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Thu, 09 May 2024
5 Indian sailors on Israeli ship seized by Iran freed
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NC chief Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah
23:53 J-K admin allows NC to hold poll rallies on May 12 after Omar writes to EC
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday allowed the National Conference to hold public rallies on May 12 in the Sopore police district, which is part of the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat that goes to polls on May 20.
The move comes within hours of the NC vice-president and candidate for the Baramulla seat Omar Abdullah asking the Election Commission to direct authorities in the constituency to allow his campaign programme as per schedule.
In a fresh statement, the district election authority granted the NC permission to hold a public meeting at Malmapanpora village of Sopore from 10 am to 5 pm on May 12, subject to certain conditions as per election guidelines.
Baramulla's additional district magistrate cited a "no-objection" certificate from the Sopore police while granting the permission but said that it could be withdrawn at any point if required in the interest of the administration and state security. PTI
23:24 5 Indian sailors on Israeli ship seized by Iran freed
In a diplomatic breakthrough, five of the Indian sailors on board an Israeli-linked vessel seized by Tehran were released on Thursday and have departed from Iran, the Indian embassy in Iran said.
The Indian Embassy, while sharing details of their release, thanked the Iranian authorities for their close coordination with the Embassy and Indian Consulate in Bandar Abbas.
"5 of the Indian sailors on MSC Aries have been released and departed from Iran today evening. We appreciate the Iranian authorities for their close coordination with the Embassy and Indian Consulate in Bandar Abbas," MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.
The Israel-linked cargo ship was seized by Iran on April 13, with 17 Indian nationals onboard.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy seized the container ship near the Strait of Hormuz and MSC Aries was last seen on April 12, sailing towards the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Dubai. -- ANI
23:17 IIT Kanpur alumnus working in insurance firm hangs self in Mumbai
A 23-year-old Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur alumnus allegedly committed suicide in his flat in Mahim in Mumbai, a police official said on Thursday.
Rohan Kumar Jha, a IIT Kanpur graduate and an MBA, hanged himself from a ceiling fan in the kitchen of his flat near Sithladevi Temple on Wednesday evening, the official said.
"He is a native of Patna in Bihar. Jha was working in an insurance firm at a good salary. After being alerted, police arrived at the site and rush him to Sion hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival," he said.
A probe into the death is underway and his friends, relatives etc are being spoken to, the official added.
"We have not found any suicide note. The body was handed over to kin," the Mahim police station official said. -- PTI
22:41 8 hurt as mortar shell explodes at Uttarakhand shop
Eight people were injured, two of them severely, in an explosion on Thursday at a scrap dealer's shop in the Raipur area of the city, the police said.
The blast occurred when a partially exploded mortar shell went off, Dehradun senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh said.
The scrap shop in Kidduwala under the Raipur police station area is not far from a firing range, he said.
Scrap dealers in the area often pick up waste materials from the range, the SSP said.
A fire unit and a bomb disposal squad were rushed to the spot, superintendent of police (city) Pramod Kumar said, adding that the blast took place after 2 pm.
Five of the injured were undergoing treatment at the Doon Hospital and the condition of two of them is stated to be serious, Kumar said.
Three others who sustained minor injuries were admitted to the Coronation Hospital, he said, adding that investigations are on. Uttarakhand Congress senior vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana, who met with the injured, said the blast took place when a boy tried to break an object with a hammer.-- PTI
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22:31 Delhi riots: Court grants bail to ex-AAP councillor Tahir Hussain
A court in Delhi has granted bail to former AAP councillor Tahir Husain in one of the 2020 Delhi riots cases, saying his role in it was "remote in nature" and he has already spent over three years in custody.
Hussain will, however, continue to be behind bars as he is an accused in other rioting cases, including the alleged larger conspiracy behind the communal conflagration and a money laundering case related to funding it.
Additional sessions judge Pulastya Pramachala was hearing Hussain's bail plea in a case registered at Khajuri Khas police station, where a riotous mob had vandalised and set ablaze a shop on February 25, 2020.
"In the present case, the role of the applicant (Hussain) is alleged to be of instigator and conspirator. He is admittedly not shown as part of the mob, which attacked the shop in question. Thus, the role attributed to the applicant is remote in nature as compared to the role attributed to co-accused persons," the court said. -- PTI
PDP candidate Waheed Para/Courtesy X
21:46 J-K election body issues notice to PDP's Srinagar candidate Waheed Para
The Jammu and Kashmir poll body has asked PDP candidate Waheed Para to explain his statement urging Kashmir's youngsters to consider the general elections as a "referendum" to send New Delhi a message, and asked him refrain from making utterances that may aggravate differences among communities.
The notice issued by the nodal officer for the Model Code of Conduct on Wednesday gave Para two days to respond.
"...this act of yours has the potential of aggravating the differences among communities and can cause discontentment in the society... you are asked to refrain from issuing such statement forthwith and also to make clear the exact context and message you wanted to convey to the people and also to clarify your position to the District Election Officer, Srinagar, within two days...," it read.
The notice further said that non-compliance with the notice would invite action under the law.
When contacted, Para said he owed allegiance to the Constitution of the country and by using the word "referendum", he wanted to ask people to come out in large numbers to vote so that the dream of democracy could flourish. -- PTI
You can read Para's interview to Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com on what the elections signify for Kashmir, here.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury/File image
21:39 We have dark-skinned people: Adhir backs Pitroda
The Congress's West Bengal president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday defended Sam Pitroda's "racist" comment by stating that "India too has dark-skinned people akin to the N****es".
The senior Congress leader and party's nominee from Baharampur Lok Sabha seat resonated with Pitroda who stirred a controversy by comparing people of south and east Indian origin to Africans and Chinese respectively.
"According to the topography of our country, our regional features differ. In our Hindustan, we have Proto-Australian class, N***o class, Mongoloid class. I don't need to speak much on personal opinions," Chowdhury said at the party office in Kolkata.
"That's what we are taught in schools. Not everyone looks alike. Some are black, others are white," the Congress leader said.
