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Wed, 08 May 2024
Salman house firing: HC nod for 2nd PM of accused
Timeline Refresh
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23:58 Nine Maoists surrender in Odisha
Nine Maoists, including two women, hailing from Chhattisgarh surrendered before the Odisha police on Wednesday, a statement said.
The formal surrender took place at Boudh before Southern Range inspector general of police J N Pankaj and Boudh superintendent of police Raj Prasad.
The Maoists are residents of Muler village in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh and were operational in the Kalahandi-Bolangir-Kandhamal region of Odisha.
They were disillusioned by high-handedness of senior Maoists, sexual harassment of female members, extortion through intimidation and collecting levy from ganja mafia, it added. -- PTI
23:36 Salman house firing: HC nod for 2nd PM of accused
The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday allowed a second post-mortem examination of Anuj Kumar, who died in police custody following his arrest in a case related to the firing outside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's residence in Mumbai.
The direction came on a petition filed by Anuj Kumar's mother Reeta Devi, who sought a fresh examination.
The court of Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj asked the petitioner to hand over the body to the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College in Faridkot on or before May 10.
The court disposed of the petition without commenting on the merits of the case or impleading the state of Maharashtra with a direction to the Punjab government to conduct a second post-mortem examination of Anuj Kumar.
On April 14, two motorbike-borne people opened fire outside Salman Khan's residence in the Bandra area of Mumbai.
Four people, including Anuj Kumar, were arrested in connection with the case.
Kumar, who was accused of supplying firearms and bullets, was arrested on April 26 from Punjab and remanded to police custody till April 30. -- PTI
Foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra (left)/File image
22:56 India's foreign secretary Kwatra arrives in Bangladesh
Foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday as part of high-level exchanges between the two countries to review bilateral ties and prepare the grounds for a likely visit to India by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Kwatra arrived in Dhaka by a special flight in the evening for a short trip during which he will hold talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart Masud Bin Momen on Thursday on the entire gamut of bilateral relations and ways to further expand the ties, a Bangladesh foreign ministry spokesman said. -- PTI
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22:41 Hacker Sriki arrested for stealing 62 bitcoins worth Rs 32 cr
Hacker Srikrishna alias Sriki was arrested by the Tumakuru police after his role was found in stealing 62 bitcoins worth Rs 32 crore, Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said.
Parameshwara said Rs 32 crore worth bitcoin transactions happened in Tumakuru.
"To investigate it, he (Srikrishna alias Sriki) has been taken there and his role is now confirmed and hence he was arrested," the home minister said about Sriki, who was arrested on Monday night.
"The transactions pertained to 62 coins worth Rs 32 crore. All these things happened in the past and accordingly he was arrested. He is the only one arrested so far," he clarified.
The minister explained that a separate SIT has been formed to probe the Bitcoin scam and the investigation is going on at a fast pace.
"This is a very serious development. The Centre is also investigating another Bitcoin scam, which is not related to our state," he said. -- PTI
Malegaon blast accused Lt Col Prasad Purohit/File image
22:26 Malegaon blast: Lt Col Purohit alleges torture by ATS
Lt Col Prasad Purohit, an accused in the September 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, in his final statement submitted to the trial court in Mumbai has alleged that he was tortured by senior officials of the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad including its then chief Hemant Karkare during the investigation.
Purohit in a 23-page statement submitted to the special court for National Investigation Agency cases claimed that Karkare, then ATS joint commissioner Param Bir Singh and others tortured him and insisted that he also name senior right-wing leaders in the crime besides confessing to his own involvement.
The trial is in its last stages, and the special court has been recording final statements of the accused under section 313 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
On Tuesday, Purohit submitted his statement through his lawyer.
The ATS concocted a false case to suit the political narrative of the then government, he alleged.
Notably, the Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre then while in Maharashtra, there was a Congress-NCP government.
He was detained by the ATS in October 2008 and taken to Khandala where he was questioned by Karkare, Param Bir Singh and other ATS officials, Purohit's statement claimed. -- PTI
22:20 Haryana assembly party position after exit of 3 Independents
The party position in Haryana assembly after 3 Independent MLAs quit the BJP government.
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22:13 Geo-fencing curbs gone: UTS app allows booking of tickets from any location
The Indian Railways has withdrawn the outer limit of geo-fencing on its UTS mobile app, allowing users to book unreserved train tickets from any location to any destination, officials said on Wednesday.
The move is aimed at enhancing passenger convenience and making the process of booking tickets easier, said Western Railways officials.
UTS app is an official Android mobile application of the Indian Railways to book unreserved train tickets.
Rail users can now book suburban and non-suburban train tickets outside station premises, which was not possible before, they said.
"After the withdrawal of the outer limit of geo-fencing, commuters can now book tickets from any location to any destination, from the convenience of their home," said Sumit Thakur, chief public relations officer of Western Railway.
Earlier, passengers had to be within a 2 km radius of a station but at least 20 metres away to book unreserved tickets. -- PTI
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21:44 Geo-fencing curbs gone: UTS app allows booking of tickets from any location
The Indian Railways has withdrawn the outer limit of geo-fencing on its UTS mobile app, allowing users to book unreserved train tickets from any location to any destination, officials said on Wednesday.
The move is aimed at enhancing passenger convenience and making the process of booking tickets easier, said Western Railways officials.
UTS app is an official Android mobile application of the Indian Railways to book unreserved train tickets.
Rail users can now book suburban and non-suburban train tickets outside station premises, which was not possible before, they said.
"After the withdrawal of the outer limit of geo-fencing, commuters can now book tickets from any location to any destination, from the convenience of their home," said Sumit Thakur, chief public relations officer of Western Railway.
Earlier, passengers had to be within a 2 km radius of a station but at least 20 metres away to book unreserved tickets. -- PTI
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21:26 Voter turnout: INDIA leaders to meet EC tomorrow
Leaders of the Opposition INDIA bloc will meet the Election Commission on Thursday over their demand to promptly release the absolute voter turnout figures in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls after each phase, sources said.
They will also raise the issue of alleged "use of religious symbols" by the BJP in their campaign, they said.
