in Shillong, Gandhi also attacked the Trinamool Congress, alleging that the party was fighting the elections in Meghalaya to ensure that the BJP comes to power in the northeastern state.
"The BJP-RSS is like a class bully who thinks he knows everything, understands everything and has no respect for anybody else. We have to fight them collectively," he said.
A day before, his party's president Malikarjun Kharge while addressing an election rally in Nagaland had said the Congress will lead an alliance to power in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, adding that it was in talks with other parties.
Gandhi alleged the BJP and RSS were attacking the institutions of the country with their ideology.
"Whether it is Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, or Haryana -- every single state is being attacked by the RSS. One idea is being imposed on all the states," he alleged.
"Every single institution in India -- whether it is the Parliament, the media, the bureaucracy, the Election Commission or the judiciary -- are under pressure of being attacked by the ideology of the RSS and the BJP," he said.
Referring to the anti-conversion law in Karnataka and the incidents of mob lynching, he alleged that the BJP was creating communal polarisation in the country.
"This is something that we will resist," Gandhi said, asserting that his Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir was to unite the country against this.
He said the Congress would not let the BJP harm Meghalaya's unique language, religion, culture and history.
"I am here to tell you that we are standing with you in this fight. We are not going to allow the ideology of the BJP to harm your culture, your tradition and your religion and your history," Gandhi told the rally.
Pointing to the traditional jacket he was wearing, the Congress leader said, "I am wearing it as a sign of respect for your culture and tradition. My actions reflect this jacket. But, if I was to come here, as the prime minister does, put on this jacket and attack your religion, culture, history and language -- I would be insulting you."
In the same breath, Gandhi also attacked the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC, raising the incidents of violence and scams in West Bengal where it rules.
"You know the history of the TMC -- the violence and scams that take place in West Bengal. You are aware of their tradition. They spent a huge amount of money in Goa (polls) and the idea was to help the BJP. That is exactly the idea in Meghalaya. The TMC's idea in Meghalaya is to ensure that the BJP is strengthened and come to power," he claimed.
He also alleged that Conrad K Sangma-led MDA government in the state was involved in corruption.
Referring to the collapse of the dome of the under-construction assembly building last year, Gandhi said he wondered if it had "collapsed due to mistakes" or if it was made to collapse in purpose so that more money could be spent on rebuilding it.
18:07 Fadnavis-Ajit govt had one benefit: Sharad Pawar
Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar said on Wednesday that the Bharatiya Janata Party's attempt to form a government with his nephew and NCP leader Ajit Pawar had one benefit as it ended the President's Rule in Maharashtra in 2019.
His remarks prompted Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to assert that the NCP chief should also explain why the President's Rule was imposed in the state in the first place after the 2019 assembly polls.
Addressing a press conference at Pimpri-Chinchwad, Sharad Pawar said that had the exercise not happened, the President's Rule would have continued in the state.
He was replying to a question about Fandavis's claim that the formation of the government with Ajit Pawar had the backing of the NCP chief.
"There was an attempt to form a government. One benefit of that exercise was that it helped to lift the President's Rule in Maharashtra and everyone has witnessed what happened after that," he.
Asked if he was aware of the formation of such a government and why Ajit Pawar is tight-lipped on the issue, the NCP chief wondered if there was a need to speak about it.
"I just said that had this kind of exercise not happened, would the President's Rule have been lifted? Had the President's Rule not been lifted, would Uddhav Thackeray have been sworn in as the chief minister?" he asked.
In one of the biggest political surprises in Maharashtra, then Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had sworn in Fadnavis as chief minister and Ajit Pawar as deputy CM in an early morning ceremony on November 23, 2019.
But the government lasted just three days, after which Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in as chief minister with the backing of the NCP and Congress.
Asked if he was hinting that he was aware of the developments, the NCP chief quipped, "A person recently said that one person (Sharad Pawar) is responsible for anything that happens in Maharashtra."
Speaking on the Election Commission's decision to recognise the Eknath Shinde-led group as the real Shiv Sena, Pawar said differences are common in politics but it has never happened in the country that a party's name and symbol were "snatched away" by misusing power.
"When there was a split in the Congress, two entities named Congress (I) and Congress (S) emerged. I was the Congress (S) president and Indira Gandhi was the chief of Congress (I). That time, I had the right to use the Congress' name. In today's scenario, the party's name and its symbol have been given to others. Such a thing never happened in the history of India," said the veteran politician.
17:57 Nikki Yadav murder case: Sahil Gehlot sent to 12-day judicial custody
A metropolitan court in Delhi on Wednesday remanded Sahil Gehlot, accused of killing his secretly married wife Nikki Yadav and stuffing her body into a fridge, in 12-day judicial custody.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have invoked fresh charges against Gehlot and others in the case, his lawyer said.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Archana Beniwal passed the order for sending Gehlot to jail.
Gehlot along with five other co-accused will now be produced in court on March 6. Gehlot's father, two cousins and two friends were arrested in the case.
DS Kumar, the counsel for Gehlot, said while the FIR was initially registered under Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) of the IPC, police have now invoked sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 34 (common intention), 202 (intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform) and 212 (harbouring offender) of the penal code.
Earlier on Monday, a court had extended the police custody of Gehlot (24) by two days, while other five co-accused were remanded in 14-day judicial custody.
Gehlot allegedly killed Yadav, stuffed her body inside a refrigerator at his dhaba in southwest Delhi, and went off to marry another woman.
The incident had come to light on February 14, Valentine's Day, four days after the crime. -- PTI
17:39 Jaishankar a failed foreign minister: Congress
The Congress on Wednesday hit out at External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, calling him a "failed" minister and alleging that his remarks on the China issue have "demeaned" the valour of India's armed forces.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also alleged that foreign policy has been reduced to photo-ops and a chest-thumping exercise and is being used to secure contracts for a businessman.
She claimed that the minister had said that "we are the smaller economy and China is the bigger economy and we cannot go and pick a fight with them".
"What exactly does he mean by saying this? Is he telling us that we are not capable of protecting our territorial sovereignty," she said.
"What he is trying to do by saying this is essentially 'break and shake' the confidence of our Indian economy and demean the valour of our armed forces. This is one of the most blasphemous statements made by any foreign minister," she told reporters.
On Jaishankar's reported remark that he has been the longest-serving Indian Ambassador in China, the Congress said in that capacity will he tell when the status along the Line of Actual Control will be restored to the April 2020 position.
"Why do the prime minister and you stay quiet on China? Why have we increased the trade deficit to 100 USD with China and we are almost funding the Chinese Army to do the incursions that they do," she said.