The controversy that followed Pitroda's comment in the wake of the ongoing general elections drove the leader to quit as the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress. -- PTI
Laila Khan/File image
21:06 Step-father convicted for murder of actor Laila Khan, five others
The sessions court here on Thursday convicted Parvez Tak for the 2011 murder of his step-daughter and actor Laila Khan, her mother and Laila's four siblings.
Tak was found guilty of murder and destruction of evidence among other offences under the Indian Penal Code.
The court will hear arguments on the quantum of sentence on May 14.
Tak was the third husband of Selina, Laila's mother.
The actor, her mother and her four siblings were killed at their bungalow at Igatpuri in Nashik district of Maharashtra in February 2011.
The prosecution's case was that Tak first killed Selina after an argument over her properties, and then killed Laila and her four siblings.
The killings came to light a few months later when Tak was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police.
The decomposed bodies of the victims were recovered from the bungalow later. -- PTI
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20:56 Man working as spy for Pakistan arrested in Gujarat
A man has been arrested in Bharuch district of Gujarat for allegedly spying for a Pakistani intelligence agency, police said on Thursday.
Pravin Mishra, the accused, had allegedly collected highly confidential information about the Indian Armed Forces and defence-related R&D firms, said the Gujarat Criminal Investigation Department.
The CID started its probe following a tip-off from the Military Intelligence, Udhampur.
A resident of Ankleshwar in Bharuch district and native of Muzaffarpur in Bihar, Mishra was in contact with a Pakistani intelligence operative through Whatsapp calls and audio chat "to carry out a criminal conspiracy against the country that could have serious security consequences," the CID said in a release.
"It was found that the information was being sent to an intelligence agency located in Pakistan," the CID said.
A case was registered against Mishra and the Pakistani operative who used an Indian WhatsApp number and the fake Facebook ID of `Sonal Garg', it said.
"The case has also been registered against the officers/employees involved in the criminal conspiracy who were in touch with the operative on the WhatsApp number," the release added. -- PTI
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20:37 Ex-editor, retired judges seek Modi-Rahul debate
A senior journalist and two former judges have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to participate in a public debate on the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Former Editor of The Hindu newspaper N Ram, former Supreme Court judge Madan Lokur and former Delhi high court Chief Justice AP Shah urged the two leaders to participate in a public debate on a non-commercial and non-partisan platform.
"A public debate such as this would, therefore, set a great precedent, not just by educating the public, but also in projecting the true image of a healthy and vibrant democracy," the letter said.
The three urged Modi and Gandhi to nominate a representative for the debate if either of them is unavailable to participate. -- PTI
Nashik unit chief of Shiv Sena-UBT Sudhakar Badgujar/File image
20:12 LS polls: Nashik Shiv Sena-UBT chief gets externment notice
Amid Lok Sabha polls, the Nashik unit chief of Shiv Sena-UBT Sudhakar Badgujar was on Thursday issued an externment notice by the police, an official said.
He had refused to accept it at his home initially but later relented and also met deputy commissioner of police Monica Raut, the official added.
"An externment notice under Bombay Police Act has been issued to Sudhakar Badgujar in connection with a poll related case of 2014 in which he was convicted. Badjugar told us he had filed an appeal in the high court and sought time to present necessary documents. We have given him eight days," DCP Raut said.
Hitting out at the administration, Badgujar said, "A criminal is generally externed. I am a people's representative. What wrong have I done? Action is taken against me but not against (sitting MP and Shiv Sena candidate) Hemant Godse."
"Action must be taken against Godse as well. This is politically motivated just to ensure I do not campaign for the May 20 Lok Sabha poll here. This decision was taken in Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's meeting yesterday," Badgujar alleged. -- PTI
President Droupadi Murmu presents Padma Vibhushan to Vyjayantimala Bali/Courtesy Presiden of India on X
19:55 Cine stars Vyjayanthimala, Chiranjeevi, late justice Fathima Beevi conferred Padma awards
Yesteryear actor Vyjayanthimala Bali, Telugu star Konidela Chiranjeevi, the first woman judge of the Supreme Court late M Fathima Beevi and Bombay Samachar owner Hormusji N Cama were among the eminent persons conferred Padma awards by President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday.
BJP leader O Rajagopal, Ladakh's spiritual leader Togdan Rinpochey, Tamil actor late "Captain" Vijayakant (both posthumous), group editor and CEO of Gujarati newspaper Janmabhoomi Kundan Vyas were also conferred Padma awards at a civil investiture ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
While 90-year-old Bali and Chiranjeevi were given Padma Vibhushan, Beevi, Cama, Rajagopal, Vijayakant, Rinpochey and Vyas were conferred Padma Bhushan.
Family members of Beevi, Vijayakant and Rinpochey received the awards. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.
The Padma awards, among the highest civilian honours of the country, are conferred in three categories -- Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
The awards are given in various disciplines or fields of activities, such as art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service etc.
Padma Vibhushan is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service, Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of high order and Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field. -- PTI
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19:46 AI Express cabin crew call off strike; no termination
A section of Air India Express cabin crew has decided to withdraw strike and join back for duty after the airline assured to look into all the issues raised by the cabin crew, sources said on Thursday.
Besides, the airline has agreed to withdraw the termination letters issued to 25 cabin crew and the management will review the cases as per service regulations, they added.
The Tata Group-owned airline has cancelled more than 170 flights since Tuesday night after the cabin crew started reporting sick to protest against the alleged mismanagement at the airline.
The decisions on withdrawing the strike and the termination letters were agreed upon during the conciliation meeting between the cabin crew representatives and the airline representatives at the office of the chief labour commissioner (central) in the national capital on Thursday. -- PTI
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19:24 BJP leader gets son to press EVM button, booked
A Bharatiya Janata Party leader in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh was booked for allegedly taking his minor son to a polling booth in Berasia on May 7, making him press the EVM button and videoing the process, an official said on Thursday.
Taking cognisance of the incident, Bhopal collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh suspended booth number 71 (Khitwas) polling officer Sandeep Saini and got an FIR registered against BJP zilla panchayat member Vijay Mehar, the official said.
In a message on X, Collector Singh said a probe had been instituted after taking cognisance of Mehar's video, which has gone viral.