The sources said leaders from the INDIA bloc will meet the full bench of the Election Commission of India on Thursday afternoon, submit a memorandum and also discuss the issues with the poll panel.
INDIA bloc parties, including the Congress, Trinamool Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist, have written to the poll panel separately so far, expressing concern over the alleged "delay" in the release of the voter turnout data in the first two phases.
Amid the Opposition's allegations, the poll body had asserted that booth-wise data of the "actual number of votes polled" is available with the candidates soon after the voting ends.
In a statement issued last week, the EC also said it attaches "due importance" to the timely release of voter turnout figures after each phase of the poll, and said not just constituency, but booth-wise data of actual number of votes polled is available with the candidates, which is a statutory requirement.
On Tuesday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had written to leaders of various opposition parties on the issue of alleged "discrepancies" in the voting data released by the Election Commission. -- PTI
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21:11 NIA attaches 6 immovable properties of top Jaish terrorist in J-K
The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday attached six immovable properties of a top terrorist of the banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed in Jammu and Kashmir.
The attached land parcels of arrested terrorist Asif Ahmed Malik are located in Mirpora and Pulwama, the NIA said in a statement.
The properties were attached under Section 33 (1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, on the orders of the NIA special court, Jammu.
Malik was arrested on January 31, 2020, in a case related to transportation of terrorists, infiltration into Kashmir from across the border, and seizure of arms and explosives from terror operatives of JeM.
The NIA charge-sheeted him on July 27, 2020, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Explosive Substances Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933. Malik is currently undergoing trial.
NIA investigations have exposed a conspiracy by the accused to transport the infiltrated terrorists to the Kashmir Valley and provide them safe shelter in preparation for attacks on the security forces/apparatus as part of the terror conspiracy against India, the statement from the probe agency said. -- PTI
20:30 Noted film director Sangeeth Sivan dies in Mumbai
Noted film director and cinematographer Sangeeth Sivan passed away in Mumbai, according to film industry sources on Wednesday.
They said Sivan, aged 65, was admitted to a hospital in Mumbai due to an illness.
His end came on Wednesday.
He directed approximately 20 films in Malayalam and Hindi.
Yoddha, Vyuham, Gandharvam, and Nirnayam are among the Malayalam films directed by Sivan.
Kya Kool Hai Hum and Apna Sapna Money Money are some of the Hindi films he directed.
Son of eminent still photographer-cinematographer Sivan, Sangeeth Sivan made his directorial debut with the film Vyuham in 1990.
He has two brothers --eminent cinematographer Santhosh Sivan and director Sanjeev Sivan. Their family is based in Thiruvananthapuram.
"My dear chetta (elder brother), Death has robbed us of our best but has not extinguished the light. ... RIP wherever you are," Sanjeev Sivan said in a Facebook post.
Renowned actor Mohanlal, who played lead roles in his hit movies like Yoddha, Gandhavarvam and Nirnayam, condoled the demise of Sangeeth Sivan.
"Beloved Sangeeth Sivan, who left his mark in direction and cinematography, was not just a friend but also a loving brother to me. Yoddha, Gandharvam, and Nirnayam are the films deeply ingrained in the minds of every Malayali because behind each of them was the touch of his genius. -- PTI
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20:20 Cabin crew shortage: Air India Exp to curtail flights
Air India Express will curtail flights for the next few days to cope with non-availability of crew members, its CEO Aloke Singh said on Wednesday as the airline has been forced to cancel more than 90 flights due to cabin crew members reporting sick.
In a message to the airline's staff, Singh said since last evening, more than 100 cabin crew members have reported sick prior to their rostered flight duty, "at the last minute, severely disrupting our operations".
More than 90 flights have been disrupted due to the situation, he added.
"The disruptions have cascaded across the network, forcing us to curtail the schedules over the next few days. We had to do this to cope with the non-availability of crew and to recover schedules," Singh said.
Tata Group-owned Air India Express operates around 360 flights daily in the ongoing summer schedule that started in late March. -- PTI
19:59 Gurugram cop arrested, another suspended over Rs 4 lakh extortion
The Gurugram police arrested a head constable and suspended a station house officer for allegedly extorting Rs 4 lakh from a Delhi man who was arrested in a case of theft, an officer said on Wednesday.
The two were deployed at the Civil Lines Police Station. According to police, head constable Kulwinder was accused of extorting Rs 4 lakh by a Delhi resident on May 3.
In his complaint filed with DCP West Karan Goel, the victim, who deals in scrap, alleged that on April 24 HC Kulwinder had arrested him in a case of theft and subsequently produced him in a court.
He alleged that after the appearance, Kulwinder demanded Rs 4 lakh from him for not taking him on remand or framing him in another case.
On April 26, his nephew gave Rs 4 lakh to Kulwinder, said police. Based on the complaint, an investigation was conducted by ACP City Mukesh Kumar, who found the allegations to be true.
Kulwinder was booked under section 384 (extortion) of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act at Civil Line Police Station and arrested. -- PTI
19:58 Sam Pitroda quits as Cong overseas chief after row
Sam Pitroda, the Congress's overseas unit chief, resigned from the post on Wednesday evening after his recent remarks sparked a huge controversy and put the Congress in trouble.
The announcement came in a terse post on X from the party's communications-in-charge Jairam Ramesh.
"Mr. Sam Pitroda has decided to step down as Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress of his own accord. The Congress President has accepted his decision," the post read.
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18:50 Kerala SSLC results declared, 99.69% students pass
A pass percentage of 99.69 percent was registered in the Class 10 Secondary School Leaving Certificate examinations in Kerala for the academic year 2023-24, general education minister V Sivankutty said on Wednesday.
A total of 4,25,563 students cleared the examination for an overall pass percentage of 99.69 percent, he told a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram while announcing the results.
There is a slight decline of 0.01 percent in the total pass percentage this time compared to the 99.7 percent in the previous year.
The minister said as many as 4,27,153 children appeared for the examinations in 2,970 centres across Kerala and in the Gulf region this time.
This year, 71,831 students secured A+ in all subjects compared to the 68,604 in the previous academic year.
