LIVE
Mon, 08 May 2023
60 killed in Manipur unrest, kin to get Rs 5L aid: CM
Timeline Refresh
File image
23:44 Services on Mumbai's Harbour line hit as man climbs on local train's rooftop
Suburban services on the Harbour line of the Central Railway were affected for nearly 30 minutes on Monday night after a man climbed on the rooftop of a local train at CSMT, an incident which disrupted the train schedule, an official said.
He said the overhead wire supply was switched off for 25 minutes after a man climbed onto the rooftop of a local train on platform number 2 of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus at around 9.20 pm.
The services resumed at around 9.45 pm after security personnel safely brought down the man from the rooftop of the train.
However, the incident delayed train services on the Harbour line section that connects Navi Mumbai and Western suburbs with south Mumbai, the CR spokesperson said.
Train services from platform number 1 of CSMT are running normally now, he added.
He said the incident occurred at a time when peak hour was over and trains were less crowded.
Details regarding the man are not available. -- PTI
President Droupadi Murmu
23:28 Odisha Guv seeks report from state govt on power disruption at Prez event
Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal on Monday sought a report from the state government on the nine-minute power blackout during President Droupadi Murmu's speech at a university's convocation in Baripada.
The governor, who is also the chancellor of the universities, asked chief secretary PK Jena and vice chancellor of Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanjadeo University, Santosh Tripathy, to file a detailed report on the power disruption in the auditorium while the President was delivering her speech on May 6.
The governor has sought the report from the authorities within seven days. Tripathy confirmed receiving a letter from the Raj Bhavan and said he will submit the reply on Tuesday.
Lal was present at the auditorium when lights went off during the President's address.
Though the auditorium had plunged into darkness for nine minutes,
Murmu continued to deliver her speech.
However, the air-conditioners, microphones and fans in the auditorium were functioning normally during the whole blackout from 11.56 am to 12.05 pm. -- PTI
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh
23:13 60 killed in Manipur unrest, kin to get Rs 5L aid: CM
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday said that 60 people were killed, 231 injured and 1,700 houses including religious places burnt in the ethnic violence that rocked the northeastern state for the past few days.
Addressing a press conference here, the chief minister said that the state cabinet resolved to provide ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased, Rs 2 lakh to those who suffered major injuries and Rs 25,000 to those with minor injuries.
"These are very very unfortunate incidents. I appeal to people to bring peace together at the earliest," Singh said.
He said that 1,700 houses including temples and churches have been burnt down during the violence.
The chief minister said that Rs 2 lakh will be paid to those whose houses were destroyed and the government will rebuild them.
"In the wake of the unfortunate incident that happened in Manipur, more than 20,000 people who were left stranded in relief camps have been moved to safety till today. Another 10,000 more stranded people will be transported to safety as soon as possible.... Human lives are precious and destroying homes and properties are unacceptable,' Singh said. -- PTI
King Charles III and Queen Camilla/Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
23:08 King Charles' official coronation portrait is out!
After the grand coronation of King Charles III, he posed for official coronation portraits at Buckingham Palace and the picture are now out.
Photographer Hugo Burnand got behind the camera for the historic snaps.
On Monday, the Buckingham Palace released the first official portrait of King Charles.
For the solo shot, King Charles was wearing the Imperial State Crown and Robe of Estate which is made of purple silk velvet embroidered in gold and was worn by King George VI in 1937, as per the official 'The Royal Family's' website.
For the portrait, he sat on a throne chair.
The coronation of King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla took place on May 6 at Westminster Abbey, London. During a special King's procession, the royal monarchs travelled in vintage carriages.
King Charles III's enthronement outfit has broken the typical royal tradition as the majesty arrived in modernised attire for the ceremony.
According to Page 6 magazine, the King decided to ditch the usual coronation outfit which consists of the silk stockings and breeches.
Also, the royal monarch was earlier suspected of wearing his military uniform which didn't happen. -- ANI
22:45 Arijit Singh injured after excited fan pulls hand during live concert
Popular singer Arijit Singh, recently got injured during a live concert in Aurangabad after a fan pulled his hand while he was on stage.
Several videos of the concert went viral on social media in which the singer could be seen schooling his fan with patience.
In the viral video, Arijit could be seen saying, "If I am not able to perform, you are not able to have fun. It's as simple as that. You're pulling me like that. My hand is shaking. Should I leave?"
The crowd yelled "no," while the woman apologised to Arijit Singh many times for accidentally hurting him.
Arijit continued, "You have to understand. You are a grown-up, right? You are a mature person, right? Why did you pull me like that? My hand is shaking right now. I can't move my hand."
The woman who pulled his hand could be heard saying that since he was coming to the front, she just took his hand.
The singer replied, "Obviously I'll come in front of everybody na. I love everybody here. I will go to everybody." -- ANI
File image
22:21 Chinese delegation to visit PoK's Gilgit-Baltistan
The Chinese delegation is all set to travel to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir's Gilgit-Baltistan region next week to explore the options for buying and importing cherries, commercial counselor, Pakistan embassy, Beijing, Ghulam Qadir said, reported The Nation.
Fifteen members of the delegation from China, basically Chinese buyers hailing from Xinjiang, Zhejiang and Shandong provinces as well as the Weifang area will arrive in the region on May 15, Qadir told APP.
They will meet local farmers, and relevant officials and visit cherry orchards and inspect the quality of the exotic fruit, he added.
Pakistan and China signed a cooperation protocol during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to Beijing in November last year.
Under the protocol, China will import cherries from Pakistan and help the local grower enhance production. Currently, China imports the bulk of its cherries from South American countries to meet growing demand.
However, the transportation cost and time is a major predicament, reported The Nation.
Qadir also said the annual demand of the Chinese market is around 350,000 metric tons but Gilgit-Baltistan produces around 5,000 metric tons of cherry per season. -- ANI
Representational image
22:09 Andhra CM Jagan Reddy waives property tax for gurudwaras
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday directed officials to exempt gurudwaras from property tax, following a meeting with members of the Sikh faith.
A Sikh delegation met the chief minister and requested him to also set up a corporation for the community for effective implementation of government schemes.
Considering their request, Reddy gave the green signal to constitute a committee for Sikhs, including offering benefits to granthis (Sikh priests) on par with Hindu priests, pastors and maulvis, a press note shared by the state government on Monday said.
Further, the CM has agreed to declare Guru Nanak Jayanthi which falls on the day of Karthika Pournami a holiday, as well as offer necessary support to establish a minority educational institution.
"A resolution in this regard will be made in the next cabinet meeting," the CM said.
Additionally, the chief minister also directed officials to take all measures to improve the businesses of MSMEs run by various social groups.
Pic: Kacper Pempel/Reuters
21:57 India bans import of apples costing less than Rs 50 a kg
The government on Monday banned the import of apples if its imported price is less than Rs 50 per Kg.
"Import of apples...is prohibited wherever the CIF (cost, insurance, freight) import price is less than equal to Rs 50 per Kg," the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) said in a notification.
Minimum import price condition shall not be applicable for imports from Bhutan, it said.
In 2023, India imported apples worth USD 296 million against USD 385.1 million in 2022.