"As India's longest-serving Ambassador to China what do you have to say on Chinese aggression at the border," she asked.
She also criticised the minister for targeting the Congress-led governments over their China policy, saying, "You can keep attacking your political opponents but do not do this at the cost of our national security... some things are sacrosanct".
The Congress spokesperson also listed several steps taken by the UPA government to strengthen border infrastructure, including sanctioning of a 50,000 strong two new mountain divisions and stationing armoured units in Ladakh and Arunachal
"Foreign policy is supposed to further the interests of this country. Foreign policy is not supposed to be a tool to manage and allocated projects from foreign countries to one business group - that is Adani," the Congress leader alleged.
Shrinate also spoke of reported remarks of Jaishankar's father K Subrahmanyam, who she said had written in 2002 after the Gujarat riots that religion has been attacked and "those who did not save innocent citizens are 'Asuras' (demons)".
"You may attack anyone, but you must listen to the words of the elderly who have wisdom and experience. You should listen to your father... He may be old but has wisdom and experience and you should listen to him," she said.
She claimed that the border with China was largely silent for 50 years after 1967, barring an incident in 1987 and asked why are there so many multiple incursions happening now.
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17:27 Govt asks all states, UTs to make 6 years minimum age for Class 1 admission
The Ministry of Education has directed all states and Union Territories to fix the minimum age for admission in Class 1 as six years, officials said on Wednesday.
According to the new National Education Policy (NEP), the foundational stage consists of five years of learning opportunities for all children (between 3 to 8 years) that includes three years of preschool education followed by Classes 1 and 2.
"The policy thus promotes seamless learning and development of children from pre-school to class 2. This can only be done by ensuring accessibility to three years of quality preschool education for all children studying in Anganwadis or government, government-aided, private and NGO-run preschool centers," a senior MoE official said.
"The ministry has directed state governments and UT administrations to align their age to admission with the policy and provide admission to class 1 at the age of six years and above," the official added.
The Supreme Court had last year observed that children should not be sent to schools at a very young age keeping in mind their psychological and mental health.
The MoE officials said the most important factor at the foundational stage is the availability of qualified teachers who are especially trained in the age and developmentally-appropriate curriculum and pedagogy.
The ministry has also advised states to initiate the process of designing and running a two-year diploma in preschool education (DPSE) course in their respective jurisdiction.
"The course is expected to be designed by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and run or implemented through District Institute of Education and Training (DIETs) under supervision and hold of SCERTs," he said. -- PTI
17:24 Sensex crashes 927 points tracking global cues
The domestic equity market suffered losses on Wednesday, tracking weak global cues. Growing concerns over the anticipation that US Federal Reserve might keep interest rates higher for longer kept investors on their toes.
The key indices in the domestic market -- BSE Sensex went down 927 points and settled at 59,744.98 level while NSE Nifty lost 280 points and closed the session at 17,546.55 level.
Among the most active stocks on BSE that went up on Wednesday were Supreme Petrochem, Thermax, Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India, Religare and Carysil.
The Reserve Bank of India is also set to release the minutes of its policy meeting that happened in early February on Wednesday. Investors await cues on the trajectory of rate hikes by the central bank. -- ANI
16:49 SC: Shiv Sena name with Team Shinde for now
Supreme Court refuses to stay Election Commission's order recognising the Eknath Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena. The SC says, "We cannot stay an order at this stage".
The SC clarifies that the Uddhav Thackeray camp can pursue other remedies of law if any action is taken which is not based on the EC order. SC lists the matter after 2 weeks.
The Shiv Sena name and symbol will remain with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's camp, and the "mashaal" or flaming torch symbol with Uddhav Thackeray for now, the Supreme Court said today, assuring status quo on the issue that has been the bone of contention since the split of the party last year.
The court has agreed to hear the petition from Team Thackeray, which has challenged the Election Commission's order handing the Shiv Sena name and its "bow and arrow" symbol to the Shinde faction.
Thackeray had sought status quo till the matter is decided. Kapil Sibal, who was representing him in court, told a bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud that they want protection.
16:47 Congress leaders in Nagaland
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and a former contender for the party president's post, tweets this image with Mallikarjun Kharge and Mukul Wasnik, saying, "Touchdown Dimapur Airport, Nagaland. With our leader @incIndia President @kharge ji and my friend & senior colleague @mukulwasnik ji. While they address a rally in Dimapur, I'm on the road to Kohima to campaign there. To my dear friends in Nagaland: choose progress, vote Congress!"
Voting for Nagaland and Meghalaya will take place on on February 27. Counting will be on March 2, along with Tripura.
16:40 HC orders Oreva Group to pay Rs 10 lakh 'interim' compensation to kin of each deceased
The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday directed clock manufacturing firm Oreva Group, the company that maintained the Morbi suspension bridge which collapsed killing 135 people in October last year, to pay Rs 10 lakh as "interim" compensation to the kin of each deceased and Rs 2 lakh to each injured within four weeks.
A division bench of Chief Justice Sonia Gokani and Justice Sandeep Bhatt gave this direction to the company.
The British-era suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Morbi town collapsed on October 30 last year, killing 135 persons and injuring 56 others. The court ordered the company that the kin of each deceased and every injured person be paid interim compensation of Rs 10 lakh and Rs 2 lakh, respectively, within four weeks.
On Tuesday, during a hearing of a suo motu (on its own) PIL admitted last year following the tragedy, Ajanta Manufacturing Ltd (Oreva Group) had offered to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation to the kin of those who died and Rs 1 lakh to the injured persons.
In its interim order, the court said the central and the state governments have together provided Rs 10 lakh compensation to the kin of each victim so far. -- PTI
16:30 Let Cong lead Opposition alliance: Sharad Pawar
Reacting to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's remark that a Congress-led alliance would come to power at the Centre after 2024 elections, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said that his party accepts Congress' leadership.
"Congress is a big party, let them lead. We accept Congress' leadership," Pawar said at a press briefing in Mumbai.
On Tuesday, Congress president said that a Congress-led alliance will form the government in the Centre in 2024.
"The alliance government will come to the Centre in 2024 and Congress will lead," he said during a public gathering in poll-bound Nagaland's Chumoukedima, adding that talks are going on with other parties.
He also launched a fierce attack on BJP by saying that the party, which preaches about upholding democracy and the Constitution, resorts to undemocratic ploys to bring down elected governments.
"Let 100 Modis and Shahs come, we will never drift from the path of democracy and principles enshrined in the Constitution," he added.