Sivankutty said Kottayam revenue district reported the highest pass percentage (99.92 percent) while Thiruvananthapuram had the lowest (99.08 percent).
Like in the previous year, northern Malappuram has the highest number of students with A+ in all subjects. -- PTI
Parshottam Rupala/File image
18:17 Rupala once again apologises for remark about Kshatriya community
Union minister and BJP candidate for Rajkot Lok Sabha seat Parshottam Rupala on Wednesday apologised to the Kshatriya community for his alleged derogatory remark on erstwhile rulers, his fourth so far, terming the controversy the most difficult time of his public life.
The apology came a day after Lok Sabha polls were concluded in Gujarat.
Rupala said he had gone through the most difficult time of his public life due to his comment and urged the Kshatriyas, also known as Rajputs, to show generosity and forgive him.
Though it was my mistake and I was solely responsible for whatever happened, my entire party got entangled in this controversy.
It was very painful for me because the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi suffered because of me, said Rupala.
Of the 26 constituencies in the state, 25 including Rajkot went to polls on May 7.
The BJP nominee in Surat has already won unopposed.
The Rajputs had demanded that the BJP drop Rupala as its nominee in Rajkot.
"Since I had apologised before voting, people might have thought it was due to the elections. Thus, I am once again apologising to the entire Kshatriya community. I urge the community and its women to embrace Kshama Virasya Bhushanam' (forgiveness is the virtue of the brave). My appeal is not politically motivated," he told reporters in Rajkot. -- PTI
BJP president JP Nadda/File image
17:51 Nadda, Malviya summoned over social media post
Bengaluru Police has summoned Bharatiya Janata Party president JP Nadda and the party's IT cell head Amit Malviya in connection with a social media post allegedly intimidating members of SC and ST community not to vote for a particular candidate, officials said on Wednesday.
They have been asked to join the probe at the High grounds police station in Bengaluru.
"For the purpose of investigation of the said case, you are hereby directed to appear before the undersigned investigation officer at 11 am at High Grounds police station within seven days of receipt of this notice," the summons read.
The move comes after an FIR was registered against Nadda, Malviya and BJP's Karnataka unit chief B Y Vijayendra in connection with a social media following a complaint filed by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee with the Election Commission and police on May 5 alleging violation of model code of conduct.
They were booked under sections of Representation of People Act and Section 505 (2) (Statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code, a senior police officer said.
In the complaint, the KPCC cited the video uploaded on social media platform 'X' by the official account of Karnataka State BJP which, it alleged, is operated by Malviya, on instructions of Nadda and Vijayendra, BJP state president and social media in-charge - Karnataka BJP, on May 4. -- PTI
KBK Infographics
17:34 Stock markets edge down on selling in banking & IT shares
Benchmark Sensex slipped by 45 points in highly volatile trade on Wednesday due to selling in private bank and IT shares amid weak Asian markets and continuous foreign fund outflows.
Declining for the second straight session, the 30-share BSE Sensex fell 45.46 points or 0.06 per cent to settle at 73,466.39. During the day, it declined by 437.93 points or 0.59 per cent to 73,073.92. The NSE Nifty remained unchanged at 22,302.50.
From the Sensex basket, Asian Paints, UltraTech Cement, Hindustan Unilever, HDFC Bank, HCL Technologies, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv and ICICI Bank were the major laggards.
17:25 Akhilesh asked people not to take Modi vaccine: HM
Union Home Minister Amit Shah tore into Akhilesh Yadav for not visiting Kannauj during the pandemic and for asking people not to get vaccinated since the vaccines were made under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.
"You have been voting for Mulayam Singh's family for years. This is such a family that does not visit the place when it wins or even when it loses. Did Akhilesh or Dimple come to Kanauj during the pandemic? Our Subrat Pathak was here," Shah said in Uttar Pradesh's Kanauj while campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party's sitting MP Subrat Pathak. Taking a jibe at Yadav for allegedly provoking people not to get vaccinated," Shah said that it is fortunate that no one in Uttar Pradesh followed his advice, got their doses and were saved from the virus.
"Have you all got vaccinated? PM Modi has ensured vaccination for everyone and got the country rid of Covid. When Corona vaccines were being administered, Akhilesh Yadav gave a statement urging people not to get vaccinated because this is PM Modi's vaccine. It is good that no one listens to Akhilesh in UP or in Kannauj," the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.
Continuing with his attack on Yadav, Shah said, "All of you got vaccinated and were saved. But when Akhilesh saw that everyone in the country had been vaccinated, he got vaccinated as well along with Dimple at night."
Shah said that if the people of Uttar Pradesh had trusted Yadav and refused vaccination, there would have been heaps of dead bodies in the state.
"Shame on you Akhilesh! You do politics during a pandemic like Covid. If Uttar Pradesh had trusted you there would have been heaps of dead bodies. It was Narendra Modi who saved Uttar Pradesh and the country from the pandemic," he said.
Shah also claimed that the Yadav family declined the invitation of the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha event at Ayodhya in the fear that they would be losing their "vote bank".
"Wasn't Ram Mandir supposed to be constructed? For 500 years, Ram Lalla had no home. The SP-BSP-Congress was stopping the Ram Mandir. You voted for PM Modi for the second time and PM Modi won the case, performed bhoomipujan, pran pratishtha and inaugurated the temple chanting 'Jai Shree Ram'," the Union Home Minister said.
"When the Yadav family got the invite for the Ram Temple, they did not go because they fear losing their vote bank. Do you know who their vote bank is? The BJP does not fear vote bank. You are our vote bank," he added.
MK Stalin with Rahul Gandhi
16:51 Stalin must end ties with Cong on Tamil pride: PM
Sam Pitroda's remarks: PM Modi challenges TN CM Stalin to snap ties with Congress for Tamil pride.
Following Congress leader Sam Pitroda's "racist remarks" that stoked a massive row, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the people of the country will not tolerate insults on the basis of the colour of the skin.
Addressing a rally in Warangal eariler today, PM Modi demanded an answer from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. 'Shehzade aapko jawaab dena padega'. My country will not tolerate the disrespect of my countrymen on the basis of their skin colour and Modi will never tolerate this..." he said.
