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Tue, 21 May 2024
SC rejects pleas to review Art 370 revocation verdict
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23:23 SC rejects pleas to review Art 370 revocation verdict
The Supreme Court has dismissed a batch of petitions seeking review of its December 11, 2023 verdict that unanimously upheld the Centre's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 bestowing special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud considered the pleas in chambers and dismissed applications for listing of the review petitions in the open court.
"Having perused the review petitions, there is no error apparent on the face of the record. No case for review under Order XLVII Rule 1 of the Supreme Court Rules 2013. The review petitions are, therefore, dismissed," the bench, also comprising justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, Surya Kant and AS Bopanna, said in its May 1 order.
On December 11 last year, the top court, while upholding the Centre's 2019 decision, had ordered assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September end this year and restoration of statehood "at the earliest". -- PTI
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23:14 IMD issues red alert for heavy rains in 2 Kerala districts
The India meteorological department on Tuesday issued a red alert for Pathanamthitta and Idukki districts in Kerala, predicting extremely heavy rainfall on May 22.
These districts already have orange alerts in place and are expected to see very heavy rainfall in isolated areas, it said.
Earlier in the day, the IMD had withdrawn red alerts for Pathanamthitta, Idukki, and Kottayam districts but issued new warnings due to the severe weather being predicted.
The IMD issued an orange alert for eight districts, including the capital Thiruvananthapuram, which has been experiencing widespread rainfall.
Additionally, a yellow alert was issued for six northern districts: Palakkad, Kozhikode, Kannur, Malappuram, Wayanad, and Kasaragod.
As heavy rains pose potential hazards, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has advised people to be vigilant. -- PTI
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22:48 Standby passenger boards IndiGo in place of confirmed ticket holder
In an apparent security lapse, a standby passenger in place of a confirmed ticket holder boarded the Varanasi-bound IndiGo flight at the Mumbai airport on Tuesday and was later deboarded before the plane took off.
Generally, an airline staff who can take a flight in case there is a vacant seat is referred to as a standby passenger.
In a statement, IndiGo said there was an error during the passenger boarding process of 6E 6543 from Mumbai to Varanasi, wherein a standby passenger was allotted a seat reserved for a confirmed passenger.
"The error was noticed prior to the departure of the aircraft, and the standby passenger was de-boarded. This led to a slight delay in the departure of the aircraft," the airline said. -- PTI
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22:38 Man behind anti-Kejri graffiti caught on CCTV
The Delhi police probing the graffiti incident targeting Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said a man has been captured in CCTV cameras scribbling the messages.
The police on Monday registered an FIR and started a probe after graffiti bearing the AAP national convenor's name was found scribbled inside metro trains and at stations.
"A young man is caught writing on the signboards and coaches in the CCTV footage. He is suspected to be the same man who had shared the photographs of the graffiti on his Instagram account," an officer said.
He said the police collected the footage from the Patel Nagar, Ramesh Nagar and Rajiv Chowk metro stations on Tuesday.
The police officer said pictures of certain messages scribbled inside metro trains and at stations were shared through the Instagram account "ankit.goel_91".
One of the graffiti inside a metro train read, "Kejriwal Dilli Chhor Dijiye (Kejriwal, leave Delhi). Please. Otherwise, you will have to remember three slaps, which you planted (sic) before the election. Now the real and actual punch/slap will be there soon. Today's meeting at Jhandewalan.... Ankit.Goel_91" -- PTI
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22:11 NIA conducts multi-state raids in Bengaluru cafe blast case
The National Investigation Agency on Tuesday carried out multi-state raids in connection with its probe in Bengaluru's Rameshwaram Cafe blast case, officials said.
Several customers and hotel staff members were injured, some of them grievously, in the blast that caused extensive damage to the cafe in the IT city on March 1.
"Multi-states raids were underway in different locations," a senior NIA official said, without sharing further details.
The probe agency, that took over the case on March 3, had on April 12 arrested two key accused, including the mastermind Adbul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa, in the matter.
Taahaa and the other accused, Mussavir Hussain Shazib, who had allegedly placed the Improvised Explosive Device at the cafe, were arrested from a lodge near Kolkata, where they were staying under the assumed identities. -- PTI
22:06 Worker on contract dies by suicide on JNU campus
A 55-year-old contractual worker allegedly died by suicide by hanging himself inside the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus in southwest Delhi, the police said on Tuesday.
According to the police, the deceased, Vijay, worked as a safai karamchari on private contract at the university.
"A PCR call regarding a suicide was received from JNU campus at 1.59 pm. A team reached the campus and near a multi-storeyed building, found a person hanging from a tree with an iron chain tied around his neck," a senior police officer said.
The officer said the spot was inspected and proceedings under 174 Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have been initiated, adding that further enquiry is being conducted to ascertain the reason behind the suicide.
Meanwhile, the JNU administration issued a statement expressing condolences over the matter.
"The university is deeply saddened by the loss of one of the outsourced staff and extends its heartfelt condolences to his family members. In light of this tragedy, the university is committed to providing its support to the family during this difficult time," the statement read.
The university said that the salary of the deceased employee was paid regularly by the concerned vendor.
In view of this unfortunate incident, it also directed the vendor to extend all the necessary help, including any ex- gratia payment, to Vijay's family on an urgent basis.
"The local police has already started an investigation into the incident. We request everyone to remain vigilant and also refrain from spreading unverified information. Further, we request all to respect the privacy and dignity of the deceased and his family during this difficult time," the university said in the statement.
The JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) also expressed condolences and demanded that the kin of the deceased be employed by the university.
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21:42 Two polling booths in UP's Jhansi record 100% turnout
Two polling booths in the Jhansi Lok Sabha constituency, where elections were held in the fifth phase on May 20, have recorded 100 percent voter turnout, officials said on Tuesday.
According to an official statement issued by district election officer and district magistrate Akshay Tripathi, all 375 voters -- 198 men and 177 women -- at booth number 277 in Saulda of Mehrauni assembly cast their votes.
Similarly, at booth number 355 in Bamhora Nagal village, all 441 registered voters -- 235 men and 206 women -- participated, it said.
Both these booths are located in the Lalitpur district.
In another village, Budhni Narahat, there is still confusion regarding 100 percent voting due to technical issues, the statement said, adding there is a possibility that 100 percent turnout will be declared there as well. DEO Tripathi said that further details will be confirmed once the technical issues are resolved. -- PTI
The luxury car that hit a motorcycle killing two in Pune, May 19, 2024/ANI Photo
21:31 Father of Pune's juvenile Porsche driver arrested
The father of a 17-year-old boy allegedly involved in a car accident that killed two software engineers in Pune was placed under arrest on Tuesday evening hours after he was detained from Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the police said.
The car, a Porsche, allegedly driven by the boy, who the police claim was drunk at the time of the accident, fatally knocked down two motorbike-borne software engineers in the Kalyani Nagar area in the early hours of Sunday, according to the police.
The teenager's father, a builder, was detained in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and brought to Pune where he was placed under arrest on Tuesday evening, they said.
He will be produced in a city court on Wednesday, said the police. -- PTI
BJP candidate Jagdambika Pal/Courtesy Facebook
21:11 BJP candidate Jagdambika Pal falls on stage while welcoming Adityanath
Bharatiya Janata Party's Domariyaganj candidate, Jagdambika Pal, suffered a fall on the stage on Tuesday while rushing to welcome Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who had come here to address an election rally.
The people on the stage helped him get up while Adityanath reached him and made him comfortable.