He also claimed that BJP destabilised 6-7 Opposition-ruled states and came to power through the back door after luring MLAs from rival parties.
"The Congress-JDS alliance in Karnataka had full majority until they [BJP] purchased 17-18 MLAs, forcing them to resign and eventually they came to power. Be it Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, and Uttarakhand, they employed the same tactic everywhere to bring down democratically elected governments," the Congress national president said. -- ANI
16:09 IMF MD's 3 reasons why India remains bright spot
India continues to remain a relative "bright spot" in the world economy, and will alone contribute 15 per cent of the global growth in 2023, International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Kristalina Georgieva said.
While digitisation pulled out the world's fifth-largest economy from pandemic lows, prudent fiscal policy and significant financing for capital investments provided in the next year's budget will help sustain the growth momentum.
"India's performance has been quite impressive. For this year, we expect India to retain a high growth rate, 6.8 per cent for the year that ends in March. For FY 2023/24 (April 2023 to March 2024) we project 6.1 per cent, a bit of slow down like the rest of the world economy, but way above the global average. And in that way, India is providing about 15 per cent of global growth in 2023," Georgieva told PTI in an interview.
That is the fastest growth rate among major economies. India remains a bright spot at a time when the IMF is projecting 2023 to be difficult with global growth slowing down from 3.4 per cent last year to 2.9 per cent in 2023, she observed.
"Why is India a bright spot? Because one, the country has done really well to turn the digitalization that has been already moving quite well into a major driver of overcoming the impact of the pandemic and creating opportunities for growth and jobs," the Managing Director noted.
"Second, because India's fiscal policy has been responsive to economic conditions. We have seen the new budget presented, and it signals the commitment to fiscal consolidation, while at the same time provides significant financing for capital investments.
And three, because India didn't shy away to learn the lessons from the pandemic and to implement very strong policies to overcome what has been really a difficult time for a number of months," she said.
15:55 Salary most imp factor for job selection: Survey
Salary is the most important factor for job selection for more than 60 per cent of respondents, according to a survey by property consultant CBRE India.
Trust in the company's management has also become an important criterion while selecting a job, it added.
CBRE has come out with a report Voices from India: How will people live, work and shop in the future? The survey, which has a sample size of more than 1,500 people, showed that nearly 70 per cent of respondents want to work at least three days from the office.
"More than 60 per cent of both sets of future employees (office and hybrid) across generations indicated that compensation remained the overriding factor in job selection. As we increasingly move to a 'phygital' world with limited physical interactions, trust in the company's management has emerged as another important factor for both sets of future employees," CBRE said.
According to the report, better workplace safety measures and environmental amenities were cited by more than 80 per cent of respondents as the most desirable aspects motivating people to visit the office more regularly.
Anshuman Magazine, Chairman & CEO- India, South-East Asia, Middle East & Africa, CBRE, said: "The survey indicates that majority of respondents prefer workplace quality and focus space for them to be regular at the office, while specially after the pandemic, health and wellness has become the most important factor for them to consider for frequent office visits." -- PTI
15:40 HM to visit Karnataka, MP, Bihar from Feb 23-25
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar for three days beginning Thursday during which he will participate in an interactive session in Bengaluru, a tribal congregation in Satna and address a meet of farmers and labourers in Patna, officials said on Wednesday.
On February 23, the home minister will participate in 'Vijay Sankalp Samavesh' in Karnataka's Bellary before addressing an interactive session on "Indian Polity 65 years Scenario and Paradigm Shift Under Modi" in Bengaluru.
Shah will visit Madhya Pradesh on February 24 where he will offer prayers at Maa Sharda Shaktipeeth temple in Satna, address a congregation of Kol tribals and inaugurate a medical college in the town.
He will visit Bihar on February 25 during which he will address a rally in West Champaran, participate in a meet of farmers and labourers in Patna and pay obeisance at Takht Shri Harimandir Ji Patna Sahib Gurdwara, the officials said. -- PTI
15:33 McKinsey plans to shed 2,000 jobs
McKinsey and Co plans to eliminate thousands of positions, adding the consulting giant to a wave of companies that are cutting corporate jobs, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The firm, which is known for helping companies streamline their operations, could shed as many as 2,000 jobs in what would be one of its biggest headcount reductions to date, a person familiar with the matter told WSJ.
The restructuring plan is expected to be completed in the coming months, when the firm will make a decision on the extent of the cuts to the 45,000-person staff, the person familiar with the matter said. The company is reviewing its professional support functions, the person said.
"With demand from our clients expanding, we continue to hire client-serving professionals and invest in our ability to serve clients," DJ Carella, a company representative, said in a written statement, adding, "In parallel, we are redesigning the way our non-client-serving teams operate for the first time in more than a decade, so that these teams can effectively support and scale with our firm."
The journal said McKinsey's move to reduce its headcount comes amid a string of corporate cuts that have spilled beyond the technology sector.
The company has quickly built up its team over the past decade, growing from a headcount of 17,000 in 2012. -- ANI
15:21 Had Covid? Risk of death 88% less after infection
For people previously infected with Covid-19, their risk of hospitalisation or death is 88 per cent lower for at least 10 months compared to those who had not been previously infected, according to a study published in The Lancet journal.
The analysis also suggests that the level and duration of protection against reinfection, symptomatic disease and severe illness is at least on a par with that provided by two doses of the mRNA vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer-BioNtech) for ancestral, Alpha, Delta and Omicron BA.1 variants.
The study did not include data on infection from Omicron XBB and its sublineages.
"Vaccination is the safest way to acquire immunity, whereas acquiring natural immunity must be weighed against the risks of severe illness and death associated with the initial infection, said lead author Stephen Lim from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, US. Study co-author Caroline Stein from IHME explained that vaccines continue to be important for everyone in order to protect high-risk populations such as those who are over 60 years of age and those with comorbidities.
"This also includes populations that have not previously been infected and unvaccinated groups, as well as those who were infected or received their last vaccine dose more than six months ago," Stein said.
"Decision makers should take both natural immunity and vaccination status into consideration to obtain a full picture of an individual's immunity profile," the researcher added.
The team conducted a review and meta-analysis of all previous studies that compared the reduction in risk of Covid-19 among non-vaccinated individuals against a SARS-CoV-2 reinfection to non-vaccinated individuals without a previous infection up to September 2022.
It included 65 studies from 19 countries and evaluates the effectiveness of past infection by outcome (infection, symptomatic disease, and severe disease), variant, and time since infection. Studies examining natural immunity in combination with vaccination i.e., hybrid immunity were excluded from the analyses.