PM Modi said, "I was thinking a lot that (President) Droupadi Murmu who has a very good reputation and is the daughter of Adivasi family, then why is Congress trying so hard to defeat her but today I got to know the reason. I got to know that there is an uncle in America who is the philosophical guide of 'Shehzada' and just like the third umpire in cricket this 'Shehzada' takes advice from the third umpire.
"This philosophical uncle said that those who have black skin are from Africa. This means that you are abusing several people of the country on the basis of their skin colour..." the Prime Minister said.
"... Where will they take the country? No matter what skin colour we have, we are the people who worship Lord Krishna...," he said.
16:38 Ahead of Modi's meeting in rural Bengal, ground dug up
BJP MP from Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency Arjun Singh alleged that ahead of PM Narendra Modi's public meeting in Jagaddal on May 12, the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led administration has dug up the ground to hamper the event.
Visuals showed that the ground was dug and garbage was strewn on it. BJP MP Arjun Singh alleged that the TMC-led administration has dug up the ground "as a sign of a petty mindset."
TMC MLA Somenath Shyam refuted the claim and explained that the ground was being levelled. Somenath Shyam said, "The ground has not been dug up but is being levelled. Garbage is being removed and this is being converted into training ground. Youth who train for defence services had sent us application to level that ground and it made it difficult for them to run."
PM Narendra Modi's public meeting in Jagaddal is scheduled to be held on May 12.
16:23 SC may pass order on Kejriwal's bail on Friday
The Supreme Court may pass order on interim bail to Arvind Kejriwal on Friday, May 10, says Justice Sanjiv Khanna.
The Supreme Court said on Tuesday it doesn't want Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to discharge his official duties if he is released on interim bail in the money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam as it would lead to a conflict of interest.
Kejriwal failed to get any relief from the top court, with a two-judge bench rising without pronouncing an order granting him interim bail to enable him to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader was arrested on March 21 and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, which reserved its verdict on the question of interim bail, said allowing Kejriwal to attend his office may have a "cascading effect".
16:08 Rahul talks about Adani-Ambani every day: Priyanka
Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his Adani-Ambani jibe, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday charged that the BJP has a nexus with industrialists and waived their loans worth Rs 16 lakh crore.
She also alleged that the entire BJP machinery is engaged in spreading "lies" about Rahul Gandhi. Referring to the prime minister's remarks at a rally in Telangana that the Congress should explain to people why it has stopped raising the 'Ambani-Adani' issue as its 'Shehzada' used to do for the past five years, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Today he (Modi) is saying Rahul does not take the name of Adani, Ambani....He does so every day. He brings their truth in front of you every day".
"We say every day that they (BJP) have a nexus with industrialists. You must understand that Prime Minister Modi has waived off Rs 16 lakh crore of big billionaires. Whose money is this? This is not Modi ji's money. That is the country's money," she said at public meetings here while campaigning for her brother Rahul Gandhi from the family bastion.
"BJP leaders are not even talking about inflation and unemployment. They will come here and in their speeches talk about religion, caste, temples and mosques but will not talk about your real problems," she said.
The Modi government is also not paying adequate attention to farmers' problems and employment and by giving 5 kg of foodgrains to the poor, they wish to make people dependent, she alleged.
Flaying the government on the issue of unemployment, she said, "There are 30 lakh posts lying vacant at the Centre under the BJP government. The BJP does not bring schemes to remove unemployment but instead brings schemes that break your expectations." Speaking about her family's association with the people of Rae Bareli, she said Gandhi parivar has had personal bond with Rae Bareli since the days of Indira Gandhi.
"In electing Rahul Gandhi, Rae Bareli will get two 'saansads'- her brother and she herself, who will always stand to solve people's problems," she said. Priyanka Gandhi asserted that the people of Rae Bareli understand leaders well.
"When they did not like some policy of Indiraji (Indira Gandhi) they defeated her also. Indira did not get angry but did introspection. You elected her again. It is a speciality of the people of Rae Bareli that they understand leaders," she said while addressing a street meeting at Thulwasa in the constituency.
She also charged the BJP wanted to change the Constitution but when it realised they would have to suffer losses in the election, the prime minister said they had no such plans. Speaking about her brother, she said, "You must know how much Rahul ji has struggled. He is such a person in our country about whom the entire BJP machinery has spread falsehoods and lies in every possible way. How many attacks were made against him? He was expelled from Parliament...he was thrown out of his house but Rahul ji did not back down. It is his character that when he sees injustice happening, he fights for justice and does not step back".
"That is why Rahul covered four thousand kilometres from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and then travelled from Manipur to Mumbai. These were journeys to understand your problems. These were trips that told the country that the direction of politics in the country was going wrong. We have to fix that," the Congress general secretary said. -- PTI
BJP supporters at a rally
15:25 Chair shaking, PM attacking his own friends: Cong
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's chair is "shaking" after three phases of elections as he has started attacking his own "friends", and asserted this shows the "real trend" of the results.
"The times are changing. Friends are no longer friends! After completion of three phases of elections, today the prime minister has started attacking his own friends. It is becoming clear that Modiji's chair is shaking. This is the real trend of the results," Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.
His remarks came after the prime minister during an election rally in Telangana said the Congress should explain to people why it has stopped raising the 'Ambani-Adani' issue as its 'Shehzada' used to do for the past five years and asked if it has struck a 'deal'.
"Ever since elections have been announced, these people (Congress) have stopped abusing Ambani-Adani. I want to ask from Telangana soil, let the Shehzada announce, how much has been lifted from Ambani-Adani. Has tempo loads of notes (currency) reached the Congress? What deal has been arrived at, that abusing Ambani-Adani has stopped overnight," he asked.
"Certainly something is fishy. For five years, (they) abused Adani-Ambani and it stopped overnight. It means you have received some tempo loads of 'chori ka maal' (loot). You have to answer the nation," the prime minister further said. -- PTI
14:59 Manipur CM wants to sue Pitroda for 'looks' remark
Soon after Congress leader Sam Pitroda courted a new controversy by tagging people residing in various regions of India with a certain facial feature, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said he is weighing in legal options to book the former.