The main countries which export apples to India include the US, Iran, Brazil, UAE, Afghanistan, France, Belgium, Chile, Italy, Turkey, New Zealand, South Africa and Poland.
File image
21:31 EC notice to BJP for graft charges against Cong
The Election Commission on Monday issued a notice to the Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party to provide "verifiable and traceable" facts by Tuesday evening regarding its newspaper advertisement that described the Congress as "the most corrupt party in the world".
The Congress had approached the poll panel against the advertisement issued by the BJP's Karnataka unit.
In its notice to the BJP Karnataka president, the Election Commission said criticism of the policy and governance of opponent parties is a right guaranteed and enshrined in the Constitution as well as an essential function of various political actors under India's electoral process.
"However, while exercising this right and performing this essential function, the various political parties are expected to uphold high standards of public discourse and adhere to the various provisions of the model code and relevant laws," it said. -- PTI
File image
21:15 DRI seizes 5.90 kg heroin worth Rs 41cr from woman flyer at Hyderabad airport
Officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence on Monday said they seized 5.90 kg of heroin from a woman passenger at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad.
A press release from the DRI said they seized the drugs on Sunday from the passenger, an Indian national who arrived in Hyderabad from Malawi via Doha.
"The seized NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) substance, collectively weighing 5.90 kg, is valued at approximately Rs 41.3 crore in the illicit market. The substance was ingeniously concealed within false cavities in the checked-in suitcase," the DRI said.
The contraband was seized and the passenger arrested and remanded in judicial custody under provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985, the DRI added, saying further investigation was underway. -- PTI
File image
20:57 EC tells Cong to rectify post on K'taka's sovereignty
The Election Commission on Monday asked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to clarify and rectify the party's social media post on Karnataka's sovereignty remark attributed to Sonia Gandhi.
The EC letter to Kharge came following a complaint by the Bharatiya Janata Party regarding a tweet which appeared on the official Twitter handle of the Indian National Congress on May 6.
In its complaint, the BJP has alleged, "Karnataka is a very important member state in the union of India and any call to protect the sovereignty of a member state of the Union of India amounts to a call for secession and is fraught with perilous & pernicious consequences."
The BJP also alleged in its complaint to the EC that the tweet is violative of the mandatory oath undertaken by the political parties under section 29A (5) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 at the time of registration.
"In view of the above, you are requested to clarify and take rectification measures in respect of the social media post which has been put up on the INC Twitter handle and attributed to Chairperson, CPP," the EC letter read. -- PTI
20:46 Kerala boat accident: Vessel owner caught from Kozhikode
The owner of the boat that capsized on Sunday evening, which resulted in the death of 22 people, including 15 children, was caught from the Kozhikode beach area of the district on Monday, the police said.
The capture of the boat owner, Nasar, was confirmed by a senior police officer of Malappuram district.
"He has been caught from the Calicut (Kozhikode) beach area. He has not been arrested formally. He will be brought here (Malappuram)," the officer said.
According to the Tanur police, in whose jurisdiction the tragic incident occurred, the owner of the boat had been absconding.
A case was registered on Sunday itself against the owner of the boat, which reportedly did not have a licence to function, police said earlier.
The boat capsized near an estuary close to the Thoovaltheeram beach in Tanur area around 7.30 pm on Sunday. -- PTI
Representational image
20:13 Portion of Mumbai airports perimeter wall collapses
On May 7, a portion of the perimeter wall of approximately 12-15 feet of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) collapsed due to the ongoing construction and maintenance work on the city side adjoining the wall.
CSMIA Airside Security and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), who were immediately informed of this, deployed additional guards at the location, and safety barricades were quickly installed to cordon off the affected area and secure the perimeter.
There was no disruption to any airport operations or services. Also, no injuries or casualties were reported, CSMIA said in a press release.
CSMIA added that it continues to maintain the highest standards of safety and security and is taking all necessary steps to investigate the incident.
AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge
19:57 BJP candidate booked for 'death threat' to Kharge
The Rajasthan police has booked Manikanta Rathod, a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate in upcoming Karnataka assembly poll, and local BJP MLA Madan Dilawar with charges of murder and criminal intimidation for their remarks against Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, a senior officer said on Monday.
The FIR has been filed at Sanjay Circle Police Station in Jaipur on the complaint of Congress state secretary Ram Singh Kaswan.
According to Kotwali ACP Narendra Kumar, an FIR has been registered against BJP Ramganj Mandi MLA Madan Dilawar and Manikanta Rathod, a BJP contender in the upcoming Karnataka assembly election.
"As one of the accused, Madan Dilawar, is a sitting MLA, the matter will be investigated by the CB-CID," said Kumar, who is also the investigating officer in the case.
According to the FIR, the two men have been booked under IPC Section 302 (murder), 506 (criminal intimidation), and under sections of SC/ST Act.
Kaswan in his complaint said committing a crime is not necessary, even hatching a conspiracy is enough. Congress had on May 6 shared an audio purportedly of Manikanta Rathod, the BJP candidate from Chittapur constituency in Kalaburagi district, in which he was heard saying in Kannada that he will wipe out "Kharge, his wife, and children." -- PTI
19:24 Excise scam: Delhi court extends Sisodia's judicial custody till May 23
A Delhi court on Monday extended till May 23 the judicial custody of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam.
Special Judge MK Nagpal extended the custody of the AAP leader after he was produced before the court on expiry of his judicial custody granted earlier.
The court noted the submission of the Enforcement Directorate's special public prosecutor N K Matta, who submitted that the agency has filed a supplementary charge sheet against the accused, which is scheduled for consideration on May 10.
The court had earlier dismissed Sisodia's bail plea, saying "the case of economic offences has serious repercussions upon the general public and society at large as the evidence collected during investigation speaks volumes of his involvement in the commission of the said offence".
The ED on March 9 arrested Sisodia in the liquor policy case. -- PTI
19:04 Shah focuses on Manipur, postpones Assam visit
The proposed visit of Amit Shah to Assam on May 11 was on Monday postponed to May 26 as the Union home minister is busy dealing with the prevailing law and order situation in strife-torn Manipur, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
The senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader was scheduled to visit Assam on May 11 to mark the completion of two years of the Himanta Biswa Sarma government in the largest northeastern state by population.
Sarma, while addressing a press conference in Guwahati, said Shah called him up on Monday morning to inform him about the postponement.
"Accordingly, the scheduled programme of distribution of appointment letters to 45,000 selected candidates for regular government jobs will also be postponed to May 26," he said. -- PTI
George Joseph receiving the award
19:01 Indian-American journalist conferred lifetime achievement award
It warms the cockles of our heart to announce that George Joseph, the affable, easy-going journalist from the US who is so clued into the happenings within the Indian American community, has been picked for the Global Indian News Lifetime Achievement Award.
George, as he is fondly known, was a dear colleague in the heady days when Rediff.com acquired the hoary India Abroad newspaper 2001, and was known for his connections into and knowledge of Indian-American affairs.
George Joseph comes from a time when diaspora news was more about the community than about the politics, and to our mind there cannot be a better choice than this veteran chronicler of desi affairs for the lifetime achievement award.