Analysis of data from 21 studies reporting on time since infection from a pre-Omicron variant estimated that protection against reinfection from a pre-Omicron variant was about 85 per cent at one month -- and this fell to about 79 per cent at 10 months, the researchers said.
15:09 Defeat of hooliganism: Kejriwal on mayoral results
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday congratulated the people of Delhi over AAP councilor Shelly Oberoi's win in the mayoral poll and hit out at the BJP saying the public won and the "goons" were defeated.
Oberoi defeated BJP councilor Rekha Gupta by 34 votes in the election to the top post in the first meeting of newly elected Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) .
"The goons lost, the public won. In the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the people of Delhi won and hooliganism was defeated. Congratulations to the people of Delhi on Shelly Oberoi being elected mayor," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi without naming anyone.
The election of mayor took place in the backdrop of a Supreme Court order recently ruling against voting rights of 10 aldermen appointed by the Lt Governor VK Saxena.
Previous three attempts to elect Delhi mayor were fruitless with the AAP and BJP fighting it out in the MCD House meetings over the issue of appointment of protem mayor and aldermen. PTI
14:35 UK govt 'stands up for BBC' after I-T survey
The British government has strongly defended the BBC and its editorial freedom in Parliament after the Income-Tax department's survey operations on the United Kingdom-headquartered media corporation's New Delhi and Mumbai offices over three days last week.
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) junior minister responded to an urgent question raised in the House of Commons on Tuesday to say that the government cannot comment on the allegations made by the I-T department over an 'ongoing investigation' but stressed that media freedom and freedom of speech are essential elements of 'robust democracies'.
David Rutley, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the FCDO, pointed to a 'broad and deep relationship' with India which meant the UK was able to discuss a wide range of issues in a 'constructive manner'.
"We stand up for the BBC. We fund the BBC. We think the BBC World Service is vital. We want the BBC to have that editorial freedom," said Rutley.
"It criticises us (government), it criticises the (Opposition) Labour party, and it has that freedom that we believe is so important. That freedom is key, and we want to be able to communicate its importance to our friends across the world, including the government in India," he said.
Updating the Commons on the issue, the minister said India's I-T department conducted what has been described as a survey on the BBC's offices in New Delhi and Mumbai, beginning on February 14 and finishing after three days, on February 16.
Highlighting that the BBC is operationally and editorially independent, the minister said the public broadcaster plays an important role and the FCDO funds services in 12 languages, including four Indian languages: Gujarati, Marathi, Punjabi and Telugu.
"It will continue to do so, because it is important to ensure that our voice and an independent voice, through the BBC is heard throughout the world," he said.
Pressed on by Opposition MPs on the 'deeply worrying raids' and asked about discussions with the Indian government, the minister added: It is because of our broad and deep relationship with India that we are able to discuss a wide range of issues in a constructive manner with its government.
As part of those conversations, this issue has been raised and we continue to monitor the situation.
The urgent question was raised by Northern Ireland MP Jim Shannon, who branded the action a deliberate act of intimidation following the release of an unflattering documentary about the country's leader and sharply criticised the UK government for failing to make a statement on the issue.
"The raids happened seven days ago. Since then, I say this respectfully, there has been silence from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. No government statements have been issued, and it has taken an urgent question to encourage the government to condemn this blatant attack on press freedoms," said Shannon, a member of Parliament for the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).
British Sikh Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi expressed his concerns that "India, a nation with which we have shared values of democracy and press freedoms, decided to conduct a raid on the BBC offices after the airing of a documentary critical of the Indian prime minister's actions.
"These issues have absolutely been raised as part of those conversations," the minister responded.
Other Labour MPs pointed out that it was not the first time that the authorities in India had undertaken such 'investigations into media organisations that are critical of the current government. We need to ensure that our views on media freedom are communicated clearly with other governments. We have those conversations not only with the government of India, but across the world. We think these are very important principles and, as I said, they are essential elements for robust democracies', the minister said.
"Our broad and deep relationship, guided by the comprehensive strategic partnership and the 2030 road map for India-UK future relations, allows us to discuss a wide range of issues in a constructive manner with the government of India. We continue to follow the matter closely," he added.
Conservative Party MP Bob Blackman, a vocal supporter of the Indian government, asked the minister to confirm if the I-T authorities in India have been investigating the BBC for seven years.
The minister, however, declined to comment on an ongoing investigation that the BBC is actively engaged in.
The I-T department said in a statement following the survey that the income and profits disclosed by the organisation's units were 'not commensurate with the scale of operations in India'. -- PTI
Shelly Oberoi flashes the victory sign
14:11 AAP's Shelly Oberoi elected Delhi mayor
Aam Aadmi Party's Shelly Oberoi elected as the new mayor of Delhi. Voting began today to elect the new mayor of Delhi as the municipal House met after three previous failed attempts to hold the election to the top post.
BJP MPs Meenakashi Lekhi and Hans Raj Hans were among the firsts to cast their votes. Other BJP MPs -- Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, Harsh Vardhan, Gautam Gambhir, Ramesh Bidhuri and Manoj Tiwari -- and AAP MPs Sanjay Singh, N D Gupta and Sushil Kumar Gupta have also exercised their franchise. AAP MLAs Durgesh Pathak and Atishi have also caste their votes.
BJP councillor and party's mayor candidate Rekha Gupta, AAP's mayor candidate Shelly Oberoi and deputy mayor candidate Aaley Mohammed Iqbal, former North Delhi mayor Raja Iqbal Singh, Leader of AAP in the House Mukesh Goel, and several other councillors have also cast their votes. The mayoral election is being conducted following a Supreme Court order after three failed attempts earlier to hold the polls.
13:52 Nikki Yadav murder: Accused sent to 12-day jail
A metropolitan court in New Delhi today remanded Sahil Gehlot, accused of killing his girlfriend Nikki Yadav and stuffing her body into a fridge, to 12-day judicial custody.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Archana Beniwal passed the order. Earlier on Monday, a court had extended the police custody of Gehlot (24) by two days, while other five co-accused were remanded in 14-day judicial custody. All accused will now be produced in court on March 6.
Gehlot allegedly killed Yadav, stuffed her body inside a refrigerator of his dhaba in southwest Delhi, and went off to marry another woman.
The incident had come to light on February 14, Valentine's Day, four days after the crime.
Gehlot's two cousins and two friends are among those arrested.
During the investigation, it came to light that Gehlot had secretly married Yadav in October 2020 and the victim was asking the accused to get a social sanction for the marriage, according to the police. PTI
13:48 Indian-American Vivek Ramaswamy announces 2024 presidential bid
Indian-American tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has launched his 2024 presidential bid with a promise to put merit back and end dependence on China, becoming the second community member to enter the Republican Party's presidential primary after Nikki Haley.