"How can he make such a racist comment? I highly condemn this type of racist words used by him. I will consult the legal expert if we can sue against the remark given by the Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress...," Biren Singh told ANI.
"This is very irresponsible and he exposed that he does not know the geographical composition of India. Congress has been doing this 'divide and rule' policy. How can he say that the people from the Northeast are like Chinese? We are a part of India, we do not belong to China. We are just Indians, all the Northeast people live together," the Manipur chief minister said.
In an interview with 'The Statesman', Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda trying to explain to India's diversity said, "We could hold a country together as diverse as India, where people on the east look like Chinese, people on the West look like Arab, people on the North look like white and maybe people on the South look like Africans."
The Bharatiya Janata Party has hit back at Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda over his 'racist' remarks. The Congress party however distanced itself from Pitroda's remarks.
In a post on X, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "The analogies drawn by Sam Pitroda in a podcast to illustrate India's diversity are most unfortunate and unacceptable. The Indian National Congress completely dissociates itself from these analogies."
From the BJP, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was one of the first to react when he took to X and slammed Pitroda over his remarks. "Sam bhai, I am from the North East and I look like an Indian. We are a diverse country - we may look different but we are all one. Understand a little about our country!" Assam CM wrote on his X timeline.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also took on the Congress for the comments made by Pitroda. "Rahul Gandhi's Chief Adviser says, South Indians look like Africans, all North-Eastern people look Chinese, West Indians are like Arabs & North Indian are whites. The tone & tenor of this statement is to divide India.. Shameful," he posted on X.
14:46 IMD issues yellow alert (heat wave) in 3 districts in Kerala
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday issued a yellow alert for Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha and Kozhikode districts of the state till May 9 due to the likelihood of heat wave conditions there.
The IMD said maximum temperatures were likely to be around 39 degrees Celsius in Kollam, Palakkad and Kozhikode, 38 degrees Celsius in Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Thrissur, 37 degrees Celsius in Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Kannur and 36 degrees Celsius in Malappuram and Kasaragod districts of the state from today till May 10. These temperatures were three to five degrees Celsius more than what was normal for this time of the year, it said. -- PTI
PM Modi with a young 'fan' in Telangana
14:37 American uncle advises shehzada: PM slams Cong
Following Congress leader Sam Pitroda's "racist remarks" that stoked a massive row, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the people of the country will not tolerate insults on the basis of the colour of the skin.
Addressing a rally in Warangal, PM Modi demanded an answer from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
"Shehzade aapko jawaab dena padega'. My country will not tolerate the disrespect of my countrymen on the basis of their skin colour and Modi will never tolerate this..." he said.
PM Modi said, "I was thinking a lot that (President) Droupadi Murmu who has a very good reputation and is the daughter of Adivasi family, then why is Congress trying so hard to defeat her but today I got to know the reason. I got to know that there is an uncle in America who is the philosophical guide of 'Shehzada' and just like the third umpire in cricket this 'Shehzada' takes advice from the third umpire.
"This philosophical uncle said that those who have black skin are from Africa. This means that you are abusing several people of the country on the basis of their skin colour..." the Prime Minister said.
"... Where will they take the country? No matter what skin colour we have, we are the people who worship Lord Krishna...," he said.
Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda ignited a firestorm while speaking on the diversity of India referring to how people in the South "look like Africans and those in the East look like Arabs and those in the East look like Chinese."
Pitroda, in an interview to 'The Statesman', while reflecting upon the democracy in India said, "We have survived 75 years in a very happy environment where people could live together, leaving aside a few fights here and there. We could hold a country together as diverse as India, where people in East look like Chinese, people in West look like Arab, people in the North look like white, and maybe people in South look like Africans."
Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh posted on X to say that the analogies drawn by Pitroda in a podcast to illustrate India's diversity are "most unfortunate and unacceptable."
14:14 HC dismisses PIL seeking facilities for Kejriwal in jail
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed with Rs 1 lakh costs a public interest litigation by a lawyer seeking appropriate arrangements for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to run the government from jail. The petitioner also sought to restrain Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva from exerting any "undue pressure" for resignation of Kejriwal.
A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan observed that since the AAP leader has already approached the Supreme Court against his arrest, "no orders were called for" with regard to providing him any facilities while in judicial custody.
The bench, also comprising Justice Manmeet PS Arora, further said the court cannot impose censorship on the media or stop political rivals from making statements. "Do we impose emergency? We impose censorship? We impose martial law? How do we gag the press? The political rivals?" the court said. "Keep bank draft of Rs 1 lakh ready," the court told the petitioner.
The petitioner argued that although it was "practically impossible" to run the government from jail, the same could be made possible with the use of technology.
Rahul Gandhi with Jairam Ramesh and KC Venugopal. File pic
13:30 Cong distances itself from Pitroda's 'looks' remarks
The Congress party reacts to Sam Pitroda's comments on how Indians from different regions look.
Congress general secretary and senior leader Jairam Ramesh says, "The analogies drawn by Mr. Sam Pitroda in a podcast to illustrate India's diversity are most unfortunate and unacceptable. The Indian National Congress completely dissociates itself from these analogies."
The Bharatiya Janata Party has hit back at Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda over his 'racist' remarks about how people in the South "look like Africans and those in the East look like Arabs and those in the East look like Chinese."
12:40 'Racist' Pitroda is Rahul's mentor, attacks BJP
Update: The Bharatiya Janata Party has hit back at Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda over his 'racist' remarks about how people in the South "look like Africans and those in the East look like Arabs and those in the East look like Chinese."
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was one of the first to react when he took to X and slammed Pitroda over his remarks and said, "Sam bhai, I am from the North East and I look like an Indian. We are a diverse country - we may look different but we are all one. Understand a little about our country!"
BJP candidate from Thiruvananthapuram and Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar termed Pitroda's remark as "Shameless". "This is how Rahul Gandhi has been taught to divide up and see India by his tutor and mentor -Sam Pitroda," he said.
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya alleged that the statement by Pitroda is no different from what Churchill had said about Indians.