The Global Indian News Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to George Joseph at a glittering ceremony in Houston by Missouri City Judge K P George, Abraham Varkey, Fr Roy Varghese and Jacob Kudashanad.
In his remarks George said that such platforms that recognise media workers are wonderful.
Among others present at the award ceremony were president of Indian Christian Ecumenical Church Rev Fr Abraham Zakaria, former Ambassador and Rediff's eminent columnist T P Sreenivasan, and many others.
18:52 Kerala boat tragedy: State human rights body takes suo motu case
The Kerala Human Rights Commission on Monday registered a case on its own over the tragic tourist boat accident that claimed the lives of 22 people including women and children.
Judicial member of the Human Rights Commission K Baiju Nath directed the Malappuram district collector and the chief port surveyor of Alappuzha to submit a report within 10 days.
The Commission said the suo motu case, based on media reports, would be considered on May 19.
The boat capsized near an estuary close to the Thoovaltheeram beach in Tanur area around 7.30 pm on Sunday.
The Kerala government today announced a judicial probe into the matter and decided to provide a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of each of the deceased. -- PTI
File image
18:19 Ludhiana gas leak: NGT panel visits Giaspur locality
An eight-member fact-finding panel of the National Green Tribunal Monday visited the Giaspura locality where 11 people were killed last month after inhaling toxic gas that emanated from a sewer.
The panel was led by Punjab State Pollution Control Board chairman Adarsh Pal Vig.
It has the Ludhiana deputy commissioner, the municipal corporation commissioner, a nominee of the director of Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, the regional director (north) Central Pollution Control Board, Industrial Toxicology Research Centre, Lucknow, and a nominee of National Disaster Response Team as its other members.
Eleven people were killed after inhaling toxic gas in the thickly-populated Giaspura area in Ludhiana on April 30.
The NGT had earlier directed the Ludhiana district magistrate to give Rs 20 lakh each to the families of the 11 victims.
After a preliminary meeting at Sherpur Chowk here Monday morning, the NGT panel proceeded to meet a few witnesses, and relatives and friends of the victims, and examined the spots from where poisonous gas leaked.
The panel visited the house of Kavilash, who was killed in the tragedy with four members of his family.
The team also visited the shop of another victim, Sourav Goyal who owned the provision store where some people who had come to buy milk fainted. -- PTI
18:10 Bengal bans controversial film 'The Kerala Story'
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday ordered an immediate ban on the screening of the controversial film The Kerala Story to avoid any incident of hatred and violence, a senior official said in Kolkata.
Action will be taken against any theatre found showing the film, the official said.
Earlier in the day, Banerjee described The Kerala Story as a distorted movie, aimed at defaming the southern state.
"To avoid any incident of hatred and violence and to maintain peace in the state, the CM has directed an immediate ban on screening of The Kerala Story. Action will be taken against any cinema hall that violates the ban," the bureaucrat said.
The Kerala Story, directed by Sudipto Sen, depicts how women from Kerala were converted to Islam and recruited by Islamic State terrorist group.
The film was released on May 5. -- PTI
17:38 Cong, BJP slam Kerala for repeated boat mishaps
Despite several fatal boat accidents in Kerala over the last 100 years and three Commission of Inquiry reports recommending preventive measures, lack of government intervention resulted in the boating tragedy in Malappuram that claimed 22 lives, the opposition Congress and BJP contended on Monday.
According to survivors and those who avoided boarding the fateful boat, the tour boat operator's "last trip" gimmick which led to the vessel being packed beyond its capacity and not heeding to bystanders warnings of the boat tilting to one side before it took off, all contributed to the disaster.
The statements of the survivors, bystanders and local residents of the area reveal that the vessel was a fishing boat which was converted into a recreational vessel, it did not have a licence to offer boating services, it lacked sufficient safety equipment like life jackets, the same were not provided to passengers and it was filled beyond capacity, checking all the boxes of "don'ts" that the panels had outlined.
Poorly designed vessels, their shoddy maintenance, absence of navigational aids, overloading and negligent conduct of the crew were some of the reasons cited by the inquiry commissions, set up in 2002, 2007 and 2009 after various boating tragedies, for such accidents in the past several decades.
In 2002, after the Kumarakom boat tragedy that claimed 29 lives, the Justice K Narayana Kurup Commission of Inquiry (CoI) had found that poor condition of the boat, poor maintenance, overloading and negligent conduct of the crew were responsible for the accident. In 2007, after the Thattekkad boat accident which claimed lives of 14 students and three teachers -- who were part of a school picnic trip -- the Justice M M Pareed Pillay CoI had found that overloading and untimely hours of the ride were the reasons for the tragedy.
In 2009, the E Mytheenkunju CoI found that overloading, inexperienced crew and lack of stability of the boat were the causes for the Thekkady boating accident that claimed lives of 45 tourists when a double decker boat of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) capsized in Thekkady lake.
A 2013 National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) report also points out that the state government has not heeded any of the recommendations of these committees. The NHRC report titled 'Boat Accidents in Inland Waters of Kerala' came in the wake of a boating accident on January 26, 2013 which according to it "could have been avoided if the recommendations of the CoIs had been followed".
The CoI recommendations included evenly distributing passengers inside the boat, not overcrowding, use of properly designed boats, wearing of safety jackets, providing safety instructions to passengers and establishing rescue coordination centres in important tourism spots.
17:26 This country's GDP growth will overtake China
Bangladesh's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate in the current fiscal year will overtake China, the International Monetary Fund's latest report on the Asia-Pacific region forecast, according to Daily Sun citing United News of Bangladesh.
According to the latest report from the IMF, Bangladesh will be in the second position, after Vietnam, in terms of GDP growth rate in the current fiscal year. IMF's Regional Economic Outlook for Asia and Pacific May 2023 report also predicted that Bangladesh may surpass China in terms of growth in 2024.
In Bangladesh, the GDP growth rate will slow to 5.5 per cent in 2023 because of demand-management measures, which is still higher than China's projected growth rate of 5.2 per cent, reported Daily Sun.
However, the economy of China is much bigger than that of Bangladesh.
The IMF report suggests that the recently approved Extended Fund Facility for Bangladesh will help address economic challenges caused by Russia's war in Ukraine, and the Resilience and Sustainability Facility arrangement will expand fiscal space to finance climate investment priorities and build resilience against long-term climate risks.
17:05 Minor's body with eyes gouged out found in UP
The body of a missing seven-year-old girl with her eyes gouged out and injury marks on her private parts was found in a field in Kannauj, police said on Monday. The minor had gone missing from a wedding function three days ago and her body was found in a naked condition in a field in Talgram area on Sunday, they said.
The family members of the girl have alleged rape before the murder, they said. Superintendent of Police Kunwar Anupam Singh said that four teams have been constituted to arrest those involved in the crime. The body of the girl has been sent for a post-mortem, the SP said. PTI
16:56 Govt unclear on Manipur death toll: Mamata
Expressing concern over the current situation in violence-hit Manipur, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged that the BJP government is not providing a clear picture of the death toll in the northeastern state where shoot-at-sight orders are in force.