In his speech, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister appealed to the people to elect Pal again.
"If Jagdambika Pal wins the elections, the pace of development in the area will accelerate further," the chief minister said.
Pal has been an MP from Domaryaganj continuously since the 2009 polls.
Adityanath said before 2017, the mafia used to suck the blood of the public but today they are hiding in the burrows.
The people now go to read 'fatiha' (Muslim prayers) after the death of the criminals, he added.
"These people were the patrons of the mafias," he said, targeting the rivals, the Samajwadi Party. -- PTI
Mithun Chakraborty
20:44 Stone-pelting, clash during Mithun Chakraborty's roadshow in Bengal
Stones were hurled by some persons during a roadshow of actor-turned-Bharatiya Janata Party leader Mithun Chakraborty in Midnapore town on Tuesday, following which a clash broke out, the police said.
Agnimitra Paul, BJP candidate for Midnapore Lok Sabha seat where polling will be held on May 25, accused Trinamool Congress workers of hurling glass bottles and stones at the procession, a charge denied by the ruling party in the state.
Both Chakraborty and Paul were unharmed in the incident.
The roadshow began at Collectorate More and was proceeding towards Keranitola, with hundreds of BJP supporters raising slogans, and Chakraborty, with Paul beside him, waving to crowds from a vehicle.
However, as the roadshow reached Shekhpura More, some persons standing on the roadside hurled stones and bottles at the procession, following which BJP workers charged at them and a clash broke out, a police officer said, adding, however, the situation was quickly brought under control.
"The TMC is scared of swelling support for the BJP and is resorting to such hooliganism. They can stoop so low as to disrespect a legendary actor like Mithun Chakraborty," Paul said. -- PTI
Delhi police stand guard outside a school in Delhi after a bomb threat/ANI Photo
20:27 Email threat to Delhi schools traced to Hungary
The bomb threat emails received by around 150 schools in Delhi-NCR early this month are suspected to have been sent from Hungary's capital Budapest, Delhi police officials said on Tuesday.
According to an official, the IP address of these emails has been traced to Budapest and Delhi police will soon be contacting its counterpart in Hungary for further investigation.
The IP (internet protocol) address is a unique identifying number assigned to every device connected to the internet.
The mail purportedly sent from a mail.ru server claimed that explosives were planted on the school premises, triggering massive evacuations and searches as panic-stricken parents rushed to pick up their children on May 1.
The threat that sent alarm bells ringing in the security establishment was later declared as a hoax as nothing objectionable was found from the school campuses.
The police, after filing an FIR into the case, had written to the mailing service company 'mail.ru' based in Russia via Interpol. -- PTI
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20:07 Abducted Haryana businessman rescued in Greater Noida after car crash
A businessman abducted from Haryana's Faridabad was rescued by police in Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida, officials said on Tuesday.
The police were able to rescue the businessman after a chase, during which the car holding the hostage rammed into a divider, they said.
"Rajiv Mittal, a resident of Haryana's Ballabgarh area, was on his way to the Delhi airport around 1 am to receive someone when he was abducted by four men," additional DCP (Greater Noida) Ashok Kumar Sharma said.
"The abductors held him inside the Mahindra Scorpio and kept wandering on the roads before reaching Greater Noida from where they were perhaps trying to go to Delhi," ADGP Sharma said.
A team from Knowledge Park police station was on patrol duty near the Zero Point in Greater Noida when they spotted this suspicious vehicle in the area, the police said.
"When an attempt was made to stop the car, they started driving the vehicle at a high speed and rammed into a divider," a police spokesperson said. -- PTI
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19:59 Vehicle owner shells out Rs 25 lakh for fancy registration number in Hyderabad
A car owner has paid Rs 25.5 lakh to get a fancy registration number of '9999' for his vehicle in a bidding held in Hyderabad, Telangana State Road Transport Authority officials said on Tuesday.
Hyderabad joint transport commissioner C Ramesh said in the online auction for fancy registration numbers, '9999' was taken for the highest bid amount wherein the car owner paid Rs 25,50,002 for the number plate 'TG-09 9999' for his high-end vehicle, to the department.
As many as 11 people participated in the fancy number auction '9999' held on Monday and the number fetched Rs 25.5 lakh.
"So far this is the highest bid amount for a fancy number, which is a record in Telangana," the official said.
Earlier in August last year, the '9999' number had fetched Rs 21.6 lakh.
The official further said anyone interested in the fancy number can reserve it by paying Rs 50,000 and participate in the bidding if there are more bidders.
The Khairatabad Road Transport Authority office clocked a revenue of over Rs 43 lakh during the auction for other fancy numbers on Monday.
The Congress government in Telangana had in March this year changed the vehicle registration code to TG from TS. -- PTI
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19:48 Europe tour got more expensive; Schengen visa fees increased by 12%
The European Commission has announced a global increase in short-stay Schengen visa fees, effective from June 11.
This decision will see the cost of Schengen visas (visa type C) rise by 12 percent, impacting travellers planning to visit Europe.
Under the new fee structure, the cost for adult applicants will be Euro 90, up from the current Euro 80. For children aged 6 to below 12 years, the fee will increase from Euro 40 to Euro 45.
This hike applies to visa applications submitted worldwide.
The Schengen visa permits travel across 27 European countries, including popular tourist destinations such as France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
The fee adjustment aims to align with the increasing costs of processing visas and maintaining the security of the Schengen area.
The last fee update was implemented in February 2020, when the adult visa fee was increased to Euro 80 from Euro 60.
The European Commission justified the latest hike by citing inflation and the need to cover administrative costs associated with the visa process, which includes background checks, data processing, and maintaining secure entry systems. -- ANI
Bangladesh MP Anwarul Azim Anar/Courtesy Facebook
19:13 B'desh MP missing in Kolkata during treatment visit
An MP of Bangladesh, Anwarul Azim Anar, has been missing for the last few days after he arrived in the city for medical treatment on May 12, a senior official of the Bangladesh deputy high commission in Kolkata said.
Anar, an MP of Bangladesh's ruling Awami League, has been missing since May 13, he said.
"He came to Kolkata on May 12 for medical treatment and was staying at his friend's place in Baranagar in the northern fringes of the city. On May 13, he went to meet someone but didn't return. His friend later lodged a police complaint,' the official said.
The official said though Anar had been missing for the last eight days, messages were sent from his phone to family members that he had left for New Delhi.
"There is no trace of him. We are in touch with police and the authorities,' he added. -- PTI
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18:59 AR Rahman to perform in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur
Music composer AR Rahman will be returning to Singapore in August with his first concert performance in the country in 10 years.
The Oscar and Grammy-winning musician will perform at the National Stadium on August 31.
Maestro Productions, the company behind the singer-songwriter-musician's upcoming concert titled 'A Rahman Rhapsody', shared the announcement on social media on Monday.
"Singapore! It's been a decade! We look forward to performing again in our favourite city! Join us on the 31st of August at the National Stadium," the company posted.
The 57-year-old musician had last played here in 2014 at Gardens by the Bay.
Before coming to Singapore, Rahman will hold a concert on July 27 at Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
Rahman's Malaysia gig is organized by Star Planet, the country's premier entertainment company, a press release said. -- PTI
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18:41 Scarlett Johansson accuses OpenAI of making ChatGPT voice similar to her
Hollywood actor Scarlett Johansson has accused OpenAI of ripping off her voice for the new ChatGPT AI named "Sky', even though she had declined the company's offer.