"Congress has always been the OG-breaking India party. This commentary is no different from what Churchill had said about us. No wonder RG is the way he is after being mentored by him!" Surya said.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also joined in the criticism alleging that these were racist comments by a man who is the guru of Rahul Gandhi. "It is the words and thinking of Rahul Gandhi only because these days Rahul is also playing the politics of divide and rule to such an extent that first they divide on caste and language lines and now they are doing Indians Vs Indians. To make comments like Indians are like Chinese. Isn't this a racist comment? Isn't this insulting? Indians are looking like Africans. Isn't it the comment on the entire South people? By making these comments, it shows that Congress' "Mohabbat ki dukaan" actually has "Nafrat ka saaman". Unless Congress gives a complete explanation and sacks Sam Pitroda, this should be taken as the statement of the Congress," Poonawalla said.
BJP candidate from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi, Kangana Ranaut also took to X and said that Congress' whole ideology is about divide and rule. "Sam Pitroda is Rahul Gandhi's mentor. Listen to his racist & divisive jibes for Indians. Their whole ideology is about divide & rule. It's sickening to call fellow Indians Chinese and African. Shame on Congress!" Ranaut said.
12:13 Thoda samjho: Sarma on Pitroda's 'looks' comment
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma reacts to Chairman of Indian Overseas Congress Sam Pitroda's comment: "Sambhai, I am from the North East and I look like an Indian. We are a diverse country - we may look different but we are all one. Hamare desh ke bare mein thoda to samajh lo!"
Before the Congress party could douse the flames from the 'inheritance tax' controversy, Sam Pitroda has again ignited a firestorm speaking on the diversity of India referring to how people in the south "look like Africans and those in the west look like Arabs and those in the east look like Chinese."
Speaking about how India is a shining example of democracy in the world, Pitroda said that the people of the country have "survived 75 years in a very happy environment where people could live together leaving a few fights here and there".
Pitroda, in an interview to 'The Statesman', while reflecting upon the democracy in India said, "We have survived 75 years in a very happy environment where people could live together, leaving aside few fights here and there. We could hold a country together as diverse as India, where people on east look like Chinese, people on West look like Arab, people on North look like white and maybe people on South look like Africans."
He further added that the people of India respect different languages, religion, food and customs which varies from region to region.
"That's the India that I believe in, where everybody has a place and everybody compromises little bit," he said.
Earlier, Pitroda stoked a controversy while speaking about the concept of inheritance tax prevailing in America and said these are issued that will need to be discussed.
11:45 Modi brings up Adani, Ambani at T'gana rally
After the third phase of general elections in the country, the third fuse of Congress and its INDI Alliance parties was blown off, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday.
Addressing a rally at Vemulawada, about 150 km from Hyderabad, Modi said four phases of polling are left and with the blessings of people, the BJP and NDA marching towards victory.
After the third phase of polls, the third fuse of Congress and INDI Alliance was off (blown up), Modi mocked at the opposition bloc. Attacking the Congress and BRS, Modi said while the BJP believes in 'nation first' principle, for the Congress and BRS it is 'family first'.
"The BRS and Congress openly criticise each other on corruption, but it is a common factor between these parties," he said.
Alleging that the Congress has been chanting the name of "Adani and Ambani" for five years and stopped it following the announcement of the LS polls, Modi said the grand old party should answer the country.
Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, he said there is a lot of discussion till Delhi on double R (RR) tax in the state. -- PTI
11:20 'Rich will move to Dubai over inheritance tax'
Political economist and author Gautam Sen has said that Congress' proposal to impose a wealth tax in India will lead to the country's super rich, the Ambanis and the Adanis, moving their bases out to countries like Dubai to avoid paying tax.
He further explained that the wealthiest individuals in India, such as Ambani, Adani, and Tata, would likely emigrate to tax havens resulting in a substantial loss of wealth for India.
Sen who retired from the London School of Economics and was formerly a member of the Indo-UK Roundtable and Senior Consultant at UNDP, offered his insights on the proposal of implementing an inheritance tax in India, drawing comparisons with the United States and discussing its potential impacts on the Indian economy and security, in an exclusive interview with ANI.
"The very rich, that is the Ambanis, the Adanis, the Mahindras, the Tatas, and I presume not more than 500 or less of the very rich, the billionaire class, they will emigrate from India to Dubai. Most Indian millionaires who have been leaving the country have gone to Dubai, 70 per cent in fact, because Dubai has no income tax. And they will re-register their businesses in UAE, which means India will only be able to collect corporate taxes from them because their business will remain in India," Sen said.
He said, "So there will be a huge loss of wealth to India. Now, if you think about other countries, Sweden used to have a very significant inheritance tax. And Sweden is one of the highest tax countries in the world in history. But you know, Sweden removed the inheritance tax because many of the rich were fleeing. For example, the owner of IKEA had migrated out of Sweden."
"And what they found after removing inheritance tax, that a lot of the wealth came back, economic growth improved, and tax collecting also improved. So with that extra taxes, they could redistribute to the less well-off in Sweden. So, in fact, not having inheritance tax or wealth tax was beneficial to the ordinary Sweden. Now, in India, if you inflict this amount of chaos, you must bear in mind you can't do it to agricultural land," the economist said.
Congress leader Sam Pitroda had recently suggested that India adopt an inheritance tax similar to that prevailing in the US, however Sen pointed out that it is not a suitable analogy for India. -- ANI
The three accused
11:02 3 Indians accused of killing Nijjar appear in court
Members of the Sikh Community from British Columbia crowded a Surrey courtroom on Tuesday as three Indian nationals accused of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing made their first court appearance by video, according to Globe and Mail, a Canada-based news website.
As the trio, dressed in orange jumpsuits, appeared before court, pro-Khalistani protesters chanted slogans and held placards, outside the Surrey provincial court, blaming India's government for the killing.
Judge Delaram Jahani questioned the three suspects, Karan Brar, Karanpreet Singh, and Kamalpreet Singh, in brief.
Through their attorneys, Brar and Karanpreet Singh decided to appear again on May 21.
The court, however, is yet to decide on a new date for Kamalpreet Singh who has sought legal counsel, the Globe and Mail reported.
The three men were taken into custody in Edmonton last week on Friday and are accused of first-degree murder and murderous conspiracy in connection with the June 2023 shooting of Nijjar, which severely damaged Canada's relations with India.