Ramaswamy, 37, whose parents migrated to the United States from Kerala and worked at a General Electric plant in Ohio, announced his presidential bid on Tuesday during a live interview on Fox News's prime time show of Tucker Carlson, a conservative political commentator.
He is the second Indian-American to enter the Republican presidential primary. Earlier this month, two-term former governor of South Carolina and former US Ambassador to the United Nations, Haley announced her presidential campaign. She announced that she will contest against her former boss and ex-US President Donald Trump for the Republican Party's nomination.
"We are in the middle of this national identity crisis where we have celebrated our differences for so long that we forgot all the ways we are really just the same as Americans bound by a common set of ideals that set this nation into motion 250 years ago," Ramaswamy said.
He calls wokeism a national threat. Wokeism is the promotion of liberal progressive ideology and policy as an expression of sensitivity to systemic injustices and prejudices. "That's why I am proud to say tonight that I am running for United States president to revive those ideals in this country," he announced. "I think we need to put merit' back into America' in every spirit of our lives," he said, adding that he will end affirmative action in "every sphere of American life."
A second-generation Indian-American, Ramaswamy founded Roivant Sciences in 2014 and led the largest biotech IPOs of 2015 and 2016, eventually culminating in successful clinical trials in multiple disease areas that led to FDA-approved products, according to his bio.
He has founded other successful healthcare and technology companies, and in 2022, he launched Strive Asset Management, a new firm focused on restoring the voices of everyday citizens in the American economy by leading companies to focus on excellence over politics.
13:39 UP Govt presents Rs 7 lakh crore Budget for FY24
The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday presented a Rs 6,90,242.43 crore Budget, including new schemes worth Rs 32,721.96 crore, for the financial year 2023-24.
The total receipt is estimated at Rs 6,83,292.74 crore, which includes revenue receipts of Rs 5,70,865.66 crore and capital receipts of Rs 11,247.08 crore, Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said. The share of tax revenue in revenue receipts is Rs 44,58,71.59 crore, including its own tax revenue of Rs 2,62,634 crore and the state's share in central taxes of Rs 1,83,237.59 crore. Its total expenditure is projected at Rs 6,90,242.43 crore.
Out of this Rs 5,02,354.01 crore is spent on the Revenue Account and Rs 1,87,888.42 crore is spent on Capital Account. -- PTI
13:25 Adani Power calls off Rs 70 bn coal plant purchase
Adani Power has clarified the stock exchanges that it has called off its plan to acquire a coal plant project in central India and there is no further development in this matter.
In August 2022, Adani Power agreed to take control of DB Power at an enterprise value of Rs 70.2 billion ($850 million).
The acquisition was approved by the country's competition regulator a month later.
Amid the media reports that Adani Power had cancelled the acquisition of the coal plant, Adani Power informed both the stocks exchanges -- BSE and NSE -- on Tuesday that it was not going ahead with the acquisition.
The Adani Group company and DB Power mutually agreed not to proceed with the transaction after a long-stop date expired on February 15.
DB Power operates a 1.2-gigawatt coal power project in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh.
The DB Power buyout, which currently operates a 2x600 MW coal-fired power plant in Janjgir Champa district in Chhattisgarh, was expected to expand Adani Power's offerings and operations in the thermal power sector in the state. -- ANI
13:23 Mumbai police asks Aalia Bhatt to file complaint
The Mumbai Police has contacted actor Alia Bhatt and asked her to file a complaint in the matter where a photographer clicked her private pictures posted them online. The actor has told police that her PR team is in touch with the concerned portal.
13:00 What Maha CM said on Raut's death threat claim
A day after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut alleged his life was under threat, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said police will check the claim and act accordingly. "We will also check if this (Raut's claim) is based on facts or is a stunt," Shinde said.
Raut on Tuesday alleged that the CM's son and Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde has hired contract killers to kill him. He also wrote to Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio claiming a threat to his life. PTI
12:46 Adani firm repays Rs 1,500 cr to SBI MF
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone has repaid Rs 1,500 crore loan and will repay another Rs 1,000 crore in commercial papers due in March.
The Adani Group firm paid Rs 1,000 crore to SBI Mutual Fund and Rs 500 crore to Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund on commercial papers that matured on Monday, as scheduled.
"This part prepayment is from the existing cash balance and funds generated from the business operations," a company spokesperson said. "This underscores the confidence which the market has placed on the prudent capital and liquidity management plan for the group."
An SBI MF spokesperson said it has no further exposure.
"SBI MF had an exposure of around Rs 1,000 crore to Adani Group, which has been repaid on maturity. We have no further exposure to the Adani Group," the spokesperson said. PTI
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12:44 Unattended packet triggers panic in Udhampur
A packet left behind by a passenger at a bus terminal in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur triggered panic among people on Wednesday morning, officials said.
Bomb and dog squads were summoned after the packet was found lying unattended. However, nothing suspicious was found in it, they said.
The packet was left behind by a passenger. Traffic was suspended briefly in the area after the packet was found at the bus terminal. -- PTI
12:36 Adani Enterprises tumbles over 9%
Shares of Adani Group firms fell sharply in morning trade on Wednesday in line with an overall weak trend in the equity market. Adani Enterprises stock tumbled 9.31 per cent on the BSE.
Shares of Adani Power declined 5 per cent, Adani Transmission fell 5 per cent, Adani Total Gas (5 per cent), Ambuja Cements (5 per cent) Adani Green Energy (4.99 per cent), Adani Wilmar (4.99 per cent) and NDTV (4.55 per cent).
The stock of Adani Ports declined 4.38 per cent and ACC fell 3 per cent.
Many of the group firms also hit their lower circuit limits in morning trade. The broader equity market also faced weak trend as the BSE Sensex fell 596.95 points or 0.98 per cent to 60,075.77 in morning trade.
Adani Group stocks have taken a beating on the exchanges after US-based short seller Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share-price manipulation, against it. The group has dismissed the charges as lies, saying it complies with all laws and disclosure requirements. PTI
12:27 Kanti Bhatt Memorial and Reading Room inaugurated
A memorial to celebrate the life and works of renowned Gujarati journalist and columnist Kanti Bhatt was inaugurated Tuesday at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in the Khanpur area of Ahmedabad.
Gujarati author and playwright Madhu Rye unveiled the Kanti Bhatt Memorial and Reading Room that has around 1,600 books from Bhatt's personal collection donated by veteran journalist and his wife Sheela Bhatt, who was a senior journalist with Rediff.com.