The artificial intelligence company on Monday announced that it has decided to "pause" the Sky feature after questions were raised over the voice feature.
"We've heard questions about how we chose the voices in ChatGPT, especially Sky. We are working to pause the use of Sky while we address them," the company posted on its official X page.
In a statement to American news outlet Variety, Johansson said she was contacted by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in September 2023 about the company hiring her to provide the voice for ChatGPT 4.0 but she declined the offer for "personal reasons'.
"When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered and in disbelief that Mr. Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference,' Johansson said.
"Mr Altman even insinuated that the similarity was intentional, tweeting a single word 'her' -- a reference to the film in which I voiced a chat system, Samantha, who forms an intimate relationship with a human," she added. -- PTI
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18:13 Maha Board declares Class 12 results; 93.37% students pass, girls outshine boys
The Maharashtra State Board for Secondary and Higher Secondary Education on Tuesday declared the Higher Secondary Certificate, or Class 12, results with 93.37 percent students passing the exams.
As per results announced by the board's chairperson Sharad Gosavi, 95.44 percent girls cleared the exams as compared to 91.60 percent boys.
A total of 14,33,371 students registered for the exams conducted in March.
Out of them, 14,23,970 students appeared for the exams and 13,29,684 passed, Gosavi said.
The Konkan division was on the top with 97.51 percent students passing the exams, followed by Nashik division 94.71 percent, Pune 94.44 percent, Kolhapur division 94.24 percent, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar 94.08 percent, Amravati 93 percent, Latur 92.36 percent, Nagpur 92.12 percent, and Mumbai with the lowest 91.95 percent.
Gosavi said in the science stream 97.82 percent students passed, arts 85.88 percent, commerce 92.18 percent and vocational streams 87.75 percent. -- PTI
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17:45 Counting: Full day liquor sale ban challenged in HC
An association of owners of hotels, restaurants and bars on Tuesday moved the Bombay high court, challenging the orders passed by the Mumbai city and suburban collectors, declaring the entire day of June 4, when the votes of the Lok Sabha elections will be counted, as a dry day.
A dry day means the purchase and consumption of alcohol are completely restricted at stores, restaurants and other places.
The Indian Hotel & Restaurant Association filed two separate petitions through advocates Veena Thadani and Vishal Thadani, claiming that it was arbitrary to ban the sale of liquor for the entire day as the counting of votes is likely to be completed and the election results would be declared by afternoon.
The plea is likely to be heard on Wednesday by a vacation bench.
As per the plea, the petitioner association had in April approached the Mumbai city collector and the Mumbai district suburban collector, requesting them to review their decision declaring the whole day of June 4 as a dry day. -- PTI
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17:36 1 killed, 3 injured in post-poll violence in Bihar's Saran
One person was killed and three others injured in post-poll violence in Bihar's Saran district on Tuesday morning, the police said.
The incident happened in the Bada Telma area near Bhikhari Thakur Chowk, they said.
An altercation broke out between two groups, said to be supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal, over allegations of irregularities during polling that happened on Monday in the area, amid which shots were fired.
One person was killed on the spot, and three others were injured, a police officer said.
The deceased was identified as Chandan Yadav (25), he added.
"The injured persons were admitted to the nearest hospital. Later, two of them were sent to Patna for better treatment," superintendent of police Gaurav Mangla said. -- PTI
17:20 PM against tribals: Kejriwal on Soren's arrest
Labelling Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "anti-tribal" who put the "tallest tribal leader of the country" behind the bars, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday accused him of plotting to topple elected governments of AAP and JMM.
He also launched a scathing attack on the BJP and its spokesperson Sambit Patra for remarks that "Lord Jagannath is Modi's devotee" and urged people to "crush their arrogance".
"PM Modi plotted to finish AAP and JMM but we got stronger and he could not topple Delhi, Punjab, Jharkhand governments," Kejriwal said while addressing an election rally in Jamshedpur.
"The PM put all his forces to keep me in the jail but I am a devotee of Bajrangbali and a miracle happened. I am on bail... soon Hemant Soren, whom he has kept in the jail, will be out... Soren's wife Kalpana is challenging Modi like 'Jhansi ki Rani'. No court has found Hemant Soren or Arvind Kejriwal guilty... it is nothing but PM Modi's 'gundagardi'," Kejriwal alleged.
Alleging that "PM Modi hates tribals", the AAP supremo appealed to electors not to vote for the BJP as it would amount to betrayal with Jharkhand and the tribals. "If you press the button with lotus symbol (of BJP), Hemant Soren will remain in jail," he said.
Kejriwal urged people to "remove PM Modi and save the nation" because if Modi is re-elected "the Constitution and reservations would stand destroyed". PTI
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17:09 Mumbai: 39 Flamingos killed after hit by Emirates flight
An Emirates flight recently caused the deaths of approximately 39 flamingos in the Laxmi Nagar area of Pantnagar in Ghatkopar, Mumbai. The birds' bodies were scattered across various locations, even in the people's houses. The bodies of the birds have been sent for post-mortem to determine the exact cause of death.
Upon receiving the information, teams from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Air Traffic Control (ATC), and the Forest Department immediately rushed to the spot.
A BMC official stated, "The flock of 39 flamingos were moving in the sky. These 39 flamingos were found dead after colliding with an Emirates flight in the Laxmi Buag area of Pantnagar in Ghatkopar. There are chances that more flamingos will be injured. We are running a search operation in this matter." He also mentioned that corrective measures and necessary actions would be taken.
16:43 1 dead after London-Singapore flight hits turbulence
One person has been killed and several others injured on a Singapore Airlines flight from London that was hit by severe turbulence, reports the BBC.
The Singapore-bound Boeing 777-300ER was diverted to Bangkok and landed at 15:45 local (08:45 GMT).Flight SQ 321 was carrying a total of 211 passengers and 18 crew, the airline said in a statement.
"Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased," it said.
The airline added that it was working with Thai authorities to provide medical assistance to passengers, and was sending a team to Bangkok to provide any additional assistance needed.
Thai authorities have despatched ambulances and emergency teams to the Suvarnabhumi Airport.
16:40 Nehru would not have allowed reservations: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched a fresh attack on the Congress, accusing its top leaders, including first PM Jawaharlal Nehru, of having "opposed" reservations for deprived castes.
"Had it not been for Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Nehru would have never agreed to quotas for SCs, STs and OBCs. Nehru had made his views clear on the issue in letters he wrote to the then chief ministers in the country", claimed Modi at a rally in Purbi Champaran Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar.
"This has been the Congress' trait under successive prime ministers. Be it, Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi, they all opposed reservations. SCs, STs and OBCs have never got respect from the Congress", the PM added. Modi made the allegation while lashing out at the opposition for spreading a "falsehood" that the BJP, upon return to power with a brute majority, could scrap quotas by changing the Constitution.
"The truth is that we have been protecting the rights of the deprived castes", claimed the prime minister who spelt out his government's measures to assert "it is only with the NDA led by BJP that rights of SCs, STs and OBCs are secure". Modi also charged the INDIA bloc with having plans to give reservation benefits "on the basis of religion". -- PTI
16:35 INDIA bloc inching closer to victory: Kejriwal
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of referring to the people of Delhi as "Pakistanis" and asserted that they are his family and should not be abused.
Addressing a virtual press conference, Kejriwal said with the completion of each phase of the Lok Sabha polls, it is becoming clearer that the Narendra Modi government is on its way out and the INDIA bloc is coming to power on June 4. He said the INDIA bloc will give a stable government to the country.
On Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath addressed public meetings in South Delhi and East Delhi parliamentary constituencies respectively. Kejriwal alleged the number of people who attended Amit Shah's rally was less than 500.
"He said the supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are Pakistanis. I want to ask him that the people of Delhi have formed the government by giving us 62 seats (and) 56 per cent vote share. Are the people of Delhi Pakistanis? "The people of Punjab have formed the government by giving us 92 out of 117 seats. Are the people of Punjab Pakistanis? The people of Gujarat gave us 14 per cent votes. Are the people of Gujarat also Pakistanis? The people of Goa gave us love (and) trust. Are the people of Goa also Pakistanis?" Kejriwal questioned.
He also said the AAP's panch, sarpanch, municipal mayors and councillors were elected in many parts of the country in the panchayat and municipal elections.
"Are all the people of this country Pakistanis? What are you saying?" said the Delhi chief minister. Kejriwal's reaction came in response to a statement made by Shah during his rally a day earlier while seeking votes for his party's candidate in the South Delhi constituency, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri.
"Kejriwal and Rahul (Gandhi) have no support in India. Their supporters are in Pakistan," the home minister had said. The AAP national convener said, "The Prime Minister has chosen you as his successor. You have become so arrogant about this that you started abusing people (and) threatening them." -- PTI
16:30 Revealed: Meta approved political ads in India that incited violence
The Guardian exclusive: Ads containing AI-manipulated images were submitted to Facebook by civil and corporate accountability groups. Read the report here.
AAP MP Swati Maliwal
16:16 Cops to quiz people Bibhav met in Mumbai
After the Delhi Police took Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's personal aide Bibhav Kumar to Mumbai, the police is likely to record statements of the people who Bibhav met during his visit to Mumbai.
According to the sources, Delhi Police recorded the statements of all the staff present in Kejriwal's house on May 13.
Bibhav is not cooperating in the police investigation during remand period, the police said.
Delhi Police went to Mumbai along with Bibhav today and will take him to all those locations where he visited.
The most important thing for the police investigation is to find out why and where Bibhav formatted his phone.
Whatever electronic gadgets the police have recovered so far, they have been sent to FSL for investigation.
"Kumar's custody with the Delhi Police will be expiring on Thursday. Based on their findings, the Delhi Police will either seek more time in remand or invoke Section 201 in the matter," police sources said.
Section 201 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) penalizes people for destruction of evidence of a crime.
Meanwhile, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the Swati Maliwal case. The SIT is headed by North Delhi's Additional Deputy Commissioner Of Police (DCP) Anjitha Chepyala who has been handling the investigation.
Three Inspector-rank officers are also included in the SIT, which includes the officer of Civil Lines Police Station where the case was registered.
This comes a week after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP accused party chief Arvind Kejriwal's former personal secretary Bibhav Kumar of assaulting her at the Chief Minister's residence. -- ANI
15:35 Voters being bombarded with millions of deepfakes
India's elections are a glimpse of the AI-driven future of democracy. Politicians are using audio and video deepfakes of themselves to reach voters -- who may have no idea they've been talking to a clone. Read more
PM campaigns for Prajwal Revanna
15:33 K'taka govt asks MEA to cancel Prajwal's passport
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said the state government has written to the Ministry of External Affairs to cancel the diplomatic passport of Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexual abuse, on the basis of an arrest warrant issued against him by a court.
The 33-year-old Prajwal, who is the grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and is the NDA's candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, is facing charges of multiple instances of sexually abusing women.
Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on April 27, a day after Hassan went to polls, and is still at large. "CM (Chief Minister) has already written to the Prime Minister, but the department (Home) writing it in accordance with law is different. Warrant has been issued now, on the basis of the warrant, a letter has been written stating that -- warrant has been issued and the diplomatic passport has to be cancelled," Parameshwara said.
Speaking to reporters, he said if the passport is cancelled, it will be impossible for Prajwal to stay anymore in the foreign country, and he will have to come back.
"We have written to the Ministry of External Affairs as matters related to passports come under them, they will have to respond to it," he added.
A Special Court for Elected Representatives issued an arrest warrant on Saturday against Prajwal Revanna, following an application moved by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the state government to probe the serial sex abuse charges against the MP.
Earlier, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had on May 1 written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to move the Ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs to take swift action to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna.
A 'Blue Corner Notice' seeking information on Prajwal's whereabouts has already been issued by Interpol, following a request by the SIT via the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Responding to a question on JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy requesting Prajwal Revanna, who is also his nephew, to return to India and face the probe, Parameshwara said, "I have seen it in the media, it is their family's internal matter, let him (Prajwal) come and face the law."
The PM at the Jagannath temple in Puri
15:21 Stop maligning Tamils for votes, Stalin tells PM
Ruling DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday took strong exception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks that the missing keys of Lord Jagannath's treasury in Odisha have gone to Tamil Nadu, alleging it was an attempt at maligning Tamils for the sake of votes.
Modi should stop making such maligning remarks against Tamils, he said in a statement in Chennai, a day after Modi's comments came at an election rally in Odisha.
While lashing out at the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government in Odisha on Monday, the PM had said that "even the temple of Lord Jagannath in Puri is not safe in the hands of this government,", expressing concern over the missing keys of Lord Jagannath's Ratna Bhandar (treasury) for the last six years.
He had said Odisha wants to know why the BJD has suppressed the judicial commission report on Ratna Bhandar keys. "The role of the BJD in the case is suspect. The BJP government, after it comes to power on June 10 will make the report public," Modi had said, adding it is said that the Ratna Bhandar key has gone to Tamil Nadu.
Taking exception, Stalin alleged Modi was "creating a feeling of enmity between people and anger between states with his hatred speeches." Referring to the PM's comments on the missing Ratna Bhandar keys, he said "it amounts to insulting Lord Jagannath, revered by crores of people, besides insulting and hurting the people of Tamil Nadu who have good relations and friendship with the state of Odisha."
14:55 Sisodia's judicial custody extended till May 31
Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia till May 31 in the Delhi liquor excise policy case. The court has asked the accused persons to give an estimate of time required for inspection of documents.
It has also directed the ED to file a comprehensive reply on a plea of Sameer Mahendru seeking support of CCTV footage. The court has also directed the ED to file a detailed compliance report on how much time given to accused to inspect the documents and when they were not given time.
Sisodia has been in custody since February 26, 2023, after arrest by the CBI. Thereafter, he was arrested by the ED. Sisodia resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023. -- ANI
14:49 No trials to be held for selecting wrestlers for Paris Olympics: WFI
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh confirmed on Tuesday that trials will not be held to select wrestlers for the Paris Olympics 2024, rather the players who secured the Olympic quota will travel to Paris and represent the tricolour at the multi-sport extravaganza.
This news finally clears the air around trials for the Paris Olympics 2024. Earlier, there were media reports that trials could be conducted for the selection of wrestlers for the event. World Championships medalist Vinesh Phogat had urged the WFI, Centre and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to release the date, venue and format for the trials.
Later, Nisha and Reetika, two women's wrestlers who won the quota for India in the sport during the qualifiers events held recently, had urged the governing body of wrestling in India to not conduct trials due to lack of time leading up to the Olympics, risk of injuries and the need to lose weight for trials etc.
Sanjay Singh told ANI that the meeting of the trials committee was held, during which the selection committee members, and the coach of the men's and women's teams were present.
"All decided that whoever got the quota, will represent India in the Olympics," announced Sanjay. Sanjay hoped that this move would bring a lot of relief to players.