India and Canada are dealing with an unprecedented diplomatic crisis, after the Canadian Prime Minister accused agents of the Indian government of killing Nijjar. However, India has dismissed the accusations as "absurd" and "motivated."Nijjar was shot and killed after he stepped out of a gurdwara in Surrey, in Surrey a suburb in Vancouver, in June last year.
A video clip of his killing reportedly surfaced in March this year, purportedly showing Nijjar being fatally shot by assailants, in what was claimed to be 'contract killing'.
Canadian police, last week, released photographs of all three persons arrested in the killing of India-designated terrorist, Nijjar last year amid an ongoing probe into alleged connections of the Indian government.
Along with photographs of the three accused, the Canadian police also released the photographs of the car believed to have been used by the suspects in the time leading up to the homicide, in and around the Surrey area. -- ANI
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Rae Bareli
10:43 British Raj-like condition in Modi's India: Priyanka
Launching a sharp attack on the Central government, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi said that under the reign of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, "British Raj-like conditions" are prevailing in the country, with the government policies only benefiting billionaires.
"British Raj-like conditions are prevalent in the country. The policies of the Modi government are not being made keeping in mind the poor but have been made to benefit the billionaires. International reports show that today the condition of inequality in India is worse than British rule," Priyanka Gandhi said on Tuesday while addressing Congress workers in the Rae Bareli constituency in Uttar Pradesh, where her brother and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is contesting.
"All the institutions which strengthen democracy are being weakened, be it media or Parliament. Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru had fought against the British to strengthen the rights of the people, little did they know that a day would come in independent India when the government would be bent upon depriving the people of their rights," she added.
She alleged that efforts are being made to change the Constitution, which provides a system like reservation that has changed the lives of crores of people. It is the misfortune of the country that today a person is sitting on the Prime Minister's chair whose language, behaviour and actions are of low standard, she said.
"We have always given priority to development and have dreamed of a developed and prosperous Rae Bareli. When we got the opportunity, we created employment and development opportunities in Rae Bareli but the Modi government either closed many of the projects started by us or promoted them in its name," Priyanka Gandhi said.
Rae Bareli constituency goes to the polls on May 20.
10:18 Air India Express chaos: Scores of flights cancelled
Air India Express has cancelled "scores of flights" due to a shortage of cabin crew members as a section of them are reporting sick to protest against alleged mismanagement at the Tata Group-owned airline, according to sources.
Discontent has been brewing among a section of the cabin crew at the low-cost carrier for some time now, especially after the start of the process of merger of AIX Connect, formerly AirAsia India, with itself.
The sources on Wednesday said several cabin crew members started reporting sick since Monday evening and as there are not enough cabin crew members, "scores of flights" have been cancelled at various airports, including Kochi, Calicut and Bangalore.
Late last month, a union representing a section of the Air India Express cabin crew alleged that the airline is being mismanaged and there is a lack of equality in the treatment of the staff.
Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU), a registered union, which claims to represent around 300 cabin crew members, mostly seniors, had also alleged that mismanagement of the affairs has affected the morale of the employees.
Many passengers took to social media on Wednesday complaining about the sudden cancellation of flights. In response to a passenger's post on X about flight cancellation, Air India Express apologised and said the flight was cancelled "due to operational reasons".
"As part of our service recovery process, you can either opt to reschedule the flight within the next 7 days or request a full refund through our chat bot Tia...," the airline said in a post on X.
The development at Air India Express comes a month after Tata Group full-service carrier Vistara witnessed pilot woes, forcing it to temporarily cut down capacity by 10 per cent or 25-30 flights daily.
As part of consolidating its airline business, Tata Group is merging Air India Express and AIX Connect, as well as Vistara with Air India. PTI
10:07 Shinde: Those speaking Pakistan's language should...
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said those speaking Pakistan's language while living in India should be charged with treason and put behind bars as he dubbed the statements of opposition leaders Vijay Wadettiwar and Farooq Abdullah their frustration about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rise.
"These people are speaking Pakistan's language. Is it not treason against the nation? They are not able to tolerate the wave of patriotism that has spread out across the country under PM Modi's leadership. It's like Congress ka haath, Pakistan ke saath," Shinde told PTI.
He also hit out at former Maharashtra Chief Minister and former Union minister Sharad Pawar for doing "nothing" for the state during his long stints in the state and Centre.
"He has been in Maharashtra politics, national politics for such a long time. Maharashtra should have progressed so much during this time. He was also the agriculture minister. What our government has done for farmers, no other government has been able to do so far. That I can say with full confidence," Shinde said.
He said Rs 6,000 is being given by the Centre and the state government is adding another Rs 6,000 to it, making it Rs 12,000 for farmers every year. "They are getting crop insurance for free. There are so many schemes for farmers and our government gives them top priority," he said.
On what he called anti-India statements by several opposition leaders, the Shiv Sena leader said, "They are speaking in Pakistan's favour and in their language. This is their misfortune only. But we will not leave those who speak against our country. These people should be jailed after being charged with treason."
"These people live in India and praise Pakistan. If Farooq Abdullah asks whether Pakistan is wearing bangles, who are these people? Are they Pakistani or Hindustani? Are they traitors or our own citizens? Such people should be put behind bars after charging them with treason," Shinde told PTI.
"Similarly, what kind of patriotism is raising questions about the death of a martyr, Hemant Karkare? Saying that it was not Kasab's bullet that hit him, is the same as what Pakistan used to say. Pakistan was also saying that Kasab was not their man but in the end, they had to accept he was a Pakistani citizen," he added.
Shinde was responding to recent comments made by National Conference chief Abdullah, Congress' Wadettiwar and former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi.
Good rains are needed to fill up the stock in the 7 reservoirs
09:46 Mumbai has water in reservoirs till July end
The Mumbai civic administration has said its planning has been such that the stock in the seven reservoirs supplying water to the city will last till July-end and hence the residents should not be worried.
In a release issued on Tuesday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said the reservoirs currently have a stock of over 2,37,552 MLD (million litres of water per day), which is 16.48 per cent of the city's annual requirement of 14,47.363 MLD, less than the stock on the same date the previous year.