While Singh's first post spoke of action against the concerned presiding officer, the second post informed about the latter's suspension with immediate effect.
Slamming the incident, Piyush Babele, media advisor of former MP Congress president Kamal Nath, shared the video on X and said it was a mockery of the poll process.
Mehar also posted the video of the polling process and shared it on his Facebook account., Babele said. -- PTI
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19:11 Female engineering student booked for clicking of girls' photos, sharing them with male friend in Pune
The Pune police registered a case against a female engineering student from the city for allegedly clicking pictures of girls in her hostel and sharing them with her male friend, an official said on Thursday.
The girl and her male friend have been booked for voyeurism, the official.
The official said the accused girl is a second-year student of a well-known college in the city's Shivajinagar area and lives in its hostel.
The institute had received complaints about the girl clicking photos of her hostel roommates and sharing them with a male friend outside the campus, he said.
The institute conducted an inquiry and later approached the police with a complaint.
"We went through some of the photos and found that they were not obscene. But they were shared without the knowledge of her roommates,' said the official from Shivajinagar police station. -- PTI
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18:41 Tamil Nadu's firecracker blast toll rises to 8
The toll in a blaze at a fireworks-manufacturing unit in Sivakasi on Thursday rose to eight, with one more worker succumbing to his burns, the police said.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who expressed condolences over the incident, directed the district authorities to provide appropriate medical care to the injured and save lives.
Eight workers, including five women and three men, were killed in the accident at a fireworks-manufacturing unit near Sengamalapatti in Sivakasi in the district.
Seven rooms where the firecrackers were stocked were completely gutted, the police said.
The police and fire service personnel rushed the injured to the government hospital in Sivakasi.
A senior police official said the cause of the fire was being ascertained and added that the unit is a licenced one.
Expressing grief over the death of the five women and three men in the explosion, Chief Minister Stalin said that immediately after receiving information about the accident, he directed the district collector to promptly launch a rescue operation.
It was learnt that more than 10 persons were injured and they required medical attention, he said.
"I have directed the officials to ensure appropriate life-saving treatment for the injured," Stalin said in a release in Chennai. -- PTI
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18:04 Temples under Kerala's TDB won't use oleander flowers over toxicity concerns
Temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board in Kerala on Thursday made a significant change to their offerings by discontinuing the use of Arali flowers (oleander) in their sacred rituals.
This decision comes after concerns arose about the toxic nature of these flowers, which could harm humans and animals.
P S Prasanth, the president of the TDB, announced this decision after a meeting of the board here on Thursday.
"It has been decided to completely avoid using Arali flowers in the naivedya and prasad offerings in temples under the TDB. Instead, other flowers like tulsi, thechi (Ixora), jasmine, jamanti (hibiscus), and rose will be used," Prasanth told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.
The TDB is entrusted with the task of administrating 1248 temples in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore.
This decision stems from incidents reported in Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta, sources said. -- PTI
Karnataka MP Prajwal Revanna
17:40 No victim has filed complaint against Prajwal: NCW
No victim has come forward to register a complaint against Karnataka MP Prajwal Revanna, and one woman complainant who reached out to the women's body alleged that she was forced to register a fake complaint against the Janata Dal-Secular leader, the National Commission for Women said on Thursday.
The timely submission of the Action Taken Report by the concerned authorities reveal several significant findings, the National Commission for Women added.
It said a Special Investigation Team committee has been formed to probe the matter thoroughly.
Notably, there is a commendable presence of female officers entrusted with conducting investigations and ensuring sensitivity and empathy in handling such cases, it added.
According to the NCW, the ATR indicated the registration of two cases based on the complaints of sexual abuse by the victims, alongside an additional complaint filed for abduction by a relative.
However, no victim has come forward to register a complaint with the commission in this case, it said.
"One woman complainant came to the commission to register a complaint against three individuals dressed in civil uniform, allegedly introducing themselves as Karnataka Police officials and forcing her to give a false complaint in this case," the NCW claimed. -- PTI
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17:30 Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri temples to open tomorrow
The Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri temples of Uttarakhand will be opened for devotees on Friday after remaining closed during the winter season.
The famous temples situated in the Garhwal Himalayas are closed with the onset of winter every year as they remain snowbound during the period and are reopened with the start of summer.
The Kedarnath and Yamunotri temples will be opened at 7 am and the Gangotri temple will be opened at 12.20 pm, the temple committee officials said. Badrinath, which is also a part of Uttarakhand's 'chardham yatra' will be opened at 6 am on May 12.
Kedarnath is being decorated with 20 quintals of flower, Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee media incharge Harish Gaur said.
The five-faced idol of Baba Kedar, which is carried from its winter abode at Ukhimath's Omkareshwar temple to Kedarnath, has left Gaurikund - the last stop on its way back to Kedarnath where it will be reinstalled inside the temple amid elaborate rituals, he said. -- PTI
KBK Infographics
17:25 Low voter turnout pushes Sensex down 1000 pts
Indian stock indices slumped sharply Thursday intraday after a broad sell-off in all sectoral indices. Sensex slipped 1,062 points to close at 72,404 points, and Nifty slipped 345 points to close at 21,957 points. Among sectors, almost all the major sectoral indices witnessed profit booking at higher levels but energy and metal indices lost the most, shedding nearly 3 per cent.
Analysts asserted that a strong US dollar, uncertainty in Lok Sabha elections outcome after a decreasing voter turnout trend seen so far in the three phases that went to vote, and a profit booking after the recent rally hurt the markets.
16:51 ED opposes Kejriwal's bail: Campaigning not a right
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday opposed in the Supreme Court the grant of interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam, saying the right to campaign in elections is neither fundamental nor constitutional.
In a fresh affidavit filed in the top court, the ED said no political leader has ever been granted interim bail for campaigning even if he is not contesting polls. "It is relevant to note that the right to campaign for an election is neither a fundamental right nor a constitutional right and not even a legal right," the agency said.
It added that to its knowledge, "no political leader has been granted interim bail for campaigning even though he is not the contesting candidate. Even a contesting candidate is not granted interim bail if he is in custody for his own campaigning".