"Players will now feel relieved and they will be able to focus. We will help them with the best training facilities abroad, in consultation with coaches," he said. -- ANI
14:48 Kejriwal lives in Sheesh Mahal, he's changed : BJP
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi on Tuesday criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for its handling of the assault allegation by its MP Swati Maliwal.
The BJP said that the AAP's intentions had been exposed in the case.
"The events inside the Chief Minister's residence in Delhi have exposed their reality to such an extent that even eight days after that incident, many questions remain in the minds of the people of Delhi," Trivedi said.
"If there was no appointment then how could she come inside your residence? If anyone goes to any Chief Minister's residence without appointment he is not allowed to get in. You should answer how could she get in," the BJP MP asked.
Trivedi further wanted to know what steps were taken by Kejriwal's security personnel after Maliwal was allegedly trespassing at his residence. "Kejriwal has Z category security...If an intruder had got inside his residence, what steps did his security personnel take against her as per security protocol? He has filed a report of trespassing after four days," the BJP leader said.
Questioning Bibhav Kumar's presence at the Chief Minister's residence at the time when Maliwal arrived at the place, Trivedi asked whether he had taken appointments to meet him and in what capacity was Kumar inside Kejirwal's place.
"Bibhav Kumar was inside his residence, who technically holds no post in today's date, neither holding any government post nor any political post. If he was in the Chief Minister's residence, did he take any appointments? Show in the appointment list that Bibhav Kumar's appointment was there. If there was no appointment, then in what capacity was he inside CM's residence?" Trivedi said.
Questioning Bibhav Kumar's sudden disappearance after the Swati Maliwal episode on May 13, Suvendu said, "...After the incident, he was nowhere to be seen. Following that he was next seen in Lucknow. Then he disappeared again. Then he was found at the Chief Minister's residence again."
Taking a dig at Kejriwal's claim that he lives a simplistic life and people can meet him any time at his residence, Trivedi said, "Are you the same leader who used to say that I will live in a three-room house and my house will remain open 24 hours? Anyone can come and meet you anytime? But today you are staying in your 'Sheesh Mehal' and meeting people only after appointments."
"He (Kejriwal) told his Member of Parliament that since there was no appointment, he would not meet her and even after this, if she insisted, they would misbehave with her and beat her up. Does that not suggest a huge change in Kejriwal's character?" Trivedi asked.
Comparing the political stature of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Delhi Chief Minister, Trivedi said that only a handful of his MPs come to meet him.
A teen driving this Porsche killed two people
14:11 Porsche accident: Shinde orders strict action
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis have instructed for stringent action in the case of a car accident allegedly involving a 17-year-old boy that killed two persons, Pune police chief said on Tuesday.
The Porsche car, allegedly driven by the juvenile, who the police claim was drunk at the time, knocked down two motorbike riders in the Kalyani Nagar area of Pune city in the early hours of Sunday, causing their deaths, as per officials. The police have detained the boy's father, who is a real estate developer, and arrested three executives of two hotels for serving liquor to the juvenile, they said.
"The chief minister, the deputy chief minister and home minister (Fadnavis), and the (Pune) guardian minister (Deputy CM Ajit Pawar) have given clear instructions to the police to take stringent action in this case. The state Director General of Police has also instructed for strong action," Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar told reporters.
He addressed public's concerns that the police were not taking adequate action in the case. Kumar affirmed that both the government and police were committed to take stringent measures against those responsible for the incident.
Asked about any pressure on the police in this case, the official said that from the beginning, the police have been acting according to the law and there is no pressure on the cops from anyone. "I mentioned yesterday that we are ready to discuss every legal step taken by the police. We have taken the most stringent possible action. If legal experts believe there are more stringent provisions available, they should come forward for a public discussion," he said.
Kumar said on the first day, the police invoked Indian Penal Code Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), in addition to section 304A (causing death by negligence).
"We also moved an application before a court seeking permission to treat the juvenile as an adult due to the heinous nature of the act. Unfortunately, the court rejected our application. We have now approached the district sessions court and are awaiting the judgment," he said. -- PTI
13:42 One dead after consuming contaminated water in Karnataka village
One person is suspected to have died and many others fell ill after drinking contaminated water in a village in Mysuru district on May 20.
The affected persons were admitted to the hospital, police said on Tuesday.
Taking serious note of the incident, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today directed authorities concerned to investigate the matter and ensure proper treatment to those in the hospital.
According to police, Kanakaraj (20) died after consuming the contaminated water in Salundi village under Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency.
Kanakaraj was admitted to a private hospital in Mysuru on Monday with symptoms of vomiting. He died without responding to treatment.
A few others with similar symptoms have been admitted to the hospital. On learning about the incident, Siddaramaiah spoke to the Deputy Commissioner and the District Health Officer over phone regarding the death.
"The CM instructed the officials to ascertain the cause of water pollution and take appropriate action," the CM's office said in a statement. -- PTI
Bibhav Kumar
13:20 Bibhav being taken to Mumbai to retrieve iPhone data
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar, arrested for allegedly assaulting AAP MP Swati Maliwal, is being taken to Mumbai for the retrieval of data from his formatted iPhone, the police said on Tuesday.
Kumar is under a five-day judicial custody in connection with the alleged assault on Maliwal, a Rajya Sabha MP, at the CM's Delhi residence.
The police said Kumar had formatted his phone before transferring the data to some person, or device in Mumbai. His mobile phone was seized following his arrest but it was found to have been formatted, the police said.
Rahul Gandhi pays homage to his father Rajiv Gandhi's samadhi today
12:53 No change in Bihar, only Nitish's alliances: Cong
The Congress on Tuesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his promise of a transformative package for Bihar, saying that while he talked about changing the face and fate of the state, all that had changed was Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's alliances.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also posed several questions to the prime minister ahead of his rallies in Bihar.
"Why has the outgoing PM failed to reopen the Motihari Sugar Mill? Why were ambulances purchased using a BJP MP's funds caught smuggling alcohol? What happened to the 1.25 lakh crore package the PM had promised in 2015?" Ramesh said in a post on X.
Elaborating on what he said were "jumla details," he said, "It has been 10 years since the outgoing PM promised that his government would reopen the Motihari Sugar Mill during his 2014 campaign. He had explicitly stated that he would come back to Motihari, and drink chai made with sugar from the long-defunct mill. Maybe this is why he has not gone back in 10 years."
"Today, when he goes back to Motihari, the people will demand answers. More than 300 former mill workers are still waiting to receive their pending salaries and pensions. The closure of the mill has also triggered a steady decline in Motihari's economy," Ramesh said.
"Now, sitting BJP MP Radha Mohan Singh claims that the outgoing PM never made any such promises," he said.
Till when the BJP would deceive the people of Motihari, Ramesh asked. "Will the outgoing PM apologise for his failures before he leaves office on June 4th?" he asked.
Ramesh said that in 2019, the BJP MP from Saran was lauded for using his MP funds to sanction 60 ambulances in his constituency. "At the peak of the COVID crisis in 2021, however, these ambulances were found to be sitting idle while nearby hospitals faced acute shortages. Then, last September, one of these ambulances was caught smuggling liquor. In 2021, when Congress leader Pappu Yadav exposed the misuse of the ambulances, he was thrown in jail for a 32-year-old case," Ramesh said.