She also lashed out at the BJP government in the Centre for not sending a single representative to Manipur to review the situation. Speaking to reporters at the state secretariat, Banerjee urged the people of Karnataka to vote for stability and development, and not for the BJP.
"I am quite tense with the situation in Manipur. We are not getting a clear picture of the number of deaths in shoot-at-sight (order) as the state government is not giving any information," she said. Manipur violence is a man-made problem, Banerjee claimed.
Violent clashes broke out in the northeastern state after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the 10 hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, leading to the deaths of at least 54 people.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and live in the hill districts. PTI
16:43 Don't vote for BJP, Mamata tells Karnataka
Karnataka polls. Voices: "Vote for stability, development; not for BJP," Mamata Banerjee tells voters ahead of the Karnataka polls on Wednesday.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who is in Bengaluru as part of the Karnataka Assembly elections campaigns, on Monday said that the grand old party would be elected to power as the people of the state want an "end to corruption".
"We are very confident and hopeful. I am not a predictor of numbers; I can only see the response that we have gotten from the public. The people of Karnataka want an end to corruption," Priyanka said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday slammed Congress over its promise to restore quota for Muslims in Karnataka and talking of an increase in quota to six per cent and said that the party should make it clear if it will slash the benefits of SCs, STs, Lingayats or Vokkaligas.
Siddaramaiah with Mallikarjun Kharge
16:08 Cong conspirators will defeat Siddaramaiah: BJP
Expressing confidence that the BJP would achieve a clear majority in the May 10 Karnataka Assembly elections, party state president and Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel on Monday said former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would be defeated in the Varuna constituency, as a group within the Congress was conspiring against its senior leader.
"A group within the Congress is conspiring to defeat Siddaramaiah from the Varuna assembly constituency," he alleged at a press conference in Mangaluru. Kateel also alleged that a similar group had worked against Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge in Kalaburagi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Stating that the BJP would win the elections with a clear majority, he said the party's expected tally would increase following the tour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. He said the BJP had started preparations for the elections some 18 months ago.
The party had made its booth-level units strong quite early to face the elections and reached the people on the basis of the achievements of the government, he said.
Kateel said he had visited all 224 constituencies in the state. Even the Mysuru region, which was the stronghold of JD(S) would support the BJP this time, he claimed. He said the party had given tickets to ordinary workers and all the communities in the coastal districts were in favour of the BJP. The party would be victorious in all the eight constituencies in Dakshina Kannada district, he said. PTI
Students and locals being evacuated from Manipur on Sunday
15:59 Himachal CM bears evacuation expense from Manipur
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu paid Rs 60,000 from his own pocket for the evacuation of five local students stuck in violence-hit Manipur, an official spokesperson of the government said on Monday.
The Chief Minister immediately responded to an urgent text message by a stuck student and came up with Rs 60,000 for the students' evacuation back home, said the spokesperson. He also instructed the state government officers to take necessary action to bring back the five students Simran, Sujal Kaundal and Ashwani Kumar from Mandi, Nawang Chhering from Kullu, and Keshav Singh from Hamirpur. Three of them were pursuing studies at NIT Manipur, while the other two were studying at Khumban Lampak Sports Complex, National Sports University -- both in Imphal.
The spokesperson said the students had been flown from Imphal to Kolkata and they will reach New Delhi by the evening. -- PTI
15:42 AI pee case: SC issues notices on SOPs
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine the plea of a 72-year-old woman, on whom a male co-passenger urinated on board an Air India flight in November last year, seeking a direction to the Centre, aviation regulator DGCA and airlines to frame an SOP to deal with such incidents.
A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala took note of the plea of the woman and issued notices to the Centre, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and all airlines, including Air India. The top court also sought the assistance of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was present in the case, in formulating the standard operating procedure (SOP) and fixed the plea for hearing after the summer vacation in July.
The woman had filed a PIL in March saying she was constrained to approach the top court because Air India and the DGCA failed to treat her with care and responsibility after the incident.
On January 31, a Delhi court had granted bail to Shankar Mishra, accused of urinating on the woman co-passenger on the Air India flight from New York to Delhi. The trial court had granted the relief to Mishra on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and a surety of the like amount. It had also imposed various conditions on him, including that he will not tamper with evidence, influence any witnesses or contact them in any manner.
Mishra was also asked not to leave the country without the court's prior permission and to join the investigation and trial as and when called by the investigating officer or the court concerned. Mishra was arrested from Bengaluru on January 6 and sent to judicial custody by a court here on January 7. He allegedly urinated on the woman in an intoxicated condition in the business class of the Air India flight on November 26 last year. PTI
15:13 DGCA tells Go First to stop ticket sales immediately
Aviation regulator DGCA directs Go First to stop sale of tickets with immediate effect till further orders. DGCA also issues show cause notice to Go First for their failure to continue operations in a safe, efficient and reliable manner.
As Go First awaits the NCLT ruling on its voluntary insolvency resolution plea, the tribunal is set to hear on Monday two petitions seeking insolvency proceedings against the crisis-hit airline. With liabilities of Rs 11,463 crore and a financial crunch, the Wadia group-owned airline has sought voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings as well as an interim moratorium on financial obligations.
15:05 Shah heads to Bengal for Tagore celebrations
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will undertake a daylong tour of West Bengal on Tuesday during which he will attend the birth anniversary celebrations of Rabindranath Tagore and lay foundation stone of or inaugurate a number of developing projects, sources said.
In the morning, the home minister will pay tribute at a statue of Tagore at the Jorasanko Thakurbari in Kolkata. Thereafter, Shah will lay foundation stone of and inaugurate various development projects of the Land Port Authority of India and the Border Security Force (BSF) at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) Petrapole in North 24 Parganas district, sources said.
In the afternoon, the home minister will release a film, "Luminaries of Bengal", and inaugurate various projects at the Science City in Kolkata. In the evening, Shah will also attend the birth anniversary celebrations of Tagore in the city. PTI
Aishwarya Thatikonda
14:28 Hyderabad woman among 9 killed in shootout in US
Indian-origin engineer Aishwarya Thatikonda, was among the nine people killed when a gun-wielding man opened fire at shoppers outside a mall in Dallas area in the US on Saturday, The New York Post reported.
Thatikonda, a project manager with a private company in Dallas and a resident of Saroornagar in Hyderabad had moved to the US from India. According to local media reports the 27-year-old was shopping with a friend at the Allen Premium Outlets in the northern suburbs of Dallas when a gunman opened fire.
The assailant identified as Mauricio Garcia was later shot dead by a police officer. Thatikonda, 27, lived and worked in McKinney, Texas while her family was in India, Texas-based WFAA television station reported.
According to a family representative, the Indian-origin girl was with a friend at the outlet mall when the shots rang out. Her friend who also sustained injuries is currently in stable condition at the hospital, the network was cited in the WFAA report.
Thatikonda's family plans to bring her body back to India, the representative said. As per her LinkedIn profile, Thatikonda had been working in Dallas for over two years.