On Wednesday, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who headed the bench that heard Kejriwal's petition against his arrest in the case, said, "We will pronounce the interim order (on bail) on Friday. The main matter related to the challenge to arrest will also be taken up on the same day."
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was arrested on March 21 and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody. On May 7, the bench, also comprising Justice Dipankar Datta, had reserved its verdict on Kejriwal's interim bail plea.
On Tuesday, a Delhi court extended Kejriwal's judicial custody in the case till May 20. The Delhi High Court had, on April 9, upheld the AAP leader's arrest, saying there was no illegality and the ED was left with "little option" after he skipped repeated summonses and refused to join the investigation.
16:22 Pitroda's statement shameful: Chandrababu
TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday referred to Congress leader Sam Pitroda's recent remarks and said reducing people's identities to their appearances is "shameful, regressive and racist."
The Andhra Pradesh opposition leader said there is no place for such "divisive" and "racist" comments in a civilised society.
"It is shameful, regressive and racist to reduce people's identities to their appearances. There is no place for such divisive and racist comments in a civilized society," said Naidu in a post on X.
According to the former CM and NDA alliance partner in the southern state, people with political influence must uphold India's spirit of unity in diversity. Referring to South Indians, who according to Pitroda 'look like Africans', Naidu said they have their own identity.
"Those with political influence must uphold India's spirit of unity in diversity. We South Indians have our own unique identity and culture, while Africans have their own," he said. Further, the TDP supremo emphasised that people may belong to different states in India but all are Indians. PTI
15:35 PM's 'Babri lock' remarks absolute lie: Priyanka
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday termed as an "absolute lie" Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks that her party will put a "Babri lock" on the Ram temple in Ayodhya if it is voted to power, saying court judgements will be honoured.
Prime Minister Modi had recently stated at a rally in Madhya Pradesh that he wants the BJP-led NDA to win 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls to ensure the Congress does not bring back Article 370 in Kashmir and put a "Babri lock" on the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
"This is an absolute lie ('yeh ekdum jhooth hai'). The Congress party had said a number of times that it will honour the judgement of the court. We have done this (in the past), and will do so in the future," she told reporters.
On Modi's Adani-Ambani jibe, she said Prime Minister Modi has been forced to take their names. Rahul Gandhi, she noted, mentions the names of Adani and Ambai in his speeches every day. Modi had on Wednesday accused the Congress of having a nexus with "Ambani and Adani", and asked if the party has received "tempo loads of black money" from the two businessmen for its leader Rahul Gandhi to stop "abusing" them.
Priyanka Gandhi also said that she wants the prime minister to read the Congress manifesto before commenting on it.
"Though he is the prime minister and elder to me...my advice is that he should first read the (Congress) manifesto, and then comment on it. He has not read it. Whatever comes to his mind, he says that it is written (in the manifesto). All the things that he is saying are written in manifesto are (actually) not written." -- PTI
15:10 Will end Muslim reservation, give it to SC/ST: HM
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday while addressing a public rally in Telangana's Bhongir, claimed that if BJP comes to power, it will increase the reservation of SC, ST, and OBC and will end the Muslim reservation.
While appealing to the public, Amit Shah said, "Congress wants to fight elections by speaking lies. They say that if Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes, he will finish the reservation. Prime Minister Modi has been leading this country unanimously for the last 10 years, but he did not end the reservation. However, the Congress party has robbed the reservations of SC, ST and OBC by giving 4 per cent reservation to Muslims."
He added further, "In 2019, the public of Telangana gave us four seats. This time, we will win more than 10 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana. This double-digit score in Telangana will make PM Modi cross 400 seats... Make BJP victorious on more than 10 seats. We will end the Muslim reservation and increase the reservation of SC, ST, and OBC."
Taking a jibe at Congress' Rahul Gandhi, Shah said, "In our manifesto, we have given Modi's guarantees and he does what he says. And the guarantees of Rahul baba doesn't even stay till sunset."
The Union Home Minister slammed Rahul Gandhi for making promises but not fulfilling them. He said, "Rahul Gandhi promised to forgive the farmer loans but he didn't, he promised to give Rs 15,000 to farmers but he didn't fulfil that."
Amit Shah added further, "He (Rahul Gandhi) promised to give loans of Rs 5 lakh to students without guarantee but didn't, he didn't give scooty to girl students as promised by him, and he didn't open International Schools in every Taluka. The Congress doesn't fulfil its promises while PM Modi ji fulfils every promise." -- ANI
14:46 Parsi population declined 85%: Report
The share of the Hindu population decreased by 7.82 per cent between 1950 and 2015 in India, while that of Muslims increased by 43.15 per cent, suggesting that there is a conducive environment in the country to foster diversity, said a recent working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM).
The paper titled 'Share of Religious Minorities: A Cross-Country Analysis (1950-2015)' further said the share of Jains in the population of India decreased from 0.45 per cent in 1950 to 0.36 per cent in 2015.
"... The share of the majority Hindu population decreased by 7.82 per cent between 1950 and 2015 (from 84.68 per cent to 78.06 per cent). The share of Muslim population in 1950 was 9.84 per cent and increased to 14.09 per cent in 2015 -- a 43.15 per cent increase in their share," said the paper prepared by a team led by Shamika Ravi, member, EAC-PM.
According to the paper, the share of Christian population rose from 2.24 per cent to 2.36 per cent -- an increase of 5.38 per cent between 1950 and 2015.
While the share of Sikh population increased from 1.24 per cent in 1950 to 1.85 per cent in 2015 - a 6.58 per cent rise in their share, the share of the Parsi population in India witnessed a stark 85 per cent decline, reducing from 0.03 per cent share in 1950 to 0.004 per cent in 2015.
The data indicates that "there is a conducive environment to foster diversity in the society," the paper said, adding that it is not possible to promote better life outcomes for the disadvantaged sections of society without providing a nurturing environment and societal support through a bottom-up approach.
The paper noted that a decrease in the share of the majority population and a consequent increase in the share of minorities suggests that the net result of all policy actions, political decisions and societal processes is to provide a conducive environment for increasing diversity in society.