"Can the outgoing PM tell us what his MP is trying to hide? Why has the BJP government refused to investigate this case?" he said. "At a rally leading up to Assembly Elections in 2015, PM Modi had declared 'I am here today to honour my promise... how much do you want? Rs 50,000 crore, 60,000, 70,000, 75,000, 80,000? I am announcing a package of ? 1.25 lakh crore," to which his new old ally and then CM Nitish Kumar had responded, 'was he bidding for Bihar?' In either case, only Rs 27,000 crore was sanctioned by 2017, after which no updates have been provided on the 'transformative' package," Ramesh claimed.
"While the PM had promised to change the 'face and fate' of Bihar, all that has changed is Nitish Kumar's alliances, he said, and added that Bihar's youth remains unemployed and the state continues to lag behind on most development indicators.
"Can the outgoing PM tell us where the remaining Rs 1 lakh crore has disappeared? Is this just another feather in the hat of the Bharatiya Jumla Party?" Ramesh said. -- PTI
PM at a rally in Jhargram, Bengal
12:32 Shehzada wants tears in Modi's eyes: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress and its allies of "ruining" 60 years of the country and "destroying the lives of three to four generations".
Addressing a public rally in East Champaran, PM Modi said, "...Congress and its allies together have ruined 60 years of the country and destroyed the lives of 3-4 generations..." He also said that these people (INDIA alliance have no other agenda other than "abusing" Modi, taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi without taking his name.
"Someone is saying that they will dig Modi's grave... Someone is saying that they will bury Modi... The prince of Congress (Rahul Gandhi) wants to see tears in Modi's eyes"
"Those who are born with a silver spoon do not know what hard work is. I have heard that someone here is saying that after June 4, Modi will have bed rest but I pray to God that there should not be a bed rest in the life of any citizen of the country. Every citizen of the country should be full of energy but what else can be expected from the successor of Jungle Raj? These people have no issue in this election except abusing Modi," PM Modi added.
Targeting the INDI alliance, PM Modi said, "The country can no longer be run as per your whims and desires. Modi might be a thorn in the eyes of the people of INDI... But Modi is in the heart of the country... Modi is in every heart!". "Bihar has witnessed a period of migration for decades. However, due to the efforts of the NDA government, migration is now stopping. The youth of Bihar are getting employment opportunities here," PM Modi added. The next round of voting would be held on May 25.
Victim Ashwini Koshta's brother, Sampreet
12:16 Porsche accident: Action must be taken, says family
Pune car accident case: In Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Sampreet Koshta, the brother of Ashwini, who was killed in the accident, says, "She turned 24 in January. She was in Pune for the last six years. We received a call from her friend regarding this accident. Action should be taken as per law."
Suresh Koshta, the victim's father says, "As per rules, action should be taken (against the accused) so that people learn a lesson from this... She completed her studies in Pune and got a job there."
Two people were killed when a speeding Porsche car hit them from behind on 19th May. The accused has been granted bail by the Juvenile Justice Board and his father was detained today.
The Porsche car allegedly driven by the 17-year-old, who the police claim was drunk at the time after consuming liquor at a bar, knocked down two motorbike riders in Kalyani Nagar area here in the early hours of Sunday, causing their death, as per officials.
Mumbai has been intensely hot and humid
12:07 Sena (UBT) polling agent found dead inside toilet
A 62-year-old polling booth agent of Shiv Sena (UBT) was found dead inside the toilet of a polling booth in Mumbai's Worli area on May 20, said police on Tuesday.
The deceased has been identified as Manohar Nalge.
According to the police, the incident took place in the evening, when Manohar went to the toilet and didn't come out for quite some time. When his colleagues went to check, they found Manohar lying unconscious.
They rushed him to the nearby hospital where the doctor declared him dead upon examination.
Speaking about the incident in Worli, Mumbai police officers said that people present at the scene reported that Manohar was feeling uneasy and was struggling with the scorching heat and humidity.
However, the police are waiting for the post-mortem report to determine the actual cause of death.
The Mumbai Police have taken possession of the body and a case has also been registered at the NM Joshi Marg police station of Accidental Death Report (ADR). The dead body has been sent for a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.
11:44 Remembering Rajiv
Sonia Gandhi pays homage to her husband and former PM Rajiv Gandhi on his death anniversary.
11:33 People want to vent their anger by voting: Mehbooba
Mehbooba Mufti is fighting a lone battle in Jammu and Kashmir.
The supremo of the Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (JKPDP, better known as PDP) is going from one corner of the Union Territory to another to ensure victory for her candidates in the Lok Sabha elections.
The PDP is contesting from Baramulla, Srinagar and Anantnag-Rajouri from Kashmir, for which Mehbooba is criss-crossing the Kashmir Valley and appealing to voters to vote for her party.
Mehbooba herself is contesting from Anantnag-Rajouri and will take on National Conference leader Mian Altaf and J&K Apni Party Zaffar Manhas.
Amidst her campaign at Tral in Anantnag-Rajouri constituency, Mehbooba spoke to Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com about what the future holds.
Read the interview here.
11:24 Not yet PM, but so arrogant: Kejriwal on Shah
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal holds a press conference. The chief minister has come under fire with the Swati Maliwal assault case. He begins his presser targeting Home Minister Amit Shah.
Kejriwal says, " Yesterday Amit Shah ji came to Delhi and less than 500 people were present in his public meeting. After coming to Delhi, he started abusing the people of the country and said that the supporters of Aam Aadmi Party are Pakistani.
"I want to ask him, the people of Delhi have formed our government by giving us 62 seats, 56% vote share, are the people of Delhi Pakistani? The people of Punjab have given us 92 seats out of 117 seats, are the people of Punjab Pakistanis?
"The people of Gujarat, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh and in many parts of the country gave us love and trust, are all the people of this country Pakistani?
"PM Modi has chosen you as his successor. You became so proud of this that you started abusing and threatening people. You have not become PM yet and you have become so arrogant. For your information, let me tell you that you are not becoming the PM, because people are not forming the BJP government on June 4."
The amoeba affects the brain causing death
10:59 Brain-eating amoeba! Child dies of rare infection
A five-year-old girl afflicted by amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare brain infection caused by a free-living amoeba found in contaminated waters, in Malappuram district of Kerala died, official sources said on Tuesday. The a microscopic amoeba is commonly called a "brain-eating amoeba".
The child hailing from Moonniyur panchayat here died on Monday night at the Kozhikode Medical College's Institute of Maternal and Child Health, where she was undergoing treatment for over a week, they said.
According to medical experts, the infection is caused when free-living, non-parasitic amoebae bacteria enter the body through the nose from contaminated water. The girl had taken bath in a nearby pond on May 1 and by May 10 showed symptoms of fever, headache and vomiting, the sources said. The child was on a ventilator and unresponsive to medication.
Other children who also took bath along with the girl in the same pond were under observation. However, they were discharged after being found to be free of infection, sources added.
The disease was earlier reported in coastal Alappuzha district in the state in 2023 and 2017. The main symptoms of the disease are fever, headache, vomiting, and seizures. PTI
Rajiv Pratap Rudy votes
10:53 1 dead, 2 injured after clashes between RJD, BJP in Saran
A day after peaceful elections were held in the Saran parliamentary constituency in Bihar, a violent clash took place this morning leaving one person dead and two seriously injured.
According to police officials, violent clashes took place in Chhapra, the district headquarters of Saran, between supporters of opposition RJD and ruling BJP, believed to be a result of electoral rivalry for the Saran seat.
Police said Chandan Rai, 26 was shot dead and Guddu Rai and Manoj Rai were seriously injured.
Both the injured were first rushed to the Chhapra Sadar hospital and later shifted to the Patna Medical College and Hospital for treatment.