In a statement, the Allen Premium Outlets stated: "We are horrified by the senseless tragedy at Allen Premium Outlets and are outraged by the violence that continues to plague our country," according to The New York Post.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and others affected by this heinous act. We are thankful for the Allen Police Officer's heroic actions and for the support of all the first responders."
Brian E Harvey, the chief of police in Allen, Texas, said at a news conference on Saturday night that the gunman acted alone. A police officer, who was on another assignment at the mall at the time of the shooting, heard gunfire, rushed towards it, and killed the shooter.
14:20 Shabana Azmi says it's wrong to ban Kerala Story
Those who want to ban "The Kerala Story" are as "wrong" as those who didn't want Aamir Khan-starrer "Laal Singh Chaddha" to be released, said veteran actor Shabana Azmi on Monday amid the row around the Sudipto Sen-directorial that hit the screens last week.
Her comments come a day after multiplexes across Tamil Nadu cancelled screenings of the controversial film from Sunday, citing law and order issues and poor public response.
In a tweet, Azmi said no one but the Central Board of Film Certification has the right to decide whether or not a film should release.
"Those who speak of banning #The Kerala Story are as wrong as those who wanted to ban Aamir Khan's #Laal Singh Chaadha (sic). Once a film has been passed by the Central Board of Film Certification nobody has the right to become an extra constitutional authority," the 72-year-old actor wrote on the microblogging site.
Azmi was referring to the #BoycottBollywood trend on social media ahead of the release of Aamir's "Laal Singh Chaddha" on August 11, 2022. "The Kerala Story", starring Adah Sharma, was released in cinemas on Friday and was initially portrayed as "unearthing" the events behind "approximately 32,000 women" allegedly missing from Kerala.
According to the CPI(M) and the Congress in Kerala, the film falsely claims that 32,000 women got converted and radicalised and were deployed in terror missions in India and the world.
The filmmakers later changed the figure in the film's trailer.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on May 5 credited the movie, produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah's Sunshine Pictures, for bringing out terror conspiracies and used it to attack the Congress during an election rally in poll-bound Karnataka.
Last week, the Kerala High Court also refused to stay the release of the film and said the trailer does not contain anything offensive to any particular community as a whole.
Recently, the Madhya Pradesh government announced that "The Kerala Story" will be tax free in the state, while Uttar Pradesh minister Brajesh Pathak said it will not oppose any proposal to grant similar status in the state. PTI
13:50 Go First asks NCLT to hasten decision on insolvency
Crisis-hit airline Go First on Monday requested the National Company Law Tribunal to take an early decision on its voluntary insolvency resolution plea, saying lessors have started deregistering the carrier's aircraft.
On May 4, after a hearing, the tribunal had reserved its order on the budget carrier's petition. Senior advocate P Nagesh along with Pranjal Kishore mentioned the matter in the morning before the principal bench of the tribunal headed by President Ramalingam Sudhakar.
The counsels requested the tribunal to take an early decision on its plea, saying that lessors have started deregistering the airline's aircraft.
The bench agreed to look into Go First's request. Lessors have sought the deregistration of more than 20 planes and have approached the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) after the Wadia group firm filed its voluntary insolvency resolution plea.
Go First, which has been flying for more than 17 years, has suspended the sale of tickets till May 15. As many as 28 planes or more than half of the airline's fleet are grounded due to non-supply of engines by Pratt & Whitney (P&W).
With liabilities worth Rs 11,463 crore and a financial crunch, the airline has sought voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings as well as an interim moratorium on its financial obligations.
The lessors of the carrier have opposed Go First's plea for an interim moratorium contending that it would have "harmful and serious consequences".
The carrier has total liabilities of Rs 11,463 crore to all creditors, including a default of Rs 3,856 crore towards operational creditors. The dues towards aircraft lessors are Rs 2,600 crore. Besides, Go First is facing two more petitions seeking insolvency proceedings against it. PTI
13:31 BJP moves EC against Sonia's sovereignty remark
The BJP on Monday filed a complaint with the Election Commission against former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi over the statement that the party will not allow anyone to pose a threat to Karnataka's "reputation, sovereignty or integrity" and requested it to issue direction for registration of FIR against her.
The Congress, referring to Gandhi's speech at a campaign rally at Hubballi on Saturday, said in a tweet that the Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson "sends a strong message to 6.5 crore Kannadigas,' and also posted pictures of her speaking at the public meeting.
The Congress tweet read: "The Congress will not allow anyone to pose a threat to Karnataka's reputation, sovereignty or integrity."
Describing this statement as "shocking and unacceptable", Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, who filed the complaint, said Gandhi has violated provisions of the Model Code of Conduct and requested the EC to take stringent action against her for making "such a statement."
Karandlaje, Convener of the BJP Election Management Committee, also requested the EC to issue direction to register a FIR against her and take exemplary punitive action. PTI
13:25 Pharmacist suspended for taking pic with Prez copter
Even as the row over the power disruption at President Droupadi Murmu's programme in Odisha's Baripada continues, the Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) of Mayurbhanj has suspended a pharmacist for taking photos with the President's helicopter, an official said on Monday.
CDMO Dr Rupabhanu Mishra suspended pharmacist Jashobanta Behera for clicking pictures with the President's chopper and posting them on Facebook, the official said.
Behera was deployed in a medical team of the President during her visit to Similipal National Park on May 5.
"I posted a few photos on my Facebook account only for the sake of memory and fun. I had no other intention of doing so. However, I took verbal permission from some air force personnel engaged to guard the helicopter. As such a great personality like the President Madam had come to the district and I was on duty at the helipad, I wanted to keep the photos as a memory," the pharmacist said.
He claimed that he has deleted the pictures from his Facebook account.
The incident had taken place on May 5 when the President had gone to Similipal National Park in the district on her second day of the tour.
The photographs were taken on mobile phones near the helicopter.
Meanwhile, the issue relating to power disruption at the President's programme at the Maharaja Sriramachandra Bhanja Deo University convocation has taken a political row with the opposition BJP demanding an apology from the chief minister for keeping the first citizen of the country in darkness for about nine minutes while she was delivering the convocation address.
12:53 I cancelled tickets: Kerala boat tragedy survivor
Shahul Hameed, an auto driver, rushed to the Thoovaltheeram beach in his three-wheeler on Sunday night on hearing of the tragic boat accident and as rescuers piled into his vehicle some children fished out from the water, he never realised they were his sister's kids.
His sister and her three children were among 12 members of his family, hailing from Parappanangadi in Kerala, who died in the tragedy that claimed 22 lives, majority of whom were women and children.
"I rushed to the beach in my auto on hearing of the accident. When I reached there, rescuers put some children taken out of the water in my auto and I rushed them to the nearest hospital.
"It is on reaching the hospital that I realised that they were my sister's children. My sister and her three children died in the accident," he told a news channel.
Five others from his sister's family and three relatives also died in the tragedy which brings to the fore several violations of the rules governing boat rides by the owner of the vessel and those who were operating it.
A similar heartbreaking story came from Chettipadi village here where four members of a family, a mother and her three children, died in the accident.