Narendra Modi performs puja
14:25 Population 'report from WhatsApp univ': Owaisi
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday responded to the report of the Economic Advisory Council to the PM (EAC-PM) and called it a "report from Whatsapp University."
Asked about the declining share of the Hindu population, Owaisi said, "Forward me the report then I will respond. Whose report is this? Who made this report? Report from Whatsapp University. Who made this report?"
The remarks of Owaisi come amidst the report of the Economic Advisory Council to the PM (EAC-PM) which said that in India, the share of the majority Hindu population decreased by 7.82 per cent between 1950 and 2015 (from 84.68 per cent to 78.06 per cent), while the share of the Muslim population, which in 1950 was 9.84 per cent, increased to 14.09 per cent in 2015--a 43.15 per cent increase in their share.
Earlier today, Amit Malviya, Bhartiya Janta Party's in-charge of the National Information and Technology Department targeted the Congress party over the report of the Economic Advisory Council to the PM (EAC-PM) and said that if the country is left to Congress, then there would be no country for Hindus. Taking to his official X handle, Amit Malviya tweeted, "Share of Hindus shrunk 7.8% between 1950 and 2015. The Muslim population grew by 43%. This is what decades of Congress rule did to us. Left to them, there would be no country for Hindus."
13:58 Molestation case: Bengal Guv shows CCTV footage
In the backdrop of a woman employee of Raj Bhavan leveling molestation charges against him, West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Thursday showed CCTV footage of the premises of May 2 to around 100 common people.
Footage from two CCTV cameras at the main (north) gate from 5.30 pm of May 2 were being shown to people at the hall on the ground floor of Raj Bhavan and screening was underway.
A contractual woman employee of Raj Bhavan on Friday lodged a written complaint with the Kolkata Police alleging that she was molested by Bose in the governor's house.
Bose had on Wednesday said he would show the footage to common people, barring 'politician' Mamata Banerjee and 'her' police. -- PTI
Robert Vadra
13:20 Bakwas ki hai, happy he retired: Vadra on Pitroda
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's husband Robert Vadra has rubbished Sam Pitroda's 'racist' remark and expressing surprise at how such an educated person could make these types of comments.
Vadra also said that he completely disagreed with what the former Overseas India Congress chairman stating that the latter should have been more responsible with his remarks.
"When you are associated with this (Gandhi) family, with great power comes great responsibility, you have to think before taking any step. I disagree with what Sam Pitroda has said. 'Bakwas ki hai'. How can someone so educated say something like this? He was very close to Rajiv Gandhi but he should be a little more responsible. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are making efforts but because of his one statement, the BJP gets a chance to raise unnecessary issues," Vadra told ANI.
"You come here and talk about the mistakes of this government, point out the shortcomings. But you are sitting on the sofa and saying anything, which is complete nonsense. I am very happy that he has retired. I wrote to him yesterday that all this is wrong," Vadra said.
Vadra has also criticised Smriti Irani, the Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Amethi stating that she used his name in a wrong way by showing his picture with Adani.
"I have met a few people to know the reality of the ground. Amethi, Raibareli or Muradabad--wherever I have gone, people believe that I should come into active politics. I lived among the people of that area since 1999, campaigned for Sonia Gandhi and then made her win with a huge majority in 2004. My relations with the people of Amethi and Raebareli have been strong and they think that their MP used my name in the wrong way by showing my picture with Adani," Vadra said. He also mentioned that he had challenged Irani for proof but she did not reply.
"I am a member of the Gandhi family and people from across the world want to meet us. I have met Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela. I challenged Smriti Irani that I have a lot of information about you but I didn't say anything wrong. I told her to prove anything against me regarding Adani but she did not reply. People of Amethi felt that if Smriti Irani misused my name, then I should challenge her because she has not made any progress," he said.
12:58 How Brazil and Tagore are connected
On Tagore's birth anniversary on May 7, an interesting thread. Read it here.
Navneet Rana
12:37 Do it, PM is yours: Owaisi on Navneet's '15 secs'
Reacting to BJP leader Navneet Rana's "15-second lagenge" remark, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give her one hour instead of 15 seconds and asserted they are not "scared" of the BJP leader.
"I tell Modi ji - give her 15 seconds. What will you do? Give her 15 seconds, give her 1 hour. We, too, want to see if you have any humanity left in you. Who is scared? We are ready ... If someone is making an open call for it, then so be it. PM is yours; RSS is yours; everything is yours. Do it. Who is stopping you? Tell us where we have to come, we will be there. Do it," Owaisi told reporters on Thursday.
Responding to Navneet Rana's remarks that the vote given to AIMIM and Congress directly goes to Pakistan, he claimed that the BJP "hate" India's pluralism and diversity.
"In 2014, Narendra Modi alighted at the home of Nawaz Sharif all of a sudden...What was that? They feel all Muslims in India are Pakistanis. We have to defeat this RSS ideology. They hate India's pluralism and diversity," he added.
Invoking a provocative statement by AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi from 2013, BJP leader Navneet Rana issued a veiled warning to the Owaisi brothers in their stronghold of Hyderabad on Wednesday.
To the AIMIM leader's statement that they would take them all of '15 minutes' to balance out the "Hindu-Muslim ratio" in the country, Navneet, who seeking a fresh term in the Lok Sabha from Amravati, on a BJP ticket this time; hit back at the Owaisi brothers, saying "it would take us 15 seconds if the police were removed or made to stand down".
"The younger brother says 'Remove the police for 15 minutes so that we can show them what we can do'. I want to tell the younger brother (Akbaruddin) that it might take you 15 minutes, but it will only take us 15 seconds...it will take us all of 15 seconds if we come to the forefront," Rana was heard saying in a video clip she posted on her X handle, tagging the Owaisi brothers.
PM Modi at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya
11:57 BJP blames Congress for Muslim population rise
Amit Malviya, Bhartiya Janata Party's in-charge of the National Information and Technology Department on Wednesday targeted the Congress party over the report of Economic Advisory Council to the PM (EAC-PM) and said that if the country is left to Congress, then there would be no country for Hindus.