This is the first violent incident during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in Bihar, once infamous for violence in elections. Police said prima facie it appears that the clash was between supporters of RJD when RJD candidate Rohini Acharya during her visit to a polling booth was allegedly abused and humiliated by some supporters of BJP.
The district administration has clamped down on internet connectivity for two days in Saran.
Rohini Acharya is daughter of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and is contesting her first election from the Saran seat against BJP's incumbent MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy, a former union minister.
MI Khan/Patna
10:45 INDIA bloc confident of stopping BJP majority: Cong
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday asserted that the response of the people towards his party and INDIA bloc has changed significantly and there is a big undercurrent in favour of the alliance which will be able to stop the BJP from getting the majority numbers in Lok Sabha polls.
In an interview with PTI, he said it is the people who are now fighting for them and against the ideology of the BJP and the RSS which spreads "hatred and division" in society.
The Congress chief said people feel the fight is now to save democracy and the Constitution and have extended support to the party.
Kharge also accused the BJP of repeatedly instigating people and "emotionally looting" them in the name of Ram Temple, Hindu-Muslim and India-Pakistan and claimed they have now understood their true colours. "After travelling across the country, we are getting the sense that there is a big undercurrent in our favour.
"The Congress party and coalition partners of INDIA bloc will get more seats this time. We will be able to stop the BJP from getting the seats required for coming to power. I feel the BJP will not be able to form its government," he told PTI.
"It is the public which is fighting for us and it is not just us. People are supporting the ideology that we follow and are fighting for us. It is clear that the BJP will lag behind and we will move forward," Kharge also said. Asked from where they were getting the confidence, Kharge said the response of people towards them and how they have started supporting them and are fighting for their ideology is giving him such confidence.
Terming this Lok Sabha election as crucial, he said the call to save the Constitution and democracy is for saving the fundamental rights and the freedom of speech and expression of all Indians.
Five phases of the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls are over. -- PTI
10:24 The power of the 1: Balangir village boycotts polls over hospital, school
Odisha: Around 1,100 villagers in Balangir boycott the polling over their demand for a school and a hospital. Booth 15 Presiding Officer, Runu Meher says, "We wanted to conduct the mock poll and wanted some polling agents to do the same, but we did not find any agent. We waited for our electors, but nobody has come to cast their votes yet. Till 2 pm, nobody had come to vote... We think that they boycotted their vote for some demands. Nobody has cast their vote yet."
Villager Debashish Patra says, "The Panchayat is 18 km from our village. Also, we need a high school here as this area has three villages. We gave a letter to the Collector and SP nine months ago, but they are not listening to us. We will boycott all the elections until our demands are not fulfilled."
People in the area fetch water from an almost-dry pond
10:19 No water, no vote?
India in the 21st century: Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh: Amid the rising temperature, locals yearn for clean water as the water crisis deepens in the Bundelkhand area. A resident of Maharkhuwa village, Gajraj Singh says, "There is no arrangement of water. This area is suffering due to the water crisis. Politicians come here to seek votes, but no one makes any arrangements for us... This problem has persisted for many years..."
10:09 Papa, your dreams, my dreams: Rahul on Rajiv Gandhi's death anniv
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, remembering his late father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 33rd death anniversary, shared a post and referred to his father's dreams as his own.
Rahul also shared a childhood photograph of him with his father. In the post, Rahul said, "Father, Your dreams, my dreams, Your aspirations, my responsibilities. Your memories, today and always, always in my heart."
Sambit Patra's pinned image on his X feed from 2019
10:05 Hero-worship is road to dictatorship: Cong on Patra
The controversial remarks made by BJP leader Sambit Patra that "Lord Jagannath is a devotee (bhakt) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi" has triggered a political row, with the Congress accusing the ruling party of "not even sparing our Gods" and said that "hero-worship is a road to eventual dictatorship".
However, Sambit Patra who is BJP's candidate from Puri Lok Sabha seat, later described the comments as a "slip of the tongue".
The latest war of words between the two parties came amid the middle of the election season with the polling now extending into the last two phases scheduled to be held on May 25 and June 1.
"Bhakti in religion may be a road to the salvation of the soul. But in politics, Bhakti or hero-worship is a sure road to degradation and to eventual dictatorship." ~ Dr B. R. Ambedkar," Kharge posted on X.
"The comments made by BJP's Puri candidate is an insult to Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannatha revered by crores of people. We condemn it in the strongest possible words. It reinforces our charge that a BJP, drunk with power, will not even spare our Gods, let alone India's people," Kharge added.
His post added: "On June 4th, this arrogance shall be destroyed by "Will of the People".
Clearing the air around his statement, Patra said he was apologetic for his 'slip of the tongue', and that he would offer penance in the name of Lord Jagannath as an apology.
Patra landed in a row in Odisha on Monday after he told a local news channel that "Lord Jagannath is a devotee (bhakt) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi."
He later described it as a "slip of the tongue." Prime Minister Modi held a roadshow in the holy city of Puri on Monday morning along with BJP candidate Sambit Patra and addressed two public rallies later in the day.
-- ANI
09:44 Patra to fast as penance for 'slip of tongue'
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sambit Patra, who was in the soup for his 'controversial' remarks relating to Lord Jagannath, cleared the air around his statement, saying that he was apologetic for his 'slip of the tongue', and that he would offer penance in the name of Lord Jagannath as an apology.
Patra, the BJP candidate from Puri Lok Sabha seat, landed in a row in Odisha on Monday after he told a local news channel that "Lord Jagannath is a devotee (bhakt) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi."
He later described it as a "slip of the tongue."
Speaking to ANI about the remark Monday night, Patra said, "Today one of my statements has become controversial. It was when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's roadshow came to an end in Puri and I was giving out bytes to several media channels."
"I had given out bytes to almost 15-16 channels wherein I was repeating that Prime Minister Modi is an ardent devotee of Maha Prabhu Jagannath Ji. Even as the Chief Minister of Ahmedabad and even before that, PM Modi used to regularly visit and offer prayers at Lord Jagannath temple there in Ahmedabad," Patra said.
Adding further, Patra said, "I was repeating the same to every channel when a media person came to me for a byte. It so happened that amid a lot of people, hot weather, and noise, I unknowingly said just the opposite of what I had been saying all along. I mistakenly said that Lord Jagannath is a devotee of PM Modi."
"This is not possible; no person in his right mind can say that God is a devotee of any human being. The mistake happened unknowingly while giving out bytes to a channel. I agree that the sentiments of some people have been hurt due to my statement, but even the lord forgives a person for committing a mistake unknowingly," said Patra.
He further clarified, "It was never my intention to commit this mistake, but still because Mahaprabhu Jagannath is the Lord of the Universe and I am an ardent devotee just like the hundreds and thousands of Odias, I feel I should convey my apology and offer penance to the Lord for a 'slip of the tongue' that occurred unknowingly."
"Hence, I have decided to observe fasting as an apology," said Patra.
BJP candidate Sambit Patra inadvertently kicked off a row on Monday after he mistakenly said that "Lord Jagannath is a devotee (bhakt) of PM Modi."
"Lakhs of people have gathered to see Modi. Lord Jagannath is a devotee (bhakt) of Modi, and we are Modi's family. This is an unusual sight, and I am not able to control my emotions. I think it is a historic day for all Odias," Patra said. -- ANI
People wait in a queue to vote in Baramulla
09:35 PM congratulates Baramulla for highest voter turnout
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the people of Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency as it recorded its highest-ever voter turnout, and said such active participation is a great trend.
The Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency, which was once militancy-infested, recorded its highest-ever voter turnout at 59 per cent on a violence-free polling day on Monday.
Polling stations in Baramulla were buzzing with energy as voters in large numbers thronged to exercise their right to vote.
"Compliments to my sisters and brothers of Baramulla for their unbreakable commitment to democratic values. Such active participation is a great trend," Modi said in a post on X.
Modi's remarks came in response to Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha's post, saying, "High voter turnout, over 58% in Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency, is very encouraging and shows the people's determination and unwavering faith in democracy. I congratulate and thank the people of Baramulla for joining the Maha Kumbh of our democracy in large numbers." PTI
08:56 BJP, Congress candidates spar over slogans on polling booth wall in Leh
A war of words broke out between Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party candidates in Leh on Monday during polling in Ladakh as the BJP alleged that slogans against the party were written on the walls of a polling booth.
A heated argument was witnessed between BJP candidate Tashi Gyalson and Congress candidate Tsering Namgyal. Outgoing MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal was also present.
The incident happened at the Housing Colony Polling station in Leh.
According to BJP leaders, objectionable slogans were written on the walls of the polling booth, which led to the face-off.
MP from Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal told PTI the slogans attacking the BJP were written on the walls of two polling booths in violation of the model code of code.
Following the BJP's complaint, the slogans were painted over and covered by the election authorities.
Polling was briefly stopped at a booth but was resumed later.
"We got the complaint at 1 pm. Agents of political parties and other people were there, but no one noticed it. An FIR has been lodged about the incident. We will take action against defacement of public property and action will be taken," DC Leh Santosh Sukhdev told media.
The slogans called the BJP 'Hindu party' and 'corruption party', while yet another said 'save Ladakh', it was claimed.
As the BJP complained, Congress candidate Tsering Namgyal also arrived, and a heated exchange of words ensued. A purported video of the incident appeared online.
Congress candidate Tsering Namgyal said the slogans were not been written by them.
According to the latest figures updated by the Election Commission, 68.47 per cent voting was recorded in Ladakh. While 62.50 per cent voting was recorded in Leh, 74 percent polling was recorded in Kargil.
There are three candidates in the fray for the Ladakh Lok Sabha seat. While there are two candidates from the Buddhist-dominated Leh -- BJP's Tashi Gyalson and the Congress' Tsering Namgyal -- Independent candidate Mohammad Haneefa Jan is the lone candidate from the Shia Muslim-dominated Kargil region. -- PTI
IMAGE: Voters show their ink-marked fingers after casting their votes for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha Polls, in Leh on Monday. Photograph: ANI Photo
08:32 Delhi Police forms SIT to probe Maliwal case
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the Swati Maliwal case, a week after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's former personal secretary Bibhav Kumar of assaulting her, police officials said.
The SIT is headed by North Delhi's Additional Deputy Commissioner Of Police (DCP) Anjitha Chepyala who has been handling the investigation.
Three Inspector-rank officers are also included in the SIT, which includes the officer of Civil Lines Police Station where the case was registered.
The SIT will be submitting its report to senior officials after conducting its investigation, police said.
The Delhi Police took Bibhav Kumar to the drawing room of Kejriwal's residence on Monday where Kumar had allegedly assaulted Maliwal, to find out details about the sequence of events that took place on the morning of May 13.
The police noted down the answers to all their questions sequence-wise, mapped them and took photographs of the crime scene where the hour-long crime took place, officials said.
Sources from the Delhi Police said that since the crime scene has now been recreated by taking both the accused and the victim to the spot, the sequence of events narrated by both of them is now being analysed.
Officials from Delhi Police said that they also paid a visit to Bibhav Kumar's residence.
The police are on their way to retrieve Bibhav Kumar's mobile data expecting that it would give them a fresh lead, they said.
They are also trying to find out whether the CCTV footage has been tampered with, as accused by Swati Maliwal.
The police seized the DVR of Kejriwal's CCTV footage on Sunday evening and are trying to retrieve the blank portion of the footage.
Earlier, on Saturday, Kejriwal's former PA was arrested in connection with the alleged assault on Maliwal. He was produced before the Tis Hazari Court, which remanded him to police custody for five days.
Maliwal, in her complaint, alleged that Bibhav 'slapped' her 'at least seven to eight times' while she 'continued screaming' and 'brutally dragged' her while 'kicking' her in her 'chest, stomach and pelvis area'.
After his arrest, Bibhav was produced before Delhi's Tis Hazari Court, which remanded her in police custody for five days.
Bibhav lodged a counter-complaint with the police on Friday, accusing Maliwal of gaining 'unauthorised entry' into the CM's Civil Lines residence and 'verbally abusing' him. -- ANI
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01:23 Over 68% polling in Ladakh; Kargil records higher turnout than Leh
Over 68 percent polling was recorded in Ladakh on Monday in the election to decide the fate of three candidates in the fray for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the Union territory, polling officials said in Leh.
They also said that the voter turnout in Kargil was 74 percent and 62.50 percent in Leh.
Spread over an area of over 59,000 square kilometres -- around 40 times the size of Delhi -- Ladakh is the largest parliamentary constituency in India in terms of area and covers the two districts of Leh and Kargil.
According to the Election Commission, the overall polling percentage was 68.47.
The constituency recorded a 71.05 percent turnout in the 2019 general election. Lt Governor Brig (Dr) BD Mishra (retd) and his wife Neelam Mishra were among those who cast their votes at Skara Yokma in Leh.
"Voting is the festival of democracy. I am happy that we are celebrating it like that. Free and fair voting is an important step of democracy," Mishra told reporters after voting.
Well-known climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was in the news recently for leading a 66-day sit-in protest in Leh over demands such as safeguards under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution for Ladakh and statehood, cast his vote in Leh's Ulyaktopo village. -- PTI
Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray
01:00 BJP files complaint with EC against Uddhav Thackeray's press conference
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday wrote to the Election Commission of India alleging that Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray violated the model code of conduct by holding a press conference in Mumbai even as voting for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections was underway in Mumbai and elsewhere in Maharashtra.
Thackeray spoke to reporters about 5 pm, alleging that the polling process was facing delays at several places in Mumbai and the Election Commission was doing this deliberately at the behest of the Narendra Modi government.
Voting was slow especially in the areas where the Opposition was strong, he claimed. Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar stated in his letter to the ECI that Thackeray's press conference was in violation of the model code of conduct as voting was taking place all over Mumbai when he spoke. -- PTI
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal
00:31 Maliwal threatens to drag Kejriwal ministers to court
Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Monday alleged that Delhi government ministers were "spreading lies" about her and threatened to take them to court.
In a post on X, Maliwal refuted allegations by AAP leaders that she had filed the assault complaint against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar at the BJP's behest as a corruption case was registered against her.
"Since yesterday, Delhi ministers have been spreading lies that just because a corruption FIR has been lodged against me I am doing this at the behest of BJP "The FIR was registered in 2016 and after that I was appointed the chief of the Delhi Commission for Women twice by both the chief minister and the Lt Governor."
"The case is completely fake and the Hon'ble high court has imposed a stay for the last one-and-a-half years and has also accepted that there was no exchange of money," she said in the Hindi post.
"Before I gave the complaint against Bibhav Kumar, I was lady Singham and today I have become a BJP agent," she said and accused Aam Aadmi Party leaders of unleashing the "troll army" against her to malign her image since she"spoke the truth".-- PTI
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