In addition, 16,000 pieces written by him over the six decades of his journalistic life have also been made available to the public.
12:22 Voting begins for Delhi mayoral polls
Voting began on Wednesday to elect the new mayor of Delhi as the municipal House met after three previous failed attempts to hold the election to the top post.
BJP MPs Meenakshi Lekhi and Hans Raj Hans were among the firsts to cast their votes. The proceedings of the municipal House began on Wednesday to elect the new mayor of Delhi, the exercise taking place after much delay since the high-stakes civic polls.
The mayoral election is being conducted following a Supreme Court order after three failed attempts earlier to hold the polls.
The municipal House, which began half an hour late at around 11.30 am, is holding election to the posts of mayor, deputy mayor and six members of the standing committee.
Pro-tem presiding officer Satya Sharma said, "I appeal to all to maintain order in the House". Last week, Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena gave his nod to convene the municipal House for holding the mayoral election following the apex court order.
The top court on February 17 ordered the issuance of a notice within 24 hours for convening the first meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to fix the date of elections for the mayor, the deputy mayor and the members of the standing committee of the civic body.
The court issued the order after hearing a plea moved by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi, who had sought an early conduct of the election.
12:08 K'taka girls move SC to take exams wearing hijab
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will take a call on listing a plea to allow girls to sit for exams in Karnataka government schools while wearing the hijab.
Following the apex court's split verdict on the issue of the ban on wearing the headscarf, girls in hijab are not being permitted to take the exams scheduled to begin from March 9, a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud was told.
"They are wearing headscarf. If they are wearing headscarf they are not allowed inside the examination hall. Only on that limited aspect, the court may consider listing it on Monday or Friday," said lawyer Shadan Farasat.
He told the bench, also comprising Justice P S Narasimha, that a few girls have moved to private institutions because of the prohibition on wearing hijabs but have to take their exams in government institutions. "They risk losing another year if not permitted," he said.
"I will take a call," the CJI said.
Due to the split verdict, the high court's judgement still holds the field.
The split verdict on October 13 last year held off a permanent resolution to the hijab row as both judges suggested placing the matter before a larger bench for adjudication. The court had said last month that it would consider setting up a three-judge bench to adjudicate the case related to the ban on wearing of hijabs in Karnataka government schools. PTI
11:41 Netas creating entitlement mentality: BJP MP
BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Wednesday said political parties have encouraged an entitlement mentality and created a "cradle-to-grave" welfare state by offering freebies.
Gandhi, who has been voicing concern about various governance issues, said there is a need to have a conversation about widespread abuse of public funds by offering freebies.
Making such promises is an insult to voters, when many such promises are simply left unfulfilled or partially so, Gandhi told PTI while talking about his latest book "The Indian Metropolis" which discusses challenges that Indian cities face.
"All political parties offer freebies now and through it an entitlement mentality has been encouraged, creating a cradle-to-grave welfare state," he said.
However, he added that not every scheme or manifesto promise is a freebie free food at schools, for students, as offered under the Mid-Day Meal scheme should not be classified as a freebie, given that it helps improve the health of our children.
He further said reforming this mind set up of freebies will require initiatives on multiple tracks.
Governments (whether state or Centre) announcing freebies should be required to providing a funding plan - to bolster Parliament (and state assembly) budgetary understanding and enhance their ability to act, a Budgetary Office should be established to aid in writing policies and conducting budgetary analysis.
Gandhi, a three-time MP from Uttar Pradesh spoke about his book, which discusses challenges in front of urban cities, Gandhi said India's cities have notably failed to consider the need for numerous urban green spaces in their master plans.
At the government level, we face a significant poverty of understanding about the value of forests and green zones in our cities and their intangible benefits, Gandhi said.
To buttress his point, he cited the example of Mumbai and said the city's development plans in 1964 and 1991 sought to plan out land use for a period of 20 years, but essentially resulted in a dilution of green spaces. And now every year, some of Mumbai's priciest real estate sinks under the deluge of monsoon rain, he added.
11:28 Anurag Thakur on EC's Sena order: Doodh ka doodh...
Union minister Anurag Thakur has said the Election Commission's decision to recognise the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the real Shiv Sena has made things "crystal clear" and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray should now understand who actually has the support of party workers.
He also taunted Thackeray saying what was the use of repenting over what has been lost.
The rival factions led by Maharashtra CM Shinde and his predecessor Thackeray are locked in legal battles over the control of the Shiv Sena.
When asked about it, Thakur told reporters in Indore late on Tuesday night that the Election Commission (EC) has given a very detailed decision in this matter.
"Iske baad doodh ka doodh aur pani ka pani ho chuka hai (everything is crystal clear now)," the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister said. "Thackeray should now understand who has the number (support) of Shiv Sainiks, party's MLAs, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs. This number alone tells the entire story," he said.
Making a jibe at Thackeray, Thakur quoted a Hindi proverb, "Ab pachhtaye hot kya, jab chidiya chug gayi khet" (what is the use of repenting over what has been lost).
The EC last week recognised the Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena, and allotted it the 'bow and arrow' poll symbol of the party. In the first national executive meeting after the EC decision on Tuesday evening, it was decided that Shinde will remain the 'chief leader' of the Shiv Sena. PTI
The devastating earthquake in Turkey
10:56 Possibility of quakes in India rising: Scientist
A leading weather scientist and geological expert has warned that the Indian tectonic plate is moving about 5 cm every year, leading to accumulation of stress along the Himalayas and increasing the possibility of major seismic events -- earthquakes -- in the coming days.
Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, Dr N Purnachandra Rao, the chief scientist and seismologist at the Hyderabad-based National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), said, "The Earth's surface comprises various plates that are constantly in motion. The Indian plate is moving about 5 cm every year, resulting in the accumulation of stress along the Himalayas and raising the possibility of major earthquakes."
"We have a strong network of 18 seismograph stations in Uttarakhand. The region, referred to as the seismic gap between Himachal and the western part of Nepal, including Uttarakhand, is prone to earthquakes that might occur any time," the chief scientist added.
An earthquake of magnitude 3.6 occurred 56 kms north of Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, at 10.38 pm on Monday, the National Centre for Seismology stated. The epicentre was at a depth of 10 kms beneath the earth's surface, the agency said.