Taking to his official X handle, Amit Malviya tweeted, "Share of Hindus shrunk 7.8% between 1950 and 2015. The Muslim population grew by 43%. This is what decades of Congress rule did to us. Left to them, there would be no country for Hindus."
The remarks of Amit Malviya come amidst the report of EAC which said that in India, the share of the majority Hindu population decreased by 7.82 per cent between 1950 and 2015 (from 84.68 per cent to 78.06 per cent), while the share of the Muslim population, which in 1950 was 9.84 per cent, increased to 14.09 per cent in 2015--a 43.15 per cent increase in their share.
Meanwhile, Keshav Prasad Maurya, Uttar Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister also held the Congress responsible for the decrease in the Hindu population and claimed that the Muslim population due to the party's Muslim appeasement politics.
Speaking with ANI, Keshav Prasad Maurya said, "This is a topic of concern and this imbalance in the population--rise in Muslim population and decline in Hindu population, has happened because of the Congress' Muslim appeasement."
Maurya added further, "Congress party worked like the Muslim League and therefore, the country witnessed an imbalance in the population. That is why, the country needs Uniform Civil Code (UCC)... Just like Hindus, Muslims will only marry one person. 'Ye nahi ki ham 5 aur hamare 25 ke formule se santulan bigde,' and then the demand for another Pakistan rises in the country. To prevent such things from happening, Uniform Civil Code is important."
11:33 Priyanka's clerk: BJP on Cong's Amethi candidate
The BJP's Rae Bareli candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh has accused the Gandhi family of harbouring "hatred" for Rae Bareli-Amethi, and asked why they did not field a local leader but opted for "Priyanka Gandhi's clerk" to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Amethi.
Singh, who is taking on Rahul Gandhi in a high-profile electoral contest here, also claimed that the Gandhi scion will lose by a bigger margin than his mother Sonia Gandhi had won in the 2019 polls.
Sonia Gandhi had beaten Singh in 2019 by over 1,67,000 votes. However, this was the lowest margin of victory that Sonia Gandhi has had in the five elections, including a bypoll, that she has fought from the constituency.
"People have great trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and under his leadership, the country as well as the hard-earned income of the people is safe. People of Rae Bareli also trust the prime minister," Singh told PTI in an interview.
"So, in such a scenario, I don't think the Congress candidate will be able to hold his ground before the BJP candidate in Rae Bareli," he said.
Asked about Priyanka Gandhi Vadra camping in Rae Bareli and campaigning for her brother Rahul, Singh said it could be a topic of discussion for media people who have come from outside but her camping here was a non-issue for the people of Rae Bareli.
"In 2022 assembly polls, she stayed here and asked for votes in every nook and corner, but in all the assembly seats Priyanka Gandhi camped here and ran around, about 16,000 votes were bagged in assembly segments. Is it the same Priyanka Gandhi?" he said, taking a swipe at the Congress general secretary.
"It can be of importance to you but she holds no importance for people of Rae Bareli. She can stay here, it will be very good. She made so many promises in the 2019 polls and till 2024, leave alone fulfilling those promises, she did not even stand with the people in their happy and sad times," the BJP leader alleged.
Speaking in local dialect, he said, "'Aaj nikli hain, humka andaza hai kauno gaon bachi na jahan belana liye mahilayein khadi na hui hain, inka swagat kare ke liye' (I have an idea that when she goes out to the villages, women would welcome her with batons in their hands)." Singh alleged that the Gandhi family has hatred for Rae Bareli-Amethi and that is why it neither fielded anyone from there in the Lok Sabha polls since 1952 nor sent any native person to Rajya Sabha.
"Rahul Gandhi ji has opened 'mohabbat ki dukaan'. So much hatred is filled in the Gandhi family's mind for Amethi-Rae Bareli. From 1952 till now, Gandhi family never gave a Lok Sabha ticket to a person born to a mother from Rae Bareli," Singh claimed. "No son of Rae Bareli was sent to Rajya Sabha and the Gandhi family did not make anyone from Rae Bareli even an MP's representative.
"MP's representatives have also been brought from outside. Today it is before the people. Could only a person brought from Ludhiana who is Priyanka Gandhi's clerk fight the polls from Amethi? Were there no Congress leaders in Amethi?" he said.
"This hatred that they have for Amethi-Rae Bareli, which manifests itself in 'we will not give the ticket to a person from Amethi or Rae Bareli but get a person from Delhi or Ludhiana'," the BJP leader said.
11:24 Unfounded accusations by US: Russia on Pannun
Question (translated from Russian): I want to quote The Washington Post: 'India is part of an expanding list of countries using tactics previously associated with China, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and other repressive regimes: the spread of social networks and spyware that simultaneously empower and endanger dissident groups'. How does Russia feel about the accusations against an Indian official in a foiled plot to "murder" on foreign territory? Recently, the American news outlet "The Washington Post" stated that India is trying to do the same as Russia and Saudi Arabia against its enemy.
Weekly briefing by spokesperson of Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova.
Maria Zakharova: It seems to me that The Washington Post should use the term "repressive regime" and everything that you quoted in relation to Washington. It is difficult to come up with a more repressive regime than Washington, both in domestic and international affairs. Now directly about your question. According to the information we have, Washington has not yet provided any reliable evidence of the involvement of Indian citizens in the preparation of the murder of a certain G.S.Pannun. Speculation on this topic in the absence of evidence is unacceptable. The regular unfounded accusations by the United States against New Delhi -- we see that they unreasonably accuse not only India, but also many other states -- of violating religious freedoms are a reflection of the United States' misunderstanding of the national mentality, the historical context of the development of the Indian state and disrespect for India as a state. I am sure that this comes from the neocolonial mentality, the mentality of the colonial period, the period of the slave trade, imperialism. This does not apply only to India. The reason is the desire to unbalance the domestic political situation in India in order to complicate the ongoing general parliamentary elections in the country. Of course, this is part of the interference in India's internal affairs.
Question (translated from Russian): A spokesman for the Indian Foreign Ministry said that the United States is trying to interfere in the Indian general election. I know that there are Russian observers in India now. Is America trying to interfere in this election?