Two others of the family are reportedly hospitalised in a critical condition. Being a Sunday and also school vacation season, many families like that of Hameed and the one from Chettipadi had gone to the Thoovaltheeram for the boat ride -- the closest amusement spot from their homes.
While it turned into a distressing incident for those two families and many others, some escaped with their lives after deciding not to board the boat at the last moment.
Two brothers, Isaac and Ibrahim, from Kondotty here, who had gone to the area with their families for a good time on a weekend holiday and it was a difference of opinion among them -- over how safe the boat ride would be --- that resulted in them avoiding the same fate of the 22 who died in the accident.
The brothers told a news channel that they were there only for the children to enjoy at the amusement park, but someone pointed out that there were boat rides also which the adults could enjoy.
"However, there was a difference of opinion among us about its safety and therefore, we decided to avoid it. We went back to the area where the children can play and while there we heard a boat had overturned in the river.
"Later when people were brought ashore in smaller boats did we realise it was the same vessel that we were supposed to board that had sank," they said. They also said that the boat was "overcrowded" and "packed beyond capacity" and that the person operating it was exhorting more people to board it by saying it was the last trip.
While it did turn out to be the last trip for many, Shamsudeen and his family group of eight too managed to avoid the tragedy. Shamsudeen told a TV channel over the phone that when the boat in question was coming back for its last trip, he saw that the boat was tilting to one side and at that moment he decided to cancel the four tickets he had brought.
"I pointed out the problem to the person operating the boat and he said there was nothing to worry about. He also said that there was no need for taking a ticket for the children. There were five children in our group.
"But I decided not to board the boat anyway," he said.
Local residents of the area also told news channels that the boat was packed beyond its capacity of 20 persons and that its operators did not heed warning of onlookers that the vessel was tilting to one side.
"It was a tragedy which was invited. It could have been avoided if the boat was not overcrowded or if it had not been operated beyond the permissible time. When the boat reached a bend in the river, it overturned as it was already tilting to one side," local residents said.
Another resident said there was no government machinery or infrastructure, like lights and ropes, available in time for rescue operations and it was the local fishermen who came with these items for rescuing people from the water.
He also said that many more who could have escaped to safety could not do as the boat was covered with glass on all sides and there were only two doors out of which people could come out. This is what one of the one of the survivors of the incident, Tanur-native Shefeeq, also said.
12:29 Taliban has successfully returned to Swat Valley: Report
The Taliban has successfully returned to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Swat Valley. The Taliban in Afghanistan and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are not planning on granting a moment's respite, The Pakistan Military Monitor reported.
The Swat Valley is covered in clouds of fear and uncertainty, following the recent bombings in Swat that killed police officers and civilians.
People are worried that the oppressors may take over the Valley and establish their camps. They fear that the Switzerland of Pakistan will resemble an unforgiving desert, dreary and despondent.
Remembering the atrocities that Mullah Fazlullah and his Taliban commanders committed about 15 years back, it is not surprising that one's mind may be plagued with such thoughts, according to The Pakistan Military Monitor.
The locals called the area between Mingora City and Green Square the "Bloody Intersection", because the Taliban used to hang the heads of their enemies here.
The Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai was once the victim of their brutalities. Explosions at girls' schools were common. A total of 640 schools were destroyed in Swat and nearby districts. The Taliban used radio broadcasts to issue edicts against girls' education, playing music, and performing any kind of art such as dancing, considering them blasphemous.
12:14 Farmers break through barricades, join wrestlers
Farmers break through police barricades as they join protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar, Delhi. Security was beefed up at Jantar Mantar in the national capital on Sunday after Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) announced that it will hold nationwide protests including in Delhi in support of the protesting grapplers.
Wrestlers have been protesting at Jantar Mantar for over 10 days demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh and his sacking from the post in the light of allegations of sexual harassment by the wrestlers.
Notably, SKM had spearheaded the year-long farmers' protest on the borders of the national capital against the now-repealed farm laws.
Atiq Ahmed and his brother were shot dead
12:06 Revenge vow for Atiq killing, UP police file FIR
An FIR was registered against an unidentified individual at a cybercrime station in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj after a social media post vowed to take "revenge" for the killing of gangster Atiq Ahmed, police said.
According to an FIR registered by Prayagraj Police on the complaint of an individual identified as Mohammad Alamgir, the post was made by a Twitter handle by the name of 'The Sajjad Mughal'.
"A complainant named Mohammad Alamgir has filed the FIR. A case under section 505 (2) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 66 of the Information Technology (IT) Act 2008 has been registered," the FIR registered by the police said on Monday.
The police said that the investigation into the matter has been taken up.
According to the FIR, the tweet posted by the Twitter handle 'The Sajjad Mughal', said, "The breed is not over yet. Atiq's son Ali is still alive. Insha Allah condition - time - power will change. The city will be called Allahabad. The revenge will be taken."
Gangsters Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf Ahmad were shot dead by men posing as journalists on April 15 night this year, while they were being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj. Both the gangsters collapsed on the spot after being shot close to point-blank range.
Rajiv Gandhi
11:57 Sibal on PM's shahi parivar remark: They bled for...
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Gandhi family of advocating "secession" of Karnataka from India, former Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Monday hit back stating that the same 'shahi parivar' bled for the country.
"PM said: Congress Shahi Parivar wants Karnataka to "secede" from India. But Modiji: The nation saw them "bleed" for India -Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi. Is the NCERT going to efface those facts from textbooks?" Sibal who is also a Rajya Sabha MP tweeted on Monday.
Earlier on Sunday, stepping up his attack on the Congress and setting the stage for a showdown in Karnataka, PM Modi in an election rally at Nanjangud in Mysuru district accused the Congress' "Shahi Parivar" of openly inciting foreign powers to interfere.
"Congress's Shahi Parivar (Royal family) has been openly inciting foreign powers to interfere and secretly meeting foreign diplomats who do not like India in order to influence the country's politics," he said.
"When it comes to working against the interests of India, the royal family of the Congress party is at the forefront. They openly invite foreign powers to influence the politics in India. In this election, Congress has said that they want to protect the sovereignty of Karnataka. It means that Congress is advocating for Karnataka's separation from India. The disease of the 'Tukde Tukde' gang will reach this high in Congress, I had never thought," he added.
He further accused the Congress party of "insulting" the Kannada freedom fighters who participated in India's freedom struggle."
11:55 SC dumps YouTuber's plea on videos of migrants
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea of jailed Bihar YouTuber Manish Kashyap against whom the stringent National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked for allegedly circulating fake videos of migrant labourers being attacked in Tamil Nadu.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala, however, granted Kashyap the liberty to challenge the invocation of the NSA at an appropriate judicial forum. It also rejected the plea for clubbing all 19 FIRs against him and their transfer to Bihar.
"We are not inclined to entertain the plea," the bench said while rejecting the vehement submissions of senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for Kashyap who is presently lodged in Madurai jail of Tamil Nadu.
Earlier, the top court had granted time to the Tamil Nadu government, represented by lawyer Amit Anand Tiwari, to respond to the amended plea of Kashyap against whom the stringent NSA was invoked for allegedly circulating the videos.