"An earthquake of magnitude 3.6 occurred 56km north of Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh at around 10:38 pm, yesterday. The depth of the earthquake was 10 km below the ground," the NCS said in a statement. On February 19, an earthquake struck the town of Nandigama in Andhra Pradesh's NTR district. No loss of lives was reported in the incident. -- ANI
10:41 The legendary K Subrahmanyam
In the wake of EAM Dr S Jaishankar's interview, where he talks, among other matters, about his father K Subrahmanyam, here is a selection of interviews with and columns on one of India's greatest security gurus.
Read:
10:28 Tony Jesudasan that you dont know Kafka in chemistry class and poems
"In the internet age, instant reaction seems to be mandatory. Unfortunately, I found out about Tony Jesudasan's death after a day. Too late for a proper obituary which had already been written by better pens. In my case, perhaps one need not call it an obit, but a peep into the by-lanes of nostalgia. So, this one is not so much about Tony's unusual career in New Delhi and more about one's parting from a classmate and a friend of fifty-five years."
Read the column here.
10:23 Sisodia on snooping case: More AAP grows...
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia reacts to MHA sanctions: "The more AAP will grow, the more cases will be filed against its leaders. Filing false cases against one's rival is a sign of a weak person."
This morning, the Ministry of Home Affairs has given sanction to prosecute Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia under the Prevention of Corruption Act in the 'alleged Feedback Unit' snooping case.
In a communication to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor Secretariat dated February 17, the Ministry of Home Affairs granted permission to the CBI to prosecute Sisodia in the alleged snooping case.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had approved the CBI's request for prosecution sanction and forwarded the same to the MHA.
10:01 Bodies of newly-wed couple with stab injuries found in Raipur
In a shocking incident, the bodies of a newly married couple were found just before their wedding reception in Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur on Tuesday evening.
The incident took place at Brijnagar under Tikrapara police station limits, Tikrapara Station House officer (SHO) Amit Beriya said. "The bodies of a newly married couple with multiple stab injuries were recovered from their room ahead of the wedding reception," the officer said.
According to the SHO, the deceased were identified as Aslam (24) and Kahkasha Bano (22).The marriage of the couple was solemnized on February 19 in Raipur.
Preliminary investigation revealed that ahead of the reception, the couple was getting ready for the programme. After hearing the scream of the bride, the groom's mother rushed to their room and found the door locked from the inside.
"When the couple did not respond, relatives managed to got inside the room and found the couple lying in a pool of blood," the officer said.
Police have sent the bodies for autopsies and are waiting for the reports to take further course of action, the officer added. -- ANI
09:42 US reassures India -- less wait time for visas
India is the United States' number one priority, US Visa officials said while adding that after the COVID pandemic, there has been a rise of around 36 per cent in visa processing across the country.
While addressing a media interaction organised by Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies on Tuesday, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services in the Bureau of Consular Affairs Julie Stufft said, "India is the number one priority that we are facing right now. We are absolutely committed to getting out of this situation. Anyone in India seeking a visa appointment or visa have to wait for that's not certainly our ideal."
She further stated, "So far this year, we have issued 36 per cent more visas than we did before the COVID pandemic in India. And that is a huge percentage of progress."
Stufft also announced that come fall, the US will start the Visa stamping program domestically within the US for visa renewals, including H-1 and L-1. Visa. The Department of State representative told reporters that initiatives are in place to speed up domestic visa revalidation in certain categories on a pilot basis.
"This fall will be the first that we'll be able to put out a call for applications. The pilot is this summer... and we're gonna be doing it for people in worker status. So that would be H's and L and, and I's," the official added.
Acknowledging that the difficulties are still being experienced, the officials said the department was also expanding its interview waiver process for some temporary workers, students and academic exchange visitors.
"All the non-visitor time or student-visa have very very low wait times and that's really key. Our H-1B and F student's wait time were just as high almost six months ago and so we brought down the wait time," she added.
09:35 Seattle becomes first US city to ban caste discrimination
Seattle has become the first US city to outlaw caste discrimination after its local council passed a resolution, moved by an Indian-American politician and economist, to add caste to its non-discrimination policy.
The resolution moved by Kshama Sawant, was approved by the Seattle City Council by six to one vote.
The results of the vote could have far-reaching implications on the issue of caste discrimination in the US. "It's official: our movement has won a historic, first-in-the-nation ban on caste discrimination in Seattle! Now we need to build a movement to spread this victory around the country," Sawant, a city council member, said soon after the resolution was voted.
Hours ahead of the vote, Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal lent her support to the move.
"Caste discrimination has no place in society anywhere in the world, including here in America. That is why some colleges and universities have banned it on campuses, and workers are fighting for their rights and their dignity in cases involving caste discrimination," she said.
Equality Labs, the brain behind the anti-caste discrimination resolution in Seattle and which has been spearheading a nationwide campaign said: Love has won over hate as Seattle has become the first in the nation to ban caste discrimination.
"We have braved rape threats, death threats, disinformation, and bigotry. It has created a coalition of some 200 organisations in support of its efforts over the issue. Central to this coalition is a network of more than 30 anti-caste Ambedkarite organisations," Equality Labs said.
Among them are the Ambedkar King Study Circle, Ambedkar International Center, Ambedkarite Buddhist Association of Texas and Boston Study Group. -- PTI
09:25 Meghalaya polls: Rahul to address rally in Shillong today
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be addressing his maiden election rally in poll-bound Meghalaya on Wednesday.
The former Congress president's rally will be held at Malki Ground in Shillong.
It will be Rahul Gandhi's first public appearance after Bharat Jodo Yatra. Pertinent to mention, the Wayanad MP was missing in the campaign for the party in Tripura where polling was held on February 16.
So far, the top Congress leadership has been absent from the campaign scene in the three northeastern poll-bound states of Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland barring party president Mallikarjun Kharge addressing an election rally in Nagaland only on Tuesday.
However, Kharge was also missing from the campaigning in Tripura.
Addressing a gathering in Nagaland's Chumoukedima, Congress president Kharge on Tuesday launched a series of attacks on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that the party and its allies looted the state.
"For the last 20 years, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and BJP looted Nagaland. It's high time that the people get justice and a govt that works for the people," Kharge said.
"The BJP's politics is aimed at destroying the indigenous and unique culture of the Nagas. The people of Nagaland must stand against this attack on the culture of Nagaland and the politics of polarization and hatred," Kharge said.
Polling will be held in both the states of Meghalaya and Nagaland on February 27 while the counting is scheduled on March 2. -- ANI
09:08 Asuras of Gujarat: EAM's father on 2002 riots
Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP and former bureaucrat Jawhar Sircar called Prime Minister Narendra Modi "asura" while hitting out at External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar who on Tuesday had said that his father, Dr K Subrahmanyam was removed as Secretary of Defence Production by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after she returned to power in 1980.