Maria Zakharova: Absolutely. I think this is a desire on the part of the United States to complicate the general parliamentary elections in India and part of a campaign to interfere in India's internal affairs.
-- MK Bhadrakumar.
Update on the Pannun story...
After The Washington Post named an Indian official for allegedly plotting to assassinate Sikh extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, India said the report made "unwarranted and unsubstantiated" imputations on a serious matter and that investigation into the case was underway.
The newspaper, citing unnamed sources, named a Research and Analysis Wing officer in connection with the alleged plot to kill Pannun on American soil last year.
"The report in question makes unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter," external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh
11:01 TMC moves EC on BJP's Sandeshkhali video
The Trinamool Congress on Thursday lodged a complaint to the Election Commission against the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, and others over the Sandeshkhali issue.
The TMC has filed a complaint after leaders confessed on camera that the Sandeshkhali rape accusations were concocted.
Earlier, TMC held a protest march in Sandeshkhali's Trimohini area against the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) alleged conspiracy against women in the riverine island after a sting operation revealed that the BJP was involved in scripting the entire incident.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday warned the BJP not to disrespect the mothers of Bengal, as once the self-respect of women is lost it cannot be regained. -- ANI
Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi
10:58 Indian student missing in Chicago since May 2
An Indian student has been reported missing in Chicago since May 2. The Consulate General of India in Chicago said it was in touch with the police and Indian diaspora to locate/reestablish contact with Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi.
In a post on X, the Consulate General of India in Chicago stated, "The Consulate is deeply concerned learning that Indian student Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi is incommunicado since 2nd May. Consulate is in touch with the police and the Indian diaspora hoping to locate/reestablish contact with Rupesh."
The Chicago police, in a statement, have urged people to provide information to the police if they locate Rupesh Chintakindi. According to the statement, he was missing from the 4300 block of N Sheridan Road.
Earlier in April, an Indian student who has been missing since March this year was found dead in the US state of Ohio, the Consulate General of India in New York said.
The Consulate General of India in New York said it is "anguished" to learn about the death of Mohammed Abdul Arfath and is in touch with local authorities to ensure a thorough investigation into his death."
In April, Uma Satya Sai Gadde, an Indian student in Cleveland, Ohio, died and a police investigation is underway.
Earlier this February, an Indian student faced a brutal attack in Chicago. Following the attack, the Indian Consulate in Chicago stated that it was in touch with the victim, Syed Mazahir Ali, as well as his wife in India.
10:38 Pained by Moosa Raza's death: Modi
PM Modi condoles the death of Moosa Raza. In a post, the PM said, "Shri Moosa Raza Ji was a veteran bureaucrat who served in various positions at the state and Centre. I used to interact with him and found his perspectives on various issues to be insightful. Post retirement, he worked extensively on education and learning. Pained by his demise. May his soul rest in peace."
Navneet Rana
10:03 15 seconds: BJP leader on Owaisi's 15 min remark
Invoking a provocative statement by AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi from 2013, BJP leader Navneet Rana issued a veiled warning to the Owaisi brothers in their stronghold Hyderabad on Wednesday.
To the AIMIM leader's statement that they would take them all of '15 minutes' to balance out the "Hindu-Muslim ratio" in the country, Navneet, who seeking a fresh term in the Lok Sabha from Amravati, albeit on a BJP ticket this time; hit back at the Owaisi brothers, saying "it would take us 15 seconds if the police were removed or made to stand down".
"The younger brother says 'remove the police for 15 minutes so that we can show them what we can do'. I want to tell the younger brother (Akbaruddin) that it might take you 15 minutes, but it will only take us 15 seconds...it will take us all of 15 seconds if we come to the forefront," Rana was heard saying in a video clip she posted on her X handle, tagging the Owaisi brothers.
At a meeting in 2013, Akbaruddin warned "100 crore Hindus" that his community would show what it could do if the police were withdrawn for '15 minutes'.Navneet made the remark while campaigning for Madhavi Latha, who is the BJP's candidate for the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency. The fiery leader and entrepreneur is pitted against a formidable opponent in the form of four-time Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM chief, Asaduddin Owaisi.
This is the first time that the BJP has fielded a female candidate from the Hyderabad constituency.
Asaduddin has been the elected representative from Hyderabad since 2004. He was previously elected as an MLA twice in the erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh.
09:40 Author, educationist, bureaucrat Moosa Raza passes away
Journalist Ahmed Ali Fayyaz writes: "Sad to hear that Mr Moosa Raza, retd IAS 1960, Gujarat cadre, who was Chief Secretary Jammu and Kashmir in 1989-90, has passed away in Chennai. He was 87. May his soul rest in peace. Moosa Raza was lastly the Chairman of the South Indian Educational Trust (S.I.E.T.), which runs six educational institutions. His book titled "Of Nawabs and Nightingales' is a collection of his early experiences in the Indian Administrative Service.
"It was very favourably reviewed by the Khushwant Singh in newspapers and magazines. His book "In Search of Oneness", which was published in 2012, is a free flowing narrative about the author's journey in search of a personal God and faith. Drawing from religious sources like the Bhagavad Gita, the Quran and Sufi writing by authors like Abdurrahman Chishti, Ibn Arabi, Rumi, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani and others, Raza highlighted the commonality of religions. He also published a collection of his Urdu poems titled "Khwab-e-Natamaam" (The Incomplete Dream).
"His book "Kashmir: Land of Regrets", published in 2019, is a recollection of his tenure as the J&K Chief Secretary in the tumultuous years leading up to the kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed.
"He handled Rubaiya Sayeed's kidnapping and release, of course being stuck between the conflicting directions of the VP Singh Government at the Centre, in which Rubaiya's father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was the Union Home Minister, and the J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah.
"Raza published his memoirs titled "Of Giants and Windmills" in 2022 which traces his journey from a remote village in South India to his last role as Chairman of the South Indian Educational Trust."
Also read Moosa Raza's book extract here: When the home minister's daughter was kidnapped
09:33 Air India Express sacks 25 crew on mass sick leave
Air India Express has terminated at least 25 cabin crew members, a day after hundreds of employees reported sick and failed to report to work that led to disruptions to flight operations.
According to sources within the airline, the management on Wednesday terminated cabin crew members who took sick leave between Tuesday and Wednesday due to their unprofessional behaviour, which resulted in inconvenience to thousands of passengers.
The mass sick leave was considered a pre-meditated and concerted abstention from work without any justifiable reason, violating Air India Express Limited employee service rules. The decision to terminate the employees was made as their actions violated the conditions outlined in their employment contracts, leading to their immediate termination.
The disruption caused by the mass sick leave affected more than 95 flights of Air India Express between Tuesday evening and Wednesday, impacting over 10,000 passengers.
The disruption in flight operations stemmed from the delay and cancellation of over 90 international and domestic flights due to cabin crew members reporting sick.
In response to this, Air India Express CEO, Aloke Singh, announced plans to reduce flight operations in the coming days. Singh said that since Tuesday evening, "over 100 of cabin crew colleagues have reported sick prior to their rostered flight duty, at the last minute, severely disrupting our operations. Because this action was mostly by colleagues assigned L1 role, the impact was disproportionate, disrupting 90+ flights even though other colleagues reported for duty."
He emphasised that the behaviour of a few does not represent the dedication of the majority of the airline's cabin crew, who continue to serve guests with dedication and pride.
"This act is certainly not representative of the 2,000-odd cabin crew colleagues in the company who continue to respond to the call of duty and serve our guests with dedication and pride. I am thankful to all who are standing by the airline in this hour of crisis," he said in a statement.
Singh invited staff for discussions to address any concerns they may have and assured that all communication channels are open. -- ANI
08:50 No proof of Indian hand in Pannun plot: Russia
Rubbishing the allegations by the United States on India for a foiled assassination plot against pro-Khalistan radical Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Washington, DC has not yet provided any reliable evidence of the involvement of Indian citizens in the case.
"According to the information we have, Washington, DC has not yet provided any reliable evidence of the involvement of Indian citizens in the preparation of the murder of a certain GS Pannun. Speculation on this topic in the absence of evidence is unacceptable," the official spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Wednesday (local time).
She said that the US does not understand the national mentality, as well as the historical context of the development of the Indian state and it disrespects India as a state.
Zakharova's remarks came in response to a media query on Moscow's reaction to accusations against an Indian official of a foiled 'assassination' plot, and the American news publication The Washington Post stating that India is trying to do the same as Russia and Saudi Arabia against its enemy.
"The Washington Post, it seems to me, should use the term 'repressive regime' and everything you quoted in relation to Washington, DC. It is difficult to imagine a more repressive regime than Washington, both in domestic and international affairs. Now directly about your question," Zakharova said, according to the readout of the briefing released by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
"Regular unfounded accusations by the United States against New Delhi (we see that they groundlessly accuse not only India but also many other states) of violating religious freedoms are a reflection of the United States' misunderstanding of the national mentality, the historical context of the development of the Indian state and disrespect for India as a state . I am sure that this also comes from the neocolonial mentality, the mentality of the colonial period, the period of the slave trade, and imperialism," she said. -- ANI
Maldives FM Moosa Zameer after reaching New Delhi (left)/ANI
01:34 Maldives FM Moosa Zameer arrives in India on official visit amid standoff
Amid a diplomatic standoff, Maldives Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer on Wednesday arrived in New Delhi on an official visit to India to discuss bilateral ties between the two countries.
During his visit, the two sides will discuss bilateral and regional issues and seek ways to provide impetus to our multifaceted relationship.
Ministry of external affairs also shared details of his arrival on X saying.
"Warm welcome to FM @MoosaZameer of Maldives on his official visit to India. Discussions on bilateral & regional issues and seeking ways to provide impetus to our multifaceted relationship lie ahead."
According to the MEA release, the Maldivian Minister will hold a meeting with the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to discuss the bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest.
"Moosa Zameer, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives will be in India on an official visit on 09 May 2024. During his visit to New Delhi, Foreign Minister Zameer will meet the External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar for discussions on bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest," MEA statement said." -- ANI
File image
01:02 Phase 3 voter turnout climbs to 65.68%
The updated approximate voter turnout figures for polling in the third phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections stands at 65.68 percent, the Election Commission said on Wednesday.
The figures were retrieved at 10 pm on Wednesday, it said.
The figures will continue to be updated by the field level officers, the poll panel said.
Voting for the third phase was held on Tuesday in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories with stray incidents of violence. -- PTI
Gangster Dawood Ibrahim/File image
01:00 Mumbai police issue Look Out Circular against Dawood ex-aide Salim Dola
The Mumbai police on Wednesday issued a Look Out Circular against drug supplier Salim Dola in connection with a Rs 252 crore mephedrone seizure in Maharashtra's Sangli district, an official said.
Dola, once a close aide of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, was found to be the main drug supplier, and declared a wanted accused by the crime branch, he said.
He was also wanted in several other drug cases, the official added.
The police had earlier busted a mephedrone supply ring by raiding a manufacturing unit in western Maharashtra's Sangli district. -- PTI
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00:51 Cognizant, L&T, unknown officials booked for bribery
The Anti-Corruption Bureau of Maharashtra police registered an offence against officials of IT major Cognizant Technologies, Larsen & Toubro and unknown government officials in an alleged $7,70,00 bribery case.
On April 19, the sessions court here had directed the ACB to investigate allegations against Cognizant Technologies that it paid a bribe through its construction contractor to local government officials to secure necessary permits and environmental clearances for its campus at Hinjawadi on the city's outskirts between 2013 and 2014.
The offence was registered against officials of Cognizant Technologies; Manikandan Rammurthy, former vice president (administration and real estate officer, Cognizant, India), then officials of L&T, and unknown government officials who had accepted the bribe under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the ACB said in a release.
The court had passed the order on April 19 on a complaint filed by Delhi-based environmental activist and retired police officer Prit Pal Singh through his lawyer Pratik Rajopadhye. -- PTI
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00:16 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
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