The arrested Youtuber faces several FIRs and out of them, three have been lodged in Bihar. The top court had on April 11 issued notice to the Centre, the Tamil Nadu and Bihar governments on Kashyap's plea seeking clubbing of the FIRs lodged against him and their transfer to his native state. PTI
11:21 Pakistan to release 199 Indian fishermen on May 12
Pakistani authorities are expected to go ahead with its goodwill gesture to release on Friday 199 Indian fishermen arrested for allegedly fishing illegally in the country's waters, despite the death of an Indian civilian who was to be repatriated with them.
Kazi Nazir, a top police official in the jail and corrections department in Sindh, said that they had been told by relevant government ministries to prepare for the release and repatriation of 199 fishermen on Friday.
These fishermen will be sent to Lahore and handed over to Indian authorities at the Wagah border. Currently, these fishermen are lodged at the Landhi jail here. He said the goodwill gesture process appeared on the course although an Indian civilian prisoner, Zulfiqar, who was to be repatriated with the fishermen died in a hospital in Karachi on Saturday due to an illness.
"According to officials at Landhi jail the Indian prisoner had complained about high fever and chest problems and his condition deteriorated last week so he was sent to the hospital where he passed away due to apparent lung infection," he said.
An official of Edhi Welfare Trust, which usually arranges for the safe transportation of these Indian fishermen to Lahore and provides other help in jails, said that Zulfiqar's death was not a mystery as conditions in the Landhi and Malir jails are far from ideal and prisoners with poor health and chronic ailments struggle to get regular proper treatment.
Prison doctors or the hospital are generally not equipped to deal with serious ailments and recommend sending the patient to hospital but sometimes it is too late, the official said. According to the Pakistan India People's Forum for Peace and Democracy, at present 631 Indian fishermen and one civilian prisoner are still in the Landhi and Malir jails in Karachi despite completing their prison sentences.
Adil Sheikh, who works with the forum in Karachi, said that these Indian fishermen all ended up in Pakistani jails after being arrested for allegedly violating the marine territorial demarcation treaty between Pakistan and India. Nearly all of them are poor illiterate people, he added.
11:10 Rahul rides a bus in Bengaluru, passengers say...
When in Bengaluru do as locals do. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hops on to a BMTC bus and interacts with passengers to understand their vision for Karnataka. The women discussed various topics including the rising price of essentials, the Gruhalakshmi scheme and the Congress' guarantee of free travel for women in BMTC and KSRTC buses with Rahul Gandhi.
Yesterday, the Congress leader who is on a visit to Karnataka for campaigning for his party, held a candid interaction with gig workers and delivery partners of app-based delivery services in Bengaluru.
The former Lok Sabha MP spoke with delivery workers at a hotel in Bengaluru.
Over a cup of coffee and masala dosa, they discussed the lives of delivery workers, the lack of stable employment and the rising prices of basic commodities.
According to Congress, Rahul keenly listened to why these youngsters had taken up gig jobs and what their working conditions were like.
Rahul Gandhi later hopped onto the pillion seat on a scooter, chatting with a delivery partner.
A video grab of the crash site
10:50 2 pax killed, pilot safe in MiG crash in Rajasthan
An Indian Air Force MiG-21 crashed in Rajasthan's Hamumangarh district on Monday, defence sources said. Two civilian passengers have been killed but the pilot is safe. An army helicopter has reached the accident site for rescue.
The aircraft had taken off from Suratgarh according to IAF Sources.
Further information is awaited.
Earlier in January, one pilot lost his life after two Indian Air Force fighter jets - a Sukhoi Su-30 and a Mirage 2000 - crashed during a training exercise in Rajasthan's Bharatpur.
While one aircraft crashed in Morena in Madhya Pradesh, the other crashed and landed in Rajasthan's Bharatpur.
Hundreds were moved to relief camps
10:39 Imphal crawls back to normalcy, CM thanks Shah
Life was crawling back to somewhat normal in violence-hit Manipur as people came out of their homes in state capital Imphal to buy essential items with the curfew being relaxed for a few hours on Monday morning, officials said.
Drones and helicopters continued a close watch, while personnel of the Army and Assam Rifles held flag marches in different areas that have been rocked by ethnic violence over the last few days, they said.
The clashes broke out on Wednesday after tribals organised a demonstration in the 10 hill districts of the state to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, leading to the deaths of at least 54 people. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal valley.
Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute another 40 per cent of the population and live in the hill districts. So far, 23,000 people have been rescued from the violence-hit areas and moved to military garrisons, officials said.
The curfew, imposed on Wednesday after the violence broke out, was relaxed from 5 am to 8 am in Imphal West district to allow people buy essential items. People came out in large numbers to buy vegetables, groceries and medicines.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh said he was thankful to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his supervision and support to help improve the situation in the violence-hit state.
"I have been constantly in touch with the office of the Home Minister to monitor the situation and ensure that no further violence takes place in the state," he said.
"The paramilitary and state forces have been doing an exemplary job in controlling the violence and bringing the state back to normalcy. I also appreciate the people of the state for their cooperation," he added. -- PTI
10:26 Oppn unity? KTR calls Priyanka political tourist
Launching a scathing attack on Priyanka Gandhi, Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao on Sunday described the Congress leader as a "political tourist" and alleged that her party is a "sinking ship" which needs to learn from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi's "inclusive policies" in the state.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi's (BRS) working president KTR was referring to Priyanka Gandhi's visit to Hyderabad's Saroornagar to address a public meeting on youth issues named 'Yuva Sangharshana Sabha' on Monday.
"Hyderabad is a global city which welcomes lakhs of tourists every day and it also welcomes political tourists like Priyanka Gandhi," KTR said.
The BRS leader took a swipe at Congress and said that the parties which did not work for the welfare of the people while in power are now "preaching the State governments like Telangana which consistently ranked high in performance". In an apparent jibe at the Congress leader, KTR said that politicians who are "unemployed" are "provoking the youth of Telangana". KTR alleged that Congress exploited the youth and the issue of unemployment "solely for its politics".
"The country would not have experienced an unemployment crisis if Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced employment policy and worked like BRS," he said.
"The Telangana government under the leadership of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao provided employment to 2.2 lakh youth in the government and 22 lakh youth in the private sector," the BRS leader added. -- ANI
10:02 Nadda watches The Kerala Story, says...
After watching the movie 'The Kerala Story', Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda said that there is a new type of terrorism which is without ammunition, adding that the film exposes "poisonous terrorism".
Nadda on Sunday, attend a special screening of the movie in the Garuda Mall, Bengaluru where he is also campaigning for the party for the upcoming Assembly polls.
While talking to reporters, Nadda said, "There's a new type of terrorism which is without ammunition, 'Kerala Story' exposes that poisonous terrorism. This kind of terrorism isn't related to any state or religion..."
Earlier, while addressing a rally in poll-bound Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that 'The Kerala Story' movie is based on a terror conspiracy.
The Prime Minister said that the film 'The Kerala Story' shows the ugly truth of terrorism and exposes terrorists' design. He added that the film is based on a "terror conspiracy."
"The Kerala Story' film is based on a terror conspiracy. It shows the ugly truth of terrorism and exposes terrorists' design," the PM said.