Mumbai receives 3,800 MLD of water everyday from the seven reservoirs - Bhatsa, Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Tansa, Modak Sagar, Vihar and Tulsi, located here and in Thane and Nashik districts. The monsoon usually arrives in Mumbai in the second week of June.
The civic body has not yet announced any water cut in the city. After a review meeting chaired by municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani on the water issue in Mumbai, the BMC said it is keeping a "very keen eye" on the stock and the residents should not worry, but they should use the water judiciously.
The Maharashtra government has already assured 1,37,000 MLD and 91,130 MLD of additional water for Mumbai from the Bhatsa dam in Thane and the Upper Vaitarna dam in Nashik, respectively, the release said. "Considering all the reserve, the administration has planned in such a way that, likewise every year, the water will last till July 31.
Overall, the municipal administration is keeping a constant and very keen eye on the status of water stock," it said.
09:03 Bus carrying EVMs, polling staff catches fire in MP
A bus carrying polling officials and electronic voting machines caught fire in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district, causing damage to a few EVMs, according to a senior official.
However, no polling staff and the driver of the bus suffered any injury in the incident, Betul Collector Narendra Suryavanshi told PTI over phone.
The incident took place near Gola village in the district around 11 pm on Tuesday, he said.
The fire broke out because of a spark in the bus, but no one suffered any injuries in the incident, the collector said.
The fire damaged EVMs of four polling stations, including booth numbers 275, 276, 277, 278, 279 and 280, he said.
The fire tender doused the flames which had totally gutted the bus, he added.
Six polling parties and as many EVMs were there in the bus at the time of the incident, among which four EVMs got damaged while two others are safe, Suryavanshi said.
In the four affected EVMs, either a control unit or a ballot unit suffered damages in the fire, he said.
Asked whether the incident would affect the vote count recorded in the EVMs, the collector said that he will send his report to the Election Commission on the issue and the poll body will take a decision regarding re-polling on the affected booths.
A total of 72.65 per cent polling was recorded in the Betul Lok Sabha seat, a poll official said.
08:50 AstraZeneca withdraws COVID-19 vaccine globally
Amid the safety concerns over AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine Covishield and Vaxzevria, the pharmaceutical giant on Tuesday said it has initiated to withdraw its Vaxzevria vaccine globally, The Telegraph reported.
The vaccine maker has said the worldwide withdrawal was initiated because of commercial reasons due to a "surplus of available updated vaccines" for COVID-19.
The vaccine was superseded by updated vaccines that tackle new variants, AstraZeneca said.
The latest move came after the United Kingdom-headquartered pharmaceutical giant admitted in the court that in 'very rare cases' its Covid vaccine can cause "TTS or Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome".
The AZ Vaxzevria vaccine, also manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), was known in India as Covishield.
The consequences of TTS are potentially life-threatening including strokes, brain damage, heart attacks, pulmonary embolism and amputation.
File image
01:09 Northern Army commander reviews operational readiness of troops in Poonch
Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General MV Suchindra Kumar on Tuesday visited troops along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and exhorted them to maintain a high state of morale and motivation.
The commander also commended the troops for their professionalism in challenging conditions, the Army said.
"Lt Gen M V Suchindra Kumar, Army Commander Northern Command visited frontline units along Line of Control in Poonch Sector to review the security situation," the Army's Northern Command said in a post on 'X'.
It said Kumar was briefed on the forward locations as he reviewed the operational preparedness of the troops. -- PTI
File image
00:58 Lone voter casts his vote in Gujarat booth deep inside Gir forest
The lone voter in Banej in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district cast his vote at a polling booth set up by the administration for him on Tuesday.
The polling booth was set up in Banej especially for one voter by the Election Commission.
Mahant Haridas, a temple priest of Banej, located deep inside the Gir forest region, is the only voter registered at the booth, which comes under the Junagadh Lok Sabha seat Booth presiding officer Sursinh Padhiyar said the EC had set up the booth for the lone voter registered in Gir.
"He came around 11 am to cast his vote. With it, we have registered 100 per cent voting at the booth," he said.
"Everybody should vote in a democracy," Haridas told reporters after voting. Voting for 25 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat were held on Tuesday. -- PTI
Family members PV Narasimha Rao meet PM Narendra Modi/Courtesy Narendra Modi on X
00:47 Family members of P V Narasimha Rao meet Modi, thank him for conferring Bharat Ratna on ex-PM
Family members P V Narasimha Rao met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday and thanked him for honouring the former PM with Bharat Ratna.
They met Modi at Raj Bhavan here Tuesday evening and the meeting lasted for about 30 minutes.
Narasimha Rao's son P V Prabhakar Rao, daughter and BRS MLC Vani Devi, Narasimha Rao's son-in-law K R Nandan, a retired IPS officer, and the former PM's grandson N V Subhash, also a BJP leader, were part of the meeting.
Sharing pictures of the meeting in a post on X, Modi said, "Upon reaching Hyderabad, had an excellent meeting with the family of our former PM, the respected scholar and statesman, Shri PV Narasimha Rao Garu. They thanked the Government of India for conferring the Bharat Ratna on Shri Narasimha Rao Garu." -- PTI
Maha State Women Commission chief Rupali Chakankar performs aarti in front of an EVM/ANI on X
00:25 Maha women panel chief booked for EVM 'puja'
A case has been registered against Maharashtra Women Commission chairperson Rupali Chakankar, who belongs to Nationalist Congress Party, and seven others, for allegedly performing 'puja' of an Electronic Voting Machine inside a polling booth in Khadakwasla segment under Baramati Lok Sabha constituency.
"Chakankar and others defied the orders of the presiding officer of the polling booth at Sinhgad Road area, went inside and performed 'puja' of the EVM this morning," a police official said.
On a complaint lodged by an Election Commission official, a case was registered under sections 131 (Penalty for disorderly conduct in or near polling stations) and 132 (Penalty for misconduct at the polling station) of the Representation of the People Act 1951.
While Chakankar belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party headed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the seven others include a member each from the rival NCP-SP) and Shiv Sena-UBT camps. -- PTI
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