Taking to Twitter, Jawhar Sircar wrote, "S Jaishankar's father, K Subramanyam said "Dharma was killed in Gujarat (2002 Riots). Those who failed to protect innocent citizens are guilty of adharma. Rama...would have used his bow against the 'Asura' rulers of Gujarat." Shame on son --serving Asura!"
This came after the External Affairs Minister in an interview with ANI, revealed that his father Dr K Subrahmanyam was removed as secretary, defence production by former PM Indira Gandhi in 1980 and that he was superseded during the Rajiv Gandhi period with someone junior to him becoming the Cabinet Secretary.
Jaishankar, in the interview with ANI, had explained the reason for joining the BJP as the right party at the right time for India's progress.
Targetting the External Affairs Minister, the TMC leader said Jaishankar was suffering from "amnesia" adding that he is just "cuddling up to the BJP."
"Strange that Jaishankar discovered his angst against the Gandhis -- after serving them most loyally and taking the best of postings under them? Is it Amnesia or is he just cuddling up to BJP for his unprecedented promotion as Foreign Minister?" Sircar wrote on the microblogging site.
Jaishankar was Foreign Secretary from January 2015 to January 2018 and earlier served in key ambassadorial positions including in China and the United States. His father K Subrahmanyam, who passed away in 2011, is regarded as one of India's most prominent national security strategists.
Swami Prasad Maurya
08:59 Maurya has been instructed not to indulge in religious issues: Shivpal
Amid a controversy over Swami Prasad Maurya's remarks on the Ramcharitmanas, senior Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav on Tuesday said he has been instructed not to indulge in such religious issues.
"All of us have said that we want to stay away from religious and communal issues. Swami Prasad Maurya has been instructed not to indulge in such religious issues. The BJP always wants that this issue should be raked up," he told reporter in Ballia.
"We follow the ideals of Lord Ram. We are the descendants of Lord Krishna. Our country is a secular country. We are secular. We do not want to play on the pitch of the BJP. We are Samajwadi people," he added.
A cabinet minister in the previous BJP government in the state, Maurya had resigned and joined the SP before the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.
He contested the election from the Fazilnagar assembly seat in Kushinagar district but lost.
He was later sent to the legislative council by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.
On January 24, an FIR was registered against Maurya at the Hazratganj police station over his controversial comments on the Ramcharitmanas.
Another FIR was registered against him and others on January 29 at the PGI police station.
Maurya, who was recently made the general secretary of the SP, had on January 22 alleged that certain portions of the Ramcharitmanas insult a large section of society on the basis of caste and said these should be banned. -- PTI
08:23 MHA gives sanction to prosecute Sisodia for graft
JUST IN: Ministry of Home Affairs has given sanction to prosecute Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia under the Prevention of Corruption Act in the 'Feedback Unit' alleged snooping case.
More details awaited. -- ANI
Ex-servicemen call on TN Governor RN Ravi over the killing of jawan/K Annamalai/Twitter
01:30 TN Army jawan's killing a matter of concern: Raj Bhavan
A group of ex-servicemen on Tuesday called on Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi over the killing of an Army jawan, allegedly by a DMK councillor and shared their anguish with him, the Raj Bhavan said.
They also flagged the "lukewarm response" of the state law enforcement to the issue, the Governor's office said in a tweet.
"Some Ex-Servicemen met Governor and shared their collective anguish at the gruesome killing of M Prabhu, a serving soldier by an armed gang led by a DMK councillor and lukewarm response of the state law enforcement, " a tweet on the official Twitter handle of the Raj Bhavan said.
"Indeed, it is a matter of serious concern," it added.
Prabhu, who was severely thrashed by a DMK functionary and his accomplices, died last week and six people have been arrested in connection with the crime.
Veterans of the Indian armed forces including the highly decorated Brig N L Narayanan participated in the one-day fast and candle light march organised by the Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP in Chennai on Tuesday condemning the killing of Lance Naik Prabhu and demanding justice for his family.
BJP state chief K Annamalai, who announced a relief of Rs 10 lakh on behalf of the party to Prabhu's family, said the party would bear the education expenses of the soldier's two children. -- PTI
Lalu Prasad Yadav
01:18 Lalu may virtually address Grand Alliance rally on Feb 25
Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, who recently returned to India after a successful kidney transplant surgery in Singapore last December, will be requested to virtually address the Grand Alliance mega rally in Purnea on February 25, party state president Jagdanand Singh said.
Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Singh stated that Prasad delivering an address will boost the morale of party workers.
"Our leader and party supremo Lalu Jee has returned to India after his kidney transplant surgery. Since, he cannot join Mahagathbandhan's Purnea rally physically, we would request him to virtually address the programme or send a video message for the party workers and masses on Feb 25," the RJD leader maintained.
The ruling Grand Alliance, comprising seven parties, is gearing up for its February 25 rally in Purnea.
Preparations for the rally are underway and senior leaders from all the seven parties, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, are scheduled to take part in the programme.
"We intend to expose the BJP's real intentions. They (BJP) have been fooling people with false promises. All they have done so far is spread communal violence and help their corporate friends make money, while the poor and middle class people suffered," Singh added.
The Dalai Lama, spiritual head of the Tibetan people/PTI Photo
00:26 30 European senators back Tibet's autonomy
Under the presidency of the European Research Council, some thirty senators from different political formations have created an interparliamentary group to support Tibet's autonomy from China, reported Europe Press.
The alliance will be formally established this Wednesday.
This intergroup will work to garner real support for the resumption of substantive dialogue between the Chinese leadership and the Dalai Lama's representatives to ensure "genuine and meaningful autonomy" for the Tibetan people.
In their opinion, Tibet is an independent country with a thousand-year history that was invaded by China, which continues to be "threatened" by Beijing and needs international support, reported Europe Press.
Robert Masih Nahar, ERC senator, will be the president of the new intergroup.
It will be attended by the representative of the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration, Rigzin Genkhang; the president of the Tibetan community in Spain, Rinzing Dolma; and two members of the Tibetan Parliament in exile representing Europe, Thubten Wangchen and Thupten Gyatso, reported Europe Press.
In addition, a message from the Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration, Penpa Tsering, will also be projected.
According to the promoters of the intergroup, its main objectives are "to promote and defend the fundamental rights of the Tibetan people, especially in order to improve respect for human rights in Tibet", and to achieve "the recognition of the central Tibetan administration with headquarters in Dharamshala as the sole and legitimate representative of the Tibetan people," added Europe Press. -- ANI
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