He also hit out at the Congress party and said that Congress has shielded terrorism for the vote bank.
"Congress is opposing the film made on terrorism and standing with terror tendencies. Congress has shielded terrorism for the vote bank," PM Modi said.
09:58 Active Covid cases down to 25,178
India on Monday recorded 1,839 fresh COVID-19 infections, while the number of active cases came down to 25,178 from 27,212 the day before, according to Union health ministry data.
The COVID-19 tally now stands at 4.49 crore (4,49,71,469). The death toll climbed to 5,31,692 with 11 fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.
At 25,178, the active cases comprise 0.06 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.76 per cent, the ministry said.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,44,14,599, while the case fatality rate stood at 1.18 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 220.66 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. PTI
09:57 2 Naxalites killed in encounter with police in Sukma
Two Naxalites, including a woman, were killed in an encounter with police in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday morning, an official said.
A cache of explosives and an automatic weapon were recovered from the encounter site, he said.
The gunfight took place in a forest near Danteshpuram village under Bheji police station limits when a team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on an anti-Naxal operation, Sukma Superintendent of Police Sunil Sharma told PTI.
The Naxalites opened fire on the DRG's patrolling team following which the gun-battle broke out, he said.
After guns fell silent, bodies of two Naxalites were recovered from the spot, the official said.
They were identified as Madkam Erra, who was active as commander of Golapalli Local Organisation Squad (LOS), and Madkam Bhime, deputy commander of the same squad, he said.
Erra and Bhime were carrying rewards of Rs 8 lakh and Rs 3 lakh respectively on their heads, the official said.
Search operation was underway in nearby areas, he added. -- PTI
09:56 Sonam Kapoor delivers speech with 'Namaste' at Charles' Coronation Concert
Actor Sonam Kapoor delivered a spoken word piece about the Commonwealth at the Coronation Concert to celebrate the crowning of King Charles III and Queen Camilla as part of the United Kingdom's long celebratory weekend.
The event, which also saw performances by pop stars Katy Perry and Take That, was held at Windsor Castle on Sunday evening.
Dressed in an exquisite Anamika Khanna-Emilia Wickstead ensemble, Sonam began her address with a 'namaste'.
"Our Commonwealth is a union. Together, we are one third of the world's people. One third of the world's ocean. One quarter of the world's land.
"Each of our countries is unique; each of our peoples special, but we choose to stand as one, learning from our history; blessed by our diversity; driven by our values; and determined to build a more peaceful, sustainable and prosperous future for everyone; where every voice is heard," the 37-year-old actor said in her spoken word piece.
She then introduced the Commonwealth virtual choir composed of performers from across the 56 Commonwealth countries, alongside the legendary musician Steve Winwood. The group performed a modern version of his song "Higher Love", accompanied by a 70-piece orchestra.
"I was so proud to wear this look created together by my friends Anamika and Emilia on this important occasion," the actor, who divides her time between Mumbai and London, said in a statement later.
Sonam wore a design created especially for this historic occasion by the two designers from the Commonwealth. The bespoke floor-length gown featuring a sweeping band detail around the shoulders framing a corseted bodice, and a full-skirt lined with architectural godet pleats was designed by New Zealand-born, UK-based fashion designer Emilia.
The calico-inspired print was created by celebrated Indian fashion designer Anamika. In the 17th and 18th centuries, calico prints were an important commodity traded between India and the UK.
According to a press release, the two designers were brought together by London-based Indian creative director Nikhil Mansata, who said Anamika and Emilia "demonstrated the value that can be created when modern design and traditional Indian craft come together".
At the Coronation Concert, Sonam was accompanied by her husband entrepreneur Anand Ahuja and friends Imran Amed and Mansata.
09:21 Vasundhara Raje refused to topple my govt in 2020: Gehlot
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday claimed he survived the 2020-revolt by some Congress MLAs because Bharatiya Janata Party leaders Vasundhara Raje and Kailash Meghwal refused to support a conspiracy to topple an elected government through money power.
Raje, a former chief minister of Rajasthan, however, said that "Gehlot's 'praises' is a big conspiracy" against her and the Congress leader was speaking lies due to rebellion in his party.
Gehlot also took potshots at the rebel Congress MLAs, saying they should return the money they had taken from the BJP so that they can carry out their duty without any pressure.
His then deputy Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs had revolted against his leadership in July 2020. The month-long crisis ended after the intervention of the party high command. Pilot was then removed as the deputy chief minister and state Congress president.
Addressing a programme in Dholpur, Gehlot said he as the state party chief, did not support the toppling of the BJP government led by Bhairon Singh Shekhawat as it was unfair, in the same manner, Raje and Meghwal said that there is no tradition in Rajasthan to topple an elected government.
Meghwal is a former speaker of the state assembly and is currently an MLA.
"If I wanted, Bhairon Singh ji's government could have been toppled. I said this was unethical work. The man who is ill, he is getting treatment in America, his condition was very critical and leaders of his party were conspiring to topple his government behind him," Gehlot said.
He continued, "Kailash Meghwal and Vasundhara Raje also said the same thing. They said that we have never had a tradition to bring down elected governments on money power... what wrong did he do?"
Gehlot also praised MLA Shobharani Kushwah who had cross-voted in favour of the Congress candidate in the Rajya Sabha election last year.
Dholpur MLA Kushwah was subsequently suspended by the BJP for cross-voting.
She was a bold lady, the chief minister said and added that "when Shobharani supported us, it shocked BJP leaders".
Gehlot claimed that she listened to Raje and Meghwal and her conscience said that she should not support "those people".
"That's why our government was saved. I can never forget this incident in my life, which had happened with me," he said.
Terming Gehlot's "praises" for her as a big conspiracy, Raje in a statement on Sunday night said he "has made such outrageous and untrue allegations because of the rebellion happening in his own party and diminishing mass base".
The BJP leader said that no one can insult her as much as Gehlot did in his life. To avoid a historic defeat in the 2023 assembly elections, he is creating such fabricated stories, which is unfortunate and not going to be successful, Raje said. -- PTI
08:22 Surprised at Modi giving 'religious' slogans: Pawar
Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar has said he is surprised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given "religious" slogans during campaigning in Karnataka, which votes on May 10.
Speaking to a regional news channel, Pawar said, "I am surprised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given religious slogans during campaigning for the Karnataka assembly elections. We have accepted the concept of secularism. When you take up a religion or religious issue in an election, it creates a different type of environment and it is not a good thing."
"We take oath for democratic values and secularism at the time of contesting an election," he told TV9 Marathi.
Asked about the ongoing agitation at Barsu village in Ratnagiri district where a section of locals are opposing a mega oil refinery project, the NCP leader said, "I am keen on visiting there. But it will be decided when and how I find the time."
Pawar added, "I had a meeting with representatives of Barsu villagers. I will hold another meeting with experts. I feel the issue should be taken forward by taking the villagers into confidence."
Speaking to reporters in temple town Pandharpur earlier on Sunday, the NCP president claimed that the Congress will come to power in Karnataka. -- PTI
TOP STORIES
© 2024 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances